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Story Hour
Way of the Wicked Playthrough - Updated 2023/03/28
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<blockquote data-quote="rchodges" data-source="post: 8604556" data-attributes="member: 7031385"><p><strong>Part 2:</strong> Call Forth Darkness</p><p><strong>Act 3: </strong>Thirty-one Weeks</p><p><strong>Session 18:</strong> Kiss Some Girls and Make Others Cry</p><p></p><p>Donovan pointed at the body of Halthus, “Bebop, grab that and let’s head down to the Alchemical Lab. We have work to do.” Bebop nodded in assent, and then grabbed the body as the group began to move down the stairs. Donovan and Bebop arrived in the Lab, the body of Halthus being carried almost effortlessly by Bebop. Pointing to a table next to the Golem, Donovan instructed Bebop to lay the body down. As Bebop was arranging the body into position, Donovan grabbed a set of surgical tools, then got into position at the top of Halthus’ corpse.</p><p>“You sure you can handle this, Donovan?”, Bebop teased.</p><p>Donovan merely raised an eyebrow, “I’ve studied this procedure many times over, I’m sure I’ve got it down now.”</p><p>Donovan began to cut into the skull of the corpse, working his way around, while being careful to not cut in too deep. Having already removed the cap from the Golem where the brain was to be placed, Donovan gingerly moved the now exposed brain into the area of the Golem where it is to be stored. Once that task was complete, Donovan and Bebop went over all the connections on the Golem to ensure that everything was in place and connected. Finally, Donovan reached up behind the heart pump and flipped the switch that activated the Alchemical Golem.</p><p></p><p>The Alchemical Golem’s fluids began moving through the piping that it contained, as movement began in the extremities of the device. All at once, the Golem lurched to its feet, and moved right next to Donovan, “What is thy bidding, my master?” A smile crossed Donovan’s face, as his efforts had been validated. “What is your designation, Golem?”</p><p>“This vassal has been named Artephius.”</p><p>Donovan noted that the device appeared to refer to itself in the third person, “And what do you remember prior to being activated?”</p><p>The Golem hesitated briefly, then responded. “Your servant has always been activated since you activated it.”</p><p>Donovan considered the truth of the creature’s words. Whatever existence it had known before was most likely lost with the previous brain that had been installed. Still, another capable hand at this point was more than welcome. As Donovan and Bebop finished up making sure the last of the connections were in place, the rest of the family showed up to see how the progress was going. Idrees climbed up the back of Artephius, and inspected the back of the Golem. “Hmm…”, Idrees said very little about the efforts, but she wasn’t showing disappointment.</p><p>“Artephius, accompany Instructor Idees to the forge, and assist her in whatever way she asks of you.”, Donovan began snapping out orders to the group. “GrumbleJack, escort Tamsen to the end of this barrier, where she can make contact with the Seventh Knot. Bebop, help me start getting the rooms emptied out, and we’ll start building up the Alchemical Concrete over the upstairs entrances.”</p><p>Lucius looked at the group, “I’m going to go check out the situation in the Tavern and Kitchen, to see if I can get anything going. Lucinda and I will get some food ready for all of us once we have some working equipment.” There was a general cheer from the group at the thought, and then everyone went off to their own separate tasks.</p><p></p><p>Tamsen was being carried by GrumbleJack, as Camille was sitting in Tamsen’s arms using her bird form. The group watched as they passed through the glowing barrier that had extended outward from the Horn. From there, GrumbleJack flew down and landed on the ground. After patting GrumbleJack on the cheek and smiling, Tamsen reached out from her mind to Trik.</p><p>“Are you there, Trik? It’s me, Tamsen.”</p><p>Trik’s voice came flooding back, almost as though he was shouting, “What happened over there? We saw a huge bright light coming from where you said you were headed.”</p><p>“Yes, it appears the first part of the ritual was successful.”</p><p>“And all of you are alright?”, Trik queried to Tamsen.</p><p>Tamsen smirked to herself, “We’re all fine. But thank you for worrying about me sweetie. I appreciate knowing I can count on you.”</p><p>Trik was trying to hold his thoughts back, but his mind was focused on the allure of Tamsen. His brother Trak loved Elise, and Trik was happy that his brother was happy, but a part of him resented Trak for having a relationship that he could not experience. But Tamsen was beautiful, and made him feel important when they were speaking together.</p><p>“Could you do something for me, Trik?”</p><p>“Yes, of course.”, Trak regained his thoughts, “What do you need, I’ll speak with the group about it.”</p><p>“One of the requirements of this ritual is something called the ‘heir of the Victor’. I was hoping that you could learn more about that from within Farholde.”, Tamsen’s thoughts in Trik’s mind were soothing, like she was holding his hand.</p><p>“The Victor, you say? I’m sure I can find something out. Anyway… be safe.”</p><p>“Thank you so much for everything. I’m looking forward to speaking with you again.”, Tamsen’s voice echoed in Trik’s mind, and then went still.</p><p>Tamsen looked over at GrumbleJack, “I think we’re finished here for now, big guy. That was a productive conversation.”</p><p>GrumbleJack grunted in assent, and took Tamsen in his arms, heading back into the sky.</p><p></p><p>Back in the Sanctum, Donovan and Bebop were performing the proper mixing to create the Alchemical Cement to cover the entrance from the Balcony. As usual, Bebop was proceeding far more rapidly at mixing the ingredients than Donovan, which prompted Bebop to continue with his teasing nature.</p><p>“You need me to take care of this for you, Donovan? I’m sure you would struggle to even lift all this material.”</p><p>Donovan sighed, “And then, once you finish making the cement, how exactly do you plan to frame and cure it?”</p><p>“Cure it? What, is it sick?”, Bebop looked confused at Donovan’s words.</p><p>“Exactly, Bebop. There’s more to cement than just the speed with which you handle your stick.”, Donovan scoffed.</p><p>Once Bebop began completing the mixture of the cement, he followed Donovan’s instructions to set up the cement against the hole in the Balcony, using a wooden frame to brace it while it began to dry.</p><p>“So, is there a way we can make it look like the rest of the mountain?”, Bebop asked, noting the color of the cement.</p><p>Donovan shook his head, “Not really. But trust me, once cement this thick finishes curing, anyone wanting to come through here would have an easier time just smashing through the mountain side.”</p><p></p><p>Lucius entered the darkened area that was once a Tavern. Tossing a Light cantrip onto one of the torch sconces, he took stock of the state of the room. The tables and chairs were in disarray, almost all of the plates and cups were damaged, and the cooking stove seemed to be out of alignment. Summoning up a pair of Fire Elementals, Lucius instructed them to go through the pipes exiting the stove and confirm that nothing was blocking access. The Elementals efficiently performed their task, burning away stray shrubbery and some small animals from within the piping. After that was completed, Lucius summoned up Lucinda, and the two of them got to work in straightening up the Tavern. Lucius took notes of the extra things that he would be needing in order to make this a more viable kitchen area. Lucius was annoyed at the design of the Horn putting the pantry away from the Kitchen in this manner, but it was a relatively small complaint. Some of the furniture would also require repair if not outright replacement. Lucius noted that Donovan had purchased a fairly large amount of lumber, which suggested that he was planning to rebuild the furniture himself. Lucius opened up the Portable Hole in the Tavern, and had Lucinda drag all of the broken items into in in order to carry it outside and throw them away. Finishing that, Lucinda and Lucius reconnected the piping in the oven, started up a fire, and got to work making dinner for the family.</p><p></p><p>A short time later, the group gathered in the Tavern, and Lucius and Lucinda proffered the food and drinks for everyone. There was a sense of excitement in the air.</p><p>Donovan stood up, “I want to thank you all for being here. This could not happen without the help of all of you. I know we have a lot of struggles ahead of ourselves, but I know we’ll get through this together.”</p><p>Raising his glass, Donovan exclaimed, “To family!”</p><p>The group raised their glasses and returned the cheer, “To family!”</p><p>Blindly optimistic, Donovan would soon discover the scope of the struggles that laid ahead of them.</p><p></p><p>Week 1:</p><p>Tamsen laid naked in her new bed next to an equally naked Camille. To say the bed was massive would be an understatement, it was the most oversized and luxurious thing she had ever slept in, even surpassing the beds in the Westermeyer Manor. The two of them often found free time together, and Tamsen found a connection with Camille that she could not have possibly know with Pooky. Camille climbed on top of Tamsen as she laid on her back, looking up at her retainer.</p><p>“My Mistress, I think it is time for you to begin learning the path to get closer to your mother.”</p><p>Tamsen expression became excited. From the beginning, Camille had stated that she was specifically sent her by her true mother, and that her mother wanted very much to get closer to her. “What do I need to do, Cami?”</p><p>Camille leaned down to Tamsen’s face, with them so close together as they had been many times before, “You’ll need something like this.” With that, Camille slid off the bed, walked over to the nearby stand, and opened one of the drawers. She pulled out a mushroom and smiled at Tamsen.</p><p>“Those are the mushrooms you told me to have Donovan buy.”, Tamsen said with curiosity in her voice.</p><p>Camille nodded, “Yes Mistress. And now it’s time for you to understand what they can do.” Returning to the bed, Camille gingerly placed a piece of the mushroom in Tamsen’s mouth, and Tamsen swallowed it.</p><p>Camille and Tamsen began to touch and explore each other’s bodies as they had several times before. Camille was every bit as forward as Tamsen in matters of sexuality, so their connection was a very easy process. As Tamsen began to relax under Camille’s touch, the effects of the mushroom became pronounced upon her. Tamsen felt her mind slowly drifting and sliding. “Cami, this feels so good.”</p><p>“I am so happy to hear you say that, my Mistress. Now, for the second part of what is needed.”, Camille was gentle and quiet, whispering her instructions into Tamsen’s ears.</p><p>Tamsen touched Camille’s cheek, “What else do we need, Cami?”</p><p>“Blood.”, Camille responded, the smile never leaving her face.</p><p>“Blood?”, Tamsen asked. “Blood from me?”</p><p>“It could be from you, my Mistress. But I think someone else would make a better donor. You like that boy Bebop, don’t you? The way he makes you feel when he’s inside you?”</p><p>Tamsen’s eyes closed, as she smiled and nodded, the moments of them together flashing in her memories.</p><p>“Then call him, Mistress. Call him here right now, and enjoy yourself with him.”, Camille continued to guide Tamsen in her semi lucid state.</p><p>It was easy for Tamsen to call Bebop to her bedroom. The simple suggestion of being in her bed was all the encouragement he needed. Opening the door to her bedroom, he found the two of them naked in the bed waiting for him. He rushed to the bed, almost throwing himself into it and Tamsen’s arms. The two of them shared a passionate embrace, before Tamsen rolled herself on top of Bebop.</p><p>“You love me, don’t you Bebop?”, Tamsen asked in a tiny voice.</p><p>“You know I do, always.”, Bebop responded with urgency and enthusiasm.</p><p>“And you trust me, right baby?”, Tamsen’s finger slid down Bebop’s exposed chest, as Camille moved up closer to him.</p><p>Bebop nodded, with absolute certainty in his eyes.</p><p>“Thank you. I want you to share Cami with me.”</p><p>Bebop was more than excited. To have not one but two beautiful women in his bed, it was a dream come true. Camille’s lips pressed against Bebop’s, as a mischievous smile appeared on her face. Her lips moved off of Bebop’s lips, and down his neck. A moment later, her fangs sank into Bebop’s skin, and the sweet redness was released. An audible moan escaped Camille’s mouth, as she indulged herself.</p><p>Bebop felt a momentary tinge of pain, but became so caught up in Tamsen’s desire, he soon ignored what else was taking place. Camille’s face came up to Tamsen’s, her lips red with Bebop’s blood. The two of them kissed passionately, as Tamsen felt a surge of desire and power wash over her. Camille then bent down to kiss Bebop once more, as he tasted his own blood in her mouth. It was a dizzying sensation to be in the arms of these two, and Bebop soon realized that he was fully at their whims.</p><p></p><p>“Donovan!” An angry voice rang out from the Alchemical Lab. Donovan heard the voice of his teacher, and immediately started headed towards where the sound was coming from. He ran into Idrees just outside of the lab. Her clothes and hair was singed from what had apparently been a fire attack that she had endured.</p><p>“What happened, Instructor?”</p><p>“Leave it to you to create a Golem that attacks the people it’s working for!”, Idrees spat out, clearly livid.</p><p>Donovan was in shock, and rushed inside the Lab where Artephius was standing there as though nothing was going on. Donovan, with a confused look on his face, confronted Artephius about the accusations made by his instructor.</p><p>“Artephius, what happened in here?”</p><p>“This vessel is performing the tasks you have assigned to it.”, Artephius responded flatly.</p><p>“And what happened to Instructor Idrees?”</p><p>“They were attacked by unknown assailants.”, Artephius stared at Donovan blankly.</p><p>Idrees scoffed, “Unknown assailants, my bony ass! You attacked me!” She pushed her pipe against the Golem’s torso.</p><p>Artephius pointed at Idress, continuing to look at Donovan, “They were attacked by unknown assailants.”</p><p>Donovan put his head in his hands in frustration, as Idrees snarled at him. “I should have known that anything you put together would blow up in everyone’s face but yours! Just like all of your other plans.”</p><p>“Artephius, you are to accompany me in all of my daily activities, and not leave my sight unless otherwise instructed by me.”, Donovan said, a look of exasperation on his face.</p><p>“Yes, my Master.”</p><p>“My apologies, Instructor. I’ll have GrumbleJack continue to assist you with anything you need.”</p><p>Idrees nodded, “GrumbleJack, he’s a nice young man. Why couldn’t you be more like him?”</p><p>Knowing there was no correct answer to that question, Donovan simply shrugged and walked away, Artephius diligently following him as he moved around the Horn.</p><p></p><p>At the bottom of the Horn, Lucius was still attempting to make headway with the Boggards and their dietary requirements. He had already purchased a collection of vegetables that could survive under the limited light within the cave, and now it was just a question of finding out what these creatures could eat. Donovan believed that the only way to guarantee this tribe’s long term survival was to provide them more food choices than simply meat. Applying the Tounges spell to himself, he went to meet with chief Zikomo, several food options prepared and ready to go.</p><p>“Zikomo, so glad we could meet today. Are you ready to try out some of these food dishes I have prepared for you?”, Lucius said, trying to be hopeful.</p><p>Zikomo looked at his skeptically, “Why Boggards need new food? People so delicious!”</p><p>Lucius sighed. “I understand, but sometimes you don’t succeed in hunting, and you need food you can farm and prepare here.” Lucius pulled out his first dish. By human standards, it looked and smelled delicious. But Zikomo remained unconvinced.</p><p>Sniffing the plate, Zikomo protested, “Where is meat? I smell no meat here.”</p><p>Lucius pressed on, “This is a delicious mushroom and barley soup. It’s very warm and filling, and something we can make with very few ingredients.” Putting a spoonful of it up to Zikomo’s lips, Lucius smiled warmly, “Try it, you’ll like it, I’m sure.”</p><p>Zikomo seemed unconvinced, but guessed he should play along with the people who were attempting to free his god. Zikomo tasted the soup. To him, it seemed mostly like water, although it wasn’t an unpleasant taste. Certainly, the mushrooms in this dish were far superior to the ones they had been growing. “Not as good as meat.”, Zikomo grumbled out.</p><p>Undeterred, Lucius pulled out his second offering. Zikomo’s lips visibly curled at the sight of all the white in the bowl, but his nose gave him more hope. “Is that fish?”</p><p>Lucius smiled confidently, “Yes, this is a nice fish risotto. We can grow the rice down here, and use the cave fish to help add some needed protein to the dish. Once more, Lucius produced a spoonful of the product to Zikomo, who took it with a bit more eagerness than he did on the last dish.</p><p>“This not terrible.”, Zikomo grudgingly admitted.</p><p>“Ok, now we have something to work with. If we’re going to make dishes like this, we’ll need to take some of that empty space at the front of the cave, and turn it into rice fields. This place is plenty wet for the area, and I think we can get enough sun if we plant at the opening.”, Lucius was very knowledgeable in his suggestions, and Zikomo listened to him, although he remained confused by the idea of planting more crops.</p><p>Lucius left the bowls with Zikomo so he could continue trying them out, wrote down some notes about the space in the cave opening, and headed back upstairs.</p><p></p><p>Tamsen, Camille, and Bebop laid across the bed in different places, the three of them sated from their recent escapades. Bebop, for his part, felt like he had just exerted himself at a level rarely before experienced. His whole body was tired. Tamsen and Camille, however, were giggling with delight. Camille sat up on the bed in front of Tamsen, her arms outstretched to where Tamsen was laying. “So, my Mistress, are you ready to speak with your mother now?”</p><p>Tamsen perked up, elated at the prospect. She sat up on top of the bed as well, grasping her arms with Camille.</p><p>“Your mother can use me as a channel in order to Commune with you. Now, keep in mind that I probably won’t hear her specific words, but I can tell if she’s saying yes or no about something. Please try to keep your questions in the form of yes or no, so she can respond.”</p><p>Tamsen was so eager to know more about this, so she did not hesitate at all to agree to what Camille asked of her.</p><p>For Bebop’s part, he simply enjoyed watching two naked women sitting on top of the bed holding hands with one another.</p><p>“Alright Mistress, I’m ready now. Close your eyes, and ask your questions.”, Camille spoke softly, her voice fading away.</p><p>“Mother, do you hear me? It’s Tamsen. Are you there?”</p><p>Camille’s voice was gone now, replaced by another woman’s voice. “Yes, my sweet child. I hear you.”</p><p>Tamsen’s eyes welled up with tears, excitement filling her voice.</p><p>“Mother, my family and I, we’re in a dangerous place right now. Is anyone coming to harm us in the next couple of days?”</p><p>“No.” The voice was terse, but confident.</p><p>“We’re in an old temple of some kind, with Donovan and the others sealing up all the entrances so we can be safe. Is there any other way into this temple beyond the entrances in the wall and the staircase?”</p><p>“Yes there is, my daughter.”</p><p>Tamsen’s eyes shot open, as Bebop and her exchanged worried looks. “Mother, is there another teleporter to this temple, beyond the three we have discovered.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>A sinking feeling fell over Tamsen, a threat to her family. “Is this teleporter within the boundaries of the Horn?”</p><p>“I’m afraid it is not.” The voice began to confirm her fears.</p><p>Bebop spoke up, “Ask her if there is a teleporter outside of the barrier protecting the Horn.”</p><p>“Mother, is there another working teleporter beyond the range of the protective barrier that gives access to this place?”</p><p>“Yes, my child.”</p><p>Camille drew back her breath, and fell over onto the bed.</p><p>“Wait, mother, don’t go! I have so many more questions!”, Tamsen was concerned for Camille, and worried she had lost her connection to her mother.</p><p>Camille opened her eyes, and pushed herself up. “Do not fear, Mistress. I will be able to repeat this for you again. Just give me a few days to recover my strength. It takes quite a bit from me to hold that connection with her from so far away.”</p><p>Tamsen squeezed Camille tightly, “Thank you Cami, thank you so much!”</p><p>“Anything for you, Mistress.”</p><p></p><p>Week 2:</p><p>The group was now beginning to settle into the routine of everything. Donovan delivered one of the gems to Hexor and Vexor, so that they would be able to notify him if any divine activity took place within the confines of the Horn. Thanks to Idrees, Donovan was able to complete his plans to build a working shower with hot and cold water in the nearby room. The girls immediately loved it, and started using it with regularity.</p><p></p><p>Tamsen and GrumbleJack continued their regular excursion outside of the barrier in order to allow her to communicate with Trik. It was during one of these meetings where Trik notified Tamsen that a group of adventurers were going to be headed to the Horn. Trik listed off the names of the individuals, which included Hallack Amon, Bianca DeVallya, James O’Toole, Yorgun the Smith, and Sister Marta Dian. Trik told Tamsen that they were a poorly equipped group of individuals, and that they had mentioned going through the caves to get to the Horn. Tamsen thanked Trik profusely for his efforts, as she continued to spin her web around him, bit by bit. Tamsen was thrilled to have actual news to deliver to Donovan. “We’re going to have visitors soon, my love.”</p><p>“Oh, is that so? Well, we should be gracious hosts then. Let’s learn more about our guests so we can properly engage with them. With any luck, perhaps we’ll end up with additional hands.”, Donovan seemed happy to hear her news, but Tamsen sensed something was wrong with him.</p><p>“Are you ok?”, Tamsen cooed, running her hands along his shoulders.</p><p>“Just a lot of work left to do.”, Donovan attempted to reassure her.</p><p>Tamsen started to lean in to kiss Donovan, but Camille grabbed her wrist and pulled her away, “Come, my Mistress. Your Mother could help us gather more information on these interlopers and the undiscovered teleporter that threatens this place.”</p><p>It had become obvious to Tamsen that Camille held some sort of animosity towards Donovan. Of course, any time Tamsen asked he about it, Camille denied it. “I don’t hate Donovan. What would you have me do with him, Mistress, should I sleep with him?” Tamsen chuckled at the thought of a boy like Donovan trying to have sex with something like Camille. But, she was hoping the two of them would come to some resolution, and soon. She missed touching Donovan and being near him.</p><p></p><p>“Lucius, when you head into town next time, could you check on these people for me?”, Donovan approached Lucius, with a list of names in his hand.</p><p>Lucius studied the list of names, “Who are these people?”</p><p>“Well, if the Seventh Knot is correct, these are a group of people who will be coming to visit us in a couple of days. I was hoping you could dig up some information on them, so maybe we knew their motivation and could entice them into employment.”, Donovan smiled that familiar smile of his.</p><p>“Sure, I’ll check it out.”, Lucius pocketed the note without fanfare.</p><p></p><p>On Lucius’ next trip into Farholde, he swung by some of the more well-traveled taverns in town, hoping to gain some more insight on these individuals who would go to such trouble to travel to an unknown shrine of a dead god. Unlike Donovan, Lucius wasn’t nearly as optimistic about the prospects of people trekking all the way to the Horn merely to accept an invitation of employment. But, Donovan was a naive individual who had lived a life where people did walk into his place of work to look for employment, so of course he would think the world worked that way. But, perhaps he could deal with these individuals before they even arrived at the Horn, and in doing so, prevent Donovan from having to face the situation as it actually was.</p><p>Lucius began to interrogate people who knew about the names on the list, being sure to keep everything lubricated with frequent glasses of ale being served as often as required. At first, it would have appeared that the leader of the group, Hallack Amon, was a simple army recruiter who had quit his position before the war came knocking. However, the truth would end up being that Amon was simply a former military individual who had paid off his dead father’s debt, and was looking for a slightly less dangerous option with which to make some money. As for his friends, many of them had known each other for years, and were all attempting to make some small name for themselves by encountering the “mysterious evil” that had awakened in the Caer Bryr. He also learned that Hallak and Bianca had affections for one another, which could potentially be exploited to extract compliance from one or the other of them; and that the Sister was a member of a military religious order within the city.</p><p>“Yes Donovan, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to take you up on your offer of resurrecting the plague god to return to this world.”, Lucius chuckled to himself.</p><p>A very real part of Lucius wanted to summon Lucinda, find these adventurers, and slaughter them to the last. That would prevent them from doing any harm to the family. Lucius knew there was no way they would ever agree to Donovan’s terms. But then, a whisper echoed inside of Lucius head. Was he sure that Donovan couldn’t convince these people to do what he asked? It would seem laughable by almost any stretch of imagination, but then, Lucius never doubted that Donovan could summon miracles from time to time. Lucius laughed, shook his head, and purchased the rest of his supplies before heading back to the Horn, with the information he gathered about this group in hand.</p><p></p><p>Back in Tamsen’s bedroom, the three lovers lay around each other, with Camille and Tamsen interlocking fingers and looking into each other’s eyes. “Are you ready, Mistress?”, Camille smiled and waited for Tamsen to open up her mind, as she reached beyond the current Plane and to the other. Tamsen picked up her questions where she left off, first confirming which day that the visitors would be arriving, then beginning to attempt to divine the specific location of the other teleporter. Once again, Camille regains her own voice as Mother leaves her. Bebop and Tamsen study the map from the information relayed to them via Camille.</p><p>“It might be near the river.”, Bebop offers a suggestion.</p><p>“Donovan should see what we’ve found thus far.”, Tamsen responds.</p><p></p><p>Donovan walks into the area on the third floor, next to the stairs leading to the Sanctum. “Hexor, Vexor, we’re going to be having company soon. I want you to keep them from leaving, but not kill them.”</p><p>The Cuestodaemons regarded Donovan with a sense of confusion and disgust, “Excuse me sir, I think we must have misunderstood you. Did you request of us to not kill those who would intrude on this place?”</p><p>Donovan nodded, “I know this seems unusual, but I believe we can add new recruits to our growing group.” The daemons shrugged in disappointment. Per Ezra’s request, Donovan had continued to refrain from showing the amulets of control to the brothers, but he wondered how much longer he could maintain compliance from such destructive creatures without feeding into their more base desires. Donovan provided Hexor and Vexor with a different one of the Eyes, this one allowing them to review any area within the Horn. He provided instructions to them to notify him when the visitors arrived.</p><p></p><p>Time passed, and the appointed day arrived. Donovan was continuing to perform upgrades to the Horn with the assistance of Idrees when the voice of the brothers rang in his head, “Our guests are here.” Donovan replied to their thoughts, “Excellent work. Position yourself at the entrance of the caves, to make sure they can’t flee. I’ll be down there shortly.” Donovan immediately reached out to Tamsen in her thoughts. “Love, I am in need of your aid, please gather everyone together on the first floor throne room.”</p><p>Once all the family arrived in the throne room, Donovan explained what they would be doing. “Lucius, you’ll take Bebop down to the bottom floor. Tamsen and I will meet you there.” With that, Donovan extended his hand to Tamsen, “I’m all yours, my love.”</p><p>Tamsen smiled and grabbed Donovan’s hand, willing the two of them to be on the lower floor of the caves, where Lucius and Bebop appeared next to them. The group had slid through the Dimension Door to the area where the Boggards lived in their huts. The Boggards were already falling back as the adventurers approached their homes, not realizing they had already walked into a trap of their own making.</p><p>Yorgun approached the group first, and was immediately greeted by Donovan, “Hello to you, good sir.” The dwarf was caught off guard, and he fell back to the rest of his company. A tad later, the rest of the group showed up where Donovan and the rest of the family were waiting. The five individuals were exactly as relayed by Lucius. Even without introductions, Donovan knew their names based on the information that had been relayed to him. Donovan welcomed the group to the Horn, and greeted them all.</p><p>And then things began to go exactly as Lucius had predicted. Sister Marta Dian was immediately hostile to Donovan, going on about how he and the rest of his group were clearly evil, and the actions they were taking were evil. Donovan attempted to counter her arguments, suggesting that perhaps the people who were invading the homes of the Boggards that were doing nothing more than farming and fishing, might be more indicative of evil. Seeing that they were unfazed by that suggestion, Donovan pivoted to suggest that the actions he was taking within the Horn were essential for the good of the kingdom. Unfortunately, anything that Donovan would be said was pushed away by the words of the Sister. The group told Donovan that they wanted to leave, as they didn’t know what they were encountering. This immediately was a problem for Donovan, as he could imagine what would happen if the Sister was allowed to return to the rest of her people. Telepathically, Donovan instructed Hexor and Vexor to move up behind the group of adventurers. Once the two brothers appeared behind the adventurers, the Sister began screaming vitriol towards Donovan.</p><p>Frustrated, Donovan finally came to his solution. “As you are my guests here, let me provide you with a set of options that you can select from. First, you can return to your homes, but you are never allowed to speak of what you discovered here. And to be sure, I will know, as I have ears within Farholde. Second, you can accept my offer of temporary employment, and I will gladly pay you the amount of money that we have agreed upon for your stay. Finally, you can test your skills against my menagerie, and see how that turns out for you.” Hexor, Vexor, and Bebop showed a vicious grin on their faces, salivating at the opportunity to test their mettle against these meager opponents. For her part, Bianca broke out in tears, almost falling to the floor as the hopelessness set in. The adventurers looked at each other, realizing how bad their situation had just become.</p><p>Hallack Amon spoke up, “May I have a moment to discuss this matter with my compatriots?”</p><p>Donovan smiled, “Of course, feel free.”</p><p>Seeing the adventurers huddle together, it was transparent to tell that the Sister wanted to combat the evil that was taking place. The rest of the group was clearly more sane, not wanting to simply throw their lives away in an impossible fight. However, none of them were interested in the offers that Donovan has made thus far.</p><p>Hallack spoke up once more, “We’d like to make a counteroffer?”</p><p>Donovan chuckled, “Certainly, I’m a man of profit.”</p><p>Hallack stammered, “We’d like to offer you the… uh, profit of not revealing your secret in exchange for safe passage to another city.”</p><p>Donovan nodded, “Agreed. You will all stay as our guests in the Horn until I can secure safe passage for you on a vessel, at which point we will escort you to the ship, and we may part ways.”</p><p>The adventurers looked at each other. Even knowing that they would be trapped here for a few days was an obviously superior choice to dying in a muddy Boggard cave.</p><p>Looking at the Sister, Donovan addressed Hallack, “Please disarm Sister Marta Dian until we get up to the first floor. We wouldn’t want to have any accidents that would cause people to fall and hurt themselves.”</p><p>Sister Dian growled at Donovan, but James O’Toole moved up behind her, sliding the sword out of its sheathe before she could respond.</p><p>With that concern out of the way, the group made their way up to the first floor. Once inside, Donovan gave the group a small tour, where he pointed out the Tavern and Kitchen, and pointed out several rooms for them to stay in. “These are your choices of living quarters.”</p><p>James spoke up, “Are we not going to be put in a cell?”</p><p>Donovan looked at him, confused. “You are my guests; we have agreed to terms. I have no reason to detain you forcefully.” Looking back to the larger group, Donovan continued, “If any of you are in need of anything, please let me know and I’ll get it taken care of for you.”</p><p>Having said that, Donovan walked away from the group. Hexor and Vexor continued to make intimidating glances at the group, which was very apparently terrifying Bianca.</p><p>Tamsen snapped at the brothers in Abyssal, “Don’t be rude, you two.”</p><p></p><p>Later that evening, Donovan took out some writing tools, and composed a letter to the Baron. The letter was a request for space on a ship to take five people to another city out of the Farholde area. Donovan intended to have Lucius drop off this letter during his standard supply run. As he was finishing the effort, Ezra approached him.</p><p>“What’s this I hear about you granting hospitality to our enemies?”, Ezra hissed at him.</p><p>Donovan maintained his composure, despite the unexpected appearance of the Dread Wraith. “Lord Ezra, how kind of you to check in on me. I’m attempting to recruit these guests into becoming additional help for securing this place.”</p><p>Ezra scoffed, “Why should we bother with them when I can simply turn them into loyal pawns for our service?”</p><p>Donovan faced Ezra, smiling, “Because, we need actual hands and feet to attend to tasks around here. Despite your incredible abilities, I still need to rebuild furniture and secure entrances.”</p><p>“And I also understand you are teaching the Boggards how to farm now. How incredibly mundane you have made the protectors in the cave area.”, Ezra was attempting to assert his knowledge of all that Donovan was doing.</p><p>“Of course, Lord Ezra. If we are to grow the Bane-Wog tribe, we will need for them to have a reliable source of food. Hunting is unreliable at best, and continuing to spread out the tribe to go further looking for prey only weakens our guardians.”, Donovan was brimming with his usual confidence.</p><p>“Your arrogance is matched only by your weakness, Donovan. I have half a mind to just kill you now, and see if the next group that your master Thorn sends proves to be more worthwhile than you.”</p><p>Unexpectedly, Donovan laughed at Ezra. “Oh Lord Ezra, if you killed me, then you would have the undeniable pleasure of meeting the Seventh Knot. I’m sure you would truly enjoy spending time with the quality individual that is Elise Zadaria. But, be aware Lord Ezra, she doesn’t even have the capacity to speak Abyssal, much less an understanding of the nature of the ritual that is required to return Vetra Kali to this world.”</p><p>Ezra stared at Donovan with momentary contempt, realizing that Donovan had already accounted for the possibility of a double cross. “Hmph.”, Ezra said, then floated away.</p><p>Lucius did all that was asked of him by Donovan, and the Baron provided information on a ship that would provide safe passage for each member of Hallack’s crew.</p><p>Stubbornly, Donovan returned to Hallack and the rest in the hopes that he could somehow convince them of his well-meaning intentions. He realized that there was no ground to be had with the Sister, but surely the others could see the opportunity he was extending them. Donovan even found himself having a pleasant conversation with Hallack and Bianca on the last night, where it seemed like he was perhaps getting through to them. Unfortunately, it was at this time that Bebop, Tamsen, and Camille came strolling through the Tavern, naked as the day they were born, and acting without shame or hesitation. Bianca burst into tears and ran back into her room, Hallack shrugged and apologized as he soon followed up behind her. Donovan set his head down on the table, realizing he had utterly failed to impress any of them, despite all of his clever words.</p><p></p><p>Week 3:</p><p>The day had arrived when the ship that would carry Hallack’s crew would arrive. Donovan and the others saw off the group, and they watched as each of them stepped into Lucius’ summoned carriage. As James was about to get into the carriage, he looked at Donovan, “So, would you still grant me safe passage after I completed your contract.”</p><p>Donovan smiled, “Of course. The offer is still open.”</p><p>James looked back at his friends, “I’ve decided to work for him for a while.” They began to protest, but he raised his hand to silence them, “I’ve made my decision, and I wish you all well.” The rest of the group rode away, with the Sister yelling at James and Donovan the whole way off.</p><p></p><p>As Donovan headed back to the caves, Zikomo approached him and told him that his warriors had found something similar to a building not far from the Horn. Donovan had previously asked Zikomo to begin looking for some sort of man made structure based on the information that Tamsen had received from her mother, so he was happy to see that there was some payoff to this whole matter.</p><p>“Bebop, take GrumbleJack and Idrees, and go investigate this structure. If you find another teleporter there, and the place cannot be secured, I want you to destroy it. Otherwise, make sure it won’t fall into the hands of the enemy. GrumbleJack carried Idrees on a special harness she had designed to ride on his back, and both him and Bebop flew out to the site discussed by the Boggards. Upon arriving, they discovered what appeared to be some sort of abandoned Keep. It was hard to tell the specific function of the building, as so much of the structure had been reclaimed by nature. Bebop, however, was able to locate the teleportation circle, with the help of Idrees.</p><p>“Very good, Bebop. You have a sharp eye there.”, Idrees praised Bebop for his keen awareness and clever insight.</p><p>Bebop smiled, as he also found the keyword for the teleporter. “Ah hah!” Stepping onto the teleporter, Bebop quickly issues the word for the First Floor throne. He arrives suddenly, and immediately goes to find Donovan. “I found it!”, Bebop declares with pride.</p><p>“Excellent work! Can it be secured?”, Donovan looks at him in anticipation.</p><p>Bebop is unsure what to say, “Let me work on that.” Heading to the teleporter, Bebop says the trigger word to return to the Keep.</p><p>Upon returning, Bebop looks at Idrees. “Donovan wants to know if we can secure this.” The three of them look around the ruined Keep.</p><p>“GrumbleJack smash teleporter?”, GrumbleJack asks inquisitively.</p><p>“Wait, wait!”, Bebop interjects. “There has to be something we can do. Maybe we can cut the teleporter away from the rest of the Keep, and then bring it back?”</p><p>Idrees chuckles, “Did Donovan suggest for you to do this?”</p><p>Bebop shakes his head, “No, this is my idea! Think how impressed he’ll be when we bring the whole teleporter back to him.”</p><p>Idrees laughs a bit, then shoos Bebop away from the teleporter. “Step back boys, this Is going to be something.” Magic extends from her, causing the floor where the teleporter is located to pull itself up and away from the ground. When all is said and done, a massive 11-foot diameter circle was pulled away from the rest of the Keep.</p><p>“You’re amazing, Idrees! I can’t believe you did that.”, Bebop exclaimed with excitement.</p><p>Idrees tipped her pipe downward with flourish, and winked. “Now you have to figure out how to get that thing all the way back.”</p><p>“No problem! GrumbleJack and I will just carry it.”, Bebop’s enthusiasm at what was going to be accomplished was on full display.</p><p>GrumbleJack grunted with concern, sizing up the massive disc. However, the two of them successfully began to move the circle back towards the Horn. It was a slow and laborious process, but those two were certainly not lacking for strength. About halfway back to the Horn, the group noticed that the sounds of insects had gotten quiet around them. Paying keen attention to his surroundings, Bebop noticed the silhouette of a large jungle cat. Immediately, he started growling and roaring in the direction of the shadow. “Come on GrumbleJack. You have to show that you are bigger than that thing.”</p><p>GrumbleJack let out a mighty roar, one that would certainly be heard by a large part of the forest.</p><p>The shadow remained very still, as though it was attempting not to be seen. After waiting for what seemed like half an hour, the party decided to continue heading back. The shadow made no further attempt to follow them.</p><p>However, their problems were not yet over. As the sight of the Horn came fully into view, a thunderous crash could be heard behind them. The shape of a huge tree began approaching, and the group started running as fast as they could, while continuing to move the massive stone disk. The group crossed over the protective barrier, and Bebop called out to Tamsen’s mind. “Help, that Treant is coming after us!” Tamsen immediately contacted Donovan who was somewhere else within the Horn. “Donovan, Bebop and GrumbleJack are in trouble. Jurak is coming after them.”</p><p>“Damnit all!”, Donovan shouted to himself. Donovan had truly been wanting to talk with Jurak, but he didn’t think he was going to have a way to explain the actions he had taken recently. Donovan found himself left with little choice. “Hexor, Vexor, fly out and hold back that Treant! We have to give Bebop and GrumbleJack time to safely return.”</p><p>The brothers followed their instructions perfectly, annoying the Treant who was unable to attack them at the range they flew at, and disgusted at the sight of seeing daemons flying out from the Horn, “What evils have been wrought upon this place? I will stop you all! It is my sworn charge!”</p><p>Looking out from the first floor entrance, Donovan sighed. He knew that Jurak was a true protector of the forest, and he hated to see something so rare suffer as it was, but he couldn’t avoid the conflict indefinitely. As he watched, Bebop and GrumbleJack moved in a massive stone disk into the caves area. Just then Donovan saw Lucius flying back on his mount, with someone unconscious lying behind him. Lucius flew in to the first level, as Donovan stepped back.</p><p></p><p>“What happened, Lucius?”, Donovan asked as he saw Lucius flip the unconscious form of Sister Dian off the mount and onto the ground.</p><p>“I’ll tell you what happened, Donovan.”, Lucius pointed at the Sister. “This one decided to be clever, waited until the boat started pulling away from the dock, and dove into the water to attempt to escape. I should have just had my dolphins pull her down to her death, but you have another sacrifice at the halfway mark of this ritual.”</p><p>Donovan looked down at the Sister and frowned, “Sheesh, you can’t trust anyone these days, can you?”</p><p>Bebop arrived upstairs, having outrun Jurak’s wrath. “What did I miss?”</p><p>“Take the Sister and lock her in the third floor cells. I’ll figure out what to do with her later.”, Donovan instructed Bebop, a pained expression on his face.</p><p>“Ooh, the Sister has been naughty, maybe I’ll have my way with her.”, Bebop teased.</p><p>“No you will not!”, Donovan roared in anger. “We are better than these people, we are the saviors of this Kingdom. They are monsters who hide behind their religious dogmas. I will never allow them to think that they have any moral high ground over me and my family, and neither will you!” Donovan stormed away.</p><p>Lucius looked at Bebop suspiciously.</p><p>“It was a joke. I was just saying that if she was being uncooperative, I wasn’t going to actually do anything.”, Bebop chuckled nervously, then picked up the body of the Sister, and took her upstairs.</p><p></p><p>The next day came, and Tamsen’s communication with Trik had gleaned another piece of useful information. Apparently, the Sisters of Saint Cynthia Celeste had posted a 500 gold piece reward for information about their missing Sister. Donovan took this information to James O’Toole.</p><p>“Hey James, are you interested in making some extra money?”</p><p>“Possibly, what do you have in mind.”</p><p>“Apparently, Sister Dian’s convent is looking for her, and has posted a reward for information regarding her whereabouts. If you wanted to go and deliver the information that she got on a boat headed out of Farholde, that might be a useful way to placate them for the time being.”, Donovan made the suggestion to James.</p><p>James pondered the offer for a bit, “I’d like to, but I know that group. I’m not particularly good at lying, and those individuals have ways of getting the truth out of you.”</p><p>Perturbed, Donovan continued, “So, can you think of any way we could throw that group off the scent? I’m frankly not very interested in having to explain my actions to every religious zealot who comes calling.”</p><p>“To be frank, I think your best solution would be to give them something that made them think someone else had come after her. That way, you don’t have to make enemies, you just stay out of everyone’s way.”, James offered an intriguing solution.</p><p>Donovan pondered that idea for a moment, “That’s very clever, James. That really would solve a lot of problems for me. Thank you for your insight.”</p><p></p><p> Later that evening, Lucius found Donovan sitting outside of the first floor entrance, staring at the area just past the barrier, watching Jurak the Elder as he continued to pace and storm around. “What are you doing, Donovan?”</p><p>Donovan continued to stare out into the evening, “Am I really a bad person, Lucius? I keep trying to find solutions to save as many people as I can, while trying to fix a system that is broken and hurts people. Yet everywhere I go, I seem to only make more enemies.”</p><p>Lucius placed his hands on Donovan’s shoulders, “Donovan, I think of you very much as my family now. I would do anything to help you. But you need to come to terms with the fact that you can not hope to change everything and at the same time save everyone. Either you want what’s best for your family, or you want to keep the status quo in place.”</p><p>Donovan turned his head to face Lucius, “So, I am the bad guy then?”</p><p>Lucius chuckled, “You know, you could just ask me to do this and stop wasting our time.”</p><p>“Would you do this for me, please Lucius?”, Donovan asked.</p><p>“Yes Donovan, I will go kill Jurak for you. I told you I would do anything to help you.”</p><p>Donovan hugged Lucius. It was hard for Donovan to realize that he could rely on his family in the same way that he wanted them to rely on him. “Thank you, Lucius. I appreciate you.”</p><p>Lucius smiled, “Now go eat your dinner.”</p><p></p><p>Session 18 Ends</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="rchodges, post: 8604556, member: 7031385"] [B]Part 2:[/B] Call Forth Darkness [B]Act 3: [/B]Thirty-one Weeks [B]Session 18:[/B] Kiss Some Girls and Make Others Cry Donovan pointed at the body of Halthus, “Bebop, grab that and let’s head down to the Alchemical Lab. We have work to do.” Bebop nodded in assent, and then grabbed the body as the group began to move down the stairs. Donovan and Bebop arrived in the Lab, the body of Halthus being carried almost effortlessly by Bebop. Pointing to a table next to the Golem, Donovan instructed Bebop to lay the body down. As Bebop was arranging the body into position, Donovan grabbed a set of surgical tools, then got into position at the top of Halthus’ corpse. “You sure you can handle this, Donovan?”, Bebop teased. Donovan merely raised an eyebrow, “I’ve studied this procedure many times over, I’m sure I’ve got it down now.” Donovan began to cut into the skull of the corpse, working his way around, while being careful to not cut in too deep. Having already removed the cap from the Golem where the brain was to be placed, Donovan gingerly moved the now exposed brain into the area of the Golem where it is to be stored. Once that task was complete, Donovan and Bebop went over all the connections on the Golem to ensure that everything was in place and connected. Finally, Donovan reached up behind the heart pump and flipped the switch that activated the Alchemical Golem. The Alchemical Golem’s fluids began moving through the piping that it contained, as movement began in the extremities of the device. All at once, the Golem lurched to its feet, and moved right next to Donovan, “What is thy bidding, my master?” A smile crossed Donovan’s face, as his efforts had been validated. “What is your designation, Golem?” “This vassal has been named Artephius.” Donovan noted that the device appeared to refer to itself in the third person, “And what do you remember prior to being activated?” The Golem hesitated briefly, then responded. “Your servant has always been activated since you activated it.” Donovan considered the truth of the creature’s words. Whatever existence it had known before was most likely lost with the previous brain that had been installed. Still, another capable hand at this point was more than welcome. As Donovan and Bebop finished up making sure the last of the connections were in place, the rest of the family showed up to see how the progress was going. Idrees climbed up the back of Artephius, and inspected the back of the Golem. “Hmm…”, Idrees said very little about the efforts, but she wasn’t showing disappointment. “Artephius, accompany Instructor Idees to the forge, and assist her in whatever way she asks of you.”, Donovan began snapping out orders to the group. “GrumbleJack, escort Tamsen to the end of this barrier, where she can make contact with the Seventh Knot. Bebop, help me start getting the rooms emptied out, and we’ll start building up the Alchemical Concrete over the upstairs entrances.” Lucius looked at the group, “I’m going to go check out the situation in the Tavern and Kitchen, to see if I can get anything going. Lucinda and I will get some food ready for all of us once we have some working equipment.” There was a general cheer from the group at the thought, and then everyone went off to their own separate tasks. Tamsen was being carried by GrumbleJack, as Camille was sitting in Tamsen’s arms using her bird form. The group watched as they passed through the glowing barrier that had extended outward from the Horn. From there, GrumbleJack flew down and landed on the ground. After patting GrumbleJack on the cheek and smiling, Tamsen reached out from her mind to Trik. “Are you there, Trik? It’s me, Tamsen.” Trik’s voice came flooding back, almost as though he was shouting, “What happened over there? We saw a huge bright light coming from where you said you were headed.” “Yes, it appears the first part of the ritual was successful.” “And all of you are alright?”, Trik queried to Tamsen. Tamsen smirked to herself, “We’re all fine. But thank you for worrying about me sweetie. I appreciate knowing I can count on you.” Trik was trying to hold his thoughts back, but his mind was focused on the allure of Tamsen. His brother Trak loved Elise, and Trik was happy that his brother was happy, but a part of him resented Trak for having a relationship that he could not experience. But Tamsen was beautiful, and made him feel important when they were speaking together. “Could you do something for me, Trik?” “Yes, of course.”, Trak regained his thoughts, “What do you need, I’ll speak with the group about it.” “One of the requirements of this ritual is something called the ‘heir of the Victor’. I was hoping that you could learn more about that from within Farholde.”, Tamsen’s thoughts in Trik’s mind were soothing, like she was holding his hand. “The Victor, you say? I’m sure I can find something out. Anyway… be safe.” “Thank you so much for everything. I’m looking forward to speaking with you again.”, Tamsen’s voice echoed in Trik’s mind, and then went still. Tamsen looked over at GrumbleJack, “I think we’re finished here for now, big guy. That was a productive conversation.” GrumbleJack grunted in assent, and took Tamsen in his arms, heading back into the sky. Back in the Sanctum, Donovan and Bebop were performing the proper mixing to create the Alchemical Cement to cover the entrance from the Balcony. As usual, Bebop was proceeding far more rapidly at mixing the ingredients than Donovan, which prompted Bebop to continue with his teasing nature. “You need me to take care of this for you, Donovan? I’m sure you would struggle to even lift all this material.” Donovan sighed, “And then, once you finish making the cement, how exactly do you plan to frame and cure it?” “Cure it? What, is it sick?”, Bebop looked confused at Donovan’s words. “Exactly, Bebop. There’s more to cement than just the speed with which you handle your stick.”, Donovan scoffed. Once Bebop began completing the mixture of the cement, he followed Donovan’s instructions to set up the cement against the hole in the Balcony, using a wooden frame to brace it while it began to dry. “So, is there a way we can make it look like the rest of the mountain?”, Bebop asked, noting the color of the cement. Donovan shook his head, “Not really. But trust me, once cement this thick finishes curing, anyone wanting to come through here would have an easier time just smashing through the mountain side.” Lucius entered the darkened area that was once a Tavern. Tossing a Light cantrip onto one of the torch sconces, he took stock of the state of the room. The tables and chairs were in disarray, almost all of the plates and cups were damaged, and the cooking stove seemed to be out of alignment. Summoning up a pair of Fire Elementals, Lucius instructed them to go through the pipes exiting the stove and confirm that nothing was blocking access. The Elementals efficiently performed their task, burning away stray shrubbery and some small animals from within the piping. After that was completed, Lucius summoned up Lucinda, and the two of them got to work in straightening up the Tavern. Lucius took notes of the extra things that he would be needing in order to make this a more viable kitchen area. Lucius was annoyed at the design of the Horn putting the pantry away from the Kitchen in this manner, but it was a relatively small complaint. Some of the furniture would also require repair if not outright replacement. Lucius noted that Donovan had purchased a fairly large amount of lumber, which suggested that he was planning to rebuild the furniture himself. Lucius opened up the Portable Hole in the Tavern, and had Lucinda drag all of the broken items into in in order to carry it outside and throw them away. Finishing that, Lucinda and Lucius reconnected the piping in the oven, started up a fire, and got to work making dinner for the family. A short time later, the group gathered in the Tavern, and Lucius and Lucinda proffered the food and drinks for everyone. There was a sense of excitement in the air. Donovan stood up, “I want to thank you all for being here. This could not happen without the help of all of you. I know we have a lot of struggles ahead of ourselves, but I know we’ll get through this together.” Raising his glass, Donovan exclaimed, “To family!” The group raised their glasses and returned the cheer, “To family!” Blindly optimistic, Donovan would soon discover the scope of the struggles that laid ahead of them. Week 1: Tamsen laid naked in her new bed next to an equally naked Camille. To say the bed was massive would be an understatement, it was the most oversized and luxurious thing she had ever slept in, even surpassing the beds in the Westermeyer Manor. The two of them often found free time together, and Tamsen found a connection with Camille that she could not have possibly know with Pooky. Camille climbed on top of Tamsen as she laid on her back, looking up at her retainer. “My Mistress, I think it is time for you to begin learning the path to get closer to your mother.” Tamsen expression became excited. From the beginning, Camille had stated that she was specifically sent her by her true mother, and that her mother wanted very much to get closer to her. “What do I need to do, Cami?” Camille leaned down to Tamsen’s face, with them so close together as they had been many times before, “You’ll need something like this.” With that, Camille slid off the bed, walked over to the nearby stand, and opened one of the drawers. She pulled out a mushroom and smiled at Tamsen. “Those are the mushrooms you told me to have Donovan buy.”, Tamsen said with curiosity in her voice. Camille nodded, “Yes Mistress. And now it’s time for you to understand what they can do.” Returning to the bed, Camille gingerly placed a piece of the mushroom in Tamsen’s mouth, and Tamsen swallowed it. Camille and Tamsen began to touch and explore each other’s bodies as they had several times before. Camille was every bit as forward as Tamsen in matters of sexuality, so their connection was a very easy process. As Tamsen began to relax under Camille’s touch, the effects of the mushroom became pronounced upon her. Tamsen felt her mind slowly drifting and sliding. “Cami, this feels so good.” “I am so happy to hear you say that, my Mistress. Now, for the second part of what is needed.”, Camille was gentle and quiet, whispering her instructions into Tamsen’s ears. Tamsen touched Camille’s cheek, “What else do we need, Cami?” “Blood.”, Camille responded, the smile never leaving her face. “Blood?”, Tamsen asked. “Blood from me?” “It could be from you, my Mistress. But I think someone else would make a better donor. You like that boy Bebop, don’t you? The way he makes you feel when he’s inside you?” Tamsen’s eyes closed, as she smiled and nodded, the moments of them together flashing in her memories. “Then call him, Mistress. Call him here right now, and enjoy yourself with him.”, Camille continued to guide Tamsen in her semi lucid state. It was easy for Tamsen to call Bebop to her bedroom. The simple suggestion of being in her bed was all the encouragement he needed. Opening the door to her bedroom, he found the two of them naked in the bed waiting for him. He rushed to the bed, almost throwing himself into it and Tamsen’s arms. The two of them shared a passionate embrace, before Tamsen rolled herself on top of Bebop. “You love me, don’t you Bebop?”, Tamsen asked in a tiny voice. “You know I do, always.”, Bebop responded with urgency and enthusiasm. “And you trust me, right baby?”, Tamsen’s finger slid down Bebop’s exposed chest, as Camille moved up closer to him. Bebop nodded, with absolute certainty in his eyes. “Thank you. I want you to share Cami with me.” Bebop was more than excited. To have not one but two beautiful women in his bed, it was a dream come true. Camille’s lips pressed against Bebop’s, as a mischievous smile appeared on her face. Her lips moved off of Bebop’s lips, and down his neck. A moment later, her fangs sank into Bebop’s skin, and the sweet redness was released. An audible moan escaped Camille’s mouth, as she indulged herself. Bebop felt a momentary tinge of pain, but became so caught up in Tamsen’s desire, he soon ignored what else was taking place. Camille’s face came up to Tamsen’s, her lips red with Bebop’s blood. The two of them kissed passionately, as Tamsen felt a surge of desire and power wash over her. Camille then bent down to kiss Bebop once more, as he tasted his own blood in her mouth. It was a dizzying sensation to be in the arms of these two, and Bebop soon realized that he was fully at their whims. “Donovan!” An angry voice rang out from the Alchemical Lab. Donovan heard the voice of his teacher, and immediately started headed towards where the sound was coming from. He ran into Idrees just outside of the lab. Her clothes and hair was singed from what had apparently been a fire attack that she had endured. “What happened, Instructor?” “Leave it to you to create a Golem that attacks the people it’s working for!”, Idrees spat out, clearly livid. Donovan was in shock, and rushed inside the Lab where Artephius was standing there as though nothing was going on. Donovan, with a confused look on his face, confronted Artephius about the accusations made by his instructor. “Artephius, what happened in here?” “This vessel is performing the tasks you have assigned to it.”, Artephius responded flatly. “And what happened to Instructor Idrees?” “They were attacked by unknown assailants.”, Artephius stared at Donovan blankly. Idrees scoffed, “Unknown assailants, my bony ass! You attacked me!” She pushed her pipe against the Golem’s torso. Artephius pointed at Idress, continuing to look at Donovan, “They were attacked by unknown assailants.” Donovan put his head in his hands in frustration, as Idrees snarled at him. “I should have known that anything you put together would blow up in everyone’s face but yours! Just like all of your other plans.” “Artephius, you are to accompany me in all of my daily activities, and not leave my sight unless otherwise instructed by me.”, Donovan said, a look of exasperation on his face. “Yes, my Master.” “My apologies, Instructor. I’ll have GrumbleJack continue to assist you with anything you need.” Idrees nodded, “GrumbleJack, he’s a nice young man. Why couldn’t you be more like him?” Knowing there was no correct answer to that question, Donovan simply shrugged and walked away, Artephius diligently following him as he moved around the Horn. At the bottom of the Horn, Lucius was still attempting to make headway with the Boggards and their dietary requirements. He had already purchased a collection of vegetables that could survive under the limited light within the cave, and now it was just a question of finding out what these creatures could eat. Donovan believed that the only way to guarantee this tribe’s long term survival was to provide them more food choices than simply meat. Applying the Tounges spell to himself, he went to meet with chief Zikomo, several food options prepared and ready to go. “Zikomo, so glad we could meet today. Are you ready to try out some of these food dishes I have prepared for you?”, Lucius said, trying to be hopeful. Zikomo looked at his skeptically, “Why Boggards need new food? People so delicious!” Lucius sighed. “I understand, but sometimes you don’t succeed in hunting, and you need food you can farm and prepare here.” Lucius pulled out his first dish. By human standards, it looked and smelled delicious. But Zikomo remained unconvinced. Sniffing the plate, Zikomo protested, “Where is meat? I smell no meat here.” Lucius pressed on, “This is a delicious mushroom and barley soup. It’s very warm and filling, and something we can make with very few ingredients.” Putting a spoonful of it up to Zikomo’s lips, Lucius smiled warmly, “Try it, you’ll like it, I’m sure.” Zikomo seemed unconvinced, but guessed he should play along with the people who were attempting to free his god. Zikomo tasted the soup. To him, it seemed mostly like water, although it wasn’t an unpleasant taste. Certainly, the mushrooms in this dish were far superior to the ones they had been growing. “Not as good as meat.”, Zikomo grumbled out. Undeterred, Lucius pulled out his second offering. Zikomo’s lips visibly curled at the sight of all the white in the bowl, but his nose gave him more hope. “Is that fish?” Lucius smiled confidently, “Yes, this is a nice fish risotto. We can grow the rice down here, and use the cave fish to help add some needed protein to the dish. Once more, Lucius produced a spoonful of the product to Zikomo, who took it with a bit more eagerness than he did on the last dish. “This not terrible.”, Zikomo grudgingly admitted. “Ok, now we have something to work with. If we’re going to make dishes like this, we’ll need to take some of that empty space at the front of the cave, and turn it into rice fields. This place is plenty wet for the area, and I think we can get enough sun if we plant at the opening.”, Lucius was very knowledgeable in his suggestions, and Zikomo listened to him, although he remained confused by the idea of planting more crops. Lucius left the bowls with Zikomo so he could continue trying them out, wrote down some notes about the space in the cave opening, and headed back upstairs. Tamsen, Camille, and Bebop laid across the bed in different places, the three of them sated from their recent escapades. Bebop, for his part, felt like he had just exerted himself at a level rarely before experienced. His whole body was tired. Tamsen and Camille, however, were giggling with delight. Camille sat up on the bed in front of Tamsen, her arms outstretched to where Tamsen was laying. “So, my Mistress, are you ready to speak with your mother now?” Tamsen perked up, elated at the prospect. She sat up on top of the bed as well, grasping her arms with Camille. “Your mother can use me as a channel in order to Commune with you. Now, keep in mind that I probably won’t hear her specific words, but I can tell if she’s saying yes or no about something. Please try to keep your questions in the form of yes or no, so she can respond.” Tamsen was so eager to know more about this, so she did not hesitate at all to agree to what Camille asked of her. For Bebop’s part, he simply enjoyed watching two naked women sitting on top of the bed holding hands with one another. “Alright Mistress, I’m ready now. Close your eyes, and ask your questions.”, Camille spoke softly, her voice fading away. “Mother, do you hear me? It’s Tamsen. Are you there?” Camille’s voice was gone now, replaced by another woman’s voice. “Yes, my sweet child. I hear you.” Tamsen’s eyes welled up with tears, excitement filling her voice. “Mother, my family and I, we’re in a dangerous place right now. Is anyone coming to harm us in the next couple of days?” “No.” The voice was terse, but confident. “We’re in an old temple of some kind, with Donovan and the others sealing up all the entrances so we can be safe. Is there any other way into this temple beyond the entrances in the wall and the staircase?” “Yes there is, my daughter.” Tamsen’s eyes shot open, as Bebop and her exchanged worried looks. “Mother, is there another teleporter to this temple, beyond the three we have discovered.” “Yes.” A sinking feeling fell over Tamsen, a threat to her family. “Is this teleporter within the boundaries of the Horn?” “I’m afraid it is not.” The voice began to confirm her fears. Bebop spoke up, “Ask her if there is a teleporter outside of the barrier protecting the Horn.” “Mother, is there another working teleporter beyond the range of the protective barrier that gives access to this place?” “Yes, my child.” Camille drew back her breath, and fell over onto the bed. “Wait, mother, don’t go! I have so many more questions!”, Tamsen was concerned for Camille, and worried she had lost her connection to her mother. Camille opened her eyes, and pushed herself up. “Do not fear, Mistress. I will be able to repeat this for you again. Just give me a few days to recover my strength. It takes quite a bit from me to hold that connection with her from so far away.” Tamsen squeezed Camille tightly, “Thank you Cami, thank you so much!” “Anything for you, Mistress.” Week 2: The group was now beginning to settle into the routine of everything. Donovan delivered one of the gems to Hexor and Vexor, so that they would be able to notify him if any divine activity took place within the confines of the Horn. Thanks to Idrees, Donovan was able to complete his plans to build a working shower with hot and cold water in the nearby room. The girls immediately loved it, and started using it with regularity. Tamsen and GrumbleJack continued their regular excursion outside of the barrier in order to allow her to communicate with Trik. It was during one of these meetings where Trik notified Tamsen that a group of adventurers were going to be headed to the Horn. Trik listed off the names of the individuals, which included Hallack Amon, Bianca DeVallya, James O’Toole, Yorgun the Smith, and Sister Marta Dian. Trik told Tamsen that they were a poorly equipped group of individuals, and that they had mentioned going through the caves to get to the Horn. Tamsen thanked Trik profusely for his efforts, as she continued to spin her web around him, bit by bit. Tamsen was thrilled to have actual news to deliver to Donovan. “We’re going to have visitors soon, my love.” “Oh, is that so? Well, we should be gracious hosts then. Let’s learn more about our guests so we can properly engage with them. With any luck, perhaps we’ll end up with additional hands.”, Donovan seemed happy to hear her news, but Tamsen sensed something was wrong with him. “Are you ok?”, Tamsen cooed, running her hands along his shoulders. “Just a lot of work left to do.”, Donovan attempted to reassure her. Tamsen started to lean in to kiss Donovan, but Camille grabbed her wrist and pulled her away, “Come, my Mistress. Your Mother could help us gather more information on these interlopers and the undiscovered teleporter that threatens this place.” It had become obvious to Tamsen that Camille held some sort of animosity towards Donovan. Of course, any time Tamsen asked he about it, Camille denied it. “I don’t hate Donovan. What would you have me do with him, Mistress, should I sleep with him?” Tamsen chuckled at the thought of a boy like Donovan trying to have sex with something like Camille. But, she was hoping the two of them would come to some resolution, and soon. She missed touching Donovan and being near him. “Lucius, when you head into town next time, could you check on these people for me?”, Donovan approached Lucius, with a list of names in his hand. Lucius studied the list of names, “Who are these people?” “Well, if the Seventh Knot is correct, these are a group of people who will be coming to visit us in a couple of days. I was hoping you could dig up some information on them, so maybe we knew their motivation and could entice them into employment.”, Donovan smiled that familiar smile of his. “Sure, I’ll check it out.”, Lucius pocketed the note without fanfare. On Lucius’ next trip into Farholde, he swung by some of the more well-traveled taverns in town, hoping to gain some more insight on these individuals who would go to such trouble to travel to an unknown shrine of a dead god. Unlike Donovan, Lucius wasn’t nearly as optimistic about the prospects of people trekking all the way to the Horn merely to accept an invitation of employment. But, Donovan was a naive individual who had lived a life where people did walk into his place of work to look for employment, so of course he would think the world worked that way. But, perhaps he could deal with these individuals before they even arrived at the Horn, and in doing so, prevent Donovan from having to face the situation as it actually was. Lucius began to interrogate people who knew about the names on the list, being sure to keep everything lubricated with frequent glasses of ale being served as often as required. At first, it would have appeared that the leader of the group, Hallack Amon, was a simple army recruiter who had quit his position before the war came knocking. However, the truth would end up being that Amon was simply a former military individual who had paid off his dead father’s debt, and was looking for a slightly less dangerous option with which to make some money. As for his friends, many of them had known each other for years, and were all attempting to make some small name for themselves by encountering the “mysterious evil” that had awakened in the Caer Bryr. He also learned that Hallak and Bianca had affections for one another, which could potentially be exploited to extract compliance from one or the other of them; and that the Sister was a member of a military religious order within the city. “Yes Donovan, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to take you up on your offer of resurrecting the plague god to return to this world.”, Lucius chuckled to himself. A very real part of Lucius wanted to summon Lucinda, find these adventurers, and slaughter them to the last. That would prevent them from doing any harm to the family. Lucius knew there was no way they would ever agree to Donovan’s terms. But then, a whisper echoed inside of Lucius head. Was he sure that Donovan couldn’t convince these people to do what he asked? It would seem laughable by almost any stretch of imagination, but then, Lucius never doubted that Donovan could summon miracles from time to time. Lucius laughed, shook his head, and purchased the rest of his supplies before heading back to the Horn, with the information he gathered about this group in hand. Back in Tamsen’s bedroom, the three lovers lay around each other, with Camille and Tamsen interlocking fingers and looking into each other’s eyes. “Are you ready, Mistress?”, Camille smiled and waited for Tamsen to open up her mind, as she reached beyond the current Plane and to the other. Tamsen picked up her questions where she left off, first confirming which day that the visitors would be arriving, then beginning to attempt to divine the specific location of the other teleporter. Once again, Camille regains her own voice as Mother leaves her. Bebop and Tamsen study the map from the information relayed to them via Camille. “It might be near the river.”, Bebop offers a suggestion. “Donovan should see what we’ve found thus far.”, Tamsen responds. Donovan walks into the area on the third floor, next to the stairs leading to the Sanctum. “Hexor, Vexor, we’re going to be having company soon. I want you to keep them from leaving, but not kill them.” The Cuestodaemons regarded Donovan with a sense of confusion and disgust, “Excuse me sir, I think we must have misunderstood you. Did you request of us to not kill those who would intrude on this place?” Donovan nodded, “I know this seems unusual, but I believe we can add new recruits to our growing group.” The daemons shrugged in disappointment. Per Ezra’s request, Donovan had continued to refrain from showing the amulets of control to the brothers, but he wondered how much longer he could maintain compliance from such destructive creatures without feeding into their more base desires. Donovan provided Hexor and Vexor with a different one of the Eyes, this one allowing them to review any area within the Horn. He provided instructions to them to notify him when the visitors arrived. Time passed, and the appointed day arrived. Donovan was continuing to perform upgrades to the Horn with the assistance of Idrees when the voice of the brothers rang in his head, “Our guests are here.” Donovan replied to their thoughts, “Excellent work. Position yourself at the entrance of the caves, to make sure they can’t flee. I’ll be down there shortly.” Donovan immediately reached out to Tamsen in her thoughts. “Love, I am in need of your aid, please gather everyone together on the first floor throne room.” Once all the family arrived in the throne room, Donovan explained what they would be doing. “Lucius, you’ll take Bebop down to the bottom floor. Tamsen and I will meet you there.” With that, Donovan extended his hand to Tamsen, “I’m all yours, my love.” Tamsen smiled and grabbed Donovan’s hand, willing the two of them to be on the lower floor of the caves, where Lucius and Bebop appeared next to them. The group had slid through the Dimension Door to the area where the Boggards lived in their huts. The Boggards were already falling back as the adventurers approached their homes, not realizing they had already walked into a trap of their own making. Yorgun approached the group first, and was immediately greeted by Donovan, “Hello to you, good sir.” The dwarf was caught off guard, and he fell back to the rest of his company. A tad later, the rest of the group showed up where Donovan and the rest of the family were waiting. The five individuals were exactly as relayed by Lucius. Even without introductions, Donovan knew their names based on the information that had been relayed to him. Donovan welcomed the group to the Horn, and greeted them all. And then things began to go exactly as Lucius had predicted. Sister Marta Dian was immediately hostile to Donovan, going on about how he and the rest of his group were clearly evil, and the actions they were taking were evil. Donovan attempted to counter her arguments, suggesting that perhaps the people who were invading the homes of the Boggards that were doing nothing more than farming and fishing, might be more indicative of evil. Seeing that they were unfazed by that suggestion, Donovan pivoted to suggest that the actions he was taking within the Horn were essential for the good of the kingdom. Unfortunately, anything that Donovan would be said was pushed away by the words of the Sister. The group told Donovan that they wanted to leave, as they didn’t know what they were encountering. This immediately was a problem for Donovan, as he could imagine what would happen if the Sister was allowed to return to the rest of her people. Telepathically, Donovan instructed Hexor and Vexor to move up behind the group of adventurers. Once the two brothers appeared behind the adventurers, the Sister began screaming vitriol towards Donovan. Frustrated, Donovan finally came to his solution. “As you are my guests here, let me provide you with a set of options that you can select from. First, you can return to your homes, but you are never allowed to speak of what you discovered here. And to be sure, I will know, as I have ears within Farholde. Second, you can accept my offer of temporary employment, and I will gladly pay you the amount of money that we have agreed upon for your stay. Finally, you can test your skills against my menagerie, and see how that turns out for you.” Hexor, Vexor, and Bebop showed a vicious grin on their faces, salivating at the opportunity to test their mettle against these meager opponents. For her part, Bianca broke out in tears, almost falling to the floor as the hopelessness set in. The adventurers looked at each other, realizing how bad their situation had just become. Hallack Amon spoke up, “May I have a moment to discuss this matter with my compatriots?” Donovan smiled, “Of course, feel free.” Seeing the adventurers huddle together, it was transparent to tell that the Sister wanted to combat the evil that was taking place. The rest of the group was clearly more sane, not wanting to simply throw their lives away in an impossible fight. However, none of them were interested in the offers that Donovan has made thus far. Hallack spoke up once more, “We’d like to make a counteroffer?” Donovan chuckled, “Certainly, I’m a man of profit.” Hallack stammered, “We’d like to offer you the… uh, profit of not revealing your secret in exchange for safe passage to another city.” Donovan nodded, “Agreed. You will all stay as our guests in the Horn until I can secure safe passage for you on a vessel, at which point we will escort you to the ship, and we may part ways.” The adventurers looked at each other. Even knowing that they would be trapped here for a few days was an obviously superior choice to dying in a muddy Boggard cave. Looking at the Sister, Donovan addressed Hallack, “Please disarm Sister Marta Dian until we get up to the first floor. We wouldn’t want to have any accidents that would cause people to fall and hurt themselves.” Sister Dian growled at Donovan, but James O’Toole moved up behind her, sliding the sword out of its sheathe before she could respond. With that concern out of the way, the group made their way up to the first floor. Once inside, Donovan gave the group a small tour, where he pointed out the Tavern and Kitchen, and pointed out several rooms for them to stay in. “These are your choices of living quarters.” James spoke up, “Are we not going to be put in a cell?” Donovan looked at him, confused. “You are my guests; we have agreed to terms. I have no reason to detain you forcefully.” Looking back to the larger group, Donovan continued, “If any of you are in need of anything, please let me know and I’ll get it taken care of for you.” Having said that, Donovan walked away from the group. Hexor and Vexor continued to make intimidating glances at the group, which was very apparently terrifying Bianca. Tamsen snapped at the brothers in Abyssal, “Don’t be rude, you two.” Later that evening, Donovan took out some writing tools, and composed a letter to the Baron. The letter was a request for space on a ship to take five people to another city out of the Farholde area. Donovan intended to have Lucius drop off this letter during his standard supply run. As he was finishing the effort, Ezra approached him. “What’s this I hear about you granting hospitality to our enemies?”, Ezra hissed at him. Donovan maintained his composure, despite the unexpected appearance of the Dread Wraith. “Lord Ezra, how kind of you to check in on me. I’m attempting to recruit these guests into becoming additional help for securing this place.” Ezra scoffed, “Why should we bother with them when I can simply turn them into loyal pawns for our service?” Donovan faced Ezra, smiling, “Because, we need actual hands and feet to attend to tasks around here. Despite your incredible abilities, I still need to rebuild furniture and secure entrances.” “And I also understand you are teaching the Boggards how to farm now. How incredibly mundane you have made the protectors in the cave area.”, Ezra was attempting to assert his knowledge of all that Donovan was doing. “Of course, Lord Ezra. If we are to grow the Bane-Wog tribe, we will need for them to have a reliable source of food. Hunting is unreliable at best, and continuing to spread out the tribe to go further looking for prey only weakens our guardians.”, Donovan was brimming with his usual confidence. “Your arrogance is matched only by your weakness, Donovan. I have half a mind to just kill you now, and see if the next group that your master Thorn sends proves to be more worthwhile than you.” Unexpectedly, Donovan laughed at Ezra. “Oh Lord Ezra, if you killed me, then you would have the undeniable pleasure of meeting the Seventh Knot. I’m sure you would truly enjoy spending time with the quality individual that is Elise Zadaria. But, be aware Lord Ezra, she doesn’t even have the capacity to speak Abyssal, much less an understanding of the nature of the ritual that is required to return Vetra Kali to this world.” Ezra stared at Donovan with momentary contempt, realizing that Donovan had already accounted for the possibility of a double cross. “Hmph.”, Ezra said, then floated away. Lucius did all that was asked of him by Donovan, and the Baron provided information on a ship that would provide safe passage for each member of Hallack’s crew. Stubbornly, Donovan returned to Hallack and the rest in the hopes that he could somehow convince them of his well-meaning intentions. He realized that there was no ground to be had with the Sister, but surely the others could see the opportunity he was extending them. Donovan even found himself having a pleasant conversation with Hallack and Bianca on the last night, where it seemed like he was perhaps getting through to them. Unfortunately, it was at this time that Bebop, Tamsen, and Camille came strolling through the Tavern, naked as the day they were born, and acting without shame or hesitation. Bianca burst into tears and ran back into her room, Hallack shrugged and apologized as he soon followed up behind her. Donovan set his head down on the table, realizing he had utterly failed to impress any of them, despite all of his clever words. Week 3: The day had arrived when the ship that would carry Hallack’s crew would arrive. Donovan and the others saw off the group, and they watched as each of them stepped into Lucius’ summoned carriage. As James was about to get into the carriage, he looked at Donovan, “So, would you still grant me safe passage after I completed your contract.” Donovan smiled, “Of course. The offer is still open.” James looked back at his friends, “I’ve decided to work for him for a while.” They began to protest, but he raised his hand to silence them, “I’ve made my decision, and I wish you all well.” The rest of the group rode away, with the Sister yelling at James and Donovan the whole way off. As Donovan headed back to the caves, Zikomo approached him and told him that his warriors had found something similar to a building not far from the Horn. Donovan had previously asked Zikomo to begin looking for some sort of man made structure based on the information that Tamsen had received from her mother, so he was happy to see that there was some payoff to this whole matter. “Bebop, take GrumbleJack and Idrees, and go investigate this structure. If you find another teleporter there, and the place cannot be secured, I want you to destroy it. Otherwise, make sure it won’t fall into the hands of the enemy. GrumbleJack carried Idrees on a special harness she had designed to ride on his back, and both him and Bebop flew out to the site discussed by the Boggards. Upon arriving, they discovered what appeared to be some sort of abandoned Keep. It was hard to tell the specific function of the building, as so much of the structure had been reclaimed by nature. Bebop, however, was able to locate the teleportation circle, with the help of Idrees. “Very good, Bebop. You have a sharp eye there.”, Idrees praised Bebop for his keen awareness and clever insight. Bebop smiled, as he also found the keyword for the teleporter. “Ah hah!” Stepping onto the teleporter, Bebop quickly issues the word for the First Floor throne. He arrives suddenly, and immediately goes to find Donovan. “I found it!”, Bebop declares with pride. “Excellent work! Can it be secured?”, Donovan looks at him in anticipation. Bebop is unsure what to say, “Let me work on that.” Heading to the teleporter, Bebop says the trigger word to return to the Keep. Upon returning, Bebop looks at Idrees. “Donovan wants to know if we can secure this.” The three of them look around the ruined Keep. “GrumbleJack smash teleporter?”, GrumbleJack asks inquisitively. “Wait, wait!”, Bebop interjects. “There has to be something we can do. Maybe we can cut the teleporter away from the rest of the Keep, and then bring it back?” Idrees chuckles, “Did Donovan suggest for you to do this?” Bebop shakes his head, “No, this is my idea! Think how impressed he’ll be when we bring the whole teleporter back to him.” Idrees laughs a bit, then shoos Bebop away from the teleporter. “Step back boys, this Is going to be something.” Magic extends from her, causing the floor where the teleporter is located to pull itself up and away from the ground. When all is said and done, a massive 11-foot diameter circle was pulled away from the rest of the Keep. “You’re amazing, Idrees! I can’t believe you did that.”, Bebop exclaimed with excitement. Idrees tipped her pipe downward with flourish, and winked. “Now you have to figure out how to get that thing all the way back.” “No problem! GrumbleJack and I will just carry it.”, Bebop’s enthusiasm at what was going to be accomplished was on full display. GrumbleJack grunted with concern, sizing up the massive disc. However, the two of them successfully began to move the circle back towards the Horn. It was a slow and laborious process, but those two were certainly not lacking for strength. About halfway back to the Horn, the group noticed that the sounds of insects had gotten quiet around them. Paying keen attention to his surroundings, Bebop noticed the silhouette of a large jungle cat. Immediately, he started growling and roaring in the direction of the shadow. “Come on GrumbleJack. You have to show that you are bigger than that thing.” GrumbleJack let out a mighty roar, one that would certainly be heard by a large part of the forest. The shadow remained very still, as though it was attempting not to be seen. After waiting for what seemed like half an hour, the party decided to continue heading back. The shadow made no further attempt to follow them. However, their problems were not yet over. As the sight of the Horn came fully into view, a thunderous crash could be heard behind them. The shape of a huge tree began approaching, and the group started running as fast as they could, while continuing to move the massive stone disk. The group crossed over the protective barrier, and Bebop called out to Tamsen’s mind. “Help, that Treant is coming after us!” Tamsen immediately contacted Donovan who was somewhere else within the Horn. “Donovan, Bebop and GrumbleJack are in trouble. Jurak is coming after them.” “Damnit all!”, Donovan shouted to himself. Donovan had truly been wanting to talk with Jurak, but he didn’t think he was going to have a way to explain the actions he had taken recently. Donovan found himself left with little choice. “Hexor, Vexor, fly out and hold back that Treant! We have to give Bebop and GrumbleJack time to safely return.” The brothers followed their instructions perfectly, annoying the Treant who was unable to attack them at the range they flew at, and disgusted at the sight of seeing daemons flying out from the Horn, “What evils have been wrought upon this place? I will stop you all! It is my sworn charge!” Looking out from the first floor entrance, Donovan sighed. He knew that Jurak was a true protector of the forest, and he hated to see something so rare suffer as it was, but he couldn’t avoid the conflict indefinitely. As he watched, Bebop and GrumbleJack moved in a massive stone disk into the caves area. Just then Donovan saw Lucius flying back on his mount, with someone unconscious lying behind him. Lucius flew in to the first level, as Donovan stepped back. “What happened, Lucius?”, Donovan asked as he saw Lucius flip the unconscious form of Sister Dian off the mount and onto the ground. “I’ll tell you what happened, Donovan.”, Lucius pointed at the Sister. “This one decided to be clever, waited until the boat started pulling away from the dock, and dove into the water to attempt to escape. I should have just had my dolphins pull her down to her death, but you have another sacrifice at the halfway mark of this ritual.” Donovan looked down at the Sister and frowned, “Sheesh, you can’t trust anyone these days, can you?” Bebop arrived upstairs, having outrun Jurak’s wrath. “What did I miss?” “Take the Sister and lock her in the third floor cells. I’ll figure out what to do with her later.”, Donovan instructed Bebop, a pained expression on his face. “Ooh, the Sister has been naughty, maybe I’ll have my way with her.”, Bebop teased. “No you will not!”, Donovan roared in anger. “We are better than these people, we are the saviors of this Kingdom. They are monsters who hide behind their religious dogmas. I will never allow them to think that they have any moral high ground over me and my family, and neither will you!” Donovan stormed away. Lucius looked at Bebop suspiciously. “It was a joke. I was just saying that if she was being uncooperative, I wasn’t going to actually do anything.”, Bebop chuckled nervously, then picked up the body of the Sister, and took her upstairs. The next day came, and Tamsen’s communication with Trik had gleaned another piece of useful information. Apparently, the Sisters of Saint Cynthia Celeste had posted a 500 gold piece reward for information about their missing Sister. Donovan took this information to James O’Toole. “Hey James, are you interested in making some extra money?” “Possibly, what do you have in mind.” “Apparently, Sister Dian’s convent is looking for her, and has posted a reward for information regarding her whereabouts. If you wanted to go and deliver the information that she got on a boat headed out of Farholde, that might be a useful way to placate them for the time being.”, Donovan made the suggestion to James. James pondered the offer for a bit, “I’d like to, but I know that group. I’m not particularly good at lying, and those individuals have ways of getting the truth out of you.” Perturbed, Donovan continued, “So, can you think of any way we could throw that group off the scent? I’m frankly not very interested in having to explain my actions to every religious zealot who comes calling.” “To be frank, I think your best solution would be to give them something that made them think someone else had come after her. That way, you don’t have to make enemies, you just stay out of everyone’s way.”, James offered an intriguing solution. Donovan pondered that idea for a moment, “That’s very clever, James. That really would solve a lot of problems for me. Thank you for your insight.” Later that evening, Lucius found Donovan sitting outside of the first floor entrance, staring at the area just past the barrier, watching Jurak the Elder as he continued to pace and storm around. “What are you doing, Donovan?” Donovan continued to stare out into the evening, “Am I really a bad person, Lucius? I keep trying to find solutions to save as many people as I can, while trying to fix a system that is broken and hurts people. Yet everywhere I go, I seem to only make more enemies.” Lucius placed his hands on Donovan’s shoulders, “Donovan, I think of you very much as my family now. I would do anything to help you. But you need to come to terms with the fact that you can not hope to change everything and at the same time save everyone. Either you want what’s best for your family, or you want to keep the status quo in place.” Donovan turned his head to face Lucius, “So, I am the bad guy then?” Lucius chuckled, “You know, you could just ask me to do this and stop wasting our time.” “Would you do this for me, please Lucius?”, Donovan asked. “Yes Donovan, I will go kill Jurak for you. I told you I would do anything to help you.” Donovan hugged Lucius. It was hard for Donovan to realize that he could rely on his family in the same way that he wanted them to rely on him. “Thank you, Lucius. I appreciate you.” Lucius smiled, “Now go eat your dinner.” Session 18 Ends [/QUOTE]
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Way of the Wicked Playthrough - Updated 2023/03/28
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