Centrum Glacies 2022 Session 28: Standstill
Week 28 in 2022 of this Dungeons and Dragons Campaign in Centrum Glacies continues as the party’s angry boils over leaving them in a standstill.
Like my other campaign, I’m turning this one into a book series. However I’m still working on that project. Give it some time.
Anyway, just like my other campaign, there is a whole lot going on and I don’t want to elaborate on every moving piece in the story. You can see the whole thing once the book series starts hitting virtual and real shelves.
!!!Trigger Warning!!!
This story deals with a cruel world with some horrific twists. So far, this campaign has featured: Animals getting killed, Genocide, lots of body horror, evil cults, brainwashing, torture.
Most recently one of the party members had an eye gouged out and lost an arm. Not exactly the way it happens in Berserk, but that might have been the inspiration for it. The group at large is currently succumbing to magical wounds that appear to be turning them into Demons.
!!!Final Trigger Warning!!!
Before leaving the Obsidian Base, the Party made sure the Cultists they saved would not betray them. It would do no good to have to fight several enemies the moment their backs were turned.
Jyona was waiting for them outside and she had been working hard on something. Though the party had no idea what. Time seemed to halt to a standstill. There was conflict brewing between different party members.
Jyona did not pick up on all the tension. Instead, she managed to escalate things further. Rather than staying silent, she spilled her heart and feelings to Faustus. She wanted him to give up the artifact. It was twisting his mind and changing him fundamentally in horrible ways.
Faustus responded with “no you” essentially. Rather then try and discuss these grievances with Jyona, he turned it around on her and completely voiced his lack of empathy towards this situation.
While the group argued about what to do with the Mental Law of Magic other problems arose. It was getting dark and it was clear that they needed to leave this place immediately. But given that their emotions continues to stew and seethe that seemed impossible.
The Plague formed all around them. Orcs in the nearby settlement had continually warned the group that traveling these parts of the Abyssal continent at night was a death sentence. But out in this valley surrounded by cliffs and the Cult of Obsidian Base really made clear how much danger was all around them.
Golems:
But that was hardly the only problem the party had to deal with. As they continued to argue and with swarms of deadly insects gathering even more strongly around them in the deepening gloom, stomping echoed against the cave walls. And it didn’t take long to discover their source. Golems made of stone appeared and attacked the party.
The group fought them off. It wasn’t deadly so much as time consuming. After all, the Paladin had a sword crafted specifically to slay such monsters. But they lost out on time. And now that the night was complete, the plague had completely blocked them in this canyon. They had no choice but to stay here till morning.
Malcolm’s sword absorbed the essence of one of the Golems. Though he barely noticed. The Mithril Adventurer was one of the only calm in their group. Rather than a walk through the canyon to calm their nerves, they were stuck here with backs against a literal wall.
Wrap Up:
The party might be at standstill now, but that won’t last. And they have no choice but to remain here. Which in turn makes them an easy target if other Platinum Adventurers are nearby and willing to brave the plague.