Session 79: Reitheillaethor Invasion Report

General Summary

Session 79 – Wednesday May 1, 2024: Reitheillaethor Invasion

4-hour battle / social session 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

The Stone Bearers. Party of 6:

It is the 15th day of the month of Hammer (Deepwinter) in the 51st year of the Age of Enialis (Mid Jan.)

• Abrash – Wood (Desert) Elf, L13 Druid / Seften Mitcaver – Human, L13 Cleric – Jacob Munson (Remote)
• Ajani– High Elf, L13 Wizard – Nathan Gioconda
• Cassidy – Human, L13Blood hunter – Ryan Armstrong (Remote)
• Gazlowe – Goblin, L14 Artificer – Josh Pozsonyi
• Isabella – Forest Gnome, L13 Barbarian – Jackie Armstrong
• Juan Peyote – Gnome L13 Paladin – Will Johnson

Needing some personal time

Abrash went to the outhouse. His brother Ajani, followed him, knocked on the door and asked Abrash if he needed to talk. Abrash insisted he just needs some “me time” and Ajani left him be.   Abrash however pulled out the actual Deck of many things that he had pocketed. Previously, while in the pit into which he had fallen, he recreated a fake deck with his magical pigments. The fake deck was in the Red Lady’s vault while Abrash had the real one. Abrash drew 3 cards.   The first card was Sage. The fates told him: At any time you choose within one year of drawing this card, you can ask a question in meditation and mentally receive a truthful answer to that question. Besides information, the answer helps you solve a puzzling problem or other dilemma. In other words, the knowledge comes with wisdom on how to apply it.   The second card was Expert, and his dexterity was increased by 2. The third card was “Map” and the fates told him: At any time you choose within 1 year of drawing this card, you can mentally name or describe an object or individual that is familiar to you. You immediately know the location of the object or individual, as well as the distance between you and the object or individual, even if the object or individual is on a different plane of existence. If you named an individual, you know if they are alive and any conditions they have. If you named an object, you know if it is broken or not. If you named a magic item that has charges, you know how many charges it has remaining.

Abrash immediately used his new knowledge and left.

Abrash asked the fates “Where are my parents.” He immediately knew they were in the far east in Shou Lung, on the other side of the world. He asked, “If my parents knew what was at stake would one of them be willing to sacrifice themselves to save me or my brother.” The fates immediately responded: “Yes, your mother would certainly sacrifice herself for you or your brother.”   Abrash left the outhouse and with a firm expression on his face, found the others, gave the deck to Gazlowe and told his brother, “I need to leave.” His brother asked, “Didn’t you just have some “me time?” Abrash explained what he learned and that he needs to go and find their parents. The party tried to persuade him to stay. They discussed for a period of time, but Abrash’s mind was made up.   Abrash left the Keoghtom's Ointment for the party. He gave his splash potion of greater healing to Isabella. He gave the cloak of elven kind to Ajani. He gave Gazlowe the polished agate worth 1,000gp. He gave everyone one last berry. During the night Abrash wrote a note for Ajani and left it on him. Abrash cast windwalk and left to find his mother (and probably kill her to save his village.)

Invasion!

The rest of the party was awakened to the sound of the battle gongs and screams from the forest elves in the village. Orist burst in and told the Stone Bearers “We need your help!” The party quickly gathered their stuff and walked out onto their balcony. They saw 2 waves of enemies approaching. From the East, a massive War Golem was approaching with a small hoard of Flying fey’ri. In the South they saw a hoard of Tanarukk and Fire Giant Skeletons attacking the peaceful wood elves. All the guards in the canopy began to fire arrows in different locations until Captain Hulrune Silverbow (Captain of the guard and head of the Red Lady's security) and the Red Lady arrived. They looked at the Stone bearers and asked, “Which enemy will you focus on? We will take the other.   Cassidy looked in fear at the fire giants, knowing that she is now vulnerable to fire. Gazlowe saw the fear in her face, and he thought the massive War Golem may have some interesting armor and mechanical parts he could salvage. The Stone Bearers chose, “The War Golem approaching to attack the canopy.” The Red Lady and Captain Silverbow took off to coordinate the defense of the Wood elves below.

Getting in position

The War Golem and Fey’ri were still a bit out of range as the party began casting spells of protection on themselves. A human Cleric ran up to the Stone Bearers and offered to help. He introduced himself as Seften Mitcaver and offered his services to the Stone Bearers.   From afar, the War Golem catapulted a rock at the party. It hit Gazlowe, Juan, Bird and Cassidy. Cassidy used her boots of levitation and had Juan toss her towards the invaders. One of the Fey’ri hit Cassidy with a couple of fiery arrows critically hurting Cassidy. Isabella jumped down, charged forward with her long bow, and exchanged shots with one of the Fey’ri. Juan on Bird floated down to the ground below and charged foreword. The Fey’ri sorcerer landed a fireball on the platform where Abrash, Ajani and Gazlowe were standing hurting them all but not too badly.   Gazlowe used his portal gun to teleport to the top of the War Golem and sent his pet beetle Scuttley into the thing to find parts and destroy them. Seeing a badly hurt Cassidy, Seften cast heal on her as he joined the others running towards the intruders. Ajani climbed down and hid behind the trunk as he cast Psychic Lance at the Golem shutting it down temporarily.

Getting into the heat of it.

Cassidy floated down and then turned invisible as she ran to the creatures. Isabella was hit by another arrow, and she drank a potion of gaseous form. One of the Fey’ri flew above Juan and shot a couple arrows at him. Juan cast misty step and appeared right next to the Fey’ri in the air. With a little flash of genius from Gazlowe, Juan was able to grab ahold and bring the Fey’ri to the ground, smashing his face into the dirt! Juan’s spiritual weapon landed a critical blow on the Fey’ri leaving him bloody.   Gazlowe (believing he or Scuttley shut the Golem down) started punching the incapacitated Golem. Juan got hit by another arrow. Seften, seeing Cassidy was easily hurt by fire, told Cassidy to stand behind him for protection. Seften cast minute meteors and shot one at two of the flying fey’ri. Ajani cast Psychic Lance again keeping the Golem shut down.

Starting to Kill off the Fey’ri.

Cassidy tried to curse the Fey’ri sorcerer, but it evaded it. Cassidy then laid into the Fey’ri on the ground with her whip and killed it. The Fey’ri warrior saw Cassidy kill its friend and then landed next to Cassidy and hit her twice with its flaming sword leaving Cassidy near death again. Isabella (in mist form) did the same thing Juan did. She dropped the mist form, grabbed the Fey’ri sorcerer and pulled it to the ground leaving it prone on the ground. She hit it once with her axe.   Juan and bird joined Isabella. Bird pecked at the fey’ri. Juan landed a critical blow with the 9 lives stealer and with a little foresight from Ajani, the fey’ri had its soul captured by the sword leaving the lifeless body on the ground. Juan then smote the other fey’ri on the ground. Gazlowe and Scuttley continued to attack the War Golem. Juan was struck by another arrow. Seeing the bad state of Cassidy (again), Seften cast Death Ward on her. Ajani again cast Psychic Lance again, keeping the War Machine Golem incapacitated.   Cassidy bloodied the Fey’ri warrior next to her. Several friends and foes swung at each other missing until Juan finally hit the Fey’ri and smote it. Gazlowe and Scuttley continued to hit the Golem. One of the 2 remaining Fey’ri flew over to Gazlowe and struck him with his sword. Seften struck the Fey’ri on the ground with his pickaxe and a minute meteor. Ajani couldn’t cast another psychic lance and launched a thunderous chromatic orb at the War Golem.

The War Machine Golem.

The War golem started back up and shot its fire breath at the cluster of Stone Bearers before it. Bird was incinerated and disappeared. The Fey’ri on the ground was also killed. Juan was knocked out and Cassidy was just 2 points away from being unconscious. The War Golem then catapulted a boulder that hurt Seften, knocked him prone and hit Cassidy. Fortunately, Seften’s deathward prevented Cassidy from falling unconscious. Cassidy ran to the War Machine and smacked it with her whip.   Isabella threw a splash potion of healing on Juan, bringing him back up. She then drank a potion of invisibility and started climbing the Golem. Juan attacked the Golem and smote it. Gazlowe attacked the Fey’ri next to him. The Fey’ri tried to cast suggestion on Gazlowe but Gazlowe countered it. Seften tried to command the Golem but it failed. Ajani hit the Golem with a thunderous orb badly hurting it.   The War machine hit Cassidy and Juan with a rock, knocking Juan prone and Cassidy unconscious again. The War machine hit Gazlowe with its fist. Isabella continued to climb up the creature. She found a foot hold and swung in between the legs landing a critical blow to its crotch and permanently disabled the Golem. With all his allies destroyed, the sole remaining Fey’ri cast dimension door and disappeared.

The other battle.

With the threat to the elves in the canopy gone, the party joined the other battle and help to finish off the invading hordes of fire giants and orcs Tanarukk and Gnolls. They saw a herald of undeath slaying elves and crying out “Hail the age of apocalypse, for your death is here! I shall reap you all into my master’s fold, for I am the end times made flesh! Hear me and rejoice. You are about to die for the glorious purposes of Niptu. Be thankful that your lives were not meaningless but by sacrifice your purpose has been fulfilled.” The orcs and Tanarukk were collecting blood from the slain elves.”   With the help of the Stone bearers, the battle wrapped up quickly and the Herald of death escaped. Unfortunately, about 30% of the population of wood elves in Reitheillaethor had been slaughtered and much of their blood was carried away by the fleeing Tanarukk.

The aftermath

The Red lady was attending to the survivors; She was wounded by several arrows. She approached stone bearers and thanked them for their help. Juan saw her wounds and touched her for some healing. She was saddened by the number of dead and told the party, the need for more allies is even more desperate. She asked them about the vampires and said that the vampires could help turn the tide of the war.   Gazlowe and Seften didn’t see eye to eye exactly on the previous battle and began insulting each other. The Red Lady asked that they put their differences aside and do what is needed to get the aid from the vampires and Dhampir. She gave Gazlowe two 300gp diamonds in case things didn’t go well. Gazlowe looted parts from the Golem that would save about 4 days from building his own Golem.   The Red Lady told the party that she has heard rumors that Hellgate keep has been unsealed. She is concerned that there may be more Fey’ri and Tanarukk there. She told the party that she will talk with others and gather more information while the party is working with the Vampires. Gazlowe gave the Red Lady the real deck of many things.   The party spent the rest of the time bickering, learning about each other and apologizing for their behavior. Eventually they asked Orist to take them to the Star Mounts so they can find the home of Count Rhodar Von Glauer. Orist needed a rest first so everyone got a good night’s rest and, in the morning, Orist would take them to the southern base of the Star Mounts.

Rewards Granted

Treasure

500pp for the return of the Deck of Many