Several miles outside the settlement of Ralinwood, a column of hazy black smoke with tints of red rises high into the air, polluting the sky with ash and embers as the forest surrounding the shattered cultist hold burns. A rift in the fabric of reality is torn across the interior of the blackened palisade, and ranks of demons march through almost constantly. The tear has reached easily a hundred metres in width, and stretches fifty metres up into the sky in a jagged line, showing a desolate hell-scape beyond with thousands more demons in wait. The upper third of the rift is visible from the roof of the Gilded Dragon Tavern. The massive balrog is occasionally seen prowling the area, going back and forth through the rift now and then on some sort of business. They seem to be fortifying the area, but because no one is able to get close, it is impossible to tell any sort of detail about it currently.
The demon horde surrounding the Gilded Dragon has withdrawn slightly, leaving approximately fifty metres of open grass around the tavern open. Hundreds of demons of all varieties are visible prowling this perimeter and any attempt to approach them is met with extreme hostility. However, as long as the captive townsfolk remain in the tavern and this space the demons do not attack them. It has been made very clear by the female lieutenant demon that no one is permitted to leave. She indicates that that her title is Commander Neviah.
In the early evening a contingent of demons approaches the tavern, and the wild elf Aeval is summoned forth. After brief conversation she is taken from the tavern by the group and escorted away. When pressed for information, the lieutenant reveals that she has been branded and sent back through the gate to Jericho. For what purpose, she will not reveal.
Around midnight, a large amount of shouting and screaming ensues outside of town proper, and the sounds of battle can be heard. The commotion dies down very quickly and shortly after that groups of demons begin dragging unconscious townsfolk to the tavern and throwing them in front of it in a rough line. While none of them appear to be dying, it is obvious that the demons have been cruel in their capture of those that were not cornered in the initial battle.
Commander Neviah approaches as the last of the new prisoners is dropped, dragging a barely conscious Aminata by the hair. She throws the bloodied high elf into the tavern patio roughly before she begins to speak.
“You will assist your pathetic comrades in recovering. Those who are too badly damaged will be disposed of, for they are of no use to us.” She surveys the tavern occupants coldly as she pauses. “We will return soon...when we have decided what game we will play with you first. Do not approach the perimeter if you want to continue to draw breath.” She stalks away, flanked by a contingent of particularly gnarly looking guards, and the tavern is left to deal with their wounded, surrounded still by prowling hell-creatures in the darkness. A thick haze of permeates the area as the fires in the forest continue to smolder.
*
((Out of Game Information for Ralinwood PCs: All PCs who were present for the final mod in-game on Sunday are part of the initial group trapped at the tavern. Everyone else, including those who left game early and are NOT attending the Jericho event this coming weekend, you have been rounded up and brought to the tavern by the demons. You may decide how much of a fight you have put up (from having gone willingly to having been beaten nearly to death and dragged), but you have been effectively beaten into submission and thrown in front of the tavern, unconscious. You may roleplay on the forums in the interim, you have not lost any of your gear or items.
For any Ralinwood PC attending the Jericho event who was not present at the last mod on Sunday, it is assumed you have already left. There was only one person present at the final mod who indicated they were going, and that has been taken care of.))
The demon horde surrounding the Gilded Dragon has withdrawn slightly, leaving approximately fifty metres of open grass around the tavern open. Hundreds of demons of all varieties are visible prowling this perimeter and any attempt to approach them is met with extreme hostility. However, as long as the captive townsfolk remain in the tavern and this space the demons do not attack them. It has been made very clear by the female lieutenant demon that no one is permitted to leave. She indicates that that her title is Commander Neviah.
In the early evening a contingent of demons approaches the tavern, and the wild elf Aeval is summoned forth. After brief conversation she is taken from the tavern by the group and escorted away. When pressed for information, the lieutenant reveals that she has been branded and sent back through the gate to Jericho. For what purpose, she will not reveal.
Around midnight, a large amount of shouting and screaming ensues outside of town proper, and the sounds of battle can be heard. The commotion dies down very quickly and shortly after that groups of demons begin dragging unconscious townsfolk to the tavern and throwing them in front of it in a rough line. While none of them appear to be dying, it is obvious that the demons have been cruel in their capture of those that were not cornered in the initial battle.
Commander Neviah approaches as the last of the new prisoners is dropped, dragging a barely conscious Aminata by the hair. She throws the bloodied high elf into the tavern patio roughly before she begins to speak.
“You will assist your pathetic comrades in recovering. Those who are too badly damaged will be disposed of, for they are of no use to us.” She surveys the tavern occupants coldly as she pauses. “We will return soon...when we have decided what game we will play with you first. Do not approach the perimeter if you want to continue to draw breath.” She stalks away, flanked by a contingent of particularly gnarly looking guards, and the tavern is left to deal with their wounded, surrounded still by prowling hell-creatures in the darkness. A thick haze of permeates the area as the fires in the forest continue to smolder.
*
((Out of Game Information for Ralinwood PCs: All PCs who were present for the final mod in-game on Sunday are part of the initial group trapped at the tavern. Everyone else, including those who left game early and are NOT attending the Jericho event this coming weekend, you have been rounded up and brought to the tavern by the demons. You may decide how much of a fight you have put up (from having gone willingly to having been beaten nearly to death and dragged), but you have been effectively beaten into submission and thrown in front of the tavern, unconscious. You may roleplay on the forums in the interim, you have not lost any of your gear or items.
For any Ralinwood PC attending the Jericho event who was not present at the last mod on Sunday, it is assumed you have already left. There was only one person present at the final mod who indicated they were going, and that has been taken care of.))