Session 40: The Windwalkers Ward Report

General Summary

The party, fresh off their mission to recover the Grimoire Infinitus, return to Elminster to recieve a new mission. They are to travel to the North to Evermelt Cavern, an old cave that was once inhabited by the Dragon Icingdeath. There they are to recover one of the Vestiges of Power, The Windwalkers Ward, from Jarl Zundrah. The party wastes no time and they are soon transported to the region of the cave. After a days travel through the mountains, they find the entrance being guarded by two giant looking creatures.
The party attempts to sneak in past but they are quickly seen by the clumsy gaurds. A battle ensues and the party quickly cuts them down, but not before a fire giant appears and starts hurling rocks at them. They quickly chase down the fire giant and slay him as he sounds the alarm.
The party, knowing that there presence is know, sets out to explore the cavern. By scouting out they determing the giants are laying in wait, and after a few minutes, one giant appears and summons them to appear before the Jarl. The party moves in to meet with him and ultimately tell him who they are and why they have come. The ever confident Jarl Zundrah, invites the party to "try to take" the vestige, confident that the trap(s) he has laid out will deal with the intruders.
As the party makes its way down, the encounter a strange room with two hallways, each with a lever in it. As Olaf moves to flip the lever in the second hallway a massive fire giant juggernaut appears and mauls her. Sylas, not to be outdone by Olaf, walks up and attempts to do the same. He gets mowed over and in the process Olaf is knocked unconscience from the second charging attack. Ricard then goes to flip the lever in the first halld and he finds it is trapped all the same. The party finds itself in a dificult battle and a well intended, but ill timed wall of force, buts Rickard off from the rest of the party. Rickard, thinking he can get out with a quick misty step, realizes that he is in fact standing in an anti-magic field. He fights valiently but is ultimately cut down. But as he falls, the magnificent power of the Bulwark of Vengance encases him in a magical glow, releasing its energy protecting him for a brief time and healing his life force.
Rickard and the team are able to eventually cut down the giants and flip the levers at the same time, opening the doorway to a room with a large magical flame with an isscription asking for a worthy sacrifice. The party ultimately starts to sacrifice items, each time spawning fire elementals which attack them until they ultimately sacrifice 5 items, 4 of which were magical. The vestige appears and Sylas is able to immediately dawn the item. There the party sits, plotting its escape from the evil Jarl.