20090124 Smackdown

<H1> Smackdown </H1>
<H2> Roll Call </H2>
<TABLE>
<TR>
 <TD> Kill'Dar </TD>
 <TD> 3nd/21th Elf Outsider Fighter/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Rick DiRicco </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Colin </TD>
 <TD> 16th/1st/6th Human/Werewolf Fighter/Cleric/Hospitaler (ECL 27) </TD>
 <TD> Jim Yonemura </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Estus </TD>
 <TD> 19th/2nd Human Cleric/Parthenian Friar </TD>
 <TD> Ray Chiang </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kha'Narek </TD>
 <TD> Human (ECL 17) </TD>
 <TD> Matt Miller </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Donner </TD>
 <TD> 6th/13th/2nd Human Fighter/Wizard/Fatespinner </TD>
 <TD> John Speck </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Travian </TD>
 <TD> 23th Human Outsider Paladin </TD>
 <TD> Robert Giedt </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Grackle </TD>
 <TD> 10/6/4/4 Half-Elf/Half-Invevitable Fighter/Thief/Divine Seeker/Planar Champion (ECL 28) </TD>
 <TD> Mark Whisler </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Fingle </TD>
 <TD> 3rd/18th/1st Gnome Cleric/Illusionist/Mystic Theurge </TD>
 <TD> Richard Jacobsen </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Auric </TD>
 <TD> 16th Wemic Druid (ECL 23) </TD>
 <TD> Keith Farrar </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2> Session Summary </H2>
<H3> Prologue </H3>
Even as the party celebrates their victory, dark tidings interrupt. Sendings and messengers from across the plateau come pouring in with horrifying news.
Legions of the undead have laid siege to Dulax Moir, Regis Vale, Hensennhal, and even mighty Kennetar. Led by death knights and dracoliches, these hordes threaten to wipe the living from the face of the plateau.
Many of the heroes around Donner are already on their way to help turn these desperate battles. Meanwhile, a select handful gather around the planning table in Fingle's mansion to consider the words of St. Morbios:
"Gentlemen. Vorn Kalak now rules Ravenloft. He has ordered its nightmares to wipe the living from the borders of what he calls ‘my kingdom’ -- the former Kingdom of the West. The Imperium has offered
to help, but cannot provide aid until the seige of Regis Vale is lifted."
"Ravenloft was created by the Dark Powers, using the curse and misery of Strahd von Zarovich to build a realm of mist and doom from which to manipulate souls into torment. If Vorn Kalak is their chosen instrument,
they must intend great misery from his actions. Conversely, they may be setting him up for agonizing failure, much as they have done with Strahd and their other favored playthings, the Dark Lords. Or perhaps Vorn Kalak's rise is simply a torment for Strahd. It is not truly our concern what their motives are; it is sufficient to know that Vorn Kalak is the source of the permanent gate to Ravenloft and is the lord of its legions. We must remove him or the Dark Powers will gain sway here on the Prime Material."
"I will be frank. The people have not failed to see the parallel between your announcement as the living heir to the throne and the sudden aggression and territorial claims of this ‘lich king.’ They look to you, Donner, and your court as the cause of their current horror -- and as their one great hope."
"We will keep the phylactery safe. We will destroy it when Vorn Kalak falls. We can promise no more than that in the face of such power."
"The next move is yours, o court of the king."
<H3> Party's Resources </H3>
Miscellaneous tidbits for us to remember:
<UL>
<LI> Advice from Bahamut (Legends Unveiled): How is the Lich King best dealt with? Marshal your allies. Destroy his minions. Destroy his ability to exist. 
<LI> Taunt the Lich King. Failure of the first Plateau Gate. Known as Taine's Folly. The party has pieces of it.
<LI> Previous divination. No army can defeat him. The party's interpretation is that it is their duty to face the Lich King directly.
</UL>
<UL>
<LI> Current Resources and Possible Allies
 <UL>
 <LI> Home
 <UL>
 <LI> Guardians (George, Marden, Father Cullaim, Philip)
 <LI> Warriors of Hensen (or did they make their way back?)
 <LI> Thorsen Clan
 <LI> Most of our Epic henchmen
 <LI> Norc
 </UL>
 <LI> Myrmidon
 <UL>
 <LI> Current location?
 </UL>
 <LI> Kennetar
 <UL>
 <LI> Kennetar
 <LI> Some amount of Imperial troops
 <LI> Mercator Julius (John's character)
 <LI> Saint Morbios and all the troops/resources they've been gathering
 </UL>
 <LI> Lower Kingdoms
 <UL>
 <LI> Elves
 <LI> Other Kingdoms?
 <LI> Cirrus? (Supposedly moved on. But to where?)
 </UL>
 <LI> Regis Vale
 <UL>
 <LI> Imperial Army
 </UL>
 <LI> Dulax Moir
 <UL>
 <LI> Leader Kent Galfax. Are these guys screwed?
 </UL>
 <LI> Dragons?
 <UL>
 <LI> The Kingdom of the West trial indicates that it's mostly a
 "Humans leave dragons alone, dragons leave humans alone"
 kind of treaty.
 <LI> Any help from Raevin/Arik (Gold) or Elisana/Feygandrel (Silver)?
 </UL>
 <LI> Parthenian Friars
 <UL>
 <LI> Mostly scattered around in fortresses along the main Plateau road
 </UL>
 <LI> 1 Wheelbarrow
 </UL>
</UL>
Aishapra's Loot
<UL>
<LI> Ring: Inevitable Evil (+4 AC, SR25 vs. good, 1d6 STR dmg vs attack, block mental control)
<LI> +3 Longsword Adamantine, Unholy, Evil (+2d6 unholy vs good)
<LI> +3 Longsword Alchemical Silver, Ghost Touch
<LI> +3 Cold Iron Longsword
<LI> +3 Longsword, Dislocator (3x/day, DC20 Will Save or go to random plane)
<LI> +3 Longsword, Speed (1 extra attack w/Full Attack action)
<LI> Nine Lives Stealer, +3 (DC20 Fort or dead)
<LI> Ring of Sequestering (Upon command, gain Sequester w/o becoming comatose)
<LI> Broken Holy Avenger
 <UL>
 <LI> There's a distinctive sunburst on the pommel. Paladin of Apollo
 who went into the Abyss and was not seen again. Slew many mighty
 demons and now sits at Apollo's side. "This world holds no
 suitable foes for me."
 </UL>
<LI> Frostbrand, +3 Greatsword
<LI> Sylvan Scimitar
<LI> 3 MW Cold Iron Longsword
<LI> 3 MW Adamantine Longsword
<LI> Vest, +3 Luck bonus to Save 
<LI> Necklace of Protection from Spells, 15th caster
</UL>
<H3> Gearing Up </H3>
The party has spent most of a week assisting in re-allocating troops among the Plateau
(i.e. returning the Hensen troops to Hensenhal).
Grackle is teleported to Kennetar to gather information. There are other representatives in the city. One wizard from Hensen, one priest from Kennetar, and 1 sorcerer from the Imperium.
The party decides to send Grackle (who can see through the mists of Ravenloft) to perform some reconnaissance. They apply the following protections on him:
*Dimensional Anchor
*Death Ward, Mass
*Sheltered Vitality
*Conviction, Mass
*Superior Resistance, Extended
*Greater Spell Immunity (Symbol of Insanity, Feeblemind, Glyph of Warding-Greater, Confusion)
*Freedom of Movement
*Fly, Extended
*True Seeing, Extended
*Find the Path
*Greater Magic Weapon
*Undead Bane Weapon
*Tongues
There is also news from Bab-El. They are under attack as well.
Estus drops off Grackle. There is an unearthly howl in the air and the mist is roaring by at a tremendouus rate. In the wind are shards of bone (like a sleet storm). The former edge of the Grey Vales appears to be the middle now. Lots of spirits embedded in the storm (easily 3 within 100' of Grackle at any moment). Grackle spots a dragon skeleton or dracolich flying overhead. Grackle sees a smaller fortress in the Ethereal Plane in the main citadel. It is surrounded by tons of incorporeal undead. The smaller citadel is in physically sealed and guarded by two iron golems, two stone golems, and two bone golems. As he gets nearer, he spots a small creature (Spot roll 39). It appears to be a small hovering creature--it appears to be some kind of homonculous covered with eyes. There appears to be no central emanation point for the undead groups. 
Iron Flask. Nightsoul was one of the harpies (now believed to be Vrock demons).
Sending from Celedan. Keep yourself guarded against mental control. We had to restrain your father.
The party prepares to move out
*Mass Death Ward (20th)
*Mass Conviction (20th)
*Mass Bear's Endurance (20th)
*Mass Owl's Wisdom (20th)
*Mass Bull's Strength (14th)
*Heroes Feast (14th)
*Superior Resistance (20th-Grackle,Borgar Ext)
*Protection from Evil (20th-Grackle, Travian, Auric, Fingle, Estus)
*Rary's Telepathic Bond (16th)
*Resist Energy-Fire (20th)
*Sheltered Vitality (20th-Colin Ext, Travian, Grackle)
*Greater Spell Immunity (20th-Estus:Feeblemind,Symbol of Insanity,Blasphemy,Dimensional Anchor)
Fingle provides 3 Golembane Scarabs to the party. The party transports to the area beneath Blackvault. Auric gets hit by a Wall of Greater Dispelling. Also in the large vault area are six Iron Golems, the Lich King, theDeath Knight, and three Shield Guardians.
<B>Round 1:</B> Auric and Colin end up in a Wall of Greater Dispelling. Glyphs of Warding affect Estus, Borgar, and Travian). The Lich King casts three spells (Dimensional Anchor on 3 Kill'Dar, Fingle, Estus). Lich King's Lightning Ring auto attacks the party.
<B>Round 2:</B> Kill'Dar casts Wish: "I wish that the party was added to the exception list to all the Glyphs in the room." Fingle casts a Wish to teleport the group closer to the Lich King. When the party gets close, they are affected by the Lich King's Seed Cold Aura (44 pts within 10' of LK). Colin swings a bunch of times, but misses (no better than AC33). Kill'Dar idenfities the Epic Mage Armor on the Lich King. The Lightning Ring affects the nearby party members (23 points). Lich King casts 3 Quickened Anti-Magic Ray (hits Estus saves, hits Kill'Dar who blocks, hits Fingle who saves) while shouting in anger "Where is the pretender?" The Iron Golems move around the party and attack the spellcasters. The Iron Golem full attacks Borgar and knocks him unconscious. The rest of the party gets pounded by golems. The Death Knight uses his greatsword to attack Auric, knocking him unconscious. Estus casts Miracle to remove the Dimensional Anchors on Kill'Dar and Fingle. Borgar bleeds. Grackle attacks the Death Knight (hitting 4 times, AC 36, for 19,27,23, 22). Auric bleeds. Travian smites the Death Knight 4 times, hitting twice (48,49).
Round 3: Kill'Dar casts Wish and transports the party to Home.
<H2> Foes Fought </H2>
<P>
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</P>
<P>
<B>Base Experience:</B> 
</P>