Runeforge and the Iron Cages of Lust (Thursday, Calistril (II) 6th, 4708 AR)

The heroes decided to continue their exploration of Runeforge and return to the Shimmering Veils after they gathered more information on what they were looking for. The bubbling, prismatic waters of the runeforge pool were alternately painfully hot and freezing cold to the touch, yet not enough to cause damage. Additionally, those who touched the waters received a tangled collage of visions of events yet to come. All five senses were assaulted by the magical potential of the pool.

The heroes next entered the Iron Cages of Lust. Thurden felt unwanted and oppressed there.

Cathedral of Seduction. This grand cathedral could be called nothing less than opulent. The floor was covered in polished red and white tiles. Thick pillars carved into the likeness of the same beautiful nude woman with long flowing hair circled the room and supported a ninety-foot-high domed ceiling, where a gargantuan mural depicted men and women engaged in all manner of carnal acts. Numerous plain ten-foot-by-ten-foot cubes lined the outer ring of the cathedral, while at its center stood a pavilion of opaque silk sheets. Near the walls of the cathedral stood several delicate-looking cages, their sides more decorative than practical. Some of them contained what appeared to be long-dead bodies, although one body in a cage in the chamber's northern corner seemed to be clinging to life.

This wing was an immense cathedral lined with ivory pillars carved into the likeness of Sorshen, the Runelord of Lust. The pillars were made of iron inlaid with ivory, depicting her in various lewd positions. The cages were display cases of a sort.

Alu-demons were the caretakers of this chamber. They resembled strikingly beautiful human women, save for the horns on their brows, their fangs, their taloned feet, and their batlike wings. Each wore little more than a few pieces of jewelry and flimsy garments, but they were armed with ranseurs. They reacted to the arrival of the heroes with excitement, flying into the air and circling overhead, making lewd and frank appraisals of each hero's appearance and possible sexuality. The alu-demons were content to cruelly mock and flirt with the invaders. As soon as the heroes attacked, though, the alu-demons swooped down to return the favor.

The alu-demons started combat by influencing Thurden, who took off his armor and gear so the demons could "get a better look at him". They avoided melee, hovering just out of reach of non-flying foes. When severely injured, two of the alu-demons disappeared, while the heroes managed to kill the rest.

Empty Displays. A human-sized birdcage with flimsy silver bars decorated with delicate golden birds and flowers stood on four slender legs. The cage didn't seem to have a door.

Mr. Mutt. The inside of this cage contained a shivering man wearing little more than a set of chains and a thick leather collar. A pair of clay bowls occupied one corner and a pile of straw sat in another.

The young man was little more than a shuddering animal, and the alu-demons had taken to calling him Mr. Mutt and thought of him as their pet. He was a broken shell of a man, and his madness was profound.

Corpse Cubes. The interior of this cube was thick with the stink of death. A nearly skeletal human corpse lay in the middle of the cell, surrounded by a stain of corruption and ancient rot.

Pavilion. This huge pavilion was made of silk sheets of various colors - crimson, lavender, ochre, cobalt blue, and purple. The sides rippled softly, as if a breeze were gently caressing the fabric. The entire structure looked unabashedly glamorous and out of place, yet here and there, splashes of what could only be blood marred its beauty.