Wiping sweat from her brow, Alikia frowns as the man is trussed. "Don't you think he's suffered enough? Many possessed by demons are good people at heart." Turning her gaze from the display she takes a few deep breaths, attempting to clear her head.
Who are you and how did you get here? Hyram asks the man with more than a slight edge in his voice.
While the man is questioned, Aladir focuses on the strange demon, checking to see if it was carrying anything on it.
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Quinn nods to Alikia. "I don't doubt it. But, it was only a great deal of Providence and good deal of fortune that we were able to recognize his intentions and stop his first attempt. I doubt I could stop a second without doing him actual injury," he says without any threat.
Quinn kneels down so the man can see his face "For now, let's say this is as much for his safety as ours. When our Inquisitor is satisfied, I will be as well."
"I was a cleric of Erastil, but that demon has ruined me. I plan to depart and seek atonement from his church back in his homeland of Molthune." he says.
Ezro will check the man for any injuries or further damage while the others speak with him and will try to provide comfort as he can.
Tucking a piece of wayward hair behind her ear, Alikia sighs. "You are a far way from home. Do you know why the demon wanted you to commit suicide? It doesn't make logical sense."
Quinn stands bolt upright. "You would leave? Why then did you come?"
Quinn's eyes narrow as he scrutinizes the man. "Did you imagine that you would walk the paths of the 'Wound, castigate a few demons, and leave without a stain on your soul?"
Would I have an NPC lie to you Hyram? (*whistles innocently*)
Hyram eyes the man sternly. You were a cleric? Surly evil possession would not cause Erastil to abandon you - unless you had already been abandoned?
As the sole follower of Desna in their party, and the only one he had thus far met in their travels, Aladir felt he could empathize with the man...still, until an opportunity presented itself, he felt it unnecessary to break Hyram and Quinn's stride with the man. If a better opportunity presented itself, he trusted he would know it and speak up.
Did it happen to tell you where this Aponavicius is? Hyram asks hopefully We would really like to meet its master and wipe it from existence.
Pity! Hyram says disappointed. What is your name anyway and are there any other demons here or in the surrounding area that you know of?
Quinn stares directly into the man's eyes, deciding whether the story rang true.
"I am Jesker Helton. I do not know of any other demons in the area."
Quinn senses that the ex-cleric is telling the truth.
Hyram looks to his companions to see if they have any more questions for Jesker. If there are none, he will say, Perhaps you might not have to travel as far to seek your redemption. Kenabres and Drezen have both been freed from their demon befoulment and could use just men. There should be clerics of Seranrae to help you with your redemption so that someday you might retake your place among Erastil's faithful.
With tears beginning to well in his eyes, Jesker nods simply to Hyram. "If you can help me out of here, I will head back to Drezen and present myself to the clerics there. Hopefully there is one that is capable of casting an atonement spell, and working with me."
As he says this, the crystal slab that contains the body of Delamere, crumbles, and from the corpse a ghostly figure of an elk headed human, with bow strapped across its back rises, and spreads his hands, as if indicating that you should take the equipment from the corpse, which is crumbling.
Redemption is not an easy path, but those that want to succeed will walk it. Hyram nods gravely.
"Though you are not of her faith, I pray that Desna will guide you safely back to Drezen and to the redemption that you seek. There is much good you may yet do for the campaign being waged here." Aladir offers with a smile.
Eyes widening at the specter rising from the crumbling body, Aladir walks hesitantly over to it, still watching the figure as he kneels down to lay hand on the gear, as if expecting to find some indication that he understands the figure's will correctly.
Quinn quickly lifts the cleric off of the ground, righting him to his feet and untangling the knots restraining him. "That is a more credible argument than I could have hoped for. And I think your feet already walk the path towards redemption."
Quinn walks over to the entrance. "We barely got five in. I hope you can tell me the secret to getting six out!"
The specter smiles at Aladir, and nods as he puts a hand on the gear, then disappears.
"I do not have a way to leave here, but the legend of Delamere is that his armor has flight ability. Hopefully there are other items in their that can be used."
Looking over the equipment left behind, you identify a bright silver set of chainmail (LINK), a +4 Composite Longbow (1 Strength), a Wand of Fly (10 charges), a Metamagic Rod of Maximize, a Talisman of Pure Good (1 charge).
Jumping slightly at the noise, Alikia flips to the source of the noise.
"Deer god!" Alikia exclaims as the slab crumbles, watching as the figure fades away. Waiting a moment as Aladir and Jesker are able to have a moment, she winks at Quinn. "I can get people out of here, now that we've explored this area and rescued our new friend. It will just take a few trips!"
"Deer God!"
"Another of the goodly gods has blessed this endeavor. Soon all the realms will be aligned behind our Crusade."
Aladir looks over the gear that was left to them and turns his attention back to Jesker. "So...I'm guessing that was Erastil then, yes?" he asks. "Either way, it seems we have been blessed with some very nice new equipment." he comments, looking over the gear once more.
"Well...I would imagine the armor is most immediately suited to me, but that's a very nice bow, as well. I would lay claim on one or the other, but not both; I don't want to be greedy."
Eyes grow wide as the figure of Erastil blesses them. "Astonishing..."
Looking around to the others and adjusting hismelf he nods to Aladir, "It seems the gods have a great deal of interest in this conflict currently."
With the vision of Erastil, a sense of peace fills Hyram. Yes! With blessings from Iomedea and Erastil, I pity those that stand against us!
He then says to Aladir, Nonsense! We need our archer to be armored and armed appropriately!
Bending down to snatch the wand and the rod, Alikia examines the talisman for a moment before offering it Ezro and Hyram. "I have no use for armor nor any luck with a bow, despite my foster-parents best efforts. You will utilize these gifts the best out of any of us Aladir." Storing the wand into her knapsack, Alikia waits for the others to give her the okay to start to get them out of the active lava rift.
I think Ezro would have better opportunities to use the talisman than me. Hyram says refusing Alikia's offer.
Aladir nods, suppressing the urge to break out into a happy dance right there in front of everyone. He does take the time, immediately, to shed his old armor and put the new armor on in its place. "We can hang on to the mithril shirt for now...until we have a chance to sell it or donate it to the army's efforts."
Accepting the talisman Ezro nods to Alikia, "My thanks."
Taking the talisman he looks around himself for a moment trying to find a safe place to put it. Finally he ties it to a string off of his belt. "Hopefully it will be safe there..."
Having distributed the equipment as can best be used by the group, Alikia gets the group back to the surface, and with directions to Jesker on how to return to the city of Drezen, and for him to seek out Irabeth, you continue to search out rumors, stories, old bards tales of what the Marchlands secrets are.
One of the old tales, is that during the first crusade, a family from Mendev, built a small stronghold south of where you are now, and that during the second crusade, the abandoned it and fled back to Mendev. The tale hints that the stronghold may still be inhabited, but by whom you are not sure.
As you approach the stronghold, you see that it is about seventy by seventy feet, squat stone structure with a peaked roof. There are other foundation ruins in the area, but this is the only standing structure. For a distance of one hundred feet in all directions the land has been cleared of brush and tress.
A large mound of broken weapons and armor, body parts, and other refuse lies in a heap to the east of the hall, swarming with foul but harmless vermin and diseased-looking scavengers. These cowardly creatures shriek, flop, and fly away upon seeing you approaching the hall.
Hyram goes over to the pile of carcasses to see if he can determine how long they have been there and what killed them. He also looks to see if he can find any tracks on who-or what piled up the bodies.
Glancing around the new location Alikia ponders the meaning of the vacant shrubbery. "That's odd... You would think that there would be at least one sorrowful looking twisted tree for us to have ominous feelings about. Or maybe the lack of plant life is a warning? What if all of the plants became sentient and are out hunting harvesters who sell lumber? Or what if the demons had a huge bonfire to do demon-y things?" As she speaks, Alikia begins to gesture widly, clearly working herself into another long tangential rant.
Aladir looks around them at the cleared land with targeted awareness, keeping his bow ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. "I normally would've said the land cleared like this would be ideal for a field of archers...it seems very strange to me that an area so clearly meant to help repel intruders left us entirely free of harassment."
"This is a capable redoubt," Quinn says as they approach the fort. "If the Knights we're still advancing, this is just the kind of forward base I would choose."
Looking over the area, when he catches sight and scent of the mound, his eyes widen and he covers his mouth as he begins dry heaving slightly. Managing to regain some composure after a minute, he ties a cloth around his face and examines the bodies, "Oh dear Iomedea, watch over these poor souls, left out in the sun to rot..."
Looking to Alikia and Aladir he nods, "The area is cleared for archers indeed, so that advancing forces have no cover or advantage of terrain. It is a common thing among fortresses."
Checking out the area, both mundanely and magically, you find nothing of any value. Walking around the outside of the hall, there are no windows, and only one double door on the south side in the southeast corner. After the flight and squawking of the carrion creatures, whomever is in the building is surely alerted to your presence.
Most likely they know we are here. Shall we knock?
Hyram says as he approaches the waiting Quinn.
Aladir releases a breath as he stares at the pile of bodies, shaking his head. "Sometimes I worry that seeing things like this over and over again as we have will inure us to the horror and tragedy of such things." he says aloud, voicing a thought that was not one he'd had for the first time.
Trying to push it to the back of his mind, he took a listen at the door in front of them, conveying to the others anything he might hear there.
Visibly deflating as the mystery of the lack of foliage Alikia follows behind the others. "I mean, why go with logic when there are thousands of more humorous and hilarious answers?" Taking her spot near the rear of the party, she waits for the door to open.
Quinn sidles past the mound of broken debris and dead. "It is a hardship we must endure," he replies to Aladir. "We study war so that our sons and daughters may study art, philosophy, nature, and law."
"Most likely they know we are here. Shall we knock?"
"It would be polite," Quinn muses. "Still, they have not introduced themselves as good tenants should. Maybe they haven't heard that Lady Irabeth now holds title over these lands. Let us rouse them and explain it to them."
When Aladir pronounces the door safe, Quinn will attempt to open it.
Raising a quizicol eyebrow at Alikia,"What would be a humorous answer to a field of downed foliage? A swarm of termites?"
Pulling his sword and readying his shield, Ezro makes a short prayer to Iomedea as Quinn opens the door.
Aladir checks the door, and pronounces that it is safe to open, so Quinn turns the handle and pushes it open.
The walls of this entryway are painted with scenes depicting beautiful landscapes—vistas of forests, lakes, and abundant wildlife in which several proud-looking Kellids stand, clad in hides and wielding bows or spears. Two looming stuffed creatures stand guard in alcoves to either side of the southern doors—a rearing bear to the west and a golden eagle mounted on a tree-shaped stand to the east.
Two men in hide armor, with a wooden shield and a battle axe stand ready, just a short way up the hall.
"Who are you and what do you want?" growls one of the men, as they adopt an aggressive posture.
We are on a mission for The Inheritor! Who are you and why do you have a pile of rotting bodies outside your door?
Hyram demands letting them know that it will be the inquisitor doing the inquisition!
Ezro is slightly taken aback that there are two men inside who hail them first as opposed to demons who would rush them. He lets Hyram make the introduction and queries, just in case the men are not actually friends.
He makes a note again that Hyram is a very intimidating individual.