NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1336098" data-attributes="member: 1210">Someone Other Than Lester Wakes Up An Ancient EvilIn a far darkling realm, brooding in contemplation within his Fortress of Conclusion, the demilich Acererak wonders whether these adventurers will be strong enough to fuel his apotheosis.  So close, so close.Soon- if only he can lure enough individuals that are worthy enough- he will transcend the meager limitations of skull and gem that restricts him now.  Already he has grown powerful enough to master his control within the Fortress; indeed, his spirit can take form there even as his former bones lie undisturbed in his crypt.  For, indeed, how often are his physical remains disturbed?And then it comes- a sudden pain.Someone- perhaps those adventurers following the interloper’s trail- is disturbing them right now.  Someone has actually managed to damage his skull.***The room has a vaulted ceiling about 25’ overhead.  Strange runes are scribed on the back wall- arcane-looking sigils but, as far as our heroes can tell, meaningless.Carefully, Thrush enters the chamber.  Behind him, Patyn squints and shakes his head.  “It can’t be,” the hunter of the dead whispers to himself.  Verzavi glances sharply up at him from where she’s sitting the drooling Angelfire down near the bend in the hallway.Suddenly, as Thrush steps over the threshold, a bitter wind springs up from nowhere.  For an instant that’s all; then a spectral form coalesces before Thrush with a frightful moan!“Undead!” the fighter calls out a warning, and then that big ol’ greatsword’s in his hands, and then he’s just inflicted a series of incredible blows on the thing!*  It seems to flicker for an instant as it’s lit from within by a chain lightning cast by Azekia and a call lightning cast by Ulla.“Payton, what is that frickin’ thing??” Drelvin cries.  Arrows twang from his bow and into the spectral thing, arrow after arrow sticking into it as if they were hovering in mid-air.  Rex and Verzavi move in, the githzerai springing forward to land a blow and then springing away while the dragon disciple strides in and claws.  The spectral form tries to strike him back, but Rex dodges aside.  Then Thrush finishes the thing with a pair of fine blows.  “It’s not over,” Patyn warns.  His voice sounds shaky.  “The skull’s undead.”“What the hell is it?” Drelvin cries as Rex tumbles forward and breathes force at the skull without waiting to discuss it.  There’s a convulsion as the air in the room stirs the dust and bones shiver and the skull shows a tiny crack.  And, suddenly, the skull’s bejeweled eyes start to glow.  “Oh no,” breathes Patyn.  “It can’t be.  It’s just a legend.  I never thought it would be real...  I thought it was just a bogeyman they’d scare the apprentice hunters of the dead with.”  He sounds almost panicked.”What is it??” Drelvin demands.“It’s the demilich,” Patyn moans.The skull’s starting to levitate, dust and cobwebs falling away.  How long has it been since it moved?  Clearly decades.  It seems that someone other than Lester has woken something big and bad up for once.“Well,” Thrush says cheerily, “I guess we know what happens next.”  He swings his blade but he feels a force deflect it as it nears the skull.  With a frown, he decides he’ll have to concentrate more on offense than damage next time.  The group is spread out, back into the hall; they’re starting to move forward but they still aren’t all there yet.  Thrush confidently takes his fighting stance, his sword held firmly in both hands.  He’s pretty sure he can handle this thing if need be.  He catches a glimpse of Ulla moving forward in stone golem form and quirks a smile beneath his helm.  That’s a good way to break a bone, all right.Patyn arrives at the altar and triggers a positive energy burst.  He grins fiercely as he sees the skull take visible damage, charring and cracking.  “We must destroy it!” he cries, “It’s one of the most evil and powerful undead that exists!”Azekia grimaces, then utters a great prayer to Galador.  She bestows a death ward on Drelvin.  Just in time, too, for the skull of the demilich suddenly lets out a horrible loud wailing, and in one single instant slays Verzavi, Azekia the solar, and Rex. *From 0 to 104 points of damage in one round with no crits.  Yikes.  Thrush is scary.Next Time: Holy crap!  Watch as Thrush loses that confidence and Drelvin gets more scared than he’s ever been (even moreso than when he fought a gargantuan at 1st level)!  Who will walk away??</blockquote>

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