Session 06-20/21

PROLOGUE

Key Events:

• Inspecting the Portal:

1. The party found a portal beneath the castle.
2. They attempted to disrupt or damage the portal to prevent its use. (Ice Knife and Heat Metal)

• Communicating with Archmage Arch:

1. They sent critical information about a guest and the ball to Archmage Arch.

• Infiltrating the Ball:

1. The party attended a ball in disguise, wearing masks to hide their identities.
2. During the event, they observed Mephistopheles interacting negatively with the Lord of Dis.
3. Mephistopheles was seen leaving the ball, which might signify the start of another plot or mission.

• Party Division:

1. Morah and Beatrice: Remained at the ball, keeping an eye on proceedings and gathering intelligence.
2. Eridor and Creo: Ventured upstairs and entered the Necromancer's lab, possibly searching for clues, items, or trying to thwart evil plans.

• Next Steps:

1. Morah and Beatrice: Continue observing at the ball, potentially interacting with key figures or gathering more intel.
2. Eridor and Creo: Investigate the Necromancer's lab, be wary of traps, enemies, and look for vital information or artifacts.
3. Overall Objective: Understand the significance of Mephistopheles' actions and the portal, prevent any catastrophic events, and gather as much intelligence as possible to aid Archmage Arch and their mission.

START

Zenai, you are at the camp back in Mystra. You've carried the message given to you by your friends, and Evidel (jei nebus isejo kazka ruosti). Arch Wonderbroom has decided to send three of his best :

1. Vudark of Torka - sorcerer
2. Elara Moonshadow - wizard of illusion spells
3. Zephyr Stormcaller - manipulates weather

Over the last five hours, people were preparing and planning to leave for an infiltration mission, perhaps to disrupt this portal. You also Zenai, had five hours - what would you have done in that time?
IF wizards learn about the existence of Mephistopheles, they are surprised as it requires an immense amount of energy to drag him into the material world, and no such disturbance was felt in the last hundreds of years that the HoM existed... Unless he arrived with the first arrival of devils/demons and used that sort of activity to hide his arrival.
The missions could be :
1) stopping this necromancer
2) ruining the portal
Any sort of open combat would lead to more forces gathering unless they pull off a silent kill somehow.


Necromancer - has many other clones of himself down in the basement, one formed and others just at different stages of the embryo.
Portal - any attempt to magically do anything to the portal will fail as it is magically protected, but it is possible to ruin what's around it. To dispel the protection magic around the portal, one must find the item that is the source of that enchantment - it could be something as small as a pendant (one that Lord of Dis carries).

//As the battle rages something, forms out of the shadows that are created by torches in the castle itself and utters an incantation in a tongue older than time itself "Szae oar xe papylz". The very fabric of reality seems to warp and stretch, and in an instant, everything halts.

In the eerie stillness, Mephistopheles glides effortlessly between the suspended figures of the adventurers. His eyes, burning with infernal light, study each member of the party with a mix of curiosity and disdain. He pauses before the party's leader, a hint of a smirk curling on his lips.
"You mortals," he begins, his voice a silky whisper that seems to reverberate in the silence as he draws his sword and carefully trails it by the neck of Vudark "so fragile, so fleeting. And yet..." He trails off, his gaze piercing into the depths of their soul. "Perhaps, you are Ce dont ze buziuo.(what I need)"
He says no more, leaving the meaning of his words hanging in the air like a thick, oppressive fog. With a wave of his hand, time resumes its relentless march. The cacophony of battle crashes back into existence, and Mephistopheles is gone, leaving the party to ponder the enigmatic message he left behind.

THE ATTACK

Preparation (Five Hours Before the Mission) Vudark of Torka:
Studies spells that can deal with undead and demons, choosing potent attack and defense spells. Prepares components for a powerful dispel magic to disrupt the portal. Uses divination spells to gather intelligence on the necromancer's lair and defenses. Elara Moonshadow:
Focuses on preparing advanced illusion spells for stealth and deception. Crafts disguises and illusions to mask their presence and create diversions. Practices silent communication techniques with her fellow wizards to maintain stealth. Zephyr Stormcaller:
Prepares spells to manipulate the weather for tactical advantages, such as creating fog for cover or summoning lightning for targeted strikes. Readies control weather spells to disrupt the environment around the portal, causing confusion and hindering reinforcements. Maps out the terrain and natural features to use them strategically during the mission. The Mission Phase 1: Infiltration
Elara Moonshadow casts Invisibility and Silence on the group as they approach the necromancer's lair. She uses minor illusions to cover any signs of their passage and to create false trails. Zephyr Stormcaller conjures a dense fog to obscure the party's movements and disorient any guards or scouts. Vudark of Torka uses Arcane Eye to scout ahead and identify the location of the portal and the necromancer. Phase 2: Disruption
Upon locating the portal, Vudark prepares to cast Dispel Magic. Meanwhile, Elara creates an illusion of the portal remaining intact to deceive any onlookers. Zephyr uses his weather manipulation to create a storm above the portal, generating a strong wind to mask any sounds of the disruption and further disorienting any guards. Vudark casts Dispel Magic, aiming to destabilize the portal's magical structure. If the portal is resilient, he uses Counterspell to thwart any attempts by the necromancer to stabilize it. Phase 3: Assassination
With the portal disrupted, the party turns their attention to the necromancer. Elara uses Major Image to create a false alarm or a significant distraction, drawing the necromancer away from his defenses. Vudark and Zephyr position themselves strategically. Vudark prepares a Fireball or Lightning Bolt spell, while Zephyr readies his Call Lightning spell. As soon as the necromancer is isolated, Elara casts Phantasmal Killer or another incapacitating illusion spell to disorient him. Vudark and Zephyr unleash their prepared spells simultaneously, aiming to eliminate the necromancer quickly and silently. Phase 4: Extraction
After the necromancer is defeated, Elara uses illusions to cover their retreat, creating false images of the wizards fleeing in different directions. Zephyr manipulates the weather to create a heavy downpour, washing away tracks and further obscuring their escape. Vudark uses Dimension Door or *

//

Mephistopheles if he catches them all, can cast WISH for all of them to return home.

// Artak suzino del Mephistopheles