Game summary for March 18, 2008; present characters included Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Grim Firestorm (shield dwarf barbarian/battlerager/frenzied berserker/warmain), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Mael Gabrian (human cleric), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Ranulph Wathbater (human berserker/fighter/hellreaver/paladin of freedom/rogue), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).
The Mercenaries wasted no time pursuing poor snatched Grim up the cavern. Taravin led the charge and found another mindkiller scorpion and a massive ulgurstasta awaiting. A vicious battle erupted as the rest of the party worked their way up the cliff, and the scorpion holding Grim scuttled off down a side chasm. The second scorpion stung Taravin and snatched Syvarius in its pincer, but he slipped free. Eolas hammered away at the scorpion with polar ray, while Mael and Morak used mass heal offensively. Taravin engaged the scorpion in melee while Ranulph attacked the ulgurstasta. Syvarius ripped a volley of stinging arrows into the ulgurstasta’s slimy hide.
Using disintegrate, Lyrin eliminated the mindkiller scorpion. Morak dropped a flame strike and searing light on the ulgurstasta. The writhing worm hit the team with a horrid wilting and a mind fog. It attempted to hold Eolas, but he shrugged off the effects. His retaliatory polar ray rippled off the ulgurstasta with no effect. Taravin charged the worm while Ranulph continued his attack. Soon, Lyrin was in position to unleash a sunburst, which blasted the ulgurstasta into pieces.
The team searched the area and found a comatose Grim lying under the rotting remains of a mindkiller scorpion, its animating magic shattered. The ulgurstasta’s treasure horde gleamed with gold and gems and not a few magic items. Lyrin also discovered the source of his compulsion, a fragment of Balakarde’s soul imprinted upon an everfull purse. After finding this, Lyrin was able to sense a similar pull in another direction, which the team followed.
After a few hours of travel, the party ascended to a plateau via wind walk and approached a massive claw-like tower. Beautiful stained-glass windows surrounded the upper floors, and Lyrin’s tug seemed to originate from within. A pull chord hung beside a pair of crystalline doors. When pulled, the chord caused a horrendous scream to echo through the tower. The party pulled the chord again. After the second scream, a series of clicks and thumps resounded from the doors, and they swung open with a creak. Standing within was a exotically gorgeous lillend drinking a fine wine. She spoke with the Mercenaries at length and agreed to let Ranulph and Lyrin inside. They located a statue of Balakarde, and after accepting a geas, Lyrin was allowed to touch it. As he suspected, another shard of Balakarde’s spirit is tied to it.
After reuniting with the Mercenaries, the group spoke to the lillend about payment for the statue. She proffered four tasks or payments. She requested they kill an annoying lich, Thessalar. Second, she wished they make her some artistic creation that is impressive, even to her (a consummate artiste). Third, she requires valuable magic items of interest to her. Finally, she requires the service of Ranulph as a servant and guardian for a period of one full year, starting in three weeks time. Unsure, the group debated ideas and decided to rest on her stoop. The lillend invited Ranulph to spend the evening in the tower with her, which he accepted.
The next day, the lillend and Ranulph emerged, and she provided the team with a map to Thessalar’s fortress. Will the Mercenaries accept the terms to acquire the statue from the quirky outsider? What repercussions, if any, will Ranulph face for his illicit tryst? Is Thessalar as daunting as legends say?
