Thane Brightward's page

We pursue the archer and persuade her to join us. Turns out she is no demon-worshipper at all, but her tribe has been taken over by the cultist. We promise to help free her people.

Searching the rooms for clues, I find this longsword. I pick it up, but... I can't remember. It feels strange. As if it... But no! I despise it and everything it represents! For it is Radiance, the long-lost sword of one of Iomedae's most zealous followers. Still... As if being stuck in a previous life, I keep holding it.

We explored some more and found another floor above. At some point we have to tell Zoltan that his scouting is dangerous. He was caught again, and we fought through another wave of cultists. This time they even summoned demons! I am foolish enough to wield Radiance against them. The sword clearly hates me as much as I hate it! I almost kill myself. Or was it her? I try to destroy the wicked sword, but it doesn't even scratch. It taunts me...

We spot an exit and suddenly find ourselves in the destroyed Kenabres. Well, not much left here but corpses. I suggest we make our way out of here, to the River Kingdoms, but my companions think it is saver to reach the library first!?!

On our way we stumble across a group of Crusader. When I see the symbols on their shields I tense up! The f*$@% Order of the Flaming Lance. Still the same bastards! In their zeal they had the great idea to sacrifice a virgin and bathe their swords in her blood, because that would give them an edge in fighting the demons. They literally go over dead bodies! Their 'willing' sacrifice is a young paralysed girl. Tanaquil asks Aravashnial to step in and explain the idiocy in this. But he confirms what I have been assuming for a while: the guy is a moron! He backs them up. I grab my two-hander. Slowly I say: LEAVE - THE - GIRL - IN - PEACE! - NOW! Luckily these bastards are still the same cowards they used to be, and they flee. We take the girl along and I swear to protect her.

We arrive at the library. Like much of Kenabres it has collapsed in ruins. In what is remaining, one of these oh-so-good Crusaders has captured the librarians. I go in and pretend we are reinforcements of whatever failed Order he belongs to. He does not buy it and attacks me. But I strike back and, while ending my swing, I cleave one of his devil friends in half! This is what sword not tainted by Iomedae can do! As this thought goes through my head the world around me becomes dark...

We arrive at the village of the below-surface-dwellers and talk to their chief. He insists he will summon reinforcements for the Crusade. I'm not sure this is sensible, but sure. They seem to be the descendants of the first Crusaders, and look what has become of them.

The way out of here? According to the chief the only path goes through the caves claimed by demon-worshipping traitors. Of course. Thanks. So we approach this traitors' den and, for some reason, send the dward ahead as scout. Unsurprisingly his sneaking is worse than his fighting, and he is attacked before we even notice! And, of course, this nest is well fortified.

I rush in, slicing through the defence. Then, a giant lizard charges me and bites my arm. Something wicked enters my blood. I retreat and heal up before getting almost hit by an arrow. My comrades manage to defeat all cultists, but before we can rest, Tanaquil opens another door!

After clearing the caves, we find the archer retreated down a ladder. We follow, but these cultist have barricaded themselves. Nasty fight. Jadni holds the door as more cultists try to kill us. She opens it again, Tanaquil casts a web spell, and we fell an evil devil-blood! I close the door again and we heal up some more. When the door burst open, we face a demon-worshipping priest. But she didn't think this through! The webs catch her weapon and she gets distracted. With a mighty swing I decapitate her! The only one left is the archer, but she flees again.

I grab one of the priest's healing potions and down it, but the evil wench had cursed it, and I disappear...

I have been wondering about the motives of my companions. They are a somewhat peculiar lot, and I have not been able to see through them yet... My senses are clouded.

Zsoltan, the dwarven warrior, does not talk much, but when he does it is only about the Eagle Watch. At first I was sure he is just another zealot of the Inheritor, eager to follow her every order. But I have come to think that he does not seem to be all too faithful really, but that his zeal is more focused on his martial arts. I am not sure if I prefer the latter. He's clearly dangerous, yet also helpful so far. I hope he doesn't snap like the other dwarf...

Jadni, the human priest, seems to have come to the Worldwound for glory. But I guess she expected it differently. Reality can be unnerving. Unless she stole the holy symbol she is wearing, she follows Ragathiel. If you'd ask me whether there is any god more conniving than the Lady of 'Valor', I'd say it's him. Well, possibly it's a good thing that this Crusade has been crushed now, before she could have been corrupted by it...

Tanaquil, the tiefling mage, came here to help to rid the world of demons, as she claims. I am not entirely sure yet whether this is her only motive. But then, a month ago, I would have opposed a devil from Cheliax by all means. Now? Not so sure anymore. At least she doesn't pretend to care about common welfare or valour, like my Iomedaen 'friends'. So far, she has been very effective at keeping our group in line, and I admire her practical attitude. Still, I must be wary! She is as slippery as an eel...

We follow the tunnels. The whiny human, Horgus by name, tries to buy my services as bodyguard. As he puts it, for one of the most important people. I ask who that might be, but he meant himself. I have a hearty laugh! No, my services are not for sale!

We enter a larger cavern. Another dwarf! This time, a real dwarf... but deranged? He attacks us with foul magic and hits Tanaquil, the mage. As a reflex, I call for divine help, and out of nowhere, a shield of holy force surrounds me! Hm... she's toying with me again... No time to think this through. I rush around a bend into another cavern and raise my sword! The dwarf continues attacking us. Jadni, the priest is at his heels, Zsoltan, our warrior, is closing up as well. I charge the enemy and I am sure to hit him, but my sword cuts through air, just as if the dwarf had blurred out? The next moment I only see colours everywhere! I fall... and can't control my body...

When I get up again, my allies have killed our attacker. They seem to be more capable than I thought... Pleasant surprise... I find a few coins on the dwarf's body, which I take. He doesn't need them anymore... I separate them from my coins though. We continue further and encounter a group of disfigured people. One of them is buried in rubble! I help lifting the rocks, but I slip. Luckily, the others help as well, and we are able to pull the hurt guy out. Tanaquil gives him a potion. They seem to live down here, have even been born here. They agree to lead us to their village, where we can ask their chief for a way out.

We cross a chasm, everyone in their way, and find two dead paladins. They seem to be followers of Iomedae, eh, even here? Can't throw a stone and not hit a follower of that vile $@#%&. They're not carrying longswords though... Strange... Did she also shatter their swords? Upon closer inspection, we find they're no followers of Iomedae after all, but they possess a unholy symbol of Baphomet. The elf speculates they are cultists, and that they had been infiltrating and subverting the Crusade for years... Now that I think about it... It would explain a lot...

Of course! Just when you're sure it can't get any worse...

Unspeakable what these Paladins of the Order of the Flaming Lance have done... all in the name of Iomedae. But she seems to be all fine with it, as long as enough demons are send back to the abyss. I am so through with her! Shall she have her Holy War... but without me!

Done with this farce of a Crusade I am on my way through Kenabres. To Numeria, Brevoy, or any of the River Kingdoms? Heck, even Galt seems like a better and more noble place than this. But sure, of course, no pause for me! Just when I'm about to leave this wretched hive of scum and villainy, the wardstone explodes, a balor decapitates Terendelev, and the abyss opens up to swallow us all. And then darkness...

But it isn't the abyss I am waking up in, though it might as well be. I am underground, who knows how deep. Around me a number of people, some badly hurt like an elf and a fighter. But sure, the guy that complains the most is barely scratched. As I help the elf up, I see more poor souls. A sturdy dwarf, as wide as he is tall, who stays pleasantly calm. A priest or possibly cleric, I recognise her holy symbol - Ragathiel - of course. And sure, a tiefling mage, or witch, from Cheliax of all places. Iomedae, this plotting, vengeful $@#%&, has clearly decided to punish me!

But what does it help? We need to get out of these caverns we are trapped in. I try to heal the elf, but sure, Iomedae is above that... even now... even for clearly wounded civilians... The mage and the cleric are apparently related, they start having a coffee party. Wrong time, wrong place! I convince them we must leave now! So on we go, I slice through a number of giant maggots, and we arrive at a temple or crypt of some sort. Inside, apparently a dwarf, but really an undead monster - how surprising! I destroy it.

No sign of an escape path. Screw this! Onward we push...