Session 197 - Destruction of a Warlock

General Summary

25^th to 30^th of Nuzyael (First Month of Spring) 724TR

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.

Jolanta has learned the location of an old enemy, the undead, dwarf killing warlock, Rantucci, who escaped her clutches months ago. She, accompanied by Blaine and the Priest Otho, are tracking this monster down. Rantucci is on a quest to find the body of his long-dead master, Lothrim the Foulspawner, creator of the Orcs.

This is the continuation of Session 195 - Mines of Izora.

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Location - Location - Dygr River and Izora Mines near Kabloq.

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Part 1 - Tower Guardians

The characters make good progress through the hills towards a ruined tower where Jolanta believes Rantucci is lurking. They are spotted two bat-like creatures patrolling, which pounce on them with blood-thirsty glee. These Echo Demons tear into Blaine's armor, causing deep scratches but no permanent damage. The heroes luckily avoid being deafened by their subsonic attacks, and the fiends are soon sent to the hell pit from which they were spawned.

Evil demon bats were not the only guardians Rantucci had protecting the tower. Jolanta spots a well-hidden magical rune on a trapdoor. Carefully she attempts to disable it, failing at the last second. The rune disappears in a flash of stickily green mist, and three Wraiths materialize in its place. The life-draining apparitions sap some of the character's vitality but prove to be a little more an annoyance to the trio.

Part 2 - Annoying Minions

The caverns below are filled with orc bones scattered over the floor and embedded in masses of cobwebs. Traveling through the maze of passages is difficult and full of hazards. Phase Spiders appear from nowhere, and the bones assemble into a lethal walking mass, a Bone Golem. By the time the heroes have dealt with these threats, they are weakened by poison and their minor cuts and injuries. And the undead warlock Rantucci prepares his ambush.

Part 3 - Battle to the Death

Blaine travels ahead and spots a well-concealed trap on the floor. Rantucci, hidden in a back room, hurls a Green Flame Fireball at the heroes; however, Jolanta puts up a Psionic Negation field to eliminate any damage. Nevertheless, Rantucci is still is a dangerous foe and gestures to the ground, animating skeletons of long-dead orcs. Also, Jolanta's magic protection does not stop all of his Necrotic Bolts, which badly hurt Blaine and Otho.

Blaine closes to melee range and points out a large detailed map of the nearby mountains in his workroom. The warlock appears to be methodically is searching for the tomb of his long-dead master. Jolanta Corrosive Blast disintegrates the map and most of the contents of the room. Rantucci is furious, unleashing his most powerful magic to test Jolanta's magical defenses. To his frustration, he fails. However, not all goes the character's way. Some of the animated skeletons close on them, and Jolanta and Otho spend valuable resources dealing with them while Blaine is severely injured by Rantucci eldritch empowered claws and fiery counter-attacks. Nonetheless, the undead warlock is also weakened, and Blaine may be able to finish him off.

Then Jolanta, with her magical resources depleted, makes a nearly fatal mistake. She approached close to Rantucci, preparing to use her short-range attack magic, as well as enveloping Blaine within her protective Negation Field. But the cunning undead sees his opportunity and maneuvers within the borders of her barrier. This close, he can now use his magic unimpeded, and he doesn't hold back. He conjures a green Fireball which engulfs the trio. This is too much for Blaine and Otho already badly injured, and they fall to the ground dying. Jolanta is severely burned, barely standing (with only 4 hp left), and the magical protective effects she has been concentrating on collapse.

Face to face with the undead Warlock, Misty Steps back and moves out of the line of sight of the villain. Rantucci, not sure where she has gone, moves over to a pile of bones and prepares to create more skeletal minions. Jolanta gulping a healing potion, runs back into his chamber, and before Rantucci can respond or escape, blasts him to pieces with her last Magic Missile. Fortunately, Blaine and Otho survive their injuries.

Rantucci is finally destroyed, and his plans to find the remains of his master Lothrim are forever ended.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

No one alive.

Challenges Overcome

Killed 2 x Echo Demons.

Destroyed 3 x Guardian Wraiths.

Killed 5 x Phase Spiders.

Destroyed 1 x Bone Golem.

Destroyed 5 x Phase Spiders.

Destoyed Rantucci - Legendary Deathlock Mastermind.

Created Contact

Nothing this week

Related Reports

Lothrim the Foulspawner.

Player Character Status

Jolanta - Human - Level 10 Evoker.

Campaign

Agents of the White Hand - Campaign Complete

Protagonists

Jolanta

Report Date

05 Dec 2021

NPC Companions

Blaine

Jolanta's loyal and often drunk bodyguard.

Blaine, art by Artur Sadlos

Otho Natteres

Priest of Larani and member of the Order of the Spear of Shattered Sorrow.

Priest Otho, art by Artbreeder

Negation

You create a psionic field that stops magical and psionic activity.
Talent
Negation – As an action, you create a 10 ft radius invisible spherical psionic field around the invoker. Any spell or psionic effect of a level half that of the psionicist, or lower, cast from outside the psionic field can’t affect creatures or objects within it, even if the spell is cast using a higher-level spell slot. The psionic field moves with the invoker; however, they are limited to a movement rate of maximum 10ft and cannot use any form of teleport. This ability lasts for 1 minute and requires concentration. This talent is usable once per short rest.
Discipline
Ranged Negation – As per the Negation talent, the psionicst can create the invisible spherical psionic field at a range of 30ft. It is however immobile.