To Master Seimei -
In the aftermath of Runa's sudden demise, we were all deeply disheartened. Yet we did not lose sight of our goal to reclaim Citadel Drezen from the demonic occupiers. Jiro stated that our immediate task was to take care of Runa's body. To this end he first asked Shim to seal the door leading to the underground area, to prevent any of our enemies from emerging easily. Then he called to the men standing guard in the next room to send for a priest and three paladins dedicated to Iomedae. As soon as the men heard that Runa had fallen they became more alert, or so I am told, for I was yet too weakened by my own near-death experience to pay much attention to what was happening around me.
Bohgong was still in his enlarged state, and he lifted me up and set me on his back to transport me back to camp. At that moment Shim and Zosta entered the next room from which Staunton Vhane and his fiendish minotaurs had emerged to examine its contents. Shim returned carrying a large chest on his shoulder, and he then picked up the corpse of Vhane and put that on the opposite shoulder. Joran, who now seemed to have achieved a state of relief with the death of his brother, remarked that Staunton had seldom used the other room, which explained the tidy state and minimal furnishings Zosta had observed therein. The walls of the room had been covered in maps, and these she and Shim had removed. Joran remarked that Chorussina, who we had learned commanded the forces within the Citadel in the absence of Aponavicius, had taken most of the other maps. Before we departed from his workshop. Joran removed the holy symbols of the demon lord Deskari and the dwarven god Droskar that he wore and smashed them with his hammer.
Sixteen paladins arrived to take up Runa's body, carrying her with great care so that she was not jostled in the slightest as they bore her out of the Citadel. I rode out behind them astride Bohgong, a most curious experience as I have never before ridden upon a giant ape. Jiro stayed at my side to look after me. I regret that he was obliged to look after me when it is my task to look after him. As we passed by the soldiers and paladins within the fortress and outside it, all stood solemnly in silence.
As we arrived at the encampment our party was met by all of those who have been our comrades and aided us in our struggles - Irabeth and Anevia, Aravashnial, Aron and Sosiel, even Horgus Gwerm and Jestak, who had fled before Staunton Vhane arrived. The paladins then took Runa's body away to lie in state, and Bohgong bore me to my tent to rest. After he laid me on my pallet - with surprising gentleness - he said something that I could not quite make out that seemed to be directed at Kirara. After he spoke she sat down beside me and appeared very alert, as thought she was standing guard over me. He then resumed his normal form as a monkey and said to me, "You have done well as his guardian. You will continue to do well." That was the last thing I knew before I became insensible from exhaustion.
While I rested deeply, Irabeth learned that Staunton Vhane was dead, which I am told was most satisfying news to her. Shim told me that she first took Vhane's corpse from him and threw it on the ground. My friends described to her what had happened and how Runa had been slain. They handed over to her the maps they had taken, which she saw would be useful as both historical artifacts and as a method to understand the tactics of the demons. These were given to Horgus Gwerm's assistant for examination. Irabeth then had paladins strip Staunton Vhane's corpse of its armor and equipment and take it away to be disposed of in a manner that would prevent him from being restored to life by his demonic overlords.
Joran Vhane was taken away as a prisoner, but Irabeth was informed that he had given us aid when we fought his brother and that we believed him to be seeking redemption from his service to evil. He was allowed to rest and recover. Once they had finished speaking with Irabeth, Shim opened Staunton's chest, and he and Jiro examined both the items it contained and the weapons and armor that had been removed from his body, which Irabeth had presented to them. From the chest they took a vial of oil that proved to be of considerable interest, for it was a special preparation that could be used to restore life to the dead. The chest also contained a large quantity of coins, several valuable objects of decoration, a wand, a rod, a scroll, and a potion. Staunton had worn enchanted armor, boots, and belt, and had carried enchanted weapons as well. When the properties of all of these things had been determined, they were laid aside to be distributed among us later.
Irabeth approached Zosta with a crumpled bit of paper one of the paladins had found inside the Citadel. This proved to be the note Zosta had left for Nurah on the previous day. Zosta saw nothing different about it since the moment she had written it, except for spots that appeared to have been made by moisture that had not been present before. It had been discovered on the floor near the area where she had left it, and the paladin had picked it up because it bore her name.
Once word spread that Staunton Vhane was dead, the scouts and outriders reported that demons and cultists were fleeing the surrounding area.
In addition to the oil found in Vhane's chest, Horgus Gwerm's men had recovered a scroll that could restore a dead person to life. After much thought it was decided to use this rather than the oil to bring Runa back, for the oil could be used by simply pouring it over the victim and would therefore be most efficacious if one of us fell in battle. The scroll would leave Runa not quite herself for a time, but Jiro felt confident that she would prefer to save the oil. I had no say in this decision for I was still resting, but I agree with the choice made.
It was decided to wait until dawn of the following day to use the scroll. Jiro went out into the area between the fortress and the curtain wall, taking with him one of the tree tokens given to use by the wood elemental. This he planted in the earth after preparing it carefully. In a short time after he planted it he watched it grow into a tree-man, who asked him what he wanted. Jiro explained that he desired to restore life to this blighted place. In response the tree-man said, "It shall be done," and walked away. Where he stepped green growing things burst from the soil and spread. As he walked away Jiro realized that with each stride he grew smaller, as though some of his life force was being used to create the growth.
That night I experienced another vision of the ancient tree spirit. It spoke to me, saying, "Strive harder to protect the Chosen One. Your parents are proud of you." When I awakened I still felt somewhat weary from my experience, but I also knew that I had gained new abilities I had not possessed on the previous day. I am now able to better use my weapons against evil creatures from other realms, and I am capable of summoning a greater variety of good creatures to aid me. But I must sacrifice some of my ability to cast certain spells in order to gain these new talents.
When I rose I went first to see Aravashnial, and he conducted a small ceremony to induct me into the membership of the Riftwardens. Afterward I joined my friends with Runa, and Jiro read from the scroll that restored her spirit to her body. She was very weak and somewhat somber after she awoke. We left her to rest and went to speak to Joran Vhane. He willingly gave us a great deal of information about what we should expect in the subterranean levels.
There are two levels beneath the earth, both originally designed by the dwarven engineers but completed by architects and engineers under the command of the marilith Aponavicius. Joran admits that he has not seen all of what lies below, but he drew a rough map of the sections he is familiar with. Among the creatures we should expect to meet are vampire spawn and the vampire who created them, salamanders that fire the corruption forge the demons have been employing to corrupt weapons and armor, and an unusually powerful shadow demon by name Eustoyriax. We may also face Chorussina, a tiefling mage who must be of some notable ability if she has been left in charge by Aponavicius. Joran knows where the secret entrance to the corruption forge lies and told us where to find it, as well as warning us that it is Eustoyriax who guards the Sword of Valor. It has not been corrupted, for Aponavicius chose to retain it as a trophy rather than try to bend it to the service of evil.
Irabeth had also spent the night reading Staunton's journal, which was found in his chest. It described almost his entire life and many of the things he had done in the service of the demon lords Baphomet and Deskari. It also described how he had turned his family to worship the demons, but Irabeth chose not to share those details with us. The journal confirmed what Joran had said about his brother's disagreement with Aponavicius' handling of the holy banner. The journal also spoke of a prisoner in the dungeon, a succubus named Arushalae considered to be a heretic. She was being held there until a stronger prison could be made for her in the Abyss, but she had somehow escaped from the Citadel. Staunton's words revealed that at one time Aponavicius had been devising a plan to destroy and bury Drezen.
A little later we met with Runa again to distribute some of the items taken from Staunton Vhane. She agreed that his enchanted belt, which enables the wearer to survive more injuries, was best given to Jiro as he is always absorbing harm from the rest of our party. Runa herself accepted the dwarf's boots, which grant the wearer brief bursts of alacrity, and a protective amulet. I gained wands from the booty for myself.
Although none of us accompanied her, Runa went to speak with Joran on her own later, wearing the robes of an acolyte and taking with her a simple wooden holy emblem of Sarenrae. When she was young she studied the tenets of both Sarenrae and Iomedae. She gave the symbol to Joran in token of Sarenrae's favor to those who seek redemption and encouraged him to consider dedicating himself to the goddess instead of those he had once served.
Zosta later approached me with the note that Irabeth had returned to her, asking me to determine if it bore any secret message or magic that could tell her if Nurah had indeed read it. When I examined it I found no magic, but I was able to discover a cipher in the halfling writing. The message was a simple one: "Thank you." We hope it is a sign that she was moved by Zosta's message of hope and forgiveness, for the halfling went to a great deal of trouble to disguise the message and arrange it so that it would be found.
Now there are three we must aid on the path to redemption: Nurah the halfling, Joran Vhane, and the succubus Arushalae. When we have destroyed the corruption forge and reclaimed the Citadel in its entirety we must seek the succubus and protect her. We hope we will find Nurah and rescue her as well. And as the ancient spirit said, I must work harder to protect Jiro. I regret that you are not here to give me your advice, my master.
Next: part 43, Into the Depths of the Dungeon
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