To Master Seimei -
I am still struggling with the best method to protect Jiro. I have learned to summon allies from Elysium much more rapidly than is typical, and by the blessing of the gods of magic my spells now last much longer than they should. Perhaps I should take advantage of this to summon friendly celestial beings to remain at Jiro's side and defend him. I must seek out a creature capable of giving healing that can offset the harm Jiro absorbs from the rest of our party when we are engaged in battle.
Jiro has created a sanctuary for the world of green growing things here outside the Citadel. He desires to add pathways and seating to make it a place of respite. I had not realized how much I missed the presence of living trees and shrubs until Jiro made it possible to feel them again.
In preparation for encountering the shadow demon Joran Vhane had warned us of, Jiro thought it wise to to acquire a wand that could grant my companions armor of force. Aravashnial agreed to create this item and I now carry it with me. I have also taken charge of a wand we found among Staunton Vhane's possessions that will make it more difficult for divinations to detect us. I have taken greater care to fill my enchanted quiver with wands containing spells that I think will be efficacious to my companions.
As we girded ourselves for our descent into the dungeon, Shim recalled all that he had learned of the abilities of shadow demons and reminded us that such demons can create nearly impenetrable darkness. He also gave each of us a vial of antitoxin in the event that any of our foes chose to use poison against us. Runa went to visit Joran Vhane again, but she did not share with us what they spoke of.
Irabeth then called us all together and presented each with a medal in acknowledgement of our deeds. All of the medals grant magical enhancements to their bearers, but each of us did not receive a medal with the same type of enchantment. The medals given to myself and Jiro will help to protect us from spells or effects that are meant to cause death. Naturally we were all very appreciative of these gifts, though Irabeth's demeanor gave an impression that she feared we would not return from the subterranean level of the Citadel.
At the bottom of the staircase leading down into the dungeon, we found a sturdy door, not as well crafted as the doors within the Citadel itself but still providing a challenge to Shim's skill at picking locks. Beyond the door lay an area confined within iron bars, with another locked door opposite the point of entry. Concerned that the door we had entered through might lock behind us and trap us below, Shim attempted to block it open, but could find nothing with which to block it. Zosta ran back up the stairs to fetch a chunk of rubble from the room above for that purpose.
The cells that bordered the barred foyer contained only long-deceased corpses. All around us we could hear a constant whispering of voices, never clear enough for us to make out their words. Jiro identified them as spirits, perhaps the remnants of those poor individuals whose remains lay in the cells. After Shim opened the next door, Zosta pushed a desk into the opening to prevent it from closing. Beyond it was a short passage and a third door that admitted us into a longer passageway lined with more narrow cells.
We had scarcely set foot in this corridor when two specters emerged from the deep shadows. Zosta, who was at the front of our group, immediately moved to attack them. Runa leaped behind them to flank with Zosta. Shim stood beside Zosta, and one of the specters thrust its shadowy limb into his chest. I could not see his face from my vantage several paces behind him, but I knew it had harmed him by the way his spine stiffened then sagged when it withdrew its limb from his flesh. I heard Jiro calling upon the spirits of his ancestors to aid us, and a distinguished old samurai in ornate golden armor appeared, swinging his daikatana at one of the specters. The moment the blade struck the creature it shattered and the spirit vanished, indicating that the specters were resistant to magic.
Zosta jabbed one specter with her fists and feet while Runa used her sword to slash it, the blade's enchantment allowing her to harm the specter as though it was made of flesh. Jiro's wand brought a weapon into being to attack our foe, but as with his spirit it was dispelled by the creature's resistance. A bead of force shot over his shoulder from Bohgong but it too failed to overcome the specter's resistance, the wand being one of minimal power. I tried the same with my own more powerful wand but experienced the same result. One specter reached for Runa as its comrade had done to Shim, but it failed to penetrate her armor. Runa used her divine power to grant Zosta a burst of alacrity so that she could pummel it again, and then two slashes of Runa's sword blade caused the specter to dissipate.
A third specter had appeared suddenly in the midst of our battle. It had taken up position so that it and one of the others could flank with Jestak, who had volunteered to accompany us. As Runa turned to face the other specter I hurled my spear into it, and Shim's curved blade then robbed it of its existence. Zosta repositioned herself to flank with Jestak. Runa granted her another opportunity to strike it after striking it herself, and those blows sent the third specter into whatever afterlife awaits such things.
The attacks of the specters had left Jiro considerably weakened from the harm they dealt to Shim and Runa. He used a wand to heal some of his own injuries, but the wand could not remove the weakness the specters had inflicted. Shim had only just had similar deleterious effects removed from him, and there was no magic that could remove the draining effect from him until the passage of another week. We would have to proceed despite the harm the specters had done to him.
To our left lay an area that Joran Vhane had told us was used to imprison mages, while to the right was a corridor leading to the torture chamber where we expected to meet the vampire. Directly ahead was another chamber surrounded by cells where the cultists had held their more valuable prisoners. Runa and Jiro moved toward this area to see what lay within it. As soon as they approached Jiro heard the sound of doors opening, though it was very dark within and little could be seen by the light of his lantern. Jiro felt some magic touch him, attempting to gain control of his mind, but it failed to subdue him. Shim then darted forward and pulled a surprised Jiro away from the entry to the cell block, at the same giving a rallying call to those who stood nearest to him. Figures had emerged from the cells, which I realized upon seeing them were the vampire spawn Joran had told us to expect. I called this information out to my friends, then flung a spear at one of the spawn, though the proximity of my companions caused my aim to go wide of the mark.
Jiro set his lantern to float in the air and called for another spirit. This time a very noble samurai in red lacquered armor appeared. I heard Bohgong emit a gasp of shock, though I did not know why. This samurai bore a flaming tetsubo to wield against the vampire spawn. Zosta charged past Shim to slam her fists into one of the spawn and it disintegrated into a cloud of ash. She turned immediately on the next one and it too was destroyed. Runa prayed to Iomedae and a blinding radiance left the spawn unable to see, but this did not seem to limit their movements. One of them managed to bite her shield arm.
Shim scrambled spider-like up the wall beside him and dropped down behind one of the spawn, slicing through it with his curved blade. There was so much movement that I decided hurling my spear into the melee would be unwise and instead brought a lantern archon to aid my friends. It tried to blast one with its rays, but it too was hindered by all the fighting. The fiery blade of Jiro's spirit transformed another vampire spawn into ashes. Zosta slew three more in quick succession. Only one spawn remained. This one lunged for Runa. My spear and the archon's rays both failed to strike it, but it died to a blow from Jiro's staff.
When the spawn were all gone and the floor was coated in their ashen remains, Jiro introduced us all to the spirit he had last summoned: despite that Bohgong is the current vessel for the spirit of Jiro's respected uncle, this spirit also represented that same person! Bohgong was clearly amazed that such an occurrence could be possible, and Jiro himself was quite bewildered. The spirit bowed courteously to us and then faded away as the spell's duration came to an end. Runa then entered the area the spawn had emerged from to see what else might await us there. The other cells were occupied only by more corpses.
With the vampire spawn eliminated, we next decided to investigate the cells where spellcasters were held. This area proved to contain only two large cells separated by a space approximately the size of the cells combined. Like the rest of the area when had passed through there was nothing of equipment or furnishings in the space, as if the cultists had retreated elsewhere and taken all their goods with them. Only one of the two cells was unlocked. Concerned that these cells might contain some effect designed to suppress magic, I did not approach them. The open cells walls were covered in sigils that none of us could interpret. Jiro determined that these markings themselves were not of a magical nature. The other room's symbols glowed a malevolent red, and Shim stated that there was some dark and powerful magic in them.
Runa took a chance on looking into the open cell and was amazed to find that the walls were covered in images of butterflies etched into the surface, marring and covering the other sigils. Shim remarked that the butterfly is often used as the symbol of the goddess Desna. The whole cell held a strong aura of goodness and chaos, which was stronger on the north wall. When Shim went into the cell to examine it he stated that he felt energized by this aura, for it was Desna who had sent him a vision telling him to seek us. Runa then saw that along with the butterflies there was a prayer inscribed on that wall, which she read aloud. The words of the prayer asked for aid to escape and swore to serve the unnamed deity wholeheartedly should such aid be given. Shim admitted that he felt a sense of familiarity from this prayer, and realized that the person who had inscribed it had once saved his life. Inside the cell the oppressive aura of evil and the whispering spirits were no longer apparent. We surmised that the prisoner in this cell must have been Arushalae, the succubus heretic who Joran told us had escaped.
After thoroughly examining that cell, we moved on to the second, locked cell with the glowing red sigils. Zosta volunteered to try to look inside through the small window in its door. She saw no one within. She felt that the effects of several enchanted items she wore were suppressed, but once she moved away from the symbols the magic returned. Jiro expressed a desire to see inside the cell, but when Shim attempted to unlock the door he was unable to do so. He took a battering ram out of his magical haversack, and he and Zosta used it to smash the door off its hinges. The cell proved to be unoccupied. Jiro reported that when he entered he still felt the unpleasant aura and heard the spirits murmuring.
We departed from that area next and went to the doorway leading to the torture chamber. As with the other doors we had encountered, it was locked, but Shim had little difficulty unlocking it.
Next: part 44, The Vampire's Lair
Monday, November 19, 2018
Monday, November 5, 2018
[Pathfinder] Wrath of the Righteous: Interlude
Author's note:
After posting many installments of my campaign journal from the Shadows of Greatness campaign, I realized that the way I've been writing the Wrath of the Righteous campaign journal isn't nearly as interesting to read. It's dry and impersonal. To give it a little more passion, I'm writing this interlude from the viewpoint of Asami. I may start writing my whole campaign journal in this format.
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To:
Master Seimei of the Council of the Golden Flame
Golden Lotus Pavilion
Ayajinbo
Jinin
Respected Master:
Please forgive your unworthy apprentice for failing to write to you as soon as we arrived in the city of Kenabres. Much has happened since our arrival at the Worldwound. That does not excuse my failure to communicate with my master.
Young master Jiro and I have been in the West for only a few months, yet so much has taken place in that time that were I to write of all of it, it would be necessary to send this missive to you in a chest. We delivered the letters of introduction to the human woman Cennami as directed, and she introduced us to a group of other people with whom we began to train in the Westerners' techniques of combating demons. This training was enhanced by the presence of an actual demon, of whom you were no doubt already aware. He is known by the name Rhino and has dedicated himself to aiding the fight against his own people. His assistance has been most welcome. It is heartening to consider that even the denizens of the Abyss can seek redemption.
In addition to Rhino, we became acquainted with a small group of others, one of them a member of Cennami's tribe who sees Rhino as her adopted brother. Her name is Zosta, and she wields in her fists and feet far more power than one might guess from her stature. She revels in fighting demons and their followers directly, but is able to enhance her blows with magic and is not unskilled with weaponry.
The next member of our group of demon-fighting students is Frairuna, a tall woman partly of orcish blood. She is a warrior priestess of the goddess Iomedae and most devout in her faith, as skilled in oratory as she is in arms. Kenabres also boasts a devout warrior of Iomedae who like Frairuna is of orcish blood, and when we first began to go about the city as a group Frairuna was on several occasions mistaken for Irabeth Tirabade. It is extraordinary to think that we now travel alongside Irabeth and in many respects she looks up to Frairuna.
When we first arrived our number was joined by a half-elven man by name Aegronius, who had come to Kenabres with two comrades to join the Crusade. But his life has taken a different path and he no longer walks with us.
Were you to meet Jiro now you would hardly recognize him, so much has he been altered by his experiences. Humans are indeed an adaptable race. No more is he the timid and clumsy gardener who departed with me from Minkai. He has learned to fight with weapons and to wield greater magics than he commanded in the past. Yet he is still humble and courteous, and his heart is most content when he is able to see to the green and growing things of the earth.
We had been in Kenabres less than a month when the terrible event of which you are doubtless aware took place. While we listened to one of the leaders of the Crusade speaking to the crowd during a celebration, a huge demon rose up over the walls of the city and began to battle with Telendrev, the silver dragon who had taken the city under his protection. The earth beneath our feet split asunder and all five of us fell helplessly into the dark depths. I cannot deny I feared we would fall into the Abyss itself. But somehow we were preserved from death, perhaps by the intervention of the dragon himself though he did so with his last breath as the demon slew him. We found ourselves in dimly lit subterranean tunnels, which we swiftly discovered were inhabited. Others had also fallen into the depths with us, a wizard of our kindred named Aravashnial who had been blinded by the demon attackers, and a human woman, Anevia, who is wed to Irabeth Tirabade. Anevia's leg had been broken in the fall. Also among those who fell when the earth opened up was a human nobleman called Horgus Gwerm. We determined to look after their injuries as best we could and escort them back to the surface if a way could be found. We did indeed find such a route, with assistance from the mongrelfolk who dwell beneath the city, and they also helped us to discover that some of the demons' followers had secretly infiltrated Kenabres to help effect the surprise attack. As soon as we reached the surface we hurried to notify the remaining authorities of the city and leaders of the Crusade of this force of infiltrators in their midst.
Kenabres was much damaged by the attack, and in the aftermath some of the worshippers of evil had taken charge of a structure known as the Gray Garrison. The forces within Kenabres had few resources left to retake the well-fortified garrison, yet they had urgent need to enter it to wrest away from the enemy the Wardstone that had protected Kenabres from the encroaching Worldwound. When we five were asked to enter the Garrison ourselves and seek the Wardstone, we did not shirk from this task, We were successful, but when we employed the enchanted rod we had been given to destroy the Wardstone lest it be used for ill by our foes, something none could have anticipated occurred when the stone shattered. I am but your apprentice; forgive me for speculating upon maters best left to those of greater wisdom. But I believe that when the stone broke apart some of the arcane and divine energies sealed within it were imparted to us. We five have gained new abilities we cannot explain by training or nature. Furthermore we all received a vision from the goddess Iomedae, whose fane the Gray Garrison once was. Each of us also received a vision of another kind, in which we were visited by deities more suited to our own upbringing and beliefs; I believe the entity which appeared to me in my vision to be the Spirit of the World Tree. I cannot explain the message it gave me, but I feel that it is my destiny to continue the fight against the demons and all creatures from other planes of existence that would seek to enter this plane to do harm to those who dwell herein. Aravashnial is a member of the Riftwardens as were my parents before me, and it is my intention to seek membership in this organization to further my goal. I hope that this choice will meet with your approval, my master.
The destruction of the Wardstone did far more than impart new abilities to our small band of comrades in arms. The network of Wardstones that have defended the lands along the Worldwound from demonic invasion is gone. All of the other stones failed when the Kenabres stone was destroyed. Scouts from the army of Mendev have reported that many hundreds of evil denizens of the Abyss were slain by the energies released in this event, and they are yet disorganized and confused. But soon enough they will realize that the defenses have fallen. While we have the advantage we are attempting to retake the small city of Drezen, which lies closer to the Worldwound and was once a bastion of the defenses. It has long been held by the enemy, but while they are weakened and the attention of their commanders is elsewhere we shall undertake to wrest it away from them and recover the divinely blessed banner known as the Sword of Valor which once was held by Iomedae herself when she was yet a mortal woman. Already we have been able to free from the enemy's grasp an elemental being of wood whose grove they despoiled and who had been enslaved by them. Though I am proud that we were able to keep the Wardstone from the Enemy, I feel greater pride and joy in freeing this one captive.
I cannot hazard to guess what you would think of me now. You would tell me never to guess. My companions have told me that my appearance has changed since we were given these divine blessings, but I have not observed this myself. Kirara has undergone a more obvious transformation: she is no more an ordinary feline, but has become a creature of Elysium, a silvanshee agathion, and she now delights in flying about me wherever we travel. Bohgong the monkey has revealed himself to be the vessel for the spirit of Jiro's illustrious ancestor, who has been teaching Jiro and Zosta the martial arts of Jiro's noble family. We have also acquired another comrade to replace Aegronius, who left us to pursue a personal matter. Our new companion Shim is like Aegronius partly of elven blood, trained in alchemical magics. We came very near to losing him as soon as he joined us, but Bohgong's quick thinking and the fragment of Wardstone I carried in my pouch combined not only to save his life but to bestow upon him the same kind of blessings the other four of us had been granted. We have been given the honor of knighthood by Queen Galfrey of Mendev herself, and named her Crusader Knights.
We have also found what you and the other council members feared: the oni have indeed sought to ally themselves with the demons of the Abyss. Jiro's half-brother has joined them, though we are uncertain whether this was voluntary. But he has become possessed by the Nine-Tailed Fox. I myself have witnessed this with the aid of the spirits with whom Jiro can speak. I have seen other oni as well, preying upon the suffering people of the Worldwound. I will do whatever is in my power to stop them.
I can but hope that you will approve of my actions here and find my efforts worthy of your teachings. I will write again when I am able.
Your humble apprentice,
Asamiel no Seimei
Drezen
The Worldwound
Next: part 38, Seeking Redemption
After posting many installments of my campaign journal from the Shadows of Greatness campaign, I realized that the way I've been writing the Wrath of the Righteous campaign journal isn't nearly as interesting to read. It's dry and impersonal. To give it a little more passion, I'm writing this interlude from the viewpoint of Asami. I may start writing my whole campaign journal in this format.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To:
Master Seimei of the Council of the Golden Flame
Golden Lotus Pavilion
Ayajinbo
Jinin
Respected Master:
Please forgive your unworthy apprentice for failing to write to you as soon as we arrived in the city of Kenabres. Much has happened since our arrival at the Worldwound. That does not excuse my failure to communicate with my master.
Young master Jiro and I have been in the West for only a few months, yet so much has taken place in that time that were I to write of all of it, it would be necessary to send this missive to you in a chest. We delivered the letters of introduction to the human woman Cennami as directed, and she introduced us to a group of other people with whom we began to train in the Westerners' techniques of combating demons. This training was enhanced by the presence of an actual demon, of whom you were no doubt already aware. He is known by the name Rhino and has dedicated himself to aiding the fight against his own people. His assistance has been most welcome. It is heartening to consider that even the denizens of the Abyss can seek redemption.
In addition to Rhino, we became acquainted with a small group of others, one of them a member of Cennami's tribe who sees Rhino as her adopted brother. Her name is Zosta, and she wields in her fists and feet far more power than one might guess from her stature. She revels in fighting demons and their followers directly, but is able to enhance her blows with magic and is not unskilled with weaponry.
The next member of our group of demon-fighting students is Frairuna, a tall woman partly of orcish blood. She is a warrior priestess of the goddess Iomedae and most devout in her faith, as skilled in oratory as she is in arms. Kenabres also boasts a devout warrior of Iomedae who like Frairuna is of orcish blood, and when we first began to go about the city as a group Frairuna was on several occasions mistaken for Irabeth Tirabade. It is extraordinary to think that we now travel alongside Irabeth and in many respects she looks up to Frairuna.
When we first arrived our number was joined by a half-elven man by name Aegronius, who had come to Kenabres with two comrades to join the Crusade. But his life has taken a different path and he no longer walks with us.
Were you to meet Jiro now you would hardly recognize him, so much has he been altered by his experiences. Humans are indeed an adaptable race. No more is he the timid and clumsy gardener who departed with me from Minkai. He has learned to fight with weapons and to wield greater magics than he commanded in the past. Yet he is still humble and courteous, and his heart is most content when he is able to see to the green and growing things of the earth.
We had been in Kenabres less than a month when the terrible event of which you are doubtless aware took place. While we listened to one of the leaders of the Crusade speaking to the crowd during a celebration, a huge demon rose up over the walls of the city and began to battle with Telendrev, the silver dragon who had taken the city under his protection. The earth beneath our feet split asunder and all five of us fell helplessly into the dark depths. I cannot deny I feared we would fall into the Abyss itself. But somehow we were preserved from death, perhaps by the intervention of the dragon himself though he did so with his last breath as the demon slew him. We found ourselves in dimly lit subterranean tunnels, which we swiftly discovered were inhabited. Others had also fallen into the depths with us, a wizard of our kindred named Aravashnial who had been blinded by the demon attackers, and a human woman, Anevia, who is wed to Irabeth Tirabade. Anevia's leg had been broken in the fall. Also among those who fell when the earth opened up was a human nobleman called Horgus Gwerm. We determined to look after their injuries as best we could and escort them back to the surface if a way could be found. We did indeed find such a route, with assistance from the mongrelfolk who dwell beneath the city, and they also helped us to discover that some of the demons' followers had secretly infiltrated Kenabres to help effect the surprise attack. As soon as we reached the surface we hurried to notify the remaining authorities of the city and leaders of the Crusade of this force of infiltrators in their midst.
Kenabres was much damaged by the attack, and in the aftermath some of the worshippers of evil had taken charge of a structure known as the Gray Garrison. The forces within Kenabres had few resources left to retake the well-fortified garrison, yet they had urgent need to enter it to wrest away from the enemy the Wardstone that had protected Kenabres from the encroaching Worldwound. When we five were asked to enter the Garrison ourselves and seek the Wardstone, we did not shirk from this task, We were successful, but when we employed the enchanted rod we had been given to destroy the Wardstone lest it be used for ill by our foes, something none could have anticipated occurred when the stone shattered. I am but your apprentice; forgive me for speculating upon maters best left to those of greater wisdom. But I believe that when the stone broke apart some of the arcane and divine energies sealed within it were imparted to us. We five have gained new abilities we cannot explain by training or nature. Furthermore we all received a vision from the goddess Iomedae, whose fane the Gray Garrison once was. Each of us also received a vision of another kind, in which we were visited by deities more suited to our own upbringing and beliefs; I believe the entity which appeared to me in my vision to be the Spirit of the World Tree. I cannot explain the message it gave me, but I feel that it is my destiny to continue the fight against the demons and all creatures from other planes of existence that would seek to enter this plane to do harm to those who dwell herein. Aravashnial is a member of the Riftwardens as were my parents before me, and it is my intention to seek membership in this organization to further my goal. I hope that this choice will meet with your approval, my master.
The destruction of the Wardstone did far more than impart new abilities to our small band of comrades in arms. The network of Wardstones that have defended the lands along the Worldwound from demonic invasion is gone. All of the other stones failed when the Kenabres stone was destroyed. Scouts from the army of Mendev have reported that many hundreds of evil denizens of the Abyss were slain by the energies released in this event, and they are yet disorganized and confused. But soon enough they will realize that the defenses have fallen. While we have the advantage we are attempting to retake the small city of Drezen, which lies closer to the Worldwound and was once a bastion of the defenses. It has long been held by the enemy, but while they are weakened and the attention of their commanders is elsewhere we shall undertake to wrest it away from them and recover the divinely blessed banner known as the Sword of Valor which once was held by Iomedae herself when she was yet a mortal woman. Already we have been able to free from the enemy's grasp an elemental being of wood whose grove they despoiled and who had been enslaved by them. Though I am proud that we were able to keep the Wardstone from the Enemy, I feel greater pride and joy in freeing this one captive.
I cannot hazard to guess what you would think of me now. You would tell me never to guess. My companions have told me that my appearance has changed since we were given these divine blessings, but I have not observed this myself. Kirara has undergone a more obvious transformation: she is no more an ordinary feline, but has become a creature of Elysium, a silvanshee agathion, and she now delights in flying about me wherever we travel. Bohgong the monkey has revealed himself to be the vessel for the spirit of Jiro's illustrious ancestor, who has been teaching Jiro and Zosta the martial arts of Jiro's noble family. We have also acquired another comrade to replace Aegronius, who left us to pursue a personal matter. Our new companion Shim is like Aegronius partly of elven blood, trained in alchemical magics. We came very near to losing him as soon as he joined us, but Bohgong's quick thinking and the fragment of Wardstone I carried in my pouch combined not only to save his life but to bestow upon him the same kind of blessings the other four of us had been granted. We have been given the honor of knighthood by Queen Galfrey of Mendev herself, and named her Crusader Knights.
We have also found what you and the other council members feared: the oni have indeed sought to ally themselves with the demons of the Abyss. Jiro's half-brother has joined them, though we are uncertain whether this was voluntary. But he has become possessed by the Nine-Tailed Fox. I myself have witnessed this with the aid of the spirits with whom Jiro can speak. I have seen other oni as well, preying upon the suffering people of the Worldwound. I will do whatever is in my power to stop them.
I can but hope that you will approve of my actions here and find my efforts worthy of your teachings. I will write again when I am able.
Your humble apprentice,
Asamiel no Seimei
Drezen
The Worldwound
Next: part 38, Seeking Redemption
[Pathfinder] Wrath of the Righteous, part 42: Resurrection and Redemption
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
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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