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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
JollyDoc's Shackled City
- Thread starter JollyDoc
- Start date
Joachim
First Post
RANDOM ENCOUNTER ROAD
Takarit was growing impatient. His quarry had been in the Cathedral through an entire day and night. Dawn was now rising. The demon fumed at the notion that they might have already been killed by the creatures residing in the church. No matter. Takarit could wait some more. He was immortal, after all.
With a creak and a groan, the front doors to the church parted open, and to Takarit’s delight, the group of adventurers passed through the portal. The hezrou observed their exodus from several hundred yards away, but despite the distance his keen vision allowed him to observe every detail. The hezrou could hardly contain his glee.
As the demon watched, the party began moving from the Cathedral to the southwest. The demon knew well where that path would take them. Takarit knew the perfect spot for an ambush. Willing himself to appear at the new location, the hezrou disappeared with a flash.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Bright Axes followed the light of the silver lantern. It led them down a long road to the southwest. When asked, Kauraphon responded that he did not know exactly where they were going, so they could not simply use Jules’ ability to teleport there.
The group’s travels took them out of the blasted plain near the Cathedral of Feathers and into what was once a beautiful celestial city. The once magnificent marble structures had been reduced into crumbling remnants, a shadow of their formal glory.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The hezrou, crouching on the second story of a building overlooking a large square, heard his prey approach. Takarit mused, ‘There will be no use of Blasphemy this time…I will make sure that they die, not merely be banished to their home plane.’
Takarit had selected this vantage point because the large square would create a killing field from which the humanoids would be incapable of escaping from. The hezrou would pelt them with spells, and when they were weakened sufficiently he would teleport to their location and finish the job with his claws and fangs. The hezrou exulted in his own brilliance.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Tilly and Grimm led the party into what had once been a park in the center of the decaying city. The park was now covered with thick vines and brambles, and the halfling and half-ogre had to carefully pick their path through both rubble and vegetation.
Just as they reached the center of the park, a thick cloud of inky blankness covered the party. The vapors, comprised of pure darke evil, struck at the souls of all of the Bright Axes. Kauraphon, due to his fiendish nature, was unharmed by the cloud. Tilly seemed to be affected the worst, and the halfling began to spit up gouts of bile.
Grimm peered around the square attempting to discern the location of his attacker or attackers. The half-ogre’s keen sense of hearing detected something in one of the buildings to the east, and he began to move quickly through the rubble towards the sound. The remainder of the group, still shocked by the attack, did not follow.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Takarit lips parted in a toothy grin. The group was already splitting up after just one spell. He would strike now. This would be as easy as killing babies in a barrel...
--------------------------------------------------------------
As Grimm hustled to the nearby structure, his path was suddenly halted by the arrival of another one of the large frog-demons. Grimm pondered that either these creatures all looked very similar, or this was the same demon that they had encountered previously. Either way, it was going to die.
The half-ogre spun his chain around. Instead of striking the creatures more vital parts, he snagged the demon around one of its meaty legs. Tugging with all of his might, Grimm attempted to topple the creature. To the half-ogre's chagrin the demon’s leg did not budge. Making matters worse, the hezrou pulled at the chain himself, and Grimm went sprawling.
The demon pounced on the half-ogre and began rending with its claws and fangs. Grimm’s blood began to flow over the ground, but the warrior was still conscious.
With a few arcane words and gestures, Caine completed a spell hastening the actions of his comrades. Tilly, having shaken off the sickening vapors from the Unholy Blight, charged ahead with magically enhanced speed. The halfling was unafraid of the creature, having realized long ago that he was nothing more than a walking corpse. Somersaulting past the demon, Tilly landed squarely behind the creature and drove his longsword into its hamstring.
The hezrou howled in agony. The little rat had actually hurt it!! Takarit swatted and the half-ogre as the warrior regained his feet, but the blow actually left the hezrou slightly off-balance.
Grimm made the most of his opportunity. His spiked chain whirled forward in a powerful arc and pierced the demon in the neck. Blood spurted freely from the wound, and the hezrou, now muted but still very much alive, gurgled in anger. At that moment, Wathros, Kauraphon, and Rusty all completed casting spells. The demon’s strength was decimated by Wathros column of fire, Kauraphon cone of freezing cold, and Rusty’s spray of diamond shards.
Fear overcame Takarit. This was not how it was supposed to happen. He had planned this perfectly. Now, he couldn’t even strike them with his Blasphemy, what with the half-ogre’s blow having severed his vocal cords. He had to flee. The demon stepped back and began to concentrate enough to teleport away from the combat.
The demon dropped his guard long enough for Tilly and Grimm to simultaneously take advantage. Tilly’s sword cut through the demon’s hide and neatly slid between two vertebrae, severing the hezrou’s spinal cord. Grimm, meanwhile, altered the spin of his chain such that it brought the spike directly through the top of the demon’s skull, piercing its brain.
The spark of life faded from Takarit’s eyes, his longing for death eternally sated.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The remainder of the road was long and fraught with danger, and each day seemed to bring a new creature from some twisted menagerie. Spectres, a golem, more babau, and slaadi attacked the party with the hopes of destroying the Bright Axes. All were destroyed in turn.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Bright Axes overlooked a massive valley. From a distance, the group could still note the presence of broken weapons, bleached bones, and other litter memorializing an ancient battlefield. The most unusual features noted were hundreds of large black blisters dotting the land. Vaguely humanoid silhouettes were visible inside the blisters.
Kauraphon, realizing where they were, nodded and spoke. “This is the Plain of Cysts. Here you can see Occipitus itself attempting to absorb these dead celestial creatures. You see, when a demon is slain on the Abyss, it is rapidly consumed and it its evil essence refuels the plane. However when a celestial is slain here, the holy essence slowly purifies the plane. Over time, with enough of the infused celestial essence, and Occipitus could return to its former state without the aid of a new sovereign.”
Kauraphon finished, with an unnerving grin, “Of course, that would require the death of thousands of celestials. Come. I feel that we have finally found the Test of Resolve.”
Caine shuddered. The very thought of the essence of these creatures being merged with this evil place was downright inimical to the ascetic. On the other hand, the half-fiend seemed to derive an immense amount of joy from the concept.
The party followed the light of the magical lantern. It led them to a path, fifteen feet wide, leading through the cysts. Proceeding slowly, the group moved forward. They were alone, but not for long.
From behind one of the cysts emerged a large thick-bodied reptilian creature. The beast had mauve-colored scales and eight legs. Rows of bony spines sprouted from its back, and its eyes radiated a strange green glow. Its gaze passed over the Bright Axes, and each in turn felt an unsettling feeling, but luckily no other negative effect. Caine, carrying the lantern, attempted to step off of the path and around the reptilian horror.
With a flash, the entire group disappeared, leaving the basilisk by itself.
---------------------------------------------------------
Each of the party members looked at the other in bewilderment. They had teleported back to the beginning of the maze of cysts. Their collective gaze all asked the same silent question: What had just happened, and why?
Caine cleared his throat. “It appears as if we must not stray from the path. Let us try our Resolve yet again, and this time no one leaves the trail.”
---------------------------------------------------------
Re-entering the maze, the Bright Axes’ path was blocked by a cyst, larger than the others. Inside the cyst, Tilly noted a large serpentine creature, and it was still twitching. Excitedly, the halfling pointed this fact out. Maybe they could save one of these celestial creatures! Quickly, Grimm burst the blister with a quick swing from his spiked chain, and scooped up the creature inside with his powerful arm. The creature appeared to be a twelve foot long snake with great feathered wings. As Grimm worked, the others simply watched.
With a flash of light, the group reappeared at the entrance to the maze.
----------------------------------------------------------
Rusty reached forward, laying a powerful curative spell on the celestial creature. The creature did not respond. Undeterred, Rusty continued using other spells from his repertoire, all to no avail. Finally, he attempted a spell whose use was to dispel permanent enchantments and transmutations. Finally, the serpentine celestial creature stirred.
Slowly, the couatl opened its eyes, and looked up weakly at his saviors. “Thank…you. Who…are you?”
Kneeling next to the outsider, Caine spoke. “My name is Caine, and these are my noble companions. We have come to this place with the hopes of passing Adimarchus’ test and returning Occipitus to the Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia. Is there anything that you can tell us about this place?”
Feebly, the couatl nodded. The creature, who claimed to be called Quetzl, began to speak about the history of Occipitus and its inhabitants, as well as its fall from Celestia and the onset of the war with the demonic hordes. The winged serpent finished his story with his telling of the battlefield around him, and how he fell in glorious combat against the fiends.
Quetzl rose up, and spoke again, “Your quest seems to be an honorable one. It is important enough that I would be honored if you would consider allowing me to join you.”
Caine nodded excitedly. “Your help would be most welcome in this foul place. We have enlisted the aid of other celestials in the past, but none so powerful as you.”
Quetzl smiled. “Before I join you, I must ask that you each allow me to detect if the taint of evil is upon you.” Manifesting a magical ability, the couatl examined each of the companions. Turning finally to Kauraphon, the serpent’s eyes grew large with anger as he noted the foul evil aura surrounding the half-fiend.
“YOU ARE FALSE!! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TRICK ME!!” Quickly the couatl took to the air, and summoned another of its magical abilities. Quetzl’s form became iridescent and the couatl vanished, returning to its home on Celestia.
Takarit was growing impatient. His quarry had been in the Cathedral through an entire day and night. Dawn was now rising. The demon fumed at the notion that they might have already been killed by the creatures residing in the church. No matter. Takarit could wait some more. He was immortal, after all.
With a creak and a groan, the front doors to the church parted open, and to Takarit’s delight, the group of adventurers passed through the portal. The hezrou observed their exodus from several hundred yards away, but despite the distance his keen vision allowed him to observe every detail. The hezrou could hardly contain his glee.
As the demon watched, the party began moving from the Cathedral to the southwest. The demon knew well where that path would take them. Takarit knew the perfect spot for an ambush. Willing himself to appear at the new location, the hezrou disappeared with a flash.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Bright Axes followed the light of the silver lantern. It led them down a long road to the southwest. When asked, Kauraphon responded that he did not know exactly where they were going, so they could not simply use Jules’ ability to teleport there.
The group’s travels took them out of the blasted plain near the Cathedral of Feathers and into what was once a beautiful celestial city. The once magnificent marble structures had been reduced into crumbling remnants, a shadow of their formal glory.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The hezrou, crouching on the second story of a building overlooking a large square, heard his prey approach. Takarit mused, ‘There will be no use of Blasphemy this time…I will make sure that they die, not merely be banished to their home plane.’
Takarit had selected this vantage point because the large square would create a killing field from which the humanoids would be incapable of escaping from. The hezrou would pelt them with spells, and when they were weakened sufficiently he would teleport to their location and finish the job with his claws and fangs. The hezrou exulted in his own brilliance.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Tilly and Grimm led the party into what had once been a park in the center of the decaying city. The park was now covered with thick vines and brambles, and the halfling and half-ogre had to carefully pick their path through both rubble and vegetation.
Just as they reached the center of the park, a thick cloud of inky blankness covered the party. The vapors, comprised of pure darke evil, struck at the souls of all of the Bright Axes. Kauraphon, due to his fiendish nature, was unharmed by the cloud. Tilly seemed to be affected the worst, and the halfling began to spit up gouts of bile.
Grimm peered around the square attempting to discern the location of his attacker or attackers. The half-ogre’s keen sense of hearing detected something in one of the buildings to the east, and he began to move quickly through the rubble towards the sound. The remainder of the group, still shocked by the attack, did not follow.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Takarit lips parted in a toothy grin. The group was already splitting up after just one spell. He would strike now. This would be as easy as killing babies in a barrel...
--------------------------------------------------------------
As Grimm hustled to the nearby structure, his path was suddenly halted by the arrival of another one of the large frog-demons. Grimm pondered that either these creatures all looked very similar, or this was the same demon that they had encountered previously. Either way, it was going to die.
The half-ogre spun his chain around. Instead of striking the creatures more vital parts, he snagged the demon around one of its meaty legs. Tugging with all of his might, Grimm attempted to topple the creature. To the half-ogre's chagrin the demon’s leg did not budge. Making matters worse, the hezrou pulled at the chain himself, and Grimm went sprawling.
The demon pounced on the half-ogre and began rending with its claws and fangs. Grimm’s blood began to flow over the ground, but the warrior was still conscious.
With a few arcane words and gestures, Caine completed a spell hastening the actions of his comrades. Tilly, having shaken off the sickening vapors from the Unholy Blight, charged ahead with magically enhanced speed. The halfling was unafraid of the creature, having realized long ago that he was nothing more than a walking corpse. Somersaulting past the demon, Tilly landed squarely behind the creature and drove his longsword into its hamstring.
The hezrou howled in agony. The little rat had actually hurt it!! Takarit swatted and the half-ogre as the warrior regained his feet, but the blow actually left the hezrou slightly off-balance.
Grimm made the most of his opportunity. His spiked chain whirled forward in a powerful arc and pierced the demon in the neck. Blood spurted freely from the wound, and the hezrou, now muted but still very much alive, gurgled in anger. At that moment, Wathros, Kauraphon, and Rusty all completed casting spells. The demon’s strength was decimated by Wathros column of fire, Kauraphon cone of freezing cold, and Rusty’s spray of diamond shards.
Fear overcame Takarit. This was not how it was supposed to happen. He had planned this perfectly. Now, he couldn’t even strike them with his Blasphemy, what with the half-ogre’s blow having severed his vocal cords. He had to flee. The demon stepped back and began to concentrate enough to teleport away from the combat.
The demon dropped his guard long enough for Tilly and Grimm to simultaneously take advantage. Tilly’s sword cut through the demon’s hide and neatly slid between two vertebrae, severing the hezrou’s spinal cord. Grimm, meanwhile, altered the spin of his chain such that it brought the spike directly through the top of the demon’s skull, piercing its brain.
The spark of life faded from Takarit’s eyes, his longing for death eternally sated.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The remainder of the road was long and fraught with danger, and each day seemed to bring a new creature from some twisted menagerie. Spectres, a golem, more babau, and slaadi attacked the party with the hopes of destroying the Bright Axes. All were destroyed in turn.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Bright Axes overlooked a massive valley. From a distance, the group could still note the presence of broken weapons, bleached bones, and other litter memorializing an ancient battlefield. The most unusual features noted were hundreds of large black blisters dotting the land. Vaguely humanoid silhouettes were visible inside the blisters.
Kauraphon, realizing where they were, nodded and spoke. “This is the Plain of Cysts. Here you can see Occipitus itself attempting to absorb these dead celestial creatures. You see, when a demon is slain on the Abyss, it is rapidly consumed and it its evil essence refuels the plane. However when a celestial is slain here, the holy essence slowly purifies the plane. Over time, with enough of the infused celestial essence, and Occipitus could return to its former state without the aid of a new sovereign.”
Kauraphon finished, with an unnerving grin, “Of course, that would require the death of thousands of celestials. Come. I feel that we have finally found the Test of Resolve.”
Caine shuddered. The very thought of the essence of these creatures being merged with this evil place was downright inimical to the ascetic. On the other hand, the half-fiend seemed to derive an immense amount of joy from the concept.
The party followed the light of the magical lantern. It led them to a path, fifteen feet wide, leading through the cysts. Proceeding slowly, the group moved forward. They were alone, but not for long.
From behind one of the cysts emerged a large thick-bodied reptilian creature. The beast had mauve-colored scales and eight legs. Rows of bony spines sprouted from its back, and its eyes radiated a strange green glow. Its gaze passed over the Bright Axes, and each in turn felt an unsettling feeling, but luckily no other negative effect. Caine, carrying the lantern, attempted to step off of the path and around the reptilian horror.
With a flash, the entire group disappeared, leaving the basilisk by itself.
---------------------------------------------------------
Each of the party members looked at the other in bewilderment. They had teleported back to the beginning of the maze of cysts. Their collective gaze all asked the same silent question: What had just happened, and why?
Caine cleared his throat. “It appears as if we must not stray from the path. Let us try our Resolve yet again, and this time no one leaves the trail.”
---------------------------------------------------------
Re-entering the maze, the Bright Axes’ path was blocked by a cyst, larger than the others. Inside the cyst, Tilly noted a large serpentine creature, and it was still twitching. Excitedly, the halfling pointed this fact out. Maybe they could save one of these celestial creatures! Quickly, Grimm burst the blister with a quick swing from his spiked chain, and scooped up the creature inside with his powerful arm. The creature appeared to be a twelve foot long snake with great feathered wings. As Grimm worked, the others simply watched.
With a flash of light, the group reappeared at the entrance to the maze.
----------------------------------------------------------
Rusty reached forward, laying a powerful curative spell on the celestial creature. The creature did not respond. Undeterred, Rusty continued using other spells from his repertoire, all to no avail. Finally, he attempted a spell whose use was to dispel permanent enchantments and transmutations. Finally, the serpentine celestial creature stirred.
Slowly, the couatl opened its eyes, and looked up weakly at his saviors. “Thank…you. Who…are you?”
Kneeling next to the outsider, Caine spoke. “My name is Caine, and these are my noble companions. We have come to this place with the hopes of passing Adimarchus’ test and returning Occipitus to the Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia. Is there anything that you can tell us about this place?”
Feebly, the couatl nodded. The creature, who claimed to be called Quetzl, began to speak about the history of Occipitus and its inhabitants, as well as its fall from Celestia and the onset of the war with the demonic hordes. The winged serpent finished his story with his telling of the battlefield around him, and how he fell in glorious combat against the fiends.
Quetzl rose up, and spoke again, “Your quest seems to be an honorable one. It is important enough that I would be honored if you would consider allowing me to join you.”
Caine nodded excitedly. “Your help would be most welcome in this foul place. We have enlisted the aid of other celestials in the past, but none so powerful as you.”
Quetzl smiled. “Before I join you, I must ask that you each allow me to detect if the taint of evil is upon you.” Manifesting a magical ability, the couatl examined each of the companions. Turning finally to Kauraphon, the serpent’s eyes grew large with anger as he noted the foul evil aura surrounding the half-fiend.
“YOU ARE FALSE!! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TRICK ME!!” Quickly the couatl took to the air, and summoned another of its magical abilities. Quetzl’s form became iridescent and the couatl vanished, returning to its home on Celestia.
Ghostknight
First Post
Lela said:
Fiendish giant sharks menacing Tokyo harbour?
Neverwinter Knight
First Post
Nice update Joachim! It's too bad that Kauraphon did not have the chance to explain the evil aura of his heritage to the couatl as he did to the party at the beginning of this adventure. ![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
The couatl would have made a nice addition to the party!
The couatl would have made a nice addition to the party!Yeah, I just thought you have to survive the "linker" adventure for it to deserve that name...JollyDoc said:
Last edited:
Tell me about it! Talk about a wasted DC 40 Diplomacy check, sheesh!Neverwinter Knight said:Nice update Joachim! It's too bad that Kauraphon did not have the chance to explain the evil aura of his heritage to the couatl as he did to the party at the beginning of this adventure.
PugioilAudacio
First Post
I wonder, was the coutl's departure in the module or did JollyDoc add it in? The reason I ask this, is that our DM says that there is no evil aura around the half-fiend (I know, it says that even though they're good they still detect as evil - he doesn't say that though).
Anyway, great update!
Anyway, great update!
PugioilAudacio, I think your DM is taking major liberties with this module. Kaurophon radiating evil is a central premise to this module as written.
Even if an formerly-evil Outsider changes his alignement to good or netural, his subtype still remains [Evil]. Therefore he is still immune to blasphemy and unholy blight and vulnerable to holy word and holy smite.
BTW, I have great news for the readers! JollyDoc should be able to post two more updates in rapid succession since they were waiting in his hard drive until Joachim posted his.
Then we need a single update to finish the module . . .
Even if an formerly-evil Outsider changes his alignement to good or netural, his subtype still remains [Evil]. Therefore he is still immune to blasphemy and unholy blight and vulnerable to holy word and holy smite.
BTW, I have great news for the readers! JollyDoc should be able to post two more updates in rapid succession since they were waiting in his hard drive until Joachim posted his.
Then we need a single update to finish the module . . .
PugioilAudacio
First Post
gfunk said:
I agree, I've been hinting about this but he hasn't realized this. ("Are you sure he detects as good? I'm pretty sure half-fiends always detect evil regardless of alignment?" etc.)
Yay, I was hoping you would say that
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