Settling in to the new place - Wrath of the Righteous campaign journal session 19

The Heroes of Kenebras;

Zuriel Riversong: Female Half Elf Druid
Grunyier Cragsward: Male Dwarven Barbarian
Deldric: Elf Rogue
Fidgit Tannenbaum: Male Gnome Fey Blood Sorcerer
Sir Oliver: Human Inquisitor

News arrives from Queen Galefrey. She is overjoyed at Drezens liberation, the news has spread throughout the Crusade and even now soldiers fight with renewed vigor with the first real push back into the Worldwound in years. She is sending a larger contingent to repair, and repopulate the Citadel. She gives Irabeth command of the city, much to Fidgets releif as leading an army had grown boring. She requests that the heroes of Kenebras sojurn into the surrounding Worldwound and reclaim the area.

The party has an abundance of magical and mundane gear that they wish to sell. With the Queens caravan a few days out and unlikely to be carrying enough gold or all the needed supplies they wish to purchase it is decided that Deldric and Grunyar will take a small contingent of 10 paladins with them and return to Kenebras to sell and purcahse requested supplies. The money will remain with Fidget, Zuriel and Sir Oliver to purchase from the arriving convoy.

The convoy arrives a day or two after the elf and dwarf depart. Fidget purchases all the magical reagents they have and spends the next few days crafting magical items for the party. Fidget strikes a deal with Zuriel for one of her spell slots to provide a magical feast once every day then stirkes another deal with Horgus to supply the dwarf with his magically conjured alcohols and Zuriels ocne per day magical feast that he can auction off as a break from rations. Fidget will take no cut but Horgus might be called upon to provide the odd favor. Fidget tries to convince Zuriel to provide daily healing but the half elf is ever reluctant to heal others.

Between Fidget, Zuriel, Sir Oliver, Aravashneil, Sosiel and Jorhan they are able to devise a method to redeem the magical corruption forge into a redemption forge and with one exceptional days work successfully redeem the forge. Now captured evil weapons can be repurposed for good.

Half way to Kenebras the demon who had previously dueled with Grunyar arrives at the mobile camp. Grunyar is asleep in his tent when the demon flys above and calls out the dwarf for a rematch. Deldric who only trances for 4 hours ducks into a tent and using his hat of disguise reappears as the dwarf. Facing off against the demon Deldric delivers some critical blows but the short fight ends with the demon clutching the ruined form of the elf. As the paladins and Grunyar advance the demon smirks and throws the elfs limp form to the ground and flies away laughing. Deldric is healed by the paladins while Grunyar shrugs at him and returns to his tent.


Thoughts

Not much action happened, we were really just trying to get ourselves set up in the Citadel and unload the gear we have / actually purchase something.

The Liberators of Drezen - Wrath of the Righteous campaign journal session 16-18

The Heroes of Kenebras;

Zuriel Riversong: Female Half Elf Druid
Grunyier Cragsward: Male Dwarven Barbarian
Deldric: Elf Rogue
Fidgit Tannenbaum: Male Gnome Fey Blood Sorcerer
Sir Oliver: Human Inquisitor

Fidget invisibly moves ahead to the camp while Zuriel, Sir Oliver, Deldric and Jorhan carry the unconscious Grunyar and human woman prisoner. Arriving at the camp Fidget warns the paladin ahead of time of the incoming prisoners and Grunyars predicament. Fidget seeks out Sosiel the cleric and discovers that he has a single spell available that might be able to remove the dwarfs condition. Fidget informs him to attempt it and should it fail prepare as many as possible for the next day. Seeing Aravashneil Fidget asks if the elf could also assist, but the elf does not have that capability. Fidget inquires about his tasks and if any of the promised aid has materialized, but Aravashneil laments that while he has finally found a stash of supplies it would require assistance of many paladins for protection and heavy labor. Exasperated at not having had Aravashneils assistance during the forays into Citadel Dresen and not having gained any of the promised bounty from his expeditions Fidget and Aravashneil bicker at each other for a few minutes until each throw their hands up. Fidget then loudly proclaims that he is heading for his command tent to sleep. Then turns invisible and sneaks off to the mercenary camp. Once at the camp Fidget finds an empty bunk and asks the nearby men to keep a closer eye out for the night while he sleeps there and bring him a large amount of liquid in the morning and he will reward them by making the liquid mead. Deldric ties Grunyar and the barbarian to stakes in a tent and after convincing a passing paladin to guard them for 4 hours while Deldric trances spends the rest of the time wathcing the pair. Nurah passes by at one point and the two talk before Nurah retires to her bed. Sir Oliver takes Jorhan to a nearby tent and provides both security and guards the dwarf. 10 or so paladins are posted by Irabeth, coincidentally around that same tent.

Fidget awakes healthy and hale to a bevy of barrels filled to the brim with water, chuckling the gnome makes 299 pints worth of mead, takes 6 pints with him and warns the mercenary band to make sure everyone gets a pint before they start taking seconds. Back at the paladins camp Sir Oliver arrives first to Grunyars struggling form and using his limited divine magics expels the demonic influence from the dwarf. After the paladins have confirmed he is free from the Domination Sir Oliver releases him. In a few minutes, seeing Fidget arriving from the mercenary camp decides to charge towards him with his axe raised threateningly. Fidgets eyes go wide and he rapidly suggests that Grunyar run to Kenebras. The dwarfs mind isn't able to compete and his direction suddenly changes as Grunyar starts heading out of the camp at full sprint towards Kenebras. Fidget asks what Grunyar was doing loose if he was still intent on murdering him and Sir Oliver assures Fidget that Grunyar was cleansed. Zuriel offers that perhaps Grunyar was trying to be funny, and wonders if anyone should collect the running dwarf. Fidget strongly urges it as otherwise Grunyar will find himself 8 hours away from any help, exhausted from the physical exertion he would be all alone for at least 2 days in order to rest and return to camp, and 2 days in the World Wound alone are a dangerous predicament even for a hardy fighter like Grunyar. Thankfully Sir Oliver possesses a speed that exceeds Grunyar and he catches the dwarf not far from the camp and uses more of his sparse magics to remove Fidgets suggestion. Grunyar is nonplussed about his joke costing 2 of his party some of their spells before they have even started the day nor is he concerned of the danger he was almost in.

Taking Sosiel with them to keep the party healthy since Zuriel greatly resents healing, the group heads towards Citadel Dresen and just before they enter the building Deldric spies someone shadowing behind, giving the rest a warning to wait for him. Cloaking himself in his limited arcane invisibility Deldric sneaks back and happens upon Nurah moving to follow. Deldric drops his stealth surprising the halfling. When asked what she was doing Nurah explains that Irabeth had ordered her to accompany them to help them. Deldric is suspicious and brings her to the group where Sir Oliver uses his divine graces to determine that Nurah is lying about Irabeth sending her. Nurah relents and says that she took it upon herself to see that the team succeeded. Dubious of her motives, Deldric suggests she be sent back to which the majority agree. The group finds the first floor abandoned and proceeds beneath the citadel. The stairs descend into a prison cell block where the group soon finds the dead are restless. 2 ghosts attack Grunyar and Deldric sapping significant portions of their life force. Fidget recognizes that it would be better served using some of his mythic powers to end this threat quickly and summoning almost half of his mythic potential for the day the gnome blasts the 2 unquiet spirits into oblivion. Grunyar and Deldric search through the prison and discover 1 cell that holds an antimagic field and a second that appears to have its magics disrupted.

Before progressing further Zuriel spies a well concealed outline of a hidden door. Deldric opens the door slightly to see what lies beyond but as he pulls the door back he is met by the visage of the Dwarven Antipaladin from before. The Dwarf kicks the door in, Deldric nimbly leaping back as the fight is joined. The antipaladin focuses his attacks against Sir Oliver who weathers the assault bravely but finds himself leaning heavily on the wall by the time the Dwarf is brought low. Fidget asks that the Dwarf be taken alive if possible, which Grunyar ignores and chops his head off.

Reaching the end of the prison cells Deldric and Gruyar spot several well preserved corpses sitting up in cells. Deldric is suspicious so throws a rock as hard as his lean elf arms can striking one of them in the head which causes the bodies eyes to snap open and all 4 corpses leap up baring fangs. Grunyar and Deldric together makes short work of the vampires who explode into clouds of mist and start gently floating away. Deldric in a flash of insight opens the bag of holding and running around like he is catching butterflies the elf gathers all the mist forms of the vampires into the extra dimensional space. Heading south the group finds a group of babau demons repairing torture instruments. Again the duo of Grunyar and Deldric put the demons to shame and send them screaming back to the Abyss. No sooner do the elf and dwarf wipe their blades though then a pallid half orc appears from thin air and sinks his fangs into Grunyar. The vampire is put down before he becomes too much of a nusance and when his mist flows through one of the doors the team follows it, finds his coffin and puts his mist form into the bag of holding too.

Deldric uses the remedies they have on hand to alleviate his lost life force but both Zuriel and Sosiel are unable to help Grunyar who demands that he will not proceed any further until his injuries are tended to. The group end up returning to the camp and spending the evening preparing their next assault. Come morning the team takes Sosiel and return below, having cleared out their route the going is easy. Fidget ensures he is able to see both the invisible and ethereal in case Murance makes a return. Following the secret passage behind where the antipaladin was found the group comes to a large furnace type room inhabited by several snake men type creatures. The room is so hot that the skin on Deldrics arms begin to cook when he enters it. Zuriel is convinced to grant the team some protection from the flames then asks whether anyone had given any thought to recruiting the snake men. Fidget shrugs, turns invisible, and proceeds below where he engages the snake men in negotiation. Since the snake men are unable to locate Fidget they do not outright attack him. However their intent is clear and the team rapidly put them to the sword. Several doors are found in the wings of the furnace room and a set of large double doors right down the middle. The team stacks up near the double doors, Fidget and Deldric move into the room and Deldric spies Nurah tied up and gagged to the right. While further into the room a magic circle is in use by a female tiefling and several demons. Deldric moves up towards Nurah while Fidget moves south towards the magic ritual. Grunyar bursts into the room and gives his best yell, which succeeds in grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. The fight begins in earnest, Deldric realizes at the last moment that "Nurah" isn't really tied up and shouts out a warning that this Nurah is a trap. Grunyar is set upon by most of the demons, Fidget gives Deldric Greater Invisibility, which sends the elf into a murder spree. Grunyar falls under the combined assault of the demons and the tiefling's magics. The caster throws a wall of force up to keep the invisible elf from eviscerating her and begins stacking arcane boons onto herself. Zuriel arrives on site and begrudgingly administrates some healing onto Gruynar. The dwarf stands back up only to take the full force of a lighting bolt dropping him again. Zuriel is wounded and flees back towards Sir Oliver, Sosiel and her cat where she is met by another Nurah. Zuriel commands her cat to attack this Nurah and it takes the halfling a few moments and suffer a few bites to convince Zuriel to call off her assault.

Deldric duels with the fake Nurah, now revealed to be the Murance pretender and though she uses her abilities to turn invisible or ethereal or fly, Fidget is there to counter her. Soon Murance vanishes even from Fidgets sight leaving only a few Demons who can see Fidget and the tiefling caster. Deldric finishes off the demons before they can take out the gnome and then tanks all the casters remaining spells until she is down to cantrips, and all her previous buffs had either run out or been consumed. Deldric finishes her off then Sosiel is brought in to heal the team. Fidget announces that he is completely spent of magic and should they wish to continue it would be without him. The group agrees to grab everything of worth and head up top. Fidget asks Deldric to move ahead and search Nurahs quarters for anything suspicious as her repeated attempts to accompany them is not in line with her personality. Deldric finds nothing out of sorts, Fidget commands that the Paladin and Mercenary armies are to occupy the Citadel and that he is sick and tired of all these forays. Come dawn he intends to finish this liberation.

At dawn Deldric speaks with Sosiel and authorizes him and Aaron to have the day off as thanks for going above the call of duty the last 2 days. When Deldric tells Fidget that their primary healer will be unavailable. Fidget seeks out Nurah and offers her one chance to accompany them now. She may join them and is solely responsible for Grunyars well being. Nurah argues against the restriction but when Fidget declares that if she refuses and they see her he will assume that she is either mind controlled or a fake and they will attack her en mass. With that Nurah agrees. Grunyar who has been complaining incessantly to Zuriel whenever he is the slightest injured, despite the half elf making her opinions on healing very clear is told that he now has his own personal medic and he is to leave Zuriel alone if he wants healing.

The group moves through the basement, past the ritual room from the day before. Deldric, Grunyar and Fidget are caught in an illusionary trap. Grunyar and Fidget are able to see past it but Deldric suddenly falls to the ground. Thankfully Zuriel is able to bring Deldric back to consciousness and heal him to fighting form. Ahead the group comes to a circular room which Sir Oliver discovers has an illusionary floor in the center. Avoiding the hole the group moves to the next door and are assaulted by several shadow demons. Grunyar is mind controlled and commanded to kill the gnome but before he can act Sir Oliver uses his divine connection with Andoletta to remove the abyssal control. Fidget calls on his mythic powers to protect himself, Grunyar, and Sir Oliver from any further manipulations. Deldric is suddenly blasted past the group and would have landed into the pit had his quick reflexes not caught the statue of a demon. Grunyar advances into the darkened room and starts hacking into the shadow demons. Zuriel moves into the room and using one of the wands acquired from their time in Kenebras casts a magical light into the room to counter the magical darkness.

Sir Oliver, Zuriel, and Grunyar are at different points launched into the pit to discover that a green slime covers the bottom of the pit. Sir Oliver and Grunyar are able to remove the slime, Zuriel however allows the slime to remain on herself long enough that it begins to seep into her skin. The last of the normal shadow demons are sundered but a significantly more powerful shadow demon starts tearing large chunks of flesh from the heroes. Fidget gives Deldric greater invisibility and then moves further into the room, spying the Sword of Valor, the banner they had came all this way for. Fidget moves through the room and gathers up the banner. Inspecting the artifact the gnome understands that it will require someone with a divine connection to reactivate the banner. Fidget rushes back towards the entrance where the others are engaged in a gruesome fight against the demon. Fidget rushes to the wall closest to Sir Oliver and uses some mythic power to stone sculpt a holding for the banner and mounts the banner on the wall. Sir Oliver disengages with the demon, and touching the banner feels a sudden pulse of divine energy as the Sword of Valor is reactivated. The ambient light increases, the shadow demon seems to recede as the artifact awakens. Now on the defensive the final demon in Drezen backs into a corner and fights defensively, while Fidget sees Nurah finally enter the room invisibly. She weaves through the combatants and grabs the banner off the wall. The shadows grow once again and the demon moves back on the offensive. Fidget pushes the last of his mythic power to suggest she return the banner and begin healing the team.

Nurah, now compelled to assist returns the banner, but that brief respite was enough for the demon to turn the tide. Grunyar, Sir Oliver and Deldric each fall to the attacks of the demon. While Nurah is able to move about invisibly and heal still the demon is easily able to swipe at any would be hero. Fidget is unable to exert mental control over the creature so settles for searching his downed companions for any healing potions to feed to them. Zuriel pulls her bow and using the magical arrows obtained from the Gray Garrison and here at Citadel Drezen begins firing deadly arrows at the demon. Her aim is true but this demon is fast. Several arrows fly wide as the demon advances on her taking large chunks out of her arm. Finally with a sense of clarity the half elf strikes true, the arrow sinks into the shadow demon, it continues to advance, shadows spilling out from its wounds onto the floor, until the creature is unable to maintain its form anymore and dissipates. Before she can make a run for it Fidget suggests that Nurah wait for 10 hours in the anti magic holding cell, he, Sir Oliver  and Deldric follow her there to ensure the suggestion has taken. Zuriel heals Grunyar and the 2 take the banner back up to the Crusaders.


Thoughts:

I feel like we were doing far more sorties than were necessary, some of that is probably due to not having a real healer. Our Druid has made it abundantly clear that she does not want to use her spell slots to heal others. This wouldn't be a problem if we were around a town and could purchase some better wands than just Cure Light Wounds. I was hoping to combat that with Sosiel and Nurah, but with another PC taking Sosiel out and Nurah turning on us it became a moot point. Now that we have taken the city back I am hoping that we can get some wands of Cure Critical Wounds. 4D8+7 vs 1D8+1 makes for an average of 25 healed per charge instead of 5.

I was hoping the GM was more descriptive in some of his narration. The difference between;

"You feel your mental attack breach his defenses but you are unable to find purchase for some reason."

as opposed to

"Roll for your spell" 28 vs SR, will vs DC 26 roll twice and take the lowest "Ok, nothing happens"

Can clearly convey to the player that something is in place preventing that spell, whether that is a protection spell, immunity, or a magical effect of the area doesn't need to be given. The Druid kept casting lighting based spells despite the GM narrating that the lighting didn't seem to have an effect on it. Apparently the last demon was on 3 HP for quite a while but no one could land a strong enough hit. All in all, it was a great final fight, almost went south for us but the group pulled our chestnuts from the fire.

A Pyrrhic Victory - Wrath of the Righteous campaign journal session 15

The Heroes of Kenebras

Zuriel Riversong: Female Half Elf Druid
Grunyier Cragsward: Male Dwarven Barbarian
Deldric: Elf Rogue
Fidgit Tannenbaum: Male Gnome Fey Blood Sorcerer
Sir Oliver: Human Inquisitor

Deldric and Olivers players were absent so Deldric was run by myself and Oliver by Grunyiers player.

Deldric sensing the end to their incursion takes a moment to switch his arcane focus to a shield spell, then pops out the potion of barkskin +5 they had recovered from their unconcious captive and drinks it. Asking Fidget if he can provide any arcane protections the gnome casts a protection from evil on the elf making the already elusive elf nigh unhittable even by Grunyeirs standards. Sir Oliver grabs his bow and announces that with their divine arsenal running dry he will hang back for the moment and provide cover.

Deldric sneaks into the the next room and returns explaining there are 3 rather large Minotaur looking creatures with wings. Fidget casts invisibility on Deldric who then announces to the team to wait for a count of 20 then attack. Setting up within the elf is dismayed when Gruyier loudly boots the door in, alerting the minotaurs to the parties presence rather than launching a surprise attack but his patience is rewarded when the dwarf ends up adjacent to one of the creatures also in reach of Deldric. The fight is short lived and while the creatures dealt significant blows to the dwarf Deldrics mix of magical protections and natural nimbleness saw blow after blow struggling to find purchase.

Grunyier suddenly climbs up into the mouth of one of the beasts and oddly starts exclaiming his claims on their teeth. The rest are confused but shrug it off as the dwarf is rather strange at times. Grouped up at the next door Deldrics recon tells them that 2 of the red demons they encountered when the Wardstone fragment imbued them with its energy are within along with a haggard looking dwarf. Agreeing to attempt to take the dwarf prisoner the group rushes in. The first demon is quickly dispatched and just before the Dwarf can open his mouth Fidget tells a joke that causes the dwarf to collapse in fits of laughter. The other demon is sent on its way back to the abyss while Deldric ties up the dwarf just as he shakes the effects of Fidgets spell. Fidget begins interrogating the prisoner while the rest look around, 2 doors remain closed in this room and Sir Oliver opens the closest to find a stairwell descending into blackness. Against his judgement the Inquisitor agrees not to run blindly below.

Just as the dwarf begins speaking to Fidget he mentions that the remaining unopened door, the one that Deldric and Murance are standing guard by actually contains the more immediate threat. Fidget calls Deldric back to his side and tells him to recast his defensive buffs as he does the same to the elf. The doors burst open and in strides 2 more of the large Minotaur creatures and a cruel looking dwarf that Sir Oliver recognizes by the glyph and symbols adorning his full-plate is an Anti-paladin, the height of heresy.

Deldric and Grunyier move in and together fell one of the Minotaur, while Zuriel, her cat Talera and Sir Oliver plug at the other. The Anti-paladin moves into the room and takes several swipes at Deldric to no effect, then they see him draw upon his own source of Mythic power to swing once more, drawing even deeper to cause his cruel long spear like weapon to find purchase on Deldric, and in one thrust plunge the blade through the elfs chest. Deldric has a moment to look down at the weapon, then up and collapses in a heap as the dwarf withdraws it with a smirk. Grunyier and Sir Oliver dispatch the remaining Minotaur as Fidget breaths in deeply and adds his Mythic power to his Suggestion that this dwarf should strip naked and run 100 laps around the city limits. Fidget can feel the spell about to take hold when suddenly with some timely assistance from the dwarfs Mythic power he is able to just barely keep the arcane suggestion at bay. Zuriel and Talera move to intercept the Antipaladin, Zuriel paying a hefty price is cut down by a Babau demon that had been invisible up to this point, she falls unconscious on the floor. Grunyier is having difficulty landing any telling blows against this opponent, Fidget covers the Antipaladins weapon in arcane grease causing the dwarf to lose his deadly blade. Unhindered, the dwarf moves forward, places a hand against Grunyier and necrotic energy pulses into the barbarian. Grunyar grits his teeth and fends off the worst of it but feels his skin peeling where the Antipaladin touched. Grunyar switches his target to the Babau and calling on his mythic power dispatches the demon. Fidget sets his will and adding more mythic power to his arcane magic suggests that the Antipaladin demonstrate his physical superiority by stripping out of his full-plate armor and bare-knuckle box with Grunyar. Fidget feels his suggestion take root in the dwarfs mind but is dismayed when Grunyar refuses to hold off on his continued attack until the dwarf had removed his armor. The antipaladin, while still compelled to perform the task is able to flee down the nearby stairs into the darkness to carryout the command in relative safety.

Breathing a sigh of relive Fidget returns to the captured dwarf who identifies himself as Jorhan. Fidget offers him a chance to change his allegiance which the dwarf seems reluctant but not opposed to. As a show of faith Fidget asks if he knows of where to find any potions, or scrolls of healing for Zuriel and Deldric. Jorhan identifies himself as a cleric and uses his magic to revive Zuriel first, as he is moving towards Deldric, Murance in a soft feminine melodic voice asks Grunyar to "Kill the gnome" looking at Murance there is a brief shimmer and the form of a succubus shows through. Grunyars smile shows that though he may be magically compelled at the moment, he will enjoy the task before him. While Fidget thinks that the safest bet would be to turn invisible first and then deal with the problems at hand trusts in his magical skill and putting more mythic power behind the spell puts the dwarf to sleep. Breathing a sigh of relive he turns to the form of Murance and chides "Now, shall I show you what real Enchantment looks like?" Murance's form vanishes in the same fashion as the Succubus from earlier, Fidget remembers that she would not be able to go far or stay away for long so he draws upon the last bit of his mythic power to ready a spell. Sure enough she appears nearby Sir Oliver prepared to strike when Fidget suggests that she stand in a corner, facing the corner for 9 hours. The suggestion takes hold and with a sneer she turns and moves towards the indicated corner. Fidget warns everyone not to attack her as so long as she is facing the wall she could not affect any of them with her magics. She disappears suddenly, but Fidget detects illusion magic in the corner and tells her he knows she is still there. The aura disappears, but Fidget reminds her that he knows she can go to the ethereal plane but she is still in the corner. Fidget moves into the last room and finds 20 bottles of very fine dwarven ale but before he can pocket them Zuriel comes into the room. The half elf looks to the gnome and declares "10 for you, 10 for me?" Fidget reluctantly nods and each pockets half the stash. Deldric joins them after tying the sleeping form on Grunyar up. A locked chest stumps the elf for the moment so the group elect to take it with them along with tables of maps and battle plans, troop distributions and the like. With many deep wounds, and few magical spells left the group take their leave for the day, Jorhan their somewhat willing prisoner and the unconscious form of the woman barbarian they had brought with them.



Thoughts

There was a bit of a situation with Grunyars player seemingly trying to either get Sir Oliver killed or at least just be as disruptive as possible. In the end I think it might have been as simple as once he knew Grunyar was Dominated he was trying to kill off as many of the party as possible. Either way I pointed out how likely it was that he was about to kill Oliver and wanting to purge the heresy of an antipaladin, doesn't mean he has to charge past 2 large minotaurs that would get attacks of opportunity, and instead could move in to attack the minotaurs first and work his way towards his target. The player threw a bit of a hissy fit, maybe we should have addressed it there but we ignored it and moved on.

A Hero Falls - Wrath of the Righteous campaign session 13-14

Deldrics player was not able to come to the first game, Khazads player has moved out of area and Olivers player may not have his Sundays free for the next few months. That said,

The Heroes of Kenebras

Zuriel Riversong: Female Half Elf Druid
Grunyier Cragsward: Male Dwarven Barbarian
Deldric: Elf Rogue
Fidgit Tannenbaum: Male Gnome Fey Blood Sorcerer
Oliver: Human Inquisitor, and
Khazad: Dwarf dual ax wielding fighter


Fidgets team moves forward with Irabeth detecting a source of evil around the corner. She and the rest round the corner to see a svelte man dragging the limp form of Grunyeir. Irabeth commands him to drop the dwarf, which he does quite unceremoniously but thick dwarven skulls are made for such damage. The man explains his name is Murance, that the heroes had come across him earlier and freed him. That they recently fell to a Vrock and some archers, and that he was in the process of hiding their prostrate forms until he could find aid. Murance takes Irabeth and the others around a large section of rubble where a small alcove holds the crumpled forms of Oliver, Zuriel and Khazad. Fidget cradles them one by one and commands Nura to heal them, so that the first thing they see will be the face of their daring Commander. Zuriel, Oliver and Grunyeir are all less than thrilled to see Fidget, despite the aid he brings with him. Tragedy however strikes when Fidget reaches for Khazad and finds the Dwarfs skin pallid and cold.

Deldric returns from his scouting to see the expanded group and relays his information. There is a small group in a chapel ahead 4 men and one woman, he was unable to grasp what they were doing but assured the party it seemed odd. He spied the outline of a secret passage to the rear of the chapel but was unable to explore further without risk of raising the alarm. Fidget thanks him and informs the elf of Khazads passing. With Nura having expended almost all of her spells to cloak their entrance and now heal the others Fidget makes the command decision to send Deldric back to camp with Khazad and the others, Fidget, Grunyeir, Zuriel, her cat, and Oliver will see what is transpiring in the chapel.

Without the skill set supplied by Deldric, Grunyeir takes point determined to deal with any traps quite literally head on. Keeping a spaced out formation they advance on the chapel. Grunyeir loudly announcing their arrival with his heavy footfalls. The dwarf spies a rather beautiful woman having her armor removed by 4 crusaders. She seems taken aback by his presence and invites him inside. Grunyier and her converse for near a minute before, exasperated the rest of the party advance to see what the hold up is. The woman identifies herself as a priestess of this chapel and offers to allow the group to participate in their ritual. When Zuriel asks what is involved she replies that the specifics are difficult to explain to one not indoctrinated already and it would be easier to demonstrate. When the half elf druid declines the priestess begins chanting and Zuriel feels a presence invade her mind for a moment before she shrugs it off. Fidget well versed in Enchantments easily identifies a Charm spell and warns the others.

Oliver and Grunyeir move up but are unable to reach the priestess as the crusaders hinder their movement. Fidget moves to get a clean line of sight and pushes his mind towards hers, Suggesting that she wants to resolve this peacefully and to answer all his questions. The "priestess" form shimmers and the visage of a succubus takes its place, she smiles coquettishly and somehow makes her walk towards the pews seem indecent before she sits, crosses her legs and looks at the gnome,

"Well my dear, what would you like to know?"

While the tensions are momentarily halted Fidget convinces her to have the crusaders, clearly mentally dominated by her to relax their grips on their weapons. Grunyier tries to drag them away which almost starts it up again right there before Fidget smooths over the transgression and assures her than no one will take her "play things". Fidget gets some small intel, the succubus knows of some troop dispositions and speaks about the previous commander of the citadel who has left with most of her garrison some time ago. Seeing that she has no more useful information she would willingly part with Fidget asks if there was anything she would like that he could bring for her, perhaps some lubricant. She answers that she prefers blood as her lubricant,

"Well dear if its blood your'e after do I have the 2 men for you, Oliver? Grunyier? Would you come over here please?"

Grunyeir, mistakingly takes the gnomes cue to get within striking distance of the succubus, to grab 2 of the crusaders and starts pulling them out of the room. Oliver, assuring Fidget that he at least gets his meaning moves up and starts engaging the succubus in conversation, attempting to placate her. Fidget, looking perplexed at the 2 most bloodthirsty fighters, avoiding a fight turns to Murance

"I don't know if this is my fault or theirs, but did YOU get my meaning?"

Looking confused at the human and dwarf Murance replies holding up his rapier

"Yeah, it was pretty clear, can't do much with THIS but I guess its going to have to do"

The fencer stabs the succubus in the shoulder and finally the course of action becomes clear to the Inquisitor and Barbarian. Several hits are landed and the succubus appears gravely wounded, but not having started within melee distance means Grunyier is not able to bring his full prowess to bear and she uses some magical ability to disappear. Fidget throws his hands up and declares that the succubus is their problem now, he will start looking at that secret door. Fortunately the magical ability used only briefly transported the succubus and the party is able to put he down. With her death the crusaders regain their composure. Fidget tells them to gather their things, that Deldric had recently lead a well armed party to an encampment of paladins just outside and gives them directions to the front door.

The group finds a hidden room to the south of the chapel that is empty. Murance spots a second hidden room further in and it is through this that the party finds a hidden trove. 6 statues wearing fine full plate armor line the walk towards an altar with another statue holding what appears to be the banner they had come for, The Sword of Valor. Before anything can happen Oliver rushes to the altar to kneel and pay his respects, and the Inquisitor is bitten nearly in half by the mimic that was the altar up until now, while the statue holding the banner also reverts to its true mimic form. The fight is long and drawn out, Oliver rapidly loses consciousness from his mimic wounds, Zuriel is loath to heal him to return him to the fight, Grunyier holds on to his mythic powers so finds himself doing little damage, Fidget has no real combat spells and Murance can only do minor damage. But the team do prevail, Grunyier claims the finest full plate for himself, full of religious iconography and script. Grunyier declares that since they are low on health and magic they will seal the door and sleep in the chamber. Fidget nods and tells the group that while they are free to do that he will be walking out to the encampment of Paladins and mercenaries, since demons can teleport and sealing the room wouldn't stop that. Inspecting the banner finds that it radiates no magic. The search continues.

The rest of the group follows Fidgets lead and upon arriving at the Paladins camp Grunyier tells Murance that they should go to the mercenary camp since the paladins all suck anyways. Murance looks dubious but does follow. Fidget tells Irabeth to prepare whatever funeral rites she can think of for Khazad in the morning then goes to her tent, joined by Deldric on the way. The Elf debriefs Fidget on his progress, Fidget nods and conjures a pocket dimension to sleep in, inviting Deldric to join him if he likes. Come morning Fidget asks Nura to speak at Khazads funeral, which she does delivering an epic that impresses even the Gnome. Deldric, Fidget, Zuriel and Grunyier all step forward with torches, Zuriel catching Grunyier exclaiming under his breath how he was always a better dwarf than Khazad. Fidget stands before the pyre and delivers a short eulogy,

"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and the place for the first time"

With their companions body burning the funeral disperses. In the command tent the group delivers its orders for the day and gear up for another sortie. Fidget strongly wants Sosiel to join them but the cleric strongly requests to remain with Aron and the gnome relents. Starting in the last southern bastion the group finds no initial resistance, but scouting ahead at the top of the tower Deldric spies a lone female. Human, well built and looking haggard she stares across the battlements towards the encamped paladins, breathing heavily. Deldric starts the fight without backup and while the elf is nimble, the woman lets out a roar and in her rage she still manages to land the occasional blow. The rest of the group ascends the stairs to aid Deldric, the group start laying into the woman with the blunt end of their weapons to try and take her alive. Fidgets small legs cause him to arrive well into combat and calling up the best of his mythic potential the gnome tries to force his will onto the berserk woman, suggesting her to engage in fisticuffs instead. But fortune is with her today and Fidget is unable to penetrate the red haze of her rage. She switches targets to Grunyier and while the dwarf initially laughs off her hits he soon is frantically calling for aid until with one final thwack she collapses at their feet. Grunyier wants to kill her but the others elect to keep her with them as they can use her for information later. Murance who accompanied them back into the Citadel until he gets his revenge is told to carry her body. Grunyier complains about his wounds and looks expectantly at the group, Fidget shrugs holding up a minor healing potion he got from Kenebras as the only healing he is capable of. Deldric likewise holds up 1 potion though his is better. Oliver looks the dwarf over and declares he is fine while Zuriel nods in agreement. Grunyier declares he desires death and will refuse any healing. Deldric pours his healing potion that he had been planning on using for himself into a mug and catches up to Grunyier, offering to toast to the dwarfs prowess but whether the long enmity between dwarves and elves, or Grunyiers natural personality the dwarf threatens to kill Deldric. Seeing his offer rejected Deldric drinks the potion himself, Fidget offers up his last meager one as well.

Searching through the rest of the western portion the group finds a small armory where they stock up on arrows and Deldric procures a keen dagger for himself. Fidget finally explains how hurt Grunyier is to Zuriel and the druid offers to heal him but the dwarf stubbornly refuses and rushes towards the next door. Fidget, exasperated, mentally suggests the dwarf into compliance. Healed up to fighting form the group clear out a second chapel of some statues and kill 3 bug like demons. With the map provided by Aron indicating that there is only a handful of rooms left to search the group prepares to clear this citadel of demons and claim it back for the 5th Crusade.


Thoughts

While I fully acknowledge the Barbarians annoyance being at 25/103 hit points and not getting healed I was not a great fan of his reaction to stubbornly refuse healing and threaten attacking anyone who tried to heal him. Deldric tried sneaking potions into him and was very courteous and showed great deference and was still violently rebuffed. All that was required was my explaining to the druid how far down in health he actually was and she immediately changed her tune about saving her spell slots but he was not having it. If it was me running the front line and the healers refused to help me I would just switch to bow and arrow and declare that I would be acting as ranged while so wounded. Let the Inquisitor and Druids animal companion eat some hits and see if they change their tune. I've been trying to avoid gaming the system with crafting a few wands of Cure Serious or Critical wounds with a single charge for cheap then using my once per day ability to recharge them but I think we are going to have to go that route. I tried convincing the NPC cleric to come with since I know that the Druid hates healing and the Inquisitor doesn't fill more than 1 or 2 at the most healing spells.

Iv'e heard the arguments about doing damage being better than healing magics but honestly whats slowing down our progress is that the front liners are taking big hits and it costs about one quarter of our player spells to bring them back to fighting form.

A 2 Pronged Approach - Wrath of the Righteous Campaign Session 11-12

I missed session 11 and Deldrics player missed 12. This unfortunately played poorly for the heroes as the GM prefers to play absentee PCs as unavailable as possible.

The Heroes of Kenebras

Zuriel Riversong: Female Half Elf Druid
Grunyier Cragsward: Male Dwarven Barbarian
Deldric: Elf Rogue
Fidgit Tannenbaum: Male Gnome Fey Blood Sorcerer
Oliver: Human Inquisitor, and
Khazad: Dwarf dual ax wielding fighter

The party confer making a battle plan, and they decide that Fidget will remain with the armies while the rest clear out the towers. Once they have cleared them out the signal to advance the army will be fire in the sky. Fidget sends Irabeth to the mercenary army while he will command the paladin forces by himself. The group advances towards the towers under as much cover as they can manage but as they are approaching the demonic occupants launch fire up into the sky. A short battle is fought and Zuriel rushes back to the armies to explain that the signal fire they saw was not from the group. Disgruntled the army returns to its staging area while the party moves around to the back of Citadel Drezen where they send the signal to attack again. Slipping inside the Citadel the skirmish force lands almost on top of a group of ghouls along with another more hearty bat creature like the one from the abandoned chapel a few days ago. With more understanding of their mythic powers the group makes fast work of the enemies. Clearing out a few rooms of minor demons, ghouls, and cultists the team finds a dashing but crazed human chained to the wall. Zuriel detects evil magics upon him and manages to remove them, the swordsman introduces himself as Murance a local celebrity swashbuckler, Deldric having heard of him attests that he fits the description. The group debate returning the weapons they found to the man and eventually relent.

Working clockwise down to the entrance of the Citadel the team discovers a Vrock in the middle of a large vaulted room. The group plan an ambush but are spotted before they can carry their plan out and the Vrock screeches alerting the Citadel to the intruders. Deldric having already moved ahead to scout and Murance staying back for the moment, the remaining 4 charge at the Vrock and find themselves infested with some abyssal burrowing infection. Unfortunate friendly fire from Zuriel, and the demons many attacks fell Grunyier and Oliver before Khazad lands the killing blow. The reprieve is short lived though as the Vrocks cries had brought 4 cultist archers running. Zuriel was able to bring Grunyier to consciousness but neglects Oliver who also could provide magical healing. Grunyier chooses to hold on to his mythic reserves rather than reach the archers and is felled again by arrows. Zuriel conjures a flaming sphere and slowly burns one of the cultists to ash. Khazad drags Oliver around a corner, searching his belongings finds what appears to be a healing potion and pours it down the Inquisitors throat. Oliver regains consciousness and uses some of his divine power to heal himself while Khazad charges towards the archers. Murance finds his courage and joins the fray quickly dispatching one of the cultists. The remaining 2 archers try for a shot against the swashbuckler, but even at the top of their game they cant seem to land a hit on the dexterous duelist, choosing instead to focus on the enemies they can hit. Khazad reaches one and swings wide, his breathing laboured. The cultist darts back and peppers him with arrows dropping the dwarf. Zuriel, in cat form paws at the other archer but meets the same fate. Oliver somewhat healed stands, draws his bow and fells the 3rd archer. The last cultist lands 2 deadly shots into the Inquisitor who also refrains from calling on his mythic reserves and instead trades arrows with the cultist. Murance in a valiant effort to save the heroes throws his rapier into the cultists chest, while the would is grievous it is not fatal. Firing off his last round of arrows, the cultist strikes true and Oliver collapses from his wounds. Murance rips the rapier from the wounded foe and with panache slashes the throat of the final cultist.

Back at the camp Fidget orders Arles to act as his batman and sounds the advance. Irabeth leads her mercenaries around to flank while Fidgets Fifth faces down 3 armies, demons, tieflings, and cultists. The paladins launch a devastating volley of arrows that wipes the demons out before they can strike back. The teiflings and cultists start to inflict small but mounting damage to the holy warriors. Even Irabeths arrival to the flank of the cultists helps little, the enemy seems determined to wipe out the paladins, even at the expense of their own forces. The tieflings and soon put down, leaving only the cultist army to face a full mercenary force and the dwindling paladin army. The cultists catch the paladins off balance and for a moment the future of Fidgets Fifth is in question, but the gnome rallies the humans and they deliver a crushing blow overrunning the last of the cultists and winning the day. Fidget declares that his team must be lost without him, however he will need an escort to reach them. Irabeth, Zuriels cat, and Nurah all volunteer to come, and Fidget declares that Arles will join them too. Nurah has several healing magics and invisibility so Fidget has her hide the team while he grants Irabeth the power of flight to allow their insertion. Landing inside the rescue team sees the handiwork of the heroes and has Zuriels cat follow the scent of her master. Reaching an antechamber just before the large room ahead Irabeth discovers 4 gargoyles masquerading as statues. The group engages the gargoyles, Irabeth inflicts damage but Arles finds himself unable to do much more than scratch them. Finally Fidget puts 2 of the gargoyles to sleep as Irabeth and Arles finish off the other 2 together. Irabeth then lines up and delivers a killing blow to the sleeping foes.



Thoughts: The GM went back and forth a bit for the session I was there, we started with the army battles, then moved to the insertion team, then back to me where I brought the rescue team. The GM handed me the archers to run to keep me occupied and gave me the direction kill them, fight to the death. The fight was easily winnable, even with the GM forgetting about Murance and not using Deldric but the PC's didnt want to use their daily Mythic points to give themselves an extra standard action each turn and eventually the action economy went against them with only Zuriel able to heal for most of the fight.

The fight was so close, it sucks to have the npc get the win but we will see where this goes.

Each of the players took one of the npc's I brought in, Arles player was determined not to Smite the gargoyle for some reason so that fight took much longer than it needed to and used more resources than necessary. Next game is the 19th and Deldric and I should be there however Khazads player is moving to Waterloo before then so I expect there to be at least one casualty from this.

The March to Drezen - Wrath of the Righteous campaign sessions 9-10

Deldric's player missed the first session and I arrived a few hours late to it.

The Heroes of Kenebras

Zuriel Riversong: Female Half Elf Druid
Grunyier Cragsward: Male Dwarven Barbarian
Deldric: Elf Rogue
Fidgit Tannenbaum: Male Gnome Fey Blood Sorcerer
Oliver: Human Inquisitor, and
Khazad: Dwarf dual ax wielding fighter

Oliver stays awake with a contingent of Imodean paladins cleaning the derelict temple. Come dawn he uses some of the holy water to Consecrate the temple finding a hidden cache of healing potions that are distributed to the troops. At the camp below Zuriel and Grunyar trace down the source of some disgruntled talk to a paladin named Arles Jystander. Neither Zuriel or Grunyar are particularly diplomatic so they approach Fidget and explain the situation. Once the Gnome is certain that Arles grievances stem from the situation in general and are not a comment about his leadership he mounts his pony, casts a spell to give him a greater air of authority, and rides off to see to this Arles.

Khazad, Zuriel, and Grunyier watch from a distance as Fidget leads Arles off to speak with him. The gnome more wears down Arles resistance than convinces him that their situation is not doomed, but regardless the paladin agrees to stop spreading discontent.

Anevia and Aaron report a giant cloud of locust type creatures ahead. Irabeth suggests speaking to Aaron and Sosiel as they would be more knowledgeable about dangers in the Worldwound.

The group finds Aaron, who is acting curt and weird. Fidget pretends to know exactly what those creatures are, but wants to quiz his men to ensure they are always learning, Aaron tells the group they are called Vescanors. Deadly to a large group like the army if they got too close to the swarms, a smaller group could navigate through with some difficulty. They will burrow under armor and chew through people. There is generally a queen for a group this large and if she was slain then the rest would disperse in some time. They normally burrow underground to make their hive. Fidget thanks him and asks if everything is alright. He says yes but is cagey. Fidget asks if everything is alright with Sosiel. Aaron says yes, he just wants to go now. Fidget gives him some relationship advice and the group goes to see Sosiel.

Using the info that Aaron gave them earlier Fidget pretends to have already known all the info and asks Sosiel if he could add anything else as Fidgets knowledge is with the far more dangerous gnomish variety of Vescanors. Sosiel provides what he can and Fidget assigns him homework as well. Grunyar finds a paladin named Kayle with a large Warhammer and trades his 2 throwing axes to borrow it. Fidget asks Sosiel if everything I ok with him and Aaron and Sosiel asks why. When Fidget tells him that Aaron was acting weird Sosiel looks off into the distance and excuses himself. Khazad trades his 2 war axes for 2 light maces. Fidget finds Deldric and tells him to take this time to paint a beautiful landscape painting on the inside of Irabeth and Anevias tent. The painting is to show Drezen, fully repaired and with a verdant landscape, a swing set in the foreground, with Fidget, and Anevia on the swings, Irabeth pushing them, everyone is smiling. Its a beautiful picture of what we are fighting for.

The group heads out towards the swarm and following Khazad, Grunyar, and Oliver's survival skills they eventually come to a series of openings in the ground where they can see Vescanors emerging from. A large enough opening for the team to descend into is nearby. Grunyar holds a knotted rope while they others rappel down, then the dwarf does a superhero landing to get himself down. Khazad and Oliver make a show of who can determine the proper way to go to find the lair. Oliver starts and seems to be right, then reaching the next chamber Khazad takes his turn but Oliver checks his work and is adamant that the dwarf is crazy. None the less the group apparently chooses one of the most direct paths towards the queen, only attracting the attention of 2 swarms in a chamber just shy of the queen. Unfortunately no weapons are able to damage the swarms. Zuriel starts burning one with a flaming sphere and Grunyar breathes ice onto Khazad and one of the swarms but they are barely doing a dent. The creatures swarm their target and rapidly break any weapons or armor the person is carrying, so Grunyars borrowed Warhammer and Zuriels scythe are rendered useless for the moment. Fidget tells Zuriel to get her sphere off the swarm and for everyone to stop hitting them for a moment then casts Deep Slumber putting both swarms to sleep. Telling the group we only have limited time until they wake up causes Oliver to sprint down the chamber, everyone following after him.

Coming into a large cavern a big, green, angry looking, Abyssal wasp thing rises up and everyone rushes in to attack. Fidget, not knowing if it would even understand him tries some enchantments but he can either not penetrate the spell resistance, or the creature shrugs off the effects. The creatures aura confuses any who get too close and after savaging Oliver and dealing significant blows to Grunyar the angry Dwarf draws upon his mythic power and lands a killing blow. While some recover, Fidget, Khazad, and Zuriel harvest the head and stinger. Oliver and Grunyar notice a purpleish glow to a tunnel to the south and investigate, finding a rift to the Abyss. Clearly how these creatures came to inhabit these tunnels as the queens body is far too large to extract through the tunnels. Unable to close the rift the two settle for caving in the tunnel. Just as they are seeing progress they see a clawed  hand reaching out of the portal. Khazad and Zuriel arrive to help and before something can claw out they bring the tunnel down, jumping out of the way before they are crushed themselves. The group takes a separate route searching other tunnels on their way out but find nothing of note.

Returning to the camp triumphant, Fidget brings the skull to Irabeth at the command tent, making thinly veiled yet still not understood comments it is settled that the head will be mounted and a small feast prepared. Fidget gets Irabeth to agree to have herself sit to one side of him and Anevia to the other. Fidget puts on the fancy outfit that Deldric stole for him back in Kenebras and goes to Nurah to see if she has any perfume. She does but wants to know what she will get for it. Fidget is cash light at the moment but she offers to give him a taste for free, but to get the bottle he would have to spend the night with either Aaron or Sosiel. She seems more interested in breaking them up, while Fidget prefers to be the guest star in a relationship and then go on his way, not leave heartbreak. Fidget asks if she has her eyes on one of them and wants to split them up so she could swoop in. She says she is just bored. So Fidget agrees, that he only has to spend the night in one of their beds, not break them up. The dinner is great, the fare is filling but the company fine. Horgus actually breaks into a stash of booze, at some point in the night Sosiel asks Fidget is they can speak in private. Fidget excuses himself, takes 2 glasses and a bottle and they go to his tent. Sosiel explains that Aaron has a bit of a history as a drug addict and has recently confessed to Sosiel that he has started using again. Fidget, reluctantly puts the wine and glasses down and they go to Sosiel and Aaron's tent, Fidget catching Nurahs eye and winks at her on the way past the feast. Aaron doesn't want to give up the drugs but Fidget convinces him, telling him that hes acting like an Aron with only one A. Aaron hands over 2 doses of Demonsblood drug, a rare and costly narcotic, and when Fidget asks if that's all he has Aaron says yes, he found 3 and had already taken one. Fidget is sceptical at first but doesn't feel any deception from Aaron so thanks him, Sosiel magically removes the disease to get rid of the addiction then asks that they be left alone for a bit. Fidget agrees but tells them he doesn't want anyone thinking he would just abandon a soldier who needed moral support, so if anyone asks them they are to say that Fidget spent the night here, they can say what ever they want about what we did, the more unbelievable the better, the important part is that he was here with them, all night.

Fidget returns to his tent, casts Rope trick then climbs up to take a dose of the drug and cast Enter Image, before realizing that the spell cant pass through the pocket dimension, so he climbs down, and tripping balls spies on the camp through all the paintings he has set up until he spots Irabeth and Anevia heading to bed, Anevia is kind of drunk and into it but Irabeth isn't. Fidget sighs and crawls back up into his dimensional space to sleep it off. In the morning Fidget begins to experience some serious withdrawal symptoms. He goes to see Zuriel and "confesses" that he didn't want to bring it up then but he was stung by a variant Vescanor in the hive and now is quite sick, she tries 3 times to heal him but cant quite overcome the drugs hold on the gnome. She suggests they go to Sosiel which Fidget convinces her not to as he will need his spells for the battles ahead. Fidget then  goes to see Sosiel privately and tells him that when he returned to his tent he drank some of the wine he had left out and is feeling some of the symptoms that Sosiel had explained before, holding up both bottles of the drug, one which is filled with water that has been prestidigtated to look the same he says that he suspects he may have been dosed. Sosiel manages to cure the addiction and wants to launch a public investigation into this but Fidget convinces him that Deldric is better suited to this task and we don't want to tip our hand that we are on to the saboteur. Fidget then gives Deldric his second task, find the "saboteur" that dosed him and hid the drugs in Aarons stuff, he lets him know that this is a secret mission and to only speak of it to himself, Sosiel and Aaron if needed.

The army arrives outside Drezen and after Anevia, Deldric, and Aaron scout ahead they each return, having found a potential target for a surgical strike and a force that will require the army. Anevia spotted a demon army camped on Paradise hill, who are holding about 200 mercenary crusaders prisoner as well as a small contingent that is holding the only bridge into Drezen with large beasts chained to it, ready to bring it down. 

Aaron found that of the 7 watch towers that guard Drezen's keep only 4 remain standing but they are all manned and 2 well equipped armies are camped along the southern bank of the city.

Deldric braved the local cemetery while dodging the army of undead noticed that the sun never quite fell on a particular tomb no matter what time of day and feels whatever now nests there may be worth their time removing.

The small council assembles and it is determined that the army will hit the southern forces first to gather the equipment, then while there is still daylight will liberate the soldiers held at Paradise Hill. 

Fidget leads the charge against the combined tiefling and cultist forces to the south and crushes the opposition but the paladin army does suffer some wounds prompting the use of some of the potions. Before word can spread the army is mobilized and a second attack against Paradise Hill is made where the mercenaries are liberated. Scrounging what gear is available the mercenaries are outfitted and eager for some payback. Fidget puts Grunyier in charge of them to help mollify the dwarf who was so against letting Fidget lead. 

At dusk the small council agrees to seize the bridge in a midnight raid. Approaching under cover of night in the dried riverbed Deldric spies 4 large oxen like beasts, each tethered to one of the bridge supports. He tells the party to remain behind while he deals with the beasts and sneaks forward. Fidget turns invisible and flies above the bridge to scout out the manned defenses, spying about 10 teiflings, one of which seems to be in charge. Oliver eager for some action also magically hides from sight, but his bulky armor and pungent scent don't keep him as hidden as he thinks and one of the beasts is alerted to his presence. The creature charges forward, but thanks to Deldrics quick fingers the harness no longer is attached to the bridge and though Oliver is trampled the bridge suffers no damage.

With Oliver announcing their presence, Deldric works with speed and soon has detached all the creatures from the moorings below. Fidget magically commands the apparent leader to perform no other action but dance, and tells a quick joke that causes one of the tieflings to collapse in a fit of laughter. The remainder however are only too quick to put some crossbow bolts into the Gnome, who flys around to get cover while the remainder rush up the battlements to join the fray. In the end the apparent leader and one other tiefling are captured and brought back for interrogation. Fidget and Khazad return to the Paladin encampment while Grunyier marches the mercenaries to occupy the bridge and the remainder spend the night there.

That night the paladin camp is attacked by the army of ghouls that Deldric had scouted. Some wounds are taken and Irabeth reports that the supply of healing potions for the army was scattered. It is quickly decided that the army will mobilize at first light. That night the party has a collective dream of the goddess Iomedae imparting what small boon she can to them. Her hand touching on Oliver last who suddenly lets out a horrible scream as the dream fades. All awake, Fidget and Khazad, knowing they are an hour away at best can only wish the remainder well. Oliver finds himself facing off with some kind of projection that is sucking his lifeforce out. Grunyier arrives and lands some blows but the insubstantial nature of the creature leaves the blows as likely to land as not. With Zuriel, Deldric, Grunyier and Oliver all focusing down the projection they finally best it, but not before it deals significant damage to Oliver and near kills Grunyier.

Come morning Fidget and Khazad await the return of the other before launching the attack on the cemetery. However it in near lunch before Deldric arrives and explains that 2 of their number are severely weakened and will not risk travel, the army will have to pick them up on the way to battle. As the paladins call on Iomedae to heal Oliver and Grunyiers wounds their forces enter the cemetery. The ghoul army is crushed under the might of the Paladin army and the heroes of Kenebras investigate the suspicious tomb that Deldric indicates. Inside there is no mistaking the form of the creature that near felled 2 of the party just hours ago. Oliver refuses to wait for the creature to come to them rushes in for some payback. A brief battle leaves the group walking out into the daylight, victorious.

With only the watchtowers remaining the party puts the army to rest while they head north to clear out the final obstacle between their army and citadel Drezen. Only halfway to the nearest tower a terrible roar is heard nearby from the skies. Fidget and Deldric turn invisible and dart to the side as a great winged creature dives rapidly towards them. Rather than the dragon they had feared a massive Chimera, with the heads of a White Dragon, Snow Leopard and Goat, land in the midst of the party. A blast of icy breath threatens to lock most of them in place while a series of rapid bites, claws, and tail pierces nearly fell Oliver, cause significant wounds to Khazad and Grunyeir and knock Deldric down. It is Grunyier who draws upon his mythic power to land a series of blows with his greataxe, the final one dealing a thundering blow that sends reverberations down the dwarfs arms but leaving the great beast dead. Reviving Deldric the group discuss their options and opt to return to the army to heal up then perhaps one last sortie to finally clear the watchtowers before the final battle tomorrow.

Thoughts.

Grunyier landed some serious crits this session. I think his chimera one was like 85 points just by itself. Had 2 arguments with Deldric's player. First was he thought I was deliberately being difficult when I said we would wait until lunch for the PC's who camped at the bridge. I told him I wasn't, since we never discussed the PC's camping at the bridge I had assumed they would have returned to the Paladin army once the bridge was secure. He didn't seem to buy it. The second was after Oliver's midnight encounter he managed to vaguely identify the creature, but the only report that got back to me was there was an assassination attempt, not that the culprit was an undead. So when we entered the tomb to face it I asked the GM if I could see a picture of the creature, so I could determine if Fidget would know that Enchantment spells would not work on it. He felt I should know it was undead because it was living in a tomb and we just fought an army of ghouls nearby. Regardless when the GM showed me a picture it looked fairly undead so I cleared with him that I would probably know enough to know its nature and not waste a turn trying an enchantment spell. Not sure what the issue was, kind of off putting. Either he or I must have been in a mood because neither of us seemed ready to blink first.

The Makings of Legends - Wrath of the Righteous campaign sessions 1-8

The GM for Runelords was feeling a bit of burnout so one of the players jumped into the Captains chair and we rolled up for Wrath of the Righteous. I've been told this is a 1-20 with some Mythic thrown in to boot. Apparently Mythic isn't like old style Epic levels so with that in mind lets see how this goes,

The group started out with;

Zuriel Riversong: Female Half Elf Druid
Grunyier: Male Dwarven Barbarian
Dresden: Elf Rogue
Fidgit Tannenbaum: Male Gnome Fey Blood Sorcerer
Nam: Male Human Paladin

Joining them later are
Oliver a human Inquisitor, and
Khazad a dwarf fighter

Having gathered at Clydewell plaza for the Armasse celebration the heroes suddenly find themselves in pitch blackness, unable to hear and completely disoriented. Over the next few moments flashes of memory serve to knit a picture.

-The low peal of a bell
-A bright light as if the sun was rising again
-A cacophonous roar as an immense balor demon, The Storm King appeared overhead and rent the nearby chapel in two
-An equal cry rising to meet it as the Silver Dragon, Terendelev suddenly burst forth from the crowd in his full glory and met The Storm King head on. But it was to no avail. Terendelev was unable to face the full might of the balor, whose weapons had carved deep fissures in the earth that many of the citizens were falling into. The great dragon used what time it had left to save what people he could and the group of heroes along with 3 others felt their previous rapid descent slow to that of a feather as they plunged far below.

Coming to, Nam calls out for Dresden to light a torch and in the dim lighting 4 of the would be heroes take stock of the situation.

There is a regal looking Elven male the goes by Aruvashneil, whose eyes have been absolutely destroyed by something which he will later explain was the slightest tip of the Storm Kings whip that ruined his face.

A human woman named Aneiva, slight of build with short cropped hair whose leg was ruined by a falling boulder rending her almost immobile

A dwarven noble, Horgus who is blessedly unharmed, but whose abrasive personality soon puts the remainder on edge.


Grunyier avoids talking to any of the others despite several of them approaching him. While the remainder tend to Aneiva, Aruvashneil, and Horgus, Grunyeir makes for the nearest exit while Nam follows after. Encountering a bloated spider the 2 are surprised when some enlarged maggots spring from its apparent corpse. Grunyeir takes a few bites but undeterred continues through the exit while Dresden chases after him trying to convince him to wait for the others. Grunyier rushing ahead finds a long abandoned campsite and exploring it is attacked by some vermin which cause significant wounds before Dresden arrives and together they clean out the area. Dresden tries to explain the benefit of acting as a group to Grunyier but the gruff dwarf insists on forging ahead. Several skirmishes with the local fauna leaves what healing supplies drained as Grunyier frequently finds himself far ahead of the slower group and surrounded by enemies.

Finding an ancient abandoned temple to Torag. After clearing it some giant flies and an undead dwarf, Nam and Dresden set to cleaning the temple. While Nam does not follow Torag he still wishes to respect another deities place of worship. Fidgit spends his time seeing to the needs of Anevia, Aruvashneil and Horgus. Grunyier convinces Zuriel to scout ahead with him, finding a cavern with carved frescoes that Zuriel gleans represents the First Crusaders they also spot a number of bat like creatures hanging from the ceiling. Grunyeir throws one of his axes and soon finds that the creatures are far more dangerous than he anticipated. Both creatures sink razor teeth into the dwarf who collapses from blood loss, leaving Zuriel, her small pet leopard and a summoned eagle to face off. Through skill and luck Zuriel emerges from the fray and finds that Grunyeirs thick head was at least good enough to keep him from bleeding out. She drags the dwarf back to the temple of Torag but now without any means of healing Grunyier is left to heal on his own.

The following day Zuriel prepares some healing magics but wishes to save her limited spells, none of the still conscious members begrudge her and with Nam throwing the wounded dwarf over his shoulder the party finally moves out as one group. They pass by the frescoes that Grunyier and Zuriel had seen the other day, the blinded Aruvashneil excitedly demanding a complete description as he is something of a conspiracy buff and always suspected that the First Crusaders had a prolonged exposure to the warping energies of the Abyss which resulted in bizarre traits passed on to their children. Pressing on only a few more minutes and the group walks straight into a ragged looking dwarf who fires a crossbow bolt and some spells at them. Unable to calm the dwarf, Nam and his elf companion bring him low. Looting a moldy spellbook and not much else the group presses on and finally scaling a large lip come to a vast open cavern which shows some collapsed ruins. Malformed humanoids referred to as mongrelmen appear from behind some rubble and after the groups assure each other they mean no ill will the mongrelmen ask for their aid.

The battle above had caused several quakes, one of which trapped one of their party under a large slab of rubble. Resigning themselves, the group uses the last of their healing supplies to awaked Grunyier, bring him up to speed and secure a promise from him not to run ahead half cocked. Using all their might the group is almost able to life the slab off the pinned mongrelman, the debris that keep it from crushing them starting to shift. Aruvashniel summons a celestial aurochs to aid and with that the group saves the pinned mongrelman. An rather attractive man with lizard features running down one side of his face thanks the group and introduces himself as Lann. He mentions that their village is nearby and they would be welcome to return, restock, and they could provide guides to the surface.

The combined groups make slow time with all the injured but are not accosted by any local fauna. Horgus is disgusted by the creatures, Aravashneil facinated. Just before reaching the village the group encounters some dead surface soldiers dressed in Iomedean heraldry. However on searching them holy symbols to Baphomet are found. Nam is incensed at what he feels are vile demonic lackeys masquerading as holy knights and drags the bodies with him. Intent on getting to the bottom of this.

The mongrelmen village is small but stocked enough that the group is able to resupply. The chief is a hideous amalgam of human and fiend features, while most manage to keep their disgust covert, both Aravashneil and Fidgit are enamored. Dresden asks the chief if he knows of any meaning to a clasp he found where they first fell, a bat squatting on a mushroom. The chiefs face is lost in thought for a moment before he thanks the elf for showing him this. It belonged to his son who left many years ago, the Chief gives the heroes his magical morningstar as thanks for bringing him this token of his missing boy. The chief declares that he and his people still honor their Crusader ancestors, and if they will have men such as them above he will pledge his men to the fight. Fidgit, Dresden and Horgus explore the village and with Fidgit desperately trying to win the affections of some of the most bizarrely endowed citizens Dresden and Horgus make bets as to his suspected success.

Come morning the group departs with their guides, reaching the hold of a splinter group of mongrelmen that the chief had warned have turned away from their more noble heritage to darker dealings. The guides depart, and entering the stronghold the group begins clearing out rooms. Nam rushes through a nearby door only to be doubly impaled by 2 soldiers in Baphomet heraldry. Undeterred the paladin roars and rushes towards one of them only to drive the polearms further in, his body going limp before he reached his target. Filled with rage at seeing the one man who stood up for him Dresden rushes in to avenge his fallen friend. The soldiers are dealt with and soon the group descends down a floor to clear out this nest of iniquity. Finding a stunning golden sword and some documents that will surely do some good on the surface the group continues through.

At the end of the fortress a small labyrinth holds an Inquisitor, Oliver, Nams brother. While Oliver is saddened by the loss of his brother his heart is lifted to know that he fell bringing the fight to the enemy. Oliver leads the group back up the route he had taken to get down searching for his brother. Finally emerging into a far different Kenebres the group takes in the situation and their options.

Horgus wishes to be immediately returned to his home
Anevia wishes to return home to find her wife Irabeth
Aravashenil wishes to be taken to the Blackwing Library
Then there are the documents that were recovered from below which mentions 3 safe houses those allied with the demons could use.

The group settles on Horgus first and find his manor blessedly untouched. True to his word Horgus pays the party but then demands they leave him and shuts his door. Moving towards the Blackwing Library the party finds a number of citizens trussed up while an unhinged crusader yells at a terrified librarian to stack the books better in what is obviously meant to become a pyre. The group moves in and while the tiefling goons fall quickly, the crusader deals some devastating blows to Oliver, dropping him but the inquisitor holds on and survives the fight while the rest of the group finally puts the crusader down. Aravasheneil thanks the party for all their assistance but insists that they leave him at the library as he now finds himself the ranking Riftwarden.

Arriving at Anevia and Irabeths home Anevia rushes in to search for her wife. Following her in the party finds the home empty but as Aneiva moves towards the bedroom a fire beetle suddenly appears in the home and moves to attack. The party easily puts the creature down only to find another appear. Khazad spies a slight shimmer out of the corner of his eyes and directs the party towards it. No loner able to hide behind his invisibility an Orc caster emerges from the corner and attacks Anevia almost to the exclusion of everyone else, but this many foes in a confined space easily puts this orc to the sword. Aneiva inspects the corpse and tells the party that this orc was an old foe of Irabeths. Anevia searches the bedroom and from a hidden alcove recovers some potions and a note from her wife telling her to come to Defenders Heart, an inn to the north.

Making their way towards Defenders Heart the group avoids some snakes and bats before arriving. They are challenged by several guards from far away to provide the password, not wanting to scream out the secret password, Fidget begins casting to magically whisper it to the guards, who seeing an unknown arrive and cast a spell upon being challenged fire several bolts that strike the gnome. Throwing up his hands and yelling the password the group is escorted inside where Irabeth runs forward into her wifes arms. After they have a moment to themselves Irabeth thanks the party and requests a debriefing of their exploits. The group hands over the documents recovered from below as well as let Irabeth know about the mongrelmen and their desire to aid the defenders. Irabeth peruses the documents and offers a reward for each site should the party investigate them.

Zuriel and Grunyier remain behind at Defenders Heart while the others hit all 3 sites. The manor house mentioned is in ruins, nothing to be gained there. Topaz Solutions, a store to the north has several citizens inside. The party suss out that these citizens have been looting the city, the leader offers a bribe from one of their bags, but Fidget catches one of the looters hide another bag out of the corner of his eye. Fidget agrees to taking a cut but from the bag they were trying to hide, which turns out to contain a plethora of weapons, masterwork, cold-iron and others. The looters refuse to return to Defenders Heart and sneak out while the party searches the building for any trace of Templars, with Khazad spying a hidden door leading into a secret basement.

Dresden asks Fidget to watch the stairs while the rest go below. Finding a trap below Dresden, Oliver, and Khazad face off against a poison cloud and a screeching plant creature. Killing the creature and gathering all the items of interest the group moves for the final site. Providing the password the group pretend to be Templars and gain entry. Taking the Templars by surprise the group takes the leader Faxon prisoner and returns to Defenders Heart. Irabeth pays the group a stipend for each site searched and provides rooms for them. The following morning the entire group is summoned by Irabeth to a war council. The defenders have determined that Arlelu Vorlesh, the woman responsible for the WorldWound in the first place plans to corrupt the remainder of the Wardstone somehow. Irabeth proposes that all Defenders Heart remaining soldiers launch an attack across the city to help draw out the defenders at the Grey Garrison, where they are holding the Wardstone, so that the party can infiltrate the site and destroy the stone so that it can not be used against the Crusade.

Arriving outside the Grey Garrison the party finds 2 bloated figures guarding the door. One of which Dresden identifies as a local noble but his previous form is hideously stretched. Their weirdly grinning faces as the group advances gives no doubt where their loyalties lie. Putting the 2 men to the sword finds an odd worm like creature erupting from the corpses which is also eliminated. Dresden tries the front door and finds it barred from the inside. Using his thieves tools Dresden manages to slip a thin strip of metal between the double doors and provide just enough leverage to push the bar out of its bracket. Sneaking inside Dresden hears some laughing from the room to the left and a hallway stretching to the right. Coming back to the party Dresden hands out some potions of invisibility to Grunyier and Khazad, Dresden will put Oliver in some shadow locked manacles and claim to be part of the Templars, then when they are distracted and the invisible party members have put themselves into position they will attack.

The plan goes well enough, Dresden kicks Oliver forward and the group of 6 tieflings stand, one of them gestures with his head to follow down the hall to speak with their boss. However neither Oliver, in his faux shackles, Dresden in his disguise, nor the 2 invisible accomplices Khazad and Grunyier make their move to attack. So when the tiefling leading Dresden and Oliver down the hall, passes by the still opened front door he sees Fidget standing just to the side. The jig is up and a swift few seconds later all tieflings are sent to the boneyard. Dresden admonishes Fidget for not hiding better but the gnome is at a loss why the 4 bruisers did not follow the aforementioned plan. Chalking it to fog of war the group moves in, seeing the terrible state the Templars have left this temple of Iomedae in Fidget begins magically cleaning the site as the group sneaks forward. Dresden spies an ornate display that seems to match the golden sword and sword case they had recovered beneath the city. Giving a thought to his friend Nam, Dresden pulls the ornate blade out from his pack and returns the holy relic to its rightful place. Offering a prayer to his fallen comrade Dresden moves forwards.

The first floor is swiftly cleared out. Coming to a large chapel like room the group encounters a grey skinned tiefling alchemist. The group is not able to land enough blows before the tiefling throws a smoke cloud down and manages to escape through the door leading to the second floor. Fidget is called to inspect the alchemists lab as no one else has any knowledge of the arcane. Dresden notices the outline of a secret door towards the end of the chapel and using his tools manages to trip the catch and find a hidden armory which the group outfits themselves with as needed. Oliver having picked up an adamantine morning-star uses it to finally break down the door leading upstairs. The prolonged door antics however have given the tiefling ample time to gather allies and with the martial members rushing upstairs they find themselves beset on both sides by tieflings, zombies and cultists, a dangerous situation when one of their opponents is throwing exploding flaming concoctions. Dresden manages to nimbly maneuver between and through the scrum to reach one side but Oliver, Khazad, Zuriel, and Grunyier take significant burns.

Zuriel eats several crossbow bolts and falls down the stairs while attempting to put out the flames. Oliver falls to the flaming onslaught and Fidget rushes into the fray, healing potion in hand bringing the Inquisitor back up, but then becoming the target for the next flaming bomb. The splash damage plus existing flames sees Oliver pass out again, but keeps him from deaths door. Unable to reach the alchemist to stop his bombardment the party instead withstands his onslaught until the alchemist reaches down and finds no more bombs. The immediate danger endured the party cuts their way through the rabble and finally puts an end to the alchemist. The group secures several stacks of papers indicating troop movements and moves to clear out the remainder of the second floor. Dresden spies into the next room and sees it is covered with blood and filth, several bodies gently swaying around some sort of alter. The elf informs the rest of the situation and rushes in to cut down 1 of the figures, now revealed to be more zombies. Khazad, Grunyier and Zuriel move in to assist. With no room left to maneuver Oliver rushes through the next door in search of heresy to purge, Fidget follows behind to keep an eye on the curious human. Oliver finds a disturbing goat like man in the next room, the 2 look surprised to see each other, then the goat thing lowers its head, lets out a bellow and charges at the Inquisitor. Oliver takes the hit to his chest and finds himself short of breath.

Having put to rest the last of the zombies to rest the party regroups with Oliver to assist in felling the goat demon. With 2 doors remaining on this floor, Oliver wastes no time healing or planning before rushing to the end of the hall and kicking the door in. Dresden sighs and kicks the second door in as well. Oliver finds 2 half fly monstrosities inside what appears to have once been the aviary. The fly like creatures cast a darkness spell and Oliver finds himself flailing about wildly. Grunyeir hearing the battle moves forward and using his natural dwarven darkvision takes point and spends the next 30 seconds or so holding the creatures at bay before he puts them down. Dresden opening the final door to the second floor finds some sort of wolf demon monster that lunges towards him, Oliver no longer of any use against the fly creatures rushes in to help as does Fidget. The wolf demon nearly eviscerates Dresden but Oliver crushes its skull and Fidgit heals the elf.

Turning invisible one last time, Dresden moves up to the tower of the Grey Garrison, coming to the landing he spies a large abyssal minotaur guarding a set double doors. Sneaking back down Dresden gives a quick run down and tells the rest to count to 10 then follow him up. The clanking of armored dwarves easily alerts the minotaur who strides forward and lands a crushing blow on Khazad. Dresden emerges from his invisibility and sinks both daggers into the minotaurs leg eliciting a loud snarl. Grunyeir, Oliver and Khazad lay into the beast and bring the monster down before it can do much more damage. Having exhausted all of their curative magics the group hopes that the worst is done with as they push through the final double doors.

Entering into a large semi circular chamber the group spies the large chunk of Wardstone behind a cage and a filthy feral mutated female as the final guardian. The battle is a protracted one, the casters spells keep the party mostly at bay though they do manage to land the odd hit, her wounds begin to add up and the blood loss slows her down until finally one of Zuriels summoned eagles talons finds purchase in her throat and tears it open. After a quick assessment of the body Dresden slides the Rod of Cancellation out of his pocket and steeling himself drives it into the Wardstone. There is a blinding flash, visions of important events in the Wardstones existence begins to play out in the minds of the each of the party. They see the Wardstones creation, they see the launch of the second Mendevian crusade, they see the Storm King land a devestating blow to the Wardstone which leaves only the slightest crack before Terendelev appears and begins tearing the demon lord to shreds, they see Irabeth fighting some opponent who smashes the paladins knee but before he can deliver the killing blow is forced to flee as reinforcements arrive, they see the feral priestess they just defeated make a Wish to a creature in this very room that encases the Wardstone in the cage they found it in. Finally they see a vision of what may have been, the Wardstone corrupted, the energies expelled travelling along the border and all crusaders along the front lines transformed into demons.

The visions fade but the energies emanating from the Wardstone persist, all the party find themselves unable to move while this power flows through them and when the visage of a beautiful but deadly woman that matches the description of Arelu Vorlesh appears the group can only watch while the enraged architect of the Worldwound attempts to strike them down with foul magics. But whatever the Wardstone is doing in its death throes seems to protect the group, Arelu instead opens a rift and starts to send what appears to be a countless wave of demonic foes to finish off the interlopers. The Wardstone suddenly gives off one final dazzling burst of light, Arelu screams in rage and pain as her body is broken and ripped to pieces, the blow near fatal. The portal shuts, while the endless horde of demons was unable to pass through a half dozen babaus did scramble through, just one should be more than enough to rip the party to bloody shreds. However each of them finds there previous woulds healed, a soft glow suffuses them and while this feeling is fleeting they can feel the power of the Wardstone flowing throughout their beings. The demons barely able to make a mark on the heroes while even a simple punch leaves shattered limbs on the babaus. The party makes fast work of the demons, then looking at each other in a new light, collects the bodies of fallen paladins and Templars of note for clerics to interrogate later and departs for Defenders Heart.


Irabeth excitedly greets them on their return. It seems that when the party completed their objective a great light shone out of Defenders Heart and along the entire border. Demons everywhere howled in rage and pain, and most have since fled the city. The group relays their experiences, and the Paladin nods solemnly. The remaining defenders of Kenebras could use the aid of the heroes to clear out whatever pockets of resistance remain. All agree, and split off to lend their aid where it will do the most good. 5 days of rebuilding and hunting down cultists and demons later, a runner finds Fidget and Oliver working in Defenders Heart. Bringing news that Queen Galfrey is a few short miles outside the city and requests an audience with the Heroes of Kenebras. Oliver is a nervous wreck and hurries off to weave a basket to present to the queen as a gift. Fidget, having never met with a queen agrees to a private audience while they wait for the remainder to arrive. It only takes a few short minutes together for the gnome to make the queen uncomfortable enough that she announces she will take a private stroll through the area while the rest are assembled.

When everyone arrives, Oliver sheepishly hands the queen his hand woven basket, to her credit she takes it and fawns over it as if it were made from precious metals. Getting down to business the queen thanks them for their service, and informs them that when they destroyed Kenebras's Wardstone it triggered a chain reaction along the border. The power from all the Wardstones had surged through the one they destroyed, now all that remained of that once cosmic power resided within each of them present. While there are those among the crusade who blame the heroes for the loss of the Wardstones protection the queen assures them that she is not one of them. But she proposes to silence all doubters the party accomplish a task that even a week ago would have been impossible. Retake the city of Drezen.

Queen Galfrey explains that when all the Wardstones gave their death throes to empower the group it caused a temporary but overt shift in power along the front. Now the demon hordes are sending the bulk of their strength to the southern border to shore up protection there against an incursion of the 5th Crusade, they have left the northern city of Drezen relatively unguarded. If the group led a small but powerful army north to retake the city and recover the Sword of Valor, a magical banner once carried by the Goddess Iomedea herself. Not only would all doubts of the groups loyalty be silenced but they would reclaim a powerful foothold in the Worldwound, one that the 5th Crusade could use to finally strike at the very heart of the demonic incursion. The others are silent and begin to assent for various reasons, only Fidget holds out asking what sort of recompense they would be offered to undertake this dangerous mission. The queen counters that she has nothing to offer so Fidget proposes that should they succeed in retaking the city that Queen Galfrey grant him land outside Drezen. Some bargaining back and forth yields an agreement for 60 acres outside Drezen, should the group succeed.

The queen mentions that this is the 5th crusade and she intends it to be the last, one way or another. Rumors of the queen mention that she is well over 100 years old and was present during the 1st Crusade. She advises the group to gather what equipment and allies they need, the army awaits them outside the city. Fidget asks if the queen has a personal physician with her, one that could magically regenerate lost limbs. She does, in fact even now Anevia's leg is being restored, both her and Irabeth request to accompany the army. Fidget asks that she send her physician to Aravashneil and restore the elf's sight. While that is being seen to Fidget finds Horgus and convinces the dwarf to come to Drezen with them. While riding out to see the army the Queen explains the qualities needed to command such a force, being the fabled Heroes of Kenebras should any of them wish to command they may do so, her soldiers are well trained enough that they would be able to function even under a novice Commander. Grunyier desperately wishes to command but his lack of training and all around unpleasant demeanor quickly make apparent he is unsuitable. Oliver offers his Wisdom and though he would be a better fit that the dwarf the inquisitor fails to inspire those around him. Fidget finds the idea fascinating and offers himself to command the army, thinking it a lark. Grunyier becomes near violently vocal against the gnome commanding anyone, which only further piques Fidgets interest. While he has no military training, the group does reluctantly admit that the gnome does inspire greatness and is well spoken enough that he could pull it off. Grunyier still upset at the thought demands that Irabeth lead the army. Zuriel, and Khazad think it over and agree. Fidget makes a case for himself, while Oliver at first tries to counter the gnome he soon finds the small sorcerer deftly putting his fears to rest while highlighting his strengths and soon the Inquisitor is nodding along and Fidget finds himself an ally. Dresden is securing his belongings so his vote held in limbo, Fidget asks Irabeth if she would have any reservations following him.

Irabeth looks to the group and flatly exclaims that while Fidget is an odd, odd little gnome she would follow any of them without flinching, even into the abyss. She believes that the gods put this group where they are for a reason and if that means she takes the orders of an at times creepy little gnome to put the demonic threat to rest, then so be it. Irabeths vote sways Zuriel and Khazad, but Grunyeir pouts and exclaims that Fidget will never be in charge of him. Fidget reprimands him,

"That's Commander Fidget, of the army Fidget's Fifth, will never be in charge of me"

The name of the army is immediately and unanimously shot down. The group reach the camped army and the Queen introduces the group to the Captains. Soisel a cleric, Nurah a bard, and Aron a rouge specializing in infiltration. Not one for words the queen bids them luck and departs. Fidget speaks with the selection of 2 ponies and chooses the irate rude one which he renames Bandit. Riding up to address his army Fidget gives them a rousing speech and orders them to march towards Drezen. Visiting all the scribes, bards, and messengers Fidget orders them to refer to the army as Fidgets 5th until further notice. Grunyier spends his day with the troops tacitly avoiding Fidget. Fidget remains with Irabeth relying on her soldiering experience to advise him, and trying to find a way to ingratiate himself into her and Anevias bed. Dresden and Aneiva scout ahead and report on the land. Zuriel, Khazad, and Oliver remain among the soldier for the most part.

The end of the first day of marching into the Worldwound the army finds the still smoking remains of a small village. Fidget orders the army to camp just outside and scouts to be sent in to search for survivors. While none are found extra food and supplies are recovered and the army presses on at dawn.

The third day Aneiva and Dresden report that a small army of tieflings now holds what should have been a friendly held check point ahead. Fidget rouses the men and gives them a stirring speech as they march forward into their first engagement under their new commander. Whether beginners luck, divine providence or something else, Fidgets 5th performs remarkably. The tiefling army is not even given the opportunity to rout before it is wiped from the battlefield with Fidgets 5th suffering not one single casualty. Grunyier mocks Fidget for not leading from the front like he was. While Fidget doesn't particularly care what the dwarf thinks of his command style he still assigns him latrine duty for the insubordination. Several prisoners are rescued from the battle, a handful is all that remains from the garrison that once stood here. Fidget offers to take them with us to earn some payback, but the leader thanks them and speaks about returning to Kenebras to report on the developments. Fidget can see that not all their scars are physical and accepts, horses and supplies are made available and the dozen or so survivors are sent on their way with best wishes.

On the 5th day towards dusk Aneiva and Dresden report that 2 enemy armies lie ahead in a canyon. A larger army of tieflings and a smaller army of dretches. Fidget summons his small council and puts it forward that if they risk pressing the attack now they may find themselves fighting in the dark, a disadvantage to their mostly human army. The vast majority wish to bring their blades to bear so the order is given and the army presses on. The second battle is far more protracted, the first was done almost before it began but this time when the last cultist on the field expires it is well past dark. The army while exhausted, thankfully suffered no causalities. A bright flash of light at the lip of the canyon above shows a cloaked figure, but with none of the heroes having a way to safely pursue the order to make camp in the ruins is given.

Towards the end of Grunyiers watch he is suddenly cut across his shoulder as a dark figure appears and flies past back into the sky. Before the dwarf can react the figure swoops down again and slices him along the arm. The dwarf draws his great ax and taunts the flying creature who suddenly lands and advances. Grunyier hastily wakes Oliver nearby and charges out to meet the opponent head on. Oliver grabs his morning-star and follows. Even using the inhuman abilities granted to them by the Wardstone the fight is close with Grunyier and the demon barely holding onto consciousness, the demon gives a satisfied smirk and suddenly teleports away to the dwarfs frustration. Hearing the combat some paladins rush forward to give aid, with that Grunyier retires for the night.

Morning of Day 6 and the army strikes camp and proceeds into the canyon. Around afternoon Irabeth points out some ruins towards the top of the canyon and mentions that several religions build shrines along the way, sometimes they stored a cache of equipment which might have survived all this time. Nurah is against stopping as they have a finite amount of supplies and time. Fidget calls for the army to make camp here as he and the small council will check the ruins out. Ascending the steep embankment is easier said than done for some but soon all are up. Dresden scouts ahead and just manages to spy some movement coming from one of the stone statues, gargoyles. Battle soon joined, the gargoyles land a few blows but are outclassed and soon destroyed. Dresden scouts through what once was a stable and the group recover some masterwork and some magical weapons. Dresden comes across a gathering of ghouls and with the surprise attack and efficient use of the mythic abilities granted by the Wardstone the ghouls barely have a moment to react before they are destroyed.

A few rooms down the group spies a winged demon along with more ghouls. The ghouls are dealt with swiftly, but the demon deals some devastating blows to Oliver who falls and nearly succumbs to death. The creature is dealt with, Oliver restored and the party find a small strongbox with coins and gems. The remainder of the ruins are explored and just when the group is ready to head out a loud boom is heard from the court yard. Grunyier rushes out first and is struck with a blast of negative energy, almost bringing him to his knees. The others soon rush out, while Fidget gives Khazad the ability to fly. The hyper intelligent bat thing that Gruyier flees from and cowers in the room lands and is quickly surrounded by everyone except Grunyier and Fidget. The bat grins and everyone feels a slimy tendril enter their minds, all but Grunyier shake it off while the dwarf now finds himself unable to move at all. The party stabs and bites and smashes at the bat but most the intent behind their blows seems to glance off. Fidget steels himself and sends a tendril of his own magical energy into the creatures mind and suggests that it doesn't want to leave, it wants to stay down here on the ground and use its teeth and claws, then Fidget moves away and out of sight.

The demon bat grins and everyone around it including Grunyier feel the bat trying to suck their life force away. Again only the dwarf finds himself unable to resist and now Gruyier can feel his spirit hanging by a thread. The bat creature claws and bites dealing severe blows the party but unable to put any of them down. Fidget prepares to drop Grunyier into a magical 30 foot pit to keep him away from the bat but Dresden deals devastating attacks to it and Khazad finishes it off.

Bloodied but victorious, Oliver announces that come dawn he intends on consecrating this temple, Fidget announces that all are welcome to camp below or here as they see fit, but he will send a contingent of Paladins up to clean the ruins of the temple through the night.



Thoughts

Phew, that became a bit of a slog to get through. The details kind of fell to the way side about half way through.

As may be apparent in play style Tims player is Grunyier this time around. I don't think I mentioned it above but at one point I tried to just have my character talk to his, I introduced myself and asked his name, to which he replied,

"I have a 30 foot move speed to your 20, I ignore you and walk away"

Great, the interesting part to this dynamic we now have in character is now that we are mythic I can craft any magical item, and am happy to do so at cost, for my friends, of which Grunyier has been very vocal about not being.

The player has asked a few times what things I can make and I've always been honest but if he asks me to make him something without repairing this rift hes going to have to pay full market price. In game I've purchased a bunch of painting supplies and beads, ribbons and just a whole Etsy wet dream. I've also got the ability to cast any arcane spell and I've found one that allows people to stay awake and keep watch all night while still benefiting from rest provided they refrain from vigorous activity. So the plan, if he cant think of how to repair that rift, is to have the 2 of them stay up all night braiding each others hair and telling stories for D6+2 nights. Its something stupid but it will give him what he wants while still forcing him to acknowledge hes been kind of an ass.

I'm playing Fidget as an Enchantment focused sorcerer, obsessed with new experiences. While still far too young to concern himself with he bleaching he still is trying to have the most new experiences that he can. So I've told the GM, sex, drugs, anything that is new to him is interesting and almost nothing is taboo, its grossed some of the characters out, but only Grunyeir seems to have some kind of vendetta from it. As of this point we are level 6, Mythic tier 1.