Sirni's Story of Secret Shame

Once attuned to their weapons, they realize that they are all sentient. Each tells them confidently, that they can help ward them from some of the necromentic energy emanating from the cemetary and its undead inhabitants.

Hazaa says it is time. He moves one of his toad familiars to the shoulder of the Grimm. "Go quickly, you must break down the magical locked gates of the Long Rest cemetary, then head towards its center to confront the source of the evil."

Alexander, the Toad of Knocking, sits on the Grimm's shoulder, as they approach the locked Long Rest cemetary gates.

Alexander croaks despairingly, "I don't think I can do this, I need to know their is hope for my magic to work."

Yotte relents and sings a ballad of the deeds of a bunch of random dudes, while Amber accompanies him with her drum.

The toad smiles and chuckles to himself "I can't believe I got you to sing for me, heh heh". Yotte has now built up some good karma, which will hopefully help him in their fateful quest (inspiration point).

Alexander fills his gut with air and emits the loudest ribbit noise ever, knocking the gates open. Then hops off of the Grimm's shoulders to return to his master Hazaa.

The mist filling the Long Rest cemetary was thick and dark, and smelled weird, like sulphur. They could feel the magic of their weapons protecting them from its harmfull effects.

It was Rollo's handheld magical fire that allowed them to see their way through this village cemetery, now a charnel house of the undead with glowing red eyes, and so in seeing, follow the dragonborn. The red dragonborn wielding Sirni that is, not the other gold one who called herself Tayio. Without the fire's flames, the whole group would have been blind, even darkvision was useless in the thick masia of a thick putrid mist. Even then, visibility was limited to a mere twenty feet around them.

A small shape formed in the mist. The spirit of a young boy appeared. He seemed sad, not menacing, like the others.

"I am Timmy." said the spirit boy, "My soul is trapped. It won't let us go. The evil. In the core of the cemetary."
"I don't know what it is, only that it is called Horribulus."

"Oh no, I must leave" said Timmy, sounding scared. "Please Hurry - Save Us!"

Eight ghouls emerged from the mist to attack them. Our heroes stood their ground.
Rollinar, confident, took the lead and cleaved into a ghoul with Sirni, again and again, until it dropped.
Taiyo used her martial arts to defeat her foe.
Rollo produced flame and hurled it at the abominations of life.
Weaver launched firebolts at the ghouls, burning them to ash.
The Grimm used his hex to curse them while he bashed or blasted them.
Yotte launched bolt after bolt with his crossbow, radiant energy inflicting pain with every hit.
Amber raged and and smashed them with her warhammer, radiant sparks emanating with every thud.

The battle was quickly over, for those who had been clawed by the ghouls, they realized that there paralyzing touch had been negated by their special weapons.

Arrows fly out of the mist to strike them, the source of those arrows unseen, until eight walking skeletons entered their view and attacked.

This battle was over quicker than the first. Every strike, destroyed a skeleton where it stood.

At the end of the battle, there hope and confidence was getting stronger. That they could defeat this evil. Taiyo, however, thought she saw something in Rolinar's eyes, but what?

The mists part to reveal on entrance to a 40 foot by 40 foot walled section of the cemetary. Sinister looking vines climb and cover the crumbling masonry. In the middle lies a tower of green flame. A skull hovers and cackles at them in the fire. "You cannot defeat me" it gloated.

"Look out!"
"A flame skull!"
"A demi-lich!"
"Jumpin Johosaphat - Uncle Marcus?" exclaims Weaver.

The green flaming skull turned its gaze upon Weaver. "Who are you?" it moaned "How do you know that name?"

"It's me, Uncle Marcus, Weaver, your sister's boy, don't you remember, all the good times, with your family?"

The green flaming skull hovered their silently, as if lost in memory.

"Help us, Uncle Marcus, help me, your family, defeat this Horribulus"

"I can't, Horribulus is too strong, if I help you, he will punish me. Oh No! Horribulus is coming!
I am sorry for you, my nephew, sorry for what is about to happen to you and your friends."

The green flaming skull is extinguished, being replaced by an undead warrior in golden full plate and shield, and holding a longsword.

They had fought their way through ghouls and skeletons to reach the source of the infectious contamination of antilife; a powerful Death Knight!

"I am Sir Annus Horribulus, Lord of this Realm. I give you one chance to yield to me, and become my lieutenants, as my realm expands and consumes the land of the living. Oppose me and face an eternity of torment, a fate now awaiting your guides, Marcus and Timmy."

Rollo did not care about its power. It had to be destroyed and he would take great joy in doing so. The undead was the anathema of the Green. It broke the cycle of birth, life and death. It was stagnant. It never improved. It was worse than the abominations.

Rollo had been ready, and casts faerie fire at the Death Knight, but his spell dissapates harmlessly.
Taiyo unleashes her fiery breath weapon, scorching Sir Annus ever so slightly.
The Grimm places his hex upon the undead creature before him and blasts him with an Eldritch Blast but missed.
Yotte shoots his crossbow and misses, then reloads and gives bardic inspiration to Amber.
Rolinar steps before Horribulus, swinging Sirni with all his might only to miss as well.
Weaver weaves his fingers with arcane energy and impales Horribulus with three magic missiles.
Amber rages and smashes into Sir Annus with her warhammer "Thud" and gets in a solid hit, inspired by Yotte's faith in her.

Sir Annus Horribulus utters a command at the dragonborn warrior Rolinar, telling him to grovel.

Rollo casts his faerie fire again, hoping the energy of the green will overcome that of the undead, but still no effect.
Taiyo strikes at the Death Knight with her gloved fists and clawed feet, but misses.
The Grimm moves with Rod and his light hammer to strike at Horribulus and hits.
Yotte shoots his crossbow and misses, then reloads and continues to inspire Amber.
Rolinar's will is weak, and he breaks, grovelling before the Death Knight.
Weaver cast a firebolt at Sir Annus but the flames are parted by its shield and does no harm.
Amber smashes into Sir Annus with her warhammer "Thud" but misses.

Sir Annus Horribulus stares at Amber - she feels as if her entire person was being held - but her dwarven stubborness and Yotte's belief in her, inspires her to shrug off the effect, both astonishing and annoying the Death Knight.

When melee was joined, Rollo's limited spells were shrugged off. So he used the magical staff gifted to him. Fearless, with a shout of "The Green", he charged the undead horror and hit.
Taiyo strikes at the Death Knight again with her gloved fists and clawed feet, this time her blows strike true.
The Grimm misses with his rod and hammer.
Yotte shoots his crossbow and misses, then reloads but this time decides to inspires the Grimm instead.
Rolinar stands up, and swings Sirni, but missed the Death Knight as though he has accepted his fate.
Weaver, finding an inner strength he did not know he had, sends in his celestial owl familiar Hoot to help distract as he leaps through the air at the Death Knight with his Staff, and yells out "Jumpin Johosaphat - For Uncle Marcus!". At the last moment, the staff erupts with green flame, letting him strike a solid blow against Sir Annus Horribulus. The Death Knight bellows "That will be your last act of defiance Marcus, you will suffer an eternity of torment for that!" (Weaver had succeeded in imploring the help of his Uncle Marcus' spirit to get a +1 bonus to hit, just enough to succeed, by rolling a 01 on a percentage dice)
Amber swings "Thud", but misses as Yotte's inspiration is directed elsewhere.

Sir Annus Horribulus utters words of unholy power at Amber to banish her from his realm, sending her to a timeless void filled with nothing, incapicitating and isolating her from the fight. "You are all nothing" he whispers.

Rollo attacked with a ferocity only one connected with the green could muster, scoring a telling blow (nat 20) against the undead warrior.
Taiyo lashed out at the Death Knight again with her gloved fists and clawed feet, but her strikes bounced off harmlessly.
With Hoot's help, the Grimm successfully struck Sir Annus with his rod. As he did so, the Great Old One's power flowed from his voidstone, distracting Horribulus with haunting memories of life, and breaking his concentration. In that moment, Amber Bearkin breaks free of her banishment, ready to re-join the fight against death itself.
Yotto, hits the Death Knight with a radiant bolt from his crossbow. Our heroes hope that now that the undead creature has been injured by all of the special weapons, that it will somehow be easier to defeat Horribulus.
Rolinor though, seems to have lost all hope, as his attack with Sirni, fails to connect against the montrosity before them
Weaver attempts to hit Sir Annus again, but just misses "Jumpin Johosaphat Uncle Marcus, sure could use your help", but his plea is only answered with silence.
Amber says "Surprise Bitch, I'm Back" as she lands a critical mighty blow (nat 20) to the Death Knight.

"No More Games! Time to Die Dwarf!" bellows Horribulus as he rains blow after blow after blow against Amber, knocking her prone to the ground, leaving her there bleeding out and dying.

Rollo strikes at the symbol of death before him but misses.
Taiyo, moves next to Amber and feeds her a Potion of Healing, stoping the dying.
The Grimm continues his onslaught, striking at Horribulus with Rod and hammer, landing a blow.
Yotte shoots his crossbow and misses, then reloads as he utters a healing word towards Amber, stopping the bleeding.
Rolinar finally lands a blow on the distracted Death Knight.
Weaver attacks again, but misses.
Amber stands up again "Dwarves don't die asshole" as she slams Sir Annus with a solid hit (nat 20) from Thud, her warhammer, bashing him backwards, "Oh? did I mispronounce your name?" she teases.

"I will crush you like a cockroach!" shouts Horribulus at Amber, striking her with a staggering smite, sending evil psychic energy screeching through her brain, causing her body to fall limp, and fall once more to the ground.

During the course of the combat, Rollo had noted his friend Amber, struck down several times and yet either due to someone's aid or just plain dwarven stubbornness, still rising to keep on fighting.
Rollo noted how much this annoyed the death knight. So much so, that it concentrated solely on Amber.
When a mighty sword slash struck her down, Rollo acted. As Amber had previously saved him, so he would return the favor.
Rushing to her fallen body, Rollo poured the last of his healing potion into her mouth.
Taiyo strikes again and again, but cannot find an opening in the Death Knight's golden armor.
The Grimm attacks, but without Yotte's inspiring him, he misses his mark.
Yotte shoots his crossbow and misses, then reloads as he sends another healing word towards Amber.
Rolinar, at Sirni's urging, strikes again, and Sirni, the red battle axe, slices into Sir Annus.
Weaver tries again to hit, but the spirit of Marcus has left him, so time, he decides, to shift tactics.
Amber stands again and confidently states, "I am the Queen of Cockroaches" as she strikes at Sir Annus, only this time, the Death Knight is ready, and reacts with a parry, stopping her blow.

"Enough! You will die! Now" the Death Knight says to Amber, as he strikes her twice with his blade. Amber falls... again.
Horribulus could see Rollo getting ready to aid his fallen companion once again.
This enraged the undead. "No more healing" he warns as he strickes Rollo down too.

For Rollo. All turned dark.
With the Death Knight gloating over its kills, Taiyo saw an opportunity and an opening, striking Sir Annus with a flurry of blows (nat 20), staggering the Death Knight.
The Grimm attacks, but the Grimm misses.
Yotto feeds Amber his Potion of Healing.
Rolinor, seeing two of his companions fall, feebly swings at the Death Knight, and misses.
Hoping the Death Knight will keep its attention on Amber, Weaver strategically withdraws to a safe distance, launching a firebolt at Horribulus, but misses.
Drinking her Potion of Healing to rid her of her wounds, Amber rises, as if from the dead, and says, "What's the matter Sir Annus, can't keep it up?"
She swings "Thud" at the Death Knight, but again, Sir Annus is ready, and stops her strike with a parry.

Sir Annus Horribulus, the Death Knight, roars in fury, as he stomps his foot on the ground, unleasing a destructive wave of sound and necrotic energy all around him. All the heroes are knocked prone to the ground, and Weaver's celestial owl Hoot is consumed by the wave of destruction radiating from the Death Knight.

Time stopped. Rollo looks down upon himself. Wondering if it his time to follow the cycle of life?
Taiyo regains her footing and strikes at the Death Knight, but is off balance and misses.
The Grimm stands, the Grimm swings, the Grimm misses.
Yotte stands, shoots, does not score, and reloads.
Rolinor rises, swings Sirni blindly, and against all odds, strikes true.
Weaver does not stand, he was hit hard by the blast and is a crumpled heap on the ground, dying.
Amber stands up defiantly before the Death Knight. "Nuts to this, let's finish you off". She swings at him, not caring if she hits or miss. Her task is to keep Sir Annus focused on her, and only her. To be their meatshield. For she is the Mule!

Amber laughs at Sir Annus as his blow strikes her down. She feels him pierce her fallen body again and again with a hatred for life that only the undead can muster. "Stay down" the Death Knight says, almost pleading.

Rollo could feel his life force leaving. He sensed the vital Green energy leaking out. Felt himself weakening. But he remembered and concentrated on his mentor's teachings; Nera's calmness, Raven's determination, Granmar's endurance and so he blocked the leakage and drew upon the green instead.
Taiyo misses, the long battle taking its toll.
The Grimm attacks. The Grimm fails to hit.
Yotte aims his crossbow. And hits. A radiant bolt pierces the Death Knight causing it to feel pain, as if alive.
Rolinar takes advantage, and strikes Sir Annus with Sirni, staggering the undead warrior.
Weaver bruised and battered body slowly starts to knit itself back together, working on stabilizing him.
Amber smiles as the world goes dark while she fights to hold onto life. No matter what. She has won. She has given a bunch of random dudes the chance they need to defeat death and restore life.

The Death Knight turns its attention to Yotte, staring at him with pure hatred. Yotte feels the fear of death fill his soul, shaking him to his core.

Rollo regains consciousness.
Taiyo misses, starting to feel the effects of exhaustion.
The Grimm is unrelenting. The Grimm has the Great Old One guiding him. The Grimm hits true.
Yotte misfires his crossbow, still frightened by the Death Knight turning its unholy focus on him.

Rolinar, the red dragonborn warrior, strikes at Sir Annus Horribulus, with desperation and fear giving him an unnatural strength and purpose. The blade of his mysterious red battleaxe cleaves through the Death Knight, as it screams in defeat, disappearing in a shroud of mist.

Rollo awakens just in time to see the destruction of the death knight, as the first rays of sunshine pierce the veil of thick fog hanging over the cemetary, allowing the green to return and restore life in all its glory.

"It was a miracle. Through sheer determination, grit and luck, all the heroes who fought that day, survived." states Sirni to the bunch of random dudes, who once again find themselves back at the Trip Away Inn, and listening to her tale by the safety of the warm hearth.

"Rolinar had always imagined himself to be the hero. That it was his destiny to save people. But the events that transpired that day thirty years ago in the Long Rest cemetary in the town of Shortrope taught him otherwise. Although Rolinar had helped save the world and landed the final blow on the Death Knight, he realized that if it had been only him, he would have lost and the entire world would have died. He was not the hero of his story. He had given up. The true heroes were his companions, not him."

"Over the years, despair took him. I tried to encourage him. To stay on the righteous path. But eventually, he stopped talking to me, less and less, as though he resented my efforts to aid him, as though he resented me."

"Many years ago, Rolinar came to Astera, starting fights with everyone, and getting in trouble with the law. I tried to calm him down" said Sirni sadly "but he wouldn't listen. He was a cry-baby and acting like a spoiled child. Eventually, Rolinar became a wanted criminal."

"One night, Rolinar arrived at the Trip Away Inn, and played a high stakes game of cards. When the pot got too rich, he wagered me, his loyal battle axe, without hesitation. I was betrayed at that moment. Do you know what it's like to be tossed aside like garbage?" weeped Sirni.

"Flip, the bartender, intervened. He berated Rolinar for treating me like a piece of property. I was alive, a living being, and should not be wagered. Flip ended the game, and sent everyone to their rooms to cool down, including the intoxicated red dragonborn warrior."

"The next morning, Rolinar came down to the main room of the Trip Away Inn, slammed me into the bartop, and walked out the door, never to be seen or heard from again. I have been here ever since. Finding new purpose with telling tales to those who would listen. But inside, I still think about that moment of betrayal, that moment of being abandonned."

"Now you know my story, my secret shame"

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