The Ingaran Adventures
Episode 48
“The Resurrection of Issic”


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                  Lord Issic:  Half Human, Half Gold Dragon Warrior
                  Lady India: A gypsy Bard/Shadow Dancer
                  Lord Phaidon:  A Tamer of the Beasts
                  Cthaat: A young warrioress
                  Lord Alexander Maximus: The Gauntlet of Athena
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The Time: Autumn, Drauj 6, 6th year, 8th Age
The Place: Talishar – The main occupation of Talishar's residents is fishing.  There are a small handful of hunters as well, and a few farmers have cleared land to the south for small crops, although the forest is so thick and fertile, it is a constant struggle to fight off the encroaching woods that seek to reclaim the cleared spaces.
 

      Suddenly prismatic walls rose, running north and south, covering the exits from the room.  The demon laughed.  Phaidon fired arrows into it.  It roared in anger.
      Issic echoed the roar and rushed the demon, his sword swinging in a wide, deadly arc.  The demon was fast, though, and grabbed up Issic, even as Issic's sword slammed down upon it, sending up a spray of black ichor.
      The demon laughed at Issic, who struggled in his grasp.  The demon stepped over to the prismatic wall and shoved Issic into it.  Issic struggled, and felt poison and electricity and other magical effects wash over him.  In a heartbeat, Issic died.  The demon laughed in triumph and dropped the half-dragon's dead carcass to the ground.  Cthaat screamed in horror.
      Alexander called upon Athena and a trio of celestial bison appeared in the room and charged the demon.  The demon slammed them aside.
      India cast Haste upon Phaidon, and the ranger fired his bow again at the demon.  The arrows slammed hard into the demon's torso, and it slumped in the throne and began to boil away.  Soon nothing was left of the demon.
      Cthaat ran over to Issic's dead body and looked up with tear-filled eyes at Alexander.  "Can you help him?  Bring him back!"
      Alexander said, "I may be able to help. But I cannot bring him back."
      Cthaat yelled again, "Do something!"
      "Only Athena and Hades can do that."
      "Command their power then!"
      Alexander nodded. "Athena! Your servants require your aid once again!"   He got out holy water and washed Issic's wounds as he prayed to Athena.  Phaidon concentrated on letting the power of Athena wash over him.  His own wounds healed.
      "Athena!" said Alexander, "Your Champion has fallen but allowed a great evil to be defeated!"
      A female voice in Alexander's head answered, "You have our attention."        "Your Champion requires your intervention on his behalf."  Alexander kneeled.
      Hades' dark voice entered his mind.  "You have asked me to return the dead several times.  Am I at your beck and call?"
      "Issic has followed you unquestioningly! He has believed and in return you have granted him strength and power to do the will of the gods. The streets of the towns we have visited speak of the power of Athena and Hades and Zeus and all the gods and goddess again! I do not ask that you grant Issic his life solely for his own benefit but for yours! So that all might witness your power and strength in Issic and come to remember you again!"
      "Granted.  This is true.  I give you the power to ask his return."
      "Thank you O Gods and Goddesses of Ingara!"  Alexander stood over Issic's corpse and exclaimed, "ARISE ISSIC! Do your duty again!"
      A sphere of living light flickered and burned above Issic's dead body, a globe of brightness that fell into the corpse's chest.  An awful transformation became apparent, for the dead body swelled with life and he breathed. Filled with the power of the Goddess of War, Issic jumped up and swung his sword in a dance of past battles.
      Cthaat hugged and kissed Alexander and said, "Thank you, Alexander!  Athena is my goddess, and you are her prophet!"
      Alexander said, "Remember, Cthaat, that while Athena grants me the power to communicate with the god and goddess, it was Hades that granted Issic life. And while Athena made it possible, Hades allowed it to be so."
      "Then Hades is my god and Athena my goddess, and you are their prophet!"  Issic and Cthaat clung tight to each other.
      "With this in mind," said Alexander, "Lord of the Dead, I give you this vanquished foe in return for Issic's life." Alexander tossed Ingaran Fire onto the already burning corpse and watched it burn. "I think we should rest because I don't have very many spells left," said Alexander.
      Cthaat said, "Good idea."  India said, "I will take the first watch." 
      Phaidon gooses India and smiled at her.  India smiled back.
      "Want me to keep watch with you?" asked Phaidon.
      "Yes," answered India.
      "Excellent."  Phaidon smiled again.
      Alexander began his nightly prayers as India and Phaidon settled down to keep watch.  Alexander finally went to sleep when he finished his prayers, tired from channeling such divine power through his earthly form. Phaidon massaged the battle fatigue out of India as they watched.  The ranger had Zagreus keep his eyes, ears, and nose out for trouble.  He did so himself while sitting and talking to India.

Chronology of the Write Ups | Current Adventures in Inzeladun

Cthaat Angartha, the female human guard that insisted Alexander resurrect Issic, Warrior 1/Fighter 2: CR 2; medium humanoid (5'2"); HD 1d8+2d10+12+3; hp 32; Initiative: +4 (Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft; AC 14 (flatfooted 14, touch 10); Attack +5 (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 +8
            Feats: Improved Initiative, Endurance, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Bull Strike
            Equipment: Scale mail, Halberd, Longsword