3rd Day of the Claw of Winter: (February):
The Return of Kelthas the Dread:
Kelthas the Dread was a necromancer,
Better that, than table dancer,
Death was his friend o’er the living
And his mantra was not forgiving.
‘Neath Illefarn, he gathered there
A band of ne’er-do-wells without a care,
Kerri was without a doubt
The worst of them, a dreadful lout.
And then one day, or was it night?
There came to Illefarn the forces of right!
Two Paladins, Priest, Dwarf and Thief,
Driven on by their belief,
That evil must always be defeated,
And if not killed, then at least harshly treated.
A Wizard, Elven, among their ranks,
Was captured: Frimly, many thanks.
What followed next must be ‘X’ rated,
In essence, the Elf was interrogated,
But however Kelthas would insist,
The Elven Mage did resist.
The end was near and all looked bleak,
But in his ear, a friendly voice did speak,
“Your ‘Ring of Magic’, and here your ‘Cloak’,
Fear not, Mirafir, you will not croak,
Though others may not give a toss,
I am your friend, my name? Vicross!”
Their paths did part, and following a mighty crusade,
Mirafir saved Vicross: a debt repaid!
Strength and hope never did dwindle,
Even faced by Kelthas’ wicked swindle.
And, with victory assured,
The Necromancer swiftly abjured.
Kelthas, wicked, Evil defiler,
Was not gone or beaten, duh!
He did withdraw, back into the Shadow,
To hatch his plans and watch them grow,
A cunning scheme, a stealthy hunt,
He really was a fucking c*%t!
These words might seem to be too crude,
Yet thou wouldst agree, if thou did meet this heinous dude…
And thus, this legendary tale did continue,
Stronger than metal, stone and sinew!
Would the Heroes, mighty and brave, prevail? Or would foul Kelthas win, that they must fail?
(Excerpt from “Legends of the Forgotten Realms”, otherwise known as “The Saga of Mirafir, Zagyg’s Saviour of the Northern Kingdoms”)
Temporary reprieve until the voice of Kelthas suddenly rings in Mirafir’s ears:
Kelthas the Dread: “You have done well my acolyte, but you have woken a greater evil that is behind you! I suggest you leave while you still can! Hahahahaha!”
Mirafir: “I am not your acolyte! And I will not flee from evil! I will destroy it!”
Suddenly, all of the previously inanimate Skeletons spring once again to life!
The reaming party members were still on the outside of the narrow ‘Ice Wall’ breach made by Mirafir. Vicross’ ‘Protection from Evil 10’ Radius’ keeps them out as Mirafir searches the dead Death knight.
The Death Knight just seems to have his Plate-Mail Armour and his ‘Two-Handed Sword’. Thora quickly hacks down the five skeletons in her path.
Kelthas the Dread: “I forewarned you Evil lies behind you.”
Mirafir: “You told me plenty of Evil lies!”
Kelthas the Dread: “I have looked in your heart, and there is blackness there! There is always a place for you in my army.”
Mirafir spots two Winged Demonic figures appear behind the ‘Ice Wall’, to the South, with his mother held between them!
Kelthas: “Always thinking about themselves! I would never allow this to happen to you!”
Vicross: “6 more minutes I can hold them for!”
Thora: “Aye, move aside, Vicross, I’ve got this.”
Frimly moves out to explore the large chamber. Sigune and Thora step into the Ice breach and the Demons together with Mirafir’s “mother” leave via the chapel. Mirafir contemplates casting first ‘Fireball’ and then ‘Magic Missile’ but his targets are quickly out of sight.
The Skeletons occasionally throw spears at Vicross, still protected by his ‘Shield’ spell, until he is out of the way, and then one is thrown at Mirafir, missing the Wizard.
Thora and Sigune meanwhile stand either side of the breach in the ‘Ice Wall’ and cut down a Skeleton each. More rush through, as they somehow jump through the gap in the ‘Ice Wall’. Thora cuts down two of them quickly! Frimly sees a number of statues in the chamber beyond. They line the East and West walls, and resemble the statues seen along the corridor previously.
Meanwhile Frimly climbs the wall in the main chamber. Mirafir moves to the edge of the chamber and gazes into the darkness. He then summons his ‘Unseen servant’ to his side.
Sigune prepares to turn Skeletons while the now no longer ‘Hasted’ Thora strikes down two more of them.
Sigune: “Begone! Filth of Hades!”
Eight skeletons come to a halt and move aside, but the gaps are quickly occupied.
Mirafir casts ‘Detect Magic’ and scans down the West-side of the great chamber where the statues stand still, yet menacing. Nothing detected but he spots a ball of Magic in the air – a ‘Scrying’ spell!!!
Suddenly Mirafir hears:
Frimly used his ‘Slippers of Spider Climbing’ to move up close to the ceiling and continued horizontally along the wall head north towards the end of the chamber. After a few rounds of moving at 60’ feet per round, an advantage as it allowed his ‘Cloak of Elevnkind’ to function as the Thief and Galan need to move at a third of their movement rate for the Cloaking Effect to work, Frimly came across the large Stone Tomb. Standing behind it was Kelthas the Dread, whist hovering above the Necromancer was the strangest of monsters.
Frimly saw that Kelthas was standing above, a now open, sarcophagus and he was in the process of retrieving a large black book from with.
The creature’s body was a fat, egg-shaped ball covered with matted black fur. The 5-foot-wide body was being supported by a pair of 5’ foot long Leathery Bat Wings, a total wingspan of some 15’ feet. Each wing was tipped with a set of 3 Razor-Sharp Talons. The monster also possessed an 8’ foot long Rat’s Tail which dangled from the back of the beast’s body. The tail, noted the Thief, ended in a Small, Sharp Spur and it had no feet that Frimly could see.
The body was dominated by the single, Bulging, 4’ foot wide Eyeball. The Eyeball was jet black with a blood-red pupil at its centre. What most alarmed the Rouge was a vile blue fluid that continuously leaked from the Eye, in turn soiling its fur. Finally, its great leathery Eyelids squeeze this fluid out and away from the creature.
The stench was unbelievable, but that was the last thing on Frimly’s mind, but he believed that it gave off an acidic smell that could scorch the sensitive tissues in creatures’ noses and mouths.
The creature’s great eye was constantly scanning the entire chamber when its eye landed on Frimly and he was spotted, even though he thought he was hidden by the ‘Cloak of Elevnkind’ and invisible to nearly all.
Frimly then chose to use his ‘Ring of The Ram’ on the flying creature/Kelthas (can’t remember) and expend the last changes that he had saved.
The ‘Ring of The Ram’ produced the now familiar spectral Ram’s head and it made its attack roll, which unfortunately met an immoveable force. Kelthas the Dread had cast ‘Wall of Force’ and Frimly knew it to be so as he remembered it being used by Count Strahd to separate Sigune from the other way back in Castle Ravenloft.
Kelthas the Dread: “Why Frimly, I expected your arrival but I did not foresee you coming from there.”
Frimly: “Kelthas is here, he’s at the end of this chamber.” With the Eyewing keeping a constant vigil on the Thief, Frimly decided that discretion was the better part of valor and move back towards the party, dropping down from the wall and moving as fast as fast as he could.
Frimly: “Fuck! It’s Kelthas!”.
Mirafir casts ‘Mirror Image’ and 4 identical Mirafir’s appear around him. Meanwhile, Thora continues to fight the skeletons entering the breach in the ‘Ice Wall’. She has slain many of them, making it increasingly more difficult for the Skeletons to pass, but one manages to get a lucky hit on her! (20!)
Mirafir hears a voice again:
Kelthas the Dread: “They won’t protect you! You’re still an acolyte and a novice!”
Sigune charges into the room and suddenly spots Kelthas and a strange one-eyed bat creature!
“I am bored, bring me something to bite on!”
Mirafir moves into position to cast ‘Lightning Bolt’, while Sigune charges forwards toward the Bat-Winged creature and Kelthas the Dread.
Kelthas slowly takes out a Silver Horn and blows it. 6 Hillmen appear near to Mirafir.
Kelthas the Dread: “With my compliments, Mirafir, I seem to outnumber yours by one! So the game begins”
Mirafir casts ‘Lightning Bolt’ to strike the weird bat and Kelthas; it strikes an Invisible barrier and rebounds straight back in the direction of Sigune.
Mirafir: “The Necromancer has cast ‘Wall of Force’ to protect himself and that flying Eye creature.”
Meanwhile 3 of Mirafir’s copies are gone, slain by the crazed Hillmen that had rushed towards the Wizard.
Sigune fights the other Berserker! Hits him for 14 points of damage.
Sigune slays one of the Hillmen while Frimly joins the fray.
All of Mirafir’s copies are now gone, so he feebly attempts to parry the Hillmen who are slowed by Vicross. The Skeletons have stopped attacking Thora and stand to attention and no longer a threat.
Sigune and Frimly also hit while Vicross also rushes to joins the fray and hits one with his staff!
Vicross: “Fear not Mirafir I will aid you.”
The Hillmen seem intent on attacking Mirafir. But they are under the effects of the ‘Slow’ spell.
Sigune kills another Berserker; there are now just three of them left until Vicross manages to take one out with his staff (20)!!
Vicross: “Mirafir, fesr not I am always by your side!”
Sigune smashes down the one in-front of her. There is now only one Berserker left standing.
The Skeletons suddenly collapse again, while the last of the Berserkers is killed.
Mirafir: “Why, thank you Vicross. I think that’s now 2-2?”
Kelthas the Dread’s Disembodied Voice: “You can recover the spoils, at least what’s left. You have done my work for me, Mirafir. And you chose me over your mother? Why I feel flattered! Be sure I will keep you mother safe. I am off to recruit two others. They may be young but they can learn.”
Mirafir attempts to block out the voice from his mind. He knows that this conversation will reveal little.
Frimly hears the sound of a breaking bone behind him.
Frimly: “Galan you daft bastard!”
Galan: “I was trying to sneak!”
Dwergrim Greenleaf is also with him.
Dwergrim Greenleaf: “I found this wee pup by the tree, whimpering and shaking. One of yours I believe?”
Mirafir: “Dwergrim, is my father still outside?”
Dwergrim Greenleaf: “He noticed some movement. We thought it was a Bandit, about 300-400 feet away.”
Frimly: “Ah the secret exit we found.”
Mirafir: “Dwergrim that was probably Kelthas – possibly with Kira!”
Dwergrim: “This could be the last resting place of the King of Athalantar.”
On the floor by the large Stone Tomb, there are lots of drips of viscous liquid lie on the floor. Within the Stone Tomb there is the body of a man in fine robes with four rings on either hand, 4 books, Jewellery and an Amulet.
Using his ‘Detect Magic’, Mirafir can see that all of this seems to be glowing with Magic.
Frimly: “Jackpot.”
Mirafir: “Magical preservation rather than all being actual ‘Magical Items’ I would guess.”
The book is Faint but the amulet is Moderate.
None of the books resemble the one that Frimly had seen Kelthas take from the Stone Tomb.
There is a book of Genealogy and a book about Economics and a book on Politics.
The ‘Scrying’ is still active in the South-West corner of the room.
- 3 Normal Books
- 1 Magic Book
- Crown
- Chain of office
- Amulet
- 8 Rings
- 1 Two-Handed Sword
Eryn Lashir: “I saw movement in the distance, it was a bird flying away and we though it to be a Bandit that did disturb it. It caught my eye and I moved over to investigate while Dwergrim Greenleaf kept guard on the Oak. I encountered a Bandit, trying to escape southward, who I fought and slew.”Frimly: “One of the crows from below, there are 2 in the cage remember?”