Post by David on Jan 31, 2006 19:02:52 GMT -5
On June 18th of 616 (January 28th, 2006), the first group of Shadow Knights stole into the capitol of Iuz' kingdom, Dorakaa, the City of Skulls, and stole back many of the souls the Old One had captured during the Apocalypse.
The party consisted of Domar (5th lvl fighter), Cassandra (3rd/2nd fighter/thief), Haagar (3rd lvl thief), Livak (2nd lvl beastmaster), and Tandris (1st lvl psionist) as well as the mortals; Korvac (3rd lvl cleric of Osiris) and Caius (1st lvl sorcerer) and Korvac's three orcish allies (Urtha, Vak, and Pfarr) and three animated skeletons.
Using her telepathic powers, Tandris had already discovered the various passwords to the gates throughout the City of Skulls. The Gods of the Dead assembled the heroes five miles from Dorakaa, outside the influence of Iuz' godhead. From there, with the orcs and skeletons as their honor guard, the heroes easily made their way along the Skull Road to the gates of Dorakaa. Once inside the city, the group easily bypassed the various gates and check-points, until they finally reached the inner-keep of the southern section of Old Wicked's palace.
There, the orcish guards questioned the heroes as to their business. Unsatisfied with the response, the guards were instructed to bring the group to an individual within the keep. Once the doors began to close, the heroes attacked, with Caius preserving the illusion of peace with a sleep spell. Unfortunately, the guards at the front heard a commotion inside and reopened the gates, only to also be slept by Caius.
By this point, several of the more -uh- eager party members had shed quite a bit of orcish blood. The group found themselves battling additional orcs from the two guard towers instead of cleaning up the mess. Korvac instructed two of his orcs (Vak and Pfarr) as well as two skeletons to take the place of the fallen. Meanwhile, Livak, Domar, and Haagar each found themselves in isolated battles with surprised orcs. Indeed, it was only Haagar's quick thinking that kept two bowmen from slaughtering the poor thief.
Finally, the group finished their killing spree. Although the alarm hadn't yet gone up, it was clearly only a matter of time before someone discovered the dozens of bloody orc-bodies. The group then proceeded to search for a way into the sub-levels of the keep, but kept encountering more barracks and leaders. At one point the group was able to locate the garrison commander, the group decided to take another course, battling progressively more orcs and orogs. In the process, Cassandra's body was nearly destroyed and battled damaged.
Finally, the group stumbled upon the priest and his mage paramour. They heroes slaughtered the pair and entered the dungeons -- just in time as they had by this point been discovered!
The heroes fought a pair of bar-llgura and some skeletons before coming upon first one, then two, then finally three of the soul gems. In the process, the group also killed a human warrior and found a living captive.
Rather than risk failing, the group elected to free those souls they had already recovered...
...and died again, their mortal forms turning to dust and leaving Korvac and Caius alone in Iuz' dungeons with a peasant girl!
Caius surreptitiously stepped backward "accidentally" slipping through a hidden (and instantly closing) dimension fold back to Amberwood. Korvac, however, discovered the peasant girl was a worshiper of Bast and more, a weretigress. The two fled to the surface where they were able to manage an escape.
The party consisted of Domar (5th lvl fighter), Cassandra (3rd/2nd fighter/thief), Haagar (3rd lvl thief), Livak (2nd lvl beastmaster), and Tandris (1st lvl psionist) as well as the mortals; Korvac (3rd lvl cleric of Osiris) and Caius (1st lvl sorcerer) and Korvac's three orcish allies (Urtha, Vak, and Pfarr) and three animated skeletons.
Using her telepathic powers, Tandris had already discovered the various passwords to the gates throughout the City of Skulls. The Gods of the Dead assembled the heroes five miles from Dorakaa, outside the influence of Iuz' godhead. From there, with the orcs and skeletons as their honor guard, the heroes easily made their way along the Skull Road to the gates of Dorakaa. Once inside the city, the group easily bypassed the various gates and check-points, until they finally reached the inner-keep of the southern section of Old Wicked's palace.
There, the orcish guards questioned the heroes as to their business. Unsatisfied with the response, the guards were instructed to bring the group to an individual within the keep. Once the doors began to close, the heroes attacked, with Caius preserving the illusion of peace with a sleep spell. Unfortunately, the guards at the front heard a commotion inside and reopened the gates, only to also be slept by Caius.
By this point, several of the more -uh- eager party members had shed quite a bit of orcish blood. The group found themselves battling additional orcs from the two guard towers instead of cleaning up the mess. Korvac instructed two of his orcs (Vak and Pfarr) as well as two skeletons to take the place of the fallen. Meanwhile, Livak, Domar, and Haagar each found themselves in isolated battles with surprised orcs. Indeed, it was only Haagar's quick thinking that kept two bowmen from slaughtering the poor thief.
Finally, the group finished their killing spree. Although the alarm hadn't yet gone up, it was clearly only a matter of time before someone discovered the dozens of bloody orc-bodies. The group then proceeded to search for a way into the sub-levels of the keep, but kept encountering more barracks and leaders. At one point the group was able to locate the garrison commander, the group decided to take another course, battling progressively more orcs and orogs. In the process, Cassandra's body was nearly destroyed and battled damaged.
Finally, the group stumbled upon the priest and his mage paramour. They heroes slaughtered the pair and entered the dungeons -- just in time as they had by this point been discovered!
The heroes fought a pair of bar-llgura and some skeletons before coming upon first one, then two, then finally three of the soul gems. In the process, the group also killed a human warrior and found a living captive.
Rather than risk failing, the group elected to free those souls they had already recovered...
...and died again, their mortal forms turning to dust and leaving Korvac and Caius alone in Iuz' dungeons with a peasant girl!
Caius surreptitiously stepped backward "accidentally" slipping through a hidden (and instantly closing) dimension fold back to Amberwood. Korvac, however, discovered the peasant girl was a worshiper of Bast and more, a weretigress. The two fled to the surface where they were able to manage an escape.
