The city of Kenabres is buzzing with activity as all the vendors are out early, setting up colourful tents and caravans to hawk their wares. At noon, the Lord Hulrun himself will be blessing the festival himself, people have started to gather in St. Clydwell square to get a good spot to witness the speech of the Lord Ruler.
Iko walks through the square with a smile to everyone he passes and a slight bow to those who return it. He moves gracefully avoiding cntac with most everyone along the way. His finely toned body moving effortlessly, his monk robes of blue and white. He finds spot near where the Lord Ruler Hulrun will make his speech and he waits.
Don walked through the streets in an even more irritated mood. The caravan here had been long and dirty and the wagon containing his special crossbow had fell into a ditch where it was broken! Don didn't have near enough money to buy another one and had to make do with a common light crossbow.
Maybe there is some mercenary work or something else? I am almost broke. Don thought to himself as he found himself heading to the square to hear the speech.
Lynn uses her time to seek out the beauty in Kenabres. As she draws the colourful chaos of tents and caravans she is sorry that she only has grey pencils. She plans to buy coloured pencils the first thing when she gets the next payment. She already has the cracked wardstone in her notebook. And she hopes that Terendelev, the ancient Silver Dragon of Kenabres will be on stage during the speech of Lord Hulrun. And that the speech is long enough for her to make a sketch of the mighty dragon.
As the time nears she searches a spot where has a good view on the events to come at St. Clydwell and a wall to lean at. She'd prefer a heightened place to sit on. But she was not the only one with that idea and the good places to sit are all taken already. To pass the time Lynn starts a sketch of St. Clydwell.
Tink walks down the avenues between between the merchants stalls, stopping at almost every one to see what they are selling.
He finds some blue ribbon at one stall, and decides to humor Blue, so buys that for him. After handing it over the over excited bird quickly squirrels it away before taking flight to look for the next blue bauble.
SteelGate pulls the cart along beside, eyeing the people with significantly more interest than Tink. He has never been comfortable in crowds.
As the streets start to empty as the crowd funnels into the square for the speech, Tink is dragged along in the flow of bodies and soon finds himself unable to see anything for the people around him standing taller than he is.
Blue and Tink's empathic link flashes with excitement as the bird spots interesting items from the sky above. To him, interesting mostly consists of colour.
After a few moments Tink catches on that something is about to happen, and even as disinterested as he is, something on this scale might impact him as well. Instead of jostling to get a view he calls out to SteelGate to ask him to lift him above the crowd. Within moments Tink has one of the best views of the gathering in the square.
Standing patiently Iko, looks around at the gathered crowd and his eyes go wide at the sight of a elderly Ratfolk being held aloft by a massive metal man.
Iko smiles, really enjoying every new thing he see's outside of the monastery.
"Wonders will never cease."
As The crowd gathered in Clydwell Plaza quieted as the aged inquisitor took the stage, clad in shining, resplendent armor. He cleared his throat, but just as he was about to speak, a bright light shone from the west, as if the sun were rising from the wrong direction. Hulrun’s shadow fell huge and distorted across the cathedral’s facade. A moment later, the sound of a thunderous explosion ripped through the air and earth, along with a violent tremor.
To the west, the fortress known as the Kite—the location of
Kenabres’s wardstone—had vanished. In its place, a brilliant
plume of red fire, lightning, and smoke erupted into the heavens.
A moment later, a powerful roar accompanied a welcome
sight rising from the crowd—Kenabres’s greatest guardian, the
ancient silver dragon Terendelev, who had until that moment
been attending the opening ceremony disguised as a human.
Above, another form appeared, as nightmarish as the dragon
was breathtaking. A humanoid shape three times the size of any
man, with skin coated in fire and lightning, gripped a flaming
sword and whip. The creature’s identity was immediately obvious:
Khorramzadeh, the Storm King of the Worldwound, had come
to Kenabres!
As the ground continued to shake and disgorge demons
into the streets, the dragon and the balor lord clashed above.
The fight was over in a few harrowing moments, as the balor
cut deep into Terendelev’s body, swooping down to strike the
dragon and arresting her charge. A few more blows, and the
titanic duo spiraled downward toward the crowd.
The sight of the dragon smashing into the facade of the
Cathedral of St. Clydwell is one no witness would ever forget. At
that moment, a titanic demon erupted at the far end of the plaza,
reducing several buildings to ruins as it smashed into this world.
The rift it created shot across the plaza, and this time there was no
escape—it opened below your feet, angling away into darkness.
Even as you fell, the dragon noticed your plight. Though she saw
death standing over her, she seized this final chance to save a few
more souls. After she uttered a few arcane words and stretched
out a bleeding talon, you felt her magic take hold of you, slowing
your plummet into the darkness as if you were feathers falling
into a pit. Yet the fall remained as inexorable, and as you drifted
downward into the depths, the last thing you saw was the Storm
King standing before the ancient silver dragon, his sword lashing
out and cleaving full through her neck. As her severed head fell,
the rift above you slammed shut, and the light of the world above
was gone.
Each of you wakes up with a splitting head ache, you can hear moaning and groaning you can hear wailing and crying. There is an absence of any light, the darkness is cold and weighs heavy on each of you in its own way.
A cry rings out, then a muffled cry like a hand clamped down over a mouth.
A faint light starts somewhere in the room and is quickly lessened.
"Hello, anyone else survive?"
Lynn opens her eyes. She needs a moment to sort out where she is and to remember what happened. As she does she starts crying "Terendelev! Noooohohoho!" Her sight blurred by the tears she sits there sobbing. If even the strongest can't stand against evil anymore it could be as well the end of the world.
Tink is awoken by the incessant pecking of Blue on his forehead. He stumbles over to the body of SteelGate. "I really need to get around to finding some way to keep him around when I pass out." he says to himself, checking over the construct to ensure it isn't damaged. After checking on his cart, and belongings (which are strewn about haphazardly), and collecting them into a pile he replies, "Who asks?"
Don's eyes snap open and he sits up. There was smiting and it wasn't me doing it!. Veins throb on Don's forehead and he stands up. Who is that? How is everyone!
Lynn looks around. Still sobbing she collects her now dirty journal. The cover and the pages kinked and dirty. She flips through the pages. Most of the drawings are still fine. But the middle pages where it landed are ruined with dirt. Her box of pencils is broken, the lid hanging loosely at only one hinge, the pencils strewn on the ground. Lynn collects the pencils back into the box and tries to put it together again but it's no use. She uses some twine to bind it together and packs it away in her backpack.
Last she picks up her Glaive. "Hello?" As it is dark and not everyone can see here as she does she cast daylight on the tip of the glaive and holds it up.
Tink jumps with the sudden bright light "A bit of warning next time..." He grumbles as he fiddles on SteelGate.
Iko awakens in the dark and rises and looks around. In the dark he hears Lynn cry out for Terendelev.
"Take heart. Death leaves a heartache no cleric can heal, love leaves a memory no bandit can steal." He says in a soft comforting voice in the dark.
Then suddenly there's light and seconds after his eyes adjust he takes in the scene around him and checks his temple sword then resheathes it and looks around for anyone he can help. "Who is hurt?"
Don winces in the light.I am here! Alas the noble dragon has fallen to demons and we must avenge her! Don starts looking arou8nd to see where they are.
"My magic has failed me, I cannot see the light I am trying to cast. Someone else light a torch or something."
A very tall elf is sitting up with his back against a massive pile of rubble.
A stocky short man move out from the most northern part of the cave in, his dress shows him to be of noble birth. He is cautious about approaching those who have survived.
"There is a light you, your eyes are gone though, A big scar runs from temple to temple."
"I can't feel my leg, and I cannot stand on it. Other than that I am ok."
The lighted stone moves out and makes the whole area brighter.
Lynn moves over to the woman with the hurt leg. "Here hold that." she tells holding out the glaive with the light. Then she checks on the leg.
The leg is broken, you will need some pretty potent magic or long term care to fix the break.
"Just splint it, I need to get back to the surface. I have to know if my wife survived. She will be with the Eagle Watch."
The stocky man louds out a rude noise then moves closer to the woman.
"I thought it sounded like you, your wife is that Halfbreed righteous paladin."
The man turns to those who are gathered.
"I am Horgus Gwerm and I am a member of the merchants guild here. I will pay you 1000 gold to get me out of this place ASAP"
The woman seethes with rage at the little man.
"Why you little... I will..
You can see the pain in her leg is the only thing from keeping her from standing up and killing the man.
"I am Aniva Tirablade and yes my wife is a Paladin in the Eagle Watch here."
"My eyes are gone? How will I help out? We need to leave here now."
The Elf stands up be trips over some rubble, leaning heavy on his staff.
"Your wife is a halfbreed in the Eagle Watch? I have met you before have I not? I am Aravashnial of the Rift Wardens. We must make all haste to the surface, we need to help in defending he city."
Aravashnial sets off east bound. Along the edge of the light you can see what looks like a large hulking figure on multiple legs. The figure looks ready to pounce.
"If you pay up front I'll accept the offer - under the condition that you answer all my orders with Yes Ma'm or No Ma'm and do as I tell you." Lynn tells the man giving him a stern glare.
Turning back to the problem at hand she looks around for a stick or something. Once she got one she cuts two inch off her blanket and wraps it around the leg and the stick.
"Here hold on to me and try to get up." Lynn tells while supporting her.
Iko see's the elf move eastward and the threat lurking there and bounds into action.
"Elf wait! Stop!" and charges forward to grab the elf and pull him back but will Iko get there in time?
Over the course of all this discourse Tink has continued fiddling on SteelGate who whirs to life after about a minute.
Once SteelGate is moving once again, Tink begins to look through the pockets of the closest deceased, for anything of value, or even of interest. He comes across a corpse under a boulder every now and then which he calls SteelGate over to move.
The injured should stay close! There is no telling if a demon lurks in the darkness. Don looks around with Tink.
"Hmmph"
Horgus turns around.
Tink finds a few coppers and other small change among the various corpses and body parts that are sticking out of the cave in.
As Lynn has Aniva standing she takes a look around who else might need help and who could help to take over Aniva. As well as for an exit from this place they fell in.
Aniva holds on to Lynn as she stands up, slowly putting weight on the legs. He face held firm as she attempts to stand on her own, she leans down and grabs a long piece of wood to use as a staff.
"My thanks, again I am Aniva Tirablade. I would appreciate it if you would help me get out of here to the surface."
As Iko grabs Aravashnial by the shoulder he stops dead in his tracks.
"My name is not ELF! I am a member of the Rift Wardens and you will treat me as such."
He turns his shoulder removing Iko's hand from it.
You would think money would motivate them to get moving and leave these dead weight behind. I will get them to my side
"I don't have the money now woman, My mansion is above and my vault is well protected. I will pay you once we are there safe."
Horgus stops when Iko shouts, slinking back a bit into the cave in trying to hide.
"wha...what.. is it? Someone kill it quick before it can kill us!"
"Apologies Aravashnial. Danger lurks ahead, please stay back. You cannot see honourable Rift warden." Iko says then ste[s between the blind Rift warden and the creature in shadows.
"Beware everyone. Danger looms before us. Look!" Iko says and points to the shadows where the creature waits.
As Aniva stands on her own Lynn takes her glaive back and moves towards the elf and the monk to shed some light on that creature.
Iko cannot make out what lurks in the darkness ahead, Aravashnial will move back with the monk. A slight smile on his face from being called Honorable.
As Lynn moves forward the shape of a giant spider comes into better view.
It appears dead from this distance
Her glaive in front of her ready to stab if it attacks Lynn moves closer. She is not interested to have that at her back.
"Be wary. The way forward is perilous. We must move with caution." Iko says and draws what appears to be his only possession, his temple sword.
Don loads his crossbow and readies it to fire if it moves.
Tink casts detect magic a few times, just looking for any magical auras. "If someone helps me fix the cart the wounded can ride it." Tink says looking over his cart more closely now . As everyone is too occupied with the spider Tink says to SteelGate"SteelGate, please go poke that thing and see if it moves."
"Understood." A mechanical voice grates from the construct as he makes his way over to the spider. Once closer, if it doesn't move, he pokes it with a metal foot.
Steel gate approaches the spider which doesn't move, as the Eidolon kicks the spider 2 very large looking worm like creatures burst out of the spider.
These are 2 giant maggots
The creatures move to attack SteelGate.
"Ewww!"
Lynn is glad to have a reach weapon to stay away from these disgusting things. She approaches as far as necessary and stabs at one of them.
With her glaive Lynn manages to kill one of the maggots by slicing it down the middle.
Iko moves forward and will attack any of these creatures that get past Lynn and Steelgate since they are up close with the creatures.
Tink looks over at the group but decides that his effort is best spent elsewhere, casts detect magic to see if there are any magic items in the area.
Don fires his crossbow at the other maggot.