Chronicles of the Accursed Campaign Thread (Group 1)

Meanwhile Yasmina rests peacefully in the grass...

(I'll go ahead and move us along now)

Though reluctant at first, eventually the skulking sword listens to reason as the celestial bear patiently explains why retreat was the only thing Zander could realistically do for the good of the world.

In spite of her tranquil surroundings, Delvindra's sleep is fitful.... plagued with dreams of the Nine Hells and the forces of darkness that whisper in her ear as she descends deeper into darkness. Karael glances at her with concern occasionally, but it is not his place to intervene. Delvindra's path is her own to walk. Everyone else has only pleasant dreams as they slumber in Mount Celestia's holy light.

At long last you all awaken, refreshed and ready to move on. What do you wish to do next?

Duwamilly's items regain:

Cube: 1 charges

Wand of Wonder: 2 charges

Quote from Painted_Beyond >>

Duwamilly's items regain:

Cube: 3 charges

Wand of Wonder: 7 charges

[[ OOC: Lol! Duwamilly's items also seem to have rested well in the sacred environment of Mount Celestia! ]]

Duwamilly yawns and stretches slowly as she awakens from a pleasant rest, full of comforting dreams. Seeing the other Accursed wake up too, she exclaims: "Hello dear kids, did you sleep well? Lord Matic Akkron said he will let us know when we can return, so for now it's probably not time yet to go near the Shaded Isle..."

“We could use this time to visit a city here!” the ex-Preceptor begins to excitedly wave her wand "Karael, dear... can you tell us about a city here on Mount Celestia? I'm really curious to see how you build them up here... Do they look like mountain towns? Because Mount Celestia is a mountain, unquestionably... But, equally unquestionably, it is a rather particular mountain, where there is a lot of space by the way - so I imagine there could also be large cities! Can you point us to one, Karael? Surely visiting one will refresh the spirit of all of us and align us even more with the values ​​that permeate this sacred environment!"

"This is no time for sightseeing," Delvindra practically hisses at Duwamilly, her tail flicking in agitation as she scowls at her with bloodshot eyes underscored with dark circles.

"We have the blade, we're someplace safe, let's just break the curse and be done with it!"

(Recharge on the ring 2)

"Oh, Delvindra, honey," Duwamilly waves her wand as she explains "Lord Matic Akkron explained to us that the single wish we have will only be sufficient if its power will be amplified many times over when cast on the Ethereal Plane - so we should at least less to go there, if we want to proceed on our own".

"But he assured us that he would contact us as soon as the battle was over!" the gnome cleric points out "It shouldn't take much longer... I would prefer to wait until we reunite with him, because he might have some final advice to give us regarding this operation. I would like to minimize the chances that something goes wrong - and we have to search for a new Wish".

"...For this reason, just to kill time, I suggested visiting a city here!" the ex-Preceptor goes on "It's a stimulating activity, free of danger, which we can stop as soon as our protector calls us... So... Why not?"

"Are you saying you think the battle on the Shaded Isle is still raging?" Yasmina asks, seeming quite skeptical to this. "If so, how long are you prepared to wait for the lich to contact you? Isn't it more likely he has fallen if he hasn't been heard from for all these hours?"

"I hope that the battle has not been incessant until now, Yasmina," Duwamilly replies "but it seems more likely to me that Lord Akkron's silence is due to the fact that the conflict (perhaps with pauses and restarts) is still ongoing, or that he is finishing eliminating any threats the invaders may have left, rather than that he has been defeated".

"All in all, as history tells us," the ex-Preceptor unconsciously begins to wave her wand again, while summarizing what is known "Lord Akkron is not just a lich (an undead who would already be a very powerful spellcaster)... he became one after he was already a wizard powerful enough to be part of the group of heroes who imprisoned that dragon-goddess-wannabe, Sserah 'One Who Sleeps' Nightsbane. And he is also the chosen of Boccob, god of magic. I am not inclined to believe that our 'beloved' overpowered scamp Firion, regardless of how much he was helped by the forces he mustered, may have got the better of Matic".

"This also because Lord Akkron should be the keeper of the object into which we will pour our Curses..." the gnome cleric point out "He should have therefore considered himself perfectly capable of guarding it - therefore also of repelling an offensive from the super-scamp, when this was launched".

The red-haired half-elf doesn't seem entirely convinced but she does not argue further either. "I wouldn't mind doing something nice for a change, like taking a bath, I'll come with you then." Yasmina says after a while.

"A bath!" Duwamilly claps her little hands together in excitement "Of course! The most civilized cities in the Prime Material Plane have spas... This dimension is officially supposed to be a paradise... I can't imagine what spas will be like here!"

While Duwamilly, Yasmina, and (presumably) Delvindra are enjoying themselves at the bath, Duwamilly finally gets the message from Lord Akkron:

"Hurray! I knew he was alive! Or maybe 'unalive' is the correct term for an undead? Anyway, he is safe!" Duwamilly suddenly rejoices, starting to jump in the water (heedless of any Accursed, or petitioner's soul, or celestial that she splashes in doing so) "He did it! The Cult of the Dragon is in retreat, kids! Let's also inform Cal and Zander and go back to Lord Akkron!"

As she hurries to dry herself and get dressed, the ex-Preceptor adds: "We still have to be cautious, because the retreat could only be temporary and what's more the super-scamp was not among the fallen. Matic never saw him during the the battle... So maybe he's after us" she shrugs. "Let's be ready for a visit from him during the journey".

If neither Delvindra nor Yasmina do so, the gnome cleric goes in person to inform (and collect) Cal and Zander as well. When the Accursed are all gathered together again, she asks, "What do you want us to do, kids? Shall I open a portal on Fox's ship, like last time? That would be the quickest solution, but the overpowered scamp may have discovered that we did such a thing last time and expect exactly that... On the other hand, if we choose a longer route, such as teleporting to Tormere to go towards the Shaded Isle with another captain, we could avoid the super-scamp initially... but he could have more time to discover us and try to intercept us. What do you think is better?"

The Accursed's unexpected silence takes Duwamilly by surprise. No one expressing preferences... on the possible strategy to adopt to finally free themselves from the Curses - and perhaps prevent the end of the known world by an exalted man who unleashes a ragin dragon-goddess in the midst of creation?!

The ex-Preceptor, however disconcerted, uses the time of the long silence to meditate personally and proposes a third possibility: "Perhaps we could combine the two approaches... I could open a portal, but neither on Fox's ship, nor in Tormere... I could choose a stretch of sea that I saw on the outward journey, not exactly on the island (since I cannot open the portal there), but at such a distance that Lord Amir can then carry us on the wings of the wind to the Shaded Isle".

"In this way," the gnome cleric points out "we would catch the scamp Firion unprepared, if he expects us to appear on Fox's ship - and what's more, we wouldn't give him time to realize what we've done and prepare countermoves. What do you think?"

"That's very clever," Delvindra says, clearly pondering Duwamilly's third option.

"Maybe too clever. If the deep dragon was smart enough to avoid us until Lord Amir returned to the ring then we have to assume that Firion will be just as clever. We probably shouldn't call on Lord Amir unless we have to. Knowing that Yasmina can summon him if we're attacked may be a useful deterrent."

"No, I think going back to Fox's ship is our best course of action," she says decisively.

[[ OOC: So both Yasmina and Delvindra are for Fox's option. Cal? Zander? Come on, say what you think too, don't be shy... ]]

Duwamilly nods and recognizes the validity of Delvindra's arguments; her brown eyes move to Cal and Zander, who remained silent... What are they thinking? Do they also agree with the 'Fox option'? Or do they have different ideas?

Yasmina would simply nod in agreement with Delvindra, ready to proceed as soon as the boys had spoken their respective mind on the subject.

Cal is lost in the thought of being almost free of this curse and laying his family to rest. But he nods when he notice the ladies looking at him. 

With at least three Accursed all agreeing on the 'Fox option', Duwamilly considers the matter closed and opens a portal to the ship, allowing everyone access on board.

Once on the ship, the ex-preceptor, at the first opportunity, has a chat with Fox, telling him jokes and inquiring in return if anything unusual has happened on the ship since the last time they saw each other...

The gnome cleric recognizes the merits of the course of action that has been decided, but she continues to expect some 'prank' from Firion at any moment... all in all, already once the overpowered scamp had managed to infiltrate one of his spies among Fox's crew...

For her part, Delvindra feels only relief at their return. The scent of the sea offered a calm to her soul that Mount Celeste simply could not. Even a battle with Firion on the ship seems preferable to the disquiet that had been haunting her.

She gazes out over the water and feels a growing connection. The sea has become a common thread in her journeys, both geographic and spiritual. With a smile she admires some of the scenes immortalized from her new tattoo; the first time she ever saw the ocean, her first view of the Shaded Isle, and a sunset on the horizon as seen from this very location on Fox's ship.

(Okay, Fox's ship it is)

The captain is waiting for you, looking understandably haggard and exhausted.

"Looks like you lot made it out in one piece again," he sighs. "You know, when I took this job I was not under the impression that my crew and I were signing up for a war between insane dragon cultists and the legions of the undead."

Looking across his deck, you can see several disturbingly human-shaped burlap sacks. Additionally, the crew looks noticeably smaller than it was when you first arrived on the island.