The Dark Lord [Chapter 5] The Last Battle

[crimson77]

The Prince address the party, ”Friends, it seems this war has little to do with the people and ruling the city but everything to do with my brother and his strive for absolute power. In the few skirmishes we have had as we have gotten closer to the city the enemy troops have laid down their weapons and surrendered begging for forgiveness. It seems my brother, if he can even be called that any longer, is striving to bring over an army from another plane of existence. It seems the monsters you encountered in the tower are reflective of this. He must have been using the towers magical field to open up the gate to allow some of the creature through. However, the towers magic is old and not sustainable, like the stub of a candle. Also the section of town that you found covered in ash. My scholars think that he is trying to use dark magic which drains the life of living things to build personal power. He must be stopped. We have encountered little resistance as our scouting parties have entered the city except for his few magical minions. It seems that the Dark Lord has found a magical power source in the city from which he can finally open a gate to lead an army through. My army is searching the city for this source of magic right now. It must be very dark magic for no mage has found it before. I need you, Throshkar, Adrian, Egan and the Grog to go after the Dark Lord. He will be unstoppable once he has found this magic source. You have access to my limited vaults to prepare for the battle. I will also give you all the free men I have available. This includes Regis, Olna once she is well, Louis, Ditboe, and a few others from my army. You must hurry. My scouts tell me he is in the ancient university. Is there anything else you need?”

[OOC: The party gets 40,000 gp worth of goods to be spent however they choose. Additionally, level up your characters to level 15 in preparation for fighting the Dark Lord.
You will also get Olna & Regis to for support characters. All of your henchmen will be present for the battle.]

[GMTrojan]

Grog Ironshield

"Prince Asreal, what shall we do with General Kilmer? I have the ability to revive him, but I do not have the material to do so, which is a couple of crushed up diamonds."

When the group is together to talk with the prince:

"My Prince, do you realize what we are up against? Your brother has aligned himself with demons, and probably many other denizens of the netherworld. The magics involved here are very dark and powerful. Noting of the Babau that we defeated along with their natural ability to destroy even the most magical of weapons with the slime that drips off of their bodies," with this, Grog shows the damage done to his precious adamantine mace and Throsh's bastard sword, "we need some powerful weaponry. Not just the minor enchantments that we have now. You can ask any of us that were there, these are VERY DANGEROUS beings. From the sight of the battle that took place here, what Sir Jonathan was wearing seems to be very powerful and could be useful in the upcoming fight.



Diplomacy check (if applicable) to help with the conversation: [roll0]


After the meeting Grog calls to Throsh for a private conference.
Throshkar, my old friend, first of all, how are you?

Second: I need to see your damaged sword, I can now mend it.

Third: I have a message from Sir Jonathan. While I was in meditation, I was told 'Not all is what it seems' by his soul. His soul also begged you for forgiveness. I feel that he was possessed by an evil beyond his control. Please remember him as the strong honorable man that he was, and not as the lunatic that we saw today (yesterday?). I know that you are not a religious man, but if you want to talk; or ummm...I will receive confession if you desire it."

[The_JJ]

Adrian sees that his wounds are tended, checks that the campsite is secure, and the accosts the Prince, alone if possible. If not, he asks for a private audience. We've got a few things to discuss, some pertaining to current bussiness, some looking to the future.

Know Local about the university.
[roll0]

... is every roll I make a one or a twenty?! Jebus.

Yeah, I'm guessing an ancient university doesn't factor all that well into Con Artist 101 or IB Cat Burglery.

[Nomad5]

Egan Brahe

Egan spent his time at the camp in rest and preparation, not knowing what the expectations were of the Prince once they rejoined the party. Listening to the Prince's speech, he is troubled by the statements, but mostly because of his lack of understanding of them. He dives into study on the matter.

Knowledge: Local [roll0] <-- Sites matching the Prince's descriptions.
Knowledge: Arcana [roll1] <-- A possible way to break or weaken the spells the Dark Lord is using.
Knowledge: Geography [roll2] <-- Possible locations.
Knowledge: The Planes [roll3] <-- Took some ranks here based on previous encounters.
-- What will help us against these demons?
Spellcraft: [roll4] <-- Studying the Dark Lord's uses of magic.
-- How is he 'tapping' an energy source?
-- Where is he summoning?

Also, if there is time before heading out, Egan will cast Discern Location for the crown before heading out.

[Cyranojoe]

Throshkar delaBlanche

Despite Grog's careful clerical ministrations, his cavalier friend has taken on an ashen hue in the hours since their battle with the mad Sir Jonathon. His eyes are glassy, and his mouth hangs open slightly as though his jaw has lost its elasticity. He sits meekly when Grog welcomes him into his chambers, and offers little in the way of greetings himself.

"Throshkar, my old friend, first of all, how are you?"

The two are alone, but Throshkar looks around the room before answering.

"How am I?" the nobleman echoes. His voice, though not as soft as during the battle, is paper-thin and nearly as fragile. "T'will do, Ambassador. T'will do." He flexes his arm, looking at it as though it were a separate object, not a part of himself. "These arms yet have strength in them to accomplish what needs done."

He falls silent. Not yet wanting to prompt him further, Grog continues: "Second: I need to see your damaged sword; I can now mend it."

Throshkar nods mutely. He stands to unlatch his belt, and passes the cleric his sheathed sword -- pausing briefly to run his fingers over the fanciful, inlaid characters along the scabbard. They spell out in gold the word "Heromaker".

Third: I have a message from Sir Jonathan. While I was in meditation, I was told, 'Not all is what it seems' by his soul. His soul also begged you for forgiveness. I feel that he was possessed by an evil beyond his control. Please remember him as the strong honorable man that he was, and not as the lunatic that we saw at the end. I know that you are not a religious man, but if you want to talk; or ummm... I will receive confession if you desire it."

Throshkar sits back down with a weighty thump. He absorbs Grog's message, and the tale of Jonathon's soul, in silence. The two men sit quietly for some time, until finally Throshkar stands up and strides over to the door: "Servitor! Wine! Now!"

When he returns to Grog, his face is steely.

[NOTE: I put this in the spoiler so it's not quite such an eternal read. Throshkar go Boom!]

"Thank you, father... thank you, holy father, for passing to me this message. I will measure the man's words as they ought best... best be considered. In this case, evil uses truth to its own means. To be sure, not all is as it seems. My--ah... my friend... was a villain. A monster... murderer... killed..." Throshkar's eyes wander, his voice hitches until trailing off into mutters.

"Nnno! What is forgiveness to demons?! It is the lure, Ambassador! The trap, the trap by which they capture your soul. You yield to your mercy, and there may you be assaulted, until you falter... until..." He shakes his head; his hand trembles badly as he rubs his face. "Until you fail. We all fail, Ambassador. You know that as well as I. You took advantage of those girls -- Da Gra is a thief and God knows what else -- the Bishop stands on a pride that would impugn the sun. And more! And more! One Prince forsakes his duty for adventure, the other destroys all for power -- cavaliers join him, crush the people whom they swore to protect -- and my father, ha! My father would do the same if he could, and my brothers too in his shadow."

"And Jonathon! Abandoned his... the most beautiful woman... fair of flesh and of thought... she... she... he left her! Alone she withered, while he dallied with a self-important WHORE, until he came back and-and-and and he KILLED her!" His blue eyes spark, and the dams are shattered; tears stream down Throshkar's face as he lurches to his feet. He lunges into a pace back and forth, his words louder and louder.

"And YOU! You want ME to forgive that... that thing!?! You would have me give him my heart, my confession! I stand forth, a cavalier, him nothing, abandoned all and left us behind with nothing to hhhold onto, nothing to--to--to..." A servitor creeps in, and the cavalier, red in the face, snatches the bottle she bears and chases her off with an inarticulate yell. He wrenches open the wine and slurps it down.

"Wha--ah--what value have I? What value...? I don't, my forgiveness is, it's nothing! I can't give it, I won't! I failed the general. The Prince. My friends, my family, my people, my love... I have failed all, Grog! Dark Lord shall destroy us, and what use am I? What use? I throw my love to the fire. I let her burn, I let her burn, you idiot! You bastard! I let her burn, I let her die, she burned alive, don't you understand??"
In his pacing, Throshkar nears his seat again and makes as if to sit down, but instead leans and crumples his way to a seated position on the floor. He throws his arms across the settee and buries his disconsolate face in its leather.

Muffled by upholstery and uncontrolled sobs, Throshkar blurts out over and over: "Nothing... burned, burned to death... I let her... let her go... nothing... weakling! Fool!""

[crimson77]

The prince listens to Grog's wise statements. He nods along with them taking them in. He stand for a moment in quiet contemplation and then replies, "Ambassador, you are right. Now is not a time to be stingy with what we have, we are on the threshold of defeating my brother. I will see that we have all that we need to force him into submitting. I cannot believe that he has fallen inline with demons. It is clear where his soul now treads. I will open the coffers for our use. I will tell a mage to fetch all the items that may be of use. He shall return shortly. As for the Kilmer. In the end, we do not know if he was a turn coat or lived honorably. I would say save your diamonds for me we know who are true, like Throshkar. Let Kilmer lie, we will remember the valiant knight and never have to question his loyalty now that he has passed"

The prince strides around the room as if in contemplation about the battle before him. After a few moments he stops and responds"Our intelligence reports say that my brother has been alone in the ancient university casting spells. He has sent his guards away to search the city. I hope he will see that his battle has been lost and surrender." You think back to the days that you visited the ancient university. It was created as a tribute to the ancient thinkers who made magic possible. It is an open air stone structure where lectures used to be held in the days before language was written down. It was illuminated at night by giant fires between each pillar.
[Picture]
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Vienne-RomanTemple2.JPG

The prince shakes his head at Adrian's request for a moment alone. "We are all friends here, let us not keep secrets like by dark brother. As your questions or tell you story in light of God. For he is our only judge."

[Egan]

Knowledge: Local (1d20+10)[26] <-- Sites matching the Prince's descriptions.
You suspect it is the Ancient University, only one building fits the description.
Knowledge: Arcana (1d20+25)[38] <-- A possible way to break or weaken the spells the Dark Lord is using.
Given your knowledge about the theory of magic, if the dark lord finds a magical source he will have unlimited access to magic. Magic relies upon the transfer of energy, in casting spells one borrows energy from themselves or that around them to form what they need. It is a balance. You suspect that the dark lord has found a way to exploit this to a certain degree which is why he was able to turn whole city blocks to ash. He will be unstoppable with a source to draw magic from.
You think that he is drawing magic from the arcane university to open a portal to the lower planes. This is why there are a few creatures but not all. Maybe leaving the tower so quickly was a mistake.

The ancient university is located near the arcane towers. From the university one can see the towers.
Knowledge: Geography (1d20+13)[28] <-- Possible locations.Of the magic? You guess is as good as his. That is why he is having his troops search the city.
Knowledge: The Planes (1d20+10)[24] <-- Took some ranks here based on previous encounters.
-- What will help us against these demons?
Feel free to read the description in the SRD regarding demons. Maybe you grabbed a book while you were at the base camp about demonology that you can bring out in IC.
Spellcraft: (1d20+25)[33] <-- Studying the Dark Lord's uses of magic.
-- How is he 'tapping' an energy source?The prince is using dark magic which is allowing him to bend some of the magical rules that cap how much one can draw from their environment. He has found a way to magically reuse the magical energy in the arcane university (towers) for other spells breaking the wards.
-- Where is he summoning? You suspect that he is summoning from within or around the arcane towers.

Also, if there is time before heading out, Egan will cast Discern Location for the crown before heading out. The crown is no longer shielded and in the direction of the arcane towers and ancient university.


[OOC: You now have a total of 100K to spend on equipment for the final battle]

[The_JJ]

Adrian stifles an eyeroll. Hum. Very well. I'm worried. As your security advisor, I think we ought to be looking into, however skeptically, the allegations Jonathan made about Kilmer. In my experience, last second confessions of that sort tend to be... honest in intent. He, after all, had nothing to lose or gain by that point. Adrian fingers his crossbow. Normally I'd call it delusional but... he changed in that last second. Earlier he was out for Throshkar's blood, here he was... pleased that he'd 'saved us.' A change. Was it a total turn away from the lies? Was there actually a... threat from Kilmer? Something that could've been exploited to send him down this path? It's easier to tell a lie if you've proven yourself truthful before. I don't know, sir, and that worries me.

So then, we've decided to let him lie. Very well, I suppose, but it's not him that worries me, it's the thrice damned unknowns. And there's only one person here... Adrian gestures at the Ashes Formerly Known as Kilmer who really knows what the deal is.

I dunno, that whole confrontation at the church, the battle... you said he could watch us Egan, but he hardly reacted when we appeared near his center of power and whisked away an important captive. This whole thing stinks of madness... or a grand old Game.

[crimson77]

"I understand your concern. I would have no objection to Gorg returning life to Kilmer if that is possible. I know not of that magic and its limitations. Throshkar, what you do you think we should do? He was your friend."


[OOC: if you choose to return Kilmer to life you will have to spend some of your 100k on the diamonds needed]

[Cyranojoe]

Throshkar delaBlanche

"I understand your concern. I would have no objection to Grog returning life to Kilmer if that is possible. I know not of that magic and its limitations. Throshkar, what you do you think we should do? He was your friend."

Throshkar stirs uncomfortably when the Prince proposes Kilmer as a traitor to the cause. Suggesting that the rough-hewn general was his friend, though, actually triggers a tittering little laugh.

"Friend?" The cavalier wiggles his hand in the air. "If he were my friend, I would say let him lie -- such judgment have I shown hitherto. But the General was not my friend. We shared but few words in years past, and yet he entrusted me with finding you, my Prince. He set us all on this path, so that we might halt the Dark Lord's terrible ways. And then was he slain by a madman. By one I called friend."

"So no, if he were my friend, let him lie. But as he was not, give him his life. Especially since the Baker's Boy sees value in it."

His eyes are hollow, his face gaunt as though he has not slept for weeks. He looks at the floor, then speaks again, slowly at first.

"The Dark Lord... the former prince... he will not concede, I think. E'en were he taken to his eternal torment by demons, he hath come too far to yield now."

"If our observers know him to be alone, we may yet not face another of our brothers, clothed in night. I... we dare not hope it, but the greater threat is outside, is it not? These creatures of another world. We should arm not only ourselves, but those who would join us, so they might be protected -- and not lose their weapons as well, as the smaller demons we fought -- babau, you called them, Grog? -- their very flesh did corrode my sword with sin."

"Egan. What know you of such creatures? Do all bear such acidic veins, or is there worse yet to come?"

As Egan speaks, Regis, Olna, and others quietly joins the group. The cleric especially does not hide his surprise at Throshkar's condition. He moves closer, a look of both suspicion and worry clouding his broad features; Throshkar barely meets his gaze.

After Egan's response, Throshkar finds himself antsy. The Prince's response to Adrian grated against him -- a private audience is not to be feared. And what the Prince's other strategies are and have been suddenly seem to be a mystery.

"Milord? What will you do, while we are upon this mission? And how is it you have taken unexpected action while we were in the tower? I do not recall planning to begin the offensive so soon." He appraises the Prince's looks and words, measuring them with what he has learned and known of the young nobleman. Regis, meanwhile, catches wind of the cavalier's tone, and considers the Prince similarly.

Sense Motive by Throshkar:[roll0]
Sense Motive by Regis:[roll1]

[crimson77]

"Milord? What will you do, while we are upon this mission? And how is it you have taken unexpected action while we were in the tower? I do not recall planning to begin the offensive so soon."

The prince listens for a moment to Thrsohkar's words and responds, "I will follow you upon this mission. I must see my brother be brought to justice or be destroyed. I have moved the battle forward when I saw an opportunity of weakness in my brothers defense. I am glad that I have done so, it is unraveled his true plot to open a portal of the lower planes. Why does it seem that you doubt my decision?"


[Throshkar/Regis]
Nothing about the princes behavior suggests that something is amiss.

[Nomad5]

Egan Brahe

(Retro a bit.)
Taking a break from his studies, he paces about the church to clear his mind. His thoughts are interrupted by the steadily increasing volume of Throshkar's voice during a conversation with Grog. He keeps to his own thoughts until, after calling for wine, he voice cuts through everyone else's conversations. "... I let her burn, I let her burn, you idiot! You bastard! I let her burn, I let her die, she burned alive, don't you understand??"

Watching Grog walk away from his friend troubled, Egan feels the same sympathy and sits down next to the now almost sobbing cavalier. "The measure of man be not his standing against the forces of life that overpower us all. It be how well he can stand up after it has inevitably knocked him over." Not sure that Throsh had even heard him, Egan pauses to offer a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, but reconsiders the often condescending motion, and leaves the man to his personal struggle against misery.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

At the council Egan has several ideas about what may be happening, but not sure how to convey them. "I did not know Kilmer well, and not sure if I could call him a friend. But I was fond of him. I fear that the torture may have broken more of him than we had realized. I'm sorry if this is cold, but I see no value in bring his soul back to us. Where were his loyalties? At present we may say with our Prince, and be done with it. Can he tell us more by being here?"

"you said he could watch us Egan, but he hardly reacted when we appeared near his center of power and whisked away an important captive. This whole thing stinks of madness... or a grand old Game."

"I think you overestimate our stature in his eyes. I believe the Dark Lord has the crown now. And we were of little notice to him. In fact, Jonathon may have been nothing more than a personal attack or affront to Throshkar by the Dark Lord. I believe that he had started a dark conversion upon that knight to the undead. But, if his ego is as I believe, than he cared little of Jonathon's fate. As to us being at his power center... he draws from it, but our Prince now tells us that it has moved. The towers were almost used up when we were there. We should have destroyed them before we left. We made our decisions about the importance of the crown, but now.... well, we may need to start by bringing down those towers. He will be already pooling his power at the Ancient University."

"We can expect more demons from the outer realms being called upon by the Dark Lord."

[Cyranojoe]

Throshkar delaBlanche

Watching Grog walk away from his friend troubled, Egan feels the same sympathy and sits down next to the now almost sobbing cavalier. "The measure of man be not his standing against the forces of life that overpower us all. It be how well he can stand up after it has inevitably knocked him over." Not sure that Throsh had even heard him, Egan pauses to offer a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, but reconsiders the often condescending motion, and leaves the man to his personal struggle against misery.

Throshkar half-gasps, half-moans for breath; pulling his head up out of his hands as though it were a vast weighty thing, he tries to square his gaze on his wizard friend. His head wobbles faintly, back and forth.

Hoarsely, he asks, "And whom will you harm, when you fall? When you fail?" Slowly, he lowers his head back to his hands and sobs.

* * *

With the Prince....

The prince listens for a moment to Thrsohkar's words and responds, "I will follow you upon this mission. I must see my brother be brought to justice or be destroyed. I have moved the battle forward when I saw an opportunity of weakness in my brothers defense. I am glad that I have done so, it is unraveled his true plot to open a portal of the lower planes. Why does it seem that you doubt my decision?"

Throshkar opens his mouth, but nothing comes. His eyes drift off of the Prince's steady gaze. Finally, he closes his mouth, raises his eyebrows in defeat, and begins to speak...

"I'm sorry, Aseral. The poor sap's lousy with jokes!" Regis, with an explosive laugh, slaps Throshkar on the back -- hard enough to cut short his breath and kill any words that were about to escape. The cleric wiggles chubby fingers in the air. "Afraid I jested with him earlier: OooOOooh! I said! Aseral might be a DEEEMON prince! All in league with his brother and everything, going to use us to conquer the world!!! HA! Haahaahaa!!" He looks around at your solemn and startled faces. "This place has gotten all too serious! God above wants our journeys along this road to be pleasant, folks. No matter what we do, we're always walking to our deaths, anyway. Some just know it more than others. Eh?"

Looking back over his shoulder, Regis winks at Throshkar.

[GMTrojan]

Grog Ironshield
(very retro)
Grog takes the sword and moves it “far” away from Throshkar, as he ponders what to say next, trying to calm Throshkar down.
“You, general, are not ‘ok’. You do not sound ok, nor do you even look ok for that matter. There are a few things that I had to learn before I was given leave to come back to this land on an official business.

First, I had to atone for my sins. Grungi has forgiven me, and I have paid handsomely for my indiscretions of the past. Masters De Gra, Regis, Egan, and the others here all have their own faults. Forgiveness and mercy are also what separates our races from the goblins and giants. When I met with Jon’s spirit, I was not expecting anything, nor was I searching it out, it came to me and asked me to ask you for that forgiveness. He knew that he did wrong, and from the way he came across, it was heart felt, and not a demon in disguise.

Throshkar, you also need to forgive yourself for not being here to take care of her. Yes, I know that she was beautiful. I know that she was your sun, your moon, and the stars that you went by. But I do have to ask, what about your lovely wife? As I recall, she is no hobgoblin. No, you have not burned your wife at the stake, but you have been an adulterer too. It is said that you can’t get angry about the grain of sand in one Dwarf’s eye when you have a rock shoved into yours. Remember, I have always told you to please look at yourself before you condemn your fellow man (dwarf).

You need to be better than your father. We NEED you to be better than your father. The young Prince here NEEDS you to be better than him and them,” Grog nods to wherever the servants have taken the two dead cavaliers. “You are better than all of them. You need to be a strong model of honorable servitude for Louis, and his fellow cavaliers. They are looking up to you, looking for guidance in the hours, days, and weeks to come. This is not the end, but just the beginning of a very trying time.

I can help you absolve some of the mental and spiritual burden that you might be having right now. I tell you now that it will take some time, but you will be a better man in the end for it.”


[Grog is offering Absolution to Throshkar...]

[Cyranojoe]

Throshkar offers no protest at Grog's moving of his sword, save an anguished look and a raising of his hand as it gropes for and then recoils from the thought of touching such a pure and worthy object.

'Grungi has forgiven me...'

Forgiven...? The possibilities swim before the cavalier's eyes. As Grog continues his heartfelt advice, Throshkar, in spite of himself, finds comfort in the words. Almost impossibly distant comfort -- but it is a sensation that his burning heart and drowning thoughts would have seemed to preclude absolutely.

He had not thought to find forgiveness for himself ever again. He was no man to offer it; how could he receive it?

"And what about your lovely wife?"

'My wife...' She was never his wife. Never his love, anyway. But that did not wrench from him his duty -- nor his failure in that duty. But wait, what? Adulterer?

Weakly: "No! I... we.... Grog, she never knew I loved her. She never... never knew..." But it was enough. Adulterer as well, then. The shame burned, worse than a demon's acid, worse than an undead's chilling tongue, worse than a friend's betrayal.

And still it came.

"You need to be better than your father. We NEED you to be better than your father. The young Prince here NEEDS you to be better than him and them. ... This is not the end, but just the beginning of a very trying time."

'Better than my father.' Something deep within can actually laugh at that. Bitter, short, dead. But laugh. It's true. He must be better. To stay here, like this, is to doom them all. 'Grog, Adrian, Egan, Louis, Regis, Olna, Prince Aseral, all the rest... strong as they are, this battle began with me. It must end with me.'

"I can help you absolve some of the mental and spiritual burden that you might be having right now. I tell you now that it will take some time, but you will be a better man in the end for it.”

'Absolve? Impossible. I cannot. But...' Throshkar looks into his friend's eyes. His friend. A man of God. At peace with his burdens, with his failures. He's so strong. So sure.

"I will. Please. I will do, I will try to do whatever must be done. Help me, Father." Throshkar manages to get into a better kneeling position, and lowers his head to receive Grog's blessing.

As the cleric speaks, Throshkar thinks to himself: 'I shall never be a better man, my friend. Sin stains me, and will one day consume me for ever. But the war is not over. My duty... is not over. I will fail again, and again. But I must...'

I really didn't think Throshkar would get out of his misery so quickly -- not that he won't be very very emo for a while -- but GMT wrote a really compelling post for Grog. A terrific spiritual and practical summation, very healing advice for Throsh. I couldn't ignore it!

Throshkar accepts the Atonement spell. I've read the SRD, but I'm not sure how the effects would play out in the game, beyond the spiritual experience.

[crimson77]

The young prince seems slightly annoyed at the Grog and Throshkar's religious ritual. Maybe it is just because he is ready to claim the thrown. Maybe it is because he fears for his people. After the ceremony is complete, you hear a rumbling like a massive earth quake. The old church sways but stands with only small pebbles falling from the ceiling. You step outside the church to see if there is any damage in the town. You notice that the Mage's tower has crumbled leaving a large spiraling disk of magic in the space where the tower once stood.

[Egan/Grog]

You know that this disk is a very large portal to another plane. It seems that the dark lord is attempting to open a portal large enough for an entire army of demons to march through. The portal is not stable yet so nothing can pass. The demons that you have seen around the town must have come from smaller portals or other means into the city

[The_JJ]

[A little ret]

Adrian, who has been lurking in a corner just close enough to Throshkar to catch the gist of the conversation, moves to embrace the human as he leaves. As Throshkar bends his head to level with Adrian's, he whispers Hey, I know where you are right now. Just hold it together, and remember one thing. It ain't your fault. It's his. He's broken the Rules now, and gone out the far side. So, let's go visit upon him a great vengence, for the lives he's cost us.

Moments later, Adrian is flipping through the armory. A clerk had pointed him in the direction of an ancient yet servicable rapier, wrought with strange runes, said to be particularly potent against these demons, but Adrian was hunting for something else. Moments later he pulled his hand back, laughing. My, my, my. What's a dangerous little lady like you doing in the Prince's stores? Adrian shifted his hands on the grey leather of the grip. Merrick's Maiden, I'll be damned. I thought Thaddy turned you over to the Watch. You were just to dangerous to be on the streets, weren't you? Ha! Moment's later the earth rumbled and rolled. Squad form up! I've got point.

[crimson77]

After you have gathered what you need and the runners have returned with items from the Prince's treasury, the prince turns to you and says, "The time has come. I wish that I had the words to express to you that would calm your nerves and prepare you for battle but i do not. We must move quickly and strike decisively so that my brother cannot recover and I can claim the rightful throne."

[MAP]
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/6474/finalbattle.png (http://img30.imageshack.us/i/finalbattle.png/)


You approach the old university rather quickly after leaving the Church. As you get closer Regis, Egan, and Grog can see a large amount of magic being pulled from the arcane tower. The magic flows from the tower into the university. As you approach the university you feel a deep rumbling in the earth beneath you and you see the three towers of the arcane tower crumble before your eyes. The Dark Lord must have drained all the magic from those towers he could leaving them now as dust. You find yourself rushing faster toward the university. You reach the steps and see a single solitary man standing before a portal which is partially lucid. You can almost see the images of thousands of creatures from your nightmares swarming the portal but still unable to get through. The man, whom you recognize as the Dark Lord looks frustrated as he paces before the portal. You climb the steps and if he notices you he does not respond.

[GMTrojan]

Grog Ironshield

After Throshkar agrees to have the atonement, Grog prepares himself with his prayerbook. With the prayerbook in hand, Grog prays over Throsh and then says, "The Great Grungi has told me that you MUST defeat this abomination in the university. There is no other way. I will repair your sword now, so please leave me to this business."

Grog then takes out his mace and sets it in a quiet corner along with Throsh's bastard sword. He then prays over the two weapons and when he is done, they are now whole.

Grog then goes into another state of meditation to prepare his mind and body for the new tasks at hand.

casting: atonement, Make whole * 2: CJ your Bastard Sword +1 is now whole and good, as is my Adamantine Heavy Mace
then resetting spells from OoC conversations.

When Grog is done with his meditation, he wanders into the armory like a woman at a department store, methodically looking for the perfect dress. Using his keen eye and knowledge, he finds the suits of armor that King Dain had given Prince Asreal's father. He deftly picks out a shiny suit of full plate that was given as a gift of friendship. He looks on the inside for the mark of the smith, and instantly recognizes the initials.

"Ditboe, my old friend, this suit was made by your father! If it is anything like the suit of chain he made for me here, I shall never be damaged again!" Looking further into the armory, he finds a few other items, now with Ditboe at his side. "Look here, Master Keycrusher, my father's work! I personally helped my father forge this war axe. It's name is Giant Cleaver and has a powerful enchantment that I put on it myself. It shall serve you well. I would have taken it, but Grungi does not allow me to..."

With most of the big items chosen, Grog looks into the little things. He searches out the flasks of potions, asking one of the prince's other clerics about the markings for the healing droughts. With the other dwarfs in mind, he grabs a healing drought for each of the others along with one for himself and Keycrusher. Remembering the battles in the failing Mage's Tower, to himself he mutters, "I know that we'll need these".

[Cyranojoe]

Throshkar delaBlanche

While the cavalier waits for Grog's blessing, Adrian pops into the room and approaches the kneeling Throshkar. With a tight embrace, the halfling whispers: "Hey, I know where you are right now," and Throshkar knows he does. There is no doubt. Eyes wet and smiling, he squeezes Adrian back with a little *too* much gratitude.

At the conclusion of Grog's prayer, Throshkar feels the holy transformation strike, with much more suddenness and violence than he expected. It throws him to the side -- not quite to the floor. As he leans over, one hand touching the ground, he slowly realizes that this is not an epiphany. The ground itself is rocking!

Grog and Throshkar burst from their private room, meeting the rest of the group as they race outside to see the effects of the quake. It soon becomes clear that the Mage's Tower, where they had fought and nearly died so recently, has fallen in upon itself.

"Milord Egan! Whence comes such force? Is the city under attack?"

* * *

Later, Throshkar meets up with Louis, who arrives at the head of a troop of cavaliers. "Our finest men and women!" Louis declares, and though Throshkar frowns at the sight of two women among them, he nods and goes through an inspection of the soldiers and their armament.

"Now, men -- and women, eh? -- prepare yourselves! You face creatures of your childhood nightmares. For we face not men, nor the elder prince himself, but the abomination he has become, and an unknown number of his demon minions. Doubt me not! I have engaged their unnatural forms in combat mine self; their flesh devours our weapons and their strength tests even that of cavaliers. But we shall prevail! For our people! For our land! For our -- for our honor!"

Despite his faltering at the last, Throshkar's soldiers let out a throaty roar, then go silent as Louis begins to issue commands: they are to inspect the royal armory and locate anything that may be of use in the upcoming battle.

* * *

"The time has come. I wish that I had the words to express to you that would calm your nerves and prepare you for battle but i do not. We must move quickly and strike decisively so that my brother cannot recover and I can claim the rightful throne."

Throshkar nods. "We shall defeat the abomination, my Prince, and bring peace again to our people." His mind surveys the dead slain by this war... the homes blasted to ash... the blood and tears of thousands. Peace? How can they find peace? The cavalier shakes off his doubt, or at least shakes it to the back of his mind, where it continues to sulk as they approach the university.