(G168 14/06/2013 Fri via Roll20 - JF(GM) , AP)

(G168 14/06/2013 Fri via Roll20 - JF(GM) , AP)

DAY 204 (1 Marpenoth)(October) cont ...

Fenrir re-read the Logos paying particular attention to the bits about applying it
to a living creature. His plan was to put it on Cavefoot somehow.

He was rather stumped though as to how to go from there. Nestoone suggested he
talked to Bnurgstickslackskin.

Fenrir left the HGV and flew over to the roof of the TSV. Here he waited.


DAY 205 (2 Marpenoth)(October)

At two o'clock in the morning a gargoyle flapped down from the night sky and
said,
'Need a lift?'
'No thanks' was the reply 'Just take this message to Maaril.'

The message read:
''GDR identified, there is a plan underfoot, could really use your help, come to OJB'

The gargoyle took it and flew off.

Fenrir then flew a few miles north of the city, far enough away to be away from
the remaining camp fires of the or horde. The landscape was burnt and ravaged
and shrouded in smoke but he found a suitable place to land that was quiet and
desolate.

He said the summoning phrase ('Hello dear, you're home early!') and in a cloud
of sulphurous smoke and with a crack of thunder Bnurgstickslackskin appeared.

Fenrir was rather shaken but managed to find his tongue and speak to the demon.
Bnurgstickslackskin seemed to none too bothered by what was going on saying

'I have everything under control! Mwah-hah! Tell me his name!'

Fenrir answered 'Redraven' and persuaded the demon to come to the HGV at
seven o'clock that night in the shape of Nurga Namcali.

After that he flew back to the city and the OJB, then the HGV where he told
them
'An unusual expert will help. She come later.'

At four in the morning he returned to the OJB and went to bed, sleeping
until noon.

When he left he left an envelope addressed to 'M' and it read;

''
If we don't return before 7pm then meet us at Adarbrent. pass phrase
'monkey butter'
''

Fenrir then met up with Corum, Nestoone and Alduin and went to Tespergates.
They noticed that a fighter type fell in a midden behind them but decided
not to investigate. Fenrir had worked out a mysterious strangers seemed to
be following them and didn't like others doing it.

At Tespergates Lady Tesper met them saying
'Good afternoon gentlemen'
Fenrir got straight to the point
'We have the location of De Rosan. we have a plan, but need assistance.
I've also located Maaril. De Rosan is Redraven.'
'Proof?'

Fenrir told her he had it confirmed from two independent sources.

He told her where to send help and what the password was then went to have
lunch and then on to the Adarbrent Villa.

Royus met them in the hall. He had never seen any of them before but Fenrir
explained who he was and what his connection to the plot was.

Fenrir went on to explain his rough plan to put the Logos on Cavefoot and that
more would be turning up later including Nurga Namcali and that she had access
to planar beings but could not be trusted.
At that point Royus said 'Wait!'
He left the room and came back ten minutes later with a man that looked like a
cleric and then said
'Continue.'

Fenrir next told him of Maaril and that possibly a Steel Dragon would come along
too. Royus exploded,
'Dragons! Demons! In my house? What about YOUR house? It's not happening here!'

Fenrir tried to persuade him, but it wasn't happening so they returned to the
HGV and talked to Deverreck.
He sighed and said 'We have to do it here, I can't think of anywhere else.'

Fenrir sent out notes to re-arrange the location and waited.

Deverreck set up the chapel as the place this dark rite was to take place and
Nurga Namcali was the first to turn up, ten minutes before her appointed time.

Next was Royus and his retinue. He had Ellis, Anya and the tools as well as
twenty armed guards and three retainers.

Nurga, whose eyes had started glowing red much to everyone's horror said
'Ellis must tattoo Anya with the Logos.'
Both of the protested but Fenrir persuaded Anya saying
'If you hate De Rosan more than anything, then this is the way to get revenge.'
She groaned but said 'Then do it quickly before I change my mind.'

Ellis took longer to persuaded and he was trembling with terror but
eventually said he'd do it.

Deverreck arranged a sofa and a screen and set them up in the corner of
the chapel.

By this point Nestoone and Corum were beginning to get very nervous indeed
and were whispering about whether this was the right thing to do or not and
that basically they were now involved in some serious demon business. Nestoone
wanted to stop it, but Corum could not see how they could now that the die
was cast. He reasoned it was best to stick around at least to pick up the
pieces. Alduin felt like and observer only and was less worried.

By nine o'clock Anya's arms and legs had been done. A servant came through
and told Deverreck that a 'Lady M' was at the front door.

Fenrir was confused to see her when she said
'I got both your notes. What's going on?'
Fenrir suddenly realised that, ever the instrument of his own undoing, he
had left his note addressed to Maaril marked only for 'M' and that Maliantor
had picked it up!
Fenrir tried his best,
'De Rosan is Redraven. Currently we have a plan...'
'What's this plan?'
'We will not need your intervention..'
'So you don't need me?' Maliantor said in confusion.
Fenrir gulped and decided to tell her what was going on.
'What?! You are tattooing some woman with unholy symbols!'
'She's willing!' cried Fenrir.
Maliantor narrowed her eyes and said 'Show me.'

When she saw what was going on she shouted 'Stop this!'
Nurga advanced on her and said 'Let them be, stupid woman.'
Maliantor looked down at Nurga in horror then cast a spell,
'What ARE you, child?'
Nurga turned to Fenrir and said 'Deal with this woman.'

Fenrir tried to defuse the situation but Maliantor cried
'All of you stop! By the authority of the Grey Hands!'
The young warlock, nearly sobbing, kept on saying
'Mal, please just talk to me!'
But Maliantor cast another spell and vanished.

When asked Ellis told them he had about another two hours left to go.
Royus sent his guards to the front gate and said
'We'll hold them as long as we can.'

At ten o'clock an old man calling himself Mr Jinx arrived and Fenrir
went to talk to him. He seemed friendly and said he'd been sent from
Tespergates. Fenrir explained the situation.
'Very well, I will patrol the grounds.' he said and went off with Alduin.

A thunder and lightning storm had started over the city as Ellis started
to do Anya's back. Fenrir looked in on them. Ellis was almost in a delirium
and Anya having lost a lot of blood was in a bad way. Nurga told them not
to cast healing magic on her as it would have an adverse affect on the
magic of the Logos.

A commotion was heard outside. Alduin came in and reported that a force
of Gray Hand's had arrived, including a frost giant and were demanding
access to the house. It was about to kick off.

Fenrir went outside and tried to talk the situation down a bit but
amongst all the shouting and the rumbles of thunder he could hardly be
heard.
Spotting him Maliantor cried
'Harshnag! Take him down!'
As the frost giant got ready to attack Fenrir went invisible and flew
up in the air. Maliantor began to cast spells and another caster hit
Fenrir with a Searing Light spell.
The young warlock landed and said
'Ow! What the heck! I'm just trying to talk.'

The gates though, had descended into chaos so Fenrir went inside and
urgently asked Ellis how much longer it was going to take. Fenrir then
went to talk to Nurga but she had fire behind her eyes and was only
making demonic gurgling sounds.

The others in the room were nervously waiting.

Suddenly outside there was a WOMPF! sound and a dragon appeared in the garden.
It was a big black powerful thing, spewing poisonous gas. It waded into the fight
at the front gates.

Inside the chapel Nurga threw aside the screens, grabbed Anya by the head and
opening her mouth spewed a demonic light into Anya's.

There was an all-mighty crash at the front of the house as a frost giant threw
a dragon through the front door. Fenrir sent out Alduin to take a look.

Nurga let go of Anya. There was a big flash and the little girl vanished.
Anya dropped to the ground and Deverreck asked,
'Is that it? Is this finished?'
Fenrir didn't know and was still stunned from it all.
'Take her and go then. I'll stay here and hold them off.' instructed the cleric.

Fenrir picked up the woman's limp and bloody body and flew out of the window into
the lightning filled sky.

Corum ran for it, Nestoone stayed behind also to try and convince the dragon to
calm down or go away. Fenrir unwisely headed back to the OJB.


DAY 206 (3 Marpenoth)(October)

Fenrir put Anya in Corum's bed.

At one in the morning he heard people coming up stairs. The door opened and in
came a bunch of watchmen. By this stage Fenrir was invisible though.
.
'Looks empty.'
'Check the bed.'
'Oh my gods!'
Two watchmen were left with the woman while the civilar went the amar back to
the watchpost.
Fenrir floated down the stairs then shouted
'Can't a Thunderstaff get any sleep?'
As he came back up one of the watchmen came down leaving only one in the room.
He checked the window, but the OJB was a fortress now and the window was barred.
He pinched Anya's ear, but she did not stir.

Finally he wafted downstairs and affected an entry into the OJB pretending to be
Bob Smith. The civilar came to take his statement and Fenrir made up a pack of lies
on the spot. The civular read it back,

''
You and Corum were up near by Tespergates, walking around seeing the city, unofficial patrol between
8pm to 9pm. What were you doing between 9pm and now? More 'patrolling'. Last saw him at midnight.
outside Warm Beds. You currently live here at the Brewery.'

Not long after that though Maliantor came in with Corum (looking glum!) and seeing Fenrir
said,
'Place this man under arrest.'

A couple of hours later Fenrir and Corum were in separate cells under the Blackstaff Tower.

At ten in the morning she came to Fenrir's cell and said
'I hope it was worth it, because a lot of people died last night. Where did that
dragon come from?'
'An ally of Maaril.' mumbled Fenrir.
'What did you plan with her?'
Fenrir made some vague replies.
Maliantor sternly said 'Well, she is a demon now.' and left.

At one in the afternoon Corum was put in his cell. His friend said
'They are listening, but ... you are an idiot!'
Corum was furious with Fenrir for not only taking Anya to the first place they would look
but also putting her in Corum's bed!
Eventually he calmed down though and said
'It's only because of what happened with the orc horde that we are alive. If you hadn't
basically saved the city by talking Many-Arrows into buggering off you'd be dead by now.'

That night Maliantor again came to the cell and said,
'I have a job for you. Deverreck is dead. We've been watching Redraven and want to take
him out. Blackstaff Tower advises not to, but the Grey Hand's want to take a shot at it.
We chased him around in the Undermountain for ten-days and a lot of good people died.
They want his blood. So, since your evil act can't be undone, we will do it your way.'

DAY 207 (4 Marpenoth)(October)

At one in the morning a coach drew up outside the Artemel Villa where Redraven was
currently residing.
Out stepped Fenrir then Corum, propping up Anya, her bloody face covered by a deep
cowl.

Fenrir approached the gate and said,
'I want Red Raven.'
The guard left then came back ten minutes later and said
'He says to go away.'

The next message he sent was
'I've brought you Anya. I will swap you someone of more value for Veddic and Raya.'
The guard returned and motioned him forward
'Just you.'
Corum and Anya waited at the gate while Fenrir crossed the courtyard to Redraven's abode.

'Good Morning Mr Thunderstaff.' said a sleepy De Rosan.
Fenrir spun him a yarn about trying to stop the whole thing at the HGV.
'Has she been turned into a Vengeance Demon?'
Fenrir said no and De Rosan seemed to believe him.
'Take her away and kill her then, then bring me proof.'
Fenrir blustered and tried to convince De Rosan to see her.
'Huh! Very well! Take Cavefoot to the gate.'
And he instructed the dwarf to get a good look at the woman's face.

As they walked back across the dwarf beamed up at the warlock
'Loving your work my Lord! The Hiilgauntlet Villa is a total wreck! The Grey Hands!
Dragons! Sinister Vengeance Demon summoning rituals! You have the hand of a true
master of chaos!'

As they approached the gate Fenrir tried a colossal bluff
'You are aware she's tattooed anyway?'
But when Cavefoot saw her face he cried
'Aiee! Bossssss!!! Its the Vengeance Demon!!'

A fight started at the gate and Fenrir flew up and away with Anya in his arms.
Corum did his best to barge past the guards and rushed along on the ground so
they were both nearby when Anya suddenly perked up and ran into the house.

Inside she turned into something ... horrible ...there was a scream from De
Rosan and sudden flash........Fenrir and Corum knew nothing more...

 
[And here, dear reader, we enter the terrible devil harried world of Darkness
Deep! As it covered by the Darkness Barrier it is very difficult to tell the time
as the city is in perpetual night. But for the purposes of clarity I will give
my best guesses as to when one day ends and another begins. So anyway, here begins
the account of Fenrir and my brothers account of their adventures in this truly
terrible place.]
 
Fenrir awoke. A gaunt faced man was looking down at him,
'Take your time. When you feel better, summon me and I will explain.'

Fenrir sat up and saw he had been lying on a stone bench in a small cellar.
Corum groaned and sat up.

The man returned and brought food and drink then began his tale

''
My name is Kreenan. I am a cleric. You have been dead for fifty years and I have
just resurrected you. You are heroes to the people here because fifty years ago
you defeated Gilliard De Rosan. He is now the ruler of Waterdeep, or Darknessdeep
as it is now called. It is a city of eternal darkness now, under a black barrier
and it is home to devils of all kinds. The few people that still live here are
either enthralled by the De Rosan or enslaved. A few of us though still scrape
a life out of the ruins and still fewer have planned a resistance against our
terrible ruler. I am a member of the resistance and I had just enough power
and materials to bring you back. You are legendary heroes in this city and we
hope, we pray, that whatever you did to destroy him once, you can do again.
''

Fenrir groaned. Corum pinched himself
'I don't feel like I've been dead, but this is real. Fenrir, you've been dead
before. Is this what it is like?'
'I don't think so.' replied the warlock, but he couldn't be sure.

Kreenan brought them clothes, daggers and swords and introduced them to two
more members of the resistance a man called Hirken and a woman called Werner.
Both were underfed and ragged but looked intelligent and fierce.

Clean water and roasted rat was given to them. Fenrir asked to be taken to the
Thunderstaff Villa and since it was not far away Werner volunteered to take them
to the surface.

Out in the open, they got a first sense of what the city was like now. The air was
fetid and full of soot. The darkness was complete except for the occasional light
on the ground or travelling across the sky. The mountain could just be seen by the
evil red glow that came from the Palace and a huge black pillar grew from the mountain
and disappeared into the gloom. Judging their distance from the Palace was how people
found their way around and soon Werner had them at the TSV.

It was nothing more than a pile of stones.