Focusing on the enemies that she can see, Lorena moves up a bit into stabbing range of the woman in the back and then attacks, fading back into view after the strike.
Rionnag flies through the door and upwards, hoping to clear the fog while Firinn steps carefully into the fog, keeping his back to the wall and squinting hopefully through the fog to find a target.
Khaz cannot find his stride in this combat, Maybe his God not with him in this place of Horror or it is almost to much to maintain his connection. As Terry Tumbles about he sees what the prize is, the two heavily armored Figures are standing beside a dais that holds a cage and a fragment of something in it. The Power Radiating off this fragment is immense.
Jocasta makes herself Invisible then walks into the room behind Khaz looking for an Opening.
The Woman sees the outline of someone entering the room and moves towards Firinn Scythe in hand.
Though her original strike missed, Lorena recovers, still unseen, and attacks the woman again as she's moving up.
’
Khaz parried, and seeing the (apparent) leader of the cultists make her presence felt, began to move towards her...only to remember that he was fighting his own duel! He quickly swung at the armored tiefling, but in his haste wouldn’t have hit even if the enemy had been standing still.
Rionnag, glowing with starlight in the fog, flutters in to slam at the scythe-wielding woman as Firinn steps back, aims and fires, hoping to throw the woman off through sheer speed.
"Everybody's gotta die sometime!" Terry tries to skitter past the one opponent, to give himself a chance to reach the shard, but he seems to attract the thing's attention instead of avoid it.
He still finishes his movement (if he's still moving) in a spot that provides Khaz an advantage, if he'll take it, though his immediate effort is to push the rod through the bars of the cage and press it up against the shard. Hoping to win the fight before they learn if they'll survive it.
Firinn's Arrow doesn't have the power that he though when he sees that she is a Half Elf.
Pink Swings at Terry's poor attempt to get off the ground, then swings again capatilizing on the Rogue.
Yellow Swings into the Distracted Khaz
Lorena's attack is deflected off the woman's armor that looks like a solid cage of bones around her.
Terry Stands pulling out the rod as he goes, the bars of the cage are to thick for a quick thrust and Terry will have to be more accurate when he sticks the Ward Stone fragment.
The battle was turning chaotic, and Khaz took full advantage of the fact. He spun around, swinging his mace as he did so. The foe was fully armored...but he had a mace. And blunt trauma to the head like he lethal even with a helm.
Her strike missing the mark again, Lorena tracks the woman as she moves up, but she disappears into the fog. Instead, Lorena moves further into the room, behind the battling tieflings, and at strikes the yellow-armored one from behind.
Terry gets his Arm through the Bar the tip of the Rod of Cancellation pushes into the ward stone, Terry feels immense pressure as the power from this small fragment is almost willing itself to continue being.
The Rod proves the victor, the power of the Wardstone pushes out of it in a Wave of Blinding White light.
All your wounds knit closed, fully restoring you to how you felt at the beginning of the day. Those who cast spells feel their memories expand as those spells and abilities you have used today return to you. The woman Screams in Horror as her body is burned away by the blinding light, the two Armored Figures suffer the same Fate.
You're Bodies glow with a golden Light, Each of you becomes bombarded with the Following Visions.
This event does not go unnoticed. All along the border, other wardstones f lash with golden light as well, momentarily supercharging their effects. Thousands of demons are destroyed by the f lash of light, and many more are wounded. The attacks along the borders suddenly cease, and the surviving demons f lee back into the depths of the Worldwound, thus they do not witness the wardstones fade into total inertness. Although the defenders rejoice at the unexpected pulse of energy, the fact that their greatest defense has apparently burned itself out is cause for concern—ramifications of this development are explored in the next adventure.
[spoiler=Round 7:] The PCs see a vision of an event they know will now never happen—Areelu Vorlesh using a deep purple Nahyndrian crystal the size of a human’s head to corrupt the fragment, causing the entire border to f lash with nauseating mauve fire that devastates the border cities and transforms countless crusaders into half-fiend slaves of the Worldwound. The PCs should realize at this point that the demons’ entire plan was to draw as many crusaders to the border to defend it from their attacks, in order to maximize the damage this event would have caused.
[spoiler=Round 8:] Areelu activates a device called an imago lens in the Abyss that allows her to use a project image spell to appear before the PCs
After the visions Fade the Projection of Demonic Woman stands before you. "You have ruined my plans today, come my little ones to my home and we will settle this." The Image whisks away leaving you dark room with a blackened destroyed cage ....
Lorena drops to her knees as the wardstone activates and blows their enemies away, her mind bombarded with visions of the past, present, and an unrealized future. Once all the images fade back to the room, she shakes her head to clear it, then looks around as she leans on her spear to get back up. Not really sure what to make of everything, she stays silent and glances over at her companions to gauge their reactions.
Khaz staggered back as the power washed over him, assaulting him with visions even as it healed and strengthened his body. In one hand he held Radiance in a grip so tight it hurt. His other hand had the ring that had been given to him when he was born. It was simple, made of iron and decorated but with the rune of Bolka. He held it against his chest, as if to ward himself against the unknown forces that infused him and his companions. When the moment had passed the rune on the ring softly glowed for a few moments. A sign that, like all of them, it had gained a measure of power as well.
”Did...ye all see that? Terry, lad, what did ye do?” He asked, confusion written all over his face.
Jocasta spins slightly and her sword winds up planting in the wall as she holds her head, temporarily overwhelmed with the visions washing over her. She blinks rapidly several times and shudders as the magical power flows around and through her.
Finally she takes a shuddering breath and wrenches her sword from the wall. Hearing Khaz's question, she replies, "He saved us. He saved us all and maybe all of Kenabres, from a future fate that would consign everyone here to the merciless bondage of demons."
After the blinding Flash clears from your eyes and the ringing in your ears settles you find the equipment of the Woman and the Two Armored figures on the ground.
Steps can be heard coming up from the stairs, it sounds like booted feet, mail clinking as they walk.
"I didn't DO anything. I, well, I just did what we were told to do. Did anybody expect that kind of result? I don't remember being told something like that would happen." He hands the rod back to Firinn. "It made sense for me to be the one to try, I mean, I move about in combat easier than anybody else, but, . . .."
As the sound of the armored personnel coming up the stairs starts: "But, all the demons are gone, right?" He readies his blade and takes a ready stance, waving Firinn and the the casters back towards the cage remnants.
Firinn does as ordered, retreating across the room. His sharp eyes scan the floor in an automatic check for gear and gold although his mind is still reeling from the visions that burst through his mind.
Rionnag flutters above the doorway, ready to dive bomb the first intruder.
"From what we saw...yes. And the cultists, too. Hopefully whoever is coming is friendly." Still, Lorena gets up and moves back, ready to fight again if needed.
Khaz took position and opened his eyes, focusing on discovering any taint of evil. If whatever came held darkness in it’s heart, he would be ready.
A heavily armored figure walks into to the room, clad in full plate mail from head to toe. Khaz detects no evil, in fact everyone almost feels and aura of Calm as this person enters the room. A long pony tail of golden hair hangs down the back of the figure, a voice rings out with a steely sound. "My mistress wishes to congratulate you on cleansing this place of the evil taint. She can not come and do it herself as it is forbidden." The armored figure moves to the pedestal where the Wardstone Fragment was.
"My Mistress is generous and will bestow upon you a great gift one that will aid you in the war to come. As she mentions that each of you feel a power infuse your body, this one different from the power that infused you when the Wardstone's pushed all their power into you. This power feels like the universe is opening up power in you that was always there.
This new power blinds each of you for what feels like eternity, as the blindness subsides you feel more powerful again and the woman is gone.
Jocasta watches in wonder, then when the blinding light flares up she blinks furiously several times. Her head spins and leaves her looking about the room as if seeing it again for the first time. Finally she whispers, "Thank you Iomedae."
Terry relaxes when it seems obvious the suit of armor means no harm, but twitches as this power flows. When he can see again, he stands very still, looking about the room and at the others, his eyes darting about. He's considering vocalizing a question when Jocasta speaks.
"Hunh? You really think . . .? But, why would a . . .?" He looks very scared for a second, before settling behind a wall of calm.
Khaz gazed in wonder before falling down to one knee, his head bowed. He had no words that were suitable to such an occasion. All he could do was show his respect.
Lorena relaxes her battle stance as the armored figure proves to be friendly, but she's still a tiny bit uneasy despite her calming aura. The tiefling glares at the woman as she speaks, having a feeling that their respective mysterious patrons wouldn't be too happy with each other, but of course it doesn't matter. The brief thought of What have I gotten myself into? passes through her mind, but she pushes it out. She's in too far now to run away. She owes these other people in the room with her too much - and the other way around, perhaps. And, well, if the only way is forward, then at least she'll probably be able to discover the meaning of her ominous dreams.
With the figure gone, Khaz rose to his feet. He felt *empowered* and was certain that the others did as well.
”To be blessed by a goddess such as this is a great honor. There must be great trials ahead for the divine to take such a direct action. Let us return with the news of this victory, and see what trials lie ahead.”
Firinn stands silently, Iomedae is not his god and her herald reminds him more than a little of the over-righteous crusaders who have caused so much pain in Kenabres but the power and righteousness of her cause is overwhelming and he bows his head silently in recognition, even as he offers a silent prayer to the Ancient Lady of the Stars.
Above the door Rionnag flutters gently and Firinn shares a glance with his companion, grateful for her silent support.
"So... we had best clean this place up and collect what we can." He suggests, "Then we can go back to the Hearth and report the place cleared."
Make me a Knowledge Religion Check DC will be high
With the way cleared out the party gathers themselves and the itmes left behind and leave the Grey Garrison. As you exit Old Kenabres the scouts come out of the building watching the area.
"What happened in there? The whole sky turned a silver then a large pulse went up."
"We got lucky. Finished the assigned task and survived. I can't BEGIN to describe what it was like to be at the source of that pulse. Just glad to still be moving!"
”Terry here saved the day. The foe was as strong as we feared, and victory was far from assured. He charged through the fray, braving spell and blade, to banish the foe. I’m not sure exactly how it worked, but praise the divine it did.”
"I went around the fight. You were standing toe-to-toe with them, taking everything they could dish out. All I did was walk around them. I couldn't have done that if you weren't the fighter you are. Everyone here did more to get us into that room and fight the foe than I did. All I did was follow orders."
Khaz tapped his gauntleted fist against his breastplate. ”I stood my ground, but no way could I move at any speed. We all did our part, aye. And we lived because of that. Yer a good man, Terry. Ye did yer duty well.”
Both the men look at each other, nodding that they are happy that you guys went in and not them. "Best get back to Defender's Heart. Last word we heard the Queen is a day out with her army." The scouts then wave and head back into the city looking for whatever their assignment was for the day.