Taking back the temple
The Blight has taken over the Golden Delta in the South Eastern reaches of Elanora, and Rin's spies have reported that they have found the Ancient Seat of power from the Empire long lost to time. It is imperative that access be gained to this area, as Rin needs to find the fourth key, to the Ancient Vault! To this aim, Rin has convinced Breac Sunfist to grant her a Golden Acorn, and is recruiting a powerful team of adventurers and heroes to delve deep into the Blighted Lands of the south eastern shores, plant the acorn, and free these lands from this disaster.
The air was thick with the strange scent of life and decay that permeates the lands afflicted by The Blight as the heroes rode on the enormous fish-whale Guppy towards the Golden Delta.
Standing at the help was of course Rin, scanning the shores ahead and looking for the best place to make landfall. Behind her, the Second Mate of (the definitely not-a-vessel) Guppy stood tall and proud, the Paladin Tungadil was keeping an eye out for danger.
The sound of vomiting suddenly echoed from the rear of the deck, as Garrotte the ship's Bard/Paladin Satyr had again lost some of their lunch overboard. From the lookout's perch at the back, Kaybella the elven ranger rolled their eyes and threw disgusted comments back at the Garotte. Garotte, didn't seem to notice or care.
Nervously standing on the deck were a pair of Artificers, comparing notes and schematics, of course these were the tall figure of Oswald Smith, returning to adventures after a leave of absence managing their tavern on the docks, and a newcomer to the Crew of Guppy, a Kenku named Mixer, who had proven them self worthy (or available) for this dangerous quest.
Finally, there stood a pair of holy figures in the middle of the deck, checking their symbols and chanting final prayers of blessings to their Divide Protectors. These Clerics Doiise the Hill Dwarf, and Guerre, the fallen Aaismar were ready to go into Battle!
Making land, the party was surrounded by familiar but "changed" lands, now corrupted not for evil, but a new form of existence by the rotwood conclave.
as the Satyr called to the party, the beasts of this land attacked the party across the sandy shores! Four dark blobs raced across to them with surprising speed, trying to rip and tear these outsiders apart.
Battle ensued, Firebolts, Charged Gauntlets and their shocking grasps, holy blades and burning arrows flew. As the paladins and Clerics blows landed, they saw a resistance to Radiant Damage! This would be difficult.
As they party raged in battle, Kaybella took initiative to dispatch first on, then a second and finally a third of the 4 creatures. The other heroes unable to believe that after all their attacks, Kaybella was taking credit for these kills. dispatching the final creature, the party raced after the Satyr Garotte, who had disappeared further upriver into the jungle.
Arriving in a fetid Blighted swamp, the only way across was to traverse enourmous lilly pads. Mixer thinking quickly, cast a water walking spell just in case someone slipped...which is exactly what happened! as the party laughed at their good fortune, none noticed the rippling waters until it was too late.
A great dark beast leapt from the swamp, goring Garotte and throwing the lilly pads into flowing fluctuations. if not for the water walking spell, they might all have been lost here to the blight.
The Creature roared, obviously an apex predator, the jungle call and cries for other creatures echoed back in fear.
Clutching the Golden Acorn, the party formed a protective wall around Rin, and they fought to fell the great creature. Fireballs, Slashing swords and dizzying attempts to avoid blight followed as the beast lashed out with fury
As the tide of battle turned, the huge creature vomited acidic blighted slime over almost the whole party, and thrashed to try and tip them all into the waters (although the water walking spell saved them here again)
Finally, after a long concerted series of hits from the party, the beast fell to the shallow waters, and the party could take some short respite. but not for long, the powers of the Blight were drawn to the Acorn, and more beasts would be drawn here soon.
The waves from the battle had exposed the ruins of an ancient temple city, lying preserved under the much and watery weeds for eons! Moving forward, the group gathered some objects from the waters and shores as they rushed forward to the tall grove of ancient trees ahead, where the acorn must be placed!
As they moved into the grove, all were stunned by these huge mangrove behemoths of trees, towering high above them into the misty canopy and out of sight.
There in the center of the grove, the acorn must be placed, but of course, nothing is so easy. Seeping from the tree itself, the corrupted "Lady Jade", one of the leaders of the Rotwood Conclave now stood in the way, threatening the group, and declaring their sins!
"You Guildmasters have nearly destroyed this world, how dare you stop our progress! It was your sins and those who came before you that caused the Calamity of the return of Nathrael (who did nothing wrong) and nearly ended all! you are the virus afflicted on the world, and we are the cure!"
Lady Jade's words seemed to echo across the forests, as she planted her staff, dark vines raced out in all directions, calling for aid from the blighted beasts nearby.
The party began to battle against this dark druidess, Silencing her spells, hacking and slashing her woody form, blasting her with fire and pure righteous anger! it seemed the battle would soon be won!
Mixer cast a spell of invisibility on Rin, and the Golden Acorn was planted, immediately sapping power from this ancient place and growing fast, clearing the blight from the land in a rapidly spreading sphere from the epicenter.
As the heroes moved in for the final confrontation, the waters flooded up from around them! A giant blighted monstrosity, "Vast" clawed it's way to the surface and began to cause mayhem. A heavily armored gigantic crab demon, nestled deep within a giant bone skull , lashing with tentacles and snipping claws at the backlines!
Then, from the forest to the left, a sudden blur of fur teeth and claws leapt upon Kay Bella! snapping its Werewolf Teeth with delight into her neck! It was the werewolf lord Loceth! Kaybella was trapped in its ghastly embrace, and could do nothing but slash feebly with a small knife at its flesh.
and in a cloud of black mist and grave dust, an undead headless centaur, leader of the armies of the blighted undead, reaper of living souls appeared. Staring with red eyes from its pumpkin head, Byron, the Undying had arrived to swing his Scythe at the hearts of all those who stand against the Rotwood Conclave. Immediately slashing violently through Garotte and dealing substantial damage.
and from the skies above, a smell of decay and carrion wafting in it's wake, the demonic bird wizard Zoch, lowered his dark shadow across all, speaking dark words and casting fould yellowing clouds across the heroes, choking them with evil fumes.
Battle raged on ferociously, and Oswald was sent to collect help to save the party and the acorn, disappearing as the last hope of the group into the jungle.
The hard shell of Vast, proved difficult for even the stoutest warriors to crack, Loceth seemed to create fear in those nearby, as he toyed with his prey trapped in his arms, Zoch's magical might caused disruption and chaof below, Byron seemed to draw the heroes souls closer to death with each swipe, and Lady jade summoned dangerous blighted magics from all around them
in a flow of smoke and a touch of the fae, the help arrived in the form of June Woodshimmer joining the battle and providing the much needed support to those engaged with these beasts.
After what seemed like an eternity, the shell of Vast cracked, and the beast was dispatched! Lady Jade fell to the overwhelming power of the heroic guildmasters, Loceth was driven back and slain, Zoch's powerful magic was defeated and Byron was driven back to the lands of the blighted dead once again.
The heroes were wounded, injured, and some even blighted, but they were victorious! The Golden Acorn placed, the future of the South East looked a little brighter, and now that the Golden Delta was growing free of blight once again, Rin told them that she would bring back a party of heroes again soon, to explore the ruined Temples within. Surely in these ancient drowned lands, lay the fourth Rod of Dominion, the Fourth Ancient King's Sceptre. Somewhere deep within here, was the fourth Ancient Key to the vault of hidden powers!
They were almost halfway there!
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