To:
Master Seimei of the Council of the Golden Flame
Golden Lotus Pavilion
Ayajinbo
Jinin
Respected Master -
When we had done with fighting and persuaded the woman Jestak to lay down her sword and turn from the path of evil, we decided it would be wise to return to the army encampment to rest. Jiro had very little of his divinely-granted healing power remaining to him and though we had spent relatively little time in the Citadel, we did not wish to continue exploring while we could not assure our own health.
When we had rejoined the army we spent some little while conversing with Jestak, learning from her what other dangers we might yet meet. She had already mentioned to us that the occupiers had constructed a dungeon beneath the Citadel. This area she did not know well for she had not been permitted to visit it. Her demonic overlords seldom permitted their underlings to freely access all parts of the Citadel. But in addition to giving us knowledge of a part of the place we had not even been aware existed, she provided us information regarding the leadership of the occupying force. A creature called Aponavicius of whom we had heard previously had been given charge of Drezen, but she was no longer present. In her absence leadership of that city had been given over to a priestess called Chorussina, but Jestak had not seen Chorussina of late and did not know if she remained within the fortress.
As our conversation continued, Jestak shared with us the knowledge that Joran Vhane, brother of the traitor Staunton, was not truly dedicated to the cause of the demons, raising in our hearts the hope that we might lead him toward redemption also. Joran was a master artificer and weaponsmith, who had helped his brother to corrupt a dwarven forge for the use of the demons. It will certainly be worth our while to to eliminate this tool from the demons' arsenal.
When the discussion with Jestak was done, we each went to do what we could to prepare ourselves for the following day when we would return to the Citadel to complete our exploration of the ground level. Jiro approached Zosta and asked her to teach him how she had been able to pin the succubus. They recruited one of the paladins to join them in practicing this new skill. I am told this was cause for much amusement in the camp, for the young paladin quickly caught on to Zosta's lesson and was able to grip Jiro so that he could not move, while Jiro found it difficult to achieve the same result.
I sought out Aravashnial to speak with him about the Riftwardens. I am certain you know already of this organization, which is dedicated to preventing dangerous creatures from the other planes from threatening our world. Of course you would know this, for you knew my parents and they were both members of the Riftwardens. Perhaps it will not surprise you then that I have asked Aravashnial how I may become a member myself. The attack on Kenabres slew many members. There are few remaining. In my heart I feel that this path is one I am destined to follow. It is my fervent hope that you will approve of this decision, my master.
When I had concluded my conversation with Aravashnial I returned to my tent to scribe a spell into the enchanted book I have acquired. It is a book of the kind known as a 'blessed' book, which permits me to inscribe spells upon its pages without having to employ the usual costly inks and other components. It was found in Drezen and given to me. I look forward to filling its many pages. I also acquired from the army's quartermaster a pearl which will allow me to recover an expended spell of the second level. I already have in my possession another such jewel which will restore a spell of the first level. Our quartermaster has arranged to give us any items of use to us that are not of extremely high value in gold. It is a most satisfactory arrangement.
On the following morning we prepared to return to the interior of the Citadel to explore the area we had yet to examine. But first our group went to visit Jestak to ask her if she would be willing to accompany us. While we walked to her tent, Zosta told us that she had sought out the army's artificers and smiths to ask them if they could add a further enchantment to her fiery brass knuckles, which were crafted for her especially by the redeemed demon Rhino. But when the craftsmen looked at her weapons and learned that Rhino had made them, they told her they could not make an enhancement to them. both because Rhino had made them with his own life essence, and because they feared to touch anything crafted by him. I found this a peculiar response, for I have no doubt the craftsmen of our homeland would be willing to attempt such a feat.
That morning Runa donned her vestments over the new suit of armor she had acquired, which she had worn all night to allow it to become attuned to her. Then we proceeded to Jestak's tent, where four paladins stood watch. Jestak had no hesitation to join us as we reentered the Citadel. All of us had agreed that she could not redeem herself if we gave her no opportunity to do so. Thus is was that when we made our way back to the Citadel she came with us. When we entered the Citadel we turned our steps toward the portion we had yet to enter. Jestak had already informed us that we would find a storeroom containing enough supplies to feed the army for three full days, as well as the private chamber of Joran Vhane where we would find a staircase leading to the dungeon. But first we decided to seek the shrine of Torag we knew lay within, which was placed opposite of the shrine to Iomedae and was designed as a mirror image of it.
The shrine was not locked, and we found no one within it. Like Iomedae's shrine we saw that it was decorated with statues and tapestries, though these represented the dwarven god of war rather than the human goddess. The shrine did not have secret chambers as did Iomedae's fane. It had also been despoiled horribly. The succubus had evidently been so dedicated to her ruse that she had left Iomedae's shrine largely intact, but Torag's shrine had been accorded no such respect. The pews were broken, and the walls were smeared with filth and scrawled with demonic curses.
Runa immediately approached the statue of Torag that stood at the front of the shrine and called on her goddess to give her water with which to wash it clean of the offal that befouled it. As she did this, the guardian statues that stood in alcoves along one wall suddenly sprang to life and began rapidly to attack, perceiving us as enemies because we did not bear the holy emblem of Torag. Jiro set his lantern on its immovable rod and warned us that these things were graven guardians. Jestak struck the one nearest her such a mighty blow that it was nearly shattered. Zosta kicked the legs out from beneath the next guardian, then turned to knock the third over as well. I crossed the room, looking to stay out of their reach, and searched my memory for knowledge of something that would easily halt or defeat them. With all of my companions raining blows down upon them it did not require much time for all of the guardians to be destroyed. It was then that I realized they were no longer dedicated to Torag but had been corrupted to the service of the demon lord Deskari.
There was nothing of any use left in Torag's despoiled fane. We went on to investigate several small rooms nearby which thought locked proved to contain nothing at all after Shim unlocked their doors. Zosta expressed concern that invisible creatures might hide within but we found no evidence of that. When we had encountered several more such rooms she began to complain that she was bored. Soon enough we found the supply room Jestak had described and sent for the paladins to bring carts to remove its contents.
After locating the supplies, we came to a pair of doors set side by side with a column of stone between them. Shim was unable to unlock the door to the right, but when the left-hand door was opened it revealed a short passage that turned to both left and right, leading to a pair of ascending staircases. Opposite the paired doors stood another set of such doors. These we approached. As soon as Shim had unclocked the left side door, we were greeted by the sight of a nabasu demon accompanied by two ghouls. The room was filled with broken furnishings and the corpses of several cultists that the demon had recently consumed.
When the nabasu spied us it at once used its ability to drain us of our strength and vitality by glaring at us. I was too far away for this power to reach me at that moment, but most of my companions were affected by its gaze. Then it shot out a ray of black energy that had much the same effect as its gaze when it struck Jiro. Zosta ran behind the nabasu, ignoring the two ghouls that served it. Though I feared its gaze I moved behind Runa, suffering the weakening effect of its glare as I placed a circle of protection upon her. Jestak roared in fury and charged at the demon, letting her rage speak through her blade. Zosta began attempting to grapple the demon as she had done to the succubus.
I moved to the side of the doorway to get out of its view and was unable to see what went on inside the room for a few moments. During that time I made myself invisible, and heard Jiro calling one of his spirit allies to attack it. I could not recall if a nabasu was capable of perceiving invisible things, but I took the chance that it could not, though I knew that invisibility would not protect me from its gaze. Then I went to the right-hand door that was still locked, and expended some of the divinely granted power we have all been given to cast a spell that does not live in my spellbook. This spell I used to open the door and slip into the room, though I could not escape being affected yet again by the demon's glare. I feared my spells would have far less effect than usual and should I suffer any injury it would weaken me much more quickly than before, but I wished to aid my friends.
My aid was not needed, for while I had been casting my spells Zosta had managed first to knock the demon off his feet and then when he rose again she grappled and pinned him so that he could not escape. Then all of the group, with the exception of Jiro who was still in the hall, began to strike the demon with their weapons. At last Jestak dealt him a blow that was so powerful that he fell to the ground and she severed his head. The ghouls had already been quickly dealt with by Shim. Our foes were no more.
When the battle was done we all looked at one another with concern, recognizing that we were severely weakened and that the effect of the nabasu's ability could continue to affect us for some time. Even the spell of enervation he had cast upon some of us would continue to weaken us for hours. It would be a challenge to remove these effects, for the magic to do so requires very costly components that we do not have access to here, and such magic cannot be used as frequently as some other types of spells. We did not know if we would have to face the dungeon in this weakened state.
Next: part 40, A Clean Sweep
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