Game summary for June 3, 2008; present characters included Mael Gabrian (human cleric), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Ranulph Wathbater (human berserker/fighter/hellreaver/paladin of freedom/rogue), Saedd West (human fighter/pious templar/wormhunter), and Taravin Truesilver (human divine crusader/gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).
The Mercenaries returned to Longsaddle to acquire magical gear and unload the magical equipment stolen from Dragotha’s lair. During this time, Morak Beardfist used discern location and commune to find out more about their adversaries. Shortly thereafter, they met with Malchor Harpell who told them the Age of Worms had begun. The prison of Kyuss has been placed upon the pinnacle of a new ziggurat in Mintarn, and the cult is trying to free the Wormgod. They are so blatant, it is obvious they have no fear of failure. Malchor believes the cult is weakening Kyuss’ prison through the power of people converting to worship the Wormgod and an unknown energy source channeling negative energy into the monolith. He feels the prison is sufficiently weakened that Kyuss’ emergence is now inevitable; however, if the Mercenaries can strike out at his worshipers and also destroy the energy source, they may be able to weaken him significantly. If weakened enough, they might can kill him as he emerges! Deicide is obviously a monumental task, but he has offered several ways of helping them. Malchor discovered the location of a sphere of annihilation for them to use in the fight with Kyuss. Also, he and his allies, Celeste, Cymria, and Agath will enact a ritual to effectively put a “cage” around the island of Mintarn and keep the Wormgod and his minions within, giving the team a shot at assassinating the evil god of worms. He also provided them with a trio of wish scrolls.
The Mercenaries wasted no time transporting to Mintarn. There, they discovered the city in ruins, with buildings in flames and the streets buckling due to massive, 100-ft.-long overworms burrowing about. Spawn of Kyuss stalk the streets, and the citizens, trapped on the island and unable to hide in the ruined buildings run about finding death at the hands of Kyuss’ minions. Towering nearly a thousand feet over the city soars the newly rebuild Spire of Long Shadows, topped with Kyuss’ prison monolith. Within, the flowing worm-form of Kyuss can be seen trying to bust free. His howls of rage, madness, and excitement all but shake the city. Dark clouds hang overhead while lightning flashes throughout. Clouds of smoke choke the streets, and the orange glow of a burning city reflects from the cloud cover.
Not long after arriving, the team attempted to rescue a group of citizens from marauding spawn. Soon thereafter, a pair of colossal overworms burst up from the ground and attacked. The creatures proved incredibly hardy and dealt terrible wounds to the team, but they were eventually brought down. The Mercenaries escorted the people to the temple of Kelemvor and found it still standing. They also discovered the temple of Tempus still stands, guarded by the warpriests within.
Can the Mercenaries save people to keep them from becoming worshipers of Kyuss in their despair or followers due to conversion into spawn? Can enough be saved to fight off the rising power of Kyuss? What about the unknown source of negative energy? Where is it? What is it? Are the Mercenaries up to the task to saving the world from the rampaging beast of destruction known as the Wormgod?
