The Conquering of Cheilax (Campaign)

The Conquering of Cheilax is a one shot campaign that evolved into a full fledged rebellion against the Empire of Cheilax. The plot began after Cheilaxian Soldiers began a massacure of a Lizardfolk tribe on their campaign to conquer the region. After the interoggation of the commander of the attack force the group changed its plans to liberate Cheilax from its oppressive rulers and place a new ruler in charge.

After a restock of supplies and recruitment of some men the group created a battle plan for the HMS Maria. The group then infilitrated the ship and prepared for a night siege against the ship. The commander, a Vampire named Lord Vyke led his soldiers in a defence against the party. Supported by Dread Necromancer Pelonius he led a valiant counter offensive but after heavy casualities on both sides the ship was taken and the vampire excorcised.

The Swordsman's Crypt
Following the HMS Maria, everyone is trying to recover and recuperate from the losses and exhaustion from the battle. The day after, nothing gets done other than resting and some remodeling of the ship, as well as some preparations to restore it to sailing condition. Day two saw Daniels the Cleric looking thru the effects of Lord Vyke, and locating a book which contained the supposed location of a nearby tomb of a hero who once bested Vyke ancestor in personal combat, and took his legendary weapon from him. The team was led to a cave entrance, rather well hidden near a cliff edge. They entered and found the cave to expand into the entrance of the crypt. After many struggles through the crypt they defeated the legendary sword master.

Learning of his past they learned he was once resided in Cheliax, during the time of the demons, and sought to prevent his brother from turning vampiric, but the deed was done. He defeated his brother in combat, and took the vampire sword which had transformed his brother, for himself. he led a campaign to fight off the demons, but ended up only driving his people further into their arms.

The sword corrupted him, began turning him into a vampire. He slew his child and wife in a fit if blood lust and hunger. Seeing his own corruption finally taking hold, he left trying to find a place to hide the sword from those who would abuse it. He befriended some master dwarfs, who helped him create the crypt to hide the sword. He sealed himself inside, and the dwarfs consicrated the ground such that no vampire could enter or leave.

The Temple of Lies
Upon the return of Darreck to the ship there was a celebration held with much food and drink for all members aboard. After the festivities the group went below deck to settle for the night. Upon reaching sleep each member dreamed of an angelic voice that spoke to him or her from what seemed to be a body of light. The voice spoke of a mission that would help in their goal of defeating Cheilax. First the cleric Daniels awoke to find a strange tablet beside him written in a language that he could tell was not of this plane. Upon the tablet which Coah was able to read, also on the tablet was a map where even the ship it’s could be seen. Medela (don’t think that’s spelled right) went to Kuragh (if spelled wrong let me know) and asked to borrow the master work musket from him giving him her father’s musket as a reassurance the musket would be returned as well as revealing her real name to only him.

The party then left the ship following the map came upon a chapel with a bell on top, it’s windows blacked out. Darreck was the first to enter sneaking in silent as the grave, as soon as he went in he emerged again telling the horrors that were inside the room. The group burst through the door revealing 6 women being raped by men in cloaks, as well as four other men standing around a man chained, his stomach spilled upon on a stone coffin. Genevieve was the first to take a shot killing the first of the rapist followed by Darreck who took out the next on. Medela then fired her weapon killing both the man and the woman in an instant and the battle begun. During the battle Daniels was tackled to the ground by one of the men who tried to hold him down as another went to slide a knife along his throat. Darreck sent a shot right into him killing him, the body landing on top of Daniels. Deckered Cain assisted in the death of the cultists by sending lightening just from the touch of his hands as well as Coah damaging the leader before ending his life(I think he was the one to kill him I am not a hundred percent on that). The last living cultist then began to flee only to be put down by Medela as his body crumpled and slid toward her. With the last one now a bloody mess on the floor the group begins to search the bodies around them.

The first they notice is amulets with simples on them that Medela can identify as symbols of the Demon of Shacks(ask the other Nick is this is correct of how to spell it right). Though nothing beside the name could be gain from what they found the group also found all the women had no pulse, but had been freshly killed and that not much more than a half an hour could have passed since their deaths. The slab on top of the coffin is then removed reveal a winding staircase that seemed only to lead to a wall. Medela thinking it might have been an illusion walked right into the wall but was met with the pain of walking into a wall. The tablet then began to glow and read “Only the blind may see lies.” (ask nick for all the actual quotes if you want.) Upon reading this Medela closed her eyes and walked through the wall then walked back to show that closing one’s eyes was the course of action to get them past the wall. The group then disappeared through the wall into a room with a large statue in the middle that came alive and spoke to the group saying that everything they would ever need or want is the next room. A room then appeared filled with weapons of all shapes and sizes ones that looked beautifully crafted from only the finest materials. Medela was one the first to select a weapon. Seeing first an beautifully crafted weapon with as much ammunition and black powder as could be needed. Then beside it was a pathetic looking one, in worse of a ware then the one that she had given to the dwarf. Upon seeing them she selected both for battle. The two rangers had the same sort of experiences, seeing magnificent bows that were perfectly balanced in weight, with the bow string feeling like silk. From the selection Coah first saw a bow that glowed red, revealed to be a fire bow and another was spotted by Darreck that was cool to the touch which turned out to be an ice bow, along with an two old moldy bow which when Coah first tried to fire one shattered in his hands. Eventually Darreck took the fire bow while Coah opted for the ice bow but took the molded bow as well. Deckered Cain seeing magic staffs made his selection of one he felt was what he wanted, the staff having snake like creatures around it. Daniels sensing wary of the weapons avoided them all and chose to take none. Genevieve was the last to select a weapon taking both a battered looking pistol as well as a master crafted one. A door then rose up to show a coliseum filled with stone statues that spoke telling the group to select on for a one on one battle to the death. Each was a varying size from two feet to thirty feet high. Darreck challenged one of thirty feet and the rest of the party soon chose their opponents. Medela’s at ten feet, Genevieve’s also at ten feet, Daniel’s at fifteen feet and Deckered Cain chose the smallest one that stood at two feet tall. As soon as the selection was made the group was chained as the first contestant was pulled into the arena. A field surrounded the combatants blocking them from the view of the party while the first battle commenced.

The statue which he had chosen shrank from its large size to a more human height, it’s hand forming a bow with arrows growing from it’s back. Darreck first brought out the fire bow which he had taken from the room using the arrow of slaying that had been given to him. As soon as he went to pull the string back the bow fell to a pile of useless ashes. The statue ran around dealing him damage before Darreck took the bow he had using it for the remainder of the fight which ended in Darreck being victorious.

As soon as he emerged from his fight Medela was then taken into the center, her statue becoming humanoid as well grew a musket on each of it’s arms. Medela just like Darreck tried to use the beautiful weapon they had gained but the result was the same. Only Medela then chose the terrible musket that had been in the same room firing at the being massively damaging it. Her fight ended as well in victory and not a wound was given to her.

Next Deckered Cain was drawn into the arena his small two foot statue sat in the center like a child turning it’s head till it turned completely around. The statue then grew to ten feet before became a gruesome being with large fangs and clawed hands. During his battle the statue went to bite his head off only to catch itself on his Deckered’s mask. His battle also was victorious.

Genevieve was the next to go her statue gaining four crossbows on it’s arms, again she drew the master work pistol she had taken from the room but it crumbled in her hands. With this the statue was able to send four arrows into her dealing quite a bit of damage. Then a notion in the back of her mind poked at her thoughts telling her to draw the pour quality pistol. Following her gut she drew her weapon and was able to also win her battle.

Again another party member was pulled in, this time Jack Daniels stood in the arena. Using his smarts to think he used a spell to soften the statue that was his opponent an defeated the creature, possibly being the shortest battle of the group.

Last to be dragged into battle was Coah whose statue grew to an enormous fifty feet into the air. The ranger used his acrobatic skill to scale the being’s arm till it was able to attack but not before almost being shaken off by the giant. His battle ended with a glorious blow to the neck while he slid down using the weight of his body to almost decapitate the statue’s head off. With this the last party member was able to defeat all their opponents only to watch as lava began to spill toward them. The group sprinted to the exit which was closing fast in front of them. Daniel’s feet were not as graceful as he may have wanted as he tripped into the sand and Coah had to run back to go after him. The cleric barely made it through the closing door as the group stood themselves in front of a large chasm. Coah tying the rope he had around the group began walking to the chasm only to fall inside and have to be pulled up. From this Medela threw sand into the chasm revealing only a short distance away was an invisible platform. The group jumped to the safety of the platform as the lava seeped into the room and down the chasm unable to reach them. With the platform there the group then walked the chasm and went into another large 60x60 feet room.

The room went to pitch back and scuffling could be heard till the lights flared back on and two Medela's now were wrestling on the floor. Pulling them apart the group found no physical difference between the two and the group began to question the two but their answers were the same in almost every way till the fake slipped up. Darreck’s life was threatened and Deckered Cain knew immediately that the fake one would be the only one confused by the threat and the real Medela would rejoice at the thought. With a thrust of his dagger the demon was once again on the move and the party was flung around and again the darkness returned and now two Darrecks were rolling around on the floor. Genevieve pulled one off and the other went to kill the other but Medela pointed her musket at him and told him not to move or he would not move again. The one Darreck obeyed and was then grabbed by Coah. The one in Genevieve’s arms was notably more relaxed in her arms than the one in Coah, and instantly the guess of who was the fake fell from the one held there. Still questions were exchanged but it was almost the same result. Then from the group, whom were bickering of which one to kill, came Deckered Cain who went and stabbed one of Darreck’s testicles. With the one Darreck writhing in pain still no difference could really be told from the two and the group came to the conclusion that the fake was held in Coah’s arms. Using the sacrificial dagger that Deckered had obtained earlier he sliced open Darreck’s neck as he began to bleed out. The doppelganger laughing again flung the group back once more and the darkness came, when the light returned Darreck’s body was no were to be found save for the dripping blood that seemed to come from the darkness above. Deckered Cain was the next to be copied but the stone tablet glowed revealing another message that a kiss would reveal the truth. With the group members all volunteering Medela she went forward to kiss the first Deckered she came upon. The kiss showed that it didn’t taste human and the beast found itself with it’s head being cut off. Darreck’s body then fell to the floor and despite the party’s efforts to save his life he bled till the light in his eyes faded and death was upon him.

Campaign Status: IN PROGRESS

Party Members:

Jack Daniels

Deckerd Cain

Darreck Kel'lara

Coahtemoc Lacrimosa