"I'll take care of the abomination. Chakos, you keep talking with the humans."
"Need me to keep cycle analyzing them?"
Astra goes off into the wilderness alone, finds the horse easily and tends to its wounds. She brings it back to the fort.
The crusaders rearm themselves in their gear. "Thank you. You saved our lives. If only you had come sooner, maybe more of us would be here. It's not much, I know, but please rest here. It's the least we can do. I don't know what we will be doing from now on. Perhaps head to Torch first, and then to another crusader fort, likely Castle Urion."
"Is there anything else we can do to help you on your journey?"
Have you heard anything in particular about Scrapwall? Perhaps from the bandits?
Liz prepares Sneek as rations for everyone, making sure he is well seasoned and his fur saved for gloves.
"I suspect you are far worse off than we are, so the question should be reversed: is there anything *we* can do to help *you* on your journey?" Astra asks. "And I feel that the fate of our prisoner should also rest with you. As the ones who were wronged, I think justice should be determined by you. What punishment would you like to see meted out?"
"We have heard from the Smilers' gossip that one of the Lords of Rust, a priestess, went to Torch and did not return. The Lords were angry, and the Smilers were planning on giving Aldronard's Grave as a present to them."
"After we rest a bit, we will make our way to Torch. Worry not for us. Together we should be able to do that much. As for the prisoner, Sarenrae teaches forgives in all things. But we did not defeat this monster wearing the guise of a human. Burn him alive for his sins."
Well, we need to check out those other areas. Never know what evilness might be hiding in the cracks and crevices.
Liz hands out the grenades to any who want them. These grenades will spew out a poison gas when theye xplode.
After confirming with you on the death of the Smilers, one of the crusaders, Sindre, a half-elf with white-blonde hair, mentions the Chapel.
"I wouldn't go in there, if I were you. At night, the place is haunted by Crusader Aldronard himself. He is a restless spirit, and will attack creature on sight. We've had many injured people trying to cleanse the area, but he remains. Be careful if you decide to try yourself."
"I've no use for poison, although I do recognize it is a tool like any other. Each must make their own decisions regarding its use. If a good crusader's soul is tormented and inhabiting that chapel, we should at least check it out, what do you say Lara?"
"I am fascinated by the concept...usually, undead are evil in nature, but the living death of a truly good person such as a crusader -- the possibility of encountering an entity that could challenge the usual preconceptions is enthralling. I would be interested in an audience with this haunt, if others aren't against it."
If you wish.
The crusader gives you a key to the chapel.
Astra will also start to set up a pyre to burn the prisoner, as instructed by the crusaders, unless anybody objects.
You rest the night setting up tents in the watchtower and also setting up a watch rotation. Astra sets up a pyre and burns the Smiler. It screams, again part in pleasure and pain, when the fire consumes him.
Sneek says "I'll catch up to you guys later. I want to escort these guys back to Torch, then um, I'll head to Scrapwall." The crusaders plan to leave in a few days.
So...Who here knows anything about ghosts? I need to know some more before I read my spellbook
On ghosts?
"Pretty much they are dead people wearing sheets is all I know."
Astra probably doesn't know much about ghosts either.
Astra and Chakos know that ghosts are what happens to some dead people.
Staring at the chapel doors, even in the day time, you can feel an ominous presence. The key (if you're holding it) feels very heavy.
I disagree. We know nothing about the nature of the spirit that lies behind and until then, we should avoid it.
"Unless the spirit is evil and harmful, I think it's best to leave it in peace."
"Very well, I am content to leave well enough alone, for now."
In the morning you bid farewell to Sneek and the crusaders, as you head across the bridge over the Sellen River. You head further north along the river's side.
The terrain in more hilly than the wastelands and plains from before. As the sun sets you see the large "town." It is surrounded by mud and debris, with barricades along its edges. There is a gateway to the south.
Hmmm. If we enter now, we best see if there is a flophouse to stay at.
Astra had healing spells left over before turning in for the night, so we should be back to max once she expends them. Four times a minimum of 5hp healed each cast. One should take care of Syvlara, one for Chakos, one for Astra herself and I think that's everyone who's hurt, should be back to max.
"Liz, I concur, let's get on in there."
"Why a flophouse? We're rich, why not something better?"
Liz shrugs. If there is something better.Liz rides over to the gatehouse.
Scrapwall is an intimidating sight. Towers of rusted iron and hills of rubble and ruin, long ago divested of anything of remote value by tech-hungry scavengers, loom from the dusty surrounding plains. Immense lengths of chain, coils of jagged wire, giant clockwork gears, and old
corrugated metal cargo containers riddled with gashes, bullet holes, and the telltale pockmarks of laser fire are piled high, forming a jagged and intimidating hill-like wall surrounding the interior. Scrapwall is 3 miles across at its widest point, and the walls of junk enclosing its interior are an average of 30 feet high. These walls are not vertical and can be scaled, but the rubble shifts dangerously
at times.
A ramshackle pair of buildings with walls and roofs made of strips of leather and fur, timbers, metal plates, and other junk lashed and bolted together sits in a gap in the surrounding mounds of refuse. Between the two buildings runs a metal gate, closed to block passage into the open area beyond.
As you approach one of the buildings, a guard wearing leather with a tattoo of a bird on his arm walks out. He has a longsword and a sap at his sides, and a longbow on his back.
"Who are you and what's your business here? Not crusaders, or gang members. Are you adventurers, scoundrels or Technic League? Looks like you could be the latter, two officers and a bunch of scrappy looking hirelings." He examines you from a distance, then motions at Astra and Liz, then Chakos, Will and Syvlara.
Liz lets the charismatic Astra and Chakos take the lead.
Will gives a low growl at being described as a 'hireling'. He says nothing, but his bright orange eyes smolder as he glares back at what he guessed was a town guard. He wasn't going to be the first to ruin introductions by saying something and unintentionally speaking for the whole group.
"What a fool, learn to speak to your higher ups with respect you urchin. I did not travel here to be questioned by the likes of you."
Shine on you crazy diamond.
You were caught in the crossfire...
The man shakes after Syvlara's speech. "Wait here, p-please. I will get the boss."
He scurries away into the building, then a woman comes out with a hawk tattoo and scars on her face. She doesn't seem to have any weapons on her, and is dressed in studded leather.
"Ah, adventurers. Sorry my men aren't too bright. I'm Sevroth Slaid of the Steel Hawks gang. Come on in I have a proposition for you. Best said in secret. Wouldn't want the Lords of Rust to hear anything."
She opens one of the building's doors and heads in.
Liz gestures for Syvlara to take the lead.
With a slight grin, Syvlara follows Sevroth through the doors, but not without a scowl to the guard. It's probably the first grin you've ever seen on the "crazy diamond's" face.
Finally, a little respect.
...who are these people, again?