The Ingaran Adventures
Episode 26
"The Guardian of the Bone – Part III"
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Alexander: The Gauntlet of Athena

Zografos: An Ingaran painter going under the name of Domnhall
Flower: An Elven girl caring for a human child named Hannah.
Issic: Half Human, Half Gold Dragon Warrior
India: A gypsy girl

Phaidon: A local Tamer of the Beasts

Matrim Borimir: Fighter from Ingara

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The Time: Summer, Nemed 12

The Places: Lotharia – Lotharia is a Lamapachan village of about 432 persons. The village is a satellite of Visaria, and is under the protection of Visaria's lord, Doctor Richard Dalby. Lotharia is renowned for its gargoyle-crafting industry. Its stone masons and artisans specialize in the creation of fantastic gargoyles for castles, manors, mansions, dungeons, and other places. Recently, the Lord's Tower was purchased from Dr. Dalby by Baron Villam Larbius III and was converted into a temple of Marush Hob.

Standing at the bottom of the staircase, Zografos/Domnhall asked, "Should we open the passage that is activated by the statues feet?"

India said, "I think so. Alexander?"

"Yes," said the Ingaran priest. "We must move quickly."

Domnhall activated the statues feet. The door slid open. They heard growling and barking, and then huge, black shapes tore out of the opening, slamming into Zografos and India first. More came on the heels of those, barreling into the others. The barking from the huge dog-like creatures was enough to make one's ears bleed. Their bite looked even worse.

The beasts seemed to literally blend into the shadows making them hard to see and attack. But Domnhall was one with the shadows and laid into the beast that dared charge him, slaying it with a quick, lightning-like flash of his sword that flickered in and out of the beast faster than the eye could follow, piercing its heart in that one motion.

Phaidon unleashed a volley of arrows at one of the beasts, but it did not fall. Antaeus the black panther pounced at the black beast, but it dodged under the panther's attack, still trying to gnaw on Phaidon.

Alexander yelled, "Black Dogs of Ares, BEGONE!" as charge after charge of foul hounds crashed into Alexander and his companions, surging on and rolling back like onsweeping and receding waves of black, shadowy monsters and blooded fangs. Led by Alexander, the wild heroes stood unshaken, thrusting with reddened pilum, smiting with dripping rapiers and notched dragon-fang swords. The black hounds swept in like blasting whirlwinds, and storms of arrows raked through their ranks, loosed to swiftly for the eye to follow.

The host of hounds were torn apart at last, and Issic roared like a trumpet pronouncing doom upon the enemy.

India cautiously moved into the next chamber. She looked around and then up at the ceiling and backed out of the room quickly.

"What is it?" Domnhall commented.

"Damn hounds of Ares, it shouldn’t surprise me that…" Began Alexander, but he stopped when India backed out of the room. "What?"

"A man, chained to the ceiling." India answered.

Alexander replied, "What does he look like?" Alexander headed toward the room for a peek as he was asking.

Issic piped in, "Alive or dead?"

Phaidon was busy calming down his panther companions and checking out Axylus’ wounds and called upon the power of nature to heal the panther.

India said "It looks like someone from Ingara we met a long time ago." She walked back into the room, looking up. "Matrim? Matrim Borimir?"

Domnhall headed into the room to check things out as well.

A man was hanging spread eagle on the ceiling. His feet and arms were clamped to the stony roof. Issic deduced the ceiling was about seven feet high.

Matrim replied, "India, is that you, my sweet queen?"

"It is. What are you doing here? Zografos, see if you can find some way to let him down." Zografos began inspecting the bonds holding Matrim. After deducing the bonds were not trapped and had no evidence of key holes, Zografos began checking out the other doors in the area.

"I'm still not to sure about that myself. I was in Ingara one day and here another."

India replied, "Hmmm."

Just then, everyone heard footsteps coming down the titan feet shaped stairwell.

India said, "Issic, pry open Matrim's bonds!"

Alexander drew his pilum and said, "Everyone hide on the other side of this door and wait for them to come in here." It sounded like more than one person coming down the stairs.

Issic chuckled at Matrim as he eradicated the bonds holding him and lowered Matrim to the ground. Issic then took up position next to the door to ambush whoever or whatever might be coming through the door. Phaidon readied himself in the middle of the room and knocked an arrow back.

"My thanks, good Sir." Matrim said smiling a charming smile

"You’re welcome, friend."

Zografos was still checking out the other doors and noticed a room with a chest, four large cages (doors open), and four large urns.

The secret door at the bottom of the stairs opened and a girl stepped into the room. She looked like a human girl wearing a silk loin cloth and a pair of slippers. A ruby necklace adorned her neck and a jeweled Tiara sat upon her head. She was wearing blue eye shadow and a bit of rouge on her cheeks. She was wielding a rapier.

Phaidon launched his arrow at the girl. Not knowing whether she be friend or foe, he pinned her to the door by the ruby necklace she was wearing. She slammed back against the door, an arrow between her neck and her necklace. In surprise, she dropped the rapier. Phaidon knocked back another arrow waiting to see what the woman would do.

Alexander said to the woman, "Identify yourself!"

"I am Zoeba!"

"I don’t believe you!" Alexander poured some holy water on the woman.

The woman screamed when Alexander poured the holy libation upon her. Bird wings sprouted from her back and spread out. The woman began trying to twist out of her necklace to no avail.

Upon seeing the wings sprout out, Issic slammed his dragon claw weapon into the woman’s stomach and ripped upward with great power. The sword ripped up through the demon's chest and jaw. Black ichor sprayed across the room and the woman melted into a puddle of dark goo.

Issic growled and said, "Damn demons!"

"Anyone else think that was too easy?" Alexander commented.

India nodded. "Way too easy."

"I don't even know what that was!" exclaimed Matrim, astonished.

Issic stated, "Believe me, you don't want to know either."

Matrim picked up the rapier. The rapier was green in color and hummed slightly as Matrim swung it to get the feel of it. Letters blazoned across the blade as he moved it back and forth.

A smell of ozone, tinged with sulfur was now noticeable in the room.

Phaidon said, "If anyone wants the necklace, I'll take my arrow back." The necklace was still hanging on the arrow stuck in the door.

Issic pulled the arrow out of the door and examined the necklace. It was a well crafted necklace with several rubies in it. He put the necklace in his pouch and handed the arrow back to Phaidon.

"Thanks, Issic." Phaidon said, taking the arrow and knocking it.

Phaidon’s sharp hearing alerted him to a presence in the room. He could not see anyone, but heard someone pass behind him and stop behind Alexander.

"Alexander, someone is behind you!" Alexander drew his short sword and stabbed blindly behind him. Phaidon launched his arrow at the spot where he heard the sounds stop. Both of them missed whatever it was.

Now, everyone heard fast footsteps running around the room.

Issic breathed his fiery breath at the sound of the creature and the outline of a winged person was visible. Matrim, India, and Zografos all leaped toward the outline, slashing with their weapons, causing the creature to become visible. She hissed and stared intently at Issic.

Issic became defensive and commanded, "Alright guys back off! This is my ticket to that wench, Sharyss!"

Alexander reached out his hand and said, "Fine Issic, but shake the hand of your friend to say good bye, would you?" Phaidon knocked an arrow, unsure why Issic was defending this foul creature.

Issic grasped his dragonclaw-weapon in one hand and reached out with his other hand to shake Alexander’s proffered hand. Upon touching the priest’s hand, the woman’s charming power over Issic was broken. Issic whipped around, ready to kill the vile demon, but before he could react, three arrows slammed into the demon's chest. The woman disappeared, melting into black, sticky goo, leaving her necklace and rapier behind.

"Take that, foul creature!" shouted Phaidon.

Issic and Zografos (holding his breath) listened for more creatures, but heard none.

"Everyone stay close to Issic; Athena will protect you." Alexander stated.

Zografos said, "Don't touch that stuff, it could be poisonous."

Matrim said, "Zografos, it's been a long time."

Phaidon made a mental note to ask Domnhall why everyone kept calling him Zografos.

"Aye. May I examine the rapier?" replied Zografos.

Alexander stated, "There is time to examine it later we need to get moving NOW! This has no doubt let the demon witch know we are here and she will be waiting on us."

"Too late!" said a deep, demonic voice, as several horrific devils teleported into the room. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The devils were horrific things, looking not unlike gargoyles, mad monstrosities with nightmare-spawned faces and loathsome bat wings, blasphemous horrors that radiated unbelievable evil, reflected the mockery of the Pit. The devils were nine feet tall and only vaguely humanoid, covered with grotesque, frightening scales. Their huge, unpleasant wings and snaking, prehensile tail only added to their damnable, nauseous look. The ungodly smell that accompanied their appearance was equally loathsome. Eight of them were in the room. Three carried large barbed whips. Two wielded wicked looking halberds, and the other three gripped two handed swords. The room began to spin around and become larger...much larger.

Alexander exclaimed, "Stay near Issic everyone! They can't touch us as long as we are within 10 feet of him."

"The Chosen Champions of Athena are not frightened by your tricks, Witch!" Alexander proclaimed.

Suddenly, a ball of fire enveloped the room, burning Phaidon severely and singeing everyone else. Zografos managed to get out of the way.

Alexander scoffed, "This is hell fire? The hearths in the temple of Vestia are hotter!" Alexander thought to himself, "I have bluffed a dragon, and now I am trying to taunt a demon…"

One of the demons lashed out with his fiery whip at Alexander, with blows so powerful they almost stunned the priest. Alexander laughed at the demons when the whips hit him, just as the Dark Athena laughed in the room full of Mind Flayers. One of the devils also whipped his tail at Zografos, scratching the painters face. India sang a song of strength to bolster Zografos. Zografos, feeling the surge of strength, pressed into the thick of battle.

The devils towered over the humans as the battle met; weapons clashed and rang, showering blue sparks as they cracked together in murderous fury. The smaller, lither members of the humans moved quickly among the fiends, lashing out with fast weapons, leaping beyond the reach of their deadly instruments, while the larger members fought stalwartly toe-to-toe with these behemoths from a mad dimension. Roars and cries shook the foundations of the tower as the battle raged on, and blood, both red and black, showered the floor and the walls as both sides fought for their lives and their very souls.

Alexander set the Dark Athena down on the ground in from of him and laid his sword down in front of the statute. He had nothing but his Faith and his friends to protect him as he began praying to the great Athena.

Issic roared in defiance during the hurricane of battle. Fangs and talons rent his flesh, and something like the whip of vile scorpions fell again and again across his shoulders, back, and breast, tearing the skin and burning his flesh. High above him he saw the nightmare face of a devil and Issic continued slashing and roaring, feeling his weapon bite into unholy flesh again and again.

Another fireball flashed in the room. This time, however, the entirety of the fireball was sucked into the Dark Athena, leaving everyone untouched.

Phaidon screamed out in agonizing pain as the whips of the devils lashed his body, yet his arrows did not falter as he unleashed a flurry of stinging death from his bow. His powerful panthers were swatted about the room like gnats, yet they sprang back into combat with joyful relish. India sang a song of strength for Phaidon this time. Phaidon felt his strength renew and pressed the battle.

Zografos, with three mighty stabs from his newly acquired rapier, slew one of the whip wielding devils. The one he slew boiled down to nothing and another whip master just winked out of existence.

Issic roared again, "Begone DEMON pretenders!" and cut a foul devil in twain with his mighty blows. The devil melted away and two more of the devils winked out.

Flower took out her ball of light, her "candy", and in a high pitched voice, yelled to the demons, "I call your sight to me, I call you to me, evil things of darky yeckyness." And she backed up a few steps.

Zografos pulled out the bolas he got from the werewolves and threw it at the devil trying to tie his arms together. Zografos succeeded with the attack. The devils arms were now tied up. However, they were tied AROUND his wicked halberd, which the devil could still use with effectiveness.

Alexander continues chanting his prayer, not paying any attention to the battle going on around him. Zografos thought to himself, "I hope he is frickin' summoning Apollo."

India sang a song of healing for Phaidon. "Thank you, India."

Issic slashed at another devil, causing its blood to spill out and sizzle on the ground. Flower splashed Illentry tree bark-dust on Issic to try and help his wounds clot faster.

The battle whirled around Alexander and the Dark Athena as the last of the fiends fought devilishly against the humans. Shrugging aside blows that would have severed the limbs of a mortal, the fiends roared blasphemies and hate as they lashed and slit the enemies Sharyss sent them to kill. Phaidon's arrows sang through the air and thudded hard into the monster's chest and the devil began to melt into nothingness and the rest of the devils winked out of existence.

The room was now empty except for the cages. The room began shrinking back to its normal size. Alexander was still praying to Athena, impervious to his surroundings.

2,035 experience points.

Written by Chris Bradley (Phaidon) and Vincent Darlage (India)