Session XIII - 10.09.2020

General Summary

• Addendum to last Session: Athanatos tells the group his motivation (his patron demands that he keeps the balance between devils and demons in the Blood War). He also describes his combat tactics and how this can be incorportated into the overarching strategy of the group.
• The session starts as the group has just crossed the southern bridge which spans the chasm between the eastern and western part of Elturel. As this made a lot of noise, they make haste to the cathedral, especially as they hear thudding noises.
• As the groups reaches the citadel, they realize that the thudding noises came from a battering ram which destroyed the main gate to the citadel. Some hellhounds lurk there which are suddenly attacked by some vulture-like creature (vrock?). The group does not want to waste any more time and rushes into battle, killing or dispersing the fiends. Then the group enters the citadel.
• Noone seems to be on the ground floor but there are stairs leading to an upstairs floor. Also, the large central altar seems to be broken and reveals stairs to an underground passage (while the regular stairs to the cellar are blocked). The group inspects the way down and Barakas realizes that several fiendish runes protect the passage which will cause passing creatures tremendous necrotic damage.
• Hence, the group first inspects the upper floor where they find an immense organ. Next to it is a magical tome that Barakas inspects. Although he is not capable of playing the organ or a piano, the magical nature of the tome teaches him how to play the instrument and the majestic music generates a lingering magical blessing which is bestowed onto the characters.
• Thereafter, the group goes back to the ground floor to inspect the passage down. It takes some time but a combination of a well-timed fireball cast from the Shield of the Hidden Lord plus an Eldritch Blast from Athanatos set off the runes and so the group can make its way down.
• There they find a wounded guard named Jarrik. Jo heals him and he urges the group to flee as everything is lost by now. It becomes clear that this is a disguised foe that tries to use his magic to charm the group and convince it to back down. Only Darrak falls for the magical effect before the creature reveals its true nature being an incubus. The incubus immediately starts to run but not after giving Darrak a debiliating kiss of dark magic. Luckily, Darrak was still in his bear shape, so this effect is mitigated.
• The group pursues the fleeing incubus to the inner sanctum of the citadel. Here, three mages maintain a magical dome that protects refugees beneath it. Next to it a lurking mass of lemures as well as some bearded devils and a white abishai attack the dome.
• A fight starts and Barakas can magically message one of the mages who begs the characters for help: The White Abishai tries to break the protective magic of the dome. Luckily, the group manages to destroy all fiends including the once again fleeing incubus in a hard and brutal fight (Side note: Darrak summons a pack of wolves which makes work of the lemures and eventually the White Abishai which jumps forth from behind him - an image to behold!).

Incubus

White Abishai

Report Date

10 Sep 2020