Yes, let’s free this poor fellow. We also must not forget the paralyzed centaur we came upon further back. And hopefully we’ll find more survivors from Varnhold somewhere.
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This. :-)
Casimir puts a hand on Kips arm and shakes his head. Much as I hate to leave anyone trapped like that, we should wait until we rest and free Ricter and Kalev. If it is a trap, we barely have enough strength among us to defeat a kitten, and all our hard fighting may be for naught. We will set him free in the morning.
Before settling down, Casimir retrieves a sack from his pack and scoops up the red oculus, taking care not to touch it directly. Before we know what this is, I suggest we handle it with the utmost care.
Casimir rises from an uneasy rest. Despite his utter exhaustion, the horrors that surround them chill his bones, and he stirs several times, grasping at the hilt of Brightclaw and every fiber ready for another fight. None the less, his fitful sleep has granted him enough respite to clear his head and replenish his magical energy. As he feels the familiar sense of his full arcane power at his disposal once more, he breathes a bit easier. His mind also feels clearer, since some of the mental damage he took during their fights has also healed. Don't worry yourself, Fenna. There is still plenty of opportunity to be useful. Beside your healing arts, there are several magic items here, which both Kip and I are hard pressed to identify. Perhaps you can help? he says when he hears Fenna apologize.
New rule: Fly spells for everyone, THEN pits!
Casimir joins Kip in the study of the various items. As Kip prepares to touch the soul jar, Casimir cautions him. Careful now, Kip. This place has more traps and dangers than an Owlbear has fleas. Fenna, you may want to keep that scroll of Break Enchantment handy.
Casimir turns to face his liege lord. I agree, we’re far from done here. But we must rest and recover our strengt first. And we must find a way to free Kalev, Richter and anyone else paralyzed by Vordakai’s touch. Let us search and secure this room, then move on once we have a few hours of respite. If any foes remain, hopefully they do not venture lightly into their Master’s private chambers. After examining the ruby eye, Casimir searches the treasure pile where he found the flail, looking specifically for ways to undo the paralysis.
Moving to join Malthir and Kip, Casimir allows himself to feel the fatigue that runs through every fiber of his body. So did I, Kip. But all our years in the Stolen lands have taught me never to count a battle lost until it’s over. We truly have a talent for overcoming unbeatable odds. Mind you, we’re not home yet. Gods know how many more terrors lurk in this dread place. But no matter what, we have rid this world of a powerful evil. His eye turns to the ruby eye in Vordakai’s crumbled remains. Certain that it holds some ancient evil magic, he studies it carefully.
A cliffhanger and a miracle turnaround just when absolute doom seems certain. I expected nothing less from this game. Welcome back!
Chatted briefly with him on friday. He sounded optimistic.
Totally agree, the worlds best fantasy writers couldn’t have scripted a more epic fight and finale. This is the ultimate heroic paladin charge. And I’m pretty sure we’re doomed if he doesn’t fall. I literally woke up in the middle of the night and checked my phone to see if Stephen had posted the attack.
Snatching a tanglefoot bag from his adventurer's sash, Casimir takes a step towards the retreating lich and hurls the bag of sticky goo.
Normally, it would take extraordinary accuracy to throw such a distance, but the bag flies far and true, guided by Casimir's magic.
That ought to slow him down! Get him, Malthir! Strike him down and avenge all the innocent souls of Varnhold who perished in this horrid place.
My poor refresh button...
You are right. Haste on Kip, Fenna, Kalev and Casimir expired round 13. But all except Kalev could be included in the fresh casting last round.
Regardless of what he does, our greater numbers work in our favor. Barring any AoO’s, he can only paralyze one of us, since he is using a natural attack that does not give multiple attacks. If he paralyses Richter, he gets a smite to the face from an enlarged Malthir. If he moves on Malthir, Richter smacks him with an AoO plus standard attack. And Cas has +20 on his next hit, which can be either a tanglefoot bag or melee attack. This is of course in addition to any Kip shenanigsns or weaponized heal spells from Fenna. If he has a dimension door left, he can make a run for it, but with all of us hasted, we’ll hunt him down quickly. All in all, our odds for victory are MUCH better than I had dared hope for just a few rounds ago.
If your target (or the part of your target you’re aiming at, if it’s a big target) is at least 10 feet away from the nearest friendly character, you can avoid the –4 penalty, even if the creature you’re aiming at is engaged in melee with a friendly character.
Casimir’s mind sings with elation at the sight and sound of Richter’s brutal strike. Sensing more than seeing that the blow is just shy of it’s full potential, he swiftly grasps the hilt of Brightclaw and siphons enough arcane energy to magically boost Richter’s attack. STRIKE TRUE, RICHTER!
The magical inspiration is just barely enough to strengthen the blow, ensuring grievous injury to Vordakai.
Fenna: I think I see what you’re thinking, but I think Malthirs idea of a tanglefoot bag is a better use of the true strike, since that just requires a single touch attack to apply the debuffs. The whip token needs two succesful rolls (to hit and a separate grapple check), and the true strike bonus would only apply to the hit. And my guess is that Vordakai has a pretty hefty CMD. Cool idea, though.
We have to slow him down, anyone have a Tanglefoot bag they could use on him? Yeah, might have a few of those left.
Casimir smiles through the sudden fatigue, even though he desperately wants this fight to end. You must truly be decrepid, Vordakai. Is that all you can achieve with such a powerful spell, a bit of weariness? I look forward to a nice nap on your throne in a minute, once we’re done smashing you to bone dust he taunts the giant undead horror. Taking a single step forward, he taps into the scant remains of his magic power to guide his aim in the final confrontation. He then adds a command for his unseen servant: Servant, take the bag of holding from my pack and give Fenna anything she requests from within.
Casimir pull out his wand of haste and prepares to enhance Malthir and Richter.
Malthir and Ricter, move so I can see you both. I will speed you up. Fenna, my unseen servant will get you anything you ask from your pack. I’ll give you more supplies in a moment.
Definitely not my plan. Just checking :-) I don't think we have to be worried about him escaping. If he runs, we have a chance to regroup and search his trove for more useful items. We have extra healing scrolls and a break enchantment that can get Kalev free if we have the time required to cast it.
The issue is he could be long gone by the time that happens. Prefer not to face him again, though we may be a little better prepared. Please, please, please don’t rush after him alone. You have already been paralyzed twice and we can’t get you free again.
Alright folks, just did a quick tally of our succesful hits on the BBEG. Between Kalev and Richter’s hits and crits, we’ve dealt over 130+ effective damage, even accounting for some hefty DR vs non-blunt weapons. Even with his healing, Big V has got to be hurting very badly. 2-3 solid hits or even a lucky smite crit, and he’s toast. Keep the faith and avoid his AoO at all costs. Richter and Malthir have to stick together, preferably within Kip’s magic circle, and let him come to them. At least until you are both enlarged. He can only paralyze one of you per turn, so be sure the other is ready to punish him with a full attack if he does.
Lying bruised and alone at the bottom of the pit, Casimir retrieves a potion from his bandolier that can help fortify his defenses against Vordakai’s paralyzing touch when he is outside Kip’s protective circle. He swallows it and call up to Malthir and the others. Stand as one, and let the undead tyrant flee his own lair. Do not let him pick us off one by one. Once Kip and Fenna bolster you with more spells he will fall against our united strength.
In a high-risk bid to disrupt Vordakai's casting, Casimir takes off running, vaulting leapfrog over both conjured pits.
His enhanced speed almost makes him stumble head first into the first pit, but his extraordinary athletics skill carries him safely over both pits. In position, he swings his captured weapon with all his might, adding his own arcane power to it. But swinging the flail is obviously not as easy for the arcane duelist as using his favored aldori sword.
Once his attack is completed, Casimir obviously falls into the pit, because why not....
Although unable to identify the exact spell, Casimir recognizes that Vordakai’s extended spellcasting is both a threat and an opportunity. Vordakai is casting a lenghty spell I can’t identify. He has to concentrate, so rush him now if you can, and break his focus.
Speaking of retcons, now that I am aware that the Bag of Holding has a medium +1 heavy mace, I think it would make sense for that to have been given to Kalev rather than Agai’s small-sized Greatclub. Kalev can wield the mace without penalties. Ok with you GM AK?
A brief tactical reminder, based on the re-reading of our fight with Vordakai. He can paralyze with a single touch, has very high to-hit vs touch AC and has reach 10. The Fort save DC to avoid paralysis is 24+. So, DO NOT draw any unnecessary AoO's. I can't stress this enough. Most of us have a 75%+ chance of failing our save and getting stuck again. Kip has a wand of enlarge, and can take care of the reach problem given a round or two. Big V's displacement is also due to expire any second now. I'll limit any further tactical discussion to IC, but please think very hard before you take your actions.
My item audit reveals that we are carrying the following, found in Varnhold. Apart from the scrolls of remove paralysis, they are all in the Bag of Holding, carried by Casimir. Ten magical scrolls found in emergency storage in the Church of Erastil:
I ain't going in there. Nuh uh, no way. I just got me a new Lich-smashing tool, and I plan to use it. By the way, I found out my Bag of Holding contains a +1 heavy mace from Varnhold, so if Malthir would like a weapon that doesn't come with a hefty DR penalty, say the word. Between the flail Casimir just found, Agai's greatclub, Richter's flail and the mace, every martial type should have a blunt weapon.
Before Kalev climbs, Casimir calls: Kalev, grab Ricters flail! It will harm our foe more than Cleft!
A faint glimmer of hope surfaces in Casimir's gloomy thoughts. He dashes for the flail, intending to use Vordakai's trophy against him.
Weary as if the fight had lasted years instead of a few minutes and keenly aware that his favored weapon could barely scratch the deadly lich, Casimir scanned the room, desperate to find some way to smash Vordekai's ancient bones.
Ready and able, assuming we can find a way to survive our current encounter.
That's right, folks. Bards freakin' ROCK! (and polka too, on request)
In a desperate effort to make Kalev's reckless charge count, Casimir expends yet another of his magical inspirations. Kalev, strike true!
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