Session 186 - Windreaper

General Summary

24^th of Savor (Third Month of Autumn) 723TR

The story so far

Jolanta, and her trusty bodyguard Blaine, are agents of the mysterious Order of the White Hand, hunting down unscrupulous mages and covering up magical mishaps.

Now have tracked down Kaska Chimhien and his cursed battle axe Windreaper to an ancient hunting lodge. After killing his four companions they have finally encountered him. Blood will be shed.

This is the continuation of Session 184 - The Bloody Lodge.

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Location - Naniom Bridge in the Kingdom of Kaldor.

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Part 1 - A Parlay Gone Wrong

Kaska, Art by Artbreeder

Blaine and Khâl see a cruel and tired-looking man, Kaska Chimhien, approaching them while Jolanta hides on the stairwell. His Hârnic is serviceable, and he is friendly, but mildly menacing and insulting. The characters can't help but note wisps of black-red smoke around his great black battleaxe Windreaper.

Khâl demands he hands over the axe and receives an emphatic no. Kaska comments as the party have killed his companions, he needs new friends, starting with the fat man. Blaine falls under his Charm Person. Kaska tells Blaine to go outside; he says he has ale stored behind a tree; however, in a battle of persuasion, Jolanta convinces Blaine to stay. She may need him if she can only break the charm. Khâl puts up a Psionic field of Negation, which stops further such underhanded magic. Finding the conversation boring, the axe-wielding warrior casts a Blink on himself and attacks.

Khâl bears the initial brunt of the savage attacks and is forced to use his earthmaster vest to negate serious injuries. After hitting hard, Kaska blinks away, avoiding any counterattacks. All the while, Blaine frantically tries to make peace between his friends, old and new.

The party retreats upstairs, then from out of nowhere, Kaska reappears and catches Jolanta and Khâl with a devastating series of blows, breaking Khâl's concentration on his psionic protective barrier. Kaska then creates a Circle of Death, a red mist envelopes the heroes draining much of their strength, Jolanta and Blaine take the brunt of this necrotic energy and are hurt badly, but at least Blaine is freed from the charm. However, once again, Kaska blinks away, avoiding reprisals.

Desperate Jolnata finally uses the Dispel Magic spell contained in an enchanted Bloodstone Spell Gem she found years ago (all the way back at Session 122 - Betrayal Most Foul) to dispel the Warlock's Blinking in and out of combat. It is successful. The infuriated Blaine attacks the man he once trusted utterly but receives an immediate counterattack with a Hellish Rebuke for his efforts, very nearly taking him out of the fight. Khâl strikes hard, then Blaine hits again before passing out, slicing Kaska's neck open, killing him. His battleaxe falls to the ground with a hollow thud.

Part 2 - Disintegration.

Khâl tells the characters that no one is to touch Windreaper while they rest. However, soon Blaine hears an enticing voice in his head calling his name. "Blaine, Blaine, claim me, we can do great work together" In an uncharacteristic show of mental fortitude, he resists and warns Jolanta of the temptation. Worried Khâl asks Jolanta to quickly try her disintegration magic on the cursed weapon. She does. Two castings of Corrosive Blast engulf the axe, the first weakening it and the second turning it into rusty dust. The crisis is not over; the rust flares with infernal flames and a malicious back-reddish cloud appears, vaguely humanoid and full of rage.

The heroes battle the evil spirit; as it wraps its misty tendrils around them, they start to feel their life force drain away. Unfortunately, Jolanta has little of her magical reserves remaining and struggles to do any real damage leaving it to the hard-fighting Blaine and Khâl to finally destroy the vindictive entity. With their mission completed, they can now rest, and Blaine loses another drinking contest with Khâl.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

Khâl.

Challenges Overcome

Killed Kaska, a powerful Hexblade.

Destroyed Windreaper and Spirit stored within.

Created Contact

Nothing this week.

Related Reports

Order of the White Hand.

Psionics.

Player Character Status

Jolanta - Human - Level 9 Evoker.

Campaign

Agents of the White Hand - Campaign Complete

Protagonists

Jolanta

Report Date

21 Oct 2021

NPC Companions

Blaine

Jolanta's loyal and often drunk bodyguard.

Blaine, art by Artur Sadlos

Khâl

Dwarven Fire wizard, Artificer and member of the Order of the White Hand.

Khâl, by Artbreeder

Bloodstone Spell Gem

A bloodstone spell gem can store up to one 3rd level spell. Spells cast from the spell gem have a save DC of 15 and an attack bonus of +7.

by Stock image

This gem contained Dispel Magic at Level 3.