You feel Vardishal's sadness almost as if it was your own. Flickers of the memory of Kardswann as a boy flash across your mind. His powers faded with his loss of faith. But it was his loss of will that doomed him. Remember that mine host...
Vardishal's consciousness recedes.
Grall slips to the ground exhausted after his extended rage.
Nuveril, still caught in her own, has no mercy for Ugruk, forcing his shield down with a horizontal blow and hitting him in the shoulder with the follow up. The gnoll stumbles back, parrying and blocking Khalid's attacks and looking desperately for an opening. The inquisitor's mind appears to be on Kardswann's final words and his attacks are half-hearted.
But then Ugruk jerks as Sajan's hands close around his neck, half lifting him off the ground. Ugruk claws at the monk's arms desperately but can manage only a few scratches.
Grapple (flank) pass
Break Grapple
Linah has time to cry out Nuveril no! There is no need for this. Its over!
Before Nuveril's hammer crunches into Ugruk's windpipe, killing him.
Fight at the Battle Market is over!
Haleen, her eyes full of tears, rushes over to Grall and gently cradles his head in her lap. She strokes his blood matted fur.
Its over! Its over! Oh my poor Grall.
Haleen, her eyes full of tears, rushes over to Grall and gently cradles his head in her lap. She strokes his blood matted fur.
Its over! Its over! Oh my poor Grall.
Grall reaches his bloodied hand to Haleen face and smiles, Yes...and you aarrre finally safe. I..I came forrr you. I knew you werrre in dangerrr.
Now you arrre safe to rrreturrrn home, away from this place and away frrrom that thing. We can speak laterrr of what happened to you, but therrre arrre otherrrs who still need us, fighting what is left of my brrretherrren down therrre. Do you have any healing left? We must trrry to help them...Grall tries to rise, but looks to need more healing before he can really move around.
Linah has time to cry out Nuveril no! There is no need for this. Its over!Before Nuveril's hammer crunches into Ugruk's windpipe, killing him.
"Now," Nuveril looks up at Linah panting with satisfaction, "it is over." The fallen gnoll's strange weapon is far too big for her, but she snatches it away from him anyway. A glance at Grall determines he is still alive, if only just. "Yes, the others are below, and this one kicked Grall's weapon over the edge; it must be retrieved."
A muttered word and Undrella becomes visible, landing smoothly on the balcony edge. She makes her way over to Kardswann, seemingly intent on satisfying herself he is really dead.
The size of Grall's killing wound means that process doesn't take very long and she beams at you.
Dead at last! Well you certainly held up your end of the bargain. I can scare believe you managed it without casualties.
Linah interrupts her impatiently. Speaking of casualties. Arjun. Where is he?
Oh! In of the sleeping cells below. This way.
Linah quickly uses the last of her channels before dashing off downstairs after the harpy. Haleen uses the last of her healing spells on Grall while the rest of you secure Kardswann and Ugruk's possessions. Even healed Grall is still exhausted.
Channel
Channel
CLW Grall
CLW Grall
By the time you make it back downstairs (having retrieved Grall's falchion) the battle there is over. Garavel and Almah have triumphed, with only a few gnoll survivors joining the two fleeing archers from your fight.
Garavel, sporting a bandaged temple, is as emotional as you’ve seen him, which is to say slightly more than deadpan, although there is more than a hint of a smile across his weathered features.
Our numbers were more or less even but they had no answer for Felliped’s stunning magic and Oxvard’s blessings kept us up on our feet. When it became apparent that they were on their own they broke and ran.
The victory was not without cost however. The bodies of Dullen, the female mercenary that Linah saved during the battle with the geir and Assai, one of the pactmaster guards are being attended to by Oxvard who is wrapping them in linen bandages.
Almah is near him watching. Aside from a scratch to the cheek she seems unwounded although her clothing and armour bear the signs of the fighting. She seems close to tears but stands resolute.
They fought bravely and well and their sacrifice will not be forgotten I swear it!
She regards all of you, frowning a little at Haleen who is helping Grall along. And neither will yours my friends!
Zeladiel casts Detect Magic.
"Bring these things. They may be very useful." He points out several items and helps retrieve them.
Upon their return to the others, Zeladiel bows low to Almah.
"I am so pleased you are safe. We would surely have had casualties had not Grall felled their leader with his strength and bravery." Zeladiel looks over at Garavel, then continues.
"Even then we needed the help of his... friend. She sided with us against Kardswann. Sajan and Nuveril slew many enemies and showed these creatures true fear. And without Linah, none of us would be here before you."
"And Khalid has learned much about our fallen foe and his last words, that you will wish to hear later. In all, I was honoured to fight among such skilled combatants."
@ Zeladiel, speaking boldly in front of Almah and Garavel for the first time, The killing of our trrrue enemy belongs to Sajan. If not forrr his skill and brrraverrry I would lie dead. He held and punished Kardswann with such forrrce, that even he was forrrced to flee and change his tactics. The honorrr of the kill rrrreally belongs to him!
He nods his head in deference to the big man...
"Nobody asked for your opinion, slave. You are not free, yet."
Zeladiel glances at Garavel, then continues to Almah.
"This is mighty team. Each member a link in a powerful chain. I ask if you have further work for them, that I may continue to serve with them."
He glances at Nuveril. "If they'll have me."
Haleen shoots Zeladiel a fiery look.
Nuveril glowers from the back of the group, as Grall and Sajan are praised and even her mortal enemy Felliped is given credit for what was assuredly a small part in a small side battle. Most of the gnolls she faced were no match for her battle prowess, and her defeat of the one who was, at the end, was overshadowed by Grall and Sajan's victory. The spellslinger meets her eyes briefly; he at least found something she had done worthy of mention. She gives him a somewhat sulky nod of acknowledgment.
|
Khalid scowls at Zeladiel's statement to Grall...
"Slave or not, we would not have succeeded without him...That being said, we would be happy to have you with us, Zeladiel."
"Kardswann said something to Vardishal as he was dying that did not make much sense to me...something about a daemon and it knowing we have the key. Does this make sense to anyone else. The only key I aware of is the key to the battle market, Kardswann seemed to imply something else."
In response to Khalid's words, Garavel looks blank but Almah just gives a small nod.
That is something we will need to discuss. Later though.
Undrella flies off to scout for the approaching Kuldis reinforcements.
Late that afternoon, just as the sun is fading from the sky, your combined forces ambush 15 gnolls from the very point that their archers fired on you the day before. Surprise is total. Zeladiel takes the leader through the eye with a shot from his longbow and only a handful of survivors live long enough to run north, the bulk bleeding their lives out on to the dirt from arrow, javelin and bolt.
Thus ends the Kudlis’ control of Kelmarane.
As the vanquishers of Kardswann you claim the bulk of the spoils. A crate in one of the storerooms on the ground floor holds a great deal of equipment. Oxvard identifies part of this as the possessions of his fellow adventurers (and indeed his own gear taken by the gnolls).
Take it. Please. My own adventuring days are over and I think it would please my comrades to know that the heroes that avenged them would put it to good use. Felliped seems less pleased but more grudgingly gives her own consent.
A search of Kardswann’s chambers also reveals a stockpile of loot, from Undrella’s comments, the product of the Kuldis’s raiding and slaving.
Definitely the oddest thing you find is a large glass apparatus housed in its own room on the second level. Undrella explains that this is a working infusarium, an alchemical device used to enhance the potency of magical potions by injecting them directly into the blood rather than ingesting them as normal. There appear to be a number of liquids already in the device, ready for injection. You decide to wait and let Father Zantus examine these.
Storeroom
Ring of protection + 1
Cloak of resistance + 1
Dagger + 1
Wand of Bull’s Strength (10 charges)
Amulet of natural armour + 1
Sandals of spider climbing
Belt of Mighty Constitution + 2
Scalemail + 1
Necklace of fireballs (type III) (please note carefully the downside on this)
Quiver with 10 silver arrows, 8 +1 arrows and 14 +1 bolts
Masterwork cold iron mace
Masterwork longsword (this is a straight edged Avistani broadsword)
Masterwork chainshirt
Masterwork studded leather
Enemy Dead
14 battleaxes
10 shortspears
2 scimitar
4 longbow
2 composite longbow (str 14)
1 heavy flail
2 morningstar
9 leather armour
9 studded leather armour
1 scorpion hide armour
15 heavy wooden shield
1 large masterwork spiked gauntlets
1 large scalemail with armour spikes
2 potions of cure light wounds
Ugruk
Masterwork Breastplate
Masterwork Nunchaku
Heavy Steel Shield
Ring of Feather Fall
1 potion of Cure Moderate Wounds
Kardswann
Breastplate + 1
+1 lawful outsider bane Greataxe (this is made from the same silvery metal as Tempest)
a few empty vials implies he drank his own potion supply before the final confrontation
Kardswann’s loot
4059 gp in mixed coin
3 large garnets worth 500 gp each
Infusarium
The infusarium itself is likely worth several thousand pieces but would be extremely difficult to transport let alone transport without breaking it.
The apparatus currently holds the following potions: mage armour, magic fang, blur, cat’s grace, invisibility, spider climb, haste
These can be injected into the user from the infusarium which doubles the potions duration. Alternatively, Father Zantus or Undrella could attempt to remove the potions from the apparatus although there is a chance that the extraction might fail, ruining the potion.
Grall is Haleen's protective shadow over the coming days. Gone is the crazed beast the finally slew Kardswann. His quiet reserve is almost unsettling...he seems almost too...calm. He helps around the town as he can, as long as he can convince Haleen to tag along. He still tends to any duties that are requested from him.
Each morning he prays to Sarenrae waiting for fate to deliver his destiny, whatever that may be...
Nuveril's mood in the hours and days after the battle is subdued and sulky. She shows little interest in the accumulated treasure, most of which is too large for her to use anyway. She seems restless and dissatisfied; her immediate goal having been achieved, she wonders what is next.
Sajan is grim in his pursuit of the fleeing Gnoll's, using his superior speed to chase down any that get clear of the group. In the aftermath, Sajan searches frantically for Arjun, becoming increasingly distressed that the alchemist cannot be found.
I'd like to bring in a halfling rogue/fighter, the knife fighter archetype from UC, at the end of the chapter. I can play Sajan until we wrap up the chapter but I was hoping to use the group's failure to find Arjun to spur him into leaving. Should be easier to balance my new char's wealth against the groups once they've had a loot split anyway.
Sajan's attitude towards Grall has also completely changed. As promised, he now treats him as a friend and is no longer irritated by his barked orders as they slay the remaining Gnolls side by side.
I won't have UC until it goes up on the srd. Can you extract me the abilities?
Haven't been following the UC discussions so I'm assuming it passes your own "I'd allow this in my game test."
D8 for sneak attack with daggers and knives, D4 for any other weapons.
Circumstantial bonus on AC vs light weapons which replaces trap sense.
Nothing else changed.
Dodge bonus that scales up with level I assume? Provisionally sounds fine. Bit more damage and AC for trap abilities sounds just what rogues need actually. Chapter 2 will start 5th level. I'll average the party wealth for starting funds.
Arjun has been found handless but alive but plenty of scope to replace Sajan if we wait out the chapter.
In the evening after the final battle you manage to talk to Haleen alone and she gives you her version of the last few months.
Clearly the emotional toll of her experiences with Kardswann and the Kuldis has been a heavy one.
She holds out her hands. I'm not sure how or why it happened. Sometimes a blessing, but mostly a curse it seems. I don't know why me.
It started several months ago. I started lighting fires. Only by thought, rather than with me hands. Father thought it was some sort of accident but I knew better. When my emotions were strong it would just .. well happen.
That was scary enough. But then came the dreams. Most I didn’t understand, could barely remember other than they were horrible. But there was one that I kept having, most every night. It was of you Grall, dressed in golden armour and your sword glowed like the sun. You were fighting something enormous, as big as a mountain, a mountain of fire. You stood before it, so brave. And it … it just swallowed you whole. Again and again and each time I woke up screaming.
I dreamt of this place too. A town built on a hill besides a fast flowing river. Although in my dream there was a great red tower, higher than the battle market. I found a book in Father's library that described it so perfectly, Kelmarane.
I know it was stupid but I thought that maybe I was having the dreams for a reason. I thought that if I came here maybe I could find a way to prevent it all from happening. Prevent you from dying. I knew if I told Father or Uncle what I was doing they would stop me. Father was working on a marriage contract, something to expand his power and influence. A crazy, fire starting witch of a daughter wasn't part of the plan. That’s why I couldn’t explain in a letter, I was worried they would read it.
So I took what I needed and What I found here was the gnolls and Kardswann. I used my fire on the gnolls but that didn’t stop Kardswann. He took me to the church of Saranrae. Well beneath the church, to the crypts. He made us intangible with his magic and dragged me through the solid stone like it was air.
Something … dwells down there in the darkness. I never saw it, there was never any light. Only felt it and heard it. Just a horrible noise. You can't think, it nearly drove me crazy. Its name is Xulthos. It did something to me, worked some magic on my mind and after that most everything gets blurry. It is like I wasn’t in control of my own body any more, I was just a servant to its will. I can only remember bits and pieces, but I know I did some horrible, horrible things. I became a monster. I don't know how you can even bear to look at me.
Grall laughs heartily and pushes Haleen a little in his rough way. Bearrr to look at you? Have you looked at me lately? We arrre both a mess little fiery one.
You should have told me that Sarrrenrrae had blessed you so. Why would you keep such a thing frrrom me?
You arrre the one that brrrought me to the light? Without you I would still be the beast, the crrreaturrre I had to become again in orrrderrr to defeat Karrrdswann.
This will be harrrd but you have to tell the otherrr's what happened to you. If this crrreaturrre was also what took Karrrdswann then we need some type of prrrotection against this monsterrr orrr it could take any of us orrr even you again.
Will you speak to the otherrrs about what happened to you? I will be therrre by yourrr side. Rrrememberrr you have been touched by the goddess, she had plans for us all in this. She brrrought you herrre, that in turrrn forrrced me herrre and allowed the brrrave group you saw to defeat this grrrowing evil...
Its a few hours after nightfall by the time the wagons with Dashki and the non-combatants roll into a newly liberated Kelmarane.
You take up occupation of the battle market, everyone too tired to do little more than drag the enemy bodies outside for a pyre tomorrow.
Its clear that a lot of work will be involved in order to restore the battle market to a state fit for habitation. Apart from Kardswann's chambers on the top floor which are scrupulously clean, the gnolls have made little effort with their own sections which are full of accumulated waste. Fortunately the fires the gnolls lit have done little more than blacken the surrounding stone. While a great deal of work will be required to restore these, their functionality hasn't been affected.
When it becomes clear that Kelmarane has seen a change in ownership the human residents of the market emerge from hiding. A dozen men and women in total. Four traders with six slaves between them and two slavers, a one-eyed Keleshite man and a foul smelling dwarf, here to make arrangements with the Kuldis.
Dullen's suggestion that their stock be taken as spoils is rebutted firmly by Almah who seems to mislike but tolerate their presence stating in her authority as mayoress that they haven't broken any laws. I doubt they will like their new regulatory structure however, she says with some amusement.
You awake the next day, well-rested if plenty sore from the battle.
After breakfast, black bread, roast goat and coffee, Almah calls a meeting up in Kardswann's chambers which she has taken as her own.
You are all present as well as Garavel and Zantus, the later in a much better mental and emotional state now that Arjun has been recovered. Almah seems happy enough to keep the bargain made with Undrella but reluctant to make the harpy part of your counsels. She also seems not quite sure what to do with the former flame witch Haleen.
Almah has two chests, the first a medium sized coffer and the second an elborately carved box.
Almah has her servants pour everyone (bar Grall)a glass of fine wine before dismissing all of her servants.
First, my friends a toast! To the impossible, the liberation of Kelmarane! I am well aware that without your bravery and prowess we would not be sitting here.
She opens the coffer and retrieves a parchment and a small bag. Reaching into the later she pulls out a handful of glittering gemstones.
The first part of your reward. Two hundred gold pieces as agreed. Plus to those of you who were with me from the first, a bonus and a token of my gratitude: a further five hundred gold pieces.
She unfolds the partchment.
The second part. This is a deed to the manor next to the inn in the lower town, the cargomaster's mance. Yours in perpetuity. I hope you will all consider Kelmarane as a home. You will always be welcome here.
Now I want to be clear I'm giving this to you now. You've done everything I've asked and your free to take this and go with all of my thanks.
But the reclamation of Kelmarane is not yet complete. When I outlined our mission at the beginning of all of this I said our first task was the elimination of the Kuldis. But there is another I did not mention. I have come to regret that decision. It was foolish and wrong.
You notice that Garavel seems surprised at all of this. Zantus on the other hand just nods.
Almah opens the small box retrieving what looks like a square shard of glass with runes carved up and down the flat side.
This is an interdict key. Zeladiel brought it to me although he didn't know what it was. Few do.
The truth is that the pactmasters know more about the doom that befell this town than is publicly known and part of what they know they passed on to me.
And what they told me is that over two decades ago the inhabitants of this town were driven mad by some evil force. Noone alive knows exactly how it started but brother turned against brother and mother against daughter. All of those who did not join the insanity were .. purged. We saw the signs of that ourselves in the chambers below the monastery.
It happened quickly, a town of nearly two thousand, turned to evil. It was when it seemed that the darkness would spread to the town's neighbours, the pactmasters acted, sending the Zephyr guard as well as local levies. As I understand it the final battle was in the church of Saranrae, only a few hundred feet from where we sit.
The guard encountered something else there, some nightmarish creature from another plane of existence, the hells themselves for all I know. The guard was able to drive this creature underground but their losses were heavy and they did not have the strength to pursue and finish it. Instead, one of their leaders, a priest of Abadar, sealed the creature there behind a web of magical wards.
Wards that this key unlocks.
From everything I was led to believe, this creature was locked behind the wards, impotent. From what you've said about Kardswann's final words that assumption seems mistaken. Somehow it knows about the key, perhaps it can sense it.
Moreoever it seems to have at least some ability to affect the world outside its prison. I had hoped we would have time to assess the situation after the Kuldis were dealt with. Time to work out what to do. Now I fear the consequences of us settling here.
As I said you have each done your part and may walk away with heads held high. Nevertheless I ask whether you would be willing to face this creature and destroy it. I think that Kelmarane and the people here will never be safe while it lives.
|
|
Kardswann's last words making more sense now, Khalid responds, his hand seems to reflexivly go to Tempest...
"I do not pretend to speak for any of my companions, but only myself. I will face the creature. If it was capable of corrupting a Templar of the Five Winds, such as Kardswann, it can not be permitted to live any longer."
You see a hint of a smile, the first one so far.
We are a mess. I don't know where these powers have come from, Saranrae is as good a guess as any I suppose. I do know that noone is going to control me ever again. Not that thing, not my Father. I will decide how I use my power.
I'll speak to the others, your comrades, if you wish.
She takes your hand.
I'm just glad we're together.
** spoiler omitted **
He gives her a little room,
I must say one otherrr thing. Yourrr uncle sent me herrre forrr you. I was to brrring you back safely in rrreturrrn for my frrreedom. Now that you arrre safe I carrre little about that. But you should at least let him know you arrre safe, I did prrromise him that.
Now we must go and talk to the grrroup.
After Almah has her say, Grall nudges Haleen and tries to prompt her to tell her story of her encounter with the evil spirit to the assembled group.
"I see now why Master Rayhan sent me, for I have made many studies of the other planes of existence. He knows my destiny far better than I. Of course I will help you, my Lady Almah. The more I learn about this event, the more my knowledge may help us to face this creature."
Nuveril enjoys the hearty breakfast but sniffs at Almah's wine suspiciously. She does nothing but glance at her payment disdainfully, nor does the real estate seem to impress her. When Almah reveals the interdict key, however, she reacts violently, drawing back from the arcane item's malign influence. "I signed on to kill gnolls, not deal with demons and witches and Gnomes," she bursts out angrily. "From the beginning, I have been misled, drawn into evil, arcane things no self-respecting Lion of the Savannah would have truck with! And now you tell me I have walked into a cursed place whose people were consumed by madness, their minds warped and corrupted! Are the lot of you bent on my destruction?!?" She stalks out of the meeting, down the stairs, and out into the open air where she can breathe more freely.
I shall serve. Sajan says with a simple bow.
Linah seems to have been on the verge of giving her own assent when Nuveril has her outburst and storms out.
Do you think I should go after her? The priestess seems unsure how best to deal with the volatile halfling.
Let her go for now. Almah suggests. She should be free to choose her own way on this.
At Grall's urging, Haleen steps forward. Kardswann took me. He made us intangible with his magic and dragged me through the solid stone like it was air.
Its name is Xulthos. I don't know how I know that. It lives there in the darkness. I never saw it, there was never any light. Only felt it and heard it. Just a horrible noise. You can't think. It took my mind.
Whatever it did, it did the same to Kardswann. It was controlling him too.
But not everyone, it couldn't do everyone. Just Kardswann and I. And it had to renew it. Every week or so? I don't know, time has been a blur.
The reak of the gnolls is still everywhere in the market and you leave, passing out the western door into the open under the sky.
Before you lies a ruined plaza.
Beyond that you can see the church of Saranrae, its walls crumbling in places, its golden domes part broken. The white stone statue of Saranrae has its back to you.
To the north a line of buildings runs along the hill edge. The ones closest to you are a mixture of former homes and businesses.
Closer to the church, a short line of homes are much smaller, as if for a much shorter race than the humans. Several of these are badly burnt out.
At this stage I'm inclined to just ignore the errata. I don't think monks should have to pay a tax to enchant amulet of mighty fists to improve their "weapon". If you can't use knuckles, I'd allow magic handwraps or something so we'd end up in the same place anyway and the knuckles is a firm part of Sajan's background.
My only issue as I've said is amulet stacking and frankly I don't have the experience with 3.5/PF to know how that will play out at high level (which is obviously years of real time away).
If you accept we may need to look at that aspect again (if we ever get there and hey I'm hopeful but how many games make it that far), I'm happy to continue as we have been.
She seems sincere as best as you can tell.
** spoiler omitted **
After declaring his intentions to help against the last threat, Sajan goes to look for Nuveril.
For now I would just add whatever Almah has given you to your total, I haven't posted anything yet as we have no place to sell it until this last part is over...
Grall is making no claim to any of the other items at this point other than expressing a passive desire for the belt....we also need to find out from Dan if the Axe from Kardswann has any special value beyond a +2 weapon since it is an item like Khalid's it appears as well as the infusion thing.
Edit:
Let me know when i've found Nuveril.
Will do, she may be doing something first.
In their earlier excursions into the town, she had been too preoccupied with scouting and fighting to pay much attention to the architecture, but now, the gnoll threat gone, she notices the row of smaller houses -- miniature to the others, perhaps, but to her the only one's that aren't freakishly outsized. A bit aimlessly and almost without conscious intent, she wanders nearer to examine the ruins.
Knowledge (The Planes):
Spellcraft:
You make your way up to the ruined houses, little more than blackened stone and charred timbers. Picking your way carefully through what would have been the ground level of the closest you can see the river beyond, a brilliant azure blue in the sunlight.
You have an odd feeling of deja vu.
Looking around, you spot a glint of metal from a pile of bricks. Moving closer and shifting a brick you see what looks like a small metal disc. A rotted leather strap is looped through a hole in one end. The disc is covered in ash and dirt but it looks like something is carved in to it.
Perhaps you could see if you cleaned it?
When you touch the metal a spark of static electricity runs up your arm and you nearly drop the disc.
Wiping away the grime it seems as if it is made of bronze. One side holds intricate carvings of what looks like clouds with a lightning bolt arcing through the middle. The craftsmanship is extremely high.
Just for a second it looks like the clouds are swirling across the surface of the disc. Surely just a trick of the light.
The disc feels warm in your hand, comfortable.
At the door to the battle market you can see Sajan. Looks like he followed you.
You exit through the west door of the battle market. Across the ruined plaza to the north, admidst a number of ruined houses, you can see Nuveril.
The buildings in that section look as if they were sized for races smaller than human.
Sajan approaches Nuveril, not responding to her bluntness immediately. When he reaches her, he says softly-
Do not show hostility to one who has always spoken well on your behalf. The demon was slain. The witch left our band. Felliped will either leave the settlement or settle down here; either way she will never cast a spell near you again. Whatever evil is lurking within this settlement, if it was subtle and powerful enough to slowly corrupt all within it may also pose a threat to your tribe. It may have already touched us, for I felt far greater anger towards Grall than he deserved of late, almost as if I could not help myself. Perhaps you have felt the same way about someone? It might be this Xulthos creature playing on our darker emotions. Would it truly be safe for you to return to your tribe if it has influenced you? Are you sure they are far enough from Kelmarane to be unaffected by something so potent?
Sajan gestures out to the wilderness in the distance.
If you are entirely sure and you do plan to leave as I suspect, I wish you all the best in your travels, fierce warrior. It has been an honour to fight beside you.