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Raiders of the Overreach
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<blockquote data-quote="Richards" data-source="post: 8429396" data-attributes="member: 508"><p><strong>ADVENTURE 45: MAUGFJELL</strong></p><p></p><p>PC Roster:</p><p style="margin-left: 20px">Cramer Appleknocker, gnome cleric 15</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> Jhasspok, lizardman 3/barbarian 3/fighter 9</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> Khari Hammerslammer, dwarf fighter 14/psychic warrior 1</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> Marlo Pendragon, human sorcerer 15</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"> Utred "Buckets" Butterflinger, dwarf barbarian 15</p><p></p><p>Game Session Date: 13 October 2021</p><p></p><p> - - -</p><p></p><p>The <em>teleport</em> spell deposited the five heroes back in the city of Rimefjord, where they petitioned an audience with Queen Sigvor, the frost giant monarch who had given them the location of the ice cathedral where they found - and slew - her rival, the white dragon in disguise known to the other giants as Father Yinxirzijir Kepesk. Ushering the heroes into her meeting hall, Marlo passed on the news of the white dragon's death, and the deaths of the four frost giants who had been plotting her assassination.</p><p></p><p>"This is excellent news!" crooned Queen Sigvor. "I am well and truly pleased!"</p><p></p><p>"And we have also learned of the location of the Frost Gate of Uozell, Your Majesty," added Marlo. "It is located inside a place called Maugfjell. We were hoping you could tell us - or better yet, show us in your <em>scrying sphere</em> - where we might find this place."</p><p></p><p>"'The Evil Mountain,'" mused Queen Sigvor. "Yes, I know if it. Approach." She passed a delicate blue hand over the solid sphere of perfectly clear ice mounted on a metal pedestal and an image formed within it. Marlo examined it closely, taking in every detail until she was certain she could <em>teleport</em> the group to its location. It was a snow-covered mountain rising up from a small forest at its base.</p><p></p><p>"That should do us nicely, Your Majesty," Marlo said, bowing before the frost giant queen. "Once again, you have our deepest gratitude."</p><p></p><p>"The relationship between us has been beneficial for both parties," smirked the queen, thinking about how nice it was to have that bothersome dragon no longer trying to overthrown her rule.</p><p></p><p>Bowing on their way back out of the door, the heroes returned to the streets of Rimefjord. "Well," Marlo said. "I think we've got everything we need. Shall we?"</p><p></p><p>"Hold up," cautioned Cramer. "Remember, it's going to take that neothelid a good ten years to eat its way through the Dying One's brain and be reborn as the new version of the Elder God. We should rest up and tackle the Frozen Gate when we're at full power. Plus, we haven't decided what spell to load into Jhasspok's new axe."</p><p></p><p>"What?" asked the lizardfolk. "Spell? What spell?"</p><p></p><p>"That's what we need to decide," explained the gnome patiently. He went on to point out that the battleaxe they'd discovered in the dragon's hoard had not only an <em>icy burst</em> enchantment upon it but also one allowing <em>spell storing</em>. "One of us can cast a spell into your new axe and it will stay there until you decide to release it."</p><p></p><p>"I don't know how to cast spells," Jhasspok argued.</p><p></p><p>"You don't need to," Cramer replied. "You just think about releasing the spell when you swing the weapon into somebody you're fighting and the axe will do the rest." He explained its limitations as far as how powerful a spell could be loaded into the battleaxe but that just confused the lizardfolk, who didn't understand anything about spell levels; to him, magic was magic in the same way meat was meat. Marlo silenced the argument by casting a <em>vampiric touch</em> spell directly into the battleaxe. "There," she said. "When you're fighting someone and you <em>really</em> want to hurt them, just wish for the spell to be released and he'll be extra hurt and you'll even get a little bit of healing on top of the deal." That much, at least, the lizardfolk could comprehend. "Okay, thanks," he said.</p><p></p><p>Another <em>teleport</em> spell returned them to Greenvale and a good night's rest. Then the next morning, with Cramer and Marlo all back up to a full allotment of their daily spells (and the cleric of Fharlanghn having decided which particular spells he wanted to have on hand that day), Marlo cast the <em>teleport</em> spell that sent the group across an unknown number of miles in an unknown direction across the tundra and at the base of the "Evil Mountain," Maugfjell. They had arrived at the edge of the forest, in snow up to their knees (and Cramer's waist), with the snow-covered mountain rising up directly before them. Fortunately, they had all received an <em>endure elements</em> spell from the gnome cleric so the near-arctic temperature didn't bother them.</p><p></p><p>Utred was shielding his eyes from the sun as he peered up the slope ahead. "It's going to be a bit of a climb," he pointed out. "Too bad we don't know exactly where on this bloody mountain the cave entrance is." But before anyone could offer any suggestions or encouragement a trilling sound came from somewhere before them as a mound of snow rose up in a great wave, steadily moving away from them as the frost worm reared its front portion up from its snow-submerged hiding place. Surprisingly, Utred stood there transfixed as the others all gripped their weapons and prepared for battle - the trilling noise emanating from the worm had stunned him into temporary immobility.</p><p></p><p>With their toughest combat-monster already out of the fight, Marlo opted to go for the "big power option" right away. Casting a <em>maximized, empowered scorching ray</em> spell at the approaching frost worm, she smiled as all three gouts of flame struck the massive beast's body - although given the creature's size it would have been difficult for her to have missed. The worm's skin puckered and burned as the spell took its toll. Cramer, in the meantime, cast a <em>magic circle against evil</em> spell upon himself, even though he doubted the worm had an evil nature - it was probably just a big, dumb brute who was hungry and the five of them no doubt looked like quite a wholesome snack.</p><p></p><p>Khari charged the frost worm, frowning as he realized his <em>earthglide warhammer</em> wouldn't allow him to burrow beneath the frozen ground and the permafrost. His frown of irritation turned into a full-blown cry of pain as the worm's head darted down at him and the creature's insectlike mouthparts snapped closed on the dwarf, crushing the sides of both arms in a pincer motion. He managed to wriggle free and slam his hammer into the worm's side as it undulated forward across the snow-covered ground, releasing a cone of freezing frost on all but the dwarven fighter, who figured his little nip had definitely been the better part of that deal. As the front halves of each of his friends was turned white from the sudden blast of frigid air, the dwarf slammed his warhammer into the side of the frost worm again for good measure.</p><p></p><p>Jhasspok darted forward at full speed, bringing his new battleaxe to bear for the first strike with his new weapon. He slammed the axe-head into the worm's side, remembering to do as Marlo had told him and activate the spell she'd hidden inside it somehow. The <em>vampiric touch</em> spell was triggered, which was a good thing as the "stolen" life force did its part in healing up the wounds the lizardfolk received when the worm bent down and snapped at him with its wicked little bug-mandibles.</p><p></p><p>Utred suddenly shook his head rapidly from side to side, sending little flakes of frost flinging off in all directions. He took a moment to get his bearings: apparently he'd missed a chunk of the battle already, for Khari and Jhasspok already sported some impressive wounds and he didn't remember the worm being this close to him already. It wasn't like him to daydream during an impending combat scenario; foul magics were probably at play! This thought infuriated the dwarven barbarian and he let the fires of his rage burn, prodding him on to action.</p><p></p><p>But before Utred could even swing his greataxe, Marlo cast another powered-up version of her <em>scorching ray</em> spell and the frost worm exploded. That was definitely the word for it: the gouts of flame slew the frost worm almost instantly and just as quickly its frozen body broke up into icy chunks and went flying in all directions, frozen shrapnel slicing through the heroes, the trees, and everything else within about a hundred-foot radius. "Damn!" cried Utred, although whether it was anger at not having gotten to attack his foe at all or in simple amazement at the damage it was dealing out with its death throes was somewhat unclear.</p><p></p><p>"Line up," Cramer called out, casting a <em>mass cure serious wounds</em> spell and then grabbing up his <em>staff of healing</em>. Once he'd attended to the worst of the group's wounds, he cast a <em>moment of prescience</em> spell upon himself, something he'd fully intended to do right after they'd first arrived but the frost worm's attack had interrupted those plans. Then the group started climbing up the slope of Maugfjell.</p><p></p><p>Fortunately, the slope started off fairly gently to start with and the way wasn't that difficult, although they could see the mountainside would become much more steep not too far ahead. As they trudged through the snow, they found the occasional chunk of frozen flesh scattered about here and there. "That's not parts of the frost worm, all this far away, is it?" asked Khari. He didn't see how it could be - the explosion surely wouldn't have sent pieces of the dead worm this distance away! But the answer soon became evident, as a few of the chunks held a piece of an insectoid leg. "Polar worm," more like it," Cramer guessed. "Remorhaz, I think they're called."</p><p></p><p>"Do those explode, too?" Jhasspok asked.</p><p></p><p>"Not that I'm aware of," Cramer admitted.</p><p></p><p>"Weird," muttered Marlo. But soon thereafter all thoughts of remorhaz chunks were overcome by the sight of a cave opening just ahead, half hidden by a jutting overhang. "That might be it!" the sorceress told the others. Just in case, she cast a <em>Rary's telepathic bond</em> spell on the group so they could communicate silently among themselves. Then she cast a <em>magic circle against evil</em> spell upon herself as well, following Cramer's previous example.</p><p></p><p>The cave opening led into a narrow tunnel which soon thereafter widened out to a large cavern. To the untrained eye, this was a simple, closed cave, roughly as wide as it was deep, with little nooks and crannies along the edges and a ceiling height of about 15 feet, holding nothing more interesting than a few errant rocks. To someone wearing a <em>robe of eyes</em>, however, the five <em>illusory walls</em> were quite evident for what they were, as was the fact three of them contained an immobile, lupine form behind them, while the others contained a tunnel leading deeper into the cavern network in the back and half of a remorhaz floating within a cylinder of solid force off to the left. Marlo passed on what she saw to the others over the telepathic link they shared.</p><p></p><p><Nobody go in,> the sorceress warned. <I want to cast a <em>detect magic</em> spell first.> She did so, then gave the whole area a quick scan, for her <em>robe of eyes</em> granted her darkvision and <em>true seeing</em> but she was concerned about tripping any <em>alarm</em> spells. Giving herself plenty of time to look around, she detected multiple magical auras in the cave: <em>alarm</em> spell triggers on the floor, some sort of stasis effects on the three wolves - one of which was twice the size of the other two - and not only a stasis effect but some sort of magical regeneration effect on the butchered remorhaz. <I'll bet whoever lives here tosses chunks of polar worm around the mountain to keep frost worms hanging around,> Marlo surmised. <It's an easy way to gain guardians for your lair, if you have the means to do so.></p><p></p><p>Marlo led the others into the cavern, pointing out where the <em>alarm</em> triggers were located: one right as you walked in and the other back towards the hidden exit. <The second one probably activates the guard dogs,> Cramer reasoned. He noted there was a sort of "whispering" in the back of his mind as he entered the cave and the others confirmed they heard it, too - not enough to make out what was being said, just a sort of mental background noise.</p><p></p><p><So let's set 'em off, only we'll be ready to clobber the wolves as they activate!> suggested Utred, getting back to the conversation at hand. He was all for spreading out, setting three of them against the larger rime hound while two others each took on a winter wolf single-handedly, but Khari argued it would be better to take out the bigger threat first, especially once close examination showed the four tentacles growing out of the muzzle of each wolf - these were some sort of illithid hybrids they were dealing with! Thus, everyone gathered around the rime hound - Khari even using his <em>earthglide warhammer</em> to burrow beneath it and position himself directly behind the unmoving wolf - before Marlo cast <em>invisibility</em> spells upon the group with her wand (Cramer did the same with his ring) and then used her magic boots to levitate directly above it. Cramer cast a <em>spell resistance </em>spell upon himself and then Marlo began the festivities by casting an <em>empowered, maximized scorching ray</em> spell down at the rime hound beneath her. The attack awakened the massive wolf to full mobility, just to be engulfed in flames and then have a burly dwarven barbarian bring his <em>greenflame greataxe</em> slicing into its skull. The rime hound had snapped out of its magical stasis only to be slain before it had a chance to react to its sudden mobility.</p><p></p><p>But the attack on the rime hound had also released the two half-illithid winter wolves out of their own magical hibernation. Loping forward, they each tried to <em>charm</em> one of the two figures they could see: Marlo and Utred, they only two to have attacked thus far and thus deactivate the effects of their <em>invisibility</em> spells. Of course, neither wolf had any idea they were both within the effects of a <em>magic circle against evil</em> spell, which prevented such mind manipulations from having a chance of success.</p><p></p><p>Using his <em>earthglide warhammer</em> to burrow beneath the slain rime hound's body and across the cavern, Khari popped back up behind one of the winter wolves and spun around to bring his weapon crashing into its back leg. Jhasspok rushed forward and brought his new battleaxe swinging down at the same foe, slicing deeply into its shoulder. In the meantime, Cramer cast a <em>flame strike</em> spell at the other winter wolf, and just that quickly all five adventurers were back to being visible to their foes.</p><p></p><p>Marlo judged the winter wolves weren't going to be as tough to kill as the rime hound, so she split her attacks with the next casting of her <em>empowered, maximized scorching ray</em> spell. One gout of flame hit Cramer's wolf, the other two streaking over to the one Jhasspok and Khari were fighting. Only one of those two gouts hit its target and as a result it still stood standing while the first wolf crumpled dead to the cavern floor. But it wasn't standing for long; Utred's greataxe saw to that.</p><p></p><p>Having dealt with the foes that might have tried attacking them from behind if the adventurers had merely bypassed them and continued deeper into the cavern network, the group proceeded to do just that, walking through the <em>illusory wall</em> at the back of the cavern and into another narrow tunnel. And it was while traversing this tunnel, which gradually led further down below the earth, that the heroes felt an odd sensation, one they hadn't expected to meet up with while attempting to take out a Writhing Gate: a feeling of overwhelming happiness. This was happiness spilling over into joyous glee, and it was only the <em>magic circle against evil</em> spells centered on the two spellcasters that kept the heroes from joining in the compulsion to share in the overwhelming sense of contentment tinged with excitement and anticipation.</p><p></p><p><What's going on?> asked Jhasspok over the mental link, something he often forgot to do but this time almost forced upon him by the fact his reptilian muzzle was pulled back into an almost painful-looking rictus that was probably supposed to be a wide smile. The fact that it exposed the majority of his dinosaur teeth made it slightly unpleasant to look at.</p><p></p><p><I don't know, but I don't like it,> answered Cramer, casting a <em>spell turning</em> spell upon himself.</p><p></p><p>They entered the next subterranean chamber and there in the back was the Frozen Gate of Uozell, a ring of ten lifeless tentacles lying limply on the cavern floor. There was a petrified mind flayer seated before nine of these immobile appendages, while the tenth held a living mind flayer - and one whose lampreylike mouth between the four facial tentacles was also open wide in delirious joy. Waves of contagious happiness emanated from him.</p><p></p><p><It is happening!> he exclaimed directly into the minds of the others. <Right now, the Dying One is being devoured from within! Soon He will be reborn and He will return to lead us all into a new age of contentment!> A tear of joy slid from the illithid's eye and dripped down its squidlike face. Then he looked over at the unexpected heroes as if noticing them for the first time. <Who are you?> he asked telepathically. <Why have you invaded the sanctum of <strong>Saint Uozell</strong>, creator of the Frozen Gate and willing servant to Uboros?></p><p></p><p>Cramer swallowed down a momentary rising of panic at the thought that the creator of one of the Writhing Gates was still alive - and could possibly create more of them, which would directly counteract their attempts to destroy them all before the Dying One remanifested on the Material Plane. But there was one obvious solution to that dilemma. <Kill him!> the cleric commanded to his companions.</p><p></p><p>Utred followed almost instantly - "almost" in that he first bent over to grab up the little gnome before activating the <em>winged boots </em>he'd retrieved from the treasure hoard of Yinxirzijir Kepesk. In the span of time it took him to cross the cavern he'd plopped the cleric onto his backpack, thinking this would get Cramer straight into the action much faster than if he relied upon his stumpy little gnome legs, even with the benefit of the <em>longstrider</em> spell he habitually cast upon himself each morning. Khari sped into the cavern as well, keeping the trunk of an immobile Writhing Gate tentacle between himself and the mind flayer.</p><p></p><p>But it was enough that Uozell knew the dwarf was there. He activated an <em>inflict pain</em> psionic spell, encompassing Utred and Cramer into the area of effect as well as Khari. The dwarves cried out in pain, whereas the gnome smiled in smug satisfaction as the psionic spell rebounded off of his <em>spell turning</em> spell, inflicting the same mental pain onto Uozell as he had hammered into the minds of the dwarves.</p><p></p><p>From the back of the cavern, Marlo cast an <em>empowered, maximized scorching ray</em> spell at the seated illithid and was disappointed to see her spell fizzle away against his inherent resistance to such magics. Jhasspok ran up to the mind flayer, either not worrying or (more likely) having forgotten about the creature's signature attack, the mind blast. Cramer distracted the illithid for a moment by activating his <em>moment of prescience</em> to get his <em>dimensional anchor</em> spell past the mind flayer's spell resistance, covering him in a greenish glow that would prevent him from being able to <em>teleport</em>, <em>plane shift</em>, or use any other such similar magics - in effect, trapping him here in this cavern unless he was going to try to simply walk out. There was no way the gnome was willing to let this "Saint Uozell" survive to create more Writhing Gates and undo all of their progress thus far! He took the opportunity to leap down off of Utred's backpack and land on the cavern floor.</p><p></p><p>Utred, in turn, pulled the <em>Null Axe</em> out of his <em>weapon locker</em> and let the silvery material encasing it fall to the ground. Then, axe in hand, he charged at Saint Uozell, the anti-magic properties of the weapon cutting through the mind flayer's magical defenses as if they weren't there. Khari earthglided beneath and behind the illithid, swinging his warhammer into the Saint's back once he popped back up to the surface.</p><p></p><p>But then Uozell retaliated with the mind blast Jhasspok had hoped wouldn't come into play. He, Utred, and Cramer were all in the area of the blast and the lizardfolk's mind froze up instantly; Cramer relied upon a feat of luck provided to him by his deity to overcome the mind blast's effects; while Utred was impervious to all such magical attacks as long as he wielded the <em>Null Axe</em> in his hands.</p><p></p><p>Marlo cast a <em>disintegrate</em> spell at Uozell, hoping to take him out once and for all, but once again her spell fizzled against his magical resistances. Cramer cast a spell as well, but rather than risk having it likewise fail against the mind flayer's spell resistance he directed it at Jhasspok; the <em>heal</em> spell not only cleared the lizardfolk's mental faculties (such as they were) but also sealed up the remaining wounds on his body dealt to him by the frost worm outside.</p><p></p><p>While Jhasspok was looking around him in confusion, Utred kept up a steady string of attacks with the <em>Null Axe</em>, cutting into Uozell's flesh with each strike. Khari likewise continued hitting the mind flayer with his warhammer, until Uozell took the risk of lowering his guard against Jhasspok (who brought his battleaxe swinging in for a quick hit) as he cast an <em>id insinuation</em> attack on the four males he was fighting. Cramer's still-active <em>spell turning</em> spell flung it away from the gnome's mind while the others fought off the mental attack the old-fashioned way, by sheer grit and determination. Then Jhasspok made the final, killing blow with his new battleaxe, slicing deep into Saint Uozell's neck and causing the nearly headless mind flayer to fall backwards, dead, upon the stone floor at the feet of one of the petrified illithids sitting before one of the dead tentacles that made up the Writhing Gate.</p><p></p><p>"'bout time!" called out Utred, turning his attention to the nearest tentacle, which he started chopping away with his <em>Null Axe</em>. Marlo started casting <em>disintegrate</em> spells at the unmoving tentacles as well, while Jhasspok took a page from the dwarven barbarian's book and used his battleaxe to chop off a tentacle from the root - although in his case it wasn't a tentacle from the Dying One but rather from the Saint of Uboros, and it was simply because he was hungry and the facial tentacle of a mind flayer was as delicious as that of a terrestrial octopus or squid.</p><p></p><p>Once the Writhing Gate had been completely disabled - for as each of the Dying One's tentacles that had powered the gate was severed, the portal to the Far Realm likewise sealed up around it - Utred used his <em>Null Axe</em> for one more stroke: to sever the head of Saint Uozell from his body. "Kind of appropriate, don'tcha think?" the barbarian asked the others, holding up his trophy to show it off. "He oughtta be happy - now he looks just like his master!"</p><p></p><p>"He's short a few tentacles," Khari pointed out. Jhasspok quickly finished chewing the one he'd been eating, afraid he'd be admonished for consuming their slain foe in such a manner - mammals could be so squeamish sometimes!</p><p></p><p>"Even so, bring it over here," Cramer said. When Utred handed it over, the gnome cast a <em>gentle repose</em> spell on it. "We should bring it back with us," he suggested.</p><p></p><p>"Ew! Whatever for?" demanded Marlo.</p><p></p><p>"I don't have one prepared today," replied the little gnome, "but tomorrow I can cast a <em>speak with dead</em> spell on him - maybe he can give us some pointers on finding some of the other Writhing Gates."</p><p></p><p>"Why would he want to help us?" Khari asked.</p><p></p><p>"He won't have any choice in the matter - that's how the spell works!" Cramer informed him.</p><p></p><p>And thus, the following morning, after praying to Fharlanghn for his day's spells, Cramer Appleknocker cast a <em>speak with dead</em> spell on the decapitated head of Saint Uozell, follower of the Dying One, and asked the following questions, receiving the following answers:</p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 20px">Q1: "How many more Saints are still capable of making new Writhing Gates?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">A1: "Four."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Q2: "How do we get to the Gate of Zarbugak?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">A2: "By ship, to the unchartable isle."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Q3: "How do we protect ourselves from the effects of the Desolate Wastes?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">A3: "<em>Death ward</em>."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Q4: "How many Gates are still active?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">A4: "Nine." (This answer worried the others until Cramer explained it was a true answer as far as Uozell would know, as he wasn't aware of the group having destroyed any of the others and C'thorlumbrox had informed them one Writhing Gate was already destroyed when they started on their mission to take out all ten.)</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Q5: "Is each remaining Saint at a Gate location?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">A5: "Yes."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Q6: "Which Gates have Saints?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">A6: "Svusban, Rylethek, Svulbiss, Zarbugak." (These are the ones associated with the Desolate Wastes, the calling to the drowned, the one on the cloud island, and the one on the unchartable isle.)</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Q7: "What ship will take us to the unchartable isle?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">A7: "Any ship with a death wish."</p><p></p><p>"Well then," said Cramer after the spell had been finished. "I guess we'll hang on to you for a bit; maybe we can chat again in a week." He then had to explain to Jhasspok that the <em>speak with dead</em> spell could only be used on the same dead person - or in this case, part of a dead person - once per week.</p><p></p><p>"I have a question," Jhasspok said,</p><p></p><p>"I just told you: we can't ask it any more questions for a week."</p><p></p><p>"No, I have a question for you."</p><p></p><p>"Oh, okay. Ask away."</p><p></p><p>"Can I have another one of his tentacles? He's not using them any more."</p><p></p><p>"Tell you what, Jhasspok," Utred said. "We're going to hit the Desolate Wastes Writhing Gate next. Maybe we can scare up another mind flayer Saint for you to chew on there."</p><p></p><p>That sounded like a good plan to the hungry lizardfolk.</p><p></p><p> - - -</p><p></p><p>Yeowtch! Those frost worms are deadlier when you kill them than when they're alive! Logan beefed up the standard frost worm (CR 12) to make it more of a threat to five 15th-level PCs, but Marlo's super-enhanced <em>scorching rays</em> are a powerful obstacle to a creature with vulnerability to fire. And the whole "sprinkled polar worm chunks" practice makes sense when you realize polar worms and frost worms hate each other and attack on sight, so seeding your Evil Mountain with polar worm chunks is a good way to get frost worms hanging around. Logan reused the pink construction paper "mini" he had made for the neothelid to stand in as the advanced frost worm.</p><p></p><p>After looking into the <em>death ward</em> spell (which lasts all of one minute per caster level), we've decided we're going to have to use some of our dragon treasure to have special magic items crafted that will keep us safe in the Desolate Wastes. It'll probably be a toned-down <em>attune form</em> spell (from <em>Manual of the Planes</em>) that will attune our PCs' bodies to the necromantic draining effects inherent in the sands of the desert. So that's where we're headed next time, although that won't be for another month: there are three weeks worth of scheduling conflicts that will prevent us from getting in any game sessions until mid-November.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Richards, post: 8429396, member: 508"] [B]ADVENTURE 45: MAUGFJELL[/B] PC Roster: [INDENT]Cramer Appleknocker, gnome cleric 15[/INDENT] [INDENT] Jhasspok, lizardman 3/barbarian 3/fighter 9[/INDENT] [INDENT] Khari Hammerslammer, dwarf fighter 14/psychic warrior 1[/INDENT] [INDENT] Marlo Pendragon, human sorcerer 15[/INDENT] [INDENT] Utred "Buckets" Butterflinger, dwarf barbarian 15[/INDENT] Game Session Date: 13 October 2021 - - - The [I]teleport[/I] spell deposited the five heroes back in the city of Rimefjord, where they petitioned an audience with Queen Sigvor, the frost giant monarch who had given them the location of the ice cathedral where they found - and slew - her rival, the white dragon in disguise known to the other giants as Father Yinxirzijir Kepesk. Ushering the heroes into her meeting hall, Marlo passed on the news of the white dragon's death, and the deaths of the four frost giants who had been plotting her assassination. "This is excellent news!" crooned Queen Sigvor. "I am well and truly pleased!" "And we have also learned of the location of the Frost Gate of Uozell, Your Majesty," added Marlo. "It is located inside a place called Maugfjell. We were hoping you could tell us - or better yet, show us in your [I]scrying sphere[/I] - where we might find this place." "'The Evil Mountain,'" mused Queen Sigvor. "Yes, I know if it. Approach." She passed a delicate blue hand over the solid sphere of perfectly clear ice mounted on a metal pedestal and an image formed within it. Marlo examined it closely, taking in every detail until she was certain she could [I]teleport[/I] the group to its location. It was a snow-covered mountain rising up from a small forest at its base. "That should do us nicely, Your Majesty," Marlo said, bowing before the frost giant queen. "Once again, you have our deepest gratitude." "The relationship between us has been beneficial for both parties," smirked the queen, thinking about how nice it was to have that bothersome dragon no longer trying to overthrown her rule. Bowing on their way back out of the door, the heroes returned to the streets of Rimefjord. "Well," Marlo said. "I think we've got everything we need. Shall we?" "Hold up," cautioned Cramer. "Remember, it's going to take that neothelid a good ten years to eat its way through the Dying One's brain and be reborn as the new version of the Elder God. We should rest up and tackle the Frozen Gate when we're at full power. Plus, we haven't decided what spell to load into Jhasspok's new axe." "What?" asked the lizardfolk. "Spell? What spell?" "That's what we need to decide," explained the gnome patiently. He went on to point out that the battleaxe they'd discovered in the dragon's hoard had not only an [I]icy burst[/I] enchantment upon it but also one allowing [I]spell storing[/I]. "One of us can cast a spell into your new axe and it will stay there until you decide to release it." "I don't know how to cast spells," Jhasspok argued. "You don't need to," Cramer replied. "You just think about releasing the spell when you swing the weapon into somebody you're fighting and the axe will do the rest." He explained its limitations as far as how powerful a spell could be loaded into the battleaxe but that just confused the lizardfolk, who didn't understand anything about spell levels; to him, magic was magic in the same way meat was meat. Marlo silenced the argument by casting a [I]vampiric touch[/I] spell directly into the battleaxe. "There," she said. "When you're fighting someone and you [I]really[/I] want to hurt them, just wish for the spell to be released and he'll be extra hurt and you'll even get a little bit of healing on top of the deal." That much, at least, the lizardfolk could comprehend. "Okay, thanks," he said. Another [I]teleport[/I] spell returned them to Greenvale and a good night's rest. Then the next morning, with Cramer and Marlo all back up to a full allotment of their daily spells (and the cleric of Fharlanghn having decided which particular spells he wanted to have on hand that day), Marlo cast the [I]teleport[/I] spell that sent the group across an unknown number of miles in an unknown direction across the tundra and at the base of the "Evil Mountain," Maugfjell. They had arrived at the edge of the forest, in snow up to their knees (and Cramer's waist), with the snow-covered mountain rising up directly before them. Fortunately, they had all received an [I]endure elements[/I] spell from the gnome cleric so the near-arctic temperature didn't bother them. Utred was shielding his eyes from the sun as he peered up the slope ahead. "It's going to be a bit of a climb," he pointed out. "Too bad we don't know exactly where on this bloody mountain the cave entrance is." But before anyone could offer any suggestions or encouragement a trilling sound came from somewhere before them as a mound of snow rose up in a great wave, steadily moving away from them as the frost worm reared its front portion up from its snow-submerged hiding place. Surprisingly, Utred stood there transfixed as the others all gripped their weapons and prepared for battle - the trilling noise emanating from the worm had stunned him into temporary immobility. With their toughest combat-monster already out of the fight, Marlo opted to go for the "big power option" right away. Casting a [I]maximized, empowered scorching ray[/I] spell at the approaching frost worm, she smiled as all three gouts of flame struck the massive beast's body - although given the creature's size it would have been difficult for her to have missed. The worm's skin puckered and burned as the spell took its toll. Cramer, in the meantime, cast a [I]magic circle against evil[/I] spell upon himself, even though he doubted the worm had an evil nature - it was probably just a big, dumb brute who was hungry and the five of them no doubt looked like quite a wholesome snack. Khari charged the frost worm, frowning as he realized his [I]earthglide warhammer[/I] wouldn't allow him to burrow beneath the frozen ground and the permafrost. His frown of irritation turned into a full-blown cry of pain as the worm's head darted down at him and the creature's insectlike mouthparts snapped closed on the dwarf, crushing the sides of both arms in a pincer motion. He managed to wriggle free and slam his hammer into the worm's side as it undulated forward across the snow-covered ground, releasing a cone of freezing frost on all but the dwarven fighter, who figured his little nip had definitely been the better part of that deal. As the front halves of each of his friends was turned white from the sudden blast of frigid air, the dwarf slammed his warhammer into the side of the frost worm again for good measure. Jhasspok darted forward at full speed, bringing his new battleaxe to bear for the first strike with his new weapon. He slammed the axe-head into the worm's side, remembering to do as Marlo had told him and activate the spell she'd hidden inside it somehow. The [I]vampiric touch[/I] spell was triggered, which was a good thing as the "stolen" life force did its part in healing up the wounds the lizardfolk received when the worm bent down and snapped at him with its wicked little bug-mandibles. Utred suddenly shook his head rapidly from side to side, sending little flakes of frost flinging off in all directions. He took a moment to get his bearings: apparently he'd missed a chunk of the battle already, for Khari and Jhasspok already sported some impressive wounds and he didn't remember the worm being this close to him already. It wasn't like him to daydream during an impending combat scenario; foul magics were probably at play! This thought infuriated the dwarven barbarian and he let the fires of his rage burn, prodding him on to action. But before Utred could even swing his greataxe, Marlo cast another powered-up version of her [I]scorching ray[/I] spell and the frost worm exploded. That was definitely the word for it: the gouts of flame slew the frost worm almost instantly and just as quickly its frozen body broke up into icy chunks and went flying in all directions, frozen shrapnel slicing through the heroes, the trees, and everything else within about a hundred-foot radius. "Damn!" cried Utred, although whether it was anger at not having gotten to attack his foe at all or in simple amazement at the damage it was dealing out with its death throes was somewhat unclear. "Line up," Cramer called out, casting a [I]mass cure serious wounds[/I] spell and then grabbing up his [I]staff of healing[/I]. Once he'd attended to the worst of the group's wounds, he cast a [I]moment of prescience[/I] spell upon himself, something he'd fully intended to do right after they'd first arrived but the frost worm's attack had interrupted those plans. Then the group started climbing up the slope of Maugfjell. Fortunately, the slope started off fairly gently to start with and the way wasn't that difficult, although they could see the mountainside would become much more steep not too far ahead. As they trudged through the snow, they found the occasional chunk of frozen flesh scattered about here and there. "That's not parts of the frost worm, all this far away, is it?" asked Khari. He didn't see how it could be - the explosion surely wouldn't have sent pieces of the dead worm this distance away! But the answer soon became evident, as a few of the chunks held a piece of an insectoid leg. "Polar worm," more like it," Cramer guessed. "Remorhaz, I think they're called." "Do those explode, too?" Jhasspok asked. "Not that I'm aware of," Cramer admitted. "Weird," muttered Marlo. But soon thereafter all thoughts of remorhaz chunks were overcome by the sight of a cave opening just ahead, half hidden by a jutting overhang. "That might be it!" the sorceress told the others. Just in case, she cast a [I]Rary's telepathic bond[/I] spell on the group so they could communicate silently among themselves. Then she cast a [I]magic circle against evil[/I] spell upon herself as well, following Cramer's previous example. The cave opening led into a narrow tunnel which soon thereafter widened out to a large cavern. To the untrained eye, this was a simple, closed cave, roughly as wide as it was deep, with little nooks and crannies along the edges and a ceiling height of about 15 feet, holding nothing more interesting than a few errant rocks. To someone wearing a [I]robe of eyes[/I], however, the five [I]illusory walls[/I] were quite evident for what they were, as was the fact three of them contained an immobile, lupine form behind them, while the others contained a tunnel leading deeper into the cavern network in the back and half of a remorhaz floating within a cylinder of solid force off to the left. Marlo passed on what she saw to the others over the telepathic link they shared. <Nobody go in,> the sorceress warned. <I want to cast a [I]detect magic[/I] spell first.> She did so, then gave the whole area a quick scan, for her [I]robe of eyes[/I] granted her darkvision and [I]true seeing[/I] but she was concerned about tripping any [I]alarm[/I] spells. Giving herself plenty of time to look around, she detected multiple magical auras in the cave: [I]alarm[/I] spell triggers on the floor, some sort of stasis effects on the three wolves - one of which was twice the size of the other two - and not only a stasis effect but some sort of magical regeneration effect on the butchered remorhaz. <I'll bet whoever lives here tosses chunks of polar worm around the mountain to keep frost worms hanging around,> Marlo surmised. <It's an easy way to gain guardians for your lair, if you have the means to do so.> Marlo led the others into the cavern, pointing out where the [I]alarm[/I] triggers were located: one right as you walked in and the other back towards the hidden exit. <The second one probably activates the guard dogs,> Cramer reasoned. He noted there was a sort of "whispering" in the back of his mind as he entered the cave and the others confirmed they heard it, too - not enough to make out what was being said, just a sort of mental background noise. <So let's set 'em off, only we'll be ready to clobber the wolves as they activate!> suggested Utred, getting back to the conversation at hand. He was all for spreading out, setting three of them against the larger rime hound while two others each took on a winter wolf single-handedly, but Khari argued it would be better to take out the bigger threat first, especially once close examination showed the four tentacles growing out of the muzzle of each wolf - these were some sort of illithid hybrids they were dealing with! Thus, everyone gathered around the rime hound - Khari even using his [I]earthglide warhammer[/I] to burrow beneath it and position himself directly behind the unmoving wolf - before Marlo cast [I]invisibility[/I] spells upon the group with her wand (Cramer did the same with his ring) and then used her magic boots to levitate directly above it. Cramer cast a [I]spell resistance [/I]spell upon himself and then Marlo began the festivities by casting an [I]empowered, maximized scorching ray[/I] spell down at the rime hound beneath her. The attack awakened the massive wolf to full mobility, just to be engulfed in flames and then have a burly dwarven barbarian bring his [I]greenflame greataxe[/I] slicing into its skull. The rime hound had snapped out of its magical stasis only to be slain before it had a chance to react to its sudden mobility. But the attack on the rime hound had also released the two half-illithid winter wolves out of their own magical hibernation. Loping forward, they each tried to [I]charm[/I] one of the two figures they could see: Marlo and Utred, they only two to have attacked thus far and thus deactivate the effects of their [I]invisibility[/I] spells. Of course, neither wolf had any idea they were both within the effects of a [I]magic circle against evil[/I] spell, which prevented such mind manipulations from having a chance of success. Using his [I]earthglide warhammer[/I] to burrow beneath the slain rime hound's body and across the cavern, Khari popped back up behind one of the winter wolves and spun around to bring his weapon crashing into its back leg. Jhasspok rushed forward and brought his new battleaxe swinging down at the same foe, slicing deeply into its shoulder. In the meantime, Cramer cast a [I]flame strike[/I] spell at the other winter wolf, and just that quickly all five adventurers were back to being visible to their foes. Marlo judged the winter wolves weren't going to be as tough to kill as the rime hound, so she split her attacks with the next casting of her [I]empowered, maximized scorching ray[/I] spell. One gout of flame hit Cramer's wolf, the other two streaking over to the one Jhasspok and Khari were fighting. Only one of those two gouts hit its target and as a result it still stood standing while the first wolf crumpled dead to the cavern floor. But it wasn't standing for long; Utred's greataxe saw to that. Having dealt with the foes that might have tried attacking them from behind if the adventurers had merely bypassed them and continued deeper into the cavern network, the group proceeded to do just that, walking through the [I]illusory wall[/I] at the back of the cavern and into another narrow tunnel. And it was while traversing this tunnel, which gradually led further down below the earth, that the heroes felt an odd sensation, one they hadn't expected to meet up with while attempting to take out a Writhing Gate: a feeling of overwhelming happiness. This was happiness spilling over into joyous glee, and it was only the [I]magic circle against evil[/I] spells centered on the two spellcasters that kept the heroes from joining in the compulsion to share in the overwhelming sense of contentment tinged with excitement and anticipation. <What's going on?> asked Jhasspok over the mental link, something he often forgot to do but this time almost forced upon him by the fact his reptilian muzzle was pulled back into an almost painful-looking rictus that was probably supposed to be a wide smile. The fact that it exposed the majority of his dinosaur teeth made it slightly unpleasant to look at. <I don't know, but I don't like it,> answered Cramer, casting a [I]spell turning[/I] spell upon himself. They entered the next subterranean chamber and there in the back was the Frozen Gate of Uozell, a ring of ten lifeless tentacles lying limply on the cavern floor. There was a petrified mind flayer seated before nine of these immobile appendages, while the tenth held a living mind flayer - and one whose lampreylike mouth between the four facial tentacles was also open wide in delirious joy. Waves of contagious happiness emanated from him. <It is happening!> he exclaimed directly into the minds of the others. <Right now, the Dying One is being devoured from within! Soon He will be reborn and He will return to lead us all into a new age of contentment!> A tear of joy slid from the illithid's eye and dripped down its squidlike face. Then he looked over at the unexpected heroes as if noticing them for the first time. <Who are you?> he asked telepathically. <Why have you invaded the sanctum of [B]Saint Uozell[/B], creator of the Frozen Gate and willing servant to Uboros?> Cramer swallowed down a momentary rising of panic at the thought that the creator of one of the Writhing Gates was still alive - and could possibly create more of them, which would directly counteract their attempts to destroy them all before the Dying One remanifested on the Material Plane. But there was one obvious solution to that dilemma. <Kill him!> the cleric commanded to his companions. Utred followed almost instantly - "almost" in that he first bent over to grab up the little gnome before activating the [I]winged boots [/I]he'd retrieved from the treasure hoard of Yinxirzijir Kepesk. In the span of time it took him to cross the cavern he'd plopped the cleric onto his backpack, thinking this would get Cramer straight into the action much faster than if he relied upon his stumpy little gnome legs, even with the benefit of the [I]longstrider[/I] spell he habitually cast upon himself each morning. Khari sped into the cavern as well, keeping the trunk of an immobile Writhing Gate tentacle between himself and the mind flayer. But it was enough that Uozell knew the dwarf was there. He activated an [I]inflict pain[/I] psionic spell, encompassing Utred and Cramer into the area of effect as well as Khari. The dwarves cried out in pain, whereas the gnome smiled in smug satisfaction as the psionic spell rebounded off of his [I]spell turning[/I] spell, inflicting the same mental pain onto Uozell as he had hammered into the minds of the dwarves. From the back of the cavern, Marlo cast an [I]empowered, maximized scorching ray[/I] spell at the seated illithid and was disappointed to see her spell fizzle away against his inherent resistance to such magics. Jhasspok ran up to the mind flayer, either not worrying or (more likely) having forgotten about the creature's signature attack, the mind blast. Cramer distracted the illithid for a moment by activating his [I]moment of prescience[/I] to get his [I]dimensional anchor[/I] spell past the mind flayer's spell resistance, covering him in a greenish glow that would prevent him from being able to [I]teleport[/I], [I]plane shift[/I], or use any other such similar magics - in effect, trapping him here in this cavern unless he was going to try to simply walk out. There was no way the gnome was willing to let this "Saint Uozell" survive to create more Writhing Gates and undo all of their progress thus far! He took the opportunity to leap down off of Utred's backpack and land on the cavern floor. Utred, in turn, pulled the [I]Null Axe[/I] out of his [I]weapon locker[/I] and let the silvery material encasing it fall to the ground. Then, axe in hand, he charged at Saint Uozell, the anti-magic properties of the weapon cutting through the mind flayer's magical defenses as if they weren't there. Khari earthglided beneath and behind the illithid, swinging his warhammer into the Saint's back once he popped back up to the surface. But then Uozell retaliated with the mind blast Jhasspok had hoped wouldn't come into play. He, Utred, and Cramer were all in the area of the blast and the lizardfolk's mind froze up instantly; Cramer relied upon a feat of luck provided to him by his deity to overcome the mind blast's effects; while Utred was impervious to all such magical attacks as long as he wielded the [I]Null Axe[/I] in his hands. Marlo cast a [I]disintegrate[/I] spell at Uozell, hoping to take him out once and for all, but once again her spell fizzled against his magical resistances. Cramer cast a spell as well, but rather than risk having it likewise fail against the mind flayer's spell resistance he directed it at Jhasspok; the [I]heal[/I] spell not only cleared the lizardfolk's mental faculties (such as they were) but also sealed up the remaining wounds on his body dealt to him by the frost worm outside. While Jhasspok was looking around him in confusion, Utred kept up a steady string of attacks with the [I]Null Axe[/I], cutting into Uozell's flesh with each strike. Khari likewise continued hitting the mind flayer with his warhammer, until Uozell took the risk of lowering his guard against Jhasspok (who brought his battleaxe swinging in for a quick hit) as he cast an [I]id insinuation[/I] attack on the four males he was fighting. Cramer's still-active [I]spell turning[/I] spell flung it away from the gnome's mind while the others fought off the mental attack the old-fashioned way, by sheer grit and determination. Then Jhasspok made the final, killing blow with his new battleaxe, slicing deep into Saint Uozell's neck and causing the nearly headless mind flayer to fall backwards, dead, upon the stone floor at the feet of one of the petrified illithids sitting before one of the dead tentacles that made up the Writhing Gate. "'bout time!" called out Utred, turning his attention to the nearest tentacle, which he started chopping away with his [I]Null Axe[/I]. Marlo started casting [I]disintegrate[/I] spells at the unmoving tentacles as well, while Jhasspok took a page from the dwarven barbarian's book and used his battleaxe to chop off a tentacle from the root - although in his case it wasn't a tentacle from the Dying One but rather from the Saint of Uboros, and it was simply because he was hungry and the facial tentacle of a mind flayer was as delicious as that of a terrestrial octopus or squid. Once the Writhing Gate had been completely disabled - for as each of the Dying One's tentacles that had powered the gate was severed, the portal to the Far Realm likewise sealed up around it - Utred used his [I]Null Axe[/I] for one more stroke: to sever the head of Saint Uozell from his body. "Kind of appropriate, don'tcha think?" the barbarian asked the others, holding up his trophy to show it off. "He oughtta be happy - now he looks just like his master!" "He's short a few tentacles," Khari pointed out. Jhasspok quickly finished chewing the one he'd been eating, afraid he'd be admonished for consuming their slain foe in such a manner - mammals could be so squeamish sometimes! "Even so, bring it over here," Cramer said. When Utred handed it over, the gnome cast a [I]gentle repose[/I] spell on it. "We should bring it back with us," he suggested. "Ew! Whatever for?" demanded Marlo. "I don't have one prepared today," replied the little gnome, "but tomorrow I can cast a [I]speak with dead[/I] spell on him - maybe he can give us some pointers on finding some of the other Writhing Gates." "Why would he want to help us?" Khari asked. "He won't have any choice in the matter - that's how the spell works!" Cramer informed him. And thus, the following morning, after praying to Fharlanghn for his day's spells, Cramer Appleknocker cast a [I]speak with dead[/I] spell on the decapitated head of Saint Uozell, follower of the Dying One, and asked the following questions, receiving the following answers: [INDENT]Q1: "How many more Saints are still capable of making new Writhing Gates?"[/INDENT] [INDENT]A1: "Four."[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]Q2: "How do we get to the Gate of Zarbugak?"[/INDENT] [INDENT]A2: "By ship, to the unchartable isle."[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]Q3: "How do we protect ourselves from the effects of the Desolate Wastes?"[/INDENT] [INDENT]A3: "[I]Death ward[/I]."[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]Q4: "How many Gates are still active?"[/INDENT] [INDENT]A4: "Nine." (This answer worried the others until Cramer explained it was a true answer as far as Uozell would know, as he wasn't aware of the group having destroyed any of the others and C'thorlumbrox had informed them one Writhing Gate was already destroyed when they started on their mission to take out all ten.)[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]Q5: "Is each remaining Saint at a Gate location?"[/INDENT] [INDENT]A5: "Yes."[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]Q6: "Which Gates have Saints?"[/INDENT] [INDENT]A6: "Svusban, Rylethek, Svulbiss, Zarbugak." (These are the ones associated with the Desolate Wastes, the calling to the drowned, the one on the cloud island, and the one on the unchartable isle.)[/INDENT] [INDENT][/INDENT] [INDENT]Q7: "What ship will take us to the unchartable isle?"[/INDENT] [INDENT]A7: "Any ship with a death wish."[/INDENT] "Well then," said Cramer after the spell had been finished. "I guess we'll hang on to you for a bit; maybe we can chat again in a week." He then had to explain to Jhasspok that the [I]speak with dead[/I] spell could only be used on the same dead person - or in this case, part of a dead person - once per week. "I have a question," Jhasspok said, "I just told you: we can't ask it any more questions for a week." "No, I have a question for you." "Oh, okay. Ask away." "Can I have another one of his tentacles? He's not using them any more." "Tell you what, Jhasspok," Utred said. "We're going to hit the Desolate Wastes Writhing Gate next. Maybe we can scare up another mind flayer Saint for you to chew on there." That sounded like a good plan to the hungry lizardfolk. - - - Yeowtch! Those frost worms are deadlier when you kill them than when they're alive! Logan beefed up the standard frost worm (CR 12) to make it more of a threat to five 15th-level PCs, but Marlo's super-enhanced [I]scorching rays[/I] are a powerful obstacle to a creature with vulnerability to fire. And the whole "sprinkled polar worm chunks" practice makes sense when you realize polar worms and frost worms hate each other and attack on sight, so seeding your Evil Mountain with polar worm chunks is a good way to get frost worms hanging around. Logan reused the pink construction paper "mini" he had made for the neothelid to stand in as the advanced frost worm. After looking into the [I]death ward[/I] spell (which lasts all of one minute per caster level), we've decided we're going to have to use some of our dragon treasure to have special magic items crafted that will keep us safe in the Desolate Wastes. It'll probably be a toned-down [I]attune form[/I] spell (from [I]Manual of the Planes[/I]) that will attune our PCs' bodies to the necromantic draining effects inherent in the sands of the desert. So that's where we're headed next time, although that won't be for another month: there are three weeks worth of scheduling conflicts that will prevent us from getting in any game sessions until mid-November. [/QUOTE]
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