[Alliance] Chapter Five: Session Fifty-Seven
Appearing Characters: Arator Windrunner, Braun, Doan, Gilveradin Windrunner, Grommash Hellscream, James Vishas, Koegler, Korloff, Loksey, Nazgrim, Remnii, Rommath Pyrewing, Seria, Taelan Fordring, Teemo Manabrake, Thal'ena Dawnseeker, Uther Menethil, Velameestra Windrunner, Victor Prestor
October 31st
As the battle raged on, Seria continued to focus on the Headless Horseman as she tore her claws into his armor. The horseman started to cackle wildly again, and Houndmaster Loksey recoiled, his face completely white with fear as his doom became more and more apparent.
Loksey dodged under the touch of an anguished dead, but the Headless Horseman raised his sword.
With a series of fearsome slashes, the Headless Horseman drove his sword through Loksey’s chest.
As he wrenched the sword out, Loksey’s head went sailing. As his head hit the ground, twisted, brambled vines emerged and in a matter of moments a pumpkin grew from the ground. Its vines entered into the decapitated neck of Houndmaster Loksey, who rose to his feet with a pumpkin in place of a head.
Arator looked over at the undead that was still harassing Gil and he slashed through it. The strike of the Ashbringer seared through the Haunting Phantasm and Arator put a hand on his chest.
He then healed up some of Gil’s wounds before he turned to close in on the rest of the fight. With Loksey now risen as a servant of the Headless Horseman, the other undead turned their focus on Seria.
Braun, meanwhile, shoved off an undead and looked up at Uther in shock, as the prince had come to his rescue.
Braun disengaged to get away from the undead. He grabbed his crossbow and shot at the undead that had turned their focus on Uther. However, one of the Ironspine Crusaders was almost incinerated by the light of Uther’s holy defenses. The other Ironspine Crusader was equally blasted, but the defense waned with two other explosions of light. An Anguished Dead attempted to pursue Braun, but Uther sliced the undead spirit in two with his axe as the ghost passed through.
Remnii passed by Korloff, he confirmed their feud could wait, and she turned her eyes toward the Headless Horseman. She channeled holy energy and used [Exorcism]. The Headless Horseman was seared with an explosion of light, and Remnii then hurled one of her motes of light at the Headless Horseman. The undead staggered back on his mount.
Korloff ran up to one of the Anguished Dead and unleashed a flurry of unarmed strikes, which caused the ghost to burst into nothing as it was exorcized.
Gil approached after Arator and then teleported to close the distance to the other enemies. As he reappeared, he used [Web of Fire], which launched at various undead, including the Headless Horseman. Pillars of flame burst forth, incinerating one of the Ironspine Crusaders, and consuming the Headless Horseman and his mount. The Headless Horseman went limp for a moment, but his hand gripped the reins.
They heard a whizzing sound, and a piece of flaming metal flew over the wall. The Headless Horseman caught the helmet, and placed it atop his headless body. The air around him grew a ghastly green, his strength returned to levels unseen.
The ground around the Headless Horseman broke up as more gourds and pumpkins burst through the ground and raised themselves on brambled vines. The flaming steed upon which the Headless Horseman rode reared back and rode around Seria to strike both Seria’s flank and Remnii. As he sliced into them he put distance between himself and the rest of the group.
The pumpkin soldiers started to disperse around, their jaws gnashing. Two managed to latch onto Seria.
The Headless Horseman started to cackle wildly as a jack-o-lantern appeared in his hand. He hurled it at the group, but Seria caught the jack-o-lantern and hurled it back at him. It exploded, but the Horseman was left unscathed.
Remnii’s unicorn, Sunchaser, rushed forward with a glowing horn. He used [Dispel Evil and Good] in an attempt to to dispel the flaming steed away, but the mount succeeded.
Uther reared back on Radiant, who charged straight for the Headless Horseman. Uther carved in with Bryntroll, but the Headless Horseman blocked both strikes aside with his blade.
The Ironspine Crusader that Uther had left turned toward Beastmaster Braun. As the skeletal soldier slashed at Braun, only one attack managed to clip him in his leg. At that moment, Thal’ena raced through the battlefield and used [[Spells/WebOfFire | [Web of Fire]]. She spiraled around in a sword dance, and a copy of Quel’delar was planted in the ground, which erupted into flaming flowers that seared through the pumpkin soldiers.
As the remaining Ironspine Crusader raised its blade to bring it down on Braun, it was ignited in crimson fire and fell to the ground. Rommath materialized out of the mist and stepped over the charred body of the Crusader as well as the broken bodies that Kael’thas had strewn all over.
He looked back at Beastmaster Braun. Braun looked back at him, and Rommath made a gesture with his hand. The Beastmaster’s crossbow was wrenched from his hands into Rommath’s, where it just went up in flame and the charred remains were crushed.
Meanwhile, Gorehowl went sailing through the air and slammed into one of the pumpkin soldiers as Nazgrim made his own appeared. He broke through Loksey and another pumpkin with a grunt.
Remnii used [Sacred Flame] on the Headless Horseman, who was awash with holy fire. She then hurled another mote from her crown of stars, which slammed into the Headless Horseman.
Gil lined up his shot as he headed to the north side of the battlefield. His first shot clattered off the Horseman’s armor, but the second struck true and the Headless Horseman staggered.
Gil then used [Grasping Vine] and attempted to tangle up the Horseman’s steed. The mount was yanked backwards, but the Horseman held on. However, Seria charged forward, her claws raking into the Headless Horseman. A pumpkin soldier latched onto her as she passed.
Uther also closed on the Headless Horseman. He ignited Bryntroll with holy magic.
He swung the axe around and cleaved the Headless Horseman’s helmet off with an explosion of holy light. The Headless Horseman was knocked off his mount, and the flaming steed reared back and dissipated. The last pumpkin soldiers fell to the ground.
The Headless Horseman started to move again, and he sat up. The spectral after image of a head appeared over his headless body.
The spectral head looked like Taelan.
He looked up at Uther.
Taelan said that the cursed blade that took his head had filled him with nothing but the desire for vengeance. Nazgrim asked what he was saying and if he was lucid again, and Uther confirmed he was in the ways that truly mattered.
Nazgrim stepped toward Taelan and asked for Uther to translate for him.
He offered a hand to help Taelan up.
Taelan took the hand and stood up.
Uther noted that it seemed Taelan had started to waver, as if the power that had kept him going was starting to falter. Uther set Bryntroll down and looked at his hand.
He looked back on the lessons Vel had helped to give him on Kalimdor, and he twisted his magic into the reverse of what it was. He used [Death Coil] on Taelan, who staggered as the necrotic magic knit some of his essence together.
Taelan kneeled before Uther.
Uther sat and tried to come up with a rhyme.
He appeared a tad frustrated with himself he couldn’t keep the rhymes going.
He drew his blade.
He placed his helmet back on his head.
More undead and pumpkin soldiers rose, but they were instead spirits that willingly joined him to chase the Crusade from their lands. He conjured his steed again and leaped upon it as it took off into the sky.
Brother Korloff and Beastmaster Braun looked at Uther.
The two of them surrendered and were taken by the group’s other allies. Rommath made his way over to the group.
He looked at Arator.
He pointed at the white raven.
Rommath furrowed his brow as he looked at the raven.
Rommath turned and headed toward the catacombs.
Remnii used a quick [Mass Cure Wounds] over the group. Radiant and Sunchaser were left outside, as they couldn’t descend the stairway into the catacombs.
Suddenly, Remnii felt something pull on the hem of her skirt. She looked down, and she heard small growl. It was a small dog. Uther got a strong aura from the golden dog, as it appeared to be celestial, and it seemed to be trying to play.
The dog yipped and nosed a gourd at her. Remnii pushed it aside. Braun looked over from where he was being stripped of his other weapons.
Remnii held a hand out to the dog, and it licked her hand. She felt a wave of compassion and trust that washed over her. She was bathed with light, which cleansed the blood off her, and she formed a familiar bond with the dog.
The puppy barked and Gil heard him thank Remnii for saving him and she was now his best friend. He said his name was Sunny and then disappeared.
Rommath nodded and they all started to descend into the catacombs. They followed the white raven, and Seria reverted to her humanoid form so she could fit into the narrow passages. Uther and Seria took point, while the others followed.
Seria immediately noticed a false floor, and as they looked at it, it was evident the floor dropped into a spike pit that was in an underground cavern. They continued through the low ceilings and cramped walls, and Gil’s ear twitched. He heard a stone moving behind them, and he glanced back just in time to see two Scarlet Crusade Inquisitors with a pot of boiling oil that they were about to pour down on all of them.
Gil whipped around and drew his bow. He fired an arrow wreathed in dreamy energy. The arrow impacted and turned into a small portal that the boiling oil poured into before it disappeared. The Crusader’s gasped and attempted to run away, but Gil fired again and took their legs out.
They heard a screech from up above as well as a series of rumbles. The ceiling began to crumble, and they watched one of the tiles get dislodged. Arator noticed it, and he quickly shoved Remnii out of the way. The stone clipped his shoulder and he winced, but he was otherwise alright.
The raven landed on the ground in front of a large wooden gate that was barring their path. It looked to be a draw bridge of some kind, and they could hear muffled voices on the other side.
Nazgrim nodded and also branched off. A moment later, they found the two locking mechanisms and brought the drawbridge down.
The drawbridge went down fully, and the group saw a wide, ancient catacomb. The bridge connected to a large causeway that was flanked on either side by an abundance of cages. Some of them had individuals within them. Some of them appeared to be undead creatures, some orcs, some skeletons that were no longer living. Most of them were in no healthy condition. They had flensed bodies and broken bones that hung above an ancient aqueduct. There were a handful of interrogators on either side, and on the opposite side were more interrogators that were watching.
In the center were two mages that were arguing with a becowled man whose bald head had a network of scars. Both the mages were also bald, but one was covered in burn scars, and the other was a proper man with a well-trimmed beard.
Vishas looked over at a nearby lever and pulled it. There were horrid sounds as the great cages dropped and slammed into the ground, breaking. Bound in ethereal chains was a banshee. The chains tightened, and steel limbs made of bent metal stood up, lifting the cage with the banshee within it. There was grinding metal as two iron maidens with thick construct-like arms of blessed steel and legs covered in spikes. Blood seeped from the iron maidens, and Uther sensed undead presences within.
TW: Gruesome depictions of torture aftermath
As the enemies turned to face the group, they saw two figures of interest. On the far end was a massive orc that may have been larger once before weeks of torment and starvation. His muscles were thin and taught against his bones, his green skin covered in a network of scars, his bright red eyes looking at them. He was nailed with heavy iron spikes into a massive stone slab. They could only assume it was none other than Grom Hellscream.
But near the lever that the chief interrogator pulled, suspended from blessed chains and danging over the aqueduct was what looked to be a corpse, bloody and bruised. It was once hanging by both of its arms, but now only a single one was keeping it suspended. What was left of the other arm hung freely from the other chain. A nearby table was covered in blood and jars, and the jars stared at them with a dozen eyes that had been plucked from their sockets again and again. Long, distended vampyr fangs were laid on the table, likely pulled from the same individual again and again.
As the figure dangled, the corpse moved, and in the dim light they saw emblazoned on the figure’s bare chest, on the greater portion of the torso, was a brand meticulously carved in the symbol of the holy light.
And they saw a mop of messy hair move, a single magenta eye illuminating in its socket. It was what remained of Velameestra Windrunner.
Arator looked on in horror.
Vishas scowled and grabbed his glowing hot pokers. Seria roared and turned into a bear, and Remnii averted her eyes.
Scarlet interrogators pulled out their crossbows and started to fire. Vishas pulled the lever in another direction, and suddenly the hallway started to fill with a thick yellow smoke. They all covered their mouths and started to cough, but they were able to snap themselves out of the effects of the laughing gas.
One of the cages struck into one of the Penitent Exsanguinators and knocked over a tub of oil, which sent a field of oil across the area, which caused the group of interrogators to go spilling across the ground. Flameweaver Koegler summoned a fire elemental and then conjured a [Fireball] right down the hall in front of the drawbridge, catching the group in an explosion of fire.
The fire elemental turned toward Vel.
Koegler growled, but he gestured for his elemental spirit to not destroy Vel and instead move to block the group’s passage. He swung his fiery fist into Uther. Various interrogators moved to outflank the group.
The Penitent Exsanguinator that had fallen in the oil got back from the ground, and it extended a long lance toward Uther and fired it. It buried into the wall nearby. It then reached into its side and another bloody lance appeared and was recocked into its arm.
One of the Penitent Screamers scuttled toward the group, chains rattling and dragging on the ground. The other Penitent Exsanguinator also moved forward and shot its own bloody lance at Seria. It scraped her arm and buried itself in the wall in front of Remnii.
Vel struggled in vain against her manacles as she released a clicking, unholy shriek.
Arator pushed past Seria and Uther and with two powerful strikes, he cleaved through the elemental and dispelled it back to the Firelands. He then ran up to the Penitent Screamer and he was knocked back by a sonic burst. He closed again and swung the Ashbringer into the cage of the banshee, and holy chains erupted around the cage and held it in place as the banshee wailed again.
Gil teleported up into the cages that hung from the rafters and conjured a [Rain of Fire] that rained across the room. Gouts of flame seared through the enemies, killing several of the interrogators in pillars of flame.
Vishas pointed at Gil.
Grom started to fight against his chains.
Seria launched herself into the air and wings unfurled as she was carried over the Penitent Screamer and landed directly in front of Vishas. He swiped at him, but he ducked behind Koegler and shoved him at Seria.
As Seria struck Koegler, flames lashed out at her, but she pushed through and drove her claws into his robes. Vishas darted at Seria and drove his fiery pokers into her flank. Her fur caught fire and began to sear her flesh, and Vishas then darted behind Arcanist Doan.
As the fire dissipated, Uther was as expressionless as they had ever seen him, and he simply said “Vault” and powered his armor into the air. He then redirected himself at Vishas and tried to charge him into a wall. However, Vishas threw Arcanist Doan into the way and Uther slammed into the mage instead. The mage coughed as he was slammed into a wall and fell into the water, and Uther rounded on Vishas. Vishas ducked under the attack, turning it into a glancing blow as the axe, wreathed by holy light, carved by his shoulder.
He looked at at Vishas with absolute tunnel vision.
One of the interrogators tried to fire at Gil, but the attack went wide. Doan swam in the water to a better position and then teleported himself back onto dry land. He coughed up water and held a hand out at Uther. An arcane burst went wide, and he instead focused on Seria and assaulted her with two more blasts of magic.
The other Penitent Screamer wailed loudly and approached Uther, weeping in pain as he was assaulted by psychic energy.
Remnii used [Aura of Vitality] and told Arator they needed to get to Vel. She then used her crown of stars on the Penitent Screamer, and the holy light blasted over the cage.
Gil teleported over to Vel and reached out his hand toward her, clearly planning to use a spell. Rommath stepped out, his hands wreathed in flame as he contended with other interrogators, and mentally called to him.
Gil cursed and dug into his pocket and pulled out a mystery key he had found in his sister’s belongings. He tried to use it on the lock. Vel instinctively snapped at him with a loud hiss, seemingly not recognizing him, but he ignored her as he fought with the lock. It didn't work.
Gil cursed then rounded on Arcanist Koegler and fired at the mage with a flurry of shots.
Koegler slumped to the ground, dead, with an arrow through his throat.
Vishas backpedaled away from Uther and hurled a knife at him to give him an opening to pull another lever. A cage fell right on top of Uther, locked him in it, and foisted him 30 feet into the air.
Teemo rocketed in on a hoverboard and grabbed Vel’s chain. The vampyr continued to struggle and hiss, her eye burning furiously as the goblin remained just out of reach.
She pulled out a gadget and started to work on the lock. The lock was released, and Vel dropped to the ground, now freed.
Nazgrim released a battle cry as he managed to barrel through the other passages and reached Grom Hellscream.
He ripped the blessed spikes out of Grom’s limbs and caught the orc as he fell forward.
He handed Grom Gorehowl, and the chieftain’s hand closed around the axe. The power washed over him and he took a deep breath. The fatigue seemed to be nullified in the presence of the axe.
One of the Penitent Exsanguinators turned toward Grom and started to scuttle over to him. It fired a bloody lance at Grom, who just grabbed the lance. The construct then swung around with one of its massive hands and grabbed the orc.
He swung Gorehowl down on the Penitent Exsanguinator.
Vel’s magenta eye turned directly at Vishas, now honed in on him as both the nearest and must bloodied target. She released another wrathful, clicking screech and she launched herself onto his back. She drove her claws into him and her elongated fangs found purchase in the side of his neck. Vishas started to flail and struggle, screaming in a panic as Vel angled her body to try and wrench him into a death roll.
Doan growled as held out his hands.
He started to cast [Fireball] but Gil rounded and used [Earth Shock] to disrupt the spell. A molten goat of fire exploded in the mage’s hand, and with a scream of agony he dropped to the ground, dead.
One of the burning crusaders shrieked and ran out of the oil to put himself out. One of the other interrogators ran at Remnii, but Arator held out his hand and with a flash of light he momentarily blinded the interrogator and made one of his attacks go wide.
Uther looked around at the cage, and then he looked down at Vel.
He held out his hand and used [Death Coil] as yellowy-green and black energy wafted into her. She felt her body try to restart its regeneration factor, and she dug her fangs in deeper as she wrenched her head and tried to rip into Vishas even more to murder and kill and massacre the man that had inflicted such suffering.
She suddenly heard an ear-piercing roar that picked up her senses. She saw the figure of a massive green hulk of a man, but she felt his shout quicken Vishas’s heartbeat. It drove the instinct to hunt even more intensely, and she wrenched her fangs free so she could drive them into Vishas again, boring a massive wound in the man’s throat.
One of the Penitent Screamers scuttled forward and shrieked, knocking Vel off Vishas and sending her off the edge. However she scrabbled with her one claw and grabbed onto the ledge to keep herself from tumbling into the running water.
The banshee continued to screech, and a pall of terror crossed Vishas’s face.
Uther ripped the cage open and hopped down to the ground. Grom grinned.
