Age of Worms Adventure Path – Game Session 99

Game summary for November 6, 2008; present characters included Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Mael Gabrian (human cleric), Ranulph Wathbater (human berserker/fighter/hellreaver/paladin of freedom/rogue), Saedd West (human fighter/pious templar/wormhunter), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer), and Taravin Truesilver (human divine crusader/gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).

With the sound of Kyuss’ prison cracking and the maniacal laughter of the triumphant Wormgod echoing about the chamber, the Mercenaries enhanced their might with spell and potion and rushed to meet the rising lord of the Age. The team found Kyuss forming from a pile of worms spilling forth from the monolith. Tentatively at first, the team launched some spells and arrows at the rising mass. In moments, the Wormgod stood before them, towering twenty feet in the air, a mass of worms held into a man-like form. His black cowl glowed from the red pits of his eyes, and a massive black executioner’s mace stood out at his side.

Wasting no time, Kyuss enacted his first miraculous event as a god by reinstating the Unlife Vortex! Unholy energy surged into the Wormgod giving him power beyond belief. The team took several more shots, some more telling than others, and Lyrin unleashed the secret weapon: the sphere of annihilation. Kyuss remained far from the group and used harm to recover from the blows that did get through to him. Knowing the threat posed by the sphere, Kyuss locked onto its controller. In a booming voice, dripping with evil, Kyuss commanded Lyrin, “Don’t exist!” Lyrin obeyed and disappeared in a puff of scattered particles, his equipment landing in a clatter.

The Mercenaries continued a steady barrage of spell and blade against the ever-strengthening deity, but it was Taravin who struck the first truly telling shot. Using a wish, Taravin deactivated the Unlife Vortex, greatly weakening Kyuss once again. He then followed it with another wish to bring Lyrin back into existance! Enraged, Kyuss stopped time and enhanced his magical protections and then moved into the midst of the party. The Wormgod unleashed a powerful wail of the banshee, which stopped Eolas’ heart cold. Mael attempted to utter a prayer, and Kyuss casually flicked his blade at the cleric, separating his head from his shoulders.

The newly risen Lyrin slammed the sphere of annihilation into Kyuss, greatly harming him, while the team fell in around him to hedge him in. The resourceful deity discorporated into a mound of writhing worms and rolled right over Ranulph to escape the sphere. The whole time, the party continued with their unrelenting barrage of spell, blade, and arrow, with each nick and cut wearing him down a little more.

Taravin used another wish to restore Mael, and a cloak of the phoenix revitalized Eolas. Frustrated, Kyuss continued to harm himself to recover from the attacks and created a wall of stone to hold the team off. Lyrin carved a large enough hole in it using the sphere. Taravin spent yet another wish to try and imprison Kyuss in a barred forcecage, but the Wormgod flowed through it in worm form. Saedd stayed on Kyuss the whole time, whacking away at the writhing deity, much to Kyuss’ consternation. Arrow and spell continued to batter away, and Ranulph, winged boots flapping, flew up to the god and delivered a mighty blow, striking Kyuss dead. The deity melted away into a puddle of ooze, and the party emerged from the Spire victorious.

As the undead Kyuss-spawn began dying in the streets, people emerged to see the valorous heroes. Soon, an army of survivors trailed the group chanting their names and praising them, hailing them as the new leaders of Mintarn! With the Age of Worms averted and an island city under their control, the Mercenaries have fulfilled their destiny. They will take their place among the legendary names of the Realms. Where their paths may lead is unknown, except for one Ranulph Godslayer; he returned to the Wormcrawl Fissure and married Zulshyn the lillend, making an honest snake… er, woman out of her!