Kyra helps the young girl to her feet and keeps hold of her hand, offering her a smile. "Stay with me, sweetheart. I will protect you, no one else will hurt you again." She hugs her close, tears building in the half-elf's eyes.
She casts a disgusted look at the fallen crusaders; however, she sees Kelden offering prayers over their bodies. She then remembers the true enemy, fear and despair. Those emotions can make even the greatest of heroes fall into the deepest depths of dread. She offers her own silent prayer to Sarenrae to judge these men and women for their lives as a whole, and not their last, foolish moments. "Do what you must, Kelden, then we needs be on our way."
Under Thetin's grim pronouncement, the crusader pair can only grovel and say 'yes sir!'.
The girl is refreshed by the healing.
"Thank you, thank you for rescuing me!" She said. She bounds to her feet. "My parents! I was out trying to find food for them, they are too sick to move!"
Kyra maintains her grip on the young girl's hand, not quite letting her run off just yet. "Where are your parents? Are they nearby? Perhaps we can help get you all to someplace safe." The bard's eyes cannot help but linger upon the newly healed scar upon the girl's neck. 'Goddess help us when we turn upon ourselves...'
KLARAH:
"They're in the basement, just a block over! I have to go find food!"
"We can't very well leave her and her parents. We should find some food and see if we can't figure out a way to maybe bring them with us to the Defender's heart. This city is too dangerous at the moment."
I would love to look at your parents, perhaps there is something the goddess might be able to do through me, and you are correct miss Alesie, I dont like the idea of leaving innocents in hiding, but perhaps we can scavenge them some food before we leave to check on Defender's heart... once there assuming survivors are orginized there, we can come back for them, and the others.
He said carefully moving to the young woman after giving the fallen and confused crusaders their last rights.
Carilain retrieves his bow. He waits, watching the crusaders with a wary eye.
With your help, Klarah manages to scavenge enough dried meat, vegetables and clean water from a nearby shop to last her and her parents several weeks at least. Their hiding place in their basement is well hidden and defensible by one person.
Kelden judges the parents are afflicted with little more than old age.
M'lady Klarah, as soon as we discern the safety of Defender's heart, we will be back for you and yours, until then stay safe, stay hidden and may the goddess watch over you.
He finished adding a silent prayer to go with the vocal one. Turning to his companions he nodded slightly.
Perhaps we should make haste for Defender's heart? So many are in need of aid I'd like to start helping not just promising.
"Haste would be good. It would be nice to see a safe haven, and the survivors" Maybe my family is there Alesie agrees.
Kyra greets Klarah's family with a gentle smile. "We will return for you as soon as we can. I will leave some weapons for you all to defend yourselves with until someone comes for you." She leaves three crossbows and all the bolts the group confiscated from the cultists beneath the earth. "The Goddess willing, you will not need to use them."
"To the defender's Heart then. Let's see how they fare there."
With assurances that Klarah and her family would be here when you return, you continue your journey through the post apocalyptic city, dimly lit by the blood red overcast and the occasional fire.
Along the way you encounter a cloud of demonic giant flies; you destroy them, but sustain damage each in the fight.
Finally you come into view of Defender's Heart.
The largest inn in Kenabres, it is a stout stone structure that appears to have survived the fall of Kenabres with ease. Though stone debris is scattered about the yard surrounding it.
As you approach, a crossbow bolt is suddenly fired over your heads accompanied by the shouted order "HALT!"
A half dozen guards appear as if by magic from cunning hides behind the stone debris. They point heavy crossbows at you and shout
"Drop your weapons!"
Without making any sudden movements, Carilain lowers his bow to the ground. He holds his hands out, and open so the guards can see that they are empty.
It was not so long ago that he spent the night at this inn, but it seems like an eternity to Carilain. When he had been here before, the inn had been lively and pleasant. Now it resembled a fortress under siege. Which is exactly the case, Carilain supposes.
Thetin gently lays Radiance on the ground. "I am Thetin Dorvas, Paladin of the Order of the Nine Moons, wielder of Radiance. We have important information for the remaining forces of Kenabres.
The soldiers look startled at the pure glow of Radiance and hesitate.
Anevia said "Silverstrong." And the soldiers put up their crossbows and started to crowd around. They looked as if they had seen a ghost.
As Anevia limped forward, she bapped Carilain and Thetin on the back of the head. "The password, remember?"
Suddenly, there is a half orc lady there in full plate, cloak and officer's insignia.
Anevia lets out a joyful cry and she is swept up in the half-orc's bone-crushing embrace. When Anevia squeaks, she is reluctantly released. Her face cherry red, she turns to you all and said; "I'd like you to meet my wife, Irabeth!"
Kyra smiles at Anevia's playful bap, though very thankful the ranger remembered the password that they had all seemed to have forgotten. She steps aside to allow the lovers a moment before offering a curtsy to Irabeth. "Well met, Lady Irabeth. I apologize to break off your well-deserved moment, but we are survivors from the attack on Kenabres and bring news from the subterranean tunnels beneath the city. Also, we bring word of a number of survivors scattered throughout the city."
Indeed well met. We have imformation for whoever might be in charge... when the .. we ran across some cultists below ground, and their leader carried orders.
He said offering the half- orc a bow. With the Inn in sight a whole series of ... emotions jumbled through him but the biggest was relief.
Alesie lets out a sigh of relief as the crossbows are lowered, and chuckles happily as Anevia rushes toward Irabeth. Glad to finally see something happy in this town.
"Do you have any word on my parents? Col and Gwen Nori?" She asks hopefully of the guards
For a moment Commander Irabeth just stood and looked at you. You can feel the commanding aura radiating off of her, very similar to that of Thetin. Their eyes meet and they nod slightly to each other.
"...Thank you. Just... I am grateful you were able to rescue Anevia."
She dashed some tears from her eyes with a shaky hand. Then her eyes fell on Radiance as Thetin sheathed it.
"Yes. Well. I can tell you have an extensive story to tell. Please follow me." She said more formally. But she kept her hand in Anevia's as she strode ahead of you into the inn.
As the guards concealed themselves again, one replied to Alesie.
Sorry ma'am, but who you see here is all that we know of." He said apologetically.
Following her into the old inn, you come into a bustle of activity. Soldiers stride along everywhere, giving the inn a crowded marketplace atmosphere. Lights are everywhere inside, even though you saw no sign of habitation from the outside. Off in the common area, you got a glimpse of what had to be merchants, trading weapons, armor and equipment of all kinds. The smell of cooked food wafted from the kitchens, making you salivate at the thought of a hot meal.
Leading you into a back room parlor, you see the maps pinned to the wall and reports strewn across the table signifying this is a headquarters.
"No interruptions please." She orders an aide. He saluted and vacated the room, shutting the door behind him.
Irabeth gestures to the various chairs.
"Please. Seat yourselves. I suspect this may take a while. Now, tell me what happened."
Thetin takes a seat in on of the chairs. He then begins by telling how the party survived the initial attack and goes on to describe what they discovered underneath Kenebras. Thetin explains how the party acquired the aid of the mongrelman forces living underneath the city and the party's run in with the cultists before returning to the surface. He elaborates more on the cultists activities and orders and how the party acquired Radiance. Thetin then briefly recounts their journey through the city after emerging from the subterrainian tunnels and the trip to the Defender's Heart.
"So now that we are here we are hoping to use the Defender's Heart as the staging area for our subterrainian allies." After finishing Thetin listens as the others finish their portions of the story.
"As Thetin mentioned we may have found some potential allies in the underground." Carilain steeples his long fingers. "This city seems to be ruined though. Do you think it can be recaptured, Commander? Or would we be wiser to just rescue those we can, and fall back to a new line?"
Carilain's face is studied and grim.
Upon first being brought into the place the young cleric looked about recalling his trip almost a week ago... it seemed so much longer.
Are their any wounded about whom need aid?" He asked first as Thetin began telling their tale, He was sure his companions would be able to go over the details of their journey while he used what blessings of the goddess remained in him to help.
Once he was spent, he would of course return to the fold, adding any details they might have missed, most importantly he voiced his concern over those they had stumbled across the way, including their blind elven friend left with the books and the clerks, the young woman Klarah and even Hargus hidden away in his estate. They would have to consalidate power if they were to have any hope...
What of the city? are there demon forces ensconced in any particular place? more of these treacherous cult members now in the open. I dont like the thought of them having free reign of the city.
He asked the half-orc paladin.
” …news from the subterranean tunnels beneath the city…”
…how the party acquired the aid of the mongrelman forces living underneath the city…
"As Thetin mentioned we may have found some potential allies in the underground."
Irabeth is astonished at the existence of the tunnels, and the mongrelman descendants of crusaders still living down there.
”You made friends and allies of those long thought lost.” She nodded in approval. ”Well done. Very well done! These cultists had hoped to use the tunnels without us knowing. By establishing an alliance we can deny them their secret hiding places, and perhaps even use them ourselves!”She nodded decisively.
”I will send an embassy immediately to the First Descendants. Though our forces are few enough, this is a risk well worth taking.”
He elaborates more on the cultists activities and orders….
When you produce the order, she reads through the note eagerly.
”This is incredible! The first solid evidence of the enemies plans and identities! Three safe houses…” She muttered to herself. She frowned in thought.”And this brings us to Yaniel’s Sword. You recovered it from the enemy, denying their attempt to defile it! May I… see it?” She asked, oddly tentative.
When she reached out to touch it, it shone for her as well.
”It lives again! It has been dark for so long now, we had forgotten… Such news you have brought us! New allies, enemy plans and now a legend from the past among us once more!” A tear trickles from her eye. Anevia touches her hand and she dashed her tears away.
"This city seems to be ruined though. Do you think it can be recaptured, Commander? Or would we be wiser to just rescue those we can, and fall back to a new line?"
He voiced his concern over those they had stumbled across the way…
She shook her head.
”Though the bulk of the enemy has left the city for softer targets, there are significant numbers of lesser demons still roaming the city, and there are barely 200 of us here. I have sent messengers to the Queen, but… it will be all we can do to survive until the Mendevian army arrives to help reclaim the city.”She explains that she knows that word got out about the attack, but has also heard that Nerosyan and other cities along the border are facing their own plights—so far, she’s relatively certain that none of the other border cities have suffered as great a defeat as Kenabres, but she can confirm that this city’s wardstone has been destroyed and that as a result, the entire network of wardstones has diminished in power to a shadow of its former strength.
She nodded at the talk of rescue.
”Yes, I understand you met a number of survivors. I will detail some troopers to go out and bring them back here.”
”Are there any wounded about whom need aid?"
”Yes of course. There is a hospital wing on the first floor; We would be very grateful for any help you can give.”
“What of the city? are there demon forces ensconced in any particular place? more of these treacherous cult members now in the open. I dont like the thought of them having free reign of the city.”
At this, Irabeth’s manner turned grim.
"The Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth are, in my opinion, one of the most dangerous elements of the enemy.“They have spies everywhere,” she says, “and have apparently been among us for decades. Only recently has proof of their presence been manifesting. I personally managed to root out one of their more powerful members— the leader of a group called the Hammers of Heaven. We all thought of Staunton Vhane as a model crusader, but as far as I was able to discern, he’s been working for the demons for decades. There’s even evidence he may have been the one to betray Drezen 75 years ago.
"They knighted me for that discovery, but I’m still not sure why, since he slipped through my fingers and is out there still, causing who knows how much more damage...”
Irabeth smiled down at the letter.
”But with this letter, I think we can turn the tables on the damn traitors.”
She looked at you all more fully.
”You look tired and hungry. We have a mess set up in the commons, and when you have eaten your fill, we have quarters for you to rest. We have merchant stalls set up in the exercise court; if you need to replenish consumables or replace equipment, see them there.”
She opens a heavy pay chest behind her desk, picks up a rack and counts out Two thousand crowns worth of coins on the desk.
”You have done a hero’s work today, and this is little enough of a reward.”
She leaned forward to look you all in the eye.
”I will ask you to consider if you would like to continue to do so. The Tower of Estrod, mentioned in the letter, needs to be cleaned out and whatever intelligence and information contained there be recovered. I know that no one in the Defender’s Heart is as capable as you have shown yourselves to be, and I hope you can undertake this mission for us.
“Go rest now, and if you would undertake this task, report to me here tomorrow noon.”
Kyra listens to Irabeth with a determined look, but does smile at the mention of hot food. "A hot meal would be very well received, milady. I will gladly accept that and a safe bed to sleep in for the night... perhaps it would even be too much to ask for perhaps a warm bath?" She smiles wistfully knowing that request to be beyond the scope of the conflict happening within the city.
"I do not need the night to think on your request, Lady. I will gladly venture out into the city once more to seek out these cultists. I believe I have a destiny here in Kenabres... my arrival in time for these events is too far beyond coincidence. The Dawnflower brought me here for a reason and I intend to see that destiny through to the end."
Carilain nods. "I'm with Kyra, I really don't need to think it over. If a sweep of the Tower of Estrod will help secure our position, then I'm willing to do it."
Irabeth nodded and gave you all a crooked smile.
"That's good; because it's worth another two thousand crowns to me."
"As for a bath, I think that can be arranged."
Thetin will spend time bartering with the merchants for better prices.
The merchant weeps at your story of underprivileged childhood and offers a reforged suit of full plate (looks like something punched right through the front and back) and masterwork agile half-plate both at half off.
He went about the place trying hard to not think of the others they had met here before the chaos of the attack. He tried not to think of the young woman whom had... befriended him. He wondered if Ce-eshna was okay... or even if that cleric Pollux still lived.
He had to admit it would not have hurt his soul too much had the devil worshiper perished... yet... He sighed as he browsed amongst the wares gathered there his eyes alit and started to pass by an ornately hilted curved sword... the he caught sight of a flaring sun of Sarenrae on the pommel of the sword... that stopped him in his tracks.
It was almost like it was sign from the goddess... and he sighed at himself. The devil worshipper had down no evil in his sight, and compassion was one of the greatest virtues. He paused and said a prayer for the man's soul just in case.
How much for that fine blade there.
He began the process of haggling with the man, more for the show and pagentry of it, It was a well made blade and he would pay such for it. That of course only further got his blood moving, and he then proceeded to walk through the various merchants acquiring things which he though they could use...The goddess had given him a sign with the sword, he would indeed be her blade here in these lands, he would help purge and cut the demons from this land The dreams that lead him here were still intact still true.
Kelden: Most of the prices the merchants are offering remain book price, except for one guy who is in a rush to unload his inventory. You gain a 25% reduction in price for the blade you are looking for.
The next day, rested, refreshed and rearmed, you meet again at Irabeth's office.
She smiles as you are ushered in by her adjutant.
"Welcome again! And thank you for aiding us in this time of war. I trust you had some rest?
"As you recall, you discovered a message among the effects of the people who had taken Radiance. It mentioned three safe houses where cultists could take refuge; Nyserian Manor, Topaz Solutions, and the Tower of Estrod.
"I sent out scouts to each location:
"Nyserian manor is a pile of rubble now.
"Topaz Solutions was ransacked and is occupied by squatters.
"The Tower of Estrod; none of the scouts have returned and I fear the worst."
She leaned forward and pointed out a location on a map of the city.
"Here is the Tower of Estrod.
"Your mission is to destroy the cultists present there and recover any papers or other intelligence you can find. I want Radiance to be seen doing so, and word of the victory so gained to spread for morale; the Empyrial Lords know that we need one now. A prisoner able to talk might be nice also, but there is no need to endanger yourselves in the process."
She stood up to her full height and fixed you with a commanding gaze.
"Do you have any questions before you depart?"
Thetin adjusts the position of the tower shield on his back while Irabeth talked. "I have just a couple of questions. How many men did you send to the tower? If we find the scouts do you want us to try to recover any bodies or personal effects? and lastly is there anything you can tell us about the tower such as secret entrances?"
Kelden listened quietly as they were briefed on the situation, and he listened as Thetin asked his questions. He was once again glad the goddess saw fit for them to cross paths, even if her was a follower of Torag. His... view on others beliefs had certainly been tested. He was glad of it.
Will you be sending out patrols to gather those pour souls we ran across as we came here?
He asked after Thetin, hopeful that the light would protect them.
"How many men did you send to the tower?"
"We sent two scouts."
"If we find the scouts do you want us to try to recover any bodies or personal effects?"
"While that would be nice, the mission comes first."
"...is there anything you can tell us about the tower such as secret entrances?"
"The tower was built by Niuna Estrod, a historian who essayed to create a complete history of the Crusades. She died a couple of years ago, and ever since it was a kind of unofficial public library. Anything like floor plans or sewer connections would be found in City Hall, which is still in enemy hands. So no."
"Will you be sending out patrols to gather those pour souls we ran across as we came here?"
"I have detailed a squad of Rangers to rescue those survivors you met."
Exhaustion overcomes Alesie, as she finally feels an ounce of safety within the confines of the Defender Heart. She hadn't realized just how difficult and exhausting this day had already been.
"umm, is this place defensible enough that we could grab some sleep before tackling this tower? I worry that exhaustion will catch up to me, and I'll be a liability in this fight." Alesie quietly mummers to her companions.
Plus I wouldn't mind some alone time to figure out just what was going on with that Wand.
Kyra thanks Irabeth once more before departing to sell off all the gear they had acquired during their time in the tunnels beneath Kenabres. Afterward she meets up with her comrades and splits their earnings, promising to see each other again shortly.
During her wanderings of the merchants she finds a magical cloak which will protect her from harmful effects and spells. She also locates a skillfully forged scimitar of cold iron, which she knows to be excellent again demons.
She spends the rest of the night soaking in a hot bath and eating a hot meal... The next morning she raises to join the rest of her comrades with clean clothing and her hair tied back into a simple tail with a leather strap. "Thank you for sending out scouts to gather the survivors. Do you have any intel on this building?
Before going to meet Irabeth, Carilain studies his spellbook. He finds that his understanding has grown, he is able to memorize more spells than he could earlier. With his confidence bolstered by this pleasant discovery, Carilain addresses the issue of Grimstar. He draws the blade from it's scabbard. As he grips the hilt, the elf can feel the sullen presence of Grimstar's mind. He can feel the telepathic link. Without speaking, Carilain begins to communicate with the weapon. "Grimstar, you were my father's sword, and his father's before him. It is your legacy that gives my family it's reputation. The reputation of being great demon slayers. I would follow in the foot steps of my father and grandfather. I would be a demon slayer too. I would avenge my father's death. I know that you could help me to accomplish these goals, and the greater, final goal of destroying Treerazer, scourge of Kyonin."
"Yet, now I question your value, you seem as much a danger to me as an asset. I wonder if you have lost track of who you are. Perhaps the taint of demon has grown in you, Grimstar. Perhaps you've been too long alone in old Hargus' vault. Whatever it is, it seems that you would wield me as the weapon. This will not work, I am not unbreakable, but fragile. Whatever your goals may be, they will fail if you get me killed. Our fates are entwined, Grimstar, and you need me more than I need you."
Carilain frowns at the sword. "And for the sake of Nethys, speak to me if you wish to communicate. I know you know how."