At the end of last session, we left our heroes plotting their next move. Time was running out, and they feared Ardathanatus was close to completing his ritual to open the Doomsday Door.
With the return of Vesleng and Karelia, the party was once again complete and the quest could continue. After preparing themselves, the heroes returned to the chamber in which they had defeated Kandamereus.
But one way led onwards—through an ornate set of double doors protected by an ornate skull lock. After a few minutes, the party’s rogues—Pip and Makani—defeated the lock and the party passed through into a T-shaped corridor.
Two ornately carved stone golems designed to depict warriors in plate mail wielding a halberd guarded another set of double doors. After a short battle, these guardians were defeated.
Beyond the doors lay a room dominated by a final set of ornate double doors. A pale, sickly green light emerged from around the door, which seemed to be straining as if something was trying to force them open from beyond.
Two vrocks and another armoured warrior lurked in the chamber. Surely, this was Ardathanatus and his final guardians! The battle was joined.
One of the vrocks teleported behind the party and was immediately attacked by Makani, Vesleng’s roc companions and several others. Meanwhile, Thaladan and Cortana charged their enemy—now guarded by only a single protector.
He cast a spell and a strange field came into affect seemingly filling the whole chamber. This stopped Cortana in his tracks, but didn’t affect Thaladan who—however—still had to heroically charge straight through a blade barrier that sprung up in front of him! Shiyara seemed unable to enter the chamber—held back by this field—but Ausk also managed to enter the room and to drop a flame strike on Ardathanatus and his guardian vrock.
The battle had raged for only a few seconds, but already portentous events were occurring. Cortana and Thaladan both noticed the sickly green light emanating from behind the door had grown noticeably stronger and deeper.
As Vesleng and Karelia rushed to help their companions, the fight seemed balanced on a knife’s edge…
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