So, we didn't do the gladiator games. No, we went exploring.. one thing led to another... and the big grubby worm ate our paladin. Next thing we know.. Greyhawk is an undead haven. it's a good thing I had cast Fly on everybody in the group - yeah.. we're headed to Diamond Lake. I've already told our DM that for an epic level adventure we have to reclaim greyhawk.
But, it was intense... very awesome. We could've won.. but my sorc. and the parties favored soul was chasing after the npc turned pc half-dragon/orc fighter/ranger that was turned due to fear. So, it was only the party wizard, cleric, and paladin standing with the big grubby. Still had it down by half hp. Oh well.. still awesome session. Even though we ''lost''
** spoiler omitted **
I had fully contemplated the undead threat getting out of control. I had planned for the "powers that be" in Greyhawk City to eventually get the undead under control but the PCs were going to be blamed and run out of town. To redeem themselves, they would have to complete the Age of Worms adventure path to prove they hadn't caused the problem in the first place.
As it turned out, Auric got swallowed and the Apostle spewed all over the crowd. Undead wights started popping up in the stands and a riot broke out.
Meanwhile the party slew the Apostle and it spit out Auric as it crashed to the ground. Auric landed outside the battlefield and was disqualified, leaving the rest of Auric's Warband to fight the party and eventually lose.
The party then went into the stands and finished off the undead before the plague could spread.
The PCs were then crowned Champions of the Free City Games!
IMC when the apostle spat out Auric as a spawn to complete the ritual (which happened quickly, given that the PC's had thoughtfully brought Auric down to single digit HP's before knocking him out w/nonlethal damage - the big worm actually had to use nonlethal too, to bite/swallow Auric's helpless form gently, so as to avoid killing him before he reached the stomach's necromantic acid), there wound up being literally thousands of wights produced pretty much instantly (the vast majority of those in attendance having low enough HD to be instantly turned, based on some calculations I made using the DMG metropolis-building rules and assuming a rather enormous sold-out stadium with enough cheap seats to hold as many low-level NPC's as would want to attend). So a quick jaunt up to the stands to "finish them off before it spreads" didn't seem like a real option in our case.
They instead, after dealing with wight-Auric et al, fled through the worm's hole to the understructure, made their way to Raknian's palace and out of the arena from there to make a break for Eligos' manor before too many wights made their way out of the arena. We haven't resumed that campaign since (we alternate DM's and campaigns between adventures), but I have a feeling they're going to insist on hanging around to fix things before they bite the hook they found at Eligos' place and return to Diamond Lake. There was some talk of setting up a perimeter of Celestial Brilliance spells around the City Walls to help contain the undead menace, which I thought was a pretty good start if they could find a few extra clerics to help out (if they remember planning this by the time we resume). I think it would actually be kind of cool if the wights took over the whole city and kept it for their very own necropolis that other cities/nations would then have to learn to deal with, but I'm pretty sure the party won't like that idea much. What I'm really eager to find out is whether or not the party rogue will remember to go rescue his aunt, a recurring character who happens to live in Greyhawk... I won't be surprised if he forgets - getting killed and raised as often as he has can't do good things for one's brains, I'm thinking. :o)
What do you folks think - should I make his aunt be already turned wight by the time they get there (if ever)? She could be washing dishes / folding laudry / cooking the neighbour's baby or whatever with her back to them when they enter, maybe get in a surprise round where she expreses gratitude to Raknian for this "gift" of "immortality" as she attacks her nephew if they don't make some spot checks? Make it so he has to put the knife to her himself, Mu-Ha-ha-haaa!
What, too much?
BTW, technically the party won the games; Auric & the leatherworks were defeated and their wizard buddy flew away (ie. out of bounds) as soon as the worm appeared, so Auric's Band were officially declared disqualified just before the ref ran for his life... But they sort of had to snatch the belt from him as they ran away, and grab the prize money from Raknian's palace as they continued to flee.