Session II: Chapter 9 - Revelations, Part I
Here is the beginning of chapter 9. After this post, the combat action picks up again. Big time. Big BIG time. Session III was 8 straight hours of combat. That'll make for some interesting chapters.
Chapter Nine – Revelations
1 Growfest, Midnight:
Once the grieving miller had departed, the band of heroes quickly gathered their things and left the building. They were all quite anxious to unload their prisoner and get a good night’s sleep. After a brief discussion, they decided that the best place to find a town watchman was at the keep near the southern entrance to Hommlet.
Upon arriving at the locked gate of the newly built fortress, Tonan let out a hearty “Halloooo!” It became obvious after several minutes that no response was forthcoming, so Endora began banging her sword against the iron bars of the portcullis while the others shouted for attention. This went on for a minute or two before a light appeared through the cracks of the large door across the courtyard.
The group ceased their ruckus and waited. The clank and clatter of locks and bolts being undone echoed across the yard, along with the distinct sound of grumbling and complaining. Eventually, the large wooden door swung open and an odd figure emerged. A hunched and aged human male hobbled across the flagstones carrying a wildly swinging lantern. The man had a long, gray beard that nearly scraped against the stony earth as he clumsily made his way towards the gate. The fellow was dressed in a gaudy purple nightgown that was decorated with an eyesore pattern of sparkling silver crescent moons and stars. His matching drooped and pointy cap came complete with a starburst poof at the tip. More shocking than his appearance, however, was the fluent string of obscenities that flew from the elderly man’s mouth. Clearly, he was not pleased at being awaken.
“What do you want?” he bellowed at Tonan with a curled upper lip. “I’m a hero in these parts, you know, and I deserve much better treatment than this. I’ll see you all in the stockades if this isn’t of the utmost importance!” Without giving anyone a chance to respond he continued, “Well? I asked a question. Don’t waste my time, now. Most people are smart enough not to incur the wrath of a powerful wizard! What do you want?”
The party had been expecting to speak with an officer of the town militia, not a crotchety old arcanist. Gann immediately launched into a greatly embellished explanation of the plague of evil that was consuming Hommlet, while the others occasionally interjected with tidbits of reality. When the cleric was finished, Tonan pushed the captive tiefling against the bars and demanded that she be thrown in the dungeon.
The old wizard listened quietly, and appeared to consider the tale for a moment before responding. Suddenly, he furrowed his brow, pursed his lips and he practically spat out his answer. “Bah!” he roared. “Kill the woman, I’ve no need for prisoners. Get yourselves gone and don’t worry yourselves with such things… and certainly don’t bother me with them. Burne’s Badgers have the affairs of Hommlet well under control. Now leave me alone so I can get some sleep!” The man then pivoted on one heal and marched back towards the door from which he had emerged.
“Wait,” cried Tyris. “What’s a Burne’s Badger?”
The man stopped in his tracks and turned to face the sorceress with a clear look of exasperation. “You’d think the town hero would garner much more respect. I, of course, am Burne… as if you didn’t know. And my Badgers are the fine men and women of the militia. NOW GO AWAY!” With that, Burne re-entered the keep and slammed the massive wooden door shut.
“Now what did you go and do that for?” said an angry sounding voice. The group turned to see Elmo, captain of the militia, emerging from the darkness. “All you have to do is stand in one place for five minutes in this town, and a guardsman is sure to pass you by. What made you think you had the right to go bothering old Burne and Rufus? I’ll no doubt be getting an earful come morning, thanks to the lot of you!”
“Ah,” Gann approached the seasoned warrior. “Good sir Elmo, I’m so glad…”
“Well ye shouldn’t be glad!” Elmo interjected a bit too loudly. “By the gods, son, you of all people should understand and respect the chain of command and authority. He of the Cudgel is, after all, the epitome of righteousness, justice and order.”
“Now listen here,” Gann erupted. “By the blessed power of my righteous hand have I smited the evil that infests this place that you claim to protect. I demand that my companions and I be heard, and that this prisoner be delivered unto justice!”
The captain shook his head and pointed at Gann. “Ye need to learn your place and your purpose, and stick to it. The militia is here to handle criminal affairs in this town. It’s not the place of visitors to go stir up trouble and then wake the magistrates at home to bail them out of it! You have a problem, you come to me, and I’ll have it handled right and proper. If you want to smite evil, run off to the wilds and find yourself a nice dragon to do battle with. I suggest from now on, however, you hold your blessed righteous hand while in civilized lands before you find yourself behind bars for vigilantism, or worse. Understood!?”
After his speech, Elmo grabbed the tiefling wizard roughly by the manacles and shoved her forward. “Off you go, now,” he roared. “Let’s at least get you taken care of, so this little town can get some sleep.” With that, he stalked off into the night.
“What was that all about?” asked Endora, to nobody in particular.
“I don’t know,” Willow offered. “I thought we were doing a good thing here. Gann? Why did he single you out?”
The wounded cleric just stood there, red faced and silent. He would not admit to the druid that the old man was right. He had jumped the chain of command and acted inappropriately in the face of authority. Penance and retribution was in order.
“Gosh,” Tas chimed in. “I guess Gann really pimrrrmmph…”
The halfing’s snide comment was cut short by Endora’s hand, which was suddenly clamped firmly over his mouth. “Mrrmmmph mmmff rrrrphmmph!” he complained, but to no avail. The muscular paladin was determined to prevent the pint sized troublemaker from rekindling the fury of Gann Tolar.
Tonan started off towards the Inn of the Welcome Wench with Thor at his side. “Good night, everyone. I’ve had enough of this place for one day. I hope the morning will find you all well.”
The others started to follow the tired ranger when Elmo suddenly reappeared. “Hold,” he said firmly, but rather dejectedly. Gone were the angry creases on his brow, and the redness in his cheeks. The captain bore a careworn expression on his face, and he hung his head low as he approached the party. Placing a hand on Gann’s shoulder, Elmo shook his head. “I’m sorry for my harsh words of a moment ago. Can you forgive me?”
The heroes looked at each other, not exactly sure how to react. Gann did not move or speak, but he stared at the older man’s hand as if it were a foul thing. The righteous cleric scowled at this man who, just moments before, was boldly preaching justice and order, and who was now publicly displaying his weakness and lack of conviction. “Pathetic,” he thought to himself.
“You see,” explained the warrior, “I know what it is that you are up against, and I fear it is beyond any of you. I spoke with anger in the hopes of driving you away that I might protect you. The simple truth, however, is one that is difficult to admit.” Elmo swallowed hard and stared into the eyes of each of the heroes, in turn. “I need you.”
“What are you talking about?” balked Gann. “I thought Elmo and Burne’s mighty Badgers had everything well under control, and vigilantes like us were not welcome?”
An authoritative tone swiftly returned to Elmo’s voice. “In more peaceful times, those words hold true, cleric of St. Cuthbert. And don’t ye forget that. But these aren’t peaceful times, I’m afraid. It seems Fate has let loose the dogs of war upon poor Hommlet once again. I have my hands full with this festival, and the increased population that comes with it. I can’t spare any men to go gallivanting off to the moathouse to cleanse it of the possible threat of evil.”
“Indeed,” announced Tas importantly. “Not just one evil force threatens you here. At least two factions have joined forces against you! For them, the battle has already begun, and Hommlet has been caught unaware.”
Everyone stared at the halfling. Endora, in particular, had never heard such serious (and ominous) words issue forth from the rogue’s typically bitter and sarcastic mouth.
Tas shrugged, looking pleased with himself. “So,” he continued with a wry grin. “I got this off an evil guy I killed in the mill while St. Cuthbert here was playing merry-go-round with the druid. What do you make of it?” The halfling extended his arm to Elmo and presented him with an amulet, carved from pitch-black soapstone into the shape of an inverted ziggurat. As the captain of the militia took the pendant, his face paled visibly… and Gann’s face reddened alarmingly.
“By the gods,” muttered Elmo. “It is worse than I have feared.”
The tiefling prisoner cackled and spat blood at the sight of the pendant. Her eyes rolled in her head, and she hissed through bloodstained teeth. The companions tensed and put their hands on their weapons, but the manacles held tight. The evil wizard grinned and writhed in horrid ecstasy at their alarmed expressions.
Elmo handed the amulet back to Tas. “When the forces of the Temple of Elemental Evil rose against Hommlet fifteen years ago, it was almost more than we could handle. Many good men…” the warrior paused as he relived a painful memory, “…very good men and women died in the fight to drive them back. At that time, our enemy was a fanatical cult of lunatics, hell bent on unleashing their deity upon the lands of Greyhawk. As you can see, my friends, the cult has returned… and it seems that they have come back with a thing much more foul in their midst than our humble militia is prepared to defend against. More than a decade ago, we fought an army of crazy men and beasts. I fear that this time we are fighting an evil, and quite insane deity of the lower planes. Our enemy is a god.”
