Season 4, EP 2: Hell's Siege
The festival’s last echoes faded, leaving a fragile hope hanging in the air. Then, as dawn broke, the sky above Runeshire began to turn a sickly, ominous crimson. The Blood Moon had finally risen, painting the heavens in a terrifying herald of war.
A thick, unnatural mist oozed through the streets of each and every one of Runeshire’s ten districts. From the very sky, dark, swirling portals ripped open, spewing forth horrors: grotesque orcs and grim duergar, riding atop snarling, winged beasts, descended upon the city. From the distant mountains, the remaining Mardu Clan orcs, likely bolstered and corrupted by infernal influence, poured into Runeshire, pillaging and burning buildings to the ground. Soldiers, already on edge, scrambled at every corner, desperately trying to defend their posts and aid the terrified cityfolk.
The war for Runeshire had begun, and the adventurers, wielding the Blood Moon weapons, now united with the city's defenders, plunged into the heart of the chaos. Their strategy was clear: move swiftly from district to district, slaying any enemy they encountered and rescuing any civilians caught in the crossfire. Each district seemed to have an Orc boss of sorts, overseeing the destruction and coordinating their forces. The party, recognizing the importance of disrupting the enemy’s chain of command, systematically cut down as many of these leaders as possible, throwing the invading horde into disarray.
As Goen patched up a wound, he looked toward the group, "I'm going to scout, seek out the next district to attack!"
Crystal yelled back, "Wait! We need to stick together!" But Goen was gone, nothing but a shadow passing the rooftops.
The initial wave of the invasion was devastating. The beautiful Rose, Ivory, Enclave, and Gateway districts were utterly overwhelmed, becoming a lost cause as fires raged and demonic cries echoed through their ravaged streets. Yet, the party’s swift and decisive actions, combined with the desperate resistance of Runeshire’s remaining forces, managed to stem the tide in other areas.
Sam cried out to Thane, "Can't you polymorph into something big? You know, crush them?"
Thane looked inquisitively, "Hmm, let me think of something..."
The group moved with relentless determination, visiting other districts and preventing further slaughter. At one critical juncture, they were able to help the Order of the Gauntlet fend off a particularly ferocious assault, their combined might turning the tide. This vital intervention allowed Marcheon Brianna Windshadow to join the larger fight against the encroaching orcish and duergar forces, a seasoned warrior bolstering the defense.
Wong yelled out, "We need to secure the Temple District! Free the clerics to help the citizens!" Even the hallowed grounds of the Temple District were not spared. Here, a terrifying Beholder, a multi-eyed monstrosity, had taken command, twisting the sacred space into a lair of arcane terror. The party faced the abhorrent creature in a harrowing battle, its eye stalks unleashing devastating rays.
Meanwhile, Arcanist Javero Carthilion, the head librarian, had his hands tied; his primary duty was to prevent any enemies from breaching the mage school, as it housed far too many invaluable resources and ancient knowledge to fall into enemy hands. His efforts were crucial in protecting the intellectual heart of Runeshire, even as the city burned around him.
Crystal cried out, "There's a huge circling cloud above the manor!" Finally, the party made their way up the hill toward the Runeshire Manor, the last bastion of hope. The sight that greeted them was horrifying: the Manor, too, was under siege, but by a different, even more sinister breed of attacker. Devilish creatures: imps, hell hounds, and seductive succubi were setting the grand edifice to flames, their otherworldly forms dancing in the infernal glow. The adventurers realized that this was no mere extension of the orcish invasion; this was a targeted assault by a different, darker force.
"We meet again, Sam."
Ramiel, the prince of darkness, a towering figure of malevolent power, his presence radiating an aura of absolute dominion. It became terrifyingly clear that Ramiel had struck a deal with Legion, and attacking Runeshire, specifically targeting the royal family within the Manor, was his end of the bargain. The confrontation with Ramiel was the climax of the entire war, a battle that transcended the physical realm.
"Let's change the scenery."
In a terrifying display of infernal might, Ramiel planeshifted the entire Manor, along with significant parts of the surrounding Castle District, and even sections of Runeshire itself, were dragged downward, wrenching from Regalia and plummeting into a hellish landscape. They found themselves battling on warped, burning ground, under a sky of swirling, demonic energies, trapped in a nightmarish vision of the Nine Hells. It was as if a prisoner was chained for eternity, except the prisoner was now a city, bound by Ramiel’s dark magic. The party quickly realized that the very essence of Ramiel’s power was what tethered Runeshire to this infernal plane.
A thick, unnatural mist oozed through the streets of each and every one of Runeshire’s ten districts. From the very sky, dark, swirling portals ripped open, spewing forth horrors: grotesque orcs and grim duergar, riding atop snarling, winged beasts, descended upon the city. From the distant mountains, the remaining Mardu Clan orcs, likely bolstered and corrupted by infernal influence, poured into Runeshire, pillaging and burning buildings to the ground. Soldiers, already on edge, scrambled at every corner, desperately trying to defend their posts and aid the terrified cityfolk.
The war for Runeshire had begun, and the adventurers, wielding the Blood Moon weapons, now united with the city's defenders, plunged into the heart of the chaos. Their strategy was clear: move swiftly from district to district, slaying any enemy they encountered and rescuing any civilians caught in the crossfire. Each district seemed to have an Orc boss of sorts, overseeing the destruction and coordinating their forces. The party, recognizing the importance of disrupting the enemy’s chain of command, systematically cut down as many of these leaders as possible, throwing the invading horde into disarray.
As Goen patched up a wound, he looked toward the group, "I'm going to scout, seek out the next district to attack!"
Crystal yelled back, "Wait! We need to stick together!" But Goen was gone, nothing but a shadow passing the rooftops.
The initial wave of the invasion was devastating. The beautiful Rose, Ivory, Enclave, and Gateway districts were utterly overwhelmed, becoming a lost cause as fires raged and demonic cries echoed through their ravaged streets. Yet, the party’s swift and decisive actions, combined with the desperate resistance of Runeshire’s remaining forces, managed to stem the tide in other areas.
Sam cried out to Thane, "Can't you polymorph into something big? You know, crush them?"
Thane looked inquisitively, "Hmm, let me think of something..."
The group moved with relentless determination, visiting other districts and preventing further slaughter. At one critical juncture, they were able to help the Order of the Gauntlet fend off a particularly ferocious assault, their combined might turning the tide. This vital intervention allowed Marcheon Brianna Windshadow to join the larger fight against the encroaching orcish and duergar forces, a seasoned warrior bolstering the defense.
Wong yelled out, "We need to secure the Temple District! Free the clerics to help the citizens!" Even the hallowed grounds of the Temple District were not spared. Here, a terrifying Beholder, a multi-eyed monstrosity, had taken command, twisting the sacred space into a lair of arcane terror. The party faced the abhorrent creature in a harrowing battle, its eye stalks unleashing devastating rays.
Meanwhile, Arcanist Javero Carthilion, the head librarian, had his hands tied; his primary duty was to prevent any enemies from breaching the mage school, as it housed far too many invaluable resources and ancient knowledge to fall into enemy hands. His efforts were crucial in protecting the intellectual heart of Runeshire, even as the city burned around him.
Crystal cried out, "There's a huge circling cloud above the manor!" Finally, the party made their way up the hill toward the Runeshire Manor, the last bastion of hope. The sight that greeted them was horrifying: the Manor, too, was under siege, but by a different, even more sinister breed of attacker. Devilish creatures: imps, hell hounds, and seductive succubi were setting the grand edifice to flames, their otherworldly forms dancing in the infernal glow. The adventurers realized that this was no mere extension of the orcish invasion; this was a targeted assault by a different, darker force.
"We meet again, Sam."
Ramiel, the prince of darkness, a towering figure of malevolent power, his presence radiating an aura of absolute dominion. It became terrifyingly clear that Ramiel had struck a deal with Legion, and attacking Runeshire, specifically targeting the royal family within the Manor, was his end of the bargain. The confrontation with Ramiel was the climax of the entire war, a battle that transcended the physical realm.
"Let's change the scenery."
In a terrifying display of infernal might, Ramiel planeshifted the entire Manor, along with significant parts of the surrounding Castle District, and even sections of Runeshire itself, were dragged downward, wrenching from Regalia and plummeting into a hellish landscape. They found themselves battling on warped, burning ground, under a sky of swirling, demonic energies, trapped in a nightmarish vision of the Nine Hells. It was as if a prisoner was chained for eternity, except the prisoner was now a city, bound by Ramiel’s dark magic. The party quickly realized that the very essence of Ramiel’s power was what tethered Runeshire to this infernal plane.