DM notes, our heroes have reached level 16, which is higher than any D&D game I have ever run. At the same time I have chosen a Lich as the big bad and I tend to avoid running magic users as I am shit at them.
So I spend the day before the game reading up on tips to run a Lich. Equally, the players are new to this level so they have also bee studying hard and came prepared like this photo from one of my players desk.
Also between the three players, they can summon a lot of different creatures so I had to prepare as ma ny minis as I could. fun fact: They didn’t summon any.
We all had fun but all sat back with a sense of could have done better eg. I forgot the Lich’s Counterspell 🤦.
On to the fight…
Having destroyed the ring Iron Sight, the Hellbenders had indeed destroyed the Iron Lich’s phylactery as they suspected. But they had also drawn the attention of the Iron Lich.
And shortly after leaving the safety of Elderthorn Forest, the Iron Lich appeared in front of them flanked by two Helljacks (some sort of unholy combination of a Golem and dead creatures).
“Thou have destroyed my soul, yes…. Yet it matters not.
My plans are close to completion and I will have the means to slay the foul beast that is Grindrax the Dark Wyrm.
Thou have proven thyselves competent peoples. Alas, thy road comest to its end today as I cannot risk thy interference.”
Before the party could react, the Iron Lich raised his arm and vanished in thin air! And the fight was on!
The Lich narrowly beat Kaari the Ranger on the initiative roll and three liches emerged on the field of battle. What witchcraft was this?
But before the heroes could give it a second though, the huge wild looking and growling Helljacks charged with surprising speed and as they came closer the stench of rotten horse carcasses hit the nostrils of the Hellbenders.
Kaari shot her deadly arrows against one of the beasts, while Pestilence, the Tabaxi Warlock, ran in between the two monsters damaging them both with Arms of Hadar. Finally Thorga summoned an Iron Golem to protect Pestilence’s back from one of the Helljacks.
The party was in for the fight of their lives and they were brought down multiple times, but the seasoned heroes knew how to support each other with potions and spells.
Even when the Lich cast Disintegrate followed by Power Word Kill on Thorga, the Dwarven Artificer/Paladin, Kaari was ready to Revivify him.
Polly brought down the first Helljack in a victory screech.
Step by step the heroes regained their ground and Polly the Owlbear killed off the first Helljack, while the heroes dispatched of the three Lich Mirrors.
Then they heard the Lich speaking in the distance.
I cannot waste more time on this idle entertainment. I take my leave. I care not if thou should survive, but advice thou to leave these lands if thou should find thee blessed by the stars on this day.
The last Helljacked proved a tough sole opponent. Every time the heroes thought it dead, it would rise again (DM notes, the Warlock took it from last 5 woulds down to 1 due to a bad roll leaving the Helljack with one last turn of carnage).
Camp
It had been a tough day and the heroes bodies (and maybe their pride) was hurting badly.
Kaari wandered near camp for any herbs or weeds to help with the healing and to her good fortune she found Gnome Nose leaves that she could turn into Healing Potions.
And while she wandered she noticed from a hill that the undead army as far as she could see was retreating back to where Castle Rostak would lie buried.
Playing (un)dead
The party decided to follow the hundreds of undead and found a shabby cart drawn by two undead oxen falling behind.
They drew up a quick battle plan:
- Pestilence would disguise as an undead and run in to distract the undead walking next to the cart.
- Kaari would shoot them down from above on her flying broom.
- and Thorga Misty Step inside the cart and dispatch of the undead on the cart itself.
With that, the Hellbenders could ride the cart between the undead forces.
Great plan until they saw the entrance down underground was being watched by an Undead Beholder that was using its centre eye to scan left and right, lighting up any living creatures with Faerie Fire like effect… how would the party deal with that?
To be continued…
Character portrait: Thorga
Here’s Thorga our Artificer/Paladin with his Pseuododragon, his Steel Defender and his new Homunculus Servant.
