The Call of Atropus: Omens (Chapter 5)

Relia, Alm, and Crow began making preparations for the descent into the Infinite Layers of the Abyss. Odom and Melody headed off to the House of Knowledge to conduct research into the Cult of Atropus, as well as the threats that might face them in the Abyss. Odom conducted research into the 73rd Layer, the Wells of Darkness. He located a tome on the Abyss, which contained the following information about the layer: “It is a prison layer, a layer that is used to bind and seal away entities that are reviled by deities and other beings of power. It is said that the layer cannot be exited, only entered. There are only a small handful of creatures that were able to leave the layer, and many of them were gods themselves. The only way to circumvent the binding property of this layer is to leave one member of your party behind, or so the legends say. Sacrificing the life of another seems to be a recurring theme among the few travellers who speak of their time in the layer. It is called the Wells of Darkness because the Wells themselves are dark, black pits, which seal away those who have been bound here. This layer has no Demon Lord.” With this in mind, Quatre was left alone in the rental house, paid for by the Order of the Gauntlet. After a few hours, the party members still in Neverwinter, namely Quatre, Odom, and Melody, were summoned to the office of Ostur Barrelbringer. He explained to them that the Order had located one of the towers of the archmage, Alkalis, and that they had decoded a series of records that show that the Cultists of Atropus had seized the tower long ago, leaving a path of destruction and death. It was also believed that the cultists did not act alone, having mages in their ranks that were of far more terrible magical capability that the Cultists had previously demonstrated the ability to wield. With half the party predisposed, the Order summoned Zalanor and Syndel from Hawthorne, carefully selected for their abilities, but more importantly, for their demonstrated willpower and goodness of heart. Odom, Melody, and Quatre were introduced to Zalanor and Syndel, and then Ostur got down to business. He explained that the tower of Alkalis was located at the Southwestern edge of the Great Forest of Cormanthor. The tower was occupied by the Cultists of Atropus for some time, and might hold secrets to defeating them, or at the very least, might provide insight into their motivations and resources.