I WANNA ROC!
The northern part of the mountain range extends to the northeast and the Rasdovians continue into that part of the range. The travel is time consuming and takes several days to traverse and then fully explore the area without incident.
Heading due east out of the mountains and into the foothills the party travels across the hills and explores them thoroughly seeing the lemur fortress in the distance to the south and a mountain river flows through the area. The hills are mapped and explored in detail with little of note happening beyond burs in saddle blankets and Z’s loud snoring.
Following the mountain river to the northwest traveling and exploring the hills takes almost another full week and just as the party was about to take nonlethal damage from boredom, the river joins with the Shriek and cascades down into five consecutive waterfalls along a course of about a mile. The cascades make the river a pour choice for travel but it is beautiful to behold and the group stops many times along the route to take in the grandeur and carefully mark its location on their maps. Without the Rasdovians’ flying abilities the area would be nearly impassable, but the group concludes its exploration with little else of note.
Heading along the Shriek river to the southwest, the hills continue, and another great single waterfall provides another breathtaking view of the power of nature.
Leaving the river, the party crosses through the already explored hex with the Varnholdt Highway running from east to west and head straight up into the mountains which make up the northern most shores of Silverstep Lake. It is now the dead of winter and freaking cold, but with various magical empowerments, the party easily endures the elements.
At the top of one peak we see the ruins of a tower through the clouds and snow. Vissanica looks closely but cannot discern what it is. It will be a very difficult climb up the 250 foot cliffs with no passable way to the tower ruins. Vissanica casts invisibility and flies up to the tower to explore. As she draws closer to the tower a giant bird darkens the sky.
Carissa immediately casts Mirror Image. Vissanica also casts Mirror Image and floats downward and prepares for battle, hovering about 30 feet above the rest of the group. Akiros opens fire and strikes the giant bird of prey causing it to immediately dive with a screech that shakes the mountains!
The great bird grows larger and larger as it plummets and the sheer size of the beast becomes more and more apparent. It must be 30 feet long from beak to tail, with an 80-foot wingspan and weight of up to 8,000 pounds.
Z sets himself ready to cover the rest of the grounded party with his combat patrol and Cassandra unleashes a scorching ray singeing the Roc’s feathers, but does little to stop its attack.
Vissanica suddenly contorts and sprays blood at the giant bird unleashing an unholy hex. It falls limp crashing to the ground with an earthshaking crunch… Dead.
Relief washes across the adventurers and a slight chuckle from Dox turns into a giggle from Carissa and then a full-throated guffaw from Akiros. The entire group joins in on a belly of laughter from complete relief to have survived such an onslaught. Z looks at the length of the great bird’s talons and then at his glaive realizing the futility of his combat patrol.
After everyone has collected themselves, Dox and Vissanica complete the inspection of the ruined tower and discover two roc eggs. After much discussion, they are able to transport the eggs from the heights. Remembering the request from the Chef in Navikta’s Crossing, the party fashions two litters to transport the eggs back.
A festival to rival the Eel-bake seems to almost spontaneously begin and grow around news of the Great Roc Omelet. Being the third visit in as many a fortnight to the Crossing, Akiros’ efforts to bolster trade seem to finally take root and the Rasdovian Kingdom recognizes a great boon to its treasury from the explorer’s efforts, and as importantly, the crusader’s diplomacy.
All through the festivities, Dox quietly monitors the health of the second egg, now securely packed aboard a wagon, ready for its return to New Westcrown. Perhaps someday the Sigil of Anastasia’s house will be the Lion and the Roc as he dreams of the soon to be Crowned Prince, leading his Lion Cavalry into battle astride a great winged mount.
Dox is excited to return to New Westcrown and take a break from overland exploration in favor of exploring some new abilities he discovered with the recent advancement.
Adding the ability to craft arms and armor, he visits with Vissanica to let her know and show her a new collar/amulet he is crafting for Cringer. It has three large octagon medallions supported by leather and stiff chains. The center medallion depicts a fist clenching a light crossbow crushing a whip. The rightmost medallion depicts a fist clenching a mace crushing a falchion and the left most medallion a fist clenching a longbow crushing a rapier. After showing her, he simply states "I thought you might like it" and offers no explanation as to what it is as he assumes she gleaned it from her casual examination.
On crafting days Dox takes on the appearance of a much older man but is also much more intelligent and wise.
One day while in this appearance, he visits with Ana to seek her input. He would like to bring the benefits of the increased intelligence and wisdom to the Infernal Eleven meetings but wonders if the aged appearance would be disruptive or give the optics of weakness and decay.
He also would like to propose a festival in honor of the birth of the heir which would include a grand event in the new arena showcasing precision military drills from the lion army elite guard and punctuated by a HUGE air walking lion simulating battle tactics.
The year following the Infernals’ return to New Westcrown saw the arrival of several new, notable faces along with the throngs of settlers and emigres the rapidly-expanding Kingdom had routinely seen.
Crown Prince Aurix Rasdovain: Queen Anastasia and Consort Akiros’ bouncing baby boy was born just after the Infernals’ return, much to both parents’ satisfaction. Full of smiles and a laugh to light up a room, the Heir to the throne of Rasdovia has taken an unusual fondness for the large Roc egg the party discovered, which is due to hatch any day itself.
Basil the White: A somewhat cold and distant Wizard, originally from Cheliax, Basil is an Albino male human of 60+ year Diviner brought on by Anastasia as the new Royal Sage. An adventurer in his distant past, he has served as a sage and professor in a number of locations over the past decades. As Royal Sage he researches items of interest for Anastasia, and on occasion crafts certain magic items, particularly wands and scrolls. An Abadarian himself, he speaks highly of his liege’s rule, if little else.
Carutha Amun Osri: Alexi LaVallette, the Rasdovian Diplomat and most visible face of the Kingdom to the outside world aside from the Queen herself, proceeded to build a Diplomatic Corps for Rasdovia at Anastasia’s direction. From Katepesh but of some distant noble lineage, Carutha is a young, attractive, energetic woman who serves as Alexi's deputy in Diplomatic matters, and helps direct a small coterie of aristocratic Diplomatic Envoys. A networker and social climber who sees perhaps too much similarity between herself and Anastasia (whom she idolizes), tavern gossip suggests the relationship between her and the much older Alexi may be more than professional.
Korg and Groth: Her stint as Magister having brought the enigmatic Royal Advisor out a bit more into the public eye, Sybyl added some “staff” in the interim . Burley twin half-orc brothers Korg and Groth serve as protection for the polite yet somehow disturbing woman, who runs the Physical and Magic Sciences half of the University of Rasdovia (the Social Sciences half being overseen by Vissannica and the Ministry of the Inquisition). When not guarding Sybyl, the brothers can be spotted frequenting 1st Acolyte Marcellano and the Asmodean Shrine.
Sybyl’s Assistants: In addition to her guards, Sybyl has attracted a small group of Assistants. Trained in the craft of Alchemy (though some students murmur they are not especially good at it, unlike their master), these men seem to support Sybyl’s teaching and research duties at the University. Each is different, but share an oddness about them that is hard to pin down. The very well in-the-know occasionally hear vague rumors of them skulking around town at night, for unknown reasons.
Constantus Quam, Esquire: An actor of some talent who arrived unexpectedly several months ago, the gregarious, charming and impishly handsome Constantus has taken the ladies of New Westcrown by storm. He is constant flirt with a natural gift for gab, but he seems smitten with the aloof Sybyl and is often seen lurking the University basement halls where the elven woman’s offices are. Her interest in him is unknown, but they seem to speak regularly. Constantus often does the rounds of near-by towns both in and outside Rasdovia, such as Restov, New Stetvan, Mivon, Pitax and Nivitka’s Crossing where he performs with roving theater troops. It is certainly coincidence that a number of partially true rumors in support of Rasdovia, Anastasia and Sybyl (and conversely against those who would oppose them) have cropped up at the same time Constantus appeared on the scene.
A Count and a Tiefling come to tea.
While most of the Infernals are out exploring the growing realm, some minor intrigue occurs back at the Capital. A Venture Captain of the Pathfinder Society makes his presence known in the city as he takes rooms at the nicer Inn near the palace. Being he is of Chelaxian Birth and Nobility word travels quickly to Anastasia’s ear.
Information is immediately gathered and the royal informants provide the following information. He is Count Varian Jeggare, a half-elf, and is traveling with his bodyman a teifling called Radovan. He is a well regarded Venture Captain in the Pathfinder Society and for some reason did not make his presence known through regular channels.
Anastasia draws up a formal invitation to the Count and has Alexi deliver the invitation with his Chelaxian diplomatic knowledge. The court begins to share stories of the many exploits of the very colorful Radivan and the adventuring Count from old Cheliax.
A letter is returned as he graciously accepts the invitation to the noble villa for tea and gossip. Pleasantries are exchanged and Anastasia very cautiously delves into the purpose of the Counts visit. He seems genuinely interested in the success of the fledgling kingdom and very openly shares his impressions. He provides little in terms of new news from Cheliax as he has been traveling for a number of years. As the pleasant afternoons begins to wane on, the Count asks if he might offer two pieces of advice.
Anastasia accepts with grace, but is immediately on guard. Varian says, “First, be wary of those of Westcrown that the do not take credit for your hard work.”
Anastasi nods.
The Count continues, “And second…”
He pauses.
“Hmm… let me put it this way, I once knew a man who went too far. I would be careful of the advice of a man who stretches too far. One who does not know their boundaries.”
He pauses deliberately making direct eye-contact with the young queen.
A smile plays across Varian’s lips, but does not meet his eyes. “Please, give my regards to your sister.”
With that, he stands, bows and takes his leave.
Three Manticores and Some Spider Silk
After spending some much-needed time in New Westcrown focusing on the business of ruling a kingdom, Anastasia instructs her court that it is time once again to explore more of the writ. Akiros seems the most surprised, and perhaps hurt, but quickly recovers his courtly demeanor and bows deeply, “By your command, Your Majesty.”
Leaving along the new highway system that now connects so much of the kingdom, a light conversation on how much has changed since they first came to this wild and inhospitable land. As the newly shod horseshoes strike the even paving of the highway, Zorthalius turns and studies the well-established city and is hard-pressed to see any remnants of the Stag Lord’s Keep. Civilization has truly come to the Stolen Lands.
Traveling to the ruins of Varnholdt the group arrives without incident as is expected on the Queen’s Highway. Riding into the still silent village, little if anything has changed. Choosing not to dwelling on the still unsolved mystery of the abandoned village, the Rasdovians follow the Queen’s “strongly suggested” exploration plan heading northeast into the hills. They spend the next few days exploring the region and head further into the east exploring a planes region with little of note happening during the few days it takes to map the area. The planes continue to the east where the writ ends, marking the eastern most border of Rasdovia.
During the mapping of this area and diligently marking the kingdom’s border, the party comes across a circle of standing stones and shallow mounds. A sort of ruins that Vissanica believes is an ancient burial ground containing maybe 30 graves and is of a tribal nature. Dox chimes in and mentions that he feels that these ruins are no more than a few hundred years old. The group remembers that there was talk of centaur burial grounds that may house undead.
Suddenly, three large winged figures burst into flight around the ruins. Z is caught completely by surprise while Akiros gracefully steps his horse forward, draws, knocks, and looses an arrow striking the creature to the immediate north. Dox signals Cringer who airwalks 10 feet behind the spellcasters.
Each of the winged creatures rise further into the air between 20 and 25 feet above the ground.
Vissanica, ever quick to react, shouts to the rest of the group in Infernal that beyond the obvious threat of the beasts’ teeth and claws are their spiked tails which can fling quills at their prey. Vissanica then produces a small loop of leather and while twisting it she imbues it with power casting displacement on herself. Eyeing what the elf women does and listening to her warning, Carissa casts mirror image, and three perfect reflections of her pop into reality.
Akiros challenges the Manticore to his north and draws, knocks, and looses a volley of arrows with two striking home. Cringer pounces on the westernmost Manticore. A flurry of claws and bites shred the winged beast tearing into fur, meat and wing. Heeding Vissanica’s warnings, Dox casts shield on Cringer.
The manticores all focus on Cringer lashing out with their tails sending spikes streaking toward the great Lion. Twelve spikes fly at Cringer some of the spikes ricochet from the magic shield but the majority strike the lion burying deeply into his hide and severely injuring him.
Z draws the thundering long bow and let’s loose 2 arrows, the first goes wide, while the second strikes true and with a thundering clap of power the manticore falls dead to the ground. Zorthalius looks at the bow with a newfound appreciation for Centaur craftsmanship.
Vissanica casts glitterdust and blinds the manticore furthest to the north as Carissa casts a fireball on the manticore just to the north of Cringer and Dox. The smell of burnt fur and sizzling meat fill the air as the flames scorch the winged beast.
Akiros fires his volley of arrows again and all of them strike true as the glittering blind winged lion roars in pain. Akiros urges his mount closer to the manticore that now resembles a pincushion to the north.
Cringer steps through the air towards the manticore directly to his north killing it and letting it fall to the ground.
Panicking, the last manticore flies blindly to the north and Akiros carefully lines up two shots dropping the final creature to the ground.
The party collects quills from the corpses of the manticores and while Dox cares for Cringer’s wounds, the rest of the group explores the graveyard. With nothing of interest, Dox respectfully asks Vissanica to heal Cringer.
Finishing off the exploration of the plains the party spends the remainder of the day traveling due south to another planes area where the group defeats 6 trapdoor spiders and collects 50 yards of spider silk.
Landshark!
After finishing off the trapdoor spiders, our intrepid adventurers, discuss the remaining rewards that had been posted at Navikta’s Crossing. Agreeing to head back to the crossing the next day, everyone settles in for the night, guards are posted, and a general feeling of good will settles over the camp as they look forward to at least one night in a bed and at least one pint o’ cheer.
Arriving at The Crossing the group is met with many friendly waves and a few calls asking if they should be preparing for another feast. Arriving at the inn, Beven greets everyone with a wide grin, and with now practiced familiarity has the horses groomed, bags and baggage sent up to rooms, and pints laid out for everyone. Akiros asks after the poet and the weaver and Beven gives precise directions while setting out plates of a still steaming stew and warm bread for everyone. After the meal. Akiros heads out with Dox to deliver the quills and silk, quietly telling Carrisa to keep Z and Vissanica from wondering off again and scaring the locals.
Rewards in hand, the Infernals returns to their exploring heading south back to the where they defeated the trap door spiders and then further to the southeast through the rolling hills. The ground here is furrowed with grooves in the land which Dox says indicates the presence of at least one bullet. They are magical creatures, heavily armored and known to attack by launching through the air and pouncing on their prey. A bullet’s magic allows them to move very quickly through the ground as if swimming.
With little options, the party continues to explore the area keeping a keen eye and ear out for any sign of a landshark. Despite being as prepared as possible, a bullet erupts out of the ground and pounces on Akiros nearly pulling him from Bounder’s back. Akiros withdraws carefully and bolsters the party as he cries out, “FOR THE QUEEN!”
Losing interest in the retreating Crusader, the bullet seems to take offence at Z’s armor, and launches forward to attack the Hellknight who is lacerated by its claws and rent by its bite. Carissa steps back from the bullet’s reach and casts scorching ray. The flames jet from her out-stretched fingers engulfing the creature as it trumpets a roar of pain and the smell of roasting meat fills the air.
Z steps back and swings his glaive at the bullet. His first swing clangs off the bullet’s armor and as he follows through with his second swing he misses completely nearly falling to the ground. Dox summons a lion from the ether and it immediately pounces on the bullet from the north taking an attack from the bullet as it strikes. Capitalizing on the summoned lion’s flank, Cringer moves to the bullet’s eastern side and attacks biting deeply into the scorched hide of the bullet.
Vissanica engages her arcane accuracy and strikes with her black blade stepping forward swinging and striking the beast three times and the bullet still smoking from the scorching ray freezes in place and drops to the ground dead.
As the party is gathering itself from the battle, Dox sees a crow take flight from the canopy above the party. Dox summons an air elemental to chase the crow down and Vissanica leaps into the air also giving chase.
With his normal calmness, Akiros raises his bow, draws back and looses his arrow striking the bird. The bird turns and dives at Akiros pulling up roughly thirty feet from the ground above the Crusader. Akiros’ focus never wavers and he draws and looses striking the crow twice and then moves back towards the party.
Z, having regained some of his balance wrestles his Thunderbow (Which he has quietly named Thundero in his mind) out of the bag of holding.
Carissa brings her fireball to bear on the bird-beast with little affect.
Based on the bird’s odd behavior, Vissanica realizes that they are dealing with a familiar and the spellcaster it is aligned with most be truly powerful. She casts Glitterdust on the bird and its outline begins to shimmer. Speaking in Infernal, Vissanica shouts to the rest of the party, her theory that they are fighting a familiar and streaks away to avoid any spells coming from the magic user it is aligned with.
Dox’s air elemental strikes while the familiar flies closer to the group on the ground. The crow darts to the center of the group and explodes unleashing a fearsome combustion across most of the party.
Standing up and regaining its bearings the party looks around itself stunned. Vissanica lands amongst the group and immediately begins moving through the group applying infernal healing from her wand, restoring everyone to full health.
Z returns Thundero to the bag of holding while much of the party discusses the realization that they have a very powerful enemy and no idea who or what it is.
The Nomen Problem
Rising the next morning fully healed from the bullet and combustion-crow, the Rasdovians continue their exploration of the region. The head east into another planes area and explore with nothing of great interest. They then head south along another planes area.
A group of Centaurs charge and encircle the party crying out shrilly as they ride around group.
Akiros introduces himself to the centaurs and seeks to calm them. Carissa seeks to assist Akiros and the Centaurs also seem drawn to Z’s armor and bearing as he sits high upon Harpy’s back.
Centaur Leader: Why have you come to our range?
Akiros: We have come to this land seeking to meet you and speak with your leader.
Centaur Leader: I am the leader.
Akiros: What is your name?
Centaur Leader: Sailen
Akiros: Well met Sailen. We have heard there are many of you, are there more of you?
Sailen: (Seeming somewhat to struggle with the language) There are more of us at our home.
Akiros: Do you know of the town of Varnhodlt?
Sailen: Yes, they are vile poachers.
Akiros: There were spriggans there and we are hunting spriggans.
Sailen: I know not. What a spriggan is?
Akiros: People who begin small and grow large.
Sailen: They should be enemy of all and should be hunted.
Akiros: Why do you hate Spriggan?
Sailen: They stole something from us
Akiros: We seek to exterminate them, if we find what you are looking for, perhaps we can return it.
They seem reluctant to share.
Sailen: Why do you hate the spriggan?
Akrios: They attacked and killed some of ours.
Sailen: There are no spriggan in our range and all outside out range should die.
Akiros: What did they take from you, perhaps we can return it.
Sailen’s lieutenant: They stole the great bow, Skybolt.
Sailen glares at the lieutenant.
Akrios: That is interesting… What of the hunters?
Sailen: They come no longer to our range.
Akiros: Why not?
Sailen: We convinced them to never return
Akiros: Did you kill them on your range our theirs.
Sailen: We have no use for mountains, they will never return to our range. They are poachers and murderers.
Akiros: How large is your range?
Sailen: From the burial grounds to the here.
Akiros: Do you have a settlement or a town?
Sailen shrugs.
Akiros: Does your range go further east?
Sailen: No
Akiros: Are there any threats of people to the east?
Sailen: People, but unlike you.
Akiros: People like not like us?
Sailen: People, but not human or elf, or dwarf. Fey, but no other people.
Akiros: Pardon my ignorance, but does the name Mordachi mean anything to you?
All of the Centaurs reach for weapons and almost involuntarily step back.
Sailen: Where did you hear that word?
Akiros: I read it and there is an isle that it may be on.
Sailen: You should leave our range and not meddle in things you do not understand.
Akiros: We are ignorant and only seeking knowledge.
Sailen: You should leave now and not seek what you do not understand.
Akiros: What do you think about Restov?
Sailen: We know of this and are sometimes good traders but never come into our range.
Akiros: What of the priestess?
Sailen: You must leave our range and not speak of what you do not understand.
The Rasdovians make gestures of compliance and Akiros thanks them for there time. The group moves to the northwest to hex and then head southeast which rise into hills
As the group enters the area and moves along an odd ridge of hills the adventurers begin to realize that they are riding along the spine of a great beast as large as a range of hills. It can only be the bones of a great linnorm. As the group moves beyond the linnorm ridge a herd of giant mastodons can be seen in the distance.
Something Goes Bump in the Night
Leaving behind the Linnorm Ridge and mastodons the Infernals head further east to border of Rasdovia and make camp before exploring.
Watches are set with Z and Visannica at first watch, Dox and Cinger at second watch and Akiros and Carissa for third watch.
During third watch about 4:00 am sneaking unseen into the campsite a shadowy figure with great bony talon hovers over the sleeping Vissanica extending its claws and strikes at the sleeping elf woman with its shadowy arms ripping the helpless elf asunder and attempting to draw from her lifeforce. Alerted to the attack, Akiros steps back aligns his shots and looses a volley of arrows at the strange creature, striking true with each and hammering the creature through.
Z is startled awake, grabs his glaive and while prone, swings and misses at the creature. Carissa casts scorching ray at the beast missing with the first strike, hitting true with the second and a strange pungent smoke fills the air. Dox awakens similarly startled as Z and stands. Cringer also awakens and moves to the west.
Vissanica recovering from the attack while sleeping attempts to cast Mirror Image, but fails but is able to draw her sword.
Undeterred by the attacks from the rest of the party, the creature again attacks Vissanica. Striking with the first claw Vissanica’s lifeforce is drained leaving her seeming oddly withered yet alert. The creature strikes again and seems to only do physical damage.
Akiros fires another three arrows and destroys the creature causing it to fade from existence.
Z stands and readies his glaive in case another attack is eminent, and the rest of the party stands ready.
As Vissanica stands as arrogant as ever and cold to the point of almost not noticing those around her.
Returning to sleep, the party rises and Dox restores the effects of the Soul Eater attacks on Vissanica.
Vissanica is convinced that that a magic user of some type summoned the soul eater to assassinate her. Soul Eaters come from the realm of Abodon. Dox shares his concern that if someone is sending assassins against the Infernal 11, should they take action to protect themselves?
Little of interests happens as the adventurers continue to explore the mountain range and foothills around Varnholdt with one exception. While investigating the mountains directly to the southeast of Varnholdt, the party finds a series of caves that have been abandoned. Dox surmises that smaller than man sized and larger than man-sized creatures lived in the caves. Everyone agrees that that it was where the spriggans who attacked Varnholdt probably originated from.
Having greatly expanded the Kingdom’s knowledge of the writ, the party returns to New Westcrown.
The Rise of the Chlorafiend!
A couple of weeks after the establishment of Daidian’s Roost. Word reaches the Infernal Eleven that the elevator workers in the tower settlement seem to not be responding to requests to lower the lift. Setting out immediately, the Rasdovians head for the new settlement. Upon arrival, the party fliers scout the tower and find it abandoned similar to Varnholdt. The elevator is lowered for the folks who could not fly. Once everyone is up, a full search of the area reveals all of the people gone. Livestock remain and have begun to escape.
Realizing that they can no longer leave this threat unacknowledged, the adventurers head out to find their lost subjects. They travel through Varnholdt and then south west to the southeastern shore of lake Silverstep. The headwaters of the Little Sellen River start in this region. Nothing of note is found while exploring.
Moving on along the river to the southwest where the mountains continue the group approaches a river where they come across an odd island in the middle of a sharp river bend. The river flows swiftly, but shallowly near the island as the party prepares to cross. Z is taking the lead while crossing when a Chlorafiend rises from the brush and critically strikes Z grappling him to the ground. Carrisa casts grease on Z’s armor just before the creature pins Z and swallows him whole. The small island becomes a churning froth of vegetation and river water as the slimy arms of the Chlorafiend strike out at Cringer, Vissanica, and Anastasia. Cringer is struck, Vissanica dodges and Anastasia is grappled similar to Z.
Flying to defend her sister, Vissanica attacks the beast channeling frigid touch through her sword striking the creature soundly as a thin layer of frost coats the green skin of the creature and the water around it begins to freeze and mist.
Z cries out in frustration and disgust as he grasps the teeth of the Chlorafiend’s maw and pulls himself free as his greased armor allows him to slide from jaws with a squishy, slimy “plop.”
Cringer enlarges to a size equal to the plant monster and rending it with his teeth and claws leaves little more than half frozen shredded leaves and stems to float down the river. Collecting some odd bits of treasure from the beast’s previous victims, the party takes a few moments to heal and then returns to searching for the missing Rasdovian subjects.
The Fall of the Chlorafiend!
It seems some sort of group delusion took over the adventurers thinking that Cringer killed the beast… when in fact it is quite alive! Oh no! What a crappy scribe!
Following Cringers attack, Carissa casts an empowered fireball on the Chloralfiend scorching the monster and evaporating the slight frost residue from Vissanica’s attack. The creature then pins and engulfs Anastasia as she begins to be digested.
The creature tries to strike Vissanica, but misses.
Anastasia channels positive energy and heals herself.
Vissanica directs a shocking grasp spell through her sword striking three times and the Chlorafiend is cooked from the inside out, wilts, and dies for real this time.
Everyone rushes forward to help Anastasia climb from the corpse. She stands and immediately begins tending to the wounds of everyone.
Reviewing the damage done to the corpse, Carissa notices the many bones of human and equine origin. Amongst the bones are bits of treasure, which the party collects.
The adventurers clean themselves up and move on to finish exploring this region. Nothing else of note happens and so the party heads east back into the mountains.
The Great Limestone Spire
Beginning to explore the region the party approaches a river where a jagged limestone cliff hemz in the area. A mighty waterfall rushes over the edge into a wide pool of black, frothing water. In the center of the black pool stands a massive, hundred-foot-tall limestone pillar of weathered stone—the last, lonely sentinel marking where the cliff’s edge once stood in an age long past. At various points on the island’s top, plumes of black smoke waft up into the sky.
The spellcasters begin bolstering themselves with various spells as the group prepares to fly up to the top of the limestone spire.
Dark smoke and noxious fumes spew from vents along the sides of the spire blocking much of the view of the top. Flying around the spire, the adventurers see how wide and vast the river is. Landing on the top of the spire, there is some vegetation where the fumes do not coalesce. A fissure or vent spewing the same awful fumes may be a way into the spire but would be a very tight fit. Carissa mentions that she saw what looked like a mooring point at the base of the spire.
Everyone agrees to investigate what Carissa saw, since there does not seem to be any obvious entrance on the top of the spire.
Flying down to water level there seems to be a cave mostly obscured by mud, silt, and foliage. Before the cave is a shallow muddy riverbed where the party sees prints from a larger than man-size beasts, and much older and smaller prints also seem to move across the mud and into the cave.
The adventurers line up with Vissanica and Z in the front, Carissa and Anastasia following close behind and Dox riding Cringer taking up the rear. Anastasia casts light on Z’s glaive and Vissanica casts dancing lights down the corridor. This darkened passageway is decorated to the north and south with alcoves. Midway down the hall, just before the second set of alcoves is another archway carved in the stone. Upon its lintel are various runes and symbols. The northern alcove just beyond this arch holds an ancient amphora that has broken open, spilling its contents into the corridor.
The party approaches the arch and Vissanica notices the symbols on the archway manifest into a form of warding or alarm. It looks as if the alarm has been expended and whatever was meant to be alerted has been alerted. Examining the craftsmanship of the stonework, no one recognizes who or what would have built it, it is not of human, elven, or dwarven construction. Vissanica feels that this may be of Cyclopsian architecture as before the rise of humans, the Cyclops were a very orderly and established society. They had a magical foresight and could subjugate other giant-kind and small folk. There empire extended well into this region.
Approaching the amphora the party finds a pile of gold minted bearing the image of an all-seeing eye on the obverse and a clenched fist on the reverse. Buried amongst the gold is a Jade bracelet that was depicted in Master Prenrose’s writings.
Continuing along the cave/corridor to the west the party comes to a turn to the north that leads to a diamond-shaped chamber with vaults extending to a height of nearly thirty feet at the center of the room. Three wings branch off from the center. One ends shortly at a wall of mortared stone, while the other two once bore walls that have since been broken down, revealing empty cobweb-shrouded alcoves holding stone biers.
Carissa stops the party and points down the northern corridor stating that she sees a large one-eyed skeleton, but it does not appear to be moving. Carissa casts shield.
Z advances down the northern corridor and is charged by the zombie cyclops. Just before it swings its great battleaxe its single eye flashes into focus and it nearly cleaves Z in half. Z gasps out in shock, “There is another of the beasts coming in from the west!”
Vissanica’s knowledge of the local history leads her to believe that this is a Dread Zombie. Unlike the normal undead these dread zombies are fast and intelligent. Also, Cyclops in this region have an ability known as flashes of insight periodically making their actions perfect.
Vissanica casts Mirror Image and seven reflections pop into existence and she moves to the north and tells Z to pull back.
Dox moves up the corridor and summons a leopard directly in front of Z and it attacks the Dread Zombie.
Anastasia moves in front of Dox and prepares to heal Z as soon as he is in range of her touch.
Carissa casts an empowered, maximized fireball into the diamond shaped room roasting the Dread Zombies in the conflagration. The one closest to Z is destroyed while the one to the north is roasted, but still stands.
Z retreats back to Anastasia and is healed by her holy power. The second Dread Zombie advances on the young leopard and strikes with his battleaxe and seeming as it would parish, but it survives! Hooray!
The young leopard attacks and misses completely.
The Dread (Pirate) Zombies
or
Water, Water Everywhere
Anastasia sings and inspires the marshal members of the group with her command. Carissa casts scorching ray incinerating the second Dread Zombie and it crumples to the ground dead(er).
Combat ends and the party checks for additional threats then heals those who are injured. Knowing this is only the beginning of combat, the spell-casters imbue themselves and others with magical enhancements. Vissanica transforms herself into a bizarre gargoyle-like form. As the magic settles around everyone, Vissanica recasts dancing lights and everyone moves into the diamond-shaped room.
As everyone begins to search, Dox discovers a secret door behind the northern bier and the group approaches. Vissanica opens the door and everyone sees a wide natural cavern that seems to have been artificially enlarged in places. A vaulting ceiling nearly thirty feet above is replete with a forest of slowly dripping stalactites, while below a wide pool occupies the entire chamber save for a narrow rocky shelf hugging the cavern wall at the level of the river outside.
With little discussion, the entire party flies across the lake and down the cavern to the north. After a long flight, the passage dips down into water completely submerged… Vissanica thinks this may be an underwater entrance to the spire.
The party returns to the room preparing to walk into watery stairs as Dox casts air bubble on the party.
Descending into the water, a giant slimy creature rises from the silt and attacks the party.
Striking at Cringer with its snaky jaws it bites through the giant cat’s barding and draws first blood taking a huge bite. Carissa casts bone shatter on the beast and it crushes the monster leaving it fatigued. Anastasia begins to orate and derides the anarchy of nature bolstering the adventurers. Z lunges forward swinging his glaive missing with his first strike and biting deeply into its flesh on the second swing drawing more blood in the water. Vissanica puts the beast to sleep with her magic and then swims up to coup de gras the dinosaur. Cringer is healed and everyone heads further up the stairs and out of the water.
The party enters an oddly shaped chamber as the ascend from the cloudy water to the east and see another set of stairs descending to a bronze double door to the southwest. There are various pieces of art and pottery Vissanica gleans from her knowledge of history that these items are from the ancient Casmaron cyclops empire. The pottery is oddly intact and seems to be only hundreds of years old and not the thousands of years that have passed since the fall of the Cyclopsian empires.
Everyone descends the stairs to the west and approaches the double bronze doors which are locked. Cringer steps forward and shouldering the doors with the help of Vissanica and Z bursting the doors open. The doors try to close again from springs built into the lintels and Z and Vizzanica grab them before they close. The adventurers see a ten-foot-high hallway extending at an angle from the bronze double doors, passing two shallow alcoves before reaching a square room. Standing in the side alcoves are two man-sized statues of painted stone depicting one-eyed humanoids. More of these statues stand in ranks within the room beyond.
Anastasia detects a moderate level of transmutation magic emanating from the entire room. There is a portcullis open directly above Anastasia and Carissa. The party continues further into the room and begins searching the area. Vissanica finds a secret door on the southern wall and when it opens two portcullises drop to the ground and two other secret doors open as holes iris out in the ceiling allowing water to cascade into the chamber.
Everyone but Dox and Anastasia are knocked prone and bludgeoned. Z stands up and readies an action to strike at anything threatening the group within reach. Two more dread (pirate) zombies appear wielding tree-dents and attack Cringer missing with each stab. Cringer attacks the dread (pirate) zombie immediately to his north and shreds it with his axiomatic claws raking deep furrows of destruction across its flesh. Carissa dimension doors herself, Z and Anastasia to the other side of the southern portcullis. Anastasia sings and inspires the rest of her group with her commanding presence. Vissanica stands and casts grease under the feet of both dread (pirate) cyclops causing them to fall to the ground prone but still grasping their tree-dents.
Z does nothing.
The dread (pirate) zombies stand up despite the grease on their feet. The pounding water nearly sweeps Cringer to the ground, but he stands fast. Striking at the cyclops as it works to stand, he slashes and bites more flesh from the zombie cyclops. The other cyclops steps to the south avoiding the grease and misses again as it strikes out at Cringer.
Over the deafening rush of the cascading water, Carissa reaches through the portcullis and calls out to Dox and Cringer to hurry as the mighty cat withdraws avoiding the strikes of the zombies’ tree-dents. Just as Carissa’s fingers touch Cringer’s fur they dimension doored to the southern steps and out of the water and danger. Looking back through the portcullis the group sees a giant serpenteen creature drop from the ceiling onto the zombies as a shrieks of battle begin anew.
The party turns from the drowning chamber and up the stairs. This crooked stair is uneven and hewn from the living stone. It winds upward, apparently following a natural seam in the rock.
<scene>
29 April
Soul Eater Redux
The hearty adventurers travel cautiously up the uneven winding staircase following Vissanica’s dancing lights. Rounding a final turn they approach another set of double doors. Detecting no threats, Vissanica opens the doors…
To the north, this room is paved in patterned tiles of different colored slate and subdivided by a pair of pillars carved in the likeness of leering fiends. Beyond them, friezes on the walls depict processions of animal-headed creatures marching along a black river’s banks toward dual shrines in opposite corners of the chamber. These each depict a shadowy individual standing in a sinister longboat. Between them stands a bronze double door, its face decorated with a mosaic of a winding river crafted from obsidian tiles.
Vissanica notices one of the mosaics depicts the Arch Daemon known as Charon also called the horseman of death.
The party enters the room. Standing in the southern part of the chamber is a simple stone altar holding a bowl of oil. Z does not detect any chaos and Dox does not detect magic. The group approaches the door to the west. Vissanica describes the two altars to the north, “These dual altars are a relatively outdated and obscure form of worshiping Charon in which the smoke of the two shrine lamps symbolizes the rising spirits of the dead as they approach the River Styx.”
Vissanica opens the door opposite the altars and the group enters another long hallway with a stairway going down.
The hallway ends in a door and the party opens it into a chamber composed of burial alcoves. All are empty save for small stone shelf ledges holding assorted bits of pottery. There appear to be two soul eaters near the center of the room.
Both Soul eaters charge Z trying to strike him and miss streaking back into the room.
Vissanica imbues her blade with keenness, flames and electricity and then moves into the room following the soul eater that flew to the north. She readies a spellstrike and casts shocking grasp as she slashes the soul eater electrocuting the beast as the sword slices through it.
Cringer bounds into the room snarling and stands ten feet in the air in the middle of the room ready to bite anything that comes into range.
Z follows Vissanica and as he approaches her from behind he strikes the soul eater with his glaive.
Carissa enters the chamber and moves in behind Z casting jolt at the soul eater but shoots wide.
The soul eaters strike at Vissanica with each claw destroying two of her images.
The second soul eater attacks and draws too close to Z’s glaive allowing him to slice deeply into its cloudy flesh and it once again misses a strike on Z. It then flies off to the southeast and into the shadows.
Anastasia steps into the room and approaches Z, continuing her song and continuing to inspire the fighters of the group.
Vissanica attacks the soul eater swinging her sword and leaves the creature shredded and falling to the ground dead and oozing.
Dox follows the remaining soul eater into the southeast corner and points to the rest of the group where it is hiding.
Z follows Dox’s lead and moves in front of the great cat.
Carissa moves into the center of the room and casts jolt on the soul eater and umm… jolts it.
The soul eater moves to attack Z who skewers it with his glaive, and it misses a swing at Z once more and then speeds past the group and out the door to the west.
The party moves to the southern door and opens it. The air is permeated with a thick and acrid smoke that immediately begins to cover the whole party. This is a wholly natural cavern and the group decides to move on the next door to the east.
Vissanica opens the door.
The walls of this chamber are covered in lime plaster and bear a series of frescoes whose colors are still vibrant. This artwork depicts one-eyed humanoids rendered in the same sway-backed style.
Again the timing is odd with the art, the style is thousands of years old, but the color and textures are much newer. There is a sudden recognition of the traveling scholar, Tomerok Elenark, who is seeking clues to the history of the ancient Iobarian culture. This is the proof he was looking for!
Heading to the west Vissanica opens door.
The group searches the room and believes that a secret door to the north is behind the statue. Abjuration magic is detected and it probably helping to protect the door.
Unable to proceed further, the Rasdovians return to the altar room and approach the door flanked by the duel altars. As Vissanica opens the door the entire room is engulf in stygian flames…
<scene>
06 May 2020
They Paved Paradise to put up a Parking Lot.
Everyone experiences a deep lose as if part of their lifeforce is being sucked from them through the fire as the blue flames roll across the room. Looking through the doorways, the chamber appears to be rough-hewn, as if it were never fully finished. There is a bronze double door on one wall and a passage exits through the other.
Many in the group hear a chittonous rustling from the far end of the room to the north where there stands a large lobsterman with a mindflayer face!
Z charges and strikes true but the daemon does not seem to react as if struck fully.
Cringer bounds over the rest of the party and takes position just inside the doors.
Vissanica calls out to the party that it is a Piscodaemon from Abbadon and has many various resistances and charges the daemon. As she flies in to strike she deftly slips under the creatures attack and slices with her infernal sword finding a chink in its armor where her sword bites critically deep causing the creature to howl in pain and rage.
A giant froglike creature steps from the northwest and spits a giant glob of goo at Z who is able to dodge it. The goo hits the wall and slowly oozes to the ground.
Carissa casts her patented fireball which fries both of the daemons as the air flashes with heat and the smell of boiled crawfish and roasting froglegs fills the air.
The piscodaemon lashes out at Vissanica and misses completely on its first strike with its claw but hits a mirror image with its second claw and its head tentacle. As it finishes its attack it backs away a step.
Z steps up and swings at the piscodaemon twice with his glaive connecting once for a sound slash.
Cringer pounces across the room and attacks the piscodaemon with a furry of claws and fangs striking with each attack.
Vissanica steps in front of Z and casts fridged touch through her sword striking three times as the bleeding, semi-cooked daemon is flash frozen and falls to the ground dead.
The frogdaemon steps further into the room and again spits goo at Z. Luckily, its attempt to hawk a loogie over Vissanica causes it to aim high missing Z again.
Anastasia says a quiet prayer to Abbadon and everyone in the party is healed from some of the freezing damage from the opening of the bronze doors.
Z steps up, swings at the frogman, and hits.
Cringer slides past Z and Vissanica to just east of the frogdaemon and swings with his claws for a deep strike.
Vissanica calls out to the party in Infernal “This creature is a hydrodaemon which is less powerful than the piscodaemon. It tends to enjoy aquatic environs and its gooey spit can cause its enemies to fall asleep.”
Vissanica strikes the hydrodaemon again. Crying out in pain it teleports into the previous room to the south just behind Anastasia and Carissa.
Anastasia steps back from the daemon pulls out a scroll of restoration and reads it out as an aura of clarity seems to settle around her.
Carissa steps away from the daemon and casts scorching ray at the frogbeast striking with both rays where it falls to the ground dead succumbing to the fire.
The party now has time to look around the room…
The construction of this chamber differs from those seen previously. The ceiling reaches to a height of twenty feet overhead and appears to bear many fractures in the rock. In the center of the chamber, two columns of mortared stone support a ceiling of strange, delicate arches of stone.
The party agrees to start with the door to the west and with it is opened it shows an unfinished staircase so the party heads down the hallway to the northeast.
Here engaged masonry columns form shallow alcoves around a central pillar in this flat-roofed chamber. Manacles hang from the walls near ancient bloodstains. There is a young female centaur manacled to the furthest wall to the northeast.
Dox checks the centaur’s injuries and although she is injured they do not seem to be the source of her immobility. Dox thinks she is paralyzed so Anastasia uses a scroll of remove paralysis and she jumps to her feet looking confused and frightened.
Anastasia: Who are you and how did you come to be here?
Centaur Female: I broke the commands of my mother and sought out the place of the dead. I tracked some undead cyclopes to this location and was captured by one of them. After I was defeated my memory becomes spotty. I remember fetted food delivered by the undead cyclops and forced to eat. There was one time when I was visited by a skeletal creature with a gem in its eyesocket. He looked down upon me and said, “You should be honored to be a guest of Vordakai, beastwoman. I shall return once your fear and dread drive all semblance of will and self from your mind, at which point you will thank me for the gifts of pain I bestow.”
Anastasia: Who is Vordakai?
Centaur Female: It is an ancient name of evil used to scare young colts into doing their chores and staying out of trouble.
Anastasia: Who is your mother?
Centaur Female: She is the Dawnmother of our Tribe
Anastasia: Do you wish to return to your tribe?
Xamanthe Silverfire: (With only a bit of actual enthusiasm) Unless you need me to help with defeating the cyclops.
Anastasia: Very well young one, return to your tribe and heal. We will finish what you have started. Return so that all will see you are safe and that Queen Anastasia of Rasdovia in all of her benevolence has returned the Dawnmother’s daughter to the tribe.
Realizing that the way out is blocked the party entrusts the young centaur with a morning star to guard their rear. She is offered food, water, and healing and takes position at the bottom of a staircase.
Dox uses a wand of barkskin on Carissa.
The group returns to the door outside of the aptly named “Stinky Cave.”
The party opens the door and moves into the cavernous room and sees a wide chamber that appears to have been naturally formed; its ceiling rises 25 feet and is festooned with stalactites. The stink of sulfur and tar are strong, as a huge lake of bubbling black tar dominates the chamber. From rock outcrops here and there on the walls bubble small springs of milky-looking water.
Across the chamber, a stony shelf provides purchase for a door stoop before a black wooden door swollen in its frame. The broken stumps of two support posts protrude from the rock of the shelf as well as that of the main entrance near the pool’s edge, showing where a wooden bridge once spanned the inky soup.
A small glowing bead streaks from the east towards the group and as it closes it explodes in a great ball of fire scorching the entire party.
Anastasia flies to the south and begins an austere and haunting rendition of “They Paved Paradise to put up a Parking Lot.”
Vissanica moves her dancing lights further across the tar lake and sees a zombie of some sort on the far bank. What is odd, is that it seemed to have cast a spell.
Vissanica flies out over the lake charging the zombie and imbues her blade with keenness, flames and electricity slashing at the zombie creature and striking true. As her sword hits the undead magic user a purple aura seems to lash back at her with an odd coldness. Surprise quickly turns to rage and Vissanica lashes out with an arcane reposte causing lingering pain on the zombie.
Carissa moves to the western shore of the pitch lake and casts scorching ray at Zombiemagedude hitting with both rays... and... um... scorches the zombie mage.
Z flies across the pitch lake and lands just to the north of Zombiemagedude.
Zombiemagedude flies up into the stalactites attempting to hide. Z takes the opportunity to swipe as he rises from the ground slicing deeply into its undead flesh. Z is also struck by the odd cold aura protecting the undead magic-user.
<scene>
11 May 2020
Specters, Zombies, and Elementals! OH MY!
Anastasia flies up into the stalactites continuing her song and commands inspiration of the martial party members.
Vissanica flies up to zombiemagedude and strikes true once again being struck back by the cold fire and begins to fall to the ground dead. (Map Image)
Carissa attempts to catch him but is unable hold such a great weight and the corpse slips from her grasp.
Z launches into the air and catches the corpse flying back to the original shore where the rest of the party gathers to examine their fallen enemy. (Map Image)
Searching the body the party discovers a magical dagger, a ring of protection +2 and a spell book.
Flying back across the tar lake the adventurers open the eastern door. (Map Image)
Everyone moves along the corridor as it bends to the north. (Map Image)
Vissanica recasts mirror image…
The adventurers arrive at the end of the corridor and see two doors to the west and east.
The group elects to open the eastern door. (Map Image) The door opens onto a short dais looking out over a large chamber. Thick pillars ascend to a twenty-foot-high ceiling, while a wide stone staircase climbs to a darkened gallery above. The true purpose of the chamber is apparent from the great stone table running across its center. Dozens of seats have been set about this massive affair and propped upon them is a feast of horror. Each chair holds the corpse of a human locked in its death throes, its mouth agape in anguish, the top of its cranium brutally removed, and the brains within excised.
Four axe wielding dread zombie cyclops are seen in the room and advance to the door. (Map Image)
Carissa drops her initiative
A zombie destroys one of Vissanica’s images.
Z drops his initiaitive
Carissa casts fireball in the room immolating all of the Zombies. One seems less affected than the rest.
Phasing through the wall a semicorporeal creatures reaches out and touches Z and he seems to shrivel from the touch. (Monster Image)
Anastasia initiates her bardic song and casts blessing of fervor.
Z attacks the creature to his north scoring two hits.
Vissanica does not recognize the creature and she casts defensively through her sword swinging at the creature that touched Z and hits and it dissipates. Flowing through her swordforms, she strikes the zombie to the east straight through the eye and it falls dead.
Cringer moves through the party to the north while the remaining zombie slices him with its axe. Cringer swipes at the zombie through the door and rakes furrows in its rotting flesh. (Map Image)
The same zombie attacks Vissanica missing with most of its attacks and shatters one image.
The zombie furthest to the east charges and attacks Vissanica also destroying another image.
Carissa launches another of her patented fireballs scorching the two zombies to the east.
Anastasia imbues her party with an inspiring command and continues to sing.
Z swings wide on two slashes but connects on the third killing the cyclops to the east.
Vissanica casts vanish and moves into the room near the final cyclops.
Cringer moves into the room and then to the north and the remaining zombie hits him. Cringer bites and then grapples the zombie. (Map Image)
The zombie attempts to strike at Cringer but misses.
Carissa draws her crossbow and loads it.
Anastasia maintains her song and reinvigorates her inspirational command.
Z steps into the room, swings twice and misses twice.
Vissanica steps forward and casts brand on the zombie and strikes critically killing it.
The party explores the room and Anastasia heals cringer.
Returning the the hallway, the group enters the western chamber. (Map Image) This crypt stretches into darkness. The floor of this crypt is strewn with rubble and the filth of opened graves. Sprawled on the floor is a fairly fresh corpse of a middle-aged man, dressed in the alfin manner and is monogrammed with a “WG.” The party takes a piece of clothing from the corpse with the monogram on it for future reference.
Returning to the large room with the four zombie corpses, the party lines up to ascend the large stairway. (Map Image)
The hallway turns to south and continues around to the east. (Map Image)
The adventurers approach the door to the east facing north.
Vissanica opens the door into a hallway that goes up a narrow stairway. (Map Image) This octagonal chamber, which vaults to a twenty-foot-high ceiling, is composed of multiple slabs of opaque, white crystal fitted together to form a dome in the distinctive shape of an inverted eye, its gaze focused into the room below. This white crystal gleams with a subdued moonlike glow. The walls of the chamber are covered with arcane symbols, stylized line art, and images of cyclopes. A twenty-foot-diameter circle is incised into the stone of the floor directly beneath the great eye-shaped dome.
The Rasdovians approach the door to the southwest and open it seeing a stairway leading up. (Map Image)
Reaching to top of the stairway the group sees a burbling fountain and pool that stink of sulfur occupy the center of this chamber. A shallow channel cut into the stone of the floor passes beneath a pair of bronze double doors, funneling the foul-smelling water out of the pool to the east. (Map Image)
As the party approaches the pool a figure bursts from the still water and forms into an giant elemental. (Monster Image)
Carissa shoots at the elemental with her crossbow but it seems unaffected.
Cringer strikes with his claws. The elemental did not seem to take full damage.
The Elemental attacks cringer and misses. (Map Image)
Z strikes and hits all of the three swings.
Vissanica casts brand through her sword and hits on all four swings.
Anastasia steps back and maintains her song.
Carissa drops.
Cringer launches himself in a furry of claws and teeth at the elemental connecting on most if his attacks.
Z swings three more times connecting with a two and killing it.
<scene>
“Once we’ve cleared this place of the Abaddonians, it shall be claimed for the Dark Prince. It has the makings of a suitable Cathedral. There is…power here.”
Vissannica did not immediately respond to Livianus. The searing fire of the devil blood coursing through her veins kept her focused on more immediate goals. She suspected she would soon be facing a Cyclops Lich, and she had been marshaling her power to be ready to defeat it. But she knew a bit too much about the potential power of such a necromancer to feel confident.
Even worse, she suspected she knew less about it than it knew of her. That raven had seen her fight, and the soul eater had targeted her for a reason. Many considered Vissannica less than completely sane, but even she was not foolish enough to think she was a match for prepared Lich.
Yet the Lich did not know all she could do. She had gained in power since the raven was destroyed. She had to hope the ancient wizard would be overconfident. If she could get close, she could sear even Vordekai’s ancient nerves with Hell’s wrath. She would teach it about obedience to The First. Or so she hoped.
Since Vissannica is a Hexcrafter Magus, she gets access to all spells of 6th level and below that have the curse descriptor(the two below are available to her via HeroLabs as 4th level spells).
That includes these two spells that don’t have any combat use(long casting times, not much combat application), but are very cool RP/kingdom building role spells for her. With these she is getting divine powers, which really works with her RP as a devout follower of Asmodeus who is rapidly rising to prominence. If multi-classing was at all a smart move for a magus in Pathfinder, I’d want to have her dip into Inquisitor, but these spells make me feel less like she needs to.
As she has required indoctrination into the faith of Asmodeus as part of the ritual of joining the inquisition, these spells have particular potency for her as she runs that clandestine arm of the government. Mark of Justice can be required on her Inquisitors to ensure loyalty, and used on captured enemies of the state to help turn them as double agents or punish minor infractions (non-death penalty). She would likely offer her services to make the Mark at the request of the local law enforcement when she was in the city limits, as it would give her pleasure to meet out Asmodean justice to those who deserve it.
Reprobation can serve to punish anyone who joins the Inquisition and then is found guilty of betraying the Inquisition in some way that does not call for execution, which is formally (although clandestinely) an arm of the Faith of Asmodeus.
Open to thoughts/feedback
Mark of Justice
School necromancy [curse]; Level cleric/oracle 5, inquisitor 5, paladin 4, witch 5; Subdomain judgment 5
CASTING
Casting Time 10 minutes
Components V, S, DF
EFFECT
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration permanent; see text
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
You mark a subject and state some behavior on the part of the subject that will activate the mark. When activated, the mark curses the subject. Typically, you designate some sort of undesirable behavior that activates the mark, but you can pick any act you please. The effect of the mark is identical with the effect of bestow curse.
Since this spell takes 10 minutes to cast and involves writing on the target, you can cast it only on a creature that is willing or restrained.
Like the effect of bestow curse, a mark of justice cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed with a break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish spell. Remove curse works only if its caster level is equal to or higher than your mark of justice caster level. These restrictions apply regardless of whether the mark has activated.
Reprobation
REPORT AD
School transmutation [curse, see text]; Level cleric/oracle 5, druid 5, inquisitor 4, paladin 4
CASTING
Casting Time 1 minute
Components V, S, DF
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature of your faith
Duration permanent
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
You cast the target out of your religion as a curse and punishment for acts or misdeeds against the tenets of your faith. This has three effects.
First, the target is marked with a magical symbol visible only to members of your faith. This symbol indicates that the target has transgressed and that the faithful should not help it. Likewise, the target is not to be persecuted because of the mark (though this would not keep members of a lawful faith from imprisoning a known criminal if these crimes were known to have taken place after he gained the mark).
Second, the target is no longer affected by helpful spells cast by the faithful and is always treated as an enemy for the purpose of other spells cast by those of your faith. For example, cure light wounds cast by a member of your faith has no effect on the target. If the target were traveling with a cleric of your faith who cast prayer, that spell would penalize rather than aid the target, despite the target’s friendship with the cleric.
Third, if the target is a divine spellcaster, a member of a prestige class of your faith, or otherwise has some ability because the target belongs to your faith, it cannot use those abilities while the mark remains in place. For example, a paladin of your faith would be unable to cast paladin spells or use lay on hands or other class abilities. The target can join another faith to regain the use of these abilities, but the mark remains visible to those of your faith, even if those of the new faith accept the target.
This powerful spell with no saving throw is used to punish severe transgressions that do not deserve death or when you prefer to be merciful rather than meting out a more severe punishment. However, the spell has one drawback that prevents it from being overused. If the target did not commit any acts or misdeeds against your faith, the spell does not affect it but affects you instead, even if you are innocent of the charges. This potential backlash prevents inquisitions run by corrupt members of the faith, and it means that most accusations of misconduct are carefully investigated (and usually verified with magic) before this sentence is handed down.
This mark can be removed like any other curse effect. In addition, a member of your faith can use atonement to break the curse if he makes a caster level check against your caster level; remove curse also requires a caster of your faith and a caster level check to end the reprobation.
We see claw marks and drag marks in the stone that has worn away over time. This has the looks of a colossal sized creature that has come and gone here. Entering the cave the party finds the silver dragon dead. Finish exploring the are… 3-9
We head south to 3-10 remaining in the mountains and find the edge of the writ. The adventurers spend the next 3 fortnights and 4 days traveling through the remainder of the mountains exploring each of them thoroughly and returns to New Westcrown.
The Infernal 11 enter the room and they begin their monthly meeting…
Claim a bunch of mountain hexes in the southeast. Establish sawmills and roads.
We receive official word sent with all due haste that Tasselford is under eminent threat.
Kisandra Numesti from Drelev Demesne says that there is a threat to Tasselford she is still in Tasselford.
Seeking additional information the mayor of NWC discovers that many of the trappers have disappeared and the sawmills have gone quiet.
The party is teleported by Carissa to Tasselford excepting Dox who rides out immediately on Cringers’ back to rally the Lion Army.
Mayor Resbin (Tatzlford is governed by a mayor named Loy “Tanner”
Rezbin, a retired ranger) meets the Infernals and is surprised by the swift response. The only thing to the west is a swamp.
Anastasia: Some of the greatest enemies of civilization come from the swamp. I would like to see the woman who brought the news.
Mayor: She is under guard in a room at the inn.
Everyone heads to the inn.
The Hooktongue Slough is named after Loake Hooktongue which is named after a great beast known as the hooktongue. Mostly swamp.
Arindrealla is in the are and has a keep on the far side of the Slough.
Old hooktoungue has not been sighted in a while, but everyone believe he still leads. People say the black dragon Ilthuliak has returned to the Stolen Lands and has recently moved into Hooktongue Slough.
The party meets the woman in the common room and begins to question her...
“My name is Kisandra Numesti. I come
from the Drelev Demesne, west of here on the far side of
Hooktongue Slough—it was established by Baron Hannis
Drelev of Brevoy. My father is Lord Terrion Numesti, a
knight who once served the baron but then went against
him and was thrown into the dungeon as punishment.”
Bump