Following the defeat of the most recent Orcusian attempt to terrorize the world, the group rests at the Immersea complex of Kormier. They bask in the glow of an accomplished mission and drain an extra cup to the memory of the Gal, whose noble sacrifice made it possible to forestall the end of life. Good job Gal. Soanyway – whaddya want to dother about next?
Various ideas are sifted and sorted, including a return to the city of the dead in the jungles just to get in there and root around for any spare coins – but that idea is mostly met with indifference. No one seems eager to douse themselves in their own blood and attempt to take on the other Orcusian nightmare they’ve encountered, so the decision is made to see if they can locate and neutralize the pesky Melkerech before he comes back to try and kill them again for stealing his books.
They return to the scene of the near party wipe initiated by the malevolent mage and discuss ways to excavate the ruins of the buildings to see if any clues may be found. Gaseous exploration is possible, but Legend Lors spells are used to see if any relevant information might be gleaned. This begins a fact-finding mission that takes them halfway around the world and back, from the desolate stonelands to the ruins of yet another city buried deep in the southern jungles. At each stop more Legend Lores are utilized (helping deplete some of the excess magic items they have accumulated over the years…maybe this is why nothing magical is ever for sale in the bazaar?) and a picture emerges of a homicidal mage, kinslayer and pupil of a lich. They seemingly identify his name and unearth several clues about his past. This is all the party needs to hear and they are on the trail of a particular monocle-wearing lich they encountered years ago. It is either that or tangle with a nearby dracolich…maybe later in the week.
They scout the lich’s desert lair and notice that it looks much like when they first encountered it. They do some preliminary excavating work and clear the area near the front doors, then spend a few days looking for a back door to exploit – or a way in that doesn’t pass through the front doors, but perhaps admits entry wia a wall…and it turns out there is a spell for that.
The party stacks up and passes through the wall…and into the secret chamber of the lich! The lich in question is bent over a bench, doing something with small tools and a gem when the party surprises the undead creature. A blast of fire from Tyr starts things off, and Malchor’s attempt to stun the creature is partially turned back upon him but then the acid-coated monkmage leaps into the fray and begins methodically beating the undead with acid-enhanced blows. Quickly,.the creature is destroyed. Half the job is done, but now the phylactery must be located or this is all for naught.
Gaseous exploration is undertaken and a small stone hollow is located in the collapsed ruins. There, a gem set into a wire cage hangs from a hook set into the wall. Operating on instinct, Malchor assumes this is the missing phylactery and disintegrates it.
Well now. Either the lich is dead, or it isn’t. It was Melkerech, or it wasn’t. They’ve either neutralized a persistent threat or made a brand new enemy! Never a dull moment.
Leave a reply