Leveling and New Character:
Kashi: +6 HP, Action SurgePypui: +9 HP, Action Surge
Prepared Spells: Bless, Cure Wounds, Divine Favor
All three also finish a short rest, using their new Hit Dice to restore some health, which still leaves the option of using a healer's kit later during the night.
Now we need to build a new character since Cuauhtémoc has died. Let's figure out who our new adventurer is, using the 'This is your life' tables in Xanathar's Guide to Everything again.
🎲Race: (43) Dwarf
🎲Class: (18) Cleric
🎲Occupation: (2) Academic
🎲Gender: Homebrew Table: [d10: 1-4 male, 5-8 female, 9 nonbinary, 10 DM's choice]: (5) female
🎲Name: (26) Eridred
🎲Clan name: (9) Bloodkith
New Character: Eridred Bloodkith, the dwarven cleric with the Sage background
🎲Parents: (83) Eridred knows who her parents are or were
🎲Birthplace: (76) Temple
🎲Siblings: (7)=>(4): 6 silblings
🎲Birth Order: (8, 8, 4, 8, 11, 10): Eridred is the second of seven children
🎲Family: (58) Single mother or stepmother
🎲Absent Parent: (3) Eridred's father abandoned his family
🎲Family lifestyle: (8) Poor
🎲Childhood home: (10) Rundown Shack
🎲Eridred became a sage because: (3) She was always an avid reader and she learned much about her favorite topic on her own.
🎲Eridred became a cleric because: (3) Eridred's god gave her an unmistakable sign. She dropped everything to serve the divine.
🎲Age: (27) 27 years old (Dwarves are considered young until they are 50 years old, so she is a very young dwarf)
🎲Life Events: 3
- 🎲(61) Eridred spent time working a job related to her background. She starts the game with an extra 🎲 6 gold pieces
- 🎲(88) Eridred fought in a battle
- 🎲 (5) Eridred suffered only minor injuries, and the wounds are healed without leaving scars
- 🎲(67) Eridred spend (more) time working a job related to her background. She starts the game with an extra 🎲 4 gold pieces
It is somehow poetic that our new character has the same plot hook as Cuauhtémoc had. The plot hook also lines up well with her life events. Only thing I need to figure out is where they come from, so I'll leave the locations near Greenest and find an interesting starting location.
In the troll mountains that extend between the swoardcoast, the land of Amn and Cormyr in the East there is a monolithic structure called 'The Wailing Dwarf'. It is a statue of an armed dwarf rising 4.000 feet into the air, named for the sound of the wind passing over and through its cavernours eyes, ears and mouth. It was carved in the peak of the mountain known as Mount Batyr in a time many thousand years ago.
The legend about the Wailing Dwarf are manyfold and it was to the higher glory of the dwarves of Citadel Felbarr that Eridred's father made the long travel to the far South of the Swoardcoast to rediscover the ancient structure. Eridred and her siblings grew up in a tiny shack built against a cliff wall not far from the monument. They were poor in supplies, living mainly from the goats that they kept and the few vegetables that were willing to grow on the rocky slopes of the troll mountains.
For a long time Eridred's father, who was a follower of Dugmaren Brightmantle, the dwarven god of discovery studied the Wailing Dwarf from a distance but eventually he began to discuss with his wife whether or not he should try and enter it. When he did, it was against the wishes of Eridred's mother who feared he would never return, which he didn't.
However, shortly after he had abandoned his family a clan of monstrous trolls came down from the monument, searching the valley and eventually rooting out Eridred's family. With little to no weapons to defend her family with and her elder brother falling seconds after rushing the first troll with an axe she grabbed the first thing she could find, which was one of her fathers old books with engraved copper pages. Her intention was to defend herself with it but she wielded it a blinding light shot out of its pages and incinerated one of the trolls. The others were scared away by the sudden surge of magic long enough that Eridred and her surviving family members were able to flee.
For several tendays they walked through the mountains and then through the endless green plains of the Greenfields until finally reaching Greenest, where Governor Nighthill took them in. The people of the town helped them build a house and settle and Eridred even found some work at the local temple. She organized papers, tended to the garden that was so much more lush than what they had had at home and earned a bit of money while doing so.
In the meantime she studied her fathers book of prayers and legends of Dugmaren Brightmantle. She knew that the god known as the Errant Explorer had defender her and she took this as a sign that it was her turn to take up her father's mantle and use the divine powers for good instead of trying to gain wealth or fame.
Eridred trained with the guard to learn the weapon-craft as well and her powers grew. When the raid descended on Greenest she helped the villagers find refuge in the temple of Chauntea.
Speciality: Researcher
Personality Trait: I am horribly, horribly awkward in social situations, but there's nothing I like more than a good mystery
Ideal: The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge
Bond: It is my duty to protect the people of Greenest and to make sure that no more innocent lives are lost.
Flaw: I overlook obvious solutions in favor of complicated ones.
🎲Rolled Stats: 9, 9, 9, 10, 10, 15
Racial Bonuses: +2 Constitution, +1 Wisdom (Hill Dwarf)
STRENGTH: 9 (-1) | DEXTERITY: 9 (-1) | CONSTITUTION: 12 (+1)
INTELLIGENCE: 10 (0) | WISDOM: 16 (+3) | CHARISMA: 9 (-1)
Despite serving a god of knowledge, Eridred is still very young and has not actually gained a lot of it herself. Having to deal with a disfunctional family and a lot of trauma has left her wise beyond her years. She cares a lot, she just doesn't always express it in the best way. And having been brought up with little to do except herd goats, help around the shack and cook she is rather plump, not very dexterous and does not possess a lot of strength. She is however a rather healthy person after growing up in the mountain air.
Dwarven Tool proficiency: Brewer's Tools (Her specialty is Kumis, a creamy drink made from fermented goat milk)
Background Proficiencies: Arcana, History, Herbalism Kit, Alchemy Set (in exchange for not learning additional languages besides Common or Dwarvish) - I want to use a homebrew Herbalism Supplement (Found Here)
Cleric Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Medicine
Blessings of Knowledge Languages: Giant, because of trolls and one randomly determined language: 🎲 Deep Speech
Blessings of Knowledge Skill: Religion, because gods
Cantrips: Guidance, Sacred Flame and Spare the Dying
Spells prepared: Bane, Bless, Cure Wounds, Guiding Bolt, Inflict Wounds
🎲Starting Wealth: (10): 100gp + 10gp from Life Events = 110 gp
💰Starting Equipment: Scale Mail, Shield, Sickle, Dagger, Herbalism Kit, Brewer's Supplies, Backpack, Holy Symbol (Her fathers book, deduct money for restoration), Tinderbox, 10 pieces of chalk, Bedroll, Blanket, 10 Candles, Common Clothes, 10 pages of parchment, 5 ink pens, 1 bottle of ink, Sealing Wax, Soap, Whetstone
Remaining funds: 6 silver and 7 copper
I think Eridred is lugging around a lot of stuff in her backpack, having had to pack up whatever she thought necessary back home and hasn't really unpacked yet, despite living in Greenest for over a year now. She feels mistrustful of fate and knows that at any moment things might go wrong, and that is why she wants to come prepared. Final Rolls will be to determine if she has managed to collect any herbs in the recent days. I'll roll three Herbalism checks, the DC of which is 15.
Only one of the three rolls is a success, so I will roll 1d4 to determine the amount of ingredients Eridred starts out with and and up on two. Now, I roll twice on the Grassland ingredient table, collecting an Arrow Root and some Bloodgrass. Arrow Root can be used to sharpen ammunition and Bloodgrass can be combined with other ingredients to be turned into rations. Because she has had time to do some research, I rule that she has identified both plants.
"I cannot lie here a moment longer", says Ignomini as he gets up from his straw bed and fastens the clip of his holy symbol around his bandaged neck after turning it over and over in his hands. About two hours have passed since they fought and with the first ache of their wounds turning to a dull throb the adventurers have woken from restless slumber.
Reports from upstairs are scarce, most people down here are refugees from the town who are preoccupied with their own sorrows and inquire little more than if anyone else has made it to the keep - the answer always being the disheartening 'no'.
"And you are going where?", asks Pypui. Being the least injured of the three she has shown a new side of her so far rather taciturn character. She has gathered a small group of scared children and has been telling them legends about faraway places, about heroes and wizards of yore and of many happy endings.
"To see the castellan, or the governor or anyone else in need of my help. There must be something we can do."
"Alright, since we have failed to die so far, we might as well give it another attempt.", chimes in Kashi and rises as well. Despite being grievously injured earlier that night he now looks determined to fight another day. He checks his weaponry and turns to Pypui. "Are you coming? Or would you rather stick to tell stories for the night?"
A smirk creeped into the woman's face as she answered: "You are starting to become interesting people. I'd rather make some stories of my own."
Lifting one of the children of her lap she speaks to them: "Now run along and go pester your grandparents to tell you better stories than I did. Tell them I told you they wouldn't know any really good ones."
Sending the group of children running she stands up and dusts off her hands. "What are we waiting for."
In the courtyard the sally port has been reinforced and barricaded after it's initial collapse. The silhouettes of both castellan and governor are visible on a nearby bench. In a quiet moment the older man's head has fallen on the dwarf's shoulder and Escobert it stroking his hair with surprising gentleness. But when he sees the party lock he prods Nighthill awake.
"I am very surprised by your quick recovery as well as your eagerness to risk your lives again for the sake of a town you don't live in.", says the governor when they explain their plans. "But I am not about to turn down much needed help."
His arm seems to have stiffened under the bandages and his cheek is flush with an upcoming fever. However his tone is collected and his uncovered eye looks with unreduced focus at the adventurers.
"Our greatest fear is that we are missing a lot of villagers. Reports and observations tell us that the raiders are patrolling the grounds of Chauntea's temple in the East of town and we suspect that the priestess, Eadyan Falconmoon has barricaded herself inside with as many of the townsfolk as she could. However, if the raiders can break through our gates, the temple should not offer too much of an obstacle, at least not as far as physical defenses go."
He clears his throat and drinks from the waterskin that Escobert pushes into his unharmed hand.
"If you use the tunnel, you should be able to reach the temple by following the stream and maybe you could have a chance to save whoever made it inside by directing them here through the hidden grate. If you tell Eadyan that I'll forgo her sunflower seed debt she'll know you come from me."
"And if ye get into a skirmish and manage to defeat yerr foes," adds the castellan, "we really could do with a prisoner. None survived the kerfuffle at the gates there."
"Yes", the governor takes over again. "But that is not the main thing. The main thing is getting as many people to safety as you can. Got it? And don't take any unnecessary risks..."
"You see, governor.", interrupts Pypui. "Unnecessary risk might just be our favorite thing tonight. Call it whatever you like, we'll try and get you your hostage."
"And save the villagers.", adds Ignomini.
"That first of all.", chimes in Kashi. "First the villagers."
"If they are whom we meet first." Pypui seems to feel the need to have the final word.
"At least don't risk your lives without some aid.", adds the castellan. "I hope we won't need these here later on, but you might."
He hands over a small wooden box that Ignomini is first to reach for it and finds four vials inside containing a sparkling red liquid.
"Potions of healing", he says surprised. "Those will come in handy in a pinch. But are you sure..."
The governor cuts him off. "Yes we're sure. I don't even remember your name, but you and your friends have saved many lives tonight, helped us drive off a dragon and your friend died while defending the keep. Now you want to go out into the town without anything in it for yourself..."
"Except relieve from boredom...", pipes up Pypui but the governor ignores her.
"...without anything in it for yourself. Anything we can do to ensure your safe return, we'll do."
"Thank you governor.", says the tiefling, handing out the red potions to his friends, two for each of them. "We'll do our best to bring back your people safely."
Down into the cellar they go and through the tunnel they cleared. As they near the end they start to move more slowly. All too well they remember the raiders that were patrolling outside last time they were here. But they appear to be in luck, no sound comes from the other side of they gate. They manage to slink through the exit and into the high underbrush that covers the slope of the little stream's edge. Moving slowly through the thicket, freezing whenever they hear voices the three comrades in arms navigate through town until a rocky escarpment rises over them from the bushes which Pypui knows to be the location of the temple. Voices carry down from above but when Pypui advances and climbs the slope to peek over the wall around the temple garden she can see that the raiders here are bringing themselves into more trouble than actually being a threat. They have lit a fire but so inexpertantly that the thick smoke it brings forth obscures the terrain and makes them cough.
"Now or never.", Pypui says to the others in a hushed tone and they all three climb up and rush forward to attack.
The surprised raiders react slowly and before they even get to grab their weapons two of the four humans and one of the kobolds lie dead. Ignomini gets a cut on his tail but then all but one of each kind of opponent are slain. The remaining woman and kobold flee. They turn the first corner of the temple, rushing towards the front of the building. In hot pursuit the party follows and manages to slay them just as they round the corner. But shouts of shock and indignation alert them to the presence of many more opponents just around the corner.
Ignomini points his finger and makes the sound of hoofbeats appear out of thin air just a bit to the Northwest, as if one or two people on horseback were galloping away through the village. He turns and runs, Kashi and Pypui on his heels, towards the back door. Perhaps the little trick has bought them a few moments but it's clear that the raiders now know that there is some opposing force here. Igomini's hope is that they will waste precious time pursuing the assumed riders on horseback before realizing the attack came from somewhere completely different.
Hammering on the back door of the little temple - that in any other situation would be a quaint building to look at Kashi calls out: "Open up, the governor says he'll forgo the sunflower debt!", while Pypui stands at the corner, keeping a watchful eye out for anyone coming their way so that they might retreat in time. But the door is opened and hands pull them inside.
High damage on the surprise round, good initiative and a 15 on a Deception check from Ignomini made this first part of the mission a great success. However, they are not done yet.
The woman pulling them inside is a halfelf with dark skin and short, red curls. Her simple, linen and leather clothes make her look more like a farmer than a priestess where it not for her intense gaze and the symbol of Chauntea woven from straw but tied with a bit of gold string around her neck.
She attempts to ask a question but Kashi quickly maneuvers her to the side, waves his comrades through the door and closes it, offering the priestess a brief gaze at the dead bodies lying outside before he blocks the door with his shoulder.
"We don't have much time. Maybe mere moments.", he explains. "There might be pursuers on our heels any moments but we have a way to get you and anyone here to the keep quickly."
Eadyan Falconmoon is known as a level headed person and she proves it. Immediately she nods and her follow up is brief and focused: "I have around two dozen villagers here, some of them elderly or disabled. Will they be able to make it?"
She instinctively recoils for a moment when Ignomini responds but pushes aside any mistrusts she might harbor against tieflings.
"With aid they might, though they will need protection. Do you have any able fighters here to help us guard their back?"
Falconmoon nods and opens the door to the main temple room. Several dozen villagers of all ages fill the small chapel but she beckons one of them in particular. A rather heavy set dwarven woman in scale mail and with a big backpack slung over one shoulder approaches, her hair and short beard a dirty blond color.
"Eridred, we are getting out of here,", says Eadyan. "There will be fighting and we need to get as many to safety as we possibly can." Then she turns back to Kashi. "We'll use the back-door?"
Kashi nods and the priestess quickly moves through the door to the chapel and begins to organize the villagers here and ready them for a flight.
"So...", says the dwarf, who lacks the heavy accent of many of her kind. "You're a welcome sight. I'm Eridred."
She reaches for Kashi's hand but at that moment the door moves and Kashi has to push back against it.
"I'm Kashi...but no time for introductions. Let's make sure there's a way to safety.", he says, readying his waraxe.
As several people start to push through the door Kashi holds it closed. Pypui readies her whips, Ignomini a Javelin and Eridred mutters a quick prayer to her God to bless her three comrades in arms in the fight. Then Pypui steps back, opening the door. Chaos ensues.
Pypui's whip hits the face of the raider that almost stumbles into the room but she is hit by a especially well aimed projectile from a kobold. Ignomini's Javelin hits the same man, then - as several bullets ricochet off his armor - Kashi steps forward an his axe ends him, his body crumpling to the floor. Another takes his place but the fighter parries his attack.
A bitter melee ensues at the door. Kashi is pelted with many bullets but both Eridred's magics as his own ability to restore some energy in the mids of battle keep him on his feet long enough to overpower another of the raiders and move out of the shrine.
Pypui's whips kill the other of the raiders and she moves towards the kobolds, he weapons a flurry of crackling leather in the air around her. Some kobolds attempt a last attack but most flee immediately. Only two of them actually manage to get away, the others are ended before they reach their goal by arrows and spells.
Now it's time to go. It won't be long before more reinforcements show up and the task was to safe the villagers, not to defeat the raiders single-handedly.
It is a large group they are moving and all attempts at keeping it stealthily are given up. An old lady in a wheelchair is being lowered down the escarpment and commoners of all ages and agilities are trying to move as quickly as they can. The racket is enormous. However, with such a large group, some of them at least clearly armed no one seems to want to meet them in open battle and the adventurers manage to get the group to safety. As Pypui closes the grate of the escape tunnel it is with a sigh of relief. After a night of disaster, this assignment was the first to actually go better than expected.
"Did someone get injured?", Eridred's voice comes from further up the passage as Ignomini moves through, carrying a limp body over his shoulder, but the tiefling chuckles: "No one of importance, I just got a little present for the castellan."
And indeed he has managed to somewhat stabilize one of the overpowered raiders that he has now thrown over his shoulder like a limp sack of corn. It is a halfling, easy enough to carry and only in leather armor, blood slowly wetting the hastily wound bandage around his head. Carrying their precious cargo the group moves through the tunnel into the keep where many of the survivors from the temple burst out in laughter, cheers or tears as they are reunited with family, friends or neighbors.
The castelan is with them first, pushing his way through the crowd of happy villagers. His words of greeting and gratitude are inaudible in the din, but he orders a nearby guard to take over the prisoner and waves the adventurers onward.
"Well, best o' luck to you!", calls out Eridred but Kashi shakes his head. "None of that", he says, "Come with, you'll be better suited to tell what happened before we arrived." As if she had already expected it, the cleric follows without a moment's hesitation.
Inside the cleared out castle courtyard the four adventurers meet with the governor and inform him about the events they have experienced. Eridred introduces herself as an acolyte of Dugmaren Brightmantle to the others. After the raid descended she and the priestess Eadyan gathered as many villagers as they could in the temple. They had planned to flee to the safety of the keep but were met with reluctance. The villagers had not wanted to leave their sanctuary for a town besieged by a dragon and soon they had found themselves surrounded by raiders.
Ignomini, Kashy and Pypui fill in the rest of the story and the face of both the castelan and the governor express their gratitude that has grown beyond what would be expressed towards anyone else in the castle. The three adventurers have taken on more dangers than anyone else at the moment and risked their lives selflessly in the defense of the town.
Maybe this behavior has led to the governor loosing all pretense of wanting to spare the party any more danger. He has seen their capabilities and has trust in them.
"The guards have spotted a new threat. Raiders are trying to set fire to the town's mill.", he explains, as he hands the four hero's of his town cups of drinks. "If it burns, we'll lose our stockpile of flour and we won't be able to grind more for months. I'm trying to assemble enough defenders from here in the keep to defend it through the rest of the night, but that will take time. You'd do us a great service..."
"Yes of course, governor, we'd do you another great service.", interrupts Pypui. "And if you have any coin left after tonight you'll pay us for it. But if we don't survive that promise is cheap enough."
Her stinging tone makes the other three frown but the governor only nods. "Fair enough. What would you like for your help?"
Pypui's tone is hard as ice. "I want to be the one to interrogate the prisoner."
"Why would you...", begins Kashi but he is interrupted. "I have some experience in this specific area. And I think we should make sure that we get all the information we can, right?"
Deception check is rolled by Pypui. Both Kashi and the governor roll insight. The governor succeeds but is in no position to negotiate, whatever the woman's reasoning may be.
The governor studies Pypui's face for a moment, then he nods. "Very well, I will keep the prisoner under lock and key until you return to interrogate him. Any other demands?"
He looks around the small group but the others all shake their heads.
"Then please make haste to get to the mill and drive away the raiders before they can set it aflame. You'll need to defend it until our force arrives to take over, but it shouldn't be more than fifteen minutes behind you."
Pypui pulls one of the flasks of healing potion from her pack and gulps it down. Her gaze goes to the dwarf. "Wanna come save more lives? We could use someone like you."
"I won't need your motivation to help this town.", Eridred replies. "I'll help where I can."
Down once more to the tunnel they rush and file through it. They listen for any sound of nearby raiders and then hurry through the gate, locking it behind them. Eridred takes the lead, being more or less a local and she leads the party alongside the stream. "We need to cross.", she whispers as they near the small bridge but then noises erupt. Loud, screeching voices call out and a snarling replies to them. As the adventurers lure across the bridge they see that a trio of kobolds is tugging on one end of a leather bag that on the other end is held with great force by another of the dangerous drakes.
Knowing all too well how dangerous these creatures van be the four adventurers turn and try to circumvent the scene but Ignomini's foot slips in a sticky substance and he falls to a knee, his armor clanging loudly. The tug of war on the other side of the river ends and the group of kobolds start jeering and pointing towards the party as the drake turns its ugly snout in their direction.
 | ||
| This initiative doesn't bode well... |
The kobolds sling their little pebbles at Kashi but only one manages to actually do some damage. Pypui wades into the river, her whips flitting through the darkened air, snuffing out the life of one of the little dragonkin.
Fear sparks up in Kashi at the sight of the drake. He remembers those jaws all to well and the flame he conjures and throws at it sputters out halfway. Eridred calls out and a blue flame shoots out of the bridge but the drake dodges nimbly and darts forward, it's teeth sinking deeply into Kashi's leg. But then Ignomini is beside it, his morningstar crushing down as he calls out a prayer to the Morninglord. And with a flash of divine energy the jaws of the drake release as it lays, killed in a single blow of divine fury at Kashi's feet.
 |
| Ignomini's first smite kills the drake |
The kobolds, fearfully screeching try to run but Pypui's whip breaks one of their spines and the other one is brought down by Ignomini's javelin moments after it ran into the dark that it had hoped to use for cover against human eyes but that doesn't protect him from the tieflings infernal gaze.
"That was impressive.", says Eridred to Ignomini, walking past him quickly. "The mill is that way, follow me."
Pypui picks up the leather back the kobolds and the drake were pulling on. Coins fall out of it and Pypui quickly pockets 17 copper, 9 gold and 3 shiny pieces of platinum before following the others towards the southwest of town. As they run, Kashi gulps down a potion of healing as well. Pulling a face at the bitter taste of the tincture he says: "I can't agree more with Eridred. Where did that come from, friend?"
A slight smile has crept into the corner of Ignomini's mouth. "The light of dawn strikes down the darkness.", he murmurs cryptically. The the mill is ahead. Six small kobold shapes are busy feeding the flames of several small fires they have lit and the tongues of light already reach up towards the roof of the mill. With their armor clinging in the light the kobolds hear them coming and are prepared for the fight.
 |
With the first few pellets missing their targets the party storms towards the mill. Kashi's flame misses but both the tiefling's javeling and the acrobats arrow claim one kobold-life. However, Ignomini in turn is pelted by the small bullets and after taking two of them to the head his movement becomes increasingly uncoordinated. Eridred cannot catch up to him and her sacred flame misses.
More and more bullets fly and these kobolds seem to excell with their weapons. Ignomini collapses and it takes Eridred kneeling down and sending some of her own god's divine energy into him to cure his wounds. Both Kashi and Pypui take hits but the woman manages to shoot another kobold dead as they advance.
With Ignomini rising to his feet the party now has the advantage of being superior in numbers. No more pellets hit painfully as battlaxe, bow and sacred flame take the last kobold's lives.
Panting the party stands above their foes. Quickly they grab rakes and sticks and poke apart the heaps of hay that the kobolds have so far managed to ignite. Luckily, the mill itself does not appear to have taken any damage yet. The door however is open.
"Let's check quickly if they haven't lit any fires inside.", says Ignomini and - being resistent to the heat - he opens the door and steps inside, closely followed by his comrades in arms.
They enter a dark room, lit only ever so dimly by the fires from outside and by a single candle standing on the large grinding wheel of the mill. Looking around they see only sacks of grain and no sign of imminent danger. Grabbing a ladder, Ignomini says: We might as well fortify ourselves in here. I'll see if I can find..."
He doesn't finish the sentence because from the loft above where the sacks of flour are stored a volley of spears is launched at them. Only Pypui is really injured by one of them but then dark shapes jump down from the rafters and attack with their swords. One of them stands eye in eye with Pypui and stabs her in the abdomen. As by divine protection the others are only hurt superficially. They draw their weapons to defend themselves.
 |
| With both Pypui and Kashi hurt this might get rather grim rather quickly. |
The Spearmen now jump down as well and join the fray. Eridred takes several deep wounds from spear and scimitar. Pypui quickly gulps down her last healing potion before starting to swing her whips. Despite the cramped quarters she manages to kill one of her opponents. "By the light!", shouts Ignomini as he once again calls upon the power of Lathander and smites one of his opponents. A moment later he takes a spear to the stomach. Kashi misses his opponent and the sacred flame that Eridred manages to produce only singes hers.
 |
Eridred falls to her knees, pierced by another spear and her body topples over. The dwarf's lips mutter silent prayers as she grabs her holy symbol, begging the morninglord for some respite. The others trade a few blows but neither side manages to get the upper hand. Ignomini tries to move through the crowd to get to Eridred but the millstone and several opponents are in his way.
He calls out for help but instead of help a blad pierces his side and the tiefling falls as well, grievously injured. Pypui musters what reserves she has left to find her second wind and attacks wildly. Besides her Kashi drinks his last healing potion and fells one of the cultists. "It's me and you, now.", he mutters as he and Pypui stand back to back to fight against the overpowering forces pressing in.
Both sides have taken heavy hits. The raiders outnumber the two adventurers but lack their skill and hardiness. Two of them fall under the duo's hits. But Kashi also takes a spear to the throat that he barely manages to push away from his jugular. Eridred makes a last desperate attempt to rise and attack but one of the raiders just pushes her back, his spear in her chest.
Pypui's slings her whips around the neck of another raiders and with a turn of her arms breaks his neck. Behind her rises Kashi, blood flowing from many wounds but he desperately lifts his battleaxe again and again until with a vicious jab of a spear his body grows limp like a ragdoll. The weapon protrudes from his back and when he falls, Pypui knows that he wont rise again. Just as a hard jab of pain sends her sprawling as well her gaze moves past the face of the dwarf they had just met, lifeless, devoid of expression, dead. Pypui surrenders, death shall be a relief.
Both Kashi and Eridred have died by failing their saving throws, both after first rising after a natural twenty. Pypui and Ignomini live, but are captured. We will return to their fate the next time, but for now lets remember the refugee from the feywild and the brave dwarven cleric whose story ends here.
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