Act 1 - Something Wicked This Way Comes...
Branderscar Prison - the final stopping place for the most debased and corrupt criminals on the island kingdom of Talingarde. For some, they will go no further; the executioner awaits. Others are to be sent to serve the people by mining precious salt in the dangerous mines. Currently, the infamous prison holds some of the most vile and debased prisoners in her history. One had already been dragged away to the Inquistors pleasure, but four remained in their cell awaiting their fate. But someone didn't intend that to be the justice the law prescribed...
The four of them waited in their prison cell (room 18) - Megara, an Assimar held for winning a duel to the death. Nedra, a human seductress guilty of treason. Kuro, a Kitsune who attempted to steal a year's tax money with spells and charm. And Laela, a Tiefling guilty of murdering a noblewoman and slicing symbols of devotion to the Dark God of Order, Asmodeus.
As they talk about their crimes and try to move further away from Nedra, whose combination of masochism and high sexual addiction made even her fellow inmates uncomfortable, the door was opened to reveal the bulky form of Sergeant Tomas Blackerly - the man who branded each of them upon entry with malicious glee along with six guards.
“You there," he bellowed, pointing at Megara, "That’s the scum! Get ‘em unshackled. If any of you makes trouble, they’ll earn a thrash-ing! Today’s your lucky day, scum. You’ve got a visitor. How you ever warranted such a fine lady is beyond me. Seems she wants to say good-bye. Now step lively. We wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.”
Dragged to her feet and taken from the room, Megara is dumped across the table from a beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair and green eyes in a black dress suitable for a funeral, her face covered with a light veil.
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“Oh, dearest,” proclaims the unfamiliar woman. “I’m so relieved you’re alive!” She quickly turns to Tomas. “Could we please have a moment alone, good sir? For pity’s sake?”
The guards eyes went dim for a moment before he agreed readily and left the room.
“Have you forgotten me, dearest?” the unexpected visitor says with a smirk, dropping her pretense of grief. “Call me Tiadora. We possess a mutual friend who would like to meet you and your fellow cell-mates. Unfortunately, our friend is unwilling to visit you in your present rather shabby accommodations so it seems you must escape. Don’t be so dour. Just because it’s never been done before is no reason you can’t be the first."
“If you manage that, cross the moors on the outskirts of town. On the old Moor Road you’ll see a manor house with a single lantern burning in the second story. There our mutual friend waits. That is all I know. He did want me to give you this.”
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She takes off her silken veil and wipes away a few fake tears with it. “Something to remember me by, dearest.”
Megara attempted to find any other details about either Tiadora or her 'friend' but was unable to extract any information. she did soon spot, however, that the veil she had been given was a Veil of Useful Items. Within a few minutes the Sergent returned, refusing Tiadora's tearful plea for more time. However, when she told him not to search Megara his eyes once again became blank and he readily agreed, escorting Megara back to the cells where she was once again chained with her fellows.
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After suffering the course jokes at their hands, she told them of Tiadora's offer. Not seeing any alternative (bar Kuro, who had planned to escape from the salt mines using Charm Person) they readily agreed to try it, since they had few other choices. Megara passed Laela the lockpicks from the Veil, who only just freed herself but caused enough noise to cause the guards to peek in. As she freed Megara things got even worse - they entered the cell, obviously suspicious. Nedra managed to convince them that it was her, acting lewdly and crudely enough to send them packing. Laela soon managed to free both Kuro and Nedra, and then picked the lock on the door.
Arming themselves with the daggers from the Veil, Megara and Laela flanked the door while Kuro attempted to use Daze on the guard outside the door. The low level spell failed, however, the Guard proving unusually wilful, and he moved towards the door to check on them. As he did the door was thrown open and he was cut down in moments by Megara andLaela, with Nedra boosting their abilities. Moments later his fellow came to investigate, but with his friends body already dragged into the cell and stripped of weapons, the same ambush caught him.
Freed, dressed in clothes from the Veil and armed and armoured with the plundered gear of the guards, the group moved out slowly, soon running into one of the jails other residents - a large ogre, contained in a reinforced cell (room 19) who was obviously disorientated by something the guards had fed him, and even more abused than they were. Kuro healed the worst of his wounds and the party convinced the huge creature to join them in their escape. Even weakened as he was the ogre provided a great deal of unpleasantness to future battles.
Exploring the floor to find only a blood stained interrogation (room 20) room and an empty guard post (room 17). Nedra and Laela both took the guards clothes and uniforms and headed downstairs, where they found a large hall. Laela heard a couple guards beyond the only exit, and Kuro suggested a plan - luring them out by making them think something cruel was being done to Grumblejack. Sure enough the five guards exited, only to run into another ambush and a Sleep spell from Nedra. The final guard was Dazed by Kuro and couldn't raise the alarm before Grumblejack smashed him into a paste.
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Finishing off the sleeping guards with brutal efficiency, the party looted their bodies of anything useful and headed to the right, entering a dining hall (room 10). They quickly discovered and empty barracks (room 9), and looted several of the chests inside, before heading to the opposite door - the kitchen (room 11).
Inside the group found a small staff of cooks. Laela quickly ordered them into a corner, and Nedra used her seductive charms on the head chef, Gregor, extracting the information that if they wore the green cloaks hanging up and gave the password 'Hesterfield' will not be accosted by the bridge guards. The prisoners may have found a way out...
He also revealed they were nearly as much prisoners as the convicts themselves - only allowed to leave at certain times, and not allowed into the majority of the prison (or out the kitchen much of the time). They lived in nearly constant fear of the warden's wizard...
Checking out a backdoor, they find and identify one of the more interesting plants in the prison - belladonna. Laela, whose various dealing included drugs, decided it would be a useful flower to take, and harvested it.
Not wishing to be be spotted from the prison towers or walls, the prisoners re-entered and headed back to the main hall. After a brief disussion they decided to examine the right hand set of doors before leaving, as they didn't want to leave too many guards behind them to hunt them down later.
The first room turned out to be the Prison Armoury (room 12) much to the prisoners glee. Finding a variety of confiscated weapons, Nedra armed herself with a Rapier and Megara with a greatsword, while Laela took a haircomb with a hidden shiv. Kuro found and repaired a light crossbow but was unable to find bolts for the weapon.
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Continuing, the prisoners located a second store room that was mostly emtpy. Kuro suggested someone was stealing from the prison with a certain malicious glee - if the prison was corrupt then it would be that much easier to escape. Taking a large quantity of rope, Kuro got Grumblejack to take two barrels of lantern oil - and two prisoners could not bypass the delicious irony of using the branding irons used against them against the guards and took them from their rack.
The second door in the main hall turned out to be the prison sergeant's office (room 14). A search turned up amble evidence that it was Tomas Blackerly himself who was stealing from the prison. More importantly, however, they found a map showing the prison guard posts.
Another door led to the sergeant's bedroom. Ignoring the mess, the prisoners did manage to find the lockbox he kept hidden beneath his bed. Laela managed to pick the difficult lock and the prisoners found some rotgut whiskey - and a small fortune in gold. They also found a flask of rotgut laced with sleeping herbs.
Now confident the main building was clear, Kuro set a trap using a lantern and a barrel of oil at the sergeants office and the party continued out the main doors, with three of them dressed as guards and Kuro dressed as a servant. Passing a fountain (area 4) holding a statue to St Dothan the Just. Kuro saluted it ironically while Nedra muttered about the saint's 'real' sexual exploits.
As they approached the prison gatehouse Kuro noticed the kennels for the dogs. having found some dog treats earlier he decided to treat them with the sleeping potion from Blackerly's room and fed them to the animals, knocking them quickly out. before they could alert anyone
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Entering the Gatehouse (room 3a) the prisoners could see their escape temptingly close - the gates were just before them. But doors to the right and left suggested more rooms beyond, and yells and shouts from the right hand door told them someone was there. They'd need to make sure that no one could follow them (or pick them off with arrows) and so they'd have to deal with whoever was here. Barring the door back into the prison and leaving Grumblejack to guard their backs, they headed towards the noise.
Inside the room, Sergeant Tomas Blackerly and his cronies were playing cards. Laughing and joking about what they were getting away with, Tomas almost jumped up when the prisoners entered...and then sat back when he realized it wasn't the wizard. Joking that the old man almost never left his tower, he didn't see Laela walk up behind him...nor grow her teeth to huge fangs and chomp down on his neck.
His cronies jumpe to their feet to try and fight, but a Sleep spell soon saw them on the floor. A huge blow from Megara and an Acid Splash from Kuro finished of Blackerly with brutal speed.
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The sounds of thumping and yells from upstairs, however, told them that the job still wasn't finished. Megara, Laela and Kuro took the ladder up while Nedra kept an eye on the now bound and tied sleeping guards.
The Inquisitors had been questioning Zinogre for the better part of the day. "The executioner comes in two days, tell us who else has left Mitra's grace and you will have done something with the time you have left in your pitiful existence"
The old looking man snarled back at his questioners, "So say the golden men in their ivory towers. Tell me, does Mitra sit on a throne of truth or lies? What was will be, what is will be no more."
As one of the Inquistor's roared and hurled a class at Zinogre, lacerating his legs with glass as Laela snuck, manoeuvring to get behind the pair. Megara, however, was not as stealthy. The Inquisitors assumed she was a guard come to watch them torment Zinogre. Kuro entered behind them, offering them drinks, food and other refreshments with a grin upon his face.
Laela, in position, ambushed and killed one Inquistor. The second was taken prisoner. Kuro freed and healed Zinogre, offering to bring the him with them. He agreed...and then summoned his Eidolon, Stygian. Chanting for a minute, the long worm like creature erupted from his chest.
The second Inquistor was tied to the table. Stygian began eating the corpse while Laela prepared and Zinogre got dressed in the extra set of clothes that had been in the clothing sack from the Veil of Useful Items. Nedra came up the ladder, baring the tongues of the three guards below.
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Finally, they woke the Inquistor and began to torment him. He winced as Laela put slivers of wood under his fingernails, causing laughter about his weakness among the group. With a slight grin, Zinogre leaned in closely and said "Remember, I never screamed". The Inquisitor denounced them all and began praying, which annoyed Laela as she began to put light cuts in his neck. Having nothing useful to say, she popped his eyes and shived his neck before allowing Stygian to eat his head.
Branderscar Loot
1 Veil of Useful Items 1 Set of Masterwork Theive's Tool from the Veil - Claimed by Laela 2 x Daggers from the Veil 21Marked Longswords 1 Masterwork Longsword 14 marked longbows 22 sets of chainshirt armour - 4 claimed 22 Leather clubs 1 Greatsword - Claimed by Megara 1 Rapier - Claimed by Nedra 1 Shiv hidden in a woman's comb - Claimed by Laela 1 Light Crossbow - Claimed by Kuro 1 Heavy Mace 1 Great Axe 1 Spear 1 Quarter Staff 1 Trident 1 Glaive 12 bottles of gutrot whiskey 300 Arrows 2 x Chainmail Armour 2 x heavy maces 3 x vials of holy water 40 Crossbow Bolts 1 x dagger One Class Ring Scroll of Magic Missile Scroll of Invisibility Scroll of Hideous Laughter Scroll of Sleep Ioun Torch 1265 gp |
Most of the prisoners headed downstairs while Laela climbed up the ladder to the top floor. As soon as she opened a trapdoor she found an arrow pointed at her face. Dropping down again into the room below roughly, the prisoners all froze as the signal horn sounded out into the early evening.
The guards finally knew they had escaped...
Unwilling to leave archers ready to shoot them apart as they attempted to cross the bridge, the prisoners moved to the two ladders. Using the second one Zinogre spotted that the guards were guarding the one Laela had come up, rather than both.
Laela held that trapdoor shut with the Eidolon Stygian while Nedra, Megara and Zinogre snuck up the second ladder. Kuro, having heard a horn blast, went down to investigate and spotted three figures heading towards the gatehouse. Two were simple guards but one looked rather more dangerous...
The battle on the roof was brief and vicious. Megara pushed one guard off the roof (where he landed in front of Kuro, who was watching through a slot in the main door) while another was killed by Stygian erupting through the trapdoor. Nedra killed the final one with an arrow. Hearing Kuro's yells of warning, the prisoners began a speedy descent back down to the ground.
Kuro, uninterested in fighting the approaching reinforcements, and seeing them burning through the gatehouse's side door, had Grumblejack move a bookshelf to the doorway to prepare for the attack. He then had the ogre bring the remaining barrel of oil to the main door to set up a surprise for any following forces...
As the prisoners came down the tower Zinogre had Stygian delay the guards long enough to allow everyone to escape, then de-summoned the worm-like creature as Kuro rigged his trap at the doors. The prisoners bolted down the causeway and away from the prison moments a whoomph! erupted behind them, along with the screams of two guards.
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It wasn't going to be too simple to escape, however. From the land end of the bridge poured four guards and two dogs, alerted in the guard post by the horns. And behind them came the wizard warden of Braderscar Prison, Mathias Richter.
Worse, with the wizard behind him and the possibility of freedom so close, Grumblejack started to make a break for it.
Kuro and Nedra turned on the wizard, opening fire with longbow and crossbow. Megara and Laela attacked the guards and their dogs. Laela was badly wounded by a vicious bite and dropped back, but not before killing one.
Richter, refusing to allow the prisoners to escape, injuring Kuro with Magic Missile knocking out Zinogre with Sleep before he could summon a new creature to help them and knocking Nedra down with Hideous Laughter. Kuro, however, proved surprisingly accurate with a crossbow and his courage bolstered by a lack of places to run continued firing. Eventually he managed to drop the warden, putting a crossbow bolt through the old man's mouth as he tried to cast another spell.
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With the Warden dead and the enchantments on Zinogre and Nedra broken, the prisoners were able to make quick work of the final guards. Healing the worst of there wounded, the prisoners looked out past the guard post at the end of the bridge. They were now free...they just needed to figure out how to stay that way.
Act 2 - Freedom and Frog's Legs
Ruling out running for freedom on there own, the prisoners decided to head for the manor that Tiadora had described. With the map stolen from the prison and there local knowledge it was easy enough to find the way across the moors. But they also spotted a problem - a Giant Toad that had spent years terrorizing the locals, known as Lashtounge. It would prevent any pursuit until the following morning, though...
Deciding the danger of pursuit outweighed the toad, the Prisoners headed straight to the Manor. As dark fell, however, Kuro came up with an idea. They needing to rest and heal, and the spellcasters need to restore their spells. If they could locate Lashtounge and kill him, they could use the beasts lair as a place to hide for the night and arrive better rested and prepared the next day.
Using the map to spot likely locations, they soon found the beast lurking in deep water. Kuro shot it with a crossbow bolt as Stygian dived into the water to pursue it, but the creature came onto land. A solid attack from Zinogre drew the creatures attention, and the beast lashed out with it's tongue, yanking the Summoner into it's mouth and began to chew.
Fortunately for Zinogre Megara was unimpressed, and slammed the pommel of her greatsword into it's spine. the greater spat Zinogre out before being literally sliced in half with the weapon's blade.
The creature dead and Zinogre cleaned of most the Toad spit by a vigiours scrubbing, the party explored the creature's lair with Kuro's Light spell
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Loot From Lashtounge's Cave
1 Gold Medallion 45gp in Foreign Coinage 1 Broken Pistol - Claimed by Kuro |
Inside, the party found the remains of the large creature's rampages. Kuro was especially delighted to find a ruined gun. As an ex-Gunsmith he would be able to use it as base for a far superior weapon once he had the time and resources. But that was for a later date - rested and restored, the party continued on to the Manor.
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To the Manor
Just before midday the next morning, the escaped prisoners found the old but well maintained building. Dark green and surrounded by barbed wrought iron fencing, the building didn't really seem all that special. But as promised, one window was lit by a lantern. To futher dispel doubts, Megara recognized the green eyed beauty in the almost virginal white gown waiting for them at the door - Tiadora.
“Dearest, you took long enough. We were beginning to wonder if you’d ever make it. Oh, and you brought friends. The master commands all of you to appear before him but before that, you must be made presentable. Slaves!” A clap of her hand brought a gaggle of men and women wearing traditional servants livery. “These people are our guests,” she announced in a commanding tone, “See them to their rooms. I want them cleaned, dressed and re-freshed. Quickly.”
As the various prisoners nodded and thanked her, or even bowed in the case of Kuro and Megara, they were taken to separate rooms...including Grumblejack, who had continued to journey with them.
After changing into decent and serviceable clothing and washing, the group met again in a common room to eat. nedra attempted to seduce one of the servant slaves into giving them information, but Kuro, who had practice with Enchantment type spells, realized that the servants were suffering from long term use of Dominate Person spells or something similar, essentially permanently destroying any free will they once had. Much to the Kitsune's admiration.
Eventually Tiadora came and led them, but not Grumblejack, to a well appointed study richly decorated in dark woods and tapestries. Sitting across from them was a handsome man with a bald head small beard who smiled as he saw them enter
“I believe you to be the first to ever escape from Branderscar
Prison. Well done! Of course, you had help from the out-side,” he adds with a devious grin. “But enough with the pleasantries. You must be curious why I’ve helped you. Rest assured this is no random act of altruism. I have brought you here for a reason. My name is Cardinal Adrastus Thorn. I am the last high priest of Asmodeus left on the island of Talingarde." Zinogre and Laela both instantly sank to their knee in respect before Thorn gestured for them to rise. "Once the Prince of Nessus was rightly revered alongside the other great powers. Now, the king of Talingarde has become a puppet to Mitran fanatics who wish to destroy any religion that does not bow to their insipid sun god."
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“For their blasphemy, I will see the same people who imprisoned and condemned you suffer. I understand what you went through for I have faced it myself.” With that, he pulls down the sleeve of his robe and reveals his own runic ‘F’ brand. “I am going to burn Talingarde to the ground and from the ashes I will build a new nation that knows its rightful master. I cannot do this alone. I seek servants worthy of our Infernal Father’s majesty. Have I found them in you?”
He rises and his eyes flash with hellfire and divine pur-pose. “Join me! Serve me well in this holy endeavor and I will raise you up in the eyes of gods and men. I will make you princes of the new Talingarde. Today, swear fealty to me and to Asmodeus."
“Put aside forgiveness and I shall give you vengeance. Put aside mercy and be made powerful. Put aside peace and become my harbingers of war. What say you? Will you swear your allegiance or will you burn with the rest of the blind fools?"
The prisoners agreed. In the cases of Laela and Zinogre with enthusiasm and relish. For Megara and Kuro it was more of a case of not upsetting their benefactor nor offending the dread God. Nedra, who was disdainful of deities but mostly Mitra, agreed reluctantly, and with an eye to turning it to her own benefit.
“Excellent," Thorn commented as he reached for five scrolls Let us make it official. Signing in blood is traditional.”
Again, the difference in enthusiasm was readily noticeable. Laela opened a vein with glee to write her name. Zinogre went a step futher, stripping away his shirt and carving the symbol of Asmodeus into his chest, then using the blood dripping from the wound to sign.
Megara, Kuro and Nedra each signed in somewhat less spectacular fashion, although Nedra's comments about not truly believing in anything divine brought a smile from Tiadora.
The contract signed, Thorn gave each of them a circlet, which he explained allowed them disguise themselves and any marks that might give them away, and a silver amulet of Azmodeus.
Their new gift firmly attached, the group were dismissed and allowed to rest. Tiadora offered up the companionship of the house's slaves, something only Nedra took up, and the next day each member was asked if they needed anything. Kuro acquired a suit of hide armour and a gunsmithing kit, allowing him to begin work on his new weapon. Megara acquired a Nodachi. Zinogre got a heavy crossbow and ammunition. Laela and Nedra were both happy with the equipment they had looted, for now.
After some time they became aware that a second group of guest were staying in another wing. Perhaps supcicious by nature, the group went to talk to them - the White Ravens, as they called themselves - and find out about the potential threat.
The group was comprised of four members - Elise, a potent Witch of Winter, Trak, a human Ranger who was nearly silent, his Twin brother Trik, a Rogue, and an half-elf Barbarian named Dostan. Kuro talked to Trik, Megara chatted with Trak, Laela talked to Elise and Nedra attempted to sway Dorstan to their side with her personal charms and a large amount of mead.
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Despite the parties excellent social skills, however, they were unable to learn much. They discovered the group was recruited after looting a Paladin's Tomb and had signed their own contracts with Master Thorn, and the three men were all extremely loyal to Elise. However, they were closed mouth about personal information.
After three days rest, the group was called once again to Thorn's Study.
The Nine Lessons
The party entered the study, finding Thorn sitting and waiting for them as though he'd been there the whole time, despite not having been seen since their first meeting. “Have you enjoyed your gifts? The iron circlets allow you to move amongst your enemies as one of them. The silver amulets will remind you of your true loyalties. And the other items – well, you need them now."
“You have done well to escape from Branderscar and to accept my offer. However, you are still not ready for my service. Tiadora will lead you to the basement of this domicile. There you will find nine chambers each more dangerous than the last. Somewhere hidden within these chambers is a pendant of silver and sapphire. Recover the pendant and bring it to me. Let nothing and no one stand in your way.”
He stands up and looks out of the manor house window across the grey moor. “It’s almost dusk. You have until dusk tomorrow to bring me my prize. Do not fail me.”
Cardinal Thorn takes a seat at his desk. Tiadora arrives right on cue. “This way,” is all she says.
As she leads the prisoners towards the basement they remember to go and bring Grumblejack as Tiadora mentions, "They should use all the resources at their command."
Although when Kuro bowed, grinned and said, "Then we choose you to help us, Tiadora!" she gave a slight smile, but her sharp eyes rang out clearly the message that they walk a thin line with their humour.
She was was also very sparse with her answers, telling them they would know the pendant "when they saw it," and after repeated pushing for information on what was down there, she replied "Monsters. Death. Worse" awaited them in her frustration.
Finally, they reached a set of stairs. "Below you will find the Nine Lessons," she stated, sending them on their way.
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At the bottom of the stairs an archway covered door with the inscription 'Deception is a tool. Self-deception is death. Deceive always thy enemy but never thyself.' Through the doorway (room 1) was a simple unfinished chamber with another door on the opposite east wall.
Laela quickly spotted the opposite door way was trapped, with Nedra finding a vast clockwork mechanism beneath the wall and floor. Kuro quick spotted a secret door, behind which was a blue gem filled with Alchemist's Ice, a substance like Alchemist's Fire but inflicting cold damage, along with the inscription, 'Thou hast seen through deception to uncover a useful tool.' Finally, a second secret door and an exit was revealed. The prisoners decided to leave the trapped door and move on.
The inscription above the next doorway stated, 'Following the herd is for fools. Fear not their icy derision. Instead, fear only thy Infernal Lord.' Inside (room 2) were three doors. Foot steps in the dusty floor led to the south and east doors. Quickly guessing the solution, the group headed for the west door. However, they soon started to feel an odd chill.
Looking again, they spooted that the shaowy west door was covered in an odd, pulsating mold. Laela identified it as a type that drank heat and hated the cold before hurling the gem from the previous room at it, killing it and revealing the inscription 'Thou hast made thy own path'. Again spotting the other two doors were trapped, they left the room and followed the U shaped corridor to the next room.
In the next room the ex-prisoners were met with utter darkness. Above the doorway was the inscription 'Know your enemy. Shatter all that blinds you and then burn thy adversary to ashes.' Kuro incautiously cast Light and was immediately attacked. The spell did reveal a gem set on a pedestal in the middle of the room and the fact that there were dozens of small holes all across the floor.
The gem was quickly smashed and the overwhelming magical darkness dispelled. Kuro, realizing the creatures were not fond of light, jumped onto the pedestal. Leila and Stygian moved to one of the two, heavily barred doors, trying to lift it while Nedra distracted the creature with Dancing Lights. Megara, who could understand the monster's speech, realized that creature was desperately hungry and fearful of the light, wanting to both hide from and destroy it, arguing with itself in a desperate bid to decide what to do.
With the creature distracted it and enough light to see by, it did not prove too difficult to lift the bars on both doors and then head up into the north.
Above the next door was the message, 'Cruelty is a tool not a pastime. Be ruthless to thy enemy but reward those who serve thee well.' Inside the room (room 4) was sparse, bar the empty cell in one corner and a rack in the other.
However, they were quickly able to locate a hidden door and the person within - a terrified squire of a Mitran knight who identified himself as Timeon. Pretending to be friendly adventurers on a quest to retrieve, as Kuro described it, "A valuable amulet to the cause of good," and under the ministrations of Nedra, the Squire quickly told his tale.
He and his master, Sir Balin, came to the Manor to hunt evil, but were soon separated in the basement and Timeon, fleeing from a figure who matched the description of Cardinal Thorn, managed to find this room and pull the door shut behind him.
Inside, he overheard Thorn and another person talking about several of the creatures within, including vicious metal cobras, that a secret exit was hidden across from a stairwell and that a shrieker screamed when light or sound was near, raising four drowned men.
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He was also able to tell them, when convinced that they intended to join the Mitran forces there, about Tower Balentyne, a local stronghold and about the people manning it. He was even able to draw them a crude map of the place. After promising to go and find Sir Balen and then return for him, the ex-prisoners headed back through the room with the strange, cloud like monster, once again distracted by Dancing Lights, and through the other door.
After another long corridor they found another door. This one had 'The chosen are revealed by their might. The weak deserve no sympathy' inscribed above it. Not expecting anything subtle this time, the party moved inside to be confronted by two vicious Mithral Cobras, vicious and deadly constructs, who immediately attacked.
The brutally fast cobras were lethal, their armoured skin difficult for the party to penetrate. Eventually it was Stygian who managed to smash both creatures in his own powerful jaws, but not before one was able to take a mechanical bite out of the Eidolon in return.
Kuro, who had been hoping to purchase Mithral soon for new armour, got Grumblejack to take both of the now broken constructs with them, smiling even more than usual at the prospect.
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Continuing to the next doorway, the group read the warning, 'Suffer not the fool. Stupidity is our faith’s cardinal sin' with no small trepidation. Inside was a podium lit by a single oil lamp with a silver amulet on it. Warily, hunting for traps both magical and mundane, they finally pick up the amulet - only to discover it was a fake. Certainly not the amulet they had been sent for.
While Laela found a secret door to the West, Stygian was sent up the staircase to the west, triggering a spiked ball trap to come hurtling down and nearly crushing them. At the top of the stairs was the message, 'Only the foolish believe great deeds are so easy or so obvious.' With no other option they continue through the secret door.
Inside the next corridor they quickly spot another secret door. The inscription beyond it reads, 'Beware the fallen for they may rise once more to threaten you.' Along the original path, another doorway has the message,' Secrecy is our greatest ally. Exposure brings death'. Laela opened the door slghtly and the Eidolon peeked his body inside enough to see a Shieker in the center of the dark room. Remembering Timeon's warning they closed the door quickly and returned to the other door. They opened the door quietly and one by one tip-toed as carefully as they could across the room filled with 8 coffins (room 8). They did not stop to look, instead moving as quietly and quickly as they could through the eastern door.
Above the heavily barred door was the inscription, 'Serve thy master well and be rewarded.' Nedra was sent to retrieve Timeon before the door was unbarred.
Inside a heavily armoured knight was pacing around the cell. As the party entered he drew his weapon in caution, but between their fast talking and a Charm Person spell from Kuro quickly made him more helpful. It was also quickly obvious that the sapphire pendant around his neck was the target of their mission.
Even with the Charm Person spell on him he refused to give it to them directly, instead saying he would give it to them if they found his squire, and helped them escape. Unsure just how dangerous the knight was, the party agreed, Nedra returning soon after with Timeon. Unfortunately, Sir Balin recognized Nedra - as his ex-lover.
Despite , or possibly because of, that, they convinced him to go with them, but the party soon heard the Draugr moving in the previous room. Sir Balin assaulted them instantly, with the party... supporting him. Mostly from the doorway.
Soon the knight had destroyed the undead, and the party had some idea of his strength, begging the question - how did they both get the amulet and kill the knight?
Kuro, however, had an idea. The crafty Magister had a brief conversation in Sylvan with Megara, as both could speak the language, and the Warlady went ahead of the group to scout.
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As they approached the room containing the Vampiric Mist, as it had identified itself to Megara, Kuro warned that there had been a strange creature inside. It wasn't fond of light, and so Kuro cast Light upon the knight to help in his battle. A brief yell from Megara send Sir Balin springing into action - at which point Kuro and Laela pulled the door shut behind him, pretending the door had been sealed. Megara had sealed the one to Timeon's cell again and was holding the third door shut, having talked to the Mist about bringing it a...snack.
After a few minutes the Knights screams had ceased. As Nedra once again comforted Timeon they declared that clearly, that way was not safe (especially as the ever hungry mist was rising from the floor once again) and left, Megara looting Balin's corpse once they were out of sight.
Returning to the room with the Shrieker, the party moved pat the creature, setting it off. Kuro fired a crossbow bolt into it, more out of spite than any attempt to stop it, and the group moved past it and up the stairs (checking for traps and secret doors as they went).
Eventually the stairs opened onto a landing in the house above, Tiadora escorted them to the High Priests study, who gave the unnerving impression of having not moved once more. Their master looked up and smiled. "You've returned," he announced, before gesturing directly to Megara to bring him the Pendant.
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Loot from the Lessons
Alchemist's Ice (used) Fake Pendant 2 Mithral Cobras 1 Dagger 1 Longsword 1 set of Masterwork Fullplate Cloak of Resitance +1 (Claimed by Nedra) 1 Silver and Amethyst Pendant of Mitra |
The high priest holds the trinket and pauses as if in deep contemplation. He watches the holy symbol glitter in the light. “A pretty enough thing, eh?” he muses. “This is a holy symbol of Mitra in particular the sort favored by the Knights of the Alerion. Perhaps you already knew that..." His eyes narrowed as he focused on Timeon for the first time, unable to escape thanks to Tiadora blocking the door. "And what is this?"
"He has knowledge of Tower Balentyne, my Master," Kuro replied with a small bow.
Laela added, handing over the map they'd made, "We thought his knowledge might be better off in your hands, and that he could be more use to us alive than dead."
"I see," the Cardinal announces, his voice almost a purr. "If I had known he had such uses, I would never have thrown him away on a test. Tiadora! See to his...needs and ours."
Tiadora grabbed the squire and dragged him from the room as Kuro smiled and waved bye-bye.
“As I was saying," Thorn continued once the screams had died down, "Remember this symbol. This is the mark of those who
destroyed our faith and sought to banish all trace of the worship of our Father from these shores. These, my friends, are your enemies.” He tossed it back to Megara, who caught it deftly. “Keep it. It may aid you in disguising yourself.”
destroyed our faith and sought to banish all trace of the worship of our Father from these shores. These, my friends, are your enemies.” He tossed it back to Megara, who caught it deftly. “Keep it. It may aid you in disguising yourself.”
He smiles. “You have done well. Escaping from Branderscar, slaughtering Sir Balin in such a creative and treacherous way...yes, you are worthy. Now, let us complete your training…”
Training
The Cardinal proved to be an excellent teacher, focusing on the specialities of each of pupils. Tiadora proved to cruel, vicious and vindictive. Between the two, however, they spent the next three months forging the ex-prisoners into something worthy of Asmodeus, and each had therir own gift.
Laela - "Quiet as Death" - Laela was trained to me even more silent, and therefore a more efficient killer.
Zinogre - "Strike first, strike ruthlessly and be victorious" - Perhaps not surprisingly, Zinogre's training involved improving the reaction time of Stygian rather than his own abilities.
Nedra - "Deception is a tool, Master it" - Nedra was taught to Bluff and to sense the motives of other more effectively.
Kuro - "Focus Strengthens Your Will" - Kuro was taught to better resist the effects of Enchantment style spells, of which he himself specialized.
Megara - "You shall be my Angel slayer" - In a delicious irony, Thorn taught the Aasimar how to better hunt and kill celestials.
As they were trained, they became aware that the White Ravens were also receiving the Cardinal's attention. Several of the group maintained a cordial relationship with the Ravens, since they were somewhat suspicious that the other group might be tasked to do something against them, and Nedra continued her manipulations of the barbarian Dorstan. Kuro also completed work on his double barrelled pistol and reforged the mithral into plates, while the others upgraded their various weaponry.
Finally, the Cardinal announced their training complete. That evening the ex-prisoners were called down to a vast feast. At the feast's height the Cardinal summoned a Pit Fiend, sacrificing one of the Manor's slaves to allow himself to draw forth some of the creature's blood. He then anointed each of the former prisoners with the Holy Mark of Asmodeus in the Pit Fiend's blood, declaring, "Thus is the Nessian Knot forged."
“Just in time,” Cardinal Thorn adds. “My ship has arrived.” On the river dock behind the manor under cover of darkness, a square-sailed longship sails into the slip. It sits heavily in the water, laden with a substantial cargo..."
Act 3 - The Journey North
The next morning, Elise of the White Ravens was called to the Cardinal's study. She met briefly with the newly forged Nessian Knot, explaining, "My Knot and I are to remove some key points in the defence of Talingarde. When you move, everything will be prepared." With that she began to prepare her Knot to move out.
Next, the Nessian Knot were called into his study. “Welcome, my children,” he says in a deep resonant voice that has an almost inhuman quality to it. “Training is at an end. You have proven yourself worthy. Now, it is time for you to use that training and take on your first mission.
“Your mission is war, my children. You will bring war to Talingarde.
“You have two objectives. First, you will see a shipment of munitions delivered to a bug-bear chieftain named Sakkarot Fire-Axe. He makes his camp on the northern coast of Lake Tarik beyond the Watch Wall. With this shipment, the Fire-Axe will have resources enough to unite the barbarous humanoid tribes of the north and light the fire of war.
“Sitting on the dock as we speak is the longship Frosthamar captained by Kargeld Odenkirk. Tomorrow when the ship is resupplied it will be your transport. The captain is a ruthless mercenary and not to be trusted. He knows nothing of the specifics of our mission and you should keep it that way. He knows he is smuggling cargo to the north beyond the Watch Wall. That is all he need know.
“Once the cargo is safely delivered, he will take you just south across the lake under cover of darkness and land you near the town of Aldencross. There our contract with Captain Odenkirk will be concluded.
“It is shame how greedy he has proven. I had hoped to let the captain serve me again but it seems he is too much of a liability. Kill him. Kill his crew. Burn his ship and leave no survivors. It is crucial that no one suspects our involvement and that loose ends are taken care of. Be sure to reclaim the coin I gave him. Best not to be wasteful
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“That done, you will begin your second task. We will do more still to aid our ally the Fire-axe. The bugbears are mighty warriors but poor siege engineers. You will in-filtrate the tower Balentyne, keystone of the Watch Wall, kill its commander and open the gate for Sakkarot’s horde
“Once the shaggy monstrosities pierce the Watch Wall, the bugbears will pillage and lay waste to the townships of the north and the local garrisons will have no choice but to meet the Fire-Axe in the open field. Sakkarot is the most brilliant, gifted and murderous bugbear of his generation. I expect these battles will go poorly for the knights and yeoman of fair Talingarde
“Do all of this and then when your task is done, break this clay seal.” He hands them a delicately carved clay seal adorned with a tangled knot of thorns surrounding the holy symbol of Asmodeus. “I will have more instructions then. Succeed and I will see you rewarded handsomely. Fail or betray me and you will pray for the comfort of Hell before I am done with you.
“The mission you start upon today is a holy mission. The people of Talingarde think they have seen the last of the mighty Asmodeus. Soon enough we will remind them that there is no escaping the grasp of Hell. Let us toast our success.”
He pours one glass of deep red wine for each of the PCs and then finally pours one for himself. He raises the glass and offers a toast.
"To War."
The next morning, the Nessian Knot reported to the Forsthamar, a single masted, wide beamed ship. Her captain, Kargeld Odenkirk, looked up sourly. “You will guard our boat all the way north, yes?”
As the Knot generally agreed that this was, loosely, what was happening, he added, “Then I will take you to the cursed north past hope and life.”
With that, he prepard to cast off. Moments before he could, however, yips could be heard comming from the shore line and two small creatures darted aboard the ship towards Kuro. "What are those?" Zinogre asked curiously.
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"Friends, of mine" was Kuro's simple reply as he knelt down as he fussed and checked over what turned out to be two small foxes.
Frowning slightly, the Summoner turned to the side and pretended to vomit. As he did he unleashed Stygian into the water, the creatures more natural enviroment, where it would remain while Zinogre was awake. After a few days of travelling it became obvious that the Captain was the only one who even spoke more than a few works of Common. Between that and their hostile attitude it was clear they would be unlikely to get the crew on their side.
As they journeyed North they saw the odd settlement or fishing boat. Odenkirk waved to each they passed, in order to avoid suspicion, but didn't stop.
However, a problem appeared in the form of a Mitran patrol ship. Faster than the overladen Frosthamar, the ship quickly caught them up and ordered them to heave too. They complied, preparing to fight, while Kuro had a word with Megara again.
As the smaller ship pulled up, her captain stomped aboard, demanding, "Who is in command of this vessel?"
Smiling in a friendly fashion, Kuro stepped forward. "I am the one who commisioned this voyage, captain" he lied smoothly.
"And what is your business here?" The captain was already eyeing the pile of cargo, reorganized by Laela as the patrol ship had approached, to present the most innocent items to their eyes...and not the weapons with the Fireaxe mark.
His smile even bigger than before, Kuro pulled the amulet taken from Sir Balin out of his pocket. "The business of the Knights Alerion, my good captain. A special mission to investigate...rumours."
The knight stared at the amulet for several moments before nodding. "I see. Be wary of the bugbears further North..." he glanced shrewdly at Kuro. "But you know of them, don't you?"
"Indeed," the Magister replied, pocketing the amulet again and watching as the patrol ship withdrew.
Days after, however, Stygian warned Zinogre that something was approaching the ship. Before they could prepare five Triton rose from the sea. One, clearly the leader, raked the ship with a fearsome glare. He focused directly on the Nessian Knot before bellowing, "You! You are the evil that haunts my dreams and darkens the future of the waves!"
Despite theirre best efforts, they could not convince the Oracle that they meant no harm. Especially once the Stygian, under attack from two of the Tritons dolphin allies, tore one in half and wounded the second.
Megara, Laela and Xinogre engaged the four Triton Warriors while Stygian fought with the remaining dolphin. Kuro unleashed his newly made gun, dubbed Iconoclasm, on the leader, who was hanging back. However, the leader was not without his own abilities, calling a Water Elemental to attack them as well.
The crew unwilling to engage in such things and Grumblejack unable to move around the boat much, it became a race - would the Triton leader sink them before they could kill him?
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The answer soon came when the Stygian finished the second Dolphin and voraciously assaulted the Triton leader. Weakened by Kuro's pummelling the Eidolon quickly tore into him, leaving him dying in the water. The Water Elemental flickered and then splashed to the deck. Without their leader or their allies, the warriors were no match for the Knot, and soon Stygian was fishing their belongings from the ocean depth.
Before he passed the oracle had one last prophecy to utter. “The shining sun has seen the wickedness you hide in hearts. And thus it will be the son who brings your doom.” With that he dissolved into sea foam. The Knot looked between each other and shrugged.
A few days after the Triton attack Odenkirk approached the Knot. “We are a little light on fresh water I think. We are passing Seal Isle and there is a stream that feeds into the
bay there. We’ll take on water there. I’ll send a party to the shore. Of course, that means we’ll spend a day in some of the richest fur seal hunting grounds all along this coast. I’m thinking of organizing a hunting expedition. Interested?” |
Loot found Journeying North
+1 Trident Seashell Armour Pearl Symbol of Mitra 4 Masterwork Tridents 4 heravycrossbows 40bolts |
Kuro's simple glance into the water barrels showed the true motive for the side trip - greed. But they could afford a little time to keep the captain on side, as it were, and so Kuro and Laela agreed to go with him, helping to catch a dozen seals before they scattered.
Back on the ship, Stygian and Nedra spotted a pair of Bunyip but decided there was nothing to be gained by attacking them. They allowed the pair to go and the hunters soon returned with their catch.
At noon the next day a ship was spotted. Concerns that it was another Mitran patrol were unfounded - it was a group of whale hunters, looking to trade. Asking to come aboard, the Knot agreed, and were presented with what they had to offer - moist notably a long length of Narwhal Horn, which was significantly easier to enchant than normal materials. Intrigued, Kuro convinced the others to use some of the weapons looted from Bradenscar, ones he hadn't already melted down for various weapons, to be traded to them for it. Nedra also threw in some 'fine clothing' from one of her disguises, as well as tips on how to wear it, to the chief of the party, White Tusk.
Uncaring about the marked weapons, and pleased with the bargain they had received, the hunters warned them that they would soon journey into an area haunted by a laughing storm 'Kiliketz', although what exactly that was they were unwilling to say.
That evening, they found out.
During the nightwatch a storm broke. Far too rapidly to be normal, ice began to appear on the rigging. Kuro, terrified that the ice would build up enough to capsize the ship, bellowed the crew awake. From above, as Laela climbed the mast and smashed away larger lumps of ice, an inhuman laugh cackled over the ship and four ice elementals glided in from the sea to attack.
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Despite his best efforts, Kuro wasn't able to convince the creature above them to leave them alone, and so he used Hypnotism to convince the creatures to come to the deck, where they could be crushed. The fight was brief after that, with Kuro finishing off the creature called Kiliketz with a gunshot to the head. Laela forced the panicked crew to row away, in case anything else lurked in the area.
The Bugbears Camp
After their travels, the Frosthamar finally made it to it's destination. And an intimidation place it was. Thousands of shaggy bugbears glared at the ship as they passed, while Naatanuks lumbered around the camp. Fur covered goblins charged around the feet of huge giants. And none of them seemed pleased to see humans.
As the ship tied up at the camps single dock four surly Bugbears greeted them, apparently with the idea of eating the best bits before Fireaxe claimed them. Laela smiled and replied, "Are you sure you want to eat the allies of Fireaxe?" this caused them enough confusion to dawdle, and soon the chance to attack was gone.
A powerful Bugbear, hauling an axe made of forged flame, forced his way past the now slightly sullen looking thugs. "Who sent you?" Sakkorot Fireaxe demanded in unaccented common.
After being told the Cardinal had sent them, the bugbear smiled. "Then you are welcome!" He turned to the stunned host on the river bank. “These humans are my guests. I will deal with anyone who harms them. They are our allies!” He walks over to the boat and rips open one of the crates revealing finely made axes with in. He tosses one to a nearby bugbear warrior who until this time only had a crude club to wield. “Behold, they bring us steel!”
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The countryside shuddered with the roars as the monstrous army rushed to arm itself.
That evening, a brutal feast was held to celebrate the successful delivery of the weapons. Bugbears fought each other and other monstrous creature as entertainment, although no one dared challenge a member of the Knot with Fireaxe's warning. The highlight of the feast was a huge direboar, dragged in by a dozen Bugbears and brutally butchered by Sakkorot with a single, hissing blow of his flaming axe before being served.
As the feast grew later, and more Bugbears drank themselves unconcious, Fireaxe summoned the Knot to his private chambers. Shooing his guards and toadies out, he sits and looks at them. “You are traitors to your own kind. You must know that. When Balentyne falls and my horde pours through its shattered gates, we will slaughter the Talireans by the thousands. Yet I see no regret in your eyes. Tell me, how can this be?”
Kuro grinned and shifted to his Kitsune form for the first time. "I'm not human."
Zinogre stared at him for a moment. "What are you?"
"Not human?"
Megara and and Laela each showed off their own lack of humanity thanks to their ancestry. Zinogre was eventually decided to be human, but pronounced, "My dedication to Asmodaeus is stronger than to the weak ties of flesh."
Nedra explained her digust for any follower of Mitra, which by default all the Talireans were.
Apparently satisfied by their explanations for betraying Talingarde, and glutted on dire pork, Sakkorot wished to talk. When asked, they explained they were the Ninth Knot, the Nessian Knot. Sakkorot revealed he was the First Knot, the Avernian Knot, and it's only true member. "The rest are only fools," he added, as dismissive of his race as the Ninth Knot were of theirs.
Kuro, curious, asked if the Cardinal had changed him to make him so different to other Bugbears, and was met with a growled, "I am as I have always been." In return, he asked about the Cardinal and his plans. The group replied that the Cardinal would keep his word, exactly as it was given, to Fireaxe's knowing nod. He did mention that, while he knew only a little about the Cardinal, he did know that he had once been his exact opposite - a high ranking member of the Mitran church - and that Thorn had not always been his name.
“Tomorrow you must depart this camp. It will never be truly safe for you here. Over the next week, more tribes will rally
to my banner. I will promise them blood and give them steel. Then at last I will be ready to march. A week after that – I will be poised to strike. I will move my horde to the valley just north of Balentyne. There we will wait for your signal. Fire this rocket into the air. Within the hour, we will attack. Make sure that the way is ready.
to my banner. I will promise them blood and give them steel. Then at last I will be ready to march. A week after that – I will be poised to strike. I will move my horde to the valley just north of Balentyne. There we will wait for your signal. Fire this rocket into the air. Within the hour, we will attack. Make sure that the way is ready.
“After we gather, my horde will be idle and start to grow anxious. I can hold them together for another two weeks. After that, I expect desertions and squabbling. Get your work done before then. You have one month to infiltrate and destroy Balentyne.”
The next day, with Odenkirk getting worried that he and his crew would be eaten despite the threats, the Knot left for the next part of their mission - Balentyne. Of course, there was just one more small issue to deal with first...
As the journey reached an end, Nedra decided to offer the captain an 'extra reward' for his help. As the ship tied up at the lonely dock and the crew unloaded, the Knot prepared...and struck.
Behind the curtain where she was entertaining Captain Odenkirk, Nedra rammed a knife into his heart and rolled him off the boat before attacking another. Megara slaughtered her way through the crew, managing to kill several in less than half a minute with her Nodachi. The Stygian assaulted them as well, doing significant damage. Kuro's gun jammed and he was forced to rely on his Acid Splash spell to do any damage, while Zinogre assaulted with his Crossbow.
The crew dead, the Knot looted the remains of the crew and retrieved the payment Cardinal Thorn had ordered them to find, the Knot spread oil across the ship, pushed it out on the outgoing tide, and set fire to it, watching until the last smouldering traces sank beneath the water before heading inland towards Tower Balentyne.
Time was short and they had much to do.
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Loot from the Frosthamar
1 Masterwork greataxe - Sold 1 Hide Armour 2 Throwing Axes 6 Short Swords 6 Bucklers 6 Short Bows 120 Arrows 6000 gp 115 gp in loose coins Nude mermain Statue 6 bottles of Fine Whisky |
Act 4 - Burning Balentyne
Sometime after dark fell the Knot arrived at Aldencross, the town that supplied Balentyne with most of it's needs. The only inn open to travellers is the decently appointed Lord's Dalliance. They book some of the free rooms and then sit for a meal and a drink...and to listen. Rumours floated round the tavern, tongue loosened by the food and ale.
Rumours from the Lord's Dalliance
Mad Martin is a strange one! He tends the rookery in the Watchtower. They say he never leaves except for necessities. He talks to the birds like people and has named every one!
Balentyne’s magister, that creepy Tacitus, has been spending a lot of time working on something in his tower! I don’t know what it is, but it’s said that something unnatural was recovered from the north.
I hear Captain Varning is leading another patrol out tomorrow. I wonder how long they’ll be gone this time? Te last time they were gone for five days! If you ask me, these patrols are a waste of time. They’re just an excuse for Varning to get out of the tower and gallivant around the country side instead of doing his fair share of guard duty.
They say the bugbears are massing up north. I wonder what their up to? Well, it doesn’t matter! We’ll be ready for ‘em! You’d think those shaggy walking carpets would have learned by now that the Watch Wall is unbreakable
There’s a pack of dwarves in town led by a grumpy short fellow named Barnabus Eisenbauch. Tey’re here to fx up the watchtower or so I’ve heard. A hard working fellow -- just don’t challenge him to a drinking contest. He’ll drink you under the table every time!
Bellam Barhold is such a lush. He does enjoy his wine. He’s always complaining about how he can’t get any of the good stuf here in the borderlands.
Have you seen Kaitlyn Mott? She’s the most beautiful woman in town! How did an ugly lump of a man like Captain Franz Mott bag a looker like her? And how does he keep her, that’s what I want to know!
Have you had any of Mama Guisseppe’s beef stew? Delicious! I hear she goes up to the Watchtower and cooks a big batch of it for the men every Monday! What a nice old lady.
Ye Merrie Men are coming to town and the hand-some William Marcus Marlow is coming with them! Can you believe it? The Bard of Bar-rington! Here! They are doing the “Fall of Amberlyn”! Oh, I can’t wait!
Lord Tomas Havelyn is the most honorable and capable commander that Balentyne has ever had. If he can’t keep the Watch Wall working, then no one can!
Here’s to the soldiers of Balentyne! One hundred of the fnest fghting men it’s ever been my privilege to serve with.
Do you know how the Lord’s Dalliance got its name? It was once a brothel! I hear there used to be a secret passage to the basement that allowed the Lord of the Watchtower to sneak in here and have a good time. Of course it must have been
sealed up years ago. I hear a raven arrived at the rookery last night! I bet it carried important news though I know not about what.
Have you ever been to the choir hall of Balentyne? Amazing! The priests are such beautiful singers and sometimes the stone saints that adorn the place join in the chorus. Such a miracle!
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And with those rumours came the seeds of plans and plots...
Retiring to there rooms they began to plan. the first action was to find out how many of the rumours were true. And easiest to confirm was the idea that there was a tunnel between the fortress and the inn.
Sending Stygian, since the creature could not be linked back to them, down to the basement in the dark hours of the early morning proved to be wise. In the darkness the Eidolon found someone activating the secret door - a door too well hidden for the Knot to find under normal circumstances.
Muttering about how the Tower Commander was a 'Philistine' for locking away such things in a basement, Stygian followed the bar owner down the secret passage and into a basement. There the Stygian hid and watched as a bottle from the basement was replaced with one that Bellam Barhold had carried with him. Stygian allowed the man to leave before confirming he was, indeed, within Balentyne before Zinogre desummoned the creature, returning him to the inn.
The next morning, the party found even more information to their benefit - that a band of new actors with a famous lead player were coming, that Mama Guisseppe did indeed make her famous stew at the fortress each Monday and they'd already heard tales that Kaitlyn Mott was less the faithful to her husband from Squire Timeon.
Megara was also able to sneak into the rooms of Barnabus Eisenbauch and his dwarfs and copy down a map showing the location of the watchtower's defences before sneaking out again.
Leala managed to confirm that stones saints at the choir hall of Balentyne were legendary for joining in with the Father's hymns and that the Captains of the Tower were always present the first day of each week.
The group identified several major goals - eliminate the four captains of the tower, decimate the guard population as much as possible, eliminate the rookery to avoid them calling for help and destroying the majority of the siege weaponry defending the tower. Unfortunately for Balentyne, they had a plan...
The first goal was to decapitate the leadership of the tower, and although Kuro and Laela spent some time finding a black market shop to buy a special...seasoning for the weekly stew, that was for later. but they had to do so in a way that didn't arouse suspicion about the plot at hand. The key? The adulterous affair of Kaitlyn Mott and Captain Eaddarly. With that, they would be able to remove three of the captains without anyone guessing the truth.
First, they called Captain Mott to a meeting, writing that, 'His wife was engaged in a perilous course, which would jeopardise both of their honour.' The Captain came, and was ambushed by the Knot. Kuro tauntingly called out, 'By the way, your wife's having an affair' right before he died. Being Kuro, he didn't bother mentioning who she was having an affair with.
They then had Grumblejack carry his corpse to Freeman's Rock, where the next part of the plan would come in the next day...
While Nedra spent the day following and learning about Kaitlyn Mott, so she could perfectly replace her with the use of the Iron Circlet, the rest of the Knot journeyed to Freeman's Rock and, after Captain Varning and his men set up camp and went to sleep, they attacked. Kuro used Hold Person on the Guards, freezing them in place while the other snuck up...
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One by one the guard were murdered as they a slept. Even the Captain proved a simple challenge once introduced to Laela's Greataxe. Only one of the Guards was able to break away from Kuro's spell, and by then it was too late - he was the only one left, and Megara killed him quickly.
Next, they arranged the corpses to look as though Captain Moot, wielding his enchanted Halberd, had assaulted the camp while drunk, catching the guards by surprise and finally, posing it so that he'd taken the head from Captain Varning even as he was stabbed to death. They covered his shirt in alcohol to make it smell as though he was far gone in drink.
Finally, they removed one of the corpses and allowed Kuro to study it, so he could use his Iron Circlet to pretend to be the trooper and report back exactly what they wanted the garrison to believe.
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The Kitsune magister took one last look around, then took a horse and headed for the Tower while the rest of the Knot went back to the inn to wait.
As he approached the castle Kuro spurred his horse to a full gallop to give the impression he was running back to the Tower in haste, then pulled up at the gates and reported. "Captain Mott attacked the camp last night! He was raging and screaming. Everyone but me was killed during the fighting."
The startled guards got Kuro inside, and summoned Captain Barhold. Kuro repeated his tale, embellishing it somewhat, but his usually excellent bluffing skills were dulled by the nervousness of being alone, surrounded by enemies. Barhold was suspicious and ordered Kuro to take him back to the ambush site. Kuro did so, seeing no other choice.
There, things got even worse for Kuro, as the captains unusually excellent perception found things to be a little bit amiss...and asked Kuro his name. Which Kuro did not know, having been unable to find out much about the soldiers.
Back in town the other members of the Knot, aware that Kuro was running late, attempted to find him. Nedra went to the castle, disguised as a maid that the soldier Kuro was pretending to be had gotten in the family way, and was told that Captain Barhold had taken him out into the forest for some reason. Nedra and the others started heading out towards the ambush site.
Unsure whether Charm Person would get him the result he needed, and ready to flee, Kuro used Hypnotism instead. Fortunately the tricky spell worked, and Kuro was able to convince both Barhold and the soldier escorting him that while something wasn't right, it would be better to bring the bodies in and investigate further later. Barhold ordered Kuro to report back to the Tower, and see him again in the morning. Which was fine by Kuro, as he intended for Captain Barhold to be dead by then. On the way they passed the other Knot members, with Nedra heckling the blank faced Kuro for, 'What he'd done to 'er', much to Kuro's bemusement.
Dismissed, Kuro returned to the inn, meeting with the other Knot members and rested for the evening, when they planned to kill the final two Captains...
As midnight struck, most of the Knot bar Nedra went into the basement via the secret passage. Then they snuck Stygian to the room of Captain Barhold, who was fast asleep... until the Stygian forced himself into the Captain's throat, preventing him from crying out and choking him to death. Then the Knot quietly looted the corpse and took the Captain's remains back to the cellar.
At about the same time, Nedra, disguised as Kaitlyn Mott, entered the Tower and headed to Captain Edderly's room. Once he was suitably put as his ease, she cut his throat with her usual ruthless efficiency, before leaving the room and allowing herself, still disguised, to be seen. Wailing, "It was his fault, my husband is dead because of HIM!" she fled back into the corridors, hid, and switched her disguise to a maid's before joining the others in the basement.
Two captain's dead over a tragic mistake in regards to an affair. Another dead at the hands of his lover, blaming him for the tragedy. And the final captain just...gone. And in the dark, Kuro and Laela finished their 'surprises' for the next day...
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Again, the Knot split up. Time and surprise were essential - they needed these two blows to land almost at the same time. It would be the first obvious shot in their campaign of terror. Nedra and Laela, disguised as servants, headed to the kitchen to contribute to Mama Guisseppe beef stew. Once it was served Kuro, Zinogre and Megara would head to the rookery disguised as guards.
Laela and Nedra infiltrated the group preparing the stew with no trouble, even getting extra instructions because they were new. They worked carefully, preparing everything exactly as they were told, until Mama was distracted by the guards entering the dining area. A quick slight of hand saw Laela's special mixture of Mordayn Flower and Belladonna under the lid of the pot and into the food. Two herbs that did not normally work well in a stew...
They then quickly bolted from the kitchen, aware of what would happen once the lid was raised and the steam of the mixture got out...but they heard the screaming following them down the hall started soon after.
Once it did Kuro, Megar and Zinogre made there way to the rookery, easily getting past the first set of guards The second gave them more trouble, refusing to believe they were there for a good reason, and even the usually charming Kuro couldn't convince them - so he shot one while Megara cut the second one down. This proved to be less of a clever plan than hoped, however, when it was revealed neither guard had a key to the door and the keeper, Mad Martin, had heard the gunshot...
Zinogre quickly used his magic to Summon Stygian on the other side of the door, while Kuro and Megara attacked the lock, breaking it down relatively fast. They got inside and killed Martin by hurling him out the tower before setting up Kuro's surprise - a barrel of gun powder and nails. The detonation ripped the Rookery's ravens apart, and Stygian was left to finish the remaining birds.
On the way back they ran into the cloud of steam from the kitchen. Zinogre and Megara both made it through, but Kuro was unable to hold his breath. Megara dragged him back to the basement for healing but his two fox companions were also wounded.
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Upon waking, Kuro saw the problem and went to work himself. One fox, with a white-ish silver coat he called Gin, wasn't too bad. He bonded the small creature as a Familiar. The other, a blue furred fox, was obviously far worse, coughing and hacking blood. Taking inspiration from the Stygian, Kuro sacrificed some of his power to turn her into a Magister's Eidolon - a limited, much reduced Eidiolon but one that was now just as unkillable as Stygian. Kuro grinned.
After resting, and listening to the chaos above, they decided to hit a target outside the tower - the Dwarfs there to repair and upgrade Balentyne. Sneaking back through the secret passage they first gathered their possessions ..and then Megara and Laela snuck into the Dwarf's room and murdered them all while they slept. Megara then scrawled misleading messages on the wall in Bugbear, making it look like they were behind the attack rather than Asmodeans, and after stealing what they wanted, they retreated once more to the basement.
Knowing Balentyne was still in chaos from the poison the Knot struck again the next day. Checking the barracks (and finding that it was full of the dead from the poison and ensuing violence) they instead struck at the Choir Hall, intending to futher ruin the defenders moral by desecrating the sacred site. As they entered, however, Laela, Zinogre, Kuro and Nedra were all confronted by glowing beings that they realized were Lantern Archons, trying to force them to leave, even the magic of the armbands not fooling the Outsider. Kuro, deciding they weren't much of a danger, shot one. The rest instantly formed into a Gestalt creature none of them had heard of, and attacked.
The Archon gestalt was vicious, pummelling anyone who came close, but eventually they overwhelmed the creature. realizing that it would reform eventually they decided to do something else to destroy the place's sanctity...and went downstairs, located Father Donnigan and his acolytes, and killed them in a second battle.
The bodies of the holy men were them dumped upon the altar, and the Knot retreated once more to let the damage to morale swell.
It was difficult to tell how many soldiers remained within Balentyne, between the likely desertions and the poison, but the Knot knew that it would be getting difficult to fully man the place. It was meant to be manned by one hundred troops - there were far less than that now. But they still had several targets - the tower's anti-siege weaponry and supplies, the Magister Tactius and the commander of the Tower, Lord Havelyn.
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After some discussion it was decided that removing the final two members of the chain of command would be the true death knell for the Tower Balentyne, and that it would be most brutal if they both died within hours of each other.
Searching the lower areas of the Tower first and eliminating any further guards, the knot did find a secret door designed to block the way to the town. Megara managed to disable it so it no longer worked and they started up the tower Balentyne proper.
It soon became obvious how badly the garrison had been depleted, as most of the building seemed deserted. It wasn't until the third floor that they finally found someone - Tacitus.
Although able to see through their disguises quickly, the Tower's Magister is infact pleased to see them, as it means he can try out the Ice Golem that he's been working on. The monster lurches out to attack the party as Tacitus watches.
However, Kuro recognized that the creature fared badly against electricty damage, and used Jolt to slow it down. It was enough of an edge that the party was able to overwhelm the creature much to the rage of Tactius. In dying it managed to wound several of the Knot, exploding in a shower of shards.
Worse was the fury of Tacitus and his decision to launch an Ice Storm that blocked the stairs to himself - and worse, blasted the Stygian back to the pit from which it was spawned. Zinogre, understandably annoyed, replied by summoning lesser devils to attack the spellcaster, and grapple him. Unable to cast spells easily, he used his Wand of Fireballs to blast Zinogre, but eventually the Knot overwhelmed him.
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Worn out from the battle, the Knot were forced to rest, hoping to wait until dark (and the return of Stygian) to make attacking the Lord Commander's chambers that much easier. They simply locked the door to Tacitus' chambers and waited. Fortunately, the anti-social Magister's habits meant no one disturbed them.
Rested, and with Stygian -re-summoned, they headed up to the top floor as twilight descended. Nedra took Tacitus' form and the rest assorted guards, and then the headed up. A pair of guards refused them entry, but a Hold Person spell and Megara's nodachi soon saw the end of them without any noise, Kuro having learnt to keep his gun out of fights when noise was an issue.
Then they barged in, 'Tacitus' demanding that Havelyn do something about, 'The terrible scoundrels that attacked me in my own chambers. What are you doing about them, dear boy!?' Lord Havelyn, sighing, rose to meet the man...and was ambushed by the Knot.
Despite the surprise, the paladin's heavy armour proved difficult to penetrate, and his powerful martial skills inflicting great harm upon everyone they touched. Stygian was nearly defeated again, and several others wounded. Only by constant healing from Medea, Megara's oracle companion, kept them all in the fight. Fortunately, Havelyn was too enraged to use his abilities fully, especially when Nedra used the Iron Circlet to take the appearance of a picture behind him - that of his dead wife - and taunt him.
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Loot from Balentyne
Weapons Masterwork Greatsword +1 Greatsword (Claimed by Laela) 11 Heavy crossbows Masterwork Lances Masterwork Heavy Mace +1 Halberd - Sold +1 Composite Longbow +2 (Claimed by Megara) Masterwork Composite Bow +3 Composite Longbow +4 6 Composite Bows +2 6 Lances 7 Longswords 8 Daggers Armour Half-plate +1 Chainshirt - Sold 16 Chainshirts 11 Heavy Steel Shields 3 Masterwork Full Plates - Sold +1 Heavy Steel Shield with Varning Heraldry - Sold +1 breastplate - Sold 4 Breastplates -Sold +1 Dastard Fullplate (Claimed by Laela) Other 2 Cloak of resistance +1 (Claimed by Zinogre, Laela) Masterwork thieves tools, Masterwork engineering tools, silver holy symbol (25 gp) 12 weeks trail rations 6 Bedrolls 6 Tinderboxes 6 Raincloaks Scroll of Dispel Magic (Claimed by Kuro) Wand of Fireball (Claimed by Zinogre) 6 Cure Light Wounds 3 Elixir's of Truth 500 gp Dimaond Dust Tacitus' Spellbook Headband of Charisma +2 (Claimed by Zinogre) A Dozen medals (900 gp total value) - Sold 10 Double Eagles (worth 500 gp total) - Sold Chalices (Worth 1050 gp total) - Sold 120 crossbowbolts 200 Arrows Platinum Ingots worth 5000 gp 5215 gp |
Eventually the Paladin fells. Laela moved to check on him, and as she did his armour changed and warped, the symbols of Mitra replaced by those of Asmodeus. Truly, her master looked on with pride.
The Tower's commander dead, they looted his room of what little was there as well as taking the Tower's treasury with them. Kuro thankfully checked for traps and found the button to prevent any alarms to anyone who still be left in the Tower.
Energized by their victory over Havelyn, and confident there was not enough troops left in the fortress to stop them, they slammed through the stone covered trap door to attack the top of the tower, killed the guards and, after examining it to see if it could be used to attack the gatehouse, destroyed the partially complete catapult there. Then they went down and crossed the so called Bridge of Death to the gatehouse, destroying both the drawbridge and wedging the portcullis open, then kicking over the hot sand cauldrons.
Four more guards waited on the roof of the gatehouse, tougher and nastier than those faced before. Kuro's gun jammed and things looked grim until Zinogre used Create Pit to trap one and Kuro used Hold Person on another. Soon the four were dead, the final siege weapons destroyed and the signal sent to Fireaxe's army that Balentyne was wide open.
Once the bugbears stormed the fortress, the Nessian Knot withdrew, not wanting to be caught up in the creature's killing frenzy. There they were surprised at an almost polite knock at the door and more suprised it revleaed Tiadora, bearing a box of platinum ingots and a note, reading, “Our lord smiles upon your success. Here is a token of my esteem. Use it to rest, recover and strengthen yourselves. Other commands will come when the Knot is needed. Your work has just begun. – A."
As the Tower begins to burn, Tiadora remarks, “I have seen no evidence of any army gathering to meet the horde. It seems Zadaria has also succeeded at her mission and has assassinated the commanders. Truly, a great achievement."
“Making matters worse for poor Talingarde, small bands of creatures unaligned with Sakkarot approach the breach, eager to take advantage of the chaos. How could these beasts know already about this break in the Watch Wall? Someone must have told them. Probably best to leave. This region is about to become very dangerous."
“Still, this will not be enough. Balentyne may be bro-ken but Talingarde is yet strong. Soon word will reach the south. The Heartland and the great cities of the Cambrian Bay will marshal their armies. They will meet Sakkarot on the field and it will be far too close to a fair fight. We must do something about that."
“Come, my lords and ladies, your ship awaits. Try not to burn this one.”
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