Sapphire:Sessions:20181229
Kykirklin states that "the complex" will remain until the group leaves, "then revert to its true form." He tells Shawna that the artifact has three base forms: the "full whole creature of power" and the 13 segments that fit together, but he will not reveal the third form.
Alastor's Delsa knife and talisman are "vibrant."
Ahn-Lee appears dazed; Shawna lightly shakes his shoulder, and he snaps to and says "Jax was here."
Although Shawna earlier had gathered up the crystals into a container of magic energy, they are now back lying on the pedestal and have turned golden. Shawna collects them again.
Upon Chalker's questioning, Cullen describes two additional tunnels that lead outdoors from the second level of the complex.
Tay says that Galen had sent Roland to the Calventine Empire on some errand. He doesn't know the details.
As the group goes back through the complex, they find that all corpses, beasts, and golems are gone.
We spend twenty minutes or so in the library. Alastor collects several books on herbalism and potions. Chalker picks out a slim leather-bound volume, its cover marked with a rune, written in a language his amulet doesn't translate. Shawna selects a finely-crafted storybook with gilt edges and beautiful illustrations.
Returning to the first main room, Cal is still keeping guard over Otto and Boran. The latter is awake, though in some pain. Though Otto is unconscious, his body is tossing and turning; Cal says he sometimes babbles in a language the goblin doesn't understand. Chalker observes that Otto's aura is "fractured". He has suffered severe nerve damage in his brain and spine which will likely leave him permanently crippled, mentally and physically. Alastor avers that Azzhik's concoction probably caused some of the damage, and when he gets back to Sapphire he will relay those results to the lizardman. Chalker directs Shawna to cast a spell to reduce the swelling in Otto's brain; almost immediately Otto stands up unsteadily and tries to speak, but his speech is slurred and garbled.
Scout shows up and reports that outside it's four hours past sundown. The five groups remained encamped and watchful. The "small man and young boy" from Otto's troops were still watching the entrance and had seen Scout. Ahn-Lee and Scout go back down to the second level and out the tunnel so they can come up on the camps unseen.
Everyone else piles onto Medium-Sized Wagon, and Shawna summons an air elemental (which Chalker dubs "Chuck") to push them up the long, steep entry ramp. Along the way, Cullen mentions that his father, King Blackburn, has ruled his small part of the Troubled Lands for five years. "So you'd be worth a ransom," Chalker muses, "since we've rescued his heir."
Outside they are met by the young boy who is now with a burly man. What appears to be a lad of twelve is soon revealed to Chalker's aura sight as a powerful (+4) mage over 100 years old, strong-willed but restrained by powerful wards. The man, Brice, is Otto's second-in-command. Chalker explains that Otto is in bad shape and should be taken a major temple of Zeph. The boy whispers to Brice (Alastor lip-reads), "Otto is in very bad shape. He will need holy healing; I won't be able to help him. Don't get any ideas." Two men step forward and carry Otto away. "The boy is a favored nephew of Otto," Brice claims. The boy pipes up, "I'm Nate. Thank you for helping my uncle."
Chalker tries to draw Nate aside, but Nate is very reluctant to go, so Chalker addresses him directly. "I know you're over a hundred years old and a very powerful wizard. How are they keeping you contained? Can I help you?" Nate: "How do you know? You're not a mage!" Chalker: "I saw it." Nate confesses that he "made a colossal mistake" (he repeats this assertion several times) and "through a series of events" he was "bound to Otto's life force" such that he must do all he can to keep Otto alive. Chalker: "I am Chalker Jackson. I wanted you to know who to thank."
Meanwhile, Shawna questions Tay about the three Ranger Wardens. Tychree was disintegrated by Galen in the complex. Then Shree told Galen to "store" Solbandin and Maize somewhere for later study "to gain more insight into the elves." Galen had said "I'll put them on ice," by which Tay inferred that Galen had frozen them and then teleported them to the cold storage area of Blackburn's palace. Shawna summons Tara and Solant and directs them to go immediately to the castle to render aid to the two Ranger Wardens.
Tay claims to be a wandering adventurer who was under a Loyalty spell. "Blackburn is a hard, cruel man... Cullen is loyal 'until it's time not to be'... Shree was previously attached to Cullen." Thinking back over his actions, Tay is filled with remorse. He intends to make his way to Trikedell; "I need to ask forgiveness of Yasseph."
Brice tells Alastor that Otto's mages had experienced a "seeing" that directed them to this hilltop. Chalker's Aura Sight tells him Brice is "not a good man"; he is cunning, willful, greedy, and has a malicious streak. Most interestingly to Chalker is that Brice had once been possessed by a demon.
Chalker assembles the leaders of the five factions. He sets down five large bags of loot, one per faction, then five small bags of loot, one per faction. Lastly he sets a small bag of loot in front of himself. He explains to Brice specifically, "There is nothing left to loot in the complex, but there might be nasty surprises, so don't go down there."
Shawna and Chalker have a brief conversation, then Chalker goes and talks to Sonya. He asks "Where will you be headed now?" and she replies "Down to the Saracene coast to look for work." "I'd like to send you to a conflict in Wicera. How much pay would you expect?" Sonya names a "slightly higher than average" rate. Chalker: "Talk to Belandrie. If he balks, I'll pay you. I might want you to be my protector, so don't get killed.... Even without the financial incentive, I think you'll want to be involved." Similarly, Shawna suggests that Dinah go to Wicera and apply to Sa'tire Belandrie to join the effort to destroy the slave trade, starting with Malprin. Dinah is "filled with zeal" and readily agrees to go.
Ahn-Lee verifies to the group that Roland was his target and he had retrieved the item. "I've got the box right here," he grins, patting one of his belt pouches. "I don't know what's inside the box and I was instructed not to open it." Chalker, of course, peers inside and sees an amulet on a gold chain, marked with the seal of the archduke of the central Calventine Empire. Etchings along the edge of the amulet appear to flow and are unreadable. The amulet is probably magical. Ahn-Lee will stay with the group the rest of the night, but he must return to Sapphire in the morning.
Alastor awakens at dawn. The talisman he wears has heated up and is vibrating. After about a minute, the vibration stops and the heat subsides. He awakens Shawna. A hazy image had called to him, promising great knowledge. Shawna says the talisman had helped protect him from something bad. She and Chalker had also had disturbing dreams.
Alastor finishes up his notes for Azzhik and gives them to Ahn-Lee, who takes his leave of the group.
Chalker locates Brice and asks him the name of the demon that had possessed him. Brice, coincidentally, had dreamed of the demon last night. Chalker: "Something in this area is trying to possess someone. I think it's a person." Brice says he had been freed by a priest of Dar.
Chalker observes clawlike scars on Cal's aura, and psychic and/or psionic "touches" on Alastor's aura.
Chalker notes that Sonya's and Dinah's groups are departing toward Wicera together, as he had suggested.
Cullen, the king's son, is the group's passport as he leads them through the gates of the city and to King Blackburn's castle. An official explains tensely that they had had two elven "guests" who, due to "misunderstandings," had injured several people while breaking out. Two more elves had arrived last night; 'the male' is in conference in the castle, while 'the female' had gone out on the wardens' trail. Chalker, Cullen, and Cal go to meet with the king.
Alastor and Scout go out into the city. It takes some asking around, but Alastor gets directions to probably the only apothecary in the city.
Shawna is shown to a room where Solant is seated across from a middle-aged human male. The latter explains that the two elves were discovered by happenstance in the (magically chilled) cold storage room, deeply asleep under a powerful spell. Priests of Dar and Zeph had been summoned, but their ministrations were ineffectual. The elves were "moved to the secure wing of the castle for their safety, while it was debated who to inform." Yesterday they woke up and broke out of the castle, injuring many along the way.
The palace is abuzz with the arrival of Cullen and the strangers. Chalker follows Cullen into a room where King Blackburn awaits. To Blackburn's right stands a mage with one hand on the king's shoulder. Behind Blackburn stands a councillor. Chalker's Aura Sight easily blows through the mage's ward. Blackburn is hard, greedy, callous, strong-willed, and has "done questionable deeds." He has been touched by Gauder and influenced by Dar, and has been in the presence of demons and demonic forces. Cullen introduces Chalker and Cal, then breathlessly spins a tale of how "Galen tried to raise an insurrection" against the king, "but he is dead." Motioning Cullen to silence, Blackburn addresses Chalker, "Give me the story without Cullen's babble." Chalker is succinct in his summary. "Galen found an artifact that gave him great power. He would have come after you. I put a knife in him." Blackburn seems unmoved either by Galen's would-be usurpation or the fact that Chalker murdered his son. Cullen admits that the members of his exploration party are dead except for Tay.
Chalker: "I want the elven warriors back." Blackburn: "I don't have them. They injured many of my men and fled the palace." Chalker: "That's all. I wanted to reunite you with your son, and make sure there were no repercussions against my companions. Things got so bad, Galen shifted the place into another dimension." Blackburn: "My deepest apologies, and we will always assist elven representatives. Thank you for bringing back my son. I will not insult you with a monetary reward, but what may I offer you?" Chalker: "I do not make requests lightly to people of power. Could you have your mage take his hand off of you?" After lowering his hand, the mage asks, "May I leave, my liege?" Blackburn, sharply: "No." Chalker: "King Blackburn, do you feel any different?" Blackburn: "No."
However, Chalker sees that the mage's aura has been "overlaid" or "imprinted" with a strong demonic taint, psychic and/or spiritual in nature. Chalker to Cullen: "Tackle the mage." Cullen hesitates, and the mage raises both hands, the right palm slightly cupped, saying "I'm okay." Chalker hooks onto the rings on the mage's right hand and pulls the hand palm-down. Tiny Wagon is being ripped out of Chalker's pocket; Chalker puts one hand over his pocket and with the other punches the mage in the face, breaking his nose.
At the same moment, Shawna feels a "demonic quake". Without a word she rises, slaps Solant's arm, and runs out of the room.
The mage tries to flee through a secret door but cannot, as Chalker is still hooked onto his hand. Chalker smacks the mage hard on the back of his head. Collapsing, the mage screams, "Curse you!" The room shifts and Chalker feels a wave of nausea as something rushes past him. Chalker: "I didn't mean to kill him, but I had to make him stop. Your mage was possessed by a demon, and now it's heading toward town. Where are your other two mages?" Blackburn: "This is Surab. Tamlin is in town, and Neelin is at the barracks."
Alastor's talisman is vibrating again, and he feels an urge to go in a certain direction.
Shawna, who had transformed into a falcon and flown away from the castle, zeroes in on a house located off a market square. Inside she perceives a "hedge mage" and two other people. She transforms back into her elven form and smashes through the house's front door, bowling over an old woman and a boy who try to grab onto her. The mage, a man in his 20s, stares at her, horrified. "Not now," he cries, spreading his hands apart and casting a wind blast that stops Shawna in her tracks. Shawna casts Exorcise which drives the demon out of the mage. The demon evades her sword and passes, incorporeal, through the front wall.
Alastor sees the demon emerge from the house and rush toward a man on horseback. He draws his Delsa knife and a throwing knife. Shawna casts Body of Air, passes through the wall, then resolidifies and throws Lightning which strikes the demon and rips some of its substance away. The demon flows into the rider. Shawna tackles the man off his horse, her arm across his solar plexus. The demon emerges and moves toward a group of townsfolk. Alastor hits it with a throwing knife, removing more of its mass. Shawna leaps to her feet and runs after it, praying "Solash, shield them!" Alastor dons his brass knuckles as he runs. Shawna throws Lightning again. Alastor connects with his brass knuckles. Shawna prays, "Bar, hold it" and casts Lightning again. Alastor punches the thing again. Alastor feels "a tingle in his soul" as the demon tries to possess him. He pushes it back out toward Shawna. She strikes it in the chest and it turns to dust and drifts onto the street in a heap. Alastor sheathes his knife and begins collecting the dust into a pouch. Shawna grasps his arm and asks, "Are you all right?" "Yes," he replies.
Meanwhile, Chalker is in hot pursuit of a demon that had possessed an armsman and is headed for the barracks. Chalker smiles to himself, seeing that the armsman is clad in metal armor. Chalker hooks onto the armsman's sword and, as the man is turning a corner, jerks him sharply into a wall. The armsman barely stays on his feet; he raises his sword as he stares at the wall. Chalker slams into him and rolls away, then fast-draws Dink-Dink and slaps him hard across the chest once, twice. The armsman turns and stares at Chalker who slaps his chest again. The armsman falls and the demon stands revealed. Chalker slashes it with Dink-Dink's edge but it passes into Chalker's body. Chalker recognizes that it is "a psychic imprint of a demon" trying to overlay his personality, and Chalker has resisted possession so completely that he pushes the demon halfway out, chops at it, then pushes it all the way out. Staggering, the demon tries to phase through a wall, but Chalker chops it. Again it tries to possess Chalker and Chalker knocks it away. It dodges Chalker's next two attacks, then a third time it tries to possess him; with a great effort Chalker manages to push it away, then chops at its left leg. Now it is unable to flee, and he continues whittling away at it until it turns to dust. Just then Shawna arrives, makes sure Chalker is all right, and gathers up the dust while Chalker performs first aid on the battered armsman. Shawna scans for a few moments and says, "I don't sense another one," then "I left Alastor alone out there" and departs.
"You were possessed," Alastor explains to the indignant horseman, who doesn't appear to understand but goes chasing after his horse. Alastor returns to the house with the broken-in door. The boy and the old woman are still sitting on the floor, staring at one another. The mage isn't there. Shawna arrives and verifies with a Seeker spell that the mage is returning to the castle. Shawna pays the old woman ten times the replacement cost for the door. As Alastor proceeds on his way to the apothecary, he directs a carpenter to the old woman's house. At the apothecary, he gives them the rundown on the Apothecary Conspiracy. Then he finds a shop where he sells the extra weapons he collected in the complex.
Chalker tells King Blackburn, "I don't know why the demons are here. Galen's expedition, the appearance of demons -- those two things might be connected. It's very dangerous. I don't feel comfortable here anymore, so I'll be going. I'd like to come back some time and discuss this. Cullen, I wish you well." ["Better luck with your next brother."]
Alastor, Chalker, Shawna, Scout, and Cal leave the town. Shawna's bird tells her that Tara has located the two Ranger Wardens, Solbandin and Maize, so she directs them to a rendezvous point.
Chalker has realized that the black owl (which is made of dark mithril) "throws out" the demon imprints. The owl is brought out and destroyed and its remnants burned in a fire. Alastor and Shawna add to the fire their pouches of demon dust.
It is the morning of Dark Days 13.
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