A Desperate Morning#
The party awakens to Chalk Rock frantically alerting them that the Iron Claws have taken hostages in the great hall and are threatening to execute them. Despite some initial skepticism from Silas and Brew about whether they should care, the group quickly realizes the gravity of the situation when they learn the hostages include George (Olivia’s nephew), Will, Rosco, Belvolt, Finnwick (who is actively bleeding out), and Lady Corwin.
The party debates their approach while shopping for last-minute magical items and preparing for what promises to be their final confrontation with the Iron Claws. They use magical disguises to blend in with the ravers preparing for Helisana’s concert in the great hall.
The Hostage Crisis#
Arriving at the great hall, the party discovers:
- Six cages containing hostages suspended on scaffolding over the bridge
- At least a dozen elite Iron Claw guards positioned throughout the hall
- Lieutenant Grim Jaw (seemingly resurrected and sewn back together) and Captain Corwin (Triple C, looking like a vacant undead puppet) commanding the operation
- Helisana’s ravers preparing for a concert, seemingly unconcerned with the hostage situation
Silas scouts ahead using his hat of disguise to appear as an Iron Claw soldier. The party splits up to rescue multiple hostages simultaneously, with some heading to the upper level and others staying below.
Battle in the Great Hall#
As Helisana’s concert begins (with a musical timer counting down), chaos erupts:
Initial Rescues:
- Silas stabs and kills one guard near George’s cage
- Elspeth uses telekinetic shove to push an Iron Claw into the lava
- Brew uses his cannon to push another guard into the lava with force ballista
- Olivia (controlled by Taylor) attacks and defeats the guard threatening George
- Liliana heals the dying Finnwick with healing word
The Ravers Join the Fight:
- Helisana begins her electric guitar performance, unleashing Eldritch blasts at the Iron Claws
- Her ravers, fulfilling their mission, swarm through the hall attacking Iron Claw soldiers
- The party continues fighting under time pressure as the music creates urgency
Key Moments:
- Olivia and Bob (her ram mount) lead charges on the upper level
- Ohma delivers devastating martial arts attacks, dealing massive damage
- Brew’s heat metal spell causes excruciating damage to an Iron Claw, who eventually jumps into the lava to escape the pain
- Multiple hostages are freed, though Belvolt is injured and Lady Corwin dies
- Liliana uses hypnotic pattern to incapacitate several enemies including Marta
The Ultimate Deception#
In a shocking turn, Silas reveals a plan he’s been secretly coordinating with Brew:
The Setup:
- Silas stabs Brew (his own party member) to sell his deception
- He claims to Lieutenant Grim Jaw that he wants to betray the party for money
- Grim Jaw brings the group before Helga Ironart in the throne room of the forge heart
The Negotiation:
- Silas presents a fake orb to Helga, claiming it’s the real dragon-controlling artifact
- He demands one million gold pieces to leave the city and reveal the real orb’s location
- Helga, surrounded by her elite guards and iron golems, initially threatens violence
- Silas uses his knowledge of the approaching dragons (through a tunnel Brew is opening) as leverage
- Throughout the negotiation, Silas uses psychic phone to relay detailed thoughts about the room’s layout to the party
The Trap:
- While negotiating, Brew secretly plants explosive charges throughout the throne room
- He strings them along structural weak points and under the bridge
- The charges are set on a timed sequence to detonate on Brew’s signal
The Assassination:
- When Helga agrees to shake on the deal, Silas gives the signal: “Now”
- Brew’s explosives detonate, causing massive structural damage to the throne room
- In the chaos, Silas attacks Helga with surprise
- He critically strikes with a natural 20, dealing 51 damage with sneak attack
- His attacks are personal—he whispers “What were their names?” referring to his crew that Helga killed in Grayport
- Helga doesn’t remember them, highlighting the casual cruelty of her villainy
- Silas coordinates with Brew’s cannon for the killing blow—flames incinerate Helga from inside her mouth, leaving only a skeleton falling into her throne
Desperate Escape#
With Helga dead, the throne room begins collapsing:
Chaos Ensues:
- Multiple dexterity saving throws as debris falls from the crumbling facade
- Silas uses his evasion to avoid damage despite his low HP (only 6 remaining)
- Several of Helga’s lieutenants use teleportation rings to escape
- Ohma successfully steals Marta’s teleportation ring with sleight of hand
- Ohma then kicks Marta off a ledge, though she survives and casts a spell
The Chase:
- Grim Jaw attempts to flee across the collapsing bridge
- Triple C (zombie Captain Corwin) attacks Silas but is fought off
- Brew’s timed explosives continue detonating in sequence
- The party races across the bridge as explosions chase them
- Bob (Olivia’s ram) becomes restrained but is dismissed and resummoned
- Multiple party members take significant damage from falling debris (30 damage to those who failed their saves)
- Despite attempts to stop them, both Grim Jaw and Triple C survive and escape
Final Moments:
- The party reaches the door just as the final charge detonates
- Silas questions why Brew didn’t use a remote detonator instead of a timer
- Brew responds that “timers are always more fun”
- The session ends on a cliffhanger as they escape through the doorway
Character Moments#
Silas’s Revenge: His personal vendetta against Helga for killing his crew in Grayport drives the entire deception plan. His cold professionalism in negotiating with her, only to personally execute her, shows both his tactical mind and emotional core.
Brew’s Engineering: Justin’s elaborate trap with timed explosives showcases Brew’s artificer skills and willingness to take risks. His coordination with Silas demonstrates growing trust despite their usual dynamic.
Liliana’s Support: Luke’s strategic use of crowd control spells (hypnotic pattern) and support abilities (mantle of inspiration, healing word) proves crucial in keeping the party alive during chaotic combat.
Ohma’s Pragmatism: Walden’s monk demonstrates both combat prowess and tactical thinking by stealing Marta’s escape ring and attempting to eliminate threats.
Elspeth’s Determination: Ali’s paladin shows her protective nature, particularly in saving Belvolt and trying to ensure everyone escapes safely.
Party Dynamics: The session highlights the party’s ability to coordinate complex plans under pressure, even when some members (like Liliana and Elspeth) aren’t fully briefed on the deception.
Key Information Learned#
- Helga Ironart is dead, killed by Silas and Brew
- The Iron Claws’ leadership is scattered—Grim Jaw and Triple C escaped, while others like Car and Athena used teleportation rings to flee
- Marta is dead, killed by the explosions
- The forge heart throne room is destroyed
- Several teleportation rings exist that allow instant escape
- The party successfully saved most hostages: George, Will, Rosco, Finnwick (all survived); Lady Corwin died; Belvolt was injured but stabilized
Unresolved Threads#
- What happened to the approaching dragons?
- Where did the surviving Iron Claw leaders teleport to?
- Will Grim Jaw and Triple C seek revenge?
- What will be the political fallout in High Forge with Helga dead?
- Can the party now use Marta’s teleportation ring?
- What role will Helisana and her ravers play going forward?
The session masterfully blended intense combat, clever deception, personal drama, and explosive action (literally). The party’s coordinated betrayal of Helga represents a major turning point in the campaign, though the escape of key villains ensures future complications.