Mikos steps up from behind and lunges at the devil.
The Keg will channel a heal at range to Rodi this round and take a swing.
Mikos's bleeding stops with the Keg's assistance. Mikos attacks and connects, but his glancing blow fails to cut through the devil's skin.
Rodi stabs the fiend twice to good effect. The devil spits and grunts in pain, its beard wriggling fiercely.
Ben takes several moments to try and staunch his bleeding, but the wounds are inflicted with a fiendish taint and resist care.
The Keg channels healing to Rodi, stopping the gnome's bleeding. His own wounds persist. He attacks feebly and misses.
The elf closes, setting up a flanking position for Mikos. He attacks with his scimitar, landing one good hit. Hindered by fatigue, his follow through just misses.
; plus and
; plus and
Grievously wounded, the devil continues fighting to the end in a vicious rage. It spins and lashes out at Mikos with its glaive, claws at the elf, and rakes Rodi with its beard.
Crit!; plus and more bleeding!
; plus
Mikos gasps as he is transfixed by the devil's glaive in a spray of blood and evil. He slides off the blade to hit the ground unmoving.
Rodi strides to flank with the elf, then strikes twice!
for plus damage!
for plus damage!
Ben refocuses on the biggest threat and sends an arrow straight into the devil's eye. It screams in pain and rage and then explodes in a cloud of greasy sulfurous smoke.
Keg will channel to hit everyone
The Keg channels, staunching his own bleeding wounds.
The elf stumbles over to Mikos and lays a healing hand over his most grievous wound. Combined with the Keg's channel, this brings him back to consciousness and stops the bleeding.
Mikos' eyes blink open in alarm. "I dreamt I was a hog on a spit. If you're killed by devils, do you end up in Hell?"
Mikos looks pale and gingerly feels the large scar from the near fatal glaive piercing. "Well, thanks for saving me from Hell, Elf." he rasps. "How did you get a swarm of devils on you? Did you come from the Spire?"
The Keg hitches up his pants and starts treating wounds on folks as they chat with the elf.
and removes wounded condition
; sorry
;
;
The area channel stops Rodi's bleeding. With some timely ministrations, the Keg takes care of Ben, finally getting the other dwarf's wounds to stop.
"The Spire?" the elf responds, confused. He looks around the strange clearing and nearby ruin. "No, my companions and I were traversing the Cerulean Void on patrol, and were ambushed by these barbazu." Again, you note the elf speaking a foreign tongue, yet you understand it clearly. "My friends were overcome, and before I met my own doom, I appeared in this field. Thank you for your aid against the devils!"
"My name is Varun," he adds, standing and holding out a hand. You see he is not quite standing on his feet, but rather flying an inch above the ground. "If you can pardon my confusion: where am I? What is this place?"
Mikos raises his eyebrows and slowly stands. "As to where you are: Well, it appears that you're floating above the ground. Are you sure that you aren't a ghost?" Mikos shrugs. "We're in the River Kingdoms. I know there are a bunch of demons a bit north at the Worldwound. Lots of crusaders heading up that way, but didn't know there were any devils around aside from the Chelish curs over at Fort Inevitable. Could be those devil worshippers sent some of their buddies after you."
"Eh, what'r ya on about?" The Keg grumbles as he finishes binding wounds and then assesses the elf himself.
"What's a Cerulean Void? Is that a disease? Do you break out in pox? Or ooze in places?" Rodi asks curiously.
The Keg realizes Varun is not actually an elf, but rather a bralani, an outsider of the azata celestial race. His wounds are partially healed, no longer bleeding.
Varun laughs and nods in understanding. "Ah, I've come to Golarion then. That portal must have drawn us here in the midst of the fray. If random, it was certainly fortuitous, for otherwise I'd have met my certain doom."
To Rodi, he laughs: "The Cerulean Void, perhaps you know of it as the Maelstrom, or Limbo. It is the... place between places, among the planes.
[b]"It seems I am in your debt, as well as stranded here until I can find means to return to Elysium. May I travel in your company?"
"Eh, you're an azata, no? From Elysium? You're onunva the gooduns ... alright with me, if it's alright with them. 'e prolly likes ta drink. Makes 'im OK in me book."
The Keg offers the bralani a swig of wine from his pack.
Mikos listens closely to Keg. " Isn't that like an elf angel or something? Well, you're just in time then, Varuna. I'm Mikos. That's Rodi, Keg, and Ben. Looks like you caught us on a good deed; we're returning this kid here to his family. Maybe you can put a good word for us up above."
Peet and the others rejoin you, awed looks on their faces. "Ye fought off devils!" he says, shaking his head.
Varun smiles at your greetings. "Your stogies are safe from me," he laughs at Ben.
Varun takes Keg's wine with a smile and explains, "An azata, yes. Elysium is my home, though only in a general sense... we tend to wander." He glances around again, taking in the green-stoned ruins. "What a curious place this is. It verily tingles with latent magic. What is it?"
Mikos looks over the Spire. "Hells if I know. Magical apparently." He turns to Peet, grimacing as the piercing he received twinges. "Well, some were more successful at fighting off devils than others. But we were going to set up camp and I actually would agree at this point that out of sight of the Spire is probably a good idea."
"Aye, camp's a must and nae around this crazy thing. We ken tackle it t'morrow."
You hustle across the rest of the clearing and feel immediate relief upon reentering the cover of the forest. As eerie and disconcerting as it is, the forest feels positively welcoming compared to the unnatural still of the wide open Spire glade. You press a few hundred yards into the woods for good measure before setting up camp for the night.
Peet and the others help make and break camp, becoming more active and garrulous as the reality of their freedom sinks in. Varun watches all with a hint of quiet bemusement. Otherwise, the night passes without incident.
The next day you complete the remaining three miles to Thornkeep, trudging through the thick undergrowth and navigating the steep ridges. As you get closer to Thornkeep, Peet picks up the lead and guides you along familiar paths. Around mid-day, Varun begins singing acapella; the song lifts your spirits and lightens your feet, and even the echoing trees around you seem to enjoy it as low branches and undergrowth give way to clearer paths.
Tomorrow will take us away, far from home
No one will ever know our names...
In the late afternoon, you break from the trees onto a wide packed-dirt road. A cool, running stream parallels the track. "This'll be the Mosswater Road," Peet explains. "Runs up from the Mosswater ruins, through Alejia's Crossing and the Wood and to Thornkeep. We're close." He leads you up the road, heading eastward.
A short time later, you wander into the town of Thornkeep. Completely enveloped and run through by the surrounding woods, its difficult to tell you are actually in the town before you come upon small clearings and farm plots along the road, and eventually some disorganized clusters of homes, shops and buildings. At the center of it all, a squat keep of bramble-covered stones sits atop a bald hill. Sprawling, open, planless -- it is the diametric opposite of Fort Inevitable.
"Welcome to Thornkeep! I can give you the penny tour, if you like. Anything you're looking for? I'm going to look for Jeck... he could be at home, but is probably headed to the Thirsty Ogre for a pint."
Mikos takes in the view. "Well, this certainly looks less Inevitable. A tour would be appreciated, Peet. Ben has a Lady Wizard friend we might want to check on as well. Also, I lost my sword along the Crusade Road and heard that um, "lost" things had a habit of showing up here, if you know what I mean. If you have any ideas where stolen weapons or other things might wash up, I'd appreciate a heads up. Oh, and we heard there were goblins actually living in town. Is that true?"
"I be thirstier than an Ogre. Lets be sure to stop by thar fer a pint or three on your tour, laddie."
The Keg taps his head as if remembering something, "Ya gots yerself a dwarf mason "ere don't have? Dinna mind meetin" 'em if able'
Peet chuckles, "Yah, we got goblins. They're mostly harmless, as long as ya don't leave your dogs alone around 'em." He points across the stream to your right. "That there's the Briarwarren, where Gralsk and his Brambleclaws live. Next to it is the Goblin Bazaar, where they peddle whatever small valuables they 'find'. That might be a place to check on your sword, or pick up a lead. If you lose something in town, its a good bet it'll end up there eventually."
Peet takes the first bridge crossing the Echo Stream and circles the town to the south, pointing out landmarks as you go.
"The town green is more-or-less the heart of Thornkeep." It is a wide patch of open ground (not particularly green) at the foot of the road leading up Brokenhelm Hill to the castle. It is surrounded by the densest cluster of buildings, including most of the oldest and reputable businesses in town.
The largest building is the Greenforest Inn, a respectable inn and taphouse. "Probably the poshest place to stay in town," Peet explains.
Opposite the inn is a new-looking fieldstone building, the headquarters and barracks for the Blue Basilisk mercenary company. Several other shops include a bindery, trading post, tailor, provisions, weaponsmith, armorer, and saddler.
Peet points to a stone building on the south side of the green. "That's Torra Stoneframer's place, your mason," he says to the Keg. "She's as sour as month old milk, that one."
Through a copse north of the green, in a clearing on the shore of a large pond, is a small round tower four floors tall, adjacent to a comfortable and well-built stone house. "That there is Goldenfire Tower, where you'll find Miss Starcloak, pro'ly the 'lady wizard' you met."
He leads you back to a large, rough wooden building a stone's throw from the Goblin Bazaar. A broken sign hanging above the door depicts an cartoonish ogre greedily drinking something red. Fortunately, the source of the liquid is smashed to oblivion. "The Thirsty Ogre. If Jeck's here, I'm sure the first rounds on him."
"Goblins are Bizarre sure enough," Mikos snorts. "I'd like to take a looksee, but happy to do so after we've made the rounds," he give Keg a nod.
Tavern
The Keg will want to visit the stonemason afterwards, but booze is always a priority. Must pay respects to the lord of fine drink, first.