Edgewalkers Campaign Thread

The cultist takes the hit, but stays up!

Initiative: High Priests (1 left) 15, Demetrios 14, Ani 11, Vusgaar 10, Meiara 7, Talaak 7

Talaak is up!

Talaak tries to finish off the last priest with a fist.

Attack: 12 Damage: 8

Aaaand, down he goes, Talaak's fist just managing to connect with his forehead!

Out of initiative.

The prisoners along the wall watch you all with a mixture of caution and hope as the battle finishes.

Seeing the immediate danger pass, Vusgaar ends the wind spell and reverts back to a more human form, massaging his jaw. "That takes care of the last of them." He said, and then finally takes note of the prisoners. If they looked to be shackled to the walls, he gruffly huffs, and starts searching the fallen high priest for a key. "Pretell! Are there any Edgewalkers among you? Or were you just misfortunes drawn into the Labryinth against your will?" He calls out the question in the process of searching the bodies.

Meanwhile, Batican lands atop the alter beside Jeana's head and stares at her solemnly.

Vusgaar is easily able to find a key on the cultist that had Jenna's heart. As he calls out, the young man starts to answer but falls silent with a wince before he can get more than the start of a word out. The shifter, however, is able to answer him. "No...not an Edgewalker. Not sure about him." The young man shakes his head in answer as the shifter continues. "I was on a fishing trip when they jumped me, I must have wandered closer to the maze then I realized. Thank you. They would have killed us too, once they were done with...her." She glances briefly at Jenna's mutilated body before looking away.

Meiara kneels down next to the body of Jenna and gently uses her fingers to shut her eyes. Her face is expressionless and her voice only quivers the slightest bit, but her eyes show the intense grief she feels at the death of her friend. "I'm sorry that we didn't arrive in time to save you. May your spirit continue along the Path." She takes however much time is necessary to clean up Jenna's body and casts Cure Wounds, to close up the wound on her chest and allow her to be buried with dignity. She stands up and addresses the prisoners, knowing that right now is the time to help them and that the time for mourning Jenna's death will come later. "My name is Meiara and these are my fellow Edgewalkers; Demetrios, Talaak, Vusgaar and" At that moment, Meiara realizes that she never got an answer from Ani on whether they were an Edgewalker or not. "Ani, who might not be an Edgewalker, but they still fought valiantly to save you from this cult. The woman who those cultists murdered was Jenna, a fellow Edgewalker of mine who also came here to stop this cult. We're here to take you back to your homes."

When Meiara would address the prisoners and introduce Ani, she will shift out of her cultist disguise and back to her black haired human female form. The changeling would hold her hand up, "Hello." She'd wiggle a few fingers in greeting before giving a bow of her head. "I am an Edgewalker." Ani would confirm.

Unless objected to by Demetrios or others, Vusgaar sets to work freeing the prisoners. Surprising noone, he is far more gentle about the Shifter, and even goes as far as to offer his waterskin to her first... though eventually its offered to the other. As the two are gathering their wits about themselves, Vusgaar perks up and eyes 'Ani' with new found interest. "Your-.... Interesting... and curious." Is all he comments on in regards to Ani before returning to looting the bodies.

Though no doubt ill-gotten coin or the like are taken out of interest, anything more he finds on either high preist are gathered in the process. The maces, too, garner a lingering interest, and even an attempt to discern any magical properties possed by them.

Both prisoners are thankful as you unchain them, and the shifter gives Vusgaar a soft smile as he offers her the waterskin. The young man gives Vusgaar a thankful nod as he takes a small drink, once more wincing as he swallows, then leans against the wall, face drawn tight with pain as he breathes in and out. The shifter is also able to offer some information. "The altar...it's magical." She shudders. "They're using it to control the maze somehow."

The cultists have no coins on them, but each cultist has another of the holy symbols you found on the first three you killed, The six ordinary cultists each have a scimitar, and the two high cultists each have a mace. In addition, Talaak and Ani's things are in a chest to the side of the room, still intact, as well as Jenna's things and an assortment of other supplies that likely belong to the other two prisoners - an unmarked dagger, some fishing supplies, a small crystal that some Riedrans carry to keep them in touch with the Path at all times, and a shortsword bearing the symbol of the Harmonious Shield. Finally, the high priest that has Jenna's heart has a map of the maze.

OOC: Vusgaar, Arcana to try and figure out what's up with the maces.

OOC: It wouldn't bring Jenna back, obviously, but Meiara would've put the heart back before casting Cure Wounds. To be respectful.

Meiara takes the map from the high priest and compares it to the map that she's been working on since she entered the maze.

The maps seem similar, but there are a few differences between the two.

OOC: Meiara, Arcana check

Arcana: 14

Meiara can tell that the map is magical. When compared with her own and the changes that you know the maze have undergone, you're pretty sure it's keyed to show the maze exactly as it is at any given moment.

Vusgaar light up at the mention of controlling the mazes, only to quickly dim upon merely glancing back towards it. Troubled but ultimately undaunted, the Ursine Shifter nods curtly his thanks to the pair, and leaves them with at least a day's rations to share prior to moving on to other things. As soon as he's done analyzing the maces, he'll see to helping Meiara as best as he could.

Arcana: 11
Above includes Guidance.

Meiara holds up the map and calls everyone over to look at it. "This map is different from my map. Somehow, it's magically enchanted so that whenever the maze changes, it's reflected on the map. We can use this to get out of here."

Vusgaar's examination of the maces reveals that they are ordinary maces enhanced with some sort of dark power, likely through ritual sacrifice. They drain extra life from the user upon a hit, and weaken them for several seconds after (2d6 extra necrotic damage and dis on STs until the end of the attacker's next turn).

Ani would watch Vusgar release and offer the prisoners water. She would do her part by placing a hand on the young mans chest after she notices his painful breathing. "I hope this will ease some pain." and Ani would cast Cure Wounds on the prisoner.

The changeling would keep the cultist's scimitar Talaak slid to her in the cells and add another one to her collection from the circle of bodies in the area. After Talaak would retrieve his items, Ani would pick out her gear and equip it. She would return to the prisoners with the items she'd presume was theirs.

While the others check out the map, hearing the shifter mention the alter being magical and controls the maze, Ani would approach it. Based on the body language and the information Meiara shared, this was their comrade... no... close friend. A loved one. She'd look to Jenna, then up at the starry night sky in silence. Ani wanted to pay her respects to the body of the woman she never met.

The changeling would pull out her bagpipes, close her eyes and begin to play.

 A deafening silence would linger after Ani's last breath on her pipes. She'd kneel down at the base of the alter to finalize paying her final respects to Jenna.

Ani will open her eyes and put away her bagpipes to begin investigating this magical altar that is said to control the maze.

The young man gives Ani a brief bow as she heals him, his breathing easing. "Thank you. I took a hard kick to the ribs...or five, when they were transferring me." He straightens up and moves towards the chest, removing the crystal and shortsword from it with a relieved look. "I'm a fire soldier trainee," he explains after Ani finishes her song. "At the Kintam outside the maze, but I got separated from my patrol in the maze and captured. They likely think I'm dead. Thank you, Edgewalkers, we likely would have been were it not for your interference."

The shifter remains by the wall with her half of the rations, having given the other half to the young man. She watches the group move around, apparently for now focusing on regaining her energy.

Lore: As a reminder, fire soldiers are the mobile troops of the Harmonious Shield, undertaking raids and such into Adaran territory.

OOC: Ani, Arcana check to examine the altar.

Meiara stands and listens with her head bowed as Ani plays her song on the bagpipes. She lifts up her head and speaks to her when she's finished. "Thank you. That was beautiful." She helps her to examine the altar.

 Arcana: 13 + Guidance: 3