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The Cauldron of Ongurr

1^st of Eyre, 998YK

As the party recovers from its most recent encounter, they go through the details of their encounters to date. The party discusses their possible options for continuing on through the depth that lie below them in Ongurr's Tower. The likelihood of finding the Cauldron is quite good according to the information they have gathered so far, and so they decide to continue their exploration of the catacombs below the tower.

As the party returns to the depth of the catacombs, they review the area where they have already explored and continue down the nearest branch of passages to that location. There they find the reason for the previous collapse of tunnels, as they locate a large underground river that has opened a grand cavern and series of cascades near the location of the collapsed chamber. They are forced to turn back, as the same underground river has cut through the series of passages that continue on through this end of the catacombs.Upon turning back, they uncover a single chamber in front of a collapsed passage way. Here they find a single chamber filled with carvings of prophecies. The chamber tells of Ongurr and his faithful service to Ogalai. It tells of how upon the death of Ogalai, Ongurr seeked out to find the wisest of the goblin tribes and its allies. Amongst the tribesmen, he found a grand vizier who helped him determine the fate of the Cauldron. The grand vizier determined that, though the Cauldron could not be destroyed, it could be split into pieces and those spread across the face of Khorvaire. The chamber tells the story of how the Cauldron was split into six pieces and sent across the face of Khrovaire.

The first piece was kept here in the catacombs below Ongurr's Tower, buried with the grand vizier. The second piece was taken by Tiachar and taken to a place along the great inland sea. This location relates to somewhere in the modern-day country of the Eldeen Reaches. The third piece was taken by the same Taichar into the further reaches of the Shadow Marches. The fourth piece was reported to have been taken into the deserts between Valenar and the Talenta Plains, by an halfling druid known as Oswald Miur. The fifth piece was taken into the Talenta Plains by an orc known as Fingarr. The sixth and final piece was taken deep into the Demon Wastes by an orcish druid known as Birk.

The carvings also detail the involvement of an ancient order of druids and those who believe in the religion of the Gatekeepers. The Gatekeepers are known to be vehemently opposed to the forces of the aberrations and outsiders on the face of Khorvaire. They are the oldest of the druidic and shamanistic beliefs on the face of Khrovaire, predating even the beliefs of Oalian the Greatpine. The involvement of the Gatekeepers in the events of the Cauldron are of interest, especially considering the prophecies of the black dragon Vvaraak and his prophecies revolving around the Daelkyr Wars during the Age of Monsters.

After doubling back, the party finds a branching series of tunnels from the main cavern of the catacombs. The intrepid adventurers decide to pursue this new series of adventure. Upon traveling down the passage, the adventurers quickly uncover a series of magical wards hidden within the floor and walls of the tunnels. Upon uncovering the first magical ward, the party takes an extreme caution in progressing further into the depths of the catacombs of Ongurr's Tower.

As the party travels deeper into the catacombs, they come across a hallway adorned with various carvings that denote a great person. Here they uncover several magical wards protecting the main burial chamber. From their vantage point, the adventurers can determine that the majority of the sarcophagi in the chamber belong to the immediate family of Ongurr's grand vizier. It is rather unusual that his name is not used in any of the engravings in the site, but the adventurers do not think this is of major import. The adventurers finally cross and break the ward, entering into the chamber.

As they enter the chamber, eventually their path of entrance is blocked by a mass of undead creatures. The party quickly dispatches with the undead horrors, and continue their investigation of the chamber. After several minutes of searching they find a small cache of coins and potions in a small recess behind the largest of the sarcophagi. They investigate the largest of the sarcophagi, and learn that within lies the remains of Ongurr's grand vizier. Also, it mentions that with the grand vizier, lies an artifact of great power, but that brings with it a curse. No details of the curse are presented though on the engravings of the sarcophagus, though.

They finally open the largest of the sarcophagi and within it they uncover the skeletal remains of a hobgoblin whose arms are tightly clenched around a large stone slab. The slab is slightly curved and appears to be a section of a larger object, with obvious signs of being broken from a larger item. And here we end our adventure, and wait to join our adventurers again as they continue to explore Khorvaire. What adventures await them? Find out in the next installment of Shadows Over Khorvaire!