Session 85: Kortar Rising Part 2 Report

General Summary

Session 85 – Wednesday June 26, 2024: Kortar Rising Part 2

4-hour battle session 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

The Stone Bearers. Party of 5:

It is the 3rd day of the month of Alturiak (The Claw of winter) in the 51st year of the Age of Enialis (Early Feb.)

• Ajani– High Elf, L14 Wizard – Nathan Gioconda
• Cassidy – Human, L14Blood hunter – Ryan Armstrong (Remote)
• Gazlowe – Goblin, L15 Artificer – Josh Pozsonyi
• Isabella – Forest Gnome, L14 Barbarian – Jackie Armstrong (absent - VBS)
• Juan Peyote – Gnome L14 Paladin – Will Johnson
• Seften Mitcaver – Human, L14 Cleric – Jacob Munson

Finishing off the Boneclaws and Walled Horrors

Cassidy sneezed, Gazlowe and Ajani rejoined the group and Isabella disappeared. Seften’s summoned creature, Quaddles, yanked Seften out of the wall. But he was grappled again by the wall. Galithor charged in to help. Juan was attacked by the Boneclaw and ripped right off Bird. The creature screamed (in Undercommon) “Do not interfere in our actions.” Gazlowe punched the Boneclaw saying, “Drop that Gnome!” Bird and Juan poked and smote the Boneclaw leaving it bloody.   The 2nd wall grappled Galithor. Ajani shot a chromatic orb of fire at the wall. Cassidy ran towards the wall and her light illuminated a 2nd Boneclaw heading towards the party. That Boneclaw shot a bone into Cassidy’s leg, reducing her ability to move fully. Seften cast toll the dead at the wall grappling him. Quaddles aided the party by blessing Cassidy, Juan and Ajani. The Boneclaw grappling Juan used its 2nd claw to critically hit Gazlowe and grapple him. Gazlowe punched back and killed the Boneclaw.   Juan pulled out his Talisman of pure good, holding it firmly he focused on the remaining Boneclaw. A pit opened beneath the Boneclaw who stayed aloft in the air just long enough to look down into the endless pit and then look back at Juan with a terrified expression. The Boneclaw fell into the pit.   Galithor screamed, “NOT AGAIN!” as the hands from the Walled Horror pulled Galithor and entombed him into the wall leaving only a hand exposed. Ajani tried to telekinetically pull out Galithor but couldn’t. Cassidy struck the other wall with her whips and Seften finished it off by casting toll the dead. Quaddles tried to bite the other wall, but it was not very effective. Galithor, entombed in the wall screamed in pain. Using all his might, Galithor broke free of the wall, but was immediately grappled by it again. Gazlowe and Jaun pounded on the wall, but Galithor was again pulled into it. Cassidy used her dragon tail whip out and destroyed the wall releasing Galithor.

A Scream in the distance

Galithor thanked the party for their assistance and for allowing him to come with them. However, he did not care for the experience and asked if he could take the job back at the keep. The party bid him fare well and he headed off towards the Citadel of the Mists.   As he walked away the party heard a monstrous scream coming from the west. Seften perceived the scream as one of frustration with a hint of evil. Cassidy recognized the creature as a dragon. Juan pulled out his abacus and determined the scream was over a ¼ mile away. Seften and Quaddles and Seften did some healing and blessings. As they were curing their wounds and healing, they heard a voice from the ruins just to the west. The voice was speaking to someone else and said with a dark raspy voice, “Come with me there is a problem over here.”

Tunakan, Necromancer of Kortar

The party headed towards the voice, and they ran into a familiar Necromancer. The Necromancer was startled by the group, and he said, “Stone Bearers!” Gazlowe said, “Hey, what’s up!” The Necromancer said, “It is I, Tunakan, Necromancer of Kortar. Because of the relationship we have had in a previous life, I will warn you. If you are stricken down by me, you will be my eternal servant in death. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine… So, I will say this just once. Please leave.”   Gazlowe asked, “What’s are you on here?” Tunakan replied, “We are bringing Kortar back.” The sentence seemed to be punctuated by another draconic scream in the west. Gazlowe told Tunakan that Niptu is sending a greater Rakshasa to kidnap one of the Sorcerers of Kortar. Tunakan replied, “I have plenty of protection” as a Huge Nightwalker walked up behind him. Tunakan said, “Watch this!” as he waved his hands and created 6 zombies surrounding him. Gazlowe said, “So we’re all good hear, you can protect yourself and you’re just trying to raise your undead empire.”   The dragon shriek again pierced the night. Tunakan said, “Then, you will leave me be.” Cassidy said, “He’s making a draco-lich.” Tunakan said, “No I’m not, the scream is just a part of the transition into Shadow.” Seften said, “You’re making a shadow dragon!?” Tunakan told them, “It’s just for protection, although they’re hard to control and then there’s the young ones. It won’t hurt me, but if it hurts you, you’ll be dead undead dead.”   The party discussed their options in front of Tunakan but were very concerned about the massive shadow creature standing behind him. Cassidy stepped forward and felt a wave of comfort come over her as she became charmed by Tunakan presence. Tunakan, warned the Stone Bearers, “There will be much destruction, you should leave, and sorry about that Big Tree in the west.” Seften asked, “The Grandfather Tree?!” Cassidy said, “Okay, we should go. This guy was helpful before.”   Tunakan confirmed what Cassidy said thanked the Stone Bearers for being helpful in the past. Gazlowe asked, “What did we do for you?” Ajani reminded Gazlowe of the Heart from the Empyrean Stag. Gazlowe said that was for Ashyra and then asked Tunakan, “Does Ashyra work for you?” Tunakan let it slip, “She gave us the heart for our ritual, and she now guards our fortress and the source of our… But I’ve said too much already, please leave.” Gazlowe said, “That’s enough” as he pulled a fireball bead from his necklace.

Tunakan and the Nightwalker

Cassidy fought off the charm effect. Juan looked at his talisman and said to it, “What’s that you say? He’s evil?” He held it again in his hand and focused on Tunakan the Necromancer. The Necromancer said, “No!” As he used his legendary resistance to avoid the pit to oblivion, but doing so reduced his armor protection. He turned to the Night walker and said, “Smiley, go get me that Talisman!” The Nightwalker swung at Juan and missed. Cassidy moved in to strike. Ajani looked for a place to take cover but didn’t find much. Hi turned to the Nightwalker and cast Banishment. The Nightwalker disappeared. Tunakan said, “Nooo!” and pointed a finger of death at Ajani. Ajani resisted the damage and maintained his concentration on the banishment.   Gazlowe said, “Tunakan, Necromancer of Kortar, I choose you!” and threw the Iron bands of Bilarro at him capturing him and keeping him restrained. The Zombies ran at Gazlowe and overwhelmed him. Seften walked up and hugged one of the zombies and channeled Snuffelsnort who destroyed them all. Everyone ganged up on the restrained Necromancer in the iron bands and Cassidy finished him off with her whip. Gazlowe walked up and collected the iron bands. The party protected Ajani for a minute to be sure the Nightwalker was permanently banished. They were a bit concerned since the Shadowfell and the Material plane seemed to be converging in this region.

Chloracridara’s (Chlor-acri-DAR-uh) 3 children.

Seften and Cassidy listened for the dragon screams. They heard the sound again, but noticed it sounded different. They heard 3 distinct voices, getting closer. Seften warned the party, that the young dragons are on their way. Cassidy wanted to try to convince the dragons that they want to help save their mom. Seften positioned himself behind one of the broken walls.   Three young (formerly green, but now shadow) dragons flew to the ruins and landed on the walls around the Stone bearers. Cassidy pulled the shard of bone (from the Boneclaw) out of her leg and called out in Draconic to the 3 young dragons, “I want to help you!” The dragons replied in unison, “We listen.” Cassidy said, I want to help your mother from her fate. The dragons replied, “We helped her into her fate. Now we help you into shadow!” The lead dragon rose into the air and breathed out a shadowy necrotic cloud on everyone except Ajani (hiding in the ruins.) Everyone was hurt a bit, and Bird was outright obliterated by the necrotic cloud.   Ajani shot a psychic lance at one of the dragons, knocking it out of the sky. It landed on it’s back, incapacitated. Cassidy walked up to it and loosed her whip on it. The others also focused on the dragon on the ground. The 2nd dragon flew into the air and breathed down on the party hurting everyone except Ajani. The 3rd dragon however flew right up to Ajani and landed in front of him in order to dine on his flesh. Cassidy cursed the dragon and between that and Ajani’s shield the dragon was only able to slash him once with his claws. Screaming like a little girl at the site of the dragon trying to eat him, Ajani cast Banishment on the dragon and it disappeared. Seften, seeing that Ajani almost died, cast death ward on him.   Quaddles flew to the dragon on the ground and ripped out its throat. The dragon tuned to dust and disappeared. The party all turned their attention to the flying dragon. Juan misty stepped up to the dragon overhead and successfully mounted it. The flying dragon regained his breath and let out a cloud of necrotic energy on the party below. Juan, sitting on the dragon used his rope of climbing and swung it around the dragon’s neck. He pulled it tight and choked it a little. Cassidy climbed a tree and whipped it. Ajani, Seften and Gazlowe used their cantrips. Quaddles cast sanctuary on Cassidy in the tree protecting her from harm.   Isabella popped back into existence. She ran to Gazlowe who gave her a boost to leap into the air and with her tentacle arms she was able to hit the dragon with her axe. The dragon tried to hit Cassidy in the tree but couldn’t. Juan jabbed his sword into the dragon’s neck leaving it bloodied. Cassidy went ethereal and walked into the dragon, cursing it, removing its cold resistance and struck it with her whip from the inside.   Seften, picked up an empty crate and threw it into the air with incredible strength. Quaddles cast create food and water, filling the crate and it hit the dragon with bludgeoning damage and food fell to the ground all over. Gazlowe swung and missed. He saw a clover appear next to his swing and then it fell and disappeared into a shadow near one of the walls.   The party continued their attacks, and the dragon went down and struck Gazlowe. Juan casually shoved his sword into the dragon’s neck and with a bit of smite, the dragon was killed. Ajani continued to concentrate, and the other dragon was permanently banished.

Peeking into the Shadowfell

Gazlowe, curious about some dark shadows in the ruins, walked over to one and stuck his head into it. As he guessed, it was a portal into the Shadowfell. Gazlowe told the others, “If we need to stop the Sorcerers of Kortar, we need to go in here.” He put his head in deeper into the shadow. He saw a familiar cave just outside of the Keep of Sorcerers of Kortar. Standing outside the door was the mummy queen Ashyra. She looked at Gazlowe and shook her head and wagged her finger, “No.” A not-so-subtle warning to stay away…

Rewards Granted

Treasure Back at the keep (Spending and crating from previous session)

• Ajani Spells (Cost 550gp):
• Fear
• Phantasmal Force
• Levitate
• Gazlowe new spells:
• Enlarge /Reduce
• Summon Construct

From the Necromancer of Kortar

• Spell book
• Cantrips: chill touch, dancing lights, mage hand, mending, toll the dead
• 1st level: false life, ray of sickness, detect magic, shield
• 2nd level: blindness/deafness, ray of enfeeblement, web
• 3rd level: animate dead, bestow curse, vampiric touch, counterspell, dispel magic
• 4th level: blight, dimension door, stoneskin
• 5th level: Bigby's Hand, cloudkill
• 6th level: circle of death
• 7th level (1 slot): finger of death, Fear
• Black Robes (non-magical.)
• 700gp
• Ceremonial gold skullcap (2,500gp)
• Spell Scroll: Fire shield
• Spell Scroll: Secret Chest.