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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tolamaker" data-source="post: 9754465" data-attributes="member: 7031495">Sessions 122-124: Into the Breach122The group flies down on their dragon, surveying the damage caused by the Ostalin Monk’s betrayal. Huge craters have punched holes in the armies of the alliance. Flying over the Shahalesti forces, there is a noticeable untouched circle around Shaaladel, his archons raising their wings to block the blast. Sindairese wagons are decimated, as are Dasseni platoons.Ostalin forces are untouched, though there seems to be an argument between several officers. The party lands and the Ostalin soldiers are wary. It seems that some officers seek to take advantage of the weakened armies, while some officers believe that the Alliance is worth upholding. With a show of force by the Stormbreakers, the Alliance faction takes control of the situation.The worst hit are the Seaquen mages. Fire was clearly focused on the Lyceum tents with a vengeance. Amongst the craters, the party finds the small crying form of Crystin in a tiny space between blasts. She tearfully tells them the entirety of the Lyceum professors were killed, including Simeon.The party look at each other and reach into their pack for the Feather of Saint Cefrey. Throwing it forth, they call to Simeon’s soul, offering him the chance to lead the broken Lyceum once again. Simeon’s soul answers, and his body reforms in a shower of light, and Crystin hugs him as he touches to the ground. Simeon looks sad, but rested like the party have never seen him before. “I almost didn’t accept,” he admits. “But I know my work is not done. Thank you.”The party assess the situation, and decide it’s now or never. They rally the alliance together once again, and charge into Ragos.123On the streets of Ragos, fighting is tight and cramped, as rubble and bodies fill the streets. While skirmishing with foot soldiers, several cavalry troops charge in form several sies, led by an enormous orc riding an even larger warhorse. Wielding a standard that allows his potions to heal his entire regiment, the orc encircles the party. Through grit and more than a little luck, the party fight to the general and take him down, soon routing the rest of the cavalry after.124Fighting their way to Castle Ragos, the party battle devils in a courtyard, as well as a bronze statue of Coaltongue astride a horse that bursts into life and flame to defend the castle. Eluriah finally manages to battle another fire elemental, and binds the horse to her will, turning it against the devils. Its arcane core powers its flames to cut through their fire immunity, and the lead devil escapes into the castle, calling for its master. Running after it, the party sees a circle of inquisitors around a summoning sigil, a gigantic devilish form beginning to coalesce. Beyond the circle, sitting high on her throne, is the Empress Leska.Post Session Thoughts122This session was almost completely off of the dome. I had planned on having them run into the city once away, but of course my RP-loving players wanted to check in on everybody. I had planned on having Simeon killed, with Crystin left as the diviner to give exposition, but the players decided that he was important enough to bring back. Honestly, it was a really nice moment before the rush in for the final battle.123Because Ragos isn't super fleshed out, I took the opportunity to use plenty of Czepeku maps as they fought their way towards Leska. Everything I used was just their free downloads, so I can't speak to what the paid stuff is like, but easily some of the most fleshed out battlemaps I've ever grabbed off of the internet.This fight was fun, especially when they realized the general could heal his troops with a single healing potion. When they killed him, they immediately wanted the magic item, which isn't normal loot in the game, but I figured what the hell. I specifically limited it to single healing from potions, so Eluriah couldn't cast Heal and get a 4-for-1 deal.124I repurposed some enemies and cobbled two fights together, and changed the bound fire golems to be elementals so that Eluriah would have a chance to use her Ring of Fire Elemental command. Turning a fire golem against fire-immune devils was fun, as was bashing in yet another Coaltongue statue.Changes to the moduleOther than moving some fights around, I feel like I mostly stuck to the book on this one. The big summoning circle at the end changes the Pit Devil into Titivillus, a devil known for putting typos into religious manuscripts. I've spent a good while of the campaign trying to come up with a fitting source for the Inquisitors' evil ways that went beyond "Evil God." Early on I had said they were once devoted to Meditrina, the god we came up for healing and medicine and poison. Digging through my Tome of Beasts book gave me Titivillus, and suddenly I fell in love with the idea that Titivillus had corrupted some holy tomes to change a once holy order into the nightmare that is the Inquisition. There are some more ideas there, but I'll save them for the upcoming sessions.</blockquote>

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