As does Bollwerk. He notices that he and his comrades are under divine protection so he takes a moment to observ movements and abilities. Another day might mean again beasts like that and if they lack the protection knowing what might hurt them could be paramount.
Kazul does not risk the acrobatics check and continues his hasted assault on the closest devil.
Another spawn of the Abyss dies, cursing you and your families. The rest, seeing that they are hopelessly outclassed by you and your new-found power, teleport away to find easier prey.
The power within you pulses once more, and leaves you with the sound of a heavenly choir and a flash of golden light.
You have won.
Later that night, as you sleep, you have a dream:
A scarred but beautiful woman dressed in shining plate armor appears before you. "I deeply regret that I cannot help you directly," she says, "but I would thank you for your kindness and service to me. I grant you this token of my gratitude, for you will need all of your wit and skill for the trials ahead." With that, she stoops to kiss each of you on the brow of your sleeping form, then she disappears.
Does Fabian recognize who this woman is?
See words from before!
Falling on his knees Bollwerk prays for quite some time before raising.
"I think it is safe now to return to the safehouse... and deliver the notes to the others. But there are a few vows for me to fulfill. Farasha, I would feel honored if you can aid me in laying the fallen comrades to a proper final rest."
Does Fabian recognize who this woman is?
[dice=Knowledge (Religion)]1d20+10
Iomedae, of course...
The golden glow now fading, the last motes are like stardust dancing in Farasha's eyes as she gazes at the paladin in wonder at what just happened.
I am happy to help you lay these folk to rest
Farasha sets to with Bollwerk
We have more to do now, we should get back to Irabeth and see what else we can do to assist.
Dreams... thank you Song of the Spheres, and your sister Iomedae, for lending us your strength and helping us prevail over the foul evil we found in the garrison
Kenabres after the fall is a very different city than it was. Before the assault, the city could boast upwards of twelve thousand souls living and working here. Now barely three thousand remain. The demonic forces shattered the city. Great rifts have been carved through the streets, buildings have been shattered, and pockets of demons and cultists remain to be rooted out.
It doesn't take much time for you to return with Irabeth to the other knights of the Eagle's Watch. Their diversionary attacks drew off much of the strength that may have reinforced the Gray Garrison. But for now, the clean up of the city is on everyone's mind.
Irabeth sets herself down wearily, still struggling to breathe normally after the effects of the spell on her. "I'd like to give you my thanks,"she begins, "and I am sure that everyone here owes you their lives." She begins to strip off her plate armor, wincing as each piece is removed.
"I'm afraid there is still much work to be done."
"Indeed you are correct. We have to honor the dead, repair what is broken and clean the defilation. Then we have to rebuild!"
We will be only too happy to help Irabeth, just tell us where we're most needed and we will be there
the cleric smiles at the paladin.
We need to form a plan to drive the demons back, to close the worldwound, to do something to protect this area now that... now that there is no protection...
"Much work to be done, like killing more demons!" A transformed Kazul stands before you, quite muscular with his hair braided with feathers and wearing a necklace of demon claws and fangs. "Before you ask, Sarenrae's light transformed me, made me see my true potential as a hunter of demons rather than a sulker of shadows. I am ready when the call is given."
"Indeed, there is much work to be done." Fabian says in response. The wizard now seems to have a black cat following him around. When Fabian stops to talk, the cat curls up at his feet and starts licking a paw.
"I am eager to rebuild, and to track down the further threats we heard about. I don't know if anybody else had a .... dream, if that's what it was. I saw Iomedae herself, and was infused with a sort of light. I also seem to have awoken feeling more... potent, somehow. I'm not sure what happened, but I can only interpret it as Iomedae's wish that I go out and continue to fight the crusade."
"Also, and I think this is connected, but when I woke up, this cat was at the feet of my bed. She awoke, and told me that her name was Muriel."
Fabian looks up at anybody who may be looking at him funny for suggesting that a cat talked to him. "What?"
When he gets a chance, he will also inquire around to see if anybody has had any news of his adpotive mother -- whether she's been found, and if so, where she is, or, if not if her body has been found.
"Truth be told, I did not have such dreams." Irabeth says. "I only barely slept, as I was gathering intelligence on the state of the city. As you might expect, the story is not a happy one, but it is far better than it was going to be...thanks to you. I have to help organize the search and rescue efforts, and you can best help in that regard by leading teams."
Bollwerk wants to bury the two heroes and rework the helms and other artifacts soiled.
In addition to searching for his mother, Fabian has some more scribing he wants to do in his spellbook. He may also seek out other spellcasters who have spellbooks that he can trade with, so as to augment his collection of spells. If there's any time remaining, he may also scribe some scrolls. He could easily spend several days doing all of this.... I'll be more precise when I find out just how much time we'll really have.
Kazul will save his 1845 gp for something more in the future. He will help out the survivors as best he can.
BOOK TWO: THE SWORD OF VALOR
Three very busy days pass in the ruined city of Kenabres. You are busy with duties as assigned by Irabeth: patrolling, strike groups rooting out pockets of cultists and the occasional minor demon, etc. Mornings come early, and days end late, as your skills are always in demand. Slowly but surely, light appears at the end of the tunnel. Kenabres is slowly climbing out of chaos.
Late on the evening of the third day, the current leadership of Kenabres is gathered for a well-deserved rest and dinner. Yourselves, Irabeth, Anevia, Aravsahnial, and Horgus all sit to discuss the next days activities. Horgus begins, as always, with a complaint.
"The meal is paltry by my standards, of course. Probably cost too much, but it is what it is." The others roll their eyes at the noble's theatrics, but say nothing. Horgus' assets have survived the fall mostly intact, and it is his support that has made the past days efforts possible.
Aravashnial, still crippled by the loss of his eyes, has been working to record the events and actions up to this point. He utilizes the help of the surviving librarians of Blackwing to write his dictations.
Irabeth and Anevia have moved from their home to the Defender's Heart, and aside from your group, there is no one more active in the last three days.
Silence follows for a few moments, perhaps the quietest moments you have had for days. It is not meant to last. A commotion at the front doors catches your attention. Challenges are issued and answered. Soon, two weary knights of the Eagle's Watch are ushered into the small side room where you are eating. You recognize them, good soldiers, usually part of the small mounted contingent that patrols the outskirts of the city.
"Commander," one begins, placing his right fist over his heart in a quick salute to Irabeth, "an army is approaching Kenabres from the south. They are moving fast."
The second knight adds: "They will be within the city walls by nightfall."
Sir knight, what is the composition of the host? Mostly demons or are there other races too? What size of force are we looking at?
asks the priestess, her words soft despite the tension in the room.
One hand subconsciously reaches up to touch the silver butterfly pendant around her neck, revealing an intricate pattern of stars that seems to have been etched in to the flesh of her hand and wrist.
"Is it possible to sent outriders? In any case we should prepare for an attack."
"No sir. We are the outriders."
"We are pretty short staffed here, Bollwerk, as you well know." Irabeth stands up and begins to strap on her sword. "We need to..."
Suddenly a horn call rings out from outside the Defenders Heart. The sounds of many horses can be heard as well as the shouts of soldiers. A large commotion begins in the common room as soldiers, merchants , and civilians begin to scramble for safety or defensive positions. People rush to and fro as you all exit the small room where you were meeting and push your way into the common room.
The massive oaken doors of the inn slam open and in sweeps a guard of men dressed in heavy armor - knights of Mendev.
"In the name of Queen Galfrey of Mendev, who is in charge here?" demands the lead knight, a large man with a marked scar running from eye to cheek.
"I am," growls Irabeth, clearly angered by the man's tone. "and in the name of the knights of the Eagles Watch, last defenders of Kenabres, who is asking?"
"I do." The voice is feminine, but hard as steel. This woman enters the common room, and all of the knights fall to one knee, heads bowed.
"To whom am I speaking?"
Falling to one knee with the other knights Bollwerk speaks up."My Queen, this is Irabeth Tirablade, Paladin of Iomedea, and if you have 10 like her, you can call yourself blessed that you have such devoted and loyal guardians of the realm. When all hope was lost, she rallied the defenders and under her leadership we were able to cleanse the taint fouling this city and reclaim what was lost! And before you have to ask your majesty, my name is Bollwerk, also a follower of the lady of swords. Everyone in this room risked life and mortal soul and then beyond to fight the chaos and evil! Your majesty!"
Kazul bends a knee at the queen's entrance. After Bollwerk's had his say, "Excuse the lack of propriety, your majesty, but where do you want us so we can inflict the most harm on the advancing enemy?"
Fabian also drops to one knee as the Queen comes into the room. The Queen! He had never expected to meet her directly... but clearly the entire world has changed, or at least his part of the world.
He remains silent, waiting to hear what she says to the others.
Queen Galfrey nods, and the knights rise, watching you all intently. Removing her helm and sword, she hands them to one of her knights, who receives them with a bow.
"Ah then, good. We've had word of events here in Kenabres. I came as fast as I could, but gathering troops from the borders and marching north under these new...circumstances...well, three days was the best we could do." She takes a stool from a nearby table and sits.
"Please. Sit. We have much to discuss and little time for pleasantries...or formalities to be honest. The paladin Tirablade I am familiar with. You," and here she levels her gaze at all of you, "I am to understand are the heroes of the hour? The saviors of Kenbares and possibly also of Mendev itself?"
The Queen watches each of you after her question, weighing carefully your response.
"A man doing his duty is not hero, Excellence. I am just a soldier and if you tell me to clean the stables... I will do that, with diligence and the best I could!"
"My name is Fabian Moldonado, my queen, adopted son of Alissa Moldonado, a Paladin here in Kenbares who has been missing since the Fall. When the attack happened, we fell into a gash in the earth, but the silver dragon Terendelev reached out and, as his dying action, saved some of us. We are only doing what we can in order to live up to this boon we were granted, to protect Mendev, and hopefully to stop the spread of the Worldwound throughout Avistan now that the wardstones seem to have failed."
"We also..." Fabian hesitates before saying this, for it smacks of hubris. "We, or at least I, have received visions from what seems to be Iomedae herself."
Never one to stand on ceremony, Farasha simply smiles and curtsies to the queen. She wears the simple black and white evening dress with butterfly embroidery that the owners of Fine Fittings pressed upon her. Thanks to Fabian's magics, the oil stains sustained when saving the cultist's victims in the struggle to reclaim the Librarium.
A pleasure to meet you your majesty
she stands again, relaxed despite the semi-official tone of the meeting.
We are but humble servants of our gods, crusaders of the light, and any of the warriors here good and true, would have done the same in our place.
she sweeps her hands to encompass the other soldiers in the room, starting with Irabeth.
We seek to simply continue our service to the gods of good, scouring the land of the demons and driving them back whence they came
"Kazul the Bear, former scoundrel, and now converted hunter of demon-kind. At your service, your majesty."
"Ah, so you are the ones." She looks at Fabian. "You see, I too, have received a vision from the Inheritor. While there are some narrow-minded souls among the crusade who blame you for the destruction of the wardstone border, I do not begrudge you for what you did. Far from it. From the sound of it, you saved entire legions of crusaders from a most vile fate by preventing Vorlesh from transforming them, and the blast of energy gave us the time we needed to regroup and prepare for what will certainly come next."
The Queen stands and begins to pace. "But you understand the implications of what you’ve done, I’m sure—the wardstones are gone, but Iomedae has seen fit that you will be their replacement. I can think of no other reason that would explain why their power would have settled in your bodies and souls and didn’t merely fade into the ether. In time, the demons will regroup and reorganize—we can trust their inherent chaos to make this period of regrouping longer than it otherwise would take, but we shouldn’t underestimate them. They’ll be back soon enough. Already I’ve had reports from along the front lines that small groups of demons are attacking fortifications and settlements along the southern border." She pauses to take a drink.
"But what intrigues me most is news from several reliable sources that as our fiendish enemies are starting to mass in the southern reaches along the Riftshadow within the Worldwound, they have left several of their northern lairs relatively unprotected. In articular, the fiend Aponavicius has taken the bulk of her army from Drezen, leaving it only moderately protected as she joins with the Storm King in Iz to, no doubt, plot greater attacks on larger targets like Nerosyan, Karcau, and beyond. The time is right to strike into their territory."
"Drezen was the first of our cities to fall after the First Crusade, and we lost more than our kin and our pride that day. We lost the Sword of Valor, a magical banner carried by the Inheritor herself during the Shining Crusade. If Drezen could be retaken—if the Sword of Valor could once again be held by the crusade... well, I trust I don’t need to explain how well that would affect morale. But with the imminent attacks along the border, I cannot spare many to lead an assault on Drezen. And even if I could, a large army attacking the city would only draw Aponavicius back to defend the place. The obvious tactic is to send in a group of capable heroes with a modest but well-trained army to strike now, while the proverbial iron is hot. And this is why I’ve sought you out. If you can retake Drezen and reclaim the Sword of Valor, not only will you silence the fools who would brand you traitors for destroying the wardstone, but more importantly, you would bolster the entire war effort with your heroism. And I fear we need all the bolstering we can get!"
"So you want us to lead an assault on the city! Do you want us to find soldiers in this city... or do you have something else in mind."
"Your Majesty..." growls the scarred knight next to Queen Galfrey. She shoots him a look, but ignores the comments for now.
"“We’re sending three specialists with you. Aron Kir was a cleric of Shelyn here in Kenabres before the temple was destroyed—he can help with healing as needed, but he’s also quite knowledgeable about demons and their tactics."
"Sosiel Vaenic is an expert on siege tactics, traps, infiltration, scouting, and the like; he’s where you’ll be getting your map of the Citadel, incidentally."
"And lastly, there’s Nurah Dendiwhar. She’ll be supporting you with her bardic magic, but she’s also an expert on the regionb and knows more about Drezen than anyone in Kenabres at this point, I’ll wager."
"I’m also going to be sending an army of crusaders with you. There’s only a hundred of them, but they’re all devout paladins of Iomedae. It’s not a large army, but you’ll be able to move without attracting attention. Trust me, that’s an advantage when it comes to demonic foes. They hit hard, so it’s best not to give them the opportunity.”
"Your majesty, I just wanted to know your royal wishes, to better fulfill them." His words of complete honesty try to sooth over his warrior manners.
"I understand. You must forgive my erstwhile commander of the guard, he is very protective of the title." She smiles at Bollwerk, but it is a weary smile, the smile of one who has seen much suffering.
Kazul speaks, "How far is Drezen? I need to know to determine the amount of food to pack."
The Queen's shoulders sag for a second, almost imperceptibly. She is tired, but looks you in the eye. "Fabian, I am sorry for your loss. I knew your mother, and her father before her. They were devout followers of the sword, and stout warriors. Much has been lost here, and we must be strong...united...in order to face the tasks ahead. For I feel that this the final play, the gambit the evil powers have long-planned. If we do not stop it here, we will not live to see the results."
All is quiet in the Defender's Heart save the scratching sound of a small child drawing on the stone wall of the inn with a tiny piece of chalk. For a moment, the Queen is startled to see what the little one is drawing: a child's rendering of the great dragon, Terendelev. She strides over to kneel next to the child, stroking her long blond hair. The little girl looks up at the Queen and smiles. "Hullo miss, who are you? I am Alina, and my father is a great warrior!" Her mother rushes over and gathers up the child, and with an embarrassed curtsy, whisks her off to a side room.
The Queen reaches out to touch the drawing, so much tragedy in so innocent a picture. "Yes", she whispers, "we have lost much. Good friends, staunch allies..." She stands, eyes burning from...what? Anger? Sadness? It is hard for you to tell. Then the moment is gone, and there stands the Paladin-Queen of Mendev, warrior maiden of Iomedae.
"The great dragon is gone, but you my friends have been blessed with great power in her stead. You are the heroes of the Fifth Crusade. Kneel before me." Without a word, her sword is given to her, and she draws the blade, holding it before her.
Placing it on each of your shoulders in turn, she swears solemnly: "Let it be known from this day forth that I, Galfrey, Queen of Mendev, Paladin of Iomedae, Commander of the crusading armies, henceforth bequeath these heroes the title of Knight of the Fifth Crusade. They answer only to me and the powers I serve. Rise."
"All of our hopes reside with you, Knights of the Fifth Crusade. May the gods smile upon you.'
Rising from another courtsey, Farasha simply smiles
You do us great honour your majesty, I hope we can live up to the titles... and to the trust you have placed in us
she sweeps a hand to indicate the current room
We should perhaps be on the move as soon as possible, given your description of the opportunity fate has seen fit to drop in our paths. If it please you I would like to meet our new command
she stands ready to follow the queen to the paladins whose lives will now be in her hands, and those of her friends.