Drama in Haven and New Haven
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Dear Cherkanan,
I do not think I will get to visit you in Llorn anytime soon. You have not been far from my thoughts since we last were together. It is the 26th of Majestic right now as I write this. We just left Haven and New Haven. Things did not go well there. I do not know what stories will come to you from our time there. I apologize that this is the first thing I write to you. Many frustrating things happened in this city.
One of the only good things about our visit was an encounter with a group of Human children. They were dressed up as CrIsis and playing! It was a fun, encouraging encounter that left me unprepared for what was to come.
We ascended into Haven using a device they constructed to lift large groups of people further into the city. I’m surprised they did not just use magic. Before we could all disembark from the apparatus two attractive human woman threw themselves at Ursus and I. This turned out to be a trick. The one who came to me tried to injure herself against me. But unlike the women in Xerx’ses‘ sordid stories this was not done for pleasure. The woman with me and the woman with Ursus both began shouting and accusing us of attacking and injuring them.
A crowd gathered. Then almost too quickly to be believed Haven guards responded and assembled around us. The guards announced they would just bring us all in to sort everything out. In a show of good faith we surrendered our weapons. Though it seemed strange they blindfolded us and led us away. With the mind’s eye I noted the path we took. It was my first time here and I did not wish to get lost if we were separated.
The guards led us to specially prepared cells within a massive temple. Too late we realized these were New Haven troops in disguise! They brought us to massive dome structure which they called the Temple of Celestial Virtue. We were placed within cells designed to hold us. Xerx’ses was dragged away and met the archetect of this bold plan – the Dark God Bes!
We were surprised to find an old friend of CrIsis’ within the cells. Together we were able to escape the cells. We triggered alarms and an all-seeing security system made up of eyes on the ceiling. Those eyes unleashed a psychic storm which we overcame. Grignak drew deep upon his skill and experience in impersonation and began to pass himself off as a guard named ‘Hurk.’ It fooled the security eyes. We began to leave the cell area in order to find Xerx’ses and the weapons which they took.
As we entered the stairwell we encountered Bes! He was bringing Xerx’ses back to the holding cells. Scores of Tautons followed them. Xerx’ses was bantering with Bes but the God unfazed by the Demigod’s remarks. He blocked our exit and did not fall for Grignak’s impressive ruse. With little choice, we attacked!
Poor Artorias was the first to boldly strike at the God. He was slaughtered with little resistance. Indaris prayed for us and was struck by dark power for his insolence within their sanctum. Our options were non-existant. Xerx’ses however decided he would live up to his nickname. He let himself be struck by Bes so that he could counter-attack. His counter strike ripped the dick right off of the God of Murder and Depravity.
This act did more than just maim the God. He exploded around us. All that was left was his dick in the hands of Xerx’ses. In his death the God caused the entire temple to collapse. It shook and fell apart around us. We barely made it out before the entire structure imploded. All of us escaped. Grignak carried out the slain – both Artorious and Indaris had fallen.
Though we made it out screams of pain drifted through the air. We were lucky. It seemed most of the people in the temple did not make it out like we did. Those who survived remained trapped in the rubble. Bells throughout the city began ringing in alarm. The air was full of dust and breathing was hard.
There was another voice which cut through the cries of the injured and trapped. The rune bow Azomir was speaking in my mind. He was insistent that I not leave him behind. I know these ancient magic artifacts can speak but this was very odd for Azomir. It has said very little to me since we met and began traveling together. I responded that my first priority was helping the injured. I trusted it to understand. I was later told that all of the weapons of CrIsis called out to their partners in a similar manner.
Upon our exit the Gods sent a replacement for Indaris. A man named Merkl the Magnificent appeared. Xerx’ses announced that we needed to retrieve our weapons. I disagreed and announced that we needed to help the people trapped. Grignak disagreed and announced that we needed to find the pieces of Bes and rebuild him. He implored Xerx’ses to give him The Dick of Bes. Instead it was placed in a magical bag.
Merkl asked what he could do. I convinced him to help me as I used the power to sense emotions to locate survivors. Grignak stayed in the character of ‘Hurk’ and began to search through the rubble to find more pieces of the God Bes. Ursus ran to an area of rubble and began to dig in order to retrieve all our weapons. His link to his weapon allowed him to sense it beneath the rubble. Xerx’ses went over to help Ursus while also keeping the dead body of Indaris with him.
Artorias’ body was in too rough shape to easily move. The Nameless Man and Jershon tried to keep his remains together. The Nameless Man took a bone from Artorias’ body and kept it with him. If they couldn’t take his whole body he knew this would be all he needed. Jershon then used a spyglass to look around. He was able to see people beginning to gather to help in the rescue. He also spied New Haven soldiers fast approaching. The Nameless Man cast a spell which caused a chill in the air and raised a fog which made seeing difficult. This slowed down the soldiers but also slowed the rescuers.
Grignak asked again for The Dick of Bes and Xerx’ses gave it to him. With it he could now divine where the remaining pieces of Bes were. He renewed his search and excavation with determination and vigor. The Nameless Man cautioned Xerx’ses and Ursus that the room the weapons were confined within was completely filled in. He could tell due to the link he had with his own weapon. Tiny watched the flurry of activity unsure how to proceed. Once guards began to arrive he was no longer indecisive. He drew weapons and prepared to defend us if necessary.
With Merkl’s help I pulled twelve people from the rubble of the temple. While we did that Xerx’ses and Ursus recovered the rune weapons which had been confiscated from us. The Vindicator. Defiance Tooth. Azomir. Prodromus Lex. Oathbringer. Jecetri. Fung You Shield. But the New Haven guards arrived en masse during this. As they came into view The Nameless Man prepared magic to help in the battle. He put spells on Grignak too with his blessing. But he also cast a spell to lay a soul to peaceful rest upon Bes’ remains.
Grignak stopped searching for pieces of Bes and tried to convince the guards to help. As ‘Hurk’ he implored them to help in finding the pieces of Bes and survivors of the collapse. The Nameless Man also tried to convince the guards to help. Instead they attacked! As ‘Hurk’ the guards demanded he help attack CrIsis. They provided him a powerful, magical two-handed sword to use. While Tiny and The Nameless Man fought the guards in earnest Grignak returned to his task rather than fight his friends. The Nameless Man told him it was worthless to look for Bes’ parts but Grignak was concerned that Bes’ death while we worked towards Osiris‘ resurrection would create problems among the Gods. He did not know about the spell which The Nameless Man had cast upon Bes’ remains.
The Nameless Man and Tiny fought dozens of these guards who sought to stop our rescue efforts. Why did the guards fight instead of help? Couldn’t they understand?! Eventually the guards fled rather than continue to fight and lose. Grignak found the pieces of Bes. Concerned citizens finally arrived and began to help go through the rubble. I had exhausted myself but I helped direct them to where I could still sense people. They began digging and searching.
Merkl was called over by Grignak. The two of them were able to trick the newly-arrived helpers into believing that ordinary mortal remains they had found were the remains of the God Bes. Xerx’ses had us all gather so we could leave. Everyone else in CrIsis was concerned that the New Haven guard would return. Since their allegiance was to the Dark Gods our presense would cause problems when they came back. I was and still am deeply unsatisfied by this.
I understand their reasoning. If we stayed then the guards who returned would waste precious time trying to detain or fight us again. If we left they would instead be able to help all those people Bes doomed when he selfishly destroyed the temple. With Azomir back I tried to use its powers to help some of the injured Merkl and I had retrieved. I was not able to help many at all before the urgency of our departure called me away. Sadly, I rejoined with CrIsis and we left while everyone was still focused on the rescue.
All the pieces of Bes which Grignak recovered were brought with us. We were walked through the city while pretending to be the prisoners of ‘Hurk’. While we walked Grignak began talking with us about trying to bring Bes back and purifying him. Possibly even returning him to the side of Light! This was when The Nameless Man revealed he had used his magic of eternal rest on the God. Then we arrived at the heavily guarded bridge into Haven.
Grignak finally shed his ‘Hurk’ persona and the guards helped to usher us safely through Haven to the Shield of Light. Everyone felt it best that CrIsis leave town after what occured. I hate the idea of being involved in this massive issue and running away from it. But this is the mission of the Gods. We must move on. It is not easy but this is the way it must be.
Two assassins attacked us as we moved through Haven. We defeated them soundly. Before we reached the Shield of Light we remembered this whole journey through Haven started by us brining an important barrel to Bishop Rose Nodeki. This barrel we now realized had been left back at the elevator contraption! There was no time to deal with that. We would have to send out apologies to Bishop Rose.
We made it back to the Shield of Light. The crew was aware something bad had happened and they were ready to cast us off. The Nameless Man summoned a thick fog that masked our exit from the harbor. Grignak and Xerx’ses brought the pieces of Bes into the Chapel below decks. There was a resistance to entering with the pieces of Bes. We weren’t sure if it was due to the will of the Gods of Light or the lingering will of the God Bes. Grignak entered without the pieces and began to construct the ritual anyway. Xerx’ses took that opportunity to go inform the rest of the crew what they were about to attempt.
The rest of us took a few moments to try and recover from this ordeal. Merkl and Tiny both came with us aboard the ship. The bodies of Artorias and Indaris were also brought aboard. Once Xerx’ses and The Nameless Man have recovered they should be able to attempt a resurrection upon the two of them. The Gods willing.
I have taken this opportunity to vent my frustrations in this letter to you. There is little else I can do at this moment except chronicle what has happened. The reckless spite of the Dark Gods condemned countless souls to death in that temple. We did what we could to help.
Yours,
Silent Dream. of Dream Lake. and of CrIsis.
Note: This letter was written in Elven, on parchment paper, on the 26th day of Majestic, in the seventy-second year of the Great Wolfen Empire.
Image Credits:
Eyes on Ceiling: Leah on Twitter
Collapsed Dome: failures.wikispaces.com
All other pictures: AZ_Rune
This was a beautiful and heartfelt log.
A phenomenal official log- well done!
It was good to see his concerns spelled out within the log, as he sometimes is hesitant to voice in action. Maybe the rest of CrIsis will read his concerns.