[Spoilers] Keraptis Returns

[Lasarian]

Session 20
2013-05-03
The part of Lisa is played by Koram
DM: Tundrra

After defeating Nightfear, we do what all victorious conquerors do: Rummage through our fallen adversary’s underwear drawer.

We discovered numerous journals filled with the incoherent insane ramblings of whatever this creature truly was. I got myself a fancy necklace, Tig took a spear. I was offered some powerful magical tarp purporting to be an article of clothing that was … ahem … gray, that I simply would not be caught dead wearing.

We spent a few hours getting a little rest, but most of the time was spent endlessly searching empty rooms and blank walls for elusive secret doors.
In some sort of vile, filthy room that must have served as the squalid sty for the gnolls, Tig discovers, to no one’s surprise, a number of “stinky sacks” which to my horror he appears to be touching.

Refusing to enter the gnoll-excrement-chamber, I am able to hear from the relative safety of the corridor that there a few small valuables, some vials of poison that were employed against me in particular and some coin.

Upon emerging, I insist Tig wash his hands. He appears bewildered. I am re-traumatized.

We wile away the hours inside Nightfear’s inner sanctum, taking refuge in more civilized formal barracks, engaged in idle banter, I take refuge in my tent for tea and soak my feet.

Before first watch that evening, I resummon Artifex to my side and I am grateful that I did, because not long into our watch, Jilto and I, through our familiars, detect interlopers on the shore. We had forgotten entirely about the squad of guards on the southern end of the lake we had previously evaded.

There are five of them and although we attempt to deceive them by taking on the form of Nightfear and mimicking his voice, his servants are not fooled and attack.

As has been their custom, they use those accursed necklaces of fireball, tossing them heedlessly hither and thither, like coppers in a sea of beggars.
To no avail. We answer their poor-man’s fireballs with our own, plus my own amazing Blizzard spell.

We were a bit taken offguard and therefore slow to position ourselves well for the assault, but most if not all managed to get in their hits after their own fashion. Captain Barten again used Wave to create a wall of force to bar entry from the central door.

The so-called murder holes were not very well made in my opinion, much to my relief when we were on the other side of them of course, but confounding now that we were on the “murder” side of them.

Too late did we realize we had left the northern secret door open and by the time we had managed to get there to amend our error, they had entered through it.

The fight was brief, and we prevailed, although Tig most certainly took the brunt of their numerous fireball spells.

At least I was not poisoned again.

"Tig, did you wash your hands?"

"Uh ... yeah. Sure boss."

"With soap?"

<sigh>

[Tundrra]

Session 21
2023/05/10

After the midnight guards were dispatched the parties long rest is completed and they make their way back to the Resistance hideout where they try and rouse Allies in the fight against Spatterdock. Nix and his loyal gnomes will not join but Drifting Cloud, Marthy and Hammond agree to join in order to save their friend Andarr who has been corrupted by Spatterdock and the hammer Whelm. So the party set out back over the frictionless room where Spatterdock’s wizards and husks await.

Lisa first to fly over is confronted by one of the gnomes “Have you done as we agreed upon…I see you have retrieved the Trident” “Did you also discover who took it and how they are leaving the mountain?…we must meet in person to solidify our bond and devise a way of destroying Nightfear and the other false pretenders!”

Lisa presents the head of Nightfear and Spatterdock’s Husk replies eagerly “Come to my chambers at once, we must celebrate!”

The large party is let through the heat panel hall, escorted through the entrance to Spatterdock’s previous domain defensive entrance and pointed down the hall. Signs of tuffs of fur and blood cover the end of the hall where a large construct stands with its hand out in a stopping position. The golem points along the wall’s edge and steps aside from the door allowing the party to pass.

The small hall opens up to a large cavern with a boiling mud lake, mud geysers erupt upwards from 50’ below, small platforms dangle from chains creating a path to the far side. Debates of wether Lisa flying surrounded by a force cube would hold the party weight to fly over the chasm, but before it could be tested Zaan uses Nightfear’s ring of storing and casts a teleport spell for the group to make it to the other side.

The dead vampire’s lair is on the other side, where Lisa retells the story of how Whitepaw died here on her last visit. Two new rooms exit this area, a voice demands them to enter from the south door. Lisa leads the way, leaving the other adventure party and Zaan behind. A halfling and dwarf are inside eager to celebrate the presence of wave and death of a false Kerpatis. “But before we celebrate we must cement our alliance” and the halfling orders the dwarf to retrieve a bundle of scrolls from the bookcase. “Now give me wave and take your scroll, a sample of my power”. The parties response to Spatterdocks greeting was a barge of spells and attacks.

The dwarf Andarr was ready and slammed the mighty hammer Whelm to the ground sending a a stunning shockwave across the room, knocking Jilto, Lisa and Zidlur from the battle. Kelevos quickly became the MVP early in the battle countering a force wall that would have sealed off many of the stunned members with the fearsome two and then successfully casting a slow spell over Keraptis and Andarr keeping additional spells from being successfully cast.

[Tundrra]

Session 22
2023/05/23
kermit absent, koram played zaan

Zaan and the Resistance Party await in the room outside Spatterdocks office where most of the party remain stunned or in combat with the Slowed Andarr and Spatterdock. The muffled sounds of movement can be heard behind the east door and Zaan peeks in seeing lush pillows, beautiful draperies, healthy gnomes making their way to the door and smelling perfumed fragrances…he tosses in a fireball necklace. The room explodes with fire, however oddly some of the pillows and blankets remain untouched by the flames, but most of the gnomes collapse.

The few gnomes the remain make it to the door entrance and out of now where between the group a glowing ball of ice forms releasing a cone of cold throughout the room. Hitting a large chunk of the parties. Tig on a mission goes all out on the halfling Spatterdock who’s form begins to stretch and grow into a large Ogre Mage. Teagan and Jilto hear a faint whisper of “Kill them All” deep in their minds. However the False Keraptis is still slowed and the mobile players go all out. Andarr’s old companions attempt to hold and talk to their old friend from attacking. Jilto throws up a force bubble over Andarr after Spatterdock is killed giving the Dwarf time to cool off as his friends continue to talk him out of surrendering. Lisa reasons with the dwarven bearer of Whlem to release the hammer to his companions, who are happy to give it to the Waterdeep party for helping them recover their lost friend.

The rooms are searched, and a few worthy books are found on the shelf, a magical great sword Spatterdock held, a diagram of the mountain on the wall and some healing potions are recovered. The day is still young and the party decides to wait and cross the mud room till morning and set watch to rest for the day. Lisa and Teagan spend the next few quiet hours staring out into the mud room watching the eruptions of mud from the geysers below cover the walls and platforms with muck and drip back down below. On occasion they notice some irregular swirling and movements below, curious someone throws a dead husk off the 50’ cliff. The swirls move to one of the geysers and a large clump of mud flies up and onto a platform where it takes shape to a humanoid shape leaping from the platform to the party’s cliff ledge.

[Tundrra]

Session 23
2023/05/31

The Mud monsters circle the geysers below awaiting for their eventual explosion up to the swinging platforms above. However the eruptions do not come in time and the creature are pelted with snow storms and range attacks melting them back into the bubbling mud that surround them.

With the rest of the evening quiet, other than Anndar’s ravings of “kill them all’ the party manages a long rest. The next morning Jilto casts Arcane Gate, creating a portal across the boiling mud chamber, allowing everyone to cross quickly. Back through the hall, to the chamber of the construct guardian. Tig opens the door swinging and the golem reaches out and pulls him in, slamming his body into the stone walls. Jilto begins a recording of Spatterdock commanding his servant to return to him and Zidlur moves in to help Tig but falls into a pit trap. With a single target it doesn’t take long for the party to focus fire and bring down the golem.

The husks of Spatterdock stand vacant eyed, nothing the party can do will bring them back easily. Teagan stares into the void of their eye and his mind for a brief instance connects to a hum of empty minds. Death is better then this.

As the party continues through Spatterdock’s domain a few remains gnomes are convinced to run off, leaving their husk companions swaying unattended. The party make their way back to the resistance, re-uniting Andarr with the rest of his comrades and begin to retell the battle with Keraptis Spatterdock.

(DM BREAK)