Centrum Glacies Session 53: Death
Week 53 in 2022 of this Dungeons and Dragons Campaign in Centrum Glacies continues as one among them suffers a cruel death.
Like my other campaign, I’m turning this one into a book series. You can check out the first one here.
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 in the book series.
!!!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 recently was incinerated in lava. But rather than die, they have been transformed into Demons. And every moment they have to resist a bloodlust that is trying to take hold.
!!!Final Trigger Warning!!!
Within a Circle of Cleansing base within an enchanted tree, the party fended off massive worms. But compared to the Druids who made this place home, such monsters, even monstrous ones posed little danger.
As the monsters fell, Teztcal felt smug in his clear superiority. And in his current Demonic form, there were too many trees and branches while not enough things burning. Ignoring the fact that he was sitting in a magic tree that was a base for fanatical Druids, he set more of the scenery ablaze.
The druids while furious no doubt for this transgression, cared far more about the fact that the visitors were monsters. The Circle of Cleansing had shown earlier that they would sooner end their own lives than let even a single Demon live. Thus Trent and Jyona moved forward warily when the way forward opened in spite of Teztcal’s behavior.
But the impulsive Dragon with delusions of grandeur did not feel threatened at all. Certainly not when he found a few wolves within killing range. And he had no issue attacking them despite Trent’s protests. If anything, causing violence made him feel elation.
Ambush
But not only were there significantly more wolves than Teztcal thought, but while serving as a distraction, it was clear there were other combatants in this fight. And as Trent sensed potent magic gathering all around them, Jyona missed an important clue that would have warned her of what was to come.
The Circle of Cleansing existed to kill any and all Demons, Undead, and related monsters. The party was no exception, and as Jyona learned moments later, these Druids were willing to go to extreme ends to make that happen. Extreme things such as setting off a firestorm inside a tree. And then a second one. A third, fourth, and even fifth one. And all of them centered on Jyona who in her current form had no chance of surviving such an attack.
Not only was she slaughtered, but there was no corpse remaining either. Her body had been reduced completely to ash. And with no revivify spell handy to save her last minute, it looked like the Druids had sent Jyona on a one way trip towards death.
Trent completely lost his mind in those moments. He no longer cared if these Druids were allies. Jyona had been one of his closest friends and compared to Teztcal, a companion he could count on. And now she was gone. He couldn’t bring her back if he tried.
Instead he channeled his anger into sending a message. A hate filed message where he projected his thoughts into the first terrifying creature that came to mind. So he projected his own interpretation of Hashim into the closest Druid now in view. The very idea of such a creature was enough to send the Druid into a stunned scream.
Time Stands Still
Before anything else can happen, time stopped once more as Trent was transported back to the Platinum Adventurer meeting space. Once more he was reminded of Jyona’s death as almost the entire high ranks of the Adventurer’s Guild was present. Minus two notables that was: Malcolm and Vim-Kios were not there. And Trent wanted to know the whereabouts of both.
Trent was so furious that he didn’t even listen as the Hivemind that ran the Adventuerer’s Guild spoke on Jyona’s deeds. Instead, the Druid plotted what he was going to do the the Circle of Cleansing Druids when he left this space. That would be a much better way to immortalize his friend than this stupid ceremony.
Catching him off guard, Engelique approached Trent while he was focused on the death he meant to unleash. And in his continuous anger, he only half regarded what she said. But it was an offer he was interested in nonetheless.
In exchange for bringing Jyona back to life, with power that Trent knew she possessed, she wanted half of all the rewards and spoils he earned as an adventurer henceforth. This was clearly a bad deal and the witch still wasn’t a friend, but Jyona’s death weighed heavier every second.
A Better Deal
Seeing that Trent was clearly being put in a situation where the witch could exploit him, Lucian who had been a mentor to Jyona long before she had joined the Adventurer’s Guild reached out to him and proposed a deal of his own. And it was a bit more fair, though significantly more dangerous.
His plan involved several steps. But the first involved that Trent get out of the Druid base and fast. But he needed to get one thing before he escaped. Trent needed to retrieve a staff from one of the Druids. Otherwise Lucian would not be able to bring Jyona back from death.
He would need other ingredients to save her, but the staff was the first step. Unfortunately, there was much more, and given the schemes of a certain nearby witch, not for the better. Lucian for his part was willing to provide a one time dimension door spell to free Trent as well as his one remaining companion.
Engelique’s deal was an obvious monkey’s paw. Trent was not in the best state of mind to understand what half really meant. But even with that clear threat, Lucian pointed out that her Magic would probably be needed. And as a consequence, he might have no choice but to make the deal with her to save Jyona from death.
Time Unfreezes
At the end of this conversation, Trent was ejected from the timeless space. As everything started moving again, he plotted how he would grab a Druid Staff and escape from this place. His anger towards the Circle of Cleansing could simmer a bit longer. Once Jyona was saved from death, he would have his revenge.
Time hadn’t moved for Teztcal. Trent wasn’t even sure if the Dragon turned Demon was even aware of Jyona’s death. But whichever was true, he was focused on yet another ridiculous scheme. This time he intended to make the wolves serve him.
Despite the illogic behind it, Teztcal managed to convince the wolves to side with him. They turned on their former Druid Masters. Which in turn caused the fanatical followers of nature to kill their own allies. Teztcal all the while laughed hysterically at all the chaos he had caused.
Trent didn’t derive any enjoyment from these wolves dying. Nor did he delight in the irony of those same wolves turning against their Druid Masters. But what he did care about was getting out of here. And even if he didn’t trust Teztcal, Trent still needed at least one ally. And so he called out to the deluded Dragon and told him they were about to escape.
Without any more delays, and with his only remaining companion nearby, Trent attacked the Druid he had frightened earlier. One grasping spout later, the Druid turned Demon had his staff, and had even killed one of the Circle of Cleansing enemies in one fell swoop.
Escape
Now it was time to flee. Trent used the teleport scroll and forced Teztcal to join him. Trent was relieved that things were working out so far. He felt like there was a chance to save Jyona after all.
Teztcal however was confused and angry by this turn of events. He wanted to watch the wolves slaughter the Druids. The fact that they in turn had been killed instead was an insult to his Dragon God powers. Or something like that. Trent didn’t listen to his ranting.
Not liking being ignored, Teztcal quickly grew bored of the city of Zrin and decided to go wander off. But on the way he ran into Lucian who sensed that the two had escaped.
Trent was happy to see him, but Teztcal didn’t know or care about who he was and tried to continue on on his own. But Lucian wasn’t having any of this either. Instead, he cast hold monster on Teztcal who had no choice but to sit tight.
Trent handed the staff over. And once he did, Lucian went off into Zrin to try and gather the remaining thing to bring back Jyona from death. But they will still need Engelique’s help to undo Jyona’s horrific fate.
Wrap Up
What sort of deal will the witch propose. And will Trent be able to afford the consequences?