In the last session, our group of intrepid heroes found the secret passage to the mad sorcerer Qwindrak’s secret underground mountain lair. If you’re a villain, that really should be one of the questions you ask your evil real estate agent: “Are there secret passages into my secret underground volcano lair?” If they answer in the affirmative, have it written into your contract that the previous owner must block the secret passage before you take possession.
This was not something Qwindrak did. Those villains. Always cutting corners. That’s how you get them.
This is what our mentor, Mentor, sent us to do. Qwindrak is always escaping just before we defeat him permanently, and soon he team up with Lady Cassandra to max out the evil. We have to find his secret.
Qwindrak isn’t your ordinary villain. He is using the magic of synchroform to infuse his minions with magical power. He, himself, has undergone this procedure and as we have seen in past encounters, he can take on the form of a dragon. Each time we face him, his dragon form has become stronger. Soon, we will not be able to face him at all…
A secret door from the exit of the secret passage led us into the lair proper; and in ten minutes, we discovered Qwindrak’s ritual room. He was at the altar, and he was well guarded with a half dozen orcs. He turned to face us, and immediately transformed into a dragon.
We were caught a little off guard. Half the team was investigating the cells where those creatures who had undergone the synchroform process – successfully or unsuccessfully – were quartered. The rogue and barbarian were left to take on Qwindrak and his army alone, while the Dwarf dealt with the room of failed creations (zombies and skeletons) and my Elf tried to take opportunities to attack wherever made most sense.
That was when the Elf, Rogue and Barbarian found themselves lined up in front of the door to Qwindrak’s ritual room, and discovered the electric pleasures of his lightning bolt spell.
Oooooooouch.
Qwindrak left behind a wizard’s robe (no wizard, rogue is holding it), a spell ring (elf took it) and an elixir of life (elf took it and later used it to bring the rogue back to life), and the sketch of the Ring of Return, a ring that instantly brings the wielder and anyone within line of sight back to the starting point of the quest. I think this will become somewhat important in the very near future, given the next quest is called “The Ring of Return”.
Even though our party is pretty well-equipped, there was one true death and many used health potions and spells on this adventure. Unlike in the original campaign, in this new First Light campaign, the adventure is tracking pretty well the expected power level of the party. The original campaign became a cakewalk at about this point, with nobody ever in any real danger. We’d also had the monk in the party. We made a unanimous decision not to allow the monk into the First Light campaign – just too powerful a unit.
I’ve been asked to start bringing a game that my granddaughter can play, so, supporting at least six players. I think everyone would like to see the finish to this First Light campaign, and by then, I think Kasul will have his Traveler campaign ready to play. Should be fun.