Rise of the Runelords

An indecisive look came over all those remaining.   Henrik was the next to jump into the flames and likewise was immediately reduced to ash.  Everyone else swallowed hard and followed.

You found yourselves definitely someplace else.  You were spread out on a stone plane some 200 feet across and that seemingly floated in in infinite column of space as you could see no end when you looked up.  There were seven stone arches spaced evenly near the edge of the floor.  No on was close enough to the edge to look over.  A multi-level pool and fountain was the only other structure.  On the highest level hovered a fist sized blue stone set in a very elaborate gold setting.  It glowed from a light emanating from its core. High above the pool floated Karzoug, who immediately broke into a monologue.  Most of you paid it no attention.

The Runelord of Greed acted first. You weren't too worried about a massive damage spell as you were all spread out.  Instead, time itself began to warp. Karzoug started moving very fast and disappeared completely in less than a second. When he reappeared, there were three different groups of devils amongst your ranks: ice, barbed, and erinyes.  The Ice devils soon vanished and D'Argo yelled that they were still there, just invisible. It soon became clear that most if not all the devils could likewise see through invisibility.  In addition, an 80x40' wall of scintillating color divided a section of the plane.  You had seen D'Argo cast a spell with a similar effect, although his was always horizontal.  The devils attacked.  You returned the favor.

Malloric and Golain faced some ice devils while Pirozzi who was originally off on his own moved to help. Karzoug yelled down, "I can see you sorcerer!"  Pirozzi cringed a bit and kept going.  The ice devils attacked.  Balros took on three barbed devils allowing Edwin the freedom to cast.  In another area, Henrik, D'Argo and Wolfgar were attacked with entangling ropes.  Only Henrik was able to avoid the initial attack.  He went straight after the Erynes.

The devils kept you all busy for a few rounds.  Malloric swirled his cloak and was soon helping Balros keep Edwin safe, leaving Golain on his own against the ice devils.  Pirozzi had blasted at a few devils and had thrown a few attacks against Karzoug.  Only some of his attacks were able to penetrate spell resistance.  He headed over to help Golian.   Balros was being intermiottantly grappled by barbed devils until Malloric arrived and started firing arrows.  The ice devils disappeared again and soon were standing where the barbed devils had been.  Golian, now without opponents, headed to help Henrik, Wolfgar and D'Argo.

Edwin summoned a huge air elemental and sent it after the devils one by one.  It was a little humorous as the devils would teleport around forcing the air elemental to chase them.  Edwin also unleashed the constrictor staff, cast air walk and sent the snake after Karzog.  Balros had fly cast on him by Wolfgar and headed up after Karzog on his own.  To everyone's surprise, Karzog let go of his glaive and it started attacking in its own and cast fireballs now and then.  When Karzog became wounded, it also cured him.

Malloric was devastating the devils and Karzog targeted him with a spell and he disappeared, not to return. He then focused his attention on Pirozzi and trapped the flying sorcerer in a force cage. With the prismatic wall in the way, it took some time before anyone else in the group noticed.  Balros was after Karzog but had to play follow the leader as Karzog fly back and forth through the prismatic wall unaffected.  Balros was forced to move up and over and could never get close enough fast enough to really lay into the wizard. 

Karzog dispelled the air walk on the giant snake which Edwin then redirected to some of the remaining devils.  The Air elemental was still chasing devils.  After one of Karzog's moves through the prismatic wall, he let loos an ear piercing scream causing Henrik and Wolfgar to shield their ears.  Golian was too late and fell.  Henrik had just about finished with smiting the devils and was working out how to get at Karzog.

About this time, a few of the party noticed Pirozzi - the mime- on the far side of the battle.  D'Argo answered with a disintegrate.  Wolfgar was now in the air and after Karzog, who had just cought D'Argo in some familiar tentacles.  His flying glaive had returned to his hand once and then was let loose again.  It was not terribly effective.

More spells and chasing. Karzog cast such spells as temporal statis on Henrik (who resisted the magic), finger of death on Wolfgar (who took damage, but not nearly as much as it could have been), a disintegrate and others.  Wolfgar and Balros were able to move to opposite sides of Karzog when he cast a spell that sent Wolfgar flying.  Balros luckily resisted as if he hadn't he would have been sent through the prismatic wall.  An angered Karzog cast another maze removing Balros from the combat.

Edwin was kept busy the whole time keeping people cured ad directing the elemental and snake.  He was able to take a shot or two at the wizard with his crossbow.  With the group running low on spells and some quite wounded, Karzog teleported to the far side of the battle.  Sensing an opening, the group charged only to find a repulsion spell in the way which kept all from moving closer.  The group and the wizard resorted to spells and eventually the wizard fell.

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