Recap 20180601 - Beyond the Slave Lords - An Encore Adventure 11th

Recap 20180601 – Encore, Beyond the Slave Lords

After escaping from the island of the Slave Lords, Grid (Human Monk – Art), Mantis (TriKreen Barbarian – Ross), Raistlin (Elven Wizard – Arthur), Bannor (Human Fighter – Brendon), Souldun (Human Warlord – Vic) and newcomers Wii (Pixie - Ken) and Koa (Human Monk –Thomas), return to Tyr Amar and some of the group face a number of ill circumstances; being followed, being hit by falling objects, accused of petty crimes, framed for the theft of holy items, labeled as trouble makers and slanderers in the eyes of a local fighter’s guild, assaulted by surviving Slave Lords and their allies, attacked by marauding Ogres, and waking up to a beholder summoned by a Slave Lord (a very eye opening experience).

Regrouping in Tyr Amar at a local eatery, Raistlin and Gird are questioned by Jazzreth the Avenger of Bahamut who is looking for a Dragonborn Paladin. After thanking the pair of heroes for their information, the holy warrior issues a challenge to anyone present and Bannor accepts. Jazzreth starts out using more impressive techniques (encounter powers) while Bannor sticks with more fundamental attacks while he “feels out” his opponent. Unfortunately for Bannor, Jazzreth strikes true with an irresistible approach, leaving Bannor a bit stiff and flustered as he gets hit upon. Some in the audience say that the mighty and honorable Bloodguard’s natural tendency to avoid harming women caused him to lose the challenge. Others say that he appeared distracted. Regardless, the Avenger departs in search of the Paladin.

Next, the heroes are entertained by Pluck the Minstrel singing the ballad of Sakatha. After the song, Koa makes the mistake of speaking ill of the Vampire Lord, causing several agents of Sakatha to appear! Possessing the bodies of weaker villagers, Koa is confused and kicks at Gird who leaps over the sweeping kick. Bannor is drained fighting a second agent and Souldun is slowed and hit with negative energy by a third. Although concentrating on the initial agent, many of the hero’s attacks do not seem to have much effect, except for Raistlin’s missiles which strike with great power against the ghostly agents. Finally, after more than a dozen blows, Bannor strikes down the first agent, and immediately shifts over to the second. Mantis, and Koa are engaged with a third and Gird and Souldun a forth. Wii picks targets of opportunity, striking from a distance while Raistlin continues to rapid fire the deadly missiles. After being hit with negative energy and being dazed, Bannor downs the second agent. Mantis avoids a punch from Koa and Mantis cuts down the third agent. A few seconds later, after being hit several times by Gird, Raistlin finishes off the last agent. All the agents revert to villagers who recover after a few minutes.

A priest, who watched the heroes, moves over to aid the villagers and to ask Raistlin, Bannor, and the others if they would be so good as to escort a young girl, Sillandra, to the nearby village of Waycombe where they are having troubles with giant raiders. Sillandra is a friend of the local Baron and she is reputed to have a good relationship with giants and might be useful in persuading them to leave, or at least discovering their motives. The group agrees to act as the girl’s escort to the village.

Gird spots and assists the group in avoiding a tribe of 18 or so Stone Giants. The group also chooses to avoid taking a ferry across the river delta and use some of Raistlin’s more powerful magic instead to get to the opposite shore.

Nearing the village, the group is halted at a bridge by a half dozen armed dark dwarves. Koa and Gird rush to the forefront and each down one only to be faced with a second dwarf. After one of the fallen dwarves stands back up, Mantis moves to assist the two monks. Two dwarves stand well back, firing arrows at the party. As Mantis charges over the water, he is surprised by a huge black dragon, Aulicus, who breaths on several of the group. Mantis darts away to take care of the pesky archers, while Gird moves over to aid the wizard’s escape. Souldun sees a large giant coming up from behind the group. The girl flees across the bridge, right by the dragon as Souldun and Wii battle the giant with the warlord making a slicing chop to the giant’s knee, putting the giant down, but not out. Bannor moves back to the near side of the river and gets a good strike in on the prone giant. Inspired by the Warlord, Gird sweeps the dragon’s leg and causes the mighty Aulicus to hit the ground hard! Raistlin blasts the dragon to some effect. Koa is suddenly faced with an Ogre Magi (one of the Slave Lord Captains) and causes the fearsome creature to fly off. Koa is battling the dwarf leader and as Mantis passes by, pushes the dwarf into the water putting him out of the battle. Koa finishes off a dwarf, as does Mantis. Then Bannor strikes down the last dwarf fighter, causing the archers to flee. All this time the girl is talking to the dragon and now the group concentrates on the giant and the dragon, the dragon, seeing that the giant won’t last long, decides to swim away, partly due to being pursued by the girl. Being assaulted from all sides, it is not long before Wii finishes the giant off with a pair of accurate shots. Rich with treasure from the giant’s bag and with reward money for safely getting the girl to the village, the groups rests at Waycombe.

...sorry it went a bit late. Although a couple encounters were avoided, the last battle went a bit longer than I expected.

I meant persuaded not persued.