The Chronicles of Narfell
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A place where great deeds and epic events can be recorded for posterity, where heroes can be lauded and villians' names blackened. The Bard Romulus opens this Chronicle with an account of the initial fall of Fendon and the destruction of the vampire Olenin. Others who witnessed Fendon's final demise and the heroism of Lady Daisy may add their witnesses to this tale.
It was a great day in Norwick (and indeed all of Narfell). After months of planning and preparation, dozens of adventueres pledged to destroy the lich-blade Fendon and his minions gathered around the fire in Norwick's south valley. A dozen or more paladins of Kelemvore and servents of Lathander marched in to bolster the town's defenses while the assault was underway.
Lady Ashena, First Knight of the Order of the Divine Shield, was chiefly responsible for this gathering, and agreed to lead the first of two teams. The other was led by the mage Maria, newly restored to health following the birth of her child. The two parties had different tasks. The first (Ashena's) was to enter the Norwick crypts, make their way to the lowest level, confront Fendon in his guarded lair, destroy all his minions, and defeat his corporeal form, forcing him to retire to his sanctuary in mist form. The second party (Maria's), would then enter the crypt, force their way through the purple door to Fendon's hidden sanctuary, and destroy him and his sword for good. This narrative (the First Chronicle) covers the actions of Ashena's party.
Ashena chose her troops carefully, trying to ensure a balance of skills and yet be well prepared for the task of fighting the undead. First she called the three newly ordained knights of the Order (Sir Allestor, Sir Reynauld, and Lady Celia). Two younger paladins or holy defenders (Talindra, and Andrew) joined next. Sturdy fighters Gnarl and Dermin, the elf mage Sirion, Troff Legion scout Romulus, and former Norwick Scout Arlan rounded out the party.
Departing Norwick shortly after nightfall, the party encountered the Alchemist and a large groups of flesh and bone golems in the fields south of the gates. The Alchemist had offered his services earlier to the assault on Fendon, and indeed helped plan it. He attached about a dozen golems to Ashena's party, reserving himself and a somewhat larger group of golems to accompany Maria.
The party marched through the Norwick ruins and entered the crypts, fighting its way to the second level without difficulty. Romulus, who had led a reconnaisance of the lower crypts a week earlier, scouted the party's path. Ashena directed the golems to the front of the party to fight through the giants, ghouls, and undead champions. Talindra took charge of directing them where to go in the narrow hallways and passages.
By the time they reached the entrance to Fendon's lair, several of the golems were badly wounded. But the party discovered that they could heal the golems and did so. They also buffed themselves up with potions and spells for the beginning of the real start of the mission.
Inside the very entrance to Fendon's lair, numerous shadow fiends, dark priests, and skeletal warriors were waiting. The party battled their way through these, and then fought several vampire guards and a mysterious ominous figure, who did not turn out to be Fendon. Ashena's decision to load the party full of those most capable of fighting undead proved a wise one as all the guardians were defeated. Staking the vampires through the heart did not kill them, however. The party had to find their caskets and sarcophagus homes and destroy those as well.
Just as these came into view, Fendon himself was spotted across a narrow stone bridge, surrounded by several vampires and a dozen vampire spawn. Ashena elected to leave the only remaining golem (a big one) to guard the bridge while the rest of the party cleared out the rest of the vampires on the flanks and destroyed their caskets. Only after this was accomplished, did the party return to the bridge to confront Fendon.
Fendon was ready for them and invited them to come in for tea. He also called on his "friend" Sirion to join him as before. The party knew this was a lie designed to divide them and began challenging, insulting, and taunting Fendon with calls like: "You're ugly and your mother was a troll." Finally, Fendon had enough and called for the fight to begin.
The party made quick work of the many vampires. Turning spells by Allestor, Ashena, and Talindra were extremely effective. At one point, Talindra's turning appeared to kill Fendon himself, but this was just an illusion. Suddenly, Fendon brought forth his most potent defense, a dozen or more vampiric mists that swirled around the attackers and drove those without effective defenses back across the bridge. The last golem fell, as did Talindra. Romulus was knocked unconscious three times, but was saved by Arlan, Andrew, and Sirion.
Finally, while Ashena held him, Allestor struck down Fendon's corporeal form with a massive Searing Light spell. As expected, Fendon turned into a red mist and fled to his sanctuary. Ashena directed Allestor to send a magical message to Maria, informing the second party that it was time to enter the Purple Door.
Meanwhile, the return of Ashena's party back through the crypts was not uneventful. The door to the crypt entrance was found locked. While Sirion worked on a spell to open it, the party was attacked from behind by more undead, including super-quick skeletal dervishes. These were defeated and the door opened, but most of the party had exhausted their charms and spells.
Part way back through the lower level of the crypt, the party spotted the figure of the vampire Olenin standing in the corridor. The figure of Ashena was seen next to him, greeting him romantically and fawning over him. Since the real Ashena was standing next to us fuming at this little play, the party ignored it and moved to attack.
Olenin fled, but reappeared a few minutes later to challene Ashena to a duel. He promised to let all her friends go free as he wanted only her. Against the advice of her companions, she accepted and ordered them to stay back and let her handle him alone. It was not an even match. Olenin was much stronger and more powerful and wounded Ashena badly, knocking her down several times and forcing her to consume several heal potions.
That's when the rest of the party disobeyed and attacked Olenin. The vampire was hit by a dispell magic spell that stripped him of some of his enchantments and he took off running. But he ran towards the party, not behind, and smashed his way through. Ten on one was a match for him, however. Olenin was cornered and beat on, fired at, and hit with more dispel magic spells. Andrew went down hard, killed by a critical hit from the vampire. But Ashena herself delivered the final blow. "NOOOOOooo" he shouted and collapsed.
The party quickly staked his heart. Then Ashena took off his helmet and severed his head. His body exploded in a huge fireball that nearly took down several party members. But all survied and Allestor raised Andrew and restored him to life. As the party made its way back through a strangely empty crypt, the members of the Order of the Divine Shield felt a strange sadness or emptiness overcome and almost overwhelm them.
Near the front gate, they discovered the purple door open. A celestial messenger of Tyr appeared then behind them, and delivered a message of condolences. He said that what happened was for the best in the end. But the party didn't learn what he meant until they arrived back at Norwick's South Gate and met Maria's team. There they were told of the final destruction of Fendon and the loss of Lady Daisy. That tale will be told by others.