The cultist laughs. "They have all gone on ahead to Baphomet's promised land and I shall join them!" His words are proven all too true when he tries to attack Viktor and Viktor's attack cuts him down where the cultist stands.
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Opehlia's blast take's the one cultist in the chest hard while Valkyrie's quick strikes make short work of the two cultists sitting in the back. Only one cultist remains to face off against the heroes still standing tall even in the face of these impossible odds.
The cultist in front of Valkyrie stumbles and falls to the ground bleeding out as she cuts him and unleashes her magic to slow him down. The cultist in front of Viktor snarls at him when he cuts him not paying much attention to the paladin's comment. Halara steps forward and attack the cultist next to Viktor. With two vicoius cuts Halara hurts the cultist and puts him in a lot of pain. While the cultists then try to attack back with one attacking each of the front line fighters, but all of them miss horrible unable to even come close to touching let alone harming anyone.
You arrive onto a scene that looks like it was taken straight out of a horror play from a melodrama. Four cultists stand around in a circle chanting praises to Baphomet while surrounded by a ritual circle that seems to have been painted out of blood. They turn as one as they see you approach and one of the cultists yells out. "We shall destroy thee in our unholy Father name!"
The enemy seemingly inspired charges forward to attack screaming out Baphomet's name. The ones in front all try to attack the obvious paladin hoping to strike down the holy warrior before he can act while the one in the back cast a spell to increase his might. Spellcraft DC 16:
He is casting shield of faith.
While the other two cultists seem to be unable to strike the paladin the third one manages to get in a telling blow slicing deep into Viktor's flesh with a savage grin the cultist twists the blade before pulling it out smiling at the pain he caused to this holy warrior who would oppose his dark master.
You all set out of the building looking around for where to go next.
Perception DC 15:
You can hear the sound of some sort of chanting coming from the nearby alleyway. It sounds like several humanoid voices speaking in some sort of strange tongue. Perception DC 20+: The same as above and you can clearly hear that they are speaking in Abyssal and they seem to be chanting some name over and over. It sounds like they are calling out to Baphomet.
The demon in front of Viktor has little time to celebrate it's victory as it falls to the ground headless after Viktor's strike cleaves off it's head without even a hint of resistance from the demon's flesh. The second demon fairs little better being cut into four pieces before it can even fall to the ground from Valkyrie's lightning fast slices.
Looking around you see a lot of destroyed furniture and a smashed open chest that still has the glint of something shinny inside. Inside the chest: There appears to be a couple of smashed vials of something along with 550 gold pieces in various amounts of copper, gold, and silver. Along with a potion of barkskin.
Viktor's strike slams into the demon spilling it's foul blood onto the floor as he opens up a nasty cut on it's side. Then Halara steps up and offers assistance in the form of a cut on the demon's other side distracting it. Valkyrie on the other hand charges forward and slices the small demon in twain with three quick strikes almost faster than the eye can see as the demon falls into pieces a look of surprise etched upon it's face as it dies. The two demons left snarl in anger and attack Valkyire and Viktor with fang as the one next to Viktor also lashes out with his claws.
But only the demon facing Viktor is able to hurt him striking out with unholy purpose as it tries to rend the paladin with it's fangs biting into Viktor's shoulder.
Viktor charges into the room with a yell. The demon turns but much to slowly raising an arm as Viktor cuts open a deep wound on the demon's arm that only just misses the demon's exposed chest. Then Valkyire steps forward and with her battle cry slices forwardf quickly taking advantage of the demon being preoccupied and cuts the demon's exposed chest with a sickening squelching sound the demon falls onto its knees and then over dead while the rest of the demons cry out in anger as they begin to react slowly trying to turn and face this threat slowly.
Viktor kicks down the down with a mighty roar and the demons appear to be shocked. There are three more ratlike demons standing there along with a quasit that is currently hovering above them all. It was just getting done shouting at them about some sort of plan as our brave heroes enter shocking all of them. The room around them looks to be in complete chaos with furniture being strewn about the room in pieces and with several dark stains in the corner that you can only assume are blood.
[ooc]After that it will be everybody except Opehlia, the enemies and then Opehlia.[/oioc]
The man gratefully nods and heads back into his home you hear the sound of a lock being turned as he does the best he can to make sure that no demons will be getting in. It truly strikes you then of how little protection the citizens will have if the Worldwound continues to fester. You continue to travel through the district looking around for any more signs of demon activity. Perception DC 15:
You can faintly hear the sounds what sounds like several more ratlike voices conversing together in a nearby broken down home. The voices seem to be discussing something though it is constantly broken up by the sounds of laughing and things breaking. Perception DC 20: In addition to the above you can hear what appears to be a even higher and more annoying voice speaking about some sort of revenge plot.
The man seems fearful although it is muted in your presence and he vigoursly nods at Ophelia's suggestion. "I'm not sure how many more of those creatures might be here, but I'd be grateful if you would take me to someplace safe."
The old man leaves the building while shaking his head at Vikor's question. "I haven't seen anyone else all I hear was the sounds of things being smashed and people screaming. The last thing I remember seeing was the Storm Lord himself leaving while having some large demons carry away the body of the dragon Terendelev towards the Worldwound. I locked myself in here and I haven't left since. You're the first people I've met in days. "
Viktor comes over to a door of a small shop that seems to have avoided the worst of the fighting. The sound of a key turning in a lock can be clearly heard a small elderly man peers out of a small crack in the door. He looks at you all fearfully and quietly asks. "Are the demons gone now?"
Valkyrie's strikes slash open two horrible wounds on the demon making it fall over in pain and agony as its lifeblood pours onto the street. Both demons now lie lifeless on the ground. A deathly silence falls over the street now that the demons have been dealt with, only broken by the sound of someone messing with a door further up the street.
Viktor's strike easily bypasses the demon's guard and slices the beast down a horrific wound opened on it's chest.
The two demons hiss at the party their rage clearly visible on their rat-like faces. One of them attempts to bite and claw Viktor while the other attacks Valkyrie. They both throw themselves into their attacks with abyssal rage hoping to destroy the hated foes in front of them.
The creatures seem utterly confused as Viktor and Valkyrie fight off their savage attack together, but the demon attacking Valkyrie gives a roar of rage and swipes forward with one of it's claws while she was backing up leaving a small gash on her arm.
Opehlia quickly weaves her magic around the group making them quicker as Valkyrie charges and slices the demon in front of her twice almost bringing it down. Both of her cuts leave horrible wounds on the creature as it makes a sound close between a hiss and rat-like squeal. Then Viktor charges forward and strikes the demon in front of him his holy blade blasting the creature with holy light as it leaves a gaping gash on its body.
Halara charges forward trying to bring the demon next to Viktor down, but she misjudges the distance and instead of hurting the demon her blade is deflected by the demon's thick natural hide.
You hear the chittering voices stop as they turn to look around for the source of the yelling. They turn to look at the paladin and begin laughing darkly. One of them yells out in a high pitched voice. "You manthing will make a fine plaything, yes yes!" As they get ready to advance will clearly ill intent you all recognize these creatures as Abrikandilu demons like the two you encountered in the Grey Garrison.
Walter's returned to the boards so I'm going to see if he wants to return because if he is then we won't have to do a recruitment.
You guys had as long a rest as you needed to get spells and the like back.
Irabeth nods at Ophelia's suggestion. "I'll try and send a few people to see what more they can find out." She sees all of you out before heading back into Defender's Heart. Even as she turns around you can already hear her barking out orders to several crusaders inside. As you head out you see more signs of the demon's damage as you approach the business district. Most homes and shops appear to have been either destroyed or looted. Many bodies of both cultists and citizens are strewn about. As you approach the closest business that appears to be semi-intact you hear a couple of high pitched and squeaky voices that ring out with chittering laughter as you hear the sounds of smashing coming from further down the street. You recognize that the voices seem to be approaching your location.
Irabeth smiles clearly pleased at your answer. She motions behind her. "Follow me." She leads you into Defender's Heart where you see several priests praying over fallen crusaders. You see two priests of Iomedae praying over the fallen corpse of Micah as Irabeth leads you into a back room. Inside is a table with several chairs set up around it and a map of Kenabres in the center. The map has several areas circled on the map and all but two have been crossed out. Irabeth takes a seat and motions for you all to take a seat also if you wish. After everyone who wants to has been seated she motions to the map and begins. "We've done a good job of clearing out Kenabres, but we've had some disturbing reports from a few areas. Most we've cleared up, but there are still these two areas that need checking." She motions at the closer of the two uncrossed out circles. "We've heard some reports of some crazed knights in this area. They've been stopping multiple people, but they haven't done anything too harmful yet. That being said they seem to be acting erratically and it would be better to either stop them or bring them back here to clear up and misunderstandings." Motioning at the next circle Irabeth continues. "The business district of town was hit hard by demons, and looters and several scouts of mine have reported seeing several demons still taking up residence in the area. They seem to enjoy smashing everything to bits. Clearing these demons from the streets is imperative if we wish to finally cleanse the city of their presence."
Irabeth seems impressed with the tale of all of your exploits though she nods sadly at Micah's death. "I shall have some clerics see to him and send him off with the proper rites. That being said I am not sure what to make of this knowledge that something has changed you. None of you seem to have any signs of corruption, so this must be a sign of favor from the gods." She motions for some men to come over and pick up Micah's body as she turns back to all of you to continue. "We had some luck with distracting the demons, and with you sabotaging their plans we should be able to push them out of the city, but there are several areas that still have a strong demon presence. If this ability of yours allows you to stand against demons that would be beyond you.... I simply ask that you will assist in weakening the demon's hold on this city before our reinforcements come." She looks around at each of you waiting for your answer.
As the group makes their way back towards Defender's Heart and Irabeth they creep through the halls of this once great bastion of justice now with more time to look around the true horror of what these demons will do if they win becomes apparent. They hold no respect for the living or the dead, truly these creatures are spawned from the darkest abyss with black hearts. The streets seem quiet as you wander out back towards Defender's Heart. As you approach the huge inn you can see several guards up on the roof looking down at all of you with crossbows drawn. It takes them only a moment, but they recognize you almost immediately with one of the calling out inside the inn. "Irabeth, the heroes are back!" With that you hear a flurry of activity from the front door of the inn before Irabeth stands before all of you. Her armor seems to have taken quite a few dents and scratches, but she seems for the most part alright. She looks around at all of you with a slightly hopeful glance. "How did your quest go my friends?" While her face doesn't betray much, by the posture of her body you can all tell she is currently waiting on your every word not wanting to miss a single thing.
As you all look around you can see Micah and Telis lying on the ground both of them seeming to be dead from asphyxiation. It seems whatever power saved you from the worst of the demon's magics failed to protect them as well.
Alright with the end of this combat everyone will gain one mythic tier! Feel free to take some time to look over the options and pick whichever one suits you.
Valkyrie quickly strikes at the only remaining demon with her blade flashing out two times to cut into the demon's flesh. Her first cut opens a large wound on the demon's side while she unleashes another cut across its neck sending the demon's head down onto the floor with a flourish. The sounds of battle dim as you all look around and see the glowing light that beamed out from your skin slowly recede as you feel the power within your body stabilize and strengthen it for the trials to come.
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Viktor brings his blade down upon the demon with unwavering force going past the demon's defenses like they weren't even there. With Viktor's slash the demon falls to the ground a smoking heap of darkness and corruption finally purified by the light of Viktor's blade.
Viktor's strike and Ophelia's blast take a terrible toll on the demon all by himself. He seems to be barley standing through sheer harted and determination. Valkyrie's blade lays another horrendous wound onto the babu demon in front of her, but it tenaciously clings to life as Halara's blade comes whistling through the air towards it.
Her blade providing the final push to throw the demon onto the ground dead as another of the fiends finally meets its fate. The remaining two demons seems to be furious throwing all of their attacks out in an attempt to strike back at these heroes who dare interfere with their plans. One of them biting and clawing at Viktor while the other tries to attack Valkyrie.
One of the demons seems to be darkly blessed for while its claws fail to find any purchase in Viktor's armor it bites deeply into the paladins side before tearing out a large wound. The demon facing Valkyrie finds itself foiled again and again as its bite and one of its claws miss the as she dances back away from its attacks and even the claw that manages to catch her side merely bounces off her holy skin. The two demons seem to be on their last legs barley standing but still filled with a hatred of everything good and true.
Opehlia uses her wand and blasts the demon behind Viktor trying to take it down to stop the flanking. The demon snarls at her, but turns to focus on Viktor trying to take him down before heading off to deal with the elf. The other two demons try to bite and claw Valkyrie to stop the magus from attacking anymore.
The demon behind Viktor gets it's longspear past his defenses and slams the spear into a weak point in his armor tearing a hole in Viktor's back, but even with this Viktor's wounds still begin to heal rapidly. One of the demons manages to bite and claw Valkyrie, but it's claw doesn't even seem to harm her. The bite on the other hand does cause a small wound to form on Valkyrie, but she easily shrugs it off being merely a flesh wound. The other demon manages to land at least a claw, but even this claw seem to only cause a small flesh wound. The demons seem to be breathing heavily not able to understand how these heroes continue to stand against them.
Viktor causes a deep wound to form on the demon to foolishly provoke and attack from the holy paladin while his attack on his turn cut down the demon to his side. Both of Valkyrie's attacks draw hisses of rage and pain from the demon in front of her as her twin slices from her scimitar cut open two deep slashes in the dark creature's flesh. Halara then steps forward and strikes at the demon Valkyrie just attacked.
But she suddenly stumbles not entirely used to her new powers and abilities.
Opehlia's magic missiles strike another one of the fiends and it flinches back not able to understand how she got past his resistance. The fiends beginning to understand the powers that they are going up against move forward trying to move around the group to gain an advantage over the heroes.
Gm rolls:
The longspear wielding demon comes from behind Viktor, but he dodges it with ease. Then the next demon next to him begins to claw and bite at him with an unholy fury, but when the claws slices towards Viktor's flesh the claws slide over his flesh the feeling is disturbing, but completely harmless. It then rushes forward with a bite that leaves a small flesh wound on the paladin. The next demon seemingly thrown into an unholy rage by this bastion of purity that Viktor is presenting rushes forward but even it can only land a claw, but this time the claw does seem to cause a lot of damage damage. The other demon seems to have even less luck with Valkyrie unable to even land a single strike.
As Viktor strikes forward even more surprised as his cuts the demon in half with ease not even feeling the slightest resistance. Valkyrie then steps forward and with two strikes almost takes down a demon on her own which Halara attempts to capitalize on by striking at that same demon.
And with her strike another demon is taken out of the fight, falling to the ground as Halara's holy blade cuts through the maleficent fiend.
Halara and Valkyrie take huge cuts out of the demon in front of them while Ophelia blasts it with her arcane wand.
The demon seems angry while his fellows tries to call upon their foul spells to get rid of the powers infusing you, but they all fail against the light currently guarding you. One final one attempts to call upon darkness to fill the room, but that is also dispeled by the pure light shining forth from all of your bodies. The wounded demon crying out in rage attempts to strike back at Valkyrie with its bloody maw and claws.
The unholy demon manages to land one claw on Valkyrie, but it seems little more than a scratch with the power currently infusing her.
As you all speak to one another about your experience a somewhat transparent beautiful demonic woman with batlike wings, a horned brow, and glowing red eyes. She regards you all with a smoldering, furious expression, then says, “This only delays your kind’s extinction. But at least I can take steps to hasten your own.” She then attempts to throw dark magic onto all of you, but only Telis and Micah are affected falling to the ground gasping for air. “The death throes of your wardstone seem to be protecting you from my magic. No matter. They cannot protect you from my slaves!” With this, she spreads wide her arms and a rift tears open in reality. A half-dozen babaus tumble through into the room, and beyond them you catch glimpses of even greater demons preparing to enter—vrocks, glabrezus, even a marilith—when suddenly the energy infusing them pulses back outward. As this happens, the powerful energy hits the Abyssal rift and slams it shut. The woman screams in pain as the magical feedback tears into her body, breaking bones and shredding her wings. An instant later, her projected image vanishes, but the six babaus that managed to clamber into the Material Plane before the rift closed remain and immediately attack.
Buffs:
• Damage reduction 10/good • Regeneration 5 (unholy damage or evil spells) • Resist acid 10 and fire 10 • Each of you glows with bright light that automatically dispels any 3rd-level or lower darkness effect they enter. • Each of your attacks are treated as good for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction, and deals +2d6 points of damage against creatures with the evil subtype. • Once per round as an immediate action, you can roll 1d12 and add the result to any d20 roll just made.
Halara steps forward and attacks one of the new demons with her fauchard sweeping at it's chest.
And she lands a telling blow on the demon slicing deeply into its flesh with her blade making it stagger backwards.
So just a quick check, but everyone is up to level 5 correct?
Almost, you guys hit 5 then something more will happen in this room and then first mythic tier.
Feel free at this moment to level up to 5th level and write what your character experiences before we continue on.
When Valkyrie touches the rod to the stone the wardstone fragment is destroyed, it explodes in a blast of golden light and the sound of an angelic choir. Hundreds of razor-sharp shards of stone spray outward, destroying the cage the fragment was inside and dealing to the room around you. It miraculously avoids harming the any of you instead just tearing away at the walls and the corrupt body near you. A few seconds later an unexpected side effect of the wardstone’s destruction occurs. If the holy energies stored in all of the wardstones were the waters of a vast lake formed by a dam, then the fragment just destroyed was the plug in that dam holding the waters back. Rather than simply diffusing the wardstone’s border as the Eagle Watch theorized, all of the energies of the wardstones along the border rush out of the “hole” caused by the final destruction of the last and largest fragment of the Kenabres stone. The energy of all of these simultaneously draining artifacts infuses the you with incredible power, causing all of you to glow with golden light. All debilitating conditions and wounds are immediately healed as of you are restored in an instant to full health. All expended spells are instantly restored, and all limited use per day abilities recharge. As all of you are still standing in the afterglow of the holy light you receive a vision of the first wardstone being erected in the Kite here in Kenabres in 4639 AR, in a ritual involving the aid of the Hand of the Inheritor, the herald of Iomedae. Another visions shows in the year 4665 AR, a 20-year-old Hulrun leading the burning of dozens of supposed “witches” in the courtyard of the Kite before the wardstone. Traveling to the year 4692 AR, you see a vision of Khorramzadeh the Storm King leading a brazen attack on Kenabres. The Storm King manages to strike a resounding blow with his sword against the wardstone, which suffers only the tiniest of cracks as the balor’s sword shatters. Khorramzadeh is then attacked and forced to flee when the silver dragon Terendelev nearly kills him. Further along in the year 4712 AR, you see a vision of Irabeth chasing a burly dwarven man into the courtyard containing the wardstone. Both paladins are heavily wounded, and as the dwarven man backs against the wardstone, smoke rises and he screams in pain. He ducks to avoid one of Irabeth’s blows, then manages to smash her knee with his hammer, dropping her to the ground. The dwarven man seems ready to deliver a death blow, but the sound of approaching soldiers forces him instead to back away and summon a fiendish giant wasp that he swiftly mounts and then f lies away to the north, abandoning Kenabres. You then see a vision a beautiful demonic woman with a long thin tail, clawed hands, and curling horns protruding from where her eyes should be, placing the wardstone fragment in this room and of the woman you fought using a wish granted by the strange demonic woman to create the cage around it before the demon woman teleports away. Another vision appears of an event you know will now never happen another demonic looking woman using a deep purple crystal the size of a human’s head to corrupt the fragment, causing the entire border to flash with nauseating mauve fire that devastates the border cities and transforms countless crusaders into half-fiend slaves of the Worldwound.
Valkyrie finds that the first key seems to go for the doorway that they just entered through. There doesn't seem to be anything in this room that the other key goes to. The stone inside of the cage is reachable with the rod of cancelation that you received otherwise you would have to reach through the cage to attack the stone, or destroy the cage itself and then get the stone to destroy.
Items on Woman:
3 Scrolls of dispel magic +1 scythe, Amulet of natural armor +1 Cloak of resistance +2 2 keys 350 gp in onyx gems 32 gp The cage around the wardstone appears to have been created without any lock or doorway to open it.
The woman has several magical auras coming from her corpse while the overwhelming power that Valkyire can feel comes from glowing white stone behind the iron bars on the pedestal.
The woman scowls as Viktor's blade slices into her side. She grasps her side as Valkyrie's blade comes forward for two quick slices that leave her barley standing. As she reels back from Halara's attack Opehlia's missiles slam into her and she falls to the floor blood spreading across the floor.
Halara's fauchard cuts the woman deeply as Valkyrie moves forward and slices her once. She reels back when Ophelia blasts her with a barrage of magic missiles and she roars in anger and pain. Suddenly bringer her scythe around to strike at Valkyrie the woman snarls. "I'll enjoy cutting you all up into pieces!"
Micah then tries to fire an arrow at the woman while Telis moves forward.
Unfortunately Miocah's arrow heads wide and Telis in unable to land a blow on the woman.
Viktor charges in and slashes the woman deeply on her arm but she twists to the side before he can cause huge amounts of damage.
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