Gameplay 3 - Demonic Petitioner

Owen desperately lunges forward after moving slightly to the creatures flank. "Go down demon!" He shouts with fear in his heart. Alas, it was not enough.

Jhishma's attack drives down the giant, toppling it into the ground. It dies instantly, even before it hits road.

---

The patrol, once woken up, arrest the entire Cast Iron patronry, on suspicion of consorting with demonic giants. It turns out that the creature was what is called, an Oni, which is not a demon at all, but a magical giant.

You return to the castle and explain to the guard captain what happened. The guards and medics patch you all up and explain that the alarm was really just some mischief makers, attempting to set a fire. It was quickly dealt with, although the culprits eluded capture.

You get what rest you can, but before you're entirely satisfied, morning breaks and a messenger summons you into the King's attendance. He thanks you for your assistance with the Oni and hands you two letters, both sealed magically with the King's sigil.

"Take these to Marian Town with all haste. There may be opposition on the road so keep your weapons close. No matter what happens, I need these in the archmage Helge's hands. Only she will know how to deal with the abomination you uncovered in the mountains."

---

Converse with the king if you would like, before you're escorted to the stables for mounts.

Cyrind'ae, satisfied with the resolution of yesterday's incident will still feel like Grok did not told them everything, before being summoned in front of the Duke Harcourt, she will try to strike a quick conversation with Grok.

"Hey Grok, I forgot to query you yesterday, how did you wounded up at the Iron Pot?"

Remembering Helge's wisdom and power, Jhishma is satisfied with receiving the letters and is ready to ride.

Nar bows and takes his leave, happy with the fit of his new spikey plate mail. He heads with the rest of the party to the stables to retrieve their horses...that is if they are allotted horses this time.

Owen leaves as the others do, he prepares to head out.

Fritz heads off to the stables with Nar.

Slightly surprised, and a bit embarrassed at being spoken to by the beautiful bard, Grok answers in a low voice. "I dunno. Found mask, wanted to try it out. Grok like it when people don't know it him. But then.. "

Grok takes the mask out of his back pocket, studies it, then puts it back. "It not that fun was it." He's silent for a while before continuing his tale.

"Grok just walk by, test mask. She give Grok drink. Grok not drink, but Grok figure since Grok in mask Grok is not Grok, so Grok drink. Was fun until she asked Grok to come.." Grok looks a bit panicky at the recollection of this. "Up stairs. Then Grok see everyone evil horn people! Grok run find Nar. Then we all go back and kill."

You can see the cogs in his head spinning for a while afterwards, then he looks up at Cyrind'ae and asks: "We did good?"

"We did good, brother. I don't know what a magical giant was doing in the capital city posing as an innkeeper, but we've shut that foolishness down, and the other patrons have been jailed."

He then has a thought... "Jhishma, Fritz, perhaps we should examine the other patrons -- from Grok's tale, it seems that there could be some more wolves in sheeps clothing among them. Grok, maybe you should come along, too, and see what sharpie tells us."

Nar will go by the constabulary with whoever wants to join, then catch up with everyone else at the stables. He intends to reach out with Divine Sense to check the prisoners for fiends. He's seen that trick before...

"Yes, we did good Grok."

Cyrind'ae is pensive.

"This was the mask we found on the priest of Orcus right? This means there was a cult of Orcus in this city all along, right under our noses! This is bad guys. Perhaps we should notify Duke Harcourt. I know we have a mission to carry out, but hopefully he has powerful mages and clerics under his employ who can purge this infiltration..."