Session #25 - The Battle of Idyllglen

They were at the southern end of the town square.  The buildings on three sides were all in flames and a handful of bodies were strewn about.  At the north end of the square stood the town church.  To call it a cathedral would be an overstatement, but it was a sturdy two-story stone building, with a belltower centered over the main entrance rising sixty feet into the air.  Many of its stained glass windows were shattered, but iron bars surrounding the openings appeared to have kept the invaders out.  A statue of Zariel in her angelic form stood a few dozen feet in front of the entrance, the only thing in the town seemingly untouched by the onslaught, its white marble still blindingly bright and unmarred as if it somehow repelled the soot swirling in the air.  

 

An eight-foot tall mass of demonic muscle pounded its fists against the wooden double doors, the sound of splintering wood reaching their ears.  Screams emanated from the building, the last of the townsfolk trying to ride out the attack inside.  Based on what they could see of the rest of the town, when the hezrou finally broke through the door it would be a massacre.  

 

Relieving the siege on the church and saving the townsfolk was paramount, but there were other foes in the party’s path.  Off to the left six hunched-over dretches surrounded an overturned cart, all of them sniffing the air around them as the lurched toward it.  Underneath the cart a woman screamed for help.  The smaller demons posed little risk to the party, but the unarmed woman wouldn’t be able to fend off even one of the foul creatures by herself, let alone an entire pack.

 

But before they could even reach her they’d also have to make it through the half dozen gnolls arrayed directly ahead that turned to face them as they took in the enormity of the scene.  The gnolls snarled with their feral grins, grips tightening on their blood-drenched short swords.

 

The two groups faced one another for a moment, rescuers and gnolls, each trying to get a sense of the other.  The standoff was shattered by a bolt of lightning fired from Donyxn’s bow.  One of the gnolls took the full force of the blast, after which smaller bolts broke off from it and hit three of its companions.  The smell of burning gnoll hair did nothing to improve the overall stench of the dying village.  

 

Almont and Kent rushed forward.  The cleric’s first hammer blow crushed a gnoll’s skull, opening a hole in their lines that allowed Kent to dash through on his way to the overturned cart.  As he passed the gnolls he saw a greasy greenish cloud appear ahead and to his right.  Four of the six dretches found themselves inside the unexpected cloud and looked at one another confusedly for a few seconds before retching and then dissolving into puddles of filth and ichor.  Kent glanced over his shoulder as he ran and saw Katla, her eyes glowing a sickening green and tiny whips of the cloud-stuff clinging to her hands.  He was glad the sorceress was on his side.

 

The melee was over quickly, the gnolls and dretches no match for the experienced warriors.  Almont and Kent found themselves on the edge of Katla’s cloud of sickening radiance, the green fog between them and hezrou that continued to batter the church door.  Almont turned to the elf.  “Katla!”  She turned to him, her eyes glowing a bright green for a moment longer before returning to normal.  When Almont turned back to the church the fog was gone.

 

Just as they were about to rush forward a cackling sound came from the east side of the square.  They all turned in that direction just as a new foe emerged from between two burning buildings.  The simplest way to describe what now faced them was half woman, half snake, but that failed to convey the magnitude of what they saw.  Unlike most demons, this one wasn’t just a disgusting mass of muscle.  The female portion of the form from the waist up wore an impeccable breastplate and what appeared to be fine and valuable jewelry, a gold necklace adorned with stones that blazed with light and a pair of gemstone stud earrings.  She was, in fact, stunningly beautiful, but also incredibly dangerous judging by her six sword-wielding arms, each holding an ornate blade.  The lower half of her body was that of a green serpent, the tail portion coiling behind as it propelled her forward.  

 

“Is it safe to come out?” the villager whimpered from under the cart.

 

“No,” Almont replied forcefully, “it is not.”  

 

The cleric traded glances with Kent and the pair immediately understood one another’s intentions, giving each other a quick nod before bursting into motion.

 

Almont charged toward the church, his warhammer extended as if it were pulling him forward and pointed at the hezrou.  The door was coming apart - it would only keep the hezrou out for a few seconds longer.  It was now or never. As the cleric ran he shouted an incantation, ending with “In the name of Kiri-Jolith I banish thee!”  The warhammer head glowed bright blue, and a field of the same color surrounded the demon like an aura.  It turned to face the onrushing priest and then simply disappeared, the blue aura collapsing in upon itself and blinkng out with a popping sound.  Almont had banished it back to the abyss.  But he could also feeling it fighting against its fate and knew he would have to hold his concentration on the effect for another minute or so.  If he faltered it was possible the demon would return, and if that happened in the middle of a battle it could be catastrophic.

 

Kent turned his attention to the snake-woman, which they would later learn was called a marilith.  He moved a few steps forward and fired his remaining fireball-bead-tipped crossbow bolt.  The bad news was that his aim was not true, the bolt striking the corner post of the building next to the creature.  But the good news was that the fireball exploded forth and still caught the demon, just not with the full force of the flame.  With that Kent turned and ran back to take up position behind the statue of Zariel.   

 

The demon raced toward Donyxn with impossible speed and grace, seemingly unconcerned by the small flames that still licked at its body.  It unleashed a flurry of attacks with its swords, and the only thing that saved the ranger was his uncanny reflexes as he parried some of the blows with his infernal iron bow.  He couldn’t stop them all, however, and a pair of nasty slash wounds marred on his body.  

 

No one else was positioned near Donyxn.  By the time Kent and Almont could make it to him the marilith might be able to finish him off.  The tiefling rolled to the right under yet another sword thrust.  As the marilith turned to attack again he pulled the hood of his magic cape over his head and disappeared, reappearing behind the statue of Zariel and near Kent and Almont.  Katla was headed in that general direction as well, using the burning buildings on the square’s west side as cover.

 

A ray of frost from Katla and a bolt of magical radiant energy from Almont both struck the marilith, causing it to rear back, its thick snake tail thrusting it upwards as it extended its arms, before it, like Donyxn, disappeared… and reappeared directly behind Kent.  

 

Fortunately for Kent the spirits of the dead he carried as trinkets in his pockets whispered a warning into his mind.  At the moment the marilith reappeared the rogue turned, bringing his scimitar across the front of his body in a wide arc and inflicting a deep slash across the part of the creature’s torso where it transitioned from snake to woman.  As he finished his attack, his left hand reached into his cloak and pulled out a milky white potion, which he drank.  The dwarf disappeared, the invisibility potion making him vanish from sight.

 

The marilith roared in rage and went after Donyxn again, running a gauntlet of spell attacks from Katla and Almont as it did so.  A ball of thunderous energy exploded on the demon’s back followed by another flash of radiant energy from the cleric, and the damage was starting to show.  It struck Donyxn again with sword blows and this time swung its tail around and knocked the ranger back about fifteen feet, where he landed heavily on his back.  The marilith grinned evilly as it slithered forward, thinking it would easily finish off the tiefling, but what it didn’t count on was Donyxn’s ability to use his bow from any position.  Another bolt of lighting cracked from his bow and encircled the demon, rage filling its eyes, its face now showing the scars of the battle.  It reared itself up once more as Donyxn scrambled backwards along the ground.  He could see the marilith was going to lunge at him, and given the length of the snake portion of his body he knew he wouldn’t be able to escape.

 

But the rain of blows never came.  Instead a startled expression came over the marilith’s face, followed by a spray of ichor emerging from its throat.  At the same moment Kent’s form materialized astride the demon’s back, his feet planted on a pair of its shoulders as he dragged his scimitar across its throat, a look of grim satisfaction on his face.  Ichor sprayed out in a semi-circle before the demon fell face-first onto the ground in front of Donyxn.  Kent nimbly hopped off and to the side as it collapsed, landing in a perfectly executed roll that did, however, knock off his hat.

 

For a moment all that remained was the sound of fires.  Kent picked up his hat and dusted it off while Almont helped Donyxn to his feet.  Katla emerged from the buildings to the west of the square to join them.  

 

“Well you don’t see that every day,” said Kent.

 

The surveyed the scene around them.  Now that they weren’t focused on battle it was apparent there was something strange about Idyllglen.  A fog of sorts clouded their peripheral vision creating a tunnel vision effect.  In many ways it was reminiscent of being inside a dream.

 

“Lola, wake up!” Donyxn shouted as he looked to the sky.  He turned back to his friends.  “This isn’t real.”

 

“No,” agreed Almont.  “But I suspect if we die here, we’ll be dead all the same.”

 

A moaning sound from the south end of the square drew their attention.  They turned to see five humans on the other side of the square, dressed in what appeared to be the militia garb.  They were armed with bows and spears, though only lightly armored.  A dark radiant glow surrounded them as they began to move toward the party.

 

“Do you think they’re here to protect the church?” asked Katla.

 

“Perhaps once, but not any longer,” Almont replied.

 

Another cracking bolt of lightning leapt from Donyxn’s bow, striking one of the men in the chest, three smaller bolts emerging from his wound and scorching others.  The blows clearly did damage, though the men hardly seemed to notice the effect as they continued to advance.  

 

“I’m so over this,” Katla said, her eyes again flashing a sickening green.  A glowing cloud of death surrounded their new foes, three of who dropped to their knees gagging before they, like the dretches before them, began to dissolve. Unlike the demon-spawn, though, they left behind pools of rust-red blood.  

 

A wail emerged from the men as they died, not one of sound but instead of psychic energy.  They all grit their teeth at the crushing pain in their minds.

 

Almont broke out of the effect first, lashing out a bolt of radiant energy at one of the two remaining attackers.  The man burst apart, his limbs flying off in different directions.  The remaining assailant threw his spear at Kent, but the rogue simply stepped aside as it flew past.  “Really?” he asked.  “Is that the best you can do?”

 

Before the man could respond he was blown backwards by a lightning bolt, smoke rising from his charred body.  Kent turned to Donyxn.  “I had that under control you know.”

 

“I know,” replied Donyxn.  “But I could really use a drink.”  The tiefling looked ragged.

 

Kent nodded at the wisdom of his friend’s words as he reached into his cloak to retrieve his flask.

 

Katla and Almont walked over to where Kent and Donyxn were sipping from the flask.  “Is that demon coming back?” Katla asked.

 

“No,” said Almont.  “It’s back in the abyss where it belongs.”

 

Kent held out the flask to Almont.  As the cleric reached for it, a woman’s voice filled their minds.

 

“Nice work.  Take a break.  You earned it.  You have an hour before the really bad stuff happens.”

 

Donyxn cocked an eyebrow.  “The really bad stuff?”

 

Almont took a swig from the flask, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.  “We’d better prepare.”

 

From behind they heard the sound of the church doors opening.  A woman emerged, a priestess by the look of her, though her robes were stained with blood and grime.  She approached the group and bowed her head briefly.  “Thank you for saving us.  Is this nightmare over?”

 

“Afraid not, m’lady,” Kent said, cocking his hat back slightly on his head.  “This is just the calm before the storm.”  He gave her a wink and a grin, then raised his flask in a toast before taking a swig. 

 

She sighed.  “My name is Jessa Brightstar.  There are about fifty townspeople inside.  We will share our food with you and help you tend to your wounds.”

 

While the others scouted the area around the church to determine how to approach the upcoming battle, Almont found a quiet alcove inside and reached out to Kiri-Jolith.  He was confident the god would answer after how well they had fought.  

 

“What question can I answer for you, my son?”  The voice was much fainter than it had been every other time Almont conversed with his god.  Perhaps Donyxn’s theory about this being Lola’s dream was correct.

 

“What must we do to emerge victorious, lord?” Almont asked.

 

“Your minds cannot withstand the psychic horror of all these townsfolk dying.”

 

It would not be enough to simply destroy whatever enemies they faced.  They would need to protect the church as well.

 

The church was consecrated in the worship of Lathander, so the cleric offered a prayer to that god as well.  He then turned to his warhammer and used his holy magic to infuse it with additional power for the battle to come.

 

Almont exited the church, ignoring the awed stares and mumbled prayers from the townspeople as they scurried out of his path.  The sight of the holy warrior filled them with awe, but also a sense of dread knowing that more horrors were to come.  At the top of the steps he turned back to the doorway.  “Jessa, these doors stay barred.  No matter what is happening to us out there, you do not open them.  Understood?”

 

The priestess nodded.  She walked over to Almont and offered him a quiet blessing before going back into the church.  Almont could hear the iron bar being lowered into place to block the door from the inside.

 

Almont shared the message from Kiri-Jolith with the others.  

 

“Never one for a direct answer, that one,” Kent observed.  Donyxn chuckled and shook his head.

 

“No.  But it is clear that we must protect these people.”

 

The plan was simple to the point of absurdity, given they had few options.  A towering tree stood on the west side of the temple, and while its leaves and smaller branches had burned away the trunk was sturdy and large enough to provide some cover, so Katla took up position alongside it.  The other three fanned out in a line between the church doors and statue.  

 

When the cackling laughter came from the south it was almost a relief.  The waiting truly was the hardest part.  

 

Six creatures came out of the smoke at the far end of the square, five dretches and a squat ape-like beast that bulged with muscles, its arms cone-shaped and getting wider as they emerged from its body, ending in fists the size of mastiffs. It was called a barlgura.

 

The barlgura howled as it beat the blue skin of its chest with one of those fists, the red hair covering most of its body making it appear as if it was on fire.  It then leapt into the air, crossing almost the entire square and landing about twenty feet away from the party, both of its fist pounding into the ground and cracking cobblestones.

 

Almont began running forward before it landed and was upon it the moment it hit the ground.  His warhammer glowed bright yellow and flashed as he struck the beast, following that blow with another from his trusted mace Lightbringer.  The barlgura was surprised at the suddenness and audacity of the attack, and despite its aggressive nature it took a step backwards to better allow it to take a swing at the human before it. 

 

What it failed to notice was the speedy dwarf approaching from its left.  Kent winked at Almont as he blurred past, his magic boots propelling him forward and his scimitar carving a deep gouge into the barlgura’s back as the wails of the dead echoed around it.  

 

The barlgura turned to left to try to find this new assailant, though Kent was well past it by time it reacted.  But it did look up just in time to see two flashes of Eldritch energy lash forth from a small figure standing next to a tree by the church.  It was the last thing the barlgura saw as the life force was ripped from its body and it collapsed.

 

A canine howling came from their left as a pack of six gnolls rushed toward the square from the east, their pack leader standing atop one of the smoldering buildings as it barked orders.  The party had been flanked and now faced enemies on two sides, though at least so far the only things they could see were dretches and gnolls.

 

Donyxn began firing arrows at the dretches, infusing his attack with a magical hail of thorns that spread out from the arrows in clouds, injuring multiple beasts with each arrow.  Almont broke left and charged a pair of gnolls just as they reached the square, obliterating the head of one with his hammer and badly hurting the other with Lightbringer.  

 

A vrock screeched from above as it dove down toward Katla, and the fight devolved into a brutal melee.  Kent’s wand of magic missiles took out a gnoll and a dretch.  Donyxn’s arrows continued to drop the charging dretches, one after another, and an ichor-soaked Almont waded into the gnolls with relish, his warhammer crushing bones and skulls as he advanced.  

 

In less than half a minute all that remained of their enemies were an injured vrock and the gnoll pack leader, which was annoyingly accurate with its bow.  The gnoll looked to the south and grinned savagely, unleashing a howl and beating its chest.  The party stole quick glances in that direction and gazed in dread at what approached.

 

The creature looked very much like a gnoll, though even more savage.  But what was truly breathtaking was it size.  It towered fifteen feet tall, its canine teeth the length of a man’s arm.  In its right hand it held a three-headed flail, the spiked metal balls the size of ale casks dragging on the ground behind it.  It stopped at the south end of the square, looked in their direction, and roared viciously, its exhalation so powerful they could smell its rotted breath from across the square.

 

“Well, I guess now we know what constitutes the really bad stuff,” Kent shouted.

 

They knew they needed to finish off the vrock and remaining gnoll quickly so they could focus all their attention on this new arrival.  The vrock was engaged with Donyxn as Almont turned and cast out his hand, the sound of requiem church bells ringing out as necrotic energy flowed from the cleric and into the demon.  It screeched in pain and failed to see Kent come at it from behind as he drove his blade straight down into its spine, killing it.

 

The massive demon roared again, and this time it had an effect on Kent and Donyxn, their eyes wide as they began to back away in fear.  A ball of energy interrupted its bellow, one of Katla’s chromatic orbs striking it with a thunderclap.  With that it raced forward across the square.

 

At the same time the remaining gnoll jumped down into the square and charged at Almont.  As he turned to face it, however, a bolt of lighting from Donyxn’s bow sizzled past him and took the creature off its feet, burning a cauterized hole through its chest.

 

Turning back toward the charging demon Almont again held out his hammer and spoke the prayer of banishment.  Blue light flickered over the creature momentarily, but it simply shrugged off the effect.  

 

Things got desperate.  While the party outnumbered the demon and could attack from all sides, each swing of its flail was enough to send one of them flying.  One such blow knocked Almont through the wall of a smoldering building.  He emerged wincing and holding his broken ribs, his left arm dangling loosely and only the leather strap of Lightbringer’s handle keeping it from falling to the ground.  He desperately wanted to rush back into the fight but knew he had to use vital seconds to heal himself.  The cleric hated to use his healing magic on his own body, but another blow from the flail would surely kill him, and then he’d be no good to anyone.  It had only been in the last day that Kiri-Jolith had enlightened him to the prayer he used now, and several seconds after uttering the words his body was completely healed.  He looked down in a moment of disbelief, then charged back in towards the battle.

 

As he ran forward he saw another thunderous chromatic orb crash into the demon as it swung its flail at Kent and Donyxn.  Almont had never seen Katla exert so much power in so short a time, and he could see the draining effect it was having on her.  The demon had taken some damage, that was certain, but they’d used up the last of their powerful magic and the thing wasn’t faltering. 

 

Almont hoped his righteous death would please Kiri-Jolith.

 

Kent raced past the demon, slashing with his blade, while Donyxn peppered it with arrows.  Katla continued to throw orbs of magic at it, but it was obvious they had much less power behind them.  They simply didn’t have any more to give.

 

Just as Almont was preparing to go toe-to-toe with the beast the clouds of choking smoke above them broke, a bright flash of light coming through and bathing the area.  Emerging from it was an angelic warrior who landed in front of the demon and slashed it viciously with her sword of light, the brightness of which forced them all to avert their eyes. 

 

Landing behind the demon with a crash was a mammoth, a trumpeting blast coming from its trunk.  It stomped forward and wrapped the demon in its trunk, casting it toward the doors of the church.  Just before it struck, a portal opened in space and the demon flew into it, disappearing without a trace as the portal quickly winked out of existence.

 

An audible gasp came from within the church as fifty people witnessed what they saw as a miracle.

 

The mammoth walked to the angle and nuzzled up against her, purring like a cat as she stroked its fur.  The angel looked over the carnage of the square, then to the church, where townsfolk cowered as they peeked out the broken windows.  She then turned to the four adventurers, who had no come together as an exhausted and haggard looking group.  The angel smiled.

 

“You are the true heroes of this day.”