4th Session- The Jord Escape

General Summary

19th of Melora's Gift, 1436

In Need of a Leader

Having left the Swayson sisters in Oberth's town, Euphoria and Phuc Her set out on a pair of large rams to venture back to Rhal's home to see if he would be willing to come back with them and potentially take charge. It was early in the afternoon and making the trip with the beasts would cut the length of the journey in half, hopefully meaning they would be back before nightfall. Along the way the pair conversed, Phuc Her eventually asking Euphoria about her methods of handling situations, such as her flirtations and efforts to do good mixed with her pragmatism and reckless abandon like the short fight she started in the town. Of all these things it was probably the flirtations and wanton behavior he took most objection towards. Being from the more socially conservative realm of Glayswen, Phuc Her said that love should be more of a committed bond rather than multiple passing liasons. Euphoria replied that she was serving her goddess with her actions and, moreover, that there was nothing wrong in enjoying all the pleasant company that could be found, especially in a place like Jord. As she spurred her mount to move faster, Phuc Her lingered behind, deciding to silently agree to disagree while they made the remainder of their trip.
As the pair approached the now familiar ruined keep, they found Rhal up on one of the walls looking out to the west. The two waved to catch his attention as he scanned the surroundings and he instantly returned the greeting. He had caught sight of some movement, but it was far off and did not seem to be approaching, so he dismissed it for the moment. While glad to see them again, he was also clearly surprised that they were returning so soon, and on mounts. Euphoria and Phuc Her entered the courtyard to explain the recent circumstances to "Grandpa", as they had taken to calling him. Rhal was taken aback when the pair told him that they had taken care of Oberth in such short order. With the potential for disaster widening in the wake of the power gap, the pair explained, the town was in need of a new leader; which they believed the Half-Orc could be. While he had his reservations about the idea, he agreed to at least come back with them to be put forward as a nominee in a vote. Rhal mounted one of his owlbears and followed Euphoria and Phuc Her as they raced back to the town on their giant rams.

Metal Swaysons

Having stayed behind, the Swayson sisters occupied themselves for a while in the town. Sasimay ventured to the smithy and approached the blacksmith about getting the pike she had first picked up during the fight within the cell block reforged into a more versatile weapon. After Sasimay revealed it was she that had dispatched Oberth, the blacksmith agreed to make a trident for her using two thirds of the metal in the pike while he would take the excess metal as payment. Feeling happy with her deal, Sasimay went back to the castle and rested on her laurels by uncorking one of the bottles of wine the party had found in Oberth's chest. Scarlet had been watching over the unconscious Udoud, but hearing about a blacksmith made her curious as she had been looking for a small brass brazier to serve in her magic. Finding the same makeshift shop, Scarlet caught the attention of the blacksmith to ask if he had a brazier or the materials to make one. Unfortunately, after a quick search the smith admitted he had no brass on hand or enough of the component metals to make the alloy. If Scarlet could find the metals, he informed her, he would happily make anything for her but was otherwise unable to offer his services.

The Party Reunites

Looking for a way to procure metal for her needs, Scarlet was scrutinizing the wrecked and smoldering zeppelin rotor on he ground just outside the castle when Euphoria and Phuc Her returned accompanied by Rhal and his owlbears. Everyone regrouped inside the broken castle to discuss their next course of action. The plan seemed to be that the party would linger a while to recuperate and then set off rested and with the supplies they needed. Scarlet in particular was eager to find either brass scraps or zinc ore to get her brazier made. Having been listening in, it was now that the Kobolds began speaking amongst themselves in Draconic, drawing the attention of the others. Rav, the meeker Kobold, approached Scarlet and extended a sliver of zinc ore to her. The Kobolds revealed that there was a deposit of zinc to the northeast, but the area was dangerous. That aside, they were eager to leave and get back to their people as they had already been delayed far too long. Euphoria managed to convince them to wait a little longer about departing so that they could all travel together.

Pleasure and Pain

In the end, the plan was to go forward with a celebration of the end of Oberth's tyranny that night and hold an election afterwards. With that in mind Euphoria's attention was drawn back to the still unconscious Udoud. Deciding to appeal to her goddess once again for his sake, she had him taken to a small shed and began a sensual ritual in hopes of making the Gnoll not only mentally stable but also more charismatic as a potential leader. Outside, even some distance away, Sasimay and Phuc Her were put off by the rather lewd noises making their way through the wooden walls of the small building. Within, it didn't take very long before Udoud awakened to the shocking view, and sensations, of a female Tabaxi kneeling face first into his open pants.
It was while the group outside was distracted and trying not to think of what they knew to be happening inside that building, suddenly an arrow burning with eldritch energy struck Sasimay. From all sides of the square unrepentant outlaws, many formerly under the control of Oberth, appeared. One called out to them, declaring that they were now in charge and had no intention of living peacefully. The party could either leave or face them all. The ultimatum left Scarlet unfazed as she asked for any brass the men might have before agreeing to leave. After a moment of bewilderment, the leading outlaw yelled for everyone to attack in frustration. The battle was fierce as the archers volleyed with their powerful ranged attacks and the thugs bearing blades moved in. The party was quickly put on the defensive as they were attacked from all sides. Phuc Her ran into the castle and up the intact tower to gain a better view of the field as he lobbed eldritch blasts from above. Rhal and his owlbears both fought savagely in the open, but the three also sustained multiple injuries. Scarlet unleashed fireballs against the enemies clustered together, but also took a few arrows in the process.
In the midst of all this, Euphoria and Udoud had been overlooked within the shed. Quickly formulating a plan, Euphoria told Udoud to help the others fall back into the castle. She utilized her ample speed as a Tabaxi to cross the entire battle in a blur. She managed to reach Kieran in the tavern and hurriedly tell her to flee with the blacksmith and anyone else she could gather. She also told the Half-Elf to draw the attention of the Great Fortress with a fire or explosion at the town gate. Before making her hasty exit, she also grabbed a few bottles of liquor for improvised firebombs. Rejoining the fray, the Tabaxi found her companions had killed a few of their attackers, but the fight was far from over. Sasimay had unleashed the hellfire of her blade and charged into a group, banishing a few to the dark oblivion of the Nine Hells. Scarlet, meanwhile, was retreating into the castle in the wake of her injuries and was moving into one of the broken towers. On her heels was one of the archers, who took adventage of a clear shot at the Kobolds, killing Rav instantly. Sasimay, who was apparently the main target of the battle, was dealt another blow that made her fall back to hide in the rim of a crater in the square for cover. Above, Phuc Her was using the cover of the battlements to fire downwards at the killer of Rav while Udoud attacked him from behind. Euphoria lit and threw one of her bottles of liquor at a blade-wielding thug, but the throw went wide of her target and the bottle landed unbroken nearby. It was about this time when suddenly an explosion rang out to the east in the direction of the main gate. Not knowing how much time they would have before the Fortress reacted, Euphoria called for the party to retreat into the castle even though the farthest members, herself included, continued to be engaged with their assailants.

The Woeful Escape

Within moments, rumbles and the whistling echoes of shells sailing through the air began to sound. All around, the town was struck with the long range artillery of the Great Fortress. New craters erupted and in the chaos of explosions all around, the party members in the square dodged through impacts. The tower Phuc Her had taken position in for the fight was struck and began to topple. He was just able to avoid being crushed by the stonework by leaping to the exposed great hall of the castle. As the bombardment edged closer to their location, the party discovered a hatch in the floor behind Oberth's dais. With no time for options, the group opened the door and began leaping down into the dark below. Niks the Kobold pulled the body of his brother Rav down with him and Rhal entered as well only after his owlbears had leapt down first.
Underground, there was only one path going straight into darkness farther than any of the group could see. They ran down this tunnel as shell impacts overhead rattled the stone ceiling until parts of the path behind them collapsed. No one chased them, or any persuers that had dared were crushed behind them. The party ran until the sounds of the bombardment faded and slowed to a walk. The only way was forward, but now everyone had time to let their thoughts linger on what had just happened. Euphoria, especially, was shaken by what had happened; moreso when she realized that her idea had brought the retaliation of the Great Fortress now destroying the town behind them. Rhal was badly injured and shuffling along with the wall for support. Niks carried the body of Rav quietly.
After half an hour, the group finally reached the exit of the apparent escape tunnel. They were roughly five miles north of the town and Sasimay scouted from the ridge over the cave mouth to see that what little remained of the town was in flames, still being struck by the odd missile now and then, while a scattering of people seemed to be fleeing in all directions. Wary of traveling further and thoroughly exhausted, everyone agreed that they should stop there for the night. A fire was made and healing magic administered to those among them in the most need. Phuc Her, having no need of sleep, decided to keep watch throughout the night for everyone's sake.

Visions

As she slept under the stars for the first time in weeks, Scarlet was visited by Celestian. She found herself sailing through space and then walking on an invisible plane as the god himself, clad in a cloak of shimmering stars, appeared alongside her. Celestian commented that she had done well come far, but still had farther to go. Further, that not all journeys end happily. He warned her to be wary of those she traveled with, even her own sister, before casually veering away from her to another path. Scarlet awoke back within her body, turning to fall asleep in earnest and think on the message she'd received.
Sasimay woke briefly at midnight to the feeling of Derzeth surging into her mind once again.
Not far away, Euphoria had curled up beside Udoud for warmth. In her dreams, she found herself in a magnificently appointed bed of soft silks and feather pillows. She wasn't alone, however, as she suddenly found her goddess Sharess leaning over her. Euphoria bantered teasingly with what she initially thought was merely a dream, but Sharess congratulated the Tabaxi on fulfilling her will as a devout follower, increasing the number of faithful she was gaining. While resting in the bed together, Sharess wished to instill greater powers on Euphoria, but lamented that mortal minds can only handle so much before breaking. Euphoria asserted herself onto the goddess by reaching between her legs, much to the deity's approval, and Sharess pushed back with a kiss of such pleasurable intensity that she was thrown out of her vision. From across the clearing Phuc Her was highly disturbed when he saw the Tabaxi rolling on top of Udoud while moaning for more, thinking back to the instance in the shed earlier, and promptly turned away in search of more firewood.

Rewards Granted

Party: Followers, Niks the Kobold and Udoud the Gnoll. All party members reached Level 6. Party nickname: The Bad Luck Blitzkrieg.
Euphoria: Divine vision with Sharess.
Phuc Her: N/A
Scarlet Swayson: Divine vision with Celestian.
Sasimay Swayson: N/A

Missions/Quests Completed

Days survived on Inner Jord: 2

Character(s) interacted with

Celestian- god of the stars and fate
Kieran- Half-Elf, status unknown
Niks- Kobold
Rav- Kobold, deceased
Rhal- Half-Orc
Sharess- deity of hedonism and sensual fulfillment
Udoud- Gnoll

Related Reports

3rd Session- The Jord Escape

Report Date

20 Jul 2020

Primary Location

Jord