Yridhrennor lets the magic he was storing in his hand dissipate as he searches his vast memory for any mention of Deskari.
As he does this, he steps up to the hole and takes aim with his crossbow, hoping to strike one of the cultists.
Yridhrennor knows the name Deskari far better than he'd like. Though many demon lords involve themselves in the Worldwound through their many cults, most scholars believe that the Lord of the Locust Host had some part in creating it. The question of precisely how, and whether Deskari did the deed entirely on his own, with help from Golarion, or simply took advantage of a shifting metaphysical alignment on the occasion of Aroden's death generates fierce debate. His cultists are among the most common found in Mendev, though whether that means he genuinely has more followers or if they simply don't hide as well as Baphomet's likewise generates much debate.
Either way, Yridhrennor knows Deskari as Deskari the Locust, First Breath and Get of Pazuzu, Usher of the Apocalypse, patron of infestations and (of course) locusts, master of the Rasping Rift, Him Who Waits in Chasms. Once he trod upon Golarion itself, in the days of fallen Sarkoris, but Aroden banished him and drove his followers into the Lake of Mists and Veils. Most scholars believe Deskari and Baphomet as close to allies as any demon lords can manage. His faithful wear green, the color of poisonous things, and red for blood. They carry scythes to reap lives as their master reaps souls. The depraved cherish their copies of One Thousand Voices in My Flesh, the original written by a madman who heard the Locust's voice in the droning wings of a great host as it devoured his kingdom and then his own flesh, inch by inch for centuries on end.
Knowledge alone did not arm a crusader, so Yridhrennor took his crossbow in hand and advanced. He came to the foot of the ladder and fired up at the snarling maw of a dire rat. The creature shrank back just as his bolt flew, escaping unscathed.
The glaive-wielding priestess fell back behind one of the rats and swung her weapon over its back at Galin. He easily parried the attack. The other, scythe in hand, shifted to the east as she swung at Abelard. The curved blade slashed across his chest and wounding him grievously.
miss
What need does Deskari have to with a cult of Baphomet?. Yridhrennor ponders aloud.
Who cares you stupid elf, they want us dead. That's all that matters.
Theran shook his head clear of the demonic compulsion and cursed the cultists' perverse ways. He turned back to the fight.
Steave shakes his head as his companions surge into melee when the enemies have spells running with durations. He puts his Crusader Cocktail on the ground of the ledge and climbs up to face the summoned rat.
Steave set down his cocktail and ascended the ladder, coming to Abelard's side.
Galin flails at the nearby rat but misses badly
Galin flourished his glowing blade and slashed at the rat before him, but it scurried clear of his steel with ease.
The mongrelfolk cultists continued their retreat, one throwing open the door at the far end of the eastern tunnel and the other pushing past and vanishing beyond.
Yridhrennor recalled many details he'd learned from a lifetime of study regarding Deskari and his cult. So informed, he advanced and fired his crossbow up the shaft. His bolt shattered on the ceiling above, clear of the dire rat he'd aimed for.
The glaive-wielding priestess fell back behind one of the rats and swung her weapon over its back at Galin. He easily parried the attack. The other, scythe in hand, shifted to the east as she swung at Abelard. The curved blade slashed across his chest and wounding him grievously.
Theran shook his head clear of the demonic compulsion and cursed the cultists' perverse ways. He turned back to the fight.
Steave set down his crusader's cocktail and ascended the ladder, coming to Abelard's side.
Galin flourished his glowing blade and slashed at the rat before him, but it scurried clear of his steel with ease.
The mongrelfolk cultists continued their retreat, one throwing open the door at the far end of the eastern tunnel and the other pushing past and vanishing beyond.
Saito stood wary at the party's rear, with their charges. Teofil looked apprehensively in the direction of the battle. Anevia checked and rechecked her weapon. Horgus looked bored, but now and then he caught the man making his own worried glances.
Abelard repositioned for better footing. Taking a calming breath, he adjusted his grip on the falchion and slashed hard at the scythe-bearing priestess. He knocked past her hasty parry and dealt a blow that nearly slew her, drawing an arc of blood across her chest.
The rats snapped at Steave and Galin's boots, but could not break through the hard leather to do them harm.
Yridhrennor sighs. "Let's try this one more time... He takes careful aim up through hole, hoping to strike a cultist.
Yridhrennor fired up the shaft again, but once again missed as the rats ducked back out of sight.
The priestess of Baphomet slashed over the rat's head at Galin once more. He turned the thirsty blade with ease. She moved toward the tunnel to the east.
The other prayed, "May the Endless Hosts Feast upon you!" Thousands of green and red locusts issued from her mouth, rushing in a keening tide all around. They feasted for a moment on the blood of crusader, rat, and cultist alike before vanishing. The glaive-wielding priestess and Abelard both staggered under the attack.
Other priestess channels negative energy. The burst is enough to get Abelard, Steave, Yridhrennor, and Galin. They'll all need Will saves, DC 11.
Everyone saved, so only half damage. Two.
And the bad guys also
With no place to stand, Theran holds.
Steaves grits his teeth at the demonic damage and steps inside the glaive's reach missing with a roundhouse kick.
Galin again attacks the rat,
Theran held his ground while Steave kicked at the priestess of Baphomet. She brought her glaive up at just the wrong time and he pulled back to avoid a nasty slice, causing his kick to miss its mark.
Galin set to the dire rat once more, but again the small creature danced back from his seeking steel.
The last mongrelman cultist vanished through the door to the least, leaving it to slam shut behind him.
As Steave moves up, Theran climbs into place and readies his hammer.
Saito maintains his position and defense, guarding the survivors against threat.
Saito held his ground, watching the party's rear.
Abelard?
Wincing at the pain from his wounds, Abelard grits his teeth. Time to finish this. He steps in and cuts once more at the priestess, dealing her what he hopes is a fatal injury.
Yridhrennor fired up the shaft again, but once again missed as the rats ducked back out of sight.
The priestess of Baphomet slashed over the rat's head at Galin once more. He turned the thirsty blade with ease. She moved toward the tunnel to the east.
The other prayed, "May the Endless Hosts Feast upon you!" Thousands of green and red locusts issued from her mouth, rushing in a keening tide all around. They feasted for a moment on the blood of crusader, rat, and cultist alike before vanishing. The glaive-wielding priestess and Abelard both staggered under the attack.
Theran held his ground while Steave kicked at the priestess of Baphomet. She brought her glaive up at just the wrong time and he pulled back to avoid a nasty slice, causing his kick to miss its mark.
Galin set to the dire rat once more, but again the small creature danced back from his seeking steel.
The last mongrelman cultist vanished through the door to the least, leaving it to slam shut behind him.
Abelard, however weakened by the enemy's attacks, laid into the scythe-wielding cultist with his falchion. He cut deep into her torso and she fell, her scythe clattering to the floor a moment before her body.
The dire rats leaped for Steave and Galin, but both saw the attacks coming and kicked the rats back.
Yridhrennor aims his crossbow once more, but the bolt clatters harmlessly against the floor.
Yridhrennor traded artifice for magic and hurled a roiling globe of acid up the shaft. Once more he missed the rats.
The glaive-armed priestess slashed at Abelard, but her injuries slowed her enough for him to block the attack. Attack thwarted, she bolted for the door. Steave and Abelard took tried to catch her unprotected back, but the woman fled too fast for their blades.
As she fled, Theran ascended the ladder and found himself amidst the rats.
Steaves turns to squash a rat beneath his boot.
Galin strikes at the same rat as before, and again misses miserably
Steave stomped a rat, staggering the creature. Galin tried his own luck, but found his rat faster than his steel for the moment.
Saito maintained his guard position with the party's charges.
With one priestess down, Abelard focusses his attention on the rat nearest him, hoping to put it down and get after the other priestess.
Yridhrennor traded artifice for magic and hurled a roiling globe of acid up the shaft. Once more he missed the rats.
The glaive-armed priestess slashed at Abelard, but her injuries slowed her enough for him to block the attack. Attack thwarted, she bolted for the door. Steave and Abelard took tried to catch her unprotected back, but the woman fled too fast for their blades.
As she fled, Theran ascended the ladder and found himself amidst the rats.
Steave stomped a rat, staggering the creature. Galin tried his own luck, but found his rat faster than his steel for the moment.
Saito maintained his guard position with the party's charges.
Abelard turned on the nearer rat, slashing down with his falchion but finding that even wounded and staggered the rat remains a quick and elusive target. The rat snapped back at him, but Abelard kicked it away. On the other side of the room, Galin deterred a similar attack by brandishing his glowing blade.
Yridhrennor gulps and climbs up the ladder. Maybe I will have more success up?
Thenran snarls at Steave to go after her. He swings at the rat between them to free him up to face the real threat.
Yridhrennor dared the ladder, joining the others up above. The surviving priestess fell back still further, reaching the door through which the other cultists fled and opening it for herself.
Theran turned on the rat, hoping to free Steave to make pursuit. He knocked it senseless with a firm blow.
Steaves hustles after the priestess.
Steave chased after the priestess with the glaive, easily catching up with her.
Galin again strikes out at the rat, stepping to the side in order to flank it with Theran.
Galin tried for the rat again, stepping to one side to make it face himself and Theran at once. His blade strikes true, slaying the creature.
Saito maintained his guard below.
Abelard takes a moment to wipe away the sweat that's trickling down his brow. "Don't know about y'all, but I'm about ready to finish this.
That said, he charges full-tilt toward the remaining priestess, heedless of the danger this might put him in. His aim is true, and the blade of his falchion cuts deep into his foe.
Yridhrennor dared the ladder, joining the others up above. The surviving priestess fell back still further, reaching the door through which the other cultists fled and opening it for herself.
Theran turned on the rat, hoping to free Steave to make pursuit. He knocked it senseless with a firm blow. Steave chased after the last priestess, easily catching up with her.
Galin tried for the rat again, stepping to one side to make it face himself and Theran at once. His blade strikes true, slaying the creature.
Saito maintained his guard below.
Abelard takes a moment to wipe away the sweat that's trickling down his brow. "Don't know about y'all, but I'm about ready to finish this."
He charged full-tilt toward the remaining priestess, heedless of the danger it might put him in. His aim is true, and the blade of his falchion cuts deep into his foe. She fell dead to the ground.
Well done, Abelard! Yridhrennor clasps his hands together as Falfaerel flies up through the hole. All of you, well done. You are so brave and strong! True heroes and crusaders!
Yes, it's good to see that someone can do something other than stare up at a hole. The raven shoots a beady look at the elf diviner as he lands on the priestess' corpse and pecks about her body. Come here, elf. Let's see what we can find...
Yridhrennor sighs and follows his bird's directions to loot the corpses.
Steave looks around for the sacrifices that they said they had.
Steave looks around for the sacrifices that they said they had.
He finds none.
Abelard is suddenly aware of his weariness, and his wounds. "What say we rest up for the day, make a new start tomorrow? Can't see the sun, so it don't make no nevermind what time it really is..."
I also need to prepare spells Yridhrennor sighs.
I'll say! You've been utterly useless for half the day. What were you thinking wasting all your spells like that? Falfaerel pulled on the elf's ear.
"I could rest. " he says, trying not to show how wounded he is. And failing.
"Very well, let's look for a defensible place to hole up." Steave concludes.