The 25th day of the 7th month to the 1st day of the 8th month 1372
The forces of Vortigen descended on Tandis. From land and air they came, and it was up to the heroes of Harrowhoff to drive them back. An army of orcs was magically tangled by plants and boldly met by Fidlthid and his riders as Welborn unleashed a creature of fire summoned from the brazier. Visefrin and Taran rode wyverns to meet Vortigen's airborne forces and clashed with a sorcerer upon a black dragon and two wyvern-riding wraiths. Heironymous struck down dozens of lizardmen who climbed the castle's battlements.
Even this great force proved no match for the heroes. The flying beasts and their riders were slain as were many orcs. The survivors routed and fled into the wastes. During the battle, the gatehouse of the castle was destroyed by a powerful spell unleashed by the dragon-riding sorcerer. After the dust settled, Lord Fillip promised captaincy of the castle to Fidlthid upon his death. Heironymous recovered a black mask from the fallen sorcerer. When he donned the mask, he was shown a dark vision of Voritgen, and he nearly fell to chaos.
The heroes had learned of the black blade capable of commanding the grey princes, and off they went to seek it beneath the necropolis. At grim castle Lichgate they found that Eligal, the necromancer, had been turned into a spectre, and that the Rama dagger was missing. From Lichgate, Wellborn recovered Eligal's staff and his grimoire.
Into the necropolis, the heroes crept, bypassing the Princes themselves. They entered the foul crypts below and began their search. Taran fell to a cloud of poison gas that spewed forth from a sealed sarcophagus. Deeper and deeper they travelled until they found a secret tomb beyond a graven image of a sword-wielding warrior. They had found the tomb of the black sword.
As they opened the tomb to reveal the sword, a horrible creature emerged from shadow. It was a great undead eye tyrant that spewed dire spells. A terrible fight began. Feek claimed the sword, but was taken by chaos and turned the powerful blade on his allies. Welborn too, turned on his fellow heroes, influenced by a powerful spell cast by the eye tyrant. Several retainers fell in the battle, but the heroes prevailed and managed to free Feek of the blade's influence. The heroes secured the sword and teleported back to Verdengard. Despite the bishop's prayers and blessings, Taran was gone.
Heironymous studied the mask to see if it could be unbound from Vortigen's malign influence. It seemed this artifact was forever tied to chaos, and like the black orb, it was a conduit of Vortigen's power.
The staff of Eligal proved to be a Staff of Withering, capable of maiming foes unlucky enough to be struck in battle.
Eligal's spellbook contained the following spells
Level 1: Ventriloquism
Level 2: Magic Mouth, Mirror Image, Invisibility, Detect Invisible
Level 3: Hold Person, Dispel Magic, Protection from Normal Missiles, Rope Trick
Level 4: Wall of Ice, Polymorph Other, Remove Curse, Wizard Eye
Level 5: Teleport, Hold Monster, Animate Dead, Passwall, Feeblemind
Visefrin again communed with the gods
Is there a worthy champion to claim the black sword in Tandis, or among our allies?
Any who would dare wield such an artifact will eventually become wholly corrupted. Even if a champion were to overcome the blade's influence temporarily, servitude to chaos awaits them.
What are Vortigen's plans after his defeat?
His immediate plans are clouded by his inestimable power. Darkness alone emanates from the heart of his domain.
Did we pass the second artifact that Vortigen seeks while inside the Crypt of the Grey Princes?
The Grey Princes, as you call them, are bound to protect the artifact. They, like you, will do everything in their power to prevent the artifact from falling into the hands of Vortigen. As such, they have ensconced the artifact in an even more remote location beyond our ken. The black sword alone will compel them to reveal its location.
No comments:
Post a Comment