In a special performance , Dyskko added a new installment to his ongoing saga of the Dungeon Divas.  Known for what he calls “‘special effects,” his story-telling incorporates bardic magic to make you feel you are part of the story.

In true Dyskko style, audience members felt the heat of Moltenwing the Dragon.  They cried along with Buzz, as he wondered what to do after the death of his mentor, Indira.  The audience cheered when the Divas freed the Shackled Ones from the Great Tree.

Dyskko says this was a final ending to the Divas saga. “I’m ready for something new now.”  Even though his tales have always been fantastical, they have still been grounded in reality.  “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to travel amongst the stars.  I’ve also wondered what if there were no magic? Yes, I think I’ll turn my tales toward some of these ideas.”

Character Epilogues

After killing the beholder Orbius who had posed as Oskar Vhalantru for the last 15 years, the Divas were at a crossroads.  Are there enough people left in the Org Chart of Evil to fulfill their plans?  Do we stop here, or do we pursue them further?  Or do we need to get back to helping the evacuees from Cauldron rebuild?

The Divas made a final attempt to visit the Fiery Sanctum.  There, they discovered that Rmongor had killed all the Shackled Ones in the Tree and no more energy was being channeled.  Looking at the Org Chart of Evil, they realized all the people left to kill were people they hadn’t met.  Where would they be? The Divas spent time at the Church of Pelor reviewing their notes, organizing their supplies and inventorying their loot.  After a long day of discussion, the decision was clear: Use the loot to invest in the City of Cauldron, help the people rebuild, and stay wary for the Cagewrights should they start on the next phase of their plan.

Myntilly – Hoping to spark some renewed energy into the local economy, Myntilly purchased an abandoned building in the NW Business District of Cauldron.  She refitted the ground floor with her own Tatoo Parlor, and moved into the second floor apartment.  Inspired by her leadership, many young adventurers come to discuss their dreams and plans and ask Myntilly for her wisdom while she inks.  Even Cora Lanthanmire has been spotted getting a tatoo.

Sadi – Was last seen heading out of town.  Her plans are to travel to Sasserine, then spend some quiet time traveling along the coast.  “I hope to purchase a small boat and spend some quiet time in peaceful reflection.”  The year has been hard on Sadi, dying not once, but twice, and reincarnated twice.  It puts a touch of darkness on you.  Then spending so much time either underground or in a big city has been difficult.  “I come from a long line of gypsies.  I need to spend some time roaming.”

Ian and Brus – Returned to Kingfisher Hollow.  This city grew a bit following the evacuation of Cauldron.  Many people moved there, thinking it would be temporary, but fell in love with the Amedio forest on the border.  “Now that the town is a bit bigger, there’s a lot I can do here.  There’s a lot of new construction that I can help with, and we can start a second druid hall on the other end of the town.”  There is still some strange sounds coming from the forest, and rumors of undead, but Ian feels up to the challenge.

Acgar – Has become a new prominent figure in the Cauldron Town Guard.  Acgar has become Lead Trainer for the Magical Threats Agency.  “Quinlan had a good idea with this organization, but they need better discipline if they’re going to respond to threats.  That, and they need some strong analysis tools to investigate evidence left behind.”  Acgar is developing a new field called “forensics.”  It also helps the new recruits pay attention when she mentions that she keeps a killer frog in a box.

Indira – It’s taken some time for her his fellow clerics to get used to the new dwarf body, but Indira continues to work to spread the good word of Pelor.  Kristoff remains as head cleric of the Church, and continuing to lead the young headstrong Indira will be a continuing challenge.  Thankfully, Indira has the goblins and Buzz to keep her busy.

Buzz – Speaking of Buzz, he is working to bridge new ties between the differing churches of Cauldron.  The new head cleric at the Temple of Wee Jas, is rebuilding temple after the construction accident last solstice.  Buzz is working to negotiate a construction plan that will be a tribute to Wee Jas without blocking the Church of Pelor from the rising sun.  He is also working toward more unity between all the worshipping halls (to St. Cuthbert, Kord, Wee Jas, Fharlaghn, Pelor) in preparation for this winter’s Flood Festival.  “Last winter there was rivalry between the worshippers and Cauldron really suffered.  This winter will be different.”  Ah Buzz, remember when we first met him?

Elvis Krylscar- For his leadership and commitment to the City of Cauldron, Elvis was awarded a Key to the City. (Standing next to him are at left, Severen Navalant, Mayor, newly returned to the city and at right Quinlan Ghelve, Captain of the Town Guard).  He continues to grow in his leadership role on the City Council.  Sounds like he’ll run for Mayor again.

I had the kid on one side of me and the dwarf on the other. The kid was talking nonstop. “I climbed that tree.” “I’m tired.” “Can I have ice cream?”

The new mage was walking right behind me and making me feel nervous all over.

Every tine I said something to her she’d just laugh in this throaty way…. It was weird.

I’m not a reformed rogue for nothing, though. I slipped away as we approached Vhalantru’s house. We were pretty close to the Pelorian temple anyway. I stayed in the shadows, conscious of my precious cargo — Indira’s finger and the 10,000 gp that I’d need for the resurrection spell.

Like all churches in Cauldron, the temple was awash with refugees. The first people I recognized were a couple of the goblins we’d taken in. “Hey Graddtz! Remember me? It’s Buzz.” He looked at me for a moment and then broke into a smile. “Where is the shining one? She is not with you? She should be with us now.”

“Yeah, about Indira….” The grief flooded into me in a fresh wave. Other goblins joined us, eager to hear about Indira. I looked at their mostly clean faces. They were trying to be good and helpful and it was because Indira had come into their lives. Just like she’d done in my life.

“Where’s Kristoff, guys? I need to report in.”
I found him deep in the temple. He was directing several clerics who were creating water. I knew from Indira that their last meeting had ended badly.

Without stopping to think, I knelt at his feet . “Bless me, Father. For I have sinned.”
“Buzz?!? Where’s Indira? Where have you been? Sins? You want to confess? I’m not surprised.”
I ignored his comments. “Indira’s dead. She died trying to save Cauldron and I want you, I pray that you will resurrect her. ”
He grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the other clerics. “Trying to save Cauldron? Right. From Hollow Sky? From Sasserine? Where have you been?! The city is burning, Buzz. The people, the people need us and I was blind before. Stupid, stupid, stupid! The fight with the Jasidians. I understand it all now. I didn’t then. But I do now.” His voice changed: “Where is Indira?”

“Under the city there is an unholy sanctuary.” I grabbed his hands to get his attention. “The Fiery Sanctum is real. I have been there; we fought evil there and I need Indira back to finish the job.”
He laughed. “You fought evil? Indira fought evil? Really? Indira is evil. She filled my mind with hatred. She burned the temple. She killed Ike. She left her goblin spies here. If she’s really dead, if this isn’t one of her games, then she got what she deserved. Pelor have mercy on her soul.” He spat on the ground and walked away.

I’d seen Indira fight for what she believed in.

I’d seen her convince the group to take actions beyond their normal scope. I don’t have that kind of charisma. Obviously. I could talk until I’m blue in the face and they are not going to hear.

Sadi had dropped her bag of holding while she helped Ian with one of the cages. Without thinking I walked over and grabbed the bag. No one was pay attention. Myntilly was standing back and directing the group’s efforts to free some of the caged people. Durilin and Ian would pause to discuss some fine point of construction. I admire them. I really do. They have the force of conviction that freeing those people is the way to save Cauldron. I have my conviction, too.

I sorted through the bag of holding. I needed some decent leather armor, a dagger or two, what happened to those boots of spider climb? I needed water….. no I don’t. Gah, I forget that I can make water. Clerics can create water. Silly how you forget things sometimes.

I placed the items beside my bag. Everything I was doing was right there, in plain sight. I wasn’t stealing. I’d helped get this stuff and so if I took my share early, well, so what?
My hand closed on the bag of jewels. I’d need a cool 10k to pay for Indira’s resurrection. I don’t know what any of this stuff is worth. I’m not that kind of rogue. I mean, I wasn’t that kind of rogue. But I couldn’t be caught short on cash. I took the whole jewel bag.

I went over the plan in my mind. Slip out, head for the elevator. Once in Cauldron, head for the Temple and Kristoff. I stood to put the leather armor on. Only one dagger, but with the mace in one hand and dagger in the other….. hmmmm, I considered putting my cleric robe on over the armor. That would certainly give me a few extra seconds to pounce or run, depending on the enemy.

As I was contemplating the robe idea, I heard Sadi call my name. “Buzz, you ready? Oh good, you got the bags. We’re ready to head to the elevator.”

It was easy to find Indira’s finger. The ring glinted in the light of the torches. At least I know, if we survive, that we can resurrect her. I can’t do it. I’m not powerful enough to work the spell but Kristoff or Jenya, they could do it for us.

I wrapped the finger in a bit of linen that I have and sat back on my heels. I realized that my friends were examining a cage.

I watched as Brus sniffed around a low hanging cage. Hard to say, it looked like a dwarf in the cage. Then Sadi climbed on Brus’ back. She took her sword out and laid it on the joint where cage meets tree.

The others were moving around and no one came over to me. I’ll assume that they thought I wanted quiet. After a few more moments I got up. There was work to do.

Who was hurt? Who needed healing? Without Indira, that work would fall to me.

I walked over to where Acgar and Myntilly were talking. Before I could speak, something horrible happened.

The beholder returned.

You could see where the four eye stalks were damaged. Indira’s legacy.

There was a sudden rush of arctic cold that swept into the room from the hallway. I was chilled to the bone, shivering as the cold seemed to seep into my bones.

And then suddenly I thought: “We don’t have to do this right now. We have 5 days before the ritual is complete. Five days!”

I raised my voice. “Hey! Hey everyone! Let’s go home. Let’s regroup, right? We have time. We can get Indira back and resupply. What do ya say?”

No one listened. They were focused on the beholder and Triple Tail. Durilin charged the beholder, axe sweeping the air. Myntilly threw another orb of acid. The beholder spun around, looking for the source of the acid. He focused on Sadi and she suddenly dropped her bow and ran away.

“Guys! For real. Let’s run. Indira’s dead. How can we help these people without her? Sadi’s right. Let’s run away. We can get help.”

I made to grab Acgar’s arm. “Quinlan. Huh? What do you say? Get the police involved? You’d like that. Hell, we can even invite the MTA. The more the merrier when you’re fighting a beholder!” Even I could hear the panic in my voice.

Ian had climbed the Tree. From that vantage, he let loose a flash of lightening.
“No! no no no no No! Stop! Let’s get Indira back. Alright? Then we come back and we kick ass.”
Acgar turned to me. “The beholder’s doing mind control on you. You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I do know what I’m saying! We can’t win! Hey, what about Rumonger? We left him with the catapult.  He’s a handy guy to have in a fight. Let’s just go grab him, hmm?”

I heard a shout, Triple Tail had rushed Myntilly and grabbed her in his claws. She struggled to get free. Acgar ran to help, swinging her Holy Avenger sword as she moved. The crack as the sword hit his carapace was loud and shocking. For a moment no one moved. Then, blink. Triple Tail vanished. With Myntilly in his claws. The beholder also vanished.

“What the hell?” Acgar lowered her sword.

Durilin turned towards her. “What happened?” And then blink. Myntilly reappeared. “I think I was in the big elevator.”
“We could go after them. Finish this fight. They’re hurt.” Durilin had a fire in her eye.

From the Tree, Ian called out. “These people are hurt. We need to free them.”

Before anyone could answer, the beholder appeared once more, right beside Durilin.

Ian gave a shout and sunbeams streamed from his fingers, hitting four of the beholder’s undamaged eye stalks. The beholder vanished again.

“Alright, Ian!” Sadi cheered from the ground.
I clapped my hands. “Yes, way to go, Ian. Good job. Now. Let’s regroup. Head to Cauldron. Get help. Get some high level clerics down here, huh? Got to free these people. Got to heal these people!” No response.
“We could talk to Skye — she knows people. Or see if the Striders can help. This is their fight, too. Am I right?”
I looked around. “Guys?”

This is the scene as near as I can remember. That’s me in the corner, with Acgar. Right as the invisible hellcat attacked. We were in Nulin’s room and it was kinda fun. Dude was so insanely paranoid — I guess assassins kinda have to be, right? And so the place was like Booby Trap Land or something. The bed was all trapped and if you triggered it, it would slam into the wall like a possessed Murphy bed. Wild. There is a stream of lava that runs through the room. Came in handy later, but I’ll get to that.

So Sadi and Ian both have boots of spider climb. So they went up the walls to try to avoid traps. Yeah, right. The walls and ceiling were trapped, too. So they are making their way around the room. Me and Acgar were discussing the runes on the floor. Indira and Brus were just standing by the bed. And none of us paid any attention to Theresa. She’s always poking around. To hear her tell it later, she jumped across the lava stream and landed on a little pillow. That’s when all hell broke loose. Did I say hell? I mean it. The fiery, killing sort of hell.

First I know, I hear a growl and Acgar yells, whirls and slams into something. Something that doesn’t move. Something with claws. I hear Indira yell, too. And then there’s this… sizzling sound.

I look over in time to see like liquid flame just wham! down on Indira and Brus. Like it wasn’t there and then it was.

Just this shower of fire, dumped on them like water. They were outlined in flame for a few moments and I could clearly see the outline of the hellcat as it slumped over. Dead or stunned, I didn’t know.

Indira must have heard the noise, too. Because she stumbled a bit but she missed being in the dead center of the firestorm.

That’s where Brus was. The middle.

Have you ever smelled burning bear fur? It’s gross. Trust me.

It was all like slo-mo. I can see it when I close my eyes. Indira’s hair on fire. Brus on his hind legs struggling to escape the flames.

I had no thought of Acgar or the hellcat right beside us. I — if I had any thoughts, any real thoughts, it was simply to save Indira. At that moment it all solidified for me. If she dies…. I don’t know what I’d do.

Her name ripped from my throat as I ran to her. I’m not some hero guy. I didn’t run through the flames. Luckily they were dying out anyway. What was that spell?

Indira was laying at a strange angle but she was coughing so I knew she’d be OK. As I slid to a stop near her, I realized that she was propped on the still invisible carcass of the hellcat. I would have laughed if I hadn’t been preoccupied.

She looked like hell. She hair is charred. We’ll have to cut it off — what’s left of it.
I grabbed her hand. Her return grip was strong. “Help me up.” She said. We got her upright and our combined heal got her breathing back to normal.

At that point I felt the rest of the world come back. Acgar was off to my left, her sword flashing as she fought the hellcat. I didn’t see Brus, but I hoped that was a good sign. If he could run, he was going to be OK. My eye caught movement in the far right corned. Sadi was standing on the wall and I saw her dump flour on to the ground. The shape of a man formed where the flour hit. Ha! Our invisible spellcaster, perhaps?

It was incredibly heroic of Sadi to expose the enemy that way. She was in such a vulnerable spot, right above him.

I saw him turn and then Sadi was gone. Everything, gone. I keep replaying it in my mind. He turns and she’s gone. Turn, gone. Who or what was this?

Indira hadn’t seen it happen. I’ll always be grateful that she didn’t see Sadi’s last seconds. I’m sure there was no pain for Sadi. How could there be? Blink. Gone.

I caught movement and Ian was casting a spell over to the left. Mr. Big Bad wasn’t looking that way. He was looking my way. My mouth went dry. I’d always heard that expression but yeah, for real it happens.

And then I laughed. Indira looked at me and I pointed. Ian had turned Mr. Evil Spellcaster into a guinea pig. I love that little guy.

Quick as anything, Theresa whipped off her cloak, wrapped up the pig and dropped him in the lava stream. I dropped to my knees in prayer.