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Gavriil lets out a slew of curses as the caiman latches onto his leg. He draws back his rapier and plunges it down towards the beast's face.
Gavriil's blade plunges into the caiman's head, killing the beast immediately. He spins as he draws the blade out of the first caiman and lashes out again at the second one.
Just as quickly as he had dispatched the first caiman, the second one falls before it can attack. He draws his blade from the beast and goes back-to-back with Edric, waiting to see if the warriors charge in to their equally quick deaths.
Edric's hammer crashes into Stisshak, smashing the...whatever it is into a burst of glowing green sparks and dust. Gavriil deftly skewers the caiman, and they both fall dead.
The remainder of the warriors stagger back in shock at the power of the Privy Council. A quickly hissed command stops the muggers from attacking, and the big lizards stand still, tongues flicking in and out. From where they are hidden behind the huts, the females and young peer out. Unsure of what to do or who should speak, the lizardfolk wait for your move.
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Edric lowers his hammer, looking around at the lizards who still surround them. "That was not your ancestor. It was an evil spirit that tricked your king and caused his death. It was not good. Now it is gone we do not need to fight anymore."
Seeing their slow looks not change at all Edric sighs. "Talia, could you translate?"
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Talia's breath comes ragged, puffs of misty adrenaline into the air. What was that thing? Nodding to Edric as he seems to read her mind, the Viscountess faces the remaining warriors, and stares them down.
Straightening her stance, Talia sheaths Worgslayer and locks eyes with the closest warrior.
"If these terms are not acceptable, your village will be moving, today. The new king has one hour to accept."
The lizardfolk look at each other, then at Talia, then at each other. It's clear that this was all too sudden for them. Still, one warrior steps forward hissing orders. One warrior gather the muggers back on a length of chain, another runs off further into the village. The 'leader' speaks.
"We do not wish to fight you any further. Such a battle could only mean more death for us. You are strong," he searches for the name, "Talia, too strong for lizardfolk. It shall be peace."
A moment later the warrior who ran off comes back, leading a small boy. The boy is wet and shivering, and looks very frightened. The moment he sees Edric and Gavriil, he runs to them, throwing his arms around the paladin's legs. He sobs uncontrollably, crying to see his mother.
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Edric picks the boy up easily and swiftly carries him out of the camp, his deep voice reassuring the boy as he goes. On the way he surreptitiously channels a little healing power into the child to cure any damage done and ease the boy's obvious fatigue.
"Don't worry little man, you are safe now. We'll take you to see your mother as soon as we can. What's her name? I imagine she must be very beautiful, to have a big strong son like you!"
He keeps the boy by the boat, doing his best to distract him with the lake and the other sights that can be seen, until the rest of the council have finished their business with the lizard tribe.
Gavriil follows Edric with the child back to the boat, sure that the others could wrap up any last minute decisions without him. He sits down across from Edric and the boy and says, "That was some adventure, huh, Tig? You're going to be able to tell all the girls back in town how you and the council helped defeat the lizard-people! I'm sure it'll win you a kiss or two from any pretty girl you fancy." He grins and says, "Say, have you ever heard the story of how I rescued the viscountess and the Levetons from the clutches of the Stag Lord's bandits with our warden, a dwarf, and a spell-blade? If you want I can tell it to you."
Vosil nods in agreement. "It would be prudent to give them time in which to reorganize and welcome us for a second visit."
Turning, Talia makes her way to the boat. "We'll return in two months."
Tig's parents are overwhelmed at the return of their son. Word spreads quickly and soon the whole of Concord and beyond are talking about it.
The Iron Cages of Lust.
The section of the Runeforge built by the followers of Sorshen, Runelord of Lust. The very first step into the hall gives you an intensely squeamish feeling.
The hall leads down into a massive room, a monument to Sorshen's Sin. This grand cathedral can be called nothing less than opulent. The floor is covered in polished red and white tiles. Thick pillars carved into the likenesses of the same beautiful nude woman with long flowing hair circle the room and support a ninety-foot-high domed ceiling, where a gargantuan mural depicts men and women engaged in all manner of carnal acts. Numerous plain ten-foot-by-ten-foot cubes line the outer ring of the cathedral, while at its center stands a pavilion of opaque silk sheets. Near the walls of the cathedral stand several delicate-looking cages, their sides more decorative than practical. Some of them contain what appear to be long-dead bodies, although one body in a cage in the chamber’s northern corner seems to be clinging to life.
Four figures fly about the cathedral. They resemble strikingly beautiful human women, save for the horns on their brows, their fangs, their taloned feet, and their batlike wings. Each wears little more than a few pieces of magical jewelry and flimsy garments.
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The Iron Cages of Lust.
The section of the Runeforge built by the followers of Sorshen, Runelord of Lust. The very first step into the hall gives you an intensely squeamish feeling.
The hall leads down into a massive room, a monument to Sorshen's Sin. This grand cathedral can be called nothing less than opulent. The floor is covered in polished red and white tiles. Thick pillars carved into the likenesses of the same beautiful nude woman with long flowing hair circle the room and support a ninety-foot-high domed ceiling, where a gargantuan mural depicts men and women engaged in all manner of carnal acts. Numerous plain ten-foot-by-ten-foot cubes line the outer ring of the cathedral, while at its center stands a pavilion of opaque silk sheets. Near the walls of the cathedral stand several delicate-looking cages, their sides more decorative than practical. Some of them contain what appear to be long-dead bodies, although one body in a cage in the chamber’s northern corner seems to be clinging to life.
Four figures fly about the cathedral. They resemble strikingly beautiful human women, save for the horns on their brows, their fangs, their taloned feet, and their batlike wings. Each wears little more than a few pieces of magical jewelry and flimsy garments.
Darn, that was a miss!
The lake known as Candlemere is notorious in the Stolen Lands for being haunted. Stories from fishermen, explorers, bandits, and tradesmen alike support these legends with eerie tales of strange lights dancing upon the waters, blood-curdling cries from what could be lost souls, and mysterious sightings of shapes rippling in the lake’s dark waters.
The island in the middle of the lake is particularly prone to these strange lights, especially at its low summit, where a lonely tower stands. The island itself is covered with thick brambles and stinging nettles;
Frowning as she pushes aside a stinging nettle with Worgslayer, Talia wraps her cloak tightly and follows after Edric. The cloak offers little protection, however; the nettles scratch her skin, the viscountess growing flushed and feverish as she walks through the underbrush.
Swallowing some bile, Talia points to the tower, her eyebrow crooked into a question. Shall we?
Light armour doesn't protect against thorns and stinging plants; for all Vosil's experience, he has no special defence against such things. Doing his best to protect his hands from being stung, he nods warily at Talia's question when she points at the tower: Might as well.
He moves forward, bow in hand and arrow ready to fire.
Gavriil follows along the others, not paying any particular attention to the barbs. While usually graceful in battle, Gavriil turns into a bumbling idiot while tearing through the brush with the others. He swears heavily each time the barbs find purchase in his skin and tear at his nice clothes. Before long he is feeling quite sick from the barbs poison. Maybe I should have stayed in the boat...
The tower itself is a crumbling ruin—nothing remains but a half-collapsed, 40-foot-tall stone cylinder and a swath of rubble within and without. The stones of the tower are ancient.
Faint carvings of strange symbols are barely visible in some of the tower’s stones.
As you explore the tower, a sense of unease settles over you: someone or something is watching and waiting...
Talia puts aside her feelings of nausea as the group approaches the tower, her eyes drawn to the carvings. "The carvings are Aklo, an ancient tongue - which I've actually studied, because I am gifted with the facility for language - blasphemous prayers to ancient gods of the Old Cults. Careful, something lurks here..."
Gripping Worgslayer, Talia uses her bucklerhand to conjure a little light to the blade, and peers into the shadows.
Gavriil looks to Talia as an uneasiness rolls over his sickened body and says, ”It can never be something nice like Svetlana’s recipe for moonradish stew, can it?”. He draws his rapier out and keeps an eye on his surroundings.
Vosil brightens up slightly: eldritch horrors and blasphemous carvings are something that a Lore Warden learns to deal with. "I cannot help but think we might be better off returning here with a priest. And some cleansing fire, of course."
Only the wind off of the lake answers Edric's challenge. The stinging nettle bushes rustle and hiss in the strong breeze. Yet still the oppressive sense of being watched lies over you.
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"There's something here but it seems adept at hiding itself." Edric comments to the rest of the group, "Stay back, let's see how it reacts." He suits actions to words by striding forward towards where he last got an impression.
"We are simple explorers - we mean no harm, and will do none if you do not. Show yourself that we may speak freely."
Two floating balls of light zip from behind a section of the crumbled ruin. Not unlike the creature 'Stisshak', they flash into view and attack Edric!
The writing on the tower's stones being Aklo, it follows that these creatures speak it; Talia starts her strident dirge, a harsh-sounding scribe against those that dwell in unspeakable evils, and the commupence they will receive.
The light 'orbs' flit in and out on Edric, each pass shocking him with lethal energy.
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Edric stands firm against the shocks but even with Desna's blessing things are beginning to hurt! Drawing on the powers within him he attempts to heal his wounds and ward himself and his friends against the creatures powers. Light wells up inside him, closing his wounds and manifesting in a splendid halo which banishes the shadows within the walls and outshines even the will-o-the-wisps.
"Desna's light is come for you creatures!"
Gavriil rushes forward next to Edric and stabs at one of the wisps with a shout.
Feverish from the nettles and thoroughly disturbed by some otherworldly presence within these ruins, Naralesh knew a summoning spell cast quickly risked weakening him further. Playing it safe, he cast his acceleration spell, imbuing the warriors with haste.
Between the nettle poisoning and the unsettling effects of the surroundings, the situation is tactically sub-optimal. Still, you don't always get to pick and choose your fights. Vosil draws his bow and opens fire on the orbs, moving to put himself between them and the more squishy members of the party.
The flitting lights dart to and fro, dodging Gav's and Vosil's attacks.
The fluidity with which the creatures dodge their attacks gives Talia some doubt; perhaps this is a fight they can't win. Still, she'd leave it to the others to call a retreat; Talia was a poor fighter, after all. Muttering an arcane syllable, the Viscountess conjures one of her husband's Flashbangs, all the while maintaining her diatribe.
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If the lights are affected by the spell, they don't show it. Unfortunately for them, however, it does negate their natural invisibility. A hard lesson they learn as they stop moving to try and disappear!