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Forgotten Realms Campaign NEW (UPDATED 7/17/06)
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<blockquote data-quote="Ranger5" data-source="post: 2943717" data-attributes="member: 17981"><p><strong>Red Hand of Doom - Part 5 (The Conclusion)</strong></p><p></p><p>The darkened passageway, lit by the light of the Eye of Night, ended in a large three-tiered cavern. On the north side of the cavern there was an opening that quickly became the worked stone of a wide hallway. However a field of stalactites populated the cavern floor. On the southern end of the cavern a deep, dark pit opened up.</p><p></p><p>As the companions made their way across the cavern, three creatures leapt to the attack. They were the same kind of creature as the one that nearly defeated them in the swamps of the Blackfens. However, the companions were much more versed in the ways of the creatures' tactics and in just a few short moments all three creatures were dead.</p><p></p><p>Once down the corridor the companions came across quite a scene. There were seven hobgoblin clerics all in the midst of a ritual. There were also 4 undead wraiths about the room as well. The room itself was round with a raised dais in the center. There was a large whole in the roof, from which light could be seen streaming down. As the clerics were caught up in their ritual, they did not see the approach of the companions. Tala let loose with her bow, while Aslan summoned a dire lion in the midst of the clerics. During the midst of the carnage one of the clerics happened to cast invisibility and slip out through a secret door.</p><p></p><p>As the companions finished off the last of the clerics and wraiths, suddenly two erinyes appeared in the altar room now littered with dead hobgoblin clerics. The immediately used their innate summoning powers and brought forth eight bearded devils. The erinyes then retreated a bit while the bearded devils engaged the companions in melee combat. The companions, now quite hard-pressed due the recent battles, had to fall back and attempt to regroup due to the bearded devils’ onslaught. Unfortunately Tala had been immediately surrounded by the devilish creatures and was trying to fight them off with her sword having dropped her bow.</p><p></p><p>The companions began laying into the bearded devils trying to get to Tala but they were not fast enough. She fell to their wicked glaives. Fortunately for her, Barros had cast a protection spell that kept her from immediately dying from her wounds. However, the magic would not last forever. Meanwhile, the eirnyes had retreated further down the hall and back into the cavern, taking to the air, while using their spell-like abilities or flaming longbows against the companions.</p><p></p><p>Finally as the bearded devils were falling before the attacks of the worn out companions, Grull made it to the erinyes position and dealt one a devastating blow as she had gotten too close to the ground. The other one then cast a charm spell at Grull and his will crumbled in the face of the devil's magic. She then telepathically told Grull to put up his weapon and rest in the cavern while she tended to his wounds. Sounding reasonable enough, Grull complied. That was then, behind the companions back in the altar room, a figure appeared. He was a blue-scaled, seven-foot tall hobgoblin wearing draconic full plate, a draconic heavy shield, and wielding a wicked looking heavy pick.</p><p></p><p>It could only be Azarr Kul.</p><p></p><p>The companions immediately turned their attentions on this new threat. Aslan was the first to attack Azarr Kul by summoning another dire lion. However, none of the dire lion's attacks were able to connect. Mishka was next to attack and he too could not connect. Barros was finally able to heal Tala back into consciousness and was also able to free Grull from the effects of the charm spell. Grull then went after Azarr Kul and he too found his attacks completely missing the target. Tala then fired her bow at the hobgoblin and missed as well. Finally Mishka made it to the half-dragon hobgoblin and as his own attack missed he suddenly realized what was happening. The figure before them was an illusion. He cried out that Azarr Kul was not real.</p><p></p><p>It was then the two erinyes looked at each, shrugged and teleported away to heal their own wounds. A moment later, the image of Azarr Kul faded away.</p><p></p><p>With no more enemies in sight and very low on spells the companions decided to reluctantly retreat, rest, and try again tomorrow if they could. Aslan cast one of his last spells that allowed him to fly and he went up the whole in the ceiling hoping it was a way out. However, it was not. In fact, before him he saw what could only be the real Azarr Kul, enmeshed in the casting of some dire spell with four abishai looking on. Above the half-dragon was crease in the air through which Aslan could see what could only be Avernus, the infernal realm of Tiamat.</p><p></p><p>Aslan quickly retreated without being seen and the companions made their way out of the Fane without too much incident. Finding a spot several miles away, they rested for the night and planned their assault on the Fane. This time their plan was to use invisibility magics to bypass the Fane's guards and make their way straight to the inner sanctum where Aslan would fly up once more with a grappling hook and a knotted rope and attach it to the top of the opening so the rest of the party could get up there. And that is what they did.</p><p></p><p>After getting into the Fane once more, they found themselves standing in the inner sanctum, Azarr Kul still in the midst of his casting and the abishai still looking on; all unaware the companions were there. All had gone according to plan for the companions. Unfortunately, they did count on the unhallow spell cast on the inner sanctum that affected all non-worshipers of Tiamat with a silence spell. The spellcasters could not cast their spells!</p><p></p><p>Forging ahead though, Grull, Mishka, and Barros surrounded Azarr Kul while Tala and Aslan hung back. Then in a surprise attack Mishka swung his weapon at the half-dragon, but missed. Grull then followed suit along with Barros. Tala fired her bow as well. Aslan discovered the silence only affect those in the room not in the whole that lead to the altar room below. So using his flying spell, he hovered over the pit and cast his spells.</p><p></p><p>Azarr Kul, surprised and wounded, cast invisibility on himself and fell back while the four abishai rushed forward to attack. While Azarr Kul remained invisible, the companions took on the abishai. One was able to summon another and while the abishai fell before the companions’' attacks, their regenerative powers kept bringing them back into the fight. And meanwhile, Azarr Kul was somewhere in the room, casting spells to both heal himself and buff himself up.</p><p></p><p>Eventually, Barros went over to the whole and climbed onto the rope, carefully while holding onto a rope above a 100' drop, cast invisibility purge. Suddenly, Azarr Kul appeared near the back of the room. Grull charged but was stopped by some protective barrier. Aslan and Tala both blasted the half-dragon with spell and arrow doing significant damage. The half-dragon followed with his own attack spell, and cast a flame strike on Aslan, Tala, and Barros. All were able to resist most of the damage, however, the rope that Barros was hanging on incinerated instantly, causing the cleric to plummet 100' to the altar room below. Barros barely survived but had no way to get back up.</p><p></p><p>Finally, Tala was able to get a clear shot at Azarr Kul and filled him with arrows. The cleric fell dead to the ground.</p><p></p><p>For a brief moment the companions breathed a sigh of relief. However their relief was short lived as a roar bellowed throughout the room. And just as suddenly, the five chromatic dragon heads surrounding the raised dais breathed their respective breath weapons onto the dais engulfing it in fire, acid, cold, and electricity. And Grull was still standing on the dais. He managed to dive off but still taking grievous damage from the magical elemental energy.</p><p></p><p>Then the portal above the dais opened and to the companions' horror it seemed as if Tiamat herself appeared. A huge five-headed dragon stepped onto the dais and in one bite from the blue head, gulped down the crumpled body of Azarr Kul.</p><p></p><p>This was not Tiamat herself but an Aspect of Tiamat. Still an extremely dangerous foe, the companions took the fight to the creature. It bellowed in rage and spewed fire from one of its heads with the rest attacking the other companions not caught in the blast.</p><p></p><p>The battle raged with Grull, fully healed by Mishka, slashing at the Aspect, while Tala fired her bow with deadly precision. Aslan kept casting spells at the Aspect. The Aspect, spewed elemental energy once again, this time a line of acid at Tala. Caught off-guard she nearly fell as the acid ate away at clothing and skin.</p><p></p><p>Finally, Aslan cast his own spell at the Aspect and the creature fell before the magical onslaught.</p><p></p><p>The battle was over.</p><p></p><p>With their leader dead, the remaining denizens of the Fane fled. The companions did find Azarr Kul's personal bedchamber on their way out of the Fane. In it they found an interesting note. It read:</p><p></p><p><em>"High Wyrmlord Azarr Kul,</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. It pleases me to hear of your latest conquests and I am glad the forces I sent could be of use even though your assassin did not complete his task. Though I did hear from some sources that one of the original five meddlers has been killed. But despite your assassin's failure, I am pleased we could come to a different, yet just as mutually helpful, solution to both our problems.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>I look forward to seeing you once your conquest of Elsir Vale is complete. And once my goal has been completed I am sure we will be seeing more of each other.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Once again, I wish you the best of luck and may Tiamat smile upon you. If you need to reach me for any reason, please send any communications to my servant, Chundag. He is currently at the Dunerain Mines completing a task for me.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>-Skullshank"</em></p><p></p><p>Realizing that this Skullshank was the same one they were looking into almost two months ago before the invasion of the Red Hand horde, they took the note to ponder their next move. However, they needed to get back to Brindol with the news of what had happened.</p><p></p><p>In the days that followed their return to Brindol, the companions were hailed again as heroes. They also found that life was beginning to return to the Vale. Already the displaced refugees were returning to rebuild what they had to and continue on, such was the spirit of the Valefolk.</p><p></p><p>Each of the companions were presented with gifts from Lord Jaarmath and the rest of the High Council including the Tiri Kitor elves. Then Grull decided to look into some personal business in the mountain village of Red Rock. Meanwhile, Aslan, Tala, Barros, and Mishka awaited their friend's return and relaxed for the first time in months, in the city of Brindol.</p><p></p><p>(While some companions go on personal quests, others will find more even more adventure to be had in Elsir Vale. All that, and the search for the mysterious Skullshank, will continue.)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ranger5, post: 2943717, member: 17981"] [b]Red Hand of Doom - Part 5 (The Conclusion)[/b] The darkened passageway, lit by the light of the Eye of Night, ended in a large three-tiered cavern. On the north side of the cavern there was an opening that quickly became the worked stone of a wide hallway. However a field of stalactites populated the cavern floor. On the southern end of the cavern a deep, dark pit opened up. As the companions made their way across the cavern, three creatures leapt to the attack. They were the same kind of creature as the one that nearly defeated them in the swamps of the Blackfens. However, the companions were much more versed in the ways of the creatures' tactics and in just a few short moments all three creatures were dead. Once down the corridor the companions came across quite a scene. There were seven hobgoblin clerics all in the midst of a ritual. There were also 4 undead wraiths about the room as well. The room itself was round with a raised dais in the center. There was a large whole in the roof, from which light could be seen streaming down. As the clerics were caught up in their ritual, they did not see the approach of the companions. Tala let loose with her bow, while Aslan summoned a dire lion in the midst of the clerics. During the midst of the carnage one of the clerics happened to cast invisibility and slip out through a secret door. As the companions finished off the last of the clerics and wraiths, suddenly two erinyes appeared in the altar room now littered with dead hobgoblin clerics. The immediately used their innate summoning powers and brought forth eight bearded devils. The erinyes then retreated a bit while the bearded devils engaged the companions in melee combat. The companions, now quite hard-pressed due the recent battles, had to fall back and attempt to regroup due to the bearded devils’ onslaught. Unfortunately Tala had been immediately surrounded by the devilish creatures and was trying to fight them off with her sword having dropped her bow. The companions began laying into the bearded devils trying to get to Tala but they were not fast enough. She fell to their wicked glaives. Fortunately for her, Barros had cast a protection spell that kept her from immediately dying from her wounds. However, the magic would not last forever. Meanwhile, the eirnyes had retreated further down the hall and back into the cavern, taking to the air, while using their spell-like abilities or flaming longbows against the companions. Finally as the bearded devils were falling before the attacks of the worn out companions, Grull made it to the erinyes position and dealt one a devastating blow as she had gotten too close to the ground. The other one then cast a charm spell at Grull and his will crumbled in the face of the devil's magic. She then telepathically told Grull to put up his weapon and rest in the cavern while she tended to his wounds. Sounding reasonable enough, Grull complied. That was then, behind the companions back in the altar room, a figure appeared. He was a blue-scaled, seven-foot tall hobgoblin wearing draconic full plate, a draconic heavy shield, and wielding a wicked looking heavy pick. It could only be Azarr Kul. The companions immediately turned their attentions on this new threat. Aslan was the first to attack Azarr Kul by summoning another dire lion. However, none of the dire lion's attacks were able to connect. Mishka was next to attack and he too could not connect. Barros was finally able to heal Tala back into consciousness and was also able to free Grull from the effects of the charm spell. Grull then went after Azarr Kul and he too found his attacks completely missing the target. Tala then fired her bow at the hobgoblin and missed as well. Finally Mishka made it to the half-dragon hobgoblin and as his own attack missed he suddenly realized what was happening. The figure before them was an illusion. He cried out that Azarr Kul was not real. It was then the two erinyes looked at each, shrugged and teleported away to heal their own wounds. A moment later, the image of Azarr Kul faded away. With no more enemies in sight and very low on spells the companions decided to reluctantly retreat, rest, and try again tomorrow if they could. Aslan cast one of his last spells that allowed him to fly and he went up the whole in the ceiling hoping it was a way out. However, it was not. In fact, before him he saw what could only be the real Azarr Kul, enmeshed in the casting of some dire spell with four abishai looking on. Above the half-dragon was crease in the air through which Aslan could see what could only be Avernus, the infernal realm of Tiamat. Aslan quickly retreated without being seen and the companions made their way out of the Fane without too much incident. Finding a spot several miles away, they rested for the night and planned their assault on the Fane. This time their plan was to use invisibility magics to bypass the Fane's guards and make their way straight to the inner sanctum where Aslan would fly up once more with a grappling hook and a knotted rope and attach it to the top of the opening so the rest of the party could get up there. And that is what they did. After getting into the Fane once more, they found themselves standing in the inner sanctum, Azarr Kul still in the midst of his casting and the abishai still looking on; all unaware the companions were there. All had gone according to plan for the companions. Unfortunately, they did count on the unhallow spell cast on the inner sanctum that affected all non-worshipers of Tiamat with a silence spell. The spellcasters could not cast their spells! Forging ahead though, Grull, Mishka, and Barros surrounded Azarr Kul while Tala and Aslan hung back. Then in a surprise attack Mishka swung his weapon at the half-dragon, but missed. Grull then followed suit along with Barros. Tala fired her bow as well. Aslan discovered the silence only affect those in the room not in the whole that lead to the altar room below. So using his flying spell, he hovered over the pit and cast his spells. Azarr Kul, surprised and wounded, cast invisibility on himself and fell back while the four abishai rushed forward to attack. While Azarr Kul remained invisible, the companions took on the abishai. One was able to summon another and while the abishai fell before the companions’' attacks, their regenerative powers kept bringing them back into the fight. And meanwhile, Azarr Kul was somewhere in the room, casting spells to both heal himself and buff himself up. Eventually, Barros went over to the whole and climbed onto the rope, carefully while holding onto a rope above a 100' drop, cast invisibility purge. Suddenly, Azarr Kul appeared near the back of the room. Grull charged but was stopped by some protective barrier. Aslan and Tala both blasted the half-dragon with spell and arrow doing significant damage. The half-dragon followed with his own attack spell, and cast a flame strike on Aslan, Tala, and Barros. All were able to resist most of the damage, however, the rope that Barros was hanging on incinerated instantly, causing the cleric to plummet 100' to the altar room below. Barros barely survived but had no way to get back up. Finally, Tala was able to get a clear shot at Azarr Kul and filled him with arrows. The cleric fell dead to the ground. For a brief moment the companions breathed a sigh of relief. However their relief was short lived as a roar bellowed throughout the room. And just as suddenly, the five chromatic dragon heads surrounding the raised dais breathed their respective breath weapons onto the dais engulfing it in fire, acid, cold, and electricity. And Grull was still standing on the dais. He managed to dive off but still taking grievous damage from the magical elemental energy. Then the portal above the dais opened and to the companions' horror it seemed as if Tiamat herself appeared. A huge five-headed dragon stepped onto the dais and in one bite from the blue head, gulped down the crumpled body of Azarr Kul. This was not Tiamat herself but an Aspect of Tiamat. Still an extremely dangerous foe, the companions took the fight to the creature. It bellowed in rage and spewed fire from one of its heads with the rest attacking the other companions not caught in the blast. The battle raged with Grull, fully healed by Mishka, slashing at the Aspect, while Tala fired her bow with deadly precision. Aslan kept casting spells at the Aspect. The Aspect, spewed elemental energy once again, this time a line of acid at Tala. Caught off-guard she nearly fell as the acid ate away at clothing and skin. Finally, Aslan cast his own spell at the Aspect and the creature fell before the magical onslaught. The battle was over. With their leader dead, the remaining denizens of the Fane fled. The companions did find Azarr Kul's personal bedchamber on their way out of the Fane. In it they found an interesting note. It read: [I]"High Wyrmlord Azarr Kul, I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. It pleases me to hear of your latest conquests and I am glad the forces I sent could be of use even though your assassin did not complete his task. Though I did hear from some sources that one of the original five meddlers has been killed. But despite your assassin's failure, I am pleased we could come to a different, yet just as mutually helpful, solution to both our problems. I look forward to seeing you once your conquest of Elsir Vale is complete. And once my goal has been completed I am sure we will be seeing more of each other. Once again, I wish you the best of luck and may Tiamat smile upon you. If you need to reach me for any reason, please send any communications to my servant, Chundag. He is currently at the Dunerain Mines completing a task for me. -Skullshank"[/I] Realizing that this Skullshank was the same one they were looking into almost two months ago before the invasion of the Red Hand horde, they took the note to ponder their next move. However, they needed to get back to Brindol with the news of what had happened. In the days that followed their return to Brindol, the companions were hailed again as heroes. They also found that life was beginning to return to the Vale. Already the displaced refugees were returning to rebuild what they had to and continue on, such was the spirit of the Valefolk. Each of the companions were presented with gifts from Lord Jaarmath and the rest of the High Council including the Tiri Kitor elves. Then Grull decided to look into some personal business in the mountain village of Red Rock. Meanwhile, Aslan, Tala, Barros, and Mishka awaited their friend's return and relaxed for the first time in months, in the city of Brindol. (While some companions go on personal quests, others will find more even more adventure to be had in Elsir Vale. All that, and the search for the mysterious Skullshank, will continue.) [/QUOTE]
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