Game summary for July 26, 2007; present characters included Ashkor (lizardfolk barbarian/battle sorcerer/dragon disciple/fighter), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Pitamian Kalal (human yang monk), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger), Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor), and Thoril Songsteel (human thug).
With the artifacts of Icosiol exposed, Moreto made his play to claim them as his own and rebuild his undead army with the corpses of the party. He attacked with a vicious lightning bolt while his mohrgs attempted to paralyze the group with their deadly tongues. The wicked Marquis took several hard hits and arrow shots, and his lesser globe of invulnerability stopped Lyrin’s initial assault completely. The mohrgs met with no initial success against the party, and Moreto’s body was soon damaged to his physical destruction; however, as his body hit the ground, his spectral spirit remained standing.
The party fought valiantly against the undead, eventually destroying the mohrgs. The spectre of Moreto was incorporeal and difficult to damage, and his deadly touch ripped through the lifeforce of those it brushed against. However, the Mercenaries proved victorious against this ghostly enemy as well. After the brutal battle concluded, the team looted the body of Moreto and took his head as proof of his death. They then rested and used spells such as air walk, the flight ability of the lightning sword, and the power of the cloak of the bat recovered from Moreto to escape the waterfall.
Once back into the catecombs, the team returned to the lair of Cornerweaver and presented the head of the Marquis. True to his (its, their?) word, the spider showed them to the “shiny things” they had missed. Laden with gold and jewels, the Mercenaries returned to the portal and went back to the Whispering Cairn.
A quick stop in Daggerford allowed the group to catch up with Delfen “Yellowknife” Ondabar and find that he had contacted his mentor Malchor Harpell. He urged the Mercenaries to make haste to the town of Longsaddle and meet with his former mentor about the Age of Worms. Setting out to the north, the party encountered a group of refugees from Waterdeep whom they helped with food and protection. Then, they set out toward Secomber to avoid traveling by the chaotic City of Splendors. Several more days of travel moved them through Red Larch, Triboar and up to Longsaddle.
The party discovered Longsaddle to be a bizarre town filled with strange magic. They crossed the upside down bridge and discussed magical theory with a number of residents, including one who offered them a spell to allow them to toot their own horns. The insanity of the place put the characters a bit on the defensive, but they discovered Malchor had made arrangements for them at the local inn, the Gilded Horseshoe.
Soon after, some old acquaintances, Celeste and Dagsumn, arrived along with an elven apprentice of Malchor, Cymria. Dagsumn explained that his and his wife’s bodies were brought to Longsaddle by Celeste and raised back to life by a man named Agath Harpell. Cymria, an eldritch knight known for being the eyes and ears of Malchor when he is away, asked the Mercenaries a number of questions about the Age of Worms. They were standoffish and refused to divulge a lot of their information, which set Cymria in a foul mood. However, they did show her the Apostolic Scrolls, which caused her much concern. She then bid them goodnight and went to communicate with Malchor about the party.
Now the party awaits the return of Malchor from the plane of Arcadia for an audience. Until then, they have room and board at the inn and fairly free run of the town.
