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Kenabres, 16 of Arodus
For several weeks, excitement has been building in Kenabres—Armasse is coming! Traditionally an opportunity for scholars and priests to come together to study the lessons of history from wars past, since Aroden’s death, this holy day has become more about training commoners in weaponry, choosing squires, and ordaining new priests. Over time, Armasse has grown to encompass jousting competitions, mock duels, battle reenactments, and other festival events. In Kenabres, the festival is eagerly anticipated, for it provides distractions from the horrors of being on the front line of the war. Smiles on faces normally marred by downcast eyes and furrowed brows do wonders for city morale in the weeks leading up to the event.
Armasse is a citywide celebration, but the majority of the event, including its jousting matches and other entertainments, takes place at Clydwell Plaza, just west of the cathedral. You have been lucky enough to get good spots to observe the opening ceremonies at noon.
Iona held up a folded paper cone filled with small fried dough balls she had purchased earlier. She munched away on them as she looked around Clydwell Plaza.
I wonder if Hilduin will be here... since Alysone is gone this year.
Iona scanned the area before she shifted slightly before continuing to munch on her food. She looked foreword to this every year. It gave a great break from her training and studies. She even remembered her time last year when she was ordained and couldn't help but smile to herself.
Aleria sat cross legged atop of a stack of crates, her Morningstar lying cradled in her lap. She glanced around disinterestedly at the milling crowds, her head resting in her hand. She didn't particularly care for crowds or for people watching. The intricacies of the gathering weren't lost to her, but rather she did not have any interest in analysing them. She was excited for the festival but this waiting around she could do without.
As she sat atop the crates she idly traced her fingertips over the raised initials on the grip of the pistol strapped to her chest. The handle was polished and stained wood but it was beginning to show wear where her fingers marked it every day, over those two letters. She sighed and stared up at the sun above her head, squinting slightly, shaking her head to free her braid from the confines of her cloak.
"Isn't this thing ever going to start already?"
Viktor had been enjoying life hard lately. The events with his father and brother pushed to the back of his mind, driven there by the mantra "Work hard, play hard". This consisted of throwing himself into his work full force during the day, then quickly going to the taverns to sing and play cards and laugh and drink himself into a stupor in the evenings. But now Armasse was coming up.
It was bittersweet for Viktor. It was one of his favorite celebrations; he fell in love with the entire premise. But as he helped prepare for it, he was reminded of why it existed, why it had to exist in the first place.
Bakji walked the grounds of the celebration with a bit of anxiousness. It wasn't that he did not enjoy a good celebration, it was just that he had only been there for a week and he was eager to finish the job that he had vague memories of attempting before.
He carried his bow and his armor, thankful that there was an archery competition to give him the excuse. He wasn't fond of being out of uniform, it made him felt naked. He finally settled down though and found his spot after waving at a few people that he had met over the last week ready for the opening ceremony to begin.
You can feel the excitement in the crowd as noon gets closer. And then it happend, finally, the bell ring it's first note. At the same moment, the doors open and the procession of the high dignitary walks toward the stage. You can see the high priest of the different temples, the high lords of all the influential families, the decorated Paladins of the multiple orders and then at last, as the bell ring for the twelfth time, you see Lord Hulrun himself stepping outside.
The procession make it's way to the stage. The crowd falling silent in it's wake. And then......
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Blackness.... Silence... PAIN!!! You try to breathe, but it is difficult. The air seems to be filled with dust and the smell of blood and death. Your ears start ringing, it's loud at first, but slowly it gets quieter. But as the ringing subside, other noise takes its place... Cries of pain and moans of people barely conscious... At one point you realise that some of those are coming from you.
After what feels like an eternity, you start getting your bearing back. Aside from the most painful headache you ever had, you seem to be in one piece, but you still can't see. You try to stand and right away you feel nauseated. You know others nearby are in need of assistance, but right now you can't get a full though organise.
Iona's head swam as she forced herself to sit up. A large knot in her throat the only thing keeping her from vomiting up her treats from earlier.
Get up Iona.... People need you.
The woman of chelish decent forced herself onto her feet and raised a hand above her head. "Iomedae, hear me and give me light" She said.
Her power did not fail and light covered the young woman's hands. She began to look around, seeking out those in need of her skills the most.
"If you can, those harmed speak up but do not move. I will make my way to you as soon as I can." The cleric called out.
Bakji stands slowly, swooning a bit but resisting the urge to double over which thankfully keeps him from throwing up. He puts a hand to his head, checking himself before he grabs his coin pouch and pulls out a copper.
He tried to will the light to come but he couldn't. He groaned in pain but then light lit nearby. His hand that was on his head moved to his eyes to keep it from blinding him. "Cleric! I am...uninjured in a manner. Nothing but a few scrapes and bruises I think, but I can help with the search." he said as he came closer. He hoped that his solid white eyes didn't scare anyone in this situation.
'What the fu..' Aleria coughed ruggedly, her throat burning, blood flecking on her lips. She lay there for what felt like an eternity, curled in to a small ball, her eyes clenched tight, trying, straining to pull in a deep breath, trying to call up her training and still her emotions.
"W-What was that? W-where are we?" Aleria sat up slowly, opening her eyes to darkness. She groaned loudly before beginning to run her hands over her arms and legs, checking twice for anything broken. When she found no odd angles or sore spots she moved on, reaching up to rub blood from over her eye.
"Light, please. We need light. Is anyone hurt? In the name of Irori where the hells are we?"
When light flooded the area, Aleria blinked away the darkness before pushing herself slowly to her feet. "Praise the gods we can at least see." She glanced warily at the other two who had spoken, the woman with the burning hand and the strange outsider. "Who are you? I hear you intone the name of Iomedae, Priestess, what is your name? And you stranger? How did you bring me here?!" She warily moved her hand near her chest, but clutched at the symbol of Irori rather than her Pistol as she addressed Bakji.
Iona let out a small gasp as Bakji came into view. "Wait... I believe I've seen you around... you sleep in the barracks in the temple correct?" She asked.
Good, an ally to help me look.
"Please, I welcome all help. We need to find those most wounded first, then we can tend to the others." She told him as she heard another come to. With a nod she held her hands up to give them more light. "I'm still trying to find those wounded, I have no idea where we are at the moment." Iona answered as she continued her search.
"Calm, calm yourself." Iona said softly. "We all ended up here. I am Iona, Priestess of Iomedae, and I do not believe anyone here brought us down here..." Iona said, trying to calm the woman down.
Bakji nodded as he looked upon the Cleric's face. He wasn't sure until she mentioned him sleeping in the barracks. He nodded "I do, you are but a fledgling yes? All the same, we are better for the presence of a divine." he said before he began to look around in earnest for those whose cries were the sharpest.
He looked upon the new woman and saw her hand clutching her holy symbol. He reached inside his armor and pulled out his own symbol of Iomedae "Like the Priestess, I am a servant of Iomedae. Though I serve the Lady in a more offensive manner. I am one of the swords of the Lady, please do not mistaken my visage as one of an otherworldly being. I am merely cursed or blessed depending on your outlook with the chance to finish my work once again." he said trying to calm the woman.
Aleria let her head drop and she sighed. "I-I am sure you are right. That was not polite of me. I apologise. We are all in the same boat here." She looked up at Iona and inclined her head politely. "Thank you Iona."
As Iona and the unidentified stranger began to search through the people crying out in pain, Aleria crouched and began to go through her pockets slowly, taking a mental inventory of her supplies.
'Morningstar, dagger, pistol and kit. With a cloak and the Armor on my back... shit I don't even have water. Or food!" As she thought this her stomach began to hurt slightly. She had skipped breakfast in anticipation of treats bought at the festival. A very dumb move it would seem.
When the man addressed her Aleria smiled and bowed her head to him slightly. "Forgive me then my friend. I spoke in haste. You are not meeting me on my finest day. So... I have a worry. I have no food and water and no gear. I don't suppose either of you are fresh to town with your travel packs still to hand...?"
The grim situation start sinking in your head as you begin noticing your surrounding. You can hear people nearby but the dust in the air create a slight fog and make it difficult to see.
When Aleria mention the food and water, you all realise that you don't have any yourself. Having left all of your traveling gear in your respective rooms.
Arrgghh...I thought I wasn't drinking today. Viktor tries to stand up, then notices he's blind. Bah, what has happened?! He thinks to no one in particular.
As a light pierced the darkness, Viktor makes his way over, his looming bulky frame towering over the others. "I am glad to see others are alright." He says in a heavy northern accent. The mountain of a man has a set of deep grey fullplate, a huge tower shield on his back, and a symbol of Erastil bouncing around his neck. "Let us help those in need. I have spent time as combat medic, I will help the injured. Can any others create light?"
Aleria stood slowly, brushing off the knees of her trousers and stretching slowly. "I am trained as a Healer also, I can help. Well... I could if someone has a Healer kit. I can cut my tunic down for bandages I guess?"
Aleria stood for a moment, squinting in to the darkness, searching for anything that could help them right now.
"I have no magic to my name sadly and no gear to create a torch..." She says distractedly, to answer the question about the lights.
As you all start moving about and planning your next move, you are hit by the memory of what happended.
Armasse officially began at noon, with the blessing of the festival by Lord Hulrun himself, ruler of Kenabres. The crowd gathered in Clydwell Plaza quieted as the aged inquisitor took the stage, clad in shining, resplendent armor. He cleared his throat, but just as he was about to speak, a bright light shone from the west, as if the sun were rising from the wrong direction. Hulrun’s shadow fell huge and distorted across the cathedral’s facade. A moment later, the sound of a thunderous explosion ripped through the air and earth, along with a violent tremor.
To the west, the fortress known as the Kite—the location of Kenabres’s wardstone—had vanished. In its place, a brilliant plume of red fire, lightning, and smoke erupted into the heavens. A moment later, a powerful roar accompanied a welcome sight rising from the crowd—Kenabres’s greatest guardian, the ancient silver dragon Terendelev, who had until that moment been attending the opening ceremony disguised as a human. Above, another form appeared, as nightmarish as the dragon was breathtaking. A humanoid shape three times the size of any man, with skin coated in fire and lightning, gripped a flaming sword and whip. The creature’s identity was immediately obvious: Khorramzadeh, the Storm King of the Worldwound, had come to Kenabres!
As the ground continued to shake and disgorge demons into the streets, the dragon and the balor lord clashed above. The fight was over in a few harrowing moments, as the balor cut deep into Terendelev’s body, swooping down to strike the dragon and arresting her charge. A few more blows, and the titanic duo spiraled downward toward the crowd.
The sight of the dragon smashing into the facade of the Cathedral of St. Clydwell is one no witness would ever forget. At that moment, a titanic demon erupted at the far end of the plaza, reducing several buildings to ruins as it smashed into this world. The rift it created shot across the plaza, and this time there was no escape—it opened below your feet, angling away into darkness.
Even as you fell, the dragon noticed your plight. Though she saw death standing over her, she seized this final chance to save a few more souls. After she uttered a few arcane words and stretched out a bleeding talon, you felt her magic take hold of you, slowing your plummet into the darkness as if you were feathers falling into a pit. Yet the fall remained as inexorable, and as you drifted downward into the depths, the last thing you saw was the Storm King standing before the ancient silver dragon, his sword lashing out and cleaving full through her neck. As her severed head fell, the rift above you slammed shut, and the light of the world above was gone.
Aleria choked back a sharp curse as the memory faded around the edges. She came to, her knuckles white on her now bare Pistol a single tear sliding down her cheek. "Why didn't you save yourself you stupid Dragon? We aren't bloody important enough to waste your magics on. You could have..." She gritted her teeth, drawing her Morningstar and keeping her Pistol bare as she advanced on the large, non human shape.
"What the hell are you...?"
Aleria crept forward carefully, keeping her weapons drawn and ready.
Bakji looked around appraising the patients and looked up to see the man who had joined them. "I can, though I'm having a bit of trouble calling the power to me. You and the priestess take the ones to the north. I suspect they are in the greatest danger and judging by your physique you'd be able to handle digging them out better then I. I'll take a look at these two to the southwest of us.." he managed before the spark of memory nearly made him fall again. He shook his head, and grabbed at his left temple where the throbbing started again.
A dragon of all things...why would she save them he'd never understand but the one with the pistol made her way away from them towards the large shape and he let out a hiss at her to try and stop her but she was already too far away. He sighed and tried again to summon the light from within.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the light glowed and he made his way towards the two he had planned for.
As everyone come to terms with the events that lead you here, Aleria decide to first access the possible threat from the dark shape just out of the light. She sneaks forward until she can discern that the shape is actually some sort of a giant spider. She doesn't know if it's the fall, or the crying and moaning of other survivors, but she would be willing to bet that the thing is dead. Yet there are some movement and noise coming from it.
Concentrating again, Bakji is able to create a second source of light. He moves toward the two other survivors. While most of the people were lucky, those two were not. The closest one, a human woman, has one of her legs trapped under some stone debris. Even from where he stands, Bakji knows that the leg is more than likely broken if not worst. The other, a male elf, is holding his face in his hands. There is blood on the front of his clothes. Both are crying for help.
Iona paused as her memories came back in a quick flash.
Oh Terendelev.... Thank you
The cleric forced herself to move on and make her way with Bakji to find those who needed help. She looked to Bakji then back to the two. "You take the woman with the broken leg, I shall tend to the man with the wounded face." Iona suggested before she made her way over to the elven man. "Let me see the damage." She said softly as she gently laid her hand upon his shoulder. "I can see what I can do for it." She told him as she knelt down beside him.
Aleria groaned slightly and began to back away. Though the Spider was dead, the moving around was not really a positive in her book. Keeping her eyes peeled on the mound, she crept backwards, towards the huge pile of metal with the metal door attached to his back.
"Greetings and may Erastil bless you brother. It appears we may have a situation, maybe. There is a large dead spider over here," She waves her Morningstar in the direction of the corpse. "Usually dead is dead. Well... except for when it is Undead of course. Anyway... while I was surveying the corpse I noticed some movement and noise coming from its direction. You look like you can handle yourself. And by that I mean it looks like anything attacking you would need a tin opener to get in to you first. I am less well armored but willing to go look, if you are also?" her speech was a little rushed at the end, her voice a little breathy either with excitement or fear, even she couldn't tell.
"Oh... and my name is Aleria, Aleria Ravell. A pleasure to meet you!"
Viktor stands in silence for a moment, closing his eyes. You magnificent, selfless creature. He quickly opens his eyes. Grieving is for when there is no load to lift. For now, I must lift these loads.
"Giant spider? I say hit it again. We do not need more trouble than we already have." Viktor strides over to the human women, leaning down so she can see his face. "I am here to help. This may hurt, please remain calm." He gives her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, then stands and places his large hands under the rubble. He glances over to the others. "I will need assistance moving this woman while I hold the debris."
Bakji tries to calm the woman while he awaits the others. Upon hearing of the Spider though, his face went rather stern. "Best to work on the injured first. I'd keep an eye on it though if you thought you saw movement, but I hope it was just the trick of the light." he said as he looked up at the female who spoke.
He nodded to Viktor and carefully slipped his hands under the woman's shoulders and looked to the others "Be wary, hopefully we will be able to save the four in here and find our way out of this place."
"Yes my friend, but one fight at a time. Ready?" With a nod Viktor digs his heels in and with a grunt struggles to lift the rubble.
Viktor and Bakji work together to free the woman. She holds back a cry when you pull her out. Once out, it doesn't an expert healer to notice that unless she can get powerful magic, that leg will never be back to normal. For now, some magical healing to stop the bleeding, a splint to more or less set the leg, and a crutch to help move about are probably the only thing you can do.
Iona crouches in front of the elf, trying to calm him so that she can see the wound. It takes some time, but she finally manages to see, and what she sees isn't pretty. The elf as both eyes and a small part of his face burnt off. There is nothing there. A cure spell would seal the wound, but to restore what is gone would require something way more powerful then what the group has.
"Oh Goddess..." Iona whispered as she looked over the elven man's face. She quickly removed her armor and the top of her clerical robes before removing her breast bandages, she quickly put her top back on once she was done. "Hold still." She said softly as she placed her hands just above his grievous wound and channeled healing magic into it.
Once she was finished she began to use the bandages to wrap his head. "You're going to be okay, but... I don't know if you'll ever get your sight back..." Iona said gently.
Iona works on the elf's wounds with a combination of improvised bandages and magical energy. The spell does its work and stop the bleeding. While you wrap his head, you can feel him relax a bit more. Once you are done, he gently touches the bandages, as if to convince himself of what really happened. He then turns his hand toward you and extending his hand in your direction, has if to find support to help him stand up.
"Thank you for your help, I though for sure that this would have been the end of me. I am Aravashnial, conjurer, and you are?"
"Now, I need to know how many of us are here, and where is here exactly. Then we need to figure out all the resources we have, can you do that for me?"
Viktor lets the others handle talking to the elf; for now he had a responsibility to the woman in front of him.
"Now listen, we will need to split that leg. This may be painful, but please, I know you are strong. You can do this." He says with a warm smile.
"Bah! I am sorry! It has been long time since I have made splint. Can I get help, friends? I am...rusty with this."
Bakji takes a look at the woman and does what he can, he didn't have Iomedae's help to do any curative magic, he had only been blessed by her offensive magics.
His work may not be much better but he does so as carefully as he can.
He gave her a gentle smile "We'll help you as best we can and guard you till we get out of this jam, I have to go see about the other one now" he said before he moved off.
He went to the one that was unconscious one now. He sighed, he should've gone here first but he was a bit jumbled up.
Bakji and Viktor work together to make a splint. It's not the prettiest one, but it will serve its purpose.
"Thank you, thank you so much. At first It though I was going to die here until you came closer. Wasn't even sure if you were friendly or not. I... We need to get back up there. I know someone from the Eagle Watch. If you can help me get to them, I would really appreciate it."
She looks around at the others in the cave. She seems to be looking for something. Then she looks back at Viktor. "Can you help me find a crutch? Oh, and my name is Anevia Tirabade."
Bakji walks back to the last survivor that they haven't checked on so far. It's a middle age human male. He has wealthy clothes, though they are now ripped in a few places, and lot's of jewels. Aside from a major bump on his head, Bakji can't find anything else wrong with him. Aside from some magical healing, only time can help the man regain consciousness.
"Yes, I will help you find the Eagle Watch. Of course." Viktor casts about for some broken timber that may work as a crutch.
Iona's face softened a bit as she noticed the tone of Aravashnial. "Of course." She answered to his request as she moved just enough for the elven man to hold onto her. "I am Iona Pentaghast, a cleric of Iomedae." She told him. "Though I am not sure of where here is, outside of the fact that it's underground, I do know that there are seven of us in total." She explained as she placed her hand upon his.
"We'll get out of here." Iona whispered soft and reassuringly to the elven man. "Lean on me and I shall be your eyes."
Anevia uses the crutch to get up. At first she seems to suffer from the same vertigo then you, but eventually she gets up. Staying close to Viktor, she tries a few steps. "This will do, it won, t be perfect, but I should at least be able to move around. Fighting, however might be a bit harder. I won't be really effective." She does a quick inventory of what she has with her. "Only four arrows left, my tools, some smokesticks and two alchemist's fire. I'm lucky those didn't break in the fall."
Aravashnial turn his head toward Iona. "Seven? Hmm. How many are able to move and fight? Also, we should go around and see what supplies we have. I can cast a few spells, but sadly, my spellbook is back at my house. So, what I have isn't replaceable once used."
He accepts Iona offer of support.
"I believe all are able to move, though I am not sure. You and another where injured, while I have done what I can for you I am not fully sure on the other." She explained as she began to lead him over to the others. "This is Aravashnial." She told the group. "He has a few spells but we should use them only if we need them. He doesn't have his spellbook on him... and his eyes..." She sighed sadly as she placed a hand over one of Aravashnial's that he still had on her shoulder.
"What does everyone have on them? Outside of my armor and weapon, that is about all I have..." She told them honestly. "I left my pack at the temple. I didn't think I'd need it..."
Viktor raises his brow. Oh, she can take care of herself. "Some good tools to have, and yes let us see what we can find. There may be supplies we need, or more people in need of help."
Aravashnial gently squeeze Iona's shoulder. " You still have your God's favors priest. That is more than we can hope for. As for your pack, don't be too hard on yourself. No one could have seen this coming."
Anevia moves in closer, though a bit awkwardly. "Aravashnial, I know that name. You sometimes provide magical services to crusaders. I didn't though you would attend the festival. I'm Anevia, I think you know a common acquaintance of ours. Irabeth from the Eagle Watch, she sometimes uses your services."
Aravashnial turn towards Anevia. "Irabeth? Yes, I know her."
Bakji waved at the others once he found the man and made sure he did what he could for his injuries which really amounted to nothing.
He adjusted the man a bit so that he would at last be resting more comfortably before walking back over to the others "We have an unconscious man over there, nothing I can really do for him. We could wait for him to regain consciousness or attempt some magical healing but otherwise I don't see any real way to continue forwards safely." he said once the others stop speaking for a bit.
He stared at the two but said nothing for now, there didn't seem to be any malice between them.
Aleria keeps herself near the dead spider husk, making sure to keep her eyes on it at all times. She figured that with three other people running the show with the survivors, she could afford to focus outward for possible threats.
"We need to start moving." Iona told them. "Could anyone carry our unconscious member?" She asked the group as she looked around. "And what does everyone have? Does anyone happen to have a waterskin or anything we could keep water in if we come across drinkable water?" She asked.
We can't stay here much longer... Though I am unsure of how to get out...
Bakji looked at Iona "I could carry him, though I doubt I'd be able to help protect anyone if I did. I don't think any of us would be able to do so if we were attacked and we have three people with us we have to protect. It's unfortunate but best to have him on his own two feet so that we can keep a diamond formation around them to protect them" he said at the thought.
"Of course." The burly northerner volunteers, moving over to pick up the unmoving body.
Bakji looked at Viktor when he went to pick up the body and looked over at the other two. "Alright...best do a Wedge formation then with Viktor and the other two in the middle...Iona, can you take lead? Viktor, keep the civilians about fifteen paces back from her. Aleria, take the right wing. Stay about 15 paces from Vitor and about 25 from Iona. I'll take the opposite and we should be able to at least move and protect them well enough till the last one is on his feet...Does that sound reasonable for everyone?" he asked, hoping that the formation would keep everyone safe.
"You have a good mind for military form. Yes I believe what Bakji suggests would be the best way to handle this. I am the best for point as I am a shield and sword wielder." She explained. "And with Aravashnial behind me my shield should protect us both." She said with a nod.
Aleria nodded sharply and moved to do as the man suggested, switching from her pistol to her Morningstar as she did. "Historically the Wedge formation was used to break enemy lines during pitched warfare. The men would wield polearms and Shields and advance upon the line using their weapons reach to dominate the fray. Historically..." Aleria swallowed nervously as she checked her Buckler.
"What happened above? How..."
You start walking in the cavern. walking away from the dust and awful smell of death. Making sure to avoid the spider, you reach a small opening in the wall. It's barely big enough to allow you to pass without squeezing through. Leading the walk Iona finally reach the end of the tunnel and walk into another cavern. The space isn't as big as the previous one, but the air is clearer.
This smaller cavern appears to have once served as a campsite or temporary lair. A torn bedroll lies next to the cold remains of a fire. A pile of bones, broken equipment, and rubble lies just past the campsite. Two large vermins the size of a dog burst from the trash as you walk into the room. Their mandibles and their useless wings moving in an aggressive way. As they move in on you, you know that you can't escape quick enough the way you came. If you want to keep going, you will need to fight them.