Tears in Dust Part 2
Tears in Dust Part 2
Player DM: Xenarchy
The Party
Sophia - Human Cleric 9
Myrana - Half-elf Sorcerer 10
Boshter - Hobgoblin Monk 9
Ionus - Human Cleric 7
Encounters
Human Expert/Rogue 10 - CR 8
Human Wizard 7 - CR 6
2x Human Fighter 7 - CR 6 ea.
Succubus - Non-combatant.
The Scene Begins
Finding Ayesha's body and journal is not difficult. The ghostly spirit waits in silence while her things are unearthed. The journal is written in a fine hand and describes loveless days with Rawal and the growing fear leading up to one 'special journey'. The last few pages must have been written here in the desert and are in wavering letters as her strength faded, cursing Rawal forever.
The ghost fades once her body is moved, whispering, "Avenge me. Release me...". She is a dessicated husk. Wrapping her body is easy enough, if a grim task. With the journal, it does include a wish to find her end in a family burial plot but her primary concern is vengeance against Rawal. Even without the ghost's visible presence, the trip back to Tashraan is unsettling. She is still here, thirsting for freedom.
Eventually, the desert heat gives way to the more tolerable coastal climate of Tashraan. The city is full of bustle as usual, markets overflowing with colour and exotic smells. The information from the journal is enough to know where to find the home of Rajput Rawal. As a merchant prince, his is a stately abode with a wide courtyard and many guards. The way in may not be easy without some kind of plan.
"This couch is perfect!"
Boshter points at the most ridiculous couch they've seen yet after shopping. And shopping. "Let us buy it!" And he will go to do that. With a big sack of gold. The orangegoblin is buying couches.
The merchant is happy to get this enormously ostentatious hunk of overtly gilded furniture off his hands. Few people are rich enough (or gaudy enough) for such a thing and while he's confused to sell it to a smelly hob, he's not complaining. These things are hard to shift.
"Well, here we are then," Myrana settles her hands on her hips, her lips twitching into a grin. "In you go, Chiddle!" And she starts shoving the poor Gnome in.
Myrana says, "We'll hide the cut with this fringe."
"Excellent!" Boshter says to Myra.
Sophia blinks, "Oh, this is going to be... interesting." She gives Boshter a look that would surely mean peeling potatoes, if she were of a different denomination. But, she does wedge her way into the couch, muttering something in Celestial under her breath.
Ionus has meanwhile exchanged his shiny, white tunic for an older, far more worn work robe. Whilst the armor has been left in place, it has been throughly obscured by layers and layers of thick padding that have been wrapped around the young man's torso.
The gaudy couch, sette...or whatever you call the damned heavy piece of junk rests not-so-lightly on his shoulders as his burn-scarred forearms and fists are wrapped in the grips of a long, thick sash that braces against one side of the obnoxiously, obstinate piece of furniture draped over his back while another strap likewise is used to secure the top along the bent line of his back.
There's a big grunt once everything is in place, "Are we there yet?!?"
Myrana appears a little while later in the clothing of a servant woman, sandals on her feet and her thick dark hair let fall loose and unbraided down her back. She gives poor Ionus a wary look. "You'd better not drop that on your foot," she says. "Or the back of your neck." A pause. "More than it already is. Oh dear."
So Boshter is hanging back. Hiding. Waiting for the moment to strike. THE OPPORTUNE MOMENT. He is trying to stay in ear shot.
The gates of Rawal's courtyard are barred with iron and a guard stands there, vigilant. He stares down the approaching pair with their giant gilded couch. He seems surprised and calls out, "You there! Halt! What is your - uh - business with that furniture?"
Ionus grunts as he almost walks INTO the bars. "Ugh! Carrying!....Uhh....DELIVERY!!!" he calls out, as the bump sends a shockwave through is arms as the strap bounces giving the couch and the poor priestess inside a nasty bump.
Boshter is still hiding. Because over six foot tall, orange skinned humanoids are apparently good at that.
Myrana steps forward a bit, coming between the guard and Ionus with his burden. She bows politely, and her dark hair just barely brushes the street. "We are delivering this couch, o gatekeeper," she says, in the same polite manner she remembers Amir'a using in their time together. "It is for master Rawal--" she glances up at him, and her blue eyes smile. "It's very heavy. Will you please let us through?"
GAME: Myrana rolls bluff: (20)+24: 44
"Er, a delivery for the master?" The guard looks back at the other guards inside the gate. They shrug. He looks back and conveys their shrug to Myrana. "Must be from the family of his new wife, right? Go on in." The guard signals his fellows and they wind the gate open, allowing the couch and its carriers passage into the courtyard and to the Rajput's home within.
Myrana walks through, her eyes cast meekly down as her sandaled feet pad... but she can't help, once the guards are behind them, from allowing herself a wicked, self-pleased smile.
GAME: Boshter rolls Stealth: (10)+17: 27 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+6: (19)+6: 25
seeing as how they just managed to smuggle inside without much difficulty, Boshter's plan (oh dear god it was Boshter's plan and the worst part is that people agreed to it), has gone well! He vaults over the wall alands in the shadows, aiming to follow the others into the house.
Ionus trudges on once the path is clear...
Besides, it's not as though there's a fairly cranky cleric of Althea hiding in the couch ready to unleash some good old-fashioned smiting of evil or anything...
The door to Rawal's grand house is open and within the place is quite opulent. There are fewer guards on the inside. More often the party catches sight of the occasional servant girl - all of them finely dressed compared to the servants seen in more public areas of the city. One guard approaches the group and points out the way to the main hall. "The master of the house has been informed of the delivery. He awaits you in the hall."
With the ostentatious gift taking up all the attention, the addition of a hobgoblin to the party does not go noticed. After all, they got past the outer guards so obviously they are supposed to be here!
Myrana bows and smiles shyly to those that give them directions. Normally she wouldn't smile in this sort of situation--- well alright, maybe she would. Myrana really enjoys this sort of thing. It's probably not a good mark of character.
Boshter is casually hanging back. He's totally meant to be here! Really! He's relying on Myrana at this point, since his own stealth won't help.
Much.
The grand hall is opulent, but that couch really stands out against even the most gaudy trappings in the room. The Rajput himself stands there with two solid-looking guards with halberds, his advisor and has a scandalously attired woman of significant appeal draped on one arm. The Rajput is easily distinguished from the others, a man of majestic presence and is wearing more finery than the others. His turban is particularly impressive. He strokes his excellently groomed goatee as he observes the furniture being moved into the room. His female companion, however, appears as if she could steal all the attention in the room in an instant if she wanted but is remaining subdued for Rawal's sake.
Rawal nods to the delivery crew. "Welcome. Another gift from my darling Jazhira's family?" He looks to the woman attached to him. She looks confused and that look of confusion is transferred to the Rajput's face. "No? Then who sent this? Tell me." The woman nudges his side and gives him a significant look. Rawal's expression drops as he seems to catch on. "Oh..."
Initiative
Ionus rolls to beat the succubus' spell resistance. GAME: Ionus casts Prayer. GAME: Ionus rolls 1d20+7: (11)+7: 18
Ionus looks up, nodding briefly as he sees Rawal then as his eyes take in the shifty looking advisor and then the new woman...Well, Ionus has never had the smoothest reaction to scantily clad women as the strap goes slack as his arms drop, sending the couch to thud along the floor as he cries out, "Daeus Deliver! Great Father , I beg thee to let thy light shine within!" His hands come together in an audible clap as they fold in prayer as a brilliant light flashes up and outward from the priest, basking everyone and everything within as the Alexandrians seem to glow faintly for a brief moment even as the shadows tend to momentarily skitter away from the Veyshans.
The cushions of the couch jostle and suddenly explode outward, flying through the room. A very angry Sophia emerges, mace glowing with holy power as she looks quite ready to do some righteous smiting action.
"We have smuggled in a powerful cleric of Althea to judge you for your violent crimes against She! I mean Ayesha!" He pulls the book, the journal, from his robes and holds it out. "Her spirit will not rest until you have exposed. So expose you we shall!" He licks his finger and flips the book open to a particular page and begins to read, "Dear Diary.."
Myrana slants a blue eye at Boshter. "You could skip ahead a little," She suggests wryly.
Myrana casts magic missile on the guards, dividing the missiles. GAME: Myrana casts magic missile. GAME: Myrana rolls 3d4+3: (9)+3: 12 GAME: Myrana rolls 2d4+2: (3)+2: 5
"But nevermind that!" Myrana turns round and points a finger at Rawal. A mad glint comes into her eyes and she grins, showing a great many teeth just then. "We found your wife, Rawal!" And with a snap of her fingers, she gestures at the guards around his chair. Burning, crackling bolts fly from her outstretched hands and blast into the guards on either side of him, spitting livid purple sparks from their gleaming armor. "Now it's our most sacred duty to tear you a brand new asshole!"
GAME: Ionus casts Hold Person. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+3: (15)+3: 18
Ionus points a hand towards the pair of guards and screams, "In the name of the Great Father of All, Halt I say!" Which...has precisely the same effect as when Ionus tells Boshter to stop hitting him, that is...absolutely none whatsoever. The young priest doesn't even seem to notice as his hands are already involved in drawing his shield from over his shoulder and setting it onto his arm.
GAME: Sophia casts holy smite. GAME: Sophia rolls 1d20+9: (13)+9: 22 GAME: Sophia rolls 4d8: (27): 27 GAME: Sophia rolls 9d6: (32): 32 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+8: (12)+8: 20 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+9: (2)+9: 11 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+3: (13)+3: 1
Sophia glances around, her gaze cold and stern, "Idolators. Hedonists. Sinners in the eyes of the gods that made you. No more shall you escape Her judgment. No more shall you break your vows to those that you swore them to." She shouts, her voice resonating in the room, "Now, all of you, FEEL THE WRATH OF THE GODDESS YOU HAVE SPURNED!" A blinding flash of azure light erupts, centered on Rawal and engulfing those closed to him.
Rawal's new wife screams and falls away from him, her skin burning with divine fire as she clutches at her eyes. The Rajput is similarly struck, calling out, "Jazhira, no! You fiends! What have you done?" The guards and robed advisor are hurt, feeling the bite of the holy strike, but their sight remains.
"I am out of water and will soon die in this heat. I curse you, Rawal, for your betryal. For leaving me to here to die. I curse you a thousand times.." Boshter looks at Rawal. "Her spirit waits for you, Rawal, and we will deliver you unto her so that you may face true justice at her hands." He smiles. The hobgoblin -smiles-.
"Such is Vardaman justice."
GAME: Myrana casts haste.
Myrana wheels her arms round, sleeves fluttering as she gathers to her some of the ambient magical energies in the cool palace air. Time tightens around the party, then subtly gives way before their actions.
Rawal attempts to use a wand of ray of enfeeblement on Sophia. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d100: (49): 49
Rawal cries out and manages to pull out a wand, activating it with skill despite his blindness and points it at where he thinks Sophia is. A writhing black ray shoots out and hits the opposite wall.
The advisor casts stinking cloud. GAME: Boshter rolls Fort+1: (15)+11+1: 27 GAME: Ionus rolls fort+1: (20)+8+1: 29 GAME: Sophia rolls Fortitude: (12)+8+1: 21 GAME: Myrana rolls fort: (16)+10+1: 27
The robed advisor takes a step back and invokes a spell, making it obvious he's some kind of wizard. The piece of rotten cabbage tossed in the air gives it away. Sickly yellow smoke billows out from his hands and envelops the party. It stinks horribly and obscures their vision completely but is not enough to send them reeling.
The guards take a step back to cover Rawal, his wife and the advisor. They set their weapons in a stance that looks like they're ready for attack.
The woman is heard scrabbling away, fleeing while blind.
GAME: Ionus casts Spiritual Weapon. GAME: Ionus rolls 1d20+9: (10)+9: 19 GAME: Ionus rolls 1d8+2: (2)+2: 4
Ionus holds his shield in place, pointing at the stinking mage as he holds his own against the gas whilst proclaiming, "For the word is quick, and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword -- piercing even unto the dividing assunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow!"
As the priest invokes the passage, a gleaming blade shimmers into existance just before slashing into the wizard's arm as the young man draws a companion blade, this one shaped in shining steel from his waist and hefts the grip as he moves in towards the fray.
GAME: Sophia casts searing light. GAME: Sophia rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Sophia rolls 1d20+9: (2)+9: 11
Sophia moves out of the stinking cloud, raising her hand as she points to the woman attempting to flee, "Charlatan! None shall escape the justice of the goddess!" She intones another prayer, and a beam of pure azure light flies from her finger, solidly striking the woman... or it would, had it not dispersed right before impact. Sophia's eyes widen then, and she shouts to the others, "Ware! 'Tis some supernatural force of evil at work here!"
Boshter attacks a guard and takes two attacks of opportunity. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+13: (5)+13: 18 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+13: (20)+13: 33 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+13: (5)+13: 18 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d10+9: (4)+9: 13 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Boshter for 13 points. 75 remaining. GAME: Boshter rolls 1d20+12: (5)+12: 17
So Boshter steps out of the cloud. He looks at the guards. The guards look at him. He looks at them. He then runs towards them, their polearms being thrusted at him. He sidesteps one, but backs into the other. It gashes open his shoulder. He then turns and, with the diary in hand, goes to bash one over the head with it *and* his fist.
"You can surrender any time," he adds. Unfortunately, diaries don't make very good weapons in *practice* and he just sort of glances off the helm.
Myrana casts lightning bolt on one guard and the advisor. GAME: Myrana casts lightning bolt GAME: Myrana rolls 10d6: (37): 37 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+3: (8)+3: 11 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+3: (6)+3: 9
Vicious violet electricity arcs up from the center of Myrana's body and snarl outward in snaps and hissing rivulets along her arms, glowing a smoky purple that blasts through the stinking cloud as she steps out of it and into view. Pointing, she closes one eye, then hurls a livid amythest bolt through one of the guards and into the advisor behind him several feet away. The sleeves of her poor clothes once again char and fall away and her braids whip behind her in a miniature whirlwind of magical backwind. The guard falls to the floor, smoking and twitching, whilst the wizard who cast the cloud spell goes flying back and collides with the wall behind him, dead as a stone. Myrana chuckles, unable to help herself.
Rawal's eyes clear and he considers his options. "You will not take me this day! Guard, finish these intruders!" He runs, reaching the end of the room. "Come, Jazhira, let us... Jazhira? Where are you?" The woman has vanished, leaving a quickly fading plume of smoke where she was.
The guard attacks Boshter, starting with a trip attack. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+15: (18)+15: 33 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+8: (18)+8: 26 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d10+9: (6)+9: 15 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Boshter for 15 points. 60 remaining.
The remaining guard shows skill, shifting back a step then lunging forward with the hook of the halberd to catch Boshter's leg, pulling him flat on his back. The combatant swings the weapon around again and strikes down on the fallen target, cutting vicious wounds.
Ionus directs the spiritual weapon to attack Rawal. GAME: Ionus rolls 1d20+9: (16)+9: 25 GAME: Ionus rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5
Ionus bull-rushes the guard. GAME: Ionus rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26
Ionus frowns as he notices the fallen wizard and absent woman before slashing his blade towards the retreating Rawal -- an action which promptly sends the floating, shimmering blade streaking through the room to cut into the man before he braces his arms behind the shield and just breaks into an all-out run on the guard standing over Boshter, whilst roaring, "BOSHTER! This is no time to take a nap!!!"
Sophia charges Rawal. GAME: Sophia rolls 1d20+12: (11)+12: 23 GAME: Sophia rolls 1d8+2+2d6: (7)+2+(7): 16
Sophia moves with blinding speed, taking advantage of both the spell she's under as well as Ionus distracting the guard. Her mace crashes down on Rawal, as she shouts, "You do NOT treat women like this! And for what, to spend time instead with some demoness that abandons you the moment your justice is at hand?!?" Her voice drips with scorn, "Pathetic."
Boshter grapples Rawal. GAME: Boshter rolls 1d20+15: (6)+15: 21
"No, you don't! You're not getting away today, Rawal. You will face justice!"
Boshter kips to his feet and lunges after the goatee'd bastard. He slams into his back and wraps his arms around him. "Do you hear? You left a woman to DIE!"
"No! I'll give you money! Power! I can get you anything you want!" Rawal whines, stuck in Boshter's grasp. "Just let me live! You like girls? All the orange wonders you could ever want. I can get you the world if you let me go!"
The guard, facing an obvious defeat and seeing the Rajput in such a pathetic state, drops his weapon and tears Rawal's house insignia from his coat. "I am done serving this worm. Kill me if you must, but I will die with honour."
Combat Ends
Sophia looks, oddly enough (well, for her)... ready to bring her mace down on Rawal's skull despite his pleading. She bites her lip, then snorts once, "You, are not worth killing. You will pay for your crimes, I'm certain your bride will have something to say about that." Her lips then quirk in a faint smile, as she puts her mace away, "Tell me about your demon lover, however. Were you aware of her true nature?"
Ionus aims his sword at the still shimmering blade hanging, literally over the Rajput's head. "Halt." He cries, there's a small nod of acknowledgement, "Honor has been ill served in this house. I give thanks unto the Sun Lord to see it rise it's head once more..." He turns and starts advancing on Boshter and the quivering man, "You beg for Mercy? The same mercy that you rendered unto your wife? And for what? What was that...creature you draped upon your arm?"
Myrana relaxes, once the fighting is over. That awful rush still moves through her; the giddy excitement and thrill of magic-use. As the sparks cast down from her fingers and begin to fade, she gives a tired sort of coming-down chuckle and turns her back on the goings-on, working on slowing her breathing and calming herself down.
"If you surrender, you may live," says Boshter to the guard, honestly. "It is not our place to give judgement to this man, but his crimes will be exposed and the spirit of the woman he murdered put to rest." He squeeszes the Rajput, then adds, "I feel pity for you, human, that you have never found a higher purpose than your own gratification and wealth. You have wasted it as you wasted the life of a woman whose unquiet spirit yearns for vengeance. The only thing that stands between that vengeance and your soul is *us*." He smiles.
"It is time for some.. redistribution, but perhaps not the kind you have in mind. I understand Tashraan is very corrupt. I do not trust the guards here to not simply -free- you. And I have.. questions about your courtesan that has so quickly abandoned you."
The succubus withdraws the profane gift. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 2d6: (8): 8
"No no no no! I renounce my sinful ways! I -hurk-" Rawal's eyes fade. His rich, dusky skin turns pallid. Dark cracks appear all over his body. He slumps, burbling and drooling. The spark of life he had seems dim and diminished.
"..I was not squeezing him that hard," says Boshter after a dissapointed moment passes.
GAME: Sophia rolls Heal: (14)+19: 33
To Sophia only: 'This is an odd thing to diagnose but clerical experience and skill is enough to tell that the man's soul took a sudden shock, like a chunk of it was yanked out.'
Sophia blinks, "It wasn't you, Boshter... something ripped out a portion of this cretin's soul." A slight frown, at that, "Either the demon is taking it's payment, or else the former bride is getting a measure of revenge. Though considering the nature of this, I would wager the former. Assuming it is a demon that was his consort, but with her abilities, it seems likely."
Myrana is meanwhile succeeding at regaining her composure a ways away, and rebraiding her hair into it's normal thick plaits.
"So is he dead? Or dying?": Boshter squints at him. "I do not want him to get away that easy!"
Sophia hrms and shakes her head, "I don't believe he's dying, necessarily, but it isn't a typical malady."
Ionus frowns, "A passing curse from the fiendish female?"
"I am not done with this one yet. We will find a place to restore him to health so that he may tell us what he knows. And face judgement," Boshter is firm on that count.
Rawal mutters in a hoarse voice, "Please, kill me now. Don't let her come and claim me. Kill me..." He trails off, the shock leaving him weakened.
Myrana turns around, catching that little bit. She walks up slowly, frowning a little. "He is begging to be killed?" She asks.
Sophia arches a brow, "What is she, Rawal? Describe her, and we might be able to prevent your soul going to its rightful place."
Myrana winces. Something about the situation churns at her a little, and she looks up at Boshter, clearly wondering why he hasn't done what the man asks.
"... I did not know until now," says Rawal. "She was so wonderful. She offered me so much... if I would just get rid of Ayesha and sign my holdings over to her. I should have known. I should have..."
"I will not protect you from Ayesha's wrath -- but from the creature..." Boshter glances at Sophia. This is more her territory than his.
Sophia arches a brow, "Unusual, for a demon. Though the fact that you willingly sacrificed your wife, your goods... for what? Mere pleasure?" She snorts again, "See how /that/ is fleeting, now. But now you find that the cost is far greater than you feared or imagined. Still, letting a demon have a soul... even one such as yours, is not something that we can allow." She glances at the others.
Myrana swallows. "Just do what he asks," she suggests in a carefully calm voice.
[b]Consequences of the scene to be concluded in legwork.[/b]