Centrum Glacies Session 145: Duel
Week 145 of the Dungeons and Dragons Campaign in Centrum Glacies continues as the party returns to Demon Town and is pulled into a friendly duel.
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, psychological warfare, child abuse, and slavery.
Most recently, the party helped cause a complete planetary genocide. Save a few survivors, no one remains from that world. They are still grappling with this unfathomable loss of life and their role in making it happen. It is clear that their suffering is far from over. They can only hope they don’t cause untold pain to an even more untold more.
!!!Final Trigger Warning!!!
With no other issues to worry about, and a need to help Obrom change back to his Human form, the party descended past an enchanted rock into the underground Demon Town. The Bard had never been here before and looked around with wonder. He hadn’t thought such a place could exist in all his travels around the Abyssal Continent.
Natu, the unofficial leader of Demon Town and by a large margin its strongest defender greets them at the entrance. Given that they had transformed back to Human form, he congratulated them on their success. Though he noticed Obrom and remarked that they had a new member who appeared to be trapped in his transformation. True since that was why they had returned.
The party started to head towards the monastery. They had learned about Frozen Flames here on their last visit. At least once they had dealt with the Druids of Cleansing that was. But Kisara and Teztcal had other plans. They split off from the group and decided to go shopping.
Kisara now with heightened intelligence told Jyona where they were going. Which impressed the Artificer enough that she did not worry about the two. Obrom however felt differently. He saw a problem with a simple artifact being able to alter one’s thinking power.
A Duel
As Trent, Obrom, and Jyona headed towards the monastery without the Dragons, they are interrupted by a voice that called out to them. Up on the rooftop, they saw a heavily armored warrior who jumped down and landed right in front of them. Meanwhile another person materialized from the air only a few feet from where the first had landed.
They introduced themselves as Haalssanthur a Dragonborn Warrior and Carac a Half Elf Wizard. Both were Platinum Adventurers. The two admitted that they had originally followed the group to Demon town and intended to ambush and kill them when they returned from getting their Frozen Flames. But for an unknown reason, they had changed their minds. Instead, they asked for a friendly duel from the party. The two wanted to know if they were as strong as Zinbella had claimed.
Their excitement could barely be contained. The party accepted their challenge. And Carac noted that the two Witches as an exception, the party was the only group of Platinum that traveled together. Most of them were loners as the party had already learned.
Haalssanthur and Carac proved to be dangerous combatants easily worthy of their Platinum Rank. The fighter carried an enchanted maul that caused horrific wounds that caused bleeding ruptures under the skin. The wizard meanwhile knew many different spells. He trapped the Golem in a Force Cage and forced Jyona into dancing via Irresistible Dance. All while slinging other spells at the group.
Still, the party had plenty of tricks of their own. Trent used his Druid powers to summon a Wall of Fire. This split the two enemy combatants. Jyona meanwhile cast haste on herself and Obrom before she was forced to dance. Unfortunately Trent was bum rushed by the fighter and taken out of the fight quickly. His wall of fire fading away. And of course Jyona continued dancing. Her will not strong enough to break free.
Obrom however cleaned things up. Thanks in no small part due to being hasted. And his Demon form possessed immense physical strength. He claimed victory in the duel. and the Dragonborn applied a potion to the unconscious Trent so he wouldn’t bleed out.
Post Duel
As soon as Trent woke up, the two greeted the party properly. They thanked the group for a friendly duel in such an unusual place. Even more they were pleased that the three had abided by the terms of a friendly duel, rather than try to kill the two. And so they had earned the right to a few questions.
Specifically, Trent asked them what they knew about the Cult of Obsidian. They didn’t know much more about Jak-Rath than the party. But they did know a thing or two about Elkor, the leader. He was a quiet one who rarely spoke what was on his mind when gathered with the other Platinum Adventurers. Which was odd considering his profession. Elkor was a Bard. Something that the party hadn’t expected.
Wrap Up
Teztcal and Kisara have not returned from their shopping adventure. What new problems might they cause?