The Necromancer was living, and this isn't necromacny he's using, as you remember from your time in Limbo. Taken into consideration his power is fueled by a demon that wasn't the Prince of Undead, Orcus as well, you can confirm the magic shielding him is likely not undead either. You let out a roar of might as an image of Bahamut surrounds you as you call upon the Platinum Dragon to fuel your strength. (11+11) Your flail bashes into the shadows, dealing (3+3+5+6+5+2+8) damage! He still stands, and so, you channel your magic as an Avenger to create a ring of fire before you and strike your foe as you run your fist through the middle, hurling the halo of fire at him! (19+11) You strike true, burning him with a holy fire and dealing (5+5+4+6+8) damage!
The flames catch and you see as the shadows weaken and don't regenerate the hulks innards, revealing a very weak and heavily injured Necromancer. Alexander moves up and rips him right out of the shadows, and slams him headfirst into the ground before the shadows and holding his bloody face up.
"TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW!"Alexander for once is showing anger. His usually emotionless behavior seemed to break as the necromancer is now before him. He tries to raise his arms but the shadow body is absorbed by the now active portal.
You all hear sometihng in a dark, fell tongue and Nadarr's pocket starts to burn as he drops to the ground and clutches his pocket. Karl notices this is the same pocket that held Olon's Master's Ring. You see the pain is badly hurting Nadarr and Aurel rushes to aid him. The Necromancer takes this moment to break out of Alexanders grip by punching him in the skull, breaking his nose. Blood runs down Alexander's face as he clutches his face and lets go of the Necromancer who darts for the portal!
Alexander throws his blade at the Necromancer, catching his leg and hamstringing him. The Necromancer hobbles across the bridge, obviously slowed immensely by his wound. Alexander drops his other blade and both reach the other side and the Necromancer stands only five feet from the portal as you watch Alexander grab and throw down the Necromancer, ripping off his hood. You see his face is burned half off from the jawline down, the other reveals him to be an older, aged man. You hear a
SNAP as Alexander breaks his good leg. The Necromacner screams as his body seems to grow with age. His magic is fading, and so is his life. Alexander punches him, breaking the Necromacer's nose in kind. And then again, as his glove skids off part of his forehead. Another hit and another
CRACK as Alexander dislocates his jaw. Alexander then mounts on top of him and continues to beat down what appears to be a sad old man who was seemed to be well over a hundred years of age. Every punch is echoed with a crack as teeth start flying out and his skull cracks open. Alexander screams as he beats down his foe, blood flying out of his gloves at every punch. After a minute, he stops, leaving only a bloody pulp of blood, torn flesh, skull shards and brain matter before him. He stands and stares into the portal.
"... I remember..."Alexander begins laughing like a madman as he strips down naked, ripping off his gear, his armor and even his clothes. He stands arms outstretched to the portal, laughing still as he shouts.
"THARIZDUN, I HAVE RETURNED! YOU CANNOT TAKE FROM ME NOW, ONLY GIVE!"You see chains latch onto his arms and legs as he laughs maniacally as they wrap around him, giving him new clothes, armor and two blades chained into his back from the hilts. He turns to you, his voice confident, mad and filled with demonic energy.
"It's been a pleasure. But now that I remember everything, I will take delight in slaying all of you. But I have things to attend to, so I will let you get stronger before you're worth my time. I'll be waiting for you all in the abyss!"He begins to chuckle, then laugh and then roar with laughter as the chains grab him and pull him into the portal, which closes and snaps in half. Nadarr's burning sensation ends, but things take a turn for the worse. The whole cavern starts to quake and more rocks start to fall. Magma starts to rise up towards the platform. Nadarr throws Isbat and the Necromacner in his bag of holding while throwing Alexander's stuff in Alexander's bag. Karl ((I hope)) grabs the unconcious Cromwell and the party bolts across the bridge, now twisting and turning with the quakes!
(?) (?) (?) (?) (?) (?) (?) The party makes it across in record timing, but magma still rises and the snapping of steel is heard as the platform falls into the magma, splashing its hot liquid everywhere. (?) (?) (?) (?) (?) (?) (?) The party dodges the magma, and runs up a stairwell that was carved out on this side of the cavern. You rush upstairs and hear distant screaming as you run up the stairs that seem to actually be of dwarven make.
Faster and faster you go, and finally seeing a door up top, Karl bull rushes it open, knocking the door off its hinges and bursting into a hallway with a very strange stone door with a lever. Thoradin slams the lever down and you see a bright light as the door slowly opens. You shield your eyes as you see sunlight for the first time in days. It is sundown.
You look out to the fields before you, once a wasteland and filled with undead, is now a wasteland covered with skeletons, fallen corpses and foes, all falling as the Necromancer's power is drained. You see a few people clad in similar grey robes scream as their power is gone. Upon seeing you, they start to run, but a familiar creature burrows out from under them, slays both and feeds on them hungrily. Off to the distance, you see your mounts perfectly untouched and the cart still intact (though they devoured what's the grass around them and look sorely thirsty and hungry).
Sundown brought an end to the evils over this place. You all fall over down on the ground and take a moment to rest. The quaking stopped as the door opened the secret way in. Thoradin chokes up a laugh.
"I knew I was close ta findin' this before the undead found me."His eye wound starts bleeding, but he laughs as he starts to patch it up with Alexander's now torn clothing. You also notice now that Symon and Aurel stand before you naked, and you give them something to cover them up in the meantime. Cromwell awakens shouting curses as and then realizes where he is and laughs along with the others. Nadarr's eyes stop glowing blue as he sees Aurel before him. He stands staring at the man who was as close to him as his kin in his homeland and begins to shed tears as he hugs his brother in all but bond. Aurel looks a little displeased at Nadarr doing so, but hugs back anyway. Cromwell takes a nap as does Thoradin. Slowly, a deep sleep follows as you earned the rest.
Awakening, not long before dawn, you look back at the waste and see Thoradin feeding the horses and letting them drink from the river. You see a shoddy but much sturdier bridge in place now made of several logs tied together and cut so its flat. Its wide enough to carry a horse and cart through.
"Come with me, lads. There's someone I'm sure ya want ta see off while I load you your share of the treasury."He leads you all towards the Tomb of The Toady One, where you all, save Aurel, stand filled with awe.
"You have done it. I thank you upon all the slain here. Those who became husks were taken back to their homes before the magma slew them. The forges is now hardened and burning hot obsidian, and the weapons of the past are all gone like a purifying flame.
And it will stay that way. I will now bestow unto you all, the gifts I promised you.
Thoradin Stormbreaker of The Old Home, unto you I bestow the right of rule; Like the phoenix rises from the ashes, you will rebuild this place under your once mighty family's name. Your honor will be restored as you become the overseer and King of this place as decreed by Moradin himself. You will sire many sons, each will become a great warrior and you will live a long and happy life.
Unto you, Cromwell Jackson of the far off world, I give to you a portal gem. You may use it only once though. Your friends can go with you as well.
Unto you, Weston Luck-Tester, Avandra has given me to pass unto you her Blessing of Confidence. May that confidence grow more even when you doubt your power.
Unto you, Nadarr the Wizard of Dark Secrets, I give to you the Gift of Knowledge. This book holds many secrets for you to learn. May your thirst for knowledge never be fully quenched as you learn and grow.
Unto you, Karl, Heir to the Blade of the Foe Slayer, I give unto you the boon from the Raven Queen herself. She bestows unto you her Shroud. May you aid in her never ending quest to guiding those of their time to the next life.
The last two, Symon the Champion of Bahamut, and Aurel, the Crimson Deceiver, the gods have given you their boon and have allowed you to return to the world of the living as your gift. May you live out your resurrection praising those who marked you and gave you strength.
I will leave the world of Mortals now. One last gift I bestow unto is a piece of knowledge:
Be wary of the thing you carry and wish to return. It is a thing of dark power, and in the wrong hands, would cause a calamity far worse then what took place here.
Farewell, Champions of Stormbreaker Hold. Your heroism has brought forth a new dawn unto these Halls from the endless night that plagued it. Your story will be told until the end of days.
May your brews be strong and your will stronger."You watch as the holy presence fades. Though it doesn't feel a safe haven from all evils, you feel as if this place is still sacred and the entire place has become a home.
You walk out as you watch the sunrise over the hill and Thoradin uses the bags of holding to start bringing you all your treasure. You can't help but notice the leaves on the once green trees falling as fall starts to take hold. The cool breeze doesn't smell foul anymore.
Hours pass, and Thoradin loads onto your cart 6/7ths of the entire dwarven treasury. Then the hardest part came to you: the burial of Isbat and the heads of two reanimated allies.
Before you left, you buried Isbat, Gonzou's head and Grot's Skull under the tree that you left your mounts by. It was short, and Thoradin did most of the work digging for you before you all awoke. It was sad, but you knew that they are now at peace.
"There is no price of gold that I can give ya for the debt that ma people and I owe ya six. I know ye're in a hurry to return back, but I have already sent word ta the dwarves you met before as well as the other Mountainhome ma people stayed at. We will rebuild, as we always have. Ye're always welcome in our halls, as it is yer home as much as it is ours.
I want ya ta take this, as a parting gift. It is ma family's prized heirloom. I want ya ta keep it, and when you ever need 'elp, show the dwarves there that necklace. They'll know yer a friend ta the dwarves.
May our fortunes rise and fall together!"He bows to you as you head on your way back to town on the horses who now have returned some of their strength. You feel sad to be leaving him, but there was work to be done... And treasure to count.
LOOT LIST ((To avoid checks, and you were here all day, I assume you took all day checking the gear of the necromancer and anything else Thoradin gave you as you have nothing to do since Thoradin insisted on doing all the work. This also included the dragon's hoard))
- Gloaming Shroud Cloak +2 (Upon noticing it, this seemed like the REAL treasure kept in the vault)
- Staff of Withering +2
- Frost Dagger +2
- 8,000gp of valuable bars and coins each
- 30 assorted gems worth 1500gp total per person
- 15 ornate, non-combat weapons of dwarvish make
- 10 sets of ceremonial full plate armor
- Several assorted gold, silver and platinum statuettes
- 2 Obsidian Steeds (currently assisting in pulling the REALLY heavy cart of goods)
- 2 bags of holding (excluding Alexander's)
- Alexander's Gear
-2 bastard swords
- Hide Armor
- Adventurer's Kit
- Climber's Kit
- Hunter's Kit
- Dagger Boots
- Filter mask
- Regalia
- 2 Sacks (which you use to carry loot)
- 4 sunrods
- Waterskin
- Shovel
- 2 Bottles of Wine
- Artisan's Tools
- Bedroll
- Leather Armor
- Scale Armor
- Bag of Holding
- Thieve's Tools
- Dagger of Submission +1
- Badge of the Berserker +1
- Sunblade Bastard Sword +1
- Lamp of Discerning
- Deepfarer's Pouch
- Oathblade Bastard Sword +1
- 1614gp 1sp 3cp
- Isbat's Gear (You notice his bracers are very special, as they are heart touch bracers)
- 2 Belt Pouches
- 3 Waterskins
- 150ft of Hempen Rope
- Leather Armor
- 18 Days worth of Trail Rations
- Bedroll
- 10 Torches
- Cloak of Resistance +1
- A strange looking bastard sword with the word "Fuurinkazan" written on it in elvish script
- Dagger
- Heart Touch Bracelet (You notice there's a second one of these missing. This means the person who has the other bracelet is aware of Isbat's death)
- Cold Weather Clothing
- Bottle of Sakke
- Artisan's Tools
- Another strange looking Farbond Bastard Sword +1 with the word "Beinihime" written on it in elvish script
- Spike Gauntlet
- The 8 Legs of the Blade Spider that Slew Symon (used as broadswords) (Symon feels uneasy around these as they still are uncleaned of his own blood)
- The 2 mandibles of the blade spider (used as sickles) (Symon is even more uneasy with this as a piece of his neckbone is stuck on it still as well as plenty of blood)
- Symon's Holy Symbol (returned)
- 6 pints of Oil
- Symon's Flail (returned)
- Backpack of Concealment (returned)
- Fine Clothing
- Ruby Scabbad
- Shockweave Leather Armor
- Wavestrider Boots
- 899gp 6sp 3cp
The Journey seems to take shorter time returning as you make a quick stop to Mosstone. There, Benn the retired Sailor and War Priest hails the party.
"Oi! Lads! I think you better stop for the day. There's something I must show you."The old man rushes and grabs Symon as he dismounts and pulls him towards his house, the others following.
"I don't know what ya lads are gonna do, but please, don't upset 'er more then she already is. Hasn't stopped crying since we found her outside of town, clutching to tha last inche's of 'er life.."He opens up one of the bedrooms in his house and a familiar figure lays covered in bandages and cuts. Tears stain the area near her as she lies face up. She looks over at the door, her once beautiful and youthful face is badly wounded. Her eyes meet Symon's as his meet hers. Her face shows pure shock and at the same time, relief and joy.
"I... I..."She starts to cry as she smiles.
"... I'd thought I'd never see you all again... I know you can't forgive me for what I have done... But the gods served me justice for that... I'm lucky if I'll ever be able to sing again, let alone walk..."She coughs and sniffles from her gentle weeping that in a burst turns to large sobs of joy as she smiles.
"The shadow creatures attacked her about a half day's hike from here. Poor lass barely escaped with her life. She was crawling and crying when I found her on my way South to meet an old friend. My old friend had to wait as my calling as a healer came first. I brought her here, and she was barely alive. My magic didn't seem strong enough to heal all her wounds in time. Her legs were both broken, her sword arm broken in three places and became nothing more then a lump of flesh, and her arm she was using was broken as well. And the countless wounds that cut deep and she was making worse as she crawled.
But her greatest wound was her broken heart. She wouldn't stop hurting from the guilt of abandoning you all. She wouldn't stop weeping about it, because she thought without her, you would all die. And she knew that if you survived, you wouldn't forgive her. As much as I talked her out of it, seeing you on the road, I knew you had to see her to ease her pain.
I'll leave you lads and lass to talk. I'll be outside if anything happens to her."He does just that as he sits down on his chair on the front porch.
"... I know that you can't forgive me, but I cannot apologize enough for my cowardice. And I paid for it. I lost the respect of my comrades, and I thought I lost... I lost... I thought I lost you, Symon..."It was hard to get out as her voice is shaky with that last part. She starts crying, her wounded and cut cheeks turning red with embarrassment. You also realize, from how her eyes never left Symons, she has either not noticed or seen Aurel. Or Symon's neck scar for that matter.
((And now excuse me while I go cry a bit from the music I put on for when I wrote that last part + what I wrote. Enjoy the extra RP.
Also, everyone has now gained exactly enough XP to level up to level 5, save those who are already there. This will even out the XP ranges that I found out I messed up...))
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Topic: Lets Play Dungeons and Dragons (4th Edition): 86 Days Remain... (Read 340667 times)