In the morning, the Daring Friends marched on through the ashen rain and difficult maze of broken hills, brier-choked ravines, and massive petrified redwoods that periodically tried to entangle and entrap them. Shadows and other remnants of decaying creatures stalked the area.
In the distance, they heard a very quiet prickle of water coming from a small brook. Up ahead they saw greenery. The quiet stream was coming from a hallow under a massive tree. Camwise cast Clairvoyance and spied hobgoblins in the cave and figures flickering in the water. Gruffudd cast Pass Without Trace and they headed toward the entrance via the left stairs. Balthasar spotted a big blue-scaled creature curled up in the ruins behind them. As they climbed the stairs, he drank a Potion of Heroism. The blue scales began unwinding and slithering forward from their place of rest revealing Varanthian the winged behir. It hissed, “Visitors. Introducers. You come to enter the lair.” “We come in search of the Ghostlord,” Gruffudd replied. “Inside he will be found,” it hissed, “but inside you will not enter.” “We have urgent business with him,” Gruffudd insisted. “We have a gift,” Dameron added. “Who are you that you would come through this broken wode?” it demanded. As Camwise began introducing them, Dameron interjected, “We are a group of friends who dare to approach. You could call us Daring Friends.” “Ah, yes,” it hissed. “You are known. Enemies of The Red Hand. Foes of Azarr Kul.” “Do you serve the Ghostlord,” Dameron questioned, “or do you serve Azarr Kul?” Rising up and displaying all twelve legs, it shared, “I have served Azarr Kul longer than any other. Varanthian’s my name. You are his foe. A thorn in his side. I shall enjoy bringing him your scorch heads.” Camwise cast a Mirror Image on himself as a Blurred Balthasar engaged Varanthian, locking eyes with his Gaze of Conviction, as Dameron foresaw in his Premonition. Spreading out, Dameron cast Bless on him and his companions. Leaping down from the stairs, Gruffudd lit Varanthian in Fairie Fire. Jaervellios attacked it with his Dancing Saber and was temporarily blinded by it. Camwise cast a Major Image on the cave entrance, hiding the view from within. Dodging Varanthian’s attacks, Balthasar slashed into it with his Thunderblade. Dameron smashed Varanthian with a Crushing Haymaker, but it was blasted by its vengeful lightning breath. Gruffud blasted it with a Fire Bolt. And Jaervellios hit it with arrows. Still dodging Varanthian’s attacks, Balthasar severed its head. As Dameron quaffed all his Potions of Healing, they heard shouts from within the cave. The Daring Friends entered the cave and found a hobgoblin squad, officer, and priest. Dameron blasted them with a Lightning Bolt. Jaervellios hit them with arrows. Balthasar rocked them with a thunder strike from his sword. Soon they were all defeated except for one that fled in a door at the far end of the hallow. Chasing the hobgoblin, they found an elf girl sitting in a garden maze. Jaervellios said she was an abomination and moved on. Camwise stayed behind to speak with her while the others chased the hobgoblin through the maze. After defeating another hobgoblin squad, they found a room with a circular staircase leading up and an altar with draconic iconography. Gruffudd destroyed the altar, and they headed upstairs. At the top of the stairs, they encountered a hobgoblin squad, a lieutenant, sharpshooters, an annihilator, and an iron-show assassin. It was a long battle with many Lightning Bolts, Thunder Blasts, a Cone of Cold, and more. Gruffudd fell many times and used his staff to heal everyone after being revived himself. One hobgoblin tried to flee, but Camwise caught it with a Shocking Grasp. In the end, all the hobgoblins were dead except an unconscious sorcerer. In the center of the room was a map. Around the walls were statues. To the southeast was an armory. Examining the map and the statues, they tried to catch their breath. As Camwise inspected the entrance to the armory, Dameron entered, setting off an alarm and a necrotic energy trap. In the armory, they found a statue of a powerful bearded human, which they suspected of scrying on them. Camwise used Dust of Disappearance to reconnoiter upstairs where he saw a cloud of fog. Gruffudd transformed into a panther to investigate and soon returned reporting bestial breathing to the north, muffled voices—like through a door—to the northeast, and a flickering light through the fog. Balthasar went up and cast Guft of Wind, revealing two Hell Hounds that Dameron soon killed with a Lightning Bolt. There was also a Hobgoblin Bladebearer and two chanting Fanatics of Takhisis that escaped into the next room as a Thunder Bolt blasted everyone. Gruffud pointed out two invisible hobgoblin Iron Shadows. Dameron cast Bless on Gruffud, Jaervellios, and himself. An Iron Shadow exchanged blows with Dameron before retreating through the door. Balthasar used his Gust of Wind to open the door. Jaervellios and Camwise were knocked unconscious by a Thunder Bolt. Gruffudd revived Jaervellios with Healing Word and tried to appeal to Ghostlord. Jaervellios revived Camwise with a Potion of Healing. Dameron drank a Potion of Greater Healing and summoned his Spiritual Weapon. Surrounded by invisible attackers, Balthasar drank a Potion of Healing and struck back. Dameron fell to a Lightning Bolt. Gruffudd lit up the next room with a Flaming Sphere. Jaervellios revived Dameron with a Potion of Healing. Dameron hit the Blade Bearer with his Spiritual Weapon and cast Silence in the next room. Surrounded by a Blade Bearer and two Iron Shadows, Balthasar attacked the Iron Shadow. Gruffudd slammed his Burning Sphere into a Blade Bearer. Dameron killed a Blade Bearer and an Iron Shadow with a Lightning Bolt and fell to the other Iron Shadow. Balthasar engaged Ulwai with his Gaze of Conviction and slashed into her, leaving her rattled, but was blasted by her Lightning Rod and Lightning Breath. Camwise emerged from a secret door and drank a Potion of Healing. Gruffudd revived Dameron with Healing Word and blasted the Iron Shadows with a Fire Bolt. Jaervellios hit the Iron Shadow with his Dancing Saber and arrows. Dameron killed the Iron Shadow and missed Ulwai with three Scorching Rays from his Circlet of Blasting. Blasted by Ulwai’s Lightning Rod, Balthasar slashed into the Wyrmlord. Camwise hit a Blade Bearer with a Fire Bolt. Jaervellios hit Ulwai with two arrows. Dameron hit Ulwai with a Sacred Flame. Balthasar dropped Ulwai with his blade, but a Fanatic of Tahisis revived her with Cure Wounds. Ulwai dropped Camwise and Gruffudd with a Lightning Strike and fled. Balthasar blasted the two Fanatics with his Dragon Breath and revived Camwise and Dameron. Dameron cast Mass Healing Word and they followed Ulwai up the stairs where they found the Ghostlord. They appealed to the Ghostlord to break his forced alliance with the Red Hand and plant the seed, as the Wode Elves requested, in exchange for returning his stolen phylactery. Gruffudd referred to the Ghostlord as Ivellios, Jaervellios’ father, and the Ghostlord ultimately transferred his essence to Jaervellios from the phylactery seed, which he promised to plant, and indicated his alliance with the Red Hand was no more. He granted the Daring Friends the right to pillage the earthly possessions of his lair, which they did before slowly making their way out of the broken wode.
No comments:
Post a Comment