Mysty used that opportunity to join the ranks, while Hound prepared everything.
She guided the confused guards into the gatehouse, to find the Hero of Balentyne, the sole survivor of the gatehouse massacre, the one that stood firm in the face of the danger, the one blessed by Mitra, and so as it seemed, Balentyne once more escaped the collapse and crisis, at their leader expenses.
Iron Sam and Donnagin body were never found, only their armor and weapons.
The magister had disappeared after confronting the unknown enemies in the yard, by now, rumors of an army of undead, had spread like fast fire.
Then the unstoppable hero found the Lord body, in a black, baroque armor, and draped into Asmodean symbol and at once, he knew the ‘Hold on for Lord Tom’ would not work anymore.
Hound eyes widen at the critical error, a sting of panic that he tries to beat down. Blast! We never changed the armor! He picked up the body to meet the approaching soldiers, hoping Mysty will be able to catch on.
Our Lord has fallen and they attempted to defile his body! Hound gestures at the fallen Lord.A heretic clad in blasphemous armor said he wanted to damn our Lord to the hells and cursed him, twisting the metal to blackness and these foul symbols! Our Lord fell and would not move but I drove my blade into the heretic and he fled and was caught in the burning sand! We must take our Lord to his chambers and summon healers from town to help! At once!
Hound strides past the others. Don't touch him! I don't want anyone else to risk themselves! We must strip him of his armor once he is in his chambers and the armor destroyed!
Hound looks at Mysty and another soldier. You two! Hound snaps a command. Lead the way there to make sure we are not ambushed again. YOU! Hound looks at some other soldiers. You as well! Head to the inn in town to see if there is anyone who can help.
Rose gave Nahia and Seren about fifteen minutes to sneak in, clean up and change clothes. Then she made a production of staggering into the inn door, yanking it open and calling for help.
"Help! Wake up! The garrison is under attack!" she called into the darkened inn.
"We need the healers! We have wounded!"
Seren awakes with a start from Nahia's bed. "What? The garrison under attack, whew, glad we're already out don't think I could fight anything right now." Seren replies in an exhausted stupor, lying back down.
Waking up a little bit more Seren chuckles at her last statement. "Damn it that's Rose out there isn't it? She does know I can't do any healing right now right? like nada. Sure the soldiers will love that..."
Seren sighs begrudgingly and gets back out of the bed, willing her sleeves to change her attire into a more suitable one for a healer. Stumbling to the door she looks back at Nahia. "Couldn't we have waited till morning?"
Nahia frowns at all of this.
This night has gone on too long. I'm drained in many more ways than one... I need rest...
Getting up, she says "Well, it isn't necessary to actually cast magic. We can just stitch up wounds and apply salves. Besides, even if we could use magic at the moment, it might be better to not do so."
A quick round of prestidigitation to clean the blood off of her, some work with a mending spell and her sleeves, and finally some touch ups from the crown, and Nahia looks good as new as she bears her herbalist disguise.
After a quick bit of gathering some herbs form her things, as well as a stout bottle of whisky, Nahia trudges towards Seren, whispering "Well, the sooner we get things under control, the sooner we can rest and prepare for a fancy party with Sakkarot. Come, let us get this over with."
Maybe the soldiers mistook the panic in Hound’s voice, panic born from a critical error in their plans, to a panic born of desperation to what had been done to their commander. The real reason, he was not sure, but relief washed over him as the soldiers went to do as they're commanded, stripping the lord of his armor while Mysty cleared the way.
After the armor was removed from the paladin, Hound lead some of the soldiers up into the yard, and then into the keep, to the last floor, in the lords chambers. Behind him, each pang of the hammers in the armor intended to Rose, a pang of regret in his mind.
Once the lord was in his room, another critical error appeared! Hound had summoned healers, but he did not thought there was still acolytes in the watchtower, so he is taken by surprise, when two Mitran Priests Acolytes showed up in the lord’s chamber, answering to his summons.
Hound approached the two acolytes. Thank you for coming, but I suspect that this goes beyond mere physical injury. As I told the other troops, our Commander was struck down by foul magics and will not respond. Since the good Father is missing I believe we will need special care.
Hound gestures towards town. I was at the inn during my off-shift and am aware that there are two ladies who are in the service of a traveling lady and excellent healers. These devout servants of Mitra will no doubt have the skills to help our Commander. I very strongly recommend that they be brought here so we can determine fully what has happened to our Commander. In the meantime, we can start working on tending to the wounded here or at the very least get everyone who can still grasp a weapon accounted for and order restored.
Hound draws himself up, establishing a dominant position and points at some soldiers. You, head to town and to the inn, get everyone up and find the two I spoke of and get them here now! Hound turns to Mysty. Let us go with the acolytes and get a roll-call done and make sure the men know that we must hold on for Lord Tom! He then nods to two other soldiers. Guard this room, but do not touch the Commander, since know nothing about what has afflicted him.
Hound remembers the old lost days in the orphanage where he attempted to hold onto the remaining members of his tribe, trying to speak to them as a leader. He failed but he must not fail now. If not for them, then for Rose.
After sending Nahia and Seren in their way, into the Inn, Rose was finally able to relax a bit.
Things were not as good as she had prayed for, but everyone of significance they knew was dead or fleeing. Finally their rushed plan was coming into fruition, and thing pleasant things such as killing and burning this whole town she leaned against the wall, waiting the fifteen minutes…
...only to wake up startled, as a horseman stopped near her, going to the Lord’s.
Cursing under her breath, unable to believe in such mistake, she goes after the soldier and before he reached the entrance, Rose is side by side with him, asking what happened.
It does not take much for her to understand the situation. Hound found the lord’s body still in the armor meant for her, and then summoned the two healers from the town.
She then convinces the guard, to run into the stables and wake the stable boy, to prepare the ‘lady’ carriage, to take then into the tower, and after he leaves, then she made a production of staggering into the inn door, yanking it open and calling for help.
"Help! Wake up! The garrison is under attack!" she called into the darkened inn.
"We need the healers! We have wounded!"
==//==
It does not take much, and in less than half a hour, they are again, inside the watch tower, in the lord commander room.
The plainly furnished room is the residence of the commander of the watchtower. Thomas’ chamber is as much a shrine as it is bed-chamber. There is an oil portrait of the lady Bronwyn of Havelyn. The painting shows one of the most beautiful women any of you has ever seen. The portrait does not do her justice. The portrait is surrounded by carefully tended candles. When not on duty, Thomas was kwon to be often here communing with the picture of his dead wife.
There is also here a family “bible” of the House of Havelyn. This ancient holy book in praise of Mitra also features a chart detailing Lord Havelyn’s family tree.
Rose was beginning to wonder if she was being deliberately toyed with. She went about her business as a surviving soldier, trying to help people as best she could, trying to subtly direct the others and take charge where possible, but giving deference to Hound to reinforce his status as the hero of the night whenever other soldiers were around. While she went about her 'duties' as a Mitran soldier her toughest and prayers were of an altogether different variety.
Father Below, I know you will always give your greater challenges than they think they can face. The strong will rise, the weak shall fall. Every challenge is a test. I am strong in my devotion. Tonight's set of challenges was masterful in its weight and its unpredictability. At this point I'm beginning to wonder if you took a personal hand in crafting tonight's events. If it was your unseen hand directing things, I applaud the depth of your sadism, I really do. I've certainly learned much about my own limits, and a new respect for your cruelties. If you're finished for the night, I'd really like to have that armor…
The first thing she did was get the soldier's attention away from the armor and onto other things. There had been undead about, so dead bodies needed to be dealt with immediately, lest more of them rise. No one seemed to know how the invaders had gotten into the keep, so the whole place needed to be searched. The Magister was missing, and no one knew if he was dead, or in league with the invaders, so he needed to be looked for. There was much to be done.
She told them she would find a secure chest to lock the armor in and move it to the chapel for safe keeping until there was more time to spend making sure it was thoroughly destroyed.
To string the soldiers out even more she helped organize guard rotations that kept them short on sleep, convincing them that they were still under threat since the invaders didn't complete their mission. Ballentyne was more vulnerable than ever, and she did her best to convince the soldiers that the best way to combat that was by staying awake and alert no matter what.
She wrote up the forged communications from some made up asmodean sect to incriminate the magister and slipped them to Mysty. She tried to get a feel for the soldiers' thoughts on things, playing rumors and tensions off each other as best she could.
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Mysty is somewhat surprised at the success of hounds strategy, but keeps her face blank. Well, Asmodeus is on our side. Thank you dark father
When Rose turns up, Mysty receives the forgeries, and slips out of the room. She slips to the Magister's room, remaining unobtrusive. She slips into his room, placing the documents under some papers on his desk. Then she slips out, returning to rose and giving her a sly nod to indicate success.
Seren brightens slightly as Nahia mentions stitching of wounds. "Well I guess there could still be some fun tonight... I wonder how good my surgery skills are?" She ponders as they leave the room and walk towards Rose and the guard.
Reaching Rose, Seren brings a flush to her face as if she was rushing to get herself together. "Are there injured? Oh goodness I hope not but still we must be quick, I couldn't bare to lose any of the soldiers who have spent their lives defending us."
Seren rushes between the various wounded soldiers, helping some, saving one, and further hurting more then a few whose injuries were sufficient to mask any further damage should could inflict as they begin their journey into the afterlife.
After the night of action and then continued healing, Seren spends most of the next day asleep, exhaustion shutting her off from the world while she attempts to regain some of her energy.
Hound does feel relief when Rose and the others arrive and slips back into a more subservient role. He arranges for the collection of bodies and removal of debris, all the time making sure to reinforce the mantra of 'Hold on for Lord Tom!' to keep soldiers in the keep.
The next day was taken up by sleep, much like Seren and Rose, the long days of unending action and nervousness at last taking a large toll on Hound's body.
Once at the tower, Nahia begins to look over the various wounded, making poultices, and saying prayers over the wounded. It is a long morning, but Nahia does show off her knowledge of medicines, trying to give some validity to Hounds claim. And once things have stabilized some, Nahia get’s some well needed rest.
Over the next few days, Nahia works her magic to make it seem like the place is still cursed. Food starts to rot in the larder, the water in the fountain courtyard grows thick with algae and mold, and the soldiers wounds continue to grow more and more infected.
In addition, Nahia begins to sow thoughts and compulsions into the minds of sleeping soldiers. Just little things, like how they could kill their priest and make an escape from this wretched place, or how maybe they should have continued to follow Lord Tom, despite his conversion. Some soldiers stay quiet about these thoughts, but others begin to admit their fear of these thoughts to the acolytes tending to them.
And at the end of each day, Nahia retreats to her quarters with a nice stiff drink, thinking to herself:
It won’t be long now. Soon, Sakkarot will come and we will be done with this place… I don’t know what is next for our mission, but I am just sick and tired of this place. I want to be able to relax. I want to stop hiding. I want to see Elise… Soon. Soon, we will be done here.
- - - -
The night before Sakkarot said he would be ready, Nahia takes Seren along and asks for an audience with the reigning commander, about the state of supplies. Once they are alone with Hound, Nahia says ”I might have a plan for the night we signal Sakkarot. I think I can convince the acolytes to hold a special Prayer service for the soldiers in the barracks, as an attempt to purge this ‘vileness’ that has been going around. When they do so, we bar the doors from the outside and set fire to the place. Sure, it’s stone, but between all of the beds, the linen for medical supplies, and all of the various books, treatises, and scrolls, once a fire caught it would be very difficult to stop it. And the number of entrances we would have to cover is minimal.”
Looking at her companions, she adds ”Thoughts?”
I was thinking of something that would break the back of the spirit of the men when the invasion starts. I am fairly certain that Seren wishes to reanimate the Commander's body so we could have an assembly where he would supposedly give an aspiring speech and when the time is right, drop the illusion and show he is just a rotting corpse. Then we reveal our selves.
Hmm..Just how long would it take for the army to arrive? It seems unfeasible if the army would take a significant amount of time to get to the gates.
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Before
With the victory over the gatehouse still fresh, just after rose and company depart, mysty pulls out the wand she captured off the magister.
well, my pretty, let us see if I can Cypher you
She casts detect magic, and studies the wand. As she stares, the magical auras that flow and ebb around the wand draw into focus. She continues, seeking its limits and its method of activation. In the battle the magister muttered a word as he used it. She strains her focus, using her understanding to deceipher the wands secrets.
But its secrets eluded her, this time. She had the edge of it but...with a sigh she puts it away.
theres always next time
The next night, she once more assayed to interpret the wand. Its power was obvious. Evocation magic, and fire. Mysty liked fire. It sang in her blood. Once more she casts the detect and studies the wand. At the last second she prayed for the help of the dark father. Suddenly the voice that spoke to her in her imprisonment says, no, see, it flows this way
Inspired, the wand suddenly became open to her, secrets revealed. She felt a glowing warmth as she held it.
She thought, but did not say the comand word, savoring it. Pyros
Satisfied she put it away until it was needed. Reluctantly. Mysty loves fire.
It does not take much to poison the soldiers against the magister.
A recluse by nature, Tacitus had nothing but disdain for everyone in the watchtower save for Lord Havelyn for whom he managed a grudging respect.
He didn’t take his meals with the men. Instead servants had haul food and drink all the way up to the fourth floor of the keep at meal times.
This has garnered the wizard a sinister reputation amongst the garrison and in town.
Searching his things, you notice that this reputation is completely undeserved. Tacitus may be an irritable recluse but he is a loyal citizen of Talingarde and devout follower of Mitra committed to his duty. He is minor nobility and you found several letters inviting him to occupy a better post into the southern cities, he refused one and all, this answer always the same: “I’m here because I believe in protecting the borders of my beloved Talingard.”
Of course, if you ask a typical guard about the wizard they are full of rumors of dark experiments held at midnight. Such is the lot of wizards in Mitran Talingarde. So when the fake letter appears, everyone is sure to blame the magister of the ill fortune that had fallen into the tower.
==//==
From the body of Barnabus, the dwarf, you were able to acquire the following items:
masterwork greatsword, heavy crossbow, 20 bolts
half-plate, cloak of resistance +1, masterwork thieves tools, masterwork engineering tools, silver holy symbol to a dwarven god of smiths and engineers (25 gp), 45 gp
The belongings of Captain Samaul and Father Donnagin, recovered after the blasphemy done to their bodies are the following:
tanglefoot bags (2) +1 greatsword, dagger, sap, masterwork full plate, key (Samaul)
+1 breastplate, heavy steel shield, masterwork heavy mace, silver holy symbol, keys (Donnagin)
The watchtower as expected, don’t of any treasure, hidden, waiting to be found.
Whatever is to be found, everyone knows where it is. All money and anything of value is kept in the Lord council chambers, in a locked and as is common knowledge of the entire place, trapped chest.
In those same chambers, some items are being stored, but not under any security device. You reckon they belonged to Eddarly and Mott.
+1 halberd, composite longbow (+4 Str), masterwork full plate
+1 composite longbow (Str +2), +1 chain shirt,
Other possible local interest points are:
40. Magister’s Laboratory (Locked DC 25)
This is the workshop of the watchtower’s magister. This poorly lit and crowded chamber is full of tables laden with strange equipment and apparatuses.
Amongst the other pieces of equipment here there is an alchemist’s lab worth of components. In addition there is a cauldron of brewing (see the Advanced Player’s Guide) located among the other gizmos and glassware. There is a collection of various chemicals and alchemical components – most of no real value (or included in the value of the alchemist’s lab). However, there is one very unusual item here. There is a tincture of concentrated wolfsbane, a potent poison worth 500 gp.
41. Magister’s Private Quarters:
The room itself is well furnished. There is a single window large enough for the wizard to fly out of. The exterior door has an average lock (DC 25). The door that connects to his laboratory has no lock and is often propped open.
Tacitus has a locked strongbox pushed under his bed with a good lock (DC 30).
26. The Choir Hall
This open hall is the center of Mitran worship here in the watchtower. Its vault ceilings soar rising twenty five feet. Around the edge of the ceilings are statues of numerous saints of the Mitran faith. All of them are singing joyous hymns in praise of the shining lord. At the front of the hall is a great altar and carved upon the front is the phrase – “There is no dark- ness so deep that a single candle cannot defeat it.”
Here the clergy gathers to sing praises to the light of Mitra and those for now, to pray for ‘Lord Tom’.
Hound had already claimed the +1 Greatsword from Captain Samual and looks over the other items.
I would be interested in this cloak that helps protect oneself.
For the first time in her life, Rose had known despair.
After a gruesome and deadly night, her reward, the gift from the Prince of Nessus was being destroyed before her eyes. Worse still, it was at Hound command.
Several times she went near the forge, trying to come up with any excuse to remove or take the armor, but the soldiers were in frenzy, as if the armor was to blame for all their problems, and nothing that she said, was able to move them.
But then, she notices something. Instead of becoming calmer by destroying the dark metal, they were getting angrier and angrier. A closer inspection reveals that, after hours of effort, they were barely able to scratch it and more than before, it glowed in a infernal light.
Rose nodded. "Good idea." She seemed remarkably calm about the whole thing.
Thank you, Father Below. I understand the lesson. As always, I am awed by the wisdom of your teachings. Nothing is owed. There are no rewards. Everything is earned or taken. It is not my place to be disappointed. If I do not receive what I want, I have none to blame but myself.
Under the guise of bringing them water, she spoke with the struggling soldiers trying to break her armor. "This armor is clearly beyond our ability to break. We will need the guidance of the church to ensure its destruction. Perhaps for now, it would be best just to lock it away somewhere safe until an Inquisitor can come to help us?"
"Ye may be right, but where should we put it?" one of the guards asks.
"I don't know. Where's the most secure place in the keep? The brig? I don't know if we have the manpower to guard it there though. We should probably pick somewhere that we already have people stationed. The gatehouse? Maybe we could haul a strongbox up there?"
"Why would ye put treasure in the first place that will be sacked should this place be invaded?" ask the guard incredulous ”The most secure place is the Lord room, but there’s not a chance we taking this cursed thing near him again.”
"I'd hardly call it treasure." She said with a discouraged look. "Where would you suggest?"
"Put it in the prison." says another guard, and at this, agreeing murmurs spread over the guards ”Lock this thing down in one of the cells and give the keys to the hero.”
"Good idea." Rose said with a grateful smile. "Lets haul it over there. What did you use to transport it? The priests said it might transfer it's curse by touch. Can we wrap it up in something? "
Hound fills a chill up his spine. Perhaps a feeling of disapproval or doom. Never the less, he keeps going about his duty, giving 'pep talks'
I think a good morale boosting speech will be good in a few days! He says to some of the men. We've held on for this long and Lord Tom hasn't gotten any worse, gather some for a prayer session in the chapel and others can assemble for a speech in the yard. Hopefully Lord Tom can rise and address everyone.
Rose secured the armor and passed the key to Hound with the other soldiers.
As soon as she could she went down to the prison and swapped the armor she was wearing with her new armor, wrapping the decoy armor in the blanket they had transported hers in to hide the deception.
She put it on quickly and wrapped herself back in her disguise as a regular soldier. She walked out enjoying the feel of it in spite of the haste with which she had dawned it. She had kept her red leather arming doublet, and the new armor fitted itself over it like it had been made for her.
Surprisingly though she didn't keep it on. Instead she went to Lord Tom's chambers where Seren was tending her new favorite corpse. Rose took off the armor, hiding it in a footlocker.
"When you get him on his feet again, put him in this. I want it later, but for now it will break them more if they think he's become a revenant bound to cursed armor."
The tower returned to a semblance of normality in the few days before the storm.
Half of its soldiers had been killed, some to the poisoned food, others to the raid that killed their leaders.
The fact was that no one knew what to do. So when the hero told them the lord was still alive, like a fever that belief spread in the watchtower. Whenever one would falter, others would repeat it like a mantra ”Hold for Lord Tom.”
But things only got worse. Food would spoil for no reason. Injuries would go sour even with all the hard work done by the acolytes and the healers from town. Soon doubt started to creep into the man’s mind.
”Hold for Lord Tom” one would say while thinking But we have been cursed.
Hope started to turn into despair, despair to paranoia as the constant fear of renewed attacks plagued the soldiers. No one was sleeping more than a few hours a day.
In all this confusion, Rose had time to sneak out with her praised armor, while Mysty went disabling every advantage the watchtower could possible muster.
From the Siege engines to the drawbridge, murder holes. The great stone know as Seal of Balentyne, that could secretly be used to seal the keep watchtower, was too disabled. Nothing escaped her watchful eyes.
The hero send horsed messages carriers, to the nearest cities, warning about the watchtower situation, but what none of the soldiers knew, was that one and every carrier met his end in the road, as the inquisitor Fausto tracked them down and killed them.
And so the days passed, at the end of the fourth day since the attack, the hero summoned everyone into the chapel, where they would praise the Shinning Lord, and pray for the Lord’s recover.
And so it was done. Each and every one of the soldiers, even the injured ones, counting a total of forty two soldiers and seven acolytes waited at the chapel, for the Hero words and the celebration to Mitra.
Before everything is set into motion, Hound will inquire where the signal is to be set off to summon the invaders
Hound will escort 'Lord Tom' to the Chapel when the time is right, the now converted and corrupted corpse fully clad in armor with some cologne and herbs to mask any foul scents. Hound keeps pace with the slow moving body, telling others that Lord Tom is up but still recovering.
Rose was at the door holding it open as they filed in, a hopeful, but fearful and otherwise forgettable face that had drawn door duty. Beneath her disguise she wore the magical breast plate that had been taken off one of the Captains. Sam, perhaps? She didn't really know.
Because of the tight quarters there was nowhere she could be that would keep Hound out of reach when she called down the power of their Master. Her cue was to wait for him to kneel. It was a bit ironic that their plan to protect Hound from the fires of Asmodeus was to have him duck behind the altar of Mitra. Neither of them really expected it to help much. Rose smirked behind her helm. Hound might just have to burn a little.
From her position in the doorway her blast would catch the whole room, as well as the courtyard all the way out to the stables. When she had realized that she'd been practically giddy. The Knot had spent the last few days subtly preparing the chapel and the courtyard for this moment. OIl had been applied to the stones of the fountain, the roof of the stable, the outer walls of the chapel, the undersides of the pews and behind every tapestry. The Asmodean Pentacle had been traced in clear oil across the face of every stained glass window and writ large across the back wall of the church above where Rose was standing.
Her father had always loved her flair for the dramatic.
She looked around to check Mysty's position before the Hero began to lead the soldiers in their own last rites. Through Nahia's Whisper Rose's voice crept into the ears of the others,
"Who's ready for a pig roast?"
Gods below I hate Mitrans.
Seren stands over the corpse of Lord Tom, a vile, nasty grin on her face. She rotates her neck slowly in a circle, feeling the tension release as they finally come to the end of the mission.
She puts her hands together, creating a sphere of air between them. Slowly she lets the power collect, a rolling mass of black necromantic energy pooling in the void between her hands. She looks at the ball almost lovingly as she slowly lowers herself to kneeling beside the Lord’s body. ”Know now Oh goodly Lord Thomas, your soul is not meant for the promised salvation and joy of Mitra’s afterlife. No your soul and body are mine. Mine to abuse, mine to manipulate, and mine to give to my master.”
With the final words of her speech finished, Seren opens her hands, letting the ball of energy descend onto Lord Tom’s chest. She watches fascinated as watches the corpse come back to this world, culminating in the opening of Lord Tom eyes, dead eyes, filled with the sorrow of his horrible plight.
Lifting two fingers, Seren commands Lord Thomas to rise. ”Come now. You have some compatriots to kill.” She looks back towards Hound, a smile on her face. ”He’s all yours, I’ll be out desecrating a chapel.” She adds, leaving the room, whistling a morbid little tune.
She literally skips to the chapel, whistling and laughing as she passes soldier’s and acolytes on their way to their death. Her laughs only get louder as the soldiers misinterpret her joyous attitude as one of hope for their plight. Oh goodness this shall be fun.
Seren meanders into the Chapel, a look of surprise on Rose’s face as she skips into the proposed death zone. ”There is no way I’m missing this!” She says with a joyous laugh.
As hound enters with the Lord Seren walks slowly around the various pews, dropping a fine layer of silver dust as she goes. Just a moment before, don’t give them enough time to react. ”The lord is going to give power to all within this Chapel. This shall be a momentous day for everyone!” She sings.
As Hound begins the soldiers last rites, Seren centers herself within the circle of silver powder, fingering a black vile beneath her mitran robes. As hounds speech reaches its crescendo and he begins to lower himself in front of the Lord, Seren drops the vial to the ground. Instantly she feels the negative energy fill the space. Her spirits lift as Despair and hopelessness desecrate the area around her. ”What fun this has been!”
My friends! we have suffered much in these last few days. We have been assaulted by foul villains who sickened and slew many of our comrades, our most honored captains and priests are missing and Lord Tom, who was sent by Mitran guard this bastion of faith against the terrors of the North was struck ill.
We have suffered, but we have held on. For Mitra, for Lord Tom! We are still here! Lord Tom has joined us to give thanks to the one who has given us the strength to gather here for the divine ceremony. Soon we will have nothing more to fear.
Hound lets the ceremony...begin.
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Mysty grins, anticipation of what is to come filling her with nervous energy..
when rose tells her to include her in the fireball blast, she says if you are sure.
she looks for the largest concentration of mitran scum to hit, standing well behind rose,. If she can hit an acolyte in the blast, that is a bonus.
Mysty waits. Rose is the ignition but she is the bonefire.
Nahia waits outside the chapel, disguised as a female soldier, leaning against the wall as soldiers walked one after the other into the chapel.
This stone is so cold, even through my clothes… How much longer will it stay that way?
Nahia kept her head down, letting the bangs of her hair hide her eyes. She raised her pipe up to her mouth and took a long, slow draw from it, the smoke wafting gently from the bowl and through her hair.
This is the night. This is the first grand step in our path of glory...
A dense stream of white smoke rushes from her crimson lips.
And soon, this place will burn. These ‘men’ will be replaced with monsters, and we will stand atop a mountain of those who would get in our way.
The last soldier walks through the doors to the chapel. Nahia closes them, as if she were standing watch. And with everyone inside, she slides a wooden bar into the brackets Mysty and Hound had installed the previous night.
Her job done, she waits for the sounds that will come from inside. Taking another long drag off of her pipe, she smiles.
Tonight, we play the role of the wolf, and they the sheep.
This open hall is the center of Mitran worship here in the watchtower. Its vault ceilings soar rising twenty five feet. Around the edge of the ceilings are statues of numerous saints of the Mitran faith. All of them are singing joyous hymns in praise of the shining lord. At the front of the hall is a great altar and carved upon the front is the phrase – “There is no darkness so deep that a single candle cannot defeat it.”
With all set, all the guards united. The doors closed from outside by Nahia. Hound opens his mouth for his speech, when suddenly a bright light fills the room, and just in front of Seren shedding a warm and calming radiance, an orb of light moves with a preternatural silence and otherworldly grace, and demands in truespeech, the language of the angels ”You and your kind are not welcome here. Leave this place and repent from your sins.”
It’s known that this entity is called Lantern Archon, an outsider, servant of the shinning lord.
The guards, in awe and surprise, are unsure of what the celestial being means.
Hound looks over at Rose and gives her a Another thing I was not informed of? look.
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Mysty thinks to herself what is that thing and looks at rose. At her que (that is attack) mysty will flambeau a useful collection of guards (that is the most) and if possible the floaty light thing on the basis of, you never know till you try. She will do this if rose is in the blast, but not if other party members are. She will also draw her rapier. If rose tries to bluff it, she will, ahem, hold her fire.
Hound does move away from Rose, wanting to draw attention away from her and whatever she and he others plan to do.
Indeed! Evil still stains this fortress, but that is why we are here, my good men, to pray for salvation and victory. This divine servant has come to bless our prayers!
COme on Rose, do whatever you are going to do.
Seren lets out a little gasp of surpise as the Archon appears out of nowhere
Huh, wasn't expecting that. Whelp. Umm, yep this isn't good.
- Every Soldier/Acolyte is in the chapel.
- Nahia is outside.
- The door is barred, from outside by Nahia. Break DC 25
- Hound was about to start his speech.
- No one used any magic whatsoever.
The celestial appears, and demand in the language of the Angels that Seren and her lot leave the place.
The guards, stunned don’t know what to do.
Hound bluffs his way with the guards, mentally urging Rose to act.
Seren in surprise cast a spell to protect her from the good-doers, while Rose summon forth the energies of hell, transformed in hellish flame, burning everything and everyone near her, her allies included.
The guards, the celestial, caught by surprise, can do nothing but burn, as does the chapel, lit in flames, the prepared symbols coming to life in the infernal flame.
Mysty takes this opportunity to conjure, using the magister wand, an explosion of fire and those that were not put down by Rose hellish flames, meet their end at the fireball spell.
Nahia hears inside the place the agonizing screams and the burning smell, and is happy that, those the fool are meeting their end.
With most of the guards and acolyte dead, the remaining ones, in despair, try to put the fire off, while claiming for salvation from Mitra.
As if hearing their prayers, the saint statues starts to sing a celestial song, and globe of lights leave the statues combining itself into a single and massive mass of celestial light, looking like a whirlwind of dancing firefly lights, in the middle of the chapel. In a divine voice, it pronounces ” Thou hast been judged. Thine punishment is death.”
Nine lantern archons can merge themselves into a single giant entity.
Rose moves forward in a rush and smacks the thing in what she thinks is it's eye.
"Your god does not judge me, you stupid candle. I am judged by a greater power. I am worthy!"