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Guards and Demons

4 shadows quickly became 4 large armored guards and the group stumbled into battle.  Too quickly the paladin fell.  The group came under heavy attack and many were near death.  The dwarf and ranger continue fighting.  The gnome sorceress hides with the tiger.  The bard plays a song to help the group.

A final guard left alive pushes a red ring on his hand and dives through a rune-covered wall.  The bard tries numerous times to use the rings to run through the wall, banging his head each time, despite knowledge that the rings will only work for undead.  The group carefully enters the next room.  The paladin gives the bard a shove to send him in, verifying that there are not traps.  The group finds a rune-covered dais with a large glass container holding a small quasit demon.  The demon talks to the group, enticing them to release him.  The bard, gnome, and dwarf quickly determine and cast the appropriate spell, and the dwarf applies his axe to shatter the container.  The quasit demon, gently floats from the debris into flights and disappears, flying away.

The group enters the final room, noticing partial protective wards in infernal carved into the dwarven door.  A laboratory, complete with writing desk, alchemist's lab, and casting circle with large gem house the missing guard, two zombies, and a tiefling named Zarkov who stirs a pot.  Presumably the dead body in the pot is going through the process of zombiefication.

The group finds their dwarf attacked by a large snake, their bard killed by lightning, and a large gorilla rampaging across the room.  A few good strikes and the room is clear.  A secret door leads to an adjacent treasure hoard room, with a white dragon, which will have to be contended with next week.
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The full group of six was in play this week: paladin, rogue/druid, bard, ranger, sorceress, and fighter/rogue.  The paladin and fighter/rogue maintained a continuous frontal attack.  The gnome sorceress got in a few spells of scid splash and ray of frost.  The ranger kept a constant flurry of arrows flying.  The rogue was able to get in a backstab or two.  The bard kept a constant stream of nonhelpful antics combined with excellent knowledge skills and occasionally helpful bard performance.  Each player and each character in the group has found how they fit in.  The leadership role has been much neglected through the constant stream of combat.  The quasit demon offered a point of contention, but there was little argument and no leadership played out to stop its release.

Releasing a quasit demon always has consequences.

This week I suspect those still left alive in the group will return to Wayford, level up, and see what new mischief they can find.
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