Dredd looks at the defeated creatures. "It did not have to end like this" He examines his allies, and confirms no one was injured during the battle. "Madaxa, log this tunnel in your notes for us to return to. Surely they all fled this way, but we must continue exploring the rest of the facility first and be quick about it. Anything we may learn will aid us along the path"
Once everyone is satisfied with what they could learn from the creatures, Dredd will lead the party upwards to the unexplored floor.
Zarzuket knows these creatures are esipil's, g the least of the sahkils. They generally appear to their prey as some benign creature such as a domesticated dog or cat, but once they gain trust and get their victims close, they transform into a terrifying creature that looks part dog and part worm with tendrils of viscera that the creature uses as both a tongue and a weapon.
You head back up to the ground floor and then take the staircase in the northeast to the second floor. As you ascend, you note dried blood and hardened mud adorn this stone hall’s walls and doors. Doors lead north, west and south in two directions. You move north first.
This large balcony features a narrow sand pit thirty-five feet long with small rope partitions marking the last five feet on each end. A rusty iron ladder on the southwest portion of the balcony leads up to the roof, while a door to the south leads inside the keep.
Three fallen Gorumites are here, dueling and bantering. Upon spotting the you, the three cry out in surprise—with center one being the loudest. As the higher ranking acolyte, she orders the other two to engage "Kill the intruders!"
"It need not be this way, but if you insist..." Dredd claims in a deepend voice as he steps forward, thrusting his weapon at the Gorumite directly across from him twice.
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He unfortunately is too distracted by spread of enemies to make any contact with his strikes.
Both of Dredd's attack miss! The two Gorumites on the edges collapse around him, flanking him. Each attacks twice, but only one of them manages to critically hit him with his sickle.
The third Gorumite doesn't act, but instead watches the actions of the other two, clearly in charge and above the need to engage this foolish paladin who is in over his head.
Zarzuket's eyes widen in momentary shock as Dredd is sliced by a sickle. He prays to the benevolent aspect of Nethys to channel positive energy towards Dredd.
He then casts guidance, targeting Dredd again.
Sura cocks her head to the side, saying off-hand to Dredd, "I think they are insisting, big guy!", and then immediately sings a brief anthem of courage, words softly echoing in the small space - gentle to the ears but fiercely igniting the flames of everyone’s resolve.
As the echoes of Sura’s verse fade, she mutters to herself briefly, eyes focused just past Dredd. His Guisarme starts to glow with energy and pulsates with low vibrations.
Dredd feels even more connected to his weapon as it hums in anticipation while Sura quips with conviction and a smirk, "Don’t miss this time.".
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◈◈ Magic Weapon
Krachton flails out with a whip of water at the enemy in Blue. "Dredd, is the sand going to eat us?" He'll also look for himself to see if there's anything he can notice.
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Dredd grunts loudly as he realizes he let himself get flanked without offering more easy access for his allies. He takes all the focus of the attacks wincing in pain, as he quickly gets rejuvenated by Zarzuket.
Responding to Krachxton, Dredd simply grumbles"Unknown", though a sly grin shows under his helmet as his weapon glows with magical energy.
Dredd follows Krachxton's attack on blue with 2 more of his own:
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Madaxa peers around the corner trying to figure out the best way through the crowd when Dredd flattens the blue esipil. He ◈ slips past the champion and ◈ leaps over the sandpit to land beside the leader. The rapier's blade glints as it arcs toward white.
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Bleed damage ends automatically if you’re healed to your full Hit Points.
Madaxa moves against the team leader of the trio, landing his rapier attack against her.
After the first Gorumite is cut down, the second one moves in and attacks Dredd twice. He misses with both attacks!
Madaxa is not so lucky though, the combatant he's engaged is a far superior warrior wielding a greatsword. She strikes Madaxa twice with her huge blade!
Madaxa's vision starts to narrow as the leader's sword nearly kills him, this must be what it's like to be caught off guard. He thinks he waves thanks to Dredd as he flails about ◈ before ◈ stepping away and ◈ leaping back to hide behind Dredd.
Zazuket ◈ moves slightly closer to the action, then ◈◈ shoots three pieces of metal at the cultist.
Sura moves ◈ closer to the doorway to get a better view of the fight, noticing a couple of threatening enemies, and without hesitation, casts Needle Darts ◈◈ at the one in .
Continuing to keep his focus on the bigger target, Dredd uses his extra reach to his advantage, attempting to bring down what appears to be the leader of this group.
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Krachxton steps to deal with the warrior in yellow.
I assume the DR is only for 1 of the hits Madaxa took, and not both. This is my first time playing champ, so I am unsure.
Dredd is able to divert the smallest portion of damage on the attack against Madaxa from the senior sister, keeping the rogue on his feet. A quick retributive attack by Dredd, coupled with another attack from Madaxa and some needle darts from Sura, drops the senior Gorumite sister to the ground as she begins to bleed out.
Among the five footlockers are ordinary and winter clothes, 87 silver pieces, and a wolf fang talisman. A pair of scrolls sit on the rack—a scroll of restoration and a scroll of remove disease.
Zarzuket casts stabilize on the defeated enemies, beginning with the worst-injured.
It's not too late for any of the three Gorumites. You are able to stabilize and securely bind them, freeing them of their gear in the process.
"Krachxton and Dredd, can you please heal Madaxa? I've got only one healing spell left prepared."
While Madaxa is being healed, Zarzuket meditates. He then proposes moving onward.
Krachxton will step forward and soothe his wounds with salt water as he also stitches him up the old fashioned way.
Dredd move over whom appears to be the leader, brings her conscious and begins questioning.
"I do not like to repeat myself. Where is Elder Ordwi? Where is the captain of the Swordfish? And lastly, what exactly is Lord Meitremar doing here."
He pauses, gripping the [+1 greatsword] tightly in his hand as he gives it a look over. "Iomedae spared your lives today, but your gear belongs to us now.
He then pierces the greatsword into the ground next to the leader, looking at her directly in her eyes, waiting for answers.
The woman doesn't try to resist or fight back and resigns herself to answering the questions. She recounts a similiar tale as the prisoners in the basement. About a week ago, a Thassilonian man named Meitremar arrived, presenting himself as a merchant from Xin-Edasseril. He had lengthy discussions with Lord Ragnulf that lasted through the night. When dawn broke, they summoned the Gorumites to the worship hall, announcing grand plans of war against Osprey Cove and the subjugation of other settlements on Chakikoth Isle to forge an alliance with Xin-Edasseril.
She continues, her voice a mix of fear and resignation, "At the end, Lord Ragnulf spoke of sickness among our ranks, claiming Meitremar had a method to expose this illness. He opened a bottle, releasing a foul-smelling air that immediately afflicted several of our comrades, their skin appearing to rust as they writhed in pain. Ragnulf then declared them blasphemers and ordered us to execute them."
She closes her eyes and sighs. The mention of Captain Perrios and his crew brings a dark note to her tale. "All three were beheaded. By Mreitremar's sinspawn, Azomi. As for Elder Ordwi, I'm not entirely sure. Upon her arrival at Stonehome, we took her prisoner and handed her over Azomi," she admits. "Azomi took her down into the basement. I'm not sure what became of her after that."
"He ordered you to kill your fellow Gorumites...and you obeyed him? Why?"
Zarzuket is shocked to hear about the beheading of Perrios and the other sailors. "What happened to their heads and bodies afterward?"
More questions occur to him. "What happened to the dero prisoner? And how are the deros involved in all this in general? Are they working with Meitremar?"
The fallen leader's eyes darken with regret as she answers "He's our leader, we had to obey. When he claimed they were tainted, unworthy of Gorum's favor. Well..." she says, her voice tinged with bitterness. "We were misled by fear and false piety. Ragnulf’s words, twisted by Meitremar's magic, convinced us that we were purifying our ranks. It was only later we realized the deceit."
Zarzuket's inquiry about the fate of Captain Perrios and his crew brings a grim answer. "Their bodies were displayed as a warning to all who might defy Meitremar’s new order." she says solemnly. "Their heads were taken to Meitremar, likely to be used in one of his dark rituals. We never saw them again."
"The deros... they were brought in by Meitremar as hunters to track down those who tried to escape or hide. When one was captured and brought back, Meitremar killed them for failing him."
Zarzuket cannot get a true reading of her to determine if she's lying or not, but he believes she is behaving as expected based on what she is saying.
"Where were the bodies displayed? And how many more of you are on this floor?"
Listening to the gorumites describe their actions, and what has happened, Dredd's face contorts with frustration and anger.
"You were misled indeed." He takes a deep breath to refocus himself before continuing. "Do all of your brethren here blindly follow Ragnulf and Meitremar, or only those which you did not already murder yourselves?" He pauses again, letting the thoughts of their own actions against their allies sink in. "You are going to tell us what else is in here, and where Ragnulf, Meitremar, and Azomi are hiding so we can put an end to this. And tell us more of this Azomi and what we can expect"
The fallen leader's expression hardens with the weight of memory as she answers Zarzuket's query about the display of the bodies. "The bodies of Captain Perrios and his men were taken... to where I do not know." she admits, her voice low and strained.
She looks visibly shaken by Dredd's words, her face a mask of regret and sorrow. "Not all followed... some of us resisted, but many were swayed by fear or fooled by Meitremar's enchantments. It's chaos and confusion among those who remain."
"There aren't many of us left who are free. Most have either fallen into Meitremar's influence or have been locked away or killed. Maybe a handful remains on this floor, scattered, hiding, or simply trying to survive. I think Azomi is still wandering around the halls. Meitremar and Ragnulf went below, I have not seen them for awhile."
Madaxa tries not to wince as he's healing, focusing on the dagger he twirls in his hand, "what can you tell us about how your friend fight? Are there any magic users among them? How would you subdue them?"
Sura's brow furrows, "Are there any obvious indications that one has been fooled by Meitremar's enchantments compared to someone just trying to hide or survive?" She pauses for a moment, "Or will those that have been swayed or enchanted simply attack us outright as you did."
"Azomi is formidable in battle and intimidating just to look at. You will need your wits about you. She relies heavily on her physical prowess, enhanced by whatever dark magic Meitremar has bestowed upon her. She is not a traditional magic user but uses her abilities to manipulate and intimidate. To subdue her, you’d need overwhelming force and cunning. She’s fast and cruel, and above all else loyal to Mreitmar. She is often accompanied by those loyal to Meitremar who are indeed spellcasters, making her even more dangerous."
Sura’s questions draw a deep, troubled breath from the captive. "It’s difficult to tell at a glance who’s been enchanted by Meitremar. His magic is insidious, weaving into the mind and twisting loyalties without obvious signs. Those deeply swayed tend to be overly zealous, defending him and his actions without question. They might attack on sight if they perceive a threat to Meitremar or their new beliefs. However, there are others, like us, who resisted or were only partially affected. We might appear compliant but are biding our time, looking for a chance to act. Unfortunately, distinguishing between the two can be nearly impossible until a confrontation arises."
She pauses and adds "... unless they are afflicted by whatever is causing these bruises on our flesh. It causes body aches, like after a long workout. It doesn't go away and seemingly spreads to our clothes and items. I think it's related to what's going on here."
She meets Sura’s gaze, her expression solemn. "You must be cautious. Assume hostility from those you encounter within Stonehome, but be prepared for some to be victims, not willing participants. Your challenge will be to discern intent quickly, in the heat of conflict."
"Alright, I guess it's time for us to move on. Thank you for the information."
Madaxa stows his dagger and checks the edge on his rapier, "good information.' He moves toward the door, looking back to the others, "shall we?"
Zarzuket also moves toward the door.
Moving west, the party opens the door and moves into the senior barracks. Five sets of double bunk beds mark this room as a barracks. On the northern wall is a small set of cabinets and a simple standing rack for scrolls. Footlockers sit between the beds.
Among the five footlockers are ordinary and winter clothes, 87 silver pieces, and a wolf fang talisman. A pair of scrolls sit on the rack—a scroll of restoration and a scroll of remove disease.
Doors lead North, Southwest and SouthEast.
Zarzuket takes the scrolls. "We should use these on the people in the basement if they aren't feeling better tomorrow."
"Seems a bit tight..."
Dredd escorts his allies as they continue searching through the remaining rooms.
The door to the north turns out to be a small washroom. With nothing significant in it, you move southwest and find the ramparts. This outdoor space is constructed entirely of stone with a crenelated wall facing outward. A single door leads north and a hatch on the floor leads inside the keep.
As you move outside to take a look at the numerous discarded arrows that little the rampart, you discover two things. First, an antler arrow lay among the numerous other discarded ammunition. Second, the steps you found earlier that lead up to the ramparts are located underneath the hatch.
You move east around to the defensive battery where you find weapon racks on the east and west walls which hold a dozen light hammers each.
Moving on, you find the east side of the floor resembles much of the west, all of which is empty.
The only remaining unexplored area is up, so you move back out to the northern balcony and climb the ladders up.
The stone roof of this building is constructed from masonry with a layer of dried clay for weatherproofing. Grooves run along the nearly flat roof to channel water off the sides. A sixty-foot-long archery range runs west to east with two targets comfortably spread on the thirty-foot-wide range.
Three severed heads have been mounted on wooden poles affixed to the northern edge of the roof. Standing on the roof is likely the creature you've been looking for, Azomi.
A tall, gaunt figure stands before you, shrouded in a tattered, crimson robe that barely conceals its grotesque form. Its face is a horrifying mask of exposed bone and sinew, with a long, serpentine tongue flicking out from a maw filled with jagged teeth. Its clawed hands and taloned feet give it an unnerving, predatory air, and its glowing green eyes fixate on you with a chilling, malevolent intensity.
Upon seeing you, it moves to attack!
Krachxton moves up, summoning the power around him. As the rocks form around him, he shapes one into a hammer to bash the foe.
Zarzuket points at the creature he assumes to be Azomi and shouts something in Thassilonian. Three darts of golden energy strike the monster.
Dredd follows Krachxton in, attempting to put himself between the creature and his allies behind him. he finishes his stride with a swift strike!
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Shocked at the sight of the creature, Sura recovers quickly and sings softly with a sense of urgency, for both her companions and the fight to end quickly and safely.
At the same time, her hands work hurriedly, shaping steel into 3 jagged bodkins and sends them flying towards the monster at the end of the last verse.
Dredd misses, but both Zarzuket and Sura's projectiles bury into the horrific-looking creature. Krachxton's earth slams into it as well and it eyes up both champion and kineticist as it opens it's mouth wide.
The creature bites both of the melee combatants engaged with it with its sinful bite, and they immediately feel strange thoughts begin to overtake them.
Success Sickened 1.
Critical Success Unaffected.
Failure Sickened 2.
Critical Failure Sickened 2 plus enfeebled 2 for 1 minute.
