Too many Gorions

FrdNwsm

Having (hopefully) saved Neera from the obsessed Red Wizards once and for all, MC and the heroic band decided to get back on track in their main quest; finding out how to defeat the vile Yog-Sototh. Learning that a clue might be found in a ruined temple to good old Dad, the party journeyed to the forest of Mire, which was indeed as grimy as it sounded. Proceeding with the usual caution, MC ordered scouts out ... a couple of skeletal warriors and a fire elemental would do nicely.

Alas, scouts proved of little avail this time as far as avoiding an ambush. The group was waylaid by the spirit of "Gorion", who chastised his old ward for becoming corrupt. Yeah, right. The ploy might have been semi-effective ... if MC hadn't run into the same scam way back in Candlekeep! Come on, guy, get creative! The pseudo Gorion kept droning on, despite MC delivering the most withering responses he could think of. Damn all copycat villains! They insist on having delivering their pretentious speeches, and won't take "shut your festering gob, you twit" as a hint.

Unfortunately, he wasn't all verbal bluster. He slapped MC upside the head a few times, knocked him down, did some damage and drained a level (since MC hadn't had a chance to get a proper mad on). Finally, the imposter revealed that (surprise!) he wasn't really Gorion, but some clown calling himself the Master Wraith. How pretentious; I got your Master Wraith right here, guy! He was, however, master enough to summon a slew of devil shades and a horror or two with which to attack the group. Neera called up a planetar, everybody else did their special things and the usual confused melee erupted.

Several people got further life drained and the elemental totally poofed, but the "Master" Wraith was soon sent demoted to servant status and sent packing. MC discovered the pleasant fact that Planetars weren't just sword wielders; they packed a boatload of useful spells also, including restoration. Combined with Anomen's spells, the party was brought back to normal, or what passed for normal anyway, and another sleletal warrior was drafted to replace the elemental as scout.

Anomen started his usual whining about being tired, but they decided to press on anyway and told the wimp to suck it up.

FrdNwsm

The Temple proper had become home to the former Bhaal worshipers, who for some reason had become undead. An amusing fray erupted, wherein MC's skeletal warriors battled their hostile skeletal counterparts. MC was a bit confused initially as to which were which, until Imoen thumped him over the head, telling him "It's simple, you dolt; the bad guys are the ones trying to kill you!" Oh. Right.

There was a skeletal mage and skeletal cleric off to the sides casting spells, and even a skeletal assassin, who tried to get in a backstab by drinking a potion of invisibility. The ploy was foiled by Keldorn, who always uses true sight in a fracas, but MC was puzzled how the assassin expected it to work in any event, since skeletons HAVE NO STOMACHS! Well, OK ... it's magic and all that. Fine.

Planetars outfight skeletal clerics, the "good" skeletal warriors were hasted and chewed up their opposing numbers, and the mage didn't last long against the rest of the group.

When the dust settled, the party heard some cackling off in the distance; investigating, they came across a heartless witch muttering to herself. No, she really WAS heartless. She spun a very weird story about adopting dear Yoggie as a child, but he proved a terribly ungrateful and thoughtless son. "He never calls, he never writes" ... he also ripped out her heart, along with his own. Apparently he keeps his heart in a safe place so that he can never be killed. What he was doing with "mom's" heart was a bit unclear. Maybe he gives it flowers on Mother's Day.

She gave the group directions as to where to go and what to do to a) get her own heart back and b) grab "Yoggie's" heart also. She would work her mojo on it and make him vulnerable to our weapons. She then started a fight with the planetar, for no apparent reason; our skeletons joined in, and after a few rounds she withdrew, healed her wounds and proclaimed how clever she was.

MC was beginning to suspect the old bat was a few hay sheaves short of a full bale, but she was the only means they had to make Yog-Sototh mortal again, so they were forced to go along with her plan. The next stop was apparently the Marching Mountains. Where they were marching to was left unexplained.

Blucher

Does MC mean CharName?

FrdNwsm

Heeh; yeah, it's my abbr for MyChar. I suppose I could have also used CN (for CharName).

cameosis

MC = master of ceremonies.

Adso

Whoops, in my mind I read the first post's "MC" as "Master Chief" the whole way through.

FrdNwsm

Mister Champion
Majorly Clever
Mighty Conjurer
Maximum Convenience

Etc. etc.