Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for November 15, 2007; present characters included Chuck Ahammer (shield dwarf master thrower/rogue/thunderthrower), Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/scout/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).

After the encounter with the displacer beasts, the Mercenaries pressed on through the night to make up ground. They used lesser restoration to fight off fatigue and moved through the morning as well. Eventually, they spotted a ruined keep in the distance, with half a dozen winged humanoids flapping about. As the team moved closer, the creatures—gargoyles—beckoned them forward. Taravin spoke to the gargoyles, and they stated that Krathanos the Conqueror awaited a group of heroes to rescue him. Within a few moments, a massive titan emerged from the keep, his booming voice announcing himself as Krathanos.

The Mercenaries attempted to bargain with Krathanos for his belt. At first, he demanded they free him from Tilagos Island, but it soon became apparent they lacked the means. He showed them the head of a minotaur he had killed a few hours earlier. Then, he proposed the team trade Eolas and Taravin to him in return for the belt. They party considered the trade until it was made clear Krathanos intended to eat them. During their conversations, Krathanos behaved erratically and somewhat crazed. Aridarye hoped to secretly communicate with the gargoyles and began casting private conversation. The casting provoked a violent response from the gargoyles and the titan, and a fierce battle was joined.

Chuck and Syvarius found their hammers and arrows of little use against the armored and powerful titan, so they soon turned their attacks upon the gargoyles. As thrown hammers and streaking force arrows flew forth, the gargoyles began their own rain of terror, firing volley after volley upon the Mercenaries. Krathanos sprang forward and swung his massive adamantine hammer, shattering the blade of Eolas. Then, the titan blasted the team with a chain lightning. Iapetus began a system of strategic spring attacks against the titan, while Taravin charged and smited the brute. Aridarye and Morak assisted their allies with a series of enhancing spells. Meanwhile, Lyrin started testing the resistances of Krathanos with his combat spells.

The dozens of gargoyle-fired arrows and devastating strength of Krathanos rocked the Mercenaries back on their heels. Taravin went down under a furious pounding of hammer blows, only to be saved through a bit of divine luck and the healing prayers of Beardfist. More lightning ripped through the team, and several party members had to scatter to avoid the onslaught. Unarmed, Eolas turned to his duskblade spells and finally succeeded in enfeebling the titan. Chuck and Syvarius continued to trade injuries with the gargoyles, and Lyrin bought some time with a well-placed incendiary cloud. Taravin scrambled to relative safety while Aridarye began singing a discordant song of discouragement to distract and hamper her foes.

The tide of battle began to turn as Lyrin caught a trio of gargoyles in a raging inferno of evoked flames while Eolas did the same to another gargoyle and Krathanos. Morak was sent spiraling into an extradimensional maze, but his quick thinking led him almost immediately to the exit and a swift return. Taravin crawled about and found a bow to use from a gargoyle the archer and hammer-tosser had slain. With fight still in him, Krathanos stepped back and dispelled some of the protective magic from the party members. Morak tried to distract the titan with his magic while Eolas unleashed more fiery explosions. Suddenly, Krathanos toppled as Eolas’ fire burned through his body and boiled his brain. Overcome with the traumatic injury, the titan perished. As his body slammed into the earth, the gargoyles appeared to shake off some kind of compulsion and immediately wheeled about on the wing and flew off to parts unknown.

With the grueling battle finished, the Mercenaries collected the belt of Krathanos as well as his treasures. Morak used make whole to fix Eolas’ sword and then cast transition of arms to pull the magical power from one of the weapons they found into the Eolas’ blade. Although the magic was somewhat different, Eolas was back in business. The Mercenaries rested from the ordeal and prepared to set out the next day for another Trial of Tilagos.

Game summary for November 8, 2007; present characters included Ashkor (half-bronze dragon lizardfolk barbarian/battle sorcerer/dragon disciple/fighter), Carn Fodelfex (whisper gnome cleric), Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/scout/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).

The Mercenaries continued searching for the portal’s crystalline keys and found the green crystals guarded by a half dozen ropers. The stalagmite-like creatures began lashing and grabbing party members in an effort to make them into a meal. Some well placed spells and attacks soon made short work of the strange monsters. Five were slain, and the sixth was sent to a random plane by Lyrin’s prismatic spray.

The team found they could not repair the shattered blue crystal using mending, so they made camp and prepared make whole the next day. The spell successfully restored the crystal, which they then used to open the portal. On the other side, a vibrant verdant demi-plane stretched out. No sun appeared in the sky due to the overcast cloud cover, but mountains loomed in the distance, hills all around, and a thick forest spilled out through the south. Within moments, a quartet of strange elemental fey creatures appeared and spoke. They indicated the party had found Last Resort, an island stronghold of the Order of the Storm. The knowledge they seek is held in the fountain of dreams; however, the party must prove themselves mighty heroes to gain access to the fountain. Once the knowledge is gleaned, it will return not only to the party, but to the world; thus, it is vital that the drinkers be heroes able to handle the problems associated with the release of this knowledge back into the Prime Plane.

Although the fey did not answer many questions, they did indicate the Hand of Myrkul was already here and had set out to complete four trials—the same four trials they now posed to the party. The trials consist of one challenge from each of the guardians.

1. From Tylanthros — Claiming of Krathanos’ Golden Belt
2. From Beskawahn — Silence of the Doomshroud’s Mournful Song
3. From Thadimar — Death of the Thorn Vale Nightmare
4. From Sayren-Lei — Harvest of the Living Feather of the Roc King

With their challenges proposed, they watchers stepped into the trees and disappeared. With little to go on, the party began seeking the belt of Krathanos. They succeeded in determining it lie somewhere around the southern forest, so they set off with all haste.

During their travel along the forest edge, they attracted the attention of a hunting pack of displacer beasts. Not just any displacer beasts, these brutes were massive elephantine mutants known as pack lords! Four of the six-pawed cats swept in through the trees to slash the party with their tentacles. A brutal fight ensued, with the displacement effect of the monsters posing a challenge for landing accurate blows. It was soon apparent area of effect attacks were much more effective. Layers of fire storm and flame strike effects from the party casters weakened or killed the creatures, allowing the team to finish off the remaining beasts. An errant flame strike set a tree on fire, but the Mercenaries succeeded in putting out the flame before it spread and became a roaring blaze.

With the hunting party destroyed, the Mercenaries turned their attention, and feet, back to the south.

Game summary for November 1, 2007; present characters included Ashkor (half-bronze dragon lizardfolk barbarian/battle sorcerer/dragon disciple/fighter), Carn Fodelfex (whisper gnome cleric), Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/scout/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).

After revealing the information regarding Heskin and his betrayal to Darl Quethos, Lashonna offers to use greater scrying on the traitor. She produces a lock of his hair, which she collected while he was in her service, and casts the spell from a scroll. The scene revealed showed Heskin bound to a ship mast in the midst of a terrible storm. A pair of fiendish humanoids moved through the scene, as did a giant of red and bronze skin and a fiery corona. Suddenly, Darl Quethos himself walked into view of the sensor and began taunting Heskin. When the wicked priest of Myrkul realized a scrying sensor was present, he used the hand of Myrkul to kill Heskin and end the spell effect.

At that moment, the Mercenaries were ready to have Carn cast greater teleport onto the ship and begin a battle with Darl immediately. After some discussion, the team realized that had no provisions for survival if the ship sank after defeating Myrkul’s priest. They set out into Mintarn and purchased a number of magical devices to allow underwater breathing as well as a folding boat. Although none of the group know how to sail, they decided having a vessel they cannot captain is better than being stranded with no ship at all.

The Mercenaries suspected Darl and his cronies of being within the 10-mile-radius storm surrounding Tilagos Island. They waited a few hours to give the high priest and his team time to reach shore, and then they used the cover of Iapetus’ invisibility and a greater teleport from Carn to arrive on the ship deck. Much to their surprise, the ship had run aground on some jagged rocks surrounding the island and ripped in half. Darl and his gang had left already, judging by the tracks, but nearly ten orcs busied themselves nearby collecting timber from other wrecks; the Mercenaries assume they intend to try and make a seaworthy craft.

Still invisible, the Mercenaries entered a huge maze located further up the beach. They soon found an area with smashed marble statues strewn about intermingled with fresh blood. Beneath one statue lay a shattered blue crystal, which the party immediately collected up.

Soon the team found a large pool of murky water guarded by a swaying octopus tree. Carn used numerous fly spells to move the invisible party past the tree. Whilst flying overhead, Aridarye noticed a faint red glow in the midst of the pond thanks to the effects of a lucky break spell. The team took note and decided to investigate later.

Within a few minutes, the Mercenaries located an obsidian disc carved with Druidic script, which read, “Return my eyes to me, and I shall gaze through the storm.” Three eyes carved into the disc surrounded a trio of indentions. Surmising there must be a key of some sort, and following the tracks of Darl’s team that came and went from this area several times, the Mercenaries went back to investigate the red glow.

The octopus tree proved quite mobile and aggressive. It first tried to consume Iapetus, who was able to slither free and plunge into the water. Aridarye was not as fortunate and wound up in the carnivorous plant’s maw. Meanwhile, Eolas, Lyrin and Taravin viciously assaulted the tree to distract it. Ashkor and Carn used dimension door to reach the bottom of the pond and found red crystals, which Ashkor collected. Eventually, the octopus tree was beaten sufficiently to collapse and drop Aridarye. Lyrin blasted the heap with spells but was unable to slay it. No matter what he hit it with, it quickly shambled back upright. Finally, Lyrin and the rest of the Mercenaries fell back, and the tree did not pursue them.

Using Syvarius’ superb tracking skills, the team followed the trail left by Darl’s goons. Where will it lead? Is the key to the portal nearby, and can the Mercenaries catch Darl’s forces before they gain the knowledge hidden in Tilagos Island?

Game summary for October 25, 2007; present characters included Ashkor (lizardfolk barbarian/battle sorcerer/dragon disciple/fighter), Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor).

The evening festivities begin with “The Harlequinade Mortificatio”, wherein animated skeletons act out scenes of death by poisoning and foul play. After the play, the Ominous Fabler leads the guests to the Balcony of Expectorance for the Handsome Slaughter of Curious Avians. Many of the guests compete at the game; they fire repeating crossbows at groups of ten corollaxes. The Tyrant slays six on his attempt, but Eolas succeeds in slaying seven. He wins the 1,000 gp purse and the disfavor of the Tyrant.

The Fabler then takes the group down into the basement and a fighting arena for Lively Sports and Baiting. The Tyrant unveils some master/slave rings and challenges anyone to fight him via proxy. Lyrin accepts the invitation, and the two gain control over a pair of cockatrices. The monsters are released into the arena along with a dozen cats. Tarnheel and Lyrin run about turning cat after cat into stone statues. In the end, Lyrin wins a majority of the statues, 7 to 5. For his efforts, he is awarded a golden egg.

Back out in the garden, the Fabler introduces another morbid game, the Bowling of the Devious Heads. The Tyrant hurls the blackened skull of Jack, an executed criminal. The remaining guests toss the skulls of other slain criminals in an effort to get their skull as close to Jack as possible. In the end, Syvarious succeeds in landing closest. He is rewarded with a necklace with a small silver skull with ruby eyes.

Finally, the dinner begins and Lashonna arrives. The first course consists of a silver goblet with a live green scrubgrub. Despite its appearance, it is surprisingly tasty. The second course is a strange blackbird pie. It isn’t bad, except for the blackbirds. For the third course, Tarnheel’s recipe for tojbasarrirge is served. This disgusting meal is made of a tojanida stuffed with gritty basilisk steaks, which are stuffed with tangy arrowhawk breasts, which are in turn stuffed with a fully boned stirge with three olives on its proboscis. Some of the characters choke a bite or two down, others simply choke. The Tyrant eventually realizes how truly dreadful the dish is and orders it taken away. The fourth course is better, if not more frightening. Jelly-like purple worm aspic is served. It is found quite tasty despite the danger of deadly poison. The meals ends with an 8-foot-tall cake topped with a marzipan likeness of Tarnheel. As the cake is set down, it splits and the tiny statue falls, shatters, and the head lands in Eolas’ lap. Tarnheel swells with fury, but the Ominous Fabler succeeds in somewhat smoothing over the situation.

Afterward, a great dance commences. Tarnheel sits on his throne and broods while the other guests try to make the best of the event. Taravin and the elves try to talk to Lashonna, but she indicates there are too many ears about and invites them to her home in two days. Meanwhile, Tarnheel gets bored with the event, and is still angry, so he dismisses his guests and leaves for his chambers.

In a few days, a carriage comes for the Mercenaries and takes them to Lashonna at Mistwall Manor. The place is opulent and extravagant. The beautiful elf reveals the journal of Balakarde as well as her interest in the Age of Worms, Kyuss and Balakarde. She tells them what she knows of Kyuss’ general, Dragotha. The once great dragon is now a dracolich who has lost his phylactery. This has kept him cowardly and hidden for hundreds of years; however, something has him stirring and eager to rescue Kyuss from his prison. Lashonna suggests the party seek out the one place that may hold the secret to locating Dragotha’s phylactery, Tilagos Island. With a new mission before them, the party begins discussing the situation with Lashonna. What more will the elven noble reveal, and who is this mysterious rival she mentioned, Darl Quethos?

Game summary for October 11, 2007; present characters included Ashkor (lizardfolk barbarian/battle sorcerer/dragon disciple/fighter), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/scout/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor).

The Mercenaries hit the streets of Mintarn seeking information and regal clothing for the upcoming gala. Their inquiries again led them to the burned out Church of Blessed Deliverance. Outside the ruin a posted sign indicated the area off limits by order of the Tyrant. Using tremendous stealth, Aridarye slipped into the shadows and over to the ruins. Using magic, Aridarye was able to describe the interior to Iapetus. The group—except for the paladin, Taravin—attempted to follow Aridarye into the ruins, but Morak proved less than stealthy. Within moments, a single Blessed Angel appeared and ordered the dwarf off the premise. He apologized for the trespass and left with Taravin. The Blessed Angel then entered the ruins and appeared to look right over the party. She turned and disappeared. Spooked by her hellborn appearance, and unsure if she had actually seen them, the remaining Mercenaries quickly fled the building.

Later, the party was confronted in the middle of town by a pair of hobgoblin mercenaries, B’Kruss and V’Juss. The boisterous B’Kruss wasted no time in insulting and taunting the party into a series of competitions between himself and the group. The first consisted of a race from the market square up to the Toilway and back. Brave Morak volunteered for the race and mounted a borrowed horse. B’Kruss rode his own mount, a nasty dire boar named Gristlegape. The race was neck-and-neck throughout, with the hobgoblin warrior winning by a snout at the very end.

After the race, B’Kruss regaled the party with a tale of a time he lept a chasm to behead a deadly dragon. He then challenged the party to leap from roof to roof of a pair of three-story buildings. To make things interesting, they filled the alley below with debris and weapons. Again, Morak volunteered for the challenge. It was quite a sight when the stubby-legged dwarf and the hulking hobgoblin raced across the roof and jumped into the air. Unfortunately, they collided in mid-air and plunged into the junk below. Immediately, they tried—and failed—again. On the third try, Morak succeeded in the jump, and B’Kruss fell.

Not to be outdone, B’Kruss challenged the party to the Mindless Courage of the Dreadful Mauling. An area was cleared, and B’Kruss declared the challenge could be won by pinning Gristlegape for 18 seconds before B’Kruss could do so. Taravin was able to pin the beast in 36 seconds, while it took B’Kruss 42!

The hobgoblin and the party decided to try the jumping challenge again, which Morak again won. Then, they attempted to wrestle Gristlegape again. The result was B’Kruss gored into unconsciousness. With their victory secured, the party enjoyed the accolaides of the crowd and the amusement of the whole event.

In the days following the challenge, the team investigate the new temple of Bane under construction. They also visited the temple of Tempus where some of the party paid their respects to the god of war.

Eventually, the day of the gala arrived. A troll-pulled carriage picked up the party and took them to the event. The met a number of guests but found Lashonna was running late. In the meantime, the Omnious Fabler invited the guests to present their gifts to the Tyrant. This custom was completely unknown to the party, so they quickly threw together some of their trophies and delivered them with a convincing story that somehow amused the Tyrant.

After the presentation of gifts, the group was led to an outdoor stage. Now the Mercenaries have opportunity to mingle with the guests and enjoy the first of the gala’s festivities. What awaits?

Game summary for October 4, 2007; present characters included Ashkor (lizardfolk barbarian/battle sorcerer/dragon disciple/fighter), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/scout/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Stormwind Abthek (illumian soulknife), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor).

A few hours after defeating the spellweaver lich, the party heard a tremendous crash that shook the entire temple. As they went to investigate, they discovered all the Kyuss worms were gone. In addition, the preserved bodies had all begun to rot. They found the doorway they had yet to open was standing agape and any occupants gone.

Outside, the Mercenaries discovered the Spire of Long Shadows had toppled and shattered the obsidian ring. No longer did teeming worms surround the Spire. Anything that had survived the party’s temple raid had apparently fled through the opening before the party could get back to the surface. With nothing remaining for them here, the Mercenaries returned to Longsaddle via the magic of their dwarven priest, Beardfist.

Once in Longsaddle, the team took little time contacting Cymria and Malchor Harpell. They found the Harpells had discovered some new leads indicating Balakarde had gone to Mintarn to investigate the origin of the cult of the Ebon Triad. Utilizing Malchor’s mystic paintings once again, the Mercenaries transported to the church of Kelemvor in the center of Mintarn. Within minutes they were discussing the clues they had gathered with the high priest, Long Sleep Bradic Scytheswing. He told them what he could about the city, its ruler—Tyrant Tarnheel Embuirhan, and Lashonna, an elven noblewoman Balakarde had sought out.

The streets of Mintarn proved a bustling, exciting place filled with men, halfbreeds, goblinoids and more. All around the city seemed in preparation for some sort of festival. A nearby man was able to tell them about a gala and celebration coming in a week for Tyrant Tarnheel Embuirhan’s 20th year of rule. Banners, emblazoned with the symbol of Bane, and other decorations flapped in the wind everywhere one cared to look. This gala appeared to be a big event in Mintarn. After taking all this in, the group continued on toward Mistwall Manor, home of Lashonna. As they moved through the market, they witnessed a priest of Bane publicly hanging three accused members of the Ebon Triad. The crowd cheered and shouted “death to the Ebon Triad” as the bodies spasmed and jerked on the ends of their ropes. It seems justice is swift and harsh under the thumb of Tyrant Embuirhan!

An obstacle was found at Mistwall Manor. No one could see Lashonna for at least two months; however, Taravin was able to discover the noblewoman would be in attendance at the Tyrant’s personal gala. Someone with an invitation would certainly have opportunity to speak with her there. Armed with this knowledge, the team decided it was time to delve into Mintarn’s black market.

The search began at the seediest of Mintarn’s wealth of seedy establishments, an inn dubiously titled Medusa’s Bastard. Inside was a riot of drinking, gambling, womanizing and wanton disregard for propriety. All around stood men and women of questionable repute, from pirates, bandits, mercenaries, drunkards, whores, cutthroats, and even worse. The group sidled up to the bar and encountered a peg-legged half-orc wearing an eye patch and missing two fingers on his left hand. He introduced himself as the bartender, Lucky. Taravin paid for several rounds of drink with gold coin, which drew immediate attention from everyone in the establishment. After talking to Lucky for a minute, he agreed to get them in touch with a black market dealer in exchange for 50 gp. Aridarye slipped a pouch of coin to the brute, and he gave them instructions to go to room 7 upstairs in 10 minutes.

Upstairs, the Mercenaries met Szentarr Ravin and his two half-orc goons. The half-orcs were ugly masses of muscle, scar, tattoo, and tusk wearing breastplate armor and carrying gigantic greataxes. Stormwind winked at one of the half-orcs, and much to his horror, it smiled at him and showed a bit of lace under its armor. The future of this romance is yet to be seen. The goons allowed one person to come into the room with Szentarr. The choice was between Aridarye and Taravin, and the group opted to send in the smooth-tongued, not-so-by-the-book paladin.

Szentarr turned out to be a middle-aged dwarf with a bald head and a gray-speckled black beard braided down to his stomach and ending with a small skull. The skull could be from a halfling or a goblin. Szentarr did, indeed, have invitations, but he was not willing to simply sell them for just gold. He tasked Taravin with telling tales of the Mercenaries’ misadventures to make sure they were the kinds of people the Tyrant would enjoy having at his gala. Szentarr was particularly amused by the party’s involvement in the calamity in Waterdeep (a rival city). That alone likely would have gained them entrance. For a mere 500 gp per person, Szentarr handed over invitations for the group. Then, Taravin decided that selling some unholy weapons recovered from Kuluth-Mar would go a long way for funding their efforts to fight the great evil, Kyuss. For most paladins this would be unthinkable, but Taravin’s gray guard training allowed him to dabble in a bit of darkness for a greater good.

After the transaction with the dwarven merchant, Szentarr mentioned that he runs a large entertainment and goods procurement operation called the Deluxury. He invited the party to come by and let him earn back some of the gold he had traded for the unholy weapons.

Now the Mercenaries are armed with invitations to a high-class noble gala in a week. How will these adventurers fit in with the upper crust of Mintarn? What will they do in the seven days’ time between now and then?

Game summary for September 27, 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), Stormwind Abthek (illumian soulknife), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger), Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor), and Thoril Songsteel (human thug).

The Mercenaries set out further across the sea of worms after Lyrin dropped his wall of fire. They discovered a pair of locked doors, and so they knocked on them. After a few moments, they heard shuffling and creaking on the other side as well as mumbling and swords being drawn. Ashkor smashed through the doors and found himself face-to-face with a trio of Kyuss knights. They immediately began hacking away with their unholy swords and damaging his mind with their intelligence-draining eye-worms.

The rest of the group moved in quickly, with Syvarius laying down a steady rain of arrows. Lyrin attempted to use ionize on the creatures and found them unaffected by the electrical magic. Taravin marched in with his glowing holy sword, Lightbringer, and drew the attacks from several of the knights. Their eye-mouths dripped drool as they longed to rend the flesh of the paladin. In the end, the team rather easily dispatched the trio.

Afterward, the party went to investigate another room and discovered a spellweaver lich! In no time, hostilities erupted. The Mercenaries soon discovered the lich’s apparently frail body was stronger than steel and resisted their weapon attacks. In addition to this resistance, the lich’s innate aura of fear proved too terrifying for Ashkor and Syvarius, driving both into a blind panic away from the room. The rest of the team pressured the lich and backed it against a wall. However, it surprised everyone when it isolated a small portion of the party within using a wall of force.

Things looked bleak for Aridarye and Stormwind, trapped as they were with a lich protected by displacement. Fortunately, Lyrin’s knowledge of all things arcane provided an answer, and he disintegrated the wall of force. With the barrier removed, Iapetus’ silence spell hampered spellcasting from the lich. This allowed the party to batter the creature with melee attacks, but they discovered its damage reduction and displacement were tremendously effective. The party tried to grapple the lich but ended up with Stormwind paralyzed and the undead sorcerer moving about freely. The lich then positioned itself near Morak (and far from Iapetus) and unleashed a prismatic spray!

The rainbow of energy flooded the room, catching those within. Fortunately, Syvarius and Ashkor were safe (having fled earlier), Morak was behind the lich, and Lyrin was out in the hallway beyond harm’s way. The others were not as fortunate. Scathing acid tore into Stormwind and flames whipped about Taravin. Iapetus took the full force of a yellow ray and its electrical blast. Aridarye was bathed in a green ray and succumbed to a lethal poison instantly. An insidious violet ray caught Thoril full on, and he disappeared. Unknown to the party at the time, he was transported into the Plane of Negative Energy where he met an almost immediate and truly excruciating death.

After seeing this blast, Lyrin sealed his allies in the room with the lich using a blade barrier. Of course, it sealed the lich in as well. The lich then jockeyed around the room with the survivors a bit and ended up far from Iapetus and his globe of silence once again. It unleashed a chain lightning at the giant, but he evaded the blast. All of his allies took the brunt of the secondary bolts, however.

Taravin, Morak and Iapetus moved to pin the lich into the corner and prevent it from casting. They succeeded in driving it back, but it reached out and paralyzed Iapetus with its horrific touch. As he fell to the ground, the lich attempted to slip past. The paladin slapped the monster with the full force of his lay on hands, filling the undead with positive energy. Having just taken a brutal hit from one of Lyrin’s hunter missiles, the lich was in bad shape. It continued to try to move, but a raging Morak Beardfist chopped it down with his magical battlehammer.

In the aftermath, a new vision filled their minds. Then the Mercenaries took everything of value while Morak restored Aridarye to life. The fleeing party members were brought back, and the team holed up in the slain lich’s lair to nurse their wounds. Where shall they go from here? Are there additional dangers lurking beneath the Spire of Long Shadows?

Game summary for September 13, 2007; present characters included 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), Stormwind Abthek (illumian soulknife), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger), Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor), and Thoril Songsteel (human thug).

The Mercenaries decided to explore the water chamber before going through the unopened doors. They heard noises within, so Lyrin cast two walls of fire along a walkway going over the worm-filled water. Stormwind and Syvarius had moved out onto the bridge when one of the walls of fire was suddenly dispelled. A pair of wormcallers attacked, dropping a flame strike on Stormwind. The soulknife illumian ran for cover while Lyrin launched a fireball at one of the wormcallers. Unfortunately, something seemed to absorb the energy leaving the undead menace unscathed.

With an explosion of water and worms, a gigantic Kyuss worm (an overworm) burst from the water and swallowed Syvarius. While the bulk of the party fell back into the main chamber and used spells to boost their abilities, Syvarius transformed into gold dragon form and tore his way free of the overworm’s stomach. He then began to cling to the worm’s hide. Iapetus and Aridarye used spells such as invisibility, good hope and haste to boost their allies, and Morak used a combination of spells such as bless, mass resist energy, and reach cure critical wounds to aid friends and harass enemies. All the while, the wormcallers blasted away with empowered rays of slashing darkness, and the overworm flooded Stormwind’s mind with horrid images of Kyuss and worms.

Thoril snorted a dose of the powdery magical ogre piss the party took from the trolls days before. He surged with power, doubling height, gaining tremendous strength and going into an absolute rage. He advanced out onto the bridge and was soon waist deep in the overworm’s mouth! This did not deter the raging thug, as he pumped his sword arm vigorously, piercing and electrocuting with his lightning sword. Lyrin discovered his ionize had no effect upon the wormcallers, but his maximized hunter missile blasted a hole right through one.

Flipping his bastard sword over in mid-stride, Taravin charged down the side of the bridge and leaped out over the worms toward the overworm. With a triumphant shout, he plunged his blade to the hilt in a truly devastating blow. The worm writhed in agony and gnashed its razored teeth into Thoril, still clutched in its mouth. Iapetus ran out and jumped on the overworm as well and began poking away with Stalker desperately trying to slay the beast. Syvarius continued to bite chunks out of the overworm with his draconic teeth, turning his golden muzzle into a fearsome blood-slicked mask.

Frustrated Lyrin hit one wormcaller with disintegrate and caused it to turn to dust. Its ancient armor plunged into the worm-infested waters. Meanwhile, Morak was dispelling the air walk from the other wormcaller, and it crashed into the bridge and met its final death. Aridarye attempted to use encourage failure on the overworm, but it seemed unaffected. Then, the dwarven battlepriest unleashed a flame strike on the back of the overworm, killing it. As it sank into the water, Syvarius flew his allies to the safety of the walkway.

The roaring flames of Lyrin’s wall of fire drowns out the sound of the worms swarming in the water. Ahead, the pathway ends and crumbles into the water. What lies across the gap? Do more overworms lurk beneath the water’s surface?

Game summary for September 6, 2007; present characters included 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), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger), Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor), Thoril Songsteel (human thug), and Zebaum Whitefeather (wood elf druidic avenger/ranger).

Syvarius tied together several ropes, and he, Thoril and Morak went down into the central hole in the ziggurat. Approximately sixty feet down, they discovered a cave opening and entered. Soon, the entire party was brought down into the cave. After exploring for a bit, they were attacked by a pair of worm nagas who struck Taravin and Thoril dumb with feeblemind. Despite this, the party was able to descimate the nagas with deadly sword blows and burning spells. In no time, the worm nagas lay dead. Further exploration of the cave revealed nothing of interest, so Syvarius was sent on to scout.

The central hole went down around five hundred feet into darkness. At the bottom was a man-made chamber covered with teeming Kyuss worms. Syvarius returned to the surface to report to the party. While Morak used heal on Thoril, Lyrin unleashed every fireball he had into the hole in a catastrophic conflagration of fiery destruction. They then waited until Morak could heal Taravin.

At the bottom of the hole, the team found the worms destroyed by Lyrin’s rain of fire. To one side, they could see closed double doors down a hallway. To the other a chamber filled with perfectly preserved corpses lying head-to-toe in neat rows. Ahead seemed to be the undulating waves of lapping water. The Mercenaries opted to investigate the corpses and found fifty in the room. A faint necromantic aura radiated in the chamber. In the room next door lay another fifty bodies, but these were decayed to a skeletal state. A hallway from this room lead to more double doors and a side passage.

The group went to the side passage and discovered the floor had given way into the water; however, the surface of the liquid writhed with Kyuss worms. Lyrin blasted them with electricity, but in moments the worms had been replaced. The Mercenaries opted to leave the water alone and went back to the first set of double doors they had found. They opened the doors and found a temple dedicated to the Wormgod. Instead of an altar, a black-stoned fountain rested in the middle bubbling with clear blue water. Several of the party realized there was no water within but instead it bubbled with Kyuss worms! Syvarius, searching the room, seemed overcome by the fountain and dove face first within, slurping away at the worms. Taravin grabbed his ankles and wrenched him from the fountain, but Zebaum took his place. Within moments, both men were able to regain their senses and spit out all the worms.

After a moment of discussion, the Mercenaries decided they should investigate the other double doors. What horrors await behind them?

Game summary for August 23, 2007; present characters included Ashkor (lizardfolk barbarian/battle sorcerer/dragon disciple/fighter), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/vigilante), Jimiath “Jimmy” Firespark (halfling rogue/spellwarp sniper/wizard), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger), Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor), and Thoril Songsteel (human thug).

Almost immediately after defeating the corrupted angels and eladrin, another pair of doors burst open, and three swords of Kyuss led by a wormcaller attacked. Jimiath unleashed a wall of fire to hem in the undead and slow their advance. The flames proved particularly effective against the dead flesh and did slow the advance. Much to the chagrin of the Mercenaries, as the swords of Kyuss emerged from the flames, they revealed a horrific power. Channeling the dark, negative energy of their god, the swords dropped invocations of the worm on the clustered party members. These explosive bursts of fell energy tore into the heroes but actually healed the burned flesh of the undead. Within moments, the monsters healed the damage they took from the fire as well as the mighty blows landed by the Mercenaries’ frontline.

The barrage of negative energy proved too much for Aridarye and Jimiath to withstand, dropping both of them. A quick-thinking Morak cast a spell that revived Jimiath, but another invocation of the worm tore into the paladin, Taravin. His body could not stand the shock of the blast, and he was hurtled into oblivion. Ashkor and Iapetus held the front line while Syvarius blasted away with arrows. Thoril was rocked back on his heels and forced to fall back to recover. All the while, Morak Beardfist ran to and fro conjuring forth the healing blessings of Moradin. As things seemed most bleak, Lyrin unleashed the mightiest fireball he had ever cast, destroying two of the undead outright and weakening another significantly. Soon, the party proved victorious.

Staggered by their losses and depleted resources, the team barred themselves into the torture chamber to recover. Their slain allies were called back from the dead by the power of Moradin. The next morning, they gingerly crept out and began their exploration again.

The team experienced a vision in the library and saw the man they believe to be Kyuss studying some worn and pitted bronze disks under the tutelage of the six-armed insect creature. A deeper vision revealed the Netherese depiction of Jergal inscribing the disks while they were new.

Later, the team explored the outside of the Spire and flew to the top to investigate. Ashkor received another vision wherein he saw a trapezoid-like black monolith atop the Spire with some kind of figure raging within. Suddenly, a massive red dragon flew up, snatched the monolith and ripped it from its moorings. As Ashkor watched, the dragon and monolith faded into the distance as the beast flew North.