Episode 21- The Offer

The hell hounds joined the fray and charged straight for Henry. Luca transformed and took off with Henry into the air. This gave Henry the distance he needed to shoot at the enemies.

With Henry out of the way, the hell hounds rounded on Thok. Thok used riposte but was almost downed from the attacks.

Theamen looked between Thok and Menelwen, gripping his sword tight. “I'll be back.” He promised her, killing the hound that Thok used riposte against.

“Goddammit Thok, you better not die on us. Fucking son of a bitch!” Lily yelled, using Healing word on Thok.

“Language you lady!” Menelwen chastised but truly didn't care.

“You can watch it when I'm not dying.” Lily snapped back.

Vega, seeing how hurt the party was used Mass Cure Wounds and bonus action healed Henry.

A third cultist joined the other two on top of the scaffolding that overlooked the wicker giant and shot at Henry.

Thok hits the remaining hell hound that was on him.

Menelwen shifted, aiming Shatter up at the cultists before ducking behind a pillar.

Gurgles smashed the hell hound, and moved for the cultists.

Henry flew closer, grabbing onto one of the cultists with the intent on throwing him off the ledge. He failed. “The fuck are you doing boy?!”

Luca bit the guy in retaliation.

Smoke came from the path the party had used to get there as three figures came charging up. One was a white furred tabaxi...jamming out on a lute that sounded like a full orchestra from one instrument.

A full blooded orc in full half plate armor with a goatee held a mace like a microphone and was singing. On his chest was the symbol of Dionysis, the god of revelry. Spirit guardians, a mixture of male and females were his back up singers and copied his moves.

The third figure that joined shaking his head was a short stout warf with brown hair, a bushy beard, and blue eyes in chainmail with a shield. His shield bore the symbol of Apollo.

The dwarf, Helios shot one of the cultists on the scaffolding with a guiding bolt.

The tabaxi stood, still jamming out used his bonus action to inspire the orc. The orc then moonwalked to Lily and healed her.

“I don't know what to make of you. But thank you.”

“After all this time with us, this is strange?” Thok called to Lily.

“Thok, none of you have ever danced up to me.”

“Which are your allies?” The orc asked.

Lily glanced around. “Eh, kill the archers.”

Theamen used his full movement to get to the scaffolding, still singing. The two different songs clashed, causing dissonance.

Vega moved the ball of water up to the cultsists, trying to drown them. Theamen looked at the cultists, then to Vega. He shook his head and tightened his grip.

The cultists shoot at Vega. One hit, one miss, and one started singing wildly in the panic.

Thok shot at one, killing him. The water filled with blood that started spreading to his allies.

Menelwen aimed another shatter at the cultists. They passed but the scaffolding broke. One died from the fall, another was barely alive. Gurgles moved to kill him but knocked him out instead.

Theamen had been about to take the scaffolding down as well. Menelwen moved to help him up. As she did, the orc grabbed her hand.

“How damaged are you?”

“Ah...I'm...alright...? A little worse for wear-” She tried to take her hand back but he held fast. “Who are you?”

“Let me introduce myself.” He grinned. “Evan Heartman.” He produced a picture with his signature stamped on it. “For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.”



“While I'm flattered...I'm already taken.”



“Who haslaid claim to this woman?” Evan glanced around.



“That would be me.” Theamen picked himself up, taking her hands from Evan. The tabaxi and dwarf were introduced as Todd and Helos Ironfist. They had heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. After finding out what the party was doing, they agreed to help.



“If the world ends, I can't drink.” Evan shrugged.



“Or flirt with ladies.” Menelwen rolled her eyes. He glanced over to her and winked.



Henry landed, huffing. “He better not hit on Lily too.” To which Evan cited that he had age standards.



With the scaffolding broken, they had to find an alternate way up. Between Vega and Thok, they made stairs with the decanter of endless water and freezing.



Todd and Lily stayed down there with the bound/unconscious cultist. Menelwen used Mage armor.



“Menelwen, please use mage armor.” Thok groaned. Just the fact that she hadn't had it on before...



“I didn't have a chance before!” Not that it would have helped with the fireball...



“Theamen, can you impress upon her the importance of mage armor?” He asked the bladesinger.



“I've been trying, but she's as stubborn as anything.” He shrugged.



Upon reaching the top and stepping inside Scarlet Moon Hall, they noticed a hole in the floor and stairs that went up. The party headed up. They check around, not finding much. The floor creaks and drops out from under them. Vega, acting quickly created an ice slide that managed to catch all of the party except Evan.



Five creatures of fire were waiting for them and attacked. The fight didn't last long, allowing Vega with assistance from Evan's Beacon of Hope to heal everyone. Vega made a spiral ice staircase that brought everyone back up to where they had been.



Going further up, they find an elder man smoking a pipe, flanked by three other men. This, was Elizar Dryflaggon. He had heard about our...adventures and more so our use of fire. The fire cult was well pleased with us.



Evan looked at the group. “What the fuck have you been up to?”



“It's a long story.Maybe later of drinks.” Menelwen answered



“I'll hold you to that lass.”
Dryflaggon offered a deal. We keep doing what we were doing...attacking all the other cults, and they would give us information. Valuable information.



As a show of faith, he offered up the following information: Rosette was currently the air bitch's lapdog. Marlos's pet project was expanding his horizons, finding a way and becoming eternal. To become the earth itself. He attacked Menelwen's home because it was believed that the desert elves were connected to Pure Earth; earth that was untouched by earth or plant. Dryflaggon advised to not look him in the eyes or you'll be immortalized in stone.



Dryflaggon also told them about the fire cult's goal. To burn away what was in their way, to push back what has become overgrown, what is plump and greedy. Burn away that which seeks to kill people.” He even said they could take time to consider the offer.



Evan didn't like how he was making sense, so he used Zone of Truth with Dryflaggon's consent. Menelwen faiiled her saving throw against it.



Theamen leaned over to her and in Elvish asked her “Do you think the bastard (Evan) is handsome?”



“No.”



“I love you.”



Vega asked about the intent behind the ritual that they had been about to perform. The burning man ritual was a cover for the true one.



All the questions that were asked were answered truthfully. Before they left to discuss (Dryflaggon would send a messenger to them in the morning for their answer) , Evan walked to Menelwen. “If you weren't with him, would we have had a chance?”



She looked at him. “No...I'm sorry. You really are a great guy but no.”



They left and conferenced. One important part was Helos knew Remove Curse. He cured Vega of his lcanthropy. As they walked down to their camp, Henry asked “So who's taking the deal?” Henry himself was leaning towards taking it. It was better to walk side with one cult to gather information on the others. They needed information to save Rosette after all.



“We're no closer to saving her!” Henry argued.



“Yes, but siding with a cult isn't going to help. We'll only get burned in the end.” Menelwen snapped. They started arguing. It rose to a point that Menelwen walked away. “If cooler heads need to prevail, then I need to take a walk.” Theamen followed her.



Thok and Vega had words, concerned about how Vega agreeing with the cult's reasoning was isturbing.



Henry walked with Lily, still fuming. “I know they're right.”



“Messing with the fire cult is a bad idea, but finding information on these people is more difficult. Flying blindly at these things isn't just dangerous, it's stupid. Eventually you won't react quick enough and something will kill you.” Lily countered. It was more about survival than morals. “We need information. We need to stop reacting and start hunting.” Henry nodded, agreeing with her. “But I will say...you need to learn to lie. When you lie, and lie well you give people what they expect. When you learn to lead, you show people what you want they to know.”



After their conversation,Henry went to find Menelwen. She was still furious, still coming down from her anger. Henry just continued the argument without listening to her.



Todd, Helos and Evan took a walk, trying to figure out what to do. Their plan became to speak their piece to the party and separate for now.



When they did, Thok and Evan did a warrior clasp. “You have a friend in Grog. And don't forget to smile. Orcs get a bad rap, don't forget to enjoy your life.” He moonwalked out to “I'm a bitch, I'm a lover...”



After the departure, Thok and Henry spoke about the deal. He talked him out of it. The party regrouped, coming to a decision. They would not go with the fire cult, and moe on to the Sacred Stone Monastery to save the members of the Delegation.



They take a long rest. In the morning, a messenger comes and gets their decision. The party leaves, planning on going to Red Larch to resupply before facing the Earth Cult.



As they got closer, they saw fallen trees, evidence of a fierce storm. Red Larch was in shambles. Buildings were leveled. Everything and everyone was gone.



In the town square, a spear with a note stood up in the ground.



“You take my stronghold, I take yours. Bring Drown to what remains of my spire.-Aerisi Kalinoth”

~To Be Continued...~