Allen will approach the head and try to destroy it.
Destrroy that thing if you can
Heinrick shudders as he looks at the symbol of Bhaphomet
Allen's blade clashes against the brazen head and sparks fly from the contact. After the bright flash, the head appears to be slightly blemished, but otherwise in perfect condition.
Allen will look around and inspect the area.
He will then take another swing at it.
Looking at the hideous mounted head and seeing how her companions had thus far failed to harm it, Iolana cast a small spell and examined the head magically looking for any indication if it was protected from harm in some manner.
Again, Allen strikes the thing and again it resists the force of the blow. Iolana examines the thing and on top of realizing that it is indeed magical, and resistant to damage, it just leaves you with a feeling of having an oily taint on you. Like being around something just unholy.
Allen seeing that his strikes are having no effect. He will step aside to see if the others have any luck.
Shaking her head Iolana said,"I don't think you can destroy it like that. There is some kind of magic on it that makes it durable and feels...unholy. Maybe holy water could hurt it?"
Well, I guess I will give it a shot then
Heinrick pulls a bottle of holy water out of his pack and then proceeds to sprinkle it on the symbol.
As Heinrick pours holy water on the thing, the droplets hiss momentarily, leaving behind pock marks in the metal. The damage is significant, and appears to have weakened it as a whole.
Well that seems to have had an effect, anyone else have some holy water ?
Heinrick looks around at the party while he puts the vial away for possible reuse.
Allen will look around the room.
Allen doesn't notice anything more than what he did when he entered the room. The brazen head, and the chest being the most notable items.
Allen will take one last swing at the head. (You never know)
He will then go over to the chest and try to open it.
Well, given time, I should be able to make some more, but I just did not want to use all of it at once.
Heinrick digs out his last vial, and waits for allen to finish swinging at it.
Allen takes another swing at the head after Heinrick weakened it with holy water, and with a resounding crash, the head splits in two, the pieces dropping to the floor.
The keyring holds a key that opens the chest, the chest itself is full of various types of coin, 5 silver holy symbols of Iomedae, a masterwork longsword, two masterwork scimitars, several different sets of silverware and table settings, a wand, and what appears to be a broken phylactery. The chest also contains a sheaf of papers, that on review detail the cultist's movements around the city. Looking through them it becomes apparent that the plan to attack Kenabres was years in the making, and that large numbers of the Cult of the Ivory Labyrinth were involved, including many of their names.
Amidst those pages is a handwritten note in meticulous handwriting:
Faxon,
You did well to report your superior's mishandling of funds, and I trust that you will continue to serve as loyally in the weeks to come. You need not command the Kenabres Templars for long, for the city is about to die - I only wish I could be there to take part in its murder, for I have fond memories of my Red Morning Massacre. No matter I suppose, for your mortal kin will all fall soon enough - as I said, Kenabres' days are short. Verlesh has already left to meet with our Lord's daughter in the Abyss to secure a Nahyndrian crystal of the proper purity, and once she has what she needs, she'll arrive in Kenabres to finish the job and turn the wardstones fully to our use. You will know when she succeeds, I suspect! Praise Lord Baphomet
Minaghe
Would anyone be adverse to my taking this at this moment.
Heinrick digs the longsword out of the chest
He also takes a look at the wand that was in there.
The wand is a wand of Bless Weapon with 18 charges.
So we take the loot and head back?
Allen will read the note.
It looks like their is a trader in the Templars. We must report this immediately.
There also was a missive about the wardstones. I think this also bears looking into.
Who do we tell?
The group head's back to Stone Heart and finds Irabeth at a large table with a map of Kenabres spread over it. Allen nods to the others and walks towards the exit, heading to his own glory. Iolana states that she is going to stay and help the people here, more directly.
Ashnah and Heinrick find a place to clean up and rest for a while before heading back to converse with Irabeth about their findings. Irabeth looks at them with a wan smile, "It seems like attrition is affecting us all. With your leave, two other adventurers have found their way here, and you all could help each other, I think." She motions two others over, a Tiefling and an interesting looking Halfling.
"Greetings." The halfling steps forward with a nod, seemingly little more than a pair of eyes peering out from a hunched mass of furs. Scores of fletched arrows stick out over her head and shoulders like some strange plumage, under which hides a massive pack, and over top of which a bow as big as she is sits sheathed at an angle. Her midsection is coiled about with fine silk rope, and a sword pokes out from behind her. She briefly studies the human-blooded pair before giving another nod, as if satisfied by what she sees. These demons will be drawn to attack a man of goodly faith, while mortal foes will lust for this one's beauty; both will buy my arrows time to find their marks.
"I am called Lavinia. Too many foes to fight alone, with senses too keen to slip past unnoticed." She speaks strangely accented Taldane, her voice clear and deep as the northern sky after the passing of a storm. She absent-mindedly rubs the top of her nose with a gloved hand. "Could be together we stand a chance, if fortune smiles on us."
Once introductions are complete, she turns her attention to Irabeth, knowing the woman has some part for them to play in her plan.
Well met Lavina, I am Heinrick.
My troubles are to seem to act as a anchor for this group.
He chuckles slightly.
In actually, the difficulty is keeping all alive and hale, but the inheritor gives me the strength to do this, even in this trying time.
Slamming his fist on his thickly armored breast the tiefling introduces himself.
"You can call me Bollwerk, I am a sworn defender of Iomedea. I am at your service!"
Well met Bollwerk
Heinrick makes the sign of the sword over his chest.
As a follower as well, May your blade strike true.
If you are wondering, we were in the process of planning our next location to go see after we deal with a couple of issues.
He passes the note about the traitor to Irabeth.
Another holy man, this one even bigger than the last... The halfling woman tilts her head all the way back to look over the paladin's impressive armor and into his closed helm. And so shiny! The spirits are kind indeed to set these folk before me.
"I'm Ashnah", the slender half elf remarks softly, appraising the newcomers with interest, lingering lightly on the arrows strapped to the back of one, and the thick armor plate of the other.
"It will be interesting, all of us working together during this trying time, but we all seem...very capable I would think, to handle anything that attempts to cross our path."
Irabeth takes the note from Heinrick, and reads it, letting out a soft Dammit.... With a sigh, and a nod of resolution, she looks back to the group and motions with a beckoning hand, "Come with me. Your actions have shown me that you're in this for the city, and to help defeat the demon scourge. She pauses with a slight grin, That and we are short on volunteers these days. She leads you out into the courtyard of Defender's Heart, and more specifically towards a aged man with an eagle's talon tattooed on his cheek. He's busy signing papers and talking to merchants, seemingly getting the orders for the place filled.
Irabeth leads your small group to the man, and begins, Quednys, this is the group I spoke of. I believe they can help. The man looks up from the orders and dismisses the other people around him and starts to walk towards a more secluded area. She hands him the letter, and he reads it, and looks to Irabeth, I think this confirms our fears.
He turns towards the group and clasps his hands behind his back, looking at each of you in turn, gravely. Time is a bit of the essence, so I won't bore you with long introductions. I am Quednys Orlun, of late the head librarian of Blackwing, before its razing. He stops to take a steadying breath, as if the idea of the library being gone pains him. Be that as it may, As horrific as recent events have been, we've come to realize that they are, in fact, merely a prelude. The razing of the Kite,the destruction of our wardstone, Terendelev's murder, and the assault on the city were nothing more than opening gambits. The Worldwound is on the march in a more concentrated assault than we've seen since the fall of Drezen. It's fair to say the Lord of the Locust Host is finally making his move. The end of this
hundred-year-war is upon us, and it falls to us to ensure victory.
While the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth were scattered, those who serve the Lord of the Locust Host himself remain concentrated in Old Kenabres. What we've heard from within the barricade they've erected is ominous. The cultists are waiting for something, and based on our own information and what you've managed to recover so far, it sounds like
the vile witch Areelu Vorlesh will soon be coming to Kenabres. And it appears that we've determined what she intends to do.
When the wardstone was destroyed by the Storm King, it exploded and destroyed the Kite. The network along the border failed, but did not fade completely. I believe this is because a significant portion of our wardstone still exists, and that the cultists have taken it to the old
garrison in Old Kenabres. From what we've learned, they're hoping to engineer a way to somehow reverse the field generated by the wardstones-essentially, to use our own greatest defense as a devastating weapon.
The attack on Kenabres had a predictable result: causing the crusade to gather at the border to defend it. Some wonder why the demons haven't attacked in stronger numbers. I believe that Areelu was counting on us massing along the border, and that if she can corrupt the wardstone field, she can strike a devastating blow against us all. In effect, we've lined up for the slaughter.
Vorlesh is surely seeking some object of great Abyssal power, likely the Nahyndrian crystal mentioned in the missive you recovered, and with it she intends to turn the source of our hope into an unimaginable nightmare. We cannot hope to evacuate everyone from the border-I doubt they would give up the defensive line even if they knew what the enemy planned. But we can still stop this from happening-we just need to have
someone infiltrate the Gray Garrison, locate the wardstone fragment, and destroy it
I guess that it will fall to us to do this then.
Is there any idea on how fast do we have to get this done
Heinrick questions, as he looks at Orlun.
There were a few cult hold outs in the city, that we had promised that we would deal with.
Also, what would be needed to destroy the wardstone fragment ?
Lavinia nods her understanding at Quednys's words. "We kill the good stone before they bring a bad stone and make both worse." The human raised a good question. Does this 'wardstone' require some magic to kill it, or will strength and steel be enough? She looked again at Bollwerk. He looks good for breaking stones, but not so much for sneaking up to them.
After Heinrick's questions have been addressed, Lavinia asks one of her own. "What is this 'Gray Garrison?' "
Quednys walks a few paces with his arms still behind his back,turning back to face the group, "We don't quite know the timeframe, which is why need to strike soon. Irabeth and her Eagles will strike at the remaining cultists. A few dozen sudden uprisings will draw their attention away from the Gray Garrison," he looks at Lavinia, which is an old fortress that was repurposed as a museum in Old Kenabres. This will give a small force a chance to infiltrate and deal with the situation." He turns his attention to Heinrick, "In answer to your question, we have this." He pulls out a small rod of twisted silver metal ending in a two-tined fork that holds a small green stone between the prongs. "This is a Rod of Cancellation. With this, you should be able to drain the last of the energy fueling the fragment of the Wardstone."
Irabeth steps forward, adding, "Doing this will rob Vorlesh of a critical chink in the wardstone fiel's armor and prevent her from using it against the crusaders, unless they manage to destroy another wardstone. I don't think they'll be able to do that though, since this stone has suffered numerous attacks over the last several years." She smiles wryly, "Almost as if they'd been planning for this from the start. We need to destroy this one, or it will continue to be a target, and Kenabres is barely holding on as it is."
She then steps forward, and a bit more serenely states,You all have brought back the light of my life, in Anevia. I feel I would be remiss in defending this town, and her, if I wasn't ready to do anything I asked of others. If you'll have me, I'll join you on your attack." Irabeth then smiles and turns towards a few others around the group that has slowly been gathering around them. "I think there are a few others that would offer help as well."
From the group you see one tall, slim figure step forward. Dressed now in cleaner robes and with a grey-white silk bandage covering his eyes, Aravashnial steps forward, beckoning two of the other Librarians that Heinrick recognizes from Blackwing who are carrying a medium sized chest. "We found this cache of items, left by the Riftwardens, and I believe they will do more good in your hands." He opens the chest which contains a number of potion bottles, a clutch of rune etched arrows, a small chime with arcane symbols on it, two cold iron longswords, and two slim wands.
Then, in perhaps the biggest surprise, Heinrick sees Horgus Gwerm step forward. "I've donated some of the stores from my estate for use. He scowls a bit before muttering, "They weren't being used anyway."
Looking at the items on display and smiles. "I might take a potion of healing. All the other items are of no interest to me."
Looking at the heavy armor he is clad in he smiles ruefully. "I am able to take a lot of abuse, but I am for sure not very good in moving quitely."
Lavinia trots up and grabs the sheaf of arrows, adding them to one of her many quivers, then stows one of each of the potions in her belt pouch. She is non-plussed by the explanation of the wands, but perks up considerably at the chime's description, picking it up and holding it for all to see.
"Could be I sneak ahead and open the way?"
I guess I will use a couple of these items.
Heinrick stores in pouches and sashes as well as on himself.
a Cold Iron Sword, 2 of the potions of healing, 1 of Restoration, and the wand of daylight.
Ashnah leans over and selects the wand of Magic Missiles with interest. "Oh, I think this should prove useful to me and should allow me to change up my spellcasting options for as long as it has charges left."
Irabeth grins wryly at Bollwerk's comment, Nobody said the infiltration had to be done quietly."
"In that case, let us kick those cockroaches out of this city!"
If we have a day, I could use that to do a couple of preparations.
He then takes the gear offered to his bunk, and repacks everything.
Lavinia shrugs and sticks the chime through her belt. "I am ready. I will wait at the map." With that she takes her leave, walking back to Irabeth's table to sit cross-legged beneath it. Swaddled as she is, a casual observer might dismiss her as one the soldier's discarded outer garments and pack.
Once the team has assembled and is ready to depart, she asks Irabeth if she is familiar with the Gray Garrison. "Could be it has blind spots, or entries where they may trust locks over men?"
Irabeth ponders for a moment, I'm not sure how they have the inside defended, but the Garrison itself has only two entrances that I know of. The main gate, and a small window on the second floor above the main gate.
"Main gate it is."
As the group exits the reinforced camp, Lavinia looks back and speaks to no one in particular before turning away and striking out into the ruined city. As they make their way towards the Gray Garrison, she proves quite fleet of foot for one so small.
Travelling through Old Kenabres is a stark reminder of the devastation that the demons wrought on the town. Buildings stand half razed, and the normal sounds of a city are eerily absent. Occasional sounds of stone shifting, or falling make up the most of the sounds that break the silence.
Approaching the Garrison reveals the squat, grey fortress, behind the destroyed remains of the Cathedral of Saint Clydwell, where the speech that was supposed to open the festival barely a week ago took place. Before the Storm King attacked. Nothing remains but a towering mound of rubble, and a deep, jagged rift in the ground where the Storm King drove Terendelev to the ground. No sign of the dragon remains.
Making her way around the rubble towards the Garrison, Lavinia finds nothing of note, the demons seem to have done a thorough job of razing the place. Getting closer to the Garrison, she sees the front doors of the place, closed, and guarded by two hideously obese, naked men armed with scythes.
Nyserian
The huntress hunkers down behind a chunk of rubble to study the strange men. That one's the chief of this city; seems unlikely that he's well. These demons must have gotten to him and this other man. She studies her rubble-strewn surroundings, looking for lines of advance and fire. Could be I drop them both before they sound an alarm. Could be my arrows bounce off their demon-skin. She chews the inside of her lip in thought before glancing back the way of her new companions. Two holy men and a witch; one must have some demon-magic, no?
The halfling slips back the way she came to rejoin the others. "Two guards with farmer's blades at the main gate, your city's chief and one other. They looked to be possessed by demons."