Session 4 - Darkfury Arrives (Syndi, Aemeyt)

With such deadly wrath, Darkfury arrives
Borne upon neglected son's prayers
He blames us; the scales reset
May soothe his anger and hatred assuage

SESSION INSPIRATION AWARDS: Syndi, Aemeyt

After the successful polymorphing of the Powerlord Grimgore, the party took a few minutes to decide on a course of action ... charm the minotaur, lock him in a cage, or just leave.

The party eventually noticed  a small iron cage, tucked off to the side.  Inside this iron cage was a rather ostentatious halfling by the name of Ludo Lightfingers, a captive of the Powerlords.  Powerwife Satella confirmed that he was their prisoner and an agent of the Myriad.  Herbie begrudgingly returned his items to him and Ludo was able to cast Animal Friendship on the polymorphed Powerlord.

"Hello, would you mind getting me out of this cage?"

After suiting up, Ludo struck a conversation with the party.  They eventually decided to use their dimensional shackles to bind the Powerlord to the altar on the dais, while they used their spells to try to disenchant the cursed armor that he was wearing.  But before they could get properly started, a runic circle they hadn't seen yet flared to life and out of a portal stepped two figures.

"Hello, sister."

Darkfury had come, alongside a small, robed spellcaster.  The robed figured beside Darkfury looked visibly agitated.  After Darkfury soothed the wizard, he turned on Syndi ... who he had identified as his sister.

Scurris: "You will fail today, Darkfury.  Retrieve what is mine and be done with it!"

Krak: "Why do you have my clan name?  Who are you!?!"

"Hello, sister.  Lorkax wasn't lying after all.  Hard to tell, with all the screaming. 

Finally, my revenge is at hand.  My 'sister', the half-breed abomination.  You are an affront to everything that is dragonborn, the afterbirth of our shared mother's greed and lust for power.

Tell me, monster, were you at his side as he destroyed Draconia?  Did you see my father burned alive on the walls?  Did you hear the cries of the children?  The smell of cooked younglings still fills my nostrils.

Your devotion to Thordak did show me what true power is, however.  When I found the dragon, he showed me the true weave of destiny.  Of balance.

But before we reset the scales for this world, I will purge your filth from this land!"

Darkfury lifted a bronzed horn to his lips and blew, causing fifteen spectral hobgoblin berserkers to be summoned.

"We are compelled to fight."

The spectral hobgoblins, compelled to fight by the horn, derided Darkfury as a coward.

"So much fury for a coward.  We will fight your battles yet again, Darkfury."

Turning to party, they seemed almost apologetic.  "We are compelled to fight.  We salute those about to die.  May you know the peace in the afterlife that we are denied.  Fight well and die with honor, warriors."

The berserkers attacked!

During the fight, the party tried to make their way to exit, only to be blocked by some of the berserkers.  Scurris, under attack from the party, cast Cone of Cold and hit multiple party members, dealing grievous damage to Ixta.  Darkfury leapt an impossible distance to land right in front of Syndi, almost killing her with two massive swings of his ominous greatclub.  He exulted in his revenge, screaming, "The dragon was right!"

The party quickly realized that the horn was important; the berserkers seemed reticent to comply with Darkfury's commands, but were forced to do so.  Allen tried to shoot the horn off of Darkfury's hip to no avail, and Syndi nearly succeeded in grasping the horn from him as well as she Misty Stepped away after surviving the initial brutal assault.  Ludo helped the party by healing downed heroes and using Heat Metal on the enemies.

The minotaur's Polymorph was dropped by Herbie during the fight.  Realizing the party had tried to find a way to help him, he whirled on the berserkers and began a savage attack, keeping many of them occupied.  Powerwife Satella joined in, defending the heroes who had spared herself and her husband.

The Powerlord defends his new friends!

Finally, Aemeyt was able to snatch the horn away and spirit it into the corridor beyond after being aided by Darkfury's supposed ally Scurris!  Syndi fell from Darkfury's onslaught and Darkfury, growing tired of Scurris' whining, killed Grandfather Krak in two blows that mutilated the kobold's head.

Scurris, a reluctant combatant from the outset, retrieved something from Krak's body and teleported Darkfury out against his will.  The berserkers remained, and pleaded with the party to 'sunder the horn!'  Combat continued.

Aemeyt finally broke the horn with his moon-touched shortsword, and the berserkers melted away, finally able to go their eternal rest.  Usiris flew to the fallen Krak, and using Revivify alongside the pure love he held for the kobold paladin, willed him back to life.  Krak breathed again, although heavily disfigured from Darkfury's attacks.  Usiris felt the warmth of Abrielle in his chest.

After the fight, the group gathered, healed up, and spoke to their newest friend Ludo, it was definitely time for a drink.  The wizards decided to use their Dispel Magic to try to disenchant the minotaur's cursed armor.  Using their incredible power, they were successfully able to drive whatever cursed entity out of the armor; it billowed out as red mist and then dove straight into the ground.  The Powerlords were overwhelmed with gratitude and handed over their treasure haul from the last thre jobs freely.  The party divvied up the treasure and headed back to the elevator after a very, very long day.

Chad gave the party free rounds, on the house!

The gaming house was apparently unaware of the brutal fight below; nothing seemed to be amiss.  Big Rob still guarded the doorway to the elevator and Chad was working the bar.  The group ordered some alcohol and ruminated on what to do next.

Syndi engaged the Powerlords in conversation about hunting down some information on Lorkax, her missing brother who Darkfury inferred was being tortured.  The Powerlords, grateful for their new lease on life, agreed to put out the word.  Guy also suggested that Grimgore and Satella help dissuade other mercenaries from joining up with this 'dragon' Darkfury spoke of; the Powerlords agreed to help in that as well.

Syndi prepared to write letters to her mother and the Fire Ashari, asking about Darkfury, Scurris, or any news about Lorkax.  She wasn't hopeful that she would get responses.

Usiris and Krak spoke about what had happened in the cavern; Usiris was shocked when Krak lied to him about what Scurris had taken from his body.  Krak begged Usiris not to tell Abriell what had happened or that something was stolen from him.  Usiris felt he had no choice but to report what he had seen.  "She'll kill me, Usiris."  Usiris reported what had happened to Abriell later that night.  He felt the warmth of Abriell's approval in his chest once more, a deep and all-powerful love that had been missing for some time.

Abriell: "Bring him to the Tower, Usiris."

Ludo Lightfingers partied with Ixta, diced with some rogues, and ingratiated himself with the party for the night.  In the morning, he left a note on Ixta's door, "If your group needs work, I may have something for you.  Find me if you need me.  Love, L."

The group spent a very restful night in the gaming house with a day full of decisions dawning upon them.