Rise of the Runelords Recap # 73 [RPG]

[4 Calistril 4708 continued]

Although driven by a holy thirst for vengeance, 

Wynstan was no match for the cruelty and cunning 

of what lurks beneath Jorgenfist

In their cliffside cave below Jorgenfist, the adventurers regroup after a disastrous battle against lamia priestesses of Lamashtu.  Jinkatsyu, returned to life thanks to Ava’s divinely-granted power, finds his wits restored thanks to Kang’s foul-smelling but always-effective alchemical wonders.  The group are in the midst of a free-flowing discussion about how to defeat the lamias when Wystan receives a taunting, magical message from one of them: “Cowardly knight, why did you flee?  You only delay the inevitable.  Mokmurian has been alerted to your intrusion, and his wrath is mighty.”  Wystan conceals the telepathic communication from his new allies.  Before any decisions are reached, Salma unexpectedly reappears, explaining that she had to fulfil a promise to an old friend.  The others introduce her to Wystan, and fill her in on the dramatic events she missed.

A suggestion is made to return to the caves where the waves of stone giants and ogres were repulsed, in order to move or hide the bodies so that the remaining defenders of Jorgenfist can’t discover the adventurers’ hideout.  Kang says it’s far too late for subtlety or deception, but Salma is strongly in favour of the idea and persuades the others (bar Kang) to come with her.  She explains that she can cast a (newly-mastered) spell ahead of time that will let everyone teleport away simultaneously! The journey through the maze of narrow tunnels connecting the cave to Jorgenfist’s subterranean levels proceeds without incident.  Even working together, however, moving the stone giant corpses (each of which weighs half a ton!) is slow, exhausting, and quite loud.  The sound echoes through the now largely-vacant chambers, and before long the cackling, mocking laughter of a lamia can be heard approaching from the east.  Salma tries to get the jump on their tormentor, but the wizard’s spellcraft is ineffectual and the lamia dances away into darkness.  Ava shouts that they need to leave before the other priestess appears, so Salma intones the final guttural syllable of her escape spell—but Wystan resists it!  “I do not fear you,” shouts the knight to the lamias, readying a javelin as his only allies disappear.

Back in the cliffside cave, Kang sees everyone who left on the expedition suddenly reappear—except for Wystan.  Ava shouts that Wystan doesn’t know the way back on foot, and everyone commendably starts running back through the narrow tunnels.  But run as they might, they’re not fast enough to affect what happens next.  Wystan waits, poised for battle, as he hears distant shouting in a language he cannot speak.  Just as he’s about to leave, having decided that discretion is the better part of valor, the lamias strike!  One has snuck up behind him from the north, while the other uses foul magicks to seal his eyes shut!  Stumbling and blinded, Wystan can’t stand against the despicable genius of the lamias and succumbs to their attacks.  When the other adventurers arrive, they see only the signs of battle and a message crudely painted in blood on the walls:  “We have him, and he lives!”

Salma and Jinkatsyu are prepared to go after him, but Kang and even the sobbing Ava know that it’s too risky.  It’s clearly a trap, and there are no guarantees that Wystan is even alive.  With all of Varisia at stake, the rescue of one life can’t outweigh the protection of thousands.  Reluctantly, the adventurers return to their hideout to rest until morning.

[5 Calistril 4708]

In the morning, Ava awakens to the sound of a lamia whispering in her mind: “He hurts, he hurts!  Vainglorious fools, Mokmurian delights.”.  She shares the taunt with her friends, but Kang is unshaken, saying that once they’ve witnessed the full power arrayed against them, the lamias will regret their errors.  Battle plans are drawn, and the foursome return to the giant caverns.  They find a disturbing sight—individual, severed fingers pointing, like breadcrumbs, to the lamia caves!  Undeterred by the ghastly jest, the adventurers press on and soon arrive the unholy shrine.  One of the lamias is there, and motions towards the altar where a figure, covered in a cloak, is held down by chains and moaning inarticulately.  “You’re just in time to save your friend!” shouts the lamia while backing away into darkness. 

While Jinkatsyu starts to move towards the altar, Kang shouts an alarm—something is rushing towards them from behind!  The other lamia, having hidden in a side passageway, has come up behind the rear of the party’s formation to attack Ava and Salma.  Salma reacts quickly, evoking her most powerful fireball yet on the lamia—only to find, when the smoke clears, that it had absolutely no effect!  The brilliant wizard quickly deduces that the lamias (having heard earlier battles and seen the burned corpses of the multiple giants and ogres) have abjured themselves against her favourite spell!  Jinkatsyu doesn’t hesitate to charge to Ava’s aid, plunging his rapier deeply into the lamia's side.  But in the early flush of success, Jinkatsyu doesn’t realize that the first lamia has returned from the south.  Magickal power paralyzes the kitsune, while the other lamia prepares to decapitate him—again!  But in a stunning move, Ava transdimensionally hops in and rescues Jinkatsyu, taking both of them to the rear of the chamber.

Alas, Jinkatsyu’s salvation comes with a price: Salma is left unprotected against both lamias, and their joint charge leads her dead before her body hits the ground.  Cackling wildly, the lamias revel in another sacrifice to their dark god.  Ava again manages to teleport herself, Jinkatsyu, and Salma’s body back to the cliffside cave, while Kang narrowly escapes, thanks to the magicks of his alchemical invisibility proving just strong enough to resist the dispelling magicks of the lamias.

Back in the cave, Ava’s prayers (and valuable sacrifices) are up to the task, and Salma’s wounds knit together and she gasps back into life.  But once again, the adventurers have been defeated with fatal results—and Wystan’s fate is still unknown.  In the depths of despair, do they have the courage to sally forth yet again?
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GM Commentary (October 10, 2019)

I love paladins, but unfortunately Wystan fulfilled the "lawful stupid" stereotype.  It was a pretty fast in-and-out for this PC!

As I mentioned in the last commentary, these lamias proved surprisingly effective.  They had a good mix of spells, were clever and cunning, and the PCs hadn't quite shored up their magical defences.  On the plus side, the players definitely learned from this series of encounters how to prepare themselves against spellcasters later in the campaign.  It wouldn't be long, for example, that they wouldn't budge without spells like freedom of movement and protection from evil cast on themselves.

Ava always had the best and most exciting rescues.  She saved Jinks' life and Salma's corpse, so that a simple raise dead didn't have to be a burdensome resurrection.