QUEST: Rumour Has It Part III - Thursday March 17th 12:00 GMT +4/ 09:00 GMT +1/ 19:00 AEST/ 00:00 PST / 03:00 EST)

As a reward for their selfless rescue of slaves in the captivity of ogres, the would-be explorers of Lull have been given a potentially lucrative rumour about a source of power in the Harrowmere. If the freed captives are to be believed, a piece of a falling star fell into the area north of Strade's Gallows recently. Who knows what kind of rare and valuable materials might have come to earth with the falling star? The party have just shoved bits of psychic crystal into their arms and 'merged' into the fallen star.  Their fate?  A potentially lethal boss fight. In game 24th of Uktar (The Rotting) Preference given to participants in the first session. Name Character Name Level/Race/Class/Subclass  Party role PP/SS Mount Payment The Magus (Tibor) Glaurung the Golden Level 5 Mountain Dwarf Gold Draconic Sorcerer DPS/Charm/Fireball Virgin 15/-1 Yes Riding Horse Buick Yes Soap Borin Level 5  Hill Dwarf  Goliath Life Domain Cleric Healing Crystals / Armour / Looking for Lathandar in all the wrong places PP17 / +4 untrained Yes Aurochs Longhorn 2 Yes Ayla Gigi Level 6 Tiefling College of Lore Bard Charm, Smarts, ice cold  Aledritch Blasts PP14 / +1 trained Yes Riding Horse Melody Yes Miles Larry Hornblower Level 5 Lotusden Halfing Bard 3 (Creation) Cleric 2 (Knowledge) Support/Smorts/Sees dead people / inserts crystals in yer veins 17/+10 Yes Larry IV Camel Chris Nadia Level 6 Gloomstalker Ranger/Monk Range and the mighty Bhuj! 15/+5 (trained) Yes  Lady Riding Horse Yes Crimipton Narc Level 2 Lizardfolk Monster Hunter Melee / Ranged DPS / snacking on foes 15/+5 (trained) Yes Chonky Riding Horse Yes

Borin is there!

Gigi is in

Larry will rock up again

Can't confirm Narc till about 20th - 22nd most likely so if you get numbers, feel free to replace me

There'll be a spot for Narc, never fear!

Nads will be there!

Chris said: Nads will be there! Thank God!

Successfully negotiated a day off so I can confirm now. Narc is in!

Crimton said: Successfully negotiated a day off so I can confirm now. Narc is in! Whoot!

A call out to eveyone on this one.  Our DM's kind introduction of Hero Points should be immediately helpful in the coming battle.  Most of us will have 5 hero points (you get one per level and one more at the start of the session).   Spending 5 hero points gets you a recharge of all of your abilities (like for a long rest) but without the regaining of hp, hd or reduction of fatigue.  Given our high level of depletion, it might be worth considering for some of us...

Paid.

Paid

Paid

Paid

Paid forward

Rumour Has it part 3:  Of Darkness and Death as told by Glaurung the Golden   Sune's blessings on you all!    We survived!  Thank Sune we all survived!  When I left off our story we were in the middle of a strange meteorite, having to passed through its skin thanks to the crystal shards thrust into our flesh.   We were surrounded by Ankheg of all sizes and an ominous crystal was floating nearby. Despite being injured, low on spells and otherwise in dire shape we acted decisively to attack!  Or rather that was the plan for things went badly for us from the outset.  Nadia acted swiftly downing a potion that granted her giant strength and attacking the crystal with her bhuj.   We had struck the first blow but soon we suffered reverses. Numerous jets of acid bathed the rest of us and we were quickly in poor health.  The Ankheg mother burrowed up at our feet and just like that, Larry and I were struck unconscious.  I know not how much time passed before Borin returned us to the consciousness with a mighty surge of healing. Nadia continued to belabour the crystal while Gigi caught it with a mighty pulse of force.  I caught a glimpse of Narc fighting off the smaller Ankheg before being plunged into a magical darkness summoned by the crystal.  I sensed the great mother Ankheg nearby and drew deep on my dragon heritage to restore some of my magical potency.  Alas, luck was against me and every spell, trick and stratagem I attempted came to nothing. The battle devolved into a nightmare where we were continually plunged into darkness or bathed in acid.  All the while Nadia fought the creature toe to toe, now with a crackling magical longsword as Ankheg fearless tried to save the crystal fiend. Borin stood tall in the middle of the chaos, his spiritual hammer tormenting the crystal as did a holy aura he summoned. Still the thing wouldn’t die.  Gigi hampered the foe and helped her friend with inspiration, Larry did likewise from the opposite side of the meteor hollow.  Once more we plunged into darkness and once more I was brought low, the claw of the Mother Ankheg striking me down. I rallied once again thanks to the magical aid of Larry and attempted to bring the crystal down with a might orb of acid.  Alas my stroke failed though luckily I avoided the wrath of the mother Ankheg.  Nadia made a supreme effort and leapt 20 feet through the air to try and kill the evil rock.  Her weapon struck true but still the alien creature persisted.  At our lowest point Borin stood tall once more, smiting the crystal with his magical hammer and causing large cracks to appear.  Still. It. Did. Not. Die. The crystal paused, no doubt to summon yet more evil magic, but then Borins spiritual aura flashed bright and shattered the crystalline evil!  Our triumph was short lived for the shards buried in our bodies exploded in sympathy with their master’s death.  The resulting devastation brought me to the brink of death for the third time.  Thankfully, Gigi did not fall and she was able to revive others until we had all survived.  Larry managed to placate the mother Ankheg and so further battle was awarded.  The spoils of victory were ours as we made the long journey back to Hope.   May Sune’s blessing shine on you all and may you have the same luck and fortune enjoyed by myself, Nadia, Borin, Gigi, Narc and Larry!