Arodus 23
After resting, the monk and Phain scouted out the rest of the spire. Having seen their deployment on defense, they returned to the group and formed an attack plan.
Arodus 24
The party buffed and teleported in. Phain brought Orik, the monk, Xantumal, and Preacher on his first trip. There were two Rune giants guarding two hallways leading into a room with a number of Lamia Harridans. They attacked one giant while the monk moved over, enlarged to block the other giant. Preacher cast stone wall on the door to secure it in place just in case.
The first giant went down without even taking a swing. Xantumal conjured a pair of elements behind this giant and used them to keep the hallway blocked.
Phain teleported in with the rest of the party and started in on the second giant. While the giant got a couple mighty swings in, the group dispatched him just as a reinforcement of giants were coming down the hall.
The group focused on the remaining Rune Giant as the other hallway a fight broke out between the elementals and some Storm giants. Unknown to the party, one of the Storm giants had broken free and decided to help. Soon the remaining Rune Giant was dead, and all of the other giants were free of domination. The one storm giant stayed to help as the others fled the city.
The Harridans had not advanced down the hallway, so the party moved down to fight them while their buffs were still active.
Two Harridans blocked the hallways as another one cast a spell of Phain preventing him from teleporting. While the harm spells the harridans had did major damage the party was weathering the fight.
The leader of the Harridans however was causing a ton of problems. The leader cast a summoning spell which brought a Glabrezu, a powerful demon. It was using reverse gravity constantly, knocking the party up to the ceiling and down again. Preacher cast dismissal in desperation, and it worked, sending the demon back to its plane, but the party was hurt badly. Next, the leader harridan cast Destruction on the monk who avoided the reverse gravity because of slow fall and his dimension door ability. Unfortunately, the monk failed his save and his body was destroyed. Soon after Orik took a harm spell which was close to killing him as well. The party was losing the fight.
A quick heal from Xantumal and some channeling from Preacher soon turned the fight around with the Storm giant's greatsword wreaking havoc. Finally all the Harridans were dead, the spire's guardians defeated, and only Karzoug remained....if they could figure out how to get to him.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Session 59 - Denizens of Leng
Arodus 20
With the head of the wizard in the cage the party asked their three questions and found out that his name was Kalib and is Karzoug's apprentice from the days of Thassilon. He is working to bring back Karzoug who was close to returning.
Arodus 21
Phain and the monk decided to scout out the spire. Both going invisible and moving silently they teleported inside the spire at the alarm spot. Phain used his gauntlet to stone shape the area around it to disable it.
They heard the patrol move by so they moved to the throne room and Phain used a Clairvoyance wand to peer in the throne room. Inside was a Rune Giant, a Storm Giant, and 2 Cloud Giants. Phain used Dimension Door to move into the hallway past the throne room and moved further into the complex. Using his wand Phain scouted out the rooms and discovered a number of room where it appeared Karzoug was standing. He also found a room with alien life forms doing work on strange machinery. The monk used the scrying eye that Preacher loaned him to look at them and he recognized them, they were Denizens of Leng. Being on the border of Leng he wasn't surprised to see them. He also noticed that the machinery the Denizens of Leng were working on was showing a time from the height of Thassilon.
Heading back down the hall they decided to kill the Rune Giant. Phain teleported back to get the druid, Preacher, and Orik while the monk position himself. Preacher barred the door again with a wall of stone while Xantumal cast Reverse Gravity between them and the lesser giants. Orik began to pound of the Rune Giant.
Soon the giant was dead and the other giants freed from domination. The party teleported back out. Asking the head more question they discovered the Denizens of Leng were helping Karzoug by using this device to bring Karzoug's army back from the past right before Thassilon was destroyed so he could use them today.
The party came to the conclusion that these creatures and their project must be destroyed.
Arodus 22
The next day they got their spells ready and teleported into the room immediately attacking the Denizens of Leng. While no one got hurt, the creatures were resistant to their blows and healed quickly. Fortunately once they were dead, they stayed dead.
After the last Denizen of Leng died, the machinery began to make a strange noise, and soon it became apparent that it was overloading. Then, with a burst of energy, a large Hound of Tindalos appeared howling loudly. The party decided it was time to go, allowing the hound to rampage the spire.
With the head of the wizard in the cage the party asked their three questions and found out that his name was Kalib and is Karzoug's apprentice from the days of Thassilon. He is working to bring back Karzoug who was close to returning.
Arodus 21
Phain and the monk decided to scout out the spire. Both going invisible and moving silently they teleported inside the spire at the alarm spot. Phain used his gauntlet to stone shape the area around it to disable it.
They heard the patrol move by so they moved to the throne room and Phain used a Clairvoyance wand to peer in the throne room. Inside was a Rune Giant, a Storm Giant, and 2 Cloud Giants. Phain used Dimension Door to move into the hallway past the throne room and moved further into the complex. Using his wand Phain scouted out the rooms and discovered a number of room where it appeared Karzoug was standing. He also found a room with alien life forms doing work on strange machinery. The monk used the scrying eye that Preacher loaned him to look at them and he recognized them, they were Denizens of Leng. Being on the border of Leng he wasn't surprised to see them. He also noticed that the machinery the Denizens of Leng were working on was showing a time from the height of Thassilon.
Heading back down the hall they decided to kill the Rune Giant. Phain teleported back to get the druid, Preacher, and Orik while the monk position himself. Preacher barred the door again with a wall of stone while Xantumal cast Reverse Gravity between them and the lesser giants. Orik began to pound of the Rune Giant.
Soon the giant was dead and the other giants freed from domination. The party teleported back out. Asking the head more question they discovered the Denizens of Leng were helping Karzoug by using this device to bring Karzoug's army back from the past right before Thassilon was destroyed so he could use them today.
The party came to the conclusion that these creatures and their project must be destroyed.
Arodus 22
The next day they got their spells ready and teleported into the room immediately attacking the Denizens of Leng. While no one got hurt, the creatures were resistant to their blows and healed quickly. Fortunately once they were dead, they stayed dead.
After the last Denizen of Leng died, the machinery began to make a strange noise, and soon it became apparent that it was overloading. Then, with a burst of energy, a large Hound of Tindalos appeared howling loudly. The party decided it was time to go, allowing the hound to rampage the spire.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Session 58 - The Champion of Karzoug
Arodus 20
After resting and planning, the party heading back to the spires. They appeared outside the door of the woman who was the Champion of Karzoug. Buffing and getting ready, Preacher slammed open the door and the party attacked!
Phain dimension door a group of people over to one of the Rune Giants, while Preacher,Xantumal and Shalelu stayed back. While they started to beat down the first Rune Giant, the second Rune Giant charged the druid. The Champion moved over to attack the monk. Xantumal hit her with a dispel magic, and the monk hit her with his Sword of Blah, removing all of her current spells with its special power.
When the first giant went down, the second giant became the target and it soon went down with it. The monk made a new special move he learned that could kill it one hit, and it worked! The Champion went down as the second giant was dying.
Meanwhile Shalelu heard giants coming down the hall so she slipped inside the room while they closed the door and did a stone wall to brace it. The monk heard commotion coming down the other hallway and saw six lamia harridans coming. Bracing for the initial assault, the party took heavy wounds, but Preacher was nearby to keep people alive. Xantumal summoned an earth elemental to guard the braced door in case the giant broke through.
Ready to run at any moment, the party stuck out the fight and as they killed a couple lamias, they heard the pounding on the door change as more Rune Giants came to break down the door. Also at the same time, a wizard appeared and started to pelt the monk with magic missiles. The monk did a dimension door and hit the mage with his sword taking off his protections. Then the mage disappeared.
When they looked for him they noticed he was behind the remaining lamias and a summoned vrock was attacking Preacher. The monk chased him down by dimension dooring back to his location, stunning him with a mighty blow. Meanwhile the rest of the party was trying to kill the remaining lamias before the doors buckled in.
With the mage and one lamia left, the Rune Giants finally broke the door in. One of the giants killed the earth elemental while the other one charged in hitting Shalelu. Shalelu moved closer to Phain to allow him to teleport her out, while the last lamia went down. The wizard fell unconscious while acid arrows were killing him. Preacher and Phain used spells to escape as the room filled in with giants.
Wiped out, the party returned to their base to rest and recover for the next assault.
After resting and planning, the party heading back to the spires. They appeared outside the door of the woman who was the Champion of Karzoug. Buffing and getting ready, Preacher slammed open the door and the party attacked!
Phain dimension door a group of people over to one of the Rune Giants, while Preacher,Xantumal and Shalelu stayed back. While they started to beat down the first Rune Giant, the second Rune Giant charged the druid. The Champion moved over to attack the monk. Xantumal hit her with a dispel magic, and the monk hit her with his Sword of Blah, removing all of her current spells with its special power.
When the first giant went down, the second giant became the target and it soon went down with it. The monk made a new special move he learned that could kill it one hit, and it worked! The Champion went down as the second giant was dying.
Meanwhile Shalelu heard giants coming down the hall so she slipped inside the room while they closed the door and did a stone wall to brace it. The monk heard commotion coming down the other hallway and saw six lamia harridans coming. Bracing for the initial assault, the party took heavy wounds, but Preacher was nearby to keep people alive. Xantumal summoned an earth elemental to guard the braced door in case the giant broke through.
Ready to run at any moment, the party stuck out the fight and as they killed a couple lamias, they heard the pounding on the door change as more Rune Giants came to break down the door. Also at the same time, a wizard appeared and started to pelt the monk with magic missiles. The monk did a dimension door and hit the mage with his sword taking off his protections. Then the mage disappeared.
When they looked for him they noticed he was behind the remaining lamias and a summoned vrock was attacking Preacher. The monk chased him down by dimension dooring back to his location, stunning him with a mighty blow. Meanwhile the rest of the party was trying to kill the remaining lamias before the doors buckled in.
With the mage and one lamia left, the Rune Giants finally broke the door in. One of the giants killed the earth elemental while the other one charged in hitting Shalelu. Shalelu moved closer to Phain to allow him to teleport her out, while the last lamia went down. The wizard fell unconscious while acid arrows were killing him. Preacher and Phain used spells to escape as the room filled in with giants.
Wiped out, the party returned to their base to rest and recover for the next assault.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Session 57 - To the Pinnacle of Avarice
Arodus 16
The monk decided he would go up the Golden Road to the Pinnacle of Avarice and scout it out, then Phain would follow and learn an area to teleport to and from. Heading through the tunnels and using his invisibility ring, the monk crept up the Golden Road avoiding any creatures as best he could. The road was mostly abandoned, with just a few giants using it.
Passing the 26,000 foot mark, called the death zone, the monk didn't see anything living. The monk himself would have been dead if not for his magical items sustaining him. at over 30,000 feet, the monk found an abandoned complex that used to house troops and personnel over 10,000 years ago. Despite the fact it had long been abandoned, the buildings were in great shape. He decided this could be a great staging area and headed back down to direct Phain on where to go.
Arodus 17
Phain took the same path as a monk to get close, but used the invisibility ring and a couple fly spells to fly up the mountain. Using the direction the monk gave him, he flew up the side that the complex was on. He encountered several mountain ropers on the way up, but managed to no get entangles by their tendrils. Once he made it up to the complex, he studied the area to learn it well and teleported back.
Arodus 18
The group decided today was the day to assault the spire and teleported to the staging area. They traveled the remaining 1,000 feet or so up the mountain and entered the spire. A ramp spiraled up nearly another 1,000 feet until they reach the top. There a group of cloud giants attacked and raised an alarm.
The party cast some buff spells and attacked. From around the corner came a storm giant. As the first cloud giant went down, a huge pair of double door opened up to reveal an even bigger giant, a Rune Giant from the history of Thassilon.
Phain grabbed as many as he could and teleported behind the rune giant to surprise it, but was further surprised by another Rune Giant coming from down the hall, and another door opening up with more cloud giants.
The party focused their attacks on the rune giant and soon killed it, releasing two of the cloud giants and the storm giant from its control. They ran off to escape Xin-Shalast if they could. Despite the numbers being against them, they started on the next Rune Giant. With Preacher and Xantumal healing, the second giant soon fell, but not before a door down the hallway opening up with two more rune giants, and a woman bearing the last sword of power they have been looking for. Knowing they couldn't survive much longer, Phain teleported out and Preacher used his word of recall to get back to their tower.
The monk decided he would go up the Golden Road to the Pinnacle of Avarice and scout it out, then Phain would follow and learn an area to teleport to and from. Heading through the tunnels and using his invisibility ring, the monk crept up the Golden Road avoiding any creatures as best he could. The road was mostly abandoned, with just a few giants using it.
Passing the 26,000 foot mark, called the death zone, the monk didn't see anything living. The monk himself would have been dead if not for his magical items sustaining him. at over 30,000 feet, the monk found an abandoned complex that used to house troops and personnel over 10,000 years ago. Despite the fact it had long been abandoned, the buildings were in great shape. He decided this could be a great staging area and headed back down to direct Phain on where to go.
Arodus 17
Phain took the same path as a monk to get close, but used the invisibility ring and a couple fly spells to fly up the mountain. Using the direction the monk gave him, he flew up the side that the complex was on. He encountered several mountain ropers on the way up, but managed to no get entangles by their tendrils. Once he made it up to the complex, he studied the area to learn it well and teleported back.
Arodus 18
The group decided today was the day to assault the spire and teleported to the staging area. They traveled the remaining 1,000 feet or so up the mountain and entered the spire. A ramp spiraled up nearly another 1,000 feet until they reach the top. There a group of cloud giants attacked and raised an alarm.
The party cast some buff spells and attacked. From around the corner came a storm giant. As the first cloud giant went down, a huge pair of double door opened up to reveal an even bigger giant, a Rune Giant from the history of Thassilon.
Phain grabbed as many as he could and teleported behind the rune giant to surprise it, but was further surprised by another Rune Giant coming from down the hall, and another door opening up with more cloud giants.
The party focused their attacks on the rune giant and soon killed it, releasing two of the cloud giants and the storm giant from its control. They ran off to escape Xin-Shalast if they could. Despite the numbers being against them, they started on the next Rune Giant. With Preacher and Xantumal healing, the second giant soon fell, but not before a door down the hallway opening up with two more rune giants, and a woman bearing the last sword of power they have been looking for. Knowing they couldn't survive much longer, Phain teleported out and Preacher used his word of recall to get back to their tower.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Session 56 - In Search of Sihedron Rings
Arodus 14
After scouting for a couple days the Skulks located Karzoug's blue dragon Glorofaex and watched it and knew its schedule on when it would be in its lair. They were sure it would have a ring. The party tallied up their rings and amulets and they needed 2 more rings before they could approach the spire. The skulks agreed to scout some more.
The party prepared their spells and took the tunnels that lead to the dragon. Phain scouted hidden and when he returned teleported the party right to its doorway. Heading inside, they fought the dragon, taking many injuries during the fight, but coming out victorious. Searching its organized pile, they found the Sihedron ring in a chest, they only needed one more.
After about an hour after the fight, the group was in for a surprise. An Ice Devil wielding a large spear came out of nowhere and dropped Phain, saying in Thassilonian "That's what you get for not taking up the Runelord's offer!"
The rest of the party, unprepared attacked the Devil, taking a lot of damage in the meantime. Phain was healed by Preacher, and took the time to retreated and begin casting spells to help the party fight this thing. Eventually they came out on top, badly beaten up but kept alive by Preacher's healing. They found another ring on the devil which meant they finally had enough Sihedron items to make it to the spires.
Not wanting to hang around too much longer and risk another attack, the party retreated to their hangout to rest and to plan their trip to the Xin-Shalast Spires.
After scouting for a couple days the Skulks located Karzoug's blue dragon Glorofaex and watched it and knew its schedule on when it would be in its lair. They were sure it would have a ring. The party tallied up their rings and amulets and they needed 2 more rings before they could approach the spire. The skulks agreed to scout some more.
The party prepared their spells and took the tunnels that lead to the dragon. Phain scouted hidden and when he returned teleported the party right to its doorway. Heading inside, they fought the dragon, taking many injuries during the fight, but coming out victorious. Searching its organized pile, they found the Sihedron ring in a chest, they only needed one more.
After about an hour after the fight, the group was in for a surprise. An Ice Devil wielding a large spear came out of nowhere and dropped Phain, saying in Thassilonian "That's what you get for not taking up the Runelord's offer!"
The rest of the party, unprepared attacked the Devil, taking a lot of damage in the meantime. Phain was healed by Preacher, and took the time to retreated and begin casting spells to help the party fight this thing. Eventually they came out on top, badly beaten up but kept alive by Preacher's healing. They found another ring on the devil which meant they finally had enough Sihedron items to make it to the spires.
Not wanting to hang around too much longer and risk another attack, the party retreated to their hangout to rest and to plan their trip to the Xin-Shalast Spires.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Session 55 - Lower Shalast
Arodus 11
The party made their way into Xin-Shalast they were amazed by the scope of the city. Here is a description of what they saw
They made their way to where they were supposed to meet their contact. The massive tower seemed abandoned, but they went inside carefully. Inside they met a skulk name Morgiv. Seems that there were underground passages all over lower Shalast, but a being they call the Hidden Beast were subverting the skulks and Morgiv required the party to help them first before they would help the party.
Arodus 12
After resting, the party let Morgiv lead them to where the Hidden Beast was. Morgiv had never been down there, no one returned back from there, but he knew that the Hidden Beast could be found down that passage.
Heading down the passage they eventually came to a room. It appeared to be a basement of some building long buried under the ice and stone. On a throne was a skeleton that stood up as the entered and demanded one of them needed to give up their blood for it. Phain cast a spell to see invisible things and noticed a large octopus thing next to skeleton controlling it.
Attacking the octopus thing, Phain exposed its position and Orik used his blind-fighting skill to attack it. Vampire Skulks attacked as well but with Preacher's aura protecting them from energy drain they were able to beat the Hidden Beast and his vampires.
The skulks were impressed by their skill and now that the danger of the Hidden Beast was taken care of agreed to scout the city and bring back whatever information they could.
On the Hidden Beast they found a ring, like the ring they found on the silver dragon outside of the city. They asked the skulks about them, and they told the party they were Sihedron rings, special rings for the highest ranking members of Karzoug. It allowed them to enter the protected area around the spires, without it anyone would die. The party asked the skulks on information on where to find more.
The skulks agreed to find more creatures in the city for them, but suggested that they should clear out the area around the tower they were staying at. A group of yetis were staying in a dome nearby and often go out and hunt and they could stumble upon the party if not dealt with.
The party snuck up on the dome and attacked the yetis. They posed no problem for the group and soon had all of them dead. Heading back to the tower, they rested and waited for more information on Sihedron rings.
The party made their way into Xin-Shalast they were amazed by the scope of the city. Here is a description of what they saw
This tableau defies belief. A narrow mountain pass opens into a glacial valley extending north and then turning to the west at the base of the vast mountain at the far end. Filling this valley is an ice-capped city of enormous proportions. The near end is mostly blocked by a huge fortress of smooth black stone, with multiple towers rising from its high walls. Exiting the bailey of this fortress is a massive causeway of gold that dominates the city as it travels down the center of the vale.
Enormous towers and spires of many-colored stone pack both sides of the central thoroughfare, rising to prodigious heights and giving the illusion that the road itself is a valley. The eastern slope of the valley has been partially subsumed by an ancient glacial flow—nearly a quarter of the city appears to have been so buried. That section is now little more than a great mass of ice, with the jagged angles and peaks of ruined structures poking through its topmost layer here and there. Where the valley curves slightly to the west, the structures, if anything, grow even larger, becoming truly gigantic as they climb up and over the rocky spur. At the far end of the valley, the city abuts the lower slope of a truly massive peak. Yet the city builders appear to have taken no heed of this change in slope, for the great causeway merely elevates at a steep angle and continues to climb the increasing slope in a nearly straight line, transforming into an immense stairway.
Additional buildings cling precariously to the mountain face alongside the causeway, growing even larger and more impressive as they ascend. The gigantic buildings finally give way a few thousand feet above, but the mighty road continues to wend its treacherous way to just below the mountain’s peak. There, a spired citadel looms, its size and proportions truly magnificent. It, too, fails to summit the mountain—instead, its topmost spires end just below the dominant face of a stern man, carved into the peak of the mountain and surveying the city below. The otherworldly quality of this strange panorama is further reinforced by the sound of the cold winds slicing across the high peaks, making strange cries and shrieks in the ether.
They made their way to where they were supposed to meet their contact. The massive tower seemed abandoned, but they went inside carefully. Inside they met a skulk name Morgiv. Seems that there were underground passages all over lower Shalast, but a being they call the Hidden Beast were subverting the skulks and Morgiv required the party to help them first before they would help the party.
Arodus 12
After resting, the party let Morgiv lead them to where the Hidden Beast was. Morgiv had never been down there, no one returned back from there, but he knew that the Hidden Beast could be found down that passage.
Heading down the passage they eventually came to a room. It appeared to be a basement of some building long buried under the ice and stone. On a throne was a skeleton that stood up as the entered and demanded one of them needed to give up their blood for it. Phain cast a spell to see invisible things and noticed a large octopus thing next to skeleton controlling it.
Attacking the octopus thing, Phain exposed its position and Orik used his blind-fighting skill to attack it. Vampire Skulks attacked as well but with Preacher's aura protecting them from energy drain they were able to beat the Hidden Beast and his vampires.
The skulks were impressed by their skill and now that the danger of the Hidden Beast was taken care of agreed to scout the city and bring back whatever information they could.
On the Hidden Beast they found a ring, like the ring they found on the silver dragon outside of the city. They asked the skulks about them, and they told the party they were Sihedron rings, special rings for the highest ranking members of Karzoug. It allowed them to enter the protected area around the spires, without it anyone would die. The party asked the skulks on information on where to find more.
The skulks agreed to find more creatures in the city for them, but suggested that they should clear out the area around the tower they were staying at. A group of yetis were staying in a dome nearby and often go out and hunt and they could stumble upon the party if not dealt with.
The party snuck up on the dome and attacked the yetis. They posed no problem for the group and soon had all of them dead. Heading back to the tower, they rested and waited for more information on Sihedron rings.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Interlude - Part 5
So ends the fifth part of "Rise of the Runelords" adventure path called "Sins of the Saviors". The party is now either 13th or 14th level.
Xantumal - 14th Level Druid of Gozreh
Preacher - 13th level Shoanti Cleric of Pharasma
Phain - 10th Level Sorcerer/ 4th Level Rogue
Nameless Monk of Thassilon - 14th level Monk
There is a break until mid August because of some people being gone during July and Gen Con in early August. (Plus this was a great place to leave off)
"Spires of Xin-Shalast" will continue in August with the party just entering the city.
Xantumal - 14th Level Druid of Gozreh
Preacher - 13th level Shoanti Cleric of Pharasma
Phain - 10th Level Sorcerer/ 4th Level Rogue
Nameless Monk of Thassilon - 14th level Monk
There is a break until mid August because of some people being gone during July and Gen Con in early August. (Plus this was a great place to leave off)
"Spires of Xin-Shalast" will continue in August with the party just entering the city.
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