Charles Plemons' Blog

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?

Game summary for April 10, 2008; present characters included Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Ranulph Wathbater (human berserker/fighter/hellreaver/paladin of freedom/rogue), and Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer).

Once in Longsaddle, the troupe went about re-equipping themselves with new magical weapons and charms. After a while, they arranged an audience with Malchor Harpell through his associate, Cymria. The Mercenaries summoned forth Balakarde and reunited him with his old ally, Malchor. The group discussed tactics and the implications of Lashonna’s involvement with the cult of Kyuss. Eventually they decided that killing Dragotha was still a priority and returned to the Wormcrawl Fissure near the Tabernacle of Worms.

The team crept forward in the oppressive darkness of the chasm and found themselves attacked by a gaggle of Kyuss chimeras. The four monsters tore into the Mercenaries and flung worms about, trying to infest them with the taint of the Wormgod. Syvarius wasted no time unleashing a hail of arrows upon the beasts, while Ranulph brought the fight in close. Lyrin and Morak released a barrage of spells, and Eolas strode into the midst of the undead to flail about with blade and spell. In short order, the creatures were cut down.

Continuing onward, the team found a faintly glowing cave opening with tracks of slithering creatures and chimeras all about. Standing in the opening, Lyrin began summoning forth a small army of elementals to assist in the assault; however, another gaggle of Kyuss chimeras came upon the group and attacked. Lyrin stopped his summoning and engaged the creatures along with his allies. Ranulph wasted no time getting into the fray, charging through the air with his fly effect to meet a chimera head-on. He, and the chimera, discovered milliseconds later that a chimera cannot easily stop during a sweeping dive. The two crashed into one another and felling into a heap on the ground.

Again, the Mercenaries brutally slaughtered the Kyuss spawn, leaving great rotting corpses of worm-writhing hide littering the ground. Ranulph suffered from a burrowing worm but was rescued by Morak. The worm was destroyed by yet another magic missile blast from Lyrin.

With the monsters destroyed, the team prepares once again to consider entering the cave. What causes the green glow? Can Lyrin summon an elemental platoon for assistance? Is Dragotha waiting?

Game summary for April 1, 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), Mael Gabrian (human cleric), 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).

Trapped in the fortress with Thessalar and a polymorphed twelve-headed pyrohydra, Eolas found himself in dire trouble. Fortunately, his insanity was suppressed for a short time, allowing him to grab Mael’s corpse and dimension door to safety. Outside, Beardfist rained down healing through the power of Moradin, and Mael’s cloak of the phoenix restored him to life. Thessalar quickly pursued Eolas outside, a huge tactical error. Ranulph used his flying ability to charge the lich and press him viciously. Thessalar unleashed several more spells but could not stand against Ranulph and his allies.

With the lich destroyed, the team moved immediately into the fortress where Mael tried to consecrate a vat of bubbling, plasmic flesh. The result was the unstable material condensed and burst forth as a fully grown, deadly powerful thessalhydra. The aberration tore into Taravin, sending him spiraling into a bloody, poisoned death. With the paladin slain, Lyrin and Syvarius still petrified, and Eolas low on mana, the team was hard pressed by the powerful monster. It hissed and snapped and tore into brave Grim. The clerics unleashed divine prayers upon the beast, weakening it, but not laying it low. Finally, with his last ounce of energy, Eolas cast a powerful polar ray at the thessalhydra. The monstrosity froze and died beneath the power of the duskblade’s spell! As the beast shuddered into death, a white light shone forth and settled into Eolas’ blade—a second fragment of Balakarde’s soul!

Nursing terrible wounds, depleted of mana, and with two of their own petrified, the Mercenaries made camp within the now-empty fortress of the lich. After several hours of rest, divine prayers restored fleshy life to Lyrin and Syvarius. Using translocation magic, the Mercenaries went to the tower of the lillend to bargain for the statue of Balakarde. They presented her with the dust of the lich as proof of his destruction. They also offered her the powerful blade—Stalker—of their fallen ally, Iapetus. The lithe elven archer offered to craft a bow the likes of which the lillend had never seen. Indeed, his skillful hands flew lovingly across the wood and coaxed forth a work of perfect craftsmanship. His mighty bow was delivered to the delighted lillend. With all of their conditions met, and Ranulph set to serve the lillend for a year, starting in three weeks’ time, the statue was theirs.

Upon combining the purse, the statue, and the sword in a pile, the spirit of Balakarde reformed. The ghostly entity spoke telepathically into the minds of all the Mercenaries. He thanked them for restoring him and pledged his assistance in destroying Dragotha. The team told him what they had learned, and he blanched when they mentioned their service for Lashonna. He revealed that Lashonna was Kyuss’ high priestess and next in line of power behind Dragotha. She had betrayed him years before, sending him to kill Dragotha. When he failed, she was found out, and Dragotha drove her from the Writhing Sanctum.

With this new information, and some details regarding Dragotha’s defenses from Balakarde, the Mercenaries decided to translocate to Longsaddle and re-equip themselves. When they next see the dark depths of the Wormcrawl Fissure, they will be armed and ready to face one of the greatest evils to ever walk the earth, in his own fortress!

Game summary for March 25, 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), Mael Gabrian (human cleric), 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).

Wasting little time, the Mercenaries set out in search of Thessalar, lich wizard and father of the thessalmonster. After a few hours travel, the troupe found a lake and used the folding boat to head out toward the lich’s tower. Following a short boat ride, the party got to the cliff leading up to Thessalar’s keep and used flight and dimension door to arrive on his doorstep. The party was confronted with a thick-walled stone keep with a closed double portcullis. Using a grapnel, the team scaled the outer walls and moved along the parapets to avoid a stasis field in the courtyard noticed by Mael’s arcane sight. Along the wall, Mael discovered a staggering array of magical traps laid out with the murderous tenacity of an undying lich with nothing but time to ward his domain. Apparently, Thessalar is a firm believer in overkill.

Rather than meticulous defeat the dozens of traps, Mael attempted to dispel the stasis field, with success. Syvarius was lowered down on a rope and started searching for traps. Apparently, the stasis field originated from an item, not a spell, because it soon flickered back into existence. Syvarius’ presence within triggered the effect, causing four stasis-held thessalmonsters to appear—two thessalhydras, a thessalisk, and a thessalnaga! Syvarius succeeded in avoiding the petrifying gaze of the thessalisk and fled back up the rope to his allies. The first thessalhydra moved forward and launched a glob of acid spittle into the midst of the Mercenaries, damaging them and destroying several of Mael’s items.

Meanwhile, the thessalnaga warded itself with greater invisibility and started moving into better position. In order to buy time, the quick-thinking Lyrin separated the thessalmonsters with a prismatic wall. The team started hammering away at the thessalhydra, including a diving attack from Grim and a feather fall-assisted advance from Taravin. Lyrin turned the creature to dust with a disintegrate and dismissed his prismatic wall.

As the wall flickered out of existence, the skeletal form of Thessalar—his steel snake-crown firmly on his head—was seen across the courtyard above the doors on the parapet. Apparently, he had emerged from the open doorway behind him. The lich wasted no time hurling spells at those who hurt his thessalmonsters. He attempted a disintegrate of his own, with much less spectacular results. The thessalisk whipped its pincer tail through the air and scissored Grim’s left arm off above the elbow. A flurry of attacks from spells, bow, and blade soon cut down the thessalmonsters; however, dealing with the creatures bought the lich more time to hammer the team with his fell magic. Lyrin, flying a few feet in the air succumbed to a flesh to stone spell and toppled to the ground.

Grim and Taravin, using the skeleton key, appeared behind the lich and triggered some of the parapet wards. Grim was scoured with energy, while Taravin was dimensionally shifted out over the water and slowly drifted (thanks to feather fall) toward the lake. One-armed Grim attempted to grapple with lich, but discovered it to be no more than an image. Unfortunately, he was caught by a maze and sent into the labyrinth. Mael dispelled the illusion lich, Ranulph flew up to the open doorway, and Taravin used the skeleton key to return to the area where he triggered the ward. A blast of colorful rays, a dreaded prismatic spray, rippled out of the doorway and engulfed Taravin and Ranulph. It had no effect upon the paladin, but the hellreaver caught the full effect of a green ray and died in poisoned agony. A second maze sent Taravin into a labyrinth as well.

Moving quickly, Eolas grabbed Syvarius and Mael and used a series of dimension doors to end up within the keep. They discovered the second floor they could see through the open doorway was an illusion and the actual floor was twenty-five feet down. As they plunged to the stone floor, they saw Thessalar flying above, startled by their appearance. They could see a blade barrier flash into place across the doorway as they entered the room; fortunately, their magic by-passed the danger zone entirely. Somehow, the three just missed the edge of a huge bubbling vat of swirling, fleshy stew. The effect of landing in the protoplasm would have no doubt been disastrous!

With three foes in his sanctuary, Thessalar went on a real offensive. He hit the trio with a slow spell and followed it with another prismatic spray. Eolas became confused from an insanity effect, Mael was struck dead by a poisonous green ray, and the swirling colors left Syvarius a petrified statue. Eolas retaliated with a polar ray, but the spell slid off of Thessalar like water. The snarling lich countered with a ray of enfeeblement, which missed Eolas. It then turned Syvarius the rock into pyrohydra the hungry. The hydra attacked Eolas, who began babbling in his insanity, and Thessalar moved to the corner to let his monster do its work.

Meanwhile, Beardfist removed any traces of poison from Ranulph, and the cloak of the phoenix spell Morak had cast earlier brought the slain hellreaver back to life. Now, two allies are outside moving toward the opening (with an unknown blade barrier behind an illusion!), and two more Mercenaries desperately seek escape from their mazes. Any moment, Mael will be raised by his cloak of the phoenix as well. Can the confused Eolas survive long enough for his allies to arrive? Will the return of several supposedly vanquished foes give the Mercenaries the edge they need to bring down the archlich?