Retreat, Rest and Recovery!

The Black Duke lies dead at the feet of the Laughing Moons. The walls of the glass sphere are cracking letting in torrents of sea water as the party members breathe deeply, dripping sweat and blood.

Antiuss the wizard looks down and as the party members race for the glowing gate back to the Laughing moon Headquarters, he negotiates with Aust. 

Aust summons an ogre skeleton as well as a tiger from his variety of summoning magical items to gather treasure and the fallen.

Namfoodle animates skeletons to bring back other potential bodies with loot. The animated skeletons head towards the gate.. and then fall to pieces when Namfoodle steps through the gate and his magic can no longer hold them together.

Reinhard waits with Aust until the end and sees Antiuss create a shield on the pulpit to hold out the sea water from him, the Black Duke and one of the elvish triplets.. then the 2 heroes step through the gate and it closes, water lapping at their feet.

The Warlock is there and very happy to see the party alive!

Resting takes place as well as healing.. identifying magic items.. and more.

All the Laughing Moons breathe a sigh of relief! One final step to keeping the Chained One slumbering finding the Jewel to use with the Rod of Three Parts!

• Reinhardt who's monkish talents allow him to rest very little goes to the Imperial Headquarters to inquire about seeing the Cardinal - regarding raising the Captain, Sergeant and Raff. (all burnt husks at this point). He meets with 2 halfling lieutenants - the Cardinal is too busy.
• Namfoodle contacts the Octad with his SendingStone - it seems the assassination of Arch-wizards continues.. only 2 survive now: Crassus (Illusion) and Vincaarr (Abjuration)
•  Morthos looks at the trident which is Rod of Three Parts. Using his arcane skills he is able to remove the 3 rods (one part petrified wood, one part mithril and one part adamantite) Doing this in the room with the massive statue/idol to Tharizdun turns out to be a risky and dangerous move as it seems to have other effects while in the presence of the giant statue! A close call but the 3 rods are taken out of the room! For some reason the 3 parts do not fit together. Insight show that a key component is missing - the Star Gem. Holding the 3 rods in hand the Morthos sees the location of the gem - a lonely island with what looks to be a tall lighthouse - in the astral plane!
• There is discussion between some party members whom will use the powerful & sentient Spear of Lassivern the Dark.. (once the trident which held the rod of 3 parts)
• Aust takes some time to rest and starts restoring the variety of statues (petrified assumedly by the beholder):
• Ceesaria 1/2 elf woman (7th level wizard of illusion)
• Blacburn 1/2 orc boy (0.5 level Monk). Ward of Ceesaria - Blacburn has taken some interest in Reinhard and is hoping the powerful monk will show him the ways of the martial artist. Ceesaria seems to have a softspot for Reinhardt with this relationship forming with her ward.
• Hogan Gustbeen 1/2ling (Rogue level: ??) He Seems to be a very proficient arcane trickster whom is willing to do some work for the party.. for now.
• Latisha Flowerstorm gnome woman (8th level engineer) She is willing to do some work with the party for now as well
• Mishapp human(?) boy (Class unsure at this point.. leaning towards bard) - legs were petrified - Aust had an interesting encounter with Zee (bartender at the tavern) - whom may have taken a shine to Aust..?
• Aust had asked Sir Rael Nero Falragin, the 3rd - the caretaker and living puppet whom resides in the bard's bag of holding - to take the statues for the venture and with some little reluctance, the puppet had done this. Always asking for more building materials and food..

• Many take advantage of the newly renovated (but not quite finished) Paridiso gardens(?), deep in Headquarters of the Laughing Moons.. where healing and rest take 1/2 the time due to the healing capabilities of the spring and more.
• Aust ventures up into the tavern to see a duo of bards doing some practice. It seems this brother and sister are quite good. Hilda and Prescott have a week long gig at the tavern and have been bringing in the crowds. Aust joins them and learns some new tunes as well as shows them what a Master Bard can do..

·        A trader is met in the bar - Ampelos - whom Aust speaks to about seeing the portly fellow's wares on his and his friends' wagon  in the next day or so. He also is able to get his Naga armour - the dwarf automaton from the Golden Citadel is not completely restored as of yet.. another week or so.

• Reinhard returns to the Imperial HQ with the bodies of the Captain, Sergeant and Raff. They are taken by the 2 halfling lieutenants and he is advised they will hopefully be resurrected with the next day or three. 
• It seems there is a bounty of 5000 gold - DEAD or ALIVE for Rurrick the dwarf warrior. There is a extremely well created portrait on the sheets of paper which are plastered all over the town. It seems the Imperium is the contact, with the original bounty coming from House Martana - a powerful family (?) in Waterdeep.

Word comes back from the Imperium by message that the Captain has been restored to health. the Sergeant - his brother - did not get resurrected - by choice it seems. Raff was also brought back and has been placed in chains (She was a deserter originally it seems from the Imperium when she was a soldier for the Black Duke) and will be off to Imperium prison/hard labour for the next 20 years!