Story - Part 2 - Icespire Peak

Garic and Vienne simultaneously attack the chains holding the crystal. Garic's flameburst blasts apart one of the links. The crystal slightly leans to the side and sways a bit only for another chain to be destroyed by Vienne's chakrams. The crystal bounces and the other four chains croak under the increased load.
Get theeeeeem. the ghostly figure hisses.
Three of the skeleton hold short swords while one is holding a huge axe. They run towards you...

Combat time! Roll 2d6 for initiative. On a 12 you can go before the skeletons otherwise you go after

Braces for combat and cameras to Vienne I'll handle the guards, you get those chains

Vienne catches her chakrams as they return, and hopes they can handle the skeletons.

The skeletons advance, two on each of you.

The skeleton with the huge axe and one with the short sword run towards Garic. The skeleton with the short sword drops its weapon and tries to grab Garic's wrist while the one with the axe swings it at Garic.

Vienne meanwhile has to fend against the remaining two skeletons that both stab at her with clunky movements

Vienne is hit by both attacks, getting some nasty gashes on her side.

Garic can dodge the axe but the other skeleton grabs Garic's wrist with surprising strength, making him unable to move his arms
Zones and players:
Close: 4x skeletons, crystal, Garic, Vienne
Near: No one
Far: No one

Get off Garric shouts add heslams it with his other shield before unleashing his magic

Vienne hissed in pain, and stumbled a bit away from the two skeletons. But she didn't aim back at the skeletons and instead focused on destroying the crystal. Time to take out another chain, hopefully.

Instead of wriggling out Garic straight up smahes the skeleton holding him to pieces. Then he let's out a roar and three fire bolts shoot out at the remaining skeletons but only hit one of the two that attack Vienne.

Vienne meanwhile throws her chakrams at the next chain but due to the stinging pain from her wounds she can't concentrate properly and misses.

As the chakrams fly back to her, Vienne and Garic both can hear a booming voice in their heads.
YOU WON'T DISOBEY THE EMPORER! DROP YOUR WEAPON!

You both freeze and automatically obey the command, dropping your weapons.

The three remaining skeletons take the opportunity and attack you both.
While Vienne has more luck this time and can dodge both blows directed at her, Garic receives a wound from the axe of his opponent
Zones and players:
Close: 3x skeletons, crystal, Garic, Vienne
Near: No one
Far: No one

Blasted spirit, leave the world for the living Garic shouts s he scoops up his shields and strikes them together. The sparks ignite into flames he throws up at the chains.

Vienne triggers the magic she has for her chakrams to pull them back into her hands. Ahki hisses from her shoulder at the skeletons, and lunges in an attempt to distract them from at least Vienne.

All of Garic's attacks miss. Is this the emporer's magic at work? Vienne sends out Akhi in order to distract the skeletons.
You will serve! Kneel! you hear the emporer's voice in your head.
A beam of green light shoots out of the crystal and hits Garic. Ghostly, green chains sprout from the ground and wrap around Garic's wrists.
They pull him down so that he is forced to kneel on the ground, unable to move his arms

Akhi meanwhile is able to distract one of the skeletons that attack Vienne. It swings its sword at the familiar but misses.
The other skeleton tries to slash Vienne but misses too.

Garic's opponent has easy play with Garic and even though the goblin warrior tries to wiggle to the side he is hit by the axe of his foe
Zones and players:
Close: 3x skeletons, crystal, Garic, Vienne
Near: No one
Far: No one

Vienne's eyes went wide as the shackles that dragged Garic down. But the crystal is the issue here, and she hopes that they can destroy it in time. And that destroying it will work. Vienne calls Ahki back to her side and aims her chakrams at those chains.

Garric struggles against the chains but fails to get free. Gripping his shields Garic channels his magic and draws in traces of life force to try and heal himself before surging to break out of the chains.As he struggles he encourages Vienne Keep attacking! This is for the entire region, you family, friends, and me he cant help it. Garic laughs as he fight the evil emperor from ages past. He always wanted adventure and to be a hero, well at least he can be the heroin's page.

Vienne's chakrams fly again and this time at least one of her weapons hits true and severs another chain. The crystal once again slightly tilts to its side. The remaining chains stay strong but produce a screeching sound under the increased load.

Garic struggles to release himself from the ghostly chains. His first attempt fails but after he heals himself he produces enough strength in order to break the bond and is able to act again.

You want to defy me? You will be the ones who serve me, either in life or death. I don't care. Mazarena, attack! you hear the voice of the emporer in your head

The woman you saw when you entered the castle bursts through the door you entered the cavern through. She has a staff in her hands with a glowing purple orb at its top. A purple projectile erupts from the orb and targets Garic.

The other skeletons meanwhile continue their attack.

Garic can easily duck his way out of the attack and at the same time he can avoid the attack by his axe wielding enemy. The purple projectile hits the cave wall and explodes into a cloud of lightning.

Vienne is only partially as lucky. She can dodge the attack of the skeleton that attacked Akhi and redirected its rage at her but at the same time she runs into the attack of her other foe

Zones and players:
Close: 3x skeletons, crystal, Garic, Vienne, "Empress"
Near: No one
Far: No one

Growling in frustration Garic slams a shield into a skeleton before focusing and unleashing 3 bolts at the chains and shouts in triumph as he finally strikes his target!

Garic's firebolts smash the remaining three chains holding the crystal. You hear a loud ringing sound and both of your bodies are peppered with the debris of the chains, which doesn't harm you but hurts anyway. But there isn't much time to ponder being hurt because the crystal crashes down onto the floor, exploding into millions of red fragments littering the whole cave. A white mist rushes out from the debris and fills the cave.
You get visions in front of your eyes, rapidly flashing up and then disappearing again.
You, commanding an army
You, holding a giant green orb just with the power of your mind
You, standing in front of a king who's kneeling down before you.
You, overseeing the construction of this very castle
You, transferring part of you into the crystal
You, fleeing on horseback after you lost the deciding battle
You, entombing yourself in the crystal, with your heart full of vengeance
You, seeing a lone fey adventurer, entering the castle, looking for guidance
You, filling her heart with the lust for greatness
You, getting defeated by those pesky two adventurers who a are too "good" for their own good
You, seeing a last chance...

The visions cease... the cave isn't lit anymore by the crystal. It's dark except for a ghostly figure limping towards the exit.

It's the empress but she's... different. She's glowing in a strange purple light. She is slowly limping towards the exit but it seems as if she is fighting to keep control of her body, twitching on every step. Nevertheless she is slowly making her way towards the exit, out of the cave

Dont let it take her away Garric exclaims as he rushes after the "empress" while weaving magic to trip the possessed elven scout.

Glad it's over, Vienne agrees with Garic that they need to stop them form leaving. She runs with Garic and uses magic in an attempt to bind the empress's legs. If she can't run, she can't get out. In theory.

The empress falls down, face first and before she can react Vienne conjures a silver rope from thin air that slings around her feet.
Garic turns her on her back. She is young, barely looking like an adult. Blonde hair is braided into a crown like hairstyle. Her face is scratched from the fall.

A silver shine covers her body and she flaps her mouth open and closed like a fish out of water.
Then you hear a voice but it's clearly not her voice. It's coming out of her mouth but her lips aren't moving.

You will let me free. This is the only choice I will leave you. Either you let me go and we part ways or I will turn this very castle into your grave. UNBIND ME AND LET ME GOOOO

"Yeah, that's a no on that one." Vienne replied as she looked at the woman. Maybe she could see a way to get rid of the emperor for good. Ahki leans from her shoulder and flicks his tongue to see if he can assist.