Session 94: As Dawn Breaks, We Weep Report

General Summary

The group is fighting to destroy the undying horror that is Roisin's aunt. As they do they are rushing to finish before the horde of spawn grows to a size they cannot handle.

Several more spawn rushed in to fight, some trying to surround Jeeves and tear the chirurgen limb from limb. Jeeves drank down a vial of fluid, transporting in a shimmer, then ran to the prisoners on the benches to cut the ropes binding them. Energy from the nest of evil flowed into Siobahn, strengthening her. More spawn rushed forward, and Siobahn bit Boris again, with yet another vicious embrace further draining the priest's life energy. Boris called upon a divine favor to frighten Siobahn, who then tried to flee. Boris swung in reaction, but missed as the undying false queen rushed over to the pile of corpses, even as more spawn rushed to the scene. Roisin suddenly emitted a beam of radiance from her navel, striking Siobahn, who screamed and said "Foolish child, suffer for your foolishness!", and caused Roisin to suffer equally. Roisin then moved out of the area of dawn. More spawn rushed in as the nest continued to answer the call of their false queen. Roy recast sickening radiance to block the doorway and damage the horde coming in, then consumed a mystical winter grape. Boris approached closer to Siobahn, called upon divine favor to help empower his actions, threw a couple vials of Holy Water, striking once, and dissolved a bit of unliving flesh. Boris then moved into position to place his radiant gavels around more of the spawn. Siobahn consumed a corpse, and tried to escape the radiant dawn, but could not, even as the entire pile of corpses, which seemed to be not quite dead, burned away to ash. More spawn tried to intervene, but any who got close suffered radiant burns. Jeeves moved closer, threw two vials of holy water, and burned Siobahn, who rushed up to Jeeves. More spawn gathered, rushing forward, heedless of the glowing radiant circles, as Siobahn called to her spawn. Suddenly, from the top of the dome, an armored figure dropped down a rope to the floor, rushed up to Siobahn, and punched her with a glowing gauntleted fist that emitted a crack of thunder, then tried to shove her down with a shield, but she scrambled up onto the shield. Another innocent peasant exploded with blood like a tic which flowed into Siobahn's mouth, healing her wounds. Another spawn ran past Boris, who launched a blast of divine energy that burned it to ash. Siobahn jumped off Bastion's shield, running to her throne, taking attacks with holy water from Jeeves and a thunderous punch from the newcomer. More spawn rushed forward, many taking radiant burns. Roisin stepped closer to Siobahn, and fired another radiant beam at her aunt, which Roisin had again forseen, burning the undying creature again, and suffering equal harm in return. More spawn rushed forward, some were destroyed, including one by fire from Roy as it rushed past. Roy suddenly heard hello from an unexpected companion, as Jonas suddenly arrived. Surprised, Roy was momentarily speechless as Jonas transformed to his Ankylosaurus form, and used a dimensional shove to push a spawn into the sickening radiance. Unfortunately, he wasn't protected from Boris magic, and was burned slightly by the glowing gavels. Roy then conjured a super powered chromatic orb of acid, but missed, then blasted the spawn adjacent, impacting once. Boris moved the radiant dawn over Siobahn again, burning some of the living humanoids on the dais to ash, then launched a guiding bolt, burning Siobahn away leaving only a white mist which wavered and shimmered. Boris moved up, attempted to turn the undead around him, then moved up, causing his gavels to begin burning the newcomer. Siobahn was burned away, erupting in a red column of radiance as a black shadow reached out to Roisin, a rose-colored glow was pulled out, and that shadow was consumed by the shadow. At that moment Roisin felt her soul torn and burned as she died. The same shadow shot tendrils to every spawn, many were suddenly engulfed with green flames that rose out of the ground and burned them to ash. The remaining spawn fled, if they could. Jeeves rushed over to Roisin, and used his temporary healing knowledge, screamed "I. WILL. NOT. LOSE. A. PATIENT!", and used every scrap of knowledge and understanding, as well as a gift of luck, to revive Roisin. Roisin awoke to the pain of Jeeves pulling several needles out of her chest saying "Try to keep up, we killed Siobahn and need to deal with the remaining spawn." Jeeves was suddenly engulfed in a beam of sourceless sunlight which lifted the chirurgen and stood him on his feed as his hands glowed blindingly bright. The armored newcomer rushed out of the area of radiant gavels, punched through the head of a spawn, then launched magical missiles at three others, injuring them all. More spawn ran away, one getting a gauntlet through the chest for its trouble. Roisin ate a goodberry and ordered Boris to attack, but remained still at Jeeves suggestion. Boris launched his hammer at the nearest spawn, punching through its skull and leaving behind a white glow that burned it to ash. Roy moved closer to the circle of green sickly radiance, then conjured yet another Starfall, burning several badly, then launched a bolt of fire which destroyed another. Boris noticed the captives vomiting blood and turning pale as their teeth began to lengthen; some curse afflicting them all. Boris moved his radiant dawn to avoid more harm, then moved into position to ensure his glowing gavels would destroy them all. Boris also used life transference to sacrifice his own life force to heal Roisin and moved toward the fleeing spawn, and conjured another area of the pure light of dawn to burn away more of them. Jeeves leaned down to remove the remaining needles used to restore Roisin, and healed most of her remaining wounds, feeding her another goodberry to finish the job. The unarmored stranger launched a bolt of flame that burned away the last remaining spawn as a moment of quiet fell and Roisin said "I'm not dead yet!" and Jeeves said "Do we want to get out of here quick? Jonas, I need you to shrink down." Jonas shrunk to turtle size and Jeeves summoned a Chariot drawn by Pegasus, including Jonas who settled into Roisin's lap. Jeeves directed Pegasus to leave, and they saw half a hundred spawn fleeing the building, and the Pegasus flew up into the air just as the sun rose above the horizon and burned all of the spawn to ash. Moments later the chariot landed and faded from view.

Paeddyr stepped out from around a corner, and said "Roisin, you didn't wait? Did you destroy them?" "Yes." "All of them?" "All." "That's unfortunate..." "Yes, I know what you're going to do." "You do?" "Yes, you are going to betray us." "Yeah, sorry. Get 'em boys."

Surprised by the suddenness and violence of the attack, most of the party were caught unprepared. Paeddyr rushed up to Roisin, and made three massive swings, battering the small princess, despite the magic protecting her, saying "Sorry, hun, gotta betray you, it's the only way.". The bandits fired five bolts at Jeeves, striking twice thanks to a sudden temporal shift from Roy protecting him slightly. The stranger, Bastion, stepped up to Paeddyr and attacked twice, impacting twice thanks to the recklessness of Paeddyr's attack. The bandits fired five more bolts at Jeeves, impacting another two times. Paeddyr attacked Roisin three more times, impacting twice, knocking her down, then punched her in the throat. Roisin just barely managed to remain conscious. Jeeves conjured his rapier, pouring something on it in the process, and struck at Paeddyr, impacting twice, both stabbing and weakening him, thanks to the poison applied to his blade. Another bandit shot Jeeves, as Bastion punched Paeddyr again, impacting twice more and trying, unsuccessfully, to shove the man down. Boris tried to magically protect Roisin, moved into a better position, then struck Paeddyr with his hammer. Roy moved into better position, and launched a Phase Bolt against the Bandits, oblitterating them, and also caused the tower behind them to fall away from Roy into the street beyond as the back wall was blown out. Jonas, at Roy's command, used a misty step to get in position to breath fire on the three remaining bandits, burning all but one to death. Roisin ordered Boris to attack, so Boris launched his hammer at Paeddyr again. Paeddyr looked at Roisin as the hammer crushed his ribs, "I guess I won't be seeing you..." and began bleeding out. Jeeves stabbed Paeddyr through the eye and cut the throat on the backswing, then turned to the remaining bandit to say "Surrender!". The bandit attacked anyway, missing, but yelling "If you have to die, then you die!". Bastion shrugged, punched the man in the chest, crushing his chest, as the man fell to the ground and died. Paeddyr's corpse transformed into a field of blue-purple energy that flashed off into the sky with a wailing scream.

The party turned back and searched through the crypts, but found nothing there. Boris started blessing bodies, but Jeeves followed behind burning the bodies, saying "It's better and more certain this way". Jeeves also burned the resting caskets Rian and Siobahn had used. Everyone retired back to the abandoned fisherman's shack, inviting this new stranger to come with them to talk. On the walk, Jeeves asked the new stranger "So, have you always been mechanical?" "How??? What? Mechanical?" "Yes, your armor isn't on you, it's part of you." "It's hard to take the armor from me if it's attached." "But I can see mechanisms inside." Boris asked "Are you a construct?" The newcomer replied "Are we in private?" Jeeves looked abashed "I'm sorry, was that inappropriate? I'm sorry. I think I can heal you, but I need to investigate carefully. I was just... I'll wait until we're private." "I'm not people." "I think you are, at least I see some fleshy bits." Jeeves fell silent. As they reached the fisherman's shack, Jeeves tossed a bit of paper in the air, which replicated and became a paper dome within the building. After some persuasion, everyone stepped inside, getting a little cozy in the small space. Roisin asked the newcomer, "So... Who are you and what are you doing here?".