Hunt the Lich

Seizing the opportunity presented by the trapping of one of the advancing guardians in Ingamin's web, Hildraft enveloped it in a Blade Barrier. Bits of webbing, bone and metal flew in all directions, but through the slicing swirl the dwarf could see the creature still advancing.

On the dais, Sack unleashed his second Sunburst of the day, blasting three more of the monsters into temporary helplessness. Opposite him, Surya advanced down the steps, his damnéd blade smashing and slicing amongst their foes to great effect.

Ingamin, facing the unwebbed one of the two that had reached through to where he ahd Hilderaft were, hefted his sword Faebane and went into combat, dealing out some damage but suffering serious wounds in return. Several times it appeared just about to overwhelm him, and finally Hildraft came to his rescue, and then together they despatched the first creature as it staggered out of the Blade Barrier, nine-tenths dead already. They had taken wounds, though, and each felt a dreadful cold weakness spreading like poison or plague throgh his body.

By that point, Surya and Sack had accounted for all the monsters around the dais, but they too were starting to stumble as the uncanny sickness rolled over them. Hildraft and Sack recognized the signs of an unnatural disease, and hastened to halt its' progress wiith some Remove Disease spells followed by Greater Restorations.

Searching around, they found that the Death Knight's sword and armour were magical and worth having, as were Cullinan's cloak and Yalastair's headband. There wasn't time to look at them immediately, so they were tucked away for later examination and the party headed out.

Closer examination of the corridors just prior to the final room showed a clever system of sliding walls which, once triggered, revealed a descending stairway. Aha!

It had been some hours since they'd come into the compex, so they thought they'd best check on Hansen the Bard. The musician had been left with the horses outside the complex, and the heroes were starting to worry about him. Before descending, then, they decided to go see how he was.

Sack remained underground, glued to the ceiling with Spider Climb to keep watch over the newly-opened stairwell, while the others left the Necropolis and climbed the hill to look out to where they'd left their faithful chronicler. Somewhat to their surprise, there he was, sitting near to the tethered horses, playing his lute very quietly.

Hildraft sent him a Message, teasing him with all the things they'd done but weren't going to tell him about, and the three turned to return - and discovered they were not alone!

Walking up the hill, clearly heading directly for them despite their Invisibility to Undead spells, was a Winterwight; slightly larger than the ones they'd seen previously. It came right up to them, and on a whim Surya spoke to it, trying to assert authority and take control of the situation. It refused to be cowed, though it acknowledged the power Surya himself wielded with what seemed like respect.

It talked with them a while, clearly toying with them, revealing that it and its' compatriots expected to be the officer corps of the Army of the Dead, and to be rewarded with all the warmth they could drain. Hildraft offered it all the warmth it could cope with - meaning a Flame Strike or something equally subtle - but it scorned him, claiming only body heat, life-warmth, was good enough.

They tried to unsettle it by telling it they'd killed all the vampires and leaders below. It scoffed at vampires, calling them undisciplined and weak, and was unconcerned at the death of the death knight, Cullinan and Yalastair. "You didn't get Tersoal, did you?" it said. Clearly the Lich was the real leader here. It named the creatures from the city "below" as Jart, and confirmed they were the real "Army of the Dead".

Suddenly, the temporary truce broke, and the Winterwight attacked. It fought savagely, but Surya delivered a sequence of punishing blows, sending it staggering backwards. Hildraft discovered a spell it seemed to be especially vulnerable to, and Imploded it with gruesome effect.