Argan seems satisfied with the recent addition. He looks her up and down, evaluating her charisma 18, and smiles when she talks about helping them in any manner she can. He's unsure if she was talking about the good stuff or not, but now was not the time to be sure, specially with the spoilsport Tiadora around. "Welcome. We will trust you, since you were indicated by Thorn, but be careful not to fall behind, as the previous female member of the group did. You're a much finer specimen that her, it would be a waste."
"Anyway, don't worry too much about healing for now, the Knissian knot is the havoc knot. We're much better at destroying things than healing, but we almost paid the price for that once, so you will do just fine. This are Lil and Kharn. We'll introduce you to the others later." He takes a charcoal and a map and begin to draw some details to Tiadora, so she can update Thorn. "So, here's the thing. It had some guards, which we either got rid of, or turned to our side. There are some defenses we've been working on, and we have enough materials for the year-long task ahead, but as I mentioned, we don't know how to make that faster yet, Victor be cursed."
Vlad, with a very heavy heart, begins to build his makeshift coffin for the evening until proper supplies and know how arrive.. "I sure those bastards remember my whores and a decent carpenter.."
Kharn seems happy to have another person who seemed normal on the team. Zoé being beautiful wasn't that bad a thing either. As Argan introduces everyone there Kharn remembers about Vlad and decides to warn Zoé.
"We did have one member who stayed behind who you might to look out for his name's Vlad and he's a real lady killer." Kharn then whispers. "Literally." Once again addressing the group normally Kharn makes sure no-one is listening to their conversation as he goes on. "We had better talk to the Baron about getting some of that help soon as well."
Kharn seems to be a bit impatient with all of this talk after having to have gone through so many interviews. He seems ready to just get a move onto the Baron's to get their help and then start traveling back to the Horn.
"Oooooh..." Lil looks up from her book and runs over to Zoe, looking up with the wonder-filled eyes of an innocent child. "You're pretty! And I really like your hair. Do you want to be my friend?" She gives a pleading smile, as if she's truly asking for a friend instead of an unholy abomination. Of course Zoe may be blissfully unaware of Lil's definition of 'friend'.
"Waits patiently for a blood supply to return.."
Tiadora seems impatient as she says ”It matters not to me. Give this to Seth. The master has others plans to him.” she handles you a sealed envelope, most likely with new orders to the unholyman.
In general, it seems she does not give a shit about your orders or mission, as the soon after that, teleports away, leaving Zoé with you.
After taking care of their business, the group decides to return to the horn, to meet the lonely vampire.
The return trips goes with nothing interesting happening. In all it was a good thing. Argan successfully took control over the drownington network. The party arrives at the horn about a day later.
The northern Caer Bryr is a temperate rain forest richly blessed with rain fall and broadleaf trees. The trees here are tall and broad. The thick-trunked baobab tree, unusual in such a wet clime, is common here and grows to enormous size. It is not uncommon to see trees hundreds of feet tall with trunks twenty feet across. To walk into the deep Briar is to enter the domain of giants.
Every flat surface is covered with brilliant green moss and lichens in every hue. Mushrooms of a million sorts proliferate and crowd every fallen log. Small animal life is dense -- squirrels, voles, mice and white-faced ghost monkeys. Birds dwell here in endless variety and dazzling panoramas of plumage are everywhere on display. It is a bountiful place rich and thriving with nature’s splendor.
Perhaps the single most famous feature of the northern Briar are the great stone spires. They proliferate everywhere in this jungle rising hundreds of feet above the forest floor. Often covered in foliage, they are the home to countless small animals. These are natural spires though the Iraen are full of stories about how they were carved by ancient giants.
This is how the region looks like.
This is how the horn looks like.
The great stone spire, rises some hundreds of feet high , the trees surrounding it, gigantic in stature, seems to be nothing in comparison.
Walking around it, you find ruins of what once appear to be the entrance to it.
A boulder rests in the smashed top floor of a three‐storey stout, stone watchtower. A nearby rotting catapult appears to be the culprit. The remains of a thick, reinforced wooden door lie scattered on the wide, stone steps leading up to the entrance. Bits of broken weapons and armour litter the otherwise intact interior.
Past the tower, scattered blocks of obsidian, inscribed with the iconography of an evil deity, surround the foundations of a once proud archway. A few outlying buildings remain relatively intact.
~~~
Lil gazes up at the Horn from Kharn's shoulders where she had been riding, mouth open in awe. "Oooooooh." With a gesture the five undead behind her stop; the three skeletons ablaze with unholy fire, the large skeletal minotaur dripping blood, and the proud remains of the massive treant they killed days before. Any illusions Zoe may have had about Lil's innocence have long been dashed by this point.
Lil looks at the door and the archway. "So where do we go in?"
Kharn looks over at the door. "Well we can try this way if we don't want to go down again."
"By the regular entrance, where else? Do you wanna fly on your broom?" He missed the old lady for just a second, wandering if she would be flying on a broom by now.
Once inside, Argan delivers the note to Seth, tells him to inform him of what it is and proceeds to gather everyone for a get together meeting where they needed to discuss the future. "Ok, Listen up. The ritual will start in one week. Zoe and Seth, you're in charge of providing unholy water for it. We have a long list of things to do, and not much time. The help we found in the city was basically too weak, so we need another option. Maybe searching the Briar will prove useful, and there are the rituals and Hogar and Hagar, or whatever they are called again. Take a look at the list and tell me what you would like to do."
Crossing her arms across her chest, Zoe observed as Argan took charge of the situation; there was a natural leadership quality about him that was easy to admire. Moving closer, Zoe glanced at the list over for a split second, committing the text to memory before raising her left eyebrow questioningly "Some of these tasks are obviously complete, no? I take it that the Jurak is, or was this monstrosity here Lil has enslaved... nice work by the way."
Taking a few steps forward, Zoe took in the sight of the Horn and marveled a second before adding "I can of course complete any ritualistic tasks that need to be done, but I can also help build our forces if need be... I have a way with people."
Vlad stroles up and eyes Zoe up and down.. "Well now, what do we have here? My names Vladamir, what praytell is yours beautiful lady?" He eyes Argan after his speach. "Did you bring me some food? I need to feed and then I'll help in whatever way I can."
He doesn't attack and feed on Zoe.. He needs to feed though or tm he might!
Kharn finds himself amused with Argan's commanding, but he accepts it anyways. Kharn certainly didn't want to be the leader of this crazed band of villains. Looking over the list Kharn gets ready to head back out.
"I'll go hunting for something to sacrifice for the altar. I'll also see if I notice any monster tracks that we could capture."
Kharn heads out into the forest with anyone who wants to watch his back as he hunts down an innocent forest animal to sacrifice.
"I believe we have some... material... for you to work with. Did you do anything at all while we were gone? Aside from starving, I mean? If we were gone for two weeks you would have been dead, wouldn't you?" He inquires the lazy vampire, who didn't seem to be helping. "Why don't you go talk to those frogs and see if you learn their language?"
The barbarian wants to go out, and it wouldn't be a good idea to g alone. "While you do that, Kharn, please keep in mind that some creatures in the Bryar are sentient. Some will be more useful being allies than pets." He says, but of course he didn't quite applied that idea, since the rogue thought himself superior. Anyway, in the beginning it could work. "Don't take too long to come back, in either case. The ritual starts in a week. Do you want to go with someone else to make your trip safer? That way you can take a longer route and try to find some other allies on the woods... You know what, Kharn, why don't we save us some time and uses that pet of yours on the ritual?" He lets the words sink for a moment, just to know what would the barbarian do.
"Our employees will need to have the proper treatment, Zoe. Since you're good with that, and as we don't have any other folks to convince, could you take care of that? Tell them to clean the place and prepare the rooms or whatever, since we will be staying here for a while. Whatever else you feel the need to do, go ahead. We also have the rituals to call forth the hounds and the other thing, but I'm not sure if it's Lil or you are gonna do that. Maybe even both of you to make it faster, your call. Hector and Vector might be a good option for you to get busy, although they are not people... I'll introduce you to them, since they do not know you and might attack. Stay some feet away, just in case."
Using their new connection to get labor, when returning to the horn, the knot makes sure to bring servants and whores. Seven months is a long time, and without the proper entertainment things can get boring quickly.
--
Kharn leaves searching for a living animal which is easily found. Without delving alone in the woods, he return with his prize, and delivers to Zoe, which he now remember that don’t know anything about the shrine in the second floor.
Kharn hands over the small animal to Zoe, but he sighs when he realizes that nobody informed her of the Tower. Taking the new addition to the knot on a brief tour Kharn outlines all of the areas they have been to, the things they have figured out, the things they have assumed, and where exactly the shrine is.
After this little tour Kharn leaves to find Argan. Bringing his greatsword out and pointing it at the rogue Kharn snarls.
"Now listen here you little rumormonger. There are only two people in this group I care about currently, and that's Lil, and the owl. I thought of you as an ally, but threatening Sir Reginold goes too far. If you so much as look at Sir Reginold the wrong way I will break you."
Leaving Argan with that threat Kharn heads up to make sure Sir Reginold is doing well.
Vlad laughs at Argan's speech.. "Well now didn't you grow a par of balls back in town.. To answer your question, yes. I built myself a place to sleep. Although not of superior craftsmanship it will do till a proper one is constructed. Now lets see the stock shall we!" He eagerly inspects the whores and selects a pair before departing with them.. Later that day he seems more pinkish and not so easily agitated.. The girls were given the rest of the day off.
Regrouping.. "Now where were we? As yes, you wish me to learn the frogs language. I'll let that pass as a stupid question.. Kharn already controls them there's no need. And no I wouldn't have died silly.. Im already dead. Now if you wish my help with someone of use please enlighten me. If not I shall be helping Zoe with the desocration of this place."
Argan laughs at Kharn and of course try to make amends for that. "Take it easy, big one, I was just kidding! I'm never gonna touch a member of our knot..." He moves around the room. "Did you find anyone else at the Bryar? We need allies, Kharn!"
__________________
"Yes, desecrate and destroy that shrine, since it's not a task that requires you to be intelligent." He shakes his head to Vlad-the-useless and speaks to everyone now. "We're gonna sightseeing on the Bryar tomorrow. We need to find some allies or capture some dumb monsters to unleash on the guys that come after us.
Down the next weeks, workers, minions, whores and bandits arrives at the horn. What once was an abandoned place, now is bustling with evil minions and their wicked master.
On the first week, Argan and Kharn leaves things to Vlad, Zoe while they go out hunting for monsters and allies in the briar. Blessed was they by the dark father and they manage to capture a hydra! Certainly that beast would prove invaluable to defend the place.
Argan approaches Vlad with an idea that might work. "Hey Vlad, Kharn is really trying to be a leader in the past few days. I think maybe it would help him a lot if you lent him that headband of yours, you know, so he can be more like a people person until he gets the grip... What do you think?"
"As a former slaver owner/master or whatever I'm sure Kharn is well accustomed to keeping underlings in line. Not everything is about talking nice, have you seen him when he gets mad? Im sure no flunkie wants to be torn to shreds by a huge clawed maniac.."
"Not everything is about intimidating others, Vlad, as you well know. Sometimes you need to be friendly, or a liar, or other kind of maniac that does not rely on strength, but on words." He takes a sheet of paper out of his pocket to show the vampire. "According to my calculations, Kharn is unable to help our organization in the proper way because he lacks, talent. Take a look at this . I calculate Kharn's level as being 7, and his charisma modifier is around +2, correct? This gives him no ability to coordinate much effort of our minions, and we have no options. But, with some magical help maybe he can get better with the words and learn how to be a leader, so he would be able to do something more than to 'force frogs to kill stuff'. I bet he will learn how to do that in a while and you will no longer need it. Maybe Lil can make another one of those for us."
"If you don't wanna help, I understand..." It's clear he doesn't, he seems very disappointed with this last option.
After metagaming to his heart content, Argan is still disappointed no one agree with him. Shame tho, in his mind, it made perfect sense and one would want to use his vast and deep metamage experience.
Lil’s keeps busy in her own mind. She says she is crafting magic items, even if no one has asked anything to be crafted. But as any child, she has a fertile mind and keeps herself busy, imagining she is putting her talents at work.
With Sir Reginold’s help, Kharn with this boosted charisma, stars to command and beating the frogs into obedience. Not that he needed much, since the frogs already recognized him as frog master. Kinda difficult tho, ‘cause the only frog able to understand common is the drug addicted shaman, and since the shaman is always high, things aren’t smooth as Kharn would want.
Vladamir, the horny vampire, now with his soon to be harem beginning to form is happy. The knot brought whores and servants, so now he expends his time drinking blood and in bed play, leaving the others to do all the works. His excuse? ‘I can’t leave the horn during the day’. Even if all the work is being done inside the horn.
Zoé? Well, she started praying and has been so for some days now. Communing with her dark god. Maybe is some near future she will be released from to start contributing again, for now, who knows?
Grumblejack continues the same. Following the group and obeying any order given to him. Also he always complains he is thirsty, whenever he goes to the Sanctum.
Late that night, Vlad hears the pattering of small feet and the stomping of large feet outside his door. Lil knocks and walks in, hulking bloody minotaur skeleton waiting right outside, looking all menacing. "Hi Vlad! I gots a question for you, next time you have one of your lady friends over and you're going to dump her body, can you tell me? I need her brain." She smiles innocently and looks pleading as if she's asking for ice cream, offering no explanation why she needs a brain.
Kharn points out to Grumblejack that there is a refilling fountain in room 2/16, and if he's thirsty he should just drink from it like Kharn does. Kharn also considers breaking the shaman out of his drug habit, but recognizes that is probably a bad idea. As the high shaman is also an easily controlled shaman.
Kharn gets ready to head out and talk to the intelligent monster in the Briar, but before going he checks a few things with the group.
"First, what monsters even live in the Briar that I could talk to? Second, what monsters should I try to get on our side? Third, what are we willing to offer them to join us?"
Kharn with only a limited knowledge of nature tries to think of what monsters might be there.
Argan opens his arms, as if the question was too obvious to be answered. "Monkeys and armadillos, of course. We're gonna offer bananas for the monkeys and tortillas for the armadillos. We have no freaking idea what's in the Briar, Kharn! That's why we need to get out there and do some digging. The Briar is too dangerous, so we should head out ourselves, but there's still the problem with the sacrifice. I1ll send my minions to fetch some information about who could be a good option, and then when we return from the incursion deeper into the woods we can go after and capture the victim."
The rogue will ask the gnome to enchant his sabres, if and when she can.
"It seems that until my item is finished ill be sticking around here as oversight."
After the first week is complete Argan gathers the group to wander into the Briar and gather some knowledge and allies.
Kharn rolls his eyes at Argan's 'explanation', but he lets it slid this time.
"Fine let's go to the Briar and recruit some monsters."
After all preparation Argan set’s the ‘eyes’ in the statue as mentioned in the ritual preparation and drag the first sacrifice into the sanctum.
Argan's voice whispered in the poor man ear as the dagger slid into his back. You failed the Eater of Eyes once. It was the blood of your brethren that failed him before - its only fitting that its your blood now that calls him back. Argan says and with a might trust, Argan cut open the man’s torax and removes the still beating heart and places it in the first bowl.
As soon as the mandies on the altar and his heart is placed in the first bowl, the Horn begins to burn. An alien voice of pure malice speaks in abyssal: “Kazara Vo” – Like a great unholy beacon, ghostly green flame flares upward into the sky. All the greenery and overgrowth blending the stone spire into the Caer Bryr burns away in a single flash of dire radiance. The Horn is revealed in all its daemonic glory. Abyssal runes carved in the stonework glow furiously. Wraith spawn dance outside the Horn cackling in glee. The earth shakes and tremble.
The dead's man heart, continues beating inside the bowl.
After a while, the pyrotechnics are over. The Horn still smolders with a residual green fire but it is no longer visible from a distance. Not that this matters. Every soul in Farholde saw the eruption. Everyone can point the way to the Horn. And by the morning every tongue wags: “Evil stirs in the Caer Bryr.”
"Oooooh." Lil stares in wonder at the light, a small child mesmerized by the fireworks.
"Oh it's useful too! It stops magical communication or transpiration!"
"Well I think its obvious we'll be having some visitors now.."
Vlad will help reset traps since they will obviously having company at some point soon..
He'll send his Imp to Farholde for reconnaissance and direct him to report back if he see's any holy rollers come into town.
"We should probably send a report to the Cardinal or the Knot in Farholde.. At least let em know the ritual has begun and to be on the lookout for new faces around town.."
Four days after the beginning of the ritual, a horsed carrier arrives at the cave, and after some precarious moments you finally get the note he is carrying:
The note reads as follows:
A group of adventurers is headed your way. Local heroes. Poor equipment. Little experience. Plan to arrive in three days. The dwarf has been to the Horn before and said something about entering the caves. Prepare them a proper welcome, will you?—Z.
Hallack Amon – male human, retired watch sergeant, warrior with military experience, the leader
Sister Marta Dian – female human, priestess of Mitra, successfully destroyed a dozen zombies
Yorgun the Smith – male dwarf blacksmith, experience unknown, big hammer
James O’Toole – male human, large brawler, famed for taking on all comers at local faire
Bianca DeVallya – female half-elven, a local bard and singer, knows a little magic, very fond of Hallack
"Ooh, an adventuring party! This ought to be fun! Seems this James fella likes to fight a lot, maybe one of you could 'accidentally' kill him in what was supposed to be a friendly brawl." Lil chuckles at the thought.
"I figured it wouldn't be to long before some goodies looked to make a name for themselves.. We need to make an example. I would like to have the Sister Marta for myself if possible. Bianca too for that matter. The obvious thing to do would be to set up an ambush in the tunnels and use our frogmen to cutoff any escape, then again the dwarf may have know the information would get back to us and figured it might give them some advantage. Perhaps we should just ambush them as they arrive from the forest.."
"Don't we need a cleric for later in the ritual? Also I think we should attack them outside so that Woody can help!"
"Well I need to go pick up my hammer anyways, so I can head into town and see what they look like, and start a brawl with this James. If we do attack them outside though I suggest we do so in the forest after having surrounded them."
"You are not going to touch the sister, Vlad. We need her for the sacrifice, and it's better if we guarantee it now. Then we can focus on getting stronger and not calling more unwanted attention." He takes another look at the list. "We kill Hallack. Incapacitate this smith, since we can charm him to work for us. James will work for us if we make up his mind, probably, and this last bard can be yours, vampire."
"It would be better if we could meet them in the woods, before they get here. We don't know what kind of information they can magically send to others, so the less they know, the better."
Looking putout.. "I don't know why you always think I'm going to kill the girls. I find their more useful alive now."
Deciding it’s better to ambush the wannabe heroes outside the horn, the group of villains hide among the trees in the guardian glade, in what they judge to be the most direct route to the place.
In the third day, some hours before sunset, the heroes approach the clearing, as the villains judged they would.
Round 1-
Ordered Initiative-
Active Effects-
Map-
Notes-
Action-
Lil quietly giggles with delight at the adventurers grow close. She places a glowing hand on herself, then warps time around the entire party as well as Woody.
Kharn walks out of the area he was hiding behind before waving at the adventurers.
"Hello, good folks. Nice to see some people taking an interest in nature and all. May I ask what brings you out here into the wonderful outdoors?"
Vlad will cast Bull Str on himself and drink potions of Barkskin and Shield of Faith before combat..
Watching Kharn make a fool of himself Vlad smiles from the bushes.. One of these days his cockiness will get the better of him..
"Why not let them get closer.."
Vlad smites the leader and drinks an Invis potion on his surprise round..
Hallack Amon was born in Farholde and has dreamed of escaping this backwater since he could stand. He worked for more than a decade as a soldier of the watch tower, rising to the rank of sergeant. Finally he scraped together enough coin to leave this town forever and to at last see the great cities of the south. And then fate intervened. Amon’s father died and Hallack inherited the family debt. Hallack could have simply fled. But Hallack was too honorable. The entirety of his savings paid the debt but only barely.
When the Horn blew, Hallack sat in a local tavern contemplating what to do next. There is a war on and he could certainly reenlist. But that would mean years more of his life gone and who knows if he’ll even survive the war? So far few who have faced the Fire-Axe have lived to tell the tale. From the window he saw the great spire of light and knew almost instinctively that destiny was calling him. He gathered a small group of local heroes and immediately planned a strike on the revealed Horn of Abaddon to find the legendary lost treasure.
Surely, this will be a great heroic endeavor.
”Foul villain! Pick up your weapon and face your destiny!” the late sergeant challenges Kharn.
==//==
James O'Toole had always fancied himself a hero, so when Hallack put this band together, he was sure that glory and riches waited them, but the happiness was short lived, now, all he knew was despair. Being the only one not grabbed by the tentacles, he moves forward, to protect his allies from any incoming danger. ”Ye won’t be passing me!” he yells to no one in particular, cracking his knuckles together, ready to hit the first one brave enough to approach him.
==//==
Bianca DeVallya have had a crush on the sergeant for like, forever! Therefore, when the man started talking about creating an adventuring party, she practically begged to join. It was her chance to leave this town and earn some feelings from the man she liked. At the sight of the enemy, she starts an upbeat song, inspiring her allies against the evil he surely represents;
==//==
When evil stirred in the briar, Sister Marta Dian knew it was her call. More when the late sergeant invited her to be guide and spiritual support of this endeavor. Being able to successful able to destroy some wicked looking zombies with her prayers, she felt ready for whatever evil had to throw at her…
The woman calls a divine prayer to help her friends ”Mitra! Give us your blessing and protect us from evil!” she chants as a burst of holy energy fills the area.
==//==
Yorgun the Smith Hallack’s best friend was the first one to agree to this whole thing! In fact, in a certain way, he was the one that suggested exploring the place, since he already had been here. In his first coming, he talked at length with the guardian of the place, the talking tree and even though he couldn’t say they were friends, he could say they reached an agreement. So taking this route was his idea as well. If something was stirring inside the place, the dwarf was sure they would be able to join forces with the treant and fight anything inside…
Now, when he sees what has been done to the guardian he yells in anger ”Yer durned cowards! Fight like a dog! Come’re and I’ll crack yer thick skull!”
James O'Toole had always fancied himself a hero, so when Hallack put this band together, he was sure that glory and riches waited them, but the happiness was short lived, now, all he knew was despair. Being the only one not grabbed by the tentacles, he moves forward, to protect his allies from any incoming danger. ”Ye won’t be passing me!” he yells to no one in particular, cracking his knuckles together, ready to hit the first one brave enough to approach him.
James O'Toole had always fancied himself a hero, so when Hallack put this band together, he was sure that glory and riches waited them. He moves forward, to protect his allies from any incoming danger. ”Ye won’t be passing me!” he yells to no one in particular, cracking his knuckles together, ready to hit the first one brave enough to approach him.
Kharn smiles at the sergeant's challenge. "Sure, I'll face you, but I'm not foul. I had a bath yesterday." Kharn then looks around at the rest of Hallack's party. "You lot stay out of this. This is a duel."
Kharn then unsheathes his greatsword with a flourish gives a small bow, and moves closer to facing Hallack.
They came here to kill us not duel us you fool..
Hasted Vlad will double move back towards the casters..
While they approached Argan was preparing to enhance one of his minions - Vlad - with some size increase. Since they didn't choose the tricky way, killing most of them was inevitable. Of course, he was hoping for some more time, but Kharn made his great entrance, and all went into chaos as usual. He shows up from behind the tree, touching the vampire on his way, that increases in size. .
"Gentleman. I would like to inform you that we're currently hiring. When you realize how doomed you are please throw your weapons away, and we will spare your lives."