20041106 Dulax02

<H1> Dulax Moir: A Short Trip </H1>
<H2> Role Call </H2>
<TABLE>
<TR>
 <TD> Foradun </TD>
 <TD> 6th/4th Githzerai Psychic Warrior/Soul Knife (12th ECL) </TD>
 <TD> Rick DiRicco </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Travian </TD>
 <TD> 21st Human Paladin </TD>
 <TD> Robert Giedt </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Deluwen Seradrake </TD>
 <TD> 3rd/3rd/3nd Wizard/Psion/Cerebremancer Grey Elf </TD>
 <TD> John Speck </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Mandos </TD>
 <TD> 6th/2nd Aasimar Ranger/Horizon Walker (9th ECL) </TD>
 <TD> Ray Chiang </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Thorfinn the Lucky </TD>
 <TD> 10th Human Bard </TD>
 <TD> Jim Yonemura </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Gulgin </TD>
 <TD> 7th Half-Orc Barbarian </TD>
 <TD> Keith Farrar </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Mirto </TD>
 <TD> 11th Human Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Mark Whisler </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kha'Narek </TD>
 <TD> 8th Githzerai Monk (10th CL) </TD>
 <TD> Matt Miller (Full Risk, Full Reward) </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2> Session Summary </H2>
<H3> Finding the Solution </H3>
During the two weeks that Mirto has been gone, the rest of the party has explored the area for the shapeshifters. According to Kent, the shapeshifters take human form to trick the residents and animal form to attack. After some tracking by Mandos. They appear to be at the base of the hills SE of the village.
Given their two weeks in the village, the adventurers learn a little more about the village of Dulax Moir. Travian notes that all the houses remaining in the city are made of stone. Kent tells the adventurers that they have a network of tunnels underneath the village and there are all sorts of exit holes. They have sufficient stores to stay hidden from the dangers of the Plateau, but not enough to withstand an army.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Travian:</B> How combat ready are you?
<B>Kent:</B> We can fight, but we're not soldiers. We've never fought the Imperium before.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
The party continues discussing options about how to handle the Imperial forces due to arrive. After much discussion, the group can only think of ambushing the approaching forces before they arrive at Dulax Moir. However, Kent has a different suggestion.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Kent:</B> A long time ago when our lord was still in Blackvault. There was a way he had of protecting us. He had a way to raise a kind of invisible wall that used to surround the entire town and our fields too. We don't know how he did, but it happened at least twice. He never came out personally, but he promised to protect us and he did. Some stories said that it stayed up a week.
<B>Travian:</B> How many villagers?
<B>Kent:</B> Just had a baby last week...so...342.
<B>Travian:</B> And how big did this place get?
<B>Kent:</B> We've been over a 1000.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
The group decides to get Mirto to teleport to Home and get Father Cullaim to cast a Divination.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Divination:</B> If we go to Blackvault, will we find the means of protecting Dulax Moir.<BR /><B>Answer:</B> Find the door of the ages with the sight of the dead. The dullest gem will show you the way to the Machine. Awaken it with blood, fire, and silver. Be true and the Machine will serve. Be false and die.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Mirto estimates that the Imperial forces will take at least a week to arrive. Since the trip to Blackvault and back will take only two days, the party decides to at least make a quick trip to Blackvault to explore the area.
<H3> Blackvault </H3>
As the party makes their way by foot to Blackvault, Travian rides his pegasus out to the caldera. There are the rocky remains of a building and some rusted metallic objects outside (presumably the remains of the iron golem). The building is starting to get overgrown and it looks like no one has been here since the party's last trip here. He flies back to the party and reports his findings.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Travian:</B> We pretty much removed most of the dangers left.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
The next morning, the party makes their way to the edge of the caldera. As they make their way in, they notice no signs of animal life around. As the party closes in on the entrance, things looks suspiciously quiet.
Travian Detects Evil at the door. There he senses two evil presences, with the most powerful as "Overwhelming" (the equivalent of a 51st level evil creature, 21st level undead, 11th level Outsider, 11th cleric, or spell cast by 21st+ level). From the light streaming in the entrance, the entire floor appears to be covered by an evil spell. The other thing that Travian detects appears to be an evil Outsider here.
Mirto takes a look. It appears that it appears to be a high level Abjuration containing another high-level Abjuration. The first appears to be glyph-like and the second is likely to be Freedom, Imprisonment, Mordenkainen's Disjunction or Prismatic Sphere.
The plan is for Mirto to cast Evard's Black Tentacles and see if it triggers the Glyph. If that fails, Thorfinn will attempt to use a Monster Summoning spell to activate the Glyph. If that fails, Mandos has volunteered to attempt to sneak up there and trigger it. Mirto casts his spell and nothing happens.
Thorfinn summons a beagle which appears to be killed and it vanishes. Mandos casts Daylight on a rock and throws it in the room. Deluwen gets a glimpse of some invisible humanoid that is in there.
<B>Round 1:</B> Several people move up. Foradun manifests a power. Golgun sees the corpse of Mandos. He appears to be killed by two very precise strikes. There also appear to be signs of poison on the wounds.
<B>Round 2:</B> The creature casts Deeper Darkness and the Daylight is eliminated. Mirto moves up. Foradun manifests a power. Several people move closer.
<B>Round 3:</B> The creature apparently casts Deeper Darkness. Mirto casts Stoneskin on Travian. Travian steps into the doorway and triggers Detect Evil.
<B>Round 4:</B> The creature hits Travian 3 times (out of 5 attacks). Foradun tumbles in and swings, but misses due to the invisibility. Deluwen spots a 5-foot tall humanoid creature wielding a scimitar and dagger. Deluwen casts Magic Missile but fails the spell penetration. He identifies the creature as an Abyssal Assassin. Kha'Narek delays until Travian can attack it. Golgun moves up. Thorfinn casts Displacement on Travian. Mirto D-Doors into the room. Travian swings three times, but misses due to the invisibility.
<B>Round 5:</B> Travian bleeds 6 points. The creature attacks Travian. Foradun hits but his weapons fail to penetrate the creature's skin. Kha'narek attempts to disarm but misses. Golgun attacks but misses. Mirto attempts Dimensional Anchor, but fails the spell penetration. Travian swings several times and hits twice.
<B>Round 6:</B> No attacks from the Abyssal Assassin. Foradun doesn't sense him within 15' and delays. Kha'Narek runs back and gets a cold iron spear. Mirto sees him teleport to one side of the building.
<B>Round 7:</B> Abyssal Assassin says to Mirto, "Come stand by me. You'll be safer". but Mirto makes his save. Kha'Narek runs back to the door. Golgun wanders outside. Mirto casts Chain Lighting but fails to affect the Assassin. Travian lets loose the Dancing Sword and makes his way towards the demon. Foradun runs up and attacks.
<B>Round 8:</B> The demon Teleports again. Kha'Narek holds. Golgun sits around. Thorfinn picks up Travian's shield. Mirto casts Fox's Cunning and recovers a scroll. Travian runs up and hits.
<B>Round 9:</B> The demon casts Dispel Magic on Travian, removing everything. Travian delays.
<B>Round 10:</B> Travian manages to hit once (critical, Smite Evil).
As the demon dies, the blood drips on the floor. The blood forms a rapid pattern on the floor and the ground begins shaking. A giant shimmering sphere comes rising out of the floor. Inside the sphere is a large reptilian creature. The creature looks up and blinks. One side of its entire neck and head are in interlocking iron and mithril. It looks like a white dragon, but at least part construct. And it appears to have a crazed look...
<H2> Foes Fought </H2>
1 Abyssal Assassin