14th of Planting
DM note: this was the 1st time we played in the new loft, and on the big table - was excellent!
The heroes having escaped Rastor, and dealt with the agent of the Overlord Romack successfully, journey up into the Lortmil Mountains South of the city. Avoiding patrols, Pyra scouts ahead, while Irakul assists Heste with finding the best path to take the wagon. The gifts provided by the agent V are distributed, as well as the discussion on how the Shadow lantern has taken over part of the interdimensional space in Irakul's bag of holding - according to the demon's head also in the bag. [DM: Blog post]
Pyra ponders upgrading her Dwarven crank bolder crossbow, with Skrit and Vencer's guidance, they make plans to do some work once back to the flying keep.
The road becomes a path and hard going, but with Pyra, Irakul and Skrit's guidance, the party makes good progress. They come to the wayfarer's lodge where they buried the keg belonging to the monastery [DM: blog post].
Travelling for another day, Heste pulls up at a fork in the path looking at the group from under his bushy eyebrows. The merchant has been pretty quiet since leaving Rastor, something ways upon him , but with his usual pipe puffing he points to the two paths. One leads up to the mining town of Drekarr, the other, to the Monastery of the Three Crescent Moons. Discussion and debate. The group decide to travel to the monastery and deliver the keg - hoping for an ally or reward at least.
Skrit intones a sending spell to Treggin the stone giant whom was to be meeting the party near the town of Drekarr to assist in the attack. To advise there would be a five day delay in the meet up. Treggin responds "Agreed, look forward to meeting, and destroying these kobolds."
Skrit also casts sending to Eldeth - the 1/2ling - whom will meet them also at the mining town.
Plan set, the wagon and walks move off into the mountains towards the Monastery of the Three Crescent Moons.
Mephesto the imp flies ahead as well as Pyra moving ahead with Avalanche - a six-legged armadillo - like creature that is extremely perceptive.
Vencer discovers the small - baby? - mimic that he had in his bag had become very grumpy as well as was eating some of his spell components. Thinking, he decides to bring the mimic out and placed in the wagon. It seems, the mimic was not happy in the bag. There was discussion to put in a bag of holding and then as It seems happier now they leave it in the wagon, as Vencer periodically feeds it, beef jerky and wine.
As the party moves higher into the mountains, the air cools, as Irakul guides along a set of zigzag switchbacks with Pyra notes a trail of smoke high up in the mountains, looking to where the monastery may be. Black smoke.. the party exchange worried and tense words and glances. 2 further hours of travel and the adventurers have to bundle up, there is snow on the ground, except for Skrit - due to his new boots - and Irakul, his giantish background.
They come around a large outcropping, they see the monastery. Looking like a small castle, but..
smoking and destroyed. A number of walls, destroyed, the drawbridge across a wide crevasse fallen.
The party start scanning closer as well as taking cover. Vencer and Faust send in their familiars to investigate. The very keen eyed owl sees much, and Vencer through the creature's eyes. It looks like a siege and battle may have taken place, and then one of Vencer's owls sees an older man in the robes and cloak with three crescent moons. A grizzled older man, bald with a salt and pepper beard. Looks to be missing one arm at the elbow, but not recently.
Pyra, Vencer, Faust and Irakul move up leaving the wagon hidden with Roxxberry and Heste guarding it.
Pyra leaps up - using her boots of springing and striding - flitting up the side into the tumbled rocks on the left side, she has the old man in her sites of the crossbow. Vencer casts message and Pyra notes back to him that it looks like the old man is gathering some type of foliage, herbs or weeds or other..
Faust, Irakul and Vencer walk up the path until the old man turns hearing their approach. Talking with the man, they learn the monastery was attacked by both IUZ as well as Overlord Romack's forces. It seemed at first, Overlord Romack forces occupied and then when overlord's armies retreated, IUZ hordes attacked.
Something seems off, Vencer can tell he is not telling the full truth or holding something back. Vencer mentions the two mercenaries that the party saved from the tanglewoods (DM: blog post) - named Jonah and Telnio. The monk seems to not know these two.
He says," I am the 5th, Brother Targis. The 1st was killed by the Overlord Romack's forces, the 3rd and the 4th were tortured and killed by the mercenaries of Rastor - of IUZ. I am the last."
All the party seem to feel he definitely is not telling the truth now. Also did not mentioned the 2nd. Vencer tries to encourage a potential discussion on alliance and taking on the kobolds, but the monk seems dismissive of this.
The discussion of the high priced barrel of wine and this brings his interest. "2 barrels?"
Vencer shakes his head. "Just one." The old man looks over Vencer's should er just as Pyra notes the creature.
"Are they with you?" Brother Targis asks.
"Who?"
Pointing, the party turns to see a winged creature - looks like a dragon with a rider.
A - most likely magically enhanced Vencer surmises - booms out, "I have come for MY sword and payment!" The Githyanki commander!
Skrit asks, "So did someone take the Githyanki's sword?" Irakul looks around with a smile. Skrit sighs. "You do know about how honour bound and possessive Githyanki are about their blades?" Skrit - as the party prepares - gives a detailed account on Githyanki and their blades and what the astral beings will do to retrieve and the grisly details on what they do to the thief whom took the blade..
BATTLE
Fireballs flew in both directions, spells and attacks. In the end, the Githyanki commander lies dying or dead. The Drow priestess seems to have been able to fly away but long shots may have taken down the wyvern. The female sorcerer slumped unconscious or dead in a saddle as well on same wyvern.
The enemy defeated, the party gathers the loot from the githyanki, then while the rest of the the adventurers discuss the strange
illusion on the monastery, Irakul, takes the demon head from his bag of holding, cuts off the githyanki's head with his Giant Handax and places the grinning head on the body..
As Roxxberry and Heste ride up in the wagon, the party all turn as a blast of dark energy waves out in all directions from the the forming demon..
"Yes, Irakul, you will get what you desire.. our agreement will be paid in kobold blood and lives! HAHAHAHa..." Cackles the 10' tall demonic figure, standing.
