Chapter 14: The Bells

The Scene starts with the party in the inn. The time is early morning. The city is just waking up as the sun rises over the eastern desert.
Everyone rolls perception Highest wakes up to the distant sounds of a commotion. looking out the window they can spot the orange glow of flames coming from the castle's direction followed by the bell's ringing. Thrazmoc knows this bell is only rung in times of celebration and danger and never at 5:30 AM.
The party and Illinous Aster Argyle run towards the sound of screams and the rising flames. Argyle is limping and wincing with pain. Eventually, he stops and tells the party to go on without him. He'll do his best to help the towns folk to safety.
Drawing closer to the flames and bells the party comes across the market from earlier now filled with dead dwarven guards. The scent of blood and soot fills their noses. A mighty battle has taken place here though it looked one-sided. Dwarves ran through with a blade, piercing their plate armor like butter. A dwarf has been pinned to the wall by ice and then ran through with his own spear. Another has been burned beyond recognition. A line of blood across the square 10 feet long leads to a dwarf leaning against a building holding his hand to his side as you pass he coughs and a clot of blood comes out of his mouth and rolls down his armor. The dwarf barely takes notice. If asked he sputters, They came from the sky the leader, clad in armor black as night, the witch cackling like a mad woman set loose on the world. We stood no chance. As they left I heard the little one with the long sword as which way to the queen. You MUST save her majesty." Hands the players a greater healing potion. Says "It's too late for me."
SKIP_____________________________________ Clank calls out from the edge of the square. No time for hellos. He MUST speak with Thrazmoc RIGHT NOW! He gives Reed his armor and takes some time to get into it! No time to explain! The others need us. Reed Receives the GREATEST piece of Dwarven Battle Armor that has ever been created. The combination of a master smith's forging and a Master artificer's tinkering. Powered armor resembles a suit of unusual plate armor, with finely articulated joints connected by an oily, black, leather-like material. The armor has been worked to create the appearance of a heavily muscled warrior, and its great helm is unusual in that it has no openings — only a broad glass plate in the front with a second piece of glass above it. Strange plates, tubing, and large metal bosses adorn the armor in a seemingly random fashion. On the back of the armor’s left gauntlet is a rectangular metal box, from which projects a short rod tipped with a cone-shaped red crystal.

The players run forward to the main gate of the keep. Marvels of dwarven engineering have given this keep a moat with water piped from the strange river that bisects the continent. The bridge leads to the keep. The bridge is out with a massive burning hole in it and requires a dex check to jump across. DC (13) Fail they wash to the shore and have to run around again. Trelaces and balconies and roof overhangs adorn the sides of the keep. Clearly, invaders were never meant to reach this point. Fire laps at the edges of the courtyard. The Queen's throne room window 3 stories up emits a glow from the Forge Door. It appears the fire has yet to reach that location yet. The gates have been blasted down and the sound of combat echoes from within. Walking through the threshold the carnage of the morning is laid out to see. The Lady witch stands surrounded by 5 dwarves, blood runs down her right cheek and her crimson robe is torn. Her arm is wreathed in a controlled fire. and her hair is on end as if blown by a continuous strong wind. Blood can be seen running down her leg through the tear. Before your eyes, with a loud rumbling boom, a chain of lighting forms connecting the 5 dwarves and herself in an unholy pentagram cooking them in their armor. The peals of her laughter ring out over the clatter of armor on stone.
A small Figure with a sword 3 times the size of his body makes quick work of 2 more dwarves blocking the door to the Keep. This clears the way for Vortis Skane in his jet black battle armor and a beat-up looking Cambrion to enter the ground floor of the keep. A large man picks up a making dwarf standing with his spear stretched out lifts him above his head and rips him in two with barely a flex. his upturned face is covered with gore and viscera as the smile on his face does not waver.  ROLL FOR INITIATIVE!
When Dannis goes to the queen's room a commotion can be heard after one turn.
Thrazmoc comes in after 1 or 2 rounds carrying Clank. gets one attack of opportunity using his new armor. Engage him right away.
Capture a beat and battered Blake.


After the battle, the players run into the keep to find Vortis and Cambrion engaged with the dying Queens guard. As the players enter Vortis dispatches the last guard. Turning to the players ready to fight Cambrion says "Master the job is done. Let us go!" Grabbing his elbow they warp away.
Players run into the Queen's Hall. Dannis stands at the edge of the Forge Door Holding a figure against him. The room is the scene of an obvious battle. The old throne is destroyed. Curtains smolder against the windows. Dannis stands there Shoulders heaving, out of breath. His eyes meet the party. It's now clear he's holding the queen in his arms. Her resplendent battle armor is only halfway on. Dannis steps back from the queen, a dagger glistening in his hand red with blood. The queen totters for a moment on the edge of the Forge door before tumbling into the pit.