Session 14: The Undead Siege Report

General Summary

As the party awakens from the best night of rest since coming to these lands, they are served breakfast by Irva and her family. Shortly after the meal has started, a knock at the door unveils Victoria who asks if she might be invited in. She shares that over the dark night she sent scouts northward to confirm the news from the Shader Kai - they reported back a massive force exceeding 5,000 dark souls have been organized by Gloomwraith. Their goal still unknown, they are comprised of all manner of undead, including not only the skeletons and zombies they have probably encountered but also mounted cavalry on fire breathing horses, mummy pharaohs leading undead forces from the sands of the far east, ancient beasts from many millennia ago and others still on the move.   A discussion takes place for a few minutes before a soldier comes in, whispers in Victoria's ear, then glances at the party before walking back out the door. She shares that another visitor has approached, one far too dangerous to let within the walls of the Citadel. Offering those brave enough to join her, she grasps forearms with Brom, Rickfried and Shade and a clawed forefinger penetrates the flesh, injecting an icy toxin into each person's blood stream. Their vision and balance disrupted for a few seconds, the three recover to find somehow Victoria has shared some of her vampiric powers with them. She shape changes into a bat and pulls the three into the same form, having some mysterious control over these new powers. The three attempt to fly for the first time, somewhat unsteady with this new found ability and lift off - Gorm's control not as immediate as he slams into a nearby wall before recovering and following along.   Victoria leads the small group of vampiric bats to a ruinous mansion that lays outside the walls. As they land and change back to their normal forms, they approach a window and hear a hair raising yet familiar whistle, followed by the comment, "You can join me whenever you like."   Looking through the dirty and broken glass, they see Alastor leaning against a deadened tree, foot bent up, flat brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes, taking a swig of his bottle of amber liquid. Victoria and the three make for the doorway and step out to meet Alastor, who presents them with a bargain. He comments on some rare element he detected on the party as they left his garden, something that doesn't belong in the Shadowfell but would be extremely valuable to a friend of his. He offers to let the Citadel and its occupants live in exchange for this object; he allows until the following morning to decide the fate of those in the walls. To provide additional evidence of his intent, he pulls a raven skull from his pocket - blowing on an opening in the back of its skull a horrible wailing shriek is heard eminating from this death whistle, calling thousands of undead to emerge from the grounds surrounding the entire citadel.   As he walks away, Shade makes an attempt to use mage hand to discretely steal the talisman from around Alistor's neck....through shear luck she is detected by him....he provides his compliments to the attempt, then in a quick movement disappears from sight.   Victoria shape shifts the team and flies back - the three have improved their skills greatly with flight, so much so that Ricfried attempts an aerial dance with Victoria before they make it back behind the walls - resulting in a lackluster attempt. While impressed by his awesome flight skills - the dancing left her underwhelmed at the attempt.   Planning and strengthening the fortifications continued throughout the rest of the day, preparing for the battle at hand. The elder of the council approached to ask about the encounter outside the walls and for information on how the people should prepare before leaving. Victoria came back several hours later to inquire more about the item that Alistor wanted so desperately, and the party shared their knowledge of its power with her. Victoria responded that the friend was probably Gloomwraith, and the power of opening the gateway to the regular material plane would be something that could be exploited, allowing his forces to come into the land of the light and reek havoc on those unprotected lands. She agreed this power could not fall into the hands of Alistor or it would be catastrophic.   Victoria asked that whatever the decision made - while the party was here they would ask if the party could defend against anything that has made it inside the walls - she and her forces would work to hold the walls. Victoria does share a suggestion for when the team makes it back; find the lone survivor from the werewolf family - he knows of the location where a hidden talisman is in Arkdale; something with the power to detect their foe from long ago.   The party spends an uneasy and restless night awaiting the unavoidable battle in the morning. As morning approaches a message is received across the interdimensional space from Fizban; he shares that Flint has reported that Arkdale has weakened its protection of the walls around the city, disbanding the guards who protect from the outside.  Just before the first light, Victoria approaches and asks the party one last time for their decision - it is their object so it is their decision to either surrender the bead of light or to defend; they choose not to surrender the object. A large booming voice over the wall is heard, "I guess I have your decision."   Large lumbering footsteps are heard outside the wall, voices from the soldiers call out reports of a giant skeleton stepping forward, spinning around and lobbing something....they respond in turn with their bows and something large is thrown over the walls and lands not far from the party, splatting on the ground in a massive wet tangle of zombified arms, legs, torsos, heads, etc. Within seconds, the mass moves, a massive beast emerges - a clot of zombies held together by a viscous ichor and begins to attack the nearest members of the party with its huge appendages, slamming into them.   A battle ensues between the party and this zombie abomination....at one point Ilyana is encaged within a part of the clot that was lobbed at her before being broken open and rescued. The party finally subdues the threat as it breaks contact with the team and makes for the church where the townsfolk are holed up; the killing blow going to Rickfried with his blow dart. Victoria flies down from the wall and suggests the team work with Stoneheart to get away. Victoria blows Rickfried a kiss as she departs; a fully armored Stoneheart approaches moments later and leads them into the church, a place of hope and a light in these dark land. Providing a sacred blessing then slamming the butt of his mace on the stone alter, a radiant light fills the chamber; a sense of goodness is felt throughout the church. Ilyana pulls out and crushes the pearl sized bead of light, opening a portal back to the material plane.   Alistor's frustrated scream can be heard from beyond the walls as the party steps through, returning back to the normal colors of the forest beyond.

Rewards Granted

Level up for all participating characters