E3 hp: 57
The elementals attack those in the front.
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Round 2: Harakhty, Jahlrem, Sienna, Arista, Sādhanā, Elementals, Cyna, Ylrhea, Drago
Sādhanā sees the massive rocky fist descending and realizes there is no way to avoid it. Only one thing enters her mind. Clara
"No."
The word is spoken with utter defiance as she moves with supernatural speed her body a blur as she leaps straight up, the elemental slamming down on the spot where she stood less than a second before as she descend to land in a combat stance atop the rocky fist.
The elementals shudder and quickly dissipate. You hear labored breathing echoing in the temple. "Argh, can't control it..."
Round 2: Harakhty, Jahlrem, Sienna, Arista, Sādhanā, Cyna, Ylrhea, Drago
Ylrhea is surprised as the elementals disappear. "They weren't illusions..."
She takes a drink from her waterskin, wiping blood from her mouth.
She looks for the hiding bastard after the water refreshes her.
As the creature dissolves under her Sādhanā's eyes widen in surprise.
She scans the area for sign of the vile scum they'd come to kill.
Cyna looks for the betrayer. "Summons can only last so long, maybe we just got lucky?"
Going to Ylhrea, Arista puts a hand on her, "Hang on Ylhrea, I'm here."
She looks around, "Where's that son of a b*@~&?!"
"I'm still here," Jahlrem taunts. "I guess I'll have to deal with you myself."
You hear the sound of a dagger sliding out of a sheath.
Drago and Harakhty scan the temple for signs of the psychopath.
The vanara's keen eyes locate Jahlrem hiding behind a column. "There!"
Jahlrem charges at Cyna, a dagger that seems to be trailing frost in his hand. His pegleg strikes the ground with malicious anger as he swipes at the ranger.
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Round 3: Harakhty, Jahlrem, Sienna, Arista, Sādhanā, Cyna, Ylrhea, Drago
Sienna shouts, letting loose another barrage of missiles.
Arista sees him a split second before he strikes, but she hears his taunt. "Oh the HELLS you will you evil bastard!"
Arista charges the evil son of a b$#++ while screaming and brings her scimitar down on him in a swinging arc.
Cyna feels the cold steel slice her flesh and she steps away from Jahlrem.
"Was that supposed to hurt? You should bring your friends back , at least they know how to dance." She mocks trying to antagonize her opponent.
Ylrhea steps forward and fires her crossbow at Jahlrem.
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Sādhanā watches Arista's charge with a wicked smile, she could feel the righteous conviction about to bring the pain to the servant of Rovagug. The moment the Warpriestess committed to her point of attack Sādhanā begins her spell, lightning crackling over Ovlivion's surface as she rushes into action, moving so fast as to strike only a few seconds after Arista does. Scintillating energy plunging into the monster in human form his body jerking even as Cyna's deadly arrows plunge into his body.
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Round 3: Harakhty, Jahlrem, Sienna, Arista, Sādhanā, Cyna, Ylrhea, Drago
The linnorm drops Zia, shrinking away in fear from the goddess. Rajni looks upon the strange figure who had saved her and everyone else's life. Before she knows it, she is flying, carried by the goddess. She sees Skaar left in a desert, Nicatha left in a jungle and Zia left on an island among others of her kind.
"I have taken them to where they need to be," Sarenrae says softly. "For some of them, it is home. You, Rajni, must be given room to grow. The darkness in your heart has been crafted by one you need to destroy one day. But you must let the light in, you must be redeemed."
Rajni falls asleep and doesn't feel the sea taking her in.
***
"Wake up, daughter," Farron says, irritation in his voice. "You thought you could escape me...You should be punished."
Rajni feels the iron grip of her father on her wrist, dragging her out of the bed. Effortlessly, he strips her clothing from her and takes his favored whip, cracking it a couple of times to instill fear in the fetchling. "You know the price of betrayal. A pound of flesh, daughter."
The whip strikes and stings her bare flesh. Rajni feels the blood flow from her fresh wounds. There would be more, she knew, but no further strikes came. Sarenrae stands before her once more, her father gone. "He cannot hurt you now. You will have a chance to become strong and never suffer like this again."
The goddess takes the young woman in her arms. "Don't let your dreams trouble you. I am here."
The scene fades as Rajni succumbs to more restful sleep.
Jahlrem falls to the ground. "I haven't failed yet...rise, Rovagug..."
He passes into unconsciousness, the orb slipping from his hand. The earth begins to open and the group can see the foul eyes of Rovagug staring back at them.
Sādhanā raises her sword high above her head. "In Aroden's name I send you back!!!'
With all the force she can muster she brings the ebony blade scything down into the orb.
The orb shatters in a large explosion as the elemental spirits escape from it.
The fire spirits beat back the Destroyer, while the earth spirits seal the rift in the ground. The air and water spirits wash away your pain and wounds as the depart.
Jahlrem's ragged breathing fills the temple. "Ma...master..."
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Cyna picks herself off the ground twisting and stretching slowly just to make sure everything was healed.
"Was it worth it? Everything you've done and all the lives you've ended, just to get a brief glimpse of your god before you die?" She asks.
"I...would have preferred...to be consumed...by him..." Jahlrem says, stripping the mask off his face. His stringy gray hair gathers around his face, blood pouring from his mouth. "Killing me...won't bring anyone back..."
"But it will stop you from hurting anyone else, or from trying this again." Cyna replies slowly drawing her magical trident.
Sādhanā crouches down, removing the mask from the ground as Jarlrem drops it, stepping back to allow Cyna her moment with the monster she'd sworn to punish.
"Everything...burns...in the end," Jahlrem rasps, his hate-filled eyes fixed on Cyna's.
Visions of hell flood Cyna's mind but she quickly shakes them and returns her attention to the betrayer.
"Then burn well Jitty." Cyna says flicking her thumb causing the trident to extend into Jalhrem's heart.
The trident pierces his heart, words lost on his lips. Only a barely audible last breath passes his lips. He slumps on the ground, his eyes glazed over.
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Sienna walks up to Cyna and wordlessly embraces her.
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Cyna wraps her arms around her love and buries her face into the Sienna's shoulder. "Let's get the hell out of here." She whispers.
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Sienna nods and takes Cyna's hand. They walk back to the sinkhole.
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Arista nods while sheathing her scimitar. With everything having been said that needed to be said, the only thing left to do was leave. Arista walks over to Sadhana and puts an arm around her in a brief light embrace before turning and walking out of the temple.
The gnome turns to Sadhana. "Another a#%@~*@ dead...care to break that mask?"
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Returning the wordless embrace Sādhanā looks about the temple, curious as to signs of who it had been dedicated to.
"Absolutely" she says smiling at Ylrhea.
Placing the mask on the temple's altar she once again brings her blade's power to sever planar links to the destruction of the mask.
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In ancient Common, an inscription at the rear of the temple reads "Preserve us in thine mercy, Sarenrae." This must have been one of the earliest temples to the Sun Goddess. Perhaps...even where she tore the world open to seal Rovagug.
Jahlrem approaches, his pegleg striking the hard rocks of the mountain. "Give it up, girly, I want the mask."
"Who are you?" a woman, the wearer of the mask, asks.
"No one of concern, but I'm your murderer," Jahlrem sneers, his grizzled face coming closer.
"You are unworthy and unclean, you shall never wear this," the woman answers.
"Alice...you could have left at anytime," Jahlrem says softly. "What are you waiting for? Your daughter? She probably burned up in Icathia."
"How do you know all this?" Alice asks, afraid.
"Vonder keeps me abreast of all things. Of course, he isn't happy that I went and sank Rando's ship," Jahlrem answers. "I know about all of you so-called Necromancers. Weak-willed s+&#s are all you are. You, your lich ex-husband, that idiot playing with the land...all of you. But I don't give two s+*@s about Vonder and his game. I'm just looking for Sarenrae's temple and I know you've seen it."
"You'll just die like the rest," Alice says, pulling off the mask. "If someone else doesn't get you, my daughter will find you."
Jahlrem laughs. "The world will end before that happens."
As the group heads back to the rope, Sarenrae stands before the group once more. "I know that it was not an easy fight for you, but you have my thanks. This is the last time I can help you...the other gods grow angry. Despite the fact that you have just saved Vesaria, the lines of war have been drawn. Asmodeus begins his invasion in the north, the demon lords move in the west and Zon-Kuthon awaits at the Tower of Order."
She summons a large golden chest. "Take these, for they will aid you. Go in peace, heroes."
Cyna: Dragonbreath Bow
Drago: Sword of Inner Fire
Arista: Fire Goddess' Blade
Sādhanā: Boots of Earth and Wind
Harakhty: Spellbreaker
Ylrhea: Shadow's Touch
Sienna: Mirroring Belt
Weapons are detailed here.
Sādhanā's boots are detailed here.
Sarenrae departs and the group returns through the mines.
A tall shapely blond woman steps out of the barracks and into the late evening. Still dressed in her breastplate over an elegant travel dress, she notes the looks of even a few of the Paladins of the fortress. A smile comes to her lips. At least certain things were the same here, most men and quite a few women took notice whenever Amélie Herveaux went by. More than a few paused at the rapier sitting comfortably at her hip, before moving on in the tour of her figure. The few who had questioned her ability with it never did so more then once.
Amélie strolls through Valwick’s main thoroughfare, eyes roving everywhere, taking in the sights and sounds of the place that would become her home for the forseeable future. Marcel and Jean-Paul had been like brothers to her when they were young, so when Marcel had announced that he was giving up his Barony to go to Zhavroma, seeking to avenge his twin and do something…meaningful, there really was little question as to where she’d end up. With the number of times they’d saved each other’s lives over the years, Marcel could always depend on her blade when needed.
Alors c'est ça hein. Valwick. If they have grown into this in so short a time, it is impressive.
A growing town filling day by day with a mix of refugees, natives and immigrants, the place would definitely need more of a true guard, and it was there that she would come into play. Lieutenant de la montre. It should be….interesting to say the least.
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There had only been one time Harakhty had experienced the terror he felt when the eyes of Rovagug peered out of the abyss, and that was when he'd been separated from Naeem. His heartbeat rapidly accelerated, and while Cyna and Sadhana thankfully put and end to Jahlrem, he began to overheat as his pulse took a while to slow down. "I'll ... I'll take a look around to make sure he has no followers lurking about."
After a quick circuit, Harakhty returned to glance inside the chest. There was a staff meant for him, weighty and unpretentious in its appearance. He hefted it, but upon his magical inspection, a profound emptiness was the result of his search. It was not until he went to test the ground where the wound had sealed, making sure it was stable and solid, he found the weapon's true purpose: Now, a field of emptiness surrounded him. It was like a magical void.
He tried tapping the same end against the ground to dismiss the effect, knowing it would be more a bane to the group, but it took him but a few moments to try the other side. His perception of the staff's magic was noticably weaker now. It must need time to gather energy.
This tool was truly a boon to them: If they would be making inroads against necromancers, this relic would not only prevent their spells from harming them, but it would also prevent their control of nearby creatures. Though the field only seemed to emanate two dozen feet, that would have been enough to prevent the assault by Jahlrem's elementals.
"The goddess is generous with us. The tool she has given me should allow us to pass with greater safety into the Tower of Order."
*******
"I hate being underground," Harakhty confessed as the group began to make their way back. "The dwarves have been nice to us, but not being under the sky gives makes me nervous." With an extra quarterstaff now, the inquisitor made a note to return to the blacksmith and sell it - he did not want to be weighed down for the trip ahead.
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Drago looked in the chest and saw a burnished copper hilt is a rune upon it. Looking at it curiously, he thought to himself, This seems...familiar. As if answering him, the Dhampir heard the voice from the pool, "It is the mark of your father's family. Long ago, one of your paternal ancestors was a great champion of Sarenrae. When he passed, she blessed his blade with some of her power and took it for safe keeping until the day one of his descendants would be worthy to wield it. You, have become worthy. Claim your birthright and help heal this land." Surprised by the sudden clarity of her speech, Drago mentally asked, How can I hear you now when I couldn't before? Matter-of-factly, she answered, "Because you have become strong enough to bring me into this world. Go to the Shrine, and summon me forth. With a newfound pride, Drago picked up the hilt and looked closely at the rune. Instantly, a blade of pure white and blue flame extended from the hilt to the length of a longsword. Thank you Sarenrae. May I indeed be worthy of this gift.
The gnome turns to Harakhty. "I think we'd all like to see the sun again soon. Look at it this way, you have a new story to share and experiences that no one can take away from you."
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"I think my experiences have put me off underground cities," the tiefling sighs.
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Arista takes the sword with her name on it and looks at it as awe fills her eyes and they start to become moist with emotion.
She looks at the others, "These are such beautiful gifts, and each seems to be designed to go with our abilities or enhance them. I just...I don't even know what to say."
As she pulls the sword from it's sheath, the design on the sword itself seems to glow. As she's thinking about the design, the conviction of her heart and fire in her soul seem to erupt along the blade in a pure fire.
Her eyes widen as she sees the blade engulfed in flame, "Oh wow...so those flames on the sword aren't just for looks then. This is just....amazing."
Looking at Harakhty, "Yes...she is indeed very generous, and I feel strongly, more now than ever, that we will succeed in our mission on the Tower."
"I guess we'll go back to the city and rest there tonight and resume first thing in the morning? I...I'm feeling pretty tired." She looks apologetically at the others.
Ylrhea trots over to Arista and gives her a hug. "Yep, sleep would definitely be appreciated."