Today’s snippet, titled “Murdering the Queen (pt 2)”, is a piece I wrote about my PC in Mark’s new (Good) Pathfinder Campaign.
Be forewarned, there are mature themes and naughty language below.
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Breathing heavily, Rhiallis sheathed her sword and attended to both Kumiko and Mira, who were grievously wounded. As she channeled healing energy, the others caught up, cheering at the sight of the murdered queen.
“Why is that light still here?”
Rhiallis turned, still kneeling, and peered at the back of the cave. Mytra was right. That sickly mauve light continued pulsate. Now that the immediate danger had passed, they were free to investigate – and they did.
A crack in the wall that must have been ten feet tall and several feet across seemed to be the source of the light. “A gate. It must be – a passage right into the Abyss. I wonder where it goes, exactly.”
“But… What- what is that?” Mira leaned forward, squinting.
It was as if they all held their breaths for a moment, watching. The surface of reality seemed stretched thin there and something was moving within the crystalline barrier between worlds. Huge and dark, it struggled against the gelatinous wall. Clawing, howling silent cries, the beast wanted to come into the material plane. Rhiallis retreated a step. Whatever it is… it is hungry. Ravenous.
“Its a Vrock. By all the Gods, it’s a freaking Vrock!”
Rhiallis recalled what she knew of the demons instantly and shuddered. “We’ve got to close that gate.”
“But-”
“No, she’s right. We can’t have this gaping open on our tail once we push into the city. How can we close it?”
“A dimensional anchor, or a lock,” Jensen volunteered. “Though neither of those are within my grasp at the moment.”
“Perhaps I could cast a circle against evil – to, to ward the room?” Rhiallis said.
“It might… do something. But that won’t close it. Not for good.” Graves pushed a hand through her hair. “What about… Who has that Rod of Cancellation Irabeth gave the first group?”
The rod appeared from within one of their packs and Graves examined it for a long moment. “If this thing was enough to seal that fragment of the wardstone, maybe its enough to close the gate?”
“What other choice do we have?” Celeste said. “We have to try – you’re right. We can’t leave this open behind us.”
“Hurry,” Mytra said, coughing. “That thing is almost through.”
Graves rolled her shoulders and approached the gate. She was face-to-face with the Vrock and it must have been able to see her, or sense her, for it leaned into the barrier and snarled.
“Here goes nothing,” she said. Rhiallis could tell she wished she had something a little more grand and profound to say to mark the occasion.
She lifted the rod into the air and as she brought it down to touch the gate, she spoke the command word Irabeth had given them.
A flash of mauve fire exploded outward from the gash. They were all thrown back a step or two and then pulled forward as the gaping maw sucked back in on itself, sealing as it crushed down upon the Vrock with a thunderous krackakoom!
Their eyes were drawn to the rod in Graves’ hand. It glowed for a moment longer, then the color faded and for an instant she was holding a transparent, crystalline shaft. It glittered in the dim light and then shifted to an opaque greyness before turning to dust in her hand.
“…holy shit.”
Rhiallis’ lips curved at that rare display of profanity from little Mira.
“I can’t believe it worked.”
“I can.” Celest said, tossing her hair. “Let’s get out of here. The army’s waiting and this day isn’t even half-over yet.”
Together, they trooped toward the exit. As expected once their Queen was vanquished, the vecavores had dissipated, hiding in the darkest nooks and crannies to wait for a new leader to strengthen them.
Maybe we should have brought the whole cave down upon them, Rhiallis thought, picking a bug from her hair and squishing it in her gauntleted hand. Maybe we should bring the whole fucking city down upon them…
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Note: Image is “King Jagiello Statue Central” by (Mulligand) from SXC.hu; edited by me