Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for May 27, 2008; present characters included 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 Saedd West (human fighter/pious templar/wormhunter).

As the last of the nightcrawlers fell to Morak’s flame strike, the cavern shook with the force of a yelling creature shouting, “Come on!” With a flash, Balakarde appeared and imbued Lyrin with several transferable powers to aid in the fight to come. Worms poured forth from the ceiling but bounced off of the party’s vermin wards. The clerics, warmage, and wormhunter hung back casting buffing spells upon themselves. Meanwhile, Ranulph was hit by some kind of moisture draining magic and then slipped up around the bend and into a large cavern. Within, he found a large worm-infested stone ziggurat with something torn away from the top. The green liquid they had passed through earlier seemed to originate here, bubbling up from the wound atop the ziggurat. Standing astride the foul stream towered the rotted, skeletal form of Dragotha himself. Power and wickedness poured forth from the greatest of undead dragons. To either side of him were stone ledges, a nude, worm-infested Aridarye stood shimmering with magical wards about her.

Ranulph yelled to his companions about what he saw and quickly tried to fly back down the tubular cavern. Dragotha, however, had other plans. He simply suggested Ranulph come lay face down on the ziggurat, which Ranulph found to be a superbly splendid idea. Morak Beardfist, dwarven priest of Moradin, ran forward and resurged Ranulph, which allowed him to realize how absurdly stupid the idea Dragotha mentioned really was. Wasting no time, Saedd brought the fight to Dragotha, charging across the open ground, up the stairs of the pyramid, and swinging with a mighty blow. His blade landed true—and bounced off of Dragotha’s steel-like bones without so much as a scratch. Mael and Lyrin moved closer and continued warding themselves and allies with magic. Lyrin also transferred his Balakarde-granted fire immunity to Ranulph who then charged through the air to attack Dragotha. His blow hit true as well, and cut into the dracolich; however, a moment later Ranulph hover in the air, paralyzed by the mesmerizing eyes of Dragotha.

Aridarye launched into spellcasting and knocked Saedd prone with a magic missile spray. With a hate-filled roar, Dragotha attacked Saedd with teeth and claws, shredding the man and spilling his lifeblood and entrails across the ziggurat. The Mercenaries looked on in shock at how quickly Saedd was dispatched. With a snarl of defiance, Mael stepped forward and destroyed Aridarye by channeling the holy might and fury of Torm. Her animated corpse burst and dissolved into dust under the righteous divine power of the god of paladins. While this transpired, Lyrin got into the fight by blasting Dragotha with a disintegrate. Much to his chagrin, the spell was turned and rocketed right back at him. He was saved, however, by the spell resistance provided by Mael’s wards. Lyrin adjusted his tactics and blasted the dracolich with a sculpted sunburst, which burned the dragon and made him even more angry. Lyrin then turned and took cover around a corner. Morak did his best to aid his spellcasting allies by firing barrage after barrage of lower spell resistance, but he just couldn’t seem to get the spell to take hold. Perhaps Dragotha’s will was that unshakeable, or he was warded against just such an attack, having minions who observed the use of the spell in fight after fight over the last week.

Dragotha grabbed hold of Ranulph and pushed him down onto the worm-covered ziggurat. Then, the deadly dracolich sprang from his perch and hurtled down the tunnel after Mael, Morak, and Lyrin. Mael was bitten by the massive jaws, and the unholy power of the dracolich form paralyzed Mael. Thinking quickly, Lyrin separated the group from the dragon with a prismatic wall. Morak fell back around a corner, and they quickly discussed ways to restore Mael to mobility. In an instant, Dragotha was upon them. One moment the cavern was empty, and the next Dragotha was simply there. Lyrin encased himself in a prismatic sphere that also inadvertently protected Morak from Dragotha. With no other target, Dragotha slew the paralyzed cleric of Torm. He then whispered a spell and teleported away.

Lyrin, having heard and identified the spell, ran out of his sphere and filled the area vacated by Dragotha with another prismatic wall. Morak cast a wind walk spell, and he and Lyrin decided the time for valor had disappeared quite some time ago. Meanwhile, Dragotha had returned to the ziggurat to bask in the (to him) rejuvenating negative energy and gather up what he expected to be a new minion in Ranulph. He was surprised to find Ranulph was warded from vermin and, although still paralyzed, had not become a favored spawn of Kyuss. Enraged in ways only a 1,500-year-old undead red dragon can get, he tore Ranulph apart.

Morak and Lyrin continued their strategic running for their lives. With murder in his cold dead heart, Dragotha teleported back into the cavern only to find himself within a prismatic wall. Many of the effects posed no threat or concern to the mighty dragon; however, the shifting panels of light pierced his defenses and sent him hurtling off into a random plane. Through sheer chance and dumb luck, Lyrin’s spell catapulted Dragotha to the one place he was sure to die—the Positive Energy Plane. With no way to escape, the negative-energy charged undead dragon was blasted apart within the radiant power of the Plane. Because the Mercenaries had already destroyed his phylactery, Dragotha’s soul could not return and reform. The great undead dragon was destroyed!

When the beast succumbed, finally, into death, Balakarde appeared and told Lyrin and Morak the dragon was no more. Emboldened, the pair returned, resurrected the slain, and collected the wealth of one of the most deadly dragons in history. They staggered about to carry the millions of coins and goods, but using extradimensional space and teleportation magic, they robbed the place blind.

Although high on excitement from their victory and wealthy beyond measure, dark foreboding looms. Lashonna had, indeed, stolen Kyuss away. Where did she take him? What is she doing? Can the traitorous woman free Kyuss from his prison and usher in the Age of Worms?

Game summary for May 20, 2008; present characters included 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), Saedd West (human fighter/pious templar/wormhunter), and Stormwind Abthek (illumian soulknife).

With Mael converted to a favored spawn of Kyuss, the situation looked bleak for the Mercenaries. The newly evil priest immediately dispelled the flight and protective wards from Saedd, dropping him into the cave below and relieving the pressure on the wormdrake. He followed it up by dumping massive healing power into the monster, recovering it from all damage suffered. The worm-dripping convert then told the dragon the party’s defenses and indicated killing Lyrin was paramount to victory.

Ranulph maintained his assault on the dragon from midair, while Morak began a steady barrage of divine spells against the writhing wormdrake. The party’s old ally, Stormwind Abthek, arrived as reinforcements and charged down toward Mael. The wormdrake unleashed a blast of freezing acidic breath, which killed Stormwind instantly. Saedd began ascending the stairway back up into the fight while Lyrin moved into the cage room and blasted Mael and nearly obliterated him. Seeing Lyrin as the greatest immediate threat, the wormspawn Mael charged up the ledge and began a spell duel with Lyrin. His opening gambit was a feeblemind, which Lyrin shrugged off. He prepared to flick a Kyuss worm at him, but preceded that with a destruction. Lyrin was unable to withstand the demolishing power of Kyuss, and all his items clattered to the ground as the warmage was utterly destroyed.

Mael returned down the ledge and plummeted Ranulph into the rocky ground by dispelling his flight ability. Seeing an opportunity to land, the wormdrake lit upon a ledge, right where Saedd was coming up. Mael pumped another surge of healing energy into the dragon and blasted himself with unholy negative energy, recovering from most of the damage dealt by Lyrin. Meanwhile, Morak battered away at the dragon with blast after blast of negative energy.

Saedd went toe-to-tail with the slithering wormdrake, and its slashing claws and piercing teeth tore him asunder. It roared in satisfaction as Saedd’s hot blood poured into its gullet. Ranulph used the last of his flying magic to close with Mael and slaughtered the undead mockery upon the ledge before charging the worm-fused dragon. Morak succeeded in blasting the wormdrake into unconsciousness, and Ranulph—using Saedd’s silver weapon—killed the beast with a coup de grace.

The two surviving Mercenaries picked up the bodies of the dead and the gear of the obliterated and returned to Longsaddle. The dead were restored, and Mael came back to life as his normal, human, self. After a bit of recovery, they came back and looted the lair of the wormdrake. Near the bottom, they found a tunnel leading to a shaft filled with green rain. Using wind walk, the team went through the life-draining slop and ascended three hundred feet to a dark tunnel with a flowing green river.

The team engaged a trio of nightshade nightcrawlers almost immediately. As the battle was joined, a booming voice told them they were too late, Lashonna had already stolen away with Kyuss. The voice also indicated they should come closer so it could vent its frustrations. The Mercenaries fought against the black undead worms, with Ranulph bravely occupying the maw of a couple with his body so as to spare his allies the grim injuries those teeth could cause. He was very fluid in his efforts. Meanwhile, Saedd was forced into a strategic withdrawal, and Lyrin used his magically harnessed sunlight to blast two of the three monsters into nothingness. A final flame strike from Beardfist dropped the last of the worms.

What lies around the next bend? The voice came from very close. Are the Mercenaries at the door of Dragotha himself, or is the angry voice that of another Kyuss minion?

Game summary for May 13, 2008; present characters included Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), 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), Saedd West (human fighter/pious templar/wormhunter), and Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer).

With backsides still smarting from the rump-stomping the wormdrake delivered, the Mercenaries seemed reluctant to return. They took their time debating what equipment, if any, to buy and where to return within the temple of Kyuss. Lyrin used the time to enchant himself with permanent arcane sight. Five potions and a scroll were also picked up to bolster the arsenal against the dragon. The Mercenaries spent some time buffing themselves with magic spells and teleported back into the room with the mysterious green cage. Lyrin created numerous everburning coins for Mael, and the troop headed back into the lair of the wormdrake.

The party crept along the ledge while the wormdrake, from above, dispelled protection after protection. Finally, the party was split up into three groups—folks on the outer ledge, folks on the main ledge, and folks on the window ledge. The wormdrake summoned a trio of worms onto the window ledge to engage Eolas, Morak, and Lyrin. Eolas blasted a purple worm apart with a mighty flurry. Lyrin was attacked by a frost worm but protected himself by securing himself behind a prismatic sphere. The worm was petrified, but Lyrin decided to play it safe and stayed within. Meanwhile, Morak slew the other frost worm, causing a powerful explosion of frozen entrails and gore.

Then, the wormdrake dropped into view, its terrifying countenance shaking several of the Mercenaries. The hovering beast began biting and slapping Mael, isolated on the outer ledge. Ranulph and Saedd used flight to close in on the dragon and started hacking away, Saedd with a silver weapon. The wormdrake sucked in its breath and blasted out thousands of Kyuss worms over Mael. The cleric was eaten alive by the creatures, which tore through his eyes and into his brain. In a moment, his screams abruptly ended, and a grinning, wormspawn, Mael turned toward the party.

Can the divided Mercenaries focus enough power on the dragon to bring it down? What role will Mael play in the next few moments? Can the Mercenaries stand their ground against a slavering wormdrake and a full-fledged cleric at the same time?

Game summary for May 6, 2008; present characters included 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), Saedd West (human fighter/pious templar/wormhunter), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).

Within the cage chamber, the team discovers Saedd West, a wormhunter seeking to destroy Kyuss. They team up with him and proceed through a secret door leading toward the Writhing Sanctum (based upon Morak’s find the path). Behind the secret door, a spiraling stone ledge descended into the darkness. The chamber, massive in size, revealed layer after layer of ledges and outcroppings, making plenty of places for enemies to lurk. Taravin discovered an illusory section of walkway and fell to a ledge below. His allies quickly joined him.

On the ledge, a purple worm and three frost worms appeared from nothingness and attacked. The frost worms breathed blasts of cold, and all bite with gnashing teeth. Soon, a massive green wormdrake dropped from above to hover next to the ledge. The horrific eyeless monstrosity unleashed a breath of freezing acid that killed both Mael and Morak instantly. It also attempted some spell-like abilities that were shrugged off by the party.

Meanwhile, Ranulph, Taravin, and Saedd began slaying the worms. To their surprise, the frost worms exploded in shards of ice and bone when killed, injuring everyone even more. Then, Ranulph found the wormdrake breathing a line of thousands of Kyuss worms at him. Somehow, the agile flying man dodged the blast all together! The team, realizing their severe tactical disadvantage, scooped up their dead and used the greater skeleton key to flee to Longsaddle.

In Longsaddle, the Mercenaries received the attentions of Agath Harpell, who restored Mael and Morak to life. Saedd quickly headed to the market and purchased half a dozen potions while Taravin bought some winged boots. Lyrin headed off to the library to research the wormdrake, and the team now prepares to face the fearsome beast again. What supplies will they gather? Will it be enough? If Dragotha’s pet is so deadly, how terrible is the lichlord dragon himself?

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?

Game summary for April 24, 2008; present characters included Grim Firestorm (shield dwarf barbarian/battlerager/frenzied berserker/warmain), 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).

With the door to the temple of Kyuss destroyed, the team followed in behind the cloudkill. Within, they discovered a vaulted ceiling supported by pillars and a large fountain of thin green slime. Broad stairs lead down in one direction, and a worm-like door leads the opposite way. With a brief flash, several niches along the walls disgorged half a dozen loyal minions of Kyuss—a disciple, two dark ladies, an advanced wormcaller, an advanced sword of Kyuss, and a disgusting avolakia priest. The creatures wasted no time before trying to defend the temple.

A dark curse was laid across the party, weakening their abilities. This was followed with evil, sinister prayers to the dark wormgod, which granted a boon for the cultists but further diminished the heroes. With their curses laid and protective charms invoked, the battle was joined. Ranulph bravely charged into the fray and drew the attention of the sword of Kyuss and one of the dark ladies. Together they dealt grievous wounds to the brave warrior, but the power of Mael kept his injuries from being fatal. Grim grappled the wormcaller and pinned the monster to the ground. Morak called upon the power of Moradin to aid his allies, while Taravin put pressure on the disciple and other dark lady.

The avolakia and disciple did what the could to destroy Mael but were ineffective. Ranulph succeeded in chopping down the dark lady and sword of Kyuss. Spells and determination eliminated the wormcaller tangled with Grim. Finally, the remaining foes found themselves outclassed and overrun. The heroes made short work of them, finally burning up the avolakia for its wounds kept regenerating.

After the skirmish, Grim snatched up several items to replace the gear he lost to the green slime minutes earlier. Prayers were invoked, granting healing to injured Mercenaries. Now the team, already short on mana, must choose a direction. What other horrors of Kyuss lie within the temple? Can the team reach Dragotha, and will they have the strength to slay the great undead wyrm when they get there?

Game summary for April 17, 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), 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).

After the previous encounter with the Kyuss chimeras, the team pressed on into the cave, following it down for about a mile. Eventually, it opened into a vast chamber holding a oozing lake of green slime. Viscous waterfalls of the stuff cascaded from up above, while the shore was lined with millions of green worms munching on the drying slime, their mandibles filling the air with a constant click-clack. In the middle of the lake stood a huge stone formation like a castle. Six natural pillars supported massive 70- to 80-foot long Kyuss worms gazing “blindly” about the cavern. A pair of massive doors could be reached by crossing a huge rock archway spanning the river.

Using their magical key and hat, the party transported themselves to the door. They discovered it appears to be made of stone, but it rippled with the undulations of thousands or more worms within. They attempted to tug on the door with telekinesis, which triggered some kind of summoning—a massive overworm appeared on the bridge and tried to eat Morak! The team tore into the vermin, and Beardfist tumbled back down to the bridge as the worm slide off into the slime and was dissolved.

The group began tinkering with the door, trying to discern its secrets. Repeatedly, overworms appeared on the bridge and sought to consume the party. Grim tried to hack through the door, dealing it a tremendous blow, but where the stone split, dozens of worms sprayed forth and burrowed into his flesh. He moved back and engaged the latest overworm and was slapped by a flailing tail sending him hurtling into the green slime below. Somehow, he managed to use his flying armor to extract himself, but not before a large amount of his equipment dissolved into nothingness.

The team triggered and fought seven of the overworms while Lyrin used a blade barrier to reduce the door to pulp. His cloudkill prevented the spraying worms from infesting the party. Meanwhile, Morak healed Grim of his damage and infestation. With the last overworm destroyed and the doors torn down, the party stands at the entrance to Kyuss’ most unhallowed temple. As the cloudkill drifts through the opening, what horrors will the team see revealed? Did anyone notice the half-dozen battles that took place on the front porch?