Dagfinn and Ron switched between offense and healing as they kept Arradin up and swinging to the best of their abilities. Dagfinn’s own Domineering weapon also leaving lambent slashes on Karzoug’s person. Karzoug took to the air as melee attacks, spells and crossbow bolts rained on him. Arradin followed him as he cured himself and unleashed more damage.
The Runelord let off a volley of Magic Missiles as he healed himself, but he couldn’t keep up with Arradin. Although he managed to dodge many of her blows, she knocked him out of his defensive posture with one sweeping blow and then drove the runeforged blade beneath his ribs.
The Runelord’s mouth opened wide, but instead of a scream, blinding bright light erupted from it. The light surged from all the slashes and cuts inflicted upon him and his body seemed to curl and crisp like burned paper. A second later, a brilliant explosion of light knocked everyone flat, searing the eyes of Albedon and Dagfinn beyond use. Other than that (which, to be fair, melted eyeballs are kind of shitty) all fatigue, injury and debility was washed from them by the light – the essence of thousands of souls suddenly released to find their way to the afterlife.
Karzoug the Claimer was no more.
His vestments of power and magical artifacts fell to the ground as the walls of the cavern/pocket dimension began to fade. Only those items, the party and the Runewell (now empty and dark) transitioned to the Pinnacle of Avarice. Ayzuri was able to Regenerate Dagfinn and Albedon’s eyes. TRIVIA: this is the 3rd set of eyes both of them has possessed.
The party rested, the rest well deserved, above an increasingly abandoned city. The giants had fled, as had the Lamia Theocrats that lived in the middle city. It is not a safe city, not by any means, but the forces of Karzoug on Golarion scattered. Those Rune Giant legions that awaited his return on Leng will wait eternally. Perhaps even more importantly, when they transitioned back to the Pinnacle they were not met by the sight of the Mhar Massif releasing its dreadful prisoner, the diabolical plot of the Denizens of Leng having been thwarted: The mountain prison still stands.
Do you want notes about our wishes for our PCs going forward, or do some of us just suffer arbitrary death by traps?
I do – however the artifact-y nature of Karzoug’s gear is maybe going to change what some people do with their early retirement.
So the order I was planning to do this in is:
Sort out who gets what.
Figure out (with Rolland) how much you all make.
Get your retirement plans.
Figure out what actually happens over the next five years.
Make a related set of Traits for Varisian characters based on your projects.
That doesn’t mean you can’t tell me what your plans are now, I’m just going to sit on them and let you change them according to what you walk away with.
If you bring Halvard’s character sheet to the Tallen’s on Thursday I will help you understand my notes.
Well, whatever happens–and since I won’t be around the next couple days to discuss it–I’ll thumbnail Ron’s plans this way:
Now that there’s going to be a world for him to wander, Ron will resume doing that eventually. His faith in Abadar’s been confirmed, and so has his devotional practice of participating in commerce and civilization through traveling to all civilized outposts and participating in their convivial pursuits and commerce. The martial component of the tradition he hopes to build helps the wandering gambler/tippler protect himself and his fellows from the forces of chaos and anarchy.
Given that, Ron intends to spread the Way of the Open Vault. To him Abadar’s teachings can civilize the world by participating in commerce without a greedy or acquisitive nature. His students are taught to gamble and feast with people they meet as they wander creation, making money where they can but not holding it too dear. He’ll found no schools, but he’ll share his knowledge with anyone who’ll help him on his way, and if they want to train others in his teachings he’ll endow those efforts with his share of Karzoug’s horde.
That is totally great. I don’t see any reason that can’t happen.
Albedon’s next five years will be devoted to study and travel. He will make the library at Sandpoint his home. Studying and writing will consume most of his time, as the Sihedron Tome will provide plenty for him to mull over. Much of his time he will be in solitude, with Shortfang as his only companion, as he delves deeper into arcane knowledge and understanding long-forgotten spellcraft.
He’ll write a multi-tome History of the Rise of the Rune Lords, and will occasionally seek out other members of the party to help him with details of the events prior to his involvement.
Since time and space mean even less to him than when he was an Elf, travel will come easy to him with the aid of such spells as Greater Teleport at his disposal. And as prone to solitude and detachment from the material world as he is, Albedon is still an Evoker first (and a somewhat pugnacious dwarf second), so much of his travel will be to settle disputes and to keep the peace, especially when dragons are involved. *grudge*
Not really interested in establishing a school of his own, Albedon will prefer to serve as an advisor, but will not align himself to any one school. He will have nothing to do with his opposing schools, Necromancy and Divination. This is more due to a lack of interest than any animosity. Albedon doesn’t really hold grudges, with the notable exception of dragons.
Albedon will maintain his Dwarven form, primarily for pragmatic reasons. His corporeal shape isn’t really important to him, and I suspect this won’t endear him to his Elven brethren.
Albedon closest non-pseudodragon confidant during this period will be Baaz, whom he has always regarded as a sort of adopted son (awwwwwww). So he will occasionally be spotted near Baaz’s dojo smoking a pipe, while a spectral hand whiles away scribing notes.
Nice!