At the end of last session, we left our heroes exploring one of the crystal towers of Tir’in’tiral (the Night Realm in ancient Elven). Krorz has just tripped a crude alarm trap and as the rattle and clatter of it faded he moved bravely forward through the skeleton-strewn corridor.
Three doors pierced the walls of the corridor and Krorz moved to the end door. Behind, he heard scuffling and so he opened it hoping to surprise whoever (or whatever) lurked behind it.
In the small room – obviously once a kitchen – lurked several zombies, a skeleton dripping blood and a gnoll. The gnoll commanded the undead to attack and began casting fell magic at the party. Dregak and Tzaran moved up to help their friend while Montague blocked the corridor behind the party. It was well that he did for moments later several gnoll warriors hurtled around the corner. Ulmo slew one with a perfectly placed acid bolt and the others could not get pass the halfling’s redoubtable defence.
Meanwhile in the other chamber, the battle raged on. The gnoll priest hurled spell after spell at the party and filled the room with fell negative energy, but could not slay his enemies. Eventually, Krorz was knocked to the floor – battered near to death by the gnoll’s fell powers – but by that time most of the priest’s undead minions had been destroyed and Tzaran’s snake companion could finally get into the room. From that moment, the gnoll was doomed…enfolded in the snakes muscular coils, he quickly succumbed.
While the gnoll priest struggled futility, Montague continued to hold the other corridor despite frenzied attacks from the gnolls. Eventually, the rest of the party moved to help him and the gnolls were driven back. They retreated into guardroom of sorts and tried to hold the doorway against the party’s attacks. Slowly, wounds mounted on both sides, and eventually the gnolls were forced back again into another guard room. (However, as the party surged forward, a gnoll appeared at the head of the hitherto unexplored stairway and caused Tzaran considerable difficulties before eventually being slain). Here more of their companions waited. The gnolls’ warrior leader – now badly injured – lurked behind his troops staying close to an open door that led out of the tower to another illuminated glass walkway that stretched away to another tower.
Again, the battle was initially concentrated on the doorway. This time, though, the gnolls got the better of the fight and managed to slowly push the party back. Krorz – newly healed and back in the fight – was again knocked to the ground and Gorinar was badly injured when a well aimed javelin pierced his side and almost pinned him to a wall. However, the gnolls were also exhausted and slowly the party’s determination – and seemingly inexhaustible supply of healing magics – began to tell.
With most of his comrades dead or near death, the gnoll leader eventually fled making a run for it through the open door leading outside. As the last of his men fell Dregak gave chase, but the gnoll’s head start was too great and he made it to the other tower before he could be slain. With the battlefield temporarily in their hands, the party took stock…