Chapter 62: Doom of the Desert

General Summary

Date: 29th of Nightal

The skies rage as flashes of thunder illuminate the billowing black clouds. The Good Fellas had finally arrived to the lair of Iymrith, to face off against the Doom of the Desert and bring an end to her ascension ritual. The party talked among themselves, strategizing how to cross the few mile stretch to the amphitheater when suddenly a floating Cloud Giant tower teleported next to them. 
Zephyros emerged, glad to have found the heroes. The Cloud Giant had been busy acting on Annam the All-fathers wishes and gathering allies from all around the Sword Coast. Allies from Harpers, Zhentarim, Lord's Alliance and Emerald Enclave had answered the call, ready to lend their strength. 
Sildar Hallwinter had brought Griffon Riders to aid the party, while Bene gained the support from Zhentarim in the form of the Seven Snakes, led by Xolkin Alassandar. Tharra Shyndle brought Moon Elves that Ranvas and the party had rescued, who pledged their bows to the party. Nomime got support from her dad and Sister Garaele with a few Harpers aiding in battle.
With determination, the party charged towards the lair. As they advanced, gargoyles brust forth from the sand, accompanied by howling winds and relentless lightning storms. Rubble, rocks and gargoyles flew across the skies, thrown by the trebuches from the amphitheater. The party culled through the endless waves of enemies, but the further they got, the more resistance they met.
But the charge was not without sacrifice. One of Hekaton's honorguard Nimir lost her life while protecting Belros and Tharra pushed Ranvas away from falling crystal pillars, succumbing herself underneath them. Many of the allies had met their end, paving the way for the heroes. as they finally reached the amphitheater. 
At the entrance, a host of gargoyles awaited them and from behind a gargoyle dragon and a purple worm continued their chase. The Seven Snakes decided to stay above ground, to block the enemies from ganking up on the party. With a finaly glance at their fighting friends, the Good Fellas, along with Hekaton, Uthor, Torund and Sildar, plunged into the lair.
Underneath the amphitheater the party was met by a stone door, resistant to even the mighty strength of King Hekaton. A wave of energy surged from within, seemingly weakening Hekaton. With Nomime's quick wit and sharp mind, she managed to solve the riddle, allowing the party to advance forward.
The path led to a vast chamber, housing a pit filled with grotesque giant purple maggots. As they navigated through the room, gargoyles materialized from the rubble and pillars, launching a surprise attack. A gargoyle dragon petrifying breath caught Bene, Ranvas and Sildar, who began turning to stone. Nomime and Belros destroyed the giant gargoyles while the Storm Giants hacked the dragon to pebbles. In the ensuing struggle however, their dear friend Sildar Hallwinter had succumbed to the petrifying breath, turning to stone before their eyes.

The party had to move forward, leaving Sildar behind. The narrow sand tunnels offered little respite as the party pressed forward. Their journey through the constricted passages was abruptly interrupted by an ambush from gargoyles and a menacing sand mound. The heroes fought valiantly, dispatching their enemies, but the toll on their storm giant allies was looking severe at this point.

Emerging from the tunnels, the party found themselves in a chamber filled with treasure, glittering riches and mounds of gold. As if anticipated, the sands themselves came to life, two gargoyle dragons began to construct form the rocks and stone, joined by a host of new advesaries. The situation looked dire and from the strengthening waves of arcane power that washed over the party, their time was seemingly of essence.
Uthor and Torund, the last Storm Giants accompanying their king, urged the party to move on. The two of them would do what they could to hold off the onslaught of enemies, hopefully until the party had managed to defeat the Doom of the Desert. The Good Fellas and King Hekaton proceeded further and Uthor collapsed the entrance behind them, sealing the passage and preventing the enemis from following. The sound of crumbling stone echoed ominously as a reminder of the sacrifices made to buy the heroes time.
They emerged into a vast underground cavern, where the remants of an ancient temple lay buried beneath the sand. The air was filled with tension and electricity. At the cavern's heart, they witnessed a daunting sight; Iymrith, in her formidable Storm Giantess form was seated upon Wyrmskull Throne. A slow yet haunting feeling filled the party. The throne they saw was last seen in Maelstrom, where Princess Serissa was trapped.
Iymrith gave a wide, expecting smile to the heroes. Her presence exuded power and malice, a stark reminder of the peril that lay ahead. The final confrontation was imminent and the fate of the realm hangs in the balance of four heroes. How did Iymrith gain access to the Wyrmskull Throne? Will the heroes have enough strength to take her down or will the Doom of the Desert complete the ascension, becoming a new goddess of Faerûn?

Character(s) interacted with

• Zephyros 
• Sildar Hallwinter 
• Xolkin Alassandar
• Tharra Shyndle 
• Sister Garaele 
• Eric Shandri
• Uthor 
• King Hekaton

Campaign

Storm King's Thunder

Protagonists

Belros

Neutral Good Half-Elf (Military / Infrantry)
Paladin 7

57 / 57 HP

STR
17

DEX
12

CON
14

INT
9

WIS
10

CHA
17

Nomime Shandri

Bene Lugosi

Chaotic Neutral Human (Charlatan)
Rogue 1

10 / 10 HP

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Ranvas Pahrunath

Neutral Good Triton (Outlander, Pilgrim)
Fighter, Gunslinger 1

14 / 14 HP

STR
16

DEX
17

CON
18

INT
12

WIS
17

CHA
11

Report Date

10 Jun 2024