Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="gfunk" data-source="post: 970497" data-attributes="member: 1813">Session 43 A titanic struggle Noir stood back, wary of Desayeus’ obvious power, as Entropy’s pseudonatural creatures circled the titan.  In a howl of rage and fury, fueled by millennia of imprisonment the god's maul crashed into his opponent with unearthly force, easily crushing bone.  As the pseudonatural salamander fell over, Desayeus raised the warhammer above his head and brought it crashing down as pieces of flesh and sinew flew in all directions.The second salamander plunged its cruelly barbed spear into the titan drawing blood and eliciting even more anger.  Seeing her chance, Noir charged into position and flanked the monstrous deity tearing into his tendons with expert precision.Nurn struggled mightily, but he found that he could not break free of the powerful evocation as it slowly squeezed the life out of him.  Activating his helm, he teleported free from the hand’s crushing grasp and appeared next to Noir.  Placed in a similar albeit less painful predicament, Amal was encased in a cube of force.  He too was able to exit his confinement, but unlike Nurn, he had no interest in re-appearing so close to a fallen god so he instead choose to materialize in the corner of the large chamber.Appreciative of Desayeus’ spellcasting power and obvious protective magics, Entropy launched an abjuration that tried to strip as many of these defensive spells away as possible.  The aura surrounding the titan dimmed, his actions slowed somewhat, and the many false images encircling him disappeared as the dispelling magic took effect.Seeing himself surrounded by foes, Desayeus turned to face Noir and swung with abandon.  To the surprise of all, his gargantuan warhammer simply passed through the blackguard’s animated shield as well as her armor.  The first blow brought Noir to her knees, the second to the floor and the third and fourth were simply so much the thrashing of a corpse.It was obvious at this point that wearing down Desayeus by conventional means seemed unlikely in the extreme.  Entropy conjured up a quasi-real image of herself from the Plane of Shadow as it moved towards the statuesque titan.  As she had done successfully with the Cathezar and Eco, Entropy forced her foe to dance wildly.  Taking advantage of the momentary reprieve, both Nurn and the pseudonatural salamander tried to skewer their foe, aggravating the wounds that Noir had inflicted.Amal and Entropy both poured spell after spell into the dancing god; while the Dreadmaster tried to kill the titan outright with his Necromantic magic, his Alienist counterpart concentrated on her elemental evocations.  Despite their best efforts and incredible amounts of damage they dealt, the titan would not go down.  Recovering from his momentary incapacitation, he pounded the remaining pseudonatural creature into the ground and whirled his maul into Nurn who was sent crashing into the wall.Assessing the situation, Entropy realized that they could not win.  Killing a Solar was one thing, but deities (even fallen ones), she realized too late, were another matter entirely.  She turned towards Amal who, by his expression, had obviously reached a similar conclusion, “Dreadmaster, grab Noir’s body and get the hell out of here!”  Needing no further encouragement, the priest scooped up the blackguard’s bloody remains and moved quickly to the prison’s exit. The Alienist was at an impasse.  As the titan approached Nurn’s prone body she knew that she could take the opportunity to escape.  However, there was a twinge of something at the back of her mind . . . concern for the slaad’s safety?  No!  She shook such ridiculous thoughts from her mind!  Looking at Desayeus’ numerous injuries, Entropy wondered how much more damage the titan could take.  Trusting fate, she conjured up a minor incantation and several tiny pinpoints of light tore into his back.  The titan shuddered and fell to one knee.  Before Entropy could rejoice however, he stood once more and faced her, “IMBECILE!!  YOU SHOULD HAVE ESCAPED WITH YOUR COMPANION!!  NOW YOUR CORPSE SHALL JOIN ME FOREVER IN THIS PRISON!”Entropy turned to retreat, but knew there was no point.  The titan could easily teleport to her location and deliver her to oblivion.  As she prepared herself for death, her foe paused momentarily, a brief gurgle and spurt of blood escaping his mouth.  Then the massive giant unceremoniously collapsed to the ground with a loud crash.  Standing on the titan’s head with a bloody short sword was Nurn.“Fatality.”----------------------------------------------Extremely humbled by their encounter, the companions procured Desayeus’ Soul Totem as well as a host of magic items from the prison, as they returned into the screaming, howling winds of Pandemonium.  Covered in blood and carrying what remained of Noir’s body, the Dreadmaster dropped the remains to the floor.  “Lady Entropy, our working relationship was meant to be mutually beneficial.  In exchange for a possible alliance I was to render aid to you.  However, slaying Solars and going after imprisoned deities . . .”  He paused momentarily as a high-pitched sound appeared near them.Out of the blue a brilliant golden portal appeared, lighting the pitch blackness of Phlegethos.  Through it stepped a familiar figure clad in polished full plate mail bearing the herald of the god of justice.Entropy’s eyes narrowed with loathing, “YOU!!  So, you have decided to strike at me when I am at my weakest?  Try your best, I will deliver you into the White Banshee’s embrace.”Instead, Joachim put his hands up in a peace gesture, “Though I despise you with every fiber of my being, I have been ordered by Tyr himself to aid you in Nalavara’s destruction.  Her consumption of unborn souls has accelerated and represents a dire threat to the future of Toril.  I have been ordered to protect you until this task is accomplished.”Placated somewhat by her ex-comrade’s conciliatory tone Entropy responded, “So that’s your game, eh?  What makes you think I still want to slay Nalavara, Joachim?”  Despite Nurn’s annoyed expression, she continued, “As a matter of fact I was headed back to the Undying Temple for a well-deserved rest while I plan the conquest of the Dales with my ally Amal, Dreadmaster of Bane!”The Inquisitor smirked, “And how long do you think you can deny your destiny Entropy?  Though you may not wish to fight, by virtue of your noble birthright, Aamuel will continue to send agents to collect you.  Best you destroy the Wyrm on your own terms lest Demogorgon consume you in the process.”“Bah!  What reason do I have to trust you?  Your failed and useless assault on the Undying Temple proves your hypocrisy.  And besides, you left behind both of your comrades for dead – though I do not fault you for that as they have proven to be excellent pawns for the Revenancer.”The Alienist’s critical words grated on Joachim, but he had faith in Tyr’s wisdom, “They accepted the responsibility for their decision when they accompanied me.  But there is more Entropy, do not rest on your laurels just yet.  Your execution of Eco has angered many members of the Seraphim and more than one Solar now personally seeks your destruction.”Entropy considered his words, “You say you have to protect me, eh?  No matter what?  What if decided to waltz into Hillsfar and begin slaughtering citizens, what would you do then?”“My confidence in Tyr is absolute.  He has assigned me the task of keeping you alive while Nalavara still breathes.  No matter what occurs, I will not fail in my duty.”“I need time to take this matter into consideration.  Come, we will return to the Undying Temple.”“Never!  I will, on no account, return to that wretched place except to see it razed to the ground.  I will be in the Temple of the Triad.  When you reach your decision, contact me there.  As a token of good faith, I will bring back Noir from the dead.”Producing a gem of considerable value, Joachim chanted as he began to recall Noir’s soul.  Thinking that the paladin was still a revenant animated by Entropy, the Inquisitor hoped that his spell would restore Noir to her former noble standing.  Curiously, however, he felt a wave of despair as he completed the incantation.----------------------------------------------It was an infinity of clutching horror, a place of endless torture, despair, and anguish.  As Noir’s soul tumbled through the many layers of the Abyss she felt the familiar pull of a resurrection spell.  But wait . . . it was not Amal but rather a goodly priest – Joachim!  What could that wretched cleric want with her now?  But, looking around at the eternity of terror she had to look forward to, the decision to return was not a difficult one.</blockquote>

Verification