Servants of the Swift Sword (A Kalamar campaign)
- Thread starter Wicht
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Wicht
Hero
Chapter 21– Brightstone Keep
Dawn came and with it healing. Tilliana tended to the remaining wounds from the previous evening and then they set about breaking camp. Or at least Kall and Tilliana set about breaking camp. Jozz, who had decided to claim the troll’s chain shirt was busy trying to get the smell of Troll out of it. Tilliana had determined the shirt, like the ring the troll was wearing, had some magic in it and Jozz thought a magical chain shirt would be worth owning. But no matter how he scrubbed it, it still smelled of the troll.
“Here,” said Tilliana with a smile after she had let Jozz work at it a while. She uttered a small prayer under her breath and then grasped the chain shirt. Almost immediatelly the grime disappeared and it sparkled as if new. Furthermore, its insidious odor was gone.
“Wow, thank you Tilliana,” said Jozz amazed.
“You are welcome,” said Tilliana, “now why don’t you help us clean up the camp site a bit.”
“We should leave the caltrops and rope where they are,” said Kall, “In case anybody else attacks the camp here.”
“But we need to go back to the keep,” said Jozz.
“Oh, right, well in that case I guess we should pick them up.”
They gathered up their equipment, stripped the orcs of their armor and weapons and then piled up the bodies. Finally they were done.
“Let’s go adventure and let’s find Sawtooth,” said Kall
“He might be in the other tower,” said Jozz.
“The other tower?” asked Kall.
“You know, the third tower in the keep, the one we did not clear out.”
“We might have already killed Sawtooth,” said Tilliana, thinking of the trolls in particular.
She went to where the orcs were laying and muttering a prayer she touched one on the head.
“Where is Sawtooth,” asked Tilliana in the merchant tongue.
The orc’s lifeless jaw opened and out came the dead reply, “He sleeps in the mines.”
“How would I know Sawtooth if I saw him?” asked Tilliana.
Once more the dead corpse replied, “He wields a fearsome scythe and raises the dead.”
“Is Sawtooth alive?” Jozz asked the dead orc.
“Can I talk to the troll?” asked Kall.
“The spell is over,” said Tilliana, “and besides we burned the troll, there are no remains to talk to.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Can you only do that once a day?” asked Kall
“Yes, if I prepare it at dawn, or at least I can do it once for each time I prepare it at dawn when Naemae gives me renewed spiritual strength.”
Tilliana mulled over what the dead orc had said concerning the possibility of Sawtooth raising the dead.
“We burn the orcs,” she announced.
They headed back towards the keep when Tilliana was satisfied the orcs were not going to be raised as zombies, skeletons or anything else. As they rode near the keep they saw no guards atop the towers this time. Despite the absence of visible threats they still tied their horses away from the keep and walked the rest of the way. No-one and nothing challenged them and they entered the first tower. The towers smelled of orc but no orcs could be found. Even the bodies from the day before had disappeared.
“What happened to them,” asked Jozz.
“He probably raised them,” said Tilliana.
They searched and looted all three towers and then turned their attentions to the rest of the keep.
They descended out of the third tower into the keep yard. Two large buildings were connected to the keep wall to the north. In the southern half of the yard, a large roofed area seemed suited for the storage of wagons and horses. In the center of the keep yard was a well. Emerging from the well were two heavy chains. They appeared to be made to tether something but nothing was attached to the chains.
“I am going to look in those buildings,” said Jozz.
“Do you want to be ambushed?” asked Tilliana.
“No.”
“Then stay with us, its safer together. Don’t split up.”
“Ok, lets all go see whats in those buildings then.”
“Ok.”
The buildings smelled of troll but there were no trolls left in the buildings. There were people but they were not a threat. In both buildings, sorted into various rooms, an assortment of captives lay chained. They looked to be physically weak and somewhat malnourished. There were humans, dwarves, gnomes, halflings and even an elf. But the majority of the prisoners were goblins, doubtlessly from the mountains. Jozz was able to pick the locks and they loosed all of the captives from their chains, even the goblins. As he did this, Tilliana worked to comfort and question the captives and Kall gathered together two chests worth of assorted coins.
Excepting the goblins, the captives were eager to talk. The orcs and the trolls it appeared had been making them work in the mines. There they quarried crystals and gems for the orcs and their boss.
“Would that be Sawtooth?” asked Jozz.
“Yes,” said one of the captives, “that is his name. He is a foul worshiper of the harvester and can kill with a touch. He is surrounded with skeletons and zombies and they would mind us as we worked for him.”
As the three companions conversed with the former captives, Tilliana noticed that the goblins were not involving themselves in the conversation. Instead they were slyly easing their way towards the door which led out of the building.
“Stop right there!” said Tilliana to the goblins. The goblins sheepishly obeyed.
“We are here to kill Sawtooth,” Kall said to the captives.
“Do any of you want to help us?” asked Tilliana.
“We are farmers and simple laborers,” complained one of the men, “We do not want to fight the dead.”
“I can point out the mine entrance,” volunteered one of the men, “but I do not wish to enter those dark corridors again if I need not.”
“You can leave then,” Kall said to the assembled captives, “We will fight and kill Sawtooth for you.”
Hearing permission to leave the goblins bolted for the door.
“Thank you for freeing us,” said the elf, “We are not fighters but we are thankful for what you have done. We will journey to Terfiindel where we will tell of what you have done and maybe we will meet you there soon.”
“We will be back there soon,” said Tilliana confidently.
The mine entrance was not hard to find. A well traveled path led straight from the keep to the large cavernous opening in the cliff wall behind the keep. The three adventurers made there way towards the mine entrance where they immediately noticed the large iron gate just past the opening. It appeared to be locked.
“No problem,” said Jozz and he pulled out his lockpicks, “I can open this.”
Soon enough the lock opened and Jozz proudly swung open the gate. Beyond it was dark. They stared for a moment into the darkness.
“Tilliana!” said both of the boys at the same time.
“How about a light!” said Kall.
“Yeah, that magic light thing you can do,” said Jozz.
“It’s not prepared. I did not plan on using it this morning and did not prepare it. Don’t you have torches?”
“No, I have candles,” said Jozz.
“Don’t you have a torch?” Kall asked Tilliana.
“No, you don’t have anything?”
“Wait, I guess I do have an oil lamp,” said Kall and he shrugged off his backpack to pull it out.
They lit the lamp and entered through the gate. The mine tunnel was wide and smooth from years of miners traveling through it. The walls were fairly smooth and every few feet wooden supports helped hold up the ceiling of rock. The entrance tunnel stretched out for some distance until at last the tunnel split. A “y” in the tunnel led to the left and the right.
“Which way?” asked Tilliana. She and Kall were in the lead, Jozz followed behind them.
“I hear something coming,” said Jozz, readying his crossbow.
“Sounds like something clicking on the stone,” said Kall and he set the oil lamp on the stone.
“I don’t hear anything…” began Tilliana.
“There they are,” said Jozz and he fired his crossbow over Kall’s shoulder. The bolt sailed into the darkness, and they heard it bouncing off the stone wall of the mine. Kall gripped his ax and then Tilliana heard it too, the sound of bones rapidly striking the rock.
The three skeletons charged into the lamp light from the right hand passage. They bore no weapons but their eye sockets glowed with an unholy light. One ran at Tilliana, its claws futily striking at her armor. Another scratched at Kall, drawing blood. Kall retaliated by smashing it apart with his ax. Jozz, letting his crossbow drop to his side, drew his dagger and charged forward at the third skeleton. He scratched it and then ducked underneath its claws and out and away from its reach. Its bony fingers scrapped across his leather armor. Tilliana evaded the reach of the first skeleton once more and then brought her heavy sword up and then down, literally tearing the skeleton apart. Kall leaped forward and did the same to the skeleton trying to claw at Jozz.
“I say we go down after the skeletons,” said Jozz.
“Let’s go this way,” argued Kall pointing to the left hand passage.
“I say we go after the skeletons,” said Tilliana, “Down the right hand passage.”
Outvoted, Kall smiled and shrugged and picking up the lamp he once more led the way through the dark mine. They were more alert now though, bracing themselves for another attack.
A short ways further and they spied a chest on the side of the mine tunnel. It was a stout wooden chest and it was locked.
“Jozz,” said Tilliana.
“I can open it, no problem.”
“It might be trapped,” chided Tilliana as Jozz hunched down to look at the lock.
Jozz searched it over.
“I don’t see any traps,” he said, “I can look again though.”
“Just open it then,” said Tilliana impatiently.
Jozz inserted a lockpick into the lock and giving it a twist he popped opent he lock. Opening the chest Jozz gazed in. Tilliana looked over his left shoulder with interest and Kall lifted the lamp for better illumination. Inside the chest was filled with raw gemstones, uncut and unpolished. Still, they sparkled in the fire light.
Tilliana stood and thought.
“Might as well leave the chest here. We can get it easy enough on our way out.”
Jozz closed the chest and relocked it. Then with Kall leading the way with the oil lamp, they made their way further down the tunnel.
They did not notice that there was a room in front of them until they were almost in it. The dim light of the oil lamp only let them see about fifteen feet forward. One moment the tunnel closed in on either side of them and then the next, they found the tunnel ending and in front a wide expanse of stone floor. They could not see any walls, just the floor and the ceiling of stone. And then they saw the walking corpses to either side.
A voice called out into the darkness from somewhere in front of them, “W’ash kulling targkit!” and then the zombies lurched at them. One of them swung at Tilliana and another at Kall and two more of the foul things stumbled forward into the lamp-light.
Jozz, behind his brother, readied his dagger and looked for an opportunity to rush forward. Kall, in a moment of panic, ducked away from the zombie attacking him and threw his lamp at it. The lamp burst and flames engulfed the zombie, illuminating the room, revealing an orcish looking figure on the other side of the room holding a large black scythe. The flaming zombie swung a fiery fist at Kall who moved aside to avoid it and was subsequently punched by one of the other zombies.
The orc moved a step back, further into the shadows and spoke a powerful divine word, pointing at Kall. The muscles in Kall’s body froze and he stood still as a statue as the two zombies moved in for the kill.
Tilliana, keeping her wits, held up her divine focus and as she moved away from the dangerous dead fists of a zombie she prayed to Naemae and golden light shone forth from the eye of her focus. With a hoarse scream the zombie in front of her started to bubble and then it collapsed into a dead heap on the ground. The other three zombies did likewise. But as the flaming zombie collapsed tot he ground, the flames covering it’s body went out. The room was plunged into blackness.
Jozz, thinking quick, pulled out a flask of oil and poured it into a depression on the ground. Then grabbing his flint and steel he quickly struck a spark. A fire blaze up from the oil, illuminating a portion of the tunnel and room.
They could not see the orc now, but they could hear him. He chanted out in a strong harsh voice and suddenly, in the air in front of Tilliana there appeared a grotesque flying head. Strange tentacles squirmed from the neck’s head and large bat wings propelled it. The head let out a piercing shriek, a shriek that would have scared the daylights out of the majority of men.
Undaunted Tilliana held aloft her silk focus and once more the divine light of Naemae poured forth. But it washed over the strange flying head without affect.
Bravely, Jozz rushed forth into the room, dagger drawn and he stabbed at the hideous thing. His dagger cut true and as suddenly as it had appeared, the head vanished.
A rock flew out of the darkness and struck Jozz.
Tilliana strained to see the attacker but she could not. She muttered a prayer to Naemae and holding up her focus, another beam of light shot forth. But this one was more focused, a searing light that sped through the room and struck a wall on the other side. For a brief moment the whole room was illuminated and they saw the orc for a second once more. But the beam, which Tilliana had tried to aim at the orc, had missed him.
Jozz, once more thinking quickly reached back and pulled out a candle from his backpack. Then he ran back to the burning patch of oil and lit the candle wick.
The orc called out from the darkness in the merchant tongue, “Quench!”
Jozz felt a sudden compulsion to put out the candle, but he fought it. Tilliana, not seeing her enemy and feeling frustrated prayed.
“Naemae, give me strength.”
Jozz, carefully holding his candle to protect the flame, ran out towards where he had last heard the orc’s voice. The orc appeared in the dim candlelight to the right of Jozz. His scythe was poised and the orc looked mad.
“May the Harvester’s black fury take you!” screamed the orc and he stepped forward and cleaved into Jozz with the heavy blade. There was a flash of blackness and Jozz felt ill. He fell to the ground, somehow managing to keep the candle from extinguishing. The orc raised its scythe and brought it down at Jozz who barely managed to roll out of the way.
But Tilliana had a target now. With a shout she charged forward at the orc and her great sword cleaved through the air. The orc barely managed to roll away from the attack, but still a part of Tilliana’s blade found its mark. On the floor of the room, Jozz, every fiber of his body hurting, wedged the candle into the ground and then slowly moved away from the fight.
The orc cried out in rage and swung at Tilliana. Tilliana managed to catch the blade with her sword, but still the impact jarred her and the scythe blade’s tip pressed into her arm. Tilliana pushed forward with her sword and then brought it around and into the orc. More of the orc’s blood flowed.
A fierce cry sounded from the entrance to the room and Kall charged forward, his axe swinging. The orc’s dark energy had worn off and he could move once more. Kall rushed the orc and before the orc could properly defend himself, Kall brought his axe down with tremendous energy on the orc’s head. The orc gave a cry and sank to its knees. Tilliana, paused and then with a deadly aim brought her sword around and decapitated the prone orc.
Weakly Jozz sat up and stared at the other two. He let out a groan.
“So that I take it,” said Tilliana as she headed over to heal Jozz, “was Sawtooth.”
Dawn came and with it healing. Tilliana tended to the remaining wounds from the previous evening and then they set about breaking camp. Or at least Kall and Tilliana set about breaking camp. Jozz, who had decided to claim the troll’s chain shirt was busy trying to get the smell of Troll out of it. Tilliana had determined the shirt, like the ring the troll was wearing, had some magic in it and Jozz thought a magical chain shirt would be worth owning. But no matter how he scrubbed it, it still smelled of the troll.
“Here,” said Tilliana with a smile after she had let Jozz work at it a while. She uttered a small prayer under her breath and then grasped the chain shirt. Almost immediatelly the grime disappeared and it sparkled as if new. Furthermore, its insidious odor was gone.
“Wow, thank you Tilliana,” said Jozz amazed.
“You are welcome,” said Tilliana, “now why don’t you help us clean up the camp site a bit.”
“We should leave the caltrops and rope where they are,” said Kall, “In case anybody else attacks the camp here.”
“But we need to go back to the keep,” said Jozz.
“Oh, right, well in that case I guess we should pick them up.”
They gathered up their equipment, stripped the orcs of their armor and weapons and then piled up the bodies. Finally they were done.
“Let’s go adventure and let’s find Sawtooth,” said Kall
“He might be in the other tower,” said Jozz.
“The other tower?” asked Kall.
“You know, the third tower in the keep, the one we did not clear out.”
“We might have already killed Sawtooth,” said Tilliana, thinking of the trolls in particular.
She went to where the orcs were laying and muttering a prayer she touched one on the head.
“Where is Sawtooth,” asked Tilliana in the merchant tongue.
The orc’s lifeless jaw opened and out came the dead reply, “He sleeps in the mines.”
“How would I know Sawtooth if I saw him?” asked Tilliana.
Once more the dead corpse replied, “He wields a fearsome scythe and raises the dead.”
“Is Sawtooth alive?” Jozz asked the dead orc.
“Can I talk to the troll?” asked Kall.
“The spell is over,” said Tilliana, “and besides we burned the troll, there are no remains to talk to.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Can you only do that once a day?” asked Kall
“Yes, if I prepare it at dawn, or at least I can do it once for each time I prepare it at dawn when Naemae gives me renewed spiritual strength.”
Tilliana mulled over what the dead orc had said concerning the possibility of Sawtooth raising the dead.
“We burn the orcs,” she announced.
They headed back towards the keep when Tilliana was satisfied the orcs were not going to be raised as zombies, skeletons or anything else. As they rode near the keep they saw no guards atop the towers this time. Despite the absence of visible threats they still tied their horses away from the keep and walked the rest of the way. No-one and nothing challenged them and they entered the first tower. The towers smelled of orc but no orcs could be found. Even the bodies from the day before had disappeared.
“What happened to them,” asked Jozz.
“He probably raised them,” said Tilliana.
They searched and looted all three towers and then turned their attentions to the rest of the keep.
They descended out of the third tower into the keep yard. Two large buildings were connected to the keep wall to the north. In the southern half of the yard, a large roofed area seemed suited for the storage of wagons and horses. In the center of the keep yard was a well. Emerging from the well were two heavy chains. They appeared to be made to tether something but nothing was attached to the chains.
“I am going to look in those buildings,” said Jozz.
“Do you want to be ambushed?” asked Tilliana.
“No.”
“Then stay with us, its safer together. Don’t split up.”
“Ok, lets all go see whats in those buildings then.”
“Ok.”
The buildings smelled of troll but there were no trolls left in the buildings. There were people but they were not a threat. In both buildings, sorted into various rooms, an assortment of captives lay chained. They looked to be physically weak and somewhat malnourished. There were humans, dwarves, gnomes, halflings and even an elf. But the majority of the prisoners were goblins, doubtlessly from the mountains. Jozz was able to pick the locks and they loosed all of the captives from their chains, even the goblins. As he did this, Tilliana worked to comfort and question the captives and Kall gathered together two chests worth of assorted coins.
Excepting the goblins, the captives were eager to talk. The orcs and the trolls it appeared had been making them work in the mines. There they quarried crystals and gems for the orcs and their boss.
“Would that be Sawtooth?” asked Jozz.
“Yes,” said one of the captives, “that is his name. He is a foul worshiper of the harvester and can kill with a touch. He is surrounded with skeletons and zombies and they would mind us as we worked for him.”
As the three companions conversed with the former captives, Tilliana noticed that the goblins were not involving themselves in the conversation. Instead they were slyly easing their way towards the door which led out of the building.
“Stop right there!” said Tilliana to the goblins. The goblins sheepishly obeyed.
“We are here to kill Sawtooth,” Kall said to the captives.
“Do any of you want to help us?” asked Tilliana.
“We are farmers and simple laborers,” complained one of the men, “We do not want to fight the dead.”
“I can point out the mine entrance,” volunteered one of the men, “but I do not wish to enter those dark corridors again if I need not.”
“You can leave then,” Kall said to the assembled captives, “We will fight and kill Sawtooth for you.”
Hearing permission to leave the goblins bolted for the door.
“Thank you for freeing us,” said the elf, “We are not fighters but we are thankful for what you have done. We will journey to Terfiindel where we will tell of what you have done and maybe we will meet you there soon.”
“We will be back there soon,” said Tilliana confidently.
The mine entrance was not hard to find. A well traveled path led straight from the keep to the large cavernous opening in the cliff wall behind the keep. The three adventurers made there way towards the mine entrance where they immediately noticed the large iron gate just past the opening. It appeared to be locked.
“No problem,” said Jozz and he pulled out his lockpicks, “I can open this.”
Soon enough the lock opened and Jozz proudly swung open the gate. Beyond it was dark. They stared for a moment into the darkness.
“Tilliana!” said both of the boys at the same time.
“How about a light!” said Kall.
“Yeah, that magic light thing you can do,” said Jozz.
“It’s not prepared. I did not plan on using it this morning and did not prepare it. Don’t you have torches?”
“No, I have candles,” said Jozz.
“Don’t you have a torch?” Kall asked Tilliana.
“No, you don’t have anything?”
“Wait, I guess I do have an oil lamp,” said Kall and he shrugged off his backpack to pull it out.
They lit the lamp and entered through the gate. The mine tunnel was wide and smooth from years of miners traveling through it. The walls were fairly smooth and every few feet wooden supports helped hold up the ceiling of rock. The entrance tunnel stretched out for some distance until at last the tunnel split. A “y” in the tunnel led to the left and the right.
“Which way?” asked Tilliana. She and Kall were in the lead, Jozz followed behind them.
“I hear something coming,” said Jozz, readying his crossbow.
“Sounds like something clicking on the stone,” said Kall and he set the oil lamp on the stone.
“I don’t hear anything…” began Tilliana.
“There they are,” said Jozz and he fired his crossbow over Kall’s shoulder. The bolt sailed into the darkness, and they heard it bouncing off the stone wall of the mine. Kall gripped his ax and then Tilliana heard it too, the sound of bones rapidly striking the rock.
The three skeletons charged into the lamp light from the right hand passage. They bore no weapons but their eye sockets glowed with an unholy light. One ran at Tilliana, its claws futily striking at her armor. Another scratched at Kall, drawing blood. Kall retaliated by smashing it apart with his ax. Jozz, letting his crossbow drop to his side, drew his dagger and charged forward at the third skeleton. He scratched it and then ducked underneath its claws and out and away from its reach. Its bony fingers scrapped across his leather armor. Tilliana evaded the reach of the first skeleton once more and then brought her heavy sword up and then down, literally tearing the skeleton apart. Kall leaped forward and did the same to the skeleton trying to claw at Jozz.
“I say we go down after the skeletons,” said Jozz.
“Let’s go this way,” argued Kall pointing to the left hand passage.
“I say we go after the skeletons,” said Tilliana, “Down the right hand passage.”
Outvoted, Kall smiled and shrugged and picking up the lamp he once more led the way through the dark mine. They were more alert now though, bracing themselves for another attack.
A short ways further and they spied a chest on the side of the mine tunnel. It was a stout wooden chest and it was locked.
“Jozz,” said Tilliana.
“I can open it, no problem.”
“It might be trapped,” chided Tilliana as Jozz hunched down to look at the lock.
Jozz searched it over.
“I don’t see any traps,” he said, “I can look again though.”
“Just open it then,” said Tilliana impatiently.
Jozz inserted a lockpick into the lock and giving it a twist he popped opent he lock. Opening the chest Jozz gazed in. Tilliana looked over his left shoulder with interest and Kall lifted the lamp for better illumination. Inside the chest was filled with raw gemstones, uncut and unpolished. Still, they sparkled in the fire light.
Tilliana stood and thought.
“Might as well leave the chest here. We can get it easy enough on our way out.”
Jozz closed the chest and relocked it. Then with Kall leading the way with the oil lamp, they made their way further down the tunnel.
They did not notice that there was a room in front of them until they were almost in it. The dim light of the oil lamp only let them see about fifteen feet forward. One moment the tunnel closed in on either side of them and then the next, they found the tunnel ending and in front a wide expanse of stone floor. They could not see any walls, just the floor and the ceiling of stone. And then they saw the walking corpses to either side.
A voice called out into the darkness from somewhere in front of them, “W’ash kulling targkit!” and then the zombies lurched at them. One of them swung at Tilliana and another at Kall and two more of the foul things stumbled forward into the lamp-light.
Jozz, behind his brother, readied his dagger and looked for an opportunity to rush forward. Kall, in a moment of panic, ducked away from the zombie attacking him and threw his lamp at it. The lamp burst and flames engulfed the zombie, illuminating the room, revealing an orcish looking figure on the other side of the room holding a large black scythe. The flaming zombie swung a fiery fist at Kall who moved aside to avoid it and was subsequently punched by one of the other zombies.
The orc moved a step back, further into the shadows and spoke a powerful divine word, pointing at Kall. The muscles in Kall’s body froze and he stood still as a statue as the two zombies moved in for the kill.
Tilliana, keeping her wits, held up her divine focus and as she moved away from the dangerous dead fists of a zombie she prayed to Naemae and golden light shone forth from the eye of her focus. With a hoarse scream the zombie in front of her started to bubble and then it collapsed into a dead heap on the ground. The other three zombies did likewise. But as the flaming zombie collapsed tot he ground, the flames covering it’s body went out. The room was plunged into blackness.
Jozz, thinking quick, pulled out a flask of oil and poured it into a depression on the ground. Then grabbing his flint and steel he quickly struck a spark. A fire blaze up from the oil, illuminating a portion of the tunnel and room.
They could not see the orc now, but they could hear him. He chanted out in a strong harsh voice and suddenly, in the air in front of Tilliana there appeared a grotesque flying head. Strange tentacles squirmed from the neck’s head and large bat wings propelled it. The head let out a piercing shriek, a shriek that would have scared the daylights out of the majority of men.
Undaunted Tilliana held aloft her silk focus and once more the divine light of Naemae poured forth. But it washed over the strange flying head without affect.
Bravely, Jozz rushed forth into the room, dagger drawn and he stabbed at the hideous thing. His dagger cut true and as suddenly as it had appeared, the head vanished.
A rock flew out of the darkness and struck Jozz.
Tilliana strained to see the attacker but she could not. She muttered a prayer to Naemae and holding up her focus, another beam of light shot forth. But this one was more focused, a searing light that sped through the room and struck a wall on the other side. For a brief moment the whole room was illuminated and they saw the orc for a second once more. But the beam, which Tilliana had tried to aim at the orc, had missed him.
Jozz, once more thinking quickly reached back and pulled out a candle from his backpack. Then he ran back to the burning patch of oil and lit the candle wick.
The orc called out from the darkness in the merchant tongue, “Quench!”
Jozz felt a sudden compulsion to put out the candle, but he fought it. Tilliana, not seeing her enemy and feeling frustrated prayed.
“Naemae, give me strength.”
Jozz, carefully holding his candle to protect the flame, ran out towards where he had last heard the orc’s voice. The orc appeared in the dim candlelight to the right of Jozz. His scythe was poised and the orc looked mad.
“May the Harvester’s black fury take you!” screamed the orc and he stepped forward and cleaved into Jozz with the heavy blade. There was a flash of blackness and Jozz felt ill. He fell to the ground, somehow managing to keep the candle from extinguishing. The orc raised its scythe and brought it down at Jozz who barely managed to roll out of the way.
But Tilliana had a target now. With a shout she charged forward at the orc and her great sword cleaved through the air. The orc barely managed to roll away from the attack, but still a part of Tilliana’s blade found its mark. On the floor of the room, Jozz, every fiber of his body hurting, wedged the candle into the ground and then slowly moved away from the fight.
The orc cried out in rage and swung at Tilliana. Tilliana managed to catch the blade with her sword, but still the impact jarred her and the scythe blade’s tip pressed into her arm. Tilliana pushed forward with her sword and then brought it around and into the orc. More of the orc’s blood flowed.
A fierce cry sounded from the entrance to the room and Kall charged forward, his axe swinging. The orc’s dark energy had worn off and he could move once more. Kall rushed the orc and before the orc could properly defend himself, Kall brought his axe down with tremendous energy on the orc’s head. The orc gave a cry and sank to its knees. Tilliana, paused and then with a deadly aim brought her sword around and decapitated the prone orc.
Weakly Jozz sat up and stared at the other two. He let out a groan.
“So that I take it,” said Tilliana as she headed over to heal Jozz, “was Sawtooth.”
Wicht
Hero
Chapter 22 – Terfiindel
They spent the next few hours piling loot on the ground in front of the Keep’s first tower. There were numerous chests of coins, most of them filled with copper coins but a couple of them had silver gold and even platinum coins in them. Including the chest of uncut gems they had taken out of the mines, when they were done they had a total of twelve chests of coins stacked in front of the keep. Most of them weighed around two hundred pounds. Whatever the orcs had been involved in had apparently been lucrative for them.
“We need a wagon,” said Tilliana as she tried to adjust a strap on her new armor. She was wearing the armor that had previously been on Sawtooth. It was an old suit of dwarven armor and it was magical. Tilliana was not sure however that she liked the armor. It was harder to move in then she was used to.
“I could stay and you two could go back to Terfiindel and get the wagon or you can stay and I can go,” continued Tilliana.
“We could all go,” said Jozz. Kall said nothing. He was too busy taking practice swings with his new ‘toy’. The jet black scythe he had taken from Sawtooth’s body. The wood was polished black and the metal was also black. Tilliana had informed him that it was magical as well and despite its black coloring it did not seem inherently evil.
“If we all go someone might take these coins while we are gone,” said Tilliana.
“We should leave a guard,” said Jozz.
In the end, Jozz and Kall opted to stay with the treasure while Tilliana rode back to town and fetched Jozz’s wagon.
It was a few hours after noon when she finally got underway, her lance held at attention and her spirits high. The day was warm under the spring sun and she and the boys had been successful in clearing the keep of the evil within.
About an hour out of town she was ambushed. Her first warning came in the form of a javelin that missed her by mere inches. Another javelin bounced from her shield and one struck Prancer.
Prancer reared back, neighing in pain and Tilliana held on tightly lest she fall. And then the orcs charged out of hiding. There were six of them, emboldened by the sight of a lone traveler. Tilliana readied her lance and worked to bring Prancer back under control. Other javelins sailed past her and she ducked as one flew towards her head. She was almost too slow and the tip scratched her scalp, drawing blood. But it was a scratch, no more. Digging her heels into Prancer she directed the mare at one of the orcs and charged, lance down. The orc rolled away from the attack and came up, axe at the ready. The other orcs pulled out their axes and then the six foul smelling creatures rushed Tilliana, surrounding her and Prancer.
Tilliana loosed her shield and slammed the lance into the ground, tip first. It stuck and gripping Prancer with her knees she drew her sword. Two axe blades struck her, their blades ringing against the metal of her armor. Snarling Tilliana swung her sword, cleaving the head from one orc and then deftly following through and cutting the throat of another. She quickly reversed her momentum and cut down an orc on the other side of Prancer and then cleaved through the skull of a fourth.
The two remaining orcs, seeing their companions cut down in mere seconds screamed in fear and took off running. One ran down the trail, towards the keep and the other ran away from the road to the north-east. Tilliana sheathed her sword and pulled her lance out from the ground. Then, judging that the one running away from the trail would be in cover faster she spurred Prancer towards him. In a matter of seconds the swift warhorse had overtaken the fleeing orc and Tilliana’s lance ran him through, killing him almost instantly. She pulled the lance free from the body and then swiftly turned Prancer back towards the last orc. He had more of a headstart, but he could not outrun the horse.
Hearing the sounds of the hooves drawing up behind him, the orc turned and looked over his shoulder. There was no way for him to escape. With a brief prayer to the battlerager the orc turned and hefting his axe charged at the coming foe. It ducked under the lance and then swung at the priestess. Tilliana ducked to the side, the axe missing her. Then, determining her lance would be useless against a foe so near she dropped it and reached to pull out her sword. Prancer reared back and away from the orc’s great axe and then as Prancer came back down, Tilliana brought her sword down on the orc’s helmet. There was a flash of sparks and the orc fell to the ground.
Tilliana took the time to pull the bodies off the road and searcht hem for valuables. There was little on them and nothing to indicate they were more then mere bandits.
She made it into Terfiindel without further incident and promptly rode to the inn. She dismounted and led Prancer into the stables. Inside Firebolt greeted her with a snort. Tilliana stopped and patted the old battle-horse and then went over to where the wagon and cart were parked. It did not take her long to notice something was amiss. The chests that had been on the back of the wagon were gone and even worse, the demon-rock, which Tilliana had left in the back of her cart was missing.
“I’m sorry miss,” said the Innkeeper busting through the side door of the stables, “I am glad to hear you was back but dreadful afraid to have to tell you. But I do have to tell you, we had trouble last night. Someone broke into our stables here, took some of your stuff and killed my young stable-hand. I don’t know what this town has come to with those black cultists and stealing and murder and all. The sheriff, he thinks he knows who done it but he can’t proof it and he’s afraid to have a go at it. But you should see him as soon as you can.”
There was nothing Tilliana could do about it. She decided to see the sheriff after fetching the two boys and so prepared the wagon, hitching her two horses to it to pull. She assured the innkeeper she did not fault him and after asking whether anyone fitting the description of Alairic, Niccolo or Kinshag had checked in yet, she drove back out to the keep.
She worried the whole trip back, not so much over the stolen money but over the stolen rock. There was still a week and more to go until Pelselond was new in the sky but still she did not like to think of what could happen with the demon-rock in the wrong hands.
“What!” shouted Jozz when Tilliana made it back to the keep and broke the news about the stolen chests, “I didn’t think people would steal from us!”
“It is horrible but the sheriff has an idea about who did it, so we can talk to him when we make it back.”
They loaded the wagon down with the chests and the orc’s weapons and armors. Then they exchanged Tilliana’s horses for Jozz’s two horses.
They made two stops before reaching Terfiindel. They stopped at the sight of their camp from the previous night, where they loaded the wagon with the various weapons and armors taken from the dead orcs, and then they stopped once more to load up the weapons and armor of the orcs Tilliana had killed that same day. The wagon was creaking from the weight as they pulled into Terfiindel. They sun was already sinking over the horizon and night was coming.
The innkeeper promised them the same rooms they had slept in before and fixed them a hearty supper. Tilliana and the boys then carried every single one of the chests from the wagon up to the two rooms.
“No one is going to steal these tonight,” said Kall.
Before going to sleep, Tilliana carried one of the orc’s great axes and one of their suits of armor out into a field and there she burned them, offering them up to Naemae as a tribute of her victory.
They spent the next few hours piling loot on the ground in front of the Keep’s first tower. There were numerous chests of coins, most of them filled with copper coins but a couple of them had silver gold and even platinum coins in them. Including the chest of uncut gems they had taken out of the mines, when they were done they had a total of twelve chests of coins stacked in front of the keep. Most of them weighed around two hundred pounds. Whatever the orcs had been involved in had apparently been lucrative for them.
“We need a wagon,” said Tilliana as she tried to adjust a strap on her new armor. She was wearing the armor that had previously been on Sawtooth. It was an old suit of dwarven armor and it was magical. Tilliana was not sure however that she liked the armor. It was harder to move in then she was used to.
“I could stay and you two could go back to Terfiindel and get the wagon or you can stay and I can go,” continued Tilliana.
“We could all go,” said Jozz. Kall said nothing. He was too busy taking practice swings with his new ‘toy’. The jet black scythe he had taken from Sawtooth’s body. The wood was polished black and the metal was also black. Tilliana had informed him that it was magical as well and despite its black coloring it did not seem inherently evil.
“If we all go someone might take these coins while we are gone,” said Tilliana.
“We should leave a guard,” said Jozz.
In the end, Jozz and Kall opted to stay with the treasure while Tilliana rode back to town and fetched Jozz’s wagon.
It was a few hours after noon when she finally got underway, her lance held at attention and her spirits high. The day was warm under the spring sun and she and the boys had been successful in clearing the keep of the evil within.
About an hour out of town she was ambushed. Her first warning came in the form of a javelin that missed her by mere inches. Another javelin bounced from her shield and one struck Prancer.
Prancer reared back, neighing in pain and Tilliana held on tightly lest she fall. And then the orcs charged out of hiding. There were six of them, emboldened by the sight of a lone traveler. Tilliana readied her lance and worked to bring Prancer back under control. Other javelins sailed past her and she ducked as one flew towards her head. She was almost too slow and the tip scratched her scalp, drawing blood. But it was a scratch, no more. Digging her heels into Prancer she directed the mare at one of the orcs and charged, lance down. The orc rolled away from the attack and came up, axe at the ready. The other orcs pulled out their axes and then the six foul smelling creatures rushed Tilliana, surrounding her and Prancer.
Tilliana loosed her shield and slammed the lance into the ground, tip first. It stuck and gripping Prancer with her knees she drew her sword. Two axe blades struck her, their blades ringing against the metal of her armor. Snarling Tilliana swung her sword, cleaving the head from one orc and then deftly following through and cutting the throat of another. She quickly reversed her momentum and cut down an orc on the other side of Prancer and then cleaved through the skull of a fourth.
The two remaining orcs, seeing their companions cut down in mere seconds screamed in fear and took off running. One ran down the trail, towards the keep and the other ran away from the road to the north-east. Tilliana sheathed her sword and pulled her lance out from the ground. Then, judging that the one running away from the trail would be in cover faster she spurred Prancer towards him. In a matter of seconds the swift warhorse had overtaken the fleeing orc and Tilliana’s lance ran him through, killing him almost instantly. She pulled the lance free from the body and then swiftly turned Prancer back towards the last orc. He had more of a headstart, but he could not outrun the horse.
Hearing the sounds of the hooves drawing up behind him, the orc turned and looked over his shoulder. There was no way for him to escape. With a brief prayer to the battlerager the orc turned and hefting his axe charged at the coming foe. It ducked under the lance and then swung at the priestess. Tilliana ducked to the side, the axe missing her. Then, determining her lance would be useless against a foe so near she dropped it and reached to pull out her sword. Prancer reared back and away from the orc’s great axe and then as Prancer came back down, Tilliana brought her sword down on the orc’s helmet. There was a flash of sparks and the orc fell to the ground.
Tilliana took the time to pull the bodies off the road and searcht hem for valuables. There was little on them and nothing to indicate they were more then mere bandits.
She made it into Terfiindel without further incident and promptly rode to the inn. She dismounted and led Prancer into the stables. Inside Firebolt greeted her with a snort. Tilliana stopped and patted the old battle-horse and then went over to where the wagon and cart were parked. It did not take her long to notice something was amiss. The chests that had been on the back of the wagon were gone and even worse, the demon-rock, which Tilliana had left in the back of her cart was missing.
“I’m sorry miss,” said the Innkeeper busting through the side door of the stables, “I am glad to hear you was back but dreadful afraid to have to tell you. But I do have to tell you, we had trouble last night. Someone broke into our stables here, took some of your stuff and killed my young stable-hand. I don’t know what this town has come to with those black cultists and stealing and murder and all. The sheriff, he thinks he knows who done it but he can’t proof it and he’s afraid to have a go at it. But you should see him as soon as you can.”
There was nothing Tilliana could do about it. She decided to see the sheriff after fetching the two boys and so prepared the wagon, hitching her two horses to it to pull. She assured the innkeeper she did not fault him and after asking whether anyone fitting the description of Alairic, Niccolo or Kinshag had checked in yet, she drove back out to the keep.
She worried the whole trip back, not so much over the stolen money but over the stolen rock. There was still a week and more to go until Pelselond was new in the sky but still she did not like to think of what could happen with the demon-rock in the wrong hands.
“What!” shouted Jozz when Tilliana made it back to the keep and broke the news about the stolen chests, “I didn’t think people would steal from us!”
“It is horrible but the sheriff has an idea about who did it, so we can talk to him when we make it back.”
They loaded the wagon down with the chests and the orc’s weapons and armors. Then they exchanged Tilliana’s horses for Jozz’s two horses.
They made two stops before reaching Terfiindel. They stopped at the sight of their camp from the previous night, where they loaded the wagon with the various weapons and armors taken from the dead orcs, and then they stopped once more to load up the weapons and armor of the orcs Tilliana had killed that same day. The wagon was creaking from the weight as they pulled into Terfiindel. They sun was already sinking over the horizon and night was coming.
The innkeeper promised them the same rooms they had slept in before and fixed them a hearty supper. Tilliana and the boys then carried every single one of the chests from the wagon up to the two rooms.
“No one is going to steal these tonight,” said Kall.
Before going to sleep, Tilliana carried one of the orc’s great axes and one of their suits of armor out into a field and there she burned them, offering them up to Naemae as a tribute of her victory.
Wicht
Hero
Chapter 23 – Terfiindel
The smell of bacon frying in the kitchen woke the three adventurer’s the next morning. Dressing quickly, the three were soon downstairs eating a hearty breakfast.
About halfway through the morning meal, the sheriff entered the front room of the Inn and joined the three.
“I’m sorry about your things being stolen,” he began, “I am afraid however its not generally safe to just leave valuables in a wagon in the inn stables.”
Tilliana grimaced in embarrassment.
“Ok,” said Jozz to the sheriff.
“Do you know who took the chests?” asked Tilliana.
“Yes and no,” said the sheriff, “I can’t proof who took it but I have a fairly good idea. A man by the name of Tanel moved into the area a few years back and he seems to have built himself up quite a following. He doesn’t exactly announce it publically but most people know he is leading some sort of death cult. Lately they have grown bolder and it seems likely they are the ones who took your stuff. Anytime there is trouble anymore I generally blame them first. The six who broke into your rooms a few nights back were hooked up with that outfit.”
“Why don’t you stop them if you know who they are?” asked Tilliana pointedly.
“For one most people are scared of them. These you rescued from the orcs yesterday were some of the most outspoken and they get kidnapped. They are naming a few names but even so, Tanel has at least sixty followers at the moment who would fight and die for him. Not to mention a tough looking bodyguard and two men who seem to be personal disciples. People are just scared and I don’t have an army to back me up.”
“We are an army,” boasted Jozz, “We can do it.”
“They are very confident of themselves,” said Tilliana with a smile.
“Well son,” said the sheriff, “You have my permission to go after them. They meet in a large house here in town and also in a big barn just outside of town. Mostly they meet in the barn but once a week they meet here in town too. And furthermore, by the power invested in me by the folks of this town, I promise that you can keep whatever you take from them as payment for your services.”
“We will help you,” said Tilliana, “But we would like help as well. Who can you get to go with us?”
“I will ask around quietly,” said the sheriff, “And see who I can rope into it. I will be there for one. Kidnapping, murder and theft cannot be ignored forever.”
They spent the rest of the day talking to merchants and shopkeepers. Tilliana reasoned that a ton of copper coins was impractical to store or haul around. And so she and the boys found merchants who were willing to exchange the copper coins for gold or silver. Tilliana also hunted up someone willing to buy the uncut gems at what she felt was a fair price and merchants willing to buy the orc’s used armor and weapons. The task would have been easier in Geanavue, for the merchants in Terfiindel were not so wealthy but eventually the matters were taken care of and the dozen chests of coins and the pile of salvaged weapons were reduced to three chests of coins, one for each of the companions.
One thing that Terfiindel did have was a good alchemist and here they made the man very happy. They purchased tanglefoot bags, sunrods, oils and alchemists fires off of him giving him the best business day he had had for several months.
The sheriff met them again as they were coming out of the alchemist shop.
“There you are! I have been asking around, like you wanted. Unfortunately people are upset about the cult but no one feels brave enough to do anything about it. I think it will take some sort of impetus and then we could rally over a hundred men to the cause, but for the moment nothing. I will keep working on it though.
“Is there a wizard around here,” asked Jozz.
“There is none in these parts that I know of,” said the sheriff, “We don’t have much use for them, though there are a few scattered here and there in other towns.”
“Thanks anyway,” said Tilliana.
“You see that man,” said the sheriff, and he pointed at a dark cloaked man in armor walking on the other side of the street. A great two handed sword hung on his back, its hilt of gold and blue gems on the pommel and crosspiece. Four other men walked just a pace behind him, also armed.
“That’s Gurk, Tanel’s bodyguard. He’s a tough customer. Those men with him are farmers and crooks, an odd combination.”
Tilliana took in the man’s features but it was, in reality, the sword that caught her interest the most. Something about it seemed familiar. In a moment though, Gurk and the men with him were out of sight.
“Will you be staying at the inn?” asked the sheriff.
“Probably,” said Tilliana.
“I want to buy a new crossbow first,” said Jozz, “Then we will go get those thieves.”
“Tanel’s house or that barn I mentioned are the best places to look,” said the sheriff.
“We will get to it,” said Tilliana who was already forming a plan about doing that very thing in the morning. After they had bought Jozz a new crossbow, a quality piece of dwarven design, they retired back to the inn for supper and bed.
That night as they lay in their beds, they were roused by the sound of shouting in the street.
The boys blearily walked out and looked over their balcony at the street below. A young boy, perhaps twelve, was screaming, “Help!” Tilliana walked out onto her balcony, her arms crossed.
“What are you shouting for?” shouted down Jozz.
The boy turned and looked up at the three on their balconies and hurried closer, talking all the while.
“They are after me. I was taken and tied up. There were dead people and others as well and there was chanting. I slipped from the ropes and ran back to town. But now they are after me.”
Kall, hearing the boys story jumped over the balcony railing and landed on the dirt street.
“Come up here,” said Tilliana.
Without warning there was the sound of bolts flying through the air. Two thuds sounded and the boy gave a start and then fell to the ground, a pair of crossbow bolts protruding from his back. Kall raced to help the boy. He briefly saw three men running down the street, away from the scene, but his first thought was saving the boy.
Above the street, Jozz ran back into his room to don his armor.
“Carry him up here,” said Tilliana, and then realizing what she was saying she also ran into her room, where she grabbed her sword. Then she was flying out the door and down the stairs to wake the innkeeper.
Kall pulled the bolts out of the boy and cast them aside. Then, examining the wounds he worked to stop the bleeding. He was no trained medic but he still managed to staunch the bleeding. Lifting the boy in his arms, Kall slowly made his way towards the front door of the inn. Inside, the innkeeper was already lighting lamps.
Tilliana threw open the front door and rushed out, her divine focus in one hand, her great sword in the other. Holding aloft the silken square emblazoned with the golden eye of Naemae, she prayed for healing and then touched the boy’s wounds. The blood cleared and the wounds closed. The boys breathing, which had been ragged and shallow became normal again. The boy’s eyes opened.
Kall carried the boy into the front room of the inn and set him down on a chair. The innkeeper’s wife hurried into the room and the boy looked nervously around. He reached back to feel where his wounds had been. Jozz raced down the stairs, his armor on and his weapons ready.
“Young man,” said Tilliana, “you said there were others? Did you mean other prisoners?”
“Yes,” said the boy nodding his head, “and I heard them say something about a sacrifice, I think they plan on killing them tonight.”
“Do you know who was chasing you?”
“Yes, a man named Gurtz, with a couple of other men.”
“Gurtz!” said Kall and Jozz together.
“Do you think you could come and help us fight them?” said Tilliana. Then, as she realized what she was asking a boy who looked to be only about ten or eleven years old to do, she changed her mind, “Uh, nevermind. Do you know where they took you?”
“To the big barn outside of town where the evil people have been meeting.”
“Get the sheriff,” Tilliana told the innkeeper, “Take the boy with you. We three will get ourselves ready and head straight out to this barn.”
“Its just outside town, to the south,” said the innkeeper helpfully and then he and the boy were out the door.
Jozz was already ready, so he was elected to help Tilliana suit up. Kall went to get his stuff himself. Soon their weapons were ready, their armor was on, and their packs were on their backs.
“Ready Jozz and Kall?” asked Tilliana.
“Yeah!” said Jozz.
“Right but before we go, lets lock the windows and doors,” said Tilliana, “No reason to encourage thieves while we are away.”
Soon they were heading out of town, southwards, looking for a big barn filled with evil cultists. They found it by the fact that not only was it very big, but it was also well lit from the inside and the faint sounds of chanting could be heard eminating from its general direction.
“Let’s be brave,” said Tilliana as they approached the front doors of the barn.
“Stop a moment,” she said when they were closer. Clutching her divine focus, she prayed and then touched Kall on the head.
“May the strength of Naemae be upon you,” she intoned.
“Wow!” said Kall as divine strength filled him.
“Do you have a plan?” asked Jozz.
“Not really,” said Tilliana as she eyed the doors of the barn only about fifty feet away. The chanting was much louder this close.
She prayed once more over Kall and blessed his armor, endowing it with a divine strength.
“Ok, now I have a plan,” said Tilliana looking at the doors, “I want each of you to get your ropes and here is what we do.”
Tilliana’s plan was interrupted however by the arrival of walking dead. Shuffling around from either side of the barn, the animated corpses mindlessly made their way towards the three adventurers.
“Oh no,” muttered Tilliana, “I hope they haven’t activated that demon stone.”
Jozz acted immediatelly, firing his crossbow at one of the zombies. The bolt sank into the zombies flesh but still the zombie trudged forward, mindless of the injury. Kall hefted the scythe he had taken from Sawtooth and with a cry he ran the distance to one group of the zombies and hacked into one. The scythe cut deep but still the corpse moved, swinging a powerful blow at Kall. Kall ducked aside but another dead fist slammed into him from a different zombie. Tilliana looked at the zombies coming from either direction around the barn and calmly walked between them, albeit closer to the group now trying to tear Kall apart.
Jozz fired another bolt into one of the zombies and again the corpse trudged on, heedless of an injury that would have killed a normal man. Kall evaded the slow zombies and once more swung the scythe at the zombie he had already injured. The scythe did its job this time and as that zombie fell in two pieces to the ground, Kall used the swing to carry the heavy scythe blade into another of the animated corpses. The other group of zombies continued to trudge towards Tilliana.
Tilliana waited until the zombies were near her and then she raised the divine symbol of Naemae and focusing she caused a light to burst forth. The zombie each raised their arms, fearful of the light and then with a breathless cry they collapsed to the ground, their undead flesh melting.
“Okay, here’s what we do,” said Tilliana as the two boys gathered near her and the chanting from the barn grew slightly louder, “You two tie ropes to the doors of the barn and then, standing back, you pull the doors open.”
Kall looked at her and then reached back to pull out his rope.
“Just open the doors,” said Jozz, deciding he did not like the plan. He strode purposefully towards the barn and threw open the right hand barn door.
Inside the barn, a large crowd of people, all in black robes, was gathered at the far end of the building. There were no stalls, just a large open floor. Somewhere on the other side, a large fire burned openly on the floor. On the other side of the fire there appeared to be a platform. In the middle of the platform stood a man in black armor and a black robe, holding a big scythe. Two other men stood at either side of him. In front of him, bound and gagged atop a large circular stone was a young girl. Two other bound figures were at the back of the platform on either side.
“Hey!” shouted Jozz, “Move it! Be good or die!”
There was an instant reaction as the chanting ceased and every head in the room turned to stare at Jozz. Jozz raised his crossbow, and choosing a man at random, he fired. The bolt sank into the man who staggered backwards.
Kall, smiling at the chance for action, dropped his rope back into his pack and gripping the black scythe in his hands he charged with unnatural speed past Jozz and into the barn. He covered a third of the length of the barn before plowing into the crowd. The scythe blade whipped around wickedly and in a matter of seconds, three of the cultist lay on the ground unconscious and bleeding to death.
With a sigh Tilliana ran as quickly into the barn as she could. Despite her heavy armor slowing her down, she still managed to charge at the crowd of cultist before the had fully reacted. Charging into the barn to the left of Kall, she rammed her greatsword straight into one of the black robed men.
Meanwhile, Jozz, trying to take advantage of the distraction caused by the other two sped around the crowd, running along the side of the room, behind a series of post. There was no one along the walls and Jozz managed to run almost to the other end of the room.
“Keep the infidel’s away from the altar,” shouted the man in the center of the platform.
The cultists with an angry shout ran at the companions. Several of them charged at Jozz, backing him up against the wall of the barn. They wielded swords of various lengths and several of them apparently were wearing armor under their robes. As they crowded around, one managed to scratch Kall with a short sword. Another, on the other end of the barn, also managed to stab Jozz with a sword. Only Tilliana escaped injury unscathed, her long sword and enchanted armor kept her attackers from hurting her. As Tilliana fought off her attackers, she noticed one man in particular trying to make his way towards her through the crowd. It was Gurtz and his sword was drawn.
Kall, putting as much energy as he could into his scythe swings swung the black weapon in a vicious arc, cutting through two men, killing them both. Jozz meanwhile ducked and parried for all he was worth to avoid the five swords pressing at him from three sides.
At the front of the room, the three men on the platform continued their chanting, apparently heedless of the battles being raged in the same room. At the height of his chanting the one in the center, holding aloft his scythe brought it down with deadly accuracy, cleaving the one bound in front of him into two bloody halves. Blood washed over the stone upon which the victim lay.
Tilliana, noticing the sacrifice out of the corner of her eye, ducked two sword blows, lifted her divine focus and with a spoken word she caused a loud burst of sound to shake the room around her. Several of the cultists collapsed outright from the sound burst, blood streaming from their ears and noses. Most of the others were stunned into inactivity. Taking advantage of the momentary shock, Tilliana raced forwards. One of the cultist, deciding he had had enough, ran out of Tilliana’s way and jumped out one of the barn’s windows in a shower of glass.
Kall, unfortunately was one of those caught in Tilliana’s sound blast. His sense reeling he found himself unable to focus properly and was subsequently hit by a sword thrust. On the other side of the barn Jozz, fienting away from one of his attackers managed to reverse his movement and catch one of his attackers by surprise. His dagger jammed through the man’s leather armor and into his heart.
“Be brave,” said Jozz to his attackers, a deadly smile on his face, “or be scared.”
Tilliana managed to evade several attackers as she ran towards the front but then a wave of black robed cultist swarmed towards her and she could run no further as she moved to defend herself. They came at her with swords, but they were not very skilled with them and in a matter of moment’s, Tilliana had felled four of them. Still others swarmed in to take the place of the fallen. Behind the wave of cultist, Gurtz continued to try and press his way at Tilliana.
Another sword thrust struck Kall, drawing blood and now Kall, shocked back into action, yelled a battle cry. The veins on his neck stood out and blood and adrenaline pumped through his body. He swung viciously and mowed down three of those attacking him.
Suddenly a strange odor, tinged with brimstone filled the barn and bursting out of the blood of the dead victim atop the stone, a purple skinned monstrosity burst forth. It was covered with glowing red eyes and its round body was dominated by a huge fanged mouth that stretched from one side of its body to the other. Stubby arms flailed and stubby legs propelled it.
The demonic figure leaped from the stage and fell upon one of the cultist, its huge mouth tearing the man apart. As the man fell dying, the fiend flew into a feeding frenzy, its jaws taking quick and powerful bites out of the slain man.
“After that man,” shouted the scythe wielding man atop the platform and he pointed to his left, towards where Jozz was ringed in by a crowd of cultists. Behind him, the other two men atop the platform were already dragging another victim towards the stone.
A small group of the cultist, looking fearfully at the fiend they helped summon cried in fear and raced around the side of the barn towards the exit.
“Don’t worry,” said Kall to a man besides him staring across the barn at the demon, “You won’t get eaten.” And taking advantage of the man’s distraction, Kall cut him apart with the black scythe.
Tilliana was still holding her own. Three more men fell to the ground dead and one was forced to back away, clutching his bleeding arm. Tilliana was uninjured. As the crowd around Tilliana grew thinner, Gurtz, seeing an opening rushed at Tilliana. Tilliana easily parried his sword stroke and backed away a step, still unscathed.
Directly across the barn, Jozz was having a harder time of it. Bleeding from several minor cuts, Jozz was finding it difficult to fight five at once.
“Look over there,” said Jozz to one of the men and though the man turned and looked for a moment at the demon rushing at him, when Jozz lunged at him, the man managed to turn back just in time to avoid the dagger thrust. At the same time, the man rolled away from the snapping jaws of the demon, who, intent on reaching Jozz, had decided to go through him first.
Kall, seeing his brother in trouble, turned his attention firmly to those around him, determined to break through and help Jozz. With miraculaous ease, he disemboweled a man, followed through to slice open a second, brought the scythe with tremendous energy down on top of a third, literally splitting the man in half lengthwise, followed through with a decapitation and then cut open the chest of a third. With a shout, Kall raced forward to help Jozz.
On the platform, the black robed scythe wielder cut the next victim in half. Again, the blood flowed over the stone.
Feeling helpless to stop the sacrifices, Tilliana could only continue to fight those that surrounded her, deflecting another blow from Gurtz, Tilliana proceeded to ram the tip of her sword into one of the men. He fell, dead, but he momentarily pulled Tilliana forward as she worked to pull her sword loose once more. The momentary lapse was enough to allow another of the men to strike her. She saw the blow coming and managed to roll away from the brunt of it in time, but still it rang across her helmet, causing her to momentarily see stars.
The demon meanwhile was still snapping at the man it perceived to be between it and its target. The man managed to hold the demon back and Jozz, feeling the respite of only dodging four attackers, managed to ram his dagger into another of the cultists. But perhaps because of overconfidence, another of the cultist, managed to scratch another line across his armor. With a shock, as he turned to avoid being cut deeply, he saw that this attacker was a woman.
Kall raced across the floor towards the demon even as two others were racing out the barn doors. The demon turned away from the cultist it was attacking and towards Kall but it was too late to avoid the deadly scythe blade descending through the air towards it. The black blade cut through it and in a puff of foul smelling brimstone the demon was gone.
“Sawtooth’s weapon,” muttered the man atop the platform as the blood flowed around his feet. His two assistants were already moving towards the third and final sacrificial victim. With another wave of odor, a second demon, identical to the first crawled out from the blood covering the stone.
“Get me that scythe,” the man intoned, pointing at Kall.
Tilliana, still the hardest pressed of the three companions, parried and swung and then swung again. Four more of her attackers fell to the ground, cut, bleeding and dying. The floor of the barn around Tilliana was stained red. Tilliana moved to parry another blow from Gurtz, his sword ringing up against hers, and then she swung back at him. From her right another man charged in, his sword descending towards Tilliana’s head. Tilliana checked her swing and moved back, out of the way. The sword tip still managed to slam into the shoulder of her armor.
“What is your name,” Jozz asked the woman attacking him as he ducked two more sword blows.
“Traxi,” snarled the woman as she too failed to strike Jozz. Jozz, taking advantage of the fact she had overthrust, grabbed her arm and plunged his dagger up into her throat. As the blood flowed out of the wound and out of her mouth, she fell lifelessly forward.
A few feet away, Kall moved forwards, swinging wildly at one of those attacking Jozz. The nimble cultist easily ducked the blow, but it did turn the man’s attention from Jozz.
The demon, on its stubby legs charged off of the patform and towards Kall. With barely an inch to spare, Kall leaped away from the huge jaws as they slammed shut at him. Kall snarled and with the last bits of energy he could muster, he brought his scythe down at the demon. The scythe did its work and the demon, just like the first, vanished in a puff of brimstone. With scarcely a pause for thought, Kall swung the scythe around and into the cultist he had just missed. The cultist, distracted by the demon, had little opportunity to defend himself. He fell to the floor dead as Kall then proceeded to slice open the man next to him.
Atop the platform things were still happening. The third sacrificial victim died as the deadly scythe cut its third body that evening in half.. Once more blood flowed freely upon the stone. Enraged, Tilliana swung too hard at Gurtz, missing and opening herself up once more to the man attacking her from the right. A slight scratch acroos the cheek rewarded her for her lack of focus.
Coming back to her sense, Tilliana moved just in time to avoid a deadly swing of Gurtz’ golden hilted great sword.
Jozz, left with only a single attacker, proceeded to stab the man and simultaneously avoid a sword thrust by that lone cultist.
Kall was bleeding in several places, still had something of a headache from Tilliana’s sound burst and was now exhausted from his exertions. Still, as he watched the two assistants on the platform bring forth small unholy symbols and heard them utter divine prayers of protection, he resolved himself to slay the evil men. Gripping his scythe with as much energy as he could he charged towards the platform. The two assistants were at the edge of the platform, reaching down to pick up two scythes which had lain there the whole time. Kall, with a yell brought his scythe around at the one nearest the edge. The man leaped back just in time to avoid being killed but Kall still felt the scythe tear through something more solid then the man’s robe.
Tilliana, slammed her sword around through the air, tearing the head from one of her attackers and then brought it down atop the skull of another. Her only opponent was now Gurtz and with a savage cry she brought her sword tip around and into him as well. Gurtz rolled away from the attack, barely saving himself from being cut in two. He was the only thing standing between her and the platform.
Jozz meanwhile killed his final opponent just in time to see one of the evil clerics atop the platform reach out a hand towards his brother.
“Die!” snarled the cleric, touching Kall. Kall felt dark energies wash over him and his heart skipped a beat. But he was too strong and the energies flowed back out of him.
“I smite you in the name of the Harvester,” yelled the other, bringing his scythe around and at Kall. Kall, still in shock from the death attack of the other was too slow to avoid the scythe blade entirely and it scratched across his sleeve as he rolled away from the stroke. It was just a scratch but there was a black flash as the scythe blade connected with skin and Kall felt even more of his energy drain away.
Tilliana, desperate to aid Kall sliced once more into Gurtz, but he, ignoring the pain, managed to bring his own sword up and around into Tilliana’s side. It was too weak to be a deadly blow but it was enough to knock the slim priestess back and away from the grim fighter.
Jozz loaded his crossbow and aimed it at the man still standing in front of the blood soaked stone. He fired and the bolt found its mark, sinking into the man’s thigh. But Jozz’s feeling of triumph turned to horror as he saw the new monstrosity crawling forth from the blood upon the stone. It was large and vaguely dog like, but rows of scarlet spines covered the length of its back and its jaws were massive. It pulled itself forward and Jozz saw a tail whip into the air, a barb of some sort at its tip.
“Kill that one!” shouted the man, unmindful of the bolt in his thigh, and he pointed to Kall once more.
“I smite you for the harvester,” shouted the cleric who had tried to kill Kall with a touch. Again there was a black flash as the scythe blade scratched Kall and he felt more of his energy draining away.
“Die!” shouted the other as he tried to use the same death touch his partner had used. Kall tried to back away but the other was too quick and just a touch was all it took. Kall felt his heart constrict as black forces threatened to take his life. Barely holding on to life, Kall cried out and forced himself to swing the scythe in his hand. It connected and drew blood from one of the death clerics.
Tilliana, meanwhile was still going toe to toe with Gurtz. Finally she saw an opening and leaping forward to take it, her sword cleaved throught he fighter’s defenses and ended his life. Stooping down for a moment, Tilliana pried the sword from Gurtz’s fingers. It’s golden hilt gleamed and the blue gems sparkled memories into Tilliana’s mind. She pictured her father for a moment, showing her this identical sword, telling her its name, “Razortongue.”
Jozz, from his spot away from the platform fired up at the large demon as it charged forward at Kall. His bolt found its mark and was enough to make the demon miss as it swung its spiked tail up and over towards Kall. Kall, twisting away from the wicked looking tail also managed to avoid the scythe blades of the two clerics, but he was too hard pressed to allow his own scythe to find a target.
The only man not currently involved in combat, the one who had commanded the demons, strode off the platform and into the middle of the corpse covered room. He clutched something and began to pray.
Suddenly Tilliana was on the platform. Razortongue swung through the air and killed one of the two clerics and then proceeded to gut the other. Jozz, seeing the third cleric, the leader of this whole outfit, starting a spell, chose to shoot him. The bolt grazed him, but it was enough for the man to loose focus on what he was saying.
The spiked tail of the demon whipped forward and this time Kall was too slow to avoid it. It punched through his armor and pierced his flesh. There was a burning as Kall felt some sort of poison burning his skin. Furious, Kall brought his scythe up and into the side of the demon.
Tilliana looked across the room, over the fire that burned brightly in the middle of the floor and saw that the remaining cleric had lost whatever spell he had been trying to cast. As Jozz fired once more at the cleric, this time missing, Tilliana brought Razor tongue up and onto the back of the demon. There was a puff of brimstone and the demon’s body melted away into nothing. Kall turned his attention to the cleric in the middle of the room and laying down his scythe he drew his bow and swiftly fired an arrow across the flames of the fire and across the side of the cleric.
The cleric pointed a finger at Kall and shouted “Burn!” Kall felt an urge to throw himself into the fire but resisted.
Tilliana charged off of the platform at the cleric. He tried to duck, but Razortongue still found a mark. Jozz, seeing Tilliana engaging the man in hand to hand combat, charged forward as well. The man still had enough life left to raise his own scythe and fend off Jozz’s small dagger.
“That fire can’t hurt me,” said Kall to himself and once more grabbing his scythe he too charged at the cleric, running straight through the roaring fire to do so. The cleric, surprised to see Kall running unscathed through the flames was too slow to block and the black scythe also cut into him.
Still the man was not dead. He snarled at Tilliana, recognizing her as a servant of the Swift Sword and raising his scythe he brought it down at her.
“May the dark Harvester smite your soul!”
There was a flash of blackness and Tilliana felt an unholy energy washing over her. But neither the blow nor the dark energy was strong enough to stop her.
“May Naemae smite you!” she retorted and Razortongue pierced the cleric and in a second his life was ended.
As the three wearily stood and bled through numerous wounds, they could hear the sound of the sheriff and the townsfolks approaching the barn.
The smell of bacon frying in the kitchen woke the three adventurer’s the next morning. Dressing quickly, the three were soon downstairs eating a hearty breakfast.
About halfway through the morning meal, the sheriff entered the front room of the Inn and joined the three.
“I’m sorry about your things being stolen,” he began, “I am afraid however its not generally safe to just leave valuables in a wagon in the inn stables.”
Tilliana grimaced in embarrassment.
“Ok,” said Jozz to the sheriff.
“Do you know who took the chests?” asked Tilliana.
“Yes and no,” said the sheriff, “I can’t proof who took it but I have a fairly good idea. A man by the name of Tanel moved into the area a few years back and he seems to have built himself up quite a following. He doesn’t exactly announce it publically but most people know he is leading some sort of death cult. Lately they have grown bolder and it seems likely they are the ones who took your stuff. Anytime there is trouble anymore I generally blame them first. The six who broke into your rooms a few nights back were hooked up with that outfit.”
“Why don’t you stop them if you know who they are?” asked Tilliana pointedly.
“For one most people are scared of them. These you rescued from the orcs yesterday were some of the most outspoken and they get kidnapped. They are naming a few names but even so, Tanel has at least sixty followers at the moment who would fight and die for him. Not to mention a tough looking bodyguard and two men who seem to be personal disciples. People are just scared and I don’t have an army to back me up.”
“We are an army,” boasted Jozz, “We can do it.”
“They are very confident of themselves,” said Tilliana with a smile.
“Well son,” said the sheriff, “You have my permission to go after them. They meet in a large house here in town and also in a big barn just outside of town. Mostly they meet in the barn but once a week they meet here in town too. And furthermore, by the power invested in me by the folks of this town, I promise that you can keep whatever you take from them as payment for your services.”
“We will help you,” said Tilliana, “But we would like help as well. Who can you get to go with us?”
“I will ask around quietly,” said the sheriff, “And see who I can rope into it. I will be there for one. Kidnapping, murder and theft cannot be ignored forever.”
They spent the rest of the day talking to merchants and shopkeepers. Tilliana reasoned that a ton of copper coins was impractical to store or haul around. And so she and the boys found merchants who were willing to exchange the copper coins for gold or silver. Tilliana also hunted up someone willing to buy the uncut gems at what she felt was a fair price and merchants willing to buy the orc’s used armor and weapons. The task would have been easier in Geanavue, for the merchants in Terfiindel were not so wealthy but eventually the matters were taken care of and the dozen chests of coins and the pile of salvaged weapons were reduced to three chests of coins, one for each of the companions.
One thing that Terfiindel did have was a good alchemist and here they made the man very happy. They purchased tanglefoot bags, sunrods, oils and alchemists fires off of him giving him the best business day he had had for several months.
The sheriff met them again as they were coming out of the alchemist shop.
“There you are! I have been asking around, like you wanted. Unfortunately people are upset about the cult but no one feels brave enough to do anything about it. I think it will take some sort of impetus and then we could rally over a hundred men to the cause, but for the moment nothing. I will keep working on it though.
“Is there a wizard around here,” asked Jozz.
“There is none in these parts that I know of,” said the sheriff, “We don’t have much use for them, though there are a few scattered here and there in other towns.”
“Thanks anyway,” said Tilliana.
“You see that man,” said the sheriff, and he pointed at a dark cloaked man in armor walking on the other side of the street. A great two handed sword hung on his back, its hilt of gold and blue gems on the pommel and crosspiece. Four other men walked just a pace behind him, also armed.
“That’s Gurk, Tanel’s bodyguard. He’s a tough customer. Those men with him are farmers and crooks, an odd combination.”
Tilliana took in the man’s features but it was, in reality, the sword that caught her interest the most. Something about it seemed familiar. In a moment though, Gurk and the men with him were out of sight.
“Will you be staying at the inn?” asked the sheriff.
“Probably,” said Tilliana.
“I want to buy a new crossbow first,” said Jozz, “Then we will go get those thieves.”
“Tanel’s house or that barn I mentioned are the best places to look,” said the sheriff.
“We will get to it,” said Tilliana who was already forming a plan about doing that very thing in the morning. After they had bought Jozz a new crossbow, a quality piece of dwarven design, they retired back to the inn for supper and bed.
That night as they lay in their beds, they were roused by the sound of shouting in the street.
The boys blearily walked out and looked over their balcony at the street below. A young boy, perhaps twelve, was screaming, “Help!” Tilliana walked out onto her balcony, her arms crossed.
“What are you shouting for?” shouted down Jozz.
The boy turned and looked up at the three on their balconies and hurried closer, talking all the while.
“They are after me. I was taken and tied up. There were dead people and others as well and there was chanting. I slipped from the ropes and ran back to town. But now they are after me.”
Kall, hearing the boys story jumped over the balcony railing and landed on the dirt street.
“Come up here,” said Tilliana.
Without warning there was the sound of bolts flying through the air. Two thuds sounded and the boy gave a start and then fell to the ground, a pair of crossbow bolts protruding from his back. Kall raced to help the boy. He briefly saw three men running down the street, away from the scene, but his first thought was saving the boy.
Above the street, Jozz ran back into his room to don his armor.
“Carry him up here,” said Tilliana, and then realizing what she was saying she also ran into her room, where she grabbed her sword. Then she was flying out the door and down the stairs to wake the innkeeper.
Kall pulled the bolts out of the boy and cast them aside. Then, examining the wounds he worked to stop the bleeding. He was no trained medic but he still managed to staunch the bleeding. Lifting the boy in his arms, Kall slowly made his way towards the front door of the inn. Inside, the innkeeper was already lighting lamps.
Tilliana threw open the front door and rushed out, her divine focus in one hand, her great sword in the other. Holding aloft the silken square emblazoned with the golden eye of Naemae, she prayed for healing and then touched the boy’s wounds. The blood cleared and the wounds closed. The boys breathing, which had been ragged and shallow became normal again. The boy’s eyes opened.
Kall carried the boy into the front room of the inn and set him down on a chair. The innkeeper’s wife hurried into the room and the boy looked nervously around. He reached back to feel where his wounds had been. Jozz raced down the stairs, his armor on and his weapons ready.
“Young man,” said Tilliana, “you said there were others? Did you mean other prisoners?”
“Yes,” said the boy nodding his head, “and I heard them say something about a sacrifice, I think they plan on killing them tonight.”
“Do you know who was chasing you?”
“Yes, a man named Gurtz, with a couple of other men.”
“Gurtz!” said Kall and Jozz together.
“Do you think you could come and help us fight them?” said Tilliana. Then, as she realized what she was asking a boy who looked to be only about ten or eleven years old to do, she changed her mind, “Uh, nevermind. Do you know where they took you?”
“To the big barn outside of town where the evil people have been meeting.”
“Get the sheriff,” Tilliana told the innkeeper, “Take the boy with you. We three will get ourselves ready and head straight out to this barn.”
“Its just outside town, to the south,” said the innkeeper helpfully and then he and the boy were out the door.
Jozz was already ready, so he was elected to help Tilliana suit up. Kall went to get his stuff himself. Soon their weapons were ready, their armor was on, and their packs were on their backs.
“Ready Jozz and Kall?” asked Tilliana.
“Yeah!” said Jozz.
“Right but before we go, lets lock the windows and doors,” said Tilliana, “No reason to encourage thieves while we are away.”
Soon they were heading out of town, southwards, looking for a big barn filled with evil cultists. They found it by the fact that not only was it very big, but it was also well lit from the inside and the faint sounds of chanting could be heard eminating from its general direction.
“Let’s be brave,” said Tilliana as they approached the front doors of the barn.
“Stop a moment,” she said when they were closer. Clutching her divine focus, she prayed and then touched Kall on the head.
“May the strength of Naemae be upon you,” she intoned.
“Wow!” said Kall as divine strength filled him.
“Do you have a plan?” asked Jozz.
“Not really,” said Tilliana as she eyed the doors of the barn only about fifty feet away. The chanting was much louder this close.
She prayed once more over Kall and blessed his armor, endowing it with a divine strength.
“Ok, now I have a plan,” said Tilliana looking at the doors, “I want each of you to get your ropes and here is what we do.”
Tilliana’s plan was interrupted however by the arrival of walking dead. Shuffling around from either side of the barn, the animated corpses mindlessly made their way towards the three adventurers.
“Oh no,” muttered Tilliana, “I hope they haven’t activated that demon stone.”
Jozz acted immediatelly, firing his crossbow at one of the zombies. The bolt sank into the zombies flesh but still the zombie trudged forward, mindless of the injury. Kall hefted the scythe he had taken from Sawtooth and with a cry he ran the distance to one group of the zombies and hacked into one. The scythe cut deep but still the corpse moved, swinging a powerful blow at Kall. Kall ducked aside but another dead fist slammed into him from a different zombie. Tilliana looked at the zombies coming from either direction around the barn and calmly walked between them, albeit closer to the group now trying to tear Kall apart.
Jozz fired another bolt into one of the zombies and again the corpse trudged on, heedless of an injury that would have killed a normal man. Kall evaded the slow zombies and once more swung the scythe at the zombie he had already injured. The scythe did its job this time and as that zombie fell in two pieces to the ground, Kall used the swing to carry the heavy scythe blade into another of the animated corpses. The other group of zombies continued to trudge towards Tilliana.
Tilliana waited until the zombies were near her and then she raised the divine symbol of Naemae and focusing she caused a light to burst forth. The zombie each raised their arms, fearful of the light and then with a breathless cry they collapsed to the ground, their undead flesh melting.
“Okay, here’s what we do,” said Tilliana as the two boys gathered near her and the chanting from the barn grew slightly louder, “You two tie ropes to the doors of the barn and then, standing back, you pull the doors open.”
Kall looked at her and then reached back to pull out his rope.
“Just open the doors,” said Jozz, deciding he did not like the plan. He strode purposefully towards the barn and threw open the right hand barn door.
Inside the barn, a large crowd of people, all in black robes, was gathered at the far end of the building. There were no stalls, just a large open floor. Somewhere on the other side, a large fire burned openly on the floor. On the other side of the fire there appeared to be a platform. In the middle of the platform stood a man in black armor and a black robe, holding a big scythe. Two other men stood at either side of him. In front of him, bound and gagged atop a large circular stone was a young girl. Two other bound figures were at the back of the platform on either side.
“Hey!” shouted Jozz, “Move it! Be good or die!”
There was an instant reaction as the chanting ceased and every head in the room turned to stare at Jozz. Jozz raised his crossbow, and choosing a man at random, he fired. The bolt sank into the man who staggered backwards.
Kall, smiling at the chance for action, dropped his rope back into his pack and gripping the black scythe in his hands he charged with unnatural speed past Jozz and into the barn. He covered a third of the length of the barn before plowing into the crowd. The scythe blade whipped around wickedly and in a matter of seconds, three of the cultist lay on the ground unconscious and bleeding to death.
With a sigh Tilliana ran as quickly into the barn as she could. Despite her heavy armor slowing her down, she still managed to charge at the crowd of cultist before the had fully reacted. Charging into the barn to the left of Kall, she rammed her greatsword straight into one of the black robed men.
Meanwhile, Jozz, trying to take advantage of the distraction caused by the other two sped around the crowd, running along the side of the room, behind a series of post. There was no one along the walls and Jozz managed to run almost to the other end of the room.
“Keep the infidel’s away from the altar,” shouted the man in the center of the platform.
The cultists with an angry shout ran at the companions. Several of them charged at Jozz, backing him up against the wall of the barn. They wielded swords of various lengths and several of them apparently were wearing armor under their robes. As they crowded around, one managed to scratch Kall with a short sword. Another, on the other end of the barn, also managed to stab Jozz with a sword. Only Tilliana escaped injury unscathed, her long sword and enchanted armor kept her attackers from hurting her. As Tilliana fought off her attackers, she noticed one man in particular trying to make his way towards her through the crowd. It was Gurtz and his sword was drawn.
Kall, putting as much energy as he could into his scythe swings swung the black weapon in a vicious arc, cutting through two men, killing them both. Jozz meanwhile ducked and parried for all he was worth to avoid the five swords pressing at him from three sides.
At the front of the room, the three men on the platform continued their chanting, apparently heedless of the battles being raged in the same room. At the height of his chanting the one in the center, holding aloft his scythe brought it down with deadly accuracy, cleaving the one bound in front of him into two bloody halves. Blood washed over the stone upon which the victim lay.
Tilliana, noticing the sacrifice out of the corner of her eye, ducked two sword blows, lifted her divine focus and with a spoken word she caused a loud burst of sound to shake the room around her. Several of the cultists collapsed outright from the sound burst, blood streaming from their ears and noses. Most of the others were stunned into inactivity. Taking advantage of the momentary shock, Tilliana raced forwards. One of the cultist, deciding he had had enough, ran out of Tilliana’s way and jumped out one of the barn’s windows in a shower of glass.
Kall, unfortunately was one of those caught in Tilliana’s sound blast. His sense reeling he found himself unable to focus properly and was subsequently hit by a sword thrust. On the other side of the barn Jozz, fienting away from one of his attackers managed to reverse his movement and catch one of his attackers by surprise. His dagger jammed through the man’s leather armor and into his heart.
“Be brave,” said Jozz to his attackers, a deadly smile on his face, “or be scared.”
Tilliana managed to evade several attackers as she ran towards the front but then a wave of black robed cultist swarmed towards her and she could run no further as she moved to defend herself. They came at her with swords, but they were not very skilled with them and in a matter of moment’s, Tilliana had felled four of them. Still others swarmed in to take the place of the fallen. Behind the wave of cultist, Gurtz continued to try and press his way at Tilliana.
Another sword thrust struck Kall, drawing blood and now Kall, shocked back into action, yelled a battle cry. The veins on his neck stood out and blood and adrenaline pumped through his body. He swung viciously and mowed down three of those attacking him.
Suddenly a strange odor, tinged with brimstone filled the barn and bursting out of the blood of the dead victim atop the stone, a purple skinned monstrosity burst forth. It was covered with glowing red eyes and its round body was dominated by a huge fanged mouth that stretched from one side of its body to the other. Stubby arms flailed and stubby legs propelled it.
The demonic figure leaped from the stage and fell upon one of the cultist, its huge mouth tearing the man apart. As the man fell dying, the fiend flew into a feeding frenzy, its jaws taking quick and powerful bites out of the slain man.
“After that man,” shouted the scythe wielding man atop the platform and he pointed to his left, towards where Jozz was ringed in by a crowd of cultists. Behind him, the other two men atop the platform were already dragging another victim towards the stone.
A small group of the cultist, looking fearfully at the fiend they helped summon cried in fear and raced around the side of the barn towards the exit.
“Don’t worry,” said Kall to a man besides him staring across the barn at the demon, “You won’t get eaten.” And taking advantage of the man’s distraction, Kall cut him apart with the black scythe.
Tilliana was still holding her own. Three more men fell to the ground dead and one was forced to back away, clutching his bleeding arm. Tilliana was uninjured. As the crowd around Tilliana grew thinner, Gurtz, seeing an opening rushed at Tilliana. Tilliana easily parried his sword stroke and backed away a step, still unscathed.
Directly across the barn, Jozz was having a harder time of it. Bleeding from several minor cuts, Jozz was finding it difficult to fight five at once.
“Look over there,” said Jozz to one of the men and though the man turned and looked for a moment at the demon rushing at him, when Jozz lunged at him, the man managed to turn back just in time to avoid the dagger thrust. At the same time, the man rolled away from the snapping jaws of the demon, who, intent on reaching Jozz, had decided to go through him first.
Kall, seeing his brother in trouble, turned his attention firmly to those around him, determined to break through and help Jozz. With miraculaous ease, he disemboweled a man, followed through to slice open a second, brought the scythe with tremendous energy down on top of a third, literally splitting the man in half lengthwise, followed through with a decapitation and then cut open the chest of a third. With a shout, Kall raced forward to help Jozz.
On the platform, the black robed scythe wielder cut the next victim in half. Again, the blood flowed over the stone.
Feeling helpless to stop the sacrifices, Tilliana could only continue to fight those that surrounded her, deflecting another blow from Gurtz, Tilliana proceeded to ram the tip of her sword into one of the men. He fell, dead, but he momentarily pulled Tilliana forward as she worked to pull her sword loose once more. The momentary lapse was enough to allow another of the men to strike her. She saw the blow coming and managed to roll away from the brunt of it in time, but still it rang across her helmet, causing her to momentarily see stars.
The demon meanwhile was still snapping at the man it perceived to be between it and its target. The man managed to hold the demon back and Jozz, feeling the respite of only dodging four attackers, managed to ram his dagger into another of the cultists. But perhaps because of overconfidence, another of the cultist, managed to scratch another line across his armor. With a shock, as he turned to avoid being cut deeply, he saw that this attacker was a woman.
Kall raced across the floor towards the demon even as two others were racing out the barn doors. The demon turned away from the cultist it was attacking and towards Kall but it was too late to avoid the deadly scythe blade descending through the air towards it. The black blade cut through it and in a puff of foul smelling brimstone the demon was gone.
“Sawtooth’s weapon,” muttered the man atop the platform as the blood flowed around his feet. His two assistants were already moving towards the third and final sacrificial victim. With another wave of odor, a second demon, identical to the first crawled out from the blood covering the stone.
“Get me that scythe,” the man intoned, pointing at Kall.
Tilliana, still the hardest pressed of the three companions, parried and swung and then swung again. Four more of her attackers fell to the ground, cut, bleeding and dying. The floor of the barn around Tilliana was stained red. Tilliana moved to parry another blow from Gurtz, his sword ringing up against hers, and then she swung back at him. From her right another man charged in, his sword descending towards Tilliana’s head. Tilliana checked her swing and moved back, out of the way. The sword tip still managed to slam into the shoulder of her armor.
“What is your name,” Jozz asked the woman attacking him as he ducked two more sword blows.
“Traxi,” snarled the woman as she too failed to strike Jozz. Jozz, taking advantage of the fact she had overthrust, grabbed her arm and plunged his dagger up into her throat. As the blood flowed out of the wound and out of her mouth, she fell lifelessly forward.
A few feet away, Kall moved forwards, swinging wildly at one of those attacking Jozz. The nimble cultist easily ducked the blow, but it did turn the man’s attention from Jozz.
The demon, on its stubby legs charged off of the patform and towards Kall. With barely an inch to spare, Kall leaped away from the huge jaws as they slammed shut at him. Kall snarled and with the last bits of energy he could muster, he brought his scythe down at the demon. The scythe did its work and the demon, just like the first, vanished in a puff of brimstone. With scarcely a pause for thought, Kall swung the scythe around and into the cultist he had just missed. The cultist, distracted by the demon, had little opportunity to defend himself. He fell to the floor dead as Kall then proceeded to slice open the man next to him.
Atop the platform things were still happening. The third sacrificial victim died as the deadly scythe cut its third body that evening in half.. Once more blood flowed freely upon the stone. Enraged, Tilliana swung too hard at Gurtz, missing and opening herself up once more to the man attacking her from the right. A slight scratch acroos the cheek rewarded her for her lack of focus.
Coming back to her sense, Tilliana moved just in time to avoid a deadly swing of Gurtz’ golden hilted great sword.
Jozz, left with only a single attacker, proceeded to stab the man and simultaneously avoid a sword thrust by that lone cultist.
Kall was bleeding in several places, still had something of a headache from Tilliana’s sound burst and was now exhausted from his exertions. Still, as he watched the two assistants on the platform bring forth small unholy symbols and heard them utter divine prayers of protection, he resolved himself to slay the evil men. Gripping his scythe with as much energy as he could he charged towards the platform. The two assistants were at the edge of the platform, reaching down to pick up two scythes which had lain there the whole time. Kall, with a yell brought his scythe around at the one nearest the edge. The man leaped back just in time to avoid being killed but Kall still felt the scythe tear through something more solid then the man’s robe.
Tilliana, slammed her sword around through the air, tearing the head from one of her attackers and then brought it down atop the skull of another. Her only opponent was now Gurtz and with a savage cry she brought her sword tip around and into him as well. Gurtz rolled away from the attack, barely saving himself from being cut in two. He was the only thing standing between her and the platform.
Jozz meanwhile killed his final opponent just in time to see one of the evil clerics atop the platform reach out a hand towards his brother.
“Die!” snarled the cleric, touching Kall. Kall felt dark energies wash over him and his heart skipped a beat. But he was too strong and the energies flowed back out of him.
“I smite you in the name of the Harvester,” yelled the other, bringing his scythe around and at Kall. Kall, still in shock from the death attack of the other was too slow to avoid the scythe blade entirely and it scratched across his sleeve as he rolled away from the stroke. It was just a scratch but there was a black flash as the scythe blade connected with skin and Kall felt even more of his energy drain away.
Tilliana, desperate to aid Kall sliced once more into Gurtz, but he, ignoring the pain, managed to bring his own sword up and around into Tilliana’s side. It was too weak to be a deadly blow but it was enough to knock the slim priestess back and away from the grim fighter.
Jozz loaded his crossbow and aimed it at the man still standing in front of the blood soaked stone. He fired and the bolt found its mark, sinking into the man’s thigh. But Jozz’s feeling of triumph turned to horror as he saw the new monstrosity crawling forth from the blood upon the stone. It was large and vaguely dog like, but rows of scarlet spines covered the length of its back and its jaws were massive. It pulled itself forward and Jozz saw a tail whip into the air, a barb of some sort at its tip.
“Kill that one!” shouted the man, unmindful of the bolt in his thigh, and he pointed to Kall once more.
“I smite you for the harvester,” shouted the cleric who had tried to kill Kall with a touch. Again there was a black flash as the scythe blade scratched Kall and he felt more of his energy draining away.
“Die!” shouted the other as he tried to use the same death touch his partner had used. Kall tried to back away but the other was too quick and just a touch was all it took. Kall felt his heart constrict as black forces threatened to take his life. Barely holding on to life, Kall cried out and forced himself to swing the scythe in his hand. It connected and drew blood from one of the death clerics.
Tilliana, meanwhile was still going toe to toe with Gurtz. Finally she saw an opening and leaping forward to take it, her sword cleaved throught he fighter’s defenses and ended his life. Stooping down for a moment, Tilliana pried the sword from Gurtz’s fingers. It’s golden hilt gleamed and the blue gems sparkled memories into Tilliana’s mind. She pictured her father for a moment, showing her this identical sword, telling her its name, “Razortongue.”
Jozz, from his spot away from the platform fired up at the large demon as it charged forward at Kall. His bolt found its mark and was enough to make the demon miss as it swung its spiked tail up and over towards Kall. Kall, twisting away from the wicked looking tail also managed to avoid the scythe blades of the two clerics, but he was too hard pressed to allow his own scythe to find a target.
The only man not currently involved in combat, the one who had commanded the demons, strode off the platform and into the middle of the corpse covered room. He clutched something and began to pray.
Suddenly Tilliana was on the platform. Razortongue swung through the air and killed one of the two clerics and then proceeded to gut the other. Jozz, seeing the third cleric, the leader of this whole outfit, starting a spell, chose to shoot him. The bolt grazed him, but it was enough for the man to loose focus on what he was saying.
The spiked tail of the demon whipped forward and this time Kall was too slow to avoid it. It punched through his armor and pierced his flesh. There was a burning as Kall felt some sort of poison burning his skin. Furious, Kall brought his scythe up and into the side of the demon.
Tilliana looked across the room, over the fire that burned brightly in the middle of the floor and saw that the remaining cleric had lost whatever spell he had been trying to cast. As Jozz fired once more at the cleric, this time missing, Tilliana brought Razor tongue up and onto the back of the demon. There was a puff of brimstone and the demon’s body melted away into nothing. Kall turned his attention to the cleric in the middle of the room and laying down his scythe he drew his bow and swiftly fired an arrow across the flames of the fire and across the side of the cleric.
The cleric pointed a finger at Kall and shouted “Burn!” Kall felt an urge to throw himself into the fire but resisted.
Tilliana charged off of the platform at the cleric. He tried to duck, but Razortongue still found a mark. Jozz, seeing Tilliana engaging the man in hand to hand combat, charged forward as well. The man still had enough life left to raise his own scythe and fend off Jozz’s small dagger.
“That fire can’t hurt me,” said Kall to himself and once more grabbing his scythe he too charged at the cleric, running straight through the roaring fire to do so. The cleric, surprised to see Kall running unscathed through the flames was too slow to block and the black scythe also cut into him.
Still the man was not dead. He snarled at Tilliana, recognizing her as a servant of the Swift Sword and raising his scythe he brought it down at her.
“May the dark Harvester smite your soul!”
There was a flash of blackness and Tilliana felt an unholy energy washing over her. But neither the blow nor the dark energy was strong enough to stop her.
“May Naemae smite you!” she retorted and Razortongue pierced the cleric and in a second his life was ended.
As the three wearily stood and bled through numerous wounds, they could hear the sound of the sheriff and the townsfolks approaching the barn.
Wicht
Hero
DM's notes: There were over sixty opponents in that barn. 
The death count was somewhere between forty and fifty.
By the end of the fight Kall had exactly 1 hit point. The second Death attack he experienced almost did him in, I rolled exactly 1 less then Kall still had hitpoints. Fortune was definitely with him as he made both saves against the poison of the Abysmal Ravager and failed to die from either of the clerics death attacks. he also killed two demons singlehandedly whilst not being hurt by either.
The death count was somewhere between forty and fifty.
By the end of the fight Kall had exactly 1 hit point. The second Death attack he experienced almost did him in, I rolled exactly 1 less then Kall still had hitpoints. Fortune was definitely with him as he made both saves against the poison of the Abysmal Ravager and failed to die from either of the clerics death attacks. he also killed two demons singlehandedly whilst not being hurt by either.
Wicht
Hero
It's been over a month but at last...
The campaign's back on!
(and to finally answer Buttercup's question - a lot of experience
at the end of that session Tilliana was a Cle6/Fgt2 and the boys were both level 6)
I'll try and find the time to post a character update, though just writing up this last session is going to take a while. I have 10 pages of notes to transfer to story - and I just finished 2 of the 10 today.) I also have to work on finishing up notes for my first Sunlight Campaign adventure (read about it in my new storyhour) and make sure to get back to work on typing up the next few adventures worth of encounters for the Servant's campaign. Frankly I'm swamped. But also happy to be playing again after the holidays.
The campaign's back on!
(and to finally answer Buttercup's question - a lot of experience
at the end of that session Tilliana was a Cle6/Fgt2 and the boys were both level 6)I'll try and find the time to post a character update, though just writing up this last session is going to take a while. I have 10 pages of notes to transfer to story - and I just finished 2 of the 10 today.) I also have to work on finishing up notes for my first Sunlight Campaign adventure (read about it in my new storyhour) and make sure to get back to work on typing up the next few adventures worth of encounters for the Servant's campaign. Frankly I'm swamped. But also happy to be playing again after the holidays.