The Cursed: Deadly Marilith

[Part of the Cursed story line]

A Helmite ghost tells the party that only by passing a series of tests can they earn the keys to the vault. These test are mostly combat related, requiring to slay a dragon or survive waves of orcs but are quite easy to pass.

Much harder are the foes summoned when each key is turned. The first one brings an Aurumach that destroys Edwina in a magic duel. The second is the easiest, a lich with flaming skulls, only because the party has fought these before. The last is a powerful monstrous team of six including a beholder and a marilith!

So many swords, so many resistances!

Even with planar and summon support, the team is hard pressed and suffer casualties, with each member taking out one of the opposing team until only Catharina is left to face a drow huntress and the wounded Marilith. It takes a bit of luck and a lot of running but she is victorious. Alas, the rest of her team: Nalia, Lu Lingqi, Keldorn and Aerie all lie dead around the seal.

Insight: Flaming skulls explode in a fireball when killed, so be sure to have enough health before killing one.

The Cursed: Summoners Rule

[Part of the Cursed story line]

The remaining trio of Keldorn, Lu Lingqi and Catharina then proceed to the Illithid area and heavily use summons to clear it out before leaving the Keep to regroup. To their surprise Nalia, Edwina and Aerie are there waiting for them.

Apparently there was still no luck on the missing city front so Imoen sent them here as backup while she chased another lead. With the extra casters, the main floor of Level 4 is easily cleared via summon abuse.

Adds are great, when they're on your side!

The team eventually finds a crystal hammer which Lu Lingqi uses to smash open the machine and spare the crazy mage (who was just an adventurer that got stuck there). Catharina fiddles with the device a bit until the portal down opens and the team descends to Level 5 - which is centered around a tri-locked vault. "The Imprisoned One" must be close now!

Insight: Gone are the days of invis, skull trap, and cloud kill. Now it's just easier to summon a horde of powerful minions, haste them and send them ahead of the party.

The Cursed: Whining Woods

[Part of the Cursed story line]

With the city now lich free the team begins the search for Suldanessellar, scouring the new forest zones with the magic lantern but come up empty. They do run into ex-team mates Coran and Safana, now a couple as Coran saved Safana from her wyvern sting, who are now working as bounty hunters... for Irenicus. They and their wolfwere allies are slain.

Well, someone's been playing too much of this!

Edwin also manages to transform himself into a woman (and can't change back) which leads to some comical teasing from Nalia and Aerie. Catharina's mind is elsewhere though, namely the Watcher's Keep, for if a magic team was strong against the liches maybe a melee team would triumph in that messed up magic maze?

She decides to find out and leaves with Lu Lingqi, instructing Imoen, Aerie, Nalia and Edwina to continue the search in their absence.

Insight: Another reason I left them is the whining. My god, the whining. Aerie, Nalia and female Edwin constantly ask to rest in the most irksome decibels.

The Cursed: Lichless City

[Part of the Cursed story line]

Catharina decides the search for the Elf city can wait, having been impressed by this magic heavy party and decides to hunt all the liches resting beneath Athkatla. The first one nearly ends in disaster with everyone near death upon victory. Nalia seems very concerned for Aerie.

The second lich battle goes much better, having summons and buffs ready. Despite it managing to summon a pit fiend, the lich's own protection spell is disabled and the demon destroys its own summoner. The third lich goes down even quicker.

Because pieces of lich are more powerful than a full size one?

The final lich is Kangaxx, and he is uber powerful - munching through summons and continually resetting his defenses. Worse, upon being killed he transforms into a fast regenerating Demilich that is immune to almost all forms of damage. Catharina is forced to transform into her demon form to destroy it, and save the others from certain doom.

Insight: The Adventure Mart sells Vhailor's Helm which can cast Simulcarum once per day. This is very handy as it makes a double (albeit slightly weaker version) of whomever is using it, including all equiped items.

In my party, I gave it to Lu Lingqi carrying the +4 halberd. She also has the Ring of the Ram which does an non-negatable 5-30 damage. Both great when multiplied by two.

The Cursed: Return to Dust

[Part of the Cursed story line]

Not willing to let Bodhi escape this time, Catharina plans to bring as many people into the lair as she can for the assault - recruiting the Shadow Thieves, Paladins and even Drizzt Do'Urden and his allies who conveniently happen to be nearby.

Also recruited are Aerie, the circus Elf who is actually a cleric/mage and old Thayan frenemy Edwin Odesseiron who has ulterior motives at the graveyard district, namely the recovery of a magic scroll from a lich!

Baddies have no chance when Drizzt is around.

This team has no problem wiping out both the lich and the vampires, with Imoen staking Bodhi at the climax and retrieving her lost soul. As expected, the magic lantern is found in her coffin. All that's left to do now is to use it to find the missing Elf city!

Insight: Let the NPCs take all the drain damage. You should probably throw in some summons too (hastened Mord-swords are nice) to support them.