Session 2025-09-27 — Age of Ashes

Narrative Summary

The final assault on the Fortress of Sorrow began at dawn, as Chioma's divine power would be strongest at sunrise. After three days of preparation at Akrivel, the Ekujae forces mobilized with the party serving as the vanguard. The journey through the Mwangi Expanse took on a grim character as the jungle transformed into sickly vegetation with gnarled trees and blackened bark. By the second day of travel, even the insects had changed—their buzzing became aggressive and their bites burned like tiny flames. Renali scouted ahead in her spider form each evening and reported troubling news: the Cinderclaw patrols had pulled back, either because they didn't know the assault was coming or because they were concentrating all forces at the fortress.

As the eastern sky began to lighten with the first hints of dawn on the third day, the Fortress of Sorrow came into view through the morning mist. The structure squatted like a canker in the murky swamp, built into the bones of the Great Darkness itself. Thick roots of gnarled trees crisscrossed the swamp, creating natural bridges and barriers. The fortress's red clay walls rose from the water on a massive slab of granite, pulsing with malevolent life. Dragon-shaped replica pillars surrounded the fortress—now impotent monuments to Belmazog's ambition, their empty braziers like hollow eye sockets.

The swamp water was dark and still, about five feet deep, disturbed only by occasional bubbles that released the stench of decay. The fortress palisades formed a ledge around the central building, rising 15 feet from the water. Several 30-foot watchtowers punctured the skyline at regular intervals. A horn sounded from the jungle behind the party—the signal that the Ekujae war party had begun their approach on schedule.

However, the arrival triggered an unexpected complication. The vibrations of the party's raft awakened Sweettooth, the ancient deinosuchus—a massive crocodilian predator that had inhabited these waters for centuries. The creature's massive head erupted from the water, its eyes each the size of dinner plates, and it fixed its predatory gaze on the party. Combat erupted as the ancient reptile attacked, grappling and attempting to pull party members into the dark water. Nadira was seized in its jaws, taking significant damage. Chioma responded by casting Piercing Hymn, a sonic attack so potent it left the deinosuchus deafened. The combined assault of Theo's Electric Arc, Nadira's strikes, and William's weapon work, along with support from Chioma and Renali, eventually brought the ancient predator down. Renali delivered the final blow, pulling the creature into the mud for the last time.

With Sweettooth dead and the cultists' attention drawn to the external Ekujae assault erupting all around the fortress, the party moved swiftly through the churning water toward their chosen entry point—the weakened clay construction where the Ekujae's ancestors had broken off one of Dahak's fangs centuries ago.

The party pushed open the heavy wooden gates of the Fortress of Sorrow's interior, revealing a stark hallway. The walls were covered with six-inch wooden spikes carved to resemble dragon's teeth, creating an ominous, threatening atmosphere. Four wooden doors lined the northern wall. Dominating the center of the room was a statue of a humanoid dragon—which suddenly revealed itself to be a massive clay golem shaped into draconic form. Its eyes glowed with unnatural light as it turned to face the intruders.

Behind the golem, two boggard swampseers lounged against the far wall but immediately straightened at the party's intrusion, their bulbous eyes widening. They began croaking loudly in alarm, their calls echoing through the fortress.

Combat erupted with the clay golem moving with shocking speed. In its first action, the golem unleashed a devastating attack directly at Ifiok, the leader of the Rainkin Demon Hunters. The half-orc warrior attempted to dodge and counter with her spear, but the golem's massive fist caught her squarely in the chest. The impact sent her flying backward into the wall with a sickening crack. Her spear—the weapon she carried for her nephew and her oath of vengeance—clattered to the ground beside her crumpled, motionless form.

Ifiok was killed instantly by the golem's attack, a devastating loss that shocked everyone. Jemba cried out in anguish and rushed to her side. Korag stood frozen in shock, unable to process the sudden death of their leader. The two surviving Rainkin hunters held their position and would eventually help barricade a door to hold back incoming reinforcements.

Theo contained the golem with a magical spell, trapping it in a force field that prevented its movement for a critical round. This gave the party a chance to regroup and attack the boggard swampseers from range. William discovered he could lure the golem out into the rain by moving toward the exit, reasoning that the clay construct might take environmental damage from being saturated. Nadira sustained her bless spell throughout the combat while also using holy water and other resources to maximize damage against the corrupted construct.

The clay golem proved to be an extremely difficult opponent. Its hardness made it resistant to many attacks, and its devastating melee power meant any character it focused on took catastrophic damage. William's shield was destroyed during the fight, fragments falling away as he took punishing hits. Nadira nearly died and was saved by massive healing from her holy connection. Chioma took severe damage and was healed back up by Nadira's powerful restoration magic. The angel's Piercing Hymn proved valuable but came at high cost.

The battle was brutal and grinding. Frazzle struggled to find useful actions, with his guns jamming repeatedly and his spell attacks unable to penetrate the golem's defenses. He eventually cast Sanctuary on William to protect him, then moved away from the fight to avoid becoming an additional target. Theo's spells proved more effective, with Force Barrage and Blazing Bolt providing consistent damage. However, the golem's Cursed Wound ability meant that healing the party became increasingly difficult—Nadira had to use a Reset button type healing ability to cleanse the condition and bring the party back to fighting strength.

The encounter went on for numerous rounds, with the party slowly grinding down the golem's substantial hit points. William bore the brunt of the damage as the tank, while Nadira managed healing and support. Eventually, William delivered the final blow to the clay golem, smashing it to pieces. The construct crumbled into lifeless chunks, its animated form finally still.

However, the victory was hollow. Ifiok lay dead against the wall where the golem's fist had driven her, her body terribly still, her spear just beyond her outstretched fingers. The oath of vengeance she carried for her nephew's mauling would never be fulfilled. Jemba and Korag wept with grief and rage, but channeled their emotion into action—they helped barricade the door to the fortress's deeper sections, holding back cultist reinforcements.

Behind the barricaded door, you could hear the cultists scrambling and confused shouting in Draconic and Boggard. The makeshift barrier wouldn't hold forever, but it was buying precious time. Nadira knelt beside Ifiok's body, murmuring prayers to Sarenrae: "She died a warrior's death, striking at evil. The Dawnflower will guide her to her ancestors." She gently closed the half-orc's eyes before standing, her expression hardening with resolve.

From deeper in the fortress came a tremendous roar—not quite dragon, not quite boggard, but something between. Belmazog's voice, magically amplified, boomed through the halls: "KYRION! WAKE UP, YOU USELESS LIZARD! THEY'RE IN MY SANCTUM! BURN THEM ALL!" A weak, pained dragon's roar responded, followed by the rattling of massive chains.

The barricaded door shuddered as something heavy slammed against it from the other side. The makeshift barrier held, but wood splinters ominously. Jemba and Korag exchanged a look. "We'll hold this door as long as we can, give you time to heal and ready," Jemba spoke. "We'll be with you all the way," Korag finished. "Ifiok would haunt us if we let you fight her killer alone."

The session ended with the party having defeated the clay golem guardian but at significant cost. Ifiok's death added a bitter cost to what should have been a triumphant moment. The barricaded door was beginning to fail. Belmazog still awaited deeper in the fortress, and there was mention of a dragon—possibly Kyrion—that had been mentioned in earlier intelligence and was now being awakened by the boggard cult leader. The party was bloodied, damaged, and facing multiple more encounters before reaching Belmazog herself.

The DM indicated that more combat awaited next weekend, suggesting that the final assault would continue in subsequent sessions, likely concluding Book 3: Tomorrow Must Burn.

Session Notes

Key events:

Party prepared for assault with Ekujae leadership providing supplies, information, and blessing
Decided to strike at dawn when Chioma's divine power was strongest
Ekujae forces mobilized with party as vanguard; war party followed a half-day behind
Encountered and defeated Sweettooth, the ancient deinosuchus in the swamp
Entered the Fortress of Sorrow through weakened clay construction (the fang-break mentioned in Ekujae records)
Encountered clay golem guardian in main hallway with two boggard swampseers
Brutal combat with clay golem; Ifiok of the Rainkin Demon Hunters killed instantly
Clay golem eventually defeated after many rounds of grinding combat
Session ended with party regrouping; Belmazog and Kyrion (apparent dragon) still ahead

NPCs/Allies:

Ekujae forces — Led by Jahsi, Nketiah, Akosa, Ose Panin and Ose Atsu; surrounded fortress with war party
Chioma — Celestial angel; provided healing and Piercing Hymn attacks; severely damaged in combat
Renali — Party animal companion; dealt killing blow to deinosuchus; scouted ahead
Ifiok — Rainkin Demon Hunter leader; killed by clay golem in opening strike
Korag and Jemba — Remaining Rainkin hunters; held barricaded door to prevent reinforcements; grief-stricken at Ifiok's death

Combat encounters:

Sweettooth (Ancient Deinosuchus) — Awakened by party's raft vibrations; grappled and attacked party; eventually killed
Clay Golem + Boggard Swampseers — Guardian encounter in fortress main hallway; golem possessed incredible strength and hardness; killed Ifiok instantly; eventually defeated through sustained party effort

Party decisions:

Chose dawn as attack time to maximize Chioma's divine power
Selected entry point through weakened clay construction rather than main gates
Fought through deinosuchus rather than avoiding it
Lured clay golem toward rain to gain environmental advantage
Sustained healing and support roles despite resource depletion
Maintained barricade with Rainkin hunters' help to prevent reinforcements

Unresolved threats:

Belmazog still alive deeper in fortress
Kyrion, a dragon bound with chains, awakened by Belmazog
Unknown number of additional encounters remaining
Reinforcements massed behind barricaded door (limited time before breakthrough)
Scarlet Triad connection to clay golem (suggesting more sophisticated opposition ahead)

Casualties/Losses:

Ifiok — Killed by clay golem's opening attack
William's shield — Destroyed in combat with clay golem
Party resources — Significant healing spells expended; hero points used; Chioma's divine power nearly depleted

Rewards/loot:

None mentioned; focus on survival and progress

Rules/Technical notes:

Discussed Grab ability mechanics (does not consume additional action; triggers on successful Strike)
Highlighted cursed wound condition and its limitation on healing
Discussed MAP penalties on multiple attacks
Noted clay golem's Berserk ability (special version of standard golem ability)
DM mentioned need to level up Renali before next session

Campaign status:

All eight dragon pillars destroyed
Ekujae curse lifted
200-strong Ekujae war party surrounding fortress externally
Party positioned for final confrontation with Belmazog
Kyrion (dragon) awakened
Estimated more combat sessions needed to conclude Book 3

Tone and narrative: The session took a darker turn with Ifiok's unexpected death. Her character arc—the oath to avenge her nephew's mauling—ended with her being killed before she could face her enemy, adding tragedy to what should have been triumph. This set a tone of genuine danger and consequences for the final assault. The acknowledgment that reinforcements were massing behind the barricade added urgency and the sense that time was running out.