Iron Clad Report

General Summary

The next morning, after meeting their new friend Rex, the party gets up and begins to break down camp. Marianne, still recovering from her injury, is exempt from this activity, and so she sits down by the fire with the fox, She-Who-Chases-The-Bluebirds, and begins to try and train the little animal. It is not entirely unsuccessful - Marianne does convince Bluebirds to learn the command for "sit," but Bluebirds is still very much a fox of her own will. After breaking down camp, the party decides to spend some time scavenging. Marianne and Rishaa decide to stick together and end up finding some meadow giant - which can be used to create a potion of greater healing. Rishaa spends her time looking for various metals to use in her building constructions and finds a large deposit of nickel next to a frozen stream in the woods. As Marianne attempts to extract the meadow giant, Rishaa and her converse about Rishaa's goal that she disclosed last night: to become divine. Rishaa clarifies that she doesn't want to become a god, no. She wants to become a symbol. A symbol of hope, and certainly a much more reliable symbol than the gods. She admits that she used to be a priest to Maal, but that she gave that up and became a vigilante. Those two identities could not coexist, as much as it pained her. Marianne sits back, staring at Rishaa. With a deadly serious tone, Marianne swears to follow Rishaa wherever she would go. Moved by Marianne's oath, Rishaa pulls Marianne into the shadows, ensuring no one was close enough to see. She unwraps her monastic bandages to reveal the burn scars on her arms and hands - that she once tried to expel the divine energy within her but ended up only badly injuring herself. That has not been a problem since she outfitted herself with the prosthetic leg. Rishaa has a theory that the leg works as an arcane focus, allowing her to channel and direct her energy, rather than it exploding in every which way. Marianne vows to keep Rishaa's secret, and the two women quietly make their way back to camp/ Rex has seated himself by the campfire as his retainers work on breaking down camp. He is writing in his journal when Rickee dumps four omelettes in his lap. "I didn't know what you liked," Rickee mumbles, rushing off before Rex can even thank him. Rex takes one of the plates for himself and distributes the rest to his retainers. Then from there, the camp is broken down and the party continues towards Brenbrooke, only a half-day's journey from their campsite. As they walk, the group notices a large wolf-human hybrid in the distance, bounding towards them at impressive speeds. This puts them all on edge, remembering the last time a werewolf had crossed their path. Thankfully, though, there is no danger. It is simply a shifter named Cassidy , a Runner of Darmon who besides being prickly and a bit terse, is not outwardly evil or malicious. The party invites them to walk with the group, and Cassidy agrees, though still complains about the slow pace. As the party nears the city, Marianne asks Cassidy for help finding the nearest tavern, which she begrudgingly leads them to. It turns out to be a place known as Quincy's Tavern , and as payment Marianne gives the shifter the basket of Poppy Thicket's cookies. Rishaa takes the time to wander the city and discover the Iron Hole Blacksmiths, where she commandeers one of the forges to reforge Marianne's axe to include a flint striker and a way to light the weapon on fire for some extra (and terrifying) damage. As the others sit around a table on the upper levels of Quincy's the party's attention turns towards Rickee's contract. He repeats the specifics to them again:

There is a door, in the place you and your companions look to seige. Open it.

To open it, you will need to spill the blood of a celestial upon the threshold. Find it.

To complete this contract, you need a beating heart and a mind to bend to the task. These I give to you, free to keep should you complete the task.

Should you fail, the mind, body and soul I have given you are forfeit, to do with what I will

Rishaa confesses that she may possess the celestial blood that Asmodeus told Rickee he would need to open the door. Marianne, frowning, suggests that maybe if they kill Rickee, then revive him, that the contract would be null and void, but Rishaa points out that that might constitute as failure for the purposes of the contract instead of nullifying it. The monk then suggests that they find another god to be their champion and fight Asmodeus for them, but no one is convinced that that is a good plan, least of all Rishaa - especially with her distaste for higher powers as a whole. Marianne insists that whatever they end up doing, they cannot allow Rickee to open the door. She believes that it will allow Asmodeus to come through onto the mortal plane, and the lives of the whole world are worth more to her than Rickee's sole life. Meanwhile, the new member of the team quietly gets up and walks away, heading to a corner to be by himself. He closes his eyes, and begins to pray to the god of lies. Surprisingly, Asmodeus answers, scrawling in Rex's journal to respond to his questions. The god offers Rex a deal to assist him in his goals, but Rex refuses, instead using the contact to confirm that Rickee's contract was not just the delirious mind of a dying man. Having used the conversation to glean all he can, Rex returns to the group and grimly informs them that Rickee is not just lying, dreaming, or making it up. It is at this point that Rickee decides to go to the nearby House of Darmon for help. Entering into the house, they are met by a wayfarer - an older dwarven woman, who listens to Rickee's tale gravely. At the end of it, she sighs and admits that there may not be much hope. The contract is between a god and a mortal, and it's difficult even for other gods to interfere in such things. Rishaa storms out, followed by the rest of the party. Her worst fears are confirmed. The other gods are no help - now it's time to reach out to her own. With dread and trepidation, she reaches down to her leg and pulls out the amulet of Maal. Holding it close, she begins to pray. Maal answers - though Rishaa's pleas fall on deaf ears. He seems unwilling to help, and when Rishaa demands his help, that he owes her for letting her wife and son die, Maal retreats entirely, leaving Rishaa alone. Rishaa opens her eyes grimly. The Defiants are on their own.