Eclipse

May 6, 2008

The group only got a day to rest before Jaden heard Lathander's voice in his head.  Jaden was told now was the time to go to Undermountain and strike the blow against Shar. They talked about this and Deuce brought up the portal in the King's Forest that goes to a lower level of Undermountain.  They talk about going to Waterdeep and starting from the top but decide to go to the portal.  After gathering supplies, so they can all see in the dark and have other spells they think they might need, they are standing in front of the portal.

Jaden notices that something is wrong about this portal.  The ley lines of magic that go through it are not completely correct.  He soon realizes that this portal is only one way.  They will be able to enter Undermountain but will not be able to leave via that portal.  They talk about that a bit but decide to go ahead. 

When they step through into the room, it is a mess.  The furniture is up against a wall, the book shelves have fallen and there are pages everywhere.  It looks strange.  They pick a passage and head down it.  They haven't gone very far when Jaden notices the water mark on the walls.  The dungeon has been flooded and recently!  A few ask about water breathing but none of the spell casters have that.  They keep going until after exploring the passages, they find the wall of force holding back the water.  After a hasty, and nervous, discussion, Deuce casts a prismatic wall near the wall of force and then they retreat back the way they came. 

Following the other passage, it turns several times until a turn reveals a long hallway.  Deuce can see that there are traps, magical and mundane, starting about twenty paces down thanks to his gem of true seeing.  He also sees the secret door that is only fifteen paces down the hallway.  Deuce walks up to the secret door and opens it.  He encourages the others to go quickly as they all hear the sound of rushing water from down the hallway.  They get the door shut as the water fills the corridor. 

They find themselves at the bottom of some stairs and start going up.  It looks promising.  Then, the ten foot scorpion appears.  The ten foot mechanical scorpion with gold plates is quite a site.  They just look at it for a while and the Deuce says hello.  That causes an illusion of a mage to appear and say hello.  Deuce talks to the mage, who invites them to his quarters.  The group agrees. 

The giant scorpions lead the way through the maze.  They are joined by thousands of other normal scorpions, including other kinds of automatons, mostly smaller.  They arrive in an area that looks like any foyer from a mansion.  They meet and talk with a mage named Troibrand, who says he was an apprentice of Halaster and made the scorpions.  They talk is actually quite pleasant and in exchange for an hour of their time talking about current events and things happening, Troibrand agrees to take them to the temple.  He told them it was on the first level of the dungeon!  They were not happy about it but were glad he was going to get them close.  After having a good chat, supplemented by a Hero's Feast, Troibrand leads them to a portal and opens it to the temple level. 

They find followers of Shar quickly and fights start.  Deuce has to show off with Meteor Swarm and the low level characters didn't stand a chance.  However, he gets to use it on my experienced warriors as well.  He also uses maximized fireballs and lightning bolts, blasting his way past the opposition.  They find the scroll which has the ritual they need.  Deuce casts another Prismatic Wall to protect them while he casts the ritual on Jaden.  Jaden dons all of the powerful items they have found and Deuce chants things around him.  For a half hour, Notch and Finn can only stand watch as this happens.  When it finishes, the group isn't sure it's Jaden.  The figure in his place looks like death, a skeletal figure with a scythe long flowing robes.  The figure doesn't seem to walk so much as glide.  And now, the rest of the group sees visions of things they fear in the corner of their eyes.  Anytime they turn, it is gone but they know they saw it.  Deuce keeps seeing the demon lord from the tower and shudders. 

Jaden doesn't feel any different but knows that there is pressure on his mind that he fights the entire time. 

The figure, the group has a tough time thinking of it as Jaden, starts moving again.  It knows where it wants to go.  They find more opposition and they fight them.  The thing with them attacks with the scythe and cuts a person down.  The scythe goes through plate and chain as if it was paper.  It unnerves the rest of the party.  Several times, they work to be the ones to finish their opponents, thinking it more kind than whatever the scythe does to them. 

After a few short battles, they find her.  The high priestess and avatar of Shar.  There are several guards with her and again Deuce shows off, blasting with Meteor Swarm and fireball.  Only one is laid low by the blasts.  More magic follows and a few more go down.  This group avoids "Jaden" and concentrates on the others.  Jaden and the high priestess eventually face off, trading blows.  Notch, Finn and Deuce attack the warriors who are protecting the priestess.  The warriors go down before the priestess does.  She has pulled out a three headed flail to attack Jaden as he swings with the scythe.  Deuce keeps seeing the demon lord more and more around Jaden.  Jaden hits and then gets hit.  It goes back and forth until the warriors are gone and Finn leaps in to help. 

Jaden puts the scythe through the priestesses heart.  And pierces every avatar of Shar's heart.  And Shar's heart as well.  Time seems to slow.  Jaden is being offered the portfolio's of the goddess of loss.  He prays for guidence but it doesn't come.  Lathander feels very far away.  Notch prays to Lathander as well and Lathander is finally able to answer Jaden. 

"Give the power to me." 

Jaden hears this in his head.  He thinks about it.  Time drags.  Eventually, he hands everything over to his god.  There is a swirl of magical power and they are dragged to the Shadow Plane.  Once again, though, Deuce merely calls upon the staff and brings them back to the Realms.  And to Luskan.  Again. 

Notes

• This was a tough fight for me.  Again, I think 3E is showing it's cracks in terms of being able to handle high level characters easily.  What was tough for Deuce is easy for Notch or Finn.  There doesn't seem to be any middle ground.  The group either wins fairly easily or fights go against them.  I guess I worry that the game mechanics ruin the drama that I want to have in the game. 
• There was some good role playing.  At one point, the artifacts were showing the characters the things they fear and the players did a great job of saying what that was for their characters.  I was impressed.