Mission to Elvas

We arrived on Elvas by ship from Ustica, and secured a beach head and a derelict Guild house for our base. The island was bathed in constant moonlight, and darkness. Liche Lord Golgul controlled the only circle. During the evening and the following morning, we were attacked by waves of unliving, some seemingly frenzied and oblivious to any blow until they expired.

We held a shield wall just outside the hut but were often forced back in, sometimes with fallen trapped outside. It was alas in this way that Hammerhead McGregor was lost, as he got caught along the side of the hut and out of sight.

There were 3 shrines upon the island - to good, neutral, and evil - and Golgul was upsetting the balance. We had to find certain items to retrieve the balance, whilst searching for the kidnap victims. We encountered villagers plagued by vampires, and lizard creatures that aided us. The various groups all worked in harmony, with no factional tension evident.

We Bears remained mostly at the base, the Queen the centre of a healing station, whilst the others forayed out into the island - though some of our number did occasionally venture out with other groups. We discovered there were tunnels under us, as Golgul made his presence below us felt - though Sol had brought the orb of life to even the balance.

There were 3 expeditions - 3 separate groups - that day: into the tunnels to find Golgul's phylactery (which failed, but rescued Elani's cousin); to investigate the shrine of evil; and to search for the missing items needed to restore balance. We remained again at the hut.

Gradually, the number of rescued mounted till Elani was all that was left. Several people vanished from our number - called to a nearby island where a ritual had gone wrong. Fortunately, they righted the matter and were returned to us. The liche planned a ritual of his own, using Elani, and we intended to stop it. The Lions tried to pull her out using the circle, but the effort failed.

First we were challenged by Satoon worshippers and their demons. Then we marched to the circle to face Golgul's might directly. It was a long and terrible fight. Some Lions sealed themselves in the circle to prevent its use and a snatch team successfully transported Elani away. It became then a fighting retreat back to the hut and the shrine of good, fighting through most of the night in a running battle for our lives.

The hall we were encamped in seemed haunted by spirits that retold over and over again their last moments, though they troubled us not directly, and were eventually dismissed and laid to rest.

The following day we marched out to open a sealed vault, protected by Healer’s Guild creatures, to gain the knowledge held within. Whilst there we were assailed by legions of unliving, vengeance zombies and filthy creatures that spread rot and disease and decay.

Whilst we were absent, however, the hall was retaken. When we forced our way passed the constructs - displacer beasts of terrible power - into the hall, it was to find Logan McGothic and Stumpy McFook inside and deceased. They had heard word of Marcus's arrival, and it seems waited behind after he had joined us, despite our messages of warning.

Once we had recovered, we resolved to march again into the tunnels to confront the liche directly. It was a terrible fight through caverns of unliving, till at last we reached his lair - and the phylactery, in a circle of repel living. It seems we had some dark incantors amongst us, as we were able to turn some of the unliving against him, and a group eventually managed to teleport out with the phylactery to destroy it.

The legions of terrible minions, again many frenzied and indestructible, constantly assailed us but we eventually pushed the foe back until we could drop the circle and destroy the liche himself. Alas his lieutenant, Misha, escaped us. More fell in this last battle, as the unliving pulled our wounded and paralysed behind their lines. Rabies McOnyx was amongst the lost. Our losses would have been much worse but for the aid of a number of spirits from the plains of life.

The Lions and Dragons, and a number of Scouts, were especially friendly towards us and aided greatly in guarding her Majesty. We numbered about equal to the Lions and fought side by side throughout. El was even leant one of their charming tabards, becoming a Knight-Captain for our stay! And she returned the favour, helping them woad up for the final fight. Sister Bethany ensured all our fallen were swiftly laid to rest.

All told, I believe 12 members of the expedition fell – including a Wolf, 3 Tarantulas, and 3 Dragons. In destroying the liche, we faced down a dozen or so death knights, a half dozen vampires, four or more displacer beasts, several revenants, banshees, doomguard, skeletal and mummy lords and frenzying minions, wights and wraiths, and ever downwards through the range of unliving lackeys, including some unliving were-abomination things. Plus a host of Satoon worshippers and their demons.

The fallen fought bravely, and with honour, to the very end.

 

All Works are © Original Author

(OC Author - Paul Martin)