Sangrail’s sacrifice

  Barrok looked at Isaac, the shadow still connected to him. “let’s take care of that.” He took a pair of tongs  and pulled out a searing hot piece of steel and placed it against Ram Isaac’s hoofs. Disconnecting the shadow, who fled to a corner of the blacksmith’s shop, and then through some trick turned Isaac back to normal. All at once everyone began to ask Isaac question but Barrok said, “You stand upon the well of evil and you decide to have a discussion on trivial matters?” With that it brought everyone back to the seriousness of their situation. It must have been from the relief of seeing Barrok, and the safety of his shop. He looked at Ajara, “You still have the dagger?” ajara pulled if off her wand bracelet. “Good.”  Barrok was very serious as he spoke.

  He told the group that the Deities were not meant to last forever and that is why the sangrail’s were created. But the deities raged war against them killing them all, then gain power Erythnul and Heironious agreed to work together. They created portals from their realms onto the material plane. Erythnul had agreed to let Hieronous’s portals exist put Erythnul sealed them; allowing only his portals of evil to effect the material plane. This was what was holding the souls of the mark from moving on.  From what Barrok knows there are three portals, this no being the largest.  This portal allowed Erythnul to hide his deed from the world, and transform this land.  Barrok asked the group to destroy the portals and allow the material plane to return to a state of balance. It was also because of these portals that the sangrails haven’t been able to return.  A Sangrail was a being that was born with the power of a deity but unlike normal deities, they didn’t need followers to exist; although having followers would help strength them. 

 The only way to destroy the portals was to open them with the dagger and offer up either a deity’s blood or blood of a creature of naturally aligned opposite of the portals alignment.  Since he Barrok was such a deity he was willing to help the group. After all he was a Sangrail. The group looked from him to Rekka.

“then when you called him father?”

Rekka had done so, but to keep others, at the time, from understanding who they were talking about. Barrok shook his head. “You don’t need parents that are Sangrail to be born as one.”

“then Rekka could..”

“No. She is not a deity.”

“But you said…”

“She has yet to realize. She will need to do so soon, before Erythnul and Heironious get to her.”

“Doesn’t that make her natural good aligned” Cortanna asked.

Rekka and Barrok both shook their heads. REkka know her nature well, is wasn’t good, nor was it bad. But when Barrok agreed with her she got the impression that he knew her nature. The only two that could do this was Raaein and Barrok. But the size of this portal would most likely kill Raaein.  Taking most of his blood if not all. Barrok believed he would survive but he would become weaken by it. If certain events, since time was of little matter to a deity, happened then he would be waiting for them when they reached the next portal.  But if the events didn’t happen, or if Erythnul or Heironious got to him then he wouldn’t be waiting.

  This alone caused Rekka fear. She finally had met someone like herself, a sangrail and now a chance of fate could take him from her. Rekka wanted to beg him to tell her everything. What did she need to realize? How was she supposed to do it? What was she missing? But the seriousness of the room held her tongue. She had a feeling he wouldn’t tell her anyway. Cortanna called Barrok, Bear-rock. He turned on her, and told her his name was Bar-Rok, similar to the Barracks which were named after him, since he was about comfort, travel and blacksmith.  Rekka felt like he gave her a clue.

   With the tortures decision it was decided that they would take Barrok on his offer. Heading back outside, he had Ajara bring out the dagger. It was a dagger that one side was made of light material but the other side was dark. He instructed her to stab the ground. She did so and it opened up creating a small rift. Ajara reached for  his arm but he told her that it had to be a stabbing wound where she could keep the dagger in, otherwise it the wound would just heal itself.

  Ajara grew pale as he ripped his shirt just above where his heart would be. Ajara’s face looked like that when she appeared to them in the forest. REkka stepped forward about to say she’ll do it, when Ajara, tears filled eyes, stabbed him.  Blood began to flow forth and flowed into the rift. It began to widen and the black water began to rush over the island. It was the temple of elemental evil all over again. They need to run! But she didn’t want to leave Barrok. The water rose faster as the rift grew bigger. Everyone was able to drive away in time as the rift open beneath them.

“We have to get out of here, Raeein?”

“it’s not working.” He called, “either some power is keeping us here or this is no longer my forest.”

Ajara kept the dagger in place as Barrok bleed.

“I’m not leaving him.” She said.

“Neither am I.” Cortanna said.

 Of course Rekka didn’t want ot leave him but he wouldn’t want them all to die. Using her circlet Rekka turned herself into a sliver dragon once more. She waited, she would make sure that they would be able to escape last minute. Barrok gave Ajara the signal to remove the dagger, he healed and disappeared.

“GET ON!” Rekka roared, as the water was almost upon them. Everyone scrambled aboard and Rekka took off, the black water barely missing her claws.  As they flew overhead, they watched the island as it was engulfed by the black water. The shore of the surrounding area became land; even the trees changed and disappeared.  Ruins of buildings began to spring forth from the forest. The black water was sucked into the rift, being replaced by normal land, and then it was gone.

  The ruins of Ajara’s home town were now visible underneath them. The magical powers that held this place was gone. It was turning back to the way it was before the portal was opened. The shadow somehow had managed to escape with them. Isaac told it that there was a way for them to be able to escape and find rest. He then released the shadow. It said good bye to Ajara before disappearing back into the forest.

Rekka force her mind to remain clear and her eyes searching for a place to land. She had to find safety before she allows herself to fall apart. The others were counting on her right now, not to fall out of the sky.

The Terror of harmless objects

They found themselves on a small Island surrounded by black water, that was choppy caused by an unseen wind or power. In the center of the island was a stone shack, not unlike the homes Ajara once live in. A great presents of Evil surround them. Dragon Rekka let go of Ram Isaac holding the rope. She turned herself back into her normal self.

  Cortanna, Ajara and Rekka all at once began arguing about what they should do. The strong evil present and the simple harmless looking stone shack caused them to pause. Cortanna threaten anyone that even dare to step towards the shack, will meet with her blade. Raaein told them that if indeed a deity was here and wanted them dead, they would have done so as soon as they landed. And if they wanted to keep them here, then there was nothing he could do about. Almost as if to prove him right, Gideon and Jessica (the only real adults in the group) walked to the door of the shack and knocked. It open and they walked in.

Then through Rekka’s amulet Jessica’s voice said, “Hill.”

“What?!” Rekka said, and raced towards the shack dragging Ram Isaac with her. The others followed, upon reaching the door it open revealing the blacksmith, Barrok Hill.

“You Final made it.”

Note to reader: For some reason in the Gaming of Dungeons and dragons, when a large dramatic  build up ends with a simple object or building, like a doorway, a door, or in this case a shack, causes players to become unbelievably scared.  There is a long running joke about "The Dread Gazebo."  (see link The Tale of Eric and the Dread Gazebo), in which harmless things are indeed harmless. But it comes to the players that since they are surrounded by evil that what lies within has to be evil as well. So three of the players were debating back and forth about retreating, or how to approach it. Two players decided just to walk up to the darn thing and find out. The last person being a Ram could do nothing, but eat grass.
I don't know why this happens, I've played in a short lived campaign in which it took the players fourth five minutes to decided to go through an opened door. although to tell the truth the door was a portal that could lead to anywhere. But it seemed to be a theme for the rest of the campaign. It was more due to the fact it was the order which everyone would go through the door that cause most of the hang ups.
In my experience the most harmless looking thing seems to be the most scary thing a DM could throw at the group. don't forget MPFC Holy Grail and the white rabbit scene (see link Killer Rabbit warning there is mild language and violence.)

Baa Baa Black Ram

 or A Dragon’s play thing

Rekka stood on the roof of the barracks, as per normal, she used the cloaks ability to hide in plain sight. Ajara was down below settling down for sleep, Jessica was ready taking her nap.  Gideon and Cortanna were on the control tower. Isaac was also on the barracks roof but for some reason he clicked his boots together and flew off to the control tower. It wasn’t too unusual for him to do this but he would have said something to her. Rekka watched his progress.

Cortanna and Isaac talked for a moment then Isaac drove for the control panel hitting one of the buttons. Cortanna quickly, pushing him out of the way, pressed the same button. Rekka eyes widen as Cortanna yelled, “Something is wrong with Isaac! He’s gone weird.”

      Rekka rushed to the side of the building, it was a two story drop. For some reason she believed that if she tumbles at the right time she could jump off and land safely. Without giving it much more thought, she jumped.  Her body seems to know what to do; she hit the ground and rolled.  She came to her feet, looking up she saw that black tentacles covered the top ten feet of the tower. Rekka could hear the others yelling, trying to break free from the tentacles.  Rekka saw Ajara flying overhead and Isaac air born. Isaac was attacking them; it must be cause of something, the link to the shadow, perhaps?   She couldn’t wait, Isaac was stronger than the rest of them, and they stood no chance as long as he could cast spells.  She could just turn into a dragon and ripe him apart like briar, but this wasn’t really Isaac, it was something else. Right? Her mind raced for an answer that didn’t lead to Isaac death…there was only one way.

      Rekka turned herself into a sliver dragon and took off, still hidden, she came up on Isaac. Completely unaware of her, Rekka stretched forth her claw and turned Isaac into a Black Ram. Well she meant to turn him into a sheep but Ram was the male version of sheep. Quickly grabbing Isaac the Ram, she kept him from falling on to the roof, which was mostly covered in black tentacles.

   In the tentacles, were Cortanna and Gideon struggling to break free. Gideon finally breaking himself free rushed to safety. Ajara, with Isaac dealt with, flew over to Cortanna, and tried to pull her free. But it was no good, the tentacles were too strong for her.   The Tentacles bashed against Cortanna causing her to bleed. Cortanna yelled at Ajara for her weak attempt, and then for healing and help. Ajara was taken aback by Cortanna insult. Rekka flew over and tried to help but with her grip on Isaac, and not wanting to accidentally hurt Cortanna she grabbed her too loosely and couldn’t pull her out. Ajara searched through her bag for her belt of healing and struggled to put it on.

  Losing blood, and becoming desperate, Cortanna let the insults fly, and using whatever strength she had left pulled herself free. Stumbling away she found the only part of the roof close to her that was not cover in Tentacles.  She called forth, “Be heal.” And her armlet shined and the bleeding stopped. 

"Why didn't you use that earlier?" Rekka asked Cortanna
"I forgot about until then."  Cortanna replied.
 They waited for the spell, since it was a spell that Isaac cast, to wear off, and then regroup in the courtyard. Jessica had came out but wasn’t able to see all that had happened. Dragon Rekka held Ram Isaac. “He’s pretty cute this way.” she thought, "Good thing too, he going be stuck like this until the circlet recharges; about a weeks’ time." Rekka realized the comedy of what it looks like; a dragon holding a black ram, like a child holds a toy that kept baaing a lot. She wonders if Isaac was trying to talk. Looking down she saw that the Black ram was half covered in a shadow that was trying desperately not to be touched by her claws.  "Was this was the shadows doing?" She thought, "or is it something else using the shadow to get to Isaac?" She thought back to what the nightmare creature said. She asked Jessica to get some rope and to tied it around Ram Isaac .

  They all tried to decide what to do next. They needed to go forward, answers waited them on the island. But it was getting dangerous, more so than before. Isaac had just about drop the barrier only a few moments before and now he was helpless as a Ram.  This is where Raaein’s spoke.

“I could just take you there.” He said

“What? Like right now?’ Ajara asked

“Yest, it is in my forest.”

“Why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

“I thought you like traveling…I wasn’t about to go against your fun.”

“FUN?!” Cortanna said exasperated.

“So lets go now!” Ajara said.

Dragon Rekka nodded, “Let’s wait for day and go.”

The light of day wasn’t far off and so they waited. Those who need to sleep, slept. Once it was time everyone gathers back to the courtyard. They unburied the fortress, remove the barrier, and shrunk it down.  Rekka had decided to stay as a dragon in case anything happened during this process.

“Just place a hand upon my flank.” He said.  Dragon Rekka picked up Ram Isaac and placed the back of her claw upon Raaein. Everyone else did so to, and then Raaein took a step.

Night’s Terrors, Dusk of Dawn

It was indeed her father.  He was the chief of his village (since he was the oldest male), and shortly after Ajara’s and her sister’s death, the whole village was taken by the mark and destroyed. He seemed happy to see her but Ajara kept going back and forth between smiles and tears as they talked, well as Isaac translated what each one was saying. It was a short conversation. The shadow man, whose name was Achmath Eloirakn, was asked which way the Village was and he pointed it out to Isaac on the map. He gave one warning before hiding back in Isaac’s shadow. “Whatever you do, do not travel at night.” A flash of the night on the tiny island, shoot through Rekka’s mind.

  With the direction in which to travel on, the group made their way through the forest. It would take about six weeks to get there at their speed. Watching the dark forest, Rekka saw creatures of magical nature roamed around and flew overhead.  She was unfamiliar with most of them, but since they seem to be keeping their distance, the group didn't feel threatened.  Dust settled upon them as they reached a hill. Looking around they saw more giant’s “sleeping holes” surrounding them on all sides. It was a wonder they didn’t run into any of them while walking. Taking the warning seriously, they enlarged the flying brick and got inside. Isaac set up the barrier and sunk the fortress under the ground. Giving them more cover and keeping them hidden.  Those who didn’t need to sleep kept watch over the ceiling overhead. The creatures seemed to know that they were there but had no idea exactly where they were.

   Isaac wanting more information sent the shadow to find someone who could answer his questions. It took some time but during the second week of traveling the shadow returned and brought something with it. A NIGHTMARE is all that Rekka could use to describe it. She hid herself not wanting to be seen by this Huge Creature. It was tall, standing in the courtyard its head reached the tower where Isaac stood and then still towered over it. It was slender with elongated limbs but seem strong somehow.  It had a cruel face; Rekka couldn’t bear to look at it.

  The creature agreed to answer question but if they bored him or didn’t ask him interesting questions he would eat them all. Rekka’s eyes were wide with fear; she knew it would do it. "this is crazy" she thought. Isaac asked a lot of the question, mainly ones to confirm what we already know, but the creature seems bored by them.  

  It turned out that Erythnul and Heironious were one now.  Malfeiya whom controlled the combined Deities, were these creatures mother, and there were many of them. The giants that we saw were the day formed of these creatures.  Erythnul after taking over this land used his magic to change it so that the evidence of his presents would be hidden from the outside world.  During the day the creature would be under influence of Heironious but the night belonged to Erythnul. He seemed to think that this band of people couldn’t do anything to stop them. He even seem to know who Isaac was but seemed unimpressed and  he was losing interest fast. 

Jessica decided to ask it how it was, the creature stooped down, so that his face was level with Jessica’s body. It said “hungry.”

“I as well,” she agreed with it, Trying to intimidate it.

Rekka stood only a short distance off, too scared to move unless it spots her.  Her heart beat thumbed in her ears making it hard to hear what was going on, but she heard someone ask about Sangrails. It kept saying it didn’t matter since they were all dead.  Someone let it drop that not all of them were dead. The creature turned on Jessica and places a finger on her. Jessica went all weird and the creature left.

  Rekka fell to her knees, breathing hard. She had been holding it for so long that she felt like she was about to pass out. She shook uncontrollably as coldness of fear refused to leave her. “What the hell did she do to have so many people hate her?”

Isaac said, “It would seem that we gave up more information than what we got.”

       Once the night was almost done, Ajara awoke and came to Rekka. “A word if you please, in private.”  Suddenly Rekka felt uncomfortable. It seems to never go well when Ajara wanted to talk to her without the others around. They both always ended up more…depressed? Confused? But she still followed Ajara in the Barracks.

“I'm correct…” she started off, “Did you know the deities are scared of you? Mainly Erythnul and Heironious?”

“Scared of me?” Rekka said, she didn’t think they like her but scared?

“ Yep... Something to do with the Sangrails usurping the Gods... What is it exactly you're supposed to fix?”

“I don't know.” Rekka said honestly, “Something about 'saving' Gods but it seemed to finish the quest, though what quest is I don't know.”

Rekka was feeling dumb. She was sounding totally clueless as to what was going on. Her mind just wouldn’t work right now. Ajara was depressed. Whatever happened when she was gone from the group was very bad.

Ajara sighed, “ That's something we ought to figure out... All I know is Erythnul and Heironious do not like the 'sangrail' and I want to aid you in taking them down.” She said this solemnly. There seems to be a lot on her mind that she isn’t yet ready to talk about.

“Sure...” Said lamely and could have kicked herself.  Ajara wanted something from her, to be comforted. Rekka was terrible at that. She didn’t know how to comfort people. No one ever did for her.  She just stood there and starred at the ground for a moment, then left.

      They traveled on like this the following weeks and as night descended upon them the creatures appeared more and more aggressive as they got closer to their destination. Rekka took to hiding at night, after the nightmare creature’s visit. During the fourth week the creatures began to attack the barrier, although unable to break through. Fears of the barrier breaking down worried everyone but hopes of it holding kept them going. Then THAT NIGHT HAPPENED...

Distant Shadows, Un-aged Souls

Rekka looked up; the thick trees surrounding them clearly hid them from the giant’s gaze. Feeling relieved, Rekka let out her breathe that she had been holding.

“Where’s Ajara?” someone asked.

Looking around at the group, it was obvious that she wasn’t there but with the giant still looking for them they would have wait, or she’ll have to wait. The giant finally gave up and left the area.  Using what light they had, since the light barely made it through the thick canopy above them, the group set out for Ajara. Using the map, she was some ways off and there seems to be someone else there with her. Keeping look out, it wasn’t long at all until Rekka noticed something strange with the tree’s shadows. They seem to be following them, well the shadows seem to move and merge with the next tree’s shadows. This unsettled Rekka, shadows, normal ones, don’t do that. Then images of the night on the island flashed into her mind.

“Isaac there is something up with the shadows.”

He didn’t seem to see what she was talking about, but as he watched he seem to notice along with everyone else. But it was dismissed as “This whole place is magical.” And they continued on. Rekka watched the shadows; they seem to be keeping from their sight but still able to watch them. “Watch?” Rekka thought and clearly she saw figures in the shadows. There were so many and they were all different, woman, men, children, and teenagers all of them just starring, watching them.  Rekka grip onto Jessica and tried not to point.

“There are people in the shadows.” She said in a low voice. Jessica looked, but didn’t seem to see it.

“They’re really there, watching us.” Rekka protested loudly. The group stopped and looking at the shadows, slow they began to see it.

  The shadow people seemed to be talking but no sound came out. Rekka was reminded of Sir when Billy used speak with dead spell. She looked at Isaac wondering if he knew what was going on. The shadows began to move closer.

“Hello, what do you want?” Jessica called, but the shadows people didn’t respond.

Isaac seemed to be contemplating, when Jessica seemed to have an idea.

“What about speak with dead spell?” she asked Isaac.

“No, you need a corpse for that spell to work.”

“I really do think that it would work, but if you don’t…” she trailed off and thought. After a moment she began looking for a stick, strange that in a forest a simple stick was lacking in the area.

“What are you looking for?” Rekka asked.

“A stick to write something on the ground.” She replied.

Rekka pulled out her sliver dagger and handed it to Jessica. She took it and began to write on the ground.

“Hello.” She wrote. The shadows covered the writing and receded. “Hello.” Was still written there; Jessica looked at it, and noticed it was different from how she wrote it.

“What do you need?”

“Help. To escape.”

“Who are you?” she wrote

“We have the followers of Erythnul.”

Rekka almost wanted to walk away right then and there. But she remembered that this was Ajara’s homeland. If what she believes was what everyone else believed then that would mean that these people believed that they were under Erythnul’s power because of the mark. Then could it mean that they…

Rekka whispered to Jessica, “Ask them if they know Billy Hill.”

Jessica did so, and the shadows answered, “He was among us, but he was freed.”

“Soultrapped. They are the souls of the soultrapped aren’t they?” she said.

Isaac had a hard time thinking that way, he more believed them to be trapped yes, but maybe another version of the soultrapped and earlier one.  It didn’t matter to Rekka, they were stuck here, and they really believed that they were under Erythnul’s command.

Raaein’s ears perked up and without warning he charged into the forest. The Shadows moved out of his way as he charged through them. Rekka watched him go. “Maybe he’s going to Ajara.”

Isaac in the meantime seemed to come to a decision and he casted a spell. The shadows reacted to it, some ran for it and other stayed but was unhappy with what had happened. He moved his lips slightly, as he concentrated on something. Then he spoke out loud.

  He had Rebuked them, and was now able to talk to them via a telepathic connection.  He basically told them that we couldn’t at this moment be able to free them. But if one of them was willing to stay connected to him as soon as we found a way we would use the connection to tell them. He reassured them that he would not command them to do anything and that they would be free to do as they please. They didn’t even have to come with him. But then Isaac did something strange, he quoted the Soul’s trapped chant. 

After he was finished he acted as if nothing happened. Rekka worried about this. But watched as a shadow stepped forward said a few things to Isaac then hid in Isaac’s shadow. Jessica handed back the sliver dagger, and the sores on her hand began to heal. With that done the group was about to check the map for Ajara when she and Raaein appeared from thin air. Rekka and Jessica were about to make fun of her when they saw the blood on her hands, but the look on her face stopped them. She was soaked in tears; steams of tears stains covered her dirty face.

Feeling a twinge of sympathy Rekka reached into her bag and pulled out her water skin. It was kept full, although she didn’t need it for drinking. Rekka stood sideways to Ajara avoiding looking at her, as she offered the water skin silently.  It was just too familiar to her.  That’s what she must have looked like when she was…Rekka didn’t want to go there.

“Use this to clean…I have cloth...if you need it.” She said, choosing her words carefully. Ajara accepted it wordlessly. No one else said anything while she washed her face and hands. 

Then to change the subject, Isaac began to explain what happened to the group just then. The name of the shadow came up and Ajara shocked, wide eyed, and repeated the name. The shadow reclaimed its form and Ajara blurted out “Father!”

Time to think, Rekka's thoughts

With the flying Brick, I mean Fortress, I've been allowed more time to think. It's strange just a few short months ago I was traveling along with a band of thieves, murders and etc. You know a normal traveling band of misfits. And now, here I am and nothing really changed that much. Sure the only real thief is me, but they got the whole murdering thing down.
I wonder what a bard would say about this group. A divine mission, a corrupt prince and his loyal duke, a warring nation, Deities, and devils, it almost has all the trademarks of an epic story. The only thing stopping it is what lies ahead. Or is it, what lies behind?
My thoughts kept wondering back to the dragons and their attack on the werewolf duke Lupik. Would Lupik be expecting this? Would the dragons win? I could see, will imagine, a city being attacked by dragons. Then it hit me again. Though we are not there, we have sent another devastating destruction upon a City. Sure Lupik and his follows needed to be stopped, but what of the people? Every city has them, those Innocent, hardworking people. You know, the Suckers and Targets.  And before anyone jumps to anything, I have standards; I don’t take from the poor, just the grandstander rich. Back to the point: which was what now?
Ah yes, Devastating destruction. It’s seems to follow us everywhere. I am starting to think that there is some Deity out there making sure things go that way. It was something that the Blacksmith said, that those crystal eyes I had before allowed some evil deity watch the group through my eyes. The only trouble is that he didn’t tell me which deity it could be. In Sardic there were tons of temples dedicated to different Deities; good and evil.
Gideon, that cleric, has a (a good?) Deity that seems to be doing his own thing. Destroying evil Temples, (Well having us destroy it, along with part of the town), along with others things that I haven’t been given the full story on but that’s normal. He seems to have a mission as well, though he seems just as much in the dark about his as I am in mine.
Those Deities are eccentric beings, here I’m charged with keeping them safe, and they won’t give me a good hint as to what I’m really supposed to be doing.  Oh sure, I know what I should do, still alive and finish the quest. But what is the real quest? I can’t help feel that there is more going on here. Like with Ajara, She claims to be from a place, which seems to have never been settled by humanoids. If it did it must have been thousands of years before now. Whatever happened, it is now a hot bed of magical creatures that are so magical and old that they don’t even come up as magic anymore.
I really doubt I’ll find any answers here in the magical land. But it will help Ajara come to better terms that her past. Not that it really matters to me, I just rather not been at Lupiks. Whoever is pulling strings around us, wanted the group to go to Lupiks and into the underground catacombs. It’s not that I don’t trust these people, but I rather not walk into a trap if I can help it. Well not again anyway.  And their plans seem lacking, as if they think things would just work out because…well I don’t know why. It hasn’t really been that way with our group.
Issac wants someone to take over for him, and since I’ve been watching him fly and know what each button does, I’ll do it.