Redeeming the Lost (Campaign)

Party: Heroes of Pactum

Cleansing of the Battlefield

When the Heroes of Pactum arrived (after dealing with the hag causing trouble at Innsmouth and drawn by the strange possession effect that had taken the people there), the Sons of Dawn were digging in the Outer Court, looking for artifacts. This was under the influence of the Jester Cult, led by a cultist named Sarah. The Sons did not know that they were being influenced. Also present were two mercenary groups--one made up of bandits and the other a group of "civilized" orcs. The end goal was to overthrow the Council government of the area and proclaim independence. The cultists' goal was to cause chaos and get lots of people killed and release fell forces.

The party joined the band of bandits under the guise of being free-lance mercenaries and set about investigating the battlefield (after tricking the Sons of Dawn into giving them talismans to avoid the worst effect of the swirling souls inside the Outer Court. They opened and cleared barrows 5, 6, and 8. This disturbance weakened the wards and resulted in an army of undead attacking the camp, which they repelled and in doing so blew their cover.

They then attempted barrow 9, where Maeva soundly repelled them. After retreating hastily, they met Kai the Lost, an exiled cysgor who joined their efforts (or mostly tagged along). During that day, Walker, Wukong, and Kai went into the battlefield to gather information. There they became suspicious of Sarah and gained information about the inhabitants of the barrows from Dhu'gula. During this time, Gale stayed to train with the orcish mercenaries and gained their trust.

Soon after, the Sons of Dawn decided that they'd found enough and set out to confront the Kingsmen (those that they believed were working to impose a monarchy on the area). The party then opened barrows 11 and 12. As this brought the field density too low, they then had to rush to cleanse the Outer Court lest the whole assemblage of restless undead awake. While they were doing this, cultists attacked and were repelled.

The orcish mercenaries, being made aware of the cultist infiltration, gained permission to act as a rearguard (but didn't actually move). They served to protect the area from any hostiles while the party entered the Flower Barrows.

Inside the barrows, they first encountered Patitziba's pocket realm in the Plane of Stone. Here they persuaded that engineer to grant them a "back door" into any one of the other three realms, bypassing the defenses. This they used to confront Titziba in his pocket of the Abyss and defeat him, reclaiming the soul of Pigmeys Neryis, which he had held in an attempt to corrupt that noble creature. They then approached Milistiba, asleep in the Dreamlands of Shadow, waiting for her love Dhu'gula to come and claim her (sleeping beauty style). Here they allowed that lich to temporarily possess Walker via the Book Bound in Pale Leather and coached him through confessing his "love" to the fey creature (despite not really understanding what love is). With their help, they then confronted Tzeru in a pocket in the Astral and stole Atijok's phylactery gem from her, escaping before she could bring her full wrath to bear.

Back in the material plane, the Great Barrow opened, revealing the great gold dragon wrapped around the bones of her beloved. In recognition of their efforts, an avatar of Melara descended and offered a mercy--a chance to restore Atijok to his prior state before (unwillingly) becoming a dracolich. This was opposed by Tzeru and Maeva, each of which wanted the dragon to suffer eternally. Instead, the party chose to resurrect Archdruid Kantorell, making Maeva happy. Tzeru was chased off (to be finally defeated and destroyed by the Wild Cards). Atijok was restored to existence as a dracolich.

Flying on the dragons, the party then confronted the Sons of Dawn and the Kingsmen and shattered their formations through sheer intimidation (with only one casualty, an idiot among the Kingsmen who shot an arrow at the dragons and got obliterated in exchange).