Session 28 July 5th 216 The group returns to the encampment. At the temple of Weejas they request to have Moge resurrected. That night Collin resurrects Moge, apparently with some resistance. Moge babbles about frozen plains, killing "those damned celestials", fighting at the side of some demons who talk about plans to get Ashardalon's heart, as well as other nonsense. July 6th 216 Korvath casts spells to have Pelor answer some questions. Pelor confirms that Kiri-Joleth does not intend betrayal and that handing him the heart of the Ashardalon would not endanger the world, but of course it is preferable to take the heart to Elysium. Some other information is given. The party debate at length an escape route once they do have the heart - in case there are demons who would pounce them. After debating merits of various plains, they decide to let Wintermoon decide on a teleport destination and not tell them in advance. The code word for imminent teleportation is "Let's form up for our dance of Ruin". July 7th 216 The party are back at the tower (except Jaenelle and Murgen, since she felt she needed a holiday and was willing to watch items get identified for the group.) Alex turns into our favorite insectoid thingie and digs under the tower to find the secret basement. On the way he encounters a metal mesh which is effortlessly bent out of the way. The tunnel comes out near the top of an underground chamber littered with mummy wrappings and related supplies. Two albino guerrilons run up to attack Alex. Then a motley figure joins them: ogre-like figure with a dragon's head, it seems sewn out of pieces of ogre and half-dragon, with scaled hide. Swiftwind notices that the guerrilons are also golems. The dragon-golem breathes fire at the party, but then Alex makes a tunnel down to almost floor level and assumes troll shape. Enchanted arrows from Swiftwind and Wintermoon, with the others' help, make quick work of the golems. Through the open door the party finds a diabolical machine: a slab with a large body shaped indentation and sparking machinery all around. There are shelves with arcane and obscure supplies. Opening one of two doors they see a room with a multitude of containers of bitter smelling liquids (Alex identifies them as used for leeching liquids out of bodies, in other words creating mummies.) The party decides to play it safe and put the containers on fire before entering the room. They barely manage to close the door in time, as lighting one container results in a spectacular chain-reaction of explosions. Since one of the routes is a bit too hot for a while, the party decides to try the other door. The next chamber is littered with rags and other unidentifiable bits. Swiftwind notices a strange design on the floor: a branching shape like a tree with an eye in the middle. The party promptly covers the design with a tent and pile other debris on top. The area detects as magical. The next chamber contains a stairwell down. Downstairs, the next chamber is almost filled with urns, except for a narrow path. Another chamber, a dead end, is filled with urns up to halfling height level, the party decides not to search for secret halfling doors. The party follows the only remaining path through another urn-filled room, to a fourth which contains several zombies sweeping and carrying urns about. Korvath steps in front and calls on the might of Pelor, destroying the zombies. But suddenly the other door in the chamber bursts open and a guerrilon comes in and proceeds to maul Korvath. The party is in single file on the narrow path, with Alex, Wintermoon, and Moge still in the previous chamber. Suddenly Alex gets surrounded by vampires that appear out of thin air. Alex, Wintermoon, and Moge have their hands busy, when Korvath and Swiftwind in the front chamber get attacked by a mohrg and a couple more zombies. Korvath calls on Pelor again and the zombies and two of the vampires turn to dust. Somewhere in the confusion Moge becomes aware of an invisible enemy that seems to take Wintermoon out with one hit. Moge checks Wintermoon to discover him dead and his throat crushed. The raging barbarian scores a hit on the invisible assassin before losing its trail. The assassin grabs Wintermoon's body and disappears with it. While looking around, Moge notices an eye on the ceiling, staring at him. He makes a running jump and plunges his great blade into the eye. The eye shrieks, blood sprays and pours all over the chamber, while the tower seems to shudder. Meanwhile, the guerrilon shreds Korvath, and the mohrg knocks him out. Alex finishes the last vamp and comes to Korvath's aid, grabbing a potion from Swiftwind. Together they finish the guerrilon, as the mohrg turns to flee. Swiftwind engages it and eventually kills it - safely since its numerous unsuccessful attempts to hit have left it tongue-tied. In the aftermath of the fight, the party decides to cut their losses and leave. Quickly. They leave the way they came in, unmolested. Alex flies everyone up the cliff, and they walk back to camp. At about 6pm the party is within sight of the temple of Weejas. Swiftwind notices strange figures with bird heads waiting in ambush. The creatures realize they were seen and step out of hiding. They form up into a circle and start dancing and chanting. The party run for the temple, circling to be out of range of an authentic "dance of Ruin". The vrocks, disgruntled, move over and start forming up for the dance again. The party makes it to the temple: some shoot the demons with arrows, Korvath calls on Pelor to flamestrike several of them. Crowds of imps arrive from the plainsmen camps and try to attack as well. The vrocks teleport away, and the imps decide to go for a beer at the local tavern. Swiftwind returns to gold-horse tribe, bearing the sad news. Even though Wintermoon's familiar is still with them, it has lost the link to his spirit. Without any remains, he cannot be brought back or reincarnated. The tribe prays for Wintermoon's spirit. SESSION END evening of July 7th 216 NEXT TIME : EXPERIENCE TOTALS (Session 28) ----------------- Korvath Moge Alex Wintermoon Swiftwind Jaenelle Murgen 53599 46231 55184 dead 53430 52099 22348 Nick's new character will start at 45000 XP with 15k worth of goods.