Drinking in the chat? Does... Does that mean that we'll be bringing back: the HOT TUB? 

Thanks guys! Our young nation is 102 today (or yesterday). Not very old, but we've done pretty darn well so far.

I've finally posted. Sorry it took so long again. I was a bit tired, so it's a bit messy. But hey, since Cedric is more than a little confused, it kind of fits. 



In This Moment - "Black Wedding feat. Rob Halford ... - YouTube

How Cedric ended up on the altar platform, he wasn’t exactly sure. All he knew was that Aranwen was in dire need of his help. Casting a quick glance back at the chaotic fray going on all around the temple, the priest shook his head in disbelief. He could almost see the trail of bodies the bladesinger had left in her wake, but he knew he was imagining it. His inexperienced mind would’ve had a hard time telling apart a sword cut from one made by the ghouls’ claws. But it was clear the sylvari had been fighting her way through the waves of enemies before she had reached the dais and the blonde witch with equally blazing eyes.  And she’d paid for her success in her own blood. Aranwen was not in a good shape, although clearly not ready to give in just yet.

Cedric’s call died in his throat as he watched Aranwen launch herself into another spin of her blade-dance. The young man’s mouth remained open and his shout turned into a cry of horror when something that looked like a sphere of impenetrable blackness or concentration of life-absorbing death appeared in midair between the two women. Desperate to warn the sylvari or to throw himself in the malicious power’s way, Cedric was unable to act before the bolt of darkness struck Aranwen in the middle of her chest. He couldn’t tell if the cry he heard came from her mouth or his own, but before he was able to even consider what the consequences could be, the cleric of Solanis found himself at his leader’s side and summoning the Radiant Father’s shining healing powers. As so many times before, the chanting of the prayer and administering the magical cure ate all of the lad’s concentration. 

Healing the woman, he missed the incredibly skilled and difficult shot Gib managed pull off from across the hall. He also missed the bolt strike Davena’s shoulder and the cry of agony escaping the evil priestess’ lips. What he didn’t miss was the deadly beauty of Aranwen’s steps and swirls as she easily dodged Davena’s attempt to strike her with a silvery dagger. The shining blade in the priestess’ hand looked nothing like the snake-shaped dagger from Cedric’s nightmare, but seeing it brought the dream back to him for a blink of an eye. The hall, the chanting, the altar… they’d all been almost exactly what he had seen in his delirious state. All but the would-be sacrificial victim were a match. Kithran was not lying on a cold stone altar, but was, or in fact had been, in a strange position in a strangely shaped seat or sorts. Cedric hadn’t had much time to think about Kith before now and he could only wonder about the curved piece of furniture and its purpose. 

Kith had a sword in her hand and she was approaching Davena too. While the young man’s eyes had been on the rogue, Aranwen had managed to get a strike through Davena’s defences. Both women were in a very bad shape, but with Kith soon joining the fight, Cedric knew Aranwen would win. He wanted to cheer his friends on when he heard Davena’s voice quickly recite a prayer of her own to her evil god. The bladesinger's attack stopped as the evil magic took hold of her body and the tide of the combat took a full turn in a heartbeat. Frantically Cedric pushed himself up and charged towards Davena. But he was too far and so was Kith. Neither of them would be able to reach Ara in time… He could see the silvery dagger launch up into the air and come down very quickly. He could see it strike the base of Aranwen’s neck and be buried hilt-deep into her body. And yet it didn’t. What he thought he was silvery ball of fur hit the evil priestess instead pushing her clear away from the sylvari. 

“Ch’dau!” This time the voice was clearly his own. A happy shiver ran through Cedric’s body and he raised his hands up in the air in a childish sign for victory. We did it! ...was all he could think as a wide grin appeared on his face. There was no way Davena would be able to fend off attacks from all three of them… or four, if one counted Cedric too.  But his joy was premature… Once more the lad’s mouth was left hanging wide open when he witnessed Kithran drive her sword, Aranwen’s old blade, effortlessly deep into Ch’dau’s back and then all the way through him. The shock was so overpowering that there was nothing he could do for a few heartbeats. 

Cedric just stood there, a few yards away,

watching…

not comprehending…

not screaming…

not even breathing…

“Whyyy?” With tear-filled eyes, Cedric managed to find a hing of strength within to force himself to move. He could have struck Kith in the back of her head or on her weapon arm with his staff to stop her from making further attacks. He could have moved swiftly to Davena and delivered the final, killing blow to end this all. But neither course of action came to Cedric’s mind as he rushed to the fallen Kazari. Not a single thought spared for his own safety, Cedric knelt beside the powerful, furry warrior and  began praying to Solanis once more…

Yeah so Independence Day happened and I wasn't able to finish my post. I'm sorry about that. Will post it tomorrow. 

Hush, Olan hush! It was supposed to be a surprise! 

Hmmm.. Maybe I'll just head to bed already. Independence Day tomorrow and all... Oh and the post. I'll need my energy and a clear head. 

Or maybe the ladies need a dog? 

Well I'm sure there's some room for little Cedric too somewhere in there. Three's not a crowd really, right? The more the merrier and all that.

And if they can't be a thing, then perhaps the Mistress is into boys too... See, no need to punish Cedric even! He's a quick learner. He already knows how to address the Mistress... when he is given permission to do so ofc. 

Did you just call my bluff, Olan? Damned! Here I was thinking you guys bought it. Yeah, yeah. I was only kidding... 

Cedric will first give Kith a hug of course and then heal Davena. Hers is the winning team after all. I mean... we tried guys.. I know, we tried so hard. But it just wasn't enough. Better for two us to live than everybody dying. Yeah?

Besides Kith and Cedric would make a cute couple IMO. And the kiddo needs a father figure anyway before he's ready for the divine takeover. 

Oh yeah! That's right. He'd be following a direct order from his commanding officer. Cedric really doesn't have any option, but to obey, right? Right? 

Yeah... Could be too much to back post in a single message, but we'll see what happens.

I'm thinking Cedric will run... Sorry guys, but it's all just too much for the lad really. He'd really, really want to help his friends, but you know... He could still make it outside if he took off right now. 

1. Heal and buff spells prior to entering the temple.
2. Gib casts hold on Garn.
3. Aranwen makes for Davena, Ch'dau makes for Garn.
4. Gib fires crossbow at Davena. 
5. Melee, with Cedric moving to heal and support.


Yup. Looks right otherwise, but Cedric will indeed keep on chanting the Chant until the moment his healing is required... which may ofc end up being round 2.

Hngh... Got another (surprise) work trip tomorrow. Will be back on Wednesday evening our time. Probably can't post before Thursday.
I agree with Lance about the preparations. Makes sense. Also probably makes sense for Cedric to cast Chant when the others attack. He's not of much use in combat anyway.

Yeah... Whatever they said. I couldn't really read it through... The stream of tears are blinding me so bad I can barely type.  

Cedric felt like kneeling as he accepted the holy disk from Aranwen. Since the dark priest had promised to unite the heroes (that was how the lad wanted to see their group in the depths of this den of evil) with their equipment, the lad had almost been holding his breath while waiting for this moment to come. It reminded him of the first time the golden symbol of Solanis had touched his hands. He still considered the day of his graduation the best day of his life. Thinking about the memory made the young man smile and he smiled to Ara too. His was once more the face of an innocent quire boy. There was no evil in sight or even in his mind for that short moment as his round eyes only saw the beautiful sylvari. The look in his eyes was not that of love or at least not in the way it could easily have been interpreted by a stranger, but he did love the bladesinger like a big sister he didn’t have. And he loved her even more now as she pressed the ever-warm disk into Cedric’s hands. A sudden, sharp, but light shock of electricity ran through the cleric’s fingers. He couldn’t tell if it came from the woman or the holy symbol as the feeling passed quicker than a beat of his heart…

Cedric was probably in a continuous state of shock, but if he was, he didn’t have a clue. Even the ghoul walking around with the priest of D’hurgen was completely ignored by the kid as he daydreamed for a second about the group storming into some unholy altar room to stop Davena from driving a snake-shaped dagger into Kithran’s heart whilst a crowd of black-garbed cultists chanted death-praising songs to their evil god. The vision flashed quickly before his eyes, but left Cedric staring at the amulet for a while longer. He blinked his weary eyes a couple of times to get them into focus and then said his thanks to Aranwen. Putting the chain around his neck felt good… it felt really good. 

Cedric felt almost invincible for a moment, but then the smell of the undead monster reached his nostrils again and brought him back to the moment. Shaking his head he picked up rest of his gear including the trusty staff as his thoughts were already turning into the coming fight. They’d all witnessed Davena’s power in the forest not too far back and they’d seen how effortlessly Garn handled his weapon in combat. But now that he thought of it the killing of the undead, if one could call it that, had seemed very easy for the big warrior, too easy even. And now they all knew why. He’d been destroying the servants of his lady… or mistress as the evil priest had called her. It had to be her, right?

You're absolutely right about Tolkien and Finnish.  

I'm rolling on the floor here laughing my heart out!  

 

Oh wait! Should Cedric be worried about Kith hugs at this point? I mean, if he knew what's really going on with her? Hmm... What is going on with her by the way? Can't we go get her already?

Trust a DM? You serious, buddy?

Yeah I was thinking we need to tank up too before going out. Wasn't sure how Olan would handle it, but I should've known really... No free hitpoints in this game. 

So, in case you guys are wondering... Olan sure was.  Cedric is a bit confused, but for a good reason. He's been out (well.. I have) through all that's been going on and doesn't realize the dhurgenist/dhurgenoid/dhurgenator is talking about the cat and not Kith. So he's pretty pumped up right now about the rogue being safe and sound after all. Not the sharpest pencil and all that. Cedric hasn't had a chance to wonder why she isn't right there in the cells like everybody else yet. Oh boy when the reality hits him... It might be pretty darn hard.

"What?" You may ask yourselves. "Was that a post from Raven?" "The dude is still alive?"

Having exhausted himself both physically and mentally in the fight with the ghouls, Cedric almost welcomed the paralysing effect of the monsters’ attacks. The excruciatingly painful bites and agonising slashes went way beyond the young cleric’s pain threshold even though it certainly wasn’t the first time he was hurt in a battle. With the paralysis came a wave of blackness which embraced him like soft, warm blanked. In the darkness the falling continued. And around him Cedric could feel more than see demonic faces, each more terrible than the other with gaping maws, tentacles and horns, spikes and oozing wounds. The forms came at the poor lad’s defenceless soul eating away his life force bite by bite until he could no longer hear or see or feel…

Cedric was out a long time. He practically missed all that had taken place before the evil priest decided to present his captives two options. He’d only been back to his senses to have a drink of the dirty water a few times before falling back into the darkness. Now, trying to push himself up, the priest stumbled and fell against the steel bards of his cell. He tried to take hold of the gate with his damaged hands only ending up reopening the wounds in the attempt. Crying out in pain, he let go of the rusty metal and fell down once more not even able to break the fall much. Breathing heavily Cedric wanted to let go of his consciousness and welcome the darkness again, but the haunting images he had seen in his delirious sleep still burned his mind the second he closed his eyes. It took all of the willpower the boy had left to force himself in a seated position against the wall and to calm his breathing down a bit. Cedric’s thighs were shaking with cramps, saliva was running from the side of his mouth and he felt like he was choking. There was more pain the young man had ever felt before all around his body. It would’ve been easier to name the spots that didn’t hurt as he was pretty sure there weren’t any.

Unconsciously Cedric tried to touch the comforting metal of the disc of Solanis’s sun, but didn’t find it hanging against his chest. Frantically he tried again and again until he heard the death priest chuckle in the hallway. Cedric didn’t bother to look as he realised what must’ve happened. Of course the enemy would not leave him or Gib in the possession of their most powerful weapon. It was clear the masters of this place, were it Davena and Garn or this evil priest or someone else, were not stupid even if they didn’t see the World like Cedric or his companions did. The loss struck him so hard, the young priest forgot his agony for a heartbeat or three, but then through the feelings of forlorn he found resolve in the teachings of his Lord: 

Take my light into your heart and I shall burn away any evil you face. 
Spread my words and let my shine embrace the World wherever you go.
No unlife can withstand the purity of the Sun and no evil can prevail over the radiance in your soul.
My love will always be with you as you will always be a part of me.

Mumbling the words again and again, Cedric found the warmth of his God inside him once more. Grinning almost madly, he asked the Radiant Father for healing and the Lord responded immediately with his miraculous power. The pain in his torn form subsided, but it was not the greatest gift of the curing prayer… In addition to healing the cleric’s wounds and mending his body, the magic pulled and melted together the fragments of his broken soul and drove away the screaming demons from his heart. Looking down at himself, Cedric shook his head… Despite of the incredible and immense power Solanis held, even he was unable to fix the priest’s formerly yellow robes. The stupid smile disappeared from Cedric’s face as quickly as had appeared. He didn’t really doubt the God’s power. In fact he was very sure the supreme being would have zero trouble mending his torn clothes too. It was he himself who lacked in ability, not the divine power he had dedicated his life too.

"Truth be told," the black-robed priest adds, "I had thought to offer my bargain to you when the time of my need was closer to hand... but here we are.

The words brought Cedric out of his illusionary happy place and into the hell he and his companions still were in. Somewhat revitalised as a side-effect of the healing spell, the lad managed to push himself up and turned to face the servant of D’hurgen. He was really intrigued to learn why the priest had saved their lives. The man must’ve known neither of the priests would turn away from their gods under any kind of pressure. Cedric hadn’t really had any time to think why or how or who yet, but now his mind was trying to put one and one together as fast as it was able. As everything was still a bit foggy, it wasn’t really very fast.

"I will intercede to save your friend's life," he offers after a short pause.  "If I do this, the four of you will swear to perform a task for me.  Upon completion of the task, your freedom will be granted.  I will not discuss my needs with you at this time, save to give you my word that my task will not run contrary to any vows already sworn by any of you.  Indeed, I believe that you will find that we have a very mutual interest here."

Save our friend’s life? She is still alive! Yes! Thank you, Radiant Father! It was all Cedric could think about for a moment. Kith is alive!

The black-robed priest looks around each cell slowly.  "Do we have an accord?" he asks.

When the evil, but intelligent eyes paused on Cedric, the cleric could only manage a little nod. He was about to say how he could promise to do the man’s bidding, but would not partake in anything that went against the teachings of Solanis or the dogma of His church, but lacked the strength to do so. Taking in a deep breath, he tried again, but the servant of the death god had already disappeared inside Ch’dau’s cell to save the cat-warrior’s life. Though the act made Cedric shiver in disgust, he was glad his friend would live to see the next day… hopefully.

As Ch’dau got back to his senses and shared words with Aranwen, Cedric leaned against the gate of his “quarters” and listened. He was still too tired to do much anything else, even if his spirits were now far better than they had been such a short while earlier. He had promised to do something quite evil, he was sure. But if that meant that they all might survive this ordeal and could be able to take Kithran with them as well, he was willing to do almost anything. Or so he now felt. Of course common sense said there was no trusting the man even when he had allowed them to live. But hope never killed the day and right now hope was pretty much everything Cedric had. Right now the Meadows of Dawn on would have to wait. It was not his turn to meet his maker yet.

Smiling weakly, the lad banged his fist against the bars a couple of times. Gone was the uncertain lad again and in his place stood a man of the cloth wise beyond his years. The voice was stern and solid even if his body was not: “That’s the spirit, my friends. We need to breath to make sure Kith gets to keep on breathing as well. We will need to survive to put an end to this all. It may not be today, but mark my words… That day will come.”

This week at work has been... not healthy for my brain or body for that matter. Too little sleep, too much stressing work.

So apologies again for not posting, again. Will try to gather what's left of me and post asap.

Not a bad idea, Brom. I'm sure Alacrity has some great ideas! 

I've been away for a week or so and on my return find five pages of QnA to read. Haven't even dared to check the main thread yet.

Geesh you guys! How am I supposed to be able to back-post myself through all that?