**SEASON BREAK**

DM: A Hero's Welcome

A hero's welcome is not forthcoming. You reach Sandpoint just as night is closing. You are, to a man, cold, hungry, and tired.

The town, when you arrive back, is quiet. Several people are returning late from their work to their homes. Candle-light flickers from most windows. The smell of smoke drifts from the many chimneys. At the gate the guards are new, fresh from Hemlock's trip to Magnimar. They nod, perhaps recognizing you from descriptions given to them, but they are not men you have served alongside.

“Well met” they offer. “Back already?”

You find it hard to build up the enthusiasm to respond. Lloyd asks one to fetch Hemlock and Mayor Deverin from their evening meal, and then wanders with the rest to the Mayor's office.

They have to wait some time before anyone turns up. First to arrive is Sheriff Hemlock. He looks insanely tired, with bags under his eyes, and stress lines creasing his forehead. When he sees you all, and he actually stops to make eye contact with each of you in turn, as if convincing himself that you ALL survived, he actually lets out a laugh of pure delight and surges forward, the Shoanti in him surging out for a moment as he embraces you each in turn. “My boys, my boys, my girl” he stammers. “Oh tell me it went well, tell me we finally have some fair news for this cursed town!”

The door swings open as he breaks away from you. Mayor Deverin, looking composed, but equally tired, hesitates.

“Well? Please let the tidings be fair?”

---

The story you reveal to them takes almost as long in the telling as it took in the doing. Half way through food and drink that you never noticed Deverin ordering arrives. You feast on cold meats and bread, red wine, and perfect autumnal apples. The cider this year will be good!

You each take turns, adding to the story, remembering some painful addition, revealing the journals, the heads, the necklace with ears, the fate of the old priest, now an offering to Thazidun. But you keep some things private, as if in silent agreement. You are not sure how to breach the suggestions that Nualia made about her adoptive father, or the child she claims was sired alive.

When you talk of the deal you made with the goblin druid, Hemlock growls and offers up some Shoanti insult to the goblins that would make your mothers blush. A reproving glare from Deverin makes him cough nervously and apologise. The big man is clearly not delighted.

“Nualia… I think we will ask the church to consecrate and bury her head and claw. It would do the people no good to see the head of one they remember as a child of heaven, a plane touched charm in their midst. They recall her that way, and we do not need them to think that their angel was cursed to become a demon. Our days are dark enough as they are. And I ask you to not mention her, or what happened to her father. We have covered things up here. We have covered up the theft from the graveyard… you have closed this issue for us. Lets let the people sleep easy at nights. FOR ONCE!”

Deverin finishes her request, and looks at you all for confirmation. When she sees that no disagreement is coming she continues.

“You will be heroes here. We will make a Charter of the Wolves of Sandpoint, and you will be its members. We have little money to speak of here, but I do still have some political power, and I will work hard to have Magnimar reward you!”

At last, the meal is over, and talk is done. You get to leave your macabre cargo behind and leave for a night of drinking and sleep. The horse is stabled by the guards, and the ale will flow.

DM: The Return To Sandpoint

The night closes in as you make the six mile, 2 hour hike back to Sandpoint. It feels strange, perhaps slightly anti-climactic. You are heroes now, you have vanquished your foe, and yet here you are trudging through mud with a head and a hand in a sack and little to say.

You are tired, hurting, and perhaps all a bit dazed about the day's proceedings.

Six (no, Seven) individuals, who only a few weeks ago were going about their separate lives, thrust together to save Sandpoint… and then succeeding. It isn't so hard to get your heads around your success. You all know now that you have a good group of friends around you. You know that these guys can hold their own in a fight, are willing to throw themselves in the path of danger for one another. So the success is not the difficult part to understand, it is trying to reconcile your knowledge of yourself before these past few weeks with the knowledge of the person you have become.

You are heroes now. Proper heroes. I mean, who else would storm a goblin stronghold and clean it out in a single day? Who else would delve deep into a hidden catacomb beneath the town and wipe the evil from it? Who else would have tracked down Nualia, despite their injuries and fears, and taken her head from her shoulders?

You are still not quite sure WHY this all happened, though. It feels as if there are several threads yet to be tied together. The strange seven pointed star rune that you found in so many places. The presence of Thazidun in all of this. The true purpose of the goblin attack, and even of the burnt offering that Nualia made of her 'father'. The monstrous Sinspawn that rose from the pools beneath Sandpoint as if from some ancient slumber. It doesn't make sense. It is as if you have succeeded in your quest, to save Sandpoint from an imminent attack, but haven't actually got any closer to finding out why.

It makes you think that this tale may yet have more to it.

Gryffin: Nualia, End Combat

It always seems to fall to Gryffin to scavenge from the corpses. The others are either too busy with something else, squeamish or foolish, he thinks to himself. They need all the help they can get, and the benefit of a recovered potion or scroll could mean the difference between life and death. Anyway, he has gutted enough fish in his time at the sea, that the slippery entrails of death give him little pause

He stoops down to the corpse of Nualia. He remembers her vaguely, more as a little girl, when he was little, but strangely less as a blossoming woman, which is strange given her unearthly beauty. She must have kept herself hidden, or at least not involved in the same circles as him. Not normal for a small town like Sandpoint. I mean, sure, he knew of her, knew her name, knew her countless nicknames, but he can't recall every actually talking with her. Oh well, she is just another corpse now.

The strange medallion at her neck takes his notice. It is a silver disk hanging from a simple leather cord. The disk is quite thick, like a coin, albeit larger in diameter. It is etched with a seven pointed star - the same rune you have seen several times now, both in the catacombs below Sandpoint, and now here too. He bends down to slip it from her neck. It is warm to the touch. As he lifts it free, pulling it loose from the tangle of her hair, it cools noticeably until it feels like little more than a normal metal disk.

Gryffin slips a hand under her waist, moving to locate the small money pouch he noticed on her. He finds it and cuts it free. He rocks back on the balls of his feet as he spread the pouch. Inside is an assortment of coins (OOC: 7pp, 5gp, 3sp).

The cruel, serrated bastard sword that Nualia was wielding is slick with the blood of Orik. It is probably worth something, and may even be enchanted.

At the back of the room, just to the right of her body, lies a small stash of goods. A lantern lies beside them, casting some light upon a few open scrolls and journals. Beside them is a fine quality long bow and a quiver with 20 arrows. On top of one of the journals lies a horrific golden holy symbol, bearing the monstrous sign of Thazidun. It is probably worth a small fortune to some evil priest, but even melted down (probably a better use for it), it would fetch perhaps 50gp!

(OOC: You can take whatever, and investigate (rolls if you want to identify, etc.) as desired. The journals and scrolls are quite numerous, and would take perhaps an hour or two to scan through (and many hours to completely read)).

Rhonna: Nualia, Round 4 (2)

“You’re not getting away from me,” Nualia shrieks, waving her bloodstained finger over Rhonna’s direction.

A powerful force suddenly grabs Rhonna and drags her over to the infernalist. Rhonna finds herself frozen and under the power of her coven sister. She could hear the voices of the demons that she once foolishly served.

“I still have a score to settle with you, bitch.” Nualia growls.

By the stars! Rhonna struggles valiantly, trying to block out the taunting voices of her former masters. These immoral and perverse creatures caused so much destruction and agony at Sandpoint.

“No!” Rhonna screams out in fury. “The constellations are my patrons now! I am their vessel!”

Nualia mutters a curse as Rhonna breaks free from her demonic grasp. She underestimated this pathetic wench. Rhonna should have died a long time ago.

Rhonna could feel the demonic power weakening. She raises her dagger and pointed it over to Nualia. “I call upon the power of the noble crane! Destroy this abomination from your sight!”

A beam of pure radiant light suddenly surges through Rhonna’s body, into her bronze dagger, and blasting directly at Nualia. The light slams over the infernalist like a avalanche of radiant light, burning her dark soul.

Rhonna smiles triumphantly as demonic voices died out, replaced by the music of the celestial stars.

Rhonna: Nualia, Round 4 (1)

Years of demonic servitude has corrupted Nualia’s body. Rhonna could hardly recognize her former friend. Nualia’s delicate porcelain skin took a shade of ugly crimson, her vibrant hair transformed into an ugly withered shade.

“You think you have escaped your demonic oath?” Nualia screams at her coven sister. Her voice full of spite and mockery. “The demons still call for you, Rhonna. I know you hear them at night when you sleep.”

Rhonna shakes her head. “Shut up!”

“You think those pathetic constellations can save you?” Nualia smiles, her black eyes becoming gaping holes of cold inky void. “They are calling for you.”

“Shut up!”

Rhonna screams, throwing another blast at her coven sister.

Arao: Nualia, Round 4

START: G8
MINOR: Divine Challenge on Nualia
STD: Enfeebling Strike on Nualia
STD: (spend action point) Invigorating Strike on Nualia
MOVE: Shift to H7
END: Save vs Ongoing (5)

roll:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1824843/

Nualia: Nualia, Round 4

nualia strikes. her first swipe misses orik, but her return stroke catches him unaware.

the mercenary falls down bleeeding from a huge gash running from his shoulder down to his abdomen.

nualia then glares after rhonna who is making her way out of the room.

rhonna suddenly stops and moves back towards nualia seemingly out of her own control. (slides her to e8, she then uses an action point once more)

she grabs rhonna with her other hand while she turns around and slashes those around her once more with her demon hand. she hits arao's face (8 hps damage). and backhands lloyd. but the half-elf was able to bring up a short sword to parry the blow (item daily power).

Guillaume: Nualia, Round 4

We can't last like this. I see everyone make their best effort to attack her.

She is stronger, no doubt more powerful, more agile and tougher than anything that we have encountered. Except maybe that tiny little demon at the glassworks factory.

But we have one thing she doesn't have. Numbers. We had each other and blessed Corellon. He will not forsake those who follow his path. This is a battle between good and evil. Good must win. The pain I and my friends are enduring will never crush us. Might have been sheer determination. Or perhaps behind everything, Lord Corellong is lending me his strength. Which ever the case maybe, the realisation has turned this fight into a religious experience. (Second wind) My limbs despite the lost of blood and exhaustion felt stronger

I glance towards the others who all seemed on the verge of collapsing as well. There was no time to waste. I had to decide quickly. Who amongst them was capable of turning the table. It was the dragonborn! A creature of strong faith just like me. I point to him and asked the great lord to lend the paladin strength just as he did with me. The paladin glowed faintly and some of his wounds disappeared.

And beyond him I see the demonness flail wildly. her deadly claws tore at my friends.

"You know you are defeated. I can see it in your eyes. You are outnumbered. Nothing can save you now." I shout from across the room. And I imagined her face changed for a second or two. Did I just see remorse?

Once again I called upon the sacred fire. She burned ardently. When the divne fire was expunged, I reeled over to my side. In seized at the wall to keep from falling. I feel her poison bit deeper.

Arao: Nualia, Round 3

arao reaches out to lloyd and lay's on hand on the half-elf. he likewise calls upon divine mettle to reinforce lloyd. the dragonborn then turns towards nualia and tries to enfeeble strieks her but misses. nualia backhands the dragonborn. sending him prone. (and with 10 hp damage)



envigored, lloyd stands up from being prone (move action). he then goes into a defensive stance (minor daily utility power) and stabs nualia with his short sword (villain's menace, daily power. standard action, hit with 10 hp damage).

nualia glares hatefully at the half-elf as he moves to attack. her eyes once more blazes black as she realizes lloyd's attck manages to break thru her defenses. she lets out a scream as teh shourt sword pierces her. a wave of darkness ensues from her mouth and once more covers the party.



orik charges out from within the plague cloud seemingly unharmed. this catches nualia by surprise and fails to block the mercenary's swing. the bastard sword bites deep into the demon girl's flesh. (9 hps)

and then two arrows fly thru the plague cloud and strikes the mercenary's back. (28 hps. orik's down to 6 hp)

Rhonna: Nualia, Round 3

“She’s still alive?” Rhonna mutters as her companions continue their assault on the demon worshiper. Nualia must have grown in power over the years. Her once beautiful form has been corrupted, thanks to her infernal dealings.

A couple of arrows zoomed pass Rhonna, striking the eladrin priest at the back. Rhonna glances sideways and caught sight of a familiar looking figure.

“Jarek!”

It had been years since Rhonna last saw or talked to the woodsman. Jarek had always been a wanderer and traveller, preferring the wilderness over the company of people. She would sometimes hear her aunt mention of the young man, and how he had grown to be a rebellious youth.

Nualia must have corrupted him like she did with Tsuto. The woodsman’s eyes are as black as hers.

“Stop this madness Nualia!” Rhonna screams, pointing her dagger over her former coven sister. The music of the constellation continues to chime in an orchestra of unearthly beauty, their celestial power flowing through Rhonna’s bronze dagger.

A fist-sized orb of blue radiance shoots forth from the dagger, whirling around Nualia. The infernal witch screams in pain, as the light rips through her skin like searing hot knives.

Nualia: Nualia Round 3

Still caught within Rhonna's Dread Star spell, Nualia evaluates her situation. She’s starting to get surrounded by these intruders and their attacks are taking their toll on her defenses. She needs to eliminate them as soon as she can.

The warlock’s spell prevents her from moving where she stands. Daggers of bright light shoot off from the summoned star hovering around her whenever she tries to move. As much as she wanted to claw out Rhonna’s eyes, she had no choice but to attack those within her reach.

With the half-elf still down and the dragonborn still slowed, the demon woman turns toward the oen trying to flank her – Orik, the turn coat. Nualia raises her own bastard sword and parries the incoming sword thrust from the fighter. She then manages to thrust the large sword and cut deep into the mercenary’s armor and into the flesh within. (OOC: 13 hps).

Her eyes then once more shine bright black while gazing towards her target. Orik flies back a couple of step as if hit by an unseen force. (OOC: slides to G6)

Guillaume: Nualia, Round 3

Two arrows dug deep behind me.

I almost fell on my knees from the stabbing pain. One of the arrows got broken from the crest from my attempt to pull it out but it was too painful. I squirmed.

I observed the part which broke off. the fletching were decorated feathers which looked rather familiar. "JAREK le traitre !!" my thoughts silently cried havoc. I turned without hesitation and saw him nocking another pair (of arrows). he had an unusual smirk on his face, horrific eyes which turned all black as the eyes of the demonness, and was prepared to shoot.

I knew that I would not be able to reach Jarek in time. And Nualia, despite all my efforts, seemed unfazed.

i fixed my eyes on the démon. "purgez ce mal!"

the familiar apparition of a knightly eladrin woman became evident, possessing the sacred fire held both in her hands. she looked at me briefly, allowing me to observe her remarkable beauty. her face is perfect. more beautiful than any eladrin face of any man or woman i have ever seen. her eyes almond shaped reflected a wavering image of my surroundings.

she floats away like smoke and turned to face nualia. she bobbed for a second or two carefully making aim, before taking the plunge. she collided directly with nualia causing a reverse polarity - an explosion of divine fury.

Nualia: Nualia Round 2

Blind and prone, Nualia feels more so the successive attacks pounding upon her defenses. As much as she has been boosted by her goddess' power she starts to feel the attacks break thru. A sudden light from the eladrin priest finally manages to pierce her resistance.

The demon consecrated woman glares up from where she has fallen and gives out an inhuman cry. Everyone in the room suddenly feels fear like they haven't felt before. In their minds they see Nualia standing over their broken bodies. From behind her, Jarek and others could be seen laughing.

Those falling into the effects of her stagger back and unable to do anything.

Guillaume: Nualia Round 2

nualia advanced.

i was astonished to see the she knew (a form of) fey stepping - a gift i thought granted solely to corellon's children. the thought of it being used by a demon no less disturbed me deeply. how could she have learned?? .. and then and quite unexpectedly, the abomination 'fey stepped' beside me. i quickly raised by longsword to defend myself, to parry her offensive cuts but she was too agile. i was clearly defeated and on the verge of collapse when she moved to another target. she was relentless.

i grabbed by bloodied arms to stop the blood from spilling any further when she then released her fury -- the black plague. i couldn't breath for a while, coughing and consequently inhaling the putrid poison. i flinched in pain. my wounds throbbed as i consciously felt the black poision continue its descent passed my body's defenses, making it's way to the heart.

it was easy to just let it all go. the thought shamefully did came up. just give up! the voice plead. the call of heaven seemed so near and yet so far. forget duty?! you deserve to rest now. images of heaven stimulated further the desire to abandon the despair and pains of this world and into the next where, life promises to be complete and free of wars and worries.

i must have be hallucinating. i concluded. the vision then turned to images of death and desctruction. of things of what might be if nualia wins. i could not let it happen. i will NOT let it happen. i suddenly gained momentum and focused all my thoughts and energies onto nualia.

"soyez parti démon!!" i commanded her.

a thick shaft of celestial light sprang from where she stood. a silent apparition of long-forgotten queens and kings became recognizable. all were looking down and surrounding her, with pity and contempt in their faces. they all point to her with judgement and retribution, having in mind the long list of evils she had given birth to. guilt consumes her completely as the sun scorches.

she screams in agony.

Rhonna: Nualia Round 1

“Stop this madness Nualia!” Rhonna shouts as her former best friend begins to summon another infernal storm. The woman had grown even more powerful than she last remembered.

Nualia throws her an evil grin as Lloyd and Orik charges towards her. Her eyes glow with an inky darkness that seems to suck the light around her. The warriors manage to strike their blades, denting the woman’s infernal armor.

I can’t believe this is happening all over again! Rhonna mutters as she struggles to fight the pain from Nualia’s blade. She remembers how Father Zanthus and the other town elders ganged up on Nualia. Rhonna was the one who told them her secret sanctuary and caught her at her most vulnerable time. Nualia fought valiantly, cursing several people with her infernal magic.

“This is my chance to do what is right,” Rhonna mutters to herself as she raises her ceremonial dagger. It took her some time to accept that Nualia somehow faked her death. This is probably the perfect opportunity to defeat the infernal witch once and for all.

The poison from Nualia’s blade begins to numb Rhonna’s legs but she continues imploring at the celestial stars. “Noble lion, I call upon your might, bring down my foe with your mighty claws!”

Rhonna’s dagger starts glimmering with a slivery radiance. As the light falls on her body, she could feel the poison slowly washing away. The same light begins to glow stronger, covering Rhonna’s entire body.

“Thank you!” Rhonna cries out, focusing the celestial radiance into a single beam of light. She points her dagger at the demonic form of Nualia and the fury of the lion struck the infernalist’s chest.

Lloyd/Orik: Nualia, Round 01

IC post to follow

Griffyn: Nualia, Round 01

Still wincing from the pain of Nualia's attack, Gyffin reaches into his pack and hurls a nondescript looking white sphere towards Nualia.

The sphere shatters. A flash of light and trailing smoke covers the Silver haired witch.

"Ahhh! What did you...you little fae brat...!" Nualia cried as she clutched her face. She dropped her hands curled into claws. Her eyes now seem dazed and unfocused.

(OOC: She's "blinded" guys..we now have concealment..tadaaah!)

Before Nualia could finish the thought, Gryffin grabs a pouch from his belt, punctures it with his teeth and tosses it to where Nualia stood.

A spray of gray goo erupts from the pouch at Nualia's foot - seemingly expanding to encompass her legs.

(OOC: Tanglefoot bag..she is now immobilized..pls kill her quick)

Nualia: Nualia, Round 01

Nualia gives a smirk as she feels the effects of the priest’s spell try to make its way thru her defenses. The spell however fails to take hold.

She then moves; too fast for anyone in the room to really track her. One moment she’s at the opposite side of the other room, the next she’s within the same room as the party and beside Rhonna, and then she’s at the other extreme side of the room.

Rhonna lets out a scream as she realizes, she has been slashed by Nualia’s wicked looking bastard sword. A deep cut on her midsection is now oozing blood and some dark liquid.

Nualia’s eyes then turn black and gazes at the eladrin priest and Guillaume is forced back by her intense gaze.

The acolyte then exhales a cloud of black substance into the cluster of heroes. Those hit by the substance start to scream as dark goo painfully tries to seep out of their eyes, noses and mouths.

Rhonna: Nualia, Round 01

"then let this end. nualia. we grieve for your loss. why must there be more deaths. wy must there be more suffering? it is over. surrender to justice. there is no need for further bloodshed." Guy tried to appeal to reason when Rhonna interjected in disbelief.

"you're alive?!!! how can this be?!! i saw you die!"

"poor pathetic rhonna... you are still the deluded little wench who refuse to see the truth..."

"you are the one that is deluded. father zanthus and the others tried to intervene and help us. you were the one who convinced the coven to fight the town ..."

gryffin was intrigued, his face warped to show doubt on account of every revelation. each explanation, each alibi did little to relieve his puzzlement. and yet the gravity of it seemed to be entertainment for the young mage. (ooc: OWS! (think)..totoo ba yun?)

"traitor! you are weak, shifting sides when we needed you the most! who do you serve now rhonna? those pathetic stars in the sky?"

DM: Nualia, Part 2

“I have been following your progress, or at least your early progress. Tsuto was concerned that the five of you might be brave, or foolish enough to try and take the battle to Thistletop. I see Father Guillaume is with you. Did he tell you his part in my downfall?” she asks.

Seeing the flicker of confusion in all your faces, she barks a single, cold laugh.

“Ha! My great horror. My great shame! The infant that filled my gut. He is the one that birthed it. Did he tell you that? No, of course not. He birthed it. My son, my beautiful son. And when they saw that Thazidun had gifted me with a dog headed prince, he and Zantus took it and….” she stammers, as if lost for words. Lloyd pulls up beside Gryffin, casting the young wizard a look, as if to question whether it was wise to wait. Behind Arao, Rhonna, Orik and Guy moved up.

“Guillaume knew. Zanthus knew. They knew what my 'father' was doing to me. They could have helped. They chose not. That is why Thazidun came to me. Nobody else would help, and when I found the old shrine beneath the town, I spoke with her. I had fled there, like so many times before, to escape the drunken attentions of the man who claimed he was my father. He hated me. He hated my heavenly blood. He was a man who had lost his god. No spirits spoke to him. He was an empty shell. HE KILLED MY MOTHER, and then he took his rage out on me.” She is screaming now, almost incoherent. It is as if her anger has turned almost to fear, her voice a shuddering, hacking mess.

“The town priests knew about all of this. They deserve to die! Sandpoint deserves to die.” And whispering now… “For what they did to me. For how long they let this happen to me. For taking my boy from me.”

She sobs once, before looking up again, her beautiful eyes and silver hair hinting at her heaven-touched heritage.

“So kill me!” she whispers. “I have nothing to live.”

Guillaume: Nualia

"what do you hope to gain nualia?" i urged nualia to explain her actions hoping that it gives everyone time to think about how we are going to stop an obviously formidable foe such as her. she's not even afraid that we outnumber her.

"you wouldn't understand priest. or maybe you would." nualia retorted with maniacal amusement but abruptly stops short of laughing. "everything will be destroyed!"

i try to talk nualia out of it even though my mind's settle that such an attempt is futile. nonetheless, all souls are must be given the chance at redemption. i gave her a stern warning "you seek revenge .. but know, that nothing good can come of it. as the saying goes, evil turns upon itself."

it was clear that nualia is consumed with anger and revenge. might this be her weakness? i wondered how to turn this weakness to our advantage. i started to pray.

dieux de l'arcane. dieu de la nature. dieu de toutes les fées dans le monde. bénissez-nous mon seigneur pour que nous pouvons détruire notre ennemi.

cast ::bless::

DM: Nualia

“So… The heroes of Sandpoint have finally arrived.” The feminine voice can once more be heard but this time it comes from the far end of the corridor rather than from the mouth of a possessed victim.

For a second the light flickers brightly and you catch sight of a young, stunningly beautiful silver haired woman, tall, strong, with heavy scarring across her exposed belly. Her left arm looks wrong somehow.

Most of the party recognizes her for who she is – Nualia. Though something is very different about her.

“Don’t bother calling your gods dear father and paladin. The light hasn't touched here is ages untold. Can't you feel it? Can't you feel the power here?”

Her voice is calm, measured. You sense no fear in here.

“And your weak gods are dead to me. I spent a lifetime with my father trying to teach me the pathetic forgiveness of your mild gods. I am being reborn here. He, however, will spend an eternity in Tharizdun’s grasp. Perhaps you would like to join him?”

DM: Disable Device Check

Guy manages to cast a minor spell of healing on Gryffin. Once patched up, the eladrin takes another looks at the archway and the bars locking their way. He moves around the statues and kneels at the foot of one of them.

“Alright kid,” Arao states. “We need you to try and disable it somehow.”

Gryffin raises an eyebrow, as if to question the possibility of this. Seeing that the dragonborn was serious, Gryffin rises again, moving with a sigh to the scene of his near death. His blood stains all too clear on the slick floor of the trigger tile.

Gryffin spends a few moments inspecting the trap. “We need something to re-trigger the trap!” he tells Arao.

*

Looking around, you decide on using a part of the fallen statues to trigger the pressure plate.

Lloyd and Orik haul a huge chunk of the fallen statue back towards the trap. The half-elf notices the mercenary being a bit distant.

“You okay?” The half-elf asked from the opposite end of the statue.

“Why do you care?” The mercenary gruffly asked back. Orik continued to look towards the trap effectively avoiding to Lloyd’s gaze.

“You better have Guy take a look at that shoulder wound too.” Lloyd stated ignoring the question.

“We can’t afford to lose any one anymore.” The half-elf continued. “No one…”

*

With a nod from Gryffin they release the statue piece and the bars start to once more fall. The glaives follow suit not long after. The wizard fires off a scorching blast destroying one of the glaives. This throws the whole mechanism off effectively jamming both the bars and the remaining glaive half way down.

Gryffin smiles as he finally works the teaching of both his dads in a single task. The young wizard looks back to see his companions giving him a look of disbelief.

“What?! It is disabled, right?”

Arao shakes his head once and leads the rest of the party onwards.

DM: Feysteps

Gryffin shrieks in pain as the glaive rises, pulling itself free from the meat of his shoulder. He turns to see Lloyd straining at the bars, the muscles bulging, and the veins in his face etched in purple.

The wizard, however, calmly clamps a hand over his shoulder wound and simply stares at his companion. One second he was trapped within the bars, the next moment he feysteps and is standing amidst them.

The glaives stop, lazily arching back into their upright position. Something clacks, like heavy stone on heavy stone. There is a sound of steel on steel, as if the trap resets itself.

Lloyd grips his friend in an embrace.

“I thought we were going to lose you!” The young warrior states while the rest crowd round Gryffin.

Overlooked at the stairs, Orik resentfully looks at affectionate exchange between the two friends.

You are back where you started, with two of your numbers once more wounded.

Rhonna becomes aware, for a second, of something watching you thru the bars and from the far end of the corridor. It flits back into the shadows, appearing to disappear into the northern-most room, and is gone.

DM: The Slashing Cage Trap

The party edges forward. Everyone can sense now that they are deep in the heart of evil. This place has a fetid stench and unearthly chill to it. The young eladrin and half-elf edges forward towards the doors at the end of the corridor, intent in putting an end to this foray into this ancient evil complex.

Orik suddenly shouts a warning. “Wait! They’ve reactiva –“

He doesn’t finish his sentence as an arrow hits him on his left shoulder which sends him flying back towards the steps. From the far side of the corridor, a lone figure runs up northwards and into a room.

Something then clicks. Gryffin looks down at his feet. In a fraction of a second he realizes that he has activated something. He is upon the dust-free area of ground, between the two statues.

He sees it play out before him in the tiny fractions of time that only afterwards one can piece together to create a sequence of events. Two heavy iron portcullis structures comes crashing down, about to separate him from Lloyd and his companions. Then the two statues start moving, their heavy glaives ready to slice him to pieces.

*

Lloyd, hearing the click, seeing the hesitating flinch of Gryffin, realizes that the young wizard isn't going to make it clear. The half-elf watches the two heavy portcullis gates start to crash down. Being the closest to Gryffin, he lunges forward, trying to stop the western gate from connecting.

He barges forward, throws out his hands, and braces against the portcullis.

He feels it hit against the palms of his hands, but the sheer weight and speed of it just smack his hands out of the way.

The two heavy gates crash into place with an almighty boom, shaking the ground and sending faint motes of dust up into the air.

Lloyd curses in the elven tongue. Gryffin turns to face his companions, a look of fear on his face. He is trapped.

And then the glaives falls.

DM: Heading Down

After taking care of the corpses of both Lyrie and Tsuto, the party decides to head down. Orik leads them further north into what he says to be Lyrie’s workshop. Everything in the room is in disarray. Nothing interesting catches your attention though. The mercenary then lead you deeper within the shop, at the back, a set of steps that lead deeper into Thistletop.

The new steps change about a third of the way down the stone spiral staircase, being of much older, much more worn stone. The walls around you are cracked here and there, with mildew and other fungal growths lining the cracks. You must be getting close to the sea level here, although you can hear nothing through the thick stone walls.

The stairs open out into a small room that is lit by a single lantern that has been left upon the floor. The lantern casts sufficient light to make the small room quite clear. A stone door just ahead of the steps hangs slightly ajar, the detailed carvings that once covered its surface defaced by chisel marks and hammer blows to the extent that only a few remnants of images (mostly of gemstones and crowns) remain. The floor here is slanted downwards to the west at a noticeable angle.

Air quality seems to be surprisingly good, and the temperature is warmer than you would have expected for listing stone dungeon so close to the sea.

Lloyd moves forward and peers through the crack between the door and the wall. The room beyond is also lit by a solitary lantern placed on the floor. Otherwise it is empty.

Moving in you find that the chamber has two pillars to support the ceiling. In many places the floor and ceiling are caked in ancient grime and sot. Alcoves in he north and south wall contain partially damaged statues of a man in robes clutching a book and a glaive. The entire room, just like the last one, is tilted down to the west, and whatever ancient upheaval caused the complex to tilt knocked the statues from their bases so that they now lean against the southern walls of their alcoves. On the east wall is a single door.

*

Lloyd and Gryffin hears nothing at the door, except the faintest echoes of perhaps distant movement, or even the sea itself striking the deep stone walls of this strange rock. It is hard to tell, and filters through the rock like a dull thrum.

The eladrin opens the door quietly to reveal a short hallway that rises in a slope to the east. Five feet from the western door, the floor is polished and shiny, unlike the dusty floor elsewhere. A pair of stone statues depicting stern men wielding iron glaives stand in alcoves north and south of this section of the hallway. At the eastern end stand two stone doors, their faces carved with strange runes. Between the doors is a third alcove in which a partially collapsed statue sits. The top half of the statue is missing, leaving behind a ragged stump of a torso.

Guillaume: Tsuto's End

Was that possession? I was thrown to perplexity and terror. I have learned of evil entities and what they are capable of, but to see possession firsthand (if that was what we are seeing) brought icy chills in my bones. Not a second sooner, I challenged the entity with every amount of courage I could muster.

"Begone démon! I banish thee in the name of Corellon!" while holding out the symbol. But it was futile for it was gone as bluntly as it appeared like a thief in the night. It stole our brief sense of victory. It stole Tsuto's life. I felt helpless. We all did.

Rhonna was first to his side. She embraces Tsuto by his head which now lay lifeless on her lap. She weeped feverishly. The abrupt finality of Tsuto's fate bears heavy on each of us especially since I thought his capture might even bring about a new leaf for him. But with his death, my hope for him at least in this life, is diminished. I touched her shoulders to calm her but there were no words.

I sat beside them both. I poured some santified oil on a clean article of clothing, a partial piece that might have seen better days as a hankerchief. I asked everyone to gather around.

I anoint Tsuto on his forehead and recited his last rites. Tsuto. Restez en paix.

Rhonna: Tsuto's End

Tsuto's death brought back memories of Rhonna's coven sisters. She never expected that Tsuto would die like this. Damn Nualia! She does not have any sense of compassion or sympathy for others.

Rhonna brushes away her tears as she cradles the dead half elf on her lap. Her heart aches for the death of another victim. Tsuto would have lived a normal life, if she didn't introduce him to Nualia. Nualia had been jealous, knowing that she was the half-elf's first love.

"She has grown more powerful," Rhonna mutters to herself. Nualia's voice still echoes in her mind. No one expected her to use Tsuto's body to talk to them. It reminded her of Father Zanthus's exorcism rituals and how the old priest struggled to banish the demons that the coven sisters have summonded to terrorize the town.

Tsuto's face is frozen in a cold, foreboding stare. Rhonna brushes her hand over his face, covering his eyes. "May the stars guide your soul," she whispers.

Nualia will have to pay for her crimes.

DM: Tsuto's End

Gryffin and Rhonna finally walked back towards the rest of the group who were standing around the now securely bound Tsuto. The half-elf's hands and feet were tied up with rope while his mouth was gagged by a piece of cloth which looked like it was stripped from the rogue's own clothing.

The party were discussing amongst themselves on how to proceed when Guy noticed something about their captive.

“What’s wrong with him?” The priest asked as Tsuto’s started to shake violently.

Lloyd reached over to stead their prisoner. He however pulled his hand back he saw Tsuto’s eyes – liquid darkness seemed to swirl within their captive’s eye threatening to completely fill his eyeballs.

Streams of the same dark substance stared to leak from Tsuto’s nose and mouth, threatening to suffocate him.

“Get the gag off him!” Rhonna shouted.

Orik quickly pulled back the piece of cloth allowing the half-elf to gasp as he took in air.

Tsuto coughed and cry out as he tried to painfully spit out the black substance. He was suddenly still and finally pulled himself up in a kneeling position as much as the restrains on his hands and legs would allow.

He quietly looked up at his captors and then began to speak. His voice, now a mixture of both his own and that of another one.

“Fools! Fools and COWARDS!” The accompanying voice is rich, feminine, young. Stopping each of you in your tracks.

“So you are the HEROES of Sandpoint? Ha! Gryffin, Lloyd and Rhonna, heroes! Last I heard you were just a locksmith, a town’s guard and a spoiled brat. To be honest, you don't even look good enough for that description.

“You have no idea what is going on here. You are out of your depth. Some foolish children playing at being adventurers. Sandpoint will burn. The goblins were never going to do it. Too weak. Too stupid. Too… crazy. haha! “Their laugh is soft and hard, yet seductive.

“Are you here to kill me?” Tsuto asks both his voices silken and innocent.

“Better hurry up then. I’ll be waiting.” The half-elf gives out another laugh with then turns into a horrible cry. The black substance now gushes out quickly form his eyes, ears, nose and mouth.

Tsuto then falls down on the floor, his head hitting the chapel floor with a sickening thud. His body finally rolls to the side, unmoving and now lifeless.

Guillaume: The Chapel, Aftermath

Tsuto was innocent looking unconcious. I observed his pallid face while finishing his bandages. He was much older to look at from the creases under he's eyes and on his forehead. It was hard to believe that he was the same age as Lloyd and Gryffin.

I wiped the last smudges of blood from his face and wondered what could turn a man against his family, his home, his friends. It must have been deeply traumatic. And yet for others, they rise to the challenge of adversity and endure rather than .. I can't think of the words.

I thought with pride of my own experience, being different growing up and ultimately a pariah in my own family. And then finding hope in my faith to the one true god. Perhaps you can find hope too Tsuto. The voice in my head silently spoke.

L'espoir existe toujours

Lloyd: The Chapel, Aftermath

Lloyd's at a loss on what to do with Tsuto. The rogue has continued to prove himself to be a threat to the well being of the town, and yet, he is still a member of Sandpoint - albeit a black sheep and an outsider.

The warrior looked around at his companions. He’s starting to understand how it is to be an outcast from the people you grow up with. There are some situations that occur in one’s life that may force that person to change - sometimes for the better; sometimes for the worse.

Some people act on that need. Tsuto acted on what he felt he needed to do. To most people what he did was an unforgivable heinous act. And yet for him, for the rogue, Justice has been served and he is at peace with himself.

But there are some things that people do not act upon - things that they resist in order to satisfy the wants and beliefs of the many.

Lloyd looks around once more until his eyes fall upon their mercenary companion. The half-elf wonders if Tsuto is actually the better man.

Who was Lloyd to judge?

Gryffin: The Chapel, Aftermath

Gryffin waved a hand over Lyrie's corpse. The ash and blood staining her
body and belongings immediately faded to nothingness.

"It's the least I can do for a fellow caster." He thought. His initial
fear of her powers now turned to pity.

He bent down straightened her limbs and arranged her hands over her chest.

Gryffin looked up to see Rhonna looking at him quizically.

"I respect her, she worked her magic well but I won't let her knowledge go
to waste..." Gryffin said and with another wave of his hand, the the blood
faded from her belongings and Gryffin gathered them into his pack.

+++

His attention now went to his companions who were binding Tsuto.

"I think we should gag him as well..."

DM: The Chapel, Aftermath

Tsuto’s down. Lyrie’s dead. The hounds are dead.

Surveying the room, the stench of evil is strong. These hounds, while weak version soft their true type, were no things of this world. The odor of ash and burnt bone is in the air, almost certainly from the offerings on the shrine.

The body of Lyrie lies upon the stone floor, with a small pool of blood gathered under her head, her body scorched by fir pretty badly. Tsuto has a gaping wound on his chest but the half-elf’s breathing reveals that he’s still alive albeit barely.

*

Rhonna and Gryffin move over to the prostate woman. The blood around her has grown slick and sticky. Gryffin bends down to examine her, pressing a finger to her neck and lowering his ear to her mouth.

Rhonna kneels beside him, making sure to avoid the blood. “Well, is she dead?” she asks, lacking perhaps a little in subtlety.

Gryffin hears nothing. Feels nothing. Her skin has turned pallid. Her head, where Lloyd had hit her earlier, has opened into quite a wicked wound. It appears that she may have bled to death.

“Dead.” Is his response. He sits there for a few seconds, making sure. It is definite. The wound and the burns did not kill her, but the blood loss did.

*

Gryffin then proceed to check the fallen wizard’s belongings. He finds a leather bound spellbook, a thick carved wooden wand with a red stone at the top, a potion, five scrolls, a dagger, a blood soaked but very high quality cloak of dark grey with runes stitched into it in black, a small bag filled with what appears to be personal clippings and 3 platinum pieces.

The eladrin wizard picks up the items he has identified, as well as those he hasn’t, and tucking them into his belt.

Lloyd and Orik proceed to tie up their half-elf captive with some rope they brought with them. Both fighters worked silently as they made sure that Tsuto’s limbs were securely bound. Orik however occasionally looked up to Lloyd as if waiting for the latter to recognize his presence there.

*

Feeling uncomfortable, Guy interposes himself between the two and starts to perform healing to prevent Tsuto from dying.

“Arao wants him alive for questioning.” The eladrin explains.


Lloyd takes the opportunity to leave the two and examine the rest of the chapel.

*

“It stinks of evil here.” Arao offers, feeling the palpable sense of dread that permeates from the altar. The body atop the altar has been badly burned, with ashes, frazzled clumps of once-hair, leathery patches of flesh, and desiccated, blackened bones.

“I wonder who the burnt offering was. Obviously it worked enough to grant this place the stench of evil and the presence of those two hounds.”

Guy moves beside him. “I can feel it too. The evil we are feeling isn’t only coming from the chapel; it’s also coming from somewhere else, isn’t it? You can almost touch it.”

Arao; The Chapel of Tharidzun; Rd.3

Tsuto hurt me with brilliant combination, but the sacred flames of Corellon awashed me in a soft blue hue and tenderly closed my bleeding wound. With a nod of thanks to our cleric Guy, I faced the criminal Tsuto once more. Drawing on the divine strength of Pelor, I initiated my next attack.

"Flare, like the..." I began my intonation, but a quick strike from the desperate Tsuto hit me on my shield arm. Bearing all my concentration on my prayer, I ignored the sudden pain and continued my assualt, releasing the channelled divine radiant power within me.

"...crimson dawn! Radiant Smite!" I slashed my axe down as hard as I could. Tsuto tried to evade but the edge still caught him. Another deep line of wound opened on him.

"Nualia... Nualia..." he gasped, barely able to stand. Even upt ot he end, his fanatical devotion to this demoness showed no signs of wavering.

Rhonna / Orik: The Chapel, Round 03

* * *

Guillaume: The Chapel Round 3

i watched tsuto handled the paladin with ease, employing complicated but specific techniques at disarmament. i remained concentrated on bringing him down. i unsheathed my longsword from its scabbard. i called on corellon to aid me.

"seigneur corellon brulez et purgez ce mal. purifiez son ame pour lui faire voir la lumière!" my longsword burst in blue flames. i jolted it so that the burning inferno flew towards tsuto who screamed in pain on contact. i wanted to make him see that we were serious.

i make my final approach.

"you will never win. you fall into the hands of justice once again and this time .. it is for good." i held the longsword out at sword point, firmly pressing at his back.

"surrender tsuto i mean it." i threatened.

Lloyd / Tsuto: The Chapel, Round 03

Lloyd cried out as he saw Tsuto make a run for the chapel’s doors. He wanted to give chase but the hounds were blocking his path. Guy manages to catch up with Tsuto and the half-elf was half surprised to see Tsuto running back into the chapel obviously under the compulsion of one of the eladrin’s spells.

The arcane members of the party then proceeded to bombard the rogue with their barrage of spells. Dark shadow and arcane missiles manifested in the room and hurtled towards Tsuto, further hampering his escape.

The more martial members followed suit. Both Orik and Arao rushed towards the trapped half-elf. Lloyd likewise jumped down the ledge he was standing on and likewise closed the gap between him and Tsuto. Even held by Rhonna’s spell, the rogue was still hard to hit and was capable of defending himself from the attacks directed against him. Lloyd’s attack, though fierce, managed only to score minor hits on his opponent.

***

Tsuto knew he was in big trouble. He gritted his teeth once more as he tried to resist the force of the priest’s spell. His mind was already ensnared and his body was likewise hampered by the dark tentacles of the warlock’s spell.

“Rhonna!” Tsuto shouted as he finally recognized the source of the spell that held him still. “You darn witch! I should have known you’ll be here. You were always envious of what Nualia has! You had your chance! You…”

Tsuto’s dialogue was cut off as the dragonborn interposed him in the half-elf’s field of vision.

I’m being surrounded! Nualia! I have to get away and warn Nualia!

Tsuto took a deep breath and for a second his training from the academy came back to him and he focused himself. He took in everything in the room and decided on what action he should do. With a twist of his arm and an outstretch hand he reached out towards his armored foe. Swiftly, he struck his opponent and found a nerve true a weak spot in the paladin’s armor. He twisted his strike and exerted enough force to make his opponent suddenly fumble and be suddenly wracked in pain.

The half-elf grinned as he saw his opponent fall and felt the effets of the spells surround him start to loosen their hold on him.

Nualia! I’ll soon be with you my love!

Gryffin: The Chapel, Round 02

Orik / Arao: The Chapel, Round 02

Adrenaline flowed thru my veins and gave me more than enough energy to charge through the room and reach the entangled criminal Tsuto. While moving I branded Tsuto with the mark of Pelor -- the pale yellow symbol contrasted against his darkish skin.

"Tsuto!" I shouted. "Surrender and pay for your crimes."

I swung my axe down as I reached him. Entangled, he was not able to avoid it. The axe bit and a deep cut wound formed on his chest. Strangely, he did not cry out at all. The deranged look on his eyes were as if his thoughts were completely on something or someone else not here.

Rhonna: The Chapel Round 2

This cannot be happening! Rhonna mutters to herself. Tsuto is in league with Nualia! The young warlock rushes after the renegade half-elf, hoping to stop him.

"This is all my fault!" She cries out. Nualia has corrupted another soul. This time it was poor innocent Tsuto. Rhonna remembers how her coven sisters would pick on the young half-elf, mocking him for his heritage and how he was being maltreated by his father.

Rhonna once had the chance to help Tsuto, but she didn't. She left him alone and vulnerable to Nualia's evil influence.

She quickly follows Tsuto, hoping that she'll catch up to the half-elf. "What should I do? How do I stop him?"

Tsuto's aura has been tainted by Nualia's inferal dealings. Rhonna could sense the demonic pledges he made with Nualia and her devil consorts. The only way she could save his soul was to use summon the power of the stars.

After running for a few meters, Rhonna could see Tsuto running back towards her. She immediately sense Guy's radiant magic and the power of Corellon, compelling the renegade to run back towards them.

This is my chance to stop him! Rhonna pulls out her bronze pact dagger and begins summoning the power of the phoenix star.

Rhonna closes her eyes and begins visualizing the power of the green phoenix - a twelve star constellation on the northern sky. Among the animal constellations, the phoenix possesses the most arcane and mystical power capable of surpassing the crab's resilience and the crane's splendor.

"Star of the phoenix, I call upon your celestial might, subdue my enemy with your mystic light."

As Tsuto staggers towards Rhonna, the warlock's dagger glows with an eerie emerald light. The floor beneath the half-elf begins to radiate the same green light. Tsutso screams as sharp talons emerge from the light, with claws of jade ripping through the half-elf's armor.

"I'm sorry Tsuto," Rhonna cries as the pheonix's talons pulled the renegade to the ground.

Guillaume: The Chapel Round 2

"He flees!" Rhonna screamed at the top of her voice.

"After him!!" Lloyd, Arao, and Griffyn all spoke in unison.

Tsuto runs as fast as he could. Once he exits the chapel’s main doors, he headed north. He sprints along a short corridor and into a medium sized room. Various alchemical devices, books and scrolls littered the room. Tsuto knew his way around the room but still had to be careful not to topple any of the instruments in fear of setting up an explosion or much worse.

The half-elf was almost into the room when a faint shimmering glow appeared in front of him and a figure started to materialize – it was the fey priest, Guillaume.

Guy stood blocking his escape. and with every defiance he could muster, he ordered Tsuto to go back.

"Return!" Guy's voice boomed that might have shattered glass. He looked down on Tsuto who seemed suddenly small and insignificant. An aura of immense power and greatness surrounded Guy as he points and commands Tsuto back thru the doors and into the Main Chapel where the rest of the party are waiting ...

Lloyd: The Chapel, Round 02

Lloyd sees his party mates rally after the wizard’s attack. He could feel Guy’s spell working and filling him with resolve. He sees Rhonna, and Arao rush into the room and assault their arcane enemy, hitting her with eldritch bolts, fire and blazing radiance. Gryffin finishes her with a massive burst of fire. His companions have indeed grown experienced in the last couple of weeks.

Even Orik managed to help with dealing with the demonic hounds.

The half-elf, from the perch he is at, takes care to be just out of reach of the remaining canine. He takes a look at Tsuto from the other side of the room.

He has to wait. We’ll have to deal with the hounds first.

With that, Lloyd shifts his hold on his blades and waits for his chance to attack. As he expected, the hound jumps up once more for an attack and that’s when the half-elf struck. He brought his blades in a cross formation and slashed back just as the hound came up to him. Both blades bit deep into the creature’s neck. There was a short whine from it before it fell down dead back on the chapel floor.

***

Tsuto saw Lyrie fall. He also saw all canine simultaneously fall under the attacks of the intruders.

I need to warn Nualia!

Just as the last hound fell, the rogue quickly turned towards the chapel’s main door and ran as fast as he could.

Damn Sandpoint! Darm Orik! Damn them all!

***

Rhonna could not believe how tsuto had changed. This wasn't the naive young man she knew back in Sandpoint. The years have hardened his heart and his soul.

"Tsuto! Don't do this!" She pleads. She rushes towards the half elf as he prepares his escape.

The half-elf threw her a cold mocking stare. "I don't have anything to say to you," Tsuto mutters. "What you didn't give me, Nualia gave a hundred fold."

"Stop this madness!" Rhonna screams. Her heart shudders at the thought of Nualia seducing Tsuto to her side, winning him over with false promises and lies.

Gryffin: The Chapel, Round 01

Gryffin saw Lloyd flung across the room by the simplest of spells and was shocked.

"By my fathers' beards..." Gryffin said under his breath, his mouth remaining open. "How'd she..."

Gryffin immediately reviewed the spell in his mind and fear welled up in his throat as he scrambled for a way to duplicate such an effect. He realized he could not. The spell simply reflected the caster's strength of will - her conviction.

"Ah...She must have a very strong will, OR is obssessively focused AND insanely confident... at least that says something about our enemy and not about me being inept - still, a spellcaster determined to kill us isn't good news." He thought as his nervousness got swept away by Guy's bolstering prayer.

"But a caster like her should be an easy target for Rhonna..." And seemingly in vindication of Gryffin's thought, the witch's dark purple eldritch bolt struck deep into the ebon skinned magician - causing her grievous injury.

Further bolstering Gryffin's confidence was the newcomer Orik and his seemingly effortless dispatch of one of the yeth hound.

He then saw Arao - the noble dragonkin servant of Pelor dash forward and launch a breath of fire whose intensity and size - to Gryffin's eyes at that moment - could possibly rival the true dragons themselves.

The dragonkin then called out with a prayer to Pelor and the female spellcaster was engulfed in a column of punishing, burning divine light.

For a moment Gryffin felt unworthy.

"These people - my friends - they really do deserve to be called heroes...How can I..." He thought. Then his brows furrowed in determination.

"Our enemies are distracted...they probably won't notice me..." Gryffin thought as he ducked behind the door to the chapel and hid from the enemies' view.

Brows still furrowed, he tightened his grasp on his father's staff and the runes etched on it's wooden surface blazed to glowing crimson life.

"Firaga!" Gryffin called out as he held the staff - calling on it's enchantment to amplify his spell.

***

Gryffin's focus seemed to embellish every moment of the spell's effect in his mind. He saw the threads of arcane power coalesce in the space he summoned the spell to materialize.

The thread's of magic gathered and then burst out - transforming into an expanding ring of fire. The enchantment on the staff magnified Gryffin's spell - throwing the ring further out than it normally would - managing to engulf both the yeth hound and the female spellcaster.

The flames ignited the yeth hound's fur completely devouring it.

The flames wrapped around the enemy spellcaster but as it did - a shimmering barrier seemed to thwart the flames from touching her skin. The woman's eyes were wide as she willed the barrier into place - glaring at the tongues of flame that now threatened to lick and burn her skin.

Gryffin gulped in that split second - fear forcing him to imagine what horror's the witch would unleash upon the party after effortlessly shrugging of an amplified version of his spell. However, the witch's mind
was too strained by the radiant assault of divine light by Arao. She could not hold the barrier fast.

And as the barrier shattered Gryffin thought - "Thank Pelor!" as the yeth hound and the wizardess was consumed by flames.

Arao: The Chapel of Tharizdun; Rd. 1

I watched as the dark magician in the room shocked my comrades before me with lightning, and then hurled Lloyd the warlord back after he valiantly charged and wounded her. Guy was first to recover, and he immediately sang a blessing from Corellon that lifted our spirits. Rhona the warlock and Orik the fighter moved into the room and engaged the enemies.

Move you lumbering oaf, I told myself. The sun waits for no man.

Entering the room, I found that the front was totally crowded as Rhona, Orik and Lloyd stood in the way of the bloodhounds. I was heartened to see one of the dogs already dispatched, its corpse cleaved into two, obviously by Orik. I heard the familiar and ominous voice of the escaped murderer Tsuto, whom we faced in the Glassworks and tormented us with dark thoughts. As much as I wanted to battle him, he was at the back of the room however, and I did not have enough time to get to him.

The sinister-looking mage, however, was at the far wall in front of me. I could see her robes torn by Lloyd's attack. Those who enjoin to spread evil must be punished, my mind raced. Breathing deeply, I summoned forth the ancient power of the dragonborns, and spewed out a fiery blast of fire.

"Firah!!!!"

The blast caught the mage and the bloodhound, singeing their very skin. I focused on the mage, she was starting some sort of arcane gesture; I could sense her power growing. That would not do.

"Sear, Blazing Sun, Radiant Delirium!" I intoned as I channeled Pelor's divine power through my holy symbol. A burst of bright light engulfed in the mage, and a nova within exploded three times on the mage's body. She screamed in pain, and doubled over in agony. Her form limp from my attack, she spat forth blood, and stared at me with utter enmity.

Orik/Yeth Hounds: The Chapel, Round 01

Just as soon as Orik stated to step towards the chapel’s entrance, he saw Lloyd get pushed back towards the doors by one of the wizard’s spell. He wanted to rush forward and help the half-elf when a sudden burst of electrical energy hit him. The mercenary was caught unaware and thus absorbed the brunt of the attack. The attack made it difficult to control his movement but he eventually steeled himself and managed to move towards Lloyd.

“You alright?” Orik asked just as Lloyd swatted away Tsuto’s arrows.

“Yeah am..” Lloyd was about to answer but cut himself off as he saw the burnt marks covering right side of the man beside him.

“You’re hurt!” The half-elf gasped; genuine concern evident in his voice.

“I’ll be okay.” Orik laughed, glad to have received such a reaction.

“I’ll take them. Find some cover and wait for the rest of your party to arrive.”

Without waiting for confirmation, the armored fighter picked up his shield and sword and made his way towards the chapel stairs waiting for their enemies to reach him.

*

The yeth hounds detected the arrival of the party long before they opened the chapel doors. It could have been their preternatural senses or their outsider nature but they were already tense and ready for attack by the time the first of the intruders were moving into the chapel.

They pack attacked as one and their chosen targets were the armored man and the female standing by the top of the stairs.

The lead canine got a powerful bastard sword swing as its reward. Orik swung his sword as soon as the hound was within range and managed to cleave the creature in two. He likewise managed to block the charge of the second one with his shield.

The third got past him though and jumped on Rhonna. The force of the charge enabled the hound to get past her defenses and allowed it to sink its teeth into one of the girl’s legs eliciting a cry from the latter.

Rhonna: The Chapel, Round 01

As the group continued further into the goblin stronghold, Rhonna whispers a quick prayer to Sehanine. The goddess of the moon has always been kind and loving to her. When the town elders discovered and punished ther coven sisters, Rhonna was lucky enough to be protected by a wandering priestess of the moon goddess. The priestess spend months praying over her. Rhonna thought she was doomed to live a life of torment and guilt, but Sehanine gave her a new lease in life.

Gryffin suddenly taps her arm, a signal to get ready. The eladrin wizard silently motioned over the door, with Lloyd standing quietly in front. The mercenary and paladin readied their weapons as well. Rhonna could hear the voice of Guy chanting softly. Sehanine, mother of the stars, guide our group in this battle. Rhonna mutters a silent prayer herself. She knew that her simple prayer isn't as elaborate or powerful as the eldarin priest, but she feels comforted by the power of the moon goddess.

Lloyd looks over his friends and sees them ready. He quickly opens the door, revealing a large room of worship. Its walls are lit by hanging braziers, spewing red smoke. A black marble altar stone, its surface heaped with ashes and bone fragments, squats before a ten foot tall statue. The statue depicts a very pregnant but otherwise shapely naked woman who wields a kukri in each taloned hand and has a long reptilian tail, bird-like taloned feet, and the snarling head of a three-eyed jackal with a forked tongue.

Rhonna glances over the room and a familiar cold sensation crept into her stomach. The various ingredients on the altar are components of a demonic ritual. A ritual she and her coven sisters often made in the past. The bestial statue is one of the demons of hell, their former patron and source of power.

"Oh no." She whispers, shaking her head in fear. "Not again."

Inside the room are three infernal hounds growling furiously. Somehow they sensed the group scent and had warned the other occupants of intruders.

Tsuto stands over the demon wolves, like a ravaging warrior out on a hunt.

“Well! Well! Who do we have here?” the half elf laughs.

“Come to rescue your friend Jarek I presume. Well you’re a little bit late. He’s already with Nualia which means he’ll be ours soon if not already so.”

Rhonna shakes her head in shock. Tsuto! Poor innocent Tsuto. The boy who had a crush on her many years ago. He was quite smitten with Rhonna back when she was with Nualia and her sisterhood. The young half-elf had strong feelings for Rhonna, bordering obsession. He kept stalking Rhonna and her sisters, following them wherever they went, sending her love letters every day. Rhonna could not believe the news that Tsuto killed his own father. She knew the boy had a tough childhood. She even begged Nualia to spare the lad from their curses. Nualia didn't care much for Tsuto back then, considering him to be a useless pest. Come to think of it, Rhonna was the only one who tried to reach out and be friends with Tsuto. She hoped to change the boy and protect him from further abuse. But Tsuto was already broken and wounded.

“But we can’t be having you here disrupting our plans of revenge, could we?” He draws out his short bow and releases a couple of arrows towards Lloyd. Rhonna thought of running towards Lloyd, hoping to protect the warlord from Tsuto's assault. She draws out her ceremonial dagger, trying to channel the power of the mantis constellation when she heard some else casting a spell inside the room.

"A wizard!" Rhonna shouts as soon as she catches a glimpse of anoother person inside the chapel.

The woman is in her early twenties, with dark skin and long hair braided tightly into cornrows. Rhonna feels the arcane power surging through the woman's hands, with the arcane runes of the chapel augmenting her magic. The woman waves her hand and a powerful force threw Lloyd into the air, slamming him back into the door.

I have to help Lloyd! Rhonna mutters as she raises her dagger, pointing it over the wizard's direction. She closes her eyes, summoning the power of the mantis constellation. Rhonna feels the humming of a thousand insects as the star of the blue mantis showers her with its celestial might. A bright burst of light shoots out of Rhonna's hands, striking the woman's chest. Rhonna could feel the power of the mantis constellation flowing through her body, like a wave of hungry locusts devouring the flesh of the wizard.

Guillaume: The Chapel Round 1

the opened door reveals the chamber and our enemies. i instinctively began to chant - a prayer for courage, strength and hope.

"grand seigneur et createur de l'univers. je vous implore. guidez nos coeurs, nos esprits, et nos mains pour que ensemble, nous battrons ce mal"

the song was short and quiet. lingering. it touched and filled the hearts and mind of every ally. i see each, take deep breaths as if the magic in working itself out individually, mentally prepares them to the impending battle.

but in my mind's reality, i am sole witness to the tiny eladrin cherubs with curly silver and shimmering hair and tiny little wings fluttering behind them, appear -- one for every ally floating just above each ally's head. each carrying a wand which they cheerfully wave to and fro showering my allies with divine magic dust.

"fear not my friends. the lord of all fées is with us!" i loudly called out to strike fear on our enemies.

Lyrie / Tsuto: The Chapel, Round 01

Lyrie gives an annoyed look at the intruders as the disrupted her from her studies. Several parchments with writings in a long forgotten language littered the lone wooden table near the temple’s altar. The cat familiar’s fur bristled as it screeched a warning to its mistress. The dark-skinned skinned wizard grimly pulled out a wand from one of the numerous pouches located in her belt and pointed it towards the group of people gathered by the side door.

Suddenly one of the intruders - a half-elf, ran towards her. She was unprepared for the savagery of the attack. Her attacker's two swords managed to cut deep into her shoulder whoch was now bleeding pretty badly.

“You shall pay for that!” Lyrie spat out.

She then spoke an arcane word and a booming sound erupted from the wizard and rushed towards Lloyd. The force of the attack threw the half-elf back towards the doorway of the temple.

The female wizard then brought up her wand and uttered another arcane word. This time a ball of electrical energy burst forth from the tip of her wand and towards the group.

It exploded in the middle of the party. Gryffin and Rhonna managed to evade the attack but Orik and Guy took the brunt of the arcane assault.

* * *

“Well! Well! Who do we have here?” Tsuto laughed as he saw the familiar faces of his townsfolk once more.

“Come to rescue your friend Jarek I presume. Well you’re a little bit late. He’s already with Nualia which means he’ll be ours soon if not already so.”

“But we can’t be having you here disrupting our plans of revenge, could we?”

With that Tsuto pulls back his short bow and releases a couple of arrows towards his nearest target - Lloyd.

The half-elf however seemed to be ready for the attack and quickly brought up both his swords and managed to cut down the arrows as soon as they came near him.

"Not this time Tsuto!" Lloyd shouted. "You may have escaped us once. But I'll make sure that won't happen again!"

Lloyd: The Chapel, Round 01

Lloyd stepped into the room fully alert as Orik has warned them that Lyrie would be located in the temple. What he didn't expect was that Lyrie would be alert to their arrival. At first, the half-elf thought that it was probably a trap set up by Orik but the presence of the fiendish hounds in the room lent some explanation as to why they were alert.

Scanning thru the room Lloyd saw Lyrie perched towards the side of the altar and getting ready to pull out a wand. The three hounds were likewise on the run towards the entrance. Further into the temple room was Tsuto.

It took a second for the warrior to figure out the immenent threat to his group. The mage had to go down and he had to make way for the others if they were to avoid being picked off by their enemies.

"I see one mage north of us." Lloyd shouted back to warn his companions. "Some kind of three fiendish looking dogs to our right and Tsuto. I'm heading off to intercept the mage. You guys get in here as soon as you can!"

Running quickly into the room, Lloyd rushed the wizard. he drew both his short swords as he ran. He sped up on the stone bench behind the altar and jumped down towards the surprised mage. he brought down his twin swords as he did so and he managed to deal two deep cuts.

DM: The Chapel to Tharizdun

Gryffin listens at the door. Nothing. His hand checks the handle. It is open. He twists. The door shifts to reveal a short dark corridor with a heavy iron-clad door at the end. You all file forward, Gryffin signaling for you to stop 5 foot from the door. He edges forward, and presses his ear to the door. Time slips by as he crouches like that, listening for several minutes. At last he turns to you all and shakes his head. Nothing.

He tries the lock again. Open again. The door creaks a little as he twists it open.

Inside is a large room. (OOC: Room D9) It is unlit. There is silence within. You edge forward into the room, casting the light from your torches into the large space. The southern wall of this room is a bank of cells with iron bars and barred doors, six in all. The rest of the room is obviously a torture chamber; a rack sits against the far wall, an iron maiden stands to the north, and a fire pit (empty of all but ashes) lies below a spiky cage dangling from a chain in the ceiling to the east.

The place is deserted, and has the dull air of a room that hasn't been opened in at least a few days. The north wall of the room has two doors. The second one, to the right, is swung open. Inside is a tiny little room. (OOC: Room D10) It is a nest of rags, dog hides, and straw. A workbench lies against its southern wall, cluttered with pliers, hooks, tongs, saws, and knives. A bunch of keys hangs from a nail on the side of the bench - probably the keys for the cells. The cells, however, as you have already ascertained, are empty.

Orik points towards The second door, the one to the west, the party follows his direction.



* * *

Gryffin listens. Hearing nothing he checks the door. it is unlocked. He moves his hand slowly, turning the handle little by little. It gives without a sound, opening outwards (towards you all), to reveal a very short corridor beyond with a second door. This one is ornate, carved stone. Upon it is etched imagery of Tharizdun, the goddess of monsters. The etching is relatively recent, and relatively crude. Blood stains are visible in the recessed areas.

The door has no lock, being a simple push/pull affair. Gryffin listens again, and after failing to discern any noises through the stone door, signals the rest of the party. Lloyd pushes it a crack.

The room beyond is dimly lit. Noises are evident.

There is little else for it, but to open the door.

Within lies a large chapel to Tharizdun. (OOC: Room D12) The room is wider on the western side, where you entered, with the eastern section sunken a few feet into the ground. On the far east lies two large doors - the main entrance for worshipers.

The walls surrounding the raised section that you are at are lit by hanging braziers that emit glowing red smoke, giving the place an unnerving crimson lighting that throws the bas-relief carvings of countless monsters feasting on fleeing humans into lurid display. A black marble altar stone, its surface heaped with ashes and bone fragments, squats before a ten foot tall statue. The statue depicts a very pregnant but otherwise shapely naked woman who wields a kukri in each taloned hand and has a long reptilian tail, bird-like taloned feet, and the snarling head of a three-eyed jackal with a forked tongue. The left kukri glows with fiery orange light while the right one glows with a cold blue radiance.

Behind the statue is a circular hole in the floor that appears to be a spiral staircase that winds down into the dark below.

The room itself is not empty. Against the northern wall is a large table with two chairs. Its surface is cluttered with scrolls, books, stone tablets covered with dense, spiky runes, and fragments of carvings that appear to have been chipped off of statues or reliefs. A lantern sits atop the table casting its light over the items collected there.

Before the table, turning to observe you, is a woman in her early twenties with dark skin and long hair braided tightly into cornrows. She is robed, and has three scrolls tucked under her left arm that she lets drop to her feet as she sees you. A wand is tucked loosely in her belt, and a dagger is beside it. A cat wriggles between her feet.

A howl erupts from the east of the room as three black, very large hound-like creatures come racing towards you.

As they move towards you they start to howl. The noise they make appears to startle even the woman and the very familiar looking half-elf standing amidst the hounds - Tsuto Kaijitsu.

DM: Empty Rooms

Orik scratches his chin as if considering Rhonna’s offer.

“It will only be a dead if Lloyd agrees to it.” The mercenary states.

“Fine!” Lloyd states. “Let’s just go finish checking out the rooms. The sooner we do so, the sooner this is over with.”

Gryffin moves slowly from room to room, listening again, just making sure despite Orik's words, that none of the inhabitants are home. He checks one door which Orik says is the door to Tsuto's room. The lock is fast. It takes little more than a minute of careful fiddling to make the lock yield.

The room within is clean and well-organized. A low dresser to the southwest has a stack of papers sitting atop it, weighted down by a large chunk of obsidian, while to the northwest stands a well-made bed.

Guy moves to read the notes, finding that the contents are familiar. They contain rough notes and drafts of Tsuto's plan to blackmail his father and to use the Sandpoint Glassworks as a staging ground for the coming investigation of the Catacombs of Wrath. There is nothing new here for you guys. You have already stormed the Glassworks, freeing Ameiko, and capturing Tsuto. This remind you that you still have unfinished business though in the Catacombs of evil.

Next up you move on to what the mercenary says is Lyrie's room. This 'Lyrie' woman is a mystery to even Orik. He says she’s some ally of Nualia's, but someone who has not featured so far. Her description matches however the person that sprang Tsuto out of jail. Her door is unlocked, and within the room is clean and brightly lit by an everburning torch lying on the nightstand. The rooms spartan decor make it unclear if the room has actually been lived.

A chest contains a few pairs of female clothing and shoes, and nothing else. This room appears to be used for little more than sleeping.

The last room you move on to is probably Nualia's. Once again the door is locked, but Gryffin finds it simple enough to spring the mechanism. This chamber is larger than the others and seems to serve a dual purpose. To the north is a fine bed with silk sheets, while to the south a desk and chair under a hanging lantern make a comfortable looking study.

The quality of the fine bed looks out of place in this strange dungeon to Thistlepoint. It is new, and of high quality, perhaps imported north from Magnimar.

Rhonna searches the room high and low, but there is little here. Clothing, a quill pen, some ink, but no paper, a fine lantern that is unlit, some spare oil, and three fine bottles of red wine and two glasses.

You all move back to the main entrance chamber.

“I guess there’s nothing more here.” Lloyd states. “Should we be proceeding north?” The half-elf looks back to his companions for approval.

Rhonna: The Offer

Rhonna looks at Lloyd and the mercenary exchange conversation. Judging from their expressions, the two warriors are close and know each other quite well. Looks like Lloyd has made a lot friends in his adventuring days, and Orik is one of them. I just hope the half-elf can convince his friend to help us, Rhonna thought to herself.

She wonders what Lloyd sees in this brutish mercernary. People like Orik are only motivated by gold and treasure, they can quickly switch their allegiances at the drop of a coin.

"Wait!" Rhonna shouts. An idea forming in her head.

The two warriors turn towards her. Orik raising his thick eyebrow and Lloyd slightly blushing from the unexpected reunion.

"You're a mercenary? Working for money?" Rhonna asked. "Well if its money you want, I have money!"

Orik looks at her and back at the half elf. "Who is that girl?"

"She's Rhonna Merrid," Lloyd replies. "Daughter of the late Julius Merrid. Merchant trader of the West."

"Whatever the harpy is paying you, I can double that!" Rhonna declares. "Just help us get rid of this evil."

"By harpy you mean Nualia," Gryffin corrected.

Rhonna rolls her eyes. "Fine, the harpy is Nualia. But I still think she's dead."

Guillaume: The Offer

"i am certain the people will be greatly indebted to you. and i will approach the mayor and personally give you commendation if you decide to help us thwart this evil." although i can see, from the look on orik's face, that this argument fails to appeal to his sentimentality or even his honor.

"sandpoint citizens have never been known to be .. (pause slightly to put emphasis to but also to think of the right word to describe it) "ungenerous" about their gratitude." i quickly reinforced my argument which did seem to spark the interest to turn over to our side.

i played with my symbol made of quarts and other rare blue stones, while making my appeal, which caught some of the little light that lingered in the chamber. it twinkled incessantly, beguiling the young mercenary to review his situation.

[diplomacy roll]

feeling guilty about what appears like underhandedness on my part, i quickly make a mental note of contrition, perhaps later when time allows it. or if i am still alive that is. i do it for the people of sandpoint. victory means a fresh new batch of the faithful for the church. i don't want to think of the alternative of this dreamed reality, what would happen if we lose .. no more negative thoughts. i must purge myself of pessimism.

Lloyd: The Offer

“Not so fast.” Advises Lloyd.

“I… we need to come clean with you. We aren't sell swords. We still serve Sandpoint. We are here to end this threat.”

Orik's face twists into a mask of confusion. His eyes dart back into the room, as if searching out the bastard sword and heavy shield that sit within.

“We don't have a bone with you, Orik. I know you’re just a mercenary. You have no loyalty to anyone. Money is all that is important to you. We have a bone only with Nualia and her cohorts. We have already neutralized the goblin threat. A deal has been made with the goblins. Next, we clean out any resistance here.” Adds the half-elf.

“So you don't want to be making any resistance.” Offers Lloyd sternly. “I’m offering you a route out, here. You can take it, walk free, stay alive, and fight another battle for another master. OR…. .” He shrugs, dramatically. “Hell, you might even be a good fighter, but you got to ask yourself whether that is the sort of group you want to take on. I mean, it's your call, really.”

Orik looks around to the likewise confused faces of the rest of the half-elf’s group.

“That’s it? You’re just letting me go?” he responds. “I mean, you’re just letting me walk? Not even a knife in the back. No retribution?”

Lloyd nods. Orik swallows again, perplexed.

DM: Awkward Introductions

Orik drops his bastard sword and runs towards the man in the other room’s doorway.

“Lloyd Avertin!” The taller man pulls up the startled half-elf into a tight hug.

“Orik Vancaskerin.” The half-elf hugs back and replies, though his tone is much less subdued.

“You guys know each other?” Guy curiously asks which promptly forces the two grown men to break up their hug. Orik, though, kept hold of the half-elf’s shoulder.

“Ummm… we know each other from town.” Lloyd explains. “Orik’s a traveling mercenary and he passed by Sandpoint last year and stayed for a couple of months. He joined the town guards during that time. We… worked together.”

“I knew you’d come here.” Orik interjected. “Your friend Jared arrived a couple of days ago. He's either with Lyrie in the room just up north, in her lab, no doubt doing something weird. Otherwise, he's probably with Naulia down below. She is always down below.

“Man, I hate this place. Hate being cooped up here waiting. You can't go up, because the goblins stink, and their manners are… yeuch! Life here is not glamorous. I was going to give it 24 hours, and if there’s no update on plans by then, I was considering bailing.”

“But that probably will change with you here. Man! I missed you so much!” Orik gives the half-elf another hug.

Lloyd: Goals

Lloyd sees the confused look upon Gryffin’s face as he looks outside the doorway and back towards the room and at the half-elf. Lloyd starts to move towards the door and the eladrin gently pushes him back.

“What is it?” Lloyd asks, whispering his question.

“Umm...” Gryffin stammers, trying to figure out what to say.

Confused, Lloyd himself cautiously moves towards the door and takes a look. He sees his companions facing away from him and towards another person. Recognition finally sets on Lloyd as to whom the new person is.

“Orik?” Lloyd gasps. Unknowingly voicing loudly his question causing everyone to turn towards the equally stunned half-elf.

DM: Goals

“Well that’s too bad, father.” Orik states as he shakes his head. “It seems that we do not actually have the same goal after all.

“I’ve been paid by the lady to protect her and it seems that you and your lot are in conflict with my job.”

The warrior reaches over and lifts his bastard sword before anyone in the party could react.

“So what are we going to do about it?”

*

From within the room, both Gryffin and Lloyd stop their rummaging when their hear voices at the corridor. Lloyd signals his companion who in turn nods and stealthily moves towards the door. From there, the eladrin sees his three remaining companions talking to a tall human warrior who seems a bit familiar to him...

Guillaume: Orik Vancaskerkin

"Are you more of that woman's minions?! Or maybe you're here to kill her!!" Orik's eyes narrowed in tepid suspicion raising his voice on the last note for dry emphasis. His reproach seemed well intended though as I observed him from behind the dragonborn's broad shoulder.

I am uncertain why but I felt quickly at ease with this one.

I quietly made my approach, halting at a comfortable space between us. "Then my friend, father corellon - lord of arcana that of mystery and spring that of new beginnings, must have guided you to us for we seek the same goal." I smiled devoid of hostility back at the stranger.

"I am Father Guillaume, Priest Of Corellon." I bowed low.

"Our meeting gives us an imperative." I turned around to face my friends and back to Orik. Their faces were painted with uncertainty.

"We must join forces. My Lord must have willed it."

"same goal? and what goal would that be father?"

i remained bowed but was taken aback by Orik's curious response. what?!

"why .. to arrest the menace brought upon the world by the (harpy) woman of course" i start to step backward as it becomes clearer that Orik might not be what I thought he was - the reinforcement I prayed for.

Rhonna: Orik Vancaskerkin

Rhonna watches as the tall warrior walk into the chamber. She notice the man is unarmed, except for a dagger tucked in his belt. Lloyd and the others are caught unaware of the man's arrival. They look at the stranger, as if he was one of the goblin's lackey.

The man pulls down his hood, showing off his stern visage and his crooked nose.

"What is all of this about?" He growls as if he stumbled on a private celebration by accident. “Are you more of that woman's sycophants, or has someone finally decided to end her life?”

Rhonna's hands quickly reach for her bronze dagger. She takes a deep breath, trying to recall an incantation to summon the Lion's flame, just in case the stranger attacks.

Who is this man? She wonders. Is he another agent of darkness? Or a poor soul sent to lure us away from our goal? And what of this woman? Is she the harpy or the one who calls herself Nualia?

She could feel the celestial music of the constellations ringing through her soul, amplified by her own ceremonial dagger.

Rhonna looks at Guy and Arao, hoping that the more experienced warriors would know what to do in a situation like this.