"Keep the bird pressing Voren."
Arthas can't connect with his foe as Jokum falls into him.
"Dang it."
Voren tries to listen frantically to the sounds of battle. He hears weapons clashing, the thud of bodies, Jokum's shout followed by another thud, and the screeching of the summoned eagle. Finally, he hears Arthas. He nods, a determined look on his face. "Sounds like someone's hurt! I can heal them. But, I need to make contact with them and I can't see." To the eagle, he shouts, "Attaquer l'ennemi le plus proche de la vie, mon ami!"
The eagle shrieks once more and attacks the last cultist.
"Keep heart my friend. We are winning. Move straight forward, heal the dwarf. Just reach forward and about 10 feet! Hurry! We need him on his feet!"
Voren hears Arthas's call and nods. He moves forward, hands in front of him, and stops when he feels Karthak. He lays a hand on him and gestures with his other hand. Voren's blind eyes glow white and Karthak feels his wounds stitching together. "Du kommer inte att falla. Nu, stå, Karthak. Ta bort denna skräck från världen."
Round 7___________________
Jokum of the Breakbones_____
Jokum gives a start and sucks in a huge lungful of air as Arthas touches him. He surges to his feet...
...and straight into a cultist's sword. "Motherf--!" The huge ranger
Karthak Ironbreaker_____
Bleeding heavily Karthak swings again at the cultist matching his frenzied cries of rage with a thunderous shout: "Foul creature! By Torag's might you shall fall!"
Arthas Sword of Ragathiel_____
"Keep the bird pressing Voren."
"Dang it."
Voren the Outsider_____
The eagle shrieks once more and attacks the last cultist.
The eagle will fly next to the last cultist and use its talons. No bite since this is a standard action and a normal attack.
Arthas Sword of Ragathiel_____
"Keep heart my friend. We are winning. Move straight forward, heal the dwarf. Just reach forward and about 10 feet! Hurry! We need him on his feet!"
Voren the Outsider_____
Voren hears Arthas's call and nods. He moves forward, hands in front of him, and stops when he feels Karthak. He lays a hand on him and gestures with his other hand. Voren's blind eyes glow white and Karthak feels his wounds stitching together.
Cure Moderate Wounds: = 16
ENEMIES__________
Cultist 4 attacks the celestial eagle for a possible slashing damage. Normal.
Round 8___________________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
As the cultist in front of him falls Karthak drops on his knees, extends his hand to touch Jokum and calls forth the power of Torag:"Father of creation, aid your humble servant in the moment of need!"
Arthas sees what the dwarf is doing.
"I shall shied you! Get Voren to Jokum!"
Arthas steps up to the cultist and goes full defensive
The eagle screeches as the cultist makes his mark. It fades. Voren begins to work. His tail grabs onto the affected dagger. He begins to change and gesture. Next to him, the air once again swirls, conjuring another eagle! The witch calls out, "Attaquer le dernier ennemi! Faites-le descendre!"
The eagle shrieks and flies to the remaining cultist. It attacks with its talons.
Jokum wakes, groggy. Ugh...why do I always come back?! Seeing the final cultist standing above him, he blinks. Oh. Right. These f!@$ers. With an awkward lunge, he swings his loosely held greatsword at the man!
"Are you sure you aren't part cat? Wasn't that like three lives tonight Jokum?! Ha ha!"
The eagle attacked and scratched the cultist, then Jokum reared up and ran the cultist through from below.
When you search the cultists, they each have a suit of chainmail, a longsword, a small wood shield, a dagger and ten gp worth of random coins.
When you search Faxon, you discover:
wand of cure moderate wounds (9 charges);
morningstar, masterwork,
heavy crossbow with +1 bolts (x12),
bracers of armor +1,
cloak of resistance +1,
key to [redacted],
key for [redacted],
29 gp worth of random coins
Voren hears the final thud on the ground. He looks around blindly and asks, "Did we win? Is it over?"
"Yes my friend, we have persevered and triumphed. Were you struck blind?"
Arthas moves to aid Voren, but casts a look towards the door in the chamber.
"We still have an unexplored door with unknown dangers behind it. Does anyone need healing before we tackle that?"
Voren blindly turns to the sound of Arthas's voice and nods. "Yes. I can't see anything." At this point, the darkness surrounding his dagger fades, returning the room to its normal lighting. He sheathes his dagger back into its pouch.
The eagle swoops down to Voren and nuzzles its head against his cheek. It then disappears in a bright flash of light.
At the paladin's suggestion, Voren nods. "I have one more healing spell to use today. Please let me heal whoever needs it."
Karthak nods:"We did a good job here today. These foul betrayers got the justice they deserved and the Father of Creation is pleased! As for healing I should be able to help if needed"
"Indeed Karthak, we did. I have expended my healing for the day, but we are presumably safe within this stronghold as long as the room beyond this one is unoccupied."
"You performed quite nobly Voren. Most men panic in battle when their sight is taken from them, you kept heart and pressed forward blindly in battle."
"It appears Faxon was some sort of Sorcerer. Voren I am handing you some of his items, bracers, a cloak and a wand."
"I have two keys as well. Let's leave Voren to recuperate and check the last room."
Voren smiles shyly at Arthas's praise. He says, "It was nothing. I just kept doing what needed to be done." He blindly feels around and grabs the bracers, cloak, and wand. He puts them into his backpack.
When Arthas suggests that Faxon was a sorcerer, Voren strokes his chin. "Maybe. But, what if he's a wizard? Did you notice a spellbook, by any chance? Or maybe something else? Like... some kind of animal?"
When Arthas suggests leaving him behind, Voren shakes his head. "No no no. I'm here to help you and heal you. I'm going into that room with you." He places a hand on the paladin's shoulder. "Let's go."
One of the keys fits the security door to the south.
When you open it, you sense a foul malignant presence. (This is an Unhallowed area.)
This semicircular room has been outfitted with numerous demonic decorations.
The green glass lanterns hanging on the walls give the room an eerie glow.
A brazen minotaur head hangs from one wall above an altar covered with wavy-bladed knives and curved bulls’ horns, while star-shaped symbols in red decorate other walls.
A large wooden chest sits near the west wall.
Advancing into the room takes an effort of will against the presence of
Evil. Make a Will save to advance.
Arthas feels the evil pressing upon him. He draws the holy sword entrusted to him and combats the presence with scripture.
"And Ragathiel said unto his followers: Only a madman knows no fear. A warrior knows what fear is, he feels it in his stomach, he understands fear better than any other mortal can. What makes us strong is that we have conquered fear, overcome it not once but many times, over and over again, until the process has become instinctive. but no matter how many battles you fight and how many victories you win, your fear will never completely leave you. Learn to live with that fear. Learn to master your fear. But never forget that there are things in this universe that even you cannot face and live, abominations so terrible that their very appearance will sear the flesh from your face and shrivel your eyes. Such things cannot be fought, and to confront them would be nothing but a futile waste of life. In those situations remember your vows to serve me, and remember also that you serve me best alive and not sacrificed upon the altar of vain glory."
"This is not something we cannot face. This is simply the work of traitorous vermin attempting to gain favor with fickle powers beyond any, but a passing interest in their wasted immortal souls. Steel yourselves."
Jokum grunts as he climbs unsteadily to his feet. "Ugh. Not funny...feel like I should be dead right now." He gives the team a feral grin despite his wounds. "If we're certain that we're in no immediate danger, I wouldn't mind a bit of extra help, Voren..." He sits down heavily as Arthas goes to explore the next room.
When Arthas lets them know what's happening, Jokum stands, picking up his ranseur and moving cautiously to the door off the room. His nostrils flare, though he doesn't yet enter the chamber. "Do you need help? What do we do, destroy that altar? This is more your wheelhouse than mine."
Arthas' will allows him to press forward into the Shrine of Baphomet.
Karthak grunts as he sees the unholy symbol and moves forward. While doing so he answers Jokum:"Yes, we destroy the thing and raze this place to the ground. But first we try to learn what this scum was trying so hard to hide"
Hearing that Jokum needs healing, Voren lets go of Arthas's shoulder and heads to the sound of Jokum's voice. When he finds the ranger, he begins gesturing and lays a hand on him.
He frowns. "Not as much as I hoped. But it's something. Would you like a potion?"
Voren begins to sweat and grit his teeth from the evil presence that floods the room.
"Stand back Voren. There is an evil presence at work here. I can't have you holding me in case I need to move and I won't have you wandering about blindly."
Voren nods and blindly steps back out of the room.
As Karthak enters the room he starts searching carefully.
Arthas and Karthak press forward into the ceremonial room dedicated to the Demon Lord Baphomet.
The ceremonial tools are worth some money, but you feel reluctant to touch them.
The minotaur head mounted with ceremony on the wall is clearly a religious relic of some power dedicated to Baphomet.
The wooden chest is locked (Disable Device DC 30)—
"Hold off on that potion for the moment, Voren," Jokum murmurs with a contented sigh as his wounds close up. "Best to save it until we have greater need. Unless we run into more trouble, I will be well."
He advances cautiously into the room.
And, shaking, backs right out again.
"Perhaps this is my first test . . . What is the head made of? Is it wood shod in metal or just paint? Perhaps Radiance can sunder it. What do you think Karthak?"
Voren nods at the sound of Jokum's voice.
Voren looks in the direction of Arthas and Karthak. He shouts, "Is there a problem? What's in that room?"
"Indeed Karthak, we did. I have expended my healing for the day, but we are presumably safe within this stronghold as long as the room beyond this one is unoccupied."
"You performed quite nobly Voren. Most men panic in battle when their sight is taken from them, you kept heart and pressed forward blindly in battle."
"It appears Faxon was some sort of Sorcerer. Voren I am handing you some of his items, bracers, a cloak and a wand."
"I have two keys as well. Let's leave Voren to recuperate and check the last room."
"An evil temple given over to the worship of Baphomet. There is a brass Minotaur head, a locked chest and . . . Other unholy implements. I was thinking of trying to use the sword to destroy the items."
Karthak scratches his head at the lock.
"Yes, crusader... maybe starting with cleansing this filth is what we need to do first..."
"Lords of Heaven grant me the power to destroy this affront placed in this righteous city!"
Arthas sets his jaw and charges the unholy relic. He brings Radiance down on the soft brass head as hard as he can.
"May this servant of General Vengeance strike true on this foul idol. May the cow of the ivory labyrinth rot in his maze!"
"You know, I just had a crazy thought.---Do you think one of these keys taken from Faxon could fit the lock on that chest?"
Voren thinks of something. "Faxon had a set keys. One of them could open the chest in there."
Arthas swung Radiance against the brass head; there is a golden flash and the sound of thunder, and the brass head hits the floor in a metallic clatter. The head is now a mangled mass of metal now, it's magic gone. The hostile force of will is also gone, and you all feel... cleaner somehow.
Voren covers his ears at the sound of the explosion. When it ends, Voren asks, "What was that? What's going on?"
"The unholy relic of Baphomet is no more. The blade Radiance has sundered it and broke its power. Ragathiel's wings shield us and guide us in our righteous course."
"Now I shall open the chest."
Karthak looks at the fallen idol grimly:"Well and justly struck! The first blow of many I hope!"
The key fits, and you open the chest with no unfortunate traps or curses.
Within are various items clearly looted from the ruins over the past several days by the cultists, including:
Bagged coinage to the tune of 2,310 cp, 759 sp, 122 gp and 11 pp.
Five silver holy symbols of Iomedae (worth 25 gp each),
A masterwork longsword (worth 315 gp),
Two masterwork scimitars (worth 315 gp),
450 gp in various fine housewares like silverware and table settings,
A wand of bless weapon (18 charges),
And a currently broken phylactery of faithfulness.
The chest also contains a sheaf of papers documenting the cultists’ movements around the city.
These papers not only indicate that the plan to attack Kenabres was several years in the planning, but that there were a large number of Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth involved.
This list of names is valuable to the crusaders—it can’t really help Kenabres at this point, but several of the names on the list include people operating in other cities. The revelation of these names could help prevent what happened to Keabres happen to them as well.
Finally, there’s a short note in immaculate handwriting—a letter from the lilitu Minagho to Faxon.
Faxon,
You did well to report your superior’s mishandling
of funds, and I trust that you will continue to serve as
loyally in the weeks to come. You need not command
the Kenabres Templars for long, for the city is about
to die—I only wish I could be there to take part in its
murder, for I have fond memories of my Red Morning
Massacre. No matter, I suppose, for your mortal kin
will all fall soon enough—as I said, Kenabres’s days are
short. Vorlesh has already left to meet with our Lord’s
daughter in the Abyss to secure a Nahyndrian crystal
of the proper purity, and once she has what she needs,
she’ ll arrive in Kenabres to finish the job and turn the
wardstones fully to our use.
You will know when she succeeds, I suspect!
Praise Lord Baphomet!
Minagho
planes):
The “Nahyndrian crystal” mentioned is a much more obscure subject—with a successful DC 35 Knowledge (planes) check, the PCs know that Nahyndrian crystals are said to be the crystallized fragments of a murdered demon lord’s life force, though what use such an object could be put to is unknown.
Karthak gruff expression only deepens as he surveys the content of the cultist's documents. When he's finished he spits:"If only we could get these papers before the assault Kenabres would still stand. At least we have the names of the betrayers and a chance to punish them for their role in the city's downfall! As for the letter... its content is worrysome. I know not what this Nahyndrian crystal is but I know the names of those involved: the author, Minagho is the foul demon ruling over the city of Raliscrad deep inside the worldwound itself, as for Vorlesh... it's a name spoken in whisper and legend. Supposedly the witch that opened the Worldwound in the first place. If she's real and lives still there's no telling what kind of horror she could be involved in. Whatever it is, it would probably be something threatening the very existence of Golarion. We cannot overlook this information but, sadly, we are in dire straits at the moment. We need to bring it back to our forces and liberate Kenabres. Once that step is accomplished we'll look into this"