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Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War
- Thread starter Emperor Valerian
- Start date
Emperor Valerian
First Post
Into the Palace
“How are we going to get up there?” Siabrey asked quietly. The pinprick of light above seemed at least 50 feet above their heads.
“I can fly!” Tess chuckled, and started to levitate upwards. “Orion, if you climb and give me some cover, I’ll find something sturdy to tie my rope around, and then people can climb up.”
The operation proceeded fairly smoothly, save Geoffrey having to be hushed as the alcohol had long since worn off in him. Secretly, the party hoped that an angry Geoffrey would be an effective Geoffrey, in terms of fighting. He’d have motivation, at least.
The party then found themselves clustered in a very small, fresh smelling room. Pots of flowers, with thin amounts of magic coming from them, revealed the reason why the cistern did not smell of the sewers below. The cistern that they climbed onto itself was ornate... marble, with a contoured top that seemed to shift to comfortably seat anyone who laid their bare cheeks on it.
Ignoring these amenities, Tess put her ear to the door. “Luke, what room is beyond this one? You remember the palace, correct?”
“Yes, I do,” Luke nodded. “This is my mother’s privy. The room beyond that door is likely her bedroom.”
“If you were evil, and a Countess, in a battle,” Shaun asked no one in particular as the thunder of bombards continued, “where would you be inside a large palace?”
“On the battlements, directing the troops,” Siabrey said confidently.
“In the teleportation chamber, in case everything collapsed and one needed to flee,” Orion pointed out. “Evil always plans on running.”
“In the wine cellar,” Geoffrey grumbled.
“Hmm... Luke? Where would the battlements or the teleportation chambers in the palace be, from here?” Shaun asked, “could you lead us there?”
“Umhm,” Luke said slowly, as Tess gestured that she heard no one in the room beyond. The party opened the door and rushed in, weapons drawn just in case... to find nothing.
The room was wickedly ornate... and by the look of disgust on Luke’s face, the skulls, small altar to Graz’zt and the various demonic tapestries present were not there before. Aside from this, the room was sumptuously decorated with gilt relief and ornately carved furniture, most ironically depicting spring or forest motifs... direct contrast to the skulls and blood of Graz’zt.
“That door?” Tess said quietly, pointing to the only other door in the room, straight ahead of the party.
“That leads to a sitting room, from there we can get into the rest of the palace,” Luke motioned. Tess rushed up to the door, and immediately frowned.
“I hear voices,” she said quietly, leaning close and squinting as she concentrated. “Two voices...human...” she said as Orion came over and confirmed her thoughts.
“What do we do?” Hidalas said quietly, as Pyrion grinned fiercely.
“We kick down the door and fight!” the gnome grinned, causing the half orc cleric of Kord to give a surprisingly silent laugh.
“My little friend,” Grumki whispered (which caused the party some shock... GRUMKI CAN WHISPER?), “you truly know the ways of Kord. Everyone... prepare yourselves,” the beast grinned as he approached the door, and slowly leaned down his shoulder, taking a few steps back. With a shout, he crashed through the wooden timbers of the door, sending splinters flying.
Inside the drawing room (also fairly ornately decorated) were two humans, their eyes feral white and skins deep crimson, just as Luke’s had been. They looked at the party in shock and horror, as both clerics realized evil was blazing off of them. A quick set of arrows from Shaun cut both down before they had a chance to scream.
“Where from here, love?” Siabrey asked, and Luke motioned to a door on the party’s right.
“That door leads out to a long hallway. On either side there are reception rooms and quarters... we ignore those. We’ll turn left, and head to the double doors on the end. That will take us out of the Royal Family Quarters, and into one of the larger reception halls. I’ll lead you from there... the teleportation hall is on this floor, in the middle of the palace.”
“Great... we’ve got to go into the midst of evil... AGAIN,” Geoffrey groaned.
Tess and Shaun put their ears to the door indicated and listened. Hearing nothing, they motioned for the party to go forward, and soon they found themselves in the long hallway. Quickly dashing in the direction Luke indicated, they soon reached a set of ornate double doors, as he indicated. This time, Orion heard many voices on the other side.
He could hear four separate voices clearly... two were complaining to each other loudly in Common, their worried tones expressing concern about the bombardment and the Imperial assaults coming from across the river. The other two were in a tongue Orion couldn’t understand, but they were loud, and in a vicious, harsh tongue that the monk guessed was ‘demon speak.’ Orion guessed that one of the deeper voices beings was standing just on the other side of the door... a predicament that made Grumki get a vicious grin.
The two vrocks on the other side of the door were not battleline troops for the Countess... they were part of her personal House Guard, and like the commoners, they were also discussing in worried tones the state of the bombardment, and its effects. None of them heard the party on the other side of the door... indeed, neither had any idea there was a problem until the door was flung open with tremendous force. The vrock taht had been standing closest found himself smashed into the wall with tremendous force, as a hulking half orc barrelled through... straight at the other demon.
With frightening power, Grumki leapt into the uninjured vrock, spearing the creature with terrific results. Behind the half orc the rest of the party piled in... Orion leaping at the vrock now falling away from the wall where the door had smashed him... the demon’s windpipe was shattered and his skull quickly broken. Siabrey’s blades found the vrock tumbling backwards from Grumki’s hit, and the demon fell to the floor in three pieces as her blades sang through the air. Its head goes flying... only to be caught and impaled against the wall by a timely shot from Shaun’s bow.
The noise of battle here was immense. The room was at the corner of the palace, and the wall directly in front of the party was the wall closest to the city battlements... perhaps a hundred yards away or so. Fortunately, the booms of cannons covered the screaming of the fleeing demonic commoners (same white eyes and red skin as the other demon touched people) that no one heard them before they were felled.
As the last of the commoners fell, his shriek cut short by Shaun’s bow, a massive concussive blast roared through the room. The party managed to cartwheel and tumble out of the wall of pieces of wall and shards of glass as the wall closest to the battle seemed to explode (a bombard shell). When the dust cleared, they had a clear view of the chaos and destruction going on outside.
The party could now see the battlements... battered and cracking, segments of the city wall now lying in ruins. Skeletons and orcs scrambled across their tops, firing bows furiously at the ant-like Imperial troops beyond, who were laying bridges and crossing the small river to the north en masse. For a split second, Siabrey thought she caught a glimpse of a tall man in white armor leading one of the columns, but then her mind dismissed the idea that Alex would be foolish enough to lead an attack like this in person.
Whatever thoughts the party had were promptly interrupted by a loud, rumbling call from the room next door... the same vicious tongue that the vrocks spoke, though by its voice this creature was clearly different. Four other common voices were heard, shouting phrases such as, “Are you all alright in there? Everyone ok?” The party felt that silence might be the best way to answer, but instead they heard one of the commoners call, “We’re coming in there to check! Alright? If you’re hurt, we’ll get you some aid!”
A slew of quiet curses went through the party ranks, and they arrayed themselves in battle formation around the doorway as the pounding roar of bombardment continued. The ornate door opened, and a handsomely built creature, almost human-like save his claws, red eyes, and purplish skin, stepped through. The Kelvazu had only a split second to open his mouth in confusion before a hail of arrows, sword thrusts, hammer strikes, missile hits, and even a full strength lightning bolt sliced through his form. He managed to dodge most of the damage.. but he could not avoid the twin blazing blades of Siabrey, who proceeded to cut him into three pieces.
The demon touched common folk in this room are clad not in the colors of servants, but in chainmail, armed with maces. On seeing their leader cut down, they promptly did the warrior act of running like scared babies. A second volley of arrows and magic missiles cut them down before they could leave.
Luke advised the party to then pick the leftmost of the door doors leaving the room, and Orion heard a single abyssal voice muttering. Tess, using her ability with tongues, was able to understand the beast, whatever it was, was muttering about the Countess and battlements. Ever impetuous, Grumki and Siabrey broke through the door, and the party swarmed the normally tall and imposing figure of a blood fiend before the creature had time to react, shredding him apart with ease.
As blood continued to flow freely from the dead demon, the party had a second to note that the entire wall of this room was gone, giving them a completely unobstructed view of the walls and the battlefield. Along the walls of the battlements, Imperial troops and the Countess’ hordes were now engaged in mortal combat.
“Luke!? Where’s the chamber?” Tess said hurriedly.
“About a room down from here! Why?!” he shouted back over the noise.
“That beast said something about her and the battlements! If its that close... Shaun! Orion! You think you could go out using your slippers and take a look!?” she pointed to the massive open air where a wall should have been.
The rogue and monk agreed, and quickly found themselves clambering out on the walls of the palace as shot and shell rained about them. There was a full floor above the floor they’d climbed out of, and between the concussive bombard blasts, Orion thought he could heard deep gutteral noises from the roof. Motioning to Shaun, the monk led the rogue up towards the roof, and peered over the edge.
A divination crystal in hand, the Countess, in all of her white, terrible beauty, was standing on the top of the palace, her eyes focused on the crystal and its many eyes along the walls. Beside her were the forms of two terrible demons. Each creature was midnight black... and each had two heads... one of a vicious, frightening wolf, the other of a terrible snake. In the hands of each was an enormous battleaxe, the blades of which seemed to have a slightly reddish hue.
The wolf head on one gave a sniff, and started over towards where the two were hiding.
Hieroneous’ Brazen Armpits! Shaun swore in his mind, as his body wanted to shrink down. The creature that lumbered towards their position was massive... easily 10 feet tall, its hands and feet viciously clawed. His heart was about to leap, when the creature stopped its progress after only ten steps, and at the Countess’ bidding, turned back around and lumbered back over beside her.
As they watched, the Countess snatched up the divination crystal, and with a wave, told her two massive bodyguards to follow her. She started to head down what looked to be stairs...
...Orion and Shaun quickly clambered back down to report what they saw.
“Luke! The teleportation chambers!” Tess shouted hurriedly, and the boy pointed towards the door at the end of the room. The party dashed forward, before jumped in front of the door, blocking their progress.
“Ok. Everyone... weapons away!” he called. “Hide your weapons! I need her to think you’re unarmed... she’s likely spread out her divination spells to keep track of the Imperial army!”
Quickly the party hid their weapons, while Tess casted alter self on Luke, changing his appearance so that his eyes glowed and his skin seemed crimson. Luke, meanwhile, set up a telepathic bond between party members, allowing them to talk mentally.
”Ok... here goes nothing,” Shaun’s voice echoed in everyone’s head.
Luke threw open the doors, and walked through... the other nine people all playing their part well... coming in with their heads bent down, seemingly cowed. The chamber was immense, its floor decorated with numerous small, large, and a single enormous runes, fairly glowing with magical power. A staircase, covered with dust from the bombardment, was at the far end of the room.
”Confident Luke!” Siabrey shouted at him over the mental link. ”You’re a conquering hero... not a nervous man about to face his mother... ok? You can do it!”
For a second, Siabrey felt something seem to touch her cheek in a caress. She looked up, initially to scold Luke with her eyes, but found him grinning, his hands by his sides. The look in his eyes... with his eyes blazing and skin crimson, made her shudder with bad memories...
The party looked on in confusion, and a little trepidation as an enormous pair of black feet came down the stairs at the far end of the chamber. Following these enormous feet came the comparatively small, dainty feet of a woman, clad in elegant shoes.
As the Countess and her two guards came into view, Siabrey’s heart leapt into her chest. For a moment, doubts ran into her head about the plan.. doubts and fears. However, she pushed them aside, as thoughts of what this woman did came into her brain... and her rage at the Countess began fueling her fighting instincts.
Tess looked up, and sneered at the woman, even as she made a slight illusion tht her hands were bound. It was an appropriate emotion, the bard felt, even if she was captured. Shaun and Orion, for their parts, attempted to keep looking meek, as Luke approached his mother, and in a loud, commanding voice that surprised them all, greeted her with open arms.
“You son has returned mother... and lo, I have taken my captors captive!” his voice boomed confidently.
That’s it, Luke! That’s it! Siabrey wanted to shout encouragement into his head. She realized that he was likely greatly afraid... but instead, she concentrated on looking at the Countess with a look of anger and rage...
“Ah,” her voice, the same melodious combination of woman and demon rumbled through the room, “The young lion brings an offering to the old lioness... how appropriate,” the Countess walked forward, until she was barely a few feet from the party. Sickeningly, the smell of saffron and incense flooded their nostrils as she approached... indeed, she spelled beautiful... in stark contrast to her actions and reputation.
“What a wise young boy,” she turned and gently touched Luke’s cheek, “you have realized all you need is your mother,” she smiled, her eyes flitting towards Siabrey. “Your mother can give you anything that woman who called herself your lover can... and so much more... with the help of Graz’zt.” The woman, her hair aflame, pleasant smells coming off of her, then moved right into Siabrey’s face. The smell of the woman then changed, as Siabrey could now smell her breath... deep with the coppery stench of blood, and the charcoal smell of burnt flesh.
“If she does not wish to convert, Graz’zt has many thralls that will no doubt satisfy you far more than her human body ever could,” the demon woman backed away as Siabrey fought the twin urges to retch and draw her blades to cut her down. As she walked back towards Luke, the woman suddenly stopped, and spun around.
“It’s too bad, my child,” she sneered, “that you never properly bound them.”
= = = = == = = = == = = == = = = = = == = = = == = = = =
Dun dun DUN!![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
“How are we going to get up there?” Siabrey asked quietly. The pinprick of light above seemed at least 50 feet above their heads.
“I can fly!” Tess chuckled, and started to levitate upwards. “Orion, if you climb and give me some cover, I’ll find something sturdy to tie my rope around, and then people can climb up.”
The operation proceeded fairly smoothly, save Geoffrey having to be hushed as the alcohol had long since worn off in him. Secretly, the party hoped that an angry Geoffrey would be an effective Geoffrey, in terms of fighting. He’d have motivation, at least.
The party then found themselves clustered in a very small, fresh smelling room. Pots of flowers, with thin amounts of magic coming from them, revealed the reason why the cistern did not smell of the sewers below. The cistern that they climbed onto itself was ornate... marble, with a contoured top that seemed to shift to comfortably seat anyone who laid their bare cheeks on it.
Ignoring these amenities, Tess put her ear to the door. “Luke, what room is beyond this one? You remember the palace, correct?”
“Yes, I do,” Luke nodded. “This is my mother’s privy. The room beyond that door is likely her bedroom.”
“If you were evil, and a Countess, in a battle,” Shaun asked no one in particular as the thunder of bombards continued, “where would you be inside a large palace?”
“On the battlements, directing the troops,” Siabrey said confidently.
“In the teleportation chamber, in case everything collapsed and one needed to flee,” Orion pointed out. “Evil always plans on running.”
“In the wine cellar,” Geoffrey grumbled.
“Hmm... Luke? Where would the battlements or the teleportation chambers in the palace be, from here?” Shaun asked, “could you lead us there?”
“Umhm,” Luke said slowly, as Tess gestured that she heard no one in the room beyond. The party opened the door and rushed in, weapons drawn just in case... to find nothing.
The room was wickedly ornate... and by the look of disgust on Luke’s face, the skulls, small altar to Graz’zt and the various demonic tapestries present were not there before. Aside from this, the room was sumptuously decorated with gilt relief and ornately carved furniture, most ironically depicting spring or forest motifs... direct contrast to the skulls and blood of Graz’zt.
“That door?” Tess said quietly, pointing to the only other door in the room, straight ahead of the party.
“That leads to a sitting room, from there we can get into the rest of the palace,” Luke motioned. Tess rushed up to the door, and immediately frowned.
“I hear voices,” she said quietly, leaning close and squinting as she concentrated. “Two voices...human...” she said as Orion came over and confirmed her thoughts.
“What do we do?” Hidalas said quietly, as Pyrion grinned fiercely.
“We kick down the door and fight!” the gnome grinned, causing the half orc cleric of Kord to give a surprisingly silent laugh.
“My little friend,” Grumki whispered (which caused the party some shock... GRUMKI CAN WHISPER?), “you truly know the ways of Kord. Everyone... prepare yourselves,” the beast grinned as he approached the door, and slowly leaned down his shoulder, taking a few steps back. With a shout, he crashed through the wooden timbers of the door, sending splinters flying.
Inside the drawing room (also fairly ornately decorated) were two humans, their eyes feral white and skins deep crimson, just as Luke’s had been. They looked at the party in shock and horror, as both clerics realized evil was blazing off of them. A quick set of arrows from Shaun cut both down before they had a chance to scream.
“Where from here, love?” Siabrey asked, and Luke motioned to a door on the party’s right.
“That door leads out to a long hallway. On either side there are reception rooms and quarters... we ignore those. We’ll turn left, and head to the double doors on the end. That will take us out of the Royal Family Quarters, and into one of the larger reception halls. I’ll lead you from there... the teleportation hall is on this floor, in the middle of the palace.”
“Great... we’ve got to go into the midst of evil... AGAIN,” Geoffrey groaned.
Tess and Shaun put their ears to the door indicated and listened. Hearing nothing, they motioned for the party to go forward, and soon they found themselves in the long hallway. Quickly dashing in the direction Luke indicated, they soon reached a set of ornate double doors, as he indicated. This time, Orion heard many voices on the other side.
He could hear four separate voices clearly... two were complaining to each other loudly in Common, their worried tones expressing concern about the bombardment and the Imperial assaults coming from across the river. The other two were in a tongue Orion couldn’t understand, but they were loud, and in a vicious, harsh tongue that the monk guessed was ‘demon speak.’ Orion guessed that one of the deeper voices beings was standing just on the other side of the door... a predicament that made Grumki get a vicious grin.
The two vrocks on the other side of the door were not battleline troops for the Countess... they were part of her personal House Guard, and like the commoners, they were also discussing in worried tones the state of the bombardment, and its effects. None of them heard the party on the other side of the door... indeed, neither had any idea there was a problem until the door was flung open with tremendous force. The vrock taht had been standing closest found himself smashed into the wall with tremendous force, as a hulking half orc barrelled through... straight at the other demon.
With frightening power, Grumki leapt into the uninjured vrock, spearing the creature with terrific results. Behind the half orc the rest of the party piled in... Orion leaping at the vrock now falling away from the wall where the door had smashed him... the demon’s windpipe was shattered and his skull quickly broken. Siabrey’s blades found the vrock tumbling backwards from Grumki’s hit, and the demon fell to the floor in three pieces as her blades sang through the air. Its head goes flying... only to be caught and impaled against the wall by a timely shot from Shaun’s bow.
The noise of battle here was immense. The room was at the corner of the palace, and the wall directly in front of the party was the wall closest to the city battlements... perhaps a hundred yards away or so. Fortunately, the booms of cannons covered the screaming of the fleeing demonic commoners (same white eyes and red skin as the other demon touched people) that no one heard them before they were felled.
As the last of the commoners fell, his shriek cut short by Shaun’s bow, a massive concussive blast roared through the room. The party managed to cartwheel and tumble out of the wall of pieces of wall and shards of glass as the wall closest to the battle seemed to explode (a bombard shell). When the dust cleared, they had a clear view of the chaos and destruction going on outside.
The party could now see the battlements... battered and cracking, segments of the city wall now lying in ruins. Skeletons and orcs scrambled across their tops, firing bows furiously at the ant-like Imperial troops beyond, who were laying bridges and crossing the small river to the north en masse. For a split second, Siabrey thought she caught a glimpse of a tall man in white armor leading one of the columns, but then her mind dismissed the idea that Alex would be foolish enough to lead an attack like this in person.
Whatever thoughts the party had were promptly interrupted by a loud, rumbling call from the room next door... the same vicious tongue that the vrocks spoke, though by its voice this creature was clearly different. Four other common voices were heard, shouting phrases such as, “Are you all alright in there? Everyone ok?” The party felt that silence might be the best way to answer, but instead they heard one of the commoners call, “We’re coming in there to check! Alright? If you’re hurt, we’ll get you some aid!”
A slew of quiet curses went through the party ranks, and they arrayed themselves in battle formation around the doorway as the pounding roar of bombardment continued. The ornate door opened, and a handsomely built creature, almost human-like save his claws, red eyes, and purplish skin, stepped through. The Kelvazu had only a split second to open his mouth in confusion before a hail of arrows, sword thrusts, hammer strikes, missile hits, and even a full strength lightning bolt sliced through his form. He managed to dodge most of the damage.. but he could not avoid the twin blazing blades of Siabrey, who proceeded to cut him into three pieces.
The demon touched common folk in this room are clad not in the colors of servants, but in chainmail, armed with maces. On seeing their leader cut down, they promptly did the warrior act of running like scared babies. A second volley of arrows and magic missiles cut them down before they could leave.
Luke advised the party to then pick the leftmost of the door doors leaving the room, and Orion heard a single abyssal voice muttering. Tess, using her ability with tongues, was able to understand the beast, whatever it was, was muttering about the Countess and battlements. Ever impetuous, Grumki and Siabrey broke through the door, and the party swarmed the normally tall and imposing figure of a blood fiend before the creature had time to react, shredding him apart with ease.
As blood continued to flow freely from the dead demon, the party had a second to note that the entire wall of this room was gone, giving them a completely unobstructed view of the walls and the battlefield. Along the walls of the battlements, Imperial troops and the Countess’ hordes were now engaged in mortal combat.
“Luke!? Where’s the chamber?” Tess said hurriedly.
“About a room down from here! Why?!” he shouted back over the noise.
“That beast said something about her and the battlements! If its that close... Shaun! Orion! You think you could go out using your slippers and take a look!?” she pointed to the massive open air where a wall should have been.
The rogue and monk agreed, and quickly found themselves clambering out on the walls of the palace as shot and shell rained about them. There was a full floor above the floor they’d climbed out of, and between the concussive bombard blasts, Orion thought he could heard deep gutteral noises from the roof. Motioning to Shaun, the monk led the rogue up towards the roof, and peered over the edge.
A divination crystal in hand, the Countess, in all of her white, terrible beauty, was standing on the top of the palace, her eyes focused on the crystal and its many eyes along the walls. Beside her were the forms of two terrible demons. Each creature was midnight black... and each had two heads... one of a vicious, frightening wolf, the other of a terrible snake. In the hands of each was an enormous battleaxe, the blades of which seemed to have a slightly reddish hue.
The wolf head on one gave a sniff, and started over towards where the two were hiding.
Hieroneous’ Brazen Armpits! Shaun swore in his mind, as his body wanted to shrink down. The creature that lumbered towards their position was massive... easily 10 feet tall, its hands and feet viciously clawed. His heart was about to leap, when the creature stopped its progress after only ten steps, and at the Countess’ bidding, turned back around and lumbered back over beside her.
As they watched, the Countess snatched up the divination crystal, and with a wave, told her two massive bodyguards to follow her. She started to head down what looked to be stairs...
...Orion and Shaun quickly clambered back down to report what they saw.
“Luke! The teleportation chambers!” Tess shouted hurriedly, and the boy pointed towards the door at the end of the room. The party dashed forward, before jumped in front of the door, blocking their progress.
“Ok. Everyone... weapons away!” he called. “Hide your weapons! I need her to think you’re unarmed... she’s likely spread out her divination spells to keep track of the Imperial army!”
Quickly the party hid their weapons, while Tess casted alter self on Luke, changing his appearance so that his eyes glowed and his skin seemed crimson. Luke, meanwhile, set up a telepathic bond between party members, allowing them to talk mentally.
”Ok... here goes nothing,” Shaun’s voice echoed in everyone’s head.
Luke threw open the doors, and walked through... the other nine people all playing their part well... coming in with their heads bent down, seemingly cowed. The chamber was immense, its floor decorated with numerous small, large, and a single enormous runes, fairly glowing with magical power. A staircase, covered with dust from the bombardment, was at the far end of the room.
”Confident Luke!” Siabrey shouted at him over the mental link. ”You’re a conquering hero... not a nervous man about to face his mother... ok? You can do it!”
For a second, Siabrey felt something seem to touch her cheek in a caress. She looked up, initially to scold Luke with her eyes, but found him grinning, his hands by his sides. The look in his eyes... with his eyes blazing and skin crimson, made her shudder with bad memories...
The party looked on in confusion, and a little trepidation as an enormous pair of black feet came down the stairs at the far end of the chamber. Following these enormous feet came the comparatively small, dainty feet of a woman, clad in elegant shoes.
As the Countess and her two guards came into view, Siabrey’s heart leapt into her chest. For a moment, doubts ran into her head about the plan.. doubts and fears. However, she pushed them aside, as thoughts of what this woman did came into her brain... and her rage at the Countess began fueling her fighting instincts.
Tess looked up, and sneered at the woman, even as she made a slight illusion tht her hands were bound. It was an appropriate emotion, the bard felt, even if she was captured. Shaun and Orion, for their parts, attempted to keep looking meek, as Luke approached his mother, and in a loud, commanding voice that surprised them all, greeted her with open arms.
“You son has returned mother... and lo, I have taken my captors captive!” his voice boomed confidently.
That’s it, Luke! That’s it! Siabrey wanted to shout encouragement into his head. She realized that he was likely greatly afraid... but instead, she concentrated on looking at the Countess with a look of anger and rage...
“Ah,” her voice, the same melodious combination of woman and demon rumbled through the room, “The young lion brings an offering to the old lioness... how appropriate,” the Countess walked forward, until she was barely a few feet from the party. Sickeningly, the smell of saffron and incense flooded their nostrils as she approached... indeed, she spelled beautiful... in stark contrast to her actions and reputation.
“What a wise young boy,” she turned and gently touched Luke’s cheek, “you have realized all you need is your mother,” she smiled, her eyes flitting towards Siabrey. “Your mother can give you anything that woman who called herself your lover can... and so much more... with the help of Graz’zt.” The woman, her hair aflame, pleasant smells coming off of her, then moved right into Siabrey’s face. The smell of the woman then changed, as Siabrey could now smell her breath... deep with the coppery stench of blood, and the charcoal smell of burnt flesh.
“If she does not wish to convert, Graz’zt has many thralls that will no doubt satisfy you far more than her human body ever could,” the demon woman backed away as Siabrey fought the twin urges to retch and draw her blades to cut her down. As she walked back towards Luke, the woman suddenly stopped, and spun around.
“It’s too bad, my child,” she sneered, “that you never properly bound them.”
= = = = == = = = == = = == = = = = = == = = = == = = = =
Dun dun DUN!
Emperor Valerian
First Post
Dakkareth said:I just finished reading the entire story hour and I have to say, I'm very impressed by its quality, the plot, the role-playing, the writing, ... No better way to avoid the tasks I should have done instead
-Dakkareth
Glad you enjoy it. After I finish this session's log tonight, there will likely be a pause in updates. Updates will likely resume as soon as a pesky thing called final tests are dispensed with.
Emperor Valerian
First Post
In many films, the final showdown between good or evil has one of the following elements: an abused victim getting revenge, a child taking on their parent, a tortured person seeking revenge for a sibling’s death, friends seeking justice for the death of one of their own, and above all... good versus evil. This has all of them!
The Showdown
For a split second, the world seemed to slow to a standstill for the party just after the Countess’ sneering laugh. They could hear her starting to chant; deep, malevolent words in another tongue, rolling off of her lips as the room seemed to grow hotter and hotter.
And then the party struck back.
As the words to the Incendiary Cloud spell, the party’s weapons flashed into sight... and for some such as Tess, Aeron, Lucius, and the two clerics, their weapons didn’t even need to be drawn.
Luke felt something come over him.. a wave, a wash of energy seemed to come back into his veins as his heart flooded with fear, guilt, and confusion at seeing his mother this way. Instinctually, he raised his hand, and a spell came to his lips (Yup... he got his magic back...).
A horrific shriek echoed from Tess’ lips, and three blasts of sonic noise flashed towards the loathsome Countess. For a split second, the air just in front of the woman seemed to shimmer, but then she reeled as the sonic blasts burrowed through her magical defenses, impacting her hard.
At the same moment, Grumki and Hidalas both called upon their pertinent gods for fiery vengeance from above, to cast this abomination from the world it now walked upon. Twin fiery columns cascaded down from above, thundering into the Countess with blazing fury. Even as the demon woman dodged the other mundane weapons of the party, and the magical spells from other members (a lightning bolt from Aeron, and a hold person from Luke) fizzled, she let out a scream, and the party could feel the air around them return to normal.
Burned but not dead, the Countess leapt upward, and flew towards the stairs. As she reached them, a curtain of flames erupted from the floor and ceiling of the chambers, closing within a second to form a solid wall of fire between her and the party. From beyond its roar, the noise of her shouting out new spells could be heard.
Orion, seeing this, leapt at the single one of the massive black demons he could see. With a mighty punch and flurry of kicks, Orion delivered a series of blows that would have crushed a hezrou with ease. The twin heads of the massive beast snarled, and it seemed hardly affected as it slowly began to swing its massive axe in arcs, bringing the huge weapon up to attack speed.
The axe, going back and further, forming a larger and larger arc each time, was nearly hypnotic... until it reached attack speed, and suddenly was whirling through the air with the speed and power of terrifying proportions. To the party’s horror, the creature leaned out, and with its large reach, one of the axe’s slammed into Aeron. Siabrey noticed that the blade came down at a bad angle... Aeron should have lost an arm maybe, but nothing more. Instead, the blade seemed to jerk into a correct arc, and the wizard’s head sailed across the room.
“VORPAL GREATAXE!” she screamed in panic as Aeron’s head, shocked and surprised, thunked against the far wall.
Immediately, Luke shifted his attentions to the creature that he could strike without breaking down, and a lightning bolt launched from his hands, striking the demon full bore in the chest. This blast seemed to hurt the creature some, as it staggered back, small arcs of light now coming from its skin.
Sensing the new danger, Siabrey rushed the demon on the teleportation floor, swords upraised.
How can I kill this thing!? Orion’s blades hardly touched it! Kelir... I pray you are strong enough...
As she rushed forward, Orion recovered from his shock as well, and decided to go for the one thing he could... the creature’s axe. With a sharp flurry of punches and blows, the monk delivers a stunning array of force on the weapon, which shatters in the demon’s hands (Yes... Orion can sunder weapons with his unarmed strikes... fricking cool! ).
A loud series of curses echoed through the room, as both Geoffrey and Pyrion realize that their bow and pistols, respectively, were not getting anywhere near the beast. At this moment, the other large demon’s steps could be heard on the stairs, just before it leapt down onto the teleportation floor as well... another wicked greataxe in its hands.
The Countess’ form then appeared outside her fiery wall, and pointed a finger at Orion, who had destroyed the normal weapon of her favored pet. Vile, cursed words came to her lips, and for a second, Orion felt as if he was being fused with the floor, unable to move. His discipline and training allow him to push off the mental assault, allowing him to continue his work (Power Word Stun... the Countess saw he was the only one that kept destroying her pet’s vorpal weapons, and wanted him halted so her babies could play... hey, she’s got a 28 Intelligence! ).
Seeing her plan fail, the Countess disappeared back into the flames, and the party could hear (and see slightly between the edges of the writhing flames) the thundering of another one of the massive Molydeus demons coming down the stairs. Tess sent another shriek at the demon’s only to see her sonic assault seem to fizzle as it struck them.
Lucius again blasted a lightning bolt at the beast in front of Orion... and to the party’s surprise, the beast backed up, and pointed a snarling finger at the party’s midst. A massive lightning bolt, dwarfing the one sent by Luke, slammed through the midst of the party, coursing through Quin, Shaun, Geoffrey, and Pyrion. The halfling was left barely standing, and the other three were all nigh unto death’s door from the magical blast as well.
Siabrey and Orion were now jointly the party’s front line against the two demons baring down on them... one armed with one of the horrible axes, the other merely standing, unarmed, save for his magical assaults. Orion leapt up, and with a vicious move, wrapped his legs around the beast’s neck. Using the supernatural abilities of his body, he snapped rolled his entire body, the force of the move snapping the creature’s neck.
As he did so, the creature’s brethern that had just jumped down from the stairs charged. The massive axe in the creature’s hand sang through the air, a whispering death that Orion knew he couldn’t avoid. He twisted as hard as he could nonetheless, and while a good portion of his chest and stomach found themsevles slashed open, he realized the blade had cut right where his neck would have been a split second later (the vorpal blade got a critical... Orion passed his fort save to avoid instant death).
With Orion barely dodging death, Siabrey now found herself alone facing the massive behemoth and its greataxe. To make matters worse, the third molydeus thundered to the ground after jumping from the stairs.
Kelir... she thought mentally, fear rising to the surface as she stared up at two demons that were each easily twice her height. Should I fall, Kelir... cover Luke... please for all that is holy... cover Luke... not me!
Stop your sniveling and strike him... leave the rest up to me! her sword confidently replied. With a yell of desperation, Siabrey charged the demon right over Orion’s body. She leapt airborne, and spunt her body through the air, causing both of her weapons to sing a whispering song of death. Blood, gore, and demon entrails flew in arcs around her, as Kelir held up to his promise, goring the demon deep and true. When she landed, however, the beast merely tottered above her. Despite its entrails now laying on the floor, it still stood, its weapon now swinging towards her (Siabrey did 178 points of damage to the demon... too bad it had more hit points left).
Seeing this, and knowing that as nearly half the party recovered from the powerful lightning blasts, Tess knew someone had to do something about the Countess... who would shortly re-emerge from her fiery wall, and possibly kill them all in their weakened state.
Fa’rallan, she thought mentally, tracing back into her mind all those months ago when she had desperately charged a demon, striking it down. Her hand started to clasp around the dagger, until her mind realized the awesome, terrible power she had yet to use... a power that she feared in herself, considering her past rages...
Tess leapt airborne, her voice rising in power. She flew directly towards the fiery wall... and through the flames. As she burst through the flames, smoke billowing from her burnt hair and small flames licking her boots, she let out a shriek... a cry that was horrific, violent, and shatteringly loud to all in the room. Her hand reached out, and for just an instant, she touched the shoulder of the icy demon.
Tess’ mind had a split second to think... the Countess’ flesh, despite its icy appearance, felt normal... as far as her badly burned hands could tell. The demon’s beautiful face contorted into a look of surprised terror, her green eyes flashing wide, her mouth opening to emit a horrified scream... as Tess’ burnt, terrible visage gave her a final adieu with a vicious smile.
...and bit by bit... seemingly slowly but quickly building into a torrent, her feet and hands turned to dust, whisping away in the heat caused by the fiery wall. She let out an unearthly wail of horror and rage, as within seconds, her legs, arms, and chest had fallen to dust. Her head collapsed onto the dusty pile, and the wail ended as it too joined the dust. (Tess used a spellchord Destroy Utterly with Sound, and the Countess rolled a 2, and thus failed her save)
The fiery wall came crashing down almost as soon as the Countess’ final transformation had begun, and Shaun could only look on in horror as Luke witnessed his mother collapse in writhing agony. Shaun wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw the same agony echoed in the boy’s eyes... and Luke just stood there, rooted to his place, mouth agape, eyes shimmering with terror.
The rogue then snapped back to the situation at hand. Grumki and Hidalas had been busily healing those that had been badly injured in the lightning blast, and as Shaun was now functional, at least, he drew his bow, and shot at the demon that Siabrey wasn’t facing... hoping to draw him off from attacking her while Orion regained his bearings from the furious blow that had hit him. The ploy didn’t work, but Shaun was happy to watch as Orion stood, and with a powerful punch, snapped the weapon of the injured demon in twain.
The third demon then leapt back up onto the stairs, and with a furious gaze, stared down at the creature that had killed its lady, its mistress (DM’s Note: or as I told the players... its mummy). It extended a hand, and fired at her a lightning bolt of incomparable fury.
The bard, despite her burns, her tiredness, and her wounds, managed to dodge most of the blast... but not all of it. She can once again feel the world spinning, going black, and then reappearing again. Knowing full well how terribly wounded she is, she takes alight, flying up towards the rafters, hopefully out of the demon’s reach.
Siabrey slashed again at the demon to her front, cutting it down. Then she, Orion, Quin, Pyrion, Geoffrey,,, and Shaun all dashed towards the stairs to attract the demon’s attention and save their friend.
Lucius, meanwhile, finally broke down. The strain of having to fight his mother, and now watching her die before his eyes, was too much. Even as the battle raged, the noise of bombards pounding outside and the roars and screams of demon’s inside assaulted his ears, all he could hear was a single, writhing scream in his mind. The first part had been demonic, true, as the voices of a thousand hells seemed to scream at Tess for what she did. But near the end, just before the screaming stop, Luke heard it...
... one scream... and not a scream, a singular cry... a voice in his head... I’m sorry. For the first time in a while, the young man revealed exactly how young and vulnerable he was... and he wished, with all his might as tears started to roll, that things would have ended differently... and he went from being Lucius the warrior, to Luke... the 17 year old kid.
As he started to sink, two surprising hands grabbed him and held him up. Grumki the cleric pulled Luke close. “’Tis okay to cry, young one... not even Kord expects us to keep our wails silent when we lose one we used to love,” the half orc comforted. The cleric angled himself so he could see what was happening to the others, but as Siabrey and Orion mounted the stairs and charged the last molydeus, it appeared they had everything under control... just before they arrived however, he took one hand and unwrapped it from around Luke's shaking frame, and the strength of Kord let fire rain from heaven on the molydeus clambering down the steps.
Indeed, Siabrey and Orion did have affairs under control. Orion sundered the molydeus’ greataxe, and Siabrey then proceeded to slash and hack while Orion punched and kicked. Jointly, within a few seconds, they’d shattered and sliced the creature to bits that fell off the stairs, staining the room below.
As this was finished, the two looked up in disbelief, as another demon started coming down the stairs... this one a massive, bare-chested woman, fully seven feet tall, with six arms. Just below her belly button she changed, her form merging into that of a snake, fully 20 feet long. In each hand, she held a scimitar, and a raging cry was on her lips.
“Dammit, when will they learn?” Orion growled, his face and clothes bloody. The monk charged forward, with his kicks and punches shredding three of her weapons. In a surprised fury, she backed up, and called upon the powers of the Abyss to blight the party.
A seemingly massive black pall slammed into the midst of the largest gaggle of the party, causing horrific boils to appear on their skins from the unholiness of the damage. Tess (who had landed to get healed by Hidalas), Pyrion, Geoffrey, and Hidalas all found themselves excruciatingly close to death’s door.
Hidalas immediately went about healing Pyrion and Geoffrey, the worst cases (down to 3 and 1 hp respectively), while Tess took to the air again as Siabrey and Orion battered back the marilith. A final, piercing shriek caused the demon’s head to explode... and for once, Siabrey and Orion didn’t complain.
The Showdown
For a split second, the world seemed to slow to a standstill for the party just after the Countess’ sneering laugh. They could hear her starting to chant; deep, malevolent words in another tongue, rolling off of her lips as the room seemed to grow hotter and hotter.
And then the party struck back.
As the words to the Incendiary Cloud spell, the party’s weapons flashed into sight... and for some such as Tess, Aeron, Lucius, and the two clerics, their weapons didn’t even need to be drawn.
Luke felt something come over him.. a wave, a wash of energy seemed to come back into his veins as his heart flooded with fear, guilt, and confusion at seeing his mother this way. Instinctually, he raised his hand, and a spell came to his lips (Yup... he got his magic back...).
A horrific shriek echoed from Tess’ lips, and three blasts of sonic noise flashed towards the loathsome Countess. For a split second, the air just in front of the woman seemed to shimmer, but then she reeled as the sonic blasts burrowed through her magical defenses, impacting her hard.
At the same moment, Grumki and Hidalas both called upon their pertinent gods for fiery vengeance from above, to cast this abomination from the world it now walked upon. Twin fiery columns cascaded down from above, thundering into the Countess with blazing fury. Even as the demon woman dodged the other mundane weapons of the party, and the magical spells from other members (a lightning bolt from Aeron, and a hold person from Luke) fizzled, she let out a scream, and the party could feel the air around them return to normal.
Burned but not dead, the Countess leapt upward, and flew towards the stairs. As she reached them, a curtain of flames erupted from the floor and ceiling of the chambers, closing within a second to form a solid wall of fire between her and the party. From beyond its roar, the noise of her shouting out new spells could be heard.
Orion, seeing this, leapt at the single one of the massive black demons he could see. With a mighty punch and flurry of kicks, Orion delivered a series of blows that would have crushed a hezrou with ease. The twin heads of the massive beast snarled, and it seemed hardly affected as it slowly began to swing its massive axe in arcs, bringing the huge weapon up to attack speed.
The axe, going back and further, forming a larger and larger arc each time, was nearly hypnotic... until it reached attack speed, and suddenly was whirling through the air with the speed and power of terrifying proportions. To the party’s horror, the creature leaned out, and with its large reach, one of the axe’s slammed into Aeron. Siabrey noticed that the blade came down at a bad angle... Aeron should have lost an arm maybe, but nothing more. Instead, the blade seemed to jerk into a correct arc, and the wizard’s head sailed across the room.
“VORPAL GREATAXE!” she screamed in panic as Aeron’s head, shocked and surprised, thunked against the far wall.
Immediately, Luke shifted his attentions to the creature that he could strike without breaking down, and a lightning bolt launched from his hands, striking the demon full bore in the chest. This blast seemed to hurt the creature some, as it staggered back, small arcs of light now coming from its skin.
Sensing the new danger, Siabrey rushed the demon on the teleportation floor, swords upraised.
How can I kill this thing!? Orion’s blades hardly touched it! Kelir... I pray you are strong enough...
As she rushed forward, Orion recovered from his shock as well, and decided to go for the one thing he could... the creature’s axe. With a sharp flurry of punches and blows, the monk delivers a stunning array of force on the weapon, which shatters in the demon’s hands (Yes... Orion can sunder weapons with his unarmed strikes... fricking cool!
).A loud series of curses echoed through the room, as both Geoffrey and Pyrion realize that their bow and pistols, respectively, were not getting anywhere near the beast. At this moment, the other large demon’s steps could be heard on the stairs, just before it leapt down onto the teleportation floor as well... another wicked greataxe in its hands.
The Countess’ form then appeared outside her fiery wall, and pointed a finger at Orion, who had destroyed the normal weapon of her favored pet. Vile, cursed words came to her lips, and for a second, Orion felt as if he was being fused with the floor, unable to move. His discipline and training allow him to push off the mental assault, allowing him to continue his work (Power Word Stun... the Countess saw he was the only one that kept destroying her pet’s vorpal weapons, and wanted him halted so her babies could play... hey, she’s got a 28 Intelligence!
).Seeing her plan fail, the Countess disappeared back into the flames, and the party could hear (and see slightly between the edges of the writhing flames) the thundering of another one of the massive Molydeus demons coming down the stairs. Tess sent another shriek at the demon’s only to see her sonic assault seem to fizzle as it struck them.
Lucius again blasted a lightning bolt at the beast in front of Orion... and to the party’s surprise, the beast backed up, and pointed a snarling finger at the party’s midst. A massive lightning bolt, dwarfing the one sent by Luke, slammed through the midst of the party, coursing through Quin, Shaun, Geoffrey, and Pyrion. The halfling was left barely standing, and the other three were all nigh unto death’s door from the magical blast as well.
Siabrey and Orion were now jointly the party’s front line against the two demons baring down on them... one armed with one of the horrible axes, the other merely standing, unarmed, save for his magical assaults. Orion leapt up, and with a vicious move, wrapped his legs around the beast’s neck. Using the supernatural abilities of his body, he snapped rolled his entire body, the force of the move snapping the creature’s neck.
As he did so, the creature’s brethern that had just jumped down from the stairs charged. The massive axe in the creature’s hand sang through the air, a whispering death that Orion knew he couldn’t avoid. He twisted as hard as he could nonetheless, and while a good portion of his chest and stomach found themsevles slashed open, he realized the blade had cut right where his neck would have been a split second later (the vorpal blade got a critical... Orion passed his fort save to avoid instant death).
With Orion barely dodging death, Siabrey now found herself alone facing the massive behemoth and its greataxe. To make matters worse, the third molydeus thundered to the ground after jumping from the stairs.
Kelir... she thought mentally, fear rising to the surface as she stared up at two demons that were each easily twice her height. Should I fall, Kelir... cover Luke... please for all that is holy... cover Luke... not me!
Stop your sniveling and strike him... leave the rest up to me! her sword confidently replied. With a yell of desperation, Siabrey charged the demon right over Orion’s body. She leapt airborne, and spunt her body through the air, causing both of her weapons to sing a whispering song of death. Blood, gore, and demon entrails flew in arcs around her, as Kelir held up to his promise, goring the demon deep and true. When she landed, however, the beast merely tottered above her. Despite its entrails now laying on the floor, it still stood, its weapon now swinging towards her (Siabrey did 178 points of damage to the demon... too bad it had more hit points left).
Seeing this, and knowing that as nearly half the party recovered from the powerful lightning blasts, Tess knew someone had to do something about the Countess... who would shortly re-emerge from her fiery wall, and possibly kill them all in their weakened state.
Fa’rallan, she thought mentally, tracing back into her mind all those months ago when she had desperately charged a demon, striking it down. Her hand started to clasp around the dagger, until her mind realized the awesome, terrible power she had yet to use... a power that she feared in herself, considering her past rages...
Tess leapt airborne, her voice rising in power. She flew directly towards the fiery wall... and through the flames. As she burst through the flames, smoke billowing from her burnt hair and small flames licking her boots, she let out a shriek... a cry that was horrific, violent, and shatteringly loud to all in the room. Her hand reached out, and for just an instant, she touched the shoulder of the icy demon.
Tess’ mind had a split second to think... the Countess’ flesh, despite its icy appearance, felt normal... as far as her badly burned hands could tell. The demon’s beautiful face contorted into a look of surprised terror, her green eyes flashing wide, her mouth opening to emit a horrified scream... as Tess’ burnt, terrible visage gave her a final adieu with a vicious smile.
...and bit by bit... seemingly slowly but quickly building into a torrent, her feet and hands turned to dust, whisping away in the heat caused by the fiery wall. She let out an unearthly wail of horror and rage, as within seconds, her legs, arms, and chest had fallen to dust. Her head collapsed onto the dusty pile, and the wail ended as it too joined the dust. (Tess used a spellchord Destroy Utterly with Sound, and the Countess rolled a 2, and thus failed her save)
The fiery wall came crashing down almost as soon as the Countess’ final transformation had begun, and Shaun could only look on in horror as Luke witnessed his mother collapse in writhing agony. Shaun wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw the same agony echoed in the boy’s eyes... and Luke just stood there, rooted to his place, mouth agape, eyes shimmering with terror.
The rogue then snapped back to the situation at hand. Grumki and Hidalas had been busily healing those that had been badly injured in the lightning blast, and as Shaun was now functional, at least, he drew his bow, and shot at the demon that Siabrey wasn’t facing... hoping to draw him off from attacking her while Orion regained his bearings from the furious blow that had hit him. The ploy didn’t work, but Shaun was happy to watch as Orion stood, and with a powerful punch, snapped the weapon of the injured demon in twain.
The third demon then leapt back up onto the stairs, and with a furious gaze, stared down at the creature that had killed its lady, its mistress (DM’s Note: or as I told the players... its mummy). It extended a hand, and fired at her a lightning bolt of incomparable fury.
The bard, despite her burns, her tiredness, and her wounds, managed to dodge most of the blast... but not all of it. She can once again feel the world spinning, going black, and then reappearing again. Knowing full well how terribly wounded she is, she takes alight, flying up towards the rafters, hopefully out of the demon’s reach.
Siabrey slashed again at the demon to her front, cutting it down. Then she, Orion, Quin, Pyrion, Geoffrey,,, and Shaun all dashed towards the stairs to attract the demon’s attention and save their friend.
Lucius, meanwhile, finally broke down. The strain of having to fight his mother, and now watching her die before his eyes, was too much. Even as the battle raged, the noise of bombards pounding outside and the roars and screams of demon’s inside assaulted his ears, all he could hear was a single, writhing scream in his mind. The first part had been demonic, true, as the voices of a thousand hells seemed to scream at Tess for what she did. But near the end, just before the screaming stop, Luke heard it...
... one scream... and not a scream, a singular cry... a voice in his head... I’m sorry. For the first time in a while, the young man revealed exactly how young and vulnerable he was... and he wished, with all his might as tears started to roll, that things would have ended differently... and he went from being Lucius the warrior, to Luke... the 17 year old kid.
As he started to sink, two surprising hands grabbed him and held him up. Grumki the cleric pulled Luke close. “’Tis okay to cry, young one... not even Kord expects us to keep our wails silent when we lose one we used to love,” the half orc comforted. The cleric angled himself so he could see what was happening to the others, but as Siabrey and Orion mounted the stairs and charged the last molydeus, it appeared they had everything under control... just before they arrived however, he took one hand and unwrapped it from around Luke's shaking frame, and the strength of Kord let fire rain from heaven on the molydeus clambering down the steps.
Indeed, Siabrey and Orion did have affairs under control. Orion sundered the molydeus’ greataxe, and Siabrey then proceeded to slash and hack while Orion punched and kicked. Jointly, within a few seconds, they’d shattered and sliced the creature to bits that fell off the stairs, staining the room below.
As this was finished, the two looked up in disbelief, as another demon started coming down the stairs... this one a massive, bare-chested woman, fully seven feet tall, with six arms. Just below her belly button she changed, her form merging into that of a snake, fully 20 feet long. In each hand, she held a scimitar, and a raging cry was on her lips.
“Dammit, when will they learn?” Orion growled, his face and clothes bloody. The monk charged forward, with his kicks and punches shredding three of her weapons. In a surprised fury, she backed up, and called upon the powers of the Abyss to blight the party.
A seemingly massive black pall slammed into the midst of the largest gaggle of the party, causing horrific boils to appear on their skins from the unholiness of the damage. Tess (who had landed to get healed by Hidalas), Pyrion, Geoffrey, and Hidalas all found themselves excruciatingly close to death’s door.
Hidalas immediately went about healing Pyrion and Geoffrey, the worst cases (down to 3 and 1 hp respectively), while Tess took to the air again as Siabrey and Orion battered back the marilith. A final, piercing shriek caused the demon’s head to explode... and for once, Siabrey and Orion didn’t complain.
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Emperor Valerian
First Post
The Imperial Army Arrives With Terrible News
As the party set about healing their battered frames (Aeron –dead, Siabrey – half strength, Orion – one third strength, Shaun – 8 hp, Geoffrey and Pyrion – 4 combined hp, Hidalas – 10 hp, Tess – 12 hp, Luke – mental wreck, Grumki – full strength of Kord), another blast thundered through the room, and another hole was blasted into the wall. The party could now see that the Imperial troops were charging over the walls of the city, swarming over the survivor skeletons, orcs, and demons with sheer numbers. Above the continual din of the bombards, some party members thought they could make out roaring, but dismissed it.
The couldn’t, however, dismiss the scampering, shouting noises behind them. As the party spun around, they saw the dark vulture shape of a vrock, followed by 15 warriors, eyes bright, skin red, all dashing towards them at high speed. It was Tess who saw that none of the warriors carried weapons, and strode forward, despite her battered frame.
Using her ability to channel sound, she targeted the vrock in the lead, and a shrieking song the party last heard in the mansion of Lord Tor echoed through the Holstean Palace. The vrock shuddered in mid-run, before his entire form turned to glass, shattering on the floor in front of the party.
“STOP! OR THAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU TOO!” Tess roared. She didn’t know it, but her frayed and burnt hair, coupled with her face, her beauty now covered in bruises and dried blood, made for a terrible and commanding presence. The 15 warriors immediately skidded to a halt.
Grumki then left the healing circles to use the “Looming of Kord,” leaving Luke in Siabrey’s comforting arms.
“Sshh,” she whispered as he clutched her tight. The last part of his old world is gone... wiped away... “I’m here Luke... I’m here. I’ll always be by your side... I will never leave you alone... sshh,” she gently rocked him. She could only imagine the pain he was going through... and she tried not to think of it. Only of him, of comforting him in the midst of these demon corpses in this blood-stained room.
Once they were sufficiently healed, Quin and Shaun took over watching the prisoners as Grumki then went to raise Aeron from the dead... a rather grisly process that had to be conducted in the open (Grumki didn’t want to drag him into another room only to be accosted by other demons without the party there to back him up).
A full ten minutes later the party saw a copse of Imperial soldiers come around the corner. Siabrey motioned them in, and told one to run back to his commander and inform him, and the Emperor, of where the party was at... and that the Countess was dead. As proof, they offered her signet ring, currently still lying on the pile of dust that had once been her. They also asked the man to run and fetch a high ranking priest to take the proof as well.
Another five minutes brought the cold, measured clip of military boots echoing into the party’s ears. Luke had, by this point, composed himself, though Siabrey noticed he was still very quiet. He was the one who saw the twenty commanders of the Imperial army, clad in their resplendent armor with their imperious helms under their arms.
“Siabrey, hon? Why are all the commanders here?” she heard him ask.
“I don’t know,” she shrugged. Why ARE all the Imperial commanders here? Shouldn’t they be with Alexander? Maybe they just want to make sure that the Countess is dead... she reasoned. Knowing Luke wasn’t in a state to accept orders, she gave him a loving rub on his back, before walking forward to meet them.
They swarmed around her... and to her surprise... past her, like a tidal wave, descending on the boy. It was then she realized something was wrong... even before they all dropped to one knee in front of him.
“Oh god...” she almost gagged, and shuddered. Luke’s worn mind was obviously confused, as he asked why they were kneeing before him. Before any of them could reply, Siabrey was by his side... she knew what had happened, deep in her heart.
“Luke... honey?” she grabbed him fiercely, trying to hide her own tears for his sake. “Luke... you... you’re Emperor now.” She looked sadly to the officers, who nodded with grim faces.
“What? How?” Tess asked sharply. Alexander can’t be dead! It’s just like before! There’s confusion... he’s fine! He’s probably laughing somewhere, trying to get his way up here to tell us to not worry! Its invulnerable!
No he’s not... remember what happened in the last battle? her mind corrected her, and her heart fell.
“General Diogenes, Your Majesties,” the grizzled man Siabrey remembered Luke complaining about so long ago finally raised his head. “Emperor Alexander fell, during one of the last assaults on the city walls. He died at the front... leading the way,” Diogenes’ voice broke... the war veteran himself starting to break down slightly. The man lowered his face, trying to hide his tears, but when he raised it, they continued to silently course down his face. His broken face hardened, and he formed a mailed fist, which he then pounded into his chest armor... a move that all the other generals echoed.
“Emperor Alexander V has fallen,” Diogenes said with a cracked voice. The man stopped and coughed, then continued, his voice stronger but no less emotional, “All Hail Lucius II, Emperor of the Holy Santoric Empire!”
“Hail!” the others echoed, and Siabrey looked at her husband worriedly.
He’d taken on the same, hollow empty look as when he’d seen his mother die, and she pulled him closer, tears of despair and worry coming down her own cheeks.
Siabrey... be strong! For him! she heard Kelir’s voice say in her head, You did well in Irulas when people assumed you were Empress... now Luke needs you to be with the same strength now!
“It’ll be okay,” she whispered into his ear, lovingly, quietly, before looking up at the generals. Her arm was still protectively wrapped around him, but her eyes had lost their previous fear.
“My Good Sirs,” she started, “The Emperor is under a great deal of stress... I would appreciate if you gave myself, Baroness Keldare, Lord Dice, and Father Orion all the reports intended for him right now. He needs time to absorb this,” she said firmly. To her surprise, Diogenes did not scoff, did not laugh or shout, but merely stood, and nodded.
“First things first,” Shaun began quizzing the commanders, “why haven’t you guys tried raising Alexander?” The tone was quiet... Luke was sitting on the floor on the other side of the chamber, Grumki and Hidalas by his side. Siabrey had spent the last few minutes pacing as the commanders had given battle reports and casualty lists... pacing that halted temporarily with Shaun’s obvious question.
“We tried,” Diogenes said, “We tried three times. We tried with the highest priests we could find... each time, Tarantor claimed him as his own... it was his time,” the general said wistfully, deep regret in his eyes.
“Well, try again?” Shaun said impatiently. He could fairly well see the effect the news had on Luke and Siabrey, and wanted them to be spared the burden.
“We’ll try m’lord,” one of the generals stood, and walked off. As his steps receded, slow, measured steps approached, and the pacing Siabrey saw her husband now standing next to the generals, his terribly devoid of emotion.
“There’s... a great deal to be done... I imagine,” Luke’s voice, barely audible, came to her ears. She nodded, walking up next to him.
“Are you ready to handle it yet, hon?” she said with a whisper so the general’s wouldn’t hear. “If you can’t, I’ll take care of everything,” she ran a hand down his face... and in the setting sun, Luke shook his head.
“You have enough to worry about,” he leaned into her supporting hand slightly, his face blank. “We need to do this together...Irulas needs to be rebuilt... as does Holstean and Kulloden....”
“And someone still needs to get rid of the staff,” Tess spoke up, and Luke nodded slowly.
“And we need a Count of Holstean and an Imperial Governor... not to mention a new Baron of Kulloden, and countless other noble positions... Tess, Shaun, Orion...” Luke started to ask a question that all three of them immediately shirked away from.
“Um... no Luke... no,” Shaun said quickly. “I’m not noble material. Tess doesn’t want to, and neither does Orion...”
“Please?” Luke’s voice came over as quiet and pleading. “I... I’ll need someone I can trust here... someone that can get things rebuilt.”
“How about Quin,” Tess volunteered her brother without asking. “I’m sure he’d enjoy it.”
“He’ll do nothing but throw parties and waste the treasury,” Siabrey groaned,,, causing Tess to smile.
“Yes... and cheer is what these people need, Siabrey. They’ve just lived through hell... this whole region has. Cheer will keep them going, and give them the strength to rebuild... to keep going, to rise from the ashes better than before.”
“Well... considering what we now know,” Shaun said quietly, “I think we need to figure out where we’re going to be staying.” All eyes turned to Luke, who held up his hands and pointed to the other four.
“You pick,” he said softly. A brief debate started, between those that wanted him to pick and him not wanting to pick, till finally... ironically, the first Imperial decree rose from his lips.
“I decree you all should pick,” he said with finality. Siabrey was relieved to see there was a little fire in his voice... his soul was reawakening after being bludgeoned so hard this day.
“Fine. Irulas,” Siabrey said, and the others nodded. “Let’s get away from this place of death.”
The party caught a ride with the cause of the roaring they’d heard... Xanadu. Once back, they all prepared for an uncertain tomorrow, as one darkness left their world, while another, clad in the black of a dark staff, continued to spew its evil presence...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = =
Yes, I’m evil This was also a long session... and at the end, there were many shouts from the players questioning my ancestry and my mother’s fidelity. Overall, though, I think great fun was had by all... and it opened up into the last couple sessions nicely...
As the party set about healing their battered frames (Aeron –dead, Siabrey – half strength, Orion – one third strength, Shaun – 8 hp, Geoffrey and Pyrion – 4 combined hp, Hidalas – 10 hp, Tess – 12 hp, Luke – mental wreck, Grumki – full strength of Kord), another blast thundered through the room, and another hole was blasted into the wall. The party could now see that the Imperial troops were charging over the walls of the city, swarming over the survivor skeletons, orcs, and demons with sheer numbers. Above the continual din of the bombards, some party members thought they could make out roaring, but dismissed it.
The couldn’t, however, dismiss the scampering, shouting noises behind them. As the party spun around, they saw the dark vulture shape of a vrock, followed by 15 warriors, eyes bright, skin red, all dashing towards them at high speed. It was Tess who saw that none of the warriors carried weapons, and strode forward, despite her battered frame.
Using her ability to channel sound, she targeted the vrock in the lead, and a shrieking song the party last heard in the mansion of Lord Tor echoed through the Holstean Palace. The vrock shuddered in mid-run, before his entire form turned to glass, shattering on the floor in front of the party.
“STOP! OR THAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU TOO!” Tess roared. She didn’t know it, but her frayed and burnt hair, coupled with her face, her beauty now covered in bruises and dried blood, made for a terrible and commanding presence. The 15 warriors immediately skidded to a halt.
Grumki then left the healing circles to use the “Looming of Kord,” leaving Luke in Siabrey’s comforting arms.
“Sshh,” she whispered as he clutched her tight. The last part of his old world is gone... wiped away... “I’m here Luke... I’m here. I’ll always be by your side... I will never leave you alone... sshh,” she gently rocked him. She could only imagine the pain he was going through... and she tried not to think of it. Only of him, of comforting him in the midst of these demon corpses in this blood-stained room.
Once they were sufficiently healed, Quin and Shaun took over watching the prisoners as Grumki then went to raise Aeron from the dead... a rather grisly process that had to be conducted in the open (Grumki didn’t want to drag him into another room only to be accosted by other demons without the party there to back him up).
A full ten minutes later the party saw a copse of Imperial soldiers come around the corner. Siabrey motioned them in, and told one to run back to his commander and inform him, and the Emperor, of where the party was at... and that the Countess was dead. As proof, they offered her signet ring, currently still lying on the pile of dust that had once been her. They also asked the man to run and fetch a high ranking priest to take the proof as well.
Another five minutes brought the cold, measured clip of military boots echoing into the party’s ears. Luke had, by this point, composed himself, though Siabrey noticed he was still very quiet. He was the one who saw the twenty commanders of the Imperial army, clad in their resplendent armor with their imperious helms under their arms.
“Siabrey, hon? Why are all the commanders here?” she heard him ask.
“I don’t know,” she shrugged. Why ARE all the Imperial commanders here? Shouldn’t they be with Alexander? Maybe they just want to make sure that the Countess is dead... she reasoned. Knowing Luke wasn’t in a state to accept orders, she gave him a loving rub on his back, before walking forward to meet them.
They swarmed around her... and to her surprise... past her, like a tidal wave, descending on the boy. It was then she realized something was wrong... even before they all dropped to one knee in front of him.
“Oh god...” she almost gagged, and shuddered. Luke’s worn mind was obviously confused, as he asked why they were kneeing before him. Before any of them could reply, Siabrey was by his side... she knew what had happened, deep in her heart.
“Luke... honey?” she grabbed him fiercely, trying to hide her own tears for his sake. “Luke... you... you’re Emperor now.” She looked sadly to the officers, who nodded with grim faces.
“What? How?” Tess asked sharply. Alexander can’t be dead! It’s just like before! There’s confusion... he’s fine! He’s probably laughing somewhere, trying to get his way up here to tell us to not worry! Its invulnerable!
No he’s not... remember what happened in the last battle? her mind corrected her, and her heart fell.
“General Diogenes, Your Majesties,” the grizzled man Siabrey remembered Luke complaining about so long ago finally raised his head. “Emperor Alexander fell, during one of the last assaults on the city walls. He died at the front... leading the way,” Diogenes’ voice broke... the war veteran himself starting to break down slightly. The man lowered his face, trying to hide his tears, but when he raised it, they continued to silently course down his face. His broken face hardened, and he formed a mailed fist, which he then pounded into his chest armor... a move that all the other generals echoed.
“Emperor Alexander V has fallen,” Diogenes said with a cracked voice. The man stopped and coughed, then continued, his voice stronger but no less emotional, “All Hail Lucius II, Emperor of the Holy Santoric Empire!”
“Hail!” the others echoed, and Siabrey looked at her husband worriedly.
He’d taken on the same, hollow empty look as when he’d seen his mother die, and she pulled him closer, tears of despair and worry coming down her own cheeks.
Siabrey... be strong! For him! she heard Kelir’s voice say in her head, You did well in Irulas when people assumed you were Empress... now Luke needs you to be with the same strength now!
“It’ll be okay,” she whispered into his ear, lovingly, quietly, before looking up at the generals. Her arm was still protectively wrapped around him, but her eyes had lost their previous fear.
“My Good Sirs,” she started, “The Emperor is under a great deal of stress... I would appreciate if you gave myself, Baroness Keldare, Lord Dice, and Father Orion all the reports intended for him right now. He needs time to absorb this,” she said firmly. To her surprise, Diogenes did not scoff, did not laugh or shout, but merely stood, and nodded.
“First things first,” Shaun began quizzing the commanders, “why haven’t you guys tried raising Alexander?” The tone was quiet... Luke was sitting on the floor on the other side of the chamber, Grumki and Hidalas by his side. Siabrey had spent the last few minutes pacing as the commanders had given battle reports and casualty lists... pacing that halted temporarily with Shaun’s obvious question.
“We tried,” Diogenes said, “We tried three times. We tried with the highest priests we could find... each time, Tarantor claimed him as his own... it was his time,” the general said wistfully, deep regret in his eyes.
“Well, try again?” Shaun said impatiently. He could fairly well see the effect the news had on Luke and Siabrey, and wanted them to be spared the burden.
“We’ll try m’lord,” one of the generals stood, and walked off. As his steps receded, slow, measured steps approached, and the pacing Siabrey saw her husband now standing next to the generals, his terribly devoid of emotion.
“There’s... a great deal to be done... I imagine,” Luke’s voice, barely audible, came to her ears. She nodded, walking up next to him.
“Are you ready to handle it yet, hon?” she said with a whisper so the general’s wouldn’t hear. “If you can’t, I’ll take care of everything,” she ran a hand down his face... and in the setting sun, Luke shook his head.
“You have enough to worry about,” he leaned into her supporting hand slightly, his face blank. “We need to do this together...Irulas needs to be rebuilt... as does Holstean and Kulloden....”
“And someone still needs to get rid of the staff,” Tess spoke up, and Luke nodded slowly.
“And we need a Count of Holstean and an Imperial Governor... not to mention a new Baron of Kulloden, and countless other noble positions... Tess, Shaun, Orion...” Luke started to ask a question that all three of them immediately shirked away from.
“Um... no Luke... no,” Shaun said quickly. “I’m not noble material. Tess doesn’t want to, and neither does Orion...”
“Please?” Luke’s voice came over as quiet and pleading. “I... I’ll need someone I can trust here... someone that can get things rebuilt.”
“How about Quin,” Tess volunteered her brother without asking. “I’m sure he’d enjoy it.”
“He’ll do nothing but throw parties and waste the treasury,” Siabrey groaned,,, causing Tess to smile.
“Yes... and cheer is what these people need, Siabrey. They’ve just lived through hell... this whole region has. Cheer will keep them going, and give them the strength to rebuild... to keep going, to rise from the ashes better than before.”
“Well... considering what we now know,” Shaun said quietly, “I think we need to figure out where we’re going to be staying.” All eyes turned to Luke, who held up his hands and pointed to the other four.
“You pick,” he said softly. A brief debate started, between those that wanted him to pick and him not wanting to pick, till finally... ironically, the first Imperial decree rose from his lips.
“I decree you all should pick,” he said with finality. Siabrey was relieved to see there was a little fire in his voice... his soul was reawakening after being bludgeoned so hard this day.
“Fine. Irulas,” Siabrey said, and the others nodded. “Let’s get away from this place of death.”
The party caught a ride with the cause of the roaring they’d heard... Xanadu. Once back, they all prepared for an uncertain tomorrow, as one darkness left their world, while another, clad in the black of a dark staff, continued to spew its evil presence...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = =
Yes, I’m evil
This was also a long session... and at the end, there were many shouts from the players questioning my ancestry and my mother’s fidelity. Overall, though, I think great fun was had by all... and it opened up into the last couple sessions nicely...
Hey EV, you forgot one rather amusing thing. At one point when Grumki was comforting Lucius, he comforted the boy with one hand and did a flame strike on one of the demons with the other. But a great write-up, indeed! We got really badly hammered, and I think if we had let the Countess get off a few more spells before we attacked (which EV wanted to do) I'm certain we would have had more deaths.
But a great write-up, indeed! We got really badly hammered, and I think if we had let the Countess get off a few more spells before we attacked (which EV wanted to do) I'm certain we would have had more deaths.Emperor Valerian
First Post
Isida Kep'Tukari said:Hey EV, you forgot one rather amusing thing. At one point when Grumki was comforting Lucius, he comforted the boy with one hand and did a flame strike on one of the demons with the other.
Fixed
Yeah, if you guys hadn't gotten the jump on her, I had prepared for about half of the party to die... 2 or 3 PCs possibly included. Tess' near sacrficial leap at the Countess coupled with Orion's new sundering abilities were what saved you all from not losing more people.
drag n fly
First Post
Also Siabrey's insane sword-wielding skizzlz. Thank goodness for keened crits.
Thank goodness for keened crits.Emperor Valerian
First Post
drag n fly said:Also Siabrey's insane sword-wielding skizzlz.
That goes without saying
The next update will not be until late this weekend likely... finals, graduation, etc. coming up. However, after that, regular postings should resume... there's still three sessions to go through!
K_S_Snyder
First Post
Yowsa... some update. Makes me wonder if there comes a time when the GM WANTS to fill off a couple of PC's.
Looks like there are some seats to fill on the nobility end of things... do you envision running a campaign of counts and princes and suchnot? How dreary would that be?
That staff - - a little scary.
Looks like there are some seats to fill on the nobility end of things... do you envision running a campaign of counts and princes and suchnot? How dreary would that be?
That staff - - a little scary.