The Band of Four (The Village of Oester)

[Hairy Minotaur]

Rebrey saw the body fly out of the skull, and at first thought it was Empythacoreaus with the dark bat-like wings. Upon closer examination however he realized it was a female, and continued onward towards the front door of the structure. He reached the entrance way, and saw the bloody floor, still sticky. Then the explosion hit, thrusting his body into the doors. The blast blows Rebrey into the stone block that was keeping the doors from closing, and regenerating the doorman, Rebrey lands in-between the doors and they close trapping his legs.

Tharhack heard the blast, and felt the reverberations, he looked down and saw that Charekyal and Alriand still held onto the ladder. Tharhack continues his climb and poking his head over the top rung, catches he first glimpse of the demonic figure holding the head of the succubus in his hands, eyeing Tharhack. Charekyal pushes up past Tharhack burning his left side as she makes her way onto the floor, then realizes she should've waited. Alriand then follows, leaping out behind Charekyal.

Klithgor rises, and flares his scaly almost dragon like wings "I have what I came for, I will not waste my time with you. However I feel that not leaving you a present would be rude of me."

With that Klithgor drops the head of the succubus onto the floor. Tharhack makes his way off of the ladder, and casts bull's strength on himself. He then catches a glimpse of Empythacoreaus circling behind Klithgor and picking up airspeed, Tharhack knew he needed to stall the demon.

"Demon, you have yet to feel the fist of Kord. Would you like a personal demonstration?" Tharhack asked the demon, trying to sound impressive

Tharhack watched as Klithgor took two steps, but didn't even see the tail strike until it had already hit home.

"Ugh." The sound came from behind Tharhack

Tharhack watched as Alriand was drawn back by the black tail, Klithgor held her suspended in front of him impaled on the dark stinger.

"Mortals, such a waste of potential food." Klithgor announces before flinging Alriand out through the opening in the skull behind him.

Klithgor then takes to flight as Empythacoreaus slams into him from behind, sending Klithgor tumbling forward and landing at Tharhack's feet. Tharhack calls for his divine strength, and with glowing muscles, brings his greatsword down across the back of Klithgor slicing his right wing from his back. Charekyal then calls a flame forth from her hands, and sends a jet of fire into the head of Klithgor, singeing the hair on his head. Gothmog finally pops his head up the ladder, having to climb each rung one at a time.

Empythacoreaus sits up and sends a blast of pure good into the prone body of Klithgor, Klithgor screams in pain as vapor lifts off of his back.

Unwatched, the eyes of the succubus' head turn a shiny black, and it tilts back exposing it's dark mouth. A low groaning issues forth from it's maw, and crescendos to a deafening level. Klithgor pushes himself off of the floor and notices his wing lying beside him on the floor. Laughing Klithgor tries to bring his tail forth to strike Tharhack, only to find the clawed hands of Empythacoreaus wrapped around the end of it. Turning Klithgor meets face to face with the pit fiend again, only this time he catches a face full of the heavens as Empythacoreaus blasts Klithgor again. Blinded, Klithgor slashes out with his massive clawed hands, one of them hits Empythacoreaus, tearing flesh from his chest and draining him of precious life-force.

Charekyal molds the flame in her hand into the shape of a ball, and sends the ball rolling across the floor, and up the legs of Klithgor burning him along the way.

The groaning comes to a halt with a great ripping sound, and a dark form filled with hate rises from the head of the succubus, which has been ripped in half at the mouth. The semi-transparent form's eyes glow blacker than it's form.

Klithgor wrenches his tail free from Empythacoreaus' grasp, and retreats past the pit fiend, heading for the blasted out hole at the far end of the room. Empythacoreaus takes a swipe at Klithgor's head as he passes, tearing a chunk of skin from Klithgor's cheek.

The great wraith floats in midair, and utters the most vile words Tharhack has ever heard. The words pound against his soul, but his is able to force them out of his head. Gothmog and Charekyal are not so lucky, Gothmog screams in agony and begins to rail his head against the stone floor above the ladder. Charekyal screeches and tries to claw her ears off of her head. Empythacoreaus looks unamused and blasts the great wraith with his beam of light, causing the great wraith to shake in pain.

Tharhack watches as Klithgor leaps out the opening and drop out of sight, he also glimpses a small wing growing back where he had lopped off the old one. Tharhack positions himself between the great wraith and Gothmog and Charekyal. Gothmog finally bangs his head into unconsciousness, and falls down the ladder, landing on the floor below breaking some of his newly repaired bones. Charekyal falls to the ground and pulls her knees to her chest, and has managed to tear one ear completely off and is working on the other one with both of her hands.

"We need to draw it out into the daylight." Empythacoreaus tells Tharhack

"How do we do that?" Tharhack asks

Empythacoreaus thinks for a moment, "Throw Charekyal down the stairs!"

"What?" Tharhack answers

"Eliminate her as a target, we'll have a better chance to maneuver this thing into the fading sunlight, if it only focuses on us." Empythacoreaus replies

Shrugging his shoulders, Tharhack grabs the burning women, and tosses her down the ladder, to land on the prone Gothmog.

 

[Jon Potter]

Bumpity-Bump-Bump.

Bump-Bump!

No page three for you!

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Thanks Jon,

I've been prepping for a convention game for the past 10 days, trying to squash the adventure down to 4 hours. I made it but....

Anyway, a massive update will be coming now that my free time is a little more freed up

Thanks for being patient.

 

[pogre]

Thanks Jon,

I've been prepping for a convention game for the past 10 days, trying to squash the adventure down to 4 hours. I made it but....

Your efforts were much appreciated BTW - I enjoyed it.

What I thought had a cliche ridden start turned out to be pretty good - Congrats to Ed Cha and the gang. Most of all congrats to you for bringing it to life!

Next time I will just kill the paladin and the architectural salvage rogue and we'll all have a good time

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Empythacoreaus and Tharhack try to get the wraith to move into the last remnants of daylight, but the wraith refuses to play along. Another blast a heaven form the pit fiend persuades the great wraith to retreat, to the ground floor one level down. Empythacoreaus and Tharhack watch as the wraith slips through the floor and begins to descend to the entry floor, where Gothmog and Charekyal lay helpless. Rebrey also lays helpless, unbeknownst to Empythacoreaus and Tharhack.

Tharhack heads for the stairs, as the pit fiend takes flight and leaves through the gaping hole in the wall, and lands in front of the entry doors. Tharhack reaches the stairs, and climbs down about ten feet. He spots the wraith almost finished coming through the floor, Tharhack then leaps the remaining twenty feet, and lands next to the unconscious Gothmog. Empythacoreaus reaches the door, and spies Rebrey's broken form laying across the door's path, his armor pock marked where something acidic had been splashed across it.

The wraith floats down to face Tharhack, The half-orc swings his mighty sword across the wraith's path. The wraith however is unimpeded by the attack as the blade passes harmlessly through it's torso.

"Your body is the well holding the nectar from which I will suck dry." Moans the wraith as it reaches out with elongated arms and wraps it's ethereal fingers around Tharhack's skull.

The wraith's eyes begin to glow a dull silver as Tharhack feels the inescapable pull of death tug at his very being. Tharhack tries in vain to remove the nonexistent wraith's hands from his head, then his sight is blinded by a burning white light that envelopes him and erases his fear of death. Tharhack lets go and feels himself falling.

"How long will they be out of it for?" Tharhack asks

"I am uncertain, the utterance of the dark verses were never meant to be taken so lightly as to allow the stricken individual a chance to recover. They might never recover, or more likely they'll recover but they'll not be whole ever again." Empythacoreaus answers

"I wish I could've been more of a help to you in your battle." Rebrey interjects

"Nonsense, your waist was the perfect size to allow my a clear shot at the apparition, I am relieved that it had not completely drained my half-orc friend of his life entirely." Empythacoreaus' response while meant to be light hearted only depressed the paladin more, for when Tharhack and Empythacoreaus removed Rebrey from the ground between the door, and attempted to revive him did they find he was injured more seriously than Tharhack would be able to heal him.

Tharhack sought the words to tell Rebrey his shattered pelvis was beyond Tharhack's ability to repair injuries. Rebrey would remain a paraplegic until greater healing could be located. Rebrey was already wondering what Empythacoreaus and Tharhack knew, if Rebrey couldn't walk how would they get him to where greater healing could be found. Empythacoreaus let it be known he couldn't stay very long, for he needed to hunt Klithgor down before he caused much more damage than he was probably doing this moment. Tharhack was troubled by Gothmog and Charekyal, neither of them could travel at the moment either. Even if Tharhack dragged Rebrey behind him in a stretcher, Tharhack could only carry Charekyal, meaning Gothmog would be left behind. Tharhack could drag Gothmog and carry Charekyal, but that would mean leaving Rebrey behind.

The night wore on as the three men weighed their options, listening to Gothmog and Charekyal's fevered nightmares. Just before dawn, the top of Emthur's tower gave off a bluish glow, and they knew that they would need to make the decision now before they had an extremely tee'd off lich out looking for them.

"I shall make the decision for you, leave me here. Take Gothmog and Charekyal and get them out of here." Rebrey tells them

"I shall not leave a friend to die. If I have to drag all three of you, I swear it will be done." Tharhack responds

"While I appreciate your enthusiasm old friend. Even that is a task you cannot complete, nor is it one I wish to see you try. Taking two of us will already slow you to a walk, taking three of us and you might as well march us towards the tower." Rebrey replies

Tharhack wanted to argue logic with Rebrey, but he knew that whomever got left behind would wind up running across the lich eventually, and none of his choices for who would be left behind would be able to defeat Emthur. With his spells renewed, Tharhack walked over to Alriand's grave and cast consecrate on the mound, hoping that Emthur would be unable to have her rise into undeath to be his servant.

Empythacoreaus wrapped Charekyal in a blanket to help keep Tharhack from getting burned while carrying her, he then helped make the sled that Gothmog was on earlier stronger and wider, to better accommodate Gothmog's girth.

Empythacoreaus and Tharhack parted ways as the pit fiend promised to come looking for Tharhack once Klithgor has been destroyed. Tharhack watched the pit fiend take flight and disappear over the canyon wall, knowing that the destruction of the monster Klithgor was a priority, and for everyone's continued safety Klithgor would need to be destroyed.

"You better get going if you want to get a good headstart, getting up this canyon wall is going to take most if not all of the morning hours." Rebrey told Tharhack

"I'm not leaving you here, I'll die by your side defending your body till my last breath." Tharhack replied

"You're stupid. Having us both dead gives Gothmog and Charekyal no chance at a recovery. Shouldn't they have that right? If you stay Emthur will gain four more minions, if you go he can only gain me." Rebrey answers

"I was unable to help Bimbar, I wasn't strong enough to save Alriand, and I won't be cowardly enough to leave you here to die." Tharhack responds

"You're not leaving me here to die, you're saving two people from death. There is greater good here, you have to see past your personal feelings, and your pride. Kord wants you to be strong you're no good to him dead, be strong now, save Gothmog and Charekyal. Then come back for me." Rebrey replies

Tharhack feels the pain of Rebrey's loss even though he isn't assured of it. Tharhack helps Rebrey inside the entry doors of the skull building, leaving ten days worth of rations for him, Tharhack takes only one day for himself. Tharhack leaves Rebrey with his flail beside him, a prayer to guide him, and a small pouch by his side.

Tharhack gathers up Charekyal, and begins his slow ascent up the winding path on the canyon wall, never looking back. As the midday sun rises overhead, Tharhack crests the canyon wall, and heads north. Hoping to find a town within a day or so that might be able yo offer Gothmog and/or Charekyal some kind of assistance.

Rebrey takes the small pouch and empties the contents of it into his palm, a large diamond falls from it's hiding place in the pouch. Rebrey thinks the gift odd as he's not going to be able to spend it, Rebrey holds it up to his eyes to admire it, and sees the twisting dark form within.

 

[Jon Potter]

Can't believe I didn't spot this update until now!

Wow! That's a pretty tough decision to make on Tharhack's part. But Rebrey shines in true selfless, paladin-fashion by arguing to be left behind.

With all the party deaths on his hands, Tharhack's gonna end up with some pretty heavy emotional bagace.

Great stuff, HM!

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Rebrey and sat on the cold floor watching the entry doors all thru daylight. Now that the sun had receded beyond the canyon wall, his human eyes were becoming less and less useful. Winter was fast approaching and the temperature was retreating just as quickly, Rebrey watched as he breath left his mouth as a light fog. Rebrey worried that he might not make it through the night, let alone make it through the lich.

Rebrey was confused about the diamond Tharhack had left him, he didn't know what to do with it, or how it was supposed to help his situation. Rebrey had noticed however that the diamond did give off a fair bit of light, Rebrey thought it an awfully expensive light however.

Rebrey sat shivering in the cold, trying to push that aside and concentrate on hopefully detecting the lich before the lich detected Rebrey. Rebrey focused on the entry doors, hoping that the lich would enter that way. The cold and the night made his eyes heavy, his fingers were like icicles and Rebrey could only wonder how bad his toes were getting.

Several times he had caught himself nodding off, Rebrey grew frustrated as a thought slowly seeped through his head, that Emthur would wait until Rebrey had succumbed to the cold before making his approach. That coward would wait until Rebrey was unable to defend himself, and then come looking for him. Rebrey thought he heard laughter ringing through building, but pushed that thought away as just delusions of someone on the brink.

Rebrey's eyes finally won the battle, and forced themselves to closed. Sometime in the early morning, Rebrey's cold and tired eyes picked up light glowing thru his closed lids. His sleepy brain takes a moment before processing the information, and alerting the rest of the body. Rebrey opens his eyes with a shaking start, and send the commands to his legs to leap to his feet, his legs of course don't respond and Rebrey slips and falls face first to the floor.

Coughing the rubble dust from his throat, Rebrey hears footsteps coming up behind him. Thoughts, ideas, and plans race thru his head as Rebrey tries to come up with some sort of strategy that will not give away his physical condition until he had no other choice. Putting his hands to his side, Rebrey grabbed his dire flail with one hand and the diamond Tharhack had left him with the other hand. Rebrey cleared his mind and fought the icy cold, trying to locate where Emthur was. To his astonishment, Rebrey detected no evil anywhere near him.

Hearing silence, Rebrey came to the conclusion that the footsteps must have been a dream. Rebrey rolled over onto his back and looked up into the face of golden skinned, eagle winged human with glowing white eyes.

"Hello little one, do not be afraid, I am not hear to harm you." The figure states

Rebrey stares in stunned silence, unable to get up, and unable to believe what he was seeing was actually happening and not a dream.

"I have been sent to grant you a new body." The figure states

"It is that obvious is it?" Rebrey starts, "Please forgive me for not standing to greet you."

"I understand your pain, I am here to take that away." The figure replies

"I am thankful, just in time as well, I thought you were the lich coming to seek me out." Rebrey answers

"Ah yes, I saw him as I flew to you. I doubt that he will come close as long as I remain with you." The figure answers

"I see, were you sent by Prometheus?" Rebrey asks

"I am, he wishes that you continue along your chosen path of destiny." The figure answers

"I am humbled by his faith in me. I am ready to resume my service in the name of Prometheus." Rebrey answers

"Very good, you must chose your new form with which you will continue." The figure replies

"I don't understand, I am not to be healed?" Rebrey asks

"No, your body is damaged beyond the repair my lord is able to give." The figure replies

"So, you are giving me a new body? Seems an inefficient way to heal people." Rebrey replies

"Our liege is barred from using raise dead, resurrection, and regenerate as conditions of his release from Mount Olympus. But, as the creator of the vessel for which your soul resides, he has access to one way of giving you a second chance." Replies the figure

"Reincarnation? You mean I could come back as a rabbit or a dung pudding?" Rebrey asked

"Not quite, the vessels have already been made, you just have to chose which of these three you would like to reside in." The figure replies

The figure produced three small statues in his hand, one was a hulking lizard like creature with a strong looking tail, the next one looked almost demonic in origin as it had pitch black skin and red glowing eyes, the last one looked very much like a minotaur complete with horns.

"Which shall it be?" The figure asked

"I don't recognize these two." Rebrey points out while pointing to the first two figures in line.

"These are not yet ready to populate a world, you are being given the opportunity to select either of these if you wish, before any mortal sets eyes upon them." The firgure answers

"Why not human?" Rebrey asks

"You would ask the god of creation to stop creating?" The figure answers

"No, I would not. It does seem it would be more difficult to spread the word and knowledge of Prometheus while in those bodies." Rebrey answers

"If this were meant to be easy, I would have slain the lich, healed you, and given you a mighty holy sword for you trouble. And yes, the road ahead is paved with pits of those who walked it before you, but that doesn't mean you will be able to avoid all of them." The figure answers

"I choose him." Rebrey says picking up one of the figurines out from the angelic being's hand, and holding it close to his chest. Rebrey wondered what Emthur would think seeing Rebrey stride up to him in his new outfit.

 

[pogre]

Excellent update!

What this campaign needs is a well-painted lich - I hope you can dig one up

I am anxious to know what form our fallen paladin chose.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Excellent update!

What this campaign needs is a well-painted lich - I hope you can dig one up

I am anxious to know what form our fallen paladin chose.

Nah, I use a snotling as a stand-in for the lich. Seems to create the same level of fear. just kidding, I use a wonderfully painted piece that I had somebody paint for me..... who was that??? Oh yeah I remember it was Pogre! And if you go to his thread in the miniature board you can see his fine job (I wish I could post the link, but I'm at work and the system here is touchy).

The player actually thought out his selection and made the most logical choice. You'll find out soon enough.

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

Tharhack had slowed, stopped, or done both several times after cresting the canyon's ridge. Thoughts of leaving behind Rebrey brought him great discomfort. He tried many times to come up with a plan save all four of them, as Tharhack thought he paid little to no attention to his surroundings. When the sun had dipped below the tree tops, Tharhack finally stopped and looked up from the snow covered ground. Totally lost at this point, Tharhack judged by the position of the sun, that he was traveling in a northwest direction. Then Tharhack remembered that the sun didn't travel in a straight east-west line during the winter months, and he could've been heading due west the whole time.

Tharhack felt his aching body sigh when he lowered the sled with Gothmog on it to the ground, he had only stopped once since leaving Rebrey, and that was to give both Gothmog and Charekyal some water. Charekyal's warm body helped stave off any effects of cold for Tharhack, and Gothmog's healing ability appeared to keep him on par with the cold, at least Gothmog wasn't having any ill effects from the weather yet.

Tharhack searched the forest floor for a spot that seemed less traveled by the forest denizens, attempting to keep the three of them away from any routinely traveled hunting grounds. A couple of wolves Tharhack could deal with, once the numbers got around six or eight Tharhack would have a difficult time keeping Charekyal and Gothmog safe, as well as keeping himself alive. Dusk was settling in and Tharhack's superior eyes were beginning to adjust to the coming darkness.

Tharhack thought he had found a great spot several times, only to hear the baying of wolves or the snarls of some distant creature, which kept him moving on through the early night. Just as the moon rose above the tree tops however, Tharhack realized that he would be able to walk much father. Fatigued and hunger were taking their toll and Tharhack would need to pay in full soon.

Tharhack noticed a faint dirty musky smell every once ion a while, mainly when the wind died down he could smell it the strongest. It seemed to come from some place very close to them. Tharhack thought it maybe Gothmog, but he hadn't noticed it before. Tharhack stopped walking and sat Charekyal down next to Gothmog, the chill of night quickly filled in the space vacated by the warm Charekyal and Tharhack felt the cold take his breath away. Traveling while holding Charekyal, Tharhack hadn't realized how cold it had become, his thoughts then went out to Rebrey who was undoubtedly freezing now.

After several minuets of searching through the sled, and sniffing around Gothmog, Tharhack determined that the smell wasn't coming from Gothmog nor the sled he was on. Tharhack stood up and once again the smell reached his nose. Thinking that some food had spoiled, Tharhack took the two backpacks he was carrying off. Tharhack searched his and found everything in order, then searched Alriand's and found something wet and gooey in the pack. Setting the pack on the ground, Tharhack opened the pack up and found the cracked shell of a kobold egg, and the form of a sleeping kobold infant resting in the liquid of the open egg. The awful smell reached Tharhack much stronger this time almost knocking him back.

Tharhack cursed his luck, two invalids were bad enough, now he had to deal with Rebrey's infant kobold. Tharhack contemplated just killing the thing, while he could keep it warm, Tharhack had no idea what kobolds ate nor did he have access to kobold milk. Tharhack sat down and rested his back against a tree, resting his head against the bark, Tharhack closed his eyes trying to clear his thoughts and just think for a moment. The pain from his aching feet attempted to drown out the crunching of snow from an unseen enemy. Tharhack however heard the sound, and opened his eyes enough to see two short forms about forty feet down the path he had taken, apparently following the scent of the egg as Tharhack watched them appear to be sniffing the air as they approached.

They carried short spears with them, and must have as good a sight as Tharhack as they pointed at Tharhack and Gothmog as they approached. Tharhack watched as one of them pointed off to it's right and then back at Tharhack. Looking to the right, Tharhack saw two more figures stalking through the trees coming at Tharhack from a forty-five degree angle off of the first group. Tharhack began to nervous, not knowing what they were, two would be fine, four probably OK, but any more of these and he would be pushing it, especially if they had him surrounded.

Tharhack watched as the first group got to within thirty feet of him, and recognized the creatures as goblins. "This should be easy" Tharhack thought to himself, then he heard the sound of snapping branches behind him, turning he saw the form of a large wolf crash through the undergrowth. A top the wolf rode a goblin wielding a shortspear, Tharhack remembered goblins like to ride wolves, but this one appeared to be a bit larger than Tharhack was used to seeing. This one was probably a worg, and probably hungry as well.

Tharhack reached into Alriand's backpack, and grabbed the loose piece of eggshell. Tharhack then tossed it off to the left of the worg, the worg immediately changed course much to the dismay of the screaming goblin. Tharhack then rose to his feet, and called upon the power of Kord to give him strength. His muscles gave off a low bluish light, and Tharhack felt the power well up within him. The goblins gave a short pause about ten feet from Tharhack, arguing what the light was, and who was going to attack first. Tharhack solve that quandary for them, charging the two goblins with shortspears.

The startled goblins stood there as Tharhack only need to extend his arms out a few feet to be able to ram his spiked fists into the head of each goblin. The force of Tharhack's attack sent both goblins flying through the air and landing several feet away dead, only a left boot and a yellow stain remained to show where the goblins once stood. Tharhack then retreated back to his position next to the tree. Spotting where the worg went and taking note it was still preoccupied with the eggshell, Tharhack faced down his next set of attackers. The two other goblins emerged from around a tree trunk barring short swords, Tharhack flexed his arms out and let out a bellow at the goblins. They stopped dead in their tracks and lost their courage as well as control of their bodily functions.

The worg then crashed through another bramble, and made his way for Tharhack, the goblin riding it pointed the spear at Tharhack. Tharhack faced down the charge, reaching back for his greatsword, Tharhack waited until the worg was almost upon him and swung the blade from his back in a wide arc. The huge blade cut through the worg's head as well as it's left leg, the mounted goblin fell with the beast and landed underneath the worg's massive frame. The two goblins remaining goblins fled for their lives, leaving behind there swords as well as tell tail signs that they had been standing there.

Tharhack reached out with his blade, and ended the struggling goblin's life.

"Well, looks like we'll be eating good in the morning." Tharhack said as snow flurries began to fall around him.