New Frontiers #94

[GM Mad]

New Frontiers #94


Wrasseldown ain’t what she used to be. The inhabitants are long gone, having been turned into undead monstrosities by members of the Deville Family and their allies. Their struggle with the Guardians continues…

"I don't think so, Thelma," Yusef says calmly. He considers trying to throw it to Argent, who he has seen flying about, but doubts she'd be able to hear him over the din of battle. Instead, he tosses it behind him and moves to grapple his great-aunt.

After tossing the staff, Yusef advances on Thelma. She should be annoyed and angry over this, but remains almost inhumanly calm.

“Enough of this foolishness.”

Thelma speaks a single word and its affect upon Yusef is immediate. His mind reels from the word and he can no longer form coherent thoughts. Everything transpiring around him blurs.

“Be thankful I only stunned you,” Thelma adds, primarily to herself as Yusef can no longer hear her. Stepping around Yusef, Thelma goes to retrieve her staff.


Close by, the struggle between Sir Acerion and Lord Baracus continues. Acerion connects once more, blowing away a portion of the undead Hextorite's torso. What looks like mummified skin and muscle go flying out, but they are completely dry as there is no blood remaining inside him. Lord Baracus makes another wild swing that Acerion steps away from. Sir Acerion settles the issue with a powerful overhead strike that splits Baracus’ skull in two! The Hextorite stumbles backwards a few steps before falling over.

Pausing to catch his breath, Sir Acerion scans the loft. The woman called Thelma stands a few feet behind the body of Lord Baracus having retrieved her staff. The white-skinned demoness clad in black eyes over the paladin.

“You are more than human,” she says without emotion. “I may have to dissect you at some point just to see how different you really are.”

While Sir Acerion holds his axe up to defend himself, Thelma simply bends down to take a closer look at Lord Baracus.

“I have told you before, Baracus, your emotions would be your undoing. But that is the curse you’ve been inflicted with, so it is to be expected. Your gift to Hextor seems to have failed. There will be no redemption for you this day.”

Reaching out, Thelma touches Lord Baracus on the chest. She casts one last glance at Acerion.

“Should our paths cross again, I will not be so merciful,” Thelma emotionlessly states. “This experiment has reached an unsatisfactory conclusion.”

With that, she and Baracus wink out of existence, much like the Harpy did before. There was no spellcasting involved. An innate ability was used.

Sir Acerion scans the barn for sources of evil. None remain. A few minutes later, Yusef comes to his senses. He is no worse for wear from the spell Thelma used on him.

[GM Mad]

Over at the general store, Baron Validar and Sherra are now separated from the wand-bearing drow by a small fire that quickly burns. The Baron moves forward and helps Sherra to her feet. After giving the dark-haired woman instructions, Validar reaches out to close the door to the room holding the drow. Sherra dashes back down the hallway to the stairs to the ground floor.

As he goes to close the door, Validar can see the room much better thanks to the light of the flames. The room now seems empty! No drow can be seen. It seems that they just vanished mysteriously. He does spot what appears to be a harp laying on the floor in the back of the room…


The fighting continues on the main street in town. Argent uses the energy stored in her tiara once more and generates a Lightning Bolt that fries more of the undead. That coupled with Ivy Turning Undead and Crysania’s combat prowess takes care of most of the northern flank of undead.

In the middle of the formation, Serena casts Magic Missile at an undead rushing Lyonessa. Five missiles are fired off and each strikes the undead, slaying it. Seeing that the northern flank is now secure, Lyonessa turns her attention to the southern one. She sends her Spiritual Hammer forth to assist Chareos and Sir Corley.

Chareos strikes the undead hit by Lyonessa’s hammer and it goes down. Sir Corley removes two more with his Greatsword. In a few minutes all the foes before them are defeated.


Sir Acerion, Yusef, Sherra and Baron Validar rejoin the others in the street, but much of the horde has been destroyed. Those that do remain can be hunted down and slain easily enough. Both Ivy and Serena destroy these things when they turn them. Coupled with the skill of the warriors present, the final outcome is not in doubt. The entire battle took about ten minutes.

The Wall of Fire has faded, but the other magical barriers still remain. Several buildings are burning due to the magicks used in the battle. Their flames light up the darkening sky as evening approaches. There are enough priests to heal those who have been wounded. The conflict in Wrasseldown has ended.


Now what?

[Validar]

Baron Validar -

Sending Sherra down towards the stairs, Validar is ready to block the drow in the room behind the fire. But as he moves to close it, the fire illuminates the room and he sees clearly that it is empty. "Apparently, the drow have teleproted away he says, as he sees the harp on the floor. Interesting. There appears to be more to this ambush that it would at first seem."

Validar turns and heads after Sherra quickly due to his magickal boots, as Argent may be hitting this place with an area affect spell any moment. While he has had some success with his new magick resistance, he'd rather not experience a Fireball for no reason.

Back in the street, the fighting seems to have ended. The undead that remain have been destroyed and there appear to be no more enemies. Even the Wall of Flame has gone out by now.

With night approaching, the fires light up the night sky. "It seems that the battle is ended, but considering the circumstances, it is hardly correct to call this a victory," Validar says to the assembled group, gazing around at the destruction and destroyed undead that remain. Victims that were once citizens of Cynalon and of the Streel Duchy.

"I think it is clear that we must destroy without hesitation and without fail the enemies who have assembled against us. What do we know about the enemies we faced this day?"

Validar will direct the group to extinguish the fires that have been started as well, as there is no reason for the town to be as complete a loss as its citizens. "We should inspect the areas that the undead came from for clues, as well as the surrounding buildings. We should scan for magick as well as any more Undead and Evil beings, just to be certain, as well as whether and magick was left behind. Some may have survived the attacks against the drow. That done, we will return to Jallarzi's mansion and inform the Duke what has transpired."

Once they have explored the town and managed to keep it from burning down, Validar will return to the troops and have them camp near the town. Then we will get the others left here and enter the Mansion to explain today's events to the Duke.

[Yusef]

Yusef:

“Enough of this foolishness.”

Thelma speaks a single word and its affect upon Yusef is immediate. His mind reels from the word and he can no longer form coherent thoughts. Everything transpiring around him blurs.

“Be thankful I only stunned you,” Thelma adds, primarily to herself as Yusef can no longer hear her. Stepping around Yusef, Thelma goes to retrieve her staff.

The mystic word from his great-aunt hits Yusef like the kick of a mule. Staggering back, he grabs his head and bends over, fighting the urge to puke up everything he's eaten today. It's all he can do to retain some idea of her movement as she fetches her staff.

As far as he can tell, Thelma then speaks with Acerion a bit, then departs magically, taking Baracus with her.

Over the next few minutes, the spell effects fade until Yusef is back to normal. Looking over at Acerion, he asks, "What just happened?"

---

They make their way out of the barn to rejoin up with the others outside. Baron Validar appears shortly thereafter. It appears that everyone survived, which pleases Yusef, and he contributes what he can to any healing efforts needed.

Yusef moves over near Sherra. <"How fare you?"> he asks in the Thothian language she's been teaching him. <"I am glad to see you looking well.">

With night approaching, the fires light up the night sky. "It seems that the battle is ended, but considering the circumstances, it is hardly correct to call this a victory," Validar says to the assembled group, gazing around at the destruction and destroyed undead that remain. Victims that were once citizens of Cynalon and of the Streel Duchy.

"I think it is clear that we must destroy without hesitation and without fail the enemies who have assembled against us. What do we know about the enemies we faced this day?"

"The leaders were my great-aunt Thelma of the Devilles and a powerful undead she referred to as Lord Baracus, who was apparently a servant of Hextor. From what she said, it sounded like she was working for him, rather than the other way around. Thelma said that the plan had actually been conceived by her sister Abigail, and that this location was chosen in part because we - or rather, you - were expected to come this way.

"As for these undead creatures, apparently they were a creation of Baracus', with Thelma's help. One of their traits is the ability to transform those they kill into more like themselves, making them a potentially-growing army of undead."

Validar will direct the group to extinguish the fires that have been started as well, as there is no reason for the town to be as complete a loss as its citizens. "We should inspect the areas that the undead came from for clues, as well as the surrounding buildings. We should scan for magick as well as any more Undead and Evil beings, just to be certain, as well as whether and magick was left behind. Some may have survived the attacks against the drow. That done, we will return to Jallarzi's mansion and inform the Duke what has transpired."

Yusef will summon the spirit wolf again and direct it to search the area around the barns and nearby buildings, and notify him of anything unusual or any living people it detects.

[Lyonessa]

Lyonessa:

In the middle of the formation, Serena casts Magic Missile at an undead rushing Lyonessa. Five missiles are fired off and each strikes the undead, slaying it. Seeing that the northern flank is now secure, Lyonessa turns her attention to the southern one. She sends her Spiritual Hammer forth to assist Chareos and Sir Corley.

Chareos strikes the undead hit by Lyonessa’s hammer and it goes down. Sir Corley removes two more with his Greatsword. In a few minutes all the foes before them are defeated.

Serena deals with the charging undead effectively, so Lyonessa turns to help Sir Corley and Chareos. She deals a final blow to one and they finish off the rest. Looking around, she lets out a sigh of relief that the battle is over. As her magical hammer fades away, she assists with the healing of her friends.

"I think it is clear that we must destroy without hesitation and without fail the enemies who have assembled against us. What do we know about the enemies we faced this day?"

"The leaders were my great-aunt Thelma of the Devilles and a powerful undead she referred to as Lord Baracus, who was apparently a servant of Hextor. From what she said, it sounded like she was working for him, rather than the other way around. Thelma said that the plan had actually been conceived by her sister Abigail, and that this location was chosen in part because we - or rather, you - were expected to come this way.

"As for these undead creatures, apparently they were a creation of Baracus', with Thelma's help. One of their traits is the ability to transform those they kill into more like themselves, making them a potentially-growing army of undead."

Lyonessa listens with dread as Yusef answers Validar's question. "That would help explain why I have never encountered undead such as these before today," she says with a shiver. "Such evil to create a horror like that."

Validar will direct the group to extinguish the fires that have been started as well, as there is no reason for the town to be as complete a loss as its citizens. "We should inspect the areas that the undead came from for clues, as well as the surrounding buildings. We should scan for magick as well as any more Undead and Evil beings, just to be certain, as well as whether and magick was left behind. Some may have survived the attacks against the drow. That done, we will return to Jallarzi's mansion and inform the Duke what has transpired."

Lyonessa will direct Dusk to scout once more. This time of night should be good for his sight. She will even have him check the nearby countryside. While she waits for his return, she will help as best she can contain the fires.

[Chareos]

Chareos

As the inhuman creations come on, bringing his Quarterstaff to bare he watches and waits for an opening as a magical hammer slams into one. Lashing out with his staff the abomination drops to the ground. In a few short moments the tide of the battle turns, the remaining creatures try and turn and flee.

Chareos will help hunt down any remaining undead, using his magic as he sees fit.

As dusk fast approaches, as the fires light up the night sky, Chareos can’t help but lose himself in thought. So many died and turned into these ‘creations’; his hand holding his staff begins to turn white as the anger within mounts. The only recourse is that perhaps they will find peace as the priests destroyed what was left of their bodies.

“What manner of man would create such horrors. Never before have I felt such rancor.” Kneeling down he closely examines the body of the undead taking in the long claws and sharp teeth.

With night approaching, the fires light up the night sky. "It seems that the battle is ended, but considering the circumstances, it is hardly correct to call this a victory," Validar says to the assembled group, gazing around at the destruction and destroyed undead that remain. Victims that were once citizens of Cynalon and of the Streel Duchy.

"I think it is clear that we must destroy without hesitation and without fail the enemies who have assembled against us. What do we know about the enemies we faced this day?"

“There may still be some matters yet to learn. During the course of battle I dropped an ice wall upon a dwelling where magic was emerging.” Pointing to the debris, “Screams of pain soon filled the air right before the onslaught, the bodies may still be there and perhaps with Tymora’s good graces may yet still be alive and if not perhaps the priests may commune with their spirits.”

If it seems fit, Chareos will go to the collapsed building and slowly begin to move the timbers asking Sir Corley and perhaps an archer or two to watch over just in case. If the bodies are recoverable perhaps their spirits will converse.

“It may not be fitting for a noblemen to do such work, my friend. But could you help me move these timbers?” he asks Sir Corley.

If there are any bodies, he will place them separate from the undead and remove their gear, if he is able to.

[Validar]

Baron Validar -

"I think it is clear that we must destroy without hesitation and without fail the enemies who have assembled against us. What do we know about the enemies we faced this day?"

"The leaders were my great-aunt Thelma of the Devilles and a powerful undead she referred to as Lord Baracus, who was apparently a servant of Hextor. From what she said, it sounded like she was working for him, rather than the other way around. Thelma said that the plan had actually been conceived by her sister Abigail, and that this location was chosen in part because we - or rather, you - were expected to come this way.

"As for these undead creatures, apparently they were a creation of Baracus', with Thelma's help. One of their traits is the ability to transform those they kill into more like themselves, making them a potentially-growing army of undead."

Validar listens to Yusef's explanation. "A self-replicating army?" Validar states, a bit hesitantly. "That is certainly a trouble of utmost concern to our lands. Any place that is unprotected and undefended could end up adding to their swelling ranks. I am loathe to consider what could happen on a larger scale."

Lyonessa listens with dread as Yusef answers Validar's question. "That would help explain why I have never encountered undead such as these before today," she says with a shiver. "Such evil to create a horror like that."

"Indeed, Lyonessa of Mystra. It is good that we have not encountered such an enemy before. What about you, Ivy? You are the expert on undead here. We need to determine if there is some way to counteract the effects and also determine how the transformation takes place. Is it done at death or simply through a bite? Finally, it would be helpful to have some sort of defense against these creatures. How can life continue when faced with such a dread enemy as this? The common man is nearly defenseless against such horrors."

“There may still be some matters yet to learn. During the course of battle I dropped an ice wall upon a dwelling where magic was emerging.” Pointing to the debris, “Screams of pain soon filled the air right before the onslaught, the bodies may still be there and perhaps with Tymora’s good graces may yet still be alive and if not perhaps the priests may commune with their spirits.”

"Indeed, there is still much to learn," Validar responds. "Examine the area you mentioned. Take one or two others with you in case the enemy is trapped, but not dead and still looking for some trouble. They seeemed to carry wands, so they could be a danger and also if we can retrieve those magickal devices, it would help our combat abilities significantly."

"Any more information we can find would indeed be helpful. It seems that our enemy knows more about us, than we about them. Also they knew we were coming this way rather than through High Guard." Validar hestitates for a moment as further dread rides slowly up his back. "Unless the enemy also affected High Guard in the same manner," Validar says with some trepidation. "We will need to check on that town as quickly as possible. I will ask Jallarzi to teleport there in the morning to make certain they did not affect towns on both routes."

"If they did then there is serious power we are opposing. If not, they they learned of our plans. In eithe case, we must deal with this enemy sooner rather than later. And in total. The Devilles appear to be a powerful enemy with many connections."

Validar considers his thoughts for a few moments as the Guardians begin going about the final actions of the battle. Validar will approach Yusef. "We should discuss what you know about the individuals in the Deville family. We are dealing with numerous individuals, working both independently and in conjunction, and any information about them may prove advantageous."

Validar will also try to find out what sort of injuries anyone received from the undead. "Those individuals should be under care if only of a observational method, as we do not yet know how this plague is transfered."

"We must take care moving forward of our plans. If the enemy has some insider, then we must root them out. If they are scrying us, we must determine such and counter it, if possible. And we must defeat the enemy in total, not just drive them away as we did this day. However, I am pleased with how well we countered their attack and how much damage we were able to do. Everyone should look at this combat and adjust your ailities to take into consideration we will see similar tactics and worse."

"While we have dealt a blow to the Hextorites with the battle in New Keln, there still remains individuals who are operating against us. And the allies assembled are still quite numerous. There were drow and Hextorites with Ember's allies, as well as the humanoids. We may be dealing with someone more behind the scenes who is directly all these factions."

In the Mansion conjured by Jallarzi, Validar will meet with the Duke and any other individuals who wish to attend. He will specifically ask those on the Lords Council to be there: Sir Corley, Sir Acerion, and Lady Gabriella, as well as Yusef, Crysania, Ivy, Jallarzi and Serena. Everyone else is welcome to join.

"Duke Relon, we have learned a bit more about the ruthless and totally evil enemy which we face in claiming Elcadan and the rest of the Streel Duchy. While we were victorious in driving away the enemy, the citizens of this land were the ultimate casualty. Wrasseldown has been a complete loss to the wicked and vile experimentation of Lord Baracus of Hextor and Thelma Deville. The undead they created using the good people of Wrasseldown are not only an abomination, but a self-replicating army that creates more of their own through their destruction. It could become a tide of evil that is too strong to overcome if we do not defeat them quickly. Our one hope is that this endeavor was considered a failure, due to our victory."

"My concern is that either they knew we were coming on this route or else they also destroyed the town of High Guard on the road to Elcadan, in order to block either route. If not, then they knew we were coming this way, which implies inside knowledge whether magickal or otherwise. Jalarzi, could you possibly check up on the citizens of High Guard to make certain that they have not succumbed to a similar gruesome fate?"

"We have to consider that there is a spy in our midst. Perhaps an advisor. It is something we must take steps against. And we must come up with a strategy to defend ourselves against the vile threat that exists. The towns are defenseless against such horror."

"We have to proceed, expecting to be assaulted at any turn. The Devilles and their allies have taken the earliest opportunity to strike at us. It will not end with this simple defeat. We must proceed with proper planning. I know, Your Grace, that you wish to move into Elcadan at the soonest opportunity and we will do what we can to ensure that happens with the utmost of safety."

[Acerion]

Sir Acerion:

Close by, the struggle between Sir Acerion and Lord Baracus continues. Acerion connects once more, blowing away a portion of the undead Hextorite's torso. What looks like mummified skin and muscle go flying out, but they are completely dry as there is no blood remaining inside him. Lord Baracus makes another wild swing that Acerion steps away from. Sir Acerion settles the issue with a powerful overhead strike that splits Baracus’ skull in two! The Hextorite stumbles backwards a few steps before falling over.

Although it couldn't have ended any other way, Acerion regards his inhuman foe for a moment. Some sort of undead he ponders. Then the woman steps up to him and he prepares for another round.

Pausing to catch his breath, Sir Acerion scans the loft. The woman called Thelma stands a few feet behind the body of Lord Baracus having retrieved her staff. The white-skinned demoness clad in black eyes over the paladin.

“You are more than human,” she says without emotion. “I may have to dissect you at some point just to see how different you really are.”

While Sir Acerion holds his axe up to defend himself, Thelma simply bends down to take a closer look at Lord Baracus.

"And you seem to have never been," Acerion replies plainly. "Although you will find it most difficult to study me like some bug in a jar," he warns.

Reaching out, Thelma touches Lord Baracus on the chest. She casts one last glance at Acerion.

“Should our paths cross again, I will not be so merciful,” Thelma emotionlessly states. “This experiment has reached an unsatisfactory conclusion.”

Acerion says nothing to her threat and watches her vanish. He had seen nothing that would make him fear her. She merely stood around and let others fail so she could escape and report back.

Over the next few minutes, the spell effects fade until Yusef is back to normal. Looking over at Acerion, he asks, "What just happened?"

"She fled with the body of her fallen champion, nothing more," the paladin replies. "Evil lingers here no longer." With that he turns and makes his way to meet up with the others.

Once rejoined, Acerion listens to what Yusef has to offer in response to Validar's inquiry. Once there is an opening, he speaks, "This Lord Baracus was undead, mummified perhaps, or something else entirely. What was most peculiar was the rage and fury he possessed, and yet seemingly no other emotions. It was, however, not enough."

Acerion listens with interest at the strange undead army and watches Ivy's reaction. This is a vile new threat that will devistate every village and township if not stopped. The devouted of Azrella will undoubtably mobilize once word reaches them.

Returning to the troops, Acerion reunites with his pegasus, patting him for a job well done. He will also find Jocasta, who seems a bit disappointed at being left behind.

"What troubles you?" Acerion asks her as he tends to his pegasus.

"That I wasn't there with you, and the others," Jocasta says.

"You were needed here in case we failed," the paladin replies evenly.

"How am I to learn anything if you leave me back here to tend to the horses?" she inquires.

Standing, Acerion turns to look at her, "I admire that fire, but you need to learn some temperance. There will be plenty of times for you to be in the thick of it, this adventure is just getting started. I will tell you more, but I must join Validar and the others."

As Acerion walks away, Jocasta's eyes follow him until they can no longer.

In the Mansion conjured by Jallarzi, Validar will meet with the Duke and any other individuals who wish to attend. He will specifically ask those on the Lords Council to be there: Sir Corley, Sir Acerion, and Lady Gabriella, as well as Yusef, Crysania, Ivy, Jallarzi and Serena. Everyone else is welcome to join.

Acerion meets Ivy as they are about to enter the mansion. He looks at her and says, "How are you faring, my lady?"

His own face is grim and he is certain of her reply. He too feels the pain of the thought of all those citizens and the horror they must have endured in their final moments. Their victory today was a hollow one.

Once inside, Acerion will listen to Validar's words, his own thoughts coming to the same conclusion. Either a spy or magical scrying is definitely at work.

Acerion offers up an idea to Validar, "Do you want me to walk through the ranks and see if I can sense anything, Baron? I am not entirely sure my ability to detect evil will pick out one who is possibly being manipulated subtley, but I should be able to detect any who are not what they might seem, spy or otherwise."

[Sherra]

Sherra:

Heading outside to get the attention of Argent, Sherra sees that the battle is winding down. Validar emerges a few moments later and there no longer seems to be any need to cause more destruction against the town.

Yusef moves over near Sherra. <"How fare you?"> he asks in the Thothian language she's been teaching him. <"I am glad to see you looking well.">

<"I am quite well,"> Sherra says with a smile at his efforts with the Thothian language. <"I rescued someone I am most anxious to see once we are done here.">

If it seems fit, Chareos will go to the collapsed building and slowly begin to move the timbers asking Sir Corley and perhaps an archer or two to watch over just in case. If the bodies are recoverable perhaps their spirits will converse.

"I'll watch over you," Sherra offers to Chareos as he explains what he wants to do. She will keep a watchful eye with her bow drawn and an arrow notched until he is finished.

Sherra also listens with grim horror at what the others fought. As if facing drow wasn't bad enough, but also undead and some vicious villains observing the whole proceedings. She will be glad to return to the encampment. Once there, she will search out for the young child she rescued and see if she will let her pick him up.

If the child is receptive, Sherra will spend the remaining hours of the night with him until he falls asleep. Despite the invitation, she will not join Validar and the others. She has no stomach for whatever important matters they need to discuss with the Duke. Tonight, she hopes to try to mend the heart and soul of what appears to be the only survivor of Wrasseldown.

[Validar]

Baron Validar -

Once rejoined, Acerion listens to what Yusef has to offer in response to Validar's inquiry. Once there is an opening, he speaks, "This Lord Baracus was undead, mummified perhaps, or something else entirely. What was most peculiar was the rage and fury he possessed, and yet seemingly no other emotions. It was, however, not enough."

"I see," Validar responds. "We do seem to have quite the collaboration united against us and our efforts. Hopefully next time we will be able to defeat them in total. Still I am pleased that we were more than a match for their abilities."

"I wonder if there is some connection in this 'emotion' issue or rather the lack thereof, or if it is simply a matter of what we are dealing with. It is only evil most foul who would be able to concoct such a plan as was hatched here in Wrasseldown."

"When this is all settled and the citizens who fell here avenged, we must erect a momument to their memory."


Once inside, Acerion will listen to Validar's words, his own thoughts coming to the same conclusion. Either a spy or magical scrying is definitely at work.

Acerion offers up an idea to Validar, "Do you want me to walk through the ranks and see if I can sense anything, Baron? I am not entirely sure my ability to detect evil will pick out one who is possibly being manipulated subtley, but I should be able to detect any who are not what they might seem, spy or otherwise."

"I think it is a very good idea. If you would join me when we are finished here, we can assemble all of the Duke's staff, as well as the troops outside. There is no reason to assume it is either someone close to the Duke or a simple soldier on the march and no reason to discount either at this point."

Validar will call for the Duke's staff to assemble, with the Duke's concent of course, and address them briefly. He will mention only that they were ambushed and that the town of Wrasseldown was a total loss of life, despite their 'victory'. He will tell them to be on guard, as we may be attacked again before reaching Elcadan. He will walk about as he speaks so as to allow Acerion to meander about as well and not draw any unnecessary concern from anyone.

Finished there, they will also assemble all the cavalry troops and mention the same. Be sure to have the cavalry on high alert for the evening as well as from here on out.

Afterward, he will move away with Sir Acerion and ask him if he has detected anyone unusual.

[Ivy]

Ivy:

Ivy utters Azrella's words of power once again and more of the undead are blasted out of existence from it. Seeing that the northern flank has been effectively destroyed, Ivy rushes to join the battle against the remaining undead. They have been forced to circumvent more barriers and in the process further spread their numbers out. Using her innate sense to detect the presence of these foul abominations, Ivy will continue to hunt them down until none remain.

Once the task is finally over, the full weight of what has transpired here hits Ivy. She cannot help but weep for the senseless destruction and loss of life. Those responsible must be punished.

“All the undead bodies that remain must be rounded up and burned. It is the only way to ensure that they cannot be revived at a later date.”

"I think it is clear that we must destroy without hesitation and without fail the enemies who have assembled against us. What do we know about the enemies we faced this day?"

"The leaders were my great-aunt Thelma of the Devilles and a powerful undead she referred to as Lord Baracus, who was apparently a servant of Hextor. From what she said, it sounded like she was working for him, rather than the other way around. Thelma said that the plan had actually been conceived by her sister Abigail, and that this location was chosen in part because we - or rather, you - were expected to come this way.

"As for these undead creatures, apparently they were a creation of Baracus', with Thelma's help. One of their traits is the ability to transform those they kill into more like themselves, making them a potentially-growing army of undead."

“You obviously possess more knowledge about the Devilles then you let on earlier, Yusef,” Ivy uncharacteristically snaps. “We had a meeting about this back at Karn’s Keep and yet you kept silent about them. Why is that? Didn’t you think that such information would have been useful to us? Whose side are you really on?”

Lyonessa listens with dread as Yusef answers Validar's question. "That would help explain why I have never encountered undead such as these before today," she says with a shiver. "Such evil to create a horror like that."

"Indeed, Lyonessa of Mystra. It is good that we have not encountered such an enemy before. What about you, Ivy? You are the expert on undead here. We need to determine if there is some way to counteract the effects and also determine how the transformation takes place. Is it done at death or simply through a bite? Finally, it would be helpful to have some sort of defense against these creatures. How can life continue when faced with such a dread enemy as this? The common man is nearly defenseless against such horrors."

“No,” Ivy answers, anger still in her face. “I never heard about such an undead creature like this before. Fortunately they were not all that powerful. Perhaps a bit more potent than a ghoul; on par with a shadow. But against an unprepared force they could be devastating. If there are any more of these things in existence, then they must all be hunted down and destroyed!”

“I am unfamiliar with any undead that spreads by way of a bite, like some kind of disease. I can only theorize that perhaps the venom has to kill its victim for the change to occur. We’ll have to watch Sir Corley closely to see if he shows any other symptoms. A Cure Disease or Neutralize Poison might remove its effects.”

Once rejoined, Acerion listens to what Yusef has to offer in response to Validar's inquiry. Once there is an opening, he speaks, "This Lord Baracus was undead, mummified perhaps, or something else entirely. What was most peculiar was the rage and fury he possessed, and yet seemingly no other emotions. It was, however, not enough."

Acerion listens with interest at the strange undead army and watches Ivy's reaction. This is a vile new threat that will devastate every village and township if not stopped. The devoted of Azrella will undoubtedly mobilize once word reaches them.

Acerion’s words bring Ivy back to the situation at hand and helps curb her anger and frustration. “Mummy-like you say? Was he slow and halting in his movements? He showed violent emotions? Then no, he could not be a mummy, at least that kind I was taught about. Perhaps he is some sort of special undead unique to that vile faith?”

Acerion meets Ivy as they are about to enter the mansion. He looks at her and says, "How are you faring, my lady?"

“As well as can be expected,” Ivy wearily answers as she seeks the shelter of Acerion’s arms. “I am angry and disgusted by what has transpired here. Just when we think things cannot get worse, they do. I weep for all those who fell to these vile Devilles. I shudder to think what would happen if things monstrosities were let loose in Elcadan.”

Sherra also listens with grim horror at what the others fought. As if facing drow wasn't bad enough, but also undead and some vicious villains observing the whole proceedings. She will be glad to return to the encampment. Once there, she will search out for the young child she rescued and see if she will let her pick him up.

Later on, Ivy hears about the child that Sherra rescued. “I can examine him if need be, Sherra. It’s a miracle that he could survive this tragedy.”

[Validar]

Baron Validar -

Once the task is finally over, the full weight of what has transpired here hits Ivy. She cannot help but weep for the senseless destruction and loss of life. Those responsible must be punished.

“All the undead bodies that remain must be rounded up and burned. It is the only way to ensure that they cannot be revived at a later date.”

"We will make it so." Validar will assign the task to Sir Corley to supervise.


"As for these undead creatures, apparently they were a creation of Baracus', with Thelma's help. One of their traits is the ability to transform those they kill into more like themselves, making them a potentially-growing army of undead."

“You obviously possess more knowledge about the Devilles then you let on earlier, Yusef,” Ivy uncharacteristically snaps. “We had a meeting about this back at Karn’s Keep and yet you kept silent about them. Why is that? Didn’t you think that such information would have been useful to us? Whose side are you really on?”

Validar is curious at Yusef's response to Ivy, so he simply waits to see how this plays out. Validar himself has wondered why Yusef didn't offer all the information earlier.


"Indeed, Lyonessa of Mystra. It is good that we have not encountered such an enemy before. What about you, Ivy? You are the expert on undead here. We need to determine if there is some way to counteract the effects and also determine how the transformation takes place. Is it done at death or simply through a bite? Finally, it would be helpful to have some sort of defense against these creatures. How can life continue when faced with such a dread enemy as this? The common man is nearly defenseless against such horrors."

“No,” Ivy answers, anger still in her face. “I never heard about such an undead creature like this before. Fortunately they were not all that powerful. Perhaps a bit more potent than a ghoul; on par with a shadow. But against an unprepared force they could be devastating. If there are any more of these things in existence, then they must all be hunted down and destroyed!”

“I am unfamiliar with any undead that spreads by way of a bite, like some kind of disease. I can only theorize that perhaps the venom has to kill its victim for the change to occur. We’ll have to watch Sir Corley closely to see if he shows any other symptoms. A Cure Disease or Neutralize Poison might remove its effects.”

"They were not powerful compared to us, but obviously they would be very powerful when compared to a normal army, or against defenseless citizens such as once lived here. As you said, the effect of this attack where was truly devastating in every sense of the word. I trust you will get word of such abominations back to your temple."

"As for the speculation that the wound needs to be fatal to transform one into this undead, that does seem reasonable. Another question is whether the toxin would remain in the body and how long. As the expert in such things, I put Sir Corley's care in your able hands."


Acerion’s words bring Ivy back to the situation at hand and helps curb her anger and frustration. “Mummy-like you say? Was he slow and halting in his movements? He showed violent emotions? Then no, he could not be a mummy, at least that kind I was taught about. Perhaps he is some sort of special undead unique to that vile faith?”

"It is unfortunate that he was reclaimed by Thelma Deville. We will likely have to face his kind again in the future. as Sir Acerion was already equal to the task, it is not a daunting prospect, but I wish to see these Devilles and all their allies destroyed for all time."

[Crysania]

Crysania:

Crysania continues to attack with her battle-axe, destroying any of the undead that come close enough. Once those undead near her are destroyed, she’ll see Ivy rushing off to engage more of the enemy. Knowing the great emnity that exists among her sect concerning the undead, the priestess is probably in a state that could only be described as a battle rage. So intent is she on destroying her enemy that she becomes blind to everything else around her. While such devotion is admirable, Ivy could unnecessarily place herself in danger. Crysania trails behind her, using her axe to best effect while keeping the priestess safe to destroy the undead.

After the undead have been hunted down and destroyed, the group gathers to discuss things.

Once rejoined, Acerion listens to what Yusef has to offer in response to Validar's inquiry. Once there is an opening, he speaks, "This Lord Baracus was undead, mummified perhaps, or something else entirely. What was most peculiar was the rage and fury he possessed, and yet seemingly no other emotions. It was, however, not enough."

Acerion’s words bring Ivy back to the situation at hand and helps curb her anger and frustration. “Mummy-like you say? Was he slow and halting in his movements? He showed violent emotions? Then no, he could not be a mummy, at least that kind I was taught about. Perhaps he is some sort of special undead unique to that vile faith?”

“There might be some truth to your words, priestess,” Crysania speaks up. “There are tales and myths about a special form of undead unique to the Herald of Hell. I have never encountered one myself, but it does seem to describe what Sir Acerion encountered. It is called an Animus.”

“According to the myth when a high priest of the Herald of Hell fails at some specially appointed task, they are killed. But then they are revived via a special form of Resurrection. But the revived is not alive, rather now is an Animus. He retains all the skills he possessed in life in addition to new unique abilities. Among them are rumored the ability to control undead, and immunity to spells and weapons. It is said that they are horrifyingly hard to kill, as if the blood of a troll courses through their withered and mummified bodies.”

“Animus try to pass themselves off as living beings and some can pull it off, but they are haunted by the memories of their mortal lives. They are said to be quick to anger and become full of rage in battle. They are cursed and they know it. The price of failing the Herald of Hell is a high one.”

“It could be that these undead monsters was this ‘Lord Baracus’ attempt to get back into the good graces of his foul master. An attempt to have the curse of the animus lifted from him, no doubt.”

"While we have dealt a blow to the Hextorites with the battle in New Keln, there still remains individuals who are operating against us. And the allies assembled are still quite numerous. There were drow and Hextorites with Ember's allies, as well as the humanoids. We may be dealing with someone more behind the scenes who is directly all these factions."

“That thought had crossed my mind as well, baron. I did note both Hextorites and drow during the assault on Corunglain, and again we find them here. This dark alliance is like a hydra with many heads. We find one head, but do not get a chance to strike at the body. I wonder if these drow here were ruled over by Krazzora?”

[Serena]

Serena:

The undead horde begins to thin out considerably. Spotting Ivy and Crysania continuing on after them, Serena follows also, using her own ability to Turn Undead to destroy them. Once the battle is over, Serena will direct the Fire Elemental to turn any undead near it to ash until it vanishes. But she’ll make sure that it does not catch any of the surviving dwellings on fire.

Afterwards, Serena mostly listens as the others speak. There are a few things she can add to the conversation.

“From your description of the spell you were hit with, Yusef, I’d say that it was a Power Word: Stun. As a means of comparison, that means she’s at least as powerful in magic as Jallarzi is. This Thelma is skilled at her art. The staff she carried could have been a Staff of the Necromancer. It’s like a Staff of Power, but slanted towards those who dabble in the necromantic arts.”

Validar will direct the group to extinguish the fires that have been started as well, as there is no reason for the town to be as complete a loss as its citizens. "We should inspect the areas that the undead came from for clues, as well as the surrounding buildings. We should scan for magick as well as any more Undead and Evil beings, just to be certain, as well as whether and magick was left behind. Some may have survived the attacks against the drow. That done, we will return to Jallarzi's mansion and inform the Duke what has transpired."

“There may still be some matters yet to learn. During the course of battle I dropped an ice wall upon a dwelling where magic was emerging.” Pointing to the debris, “Screams of pain soon filled the air right before the onslaught, the bodies may still be there and perhaps with Tymora’s good graces may yet still be alive and if not perhaps the priests may commune with their spirits.”

"Indeed, there is still much to learn," Validar responds. "Examine the area you mentioned. Take one or two others with you in case the enemy is trapped, but not dead and still looking for some trouble. They seemed to carry wands, so they could be a danger and also if we can retrieve those magickal devices, it would help our combat abilities significantly."

“Drow bearing wands you say?” Serena speaks up with interest. “I did sense malevolent magic in the dwelling that Chareos crushed with his Wall of Ice. The drow themselves, while evil beings, would not have been detected by me. What I sensed were evil magic items they carried with them…”

Serena unexpectedly pauses as if remembering something. “Mystra no…” she barely whispers.

Focusing back in on the conversation, Serena will add. “If any of you come across these wands, do not make physical contact with them. I doubt any of you would be prepared for it, should my theory be correct. Bring the wands to me. If what I suspect is true, then perhaps the most vilest form of magic was used on them.”

Acerion offers up an idea to Validar, "Do you want me to walk through the ranks and see if I can sense anything, Baron? I am not entirely sure my ability to detect evil will pick out one who is possibly being manipulated subtly, but I should be able to detect any who are not what they might seem, spy or otherwise."

"I think it is a very good idea. If you would join me when we are finished here, we can assemble all of the Duke's staff, as well as the troops outside. There is no reason to assume it is either someone close to the Duke or a simple soldier on the march and no reason to discount either at this point."

“Given the nature of the enemy, you may not find anything. After all, all these demonesses had to do was take the form of a simple peasant girl and engage any of these men in normal conversation. They could then use their innate abilities to charm any information out of them they desired. A man used in such a way wouldn’t even realize what he had done. That seems far more likely than to have a spy amongst us.”

[Corley]

Sir Corley:

Sir Corley continues to battle the undead horde. As their numbers thin out, he spies the Lady Ivy moving off to further destroy the enemy. Seeing others following the priestess, Sir Corley will as well. None of these creatures must be allowed to escape. In short order the enemy is defeated and the group gathers in town.

Validar will direct the group to extinguish the fires that have been started as well, as there is no reason for the town to be as complete a loss as its citizens.

“I can perform that task,” Sir Corley speaks up. “The new swords that I and Lord Chareos possess are said to be able to extinguish fires that they are thrust into. It’ll be quicker to use them as opposed to fighting these fires with water. Would you accompany me with this task, Lord Chareos?”

“There may still be some matters yet to learn. During the course of battle I dropped an ice wall upon a dwelling where magic was emerging.” Pointing to the debris, “Screams of pain soon filled the air right before the onslaught, the bodies may still be there and perhaps with Tymora’s good graces may yet still be alive and if not perhaps the priests may commune with their spirits.”

If it seems fit, Chareos will go to the collapsed building and slowly begin to move the timbers asking Sir Corley and perhaps an archer or two to watch over just in case. If the bodies are recoverable perhaps their spirits will converse.

“It may not be fitting for a noblemen to do such work, my friend. But could you help me move these timbers?” he asks Sir Corley.

“I will assist as best I can. ” Sir Corley responds. “After all, our enhanced strength does make us the best choice for the job.”

“I am unfamiliar with any undead that spreads by way of a bite, like some kind of disease. I can only theorize that perhaps the venom has to kill its victim for the change to occur. We’ll have to watch Sir Corley closely to see if he shows any other symptoms. A Cure Disease or Neutralize Poison might remove its effects.”

“The bite did burn initially, but as I battled on the pain did subside. No doubt thanks in part to my magical ring that heals me as I fight. I currently feel no ill effects.”

“All the undead bodies that remain must be rounded up and burned. It is the only way to ensure that they cannot be revived at a later date.”

"We will make it so." Validar will assign the task to Sir Corley to supervise.

Sir Corley nods his understanding. In turn, he’ll direct those Squires and cavalrymen not on patrol to assist in the task. The bodies are to be moved to the center of town so that they can be cremated.

[Argent]

Argent:

Argent’s Lightning Bolt removes most of the undead in the area. Those on the ground take care of the few that remain. The conflict comes to an end, but no one feels like celebrating. Argent is unusually quiet after what as transpired here this day. She doesn’t add much during the conversation that follows, other than:

“I’ll continue to watch the area from the air while my flight spell remains active. Just in case.”

Argent will rise up and circle the air, keeping an eye out for any new threats.

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:

The undead in Wrasseldown have been defeated. But much remains to do in the aftermath. The bodies of the undead are rounded up and burned. The Fire Elemental that Serena summoned performs this task while it remains. Sir Corley and Lord Chareos use their Frostbrand swords to put out burning buildings in town. While doing so, they come upon the remains of three drow taken out by Argent’s Fireball. All three are dead and only one wand survived the blast. Heeding Serena’s warning, they do not touch the wand.

Yusef summons a spirit wolf to search the area. It helps him locate a few of the undead stragglers that are quickly destroyed when discovered. No living beings are found. Dusk and Argent continue to perform airborne surveillance of the area.

Time passes and the spells invoked begin to wink out. The Wall of Fire faded earlier and the Blade Barrier and area of Spike Growth soon follow. The Wall of Iron remains, as it is permanent. The wall was wedged into buildings and those buildings helped support it. But as time passes the weight becomes too much. The timbers creak and groan under the stress until they finally snap! The Wall of Iron topples over, crushing anything underneath it. There was plenty of time for anyone in the area to vacate it before the wall fell.

The collapsing wall ripped apart portions of the two houses that Chareos hit with Wall of Ice. It’ll be a dangerous and time-consuming process to sort through what remains. The parts of the buildings that remain standing do not seem safe at all.


Elsewhere, Sherra checks up on the child she rescued earlier. He’s already asleep by the time she returns.


To the south of town, both Dusk and Argent notice riders approaching. It is a force of about two-dozen men. Dusk relays this information back to Lyonessa, while Argent gets close enough to hear them speaking.

“See?” A woman’s voice cries out. “It is as I told you! Pyrisian forces have invaded Wrasseldown! They’ve brutally murdered anyone they could find! All of my family, all of my friends are gone!”

“I see, woman, but my eyes cannot believe it.” A man answers in shock. “I swear to you that this violent act will not go unpunished! Sergeant Levine, take a squad of men and ride to warn Ansimont. Travel all night if you must. The rest of us will return to High Guard and alert the troops. We must be ready to defend our towns against this invasion force! Pyris has declared war on Elcadan!”


GM Notes:

You didn’t have enough time to gather back at Jallarzi’s Mansion and report to the Duke as of yet.

Now what?

[Argent]

Argent:

“When it rains, it pours”, Argent mutters to herself upon hearing the riders talking. The Devilles have arranged things to make it look like Pyris attacked Wrasseldown!

The riders split up and begin to ride towards different destinations. Argent is torn on what to do, but decides on flying back to report what she heard to the others. They’ll know what course of action to take.

[Yusef]

Yusef:

"She fled with the body of her fallen champion, nothing more," the paladin replies. "Evil lingers here no longer." With that he turns and makes his way to meet up with the others.

"That's surprises me," Yusef replies pensively. "I would not have expected anyone in that family to retrieve a fallen comrade."

<"I am quite well,"> Sherra says with a smile at his efforts with the Thothian language. <"I rescued someone I am most anxious to see once we are done here.">

<"Good work, Sherra"> Yusef replies. <"I had not expected to find any survivors. Perhaps we can learn more from them.">

Validar listens to Yusef's explanation. "A self-replicating army?" Validar states, a bit hesitantly. "That is certainly a trouble of utmost concern to our lands. Any place that is unprotected and undefended could end up adding to their swelling ranks. I am loathe to consider what could happen on a larger scale."

"Had we not convinced them that this experiment was a failure, as Thelma put it, we might well be finding out sooner than we like."

Lyonessa listens with dread as Yusef answers Validar's question. "That would help explain why I have never encountered undead such as these before today," she says with a shiver. "Such evil to create a horror like that."

Yusef can only nod in agreement with Lyonessa's sentiment.

“You obviously possess more knowledge about the Devilles then you let on earlier, Yusef,” Ivy uncharacteristically snaps. “We had a meeting about this back at Karn’s Keep and yet you kept silent about them. Why is that? Didn’t you think that such information would have been useful to us? Whose side are you really on?”

Yusef is taken aback by the vehemence expressed by Ivy. "Nearly all of what I told you I learned by talking with Thelma while Lord Acerion fought Baracus. Doing so served to keep her from using her spells on him and I thought it would be valuable to gain a little information.

"The truth is, that I know very little about my family other than a few names and such, which I doubt would be of any great use. As for the meeting, no one asked and I didn't feel that I knew enough to be of any real value."

Yusef looks at Ivy a moment later. "I thought I was on your side. However, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that my help is not wanted and that I will never be accepted among you."

"I see," Validar responds. "We do seem to have quite the collaboration united against us and our efforts. Hopefully next time we will be able to defeat them in total. Still I am pleased that we were more than a match for their abilities."

"I wonder if there is some connection in this 'emotion' issue or rather the lack thereof, or if it is simply a matter of what we are dealing with. It is only evil most foul who would be able to concoct such a plan as was hatched here in Wrasseldown."

"Baracus seemed disdainful of me, more than anything. Not really the same as rage, but still negative," Yusef says. "My impression was that his rage was triggered by seeing the symbol of Hextor's enemy. Thelma, on the other hand, seemed to have lost all capacity for emotion. This might explain why she might prefer the company of undead to humans."

Validar considers his thoughts for a few moments as the Guardians begin going about the final actions of the battle. Validar will approach Yusef. "We should discuss what you know about the individuals in the Deville family. We are dealing with numerous individuals, working both independently and in conjunction, and any information about them may prove advantageous."

"Certainly, Baron Validar," Yusef replies. "However, I fear you will find that it is precious little. I didn't have the opportunity to learn much about the family members other than the names of a few of the heads of the clan."

Validar mentions the possibility of a spy, which Yusef doesn't entirely dismiss. It's more likely that they just had a few people watching the roads, though. It wouldn't be that hard to track the movements of an army this large.

“From your description of the spell you were hit with, Yusef, I’d say that it was a Power Word: Stun. As a means of comparison, that means she’s at least as powerful in magic as Jallarzi is. This Thelma is skilled at her art. The staff she carried could have been a Staff of the Necromancer. It’s like a Staff of Power, but slanted towards those who dabble in the necromantic arts.”

"I'm not surprised; as one of the heads of the clan, I would expect her to be quite powerful. She mentioned that I couldn't have used the staff, so you may be right about it being specific to necromancers."

“Given the nature of the enemy, you may not find anything. After all, all these demonesses had to do was take the form of a simple peasant girl and engage any of these men in normal conversation. They could then use their innate abilities to charm any information out of them they desired. A man used in such a way wouldn’t even realize what he had done. That seems far more likely than to have a spy amongst us.”

"I agree. They might also have simply stationed a few men along the roads to keep an eye out and report on our movements."

As the search and cleanup begins, Yusef uses the senses of his summoned wolf spirit to locate undead stragglers. Those that are found are quickly destroyed. Letting any of these creatures get away could prove catastrophic.

At Validar's request, Yusef attends the meeting with the Duke. Validar reviews what they have learned thus far along with his suspicions and warnings.

Remembering how Ivy castagated him for not voicing those tiny motes of information he had, Yusef speaks up. "There isn't much I can add, but I will tell you what little I know.

"My father's grandmother was transformed into a succubus by Orcus. She cares little for anyone else and is a victim of her own passions.

"Her three daughters are what are known as Alu-demonesses. Josetta enjoys manipulating people, and may have impersonated the Duchess of Elcadan. Little is known of Abigale, though she seems to work with Josetta. Thelma, who we met, is a powerful necromancer. I have seen her disecting living people and other creatures as part of her studies.

"Between them, they had around two dozen children, of which my father is one. He in turn had a similar number of kids, mostly bastard slaves like myself. Others of his generation may have done likewise, so there may be hundreds of family members in total.

"Thelma's son Alexander is a fabled horror and feared even by the family. It may be he that stole Thelma's ability to feel emotions."
__________________________________________________________
In case it's not obvious: I have always played Yusef as the classic strong, silent type. He listens, but doesn't speak very much other than answering questions or when he feels he has valuable information.

[Validar]

Baron Validar -

Crysania explains some information about the supposed form of this Lord Baracus and that he is likely what they call an Animus.

"It appears our enemy manages to still get continued use out of his failures. A danger for us as these creatures are likely desperate to remove this curse or else relish in its power and likely to create all manner of horror such as we saw this day."


"While we have dealt a blow to the Hextorites with the battle in New Keln, there still remains individuals who are operating against us. And the allies assembled are still quite numerous. There were drow and Hextorites with Ember's allies, as well as the humanoids. We may be dealing with someone more behind the scenes who is directly all these factions."

“That thought had crossed my mind as well, baron. I did note both Hextorites and drow during the assault on Corunglain, and again we find them here. This dark alliance is like a hydra with many heads. We find one head, but do not get a chance to strike at the body. I wonder if these drow here were ruled over by Krazzora?”

"I do remember your story about the captives at Corunglain. We have already been faced with factions represented, so I see no reason to not expect Krazzora's hand in this at some point. Especially since there are indeed drow involved in this action. We should proceed expecting to face her and more of her minions."


Serena has some information to add about the drow and their wands. Apparently there is some particularly evil magick associated with their use.

"We cannot be certain that it is the wands that were what you detected, but to be certain, we should have everyone be sure to avoid the drow's belongings until Serena can better determine what is dangerous and what is not. I had hoped to add the wands'power to our own, but we may be faced with their destruction rather than their use."


"I think it is a very good idea. If you would join me when we are finished here, we can assemble all of the Duke's staff, as well as the troops outside. There is no reason to assume it is either someone close to the Duke or a simple soldier on the march and no reason to discount either at this point."

“Given the nature of the enemy, you may not find anything. After all, all these demonesses had to do was take the form of a simple peasant girl and engage any of these men in normal conversation. They could then use their innate abilities to charm any information out of them they desired. A man used in such a way wouldn’t even realize what he had done. That seems far more likely than to have a spy amongst us.”

"Indeed, we may not. But if it was I, there would be multiple methods of learning information in place in case one was compromised. In any case, it will not hurt to conduct the inspection simply because there are other possibilities."


Validar will direct the group to extinguish the fires that have been started as well, as there is no reason for the town to be as complete a loss as its citizens.

“I can perform that task,” Sir Corley speaks up. “The new swords that I and Lord Chareos possess are said to be able to extinguish fires that they are thrust into. It’ll be quicker to use them as opposed to fighting these fires with water. Would you accompany me with this task, Lord Chareos?”

"Very good, Sir Corley. The most expedient method is clearly best here."


“I’ll continue to watch the area from the air while my flight spell remains active. Just in case.” Argent will rise up and circle the air, keeping an eye out for any new threats.

"A wise course. While I do not expect another attack, who can say what our demonic enemies will try to do next."

...more to come...

[Lyonessa]

Lyonessa:

To the south of town, both Dusk and Argent notice riders approaching. It is a force of about two-dozen men. Dusk relays this information back to Lyonessa, while Argent gets close enough to hear them speaking.

Approaching Validar, Lyonessa says, "Dusk just relayed to me that a force of about two dozen riders is approaching from the south."

Lyonessa will turn towards the south and wait to see what occurs. If Validar thinks caution is advised, she will ready her mace and be prepared for a Charm or other spell.

[Sherra]

Sherra:

<"Good work, Sherra"> Yusef replies. <"I had not expected to find any survivors. Perhaps we can learn more from them.">

Sherra smiles easily since there is no way Yusef could know, <"I doubt we will learn much from one so young as the one I saved.">

Ivy and Validar begin to question Yusef at length for what he knows, although from what Sherra can gather, he really didn't know much more than a few names. Still, the loss of Wrasseldown has emotions high, so she stays out of it. Getting involved would only stir everything up even more. Hopefully Yusef fares okay and knows that if he needs to talk to her he always can.

Elsewhere, Sherra checks up on the child she rescued earlier. He’s already asleep by the time she returns.

Sherra can't help but smile at the child who was able to fall asleep. She wonders if he even was aware of how perilous things were. She will remain by his side for as long as she can stay awake unless something else is brought to her attention...

[Chareos]

Chareos

"I can perform that task,” Sir Corley speaks up. “The new swords that I and Lord Chareos possess are said to be able to extinguish fires that they are thrust into. It’ll be quicker to use them as opposed to fighting these fires with water. Would you accompany me with this task, Lord Chareos?”

With a metallic hiss, Lord Chareos looks at Sir Corley, “It would be my pleasure.”

“I will assist as best I can, ” Sir Corley responds. “After all, our enhanced strength does make us the best choice for the job.”

“It would probably be best if we used the broken timbers to fuel a fire for these bodies.”

The undead in Wrasseldown have been defeated. But much remains to do in the aftermath. The bodies of the undead are rounded up and burned. The Fire Elemental that Serena summoned performs this task while it remains. Sir Corley and Lord Chareos use their Frostbrand swords to put out burning buildings in town. While doing so, they come upon the remains of three drow taken out by Argent’s Fireball. All three are dead and only one wand survived the blast. Heeding Serena’s warning, they do not touch the wand.

Calling out to Serena, “Serena, We found a wand among the bodies!” Taking his staff he will nudge it from underneath the body. As he waits for her to arrive he goes and knees and flips the charred body of the Drow. “They look no different from that of an elf, it is amazing how one so alike can be capable of such horrid acts.”

(Not sure if it was overlooked but did anything survive the building falling down under the weight of the ice? Or was it the same building that got fireballed?)

[Yusef]

Yusef:

Sherra smiles easily since there is no way Yusef could know, <"I doubt we will learn much from one so young as the one I saved.">

"A child? That's great," enthuses Yusef, forgetting to say it in Thothian. "How is the little sprite?"

[Validar]

Baron Validar -

"I wonder if there is some connection in this 'emotion' issue or rather the lack thereof, or if it is simply a matter of what we are dealing with. It is only evil most foul who would be able to concoct such a plan as was hatched here in Wrasseldown."

"Baracus seemed disdainful of me, more than anything. Not really the same as rage, but still negative," Yusef says. "My impression was that his rage was triggered by seeing the symbol of Hextor's enemy. Thelma, on the other hand, seemed to have lost all capacity for emotion. This might explain why she might prefer the company of undead to humans."

"A chilling thought," Validar responds. "It is hard to imagine what such a being might do or be capable of. This could be but a tiny example of the atrocities imagined by these vile enemies of ours."


Validar considers his thoughts for a few moments as the Guardians begin going about the final actions of the battle. Validar will approach Yusef. "We should discuss what you know about the individuals in the Deville family. We are dealing with numerous individuals, working both independently and in conjunction, and any information about them may prove advantageous."

"Certainly, Baron Validar," Yusef replies. "However, I fear you will find that it is precious little. I didn't have the opportunity to learn much about the family members other than the names of a few of the heads of the clan."

Validar mentions the possibility of a spy, which Yusef doesn't entirely dismiss. It's more likely that they just had a few people watching the roads, though. It wouldn't be that hard to track the movements of an army this large.

"That is unfortunate. Knowing what we are up against is as important as the fight itself at this point. The unknown, based on their actions today, makes us have to prepare for almost anything."

“Given the nature of the enemy, you may not find anything. After all, all these demonesses had to do was take the form of a simple peasant girl and engage any of these men in normal conversation. They could then use their innate abilities to charm any information out of them they desired. A man used in such a way wouldn’t even realize what he had done. That seems far more likely than to have a spy amongst us.”

"I agree. They might also have simply stationed a few men along the roads to keep an eye out and report on our movements."

Serena and Yusef do not seem to think that the spy possibility is likely. "Granted Serena could be correct in that the spy is unknowing of his actions. And while it is impossible to determine which is more likely, taking action to ensure one is not the case does us no harm and may result in much good."

However, I do not think they could simply watch the road and know we were coming. Our cavalry had an advance guard which may have missed some hidden observer, but they would need some magickal means of rapid transport or communication as well as being very adept at hiding."

"More importantly, the time it would take to establish this evil plan here and enact it would mean this happened more than a day ago most likely. And we have only made the break at the fork in the road since the afternoon. Certainly, they had information at some point on the planned direction of the Duke's forces. Else they would have had to contingently affect Wrasseldown or High Guard. In truth it would be more logical to advance directly through High Guard to Wrasseldown if information were not available otherwise in advance and that would leave this option again unlikely 'just in case' we came this way."

"While anything is possible, I think it wise to give our enemy more credit for their plans and to take steps to protect against such possibilities."


Validar returns to his mount as the group goes about the business of securing Wrasseldown, estinguishing the fires, destroying the remains of the undead and searching for anything else of consequence. The town seems deserted and little left alive.

Before long however, there appears to be someone approaching.

Approaching Validar, Lyonessa says, "Dusk just relayed to me that a force of about two dozen riders is approaching from the south."

Lyonessa will turn towards the south and wait to see what occurs. If Validar thinks caution is advised, she will ready her mace and be prepared for a Charm or other spell.

"Thank you for the scouting, Lyonessa of Mystra. The question is whether they are friend or foe. Perhaps they are a patrol from a nearby town or a hunting party returning home. They may just as easily be a force for the enemy. Let the other Guardians know to assemble immediately. If we are in for a fight, I want to be ready."

Validar will quickly ride over to the cavalry commander. "Assemble half of your men at the south end of town immediately."

Validar will head to the south right away to get an idea of who is coming and whether friend or foe. He arrives in time to see the riders heading away in opposite directions and Argent approaches from the air. He gets her attention as she flies overhead.

Argent relates what she heard about them thinking that Pyris has invaded and sacked the town. The Baron is incredulous for a moment, then a frown reaches his face. This will be much worse if the riders manage to tell this fabricated and preposterous story to the nearby towns.

"We need to stop them, but without hurting them. Argent! Teleport ahead of the riders to the south. If it's possible, take Lyonessa with you. Do what you have to, but don't kill anyone. Help will be along in moments." Validar decides that the group going back to High Guard is the one hardest to catch. The others have to circle the town to head towards Ansimont.

Validar will ride back to where the Guardians are gathering. On the way, he will command the cavalry to cut off the riders heading north. "Head through town directly, then form a double skirmish row to create the look of more troops. If you are unable to cut them off, then pursue at a distance. Do not engage the riders. I don't want any violence." With the Pyris troops outnumbering the north-bound riders by almost three to one, there should not be an engagement caused by the riders.

Validar will then direct any of the assembled Guardians to follow the group Argent is attempting to stop. "Serena," Validar will say when he locates her. "We may need your teleport abilities to cut them off as well. If we can keep the riders in sight, you and perhaps Ivy could be teleported out ahead of them to try and halt their flight." Validar will have the remainder of the Guardians available and the squires join him to try to chase down the group heading north.

Hopefully they can both be caught and stopped.

[Lyonessa]

Lyonessa:

"Thank you for the scouting, Lyonessa of Mystra. The question is whether they are friend or foe. Perhaps they are a patrol from a nearby town or a hunting party returning home. They may just as easily be a force for the enemy. Let the other Guardians know to assemble immediately. If we are in for a fight, I want to be ready."

"Of course, Baron Validar," Lyonessa replies and hurries off to alert anyone who was not nearby, explaining quickly what is going on.

"We need to stop them, but without hurting them. Argent! Teleport ahead of the riders to the south. If it's possible, take Lyonessa with you. Do what you have to, but don't kill anyone. Help will be along in moments." Validar decides that the group going back to High Guard is the one hardest to catch. The others have to circle the town to head towards Ansimont.

"I have the means available to halt them if Argent can get me there and regular diplomacy fails," Lyonessa says to Validar.

If Argent can teleport them both, Lyonessa will tell her, "I have magic that can sway a few people's emotions, but I would rather try to reason with them before resorting to a spell. If it should not go well, distract them to buy me a few moments so that I may cast the spell without them thinking I intend to assault them."

Once there, Lyonessa will approach the group with her holy symbol visible in hopes that the soldiers will recognize her as a priestess. She will try to sway them to reconsider, offering to show them what occured and give eyewitness accounts. Should that not persuade or delay them, she will cast her Emotion Control spell in attempt to gain a friendship or a calming effect with those appearing to be the leaders in order to further sway them to listen to her.

[Yusef]

Yusef:

When Validar's call to assemble goes out, Yusef rejoins the group. The story Lyonessa relates is not a pretty one. From the sound of it, this was planned as well.

"Validar? I cannot help thinking that this may have been planned, possibly to distract us from continuing on toward Elcadan as a means to give them more time to prepare."

Validar will then direct any of the assembled Guardians to follow the group Argent is attempting to stop. "Serena," Validar will say when he locates her. "We may need your teleport abilities to cut them off as well. If we can keep the riders in sight, you and perhaps Ivy could be teleported out ahead of them to try and halt their flight." Validar will have the remainder of the Guardians available and the squires join him to try to chase down the group heading north.

At Validar's instruction, Yusef will give chase on foot. Collecting his horse would take too long, and he can run nearly as fast.

[Validar]

Baron Validar -

"I have the means available to halt them if Argent can get me there and regular diplomacy fails," Lyonessa says to Validar.

"I would not trust diplomacy on its own given the circumstances. Do what you can, for if they escape us, it will make our efforts much more challenging."


When Validar's call to assemble goes out, Yusef rejoins the group. The story Lyonessa relates is not a pretty one. From the sound of it, this was planned as well.

"Validar? I cannot help thinking that this may have been planned, possibly to distract us from continuing on toward Elcadan as a means to give them more time to prepare."

"Perhaps so," Validar responds. "It shall avail them not. We will stop these troops from their misguided intentions, or we shall adjust to the changing circumstances. It seems that they are desperate to stop us at all costs, but also that they were not so confident in their undead."

"And by delaying us, it also gives US more time to prepare."

[Argent]

Argent:

Argent flies back and spots Baron Validar. Moving closer she reports her findings.

"We need to stop them, but without hurting them. Argent! Teleport ahead of the riders to the south. If it's possible, take Lyonessa with you. Do what you have to, but don't kill anyone. Help will be along in moments." Validar decides that the group going back to High Guard is the one hardest to catch. The others have to circle the town to head towards Ansimont.

“I—I guess I can do that,” Argent responds, somewhat surprised from the request. There are risks to teleporting blind like this and could lead to the casters death. But given the situation, there’s really not any time to voice these concerns.

"I have the means available to halt them if Argent can get me there and regular diplomacy fails," Lyonessa says to Validar.

“I can get us there, but there is a risk in teleporting blind. While the odds are not against us, it is possible to teleport in too low and we’d appear in solid rock and die instantly. If you don’t mind the risk, then I’ll cast the spell.”

If Argent can teleport them both, Lyonessa will tell her, "I have magic that can sway a few people's emotions, but I would rather try to reason with them before resorting to a spell. If it should not go well, distract them to buy me a few moments so that I may cast the spell without them thinking I intend to assault them."

“That’s fine with me, Lyonessa. Most anything I cast would be in the form of an attack.”

Taking a hold of Lyonessa’s hand, Argent casts her spell and adds a few, hopefully not last words. “I’m going to aim a few feet above the ground so as to put the odds more into our favor. Here we go!”

[Ivy]

Ivy:

"We will make it so." Validar will assign the task to Sir Corley to supervise.

“Thank you.” Ivy answers.

"They were not powerful compared to us, but obviously they would be very powerful when compared to a normal army, or against defenseless citizens such as once lived here. As you said, the effect of this attack where was truly devastating in every sense of the word. I trust you will get word of such abominations back to your temple."

“As soon as I can, Baron. You can rest assured of that.”

"As for the speculation that the wound needs to be fatal to transform one into this undead, that does seem reasonable. Another question is whether the toxin would remain in the body and how long. As the expert in such things, I put Sir Corley's care in your able hands."

“That I do not know. But it would be prudent to cast a Neutralize Poison on Sir Corley as soon as I am able. Unfortunately I don’t have one available. Perhaps Crysania or Serena might?”

“The bite did burn initially, but as I battled on the pain did subside. No doubt thanks in part to my magical ring that heals me as I fight. I currently feel no ill effects.”

“Perhaps the magic of the ring did heal you, Sir Corley. But we should Neutralize the Poison just to be safe.”

“There might be some truth to your words, priestess,” Crysania speaks up. “There are tales and myths about a special form of undead unique to the Herald of Hell. I have never encountered one myself, but it does seem to describe what Sir Acerion encountered. It is called an Animus.”

“According to the myth when a high priest of the Herald of Hell fails at some specially appointed task, they are killed. But then they are revived via a special form of Resurrection. But the revived is not alive, rather now is an Animus. He retains all the skills he possessed in life in addition to new unique abilities. Among them are rumored the ability to control undead, and immunity to spells and weapons. It is said that they are horrifyingly hard to kill, as if the blood of a troll courses through their withered and mummified bodies.”

“Animus try to pass themselves off as living beings and some can pull it off, but they are haunted by the memories of their mortal lives. They are said to be quick to anger and become full of rage in battle. They are cursed and they know it. The price of failing the Herald of Hell is a high one.”

“It could be that these undead monsters was this ‘Lord Baracus’ attempt to get back into the good graces of his foul master. An attempt to have the curse of the animus lifted from him, no doubt.”

Crysania’s story chills Ivy to the bone. She inadvertently shudders. “It seems that I’ve been confronted with two forms of undead that I’ve not heard of before this day.”

Yusef is taken aback by the vehemence expressed by Ivy. "Nearly all of what I told you I learned by talking with Thelma while Lord Acerion fought Baracus. Doing so served to keep her from using her spells on him and I thought it would be valuable to gain a little information.”

“But you knew who this Thelma was beforehand. You knew that she was a Necromancer. You knew about Abigail. This is all information you knew before we arrived in Wrasseldown. Why are we just learning about it after the fact?”

"The truth is, that I know very little about my family other than a few names and such, which I doubt would be of any great use. As for the meeting, no one asked and I didn't feel that I knew enough to be of any real value."

“So little truth is known about the Deville’s when mixed with the rumor and innuendo, that we really don’t know much about them. Just because that information wasn’t important to you didn’t mean that it wasn’t important!”

Yusef looks at Ivy a moment later. "I thought I was on your side. However, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that my help is not wanted and that I will never be accepted among you."

“Don’t you dare turn this back on me”, Ivy responds with a glare. “You know the stakes here and you know more than all of us combined about the Deville’s and yet you failed to share that information with us. Your help was wanted and needed and you didn’t give it. This is only an issue because you didn’t trust us. So don’t even try to act like the wounded party. You wrong us, the people who had been trusting you.”

Having had enough of us this, Ivy walks off utterly frustrated over what has transpired. All she can do now is help but what remains of the people of Wrasseldown to rest. Ivy is nowhere near a horse when the call to intercept the riders comes.

[Corley]

Sir Corley:

“Perhaps the magic of the ring did heal you, Sir Corley. But we should Neutralize the Poison just to be safe.”

“Better safe than sorry, I guess,” Sir Corley responds. “Invoke your magic when you are able, Lady Ivy.”


Aided by Lord Chareos, Sir Corley uses his Greatsword to put out the fires. In the building that Argent Fireballed, they find the bodies of three drow elves. A wand is located and remembering Serena’s warning, neither man touches it.

When Sir Corley hears about the retreating riders, he’ll rush to his mount and give chase pushing his warhorse as fast as it can go.

[Validar]

Baron Validar -

“I can get us there, but there is a risk in teleporting blind. While the odds are not against us, it is possible to teleport in too low and we’d appear in solid rock and die instantly. If you don’t mind the risk, then I’ll cast the spell.”

My thought process was that as not much time has taken place and Argent is still flying that she could see the riders and where she was basically teleporting to, some distance down the road ahead of them. So wasn't looking at asking for a blind teleport.

[Crysania]

Crysania:

"I do remember your story about the captives at Corunglain. We have already been faced with factions represented, so I see no reason to not expect Krazzora's hand in this at some point. Especially since there are indeed drow involved in this action. We should proceed expecting to face her and more of her minions."

“Agreed.”


Crysania listens to the outburst between Yusef and Ivy without comment. It’s not surprising that one of Ivy’s faith is overwrought over what has transpired here. The loss of this many lives is only typically reserved for a battlefield, not a town of farmers. Indeed, even Crysania can’t even to begin to imagine the fury she’ll feel when finally confronting those responsible for all of this.

Crysania knows that Yusef is not evil, thanks to having seen his aura with her True Sight. But it does puzzle her that someone whose very freedom depends on defeating this evil family is so tight lipped when it comes to revealing any intelligence.

"My father's grandmother was transformed into a succubus by Orcus. She cares little for anyone else and is a victim of her own passions. “

“That does agree with what I have heard about Eleanor and disclosed during our discussion at Karn’s Keep.”

"Her three daughters are what are known as Alu-demonesses. Josetta enjoys manipulating people, and may have impersonated the Duchess of Elcadan. Little is known of Abigail, though she seems to work with Josetta. Thelma, who we met, is a powerful necromancer. I have seen her dissecting living people and other creatures as part of her studies.

“The exact number of daughters Eleanor had was open for conjecture,” Crysania states. “Having this intelligence earlier would not have changed what happened here in Wrasseldown, but it would have been good to know. One of the fundamental keys to any battle is intelligence about the enemy. The more that is known about them the better prepared we can be.”

"Between them, they had around two-dozen children, of which my father is one. He in turn had a similar number of kids, mostly bastard slaves like myself. Others of his generation may have done likewise, so there may be hundreds of family members in total.

"Thelma's son Alexander is a fabled horror and feared even by the family. It may be he that stole Thelma's ability to feel emotions."

“This does not bode well,” Crysania notes. “We may be hunting down Deville’s for many years to come if this family is this large. At least we have identified the leaders of the family. It seems to me that Eleanor and her daughters are the ones we need to concern ourselves with first. They are most likely the most powerful.”

Validar will then direct any of the assembled Guardians to follow the group Argent is attempting to stop. "Serena," Validar will say when he locates her. "We may need your teleport abilities to cut them off as well. If we can keep the riders in sight, you and perhaps Ivy could be teleported out ahead of them to try and halt their flight." Validar will have the remainder of the Guardians available and the squires join him to try to chase down the group heading north.

Running to her horse, Crysania mounts up and joins the chase. She’ll ride near Baron Validar and tell him, “I may be able to alter the moods of these men if I can get close to them. My divine powers of persuasion might be enough to stop this gross misunderstanding.”

"Validar? I cannot help thinking that this may have been planned, possibly to distract us from continuing on toward Elcadan as a means to give them more time to prepare."

"Perhaps so," Validar responds. "It shall avail them not. We will stop these troops from their misguided intentions, or we shall adjust to the changing circumstances. It seems that they are desperate to stop us at all costs, but also that they were not so confident in their undead."

"And by delaying us, it also gives US more time to prepare."

“This was clearly planned,” Crysania states. “The timing of the arrival of these riders was no coincidence. If the initial plan to destroy us with the undead force failed, then the battle could be used to blame Pyris for the attack. Bad blood already exists between the two, so this would just make a bad situation worse. Demons exist only to cause chaos. We are witnessing this first hand.”

[Serena]

Serena:

"I'm not surprised; as one of the heads of the clan, I would expect her to be quite powerful. She mentioned that I couldn't have used the staff, so you may be right about it being specific to necromancers."

“That is possible,” Serena agrees. “Magic items of that ilk typically are only usable by a select few.”

Serena and Yusef do not seem to think that the spy possibility is likely. "Granted Serena could be correct in that the spy is unknowing of his actions. And while it is impossible to determine which is more likely, taking action to ensure one is not the case does us no harm and may result in much good."

“Of course I realize that you must search. My warning was to simply not expect any tangible results.”

"We cannot be certain that it is the wands that were what you detected, but to be certain, we should have everyone be sure to avoid the drow's belongings until Serena can better determine what is dangerous and what is not. I had hoped to add the wands' power to our own, but we may be faced with their destruction rather than their use."

“If what I fear is true, then yes. They must be destroyed immediately.”

Calling out to Serena, “Serena, We found a wand among the bodies!” Taking his staff he will nudge it from underneath the body. As he waits for her to arrive he goes and knees and flips the charred body of the Drow. “They look no different from that of an elf, it is amazing how one so alike can be capable of such horrid acts.”

Hearing her name called, Serena quickly makes her way to what Sir Acerion and Lord Chareos found. Spotting the wand, Serena steels herself and then reaches out and touches it. Then, as if it was a red hot, Serena drops the wand again.

“Mystra, no…” Serena weeps. “Such a vile use of magic is almost beyond imagining. What sort of monster could do such a thing?”

Regaining her composure, Serena explains what is going on. “This wand is not a normal magic item. The fabrication of magic items is a very long and tedious process. A few have found short-cuts to the process, but the price for using them is high. This wand was created by using such a short cut.”

“When I touched the wand, my mind was filled with the pitiful cries of a soul in torment. I had heard this about the drow before, but even so I am shocked that they would use it. Instead of using magic to power these wands, they took living souls and bound them into the wand. With each use of the wand, more of the soul inside is drained away until nothing remains. The wand must be destroyed so that what remains of the soul inside can be sent into the afterlife.”


Serena hasn’t even begun to recover from that shock when a new crisis arises.

Validar will then direct any of the assembled Guardians to follow the group Argent is attempting to stop. "Serena," Validar will say when he locates her. "We may need your teleport abilities to cut them off as well. If we can keep the riders in sight, you and perhaps Ivy could be teleported out ahead of them to try and halt their flight." Validar will have the remainder of the Guardians available and the squires join him to try to chase down the group heading north.

“I will do what I can, Baron. But I do not see Ivy anywhere. Perhaps I should take Crysania instead?”

[GM Mad]

Post Closed