Session 68 - Fire Down Below

General Summary

After gathering up a handful of ashes that was once Maximus Merilander, the Saviors of Sandpoint healed up and began searching through some of the rooms in the Pinnacle of Xin-Shalast. The tower itself seems to be deserted. Room after empty room greeted the heroes. However, that changed when they discovered their old rival Xanesha in her old room, frantically burning something in a fireplace. When confronted, she confessed to having snuck back into Xin-Shalast to burn the notes she had left behind. Xanesha knew she had failed Karzoug by not stopping the Saviors of Sandpoint. Karzoug did not tolerate failure. She burned her notes so Karzoug could not find her when she went into hiding. Xanesha didn't want to fight and asked Jayvielle for his word that the heroes would let her leave. Instead, she was told she could walk away if she took them to the Soul Lens that fuelled Karzoug's runewell. Xanesha led the heroes through the tower. They passed through the stasis section, rows upon rows of rooms used to put giants and lamias in suspended animation until Karzough awoke. The rooms were all empty now. However, the hallways weren't. The heroes were confronted by three cloud giants and a rune giant. Quilith used his dwindling magic to open a pit beneath a cloud giant, only to have Mite lob a bomb in after it for good measure. The pit chewed up his burning body and spat out the corpse long after the heroes had left.

Mite, did you drop a bomb down that pit?

The rune giant, Jim, wasted time trying to charm the heroes. When that didn't work, outrageous violence was next on the menu. What Jim failed to realize was by stepping up to the combo of Jayvielle and Kilgor, he had made a terrible mistake. Kilgor was a walking punching bag, and Jayvielle barely approached the rune giant's ankle. But together, they were a well-choreographed dance troop of death. They chained together one lethal strike after another until Jim's head decided it was time for a vacation and rolled down the hallway, leaving his body behind. The Saviors arrived at the sarcophagus of Karzoug. The soul lens had been there once but had now been taken into the Eye of Avarice with the runewell of greed. The heroes deliberated whether they should continue their search or rest. They let Xanesha leave, then camped in the rune giant's bedroom. Quilith cast a Sturdy Tree Fort spell for additional protection. Would it be enough for the heroes to rest, recover, and prepare to face the Runelord of Greed?