Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
pogre's Trailblazer Campaign - Update 2/20/2011
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="pogre" data-source="post: 5470376" data-attributes="member: 6588"><p><strong>Episode 11</strong></p><p></p><p>Episode 11</p><p></p><p>"Help, by the gods, please someone help!" a female voice rang out from the street. </p><p></p><p>Graxxus jumped up from the table in the Embassy Coaching Inn and grabbed his weapon. Wolfclaw, the Elven druid, was already sprinting across the common room floor. Goldie, the Dwarven templar, marched towards the door in Wolfclaw's wake. </p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher chugged his ale in a superhuman gulp and rose from his chair and grabbed his massive axe. </p><p></p><p>"Oh, not you too," Deadsmell muttered. </p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher looked at the former gravedigger expectantly and said, "Blut!"</p><p></p><p>"Blood, blood, blood, it's all about..." Deadsmell began to complain, but the Half-Orc had already left. Deadsmell watched with amusement as Skullcrusher vaulted over a couple of tables to overtake Goldie and catch up with Wolfclaw. The rogue took a sip of his frothy ale and reluctantly stood and took up his weapon. He walked towards the Inn door. </p><p></p><p>Deadsmell emerged from the inn into the bright sunlight. He saw a woman shielding two children poking a hideous beast with a long stick. The creature had blood red skin, yellowed incisors protruding from its snarling mouth, and a blackened scar on its forehead. The creature appeared ready to pounce on the woman and her children. </p><p></p><p>Graxxus bolted toward the beast smacking it hard with his weapon. Skullcrusher charged the creature and with a wide-arcing swing of his mighty axe cut the creature in twain. A wide spray of dark blood and entrails gouted from the creature's bisected torso. </p><p></p><p>"Well, that's taken care of - how about we head in for a drink?" Deadsmell suggested. </p><p></p><p>"It wears the remnants of peasant's clothes. What would transform a fellow into such a demon?" Graxxus wondered aloud. </p><p></p><p>"I would just like to point out this is none of our business and an extremely unprofitable expenditure of our efforts," Deadsmell said. </p><p>"It was some sort of demon! An unnatural creature of the Abyss!" Goldie stated. "I sensed the deep evil in the creature, and a greater pall of evil in the atmosphere."</p><p></p><p>"That's Skully," Deadsmell replied. "I keep telling him he needs to take a bath."</p><p></p><p>"Look at the scar on its forehead!" Graxxus exclaimed. "It bears the mark of the ancient demon Harakhan."</p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher began loping up the street. </p><p></p><p>"Where are you going?" Wolfclaw called after the Barbarian. </p><p></p><p>"Blut!" Skullcrusher called back. </p><p></p><p>"I hear a clash of arms!" Goldie announced and commenced trotting after the Half-orc. The rest of the group followed. </p><p></p><p>They came upon the combat quickly. Three town guards were in a desperate struggle against two beasts identical to the one Skullcrusher had just slain. A corpse lay to one side of the street in a pool of blood. </p><p></p><p>The adventurers charged in mass. The creatures held their ground, clawing out with blood encrusted talons. Two of the attacks tore at the flesh of Graxxus and Deadsmell. </p><p></p><p>Goldie quickly hamstrung one of the monsters and Graxxus smashed the fell creature's skull in. Skullcrusher swiped at the other creature with his huge axe, but it proved to be a glancing blow. Deadsmell, disgusted that he was out in the town fighting instead of at the Inn drinking, buried twin blades in the monster's back. As Deadsmell twisted the blades brutally, the creature tumbled lifeless to the street. </p><p></p><p>Although the wounds taken from the demons were not particularly deep, they continued to bleed profusely. Goldie went to both Graxxus and Deadsmell and performed the Healing Spirit Touch of Delgrod's Temple. The healing touch stopped the bleeding and Graxxus further healed their injuries with earnest supplications. Graxxus found in casting the divine spells he had overcome to a foul aura.</p><p></p><p>The amazed, wide-eyed town guards stood gaping at the group. Finally, one of the guards managed to softly say, “Thanks."</p><p></p><p>"What's happening?" Graxxus asked</p><p></p><p>"No idea," one of the guards began. "We just fought one of those creatures and next we know Sarge and Davis are transforming into these...these things!"</p><p></p><p>Goldie was looking over the guards' corpses. "Same marks on their foreheads," she noted. "Harakhan."</p><p></p><p>"What were you doing just before they spawned into these creatures?" Wolfclaw asked. </p><p></p><p>"Heading to man the gate," one of the guards replied. </p><p></p><p>"We had just got underway again since Sarge and Davis had healed a bit," another guard volunteered. </p><p></p><p>"Wait, the two that transformed had been wounded?" Wolfclaw asked. </p><p></p><p>"Yeah, in the fight with the first creature," the guard confirmed. </p><p></p><p>Graxxus and Deadsmell looked at each other. "You have a way to detect poison?" Graxxus asked Wolfclaw. </p><p></p><p>"Not now, if we rested..." the Druid replied.</p><p></p><p>"No time," Graxxus said. "You men head on towards the gate."</p><p></p><p>"Thanks to the Saints for our delivery and speed of the Blessed to your path," the guard replied. </p><p></p><p>"We saved your bacon, not the Saints, choirboy," Deadsmell replied. </p><p></p><p>"Speed of the Blessed to you brothers," Graxxus replied quickly in an attempt to gloss over Deadsmell's comment. </p><p></p><p>"Where now?" Goldie asked as the guards left.</p><p></p><p>"I'm not sure," Graxxus admitted. </p><p></p><p>"I know where we should go," Deadsmell volunteered, holding his fist to his mouth and tipping it like a tankard.</p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher's cocked his head to one side as though straining to hear something. The Half-orc sniffed the air and began moving. The group followed and then they heard the strange retching sound too. </p><p></p><p>A man was on all fours retching loudly and uncontrollably in the street. His back was arched unnaturally. His skin seemed to be boiling. He reared back with his chest up and roared at the sky. His clothes were torn and a wound wept blood from his forehead. He jumped up to two feet, while glaring at the party with baleful, glowing, red eyes. The creature clutched at something on his neck and ripped away, tossing it to the side of the street.</p><p></p><p>The creature rushed towards the adventurers and raked Skullcrusher with its filthy claws. The barbarian roared and swung his axe. The slicing blade severed the creature’s claw from its forearm. The demon paused for a moment to look at its stump that was gushing blood. Deadsmell took advantage of the creature’s lapse and drove a pair of blades home through its neck. The demon collapsed as its blood pumped wildly from the wounds. In a matter of seconds the creature ceased twitching on the ground.</p><p></p><p>Goldie found an amulet the creature had torn from its neck and tossed aside. “It is a holy symbol from the Temple of the Saints,” she announced.</p><p></p><p>“Let’s head there,” Graxxus suggested.</p><p></p><p>In their mad dash across Goldcreek to the temple the group fought off a number of small groups of demons. Some wore the remnants of clothes from laborers, merchants, and even fur trappers. </p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>The scene outside the Temple of the Saints was of twisted bodies, blood, and the largest group of the horrid demon creatures the group had yet seen. The creatures were feasting on flesh and entrails and occasionally drinking from an ornate cistern in the temple courtyard. A larger creature wearing a biretta and robes stood in the open, arched doorway of the temple laughing maniacally.</p><p></p><p>The group charged into this scene of horrifying debauchery catching the demons off guard. The combat was short, brutal, and bloody with the demons falling failing to significantly injure any of the adventurers. </p><p></p><p>The adventurers were hesitant to immediately enter the temple and began to look at the cistern in the courtyard instead. Water flowed into the cistern through a molded bas-relief carving on one end. This was fed by a concealed pipe that went into the ground. Skullcrusher began to dig to ascertain the direction the pipe led into the cistern. The rest of the group stood watch as the half-orc worked. The group fought off a pair of demons that stumbled into the temple courtyard and Skullcrusher was able to determine the pipe led into the temple.</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>The columned interior of the Temple of the Saints was hauntingly empty and peaceful. “I sense a great evil coming from the holy font,” Goldie announced. A smaller font was placed in front of a dais that supported a pulpit and three priest thrones. Goldie moved toward the font and invoked a pair of prayers to remove the evil from the font. “This is not working,” Goldie stated.</p><p></p><p>“What’s the problem?” Graxxus asked.</p><p></p><p>“The prayers affect the water and then it gets swept away by new water that is corrupted,” she replied. Looking over the font she continued, “I feel certain the font is fed by a spring and discharges to the pipes leading out to the courtyard cistern.”</p><p></p><p>“There’s a closed door back here,” Wolfclaw called out. Wolfclaw pulled back a tapestry to reveal the door behind the pulpit. Wolfclaw knocked hard on the door. “There’s no lock visible, I think it must be barred from the other side.”</p><p></p><p>“Fortunately, I brought a lock pick for just such a door,” Deadsmell said. “Hey Skully, come over here.”</p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher smashed through the door in an explosion of splinters revealing a small dressing room and a man huddled in cowled robes. The half-orc growled fiercely at the quivering man.</p><p></p><p>“Who are you?” the man stuttered.</p><p></p><p>“See the greenish fellow with the axe? That means I get to ask the questions,” Deadsmell replied. “Now, who are you?”</p><p></p><p>The man stood and replied with a quivering voice, “I am Thomas, Adept of the most holy Temple of the Saints.”</p><p></p><p>“What you doing back here Tom?” Deadsmell asked.</p><p></p><p>“I saw the high priest of our most holy temple transform into a terrible beast. I ran and hid here.”</p><p></p><p>“Where does the water in that font come from?”</p><p></p><p>“The most holy font of the Temple of the Saints is fed by an underground stream.”</p><p></p><p>“How do we get there Tom?”</p><p></p><p>“I have no idea,” the adept replied.</p><p></p><p>“I guess you better start digging Skully,” Deadsmell said.</p><p></p><p>“Wait,” Graxxus said as he squeezed into the room. “No access was cut to the stream from the structure during construction?”</p><p></p><p>“That was before my time here. I do recall the High Priest of our most holy temple asking about the stability of the temple due to its placement atop a cavern.”</p><p></p><p>“That was a wise question to ask <em>after</em> the whole thing is built,” Goldie said, rolling her eyes in disgust.</p><p></p><p>“How do we get to this cavern?” Graxxus asked.</p><p></p><p>“I have no idea,” Thomas replied. The Adept had calmed somewhat after seeing Graxxus’s prominent holy symbol and the templar of Delgrod, the Dwarven god.</p><p></p><p>“I bet local miners might have an idea,” Deadsmell suggested.</p><p></p><p>“Listen Tommy, I’m assuming you do not want to accompany us down to this cavern. Am I right?” Deadsmell asked.</p><p></p><p>“Yes, sir,” Thomas replied.</p><p></p><p>“You just hole up here then and keep quiet,” Deadsmell instructed.</p><p></p><p>“And do not go near that water under any circumstances,” Goldie added.</p><p></p><p>“Yet another benefit of the copious consumption of ale,” Deadsmell said.</p><p></p><p> *****</p><p></p><p>“The cavern entrance is up on the valley wall. You can barely see it from here,” Wolfclaw reported. The druid had just transformed back to his original form after taking on the body of a bird of prey. “There is an orc guard with a large bow near the entrance.”</p><p></p><p>“Alright, I’m on it,” Deadsmell said. Deadsmell scaled the hilly terrain to take up a position just outside the cavern mouth. He saw a large orc with a compound bow peering out of the cavern. The orc was very nonchalant, apparently bored with his duties. Deadsmell dropped down on the orc and buried his blades in the orc’s tough hide. Scissoring the blades at the creature’s spine, the orc fell without a sound, gurgling through a stream of blood leaving its mouth. Deadsmell gave a silent signal for the rest of the group to ascend to the cavern.</p><p></p><p>The group looked over the orc’s weapons, which included a compound bow, a great axe, and a long sword. All were radiating a magical aura. Skullcrusher discarded his axe and picked up the orc’s weapon.</p><p></p><p>“What about The Answer?” Goldie asked.</p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher held up the massive weapon with one hand and said, “Better Answer!”</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>The adventurers headed down into the cavern and saw the flickering aura of torchlight from ahead. Emerging quickly into a chamber the adventurers saw three orcs standing guard over a half-dozen humans in filthy robes walking and chanting in a circle around a pentagram.</p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher tested his new weapon by slicing the three orc guardians in half with one swing. The rest of the group piled into the humans, killing them all quickly as well. As the last human fell, they heard a door open. A strong male voice call out sternly, “Why have you stopped…oh, oh!” The door slammed shut.</p><p></p><p>Without a word the entire group went bounding towards the door. Deadsmell was first through into a torchlit room. He took two bounds and buried his blade into the tall man with ornate robes. His target moaned in pain, and took a step back.</p><p></p><p>The man with the long mustache and graying hair began an incantation.</p><p></p><p>“This is going to hurt…” Deadsmell muttered. </p><p></p><p>A dark ray of magical energy burst from the man’s palms and buried into Deadsmell. Deadsmell could feel his very heart and soul getting ripped to pieces by the dark tendril of energy. Finally, the energy stopped and Deadsmell managed to stand upright.</p><p></p><p>Goldie ran in and smashed the spell caster, which wobbled him noticeably. She was followed by Wolfclaw in the form of a dire tiger. The great cat form pounced on the man, clawing and raking him to ribbons.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers paused to catch their breath and look around the room. They found various magical gew-gaws and tomes written in an evil language. They also found a letter. The letter insisted that the ritual be completed on time and that the forces would strike the town on the night of the new moon.</p><p></p><p>“That’s tonight!” Wolfclaw exclaimed.</p><p></p><p>“We have to warn the town guard!” Goldie replied.</p><p></p><p>“What’s left of ‘em,” Deadsmell muttered.</p><p></p><p>“First, we need to find this stream,” Graxxus directed. After a quick conversation the group agreed.</p><p></p><p>The cavern recessed back hundreds of feet before terminating in a small, low-ceilinged, chamber with a stream running through it. A figure surrounded by evil runes and symbols lay half in the stream oozing a dark green into the rapid waters.</p><p></p><p>“Those runes look pretty nasty,” Goldie commented.</p><p></p><p>Graxxus said a prayer and concentrated deeply. “They are magical and protective in nature.”</p><p></p><p>“How do we get passed them?” Deadsmell asked.</p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher tossed some small boulders on the runes that exploded loudly.</p><p></p><p>“That works,” Graxxus stated with a smile. </p><p></p><p>Deadsmell approached the body and after a careful search, smudged out the evil symbols around it. The reclining body had a human appearance, but was pasty white with a symbol of the Demon Lord Harakhan burned into the forehead. Deadsmell took a long pole and tried to lever the body away from the stream. The flesh fell from the corpse like an overcooked foul. </p><p></p><p>Goldie approached and concentrated on the water. “The evil has dissipated from the water.”</p><p></p><p>“Let’s get back to town tout sweet!” Goldie exclaimed.</p><p></p><p>“Huh?” Skullcrusher grunted.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t ask,” Deadsmell whispered. “It’s some cheese-eatin’ Dwarven cant.”</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>Goldie had pleaded for help from the guards and citizens to help man the south walls. However, the town was still facing demons on the loose and the Lord Mayor’s manor gates were closed and locked and his manor guards refused to leave their posts. A frustrated Goldie returned to the south wall with 18 guards and citizens willing to fight.</p><p></p><p>The guards were posted on the wall and most of the adventurers took up positions behind the gate. Wolfclaw changed form and took flight in the night air as a great eagle. Eventually, the druid returned to the group’s position.</p><p></p><p>“They have a good-sized orc mob with a warlord and a shaman,” Wolfclaw reported.</p><p></p><p>“That’s not too bad,” Graxxus said.</p><p></p><p>“And they have a Type II Demon,” Wolfclaw added.</p><p></p><p>“Type II?” Deadsmell asked.</p><p></p><p>“Hezrou,” Goldie replied. “Wolfclaw is using the old nomenclature. Still, a pretty nasty demon.”</p><p></p><p>“Anything else?” Graxxus asked.</p><p></p><p>“Not that I could see,” Wolfclaw replied. “The force will be here within the hour.” Wolfclaw changed form into a great bird again and took flight.</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>"What's happening?" Goldie asked.</p><p></p><p>"There's a bunch of orcs and a big floating toady-demon thing," Deadsmell responded.</p><p></p><p>"Where's Wolfclaw?"</p><p></p><p>"He's dive-bombing the orcs and he just summoned an elephant," Deadsmell replied.</p><p></p><p>"An elephant?" Graxxus asked.</p><p></p><p>"Yeah, and it's running amok through the orcs!" Deadsmell replied.</p><p></p><p>Deadsmell jumped down from his perch. "Get ready, the orcs are almost here."</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>Wolfclaw cursed. He watched the demon dismiss yet another of his summoned creatures. He swooped down and summoned another elephant and then cast windwalk on the elephant and pointed it at the demon. The demon flew directly at the druid. </p><p></p><p>A dark aura surrounded the demon and overwhelmed Wolfclaw. He glimpsed into the dark Abyss and his senses were shaken to the core. Wolfclaw was vaguely aware the demon was attacking him and tried to defend himself.</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>The town guards launched their javelins from atop the wall. "The orcs are at the gate!" the Sergeant yelled down.</p><p></p><p>"Get ready!" Graxxus yelled.</p><p></p><p>"It will take them a while to get through that gate," Goldie stated.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly, the gate and the middle section of the wall disappeared in a puff of acrid smoke.</p><p></p><p>"So much for that theory," Deadsmell yelled.</p><p></p><p>Skullcrusher launched at the orcs like an uncoiled spring. His new axe hewed through the orcs like he was cutting through water. Limbs, heads, entrails, and flesh flew from his whirlwind of death. Graxxus followed in the half-orc's wake of blood and death. Graxxus brought his not inconsiderable combat skills to the fight and mowed down even more orcs.</p><p></p><p>Within six seconds of the gate disappearing, half of the orcs were dead. The orc warlord and shaman had seen enough and began fleeing.</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>Wolfclaw shook off the vision. He could see he was still aloft with a few wounds, but he was still intact. The demon was gone from his immediate vicinity. He spied the orc warlord and the shaman fleeing the battle. He began summoning lightning from the sky and flying towards the cowardly orcs.</p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>Deadsmell and Goldie joined the combat as the city guards continued to bring javelins down on the orcs. The orc horde was decimated. Three dozen orcs lay dead in the gateway. </p><p></p><p>The enraged demon charged into Goldie. The dwarf held her ground, but the demon's attack took its toll. The orc threat over, the rest of the group joined in the battle against the demon. The combined assault was too much for the demon and it prepared to teleport away. Graxxus was too quick for the demon though and with a massive blow fell the monster.</p><p></p><p>For a moment there was a stunned silence and then a raucous cheer erupted from the citizens on the wall. The cheer was punctuated by a pair of thunderclaps as the retreating orcs were vaporised by Wolfclaw's called lightning bolts. </p><p></p><p>*****</p><p></p><p>"What's that?" Deadsmell asked.</p><p></p><p>A grin had spread across Graxxus's face as he read the letter. "It would seem the Lord Mayor has invited us to a feast in our honor."</p><p></p><p>"The same Lord Mayor who hid in his manor behind locked gates during the attack?" Goldie asked.</p><p></p><p>"The same," Graxxus replied.</p><p></p><p>"This should be interesting," Deadsmell stated.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pogre, post: 5470376, member: 6588"] [b]Episode 11[/b] Episode 11 "Help, by the gods, please someone help!" a female voice rang out from the street. Graxxus jumped up from the table in the Embassy Coaching Inn and grabbed his weapon. Wolfclaw, the Elven druid, was already sprinting across the common room floor. Goldie, the Dwarven templar, marched towards the door in Wolfclaw's wake. Skullcrusher chugged his ale in a superhuman gulp and rose from his chair and grabbed his massive axe. "Oh, not you too," Deadsmell muttered. Skullcrusher looked at the former gravedigger expectantly and said, "Blut!" "Blood, blood, blood, it's all about..." Deadsmell began to complain, but the Half-Orc had already left. Deadsmell watched with amusement as Skullcrusher vaulted over a couple of tables to overtake Goldie and catch up with Wolfclaw. The rogue took a sip of his frothy ale and reluctantly stood and took up his weapon. He walked towards the Inn door. Deadsmell emerged from the inn into the bright sunlight. He saw a woman shielding two children poking a hideous beast with a long stick. The creature had blood red skin, yellowed incisors protruding from its snarling mouth, and a blackened scar on its forehead. The creature appeared ready to pounce on the woman and her children. Graxxus bolted toward the beast smacking it hard with his weapon. Skullcrusher charged the creature and with a wide-arcing swing of his mighty axe cut the creature in twain. A wide spray of dark blood and entrails gouted from the creature's bisected torso. "Well, that's taken care of - how about we head in for a drink?" Deadsmell suggested. "It wears the remnants of peasant's clothes. What would transform a fellow into such a demon?" Graxxus wondered aloud. "I would just like to point out this is none of our business and an extremely unprofitable expenditure of our efforts," Deadsmell said. "It was some sort of demon! An unnatural creature of the Abyss!" Goldie stated. "I sensed the deep evil in the creature, and a greater pall of evil in the atmosphere." "That's Skully," Deadsmell replied. "I keep telling him he needs to take a bath." "Look at the scar on its forehead!" Graxxus exclaimed. "It bears the mark of the ancient demon Harakhan." Skullcrusher began loping up the street. "Where are you going?" Wolfclaw called after the Barbarian. "Blut!" Skullcrusher called back. "I hear a clash of arms!" Goldie announced and commenced trotting after the Half-orc. The rest of the group followed. They came upon the combat quickly. Three town guards were in a desperate struggle against two beasts identical to the one Skullcrusher had just slain. A corpse lay to one side of the street in a pool of blood. The adventurers charged in mass. The creatures held their ground, clawing out with blood encrusted talons. Two of the attacks tore at the flesh of Graxxus and Deadsmell. Goldie quickly hamstrung one of the monsters and Graxxus smashed the fell creature's skull in. Skullcrusher swiped at the other creature with his huge axe, but it proved to be a glancing blow. Deadsmell, disgusted that he was out in the town fighting instead of at the Inn drinking, buried twin blades in the monster's back. As Deadsmell twisted the blades brutally, the creature tumbled lifeless to the street. Although the wounds taken from the demons were not particularly deep, they continued to bleed profusely. Goldie went to both Graxxus and Deadsmell and performed the Healing Spirit Touch of Delgrod's Temple. The healing touch stopped the bleeding and Graxxus further healed their injuries with earnest supplications. Graxxus found in casting the divine spells he had overcome to a foul aura. The amazed, wide-eyed town guards stood gaping at the group. Finally, one of the guards managed to softly say, “Thanks." "What's happening?" Graxxus asked "No idea," one of the guards began. "We just fought one of those creatures and next we know Sarge and Davis are transforming into these...these things!" Goldie was looking over the guards' corpses. "Same marks on their foreheads," she noted. "Harakhan." "What were you doing just before they spawned into these creatures?" Wolfclaw asked. "Heading to man the gate," one of the guards replied. "We had just got underway again since Sarge and Davis had healed a bit," another guard volunteered. "Wait, the two that transformed had been wounded?" Wolfclaw asked. "Yeah, in the fight with the first creature," the guard confirmed. Graxxus and Deadsmell looked at each other. "You have a way to detect poison?" Graxxus asked Wolfclaw. "Not now, if we rested..." the Druid replied. "No time," Graxxus said. "You men head on towards the gate." "Thanks to the Saints for our delivery and speed of the Blessed to your path," the guard replied. "We saved your bacon, not the Saints, choirboy," Deadsmell replied. "Speed of the Blessed to you brothers," Graxxus replied quickly in an attempt to gloss over Deadsmell's comment. "Where now?" Goldie asked as the guards left. "I'm not sure," Graxxus admitted. "I know where we should go," Deadsmell volunteered, holding his fist to his mouth and tipping it like a tankard. Skullcrusher's cocked his head to one side as though straining to hear something. The Half-orc sniffed the air and began moving. The group followed and then they heard the strange retching sound too. A man was on all fours retching loudly and uncontrollably in the street. His back was arched unnaturally. His skin seemed to be boiling. He reared back with his chest up and roared at the sky. His clothes were torn and a wound wept blood from his forehead. He jumped up to two feet, while glaring at the party with baleful, glowing, red eyes. The creature clutched at something on his neck and ripped away, tossing it to the side of the street. The creature rushed towards the adventurers and raked Skullcrusher with its filthy claws. The barbarian roared and swung his axe. The slicing blade severed the creature’s claw from its forearm. The demon paused for a moment to look at its stump that was gushing blood. Deadsmell took advantage of the creature’s lapse and drove a pair of blades home through its neck. The demon collapsed as its blood pumped wildly from the wounds. In a matter of seconds the creature ceased twitching on the ground. Goldie found an amulet the creature had torn from its neck and tossed aside. “It is a holy symbol from the Temple of the Saints,” she announced. “Let’s head there,” Graxxus suggested. In their mad dash across Goldcreek to the temple the group fought off a number of small groups of demons. Some wore the remnants of clothes from laborers, merchants, and even fur trappers. ***** The scene outside the Temple of the Saints was of twisted bodies, blood, and the largest group of the horrid demon creatures the group had yet seen. The creatures were feasting on flesh and entrails and occasionally drinking from an ornate cistern in the temple courtyard. A larger creature wearing a biretta and robes stood in the open, arched doorway of the temple laughing maniacally. The group charged into this scene of horrifying debauchery catching the demons off guard. The combat was short, brutal, and bloody with the demons falling failing to significantly injure any of the adventurers. The adventurers were hesitant to immediately enter the temple and began to look at the cistern in the courtyard instead. Water flowed into the cistern through a molded bas-relief carving on one end. This was fed by a concealed pipe that went into the ground. Skullcrusher began to dig to ascertain the direction the pipe led into the cistern. The rest of the group stood watch as the half-orc worked. The group fought off a pair of demons that stumbled into the temple courtyard and Skullcrusher was able to determine the pipe led into the temple. ***** The columned interior of the Temple of the Saints was hauntingly empty and peaceful. “I sense a great evil coming from the holy font,” Goldie announced. A smaller font was placed in front of a dais that supported a pulpit and three priest thrones. Goldie moved toward the font and invoked a pair of prayers to remove the evil from the font. “This is not working,” Goldie stated. “What’s the problem?” Graxxus asked. “The prayers affect the water and then it gets swept away by new water that is corrupted,” she replied. Looking over the font she continued, “I feel certain the font is fed by a spring and discharges to the pipes leading out to the courtyard cistern.” “There’s a closed door back here,” Wolfclaw called out. Wolfclaw pulled back a tapestry to reveal the door behind the pulpit. Wolfclaw knocked hard on the door. “There’s no lock visible, I think it must be barred from the other side.” “Fortunately, I brought a lock pick for just such a door,” Deadsmell said. “Hey Skully, come over here.” Skullcrusher smashed through the door in an explosion of splinters revealing a small dressing room and a man huddled in cowled robes. The half-orc growled fiercely at the quivering man. “Who are you?” the man stuttered. “See the greenish fellow with the axe? That means I get to ask the questions,” Deadsmell replied. “Now, who are you?” The man stood and replied with a quivering voice, “I am Thomas, Adept of the most holy Temple of the Saints.” “What you doing back here Tom?” Deadsmell asked. “I saw the high priest of our most holy temple transform into a terrible beast. I ran and hid here.” “Where does the water in that font come from?” “The most holy font of the Temple of the Saints is fed by an underground stream.” “How do we get there Tom?” “I have no idea,” the adept replied. “I guess you better start digging Skully,” Deadsmell said. “Wait,” Graxxus said as he squeezed into the room. “No access was cut to the stream from the structure during construction?” “That was before my time here. I do recall the High Priest of our most holy temple asking about the stability of the temple due to its placement atop a cavern.” “That was a wise question to ask [i]after[/i] the whole thing is built,” Goldie said, rolling her eyes in disgust. “How do we get to this cavern?” Graxxus asked. “I have no idea,” Thomas replied. The Adept had calmed somewhat after seeing Graxxus’s prominent holy symbol and the templar of Delgrod, the Dwarven god. “I bet local miners might have an idea,” Deadsmell suggested. “Listen Tommy, I’m assuming you do not want to accompany us down to this cavern. Am I right?” Deadsmell asked. “Yes, sir,” Thomas replied. “You just hole up here then and keep quiet,” Deadsmell instructed. “And do not go near that water under any circumstances,” Goldie added. “Yet another benefit of the copious consumption of ale,” Deadsmell said. ***** “The cavern entrance is up on the valley wall. You can barely see it from here,” Wolfclaw reported. The druid had just transformed back to his original form after taking on the body of a bird of prey. “There is an orc guard with a large bow near the entrance.” “Alright, I’m on it,” Deadsmell said. Deadsmell scaled the hilly terrain to take up a position just outside the cavern mouth. He saw a large orc with a compound bow peering out of the cavern. The orc was very nonchalant, apparently bored with his duties. Deadsmell dropped down on the orc and buried his blades in the orc’s tough hide. Scissoring the blades at the creature’s spine, the orc fell without a sound, gurgling through a stream of blood leaving its mouth. Deadsmell gave a silent signal for the rest of the group to ascend to the cavern. The group looked over the orc’s weapons, which included a compound bow, a great axe, and a long sword. All were radiating a magical aura. Skullcrusher discarded his axe and picked up the orc’s weapon. “What about The Answer?” Goldie asked. Skullcrusher held up the massive weapon with one hand and said, “Better Answer!” ***** The adventurers headed down into the cavern and saw the flickering aura of torchlight from ahead. Emerging quickly into a chamber the adventurers saw three orcs standing guard over a half-dozen humans in filthy robes walking and chanting in a circle around a pentagram. Skullcrusher tested his new weapon by slicing the three orc guardians in half with one swing. The rest of the group piled into the humans, killing them all quickly as well. As the last human fell, they heard a door open. A strong male voice call out sternly, “Why have you stopped…oh, oh!” The door slammed shut. Without a word the entire group went bounding towards the door. Deadsmell was first through into a torchlit room. He took two bounds and buried his blade into the tall man with ornate robes. His target moaned in pain, and took a step back. The man with the long mustache and graying hair began an incantation. “This is going to hurt…” Deadsmell muttered. A dark ray of magical energy burst from the man’s palms and buried into Deadsmell. Deadsmell could feel his very heart and soul getting ripped to pieces by the dark tendril of energy. Finally, the energy stopped and Deadsmell managed to stand upright. Goldie ran in and smashed the spell caster, which wobbled him noticeably. She was followed by Wolfclaw in the form of a dire tiger. The great cat form pounced on the man, clawing and raking him to ribbons. The adventurers paused to catch their breath and look around the room. They found various magical gew-gaws and tomes written in an evil language. They also found a letter. The letter insisted that the ritual be completed on time and that the forces would strike the town on the night of the new moon. “That’s tonight!” Wolfclaw exclaimed. “We have to warn the town guard!” Goldie replied. “What’s left of ‘em,” Deadsmell muttered. “First, we need to find this stream,” Graxxus directed. After a quick conversation the group agreed. The cavern recessed back hundreds of feet before terminating in a small, low-ceilinged, chamber with a stream running through it. A figure surrounded by evil runes and symbols lay half in the stream oozing a dark green into the rapid waters. “Those runes look pretty nasty,” Goldie commented. Graxxus said a prayer and concentrated deeply. “They are magical and protective in nature.” “How do we get passed them?” Deadsmell asked. Skullcrusher tossed some small boulders on the runes that exploded loudly. “That works,” Graxxus stated with a smile. Deadsmell approached the body and after a careful search, smudged out the evil symbols around it. The reclining body had a human appearance, but was pasty white with a symbol of the Demon Lord Harakhan burned into the forehead. Deadsmell took a long pole and tried to lever the body away from the stream. The flesh fell from the corpse like an overcooked foul. Goldie approached and concentrated on the water. “The evil has dissipated from the water.” “Let’s get back to town tout sweet!” Goldie exclaimed. “Huh?” Skullcrusher grunted. “Don’t ask,” Deadsmell whispered. “It’s some cheese-eatin’ Dwarven cant.” ***** Goldie had pleaded for help from the guards and citizens to help man the south walls. However, the town was still facing demons on the loose and the Lord Mayor’s manor gates were closed and locked and his manor guards refused to leave their posts. A frustrated Goldie returned to the south wall with 18 guards and citizens willing to fight. The guards were posted on the wall and most of the adventurers took up positions behind the gate. Wolfclaw changed form and took flight in the night air as a great eagle. Eventually, the druid returned to the group’s position. “They have a good-sized orc mob with a warlord and a shaman,” Wolfclaw reported. “That’s not too bad,” Graxxus said. “And they have a Type II Demon,” Wolfclaw added. “Type II?” Deadsmell asked. “Hezrou,” Goldie replied. “Wolfclaw is using the old nomenclature. Still, a pretty nasty demon.” “Anything else?” Graxxus asked. “Not that I could see,” Wolfclaw replied. “The force will be here within the hour.” Wolfclaw changed form into a great bird again and took flight. ***** "What's happening?" Goldie asked. "There's a bunch of orcs and a big floating toady-demon thing," Deadsmell responded. "Where's Wolfclaw?" "He's dive-bombing the orcs and he just summoned an elephant," Deadsmell replied. "An elephant?" Graxxus asked. "Yeah, and it's running amok through the orcs!" Deadsmell replied. Deadsmell jumped down from his perch. "Get ready, the orcs are almost here." ***** Wolfclaw cursed. He watched the demon dismiss yet another of his summoned creatures. He swooped down and summoned another elephant and then cast windwalk on the elephant and pointed it at the demon. The demon flew directly at the druid. A dark aura surrounded the demon and overwhelmed Wolfclaw. He glimpsed into the dark Abyss and his senses were shaken to the core. Wolfclaw was vaguely aware the demon was attacking him and tried to defend himself. ***** The town guards launched their javelins from atop the wall. "The orcs are at the gate!" the Sergeant yelled down. "Get ready!" Graxxus yelled. "It will take them a while to get through that gate," Goldie stated. Suddenly, the gate and the middle section of the wall disappeared in a puff of acrid smoke. "So much for that theory," Deadsmell yelled. Skullcrusher launched at the orcs like an uncoiled spring. His new axe hewed through the orcs like he was cutting through water. Limbs, heads, entrails, and flesh flew from his whirlwind of death. Graxxus followed in the half-orc's wake of blood and death. Graxxus brought his not inconsiderable combat skills to the fight and mowed down even more orcs. Within six seconds of the gate disappearing, half of the orcs were dead. The orc warlord and shaman had seen enough and began fleeing. ***** Wolfclaw shook off the vision. He could see he was still aloft with a few wounds, but he was still intact. The demon was gone from his immediate vicinity. He spied the orc warlord and the shaman fleeing the battle. He began summoning lightning from the sky and flying towards the cowardly orcs. ***** Deadsmell and Goldie joined the combat as the city guards continued to bring javelins down on the orcs. The orc horde was decimated. Three dozen orcs lay dead in the gateway. The enraged demon charged into Goldie. The dwarf held her ground, but the demon's attack took its toll. The orc threat over, the rest of the group joined in the battle against the demon. The combined assault was too much for the demon and it prepared to teleport away. Graxxus was too quick for the demon though and with a massive blow fell the monster. For a moment there was a stunned silence and then a raucous cheer erupted from the citizens on the wall. The cheer was punctuated by a pair of thunderclaps as the retreating orcs were vaporised by Wolfclaw's called lightning bolts. ***** "What's that?" Deadsmell asked. A grin had spread across Graxxus's face as he read the letter. "It would seem the Lord Mayor has invited us to a feast in our honor." "The same Lord Mayor who hid in his manor behind locked gates during the attack?" Goldie asked. "The same," Graxxus replied. "This should be interesting," Deadsmell stated. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
pogre's Trailblazer Campaign - Update 2/20/2011
Top