Campaign: Dominion of Adventure 24/11/22

After making camp for the night the storm they’d seen brewing finally broke over land, making for a wet and uncomfortable night’s camp and they huddled in what shelter they could find. All apart from Dorian and Navarro who decided to scout the local area, gradually the others managed to fall asleep despite the growing thunder of the storm. Luther was roused from a dream by the warm and surprisingly soft touch of Rocinate, focusing on the proud destier as he sleepily pushed it’s head away he suddenly snapped into alertness

“Where’s Navarro Roci?” he asked rhetorically noting that both Navarro and Dorian had not returned with the steed

Recieving nothing more than the expected whinnies and snorts of a horse in reply he sighed and sat up, kicking Gunnar who was snoring away wrapped in a cloak

“Wssffgt?” grumbled the barbarian sleepily

“Oi, wake up Gunnar – I need you to talk to the horse” persisted Luther, accompanying his words with further kicks

“Ugh, someone had better be dying….or someone WILL be dying” grunted Gunnar as he hauled himself upright

“Yeah yeah, come on do the talky thing – Rocinate just woke me up and there’s no sign of Navarro and Dorian” explained Luther to the sleep befuddled orc. Gunnar groaned but started gathering his weapons

“I guess we should probably go check on them then, probably gotten themselves lost or something”

“Shall we wake the others?” asked Luther

“Fuck yes, if I’m up then they’re bloody well up too” replied Gunnar before helping Luther rouse Iivan and Hamlet to join them in the search, Fayd agreed to keep watch on the camp in case they returned and Balasar with his lack of darkvision merely rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Glancing at Hamlet Gunnar saw the stange man trying to play with his cat, waving a strangely unsettling octopus shaped stuffed toy in Kevin’s face. The cat seemed to share Balasar’s disdain for being woken and curled back up pointedly. With their gear ready Iivan and Luther mounted up, Hamlet hopping up on Rocinate’s back behind Luther while Gunnar just trudged alongside them in what they thought was the direction Navarro and Dorian had taken a few hours earler.

Not far away, Dorian and Navarro were peering through the branches of a bush at an incredible sight, a ragged group of humans were chanting and calling out to the storm – their apparent leader beseeching the heavens and calling down blasts of lightening onto a seemingly ancient megalithic arch or chamber. As the lightening flared against the rocks the light revealed the massive shape of a minotaur lurking within, seemingly absorbing the power of the lightening strikes into it’s body which was wreathed in cracking flashes.

“That can’t be good” whispered Dorian to his companion

“Fear not preist, Rocinate will have reached my squire by now and he will be bringing the others to aid us” replied Navarro confidently

“Yes but that’s an awfully big minotaur, and I’ve never seen anything like this lightening before” pointed out Dorian, wondering at his companion’s lack of concern

“The lightening merely helps us to see our enemy” replied Navarro dismissively “Now, when I charge you’ll need to hold off that rabble there while I deal with the beast and that pagan priest” he continued before hefting his sword and beginning to rise.

“Charge? No wait you idiot!” stammered Dorian in rising panic as he realised his companion intended to attack the strange group before their reinforcements arrived. Another bolt of lightening crashed into the stone structure and illuminated the clearing for an instant – outlining the half standing figure of Navarro in brilliant white light and drawing a startled yell from the strange priest conducting the ceremony who pointed at the bush they hid behind as the minotaur began stalking toward their position. Cursing, Dorian hauled Navarro back down behind cover and began dragging him back round a boulder in an effort to evade the creature heading their way.

“They’ve seen us, we need to go” grunted Dorian, as Navarro fought against the Dwarf’s frantic tugging

“I don’t run from evil, evil runs from me!” announced Navarro bracing himself

Dorian hesitated then crept as quietley as his chain surcoat would allow further back into cover, peering back through the foliage he was the huge shape of the minotaur as it stepped round the bush they’d been hiding behind and bellowed it’s challenge as it charged for Navarro. The beast slashed at the holy warrior, steel clashing louder than the rolling thunder of the storm above them and Navarro unleashed a searing blast of flame at the creature in response to it’s attack.

On the far side of the dell unseen by Dorian and Navarro the rest of the group had arrived, Gunnar dashed towards the standing stones and the strange figure stood beside them – trying to keep his bulk hidden from view as he moved. Eschewing such subterfuge Luther kicked his heels back into Rocinate’s flanks and charged past the stones before unleashing a wall of sound against the ragged worshippers gathered there. Hamlet ran up an escarpment looking for a better angle and seeing the groop Luther had attacked still reeling and clutching at their ears in agony he raised Gunnar’s “magic stick” and sent a small glowing sphere across the clearing, when it hit the ground it erupted in a huge explosion, instantly immolating one of the figures and forcing the others to flee, sprinting away into the night. Iivan rowelled his steed and urged it towards the lone figure by the standing stones, aiming from horseback proved harder than he’d anticipated but Bessie wasn’t exactly a precision weapon and so he pointed her roughly in the right direction and squeezed the trigger, sending a hail of shrapnel flying past the startled druid before hauling on his reigns and trying to get back behind cover. The druid seeing two mounted warriors shouted in an unintelligible tongue and launched a fireball toward Luther and Iivan, the ensuing explosion killed Iivan’s steed outright, and Iivan himself was barely able to leap from the saddle before being trapped under the weight of his dead steed. Rocinate was made of stronger stuff however and remained standing, albeit badly injured – which was more than could be said for Luther whose smouldering and limp body slid from Rocinate’s back and lay motionless on the floor. Cackling with delight at the carnage he’d caused the druid didn’t see the smoking hulk of Gunnar rising from cover until the barbarian roared and began sprinting towards him, rage in his eyes.

Meanwhile on the other side of the clearing the minotaur brought it’s huge axe down on Navarro, finding a chink in the knight’s defence and landing a blow of such force that the watching Dorian was sure would cut the paladin in half. Somehow Navarro’s armour was able to deflect enough of the impact to save his life but the impact knocked the wind from him and he was helpless to prevent a follow up swing from connecting, creeping through the brush behind him Dorian saw Navarro collapse at the minotaur’s feet helpless.

Having blinked the blazing aftermath of the druid’s fireball from his eyes Hamlet saw Luther was laying motionless and smouldering, Iivan seemed to have been hurt badly too and lost yet another horse but was still moving under his own steam. Sensing his moment to show his true leadership potential Hamlet leapt nimbly from his high ground, the effect only slightly marred by a jarring impact that left him limping as he made his way to Luther’s side – Kevin’s strangely human sounding laughter ringing in his ears. Skidding to a halt by the beleaguared bard’s side he pulled out a potion, tore the stopper out with his teeth and poured the cloying liquid into Luther’s slack mouth until the young bard began coughing and spluttering his way back to consciousness. Meanwhile Iivan dusted himself off and sprinted lightly forward, kicking up small clouds of spray as he sped across the ground to bring Bessie to bear on the capering wildman, belching a hail of shrapnel into the stunned man. Reeling from the impact the spellcaster eyed Iivan before turning to face the onrushing Gunnar and blasted the barbarian with a bolt of magical energy, his grubby face fell as the half orc shrugged off the impact without slowing and swung his magical blade at the man’s neck. Grunting with satisfaction as he felt the blade bite into flesh Gunnar strained his muscles to drive the blade clean through the man’s neck but the edge of his sword got caught on a larger bone and instead of a clean decapitation Gunnar was left forcibly trying to shake the dying man off his sword – much to Iivan’s evident amusement.

Back over by the minotaur Dorian summoned a shimmering hammer from the ether to attack the Minotaur while he rushed forward and used his divine connection to Helm to heal the fallen Navarro. Luther chose that moment to thunder into view on Rocinate’s back, slipping elegantly from the steed’s saddle and landing lightly on the sodden turf and unleashing another deafening magical blast against the beast. Distracted by this new threat the minotaur didn’t see Navarro stir at it’s feet, the paladin thrusting his sword up into it’s belly and pouring holy fire into the blow to smite the massive creature.

Having seen Luther spring into action after being saved, Hamlet was determined to get back into the action and lead his troops to victory and lending weight to his belief that it was he and not Navarro who should be in charge of their party. Sprinting across the clearing he was struck by the sight of Gunnar desperately trying to free his sword from the still choking body of the druid, grinning he gave the pair a cheerful wave as he passed – trying to ignore Kevin’s renewed laughter as he did.

“Watch and learn halfie” called out Iivan as he jogged past the struggling Gunnar and sighted Bessie at the Minotaur before the bellowing retort of his personal artillery assailed their eardrums. As the residual smoke from Bessie’s muzzle cleared he could no longer see the minotaur’s great head peeking over the rocks in front of him, he turned to Gunnar smiling smugly

“See! That’s how you decapitate someone”

Gunnar having finally ripped his sword free from the dying druid’s corpse in a spray of arterial blood that geysered up to soak him, just looked at Iivan with a raised eyebrow as the continued sounds of combat raged just out of sight before turning and sprinting towards the ruckus – leaving Iivan to curse silently under his breath as he moved to reload Bessie. Having narrowly avoided loosing it’s head to Bessie and set up from all sides the Minotaur glared balefully down at Navarro and bought it’s weapon slamming down onto the weakened knight with bone crushing force, bludgeoning to the floor insensate under the torrent of frenzied blows hammering at him.

“No!” cried Dorian as they rushed forward, lightening arced from the Minotaur and struck the Helmish cleric wracking their body in crackling energy. But the Hammerbeard clan bred hardy scions and Dorian shrugged off the pain and landed a telling blow with their mace that forced the great beast away from Navarro’s prone form. Another magical cacophony errupted from Luther, advancing toward the beast from the rear and seemed to find some magical resonance within the creature’s skull. It’s bovine head contorting in agony before exploding in a gory wave of blood and offal. The headless corpse swayed, energy crackling across it’s furred chest before slowly it toppled with a thud to the floor beside Navarro. Dorian, reaching the downed warrior used Helm’s blessings to breathe life into her servant once again and Navarro hauled himself upright to see the dead body of his foe at his feet

“And thus perish all who cross blades with Sir Navarro Trovatero de Vimaa” he proclaimed proudly, convinced that he must have landed the killing blow in the same instant he himseld had been knocked unconcious. The others glanced at each other but decided it was easier to let him believe he’d felled the beast himself.

While Navarro walked away to rest and tend his wounds Iivan and Gunnar squeezed into the dark hole they’d found, following a rough hewn rock tunnel down into the earth, the lithe Drow moving easily in the confined spaces – his mood lifted by the subterranian excursion. Gunnar followed, hoping the scrapes he was getting from the rough walls and tunnel ceiling would be worth it when they found ancient treasures in old burial mounds. He was sadly dissapointed on that score, finding only two chained and half starved men named Flenz and Nar who it seemed had been captured some weeks previously and were being kept alive only to be fed to the minotaur. Learing nothing of interest from their terrified explanations Gunnar managed to free them from their chains and after handing them a somewhat wrinkled apple from his supply sent them on their way.

“There’s some fresh horsemeat up there you can have too” called Iivan after them before plunging deeper into the complex in search of loot. After exploring the rest of the underground complex they’d found nothing more than the foetid bedding which the strange wild priest had slept and a small stone shrine stained with the old blood of numerous sacrifices. Dissappointed the pair made their way back to the surface.

Above ground the sudden arrival of the two filthy prisoners from the tunnel caused a moments alarm, before a terrified Flenz explained they’d been free’d by a big half orc and told to go on their way with a supply of horse meat by a dark elf.

“Typical, people always expecting me to clear up their mess” huffed Luther before pointing them in the direction of Iivan’s dead horse and watching the two make their way unsteadily out into the wilderness in search of their village. Turning back to Dorian he continued his tirade

“And why the fuck did you guys wander off in the first place?” he complained “I could have been killed!” he added indignantly

“We sent the horse back to warn you all and stayed to keep an eye on things from cover” Doran replied

“That turned out well then” said Luther gesturing to their injuries “you might as well have let him blow his bloody trumpet like usual” he added nodding in Navarro’s direction

“We took EVERY precaution!” snapped the dwarf defensively, looking to Navarro for support but finding the paladin rummaging in his pack oblivious to their argument

Iivan and Gunnar hauled themselves out of the hidden tunnel and joined them

“You find anything down there?” asked Luther

“Couple of prisoners and a lot of shit, and not the good kind” replied Gunnar shrugging, seemingly more interested with drawing in great lungfulls of the fresh night air with evident relief

“Yeah it smelt worse than him and Fayd down there” added Iivan with a grin as he dusted his clothes down fastidiously.

“Ah, here it is” called Navarro as he fished the deck of cards from his pack once more

“Are you sure you want to do that again?” asked Dorian, concern evident on their face

“Why not? Helm will watch over me” answered Navarro drawing a card, peering over his shoulder Iivan’s sharp eyes saw what seemed to be a picture of a medusa, that suddenly reared as if to strike at Navarro before vanishing in a whisp of flame and crumbling to ash.

“That didn’t look good” he commented, but Navarro was already reaching for another card. This time Iivan couldn’t make out what was on it but no one could miss the flash of flame that engulfed them in an instant, yet somehow none of them felt any heat – merely the lingering smell of sulpher and smoke.

“and that DEFINITELY didn’t look good” continued Iivan turning to see Navarro standing naked before him “what the..” he tailed off

A lingering flame on the ground seemed to coalesce and grew to form a familar looking, if demonic visage, it turned to stare at Navarro

“Thanks for the armour fool” it rasped “and the horse, and what’s this? potions…a spear…excellent – I’ll be sure to keep this all safe for you” it continued before fading away into nothing, leaving only the loud echos of it’s gloating laughter

“Hmmm, so this demon has added theivery to his long list of crimes now eh?” said Navarro bravely “this is but a small set back – I still have my sword and my shield, vengence will still be mine” stated Navarro – mostly for his own benefit as he stood naked and shivering in the cold night air.

“I think that’s enough for the night though eh?” suggested Dorian kindly, Gunnar wordlessly held out an empty sack to his friend, looking pointedly at the floor

“Oh I think we can do better than that” said Dorian offering a set of Helmish robes to the pauperised paladin, Hamlet and Gunnar donated a pair of healing potions to Navarro while he shrugged on the robes. With a theatric flourish Luther offered his magic cape, fastening it around Navarro’s neck before stepping back, Navarro tilted his head back and the cape billowed dramatically behind him, as a flash of lightening tore the sky asunder and bathed him in light. Navarro smiled contentedly to himself

“Thank you squire, indeed thank you all” he added gathering up his meagre belongings before marching back towards their campsite. Having come through the fight mostly unscathed Gunnar and Iivan volunteered to take the first watch, Gunnar settling himself against a tree and slowly honing the edge of his blade and enjoying the ferocity of the storm’s passage while Iivan preferred to scout the area. Eventually though they woke Dorian and Hamlet to take the second watch, again it passed peacefully enough, bar a heated discussion on religion and the respective merits of Helm and Hamlet’s patron – the Lady. Thankfully eschewing the traditional approach to theological disagreements their watch ended without the need for a bloody jihad and they left Navarro and Luther to stand watch til morning. Luther had surprised everyone by agreeing to share a watch with Navarro and was unusually tolerant of the knight’s lectures on the duties of a squire in the Everwatch Knights, clearly the young half elf was feeling something akin to pity for his self styled master.

The night passed and in the cold morning they packed their equipment and continued their march along the coastline, the storm had passed and gradually the sun began to warm the landscape as they travelled. In the distance some miles ahead the more sharp eyed among them could just make out what appeared to be old ruins on an outcropping of rock jutting out from the cliffs they were following, unable to make out any real detail they continued their march, each wrapped in their own thoughts.