With eyes completely glazed over and clearly at the edge of consciousness, Razif attempts one final hurrah with his scimitar.
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The pugwampi averts his eyes as his warhammer plinks against the druid's knee.
Razif thrusts with all he has just as the druid further distracts the pugwampi by stepping into a flanking position. His scimitar glides through the heavy armour plating deep into King Mokknokk's flesh. Unfortunately, the effort is too much for the ranger, and he loses consciousness and collapses after scoring the pyrrhic blow.
King Mokknokk, with vengeance in his eyes, turns on Razif's prone form.
The meaning of Mokknokk's feral bark needs no translation as he raises his warhammer and brings it down hard onto Razif's prone form.
Drael cries out as the king's hammer falls upon his friend's unconscious form. He drops the bow, moving quickly to stand over Razif with his warhammer in hand and striking out at the massive pugwampi.
Without regard for her own safety, Layaali moves over Korum, past Drael, and into the open space beside Razif.
Then she reaches down and places her hands upon Razif's chest.
"Rise! RISE! Your time has not yet come!"
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Layaali moves past the snarling pugwampi, but provokes no further attacks from his swift but small warhammer. She lays her hands on Razif's wounds, but her healing touch does not awaken the ranger.
Uzma swings Tempest at King Mokknokk but fails to connect.
King Mokknokk chortles at the staff whistling by his ear and chooses to press his attack on the most dangerous-appearing foe.
Mokknokk lands a heavy blow on the edge of Drael's shield, deflected at the last moment.
Mokknokk barks words to no one.
As Drael knocks the warhammer aside with his shield, his eyes begin to glow and his own hammer crackles with golden energy. He strikes again at the pugwampi king, hoping to keep his attention from Layaali and his unconscious friends.
That was it. She had no more healing spells. She had used her healing scrolls the other day. No potions left, either. She could still channel the vitality of the Cardinal Martyr, but positioning would be paramount.
With a deep breath, Layaali dashes off out of combat and circles around the chapel.
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Drael swings his crackling warhammer at Mokknokk, but bounces off of his breastplate. As the pugwampi chortles, Uzma manages to smack him in the back of the head with Tempest.
King Mokknokk growls and moves away from the irritating druid and extends his hand towards the bloodrager's shield.
Drael cries out as he feels his shield splinter while still on his arm, but he continues to use it for protection as best he can while he strikes again.
Layaali holds her holy symbol aloft and prays aloud, "Cardinal Martyr, hear my prayer! Take these warriors wounds upon yourself that they may continue to fight the evils of this world! Praise Vildeis!"
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Drael’s swing misses King Mokknokk again, the pugwampi squealing with laughter at the bloodrager’s response to his shield breaking. Layaali channels; Razif opens his eyes.
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King Mokknokk growls at the pesky druid and swings his warhammer reflexively at his knees!
The pugwampi manages to land a painful blow on Uzma's right knee that thankfully glances off. As he does so, however, the druid plants Tempest behind Mokknokk's right leg and shoves the pugwampi off balance, toppling the king onto his back!
Razif scrambles to grab his scimitar and make a hasty attack against the extremely frustrating pugwampi.
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Razif swings his weapon from the floor at the prone pugwampi, finding his blade turned away by the creature's armour.
King Mokknokk stands up, growling in Gnoll.
His bravado in standing up in a crowd of prepped warriors is truly maddening.
Razif grits his teeth, suppressing his desire to throw some choice words in Gnoll back.
Drael aims carefully as the king rises, sending a thumping blow directly into his chest.
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In a flurry of activity, the ranger swings from the floor at Mokknokk while the druid thrusts his staff between the pugwampi's legs. The two attacks only wind up deflecting each other.
The bloodrager almost closes his eyes, visualising his swing intensely as King Mokknokk's leering face comes up from the ground. With a sickening crunch, Drael connects with the centre of the large pugwampi's breastplate, caving it inward, but not halting Mokknokk from rising to a standing position.
Mokknokk stands in front of Drael, blood bubbling up from its mouth, warhammer limp at its side, falling from its grip as Mokknokk begins to chortle and wheeze. With a sudden snarl, Mokknokk spits the bloody froth from its mouth at the bloodrager, spraying him as its eyes roll up in its head and the king falls face-first in front of all of you.
Drael gasps in relief as the king falls, his shoulders slumping as all his energy leaves his body.
Razief relaxes every muscle in his body and just lies on the ground a while, taking deep breaths.
"I think... I think we can take a break now. Gods, that was rough. Nice job, Drael."
Layaali calmly walks over to the unconscious pugwampi, takes off his helmet and stabs him in the throat with her dagger, ensuring this world is forever free of his evils.
Once she's certain all the nearby pugwampi are dead, Layaali draws everyone close and channels the power of her god, healing her companions wounds.
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Layaali unstraps the bird's skull tied to King Mokknokk's head before slitting its throat. Similarly, the remainder of the able-bodied gang ensure that the other pugwampi won't be returning to life. After a few minutes of vindictive stabs, the gang feels truly free of the tang of fey unluck for the first time in a long time. Everyone enjoys being fully healed and conscious, and the group takes a breather.
Peering up, it's evident that the collapse of the choir lofts was more extensive than originally thought , such that exploration via the ladder is now impossible. And yet the papier-mâché walls of the pugwampi den rest undisturbed and unexplored in the southeast corner of the chapel lofts...
"I would like to extend my thanks to you all. This hallowed place has been cleared, and though I wouldn't call it completely redeemed, probably, great progress has been made. Though I wonder if there's any personal rewards we could pocket from the den before we send your caravans over..."
Razif looks around to see if there are any other ways of climbing up into the upper works now that the ladder is out of commission.
"We have done good work this day," Layaali remarks with a serene smile, hands bloody from killing the pugwampi. "But we are not done, yet." She wipes her dagger off and sheathes it, then dries her hands on the corner of her veil.
Turning her gaze to the nest she looks around..
When finally ready to move, Drael climbs back up to the rafters and re-claims his bow. Yet another string to be mended tonight, I suppose. Well done all, we seem to have defeated all of the pests this place has to offer.
Layaali smiles gently at Uzma's fervour.
"We will, Uzma." she nods. "But we need not wait for her followers to appear. We can begin the work ourselves."
After looking at the nasty pugwampi nest, she frowns. "Unfortunately, I cannot get rid of that."
"Still... I believe the dead need to be properly laid to rest, first. They've suffered indignity long enough."
After another look at the nest, Layaali looks to the others. "I'm going down into the crypt."
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With a dedicated day of work, the gang can clean up the majority of the full-body desecrated dead in the crypts, as well as removing the bodies of what appear to be the interlopers. There still remain many unidentified single bones and fragments that cannot be easily slotted into tombs and crypts, but they can be neatly gathered for later categorisation and interment.
You retire back to the dormitory, exhausted but satisfied at your day's work. Sleep never felt as righteous.
Come morning, Layaali sits in silent meditation, contemplating upon all the ways she sacrificed for others, and combatted evil yesterday. Then upon how she would strive to do so again today.
"Honoured Vildeis, I pray that you lend me the strength to follow in your example. The Cardinal Martyr resides within us all."
Eventually she stands and nibbles on some food.
Layaali nods. "Yes, we must deal with that. What do you know about the vulture?"
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Layaali thinks back to the instructions that she received from Princess Almah and her major-domo, Garavel, prior to attending to the gang in exploring the monastery. She recalls that she was ordered to "rid the place of fell creatures so that we might claim it as a home base in our fight against the gnoll tribes inhabiting Kelmarane".
The desecrated temple to Sarenrae beckons. A full day of work would set it right, Layaali surmises.
"I'd like to tend to the temple today. We cannot leave it to fester any longer."
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Layaali moves to start cleaning up the temple. Soon after exploring the altar and recess around it, she discovers some torn-out pages of Sarenrae's holy text, The Birth of Light and Truth strewn about the altar, smeared with excrement.
The chapel lofts rest untouched, the grotesque jumble of skulls still hanging over the scene like some profane chandelier.
Drael climbs the ladder back to the loft and attempts to sever the rope tying the skulls to the ceiling, after making sure that no one is beneath them of course.