Session 24 – Son of Ecthelion Memorial Rule

Campaign I, session 24. Previous: Session 23. Next: Session 25.

The session begins with Dreyfuss returning to the rest of the party and explaining that he wants to trap and kill Mentenus. Scouring the notes they recovered from the Shrine of the Horned Rat, the group concludes that the best way to do this is to pretend that they have found a secret entrance to the fabled “Nethercity” that Mentenus believes lies in ruins under Vedycaer and holds secrets to necromantic immortality. After much discussion, the group eventually decides that Pashlatine (PC Venturer) should engage with Lucius Furlan for assistance.

Lucius agrees to help them by finding a suitable place within the undercity to lay an ambush. He publicly displays some “new finds” from his personal collection of Caernathi relics, hinting that they had been recovered very recently, while also having his agents spread various rumors about where they were found. The agents spreading news near the Tower of Knowledge were told a “false” rumor to share as well as the “true” rumor to share only with those willing to pay extra. Meanwhile, the party was able to prepare their ambush.

The ambush itself was initially a huge success, with the group able to pin Mentenus and his wererats down and attack them from three sides. They had poured out a vial of military oil in advance as well. Dreyfuss’s surprise attack downed a werewolf and cleaved hard into a second. Hugo (hench Mage) lit a torch and prepared to throw it into the oil. Mentenus’ first spell (a charm monster) was easily resisted. Tassi (hench Gnomish Elementalist) cast a mage missile and began plinking at the rats. Alwyn (pc Thief) got off a shot in the back with his crossbow before Gorthak the Blooded (hench Orcblooded Savage) screamed into battle and entered his savage berserk fury.

However, as the battle raged on, things began to get scarier. Rats continued to fall, but Mentenus was able to conjure an area of sticky webbing on Dreyfuss and Thranator (hench Dwarven Vaultguard). Hugo fumbled his torch and dropped it directly into the webbing, setting the pair on fire! Gorthak was knocked senseless by a blow to the face. Singil (PC Orcblooded Shaman) restored him with an application of horsetail, only for the attacking wererat to stab him again. “Hey, you should stay down!” A wererat mage conjures a quartet of berserkers, only to have his concentration immediately disrupted by a mage missile from Tassi. Scared and confused, Meathead (hench Kobold Warrior) attempted to retreat past the berserkers – with a successful Profession (cowering) check, he is able to slide out. His two kobold followers are dropped relatively quickly.

Hugo is able to redeem himself by reaching into the burning webs to grab the torch and this time throw it directly into the oil slick, setting Mentenus and his wererat champion, Abimbola alight. Dreyfuss’ claws and jaws clear out enough of the weaker rats that Abimbola is able to move forward and swing at him, shouting “Lann Dhuille!” as he swings his blade.

It’s not long before the numbers on both sides have dwindled – Dreyfuss and Thranator collapse just as the webbing burns out; Hugo is chopped by Abimbola as he calls out “Mentenus, to me!” and they attempt to make a break for it. Athelia (hench Exalted Wonderworker) stops them just briefly enough for Metri (hench Dwarven Rhetor) to attempt a charge through the burning oil to catch up to them. He takes fire damage exactly equal to his current hp; I invent and immediately invoke the “Son of Ecthelion Memorial Rule” to allow him to finish his action, so he drops a wererat and cleaves into Mentenus before collapsing himself.

At this point, Athelia’s morale breaks, and she retreats back, allowing Abimbola and Mentenus (the only rats still standing) to attempt to make their escape. Singil, inspired by Metri and inflamed by the carnage charges after them, entering her own savage fury. She strikes deep into Mentenus, dropping him; when she attempts to follow this with a cleaving attack against Abimbola, she finds that her silver spearhead has broken off in Mentenus’ chest! Finally, Tassi is able to fire off a final mage missile, thanks in part to Singil’s charge, dealing the final blow to Abimbola.

At long last, the party is able to check their wounded. While many of the injuries are superficial, Hugo and Dreyfuss have each lost a foot, while Gorthak was stabbed in the groin. One kobold follower was slain, sliced from ear to ear, while the other was pierced in the vocal cords and is unable to speak. In thanks for their services, the church of Talavosh offers free restorations (except for the kobolds, who are presumed Chaotic). Those with minor injuries choose to avoid Tampering with Mortality, knowing that strange side effects can result. The party is fortunate this time; no negative effects, and Gorthak will discover the ability to speak with dead once per week!