30 - 5/16/22 : A Farewell to Kings

In-game Date: 30th of Freyrmond - 1st of Eostre, 3521     With the stage set, the deadly contest against Ar'ginoth the Chained One began. The Red Spirits charged into the fray and brought their full powers to bear; Eula attacked with her unnatural swiftness, Yilani fought with serpentine fury in her constrictor form, Brooke turned his glamorous magic to creative and deadly ends, Reilly unleashed the full power of her inventiveness, and Renaer weaved spell and sword in equal, deadly measure.   Ar'ginoth, towering over 30 feet before considering his flaming wings, fought ferociously with a blade of flames and a blazing whip. His fiery essence manifested in massive explosions of fiery energy. and his destructive powers even destroyed a small portion of Ambermantle's gold as he rampaged about. As a being of raw flame, Ar'ginoth was slowed and hindered by the combined efforts of Brooke and Renaer utilizing water and ice magic to subdue his raging inner inferno. Spotting an opening, Eula charged up the length of Yilani's snake form to deliver a killing below from the air, beheading the demon with a powerful cut.   However, the fight would not conclude there, as the demon's remains coalesced into an inky orb of blackness. From within burst the form of a burning aboleth, wrought of destructive necrotic and psychic energies; a shade of the aboleth Golorr, whose influence had been permanently etched onto Ar'ginoth after the demon's imprisonment via the Stone of Golorr. Ar'ginoth, in the shape of the Shade of Golorr, ascended to the sky and began to assault the party with deadly psychic force.   However, the Red Spirits quickly deduced that the demon's unstable form was vulnerable to force damage; a type of magic they were well-equipped to inflict. Róisín's small bullets of force became as a cannon, striking the abolethic demon with such force that forced it to descend from the air into the range of Renaer and Eula. With the Mace of Disruption, which was still damaged from the destruction of the Cassalanter shrine to Asmodeus, Renaer struck the beast into submission. With one last heave, the Shade of Golorr fled into the air above, but quickly crashed and threw a cloud of dust and stone into the air.   Emerging from the rubble was a towering humanoid figure, a kingly man standing over twelve feet tall and draped in finery befitting royalty; and yet he was composed of flame, darkness, and blood alike. Ar'ginoth had taken the form of his jailer, Dagult Ambermantle, and spoke with his voice, proclaiming himself to be the "Lord of the Twin Crowns" as wisps of shadow formed into the shape of a double-tiered crown on his head. "Very well. If I must prove my worthiness to rule to you mongrels, then so be it!"   Ar'ginoth's most ferocious form yet engaged the party, striking at them with powerful magic and a deadly burning blade known as Regula Incendi. Reilly in particular was pushed to her limits, suffering several blows from the powerful sword that both burned with searing flame and drained with hungering necrotic energies.   "Bow down before the High King of Akados!"   "Bend the knee, like all those before you!"   "You will die braver than most!"   Yilani dropped her constrictor form and fell back on her spellcasting ability, trying to overwhelm the Lord of the Twin Crowns with an onslaught of flying snakes. However, a casting of the Destructive Wave spell sent them reeling into nothingness.   "You have no place on any throne!"   "There is no place for you in my new world!"   "Tell me what you cherish most. Give me the pleasure of taking it away!"   As Renaer, Eula, and Reilly struggled to keep up the front line in the face of the Lord's staggering power, Yilani again tried to summon a wreath of snakes; the Lord responded this time with a Wall of Fire, harming himself slightly in the process to destroy the flying snakes and bring further harm upon those challenging him up close. Brooke's encouragement and bardic magic continued to bolster them as both sides of the conflict drew upon their last wells of strength.   "Did you think I was not prepared for scars?"   "The Overking will be but a distant memory!"   "I will die before I hand this city over to Bard's Gate!"   Then, at last; a break of light in the darkness as Reilly landed a series of thundering punches with her armor. The Lord of Twin Crowns reeled and fell back, becoming a torrent of flame that re-formed in Ar'ginoth's original form. Stunned and drained, the demon was open to attack.   The party leapt to action with this opportunity presented to them. Yilani ensnared the beast with the Entangle spell to provide support to her allies, Eula strode forth and cut the beast in key locations, loosening its metallic shackles, Brooke wielded a torrent of water to keep the flames sustaining it at bay, and Reilly used her gauntlets to shatter the armored torso of the demon before her. With a final cry of victory, Renaer charged forth, katana in hand, and plunged it into the balor before him, dooming Ar'ginoth to a hundred years of imprisonment in the Abyss as he finally dissipated. All that was left behind was the gold, a massive key, and the true Fang of Aurinax.   With all of their number alive following the deadly battle, the Red Spirits took a moment to recover before getting to work, utilizing a special portable hole provided to them by Zelem Corvo to shovel away the gold. They did, however, use their own Bag of Holding to skim 15,000 gold coins off the top for themselves. After two hours of work, the party now held just over a million gold coins in their possession.   The exit from the vault was unceremonious, as the Red Spirits ascended the steep spiral staircase and returned to a now-locked vault door. Using the key dropped by Ar'ginoth, the vault was re-opened once more, and the keys required to enter the vault were reset to new, similarly obscure ones. Awaiting them in the dying light of the surface was none other than Zelem Corvo, who was visibly injured and battered. Still, the master of the Devil's Hand strode forth confidently and congratulated the Red Spirits on their victory.   As Zelem prepared himself to receive the portable hole gifted to the party, he noticed the Fang of Aurinax in Renaer's possession. He proposed that the party give it to him as well, reasoning that despite his inability to use the Fang, the power to control the destructive Walking Statues of Revelmoore was too much power to be held by any one person, even one benevolent as Solauvaire. Zelem posited that any High Dragon that succeeded him would not be guaranteed to be as noble, and all it would take for calamity to strike was for one archwizard to make a bad decision.   As the party, even including Yilani, seriously considered Zelem's offer, Renaer responded with anger. He was shocked that his friends were thinking of trusting the intent of a thief lord over that of Solauvaire, who Renaer trusted implicitly. He also pointed out that modrons and Clockwork Angels were still assaulting the city, and that the Walking Statues would need to be roused to fight them back.   Zelem countered this by praising Renaer for his skepticism and affirming Renaer's choice to not trust him. Zelem then offered a compromise; allow him to place a casting of Drawmij's Instant Summons on the Fang, which could then be given to Solauvaire to be used in rousing the Walking Statues. The sapphire created by Instant Summons could then be used to retrieve the Fang at any time. Renaer remained skeptical and belligerent, but agreed to at least recuse himself from the discussion and go along with whatever the rest of the party decided on.   The party acquiesced on the condition that the sapphire be entrusted to the Masquerade, so that they could at least pull away the Fang on good intentions. Zelem agreed to these terms, cast the Instant Summons spell, and then took the portable hole before allowing the party on their way. He disappeared into the shadows soon after.   On the surface, the party observed the continuing conflict between the city's defenders as Solauvaire found them and teleported to them. The High Dragon expressed his heartfelt thanks for the party's services to Revelmoore, and requested that they hand over the Fang of Aurinax so that he could put an end to Veszaltyrr's invasion. The Red Spirits handed over the Fang, noting that Solauvaire did not seem to notice the Instant Summons spell, and then watched as the High Dragon got to work.   Solauvaire accepted the Fang of Aurinax gently, reverently, like a young acolyte being handed a sacred relic. As it touched his palm, the formerly alert fang came alive; the gems in its encrusted hilt glowed brightly and hummed in response to its chosen wielder. In the reflection of this golden fang he saw the culmination of the work of every High Dragon before him. The weight of Revelmoore's safety, the crushing burden that was total control over the walking statues.   "I sincerely hope that you understand the gravity of this gift, my friends. Revelmoore was one talented spy away from its greatest secret, its most glaring weakness being known to all. With the fang in hand, it is no longer an idle threat. It is… well, perhaps I should just show you."   Solauvaire turned his gaze to the south, where the Honorable Knight stood silent on the border of the Trade Ward as it had for over a hundred years; a sculpted stone image of a colossal warrior clad in full plate, a shield in hand and a sword hanging in a loose sheath. Solauvaire held the fang in a reverse grip and waved it about as he chanted magical incantations under his breath. There was no expulsion of energy or grand show of magical lights; just a dagger and a plea for help.   Then, the statue woke. Dust and refuse shook loose as the knight creaked to life for the first time in over a century, first moving its neck and then its arms. The knight lifted a massive foot and stepped over the buildings built around it over the decades, carefully but with great intent as it strode into Book Street. The aerial battle overhead reacted to the movement of the statue, with the Griffin Cavalry falling into a defensive perimeter around the statue as it drew its blade and assumed a menacing stance against the backdrop of Halaster's continuing storm of falling flames.   It was not a motion that went unnoticed. All throughout the city, now shook from their festive stupor by Halaster's grand display, citizens stopped to watch the spectacle. Performers stopped mid-routine. Officials halted meetings and stared out of their sculpted windows.   Bepis Flavorburg slammed a cast iron pot into the side of a monodrone, crumpling the creature into a flurry of dust before he stared up at the Honorable Knight. He removed his sunglasses and smiles in awe.   Spite Maleficarius twisted his rapier into an approaching duodrone and cackled madly as the creature dissipated. He saw that he was now alone in the small alleyway on the side of Troll Skull alley, and quickly lit a match. Just as he knelt to place it against a particularly flammable piece of wood, the creaking of the walking statue made him flinch and drop the match, which fell harmlessly into a puddle of rainwater and sizzled out.   Jalester Silvermane swung a longsword to clear out the modrons advancing on the Balladeer's Eclipse where he was attending to his evening glass of wine. Just as he did, a quadrone swooped at him from his blind spot, wielding a spear, but the creature was blasted back by a burst of blue fire. Anitari Starsong shook off her sizzling hand as her father sprung forward and jabbed it with his blade, returning it to Mechanus. The trio took a moment to recuperate before seeing the knight in the distance draw its blade…   Old Xoblob raced frantically back and forth to pour water on the small fires blazing in his shop; they were, of course, far too orange for his establishment. He then heard the creaking of the Honorable Knight and stared out of his window. Without breaking his line of sight, the gnome patted a nearby shelf before finding and grabbing a bucket of purple paint.   With no show to be had that evening given the gravity of the Heist's culmination, Rosie the Riveting had to find her own stage. As modrons swarmed the upper deck of The Ambassador's Delight, she swung her scepter about, launching glittering waves of magical energy that obliterated her enemies and delighted the senses.   And yet, even in the glamorous display, a shadow crept about. Spotting a descending pentadrone advancing on Rosie, Shizukana leapt from her hiding spot and dug her blades into the creature's tough exterior. The entangled pair tumbled off of the side of the ship towards the dark water below, but Shizukana was stopped at the edge by a firm hand gripping her ankle as the modron continued to fall. The ninja steadied herself and looked up to see the wide grin of Chesire, hanging from the edge of the ship himself by a rope steadily gripped by Ophia Molva. The group brought Shizukana back to the deck just in time to watch the statue's awakening.   "Well, shit." Rosie mumbled. "Walking statues in front of a meteor shower? How am I supposed to top that?"   Troll Skull Alley remained raucous as an elderly dragonborn stepped out of his door and unleashed a torrential wave of fire against an array of unlucky monodrones. Rishaal the Page-Turner turned to the southern horizon and adjusted his glasses to make sure he was, in fact, seeing that. He fetched the sketchbook he always carried and quickly began scribbling an image of the unforgettable scene.   Bonziel caught her boomerrang as it returned gracefully to her grasp, panting and gasping for air as the scene around her finally quieted. The night sky above, irritatingly bright to her duergar eyes, blazed with streaks of orange as the Honorable Knight awoke. She grinned softly, knowing that it was all going to be alright. To the sight, she rose her fist in victory, allowing the tears to flow. "Thanks, Genny." Is all she said.   On the outskirts of town near the gate to the city, lightning cracked as Zephyr unleashed another torrent of dragonbreath against a clockwork angel. Yet there is always another one, gliding forward with wings outstretched and sword aloft.   The creature suddenly met resistance however, as a shower of dung and refuse was poured from a balcony above and weighed it down into a puddle of slick liquid. Nat righted the dung-cart and clapped her hands as a signal to Jenks on the ground level, who waved his hands in a somatic motion to light a small fire in his palm. Squiddly dipped a toy arrow in the flame and aimed, firing it squarely into the oil that ignited, sending another monstrosity back to Mechanus.   A nearby screeching of metal stopped both boys in their tracks as they saw a third angel hovering above them. No plan, no trick to fall back on, they grasped each other in fear as the clockwork angel's sword plunged downward in a deadly swing…   CLING! Only for the blade to be stopped by a metallic crash. A tall figure stood before Jenks and Squiddly, a white ponytail accentuating draconic horns and a tail. Yukina looked up at the Clockwork Angel that she held back with a draconic claw and then whistled a signal to the others.   A large slab of stone erupted from the street below and crashed into the Clockwork Angel's chin, sending it reeling. Ozwik waved his hand about and forced more slabs to burst forth, creating a makeshift staircase that Wyncaryn deftly ascended. From her vantage point at the final step, she leapr forward and wrapped her quarterstaff around the angel's neck, forcing to bend backwards and almost snap at the waist, leaving its torso entirely exposed.   And then… BANG! The smell of gunpowder filled the air as one, then two, and the rest of a full revolver clip was unloaded into the angel's chest. The smoking holes left behind expanded as the angel finally disintegrated into dust, and Edea Lockehart blew the smoke from her revolver, "Pearl"'s barrel as she strode over to the kids. "Y'all alright?" she asked, but she received no answer as the Honorable Knight's motions caught the group's attention.   As Ozwik looked at the spectacle, he sheathed his sword and groaned. "Why can we never go anywhere normal?" he asked with exasperation, yet an undeniable fondness that he could not hide.   Atop Troll Skull Manor, leading its defense as the sky darkened with modrons and abominations from the Clockwork Nirvana, Lackie stood with her hair blowing in the wind, her face flecked with rain and firelight from the sky reflecting in her eyes. When she accepted her father's offer that long month ago with great reluctance, she did not expect to stare pandemonium in the eyes.   She was tired, so tired, as she dropped to knees and labored to breathe. Hurt, her magic expended and her tie to her patron weakened by exhaustion, she closed her eyes and entertained the thought of defeat. That her friends may not return, that all she worked for would be torn down by the gilded hand of a mad sorcerer.   And then she opened her eyes, just as a massive shadow passed overhead. She snapped her gaze upwards and watched a stone blade carve through the air, tearing metal from metal as a single cleave ripped a hole through the ranks of the modrons. The Honorable Knight affirmed its stance and swung again, clearing the sky of scores of invaders.   Lackie finally picked herself up and smiled at the sight. There was only one thing the return of the Walking Statues could mean. At least some of her friends were alive… and perhaps it was all worth it.   And then… it was done. Veszaltyrr's forces were dispatched in orderly time, and the skies were cleared. The Griffin Cavalry sounded the all-clear, and began to patrol the outskirts of the city for stragglers. Solauvaire whispered a soft 'thank you' to the Fang of Aurinax, and as if to respond, the Honorable Knight sheathed its blade and bowed to Solauvaire before returning to its former resting place on Book Street. When it settled, it was as if nothing ever happened; no evidence of the statue's valiant defense save for the deep footprints pressed into the mud of the streets.   Solauvaire waved his hand to conjure a chain of gold and hooked the Fang around his neck. "So ends another chapter in Revelmoore's tapestry of catastrophe and heroic action. I am proud beyond words to have worked with you this evening, my friends. But your part in this night is over; allow us to clean up the remnants. You have more than earned a reprieve. We shall speak on the morrow, when this is all over."   With a flick of his hand, the party was whisked back to Troll Skull Manor, where they were finally able to rest from their grueling ordeal.   The city did not return to the festivities of Fleetswake; after the severity of the incursion of modrons became apparent, most events were cancelled and most citizens returned to their homes to bunker down. The City Guard and the Griffin Cavalry were able to abate the brunt of the attack, but all agreed that without the intervention of the Honorable Knight, things would have been much worse. With minimal loss of life following an unexpected invasion from strange, alien forces, the people of Revelmoore settled into a perturbed sleep.   As dawn came on the 1st of Eostre, the tension was lessened as word spread quickly; Open Lord Reverie decreed early in the morning that she would address the city's residents from the palace at high noon.   The Red Spirits roused from their sleep that morning, the after-effects of adrenaline keeping them from sleeping too soundly. There was still an air of relief… at long last, the hunt for Ambermantle's gold was over, and for the first time in weeks, our heroes were free from conflict and the deadly Grand Game.   Solauvaire visited them soon after opening, wearing his usual ensemble but accented with a necktie. He offered them one last time the opportunity to be publicly thanked for their role in the Grand Game, and unlike the last time, they accepted, on the condition that all of Troll Skull Alley be thanked for their part in defending Revelmoore. So did the Red Spirits, their employees at Troll Skull Manor, and their friends of the Alley accompany them to the speech given by the Open Lord that noon.   Open Lord Reverie had already taken to the palace promontory overlooking the Castle Ward. The grey tiefling woman was remarkable even at a distance, with gilded finery accentuating her ashen grey skin and luminous golden eyes. She stood with a beautiful golden sword in hand, pointed downwards as a display of intent to remain with her citizens in a time of hardship.   "People of Revelmoore. My brothers, my sisters, my siblings… It happened in what seemed an instant. Creatures foreign to this plane, from beyond the rift between worlds descended upon our beloved jewel to enact a vengeance centuries in the making. Most bastions of civilization would have buckled under such a weight, such a threat. And yet Revelmoore, beloved amongst cities, stands tall this day.   "I will not mince words, nor will I lie to you. Our enemy was one from our distant past, one whom we thought to be but a memory. Veszaltyrr Oussndar, Lord of the Black Network, has returned, and although we have driven away his forces today, we have reason to believe he yet survives. There is no telling when he shall return to enact another vile scheme, but he shall find a Revelmoore once again prepared to receive him… and next time, it is my hope that we finish the job the Mad Mage started."   "But it is not our history or the city itself that drove back this threat. No, it was the work of the brave individuals that swore their lives to righting the wrongs. With all the power and priveleges bestowed upon me as Open Lord, I wish to bestow the deepest gratitude of the Council of Lords upon our City Watch, our City Guard, and the vaunted Griffin Cavalry, whom without we would surely have lost untold lives. We wish to thank our visitng friends of Fortune's Crossing for using the full resources of the Sea Maiden's Faire to defend the Dock Ward. We honor the Knights of the Rose and the stalwart agents of the Flaming Anvil, who did their duty tenfold when the modrons descended upon us. And lastly… we humbly thank the adventurers of Revelmoore and beyond, in particular the brave souls of Troll Skull Alley, who leapt to her aid not for gold, but for glory and for the right to life for those who could not defend themselves."   "Once again the statues rest, and although the threat is not ended, it is imperative that we return to our peaceful lives. When the time comes, Revelmoore must continue to be a place worth defending; our true Crown of the North, where dreams and fortune are one. Thank you."   With the speech concluded, the Red Spirits and their compatriots were awarded medals of service by the Open Lord, with the Red Spirits in particular being named heroes of Revelmoore in perpetuity; including Megumi, who was honored posthumously.   Finally, the party returned to Troll Skull Manor to get back to their normal lives and decide where they were going to go in the future. Just as they were settled, the familiar voice of Piece of the Puzzle rung out. The author strode in and announced that he had stayed up all night penning a first draft of his account of Ambermantle's Enigma, which he had elected to name Revelmoore - Dragon Heist. He opened the book to the closing passage, which he always wrote first when penning his books, and read it aloud to gauge the party's reaction (while deftly avoiding talks of royalties, of course).   "And thus did Ambermantle's Enigma come to a close. The villainy of Dagult Ambermantle was at last absolved by the heroic deeds of the most unlikely union of adventurous souls. Together they banded, staring fear in the eyes and defying it openly, to protect that which they held dear. Distinct like the points of a compass, yet bonded like the bricks that form a grand wall buckling against the waves of the sea.   "Where else but Revelmoore could it have all happened? Here in our corner of Lloegyr, where camaraderie and revelry are cardinal virtues. Here, where the Red Spirits taught us how it is to live for another. They taught us to act in the face of fear, to love ourselves enough to grasp the spotlights we deserve, to right our past misdeeds with sincerity, to press on even when we have lost ourselves and those dear to us, and to not let ourselves be defined by the sins of those before us.   “We can walk our road together if our goals are all the same. We can run alone and free, if we pursue a different aim. Let the truth of love be lighted. Let the love of truth shine clear. Sensibility, armed with sense and liberty, with the heart and mind united in a single perfect sphere.   "And so let us give a warm Reveler's toast to these heroes, for regardless of their origins, they are souls of Revelmoore one and all. Dreamers, each and every one of them. Here in Revelmoore, a place where fortunes are made and broken. It is a place where dreams come true. It is a place where dreams go to die. And yet no words have brought me more joy to put to pen than these; today, perhaps just today, our dreams shall live just a while longer.   "The future disappears into memory, with only a moment between. Forever dwells in that moment; hope is what remains to be seen."