Adventure Three, Session Fifteen

EXT. GRAVEYARD, TARSEL - DAY
When we last left our heroes, they were massed in the looted graveyard of the small village of Tarsel. Here, all the cemetery plots have been excavated and raided (possibly for the demonic intruders to feed upon), but what is of greater interest in the large stone statue shaped like a man. The PCs recently acquired the "control stone" to operate the ambulatory statue, which was named Xalixlig. And just in time, as the demonic forces (disguised as mere townsfolk) were slowly approaching the graveyard... and the party. Along with them, the demons had their own "golem," this one constructed of wood, yet taller than Xalixlig.
It should be noted that both Naiya Arabata and Magister Clickwild remained behind at Figley's tower for their own protection. Just prior to the battle that was about to commence, Tesken also returned to the tower in order to help protect the Inheritrix.
The party decided to meet the threat head-on and moved to the center of town, awaiting their enemy. They massed around Xalixlig, using him as both aggressor and shield. Moments later, the enemy was upon them, and the party engaged in possibly their deadliest battle so far.
At first the battle went well for the party, as they were able to sweep through and destroy the majority of the weak demons on the front lines. In fact, it was only when the last of the demons died (revealing their diminutive, true forms) that things took a turn for the worse. Several of the demons (called "Dretch") emitted a cloud of gas from their bodies before they were sent back to Hades. This thick, green cloud enveloped a good swath of the party and poisoned a good number of them. It inhibited their ability to take decisive action, as they were gagging and coughing, and generally just really sickened. Regardless, the biggest portion of the battle was being waged between the two artificial behemoths. Stone fought wood, with both punching and slamming the other, taking chunks out of their respective "bodies."
This continued, along with aid from the rest of the party, until it seemed as if they would finally destroy the wooden monstrosity. But one of it's mighty punches felled Sendry, leaving him on death's door (and unable to continue the fight... for now). The party rushed to his aid, and they were sniped with arrows coming from the "civic center" nearby. This great long-house is where many of the demons had been rallying, and indeed where some from the battlefield fled once their numbers were decimated.
Now, at least three Dretch were taking shots at the party from the windows and crenelations of the long, two story building. Warren flew up to the windows and leapt through one of them, to assault the snipers in melee combat. Unfortunately, the three Dretch on the second floor all jumped him, and Warren soon joined Sendry in a state of near death.
Finally, the large wooden golem fell to the might of its stone enemy, and in doing so crashed through a portion of the long-house's roof, creating a sizable hole. Using the stone golem as a lift of sorts, several of the party went to investigate what was happening inside the building. Tomison turned invisible and snuck in through the hole in the roof. She landed on the second floor, which was more of a catwalk running the length of the building's interior, overlooking the first floor beneath it. From her new vantage, Tomison saw a number of things.
She discovered that all the original townsfolk were here, tied to wooden posts and mostly unconscious. And amongst their numbers were both the real (assumedly) Figley and Yordel! And along with them, the bound and unconscious forms of Teffa and Temerity. She witnessed them finish tying Warren to a stake as well, still alive, but barely.
The room was also filled with a good number of Dretch, who were being led by a cloaked, hulking form - much larger than a regular human. This cloaked figure seemed to be in the middle of some sort of demonic ritual or incantation. It's focus was something happening at the far end of the room.
A dark portal was opened, through which only darkness could be seen. Smoke and mist poured from the portal, hovering over the ground at the far end of the room. The only thing visible within the dark portal was a set of GLOWING EYES!
By this time both Guy and Mangy climbed Xalixlig to get a look inside as well. They reported back to the remainder of the party, and a decision was made. They were going to storm the building.
Using Xalixlig as a battering ram, they slammed into the already weakened section of the long-house, finishing the damage started by the wood golem's fall. SMASH! Xalixlig plowed through the wall... and the party followed.
INT. CIVIC CENTER - DAY
They instantly focused their attacks on the cloaked leader, and after a few well-placed Magic Missiles, the leader threw off his cloak, revealing his true nature. He was a Glabrezu, a demon reminiscent of the one previously encountered named Slarthinaster (in the temple of Ryktuss back in Angleport). The Glabrezu instantly went on the offensive, attack with it's two arms and two giant pincers.
Some of the party broke off to attempt to free the prisoners. Mainly Tomison, who was already over (invisible) on that side of the room. The Glabrezu, however, cast a Darkness spell, covering the far half of the room in an impenetrable, magic blackness through which nothing could be seen. Nonetheless, Tomison managed to both release Warren, but also was able to feed him the contents of one of the green vials found in Figley's Tower (Mangy had previously consumed one and discovered it to be a powerful healing potion). Warren came to and, though groggy, was able to enter the fray with the others.
Pretty soon, from the screams coming from within the magic darkness, it became clear that the Dretch were shoving sacrificial townsfolk INTO the portal. This seemed to be confirmed by the fact that the creature within, the one with the glowing eyes, seemed to be getting closer... and was about to emerge from the portal.
The party remembered something, however. From Figley's burned journal. The last page. The entry about summoning a demon. A name was listed... Yanexiglava!
The party began chanting the name, hoping it would have some effect. And it did. For as they chanted it, the Glabrezu was no longer able to concentrate on its ritual. It bellowed out, "Who speaks my name!?" It then began attacking as many PCs as it could, seeing as they all were chanting.
One other effect of the chanting was that the Glabrezu, Yanexiglava, lost its hold over the Darkness spell, and the magical blackness lifted suddenly. The party rushed in to free as many townsfolk as possible before they could be fed to the portal. In fact, Tomison got in just in time before Temerity was to be sacrificed. She managed to fell the Dretch that was pushing her forward.
Mangy then cast a Web spell, coating both the portal entry and those around it in thick, sticky tendrils. This would hold off the sacrifices for a time. The fighting continued in earnest, with most of the Dretch easily falling to the PCs. However, Yanexiglava himself did some terrible damage, bringing several members of the party to near death. The Glabrezu also finally dispelled the Web protecting the portal, and the remaining Dretch attempted to continue their sacrifices.
Finally, the party had an idea. They began chanting Yanexiglava's name backwards! The effect it provided was that Yanexiglava was slowly dragged back to the portal (as if in thrall to the opposite of a Summoning spell) though before he could finally be sent through, he managed to hit Mangy and drop him. Mangy was alive, but just barely. The Glabrezu, as it was being pushed back, managed to grab Tomison in its claws. Would it drag her along with it into the summoning gate?
The rest of the party hit Yanexiglava with everything they had remaining, and finally the great demon was slain, his body resting just outside the gate. And with his death, the glowing eyes retreated into the blackness beyond the gate -- which was beginning to close! The dead body of the Glabeezu released Tomison before it could squeeze the life out of her. The party then shoved the Glabrezu's body into the rift before it closed. They then stabilized Mangy and freed the remaining captives, including Figley and Yordle.
So it was, in the center of a small village on the outskirts of nowhere, that the party destroyed an impressive force of invading demons, thus saving what remained of the victimized townsfolk...
...Now if they can only get to Sage before the Inheritrix's pursuers catch up to them...