"Game 5: The Return of Pale" | C-LARP

Written by Commando Chipmunk

The Rescue of the Gnome Princess

Donindor's party leaves Kelindor, the interdimensional shifter safe in their hands.They make the long journey back to Middlemarch, in hopes that they can locate the volcano where the gnome princess is being held captive by Athruu's pale "recruits."
Along the way, the pirate Vanus disappears, leaving her slave, Minnerva, with the rest of the group. Serafina, the half-elf rogue also has to stay behind in Kelindor, as well as Araunah, the mysterious elf ranger from Kahlderra.
Meanwhile, Maki teleport heals back into Middlemarch, where she meets Aisha, the Aizdiharian mute. Maki and Aisha cannot understand each other, so Maki begins to make her way back to the main road in hopes to rejoin the crew. Aisha too sets out and both of them rejoin the party.
With Guiscard as their leader and the rogues--Tovian, Jade, and Kashi-- scouting ahead, the party creeps towards the volcano where the gnome princess is being held. They find the princess there as they suspected, suspended in a cage over the volcano and under guard by pale warriors. A battle ensues, the frontline fighters holding off the Pale archers, while a second group works to free the princess. They pull her to safety and all seems well--
However, as the last pale warriors retreat, a portal suddenly opens. The pale warriors go through it. At that moment, Maki screams and falls back, igniting a massive inferno bomb over their heads. Everyone runs for safety as the bomb begins to fall--except for Beakerson, who uses his shield casting abilities to cover Maki before the bomb falls on her. She is saved and conscious, but unresponsive. Guiscard picks her up and carries her on his back.
Meanwhile, the party continues to comfort the gnome princess as she bemoans her terrible capture and imprisonment. They continue on the way back home -- To Adventurer's Outpost.

The Calm Before the Storm

Before they reach Adventurer's Outpost, they come across a stranger in a black hood. He gives them a strange and mysterious warning, specifically looking at Kashi when he says, "If your heart is not true to Elyon, you will lose everyone you love." He leaves as quickly as he arrived.
The group continues on, slightly rattled by the words. But their spirits are soon lifted when they reach Adventurer's Outpost. For there is Squire! Apparently, she did have a teleport after all, and was brought safely back to Middlemarch. Guiscard hands off Maki to Eregon and embraces his Squire, overjoyed to see that she is safe. The questers enter their home encampment and begin to celebrate.
Everyone enjoys food and drink at the tavern. Maki is safely taken to the hospital to rest until she comes out of shock. One young traveler new to the outpost strikes up a tune and leads the group in a dance. The Gnome princess begins to befriend the group, Acid Sugar in particular, and continues to elaborate on her woes. A scribe interviews the various party members and adds their names to the Adventurer's Outpost log. Guiscard and Kashi enjoy each other's company at the campfire. Apsu, the dragon shapeshifter, explores the outpost in her dragon form. Tovian the rogue skulks about--no one can ever quite be certain of what he is up to.
While the company is merrymaking and celebrating their victories, a black and white clad stranger from Pura Sanctum arrives. Sir Guiscard and some of the others investigate, but she is hostile to Kashi and other foreign members of the party. She leaves her message with Guiscard--that her sister, a girl wearing a blue hood and carrying a bow--is dead, and then retires to the inn.
Thankfully this meeting is followed by a much happier event--a reunion between the gnome princess and her father! The Gnome king and his escort hobble through the gates of Adventurer's Outpost and embrace their long lost princess in the middle of the camp. All are touched and continue to celebrate this wonderful occasion.

The Siege of Adventurer's Outpost

But all is not as safe as it appears...The Sheriff brings word that an army is approaching Adventurer's Outpost. The party readies themselves, fearing another battle may be at hand. Guiscard goes to investigate and comes face to face to "Scarface," the leader of an army of the knights in blue --the same knights who attacked them back in Kelindor--The Sanctified. A zealous faction of the Order of the Martyrs who declare Guiscard a traitor and are determined to take Adventurer's Outpost--and the inter-dimensional shifter that the party just saved.
Peace is not attainable. The battle ensues. The Sanctified roll out a massive canon and storm the palisade of Adventurer's Outpost.
The fighting is bitter. Guiscard is wounded protecting Kashi and falls on the field outside of the gates. Donindor comes out from his smithy ready to fight, but it is too late. Guiscard, Kashi, and Jade are taken hostage. Donindor can fight and let them die--or surrender. The guardian chooses to save the life of his friends.

The Rise of the Rectifier

Guiscard is taken prisoner. Scarface and his troops round up the questers and put them in locks that take away their abilities. Donindor is bound as well and questioned. Then a new figure appears--one who several recognize. Baldwin, the Vachelous traveler to Adventurer's Outpost who arrived far before the comrades' journey. He is clad in the blue tabard of the Sanctified. All who know him are disgusted as he reveals that he was sent to spy on Donindor, the blasphemer, as he pursued uncovering the lost relics.
Baldwin tells the group that he is Guiscard's brother and that Guiscard is a traitor. Unable to control herself, Squire breaks her vow of silence to speak up for her captured master. The Sanctified knights are quick to silence her and any others who try to protest with her. Apsu tries to fly away to safety, but she is shot from the sky and falls into the wood of Middlemarch. The questers listen in silence as Baldwin speaks.
Baldwin and the Sanctified have one mission--to undo all the work that Donindor and the Order of Nehara and Pale have wrought--to eradicate the impure races from Ashnuw--to prepare the way for Elyon's return. Using the inter-dimensional shifter, Baldwin will open heaven and usher in a new reign under Elyon, over a cleansed Ashnuw. As of now all of Middlemarch is under Sanctified siege. The Order of the Martyr outposts in Draldon and Bergenstaat, Tir Cendel, Navis Roche--all are now overthrown and under Sanctified rule, with the approval of their radical Headmaster, Artois de Valiate. And in addition to that--they have a weapon to convince the kingdoms of Ashnuw to cooperate.
Baldwin raises his hand. Over the treeline, a massive cannon barrel rears up, into the sky. Baldwin tells them to set the coordinates for Western Ahnkleffleebdloodle. The party watches in shock as the cannon fires. The ground shudders minutes later and a thunderous crash resounds across the entire continent of Ashnuw.
Donindor resists, but Baldwin demands the inter-dimensional shifter from him. Unable to fight with his bonds and the questers held hostage, he agrees to bring them to the relic. Donindor is dragged away.
The questers are told that they are free to leave to give their kingdoms the message of the Sanctified's reign. They will be escorted to the edge of Middlemarch. The party is led away from the still captured Adventurer's Outpost--that is, all except Kashi. At the last minute, the Sanctified pull her away to keep her prisoner, saying that she has a bounty on her head.

The Last Stand

Suddenly, the Sanctified escorts are attacked in the woods and driven away. When the party sees their rescuer, they are astonished to find that it is Athruu who has come to their aid. “You don’t have to trust me or believe me. Donindor needs your help." he says. "It’s your choice.”
And indeed, up ahead, they glimpse Donindor and his own Sanctified captors also under attack--but this time, by pale warriors.
The party regroups and attacks--a difficult task without their leader, Sir Guiscard. While Acid stays at the back to comfort the gnome princess, Jade leads the charge and the battle ensues. Donindor escapes and rejoins them. But even with the aid of his Guardian power, the pale warriors keep coming.
The group is overwhelmed and they do not notice Jade, the Mantis, pressing on further and further into the ranks of pale warriors. Neither do they notice her fall behind enemy lines, bleeding out on the battlefield.
The comrades battle on, felling pale warriors and taking terrible blows. Dr. Beakerson is hard at work, reviving those who fall. Apsu, the dragon, though injured, returns from where she fell in the woods to fight. Sir Eregon's arm is severed off in the midst of the battle. Jade still lies forgotten and bleeding out at the front line. Every time the pale warriors fall, they return, but much weaker than before.
Just as it looks as if the enemies are defeated, a portal opens and a tall, macabre figure steps onto Ashnuw soil. He wields a staff of lightning. Everyone falls back as they realize this is no pale warrior...this is Pale himself.
He is here to take the inter dimensional shifter. Donindor faces the monster, telling all the questers to stand back. Nascha sings out a powerful aria to weaken Pale's powers. The creature falters a little, but is still set on his course. He and Donindor begin to test each other's power, pitting their strength against one another. Donindor begins to fall back, when Athruu reappears. He stands opposite Donindor and also begins to thrust his strength against Pale. And though Athruu was never given the position he trained for, he still studied under a Guardian. Pale begins to stagger, caught between teacher and student.
Suddenly Donindor reveals the dimensional shifter. With Pale stricken, he activates the shifter and sends Pale back to his own dimension.
All is silent.
Donindor and Athruu stand amongst the questers. The two exchange a few words of understanding. Some might go as far to say that they formed a truce of sorts. Athruu leaves. Donindor tells the comrades he must then leave as well. But he will be back.
It is not until then that Squire finds Jade's lifeless body. Shaken from what they have just witnessed and still at a loss as to how they are going to save Guiscard and Kashi, the party scatters. Some to return to their homes and bring the Sanctified's message. Some to stay. Yes, they may have defeated Pale, but at a very high price. And there is still much to be done.