The War Without End – Episode 2.7
Some time after Fallana’s raising Ebon makes a weary return to the Fortress of the Second. He feels burdened by the task he has undertaken, for the woman Cardinal Harghan brought back from death is barely recognisable. He had been unprepared for the anguish and desperation in her eyes, and the fear, confusion and distrust she has shown them in the hours since her return. It is clear that the way ahead will be a tortuous one. And yet his conviction that the essence of the woman he knows still resides within reach has not lessened. He clings to that hope even more strongly now. For too many of their number have been lost while he stood helpless to save them, and he is unwilling to let Fallana go too.
As he enters the Fortress and crosses the entrance hall Heiron emerges purposefully from his chambers with a tall, grizzled warrior, a Halfling and a wolf, in tow.
“Ebon, I am thankful for your timely return for I have discerned that Elsabeth is in urgent need of your aid”, the old man declares.
Ebon is immediately concerned. Elsabeth is his closest friend here now. He cannot lose her. “What has happened grandfather?”
“In attempting to establish the whereabouts of your armour I have discovered that both it and Elsabeth are within Leannapazrak’s stronghold. And while she is there she is in grave danger, for the dragon is merely a servant of much more potent opposition. They will undoubtedly make some move against her while she is on her own and vulnerable. You must go there immediately or she may not survive.”
“Then I am ready grandfather” Ebon says stalwartly. “Send me to her side”
“That is my intention grandson” Heiron replies and then adds, gesturing to the small group behind him. ”Take Mandred and Ghengis with you. They are new arrivals who have recently responded to the call of the Med-Jai”
Ebon acknowledges each in turn with a nod. There is no time for pleasantries. They must be quickly on their way.
Heiron leads them to the Mirror of Triumphant Transportation. He gestures and utters now familiar words of power. The mirror’s surface ripples and an image appears.
“I cannot be sure of Elsabeth’s exact location but she is somewhere nearby. Find her quickly Ebon”
“We shall not fail” Ebon replies.
The trio and the wolf step through and find themselves in Leannapazrak’s stronghold upon the parapet at the end of the great hall; though they do not recognize it as such as none of them have been there before.
All about them are the signs of battle. The dragon’s corpse and those of many arachnid hybrids are scattered about. In the blood and ichor there are tracks leading up to a large set of doors. One set are human, from their size they are probably Elsabeth’s , the others are strangely made and harder to read, but perhaps they are from some of the larger spider creatures. It is not clear from the tracks whether they were accompanying Elsabeth or pursuing her.
Ebon, Mandred and Ghengis approach the doors but find them magically barred.
At that very moment, some distance within, there is an explosion of magical fire and a Hellfire Golem bursts out of the wall. It bears down on Elsabeth and the remaining arachnids, infernal fire licking from cracks in its charred and blackened skin. The golem’s assault is too much for the two Spider-Eye Goblins; they catch fire and burn, shrieking and careering around before finally being consumed. Despite the intense heat the two remaining Narleths spring forwards but they are no match for the golem and it despatches them with relative ease. Then it turns its attention towards Elsabeth.
The sorceress weaves her magic but quickly realises with some alarm that her spells are ineffectual against this new adversary. It seems the golem is somehow immune to them.
“FEEL THE WRATH OF MY MISTRESS” the lava-creature bellows threateningly in a deep, gravelly tone, and once again the air is filled with searing heat and fire. Elsabeth is scalded and driven back. She has no other choice but to turn and run.
Outside the doors Mandred tries becoming ethereal to breach the barrier but whatever magic is in place it prevents him from doing so. In frustration Ebon curses and strikes at the doors with his fist. He shouts Elsa’s name and then starts hacking at the obstacle with his glaive. Not surprisingly his efforts fail to make any impact.
“We have to get in” he snarls.
“Let me try something” offers Genghis. The Halfling sits down and begins chanting. In front of him the stone floor obligingly shifts and furrows. A deep groove is formed which leads up to and under the barred doorway.
“Nice work my friend!” Ebon claps the Halfling on the shoulder.
He is just about to jump into the hole when a deep voice bellows from the other side ”YOU WON’T ESCAPE” and a huge gout of flame erupts from within. A moment later Elsabeth materialises on the parapet. Coughing, she falls to her knees; her clothing steaming with heat and her skin blackened with soot.
“Elsa!” Ebon exclaims.
For a moment the scorched sorceress seems unaware of her would-be rescuers but then her gaze falls upon Ebon.
“Ebon you’re alive!” she cries elatedly.
Then she remembers their situation and her joy turns to alarm.
“Ebon get away from the doors!” she shouts. “There’s a Hellfire Golem behind them!”
A fraction of a second later the doors explode outwards and the golem bursts through in a shower of splinters. Ebon and Mandred are knocked from its path and it heads directly for Elsabeth.
The sorceress tries to evade the creature by magically taking to the air but as she does so the golem grabs her by the leg. Her flesh sizzles and she screams.
Leaping to his feet Ebon rushes to Elsabeth’s aid, swinging his glaive mightily. With a loud clang the blade smashes against the golem’s rocky skin. Though there is little sign of any damage the assault rocks the creature sufficiently that it releases its grip and Elsabeth breaks free. Swiftly she rises beyond its reach.
The golem turns on Ebon and swats him out of the way again before hurling a fireball at Elsabeth, but the sorceress deflects it easily.
Then suddenly a huge Earth Elemental, that has been summoned by Genghis, erupts from the floor and attacks the golem. To their relief, it finally retreats.
Once their foe has departed Ebon and Elsabeth quickly go back inside and retrieve Ebon’s armour and Baratus’s staff from the dragon’s hoard. Outside Mandred and Genghis keep watch until they are finished. Then the four of them cautiously make their way back out through the stronghold, but the golem has vanished. All they find is a message on the tunnel floor, in a mixture of Infernal and Draconic, that reads, “This is not the last time you shall feel the wrath of Tiamat”
Before returning to Sigil they travel to Legagog’s lair, for Elsabeth has left some items there and needs to retrieve them. When they arrive they are met by one of Legagog’s daughters who gives Elsabeth her things and informs her in no uncertain terms that Legagog is currently unavailable. Elsa is slightly miffed at this frosty treatment but has little choice other than to depart.
The group then returns to the Fortress of the Second.
The next morning Ebon receives a note telling him that a message awaits him at the Tout’s Guild. He goes there with Elsabeth, stopping first at the Temple of Fharlanghn to return Baratus’s staff.
At the Guild a silver hound is waiting. It carries a message from Marann that says:
“Things within the Holy Church are not as they should be … I am unable to continue with the distraction that you have become. The Glaive of St Simeon remains a holy relic of our faith and we do not relinquish our claim upon it, but we are willing to negotiate the subjet of its guardianship. My Hound will return here in one day after you collect this message for your answer. If you wish a peaceful resolution to this, I suggest you agree to meet in a place of your choosing, somewhere outside Sigil.”
Once the message has been delivered the Hound departs.
Afterwards Elsabeth goes shopping. Ebon, Mandred and Genghis tag along for a while. Once it becomes clear it’s going to be one of Elsa’s longer shopping trips Mandred and Genghis depart. Ebon sticks around, just happy to be alive and in the company of his friend.
Some time later he returns to the Temple of Pelor to visit Fallana.
Notes:
The Med-Jai previously encountered Leannapazrak in Episode 1.17 – Dragons, Spiders and Trolls (Part Two), Episode 2.5 – Ashes to Ashes and Episode 2.6 – Avenging Angel
