#129 - The Battle Against Trazzen (continued...)

Zarantyr 25th, 999 YK

The battle against Trazzen and his allies continued.

Wynn shook herself free of Arafin's spell of holding, but remained charmed by Trazzen himself. She pursued the battle as it advanced into the chamber where the Cauldron itself remained.

While Clarion continued his fight against the vrock, Aleae slipped past it and entered the Cauldron chamber. Still invisible, she saw that the Cauldron of Rhumdal had been righted again by another vrock, a minotaur skeleton, and hulking pair of sludge-covered hobgoblin ghouls that appeared to be newly made by the Mire. In addition, three other ghouls lurked at the edge of the chamber.

Bale soon joined Clarion and the two began to push and blast the vrock out of the hallway and into the chamber. There, Bale used his sphere of darkness to challenge the ghouls that advanced on them.

Aleae made a daring run for the Cauldron itself, while invisible, and climbed its skull-carved rim. At the top, she dropped the red pearl that Elidac had given her—which he said could disrupt its power for a long time. Although she did this, Trazzen homed in on her and attacked. Although she could not be seen, the vampire lord could hear and scent her and after failing to grasp her for the first few seconds, he managed at last to take hold—and he sank his teeth into her shoulder, draining her blood. She broke free and scrambled away, still invisible, avoiding the use of magic that would break the spell.

Meanwhile, Irakas was revived but remained badly wounded. Gaining her feet, she commanded the golem forward again and the pair of them led the charge into the Cauldron chamber. Soon everyone had arrived.

When the golem entered the room, Trazzen gave up his pursuit of the invisible elf and went to engage it directly. He seemed one of the few effectively able to wound the animate bronze statue, using his byshek scimitar. Magnus and Izzeth clashed again, trading blows, bites, and grasping hands. The vampire lord drank of the barbarian's blood and Magnus continued to punish him for it. Both human and undead hobgoblin weakened, but Trazzen commanded Wynn—who was still enthralled by his vampiric power—and quickly accepted her blood to help heal him.

When Irakas used her magic to teleport across the room, Trazzen turned away from Magnus and sought her out—he understood that she was the only one who could command the golem. If she was slain, the golem would stop.

Magnus, Izzeth in his adopted earth elemental form, Arafin, and Wynn—in her own somewhat enthralled way—moved towards the column. Whether the battle would reach its conclusion, or be further scattered, remained to be seen.