In attendance were;
Kumak Morudall: Half-Orc Bloodrager
Susan: Human Universalist Wizard
Thaddeus Whisperheart: Gnome Bard
Tim: Halfling Ranger
Kronk: Human Haunted Life Oracle
The party members still inside the mill finish collecting anything of value and all meet up again with their now secured prisoner. Kumak waits behind in the mill with the prisoner to catch any late arriving cultists that may return while the remainder return to the elf to report on their dealings. Kronk neglects to mention the remaining 3 cultists that were operating the machinery in the basement to anyone, they meet their end later when they venture above to the floor with Kumak.
The rest return to the Red Flagon to deliver their report. The elf is pleased with the development and brings them before the Mayor of Magnimar to sing their praises and smooth over any lingering legal issues some of their escapades may have created. Unsolicited, Tim confesses their activities involving the Hellknights as well, earning a sharp look from their elf escort who then deftly maneuvers through this public confession of murder against an organization that as far as Magnimar was concerned had not committed any crimes since they were returning run away slaves. The mayor allows the group to stay at one of the high end establishments he has a financial interest in and requests that they finish this Skin Saw Cult off for good. Rumors had indicated that they were headquartered in Underbridge operating out of an old decrepit clock tower.
The party returns to collect Kumak and the prisoner then move into their high class chambers for the evening. Thaddeus and Kronk engage in a disturbing torture/interrogation session to pull information from the prisoner ending with Kumak putting the man down by beheading.
****Session 23 ends here *****
Waking, Kumak finds that the dining table seems to constantly replenishes. Testing the limits of the table out he stashes several chickens and bottles of wine in the bag of holding for later. There is a terrible storm outside with the rain pouring down, winds buffeting the shutters and lighting piercing the clouded sky outside. Tim and Susan wish to wait, but Kumak can not contain his glee at facing a foe on rain slick stairs, high above the city, while thunder cracks and lighting illuminates them. Its everything the mighty heroes did in the stories. The rest of the party acquiesce, more due to the fact that the cult will soon learn of whats happened so this is the best chance to catch them unprepared.
The walk is difficult, rain obscures visibility and the howl of the wind steals the sound of even a shout past a few feet. Kumak holds Thaddeus under his arms to keep the Gnome semi-dry and ensure he isnt blown away. Making their way down from the escarpment of the wealthy districts to Underbridge Kumak slips on a step and with no railing on the other side of the long stairs plunges down 150 feet with Thaddeus. Susan and Kronk are worried, Tim smirks, but Thaddeus's valet Capt Tiernay just shakes his head and yells over the storm that they will be ok, his boss always finds a way.
Kumaks enchanted boots make what would have been a deadly fall and turn it into a mild inconvenience. Crashing through the roof of some poorer family to see them sitting around a table about to eat, Kumak looks up at the hole he just made, checks that Thaddeus is still ok, reaches into his bag of holding plucking 2 chickens and bottle of wine out and setting them on the table.
"Sorry 'bout the mess"
Then walks outside towards the clocktower.
The rest work their way down the stairs and through the streets, Susans owl catches a glimpse of some people stalking them after a few minutes and she relays the information to the others. Tim runs away to hide while Kronk lights his mace up with divine fire and starts screaming like a mad man into the darkness while he walks, which seems to deter whoever thought them easy prey as all the Redeemers convene outside the Clocktower. Kronk, high off his successful tough guy act strides right up to the door and kicks it, producing no effect. Clearing his throat he tries again and the rotted wood around the handle gives way, allowing entrance and announcing the partys arrival.
Kronk and Thaddeus search the bottom floor which has a refuse pile in one corner and a number of stable like sections in the far end finding nothing. Kumak wasting no time starts up the winding stairs that circle the walls leaving a looming open center through the center of the tower. Kronk rummages through 2 of the stalls finding damaged gargoyles and what looks like scarecrows before he finds one particularly ugly looking one which suddenly looks at him, grabs a particularly mean looking scythe, and starts towards him.
Tim tries to hide behind rubble far away while Susan sends some minor magical spells into the beast. Kumak hearing the ruckus directly below him, steps to the edge and nods towards Thaddeus in a "watch this" motion. Kronk chooses not to back away from the deadly nightmare attempting to dissuade it with his magics but to no avail. While waiting for Kronk to flee so he could leap down to attack Kumak fails to notice someone has cut the bonds that held one of the large brass bells above. It is only through Thaddeus's warning and magical aid that the half orc avoids getting crushed by the falling bell. Kronk finally backs away and as the creature moves to attack him Kumak leaps down and gets to work with his Earthbreaker, crushing this things form with each blow. The Scarecrow swings its scythe with all the strength and intent behind it and the blade drives deep into Kumaks chest pulling free the Bloodrager watches as fonts of his own blood and viscera spill out of the wound. A lesser man would be dead already but Kumak is made of hardier stock. With one, two swings he drives the creature down to its knees and crushes its chest cavity with a final blow. Kronk sees to some magical ministrations while from above 3 cultists start firing arrows down at the party. Tim and Susan trade shots until one of the cultists lurches over and falls the hundred or so feet through the open air, body destroyed by the fall. The other 2 move further up and out of sight. Kumak and Kronk trade rings and magically enhancing his already supplemented leaping ability takes Tahddeus in his arms and leaps across the gaps in the walkway, broken by the falling bell. Kronk grabs Tim, and with Susan they magically ascend to the top where they find a shut trap door.
Kronk, not wishing to wait throws the door open and strides through. Susan shaking her head follows, summoning 3 eagles to aid them. Tim refuses to join them until his meat shields have arrived. Caught off guard Kronk takes several stabs from the cultists as they appear from the shadows. Things begin to look grim for the Oracle and Wizard as Susan spies a shape circling around the tower. She is unable to determine exactly what it is but feels it is some sort of demon. Tim hearing the desperate call of his allies finally joins them and it looks as though the 3 of them might be able to hold their own until Kumak and Thaddeus arrive with Capt Tiernay. From above a large snake like creature descends and taking in the group chuckles as she stabs Kronk with her spear. The oracle falls, bleeding out, Susan's eagles keep the last 2 cultists occupied but the snake woman moves towards Susan and magically compels her to stand in the corner and do nothing. Just as Tim fears he may be finished Kumak leaps through the floor and in quick succession removes the 2 cultists from the battle. Thaddeus counters the magic holding Susan, and Tiernay calls his divine magic to returns Kronk from deaths door. The snake woman seeing that she now stands alone draws herself up and unleashes a spell on the group. Kumak feels himself falling asleep but Thaddeus shouts a word of power giving the half orc just enough of a jolt to resist the effect, Tim is not so lucky and collapses, asleep. The snake creature is difficult to hit as she has magical duplicates, slowly but surely though her defenses start to falter, then she starts to take hits. Susan recognizing the spell for what it was moves over and slaps Tim awake. The serpent woman having enough of Susan pulls her mask down over her face and attempts to petrify Susan, who fights off the effect. As the demon outside begins its charging attack towards the tower Susan moves back to get a better angle for her spell and the snake woman uses the opportunity to shove Susan off the tower. Kumak charges at the creature who is looking to escape herself and with his gnome friends aid just manages to grapple it yelling to Susan, who is gently floating down thanks to her magic to hit them both with her best fireball but Susan refuses and waits below for any development. The creature easily breaks free though and slithers above to the final floor. Kumak leaps through the hole it vanished though and finds it coiled around an angelic statue pleading,
"Let me live and I will tell you everything, you'll never survive against him, you dont even know what it is you've stepped into."
The snake then tries again to put Kumak to sleep and without the timely aid of Thaddeus this time the half orc collapses in a snoring heap. Unable to relish in her good fortune Tim, and Kronk arrive. Tim stands over Kumak ready to kick him awake with his bow trained on the creature with Kronk puts his mace down and starts to bargain. Thaddeus soon joins them and with the ticking clock of a sleeping bloodrager, some of the Redeemers enter into negotiations to see what this creatures life is really worth.
Thoughts.
Nice session, that scythe hit from the Scarecrow was to the tune of 80 or so damage. Literally anyone else taking that crit would have been an instant kill so lucky it found me. Boots of the Cat have already earned their keep as far as I am concerned. Saved me from having to waste a Featherfall on the way there. Kronk going up by himself was a terrible idea, but supposedly in character so I am all for it. He did almost pay dearly for it though, I think he was about 7 or so damage / stabilize saves from dead. I know that the Ranger is a bow only Ranger but when your Oracle and Wizard run into the room you need to follow them. I hope he learns to put himself between danger and the squishy casters more, I can only be in one place at a time. I was joking with the DM as the snake was begging for her life that a still raging Bloodrager probably isnt going to be the most receptive to a parley and hoped that she was being earnest so ignoring it and killing her would be all the more tragic but the dice failed me and the bard couldnt save me this time.
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