Combat Round 2 Bless and PFE still active for 8 rounds! Prayer active for 4 rounds! +1 luck bonus to hit,damage,saves,skills, enemies get -1 Haste for 5 rounds!
Belledonna casts Haste on her allies!
Konny attacks the Derakni demon but he misses with both attacks, the creature's carapace is just too tough
Derakni attacks Konny with a viscous bite hitting for and Konny must save versus poison . The Derakni attacks Barundar with its stinger hitting Barundar for Barundar must save versus poison! . The Derakni attacks Victrix with two claws! but the creature fails to harm Victrix!
Barundar
Brighton
Victrix
Vrock
At this point, Victrix starts laughing at how ineffectual the demons' attacks are. "Oh, thanks! I 'ad an itch on my back that was droivin' me barkin' mad!"
She then notices Irabeth's unconscious body in the corner. It's enough to make her rage flare up again. "Broighton! 'Elp Irabeth!" She barks before taking a step forward.
She swings her sword at the Derakni, all the blessings, hatred & magic within her coming to bear once more.
Realizing that the Derakni is posing a larger threat to the group, and that with Victrix's help this one will be the faster to fall, Barundar switches plans, still taking a five-foot step to the southeast, putting him in a position to attack and be attacked by both demons, but also allowing him to activate his Defensive Stance again and still be in a position to beat on whichever of them is available to be beaten on.
Combat Round 2 Bless and PFE still active for 8 rounds! Prayer active for 4 rounds! +1 luck bonus to hit,damage,saves,skills, enemies get -1 Haste for 5 rounds!
Belledonna casts Haste on her allies!
Konny attacks the Derakni demon but he misses with both attacks, the creature's carapace is just too tough
Derakni attacks Konny with a viscous bite hitting for 1 and Konny must save versus poison. The Derakni attacks Barundar with its stinger hitting Barundar for 1 Barundar must save versus poison! The Derakni attacks Victrix with two claws! but the creature fails to harm Victrix! 2 nonlethal.
Barundar steps into the line of fire and attacks! Barundar hits for 32!
Brighton moves into the room behind Belledonna
Victrix slashes the locust demon with a vengeance, her sword shining against the light of the continual flame spells throughout the room. The creature goes down with blood and ichor spraying! The Demon does not disappear, so you know it is dead for good.
Vrock for the first time in its demonic existence, the Vrock knows fear. The Vrock issues a maddening screech, hoping to stun the Crusaders giving it some time to escape!
Belle and Konny are stunned for one round!
Combat Round 3 Bless and PFE still active for 7 rounds! Prayer active for 3 rounds! +1 luck bonus to hit,damage,saves,skills, enemies get -1 Haste for 4 rounds!
Konny stunned
Belledonna stunned
Barundar
Brighton
Victrix
Vrock
The screeching of the vrock makes Victrix's teeth grind together, but instead of being stunned by it, all it does is further anger her.
She doesn't taunt the beast. She lets her sword speak for her.
It can be very persuasive when it wants to be.
"What's th' maiter ye bird-faced bastard!? Ye scared?!" the dwarf taunts, turning his attention to the vrock as soon as the derakni is felled by Victrix's blow.
Victrix and Barundar combine to batter the next demon into the ground, it didn't even have a chance.
Combat Over
The golden light from the Wardstone begins to fade from its previous brilliance, yet you feel very different. The Wardstone was created by the Herald of a God to protect mortals from demons. It used its last gasp of energy to imbue you with a small fraction of its power.
"Paralysed or stunned three times in a row - I will definitely have to do something about that. But it has to wait for now. Also, guys I have this weird feeling something very important happened to me right now. It is so weird I am not even gonna quote Uncle Anvil. But rest assured, there will be more of his wisdom in the future."
Belledonna snickers at Konny's witticism. The snicker lengthens into a genuine peel of laughter, long & bright enough that the rest of you begin to concern yourselves that the stresses of the last several days combined with those of the past ?half hour? may have shattered her psyche. Just as your concern mounts, the laughter dies away & her expression twists into a sneer of distaste as she looks around you at the defilement the Fiends & their slaves have wrought in this once-sacred place. "Maunga i tēnei paru." She snarls. "E kore noa hoki Mendevs. E kore e mahi i tenei." She adds as she throws wide her arms, her eyes flaring with arcane power. A massed...
distortion, much like the wavering of air over a furnace, appears before her. "Whakapai tenei wahi, kia rite ki te mea i mua i te reira i poke i te mea poke. Kia e mahi koe, haere tonu i runga i roto i te whare tae noa ki te kitea e koutou tetahi ruma e tonu tonu poke. Ki te he kotahi atu te kauhoe nga ruma katoa, ka kua oti koe tou mahi & kia haere kotahi atu ki to koutou te kāinga." Belledonna directs before striding out to the outer room. As she departs the room, the presences begin scouring the debris & stains from the chamber about you.
"Not even for Mendevs. This will not do."
"Clean this place, make it as it was before the fiends ones befouled it. Once you are done, continue on through the building until you find another room that still remains unclean. If all the rooms are once more pristine, you will have completed your task & may depart once more to your home."
Brighton, almost at a loss at the furiously quick end of the battle, goes to Irabeth. His hands touch her gently and he imparts healing grace.
Once the vrock falls, Victrix starts to calm down. Panting, she leans on her greatsword, her fatigue starting to bite at her muscles.
"The Red Tigers send their regards." She taunts the corpses.
The sound of Belledonna's laughter causes Victrix to look over and smile in relief. "Yeh know, Belle, yeh oughta smile more often." She chuckles, running a bloody hand through her hair.
Incidentally, her hair has turned from its normal ginger colour to a vibrant, bloody red. Must be from all the demon blood.
Irabeth comes awake with a start Wha, wha happened... she blinks a few times and then says That witch! What did she do!?
Konny searches the room and finds several (3) chunks of wardstone that are about as large as his fist. They seem to glow with an inner light.
The Wardstone shards can be worked by a mythic smith (hint, hint) into an existing weapon or suit of armor. Doing so automatically makes the weapon or armor masterwork. The smith can spend the appropriate amount of golds worth of reagents and enchant the weapon or armor at the same time he works the Shard into the weapon/armor.
Weapon: A weapon enhanced by a wardstone shard is treated as being
made of cold iron and as a good weapon for the purposes of
overcoming a demon's damage reduction. The shard cannot be
used to enhance ammunition in this manner, but can be used
to enhance a weapon that fires ammunition; doing so causes
the weapon to impart these qualities to the ammunition as
it is fired.
Armor: A suit of armor enhanced by a wardstone shard
gains the spell resistance (13) armor special ability, but only
against evil outsiders.
"If yeh're talking about Belle, she blew the Wardstone ta pieces and the demons with 'em." Victrix moves to help Irabeth up. "If yeh're talkin' about Vorlesh, she cast some kinda spell on yeh, then got f**ked in the arse by the Wardstone's power and ran 'ome cryin'. She left behind a couple o' demons fer us ta play with." She shrugs. "Didn't 'elp 'em much."
Her expression turns pensive. "And... I feel different roight now. Stronger. Not sure what the bloody 'ell the Wardstone did ta us..."
A drop of blood falls on Victrix's head, causing her to look up.
Oh... what? Really? On the CEILING? How'd I even get it up there?!
Irabeth stands up wearily, she notices the Wardstone's destruction and her eyes widen You really did it.....you saved us all! She smiles a big toothy half orc grin. Honestly, I thought we were all dead when Areelu showed her face...
Hearing Irabeth's voice, Belledonna calls from the outer room. "If you would be so kind, Mrs. Tirabade, you can tell me who is of your own & who's bodies should be consigned to the fire."
"Shows what she knew." Victrix stretches. "Good thing, too--I wasn't lookin' forward ta tellin' Anevia I couldn't protect her wife." She looks down, a pained look briefly on her face before she looks back up at Irabeth.
"I'm not lettin' that happen... never again. Now I have a goal." The fire in her eyes is unmistakeable.
Irabeth makes a face but begins pointing to those bodies that she "thinks" belonged to the Crusaders who were stationed here.
Stripping Jeslyn's cloak from her corpse, Belledonna uses it as a kind of flexible sledge to drag corpses, starting with the Heretic's own, down the stairs & out the doors of the Garrison. With Irabeth's assistance, she divides them into two...
piles. One, composed of those unfortunate souls murdered & defiled by the cultists & their Fiendish masters, arranged in better order & with a significant measure more dignity & concern. The other, composed of the aforementioned cultists & what few Fiendish bodies remained, heaped together far enough away from any buildings that the fire, once started, wouldn't pose a further danger of conflagration. Standing before the bodies, Belledonna turns to Irabeth. "It seems my initial accusations against Lord Hulrun were...
incorrect, my apologies."
"I'm sure he was a good man. In either case, he certainly didn't deserve what happened to him." Pausing for a moment, she adds. "Do you think it safe to signal to your comrades? I'm...
sure they would like to know that...
particular danger has passed." Awkwardly contemplating further, she continues. "Other dangers of course seem likely to rise in it's place, but it is important to take what solace you can. Perhaps these," her hand spread to indicate the dead crusaders, "have surviving relatives who will want to bury them properly?" It's fairly clear she isn't comfortable in the position of trying to offer comfort to a member of a nation she has covertly disliked & distrusted for her entire adult life.
Like the others, Barundar seems positively stunned by the sudden new power that flows through him. He stands there, clearly somewhat dumbfounded, as he stares down at his hands, looking at them as if he doesn't recognize them or the person to whom they are attached.
Coming back to himself, he hears Belledonna speaking to Irabeth and somehow manages to formulate his own response.
"Aye, lassie. Ah think tis safe tae say all th' demons wha wur 'ere, besides th' twa summoned in, wur destroyed by th' Wardstone exploding. We ought tae huv a go 'n' contact th' families o' thae brave souls wha gave thair lives fightin' th' guid rammy. Aside fae that...i'd lik' tae know whit th' hell juist happened tae us."
Irabeth responds to Belle Lord Hulruun was a hard man...but..he fought the demons the best way he knew how. The mistakes of the past should not be repeated. Asnwering the question about the "allies" soon you see mongrelmen scouts begin to pop their heads from around corners and several Crusaders make it to the courtyard of the Grey Garrison.
Lann, flanked by two mongrelmen you recognize as Gymak and Gruul, reports to Victrix in his archaic sounding Taldane going to one knee Milady, the fighting was fierce. When all seemed lost, a great golden light enveloped the battlefield and then the demons were all gone. The cultists and tieflings remained but fled shortly thereafter....We have won the day. Kenebres is free. he stops speaking for only a moment before continuing We have lost many souls this day. But this one would follow still if you would have him. the two flanking Mongrelmen follow suit in pledging themselves to your cause.
Irabeth begins speaking with a Crusader who identified himself as Ausk. All gone you say? Well that IS good news yea? Where is Quednys? We should relocate here to begin fortifying the city, they won't stay gone.
Konny turns to Brighton, while the "commanders" discuss the current situation. "Brighton, you talked about cleaning the pool. Is there something specific you wanted to do?"
Overhearing Lann's words to Victrix, Belledonna smirks, muttering. "Tiki ake aia inaianei?" Snickering, she adds. "Kia mau koe ki a ratou, whangaia ratou e koutou."
Hearing Irabeth's instructions to the crusader Ausk, Belledonna turns as well. "Any oil? These," as she indicates the bodies of the crusaders found within the Garrison proper, "Are your & I am certain you will know how best to serve them. Those," now pointing to the mass of Tieflings & other cultists, "aren't, and I would not have them soiling the land any longer than necessary. Fire will serve."
Considering Konny's words to Brighton, Belledonna contemplates for a moment. "I will see how the Wairua whare have fared." before re-entering the Garrison to observe & direct their efforts.
"You keep them, you feed them."
"Household Spirits"
to locate trap (if we know about the room)
to disable trap or unlock door
Brighton nods to Konny. "Yes. I think that Terendelev's scale will help me, but first, and more mundanely, I mean to restore its waters to be free of blood and ichor. It is meant to be a holy place."
Brighton will motion to Konny if he will follow, then notices him looking intently for something.
"Of course, it can wait until we are certain there are no other vile cultists at our backs."
Blood and filth smear floor of this long room. Six white
stone statues of famous heroes line the hall-each clawed,
bloodstained, partially smashed, or otherwise defaced. At the
far end of the hall, a raised dais holds an upturned alabaster
altar. Sitting atop the upside-down altar is a hideous mass
of severed limbs that have been stitched together into a vile
monstrous insectoid shape. Before the dais, seven ratty bedrolls
have been laid out on the floor.
Konny does indeed find a trap door leading into a secret room, but he finds no traps on the door.
Along the northern wall of this room, a frieze depicts a line of
mounted crusaders crashing over a horde of twisted demons.
The crusaders' faces have been obliterated and vile graffiti is
carved over the entire scene. Fresh blood stains the floor.
Victrix helps Lann and the other mongrelmen back to their feet. "Yeh don't need ta kneel ta me, Lann. I'm no noble--'ell, I'm not even a real Crusader." She says, touched by their faith in her.
She salutes the mongrelmen. "Yeh've done a much better job than I could at bein' a Crusader. If yeh intend ta follow me, I'll 'ave yeh."
After helping Irabeth move some of the bodies out of the garrison, Barundar goes back in and looks around, finding his way to the desecrated temple at P7. He stands near the altar, a frown on his face, shaking his head at the desecration that he sees there. Such horrible treatment of the temple...though he expected little else from the demon-kin.
Without regard for getting any blood on himself, he does his best to get his arms around the grotesque mass of stitched-together limbs so that he could carry it out of the temple. If he's unable to do it by himself, he asks Konny and/or Brighton for help.
"Looks clear, but this area should be definitely cleaned up and probably re-holied or something" Konny says upon seeing the rooms. "Brighton, I will help you in any way, just tell me what to do."
The faces of the portraits that hang on the walls of this room
have been slashed. Two marble planters lie smashed in pieces
on the ground, and mud streaks across the white stone floor.This room has a table and playing cards located in the center of the room.
A bracket shows where a longsword once hung over a stylized
gold sunburst affixed to the south wall. Lines of strange runes
are carved into the walls on both sides of the sunburst. Dried
blood and excrement have been smeared across the sunburst
and a short bench for kneeling that sits on the floor.
If you kneel before the shrine on the bench, the angle of view creates
an optical illusion. The overly complex letters of the
prayers engraved on the wall take the shape of a longsword
on which is written, " Let us inherit thine arms, Iomedae."
This room was once some sort of museum, but its contents have
been smashed and scattered across the room-even the shelves
have been shattered and torn apart in places. The decapitated
bodies of two knights, their armor and bodies broken and
mangled, lie in the ruins. If you enter this room make a Kn:History or Religion check
A long table and six chairs have been pushed against the
western wall. On the opposite wall, a tapestry depicting a
map of Mendev hangs from a silver rod-the tapestry has been
slashed several times and splashed with filth. A bedroll sits
on the floor, and on the nearby table is an array of alchemical
devices and a long wooden sword case wrapped with cords, as
if ready for travel.
Concluding after a few moment's observation that the Household Spirits she summoned would prove sufficient to clean at least the top two floors of the Garrison, Belledonna returned to the ground floor. Briefly surveying the rooms therein & the efforts of her companions, she decides to focus her first efforts upon the shrine.
After chatting with the mongrelmen, Victrix decides to pitch in with the cleaning of the garrison.
Makes sense... I DID kinda make a bigger mess of it than it already was.
She starts with the ruined museum.
She takes a look around, cringing at the sight of the decapitated knights. "Ugh..." She bends over and picks them both up, intending to carry them outside.
"Sorry we couldn't get 'ere sooner." She says to herself as she hoists both bodies, armour and all, over her shoulders and carries them outside.
Looks like I'll have to make another trip for their heads...
"Oh bother." Belledonna exclaims at the sight of the two decapitated bodies as Victrix carries them out. "Are the heads still in there?"
"Yep. Plannin' ta come back and get 'em once I get these two ready fer a proper burial, or cremation, or 'owever the Crusaders honour their dead." Victrix nods.
"See what Irabeth wants done with them. There are several already out there waiting." Belledonna replies, pausing in her own efforts to slip into the room & bring out the heads, carrying them after Victrix.
the First Crusade. You find no such items among the wreckage...
Bookshelves line the walls of this small library. Many of the
tomes have been torn to shreds, and smoldering piles of ashes
fill the room with an acrid stench. One small stack of books on a
circular table seem to have escaped destruction. The books are expensive histories of the Crusades. Appraise DC 15 to surmise their value./spoiler]
[spoiler=P14.War Room]
Stacks of scrolls, books, maps, and more sit atop a large
hexagonal table in this room. The walls are painted with detailed
maps of Sarkoris, over which features of the Worldwound have
been painted. The table is cluttered with papers detailing Crusader troop movements across the Worldwound, Irabeth might be interested in these. Scattered with the papers is a Scroll of Restoration.
Once he has the mass of limbs taken outside, Barundar will seek the assistance of anyone who happens to be around in getting the altar turned back right side-up and get it cleaned of bloodstains and other detritus.
Victrix hauls the decapitated knights before Irabeth outside the Garrison.
"Found these two poor souls in an old museum ta the First Crusade." She says with a sigh. "Where do ya need me ta put 'em?"
The Unseen servants finish "cleaning" the third story and move to the second story after an hour or so.
Belledonna and Vic finish cleaning the Shrine while Barundar works on the Temple of Iomedae.
Konny, Brighton what are you guys doing?
Stacks of scrolls, books, maps, and more sit atop a large
hexagonal table in this room. The walls are painted with detailed
maps of Sarkoris, over which features of the Worldwound have
been painted. The table is cluttered with papers detailing Crusader troop movements across the Worldwound, Irabeth might be interested in these. Scattered with the papers is a Scroll of Restoration.
Brighton begins to tire and looks to Irabeth. "So Captain, what will be our next steps? I feel as though I could sleep some right now."
Irabeth says in response Well, word is that the Demons and most of their thralls have fled. I'm waiting here for Quednys and my wife and then we will begin scourging the city of any remaining cultists. We need to make this place safe again. she gestures in the direction of the Defender's Heart Kimroth would love you having rooms there, he could pepper you with questions about the fighting here, excrusader that he is, always pining for the good ole days she finishes with a smile.
Be heartened friend, it is a good day. No matter the costs, we won this one.
More crusaders and mongrelmen begin to make their way into the courtyard.
After cleaning the temple up as best he can, Barundar looks around for Irabeth. On finding her, he believes it important to let her know exactly what has happened to the party affected by the explosion of the wardstone. In as much detail as he can recall, he recounts to her the visions that he had of the various points of Kenabres' history over the last century-plus as well as the plans that Vorlesh had for the wardstone that they managed to foil.
Konny helps clean the rooms and takes all the scrolls and books to one place to be sorted later.
Another hour and the unseen servants have finished setting the scrying chamber(p14) to rights.
Anevia and Quednys Orlun make it to the Grey Garrison. Konny shows the papers he found in P14(The War Room) to Orlun who looks grim and says They know more of our movements and plans than even we do...Galfrey must see these.
After another hour (3rd) the unseen servants move into the first floor and assist the party with cleaning the Shrine and Temple before they depart.
Quednys Orlun gathers the party together in the large conference room (P11) which had been barred but contained the body of a Peryton.Also present are Irabeth, Anevia, Aravashnial, Horgus Gwerm and a few other Crusader leaders, including Cheif Sull. Orlun says I have received a Sending from Queen Galfrey and her army marches to assist Kenebres. She reports that Nerosyan and other towns along the border were similarly besieged by demons in the last days, but that your actions here brought all that to an end. his face darkens a moment Not all in Mendev think your destruction of the Wardstone was the right thing. Some believe you have opened the door for the demons and that you are spies and traitors. He holds his hand up to forestall any rebuttal.I know differently, as do all at this Council. But some who... he pauses Have not been on the Border, they see this differently. Now the Demonic horde can threaten their lands, and their holdings. Some of these very nobles are traveling with Queen Galfrey, we will prepare the city for her arrival. Horgus Gwerm intejects loudly PREPOSTEROUS! Traitors? Spies!? These people saved a Gwerm! How could they be demoniacs!? Anevia snorts at the noble's selfish outburst but Irabeth calms him. Peace Horgus, we know the truth.
Orlun continues, directly addressing the party We recognize your valiant efforts in saving this city from certain and violent end. he gestures to the back of the room where two recognizable librarians from Blackwing wait with a small chest.
Victrix nearly snaps when Orlun informs the party of some of the nobles thinking they're spies, but manages to keep her temper in check.
"Glad ta hear someone does." Victrix snorts. "What needs ta be done ta get Kenabres up 'n' runnin' again?"
At Orlun's description of the suspicions lain against herself & her companions, Belledonna merely sniffs, her expression one of stoic unsurprise. Though she raises an eyebrow at Horgus Gwerm's outburst, Belledonna shows little other physical reaction save placing a placatory hand upon Victrix's shoulder. "Noa no te mea e kore ratou e kite i to koutou i pokapoka e kore te auraa e kore ētahi atu e."
"Kite?" She adds, spreading her open left hand toward the chest as it is presented.
At Victrix' query, Belledonna says little, her attentive expression as she joins her gaze with those of her companions upon Quedys Orlun & Irabeth all the words she needs.
"See?"
Barundar only just keeps from verbalizing the raised hackles he feels at finding out that some of the nobles are actually thinking they are aligned with the demons, the anger flushing his face red. When they are defended by Orlun, it seems to calm him a little, though he is still none too pleased with being compared to the demoniacs.
"Aye...Victrix is richt. Wi' th' wardstone gaen, something needs tae be dane tae keep th' demons fae invading a' ower again. Are th' ither wardstones aye intact or did a' o' thaim explode lik' this one?"
From what I have gathered the other wardstones have gone inert, no power whatsoever... Orlun explains
Traitors, us? No wonder the fight against the Worldwound is going that badly if people who think this are in the charge...
Konny reacts to Orlun's explanation. "If they gone inert, that means there is no protection from demons and Worldwound anymore, right? So what shall be done about it? As I guess there is no one currently about who would know how to swith them on again, we should take the fight to the enemy as soon as possible. Before they use the opprtunity and overwhelm us."
You are correct Master Hammerhand, there is no more "magic fence" to keep the demons out. So..I do not know what is next. I think perhaps Queen Galfrey will know but I cannot speak for her.
Orlun gestures and the Librarians bring the chest forward.
This is a gift to you, heroes of the Grey Garrison. To assist you in your fight against the demons in the coming days. This is all that is left of the Blackwing's treasury and repository. My deep apologies for the paucity of the gift, the demoniacs looted most of our Library.
Inside the chest:
Bag of Holding type 1
Gemstones worth 4000 gold.
Boots of Elvenkind
Belt of Mighty Constitution +2
Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2
Amulet of Natural Armor +1
Cloak of Resistance +1