Order of the Towers (Part 2)
You stand inside the tower that you’ve come all the way to Charn to find. Once past the front door it’s been easy enough to find where the faithful of the Order of the Cockatrice are gathered in number. The question at the moment however, is… do you join them? Or head further into this tower in the hopes of locating what you’re looking for?
Mei hesitates in front of the door and looks at the rest of the group with a shrug. "Do you know where the last one of these moons was found?" He whispers as quietly as he can, trying to be heard only by those on this side of the door. "Or do we join the faithful?"
Seldan's silent shrug is a clear enough negative to Mei's question, but when followed by a shake of the head, becomes less clear. "May not be good if the demon shows up and sees us," he murmurs. "Think we can be quiet?"
Verna is undecided; there are pros and cons to either choice. Worse, the moment is far from conducive to in-depth discussion and debate. "We can watch and listen, for now," she gives her opinion in a whisper.
Mei shrugs himself, but he doesn't have a better plan than to stand in the back and wait for an opportunity to present itself. Wordlessly he opens the door, leading the way inside. A few folks look in your direction, but not many, and they quickly look back to the person speaking up front. It's the usual call to the faithful really. One thing you might notice is that those closest to the front are wearing symbols of chains in an infinity loop on their chest on a patch to the left somewhat. The priest speaking is wearing the same symbol.
At the front is a man kneeling, his body rigid in a way that suggests being bound, but he has no bonds on him. "Tonight one of the faithful makes the ultimate sacrifice for our master. Joins the others who have come before in endless penance to the ones we serve. He joins the chorus!"
The crowd around you repeats this last bit. "The Chorus!!"
GAME: Seldan rolls knowledge/religion: (20)+15: 35 GAME: Verna rolls knowledge/religion: (18)+20: 38
The word "Chorus", unlike the excited reaction of those around him, leaves Seldan in ashen silence, his head bowed, the hood concealing part of his face. Unconsciously, he brings a hand that trembles with unbridled fury to his chest, as if seeking something that is not there. Not finding it, his lips move in silent prayer, and when he looks up, it is to the side only, to Verna and Mei. "Gird yourselves," he hisses, as soundlessly as he can manage.
Verna gives a slight dip of her hood to Seldan and her hands come up before her; still close to her body and not overly conspicuous or threatening. A sign as much as anything else. She could be in prayer or simply anticipation, in the opinions of others. The latter half would still be truth.
"I hope the sacrifice is not premature," she whispers. It is not a true lament, but perhaps a suggestion. Typically, sacrificing one's self for one beliefs is not as tactically beneficial as making one's opponents doing so. In this case, given that it appears part of an intentional ritual, she believes allowing such could be inordinately unwise. Should the devotee happen to perish before that, it would be unfortunate. For them. Though the devotee would still get their wish.
The priest flicks the man's robes back and a deep chanting begins to fill the room. It's Eclavdran's name, over and over again as the flesh begins to peel itself back from the man's whom is kneeling's muscles. He screams in agony, but the chanting only grows louder. The priest turns toward the faithful, lifting his hands but he's not chanting, he's looking. Looking around the room and at his side the man's body twists and turns; obviously not of his own volition.
Mei looks at Seldan, but he simply takes a step back behind the paladin, clearly his version of 'girding' himself is getting out of the line of fire.
GAME: Seldan casts Flame Strike. Caster Level: 16 DC: 22 GAME: Seldan rolls 1d100: (7): 7 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+12: (9)+12: 21 GAME: Seldan rolls 15d6: (58): 58 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+6: (12)+6: 18 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+9: (3)+9: 12
Seldan's hood raises, and the even and strong features are twisted by ashen-cold fury that sings through him. Without hesitating, without thinking, he reaches deep within him, the fiery sigils coalescing before him, laced through with the crescent and sphere of Eluna unifying them all together. The brown hair, the nondescript features, the shirt and trousers, all of it melts away until it is nothing more than an ill-fitting robe over moonlit armor and ginger-blonde hair. "You are an abomination to be cleansed in Her holy fires, servant of demons," he snarls, nearly wrecking the last sigil in his fury. "This shall not stand!"
The spell releases, a column of holy, golden-silver-blue fire crashing down as the chanting turns to screams of agony. None lie dead, just yet, but it is unlikely to be long.
GAME: Verna rolls spellcraft+4: (2)+31+4: 37
The cultists began to chant almost in unison, though their leader seems to be saying something quite different. Like Seldan his hands move in unison with his words, an the sigils on the floor - invisible thanks to the many feet on the ground until now begin to glow ominously. The room darkens.
The rest of the faithful back up, not wanting to get between you and the angry clerics.
GAME: Seldan rolls spellcraft: (12)+18: 30 GAME: Seldan rolls 6d6: (23): 23 GAME: Verna casts Holy Smite. Caster Level: 17 DC: 20 GAME: Verna rolls 5d8: (20): 20 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (11)+17: 28 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (18)+17: 35 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d100: (44): 44 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+23: (11)+23: 34 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+11: (7)+11: 18
Verna was uncertain entirely what Seldan had in mind that required 'girding,' but now she has her answer. She is also able to quickly realized, between counterspell attempt, summoning, and other spells begun, whom the other most serious threats are. That he immediately dashes forward against the leader is not... wholly unsurprising: charging in smite blazing is something of a predisposed Paladin prerogative. Admittedly, Seldan seemed oft more ... reserved in most cases. She must presume due his arcane training.
"Be wary of more magic, and an arrival!" She calls as she calls down some of her own. Seldan's was holy fire, her own is simply holy as the doors of her Mistress' Temple or momentarily opened a fraction, spreading judgement upon all the unworthy in the vicinity. Seldan is unharmed by the flowing magic.
Mei leaps forward, narrowly dodging the swinging hands of the now-blinded cultists and stabs their leader with his sword. "What's that spell he cast?"
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (17)+17: 34 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (8)+17: 25 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (19)+17: 36 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (2)+17: 19 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (2)+17: 19 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+21: (3)+21: 24
The cultists blindly move out while the leader draws a dagger from his vestments. One of them manages to latch onto Mei and the man goes down, screaming in pain as the life is literally drained out of him by the cultist. Their leader spills his own blood in a spray and the room goes pitch dark. Flames leaping up in a circle around the dias that the leader falls limply upon. Into this darkness a man forms. It's... A familiar figure.
GAME: Seldan rolls reunion: aliased to weapon1: (9)+24: 33 GAME: Seldan rolls reuniondmg: aliased to 1d8+9: (8)+9: 17 GAME: Seldan rolls reunion: aliased to weapon1: (8)+24: 32 GAME: Seldan rolls reuniondmg: aliased to 1d8+9: (7)+9: 16 GAME: Seldan rolls reunion-5: aliased to weapon1-5: (4)+24+-5: 23 GAME: Seldan rolls reunion-10: aliased to weapon1-10: (5)+24+-10: 19 GAME: Verna casts Spectral Hand. Caster Level: 17 DC: 17 GAME: Verna rolls 1d4: (4): 4
Surrounded suddenly, as one might expect when diving into the midst of a crowd, Seldan sets his lips in a grim line for the fight ahead, a line that only grows grimmer as he spots the familiar figure. _I should have known_, floats through his mind as Reunion flashes brightly, guided more by muscle memory than by conscious thought. Two fall before his blade, but the thought is distracting, and his next two slashes fail to land, despite their near-impossible speed. _Holy Eluna forgive my foolishness, but I could not let it stand._
Verna frowns. She may have already been so under the hood, but still she does so more. The all-too familiar 'man' is not an unexpected sight given the situation, but certainly not a welcome one. In preparation, she retrieves a rod from the pack beneath her robes, and makes a brief gesture with her other hand, conjuring a phantasmal floating hand to her side.
"Beware!" She expects Seldan may not need to be warned. Mei, she is less certain of.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+23: (6)+23: 29 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+18: (18)+18: 36 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+13: (14)+13: 27 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+11: (1)+11: 12
Mei swings his sword at the cultists that surround him, his weakened self barely able to swing the sword, but he manages, and one of the cultists goes down. The rest are chanting Eclavdran's name, cheering at the sight of their master and the man's nose curls. "Please tell me that the guy that just arrived _isn't_ who I think it is!"
GAME: Seldan rolls fortitude: (3)+27: 30 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+22: (12)+22: 34 GAME: Verna rolls fortitude: (3)+11: 14 GAME: Verna rolls fort: (13)+11: 24 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d6: (9): 9 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d4: (4): 4 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+16: (14)+16: 30
The culits retreat, but only a little, and the man in the middle of the room sighs deeply. A pulse of powerful evil spreads outwards from him, weakening everyone in the room. It saps their strength and their will to fight in equal measure, all save Mei, the priests, and Seldan. "Luthias... if you weren't already dead... I'd kill you myself."
GAME: Seldan rolls reunion+1: aliased to weapon1+1: (15)+22+1: 38 GAME: Seldan rolls reuniondmg: aliased to 1d8+9: (7)+9: 16
"I am bound to speak only the truth," Seldan calls in response, turning and cutting down the last cultist with a sword swing that is suddenly as heavy as if he'd been practicing all day with lead blades. Still is his will to fight, and his fury, burning strong, and he swiftly backs up, keeping the man in his sights, sword still in hand.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+23: (18)+23: 41 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+9: (2)+9: 11
Verna does not ignore Mei, nor the remaining cultists (for as briefly as she expects them to remain with the living). Not per se. She is simply focused upon Eclavdran.
Or so she was until his sigh of displeasure or, rather, the evil energy that washes over her from it. Her will is not broken, though the experience leaves her momentarily reeling.
Mei downs the last of the cultists and skirts around the backside of the man who only looks like a man. "Guys... I'm not complaining or anything here... but are we sure we want to fight him right now?" Mei looks at the other two, his face gaunt from the way his life has been drained out of him. His sword trembles in his hand from his lack of strength. He's clearly not doing well.
"Seldan." Eclavdran states, inclining his head subtly and snapping his fingers. A whip appears in his right hand and he doesn't turn around to greet Mei. "Mei... and Verna isn't it? Lovely to see you all again." A second snap of the fingers on his other hand summons his sword and he flips the blade casually. "If you leave now... I might be willing to forgive the fact that you murdered my priests, and made a mess here. Go on. We don't need to be adversarial."
GAME: Seldan rolls wisdom: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Seldan rolls wisdom: (2)+5: 7 GAME: Seldan rolls knowledge/arcana: (8)+18: 26
"I know that you dislike being summoned, Eclavdran." Seldan's tone is steady, and he begins to circle his way back around, towards the others, never taking his eyes from the demon. "I know that you are bound, where you are. Do you wish to return whence you came?"
And then Seldan offers a third option... that may have many benefits of both, possibly without the most unpleasant alternatives? Interesting. Her hood dips in agreement.
"That can be arranged."
Mei follows Seldan's lead, but cautiously. Keeping his dark eyes on Eclavdran.
The demon turns to keep Seldan in his sight and he hums. "Figured that out did you. Luthias was too smart for his own good, very well. Free me and I'll return to whence I came. I have no desire to be in this place." Eclavdran smiles thinly.
"Then we are agreed." No smiles come from Seldan, and his heart inwardly pounds in his chest. He raises a hand with no further hesitation, and casts - a simple cantrip. One he has used a hundred thousand times, an apprentice's first practice spell, so often used by students set to otherwise onerous cleaning duties. One sigil, no more, and he passes a hand, slowly, over the bloodstains on the floor.
The fresh blood used to draw the ritual summoning circle vanishes, piece by piece, under his meticulous work, but he never takes his eyes from the demon as he works. It's fairly obvious from where he focuses that he knows exactly what will break that circle and release the man. Finally, the circle is no more, and he drops his free hand, waiting.
Verna remains wary and waiting, though defers to Seldan's course and actions. Keeping her eyes upon Eclavdran, she gestures Mei further towards her. While it is possible she could assist in the Demon Duke's return magically, he could also see this as an assault and change his mind (if he has not already). Better to be prepared. When Seldan is complete and waits, she suggests, "Step back, Seldan." Just in case.
Mei makes it to Seldan's side as Eclavdran utters a guttural word in the language of magic and draws his own symbol in the air that summons a gate. "Just remember... I could have chosen to kill you here and now Seldan." He smiles wickedly and looks at the others. "I'd have enjoyed it. I just _loathe_ being summoned." His eyes fall on Seldan lastly and then slips through the gate and the gate snaps shut without a sound. Gone.
Silence hangs in the air over Seldan as he watches, every muscle in his body taut. He says nothing, does nothing, until the gate snaps shut. When it does, his eyes lower, the point of the bloodstained blade lowering to the floor as he silently mouths a prayer of thanksgiving.
The blade in his hand must have caught something of his mind, because a young, male, light voice speaks up. "That was some kind of a crazy move, Seldan. You never do that. What possessed you? You're lucky, you know."
"He's right, Seldan," an older, nasally female tone chimes in. "You were outnumbered pretty badly there. You could have watched the ritual and never been known."
"I sure wouldn't have," a younger, deeper female voice chimes in. "That was pretty awful to listen to."
"The ritual was more than a summons, was it not? That is why you interrupted it?" she looks to Seldan. While she may not have had all the details, she can make reasonable hypotheses. "He was summoned after it was interrupted." Which he obviously dislikes. Something she can further attest to, had Eclavdran not stated as much. "We should not linger overlong." They now have an opportunity to resume their search, but there are still possible eyes and ears
Mei shakes his head, eyes haunted. "I doubt I could have stood by much longer while that man was tortured myself. Why would they do that to one of their own?" He looks worn and exhausted. Still drained by the spell that was wrought on him. Several of the cultists had escaped in the moments where Verna was dazed by Eclavdran's arrival. "We should look for what we came for yes."
"The Chorus is a group of followers, so devoted to their deity that through the blackest and most evil of rituals, they become an undead focus through which that deity may draw considerable power," Seldan explains, still trembling a little himself and shaking the weakness from his bones. "By a process so insane that I myself had doubted its existence, until I heard the word. Such things are blackest anathema and cannot be suffered to continue." A hint of his usual firmness, mingled with guilt. "I would ask your forgiveness for my rashness, both of you. But, you are right. We should go, and see if the artifact is present ere we leave."
"If you denied him this, there is naught to forgive, Seldan." Verna then turns and ... promptly collapses with her step into a small(er) mound of robes. She had not moved since the initial wash of magic. Perhaps locked joints were all that had supported her in the interim. "Make haste. I will ... be but a moment." Her frown may be unseen, yet audible, if one more of annoyance than, for example, dire concern for the continued existence of all in the vicinity.
Mei steps toward Verna, then keels at her side. "Come. We dare not leave you behind lest the demon return. You can borrow my strength for a time." He offers her a hand, an arm to use. "If I am right there's a hidden room in here. There was at the last of the towers that we went to." He looks around the room and points suddenly to a seemingly ordinary portion of the wall. "There. There was something... odd inside. So be wary of that."
Seldan's ice-blue eyes rest on Verna for a long moment. "You have my thanks, but it does not change the fact that such was a rash move, and very nearly brought us to grief." He surveys the both of them, frowning. "You do not look well, Mei. Perhaps the both of you should rest." With that, he turns towards the indicated area, studying it, searching for a means to open it.
Verna accepts Mei's aid and assistance to rise upon taffy-like legs. "You do not stand alone, Seldan," she reminds. Even if she currently requires Mei as a crutch. "If it does not pass soon, I will attempt to remedy it," a glance to Mei, "and your wounds. Onward, and my thanks." While not accustomed to a "rescue" as it were, there is a fleeting thought of another preferred in Mei's stead. She banishes it as a fanciful distraction that cannot be afforded at the moment.
Mei helps Verna over to the wall, and he helps Seldan open the wall with its hidden door. Inside is a small space with a horror inside. It looks vaguely like a human corpse, but... kneeling in supplication without much flesh left to it. It's brain open and pulsating, and in its hands... a silver and stone orb.
Seldan closes his eyes and lowers them on seeing the horror, a hideous thought lancing through him like a hot knife. "Is your strength restored? Mine returns, slowly." He swallows hard. "I would offer whoever this once was release, for truly is this an abomination beyond all reckoning.” _And if it is who I think it might be-_ A hard thought indeed, and anguish is visible in the paladin's bearing. "In the heart of the world lies a beast's broken heart," he murmurs. "I shall take the orb, but it may well bring whatever this is to life. I would not have you unprepared."
Verna ...stares at the ...thing. Desecrated remains are blasphemous to her, but that it is ...pulsing only makes matters worse. She leans less upon Mei, tentatively. "As does mine. There is no need for -undue- haste." Not yet. "Whether -it- awakens or not, it should not be left as it is.
Mei nods to Seldan. "My strength returns, and I have no desire to leave this... person in this state." He seems to realize slowly that this is what Seldan had been trying to avoid before, but the connection is slower for him than for the other two. "Best if it's done swiftly."
GAME: Seldan rolls reunion: aliased to weapon1: (19)+24: 43 (THREAT) GAME: Seldan rolls reunion: aliased to weapon1: (1)+24: 25 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Seldan rolls reuniondmg: aliased to 1d8+9: (3)+9: 12
"No, they must be returned to Her." Seldan draws a deep, long breath to steady himself against a torrent of emotions, then releases it slowly. By the time it is gone, he has adopted the look of the alabaster pillar, cold, unyielding, and serene. He reaches to take the orb with his free hand, the puddle of blood in which it lies coating his hand in blood - not that it wasn't already.
When the orb is safely drawn away, he raises Reunion, and stabs straight down, as if to impale the pulsating brain. The tip slides in, aimed perfectly, but shifts sideways, and the attempt to impale it misses, narrowly avoiding cutting himself.
GAME: Verna rolls heal: (2)+19: 21 GAME: Verna rolls weapon14: (15)+11: 26 GAME: Verna rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8
Verna recognizes that there may be more to this than blasphemy to Seldan, if just from his hesitation both before and during the strike. Even at full strength, she is not a warrior, but she does attempt to assist. She wishes the abomination of a thing gone as well; the corpse, whomever it was, deserves rest in judgement.
There is a sudden loud report, though the shot partially ricochets off of the skull. This leaves Verna leaning against Mei whilst holding a literal smoking Dragonspitter.
Mei keeps his weapon drawn, but doesn't try to attack with it. He has his hands full keeping Verna upright at the moment.
GAME: Seldan rolls reunion: aliased to weapon1: (18)+24: 42 GAME: Seldan rolls reuniondmg+2d6: aliased to 1d8+9+2d6: (3)+9+(5): 17
While Verna took a slash at the thing, Seldan had stepped aside and raised the bloodied blade to in front of his face. "Holy Dreamer, send me aid that I might send your child to You," he prays, reverently and quietly. The blade in response begins to take on a moonlit glow to match the glow of the orb in his hand, stark against the dark of the bloodstains on the blade. When it is done, he steps forward and slams the blade down into the thing's brain again, his entire being focused wholly on this one act.
The thing collapses in on itself, falling to bits and pieces as the unlife that sustains it falls apart at the edges and leaves it nothing more than a bleeding thing laying on the floor.
When it crumbles, and is done, Seldan lets the blade drop, the moonlit glow fading from the blade itself, and closes and lowers his eyes, murmuring some prayer in the sildanyari tongue - for those who understand it, it is a petition for a soul to find its way. The alabaster pillar now shows cracks, mingled anger and sadness peeking from the breaches.
Verna watches as the thing collapses and then stows her weapon. This frees her non-supporting hand and arm to gesture at the now remains as she utters a prayer. "May you find rest as She welcomes you into Her Hall, and discover peace in Her judgement." A solemn, if earnest and respectful farewell to the departed.
The words that follow are similar. "Seldan, I believe it is time for us to depart."
Indeed, it seems well past time.
-End