"Not planning on staying," mutters the devil. "C'mon, give a devil a chance - I might be redeemable."
Amy transports first Guldarin and then Amenephus to the safety of the ledge, leaving only Rusty and Dorvin to make their way out. Clutching Masterstroke to him, Dorvin splashes doggedly through the lava and reaches safety.
Rusty jumps over the last trench and trudges to safety.
"C'mon, give a devil a chance - I might be redeemable."
Rusty sighs. Seemingly refrained by the safeword, the dragonborn eyes the devil with suspicion.
70 of 96 HP; 0 of 11 Surges
Initiative +9:
Passive Perception 16, Passive Insight 15; Low-light vision
AP: 0
Conditions:
Dailies: Dizzying Blow, Looming Justice, Victorious Surge, Comeback Strike
Encounters: Hesitation Slash, Hack and Hew, Reactive Surge, Comeuppance Strike
Rusty clears the last hazard and reaches safety. As he does so, the shattered statue rumbles and re-forms as the Spirit of Grajava returns to her old home. Smiling, she turns to the companions.
"I am ordered to seal this place. Great Volund himself speaks. Now I may fulfil my destiny."
Waiting only for the group to back to safety, she wades into the lava and gathers the sacred anvils. Glowing with heat and divine power, she sinks down, drawing the heat into herself and melting into the forge itself. The party can only watch as she sacrifices herself to placate the mountain.
As Grajava allows herself to discorporate, the mountain grows quiet until finally all that remains of the Prime Forge is a cool, still chamber hewn from rock. Infused with the divine spirit of the shield maiden, it stands as a bastion against evil, etched with the symbol of Volund's hammer and her own teardrop.
In the silence that follows, Dorvin wipes tears from his eyes and marches to the centre of the now calm mountain. There he places Masterstroke as a tribute to Grajava and your own efforts.
"Time to go, lads."
"You know, I think I've had enough of the mountains for now. I'm going to go somewhere that it's flatter, with less rocks, and fewer followers of Mammon. And plenty of sun."
"I think I will finally accept that cloistered life that the church keeps offering me."
Dorvin remains silent on the journey back to the Citadel, letting the others discuss their plans. When you arrive, he goes to find Caradlather and takes him aside for a muttered conversation. Finally he returns to the group.
"I'll be stayin. There's some dwarves and a few humans need a guid kickin, and Caradlather here's mekkin me an Old Master. We'll sort the place out. Make it clean and profitable with guid dwarven values and none of this Mammon nonsense. Bragollach's staying too. Reckons she's got a debt to pay and I'm not denying she does."
He brushes his beard and looks down to hide any show of undwarven sentimentality.
"Tek care. Rygar's got a long memory and we'll welcome you well if you come back."
"I know this place will be in good hands," Nayce says with uncharacteristic warmth. Then he turns to Guldarin, "Plenty of sun, you say?"
The parting of the ways has come at last. With the defeat of Mammon and the purifying of Mount Rygar, another chapter is written into the long history of the Golden Citadel.
At Dorvin's urging, the Silent Masters acknowledge their role in the creation of the derro while Bragollach works to redeem herself as a worthy guardian.
Much has changed here since your arrival so few weeks ago. As if in response to the cleansing of the mountain, spring arrives and with it, the melting of the snow and the end of the bitter chill. The trade passages open again and soon a steady stream of caravans work their way up and down the mountains.
As you prepare to depart for the last time, Dorvin takes you aside.
"Got something to show ye," he mutters gruffly.
On the walls of the Citadel a new set of carvings have been created. Your exploits in all their glory are captured forever. Many generations from now, young dwarves and miners will be brought to this spot to remember your deeds and honour your memories. It is a very dwarven tribute.
Then he turns to Guldarin, "Plenty of sun, you say?"
"I think that would be nice. But not a jungle, because I've done those, and the leeches get stuck in my beard. Maybe a nice ocean voyage would work out. After all, it's not like every trip I make ends up with me getting sidetracked hundreds of miles in the wrong direction!"
On the walls of the Citadel a new set of carvings have been created. Your exploits in all their glory are captured forever. Many generations from now, young dwarves and miners will be brought to this spot to remember your deeds and honour your memories. It is a very dwarven tribute.
Rusty is humbled by this experience, knowing now that having your deeds immortalised in stone is worth more than any gold in the world.
Jubilant, he exclaims, "Although we part ways, you will all be close to my heart via the blood we have shed together under the forge of the mountain."
"I shall continue our good works by investing in a promising, quaint little town on the caravan route not far from here. However, I depart happy knowing that I will always be welcomed back by Dorvin and Bragollach whenever I return here to my home away from home."
Finally, he turns to the prospective redemption candidate, the penitent devil standing next to him, "Now my friend, you shall henceforth be known by your new name, Paul Arkhosia."
"I offer only hunger, thirst, forced marches, battles and death," the dragonborn admits solemnly, "but let he who rejects Asmodeus with his heart, and not merely with his lips, follow me."
Let's all give Rev a round of applause for another DM job well done!
Finally, he turns to the prospective redemption candidate, the penitent devil standing next to him, "Now my friend, you shall henceforth be known by your new name, Paul Arkhosia.""I offer only hunger, thirst, forced marches, battles and death," the dragonborn admits solemnly, "
Newly named Paul Arkhosia shrugs. "Sounds better than my last job. I'll tell you, what. Let me drop the occasional helmet over someone's eyes and we've got a deal."
"I'll take it!" Exclaims the dragonborn.
"Your talent will be nurtured, so that it will be used for good instead of evil."
Nice! Awesome to see this run to conclusion. :)
-Ben.
Send me a PM about what your favorite parts were, I'd love to know and I'll pass it along to the others.