Rusty Iron Henges (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Muldoon

Demonica winces as she moves her shoulder around. "Is there enough time for me to get patched up?"

"I can only heal by the blessing of Gorum, and his blessings are limited to a novice like me. Perhaps someone else has more mundane means of patching up Demonica? I think it would make sense to take a break, so I can also refocus.""

Bireli rests his hand on Henry's shaking arm to steady it. "There are better ways to get justice," he says, "but let's focus on finding your mom."

"Hm. It should be safe enough in here for a while, at least while these two are out" she says, pointing to the two unconscious rust warriors. "No one else should be coming in until the next shift change in a few hours."

Otoro reaches out and sends some healing watery energy over Demonica.

ocean's balm: 1d8 ⇒ 3
Also resists fire 2 for 1 minute. 10m cooldown per target.

"I wouldn't exactly say mundane but I can help a bit." pipes up Otoro.

"Thank you, that hurts a bit less now."

"So we sould hurry before the shift change happens." Henry nods shoving Vnda ahead of him. "Show us how to get there."

Based on the answer in Slack:

Otoro Ocean's Balm: 1d8 ⇒ 8

-------

Otoro finishes healing Demonica, waiting a few minutes for the power to suffuse in case he needs to do it again. Once she's patched up, Sister Vanda leads you quietly back out the other door in the southern wall, onto a large central section of the rampart where two ballistae are mounted, rust eating severely away at their fittings. A large rusty iron grate with a view of a wide hallway below fills a ten-foot-square section of the floor, while weapon racks on the wall hold a dozen light hammers each.

Opening a matching door on the other side, she signals for you to hang back as she opens the door to another barracks. This one, however, has been heavily damaged, with mattress feathers tossed everywhere. Footlockers sit on the floor between the beds, bashed or broken open. Vanda looks around in disgust. "This was the junior barracks, but Azomi had taken it as his own quarters. Look at what the filth has done to the place!" Her face turns from disgust to open hate when she spots a porcelain mask on a shelf near the ruins of one bed. "That's Azomi's. I've never seen him without it." Looking around, her hand firmly on the hilt of her sword, she curses. "Where the hell is he?" To the southwest, a barrel stands against the wall, full of javelins and ammunition. One arrow stands out from the rest, the shaft branded with the symbol of a crescent moon. Vanda has no objection to you taking any of the supplies. There are 7 javelins, 23 regular arrows, and one arrow marked with a moon.

Sighing in frustration, she opens the far door along the southern wall, leading you out to yet another rampart, this one a mirror image of the one Demonica ascended to. Opening the trap door in the floor, she leads you down a short, steep hallway into a small hallway below. She once again gestures for you to wait as she cautiously opens a door along the northern wall, then motions for you to come in.

The room inside smells strongly of vinigar. Two beds, a small work desk, and a small array of mostly empty shelves stand in the room. Along the western wall, a spiral staircase leads downward. "This is the clinic. You seem to be alright now," she says, looking at Demonica, "but you should take some of these supplies in case you need them later." With that, she pulls a few things off the shelves, handing them to whoever is closest as she does. Vanda hands you a set of expanded healer's tools, (2) minor elixirs of life, and (4) lesser antiplagues, explaining what each is (I'll add those to the "Party Loot" slide).

"Take a moment to prepare yourselves, then we'll head down to the basement" she gestures to the staircase "and see what we find."

Demonica picks up the arrow marked with a moon. "We found one marked with deer antlers outside. Is this something people do to know which arrows are theirs?"

Demonica will take a couple of javelins.

Henry greedily reaches out and takes a few of the potions. "Anyone know how to use those tools?"

Will take 1x Minor Elixir of Life and 1x Lesser Antiplague. Henry is alright with Medicine but not the greatest. so someone better should take those tools.

Otoro will take a javelin just in case, and will leave his water gate open making everything a bit damp.

"Are your ready, Nica?" Bireli asks his sister with a grin while adjusting his grip on his shield and wooden "sword." "We're about to rescue Henry's mom!"

"Mostly I know how to do veterinary medicine, so more natural like. These tools are of no use to me but I can patch up one of you as well as a sow I would reckon."

Puddins is happy to carry any unclaimed items.

Demonica picks up the arrow marked with a moon. "We found one marked with deer antlers outside. Is this something people do to know which arrows are theirs?"

Demonica will take a couple of javelins.

"Oh, no, it's to mark the effects they carry. The one with the moon causes the target to fall asleep (a sleep arrow) and the one with the antlers is meant to restrain a foe (an antler arrow)."

Making your way down the dark spiral staircase leads you to a stony basement. Columns throughout the room support the keep’s structure overhead. Casks and wooden crates line the north and south walls, and a single iron door exits to the east. A large hole has been recently broken in the western wall, leading to a naturally occurring cave. Sticky smears of blood lead into this tunnel.

Standing near the base of the tunnel stands a humanoid figure with a hood pulled down low, obscuring their face. A pair of calico cats brush up against the figure's legs. "Azomi" growls Vanda, drawing her sword.

"You've lost the faith, sister" Azomi says, venom in his voice. "Now you're only worth is to feed the master's rituals!" With that, he pulls back his hood, revealing a terrifying, inhuman visage with a strange split jaw and a long tongue. He raises his halberd to attack, as the cats growl and seem to grow more alien and threatening by his feet.

In a flash, Azomi darts forward, bringing his halberd down in a vicious strike against Vanda.

Halberd vs. Vanda: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Slashing: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

---------

Initiative!

Azomi

"What is this demon?" Bireli asks as Azomi reveals themself. He moves along the wall and then breaks toward the cloaked creature. He snaps his practice sword as best he can at the creature's head. "Come on, Puddins! Let's teach this one not to mess with decent folk!"

◆ Stride
◆ Strike: ”Practice Sword” (probing cane) (T): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Bludgeoning: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
◆ One for All

"This the one you were talking about Vanda?" Henry raises his dagger in front of him as he flinches when the strange hooded figure strikes. "Hey now! Oh Gods, what is that!?!"

Bon Mot vs Will DC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Demoralize vs Will DC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

DC 17 Will vs Jealous Hex. (-1 on a failure and -2 on crit fail) The target is cursed with an adverse condition depending on its highest ability modifier: Strength (enfeebled); Dexterity (clumsy); Constitution (drained); or Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (stupefied). At the start of each of your turns, the target can attempt another Will save, ending the effect on a success.

Blood Magic: First creature to damage Henry this turn takes 2 Mental Damage (Basic DC 17 Will save)

◆ Bon Mot
◆ Demoralize
◆ Jealous Hex

Puddins holds aloft her Greatsword, calling out a prayer to Gorum for strength (Weapon Surge). She strides forward and strikes!

Greatsword with Aid: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 27
Slashing: 2d12 + 3 ⇒ (4, 10) + 3 = 17

Bireli darts forward and draws Azomi's attention, hoping to create an opening for Puddins. Henry, meanwhile, further distracts the creature with a clever quip, but Azomi seems neither shaken by Henry's dagger nor affected by his hex. Success on Bon Mot, failure on Demoralize, he rolled a success on Jealous Hex.

Puddins, taking advantage of Bireli's aid, lands a big hit of her own, leaving a ragged wound on the strange man. Just shy of a crit, I'm afraid.

The cats' shapes continue to morph, their back legs melding into their tails to become powerful tendrils, and their faces becoming more dog-like. One of them lets out a mighty snarl, the sound echoing in the ears of those closest. Casting fear (3rd) on everyone except Otoro.

Vanda Will save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

The other creature--clearly not a cat, anymore--darts forward to try and maul Bireli.

Jaws: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Slashing: 1d8 ⇒ 4
Evil: 1d4 ⇒ 2

It chomps down on Birelli and holds on tight! 4 slashing damage, 2 evil damage, and grabbed.

---------

Initiative!

Azomi -17hp, -2 Will and Perception for 1 minute.
Henry DC 15 Will save vs. fear
Puddins DC 15 Will save vs. fear
Bireli DC 15 Will save vs. fear, grabbed by #1
E2
E1 Grabbing Bireli

Otoro reaches out and gives Vandra the Ocean's Balm.

healing: 1d8 ⇒ 6
resist fire 2 for 1 minute.

Otoro then remembers his days with the gangs and pushes around to the north, circling around the rat dog to provide a distraction for his allies before trying to smash the horrible tendriled ratdog thingy.

1 action melee blast vs E1 FF: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
bludgeoning: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Double damage on crit.

Will vs. DC 15: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

"Is--is that all you've got?" Bireli says, trying to put on a brave face right before the other creature bites onto him. "Ah!"

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Demonica grows pale. "I'm n-n-not scared!"

She sees her brother caught in the jaws of one of the creatures, and she steps over to attack E1.

"Let my brother go!" She adds a slightly stuttered incantation.

greatsword: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 - 1 = 19
ouch!: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Telekinetic projectile: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8

Azomi grins and lashes out with his halberd as Otoro moves through the area, catching the azarketi off guard!

Halberd AoO: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Slashing: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

--------

Demonica should be frightened 2 on that failure, though it doesn't make a difference to your attack.

Otoro heals Vanda and blasts the creature grabbing Bireli. Demonica, shaken by the other creature's snarl, doesn't let that stop her from splattering her brother's assailant against the floor!

Vanda screams and steps forward, hacking at Azomi!

Greatsword, frightened 1: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 10 - 1 = 20 Hit
Slashing: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Greatsword, 2nd attack, frightened 1: 1d20 + 10 - 5 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 10 - 5 - 1 = 15 Miss
Slashing: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Azomi's wicked, alien jaws snap at Vanda. The many teeth sink in, tearing at her arm and seeming to drain some of the vitality from her!

Jaws: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Piercing: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Vanda Will save, frightened 1: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 10 - 1 = 28

Vanda shakes off the effect, however! Azomi snarls and steps back, bringing his halberd around as a followup.

Halberd, 2nd attack: 1d20 + 10 - 5 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 5 = 13
Slashing: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

-----

Initiative!

Azomi -24hp, -2 Will and Perception for 1 minute. Reaction available.

Puddins fights the fear, and avoids the worst of it (Frightened 1).

Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

She strides in and attacks Azomi.

Greatsword: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 - 1 = 17
Slashing: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Will DC 15: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Henry's voice quivers in fear. "We don't want anyone to get hurt! Namely us!" A bit of his magic flashes into Azomi.

DC 16 Will vs Ill Omen

◆ Step
◆◆ Ill Omen

"Thanks, Nica!" Bireli shouts as his sister slays the beast hanging from his arm. He ducks behind a pillar and then hops with with a slash at Azomi's head with his wooden sword. "Take that, you demon!"

◆ Step
◆ Step
◆ Confident Finisher: ”Practice Sword” (probing cane) (T), Frightened 1: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 1 = 24
Bludgeoning, Panache: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 + Precise Strike (target still takes half on a miss): 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8
Loose panache.

Azomi makes a quick slash at Puddins with his halberd as she approaches!

Halberd AoO: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Slashing: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Puddins manages to dodge the swing, though her own attack is equally ineffective.

Henry, meanwhile, feels the ill luck of his spell slide right past Azomi without any effect (crit success vs. ill omen, I'm afraid).

Bireli moves more precisely, and his strike manages to catch Azomi on the side of the head, causing him to stumble back! The monster weaves, then falls to the floor! Azomi down!

The remaining creature snarls again, then turns and runs off down the rough-hewn hole in the wall.

Everyone is up if you want to try to chase it, though you can tell it's moving faster than you can. Otherwise, we can drop out of combat.

"Ha! The heinous villain cannot stand against honor and chivalry!" Bireli cheers as the frightening man falls to the ground and the remaining dog-rat runs away. "But where is Elder Ordwi?"

Bireli's question doesn't seem to register with Vanda as she stares at the fallen Azomi. Suddenly, she raises her sword high and brings in crashing down in a mighty swing that seperates the monstrous man's head from his shoulders. As the echoes of the blade hitting the floor fade, all the fight seems to go out of her. She drops her sword and sits down heavily, her face blank. "I...I don't know. If she's not in that storage room" she says, nodding to the doorway beind Henry, "then..." Her voice trails off as she stares toward the rough-hewn tunnel with the blood-streak on the floor, down which the last monster just retreated.

Henry's heart begins to race and pound in his chest. "Mom....MOM!" He screams at the top of his lungs as he follows the streak of blood and rushes through the door.

Bireli flinches as Vanda decapitates the monster.

He moves to follow after Henry when the youth rushes toward the storage room. "I can disassemble the lock, if needed," he says.

Just to be clear, the blood leads into the dark cave entrance the monster ran down, not the nearby door.

Opening the door, you find a long storage room runs north to south with smaller firkins and kegs lining the walls, as well as small padded crates with delicate glass bottles. Some of the packing straw has been repurposed as improvised bedding, though most of it has now been soiled. The stench of filth and waste fill this chamber.

Lying among the repurposed packing straw are three people, none of whom are Elder Ordwi. Clearly malnourished and dehydrated, the look up to you, blinking at the increased light. "Huh? Who are you?"

Bireli rests a hand on Henry's shoulder when the door fails to reveal the elder. "We're from Osprey Cove, and we're here to help," he replies to the pitiable captives. "We've got to find Henry's mom, but then we can lead you to safety."

"I...I can do that much, anyway" Vanda says climbing slowly to her feet "These three are acolytes of this temple who stood up to Ragnulf and the Thassilonian...unlike me." A look of pain and regret fills her expression. "I owe them that much at least. I'll get them back to town safely and do what I can help them recover."

"S-Sister Vanda?" one of the acolytes says. "Is that you?" He breaks into a coughing fit before he can continue, and scratches furiously at rusty patches on his skin. "They've been infected with whatever was in that damned flask of Meitremar's" Vanda says. "You probably saw that on Blanton's body, too. Maybe Elsie will be able to make up some sort of treatment when I get them back to town. Jains, Brote, Karra," Vanda says, turning to the three, "have you seen an outside here? A woman from Osprey Cove, named Ordwi? Did they put her down here with you?"

"No, just us and...and Sanso" the one named Brote replies. "They tried to get us to turn on each other. They said to get out one of us had to kill the others in the name of some demon, Xar-Azmak."[b] A look of weary defiance crosses his face. [b]"Sanso tried, we fought back, now Sanso's dead."

"Oh! I'm so sorry Brote. Jains. Karra. You have been so strong, our Lord in Iron would be proud."

"We did" *COUGH COUGH* "hear Meitremar talking about going over to Rusthenge, though" says Karra. "Something about going to 'explore and reclaim his grandfather's works'. Maybe they took her there?"

"Hm...that tunnel is heading in that direction" Vanda says, looking at the rough-hewn tunnel with a shudder. "Maybe a shortcut?" She turns away quickly. "I'm going to take these three to Elsie as quickly as I can. Good luck, and may Gorum watch over you. I hope you find Ordwi." Looking to Puddins and Demonica, she says too "Take my sword, too. It's been blessed in Gorum's service. I..." she trails off for a moment, as she glances at the three defiant acolytes, "...I don't feel I deserve to wield it anymore. Not until I've atoned. May it serve you well."

With that, Vanda and the three acolytes make ready to leave. You have a chance to ask any further questions you'd like before they depart.

In the room with them are stacks of supplies (it was a supply closet, before it was a makeshift prison), though most of what's in here isn't much use to you. The unopened pony keg of akvavit is worth 10gp, but may be a little unwieldy. More useful, probably, is the case of healing potions that the prisoners cracked into to help sustain themselves. Five of them remain.

Treasure:

Otoro asks "Can you tell us anything else they said about Xar-Azmak?"

They just shrug. "Sorry, that was basically it. Some sort of demon it seems like they are worshipping."

"If these villains took Elder Ordwi to sacrifice to a demon lord, we've got to hurry!" Bireli exclaims while pointing his wooden sword toward the mouth of the tunnel.

Puddins looks at the sword and nods. She turns to Demonica.

"You are in Gorum's service on this mission every bit as much as I am. I can enchant my own blade when I need to. Makes sense for you to weld this sword as my sword sister."

Puddins hands the blade to Demonica.

"No sense in us charging in half ready in my opinion. I think we should take some time to rest so we are ready enough that we only need to go down that tunnel the once."

"You want to go towards a demon?" Henry seems hesitant, but quickly realizes that is probably where his Mother is at. "We need to get the city guard involved and march in there with an army. Surely they would go running in after hearing a demon is involved?"

"There is no city guard" Vanda says. "Remember, it was me that met you at the gates? We clergy of Stonehome served as town guard as well. Now we're all scattered to the wind, dead, or in service of Meitremar."

"Papa always said that if you want something done right, do it yourself. Let's get a night's rest and then head in. If we are lucky they won't know we're coming. If we go in now and have to retreat, we lose any chance to jump them when they don't expect it."

Demonica nods gravely at Puddins. "If you're sure."

"Don't worry, Henry. We'll get your mom back. We should get some rest first, though. And bring the ram back to Elsie."

"I suppose," Bireli relents. "Should we search the keep for other captives or resources?"

Otoro mumbles a bit "I think a good night's sleep will do us all good."

Henry looks extremely worried. "I won't be able to sleep tonight. not with her out there possibly hurt or dying. What if we get there too late?" His mind races to the worst case scenarios as he is overcome with worry.

Bireli looks back to Henry and nods. "That's what I'm afraid of, too, and I'll go with you if you decide to go, Henry, but I can't make the the others go if they aren't ready."

Demonica thinks of her own mother for a moment.

"Yeah, you're right. We should set out now."

"We should patch up our wounds, though," Bireli says.

Puddins will attempt to heal whoever needs it most.

Natural Medicine: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Healing: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7

Puddins nods.

"I see your point Henry. Let's do it."