Game Session Recaps

[frenzied67]

Episode 155 Quenid 26th - 27th Melnid 5th 1033 C.E.

*Important items that should have been included in Episode 154: Morvath is seeking the Feather of Voss as the fourth of five artifacts he needs to destroy the Golden Oak of Shandeer. Evidently The Golden Oak may be guarded by the Shandeeran (Elven) Guard. Our party’s charge regarding Morvath is to “vanquish him or deliver him powerless before Druid’s Island”. The Feather of Voss is hidden inside a dark monolith found within the dreadful Vast. The mother crone of Hags had also whispered something to Grynn before departing. As far as I know those words were not shared with the rest of the party.

**As usual, this scrivener got it wrong. Morvath is not trying to destroy the Golden Oak, He is trying to harvest a talisman of power from said tree. It is one of the five artifacts he is collecting.

After the lovely Aora had left the heroes fell into contemplation as they finished their tea. Jolrael began to plot and plan their expedition to the Vast, wondering how the living map on his back had been changing since last they had checked. Enkili focused on their more immediate task. Baba Yaga’s prognostications played on the fighter’s mind, especially the line “A loved one is dead”. The fighter feared that was referring to the enslaved urchin Miria. He began to council the party to demand proof of life for the girl before they set out to destroy Noshuul’s demonic heart. He was wary of being used by an evil man.

It took almost everyone to convince Enkili that the Knajir, though evil, was also a man of his word. Which brought them to Silas telling them that they could learn more about Shol’s Hollow at the Krug Mervogo Duba (Dead Oak Circle). Everyone realized that this possible opportunity may also be a trap. Yet it was agreed that it may be worth the five mile ride and possibility of danger to glean any information. Leiya mentioned something about Krug Mervogo Duba being active at night.

They had no more visitors that day. Jolrael swapped out a Thunderstep spell in his Ring of Spell Storing for Fly in the morning. As the spell lasted a day, Leiya cast Aid on Enkili, Jolrael, and herself. They arrived near evening, that was the time that Grynn chose to protect himself with Death Ward, and Jolrael surrounded himself with his Armor of Shadows (Mage Armor). Their path was blocked by a narrow stream. Enkili bragged that jumping the creek would be easy for him, but everyone else would require help.

A plan for the fighter to anchor his silk rope to an Immovable Rod, then have Enkili hop some rocks and anchor the rope on the other side of the stream was devised. The execution was less than smooth. Despite his bragging before hand, the fighter ended up windmilling his arms, teetering over the water, or outright falling on his armored back side through the entire maneuver of hopping two rocks; even in recovering the Rod and rope. They headed for a giant dead oak tree in the midst of a dead ring of trees. The terrain was broken by trees, brush, and hill sized rocks thrusting through the snow and dead fall.

It came from the ground from the roots of the oak, a gigantic figure that phased through earth and tree. It had the visage of a living dragon one moment, then the time rotted mien of a dragon’s cadaver the next. In the moment it unfurled itself, it had the wing to tail tip membrane of a bronze, copper, or gold dragon, however it seemed green with verdigris, so it was hard to determine which of those creatures it resembled the most. “Why have you come?” it demanded aggressively.

Naturally the heroes began to tell of their quest and ask their questions about Shol’s Hollow. When it deigned to answer at all, it was with an ‘I can care less, why are you bothering me’ attitude. Then Jolrael showed it Noshuul’s Heart after fishing it out from where he normally secreted the stone. Even a ghost dragon can illicit avarice with it’s eyes. It demanded that they hand over the faux gem immediately. Overconfident in it’s abilities, the dragon ghost broadcast its intentions when it tensed to pounce.

Grynn dashed closer and flung a Bane spell faster than thought itself, yet even dead, the dragon shed the magic with preternatural ease. At the same time Blaylocke laid Haste on Enkili while singing Grynn’s theme song (now a D12 Bardic Inspiration). Leiya also quickly cast Aura of Purity on herself, then moved east until everyone was covered by the magic. Grimacing at the turn of events, Jolrael stashed Noshuul’s heart away. He then transmuted an Ice Storm spell into a Flame Storm spell. The spectral monster was bombarded with fiery chunks and sizzling rains, yet seemed to absorb or ignore most of the damage. His experiment made it seem that fire was a viable source of damage; the sorcerer shouted that fact aloud even as he ran to the south east to take cover next to a big stone shielded by skeletal branches.

The Sainted Sword seemed to jump into Enkili’s hands as the former soldier broke into a sprint. Spell enhanced speed saw him fly up the rise the ghost dragon was on, he hit, hit again with a Goading Attack that worked, hit with a Menacing Attack that failed, and hit a fourth time. Everyone had set themselves only somewhat scattered, which is exactly what the spirit dragon had wanted. A black freezing cloud burst out in a rough cone, catching all the heroes within; only Grynn and Jolly managed to partially evade, saving themselves from the full brunt of cold and life stealing damage (natural 20 saves for both).

Even though trained to keep her mind on her magic, Leiya lost control of her Aura of Purity. Even though they took the full brunt, Leiya and Jolrael had the benefits of the Aura to prevent a body paralyzing fear from freezing them on the spot; Enkili had ran out of the aegis of that spell and stiffened with a soul shaking dread. Trying to get out of the kill box, Grynn scooted east until he was south of the undead beast. He then massively upcast a Guiding Bolt spell (8th level). The priest’s aim was true.

Holy light ate away at the spectral form, also leaving a tell tale of revealing light to coat the dragon; this was a type of damage that the spirit being was not resistant to. Blaylocke’s next gambit was not so penetrating. His Roulothim’s Psychic Lance slammed into the spectral beast’s mind, but did not hurt it as badly as the spell should have. Taking a page from Grynn’s book, Jolrael massively upcast a fiery Chromatic Orb (8th level). If the Orb was resisted it was not obvious, the damage dealt left the ectoplasmic form tattered and flickering.

Enkili had to wade through his darkest thoughts in order to regain control of his muscles, but he was able to shake off the fear. Hoping to keep Jolrael from being targeted for the gem, Leiya cast Sanctuary on the sorcerer. That is a spell meant to allow a healer to roam a fight to dispense aid and succor unmolested, Jolly would negate the protective magic when next he acted. Leiya followed up with a Sacred Flame cantrip, but the ghost dragon allowed the magic to sail through it with no ill effect.

Ectoplasmic fangs and claws clanged against Enkili’s armored form, the fighter was flung about like a rag doll as the malign spirit missed a bite, but tore into him with two claw attacks. The Mandagan’s vital essence was leached out of him with those slashes (necrotic damage). Then it dove into the ground leaving Enkili no chance to strike back. It flew out of the snow cover between Blaylocke, Jolrael, and Leiya. With a tusky smile, Grynn massively upcast another Guiding Bolt (7th level); the spell again ate away the ghostly form and limned the thing with revealing light.

The priest ran south after that to help prevent providing the spirit dragon another series of targets for its ghastly breath weapon. Chanting a new verse to Enkili’s theme song, Blaylocke gifted the fighter a Bardic Inspiration; the song changed and turned into a Power Word Stun spell. The ghost dragon acted like a bull hit between the eyes by a sledge hammer, pulling up short with unfocused eyes, unable to see the world around it. The Bard then moved a short ways north to avoid target clumping.

The dragon fought it’s head clear of the Stun effect, writhing with the titanic effort. Blurring with his Hasted speed, Enkili flowed off the rise and closed with the dragon. He rained blows down, then Action Surged to do as much damage as possible. The fighter recorded two misses in the seven attacks, but with the five hits he also successfully landed a Goading Attack and a Menacing Attack; the Menacing Attack failed to take effect, and he also used a Distracting Strike that allowed Leiya to scoot away from the dragons reach. She moved up near Blaylocke.

Stepping close to the huge undead thing, Jolrael massively upcast Thunderstep and teleported next to Blaylocke; the boom was so potent that Enkili’s feet left the ground from the concussive burst, and he was on the far side of the dragon. The ghost may have resisted that damage a bit. Realizing she was part of a clump of people, Leiya moved south about twenty feet, then she cast Sunbeam. Though the specter saved it was still tremendously burned by the holy light.

Drawing himself up, Blaylocke upcast Dissonant Whispers and slammed the spell into the ectobeast’s brain. The magic was so efficacious that the ghost dragon flew away in pain and fear, Enkili cutting it as it left. It sailed over Grynn and regained control over itself as it hovered over a clump of dead oaks far to the south east. Expressing rage, the ghostly figure dove through the trees back into the ground, the spectral ridges and spikes along it’s back showing it phasing through the ground until it “dove down” at the giant oak.

From concealment it spoke. “I am Varg. You have bested me. Ask your question and begone!” The Heroes sighed in relief then look one to the other. How to phrase their question to gain maximum information?

*This is where we must leave off. There will be a section under Erath Miscellany where the players can make suggestions for what we Ask Varg the Ghost Dragon. They can also make other recommendations for our party’s immediate disposition, since we may come under assault by others who may have been watching from afar.

**Our next game is scheduled for Sunday, September 13th. Long John will be at Comicon and Ramsay Cowlishaw may or may not have a show that interferes with his ability to join our gaming mayhem. I hope both Gentlemen take the opportunity to supply their suggestions on the forum, their genius may save our characters.

***Ramsay C confirmed his pending absence, he and Jolrael will be an empty space in our hearts and our ranks.