GoCorral

This session was attended by Salzar, Middle_Snu, Ozymandias, Throgg, and Zigfried. Skype was used for voice and video and Roll20 for a virtual tabletop.

Rocket Tag

The first sign of the dragovinians’ arrival was not a barrage of arrows, fire, and steel, but the sudden billowing of green fog within the eye of Eathirilu’s tornado. The casters quickly identified this fog as not one, but two spells combined together somehow. Mind fog and solid fog working as one to slow one’s limbs and thoughts. Neither Barejando, Wu, Jevaninada, nor Darudanano were capable of casting such a spell as far as the party knew. There was someone new with the dragovinians! Wary of this new factor, most of the party retreated into the fog. The mind-addling effects of the fog only took hold upon Boromir the dragon turtle. Hektor remained out of the fog, He shapechanged into an invisible stalker air elemental to hide from the as yet unsighted dragovinians as well as to adopt the elemental’s natural resistance to Eathirilu’s windstorm.

Eathirilu stuck his head out of the mist and got his giant bird head filled with arrows shot from Wu’s bow. Looking around he couldn’t find Wu, even with his true seeing enhanced vision. Wu wasn’t the only ranged threat. Eathirilu was targeted by a dispel magic that tore at his wards, removing about a third of his carefully placed spells.

Tagenadi and Danar went to the edge of the fog as well, looking for the dragovinians. He didn’t have to look for long. Jevaninada, Darudanano, and Barejando came rushing at Eathirilu, appearing on the edge of his 120’ true seeing. Their attacks ripped through Eathirilu’s remaining magical protections leaving him with a few minor wounds.

Zelus aimed a mass healing spell at Eathirilu and the dragovinians next to him, hoping to cure Eathirilu’s wounds while simultaneously damaging the dragovinians with the positive energy. The dragovinians had wards of their own that prevented the magic from harming them. Eathirilu was luckily restored to full health.

Amalius focused his mind into an impossibly sharp spear. Sacrificing a piece of his own soul, he penetrated Jevaninada’s mental protections. He wove a suggestion spell upon the Xorian Emperor, “You companions are holding you back. They plan to betray you. Stop them!” Had it worked? Would the Emperor attack his allies?

Hektor placed a forcecage around Darudanano, cutting him off from his king. The dragovinian brought a hand to his scaled temple and the forcecage shattered. King Jevaninada shouted at his subordinates, “Get back, you useless worms! I’ll handle the druid myself.” Amalius’s enchantment had taken hold, but not completely.

Daru and Barejando obeyed their master and backed away from Eathirilu with confused looks upon their faces. They always fought as a trio, but they must follow their lord’s directives. Tagenadi had moved towards the island, unable to see the Exiles’ foes. Barejando fell upon him, chipping away at his boney form beneath his armor. Daru went after Danar, attempting to grapple him. Danar slammed his axe into Daru, sending him away with a bloody wound.

Eathirilu felt another layer of his magical enchantments slough off. The invisible mage was frighteningly effective. Eathirilu took it in stride and struck at Jevaninada as best he could. Jev returned the blows with greater power. He swung with wild strength, but each of his blows struck home with preternatural accuracy. Eathirilu reeled, almost losing his grip on consciousness. He tried to cast a spell to help his situation, but Jevaninada unveiled a cruel trick. He had practiced the art of interrupting spellcasters, even when they attempted to avoid him. Eathirilu was struck and he fell into the water. The onslaught did not end there. The hidden mage uttered a single, horrible word. Eathirilu cringed at the sound and then died. His lifeless body fell into the water.

An invisible Wu fired a volley of arrows at Amalius. The exiled psion had protected himself with extra vigor, but the arrows all but eliminated that protection. Amalius sped up time for himself to accomplish several things at once. Remembering how Wu had swung their last fights, Amalius sacrificed his soul energy once more to alter the very fabric of reality. He reshaped the world so that he could see Wu, no matter what. The vampiric archer lit up with a red light above and to the right of Eathirilu. Only Amalius could see and he mentally shared this information with his companions. They couldn’t see Wu, but they knew exactly where he was.

Amalius continued to attack Wu by firing a disintegration ray at him. The ray hit Wu and the reflected back at Amalius! Fortunately, the psion was prepared to resist his own magic. Frustrated, Amalius cast one final spell to try and block Wu’s stealthy offensive capabilities. Amalius retrieved Wu’s bow. The magnificent piece of dragonbone teleported from Wu’s invisible hands into those of Amalius. The great archer could no longer fire his arrows.

Jevaninada, seeing what Amalius had done, rushed the psion. His hand surged with dark power. He slammed his palm against Amalius and the darkness flooded forth, consuming his body. Amalius shuddered and fell, dropping the bow. Hektor summoned a set of enormous spiders on the broken earth of the island. The spiders shot their webbing at Jevaninada and ensnared him. Jev slashed and ripped the webbing apart, but could not move onto another target yet.

Zelus’s body stiffened. He hadn’t been struck, but his mind had been invaded by the invisible mage. The demigod was now under the control of the dragovinians. With the grace of a jerky automaton, Zelus sent negative energy flowing into his allies. Fortunately, their death ward spells protected them. Danar attempted to dispel the domination magic on Zelus. Unfortunately, he was not skilled enough to strip away the enchantment that had turned Zelus into a puppet.

Darudanano attacked Danar, slashing at him with his draconic claws. He followed up the slashes with a bite that weakened Danar. Below, Wu searched through the frothing muddy water for his bow. Danar saw his chance and charged. Wu did not see Danar’s bardiche until the last second. He twisted and the blow that would’ve taken his head, severed his right arm. Wu screamed and disappeared. He reappeared beside Jevaninada.

Hektor used his most powerful summoning magic and brought in an angel. The celestial flew forth and dispelled the domination controlling Zelus. Zelus in turn was able to heal Danar’s wounds. The invisible mage, scared that Danar might move to attack his wounded allies, threw a dispel at the ancient hero. Danar’s fly spell was taken away and he was left to splash in the waves. Taking constructive action, Danar gathered the bodies of Amalius and Eathirilu.

Hektor scanned the battlefield and finally located the invisible mage. He used his own dispelling magic to strip away the mage’s invisibility magic and the caster was revealed! Stanton, an albino halfling dragovinian once more!

Tagenadi bellowed a rallying cry. He, Hektor, and Hektor’s angel all charged Stanton. Hektor wielded his staff of the magi, the angel had a sword, and Tagenadi used his traditional kusari-gama. Stanton’s eyes widened and he ripped a button off his shirt. He disappeared and reappeared beside Jevaninada just as Wu had.

“This isn’t the last you’ve seen of us!” shouted Barejando. The dragovinians converged on their king. As they activated their teleportation magic, Zelus attempted to overload Wu with positive energy. A warding spell protected Wu from what would’ve been a lethal blow. The dragovinians escaped, minus an arm and a bow.

A Titan’s Court

The party were left in command of Black Kelp Island after the Dragovinian Goon Squad retreated. A few of the dragovinians that had camped out on the island remained. The party put the slaves back on the island. Zelus brought Amalius and Eathirilu back to life. Amalius told the dragovinians that if they killed the slaves or so much as touched them… He would make them regret it. With the situation above the water as controlled as it could be, the party cast water breathing and descended with Boromir beneath the waves.

Just below the water’s surface the Black Kelp Plant was visible. The plant was enormous. It’s slimy black stalk was as thick around as an old oak tree. Huge black fronds unfurled from the center, waving in the current. Dozens of sharks, fish, and other ocean creatures swam around the stalk or clung to the plant.

“Oceanus’s court is at the base of the Black Kelp,” said Boromir. The dragon turtle also gave them advice on how to present themselves to Oceanus. Most importantly they should provide him with a rich gift on meeting him. The party agreed that the magical unholy fire pick they’d taken from Devanane was a good gift. They’d been unable to find a buyer so using it as a host gift seemed the best way to get some use out of the evil weapon.

Swimming further down the group began to pass by sea people. Green elves with webbed hands and feet. Sahuagin and merfolk. Kuo-toas. Locathahs. All sorts of crosses between the humanoids of the world above and the creatures of the sea.

The palace swam into view through the salt water below. Many brightly colored corals and deep sea plants were being tended by sea nymphs around the palace. The building itself seemed to be made of pure salt with gold accents on the windows and exterior moldings. The Black Kelp Plant rooted itself at the center of the garden in front of the palace. Beside the black stalk was a large golden statue depicting an old, strong merman with a fishtail split into two.

The party was met by a dozen armored merfolk guards as they descended. The captain of the guard wore gold plate instead of bronze. He bellowed, “What is your business here, landwellers?”
“We seek an audience with Oceanus, Lord of the Outer Ocean,” said Hektor. “We have brought him this gift to show our respect for his majesty.” Hektor pulled the fiery pick of Devanane from his portable hole.
The guards marveled at the dark flames coming off of the pick under the water. “Our lord, the Titan of the Waters will be most pleased by your gift. Please, enter.”

The guards led the party into the palace. They walked down a sea green hallway and into a large throne room. Oceanus sat upon an enormous throne of gold. His shining, bearded form matched the statue outside of the palace. Golden bands adorned his arms and he wore a green coral crown on his head. He held a boat tiller in his right hand. On his left in a smaller gold throne sat his sister-wife Tethys. Numerous attendants and guards floated beside the throne and around the sides of the chamber. A trumpeter announced the party, stating each of their names and titles.

“Greetings Lord Oceanus,” said Hektor. “We bring you this offering and beg your attention.” Hektor went to his knees and presented the pick. A nymph swam forward and took the pick back to her father, Oceanus.
“A fine gift,” said Oceanus in a voice that resembled the pounding of waves upon the shore. “You are welcome in my court.”
“Great Titan of the Waters,” said Amalius. “we come hoping to trade with you. We ask for one of the leaves of the Black Kelp Plant. In exchange we offer one of the Golden Apples of the Hesperides. A beautiful gift for your beautiful wife.” Amalius pulled one of the golden apples from his portable hole.
A sound came from Oceanus’s throat like that of a water circling in a tub drain as he thought on the offer. Bubbles emerged from his nose. “An interesting offer.” He turned to look at his wife and saw the rampant desire for the golden apple on her face. “An offer that I feel I must accept for the sake of my marriage. You have a deal, mortal. A leaf of my sacred Black Kelp Plant in exchange for a Golden Apple of the Hesperides.” He pounded his boat tiller against the golden arm of his throne “But let this not be a transaction of pure business. Stay and join us in a celebration. I would hear about the realms of Cimmeria you come from and I have not spoken with my grandson, Zelus, in many years.”
“We would be honored, your divinity,” said Hektor. The rest of the party were happy to stay as well.

A series of underwater games were organized. Dolphin races, harpoon throwing, dancing, and merry making. Eathirilu noted that a gigantic squid silently floated above the ceremonies, watching with its bulbous eyes.

“Who is that?” Eathirilu said to Boromir.
“That is the Defender of the Black Kelp, a relative of the Kraken.”
“Wow! I’d love to wrestle him.”
“He is the reigning champion of the deep. None have bested him.”
“None have bested him you say? Perhaps I can change that.”

Eathirilu asked Oceanus for permission to challenge the great cephalopod. The Titan gave his approval. Eathirilu transformed into a squid as well, although a smaller one than the Defender’s great size.

They grappled back and forth. Although Eathirilu seemed equal near the start of their contest it soon became clear that even he was no match for the Defender’s strength and skill. Eathirulu signaled his submission and the Defender released him. The Defender gave Eathirilu a respectful nod with his beak and Eathirulu returned the gesture.

The party lasted a few more hours. When the time was right the Alliance Exiles took their leave and returned to Black Kelp Island above the waves. Boromir waved them goodbye with his fins, saying that he would be glad to work with them again any time.

When they arrived at the island they found a gruesome sight. The slaves were slain and dismembered. Their murderers had arranged the bodies into crude lettering that read, “Ability, Unity, Immortality.” Although frustrated, the party could do nothing. The dragovinians they had left on the island were gone. Most likely Jevaninada and his entourage had returned and “cleaned up.” The party returned to Lakatia with a slightly dampened sense of victory.