Escaping the Shadowfell and other complications

Having defeated the Necromancer at the Witch's behest, we set about exploring the ancient mansion for anything that might help us. In addition to finding some religious and arcane reageants, we found 2 rituals - one for lower water, the other for shrink object. Additionally, in the barn behind the mansion, we found a number of tools and such, of which we took an extra wagon wheel, a pick and a shovel. There were also some boards and nails and such, which we did not take - but more on that later.

Having done so, we called our imp guide to us, and indicated to it that we had slain the necromancer as his (her? its?) master had requested. Somewhat disturbingly, the imp removed the necromancers head and fasionned it into hat. That done, the imp spoke to us with the Witch's voice - whether it was a pre-ensorcelled message, or whether the Witch momentarily possessed her lackey, my still developing arcane senses were unable to tell - telling us that she (the Witch) would uphold her end of the bargain. The imp then gave us the scroll, which Dench varified was capable, if read properly and in a place where the barriers between world's were thin, of taking us out of the Shadowfell and back to the plane we refer to as "home". This was quite a relief to us (especially Dench and I, who seem to be the most prudent of the bunch), as we had previously had no guarantee that the Witch would uphold her end of the bargain - as we really didn't have time to go teach her a leason if she did not.

Making as much haste as we could, we followed the imp to the coast. It led us to the top of the cliff's overlooking the surf and pointed - and all of our heart's dropped as the imp pointed to a jagged rock 60ft out from the base of the cliff, and the obelisk there on it - it was there that we needed to get.

Pondering the situation, we put our heads together as to how to A. get ourselves and the suits down the cliff, and B. how to get from the base of the cliff across the water to the obelisk. Hans climbed down the cliff, and found below a wrecked ship on a thin beach, but judged the path too difficult to quickly lower the suits. Instead, remembering the path we had taken in the real world, we investigated a nearby graveyard - where we found an analogous set of tunnels. Judging them the easiest way down we went doen the tunnel, where we encountered some restless, angry spirits. In our rush to be through as quickly as possible, we damaged the cart (good thing for the extra wheel!) but made it through with both of the suits.

Over the next 8 hours, we built ourselves a boat - Dench did the building, Bulgen and Hans collected materials, I repaired things - which proved surprisingly sturdy. Meanwhile, Cullen learned the shrink ritual taken from the Necromancer's, and which he then cast on the suits. With Bulgen swimming across first with a line (his first time out of armour in years, at least by the smell of him), we arrived, wet and cold, at the obelisk, and successfully used the scroll to bring us to the real world. To our relief, out imp guide did not cross over with us.

Once in the real world, we found ourself on a reef, not far from where the Jagged Coast had set anchor. They were as surprised to see us as we were relieved to see them - they had given up waiting, and were to sail with the tide. It seems we had made it just in time.

The sail back was largely uneventful - or would have been, if not for Bulgen. Apparently, the flag that saw us past the blockade on the way out of High Tower had been obtained by Bulgen promissing any suits we captured to the dwarves. The first the rest of us learned about this was when we were approached a ship of the dwarves human allies, who sent accross a team of mercenaries (led by that insufferable mercenary woman who had tried to kill Lady Verren, burning down an inn while we were in residence in the process) to procure the deal. When Bulgen told them there were "two suits" and had them hauled up, and a chest of gold was taken across, I knew things weren't right, and got Hans, Cullen and Dench together for a quick discussion. They quickly came to the same conclusion as I - that if those in High Tower found out that we had sold them out our lives would be short. By that time one suit had already been transfered, but we refused to give them the other, though we would return their gold. They took issue and attacked us, and nearly defeated us. Fortunately, the crew of the other ship did not seem beholden to their mercenary passengers, and did not get involved - if they had, I doubt we would have survived.

Though, being dead does have its attractions - for one, I wouldn't need to have to explain to Bulgen that friends don't stay friends when you use there money to get stuff which you then sell to their enemies.

Sigh.