Friday 21 January 2011

Chapter Six: Netheril - Session 39 - Pallid Plague part 3 of 3

Heroes
Connal Ragnirsson - Jarecki
Jarod - Jacek
Ren Howl - Adrian

NPC
Avelon, priestess of Waukeen
Cetus - Paweł (absent)

Heroes returned to Falcon's Hollow to report that Pallid Plague is over. There was much rejoice and spontaneous celebration was called. Party carried all night and happiness finally descended upon troubled village. For a short while... At first light a huge shapes appeared from morning mist. Smashing building, crushing people they strode through village leaving behind a trail of destruction. From a ground huge, throned roots appeared, encircling tavern, healer's house and Lumberjack company's office. They grew quickly and soon levitated, transforming into balls of green light.

Heroes made a courageous stand against rampaging hill giants. Monster's bodies were covered with leaves, bark and wooden thorns. Beasts faced party in two waves and each time were defeated, despite Cetus' disappearance. Later it turned out he was still inside tavern, when thorns surrounded it and was captured inside ball of light. while fighting giants, Ren was wondering what caused them to attack. From their look it was reasonable, that evil dryad wasn't defeated yet.

After disposing with giants, heroes hastily made a way into woods, where balls of light headed. Trek was tough,as wood was getting more tangled and dense with each step. Finally light stopped and soon heroes discovered they are hovering above a meadow with large, obviously dead tree in center of it. Tree was located on the top of small mound with round stone upon one side. All in all it looked as tomb.

Ball of lights descended upon tree one at time, channeling gathered energy into dead wood. With each passing minute, tree was regaining life. Connal reasoned that it is feed with life energy of captured humans. He boldly stepped out and channeled positive energy of Moradin's power. Rest of heroes began searching meadow when something strange happened.

Suddenly all around was a harsh winter, wind was blowing, snow was falling and sun was gone. Behind heroes a mysterious shapes appeared: insubstantial, dark and brooding. Twelve warriors with spears and high helmets looked upon them with hate. Between them a undead faerie queen's ghost stood, with horrid human and dog hybrid on the leash. She pointed at heroes and hell broke out. Ghost wailing and wight blades cut, waves of negative and positive energy rolled and when dust was cleared and forces of witch fairy were defeated, Connal and Jarod were laying dead. Ren was barely breathing and Avelon looked upon carnage with quirky smile.

It was time to reveal. Avelon's faith and allegiance were suspected for a long time. Finally, she decided to reveal her true colors. She asked Ren to swear, he won't turn against her and when he made a promise, she produced symbol of her faith from underneath robes and resurrected fallen comrades in the name of Shar. Then, while they were still confused and shaken, she explained, she failed a test of her goddess and for hubris was punished with memory loss. But with help of heroes she regained Shar's favor and was restored to her powers and rank. Then she made a farewell and disappeared in the woods.

Behind the screen
- Two deaths and almost Total Party Kill. I didn't liked it, didn't planned it. What caused the situation? Heores weren't at full power level, they disposed some spells, healing powers and were overwhelmed by enemies.
- Once again to many rules to remember, I totally forgot of wraith's special rules. Simply, Pathfinder is a way too complicated for me. For now, I prefer 4th edition :)