The Ingaran Adventures
Episode
30
“The Golems Come For Flower”
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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 Bard/Shadow Dancer
Phaidon: A local Tamer of the Beasts
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The Time:
Summer, Nemed 23
The Places: Alisander – A very large city, the largest
in all of Inzeladun, Alisander has a population of 120,000 persons. Although
Lamapacher does not have a capital, this city is the definite hub of Lamapacher's
commerce and power. Situated on the shores of the Alisander River, this town
has a history that dates back to the Fourth Age. Founded by King Alisander,
a hero of the Fourth Age, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Alisander.
Alisander existed as a separate nation until it was conquered by Lord Komaaks
and absorbed into his fledging nation Lamapacher. The city is currently ruled
by Baron Nadam, Champion of Vale. It is rumored that the baron is older than
the city itself, and is none other than the original Champion of Vale from the
Second Age! Rumors persist that he is undead, or a Chronomancer.
Alisander is protected by the Guardian of Lamapacher, a terrible fiend
that arises when summoned by the baron of Alisander. Rumor states that the
Guardian was bound into service by High Lord Chamberlain Troonankhset of Itsitlawikanah
during the reign of Lord Komaaks. The city will well known for its cheese.
It also exports manufactured goods, weapons, armor, ancient artifacts looted
from the massive dungeons and tunnels that crisscross beneath the city to untold
depths. The city-state extends out 50 miles from the city center in all directions,
making Alisander one of the largest states in Lamapacher. Like much of Lamapacher,
slavery is illegal, and many escaped slaves from Drychtnoth and Ingara make
their way here.
Citizens tend to welcome foreigners with a friendly smile, and often
invite famous strangers in to dine with them. Most are very open with information,
usually without expectations of later rewards. As one moves toward the shipyards,
the citizens begin to expect others to obey their sense of decorum, and they
see all interactions as exchanges of favors, with all offers couched in veiled
language to preserve a sense of respectability. Toward the rich section of
town, the citizens judge people instinctively, and are outwardly emotional,
and they like to see people do impressive things to prove themselves. In the
poorer outskirts, one's threats should be couched in polite terms, and they
believe that everyone is out to harm everyone else. Relationships on the outskirts
of town are based on power, not trust.
Zografos, going under the name of Domnhall,
opened the door to his appointed room. He saw Jhillim in the room waiting for
him. Zografos nodded hello and asked, "You had information for me?"
"Yes. are you alone?"
"Yes, everyone is off doing someone else." Jhillim raised an
eyebrow and responded with, "Anyway, your dragon steeds are in town if
you have your end of the bargain." Zografos raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Our group has the ring and finger," said Zografos. "The
priest is planning on using it against the mindflayers."
"Well, whenever you are ready."
"It may be some time."
"We have waited long. More wait is not a real issue."
Phaidon continued walking around his room, still amazed and suspicious.
He shared his suspicions with India. "Well, I know my room is nice and
all, but look at it. There's no way they could have done this in an hour. We
were expected."
"That is a little disturbing," admitted India. Wolves began
to howl across the great city. India closed the drapes over the windows. "I
don't like wolves," she said.
"There's too many," agreed Phaidon. "It's not normal.
Maybe we should get everyone and meet up in Alexander's room." India shrugged.
"Alexander will call us when he is ready for us."
"Okay, I still don't like it." Phaidon ordered his panthers
to keep a nose out for wolves nearby. The wolves howled again. India shuddered.
"You don't like wolves at all, do you?"
"No, I do not."
"Don't worry, the boys and I won't let them get anywhere near you."
"Thank you," she said with a shy smile. Phaidon smiled back
and said, "Maybe it's that Dalby fellow. Vampires tend to consort with
wolves."
India sat down on the bed. "I am worried. Perhaps we should go
to Alexander's room."
"Let's go. Should we get Issic and Domnhall?"
"Yes." India got off the bed, straightened out her skirt, and
went out into the hallway. Phaidon and the panthers followed.
In Alexander's room, the priest sat on the floor, concentrating on the
effigies of Zeus and Athena. Flower, instead of being in her own room, was
staying in this one. Flower lay down in the bed and looks around, wondering
where Alexander planned to sleep. Seemingly able to read her mind, Alexander
said, "Go on to sleep, Flower. I don't intend sleep until this is over
with." The priest then went on with his prayers to Athena.
The wolves howled again.
In his assigned room, a room that was resplendent with gold and other
riches, Issic ran his hand over the guard's soft cheek. She grabbed the back
of his head and pulled him towards her. They kissed deeply, Issic's heart
pounding as their tongues touched. An electric jolt shot down through his loins.
She raised her leg up, her boots against the back of his leg.
He slid his hand up her thigh, massaging her leg muscles. She moaned into
his mouth. Her chest was pressed against his, and Issic slid his hand
up her back, undoing the laces of her leather armor.
Soon enough, both of them were naked and rolling around on the large canopy
bed. He looked over her body, which was muscular and toned, but still very
feminine. His gaze traveled down to her crotch, which had a light
covering of brown fuzz. He moved his head to her inner thighs and began
kissing and licking them as she moaned. He could smell and taste her,
and, like a dragon presented with treasure, wanted more.
Issic moved his face directly to her crotch and began kissing and licking
it, lightly, teasing her. He kissed one area gently and then moved on
quickly to another, kissing and tasting all of her folds. She moaned, trying
to lift her hips off the bed and push them into his face, but he held back,
kissing lightly. His tongue darted out to taste her, gently stroking over
her entire mound.
Finally, without warning, he licked her hard, pushing his tongue deep
into her folds. He moved his hands to her crotch, using his thumbs to
hold her open while he tasted her. The young guard gasped and moaned loudly.
Issic licked her in long, patient strokes, tasting her from the bottom of her
slit to the top. He felt her hard nub of pleasure under his tongue and
he licked it, slipping it into his mouth and playing with it as he continued
to hold her open with his thumbs. He massaged her mound with his fingers,
thrusting his tongue inside her.
Her breathing was getting harder and faster, and Issic knew she was getting
close. He moved one finger to her opening and gently pushed it inside.
She was so incredibly tight, her warm wet flesh clamping onto his finger.
He pushed his finger deeper inside, up to the first knuckle, continuing
to lick and suck on her slippery flesh. Slowly, he drew his finger back
out, then pushed it in, out, in, going a little deeper with each inward thrust.
Soon his whole finger was inside her, thrusting in and out.
Issic slid his other hand up the guard's body, stopping at her chest to
stroke her breasts. She was gasping constantly now, and, with his mouth
still on her cunt, he began twisting his finger with each stroke, rotating it
inside her, in and out, in and out. He covered her whole mound with his
mouth and the guard screamed as she came, bucking her hips on the bed and soaking
his face with her juices.
Issic gradually slowed down his pace, withdrawing his finger from her
tight hole. He rolled her over onto her stomach, and mounted her from behind,
pushing his member into her, feeling her stretch around him as he rocked into
her, back and forth. He put his hands on her hips and began pumping in and out,
loving the feel of her tightness wrapped around him.
Phaidon said to India, "Their rooms are across from each other, let's
just go down there." India nodded, but when she heard the noises coming
out of Issic's room, she blushed and knocked instead on Zografos' door.
Zografos continued to question Jhillim. "How do I know the dragons
are in town? If one of them has shed recently would you bring me part of its
pelt as proof?"
"I will see. I can take you to see them if you wish."
"Do you know anything of what is going on in the city?"
"Aye. Much is going on. Lots of disappearances in the outskirts
of town, especially along the Walls. The 'skirts are getting more and more restless,
and are really beginning to oppose the nobility."
"Any idea on what is causing these disappearances?"
"No idea, really. Absterator is beside himself, I hear."
"Are the people disappearing his?"
"Yes. Not officially, of course, but he does seem to possess the
loyalty of the outskirts and the wall people."
"Any clues left at the scenes on how these people disappear?"
"Only that they complain of ailments, and they go to see doctors."
Zografos laughed. "So Dalby is killing off Absterator's people."
"He is one of the doctors. And since Absterator is a huge
contributor to our temple, we are investigating him."
A knock sounded on the door, so Jhillim quickly hid himself behind a drape,
vanishing into the shadows. Zografos opened the door to his room. India stood
there and said, "I think we should all gather in Alexander's room."
"Why?"
"There is safety in numbers."
"Ok, give me a minute to gather my things and I will join you all."
India nodded and left. Zografos closed the heavy door.
Jhillim stepped out of the heavy drape. Zografos said, "We are tracking
this Absterator. He is rumored to be in league with the mindflayers."
"Interesting. Probably propaganda started by Nadam, the bastard."
"We didn't get the information from Nadam. We have documents pointing
this out."
"And the source of the documentation?"
"A tower ten days from here."
"Visaria?"
"Lotharia."
"Ah Lotharia. That is Dalby's turf. Of course he would love to see
Absterator fall. Then he could take his place."
"The documentation is not from Dalby I believe. There was a devil
that controlled the tower. The papers were his."
"Absterator controls about 20% of the power in Alisander. That is
quite a motive for Dalby to plant some stuff. Our investigations show that Dalby
works with a demoness named Sharyss."
"Interesting.... That could be useful in the future. How much does
Dalby control?"
"Virtually none. There are four main power centers in Alisander.
Nadam, the nobility, the shipping guild, and Absterator."
"Do you know anything about Absterator? Could he be a pawn of mindflayers?"
"I doubt it. Why would illithids want anything to do with human
religions?"
"It is an easy way to get people together and it can be used as a
subterfuge for controlling people like mindflayers are rumored to do."
"Perhaps there are no mind flayers. After the fall of Ahmn, they
are a natural to use as a ploy."
"Perhaps and then perhaps Absterator is controlled by mind flayers
and they are trying to summon an Old One and destroy the world."
"At least he supports the cause of Tenebrion."
"And he could be using the cause to his ends to destroy the world."
"I will look into it."
"Thank you".
Jhillim left the room, and vanished down the corridor.
When India arrived at Alexander's door, it opened of its own apparent
accord, but she did note that Alexander was looking at it when it opened. India
muttered, "Damn magical displays!" and walked in. "You need to
watch that."
"Neat trick." Phaidon entered the room behind India, flanked
by the two panthers.
"Come in, but be quiet. Flower is sleeping," Alexander said.
India noticed that this room was more restless than Phaidon's. She had a feeling
that there were more souls in this room than were visible. India walked over
to where Flower lay and knelt down beside her. She lightly stroked the elf's
hair. Flower gave a slight smile in her rest, and silently, slowly touched
India's hand, bringing it to her abdomen, holding it like a stuffed animal.
She didn't open her eyes even once. India smiled and kissed Flower's forehead.
The panthers started circling around the room.
"Lots of wolves out tonight; makes me worry for the battle outside,"
said Alexander.
"Way too many wolves if you ask me," said Phaidon. "I estimate
at least forty or more."
"Do they sound natural to you?"
"No... Too many. A pack wouldn't be that large and they'd have
to be organized to get inside of the city or have 'friends' on the inside."
"Guess so. I hate this sitting around waiting to be attacked and
I wish that runner would get back with the things I asked for."
"If the runner comes back. I think we were expected. Domnhall
said he'd be here in a minute and Issic is...busy." Phaidon smiled.
Alexander smiled in return. "Yeah, I think Issic is blowing off some
steam. It isn't everyday one gets their soul returned to them."
"So, what's the plan?" Phaidon looked up in alarm when one
of the panthers gave a low growl at a corner of the room. Both panthers were
avoiding the area around the bed.
"Not sure yet, I am trying to figure out how the attack is going
to come. I was praying for some insight."
"Well, don't let us stop you. We'll watch Flower. Doesn't it bother
you that we were expected? It's driving me crazy."
"Yes, it is worrisome but when dealing with mindflayers, vampires
and such the only thing that surprises me anymore is when we aren't expected."
"Nadam is powerful," said India, thinking that explained
how he knew they were arriving. She noticed a fog rising outside. She pointed
it out to the other tow. They nodded. Alexander sighed.
Phaidon asked, "How do we know Lord Nadam wasn't under someone's
control? We didn't check him." Phaidon noticed his panthers were still
walking in circles, whining, whimpering, and growling.
"I am sure he is himself," said Alexander, still intent on the
statues of Zeus and Athena in the room. Then they both noticed a shadow moving
within their peripheral vision. Both of their heads whipped around toward the
fire place, but nothing seemed out of place nor moving. A scraping sound against
glass sounded from the windows. Their eyes shot in that direction. Nothing
but fog was outside those windows.
Phaidon whispered, "Alexander, do you still have that lamp of Flower's?"
"Yes, it is right over there with the rest of her belongings."
"Might we turn it on? It's dark in here."
"Sure. I don't think it will hurt." Alexander nodded toward
Flower and India. India had fished out Flower's lantern and was holding it
up. Phaidon stepped over and took the lantern and lit it. Alexander moved
between Flower and the window. He had a feeling an attack would come through
that window.
The room lit up brighter, and a corpse could be seen laying on the bed,
next to Flower and India. India's free hand went to her mouth. Then she shot
out of the bed. The panthers continued to circle, avoiding the bed still.
It was a female corpse, laying in a silk gown. A bottle was clutched in her
dead hand, a bottle labeled as strychnine. India picked up Flower and moved
her away from the bed. Flower woke immediately, searching for India's hand.
"Good morning, lauriela. What is wrong?"
Alexander sent an immediate missive to Issic. <Get in here!>
Zografos walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. He saw the
corpse. Glancing at India he asked, "Anyone know who she was?"
India, setting Flower down, gave her a quick once-over. "Looks like
she killed herself with poison, whoever she is."
Phaidon whispered to Alexander, "Why was she invisible?" Alexander
shook his head. He didn't know. Phaidon handed Flower her lamp. "Flower,
can you hold this?" She took the lamp.
India touched the corpse, and her hand passed right through it. India
backed away fast, rubbing her hand furiously. Zografos pulled out his green
rapier and poked the corpse in the leg with it. It passed through the leg,
and the girl vanished.
Suddenly the door to the room whammed open, slamming hard against the
wall. Issic barged into the room with his sword drawn, the deadly blade gleaming,
ready to be sheathed into the flesh of an enemy. Everyone could tell from his
expression, facial and body, that he was willing to die and wanting to slay
before he died. Summoned so urgently by Alexander, Issic was there as an instrument
of death, a born killer who did not fear death, but who walked with death as
a brother. A feral snarl escaped his drawn lips, emphasizing his non-human
nature and his eyes darted across the room, noting every detail of its layout,
searching for enemies, determining where his friends stood.
"Missed the show, Issic," said Alexander, feeling comfort that
Issic was here. "It was you that missed the real show!" Issic said
with a grin, standing down from his stance.
"Sorry for interrupting you," said Alexander.
"So am I, but not as sorry as the guard wench."
Phaidon nocked an arrow on instinct. Then they all heard a woman crying
in one of the closets. Zografos wrenched open the door, whipping out his blade
as the door swung aside. Inside, crumpled on the floor of the close, was a
woman, crying. Alexander pushed forward and cast cure light wounds,
but when he touched the woman, she screamed and vanished.
Down in the courtyard outside the window, the movements of troops could
be heard. The female palace guard that Issic had toyed with ran into the room.
"Something is going on outside," she said.
Alexander ran to the window and looked into the courtyard. "Phaidon,
stay with Flower no matter what," he said. Outside the window soldiers
were moving about, and a captain was issuing orders. Phaidon nodded his receipt
of his orders and asked his panthers to guard Flower. Phaidon put his hand
on Flower's slight shoulder and said, "Flower, stay close to the boys and
I at all times."
Zografos pointed out the window at the guards running to and fro. "For
what purpose? What are they preparing for?" he asked. Alexander shrugged.
Then several maids-in-waiting ran screaming out of a nearby wing adjoining the
same courtyard. The guards tried to detain them, then they ran into the wing
the girls just vacated. A myriad of screams and shouts filled the courtyard,
a bedlam of confusion. The fog swirled around the troops as they were directed
into the maids' wing.
"Does anyone want to go with me and check our the commotion?"
asked Zografos. Alexander held his hand up in a "wait" gesture.
He sent his consciousness down to the courtyard to hear the captain. He heard
the commander say, "Those girls said a ghost is moving through their rooms
telling them to 'get out'! Find that ghost or whatever it is!" The captain
then told a guard to get out into the courtyard. "That fog is strange,
so keep an eye out!" said the captain. The captain then said, "Someone
find Lord Nadam! Now!" To another soldier he said, "Some one summon
Valdemar and... you! Go find the Huntress! Now!" The captain then went
into an adjacent wing, leaving a single guard in the courtyard.
Zografos went to the door of Alexander's room and looked into the hallway,
thinking about going and checking out the noise. Alexander brought his sense
of hearing back to the room. "It appears that a ghost is telling everyone
in this building to leave," said Alexander.
Then Issic saw a fast moving form rip through the courtyard, tearing off
the single guard's head and throwing it aside. "I think we will have company
very soon," he said, swinging his sword into a ready position. "That
guy just snapped a guards neck as easily as I would. We should maybe move to
a space more adapted to combat."
"Like where?" asked Alexander. "Who is that guy?"
"From the size I would guess a Dalby underling," said Issic.
"Let's move down to meet him. He may not be expecting an offensive from
us."
"Ok, but Flower stays in between us so no one can get to her,"
said Alexander.
Phaidon said, "We have to be careful not to lose track of Flower."
Flower said, "Why? I do good when I am lost, don't I?"
"Because we want to keep you safe," said Phaidon. "Yes,
you do, but not tonight."
India said to Flower, "Take my hand." Flower took India's hand
and held it against her tightly.
Phaidon said, "The panthers will flank her at all times. Just so
everyone knows."
Issic brought the female guard to the window. "You have an intruder
and killer in this wing." He pointed at the dead guard. "He did that
with little effort."
"I will go get help," she said. She walked to a wall, activated
a secret panel, and disappeared.
"Let's go and meet the golem before it hurts any more innocents,"
Zografos said.
Flower, encouraged by Zografos's bravery said, "We can beat him
like we did Seth."
"Issic, lead the way," said Alexander. Flower's words bit at
him, and he hoped his old friend had broken free from Dalby's control. Flower
backed up to a dresser, and touched a lamp sitting there, its oil burning, lighting
the room. She held up her own lamp, the one that would light up invisible objects.
Alexander said, "Keep that lamp on at all times, Flower."
Down the hall, they heard heavy footfalls, and then the double doors at
the end began to open. When the thing appeared through those doors, a
swamping wave of sickness and repulsion, a freezing, petrifying sense of utter
alienage and abnormality, swept over all of them. A damnable, utterly accursed
focus of unknown and malign cosmic forces came through those doors. It was tall,
and unnatural and diabolic in form, an intrusion of some sort from the black
abyss.
Flower focused on light, trying to keep from being ill, focusing on light,
focusing on light, and the good warmth of Athena's light. Alexander wondered
if this was the fiend that protected Alisander or if it were one of Dalby's
infernal golems.
It then said, "Surrender the elf," and its accent and pronunciation
were vaguely, remotely, and rather disturbingly familiar. Alexander decided
it was a golem. With every second, the baffling alienage of the monster filled
their consciousness, and the feeling of elusive horror increased.
India shuddered and began a song that celebrated strength and valor.
Issic crossed in front of the doorway at that moment and caught the tune. Strength
and vigor filled Issic's thews and he growled like a lion as the battle was
joined. He gave no thought to defense, his sword played a wheel of death about
him, and with each blow there came a crunch of steel on bone, but the golem
did not fall. Zografos likewise wove a web of steel around himself, thrusting
and cutting with his lighter sword with lightning quickness. The fighting styles
of the pair contrasted heavily, yet they served to counterpoint each other's
weaknesses. Issic's effective hacking worked well with Zografos' practiced
thrusts and counters. Alongside the physical swords of the pair, Zografos'
shadow was likewise attacking, separate from the actions of Zografos himself.
That animated shadow was cutting and parrying against the shadow of the wretched
thing.
The golem, in contrast, had no weapon, and clawed with dirty ham-hands,
gibbering nonsensical noises as it did so. It ignored pain, if indeed it was
capable of recognizing such a sensation. Alexander summoned the power of Athena
to him, and created a glowing short sword of pure force to attack the golem.
The spiritual weapon fought in tandem with Issic and Zografos. The wretched
mummy's fists hammered into Issic, but with a sweep of Issic's heavy weapon,
the foul corpse-thing was thrust aside, and Zografos buried his rapier through
its eye.
Inside the room, Flower concentrated on Phaidon, focusing her energy and
attention on him, viewing him as large and strong, and fearless, herself small
in comparison, seeing him as her savior, giving him faith to give him extra
strength as she sprinkled fairy dust on him. Phaidon held his panthers at bay.
India drew her shadowy weapon. Then the glass of one of the windows, the window
Alexander feared, smashed inward. A horrible entity flew into the room, landing
on wide feet amongst the broken glass. It let out a hideous undulating cry
and raised its monstrous arms, arms that terminated in giant crab-like claws.
India leapt into immediate action, her blade shooting straight out, elbow,
wrist, hilt, and point making a straight line from her shoulder, transfixing
an arm of the monster. Phaidon cleared the space between him and the horror
in a terrific bound, engaging the monster and not allowing it to gain even a
step closer to Flower. His frosty weapon clattered repeatedly against the thing's
claws, which it used as a shield as well as a weapon. With each blow, ice crusted
across the golem's flesh. Flower backed up, the panthers still flanking her,
suddenly understanding the Oracle's cryptic message.
In the hallway, the door to Phaidon's room smashed open and another horrible
monster stumbled out of the ruined wood. Issic's response was a blur of movement
like a loosened bow, a glint of steel that severed the wretch's head from its
shoulders. Another one burst through the door leading to India's room. Zografos
immediately engaged this new threat.
Alexander went back into his room and refocused the spiritual, glowing
shortsword on the clawed golem battling Phaidon and India. Phaidon was weakening,
blood pouring from various wounds caused by the snapping claws of the monster,
but he stood firm, still not letting the fiend gain even a step toward its tiny
goal. India helped darting her shadowy blade in and out of the fiend, but it
ignored any pain that it might have felt. Indeed, it barely even bled.
Flower, scared and bewildered, flung a burning lamp from the dresser at
the thing. Immediately it burst into flame. It squealed and spun around, and
burning oil sprayed off the monster, splashing the floor, the drapes, the bed,
alighting the room with little spears of fire.
Issic whirled into the room, shoving Alexander aside in his quest to kill
the enemies. He rushed the screaming thing and tackled it, sending it and himself
out the broken and smashed window. Issic spread his golden wings and slowed
his descent as he watched the ungodly thing smack onto the ground, splashing
liquid fire all around. Issic landed so that he straddled the golem, and he
pushed his sword into its chest when it tried to stand. Again and again he
slid that sword into the thing's chest, crushing the rib cage, pounding its
unearthly heart into a pulp.
The room was blazing even greater and greater. Flower gave the fire more
energy by concentrating her elvish energies on the flames, recognizing them
as a living thing, with life in abundance. Phaidon looked for a way to extinguish
the fast growing flames.
Alexander watched Zografos fight the final aberration in hallway. He
concussed the thing, and a bluish wave flashed from Alexander's temple
and blasted into it, smashing it against the wall. The doorway at the end of
the hallway burst open and the baron's palace guards ran into the room, weapons
drawn. In a human wave, the guards swarmed around the golem, but smashed them,
and their swords were as straws to him. Their cuts and slashes healed upon
impact, and he smashed their skulls and caved in their chests. Zografos continued
to fight, cursing the guards who seemed more a hindrance than a help, for he
was slipping in their blood and entrails, needing to step over bodies to engage
the monster with his green, magical sword.
Inside the burning room, India cursed herself for a fool, and grabbed
Flower, wrapping a blanket around the little girl. She sang a song of escape
and she ran, faster than a human, out the door, into the hallway, around the
corner to a stairwell. Phaidon rushed out of the room to provide any necessary
cover. In the figurative blink of an eye, India was on the grounds outside
the palace wing, followed closely by Phaidon's panthers. She saw Issic and
several palace guards putting out the fire on the dead golem. Issic furrowed
his brow when he saw India and Flower. She glanced at the room she had just
vacated, and Issic followed the glance and saw the flames flickering out the
windows. With a fantastic leap he flew up to those windows and into the room.
In the hallway, Phaidon stepped around some living guards and over several
dead ones, dealing a heavy-handed blow to the golem's skull. It crumpled to
the floor. Zografos nodded his thanks for the assist and ran after India.
Phaidon ordered the guards out of the wing, seeing the blaze in the room was
out of control. Alexander concentrated his energies to make sure no one else
was in the building. He could not detect any thoughts he couldn't account for.
Making sure the guards and Phaidon were on their way, Alexander made his exit
as well. Although he knew Issic was in the burning room, he was also aware
that the fire would not hurt the half-dragon.
Once in the courtyard, Alexander asked Poseidon for a minor water elemental,
which was quickly dispatched for Alexander's use. Alexander ordered the waterling
to contain the flames as best as could be done. The entire wing was starting
to catch fire, bit by bit. Issic was flinging burning furniture out the window
in an attempt to control the flames, but the ceiling was already ablaze. Soon,
the floor above and the floor beneath the room were also on fire. Flower was
yelling gleefully to see the flames burning brightly, and Zografos watched the
shadows made by the fire. He noticed that India seemed to appear and disappear
in those shadows as she walked around the courtyard, her arms wrapped around
herself. Flower was pleased to see that Zografos understood the beauty of the
flames.
Phaidon put his hands on his cuts and channeled his energies into the
wounds, willing them to close. He then knocked an arrow and stood next to Flower.
He did not believe the danger was over.
Lord Nadam, surrounded by some of his personal guard, walked into the
courtyard to watch this wing of his palace burn. Flower looked up at Lord Nadam
and said cheerfully, "Isn't it glorious?"
Lord Nadam raised an eyebrow. "I used to be terribly afraid of fire.
Some of that fear still lingers." However, Nadam felt mostly anger, a
horrible, icy anger that festered within him. He wanted to find out who set
fire to his house, who endangered his guests, and kill that person. In the
old days, he would have feasted upon that enemy, glutted himself in the torture
of that person, but Nadam held those errant hates in check. He reminded himself
that he was different now, that he was better than that now. He held his breath,
and willed his heartbeat to slow. His anger subsided. Then he saw the water
elemental through one of the windows, putting out fires, and keeping the flames
from reaching other wings of the palace. Nadam raised an eyebrow. Who could
summon an elemental? Ah, he thought. The Gauntlet of Athena. His eyes made
contact with Alexander, giving him a questioning look. Alexander nodded in
answer to the unspoken question. Lord Nadam wondered if the famed Gauntlet
of Athena would help him destroy the Saudians. Perhaps he could convince this
miracle man to help him unify all of Lamapacher against the tyranny of Drychtnoth
which ever looms as a threat to all.
"Everyone help out and maybe we can get this fire under control,"
said Alexander, taking charge of the palace guards. He noticed that the Gauntlet's
disciples, eleven in total, were filling buckets with water and handing those
buckets to the guard. The Ingaran was a natural born leader. Perhaps Absterator
had met his match.
Lord Nadam walked over to Alexander and thanked the priest. Zografos
joined them and asked if Lord Nadam knew the name of the huntress yet. Lord
Nadam, not thinking, but just replying automatically, said, "Ændryal."
"I knew it!" laughed Zografos. Alexander just shook his head,
and Phaidon growled.
Flower run up to the Baron of Alisander and threw her arms around him,
hugging him. "Thank you," she said, "Your house burnt
the people trying to hurt me!" Flower shivered a bit with the hug though,
and, looking briefly into his eyes before he pulled them away, she wondered
what had touched his soul in such a manner. Lord Nadam was also uncomfortable
with the hug, so obviously so that Phaidon grabbed Flower and pulled her back.
Flower said, "Your eyes are so… strange."
The soldiers around Lord Nadam had drawn their weapons when Flower ran
to their lord. Issic growled at them, then grinned. Lord Nadam stepped back
and said, quietly, so only Flower could hear, "Sorry, little one. I am
still not used to the touch of people." With that, Lord Nadam wheeled
around with a flourish and walked away into the night.
Alexander said, "Okay everyone, let's go and bring this fight to
Dalby!"
700 exp for each character
Jhillim, male human Rogue 5:
CR 5; medium humanoid (5'8"); HD 5d6+5; hp 25; Initiative: +7 (+3 Dex,
+4 imp. Init.); Spd 30ft; AC 16 (flatfooted 16, touch 13); Attack +5 (1d6+1
masterwork rapier) or +8 (1d6+1 mighty [str 12] masterwork composite shortbow);
Special Qualities: Sneak Attack +3d6, Uncanny Dodge, Evasion; SV: Fort +11,
Ref +15, Will 8; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +11, Move Silently +11, Tumble +11, Open Lock +13,
Listen +8, Spot +10, Search +10, Knowledge (religion) +6, Disable Device +12,
Use Magical Device +7
Feats: Improved Initiative, Alertness, Lightning Reflexes
Equipment: Masterwork rapier, masterwork mighty shortbow, 20 masterwork
arrows, Masterwork studded leather, potion of darkvision, 6 potions of cure
light wounds, 2 potions of neutralize poison, cloak of resistance +1, 50 ft.
silk rope, masterwork thieves' tools
Notes: Jhillim is a member of the Temple of Tenebrion. He also
works as part of Lord Nadam's security force. He works in the underground labyrinths
that honeycomb the entire city of Alisander, both as patrol and as an explorer.
Cthaat Angartha, the female human guard that slept with Issic, Warrior 1:
CR -; medium humanoid (5'2"); HD 1d8+4; hp 12; Initiative: +4 (Improved
Initiative); Spd 30 ft; AC 14 (flatfooted 14, touch 10); Attack +3 (1d8+2 longsword
or 1d10+2 halberd); AL NG; SV Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 15, Dex 11, Con
18, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 13
Skills: Sense Motive +2, Intimidate +5, Jump +2
Feats: Improved Initiative, Endurance
Equipment: Scale mail, Halberd, Longsword
Captain Aedolan, the Captain on courtyard
duty, Fighter 10: CR 10 medium humanoid (6'2"); HD 10d10+20;
hp 79; Initiative: +5 (+1 Dex, +4 imp. Init.); Spd 20ft; AC 24 (flatfooted 16,
touch 13); Attack +15/+10 (1d10+6 masterwork bastard sword) or +13/+8 (1d8+5
mighty [str 16] +1 composite longbow); SV: Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +5; Str 17,
Dex 13, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Climb +10, Jump +10, Search +8, Spot +7, Sense Motive +7
Feats: Exotic Weapon (Bastard Sword), Improved Initiative, Weapon
Focus (bastard sword), Power Attack, Weapon Specialization (bastard sword),
cleave, point blank shot, improved critical (bastard sword), great cleave, dodge
Equipment: +1 large metal shield, +2 full plate, +1 Bastard Sword,
Might (str 16) +1 composite longbow, 25 +1 arrows, potion of cure moderate wounds,
potion of endurance, cloak of resistance +1
Dr. Dalby's Large Golems: CR 7; large humanoid (9' tall); HD 18d10; hp
99; Initiative: -1 (Dex); Spd 30 ft; AC 18 (flatfooted 18, touch 8); Attack:
+17/+17 melee (2d8+5 slam); AL N; SV: Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 21, Dex
9, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
The Ingaran
Adventures 29 | Ingaran Adventures 31 - Tension Release
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