Campaign: Dominion of Adventure 29/6/2023

With Luther’s scream of rage echoing round the hall Sylas slipped into darkness, he never saw Gregg rush over to Gunnar and reach into the half orcs pack (a risky business at the best of times, let alone in combat) he pulled out one of the barbarians healing potions and poured the contents down Gunnars protesting throat while trying to keep the bulky half orc between him and Chaval then the druid dived towards Sylas brandishing the empty potion bottle and pretending to pour its contents into the downed fighter’s throat while at the same time casting a healing spell on him and reviving him from the brink of death. Hamlet crouched and tried to look as inconspicous as possible as he reached for a potion, gulping down the foul tasting black liquid he felt his magical powers reinvigorated by the potion but his attention was drawn to the huge form of Chaval who languidly reached out and seemed to absorb one of the armoured mutants before lashing out at Gunnar, but the barbarian evaded the blow. The remaining knights renewed their attack on Dorian and Navarro, landing hits on both and once more beating Dorian down to the floor unconcious. Gunnar, off balance from evading Chaval’s attacks lashed out but only scored a glancing blow on the hulking form before him, Navarro reached out and healed Dorian again before grimly calling out “Renegades! Tonight we dine in hell!” before Luther split the air with a long blast from his magical horn, inspiring his comrades before restoring Iivan to his senses with a healing word. The drow wasted no time and activated his magic boots, granting him supernatural speedand he flipped himself back to his feet and took a defensive stance. Nearby Dorian dragged themselves back to their feet and hunkered down behind their shield.

Sylas fought his way back to his feet and roared as he attacked the nearest mutant with a renewed surge of energy, cutting the creature down in a spray of arterial blood, the deep carmine laced with shades of purple from the strange mineral the city was known for, pausing only to wipe the worst of it from his eyes he moved to Dorian’s aid. Gregg reached out and used his magic to inflict a minor wound on Chaval, but the wizard recognised the spell would prevent him from abdorbing any more of his minions to restore his life force and uttered “You utter basthtard!” glaring in dismay at the druid. Hamlet felled another of the armoured mutants with a volley of eldritch blasts then backed away from the remaining combatants as best he could. Chaval turned on Gunnar and landed a mighty blow on the half orc, almost killing him for the second time that day, but his attempts to drain the barbarian of his life force were thwarted by the lingering effects of the driud’s magic. In return Gunnar stabbed and slashed with his sword, cutting into Chaval once more but almost being blasted off his feet by the flames shielding the spell caster, something needed to be done about this and fast thought Gunnar, reflecting that that was now the third time Chaval had almost ended him that day. Seeing Gunnar was almost spent, Navarro pulled back from his fight and moved towards Chaval, exposing his flank to the remaining knights, but thankfully Luther’s cutting words distracted them just enough to allow the Vilmean to slip away untouched and add his might of arms to the combat with Chaval

“You thscoundwrell! You lied to me! You were thsuppothsed to thsave me!” screamed Chaval bitterly

Luther drowned out whatever else the former Lord of Coatlan might have said with a blast of sound the shook the corpulant man’s new form to it’s core, he then caught Gregg’s eye and gave him an encouraging grin. Iivan backed away from the knight he’d been fighting and blasted Chaval at point blank range with his pistol, then time seemed to slow as the Drow fired another volley into the man before an ominouis click sounded from his weapon and his face fell as he frantically began trying to clear the mechanism. Dorian, battered and bleeding raised a hand and called on Helm for help once more, holy fire errupting around Chaval and blasting the walking horror into bloody gobbets that slapped wetley into the walls. Dorian stood frozen staring at the blood and gore that used to be Chaval, until Hamlet began fussing around them and trying to clean the worst of the blood spray from their face.

With Chaval vanquished the Renegades, battered and bloody as they were were able to rally and Sylas and Gregg combined their efforts to finish off the remaining armoured mutants and bring the battle to an end. Exhausted many of the party slumped to the ground wherever they stood, but Iivan was keen to secure any loot that might be in the area and went off to check the rest of the complex. Gregg and Dorian approached the still steaming pile of offal that had once been Chaval, prodding the mass carefully with his staff Gregg discovered Chaval’s heart, now a corrupted crystal of pure necrodullim that still radiated it’s corruption causing him to retch violently, much to Luther’s evident disgust. Sylas approached the four energy shrouded figures and before anyone could stop him cut at them with his blade, cutting one down but provoking somekind of magical backdraft that exploded into the chamber killing both Dorian and Gunnar, though both were saved by Navarro’s healing touch. The wave of energy though took it’s toll on some of the others in less direct ways, the lingering corruption of the Blight in Gregg, Dorian and Luther seemed to intensify when the wave hit them.

“We need to destroy that damn thing” announced Hamlet, lifting the pulsing heart of Chaval from it’s fleshy mound with magic and placed it by the remaining figures by the door. Many of the party then looked for cover, seeing little available they hunkered down behind Gunnar instead as Iivan took careful aim and shot the crystalline heart, shattering it in another magical blast that once more sent many of his comrades falling to the floor unconscious. Gregg and Navarro were once more able to heal everyone back to a point they could walk

“See, I’ve saved you all again” grinned the dapper Drow as he holstered his weapon, ignoring the grunts of protest from his injured comrades before resuming his search of the area. Eventually they retrieved a number of magical items from Chaval’s corpse and a hidden floor safe, including a pair of earrings which Luther took an immediate shine to and a magical ring, they also found a bracelet which seemed capable of rendering a spell caster’s magic useless which they gave to Gunnar to look after. Sylas also discovered several magical tomes, which he tucked into his pack for later, Hamlet led them through to another chamber where they found piles of riches, and they took as much of the treasure as they could carry.

Luther meanwhile had spotted a familar figure leaning casually against a wall and moved away from the others to try and speak with the ghostly form of Fayd, keeping his presence secret from the others – but plainly relived that whatever had been blocking him from sensing his patron had been removed with Chaval’s demise.

Leaving the others to debate their next move Iivan trotted back the way they came and emerged from the stairs into the castle courtyard, soldiers…clearly from Agoris and Hammerbeard’s besieging forces were scurrying around in great numbers and looming large above them was one of the Dwarven airships they’d seen outside.

“You! Stay where you are!” bellowed a voice, and Iivan turned to see a grim looking phalanx of Dwarves levelling their guns in his direction, without thinking the drow ducked back down the stairs as a fusilade of shots sent bullets pinging off the stone around him, one nicking his cheek and drawing blood. Returning to the others Iivan relayed what he’d seen and urged Dorian and Sylas to make contact with Agoris and his forces before they suffered any further friendly fire.

Exhausted, Dorian raised his ring and sought out the Lord Commander, “We’ve done it”

“Who the fuck is this?” demanded a clearly irrate Agoris over the ring’s communincation channel

“Dorian” replied the Dwarf before dropping the connection as the tramp of feet announced the arrival of a squad of soldiers, Sylas moved to greet them with his arms raised and a smile plastered across his face

“Are you the fucking idiot we shot at?” demanded their leader, a stout Dward in heavy armour

“Ahh, no – that was him” replied Sylas gesturing to Iivan

Before the Dwarf could reply Navarro stepped forward “It is I, Sir Navarro and my Renegades” he declaimed in fluent Dwarvish, clearly surprising the soldier who then turned and saluted as Agoris himself entereed the chamber flanked by his personal guards. Navarro ripped off a Vilmean military salute to the man and explained how they had killed Chaval and cleansed the city of the Blight’s taint.

“My men are pacifying the last of the mutants now, but it is good to see you all alive” intoned the Lord Commander “tell me, what else is down here?”

“We found some captives Sir, many of them pregnant women, we left them in their cells for the time being in case they were caught in the fighting” answered Luther

“Yes, though I warn you that the women are still rather hostile my Lord, though they seem to like Dwarves” he paused to look at Dorian briefly “I’d suggest you send this stout fellows to escort them to safety” he contined pointing to the squad of heavily armoured Dwarves.

With that business taken care of the Renegades were escorted out of the city and provided with a spacious tent to rest and tend to their wounds. Luther noting that their time in the city seemed to have passed at a different rate from the outside world but was too tired to investigate the problem any further that day. In the tent they recovered as best they could, Gunnar offering up a pearl from his pack to Luther to help Sylas identify their magical items before they finally each succumbed to sleep.

The following morning they were escorted through the camp to Lord Agoris’ tent, many of the troops they passed cheering their passage before they were led inside the fine canvass shelter.

“Gentleman, you’ve done a great service to the city and to me. I was surprised when Father Lucius vouched for you and I admit I didn’t think you’d be able to save the city as you claimed…I am pleased to have been proved wrong. Thanks to your efforts my forces are now pacifying the city and liberating the surviving townspeople” he paused to wave forward a pair of retainers struggling to carry a wooden chest between them “here is some of my own coin as a reward. Thank you all for you work here” his thanks formally given the Lord Commander turned and began to consult with his captains on the progress of Coatlan’s liberation, leaving the Renegades to divide up their spoils and talk with some of the dignitaries gathered in the tent. After Gunnar had taken his share of the money he approached Father Theodore, recently rescued from his church in Coatlan with the remains of his flock

“For you Father” muttered the half orc, proffering 500 gold to the priest

“Thank you, but I have no need of the money – you earned it” the priest gently refusing the barbarian’s offer

“Well, take it and give it to Gumba then, he seemed to like coin and valuables” insisted Gunnar, feeling a lingering pang of guilt about painting the roguesish dwarf as a threat to the erstwhile Lord Chaval

“Gumba? I’ve not had word of him since we last met, but I’ll take the coin and give it to him when he returns if that is what you want” agreed the priest, mollified Gunnar bade the man farewell and returned to his companions.

Seemingly left to their own devices the Renegades began looking for stores where they could resupply themselves, as they were doing so a fresh faced young knight appeared and presented himself to Navarro

“I am Tristan, Sir Navarro and am here to serve as your squire” he announced, ignoring the penetrating stare Luther sent his way.