Hardcore Heroes: Episode 55

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== Synopsis ==
In the shadowed crystal caves beneath the ominous Shadow Mountains, Malakai and Van oversee the swift extraction of magical crystals by dwarves, essential for their impending spell. Despite Van's concerns about the crystals falling into dangerous hands, they comply with the dwarves' request to take some for themselves. Returning to their mansion in Bon’ Theris, Van reconnects with his wife and newborn son, apologizing for his absence. The team then travels to the capital where Van and the high clerics strategize the creation of a protective barrier against demonic forces. Malakai, meanwhile, discovers troubling developments, including the besieged state of Stromheim and strained magical resources. As the preparations for the spell unfold, tensions rise with renewed warfare, and Van and Malakai face a critical challenge: an unexpected breach in their magical barrier around Heatstroke, jeopardizing their mission and the safety of the land.
==Recap==
=== 18th December, 1511 ===
In crystal filled caves under the dreaded shadow mountains Malakai and 
Van watch the dwarves mine their crystals, it's actually much quicker going than they expected with only about a day left to get the amount of crystals necessary for their spell. Van creates a stone door to keep the curious out of their crystal mine, although they cannot lock it. Malakai passingly asks whether the crystals might have a monetary value other than magical components to a spell and a dwarf shrugs replying that it might depend on who you ask and what they might need it for. Van objects however arguing the magical potential might be dangerous in the wrong hands, they do still let the dwarves fill their pockets and hands with crystals before they go as per the contract.
=== 19th December, 1511 ===
Malakai teleports Van, Darf and Lucila back to their mansion in Bon’ Theris where Van suddenly remembers he had a pregnant wife in the capital which me might need to visit so he starts making plans on how to get there and as they're walking up from Malakai's study dungeon he meets face to face with a worried Lissandra whose holding Van's baby son in her arms. Van instinctively takes the child, holding it awkwardly since he hasn't really ever been prepared for this moment and then apologises to his wife for missing the birth. She seems rather understanding even if a little cross with her world saving cleric husband, she tells him though that since he was missing she named their son Robert on her own, Van receives these news happily. They hang out for a while, Van apologises more for missing the occasion then tells her of their doings up until now. Later Van offers to magic a palonquin to Wikkthronrarenta, but Lissandra decides they ought to rather go the classic route and take carriages.
Meanwhile, Malakai hangs out with Belle and his dwarven miners, unworried about his life rapidly moving forward thanks to the elven life extension pendant, popping a cap to whatever booze they brought along with them until sleep takes the group onto dawn. Next day Malakai stacks dwarves on top of boxes and then teleports the group to their Roxsis chamber where he delivers the crystals to the elder dwarves there. Asking whether they have gem cutter in town is met with incredulously, Malakai claims that he wouldn't want to assume a dwarven town HAD to have a gem cutter since it'd be racist and he isn't racist to dwarves. Since Malakai doesn't know in what shapes the crystals ought to be in they kill a day until Malakai can teleport them to the Capital. He asks whether Kel Belle would want to stay in Wikkthronrarenta or come with him to various places of business he needs attend and she deadpans the wizard that Van ordered her to be Malakai's personal guard. He shrugs at this and sensing they'll be required to spend a few weeks together asks where she's from, turns out Belle comes from Stromheim originally, but her family moved to Drekis when she was young. Being on a guard duty Belle refuses the drink booze so they simply spend rest of the day chilling. 
=== 21st December, 1511 ===
Malakai, tiny Kel Belle in his pocket, shuffles out of a closet in the royal keep and reunites with Van who get there a day earlier. Van holds a diner with the royal family, Malakai in tow. With the end of the year approaching most people of importance are back in town taking a breather. Not wasting time Van Healsing meets up with the high cleric of Velmontarious Mother Eliza and informs her of their success in gathering crystals, he also invites her to help in the creation and solidification of the spell they will cast, then later Van goes to speak with Vallis, the husband cleric of Felumbra, whose in town.
Together with Eliza, Van begins noting down details they will need to account for creating the demon barrier, for example, the spell Thought wave requires a specific wording to qualify the people they will need, such as, ability to cast a spell of certain strength. Being spacious and a symbol to the people the main church in towns seems like a fitting base for assembly of their forces. Calculating the span of their barrier and number of nodes it's apparent they will require 8 clerics of 7th level and then supporting forces to keep them alive in case the demons ambush them in the process.
Assuming they assemble a number of high level clerics they decide being able to place nodes underwater ought to be doable, but everyone's in agreement some scrying is in order. Cost of creation of the spell runs up to 2800 gold, but at this point in time with splitting the bill the party can afford that, especially since Van's Greater tree spell cost 3000 gold. 
In process of designing the spell Van, with powers that be, concludes they will need Van to be the main caster with the assembly of 7th level clerics channeling divine powers into their own nodes. The spell ought to be cast at same time in all nodes.
Malakai meanwhile finds out that the gatekeeper doesn't seem to be entirely okay with him having a teleportation circle in the royal keep, calling it a huge security risk in case someone else finds a way to use the circle, Malakai ends up finding himself a tiny property somewhere in the slums. Malakai also, with a keen magicians eye, judges if Vans baby is sexy, but cannot come to any conclusions at this point in time.
=== 22nd December, 1511* ===
Malakai plans on lending his aid to the process by using Fabricate to create holding mechanisms for the crystals, 
unfortunately Falstaff's tomb doesn't have the spell so he has to venture back to the wizard airship where incidentally he finds Joris talking with a lady wizard with long black hair and brown eyes. They have a quick chat, Joris telling him that Stromheim is besieged by undead, but it's apparent the other wizard isn't very keen on being made to wait while other two prattle. The woman chides Joris and he excuses them, refusing Malakai's offers of help citing that they need to save the queen, kill some iron golems and will likely be busy for next few weeks. Malakai shrugs and shuffles around the corner where he finds out that there's an anti-invisibility field over the airship, being a clever wizardly guy he then uses polymorph instead to spy on the pair as a spider. The other two wizards seem to be talking about designing a lead amulet which would store some sort of a spell in it, Malakai seems to have cough them in the more mundane part of spell design where they're trying to figure out etchings for the amulet, the female wizards name is Serena. It appears Serena might have been hired to help guide Joris in the creation process which might means she's a higher level caster. A little bit later Malakai scries on Stromheim and sees an, likely, thousands strong undead army surrounding it.
During lunch Malakai manages to catch Joris who admits to making 4 magical amulets, he's not willing to reveal what for exactly, but he does mention they're his first and that Serena is helping in the process for a fee which will let her move out of Eridon and set up shop somewhere else. Joris also outright says Stromheim is fucked, but when Malakai implies he ought not to feel like he needs to do this on his own, Joris refuses to tell anything more and implies the Queen still has a few tricks up her sleeve as well as some capable casters and fighters in her ranks. Malakai mentions the demons in Heatstroke and that he and Van are working to contain the threat, but gets a " that’s nice " essentially, Joris seeming to be fairly preoccupied with the undead. They part ways, making a deal to meet for a beer or in afterlife sometime, Joris steals Malakai's olives which briefly makes him consider trying to sleight-of-hand his ring of spell turning. 
Malakai finds Fabricate in a single day then begins learning it.
Back in Wikkthronrarenta Van together with mother Eliza sketch out how they will send the thoughtwave to clerics of sufficient power. Eliza brings up the concern that they ought not to simply send the Thoughtwave to every cleric in area because it might throw the land in chaos by stealing it's pillars of stability. Van argues they still should have some lower level clerics at hand however to help with defending the casters in case the demons come out to interrupt their casting. Elize asks Van whether he has any more allies they could call to aid, but he solemnly says most of them are dead by now with exception of Darf whose in town, she then proposes asking the summoned clerics assemble their own forces to come with them. Van then decides to limit the Thoughtwave to clerics who can cast Dispel magic which is a 3rd level spell. “ Dire need, demon problem invading Arcadia “ is the message Van decides on. Since people will need weeks to arrive Van gets back to work on designing process meanwhile. 
=== 1st January, 1512* ===
Malakai scries on the seabed close to Heatstroke in between learning Fabricate, the flesh extends out a few hundred feet into the water at around 40 feet of depth. After coordinating with Van the wizard decides he cannot fabricate the pedestal holding the crystals, but rather container around it perhaps. Not wanting to hang around edge of Heatstroke for days fabricating a single container a day Malakai decides on making portable sized containers.
Van pondering whether they might petition the queen for some of her knights finds out that the war has been turning and that Bridge gate and Rwalwikk have been burned by Scoria with small force of people still holding in Dawngate. He consults with Lucilla calling upon her martial knowledge, gets flustered temporarily when she jokingly accuses him of calling her old, he finds that she still has a few contacts around, retired knights who may assist them with their skills in war and leadership. Together with Lucilla they figure out that the concept of having mastered a weapon might be good enough Thoughtwave condition to find people who could stand up to demons. Kel Lucilla then also begins sending out old fashioned letters since people might not trust magical ones.  
Spell creation and detail refining will take about 12 weeks. Malakai designs his crystal containers with a dome on top in the wizard airship. Van sends out for smiths and being in possibly the largest city in the continent means there's an abundance of master craftsmen. Malakai tells Van how far and deep the demon ground extends into the ocean.
As weeks pass by people of various sizes and shapes begin trickling in. Some clerics, some warriors, some thieves. They count about 10 good blademasters, 10 good clerics and then a smattering for the rest with about 40 people in total.
=== 2nd January, 1512* ===
Malakai travels to Hillsborough to create a circle there for easy transportation. He teleports to Shirebrook and then flies his way there passing Anvil, which is entirely ruined, en route some giant rats nibble on his rations.
=== 3rd January, 1512* ===
In town he begins converting mithril coins to silver which catches attention of a well off dwarven man. The dwaf is very eager to get Malakai's mithril and buys it even with a 30% price increase thanks to Malakai's newly found dwarf-charming smile. Despite his newfound wealth Malakai finds out he cannot make 10 feet circle and ends up making do with a frugal 5 feet one instead. Using the aquamarine Poorvan gave him for spell components, which was entirely too much for a few components, Malakai buys a barn in outskirts of town where he builds the circle. On his way back to Wikkthran Malakai drops the spell components by Poorvan's house.
Back in the capital Van concludes they might need to relegate 7th level clerics to underwater node placement so that they can ensure protection from seamonsters and water treading capability. With maximum distance of 20 miles between each node they begin mapping out a placement for the nodes, adjusting for some spread of the flesh. Accounting for trouble they make a note of having an extra crystal just in case. Van also notes which nodes might have vegetation so they can send clerics with Entangle spell there.
With a definite plan on the table they send out the people to do their last preparations before taking up the journey to Heatstroke.
Van makes sure to note anyone who can use Dimensional folding spell which they will use to transport the people while Malakai transports the items. The cleric also sends out some Thoughtwaves to paladins of Arcadia. 
With about 6 to 8 weeks of spare time for the wizard, Malakai learns Improved blink, Wall of ice, Evard's black tentacles, Lightning bolt, Rory's mnemonic enhancer, Improved invisibility, Improved strength, Emotion.
Because nothing can be easy their new kingdom faces a resurgence of warfare, this time less in favor of Drekis. Van's 
wife, being royalty of Drekis, is more worried with the war, with influx of gold from Caldonia the kingdom has been buffing defenses of their major towns near Mistrya border. Despite danger Scoria brings to the table though Drekkis has the superior number of troops and superior equipment. They wish each other well and then begin gathering for the mass transit to Hillsborough.
It is noted that sometime in February Matrigal disappears and her clerics are left without powers.
They prepare their assortment of spells, Van notes having a few clerics with Dimensional folding in reserve for emergency reinforcements, he also begins casting Unfailing endurance on everyone before they depart. Van asks mother Eliza to send a Thoughtwave to everyone on the morning of the full moon as a signal to cast their spells on the crystals. 
=== 7th May, 1512 ===
Ready to save the world the group sets out in early morning. They arrive in their positions around Heatstroke without issues and await the signal to arrive from mother Eliza back in Wikkthronrarenta. Once it does Van Healsing of Chis casts his spell, followed by 8 other clerics around their respective positions. An opaque shimmering barrier, impenetrable to extraplanar creatures, begins wrapping itself around the lost city in a domed shape. A spell tries gripping Van before the barrier completes itself, but he shrugs it off and seemingly successfully Heatstroke is locked under a magical force field. Everyone holds their breath, expecting something to happen now, and a low tone echoes out of somewhere in front of them and another out of the crystal. It vibrates and reverberates from multiple points in the distance, making Van uneasy, but Malakai reassures him that's the spell is just settling in. Another higher pitched sound comes from further in the distance, a call perhaps from the monstrosity in Heatstroke Van theorizes. As they're waiting 4 figures approach them from the direction of the plains, warily Van calls out to them, expecting a trickery of some sort.
Turns out that there's a deep canyon system right where the River Crux is, a hole in their barrier where demons can get out and lay waste to the land if they don't defend it successfully.
== Experience and changes ==
*Dates are extrapolated from a previous mention of an exact date.
Category:Hardcore Heroes Episodes