Session 44 - Finding Xaliasa

Gozren 2

The party entered the Catacombs of Wrath and headed to the newly cleared stairway. The stairway was filled with webs even though they had been previously cleared. Phain did a detect magic and it was confirmed to be magical webs. Studying them he and Khazen realized they were the result of a guards and wards spell, a defensive spell used to protect a stronghold. Clearing the webs with fire, they made it to the bottom, and Phain used his rogue skills to bypass the magically locked door.

Inside there were fog filled hallways and writing on every inch of the walls. A voice from the fog grilled them for information, but was willing to answer a question for every one asked. They confirmed this was Xaliasa, who was a follower of Lamshtu, and wasn't going to give them the answers they wanted peacefully. Xaliasa, now known as the Scribbler, disappeared from the fog after making some threats.



Having checked out a few room, they confirmed this had once or was again a temple to Lamashtu. Heading west from the initial room they came to a shrine. Inside a shrine was a huge demon that Khazen identified as a Glabrezu.

The glabrezu had mirror image on so the druid cast dispel magic on it to remove it. Orik charged in and attacked with Vale. Phain worked his way closer to attack it, while Khazen cast hast to make everyone faster.



The scribbler was invisible and casting summons from the hallway leading out of the room, and summon a Hezrou and a shadow demon. Preacher blasted the shadow demon twice with searing light killing it, while Vale and Khazen moved to attack the Scribbler. Xantumal conjured an earth elemental to also attack the Scribbler while he himself turned into one and attacked the Hezrou. Khazen was hit with a confusion spell and was acting randomly, though managed to use a slow spell on the Scribbler..

Feeling outnumbered the Scribbler dimensioned door to Shalelu and Hogie expecting easy targets, but Hogie hit with a massive bite knocking him to the floor. Shalelu followed up with a couple of sword attacks which didn't hurt him, but did remove a spell protecting him from damage. Xantumal came back over to help. Soon they had him unconscious and Xantumal coup-de-graced him.



All attention was then turned on the Hezrou which was soon defeated, then everyone attacked the Glabrezu who was able to survive a few rounds more but was defeated as well.

Some Shadow Mastiffs had attacked before they defeated the Glabrezu, Phain sent two lightning bolts down the hallways leaving only 4 badly injured hounds left. A Scorching Ray spell killed three more and the last was easily dispatched.

Interlude - Part 4

So ends the fourth part of "Rise of the Runelords" adventure path called "Fortress of the Stone Giants". The party is now either 11th or 12th level.

Xantumal - 11th Level Druid of Gozreh
Mogart - 11th level Shoanti Barbarian of the Skoan-Quah clan.
Phain - 8th Level Sorcerer/ 4th Level Rogue
Khazen Dren - 1st Level Ranger/5th Level Wizard/6th Level Eldritch Knight

Here is the information they found out about Runeforge:

Runeforge was created as a place where agents of the seven Runelords could gather to study magic and develop new spells and magic items.

The Runelords wove wards around Runeforge that barred entrance into the complex to any Runelord or his direct agents, in order to keep the research within free from sabotage at the hands of an enemy.

Those who joined Runeforge joined for life. The complex’s constant renewal of air and a magical matrix sustained those within without the need to eat, drink, or even sleep.

The final project the Runelords set Runeforge on was the development of ways the Runelords could escape the imminent fall of their empire. Each faction developed a unique answer for its Runelord, based upon the underlying principles of that faction’s magical traditions.

Session 43 - Clean Up Part 3

Pharast 20

After defeating the harpies the party entered the tower to attack the Black Monk. Phain flew in first. Inside the tower the temperature of the air was freezing and everything was covered in a layer of frost making it slippery. Inside they found the Black Monk flying in the air, its legs and arms wrapped up tight.

Phain blasted it with a scorching ray, greatly injuring it. But then Phain was no longer in control of his actions and started blasting the party with lightning bolts. Orik moved in the tower but fell on the frost, while Xantumal tried to flam strike it. Physical weapons seemed to not affect it. Preacher was paralyzed with fear and was unable to do anything. Swarms of bugs came from the mummy and started to hurt the party while a second lightning bolt made preacher unconscious. Vale, almost dead himself, dragged preacher away. Finally the killing blow was delivered with almost half of the party almost dead.

The Black Monk was carry a scroll tube that was impossible to open. Khazen used a wand of knock 3 times to finally get it to open. Inside were valuable ancient scroll detailing a religion of the Peacock Spirit and also contain some clerical scrolls.

Pharast 21 through Pharast Gozran 1

Phain and Khazen studied in the ancient library for information on Runeforge. They also used Mokmurian's head to get more information with the magical cage they had found. Khazen also used teleport to return the party to Magnimar so they could sell the items they had found and buy new items with that money.

After six days Phain and Khazen had the information about Runeforge and were ready to return to Sandpoint to try and find the traitor Xaliasa. Khazen wanted to make a few scrolls so Phain spent a couple days starting to research Xin-Shalast. After they were both ready, they teleported back to Sandpoint and met up with everyone else.

They were greeted by the Sheriff and the Mayor of Sandpoint. They informed the party that almost two weeks ago there was an earthquake and that the runewell below flared back to life. Also at that time the callapsed stairwell became clear and that there were strange howling sounds coming from down there. They posted guards but a couple days ago they disappeared. The party assured them they were heading down to investigate.

Session 42 - Clean Up, Part 2

Pharast 18

Phain used an invisibility spell to get Conna and brought her back to the cave with the lamias. Showing her the head of Mokmurian she was very grateful and immediately brought the stone giant general over to let him know that she was in charge now. The general accepted the news, but seemed disappointed that he wasn't going to get the fight he wanted.

The group also showed her the cauldron and they all agreed that it was a bad item and needed to be destroyed or at least kept secret. Conna assured them that no one except her and a couple she trusted could come down to the lower level, and that if the group could get rid of the remaining creatures aligned with Mokmurian, that her clan would stay at Jorgenfist and protect the area for them.

Pharast 19

After resting again in the library, the party decided to go after the giant described as a pure blood, and that they see no one come out once they go in that room. Asking the head for information about the creature, they learned that it moved through earth and that a move earth spell could hurt it.

As the spell took ten minutes to cast, the party got themselves ready for the fight, and when Xantumal indicated it was time for it to go off, they threw open the doors in time to see the dirt floor in that room ripple and eject an 18 foot giant.

As the party was ready for the fight, they almost took out the fiend before he could react, though he got a mighty swing in on both Orik and Vale before falling dead.

After healing up, they decided to head after the dragon. They flew up to his cave and confronted him. Phain again used his resist energy spell to protect themselves from fire. Khazen teleported Phain, Vale, and Orik up to the dragon. Vale went down bleeding, but Phain and Prik managed to kill it.

Pharast 20

After another rest period the party decided it was time to take out the Black Monk and his harpy disciples. Xantumal used the staff they found in the undead spider cave and used it to create a gust of wind that kept the harpies from flying, while Preacher cast a silence spell to protect everyone from their song. Phain was unaffected by the song and flew out of the silence to battle one while the rest of the group teamed up to kill of the other two.