~ SESSION 12 > SESSION 13 – (BRIEF RECAP) ~
Welcome back my friends!
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We began last session at the very moment Fulgrim started to battle the wild magical powers within him, in an attempt to keep them under control.
He was able to do so masterfully – even as the intensity of the magic grew to higher, and more unstable levels.
– Moving on, the party took the passageway forward, moving past the scorched ground, and around the corner, to find a few crates off to one side of the path.
Ebrin searched the first crate and discovered a left behind mana potion.
However, Levi had the worst luck with what he found in his crate.
As Levi checked the second crate, he slid off the lid and peered in, to see red bones at the bottom of the crate, along with leather armour, a shield, and a sword, which began to shudder and move rapidly, and as Levi took a step back, the bones became fully animated, and formed a Skeletal Captain, who broke open the crate as he fully formed, and took a swing at Levi, catching him off guard.
After the initial attack, Fulgrim sent a ray of frost towards the undead creature, instantly chilling it to its core.
Levi tried to follow suit, but felt a sudden pain in his mind, which threw him off, and he failed to make the spell work.
Lyra sent forth another beam of cold energy, which hit the Skeleton hard, and Ebrin moved in fast, with his club, delivering a crushing blow to the neck of the creature, and within moments of the strike, its body just crumbled to the ground.
The party collected a few of the Skeleton Captain’s items, and decided their next move was to go back up to the surface… and so carefully, as a group, they all moved through the previous “safer” floors… and up and out to Tristram.
During their time in town, the party traded with the townsfolk, repaired what they could of their equipment, or replaced it for something new.
They spoke with several of the townsfolk and tried to get any information as best they could, before finally heading to the tavern to eat, drink, and rest up for the night.
Whilst staying the evening and overnight, the party returned the sign they found to a very gracious Ogden, who rewarded them with a unique item, known as the Harlequin Crest – that he claimed some powerful, yet forgetful, magician, left it there by accident when staying at his establishment some time ago.
In the morning, Levi and Ebrin borrowed a couple of shovels from Griswold, and took some time to bury Ebrins friend, Kael, who sadly died recently.
The Butcher had cleaved into Kael’s back with his axe, as he fled the cathedral, and sadly the festering wound only allowed Kael to reach the surface, somehow, dashing through the darkened halls as best he could until he found the exit… But upon reaching the surface he could go no further, and perished soon after meeting Lyra, which gave enough time to give her the warning of the Butcher himself, and the vague details of the plot from Archbishop Lazarus, who goaded the townsfolk into a frenzied mob, and led into the cathedral not too long ago.
Kael was one of Ebrin’s oldest friends, who he had grown closer to as a young boy.
He was a little older than Ebrin, and took him under his wing when Ebrin first arrived in Tristram – some many years ago, during their childhood.
This was until Ebrin was taken by force to the Royal Manor to live there… by birthright.
So seeing his former childhood friend, bloodied and broken, left by the roadside, hit Ebrin very hard, and he vowed not to leave him there to rot away like some common fiend.
Eventually, after lots of time spent in preparation and planning, the party headed back to the cathedral once more, and headed by foot down to the second floor, to hopefully put an end to the butcher for good.
Cautiously, the party took their positions outside the door to the Butchers blood-soaked lair, and waited with baited breath.
Levi, once ready, called upon his mage hand servant and commanded it to open the large door.
Instantly, a booming demonic guttural voice saying “Ahhh FRESH MEAT!”, along with heavy weighted footsteps, could be heard from inside the room, then within moments, the Butchers hideous visage could be seen standing in the doorway, blocking all entry with his huge form.
The party gasped and looked on… This Demon had deep crimson skin, small patches of horns on his head, which protruded from his forehead, and he stood around 8ft tall at full height… His build was muscular and fatty, at the same time.
His once white apron now fully covered in dried bloodstains and pieces of stuck on human bone fragments and hair, this being the only thing he wore, other than his sinister evil grin consisting of a long row of small jagged teeth, with two large tusks, one situated either side of his large maw.
He held a giant meat cleaver in one hand, it’s serrated edges dripping with fresh blood, and his sickle and chain was resting at his hip.
His figure was imposing, but the party, mostly stood firm.
The BATTLE WAS HERE!
Tavi loosed her arrow as Ebrin threw a fire bomb at the demon… both had very little effect.
The Butcher reacted by throwing his hook out to snare Ebrin, and dragged him to him, as Ebrin tried to wriggle free, the Butcher sliced into him with his cleaver, which left him bleeding and heavily hurt.
Fulgrim took a moment to prepare a ray of frost, which hit the Butcher, and did some decent damage, however, Levi tried to follow suit and the spell once more failed to cast.
Lyra was last to act, and sent forward a bolt of lightning, which frazzled the Butchers skin directly, but had no other effects.
The battle was intense from that moment on, with a few key things happening during its lengthy course:
– The Butcher set his sights on Tavi, and sent her flying to the ground, with a large gaping wound, almost knocking her unconscious.
– Ebrin was next to be sent spiraling to the ground, but with healing he was able to withstand the punishment.
– Fulgrim, eventually succumb to his wild magic, and almost summoned a full raging thunderstorm on top of everyone, had he the room to conjure it.
– Lyra had a tough time, dealing with the fear that was instilled into her by the close proximity of the Butcher, but she overcame that fear as she moved further away to a safer distance.
Fulgrim became the target of the Butcher at some stage, and he tried to chase him down and cut him down, but although he could catch Fulgrim, he couldn’t break through the Sorcerers defensive magics.
The Demon was already weakened from fighting all the others in combat, and Fulgrim was able to land a few well timed Magic Missiles, which blasted through the chest of the Butcher, leaving huge gaping holes where his flesh and bone once was.
Fulgrim managed to flip the tables on the Butcher, the hunted became the hunter, and soon, he ended the Demons life, for good!
The Demon slumped to the floor, with a loud bang, and let out a death-howl, before letting go of his axe, and laying lifeless in front of Fulgrim.
The party all cheered and celebrated felling a grotesque demon such as the Butcher, and they had every right to.
Through their actions, the Butcher was no more, and the souls of the many slain victims were finally avenged.
Ebrin grabbed the axe from the body of the demon, as its form began to fade.
Meanwhile, the others moved into the Butchers Lair, and searched the mutilated bodies there, for some useful items.
Afterwards, as a whole, the party agreed to leave the cathedral, and made haste to the surface once more, where they could recover from their recent, long and taxing battle.
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The Present Scene:
After the battle – the party headed back up to Tristram, with their loot, and honor.
The euphoric feeling of overcoming such a powerful adversary, gripped them all, but that feeling was interrupted for Ebrin, as he peered over to the fresh grave he had dug out with Levi, not so long ago on that very day.
The party all headed to the Tavern, with high spirits, and although some were injured, and magical energy was all but spent for some, they were Heroes… but this was only the first victory of many possible ones to follow.
For now, the immediate threat was over, and so they rested within the Tavern, and took a nice day off from all the trauma.
The following day has passed, and the party are now all rested and have recuperated what they can.
Only – there’s one party member who did not show up for breakfast this morning.
So join me friends in this session of…. Adventure in Sanctuary!
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