The Funeral Pyre

cy 4863 - Mar 22nd - 25th

With Streng, Badal Chaining,Red Sun, Madrina, and the queen Leandra watching on Scalpel severs the index finger from the right hand of the dead archbishop G-Lest. The queen’s anguished cries turn to horror as she orders the martial artist’s arrest. Guards swarm round Scalpel, who calmly hands his longsword to them and stays calm.

Red Sun voices his concerns over the arrest but Scalpel’s acceptance eases the tension. Scalpel is surprised to find that the ring of regeneration is gone and suspects Streng of the theft. The Darklander re-iterates that the ring bore the spiritual influence of Malakar.

The queen orders the ring be put back on the body but it is nowhere to be seen. In floods of tears she orders the burial – and the subsequent release of Scalpel – when she realises G-Lest is gone. Red Sun respectfully points out that a funeral pyre may be more fitting. Both Streng and Madrina agree.

In a quiet moment as the soldiers prepare the fire Red Sun speaks to Madrina and alludes to a growing threat to them all. "Malakar will try to recover the body of his protégé…we must be vigilant."

Madrina goes to work. In the centre of the village green she creates a large pentacle (enough to encompass their honour guard as well as themselves) and within that pentacle small types of summoning, travel and binding. Around the pyre itself is a second pentacle of protection. In the hours that follow the storm becomes a deluge. The pyre itself is soaked as the rains lash the ground creating localised floods throughout the village. Madrina puts the queen inside a rope trick.

Through the gloom steps a rider. A dark demonic figure atop an equally ominous steed, a demon sent by Malakar to bargain for the body of G-Lest. Badal Chaining – now a high priest of Jarik Saal – casts flame blade and the sorcerous fire soon ignites the pyre. Madrina casts cloak of X as the sibilant demon from the Plane of Death offers survival for the body.

The party sneer at the demon who circles the large pentacle searching for weaknesses. As he does Madrina casts spell turning as they watch G-Lest consumed by the fire. Badal calls lightning but the spell has little effect on the demon. Once it is clear that the body is gone the demon becomes angry…and attacks.

At the edge of the pentacle he casts death spell at Madrina…only to be consumed by his own spell. As the demon of death collapses so too does the horse that bore him, the screams of the dying beast can be heard for tens of miles across the Myrid plains.

The storm is gone, replaced by light spring rain. That night – still in the pentacle – Madrina summons Zeran, the noble vampire, to search the surrounding area.

Next morning the party finally leave the pentacle and the village. Badal Chaining stone shapes a permanent monument to G-Lest on the village green before consecrating it as a shrine to Jarik Saal.

Streng gathers the ashes of his fallen companion G-Lest and stores them safely in a jar.

That morning they come upon the Monastery of Myridar and queen Leandra informs them that this is the home of the horse lords of the Myrid Plains. Their leader is called Bearan, a handsome man who treats them well and offers them shelter – and supper – for the night. All around them there are horses (none saddled) and stables and riders learning the ancient equine arts that made Myrid a once great nation.

As Bearan dances with the queen Red Sun informs Madrina that one of the guards (a hand-picked Bretonian called Kansar) is smitten with her. Madrina ESPs the guard and confirms Red Sun’s suspicions. She also ESPs Bearan and senses an honourable man.

Next morning the party are gifted with the finest Myrid horses and Bearan explains that he has hand chosen each one for it’s temperament and to match the ability of the rider. None will require saddles or any other livery.

Next day Red Sun senses they are being followed. Scalpel shifts onto the immortal plane to track back whilst the others keep his horse safe. Soon he spots two heavily disguised riders and senses they are not human but are trying to appear so to at least the casual observer.

From a reasonable distance away he launches two longbow arrows at them in quick succession. The first punctures the eye of the first rider but does not fell him. Instead his companion merely laughs at the scene. The first rider pulls out the arrow then laughs at his companion as Scalpel’s second arrow lodges itself through his skull and out of one nostril. The arrows are discarded and Scalpel hurries back to the party.

With Red Sun’s help they prepare an ambush. The honour guard are positioned around and Madrina puts Leandra back into a rope trick. But only two riderless horses appear. Streng and Scalpel go hunting for the riders as one of the guards approaches the horses. As soon as he is within five feet of the beasts he collapses face down in the mud.

Red Sun and Badal stay close to the rope trick where Madrina now joins the queen.

Streng picks up the trail of the two hunters. They are well hidden in the shadows, using sorcery to augment their natural stealth. Streng and Scalpel co-ordinate their attack with sling bullet and arrow. Both missiles hit but neither affect the hunters. Streng follows it up with a fireball but for once his aim is off and the two hunters are unharmed.

Suddenly each draws a glistening knife that drips with poison and with supernatural speed attack the two companions. Streng avoids the two blows and flees into the shadows. Scalpel catches the blade arm of one but the creature has even greater strength than he does and he is forced to shift onto the immortal plane.

From the rope trick Madrina spots the two hunters reach their steeds and gallop off to the north. With a roar she emerges and rallies her troops.

"After them!" she yells.

The honour guard and the party give chase to the two most unusual hunters. As Madrina passes the body of the fallen guard she realises that she is dealing with creatures from Hell; probably devils on some unknown errand. She forces an evil smile as she spurs her horse on even faster…