For the best way to read this thread then go to- Thread Tools and 'Show Printable Version', all you have to do is click on the links for the images.
The Friday Knights
Session 11- The Keep on the Shadowfell Part 5
In play this week we have-
Antaurea, Eladrin Ranger Level 2
Astaroth, Human Fighter Level 3
Cathal, Human Fighter Level 3
Farkill, Dwarven Cleric of Moradin Level 1
Ignaran, Human Druid Level 3
Immeral, Eladrin Artificer Level 3
Lucan, Elven Rogue Level 2
Seven PCs, that's too many- we'll sacrifice some along the way, particularly as two of the players are doubling up- Simon with Cathal and Immeral; Mike with Antaurea and Ignaran. However nobody wanted to back down for the final fight, particularly after the fracas earlier with the Bloodreavers. I think they see me as a cruel DM out to push them to their limits, in truth the series of encounters after they entered the Keep's catacombs were extremely difficult, especially for the lower level characters- but also heavy on the Defenders too, racing through their Healing Surges. Zoran, who plays Farkill, is a godsend- Immeral couldn't keep up with the damage being dished out to the Knights in the previous battles.
So we'll be dropping a few of the secondary characters as soon as we're able.
Now back to the action.
The Cathedral of Shadow has been fully investigated by Lucan, all of the enemies except the Dark Creeper, RumpledSplitSkin, had been spotted prior to the Knights' charge into the fray, and that's the tactic they know best- with Cathal and Astaroth in the front row the Knights rumble into the fight.
The stout defenders charge into the Human Barbarians and instantly make their mark, which draws out all manner of creatures- actually mostly Vampire Spawn, who menacingly glide to attack.
The fact that they are minions is soon divined, much to the chagrin of the players, Cathal cleaves through two of them with a swat of his mighty longsword.
There follows a concerted effort by all of the Knights and moments later there are only the Berserkers, one of whom is badly bloodied, the Flesh Prince who has yet to hit anything and Fat Ralph, the Orcus Underpriest- who has yet to miss.
The Underpriest gets up close quickly, buffs one of the Berserkers with his Infuse With Shadow power; hits Farkill with a Shadow Curse- welcome to the Knights, and then goes mental with his Mace as he's dragged into the slugfest.
And just when the Knights think they're really winning, with only Cathal and Astaroth bloodied, RumpledSplitSkin, the Dark Creeper appears and plants his dagger in Ignaran's back.
It's not enough however...
[DM Interlude- will it ever be enough I ask myself, kidding- loving it as usual.]
Soon after, the bad guys are biting the dirt with alarming regulatory, the Human Berserkers fall, the Dark Creeper keeps taking bow shots, and Lucan has moved behind Fat Ralph - which usually means the bell is about to ring to signal the end of the fight.
The Flesh Prince, the Clay Scout who has been pestering the Knights for a while now, takes the opportunity to, in the idiom of the streets (here in the UK), 'do one.' He heads below, down the bloody hole in the centre of the chamber.
And so it goes, and so it goes...
The Cathedral of Shadows, briefly illuminated by the Friday Knight experience.
[DM Interlude Encounter #31 [1315 XP = Level 4] Vampire Spawn x5 (Level 6 Minions); Flesh Prince, Clay Scout (Level 3 Lurker); Dark Creeper (Level 5 Skirmisher); Human Berserker x2 (Level 5 Brutes) & Fat Ralph, Underpriest of Orcus (Level 6 Controller)]
[DM Interlude- Antaurea now has enough XP to advance to level 3, all he needs is an extended rest.]
The Knights search the dead and find little of value, Farkill has made a friend in Astaroth- the pair take out their frustrations (whatever they may be) on the statue of Orcus in the chamber, and the altar- they smash the place up.
The blood however continues to flow- which is extremely off putting.
Eventually the Knights congregate around the bloody hole, there are chains leading down into the abyss below, and lights down there.
“Follow that Clay Scout.” Cathal declares. There follows a scrambled descent of the chains, all the more miraculous because none of the Knights, save one- Astaroth, the big lug, make the descent without injury and in good time. It's a shame, then, that their climb leaves them standing knee deep in a massive trough of blood.
“My armour!” Cathal declares, chews on his 'tache a moment and then launches himself at the nearest enemy, a flailing tentacled monster, a Dolgaunt Warrior.
The chamber the Knights find themselves in is huge, to the south is an altar affair guarded by a cowled figure, which is initially identified as the end-of-level-bad-guy; alas the shy creature turns out to be 'the Stig', a Deathlock Wight, still he's pleased of the company.
To the east is a great portal, that is to say a stone arch of ancient construction, captured within it's window an inky black screen which shapes and bulges, as if something terrible were trying to break through its fragile skin. Before the portal a great magical circle which fizzes and spits with raw power.
To the west another huge statue of Orcus, the Lord of Undeath; Farkill pulls Astaroth from his bloody bath and nods towards it- the pair lick their lips (metaphorically you understand).
To the north is another altar, at which Kalarel stands- ah here's the end-of-level-bad-guy; a cowled and robed man, subterranean white skin and bulging eyes, he's no looker. The fell Scion of Orcus points a skull-topped rod at the Knights and declares- “my master awaits your embrace...”
And it kicks off.
Naturally there are quite a few bodies preventing the Knights getting straight to Kalarel, including a pair of flailing Dolgaunt Warriors, also a pair of heavily armed and armoured Skeleton Warriors and the Flesh Prince, yep he's back, and about to make his stand for homunculi everywhere.
Cathal forgets what he's doing, dazed - courtesy of the Flesh Prince's dark powers. Which more than makes up for the fact that the Dolgaunt Warriors seem not to be able to hit a barn door from a yard away- they flail ineffectively right through to their inevitable demise.
The Skeleton Warriors are much better equipped however. Soon Cathal, Astaroth and Farkill are bloodied. Immeral is consigned to healing duties once again; Ignaran is having a very tough time with 'the Stig', and is soon after bloodied also; Lucan is just staying out of the way as much as he can- content to fling daggers into the fray with only limited success.
The Knights' situation goes from bad to worse when Kalarel's Decaying Rays start to hit the defenders, leaving them weakened and only able to dish up half damage, when they do manage to connect.
[DM Interlude- it looks like I've got them, the Dolgaunts are not making a difference, but the Knights are missing a lot, and getting worn down quickly.]
Farkill has to back out of the fight, badly in need of more healing, he finds a safe-ish spot and concentrates his efforts on healing the others and failing to hit with his ranged Divine effects.
[DM Interlude- Farkill failing to hit things will become one of the most prominent themes of this saga, when the going gets tough Farkill's dice are almost always found wanting- never in my life have I witnessed a player roll so many natural 4's. Uncanny.]
And what turns it is this- Ignaran and Immarel take down 'the Stig', alas not some titanic assault rather a war of attrition, death by a thousand paper cuts, that's not to say it's anti-climactic, for a long moment the Knights' struggle has gripped the undefined on-line confines of our collective imagination, er... where to go with that statement.
'The Stig' falls, his last words a plea for forgiveness- “I'll see you in hell, I'll be the one gnawing on your spleen!” directed at Lucan, who delivers the final blow- from a safe distance you understand. At least I think it was a plea for forgiveness.
Which frees up the artillery nicely, less than thirty seconds later the Dolgaunt Warriors have packed their tentacles up and shuffled off this mortal coil, the Skeleton Warriors soon after go the same way.
A brief game of cat-and-mouse with Immeral, Ignaran and the Clay Scout plays out- brief and bloody- and most of all one-sided. The Flesh Prince meets his unmaker.
Which just leaves the babbling Scion of Orcus- Kalarel.
It looks like it's going to be a lopsided affair- one versus seven.
And so it proves.
Briefly.
Tentacles are so in this season.
Kalarel is quickly bloodied, and the Knights' collective grimaces have turned into grins.
However...
Kalarel blinks out of existence and reappears within the confines of the magic circle, worse, the black sheen behind him finally breaks, sends shards of shadowfell crafted black glass shattering into the chamber, and from the inky madness emerges a riot of lunging, lashing tentacles.
The Shadow Portal is open.
I think Astaroth best sums up the mood- “naughty word!”, he exclaims, with gusto.
And thus the tension is cranked up again.
[DM Interlude- I should have known.]
Cathal leads the charge, it's one-for-all-and-all-for-one, or so it seems- every one of the Knights unleash whatever manner of fury they have not as yet spent, and Kalarel lasts a little more than ten seconds.
[DM Interlude- bugger!]
The tentacled monstrosity dances forward, grabs the corpse of the Scion of Orcus by its feet and drags Kalarel back into the shadow...
Cathal, Ignaran, Immeral and Farkill begin to intone; words of faith and arcana- the portal slowly knits back together, the black sheen returns to the space beneath the arch, the inky black shards of shadowfell skitter and scuttle back the way they came into their inky-hell.
The Shadow Portal is closed.
[DM Interlude- I wish it'd make up its bloody mind!]
[DM Interlude Encounter #32 [2325XP = Level 7] The Flesh Prince, Clay Scout (Level 3 Lurker); Dolgaunt Warrior x2 (Level 3 Soldiers); Skeleton Warriors x3 (Level 4 Soldiers); Stig, Deathlock Wight (Level 5 Controller); Skill Challenge- Close the Shadow Rift (Level 4 Elite) & Kalarel, Scion of Orcus (Level 9 Elite Controller). Titanic, and for a good while I thought I had the Knights, at last, foolish.]
[DM Interlude- Farkill now has enough XP to advance to level 2, all he needs is an extended rest.]
The Knights rest, just after Ignaran gathers up the discarded Rod of Ruin.
Alas their rest is not without incident, a collective dream, a waking dream- pieced together later.
A vision.
A cloaked Tiefling.
An army of demons pouring into and across the Nentir Vale, blood-letting on an apocalyptic scale.
The same Tiefling, swathed in Shadow, entering a green-hued portal, seen through the portal a dense and lush jungle, the Tiefling is leading the demon army.
The Rod of Ruin clutched in the Tiefling's hand- pointing the way.
The demon army fighting... and losing, the jungle is the Feywild, the defenders of the place Eladrin, thousands of Eladrin- fighting for their homeland.
The demon army withdrawing, a tenth of its original size, retreating- back through the portal.
The shadow.
Like floating at the edge of black.
Like floating at the edge of the end.
The end of everything.
Then a flicker, a single image, the same Tiefling seen earlier standing atop a great stepped stone pyramid, the Tiefling's robes fluttering in the winds, its eyes...
Then nothing.
The vision ends.
Rested, the Knights eye each other suspiciously, Cathal breaks the spell and tells the others what he has seen, the others nod, and add detail, for they have seen it too.
Confidence grows, the Knights eat and then go about their business, Kalarel it seems was not alone in his efforts to open the portal, he has orders, orders from someone calling themselves 'the Bringer of Change.'
He's one to look out for, clearly.
The orders are very chatty, and go a little like this-
“Greetings Kalarel,
I am happy to hear that your plan is progressing well in Winterhaven. I approve of your suggested change in the Ritual of Unbinding, I think you are on the right track. The Nerath seal will soon be broken and our dark Lord's hordes will yet again stalk the lands of the living. Keep an eye on the Bloodreavers, they have started to ask questions. If you require further assistance you have only to ask.
The Bringer of Change.”
As I say- chatty. It seems the ultimate evil have been working on their 'Investors in People' status.
More treasures are located, a good deal of gold and a magical +2 dagger- which Lucan lays claim to.
The statue of Orcus you ask, and you really need not, presume the worst for statues from here on in. Skilled craftsmen may have toiled for millennia but that don't mean
when you have a big hammer and/or axe, preferably both, and two ignorant lugs to wield them.
Astaroth and his buddy Farkill set to work.
Everything is smashed.
Don't ask... everything.
Eventually the Knights leave the rubble strewn chamber and head up back into the lower catacombs of the Keep, back through the chamber previously packed with the shambling undead, through the chamber with the trapped statue, and straight back into the clutches of the Bloodreavers, who have prepared a suitable reception.
The fight gets bloody very quickly.
The Knights are outnumbered, particularly as the decision is taken on exiting the Shadow Portal chamber to abandon Antaurea and Immeral for the remainder of the session.
[DM Interlude- and yet I still decided to throw the full weight of the next encounter at the reduced Knights, meh. I have a black heart, it matches my soul rest assured.]
The bad guys form a queue, or at least that's how it seems.
Back in the Lower Guardroom there are nine Hobgoblin Grunts, five heavily armed Hobgoblin Soldiers; two Hobgoblin Archers; a Hobgoblin Warcaster; Balgron, the Goblin Chieftain; Pensacola, Kobold Wyrmpriest (remember him) and Tra'ak, an enormous Hobgoblin Warchief- who leads the horde.
As usual the Grunts are cut down like chaff, although with their shields locked in defence they still need well aimed blows to take them down. The Soldiers and the Archers take a beating, the Warcaster is hit enough for him to retreat.
Balgron the Fat is targeted for some serious abuse, and is swiftly killed- he was still much injured from his previous encounters with the Knights. Pensacola too is badly injured, and flees, again.
The Knights are winning the day. Still, this is only their first encounter after their extended rest down in the portal chamber.
[DM Interlude- note I had a plan here, it sometimes helps. I wanted the fight to be as difficult as possible and to generate the required emotions- see below for how it all turns out, which is pretty much what I wanted to happen.]
Eventually someone sees sense, the someone being Tra'ak the scimtar wielding Bloodreaver Chieftain- he calls for parley, and in an enlightened moment the Knights agree. There are still a lot of bad guys standing, only the Grunts and Balgron have fallen, and they're taking plenty of hits.
It seems Tra'ak just wants to be off- away from the Keep, to lead his Bloodreavers elsewhere, there follows much chin scratching and moral questing- do the Knights let the Bloodreavers go? Lucan couldn't give a damn, he's all for the easy life... The chatter goes on for some time, no threats just heaps of suspicion from the Knights.
[DM Interlude Encounter #33 [2596XP = Level 10] Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Grunt x9 (Level 4 Minions); Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Soldiers x5 (Level 4 Soldiers), Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Archer x2 (Level 4 Artillery); Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Warcaster (Level 4 Controller); Balgron the Fat, Goblin Chieftain (Level 5 Lurker); Pensacola, Kobold Wyrmpriest (Level 5 Artillery) & Tra'ak Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Warchief (Level 5 Elite Soldier)]
Bloodreavers Party on Dudes!
Eventually Astaroth comes up with a mature and sensible compromise. I know, I was surprised too.
It goes a little like this- he will fight Tra'ak single-handedly, if he wins Tra'ak will surrender; if he loses Tra'ak and his Bloodreavers will be allowed to leave unmolested. The rules are agreed and the fracas kicks off.
It's a massacre.
Astaroth is reduced to a bloody mess by the Hobgoblin Bloodreaver leader in a matter of seconds (I'd say approx five rounds). Farkill has to scuttle to the fallen Astaroth and administer emergency healing, so bloodied and battered is the man-mountain.
Tra'ak grunts a while, barely wounded, grins a little and points his scimitar at the other Knights, declares 'next time', and leads the Bloodreavers off.
Leaving the Knights, and in particular Astaroth, to lick their wounds.
[DM Interlude Encounter #33 [800XP = Level 13] Tra'ak Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Warchief (Level 5 Elite Soldier)]
Astaroth takes a kicking- he never stood a chance!
The Knights, somewhat subdued, take to wandering the halls; discover any number of deserted chambers abandoned by the Bloodreavers, all empty, at least of treasures and clues. Rather forlornly, and in silence, they mount the stairs and head back up to the first level of the dungeons.
And so endeth the eleventh session of the Friday Knights adventures, with 9609 XP gained.
More next time...
The Friday Knights
Session 11- The Keep on the Shadowfell Part 5
In play this week we have-
Antaurea, Eladrin Ranger Level 2
Astaroth, Human Fighter Level 3
Cathal, Human Fighter Level 3
Farkill, Dwarven Cleric of Moradin Level 1
Ignaran, Human Druid Level 3
Immeral, Eladrin Artificer Level 3
Lucan, Elven Rogue Level 2
Seven PCs, that's too many- we'll sacrifice some along the way, particularly as two of the players are doubling up- Simon with Cathal and Immeral; Mike with Antaurea and Ignaran. However nobody wanted to back down for the final fight, particularly after the fracas earlier with the Bloodreavers. I think they see me as a cruel DM out to push them to their limits, in truth the series of encounters after they entered the Keep's catacombs were extremely difficult, especially for the lower level characters- but also heavy on the Defenders too, racing through their Healing Surges. Zoran, who plays Farkill, is a godsend- Immeral couldn't keep up with the damage being dished out to the Knights in the previous battles.
So we'll be dropping a few of the secondary characters as soon as we're able.
Now back to the action.
The Cathedral of Shadow has been fully investigated by Lucan, all of the enemies except the Dark Creeper, RumpledSplitSkin, had been spotted prior to the Knights' charge into the fray, and that's the tactic they know best- with Cathal and Astaroth in the front row the Knights rumble into the fight.
The stout defenders charge into the Human Barbarians and instantly make their mark, which draws out all manner of creatures- actually mostly Vampire Spawn, who menacingly glide to attack.
The fact that they are minions is soon divined, much to the chagrin of the players, Cathal cleaves through two of them with a swat of his mighty longsword.
There follows a concerted effort by all of the Knights and moments later there are only the Berserkers, one of whom is badly bloodied, the Flesh Prince who has yet to hit anything and Fat Ralph, the Orcus Underpriest- who has yet to miss.
The Underpriest gets up close quickly, buffs one of the Berserkers with his Infuse With Shadow power; hits Farkill with a Shadow Curse- welcome to the Knights, and then goes mental with his Mace as he's dragged into the slugfest.
And just when the Knights think they're really winning, with only Cathal and Astaroth bloodied, RumpledSplitSkin, the Dark Creeper appears and plants his dagger in Ignaran's back.
It's not enough however...
[DM Interlude- will it ever be enough I ask myself, kidding- loving it as usual.]
Soon after, the bad guys are biting the dirt with alarming regulatory, the Human Berserkers fall, the Dark Creeper keeps taking bow shots, and Lucan has moved behind Fat Ralph - which usually means the bell is about to ring to signal the end of the fight.
The Flesh Prince, the Clay Scout who has been pestering the Knights for a while now, takes the opportunity to, in the idiom of the streets (here in the UK), 'do one.' He heads below, down the bloody hole in the centre of the chamber.
And so it goes, and so it goes...
The Cathedral of Shadows, briefly illuminated by the Friday Knight experience.
[DM Interlude Encounter #31 [1315 XP = Level 4] Vampire Spawn x5 (Level 6 Minions); Flesh Prince, Clay Scout (Level 3 Lurker); Dark Creeper (Level 5 Skirmisher); Human Berserker x2 (Level 5 Brutes) & Fat Ralph, Underpriest of Orcus (Level 6 Controller)]
[DM Interlude- Antaurea now has enough XP to advance to level 3, all he needs is an extended rest.]
The Knights search the dead and find little of value, Farkill has made a friend in Astaroth- the pair take out their frustrations (whatever they may be) on the statue of Orcus in the chamber, and the altar- they smash the place up.
The blood however continues to flow- which is extremely off putting.
Eventually the Knights congregate around the bloody hole, there are chains leading down into the abyss below, and lights down there.
“Follow that Clay Scout.” Cathal declares. There follows a scrambled descent of the chains, all the more miraculous because none of the Knights, save one- Astaroth, the big lug, make the descent without injury and in good time. It's a shame, then, that their climb leaves them standing knee deep in a massive trough of blood.
“My armour!” Cathal declares, chews on his 'tache a moment and then launches himself at the nearest enemy, a flailing tentacled monster, a Dolgaunt Warrior.
The chamber the Knights find themselves in is huge, to the south is an altar affair guarded by a cowled figure, which is initially identified as the end-of-level-bad-guy; alas the shy creature turns out to be 'the Stig', a Deathlock Wight, still he's pleased of the company.
To the east is a great portal, that is to say a stone arch of ancient construction, captured within it's window an inky black screen which shapes and bulges, as if something terrible were trying to break through its fragile skin. Before the portal a great magical circle which fizzes and spits with raw power.
To the west another huge statue of Orcus, the Lord of Undeath; Farkill pulls Astaroth from his bloody bath and nods towards it- the pair lick their lips (metaphorically you understand).
To the north is another altar, at which Kalarel stands- ah here's the end-of-level-bad-guy; a cowled and robed man, subterranean white skin and bulging eyes, he's no looker. The fell Scion of Orcus points a skull-topped rod at the Knights and declares- “my master awaits your embrace...”
And it kicks off.
Naturally there are quite a few bodies preventing the Knights getting straight to Kalarel, including a pair of flailing Dolgaunt Warriors, also a pair of heavily armed and armoured Skeleton Warriors and the Flesh Prince, yep he's back, and about to make his stand for homunculi everywhere.
Cathal forgets what he's doing, dazed - courtesy of the Flesh Prince's dark powers. Which more than makes up for the fact that the Dolgaunt Warriors seem not to be able to hit a barn door from a yard away- they flail ineffectively right through to their inevitable demise.
The Skeleton Warriors are much better equipped however. Soon Cathal, Astaroth and Farkill are bloodied. Immeral is consigned to healing duties once again; Ignaran is having a very tough time with 'the Stig', and is soon after bloodied also; Lucan is just staying out of the way as much as he can- content to fling daggers into the fray with only limited success.
The Knights' situation goes from bad to worse when Kalarel's Decaying Rays start to hit the defenders, leaving them weakened and only able to dish up half damage, when they do manage to connect.
[DM Interlude- it looks like I've got them, the Dolgaunts are not making a difference, but the Knights are missing a lot, and getting worn down quickly.]
Farkill has to back out of the fight, badly in need of more healing, he finds a safe-ish spot and concentrates his efforts on healing the others and failing to hit with his ranged Divine effects.
[DM Interlude- Farkill failing to hit things will become one of the most prominent themes of this saga, when the going gets tough Farkill's dice are almost always found wanting- never in my life have I witnessed a player roll so many natural 4's. Uncanny.]
And what turns it is this- Ignaran and Immarel take down 'the Stig', alas not some titanic assault rather a war of attrition, death by a thousand paper cuts, that's not to say it's anti-climactic, for a long moment the Knights' struggle has gripped the undefined on-line confines of our collective imagination, er... where to go with that statement.
'The Stig' falls, his last words a plea for forgiveness- “I'll see you in hell, I'll be the one gnawing on your spleen!” directed at Lucan, who delivers the final blow- from a safe distance you understand. At least I think it was a plea for forgiveness.
Which frees up the artillery nicely, less than thirty seconds later the Dolgaunt Warriors have packed their tentacles up and shuffled off this mortal coil, the Skeleton Warriors soon after go the same way.
A brief game of cat-and-mouse with Immeral, Ignaran and the Clay Scout plays out- brief and bloody- and most of all one-sided. The Flesh Prince meets his unmaker.
Which just leaves the babbling Scion of Orcus- Kalarel.
It looks like it's going to be a lopsided affair- one versus seven.
And so it proves.
Briefly.
Tentacles are so in this season.
Kalarel is quickly bloodied, and the Knights' collective grimaces have turned into grins.
However...
Kalarel blinks out of existence and reappears within the confines of the magic circle, worse, the black sheen behind him finally breaks, sends shards of shadowfell crafted black glass shattering into the chamber, and from the inky madness emerges a riot of lunging, lashing tentacles.
The Shadow Portal is open.
I think Astaroth best sums up the mood- “naughty word!”, he exclaims, with gusto.
And thus the tension is cranked up again.
[DM Interlude- I should have known.]
Cathal leads the charge, it's one-for-all-and-all-for-one, or so it seems- every one of the Knights unleash whatever manner of fury they have not as yet spent, and Kalarel lasts a little more than ten seconds.
[DM Interlude- bugger!]
The tentacled monstrosity dances forward, grabs the corpse of the Scion of Orcus by its feet and drags Kalarel back into the shadow...
Cathal, Ignaran, Immeral and Farkill begin to intone; words of faith and arcana- the portal slowly knits back together, the black sheen returns to the space beneath the arch, the inky black shards of shadowfell skitter and scuttle back the way they came into their inky-hell.
The Shadow Portal is closed.
[DM Interlude- I wish it'd make up its bloody mind!]
[DM Interlude Encounter #32 [2325XP = Level 7] The Flesh Prince, Clay Scout (Level 3 Lurker); Dolgaunt Warrior x2 (Level 3 Soldiers); Skeleton Warriors x3 (Level 4 Soldiers); Stig, Deathlock Wight (Level 5 Controller); Skill Challenge- Close the Shadow Rift (Level 4 Elite) & Kalarel, Scion of Orcus (Level 9 Elite Controller). Titanic, and for a good while I thought I had the Knights, at last, foolish.]
[DM Interlude- Farkill now has enough XP to advance to level 2, all he needs is an extended rest.]
The Knights rest, just after Ignaran gathers up the discarded Rod of Ruin.
Alas their rest is not without incident, a collective dream, a waking dream- pieced together later.
A vision.
A cloaked Tiefling.
An army of demons pouring into and across the Nentir Vale, blood-letting on an apocalyptic scale.
The same Tiefling, swathed in Shadow, entering a green-hued portal, seen through the portal a dense and lush jungle, the Tiefling is leading the demon army.
The Rod of Ruin clutched in the Tiefling's hand- pointing the way.
The demon army fighting... and losing, the jungle is the Feywild, the defenders of the place Eladrin, thousands of Eladrin- fighting for their homeland.
The demon army withdrawing, a tenth of its original size, retreating- back through the portal.
The shadow.
Like floating at the edge of black.
Like floating at the edge of the end.
The end of everything.
Then a flicker, a single image, the same Tiefling seen earlier standing atop a great stepped stone pyramid, the Tiefling's robes fluttering in the winds, its eyes...
Then nothing.
The vision ends.
Rested, the Knights eye each other suspiciously, Cathal breaks the spell and tells the others what he has seen, the others nod, and add detail, for they have seen it too.
Confidence grows, the Knights eat and then go about their business, Kalarel it seems was not alone in his efforts to open the portal, he has orders, orders from someone calling themselves 'the Bringer of Change.'
He's one to look out for, clearly.
The orders are very chatty, and go a little like this-
“Greetings Kalarel,
I am happy to hear that your plan is progressing well in Winterhaven. I approve of your suggested change in the Ritual of Unbinding, I think you are on the right track. The Nerath seal will soon be broken and our dark Lord's hordes will yet again stalk the lands of the living. Keep an eye on the Bloodreavers, they have started to ask questions. If you require further assistance you have only to ask.
The Bringer of Change.”
As I say- chatty. It seems the ultimate evil have been working on their 'Investors in People' status.
More treasures are located, a good deal of gold and a magical +2 dagger- which Lucan lays claim to.
The statue of Orcus you ask, and you really need not, presume the worst for statues from here on in. Skilled craftsmen may have toiled for millennia but that don't mean
when you have a big hammer and/or axe, preferably both, and two ignorant lugs to wield them.Astaroth and his buddy Farkill set to work.
Everything is smashed.
Don't ask... everything.
Eventually the Knights leave the rubble strewn chamber and head up back into the lower catacombs of the Keep, back through the chamber previously packed with the shambling undead, through the chamber with the trapped statue, and straight back into the clutches of the Bloodreavers, who have prepared a suitable reception.
The fight gets bloody very quickly.
The Knights are outnumbered, particularly as the decision is taken on exiting the Shadow Portal chamber to abandon Antaurea and Immeral for the remainder of the session.
[DM Interlude- and yet I still decided to throw the full weight of the next encounter at the reduced Knights, meh. I have a black heart, it matches my soul rest assured.]
The bad guys form a queue, or at least that's how it seems.
Back in the Lower Guardroom there are nine Hobgoblin Grunts, five heavily armed Hobgoblin Soldiers; two Hobgoblin Archers; a Hobgoblin Warcaster; Balgron, the Goblin Chieftain; Pensacola, Kobold Wyrmpriest (remember him) and Tra'ak, an enormous Hobgoblin Warchief- who leads the horde.
As usual the Grunts are cut down like chaff, although with their shields locked in defence they still need well aimed blows to take them down. The Soldiers and the Archers take a beating, the Warcaster is hit enough for him to retreat.
Balgron the Fat is targeted for some serious abuse, and is swiftly killed- he was still much injured from his previous encounters with the Knights. Pensacola too is badly injured, and flees, again.
The Knights are winning the day. Still, this is only their first encounter after their extended rest down in the portal chamber.
[DM Interlude- note I had a plan here, it sometimes helps. I wanted the fight to be as difficult as possible and to generate the required emotions- see below for how it all turns out, which is pretty much what I wanted to happen.]
Eventually someone sees sense, the someone being Tra'ak the scimtar wielding Bloodreaver Chieftain- he calls for parley, and in an enlightened moment the Knights agree. There are still a lot of bad guys standing, only the Grunts and Balgron have fallen, and they're taking plenty of hits.
It seems Tra'ak just wants to be off- away from the Keep, to lead his Bloodreavers elsewhere, there follows much chin scratching and moral questing- do the Knights let the Bloodreavers go? Lucan couldn't give a damn, he's all for the easy life... The chatter goes on for some time, no threats just heaps of suspicion from the Knights.
[DM Interlude Encounter #33 [2596XP = Level 10] Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Grunt x9 (Level 4 Minions); Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Soldiers x5 (Level 4 Soldiers), Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Archer x2 (Level 4 Artillery); Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Warcaster (Level 4 Controller); Balgron the Fat, Goblin Chieftain (Level 5 Lurker); Pensacola, Kobold Wyrmpriest (Level 5 Artillery) & Tra'ak Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Warchief (Level 5 Elite Soldier)]
Bloodreavers Party on Dudes!
Eventually Astaroth comes up with a mature and sensible compromise. I know, I was surprised too.
It goes a little like this- he will fight Tra'ak single-handedly, if he wins Tra'ak will surrender; if he loses Tra'ak and his Bloodreavers will be allowed to leave unmolested. The rules are agreed and the fracas kicks off.
It's a massacre.
Astaroth is reduced to a bloody mess by the Hobgoblin Bloodreaver leader in a matter of seconds (I'd say approx five rounds). Farkill has to scuttle to the fallen Astaroth and administer emergency healing, so bloodied and battered is the man-mountain.
Tra'ak grunts a while, barely wounded, grins a little and points his scimitar at the other Knights, declares 'next time', and leads the Bloodreavers off.
Leaving the Knights, and in particular Astaroth, to lick their wounds.
[DM Interlude Encounter #33 [800XP = Level 13] Tra'ak Bloodreaver Hobgoblin Warchief (Level 5 Elite Soldier)]
Astaroth takes a kicking- he never stood a chance!
The Knights, somewhat subdued, take to wandering the halls; discover any number of deserted chambers abandoned by the Bloodreavers, all empty, at least of treasures and clues. Rather forlornly, and in silence, they mount the stairs and head back up to the first level of the dungeons.
And so endeth the eleventh session of the Friday Knights adventures, with 9609 XP gained.
More next time...
