Session Seventy Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)
Session 70, November 10 2021
Introduction
We continue at 7:00AM on the 28th of Laurilden (00.000.10.03 on the Apocalypse Clock) with most of the party at the nexus of Llolth's web seeking a guide to the Winter King's court to trade battle trophies for healing. Meanwhile, Velkin prepares to shadow step across the wilderness to avoid a giant automaton and bring the party to the base of the Xen'Khel peaks. What awaits them in the ruined dwarven city remains to be seen ...
Larry's Summary
Sir Firthold is not available. Lungmold gives Sir Gharmond one of the giant heads to take us to the Winter King to present our trophies for healing. He agrees to return us just after we left. Gharmond presents the head Lungmold gave him fist. Then Lungmold presents the other three heads and the bone snapper head for healing. Khelratha presents the head of the giant he fought and asks that if the Winter King's forces find the Dark King that Khelratha be the one to take his head. Gharmond then takes us back to the portal. At the portal we rest and Lambertus recharges his spells. 3 minutes into the process and 30 minutes before the end the portal flickers and gets the attention of the Winter Elves. At first they think it a fluke, then when it happens again they are more concerned. If it fails they will have to open a new portal, but it won't be in the same place. This reduces the efficacy of Lolth's web to coordinate their attacks. Lungmold suggests Lolth could be behind it. Lambertus suspects it is because he drew power from it and it may be at its limit.
Kauri ends up in the roc nest atop Old Greybeard and talks to Temeraire. Kauri explains that he can't trust Asmodeus. Kauri brings out Tik Tok and talks to him. Temaraire seems to look straight at Tik Tok. Tik Tok mentions ASmodeus is the "Father of Lies." It may be that he's telling the truth, but only because he doesn't need all the power from the birds. More likely he is lying. It then occurs to Kauri and Tik Tok that perhaps Asmodeus is trying to free the DVLs in the dimensions where they are not free. Why else would he need that much power, since he seems to be able to travel back to the City of Brass, if he wanted.
Kauri then convinces Temeraire to return him to the group, so Kauri is dropped off near where Velkin is waiting for nightfall.
Kauri and Velkin decide to walk to the path to avoid the chance of DVLs following them. Kauri turns Velkin invisible, then himself.
Things went well until about two hours into their journey when the giant automaton hit them with a bridge. Velkin is bleeding out and Kauri is knocked senseless.
The rest of the party is at the end of the strand and knows it is past time for Velkin to open it. Druul reaches into his pocket for a portal to Velkin and crawls out of one of Velkin's pockets. Druul binds Velkin, but does not notice Kauri.
Druul finds the portal and opens it and pushes Velkin in. Khelratha comes out and puts on the gold control circlet, but he and Druul and smashed by the bridge. Lungmold activates his snowflake pendant and an ice dome appears. Lambertus casts cure light wounds on Velkin, then cure serious on Khelratha. Kehlratha thinks towards the automaton to stop and steps into the portal. The ice dome is smashed and the bridge comes down a few more times. Felix casts cure light wounds to make Velkin conscious and he alerts us to Kauri. Druul is also healed, as is Kauri, so all are conscious.
We elect to wait. Velkin will step outside, still invisible and fold up the portal and stow it. Then at first light, he will shadow step to the path.