BLOOD AND SOULS FOR MY LORD ARIOCH : ELRIC OF MELNIBONE
WAYNE'S
WORLD
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BLOOD AND SOULS FOR MY LORD ARIOCH : ELRIC OF MELNIBONE WAYNE'S
WORLD
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The Githyanki Offensive Where the battle is brought to the prime and the party is taught a lesson in tactics in how the use of local allies and clever yet simple strategies can keep an enemy off balance. Where also a battle fled has ended the war but a foe unvanquished has created an enemy for life. Winter 2,304 Meldigian Reckoning After recuperating in the old lead mine workings the party set forth on foot to Dresden city with the invalid Swiftsword and Pharin on ponies bought from the nearby dwarven mining village. Mid-morning of the same day Caldo realises he is been scried upon and it is assumed that the Githyanki are behind this. Without taking any further precautions the party continue their journey and late in the same day are startled out of their complacency by the screech of a low flying red dragon flying low over the hill tops behind them and bearing down with flames gathering upon it’s breath and sword brandishing Githyanki warriors upon it’s back. Fortunately the party are not surprised and have a moment to react. Chutikik and Cathos flee together whilst Thoros runs in the other direction positioning himself for a flank missile attack. Caldo and Ankara stand firm hoping to disbelieve the apparition. Unfortunately the dragon is all too real as it’s devastating breath weapon is deployed creating an inferno over Caldo, Ankara and the incapacitated Swiftsword and Pharin. Alas Caldo perishes in the flames. Thoros makes an impressive hurl with a javelin of lightning at the reptile as it passes which flies true to strike and wound the 200 foot long beast. As the dragon banks around to attack again another is sighted diving from the heavens. Chutikik with sure hands operates the Device of Dimensional Manipulation and opens a gate to the Temple of Odin in Dresden city. All run for their lives with Ankara picking up the charred husk of Caldo as he passes and Thoros picking up Swiftsword and Pharin. Thoros whilst encumbered realises he will not reach the gate before the dragons breaths fire upon him so he uses his martial prowess to tumble out of the path of the firestorm and thus save himself and his burdens from incineration. In the temple compound a ball of fire is cut off as the magical portal is shut behind Thoros. The party seek magical healing, regeneration and life restoring magic from the priesthood as well as sanctuary in the heart of the temple. Caldo barely survives the shock of his raising with his now aged diminished constitution. The party in a desperate attempt to thwart this new dragon threat seek out arrows of dragon slaying but none can be found. Chutikik is given a stern warning by the temple priests about bringing danger upon the church and it’s worshippers meaning that further assaults on the Githyanki must not be launched from the church lest they cause retribution. The party then decide to move to the lead mine to decide their actions. Once inside the mine Caldo discovers he has to ascend to the top of the mine shaft before scrying can be performed due to the blocking influence of the lead ore. He climbs up the shaft and attempts some scrying on Zolta the Black and finds him on the Astral plane within the Githyanki fortress been reprimanded by what appears to be his commander. It is learnt by using a Helm of Comprehending languages that the attacks on the party have been orchestrated by Zolta and that the troops he is using are needed for some other expedition. He is clearly under threat to succeed in the destruction of the party quickly and under threat of punishment for failure. Caldo also successfully scries upon the dragons and discovers them in a large forest clearing amongst some thirty Githyanki with some 10 guards posted around the perimeter of the clearing. After long deliberation the party plans to raid the Githyanki by opening a portal on the edge of the clearing and releasing a volley of missiles and magic. It is hoped that such skirmish attacks may force the Githyanki into a rushed error that the party can exploit. They even go to the trouble to erect a banner from a cut up tent behind where the portal will open so that no obvious landmarks can be seen from the other side to give away their position. The plan was enacted and a suspected Githyanki warlock is killed under a hail of arrow fire not to mention a nasty Fireball. The portal was shut immediately afterwards and the party fled into the mine with the banner to leave no trace of their presence for any subsequent scrying.. Unfortunately for the party this form of attack was expected and indeed the setup of the Githyanki camp was bait to encourage this sort of attack. The Githyanki had posted ten invisible warriors between the visible guards who were to enter any portals opened so that the location of the enemy could be found. They knew that some troop losses would be incurred but reckoned this was a fair trade for the chance to pinpoint the location of the party who had been proving elusive. The Githyanki were getting desperate and realised that this simple bait trap would be foiled by simple magics to detect invisible objects. Luckily for them no such magics were used and indeed the party fleeing into the mine prevented the invisible Githyanki warrior who had followed through the portal been spotted by more mundane means. The Githyanki could not believe their luck, not only did they now know the whereabouts of the party but the party had also trapped themselves down a hole with no easy means of escape. The Githyanki warrior by plane shifting quickly returned to the encampment and the war party plane shifted to surround the mine entrance. A fire trap was planted in the mine adit and the area reconnoitered by the Githyanki so an ambush could be exacted. Those not yet invisible were made so overnight. The red dragons took to the wing but had a flight of less than 60 miles to cover as they were not far from Little Boy Mountain, the expected bolt hole of the party. Upon arrival one was stationed at the mine entrance and the other held in reserve. Unbeknownst to the party a very warm reception was awaiting them outside whilst they plotted and regained spells overnight. The next morning Swiftsword after some debate was sent to reconnoiter the mine entrance to make sure it is safe before Caldo ascended to do some scrying. As he poked his head up the top of the mine shaft he was struck with fear as he saw 40 feet away at the end of the mine adit the massive maw of a red dragon inhaling ready to breath fire upon him. He let go of the rungs to fall 180 feet down the shaft into water which enabled his to escape the dragons breath which shoots down the adit and another 50 feet down the shaft to just diffuse at the level in which the rest of the party was hiding. The party sealed the mine shaft with a Wall of Force and decided to quickly explore the balance of the mine shaft to look for another exit but none could be found. After much debate and divination a plan of action was decided upon. Caldo using a scroll of Summoning Earth Elementals was to send an earth elemental through the rock to attack the dragon. The Horn of Valhalla was also to be sounded to summon berserker allies. The party was then to charge forth to attack the dragon and the Githyanki. Caldo would follow slowly at the rear maintaining concentration on the elemental lest it turn upon him. The plan was enacted however upon reaching the adit the party saw the dragon under attack by the elemental was rising into the air to avoid it’s onslaught with no apparent wounds. Also a Fire Trap was activated in the mine adit severely wounding the berserkers leading the charge. The party continued on bravely and exited the mine however Swiftsword who had true seeing realised another dragon was poised to attack as well as bands of Githyanki warriors on either side of the mine entrance and also Githyanki warlocks hiding amongst the spoil piles surrounding the entrance. A retreat was called however a Lightning Bolt from Zolta shot up the mine adit wounding the retreating party members. A Wall of Force was got up just in time to prevent dragon fire licking down the hole however the berserkers and elemental were destroyed in the conflagration. Chutikik then opened a Dimensional Folding gate outside of the mine entrance through which Zolta was sorely wounded with a Fireball. The wounded Zolta dropped out of sight so Chutikik prepared to open another gate this time on the other side of Zolta. Another Fireball was unleashed on Zolta as well as a Wand of Wonder by Thoros. Grass grew about Zolta’s feet before been incinerated by Caldo’s Fireball however an unscathed Zolta protected by a Minor Globe of Invulnerability returned fire with a Lightning Bolt back through the portal. A dragon settled again before the adit entrance waiting for Zolta to dispel the Wall of Force. The party used dimensional folding to flee to LBM. Scrying of the battle scene revealed Githyanki planeshifting away and the dragons taking to wing. An attempt to scy Zolta at a later time found him been sent under a heavy military escort to be judged by the Lich Queen of the Githyanki for his failure and squandering of Githyanki knights blood. It is apparent that the Githyanki commander had more pressing tasks for his troops than to settle blood feuds of Zolta’s. Zolta before leaving swears eternal vengeance on the party. The magic equipment of Swiftsword and Pharin appears to be lost forever. The party returned to LBM ready for training and recoupment. The party contacted the Dwarves from the Iron Hills to ask them to build the LBM fortress. An advance party of Dwarves travelled to LBM to assess construction requirements. The initial development, being a series of ramps and tunnels to the summit was designed and construction was to commence as soon as possible. This undertaking was estimated to take a year to complete with over 570 dwarves working on the project. With such a large work force permanent lodgings and other buildings will also need to be constructed. The Dwarves indicated that they would have to recruit workers from the nearby Silver Hills to get the required workforce. The cost of this ramp and tunnel project was estimated to be in excess of 136,000gp before any extra works were proposed. The party made a 70,000gp advance to the Dwarves in good faith. Work is to commence as soon as possible. The party then went there separate ways to undertake training to advance to the next level and those not training remained at LBM to supervise commencement of construction. Thoros Quickfist to advance in level was required to match his skills against the incumbent Master of the North Winds in a trial by combat. Thoros returned to the Monastery and after a week of preparation the bout was held. The combatants entered the fighting square with the sounding of the ritual gong and the steady cadence of drums beating in the background. The first round was won be Thoros with a successful stunning of his opponent. Round two was looking tight however Thoros landed the more telling blows and was the victor. Round three was a whitewash with Thoros marking his stamp of authority on the bout with a powerful and swift stunning blow. The incumbent Master of the North Winds then retired from the bout after such a masterly display of skill by Thoros Quickfist. Pharin headed to the Dridanis grove to seek council with the Great Oak. Despite repeated prayers to the Great Oak no telepathic responses were forthcoming. Pharin then decided that he should tend the ruined grove. Upon the tending the grove Pharin got a sense of peace and tranquillity and realised that this was the task he should have set himself from the outset. Pharin at first planned a token three days tending the grove but soon realised that far more work was required as the grove was in a terrible state. Plants were overgrown and disease abounded. The forest creatures were afraid and distrusting. The buildings and shrines of the grove were in ruins save for those inside the Garden of Seasons which must have been magically protected by the presence of the Great Oak. Pharin worked feverishly on the plants and animals of the grove doing pruning, preparing poultices, and preparing food so as to nurture the plants and animals of the grove. The work was so consuming that a full month passed and though the worst of the groves afflictions had been immediately tended too it was still obvious that far more work was still needed to fully restore the grove. At the end of the month Pharin again prayed at the base of the Great Oak and though no prayers were directly responded to Pharin intuitively knew it was time to perform a ceremony to sanctify the grove which he did the following day. At the completion of this ceremony the first of the lesser grove powers was awakened and Pharin rose to an "Initiate of the 8th Circle" (10th level Druid) without needing training. Pharin continued to work on the restoration of the Grove for a further two months and then headed to Dresden City to see the Council of Druids to report the loss of the Torc of the Gods. He then returned to LBM to commence the planting of sacred trees on Crown Plateau and to rejoin the party.
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