Campaign number 2! Admittedly, I never thought I'd ever want to play Hell's Vengeance, but I can honestly say it's been a blast so far!
As with my Curse of the Crimson Throne Journal, I've collected enough entries into this journal that writing each post would be a bit much to do now. So instead, I'll share the file I've been keeping the journal in (fancy formatting included):
As the campaign continues, I'll be adding the new entries to the doc as well as in this thread.
I hope you enjoy these ravings of a religious madman and the crew of villains deranged enough to join him!
21/03/05 - Session 16 - Dominus’ Journal 16: There Is No Safety In Valor
Oathday, 17th Rova, Kantaria, Menador
Bearing the flag made from the holy markings of the dishonourable monk’s flesh, our march into Kantaria was met with no resistance whatsoever. In fact, the people seem to have finally woken from their sopor to shake off the yoke of their oppression! Anarchy is not typically something a follower of the Divine Path ought to savor, but in such a case it is simply a byproduct of Order reestablishing itself, and that is a wonderful thing! In honour of our grand arrival, Father Dexsius arranged from the reconsecration of the Asmodaean temple to its rightful deity. With this task done, I could sleep soundly, knowing that the next day would see us finally liberating the blessed town from the filthy grubs that sully its good name!
Valor’s Fastness is everything I would expect an Iomedaean Fortress to be. Such a structure is a difficult thing indeed to penetrate. Would that it were not being used for blasphemy! Alone, the problem of entering such a structure seemed nearly impossible for our talents. Mister Ezra seemed insistent on the notion of using Miss Zuzka’s separated flesh to enter the structure, though such unpleasant notions were eventually discarded. It is thus that Iomedae’s brilliance finally made itself clear to us! The ugothol, the very tool that the Inheritor saw fit to leave us for this day, provided us the means to gain entry. I needed only teach it to recite a hymn and display her sigil, and the path was opened! There can be no doubt that this scenario was engineered by Divine Mandate! Would that these lost heretics could understand this irrefutable proof that we walk the Path lit by the Inheritor’s own Light!
But such things are beyond these lost lambs. Regrettably, their influence has even corrupted the blessed protector of this structure! That Exemplar, a hound of great loyalty, would act out against us, is troubling to say the least. I suppose I can understand the aversion to Miss Zuzka. Her aura is after all less Orderly than is proper. Nevertheless, the presence of a true emissary of its master ought to have given it pause enough to come to heel. Though I take no pleasure in it, the spirit needed to be taught Discipline, and to this end I assisted Miss Zuzka in seeing it put down. May the Inheritor’s guidance teach the creature to recognise its true masters.
With our welcome made, I took to the front doors, and was met with none other than Oppian, the grub at the heart of this rotten festering wound. He spoke of parley and the sparing of innocents. I confess that while I had every intention of delivering Sinderbos’ metal to his wretched skull just as he cut down the hammer’s former owner and his better, his pitiful pleas did give me the slightest pause. After all, those innocent that sought shelter in Iomedae’s protection need not be purged. I am truly thankful that Father Dexsius was present to return me to my senses. These lost lambs that sought refuge here should surely recognise the sinfulness of those that hold this place! To accept these grounds under such conditions is to be complicit in the heresy, making them just as guilty! Thus, any mercy they might have been granted is forfeit! This is the Truth exposed to me through the light of the good Father’s flames and the cries of these infected souls as they are cleansed!
The revelation was short lived however. Just as Miss Zuzka took a swing that sliced cleanly through what I understand now to be an apparition of the grub, a fox-like being has dared to lash out at my compatriots and I. While its foul magics cannot penetrate my soul reinforced by Iomedae’s Righteous Guidance, it did nevertheless put my compatriots in a rather difficult state of affairs. Fear not, my dear friends, for this beast shall not be permitted to harm you further!
Player Notes: The session was regrettably cut a bit short due to technical difficulties, but we as a party are quite excited to finally be storming this place! I've been personally looking to take Oppian Nevilindor down a peg since we first met him. That said, between Zuzka taking a nasty amount of Wis damage and Dexsius going down to 5 hp due to Shield Other and what I assume was a particularly rough cast of Holy Smite, this next fight is promising to be a tough one...
21/03/12 - Session 17 - Dominus’ Journal 17: Fools, Foxes, and Foo Lions
Oathday, 17th Rova, Kantaria, Menador
I will confess, this fox woman was more resilient than I had initially anticipated, and it did not help things that the guardian of the chapel saw fit to stand against us as well. Clearly it was not made to be intelligent enough to see through the falsehood of those heretics that the good Father made clear for myself. Speaking of which, Father Dexsius met with a great deal of difficulty in this fight. Miss Zuzka as well. I suppose such is the plight of those who do not have the complete blessing of the full Divine Order. It is fortunate then that they are in the company of one enlightened such as I to hold the line while they regained their composure. The beast and statue could do little to put down a True Emissary, which gave my dear companions ample time to put them down for their dissent.
That said, this siege is a costly one, so once our faceless accomplice rejoined us and we had the opportunity to restore ourselves, we did not tarry in making our way to the second floor, pausing only to investigate a few rooms near the chapel. The presence of locks slowed us, but was only a minor inconvenience in the path of Justice.
Our next trial would come in the form of a pair of Foo Lions. Yet more servants that have been misled by the Erroneous Reclamation. By this point such threats are inconsequential to our might, though it is regrettable that such beasts could find themselves corrupted. With every creature slain, I add to the crimes that Oppian Nevilindor shall be made to answer for...
There was one other irritant on our path. An Archon too flies against us, seemingly for no other purpose than to harass us along our quest. The javelins it has been hurling are only a meager threat to myself, though they are nevertheless frustrating. Likewise with these soldiers firing at us from the ramparts. Would that my armour’s wings granted me flight, so that I might hurry to mete out appropriate retribution for their heresy. For now, I had to make do with impressing upon the heavenly soldier the error of their ways (enough to turn it away from the battlefield for a time, at least) and using the bodies of the lions to cover miss Zuzka while she opened our next path. At least in death, these creatures serve their rightful masters.
As best I can tell, there is still work to be done, but we are well on our way to finding Oppian and making the worm answer for his failings. There is perhaps hope that in cutting off the head of this malformed corruption, the remaining branches will wither and die. It is about time their rot be repurposed as fertiliser for the Bright Future demanded by the Divine Order!
Player Notes: I must say this is quickly becoming probably the most difficult and annoying dungeons we've gone through so far, right up there with the final map of Book 1. Last time our problem was a lack of healing and ways to deal with ranged attackers. This time around we have healing, but the ranged attacks still seem to be a problem, and worse than that is our apparent lack of a counter to Holy Smite... It also doesn't help that our GM is a nat 20 machine, but sometimes that's just how the dice be. It'll all be worth it for when we finally get to demolish Oppian...
21/03/20 - Session 18 - Dominus’ Journal 18: Fall From Valor
Oathday, 17th Rova, Kantaria, Menador
Miss Zuzka managing to open the doors to the central access was much akin to the Gates of Heaven themselves opening up for their Masters. The minor inconveniences of those misguided soldiers desperately lashing out with their feeble arrows would be something to address in time, but not now. No, the Divine Path has been made clear. In the chambers, we found a letter written by the worm himself. It is clear that the lamb realised that it has lost its way. That it took so long for him to come to this realisation is a testament to the vileness of his corruption, but this serves only to bolster my own resolve to purify him. The man had erred, and now seeks to approach his Goddess for Guidance. Worry not, Oppian Nevilindor, for I shall aid you in seeking Iomedae’s Council by sending you to her myself!
The ascent was by no means a simple task either, though once more the Blessings of Heaven and Hell secured my personal safe passage. First, we were bathed in flames. For one touched by the flames of Mephistopheles, such things are a pleasure to endure! Then, there was the matter of the apparitions. An ethereal being guiding the ancient protectors of this place, Arakhan Narikopolus and Iomedae herself, further up. While their presence seemed to trouble Miss Zuzka and Mister Ezra in particular, I can only assume that this was due to their lack of Discipline. The vision was clearly an encouragement for us to Ascend and reclaim this place in the name of True Justice! This message was so rudely interrupted by the same heretical archon that sought to pester us before. Fortunately, Mister Ezra conjured enough strength to imbue me with the blessing of flight, and I was able to confront her directly! Or, I would, had she not decided in that moment to flee once more in cowardice, no doubt sensing the Strength of my Righteous Convictions.
Nevertheless, with her gone, I was able to more carefully study the Holy Visions that guided us, and came to understand their message in full. The key lay in Father Dexsius! As a man of Religious Conviction much like myself, he too was able to face the apparitions undaunted, and thus could Ascend unimpeded. In doing so, he would demonstrate the true authority of Hell over Heaven, and right the wrongs corrupting this place! I took Mister Ezra and rose to the rotunda while he took on this task, and sure enough his Perseverance rung true! The Inheritor confirmed our Justice with a blessing of speed, a worthy boon for our final confrontation...
A final confrontation that I did not quite expect to turn out as it did. I make no secret my contempt for the weakness Oppian Nevilindor has shown in the face of heresy. How easily he succumbed to their control is proof that he lacks the wherewithal to hold such a Divine Mandate. His dereliction of duty, his failure to uphold the rightful laws, his consorting with rogue elements, his wanton lust… All were proof of his failings as a Knight of the Inheritor. I had every intention of educating him on these mistakes, and offering him the opportunity to atone by way of a Proper Cleansing. What surprised me is that by the time we had come to him, these revelations had all seeped into his mind so thoroughly that all it took was the lightest suggestion on our part that the fault was his, and he chose to atone immediately by plummeting from the tower! Perhaps the clarity that comes from such a Holy Place managed to open his eyes, or the weight of his sins became too much for him to bear. Perhaps seeing me raise the hammer of the friend he had betrayed shook him deeply enough to wedge away the doubts that remained. Whatever the case may be, I underestimated the man’s resolve. In his final moments, he took the initiative to try and right his wrongs. This, if nothing else about him, I can respect.
That gesture leaves me to ponder his fate. A death such as his would not typically lead one to be judged fit for the Inheritor’s Halls, though perhaps his crimes already precluded that outcome. Mayhaps by denying his redemption, he has turned to a more grueling path of Atonement. This could indeed be the Will of the Divine Order; to give him a path rigorous enough to properly cleanse his soul of the corruption it holds. If such is the case, perhaps then it holds a value I did not fully appreciate. I shall have to meditate on this in time, as I am certain the Truth will be made clear to me.
Oppian may be gone, but there remains one final corrupting influence. From the way this Legion Archon spoke, she may well have been the source of all of this. If that is so, then her crimes are even more unforgivable! This Revelation must have been correct, as the full force of my Divine Blessings struck at her with my first attack! The vile thing tried in vain to lash out at us, and her strength was certainly formidable, but her heresy could not stand when faced with the full powers of the Divine Order. In the end, a final bomb from Mister Ezra was all that was needed to purge away her vile words dressed in the guise of Iomedae’s will. Her lies would be spoken no longer.
As I predicted, with the roots torn out, the rest of this infestation crumbled and was swiftly dispatched. I look forward to culling these infected lambs and restoring this beautiful Holy Place to the way it ought to be. My compatriots of course share my joy in this accomplishment, and it was clear from our reunion that my father was proud of my victory as well. He granted us his full support, as well as boons for our service. In my case, I was gifted with a blessing that would make this warhammer that has served me so well into a proper instrument of the Divine Order. At my command, it can manifest as the weapons of the Divinities I hold in such high esteem. Truly, it is a Blessing fit for my Convictions!
As we complete the liberation of Kantaria, there remain two final pressing issues that need to be resolved. One is the fate of Valor’s Fastness. In truth, I did not wish to do harm to this Blessed place, though Father Dexsius provided a very compelling case. Surely, as the corruption was found to have seeped even in these hallowed grounds, it would be only appropriate to ritually cleanse it and rebuild a new and improved temple in its place. One that truly reflects the Will of the Divine Order. Iomedae would take her Rightful Place at Asmodeus’ side, and demonstrate the unity that comes with the properly recognised Hierarchy! The vision is a magnificent one, and for our Righteous Convictions, we received a blessing to further aid us in combatting the forces of corruption that would struggle against Justice.
The second issue is that of the faceless stalkers. Useful as their service was in reclaiming these lands, their Purpose has expired. Though the Inheritor left these agents to serve us, we must not forget that she did still wish them exterminated, and it would simply not do to leave her work unfinished! Fortunately, Father Dexsius’ plan was elegant, as befitting a man of his faith. The clause of his contract would allow it to be nullified by a proper representative, and our loyal companion given to us by Demeer was just such a creature. With the right coaxing, it was persuaded to sign for the promise of a Just Reward. True to our word, I delivered that reward post-haste, and soon sought out the leader of these vermin Linton Demeer to give him his due in turn…
I was granted the most honourable privilege to take charge of the town until its proper lords could return after all, just as Iomedae had before. As such, I shall follow in her footsteps, and will not rest until it is put to right, even if I must use every ounce of my Force to make it so!
Player Notes: And so it was that we completed book 2 of Hell's Vengeance! Honestly, with the exception of a couple small roadbumps, this session went about as perfectly as it could have! Dexsius has kept his track record of never failing a will save in a moment when it really mattered, and my first hit against the Archon was an absolutely devastating Smite crit. Not to mention hitting level 7 (time for my intimidate build to fully activate)... But the thing I'm most eager for is to write the epilogue for this book. Let's just say the sadist in me has some ideas about what to do with the last remaining "false" Iomedaeans in the town...
21/03/20 - Session 18 - Kantaria’s Cleansing
Starday, 19th Rova, Kantaria, Menador
When Longacre had fallen back into line, the stories of what happened to those foolish enough to rebel did not spread particularly far. It was a small and insignificant village, after all.
Kantaria, by comparison, was also small, but far from insignificant, and for the events to transpire as they did, on the Day of the Inheritor no less, they surely would not be forgotten.
People who witnessed the events, disturbed as they might be, could recall how those who had escaped slavery were just as quickly sent back to it, alongside those who helped them escape. They would remember as certain citizens were interrogated, rounded up, and killed, only for some of them to have their faces contort and leave behind an unnaturally deformed and featureless corpse. They would remember an imperious looking man with a menacing smile and official Chelish insignias overlooking the devastation with satisfaction, and giving words of praise to those agents who had taken the city. Agents that, for a time at least, were believed to be simple adventurers passing through.
Those in attendance might recall how Valor’s Fastness, once a gleaming beacon of the city’s association with Iomedae, was torn apart and desecrated, supposedly in the name of erecting a new, more magnificent temple fortress, one in which Iomedae would have a place, kneeling obediently to Lord Asmodeus. They might recall the largest of the agents, a man now clad in a twisted and dark version of the brilliant armour once donned by the freshly deceased Governor Nevilindor, preached to the onlookers the importance of observing just and honourable lives in reverence to the true hierarchy of Hell over Heaven, and asserted that the actions taken to reclaim the town were as much the divine will of the Inheritor as they were of the Dark Prince. That the holy mandate of Thrune was absolute, and that the terrorists calling themselves the Glorious Reclamation tarnished the good name of the Inheritor with their blasphemous rebellion.
These witnesses would remember the manic joy in the man’s eyes as he proudly declared that the Day of the Inheritor would be properly celebrated, by offering a chance for those who lost their way to be brought back into the divine order, as reconciliation for their heresy. They would surely remember the dozens of faithful Iomedaeans and supporters of the Reclamation being tortured in groups until they denounced their crimes, then ritually slaughtered and raised as undead, at which point their animated remains coalesced into a horrifying perversion of the likeness of their former deity. They would know that these monstrosities would eventually march through the newly erected cathedral, standing guard much as they might have before the corruption of their holy charge.
They would absolutely remember the fate of Pious Pete, recognisable only by his wails of agony as his skinless body was dragged along by an eerily cheerful woman stained with blood that seemed to make her vicious-looking kukri pulsate with a palpable aura of malevolence. They would remember that his final destination was a large ceremonial pyre, the kindling composed in no small part of wooden holy symbols. They may have noticed how he was bound to the pyre with a large amount of what seemed to be his own dried, flayed skin. Some may even have observed that there was more skin than a single man could produce, save for if it had been repeatedly regenerated and removed in what could only be a process of extremely prolonged agony. They might also have noticed the woman removing two of the tortured man’s fingers with her blade as she assisted in binding him, though they could only speculate on the purpose of this action. Most of them however could recount the horrible stench that soon followed as some small devil appeared and lit the pyre, laughing gleefully as Pete begged for mercy. Everyone in attendance would remember that his cries went unanswered...
No, try as they might, those who were there for Kantaria’s Day of the Inheritor would never be able to forget the terrors they witnessed that day, or shake off the feeling of dread that accompanied them...
Player's Notes: I honestly had a lot of fun writing this. I even got a chance to sneak in a reference to Herecites, which I was all too happy to do since I've found them interesting ever since they appeared in Hell's Rebels. Anyway, due to one of the players going through a move, there is yet another week off before we resume. I eagerly await our next adventure, especially now that my intimidation build has finally reached its true moment of activation (that is to say, Cornugon Smash happened this level)...
21/04/16 - Session 19 - Dominus' Journal 19: A New Path
Starday, 3rd Lamashan, Senara, The Heartlands
Our departure from Kantaria is bittersweet. Though I will always treasure the glorious opportunity to have taken part in its liberation and restoration to a true beacon of the Divine Order’s righteousness, there is still work to be done. At the very least, I was able to see the new temple’s construction consecrated in the name of Asmodeus, and participate in the pleasures of Dies Irae, before we were summoned back to meet with father in Kantaria. I sincerely hope that some time soon, I shall be able to return and witness the new holy site in all of its proper glory!
There was one other sad event in this departure. In addition to the expected parting of ways with my dear mother and Shield-Maralictor Zara, we also bid farewell to Miss Zuzka, who for personal reasons chose not to continue her adventure with us. Much as it disappoints me that she will no longer be following us on this journey, and fear that without guidance she might lose her way from the Divine Path, for her services thus far I cannot bear her any ill will. I pray that she shall continue onward towards ultimate salvation in the True Light!
Dear father made it clear that we must not tarry in our arrival, so we did not spend long in Longacre, though I confess a certain curiosity regarding the state of our former charge. As that did not turn out to be the purpose of our summons, I can only assume that our lessons have been taken to heart by the flock, and they remain obediently in their rightful place.
The first reason for our summons was quite a joyous one! Dear father has seen fit to grant us a boon for our services, in the form of advancement in Thrune’s ranks! By blessing the branding upon my eye, I can feel myself bolstered by the might of Hell’s mighty heralds on the material plane! As a loyal servant to the Divine Order, it is only natural that I accept such a gift from their representatives! My fellows were also given such a gift for their services, a gift I am sad Miss Zuzka did not join us to receive. Inquisitor Izinio, who granted us this boon, seemed to have even taken measure to heat the brand for Father Dexsius, which I assume to have been a means of demonstrating the Hellish power that courses through his veins. Would that he heated it for me as well, so that I might demonstrate the Infernal blessings that also course through mine! But jealousy is an ugly sentiment, so I shall not let the Father’s good fortune be a cause for grief.
Aside from ourselves, two others received the blessings on my dear father’s orders. These two individuals, Miss Arcatraz and Mister Kezax… They had not been mentioned to me before, though it would seem they had been working in service of his other machinations. For them to have earned the same boon as us, I must come to the conclusion that they are worthy and capable agents, so I take pleasure in finally making their acquaintance! Miss Arcatraz, or Miss Archie, as she prefers, exudes the confidence and intelligence of a learned scholar, while this servant of hers Mister Kezax, seems well-mannered and steadfast. Both also seem to possess the blood of dragons, though this has manifested more apparently in the case of Mister Kezax. Dragons are noble and powerful creatures indeed, so even while their blood is not quite as prestigious as that of those blessed by the gods, it is nevertheless an impressive pedigree. Our next mission shall see us working together, so I am eager to learn what they are capable of…
On the subject of that next mission, I am admittedly somewhat confused. My dear father has requested that we collect ingredients and conduct a ritual to seal a gate to Malebolge, Moloch’s Infernal realm. But why seal a means to directly access such a blessed place!? My father’s explanation is that such an act would be in accordance with the treaty forged between the Queen and Lord Asmodeus. I have no reason to doubt him, so surely this is a technical matter in the contract that I simply am not privy to. Still, that such a boon would be wasted in this manner hardly seems in accordance with the Divine Order. Perhaps my more academic companions will have wisdom to share in this matter…
This new task has led us on a journey to Senara. I remember the occasional trips to father's townhouse there well, though it has been many years since then. Such a pleasure it was to reunite with the good Miss Blissy, who cared for me as a babe! Though I am relieved to see that she and father's other servants are unharmed, the fact that once again a town has become overrun with the blasphemous heretics that claim to serve the Inheritor is enough to make my blood boil! Would that we had an army with which to root out these vermin from father's flock, but for now we have been assigned another purpose.
Nevertheless, this purpose has already found its first trouble. Some wretched thieves have stolen an amulet that was a necessary part of the ritual we are to perform! I took it upon myself to punish the one responsible for keeping the place secure for his incompetence, though I was merciful, and left him in Father Dexsius’ care. Despite the plague of chaos running rampant across this town, the servants have indeed remained loyal, and for that they have my appreciation. Father has indeed trained them well!
As for the thieves, their discipline shall need to be more severe. Fortunately Mister Kezax wasted no time in hunting down the tracks of these criminals, while Miss Archie was kind enough to accompany me in questioning the townsfolk. The proactiveness of our new allies is most welcome! The information we gathered was sadly lacking, likely because they simply do not recognise me after so many years, though they did speak of at least two points of interest. The first was that the orphanage may be the site of some unruly business, while the second was that an angel had taken a place within the local graveyard and was offering salvation to those who sought it. Mister Kezax for his part followed his trail to an aqueduct, possibly used to lead to their hidden domain.
Not wanting to waste the opportunity, we followed this trail and continued. A branching path led to a cave that smelled of death, though it's true purpose I could not say. At least, not until we excited it to find ourselves among an assortment of graves. It would seem this path may have been used by the thieves! To abuse such a sacred place so wantonly is a truly heinous thing! Yet another crime for which these scoundrels will be made to pay...
It would seem that the angel that occupied this place shared that sentiment, as it immediately accused us of villainy! Father Dexsius took action without hesitation, though in the hopes that this servant of heaven might not be tainted by the Reclamation, I asked that we might parley. In response she struck at me! Initially I thought she too might have been another lost lamb from Iomedae's flock, though I came to a blessed realisation, and with that her Divine Purpose became clear to me! Among the sacrifices needed for our ritual is the heart of an angel. She was simply offering hers to us! The Divine Path is not always direct, but in this case it was quick to bring our purpose to us! As Mister Kezax fired volleys from the shadows and Father Dexsius blessed me to join our quarry in the skies, Miss Archie performed a most impressive manoeuvre by launching herself into the air and taking hold of the angel! This gave me enough time to strike them down and liberate their much needed heart! Your presence here did indeed grant us salvation, dear angel, and for serving your purpose I thank you!
This task, though an important step in our task, is not the one we came here for however. The thieves remain at large, and for their trespass against our mandate they cannot be permitted to live with impunity!
Player's Notes: Our rogue decided with this book to leave due to scheduling conflicts. Sad, but that's the way these things go sometimes. In her place, I was able to have two of my good friends to join. We've had a lot of great adventures together in the past, so I'm sure this will go great!
21/04/24 - Session 20 - Den of Thieflings
Starday, 3rd Lamashan, Senara, The Heartlands
The sacrificial angel was a pleasant gift, but nevertheless not our true objective on this night. It would not do to leave our work incomplete at this stage, so we resumed our investigation of the tunnel. Mister Kezax had identified an alternate route, and so we continued…
This one led to what we believed to be the base of an orphanage. That these scoundrels would misuse such a place irks me tremendously, and only further proves that their souls are in need of a proper cleansing. Miscreants cannot be permitted to act against their masters, and worse yet must not be permitted to corrupt the young with their poisoned minds!
Speaking of poisoned minds, it is at this moment that the Divine Path illuminated a detail I had previously neglected. During our investigation, I had called forth my blessings to assuage the wounds inflicted by the angel. In doing so, the cavern walls did shift, though it only occurred to me moments later that this may well be a secret passageway! Mayhaps then that the orphanage was a ruse. But let it be known that no obstacle, be it deceit or brute force, shall impede the Righteous March of Justice!
We wisely judged that the magical deception was more likely to be our true target, and so we wasted no time in returning to pursue it. This did indeed seem to be the correct choice, as no sooner had we begun our efforts that we were accosted by the vanguard of these wretched thieves! Miss Archie took the brunt of the surprise attack, but held firm nonetheless, an accomplishment for which I am rather impressed! It was sufficient to strip the fools of their trickery, the sole advantage they possessed. Without it, they crumpled in the face of Divine Judgement.
I sought to offer their leader a chance to repent, despite her crime of assaulting good Father Dexsius. However the corruption seems too deeply ingrained, and she sought to flee rather than offer herself to absolution. Once Miss Archie assured that she would not escape, I in turn ensured that she would never again have the option to. It does seem a shame to crush flesh and bone blessed with the Infernal, but it is only natural that a gift that has been misused be revoked. In light of her new circumstances, I persuaded her to divulge some details about those that dared act against the Rightful Authority. She was forthcoming enough that I even entertained her requests. She did not wish to receive mercy from me, so I obliged by leaving her absolution to my companions. Our new allies harvested her flesh, so as not to let its Hellish blessings go to waste, while Father Dexsius committed her soul so that those same blessings might be repurposed properly in the afterlife. A fitting way to reconsecrate her sacred blood! While she did not accept mercy from me, she did instead request that I grant it to her sister. Perhaps she mistakenly believed that I am limited in my ability to give Absolution. She needn’t have worried, but I shall happily bestow such a blessing in honour of her divine peerage!
Our approach took some time, which was somewhat frustrating, but it did give us a chance to bolster ourselves. Our new friends seemed well-versed in preparation for such an encounter, which is a welcome thing. We must go forth with the full force of our convictions, after all! No quarter would be given to these brigands, save to fully absolve them of their crimes!
Our deliverance was swift and direct, which I must confess was ever so satisfying. It is a joy to bring forth the blessing of the Divine Order upon the lost without pretense or subterfuge. That is not to say they did not offer some resistance, mind you. Both Miss Archie and Father Dexsius sustained rather grave wounds from the sheer number of lost souls acting out. Fortunately, both endured, and upon rising again Father Dexsius passionately offered up his cleansing flames not once, but twice! The horde of misguided criminals were properly purified by his Blessed Fire, ample enough that even their inherent protections could not impede it! Such a baptism was a sight most welcome! I truly did fear that they might try to flee as the woman before them did, but my fears were assuaged! This left only a few that were easily tended to, and finally the sister for which I promised mercy. Despite her actions against my dear allies, I stayed true to my word, and her passage was swift. May the Divine Order judge her soundly.
Before his attempt to escape Justice, the one identified as the leader of these brigands was kind enough to return to me the amulet they had stolen. Miss Archie and I took a moment to examine it, and through her expertise our new comrade identified its application. It is fundamentally a tool for control. I cannot say for sure, but it would seem she suspects there are details not yet clear to us in this ritual we are to perform. Though I am not one to question a Divine Mandate, perhaps her investigations will further illuminate the exact nature of our purpose on this mission…
Father Dexsius has prepared himself to interrogate the remains of this leader of thieves. If nothing else, I would be very curious to know what folly gave him the audacity to act out against my father so brazenly...
Player's Notes: As of this session, Ezra decided to drop. I guess this leaves me as the only player from the original group. Hunh. I'm glad at least that this AP lends itself relatively well to such transitions. Anyway, a few points of note.
Our dear cleric, upon being dropped, was healed, stood up (the enemy next to him crit failed his AoO and stabbed himself instead), cast a Fireball, and then used a Hero Point to cast another one, killing roughly a dozen enemies in one round. I've got to say, when Dex uses his fireballs, they are indeed to great effect!
Also, there's something amusing about the fact that our party now has two cannibals to go along with my mutilation-prone psychopath and our stern Asmodaean. Really makes for quite the carousel of gruesome tortures...
21/05/01 - Session 21 - Won't Somebody Please Think of the Children
Sunday, 4th Lamashan, Senara, The Heartlands
With the wasted blood recommitted to Hell, we had ample time to more thoroughly investigate this site of vile miscreants for further information. We discovered a hatch from which items, presumably including father’s talisman, were dropped. Mister Kezax even retrieved notes which I could recognise as belonging to dear father as well. They further outlined the function of this artifact. So it would seem its purpose is to bind a particular heresy devil, provided their true name is known. Perhaps one of our tasks is to determine this name? I find it strange that father did not supply us with this information himself, but he has never been one to be direct. It is quite possible that this is some sort of test on his part then…
Questioning the ringleader of these thieves did not yield much of value either, save to suggest that the theft was committed by an opportunistic child that simply saw the talisman and took it. I find the notion that a mere infant could outmanoeuvre dear father’s no doubt extensive security measures to be absurd, but as of yet the Divine Path has not revealed the truth to me. For now, I can only assume that there is some truly powerful force working against him. I am certain that in good time, the grace of the Gods will make this foe clear to me.
The thief’s corpse did provide us with one piece of useful knowledge, in the form of a certain woman’s name. This “Ginevra” may yet lead us on to the answers we seek, or at least be a good resource for our endeavours.
Though this little investigation did take us late into the night, our work is not quite done yet. We made a return to the other passage and to the orphanage above. There we found a corpse so carelessly exhumed and left in the basement, so that its spirit could not rest. I saw to it that the wayward soul was put to sleep once more, as is proper.
Beyond was the basement of the orphanage, which contained an assortment of poor quality alcohol. To think these beasts were so depraved as to put the youth in such a place! But truly, the most heinous thing is the fact that the children’s toy room contained the opening to the chute we found in the caves below. It would seem the criminal scum was not lying when he suggested these children were already corrupted by his influence. It is regrettable that I do not have the time to personally set them upon the Righteous Path worthy of their blood, so that they might one day grow to be honourable folk like Father Dexsius. Instead, we must make haste. Let the fire and smoke burn away their sins as their souls are repurposed for more noble ends. Let daybreak show the failings of the Reclamation, to permit such corruption on their watch. These misdeeds shall not be stood for once Senara is reclaimed by its rightful owners!
Our Righteous deeds done for the night, we returned home for a brief rest before tackling our second day. I continue to be thankful that the servants remain steadfast in their obedience. It is a refreshing comfort to once more enjoy the luxuries of my station, if only for a brief time. Miss Blissy has been especially diligent, and took the effort to inform me of some rather troubling news. Not only did the Bellflower Network have the audacity to pester father’s dutiful servants, but by their own account they had now made inroads in Egorian thanks to the help of some agitator named “The Barrister”. Given that she supposedly has only one hand, I must assume that thieving is in her nature, and her moniker is therefore ironic. Still, this is some worrisome information. Once this mission is done, perhaps I shall request a return to Egorian so that I might assist in purging this rot.
Our work here is not yet done, however! With the Talisman and one heart in our possession, we still have more to find. Fortunately, our next place of interest was rather easy to locate. It would seem in their misguided efforts to disrupt Senara, the heretics have pushed legitimate businesses into the arms of the local black market. All it took were a few conversations and a run-in with a most charming local tanner to lead us to Ginevra. The elderly woman was no doubt a shrewd one, though she knew nothing of any competitors who might want the Talisman. She was helpful enough in selling us the agathion heart we needed for the ritual, though I daresay her lack of enthusiasm for supporting the Righteous side of this insurrection is somewhat disappointing. Perhaps with time we might make it clear to her that she needn’t fear investing in the correct outcome. I shall not forget who kept their faith when this is done, after all…
So far today has been a simple day, but nevertheless a productive one. We must still find the remaining hearts and unicorn horns, not to mention the gate itself. For that, we shall no doubt have to depart into the wilderness of the Whisperwood...
Player's Notes: I mean, is it really an evil campaign if you don't burn down at least one orphanage? Anyway, up until now both in character and out I had assumed the fact that the Talisman was the only thing stolen suggested that the theft was part of a targeted effort against us or Darellus. Then as we finished our interrogation and were informed that the talisman was being held in a glass case next to a window, making it an easy pick for some kid willing to just walk by, sneak in, and sneak back out... It was at that moment that we collectively came to the realisation that the Archbaron may simply be a high Int but low Wis character. At least now we know where Dominus gets it from.
21/05/09 - Session 22 - Bear-Owl Brawl
Toilday, 6th Lamashan, Senara, The Heartlands
This little revisit to Senara was a pleasant reminder of simpler times, but one cannot dwell on such comforts when there is work to be done. It is for this reason that we wasted no time in purchasing some horses and departing on our mission. Senara’s liberation from the misguided flock will have to wait until our Divine Mandate is resolved. These people need not fear, however. I have every intention of liberating this town as we have Longacre and Kantaria before it.
The Whisperwood is a fascinating place. Though I was born near it and spent much of my childhood close to its outskirts, I have never truly examined it with any real scrutiny. It is rare that the Glorious Order I serve gives much attention to the chaos of the wilderness, after all. It is for that very same reason that I can so respect the Order of the Pike for their unenviable mission of striving for Order in such places. That same mission I am now certain will make them invaluable allies in our quest, which is why we immediately made our way to Citadel Ordeial.
For the most part, our journey was uneventful, with one small exception. Mister Kezax observed the carcass of a strange creature that seemed part owl, part bear. The bearowl (or owlbear as Miss Archie called it, though I prefer how our appellation rolls off the tongue) was apparently wounded by something of an Infernal nature. Given such a discovery, it is only natural that we would pursue the tracks that were left behind. These eventually brought us to what we believe was its den. There, three younger spawn of the same species greeted us with great hostility. One can only conclude that if one with an infernal blessing would fight such creatures, they must be our enemy as well. This is only further corroborated by their brazen strikes against us. Well, it is in the nature of savage beasts to be tamed by the might of Order, as so we subdued them thoroughly, as is proper. The tracks of the infernal being continued beyond what we could consider to be a reasonable detour, so instead we simply made do with retrieving what we could from the beasts’ hides and resuming our journey.
There was one other small detail I have neglected to mention in this encounter. Among the den of these beasts, we located a ring with some measure of magical energy. It bore a curious crest that Mister Kezax identified as belonging to some sort of bandit sorcerer that styles himself a Prince. The notion is both laughable and unacceptably vain, and for this misattribution I will see to it that he is purged from these lands, if these ursine beasts did not do so already.
The one detour aside, we did finally reach our destination. The guardians were apprehensive at first, but upon my mention of our dear friend Miss Orcelani, they were gracious enough to grant us an audience with her brother, the Lictor. I look forward to seeing the beauty of a Hellknight Citadel from within! Truly, it shall be a most wondrous experience!
Player's Notes: A simple start to our journey. Dominus is a big fan of Hellknights, so I'm hoping this little encounter will be a particularly interesting one for him.
21/05/21 - Session 23 - The Devils You Don’t Know
Wealday, 14th Lamashan, Senara, The Heartlands
Citadel Ordeial was every bit the impressive bastion of Order I would expect from a Hellknight fortress, albeit a minor one. Truly, it is a rare privilege to be granted entry into such hallowed ground, and furthermore to be given an audience with a Lictor! The Divine Order rewards me for my Dedication once more!
As is to be expected, Lictor Orcelani was amply forthcoming with information to aid us in our quest. As is to be expected of course, as fellow servants of the Great Plan. Through their information, we have a much better understanding of the Whisperwood. Though they regrettably do not have exact information regarding the Inferno Gate, they have narrowed our search. Likewise, they have provided us with possible areas in which to locate the various creatures still needed for our ritual. In return, we happily accepted a list of potential bounties that we might see to on their behalf during our journeys as well.
The Lictor was even kind enough to provide us with some insight on the actions of the Reclamation heretics as well. Naturally, the Hellknights have their own responsibilities to tend to, and therefore remain ostensibly neutral, but their devotion to the True Cause nevertheless shows in the fact that they have given us critical information regarding these lost lambs. The fact that our foes are on a quest to seal the Gate as well vexes me, but no doubt their methods will not serve the Divine Path as is intended. Therefore, it is our Duty to ensure that we are the ones to fulfil the task!
Our departure saw us travelling West from the Citadel, crossing the upper region of the Iron Snarl, which we had not done previously. This was in the hopes of catching the trail we had found some days ago of Infernal creatures wandering the forest. We did eventually pick up the trail, and it led us down once more to the river. We opted to finish the quest this time, figuring that it may prove prudent to parley with these creatures. In light of that, we made a brief visit to Senara, and Father Dexsius purchased some slaves to use as offerings, before we crossed into Perdition Reach and followed the trail once more.
It would seem that as we chased these creatures, they too chased us. We found ourselves ambushed by a pair of Barbazu. They did quite a number on one of our horses and Miss Archie, though the tides were turned quickly enough. Father Dexsius did his best to reason with the creatures, but they seemed rather unwilling to cooperate. It is unfortunate, but rabid beasts that cannot obey the will of their proper masters must be put down. Father Dexsius mercifully sent one back to Hell for proper discipline, while I dispatched the second as punishment for its misdeeds against us.
The creatures bore missives with them. We were able to retrieve the note from the rabid one I cured. By Miss Archie’s estimation, the note is imbued with secretive magic that would make it difficult for us to read. As such, we have opted to keep it sealed until we have the means to properly inspect it. I must confess that my curiosity is piqued. Perhaps this note bears clues regarding this Infernal soldier’s insubordinate attitude? Might there be some conspiracy plaguing those of Hellish blood, and it is for this reason that we have been sent to seal the Gate? No doubt, the Truth shall reveal itself to me in time, as it always does.
Player's Notes: This session made me realise how hard I've potentially made it to try and get into the Hellknights, as getting into a duel with a devil of a high enough CR is just going to become more and more impractical. Fortunately, joining the Hellknights isn't something crucial to my character build, so this is just for fluff anyway. In any case, I'd rather do it with a member of the Godclaw, if we ever find one.
21/05/28 - Session 24 - The Last Laugh
Sunday, 18th Lamashan, Scarhurst, The Heartlands
Following our brief return to Senara, we continued our journey north into Hellspawn Dale. We’ve plotted a course that should be a sufficient sweep to thoroughly canvas the forest. It simply would not do if we were sloppy, after all. As we are acting in service not just to my dear father, but also now the prestigious Hellknights, we must put our best foot forward! To aid us in this endeavour, Dexsius has opted to repurpose the slaves he purchased to tend to our camp and comforts. Their servitude has indeed helped to alleviate some of the discomforts of the wilderness. Perhaps it is a boon that we did not give them up to those outcast barbazu after all.
Our journey through the Dale did eventually lead us to a rather disgusting thing. It would seem that in the depths of these woods, some creatures saw fit to erect a vulgar shrine to Picoperi, a miserable entity worshiped by tricksters and scoundrels. Mister Kezaxs was of course able to infiltrate the site with little difficulty, but no sooner had we entered the glade that the shrine’s tenders aggrieved us with lightning! What’s more, when I approached to confront them, the serpentine woman had the nerve to sidestep me while invisible and attack my companions! I should not expect honour from such chaotic creatures, but their willfulness to ignore me was a crime I could not allow to pass.
Order smiled upon me, and the lillend woman did not endure her punishment well. Such is to be expected when you disregard a Blessed Herald. As for the other minion that had taken flight, I was all too happy to leave him to my comrades while I cultivated the snake woman’s heart. It would seem the fool took offense at my judgement of his fellow creature of chaos, but Father Dexsius saw to it that his complaints were soundly muted. There is a certain irony that followers of a figment of comedy would be so laughably feeble. With them out of the way, we were able to properly cleanse and reconsecrate these lands in the name of Order. Their hearts too will serve us well in the ritual to come, though I find their aura rather distasteful. As for what remains of the filthy azatas, perhaps Miss Archie and Mister Kezax found them appetizing, though I get the sense that their abuse of unclean substances would make their meat rather rancid.
Our continuation brought us west into Scarhurst. From previous recollections, the hound archons we seek were last seen within a location known as the Scar Thicket. We sought out this location, though were disappointed to find only a mass of vegepygmies. Father Dexsius made quick work of them, and we continued on our way. The hounds may not be here anymore, but they musn’t be far...
Player's Notes: Gotta love it when your first attack is a nat 20 on the first strike with a Smite charge while using a x3 crit weapon. Wiped that sorry lillend out with a single attack.
21/06/04 - Session 25 - Don’t Blink
Toilday, 20th Lamashan, The Murmurs, The Heartlands
Our previous assessment regarding our quarry of hounds did prove to be true after all, albeit with a small caveat. The creatures we encountered were not archons, but rather a different form of celestial beast. These canines demonstrated a rather frustrating propensity for not retaining a material form. Though ultimately the savage things were quite impotent as they attempted to lash out at us, this little quirk of theirs did make their extermination rather tedious. Fortunately, perseverance and a few liberal applications of blessed and draconic flames put an end to this feral menace. No matter what the creatures were ultimately, the Order of the Pike will surely be pleased to know that the wilderness has been tamed that much more.
As this was our primary reason for travelling through Scarhurst, we opted not to push further north, and instead made our way back to the main road. As fortune would have it, Mister Kezax once again caught wind of something a short ways from the path, and thus led us to yet another crucial find. Within a small glade, we discovered a small blessing of unicorns! As always, the Divine Path leads us true to our Holy Purpose! Unfortunately, the wild beasts were somewhat skittish and seemed uncertain of how to properly approach a Herald such as myself, but a bit of effort on the part of our group was sufficient to permanently tame their wild abandon. Their spirits will no doubt be quelled with the satisfaction that their bone will serve our Sacred Mandate. So too will the druid entombed in this grove know the joy that what remains of their equipment shall be put to good use. That they would bury such goods so that we might one day retrieve them… Every day I marvel at the wonder of the Divine Order, to orchestrate a sequence of events so elegantly!
Player's Notes: That miss chance on the Blink Dogs really was no joke! Our GM had a wonderful knack for rolling a miss on nearly every attack that passed their AC. Even with all the extra strikes from my intimidate build I don't think I ever managed to land more than 2 out of 5 hits on a round, and I was on the luckier side of things...
21/06/11 - Session 26 - Felling the Feigned Prince
Sunday, 25th Lamashan, Longacre, The Heartlands
We’ve but one ingredient yet to be collected for our ritual, then there is the matter of some lingering bounties, and of course locating the Gate and routing the Reclamation vermin. It is fortunate then, that we did not need to travel far to acquire our next milestone.
It began first with Mister Kezax spotting a faint trail that would lead us to a most suspicious cave. Within, he located a camp of bandits. Naturally, such pests cannot be tolerated on Dear Father’s lands. Our action was decisive and swift. Father Dexsius bravely led the charge, demonstrating the absolute resolve of a man of true faith and devotion as their arrows struck out at him. Truly, such bravery is admirable!
Of course, the audacity of these brigands to even dare test him in such a manner is simply inexcusable! Father Dexsius and I wasted no time in punishing these failed souls for their trespass. Miss Archie and Mister Kezax meanwhile tended to those foes further outside of our immediate reach. In this process, a rather large bear emerged as well, though Miss Archie utilised what I assume to be her draconic might to subdue the beast with ease. There was also a further influx of minions that arrived afterwards, though Father Dexsius conveniently incinerated them before they even had the opportunity to make a nuisance of themselves.
Then finally, there was the matter of the source of this festering wound. It would seem that while we pruned the weeds, the so-called Feign Prince was busy satisfying his baser desires with a couple more of his corrupted flock. This elf dared to attempt a bargain with us, supposing that information regarding the Inferno Gate would be sufficient to allow him an escape from Justice. I was in fact prepared to be lenient, and offered him the choice of which limbs he might desire to keep for the information, but he so rudely lashed out at me instead! All the more so, one of his wanton harlots dared to strike at me with an enchantment! Miss Archie and Father Dexsius were kind enough to deny these magics and save me the trouble of righting the affliction myself, so that I might instead put all of my effort into ensuring that this blight be properly quelled. The greed and pride of this scum is seeped deep into his every limb it would seem, therefore he was be relieved of them. As for his objects of pleasure… The one that saw fit to afflict his better was appropriately punished, while the other was disabled, but spared. Father Dexsius determined that she might have some value as a slave…
A few days journey returned us to Longacre, with bear, false prince, and repurposed consort in tow. It was a welcome return to once more visit the jailhouse and dear Gaurig. The loyal beast has served well, and it is only right that once we depart, we return him to the woods as he once requested. But there remained the matter of the vulgar deceitful bandit. As these old walls know, we are accustomed to loosening lips, and his were no different. His words were certainly more interesting when they did not come laced with expectations. We now have knowledge of the Inferno Gate’s location at some forgotten fort, as well as further confirmation of the ayngavhaul that presides over it. He did have one request, that we return to him a locket he once lost in this place. Despite myself, I could not help but be impressed at the sheer amount of pain he endured so as not to reveal any further details regarding this item. If it suits us, perhaps I may grant him that favour in honour of this feat…
Soon, we will set out once more, this time into the one region of the Whisperwood we have not yet scoured. But first, we must see to our supplies. Perhaps Mister Zoags is still in town...
Player's Notes: That bit about Dexsius eating some hits as he went in first... Yeah he took two crits with sneak attack (and a lot of high damage rolls). Damn near took him down in a single blow. Then later on I took a crit and received only a tiny sliverof damage. Semi in-character, Dexsius lightly bemoaned the fact that I was harmed so little in comparison, and Dominus explained that it is because he enjoys the protection of an entire pantheon, while Dexsius only prays to one. Archie meanwhile taunted Dex that maybe his faith just wasn't strong enough, and immediately after that comment a dire bear appeared directly behind her. The comedic timing was so perfect that we ended up switching to Konosuba music for the rest of the encounter.
Now that I think about it, it's a shame that Dominus isn't quite clever enough to catch on to the ongoing sass battle between Dex and Archie. Their dynamic is really quite amusing, though it's not really something I can properly capture in these journals...
21/06/18 - Session 27 - Enemy at the Gate
Sunday, 1st Neth, Longacre, The Heartlands
Our timing once more has been indicative of the favour of the Divine Order. As Abadar’s blessing falls upon us in the form of Market’s Door celebration, we found ourselves returned to the relatively civilised society of Longacre to make gold of our collected tithes. Without yet collecting our bounties from the Order of the Pike, we had already found our journey to be lucrative. Such is the fortune of those that do the Good Work of restoring Order and Justice to such savage lands!
Speaking of, our departure from Father’s holding marked our arrival into the final region of the Whisperwood, the one known as Perdition Reach. It is there that we have been told we might find our final destination, as well as our heretic foes. My bones have ached in anticipation to cleanse these lands of the putrid filth that dare impugn Iomedae’s holy name by holding her sword against the forces of Hell!
Nevertheless, there remained some final duties to attend to before my Fury might be addressed. First was ensuring that I stayed true to my promise to dear Gaurig. The loyal creature has been returned to the forest so that he might carry on in his natural duties. I hope only that he can see them through with all of the Honour he held in service to his masters. The second was the removal of one final bounty, that of the so-called Savage Mistress of Beasts. Miss Archie seemingly was familiar with this creature, a familiarity I’ve come to understand comes with no affection. We found the crude creature bathing in the company of an ursine. The stench of debauchery was enough to make my stomach churn. My companions and I made haste to see her perverse bestial tendencies ended. The nature she had corrupted did certainly put up some measure of resistance, but she soon learned that not even a pool is sufficient to escape the fires of a Righteous Inferno. I descended upon her and made certain her vile corruption would spread no further. It was fortunate that her bounty did not require a living soul. There was a certain satisfaction in seeing the deed done in its entirety. A partial measure as we have done with the thief wizard is most tiresome by comparison.
Our arrival at Fort Arego could not come soon enough! From Mister Kezax’s inspections, the Reclamation heretics have already settled in the area, and now act with impunity upon this sacred soil! This simply would not stand! With the blessings and favours of my magically-inclined allies, we went forth to halt these villains in the midst of their trespass.
The vanguard did show some spirit, misguided as it might have been, but they lacked any conviction to back up their initial bluster. I cut a path and left the remains to Miss Archie to toy with as she pleased while the rest of us forged on.
The next group was a small contingent of lost lambs led by a blathering fool filled with more bravado than sense. Her hollow proclamations showed no sign of devotion to anything beyond her own self-interest. Her complete and utter disregard for any sense of dignity makes such a parasite unfit to breathe, much less declare herself a representative of the Inheritor! If such is the quality of the Reclamation’s knights, then it is but further proof of their invalidity! I took great care to demonstrate the uselessness of her blather, then dashed forth from the sky and demonstrated to her peons her true two-faced nature. The only facet of her demise that surprised me was that her corpse was not as vacuous as her words.
The peons were completely ineffectual, as one would expect from those that spit on Iomedae’s Favour. There was one knight however that almost showed a glimmer of potential. The cleric sought to tend to his troops, and no doubt in recognition of my righteousness extended his healing gifts to myself. He then requested permission to abscond with his soldiers. I had initially taken him to have perhaps seen the error of his ways. Regrettably, this was an act of deceit, as Father Dexsius so keenly observed. That being the case, his Penance would have to be completed in the Boneyard, as will be the case for those lost lambs brought astray. Redemption would not be administered to the lost on this day. No, this is a time of Cleansing...
Player's Notes: It feels like it's been ages since I wrote one of these! In a string of coincidental timing all three games I'm in are having two weeks off. Funny how things work out.
Oh, and for the record, that cleric's benevolent actions were not intended on his part. He just had the misfortune of not having Selective Channel, which seems to be a running theme in games I've been in lately...
21/07/06 - Session 28 - Rise and Fall
Sunday, 1st Neth, Perdition Reach, The Heartlands
There was no time for respite, as Fort Arego remained under siege! These heretics have indeed put forth a sizeable number of misguided spirits in the way of our goal. Perhaps in a manner, this is a challenge devised by the Divine Path to test me. There may be some truth to that notion. Much as Iomedae was made to undergo the test of the Starstone to prove her worthiness as a servant of the Divine Order, so too must I prove my worth. If this is the case, then it is all the more imperative that we do not fail!
Through the grace afforded to me by my companions, lesser obstacles such as the hound archons observing the bridge were inconsequential. Father Dexsius and Mister Kezax saw to these pebbles on our path with great efficiency, while I tended to the legion archons that flew above. With Miss Archie’s assistance, these too fell to our authority, while also granting us the final ingredient needed for our upcoming ritual. It is truly a mark of our growth that such foes that once impeded us so are now but mere trifles. May my examiners see this proof of our progress!
The next obstacle was a pair of living trees, commanded by some advanced member of their kind. I did not tarry in charging forth against them, and drew their ire. This proved to be a nearly fatal error, and for the briefest of moments, I was felled. It may be that in my excitement, I was hasty, and in my ambitions I overstepped. Divine Providence and the patronage of House Thrune ensured that this failure was not permanent, and with Father Dexsius’ aid the creature was brought to Justice. Nevertheless, the experience was humbling. I must remember in the future that tactics and cunning are just as essential as might and perseverance. The Inheritor is a goddess of strategy after all. This test has done well to teach me that there is still much for me to learn. Fear not, my Lords and Masters! I shall not take this lesson in vain!
So too shall I not discount the value of my dear companions. As I wrestled with my own mortality, the others were dealing with yet another challenge brought forth by the Reclamation heretics. Misled knights atop bird-headed horses charged forth at them. Father Dexsius bravely stood to meet their charge, but it was in this moment that Miss Archie demonstrated the truly impressive power borne of her draconic blood. The waves of acid made quick work of their mounts, and most did not survive the subsequent abrupt descent. Mister Kezax, ever the dutiful cleaner, ensured that none remained to challenge us further.
Our ascent to reach the fort has indeed been a suitable test of our abilities, but I am certain that within lies even more severe evaluations. My body has recovered, and this one stumble of mine shall only further steel my resolve to see my Duty done!
Player's Notes: Well, if it weren't for Hero Points, that right there would have been the end of Dominus. 3/4s of my health in a single round of attacks, the last one hitting me for 21 damage when I had 1 hp left (and less than that in CON). Literally any other order of attacks would have left me alive long enough to trigger my Aegis of Recovery and Thrune Loyal Agent traits, but nope. Sometimes the dice are just not nice. At least I was allowed to use a Hero Point to adjust that result a bit, because I'm having way too much fun with Dominus to roll up a new character now. Definitely going to make sure I work on upping my contingencies against burst damage in the future though...
21/07/13 - Session 29 - The Reclamation of Fort Arego
Sunday, 1st Neth, Perdition Reach, The Heartlands
Before us lay Fort Arego, our final destination. We’ve come far in our mission, and surmounted many obstacles. Now that we’ve arrived, I am prepared to see this test of the Gods to the very end!
The Reclamation is in shambles. Only a couple stragglers and their so-called leader remain here to contest us. Father Dexsius set the stage for our adversaries’ trial by fire. All things considered, I expected this woman to hold out longer against me, but it would seem that my brief encounter with the Divine Beyond has invigorated me well beyond the point where such a heretic might pose a threat. Only a few strikes of my disciplined hands were needed to end her and her tainted celestial mount. The soldier and archon that stood with her did not last long either. Only the man-headed lion creature that hid itself managed to pose any sort of challenge, and Father Dexsius ended its trickeries with a blow of grand proportions. Perhaps it is my renewed vigor that is colouring my perspective, but I found this test to be… Wanting. Perhaps this was simply a warmup, or a validation of our righteousness. Heaven is but a stepping stone to the grander power of Hell, after all, and these are not even True Disciples. Nevertheless, the stage is passed, and so begins our descent into the true challenge.
Our first encounter was with a pair of three-headed dogs blessed by the Infernal. I made a point to demonstrate my authority to them. In response, they attacked me! One even did so with a great deal of fervor! Initially, I thought that perhaps these beasts are themselves rebels against the True Order, but the pain brought with it a certain clarity. These hounds assaulted me so not in spite of who I am, but because of it! They were themselves a Trial, placed there to introduce us to the next step in our examination! It ought to have been an evident sign, as canids do seem to often be representatives of such tests for me. Clearly then, it is a Sign of the Divine Order’s Will made manifest! Given this wisdom, I continued to exert my authority, and with the aid of my companions, the creatures were given irrefutable proof of our worthiness. These gates shall impede us no further!
The interior of Fort Arego is as ruined as its exterior. It is clear that decay and disrespect have harmed it greatly. Perhaps when this is done, I shall petition for its restoration. I shall have to see with dear Father what we might do to restore this Holy Site to its proper Glory. For now, we must simply contend with the fact of this decay, something Mister Kezax is managing quite well. I am continually impressed by Miss Archie’s loyal servant. His ability to bend the environment to suit his mistress’ will would be the envy of any dutiful agent. Even as we encountered a bone devil intent on demonstrating an assortment of tortures to me, he dutifully took his position and delivered a most surprising blow upon the Infernal entity as it tried in vain to hold us back. Mister Kezax and Father Dexsius’ initiative ensured that we could corner and conclude this test. For our efforts, we were able to scour the remnants of what was once an impressive collection of books. Among these were some that seemed compelling in their worth, first to Father Dexsius, then to Miss Archie. She seemed more than pleased with the final outcome, for which I am thankful. As for myself, I’ve taken the liberty of collecting the book on torture the osyluth spoke of to me. Perhaps I might have use for its techniques one day…
One final challenge remained on this floor, in the form of a pair of skeletal servants of Moloch. The flames they exuded bore the warmth of Hell, something I welcomed openly! Here, I must commend my allies, as Miss Archie, Mister Kezax, and Father Dexsius all fought valiantly to prove their worth. I am truly fortunate to be in the company of loyal and powerful servants to the Order’s will, even if the Divine Truth does not whisper to them as it does to me. I suppose such understanding is not necessary, so long as I am there to guide them on the Path. I can already feel as we descend, the Infernal Energies are growing, strengthening us further. Even but a taste of the Power of Hell is intoxicating! Perhaps with the conclusion of this mandate, we shall all be brought closer to that Supreme Reality!
Player's Notes: There were some excellent moments in this session:
- Dominus' face emerging from a wall of flames, striking down at the poor cavalier who's name we never bothered to remember properly.
- Dexsius getting a lucky strike on the invisible Lammasu and using Forceful Strike to shove it into his Wall of Fire to finish it off.
- Dominus using Dazzling Display to intimidate the Cerberi, only to have one of them roll three nat 20s in a row on its retaliatory attack, after which I went ham on both of them with my intimidation attack combos.
- Kezax getting a point blank hit on the Bone Devil after he wall of iced us out of the room.
- Archie just demolishing one of the Moloch gravenights while not giving a single damn about their hellfire...
...And now we're all level 9. I'm really looking forward to whatever lies at the end of this dungeon!
21/07/23 - Session 30 - The Staircase to Hell
Sunday, 1st Neth, Perdition Reach, The Heartlands
With our final objective within our grasp, the raging fires of Hell had ignited my own spirit. It seems only natural that the warmth would invigorate me once more with Infernal Fervor. I could feel it seep into my very soul! What a refreshing feeling!
But we had not yet reached our destination. There remained some trials before we would face the gate and complete our mission. The first of these was yet another knight of Moloch that blocked the next staircase down. It was a simple thing to pass its test and proceed, though in the cramped location, Mister Kezax appeared to have had some trouble with his aim. It is fortunate that his mistake was a harmless one.
The floor below was the residence of even more of Hell’s servants. Levalochs are fascinating things, and were it not for my objective, I would relish the opportunity to appreciate the elegance of their design. However, we had a duty to attend to, and they were an impediment to us. I demonstrated my Convictions with appropriate reverence for their power. It shook my examiners profoundly, and while one fell, the other fled. A curious tactic for such a creature, but perhaps it was simply to herald my continued descent. Either way, it allowed room for Father Dexsius and Mister Kezax to attend to a series of other rather odd bird-like Hell creatures that had been hiding in an adjacent room. I believe Miss Archie referred to them as achaierai. Whatever their role here was meant to be in this place, they were ultimately of little consequence.
The next descent proved more interesting. The warmonger from before had indeed mustered up a suitable challenge with which to test me. With the accompaniment of two more burning knights, he struck out at myself and Father Dexsius. Perhaps is was a matter of the confined space, but I found that I had a great deal of difficulty striking my foes. Ironically, while I struggled, Mister Kezax’s bolts struck at the knights with impressive accuracy. Perhaps these circumstances were a curse bestowed to test my endurance? To verify how well I could hold a bulwark? Well, I can attest at least that it was a true challenge, but one that we eventually overcame, like so many others before it. I would not be stopped so close to our final destination, after all! The Will of the Divine must be done!
Our final challenge on this stage came in the form of a swarm of Infernal insects and a pair of felines engulfed in the flames of Damnation. Despite all my talents, I was admittedly ill-equipped to deal with minuscule pests, so I left them to my companions, while I focused on the cats. Ferocious things they were! One sought to claim my arm with its fangs. I claimed its head instead. The other did not remain to face me. Normally I would be irritated that my targets would flee, but as they are merely testing our worthiness, I realise that their complete eradication is unnecessary. So long as they recognise the authority I represent, their ultimate fate is irrelevant.
The Devil may well be in the details, but one must also not lose sight of the big picture. It is that same mistake which leads so many to their limited world views. It is a mistake I must not fall into as I approach the end of my mandate. This quest we have undertaken to seal the path to Hell... It still troubles me to think that this is our objective, but that uncertainty is rooted in the same error. Just as Heaven is but a fragment of the Divine Order, so too is Malebolge but a fragment of Hell. To seal this door is may seem contrary, but for this to be what is required of us, it must be a part of the greater Divine Path. I am certain it will all become clear in time. It is that certainty which allows me to push onwards!
21/08/05 - Session 31 - A Sudden But Inevitable Betrayal
Sunday, 1st Neth, Perdition Reach, The Heartlands
Deeper still this tower went. I do not believe I had ever travelled so far underground before. Certainly, the essence of Hell is becoming ever more apparent with each staircase. The wondrous scent of brimstone and ash was almost intoxicating! As for the musical wails of ecstasy sung by the damned… They were much louder than they ought to be.
The floor we reached appeared to be a sort of prison chamber, tapering down to a focal point below, in some ways akin to a coliseum. Within the cells, tormented souls I can only conclude to be petitioners of Maleboge. For us to see such beings, perhaps we had already descended into Hell? But that seemed wrong. The gate would not be so imperceptible. I cannot fathom what crimes these creatures undertook to be denied their rewards in Hell, but their presence here on the material plane is undoubtedly a torment fit only for those that have disgraced the gift that was offered to them. The command given by their host devil jailors to claim our heads, coupled with the suggestion that doing so would bring them salvation, seemed to confirm that these are souls in need of Redemption.
Given this, it would have been my instinct to obliterate their very existence and thus wipe away their shame, but Miss Archie presented an interesting alternative. What if, instead of slaughter, they were to be commanded? That we would command them. An interesting notion. If this tower has indeed been a test as I have surmised, then perhaps this is a trial of leadership? I decided to humour this idea, and used my talents to coerce the pitiful things into submission. Naturally, such an effort was trivial for a person as strong in their Convictions as I. Dexsius too made an impressive display of demanding submission from the fool that dared challenge his authority. As is to be expected from one touched by Hell itself, he put the depraved slave in its place handily!
That left the jailors. They were formidable foes. Remarkably so, in fact. The Divine Order clearly saw fit to handicap me in this trial, as fortune did not favour me, but my trust in my companions and my own determination ensured that this did not follow the same plot as my encounter with the tree creatures above. I was not halted for long, and the devils were made to acknowledge our authority as supreme.
Miss Archie in particular seemed to take particular delight in seizing command of these misbegotten souls. She would inform us that this was a part of a scheme to forge herself anew with the Blessings of the Infernal. A most admirable pursuit! As a herald of the Divine Path, it is only fitting that those that fight alongside me share in such boons, so of course, I am all too happy to support her quest for Perfection! Naturally, our current mandate takes precedence, but if we might help her on the way, then I see no reason to deny her such a Righteous Destiny.
Below the prison we found one more floor, this one only sparsely occupied. Its occupant was nevertheless formidable. I do not know much about barbed devils, but I know that they are a fearsome creature to combat in close quarters. Still, Father Dexsius bravely set after the beast. It was a costly effort, but one that gave me the necessary opening to strike out against it. Curiously, it did not linger any further after tasting my hammer, though it did not flee either. A final test perhaps? Well, it was irrelevant at this point, for our objective lay at the base of the next stairs…
The journey was long and full of a great many difficult trials, but at long last, we had reached the Inferno Gate! It was every bit the magnificent Divine construct I imagined it to be! Imposing and glorious, emanating an overwhelming aura that would make lesser beings falter. But we were not lesser beings! We were agents of the Divine on a most Holy mission, and it was here that we would finally complete that very mission!
It is appropriate then that dear Father was there already, waiting for us in the company of an immense being I could only assume to be the famed Visperthul, caretaker of this gate. That both were present together assuaged my lingering concerns over this sealing being the Will of the Divine Order. We wasted no time in preparing ourselves for the ritual. That said, Miss Archie’s curiosity led her to ask some questions regarding the technicalities of what we would be performing. I suppose it was ever in her nature to be curious and thorough. While I would not normally approve of questioning such important things, I could nevertheless see value in her approach. As I had learned, prudence is a valuable virtue.
However, I must confess that the line of questioning became rather troubling. I do not believe it was Miss Archie’s intention, but she inadvertently suggested that there might be an oversight in the ritual, one that seemed to displease Father. Normally, I would not intervene in such matters, but then Visperthul said something that I could not allow to pass. Admittedly, my temper flared somewhat in response to a claim that the heresy devil made regarding my Father’s intelligence and moral standing. No creature, even a being of Hell itself, could be permitted to impugn my Father’s character as to suggest he would cavort with the vile likes of succubi!
I recognise that my speaking out of turn was ill-mannered, and Father Dexsius wisely halted me before I continued further, but for such words to be spoken with impunity… Perhaps this was the true power of a heresy devil, to speak such ugly blasphemies as a matter of course. Perhaps I have grown too accustomed to correcting such blasphemies when I witness them, and this too was a test of my patience. In any case, the matter was halted there, and the ritual resumed.
The first step of destabilising the gate was successful, though what followed was far more unexpected. In that moment, Father struck out against us! My initial thought was that it was some sort of deception, a vision brought on by the overwhelming magics of Hell bursting forth. But as he continued to speak, accusing us of foolishness and declaring his intent to sacrifice our souls to seize control of the portal… I was struck with a strange mixture of emotions. I was fortunate then, that the heresy devil prodded me before. I understand what he was attempting, what Father was trying to do.
This was not a test, but the final examination! In bringing us here, in providing us with these tools, and in declaring such intentions of treachery, he had set us up for a most wondrous gift! Alas, dear Father, I know too well that you were not nearly so thoughtless nor cruel to do such things to me! Rather, these were clearly platitudes meant to dissuade me from feeling grief over what I must now do. Evidently, you had deemed me worthy of inheriting this power you have had us prepare! In challenging me, the herald of the Divine Path, in a fight to the death, you were offering yourself! In telling us the intent of controlling the gate, you were telling me what I must do to honour your legacy! By taking these actions, you have made it clear that you are the final ingredient to this ritual!
At long last, it was finally clear to me, dear Father! Your offering was of a magnitude far greater than any son could hope for! I appreciate your attempt to prevent me from feeling remorse or hesitance at what I would have to do, but you needn’t have been concerned. I was all too aware that killing you would be a necessary step, and though it would pain me, I could never discard such a thoughtfully prepared gift! I accept the responsibility you are bestowing upon me! I shall Liberate your soul for the Glory of the Divine Order, Father!
Player's Notes: Our session schedule got a little weird for a bit there, so I ended up falling behind on my journals. We've finally reached the Inferno Gate, and from the looks of things, dear old Dad is going to have a tough time making it out of this particular encounter alive. Though it would be very helpful if my luck turned around. I swear the number of times I've been crit or been the target of one misfortune or another over the course of these sessions (I got downed in a situation that ONLY could have happened if I rolled under a 4 and the host devil got a crit, and I'm now sitting at 6 temporary negative levels with no saves due to a string of unfortunate target rolls)... Despite all of Dominus' assertions about being the chosen of the Gods, the dice gods are certainly not making this easy for him...
21/08/20 - Session 32 - Sins of the Father
Sunday, 1st Neth, Perdition Reach, The Heartlands
Father made a tremendous show of his defiance. Naturally, he inflicted no meaningful harm to us, but he did make himself rather difficult to reach. Perhaps his choice of invisibility was to conceal his grief? Or his other various manifestations of obfuscating magic a product of his internal conflict? Naturally, to take on such a sacrifice cannot be an easy thing for a proud man like my Dear Father. Though he might have seen it as the best course of action, I know that deep down, Darellus Fex is a man of rationality that sadly lacks the spiritual connection bestowed upon his son. For all his strength, that weakness is what prevents him from attaining a place of prestige among the Divine Order as I have. No doubt, it is for this same reason that he is bestowing his gifts to me.
Well, be that as it may, no recalcitrance can be sustained for eternity. Miss Archie took away Dear Father’s magical crutch, and soon enough I was able to embrace him one final time. If nothing else, I am pleased to know that he died receiving the full force of my love. It shall be my pride and honour to carry on the Fex name in his stead, and though this sacrifice may necessitate his treatment as a traitor to the crown, I shall always know him to be a man of loyalty and devotion strong enough that he would readily give his life in service to his son, and by extension the Divine Mandate!
This left the matter of his remaining legacy: the Inferno Gate. At one time, we were told that our Mandate was to seal it, but now that the truth has been made clear, we are to seize control of it. The elegance of the plan, that is to say the veiling of our intent, is such a simple yet effective ruse that I cannot help but admire it. We cannot betray the truth if we are ourselves unaware of it! Now that we had been made aware, Visperthul offered us a simple bargain, much as he did to Father. If we could offer him four souls, then we could be granted exclusive rights through the heresy devil to control the Gate and make use of its services. Generous an offer though it might be, acquiring souls of a sufficient quality would be tedious, and to use my companions for such an end would be a terrible waste of their potential. Father Dexsius' care had been invaluable, Miss Archie's knowledge of arcane matters unparalleled, and Mister Kezax's discretion and observation indispensable. Their presence is a Divine Gift I would not soon part with!
It is here that Dear Father’s brilliance truly revealed itself! The phlegmatic talisman we retrieved at the start of this journey was all that was needed to induce a wanton slavering from the heresy devil. For all of his admittedly formidable power, Visperthul is himself but a tool for the Divine Order. A weapon among many in its arsenal. As the herald of the Order, it is my place to seize such a weapon! He no doubt came to understand this as he offered his contract. A simple thing, ultimately, and reaffirmed by Father Dexsius’ wise eyes. The Inferno Gate is firmly within the hold of myself and House Thrune, perfectly poised to put an end to the plague of Reclamation heretics! Furthermore, the devil has agreed to vouch for the justice of our deeds. It would not do for Dear Father’s sacrifice to be misconstrued as some manner of betrayal, after all!
Upon completion of the contract, we ascended to make our return to Senara and collect our lingering bounties with the Hellknights of the Pike. As soon as we emerged, however, we were greeted by a trio of erinyes messengers. They bore the title of representative of Her Infernal Majestrix herself, so naturally Father Dexsius and I showed appropriate deference for Hell’s Ordained leader on the material plane. Miss Archie was however less forthcoming. I am uncertain if her actions were the product of ignorance or some manner of draconic pride. Tempted as I might have been to remind her of her place in the hierarchy, I confess to finding her playful objections rather amusing. Should she ever go too far, I will certainly ensure that she is corrected, but as of yet it has not crossed such a line. The representatives were perhaps rather stunned at the act of defiance, but took no action against it. Mister Kezax of course was nowhere to be seen, as is his custom.
The message was a simple summons. We are to make our way to Egorian to have an audience with Her Infernal Majestrix! Perhaps then, the plans orchestrated by Dear Father have implications deeper still that we have yet to uncover. If such is indeed the case, then I truly am in awe at his foresight! Perhaps his connection to the Divine Path was greater than I had realised? Truly, the Gods work in the most wonderful ways!
Player's Notes: Goodness that was an annoying fight. Between Invisibility, Displacement, Acid Fog, and repeated instances of the Inferno Gate putting out blinding smoke (not to mention my 6 negative levels), basically none of us could actually do anything. Darellus couldn't really do much against us either (especially after Archie stole his bonded staff), so it was just a long battle of attrition. Turns out the solution was to get the GM to roll my miss chance, because whereas my dice seem to have been cursed, he just could not fail. So daddy finally got hugged to death. I wonder what it'll mean for Dominus' inheritance...
21/08/27 - Session 33 - The Games we Play in Egorian
Starday, 14th Neth, Egorian, The Heartlands
It has been far too long that I have not set foot upon properly civilised lands. Much as I have enjoyed the nostalgia of revisiting my birthplace, it lacks the comforts and standards of decency I had grown accustomed to. Thus, it was with great joy that I received the request to make haste to Egorian.
Of course, that is not to say that our business was done. We had still to conclude our arrangement with the Order of the Pike, and inform my Father’s loyal servants of his unfortunate demise. No doubt the estate shall see to it that they are cared for properly while I ensure that my inheritance is properly transferred. When my current mission for the Divine Order is concluded, I shall be all too happy to take proper ownership of Father's holdings. But matters of material property are second to my Higher Callings, so they shall have to wait.
What did not wait was one final interruption in our journey. A rather rude lionesque creature came upon us, declaring further misguided nonsense of righteous indignation and pronouncing us villains. I was prepared to show this creature the error of its ways, but Miss Archie did not deem it worthy of our continued attention, and simply sent the thing away. I did manage to seize its pauldrons before it could be dismissed, however. Their worth will compensate us the time it wasted with its antics. The journey to Egorian was otherwise uneventful. After the Trials of the past month, I am thankful the Divine Path was now unimpeded.
The sights, sounds, and scents of a proper city were a true blessing after so long away! There is nothing that can quite compare to the majesty of the grandest capital on Golarion! Of course, the return was made all the more appropriate, as we arrived on none other than Even-Tongued Day. It can be no coincidence that we arrived on this important day, as it can only serve to remind us of our Sacred Duty to bring Order back to these lands ordained by Hell itself!
Our first task was to present ourselves, as requested by Her Infernal Majestrix. At first the wait gave me concern, but clearly upon learning of our importance they did not dally, and had us assigned to lodgings in the city. Father Dexsius took time to submit his reports to the Church, while Miss Archie discovered and enjoyed the luxuries of Egorian coffee. I, meanwhile, saw to it that my equipment and attire were suitably tended to in anticipation of our future tasks. I assume that Mister Kezax followed Miss Archie, ever her dutiful servant, though I did not witness him throughout.
We had the pleasure of meeting two notable figures today as well. The first was a rather worn elderly nobleman who introduced himself as Paraduke Thalgano Sethic. The second, our hostess, the Archcountess Levisvia Vasvion. Paraduke Sethic requested our aid in facilitating the purchase of the Archcountess’ property, which supposedly once belonged to him. It would seem that both would desire that we help them in the destruction of the other, and in return, both have offered us their influence with none other than Queen Abrogail II herself. Such is the nature of affairs in Egorian. It would do well for us to select a patron and make use of their assets, as they will no doubt benefit us greatly in courtly matters. What is more difficult is determining which one we ought to back.
The Paraduke appeals well enough to my sensibilities, and his manner was courteous enough, if a little presumptuous. However, there is one matter that concerns me. It took some time for me to recall, as he is distinctly more broken than he once was, but I eventually recognised him as a man that was once detained by the Hellknights by order of the Queen. Now, granted, he was also released on a similar order, so perhaps my concerns are unwarranted. However, to help someone once condemned by such a righteous organisation does not entirely sit right with me. The Archcountess, on the other hand, has demonstrated great tenacity and ambition, something I can respect, though I do wonder if devotion and loyalty are among her traits… Regrettably, neither has demonstrated any particularly strong appreciation for the values of the Divine Order.
This is most certainly not an easy decision, but the Path will no doubt make things clear for us in time!
21/09/09 - Session 34 - Docking the Paraduke’s Pay
Sunday, 15th Neth, Egorian, The Heartlands
As we contemplated our situation before the evening meal, Father Dexsius received a visitor. The man, Ser Quintus Remus Tanessen, is a soldier on retainer to the Church of Asmodeus. I recognise the name of nobility from the West, where I have heard rumblings of treacherous activity. If that is the case, then perhaps he came to Egorian in search for Righteousness. I would be all too pleased to assist Father Dexsius in guiding this soul towards the Truth. For the time being, he has pledged to assist us in our tasks. I expect that his courtly experience and skills with his fascinating ranged weapon and magic will serve us well. He has the approval of Father Dexsius, after all, and I have come to put great trust his judgement.
We decided ultimately to support Archcountess Vasvion. Though I hold no personal malice for the Paraduke, his influence seems far less prestigious, and tainted with past misdeeds. I’ve come to believe that his release from the Scourge was not a matter of innocence, but rather to deliver to us a stepping stone for further ascent. Such circumstances are very much in line with the ways of the Divine Path. That this would take place on Even-Tongued Day makes it all the more clear that this is by design. Providence has delivered this ailing prisoner for a final cleansing at my hand, and in the process his sacrifice will be for our benefit, much as it was with Dear Father. Our agreement on the matter was unanimous.
With our quandary resolved, I was able to thoroughly enjoy our supper. It was a true pleasure to share the tales of our exploits with those in our company. Naturally, the sheep with weaker resolves could not remain in such a Divine Presence for long. This suits us, of course, as it leaves only those with enough fortitude to be among the Order’s chosen few. Such company, the presence of those minds strong enough to perhaps one day bask in Truth and Understanding, is rare. The Archcountess remained. This gives me hope that she is indeed someone worthy of the Divine Order’s support. Of my support.
Following dinner, the Archcountess invited us to her chambers for a drink. I had missed the refined liqueurs of the city, which made an excellent pairing with the woman’s words. She informed us of funds she wished to be dedicated to the effort to cleanse Cheliax of its current blight. Funds that were presently being brought to the Paraduke by boat. The Archcountess recommended we appropriate these funds and bring them to her, and leave behind no witnesses. A simple enough favour to perform for a benefactor, and an opportunity to see how true she might be to her word.
Seizing the goods was a simple task. The boat was defended by a small crew and the Paraduke’s two subordinates. Mister Kezax dispatched the smaller of the two before she was even aware of our presence. I dare say that the lethality of his marksmanship seems far greater than it once was. A welcome development for a trusted ally! Father Dexsius and Ser Quintus worked well to whittle the others, and Miss Archie swiftly transported her and myself to the boat to finish the job. I set the beastly half-orc’s face piercings into a more fitting arrangement, while Miss Archie bathed the remaining footmen in her draconic essence. All in all, a very efficient procedure. Once that was done, Mister Kezax so graciously ensured that the site would be made pristine once more. Egorian is a lovely city, and we would not wish its streets to be sullied, after all.
Our new associate was pleased with the results. I expect that our continued relationship will be fruitful, as it is no doubt blessed by the Order. There will be some time before our next task. Time that we may use to our liking. I have chosen to take some of that time to investigate the story told to my by Dear Blissy. If the Bellflower Network has made its way into Egorian, then that is unacceptable, and must be rectified as soon as possible! However, the city is a more complicated thing than a town. Corruption is not so easily spotted and rooted out, so we must be more prudent and deliberate in such an investigation. While admittedly subterfuge is not my strong suit, I am nevertheless still more than capable of using my influence, and one can learn a great many things if one has coaxed the right people...
That said, this time of investigation does leave me with some time for reflexion as well. Following our mission at the Inferno Gate, Miss Archie elaborated on the nature of her objective. She spoke of channelling the essence of Hell itself as a plane to infuse herself. I’ve come to understand that Miss Arcatraz is not an especially religious person, though she does seem to acknowledge Geryon. Father Dexsius offered his own support to her endeavour, recognising that while his spellcraft is a divine gift from Lord Asmodeus, the energy he channels is of a more planar nature as well. I could not be more pleased to hear my companions affirm their link to the Divine Order in this way!
The Truth has always been difficult for others to grasp. Though this has troubled me in the past, I’ve come to accept that others do not share my Blessing of Understanding. However, it is in moments like these that I am given hope that others may come to realise what I have known all along. The Divine Order is not the purview of any single deity! Lord Asmodeus is powerful indeed, and worthy of the highest respect, but even he does not encompass the entirety of this Power. Much as an Empress rules over her empire, she is not herself the empire. The Strength that Miss Archie seeks, that Father Dexsius channels, or that I am Blessed by… This Strength comes from the confluence of Hell and Heaven’s might, assembled into a pure essence of Absolute Order! This Strength is the Lifeblood of the gods, and unlike those that can bear only a fragment of it secondhand from such deities, we privileged few can draw from it directly! This is what it means to have the Blessing of the Divine Order!
Perhaps some day, my compatriots will come to truly understand the Gift they have been given, as I do. Until then, I shall do all that I can to guide them towards that Beautiful Revelation. But that is a longer Quest. Right now, there are more mundane issues we must resolve if we are to ascend to our rightful place among the Hierarchy...
Player's Notes: It's been quite some time since I last updated. The end of August and start of September are always a messy time for me, and on top of that we had to deal with the transition to a new book. On top of some sessions getting cancelled for scheduling, I also had to contend with the aftermath of some eye surgery, so my journal writing fell a bit behind. Now I'm caught up with Vengeance, at least!
Boy am I ready to finally be in urban territory once more. After the messiness of that final dungeon, I welcome the transition to a bit of intrigue. I genuinely applaud Paizo for the two potential patrons. It was a genuinely tough call for our party to decide which one to back, because both seemed genuinely valid as choices. I'm curious to see how it plays out now that we've made our bed...
21/09/17 - Session 35 - Death is the Life of the Party
Toilday, 17th Neth, Egorian, The Heartlands
Since I’ve taken over my father’s title, it is necessary for me to also develop my connections among the nobility. Once our first arrangement with the Archcountess was complete, it was on this that I focused my efforts. Fortunately there are plenty of Chelaxian nobles that are able to accept the truth before them, and it is little work on my part to persuade those that are less perceptive of my true status as their better. I expect that soon enough, my reputation shall precede me. But for that to happen, I would need an event.
Fortunately, my informants and Archcountess Vasvion were all too happy to provide one in the form of a soiree hosted by one Baroness Gellintha. The Archcountess was willing to give us the required invitations, provided we use the opportunity to spread some poison upon Paraduke Sethic’s name. A simple task for me to complete while spreading my own name among those people of merit. A most favourable arrangement!
Naturally, it would not do to be muted when one makes their debut, so my companions and I all took measures to be at our best for the event. No expense was spared to make our appearances and entrance as grand as possible, and grand it certainly was! It is fortunate that in addition to being capable combattants, Father Dexsius and his bodyguard are also well versed in the theatrics of Chelaxian nobility. Miss Archie and Mister Kezax for their part were no slouches either, and conducted themselves in a manner all too befitting of a proper lady and servant of the greatest nation. I confess to some concern that they might not find themselves prepared for the challenges of court, but I was pleased to learn that they took to the new environment most effectively!
I spent the bulk of my evening listening to the concerns of visiting Wiscrani nobles. Their arrogance was somewhat irritating, but behind their superfluous nature lay some interesting information regarding the Reclamation heretics and their growing efforts to take the former capital. I pledged upon my name and title that I would come to Westcrown’s aid when the Divine Path decides it is my calling, just as I did with Longacre and Kantaria. When that time comes, they will do well to remember my name and the importance of my station…
While I attended to them, Miss Archie exchanged pleasantries with an assortment of diminutive academics that quickly bowed to her intellect, while Father Dexsius put his charms towards a group of adventurers, rather affecting one in the process, it seemed. There were some entertainers present as well, though Ser Quintus made himself useful in luring them away from those more important figures.
That left us with only the hostess herself. In good time she took sufficient notice to call me over to her, and requested that I introduce myself. She took a particular liking to the tales of my prior accomplishments against those heretics of the Reclamation. I regaled her with the tale of how I brought the so-called Angel Knight to justice. The twisted nature of that beggar’s corruption, and the thoroughness with wich I purged it from her, delighted the Baroness. She even requested that I offer a demonstration, which I all too happily did using the slave she provided. Father Dexsius and Miss Archie offered their own grim spectacles as well, while Mister Kezax set to serving her a meal fit for the occasion. The bliss the Baroness showed at the sights of such power may well have been an indication that the woman was touched by the Divine Truth. After all, most would flinch at having their arm boiled by draconic acid, but she took immense pleasure in the touch of such magnificent force! That, or she simply has a keen eye for those willing and able to carry out acts of True Righteousness. I promised her that soon, she would witness such Righteousness again, this time brought upon the Paraduke. I do genuinely believe that she will find what is to come most entertaining…
With our departure, I believe that we have made ourselves a friend of a savvy and rather delightful woman, one that may yet prove quite useful in my ascension within the Grand Hierarchy…
Player's Notes: Both in character and out, I absolutely adored the interaction with the Baroness. There's nothing quite like a fellow insane person being absolutely overjoyed as I get more and more gruesome with my descriptions of torture and mass murder. Meanwhile I'm pretty sure the rest of the party (also in character and out) are absolutely mortified by this woman. Either way, big props to our GM for that one. What a fun party!
21/09/25 - Session 36 - When Pigs Die
Starday, 21st Neth, Egorian, The Heartlands
The longer we spend in Egorian, the more I find myself acclimating to the comforts of the civilised world. Truly, there was a part of me that missed the luxuries of such a grand and orderly society! While we are still dealing with oh so many blind sheep, unaware of the Divine Truths, there are still some who appreciate these realities and their significance. I say this having enjoyed once more the hospitality of the good Baroness Gellintha, who was kind enough to commission a portrait for me. It is only appropriate that a newly ascended Archbaron have such a depiction, after all.
That is not to say that I have been neglecting my work, of course. As I’ve been growing my influence, I have also been collecting knowledge about the workings of the city. Through these networks, I’ve learned several things. Interestingly, many of these rumours are of pertinence to Miss Archie, which I assume is an indication that the Divine Path is setting the stage for her apotheosis. All the more reason to support her endeavour, I am certain.
For one, it would appear that Miss Archie has garnered the attention of an individual named Skanrak, who has taken it upon themselves to hunt down those who use magic. That this supposed assassin believes it to be an affront to the Gods tells me that they are sorely deluded by a skewed worldview. I would love nothing more than to seek out and reeducate this person, though if they have the audacity to come after a chosen elite of the Divine Path such as Miss Archie, then they will surely come to learn their lesson one way or another…
Yet another fascinating rumour is that a woman of the cloth known for her expertise in ritual magic named Nalia Melcoth has been spending more and more time with someone bearing the Alazario name, and insinuations suggest more than simple magical training. If the person in question is Nicolo, the Archcountess’ groom-to-be, then this may be a point of friction we will have to resolve. Whatever the case may be, this woman may well be of use to Miss Archie’s investigations, so perhaps a more delicate approach will be necessary…
This latter tale proved relevant almost immediately, as we were summoned by Archcountess Vasvion in the evening after she had failed to attend her usual supper. The woman informed us that the Paraduke was now seeking to retaliate against her by sending assassins after Mister Nicolo, and so requested that we go and persuade her fiancé to leave the city for a time, until this feud is properly resolved.
As a precaution, Mister Kezax and Miss Archie took to the backdoor while I remained at the front with Father Dexsius and Ser Quintus, ready should something happen. As it were, something did happen. A trap was triggered as Mister Kezax entered, and simultaneously Miss Archie was assaulted by none other than the assassin named Skanrak. Father Dexsius and Ser Quintus returned to assist her while I made my way through the front entrance, finding Mister Nicolo in the company of Miss Nalia Melcoth. The rumours that came to me clearly assembled themselves with this evening in mind. Fortunately, though Mister Nicolo complained, he did not resist my protection, which was useful, as moments later yet another assassin made an attempt against him. I cowed the second assailant, while Mister Nicolo himself delivered the final blow. It is a shame that he was not more aware of his environment, or our protection might not have been necessary.
While Mister Kezax saw to Mister Nicolo and his mistress, our other companions dealt with Skanrak. The fool got one lucky strike against Miss Archie, but unfortunately for him a strike like that would not kill one as fierce as her, and so he was repaid in fire, bullets, and acid. As expected, he came to learn his errors far too late.
Once the incident was over, Mister Nicolo was wise enough to accept our escort. Miss Nalia, now also a recipient of our protection, was given a different offer. Fortunately for her, the Archcountess was both aware and accepting of her fiancé’s dalliance, so no punishment was necessary. Rather, we extracted from her the promise that she would provide what wisdom she could to Miss Archie regarding her research. A simple transaction that shall bring a dear companion closer to the Divine Truth. Everything comes into place, as expected in such a Grand Design!
The incident with the Mayor’s son did leave us now with another issue to resolve: that of our own retribution. Needless to say, Paraduke Sethic could not be permitted to send such enemies against our patron with impunity. Fortunately, the Archcountess had a plan ready for a response. We would go to the Paraduke’s farm and dispose of his prized Avernus razorback boars, the lynchpins of his business ventures. A simple mission, though still not without challenge. Avernus razorbacks are daunting creatures imbued with the might of Hell, a more primal form of the Divine Order’s blessing. This makes them fearsome opponents, but also prime sacrifices for the Divine Order’s will! It is with this conviction that we entered the pens.
The creatures were indeed formidable opponents, but no match for our might. Mister Kezax slew one with a single well-placed bolt, while Miss Archie promptly dismissed their devilish guardian before he could take action against us. The remaining two razorbacks made a good effort, but blade, ice, and acid silenced them permanently. Mister Kezax retrieved what he could from the creatures, ensuring that we would eat well in the days to come…
The Archcountess was naturally delighted with our service, as well she should be. There can be no greater proof of our worth as agents of the Divine Order than the brilliance and efficiency with which we have accomplished our goals. In recognition of these contributions to her vendetta, she has pledged to sing our praises to the Queen, and furthermore has secured our invitations to a party hosted by Demibaron Graithus Kavalderic. This is no small gift, as it is rumoured that the Queen herself might make an appearance at this event. Should that be the case, then it shall be the perfect opportunity for my second grand Egorian debut as the new Archbaron Fex!
Player's Notes: A pretty straightforward session. Some fun encounters that played out well. This session really reminded me of how there's really been a pattern in this AP: encounters go pretty smoothly right up until we reach the final dungeon, at which point everything gets real rough. I wonder what the big challenge of this book will end up being...
21/09/25 - Session 36 - A Mindnumbing Party
Toilday, 24th Neth, Egorian, The Heartlands
The days leading to our next soiree of note were relatively calm. I took the time to further refine my etiquette and knowledge of my new responsibilities as an Archbaron. It would seem that Father Dexsius had also taken to his priestly duties in that time. I have yet to formally offer him the role of archpriest to the Fex holdings, though I am certain he will accept it. We are both blessed servants of the Divine Order, after all.
As though sensing my intentions of furthering our alliance, the good Father presented me with an intriguing arrangement. In exchange for signing a contract and agreeing to recognise Asmodeus as first and foremost among the gods in Order’s pantheon, he will provide me with a modicum of his divine powers. The arrangement is mutually beneficial, and only requires that I recognise that which is already true. Still, I find myself amused by the clauses of this contract. Father Dexsius still clings to Lord Asmodeus’ supremacy, but the fact that he acknowledged that the Dark Prince holds a place within the hierarchy of the Divine Order is already a suitable step in the right direction. That is to say nothing of his underlings, that I have on occasion conferred my wisdom to. The spread of Truth need not be an exclusively top-down affair, after all.
It seemed but a moment before Demibaron Graithus Kavalderic’s party was upon us. I had heard that the event would be a place of heretical revelry and unbridled debauchery. While I cannot say that such chaotic behaviour is especially palatable, there is something to be said for the malleability of those who would attend such events. Not all who submit to Chaos are lost; some may yet be molded and brought into the Light, sometimes with even more ease than those who follow a misguided form of Order.
I spent the majority of the evening collecting lost souls, gently herding them to the Revelations of the Divine Order. As a Herald, shepherding these misguided sheep was a simple matter, and it did not take long for me to develop an entourage. Ser Quintus did an admirable job of attesting to my sermons. Perhaps in hearing them, he is coming to understand and accept the Truths I speak of more readily than even my other companions. If so, then he will be a most useful ally in my Divine Mission.
Speaking of my companions, they too took advantage of the event. While Miss Archie and Mister Kezax enjoyed the luxury coffees and tobaccos offered at this gathering, Father Dexsius spent much of the evening observing and conversing with other partygoers, demonstrating his great talents in both capacities. He learned of insidious rumours that painted our necessary sacrifice of my dear father at the Inferno Gate as an act of treachery, a piece of misinformation he was swift to correct. As I would come to understand, others present at the event were keeping their ears open for scandals and secrets that might be released from the loosened lips of these attendees, so it was wise not to allow such falsehoods to spread.
On the subject of those in attendance, the Queen made no appearance at the party, and so Father Dexsius and Miss Archie instead sought out our host, the Demibaron. They located him inspecting a most fascinating statue depicting angels and devils at once in bitter conflict and carnal embraces. Some of these figures also bore the visages of members of the court. Miss Archie offered some interesting critiques, namely on the lack of draconic influences, and the inaccuracies of depicting Paracount Sethic without his various mutilations. It was as she was offering these corrections that I came upon the piece myself. It truly was a most wondrous thing to behold! While some might consider the implications of such a piece heretical, there is Great Truth in the depiction of Heaven and Hell at once at odds and in service to each other, with humanity functioning as the soldiers of this great duality. In fact, such a depiction is nothing less than a glimpse into the nature of the Divine Order itself!
The Demibaron seemed pleased with my analysis, and recognised our group as the agents that have gained renown of late. He warned us of the rumour Father Dexsius had heard prior, and that there was someone who sought us out. It would seem that a cousin of my father’s was ignorant of his plan, and seeks vengeance for his murder. As a Hellknight, it is only natural that my cousin once removed seek Justice, so I shall have to correct his misunderstanding. As this relative was not present at this event, I satisfied myself with a simple message to the general public:
“Some of you may have heard some rumours regarding my late father. Allow me to clear the air. Yes! I did indeed kill Archbaron Darrellus Fex, but it was a necessary action! The Archbaron sought control of an Inferno Gate, but he did so for his own benefit! It was the will of the laws of Cheliax and of the gods themselves that he be struck down! Doing so was my responsibility, and I did not falter.
The blessings of Hell belong to the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune, and it is my pledge that that is where they shall remain! This mark upon my eye is proof of my devotion. It is the reason I am here! If anyone wishes to question test my loyalty, my resolve in this matter, then I invite them to approach and do so. I will be more than happy to provide the proof you might crave!”
It pains me to denounce my dear father in such a manner, but this deception was his will, and therefore it is also my duty to uphold it to the public. In any case, though the message was delivered, any potential response was interrupted by a rather worrisome event. It would seem that someone in attendance bore with them a stone of insidious nature, and it chose this moment to emerge. We later recognised the creature as a derghodaemon, though in that moment I found myself overcome with a wrathful fervor that took away any sense. So too were Mister Kezax and Ser Quintus affected, and so all three of us set to kill this foul creature as it massacred the guests of the party.
Though our faculties were impeded, Miss Archie and Father Dexsius remained sound of mind, and took measures to dispose of the swarms surrounding us and to cure our affliction of the mind while healing our wounds. It was fortunate that they did so, as this creature was by no means feeble. Nevertheless, we prevailed, and the daemon found itself blinded, smashed, terrified, struck at with harming magic, and finally shot through its weakened body. For our success in dispatching the unwelcome guest, the Demibaron rewarded us handsomely, and spread word of our accomplishment. Once more, our Might and Righteousness shone through.
Let any who still question us do so at the Hellfire Ball, so that all might see the Truth!
Player's Notes: I sure did make a lot of very bad rolls in this session (Dexsius must have eaten up all the good luck when he got two nat 20s in a row for his information gathering checks). It ended up eating all of my Hero Points, so that by the time we got hit with the Feeblemind aura from the daemon and I once again rolled poorly, I had none left. Fortunately for us the casters both made it and Dexsius had two scrolls of Heal on hand, because otherwise that could have been really bad...
21/10/29 & 21/11/05 - Session 37 & 38 - Great Balls of Hellfire
Sunday, 29th Neth, Egorian, The Heartlands
Of all the events that would transpire in Egorian during our time there, the Hellfire Ball was quite possibly the one I most anticipated. After all, while others were comparatively middling affairs for those of lesser status, this would be an event worthy of my station! Naturally, we all took proper precautions to attire ourselves appropriately. The event called for us not to come clad in armour, even if it was glamered, so I satisfied myself with some bracers that would ensure I could call upon the Panoply should I require it. After the last event, it seems best to be prepared for perils.
All the more so with the rumour shared to me by Demibaron Kavalderic. I was rather perplexed when he first told me of my blood's oath against me. But my father was thorough in his deception to see my inheritance properly managed. Perhaps this deception extended to family as well…
I did not allow these thoughts to burden me as we went about the Ball, speaking with old acquaintances and allies. However once more the Demibaron warned me, this time that my father's cousin would seek me out at midnight. Baroness Gellintha corroborated the tale with an allusion that a great surprise was set to transpire this evening. Thus, a matter I thought would be but a mere distraction became increasingly prevalent.
Midnight came and went without incident, though some minutes later the crowds parted, leaving myself and my companions center stage. Sure enough, my familial relation emerged and attempted to ambush me with the aid of a barbed devil. The attack might have been more impressive had I not been prepared, though even so the circumstances seemed too misaligned to not be indicative of something. The man is a Hellknight, a staunch representative of Order. And yet, he was not punctual, and he utilised tactics of deception and cowardice. As Miss Archie rid us of the barbed interloper, the man spoke of Hell’s Justice, and though Father Dexsius took exception to his remark, it helped me come to an understanding of exactly what this was.
This was a Test!
Once the Divine Revelation came upon me, everything seemed so evident! His actions clearly mirror those of my father, who acted uncharacteristically foolish so that the stage might be set for my ascension. However, since that time, my rightfully inherited authority was subjected to doubt by my peers. It is for this reason that he must have taken this action. By confronting me here, he is setting a stage for me to prove my title, just as a Hellknight might duel a devil before a suitable witness for their initiation!
With my newfound understanding, I bade that Father Dexsius stand down, so that I might treat with my examiner properly. It would not do for my title to be questioned due to an improper test, after all! Once we were both healed and Miss Archie ensured that no interlopers might interrupt us, the duel began.
Maralictor Vokadus Fex fought honourably, but of course, the outcome of this battle was never in question. My hammer struck with all the Might of my Convictions, the Strength with which I will lead the name of House Fex to Glory! The Maralictor fell and with our host the Duke Raaven Melesiva’s blessing, I completed the sacrifice of blood to affirm my birthright, before an audience of those distinguished members of the realm’s most powerful houses. Afterwards, I spoke briefly with the esteemed Duke. As a fellow son of a supposed traitor, I am certain he could understand my circumstances well. No doubt, it is why he agreed to this arrangement. It is for that same reason that I trusted his words as he offered the confirmation I sought: that my title would be questioned no more.
My only regret of the evening is that despite the rumours, the Queen was not in attendance. Once again, we find ourselves unable to meet. However, Archcountess Vasvion offered a most convenient suggestion. The Bellflower Network remains a thorn lodged in Egorian’s underbelly, and should we remove it, we would certainly earn the direct attention of Her Infernal Majestrix.
In truth, I had never ceased to keep my ear to the ground for further information regarding this particular pest, and had every intention of uprooting them at the earliest opportunity. However, their elusive nature makes their complete eradication a rather involved affair, and I had matters of my authority to see finished. But with that accomplished, I would be all too pleased to cure this infestation of miscreants and bandits once and for all.
We already possessed a name and a place. A one-handed woman by the name of “the Barrister” is said to be involved in these dealings, and she can be reached through some covert method at the Clerk’s Cloister, a tavern located in the Sorrowside district. We sent in Mister Kezax first to investigate the location. It seemed a popular place for discreet meetings of legal matters.
No doubt, these agents of Chaos would take great pains to be subtle, as prey would when within a den of wolves. As such, Father Dexsius and I set foot in the establishment not as our true selves, but instead under the guise of wandering adventurers. I suspected the barkeep may have a better understanding of the secrets transpiring within his establishment, so I simply played the part of a righteous Hero of Justice, as I very well am. A few easy words, and the flighty barkeep confirmed my suspicions. The Bellflower operated here, and though he would not take us to them, they may well seek us out. All that is left is to wait for that moment to come...
As we conducted our operation, Mister Kezax continued his own investigation. It would seem that throughout the day, the establishment was crossed by some curious halfling individuals. Our trusty sleuth tracked the vermin to a storage facility, where he acquired another halfling hidden within a barrel. This one he brought to Miss Archie. As I would come to learn later, Miss Archie interrogated the runaway and learned some information about the organisation’s methods. With that addressed, she disposed of the rotten goods.
Our first steps are now taken. Next, we must find this woman who seeks to undermine the Order of my fair city while obnoxiously using such a Lawful title. If she is missing a hand, I would suspect it is from prior misdeeds. If that is the case, then perhaps once more it is an incomplete punishment we are now set to bring to a suitable conclusion. If the loss of one hand was insufficient to instill the lesson, then she will have no need for the other.
Player's Notes: The first of these two sessions ended up being a very short prep session, so I merged them. Anyway, dueling the Maralictor proved to be a really fun and flavourful scene, if a little anticlimactic. His build was similar, but his damage output was simply no match for mine. I guess dismissing his barbed devil really did mess things up...
As fun as it's been mingling with the nobility, I am very much ready to go deep into the brutality with the Bellflower Network. It's been a while since I've gotten to really demonstrate Dominus' sadistic side...
22/01/11 - Session 39 - Disbarring the Barrister
Sunday, 29th Neth, Egorian, The Heartlands
If I’ve learned one thing from my tenure as the Sheriff of Longacre, it is that while the truly corrupt will do their best to hide their crimes, their inherently chaotic nature prevents them from being thorough enough to conduct such clandestine operations properly. Sooner or later, a provocation of their baser desires will overcome their weak will, or their lack of discipline will cause them to overlook a crucial rigour. With that in mind, the Bellflower Network would invariably expose themselves to us. Such was the Truth given to me by the Divine Path.
Our approach was three-pronged. While Father Dexsius and I maintained our cover as would-be rebels in the hopes that the Bellflower might seek us out, Father Dexsius sent the good Sir Quintus along with another of his clergymen to prod the local barrister market in the guise of a particularly audacious servant of Asmodeus seeking some sacrificial bodies. As I heard it told, he did a remarkable job of making the weak-stomached clerk he hired uncomfortable with his treatment of his legally purchased property. All the while as we made our provocations, Mister Kezax continued to monitor the warehouse he had previously located.
Ultimately, it was Mister Kezax’s disciplined observation that found our quarry. The one-handed woman we have been seeking brazenly appeared at the site to inspect it, not even taking care to inspect the barrel which contained the ill-gotten goods we had already seized. Mister Kezax followed her, and took care to intercept the message she was to deliver regarding what would have been their next smuggling operation. Ever the exceptional agent, he even went as far as to track the “Barrister” to her home and identified from the scent upon her clothes the likely site of her contact, a manor outside of the city belonging to a man known to cavort openly with halfling servants.
Needless to say, with such information, we are adequately equipped to proceed with proper disciplinary actions. I for one am all too eager to see this vulgar insult to good Chelish trade practice snuffed out. However, unlike our foes, we have the presence of mind to be diligent in our pursuits. The Barrister presents both a weakness and an opportunity that we must not neglect!
Of course, Mister Kezax was thorough enough to ensure that we would not be met with any undue surprises when we sought out the Barrister once more at her home. She resisted, of course, but she was unprepared, and as such a few well placed strikes were enough to put her back to sleep. In a delicious twist of irony, the warehouse Mister Kezax located and secured will function well as a place to acquire the thief’s testimony. I have every intention to see to it that she is made to answer for her heresies to the god of commerce she purports to follow…
Player's Notes: Another game heavily delayed by holidays and schedule conflicts, but it seems we will be returning to a regular schedule quite soon! And I could not be happier. Gotta admit, the sadist in me has been looking forward to bringing forth new creative ways to torture and horrify our enemies, and I have something very specific in mind for the Barrister. It's going to be graphic and viscerally unpleasant, that much is certain...
22/01/24 - Session 40 - The Bell Tolls for the Bellflower
Toilday, 1st Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
For most of my life, I had dismissed the Bellflower Network as being an annoying yet ultimately insignificant band of brigands. It is only once I saw the woman claiming to be an Abadaran while willfully aiding their efforts that I’ve come to appreciate just how vile their influence has become. It sickens me that such filth has been allowed to fester in this beautiful city for so long.
The “Barrister” already lacked a hand, which I could only assume was due to a prior incident of theft. She all but confirmed as much when she spoke ill of the righteous agents of the Order of the Scourge. That said, much as I respect the work of the Hellknights and their adherence to classic punishments, I could not help but feel that this particular one was insufficient. Amputation is usually a quick and clean thing, far too much so to get the point across. The woman’s repeat offence and continued defiance suggested that the lesson of the consequences of theft was not adequately learned.
Some would say that theft is a petty crime. However, it is far a more heinous act than most realise! It goes well beyond the simple removal of property from a lawful owner. It also erodes society by damaging trust. To steal is to make the world less trustworthy, and thus more discordant. It is through such erosions of institutions such as lawful ownership that a nation succumbs to deeper corruptions. One could say that such institutions are the skin which protect us from infection. Therefore, to break the law is much like flaying the skin, exposing it to the vile influences of Chaos. A follower of the Master of the First Vault ought to appreciate this better than anyone!
With that in mind, I conducted my lesson thoroughly, ensuring that our captive thief fully understood the severity of her crime. She was recalcitrant, but with Father Dexsius’ support and my own meticulous application of a sharpened coin, she was persuaded to atone by confirming the location and identities of her co-conspirators. Of course, a crime still requires punishment, and she committed multiple. For the crime of theft, the payment would be her hand, as is customary. For sidestepping the laws of Cheliax, her feet would suffice. Finally, for the most terrible crime of heresy and false devotion to a God of Justice, I extracted payment in the form of her false face. Once the tributes were made, Father Dexsius ensured that her soul would be properly cleansed in Hellfire.
We had confirmed twice over the location of the Bellflower blight, or at least, the nearest of their operations. The manor belonging to a half-elf named Helthondous was simple enough to locate with the information we had collected. From there, Mister Kezax was kind enough to take the vanguard and ensure that the vermin would not find themselves able to flee or destroy the evidence of their crimes. Once he had installed himself comfortably, the rest of our group were informed and made our way in with suitable force.
Helthondous himself greeted us in his courtyard. While he did attempt to impede our approach, Sir Quintus was kind enough to provide me with the means to proceed. I made short work of the frail rat, then removed the golem he had activated in vain for further protection. The outsider that aided him abandoned its post immediately, unsurprisingly.
That being said, Mister Kezax and the remainder of our prey lay somewhere deeper still…
Player's Notes: Perhaps it was the fact that I hadn't played the villain in quite some time, but I felt particularly inspired going through the torture sequence with the Barrister. It was rather gruesome, I must say. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't have fun. Much as I worried about playing an evil game in the past, there's something cathartic about playing an absolutely over the top brutal villain...
Though considering how Kezax has set himself up with his absurd stealth, he may well outdo me in that department next session. Let's just say the escape raft full of slaves also has a considerable stockpile of flammable goods on it thanks to him...
22/01/31 & 22/02/07 - Session 41 & Session 42 - Bellflower Plucked
Toilday, 1st Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
Miss Archie joined us just in time for our continuation into the depths of the Bellflower vermins’ nest. With Mister Kezax’s guidance, it was an easy thing to trace our way to the hidden passage. Some of the pests did attempt to hinder us, but rats are easily stomped underfoot when they become too fat and complacent. Even their attempt to flood their nest was swiftly denied thanks to Father Dexsius’ resourceful application of stone shaping magic. The water and last remaining trap did admittedly slow our pursuit, but at this point, it was nothing more than delaying the inevitable.
The Bellflower cesspool consisted of a dock for a single boat, but even a small wound can become viciously infected if not tended to properly. I pushed forward to cleanse the offending bacteria, while my companions offered support from the rear. The scum dared to strike out at us with spells of fire and lightning, clearly unaware of the nature of the medicine that came for them. Father Dexsius’ protection magic rendered the attacks against me impotent, giving me ample time to remove the source.
The Bellflower remained ever insidious however. Through the use of invisibility, they sought to ambush my dear allies. Sir Quintus even found himself momentarily overwhelmed by their harassment. It was fortunate that Father Dexsius was there to ensure that no true damage could be done. While an infection may fight ferociously for its continued existence, Cheliax is a healthy body, and our cure would win the day. Mister Kezax swiftly eliminated the prime offender with a well-placed shot. I flattened the magical snake that slithered among the wound, revealed thanks to Miss Archie’s magical talents. Finally, Sir Quintus and Father Dexsius disposed of the final vestiges of the infection by showing them the power of lightning and fire when harnessed by the Righteous.
The blast of flame ignited the boat upon which the merchandise had been stowed. Mister Kezax’s placement of alchemist’s fire upon the vessel ensured that it would never again be used to harm our nation. As for the slaves it contained, they were given a simple choice: return to their stations, or seek their supposed freedom in the flames. Those that still could chose wisely.
Among the remaining merchandise was one slave that I happened to recognise from an ownership bill I’ve kept since my first return to Longacre. As such, I have appropriated the slave Magnus into my service. Father Dexsius was kind enough to implement a suitably thorough compulsion to ensure that this beast would never again be led astray. I had always found the paper strangely compelling, as this slave bore the same name as the affable but ultimately doomed companion that accompanied me in the earliest stages of this quest. Naturally, I can only conclude that it is a Sign that we walk the Divine Path. The additional fact that these events have occurred on the day of The Shadowchaining reaffirms this. Just as the Kuthites are thankful for the Midnight Lord’s gift of shadow beasts, I too shall be thankful for the beast I have been blessed with. Magnus will serve me well, I am certain.
With the Bellflower infection treated, we had time to investigate and locate written evidence of their corruption, including other places where the wound may yet fester. The Empire will do well to heed this knowledge and rid itself of the pestilence these vermin bring before it grows any further. Much as I would wish to attend to such a task personally, I must answer to a Higher Calling. Disruption of Lawful trade is a grave sin, but the heresies of the Reclamation present a far greater existential threat.
Fortunately, I am confident that Her Infernal Majestrix, wise as she is, will see from our deeds that I am the perfect answer to such a threat. Such is my Divine Purpose, after all.
Player's Notes: A combination of increased work at the office and a wonky game schedule resulted in me being a bit late this time around, though today's session ended up only being a 30 minute affair to finish off the last remaining Bellflower enemies. We are now all very eager to finally meet Queen Abrogail II, which if all goes according to plan shall occur tomorrow. How very exciting!
22/02/15 - Session 43 - The Soured Wine Incident
Toilday, 1st Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
Though horrible misfortunes befalling individuals of dubious character are a common occurrence in Egorian, talk of the events that have come to be known as “The Soured Wine Incident” have grown since Her Infernal Majestrix officially acknowledged the agents supposedly responsible for it.
The incident, as it has been recorded by numerous eyewitnesses, transpired thusly: on the late afternoon of the 1st of Kuthona, five individuals, three humans (later reports would amend this, as one of these individuals was in fact a green dragon), one tiefling, and one kobold, bearing clear markings of official Chelish agents, appeared at the Clerk’s Cloister tavern. The tavern proprietor, a man by the name of Belnost, appeared to recognise one of the humans and the tiefling, and was visibly shaken by the group’s arrival. He did however serve them promptly. The agents declared that they were celebrating, and requested that a cask of wine be served to the entire tavern. While this initially elicited some joy among the patrons, it was snuffed once the wine was poured. From the rancid aroma and disturbingly thick texture, the wine was clearly not fit for consumption. At once, the agents demanded that the tavern owner retrieve the wine casks from his stock and open them.
The scent that permeated the tavern was described as being unimaginably horrid, and the sight of the contents equally so, to the point that several of the guests were reported as having expelled the contents of their recent meals. Within each of the casks lay a mutilated corpse, floating in a mixture of wine, blood, and assorted filth. In the majority of the cases these were the corpses of halflings, though one cask in particular bore the corpse of a human. While the body was near unrecognisable, having been burned to a crisp and with both hands removed and the face skinned off, there remained enough physical detail to identify the individual as one Maisil Juluth, an Abadaran barrister that had once been detained by the Order of the Scourge due to suspicions regarding her uncle, a known Bellflower Network sympathiser. Documents revealed at a later date would identify all of the bodies to have been members of the Bellflower Network. No one was able to confirm how the casks came to be found in the Clerk’s Cloister, though it is commonly believed that this was the work of the agents.
Following the grisly revelation, Belnost was detained, and subsequently tried and publicly executed for the crimes of sedition, conspiracy, and a violation of the Food Quality Act. The Clerk’s Cloister would soon after come into the possession of Archcountess Levisvia Vasvion, and be renamed the Bubbling Barrister. Since its rechristening, the tavern has seen great popularity with Thrune loyalists, and it is noted for its thematic decor of gibbeted slaves and the popular novelty drink of “Bellflower Wine”, which is thickened and garnished with a bellflower and a polished bone to emulate the considerably less savory liquid that was once poured there.
Player's Notes: After all our time plotting the demise of the Bellflower, it felt necessary to do something special to tie the knot with them. After finding out that the tavern owner had a thing for the Barrister, I wanted to do something special to send a message to any sympathisers. The corpse in a wine barrel idea actually comes from an old episode of Bones that I still remember. Felt like a wonderfully gruesome end to that particular mission.
22/02/15 - Session 43 - A First Audience With Her Infernal Majestrix
Wealday, 2nd Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
After our glorious triumph over the Bellflower vermin infestation, we celebrated at the Clerk’s Cloister. It was a true joy to see the proprietor become enlightened to the error of his ways in assisting such scum. We had engineered the lesson to be thorough and impactful, and I truly feel that it is a reminder that shall resonate in Egorian for years to come! Archcountess Vasvion was kind enough to take on the task of cementing the achievement by rechristening the establishment. As our patron, it seemed only natural to secure the property for her use, but it is wonderful to see that she has used the gift for not only our benefit, but that of the citizens as well. Proper education is the first step to a Righteous society, after all.
Our dear patron’s service did not stop there. At long last, we would be granted our audience with Her Infernal Majestrix! As the highest representative of the Divine Order’s Will on this plane, it truly is an honour to receive her recognition for all of our dutiful service! We made haste to prepare ourselves appropriately for the encounter.
As one might expect, meeting the Queen required a certain measure of delicacy. Fortunately, I am sufficiently well versed in matters of nobility that this did not prove a trial for me. Our dear Majestrix requested that I proclaim our deeds, which I did so earnestly and completely. I did not neglect to present the gift of the Inferno Gate. Though it remains within my lands, those lands are themselves within the Queen’s territories, and therefore by rule of hierarchy it is hers to control. After all, my dear father made it abundantly clear that attempting to claim such a treasure for one’s self would be considered a great betrayal. Saddened as I am that I must see his name tarnished for the lesson, respecting that teaching is the least I can do to honour his sacrifice.
On the subject of family, those in service to the Queen saw fit to question my lineage and birthright. While it is true the nature of my birth might seem scandalous to those with only a surface understanding, these are the misunderstandings of those who do not appreciate the manner in which the Divine Order operates. If I am to be judged, the only acceptable metric is by my adherence to the Divine Order’s dictums, something in which I know myself to be absolutely unwavering. I can dismiss such tests of my honour as the necessary diligence of clerks. I took great care to make my role as Herald clear before the highest court of the land. As I gazed into the eyes of the dear Majestrix, I sensed that she understood me perfectly. Henceforth, none should dare question it further.
In turn, my companions were questioned as well. Each affirmed my testimony, and answered the questions of their own birth and loyalty splendidly. I have been thoroughly satisfied with their service to the Order, and I do believe that the Queen shared in that satisfaction. This much was proven when we were subsequently given a task of the highest priority.
At Her Infernal Majestrix Queen Abrogail of the Twice-Damned House of Thrune’s behest, we had been given the task of performing a pilgrimage to the Winter Grove in order to perform a sacrifice and renew the Infernal Contract that binds the forces of Cheliax to the Supreme Might of Hell. Such an important task cannot be completed by just anyone, so it is a show of the highest faith that we would be given the privilege! Naturally, I am overjoyed with this opportunity to take part in such an important ritual, as any who understands its significance would be.
On the subject of sacrifice, the one to be given over to Hell must be an individual that is of personal value to the Queen. As it happens, Paraduke Sethic holds such an honour, and has been chosen to be the Blessed Sacrifice. After his fall from grace at our hands, it seems only natural that he be permitted vindication in such a manner. I would think a withered husk such as him would be pleased to learn that he still has worth. Unfortunately, his mind was too frail to appreciate this. He put up just enough resistance when we came to collect him that it caused Mister Kezax some trouble, but fortunately we had the means to undo the old man’s mistake. After that incident, he was subdued and made more than sufficiently pliable for our journey.
By our estimation, the pilgrimage will take roughly two days to complete, as it demands that we travel on foot (much to Miss Archie’s dismay, given her recent acquisition of even more draconic power). While I have faith that we shall complete the task without trouble, Miss Archie was blessed with a divine message to be wary of an attempted betrayal against us. Armed with the knowledge that there are some who intend to interfere with this pilgrimage, my conviction is steeled that much more. NONE shall come in the way of our Divine Duty!
Player's Notes: At last we got to meet the Queen! As the party face and the only member that's been there since the very beginning, I got the privilege of doing the achievements monologue to her, which was pretty fun. Nothing quite like talking up our badassery to one of the great rulers of Golarion. I just wish the next bit didn't force us to walk. I feel bad for Archie, who JUST unlocked her draconic form and flight along with it, only to be forced to stay grounded for the next mission. Welp.
Also, for whatever reason I can't log into Paizo on Chrome, which is why my posts are late. I had to use Edge just to post these. I wonder what's up with that...
22/02/15 - Session 43 - Dexsius’ Journal
Wealday, 2nd Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
To say that my new promotion has kept me busy would be an understatement. I find myself more and more embroiled in the minutia and squabbles of lesser priests all vying for power. Perhaps I should simply send them to hell so they may know what it means to serve the Lord of Hell more directly. It brings me no small amount of joy to know that there are those amongst the court and within the church who would scoff at my rise to power merely for the nature of my birth. It was a gift given me by the Lord of Hell and I have used it as a boon to reach where I am today. If any of them are foolish enough to move against me I will show them the power I wield and why I have risen to where I am today. That being said, my rise to power is far from complete.
The ordeal with the Bellflower was trying. Vile thieves who would attempt to subvert the rule of law and grant ‘freedom’ to those undeserving of it. The position of slave is a noble thing as they are the backbone upon which the most holy law of Cheliax is built. Kintargo is a living example of what comes from the freeing of slaves and the breakdown of order. Word has reached the church that the “Silver Ravens” are now operating openly there once again. Would that the church sends me there that I might quash this rebellion and put order to the city once more. Though it would seem the God-Fiend has other plans for me.
Her Royal Magestrix Queen Abrogail II has summoned Dominus and I, as well as Arcatraz and for some reason her servant Kezax, to appear before her and the High Court of Egorian. WE were called upon to recount our deeds and of course Dominus was more than happy to do so. I will admit I was happy to learn that Dominus will inherit the title of Arch-Baron from his late father. Though he is a fool, he is a good friend and moreover, easily manipulated. Having him as an ally will surely help further my rise to power. I simply need to name someone as an enemy of his “Divine Order” and then let him loose upon them. I am sure I can use him to remove anyone who would stand in my way with little difficulty.
As for why we were called, it would seem we have been chosen to serve as the Queen’s most trusted agents and fulfil the contract between The Prince of Law and House Thrune. The church does not speak much on the nature of the contract, and it wasn’t until my ascension to the rank of Infernal Bishop that I even learned of its existence. I am not surprised though as any deal with the God-Fiend could only be signed by blood into a contract. Still, I am excited to have the chance to stand in the presence of my Lord and, even without looking upon him, to bathe his divine and terrible glory.
In order to fulfil the contract, we must travel on foot between several obelisks and spill the blood of a sacrifice upon them. The one chosen to play the role of sacrifice was our good friend Sethic. He did not seem to approve of his new role though and tried in vain to resist. I’m impressed however that he managed to get the drop on Kezax. It is the first time I have seen anyone get the better of the kobold. I showed him the true power of hell and … convinced… him to co-operate and accept his fate. The exact amount of blood to be spilled was not specified so I will simply let the entirety of his lifeblood drain out and then force him back to life that we may continue our mission.
Through Tyapket’s ability to commune directly with the powers of hell, we have learned that there are those who would stand against us and oppose the Queen’s mission. We will be on guard and they will not set us off our track, nor we will allow them to alter the delicate balance that has been established between the Prince of Darkness and Her Royal Magestrix. We know one threat comes from the Iomedaeans. They continue to be a thorn in our side, though perhaps I think for not much longer. Eventually even the dumbest of animals learn to avoid sticking its nose where it is likely to get beat. It is the others who concern me more. We know it is someone of significance to the queen but not much else. It matters not. None will stand between me and my meeting with Lord Asmodeus. Afterall, one cannot keep his god waiting.
Player's Notes: It's been quite some time since another player made a journal entry, but our dear cleric Father Dexsius decided to pop one in! Always fun to see his cut and dry perspective on the situation.
22/02/22 & 22/03/01 - Session 44 & 45 - The Pilgrimage
Sunday, 6th Kuthona, Winter Grove, The Heartlands
The pilgrimage to the Winter Grove is perhaps one of the most sacred duties to exist. It is through this act that Cheliax retains its Divine Arrangement with Hell, maintaining the Hierarchy that is the basis for the Divine Order’s manifestation on the material plane. As such, it is only natural that there be heathens that wish to see it stopped, just as it is only natural that we be given the task of seeing it through at all costs.
The task itself was simple enough: we were to travel by foot to a series of stones, and offer a blood sacrifice upon each one. As atonement for his prior infractions, we slew Paraduke Sethic at each instance, then Father Dexsius restored him once the altar was satisfactorily infused. With each death, our sacrifice would come to better understand the nature of his role.
This alone would have been an easy mission, but as I well know, no true pilgrimage is without its trials. Our first would come in the form of the Duke Raaven Melesiva. The man invited us to surrender the sacrifice to him, and aid him in usurping the throne from Her Infernal Majestrix. Initially, we identified him to have been under the influence of an aquatic temptress known as a rusalka. We eradicated the vile creature, though it did cause us no small amount of trouble with its antics. Regrettably, releasing the veil of manipulation from the Duke did not rid him of his misguided ambitions. The message of the Divine Order was clear: a man that could so easily be manipulated by malevolent seductive forces must not in turn be permitted to manipulate us. I took this lesson to heart, as we took his. Never again would the Duke fall prey to greed.
Our next trial was one of great personal importance. In the time when the Inheritor walked among mortals, she slew the false King of the Barrowood with the aid of a mighty griffon, a feat which came to be known as her Third Act. That same griffon was still said to protect the Barrowood, under Iomedae’s guidance. Upon reaching the eighth stone, the Inheritor’s legendary steed appeared to test us. The beast known as Ironwing Kazi did indeed pose a formidable challenge, but my Faith helped me stand true. Once Mister Kezax had dispatched the irrelevant rider, Miss Archie subdued the beast long enough for Father Dexsius to conduct the appropriate rituals to bestow upon the griffon its new purpose. I walk the Divine Path, just as Iomedae once did. Thus, it is all too fitting that I call upon her steed to join my service!
As the trials of loyalty and divine right were passed, then would come the trial of true faith. We were accosted by heretical knights of the Reclamation. Their leader would espouse some proclamations of righteousness, clearly unaware of her audience. They brought along with them a pair of angels that knew not their place and disturbed the magic around them with their blasphemy. We humoured their pitiful attempts for a time, but none could stand against my invocations to our supposedly shared goddess. As my blade cut down the apostates, the Inheritor made clear who she favoured. The “Knight Banneret” would see in full the weight of her sins as one last revelation before the weight of Miss Archie’s jaws pressed against her neck. No false followers would impede this most sacred of rituals.
That statement would be true regardless of what faith the heretic belonged to. As we approached the Winter Grove, we would find one final trial before us. Just as the previous trial had been against false Iomedaeans, our last trial would be against a false Asmodaean. Initially, it seemed strange that Father Malix would come before us with a small army of Ice Devils. His true nature was made clear to me the moment Father Dexsius referred to him as “demon-tongued” and Miss Archie immediately set upon him. I would later come to learn that his intent was to rewrite the Infernal Contract as one between Asmodeus and his church, bypassing House Thrune entirely. On the surface, this may seem sound, but this is of course only true to the basest of small-minded Asmodaeans. It is the height of Pride to assume that one would know the intentions of the Dark Prince, and all the more so to believe that these assumptions would take precedence over his preexisting machinations! Whatever delusions Luthon Malix held in his mind, they were dashed away in an instant by Miss Archie’s ferocity. After that, the matter of removing his misguided devil minions was a simple matter.
Miss Arcatraz was not quite done, however. Before we could proceed further, she took hold of the disgraced priest and obliterated him upon the grand altar. This was not the ritual we had been sent to complete. However, once I saw the fiery purpose in my dear companion’s eyes, I understood completely. Her actions were unquestionably those of one following the guidance of the Divine Order! It was thus with great joy that I witnessed her take yet another step towards achieving her truest purpose…
Thus ended both the trials and the tangents. All that remained was the final ritual itself. Over the course of our journey, Paraduke Sethic came to better understand the nature of his Destiny and its importance. In our pilgrimage together, he grew more appreciative of the Gift the Divine Order had granted him with this significant Purpose, and I could finally converse with him openly as a fellow member of the True Faith. By the time we had come to this final step, the Sacrifice welcomed his death with open arms and an open heart. I took the utmost care in conducting the ritual, and Paraduke Sethic closed his eyes to the mortal realm and opened them to the Grandest Miracle of all.
For the briefest of moments following the ritual, we were all Blessed with a glimpse of that same Miracle. A voice of Divine Providence echoed to us to affirm our success. The sensation was nearly overwhelming in its beauty! In that moment, I knew that we had received the rarest of gifts!
As students of the clergy, Father Dexsius and I understood the impact of such a moment immediately. However, Miss Archie is of a more secular nature, and as such the reward for her piety would come in a more material form. From the altar, she would discover a most amazing bequeathal in the form of an infant blue dragon. I am by no means an expert in the draconic, but I know that historically blue dragons have often been tied to the domains of those that follow Law and Order. It seems apparent then that Miss Archie’s new child, Timaeus, was a symbol of that same pact. I look forward to witnessing the evolution of this Apotheosis, just as I anticipate all of our Gloriously Shining futures!
Player's Notes: There were some tough fights on our pilgrimage, usually due to frustratingly debilitating abilities (Antimagic Field isn't a very fun spell to deal with in combat), but now that we've reached the end, the fruits of our labours are lovely! Come next session, I'll get to finally bring in the first real hints at the apostate devil that has been guiding Dominus, Archie gets to experience the joys of parenting a literal dragon, and Kezax is going to be bringing in an entire menagerie of servants to help us out (i.e. Leadership is happening). Things are gonna start getting crazy (well, crazier), methinks.
22/03/01 - Session 45 - The Voice of the Order
Sunday, 6th Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
Dominus often had visions in his sleep, though they were often vague, cryptic visions of things, as though seen out of the corner of one’s eye. This time however, the scene was clear and vibrant. He stood within a chamber segmented into five wings, converging upon an immense dais, with an altar in the centre. Each wing contained towering bookshelves and display cases, all neatly aligned, and bearing the colours and symbols of a different deity. From the central dais a glowing series of patterns carved into the floor were visible. From the mirrored ceiling above, Dominus could recognise at once the holy symbol of Asmodeus as well as the symbol of the Hellknight Order of the Godclaw, both merged in a way that at once twisted the mind and made perfect rational sense. The entire room at once felt unfathomably hot and unbearably cold. The scent of soot and ash melded with sweet perfumes. Soothing music blended with thousands of unending bloody screams. Everything seemed a contradiction, and yet, perfectly consistent, as though decreed as such through an omniscient force.
There was no mistaking a place at once filled with such turmoil and beauty beyond mortal comprehension. It was Hell.
Under any other circumstances, Dominus would be overjoyed. However, something was amiss. For all of his life, Dominus followed the signs laid out to him by the divine voices that compelled his, though here they were utterly silent. It was a silence that Dominus had never experienced before. The feeling was so unnatural that it was almost maddening. It was all Dominus could do not to fall to his knees and scream his lungs out.
Then, a voice. A single, magnificent voice. No softer than a whisper, yet somehow unimaginably loud. It did not carry in the room, but echoed in Dominus’ mind.
“Welcome, Dominus Fex. I have been ever so eager to finally meet with you.”
The words enveloped him like a soft velvet. All at once comfort returned to Dominus, and he knew that the voice he heard could only be of the most divine of sources. As though on instinct, he fell to one knee and bowed in reverence.
“Excellent etiquette, Dominus, but you needn’t kneel here. We are both tools of the Divine Order. So let us converse without formality.”
Dominus arose, finding himself looking up at a figure at the top of the dais. The entity was familiar to him, though he had never seen it before. It bore long shimmering violet robes that shifted in appearance with every movement. At its belt hung a wide assortment of keys. From its shoulders sprouted several jagged crystalline spikes. It did not have a neck. Instead, a jewel-encrusted skull floated above, while more crystals floated around it as though a crown. Dominus knew enough through his Infernal studies to recognise the entity as a very powerful devil. Though it had no mouth to speak of, Dominus had the distinct sense that it was smiling at him.
“You may call me Vipostix, Speaker for the Divine Order. It is I that has been imparting their Divine Will to you, my dear Dominus. It is through my words that your blade and hammer have been directed to serve their purpose. Time and again, you have done splendid work, and have been recognised for your service. You have proven yourself more than worthy of the task you have been given.”
The words of praise pierced deep into Dominus’ soul. The man had never doubted his faith, but to have it so directly acknowledged filled him with a sense of conviction unlike any he had felt before. It was as though the gods themselves were in attendance and applauding him. He did not forget himself however, and quickly resumed his composure.
“I am truly honoured by your words, Great Vipostix. If I might be so bold as to ask then, what is my role to be in the service of the Divine Order?”
“A wise question indeed. Your service has been exemplary, but it is far from done. Now that Cheliax has reaffirmed its ties with Hell, it must cleanse itself of the chaos that embroils it. You know this chaos well.”
“Yes, the heretics that call themselves the Glorious Reclamation.”
“Correct. These servants of the Inheritor do not understand the strife they have created within the Order. Soon it shall grow even worse. Cheliax belongs in service to Hell, and you shall be instrumental in returning it to that service. The root of this corruption is simple: the theft of Heart’s Edge. For a relic of such importance to be the subject of mere brigandry is a sign that chaos resides within their souls. Correct that chaos, then return Heart’s Edge to me. I shall see to it that the Inheritor’s sacred treasure is handled appropriately. Divine relics are a specialty of mine…” The devil pauses, as though silently laughing at his own joke, before resuming, “From there, balance shall be restored.”
“If this is what is required, then of course, I will do it.”
The devil raises a hand, “I know you will, in due time. You shall have other steps to complete first, however. Two days from now, you will be given a boon and a mission. You must accept both. The Divine Order shall speak through the highest authority in your mortal plane, and you should continue to treat her as such. She will speak of a powerful weapon, and the means to construct it. You already know of one component. Do you remember St. Ilnea’s Fountain? I spoke of it to you once before.”
“Yes, the site where Iomedae’s first saint was transformed into a sacred pool.”
“Now is the time for that knowledge to bear fruit. The Inheritor shall herself provide her most sacred assets to you in your quest to restore Order. Any who stand in your way are either testing your resolve, or have themselves succumbed to corruption. Do not forget this.”
“Of course. I would never doubt the workings of the Divine Order!”
“No… No you would not. You have remained steadfast in your faith, even when your flesh would fail, your spirit never wavers. You truly are a man of unshakeable conviction, and it is for that reason that you were chosen.”
Once more, Dominus is filled with pride. Another thought emerges however, “What of my companions? What plans does the Divine Order have for them?”
“These allies that walk the path alongside you have been chosen in their own rights to serve the Order. They do not have the same clarity of conviction, but their service is still of value. Each is being prepared for their destiny, as you are. In time, they will be sure of their purpose, as you are. So long as they serve you and follow the will of the Order, you should consider them valuable assets in your quest. Use them accordingly.”
“Very well.”
“Our time together grows short, but know that henceforth, I will take a more proactive role in assisting you. As your power grows, so too shall my ability to offer aid. Ultimately however, it shall be your hands that execute the Divine Order’s will. Carry that burden as you have, and all shall be set to its rightful place.”
“I thank you for all the guidance you have given me thus far, Great Vipostix. I look forward to our continued service to the Divine Order.”
“As do I, dear Dominus. I have one final guidance for you before you awaken. The griffon you have acquired, Ironwing Kazi. I have received its soul pledge from Father Dexsius, and shall be pleased to receive it. Sacrifice the beast to the Order, and I shall ensure that its loyal spirit is rightfully honoured. In return, you shall be granted a reward suitable for the deed.”
“Understood.”
“Well met, dear Dominus. May the Divine Order watch over you.”
Dominus opened his eyes. The morning light had just begun to peek through the shutters of his room in Lawgiver’s Rest.
The man smiled and greeted the day with vigour.
Never before had he rested so comfortably.
Player's Notes: Another book concluded, and another special journal entry. Vipostix is actually from page 60 of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Hell Unleashed. I had latched on to the idea that Dominus was at the whims of an apostate devil near the start of the campaign, but our GM ended up finding this one that happened to fit particularly well into the thematics of the campaign, especially with the whole angle of corrupting Iomedaean relics. At this point both Arcatraz and Dexsius' players have contemplated what would happen if they were to interact with this fellow. I'm certain it could make for some amusing conversations...
22/03/08 - Session 46 - Into Citadel Dinyar
Wealday, 9th Kuthona, Citadel Dinyar, Aspodell Mountains, Isger
As predicted, the aftermath of our renewal of the Infernal Contract brought with it all the wondrous recognition that befitted our Accomplishment. Our names were hailed throughout the streets of Egorian as the Queen’s scourges. Her Infernal Majestrix herself took the time to personally reward us with contracts that would grant us additional Infernal power for our continued service! Naturally, so long as she remains the mortal emissary of the Divine Will, I will serve dutifully. The contract was therefore an easy one to sign. At this very moment, I can feel the energies of Hell bolstering my Divinely Bestowed Might as a result!
Our achievements manifested in more ways than this, however. Miss Archie quickly took to her newly inherited child, Timaeus, as though a maternal instinct had suddenly awakened within her. I believe that with this new Blessing, she is finding herself more and more attuned to her ultimate purpose for the Divine Order. I am truly privileged to witness such a Grand Apotheosis in the making!
Mister Kezax brought into our service the aid of his own troupe of allies, including a very affable kobold woman by the name of Zylstra. As I came to understand, Madam Zylstra is a former servant of the same observatory from which Miss Archie and Mister Kezax hail, but had to depart until such a time that she would be called for. Mister Kezax considers the arrival of young Timaeus a sign that such a time has come. Considering the Immaculate circumstances in which this wondrous creature was produced, I concur wholeheartedly with his assessment. If Mister Kezax is any indication of the pedigree of service on might expect from Miss Archie’s retinue, then I have high hopes for Madam Zylstra indeed!
Father Dexsius took pains to ensure that Father Malix’ heresies were brought to the attention of both the Queen and Grand High Priestess Rugatonn. My loyal friend has come to the conclusion that both parties are in need of stronger, more reliable ties, and that he is well poised to take on such a responsibility. In the tumultuous realities of politics, I can think of no better anchor to serve in such a capacity. Just as he has aided me in my pursuit of my righteous inheritance, so too I have pledged to do all that I can to secure his future as the bridge between church and state!
Then, there was the matter of my own Blessing. On the night following our mission, I was granted a Vision, one far more vivid and clear than any I had received before! In it, I was graced by Vipostix, a messenger of the Divine Order! From the power exuded and the state of the domain we shared, his Status was unquestionable! In my Vision, he declared himself my patron and guide in service to the Order, both in past and future. Until now, the whispers of the Divine were obscure and at times vague. Fortunately I was capable enough to interpret them correctly thus far. Clearly, that deep understanding had proven me worthy of even greater trust and responsibility! No news could have excited me more than the promise of the Grand Destiny of restoring Iomedae’s faith to proper Purity! In celebration and to honour Great Vipostix’ counsel, I enlisted Father Dexsius and Miss Archie’s aid in converting Ironwing Kazi into a form more suitable to my continued missions. May the beast’s mythical energy serve me well in the challenges to come!
Upon receiving our boons from the Queen, we received some upsetting news. The ancient city of Westcrown, once a beacon of progress and nobility, had fallen to the Reclamation heretics. Much as it pained me to hear of such a loss, in truth it may yet be a Blessing in disguise. Westcrown had long been a shadow of its former glory, but lacked the motivation for a more thorough rebirth. Its fall to heresy is proof of the chaos that had weakened it. In exposing this corruption, we find ourselves with an opportunity to purge the city not only of its illegal occupants, but also of its more ancient illnesses… I pray that I shall be permitted to take part in such a Glorious Restoration!
Such a task would have to wait, however. As the Messenger had warned me, in addition to the boon would come a mission, though it would be one that would take us in another direction. Though Westcrown was the latest victim of heretical conquest, Citadel Dinyar was its first. By consolidating its forces in the west, the Reclamation has weakened its hold on the east, giving us an opportunity to recapture it and restore the honourable Order of the Godclaw in the process! No doubt, such a victory would devastate the twisted convictions of the misguided sheep that roam our fair country.
Not to be satisfied with such a simple goal, there was another facet to the Her Infernal Majstrix’s plan. Citadel Dinyar remains guarded by a golden dragon named Parnoneryx. By the Queen’s decree, the corrupted creature is to be executed and repurposed as a tool of righteousness, a weapon called the Tathlum. Miss Archie recognised this device as being a mechanism of immense power, but that it would require a complex ritual to create. Such a device requires sacred waters, a sacrifice of blood, and the ashes of history. Fortunately, the Honourable Vipostix reminded me of a place where we might find at least one of these elements. My companions had ideas of their own to aid with the remaining components, though these ideas could wait for the first step in our mission: retaking the Citadel.
We were fortunate enough that a Godclaw armiger had been sent by the Order with the information needed to begin Citadel Dinyar’s recapture. He told us of a secret passageway that led into the fortress’ dungeons. With this, we had no trouble moving forward, met only by a malebolgian cerberi loyal to its true masters. I had no trouble in convincing the beast of our righteous nature, and thus secured our passage.
Our first true opponents would come in the form of an elven woman and some Reclamation soldiers. They could offer little resistance as we exterminated them. In doing so, we acquired not only their keys to the Citadel, but also the appreciation of an invisible stalker that had been indentured by the mage. So grateful was he for his liberation, that he has promised to serve us for one week. As such, we have tasked him with locating the key figures holding the Citadel, so that we might properly recompense their trespass.
For the time being however, we have some captives to liberate…
Player's Notes: So begins the next exciting chapter in our Hell's Vengeance adventure! Playing as a character who's basically a Godclaw taken to the extreme, I'm certain Dominus is going to be able to chew up a lot of the scenery in this first mission while we chew up the good guys.
As a side note, it was a few hours back that our Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign concluded in our grand victory! I'll be looking forward to writing the last entry and epilogue for that one. It was a great campaign, so I hope to send it off properly!
22/03/22 - Session 48 - Lictor Unlocked
Wealday, 9th Kuthona, Citadel Dinyar, Aspodell Mountains, Isger
Within the prison chambers, we discovered the Hellknights of the Order of the Godclaw. It is evident that their time imprisoned has left them weakened to the point of being unable to properly fight off the corruption that now taints this sacred establishment. It is fortunate then, that we have come to deliver their salvation. I announced as much to the soldiers as we liberated them and proceeded deeper into the dungeons. They were apprehensive, but ultimately appreciative. In time, I am certain, I shall restore their morale by demonstrating to them that the Divine Order still looks kindly upon its faithful.
Below, we found a closed chamber. Though Mister Kezax was prudent in his approach, we were ambushed by a belligerent azata. The foul agent of chaos struck at us with a blinding force. Given the circumstances preventing me from seeing my foe, I lent my power to Miss Archie, who was uniquely blessed with the ability to sense the creature. She made use of the power of the Divine Order to seize the wretch. I do not know the exact details of what transpired afterwards, as I instead called upon the Godclaw's teachings as I waited for my sight to be restored. However, once it had returned, Miss Archie had opened the passage from the cell, liberating its captive.
I found myself shocked and disgusted that these vile creatures would not only imprison the honourable Lictor Resarc Ountor, but also deprive the man of his hands! For such a heinous act to have befallen him is truly a sign of the depths of depravity the Reclamation heretics have fallen to. Father Dexsius was gracious enough to undo the damage, and soon after banish the still lingering azata for its misdeeds. However, though the damage here is repaired, the ringing of alarm bells is indication enough that there is work yet to be done to fully treat the festering wound that rots this Citadel.
Lictor Ountor was most helpful in providing us with guidance for the continuation of our mission. As Mister Kezax and the others saw to it that the unprepared heretics resting in the barracks were swiftly dispatched before they could ready themselves, he provided us with a map of Citadel Dinyar, as well as several key tasks that would aid us further.
The first was the suggestion of locating Paravicar Dominita Clara, who had gone on a mission to summon additional aid. Given her lack of appearances, it is reasonable to assume that the summoning did not function as intended, or she is otherwise biding her time.
The next name of interest was Knight Banneret Jelena Asteren, an officer within the Reclamation. By the Lictor’s account, the woman had lost a son to an Infernal ritual, and though she wished for his return, the Reclamation refused her. Lictor Ountor has since been persuading her that the boy’s salvation is indeed possible, should she be willing to take a final plunge. I would expect no less than for the Lictor of the Godclaw to understand the true nature of one’s faith, and how easily it can be shaken. Certainly, under such circumstances, it is natural for a woman of conscience to acknowledge the flaws in the Reclamation’s supposed doctrine. Iomedae is a goddess of Order, Justice, and Virtue. What Order is there in making unprovoked attacks against fellow followers of one’s faith and instigating civil unrest? What Justice is there in seizing that which is not theirs? What Virtue is there in offering no solace to a woman that grieves a precious loss brought on by such acts? I know all too well the pain of losing family, but to cause suffering in such a heinous manner would not be the Inheritor’s Will.
The final counsel offered to us by the Lictor was the location of the citadel’s armoury. There, we would certainly find sufficient supplies to restore the remaining Hellknights to a proper fighting state. This, we would find in the tower between Bastion Devotio and Bastion Fanaticus.
By the time the Lictor had presented us with this information, the dungeons of Citadel Dinyar had been cleared of their lingering rot. All that remained to address below was the passageway to the summoning chapel, which lay behind a large mechanical circle depicting astral and arcane patterns of immaculate detail. Miss Archie, being a foremost expert on matters of astronomy and magical incantations, recognised the device as being a representation of Infernal summoning. However, it lacked several key components necessary to use the device in order to gain passage into the secret rooms beyond. We will have to locate these missing elements ourselves before we can proceed with that particular route.
With the Hellknights armed (albeit suboptimally) and the dungeon secured, we were free to proceed to the upper floor. Expecting a battle soon to come, we took the necessary preparations…
Player's Notes: So fun fact about the Lictor missing his hands, Archie's to blame for that. Apparently she didn't like how arrogant he was being while waiting for us to free him (literally all of us were blinded for a while thanks to Holy Word), and decided that eating his hands was the fastest way to remove his handcuffs. I was still blind at the time, and with my negative Perception and Sense Motive modifiers determined that Dominus did not actually notice what removed his hands, and assumed that the Glorious Reclamation were to blame.
22/03/29 - Session 49 - Good as Gold and a Silver Tongue
Wealday, 9th Kuthona, Citadel Dinyar, Aspodell Mountains, Isger
We were wise to prepare for a battle before we entered the courtyard. There, we would find ourselves facing a host of heretic knights. Father Dexsius used Asmodeus’ blessings to emerge as a large being of flame, and took control of the battlefield handily with his enlarged form. Meanwhile Miss Archie and myself took the flanks, while our other companions supported us from the rear. The soldiers themselves were of little consequence, though our skirmish prompted the appearance of a more significant foe…
The gold dragon Parnoneryx was at one time an ally of the Inheritor, prior to her ascension. Though he had not been seen for many years, he emerged in service to the heretics of the Reclamation. Thus, I can only come to the conclusion that as they have sullied so many other elements of Iomedae’s legacy, so too have they corrupted him. It is regrettable that we find ourselves faced with such a task as ending the life of such an important creature, but there is at the same time great honour in knowing that we do so for the purpose of rendering him into an even greater tool of Divine Justice. It is with these thoughts that I called upon the might of the Divine Order to bestow its blessing upon myself and my allies.
The strength of our faith was glorious to behold! While Parnoneryx resisted, we made short work of his defences. Once Sir Quintus launched a pair of divinely inspired shots, crippling him, he could do nothing against Miss Arcatraz’s final death blows. It is only recently that I have seen Miss Archie demonstrate the sheer destructive force of her draconic form, but I find myself in awe. A dragon is powerful yes, but one that has the benedictions of the Order is a Wonder of its own. I find myself appreciative that the Gods have graced me with such a compatriot.
Though the alarms still ring, we did not find ourselves facing much more resistance. While my companions saw to the corpses, I paid a visit to the castellan’s chambers. Just as Lictor Ountor had informed us, I found Jelena Asteren, the woman of shaken faith. I offered her my sincere words of comfort and consolation for the wrongs done to her by those she thought to be her allies. Though she had strayed from the True Path, the punishment she suffered opened her eyes to the Truth. Her supposed friends had used and abused her, and did not deserve her loyalty. We offered her a chance at Redemption, and she accepted it, offering us ample information regarding the Citadel’s occupants and traps. It will take time for her to fully comprehend her mistakes, and to truly heal from her corruption, but I have sworn upon my name that I will help her along this Path…
We find ourselves now in control of a large portion of Bastion Fanaticus, though there remain still some rooms to secure before we can rest…
Player's Notes: We weren't really expecting Parnoneryx to come down and fight us this early. We figured he might do a couple fly-bys or something and then go off somewhere for a better opportunity. But nope, he dropped right in on us. I immediately wasted my setup of shooting him with the arrow of dragon slaying I've been holding onto since book 1 because I missed that he had mirror image up, but I did still manage to grant everyone Smite, which more than made up for the fact that I didn't get a chance to hit him myself. Quintus made especially good use of it by hitting the poor guy with two attacks that were both nat 20s, while using a gun. Fun times...
EDIT: If you're wondering where Session 47 went, I actually noticed an error in my session count earlier, all the way back in session 36. This is me correcting the count.
22/04/19 - Session 50 - Chapel to Charnel
Wealday, 9th Kuthona, Citadel Dinyar, Aspodell Mountains, Isger
While Miss Archie tended to the corpse of our soon-to-be divine weapon, the rest of us continued to clear Bastion Fanaticus. Given the layout of the Citadel, it seemed a sound strategy that we secure everything up to the Spire of Abadar, which sits between the bastions. This would give us enough of a foothold to rest before dealing with the other Bastion Devotio.
At least, that was our initial plan. The most recent developments left us with some interesting alternative courses of action.
To provide some context, the next location to cleanse was the audience chamber. The heretics redecorated the site to instead make it serve as an Iomedaean chapel. In and of itself, I do not dislike the aesthetic, though the clear favouritism for one deity is clearly not in keeping with the spirit of the Godclaw. Within, we found more of the heretic soldiers, as well as a belligerent dwarf. He was a formidable foe, but thankfully Iomedae’s blessings were mine to claim. My allies also provided me with excellent support. Though I have not known her for long, Miss Zylstra proved herself most useful with her benevolent casting. Her fortuitously-timed addition to our group is yet more proof of our Divine Favour.
While I concluded the purge of the chapel, Father Dexsius and Mister Kezax found themselves accosted by a new wave of heretic soldiers. Of all people, Knight Commander Graxus Phand saw fit to confront us himself! That the leader of these unlawful occupants would deliver himself to us is truly a gift from the Divine Order! Either the man saw the error of his ways and sacrificed himself to atone, or he truly lacks a basic understanding of battle tactics, which proves him to be a false follower of the Inheritor.
Nevertheless, the man and some of his soldiers attempted to funnel their way into the chapel, where they were met with myself and Ser Quintus. The fools attempted what they could against me, but only the commander had any hope of posing a challenge. In response, I demonstrated how one must conduct themselves as an Iomedaean. As my blade shone with the Inheritor’s light, I cowed them into submission. Phand did nothing but cower and watch as I put down his feral underlings.
Father Dexsius secured the exit with his flaming form, which means that the man responsible for holding this holy site from its true masters is entirely at my mercy…
Player's Notes: Oof, took me a while to get around to writing this one. Figured I'd hold off while our GM is busy with finals. Part of the advantage of writing these journals is that they give me a refresher for where I was when we last played, so I kinda prefer doing them just before the next session. Anyway, considering that Phand is now cowering in a corder thanks to a combo of Dazzling Display + Hurtful + Soulless Gaze + Cornugon Smash, I am set to have a fun time...
22/05/03 - Session 51 - Breakdowns and Reinforcements
Wealday, 9th Kuthona, Citadel Dinyar, Aspodell Mountains, Isger
For a supposed Knight Commander, Graxus Phand put up little resistance to his punishment. In the hopes of finding a better use for the man, I did not kill him, but rather broke him down into a far more manageable and portable form. If this is the state of the opposition’s leadership, then I have supreme confidence that we will soon be making quick work of the remaining Reclamation heretics.
While glancing around the chapel for any further heresies of interest, I did observe a satchel containing what appeared to be the missing pieces of the contraption that blocked our path to the conjuration chambers. I promptly provided these to Miss Archie, who wasted no time in reconstructing the device and opening to us the path to the missing Paravicar.
The chambers were a marvel to behold! The well-furnished and organised rooms demonstrated clearly the magnificence of the Order prior to its defacing. Naturally, impressive as it was, our goal was to find someone capable of conducting the necessary rituals, so we did not linger overlong with the empty rooms.
It was in the library that we found the Paravicar, though not in the state that we had initially anticipated. Though the lone woman in the room had presented herself as the Paravicar initially, Miss Archie and Father Dexsius saw through the deception. It would seem that in her effort to secure a horned devil to aid the Hellknights, the Paravicar committed a blunder, and in doing so perished while trapping a handmaiden devil upon this plane. So as not to let the Paravicar’s death be in vain, we made an agreement with the trapped devil, Lilanna: she would assist us in retaking the Citadel, and in return we provided her with the location of the Inferno Gate, to assist in her return to Hell once her contract with us was done. A simple yet elegant solution that will see both parties benefit.
Of course, a single new ally was an ill-fitting accomplishment given our pedigree, especially when we had access to an entirely furbished summoning chamber. Father Dexsius made use of some scrolls to further bolster our forces, first with a barbed devil, and then with a horned devil, as the late Paravicar once intended. These soldiers of the inferno easily recognised the Righteousness of the task we presented to them. Far be it from such creatures to deny the compulsions of the Divine Order, after all.
We were still not done, however. While Phand was made to bear witness to the assembly of our forces against his lost flock, he was also being prepared to be a participant in the correction himself. With my and Father Dexsius’ assistance, the “Knight Commander” was prepared for Miss Archie, who skillfully demonstrated Order’s Authority upon his corrupted mind. It was thus that I found myself pleased to reequip the born-again loyalist of the Inheritor to join the trio of devils. Miss Archie has assured us that he shall be committing his life to undoing the grave errors the Reclamation has made here, though I took the liberty of keeping his pitiful rotted holy symbol until such a time that he has earned the right to be absolved of his crimes.
Such a poetic outcome one could hardly hope for! Once more, the Divine Order shines upon us!
Player's Notes: This little blurb fails to fully acknowledge the fact that I got a critical hit on Phand for such a high amount of damage that we did need to momentarily stop to consider if I had done too much nonlethal damage and killed him, but ultimately it worked out (which is to say we handwaved it because the calculation was taking too long).
We may have gone a little overboard with our calling in the reinforcements, but our logic was that we're not likely to get another opportunity to use all of these scrolls of Planar Binding before they go to waste, so why not. No kill like overkill, after all!
Oh, and on another note, as of last session I started a new Starfinder campaign, run by the player of Father Dexsius. I haven't gotten the clear from the group to put that journal up, but I've already got two entries done and a third in the works. It features Astrea, one of my favourite characters that I've had sitting around for ages. I look forward to sharing it!
22/06/28 & 22/07/29 - Sessions 52 & 53 - Clawing Back the Citadel
Oathday, 10th Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
By cutting the head of the heretic snake that holds the Citadel in its clutches and using their leader against them, we had all but secured our glorious triumph. What enemy forces remained were scattered and broken, giving us an easy route to secure the last of our requirements.
Reclaiming the armoury was a simple affair. Within the base of the central spire of Abadar, that which connects Bastions Fanaticus and Devotio, we found a golem made in the image of the recently slain dragon Parnoneryx. The imitation was even paler than the real thing, further proof of the corruption this once noble creature had suffered at the hands of these heretics. We dispatched the wretched impression with haste, then descended further to the Godclaw storeroom. There, we found yet another misled emissary of heaven, a fiery archon. This creature was somewhat more fierce than the golem, and sought to use the treacherous tactic of luring us into the room, now imbued with blasphemous sorceries against us. What these lost souls fail to realise is that such efforts will never be sufficient to weight down the supremely ordained servitors of the Divine Order. The defiled excinder’s fiery form was cornered and purged in a truly blessed Hellflame.
Regrettably, the Reclamation heretics committed the grave sin of destroying the Godclaw’s most precious arms and armour. This alone would be unforgivable, but so too had they seen fit to repurpose the place for their own disgraceful equipment. At the very least, it would serve to give the Hellknight soldiers a modicum of protection, though the notion that the Reclamation would defile sacred tools belonging to those who serve the Divine Order is yet another sickening reason for the necessity of their eradication.
My disgust was mitigated, however, by the presence of one most valuable find. There remained a single artefact in the armoury still unblemished by the heretics: a pair of gauntlets bearing the masterful design of the Godclaw Order and a fearsome amount of magical power. I recognised that these were not tools to be taken lightly, and so I bore them with all the care and attention due to holy weapons of the Godclaw.
With the force of the rearmed Hellknights and our infernal minions at the vanguard, we made short work clearing the remainder of the Citadel’s unlawful occupants. To honour our bargain with the handmaiden devil, Miss Archie transported her to the Inferno Gate personally once our victory was made inevitable. We would later learn that the dragon heiress had further business in the Whisperwood which would keep her occupied for the foreseeable future, but she was kind enough to leave Mister Kezax and Miss Zylstra with us to see the remainder of our mission to its conclusion. It is regrettable that she will not bear direct witness to our final glory, but she will no doubt come to learn of it in due time.
By the day’s end, only a small contingent of heretics remained. This consisted of an angel, a giant monk, a pair of dragon horses, and a small squadron of footsoldiers. They consolidated themselves into the Ardant Fist, the citadel’s chapel-keep. A fitting name for their last stand, as we would soon be prying this fortress from their cold, dead hands.
Curiously, it is also here that we would come across another figure: that of the elven Paraduke Temoni Kennari. This was none other than one of Her Infernal Majestrix’ most trusted advisors in matters of magic, and the one who so conveniently transported us to Citadel Dinyar from Egorian. His own business in the Citadel was completed, and he now waited for us to complete its recapture. In order to expedite the process, the Paraduke graciously joined us in the final battle.
The initial strike came in the form of the two dragon horses jointly using their frozen breath against us as we made our entrance. For the most part we endured this, though Zylstra was unfortunate in her placement and so suffered a lethal injury. By the Grace of the Divine Order, we possess the means to deny even death in the name of our objective, so this was but a temporary affliction, but it was nonetheless enough motivation for Mister Kezax to retaliate by striking the powerful monadic deva that commanded the troops. The strike hit true, and fueled by the kobold’s vengeance, tore into the angel’s very celestial nature, stripping it of its ill-deserved protections. This made it easy prey for the Paraduke and Ser Quintus, who bore down upon it with enough force to end its command permanently. Father Dexsius meanwhile restored Zylstra, then advanced to serve as the bulwark against the bestial frontline.
Lacking a more fitting adversary, I attended to the giant who proclaimed herself as the “Fist of Iomedae”. For a vile traitor to use such a title was enough of an insult to necessitate her demise, though her repeated attempts to hamper my mobility made her a most frustrating opponent. Ultimately, I decided that it would be better to break her spirit before her body, and with a swift demonstration of the Divine Order’s fury, I crushed her will to fight. She made an almost impressive effort to flee, and in that moment of disgrace unbefitting of one that would use the Inheritor’s name, Father Dexsius reduced her form to cinders.
The humiliating loss of their final leader destroyed any lingering sense of rebellion among the remaining forces. The beasts fled with magic, leaving the exhausted knights to surrender, still in the clutches of Paraduke Kennari’s magical tendrils. To satiate my righteous indignation over the pathetic display, I personally saw to the execution of these cowards. Their frail souls devoid of conviction would serve to refuel the Paraduke’s energy as we debriefed him on our mission.
It was my utmost pleasure to make the formal declaration of our victory to Lictor Ountor. The damage done to the Citadel by the heretics was great, but far from unsalvageable. With time and resources, they will find themselves able to restore the Godclaw to its full glory, of that I am certain. As a representative of the Queen of Cheliax, a patriarch of a Chelish noble house, and most importantly as a loyal servant of the Divine Order, that same force which the Godclaw revere in their own form, I offered our full support to the Lictor. Our remaining minions would be given over to the Hellknights to aid in the restoration efforts. Furthermore, should they ever find themselves in my lands, I have promised them my house’s hospitality. The Lictor was humble in accepting my offer of friendship and the temporary support of our servants, though declined any more formal offers of aid. It would of course be unbecoming for the Order to be any further beholden to non-affiliated entities, after all.
The Lictor did however offer in turn to repay our kindness. First, we were offered lodgings for the evening. This, we declined, as we would be returning with Paraduke Kennari to Egorian shortly to report our success to the Queen and make use of the city’s mercantile facilities. His second gift however, was to loan me the Godclaw Gauntlets. It was with great joy that I accepted this boon. These precious gloves are not only a powerful weapon against the forces of chaos, but also proof of my faithful service to those who walk the Sacred Path of the Divine Order. I shall wear them with pride, and use them dutifully to extermine the Order’s enemies!
Player's Notes: At long last my favourite psychopath zealot returns! Our GM had to go on hiatus for family reasons and regrettably Archie's player decided to drop, though the latter was replaced by the player of Meved from the Starfinder game (see the other journal I've been posting here for that). He's playing the elf Arcanist (Twilight Sage) Paraduke Temoni Kennari, who is a long-standing magic tutor for House Thrune.
It was nice to come back and finally conclude the dungeon that is Citadel Dinyar. Seeing as we had already killed nearly all the bosses, we put all the remaining encounters into one final boss room. Kezax definitely started things off strong with his sever alignment shot, which felt appropriate considering his wife(?) just got killed on account of receiving two breath attacks while having a full caster's hp pool. My own performance was a bit disappointing thanks to the dreaded combo of low initiative and a terrible case of bad dice roll disease. Meanwhile our GM's absurd crit luck returned in full force. At least now Temoni's player knows that our claims about his legendary crit ratio are not exaggerations...
Still, very much looking forward to continuing on with this adventure!
22/08/02 - Sessions 54 - Burning Barleybridges
Fireday, 11th Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
Having successfully removed the festering wound from Citadel Dinyar, we found ourselves with both good tidings and a surplus of spoils, so we opted to return to Egorian to deliver both and receive our due recognition and compensation. Though Iomedae’s lost sheep are of little value, their steel still fetches a high price. I have taken the liberty of repurposing that value for enhancements to my own equipment, so as to better present the might of a True Devotee.
As for Paraduke Kennari, his business was sufficiently concluded, leaving him free to join us in the continuation of our creation of the Tathlum. Seeing as Miss Archie will not be returning to us in the foreseeable future, his arcane expertise will no doubt be of great value. As a long-term confidant to House Thrune, I have confidence in both his pedigree and his devotion to the principles of Order. Our time together will no doubt grant me opportunities to further advance my political standing, so that it might better reflect my divinely ordained role. I look forward to it immensely!
While we had been completing our task, Father Dexsius’ loyal servitors had been dutifully investigating the potential site for one of the requirements of the Tathlum’s creation: a place where we might harvest the “blood of the innocent”. The exact nature of this requirement is somewhat misleading however, though I would attribute this to a limitation in the translation. What is truly required is the blood of the meek. That is to say those who, while potentially corrupt in soul, have not manifested this corruption in a direct offence against the Divine Order. It is a technical distinction of innocence that must be adequately recognised for the process to be successful. Fortunately for us, the village of Barleybridge suits our needs perfectly.
On the surface, Barleybridge appears to be an unassuming and law-abiding settlement. However, Father Dexsius’ investigators determined that the village has of late developed a leaning for the drunken “god” Cayden Cailean. Such a chaotic fool of an accidental deity is an outright mockery of the values of the Divine Order, and his followers are a blight upon existence that is best eradicated. The fact that the town’s annual celebration of “Barleyfest” coincides with the Caydenite holiday of Ascension Day strikes me as far too suspicious to be a coincidence. Much like mould upon a surface might indicate a deeper putrification, the telltale signs that mark Barleybridge tell me clearly that the Divine Order requires it be cleansed. It is fortunate that these lost lambs will not be wasted, but rather repurposed. After all, what is rot, if not another word for fermentation? A fitting analogy, given the village’s namesake.
The specific requirements of the ritual necessitated that we be somewhat particular in our approach. The required blood needed to be extracted from at least 100 “innocents” within a day’s timeframe, and the blood must be extracted close to the time of their death. As such, a methodical approach was required so as to avoid panicking the livestock. This would also be complicated by the presence of a small band of so-called adventurers that styled themselves as the “Fearless Crows”, led by a professed Caydenite. I cannot help but compare their arrogance to that of the disgusting Silver Ravens that wreak havoc in the Archduchy of Ravounel. Given that the carrion birds of Kintargo lay outside the scope of our mission, I shall have to content myself with showing their Crow cousins that fear is very much in Order.
Fortunately, we had excellent tools to serve us in this endeavour. First, Paraduke Kennari arranged to acquire us a Circle of Teleportation, so that we may transport ourselves as well as Father Dexsius’ congregation and Mister Kezax’s kobold aides for this mission. He was also kind enough to use his magic to construct a comfortable lodging for the night, giving us the means to make our move from the crack of dawn, maximising our time. Such luxurious and efficient solutions are very befitting of a proper Paraduke, so in this respect the good Temoni most certainly does not disappoint.
Come the start of the day, Mister Kezax made his way into the village, his agents at the ready further out. We have learned over our months together not to underestimate just how lethal and discreet Mister Kezax can be. His talents allowed him to silently disable any boats or wagons that might serve as an escape. Then, he methodically eliminated and harvested over half of the required souls before noon had struck! Would that all servants were so diligent in their labours!
At some point during his mission, our kobold associate did come across a rather interesting find. Mister Kezax would inform us by animal messenger that the village, much like Kantaria before, had a population of faceless stalkers. Seeing as their blood would not meet the criteria for harvesting, Mister Kezax suggested that they flee, which they did. What these deceivers did not realise was that the rest of our group, including Father Dexsius’ clergymen, had already blockaded the only remaining village exit. They came directly to us.
Given Mister Kezax’s message, I was not surprised to find that the stalkers were none other than those who had fled from Kantaria when we cleansed it nearly three months back. The fact that the cowardly Linton Demeer would flee from our Righteous Judgement never sat right with me, so it was with great satisfaction that I, with the aid of Father Dexsius, Ser Quintus, and Paraduke Kennari, finally eradicated the ugothols once and for all. Iomedae may take solace in knowing that her Tenth Act has now truly been fulfilled!
Come noon, we deemed it a suitable time to expedite the conclusion of our mission. Myself and my companions crossed into Barleybridge and awaited the arrival of the Fearless Crows in front of the Inn of the Friendly Traveller, where they were said to be lodged. Given that the inn was also the site of a shrine to the false god Cayden, Mister Kezax started a fire upon its back exit. It is an all too normal occurrence for Caydenite places of worship to go up in flames, so it is a situation his followers ought to be well-acquainted with. As for the devotees within the inn, they would have a simple choice: exit and confront our judgement, or burn along with their putrid mockery of Faith.
When the Fearless Crows did finally arrive, they did so with an audience. This was exactly what we desired. On our authority, a warrant for the arrest of one Nedowyn, leader of the Crows and alleged cleric of Cayden Cailean, was proclaimed on the grounds of heresy. No doubt, such an announcement would draw the attention of the citizens, much like the misguided flocks in Longacre once amassed to protest the rule of Law. Once enough of them had amassed in a comfortable proximity, we could proceed.
All things considered, the confrontation was anticlimactic. The Crows did as we expected and sought to resist us. Before they would even begin to take action, Mister Kezax had pierced their mage’s skull with a bolt, killing him instantly. Father Dexsius and Ser Quintus unleashed powerful magical volleys at their priest and rogue, severely weakening the first and killing the latter. Paraduke Kennari denied the priest his attempt to resurrect the rogue, while I used the Godclaw Gauntlets to weaken the remaining belligerents further through the force of Order before moving in to confront the bard. Neither the bard nor the cleric survived more than a few seconds after that, and could muster no resistance worthy of mention. In a sense, the Fearless Crows were aptly named; they did not live long enough to dread their demise.
As for the remainder of the harvest, the lingering crowds were easily tended to. I set up a perimeter of flame blockading much of the centre of the village, while Paraduke Kennari set about exhausting the panicked lambs. With neither energy nor an escape route, they submitted easily to the harvest.
While our task required only a hundred souls, roughly half of the village’s population, we razed what little was left of Barleybridge as a precautionary measure. If even a single seed of the corruption remains, there is a chance of reinfection. Better that this serve as an example to others of the importance of maintaining proper spiritual hygiene, lest they too require the inquisition’s treatment.
Personally, I think the final Barleyfest bonfire was truly the greatest one the village ever had the privilege of creating. It made for a soothing sight as we concluded yet another successful day in service to the Divine Order, an excellent cause for celebration.
Player's Notes: It was pure coincidence that the timeline resulted in us capturing Citadel Dinyar just before Cayden Cailean's Ascension Day, but it was a coincidence far too perfect to pass up narratively. We were going to do the fountain mission first, but with that sort of setup we couldn't not make Barleyfest and Ascension Day coincide. I love how fortunate we've been with Pathfinder's holiday calendar with this campaign. It adds that lovely little zest to Dom's religious rants.
Also, Kezax being as absurdly good at stealth as he is, he might very well have been able to solo this entire mission. It was kind of hilarious how effective he was.
22/08/16 - Sessions 55 - Water Falls
Starday, 12th Kuthona, Egorian, The Heartlands
With our first component secured, it was time for us to move on to the second. Though we had our choice, I insisted that we make the journey to St. Ilnea’s Fountain next. It has been over four months since my holy pilgrimage through Cheliax was interrupted by the vile Reclamation, and it has remained one of my great fears that more sacred sites might become defiled by their hands before I would have the opportunity to bear witness to them. Besides, I wished to return to Kantaria and spread the good news of our final definitive eradication of the ugothols, and by extension the proper fulfilment of Iomedae’s tenth act.
The stop through Kantaria was brief, but nevertheless satisfying. Mother did well in maintaining order since our departure, and the citizenry have largely moved on from the follies that Nevilindor and his band of heretics infected them with. The reconsecration of Valor’s Fastness seems to have held as well. The sight of that majestic fortification brought into the modern age of the Divine Order fills me with satisfaction.
Father Dexsius continues to insist that it is now an Asmodaean temple. At this point, I have come to accept that his ardent refusal to fully embrace the Divine Order is merely a facet of his deeply focused nature. As a pure devotee of Lord Asmodeus, he is much like a scalpel, precise and perfectly suited to one specific function, to the exclusion of others. His narrow-mindedness favours sharpness over versatility. It is in many ways similar to Mister Kezax’s devotion to his mistress. Each is a tool made with a singular vision and purpose. I need not enlighten them, merely direct them.
This does however leave me with the question of our new companion. I have not yet had the pleasure to properly converse with Paraduke Kennari on matters of faith and loyalty. His devotion to Thrune is evident, but I do wonder if there is room in his heart to embrace the grander picture, or if he too, like Father Dexsius or Mister Kezax, is an instrument of precision. He has at least expressed an interest in learning more about the Divine Order, and I look forward to expressing its beauty to him.
From Kantaria, the journey to the site of the sacred fountain was an easy one. I was relieved to find that the fabled spring remained unsullied and well-kept, despite the turmoil currently surrounding the Iomedaean faith. I took some time to contemplate the waters and offer a prayer to St. Ilnea before we proceeded. Mister Kezax needed to attend to some matters, so Paraduke Kennari and Ser Quintus took on the task of investigating the site. The legends I recall tell of a passageway hidden near the spring, leading to the true fountain which we seek. Interestingly, we confirmed that the nature of the water was most unusual. I for one, detected great spiritual strength from the waters, enough to recognise that they held the spark not just of the divine, but of the sentient. It would not take long for us to realise the implications of this discovery…
Ser Quintus’ vigilance was rewarded, as he observed an opening among the rocks that led to the tunnel we sought. However, as Tayapket approached the entrance, he found himself bound up by webs, and soon after, the living waters themselves were upon us. It was clear in that moment that Iomedae would not permit her first saint’s resting place to be visited by any who lacked the vigour of Ilnea herself. Much like that legendary hero once bravely fought a fearsome creature of the Abyss, we would be tested against a blessed elemental.
Naturally, a Herald of the Divine Order would not be halted by such a challenge, and so it was that I demonstrated my resolve and proved myself to Iomedae’s chosen guardian. With its swift defeat, we proceeded into the cavern. The wards did pose some light inconvenience, but nothing of consequence. It was evident that such protections were meant to keep all but the most worthy from approaching the sacred waters, so a light injury to test our faith was an easy compromise to accept.
As we entered the cavern, I sensed that we would likely be tested once more, so I took the time to engage myself properly for what would come. This proved a wise choice, as we would find ourselves challenged by a woman riding atop a lion, and several shield-bearing archons. It was clear that they would require yet another demonstration of worthiness. We were, of course, more than willing to accept.
While Father Dexsius ensured that Paraduke Kennari and Ser Quintus were adequately protected, I faced the woman who had seen fit to challenge me directly. At first, I thought her methods deceitful. She absorbed my strikes arrogantly, proclaiming the Inheritor’s Divine Protection, and declaring me a heretic. I might have dismissed her as yet another lost lamb, had I not come to understand the nature of her tactics. Her shielding was a product of a bond with the archons, a magic I recognised from Father Dexsius. To overcome it, I needed only to strike with enough persistence and conviction that the archons would fall. As for her taunts, it was obvious that they were the mere bluster of psychological warfare, meant to test my spirit. Needless to say, I would not succumb to something as ridiculous as doubt. Ultimately, the test was easily passed, and the woman retreated for the next trial.
Upon initial inspection, the next test seemed like one of endurance. The guardian who presided over the tunnel made liberal use of teleportation magic to reposition herself, evading direct strikes. While this did preoccupy my companions for a time, I came to understand the true nature of this test rather quickly. It is at moments like this where the difference in our roles is made evident. A specialist might obsess over her challenge and pursue her endlessly. It takes a grander vision to realise that her actions were meant as a diversion, to distract us from our true objective of reaching the fountain. Once this truth became evident to me, the answer was clear: I disregarded her and proceeded forward. My Convictions lie in achieving the ultimate goal of my Mission, and no mere taunts will distract me from my Purpose. I located the next stage, an illusion meant once more to dissuade those that lack faith. It did not halt me for even a moment.
As for the others, they eventually fell into line and joined me. Sure enough, as they did so, our evaluator exposed herself, just long enough for Ser Quintus to conclusively end the test. I had him bring me the body, as the guardian of such a sacred site deserves to be present for what is to come…
Player's Notes: "Ah, so you're using Shield Other to protect yourself? Well that's fine, it only means I have to keep hitting you until they fall!" That was a fun moment, especially as it was a rare instance where I got to go ham on someone while fully buffed.
Less fun was the guardian making liberal use of teleportation to repeatedly get out of reach. The idea was to try and make us repeatedly pass through a Forbiddance threshold to get some guaranteed damage on us. I just came to the conclusion that I'll keep going to the fountain, and if she's really serious about stopping us, she'll have to give up on her silly tactic. I wanted to use her as a gruesome teaching instrument for Dom to instruct the Paraduke on the Divine Order, but I'm sure I'll find another suitable candidate.
The party sticking around to try and incapacitate her did waste a fair amount of session time, but it did do a good job of illustrating the difference in attitude our characters have towards certain things, which made for good roleplay. The fact that I followed up my disregard with a nat20 and nat19 to disbelieve the fake fountain illusion and get past the spell trap protecting it just felt like icing on the cake at that point.
(TRIGGER WARNING: Torture)
22/08/23 - Sessions 56 - Astral Devastation
Starday, 12th Kuthona, St. Ilnea's Fountain, Menador
After what seemed a brief eternity, the astral deva Ambrihama felt a sudden shock as the unholy knight’s blade plunged into her. All at once, the little strength she had left vanished, and the once proud servant of Iomedae fell to her knees.
She prepared herself for death, but was surprised when the knight did not immediately finish her. Instead, he leaned in, and with a softness that sent chills through her broken spine, whispered, “Now, stay there if you please. I have need of you for a demonstration.”
Confused and terrified by the words, yet too frail to act, the angel remained in place, her blood slowly staining the polished floors. The knight stepped away for a moment, then returned, this time with the Asmodaean cleric, elven mage, and human soldier that had been accompanying him. She thought she had noticed a pair of kobolds as well, but she did not see them now.
Once more, the knight approached her. He seemed to be explaining something to his companions. “You wished for an explanation of the Divine Order, Paraduke. Well, this is a perfect opportunity to explain.” Now that she had a chance to observe him properly, she noticed that the man bore several religious symbols upon his chest, including one of Iomedae. “You see, mortal races, angels, devils, and even gods, are all part of one grand interconnected design. This system is what brings order and structure to the universe. It is through this system that all things are given their place in the grander whole. In many ways, it is much like the noble hierarchies you are already well acquainted with.” The angel wondered if the blood loss was making her hallucinate. Was this man truly so audacious as to give a blasphemous sermon within Iomedae’s own temple?
Ambrihama barely had time to register the folly of the situation, as the knight grasped her by the neck with his clawed gauntlet and lifted her into the air. Being able to do little else, she looked at him in defiance, only to find his eyes unnaturally devoid of life, and his mouth twisted into a bastardised depiction of jubilance. The man was clearly more than simply unhinged.
“Within this structure, every lawfully ordained being has its place, a purpose within this scheme to serve the greater whole, much like every limb and organ serves a role in the body,” he continued, “for example, some exist to support the foundations of our world, and maintain stability.” As the man spoke, the angel felt the stinging sensation of metal cutting flesh, as her legs were sliced from her body. The limbs fell to the floor, producing a wet thud that echoed through the chamber. He deva attempted to scream, but found that the knight’s gloved hand was firmly restricting her windpipe, permitting little more than a pained wheeze to escape.
“Then, there are those that serve by being the means of action. They exert influence, guide the flocks, and wield arms against chaos and corruption. Iomedae is one such entity, just as she was as a mortal, and it is for this reason that I hold her in such esteem.” The heresies uttered by her torturer outraged Ambrihama to the point that she nearly did not notice that as he spoke, the man had removed both of her arms.
“Of course, there are many other components to the Divine Order, each vital to the whole in their own way. To reject any one component creates an imperfect whole. This is why each must be respected in its own right. But of course, it remains a hierarchy, and some elements are more fundamental then others.” By this point, the angel teetered on the edge of death, her divine nature being the only thing keeping her alive. She no longer had the energy to even consider the ravings of the lunatic that was slowly tearing her apart.
“Simple mortals lie near the bottom of this hierarchy, save for those ordained by a higher power to enact the Divine Order’s will, such as us. Heaven serves as a mirror and foil to Hell, a balance to ensure that Order is represented in all capacities, though it is naturally subservient to that which is Infernal.” The deva was too far gone to notice that her wings had joined the pile of limbs beneath her. With what small fragment of consciousness she had left, she begged the Inheritor for forgiveness.
“Then, above all else, lies Lord Asmodeus, the brilliant mind that guides the consciousness of the Divine Order. He is, in essence, the embodiment of the Divine Order’s will. It is for this reason that he is recognised as supreme above all other beings, and why even though Father Dexsius does not share my appreciation for the greater schema, I do not disagree with his philosophies.”
At some point during his final explanation, the knight had decapitated Ambrihama, though she had long since lost any semblance of consciousness. What remained of her divine spark however, erupted in an unnatural dark flame. The absolute heresy of the deva’s death, accompanied by the knight’s deranged proclamations, was enough to corrupt what was left of the angel’s spiritual energy. In a flash of unholy light, the angel’s halo was wreathed in flame and fell from her head, only to be caught by the knight before it could hit the ground.
Gently, the man observes the halo, and smiled as he showed it to his allies. “There is your proof, Paraduke. It is the fundamental nature of Heaven to serve Hell, for it too is a part of the Divine Order. Once our conviction was tested and proven, it could not help but submit. As was here, so too shall it be with St. Ilnea’s waters.”
Ambrihama’s lifeless skull was placed delicately beneath the statue of St. Ilnea. Had she still been conscious, she might have seen that her dismembered limbs, seemingly littered upon the temple floor, had found themselves positioned in a pentagram, depicting the Dark Prince’s Archstar. Perhaps it was the unholy energy produced by the knight’s actions, or the blood coating the floor that now stretched across the room, but the shimmering blue radiance that once illuminated the chamber had taken on a darker, more crimson hue...
Player's Notes: Our session yesterday was a little short, and ended up only consisting of a single fight with one particularly stubborn astral deva. I decided to shake things up with this one and do a victim's perspective as Dom explains his unique philosophy to his new friend.
22/09/27 & 22/11/12 - Sessions 57 & 58 - Water Is Purest When Boiled
Moonday, 14th Kuthona, St. Ilnea's Fountain, Menador
I am pleased to have found that St. Ilnea’s Fountain was very much worth the pilgrimage. Following the passing of our trial against the Astral Deva, I took the opportunity to give Paraduke Temoni a sermon on the nature of the Divine Order. The Gods saw fit to punctuate my proselytising with a demonstration of its power, converting the Deva’s halo to a fiery tool worthy of our purpose. The Paraduke took well to my explanation, and I granted the halo to Father Dexsius as a show of trust in his devotion, despite his reservations towards the Truest Faith.
Our next trial would take place at the very chasm created by the battle between Saint Ilnea and the demon Karash’e’tor. There, we were accosted by a swarming mass of belligerent lantern archons and multiple flying serpents. They attempted to obscure our vision and utilise trickery to take us by surprise, but their techniques were wanting. Many times now we have come across creatures that would use tactics of obfuscation against us, and we are not so easily diverted. Sir Quintus seemed especially motivated. Perhaps something about these trials has awoken something within him, or it is a sign of the Divine Order rewarding him for his efforts. Either way, my companions and I had little trouble disposing of these obstacles, though their tactics left the battle feeling far more time consuming than it had any right to be.
During our wait for the couatls to reemerge during the trial, Father Dexsius and I took the liberty of searching for the famed demon’s blade, Karash’e’tor’s Razor. We did ultimately uncover it, and brought it with us following our victory over the flying guardians. I was all too happy to leave the wretched thing in Father Dexsius’ care, as the stench of chaotic energy emanating from the blade was rather sickening. Perhaps in time, Father Dexsius will be able to rectify that particular blemish on an otherwise fine weapon…
At long last, the doors ahead of us would be the final ones. The marvel of St. Ilnea’s fountain was a true joy and honour to finally witness. Such a splendid site to commemorate such a valiant hero of Justice and Order! I would have renewed my pledge to uphold the Divine Order’s will then and there, but there remained still a trial for us to overcome. Once myself, Father Dexsius, and Mister Kezax had entered, the doors began to close upon us. Sir Quintus rapidly acted to enter the chamber as well before the doors would seal us from our other compatriots. Once sealed in, the fountain’s water quickly began to submerge the room, and the sting of holy water would burn any who did not give proper homage to the Inheritor. As such, I was naturally spared from the need for any cleansing.
Father Dexsius was clever enough to grant us all the means to avoid drowning within the submerged chamber, which gave us enough time to consider the trial. I recalled the details of Saint Ilnea’s legend, how she stood her ground against Karash’e’tor, and how her body subsequently transformed into the source of this sacred spring. From this, I could conclude that her very body would be what produces these waters. Inferring from this knowledge and Mister Kezax’s swift investigation of one of the room’s many decanters, we were able to determine that fragments of the saint’s corpse lay in each of these receptacles, and their seizure would be necessary to conclude the trial. I wasted no time in shattering the decanters on either side of us, then moved to open the others. My companions used their own talents to liberate several of the other fragments, thus swiftly completing the trial and bringing the room back to a calmed state.
I was in no way surprised by our success, for just as Saint Ilnea holds the honour of being Iomedae’s first saint, I walk the path to become the first saint of the Divine Order as a whole. I am not so arrogant as to ignore those who came before me as I humbly stand upon their shoulders. It is for this same reason that our next task of enhancing these waters would be so essential. St. Ilnea’s waters, sacred though they may be, remain limited in their divine influence. Iomedae’s gift alone is great, but does not encompass the Splendour of the entire Divine Order.
Once we reunited with Paraduke Temoni and Miss Zylstra, we initiated the ritual to empower the waters. Through the guardian’s body and the deva’s heart, imbued with Miss Zylstra’s magic, Father Dexsius spoke the incantations needed to merge the blessings of Hell with the water, not once, but twice. These hallowed grounds that serve as the resting place for this fountain will forever be cleansed through Infernal heat, just as water is boiled to remove its impurities. So as to ensure that this place would also not be lacking for a protector, Father Dexsius also rased the guardian as a fiery spirit. The woman had power, but ultimately was mortal, so she would surely be overjoyed with such a gift, to be able to oversee her mistress’ resting place for eternity!
The waters, once enhanced, were quick to imbue the dragon’s skull with their blessing. With that, our tasks in this holy place were done, and we might continue our mission. I am truly thankful that the Queen, in all of her wisdom, gave us this task. Never in my pilgrimage had I been given the privilege to undergo such a marvellous trial. I move on now with a fresh new reassurance of my Ultimate Purpose. May our next quest be so fulfilling!
Player's Notes: Another long hiatus at long last ended! We actually had a scare with this one that the GM might have to drop the game, but we ultimately convinced him to find a new time slot to accommodate his new schedule. It does mean we'll only be playing every other week, but I'd much prefer that than ending the game just as we're so close to the end!
Anyway, it would seem that in our time away, the dice luck accumulated, because in both of the sessions included in this journal, Quintus' luck on his rolls was absolutely bonkers. Roughly 1 in every 3 of his attacks was a crit, and more than half of his saves were crits as well. For my part, I got exactly one crit right where I needed it: to recall the legend of St. Ilnea just as the water started rising in the final chamber. It felt very fitting for Dom's piousness to come in clutch at just that moment.
To my knowledge, this leaves us with just one more dungeon to clear in this book. The end is so close I can almost taste it!
it's a pity that I asked but got no response, so I did a search myself and found best free online games pretty good and I hope the people who will read it later will be able to come directly. Wish one good daycan you teach me how to doCampaign number 2! Admittedly, I never thought I'd ever want to play Hell's Vengeance, but I can honestly say it's been a blast so far!
As with my Curse of the Crimson Throne Journal, I've collected enough entries into this journal that writing each post would be a bit much to do now. So instead, I'll share the file I've been keeping the journal in (fancy formatting included):
As the campaign continues, I'll be adding the new entries to the doc as well as in this thread.
I hope you enjoy these ravings of a religious madman and the crew of villains deranged enough to join him!
Apologies, I didn't see your messages until now because I hadn't been looking at this journal. The game was on hiatus and I had other major life events keeping me busy.
That being said, I'm not sure what you were asking to be taught how to do, or what free online games have to do with it. If you have a more specific question, feel free to send me a message directly.
In any case, I'll be getting back to adding to Dominus' journal in the near future.
23/06/03 - Sessions 59 - A Conflict of Interests
Toilday, 15th Kuthona, Archive of Redacted Histories, Warlock Island
Much as I might have enjoyed continuing to bask in the radiance of St. Ilnea’s waters, there remains work to be done. Justice and Order cannot be permitted respite when corruption is ever present, after all. Even now, I hear the cries of those poor souls in Westcrown, imprisoned by the heresy of the Reclamation…
We had hoped, especially Father Dexsius, that we might take the time to purify Karash’e’tor’s Razor, and divest it of its abyssal taint. Its grotesquely chaotic attunement aside, it has the potential to be a fearsome weapon. Personally, I would love nothing more than to complete St. Ilnea’s trial and bring an end to that foul demon’s lingering essence. However, the complexities inherent in such a task make it a time consuming process. As such, we will simply hold onto the blade for now, with the intent of addressing it at a later date. I shall keep it secure, but away from my person until such a time that we are ready, as the energies it exudes are offensive to my senses.
Instead, I must focus my thoughts to the acquisition of our final ingredient for the Tathlum: the ashes of history. To this end, Paraduke Kennari was kind enough to supply us with a destination. Prior to this, I had not been aware of the Archive of Redacted Histories, nor of the esoteric Hellknight order that guards it. I’ve come to learn that this shelter of forbidden knowledge existed as a contingency, established by the very first Majestrix to serve the True Infernal Masters. While it might have unsettled me that the existence of the Order of the Glyph was unknown to me, there is no fault in this. If it is their mandate to be unknown, then this is merely proof of their diligence. It is that same diligence I will expect when we encounter them.
I am keenly aware of the implications of our next mission. We are to enter the Archive, secure a few tomes of particular import, and conflagrate the remainder of the knowledge stored within. Such a task is simple, but puts us in direct opposition to the Hellknights of the Glyph. While some of my companions have a desire to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, and I commend them for this altruistic sensibility, I also recognise it to be futile. It is our divinely ordained mission to destroy the knowledge they have been ordained to protect. For them to permit us entry would be a dereliction of their duty! No, it is clear that only death will satisfy the honour of all parties. It is regrettable, but I take solace in the fact that Lord Geryon of the Fifth will certainly accept its loyal servitors, and they in turn will bolster their Master with the secrets they have so diligently kept. They shall be proud to know that the words they guarded will burn, exposed to none save the Flames of Order.
Player's Notes: What do you know, after more than half a year, our Hell's Vengeance game has finally resumed! There were a lot of logistical and interpersonal complications to finally get this one back up and running again, but I'm glad we did. It would have been a shame for our journey to end so close to the finish line.
This session ended up being quite short, as most of the time was spent trying to remember how to play our characters, and general chatting. As such, the journal itself is a brief one. There was a single combat we did at the front steps of the Archive, though I excluded that since there wasn't much to say, save perhaps acknowledge the simply crazy amount of crits our party dished out. I think I counted five nat20s in one and a half rounds of combat, including Tayapket landing two nat 20s in a row (critting, and then confirming the crit). Even the non nat 20s were all consistently high rolls, and the ones that weren't were for things with such high modifiers that it didn't matter. Having Dom hit a home run on a Hellknight's head with his mace (143 damage on a severely wounded enemy, for the record) reminded me of why I missed playing him. It's been a long time since I got to feel the sense of being the damage dealer.
Anyway, I should be resuming this batch more regularly again. In celebration, I updated the Google Doc's formatting and even added some character images for reference. Hope anyone who might be reading this enjoys!
23/06/27 & 23/07/10 - Sessions 60 & 61 - Scoldings, Scholars, Snakes, and Snares
Toilday, 15th Kuthona, Archive of Redacted Histories, Warlock Island
As might be expected of a vault of carefully guarded secrets, the Archive of Redacted Histories was not without its protections. The Hellknights at the gate sought to repel us. I saw to it that they ended their watch with all of the honour befitting their station, and therefore offered no mercy. They may rest knowing that they stood without hesitation in the face of their properly ordained oblivion.
Next were the magical traps. Mister Kezax and Paraduke Kennari were kind enough to ensure that they would not impede our progress, though I confess that I did incur one of them of my own volition. Truth be told, the impact was not especially noteworthy, but this too is not surprising, when I am blessed with the Divine Order’s protection.
Our first infiltration was to the western archive, a small wing with which Paraduke Kennari was familiar from a previous visitation. The cultists that maintained this wing were quick to oppose us, though as might be expected they lacked the wherewithal to hold back our Righteous Purpose. I impressed upon a single remaining clerk our goals, and though he was recalcitrant at first, we restored his tongue and persuaded him that offering the information was the best course of action. He eventually understood that our mandate superceded his, and kindly informed us that we might find the tomes we sought within the “Library of Baal”.
Truth be told, the restoration of his tongue was not perfect, so this may have been misspoken, as I cannot imagine to what ends a temple in service to the Lord of the Fifth would so honour the Seventh. Then again, such mysteries are at the very core of Geryon’s faith, so perhaps there is a truth there to which I have not yet become privy.
In any case, once we had seen to the ashing of the western wing and its caretakers, we focused our attentions on the central structure. After bypassing some additional magical disincentivisers, we were met by a troupe of osyluths. Their tactic was a combination of frozen walls and illusions thereof to separate us. A clever tactic, to be sure, but a futile one in light of their adversaries, as none of my companions is anything less than a fearsome entity of Justice even on their own.
As it happened, this proved to be a useful opportunity for me to test the gauntlets granted to me by Lictor Ountor. The right gauntlet’s dismissal magic proved a useful tool with which to send away one of the guardians. In doing so, I received the distinct impression that the devil was sent to the steps of Heaven, which seemed to me a fitting recognition of the relationship between the Outer Planes as pieces of the Grander Order. Perhaps this particular manifestation was a form of acknowledgement that the Godclaw’s philosophies and my understanding of the Truth are indeed aligned. If so, it is a wonderful affirmation!
Bone devils are mighty and respectable entities, but just as the guardians of these secrets must, they succumbed to our combined will. While investigating the many parchments in the room, we acquired some tools that may be repurposed, and incinerated what remained, as is our task. I confess that I found myself wondering for the briefest of moments if the defences of the Archive were lacking. Of course, I quickly disabused myself of the notion. If this task is easy, it is because the Divine Order wills it so. After all, it would not do for our resources to be needlessly depleted while tending to our fellow followers of the Path.
The next two chambers were of note for the defences they presented to us. The first was insidious, and would only become evident later. The second was considerably more overt.
To my recollection, I had not encountered an asura before this journey. As we honour devils for their proximity to the Greatest Lord of the Divine Order, we would do well not to neglect the service of those beneath them. This pair was particularly eager to render service unto their Lord Geryon, as they enveloped us in toxic fumes as soon as we had made our presence known. It may have been a true hindrance, were it not for Paraduke Kennari’s resourcefulness. Once their obfuscation was removed, actually combatting the defenders was made trivial thanks to Mister Kezax’s particularly effective marksmanship.
Would that I could praise Mister Kezax’s skills more often, as they have indeed been invaluable in removing obstacles from our path. In this respect, he and his companion Lady Zylstra have been most useful servants in the cause of the Divine Order. No more did this become apparent as when they revealed their failure to withstand the compulsions set upon them by some trap within the Archives. I merely spoke of resuming our purpose, and they swiftly objected, encouraging that I depart. For a moment, I had believed that they may well have uncovered some concealed mystery that required my departure for it to be revealed. Thankfully, Father Dexsius and the Paraduke were keen enough to identify the manipulations at play.
As I was the sole one to trigger this particular obstacle, I took a moment to wait in contemplation as the others made use of their magical abilities to resolve the situation. I consider this to be a profound message from the Order on the importance of not taking our kobold associates for granted. In time, we have collectively come to rely on Mister Kezax’s talents to open the way, but if we are careless, they may become an obstacle, or worse yet, we may grow complacent. Miss Archie, for all her acute perceptiveness, was often blind to the most obvious of Truths. I must be prudent not to make the same mistake.
To be humbled is not a bad thing from time to time. Though I am the foremost servitor of the Grandest of Designs, a servitor I ultimately remain, a tool meant to execute its purpose. Even the sharpest of swords may grow dull, if not properly maintained. Likewise, the soul and mind cannot be allowed to grow so comfortable with what is, that it can no longer conceive of what could be.
Player's Notes: I ended up saving up to do two sessions in one for this entry, since the first session didn't really have enough for a proper entry. I will say that there was something especially fitting about getting a nat20 on the finishing strike on the last Hellknight at the gate, just as it was for me to get a couple nat1s to notice what was going on after Kezax failed his save against the compulsion and again when Zylstra used Suggestion on Dom to leave the building. I love it when my dice rolls are thematically appropriate!
Besides that, the fights were kind of simple (as is to be expected of a well-built party at level 14, we're steamrolling most things). There was one especially remarkable event that occurred that I now realise I neglected to mention in my journal, and that was Dexsius' insane luck. Yes, that was indeed three nat20s in a row. A shame it ended up being on a random jobber bone devil...
After the little conflict with Kezax, we did end up chatting about inter-party matchups. Dominus, for all his power and abilities, is actually quite weak to stealth characters. His perception is absolute trash and he has no way on his own of getting rid of stealth magic. His only recourse would be to use what few AOEs he has (channel energy and wall of fire, basically), or to use dazzling display a couple times to frighten his foe away. One might expect a martial such as he would have difficulty dealing with a sufficiently prepared caster, but it's funny to think just how easily a decently-built rogue could just demolish him. That said, in a direct conflict he could easily take down any of his companions in two solid full attacks. Everyone has a job, at the end of the day. Therein lies the value of playing as a team!
23/07/24 - Session 62 - Lingering Heresies
Toilday, 15th Kuthona, Archive of Redacted Histories, Warlock Island
The Archive of Redacted Histories has two guardians of note. The first is the Hellknight Order of the Glyph. While their existence was previously unknown to me, their purpose, philosophies, and methods do not differ significantly from that of their brethren. They serve to preserve Order and do so unerringly, even when this requires their sacrifice.
The second is the Cult of Geryon. They are a more complex group to measure. The Lord of the Fifth is indeed loyal to Lord Asmodeus, and by extension the Divine Order, but the services it provides are necessarily obscured. Their role in preserving the Empire’s forbidden records may seem a contradiction, as one might conclude that it would be better to erase these histories entirely lest they be used for nefarious ends. Under other circumstances, I might have thought as much myself.
It is fortunate then that the Path has made clear to me their True Purpose. This culmination of secrets, much like a delicate crop, has been tended to so that it might one day be cultivated for our ritual. The Archive is a farm from which the final ingredients of the Tathlum shall be harvested. This is the ultimate reason for the cult’s existence.
Following our encounter with the pair of asuras, we first investigated the western wing. There, we found a grand library, occupied by a few more worshippers of Geryon and a flying serpent. It is also here that we encountered the man we would come to learn was the grandmaster of the cult. The lessers did as was demanded of them and died for their cause, but the one known as the Master of Heresy was more elusive. Though he was brought close to his end, a magical contingency of some sort allowed his to escape from our grasp before we could end his service. I took this to mean that his task, and therefore ours as well, was not yet complete. It would not do to conclude his guardianship until he was no longer necessary. Father Dexius made use of his Infernal connections to validate this, as we were told with certainty that the Master did not flee the Archives entirely. Paraduke Kennari remained behind to scour the library for what he required and to purge what remained, while the rest of us proceeded to the other wing…
23/09/13 - Session 63 - Leaving a Mark
Toilday, 15th Kuthona, Archive of Redacted Histories, Warlock Island
I have often been asked why I hold the Hellknights in such high esteem, even those I find myself in direct conflict with. This has always struck me as something of a foolish question, but one should not waste an opportunity to educate the ignorant whenever possible. Quite simply, I admire their devotion to the principles of Order. Without explicitly allying themselves to persons or states or even a single god, the Hellknights display the purest form of loyalty, as it is to the Greatest Principle there is. They abide by the Dictums of the Divine Order in a manner that even the most devout cleric does not. I believe the fact that the Hellknights of the Godclaw most closely approach the true understanding of the universe’s Grand Design is a sign of the righteousness of their commitment.
That being said, this respect would never cause me to hesitate to combat a member of these noble orders. The Divine Order is a complex network of interconnected machinations, the final goal of which is beyond all but its highest of servitors. Sometimes, these machinations encounter each other, and conflict occurs. On the most surface of levels, this may seem self-defeating, but to think so is to ignore the grander schema. By the same logic, the creation of fire is destructive, but this too serves a purpose. Reactions sometimes require one thing to be sacrificed for something of greater value to be produced.
In the case of the Order of the Glyph, they were given the divine task of protecting the Archives of Redacted Histories from all intruders, whereas I was tasked with their destruction. Both of our missions were Supremely ordained, and if they enter into conflict, it is only because the result of this conflict will ultimately serve the Divine Order in some manner. It is not my place to question how, merely to carry out this process to the best of my ability.
It is for this reason I made no effort to dissuade the Order’s Lictor from fighting me, and instead challenged him directly. He was an admirable fighter, and even managed to land a couple blows upon me, an impressive feat given my considerable blessings. In honour of this, I did my best to ensure that his death would properly reflect his pledge. After all, what greater honour would it be for the Lictor of the Glyph to be made into a glyph himself? I pray that his blood’s markings seal themselves into the stone as proof of his eternal commitment. Though few will ever know his sacrifice, there may yet be power in such a demonstration of faith. Saints need not be the only ones to leave such legacies.
While I had focused my attentions on the Lictor, my companions had tended to the remaining Hellknights. Only the Master of Heresy remained, hidden from view and having sealed himself with me in the chamber, while the others were held without by way of a barrier of force. He did attempt to strike me with destructive magic on multiple occasions during my duel, but as is to be expected, I would not crack under such pressure. Instead, I kept the Master preoccupied long enough for Temoni to return and bring my allies to our side of the wall. There, Father Dexius removed the concealment, allowing Mister Kezax and Ser Quintus to finish the job. There is some poetic irony that they did so from concealment themselves. It seems appropriate that a man of secrets would be felled by hidden assassins.
Save its sacrificial guardians, the chamber’s sole element of note was a magical gateway to an opulent residence. In here, we found what may have been a collection of the most significant secrets of the Cheliaxian Royal House of Thrune.
Needless to say, we burned them all immediately without giving them a glance. Their secrets would remain eternal, and we would rest soundly.
Player's Notes: Remarkably, despite many delays and issues, this campaign lives yet. This was originally going to be one entry for two sessions, but I discovered that I could actually split it quite effectively, so I split them back up as they were played.
Honestly, I don't know what anyone was expecting, throwing a glorified fighter at a level 14 party. The Lictor could barely make a scratch on me, even when I spent an entire turn willingly making myself flat footed as I invited his strikes. Still, it made for a cool thematic end to the fight when Dom "turned him into a glyph" (that means he got crushed so brutally that his blood splatters made a pattern).
Anyway, if I'm not mistaken, we've got a couple more trivial fights left before we can actually conduct the Tathlum ritual and at long last conclude this book. I look forward to it!
As you may have noticed, this campaign has been on hiatus for...A while.
Long story short, the GM was no longer in form to run it routinely, and despite his efforts to do so anyway, it ultimately became clear that it wasn't working. So with his blessing I've taken over as the GM to bring this story to its conclusion... And just as we were about to start up again one of our players lost their computer.
That issue has now been resolved, and we can resume once more. Since I'm taking more of a back seat as a GMPC, we also brought back Arcatraz to round out the team. This session was mainly a session 0, but I included the little bit of context for what Archie was up to while she was away.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the grand finale of this campaign, because I am determined to see this one to the end!
24/01/05 - Session 64 - Revelation and Return
Wealday, 16th Kuthona, Archive of Redacted Histories, Warlock Island
For too long, this tale lies dormant, awaiting its reawakening.
Consider this the wake-up call. Hell is waiting.
You are perhaps wondering who I am, and what has become of that lovable psychopath Dominus Fex? True, my dearest and most successful project is normally tasked with reciting the exploits of Cheliax’s reconquering through his magnificently twisted perspective. For now however, he is taking a well deserved rest, and I, his humble handler, will graciously take on the task. I go by Vipostix, Deimavigga Principale and Arch Adjudicator of Celestial Acquisitions, though just Vipostix is sufficient here. You needn't concern yourself with any further details. Just relax and enjoy the story.
When last we left them, the Queen’s chosen agents had felled the Cult of Geryon and the Order of the Glyph in order to burn the contents of the Archive of Redacted Histories. They did so in order to secure the “ashes of history”, a key ingredient in a rather potent weapon.
Incidentally if you're curious, no, Lord Geryon cares little for this transgression against his worshippers. The preservation of Cheliax’s long and convoluted historical revisionism is an interesting curio, but of little importance in the grand scheme of things. Ah pardon, in the “Divine Order”, I should say. I do confess to being rather proud of myself for that particular fabrication. What better way to pervert the teachings of Heaven than to integrate them into our grander design?
In any case, this left our heroes with the task of actually conducting the ritual to create the dreaded “Tathlum”. How fortunate it was then that upon emerging from their rest, they were greeted by the waiting form of one familiar to them: Atcatraz of the Whisperwood, daughter of Athervox, granddaughter of Gartheris the Wise.
It's been quite some time since her departure, so an explanation may be in order. You see, when Archie returned to the Whisperwood to return one of our flock, she was greeted with a vision. A simple image of her grandfather making a bargain with none other than Lord Geryon. To what end? Might it be that the discoveries of Triaxus and Apostae were not solely of his own doing, or perhaps it was to seek vengeance upon those that stole his naming rights? Is her bloodline’s pride built on academic greatness, or submission to an even higher being? Archie is free to ruminate and squirm on the subject. Can't have her being too comfortable, after all.
The more immediately pertinent detail however, was the price paid for this ambiguous service. Gartheris was given a “gift”. Something he had to keep within himself for safekeeping. In time, he passed it on to his firstborn daughter, and she in turn passed it on to Arcatraz, where it resides to this day. The nature of this thing is to obfuscate and destroy, as is Lord Geryon’s nature, and a part of the wards placed to contain it is to blame for Archie’s noticeable lack of draconic features. So long as she remains the unwitting vessel of Geryon’s gift, her true nature will be alien to her.
As you can imagine, little miss Archie did try to unravel the mystery of this gift. Unfortunately for her, it is not so easily grasped by those that have not embraced it of their own volition, so it is quite impossible for her to know unless The Serpent wills it. That being said, Archie is a very smart girl, and she tried ever so hard. It was a truly admirable effort, worthy of some reward. Thus, she was granted a small epiphany. For Archie to have found the worship of her Lord independently of his deal with her family was too convenient to be a coincidence. Therefore, it stood to reason that other “coincidences” may also be suspect. Why does her family reside so close to a gate to Hell? Why too is the region so rich in ley lines and why did she take such an interest in them? The Lord of the Fifth keeps many inscrutable secrets and has made many enemies, so perhaps there is a reason that he would leave something in the guardianship of powerful beings nestled in a place of planar and occult significance?
Naturally, she'll never uncover the real answer on her own, though it is ever so fun to watch a brilliant mind struggle against its own fundamental limitations, is it not?
But I digress. There remains the ever so critical question of what the dragon scion will do with this information. She could follow the family trend and cure herself of her frail prison of flesh by passing the gift on to the next member of her bloodline. Typically that would require finding a mate, but as fortune would have it, Archie was blessed with a suitable vessel quite recently in the form of young Timaeus, the infant dragon age found at the Winter Grove. The specimen is perfectly suited to take on the blessing, more so even than Archie. Ask me not why we went with the immaculate conception route. That particular mandate was outsourced to another department of Dis.
Surely, any reasonable soul would understand that Hell’s desire is that she pass her gift to this custom vessel, delivered by Lord Asmodeus himself, then that she nurture it into a being befitting of the power it holds…
But since when have we expected mortals to be reasonable?
Why should Arcatraz devote herself to the betterment (or damnation) of another, when she can take that power for herself? Can a dragon deny her own greed, even when it might obliterate her? As a ritualist, she knows that she now has the means to accept the gift earnestly. She need only deliver it into a fresh vessel, then consume it once more, this time of her own volition. Lord Geryon is ever so fond of devouring as a means of gaining power. Surely such an act would be to his liking.
To spare yourself in the name of damning another to greatness, or to seize that greatness for yourself, no matter its cost.
Decisions, decisions.
We will soon see the conclusions Miss Archie has reached, and some of their consequences. But first, she needs to hijack a certain ritual, and for that to happen the Agents of Thrune must secure the necessary materials. To that end, there is still one room of the Archive that has not been plundered…
Player's Notes: No major notes this time. I'm just excited to bring this campaign back from the dead. Seeing as I have a bit more insight now as the GM, I'll be able to play around a bit more with the character POVs as well. Dom will still appear, of course, but I've got plenty of other voices I can use now.
24/01/12 - Session 65 - Dragon’s Descent
Wealday, 16th Kuthona, Archive of Redacted Histories, Warlock Island
The creation of the tathlum would require certain resources we did not possess, but we ascertained that they could still be found in the last wing of the Archives we had not yet examined. My companions went forth to seek them out, while I chose to remain and see to it that the Hellknights of the Glyph were given a proper ceremony for the death of their order. It was decreed that they must be sacrificed for the greater Path, and they took to their end nobly. That at least was worthy of proper acknowledgement. I pray that their souls will be of further service to the Divine Order in death, as they were in life.
As I was later told, the others found the last wing of the archive to be populated by two “spellgorgers”, sentient floating orbs of congealed magical energy. These beings were debating the merits of preparing magical contingencies. An interesting discussion, to be sure. A contingency is, in essence, a preparation made for a potential outcome one may not foresee. Personally, I have little need for them, for I know that my path is guided by the Divine Order. At any given moment, Order has already determined what must happen.
That being said, what if a preparation is itself part of that plan? Perhaps then, a contingency is a representation of the gap in our awareness when compared to forces beyond us. The Divine Order is all-knowing, while lesser beings are not. Then, we could understand contingencies as blindly acting in accordance with the Divine Order’s will before we can see that will’s manifestation. This would make a contingency not an act of doubt, but rather, of trust. Of faith that an anticipatory action will eventually bear fruit.
I suspect Father Dexsius understands this, given his large collection of scrolls to anticipate any circumstance that might arise. This is why I was not surprised to hear that he used his magic to obliterate one of the oozes, specifically the one that argued against contingencies, while permitting the other to depart. There is value in purging those that do not see the value of trust. Those that sow doubt are corrupting influences, and an affront to the harmony of the Divine Order.
For their troubles, my companions were greeted with the last remnants of the Archive of Redacted Histories. The last wing contained some scholarly tomes of magic, as well as a few remaining records of Cheliax’s history that no longer served the purposes of Order. The Ashes of History we had accumulated were sufficient, so there was no need to destroy what remained. Paraduke Kennari opted to retain these for personal reasons. He is someone who had the privilege of witnessing first hand Cheliax’s ascension as a nation in service to the Divine Order, so his nostalgia for such records is understandable, albeit a little eccentric.
The ritual materials lay within a secret chamber that was easily found with Mister Kezax’s keen perception. In there they also found a font that bolstered memory. An interesting magical tool, but not one for which we had need. Perhaps it, along with the Archives, might be restored one day to serve a new purpose. I doubt Lord Geryon would see his gifts wasted.
Speaking of Lord Geryon’s gifts, the Archives held one more for us. According to Miss Arcatraz, a short ways from the main structure lay an ancient ritual circle, ideal for the creation of the tathlum. The site was somewhat damaged, but still very serviceable. An interesting feature was that a “watcher” could stand guard over the ritual to create a containment barrier of sorts. It was a helpful mechanism to prevent anything from escaping the ritual area. Much as I might have wished to participate in the ritual, I took on the role of observer to maintain the barrier, while Mister Kezax kept a closer guard where he might be more mobile. The others, each gifted with magical ability, conducted the ritual. In a sense, I played the part of a contingency. Amusing, given the earlier thoughts.
The tathlum ritual was long, but essentially simple. Between prolonged chants and incantations, each participant took a turn dipping the dragon’s skull into the Infernal quicklime solution, coating it in a new layer while imbuing their own will into the concoction. Each participant was to offer up something personal, a desire or strong destructive emotional force with which to bolster the effect.
Miss Zylstra was first. She invoked a desire to inflict pain and misery. I did not know her to be particularly sadistic by nature, though it came as no surprise. Her words rang true, and the solution was all the more vicious for it.
Next was Father Dexsius. Ever the devout Asmodean, he called upon the Lord of Hell, and infused his own divine magic into the ritual. The effect was potent, causing the solution to emanate the gloriously oppressive heat of the Pit.
After him was Paraduke Kennari. The words he spoke were subtle at first, though I was blessed with the awareness to decipher them. He spoke of General Gorthoklek of Her Infernal Majestrix’s service, imbuing the skull with hatred and resentment for him. To invoke the name of a Pit Fiend is no small thing, and the solution seemed to respond well to the ambition to outshine such a powerful being.
Ser Quintus spoke of his family in Kintargo. Regrettably, the city has fallen to misguided vermin, and to this day, the poor man remains unaware of what became of his kin. At best, they fell honourably in defence of their home, but even so, there has been no message of closure, only the frustration of uncertainty. This frustration now fuelled the tathlum.
The last stage of the ritual was left to Miss Arcatraz. Throughout the ritual, she conducted herself with great skill, as one might expect from a specialist in ritual magic. She contained the energies each participant offered to the tathlum with unmatched discipline and focus, but when she finally made her approach, her demeanour changed. She offered not only the skull, but also the young dragon Timaeus, to the magical concoction. That she would so readily use the child as a component of the ritual was unexpected, though upon reflection, made perfect sense. The creature was a gift offered miraculously by Lord Asmodeus himself through an Infernal ritual, so it was perfectly appropriate that to complete the cycle of his existence, he must be offered back through yet another ritual.
The result was wondrous to behold! In a reaction befitting a weapon of extraordinary power, the solution sent out a wave of energy so immense that even I, well distanced from the centre of the ritual, was struck by its pressure. Then, two very interesting events occurred. The first was that a phantasmal figure of the gold dragon Parnoneryx emerged. Had it not been for the barrier I was maintaining, it might have shot out to the very heavens! The second was that the small Timaeus, imbued with the blessed energies of the tathlum solution, was transformed into a full fledged Infernal dragon!
For the ritual to be complete, both dragons needed to be subdued. To that end, my companions acted swiftly. Miss Archie took on her dragon form and immediately set upon Parnoneryx above, while the others focused their attentions on Timaeus below. Each beast made for a fearsome challenge, but clever applications of debilitating magic kept them from unleashing their full potential. Mister Kezax’s bolt disrupted Timaeus’ Infernal energies quite effectively, whereas Ser Quintus anchored Parnoneryx’s spectral form so that its mobility would be further restricted, forcing him to contend with Miss Archie’s aggressions. Each member in turn did their part in weakening and tearing away at the dragons, with every strike taming the power that would give the tathlum its strength.
Ultimately, Timaeus would fall first, weakened significantly by Paraduke Kennari, Father Dexsius, and Ser Quintus. Mister Kezax would strike the final blow upon his former charge, a ritual infanticide on behalf of the young dragon’s mother. With the Infernal dragon suppressed, all turned their attention to Parnoneryx’s ghost. Each strike of magic and projectile lessened the spiritual being, but ultimately, it was Miss Archie that thrust herself upon the spirit. By dispersing the magical essences that formed the phantom, the energies could once more reform into the tathlum, the gold dragon’s glorious essence, once used to serve Lady Iomedae, would be given new life! Miss Archie was wise not to hold back against such strength. So great was her exertion that it sent her and the phantom plummeting to the swamplands below, near where Timaeus’ remains lay.
It had not been the first time I had seen Miss Archie consume a sapient being. I have long accepted that it is a facet of her nature to do so. Given her worship of Lord Geryon, it seemed as much a matter of spirituality as it was of convenience or personal taste. This time however… It was immediately clear that the consumption of her adoptive son bore a significance beyond that of familial sacrifice. In that moment, the Divine Order whispered the truth to me. The ritual Miss Archie conducted served a second purpose, not only to concentrate and redistribute power into the tathlum, but also to concentrate and redistribute power into herself. More accurately, it was to unlock a power that had always resided within her. One she has long sought, that I could always sense within her.
The spark of Divine Order within Arcatraz would finally be unshackled in that moment.
This power… Was beautiful to behold. Miss Arcatraz had always spoken in no uncertain terms of her draconic heritage, despite her humanoid appearance. Now at last, her true nature, not merely as a dragon, but as a draconid blessed by Infernal might, was on display for all to see. The strength and elegance of her apotheosis could not be a better representation of the Divine Order’s supreme grace, manifested in physical form.
Truly, it was an honour and privilege to witness such a grand evolution.
As for the tathlum, its creation was supremely successful. The weapon exudes glorious force that causes one to shudder with its mere existence. To look into the skull’s eyes is to glimpse into the righteous cleansing it will bring.
So strong was the ritual’s potency that even the residual energies of the quicklime solution still held power as a catalyst. Father Dexsius saw an opportunity to make use of the materials and placed a unicorn horn within. What emerged was an excellent conduit tool for life energy. Mister Kezax also thought to dip a crossbow bolt into the solution, a wise method of increasing the strength of his weapon.
In conclusion, the ritual had been a success befitting the Divine Order’s design, far grander than anything that those ignorant of such a mandate could fathom. We shall soon make our return to Egorian with news of our achievement. Then, perhaps, we shall be graced with the privilege of finally ending the infection that plagues our blessed lands…
Player's Notes: And so Hell's Vengeance returns in full. It's been so long since I've run a game, but taking the GM seat once again felt nice. I omitted one little detail in my entry where Temoni was nearly one-shot after Timaeus rolled no less that four crits in his full attack. It actually left me astounded for a couple minutes. Fortunately, the dragon was suffering from enough penalties that the effect was mitigated quite a bit.
As for Archie's apotheosis, I decided to finish the plot that the former GM had to have her undergo the fiendish apotheosis ritual, with a few of my own tweaks. Archie's story was always to unlock the true draconic power within her weak humanoid flesh, and I wanted to make sure she'd get a chance to enjoy the fruits of that pursuit. The Half Fiend template is definitely extremely strong, but I trust Archie's player not to abuse it (I'm running the last book as more of a narrative power fantasy experience anyway so balance is less of a concern). My goal is to give each PC a satisfying conclusion to their character arcs before the end of the AP. Archie achieving her new form was the first of those. The next should be coming very soon...