Date: Sunday, December 9th, 2012
Players: Andrew, Craig, David, Henk, Hertzog, Peet, Rich
Level: 10+

Allies have been approached. Battle plans have been drawn up. It is time for the city of Lockenport to take the fight to the Citadel of the Dead, the lair of Vedroth the lich-lord.

Governor Greshtik has masterminded an all-out assault on Vedroth's home base, and a sign-up sheet has been pinned to the notice board in the Irregulars' main hall. It asks for “experienced guild members only” to sign up to be leaders in the front-lines of the coming battle, which will commence in a few days times. Given the high risk profile of this mission, Guildmistress Tarn has made it clear that participation is strictly voluntary. Irregulars who currently have financial obligations to the guild which require them to join missions have been exempted from this particular quest.

There is no specific purse associated with this mission, but fame and glory is certain for those who survive. In addition, Quartermistress Uggard has been instructed to open up the guild's vaults for this mission. Irregulars signing up for this mission should also list a single magical item from the stores that they would like access to.

Case number: 210/02/057

Irregulars participating: Petru, Dawn, Zarra, Xav, Frost, Sha'kar, Ash, Zimmijon, Hunzu, Rockwood, Jimson, Clunk, Zulak, Stoella (and many others – forty three in total)

Leaders: Petru, Zimmijon (and four others)

Summary (phase one): The Irregulars participating in this mission were divided up into six groups, and each group was assigned one floor of the Citadel of the Dead. Armed with a dimensional mine and a portable hole, the goal was for each group to cause an extra-dimensional explosion at approximately the same time, by throwing the mines into the portable holes, leading to the destruction of the citadel. Although Mentius Hume's calculations indicated that only four of the six mines needed to be detonated to bring down the tower, miraculously all six groups of Irregulars managed to succeed in phase one, but not without considerable loss of life.

Fatalities: Of the 43 Irregulars who entered the Citadel, only 23 returned. The whole of the “Gate Ward” and “River Ward” teams died during their missions. All but one member of the “Old Town” group fell, and three members of the “Upper Docks” group were lost. Only the “Upper Ward” and “Lower Docks” teams had no casualties. In addition to the lost Irregulars, two of the Lockenport University staff members providing teleportation into and out of the Citadel also perished.

Notes (“Lower Docks” group)

• This group was lead by Petru, and also included Dawn, Zarra, Xav, Frost, Sha'kar and Ash.
• They were supported by Baron Numthis “Wriggles” Wriggleright III from Lockenport University.
• This team transported into the “zombie farm” near the base of the tower. This is where the corpses of Vedroth's foes were being brought to be turned into the foot soliders of his army.
• Petru apparently had a nasty run in with zombie-Petru.
• One of the creatures guarding the zombie farm entombed Xav in the ground. His friends managed to destroy the entomber and free Xav mere seconds before the dimensional mine detonated.

Notes (“Upper Ward” group)

• This group was lead by Zimmijon, and also included Hunzu, Rockwood, Jimson, Clunk, Zulak and Stoella.
• They were supported by Rhial from Lockenport University.
• This team transported near to the top of the tower, where a pair of hags were busy harvesting souls from those falling in the battle outside.
• Standing guard over the chamber was a skeletal sphinx, but it seems that this creature's allegiance to Vedroth was none too strong. After answering its riddles, Hunzu had a frank discussion with it about the lich-lord's motivations.
• Then they detonated the mine, bringing that conversation to a rather abrupt end.
• This group was located immediately above the ill-fated “Gate Ward” team and reported back on the last words of the members of that group. These were apparently:
  • “It's too soon! Not yet!”
  • “I can't see anyt—<gurgle>”
  • “Do it, do it now. The others are all—<scream>”
  • “Ohgodsohgodsohgodsohgods…” followed by a considerable explosion.
• The “Gate Ward” team are believed to have been the first group to detonate their mine.

Summary (phase two): After the successful destruction of the Citadel, a twisted fracture remained visible in the sky, near where the apex of the tower once was. The Ellismay sister were able to determine that this was likely a portal into Vedroth's inner sanctum. After some discussion, Guildmistress Tarn called for volunteers to accompany Karaden Greshtik through the portal to confront the lich-lord.

Fatalities: Vedroth was destroyed! Finally! And Greshtik was forced to destroy the spirit of his long dead son, Tam – a tragic end, but a noble sacrifice.

Notes:

• The following seven Irregulars accompanied Greshtik into Vedroth's inner sanctum: Clunk, Dawn, Rockwood, Stoella, Zarra, Zimmijon and Zulak.
• Once inside, they first faced Vedroth's henchman, Clenderi. In an effort to conserve their power for the lich, the Irregulars promised Clenderi a full pardon, and Greshtik agreed to give him lands in the River Kingdoms to sweeten the deal. Clenderi abandoned his master, and fled Vedroth's realm atop his nightmare steed. The group then made their way into Vedroth's chamber.
• Vedroth had made Greshtik's son's spirit into his phylactery, so destroying the ghostly child was the only way to destroy the lich-lord.
• Apparently, Greshtik knew all along that he was going to have to destroy his son's spirit. This didn't stop the group from experiencing a few moments of panic when it appeared as if Greshtik had defected to Vedroth's side.
• Queen Isathrain's Gifts – worn by Greshtik – were consumed in the process of destroy the ghostly boy.
• With his phylactery destroyed, the Irregulars threw everything they had at Vedroth, and after a grueling battle, were victorious.

Declarations: The Irregulars recovered a small, stuffed bear from Vedroth's inner sanctum, but this was given to Greshtik for some reason.

Commendations: All guild members who survived this mission were awarded medals as the Defenders of Lockenport. In addition, Clunk, Dawn, Rockwood, Stoella, Zarra, Zimmijon and Zulak were also awarded the Freedom of Lockenport.

Leadership: Although leaders were assigned to each of the teams, their roles in this mission were minor, and mostly limited to deciding when to detonate the mines.

Further investigations:

• Someone needs to explain to Queen Lilia that a mass murderer has been pardoned, and given a large tract of land as a reward.
• We should probably check on the significance of that bear. Tavius has a hunch that that's more important that it might seem.

Accounting notes:

• The surviving Irregulars were permitted to keep one magic item from the guild's stores of up to 17,000 gp in value. Alternatively, the equivalent in gold coins, or a lesser-valued item and the difference in gold coins.
  • Petru chose Boots of the Shadowed Path
  • Dawn chose a Battle Standard of the Hungry Blade took the 17,000 gp purse
  • Zarra chose Shared Valor Armor (kept)
  • Xav chose a Jagged Execution Axe
  • Frost chose Boots of the Fencing Master (kept, plus a 14,400 gp purse)
  • Sha'kar chose an Abyssal Adornment (kept)
  • Ash chose a Frost Greatbow took the 17,000 gp purse
  • Zimmijon chose a Ring of Giants
  • Hunzu chose a Tenebrous Shroud took the 17,000 gp purse
  • Rockwood chose a Farslayer Greatsword
  • Jimson chose an Orb of Karmic Resonance (kept)
  • Clunk chose Deathsteel Armor took the 17,000 gp purse
  • Zulak chose Feystep Lacings took the 17,000 gp purse
  • Stoella chose a Horned Helm (kept, plus a 15,200 gp purse)

/===========================================================\
| XP notes: Zombie Farm                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| Blaspheme Knights (2 x 1000)                  =  2,000 XP |
| Blaspheme Imperfect (2 x 1000)                =  2,000 XP |
| Blaspheme Entomber (2 x 1400)                 =  2,800 XP |
| Charnel Zombies (12 x 125)                    =  1,500 XP |
| Quest: Detonate the Dimensional Mine          =  2,500 XP |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| Total                                         = 10,800 XP |
| Per person                                ÷ 7 =  1,543 XP |
\===========================================================/

/===========================================================\
| XP notes: Soul Gathering Chamber                          |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| Necrosphinx                                   =  4,000 XP |
| Night Hags (2 x 1000)                         =  2,000 XP |
| Skeleton Deathguards (10 x 300)               =  3,000 XP |
| Quest: Detonate the Dimensional Mine          =  2,500 XP |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| Total                                         = 11,500 XP |
| Per person                                ÷ 7 =  1,643 XP |
\===========================================================/

/===========================================================\
| XP notes: Vedroth's Inner Sanctum                         |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| Vedroth                                       = 12,000 XP |
| Quest: Bargain with Cenderi                   =  1,000 XP |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| Total                                         = 13,000 XP |
| Per person                                ÷ 7 =  1,857 XP |
\===========================================================/