Illidan, Jax, Kelderrin, Killean, Rasutar, Rolann and a Mysterious Warrior
Short Synopsis
In order to summon and slay Kazgaroth, the party must find a “heart of a hero” for the summoning ritual. Rasutar volunteers his own heart and the party accepts his sacrifice. Upon summoning Kazgaroth, the party is shocked with Graz’zt is also summoned.
Former allies come to the party’s assistance. After a long and brutal battle, the heroes slay Kazgaroth and send Graz’zt back to the Abyss.
Long Synopsis
Kazgaroth is the legendary Darkwalker on Moonshae, the Beast, the Avatar of Bhaal and the Source of lycanthropy. To slay Kazgaroth is to eradicate the curse of lycanthropy from the world. But to slay him, he must be summoned.
And to complete the summoning ritual, one crucial reagent is necessary…
The “heart of a hero.”
A fearless band of adventurers dares to attempt this feat: Ilidan, the deadly drow rogue; Jax, a skilled half-elf thief; Kelderrin, the cunning gnome arcane trickster; Killean Delidros, a lethal drow hunter; Rasutar, the mysterious deep gnome cleric; and Rolann, a paladin-artificer on a crusade to rid the world of lycanthropy.
In hope of finding a “heart of a hero,” Rolann wonders if the Horn of the Forgotten Legion could summon a hero willing to sacrifice his heart for the noble cause. He blows upon the horn. Its clarion call resonates in the air. Yet, nothing happens. Kelderrin also takes a turn at the horn, but his own attempt is greeted with silence.
Rasutar announces that he will take some time to meditate upon their dilemma and commune with his patron, the Goddess Waukeen. After many hours, he rouses himself and announces that the Goddess Waukeen had given him a vision – Rasutar must sacrifice himself for the ritual to work.
Rasutar persuades his stunned comrades that this sacrifice is necessary for the greater good. He says: “We do not engage in battle seeking death, or fearing it. We fight because we know the stakes are greater than our individual existence.”
With great reluctance and regret, the adventurers agree to ritually sacrifice Rasutar to obtain the “heart of a hero.” They take the bloody heart of their comrade and allow the werebeasts to continue their ritual summoning of Kazgaroth.
During the summoning, they hear the deep call of the horn in the wind. A glowing portal appears. Fromit, steps out the powerful and heavyset figure of Boarstack, the dauntless duergar warrior.
As the werebeasts near the completion of their ritual on the shores of the corrupted Moonwell, Rolann steps forward and tosses an artifact into the waters. The artifact is crafted to interfere with the summoning and bring forth a weakened version of Kazgaroth.
After the werebeasts intone the last words of the ritual, an eerie silence envelops the land. Dark tendrils of corruption rise from the murky waters to coalesce into an immense form. The adventurers watch in horror as a nightmarish monster manifests before them. Its vast maw is filled with razor teeth and its scaly body ripples with muscle. Looming over forty feet in height, Kazgaroth’s bellow shatters the unnatural silence.
A dozen yards away, another figure materializes over the inky waters of the corrupted Moonwell. This is a tall humanoid with skin the color of dark wine and with sinister eyes the hue of emerald. It is the Demon Lord Graz’zt. The Dark Prince. The Shadow King.
With a laugh, Graz’zt thanks the adventurers for helping to achieve his infernal goals. He hints that he has traveled with them all this time, and perhaps, may have either possessed Rasutar or actually was Rasutar.
Furious, Rolann calls out a *vow of enmity* upon the Dark Prince. He charges forward to attack Graz’zt. With a contemptuous smile, Graz’zt disappears and materializes on the top of the Keep next to Killean. Graz’zt slashes at the surprised drow. Swearing angrily, Rolann casts haste and uses boots of flying to rise into the air to attack Kazgaroth.
Meanwhile, Boarstack steps forward to confront Kazgaroth. The avatar of Bhaal attacks Boarstack and the nearby werebeasts. Illidan, Jax and Kelderrin join the attack on Kazgaroth. Jax draws the hood of his cloak to turn invisible. He wades into the water to attack with his blade. Illidan and Kelderrin attack from afar.
A primal roar erupts from Kazgaroth’s throat. Those close enough to Kazgaroth feel a sickening and corrupting influence poison their body. This poison surges through Boarstack and Ilidan to paralyze them. Kazgaroth rips at Jax and Rolann with his teeth, and infects them with the insidious curse of lycanthropy.
The sound of the Horn of Forgotten Legion echoes again. Balor, a brave dwarf warrior and former companion, appears and he instinctively attacks Kazgaroth. Kazgaroth bites the dwarf and also infects him lycanthropy.
Rolann returns to Boarstack’s side to cure him of the poison. The duergar regains his feet. With a ferocious battle-cry, Boarstack unleashes a blinding flurry of attacks that severely wounds Kazgaroth. Jax and Rolann continue to batter at the enormous monster. Kelderrin unleashes a blistering stream of *magic missles* at Kazgaroth.
Bleeding profusely, Killean somehow manages to escape from his deadly duel with the Dark Prince. Graz’zt raises his hands and calls for a beauty to come to his aid. The bewitching Iluna, a former companion to the adventurers, appears from thin-air. Crackling energy bursts from her hands as a *chain lightning* ravages through Ilidan, Balor, Rolann and Boarstack. Then, Graz’zt disappears.
Once again, the Horn of the Forgotten Legion’s resonant call echoes in the air. The adventurers’ former companion, Kepesk, steps through a glowing portal. Rolann moves to Ilidan to cure him of his poisonous paralysis.
Boarstack grits his teeth and directs a barrage of attacks to Kazgaroth. With an anguished cry, Kazgaroth’s massive body falls into the dark waters. A brilliant burst of energy explodes from Kazgaroth’s inert form. As the energy touches Jax, Rolann and Balor fall to the earth dead. Jax’s hood falls from his head and he hits the ground. In horror, the adventurers realize that the death of Kazgaroth had indeed eliminated lycanthropy from the world, but at the cost of the lives who had its curse running through their veins. Kepesk quickly turns to revive Jax and Rolann.
An invisible Graz’zt attacks Killean. Ilidan and Killean, with their blindsight, attack and flank the Dark Prince.
Iluna turns invisible. From seemingly nowhere, a sparkling burst of arcane energy hits Kelderrin, Kepesk and Rolann in the form of a *storm sphere*.
Grimacing under the battering storm, Kelderrin manages to cast *dispel magic* to dissipate the *storm sphere*. As the magical storm disappears, Kelderrin can see Ilidan and Killean fighting some invisible foe. He launches an arrow into the space and scores a hit against Graz’zt.
A moment later, Iluna’s form flickers into existence. As she finishes her spell, she twists her hand sharply up and the *reverse gravity* flings Ilidan and Jax into the air. Boarstack aims his crossbow upward and sends bolts into Iluna’s body. Her limp form falls to the earth. As the *reverse gravity* spell ends, Killean and Kelderrin cast *featherfall* to save Ilidan and Jax from smashing into the ground. Kelderrin rushes over to Iluna and stabilizes her.
Then, the hunt for Graz’zt begins in earnest. While invisible, the Dark Prince taunts and attacks the adventurers. Still, they manage to wound him.
Suddenly, the invisibility wears off and the adventurers can see Graz’zt upon the ancient keep. Cursing at his exposure, Graz’zt unleashes a globe of *darkness* around himself. Undaunted, Killean leaps up onto the Keep. With two short swords in his hands, he stalks the Dark Prince. In the obsidian darkness, Killean closes his eyes. He hears the rustle of a footstep and senses a malevolent presence nearby. With a deft swing, Killean’s gleaming blade slices across the chest of Graz’zt.
The *darkness* fades away as the Demon Lord Graz’zt falls to one knee. With a mocking laugh, he salutes the adventurers in their success on slaying the Dark Prince. As he fades, Graz’zt tells them that he will return in time.
Once the Demon Lord Graz’zt disappears, the hearts of these heroes feel the sweet song of glorious triumph. A triumph to be sung through the ages.
