2nd - 18th Day of Coldeven, CY 592
The Long Night
We left the fane with Thrommel and made our way through Rastor till we reached a good place to make camp. Thrommel was deeply troubled about what had happened to him. He spent much of the night at the fireside speaking with various members of our party about his fate. We assured him that even though his actions were vile, it was not him doing them. He had trouble accepting this, but as we spoke he seemed to come to terms with what happened. It would take many years to forgive himself, but he believes that he was being tested for future trials.
He asked that we spend another day traveling before going to Chendl. We teleported to Verbobonc the next day. We sent two messages about recent events. One went to Canon Heldenster telling him that we had the prince. The second one went to Canoness Y’dey. She said that she was no longer in Hommlet, but she did not go into detail. At Thrommel’s request, Creden performed atonement on the prince.
The Binder
The topic of what to do with the binder came up again. The argument for keeping it hinged on the fact that the people we trust most are in our party. Eventually the binder would need to be destroyed, and if we turned it over to Fistan Nolro it might be difficult to get it back. The opposing point of view suggested that it would be foolish to take the one thing the cultists wanted into their temple. We decided that a vote was in order, and the result was 4 to 2 in favor of keeping it. As a compromise, we agreed to keep trading it around within the party. Delvanos will carry it first.
In an odd coincidence, Fistan Nolro showed up just after our discussion was complete. He said that Canon Heldenster asked him to transport the party directly into the castle, which requires a magic item to bypass the warding magic. He had heard from someone that the binder was in his possession, which was news to him. We assured him that it was in safe keeping.
Chendl
The morning brought grave news. Crockport, the Kalinstren capital, had fallen in the night to an undead army. Refugees from the city were pouring into the city, and the capital was a flurry of activity.
The next day Thrommel asked us if we would accept citizenship in Furyondy. It is not common to have dual citizenship, but there are cases of it. Thrommel himself held the titles of Provost of Veluna and Marshal of Furyondy. The Lady Jolene D’Amphere arrived in Furyondy, and there was much buzz about the future nuptials.
The coronation took place three days later in the Cathedral of Heironeous. It consisted of prayers, anointing of the prince and the presentation of the sovereign relics. The kingdom was in a somber state, but they were greatly relieved that the line of kings was restored.
In his first act as king, Thrommel awarded the nation’s highest honor, Order of the Bolt, to our party. This honor includes a lifetime appointment to the Knightly Conclave, the king’s primary advisory council. It also provides a means of contacting any recipient of the Order of the Bolt, the Prelate of Heironeous and the King of Furyondy. We found out later that wearing the medal opened a lot of doors in the city as well.
The next few weeks were spent crafting items and preparing ourselves for the investigation of the excavation site at the Temple of Elemental Evil. The king was also very busy getting up to speed on the events of the last twenty years. He was also busy outfitting a special cavalry unit that he would personally lead into battle against the forces of Iuz.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Crockport Falls
4th Day of Coldeven, CY 592
From they Furyondy Beacon
Reports have been slow in bringing news of the fate of Crockport, capital of Kalinstren, but it is clear that the Armies of Iuz now occupy it. No official statements have been made as of this morning, but rumors are widespread.
Based on the stories that have filtered in, here is what can be pieced together:
At some point after midnight on the 3rd, fighting broke out among the tower guards at the west gate in Crockport. No sighting of an enemy had been reported, and there was no reason given for the internal fighting. Attempts by the officers to quell the melee were met with no success. The garrison commander, Colonel Robon, was not called to the scene, or he was called and did not show up. Reports vary on this point. In any case, it was over an hour before he issued any orders regarding the fighting. The order to sound the general alarm was also delayed by some indeterminate amount of time. If the general alarm had been sounded, it would have called additional forces to the scene along with the Knights of the Hart contingent quartered in the city.
The first report of an attack was not made until about one o’clock in the morning. The situation at the west gate had drawn all the soldiers within earshot, but word had not spread. Apparently, the local commanders believed the fighting was a result of the tension following the Flare Line attacks in the previous days. It became clear that something else was underway, when a number of men were attacked from the shadows by unseen assailants. The order was sent out to raise the alarm, but the lighting posts had been disabled. No alarm was raised. In that moment, everyone realized that the situation had escalated from an uncommon break in discipline to a plot to take the city from within.
Colonel Robon arrived on the scene issuing a number of orders including the opening of the west gate. Robon said that a group of soldiers were returning from a reconnaissance mission, and they could help with the situation. A number of protests were raised at this suggestion, since none of the other officers remembered such a mission. The ranking officer under Robon refused the order, because he believed that Robon was acting under duress. What happened next is not entirely clear, but the officer who refused the order was found dead the next morning. The gate had been opened from within, and the whereabouts of Colonel Robon has not been determined.
A large army of undead flowed into the city through the open gate under the cover of darkness. Fighting in the streets broke out. The strength of the undead was too great. Leading the zombie army was a thirty foot tall creature of utter darkness. Some reports indicate that this may in fact be Lord Sidow Noct. Rumors have spread for several years that this “shadow lord” is in league with Old Wicked. The Kalinstren armies were paralyzed as they drew close to the shadow lord. Calls went out to the Trithereon temple to aid, but they went unanswered. Some priests did attempt to turn back the armies, but the undead were shielded by some dark warding magic. The rest of the night was a slaughter.
When the sun rose the next day, the crimson standard of Iuz could be seen waving over the city. The road between Chendl and Crockport is filled with refugees from the fallen city. The Trithereon church was apparently attacked at the same time that the fighting broke out at the west gate. The bodies of the clergy were examined, but no official statement has been released. Some reports indicate that their souls have been enslaved. Casualty reports vary widely, but estimates exceed three thousand.
The Knights of the Hart displayed great valor when they were finally alerted to the attack. The knights with a group of Kordite priests from Verbobonc rallied the Kalinstren forces at the south gate. They kept the gate secured for over an hour. The majority of the refugees who managed to escape left through this gate. The fate of the forty knights under Lord Hargamac and the Kordite priests is not known.
From they Furyondy Beacon
Reports have been slow in bringing news of the fate of Crockport, capital of Kalinstren, but it is clear that the Armies of Iuz now occupy it. No official statements have been made as of this morning, but rumors are widespread.
Based on the stories that have filtered in, here is what can be pieced together:
At some point after midnight on the 3rd, fighting broke out among the tower guards at the west gate in Crockport. No sighting of an enemy had been reported, and there was no reason given for the internal fighting. Attempts by the officers to quell the melee were met with no success. The garrison commander, Colonel Robon, was not called to the scene, or he was called and did not show up. Reports vary on this point. In any case, it was over an hour before he issued any orders regarding the fighting. The order to sound the general alarm was also delayed by some indeterminate amount of time. If the general alarm had been sounded, it would have called additional forces to the scene along with the Knights of the Hart contingent quartered in the city.
The first report of an attack was not made until about one o’clock in the morning. The situation at the west gate had drawn all the soldiers within earshot, but word had not spread. Apparently, the local commanders believed the fighting was a result of the tension following the Flare Line attacks in the previous days. It became clear that something else was underway, when a number of men were attacked from the shadows by unseen assailants. The order was sent out to raise the alarm, but the lighting posts had been disabled. No alarm was raised. In that moment, everyone realized that the situation had escalated from an uncommon break in discipline to a plot to take the city from within.
Colonel Robon arrived on the scene issuing a number of orders including the opening of the west gate. Robon said that a group of soldiers were returning from a reconnaissance mission, and they could help with the situation. A number of protests were raised at this suggestion, since none of the other officers remembered such a mission. The ranking officer under Robon refused the order, because he believed that Robon was acting under duress. What happened next is not entirely clear, but the officer who refused the order was found dead the next morning. The gate had been opened from within, and the whereabouts of Colonel Robon has not been determined.
A large army of undead flowed into the city through the open gate under the cover of darkness. Fighting in the streets broke out. The strength of the undead was too great. Leading the zombie army was a thirty foot tall creature of utter darkness. Some reports indicate that this may in fact be Lord Sidow Noct. Rumors have spread for several years that this “shadow lord” is in league with Old Wicked. The Kalinstren armies were paralyzed as they drew close to the shadow lord. Calls went out to the Trithereon temple to aid, but they went unanswered. Some priests did attempt to turn back the armies, but the undead were shielded by some dark warding magic. The rest of the night was a slaughter.
When the sun rose the next day, the crimson standard of Iuz could be seen waving over the city. The road between Chendl and Crockport is filled with refugees from the fallen city. The Trithereon church was apparently attacked at the same time that the fighting broke out at the west gate. The bodies of the clergy were examined, but no official statement has been released. Some reports indicate that their souls have been enslaved. Casualty reports vary widely, but estimates exceed three thousand.
The Knights of the Hart displayed great valor when they were finally alerted to the attack. The knights with a group of Kordite priests from Verbobonc rallied the Kalinstren forces at the south gate. They kept the gate secured for over an hour. The majority of the refugees who managed to escape left through this gate. The fate of the forty knights under Lord Hargamac and the Kordite priests is not known.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
The Fallen Prince
2nd Day of Coldeven, CY 592
Turn of the Tide
Victor closed with Hedrack, but an abjuration ward prevented him from getting close enough to attack. The silence kept Hedrack from being able to stay in one place. So a series of movements between the two combatants ensued, where Hedrack would move out of the silence and assault Victor with deadly spells. It was beginning to wear on the Kordite priest, and he was forced to withdraw and heal.
Safadin turned the course of this battle with a very successful targeted dispel on Hedrack. It brought down a number of powerful wards including the one that kept Victor beyond arm’s reach. Victor and Hedrack continued their move and close tactics, but now Victor could deliver a series of punishing body blows as part of the movement. The tide was turning against Hedrack.
Creden and Uthgar had intended to gang up on the vampire Thrommel, but Hedrack hit Uthgar with a debilitating spell which forced him to move directly into the path of Infinitus. Infinitus and the Khannenhelm Defender began attacking one another, but the grappling ability of the glabrezu made it difficult for Uthgar.
Creden was left to go up against Thrommel alone. They traded blows back and forth. It would come down to their weapon prowess and a bit of luck (or divine intervention if you did not believe in luck). Whichever one it was, Creden had it this time. Thrommel missed three times in a row, and Creden did not. The power of the Cudgel brought the fallen prince down. He turned gaseous and fled to his coffin in the Outer Fane.
Hedrack was forced to alternate between attacking Victor with spells and putting up defenses against the rest of the party, who now were moving in to help Victor. Vannay’s enchantment wore off, and he attempted to bring down more of Hedrack’s defenses. It was countered by Hedrack, and he put up a blade barrier blocking everyone but Victor. Vannay cast a dimension door moving everyone to the other side of the barrier. Victor continued his attacks, and Hedrack knew that the end was near. It may have been madness or a clever stratagem (the former is likely), but Hedrack tried to move through the blade barrier. For a man who worshipped destruction, he had a fitting end. The wall of whirling blades cut him into pieces. Hedrack, Master of the Outer Fane, was dead. Infinitus decided to terms of his bargain with Hedrack were complete, and he teleported away.
A Moment of Clarity
We spent some time healing, but it was clear that we needed to find Thrommel before he could rest again. A trip into unexplored areas of the Outer Fane was dangerous, but the risk was worth it. We crossed the Fire Bridge and made our way around the complex to the Air Door. Vannay attempted a clairaudience on Thrommel’s room, but it was unnaturally silent. Varachan’s password in the tentacle room worked, and we were able to bypass the trap.
Thrommel’s room was cloaked in silence, and it was apparently empty. Again Vannay used a divination to attempt to locate Thrommel’s coffin. It was under the floor of the room. We searched for a bit, and we found a secret button which opened the floor. The coffin was removed to a nearby hallway, and we gathered around it. The tension mounted as we waited for Thrommel to awaken, so we could attempt to lift the curse of dark feeding.
Fragarach spoke, “Prince Avras Thrommel, son of Belvor, son of Avras. I am Fragarach, the Answerer, of the ancient House of Nax. I was entrusted to serve the royal house of Furyondy, and through them safeguard the kingdom. Fallen though you may be, you are all that remains of the line. I can sing out the names of your ancestors. I can give epic poems about your deeds in battle. But I cannot save you from this curse. You must make that decision alone. Under this curse, it is not a choice you can make. So we will bring entreaty before the celestial hosts. They will grant you a moment of clarity. They will grant you one chance to have this curse lifted. Do not forget the faces of your fathers. Do not forget the people of Furyondy. Do not forget the Lady Jolene, who to this day waits on your return. Look upon the men here today. They have risked everything including their own families to be standing before you. In the name of Thrommel, the true King of Furyondy, I ask you to choose.”
Victor read the words of the scroll. As he finished the request for divine intervention, a blazing light filled the hallway. In the midst of the light, a being appeared. The being was very muscular and wore a red girdle. Victor recognizing the form of his god, bowed immediately. Kord spoke, “The request has been made, Thrommel. You now have the ability to choose. Do you choose an eternity of undeath, or a return to the living?” A look of understanding came upon Thrommel, and he said, “Though I am not worthy. Though I have sinned against god and man. I ask that this curse of dark feeding be lifted.” The feral features slowly lifted, and his blood red eyes turned blue.
Thrommel was restored.
Turn of the Tide
Victor closed with Hedrack, but an abjuration ward prevented him from getting close enough to attack. The silence kept Hedrack from being able to stay in one place. So a series of movements between the two combatants ensued, where Hedrack would move out of the silence and assault Victor with deadly spells. It was beginning to wear on the Kordite priest, and he was forced to withdraw and heal.
Safadin turned the course of this battle with a very successful targeted dispel on Hedrack. It brought down a number of powerful wards including the one that kept Victor beyond arm’s reach. Victor and Hedrack continued their move and close tactics, but now Victor could deliver a series of punishing body blows as part of the movement. The tide was turning against Hedrack.
Creden and Uthgar had intended to gang up on the vampire Thrommel, but Hedrack hit Uthgar with a debilitating spell which forced him to move directly into the path of Infinitus. Infinitus and the Khannenhelm Defender began attacking one another, but the grappling ability of the glabrezu made it difficult for Uthgar.
Creden was left to go up against Thrommel alone. They traded blows back and forth. It would come down to their weapon prowess and a bit of luck (or divine intervention if you did not believe in luck). Whichever one it was, Creden had it this time. Thrommel missed three times in a row, and Creden did not. The power of the Cudgel brought the fallen prince down. He turned gaseous and fled to his coffin in the Outer Fane.
Hedrack was forced to alternate between attacking Victor with spells and putting up defenses against the rest of the party, who now were moving in to help Victor. Vannay’s enchantment wore off, and he attempted to bring down more of Hedrack’s defenses. It was countered by Hedrack, and he put up a blade barrier blocking everyone but Victor. Vannay cast a dimension door moving everyone to the other side of the barrier. Victor continued his attacks, and Hedrack knew that the end was near. It may have been madness or a clever stratagem (the former is likely), but Hedrack tried to move through the blade barrier. For a man who worshipped destruction, he had a fitting end. The wall of whirling blades cut him into pieces. Hedrack, Master of the Outer Fane, was dead. Infinitus decided to terms of his bargain with Hedrack were complete, and he teleported away.
A Moment of Clarity
We spent some time healing, but it was clear that we needed to find Thrommel before he could rest again. A trip into unexplored areas of the Outer Fane was dangerous, but the risk was worth it. We crossed the Fire Bridge and made our way around the complex to the Air Door. Vannay attempted a clairaudience on Thrommel’s room, but it was unnaturally silent. Varachan’s password in the tentacle room worked, and we were able to bypass the trap.
Thrommel’s room was cloaked in silence, and it was apparently empty. Again Vannay used a divination to attempt to locate Thrommel’s coffin. It was under the floor of the room. We searched for a bit, and we found a secret button which opened the floor. The coffin was removed to a nearby hallway, and we gathered around it. The tension mounted as we waited for Thrommel to awaken, so we could attempt to lift the curse of dark feeding.
Fragarach spoke, “Prince Avras Thrommel, son of Belvor, son of Avras. I am Fragarach, the Answerer, of the ancient House of Nax. I was entrusted to serve the royal house of Furyondy, and through them safeguard the kingdom. Fallen though you may be, you are all that remains of the line. I can sing out the names of your ancestors. I can give epic poems about your deeds in battle. But I cannot save you from this curse. You must make that decision alone. Under this curse, it is not a choice you can make. So we will bring entreaty before the celestial hosts. They will grant you a moment of clarity. They will grant you one chance to have this curse lifted. Do not forget the faces of your fathers. Do not forget the people of Furyondy. Do not forget the Lady Jolene, who to this day waits on your return. Look upon the men here today. They have risked everything including their own families to be standing before you. In the name of Thrommel, the true King of Furyondy, I ask you to choose.”
Victor read the words of the scroll. As he finished the request for divine intervention, a blazing light filled the hallway. In the midst of the light, a being appeared. The being was very muscular and wore a red girdle. Victor recognizing the form of his god, bowed immediately. Kord spoke, “The request has been made, Thrommel. You now have the ability to choose. Do you choose an eternity of undeath, or a return to the living?” A look of understanding came upon Thrommel, and he said, “Though I am not worthy. Though I have sinned against god and man. I ask that this curse of dark feeding be lifted.” The feral features slowly lifted, and his blood red eyes turned blue.
Thrommel was restored.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Master of the Outer Fane
1st - 2nd Day of Coldeven, CY 592
The Guardian
Vannay placed a force wall blocking the guardian from advancing, and this allowed us to prepare ourselves before engaging the eviscerator. Once Vannay dismissed the wall, Creden and Delvanos pummeled it. Safadin was able to finish it off by blasting a hole straight through the middle of it. Uthgar and Creden pried Tulian’s Eye out, and Vannay examined it briefly after noticing a necromantic aura on it.
It was decided that we should take it to the Khannenhelms right away. Vannay, Creden, Uthgar and the two dwarves teleported to the Lortmils, while Safadin, Victor, Delvanos and the human slaves went to Verbobonc.
The Lortmils
Uthgar was given a heroes welcome upon returning home. King Redogon was pleased that the final relic was recovered from Kuluth Dun. We found out that Iuz has launched an attack on the Flare Line, but the dwarves are not going to give aid right away. Some agents of Iuz had been in contact with the White and the giant clans, and Redogon believes that if the dwarves were to leave the mountains, an attack might happen. Vannay offered some future help against the problem with the ancient wyrm. Redogon did not seem anxious to accept outside help, but he did seem to realize that the problem may be too big for the dwarves to handle. A feast was held that night, and some food for Creden and Vannay was brought up. The dwarves were happy to take in the last two remaining dwarves of the Saltheart Clan.
Verbobonc
The city was ablaze with news of the attack on Furyondy by Iuz the previous day. The party spent much of the day gathering information about the nature of the attack. Victor spoke with Andre, High Priest of Kord, about the future war. He implored the Kordites to send an envoy to Furyondy to give aid. Even though Iuz’s assault seemed beaten back, Victor believed that it was likely just a feint to spread the army out. Andre appreciated Victor’s counsel, and he agreed that it was the best course of action. The priest also spoke of a shadow lord known as Lord Noct, who had joined Iuz’s inner circle following the Flight of Fiends. Victor spent a few hours training with the younger Sacred Fists before returning to the Rook’s Cove.
Upon hearing about Lord Noct, Delvanos’ linguistic skills helped sort out who the creature might be. In the infernal tongue, "noct" means night. Safadin’s knowledge came into play, and he surmised that a shadow lord whose name meant night, could mean a nightshade. He did not know much about them except they are one of the most powerful of the undead. Vannay later agreed with Safadin’s reasoning.
Bait and Trap
The next day we returned to the dwarven temple in the ridge mines. Vannay’s divination ward alerted us to the presence of a scrying sensor on Delvanos. This was the opportunity for which we had been waiting. We wished to draw Hedrack out by feigning weakness. Delvanos and Uthgar put on a show for scrying sensor. The had an argument about what to do with Tulian’s Eye, and Uthgar refused to accept anything but immediately returning it to his home. Delvanos said splitting the party up was a bad idea, but he knew that Uthgar would not be moved. While this ruse was underway, Vannay began casting his own divination to monitor the entrance to the dwarven temple. We all made our way back to the temple, and we made sure that the sensor did not reveal that we were all present. The trap was set. A clairvoyance sensor was placed near the temple entrance, and we began preparing some long duration spells for the attack.
The Trap is Sprung
The plan hinged on the belief that Hedrack lacked the means to teleport to the dwarven temple. The sensor would alert us to his presence with enough time to finish our preparations. Hedrack and anyone with him would find a much different situation than he planned on. On all points, we were gravely mistaken.
Hedrack, Thrommel and the glabrezu, Infinitus appeared teleported directly into the temple right next to Delvanos. Hedrack congratulated us on the amount of destruction we had levied thus far, but said that our time was up. In addition to the malevolent darkness encircling him, he had a strange pallor of death about him. Fragarach spoke to Thrommel directly saying that it was not the time, but soon they must speak.
Thrommel closed with Delvanos killing him with two quick slashes with his great sword, which channeled his energy drain ability. Hedrack turned to Victor saying that no matter what happened in the battle, Victor would not be leaving. He cast dimensional anchor. Vannay split Hedrack and Thrommel off from the rest of the room with a well placed force wall. This gave us a chance to prepare, and Creden and Victor cast buffing spells. Uthgar closed with Infinitus dealing a good blow. Infinitus spoke a single word and Vannay was stunned. Safadin attempted to disintegrate the glabrezu, but it shrugged off most of the damage.
Victor began grappling the demon, but the demon teleported out of his grasp and appeared next to Safadin. Thrommel moved towards Creden, and after Hedrack disintegrated the wall of force, the fallen prince attacked. Creden was prepared for it though with a death ward. Safadin teleported himself and Vannay to relative safety away from the demon. Uthgar closed with Thrommel.
The situation after two rounds was as follows: Creden and Uthgar were right next to Thrommel waiting for the chance to defeat him. Victor was preparing to close with Hedrack using a silence and grapple combination. Vannay was still stunned, but he and Safadin were safely away from Infinitus.
We have been in battles like this before. The beginning looks dangerous, but the tide turns after a few rounds. Was today going to be any different? The answer would have to wait.
The Guardian
Vannay placed a force wall blocking the guardian from advancing, and this allowed us to prepare ourselves before engaging the eviscerator. Once Vannay dismissed the wall, Creden and Delvanos pummeled it. Safadin was able to finish it off by blasting a hole straight through the middle of it. Uthgar and Creden pried Tulian’s Eye out, and Vannay examined it briefly after noticing a necromantic aura on it.
It was decided that we should take it to the Khannenhelms right away. Vannay, Creden, Uthgar and the two dwarves teleported to the Lortmils, while Safadin, Victor, Delvanos and the human slaves went to Verbobonc.
The Lortmils
Uthgar was given a heroes welcome upon returning home. King Redogon was pleased that the final relic was recovered from Kuluth Dun. We found out that Iuz has launched an attack on the Flare Line, but the dwarves are not going to give aid right away. Some agents of Iuz had been in contact with the White and the giant clans, and Redogon believes that if the dwarves were to leave the mountains, an attack might happen. Vannay offered some future help against the problem with the ancient wyrm. Redogon did not seem anxious to accept outside help, but he did seem to realize that the problem may be too big for the dwarves to handle. A feast was held that night, and some food for Creden and Vannay was brought up. The dwarves were happy to take in the last two remaining dwarves of the Saltheart Clan.
Verbobonc
The city was ablaze with news of the attack on Furyondy by Iuz the previous day. The party spent much of the day gathering information about the nature of the attack. Victor spoke with Andre, High Priest of Kord, about the future war. He implored the Kordites to send an envoy to Furyondy to give aid. Even though Iuz’s assault seemed beaten back, Victor believed that it was likely just a feint to spread the army out. Andre appreciated Victor’s counsel, and he agreed that it was the best course of action. The priest also spoke of a shadow lord known as Lord Noct, who had joined Iuz’s inner circle following the Flight of Fiends. Victor spent a few hours training with the younger Sacred Fists before returning to the Rook’s Cove.
Upon hearing about Lord Noct, Delvanos’ linguistic skills helped sort out who the creature might be. In the infernal tongue, "noct" means night. Safadin’s knowledge came into play, and he surmised that a shadow lord whose name meant night, could mean a nightshade. He did not know much about them except they are one of the most powerful of the undead. Vannay later agreed with Safadin’s reasoning.
Bait and Trap
The next day we returned to the dwarven temple in the ridge mines. Vannay’s divination ward alerted us to the presence of a scrying sensor on Delvanos. This was the opportunity for which we had been waiting. We wished to draw Hedrack out by feigning weakness. Delvanos and Uthgar put on a show for scrying sensor. The had an argument about what to do with Tulian’s Eye, and Uthgar refused to accept anything but immediately returning it to his home. Delvanos said splitting the party up was a bad idea, but he knew that Uthgar would not be moved. While this ruse was underway, Vannay began casting his own divination to monitor the entrance to the dwarven temple. We all made our way back to the temple, and we made sure that the sensor did not reveal that we were all present. The trap was set. A clairvoyance sensor was placed near the temple entrance, and we began preparing some long duration spells for the attack.
The Trap is Sprung
The plan hinged on the belief that Hedrack lacked the means to teleport to the dwarven temple. The sensor would alert us to his presence with enough time to finish our preparations. Hedrack and anyone with him would find a much different situation than he planned on. On all points, we were gravely mistaken.
Hedrack, Thrommel and the glabrezu, Infinitus appeared teleported directly into the temple right next to Delvanos. Hedrack congratulated us on the amount of destruction we had levied thus far, but said that our time was up. In addition to the malevolent darkness encircling him, he had a strange pallor of death about him. Fragarach spoke to Thrommel directly saying that it was not the time, but soon they must speak.
Thrommel closed with Delvanos killing him with two quick slashes with his great sword, which channeled his energy drain ability. Hedrack turned to Victor saying that no matter what happened in the battle, Victor would not be leaving. He cast dimensional anchor. Vannay split Hedrack and Thrommel off from the rest of the room with a well placed force wall. This gave us a chance to prepare, and Creden and Victor cast buffing spells. Uthgar closed with Infinitus dealing a good blow. Infinitus spoke a single word and Vannay was stunned. Safadin attempted to disintegrate the glabrezu, but it shrugged off most of the damage.
Victor began grappling the demon, but the demon teleported out of his grasp and appeared next to Safadin. Thrommel moved towards Creden, and after Hedrack disintegrated the wall of force, the fallen prince attacked. Creden was prepared for it though with a death ward. Safadin teleported himself and Vannay to relative safety away from the demon. Uthgar closed with Thrommel.
The situation after two rounds was as follows: Creden and Uthgar were right next to Thrommel waiting for the chance to defeat him. Victor was preparing to close with Hedrack using a silence and grapple combination. Vannay was still stunned, but he and Safadin were safely away from Infinitus.
We have been in battles like this before. The beginning looks dangerous, but the tide turns after a few rounds. Was today going to be any different? The answer would have to wait.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Invasion!
1st Day of Coldeven, CY 592
From the Furyondy Beacon
Reports have been coming in through the night of attacks all along the Flare Line. The stories vary widely, but it is clear that a major assault has been inaugurated against the earthwork defenses laid by our late king. The assault force is made up primarily of skeletal warriors. The straightforward attack has been largely rebuffed by the soldiers stationed in the trenches. The sheer number of the attackers has forced the commanders to spread their forces out evenly along the line. So far there are no reports of any breeches in the line.
General Agamar, the joint commander of Kalinstren and Crystalreach Flare Line Regulars, said, “The fighting has been fierce, but none of the undead armies have set foot on Furyondian soil. We will continue to reinforce any breaks in the defenses, and we will ensure that all points along the line are defended. We have been planning this for years, and today we see the fruits of our labor.”
Lord Anton Hargamac, acting leader of the Knights of the Hart in Crockport, echoed the comments of the Lord Agamar. He said, “This may be the first of many incursions, but so far our forces have been successful.”
Scouting reports from the Razing Line have been less optimistic. As we reported earlier this week, a shroud of darkness has descended upon the desolate stretch of land near Crockport. There have been no reports of activity inside the shroud as of this morning, and magical attempts to pierce the darkness have so far been blocked.
When reached for comment, Canon Heldenster said, “This invasion marks the six year anniversary of the Flight of Fiends. It is not surprising that our enemy would choose the month of Coldeven. They may have tipped their hand early though with these fruitless attacks. Chendl is on full alert. We believe that with the guidance of the Invincible One, our lands will be safe.”
From the Furyondy Beacon
Reports have been coming in through the night of attacks all along the Flare Line. The stories vary widely, but it is clear that a major assault has been inaugurated against the earthwork defenses laid by our late king. The assault force is made up primarily of skeletal warriors. The straightforward attack has been largely rebuffed by the soldiers stationed in the trenches. The sheer number of the attackers has forced the commanders to spread their forces out evenly along the line. So far there are no reports of any breeches in the line.
General Agamar, the joint commander of Kalinstren and Crystalreach Flare Line Regulars, said, “The fighting has been fierce, but none of the undead armies have set foot on Furyondian soil. We will continue to reinforce any breaks in the defenses, and we will ensure that all points along the line are defended. We have been planning this for years, and today we see the fruits of our labor.”
Lord Anton Hargamac, acting leader of the Knights of the Hart in Crockport, echoed the comments of the Lord Agamar. He said, “This may be the first of many incursions, but so far our forces have been successful.”
Scouting reports from the Razing Line have been less optimistic. As we reported earlier this week, a shroud of darkness has descended upon the desolate stretch of land near Crockport. There have been no reports of activity inside the shroud as of this morning, and magical attempts to pierce the darkness have so far been blocked.
When reached for comment, Canon Heldenster said, “This invasion marks the six year anniversary of the Flight of Fiends. It is not surprising that our enemy would choose the month of Coldeven. They may have tipped their hand early though with these fruitless attacks. Chendl is on full alert. We believe that with the guidance of the Invincible One, our lands will be safe.”
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