The Acts of the Lords of Rannick, LIX

Okay, so… I’m catching up just now because I didn’t have a chance to get this down earlier, so this will likely be even briefer and muddled than normal.

When we left them, the Golem guarding the Halls of Wrath was floating down the elevated hallway, trying to shoot Kerplak, pursued by Ron, Dagfinn and Halvard. Despite their difficulty in doing damage to the Golem, with only Torgor’s well placed arrow and Ron’s quarterstaff leaving much physical damage, they eventually did enough to break apart the powerful magic that held the Golem together – crucially before it was able to shoot more energy bolts into Kerplak. The thing slid apart, the complicated layers of iron plating sliding to the ground with dull clangs.

There followed a brief discussion about which parts of the Golem may be salvageable and an even briefer discussion of what to do next because Kerplak (disappointed that he wasn’t getting a robot arm) and Halvard (disappointed that everyone was talking and not hewing their enemies limbs from their bodies) stepped onto the rune portal set in the floor and disappeared.

There was at least one cry of dismay from those that realised that Kerplak’s sabotage of the other rune portal meant there was no coming back from whence they had ventured. Leaving Albedon and Tersplink to ponder over the rune portal damage and whether or not it could be fixed, Ron and Dagfinn followed the gnome and Ulfen as soon as they could.

Halvard and Kerplak found themselves in a hallway from which radiated three other passageways and had been filled with practice dummies and martial training equipment. It also rang with the sound of an alarm, which had evidently alerted the six humans who stood waiting for them.

The armoured humans began casting buffs on themselves and Kerplak took the opportunity to do some crazy matador shit with his cloak that made everyone forget where he was or had ever been.

Firing from stealth for three rounds allowed him to pepper these armoured wizards with impunity. Not that Halvard needed a whole lot of help. Energized by the battle-ready atmosphere of the Halls of Wrath, he brought the word of Gorum to these unbelievers, specifically the word “Die”. Channeling negative energy and then wading in with his Greatsword Halvard FUCKING DESTROYED THEM. All the buffing in the word doesn’t help you unless it is a very specific buff that prevents a guy from splitting you from neck to navel.

The misguided Evokers managed only to cast a paltry fireball and summon some Sinspawn to back them up. Arriving in two waves, the six sinspawn proved a little tougher. Wearing heavier armour and waving two-handed battleaxes around with little precision, but great amounts of damage, they eventually knocked Halvard down, but by then the cavalry had arrived. Ron and Dagfinn leapt in to the fray as the Evokers were being dispatched and held the line as the Sinspawn engaged. Ron took a bunch of damage, but managed to stay up and Dagfinn waved Flametongue around to good effect.

Tersplink, meanwhile had been examining the damage done to the rune portal by Kerplak’s application of the silvery liquid that the Abjurers used. Reasoning that Envy and Greed were opposed enough that the liquid he had found in the pool by the dead Mithril Mage (and which had torn some of his life-force from him) may counteract the damage. Applying the dearly-bought liquid to the areas on which the silver liquid had been dropped, the magic returned to the portal, allowing, he hoped, egress.

Showing up at the end of the fight, Tersplink joined in with an effective Shocking Grasp and the crew were able to take down the last of the Sinspawn.

After Tersplink explained and tested the runeportals , they were satisfied that they were able to leave and I believe they retreated some to rest.

That was a short summary of the evening, which was mostly one big brawl. But it can’t get across how awesome Halvard was in comparison to his usual catalog on near misses. This was a banner evening for Rolland because he not only kicked ass at the table but fed everyone with delicious smoked chicken and fudge cake – all while in excruciating pain. You should keep that kidney stone Rolland, that one was lucky. Christ, get it made into a d20. Easy winner of the Compleat Adventurer.

I also finally dropped the XP for the Golem fight. Torgor and Albedon both get 5270xp.