Session 6: AP Part 3

The group decide to use what has now become known as the “Chewie maneuver.” Assamber disguises himself as one of Paldemar’s apprentices with Azhanti in chains. They hope that will get them inside before anyone realizes the trick. They have a master key for the place and a map provided by Rothaar but they know they can’t have anyone raise the alarm. If Paldemar is alerted then he will arrive in no more than 10 minutes, the time needed to teleport into the complex from his hidden stronghold. If that happens they are probably toast.

Amazingly the gamble works. They bluff their way into the main guard house and Morn disables the alarm gong before they know what’s going on. The fight is short and brutal and none of the guards even get close to escaping. Artemis goes sneaking further into the complex. He finds a guard asleep in one of the barracks and quietly jams the door lock. He also finds the smithy, getting an idea of the layout and who is there.

Another door is kicked in and the combat is again swift and deadly. Assamber freezes their enemies in place and while it looks like the Smith Urvol might cause some pain he eventually has to flee and is cut down. Having cleared out the first gate house they are feeling confident and push on to the Main Hall with what is becoming standard operating procedure. Artemis will scout ahead and the rest follow behind.

Unfortunately it doesn’t work this time. As he heads towards the Great Hall the door opens and a dwarven slave cries out in startled alarm, a tray of noisy crockery crashing to the floor. Rundar and his guards are alerted and battle is quickly joined. Things could go badly but Assamber brings briny death down into the room and Azhanti easily holds off the guards who try to attack them from behind.

The lackeys are disposed of quickly, one tries to run for it but icy death at Assemblers’ hands awaits him. Rundarr finds himself choking in the poisonous cloud and beset on all sides. As he begins to rage he expands growing to the size of a Giant and crushes Morn to the ground. Unfortunately he doesn’t realize that this just makes him madder. Azhanti sets the flame of Vulcan in his heart and the power of the Unfettered God spurs him forward. Rundarr can’t keep him down and Azhanti nearly severs his leg at the knee with a massive critical. Unable to withstand the assault he falls. As he collapses he shrinks, first into the form of Rundarr and then again into a grey hairless creature with bulbous eyes wearing a silver circlet.

Gathering up the circlet the group takes a breather, confidant that no-one knows they are here…

*cut scene*

The face of the Wizard Paldemar appears in the smooth obsidian sphere. “What do you mean intruders, who would dare to challenge me here?” Paling at his master’s anger, Murklemar, Captain of his Guard tries to explain. “They struck viciously and without warning my Lord. If my scout had not come to warn me we when the Great Hall was breached we would not have known until they were upon us.”

“Silence fool. Your incompetence will no longer be tolerated. I will arrive shortly to deal with these matters personally.”