Droid101's Story Hour, "Of Gods and Devils" Updated 10/12!

[Droid101]

Swirling colorful mist.

“Hello?” Eltharion calls out. No echo.

“I’m here, where’s Grog and Balophan?” Bink calls out. He is close.

“I’m here,” Grog responds, also nearby.

“Here too,” Balophan says, the voice coming from a few feet away.

They find each other, and stay within a pace as they walk. The colored mists fade, and they are soon enveloped in absolute darkness. The air is wet and cool. Eltharion pulls out his Sun-sickle, hoping to light up the area.

The light only helps them see a dense fog, which inhibits their vision to about six inches from their face.

“What is this place?” Eltharion asks.

“I’m not sure. Something doesn’t feel right,” Bink responds.

The ground feels uneven, and almost spongy. Eltharion leans over and tries to feel what the ground is made of, but the “soil” dissolves into mist before he can bring it close enough to inspect.

They continue to walk blindly into the mists for about ten minutes, when a figure materializes before them. It is a creature shrouded in dark tattered robes, carrying a huge and wicked looking scythe. Its face is hidden deep within the shadows of its hood.

“You are not welcome here. Return whence you came,” a deep and hollow voice calls out to them.

The Heroes look at each other, shrug, turn around and start walking back the way they came.

“Anything you say, sir,” Bink quips.

After another five minutes, the same figure appears in front of them.

“You are not welcome here. You must go hence!” the cold voice says.

Puzzled, the Heroes reverse course once again.

“Okay…” Eltharion raises a confused eyebrow.

Another three minutes pass. Once again, the figure appears.

“You must leave this place at once, or perish!”

“Fine!” Bink yells as they turn around once again.

After a minute, the figure re-appears.

“You were warned. Pay the price.”

Three more identical figures appear, and immediately attack each of the Heroes.

All four of them swing their semi-corporeal scythes down in harmony. Grog and Bink take a nasty gash a piece. Balophan and Eltharion are able to dodge.

The Heroes counter. Eltharion spins and slashes into the reaper with his Moon- and sylvan scimitars. Two of his cuts pass through the thing harmlessly. However, the other four do not. His magical blades pull the reaper fully into corporeality, and cut into it deeply. The thing bursts into a flock of ravens that scatter harmlessly. Eltharion’s mouth forms a wicked smile.

Grog is even more successful. Two powerful overhead chops of his slightly oversized katana (being a goblin and all) turns the reaper into the harmless ravens.

Balophan’s blades pass directly through his reaper, however, and he takes a wicked bladed scythe to the chest.

Bink jumps back and fires off a volley of magic missiles, which momentarily cross the corporeal boundry, and strike the undead beast.

Grog runs to Bink to help, and slashes the reaper, destroying it. Eltharion does the same for Balophan, and after some precise cuts, the final reaper bursts into a flock of ravens.

As these last ravens fly up into the mist and out of sight, the mist starts to fade. The Heroes discover that they are at the end of a blind alley in a seemingly unfamiliar city. The only light around is emanating from a crystalline, skull-shaped lamp mounted on a wall brackt about ten feet high, at the entrance to the alley. A cold breeze wafts around them, and they can hear the distant roaring of wind moaning far overhead.

The walls are smooth and off-white in color. A row of second floor windows can be seen above, black and lightless. As they look up, it feels like they are in a canyon; the buildings shoot up over ninety feet, with rushing black clouds overhead.

The rough cobblestones at their feet are strewn with small bits of bone, scraps of paper, broken glass, dead rats, shattered pottery, garbage and other waste. The stench of rotting meat wafts up from a nearby sewage grate.

A terrible feeling jolts each Hero. Like the feeling of being trapped, being all alone, and being powerless, all rolled into one.

“I don’t like it here…” Grog says, still gripping his katana.

“Well, I thought I smelled something foul down this way. Who knew it was the pathetic cretins who knocked me through the portal by accident,” a rough, deep voice calls from the open end of the alley. A half-ogre steps in and leans on a long spear. Several full-size ogres begin to filter past him into the alley. “I though Iuz was crazy to post us here and wait for you to come through. No way did I think anyone would actually make it. Damn you for making me doubt my God.”

Eight ogres charge the Heroes. The half-ogre takes off, running away from the ensuing battle.

Grog and Balophan charge at the ogres, meeting them head-on. Eltharion casts barkskin and follows suit. Bink starts pelting the ogres with magic missiles. Using the corridor to nullify the ogre’s numbers, the Heroes whittle them away. The Heroes surround the final ogre, and Bink’s presence brings the ogre to his knees.

“Don kill me please!” the ogre begs.

“Then tell us everything you know about this place,” Bink responds, his voice loud and resolute.

“What you want know?” the ogre snivels.

“Everything. Where is Iuz? Why were you here? What is Iuz going to do to Vecna? Where are we? Everything,” Bink lists.

“Okay, okay. Iuz been here for three days now, I think. Iuz send lotsa guys here from other portals, too. Iuz going to big tower,” the ogre points, and the Heroes can see four sleek black towers, and one shockingly high one that rises far above the others. “He gonna eat Vecna.”

“He came here to eat him?” Eltharion chuckles.

“Iuz say that even if he can’t eat Vecna, if he got a ‘magic eye’ or ‘magic hand’ plus da ‘special sword’ dey can kill Vecna. He goin to da tower right now. He leave three specially strong groupsa ogres back to stop people like yous,” the ogre grins slightly.

“Shut up. That’s enough. Stay in this alley and count to 200. When you get to 200, you may leave. If you leave before that, you will die,” Bink says coldly, and the Heroes leave the alley and head for the towers.

Will Iuz kill Vecna and absorb his power? Can the Heroes stop him? Which is the lesser of two evils? Find out the answers, next update!

 

[Droid101]

Interlude the Third…

Dendybar stabs the gnoll in the back with his wicked dagger. The gnoll falls to its knees, calling out, but no sound comes from its lips. The dagger was impaled too deep, too perfect. The gnoll slumped to the ground.

“That damned half-dwarf abomination will never know what hit him…” Dendybar cast alter self and made himself look as much like the gnoll as he could. “Frole Ganthus… I think I can pull it off.”

………

Ragnar signed in at the Adventurer’s Guildhall.

“Hello, my name is Ragnar. I’ve come looking for Frole Ganthus, the famed weaponmaster,” Ragnar says to the man behind the counter, wearing brightly colored clothes.

“I’m Basil Evans. Frole Ganthus, I’ll let him know you’re here. You know he’s a gnoll, right?” the fop responds.

“No, actually, I didn’t. But that doesn’t matter. I’m here to learn,” Ragnar says.

“Just wait here for a minute, I’ll go get him.”

 

[Droid101]

Two raggedly dressed men make their way across the street. A troupe of animated skeletons comes marching toward them, and they run to cower in an alley. The shadows of the alley almost seem alive, which causes the men to run off in another random direction.

“Fascinating…” Bink says. “The undead and the people live here together.”

“Sort of. The humans are basically slaves,” Eltharion adds.

The Heroes continue toward the towers. A bleak and deathly feeling permeates the group. Skeletons, zombies, incorporeal ghosts, and other such undead creatures make their way through the city. They mostly ignore the Heroes, who stay close to walls and out of the way.

Around another bend a pale cultist wearing Vecna robes is calling out praises to his God.

“You there! You! You are new to the Citadel Cavitius! Come, and hear about the greatness that is Vecna!” the robed man calls out to the Heroes.

“Um… just ignore him…” Bink says as they continue to walk past.

“Confess your sins and become Vecna’s faithful! Your life in Cavitius depends on it!”

The Heroes keep walking.

“Oh Gods, you’ve come! You’ve come!!” A young woman comes running from the alley nearby. She is raggedly dressed and looks very pale and gaunt. She is practially laughing and sobbing at the same time. “I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for you to come, and now you’re here. I saw you in my dreams. You never came but finally now you’ve come to rescue me. To complete your quest and to rescue me. Please don’t die while you complete your quest because you have to rescue me from this terrible place…”

“Okay, okay, calm down, just come with us, we’ll keep you safe,” Bink rolls his eyes.

“Just don’t get in the way,” Eltharion adds.

“Okay, I’ll follow you. Please rescue me… please…” she rambles on, as they continue walking.

They round another bend. The press of living and dead citizens is particularly tight as they make their way through a section of streets that seem to wind like a snake.

Suddenly, the street explodes in fire.

The Heroes are able to duck out of the way, but still take some slight burns.

The smell of burning flesh and the screams of dying people fill the alley. Dozens of victims, both living and undead, lay twitching on the ground as their last moments flee from them in a fit of fire and pain. Through the thick black smoke, two figures approach. One is a huge, seven foot tall man with a thick beard and large bastard sword. The other is a smallish, very thin man. Both are wearing plate mail inscribed with the grinning skull – Iuz’s symbol.

“Well well well,” the bearded giant starts, drawing his bastard sword. “Looks like Kher’s puny spell didn’t get ‘em. Seems like it killed everyone but them. Good. I like a little skirmish in the morning”

The huge man charges forward, slashing down and slicing Eltharion on the arm. Grog and Balophan surround him. The smaller man stays back and casts a spell, but to no effect.

A larger group of Iuz mercenaries stand on the edge of the devastation, looking on. About 10 orcs can be seen, along with a man in glittering chainmail, and an half-elf wearing dark robes. They don’t make any moves; only watching.

Bink flies up and fires a lightning bolt at the spellcaster, shocking his brain and killing him instantly.

“Woah,” Bink looks at his hands.

Eltharion, Grog and Balophan have a little trouble with the large human, however. Most of their attacks go glancing off his armor, and he hacks into them liberally.

Grog gets a lucky strike in, bringing the man to his knees. Eltharion finishes him off with a lethal six-hit combo from his Sun-sickle and Moon-scimitar.

The orcs standing away from them charge in at this point. The half-elf fires off four magic missiles and takes off with the man in sparkling chainmail. The missiles pelt into Grog hard.

“I’ll follow them!” Bink says.

“No, let them go,” Eltharion responds as he engages the Iuz following orcs.

A fireball and six seconds of melee later, and the orcs are downed. The street is littered with close to 40 bodies. The Heroes look around and see the crazy girl. She’s charred practically beyond all recognition.

“Guess we couldn’t rescue her…” Eltharion shakes his head, and the Heroes move on toward the towers.

The cramped street opens up into a wide plaza. Five gallows stand upon the ground in front of a huge palace. Five towers spring from the top of the huge palace. Four of them are bone white, like all the other buildings in the city. The middle one, however, is a deep black spire that pierces the sky. It reached up farther than any tower the Heroes have ever seen.

“That’s quite a large tower…” Eltharion trails off as he tilts his head back to see the whole thing.

As they approach, they see that the five gallows each have five nooses, and five pikes with human heads on them. There are several people hanging from the gallows; their bodies impaled on spikes that are below, several of them are howling in pain, still very much alive. Bink stops a human citizen who is running away from the palace.

“What crime did these people commit?” Bink asks.

“They violated Vecna’s laws,” the man answers with a blank expression, and he moves on.

The Heroes walk around the gallows and their animated skeleton guards. They walk right up to the palace doors. Eltharion pushes them open. A grand hall lies beyond.

“Well, that was easy…” Eltharion says.

Can the Heroes navigate the palace successfully? What horrors await them? Is there any way out of the plane of Ravenloft? Find out more, next time!

 

[Droid101]

The grand hall is a circular room with a ceiling that soars up five stories. From it hangs four intricate chandeliers, each casting a greenish-yellow jaundiced glow over the room. The ground is covered in polished flagstones, each the size of a coffin. A huge staircase leads from the middle of the room up to the fifth story. A throne surrounded by spider webs sits on the floor between two 20-foot tall cloaked skeletons, holding equally huge bastard swords.

“Watch out, they’ll probably animate…” Bink says warily, his hand on his spell components.

Eltharion feels brave. He walks right up to the ornate throne and sits down. A sudden rush of images and emotions that no mortal can describe thunder through his mind. He gets out of the throne, his head throbbing slightly.

“Ouch…” Eltharion mumbles as they head toward the staircase.

As they ascend the huge staircase, they hear heavy footsteps moving toward them from inside the doors at the top. A hideous creature comes into view.

The thing is seven feet tall, and an amalgamation of hands. Wearing black robes, the Heroes can see the thing’s face and hands are actually dozens of smaller hands sewn together. Its feet are even large, gauntleted giant hands. The Heroes grab their weapons.

I mean you no harm, strangers in the house of Vecna, the thing communicates telepathically. Its “voice” sounds like a raspy whisper accompanied by the sound of the golem snapping its many fingers at random.

“And, we mean you no harm,” Bink replies out loud.

You have come here in search of the other trespassers, and I am here to take you to their leader, the Hand says in their minds.

“No, we came for V…” Balophan starts, but Bink hits him in the stomach.

“Yes, yes we have,” Bink responds to the Hand.

This trespasser poses a threat to my master, the Whispered One, and I want you to eliminate him, the Hand’s “voice” is soothing.

“What is going to happen?” Eltharion asks.

It is in your best interested to defeat Iuz. If he is successful, the first thing he will do is destroy Citadel Cavitius, and all its inhabitants. That includes you. Using my master’s power, the Old One will add your life to his own, becoming so m ighty that he will ascend to full God-hood, the Hand responds. Quickly, follow me, we will properly arm you from the armory, and then stop the Old One from destroying our beloved Vecna.

And so the Heroes are led quite quickly through the palace. They ascend to the top of the huge staircase, and pass into a hallway with many doors. The Hand leads them quickly down yet another hallway with many more doors. Finally, the Hand opens a door made of red and black marble, and they head into a room.

Evil energy pours onto the Heroes, each of them gritting their teeth. The ground in the room is carved to look like writing humans and snakes intertwined. It makes it slightly difficult to walk.

Inside, there are nine wall panels, each with an intricate scene carved into it. They seem to tell the story of Vecna’s ascension. It starts with a young Vecna gaining power. It goes on to show his ascension, war, and then imprisonment in the Citadel. The seventh panel, in the process of being carved by invisible artisans, shows Iuz stabbing Vecna with a wickedly serrated blade.

“Looks like Iuz wins… that’s bad,” Eltharion says.

The final two wall panels are blank.

The Hand leads them to the back wall, and after a moment of concentration, it slides open, revealing what looks like an evil church.

The walls and floor are black marble, inlaid with red veins. Black pews stand in neat rows, and an altar and spiral staircase are at the front of the chamber. The room is dimly lit, so Eltharion pulls out his Sun-sickle to light it up.

Several banners bearing Vecna’s eye-in-hand symbol adorn the walls. The Hand heads straight for the stairs, hardly stopping. The Heroes keep pace.

The staircase is made of a harder black marble than any of the Heroes have ever encountered before. The walls of the claustrophobic stairwell are carved with images of naked humans and demihumans being stabbed by various instruments, along with being crushed by snakes. Even the steps themselves are each a naked humanoid in a different state of torture.

The Hand leads them up to a smooth marble door, and concentrates. The door opens, and the Hand motions to another door in the new hallway.

Go into that room and talk to the Eye. He is knowledgable, and may be able to help you defeat Iuz, the Hand states, and stays in the stairwell.

The Heroes go into the room, and see hundreds of mirrors all over the walls. On the opposite side of the chamber, a black-cloak clad golem stands, however, this one is made out of many eyes. All the eyes dart to the Heroes.

What do you want here? The Eye communicates telepathically.

“The Hand sent us to find out how to defeat Iuz,” Bink says.

I know nothing, leave this place now, the Eye curiously responds, and turns away from the Heroes, sitting back down.

The Heroes go back to the Hand and are led up another set of stairs. The Hand opens yet another door, and points out into the hall.

Arm yourselves quickly, we must get to our lord Vecna! And the Hand remains motionless in the inky black spiral stairwell. The Heroes run out into the hall and see three figures. One is the half-ogre who had insulted them when they fought the ogres when they first arrived in the Citadel. The other two are the ones who retreated from their battle with the orcs. They are arguing about the doorway they are standing in front of. They are all clearly injured from previous battle.

“We need another spell, just use it, and then we’ll be fine!” the human says to the half-elf.

“Well, look who we have here…” Eltharion chuckles, his hands on the hilts of his fine Sun- and Moon- blades. Grog growls at them menacingly. Bink snaps his fingers; his thumb lighting on fire. Balophan hovers over them, as well.

“We surrender…” the half-elf concedes.

“Good. Now leave the palace,” Bink states flatly.

“But, we might get killed on the…” the half-elf starts to argue.

“You might get killed right here. Go, now,” Bink reiterates. The three followers of Iuz don’t argue any more, and they leave.

Bink knocks the door, and they head in…

…and see the most vast collection of armaments they’ve ever witnessed. Bink shifts his vision to the magical spectrum, but has to switch back out, because he is practially blinded by all the magic radiating off the items therein.

“What a treasure trove…” Eltharion’s eyes quickly meet a set of woodlands-inspired items, including a staff, bow, scimitar, and several other trinkets.

Bink, Grog, and Balophan are similarly struck, and wander to items listlessly.

“It’s gonna take a bit more ‘n a bunch of googley eyed ‘eroes to defeat the likes of a God,” a voice (think Chutney Englishman) is heard from a dark corner of the treasure trove. A figure steps out. The thing is clearly undead. A once full head of curly red hair and thick beard is all but white and stringy now. His pale skin is pulled tight over his face. He wears dark black cloaks, and has two longswords sheathed at his sides.

“And I suppose you’re going to help us…” Bink’s eyes dart to Eltharion and Grog, then back to the undead creature.

“Perhaps. Perhaps I’ve got a bone to pick wit ‘em Gods. Perhaps I’m the one oo’s takin’ you along wit me,” the thing responds.

“So how can you help us?” Bink asks.

“ ‘ow rude of me! Name’s Bloodthorne. Pleased to make your acquaintance,” the undead creature offers a decayed hand. Bink shakes it tentatively. “Now den. You ‘ere to kill the Old One, or da Whispered One?”

“Hopefully both,” Eltharion puts in.

“I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout Iuz, really. ‘cept that I’m probly as old as ‘im,” this brings a throaty chuckle to Bloodthorne; the Heroes listen on with raised brows. “Vecna, ‘owever, is simple. ‘aint you ever ‘eard the tales? The traitor Kas, wielding the Sword of Kas, using the ‘and of Vecna, is able to defeat his former lord, sending him to this hell they call Ravenloft.”

“I think I have heard that,” Bink says.

“So, it’s simple. Find the relic, the ‘and of Vecna, put it on. Take this sword, the Sword of Kas, den cut Vecna. Simple as pie,” Bloodthorne says, tossing them a wickedly serrated blade that he picks up off a nearby table. The sword looks exactly like the ones depicted on two of the panels in the shrine they passed through. Both times it was stabbing Vecna (once by Kas, his traitor general, and once by Iuz, the Old One).

Bink catches the blade.

“Any volunteers?” Bink says a little sheepishly. He tosses the blade to Eltharion. Eltharion feels the weight, and then tosses it to Grog.

“Weighted like my katana…” Grog says reluctantly.

“I guess we have a winner.”

Will Grog put on the Hand of Vecna? Will a little goblin be the savior of mankind (again)? Will Bloodthorne betray them at first opportunity? Find out all this and more, next update!

 

[sandtiger]

WOW. I am amazed that these guys just waltz into places and proceed to try to kill gods or ascending folks. Man, their bravery/foolhardiness makes them legendary.

I really like the "extras" you have added. They are memorable and make the story alot more real. Most characters are three dimensional and have their own agenda. Very nice.

Also, their enemies aren't stupid. I was freaked to see Dendybar show up again. I guess he also had a clone?

I guess my confusion is mostly what are they trying to do? Just kill things which are "bad"? Don't let anyone ascend until one of them can? Wander around through dimensions and ages for the heck of it? I can tell they are overall enjoying what they are doing, so more power (heh, heh) to them.

Finally, I enjoyed immensely the interaction between "Neccy" and Eltharion. Hopefully we will see more of this.

Thanks for writing this.

Sandtiger

 

[Droid101]

WOW. I am amazed that these guys just waltz into places and proceed to try to kill gods or ascending folks. Man, their bravery/foolhardiness makes them legendary.

They have no fear. Even when I try to instill fear. It kinda makes me a little scared.

Also, their enemies aren't stupid. I was freaked to see Dendybar show up again. I guess he also had a clone?

Dendybar clone? No no. Are you talking about him showing up in "Interlude the Third?" That's not a clone. Everything that happens in the Interludes all happened in the past, before the Heroes' stuff.

I guess my confusion is mostly what are they trying to do? Just kill things which are "bad"? Don't let anyone ascend until one of them can? Wander around through dimensions and ages for the heck of it? I can tell they are overall enjoying what they are doing, so more power (heh, heh) to them.

Good question. Eltharion's goal is to become powerful enough to destroy Lloth (hah). Bink just wants teh Ultimate power. Whatever that is. Ogrim wants to make the dwarven nation proud of his actions. Everyone's goals are pretty vague, making it easy for them to go around and do whatever is right in front of them.

Finally, I enjoyed immensely the interaction between "Neccy" and Eltharion. Hopefully we will see more of this.

You will.

Thanks for writing this.

Sandtiger

You're welcome!!

 

[Droid101]

“It’ll only hurt for a second, Grog, I promise,” Bink says. Grog was tugging on Bink’s rainbow robe.

Eltharion brandished his Moon-scimitar in both hands. The blade was extra sharp, so it was chosen for the grisly deed.

“One, two, three!” the blade came down in a streak of greenish light. The instant Grog’s hand separated, Bink repeatedly cast cure moderate wounds to heal him up and dull the pain.

“Grrrrrrr…” Grog emitted a low growl, but hardly winced. He didn’t look at his now-missing hand.

“The little one took it like a man, I’d say,” Bloodthorne watched on.

Bink carefully took the mummified Hand of Vecna out of his sack, and placed it on Grog’s stump. Instantaneously, it fused to the arm and Grog’s eyes glossed over a little.

“How do you feel?” Balophan the centaur bent down to ask.

“I feel like you should shut up!” Grog exclaimed, grabbing the Sword of Kas.

“Sounds like a cocky God to me,” Eltharion quips.

“Don’t worry Grog, I’m keeping your hand magically preserved, and the minute we’re able to, we’ll replace it,” Bink says, putting Grog’s hand into a separate sack, casting a few cantrips.

“Let’s hurry it up, then. You coming, zombie? Stay out of my way,” Grog put bluntly, looking down at his now-mummified left hand, shaking his head.

“I’m ‘ardly a zombie, mate,” Bloodthorne chuckles anyway.

The Heroes head back to the black marble stairwell, and the Hand golem. He leads them all the way to the top of the stairs. At the top of the spiral staircase, another doorway is present. However, this one has its bone-white doors blasted off its hinges. The party rushes in, the Hand stays behind.

A large room lies inside. Scintillating colors seem to engulf the chamber, spinning wildly about the room like a powerful maelstrom. The room seems almost identical to the room when they entered the palace, throne and all. The walls are covered with murals displaying Vecna’s armies rampaging and massacring as they go.

Bodies of ogres and humans are scattered across the floors, along with shattered skeletons. Several ogres and humans are standing, transfixed at the spiraling colors. One Iuz mercenary seems aware, and turns to the Heroes.

“Stay out of this… or you will die!” the man hisses.

Beyond him, against the far wall, lies the throne. Standing on the steps leading up to it is a bent over old shriveled looking old man, with sweat beading on his forehead. He is swinging a blade back and forth through the colored energy (the blade looks identical to the one Grog is holding). His left eye is glowing a bright red, and the energy is surging toward the throne.

Upon the throne sits a robe clad decaying skeletal creature. He is missing his left eye and left hand. He is tracing arcane symbols in the air with his other hand, creating layer after layer of colored magical energy.

The Heroes stand transfixed by the swirling energies, watching Iuz slowly break through Vecna’s arcane defenses. Finally, Iuz slashes past the final arcane wall, and slashes his Sword of Kas into Vecna. A look of disbelief appears on Vecna’s skeletal visage…

…that turns into a wicked smile, as the blade shatters against his old bones.

Iuz, the Old One, can’t even muster a surprised gasp as he stares at the bladless hilt in his grasp. Vecna stands up.

“You were always feebleminded and weak, Iuz,” Vecna says, his voice sounding not like a single man, but rather like a thousand whispering voices speaking together. “You inherited your father’s intelligence, obviously. Now, you will pay the price for your arrogance and stupidity…”

Vecna places his right hand on Iuz’s balding head, and the Iuz bursts into flames. He screams mightily, but cannot move. The flames seem to be seeping directly into Vecna.

“NO!” the Iuz mercenary charges Vecna, and the other ogres still standing do so as well. Just as they start moving, all the dead ogre bodies shamble to their feet and interpose themselves between Iuz and his minions. Combat ensues.

Eltharion charges forward toward the nearest ogre, slashing into him. Bloodthorne floats a foot off the ground, and flies toward the same ogre, flanking him perfectly. Bloodthorne’s two longswords move with lightning quick precision, slicing deeply into the ogre’s kidneys, taking him down.

“Hey, not bad,” Eltharion remarks.

“And I thank you…” Bloodthorne bows low; only to take a pounding fist from another ogre.

Balophan pushes through and knocks a few ogres aside, trying to make a path for Grog to get through to Vecna. Grog jumps forward and pushes an ogre aside as well. Bink fires off a lightning bolt and singes several ogres and zombie ogres simultaneously.

“Oh, you’ll pay for that one, ‘ear me well,” Bloodthorne spins to face the ogre who hit him. “You limey, yellow bellied piece of filth that I scraped offa kobold!”

The ogre’s jaw drops; his rage building quickly. That hesitation cost him his life, and his head. Bloodthorne’s razor-sharp blades liberate him of those.

Balophan and Grog break through, and charge Vecna. Balophan grits his teeth and swings his longsword at him. The blade glances off his arm, as he is still absorbing Iuz.

“Spare me your pitiful attempts at resistance,” Vecna spits evilly, and everyone in the room falls to their knees, compulsed by powerful magic. Everyone except Grog.

Iuz’s body dissolves completely in that instant, and a few final wisps of flame spiral up into Vecna’s empty left eye socket. In a split second, Vecna’s bent and skeletal form changes into a tall dark haired man with handsome features. His eyes glow with an unholy red fire. He has a humorless grin on his face.

“You have lost, you have all lost…” he bellows.

“Think again,” Grog steps forward, his eyes go bloodshot, his small frame bulges and grows with rage. His pointy teeth grate against each other hard. He swings his Sword of Kas as hard as he possibly can…

…and Vecna stumbles backward from the immensely powerful blow. His right hand goes to a bleeding gash across his stomach, looking down at his lifeblood pouring from his body. His face grows dark, and he curses Grog in a language that nobody in the room understands, though his words make Grog tremble. Suddenly, the floor beneath Grog’s feet vanishes, and he plummets down into the inky blackness.

“NO!!!” Eltharion screams, forces himself up to his feet, and charges Vecna.

“I am done here. The Godlings who played at rulership here will trouble me no more. This reality will be destroyed in moments. It has always been my destiny to be the master of all that is or ever was. I shall undo all that has been, and become master of all that there shall be. You no longer concern me. We will not meet again,” Vecna’s voice is deep and commanding, and with it, the walls of the room seem to insubstantiate; turning into mist.

Eltharion can’t charge any more, because the ground is no longer there.

The Heroes and remaining ogres fall into a seemingly bottomless abyss.

Did Vecna win? Is this the end of my campaign? Did Bloodthorne really hurt the feelings of that poor ogre??? Find out this and more, if there is a next update!

 

[Droid101]

Meanwhile…

Ogrim traveled back home to the kingdom of Baron. After he passed the great Wall of Baron, many groups of tents could be seen. The dwarves have moved in.

Ogrim was given audience with king Baron and the king of the dwarves. The dwarves had agreed to help Baron bolster its defenses against a possible attack from the drow, in exchange for gaining a place of respite.

In the following days, Ogrim helped to defend against a dark elf scout they found trying to get past the Wall.

A few days later, Ogrim got a message in his head.

Return to Brunswick if possible. Mysterious disappearances. Need help!

Ogrim bade the dwarven king farewell, and said he would return as soon as possible to help keep the dwarves bolster defense.

Ogrim reached Brunswick castle a few days later.

On his way to the castle, he was attacked by a large metallic cat in an alleyway. After a tough battle, he was able to put the thing down.

“Moradin help Brunswick…” Ogrim grumbled.

Ogrim reached the castle, where he was greeted by Adlai.

“We have an emergency…” Adlai was almost frantic. His time serving as the king of Brunswick hasn’t served him well. Felix wasn’t much of a help, but he did what he could. “Okay, so I thought it would be a good idea to order some adamantium for some of our higher ranking soldiers. You know, in case the dark elves actually do venture out of the dwarven stronghold they took over, and come looking for a fight. I wanted our men to be prepared.

“However, the shipment never arrived. I ordered it from… well, from another plane. The Outlands. The city of Rigus, in particular. I need you to go there and perhaps find out what happened to the shipment.”

“I’d be glad to. So how do I get to this other plane?” Ogrim asks.

“Actually, we have a portal in the castle that leads to Sigil, which is on the plane of Outlands. From there, you should be able to find a portal to Rigus,” Adlai responds. “Ready to go?”

“Sure, but first, you should know that I ran into some big metallic cat inside the city walls, behind the big weapon store,” Ogrim responds.

“I’ll have someone look into it. Come with me,” Adlai leads Ogrim to the jail, and then through the secret passage that leads down into the Oubliette. They travel down the spiral staircase to the very bottom, and walk to the cell that is boarded off.

“Didn’t you say something terrible happened in that jail cell, and that’s why it was boarded off?” Ogrim inquires.

“Well, I had to say something,” Adlai pulls a few of the boards off. “It’s actually a contingency plan for the castle, if something were to go wrong. Just go through, and it leads you straight to Sigil. Ask around, and you should find a portal to Rigus. I would ask you for you haste. Thanks.”

“Of course,” Ogrim steps through, and is gone.

 

[Droid101]

Eltharion falls and lands on his head quite unceremoniously. He sits up and looks around. Bink, Balophan, and Bloodthorne are also nearby, looking around curiously.

Buildings with ostentatious metallic blades and stone spikes line a wide cobblestone boulevard. Sculpted faces and gargoyle-like figures perch over every door, pillar and rainspout. Fanciful iron grillwork covers many windows, and evil-looking vines sporting serrated leaves grow wild in the shadowed side streets. Despite the stranges designs, all the buildings are in good condition. Save a 200-foot wide swath of utter destruction that blasted through the heart of a block of buildings. The swath still glows with the residue of a massive power release. The path of destruction leads off into the city, in the direction of a distant pillar of smoke and fire.

“Don’t even tell me, I don’t want to look. I just want a drink…” Eltharion says dejectedly. Nobody argues, and they all head down a nearby street. “Where’s a bar? Hello? Nearest bar please…”

“Thataway,” a rough looking dwarf passerby answers.

The Heroes head straight in. Eltharion walks right up to the bar.

“Hard liquor, hardest you got. Give me the bottle,” Eltharion grabs the bottle and four glasses, taking them to a table Bink had picked out. Eltharion pours everyone a glass, and he downs his in one gulp without hesitation. He fills it again.

“I can’t believe Grog is… gone…” Bink says quietly.

“I told you not to say that…” Eltharion takes another drink.

“No you didn’t. Where are we?” Balophan looks around at the strange people in the bar, finally taking notice.

Every type of person imaginable is present. Dwarves, elves, humans; creatures seemingly made out of elements, people with horns, tails, scales, and just about anything else one could think of.

“What happened to my staff… and my amulet? Where’s all the stuff I got?” Bink curses. Nobody else has any of the items they got from Vecna’s armory, either.

“Where are we?” Balophan asks a nearby halfling.

“Are you daft? Yer in Sigil, the greatest city in the multiverse!” the halfling answers ecstatically.

“I heard of this place when I was in Limbo with Trek,” Bink says. “Supposed to be the center of the universe or something.”

“Who cares…” Eltharion drinks again.

“Remember how Grog always used to tug on my robe?” Bink chuckles.

“He was very strong, not even just for a goblin. I think he was stronger than I am. Quite brave too,” Balophan adds.

“ ‘e was willin’ to lose ‘is ‘and for yer cause. Something can be said for that kind of fool’ardiness,” Bloodthorne says.

“Remember when we first met him? He tried to attack us, and Ogrim threw his axe in the fire. He was so angry. And now he’s gone…” Eltharion’s mood lightens slightly, but after his statement he goes sour again, taking another swig.

Bink felt a tugging on his robe. His eyes lit up and he spun around…

…but it wasn’t Grog.

However, it was Ogrim.

“What in the world… why are you here?” Bink asks, shaking his friend’s hand.

“Adlai sent me to check on an adamantium shipment that went missing. I had to come through Sigil to get to Rigus. You all want to come?” Ogrim says.

“Sorry, end of the world pending. Get back to you later…” Eltharion drinks.

“Your timing is a might bad, I’d say. Vecna tore through this city and I’m sure we aint done with ‘em yet,” Bloodthorne says, as he was keenly listening to other patrons of the bar. “Name’s Bloodthorne. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“Ogrim Oakenshield. Vecna? End of the world? What’re ye about?” Ogrim asks curiously.

The Heroes relate everything that happened to them up until now, including the circle of stones and all the portals, the inner sanctum, the relics, the evil plane of Ravenloft, the tower, and Grog falling into the depths right before their eyes.

“That’s quite a tale…” Ogrim responds after soaking in the information.

“I guess we should go see what happened in the center of the city,” Bink says reluctantly.

“Not until I have another drink…” Eltharion gets a new bottle from the bartender, and pours everyone a glass. They all raise their glasses to the center of the table.

“To Grog.”

 

[Droid101]

Current levels/stats for the characters.

Eltharion Ulthuan - Elf Ranger 5 / Druid 5 / Ancestral Avenger 6. S18* D24* C10 I13 W14 Ch12.

Ogrim Oakenshield - Dwarf Fighter 8 / Cleric of Moradin 1 / Dwarven Defender 7. S18 D14 C22* I13 W15 Ch12.

Bink the Sorcerer - Human Sorcerer 7 / Wizard 2 / Eldritch Master 7. S15 D16* C16* I15 W14 Ch22*.

Grog of Grumbar - Goblin Barbarian 16. S20 D18* C16 I10 W16 Ch9.

Bloodthorne - Curst Human Rogue 10 / Urostifter 3. S18 D18 C0 I18 W16 Ch16.

Balophan - Centaur Ranger 11. S20 D18 C14 I13 W16 Ch15.