Once again Christaph will focus all his mental energy & try to scramble the Hanoshafyr's mind.
Neils gasps as the club connects, knocking the wind from him. He was made of tough stuff to be sure - tougher than anyone he knew, but even he was starting to feel fatigue. He hacks the arm from the creature and then turns to face its companion.
Another blow sends the second beast reeling to the ground, it's eyes twitching madly in its skull as it goes through its death throws. Neils loses no time and moves to the final deer-man.
THough it resists the mind thrusts of the Psion, the Hanoshafyr succumbs to the soulknife's blade once again.
The lone Hanoshafyr moves forward and again lashes out with its club and antlers, determined to avenge its fallen comrades. It is too distraught to connect with any of its attacks.
Squirm nips forward once again, just ducking under Neil's readied blade of energy and even brushing against the Hanoshafyr...
...his tentacle lingering as he moves past, wraping itself around the beasts knee...
...But failing to find skin beneath the thick fur.
Neils grabs the thrashing Hanoshafyr's horns as it tries to gore him. Though the creature struggle he can overpower it through sheer strength. He gives it no further opportunity to defend itself, jamming his mind blade into its side in a shower of sparks.
As the caravan guards down the last of the hanoshafyr, they enter the room and approach the stanchions.
All the stanchions here form an oblation keeping the slime at bay.
You know the only way for the stanchions to work properly is to place a psionic individual in them.
Searching the area, the guards find a repletion goblet and a journal.
Slot —; Price 6,000 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
This goblet is formed from a basalt-like stone permeated with veins of violet crystal. The bearer can expend 1 PP (or one use per day of a Psi-like ability) in order to sustain his body without the need for food or drink. The repletion goblet can be used by any number creatures per day, though each creature must provide its own PPs.
Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, sustenance;
Cost 3,000 gp
The journal is written by Horik Duarran, . It details his need for capturing psionically gifted individuals because the stanchions are failing faster than previously expected and new sacrifices will be required sooner than expected to increase the strength of the Oblation.
Neils flips through the journal before sighing. "I can't make heads or tails of this. Who is Horik Duarran?" He shrugs and hands the journal off to somebody else.
Squirm grabs the journal and flicks through it. Absent mindedly replying to Neils' half rhetorical question
"Horik Duarran. He's running the house right now, some nephew or other. We have an appointment with him in the morning... or later in the morning at least. Confirms that they're behind all this.I think this is where we solve all this... but haven't we missed a path, best be thorough!"
"Each of these columns has an innocent individual trapped inside! This is horribble! but they are being used to keep something trapped behind this ectoplasmic wall. Wether what's being kept there is good or bad? I don't know! Part of me feels we should free these people, but another part of me says we should check the first room on our way out and go talk to Horrick."
Deciding to check out the right branching passage the caravan guards move past the huddle mass of Cyrril. As the caravan guards move further away from the stanchion forming the oblation, the buzzing sound that many of them were experiencing subsides.
The retrace their steps back towards the mine entrance, only to move down the previously unexplored passage. As the move into the last chamber, they see:
Muddy footprints show that someone has been active recently in this small chamber. The walls bear signs of exploratory mining.
Most of the group is able to determine that a struggle took place here and distinct prints from at least 4 different people along with prints from the hanoshafyr.
Squirm sees what Neils is planning and steps between the much bigger man and the pillar he is considering smashing, arms outstretched
"Hold a minute. When we break these poor souls out we need to get them out of here. I don't want any surprises on the way with the wounded in tow, we should make sure that there are none of these creatures waiting in the cave we have yet to explore."
Squirm slowly lowers its arms and gestures expectantly towards the way they came in
"This must be where they bring people to... process them. Looks like there's not a lot to see here"
Spinning around to take in the whole room, Squirm makes to leave but spots something glinting from under a rock. It picks up the Knife and tosses it in the air as it had seen Simon doing...
Snatching the dagger from the air with style it takes a closer look
"Hey! I think this is actually one of Simon's knives. That's as sure a clue as anything. Neils, you fancy doing some more masonry work? Lets get back there!"
It heads off, back to the barrier room
As the group moves through the cave system Squirm notices the Neil's is limping.
"You look how I feel. Here take this."
Tossing a small gourde to Neils Squirm tries not to think about the cracked carapace on the left side of his chest, a gift from that last beast.
Neils eyes widen at the implications of Christaphs explanation.
"There are more people in these?" he stammers, mouth agape. He swallows hard, and sets his jaw. "Right, let's get to work" he says as he hefts his surging mind blade. Shouting he aims a cleaving blow at the nearest pillar...
Neils, face set in grim determination, approaches the nearest stanchion. Squaring his shoulders, his blades whirling around him, strikes out at a stanchion cracking the phrenoric ore shell. Blow after blow rain down, at first spiderwebbing, then cracking, then exposing the emaciated body within as chunks of ore crack off and clatter to the ground.
Face beaded in sweat, Neils finally cracks the stanchion enough to get to the body within. A female body falls to the ground, looks at the group, smiles, then exhales, before coming to rest.
Her body lies as unmoving on the ground as the dead ground itself.
At the same moment, the green slime begins to vibrate and shake before ballooning 5-feet into the chamber.
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As the slime balloons Squirm has a sudden premonition. The horrific, twisted mutations that infest its body and have warped its grown since it was a pupa come alive all at once, its skin crawls and dark thoughts fill its insectoid mind. Snapping his attention away from the barrier, its small hand reaches up and stays Neils' hand
"This is beyond us friend, beyond all of us. The thing behind that barrier that is older that time and more abhorrent than death, there are dark things in this world. This is not the place for Neils the Hero to fall. Great crimes have been committed and we must find the culprits, house Duarran is at the root of this. Please..."
Squirm tries to pull Neils, diminutive form impotent against the big man. Panic and a dread terror writ plain on its face, this is almost as shocking as the words - for squirm has never shown any fear before.
"Please we have to go... quickly!"
"It seems to be too late for this one. Most of my mind says we should try to free the others, but a larger part of me argues that we want to survive. Also, if there are others alive in here and we free them, then wouldn't we be killing them by freeing whatever is being held back? Someone or something in this town had the power to put up this wall in the first place. Maybe we should investigate that and see about getting them to do the wall again or helping us to defeat whatever is behind it? I suggest we go back to the place that keeps coming up over and over again in this investigation, House Duarran."
The time in the mines over, the caravan guards exit with heavy heart. How many lives had been sacrificed to maintain the oblation? How many lives losts, families ruined, minds erased?
Determine to put an end to it, the exit the mine and find Halek and Sventa both still bound and gagged.
The group makes it way to the entrance to and head to the entrance to House Duarran. The guards that are normally found there are absent. The group decides to approach the main entrance to House Duarran. They find a beautifully carved double door, closed and locked.
The door is carved with the image of Jace holding what looks like a pick striking a mine wall. The moon does not shed sufficient light to make out all the details of what is most likely a beautiful work of art.
Neils will kick in the door, mind blade held in one hand and Halek draped over his other shoulder.
He's mad.
He tosses in Halek while shouting "Somebody better come down here and do some explaining or I am going to lose my mind!"
He goes back outside and grabs Sventa, dragging her inside while he continues to rant loudly "I've been in your mind, Duarran, so don't even think you can lie to me! Just what the hell are you people he doing!?"
The loud banging and crashing as the soulknife batters down the front door can be heard as far away as the dromite camp. Yet the door relents to the soulknife's attacks as qucikly as the beastial hansofhayr.
As the House Duarran guard is thrust to the floor, the caravan guards see a man finely dressed with a warhammer dangling from his belt. Standing a bit above average, the man is of stocky build, bald head, and brooding gaze. He continually fingers the hammer at his side, but makes no move to draw the weapon as the guards make their way into his house.
"Civilized persons traditionally knock and bring a housewarming gift other than my unconscious cousin. Explain yourselves.". The ultimatum is delivered perfectly enunciated without emotion.
"He's mad."
Squirm follows the others from the mine, his mind thick with unnatural, unknown fear. It's glaive is now drawn and trails behind, leaving a track in the dust.
Pull your head together, you're bigger than this
It is snapped out of it's internal monologue as the mansion door crashes to the floor, it's mood not able to stifle a broad grin.
"Mr Neils! Bravo! what have you done?"
A lot of the bravado of the pronouncement is lost as squirm mentions the mine and the horror that dwells there.
The man continues to caress the huge warhammer hanging from his belt. "Yes, I am Horrik Duarran.
"I deduced that you came from the mine, no need to tell me. My cousins here were charged with safeguarding it, not to mention we heard you blunder into the alarm trap. I assume that you dispatched our guards there, the hanoshafyr, as we call them. You most likely saw the oblation and what it keeps at bay. I ask you all, as reasonable people, what would you have us do? Do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few? A very few that have kept all of Jace's Stanchion safe these many years.
"Let us converse as men. House Duarran has kept the populace safe from whatever that green slime is for generations. A charge that we take soberly and seriously.
"Now, what is it you desire, as people with no ties to our small town, who are scheduled to leave it shortly, and never to return?" he cocks his head to the side as a slight grin forms on lips.
Neils brandishes his sword at the encroaching guards. "Ya'll stay back or you'll get stuck like a pig. Seriously, don't test my patience."
He turns back to Horrik and continues ranting loudly "You killed two of my friends, and you brainwashed two others. That's not even going into all the lives you've ruined with your 'sacrifices'. What the hell is wrong with you!? If whatever in that cave is so dangerous than just move. Get your people out of this hellhole instead of killing them off whenever it pleases you!"
He stops to think before adding "And don't call me reasonable! I've got half a mine to go back there and letting that thing out."
"Mr Neils makes a fair point Mr Duarran, why are any of you still here? Why do people stay in this two coin town?... But we all know the answer to that don't we. You have found some way to control people, to change people. That is your real crime. What is really going on here Horrik? And speak carefully, next time you try to appeal to my friend here's reasonable side I suspect he may take your head!"
"Ha. I am not so concerned with your ability to remove my head, but it is endearing that you enter our town, my house, with such vehemence. What offense have I, or any of those in House Duarran done to you, personally? Nothing I presume to warrant this violent talk.
"You must understand that this is our home, Jace's Stanchion. Not all are born with the wanderlust of a caravan guard. Generation after generation are buried here, sons live in houses that their great great great-grandfather built. Picking up, moving, starting all over finding a desirable spot, not so easy, or inexpensive. As you can see the mine is nearing is usefulness. More hard decision will need to be made. My Uncle is away working on solutions to this problem.
"But that is what House Duarran is for. To make those hard decisions. Not all have the ability to have such white and black morality that you have come in here and espoused at me. Much of the world lives in varying shades of grey.
"As for what we have done, it is what all great ruling families do, make the hard decisions to protect it populace. Form time to time psionically inclined individuals are placed in Stanchions to form an Oblation to keep the slime at bay. We remove the memory of this action as it is too profound, too sad, for the loved ones that have been spared by this noble sacrifice. Would you rather we hold a lottery so see who gets sacrificed? Not a day, minute, second would pass when that would be forefront of every man and womans' thoughts.
"I think we can all agree that we have done the best with what we have been given. Now come, what will it take to ensure your silence on this matter?" Horrik looks expectantly at you.
"So, what you're saying is:"
"You take people, people who presume that you will keep them safe, and sacrifice them whenever you think it's necessary and then, because you don't want to deal with the inconvenience of their families having the audacity to be upset by this, you scramble their brains?"
Neils points his finger aggressively at Horrik.
"You're nothing but a tyrant and a coward! You presume to take on the safety of your people, but what have you sacrificed in their name? It's easy to keep your hands clean when you're not the one who ends up dead and when everyone else is convinced that there's no other option."
"We spoke with dozens of people across the town and nearly all of them showed the telltale signs of your meddling. Just how many lives have been fed to this insanity!? Even the ones left behind are broken. They aren't out their living lives, only going through the motions."
"We saw your notes from the mine, Horrik. What're you going to do when your little pet wants more than you have to offer?"
Exhaling loudly, Horrik hand caresses it the hilt of his warhammer. "My apologies good sirs, I had not expected to entertain a troupe of caravan guards who have broken into my mine, and my house, and now stand on my doorstep lecturing House Duarran on what it has done for generations.
"We seem to have come to an impasse. You wish House Duarran to act according to your beliefs and traditions, and I wish you all merely to leave and never come back. So your choice it to exit peacefully and never speak of this again, or" he removes the warhammer from his belt "we can do this the hard way. I already need a new door, what is a new carpet after I split your skulls?
"Your choice."
"Try me..." hisses Neils, raising his mind blade.
"So be it, boy."
Horrik, warhammer in hand moves forward and swings at Neils.
Yet the warhammer misses wide of the mark.
Neils sidesteps the hammer strike, placing himself on Horriks flank. With fire in his eyes he raises his mind blade high above his head, pouring every ounce of willpower and passion into the construct until it starts to kick and buck in his grip. With a mighty shout he brings it down.
"HHHHHHHRAAAAAAAGH!"
Squirm's moves mirror those of the Soulknife...
Before it lashes out with its tentacle...
Both soulknife and dream slam into the arrogant human. Electricity sparkles all around him, scorching and burning his flesh while squirm pounds on him.
Horrik takes a step back and holding his warhammer defensively before him.
"I yeild. Pray tell me what you desire to depart in peace." The man looks haggard for the first time.
Neils lowers his blade, holding it to the side where it is still ready, but not a threat. He's already panting with exhertion and warry of drawing the fight out any longer than necessary. He had never hit something and had it left standing afterwards and inwardly he was happy he didn't have to figure out a follow up.
"Tomorrow you're going to come clean to the town with what you've been doing. It's up to the people to figure out what to do with you. And I want to know just how many people you've taken and where you're holding them before putting them in the mine - you seem the type to have some kind of system set up so don't lie to me. The rest...well we'll just have to hope that whatever damage you've wrought to their minds can be undone."
"Yes, I agree with Neils. The townspeople must be informed and they will get to decide your fate and the fate of this town. This has been going on for you say? Something must be done about whatever this 'oblation' is though. If left unchecked, will it take over the region? Or what will happen? - And if the townspeople decide to leave, how do you control the Hanoshafyr? Do we need to try to convince the people to go as one caravan and should we offer them our protection? There are entirely too many questions at this time."
Breathing mighty, Horrik looks at Christaph, Squirm, and Neils.
"What you ask, I am not sure if I can do. I do not possess this authority, for it should come from my uncle Odafin. I would be betraying my family. Can we not find an alternate solution to this problem, one that allows us to govern the populace as we see fit, but allows you to leave with your missing companions a bit richer?
"Your guard friends are here, safe, but restrained. And we have a Stanchion in the mine, but not installed yet."
"As for how many we have taken, you have seen the Stanchions. We need to replace them from time to time, but that is what we have done for generations."
Turing to Christaph, "You ask much of me, and now you ask the questions that we have asked; yet are unable to answer. Should you force me into this course of action, those are problems to you will need to solve. Not us."
"You won't buy me Horrik. It should be up to the people to decide if they are willing to make the sacrifice. Bring your Uncle, I'll tell him the same."
"If your uncle is the one in charge Mr Horrik I find myself wondering why we are talking to you? What use have we for you?... I suggest you make yourself indespensible. If your uncle is not here by morning it will be you that stands before the people. You who will be judged. Unless that is you are not that usefull...
"Yes, either you or your uncle stand in front of the townspeople tomorrow and the whole truth is revealed. Then the people decide. You say you are unable to answer my questions? I you can tell me if your family is controlling the hanoshafyr outside the town or not, and if so how are they doing it?"
"Bring your Uncle, I'll tell him the same."
"My Uncle is away. I know not when he will return."
"If your uncle is not here by morning it will be you that stands before the people. You who will be judged. Unless that is you are not that usefull...
"If that is my only option, then I will do what you ask."
"I you can tell me if your family is controlling the hanoshafyr outside the town or not, and if so how are they doing it?"
'My ancestors developed a method to psionically brand the hanoshafyr and bend them to our will, using the hanoshafyr to locate and herd potential replacement psions to Jace’s Stanchion. The hold we once had over the hanoshafyr has ebbed, and the creatures have been driven mad over time. They now attack seemingly at random, though an innate sense of duty makes them reluctant to attack psionic creatures.'
With that Horrik leads you to the caravan master, Morris, and Simon. All have been well treated physically, but have had their memories altered and do not remember their abduction.
Horrik explains that Morris and Simon were to be sacrificed in Stanchions while the caravan master was to be released and conditioned to bring new, psionically gifted guards on his return trip.
"Horrik, just to help me to know what to watch for in the future, explain to me how it is you erase people's memories or alter them?"
Horrik looks at the psion, "It is a simple matter for ones like us. You will recognize it as you will see memories in you head, as clear and meaningful as the day you are there. That is your chance to resist or fight back. If not, they pop like a bubble of soap and are gone forever."
As Horrik is kept under close watch that night, Morris, Simon and the caravan master all express their gratitude for their timely rescue. The caravan master excuses himself to prepare to depart in the morrow.
"Boys, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for me. The best decision I ever made was hiring you. Too bad the half-giant didn't work out. This is quite a mess we landed in here, one that frankly I want to stay away from as much as I can. Soon as I am able, I am pushing out of here. I got some of that Phrenoric ore. Heading to Arbil in the Ophid Protectorate. Something is going on there, and they seem to be devoid of numerous metals lately. Going to make a tidy profit, and I'd be happy to cut you all in. What do you say?"
The next day begins like any other in Jace's Stanchion. The sun rises and warms the dew off the grass. House Duarran guards round up the populace, including the dromites from the colony. They all gather in the town square.
Much, if not all of the populace is gathers around a hastily constructed platform at the northeast corner of the square. Flanking Horrik, you watch as he steps onto it. Turning back around to glance at you, he nods then turns to the people of Jace's Stanchion.
Meanwhile, just past the church, you can see the caravan master finishing loading the last of the ore onto his carts, as Morris and Simon assist him.
As Horrik pats both arms down to quite the crowd, he begins to address them in a loud clear voice. "Citizens of Jace's Stanchion. Today is a day unlike any other. As you know my uncle Odafin is away and had left me to coordinate House Duarran to keep us all safe.
"There is danger here in Jace's Stanchion, a deadly danger that threatens us all." he pauses to catch his breath and wet his lips with a pull from his waterskin.
"These men wish to kill me, and take over Jace's Stanchion." he turns and points at you all.
"Help me chase these men out of here to protect our town, our homes, our lives!"
"If you're willing to wait while we wrap things up here tomorrow, then I would be willing to sign up with you again. If you're heading for the Protectarate then maybe we can get the word out about what's happening here and get some real help"
Neils rolls his eyes and lets out a sigh at the display. He'd expected Horrik to try something to get out of the predicament, but more in the vein of trying to kill them in their sleep, not...this.
It was fortunate, then, that they had saved Cyrril from the mine.
Neils shoots a wicked glance at Horrik and then returns to the crowd, raising his voice:
"That's only partly true, which is to say I'd personally like to see Horrik dead for what he's been doing..."
"You people need to know that House Duarran has been using their power to kidnap people and take them to the mine. There's something nasty in there, and they're using the people they take to hold it off. Some of you may be able to remember Cyrril" Neils indicates the emaciated man standing nearby "We rescued him from the mine last night. He was on the verge of death."
"We've got no interest in taking over this town. Horrik Duarran, and the rest of the Duarran, are tyrants. They're forcing the people of this town to certain doom so that they can keep the mine open."
Neils starts to get more into his own impromptu speech. The entire town being gathered into one spot would make this next part convenient, he had one last card to play in his hand against Horrik. He starts to raise his voice higher:
"He's ruined so many lives, and he's meddled with the ones that are left to keep them docile! He's a killer! All you have to do is remember! Remember your loved ones that are no longer here, your friends, your neighbors! Remember who you were before House Duarran! Remember when you were free!"
Shouting loudly, "Neils speaks the truth! House Duarran has been lying to all of you and sacrificing your loved ones and altering your memories so you would not remember! There is a great danger growing in the mines! For your safety you must all leave this town!"
Steping forward squirm lowers himself slowly to sit on the edge of the platform, playing up his limp to seem frail. After a moments pause he speaks in a low voice that caries across the crowd
"I know the pull of home. The need to belong. But you must believe us, the barrier is failing, doom has come to Jace's Stanchion. You can stay or you can move on. But do not look to house Duarran for hope, they have betrayed you at every turn for their own gain, betrayed us all. My friends and I are leaving your town. come or stay, but do not live enthralled, the memories are withing you of the ones you have lost... look to them for your answers."