Lazarus - Part 2

The Queen

Norgarth, Galthia and Shen’s  focus turned back to the flying ship which had now collided with the high balcony of the throne room. The room shook under the force as the ship came to rest, the balcony railing and stonework having partly given way to the brunt of the ships landing.

The giants had already managed to clamber up the vine covered palace walls and stood next to the ship as Queen Enera jumped down fearsome and resplendent in her armour.

Explanations were demanded and the party quickly got to describing what had gone on. They hadn’t left Enera and her people behind on purpose, neither had they left the ship never to return. Shen had asked them to travel back with him, and as could be seen not-too soon as the city and the kingdom had been taken by the Yuan -Ti.

Enera’s anger subsided somewhat as the reasoning became apparent. However it quickly became apparent that Enera had formed some sort of pact. The giant king, now standing with some of his kin in the middle of the room raised his voice above all else, demanding his reward. It seemed that Enera had promised him that his giants could take the kingdom of Fairhaven as their own.

Eneras guards were organising themselves about the room checking the bodies of the fallen Yuan-Ti. Suddenly there was a ghastly scream from just outside in the corridor. Galthia with some of the guards rushed over to see, one of the guards lay dead upon the floor. Galthia suddenly sensed an unnerving presence, focussing her divine senses she felt and thought she saw a willowy mist disappear at the end of the corridor… it seemed familiar but…..

Shen stood there for a while trying to interject in the argument, ‘there’s a gargantuan scorpion not far off , maybe we need to do something about that, and also any more Yuanti.. what about the yuanti? His words fell on deaf ears.’

The challenge

In the confusion and arguing, Haennah slipped down from the balcony. She somehow felt distant as if she was looking through a stained-glass window into the back of her own eyes. Yet her mind felt focussed, empowered almost and she felt a bold confidence that she had not felt since….since  Rathmor.

She calmly sidled up to the empty throne, the corpse of the yuanti king by it on the floor, and calmly sat down putting her feet up on one of the arms , propped her glaive against it, and smiled at Enera, who just stood there mouth agape at what she had just seen the teifling do.

At that moment the sun shone down upon the throne illuminating Haennah as she sat. Norgarth looked in disbelief, clearly Haennah cast two shadows as if two people sat there. Then the light faded and the moment was gone.. had he actually seen what he thought?

‘That ours, we promised, Eemra give to us’ said the giant king.

‘Haennah fixed both Enera and then the giant with a steely gaze. ‘It’s not hers go give…

‘She promise’

‘Tough! She has no more right to this throne than a jelly fish’ retorted Haennah sternly. She then turned her back on the queen and reached down the rifle the dead body of the snake king.

‘WRONG! Shouted Enera, at Haennah’s narrow behind. ‘This kingdoms rulership has been in contention for a long time, and that means the throne is for the taking. And I.. I!! have more right than YOU.. ..GIRL! To be sat in that chair. GET OUT OF IT NOW!’

Galthia knew what her Queens’ temper could be like, she could see what was about to happen, and she felt torn between siding with her Queen, even though she had banished her, and her comrades.

Turning back and sitting up in the throne Haennah smiled at the queen and with a calmness that was almost as shocking as Enera’s rage spoke.. ‘Make me……’

Enera flushed the same colour as her flaming red hair ,and screaming in rage she drew her sword and stabbed menacingly at the Teifling .

Without further hesitation Galthia had already moved forward and placed herself in between, to block the queens sword. ‘Snick’ the blade struck Galthia and somehow found a gap in her armor.  For a moment it was as if the whole room was looking at the crimson stained tip of the sword.

Then that moment was gone and the room exploded into frenzy!

The Conflict

Guards rushed in to attack Galthia as she drew her sword in defence, Norgarth axe in hand charged in to the paladins aid.  Guards rushed into attack Shen and the giants as well.

Enera raised her sword again, to strike. Haennah thrust out her hand, but no lightning came forth, as would be expected. Instead she had in her hand the three headed dragon holy symbol of her faith. ‘You are the weak, And I am Scythia’s tyranny as She is my shield’

Enera was struck still with fear, a divine fear she could scarcely recall ever feeling before!

It was as if Haennah , this half-paladin of Scythia, a minor goddess, of some cult barely known to Enera, was holding a divine light, except that it was pure darkness, and in that darkness was held the keys of death and the afterlife. The darkness bore into Enea’s soul.

Haennah cast a spell and disappeared from sight. Yet still Enera was struck with fear. The fighting whirled about them, and Haennah lashed out with the invisible glaive at the nearby guards, as they fought Galthia, Norgarth and Shen. She sidled up behind the statuesque queen, still hidden from sight, and whispered .. ‘Majestic queen flies though the air… and finds me…. Ready!  Maybe I should just thrown you off this balcony and see how well you fly then?’  She said viciously.

Galthia’s crisis of loyalty was over. Her queen had wrongly shunned her,  and sown mistrust with this alliance with the giants and now wanting to conquer this ravaged kingdom? To also then attack a fellow paladin and friend. Galthia knew that Haennah was a troubled young woman and clearly needed her aid and guidance, this was not a pledge she would dishonour, after her own queens betrayal, so be it.

As the last guard fell Norgarth turned his attention to the queen still and swung his mighty axe, but he wanted to subdue the queen and so struck with the flat of the blade. This was enough to shock Enera out of her stupor and so she a turned to attack back, but before she could bring her blade to bear she was thrown back by the force of a lightning bolt from Haennah.

The battle turned against the queen, and as they exchanged blows she was pushed back closer to the balconies ruined edge. Galthia saw her chance and rushing forward pushed Enera back towards the edge. Under the onslaught of both Norgarth and Galthia she could not resist and toppled over the unguarded edge of the balcony.

This would have been the end for her surely if it was not for Norgarth heroic effort. At the last second he leaped forward, Galthia calling out in prayer in a big to aid him, and he grabbed Enera’s hand at the last moment saving her form the fall.

‘Swear!’ He said forcefully ‘Swear on your gods that you will ally yourself in Peace with us to save this kingdom from the Yuan-Ti!  Or I WILL let you fall!’

The Alliance

Queen Enera acquiesced and so a truce was quickly formed and she returned to her army below to begin the salvation of the city.  But the heroes challenges were not complete, Yuanti had started to scale the jungle encrusted walls of the castle to reach the throne room and begin the fight anew. While this fight ensured Shen took the initiative and leaping on board the flying ship set sail towards the gargantuan scorpion still ravaging a nearby city block.

Ballista let fly and the ship rammed into the creature, as Shen leaped from the deck to the head of the scorpion attacking its eyes. The scorpion in its death throws crushed the flying ship. Norgarth held back a tear, as his beloved ship was reduced to splinters.

Haennah had kept out of the battle and has spent her time parlaying with the giants. When the rest of the party finally returned to the palace, they found the giant king sat upon the throne, the new overlord of the land, having promised to aid in the restoration of the kingdom and to live in peace and prosperity with the people of the land. It seemed Haennah had also offered her aid and services to the giants in return for knowledge.

Shen was silent in contemplation, Norgarth was feeling more and more uneasy, Haennah’s action in the throne room were more unusual, different to how she would normally speak and act.. and what had occurred to her upon the balcony? Yet there was little time to worry as Galthia brought to the party’s attention grave news.

She had recalled that feeling from before and had realised what the willowy spirit she had glanced was. It was the spirit of Vapario back from grave. He had not died when Haennah had relieved him of his head, but instead his soul had been transported into a Magic Jar from which he could posses the living body of another.

Weary ,bloodied, and drained from the many battles they had fought, the heroes girded themselves for one last effort. Before they could rest easy they had to try and track down the spirit of Vapario, which had disappeared into the ancient depths of the old  dungeons buried deep under the rock that the palace was built upon.