Paul DMing; Scott: Smudge (shadar-kai rogue 8 / barbarian 2) and Martin (duergar cleric 10); Dane: Tudo Fleck (dwarf cleric 10); Jake: Draxx Sklounst (human rogue 10); Sophie: Dill (hobgoblin sorcerer 10) and Scruffly (talking goat familiar).
Last time, the party convinced an enslaved satyr to lead them to the lair of Shaheduzzaman, where they killed several ogres.
The party appreciates the paintings and statues in Shaheduzzaman's art gallery (all portraying Shaheduzzaman) before proceeding into the heart of his lair.
To enter the main room, the party must pass between the legs of a twenty-foot-tall statue of Shaheduzzaman. Torches line the walls of the room to the south. The room ends to the north in a ledge overlooking a whitewater river that can be heard raging sixty feet below. A stone skybridge spans the vaulted heights of the cavern, some thirty-five feet overhead.
As Dane examines a man-cage suspended over the river, one of the ugly little men sniping from the airy darkness of the skybridge strikes Dane with a heavy crossbow bolt. Dane staggers over the ledge and falls into the river.
Smudge returns fire with his longbow.
Shaheduzzaman envelopes Martin in Otiluke's Resilient Sphere. Martin channels divinity to conjure a twilight sanctuary around the resilient sphere (although it doesn't extend beyond the Otiluke sphere).
Draxx runs to the east edge of the room and tries to telekinetically shove one of the four identical Shaheduzzamons off the ledge but it vanishes as soon as Draxx pulls it.
Dill witch bolts one of the little men. The body falls from the sky bridge, and lands smoking and charred with a sickening crunch.
Tudo, having plunged into the river, controls water to rocket him up, back onto the ledge.
Tudo gets hit by another crossbow bolt and knocked off the ledge, but he's held in the air by by his continuing geyser from control water.
Shaheduzzaman shoots a blast from his wand that paralyzes Draxx.
Martin tries to dispell the bubble trapping him but it doesn't work.
Draxx (though still paralyzed) telekinetically shove another of the Shadeduzzamans and it vanishes. There are now only two left.
The double doors at the south of the room open and a troll enters.
Dill witch bolts the troll.
Tudo loses concentration of control water but manages to land on the ledge rather than back in the river.
Smudge drops his bow and plunges his rapier into the troll's rubbery flesh.
Shaheduzzaman paralyzes Tudo with his wand.
Draxx pulls the real, non-illusory Shaheduzzaman off the skybridge (causing the bubble that had trapped Martin to pop).
Dill witch bolts Shaheduzzaman.
Tudo pan-flails a little man that hand fallen off the skybridge, then manages to break out of paralysis.
Smudge charges the troll in a barbarian rage.
Shaheduzzaman jumps back onto the overhead skybridge.
Martin flies up from the river and kills the fallen little man with his spiritual weapon (leaving two little men left).
An arm falls off the troll and flops around. The troll immediately sprouts a new arm in in its place with an audible top noise.
Draxx wings Shaheduzzaman with his short bow.
Dill fog clouds Shaheduzzaman.
Smudge grapples the much larger troll and marches it right to the cliff edge over the river, but the fallen troll arm takes a gouge out of Smudge's leg as Smudge stomps away.
Martin floats out of the river canyon and tolls the dead kills one of the two remaining little ugly men.
The troll escapes Smudge's grapple.
Who will win the battle? Tune in next time!
Enemies defeated: three ugly little men with crossbows
Treasure: none (but combat is still in progress...)
