accomplishedCHARACTERS:
Sahauviia the Green (Kathy) - Atlantean Sorceress
Koomara Hadansi (Angela) - Galacean Scavenger
Orgaskemisqak (DavidM) - Lemurian Craftsman
Melucene Palleremos (Ellie) - Hesperian Priestess-in-Training
Vaino the One-Eyed (Mark) - Cimmerian Adventurer
9th Ululu, Year 506 Meta Kataklysmos (M.K.)
By stealth and a few skirmishes, and with Koomara Hadansi scouting the way, the player Heroes make their way to the main dining room area where they last met Isfrandis. The dark arts magician casually and calmy greets the Heroes, and tells them she's been expecting them and that she's meeting them to see if they can come to an "arrangement". The Heroes notice that the room and its adjoining chambers are very cold, icy in climate. Orgasmekisqak the Metalworker's intuition tells him that Isfrandis is not alone here, and Koomara Hadansi says there are guards in the shadows and the corners of the room. Sahauviia the Green angrily says that such a deal is unlikely, given what she's done and is doing to the people of Iceford, but Isfrandis shrugs that off, saying that Sahauviia must understand - she's Atlantean after all, and the humans are nothing but pets and slaves to their race. Isfrandis says that they cannot possibly oppose her, as she is magically stronger than Sahauviia and the sorceress's friends are no match for her forces. Sahauviia smiles sardonically and tells Isfrandis that it won't be that easy.
To reinforce that belief, Vaino the One-Eyed charges the Atlantean dark mage, but with a wave of her hand she encases him in a sheath of ice, freezing him to the spot. [He takes some 12 points of damage from the attack, but uses 2 Earth Hero Points to absorb 8 of the damage.] Melucene Palleremos moves towards Vaino to help him free himself, but the other Heroes are somewhat occupied as a large number of Isfrandis's guards and bandits emerge from the shadows in the room. Isfrandis laughs, says that she'll see them later if they survive, and departs as the soldiers and bandits engage them in combat.
As Melucene desperately frees Vaino from his icy prison, Orga and Koomara engage the bandits, while Sahauviia uses her magic to ensorcel and bespell some of their attackers. Once Vaino and Melucene join the fracas, the player Heroes take it to their opponents, and the fight goes relatively quickly. Orga and Vaino take several wounds, but Sahauviia, Koomara, and Melucene escape relatively unscathed. Once the fight ends and the Heroes lick their wounds and bind them up, they assess the situation and after successfully locating Isfrandis through a spell, Sahauviia tells them that they need to take the fight to the dark magician. The player Heroes make their way through the fortified structure, encountering very little opposition (which angers Vaino, as the Cimmerian is now seeking an outlet for his mishandling at Isfrandis's hands; he vows he'll be the one to "gut the witch", much to the others' consternation and amusement.
The player Heroes make their way through the fortified structure that is Isfrandis's base of operations, encountering almost no resistance. They learn that many of her minions have fled, as they have come to fear the presence of the Heroes and don't believe that Isfrandis has their best interests at heart. Eventually, the player Heroes track Isfrandis and her minions down to the main courtyard of the former fortress. Sahauviia and Isfrandis banter words once more, but the Heroes aren't buying what she's selling them. After a final appeal from the dark magician to Sahauviia to side with her in this battle, Isfrandis orders her forces to attack the Heroes.
In the final confrontation with Isfrandis and her bandits and the ice trolls, the player Heroes acquit themselves well. Orga and Vaino attack the bandits, sweeping many of the mercenaries aside as if they were sheaves of wheat, all the while Vaino making his way slowly but surely towards the dark magician. While Melucene uses some of her new-found priestess abilities to help the Lemurian and the Cimmerian against their opponents and the ice trolls, Sahauviia and Isfrandis engage in a magical battle royale, the two throwing spells at each other as fast as they can. It is a lucky knife throw [she spent 2 Hero Points on it] by Koomara that catches Isfrandis by surprise, and rendering her vulnerable to an attack spell of fire by the now weakened Sahauviia. By this time, Vaino has overcome most of his opposition, and breaks through the guards lines to directly attack Isfrandis. The horrified dark magician screams as the Cimmerian's war spear impales her, and with a quick casting attempts to destroy the Cimmerian, but he is prepared for her [and uses his love and desire to return to Juvela, and the blindness in one eye to gain an additional 3 Hero Points], and is able to turn the spell away. Orga and the others turn their attention to the ice trolls, and the sorceress and the priestess, along with Koomara, are able to down the creatures, though not before Orga and Melucene take icy burn damage.
Several days later, the player Heroes are back in Iceford, their wounds being looked after and the tale of their heroic deeds being told in various inns and taverns of the city. The mayor of Iceford, Jagred Felishan's, role in the bandits' plans for the town have been revealed, and Felishan has been ousted from his position, a new mayor to be voted in shortly, but in the meantime the setting up of merchant runs throughout the region are being organised. Some of the bandits routed by the Heroes have shown up at Iceford's gates willing to make a deal, swelling the ranks of the town's guard militia. The Heroes are feted for the deeds, and several banquets are thrown in their honour - at which can be found the fabled Iceford icewine to drink and the fabled Iceford cheese to be savoured...
Friday night's game session of the Atlantis: The Second Age campaign was one of those sessions where the players and their Heroic characters earned their reputations, and that ended the current scenario with a finality that was breathtaking in its evening of play. The players had a fabulous time (their words, not mine) this session, enjoying the rush up to the climactic battle of the adventure, and then felt like they were on a speeding train leading to wherever they were heading. All in all, a fun game session of Atlantis: The Second Age to wrap up the current scenario.
I have to admit that I've been having a good time running Atlantis: The Second Age with the Friday night group, but they're actually pretty excited about next week's game session and starting their Chill 3rd Edition game campaign. I'm looking forward to it. :)