Quinn unconsciously continues tapping the hilt of his sword against the wall... a gentle metronome counting down the brief time before the dangerous undead creature regains his form.
Reaching into his belt he grabs a pair of vials and tosses one to Ezro. "Holy water," he says, though he is sure the cleric knows even better than he. "Stakes are an impermanent solution. This is enternal," he says brandishing his sword and another vial of holy water.
As the others begin searching the wall thoroughly, Ezro chimes in, "Could we just bash it down? There is a door right? whatever part bashes through is obviously the hollow area."
Nodding to Quinn he takes the holy water and holds up his holy symbol. "I can also produce daylight. Perhaps death within the rays of the sun would be permanent as well?"
Both Hyram and Aladir take a breath, slow down and begin there search for a trigger to release the door. After two minutes, Aladir finds a stone that moves slightly near the bottom and pushes it. Slowly a five foot by eight foot wooden panel moves inwards and slides open. You see an open coffin, and in it the vampire has re-solidified, however it is not moving.
Aladir takes a step to the side, leaving the still-unconscious vampire for the more martial types to deal with.
Ezro whispers "On second thought, I don't think the daylight will do much...do we just behead it?"
Quinn catches hold of the wooden panel as it slides aside. With a strain, he attempts to break free a splinter big enough to serve as a stake.
Quinn rips free a chair let, and drives a stake thru the vampires chest. The very slow process of healing itself seems to have stopped.
"A spell of daylight may not be enough," Quinn agrees with Ezro. "But, the light of sun will be. He will not regenerate as long as the stake is through the heart. This is our castle, now. Let's evict him."
"I'm sure I speak for us all when I say...with gusto!" Aladir answers.
Quinn gives the room and the "corpse" a once over, while encouraging his more observant allies to look more closely. He then grabs a corner of the casket, smiling a black-toothed grin through his macabre roll of pall bearer.
Searching the room yields nothing useful, although the vampire is wearing highly magical studded leather armor and the dagger at its belt is also magical. Between Quinn, Hyram, Ezro and Aladir, you manage to get the coffin up the stairs and out into the sunlight. As soon as it the body is bathed in the light, it begins to smoke and finally bursts into flame and is consumed.
Lady Irabeth and the others meet you at the coffin, "Sir Quinn, have you recovered the Sword of Valor, and finished freeing Citadel Drezen from the evil influence?"
Hyram bows deeply. Lady Irabeth! We have recovered the Sword of Valor but I fear there is but a small section left for us to clear of Citadel Drezen. Commander Quinn and I are not up to par due to a nasty encounter with some undead and all of our spells are mostly depleted. Hyram then realized that he had answered for Quinn. My apologies, brother, if I have overstepped.
"We have done well to have done as much as we have, but I agree that we are near the end of our resources. Even if they were less severe, I'm not sure we'd be able to handle continuing the fight at present."
Stepping up behind Quinn, Aladir whispers quietly,"Not to be paranoid, but...isn't it suspicious that they just happened to show up right now, just after the vampire was killed, without us having to summon them? Maybe use your ability to sense evil or something, just in case..."
Offering Irabeth a polite smile, Alikia examines the dagger, checking its balance, before offering it to Aladir. "I feel as if your time in the Worldwound is causing some paranoia, Aladir. I doubt that anything that attempted to impersonate such a strong leader would find themselves at the wrong end of multiple swords." Offering an impish grin to the half-orc woman, Alikia glances around. "Has anyone seen Aravashnial around? I would like to pick his brain about a few things."
"Aravashnial is back at the main camp, just south of here. I am sure that he would just love to discuss what you have seen." Looking at Hyram and Quinn, "do you need medical aid, or just rest for the night and then head back in tomorrow. Either way, I will station additional guards around the Citadel proper."
"Hmm. Perhaps you're right. I suppose we all could use a rejuvenating night's sleep, first and foremost. Also...would anyone object to my making use of the vampire's armor? It seems suited to me very well."
Quinn waives away Hyram's concern. "We trekked the dark under Kenabres and shattered a Wardstone together. We speak with one voice on this Crusade. The Lady Irabeth understands, I'm sure."
He laughs off Aladir's concern. "The Knights were under orders to guard against any demon or cultist fleeing the fortress. Perhaps they should have a little more paranoia!" Quinn spreads his arms wide and waits a moment for one of his Knights to examine him. When none step forward he laughs and digs an elbow good-naturedly into Aladir's side. "I think we can trust that the army we left is the army we found."
Looking back to Hyram and Irabeth, "Rest for certain. Aid would be welcome, though the power we require may be beyond what is available."
Aladir cracks a small smile at Quinn's ribbing, releasing a sigh. "Again I blame the strange suggestion on this long day of battle and nearly having my mind taken over by a vampire." he answers, shaking his head.
"I tell you, when I say things like that I wish I could just disappear for a few moments." the elf confesses...and, strangely, the words have no sooner left his lips than the words come true and in the blink of an eye, Aladir vanishes from sight! "I'd still be interested in laying claim to the vampire's armor if the rest of you have no objections to that." he adds, apparently unaware that he has gone invisible.
Quinn drums his fingers across the overlapping plates of gold-inlaid mithril of his new armor. "The vampire's leathers? I'd feel nearly naked, walking into a fight with only..." Quinn spins a full circle, "... leather."
Quinn's face contorts in confusion.
Glancing down at her frayed and dusty tunic, Alikia responds with a small shrug to Quinn's comment. "I suppose, but it does grant a range of movement that full plate tends to limit. I'm fine with you taking the vampire's affects." Turning towards Aladir, Alikia glances around in confusion, at being unable to locate the rogue. "Ah Aladir, not to sound rude, but where exactly are you? You seem to have disappeared on us."
Looking around for the rogue, "I would say be careful for what you wish for but that might be too late Aladir..."
Bowing to Lady Irabeth, he makes sure to acknowledge her before proceeding to take care of his group members as they discuss and speak with the Lady.
"Hyram, please do not move as I tend to the wounds on your soul. It appears Vampires are dangerous both physically and mentally perhaps."
Aladir blinks for a moment, then looks down to see that he has gone translucent to his own eyes. "Huh. Well that...is a curious thing. I've gone partially visible to myself, but completely invisible to all of you? I wonder if it's some new manifestation of the wardstone's powers. And perhaps, more important, what I have to do to make myself visi..."
he begins, when mid-word, he blinks back into view to finish the sentence,"...ble."
"Huh! So...maybe it's simply my own desire to be so that triggers it?" he questions. Testing the ability, he simply mentally wills himself to be invisible and vanishes all over again, then reappears a few seconds later! "That is a thing that will come in handy, I think." he remarks.
While Lady Irabeth sees to maintaining the watch on the Citadel, the group heads back to the main encampment for the night. Ezro casts a spell on Hyram that removes all the damage done by the spectre. Aladir takes the vampire armor for his own, as he is the only one that would wear such light armor. Alikia speaks with Aravashnial, and after much conversation the group goes to bed for the night.
In the morning, after a good nights sleep, Quinn throws off the effects of the spectre attack on him also, and everyone is ready to begin a new day and finish checking out the Citadel.
After discussing the day's events with Irabeth and the others, they each filter away to rest. Quinn catches Hyram's shoulder on the way out. "You and I took a beating, today," he says as he lets healing energy flow into the Inquisitor.
Quinn uses the remaining healing energy on himself.
"Tomorrow we will put the Sword back in its place. Then we will see if this Crusade has real teeth," Quinn smiles his deranged, black smile.
Before finally succumbing to exhaustion, Quinn begins removing the contents of his magic bags and sorting through the spoils of the last several days. He lays out a few pieces others may have interest in. "Ezro, I think it's time to outfit you with some better armor," he says holding up the banded mail. "And Alikia, this item seems tailored to your skills," he says as he offers a magical headband.
"Hopefully simply hanging the banner back up will be all that is required to make use if its power; we should definitely make sure it is in place before we move on. Until it's done, the Sword is a target for all demonkind."
Wait, I've got to keep schlepping this thing around! :P
Just kidding. I'll toss it back into party loot, but without adding it to the sell list.
As Ezro and Quinn heal him, Hyram thanks them both profusely. Thanks brothers! I fell well enough to clear out the Citadel now! Hyram says in a way you can't tell if he is serious or not.
He is anxious to get started the next morning. Today, My Companions, demonkind will befoul the Citadel no further!
"We need to make sure the Citadel is entirely safe and cleared out before we declare it so. I'd hate for someone to run into something horrible that we left behind."
Quinn nods with Aladir and Hyram. Stowing away all the gear he had sorted the night before, he readies himself for the last portion of the dungeons.
"This shouldn't take long," Quinn tells Irabeth. "Have the men ready to move into the castle by midday." He pauses. "There are places that have been befouled... crusaders that have been tormented and killed. Cleaning and burial details are a priority. Delegate that to our Knights. Cremation for the cultists and other foulness in they find. Have the mercenaries build a pyre, well away from the castle, the town, and the cemetery."
Looking at his equipment, Ezro grins slightly, "I really have not invested into any of my own equipment...I suppose that could be dangerous."
Looking at the copious amounts of equipment Quinn pulls from his magical bags equipment, Ezro grabs a couple items, a magicked sword, a breastplate, a shield, an amulet and a cloak.
"Many thanks my friend. Perhaps now I might be a bit more prepared."
Alikia awakes the next morning with a stain of ink on her cheek from falling asleep at her makeshift workbench. Shuffling the pile of research material, notes, and nick-knacks around, she quickly gathers the materials she needs for the day, in order to finish retaking the citadel. As Ezro, Hyram, and Quinn pray to Iomedae for her blessing and protection, Alikia spends the time meditating on lessons she has learned.
As the others begin to grab their gear, Alikia rises and follows, casting some protective armor on herself. "I wonder what new atrocities and mortal rights violations we will find today? I just hope that it is not a sentient room." she chirps, falling in step with Aladir.
"With everything we've seen so far, I honestly don't think I'd bat an eye at such a thing." Aladir answers.
Heading back into the citadel, and back to the lower dungeon, you finish searching the area. Nothing of interest is found, except in the room to the north of where you fought the demons and vampire. To the north, two large prison cells flank this large interrogation chamber. The entryway to each cell is lined with multiple layers of arcane sigils scribed into the floor, lintels, and even the barred door. While the symbols around the western cell door glow with red light, those to the east do not and its prison door hangs open. The east room is covered with an anti magic field that you do not believe you can dispel. The
walls of the cell have been decorated with hundreds upon hundreds of butterfly images, scratched into the stone. The entire cell radiates strong chaos and good—auras that increase to overwhelming on the northern wall, where a short prayer has been scratched into the wall. Aladir feels strangely at home, and comfortable in this room, as if at peace with himself and the world.
The eastern are is deserted, and nothing of importance is found.
Heading back to the outside, again, you meet Lady Irabeth who tells you that she has had a sending by one of Queen Galfrey's aides and that the Queen and her army is on the way to Citadel Drezen to establish and maintain the foothold into the Worldwound and requests that you stay till she gets there.
Quinn steps into the open jail cell, dismayed as Radiance goes dull and dark in the anti-magic field. A prickling sensation runs up Quinn's spine. "Something is strange here. Wild and disorienting, but not unwholesome."
Quinn takes a look in the sealed prison cell, getting as close to the seal as his outsider nature will allow. Afterwards heading back outside with the others. "We have several hours before we reach midday. Time enough to restore the Sword to its place of prominence over the castle. Shall we place it in the tower?"
Sounds good to me! Hyram says nodding.
Aladir lingers after the others in the cell they happened upon, letting the peace he feels there indwell him as he traces his fingers over the butterfly carvings and spends a long while reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading the prayer etched there. Whoever was previously occupying this cell was clearly a follower of Desna...not only for the carvings in the wall or the prayer etched into the stone, but also for the overwhelming sense of peace and comfort he feels there.
"My Lady Desna, I don't know who this person was, but I pray that you will help him or her find the peace they desire. Bring to them the new spirit they have prayed for, and grant them whatever assistance they need to find you wherever they have escaped to." he says in a low voice, giving word to his own prayer to Desna for the cell's former occupant.
Once finished, he rejoins the others outside. "I agree. Let's restore the Sword to its home!"
Following behind the group, Alikia pauses a moment as her head count comes up one dark-haired elf short. Glancing back at the cell, she watches Aladir trace the carved prayer with an elegant finger. Turning to examine the nearby stone masonry, she waits for him to finish his prayer before attempting to catch up with the others.
At Quinn's suggestion, Alikia nods in agreement. "I'm certain that with the Sword's protection, this will become a marvelous stronghold again."
Having finished the exploration of the Citadel, you head to the tower, and hang the Sword of Valor at the top. Heading outside, you meet Lady Irabeth, and Aron "We saw that you hung the Sword at the top of the Tower. I must tell you about it, and ask that you move it inside. It's greatest power is in the protection against demons and those who worship demons, but it must be hung in a public place on an inside wall"
Yet the Sword of Valor’s greatest power lies not in offense but in defense. Mounted frmly upon an interior wall in a visible, public place, the Sword of Valor creates a 10-mile-radius area that bars demons and those who worship demons from using teleportation spells and effects and imparts on such creatures a –4 penalty to Armor Class and on all saving throws. Once per month while the banner is mounted on a wall, a worshiper of Iomedae within 30 feet of the banner can use it to summon a planetar to protect the banner and its surroundings for 1 day. Any nonevil creature that sleeps within a 1-mile radius becomes immune to fear effects from demons and demon worshipers for 24 hours.
I do not think that would be an issue. Hyram says with a bow to Anon. We will move it immediately.
Quinn nods to Aron's advice. "What would you suggest? There is a chapel, an audience chamber, and a throne room of sorts."
"Somewhere in the open seems good to me, but some protocol needs to be created to make sure we don't end up with some other infiltrator getting in to steal it and allow the demons and their ilk entrance. I realize that Staunton Vhane's plan was probably years, perhaps even decades, in the making, but even so, precautions should be taken to make sure that something similar can't happen again."
"It should be hung in the grand hall, perhaps a demonstration of the citadels strength to any who might wish to infiltrate the fortress?" Ezro suggests.
Looking at the others he adds, "The Gate guards would also have it under their sight as well at all times."
Finding the Grand Hall in the Citadel, you hang the Sword of Valor in a place of honor, and exit to find Lady Irabeth, and the others in the inner circle of advisors. The army has moved into the city, and begins to man the posts in the Citadel and the town.
The sending from Queen Galfrey states that she and her army will arrive in a few days.
Quinn stands silent as the Sword of Valor is mounted firmly to the wall in the Grand Hall. After a long moment of silence Quinn snorts back a laugh. "Hah! Not sure what I was expecting. Hanging a banner is not exactly the same as destroying a Wardstone!"
He salutes the banner, then spins on his heel. "Post an honor guard of Knights over the banner twenty-four hours a day," he tells Irabeth. "Change them frequently. I want them wide awake and very alert at all times."
"Hah! Not sure what I was expecting.
Hyram can't suppress a smile as the banner is put into place. Bards will sing of this for all eternity! He states. Of course Hyram does not know any bards, but he assumes this is something they would sing about.