FOLLOWERS OF BANE:
CHES 28th (The Claw of Sunsets – 1492 DR)
03:05 am
Vara Silvershield has no idea of the Priest of Bane and her Acolytes on the Upper Level of Yellowspire, yet she is prepared to help the overexcited young Male Halfling Rogue and the far too polite to be true young Female Human Bard. The Paladin uses the Magic Spell within her ‘Necklace of Prayer Beads’ and cast ‘Bless’ from one of them on Herself, Merf and Alley.
Once more Vara Silvershield calls out to the Zhentarim Thugs within Yellowspire, while as the Paladin looks about the Tower, she can see that it is a well-fortified building with a single point of entry and well defendable.
Vara Silvershield: “Open the door at once and release the fugitives Aranat and Daisy Shadowfoot into my custardy. If not, you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the Law.”
Suddenly, the iron shutter of the tiny peephole on the inside of the door, is pulled back and a Heavy Crossbow is pointed at Vara Silvershield and fired at her. Vara Silvershield was caught unawares and the bolt flew true and slashed the Paladin’s neck and causing her server damage.
Zhentarim Thug: “A perfect shot, and there’s more of that if you don’t push-off Priest, there’s no Aranat or Daisy here.”
Vara Silvershield begins to think that entering the Yellowspire Tower will be harder than he had imagined. With her Cantrip ‘Thaumaturgy’ which allowed her to create a booming voice, still running Vara Silvershield attempted to intimidate the Zhentarim Thug crack shot.
The Zhentarim Thug immediately closes the iron shutter in the door, and so prevents his comrades to also lose their Bolts from the loaded Heavy Crossbow which they carried.
Merf and Alley then decide to join Vara Silvershield by the front door of Yellowspire, but both to them make sure to keep out of the line of sight from the tiny peephole on the door.
Meanwhile, they were just able to avoid the evoked spirts from the demon realm, from the Spell ‘Spirit Guardians’, as the spirits flit around the arrow slits.
Inside the Vestibule the sound of commands and replies can be heard, meaning more than the 2 Zhentarim Thugs were present.
From the Upper level there are also sounds of movement and communications between the Priest of Bane and her Acolytes.
Alley then has a brilliant idea, and having not used her new found ability yet, and she silently moves to the door, bangs on it with her fist and calls out in a male voice with neither Merf or Vara Silvershield.
Alley (Urstul Floxin’s Voice): “What in Banes name are you doing, let me in right now.”
Confusion and clarification then made one of the other Zhentarim Thug opened the iron shutter and peered out, think himself safe from a sword slash or harsh word and parlour tricks from a priest.
Alley immediately spurn into action and the Bard stood up and cast one of her last free Spells, ‘Command’, which she remembers was the Spell that first saved Zarek from being murdered by Rufus, Oli and Lucas all those months back.
Alley: “Open.”
The Zhentarim Thug was compiled to do as he was commanded and proceeded to unlock and open the door. Alley meanwhile moved back to her safe spot out of the line of sight from the remaining Zhentarim Thugs.
Alley: “Over to you boys.” The Bard whispers as she steps around the corner and watches the two new recruits in action.
Merf, as always, is able to move up close to the action and fire off a second of his Magical Bolts at the Zhentarim Thugs hitting and wounding one. The Rogue then bows and dashes off back outside to the safety of the thick walls of Yellowspire, having looked up to make sure the coast was clear.
Next the adventurers hear the sound of movement from beyond the Vestibule. Merf had been able to see that at the far end of the Vestibule was a door which was ajar, from behind that the sound of feet moving down stairs could be heard as they appear to not bother to mask their decent.
More commands and cross commands are cried out and this gives Vara Silvershield the opportunity to dismount and dash over to the Vestibule, beyond the open door, and confront the 4 Zhentarim Thugs within.
Vara Silvershield, having taken damage from the Zhentarim Thug’s Bolt, grabs at her ‘Necklace of Prayer Beads’, holding 4 Beads, that she wore and cast from it the Spell ‘Cure Wounds’ which restored strength so that she could continue to fight the good fight.
Inside the Vestibule, rotting tapestries adorn the walls, and mud and dirt has accumulated on the floor.
There were 3 Zhentarim Thugs in the Vestibule area, with the fourth Zhentarim Thug being the one intimidated by Vara Silvershield, standing by the slightly open door on the opersite door to the main door. The fourth Zhentarim Thugs was talking to someone in the other chamber beyond.
Kandar – Zhentarim Thug: “Lady Avareen Windrivver, she assaults the Tower alone, we should fear her and return those she seeks.”
Avareen Windrivver: “Silence fool, and return to your post or it will be you shackled in the chair with Priestess Amath Seccent and her Acolytes to contend with, not a good-two-shoes, spoilt and failed pretend Knight who will spare your life so you can worship her God. Now get back and fight Kandar.”
Vara Silvershield then did something unexpected and she used her Silver Dragonborn Breath Weapon ability to spue forth a Cone of Cold. The resulting emanation caught the 3 Zhentarim Thugs confronting the Paladin. 2 Zhentarim Thug were pointing their Heavy Crossbows at Vara Silvershield, while the third had dropped his and drawn his Mace. These 3 Zhentarim Thugs also wore the symbol of Bane.
Now it was the turn of the Zhentarim Thugs to react and the two Heavy Crossbows were fired at Vara Silvershield and both hit the Paladin with exceptional accuracy. Vara Silvershield had taken another great amount of damage from these well trained Zhentarim Mercenaries and so she knew that she needed to Heal herself once more.
The Zhentarim Thugs with the Crossbows reloaded, while the Zhentarim Thug in front of her was read to Parry the Paladins blows and so kept her defensive stance.
The Paladin, now inside Yellowspire, could clearly hear the sound of covered feet making their way down stairs and heading in her direction. Then as Vara Silvershield looked up, she noticed movement by the door and saw a figure that moves out and fires a Hand Crossbow at the Paladin.
Vara Silvershield: “I should have imaged something like this would have happened.”
Vara Silvershield: “A female human, Illuskan if I’m not mistaken, and great beauty, with bright red lips, grey eyes and raven black hair cut short. She appears to be both athletic and nimble. She carries a shortsword and that Hand Crossbow which she is now pointing at me. Then we have her black casual practical clothing, high leather riding boots, with an open necked black shirt showing off her locket. No clues as to what she does for a living.”
That was the point when Vara Silvershield was hit again, with the Hand Crossbow Bolt, and it not only hurt, but it also stung like a Hellcat, or Bezekira to give it its religious name.
Vara Silvershield: “That’s the tell-tale sign of Poison. I have my ‘Necklace of Prayer Beads ’if this becomes a problem.”
The fight continues in the same way, Merf dashes into the Vestibule again and targets one of the 3 Zhentarim Thugs that were fighting Vara Silvershield and the Halfling Rogue employs his Sneak Attack well, helping to lessen the treat on the Paladin. Alley watches for possible attacks from above and keeps a close eye on both Merf and Vara Silvershield.
Alley: “So far they are not afraid to shed blood, will they kill or subdue. Let us see if the Paladin does practice what she preaches.” The Bard evaluates the two new recruits as she fears that they may seem fair and yet be wolves in sheep’s clothing.
03:07 am
Alley soon finds that as Merf, Vara Silvershield uses the full force of her abilities to, not neutralise, but eliminate complete the threat from the 3 Zhentarim Thugs that the Rogue and Paladin had blocking their path into Yellowspire.
Vara Silvershield attacks twice with her Longsword and furthermore activate her Spell ‘Divine Smite’. This combination end in the death of all three of the 3 Zhentarim Thugs.
Alley moves into the room and waits for the arrival of the Female Priestess of Bane and her Acolyte followers. Knowing that will possibly be more of a treat as they have the ability to cast Spells, she waits ready just out of sight.
One Zhentarim Thug, the one that first fired at Vara Silvershield, was left and he fired once more at the Paladin and striking her for a second time.
Merf stays close to Vara Silvershield as his small stature is hidden behind her large frame.
That is the cue for the Female Priestess of Bane and her Acolyte followers to enter the Vestibule and attempt to repel the invaders of Yellowspire.
The Female Priestess of Bane is a female, Mulan this time, Banite priestess and follower of the God Bane. She is tall, slim, and attractive for a Zhentarim with plump red lips, amber-skinned hazel eyes and she has a shave head. She wears black armour, showing off her toned figure, has dark flowing orange robes, she is marked with facial tattoos and she carries a Mace on her belt.
The Acolyte Followers are mixed ethnicities, dress in fur-lined robes, and wear of what looks like a right hand with fingers and thumb held together displayed on their Holy Symbols.
The 3 Adventurers inside the Vestibule are surrounded by the protective spirits that flit around them in their Evil Fiendish appearance. The Adventurers take damage from the Fiends and, in return, they attack and kill the first Acolyte of Bane that enters the chamber, the second to enter confront Alley who is standing behind the cover of the door, that does not provide the protection she had hoped for, and The Priestess of Bane stands in the doorway directing the flying Fiends.
The third Acolyte of Bane stands behind The Priestess of Bane, either protecting her or being ready to cast another Spell, which Vara sees her do and them touches the Priestess of Bane.
Merf sees the Flying Fiends and moves back out of the range of then, drawing out his Hand Crossbow once again and firing at the Acolyte of Bane, as both 6’ 8’’ Vara Silvershield and a Male Acolyte of Bane block his sight of the Priestess of Bane.
Vara Silvershield endeavours to strike at the Priestess of Bane but is compelled to strike at another and so moves towards one of the remaining Acolytes.
Alley is able to overcome the Spell protecting the Priestess of Bane and strikes at her twice and severely injuring her. Th Flying Fiends Spell ends as she is unable to keep her concentration.
The Paladin uses the Magic Spell within her ‘Necklace of Prayer Beads’ and casts her second ‘Bless’ from one of them on Herself, Merf and Alley.
Merf sees his chance and enters the room and tries his best to see what lies within the room beyond, also he was not there when the female fired her Hand Crossbow at Vara Silvershield and Vara herself did not tell her new team as she was so used to working alone.
The third Acolyte of Bane was able to grab hold of his leader and pulled the Priestess Amath Seccent back into the room and locked the door behind them.
03:09 am