Session Summary for Sijian under Siege (2/4/2011)
Using advanced cloning and soul reconstruction technology, Chief Artificer Deity and Remaker of the Cybernetrix, Tinkertron Glittergold returns Luvelle Swiftarrow from the dead and sends him back through time to the present. Now looking like an Adonis, Luvelle looks nothing like his old self and wonders how Arylin and his friends will react when they see him. As a precaution and because the name Swiftarrow makes no sense anymore, he calls himself- Xavier.
Xavier crashes back to Jord in his time-travel capsule into the enchanted forest 'Athel Loren' where he makes two new friends, “Brewski Alehart”, a Dwarven Shaman protector and “Chesnut”, an inappropriately named ferocious Wood Elf Predator Druid. The two primal warriors bring the mysterious celestial visitor to their friend and teacher, Brave Hawk. Xavier says that he searches for his old party members. The curious Brave Hawk consults the Spirits of the Green about these people but the spirits instead warn that the Prophecy of the Willow King will soon come to pass. Alarmed by what he has foreseen and sensing a connection between Xavier and the future Emperor, he dispatches his trusted students to ensure that Prince Cassius of Jord leaves the city of Sijian immediately.
The scale of the devastation in the city of Sijian is heartbreaking. Having lost track of their friend Sigurd in the final hours of the climatic battle with Arnulf and his legion of undead, Cassius and Mordenkrag have taken shelter in a cellar of a collapsed house. Cassius does his best to treat the injuries of the wounded and he makes as many of those dying as comfortable as possible. Despite his efforts, several of the refugees despise his arrogance and his efforts to lord his authority over them. Food and water supplies are fast running out. Mordenkrag and Cassius decide that they can no longer wait in the cellar should they wish to feed the hungry survivors.
Whilst exploring the ruined city, they encounter gangs of looters who tell great tales about a Messiah who warned them of the coming disaster. The man whom both Cassius recognizes as the despised Baron Vermil had saved more than 750 people who were too poor to evacuate the city by giving away his own gold. The Baron, now both a physical and emotional bankrupt could still be found coordinating rescue efforts in the shattered remains of his prefecture’s embassy.
The companions meet when the violent sounds of a Troglodyte raid which can be heard from within Sijian’s Museum of Primordial Antiquities draws them to battle. The combat was drawn out but the party manages to convincingly defeat this subterranean threat which had attempted to capture survivors of the recent disaster. The party also encounters a group of Goliaths protecting humans which was comes as a surprise to Mordenkrag. Their leader, Sgt Major Tiny Fullblade explains that the titans have set up a military base in the city and tasked the Terran Revolutionary Guard to locate, protect and shelter any refugees of war they can find. Mordenkrag was intrigued by the Titans' rare display of generosity but could not further satisfy his curiosity by investigating the Goliath’s base called “The Bastion” as he felt responsible for the life of Prince Cassius.
As the party got reacquainted, Vermil pulls Cassius aside and warns him that he was being hunted by an elder Vampire called Mitru. In fact, Mitru had offered Vermil many rewards in exchange for facilitating the capture of the royal. Cassius was touched by Vermil’s loyalty which had been called into question on many occasions. Vermil had even produced a letter implicating the Inquisitor Ramirez as an Infernalist behind the Red Thorn Iron Legion conspiracy. The two childhood friends agree to put their past conflicts behind them.
Vermil also shares with Xavier that he was well aware who he really is. Luvelle was shocked and became extremely upset when Vermil blurted out that his twin brother, Eldrad had in fact been alive all this time and that Princess Arylin who had cruelly mocked his declaration of love whilst he was dying had in fact been a disguised succubus. The Psion nearly unravelled his ruse when the other party members began to query who this mysterious Eladrin really was. To Luvelle’s surprise, his ‘rival’, Baron “Vermin” not only kept his secret identity hidden but assisted in covering it up.
The two primal heroes counsel Prince Cassius to leave the city as soon as possible as should he fall to the undead; the prophecy of the Willow King would certainly take place.
Despite his reservation, Prince Cassius agrees to abandon the city of Sijian. Baron Vermil refused to leave the civilians behind and bade his friends/rivals goodbye.
However, as the party makes their way out of the city, a patrolling Lich riding a Dracolich catches sight of them. Soon news of Prince Cassius’s movement in the city spread through the ranks of the dead.
Lucita, sire of the traitorous vampire Orson decides to redeem herself in the eyes of Arnulf the Ancient by laying an ambush on Cassius and the King’s men. With the help of the Necromancer "Thrice Dammed Lucius" and the brains of his recently deceased apprentices (he killed them of course), a vicious trap was sprung.
Undaunted by such cowardly attack, the preternaturally alert party fought back with immense resolve. With Mordenkrag’s mind clouded by mind magics, the party was hammered from afar with a multitude of deadly spells. One by one, Cassius saw his companions fall like dominos. Even when they struck down the mighty Tomb Guardian Xerxes, their hearts grew crestfallen as Lucius the Thrice Dammed, raised the Guardian up once more. When Mordenkrag fell in battle, his earthy veins drained dry by Lucita, Prince Cassius orders his companions to stand down. Despite Mordenkrag’s protestations and Shaman Aleheart’s warnings of a coming Apocalypse, Prince Cassius refused to let his friends die so that he may live.
As a contingent of Battle Wights arrived to take the Prince to see his blood ancestor, Arnulf, Xavier/Luvelle hints of his true identity and of the deeper friendship between them by referring to a mutual friend as Vermin. A smile lit up both their faces like a ray of sunlight bringing with it a tinge of bitter-sweet emotion that lace all farewells.
XP Summary
Night in the Museum
ECL 9:(2550xp/425xp 6 players)
4 Troglodyte Thrashers (Brute 7, 1200xp), 2 Troglodyte Impaler (Level 7 Artillery, 600xp), 6 Troglodyte Grunt (Minion 8, 500xp), Troglodyte Mauler (Level 6 Soldier, 250xp)
Reward: Parcel number 7 (3 250gp art objects + 2 healing potions), Parcel number 4: 1 Level 8 Magic Item, Parcel number 10 (3 100gp gems).
Lucita's Revenge
ECL 11: 3000xp/5 players
Vampire Witch (Level 10 Controller 500xp), 2 Poltergeist (Level 6 Artillery, 500xp), 2 Brains in Jars(Level 6 Controller, 500xp), 2 Tomb Guardian (Level 10 Brute 1000xp), Skull Lord (Level 10 Artillery 500xp)
Failed to overcome Lucita and her coven.
Skill Challenges
The Journey to Sijian (Level 8, Complexity 2) - build boats, navigating river, cutting down time etc - 700xp/233xp 3 players
General role-playing
Good scene in the middle with Cassius, Vermil, Mordenkrag and Luvelle in the Museum with some awesome Telepath private channels and Mordenkrahg's clueless-ness. - 500xp/100xp per player
Total Session XP: 758xp/3000xp
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