Sharisa has supplied a map of the interior, they have worked out a plan of attack.
All goes as planned, until they encounter Jilar.
Sharisa flies into a rage and lunges with dagger at the same time Jilar attacks her. Ridik is on the ground with a pounding headache from a Psi Blast and can’t help.
Unfortunately Sharisa takes the blow to the chest and using the rules I wanted to see if she could as least try to get a swing in, but the pain is to much and she falls to the floor spurting blood.
Ridik gets himself up and dispatches Jilar and them attempts to save Sharisa’s life but it is flowing out to fast.
Sounds of further conflict stop him from mourning and the battle is joined to the end.
Later they have a vague idea where to look for the secret door to the cellar and the key to open it.
They then descend down a number of levels, stepping on a couple of traps, until nearly at the bottom, Ridik takes 3 crossbow bolts in the back.
Ref; using a traps book for inspiration called Grimtooths Traps.
Badly wounded but shrugging of the pain, they find the Silver Man at the bottom.
After some debate, as to the merits/danger of breaking the shackles of a statue, they proceed.
Eventually after some strange feelings of chill, they free the statue, which slowly comes to life.
He is Kiran, King of the Haakora and was imprisoned here.
He wants his freedom.
Reward is mentioned.
They make there way back to the surface.
To encounter a group of Valk including Kumal the smiling and a female Shaman. She introduces herself as Maab and wishes to talk to Ridik.
Ref; my plans went a bit haywire here, as i had originally planned to have the group have to fight there way out, but with Ridiks wounds, it would have turned into a NPC fight, so I went for the dialogue instead.
She lets some information go about the Red Right Hand and the prophesy. Ridiks ‘seed’ is required. And she tells him that the Valk are going to make a new world.
At this point, I have Ridik see my failed players Character hanging around in the background with a group of ne’er-do-wells. Also Maab informs him that they came here to recruit some of these Stranglers for the same prophesy as they have the required blood.
She then shows him Sharisa in some sort of glass coffin, with little candle lights winking. She tries to entice him with coupling with his lover. She is not dead and they will revive her.
Ref; her Psi powers of healing have kept her alive when Ridik thought she was dead.
Sir Ridik refuses the offer and Kumal is keen to fight. But Maab offers a meeting on the plain outside the city by the Mammoths dead body.
They retreat out of the building, getting a cloak for Kiran, but not before the Valk have seen him.
Well, dear reader, you are up to date.
Now Ridik and co. has to hide out in the city.
The King Ganymede is going to return with his victorious army, and a great feast and games will be held.
The King will demand the presence of Sir Ridik after his deeds on the battlefield.
He is unlikely to go the meeting with Maab and so will be hunted by them.
I have a few other surprises in store.
KIng Kiran will want to be returned to his homeland, once he is strong enough to travel. Which is not far away. I just am not sure about having Kieradd and his brother hanging around all this time. He went into the house for treasure to reclaim his lost lands, but now its all going to take to long. Or Aaron could decide that he does not wish to help Kiran and recieve reward and leave the NPC’s to do the job. He does not have a PA of gaining loot, but ‘Find his way home’, has expenses.
I am working to have Kiran have some connection to Oshalla, as per Aarons new PA.
But this required me to delve more into how magic works.
Also the S&S norm of little or no contact, boons, miracles etc from the Gods, if they even exist. I have my work cut out for me to find a suitable answer to what a god/demon/overworld entity could pass on to mankind. I am sort of looking at; most human mages work of individual power and might makes right. The Haakora follow the idea of learning given only to those who possess the ability to control there darker instincts. So formal schools etc. Oshalla via the Haakora wanted to control the rampant spread of knowlede (back 400 – 500 yrs ago), which they could see was leading down a dangerous road and did eventually end in the Cutz War of Mages and Witches about 300yrs ago, when Kiran was captured.
I am currently thinking along the lines of Ars Magica with its Rego, so not exactly other planes that the Demons and others come from, but subtle changes from the mundane. This generates the Overworld and the Underworld. Also works with Jack Vances Violet Cusps.
Anyway enough rambling.
Allan