Gnomes, Tomes & Catacombs: Episode 19

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== Synopsis ==
In the Throne Room of Stromheim, Gerald Knott and Brad Barbo reveal to Queen Kiara Sanguine that they stole the Philosopher's Stone from Count Vicious, which subsequently exploded in Copperhill. The Queen orders their arrest, but High Cleric Father Bronstone's dubious inspection of Fortune leads her to suspect a deeper conspiracy involving Count Vicious. The Queen stages the arrest as a ruse to mislead Vicious’s agents, and later, offers the party a hidden escape route to maintain their pretense as outlaws. The party traverses dangerous terrain, encounters hostile demons, and eventually arrives in Hillsborough, where they face distrust from locals and engage in political maneuvering with the town's leaders. They await the arrival of Little Jimmy, who is displeased to learn he is merely a means to transport them to Heatstroke, leading to a heated confrontation with Captain Brad Barbo.
==Recap==
===Day 212 (Friday, 1511-02-28)(Continued)===
The party are in the Throne Room of Stromheim. Gerald Knott and Brad Barbo just just told Queen Kiara Sanguine about their discoveries in Fortune. Her trusted advisor, the High Cleric Father Bronstone, say there is nothing to worry about Fortune, with Father Bronstone having inspect it himself. Gerald then admits they stole the Philosophers' Stone from Count Vicious and it exploded in Copperhill.
The Queen asks them to confirm if they are admitting to her that they stole from a Count of her Kingdom. Brad confirms. The Queen orders their arrest. Gerald and Brad surrender.
Kumo and Pearl try to hide in the crowd, but are spotted and captured. The whole party is then escorted to the dungeon, with all their belongings are removed. Everyone is thrown in the same cell.
Down the row in the Dungeon in another cell is Joris who has slipped his gag off. Gerald talks with Joris about what happened with Copperhill and getting the amulet to the Queen.
Kumo offers to cast Shatter on the bars, but Gerald & Brad says to hold off.
10–15 minutes later, some guards come into the dungeon and escort all the other prisoners out, including Joris who put his gag back on. Once the dungeon is empty except the party, the Queen herself arrives with an escort of guards, knights and her count Wizard, Arc Keldin. The party is silent for Queen Kiara Sanguine.
Queen Kiara Sanguine apologises to the party for putting them in the dungeon. She believes the party, there have been too many reports about Count Vicious to be a coincidence. She can't trust Father Bronstone, who reported that they found nothing in Fortune, so they are compromised. The arrest was staged to fool the agents of Count Vicious.
Gerald offers to get proof, but the Queen's greater concern is Heatstroke and Count Vicious's relationship with them. Fortune was never attacked by Heatstroke, and Count Vicious has never attacked the Demons. Queen Kiara wonders what the secret is, an alliance or some other motive behind Count Vicious's actions. Queen Kiara had sent a group of solders on horseback, then on foot, to investigate. They never came back. Sailor report strange lights from Heatstroke at night. 
Gerald suggests sending updated with "Sending". The Queen says her crown prevents telepathy, but they can send the updates to Joris, who will be kept in a nicer place now on. Queen Kiara then says there is a hidden sally-port the party can "escape" though, so the Queen can maintain the pretence that the party are outlaws. The party agree to the plan. They have all their belongings returned to them.
After the guards leave, the party take the unlit dingly tunnel out of the dungeon. They travel down the tunnel for some time then climb a ladder and find themselves outside of Stromheim at a hill.
Kumo asks about the Crown of Domination if it could help with their quest. Gerald and Brad point out it is far away and wouldn't help in combat.
Gerald summons 2 phantom steeds and the party ride towards Heatstroke across the Golden Sea, recasting the phantom steeds over and over during the trip. They camp in the middle of the Golden Sea for the night.
===Day 213 (Saturday, 1511-03-01)===
The party arrive at the edge of the Hourglass Desert where docks give way to sand. The party ride the Phantom Steeds over the sand dunes and glass. The glass was created by Sky the Brass Dragon when she breathed fire on the sand then rolled on the glass.
Then the party come to a stop when the next dune is covered with the Demonic Colony, a flesh-colored flesh on top of the sand. The party stop and investigate the strange surface. Gerald has his owl fly around and sees it is curved, around a 25-mile radius from Heatstroke. 
Gerald sends one of the phantom steeds forward over the colony, and nothing happens to it. The party decide to head forward. For hours the travel over the Colony dunes with no incident before the hills and dunes stop and they arrive at flat ground. The flat ground is also covered by Colony as well.
In the distance the owl spots some Iridescent Black Domes ahead of them. Dozens of these domes, or scores. The domes are scatted to the expanses. The party head towards one slightly away from the others. They get 100 feet away from it.
 
The Dome is actually made of 16 curved iridescent black bones in a circle, closed like a flytrap, 10 feet apart. Gerald sends his owl to land on a bone and all the bones recede, revealing Demons inside. The other nearby bones recede as well, revealing even more Demons.
:Toadie Demon: Short, 2'7". Tiny hulking little masses of rolling flesh. Maybe 35-40 lbs. Crimson coloured, squat short horned creatures. Bulbous bellies. Unusable small, deformed wing.
:Thung: Hairless and skinless emaciated dog-like creatures. They have discoloured bony plates that protrude from their joints. Their jaws are hanging unhinged. They have a row of spikes that run down it's spine to it's tail.
:Warrior Class Demon: 6'3" 250-260 lbs, vaguely humanoid, no wings, no horns. They have blackish iridescent plates coming out of all their joints. Their chest has these blue interlocking plates between them. They carry swords and shields made of obsidian. 
Some Toadie Demons, some Thung, and three Warrior Demons.
The Demons charge towards the party. Pearl jumps on Kumo'sback and Kumo flies into the air. Gerald fireballs at the Demons and kills some Toadies, but sees they are resistant to fire. The Colony is also burned, and smelled of rotten flesh being barbecued.
Kumo and Brad fire and attack the demons as they get close. Pearl uses Dissonant Whispers and Vicious Mockery on the Demons. Gerald does some crowd control spells like web and sleep. The party whittle down then eliminate the demons.
Gerald and Brad complement Pearl for her help during the fight and promote her to an intern who earns 35% now. Brad collects some parts from each type of demon as proof. The party find the demons have no valuables, just the Obsidian Blades & Shields the Warrior Demons were carrying. Gerald sings a song:
:I see now my opinion was trite,
:Pearl handled herself well in this fight,
:She hurled insults assisted with magical flight,
:I most definitely underestimated her might,
:I will be glad to fight to see what she next smites.
The party find that the domes, the domes re-closed. Brad breaks one of the bones on a dome then Gerald firebolts the splinter to death revealing a pit beneath. They see down the fleshy pit is upward facing spikes around it that goes down 4–5 feet into a greenish pool of fluid. It appears if the fluid, the pit, and the spikes are all part of one living organism.
Brad wants to kill all the domes, but the party remembers there were scores of these domes in view and beyond and decide it is too many to kill by themselves.
The party travel just beyond the Colony and camp in a Tiny Hut.
===Day 214 (Sunday, 1511-03-02)===
The party wake to find after 8 hours the Colony has advanced around 150 feet. Also there is a floating Lensman Demon looking at the tiny hut.
:Lensman Class Demon: Six and a half feet tall but only 100 lbs. Very thin. Black iridescent chitin exoskeleton. In the middle of it's body sits a single tall sideways mouth. There is a single eye that sits in the middle of it's forehead. In each of it's feet and palms also has an eye. It is hovering in the air on the dune. It's mouth opens, 1 and half feet high, filled with sharp teeth.
Pearl and Gerald call out to it in common and there is no reply. Kumo speaks in Abyssal and is able to talk with the Demon. The Lensman Demon asks Kumo how he speaks the old tongue". Kumo asks the Demon why it is in this domain and the Demon replies "hunger". Kumo asks who the Demon answers to, and it says it answers to Kumo. Kumo asks where the demon comes from, and the Lensman says it comes from the same place as Kumo, that they are one and the same. The Lensman asks Kumo to come lead the Demons. Kumo asks the demon to come closer, the Lensman lands and then walks away over the sand dune.
Kumo claims he doesn't remember learning Abyssal. Gerald uses his owl and sees 20 Demon Warriors crouching behind the sand dune. The party decide that it is a trap and leave on foot. After a safe distance, then Gerald casts some Phantom Steeds then the party books it towards Hillsborough.
By the end of the day, the party get to the gates of Hillsborough and the town guards immediately recognise Gerald and Brad, and block their way in. The guard demand why they are here. Gerald says they just coming to town to rest and meet with Arc Bromulan, the court wizard. The guards warn Kumo and Pearl that Gerald and Brad are "sick fucks". The guards let the party in, but warn they will be keeping their eye on them.
People on the streets recognise Gerald and Brad and avoid the party and look at them in fear. Gerald tries to ask what the matter is, but a townsfolk just babbles incoherently. Brad casts Thaumaturgy and makes the ground shake around him, sending some townsfolk fleeing. Brad explains he was trying to make them scared so they would answer.
The party try to see Arc Bromulan, they are told to hang out at the inn, Emerald Boar. Arc Bromulan will meet with them there, if he wants to. 
Gerald casts sending to send Little Jimmy a message to come pick them up in Hillsborough. Little Jimmy is very angry and responds with insults. Brad tells Gerald it'll take Little Jimmy around 2 weeks to get to Hillsborough from the Shelterwood.
===Day 215 (Monday, 1511-03-03)===
Arc Bromulan meets the party in the Emerald Boar in the afternoon. Gerald tells Arc Bromulan about the spreading Colony and the demon burrows. Brad shows Arc Bromulan some of the demon parts he collected.
The court wizard tells them that Hillsborough has sent people to investigate Heatstroke a year ago and they never came back. Boats going past reported looking at Heatstroke and saw all the buildings were covered in the Demonic Colony as well. The fish who lived in the waters near Heatstroke have vanished. Scales of and the mist dragon who lived near Heatstroke have washed up on shore, with its death being rumoured. 
Recent crisis that Hillsborough have been dealing with include refugees, food shortages, some Mistryans ships tried to raid, Drekissin forces landed in the Patchwood.
===Day 216 (Monday, 1511-03-04)===
The party meet with the dwarven lord of the town, Lord Wylie Deephill. The guards take all the weapons from the party, and Gerald's usual old gnome act fails and he has to give up his staff.
The are lead into the court room. Lord Wylie Deephill is sitting in this throne, a 3'7", 83 lbs, 170 years old, long red beard Dwarf.
Gerald and Brad explain their discoveries outside of Heatstroke, and shows the demon trophies as proof. The Lord asks there are any food sources, and Barbo suggests eating the Colony.
Brad and Gerald ask for help with fighting the Demons along with the Queen's forces. Lord Wylie Deephill has a low opinion of Queen Kiara Sanguine, and thinks Wake County will just be able to wall off from the growing Demon Colony.
The dwarf lord exchanges sass with Kumo and Brad. Hillsborough and the rest of Wake County will go on the defence against the Demons. 
===1511-03-04 to 1511-03-15===
During the 2 weeks waiting for Little Jimmy, the party sells their loot. Brad tells a story about the obsidean sword he got from the Warrior demon to raise the price.
Brad visits the orphanage he invested gold into, and finds out they spend the money on the "magic donkey" scam he ran last time he was in town.
Gerald trades some spells with Scarlet, the owner of the magic shop he had previous dealing with.
Pearl hires a pair of dwarf brothers, Garth & Brooks to copy her book onto a pamphlet to sell. Garth will take 40% of the profits, Brooks goes for an hourly wage of 15 copper. Kumo lends some gold to Pearl to buy the paper to make the pamphlet. It contains the story of Pearl's adventure. 
===Day 228 (Sunday, 1511-03-16)===
Little Jimmy's ship arrives and is further irritated to find out he was called over to just be their taxi service to get them to Heatstroke. Little Jimmy insults Captain Brad Barbo, saying his reputation as a pirate is fake. Brad challenges Little Jimmy to a duel.
===Level up===
*Brad Barbo to level 7, chooses 2nd level in Cleric
**HP +3 (Total 48 HP)
*Pearl to level 6
**HP +5 (Total 26 HP)
*Kumo to level 6
**HP +7 (Total 46 HP)
*Gerald to level 7
**HP +6 HP (Total 34 HP)
Category:Gnomes, Tomes & Catacombs Episodes