Szass Tam the Lich Lord of Thay plotted to conquer the realm of Faerun. He built the Bloodgate, a portal that could transport his armies instantly, and charged his lich servant Tarul Var to defend it at all costs. However, Tarul Var failed his task when renegade Red Wizards called the Thayan Resurrection attacked and destroyed the portal in the Battle of the Bloodgate.
Thereafter, the rebels planned an assault upon Szass Tam’s base of operations in the Doomvault. The rebel cell leader, a Red Wizard named Syranna, sent two of her bravest soldiers who had fought in the Battle of the Bloodgate: Midan, a cleric of Ilmater, and Hemah, a warlock of the Great Old One. Accompanying them were four adventurers who were recruited by the rebels: Torkel the half-orc barbarian, Lasciel the vampire planeswalker from Zendikar, Avadon the fallen aasimar paladin, and Ifream the witch (phoenix sorcerer) of Kossuth.
1. Abyssal Prison
Party: Midan, Hemah, Torkel, Lasciel, Avadon, Ifream
The six adventurers, pretending to be prisoners of the Thayan army, entered the Abyssal Prison, one of the nine sections of the Doomvault. This section was dedicated to the summoning of demons from the Abyss. The Red Wizards tortured the summoned fiends to turn them into slaves of Thay. The section was overseen by an ancient vampire named Issem. At the moment, Issem was in an arena watching a battle between ten prisoners from the surface and a Vrock, a vulture-like demon with a hideous shriek.
Among the prisoners, there was an elven knight named Shalendra, a member of the Thayan rebels. Midan and Hemah recognized her as their comrade at arms from the Battle of the Bloodgate. Shalendra was fighting desperately with the Vrock. When Midan saw her, he shouted, “We must save Shalendra!”
The party attacked the vampire and the Vrock. The demon was already weak from many wounds and was swiftly dispatched by Avadon and Torkel’s blades. Ifream, Hemah and Midan attacked the vampire with their magic incantations, but the vampire instantly healed the wounds they inflicted. The vampire charmed Lasciel and Shalendra, turning them into his thralls. The charmed Lasciel bit the other prisoners and turned them into his own zombie thralls, causing the remaining prisoners to panick.
However, Issem had no interest in fighting the adventurers. He had been cursed long ago and was unable to leave the Abyssal Prisons. He hated the Red Wizards of the Doomvault. In particular, he loathed the lich Tarul Var.
“If you are truly rebels, I wish to assist your efforts,” said Issem. “I shall give you a glyph key that will unlock the passage to another part of this dungeon. And if you manage to bring back the head of the lich Tarul Var, I shall even give you this elven prisoner as a gift.”
The party agreed to the vampire’s terms and left the arena to explore the rest of the Abyssal Prisons. They deftly evaded the dungeon’s many hidden traps. They also freed a succubus, glabrezu, and fire elemental that were imprisoned here, setting some of them loose upon the Doomvault to cause chaos and confusion. At the end of a maze filled with traps, they discovered a black gate. Using the key given to them by Issem, they passed through the gate to go to another section of the Doomvault.
2. Forest of Slaughter
Party: Midan, Hemah, Torkel, Avadon, Ifream, Bjorn
The party left the Abyssal Prison and traveled to the Forest of Slaughter. Lasciel was still charmed and remained in the Abyssal Prison with the vampire Issem. In his place, a human barbarian named Bjorn joined the party.
The forest was filled with magical energy emanating from the trees. Those who fell victim to the magic of the woods were afflicted with strange effects. Fortunately, all the members of the party resisted these effects with their strong force of will.
When the party arrived in the forest, they discovered that a large Thayan patrol made up of orcs, gnolls, and zombies was also there, searching for them. The heroes hid themselves in the nearby woods and set an ambush for the patrol. The party leaped out and attacked, slaughtering the entire patrol.
The party continued through the forest and defeated the various monster denizens that lived here. At the end of the forest, they found another black gate, but it was guarded by undead warriors. After cowing the undead into submission, the heroes commanded them to go to another section of the Doomvault to cause more confusion.
3. Golem Laboratories
Party: Midan, Torkel, Avadon, Ifream, Bjorn
Hemah departed from the party after hearing voices in his head that told him to explore the Far Realm Cyst section of the Doomvault. The remaining members of the party, eager to face more challenging adversaries, took a long rest and headed to the Golem Laboratories.
When the party emerged from the black gate, they were surrounded by zombies and wights. Ifream immediately began to set a wight on fire, setting off the alarms throughout the section. Midan held aloft his holy symbol of Ilmater and turned the undead creatures into dust.
The party moved forward and found a mortuary where flesh golems were assembled from human corpses. Beyond, they discovered a magical kiln where clay golems were shaped and formed. Both areas were overseen by Red Wizards and guarded by their golem creations. The heroes battled the wizards and their minions and were victorious. Beyond these rooms, they discovered a small chamber that held a black gate.
The party entered the gate, believing their mission was complete, but they were surprised to find themselves in another part of the laboratories. It was a great foundry where iron golems were cast from molten metal and assembled by a bound Efreeti. Tarul Var, the lich servant of Szass Tam, was waiting for them. He had heard the alarm sounded in the laboratories. Tarul Var had used the power of the Efreeti to locate the adventurers and swiftly prepared an ambush. He had mustered a legion of golems, dread warriors, Red Wizards, and a fire elemental.
The party fought a desperate battle against overwhelming odds. Tarul Var and his Red Wizard minions used deadly magic against them. Torkel and Midan stepped forward to hold the dread warriors and golems at bay while Ifream and Avadon counterattacked with their own spells. When an opening appeared in the Thayan defenses, Bjorn swiftly took advantage of it and dashed through the enemy lines to attack Tarul Var himself. The powerful lich was not so easily overcome, but Bjorn succeeded in breaking the lich’s hold upon the Efreeti. After being enslaved by the Thayans for decades, the Efreeti was finally free. He spoke to his liberators in a deep rumbling voice.
“Brave adventurers, I thank you for breaking my chains. I shall repay you by granting you one wish in accordance with cosmic law.”
The adventurers had spent much of their energy fighting the Thayans in the laboratories. They wished for the Efreeti to restore them to their full strength. The Efreeti granted their wish. The heroes, with their powers restored, escaped from Tarul Var and retreated from the Golem Laboratories. They took with them the expensive magical ingredients that had been used by the Red Wizards in the construction of their golems.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Doomvault, other parties of rebels were carrying out their assault in other sections of the dungeon. With the black gates destroyed throughout the Doomvault, the network of teleportation portals was destabilized and the location of the Phylactery Vault was revealed. This was the place where the phylacteries of Szass Tam’s most powerful lich servants were held. Having learned the location of the vault, the rebels were able to deal a decisive blow again the army of Szass Tam.
Rewards
1. Abyssal Prisons (May 11)
Party: Midan, Hemah, Torkel, Lasciel, Avadon, Ifream
23550 XP / 6 = 3925 xp
2. Forests of Slaughter (May 18)
Party: Midan, Hemah, Torkel, Avadon, Ifream, Bjorn
13050 XP / 6 = 2175 XP
Javelin +1
3. Golem Laboratories (May 25)
Party: Midan, Torkel, Avadon, Ifream, Bjorn
33550 XP / 5 = 6710 XP
9500 gold / 5 = 1900 gold
Transmuter’s Stone
Character Sheets
Michael – Ifream
Richard – Avadon
짬매 – Torkel
돗가비 – Midan
Yutae – Hemah
Ryan – Lasciel
양파 – Bjorn