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Message: <blockquote data-quote="gfunk" data-source="post: 590933" data-attributes="member: 1813">Session 16 “A welcome to Tilverton” Although they were caught unaware, the party members did not find it difficult to dodge the rocks, given their numerous magical protections. Not wanting to create a disturbance so close to the city of Tilverton, the companions attempted to bring the battle to a quick and decisive end.Noir reacted first, activating her winged boots as she flew forward to meet her foes head on. Joachim began to cast a spell that would bring into being a wall of razor-sharp blades and centered it right on the Fire Giants. However, it was Entropy who ended the battle for all of them. Opening a planar rift in the middle of the quartet -- and sculpting it to a compact area --- the sorcerer catapulted the Giants into the Concordant Domain of the Outlands. The only thing that was left was a gaping tear in reality that created a cacophony that would surely alert anyone outside the gate.To solve this problem, Entropy cast a spell on herself that was the bane of spellcasters. By displacing the Weave around her body she was able to suppress all magic in her vicinity. Quickly, she ran into the middle of the planar rift, effectively sealing it and waited until the spell's duration expired.In the meantime a red-faced Noir faced the party, her well laid plans to impersonate drow nobles obviously having backfired. "Hmmm . . . That didn't work too well, but at least we didn't give away our position. I still think we should go as drow, but let's not wear any heralds."The party agreed and, after the Maelstrom ended, stepped out of the iron gate and onto the surface. Immediately they saw the skies above them were cloudy and dark. In the distance they saw the remains of the city of Tilverton. The first structure that caught their attention was a massive spider-shaped building, obviously the Fane of Lolth. It was severely damaged and looked ready to fall apart, a state of affairs that would be unthinkable in any major drow city.In contrast they saw the royal palace of Cormyr was in pristine condition, with nary a scratch. This massive building had recently been the dominion of House Kilsek, the First Noble Drow House of Tilverton. But with Lolth gone, the party guessed it was currently occupied by followers of Kiaransalee. Around the palace they saw many pinpoints of light which appeared to be large campfires, around which milled many humanoids.Hor'ahun spoke up, "I need to scout this area . . . alone. I can feel the stink of illithids here. You may go ahead, I will find you later."Although the party did not want to split up, the Githzerai was adamant.The remainder of the group followed the main road from the gate to Tilverton's entrance, with Noir and Joachim taking the lead (disguised as drow) and Entropy flying invisibly in the rear. As they approached, they saw a large campfire on the main road. They observed a couple of dozen goblins, several ogres, a handful of ogre magi and one very, very large ogre who appeared to be their leader. As the two "drow" came closer, all the creatures stood up and the lead ogre approached, speaking crudely in Common, "What the hell are your kind doing back here? You will not pass without paying the toll!"Noir seized the opportunity, "Are you mad, beast? Why would powerful drow like us even bother associating with scum like you? Let us pass and consider yourselves fortunate that we don't gut you on the spot!"The ogre laughed, "The Lady of Spiders is dead and the drow have lost their powers. You can no longer rely on your spells to save you! Do you really think the two of you can defeat all of us?"Not wanting to make a scene, Noir tried diplomacy, "Very well, what is the toll?""Your lives!!" the ogre hefted his greatclub and began to lead his minions forward but paused as a cloaked figure appeared behind the drow.Entropy, deciding to give diplomacy one last chance, had magically disguised herself as an Illithid and tried to warn the lead ogre, "Do not act hastily. Although Lolth does not grant powers, I do not rely on her. If you do not let us pass, it will be your doom!"Although his minions stepped back with uncertainty, the lead ogre would not be intimidated. "That's enough talking, now you all die! CHARGE!"Entropy shook her head in disgust. She could only cast so many Reality Maelstroms a day. She brought another one into being in the middle of the group, sucking nearly all of them into a random plane. Two goblins, however, were able to avoid the effects and began to run towards Tilverton.Joachim mounted his flying carpet and gave chase, hoping to head them off before they could alert any more forces. In the meantime, Entropy once again sealed the planar rift with anti-magic until it expired as Noir stood guard.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Flying around the ruined walls of Tilverton was a massive red-skinned creature. Its hands were unnaturally large and wickedly clawed. It regarded the many campfires below. "What a waste. I was summoned to bring forth destruction and all I can play with are these weakling humanoid scum!"--------------------------------------------------------------------------------After quickly slaying the first goblin, Joachim pursued the second. Flying at very high speed, he was easily able to overtake it and dispatch it before it could raise the alarm.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Below him, Badrazel saw the drow slay the fleeing goblin. This was strange in and of itself, for the Balor knew that most of the drow in the city were enslaved by the very beings they had subjugated for so long. A lone drow would quickly be overwhelmed and killed. As the dark elf flew away on the carpet, Badrazel followed him at a distance. "Perhaps I can kill something worthwhile after all."Joachim returned to the campfire and saw Noir (in drow form) standing guard and Entropy standing in her anti-magic field in the middle of the maelstrom.Badrazel frowned at the scene. TWO drow? And a human? What in the Abyss was going on here? From a brief glance at the campfire site, the demon was able to see the damage that had been done. However he could not see a single corpse. One thing was clear though, Kurgoth had ordered that all intruders must be slain.While Joachim and Noir waited for Entropy's rift to close, they saw a red dot in the sky. Before they could react the entire site erupted in flame as roaring columns of fire ignited the area. Caught unaware, both the Inquisitor and the Paladin suffered severe burns. Only Entropy, still in the confines of her anti-magic field, did not feel the effects.After casting the fire storm, Badrazel looked upon his prey, expecting to see three scorched corpses. However all three were standing! And one appeared to be totally unaffected! Although the balor was a brutally efficient fighter he also possessed a very keen intellect. He quickly surmised that the woman who was not damaged must be in an anti-magic area. "Perfect . . ."Flying down to engage his prey, the Balor stopped approximately 100 feet above the group. He could clearly see that one of the two drow (Joachim) possessed several powerful magical auras. "Time to rectify the situation," he thought as Badrazel hit the drow with a powerful abjuration that removed most of his magical protections.Looking up, Noir was shocked to see the Balor. She had taken considerable damage from the fire storm, but since the creature flying above her was clearly an evil fiend she ignored the pain and concentrated on her foe. Without hesitating, Noir activated her winged boots and flew up to meet the demon in combat. Stripped of his magic power, Joachim began to re-cast some of the spells he had lost -- hoping that the Paladin could hold off the Balor for a few seconds.Entropy looked up helplessly. Of all the companions, she alone knew of the Balor's awesome power and myriad capabilities. If she dismissed her anti-magic field the sorcerer guessed that the demon would try to crush her quickly with its potent arsenal of spells. Like Joachim, she hoped that Noir could slow it down so that she could put herself into a better tactical situation.Badrazel looked at them all and suppressed a chuckle. All had gone exactly as he had planned. Easily avoiding the drow that was flying up towards him, the Balor dived towards the human woman standing in the anti-magic field. Although he felt his own magical protections being suppressed as he approached, the 3,000 lb outsider had many other options at his disposal. In Badrazel’s hands were a massive greatsword shaped like a bolt of lightning and a wicked looking whip. With the greatest of ease, he snapped the whip forward wrapping it around Entropy's legs, pulling her to the ground. The Balor would greatly enjoy tearing this human limb from limb.Entropy couldn't believe the situation she had placed herself in. She could think of many places she would rather be than in melee with a Balor in an anti-magic field! Her mind raced as she tried to figure out a way to avoid a gruesome death, and then she remembered! The reason she had cast the anti-magic field in the first place was to block the planar rift and avoid alerting the city. However, that point was obviously moot now.Unfortunately, the sorcerer had absolutely no idea where the rift opened. If she was lucky she would wind up in one of the Upper Planes, but she could just as easily land in the Abyss or the Negative Energy Plane. Trusting fate, she dispelled the anti-magic aura and was pulled into the rift. The Balor felt a brief pull as well, but the demon's considerable resistance to magic allowed him to avoid the effect of the spell.As Noir and Joachim watched their long-time companion being sucked into a random plane, they hoped that they could defeat the demon alone. Right now, the odds weren't looking good...</blockquote>

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