Sapphire:Sessions:20200808
The priestess of Zeph heals the five townsfolk whose auras show dark halfling corruption. Subsequently, they are all blessed by Zeph. At Shawna's suggestion, Chalker instructs the mercs, starting with the highest-ranking, to visit the priestess. Chalker also makes sure Cal is not affected.
Intrinsius puts his flame in a pocket (so as not to scare people as much) and chats up the townsfolk. He emphasizes Chalker's and Shawna's efforts and modestly downplays his own.
All the "new construction" buildings are found to be blessed by some connection to the holy room.
Chalker, accompanied by Cal, Loop, and Sgt Loftus, returns to the site in the center of town where the wand once stood so that he might commune with Phor. "Is Ash really your son?" He is descended from a son. "What did he do to be banished?" Chalker hears an odd, chaotic tune that seems to crackle like flames. He did not follow the music. "Who, or what, did he burn?" The previous age would have ended better if he had followed my will.
Chalker finds Shawna to discuss Phor's responses. Phor used an obscure phrase referring to the so-called "music of the spheres," an archaic reference to fate and/or Roo and "following the guidance of the First Chosen to bring about 'desirable things.'" Shawna adds, "There's very little of that these days. ... What did he burn? The last age."
Chalker: "Asseraah thinks it's his turn to lead, but he can't tip the scale versus Yasseph/Santash/Solash -- the others are relatively neutral -- so he's bringing in an external boost." Shawna: "The First Chosen no longer have the strength of will to govern themselves, much less Erethel. It is past time for change. You may not want to be near me."
Shawna drops by the tavern where Intrinsius is still chatting with the tavernkeep and the last few patrons. Overhearing how he continues to downplay his role, she bends down and whispers with a smile, "Quit it."
Shawna feels "a sense of peace and purpose" and an "affirmation" of her earlier conversation with Chalker.
Shawna takes a portion of food to the holy room, where Belandrie is beginning to stir, muttering fitfully. She casts Lend Strength and Belandrie abruptly sits up, grabbing for his sword. Shawna clamps her hand on his wrist. Belandrie attempts to break her grip and starts shouting, "They're coming through! ... Twenty yards from this place!" Shawna bids him to eat as she draws her sword and hurries outside.
Chalker, Shawna, and Intrinsius assemble at a patch of ground where the air seems thinner. Three "rips" [rifts] have appeared in midair. Intrinsius senses very strong evil and injustice, and he knows Santash is active. With his broadsword in his left hand, he raises a wall of fire across the rift before him. Chalker tries Penetrating Vision into his rift and while his will remains strong, he senses something more frightening than he has ever experienced.
Stepping out of each rift is an 8' humanoid "dark imp", "disturbing" in appearance, with four staring eyes, wolflike teeth, two legs, barbed tentacles at its waist, massive arms, and a longsword in each hand.
DI1 swings its sword at Chalker, who parries with Dink-Dink. DI2 trips over a ridge of earth that Shawna had raised. DI3 steps into Intrinsius' fire wall, catches fire, and screams horrifically. Shawna thrusts her sword into DI2's abdomen; its flesh is very tough [DR7]. Intrinsius fast-draws his katana and slashes with both swords; DI3 parries but its sword is damaged. (The fire wall does not endanger Intrinsius.) Chalker hooks Dink-Dink and thrusts at DI1's throat; DI1 parries, and Chalker releases Dink-Dink and steps back. Belandrie, Tara, and Solant come running toward the battle area, screaming an elven battlecry. Three more rifts have appeared behind the first three, but a swirling wind seems to impede whatever is trying to come through.
Shawna swings at DI2's neck and is parried. DI2 strikes her with one sword while gesturing with its offhand sword, twirling its green-glowing tip in a small circle. Chalker and DI1 exchange parries. DI3 attacks Intrinsius, who parries. Chalker flips Dink-Dink around and pulls the blade through DI1's neck; the imp's ichor is purplish-blue. Intrinsius slashes DI3's neck and DI3 stops screaming. Belandrie, Tara, and Solant, line up against the second row of rifts.
Shawna chops at DI2's neck and the parry damages DI2's weapon. Dark imps 4, 5, and 6 step through. Intrinsius' attacks are parried but he damages DI3's swords and his fire continues to damage it. DI3 makes the circle gesture with a green-tipped sword then thrusts it at Intrinsius, who parries; the imp's sword scrapes along his armor and the green glow goes away. Shawna dodges DI2. DI1 raises its right tentacle and grabs Dink-Dink's hilt (the blade still embedded in its throat). Solant fails his fright check and vomits. Tara strikes and draws blood.
DI3 strikes Intrinsius twice. Shawna parries DI2 twice. DI1 damages its own neck trying to pull Dink-Dink out, and swings its sword at Chalker, missing entirely. DI4 sprays black ink from its tentacles, coating Solant. Belandrie dodges DI5. Tara fails to dodge DI6 and is bleeding. DI3 keeps burning as Intrinsius slashes its neck. DI2 parries Shawna's stab at its vitals. Chalker steps, cries "Flame On!", stabs DI1 in the vitals, and steps back; DI1 screams. Tara strikes DI6 in its neck. Belandrie leaps, grabs DI5's neck, swings himself around to the imp's back and clamps his legs around its torso.
Chalker strikes DI1 in the head. DI4 turns away from Solant and runs behind Belandrie. DI5 tries and fails to shake Belandrie off. DI6's tentacles spray at Tara, who dodges. DI1 swings at Chalker and misses. Shawna dodges DI2; she feints, then tries to cast Sunbolt but instead starts to glow. Intrinsius parries DI3; he strikes the imp twice more, lopping off its head. DI3 turns into a mass of goo, as does DI5 (Belandrie lands standing in the remains). Tara attacks and DI6 dodges.
DI6 tries and fails again to spray Tara. DI4 swings twice at Belandrie, missing both. DI1 tries to swing Dink-Dink but the sword remains lodged in its neck; it swings with its own sword and Chalker parries with Flame On!. Shawna dodges two attacks from DI2. Chalker swings at DI1's tentacle and it dodges. Rift #3 closes as Intrinsius wills his fire back into his sword blades; he goes over to help Tara, striking DI6 with steel and fire. Shawna stabs DI2 in the vitals; DI2 turns to goo. Tara swings at DI6's neck and misses. Belandrie attacks DI4 which dodges.
DI6 strikes Intrinsius who staggers. Belandrie acrobatically dodges DI4. Chalker parries DI1. Shawna throws a Sunbolt at DI4, which screams. Chalker delivers a thrust to the vitals; DI1 turns to goo. Intrinsius attacks DI6 and is parried. Tara attacks DI6 and is dodged. Belandrie attacks DI6 and is dodged.
DI6 attacks Tara, who parries. Intrinsius stabs DI6 in the vitals; it turns to goo. Chalker throws Dink-Dink at DI4, which dodges. Shawna throws another Sunbolt, blinding DI4.
Finally the last imp turns to goo. Solant is still retching. Seeing that Intrinsius is injured, Shawna goes to him; he casts Minor Healing on her, and she smiles and casts Major Healing and Minor Healing on him. Belandrie heals Tara.
Belandrie "trots over" and insists that Shawna "cleanse the area so they can't come through." She questions why he does not do this himself, and he snaps, "I am not a cleric or an avatar." Shawna gives thanks and asks Yasseph, Santash, Solash, Gauder, and Phor for the cleansing and prevention. Intrinsius prays to Santash. Chalker prays to Yasseph, "Help a girl out." The wind of Yasseph rises from the ground; a dozen things sensed on the astral plane snap out of existence. Belandrie smiles and bows to Shawna. Intrinsius feels the presence of Santash and Phor, and that they have purified the "other side" with sunlight and fire. Chalker seems to hear Mensep sigh, "That part is done."
Chalker asks Belandrie, "What were those things?" "Dark Imps from a malignant reality, used and allowed by Asseraah. The other First Chosen allowed them passage in order to strengthen us. ... There is a discussion among the First Chosen... involving the Chaos deity of a malignant realm... Gathering of the children... maturity of the realm... Asseraah, Aup, and Aaoo do not directly support these beings... Asseraah is debating with Santash... Follow your instincts; they will not step in."
Saying "I must leave in a few moments to go... elsewhere," Belandrie gives Shawna command of 100 elf wardens and rangers located on the island.
Gu-Win is the "anchor point" of the Dark Halflings in our world. There are 100 of them in Gu-Win and 400 in caverns to the north. Chalker asks, "If we stop them in Gu-Win, can we go to their realm?" Belandrie hands him a smooth stone, black with silver streaks. "With your joint will you can enter the astral plane, which some call the Never-Never." Chalker: "When they leave, they will never come back."
Belandrie addresses Chalker, Intrinsius, and Shawna: "Follow your links. I sense the power in you three. You have grown over the past months. You can probably call upon the local lords for assistance." He hands Shawna a one-time communicator to the elves.
Belandrie raises a smooth stone (silver with black streaks) which opens a rip in the air, and he and Solant ride through it. (Tara is to remain with us.)
Cal and Loop arrive with the 18 mercenaries. Chalker returns them their swords and bows.
Shawna was told by Belandrie that there are none of the elven travelways on the island. She writes to Rory and asks about Venettian gates. According to his calculations there should be nine on the island, including one in Gu-Win and one in Cliff Hollow. The nearest gate is 32 miles from Ashley, 30' underground. She asks that Rory and Trace create access to that gate, and verify the gate in Gu-Win.
Chalker talks to the mayor, Sgt Loftus, and Lt Hale regarding the town's security, administration, and taxes to the Duke.
Chalker asks Lt Hale about the "strange mode of travel" the DH had used with the mercs. "Might they have been caverns?" "There was an unusual texture to the ground. We could not see the stars. But we thought there were mountains in the distance." He adds that the mercs feel safe here in Ashley.
The group sets out in the direction of the nearest gate, located in a small town. Later, Rory writes that the gate and tunnel are ready. The gates to Gu-Win and Cliff Hollow are not working. The next nearest gate is on the coast 40 miles from Gu-Win. Since there is no gate to Gu-Win, the group bypasses the town and camps in the woods. The watches are Intrinsius & Cal, Chalker & Tara, Shawna & Loop.
Toward the end of the next day the group is approaching another town. They notice raptor-type birds flying ahead of them, following something on the ground, seemingly flying a patrol along a road or a wall.
That night Intrinsius and Cal are on first watch, Intrinsius explaining to Cal his code of honor. Intrinsius sees a shadow moving just outside the firelight. He shapes his flame into a quarterstaff. He finds the ground disturbed and 15' of hoof marks passing by their camp without pausing. Intrinsius shows the tracks to Chalker and Tara. Chalker is able to track the hoof marks for another quarter-mile; they stop at a small clearing. Looking around and up, Chalker feels that an astral "rip" had opened and someone had stepped through. They definitely did not stop at our camp. Tara relates that she backtracked 3/4 mile to where the tracks began in another small clearing.
Chalker tells Shawna, "A bipedal, hoofed creature walked by our camp and then into the astral plane." Shawna, frowning: "They know where we are."
Shawna orders 15 of the elven wardens and rangers to scout Cliff Hollow; the other 85 are to make their way to Gu-Win.
The group is 30 miles from Gu-Win.