Session 73 - A freezing path to the tower

23/8/300 (morning)

The party, now awake, head to breakfast and speak with Lanthe about what had happened. Following discussion Lanthe used her ability to detect magic to discern if anything was wrong. Using some extra components she was able to detect the sympathetic magic of the fey deal bond. Lanthe explained the complexities of sympathetic magic, weaving bonds from the three pillars of magic to weave effects. She also passes components to Elnorin to allow him to adapt his detection spell to find sympathetic effects.

The group travel to see the Triumvirate, finding Ariston nearby. Inside they found Phaedra and Lloth, wearing Mother Dark's Circlet. The Lady of the Drow and Mother Dark's High Priestess discuss what happened. Phaedra admits that Scath had also been plaguing her over the past few months. The group agree to travel with Pylia and her guards to the tower but Lloth will accompany them. Both think that Scath is dangerous with Lloth stating she would do anything to save her people. Lloth goes to prepare and the group talk with Phaedra some more. During this time Elnorin notices something odd about Phaedra.

On Lloth's return Ruric mentions he would like to exchange gifts with Phaedra in the Vannin tradition. The exchanging of gifts causes both drow some alarm but Phaedra fetches a valuable symbol of Mother Dark, something from a former mentor. Ruric, in exchange, gifts Ban Lior's cloak from the his guise as the Stag Lord.

The group set off and, after a couple of hours, notice large clusters of Niflmalmr. One of the guards state that the clusters have grown significantly since last week. The party press on in the direction of the cold wind. 

It's not long before the clusters get larger and, following a fateful comment by Heskan, the magic in the area animates the Niflmalmr. A battle against two large, crystalline elementals  ensures with various mephits also springing to life. Several drow are felled by Lloth glides around the battlefield summing divine power to hold back death. Eventually the elementals are destroyed. During the aftermath Elnorin notices a light playing across the cavern ceiling and can barely make out what is likely a band of Lost (and maybe a flash of bright green from Scath) moving across the ceiling. The group heal up and rush on. 

At the base of the tower they find themselves not far behind their opponents but the door mechanism has been broken. The door is inscribed in elven and says 'What do I guard?' in that script. Braith tracks some footprints nearby, finding a ruined mechanism (similar to Door) discarded. Ruric detaches their companion and Door is able to open the way in.