Knights of the Cross(roads): Contacts, Allies, and Quests

Since the party's journeys are set to take them to many cities, and introduce them to many possible allies, here's a list of the contacts they make in them as they come up, along with any quests given by those contacts- and the outcome of the quests. Read more of their adventures here!

The Prophecy:
"When the red tide washes over the Keep, the undead will rise, the mountains will rumble and rend, and the army of Nergal shall pour from the hills."

Rumors from the inn for the party to investigate:

• People who enter the Fairie Forest never return.
• The gnolls in the hills are getting restless killed them all
• There have been a string of disappearances in Riverside
• There's some odd ruins in the Demonsclaw Mountains
• Hold the mountain until the military can get reinforcements there
• Silverton may have more information on that

Crossroads Military

Major General Ember
Captain Hayes Addington
1st Lieutenant Sudryl Glyntris
2nd Lieutenant Kiersten Pinkerton
Luth Dotsk
Seipora Dumein
Silifrey Helder
Zashieda Kulenov
Major General Mavha Trak'len
Tarhun
Captain Falenas Yllalen

Quests from the Military:
Save Seaside
Take out the roaming hoardes of undead in the Gnoll Hills
Help end the siege of the Red Keep

Teams:

Dax's Team

2nd Lieutenant Illior Starlight- High Elf Healer
2nd Lieutenant Uthar Lightbringer- Human Cleric (Life Domain)
Adrie Xiloscient- High Elf Bard (College of Valor)

Amafrey Helder- Human Cleric (Trickery domain)

Ander Goodbarrel- Lightfoot Halfling Paladin (Oath of Vengeance)

Barendd Dankil- Hill Dwarf Paladin (Oath of Vengeance)

Errich Tealeaf- Lightfoot Halfling Bard (College of Valor)

Haseid Basha- Human Cleric (Trickery domain)

Ivellios Amakiir- Wood Elf Cleric (Trickery domain)

Kronthud Crystalfist- Deep Gnome Cleric (Life domain)

Salleek- Aarakocra Bard (College of Valor)

Silaqui Amakiir- Level 5 High Elf Paladin (Oath of Devotion)

Silifrey Shemov- Human Bard (College of Valor)

Sudeiman Windrivver- Human Cleric (War domain)

Torbera Strakeln- Mountain Dwarf Cleric (Tempest domain)

Urth Jassan- Human Bard (College of Valor)

Yasheira Windrivver- Fire Genasi Paladin (Oath of Devotion)

Zasheida Windrivver- Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients)

KlikKlik's Team

2nd Lieutenant Elas Reyren- Human Ranger (Hunter)
2nd Lieutenant Nar Zogagbu- Half-Orc Ranger (Beastmaster)
Adran Liadon- Wood Elf Ranger (Beast Master)

Bardryn Holderhek- Mountain Dwarf Barbarian (Path of the Berserker)

Bor Nemetsk- Human Druid (Circle of the Moon)

Finnan Brushgather- Lightfoot Halfling Rogue (Thief)

Glar Shemov- Human Barbarian (Path of the Totem Warrior)

Igan Mostana- Human Ranger (Beast Master)

Kara Dumein- Human Fighter (Battle Master)

Kara Stormwind- Human Barbarian (Path of the Totem Warrior)

Olma Bersk- Human Druid (Circle of the Land- Forest)

Roscoe Thorngage- Stout Halfling Ranger (Beast Master)

Sannl Battlehammer- Mountain Dwarf Druid (Circle of the Land- Swamp)

Sariel Nai'lo- Wood Elf Ranger (Hunter)

Sergor Dotsk- Human Fighter (Champion)

Shaena Tosscobble- Lightfoot Halfling Barbarian (Path of the Berserker)

Veit Ironfist- Hill Dwarf Monk (Way of the Open Hand)

Westra Starag- Human Ranger (Hunter)

Taryn's Team

2nd Lieutenant Bilba Lightfeet- Lightfoot Halfling Bounty Hunter (Pistol Monkey)
2nd Lieutenant Flint Westwood- Human Gunslinger
Alethra Starag- Fire Genasi Rogue (Arcane Trickster)

Baern Torunn- Mountain Dwarf Ranger (Beast Master)

Bran Stormwind- Human Rogue (Arcane Trickster)

Kara Helder- Human Rogue (Assassin)

Laucian Holimion- Drow Elf Rogue (Arcane Trickster)

LoKag "Wordpainter" Anakalathai- Goliath Ranger (Hunter)

Mara Basha- Human Fighter (Battle Master)

Mara Shemov- Earth Genasi Fighter (Champion)

Mehmen Chernin- Air Genasi Ranger (Hunter)

Mindartis Ilphelkiir- Wood Elf Ranger (Beast Master)

Nala Turnuroth- Dragonborn Ranger (Hunter)

Pavel Chernin- Human Rogue (Arcane Trickster)

Pavel Hornraven- Human Rogue (Arcane Trickster)

Shaena Leagallow- Lightfoot Halfling Fighter (Battle Master)

Shanairra Ilphelkiir- Wood Elf Rogue (Thief)

Westra Stormwind- Human Rogue (Assassin)

Xara's Team

2nd Lieutenant Dagna Gemhand- Mountain Dwarf Arcane Warrior
2nd Lieutenant Manus GillAndrais- Human Dread Fighter (Dreadnought)
Anastrianna Galanodel- High Elf Warlock (Great Old One Patron, Tome Pact)

Aseir Starag- Human Wizard (Necromancy school)

Bor Basha- Human Fighter (Battle Master)

Brocc "Filchbatter" Garrick- Forest Gnome Fighter (Battle Master)

Errich Thorngage- Stout Halfling Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline)

Gardain Battlehammer- Hill Dwarf Fighter (Eldritch Knight)

Glim Garrick- Rock Gnome Fighter (Battle Master)

Helja Balderk- Hill Dwarf Warlock (Archfey Patron, Blade Pact)

Korinn Myastan- Dragonborn Warlock (Fiend Patron, Chain Pact)

Meilil Chernin- Human Fighter (Eldritch Knight)

Oda Folkor- Rock Gnome Sorcerer (Wild Magic)

Olga Windrivver- Human Fighter (Battle Master)

Stor Basha- Human Fighter (Eldritch Knight)

Tana Nemetsk- Human Warlock (Great Old One Patron, Blade Pact)

Thotham "Lonehunter" Anakalathai- Goliath Wizard (Illusion school)

Wirsidda Stonecutter- Deep Gnome Fighter (Champion)

Silverton

Fred the Ranger

Cirque de Whoreleil

Hily Wesalt: Female Human Athas's mother. Hily is fair in appearance, with white hair and blue eyes. She wears plain clothing and several pouches hang from her belt.

Athas Wesalt: Male Human Elephant Wrangler, Hily’s son. Athas has thin golden hair and blue eyes, and an unusual scar on his leg. He wears plain clothing and a black cloak. Athas has an animal companion, a white goat named Athell.

Rithoro: Male Half-orc Guard Leader. Rithoro has tangled copper hair and amber eyes. He wears studded leather and wields a flail and shield. Rithoro has an animal companion, a hawk named Theodima.

Arior: Female Human Guard. Arior is short, with matted silver hair and hazel eyes. She wears leather armor and wields a war pick. Arior has an animal companion, a black cat named Athel.

Aethen: Female Human Guard. Aethen is fair in appearance, with thin black hair and gray eyes. She wears studded leather and wields a flail and shield. Aethen is morose and amoral.

Phillip: Male Human Paladin of Apsu. Has a giant weasel mount named Snake.

Steve: Male Goblin Paladin of Apsu. Has a goblin dog mount named Bink.

Timmit: Male Kobold Paladin of Apsu. Has a wolf mount named Woof.

Aergant: Female Human Dancer. Aergant has matted brown hair and blue eyes, and a thin nose. She wears modest garments and carries a fine stiletto.

Erys Eddyn: Female Half-elf Dancer. Erys is heavyset, with auburn hair and light brown eyes. She wears modest garments and several pouches hang from her belt. Erys seeks to save her family from financial ruin.

Azais: Female Gnome Illusionist Fortune Teller. Azais has blonde hair and blue eyes, and a distinctive scar on her face. She wears tailored clothing and carries a fine stiletto. Azais is searching for the legendary dwarven kingdom of Ukthathol.

Masym Benthey: Male Halfling Dice Hustler. Masym is short, with short blonde hair and light brown eyes. He wears expensive clothing and an amulet of luminous crystal.

Aridulf: Male Tiefling Cups Hustler. Aridulf has uneven gray hair and gray eyes. He wears modest garments and riding boots. Aridulf secretly serves Yerel, an ancient aberrant god.

Hely Hewe: Female Human Ring Toss Hustler. Hely has blonde hair and bright hazel eyes. She wears fine clothing and a feathered hat. Hely is wrongly sought by the Baroness of Forlonde for theft.

Knights of the Cross(roads): the characters

NOTE: Characters are always evolving, and as they evolve new information is added to their bios. Check back often! These change regularly, and when a new character is added, so is their bio! Read more of the Knights adventures here!

The Next Generation:
*****
       Xara is a half-orc half-drow, and calls herself a "Dorc." She was abandoned at a circus as an infant and has grown up being a circus freak; she knows nothing of her origins, and has always assumed that she was the product of rape. By most drow Xara is considered an abomination, and has grown up being called that; though it doesn't faze her at all. She looks like a tall, muscular drow, with a severe under bite.

       The sight of 321 ghosts caused Xara to age 70 years, but since that would be detrimental to Xara, Dax was able to put her back to her normal age.

Photo courtesy of Deviantart

*****
       Niss'RizDax Kenarn grew up in the best city in the Underdark in the Old World. For the first 80 years of her life she was nobility, the Kenarn family was of the Eighth House in the city, and Dax was a devoted priestess of Lolth. Then one day a priestess of Eilistraee came into the city, and began secretly spreading Eilistraee's Light. Dax was curious, since she hadn't known there was another drow goddess, and it was there she learned what the true love of a goddess was.

       One day, while she was making plans to flee to the Surface with the priestess, a rival family took out her House. When Dax returned she discovered her entire family was dead, and that had it not been for Eilistraee, she would have been too. She took off for the Surface, and eventually reached the Temple of Eilistraee there. During her first prayer to Eilistraee under moonlight, she was given the title of The Moonlit Dancer; every Sword Dancer of Eilistraee has their own title, which is sometimes more known than their name. Dax lived there in piece for the next ninety years, working her way through the ranks, and relishing in the beauty and serenity the Surface offered.

       A few years ago, Eilistraee appeared to Dax during prayer, and told her to go to the New World. The Dark Dancer told Dax that she was needed to spread her light and love to those there, and to establish a temple or shrine there when she found somewhere safe to do so. Eilistraee also said there was another purpose to Dax's journey, but that would be revealed in time.

       Dax has spent the last few years in the New World, secretly preaching to other drow and gaining a few followers for her goddess. She has not yet set up a temple, because she hasn't found a place that feels completely holy and sacred to her yet.

       Dax stands at 4'10, weighs about 90 pounds, and has glorious, silky smooth obsidian skin. Her silver hair is ankle length, and is usually tied back in a braid. She has lavender eyes, and a slim build with very generous curves.

       Dax was granted a familiar from Eilistraee, in the form of a red Faerie Dragon. She named it Thea, which means gift of the moon goddess.

       The sight of 321 ghosts caused Dax to age 90 years.

Photo by Isriana on Deviantart.com

*****
       KlikKlick BoomBoom exited the Underdark about a year ago, entering the New World through the rift in the Savage Lands. She met TickTick, her giant bat animal companion, after entering the surface, and together the pair made their way to Crossroads. KlikKlik now lives in the Alienage outside Crossroads, which she helped build when she stole a Lyre of Building.While Kibbik appreciated her help in building, he cut off her pinkie as punishment for the theft; she now wears it around her neck. KlikKlik idolizes Kibbik, and wants to be just like him.

       KlikKlik's head exploded when she reached out for Apsu's aid and it ended up being too much for the kobold to handle. Apsu essentially reincarnated her as a small platinum dragonborn, though she doesn't know she's a dragonborn, and instead thinks she's a platinum kobold.

       The sight of 321 ghosts caused KlikKlik to age 90 years.

*****
       Taryn Al'Maera came to the New World because she wanted to become a prominent member of the Assassin's Guild. She ended up being recruited by Ralliakkan to be her plant in the Guild, and has been chosen to eventually take up the Ralliakkan moniker, since the last one has essentially retired. She is snarky and secretive, not revealing much of herself to anyone. 

       Taryn created a Madame guise for her role in Cirque de Whoreleil, named Paerus Al'Kai.

       The sight of 321 ghosts caused Taryn to age 90 years.

The Original Generation:

*****
       Kelani, the kitsune druid, is five foot two, 155 pounds, with a lithe body and five tails, each with a different color scheme- and she frequently grows a new tail. She is a red fox with golden eyes that are her most prominent feature, her fur is thick and luxurious. Shortly after she began walking the druidic path, Kelani came upon a velociraptor egg that was struggling to hatch; the other eggs in the nest had already been hatched, and the nest was abandoned. She helped the struggling raptor break out of her shell, and named the hatchling Arden; she has been Kelani's best friend ever since. Kelani came to the New World because she saw too many animals being brought back from it as trophies and "pets." She couldn't stand to think of so many innocent creatures being captured and brought across the sea, so she set out on this expedition. While she doesn't understand civilization, money, or social skills, she has a good heart and is always willing to help those in need- unless there's an animal in distress somewhere else. Kelani simply wants to make the New World a better place for nature, and she hopes to help prevent humans from completely taking over the natural parts of this world.

*****
       Kib-bik-kin-nik, the kobold paladin of Apsu, is a different color scheme than most of his kind- his scales are purple, and he has small wings, though he can't fly. Raised by dwarves, the kobold has always been different from your average kobold. He has a deep reverence in Apsu, and decided to spread the word of the maker to those on a new continent. The paladin's dream of spreading the light of Apsu to all has recently begun to come true; he is building a huge temple right outside of Crossroads, and has begun getting a growing clergy. Kibbik tries to be intimidating, but no one ever believes that they need to surrender to him- until it's too late. He has what he believes to be the best interest of the world at heart.

*****
       Ralliakkan is a drow rogue who hates magic, and the party doesn't completely understand why. While she will accept healing now from Kelani and Kibbik, because their magic comes from their gods, she refuses to touch anything arcane; she says it is too unstable and likely to blow up in her face. The drow's goal seems to be owning as much of Crossroads as she can get her hands on- a plan that is well underway with her recent acquisition of the Underhearth. She steals regularly, but always manages to keep Kibbik from finding out, it would break his heart to think his angel was nothing more than a criminal- though she has had some close calls.

*****
       Maggie is not the gnome's real name, but a shortening of a nickname: Magpie. No one knows what the gnome's true name is, but she has guarded that secret so well that the party thinks her name truly is Maggie. The gnome is obnoxious, never stops talking, has no respect for nature (which has brought tension between her and Kelani), and always kills someone the moment Kibbik offers them mercy (which led to Kibbik refusing to heal her for a while, he thought Apsu would revoke his powers if he kept using them on her). Maggie did not choose to come to the New World, she was thrown in a barrel and put on board the ship; she had recently offended the wrong person enough to have them send her to the other side of the world. She despises goblins, thinking them all vermin and on a personal crusade to commit genocide- which has become a point of tension with the rest of the group since the addition of Gabtar. The party has never found out the reason for Maggie's hatred for goblins, but she has made it abundantly clear that she is not completely sane.

*****
       Gabtar Ratbag was rescued from Maggie during the party's first big fight with the goblins. Kibbik sensed that Gabtar wasn't evil, and decided to give him mercy, hiding him in Kelani's wagon for the duration of their trip through the Goblin Hills. He has been converted to the Church of Apsu, and has become Kibbik's right hand. The party has protected him from Maggie since she discovered his existence, and they have made it clear that they will kill her if she attacks him. Gabtar has become a valued member of the party, and an important person in a prominent church- his life is much better than it had been with the other goblins.

The dead and/or gone:
*****
       Sonitri didn't wish to remain in the military, so she returned to her life in Riverside.

       Sonitri is a samsaran, an ancient race that does not have a linear existence of life to death, but instead they reincarnate each time they die. They are not born in the traditional manner, they just appear, usually looking like an eight-year-old child. Samsarans can recall parts of their past lives, but each incarnation is a different person, though the goal is always the same: to live a life of enlightenment and balance so they can continue their cycle.

       Sonitri's last incarnation veered away from the traditional samsaran way, and she was a fence- a criminal. She left her society a couple years ago for the New World because she wanted to get a fresh start; too many people there remembered how she used to be, and judged her. 

       She joined the Mage Guild when she arrived in the New World, and bought a house in River Glenn. Sonitri lives a quiet life of magic and contemplation with her cat. 

Photo courtesy of Deviantart.com

*****
       Nyneve was killed in Seaside when a group of ghouls ripped her to pieces.

       Nyneve was born in a magical community on a remote island, that is largely comprised of water genasi. Her community has the sacred duty of guarding and concealing the Fountain of Youth. The druids there have learned how to harness the power within the waters and can use them to repair and rejuvenate both nature and the body. 

       Struck with wanderlust, Nyneve left the Fountain three years ago for the New World. She wanted to see more of nature than she could in her isolated and magically concealed home. Nyneve joined the local druid grove, and was put in charge of protecting and caring for the river west of Crossroads. She has a hut on the river outside of the small farming community, and has made friends with the local wildlife. A duck she's named Phillip pretty much lives with her, and his family comes over for food every morning. A beaver named Sofia comes in and snuggles with her at night, and a family of deer visit her often. 

      Nyneve hates the mines in Silverton because they are constantly polluting her river. She hasn't come up with a good way to sabotage their operation yet, but once she was able to dump a load of their gems into the river, taking up three days of their work. 

       Nyneve is 5'5, 155 lbs, with stream-blue skin that has darker spots that run from the top of her head to the tips of her toes; the spots are her gills. Her hair the ocean blue, and her large, blue-black eyes have no whites or pupils. She has a toned, swimmer's body with a somewhat generous, albeit annoying, chest and minimal curve. Nyneve is beautiful, but her appearance is somewhat unnerving to people. 

Photo courtesy of  Zoberraz on Pintrest

Pathfinders of the New World- Knights of the Cross(roads), the Next Generation: Book Two, Chapter Seventeen

Meat Pies

Dramatis Personae:
KlikKlik BoomBoom, the Kobold Platinum pint-sized Dragonborn Beastmaster,  Priestess of Apsu, and Artificer
TickTick, KlikKlik's Giant Bat animal companion
Klak, KlikKlik's Flying Snake construct
Taryn Al'Maera, the Drow Assassin and future Ralliakkan
Niss'RizDax Kenarn, the Drow Sword Dancer Priestess of Eilistraee, "the Moonlit Dancer"
Thea, Dax's red Faerie Dragon familiar
Xara, the Dorc Circus Eldritch Knight and Abjurationist Wizard
Baxter, Xara's red Faerie Dragon familiar

Comrades we have lost:
Sonitri, the Samsaran Arcane Prodigy Sorcerer- went home
Nyneve, the Water Genasi Druid of the Fountain- eaten by zombies

NOTE: Things will be mostly from Dax's perspective, anything in italics is from a third party view, since the priestess can't be everywhere at once.

***** Thrimidge 27, 480,  Demonsclaw Mountains outside the Temple of Nergal

       After a much needed rest our commander told us we could return to Crossroads, the reinforcements had the undead situation well in hand. We'd pretty much come to the consensus of quitting the damned military, working for them fucking sucks.

***** Thrimidge 28, Crossroads

       When we went to meet our commander this morning, she asked us to stay on with them. The four of us tend of get things done, and with the state of the realm, they could really use us. To punctuate our worth to them, we were given several big ass bags of gold. We didn't really give them an answer as to what we would do, I think we're keeping our options open, considering the amount of money they just dropped at our feet.

      We went out drinking tonight, blowing off steam and taking a breather from the hell that was the last few days. In our drinking, Xara won a dwarven hand axe, and I won a game of skittles, which is a peculiar Crossroads drinking game.

***** Thrimidge 29, Crossroads

       KlikKlik randomly decided this morning that she wanted to buy a bank, her reasoning for which was unclear. So her and Taryn went out and bought a diner that Klik planned to convert into a bank. They'd agreed to wait until the Spring's End Festival for her to close, since she should make a lot of money from that day; her meat pies are incredible.

       This inspired Xara to want to purchase a brothel, and she wanted her didgeridoo to be enchanted with the lesser restoration spell. I shrugged and took her to my Temple to have it commissioned, it helps the temple's coffers and makes her happy.

       Taryn started trying to clear out the apartment house across from the Underhearth to make money that way. She wouldn't give details, and none of us asked for them,

       Apparently I'm the only one who doesn't feel compelled to start buying up land, but that's because I need to find a better place for my temple. I had wanted to re-purpose the Temple of Nergal, but with the mountain cracking in half, it isn't really a suitable place anymore. With the aid of the druids, we might be able to make it work though. But the military needs to finish clearing out the weaker undead from there first.

***** Thrimidge 30, Crossroads

       This morning Taryn announced to everyone that Mrs. Lovett, the owner of the meat pie diner that Klik bought, was using people as meat. Klik decided that we needed to catch her in the act, because if she was arrested then they wouldn't have to pay to buy the diner... and also because it's the right thing to do, though that seemed to be more of an afterthought.

       Taryn spent the day following Mrs. Lovett around, hoping to catch her in the act. She followed her all day, all over the countryside, waiting for her to commit a murder. Mrs. Lovett didn't do anything though, it was as if she knew Taryn was following her. So Taryn stole her meat instead.

       We all went out drinking again tonight, we deserved the respite.

***** Spring's End Festival, Crossroads

       I awoke in the middle of the night in holey clothes, surrounded by coins, in the town square. I had no idea what I was doing there, but the night was young, so I returned to the tavern. In the morning I found myself in a damp root cellar, with a headache and no clue how I'd gotten there. Xara had apparently won a deed to Castle Ravenloft. Unbeknownst to the Dorc, the deed was fake. 

       The festival was lovely, though Mrs. Lovett's pies weren't. Having to use animal meat made her pies mediocre, and everyone mocked her for the lackluster quality of her food.

Pathfinders of the New World- Knights of the Cross(roads), the Next Generation: Book Two, Chapter Sixteen

The Temple of Nergal, Part Six:
...and the Army of Nergal Shall Not Pour From the Hills

Dramatis Personae:
KlikKlick BoomBoom, the Kobold Platinum pint-sized Dragonborn Beastmaster,  Priestess of Apsu, and Artificer
TickTick, KlikKlik's Giant Bat animal companion
Klak, KlikKlik's Flying Snake construct
Taryn Al'Maera, the Drow Assassin and future Ralliakkan
Niss'RizDax Kenarn, the Drow Sword Dancer Priestess of Eilistraee, "the Moonlit Dancer"
Thea, Dax's red Faerie Dragon familiar
Xara, the Dorc Circus Eldritch Knight and Abjurationist Wizard
Baxter, Xara's red Faerie Dragon familiar

Comrades we have lost:
Sonitri, the Samsaran Arcane Prodigy Sorcerer- went home
Nyneve, the Water Genasi Druid of the Fountain- eaten by zombies

NOTE: Things will be mostly from Dax's perspective, anything in italics is from a third party view, since the priestess can't be everywhere at once.

***** Thrimidge 25, 480, Demonsclaw Mountains outside the Temple of Nergal

       The four of us sat down to hammer out a plan that would hopefully keep the fucking undead from pouring from the hills. We sent two people out to get more gunpowder, ammo, and other supplies, Bor to Silverton and Shanairra to Deadwood. The gunpowder was so we could blow the tunnels on the left and right again, to hopefully keep them contained.

       On the way back from Silverton, Bor was attacked by a giant eagle, but he managed to defeat it. Shanairra was attacked by a vrock on her way back to camp, and hid in the trees until she lost it. It took her a little longer to return to camp, but at least she came back.

       We set groups up at the front entrance and all three back entrances. The front had Illior and Manus, along with three of Klik's fighters, and a team of four from myself, Taryn, and Xara. They were instructed to hold their positions until the door opened.

       The left exit had Elas and Dagna, plus five rangers and three barbarians from Klik, a team of four from Taryn, Xara, and I, and the four of us also planned to begin there. We were going to blow the tunnel when it became clear that the zombies were about to bust out. Xara really wanted to use her obnoxious didgeridoo to make the earth shake and cave in the tunnel, but that wasn't controlled enough for us to do- to appease her we said we'd let her use it as a last resort.

       The center exit, which was full of the dumber zombies, we put Nar, Uthar, three druids from Klik, plus teams from the the other 3 of us. Nar was going to summon giant crabs or something to drop on the zombies when they were getting too close to escaping. The druids would also be summoning crap to help detain the zombies, and everyone else was just there for backup.

       At the right tunnel we assigned Bilba, Flint, and teams from myself, Xara, and Taryn. The zombies on that side weren't quite as far along in their digging as the ones on the left were.

       By the time the charges were set up it sounded like the zombies were about ten feet away from the entrance on the left, so we knew we'd have to blow this soon. Eventually I saw a small rock wiggle and go missing, so I yelled "now" at Klik and they blew the tunnel. That bought us more time, but we didn't know how much.

       It was getting well into the evening when we realized we'd need to distract the zombies to prevent them from digging. At about the fourteenth hour since the mountains had shook, we began an assault. Everyone with ranged weaponry lined up at the top of the opening and we began shooting the zombies. I had one of my clerics for a sending to the mayor of Silverton while we began the fight, telling him that he had sixteen hours to evacuate before the undead were upon his town.

       Our first hour of fighting went well, we only had some minor wounds on our side, and seemed to be doing some decent damage to the zombies. For the next two hours it seemed Eilistraee was smiling upon us, we were completely untouched, but they took some heavy casualties. At four hours into the battle we took some minor injuries, and we heard an explosion that announced the right side had blown their tunnel .

       By our fifth hour we were starting to run low on ammo, so I did a sending to the Mage's Tower and Klik negotiated to get them to send us supplies. Aside from running low on ammo we were doing quite well thus far in this war.

       It was getting very dark by the sixth hour of the war, so we had to set up light spells so we could see the damn zombies. Once the ammo arrived we were back to a constant stream of arrows, bullets, and bolts flying at the zombies. The center reported that they received a large glass sphere, with instructions on it- it sounded like a bomb. The front door reported getting a huge energy gun. Both the left and right sides were replenished with bullets.

       The next three hours went really well for us, we were slaughtering the fuckers. Around the tenth hour of the fight, we received a report from the center that the zombies were about 3/4 of the way up from top.

***** Thrimidge 26, Temple of Nergal

       Dawn was breaking over the horizon, making me realize it had been 25 hours since the mountain shook. We'd been fighting for eleven hours straight now, and there was no sign that the fighting would die down anytime soon. The archers on the left side were all dead, so the others began to retreat. Taryn decided to sneak around the tunnels to follow them and find out what they were up to. We left Kronthud and Elas at this side in case anythign else happened, and the rest of us took off for the right side, where there was still a fight going on. We brought Westra, Salleek, and Errich with us in flight, while the rest of our people had to take the long way around.

       It took those of us who flew about an hour to arrive at the right side. They seemed to be doing well, there weren't any casualties, which was always a good thing. After another hour of fighting, a green glow came from the center exit, then I received a sending that they had dropped the bomb and killed tons of zombies.

       After two more hours we'd finished off the archers on the right side, and the others began retreating like their friends on the left had. I sent a sending to Taryn, letting her know we were going to be heading to the front door. She said that the zombies were all heading to the front and the center and that she'd meet us at the center. We sent Xara and all of her people to the front, left Bilba and Amafrey at the right, then Klik, myself, and everyone else who wasn't assigned to Xara headed to the center.

       We'd just gotten to the center when Taryn exited the tunnels and told us we needed to head to the front. Klik and I grabbed Westra, Salleek, and Errich again and went to the front, leaving everyone else where they were.

       We reached the front at about the same time Xara's people did. After about an hour of discussion we decided to open up the door, and Taryn would blast them with the lightning gun thingy. I put my bards on rest rotations so they could keep inspiration going throughout our fight with whatever was waiting for us on the other side of that door. By the time everything was in place it had been thirty-seven hours since the mountain had shook, and twenty-five since our fight had begun.

       On the other side of the door were six mundane zombies with busted swords- they'd been nothing but a distraction. Taryn destroyed them right away with that gun. It took about twenty minutes before anymore zombies came up, and once they were dead there was another pause before more arrived. Once the next wave came up the grease and web traps were triggered, slowing them down while Taryn played with the gun. After about an hour the bodies had piled up enough that the door was plugged. We decided to take a breather while the zombies worked to clear their fallen comrades.

       The center was doing well at keeping the zombies at bay, but they were about 2/3 of the way to the top again. The acid bomb had only been a temporary setback for the undead. After a couple more hours they had to create walls of holy water and holy fog to hurt the swarming horde of undead. They did really well for the next five hours of battle. 

       It took another hour before the body heap went sliding down the stairs- but there any zombies waiting immediately on the other side of the pileup. A few heartbeats passed before a flood of zombies came pouring through the door- there ones were much better equipped than the last batch. Taryn giggled madly as she blasted them with her new toy. These guys didn't create a new plug, but we took them all down. Around the time they were dead the fancy gun stopped working- much to Taryn's disappointment.

       The insane rogue ran closer to the zombies and began shooting at them, and eventually a new plug of bodies was created. We enjoyed a brief break while the undead spent another hour clearing away the plug of their redead. The next couple of hours were difficult, since there were generals coming through now. Eventually we took them out, but they certainly weren't making it easy on us. Around the thirty-fourth hour of combat we had the rogues get traps ready so we could fall back to our next barricade. We'd taken down a couple of generals, but they certainly weren't making this easy on us.

       After we fell back and set off the traps, Klik used her javelin of lightning, which damaged the generals- or possibly major generals, these guys were more powerful- hurting their forces enough that they began to retreat. I received a sending that the army was finally fucking here, so we sent them all to the center. Leaving everyone to hold the front, Taryn, Klik, Xara, and I went to the center to help them; I'd received a report that they were nearly overwhelmed and had to fall back.

***** Thrimidge 27, Temple of Nergal

       When we got to the center we saw undead swarming over the the side of the mountain, over the first barricade, and going straight for our troops. Everyone but Taryn jumped in to help fight them back at that point- she had a plan and was waiting for the guys who had retreated to arrive at this tunnel.

       I summoned a planetar in the form of a beautiful, nude, drow woman with wings and a beautiful longsword. She began hacking at the undead while I started using my gifts from Eilistraee to destroy them in bunches. We beat the undead back, pushing them back over the battlements. Things were looking up when a massive explosion rocked the mountain- Taryn.

       Taryn had been waiting for the bigger zombies to arrive, and as soon as they appeared she dropped a massive bomb on them. It was a bag of holding filled with 200 pounds of gunpowder and 900 bullets, and it destroyed everything in its path. 

       All that were left at this point were the smaller zombies, which we had the military take over. It had been forty-nine hours since the mountain had split, and thirty-seven of that was battle; we needed a rest. Klik said we needed to resign from the military now, and we all agreed. War fucking sucks.

Pathfinders of the New World- Knights of the Cross(roads), the Next Generation: Book Two, Chapter Fifteen

The Temple of Nergal, Part Five:
The Mountains Will Rumble and Rend

Dramatis Personae:
KlikKlick BoomBoom, the Kobold Platinum pint-sized Dragonborn Beastmaster,  Priestess of Apsu, and Artificer
TickTick, KlikKlik's Giant Bat animal companion
Klak, KlikKlik's Flying Snake construct
Taryn Al'Maera, the Drow Assassin and future Ralliakkan
Niss'RizDax Kenarn, the Drow Sword Dancer Priestess of Eilistraee, "the Moonlit Dancer"
Thea, Dax's red Faerie Dragon familiar
Xara, the Dorc Circus Eldritch Knight and Abjurationist Wizard
Baxter, Xara's red Faerie Dragon familiar

Comrades we have lost:
Sonitri, the Samsaran Arcane Prodigy Sorcerer- went home
Nyneve, the Water Genasi Druid of the Fountain- eaten by zombies

NOTE: Things will be mostly from Dax's perspective, anything in italics is from a third party view, since the priestess can't be everywhere at once.

***** Thrimidge 20, 480, Demonsclaw Mountains

       We decided that the best course of action was for us to blow the three tunnels that the undead could escape through. That would slow them down at the very least. We gathered our tinkerers and sent them out to help the dwarves we already had working on fortifications. KlikKlik, TickTick, and Klak were a single group, since Klik was an amazing tinkerer, as we'd seen with her guns. The next group was Taryn, Dagna, and Oda Folkor; and Xara and I took the final tinkerer, Glim Garrick, to his camp.

       KlikKlik looked up to see three vrocks flying right toward her, and she killed all three of them before they got anywhere near her. 

       Taryn's group was also attacked in flight by three vrocks, and Taryn killed them with ease too. 

       I looked up and saw three fucking vrocks diving toward us. We couldn't do anything but wait for them to get closer, even though we really didn't want to let them get near us. The battle ended up not being too bad, Glim was good in a fight, and between the three of us, we dropped them.

       After assessing how much gunpowder we'd need to blow the tunnels- 350 lbs total- we realized how much damage that would do to the mountainside, and Silverton below. Since Klik and Taryn needed to stay to help the others, Xara and I decided to go to Silverton to talk to their mayor about evacuating the mines and the town, and giving us some miners who could help us shape the explosion to not drop the mountain.

       The problem with this, was that while I can be decent at dealing with people, I'm drow. I'm used to dealing with other drow, who don't spaz out at me when I tell them about mortal danger. So, I was trying to speak with him like I would a drow, being blunt and direct... bad approach. Xara ended up taking the reigns from me and with some talking, the mayor believed us and gave us three letters, to take to the mines, to get us three miners to help with the explosions.

       We needed another broom for the miner at the closest mine, so I did a sending to Klik, telling her I'd send Thea to get her broom for the miner. We got the first guy, bought some powder and explosives, and headed back to camp. The other two guys we'd get in the morning.

***** Thrimidge 21, Demonsclaw Mountains

       In the morning, Xara and I were debating how to go about getting the other miners. We bickered about the brooms and who to bring with us for help, and at some point during the bickering we realized we're a thing... at least we bicker like we're a thing. I wanted to borrow Klik and Taryn's brooms, and bring Salleek with us since she has good people skills and can fly. Xara didn't want to bring her because "we're not a freak show," which coming from the self-proclaimed circus freak was hilarious. Every time I'd come up with an idea, Xara would give me three other options that made this way more complicated. At one point she told me to stop questioning my shit, because I do cool shit, so I shouldn't question it. Sometimes my lady can be a bit frustrating. We ended up borrowing Klik and Taryn's brooms, and bringing Urth with us; he's human and would likely be better received than Salleek.

       Klik and Taryn continued working on explosives, while Xara, Urth, and I picked up the other two miners, some shaped charges, and other explosives.

***** Thrimidge 22, Demonsclaw Mountains

       They got all of the charges set up in the three tunnels today, and the druids gathered some seeds and whatnot to fill in the tunnels- once they were collapsed- with vines and shit, making it harder for the undead to escape. Pretty much everything was ready for the tunnels to be blown tomorrow.

***** Thrimidge 23, Demonsclaw Mountains

       Before heading out to blow the tunnels, they placed charges around the front entrance, just in case we needed to block that exit. Most of mine and Xara's people stayed at the front entrance to the Temple, ready for if anything happened.

       They could only blow one tunnel at a time, because there just weren't enough druids to blow all three of them. Taryn and Klik thought it would be best to leave the center tunnel for very last.

       The first two tunnels caved in nicely, and the druids were able to fill them in really well. We left a group of Taryn's scouts at the two blown up tunnels, and kept the group we'd had fortifying the center tunnel where it was. The middle one would have to wait for morning.

***** Thrimidge 24, Demonsclaw Mountains

      We blew the center tunnel today, and nothing happened. We left scouts at all three tunnels, and continued preparing to defend ourselves when the undead broke out.

***** Thrimidge 25, Demonsclaw Mountains

       A little past dawn the mountain began rumbling and shaking- it was literally breaking open. Thankfully our walls at the collapsed tunnels held- as I learned by doing sendings to our scouts once the mountains had ceased their shaking. Only one part of the prophecy was left- "the army of Nergal shall pour from the hills." Great.

       I did a sending to Mavha reporting in, letting her know what had just happened. She said she'd send us reinforcements, but it would take a couple of days, because they had to get them from the front lines. I prayed our walls would hold that long, but a seed of dread was sitting in the pit of my stomach, I feared we'd be on our own... nearly 80 of us versus 25,000 undead.

       Taryn and KlikKlik scouted the rift that had opened right in the center of the mountain once we'd reported in. Undead were milling about at the exits, chipping away at our walls, though they didn't seem to be doing much to it yet; they thought it would take a couple of days for them to break out. The tunnel that was near the room with piles of peasants wasn't doing as well as the two royal tunnels. These zombies were behaving more like normal zombies. They were trying to pile on top of one another to get high enough to climb out... We didn't think that would work as well.

       I tasked people to begin doing sendings to pretty much everyone we could think of to get help. We decided to attempt to do a wall of water spell using holy water- we thought that might be doable, but it would take a lot of holy water. I also thought of having my paladins summon steeds that could fly, and having them fly down the clerics in groups, use their destroy undead abilities on the weaker zombies, and fly back out. If nothing else it would get rid of the mooks. The less we had to fight when the walls broke, the better. Taryn and Klik decided to try to get more bombs made too. We were grasping at straws here, but we couldn't do much of anything else yet.

Pathfinders of the New World- Knights of the Cross(roads), the Next Generation: Book Two, Chapter Fourteen

The Temple of Nergal, Part Four:
The Prophecy

Dramatis Personae:
KlikKlick BoomBoom, the Kobold Platinum pint-sized Dragonborn Beastmaster,  Priestess of Apsu, and Artificer
TickTick, KlikKlik's Giant Bat animal companion
Klak, KlikKlik's Flying Snake construct
Taryn Al'Maera, the Drow Assassin and future Ralliakkan
Niss'RizDax Kenarn, the Drow Sword Dancer Priestess of Eilistraee, "the Moonlit Dancer"
Thea, Dax's red Faerie Dragon familiar
Xara, the Dorc Circus Eldritch Knight and Abjurationist Wizard
Baxter, Xara's red Faerie Dragon familiar

Comrades we have lost:
Sonitri, the Samsaran Arcane Prodigy Sorcerer- went home
Nyneve, the Water Genasi Druid of the Fountain- eaten by zombies

NOTE: Things will be mostly from Dax's perspective, anything in italics is from a third party view, since the priestess can't be everywhere at once.

***** Thrimidge 15, 480, Crossroads

       In the morning we went to the barracks to meet our teams. Captain Falenas Yllalen met us there She thanked us for joining the cause, and said the scouts had just gotten back from the Temple. Captain Yllalen told us that it didn't look like anything had escaped, but there was probably a back door. With that many troops, they wouldn't have wanted to go through that many tunnels to get out, creating a bottle neck in the process. We needed to find lore on the damn Temple, which would not be easy, since most of our resources had only been on this continent for about twenty years. Captain Yllalen told us that our troops would be helping us deal with the undead in there, and told us where to meet our people.

It was weird having seventy-two people waiting for orders from each of us. We all were given two 2nd Lieutenants and four teams of four. Taryn showed them the memory stone that contained all of our battles in the Temple, and the size of the troops there. She spent a couple of hours going over everything with them, before we sent them off on errands to prepare. We gave them money and sent them all to buy potions, potion ingredients, holy water, traps, scrolls, and explosives.

I went to commune with Eilistraee about the Temple, knowing she would guide me. First I tried using a spell called Legend Lore, but I couldn't get anything useful from it- just a bunch of crap we already know. Then I contacted my Goddess, asking how to find a back door into the Temple. The Dark Maiden told me "to find the answer within seven days, inside the doors you'd have to appraise." So it sounded like we needed to go back into the Temple, which we were hoping not to do.

***** Thrimidge 16, Crossroads

       KlikKlik had to wait for Kibbik to get back from the Savage Lands in order to access the history and lore books they had brought back from the plateau so many years ago. I stayed with her, because I have a spell that would grant us fluency. We also kept Anastrianna, Aseir, Lonehunter, and Torbera because of their knowledge of history, since six heads are better than two. Taryn and Xara took the rest of our troops to the Temple to begin work, while we hunkered down to read ancient books.

***** Thrimidge 17, Crossroads

Toward the end of the day, Torbera unearthed a prophecy that we think is about our current situation. "When the red tide washes over the Keep, the undead will rise, the mountains will rumble and rend, and the army of Nergal shall pour from the hills." I did a Sending to Taryn, telling her the prophecy and that we'd head out in the morning. I prayed we'd be able to keep the rest of the prophecy from coming true- supposedly they can be rewritten, since the future hasn't been set in stone yet.

Taryn sent groups out in the morning to begin looking for a back door into the Temple, while leaving anyone who could make potions back at camp to work on that. The clerics under Dax's command worked tirelessly to make holy water for the group. While scouting on her own, Taryn ran into Fred again, and learned he was betrothed to a lovely half-elf seamstress Ralliakkan had introduced him to when he went to the Underhearth in Crossroads.

A group of scouts came across trolls, and Westra Starag managed to talk the trolls down, scaring them away.

***** Thrimidge 18, Demonsclaw Mountains

Klik and I got to the camp around midday, and learned that our scouts had possibly found the exits from the tombs. They'd found three odd looking clefts in the hillside that seemed to line up with where the tombs had been. Taryn had sent out dwarves to look them over and start coming up with fortifications.

That night we decided to go troll hunting, taking Westra Starag with us, since she'd been in the scouting party that came across the trolls the day before. We came up empty.

***** Thrimidge 19, Demonsclaw Mountains

In the morning we received reports of scraping noises at the Temple's doors- like the undead were trying to pick the lock. I prayed it would hold.

Our groups were sent to set up little camps at each of the three exits we'd found, and to begin fortifying them in hopes it would keep the undead from getting out. Or at the very least delay them. We also sent a couple more scouting parties out to see if there were anymore doors.

Once that was in place Taryn, Xara, Westra Starag, and I went troll hunting. The last thing we needed was for the trolls to hit us from behind while we were facing down the undead.

Trolls attacked two of the fortification camps, but they beat the trolls with ease.

We found a cave, and since Xara and I suck at stealth, Taryn and Westra snuck ahead, with Thea and Baxter, while Xara and I stayed about 100 feet behind them- just barely in range of our telepathy with our faerie dragons. Taryn found a large chamber with seven trolls inside, blew one's head off, and bolted. She was drawing the trolls out. Westra shot them and ran too, but she wasn't as fast as Taryn. We ran toward the exit, shooting them whenever they came in sight around the bend, and eventually found ourselves stuck between two groups of trolls. Great.

Westra moved a lot slower than us, and we ended up losing sight of her, but there wasn't time to turn back and look for her. Taryn rushed forward and stabbed one of the trolls coming at us from the other end, to which it responded by stabbing her in return. Xara shot it with a firebolt and it dropped. Then I dropped a flaming sphere between two of the trolls, and Taryn finished off the one whose ass was now burning. With those two taken care of, we could now stop to look for Westra. Xara and Taryn rushed back, while I moved a bit more slowly, rolling my flaming sphere down the hallway behind me.

Xara rounded a corner and stumbled right into a troll, who hit her pretty hard- she set him on fire in response, and Westra appeared and finished him off. Xara sent her green fire spell at them and Taryn finished that one off. I shot one with an eldritch blast, and hit Taryn in the back instead... she declared she was proud to see I was still keeping to my drow heritage. Someday she'll embrace Eilistraee and understand.

The fight raged on for what felt like hours, even though it wasn't even a minute. Xara and Taryn were working well together at dropping them, and Westra was pretty helpful too. We thought we were nearing the end of the trolls when I noticed one behind me, so I rolled my fire sphere right up to it and blocked its path- then I missed again with fucking eldritch blast. Xara and Westra kept working on the ones coming from behind us, while Taryn moved up to help me with the other troll- by chucking alchemist fire at it. I bumped it with my flaming sphere again, and managed to hit the fucker this time with my eldritch blast! Taryn finished it off and disappeared down the hallway to see if there were any others coming from that direction. I turned around in time to see Xara land the killing blow on the final troll from that direction.

Once we made sure there weren't any other trolls lurking in the tunnels, we found what little loot we could, checked in with the fortification teams, and headed back to camp.