1.5 > The Bodhan Incident

Dungeon Master	alexmaze
Dates	1554-11-09 to 1554-11-17

Story

Mordek returned from his pilgrimage to the capital city in the beginning of winter. He had but arrived when he found out that a stranger was found on the road nearly unconscious and currently being treated in the infirmary behind the church. Unable to cure him through standard means, the man recovered by himself the next morning. Upon questioning by Mordek, he found out the man was a student in planar sciences who had accidentally come in contact with a demon called Codolshoggoth. He said he needed a way to rid himself of their bond and refused any help. A few hours after he left, Sophia, the nurse with which Mordek was engaged was found ill with similar symptoms. Gero informed Kael and Friedrich that although they received the first two reports from the scout following the RavenQueen priestess and could trace it near Bodhan, a village close to a considerable RavenQueen Church, the third report was long overdue and he feared for the worst. They all agreed they'd set up a party to try and locate them. Mordek went to get help from Friedrich in regards to Sophia's condition as it seemed from arcane origin. He assumed the condition was brought about by a freak warlock curse who drained her vitality. (He postulated it would be easier have her die and resurrect her than to cure her.) Out of rage and spite, Mordek set out after the stranger to seek revenge and kill him … or make him cure Sophia. As Kael and Friedrich were already going in the same direction, they left with a ranger named Floyd to track down the missing scouts and the dark stranger. Thus, they traveled pass the capital city of Kamdor to reach the village of Bodhan. During their travels, one night, a human blacksmith (Jone Rock) came to the party's camp. Kael seeing him as no immediate threat, found out he was in search of Mensis to open a shop and hide from some wrong doers. Kael pointed him in the right direction and with that resumed his guard duty. Upon arrival, the immediately discovered the village was deserted and started investigating the cause. In a inn, they found proof that worshipers of Vecna lived there but had left in a hurry. They also found the hermit they had met before, dead. Apparently killed and betrayed with on him little more than 3 gold pieces. Later on, their investigation led them to the church of Pelor and when the doors opened, they witnessed a grim scene. All the villagers were laying dead on the church's floor and benches; dead, but seemingly unharmed; the two scouts amongst them. On the front bench, they found the stranger, Llos, crying. Kael started roughing him up. Llos told them he needed to summon Coddowalshoggoth and kill him. To have the two planes close enough to open a portal, you need a great amount of people crossing over to the other world. He told them he felt the massacre happening here and arrived to find powerful avengers of the RavenQueen leaving the scene. As they threatened his life, he told them that if he wanted to save Sophia, he'd let him do it, as any harm coming to him would be felt by her and the others who were sharing his bond. Kael threw the stranger on the floor and ordered him to finish the ritual but Mordek would be damned if a demon would be willingly summoned in the church of Pelor and tried to stop him. Kael hit him and told him to stay back then he kicked Llos ordering him again to summon Codolshoggoth. Llos got angry from the pain and back lashed. He told Kael he would complete the ritual with his blood as he started unleashing warlock curses upon him. Kael grappled Llos as Friedrich told him not to hurt him as Sophia would be affected. "What do you think I'm doing!" he said as Mordek, feeling betrayed and overwhelmed by rage, unleashed a holy brazier upon Llos. As Llos lay there, dying, he completed the ritual with his blood before Mordek jumped on him and beat him to death with his fists. As the portal opened and the church started shaking, Kael dropped to his knees and start sobbing uncontrollably thinking of Sophia back in Mensis. Coddowalshoggoth, the cathartic Lobster, stepped out of the portal. A lobster-like humanoid, 9 feet-tall with two huge lobster claws. Kael, although already badly wounded by Llos, got a hold of himself and with renewed vigor fought the demon with the help of his two cohorts. As they were seemlingly winning, the lobster opened his mouth and let out an unearthly screech. A swarm of bees came out of his mouth and clouded the area around both of them. When the swarm cleared up, they saw Kael fall to the ground, badly wounded. As Mordek and Friedrich were unable to injure him with their magics, Coddowalshoggoth laughed, took Llos in one claw, Kael in the other and walked back through the portal. Friedrich went after him through the portal, asking Mordek to come. Thinking it would be suicide and Mordek ran out of the crumbling church. When the dust settled, the portal had vanished taking half of the church with it. Mordek kneeled down and wrote "R.I.P Kael Dimmor" on the stones of the destroyed church. He traveled back toward Mensis to announce the sad news to Elouise and find out what became of Sophia.