Session 13: "You should hope we never meet again" Report

Yohn is engaged by Berchar on the walls after seeing the system of mechanical cogs. Yohn sets the thing on fire, including the ladder. Man escapes. Yohn succeeds in chasing him.

Weiss arrives on scene, sees the man escaping, chases after him. He slashes the man, sending him flying. Yohn charges up and kicks him off the walls.

Party takes time to breathe and set up camp within a nearby house in the city. Torvald and Edwyn take watch and enjoy a night of relaxation. Torvald takes time to discuss with Edwyn his decision to give the Astorians a way to cross the Zjol'kel and warns of potential punishment. Edwyn shakes this off, saying that it matters very little to him who crosses the Zjol'kel or not. He also decides to stay on the far side of the Zjol'kel with Marcarius to avoid any potential dangers while the rest of the party heads back.

Morning comes, and with it the dilemma of crossing the Zjol'kel once more to return to Gallows Rock. The chasm bisects the continent, leaving little room to maneuver. Weiss, Torvald, and Yohn step out of camp at dawn to search for a method to potentially cross it without having to pass inside. Weiss, during his travels in Othos thus far, heard of the advanced mechanisms built during the reign of Renfed the Bloody to bring water up the Dorithin rise to provide the city with a moat. That could potential be an option, though he was unaware that Yohn had burnt it down in his fight with Berchar. When they arrived on the scene, they peered down the stone tower that once held the ladder, only to see that all that lay below for no less than 60 feet was burnt and ruined. They had to think of a plan, since every other path they could think of was across the Zjol'kel. Whatever the case, the plan would be dangerous.

Torvald was the first to develop some sort of plan, standing upon the battlements of Dorithin and staring into the abyss. They could climb. Weiss and Yohn looked at him like a madman, but he insisted that the distance was not too great to manage. He had survived many battles and other tribulations, this feat would be just another on the list. That was the thought at least, Weiss was less impressed and Yohn refused to partake entirely. It was the only available option, Torvald argued, every other route would be across the Zjol'kel. He was right about that, at least. Weiss sighed deeply and acquiesced to the venture.

The two of them gathered up their rope and tied it into knots, securing them upon the rough stone protrusions of the wall. They tied a main rope that went down to what remained of the platforms, and a second rope that secured themselves together just in case one of them fell loose. They stepped over the edge and began the process of scaling the abyss.

Yohn unties the ropes in an act of brutal treachery. Torvald and Weiss begin to fall, and Weiss grabs the rope to prevent it from breaking. In a last second act, recognizing the danger of the situation, he cut the rope on Torvald's end, but Torvald grabbed onto his arm before he could fall. There they dangled for a few moments, either one of them dies or both die. Torvald, being a noble soul, chose the former, and released his grip, plummeting over 200 feet. He smashed through the lower platforms with his weigh, breaking them and collapsing the remainder of the structure.

Weiss manages to claw his way to safety, only to be attacked by Yohn as he reached the top. They fight in a brutal hand to hand fight, exchanging blows and blocks. Marcarius and Edwyn, who were in their camp inside the abandoned house, heard faith sounds of fighting raging on outside. Marcarius went first to investigate, while Edwyn sat in waiting. Marcarius sees Yohn and Weiss fighting at the walls, and Marcarius questions them, but received no clear answer. Yohn claimed that Weiss attempted to kill him, while Weiss yelled that Yohn had cut the rope and killed Torvald. Who to believe was uncertain, but Marcarius evidently believed Weiss over Yohn, since he responded by hurling a throwing dagger at Yohn. It stuck into his side with a dull thud. Yohn, unmoved, simply reached down, grabbed the blade, and melted it into molten steel in his hands.

The battle begins once more between Weiss and Yohn, with Marcarius lending support with his throwing knives. Edwyn hears Marcarius calling out in the dusk and the resumed fighting, and moves up to the walls. He sees the fight unfolding before his eyes, and knocks an arrow on his bow. Not once had he fired it during his travels with the party, but these were difficult times. While he questioned out loud what was happening, Yohn stepped back from the fighting and created a shield of fire for himself. The party then fell to squabbling about what must be done while Yohn crouched in defense. They discussed the situation, possible punishments and the like, and decided he had to be killed for his treason. As they deliberated, however, Yohn leapt to his feet and bolted down the length of the wall. Waiting for his execution wasn't an option.

Marcarius, Weiss, and Edwyn chased Yohn down the length of the wall, the city to their right in sullen silence and the open air to their left whispering a deadly invitation. They dashed after him, keeping pace quite well. Marcarius, being the swiftest among them, was able to close the distance with Yohn. He tossed a throwing knife at Yohn's leg, slashing him across his calf and bringing him down to the ground in a bodily tumble. Marcarius stepped forward, preparing to deal with Yohn once and for all. Yohn, however, was not willing to die. Mustering his energy, he once again summoned his shield of fire, but this time launched it forth like a burning wall toward Marcarius. Taken by surprise, he was unable to step out of the way and was burned by the fire as it washed over him. Stumbling back, Marcarius tore off his cloak that was burning around him and did all he could to pad out the fire.

Weiss and Edwyn catch up at this time, just as Yohn was getting to his feet again to escape. As he began running again, Weiss called out to him for a challenge. It would be a one on one duel to the death, at least then justice could properly be done. Already hindered by the throwing knife and without any viable avenues for escape, Yohn accepted the challenge on one condition: If he were to win, the party would have to let him escape without further hindrance. Weiss accepted, confident enough that Yohn wouldn't survive to enjoy those terms. Marcarius and Edwyn stood back, Weiss and Yohn prepared themselves, and the fight began.

They fight an intense battle, but the destruction of Weiss's rapier during the climb up the rock is a severe blow. The short sword Edwyn lends him is clunky and awkward in comparison. Weiss does his best, but Yohn begins to get the better of him. While they fight, Weiss takes a close look at Yohn as their blades clash, and he notices the scaly skin beneath Yohn's robes. A matter of legend perhaps, but to the eyes of Weiss it seemed like Yohn may be one of the fabled Dhrak'onyth of Dhrakshaggan. Yohn defeats Weiss, and grinds him into the ground with his blade of fire. Marcarius and Edwyn watch Weiss's final moments, and are helpless to act as Yohn steps away from the corpse. Looking over his shoulder, he simply stated that "You should hope we never meet again" before passing into the dusk.

Far away from all this, Flynt Cole is guided by Death to pursue a new mission. No longer should he spend the time now to go west and find Nezhar, but to go east and "find a girl in a place where priests go to burn". Those were the only details. If he was to succeed, Flynt knew he would have to gather some support. Ideally, he could unite with his old companions and finish the quest with them at his side. The best he could do is return to Gallows Rock and see who was left.

Flynt meets up with Kromm and they decide to go north together to meet with the rest of the party. They cross the Zjol'kel after speaking to Naiara.

Flynt finds the body of Berchar beneath the shadow of Dorithin, broken and bloody. Kromm searches elsewhere in the brush, among the shattered planks and ruins of the ancient water works. In the rubble he finds Edwyn's journal, thrown open and musty. Flipping through the contents, Kromm was able to learn the grim details of the party's adventure in the city thus far. Then, from the pages, fell a hand drawn illustration of a beautiful woman. The caption below read: From Dagmar's Finger with love. Given the poor selection of leads, this was the best chance the pair had at finding the rest of the party. The two of them took a quick look through the ruins of the city, seeing the corpses left behind by the battle days before. They didn't walk far into the city before turning back and heading east.

The pair move at a quick pace for two days before they run into Marcarius and Edwyn camping in a copse of trees. Kromm returns the journal, much to the joy of Edwyn.