Fishing for Demons

[Kangleton]

"Curse Basheba" Karthus muttered to himself, having experienced most terrible luck. As soon as he, Hano, and the rest of the group set out from camp that morning, they were attacked by a group of Hobgoblins. Doing their best to dispatch of the creatures, the group was helpless to do anything but think that, with a demon loose, goblins become an inconvenience and nothing more. As the confrontation came and passed, however, the significant manners continued to unfold.

The road carried the group through a series of hills, all of which had been scorched beyond recognition to the dismay of many members of the party. Between people cursing at the demon's actions, scouting the area, and bickering amongst themselves; somebody spotted a rather remarkable sight. Life.

In the distance, a town remained entirely intact. It appeared as though the demon's path would have carried it directly towards such a visible village, but that would have resulted with only more destruction. This fishing settlement, however, was bustling with life and activity, apparantly ignorant to the danger that must have been somewhere in the immediate area.

"What do we do, now?"

"We ask them what they know of survivors, and of the destroyed villages to the south."

Setting out down the charred landscape, the adventurers quickly made their way to the peaceful fishing settlement, to the excitement of the townsfolk. Begging for tales of feats of strength and magic, the commoners couldn't keep their hands or eyes off of the pleasently surprised demon-hunters. The group, for the most part, remained in-touch with their priorities, and managed to avoid the advances of the lustful women while only inquiring about the town, and what they had all witnessed. Information was sparse.

The only lead that the adventurers uncovered was the presence of a proclaimed 'cursed church' in the center of the village. Upon discovering that it was sealed, however, the group was given little choice other than to gather more information at the local tavern, which seemed to be the epicenter of rumors in the area. Once the group had entered the doorway to the bar, they were greeted with another onslaught of questions and fascinated simpletons. Although everyone reacted differently to the attention, the trouble began once Jack and Karthus were both convinced to follow a pair of women upstairs. Minutes later, an explosion was heard.

(LH: +250 XP)

[Lollercide]

The Calling

Clashing through the doors of the church Hano charges in, striding through in desperation. He carried a bright glowing aura that pierced through the dark shadows of the Church. A few of his allies follow shortly behind guarding Hano's back with an incredible assault. Launching an massive barrage of arrows toward the gathering of fiends that slowly approached.

Roars of lightening and fire could be heard outside... The general direction of where the rest of his allies were. They had fallen behind, or... Perhaps they were determined to give their very last efforts to defend those within the Church. No matter - Time was running thin for the band of adventurers in the village.

Hano's eyes fall on a solid block in the center of the church. The church rumbles from foreign explosions on the outside. It did not interrupt Hano's gaze from the block as he stepped toward it, rubbing the soot and dirt from it. It was glass.. It was too stained and dark to see through it, but he could feel it - Yes - The voice..

It was calling him. It had always been calling him; pounding at his temples and roaring in his head. He knew what needed to be done. He could feel fate itself bending around the body holding the Knight of Torm. Reminding him that he was never defenseless.. Never alone.

Dropping his crude spear and raising his fist he answers the call with a roar of his own, "Loyal Fury! The True! I answer your call with my faith and strength! I stand before you on my knees begging for your aid! Lend me your Divine Strength!"

Dropping his gauntlet from the air starting the motion of a brutal swing... Time seems to stop. Just moments before his gauntlet clashes into the glass, Hano recalls everything - Yes, everything that led to this point. He could feel the burdens lift from his heart and his soul being carried away to a distant place within his memory.

He found himself walking toward the three all familiar figures of Alryian, Pom, and Rand... (To be continued...)

(LH: +250 XP)

[Lollercide]

The Distant Memory

Smoke rose to the skies in the far distance. Wherever the source those who had seen it were positive a large inferno had surely claimed it all by now. Hano's back to the smoke, covered in ash and dirt, he marches onward to the three figures standing just outside the Port of Avanthyr. The smallest of them could be heard muttering to himself, "I sure hope that smoke isn't from a forest fire!"

As the distance between the knight and group grew shorter it became apparent that the Knight had no armor and carried at his side a charred and slightly melted sickle. The smallest one spoke eagerly to Hano, "Oh hi there Hano, hey do you know whats going on...? It isn't from a forest fire is it?"

The knight wipes his brow smearing the ash with his sweat... The summer heat had joined the rising sun and what little pleasure there would have been found in the sunrise was taken by the debris falling from the sky. Every breath of air was spoiled with the bitter taste of ash. Hano looks down to the Gnome who seems to be fixated on the warped sickle at Hano's side. "No... Far worse, I'm afraid." Pausing his conversation for a moment Hano looks up to the Gnome's companions... The all-too-familiar Elven Warlock, Alyrian, stood in great confidence. His conceited smirk seemed to pierce through and belittle the Tormite.

The Knight sighs glancing behind him briefly toward the tower of smoke raising to the air in hopes of escaping his thoughts of Alryian. His attempt was quickly disrupted by the gnome wiping his brow speaking, "How could it be worse than a forest fire?" Hano shakes his head and replies promptly, "A demon."

As the words escaped his mouth the smirk on Alryian's face vanished, glaring into the back of the Knight. The gnome fidgets, gathering his emotions to exclaim, "Yikes! Oh um okay.. I guess that could probably qualify." A man steps from behind the gnome and to the side of Hano grinning widely stating, "Certainly would... That's unfortunate; we were hired to go deal with the problem."

Hano tilts his head slightly to view the man beside him. Greeting him with nothing more than his name, "Rand", he starts to explain the situation and what had occurred. "It all started on a - " Before Hano could finish the sentence, Cade, who just exited from the Port's entrance yells on noticing Hano, oblivious to the guard following behind him, "Master Hano! Quite the scene on the beach, no?"

Before Hano could respond to Cade the guard that was following him spoke up. Assuming that the group of adventurers were all together, he asked if they were headed toward the direction of the smoke. He continued without their answer - Pleading for their help. He told them of how he was worried about the well being of his daughter who had residence around the source of the smoke and needed the help of the adventurers.

After hearing the guard's plight there was no choice but for the odd mix of adventurers to band together. Whether they were compelled to destroy the Demon, save his daughter, or merely were intrigued by the happenings.. They were all destined to walk on the same path.

(LH: +250 XP)

[Kangleton]

This message put on hold.

--Now present below.

[Kaeldorn]

Having heard rumors of demonic presence down in the south, Yashia hastily made her way from the rangers' outpost to the direction of port Avanthyr. Time was of the essence, so the fallen paladin had decided not to waste any of it by resting and her preparations were rushed. Alas, the ranger was still just human. After a day's march, she fell victim to fatigue, her weakened body forcing her to take halt and rest for a while in a wheat field. That while turned out to be much longer than intended as she passed out from exhaustion.

Slowly coming back to her senses, Yashia was rolled face-down in the dirt. Looking up, she saw through her barely opened eyes that she was no longer alone. Hobgoblins were surrounding her and thus she instinctually reached out for her weapons. Or at least she tried, because not only weren't they strapped to her sides any longer, her hands were held forcefully by one of her attackers, and were being tied behind her back. Having little strength to resist, Yashia soon found herself to be gagged and covered with rope in a way only a master escape artist could get out of. Apparently the foul goblin kin really didn't want to risk their captive pulling anything off against them.

Satisfied with their work, the hobgoblins turned to what one would assume to be their favourite part of mugging adventurers: splitting the spoils. For these, however, it turned out to be quite different. All seven of them seemed to started to bickering in some unknown language, which Yashia assumed to be Goblin, over which one of them was to get what. "Idiots," she thought to herself, though the time it bought her wouldn't do much good out here in the middle of nowhere, with noone to rescue her from the hands of her captors. Or so she thought...

The hobgoblins were alerted by some other group nearby, most likely hostile to them. They approached the disturbance with their weapons drawn, leaving the human woman they had caught some hours earlier behind alone in the field. Blades clashed, spells were flung through the air and battlecries were to be heard. Yashia believed to vaguely recognise some of the voices, but she was too tired to carefully take note whose they were. With what energy she had remaining, she rolled on her back and tried to keep up with what was going on.

Eventually, a final scream from one of the goblinoids was heard, and then the noise died down. From what she could understand, the group was deciding their next move, expecting there to be more enemies nearby. One particular voice, that of a human man, expressed his displeasure with a Warlock not having put much effort into the fight. The familiar voice sounded as if it could be Hano's. She shifted a little, moving the grass around her and trying to make her presence known, hoping that they wouldn't leave her to die here. Her attempt had an undesired effect. One of the men, possibly an elf, suggested the use of acid or fire to clear the field of any enemies that might still be hiding there. Yashia attempted to roll a little closer so they could see her, which was answered with a small rock being flung through the air and landing right on top of her forehead. She groaned in pain, but the sound was muffled by her being gagged. As if that wasn't enough, a spear started wading through the wheat in front of her.

She was finally noticed when an armor clad man which looked like Cade tripped over her legs, and he turned to see who or what it was that he tripped over and called Hano for help, setting her upright.

"Good Lady..." he paused for a second, suddenly realizing who he had just thrown a rock at, "Yah.. Yashia!"

"Yashia..." Hano's voice followed. "Free her from her bonds and let's get her in better shape."

Being liberated from the ropes and gag that bound her, Yashia struggled to retain her balance, still dizzy from the crushing blow to her head. She rubbed the bruise on it in pain and groaned. "That's... not quite the way I had imagined to be rescued. Getting rocks thrown at me and someone suggesting to give me an acid bath."

A short little guy, the gnome druid Pom, came walking up to her and spoke in a worried tone. "Are you alright, Yashia?"

She blinked a few times to focus her eyesight and sighed. "Well I think I'm okay, but my head hurts a bit."

Several more joined the company, or were already there. Yashia wasn't sure, nor did she care much. Karthus, Alyrian and some unknown elves... they were all people she hoped she could rely on, anyway. Still somewhat disoriented, she looked around to see where the hobgoblins had left her equipment. "Has someone seen my..." she couldn't finish her sentence before Hano tossed her bagged gear in her direction. "Thanks."

The party decided that it was time to depart. After having tested her capability to stand and walk on her own at Pom's request, the wanderer quickly readied herself to leave, putting her sword and axe back in place and swinging her backpack over her shoulder and catching it's strap with her other arm. Her rest would have to wait for another time. For now, she had enough vigor to carry on a few hours. As they travelled further down the path which Hano and those with him had been treading before, Yashia listened as attentive as she could to the story thus far. A powerful demon leaving destruction in it's wake, and a missing girl who would have witnessed and survived one of it's attacks were what the group was after. Having little other leads, the ranger decided to stick with them to follow up on the mission she had already planned to undertake, off to the village known as Trout's Head...

(LH: +250 XP)

[Gamling]

Lauan woke up with a big yawn and said " okay, we can go now..." Hearing no reply she looked up and saw that they had moved on with out her. Lauan stood up lazily in disgust of the sweat she was covered in from the uncomfortable nights rest.

Lauan looked around calling out to Karthus and hano when she stumbled upon a group of hobgoblin bodeis with foot prints in the ash leading off into the distance. Maybe these were their foot prints!

She followed them happily humming to herself but would look around every once in a while to make sure nothing was trying to eat or kill her. The entire walk was filled with Lauan complaining to herself and apologizing to Lilly, her doll for bringing her. She wanted to help her friends find demon who was Hano's supposed friend.

When she came upon the town where Hano and the others were, she saw the many injured villagers and the few who were standing there tending to them. She thought to herself that maybe they were just tired so they decided to sleep. She shrugged and slowly made her way to the town.

"Hello..." She said as she aproached the group of adventurers, she was happy to see Yashia there, and somewhat relieved Hano was there too. After telling Hano how she got here and what happened when they left, Lauan was given bandages and told to help the citesens of the town which laid unconcious.

(LH: +250 XP)

[Swebbs]

*Pom Wador, Gnome Druid*
Well so you wanna know what happened right? I was there from start to finish so I can give ya all the details. There we were outside Port Avanthyr and there was smoke on the horizon. I was worried it was a forest fire cause that would have been really bad you know? I mean right? well whats worse than a fire but a fire started by a demon, first time Ive ever seen one, the thing was 10 times as tall as me! Okay maybe that dosnt sound REALLY big but more on that later.

So lets see there was Me (of course), Hano, Alyrian, Cade, Rand, Sylleth, Yashia (after we untied her), Karthus, the one eyed jerk and a couple others whos names I didnt ever get. Didnt ALL start together but found some folks as we searched. Oh right that, the constable hired us to find out what happened. So on the way to the Trout's Head villiage we got jumped by a bunch of hobgoblins! And they were all like Ugh gib us yous golds ugh! And we fought and stuff. I blasted three of them into nothing with my lightning spell and tala my panther ate ones face off. Well sort of I mean anyways its basically the thing is we found Yashia tied up there, hmm come to think of it she never ACTUALLY said how she got tied up. Someone hit her with a rock too. Anyways we everntually got to the villiage and found it was burned out to ash. That one eyed jerk was looting what little was left and eventually we followed tracks to find any survivors, cause one of the guards asked us to find his sister.

Anyways found more people to help fight the demon thing whenever we planned on seeing it at least and we got to this villiage with a big church a bar and a food tent and nothing really else. Church to um... tomm? something like that, anyways it was locked and uh *ahem* apparently cursed or something so we went into the bar and it was all packed and stuff and two guys went up stairs with some girls and eventually I went over and asked the bartender if I could get a little information, and BAM! right then a boom from upstairs and all the people turned into posessed demon undead monster people! PANDEMONUM ENSUED I cast a stoneskin spell on myself after getting trampled and kicked, there was fighting and bam this and that and well um... *ahem* well they were all grabbing at me or trying to so I did a teeny little body of the sun spell to keep myself protected. Well it had the slightly negative impact of setting the building on fire. I didnt really mean to honest! anyways we all get out and oh that one elf Alyrien turned into a demon thing too, pretty scarey looking but he was on our side at least.

Anyways I ran off away from them and the rest of the group cept Karthus and Alyrien went into the church and were followed by the evil mob monster people. I joined up with the other two and a big fight started. I can still feel the pain from those fireball and lightning magics. Fortunately my chief Mittens had taught me this great healing cocoon spell which heals and protects at the same time which I did and that seemed to help a lot and then I saw, sort of, hano come out of the church with this really cool shiny sword and hacked at the mob monster people but they were sort of posessed people and stuff and well anyways after that it was just the bartender and us left at which point I said. *ahem* You know I just asked to get a little information, not start a big fight. Well anyways no one really laughed at my joke but then again Im not really the comedic type of guy but thats another story. Anyways he turned into this giganting flaming demon monster and flew away. It was pretty scarey but thats how the story ended... well until hano or somebody can finish him off. Anyways thanks for listening!

(LH: +250 XP)

[Kangleton]

Arching blasts of fire, ice, and lightning at the demon as it soared off to the North, Karthus already knew that his actions were of a futile sort.

"Gods be damned! When shall we put an end to this earth-shattering torment?" He called out to nobody in perticular. Karthus had sincerily believed that the battle would have ended then and there, with the demon surrounded, but that was also a futile event.


Leading up to the demons escape, having narrowly escaped the explosion and the crumbling tavern that resulted from it, the original group of adventurers had their forces divided between the townsfolk that had been possessed by the demon-kin. Karthus and Alyrian remained in the burning building for a time, ensuring that not a soul in hell could escape to impede the fight against the greater demonic beast, while Hano and his company were making their way to the church.

Karthus watched as the skin on the bodies of the villagers began to melt away, pitying them for being so helpless against the demon's influence, which would inevitably cause their deaths. Knowing better than to dwell on such negative emotions during combat, however, Karthus released one more blast of fire to ensure that nothing would escape, and departed along with the remaining allies in the collapsing structure.

In the distance, the fragment of the group spotted Hano and the others and rapidly made their way towards them. Karthus, Alyrian, and Pom never made it, though, as they turned but one corner before encountering a pile of crippled and mangled villagers, apparently already subdued by the Paladin's group. The moment Karthus layed eyes upon the unfortunate folk, the scene became all the more disturbing as they began to rise from their helpless states, regenerating their torn flesh and broken limbs. Proceeding to act without hesitation, Karthus summoned the forces of nature from the recesses of his mind, engulfing the demon-possessed men and women in brilliant flashes of lightning. All but a few remained standing, but among such survivors, was one that countered the spell cast against him, sending bolts of lightning flying directly back towards Karthus.

The duel that ensued was one that would nearly cost the earthcaster his life. Along with Alyrian and Pom, the two forces drew enough magic to light the very skies despite the darkness that night had brought. From the demons flew fire and lightning of all colours and strengths, as Karthus did all he could to have his spells collide with those of the enemy, to keep them at bay. Alyrian joined the offensive while Pom acted quickly to defend himself. Flashes of fire and light enveloped the area, until finally help arrived.

Turning the same corner, Hano and his company returned from the church. Whatever happened within, Karthus did not know. What became certain, however, was that Hano carried an item that he had not held only moments before - the sword seemingly passed through the demons as though they were incorporeal, and resulted in their immediate death. With the tide of the battle turning, the adventurers cut down and smote every enemy in their path, until only one was left. The barkeeper, having been possessed himself, stood defiantly against the terrible odds - remarkable about this, was his smile.

As the opportunity to strike him down came and passed with but the blink of an eye, the barkeepers torso was sundered apart as the greater demon thrust itself from its former host, soaring into the air. With not even a word, the creature flew off.

[Gamling]

Having just nearly missed the demon, Hano, Karthus, Akodo, and Lauan head north, the direction the demon was last seen flying. They walked for many hours as Lauan hop, skipped, and ran around the group, talking nonsense. They kept walking until they came upon a small forest.

Karthus asked one of the locals, probably a squirrel if it had seen any demons about. Unfortunately the animal was too busy eating bugs to worry about demons or devils. They decided to head along the path they came, in the miserable heat, they found some pleasure and refuge in the shade.

The direction they wuld head is towards the Mirukus post nearly 30 miles away. Lauan, and the others, were filled with joy as they spotted a crick,running through their path, hoping to ease the pain of the never ending heat by taking their drink. The adventurers were upon the crick Taking their fill, but an over-zealous Lauan dunked her head completely under water to drink as much as she could before the slimy scaly claws dragged her under....

Lauan was blindfolded and dragged into a small crampe room being prodded by lizardmen spears to make sure she would not cry out. they dumped her in the dark room bound by very thick bonds made of vine which her attempts to break out of were futile, despite her strength. She stopped struggling when the lizardmen brought another victim into the room, and began her struggle as soon as they had left.

"Hello?" Lauan cried out to the lizard men's newest victim. There was only silence in Lauan's reply, but that silence was broken by a groan which could match one of the undead. She gasped and cried out again. " Who's there?! " Stricken with fear, she attempted to talk with the groaning sound. The groaning creature told her to cut her binds on a rock, before hearing a loud thud which resulted in the creature no longer speaking further. With great fear, and haste, she proceeded to cut the binds on a nearby rock.

She ran over to where the groaning had sounded and began to rip its binds off it with her great strength. The sounds of hissing could be heard of in the not too distant distance. Feeling the body, she recognized it as a human with lots of blood on him/her. Lauan, in a panic, lifted the body and proceeded running around franticaly looking for a way out, bumping into walls and such, before setting the man down and wrapping his wounds crudely. The man uttered one word in a familiar voics. " P-potion..." Lauan reacted by dumping a potion of cure light wounds and a barkskin potion down his throat.

The light spells h was attempting to cast failed miserably. Karthus let out an F-bomb and then flung himself into a fiery form, setting Lauan on fire, which then she slashed at him with her sword before running around in hysteria looking to put out the flames.The lizardmen in the room dispersed at Karthus's presence, but Lauan's slash weakened him and he had to return to his feeble state. In her panic, Lauan ran into Karthus, causing a flaming ball to go crashing down in the water which emerged on the surface.

Lauan gave a few fearful glances to the water before turning her back on it with out a word to the others.

(( This happened after the battle in town ))

[Lollercide]

After the recollection of the events Hano came to his senses. Remembering his situation in the present, he follows through with his gauntlet as it smashes into the glass. Black shards scatter across the alter from the now broken container. From the shards a bright flash rushes through the church and pours out of it's entrance, bringing all but Hano to their knees. The rush of light was shortly followed by a gust of wind, carrying a whisper from the source - "Bane Slayer..."

Following the source of the whisper... The source of the light... Leading to the phosphorescent holy blade that now hovered over the alter. Mourning for Hano's grasp its hilt darts into the palm of the Knight forcing Hano's fingers to wrap around it. Not that he wished to resist or attempted to... However he was simply incapable of denying it or Torm's wishes.

"I am free... Now.. We will bring Torm's Glory to all of those oppressed by the tyranny of evil."

The True had guided him to this blade.. To these people in need of help. With this blade in his hand and the allies at his side he was now capable of bending the fate of the people and their impending doom - To save them in the name of Torm and the Triumvirate. Hano steps forward gleaming with the light of both the blade and Torm's Blessing.

Stepping from the entrance of the Church and standing on it's steps Hano stares out to the masses of demons. Amongst them were Karthus and Pom, both covered in blood and other various marks of battle.. Surely if not for them the Paladin and his friends would have fallen long ago in the bar. Glancing behind him toward Yashia, Cade, and Sylleth's he thinks, " If not for their efforts I would surely not have made it to the Church. Praise be to Torm for my allies."

Now it was the Knight's turn to defend them. Both hands wrapped around it's hilt he raises the blade to the heavens.. Without further hesitation he starts cleaving through the demons. The sword seemed to vanish within the bodies of the villagers as it entered, ripping out wicked black forms from their body as it exited. Each demon screaming in agony as Hano purged them from the bodies they had possessed. He continued pressing on into the massess of them swinging and cleaving each one of them, burning bright with his Divine Aura.

His allies shortly recollected themselves after a few demons were purged. What was once considered a battle had now become a Demon Genocide - Spells flying from the fingertips of Karthus and Pom easily controlling the movements of the mass of Demons... They would not allow them escape the judgment that would soon befall them. The Human Champion, Yashia, stood to her feet holding her glorious bastard sword to the air roaring to the three behind her for an assault. Cade dashed past her without hesitation wielding a sword of similar stature to her own, screaming praises to The Vigilant One. Sylleth and Elith launch a great barrage of arrows that soar gracefully past Yashia's head, ever slightly disturbing her golden hair with the sharp gusts of air behind each one of the arrows.

Yashia starts her charge as the rain of arrows fall down on the demons that were attempting to strike Hano's blindside, turning them into pin cushions. With the speed of Yashia's charge she easily catches up with Cade and eventually passes him, planting a firm kick across a demon's chest who was standing between her and Hano. With the demon knocked out of the way her and Cade join the side of Hano cleaving through the masses.

The numbers grew thin at a rapid pace, and as such, Alyrian's demon form Phaedriel could now be distinguished from the other demons... His form melting away as he sneered toward Hano and his blade. Alyrian barks a quick incantation slamming his hand from the skies to open a portal. It closes immediately as he steps through it leaving the rest of the adventurers to face the final standing demon who posed at the bar keeper.

The barkeeper's eyes darted around to each of the adventurers closing in on him... He fidgeted for a brief moment before tearing his true form from the body of the human barkeep - Taking to the skies with immense speed. Karthus swore outloud conjuring up massive spells of destruction to trail after the Demon, narrowly missing with each one as he weaved and darted through each bolt of lightening, shard of ice, and flame.

Karthus knew his efforts would have been in vain.. He was too clever to assume that the demon would have been stopped by that brief display of power. The adventurers all stare into the northern skies the demon escapes to, having won this battle, but knowing the war was far from over.

[ThePaganKing]

"You should let me move ahead and scout the village first," Tellesian says to Hano as they near a village on their hunt for the demon.

But, the group wants to stay together, so Tellesian moves off the beaten path into the trees, moving quickly and silently through the shadows. He moves off from the rest and makes a circle around the village. "This is very strange, no sign of animals, big or small, in the entire village," Tellesian thinks to himself as he finishes his loop.

Tellesian kneels by the one church in the village, an old church consecrated to Torm, that is supposedly cursed and had been locked up by the townspeople. "Hmm, all the villagers just ran quickly into the bar as our main group approached the church, I wonder why," Tellesian thinks as he watches and waits to see what will happen.

The church is indeed locked and it appears there is no way in. The group moves to the bar and goes inside to talk to the villagers and try and find out about the demon. Tellesian moves quickly inside and stands to the right of the doorway, within easy reach of the door.

"Do not go up with the women," Tellesian warns as Karthus and the one eyed fool Jack go upstairs with village women. "Humans are such stupid beings sometimes," Tellesian thinks, as he pulls his short swords, feeling some itch at the back of his scalp that says things in this village are not right!

A thump, a groan, then an explosion! Tellesian whirls and dives out the door in one fluid motion, rolling and coming to his feet, short swords drawn. Tellesian looks in wonder as the building begins to burn and the villagers he can see through the door start to attack the group memebers still in the building. Tellesian begins to cast his defensive spells as he watches the bar go up in flames.

Hano, Cade, Elith, and Tellesian make it to the church. Tellesian uses his last three ray of frost spells on a link in the chain to weaken it, but it does not seem to do anything. Then Hano grabs the links and the chains break! They all run into the church, only to find that they are now trapped.

"Hano, I will sneak out of the church, run down the path, and then cause a ruckus such that the demons will move towards me, thus giving you time to escape," Tellesian says. Without a look back, Tellesian moves out of the building, the last thing he sees is karthu's call lightning spell being bent back upon itself and directed back towards him by the demon.

[Cade]

Cade paced back and forth several times impatiently. Already had we been through too much he thought. On the beach, he had patched up two, and now, one had gone off. This Crusade of Hano’s wasn’t going well. “Hobgoblins” he thought to himself, this was not what he had hoped for.

Traveling down the road apiece, he looked his companions over. Most of them were charred still, had melted weapons, their moral broken. “This is not the way…” he said to himself when the party stopped.

Cade, being wise drew his Bastard Sword. Hano, searched the tall grass with his spear he stole from the goblins to no avail. Tossing a small rock, he hit something; which surprised him somewhat. Charging out into the field, Cade almost fell back when he discovered Yashia bound and gagged on the ground.

Cade called to Master Hano, and handed off the maiden. Walking away, he turned his back as the untying went on. Paying no attention to the conversations that ensued, Cade thought this was a waste of time.

Making it to the village uneventfully, the group quickly noticed the church, dedicated to Torn was boarded up completely. Thinking that everyone needed to get into the church, Cade asked the Warlock to assist him. Hano however felt that to be a bad idea, and the Warlock fell to the ground under Yashias’ charge.

Hano, dismayed at this act shouted that the Abbot would here of his actions. Cade, not having much care in that anymore, shoots Hano a look of disgust upon hearing the name of the Abbot.

After a short time where the group was disbanded for some reason or another, they all gathered at the entrance to the local tavern.

Cade walked over and took a mug offered by one of the very persuasive wenches. Drinking deeply, Cade was not prepared when the room above him exploded in fire, death and destruction raining down.

Drawing his Bastard Sword Cade readied for an epic battle. The patrons of the bar quickly decided not to be nice anymore. Their eyes turned black as obsidian glowing in the night. It was an unholy black. Not asking any questions, Cade swung the Bastard Sword through as many people as he could; not race, color, nor creed mattered. As he cut them down, more blackness escaped their mouths, coming from there tainted souls. The strange Karthus exploding into flame and taking the tavern with him interrupted all this.

Wave after wave of intense heat came from the small pub being reduced to ash… not that that would be a different fate from any other village the group had visited recently.

Hano, after escaping the blaze ordered all to the church. Cade could not help but think “Didn’t I already say that…”

Bursting open the chained church with a charge, the group forced their way into the cloister. Cade, decided the throng of engulfed patrons on a demonic march was a good threat to deal with, lit up an arrow bright as daylight and hurdled it at the congregation. That made them none too happy, but did cut down there numbers something fierce.

Cade, ready to smite, fell to the ground from holy power. Hano, having been drawn to the church from an ethereal voice had smashed a glass tablet and retrieved a sword. That same sword drove all but Hano to the ground.

Recovering somewhat, the group was able to defeat the throng with the power of the sword. The Demon however, escaped to the sky once more.

[Gamling]

It seemed like it would just be another day venturing the lands in search of the demon, but to the band of adventurers it was more than they'd wished for. Theyargued for minutes of what their next step would be, agreeing that the lizard men attack was enough to warn them that the demon was not the only dangers as of late.
When the rain began to fall like bricks, they decided to move towards the nearesst town.

Hano, Yashia, Karthus, and Lauan moved with a sort of haste as they stopped in a clearing to discuss where they were even going. Karthus reassured Lauan that they were going to be in a town soon enough. The talking stopped....well....not for Lauan, she continued to talk as the sound of a twig breaking in the distance shut them up.

Lauan let out a great "What?!" as Cade had told them to remain silent. In the distance, a voice replied. " Who's there? " Lauan gave the halfling and halforc her name as they aproached into veiw. Lauan informed them that they were looking for their demon friend, but Karthus quickly cleared it up by informing them that Lauan was a retarded woman who thought she was hunting demons and was a thayan knight.

Yet again, another twig snapped, and through the deafening rain, the One armed half orc ran into the woods to see what he could find. Lauan fidgeted restlessly in boredom as the hafl orc took his time, but then a scream had come from the forest as Lauan followed Yashia into the forest.