Session 54 29-30/6/1480 Lareen

29/61480
12.30pm-1.30pm: In the Drow Barracks, the PCs spend a long time debating what to do next, and whether to kill Matron Mother Urlvrain, visit the drow wizard Jhaelant, attack the Death Cyst portal, etc. Eventually they decide to return to the Drow Temple and rest, so that Pealias can recover from his exertions. Matron Urlvrain offers to send her assassin Maarth to aid Quinn & co.
30/6/96
12.30am: Most of the party has just fallen asleep, when they are roused by a commotion as vulture demons and horde ghouls break into the Temple from the direction of the Templar Chapel. The attack is quickly repulsed, with the ghouls retreating, but at the cost of Urlvrain's runescribed Eidolon. The Templar Chapel has been overrun, the Templars dead - Maarth is missing, presumed dead.
7am: Party complete their interrupted rest, rise and breakfast, then head over to Lareen's villa, reaching it without incident. Inside they cut through drow vampire spawn minions and find Zirithian's lover Lareen, a pool of blood, and a glowing red Portal to Deadhold, Jareth is dominated by the vampire Lareen and drained by her wraiths, but overcomes the domination and cuts down Lareen before she can flee through the portal, though her wailing ghosts do escape back to Deadhold.
8am: A search of the villa uncovers a nice ruby-encrusted chalice in the pleasure den, worth ca 750gp.

XP:
Temple Battle: 320 XP each
Lareen's Villa: 6500/5=1,300 each
Level 14 minor quest: locate Deadhold Portal - 200 XP each
Total: 1,820+66,075=67,895
Need 69,000 for 16th level

Current time: 8am 30/6/80
Can next rest again 7pm-1am 31/6/80
Started day Healing Surges 4 below maximum (Lirael 1 below maximum)

Session 53 29/6/1480 Epic Schmepic

The PCs and their drow allies wipe out a demonic attack on the drow military barracks, defeating two Epic Tier toad demons, 11 carnage demons, 24 ghouls, and 6 mezzodemon sycophants!







XP:17,750/8=2218x1.5=3,328 each +62,747= 66,075
Need 69,000 for 16th level

Current time: 12.30pm 29/6/80
Can next rest again 11pm-5am 29/6/80
Started day Healing Surges 3 below maximum (Lirael 1 below maximum)

Session 52 28-29/6/1480 DR Havoc Goristro, I Dream of Deadhold

Quinn:
Quinn's eye fluttered open. It took some time for the fog to clear and for her head to catch up with the rest of her. She was lying in a comfortable bed covered in black silk sheets (they are Drow after all!).

Slowly the events of the last few days came back to her. The trek through the Underdark, fighting the Fire Giants, meeting the Drow and entering the city.... the feeling of the Ghouls teeth biting into her over and over again. Shuddering she flexes her neck and shoulders. Still a little stiff but at least everything was still attached, and thanks to the treatment of the Drow priestesses not a scar in sight. 

Rising from the bed she found her head pounding with a dull ache behind her eyes. Groaning as the dreams of the night swam to the front of her thoughts. Endless horrifying shapes and sounds and two huge dark shapeless figures who seemed to be fighting over something.... her? Lastly the sight of a tall female glad in darkness and death reaching out a hand towards her.

Squeezing her eyes shut and banishing the thoughts to the back of her mind. Surely just a by product of the Death Cyst being so close.

Rising from the bed she smiles as she realizes her clothes are nowhere to be found and she is completely naked. One of the Drow priestesses enters the small room, drawn by the sounds of movement. Quinn remembers this one being particularly attentive. Smiling wickedly at the ebony skinned elf Quinn begins to saunter forward.

'Excuse me.... do you have a moment? There is something I could use your help with.'

(Fade out)

28/6/1480 DR
11pm: Leaving the Red Wizard embassy, party are joined by Quinn, while Lirael, Arya, Rylgoth and Myuni return to the drow fane to rest.
11.15pm: Party skirt north past the Commercial district and the broad tunnel that leads down towards the Rothe fields, approaching the nobles' district on the west side of town. Encounter a huge Goristro demon guarding a nobles' villa; attack and defeat it and its horde ghoul allies. The villa seems a major source of arcane energies. Party climbs up to the Templar Chapel linked to the great fane by a high bridge, but the templars refuse to help and tell them to go away. Party take the bridge up to the Fane to rest. Quinn gets intimate with Matron Urlvrain.
29/6/1480
While resting some time after midnight, mist rolls in and Quinn Jareth Pealias Dunstan and Sir Jorah reappear in the Deadhold, where a drow vampire introduces himself as Zirithian, commander of the undead hordes. They realise it's a dream. Zirithian urges them to destroy Ulrvrain, who he says is planning to betray them. After awakening the party confer and decide to seek out Zaknoril, the commander of Phaervorul's soldiery.
11.15am: Party leaves the Fane and heads through the drow city, packs of ghouls avoiding them, down to the military barracks, which shows signs of a recent attack - heaps of dead ghouls and Lolthbound goblins. The doors have been breached, but there are still half a dozen drow warriors inside, including Zaknoril. Zaknoril blames Urlvrain for the fall of the city.
11.30am: Jareth and Quinn discuss a plan to assassinate Urlvrain. Then a drow sentry on the roof calls out that Mezzodemons are mustering the undead forces for another attack on the barracks. The party prepare to defend the barracks...
To 11.45am.










XP
Havoc Goristro - 5,000
12 horde ghouls (1 fled) - 2,400
Total 7,400/5=1480 each
Roleplay, dream etc: +960 XP each
2,440+60,307=62,747
Need 69,000 for 16th level

Current time: 11.45am 29/6/80
Can next rest again 11pm-5am 29/6/80
Healing Surges 3 below maximum (Lirael 1 below maximum)

Session 51 28/6/1480 - Ulrvrain & Myuni

9.15pm Meet the Drow in the Spider Temple, negotiate their way in and speak with Matron Ulrvrain.  Ulrvrain wants them to go kill the drow wizard Jhaelant. Mentions that Myuni arrived just before the Cyst breached.
9.45pm Quinn does a Sending to Myuni, he is stuck in the old Red Wizard embassy and asks for help.
10pm Pealias sees dragonborn looters in the north-east commercial district, sends them an arrow message.
10.15pm Group leaves Fane of Lolth.
10.20pm Reach Red Wizard embassy, defeat drow-wights, meet with 'Lord' Myuni. Myuni suggests that Jhaelant is not the source of the incursion, and suggests an Orcus-worshipping drow vampire lord, Zirithian, said to be native to Phaervorul, is a likely suspect given Orcus' recent alliance with Thay.
10.50pm Rest and get ready to leave the embassy to check out the west side of the city.



Last extended rest ended 5pm 28/6. Can extended rest again from 5am-11am 29/6.

Matron Urlvrain, ruler of Phaervorul

XP
Entering Drow Temple, Dealing with Ulrvrain: 500 each
Battle with Drow Wights (EL 13)
Battle Wight Commander: 800
4 Drow Battle Wights: 2800
Cave Widow Spider: 1000
Total: 4600/6x1.5= 1150 each
Rescuing Myuni: 200 each
Total: 1850+58,457=60,307
Need 69,000 for 16th level

 

Session 50: Reach Level 15 - And a Vrock Fell On Them 28/6/1480

XP:
8.30pm - Dunstan & Pealias meet the Mindflayers -  200 XP each
8.45pm - Crossing the Great Bridge, passing the Demonweb Terror spider - 250 XP each
9.00pm - Battle in Commoners' District:
Combat XP - 12 horde ghouls, ghoul eyebiter, 2 Vrock demons, Abyssal Breach, Balthrad the Abyssal Ghoul - 8,900x1.5= 13350/7.5=1780
Total XP: 2,230+56,227=58,457
Need 57,000 for 15th level 
LEVEL 15 REACHED
Need 69,000 for 16th level

Fiercehorn, Dusk Unicorn of Mielikki, area of the Unicorn Run river

Fiercehorn, Dusk Unicorn		Level 12 Elite Controller (Leader)
Large fey magical beast		XP 1,400
HP 118; Bloodied 59 AC 28; Fortitude 28; Reflex 26; Will 28 Speed 9 Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1		Initiative +8 Perception +12 Low-Light Vision
Standard Actions
m Hooves • At-Will
Attack: +17 vs. AC
Hit: 2d8 + 11 damage.
M Piercing Charge • At-Will
Attack: The dusk unicorn makes a charge attack; +18 vs. AC
Hit: 4d8 + 12 damage, and the target is pushed 1 square and knocked prone.
A Fey Wisp • At-Will
Attack: Area burst 5 within 10; +18 vs. Will
Hit: Dancing lights appear in the origin square, and the target is pulled 3 squares toward the origin square.
C Twilight Teleport (teleportation) • Encounter
Effect: Close burst 5; affects self & willing allies only; the targets are teleported 5 squares, appearing in a safe, unoccupied space in the dusk unicorn’s line of sight.
Move Actions
Fey Step (teleportation) • Encounter
Effect: The dusk unicorn can teleport 5 squares.
Minor Actions
M Horn Touch (healing) • Encounter
Effect: An adjacent ally can spend a healing surge and make a saving throw against one effect that a save can end, or that otherwise lasts for less than the entire Encounter.
Str 20 (+11)	Dex 14 (+8)		Wis 13 (+7)
Con 14 (+8)	Int 17 (+9)		Cha 20 (+11)
Alignment Good     Languages Understands Elven (doesn't talk)

Monster found in Monster Manual 1 and Compendium

Giants of the Gray Vale Region

Hill Giants

The weakest and most common of the giant races, the hill giants once served the Earth Titan Stonefang alongside the lesser Ogres and Orcs, but were killed or driven out by the Dwarves of Ammarindar. Since the fall of Ammarindar they have returned to the foothills of the Graypeak mountains, and are the dominant giant race south of Naurogloth, often fighting or allying with the local orc clans. They may also be found in the High Moor, and small numbers exist in the High Forest.

Stone Giants & Goliath

When the dwarves of Ammarindar defeated Stonefang, the Stone Giant thanes knelt in obeisance to the Dwarven King and were permitted to retain their territories, usually high in the Graypeak mountains, alongside their Goliath or Half-Giant kindred. The remoteness and isolation of many Stone Giant holdings enabled them to survive the Hellgate Keep disaster, though those who dwelt on the lower slopes were not so lucky, eg the stone giant temple at the Pillars of Night was soon corrupted and destroyed by the Hellgate demon-spirit  Naarash. Once the Tanarukk wave of demon-orcs subsided the stone giants were able to expand their holdings, and today they are the dominant race in the Graypeak mountains around Dawntreader Gap and points north, except in the highest glacial regions.

Frost Giants

When the dwarves of Ammarindar conquered the region, they killed or drove out the mighty frost giants. Since the fall of Ammarindar frost giant clans have returned from the far north, moving south through the mountains under cover of winter. Today frost giants may be found north of Adakmi and Ogremouth in the high peaks and glaciers of the Graypeak mountains, but remain uncommon except in the far north of the Graypeaks, where they border the Far Forest.

Fire Giants

Most of the Gray Vale region is not volcanically active. The Graypeaks are old and corroded mountains, although the Tannheim forge was rumoured to draw upon elemental fires. However the Lost Peaks and Star Mounts are much younger, and a major hot spot does lie beneath the High Forest, giving warmth to the great fungus Auramycos . Fire giants have established a small fortress atop a magma vent in the Endless Caverns. There are rumours of entire fire giant cities in the Deep Underdark, bordering the fires of Elemental Chaos.

Session 49: The Endless Caverns 27-28/6/1480

Group (6.5)
Ardan, archer Ranger
Lirael, archer Ranger
Jorah, archer Ranger
Jareth, Slayer
Arya, Wizard
Rylgoth, Azer (1/2)
Quinn, Bard

27/6/1480 DR
1am: Jorah & Lirael enter the Endless Caverns.
5am:  Jorah and Lirael encounter the lich Nolav, watering the mushroom garden outside his tower, and accompanied by two wraiths and an umber hulk. Nolav greets them cheerily, explains that their friends passed by earlier, and that he does indeed have good facilities in his tower for any mortal guests who need to relieve themselves. Nolav tells them that he has been Scrying matters. The Phaervorul Death Cyst breached three days ago (24/6), and he expects the drow enclave to have completely fallen to the undead invaders of Orcus within a week of their initial attack, probably less (ca 29/6-31/6).  Nolav tells them that the drow commander Zaknoril is incompetent, and had previously lost several squads by sending them to attack Nolav's own tower - though the fresh fertiliser was welcome. Nolav directs them on, telling them not to turn left at the Lake of Fire.
7am: Main Group is resting in the tunnels north of the Lake of Fire when they defeat a fire giant patrol attack and recruit Rylgoth the azer.
7.30am: Main Group passes the Lake of Fire, about 10 miles into the Underdark and 1 mile below the surface. Dunstan and Pealias guard the rear to watch out for fire giant activity.
8am: Dunstan and Pealias meet Jorah and Lirael at the Lake of Fire, where the Rangers have lost the path onwards and direct them on to join the main group deeper in the tunnels.
12pm: United group nears a rift, beyond which lies the deeper Underdark. Rylgoth says that Hook Horrors have been seen in the area, preying on those attempting to cross the bridge over the rift.
12.30pm: Battle with Hook Horrors at the Bridge to the Lower Dark, search area. Main tunnel on is to west.

Battle with the Hook Horrors

2pm: Group settles down in secluded tunnels a few hundred yards east of the bridge.
10pm: Group continues into the Underdark, now rested.
11pm: About 20 miles into the Underdark and 2 miles below the surface, the group reaches a narrow mile-long processional tunnel/cavern lined with enormous statues of ancient, forgotten gods. Many resemble tall, thin minotaurs. Underdark creatures, possibly Quaggoth, have left offerings at shrines before the statues.
28/6/1480 DR
5am: About 30 miles into the Underdark and 3 miles down, the group reaches an old dwarven mining outpost at a bridge over a river. One of the buildings has been barred from the inside, but no sign of life until 2 mindflayers appear with their minotaur guards. Negotiations ensue as they ask to be escorted to Phaervorul to meet with the Drow. Tasty, tasty drow... The mindflayers are persuaded to follow the group's signs as the party will be going on via phantom steed.
7am: Now on Phantom lizard-steeds, the group reaches a large cavern with a mushroom forest about 35 miles into the Underdark, lit by a huge glowing gem in the ceiling. In the middle of the cavern a stone tower rises from a small lake, flickering with eldritch light (Ardan's implanted drow memories suspect mind flayers). Hook Horrors and Umber Hulks are said to hunt wild Rothe (cave-oxen) here.
9am: 40 miles into the Underdark, about 4 miles down, and 5 miles from Phaervorul, group stop to rest in side tunnels south of the main trail. 
1pm: Rest is disturbed by the reappearance of the Mind Flayers, who stop to check directions for the final approach to Phaervorul.
5pm: Having completed resting, group set off again, east/down, then north a short way.
7pm: Kitana returns to Llorkh with Warlord Delderosh and captives including Jaela Rensard and Pamela Bardew.
8pm: 45 miles into the Underdark, the party near Phaervorul, and hear the sounds of battle in a cave ahead. They aid the drider Ingarl and 3 female drow snipers to defeat undead drow battle-wights (a 4th sniper had been killed by the wights); their abyssal ghoul leader flees. Ingarl names Lirael drow-friend and marks her palm with the Sign of Lolth in blue ink. A tunnel to the north opens onto a vast rift spanned by a long bridgeway, with the drow city of Phaervorul visible in the distance. A red haze glowers over the city. Intermittent screams and sounds of battle can be heard, and lightning is seen flashing around the great Fane of Lolth on the highest bluff. Ingarl suggests that the Deadhold Cyst breached in the nobles district on the west side of the city, where the undead seem most numerous, and suggests either a direct approach to the Fane through the commons district, or else skirt the east side of the city where lurk the Shunned, abominations cursed by Lolth, and scale the eastern cliffs to the temple. Ingarl and his recruits will be staying here to 'guard the perimeter'. He warns of a great Demonweb Terror spider that still guards the bridge and will attack unless the drow-friend sigil is presented. 
Party takes a rest, to ca. 8.30pm.
9.30pm: Feast in the Great Hall at Llorkh.

Drow vs Drow-Wights; here come the Cavalry!

XP
Pre-session PBP Lirael - 100 
Lirael & Jorah talk with Nolav the Lich - 150
Defeat 2 Hook Horrors at the bridge - 3200/6.5=492x1.5=738
Negotiating with Mind Flayers - 480
Kill 3 Battle Wights with aid of Drow; wound Abyssal ghoul - 2100/6.5= 323x1.5=484
Negotiation with Ingarl the Drider, gain info & drow-friend sign - 200
Reach Phaervorul, level 14 minor quest - 250
Total: 2402 +53825=56227
Need 57,000 for 15th level 

PCs at Phaervorul maximum number of Healing Surges is now 2 below its normal maximum, except for Lirael. Exception would be if anyone had specific resistance to ongoing Necrotic damage.
  

Phaervorul, from over the great bridge.

The group are taking a short rest on the ledge overlooking Phaervorul, and hoping Dunstan & Pealias will catch up after laying a false trail to confound fire giant pursuit. The elf Ranger Ardan informs the others that he has received a divine vision - a powerful vampire lord, possibly attracted by the Death Cyst, now menaces Secomber from the ruins of haunted Iluvin to the north, not far from the Graywood. He has already recruited a 'blood cult' of local human farmers and brigands, and started preying on the populace. Ardan has to go and quickly muster resistance to the fiend. Ardan then leaves for the surface.

PHAERVORUL, 1 square = 30'