Act VI The Tower of Devral

[Dram]

Xano- I shall stay on the skyfish my skills will be needed once inside the castle.

[Inferno]

Blodget, halfling thief:

...we should continue to discuss any strategies you may have before they attack. Afterwards, we should all get some rest...

Content to leave the war council to mighty wizards, giant eagles and great lords of war, the foolish young hobbit slips away, hopefully unnoticed, to find the pantries of this wondrous hall and, after a meal fit for a king, will find a comfortable, quiet place to take a luxurious, cozy, peaceful nap.

[OGRE MAGE]

Blodget is rather disappointed after finding that there is no feast set up for him. No food to eat at all really, except for a few scraps yet to be picked clean. He even has a hard time finding a comfortable spot to nap in this desolate aerial refugee camp.

After relieving themselves, Trotter and Wyntar place the leather harness found inside the skyfish on the griffon and it magically comes to life. It squats low, allowing the somewhat timid ranger to climb up and mount it. It moves as though it has done this many times before. Together, the two heroes run through the magic control words and before long, the halfling is flying around on his new winged steed. After getting comfortable with the way it handles, he is soon able to swing his sword as if standing on solid ground.

More discussion and great ideas are brought forth from the participating war council members, although nothing is yet fully decided upon. The consensus of the survivors of past attacks explain that there will be a small wave of snow demons followed by several more large waves that will soon follow. Then the cloud castle shows up shooting spells and lightning.

The actions the group takes are completely up to you but, the others want to know what they are so they can plan their attacks accordingly. There will be enough time before the enemy arrives for a full rest and full spell/magic item recovery. I'm seeing a ton of good ideas so far. If you want to coordinate spell lists as a group I think that would be a good idea too. When I get a solid plan of attack that the group can agree to, we can get on to this final epic battle.

[greyarea]

Trotter thanks Wyntar, This Griffin is wonderful. Thank you again, Wyntar. I had no idea of its properties when you gifted him to me.

[Hotgoblin]

Wyntar smiles at Trotter's kind words...Yes, she's very special, what will you name her?

[Dram]

Xano- Agreeing with Kiraaka that he needs to protect his race. She says. We need to figure way to lower there numbers in one crushing blow. Our spellcasters need to devise a plan of attack. Maybe letting the first group bye without casting if it is a small group. When the large group comes out blast them with there spells saving enough magic for the next wave. It should lower there numbers greatly. Excuse me I must prepare for battle. Xano watches as the 2 fly the skyfish preparing for the upcoming battle. She then finds a quiet spot. Begins to oil and clean her weapons.

[greyarea]

Trotter thinks, mindlessly fills his pipe, lights it, takes a puff, and then, in a cloud of smoke, nods and says, He is Dashiell. And he is a wonder without price. Thank you again, Wyntar. Smoke?

[Hotgoblin]

Wyntar gladly accepts the pipe from Trotter...Dashiell is a well given name for such a majestic creature. Yes, I'll oblige your offer, it's a much needed puff, since the end is near my dear friend. He thinks back to the Ice Tower and the book that read

these demonic white winged creatures are the scourge of the Cloudscape mountains. No one is safe from their.......(holes chewed through the parchment)

their black leader, Yesorkh Pahyeh is a most evil creature, able to poss....(more holes) any who approach her.

To this end, I have trapped her soul and placed it.....(more holes) that she may never again bring pestilence upon.....

Kiraaka, we found a book, well it was more of a diary I suppose, back in the Ice Tower. Wyntar then explains the passage that was written. Do you or the Eagles know of how she was originally trapped?

[OGRE MAGE]

Kirraka speaks with the eagles some more and then tells you what they know.

It is said that the ancient mage Devral had imprisoned such a black demonic creature long ago. Before she left this mortal coil, she passed the task of keeping it safe on to the cloud giant and his family.

They suppose that after all these centuries, the task could have simply been forgotten about and somehow the demon has been allowed to escape her prison. They are now certain that the giant is still good and only being used by the black demon, Yesorkh Pahyeh.

You are also told some more information about the castle itself.

Although at first sight it seems to be made of stone, it is actually made up of the same magical vaporous material as the cloud itself. The material can be hardened into the stone like walls and courtyards that make up the castle.

The cloud surface itself is dangerous due to the constant lightning flashes it produces, but the area near and around the castle is clear of that threat. The cloud and castle used to be silvery white but now only the very top level still retains some of the original color and the rest of the cloud has become a dull grey. The roofs garden seems like the best place to land the skyfish.

a look at the castle from above

image.jpeg (909.04 KiB) Viewed 954 times

I especially like the title.

[tkrexx]

The Giant's "Family," again, Mira observes. Could it be possible only one Giant is possessed? Thus the "family" might well be of free will? Possibly imprisoned? I for one would guess there is a reason the uppermost tower is still light-colored, and would like to investigate this inconsistency. If the "family" is indeed free of possession, they might be key to understanding the entire situation, and might well know the method of defeating the true foe there. Understandably, I will be unable to pursue this particular avenue, as will Wyntar and Morgi...

[greyarea]

Trotter says, I don't care if one or all of em are possessed, Mira: giants need killing. It's my call and my obligation as a Ranger. They are evil, one and all, so even if only one is under the glamour of some daemon, they all will follow the path of wickedness.

[Storm11]

"Not so noble ranger, only those aligned with fire and frost, and those who dwell in hills are thoroughly wicked. Stone Giants and cloud giants are sometimes of a good persuasion. And those who call the storms are always of a genial bent. Let us not be hasty here!" the paladin begs

[greyarea]

Would you protest so much if I spoke of goodly heretics and saintly protestants? I think not, replies the Ranger. I have felled ogres, ettins, giants of hill and stone, bugbears, trolls, and once a giant of fire. We have, together friend, defeated their frost kin. I have never met a one who was of kind heart or goodly intention.

They may exist, as you say, but that would be like finding the godly heretic and accepting him as confidant, chivalrous one. I prefer not to wait until more friends die to determine who they are. If I am wrong, prove it to me: I can grow to love any of good intent.

[tkrexx]

The Wind Spirits would not knowingly lie, Mira interjects with logic, And if the good Arch-Mage Devral entrusted a Giant with the totem imprisoning an evil entity, I cannot believe the Giant would be evil. Everything we have been told, and seen, points to a recent development. After perhaps centuries of guarding the containment object and keeping these lands... And skies... Free of this Yesorkh Pahyeh's malevolence, suddenly the skies darken and the folk suffer. THIS is exactly what we were meant to stop! I ask you, Sir Trotter, tho I know it is in your nature and your calling to eliminate such creatures for the good of all, at least allow us the opportunity to learn if what Kirraka believes is accurate, and if so, to make an attempt to force the evil presence from the Giant. This failing, we will all join you in defeating the evil, at whatever cost.