The River: Part 2 - 18/05/2022 - A Kavel Perspective

Round 1: Engagement

They’re bigger than they were. This was the thought that entered my head as they moved towards us.

From the far off ledge on their own, Zah’Ranin flew straight to our platform, and swiped their claws at Marto, and took a bite at Sorrel. But, my comrades saw Zah’Ranin heading straight for us and escaped his strikes.

“This is the one with the manacles?” Rahmiël had exited the gazebo and stood close to the Azela on their side of the divide. “She’s adorable. I’m gonna burn her alive,” she said directed at Sorrel, and then gestured magically and the gazebo transforming it into a large, fiery monster around ten feet tall that began walking towards us, straight into and through the lava-like river.

From our far left, a familiar voice addressed Marto, “make me an offer, lover!” Adyhël then strolled towards our platform from his distant position and then vanished, reappearing closer to the river, still on his side of it.

“I’ve got this one,” Silvia gestured towards Zah’Ranin, who salivated with the urge to bite us. Silvia stepped in front of Marto and Sorrel, and with an outstretched hand that magically took on a darker quality touched Zah’Ranin’s exposed forearm and cursed them with a vampiric-like touch. The demon screamed in pain. At the same time, Silvia’s summoned Shadow spawn friend popped out of existence.

Velania added to my comrades already bolstered magical protection and casted Bless on them, as Khaos said something to Marto and Zola before disappearing.

“Get him.” Marto said to Sorrel, before he flew and used the Misty Step spell to cross the Azela and strike at Adyhël with his axe. In response, Adyhël teleported away, evading Marto’s second swing, and reappeared at the spot on the platform Marto flew from to meet Adyhël head on.

Adyhël was so close to me. I really wanted to see if he would enjoy my punches as much as he did my poleaxe, but Sorrel wanted to do ‘Hammer and Ghost’. “Zah’Ranin or Adyhël?” I asked. “Big fire one coming to us,” Sorrel replied. I was not expecting option ‘c’, and the Gazeb-rog wasn’t here yet, so I decided to introduce Zah’Ranin to Stonehand Fighting Techniques, and launched a one-two, jab-cross at their head, but I was too obvious and they read my movement and stepped back avoiding both hits.

Zola, mounted Corr’Vandor and teleported over to Ophanim on the other side of the Azela. She dismounted the large stag, and the two sword fighters engaged.

The ‘ghost’ to my ‘hammer’ disappeared leaving Silvia, Velania and I on the platform with the Gazeb-rog, Zah-Ranim and now Adyhël. Sorrel was on her way to Rholar on the far side of the Azela. I looked over at Rholor on his platform, he looked like he was asleep, and fortunately An’Ahkrim nearby wasn’t doing anything.


Round 2: Stonehand Fighting Techniques Overdue Debut

I could see Zola shake off an attack to her mind, while Marto and an invisible Sorrel screamed. These three had more tattoos on them, and one of the fiends was able to hit them with unseen artillery. Our enemies had a home team advantage, we were all split up, and they had secret weapons.

Zah’Ranin slashed me with their large claws, moving me out the way to bite Silvia. They cut my tough skin, but a fast moving Silvia avoided the bite, and the fiery swipe from the Gazeb-rog. Silvia was doing very well for someone exhausted from the trek. I on the other hand ate a palm of fire from the Gazeb-rog. The impact was percussive, and additionally burning, as my vest caught fire. Years of conditioning and a battlerage helped me shrug off the bludgeoning and burning pain.

Silvia was surrounded by the enemy. I was relieved to see her teleport out of the predicament and reappear to my side. She tried to grab Zah-Ranim again, but this time it was they who evaded her. Silvia dealt them a lot of pain with her cursed hand magic, they made the right choice avoiding a second hit.

Velania unleashed her angelic wings and took to the sky, and away from the enemies on the platform, and casted a protection spell on Silvia. Wise and good. I for my part had eaten a few too many blows without returning the favour. It was time to remedy this! I really wanted to strike Adyhël and Zah’Ranin, but Sorrel said the big one, and in addition being hit by its palm helped me gauge the distance better. Three-two-three, hook-cross-hook - I smashed three stonehand punches into the fiery creature, and re-energised myself with the impact of the third blow. Landing strikes on the Gazeb-rog meant making painful contact with its flaming body, but it was a necessary trade-off.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Azela, at the furthest point, Sorrel had arrived at Rholor’s prone body atop a ceremonial platform, adjoined by a smaller platform with an orb on it. Rahmiël was furious at An’Ahkrim for some reason, who was nearer to Sorrel than she was. Rahmiël moved towards Sorrel and attempted to stab her, but Sorrel was too fast and evaded. Sorrel stepped back to make space and loosed three arrows at Rahmiël, one of the arrows went deep, “step back bitch!” I could hear Sorrel shout. An’Ahkrim had decided to finally do something, and attempted to kick Sorrel off of the platform where Rholor lay, but missed my fast-reacting sister.

Towards the middle of the Azela, Zola and Ophinim were duelling. Ophinim seemed to be enjoying the duel as a participant and spectator at the same time, ecstatic with how things were going, which was bizarre given that comrade Zola was besting him. She read his attacks easily and countered with ease, and with mighty radiant smiting magic empowering every slash of her blades.

Marto had re-engaged with Adyhël, re-joining us on the ledge. But, Adyhël was being tricksy, he teleported away again, firstly right behind Silvia, slicing her back with his claws, and then another teleportation back to the other side of the Azela, by the nearer of the two bridges. Marto flew to give chase, caught up with him and fiercely slashed at Adyhël, inflicting a big and painful wound. Again though, before Marto could land a second strike, Adyhël disappeared, and reappeared, once again, back near me and Silvia - almost like he never left. I really wanted to punch Adyhël, but I had a list of priority targets, and he was at the end of the list.


Round 3 : Away Team Fallback

My marked comrades all screamed out in pain. Whatever psychic damage they were taking was more immense than the last attack.

Zah’Rahmin, the flesh-eater, was very keen to get a bite of either me or Silvia. They slashed Silvia with their claws, the pain made her lose concentration on her vampire hand magic. Eager to bite me, Zah’Rahmin got a mouthful of my hard-hat. As I pushed the flesh-eater away, the Gazeeb-Rog reached for my pushing arm with his palm of fire adding additional flames to my body.

My lit up body caused a distraction that Adyhël jumped on, clawing Marto twice and penetrating through the gaps in his plate, wounding him deeply. Marto managed to teleport away and then hovered over the Azela, ten feet up. Adyhël undeterred by Velania’s Sanctuary spell protecting Silvia, then swiped at her. Silvia, too exhausted by this point to evade, had her torso pierced by demon claws. She clutched her abdominal region and fell to the ground.

My vest, which was on fire, would occasionally singe my arms and neck. I could take the pain far better than most. But, as I looked at Silvia dying, I felt no pain, as time froze. A beam of divine light hit Silvia’s prone body coming from above me. Velania was casting her healing magic. Velania then flew towards Sorrel and Rholor. Sorrel, I could see from the corner of my eye, had just been blasted by force magic from Rahmiël, while she continued to scream something in Infernal at An’Ahkrim.

Where was Khaos in all this?

Marto, hovering over the Azela, turned around and flew to aid Sorrel, too, projecting several magical darts at An’Ahkrim, but the Silent one waved a hand and Marto’s magical darts vanished.

A prone, barely alive Silvia lay on the ground in front of me, and we were encircled by Zah’Ranin, Adyhël and the Gazeb-Rog. I was pleased to see Velania and Marto focus on the main mission; save Rholor, but now here I was outnumbered with a comrade close to downed.

“Quit your solo combat!” I yelled for my comrades to hear. Our spreading out around the battlefield had not gone our way. Marto seemed to have got the message before I said it. For Zola, it was yet to be determined whether it was too late or not soon enough. If she ended ‘the Vain’ quick enough, we would regain the numbers advantage.

Surrounded without support, I had to make a strategic decision to forego striking with Dwarven MMA. I dipped down, reached for Silvia and scooped her up. Zah’Rahmin and the fire monster took advantage of my exposed back. I felt claws cut into my shoulders and fire started to burn my trousers. But, I managed to run with Silvia in my arms and reach the closer of the two bridges across the Azela.

I put Silvia down. She was too weak to move quickly, but she could stand and move well enough. From where we were, we had a good view of the sword duel.

“Finish it!” Ophanim said. Zola’s mastery of swords and divine magic was too much for the outclassed ‘Vain’ one. As instructed, Zola plunged one of her blades into Ophinim. Ophanim didn’t even try to dodge the fatal blow, and his body collapsed to the ground. Zola knelt down and cradled her fallen foe. I was really not sure what had been going on with Zola or Marto and these demons. Whatever it was, Marto was finally back on board with the mission objective. Now that Zola had finished Ophinim, I was really hoping my paladin comrade would also get back on track.

Speaking of the mission, Rholor, who I could see a little more clearly from the bridge, was still unconscious. Sorrel was trying arrows at the orb, but couldn’t stop the connection between it and Rholor. Sorrel tried a magic item from a necklace next that had healing magic inside it. I couldn’t tell if that had a positive effect from where I was. Maybe it did? An’Ahkram was looking between Sorrel, Marto, Rahmiël and Velania who had reached Rahmiël by the Azela near where Rholor lay. An’Ahkram then prepared a spell and held it.


Round 4 : Hypocritical Uppercut

This time, of the three who were marked, only Sorrel appeared affected by the psychic attack. Sorrel screamed in pain, but Marto and Zola were unharmed.

Silvia, back on her feet, but still exhausted, managed to run across the bridge and summon her trident. Despite my speed, I had not put much distance between me and Zah’Ranin, who reminded me of their presence by swiping their claws across the back of my neck and then biting down on the same spot. Painful, but thanks to my superior body, not too penetrating. Now, with Silvia on the other side of the bridge, I was alone with Zah’Ranin… which hypocritically meant I would engage in solo combat, a thing I very recently admonished my comrades about. Fuck it, I thought. I turned around to face Zah’Ranin, pushing their face off of my neck and marking my target. Two-three-four; right straight, left hook, right uppercut. I missed my first punch as Zah Ranin ducked the right cross, but I adjusted for the left hook and made a solid connection, which wobbled them right onto my right uppercut as it crashed under their chin and rocked them backward with the strength of a warhammer. Beautiful. They were looking bloodied now.

I glanced towards the centre of the battlefield to check on the Gazeeb-Rog’s progress crossing the Azela. It would intercept Zola kneeling on the ground, cradling Ophinim’s corpse, and get the jump on her. Would Silvia be able to get there in time to aid Zola?

“Who’s next?!” I heard, as a flash of radiant light beamed out of the corner of my eye, and then I saw Zola land back on the ground with a fallen Gazeb-Rog clutching its throat face down in the ground. Hmmmm. Nevermind Silvia.

“What the fuck are you waiting for?!!” Further up the Azela, Rahmiël had lost her patience with An’Ahkrim and had given up on Infernal and switched to Common. Velania was trying to command An’Ahkrim to do something, but he was just frozen holding his spells. Rahmiël, however, did not hold her spells, shooting both Marto and Sorrel with Eldritch blasts.

Adyhël was now making his way across the Azela as well, to reach the ceremonial platform where everyone was congregating, and finally Khaos had appeared behind An’Ahkrim. Dagger in hand, Khaos stabbed An’Ahkrim breaking his concentration on his spell. Without An’Ahkrim’s spell to worry about, Marto poured a Greater Healing potion into Rholor’s mouth, but he still didn’t awake. Sorrel released another of her stored Cure Wounds spell into Rholor.

An’Ahkrim, troubled as he was, prepared another spell


Round 5 : Strategy vs. Logistics

Sorrel screamed again from the unseen psychic attack, and then she loosed an arrow at Velania - mind control had taken hold. The arrow pierced Velania’s upper arm, causing drops of blood to drip.

I lost focus on Zah’Ranin, and they recovered from my uppercut and were able to slash the side of my face. I blocked the follow up bite with my palm on their forehead. Silvia was back. Standing behind me, she thrust her trident around my waist to stab Zah’Ranin, but they saw her approach and was able to move out of the trident’s path. If Zah’Rahmin could get past me, I was worried Silvia would be done for. I really wanted to smash the demon and toss them into the Azela, but if I could get Silvia to Zola, nearby, Zola could heal Silvia and tag team Zah’Ranin with us. But, I was carrying too much to reach Zola quickly… something had to be abandoned.

It would not be the first magical weapon I let go of. I reached for the magical greataxe, swung it at Zah’Ranin and then let the greataxe go, and let it fall into the Azela. I turned around, scooped up Silvia again, and sprinted to Zola.

Meanwhile, Adyhël, having crossed the Azela, had restarted the duel with Marto, slashing down at him standing on the platform by Rholor’s sleeping body. Marto reacted swiftly, projecting a magical shield to enhance his defences and block Adyhël’s onslaught of claws. The magical shield vanished, and a battleaxe swung at Adyhël slicing across his chest with thunder and radiant magic behind it. Adyhël screamed in agony, disbelief and anger all at once. His chest wound was painful, but it was as if his pride hurt him more.

As I reached Zola, she extended her hand to Silvia and healed her with her paladin magic.

“Traitor!” I could hear from the platform. Rahmiël had well and truly had enough of An’Ahkrim’s delaying, so she stabbed him.

“It’s never too late,” I heard Velania say to An’Ahkrim, as she touched Rholor and casted a very strong Cure Wounds, and then time stopped.

The red sky above ripped open, as a giant figure with wings descended on to the platform next to Rholor whose eyes flickered open. Velania's last healing spell had awoken Rholor, and he, through Divine Intervention, had brought the Jackal to us.

The Jackal reached out to An’Ahkrim, “this is how we do it. How we break the cycle. One of us from each side. I’ve done this before - it fucked me. Don’t let it fuck me again.”

Rholor stopped breathing. His eyes shut, and the beam of light connecting him to the orb was also gone, whilst the orb looked full. Whatever magic was going on there had ceased. The psychic spell on Sorrel, however, was still actively controlling my sister. She loosed a couple of arrows at Zola and I. Missing Zola, but piercing my shoulder a little. I flicked the arrow out of my shoulder, turned to my sister’s exhausted girlfriend, and told her, “someone needs a slap!”

Who could slap Sorrel quickly? Marto was duelling Adyhël, but Velania was near Sorrel too. But, it was An’Arkrim who acted, and he waved one hand in Sorrel’s direction, freeing her of the magical mind control, as he extended his other hand towards the Jackal’s outstretched hand and took it in his own.


Round 6 : With the Assist

Rahmiël was not pleased at all. She tried to stab An’Ahkrim again, as he shook the Jackal’s hand, but she failed.

Zah’Ranin was also not pleased and had caught up to me, Silvia and Zola. The demon slashed its long claws at Zola, penetrating through her mail. Silvia, a little rested, thrust her trident into Zah’Ranin piercing their side and a burst of green energy jumped out of the trident smacking the demon in the mouth where those disagreeable, biting teeth were. I stepped round to the demon’s side where Silvia’s trident’s tip still remained embedded and delivered a left hook to the demon’s side, freeing the trident. I followed through with a right cross pushing his body towards Zola, who with a thrust of her sword pierced Zah’Ranin’s liver with enough force for the tip of the blade to emerge through their back. With an application of strength and technique, Zola ripped the blade through the side of Zah’Ranin’s body causing a very large exit wound. Not fully satisfied, Zola then slit their throat and whispered in their ear, “Now we’re even!” Zah’Ranin collapsed to the ground, dead.

I wasn’t sure what Zola was ‘even’ about, but I was happy with providing the assist. Zah’Ranin was being such an annoying bitey demon. Also, I noted that comrade Zola was three for three. Bravo comrade.

The demon’s body rolled into the Azela, and Zola mounted Corr’Vandor, offering a lift to Silvia. They galloped towards the ceremonial platform where everyone was now. I ran to follow, and to assist Marto. I provided an ‘assist’ with the Gazeb-Rog and Zah’Ranin. Could I now go three for three?

Ahead of me, Adyhël was furious. He could no longer land a single strike on Marto. As Adyhël tried to pull Marto’s shield out of the way, Marto brought his battleaxe up across Adyhël’s abdomen and then back down across his chest. Both slashes deep. Both slashs followed through with thunder and radiant force. Marto had finished what was started back in the Angelbark many months ago, and had permanently killed Adyhël. I’m not sure what it says of Adyhël, but as he died, the look of fury and disgust never left his face.

Only Rahmiël left, who we could consider the opposition now. I was close enough at this point to hear Velania speak to An’Ahkrim, “I told you everyone can change,” just before she flew over to Sorrel and casted Cure Wounds on her.

Sorrel dived for the orb, evading Rahmiël’s blade, and picking up the orb. An’Ahkrim launched a spell at Rahmiël wounding her immensely and forcing her off of the platform.


Round 7 : Plus One

All on her own, Rahmiël was not deterred from completing whatever it was the heralds wanted to achieve. Sorrel had the orb, so she launched three Eldritch Blasts at her, hitting twice, but Sorrel just took the blasts full on, and refused to drop the orb. It wasn’t clear to me at the time, but I got the sense that with that orb, Sorrel was protecting the client.

Corr’Vandor had swiftly brought Zola and Silvia ahead of me to Rholor’s platform. Silvia dismounted and attempted a trident thrust at Rahmiël, revenge for her earlier comment, but dismounting Corr’Vandor had upset Silvia’s balance, and the remaining demon avoided being speared. Velania followed up with a ringing blast of a spell at Rahmiël, but Rahmiël managed to avoid the necrotic damage. Rahmiël was proving to be elusive in her desperation. But, it was only a matter of time before she would fall to one of us, and Marto had her marked with a hunter’s precision. Marto moved to Rahmiël’s blindside as she shook off the force of Velania’s Toll the Dead spell, and from the unseen spot sliced the blade of his battleaxe into Rahmiël’s neck. Blood poured from her wound, Rahmiël rolled to the ground and into the Azela, dead.

At this point my running to the ceremonial platform turned into a jog, as I realised all immediate danger had passed.

I did get one last hit in, as I bopped Sorrel on the head, “you owe me a steak.” Sorrel agreed, but as we began to chat the Jackal was insistent we shut up and get moving. I offered to carry Rholor’s corpse, but the Jackal also insisted he could just make a new one.

We gathered on the platform, Zola magically dismissed Corr’Vandor, and the Jackal re-casted the magic that broke the stone at Portal Plaza a few hours ago, and ripped the sky only a few seconds ago. A swirling, silvery mist surrounded and enveloped us, and carried us to the sky as fast as lighting. Our bubble of silver got brighter and brighter. We all closed our eyes to cope with the brightness, and we were no longer in Phlegethos, when we reopened our eyes, but nor were we yet back at Portal Plaza.


Divine Visions

I found myself alone. The others were not there, but I was not worried. I was in a forest. I recognised it as the Feythorn. I walked the ground and with every step, I grew taller. Taller than the trees. I remembered thinking how strong and mighty I must be, as I towered over the giant trees. Beside me, I became aware of some other figures that I walked with me, and these figures, they were as tall as mountains. Their faces were mostly obscured by the clouds, but I recognised them as Goliaths, and my ancestors too. I walked proudly in their company. I’ve never doubted that I lived up to the term ‘half-giant’. But among these colossal Goliaths, who radiated pride back at me, I felt bigger and stronger than I’ve ever felt. I was walking with my ancestors, and walking alongside titans.


Portal Plaza - Dawnlands Have Been Busy

The air was pleasantly cool, unlike that intensely humid bullshit back in Phlegethos. It was a relief, and wonderful to be back. I was smoking, which is to say my body was smouldering from all the fire damage from hitting and being hit by the Gazeb-Rog, as opposed to smoking a pipe. Despite my horrific, and unusual appearance, there was no alarm registered on the faces of civilians walking in the plaza. In fact, it looked like they were preoccupied. Windows were being boarded up, and people in charge were giving commands and taking stock.

The Jackal and Khaos seemed to say farewell to each other as Khaos disappeared in the distance. Velania came to the realisation that the Jackal was a fallen Angel, by the name of Je’Sathriel. I guess this meant Angels were all pretty tough.

A Halfling lady came to ask us, not if we succeeded in our mission, but rather to confirm that we failed. Marto clarified for her, Lady Zarier, that Rholor’s soul was in the orb Sorrel had in her hands - which the Jackal had just plucked from her.

“Yeah, he’s in here,” the Jackal confirmed, “I’ll bring him back. Well, it’s up to him really. I’ll make him a new body. I’ll be back.” The Jackal stepped away from us to better spread his wings for flight, and turned back towards Lady Zarier, “the mission was a hell of a lot more successful than it could have been without this lot,” and then took off to the sky and flew away with the Rholor orb.

Lady Zarier sighed, and agreed that surviving the fourth level of Hell was something. She pulled out two heavy coin purses and looked at who to hand them to. With the Jackal’s departure, my comrades’ posture had relaxed past attentiveness and had become vacant. Lady Zarier decided to hand the gold over to me, the one who was ‘smoking’. There was 200gp for each of us among the coin purses.

Lady Zarier explained that we had been gone for ten days rather than a few hours - planar nonsense. And in addition, they were expecting an attack from the Githyanki controlled, flying city of Gadenthor in a few weeks time.

Silvia was first to leave. She just took off. Velania, soon rushed off, but did take the time to say a goodbye to me and Sorrel, but gave Marto and Zola some space. She rushed off to see Lady Aurelia, but more importantly Coll.

Marto and Zola were sharing an embrace before they left. And then there was just me and Sorrel, standing in the middle of a busy plaza.

I was a few days late for my carpentry lesson, but in the grand scheme of things this wasn’t so bad.

I decided to give Sorrel a few more minutes on her own, before I would say something to her. So I was alone with my own thoughts, and it dawned on me…

“Wait a minute… does Corr’Vandor count as a familiar? Could he have done some scouting for us back in Phlegethos? Or is he not a familiar? Comrade Zola can make him magically appear and disappear though, so Corr’Vandor must be a familiar. Maybe there are two types of familiars; scout familiars and transport familiars?”

Two types of familiar. Yes. I was quite pleased with my conclusion.