Chronicles of the Accursed (Group 2)

Hildegard aims to steel her resolve against the creature and continues to press with the longsword.

Sanctuary save 1: 16

Sanctuary save 2: 17

Hildegard moved to strike the creature with a high thrust, but its abjuration pressed against her will like a wall. Something uneasy about that moment caused her to back off.  She circled back quickly with Perditta and came from below slashing at the lower half.

Longsword Attack: 25 Damage: 8

Once again, the blade burns hot and burns with radiance.

Divine Smite: 11 fiend? 6 radiant

(5 days?? Damn, I'm slipping! Again...)

The creature shrieks in agony as Hildegard's blade strikes a shallow cut across its flesh... only for a bright flash of pure radiance to pour into the broken monster!

Its body crashes to the ground, thrashing wildly. It lays on the ground, sides heaving. It has no strength left to fight.

Suddenly... a familiar creature descends into the chasm of the dead god's body. The Astral Lich.

Your watch is over, it says, grasping the broken Couatl. Give your soul to me... and let entropy claim you for eternity.

The dying Couatl shrinks back, but it's clear it doesn't have the strength to resist as the lich looms closer.

Round 3: Hewelathan

With the arrival of the Astral Lich, Hewelathan-Bear backs away from the Broken Couatl, letting the Astral Lich finish it off.  Depending on what "letting entropy claim it" looks like, he probably looks on in horror at whatever the Astral Lich does, but he restrains himself from attacking the strange undead creature.  He knows that they have a deal with it, and he hopes that the Broken Couatl occupies its attention for now.  They just need enough time for Jodie, Korba, and Gorash to finish the ritual before anything can interrupt them.

Movement: Move back 20-ft, positioning himself between the Astral Lich and Jodie's Cozy Hut
Action: Disengage from the Broken Couatl

Tamphalic stays behind as well, while Serariel gives a little bow while backing away towards the dome.

You watch in horror as the lich brings takes hold of the once proud Couatl. Tendrils of dark energy wrap the Couatl, crushing the last bits of life out of its mangled body. With one final gasp, the body collapses entirely.

The lich straightens, and for a moment gazes at Jodie's hut. It almost looks curious, though its expressions are very difficult to read, frozen in an eternal grin.

The ritual continues, now plus a lich just floating nearby. The ceremony is nearing the close... when you hear voices. On the surface of the god's body. Most of them sound generic, but... a chill runs through everyone who's listening. You can hear Zolgu speaking clearly... and it sounds like he is speaking directly to the grand master of the Cult of the Dragon. It seems that the mad archmage Firion has come here in person...

Nickeline could only watch in horror and count the seconds in her head as the astral lich advanced. Then the two new voices echoed into the cavern and all of a sudden the astral lich didn't seem like that much of a problem. 

Without taking her eyes off the astral lich (who was still a scary lich, after all), Nickeline casts a illusion spell of protection. It wouldn't do much to cover up the loud chanting, and even if Zolgu or Firion saw through it in a second, that would be one second closer to finishing the ritual.

OOC:

Action: Cast Silent Image in front of the dome to make it look like part of the environment. With a 15 ft. cube she can at least visually conceal it from one direction.

Hewelathan-Bear shudders at the lich's horrible power.  Such things shouldn't be allowed to exist!  But upon hearing Zolgu's voice, he realizes that the lich isn't their biggest problem at the moment.  

Hewelathan-Bear moves carefully to the entrance of their "cave" and tries to get a look at how close Firion, Zolgu, and their cultists are without being spotted.  (I guess it will be easier to remain hidden if he ends up "inside" of Nickeline's illusion while he looks outside of the cave.)  Are they just searching the surface, or are they already headed toward the party's current location? Perception: 10

Even if they manage to finish the ritual and transfer the soul shards from their own magic items, they must still prevent Firion and his cult from getting their hands on the newly-cursed items!

((DM: Can Thampalic use a casting of web to cover the opening to the cave with webs, to make it seem it might be a spider invested caver?.))

Quote from mamoduck >>

Nickeline could only watch in horror and count the seconds in her head as the astral lich advanced. Then the two new voices echoed into the cavern and all of a sudden the astral lich didn't seem like that much of a problem. 

Without taking her eyes off the astral lich (who was still a scary lich, after all), Nickeline casts a illusion spell of protection. It wouldn't do much to cover up the loud chanting, and even if Zolgu or Firion saw through it in a second, that would be one second closer to finishing the ritual.

OOC:

Action: Cast Silent Image in front of the dome to make it look like part of the environment. With a 15 ft. cube she can at least visually conceal it from one direction.

The image shimmers into existence of another patch of crumbling, rotten skin to blend the hole into the rest of the terrain. It could buy you some time, but it is unlikely to fool them for long.

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

Hewelathan-Bear shudders at the lich's horrible power.  Such things shouldn't be allowed to exist!  But upon hearing Zolgu's voice, he realizes that the lich isn't their biggest problem at the moment.  

Hewelathan-Bear moves carefully to the entrance of their "cave" and tries to get a look at how close Firion, Zolgu, and their cultists are without being spotted.  (I guess it will be easier to remain hidden if he ends up "inside" of Nickeline's illusion while he looks outside of the cave.)  Are they just searching the surface, or are they already headed toward the party's current location? Perception: 23

Even if they manage to finish the ritual and transfer the soul shards from their own magic items, they must still prevent Firion and his cult from getting their hands on the newly-cursed items!

You see Firion immediately. The dark archmage stands amidst his cultists.



There are five cultists visible, along with Zolgu.

"I hope, for all of your sakes, that you truly have them this time," the archmage says ominously. "To distract me from the assault on the Shaded Isle for nothing would not end well."

"Chosen of the Dragon Lord, they are here," Zolgu says with a grin. "Soon, Sserah shall be reborn, and one worthy shall rule all of creation."

They haven't spotted your hiding place yet, and appear to have just arrived.

Quote from Secretfool >>

((DM: Can Thampalic use a casting of web to cover the opening to the cave with webs, to make it seem it might be a spider invested caver?.))

((You can try, but I won't promise it will do much besides slow them down for a round and maybe waste a spell slot... unless of course some of them get stuck in it while trying to get around Nickeline's Silent Image, which could happen))

Think it's worth a try, as they haven't spotted the cave yet,and doesn't cost a slot anyway due to the spider staff. 

Tamphalic casts web from the spider staff on the cave opening to completely cover de opening in webs. 

Ruby grows uneasy hearing Zolgu's voice and hides (15) within Jodie's sphere.  She readies to shift her ire to Zolgu when he's close enough.  Soon she hopes to be rid of him forever!

Nickeline holds her breath and stays as still as she can, hiding behind her illusion. She wonders how Zolgu found them so quickly, but mostly she hates and fears Firion. How were they going to get Sserah's soul out of there once the ritual was done? They would have to figure it out somehow, or it would all be for nothing.

OOC:

Dexterity (Stealth) check: 18

Hildeguard uses the moment to tend to her burns and prepare for the upcoming fight (Lay on Hands 15 hp).  She readies herself to cast Bless on Nickeline, herself, and Tamphalic when its clear their location is known.  Until then, she flies down toward the other end of the cave, looking for other ways out.

Jodie even while concentrating on the ritual offers the word cool to heal Tamphalic's burns (10 hp)

There is a quiet that takes over Jodie as a moment of inspiration hits her.  As the ritual comes to a close, Jodie speaks with intention:

"I wish all Ssresh's soul shards within a mile be transferred into the Ruinstone."

As Jodie lowers her hands after pronouncing her wish, it seems as if nothing happened.

Then, every item containing a shard of Sserah's soul begins to glow with a sickly purple light. You can hear hisses and whispers in some ancient language as the shards of Sserah's soul are pulled towards their new vessel. Three shards... and then... a fourth. Pulled from outside of the cavern. From the dark wizard himself. You can feel the shards pulling away, resisting the call, but even the Mad Dragon Lord cannot overcome this power.

You hear a chorus of gasps from outside...

"You two! Find out what happened!" Firion screams.

Two of the cultists approach the cavern entrance, staffs raised defensively.

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Three shards... and then... a fourth. Pulled from outside of the cavern. From the dark wizard himself. You can feel the shards pulling away, resisting the call, but even the Mad Dragon Lord cannot overcome this power.

[[ OOC:  LOL!  Oops!  I guess we all forgot that Lord Akkron told us that Firion had a Dragon Vessel (Ascendant).  No worries.  I'm sure it'll be fine.  😬 ]]

At the same time... something breaks as the piece of Sserah is pulled forth from Jodie's instrument. Something familiar latches on as the shard breaks free, seizing the moment to free itself. An all-too familiar figure appears...



"Well hello again," the Defiler says with a laugh. "It feels like so long since I've been free to walk the world. And it's all thanks to you!"

He gives an exaggerated bow.

A small smile washes over Jodie, as if she guessed her wish might capture other parts of Ssresh’s soul the cult unwittingly brought to the ritual.

She turns to Smiler, “Grant me a last dance, dear Smiler. Paint this landscape with your imagination and make fools of the cultists who would turn our world to ash. I’ll play your favorite songs.  I’ll count us in…” as if to cue the epic ballad that will be this confrontation.