Category: Graveyard of Empires: The Islands of Curabel: Session Summaries

SESSION 183 – December 27, 2017

After two weeks of training, for those of two classes, we go into the now revealed doors to try our chances vs. the tests of the Four Matriarchs.

We puzzle our way through a maze, and other than Bavmorda slipping on a descent and being badly hurt, we found success! Spiral stairs on the other size of the puzzle like maze lead us upward to a covered walkway below the nest of the roc.

The shard is a stone with a hilt. Not much in the way of an actual weapon, but it dispels all DVLs and daemons within 30′.

Bavmorda picked up this weapon.

Kauri prayed to the mother of wisdom and had no answer. His prayers to the mother of logic split the lid of her sarcophagus, and her skeleton touched his head, revealing the image of a metal box to hold this weapon.

The only magic not affected by it, are Kauri’s mask and the golden feather from the golden eagle messenger bird.

Kauri tells us the the DVLs fear it, and they appeared to be pushed back from the magic items to which they are bound. Kalgun and Seithaz fear it, it is death and nothingness to them.

We elect to leave the shard in the room on a pedestal while we wait for nightfall, to assault the roc in its nest above us. Perhaps we will find a metal box, other items to help us.

Our biggest puzzle is how to get to orbit to take out Xenotel, then return.

With this weapon, we can destroy all magic brought from elsewhere, whether by the dragons or the ancient dwarves.

We also learned from Nash’s questioning of a hawk that those dying of the sickness, if their corpses are burnt, those who breath in their ashes will become that type of undying. How do we purge that disease. Thorfus advised them to burn the bodies, thus causing a faster spread. Has the bomb destroyed them or spread the disease further? Is the island lost?

Session 182 – Because it’s there!

Morning of 7th On’Relden     00.00.03.08

After the battle. We prepare for our trek up Grey Beard. We open thes guts of the bird – find nothing.

As we climb – we find an offering totem, more recent. Totem seem to be dedicated to a Native deity not familiar to Kauri. It’s rather common to find them in around the jungle – Oskar and Kauri just don’t know or what who the deity is.

Going is relatively easy – but windy and rainy as we stop for the night. We set up between large stones for cover.

During the night Rallion and the others (non-spell casters of the party) encounter a shiny Eagle (gold colour) – it seems intelligent and want us to follow it.  

They decide to wake the rest of the party and follow. Kauri doesn’t see any evidence of transpatial energy, yet it emanates light.

Sarathos is woken and he sees the bird and confirms that it’s real, but admits he’s never seen anything like it and suggests that Nash moves closer – rather easily. About halfway there (130 yards) – 90 yards away it (the bird) jumps behind a rock – the glow is still visible.

We approach while Bavmorda goes around, stealthily and sees only a glowing feather, illuminating a staircase heading up the mountain.

Fortuitous!

Rallion picks up the feather – still no sign of transpatial energy (like his mask).

We go back to rest.

Next morning we inspect the stairs and after some deliberation we decide to climb the stairs and see where it leads. The rain continues – and we find another totem offering. We leaving an offering (from Oskar) – Kauri says a few words.

Rallion manages to see evidence that someone has been down and up recently – likely for the offering.

We continue to follow the stairs up.

A few hours before sun-down we look up using the spy glass – looks like we’re heading towards an opening – a large one – near a waterfall. Directly north we see evidence of fire – towards the ship wreckage. We should get there in an hour.

Either side of the stairs is very rough terrain – difficult without climbing gear. Bavmorda decides to climb in that rough terrain – just to keep an eye on our flank (to the right). She disappears into the rain.

We figure we’re close to where we saw the roc fly to.  

We continue.

We find an opening with a waterfall to either side, split by a carving of an eagle, wings guiding the water into pools on either side of the opening. Wind chimes shimmer nearby.

Lights from the cavern – crackle of fire and a low humming (voice) – repetative as if chanting. The waterfalls are reflective and our reflects seem that they are not the same between them – but we can’t tell unless we’re closer.   

We see a lot of traffic evidence from the right pool.

Sarathos says the voice is speaking in ancient common – a prayer to the “4 Matriarchs”. Mentions that nash was doing something “weird” last night when we were checking the “bird”

We reach between the pools – opening goes 20 ft into a large cave with buildings (not in good shape) – damage can be seen, couple of dozen bodies. There’s a large totem, and one guy sitting cross-legged facing the totem, chanting, with his back towards us.

We see another person (almost don’t notice) looking down at the totem from top of one of the buildings. Dressed in islander garb.

Rallion approaches and greets them – person above raises a bow (no arrow) – Rallion continues, she whistles getting the old man’s attention.

Old man get off the ground and walks over to us (slowly), Bavmorda stays hidden.

Speaks to us regular common. Tells us earthquakes hit – Taimo and Azra are survivors. We tell them about how we found the stairs. Nervous about us hunting the Roc, but warms up suddenly when we mention the feather. Apparently the bird was a messenger of the 4 Matriarch.  He invites us to the fire to warm up and get comfortable. Oskar offers to make tea.

Bavmorda doesn’t notice anyone else.

Kauri asks what is this place? Caverns of the Dead – resting place of the 4 Matriarchs – they’re former explorers who heard rumours of treasures, and found this place. They decided to retire here.

Back wall collapsed – uncovering something. Tell us about a door – we’re on a quest to save the word. They roll their eyes –  it’s a nice place, even after the earthquake.

We go take a look. Kauri uses his lamp.

Eastern wall has collapsed – exposing finished walls – and a door. 20×20 space. Very solid looking doors with inscriptions:

Those who Pass Beyond these Doors

Shall Face Tests to Prove whether they are Worthy

To Enter the Presence of those Matriarchs

Who Stood Against the Outsiders

Cerida, with Logic as Cold as the Northern Ice

Vigorous as the Dawn’s Symphony of Bird-calls

Feldma, Protector of Wisdom’s Dying Light

Oswitha, Warm Bloom of Southern Isles’ Compassion

When Those from Beyond Threaten the World

The Way shall be Revealed in Cataclysm

Guardians of our Inheritance and Home

To Claim the Shard of the Mother from its Resting Place

We return to feed and discuss our next moves.

We offer to help them bury their dead and they offer to help train the others.

Speak with Dead – to Elder Agas –

Q: 1.) What is the Shard of the Mother?

    A weapon to use against those not of this world, breaks their power, destroying them.

    2.) Tell us all you know about the tests to get the shard?

    I’ve heard there were test  -the test the virtues of the hero’s, puzzles, traps

    3.) Who are the outsiders?

    Never seen one – told that they are those to come from beyond Meadia (the world) – from faraway. They don’t belong here.

    4.) What is the significance of the the golden feather left by the eagle messenger of the 4 matriarch?

    To receive the feather, means that we were chosen to seek the shard.

We talk with the Prix-Copy – she remembers 4 warrior queens who fought against them for some time – they disappeared and the dragons took over. They’ve been called “outsiders” before.  

Kauri studies Edan’s notes during that time.

Training Starts on the 10th and end on the 24th –  

SESSION 179 – November 29, 2017

Rallion is missed by Finkleworm.

Serithaz can tell someone is in there, but is blocked by “something” very powerful.

Rallion ran to the door to the West towards the orbital control room. Prixithalma, Edan, and most others followed.

Nash tried to pull Sturloc away, but being in power armor, he is unmoved.

Sturloc is killed and Nash sacrifices his shield to survive.

Bavmorda drinks a potion of flying and diminution adn they are both effective, but at half power. Bavmorda flies up to Edan and takes his blocking circlet and the adamantine Khel cube and flies into the maw of the giant automaton.

Nash drinks a healing potion.

All others head West and find blast doors. Edan picks the lock of one, and we move forward.

Bavmorda gets a circlet on Finklemur’s head, but the worm keeps moving. Bavmorda gets the cube to open as the worm follows the bulk of the party, and opens it to destroy the worm and the Khel.

Nash does not think he can get through, so goes East towards the Lord Marshall’s quarters.

Bavmorda goes to check on Nash. The two of them get to the door of the Lord Marshall’s quarters and detect no traps, but hear a buzzing noise. Out of caution,they pull back and Nash fires an arror to open the door, and fire lashes out. Standing in the doorway is a beserker with more automata behind. Bac and Nash fire arrows to close the door and try to get to us by going around, but there is no path, other than to return to the lounge and crawl up the exit of the rock crusher of the worm.

While they are busy doing this, the rest of us are in a fight for our lives. We surprised the orbital control room, they were not expecting us. Rallion charges one overseer, and Lambertus the other. Sittung is there, and still whole, and cowers in a corner. We do serious damage, but do not overcome them. We win intitiative and the next round we fell the overseers, and move into the room to get out of the way of Prixithalma. Prisithalma is knocked down by two undead giants who both hit, and the undying swarm her body making sure that she is dead. Edan plans to cast ice storm, but is felled by an undead fire giant. Kottar/Araquel is also felled. Rallion and Lambertus all expect to fight to the death.

Bavmorda and Nash arrive and help turn the tide of battle. Rallion had nearly felled the fire giant he face, as had Lambertus. Nash fells the fire giant facing Rallion, and Bavmorda helps Lambertus fell another fire giant.

Just as the third fire giant approaches Rallion, Sittung decides to join in our fight. Sittung distracts the fresh undead fire giant, and we manage to clean up many of the undying.

Sittung is hit hard, but he drops the undead fire giant, and helps us clean up the undying.

We look around, amazed to still live. Sittung agrees to help us. He has been trying to crack the orbital defenses for first Marchmain, and now the Silverthrone.

Lambertus tries to reach Kalgun in his cube, but fails. Sittung notices there is something in it.

Rallion closes the door and quickly quaffs a healing potion. He was mostly unscathed until this last fight. (Three 20’s from undying. He sacrificed his shield to a blow from a giant.

Nash is talking to Serithaz to get all the copies he has made put into automata to make an army to fight the evil dwarves.

Rallion suggests pusing the bodies of Edan and Kottar through the portal, and any valuables we can scrounge.

Shocked and hurt, we wonder if we can live long enough to exit this hellish place.

SESSION 178 – November 22, 2017

Rallion charges the SW stairs avoiding the blows of undying and slays one of the undying at the top. Several undying swarmed him. Rallion shouted, “Save the woman!” as he charged, and then in ancient dwarven, “Death to the false king!”

Nash held Chuq.

Prix changed to dragon form and attacked.

Sturloc shoots Chuq.

Edan casts Summon Earth Elemental from the scroll.

Bellisente is ripped to shreds and tossed over the rail.

Axel charges one of the undying Fire Giants, damaging it severely.

Kottar and Sturloc fire their lightning axes burning through charges quickly.

Rallion has unprecedented success in clearing the undying that approach him, they cannot touch him.

The Earth Elemental keeps one berserker and one undying busy until it is destroyed.

Prix breathes fire, clearing half the room of human undying and one beserker.

Axel has two fire giants on him. He sacrifices his shield, but goes down and before we can reach him, a human undying kills him.

Kalgun’s nanocarbon golem body is slain and he jumps into the body of the firegiant he slew, the one that felled Axel. Struloc grabs the circlet from the fallen Kalgun, but cannot climb the giant. Edan steps in and manages to place it on the new firegiant Kalgun. The healthier fire giant slays the new Kalgun, but Edan rips the cube from it’s skull, so we have Kalgun once again in a portable form.

Slowly, the press of undying is ended, Edan uses his memorized lightning bolt to drop many more undead and wound an undying firegiant. Prix ends the firegiant that dropped both Kalguns. Rallion holds the top of a set of stairs.

Finally, the last fire giant and last of the undying fall on the lower level.

Rallion ignores the last undying at the top of the stairs, and runs around and slays the held Chuq, by removing his head.

Via archery and lightning from Rallion, the three opponents nearest Rallion are slayed, Prix consumes one to the west, and the one by the stairs where Rallion fought alone, runs down to face Bavmorda and is soon slain.

As the party debates and discusses putting Axel and Bellisente and gear we can’t currently use through the portable portal, there is a rumbling.

An earthquake? The rumbling gets louder. Suddenly there is a loud crash from the north wall of the upper level behind Rallion. It is the long lost Finkelworm…..

SESSION 177 – November 15. 2017

After closing the doors on the shadow elves, we discern that there are 200 levels to the top. We elect to go straight to the top and avoid all the other levels.

We are soon halted and poison gas rises at our feet, we have perhaps 5 minutes before it is high enough to impact Axel. Prix and Edan set to work climbing up 30 feet to a door and hacking the controls. Edan realizes there is some sort of barrier/force field protecting the lift. The rest of us use large sacks to fill the cracks and empty our bladders to slow the gas even more.

Nash asked Serithaz to questions Wednesday about the poison gas. Wednesday is certain that is it deadly, but not the deadliest he had encountered. It is also flammable.

Edan and Prix manage to stop the gas. Suddenly a beserker plummets from above and hits Prix, who manages to dodge the worst of it. Yet she is severely hurt. Nash, Rallion, and Axel each give her two of their healing potions to help her feel less ragged.

Edan manages to lock off all the other doors, and prevent them from knowing that we are coming. We rise and rocket swiftly upwards, the lights of the controls at the doors of each level rushing by.

Suddenly we are in a giant glass tube surrounded by balconies full of information reliquaries. Two undead fire giants with rocket launchers spot us, but they do not fire until the elevator is past the section of glass tubing. (The glass tubing is familiar to all who ventured under water in the pirate cove.)

The ceiling is rapidly approaching, but as we feel we are about to hit, the ceiling opens and we slow to a stop. The ceiling is actually the floor of the Command Lounge. It is a two level lounge. The level we are on has couches and tables, and there is a balcony for the top level. The ceiling is a hologram showing Xenotel with slogans in ancient dwarven proclaiming the greatness of XenoTel and how he will bring them back to life. There are images of information reliquaries with spirits of the dead rising towards XenoTel. There are also many pristine banners like those rotted ones some more seasoned members of the group have seen in Xen Khel.

On the balcony to the west is a sign – Network Command and Conclave Hall and to the east Lord Marshall’s Residence and Conclave Hall.

Before us to the North is a now undying Chug Nourris, missing his eyes, in addition to the top of his skull. Chuq holds a spear to the throat of a living, though worn Bellisente, threatening us to hold. Nash will have none of it and casts Hold Person. Prix is changing to dragon form, preparing to breathe fire.

The balcony has a dozen undying and automata. Our level has 4 undying fire giants, and 2 beserkers, and perhaps 40 undying and man sized automata.

We have lived to reach the summit, can we live to rescue Bellisente, and defeat the Silverthrones, disable the orbital defenses, and save the world?

SESSION 176 – November 8, 2017

We have an incoming message, the Dark King’s forces on the other side of the west door are asking to be let in to re-supply. We do not respond, but go over and have the others open the door a small amount of it’s 50 foot capacity and as the Dark King’s forces enter, they have prisoners, among them Owyn and Laurente. Rallion uses one of the fire guns to burn most of the men and some of the automata. Kalgun smashes a man, and Bavmora also attacks. The men fail morale and join us in fighting the last two automata which are soon smashed.

We then meet the scarred “Righteous Halberd” AKA Aubry Grodecop. Axel tells him that Em is alive in Midmark. He thought she was dead, we explained that she thought he was dead and that the lat Talon rescued her.

Kilmar is with him and we send him off with him to try to keep him alive. Aubry and his men will not join us in our assault, they think it is certain death. We also find Jori, and he, Owyn, and Laurents don power armor from some other cases and each have 2 lightning axes.

Aubry tells us that a city of dark elves, lots of automaton of all sizes, and the wizard worm (Finkleworm) are between us and the Dark King. We ask him to get word to The Silence that we are pressing the attack and will leave the door open, and urge them to take all the equipment they can carry. The surviving islanders of the Dark King who surrendered opt to go with Aubry.

We return to to command center and Owyn, Laurente, and Jori will stay to watch our backs, as there is not enough room for them to go with us on the elevator.

We ascend and stop at a “room” with four doors, one in each direction, each with a green light. Nash asks Serithaz to scan, and we learn there are 19 dark elves and 8 other things he can sense. They really don’t want us to go to the north, as that is the way to continue upward.

We elect to open the north door and make a run for it, Kalgun runs out and engages one of the 4 berserkers we see, and the still enlarged Bavmorda does the same. Rallion runs across and opens the elevator so that others may enter.

Kalgun is actually hurt a bit as is Bavmorda by berserkers.

Nash tosses a bouncing Betty to the right and kills 2 and wounds 2. Axel tosses the other to the left and wounds 4. All the others run across to the elevator.

Darkness is cast and only a few of us are injured. Two dark elves open the door to the north of this new elevator. Sturloc closes it as those still outside run in and we ascend. Suddenly, the elevator stops and gas begins to hiss and poor in at our feet and begin to rise…..

Session 174 October 25, 2017

2:30 am 4th of Onrilden below the Necropolis

AD Clock 00.00.00.03.11

The group prepares their assault by inventorying and allocating resources. The modern power armors and lightning axes offered by Kalgunn are apportioned. Before taking flight in a skiff, another skiff is set on a breakneck collision course towards the eastern quadrant of the giant stalagmite looming 150′ above the staging floor. The makeshift missile plummets on target, just where a circumference long mezzanine cuts the stone of the stalactite. Edan pilots our skiff to the western quadrant opposite the crash site. A goodly sized force of Islander undead, power armored fighters and man sized warrior automaton are guarding the western ledge.

A fight breaks out, both sides knowing full well the mortality of the confrontation. Edan brings the skiff along the outside balcony edge where flames, lightning and arrows are exchanged with deadly effect. Two sorties of electrical orb automaton flank the skiff fore and aft. The aft sortie targets the skiff’s bank of batteries with their lightning bolts. Recognizing the danger of losing all power while hovering, Edan lands the skiff on the exposed ledge to save the party from an unexpected plummet. Prixilthalmus leaps into the air assuming her dragon form. Her tactic panics the lower echelon of Islander fighters who flee north and south.

The assault moves north and east after the skiff lands. Scouting northward, Bavmordo sees a group of fighters, automatons and Xeno Tel clerics approaching. Prix enlarges Bav who lurks to ambush the new group while Nash and Wednesday move to form a norther line of defense against this new group. Kalgunn rips open a large hatch that shows an Overseer control room crowded with more automatons and undying warriors. Rallion and Edan organize Sturloc and Kotar to defend Lambertus from the horde in the Overseer chamber as Lambertus floods the room with flames from the skiff’s starboard armament. Kalgunn does his best to hold off the foes flying to the south targeting the skiff’s bank of batteries.

The clamor of more unseen forces can be heard from within the Overseer’s chamber as well as foes approaching from the southern edge of the balcony. The party fights on…

SESSION 175 – November 1, 2017

We finally cleared all enemies from the level and got control of their system to find healing, and we found better power armor, magic armor, and more axes.

We learned that they think it might be Marchmain’s lackey’s attacking.

They want to prevent us from using the lift.

We brought up a pristine skiff in case we need to exit this way.

We figured out how to arrange on the elevator to go up.

We learned from the messaging center:

_Initiate Lockdown protocol – earthquakes might presage an attack on the

Necropolis; standby for further information after the orbital surveillance network has been accessed.

Lord, Coded Message via Portal from Glavnone indicating that it has fallen

to enemy forces. How should we proceed?

Ah! I thought it may have been the Silence moving against us.

The news from Glavnone means this is the work of Marchmain’s lackeys.

Prepare your forces and then open the portal to lure these fools to their death

– do not underestimate them, though! Remove the guards from the main hall

floor, splitting them between guarding the command deck and mines (where the

slaves should be relocated). Shut the portal after the enemy arrives and use

the Nanocarbon Golem and Orbs to destroy them safely!

Lord, the intruders have taken control of the Nanocarbon Golem and destroyed

the first wave of Orbs. They have also done something to the portal –

indications are that it has been destroyed! Instructions?

I told you not to underestimate them … my descendant has inherited some of my

martial skill, if not my loyalty to our people. Lockdown the command deck,

using the warriors as a first line of defense. They must not reach the lifts!

Any updates? What is the status of the intruders?_

SESSION 173 – October 18, 2017

Prix changes into dragon form and tears up the web. Except for Callou. All those in the web are in a state of fear from seeing the dragon.

Prix goes after the loose ones, and Lucy and Edan get the two she didn’t get to.

Putting the piece of the portal in place opens the portal, but it is somehow sealed. Callou, in the other room (to get away from the fear effect of Prix) tells us the code to signal the all clear. The portal opens and we make our way through.

Once on the other side, we go to the elevator, and the portal closes. Prix returns to human form.

We find an enormous room empty of anyone. It is filled with tanks, skiffs, and crates.

The walking stone (T-1000/Kalgunn) is sent looking for us. Kalgun is able to mention it wishes it had a blocking circlet. Edan and then Bavmoorda/Lucy, both fall and fail to get the circlet in place. Rallion, steps forth, stepping on the squirming Edan and Bavmoorda and just reaches up and places Edan’s blocking circlet. Edan is then able to ask us about the weapon that has the dwarves scared of us. (Meaning the volcano in the bay).

We learn from Kalgunn that Callou lied to us and we sent the signal that Glavnone has fallen. Bavmorda rewards him with what amounts to “To the Pain.”

Kalgun shows us two crates each with two sets of new style dwarven power armor in human size. Prix, Lambertus, Nash, and Rallion each claim a set.

Next Kalgun shows us two crates each with 5 lightining aces with new style batteries (3 lightning bolts each.)

We quickly formulate a plan to attack the command center after denying them the use of the portal. Prix and Kottar go down the elevator and Prix resumes dragon form and melts the portal and elevator control with a blast of fire.

6 lightning orbs show up. Bavmoorda drops two and Rallion drops one. Edan webs two of the remaining three. The one that is free shoots Kalgun, but he remains in the walking stone. Bavmoorda shoots the one that is free, and Kalgun smashes the two caught in the web.

Edan gets a skiff in top shape ready for our assault on the command center.

We find another nearby skiff and take it’s 8 triangle batteries (3 charges each).

Our skiff was captured and all but the most unique gear is still there. We grab the bag of breathing coral, a grappling hook, the bouncing betty, flamethrower, 2 holy water and 1 healing potion. We leave the rest, since it won’t help us in the fight.

We left off ready to press out attack.