The very next day, court is held. Gorn is dressed in much finery as he sits upon his throne. There is a line throughout the door as hobgoblin and human peasants alike come to gain aid directly from their ruler.
Some farmers have migrated to Drezen and already issues have arose. A pair of farmers are in dispute over a cow owned by one farmer but gave birth on the other's land. The other farmer is attempting to lay claim to the calf.
A young human boy has been caught shoplifting multiple times. None of the guards are willing to do anything about it seeing it as harmless. The merchants are not pleased and wish justice done.
There are a group of people claiming that they are descendants of citizens who lived in Drezen before it fell. They wish their land and property restored to them. All records from that age are long gone so there is no evidence either way.
: Gorn-Rel rules that the farmer who owns the cow also owns the calf but must pay the other farmer for a day's worth of grazing/feed and for any assistance that farmer gave in seeing the calf safely delivered.
: The boy must work for each merchant he robbed paying back in labor twice the value of each stolen item. Gorn-Rel encourages those merchants to offer the boy employment if he proves a good worker. If he has enough resources and finds dignity in his work he would have little reason to steal.
: Gorn-Rel refuses their request and does his best not to laugh them out of the throne room. He suggests they be thankful that their supposed ancestors survived the fall of the city and that though they are welcome to set down roots in Namaris, Drezen no longer exists as a political entity and has not for nearly a century.
Both farmers mumble a bit but accept the ruling.
The boy is overcome with relief at the punishment. He rubs his still intact hands gratefully.
This judgement was taken the least well. The would-be nobles are furious. They vow to wreak vengeance upon Gorn and the word rue is thrown about. You have a sense that this is not the last you've seen of them.
Most of the other dockets are of little note. Nimander thanks Gorn for his help.
Gorn-Rel will ask his sister who runs the spies for the kingdom to keep close watch on those nobles and the first time they plot against our family or commit treason, then they should be captured and executed.
Aranatha will do as Gorn asks and in the next few weeks, things are quiet on that front.
You all walk through the Worldwound, fending off packs of demons effortlessly for a few days. Right before you reach it, roughly a mile away, the Queen stops you. She looks at Varda. "Before we get separated, I must give you this." She says pulling a talisman out. "It is a talisman of faith. It will help stop you from unwittingly acting in a way that will endanger your soul. You will have to have unlikely allies, but the path to darkness is paved with the greatest of good intentions." She then hands the item to the paladin.
Varda takes the talisman thoughtfully. "How does it work?"
"It will become warm to the touch and glow when you are contemplating or engaging in an action that would affect your soul."
A talisman of pure faith looks like a set of six of black and red hexagons nested within each other. When worn about the neck, a talisman of pure faith physically transforms into a holy symbol that matches the faith of the wearer, unless that information is blocked via a magical effect. It can be utilized as a divine focus, and doesn’t take up a neck slot when worn in this manner. If worn by someone who doesn’t worship a single deity, it remains in its hexagonal shape and cannot be used as a divine focus. As long as it is carried or worn, a talisman of pure faith functions as a phylactery of faithfulness. In addition, while it is worn, the talisman grants a +4 bonus on all concentration checks to cast spells impeded by planar traits.
The woman shrugs. "Alright. Do you really think we'd do anything like that?"
The Queen glances at Nash for a moment. "It is possible. Once you are on the other side, you will have to find your own way back. None of my forces or the forces in Drezen can help you. You may have to make unlikely allies to survive and to accomplish your goals. You also have to convince Nocticula to not agree to join the forces of Deskari and Baphomet as well."
The fane is located under a low, now quite barren hill near what was once the headwaters of the Rolling River, approximately 240 miles west southwest of Drezen/New Namaris. As you get closer everyone save Nash and Larissa start to feel uncomfortable.
The complex known now as the Midnight Fane was once a small shrine devoted to the empyreal lord Pulura, the Shimmering Maiden, but now over half of the structure is gone, absorbed by a rift between the Material Plane and the Abyss. The complex now exists as two halves in two different realities, connected by a wall of crimson fire. A flight of stone stairs leads down to a large octagonal chamber. A second flight of stairs ascends to the south to a large shrine dominated by a fifteen-foot-tall statue of a scythe-wielding insectile demon that looms over a black stone altar, its surface smeared with blood.
"Varda, now might be the time for that spell to hide your aura from demonic senses. We're going to stand out a good deal as it is", Nash suggests as the party literally traverses the Abyss.
Varda calls on Torag to shield her and Aenthurien from this place.
Varda shields herself and Aen from alignment detection and start moving further into the fane. You stop to see what looks to be a large Golem made of stone. It however does not attack you. When you walk closer to it, a raspy voice bellows.
“Behold the glory of our Lord of the Locust Host!”
The voice is from a magic mouth spell.
Moments after that, four incubi make their way to you. They bow low and greet you as if you were important dignitaries and not murderous vagrants. "The Mistress of the Midnight Fane has been expecting you. If you will accompany us, we shall escort you to her Magnificence for an audience.” The Queen eyes them suspiciously.
Na'shok lowers his weapon. "By all means, show us the way."
The incubi lead you past the stone golem and through another room until you walk into a bedroom. Inside a red-skinned demon with a pair of horns atop his head leans against the wall looking rather annoyed while a human woman in plate stands ready to greet you. "Welcome to my home. I am Yaniel." Her eyes widen at the sight of Varda's weapon. "Is that Radiance? It's been so long since I've seen it."
Na’shok makes note of the demon’s connection to Varda’s bow but ignores it for now.
”So you're the mistress that has been expecting us? I’d ask how you knew we were coming but it’d be naïve to assume the demons didn’t have agents among the hobgoblins too. Is this some kind of trap?”
"Trap? Whatever do you mean? I know who you are and I would like you to join me. I've accepted Baphomet as my lord. You should as well. The Worldwound is destined to win. The power that you would be rewarded with far outweighs what your allies could give you. They would just lie to you and withhold the truth from you. " She says glaring at Queen Galfrey who raises an eyebrow skeptically. "If you need proof I can grant you a wish. It is a gift that was bestowed upon me by Baphomet as a reward for making the right choice."
Queen Galfrey shakes her head. "Do no trust her. She is not who she says she is. At least not the Yaniel I knew."
The redskinned demon in the back of the room rolls his eyes.
Varda grips Radiance a bit more tightly, her expression tense. "It does not matter who or what is destined to 'win', nor what you were offered; you... how could you turn your back on all that is right and just and true?! How can you ally yourself with those who would destroy all you once held dear?"
"Aren't you tired of losing? Winning every fight and not making a single difference? The hordes of the Abyss are eternal. Don't you want to be on the winning team? I know he does, twisting a demon to his will. He knows the power that demons possess. You are already allying with demons as it is. What's a few more abyssal allies? Especially when you can have anything you want?" Yaniel says looking at Nash.
You sense something is wrong. There is a reason she is not answering your questions directly and instead is replying with more questions.
”I’m not interested in your alliance”, Na’shok scoffs. ”And you can tell the monster that sired me it’s because I mean to see this battle won by my own strength.”
"Ah, yes the prodigal son. Well your own strength really isn't your own then is it? I mean you already get your power from him, why not appreciate him for all that he's done for you?"
Varda shakes her head in disbelief. "How did you end up like this, really? Was the 'assassination' all a fraud, or is this the price you paid for your resurrection? What happened to you?"
Nash scowls in disdain at the woman’s insinuation.
"If you agree to join, I will tell you everything. Otherwise I will have to kill you."
"You've really sunk that low?"
"Well I certainly can't have you stopping what my lord has going on and whether I stop you by killing you or I stop you by recruiting you, it will put me in his good graces."
This clearly isn't Yaniel. Though whoever this is happens to be a skilled liar, as time passes her desperation becomes obvious.
"I think not," replies the true paladin, gripping her bow as she prepares for the inevitable fight. "Show your true form!"
"Fine. I will redeem myself by killing you!" The illusion fades and in it's place is a unwinged demon without eyes. You all recognize her. You saw her form when you destroyed the wardstones. She is as filled with rage now as she was back then.
Na'shok accelerates his companions and the paladin-queen.
Varda nods once as if she expected as much, and without further ado raises her bow and fires off a volley of arrows.
Varda lands a glancing blow on the demoness. The demoness Minagho steps forward and slashes at the closest creature, Nash.
The previously lounging Cambion drinks from a vial and disappears! The incubi attack through the doorway at Aen and Varda!
Aen winces as the demons react quicker and pummel him, nearly retching from the pain.
Stepping backwards, Aen raises his bow and fires off a volley of arrows.
Varda steps to the side and reaches back to touch Aenthurien on the shoulder, quickly returning her hand to her staff once the power transfer is complete. As he heals, she unleashes her fury on the incubus nearest her!
The damage from the demoness's claws are blunted by his stony hide but still manages to draw blood. The brawny orc retreats a step and cleaves back with a vengeance.
Aen arches his target killing him with a single volley while Varda boops a different target hitting three times. Nash
Gorn steps in and lays into the demoness as well.
Gorn lands a quartet of devastating blows but the demoness still stands. She hisses at you all. "Not today!" She says before stepping back and disappearing in a puff of brimstone!
Greater Teleport
The remaining incubi step in and boop Varda and Aen!
You also hear the distinct sound of someone drinking an extract.
Aen nods in thanks to Varda as some of his wounds are healed. Stepping back again, he continues firing volleys. "It teleported away!"
Gorn-Rel steps to D20 and begins punching the incubus
Varda steps back and unloads into the incubus that was foolish enough to step through the doorway.