Game summary for May 1, 2008; present characters included 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), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).
After assessing their remaining mana and stamina, the Mercenaries decided to attempt an 8-hour rest in the southern corner of the temple of Kyuss. Lyrin, Morak, and Mael stripped out of their armor and laid down to rest while Grim, Ranulph, and Taravin made a defensive ring to protect them. Within thirty minutes, a half-dozen strong avolakia death squad assaulted the group.
The wormspawn opened with a series of curses and crippling waves along with blessings and prayers for themselves and allies. Bolts of wicked flame and columns of unholy fire rained down on the Mercenaries, rousing the casters from sleep. A brutal onslaught rocked the Mercenaries back on their heels, and Lyrin bought some time with a blade barrier. Although the whirling steel kept the monsters a distance away, they still unleashed divine magic at their leisure. Blindness afflicted several Mercenaries, fell curses in response to the Kyuss priests’ prayers. Two of the avolakias were laid low, but the other four kept up a relentless stream of deadly evil magic.
The Mercenaries tried to further ward themselves, but the avolakias hamstrung the efforts with a barrage of dispel magic effects. With their melee fighters separated from the wormspawn and casters very low on mana or stumbling around blind, the team felt a tactical withdrawal was necessary. Taravin whipped out his greater skeleton key, but he could only take himself and four of his five allies. Frenzied Grim was selected as the “man behind” and left to fend for himself. The Mercenaries teleported a half-mile away and quickly took cover. Meanwhile, the avolakias held Grim and blasted him with curses and mindworms until his went comatose.
The Mercenaries hid themselves in a hole in the cavern and recovered their strength. Wasting no more time, they returned to the temple to find no sign of Grim or the avolakias. They slipped down a stairwell and found a pair of worm doors. Using blade barrier again, Lyrin slashed his way into a large room overlooking a cavern. A deep whole spewed forth green mist, and a twisting cage hung above. Where does the hole lead? What horrors creep in the dank, dark cavern?
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