After disposing of the lamia sisters in the vault, Lem and Valeros scoured every inch of the place looking for enemies and information. They had no trouble sweeping away the last remnants of twisted abominations that they found in the winding hallways surrounding the vault, but there there appeared to be little in the way of information that would lead them to Mokmurian, the giant mastermind behind this labyrinth of horror.
Lem
Male Halfling Bard Charlatan
Card Feats: Spell x2, Blessing, Armor
Skill Feats: Charisma +4, Intelligence +1
Power Feats:
Light Armor proficiency
Once per check, recharge a card to card to add 1D4+2 to a check attempted by another character at your location
Add 2 to your check to acquire an ally or defeat a henchman
Starting Deck
Heavy Crossbow
Wand of Enervation
Sihedron Medallion
Toxic Cloud
Haste
Holy Light
Frost Ray
Lightning Bolt
Cure
Hide Armor of Fire Resistance
Toad
Burglar
Acolyte
BoPharasma x2
BoGozreh
BoErastil
BoAbadar
BoIrori
Eventually, the pair returned to the vault where the sisters were found. They were clearly the most powerful beings they had encountered in this place, so perhaps their lair would reveal more information that could aid them. With each moment that passed, Valeros grew increasingly frustrated. This Mokmurian was truly a coward if he would hide from them in this twisted dungeon. Maybe he could find a spell or something on the emerald codex that would allow him to kill this giant from afar, or summon Mokmurian to them, so that he might dish out violent justice. He sat down against the far wall of the chamber to read the codex, seeking to rest against the wall while he reached into his pack.
As he leaned back, his body fell completely through the wall! He nearly cracked his head on the stone floor of the room hidden behind the illusory wall. Valeros was at once annoyed and excited to find this place. It meant the hunt was back on, but it also reminded him that powerful magic was infused into the very earth of this place, and that he could take nothing for granted. Lem rushed into this new room to join him, but the pair hardly had a moment to spare before a new enemy was upon them!
Valeros
Male Human Fighter Weapon Master
Card Feats: Weapon, Item, Blessing, Ally
Skill Feats: Strength +4, Constitution +1
Power Feats:
Hand Size 5
Add 1d4+3 to another character’s combat check at your location
You may use Melee in place of Ranged when using a weapon with the Ranged trait
Starting Deck
Icy Longspear+1
Heavy Pick +1
Impaler of Thorns
Shock Longbow+1
Scythe+1
War Razor +1
Magic Chain Mail
Magic Shield
Magic Half-Plate
Holy Candle
Emerald Codex
Staff of Minor Healing
Grizzled Mercenary
Burglar
Charmed Red Dragon
Blessing of Gorum
BoTorag x2
BoAbadar
A massive humanoid creature rushed towards them. It appeared to be an ogre, or perhaps a smaller giant, clad in full armor and wielding two gigantic swords. The most striking feature of this monster, was the fact that it had no head. A rotted stump, still pulsating with blood, lingered where it's neck should be. It must be the reanimating magic that they had seen previously that allowed this creature to cling to life.
As it charged, Lem conjured a poisonous cloud around it. It may have no head, but perhaps that bloody stump still needed oxygen. It was worth trying, at least. As Lem readied his wand at the creature, a skeletal creature leapt out of the shadows towards them. Valeros blocked it's attack with the haft of his spear before swinging it around to send the ancient skull flying across the room in a thousand pieces. That gave Lem the time he needed to discharge his wand and suck the unlife from the headless zombie.
Turn 1
Lem – BoSarenrae
Thassilonian Library
Headless Lord – Valeros encounters Ancient Skeleton +6
Lem Toxic Cloud
Valeros – Toxic Cloud + Impaler of Thorns + recharge Charmed Red Dragon = D6+D10+7+D8+1+5 = 28 = Success
Red Dragon = 8 = Success
Wand of Enervation - -8 to combat check
Recharge wand = Fail
Strength + BoPharasma + Toxic Cloud + Valeros = D4+2D4+D6+D4+3 = 14 = Success
Close location = No spell to Banish = remains open = Headless Lord shuffled back in from Scenario effect
Recharge Toxic Cloud = Success
Finally, they had a moment to take in their new surroundings. This appeared to be a library of sorts. Dozens of tattered tomes littered shelves hewn into the stone walls. Valeros began thumbing through them, hoping for new and interesting ways to inflict pain on his enemies. He was not disappointed, as several of the tomes had passages and incantations manipulating both life and death. He took what he could, hoping it might come in handy later. He had to admit that he was somewhat proud of himself for getting the hang of this "reading" stuff that Lem was always going on about.
Turn 2
Valeros – BoErastil
Sleep – Banished forever
Bury Emerald Codex = Mending, Strength, Find Traps
Discard BoTorag explore – Mystic Inscrption – Int + Lem BoIrori + Lem recharge = 3D6+D4+2 = 14 = Success = 2 spells to hand = Restoration, Scorching Ray
Their reading time was cut short, however, by what sounded like a stampede heading straight for them. The stone walls shook as it neared and both Valeros and Lem readied themselves for yet another battle. A horde of gigantic rats came into view, which Lem handily froze solid with rays of frost from his fingertips. The rats were led by a remarkably disfigured ogre, which Valeros impaled with his spear, seemingly ending the current threat.
Turn 3
Lem – BoG
Donkey Rats – Frost Ray + Valeros = D10+5 + 2D6 + D4+3 = 25 = Success
Donkey Rat roll = 1 = Valeros fights a Graul Ogrekin
Graul Ogrekin – Roll = 2 = Damage increased by 2
Valeros – Impaler of Thorns = D10+7 + D8+1 = 18 = Success
Recharge Frost Ray = Success
Valeros turned to his partner, showing him some of the spells that he had been able to acquire from this library thus far.
"Wow, do you realize that maybe even just a few weeks ago, you would have burned these for kindling?" Lem mused as he thumbed through the ancient text. "Soon, you'll have put me out of a job as our spellcaster!"
Valeros chuckled, "Yeah, well as soon as I start shooting lightning and ice and whatever-the-hell-else from my hands, I'll post an ad for your replacement at the nearest tavern."
Turn 4
Valeros – BoG
Give Lem Restoration
As the two bantered on, a spluttering and shuffling sound from behind them sent them whirling into a defensive stance. The headless creature from before was pulling itself to its feet again! Lem glanced beside him and saw the ogre was doing the same!
"Are" Lem shot his crossbow at the ogre, burying a bolt in it's skull. "You" Valeros impaled the skeleton that he had previously fought, lifting it up before shattering its bones on the stone floor. "KIDDING" Lem shot holy light from his hands, bathing the zombie in righteous fire. "ME!"
Afterward, they piled the remains and set fire to it before leaving. This place was ridiculous, and the sooner they left, the better.
Turn 5
Lem – BoG
Merchant – Diplomacy = auto-success
Discard merchant explore – Ogre – Heavy Crossbow + Valeros = D8+D10+D4+3 = 16 = Success
Discard Toad explore – BoIrori = Auto-acquire
Discard BoIrori explore – Headless Lord – Valeros encounters Ancient Skeleton+6
Valeros – Impaler of Thorns + Lem recharge = D10+7+D8+1+D4+2 = 23 = Success
Lem – Holy Light + Valeros = D10+5+2D12+D4+2 = 22 = Success
Banish Cure – Location closed
Recharge Holy Light = Success
Leaving the library, the pair found themselves in a wide hallway. On each side, cells lined the walls. Whether these were used to house the foul creatures that lurked here, or were used for more sinister purpose, Valeros could not say. Passing a cell, he noted a troll that was seemingly already dead on the floor.
"Nope, not falling for that again." he muttered as he raised his hands and let loose a fiery ray that engulfed the troll, reducing it to ash.
Lem stared at Valeros, wide-eyed. "I suppose I should tender my resignation, then." he said in awe.
"Yep, I'm going to need you to clean out your desk by the end of the day." Valeros laughed, lighting a candle with his still-burning fingertip as he continued down the hall.
Turn 6
Valeros – BoLamashtu
Thassilonian Dungeon
Troll – Scorching Ray (location – draw a card) + Lem discard Heavy Crossbow – D6+D8+2D6+D4 = 20 = Success – Fire, so Troll is really dead
Holy Candle – 4
The duo continued down the hallway, occasionally peering into the cells that they passed. The uneven stone floor made it difficult to tell, but Lem definitely felt as though they were descending. They must be a mile or more under the tower at this point. Where could this be leading them? As terrified as he was, he did feel a bit anxious to confront the evil that fueled this place and end it. Perhaps Valeros was rubbing off on him as well.
Turn 7
Lem – BoIomedae
Thassilonian Dungeon
Valeros - Staff of minor healing – Lem
Glaive – Fail
Lem – Restoration himself
Recharge Restoration = Success
Haste Explore (location – draw a card) – Mass Cure – Divine + BoPharasma = D10+5+D10 = 13 = Success
Recharge Haste = Fail
Discard BoErastil explore – Amulet of Mighty Fists – banished forever
Valeros was getting bored. In an enclosed space like this, that was never a good sign. He was tried to distract himself by counting the objects he could break that they passed in the hallway, but that game was getting old. He really needed something to happen, and soon.
Turn 8
Valeros – BoTorag
Speed – Intelligence – D6 = 4 = Fail
Discard Grizzled Mercenary Explore – Mass Cure – Fail
After what felt like hours, they reached the end of the hall of cells. A great bell rested next to a doorway that led to the next chamber. What could this bell be for? Perhaps it was for waking the inhabitants of the dungeon, or possibly an alarm in case someone in the cells broke free.
Lem's reverie was cut short as Valeros struck the bell as hard as he could with the haft of his spear. Once his ears stopped ringing and head stopped vibrating, he looked to Valeros in disapproval. Valeros simply shrugged.
Turn 9
Lem – Iomedae
Falling Bell – Fail the perception check
Lem – Dex + Recharge burglar + BoAbadar = D8+D10+2D8 = 18 = Success
Valeros – Dex + Recharge Burglar + Lem recharge = D8+D10+D4+2 = 14 = Success
Lem – Mass Cure
Lem – 3
Valeros – 5
Recharge Mass Cure = Fail
It didn't take long for the bell to draw attention to them. A towering, slime covered mound shambled towards them, pulling itself along with muck-covered tentacles. Valeros charged with his frost-covered longspear even as Lem blasted it with frost of his own. The creature froze solid, pieces cracking and falling off as Valeros wrenched his spear free from it.
"You gotta admit, the bell worked." Valeros said with a sheepish grin.
Lem simply sighed.
Turn 10
Valeros – BoG
Muck Graul
Valeros casts strength – Banished forever
Valeros - Icy Longspear – D10+7+D8+1+3 = 15 = Success
Lem – Frost Ray + Valeros = D10+5+2D6+D4+3 = 20 = Success
Muck Graul placed on Bottom of Location Deck
Frost Ray recharge = Success
Not far behind the muck-monster, a lumbering hill giant charged towards them. Unlike the giants they had faced before, however, this one had runes carved into its flesh. The runes looked familiar, though Lem could not make them out in the dim light that their torches provided. Better to blast first, and inspect later anyway, he thought. A great bolt of lightning erupted from his fingertips and fried the giant even as it charged them. The smoking corpse collapsed and skidded to a halt at their feet.
Yes, the runes were familiar, Lem thought as he leaned over the corpse to inspect it. These were Thassilonian runes.
Turn 11
Lem – BoLamashtu
Hill Giant Runeslave – Lightning Bolt + Valeros = D10+5+3D6+D4+3 = 24 = Success
Lightning Bolt recharge = Success
Arcane check to close = 15 = Success = Location closed
Valeros wasted no time on the felled hill giant, and strode into the next chamber, spear at the ready. He was not disappointed. Inside was a large chamber clearly designed for a giant. The chamber had huge furnishings and luxurious accommodations for a creature many times Valeros' size. And at the center of the chamber was the giant himself!
A massive stone giant, covered in runes both painted and carved onto his flesh. It wielded a massive club, easily the size of Valeros, and wore a robe covered in the same runes that were present on his flesh and his hill giant servant. It boomed with laughter as the pair approached.
"You have done well to reach me, but it was in vain, I'm afraid." The voice sounded like great boulders grinding together. "You see, like you, I am but a pawn in all of this as well. We all serve my master, your master, even if you don't know it."
"I serve no one, creature, and your game ends today. You lose." Valeros charged at the stone giant, leaping into the air in an attempt to pierce the giants heart. With impossible speed, Mokmurian twisted the the side. Still, the spear left a long deep gash across the giants chest. It swatted Valeros away like a bug, before turning and fleeing to an adjoining room.
Turn 12
Valeros – BoLamashtu
Giant Lair
BoErastil – Dex – D8 = 5 = Success
Discard BoErastil explore – Shadow – Impaler of Thorns – D10+7+D8+2 = 20 = Succcess
Discard BoGorum explore – Mokmurian – Con + Lem recharge = D8+1+D4+2 = 9 = Success – Bury Burglar
Lem Toxic Cloud
1st check – Impaler of Thorns + Poison Cloud + BoPharasma = D10+7+D8+2+D6+2D10 = 26 = Success
2nd check – Impaler of Thorns + Poison Cloud + BoPharasma = D10+7+D8+2+D6+2D10 = 30 = Success
Location closed – Mokmurian escapes to the treacherous cave
Recharge Toxic Cloud = Fail
Lem ran into the chamber after the giant, knowing full well that his partner would survive the blow he had taken. If anything, Valeros would simply be more angry than ever. As Lem ran, he noticed the walls, floor and ceiling were all covered in the same runes they had seen a dozen times. These Thassilonian runes, for that's surely what they were, had even been etched into more than a few of the foes they had slain from the beginning of this crusade. Lem wondered what the connection was. There were too many unanswered questions, and he didn't like it.
Turn 13
Lem – BoG
Treacherous Cave
Treasure Map – Knowledge + BoIrori = D6+3+2D6 = 9 = Success = Banished forever
Top card of location deck – Short Sword – Banished forever
Valeros rushed past Lem who was, as usual, too interested in the scenery to focus on the real mission: taking this giant out. He didn't make it much farther than his companion, though, as the room began to shake. The booming laughter of the giant sounded again.
"Fools! I will not be so easily dispatched! Meet but a taste of the plane you unwittingly make war with. The Forgefiend shall show you how ancient Thassilon deals with meddlers!"
The shaking turned into rumbling, and it seemed the ceiling might collapse on them at any moment. Before that could happen, an enormous metal monstrosity strode into view. It was like a suit of plate metal armor with a sea of molten lava inside. Valeros could see the waves of heat emanating from it as it lumbered towards them. Where its stomach should have been was a gaping maw of flame. This, this was not going to be fun. Valeros lowered his spear and charged.
"Valeros, NO!" Lem cried in the distance.
The heat from the flames was unbearable, but Valeros was too deep in a blood-rage to care. His skin blistered and peeled by merely being close to the creature, but his pace did not slow. He thrust his spear into a crevice between the metal plates that made up the creature, and heaved. The screech and wail of twisting metal filled the chamber. The forgefiend desperately grabbed for Valeros, but could not reach thanks to the length of his spear. Valeros cried out in exertion and pain, straining with every muscle in his body.
Finally, relief as the metal plate gave way to the combined magic of the spear and the strength Valeros put behind it. A river of lava gushed from the crack, and the creature gave an otherworldly cry of anguish before falling backwards onto the stone. Valeros knelt, dropping his spear which glowed red from heat. His cracked lips couldn't form the words, but he hoped Lem could take that giant out, because he had nothing left.
Turn 14
Valeros – BoLamashtu
Treacherous Cave
Valeros Staff of minor healing – Lem
Magic Spyglass – Fail
Discard BoTorag explore – Forgefiend – Impaler of Thorns + Lem recharge = D10+7+D8+2+D4+2 = 24 = Success = 1D4-1 Fire damage = 2 damage
Location close check – Wisdom + Lem recharge + Lem Blessing of Gozreh = D4+D4+2+2D4 = 13 = Success
Only Mokmurian left in the location
Lem was speechless as well, standing in awe of his companion. By the gods, the man was insane. Who else would leap into a walking volcano like that? As powerful as he might become through study or training, Lem could knew he could never hope to match that kind of inner strength. Nor would he want to.
He stooped down and put his hand on Valeros' shoulder, resisting the urge to immediately remove it due to the extreme heat that radiated from it. He whispered a short prayer, and felt the healing powers take hold in both himself and his friend. Slowly, Valeros turned and smiled at him through cracked and bleeding lips. It would take a lot more than that to heal the man, but Lem hoped it would at least get them out of this place.
Turn 15
Lem - BoPharasma
Lem exchange Restoration for Mass Cure
Mass Cure
Lem – 5
Valeros – 4
Recharge Mass Cure = Fail
They walked confidently towards the giant, who stared at them in calculating rage.
"You are more powerful than the master thought, but no matter. My sacrifice shall pave the way for his coming." With that, Mokmurian simply spread his arms and waited.
Valeros said nothing, if he could even speak with burned lungs. He simply strode forward, and unleashed hell upon the stone giant. When it was over, nearly every weapon he had was buried in the creature. It was finally over.
Turn 16
Valeros – BoG
Mokmurian – Con + Lem recharge = D8+D4+2 = 8 = Success = Bury charmed red dragon
1st check – reveal and recharge Impaler of Thorns + Lem recharge + Lem BoAbadar = D10+7+D8+2+D4+2+D10 = 31 = Success
2nd check – reveal and recharge Scythe+1 + recharge War Razor + Lem recharge + Lem BoErastil + Bury Grizzled Mercenary = D10+7+3D4+1+D4+1+D4+2+D10+D8 = 36 = Success
"Well done, heroes." The deep voice that echoed throughout the chamber nearly spat the last word.
Lem and Valeros looked to each other, and then to where the voice had originated: The fallen body of Mokmurian.
"I am Karzoug, Runelord of Greed. Every creature you have slain which bore my symbol has hastened my return, for which I thank you. Mokmurian's death was the final sacrifice I needed to be returned to this plane, and now, I shall take pleasure in destroying you myself. I will be waiting for you, in the spires of Xin-Shalast, if you dare to face me."
Scenario Victory!
Scenario Reward – Mokmurian’s Club, Robe of Runes
Adventure Reward – Card Feat
Lem – Item
Valeros – Weapon
Post-Game Analysis
So, this particular scenario was a game-changer for whatever reason. The amount of things happening on each turn was just insane. Couple that with some really nice upgrades, and it feels like a new game from this point forward. I've started working my way through AD5, and it's pretty nuts.
Hope you all enjoyed this episode, and I'll see you next week!
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