Homeward Bound Episode 07

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==Recap==
===A Walk along the Beach===
The party (Kel William Marshal, Grimes, Zarrah & her 6 Gnoll Pups, Nimrod, Mogwog, and the 5 Sled Dogs & Mutated Two-Headed Dog) stand on the rocky northern coast of this Demon Land. Matrigal is in the sky to the East-Northeast, but the coastline goes North-by-Northeast. The edge of the coast line is a large cliff, that gets taller and taller, and after a mile or 2 connects to a new volcano. The old volcano is south of the party.
The party walk along the stony beach and it starts to curve northward. The ocean appears to be tidal now, with waves coming in and out, unlike before with the ocean the party rowed across. Kel William wonders if Felumbra (the Moon), is here now, but invisibile without the light from the sun. One of the dogs, Vixen, goes to have a fun swim in the water, but 30 feet out, the god goes into a panic soon afterwards.
The 2-Headed dog goes into the water after Vixen, and drags them back to shore. Once back at shore, the back two legs and tail of Vixen are missing. Kel William euthanizess Vixen, then the 2-Headed Dog starts to eat Vixen. The other sled dogs are interested in eating Vixen as well, but the 2-Headed Dog prevents the other dogs from eating any.
As the party wait around for the 2-Headed dog to finish it's meal, Grimes climes up the nearby cliff and gets a lay of the land. Over the cliff are some new lava flows and pools, which illuminate a rallypoint of many Demons. Grimes returns and reports in his sightings to William.
===Beach-Front Property===
The party continue onward down the beach. Over time the tide comes in and in, making the beach more narrow, from 30 feet to 20 feet. The party soon arrive at a peninsula and see a magically illuminated area ahead, with a Lensman floating on the far side of the light field. Grimes climbs on the foothills of the new volcano nearby and sees behind the lensman is a small fortress, that extends from the wall to the water. There is no sign of Demon Colony flesh anywhere.
Grimes sneaks closer along the head-wall towards the walls of the fortress and sees some Hydra Demons on the walls, and 3 of a new demon class in the centre of the walls of the fort around a forge.
:Craftsman Demon: Humanoid. Six and a half feet tall, 250 pounds, it doesn't have sharp protruding bony plantes like many demons. It has a cool rocky-fleshy exterior. It has internal illumination like the firewyrm. It's arms are made out of some sort of malleable flesh. One of the Demons has changed's one of it's arms into the shape of a hammer and the other arm into the shape of a blade. The Demon is pulling something out of a forge and then beating on it with their hammer arm, then shift into the shape of another blade, and with 2 blade arms, lift the object and put it back in the forge.
Grimes drinks up a potion of extra healing then leaps on the floating Lensman to assassinate them. The two of them land hard onto he ground. The Lensman screams out in alarm, then bites Grimes with its massive abdomen mouth. Kel Williams rushes in down the stony beach and slays the Lensman. 2 Hydras on the 20 feet tall fortress walls move into position above.
William throws his harpoon into a Hydra and pulls it down as Grimes climbs the wall and fights the Hydras. Kel William then executes the Hydra in front of him. The remaining Hydra fights with Grimes on the walls of the fortress. Inside the Fortress Grimes can see some Toadies, Thungs, Warriors (both armored and unarmed), and more Hydras. Some of the Toadies climb the stairs and get up on the wall as Grimes slays the Hydra and drops off the wall.
Grimes suggests they retreat as Thungs climb the wall and dive off at the party. William starts cutting up the Thungs. Above on the wall the Warrior Demons climb up, pushes Toadie Demons out of the way, then climb down the walls, with one of them falling. Williams kills the 2 Warriors who fell to the ground. The party's dogs join the fight, with their Mutated Dog (Rosie & Jim) killing a Thung. The Thungs kill one of the Sled Dogs. Zarrah arrives on the battlefield and heals up Grimes. The Hydras on the wall shower everyone below in spines, injuring a sled dog. Toadies start to climb down the walls.
The party fight with the massive amount of demons around them, slowly reducing their numbers. Eventually the warriors are all slain and the thung, 1 toadie left climbing down the wall, and the last Thung is surrounded by 3 sled dogs and Zarrah, but there are still 2 hydras on the walls. The Hydras have tried to hit the Mutated Sled Dog for a while now and not made much impact, so switch their target to Zarrah and hit her. A Sled Dog rips the last toadie off the wall then the toadie is attacked by the mutated Sled Dog. Zarrah finishes off the last Thung with her spear.
There are no forces left down on the ground, just the 2 hydra's on the wall. William tries to pull a Hydra off the wall with his harpoon, but misses, so drinks a healing potion. Grimes snipes a Hydra with his crossbow for massive damage as Grimes, William and Zarrah withdrawal out of Hydra Range. The Dogs all remain behind, eating the dead demons on the ground. William tries to call back the Dogs, but they are busy feasting. The Hydras kill all but one of the Shed Dogs before William is able to Harpoon a Hydra and pulls it off the wall, killing the Hydra with the falling Damage. Grimes shoots the other Hydra.
Demon reinforcements arrive on the top of the fortress walls, and 3 Demon Warriors jump off the wall to fight in melee. A group of 8 toadies start to climb down the wall slowly. Grimes climbs the wall to fight the last Hydra. William & Zarrah take out the Thungs and Warriors on the ground with the Mutated Sled Dog and the Regular Sled Dog giving support.
Zarrah climbs the wall and helps Grimes finish off the last Hydra. William & the dogs goes over to slaughter the Toadies who had just finished climbing down the wall. Grimes see another hydra further down the wall away from the battle and goes to kill it with Zarrah.
===Post-Battle Negotiations===
With the battle won, Grimes and Zarrah look inside the fort and see the Craftsman Demons are still working the forge and haven't even looked up. Zarrah & Grimes help get William & the Sled Dog up, then the party use a rope harness to get the Mutated Sled Dog up on the wall.
The craftsman Demons are making demons out what appears to be molten rock. The party walk down the wall and Grimes leads the way forward. Grimes speaks down the wall and calls out to the Demons, his voice coming out all demonic to William's ears.
Grimes says there is no need for them to kill these craftsman demons. The Demons see the party is in the eye of the beholder and ask to be taken back, threatening to kill Grimes if he does not lead them. Grimes says the party is following Matrigal, and the Craftsman Demon says they will once again bathe in the light of the glorious seven. Grimes threatens the Craftsman Demon to help them or they will be slain, claiming William is a Demon Lord. Neither side budges.
Grimes looks around with the Gem of True Seeing and sees that the last normal Sled Dog though the gem looks further mutated. The craftsman demons's arms looks like tear-drop shaped blobs though the gem. Grimes tries one last time to convince the Demons to help them since they killed the other demons. 
The craftsman demons then take an aggressive stance and a fight breaks out. The party slaughter the demons, which then get eaten by the Sled Dog and Mutated Sled Dog.
The party inspect the forge and fild the weapons unsuitable for them. The party however find some demon armor for Zarrah to wear to replace her damaged bone armor. The party then rest in the keep.
==Experience==
30,500 exp each (454,343 exp total)
==Recap==
===Resting===
The Sled Dog & Mutated Sled Dog, after eating the craftsman demons, both grown to the size of horses. William tries to mount one of them, but the Dogs aren't willing yet to let that happen.
Grimes climbs back on the walls of the keep and looks around. He sees the volcano to the south east and the 2nd volcano to the north east, but now sees a 3rd Volcano to the far north.
Grimes also finds a map room with a rough outline. of the landmass they are on. There are two massive towers with a massive bridge at the end of the mountain range where the volcanos are. Grimes shows Zarra and William the map. The map isn't clear enough to give the party a clear understanding of the terrain around them however.
While resting, Zarrah spots an army of demons in the distance marching by the lava flows. 100 warriors, 200 thungs, 500 toadies, unknown number of hydras, all marching northward.
Grimes and Zarrah talk about the demons. Zarrah pities the demons for their lack of love and society, and only know death an destruction. 
Eventually the party is fully healed.
===Tower Sighted===
The party leave the fort and continue up along the rocky beach northward. Sunless days pass as the party move over the difficult terrain.
Eventually there is change, the coastline turns from north to east. Once the party round the corner, the constellation of Matrigal lowers in the sky, silhouetting against a tower to the east, the one from the primitive map Grimes found in the fort. The tower rises hundreds of feet into the air and is very far away, and see the bridge that goes northward.
Silently, the party move onward to the east towards the tower.
Soon the coast line narrows so the waves from the ocean crash against the head-wall next to the party. The party head inland and go eastward away from the coast.
The party enter a valley and see in the distance another demon horde. 30 toadies, some hydras and some warriors. They are in a channel and are heading in the direction of the party. The area behind the party erupts with lava, and the valley behind them starts to fill with lava and flow in their direction. The party are forced to move forward to outrun the lava, into the demon horde.
Category:Homeward Bound Episodes