Session 18: Iceholme, Part 2

Scene 2: Temple of Shadows

With the armies commanders either dead or siding with the party the group moves on to the Temple. The army has descended into complete chaos drawing many of the forces protecting the Temple away from it. Zirithian is too wrapped up in his quest to recover the Heart for his Master to take much notice. There is some chatter amongst the group about taking a rest, a number of them have used up resources and there is concern that they will not have enough. They decide to press on, fearing that to delay will allow their enemy to recover from the current confusion.

Enacting the Ritual Assamber clothes the group is shadowy vestments and they pass through the barrier. As they emerge from the other side the shadows seem to cling to them and Morn looks sideways at Assamber. He seems to be falling further and further into shadow. They make their way slowly into the Temple, Artemis scouting ahead. They quickly find the main Temple chamber and the location of the Heart. The altar of the Stormlords has been profaned and is guarded by a pair of death knights. The Heart is held by a huge statue which twists and writhes, constantly changing shape.

The group strike with devastating force. There is much clumping near the doorway and Assamber traps the death knights in a Wall of Fire. Morn prepares to take similar punishment but is spared by a quick Resistance Spell. The room is large with multiple entrances and fearing more enemies Assamber walls off one of them with a Web spell.

The group are right to fear more enemies and from another entrance Lord Dust arrives, a Lich in service to Zirithian. Emerging from the shadows floating in mid air he smashes Assamber into his own Wall of Fire. Assamber escapes but is promptly smashed into the floor and smeared to a pulp, close to death but swiftly restored by Azhanti. Morn shatters the statue with the Hammer of Maran Gor reducing it to rubble. There is a naked man lying in the rubble clutching the Heart. He names himself Rylandarras, spawn of Amaan and the first shapeshifter. As if seeing the Heart from the first time he flings it away calling it cursed but it is snatched from the air by Artemis’s spirit cat. Quickly retrieving the Heart Morn prepares for the next wave.

Zirithian arrives. He sends his spawn to swarm Morn and strikes Azhanti and Chiniko with a shadow of death. Stepping through the shadows he prepares to Dominate Azhanti but he doesn’t get a chance. He is promptly immobilised by Turn Undead and then stunned by Solar Wrath. Chiniko steps through the world leaving Morn next to Zirithian who stuns him again. Before he can recover Chiniko seizes his mind and sets it to wandering into its darkest and most vile recesses. His spawn fall one by one, Lord Dust exhausts his magic but does manage to trap Artemis in a Globe of Force but it doesn’t help as Azhanti executes the General who has managed to accomplish next to nothing the entire battle.

As the sword Nightbringer falls to the ground all goes quiet, it’s the calm before a storm. The sword whispers into the minds of all present, it tells them its history, how it was forged at the beginning of time to bring an end to the endless. Any immortal slain by its blade is truly, eternally, dead. It offers to share its powers with any who will dare to take it up, shaping itself to their will. The group refuse and Gylda the Hag emerges from the shadows to claim the weapon. Seeing things turned well against him Lord Dust offers all the secrets of this place to the group if they destroy Gylda and give him the sword. The group aren’t in a negotiating manner and Gylda withdraws. Dust legs it quickly and all goes quiet.