Session 16 – Legacy (1/2)

Our heroes finally meet Xeron in an epic battle that could possibly determine the fate of the world…or maybe just the fate of those in the room. Or maybe it’s not so epic. Uhm, maybe its not a battle? Ok so it is a battle. That much is sure. I’ll shut up now.

Xeron at Last

18th Day of Wealsun
Tomb of the Forgotten King. Early Evening.

Bam charged in the room, swords drawn. He wanted to engage the hobgoblin who had great axe pressed against Leera’s neck (Leera was engaged and soon to be married to Aeleryn – lots of engagement in the room). The hobgoblin hefted his axe away from Leera and swung it towards the greater threat – aggressive half-elf charging at him.

“Hurry you fool! Do it now!” Xeron growled at the frightened halfling beside him.

The frightened halfling started reading from the yellow scroll in front of him. He stuttered and hesitated. Distracted and worried about the clash of weapons taking place just a few feet from where he stood, and knowing how little protection his robes had against steel, the halfling could not recite the incantation properly. Xeron could hear from the incoherent chanting that the halfling was ruining the spell, but it was too late to stop him.

The halfling botches the teleport spell. Instead of teleporting Xeron’s entire party out of the tomb, only some are teleported, leaving Xeron, the halfling and a hobgoblin bodyguard. The spell also causes random items and blink out of the room. Two of Xeron’s crew (including axe wielding hobgoblin) vanish.  The random anomaly also teleports some of their items, including Iroel’s wand and Valthurne’s spare chainmail to some unknown destination.

GM Note: I had Valthurne roll to see which item in his inventory would be teleported away. He rolled a 2, and the second item in his inventory was the platemail he was wearing. I was about ready to tell him his armor was now gone, but I looked again and realized that the first entry in his inventory was actually “Coins” which he did not carry on him. So his platemail was technically the first item in his inventory. The second item, which was teleported away was his spare chainmail.

Bam smiled at the turn of events. Two of Xeron’s allies were gone, the hostage was safe, and Valthurne and the others were coming in.

“Stop him!” Xeron called out to the remaining hobgoblin as he backed away from the raging Valthurne.  The hobgoblin dutifully stepped between Valthurne and Xeron and engaged the young man in a bloody battle (another engagement!).

Bam and Avaris helped Valthurne flank the hobgoblin.

There was a reason Brak the hobgoblin had been selected as Xeron’s personal bodyguard.  And our heroes were about to find out. Avaris rained down his fists, and Bam fought with all his might, Valthurne assaulted him with his longsword, but none of them could take down the tough hobgoblin who deflected their blows and remained agile despite the weight of his armor.

Xeron was pleased, but he had another trick up his sleeve to tip the scales in his favor even more.  He reached into his red robes and pulled out a porcelain figurine, (He literally had a trick up his sleeve) and threw the figurine in the ground in behind Valthurne.

A green shapeless blob emerged from the broken figurine. It rapidly grew as it twisted and stretched and took the form of a leathery skinned worm with humanoid arms and a deadly set of claws and teeth. A Nagatha.

The Nagatha instantly assaulted Valthurne with ferocious speed. Even Valthurne’s new plate armor could not protect him from the long sharp claws and teeth of the creature. Valthure desperately cowered behind his shield for protection  while thinking of how to kill the creature. His thinking was cut short as the dagger-like claws of the Nagatha pierced his armor and drove all the way through his ribs. Valthurne felt like he was going to black out.

“I need healing!” He cried out.

Valthurne gave a sigh of relief as he heard the familiar sound of Prytannia‘s armor coming up behind him. He thought healing would follow, but instead, he felt a slight breeze as Prytannia hefted her heavy mace at Brak, who was equally surprised. The blow almost took Brak off balance.

Prytannia does her best to keep Valthurne alive with healing spells.  Brak is eventually overpowered and defeated , but the Nagatha just keeps slashing.

From the corner of his eye, Bam could see Xeron was up to something again and turned to face him.  Xeron simply stared at Bam with those cold yellow eyes. Bam felt a shiver up his spine as he looked at Xeron. Bam has seen many horrors in their days in the tomb but there was something unnatural about the fear he felt when he looked at Xeron.  Without knowing why, Bam panicked and ran out of the room as fast as he could.

GM Note: Cause Fear was actually a Spell-Like Ability, so it would not have had a verbal or somatic component like I said during the game. Also Bam was glad he didnt cast Longstrider before the battle otherwise he would have been running away at a much faster rate.

Avaris jumped in the fray eager to beat up his one time employer. Avaris rushed at Xeron in a zig-zag pattern, avoiding the invisible rays Xeron was shooting from his fingers. In a flash Avaris was beside Xeron and delivered a right hook across the jaw that would have left most men stunned.  Xeron recoiled from the blow, licked some blood from his lips, then grinned at Avaris.

Xeron pointed a scaly hand on Avaris‘ chest.  Ray of Enfeeblement. Avaris could feel his muscles soften. Even his gear felt heavier. Avaris tried to pummel Xeron with his fists but all the strength had left his body. His once devastating punches were no more than soft blows.

Battle Bullet Points

• Aeleryn and the halfling sorcerer go on a missile war. Aeleryn with his arrows and the halfling with his  magic missiles. Aeleryn wins.
• Xeron fires an Acid Arrow at Avaris. The secondary acid damage might be enough to kill him. Ereb casts Create Water to summon 6 gallons of water to wash of the acid from the dying Avaris.
• Ereb summons a hippogriff that practically squishes the halfling and helps defeat Brak.
• Sombody kills the Nagatha. Finally.
• Xeron tries to excape, climbing around the sarcophagus, Aeleryn tries to trip him as an AoO but provoked an AoO from Xeron for his trip attempt. Xeron stabbed him with the spear and almost kills him, but he doesn’t get far as gets easily surrounded and knocked out.

to be continued…

Memorable Quotes

Bam rushes in the room and sees the opponents tokens have name labels:

Bam: Oh no! We’re dead! They have names!

Ereb tries to save Avaris from taking more damage from the Xeron’s Acid Arrow:

Ereb: Is the acid liquid? Can I use Purify Food and Drink to neutralize it?
Iroel: Then it would just be pure acid…

.

Valthurne: I need healing!
Avaris: Healing and buffs please!
Iroel:Somebody heal Valthurne!
GM: Prytannia, your turn. What do you do?
Prytannia: Attack!