Having grown up in Kenabres, and being trained to be a Paladin, Khaz had gone on the occasional foray into the world wound. But nothing like this. Nothing so far. It was alien. It was terrifying. But he had a job to do and more than enough responsibility to keep his mind occupied.
The Army pushes on into the night a bit before settling down, nothing Comes of the night as the Army is to large for predators other than a VERY large group to want to attack, in the Morning you set out again. Following along the ravine walls you eventually get to where you can see broken stairs that lead up to you would guess would be the Way-station.
Aron comes forward "That is it up there, doesn't look like they maintained the stairs but they can enter it from the grasslands above. It would take us days to back track."
”Perfect spot for an ambush. We need our lightly armored men to climb up top and set up ropes. Then a perimeter has to be established up top while we climb up. We can’t afford to rush this or it will be a disaster.” Khaz said.
Terry seeing the almost literal Mountain that you guys have to climb shuffles out of his pack and cloak. One of the knights approaches him and hands over a climbing kit with many Pitons and a hammer. Terry looks back at the group and smiles. "I got this, once I am at the top you can all come up after me and bring me my armor ok?"
Without withing for Khaz to reply Terry starts his assention up the rock face. Terry places Pitons at points that will make it easier for those less nimble and more heavily armored to get to the top. It takes about an hour or so to complete this, Terry makes it look simple but the Rogue has trained for things like this his whole life and those below look on with admiration. As Terry gets to the top a Figure appears behind him, snatching the Rogue and flying off with him.
"Terry! No!" shouts Jocasta helplessly. "Khaz, we have to catch up! That's probably how we lost Firinn, too!"
”Oh fook no. Bloody well after him!”
"On it." Lorena's semi-blank look has been replaced with one of grim determination as she begins her ascent up Terry's pitons...though she doesn't quite seem to get how they work.
Lorena is able to ascend the first bit of stair, as she makes her way to the ropes that Terry kindly put out she slips on loose rock but is saved from a 30' fall.
Despite his heavy armor, Khaz pulled himself up with sheer stubborn determination.
Khaz makes across the first gab, the Stairs here again lead up another 20' before there is a rope and some stone that helps.
Jocasta ascends readily as well, her training and her magical armor making the task seem simple.
Having learned the ropes after her close call, Lorena makes it up the second part of the climb a bit more easily. Along the way, she looks up and around for any sign of the flying figure, though she can't spare too much effort.
Not looking back, Lorena scales up the rest of the way, stopping just below the top for the rest to catch up.
Jocasta continues her determined ascent up the rugged rock.
The party makes their way to the top, as they arrive they see a creature flying in with what looks like some sort of Purple elf in it's clutches.
This is a gargoyle
The Purple Elf struggles till eventually what looks like a dagger is drive into the leg holding it and the Elf drops 10' into a roll while drawing out a bow. The flying creature takes off towards what looks like a large church inside a compound.
As the Party's attention is drawn to the east a Hiss Snap Noise is heard behind you and the smell of Brimstone stays in the air for a few seconds. "Not quite where I wanted to be but I guess I am not alone here." A voice is heard saying.
Purple loses an arrow shooting after the thing that had the impertinence to pick her up.
As the thing doesn't look like it's going to come back she turns to the threats at hand. "Hi. Are you lost? Or what are you doing out here?"
She tries her nicest smile, as she's not out for a fight, but she is cautious, as she is used to people not reacting nice to meeting her. Purple skin, pointy ears and white hair and eyes make people do that.
For those looking closely, it is clear that the ears are not as pointy as they should be, the purple not as dark, and her hair - worn as french braid - only a really bright blond. But most don't care for a second look, before they judge her.
Also there is this hissing and the bad smell. Probably the bigger threat here. On the plus side, if bad comes to worst, and it's a big demon, she only needs to outrun those people, and that dwarf for sure isn't fast.
She scans the area what stinky demon sticks its head out.
”Oi! You there.” Khaz said as he made his way up, a layer of sweat coating his face from the climb. ”Where’d ye be from?” He asked with some confusion. ”Name’s Khaz, of the Crusade.” He added, not having expected to have found a Drow in these parts. Or half-Drow from the look of the ears. As he said it his eyes took on a golden-hue.
"You can call me Purple. I'm a godsend, delivered via airmail."
"There is no place where I'm from, where you can go and drop my name and everyone starts telling my heroic stories, knows my ancestors back to the times of the great war and invites me to an ale. That concept is foreign to my kind." Purple tells.
"Wouldn't even work for my infamous stories." Purple adds, before prejudice invalidates her story on the basis, that drow have no heroic stories to tell anyway.
Jocasta watches the sky as the unexpected arrivals and air mail make her suspicious about other possible attackers.
"Have you seen other gargoyles, demons, or flyers? Should we be taking cover?" she asks pragmatically.
"Sorry. If I knew I wouldn't have got that ride to start with. It came out of the blue. But taking cover is in principal a good idea around here." Purple answers.
"But you still haven't told, what brings you here in the first place?"
”Killing demons, pushing back the worldwound, and saving our friends! I don’t see any evil in ye, so if all that sounds good then come with me. Don’t care if yer purple, pink or blue. Anyone who’ll point a sword at evil is fine by me.”
"You and what army?" Purple chuckles at the grandeur Khaz displays. "But it's a nice change to meet someone in this area who's not out to kill me."
While waving away the Brimstone cloud, Molos says "Not quite where I wanted to be but I guess I am not alone here."
"Do your magic evil check on that one! He came out of a brimstone cloud. We might see a glamour!" Purple rattles out while losing her cool and drawing her bow.
"Or not..." she adds as she sees the red skin, the tail and well, a tiefling. "I could... " just calm down.
The gates to this small courtyard lie smashed and broken with
tall grass growing amid the rubble. Two main buildings stand
side by side to the east, separated by a single alleyway. The
smaller structure appears to be a stable, while the other is much
larger with several doors and stained-glass windows, apparently
a chapel judging by the pious statues along its rooftop.
As suddenly the structure behind her catches Purple's attention, as it's closer as it seemed, she checks if that gargoyle is seen somewhere.
Purple doesn't see any sign of the gargoyle who high tailed it out of there after being shot. She does note 3 more Gargoyles but they are solid stone and on the building where normal Gargoyles would be.
Still waving the brimstone smoke away with a slight cough Molos says "I am Molos Sarazan. I apologize for any inconvenience. I was creating a new spell that went awry. Pray tell, where are we and who are you?"
”Aye. I’m Khaz, Holy-Warrior of Bolka. Got made leader of an expedition into the world-wound. I’ll tell ye all about it when we get back to the army. This here is Jocasta. Damn good with a sword, especially when she magics it so that it explodes the poor fookers she stabs. And that’s Lorena. Got a lot of power in her, and she uses it well. ‘Ain’t nobody I’d rather have at me side. Which is good, as two of the lads were grabbed by them stone-hide bastards, and we aim to get them back. Glad we ran into ye two, as if we waited for any others our friends wouldn’t make it.” Khaz said. ”Now get yer spells up, and let’s do this.”
There seems to be a gargoyle problem in this area. Molos reviews his knowledge of these beasts.
"Pleased to meet you Kahz. My abilities are at your service. For the time being.You failed to tell me of our location. It was a portion of my query."
Khaz looked at Molos in confusion. ”Between Kenabres and Drezen, lad. After we be done I’m gonna want to hear both yer tales. But for now, it’s time to rescue the boyos a’fore it’s too late.”
After following Khaz over the top of the cliff, Lorena stays silent as she surveys the newcomers and the nearby church from the safety of her shadow armor. She nods slightly as the dwarf introduces her, but her attention seems to be elsewhere.
"So we are going for that.?" Purple states with a nod to the former waystation. "Would be a nice change. I always wondered what is in there. But no way I would go in there alone. Surrounded by walls on three sides it takes no more than two enemies to have you in the corner. See that gargoyles? Only if it rains and the water flows through their mouths I'd believe they're statues."
Purple also casts a spell in preparation . As she has no need to go in to attack, she starts shooting.
"It's a monastery," explains Jocasta. "Devoted to Irori. Given the massive abyssal mess sweeping over this whole countryside, we decided to check in and make sure that it hasn't been overrun. The monks may be good with their fists, but I'm not sure if they're 'punching demons back to Hell' good."
Purple raises a brow. Well, if they got that punching thing straight, it might not matter where to they punch someone.
"Monastery of Irori? A leftover from better times, or created in this wasteland? Anyway, it's rather unique. Followers of Irory are not the people you meet here often." She furrows her brow. "Or at all."
Lorenna can tell it is a Chapel to Irori, which does seem a bit odd since he wasn't overly interested in the World Wound. The party Stops at the entrance to the Monestary grounds looking around, with no rain to be seen it is difficult for the way Purple described to tell if they are alive or not makes it difficult.
”Aye then, no time to waste.” Khaz said. He spoke a word of power as he walked inside.
"Who is front line here? I can prepare you for your battles with just a touch."
”Oh! Aye. Me and Jocasta wade in up front, and Lorena comes from behind with spell and spear.”
"Right!" says Jocasta. She draws her sword and accompanies Khaz forward.
Molos stays close to Khaz and Jocasta so that he might quickly aid the front line should they encounter danger. He begins to study their offensive and defensive gear to determine exactly how he might do that. He inspects Lorena and Purple as well.
Jocasta carries a cold iron dueling sword and wears a breastplate emblazoned with the symbol of Iomedae.
Molos notices no shield on the human female of Iomedae. He has prepared that spell.
"Well, mostly spear. Unless one of you look like you're about to fall over." Lorena smiles as she readies her usual weapon. It's hard to make out exactly what she's got through her constantly-shifting shadow cloak, but her spears and long-nailed hands noticeably poke through.