Campaign: Dominion of Adventure 4/5/2023

Having finally defeated the corrupt mutants in the sewers the party gathered themselves around the still steaming corpse of the large hulking beast. A noise drew their attention to the door the creature had been battering against and the door opened and a human head peered hesitantly around the stout wooden beams.

“Hello?” called a worried sounding voice

“Don’t worry, it’s safe now” called out Navarro from where he was helping Hamlet to his feet across the chamber

“I hope so, I am Father Theodore – who are you all?”

“Navarro and the Renegades” replied Navarro quickly before anyone else could reply, earning himself a few sharp looks and some general muttering

“You’re…..rather strange for a knight” said Father Ted

“You’re very rude for a priest” snapped Navarro, his prickly Vilmean pride flaring suddenly

“Hi” said Luther, plastering a smile across his face and pushing Navarro aside “My master has been through a lot and is just tired” many of the Renegades looked up at Luther’s use of “master” in surprise but the bard continued and introduced the party, Father Ted led them past the door – which he once again sealed with some kind of magical spell behind them before leading them into what seemed to be an old cellar or storage room. Father Ted explained that they were beneath the church of Helm in the Temple District where he’d gathered what survivors he could from the ruin of the city above as he led them past huddled men, women and children. Hamlet took the time to magically clean the party of the filth they’d picked up in the sewers

“Why have you come here?” the priest asked

“We’re seeking a cure to the infection, a man named Dr Kleinberg was working on one…..we think” expained Dorian

“Dr Kleinberg? I know this man – he was close to Lord Cheval, ruler of the city….well, he was before all this” he gestured helplessly around “it’s possible he’s with Lord Cheval in the keep, but we’ve had no word from inside since it was sealed up”

“What can you tell us about what’s happened here?”

“It started months ago, people began to fall ill, nothing we could do would stop the infection…then…they began to change” explained Father Ted, visibly distressed “and that army out there hasn’t done a damned thing to help us” he finished bitterly

“We’re the thing” stated Sylas pointing at his companions

Father Ted eyed the mismatched Renegades with some scepticism, yet for all their battered appearance and distinctly unmilitary manner there was a quiet, not quite confidence – though the knight Navarro didn’t lack for that, but a steely resolve to them that gave him a tiny flicker of hope

“The first to change were those of us who worked with the Necrodillium, either miners or the workers in the processing plants – the change took them fast and some of them grew two, maybe three times their normal size. We couldn’t treat them, but we tried – but they turned on us, many of us were killed, or worse – infected too. That’s when the Lord of the City locked himself away in the keep and abandoned us to the creatues. I gathered what few I could and bought them down here, the creatures don’t seem to have found us yet and so we’re safe for now but the food is running out and I don’t know how much longer we can stay here”

“What food do you have?” asked Dorian wondering what had sustained them for the past months

“We have stored grains, and some of us, Gumba in the main, have ventured into the city to find supplies…and when that wasn’t available, well there’s always the rats…”

“Rats” said Iivan, a look of distaste on his hauty face

“I’m not proud of it, but my work is to keep these folk alive – no matter the hardships that involves”

Gunnar opened his pack and pulled out a pile of rations, tossing them casually at the priest, several of the others also proffered some of their own rations to the churchman – though whether it was from pity or simply a desire not to eat rats while they sheltered with him was unclear.

“Who is this Gumba and where might we find him?” asked Dorian

“Gumba is a Dwarf, he is what you might call the leader of the resistance here – it’s he who leads the men who still venture up into the city in search of food and survivors”

“Yes yes, but where is he?” asked Iivan, thinking back to the rewards being offered by Commander Agoris should they make contact with friendly forces in Coatlan

“I don’t know, I’ve not been above ground in weeks – since the darkness came”

“Great” muttered Hamlet to Kevin

“What darkness is this?” asked Navarro

“I can’t say for sure, but it’s like a thick fog descended on the city – you can barely see a few feet ahead of you up in the city….but you can see the shapes moving and hear….things hunting in it – Helm save us from that” he made the symbol of Helm across his chest, Navarro and Dorian repeating the gesture almost by reflex.

“and Dr Kleinberg is in the keep you say?”

“I don’t know where he is, his shop was close to the keep – maybe he fled there when the city fell but I don’t know – a good man, so sad what happened to his son”

“His son?” asked Dorian “he was sick wasn’t he?”

“Yes, he was – before all this began – how did you know?”

“I’ve been researching the Blight myself, and Dr Kleinberg’s name keeps coming up as an expert on the disease”

“His son was the first case he studied, it’s what made him hunt for a cure” added Sylas helpfully

Father Ted’s face froze, he stared unseeing at the walls of the cellar his lips thin and white “It was him….he brought this plague down on us all” it was the first time the party had heard the man sound so bitter despite all that had befallen his city to this point. Dorian moved to console his fellow priest but Father Ted shook his arm off “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t dwell on the past – you’re here and in need of rest, come I’ve had a place prepared for you” and with that he led them to a secluded corner of the cellars where an effort had been made to create beds from what the survivors had to hand.

When the party rose from their slumber they couldn’t tell whether it was morning or night, though Iivan and Dorian both being more familiar with undeground living were sure it was still morning. After eating some stew of dubious (but no doubt rodenty) providence to break their fast they gathered themselves. Hamlet stepped forward and delivered an impassioned speech about how they’d waded through rivers of shit to get here and no fucking mutants were about to stand in the way of the Renegades of Yucan. The Warlock’s fervour made an impression and the Renegades all felt more confident about facing the dangers of the city above…and rather spoiling the moment when Navarro roused himself to add his own words of encouragement to the group – though Luther loyally declared that he’d been inspired by his Master which seemed to mollify the Paladin whilst simultaneously earning some raised eyebrows from the others.

Father Ted bought them a roughly drawn map of the city and they huddled round it and began to plan their approach. With Father Ted’s help they were able to mark their own position to the North East of the city, Dr Kleinberg’s home which was close to the keep in the South West of the city.

“Where would we find processed Necrodillum?” asked Iivan, eyes glinting with avarice

“I couldn’t tell you for sure, but the industrial quarter is here in the South East” answered Father Ted gesturing to a corner of the map spread before them

“We’re not here to loot the place Iivan” admonished Navarro

“Who’s talking about looting? I’m just curious, and well if we do happen to find anything abandoned to the mutants….finders keepers am I right?” replied Iivan turning to Gunnar who nodded his agreement.

“Gentlemen, we’re here to find Dr Kleinberg” stated Dorian “We need to go to his house and search it as soon as possible”

“Yeah but the city is crawling with those creatures, look if we skirt round following the city wall then at least we should have some cover and won’t get lost in this strange mist” countered Iivan reasonably

“We have Gregg, he can lead us through the city with ease” claimed Sylas confidently slapping his friend on the shoulder and ignoring Gregg’s look of concern at being volunteered to lead the party

“It’s decided then” announced Navarro “we will find Dr Kleinberg and his cure then signal for extraction”

“How will you get word to the army?” asked Father Ted “We’ve been unable to send for help since the city fell”

“With this” replied Dorian holding up his hand to show the priest his magic ring, wordlessly Father Ted raised his own hand and displayed a matching ring of his own. A look of concern flickered over Dorian’s face for a moment

“Fools, you’re probably not doing it right” said Sylas raising his own ring “I’ll show you…” and he stared intently at his own ring for a moment before looking up at the others hopefully “there, you got my message right?”. Dorian and Father Ted shared a look and then both shook their heads.

“We’re on our own then” muttered Luther

“I’ve got plenty of rope, we can just climb down from the walls if we have to” added Gunnar optimistically

“What about the army outside, won’t they attack us?” pointed out Hamlet

“We’ll worry about that when we have to, the rings will work once we’re outside the walls” stated Navarro with his customary confidence and waving away the concerned looks some of the others shot his way “Father, please show us the way up to the city”

They followed the priest through the warren of crowded rooms and were eventually led to stairway leading to a heavy wooden trap door. The priest incanted some arcane words and removed the barrier he’d placed on the portal and nodded to the party “Helm be with you my friends, good luck”

“Iivan, lead the way” ordered Navarro heaving the heavy door up and open so the lithe Drow could squeeze past him and venture out into the ruined city, the Elf moved silently out into the city and a thought struck Navarro “and be stealthy about it!” he yelled after him

Hearing the Paladin’s yell Iivan froze and winced, these clumsy fools were going to get him killed if they kept this up. Gritting his teeth in frustration he crept out onto the street, peering through the gloom and the strange swirling miasma that clung to the buildings around him and muffling the sounds of the city. Making shadowy figures to the South Iivan moved carefully Northwards, hoping to lead the party to the city’s wall before following it round to Dr Kleinberg’s dwelling. A clank of armour behind him anounced that Navarro had begun to follow him, behind him Gunnar could be seen sliding from shadow to shadow as he made his way across the street in a way that even a Drow would have been proud of. Communicating with hand signals they began to creep down the street in a loose cordon, the mist hung so heavy that they needed to stay in sight of each other lest they become lost. Gunnar could hear a skittering above him and the sounds of tiles sliding to fall into the street, but peering up into the gloom he couldn’t see anything which might explain the strange sounds, he flickered a warning to Iivan who nodded and whispered to Navarro to remain silent while he tried to pick out the source of the disturbance.

Meanwhile, back at the ruins of the church Dorian and Gregg led the others out onto the street, and were immediately struck by the darkness surrounding them

“I don’t like this at all” muttered Dorian “it should be daylight by now, not night”

“If this is nighttime then where are the moons?” hissed Luther in an agitated tone

Dorian gazed upwards but try as he might he couldn’t see either of the moons in the sky above them “Helm protect us, what’s happened to the moons” he whispered back, his voice laden with dread.

Ignoring the celestial debate, Hamlet began to slowly make his way North after the others, but Gregg’s eye had been caught by a mostly intact looking building across the street and moved aross the cobbles as quietly as he could to investigate. Pushing open the door he stepped into a murky room, from the wall hangings and furniture that remained it seemed this may once have been a watchhouse for the city guard. Indeed moving past the threshold he saw a man dressed in uniform slumped on a chair behind a desk, the broken shafts of several arrows protruding from his lifeless body. Creeping forward to investigate he prodded the man with his wooden staff, barely stifiling a cry of alarm as the man’s eyelids flicked open and his milky white eyes focused on the stunned druid, in a flash the man leapt at Gregg – the force of the impact driving them both across the desk with a crash and the jagged arrow shafts cutting into Gregg’s flesh causing him to cry out with pain.

In the street outside Dorian and Luther were still arguing with Sylas

“But don’t you see, if there’s no moons then we might not even be on the same planet anymore” gritted Luther in exasperation

“Yes, we might be on another plane, another realm! Maybe one beyond even Helm’s reach!” contined Dorian, concern and conviction warring in their voice

“We are in town, with this fog this bad I can barely see you let alone the bloody moons” argued Sylas, wondering again in disbelief at how this band of misfits had survived before he and Gregg had been sent to aid them on their path.

A scream interrupted their discussion and they turned as one to the building Gregg had went to check

“Shit” muttered Sylas, summoning his magical blade into his hands and sprinting acoss the damp street heedless of the noise his steps made, Luther rushed after him while Dorian followed as fast as their stocky legs would carry them, flanking wide to check what might be lurking out of sight around the next street and seeing a shambling group of corrupted citizens roaming the streets approaching, drawn by the sudden noise.

Hearing the commotion Hamlet called a warning to Navarro who he could dimly see through the mists and then turned to race back towards the others, boots skidding on the cobbles as he sprinted to their aid.

Navarro reached for his horn by reflex before cursing that had been taken from him, Iivan and Gunnar locked eyes across the street but a fresh skittering and shower of falling slates drew their attention upwards. Perched like a giant gargoyle atop the rooves above them were two heavily armoured figures each mounted on large winged beasts that might once have been cows, but now resembled something that crawled, chittering from the depths of a entomologists’ nightmare. Iivan reached for Navarro’s arm and directed the knight’s gaze to the creature looming above Gunnar, who was flashing a hand signal to the drow warning of the corrputed beast perched above the pair. Neither riders nor their mutated steeds appeared to have noticed them yet but both were staring back toward the sounds of combat echoing from behind them. Gunnar crept, hugging the wall of the building he was sheltering by and peered down the next alley, seeing a shambling horde of figures heading his way he ducked back and then saw Hamlet dashing across the street, cursing he leapt out of his cover and ran to the Warlock, hoping to place himself between these new threats and the lightly armoured spellcaster.

Trapped in the confines of the abandoned guardhouse a brawl had broken out, Dorian rushing in to save Gregg was then shocked to see a hulking mutant charge down from the floor above to attack them, Luther ducked back outside and screamed encouragement while hurling magic through the window to blast the creature advancing menacingly on Sylas who was using his body to shield Gregg and Dorian’s escape and taking heavy punishment in the process. Hamlet unleashed a fireball on the crowd of zombie like creatures moving in from the South, the eruption of flames killing the entire horde but the flames and smoke billowing from their charred flesh would no doubt act as a lure to any others in the area and he dashed back towards Gunnar who was now facing off against one of the flying cow beasts and it’s rider with yet more of the shambling mutants closing in on him. Across the street from Gunnar Iivan and Navarro were also battling with the other flying sentinal and trying to work their way back to the main party whilst holding their flank. Unsure where he was needed most Dorian summoned holy fire down on another mutant but he could see Sylas was bleeding from a score of wounds and couldn’t hope to last much longer…