DavesGaming

Sarah

We hustled back to the camp with the news of our recon. We had some good information about the Crusade. Especially how corrupt Haphernaan was. That and their need for Chuck’s blood.
The next morning we had a parlay with Caelar, funny, she insisted she would end her crusade if they would just turn over Chuck to her.

Fortunately our fearless leaders saw the folly of this, so the parlay soon ended. We had no sooner started back to camp when we heard trumpets and drums, battle was joined. We were told to get back to camp and lead the last line of defense, while Marshall Nederlock and the others would lead our main armies.

It proved fortunate we were there. Several small groups of Crusaders penetrated our main lines and had to fought back. I had another very active day.

This was a good day for us. We shattered the main forces of the Crusade. The next day we launched our attack against Dragonspear Castle.

In less than an hour there was not much more left than gathering prisoners. When we got to the Castle, our own forces had already entered. The upper levels seemed completely empty. Chuck and I led our team downstairs, back to where we’d fought Haphernaan and his goons two days ago. We breached a large door, and found ourselves face to face with Haphernaan and Caelar. Some sort of spell went off, and we were all briefly immobilized. Haphernaan struck Chuck with a small blade, and sprinkled a small amount of blood back where he’d been performing some sort of ritual.

Something about this really upset Caelar. She seemed shocked that this was about opening a gate to bring Devils into our world. It would seem, she was a true believer in her bonkers plan.

When we regained control of ourselves, there was a Gate open to Hell. Caelar had already taken some troops through, we followed immediately. It was, what can I say, it was Hell. We set out to follow the others. We came across a group of Devils battling Crusaders. We destroyed the Devils easily enough and ordered the surviving Crusaders back to the Gate. Hold it, and wait for us. I guess they’d already seen enough and we got no arguments. We chased Caelar and Haphernaan across the Hellscape. There was a riddling Devil guarding a bridge. Chuck had the presence of mind to solve the riddles, so we crossed with no unnecessary bloodshed.

Soon enough we came to the end, what this was all about. Haphernaan stood before a giant Devil. We learned he went by Belifet [Chuck later explained the lore, this was some damaged fiend looking to make a new power play, that we could now put an end to]. Haphernaan was his stooge. Caelar was nearly mad with rage, she had an uncle here in Hell she wished to rescue. And she’d been played by these devils to open the Gate.

Chuck discerned she did not need to be our foe in this, and easily enough she joined with us to destroy these devils.

Caelar, Minsc and I met the evil with swords. Chuck led the others with magic and missiles. The fight ended quickly.

We met Caelar’s Uncle, Aun was a decent man who was trapped here due to his rescue of his niece several years back. Sort of a mess. But he knew the Gate could be closed with a Devil’s blood (which we happened to have a lot of at the moment), but only from *this* side. That meant someone had to stay behind. Caelar immediately declared it should be her. Chuck tried to find an alternative, but truly that was a just answer. If we returned with her, well her crimes would see her back in this place anyway.

That was really the end of the Crusade’s story. We went back through the Gate with the surviving Crusaders. Chuck spoke of a pardon for them, they’d fought by our side in Hell. I’m not sure how all the legal matters were resolved. There was a wild party celebrating our final victory. It went late into the night, later than any of us stayed awake for.

Chuck had been having nightmares. He was visited by some unknown hooded man in his dreams. This same man had appeared in person a few times too, like to witness the odd events at the Boareskyr Bridge.
He had another nightmare this night.

I’m not clear on the details, and I don’t think Chuck was either. But I heard shouting in the morning, and Chuck wasn’t at my side! I ran to where the yelling was, and Chuck was just waking up from a spot on the floor. With a bloody dagger, next to the murdered body of Skie.

We were given no choice about returning with the army to Baldur’s Gate.

There was a hearing. It was acknowledged by most that we were heroes who’d fought hard to win the latest Dragonspear War and kept Devils from spilling into this World. But there was no denying Chuck looked guilty of murdering a Duke’s daughter. The Duke would see him hang.
Apparently the [missing] murder weapon was the Soultaker Dagger. And Skie could not be Raised without that weapon. So we could not know her view of the strange events.
Chuck regained his memories, and told me he saw the Hooded Man kill Skie. But you can guess what that vague memory would be worth as evidence.

Fortunately, our other actions decided things favorably for Chuck. At least, there would be no punishment beyond immediate exile from the City. We were led out, by an underground route to avoid public attention. And reunited with Imoen, Minsc, Dynaheir, Khalid, Jaheira. Our closest friends.

Now to find a nameless hooded man…

*****

I like were the whole team is at this point in the game. They are powerful and capable mid-level adventurers. Sarah is a force of destruction, but all characters are dangerous.

I tried to do a couple renders this time to capture the highly kinetic and acrobatic way Sarah fights on the show “Chuck”. Look at the YouTube link I included a couple days ago, that’s what Sarah should move like. An armored cannonball in a villain’s face.

I’ve already (barely) started Baldur’s Gate 2. I will launch into that with a new post, and Updates continuing from right here. Probably in a day or two.