They had started and we had survived, but he the signs of the battle were still all around us. People lying wounded, dying, all of us exhausted but no time to rest.
The first half hour after the battle was just giving first aid, expanding all the magical power I still had in me, and setting up a sort of hospital. Meanwhile Ara had been out, scouting what had happened to the army. She came back telling of a burned line drawn into the grass not to far from us, and a giant sandstorm 2 hours walking from Soro.
My magic and skills were spend, so I decided to scout the area for myself. Maybe curiosity got the better of me, but it was important that we knew what was happening. Meanwhile, Ka’Tau, Redemption and Ricardo where helping take care of the wounded as best as they could in our im promptu hospital situated in the inn.
After walking through the deserted outer city for a while I found the scorched line of dirt and grass that Ara had spotted. Now dear reader, I need you to trust me, but I am very convinced that this was the result of the casting of a “gate” spell. Yes a spell tearing open the barrier between realities to enable instant transport to wherever in the multiverse the caster desires. The size, apparent heat of the scorching of the earth and localized destruction fit to perfectly for it to be anything different. Moreover I saw footsteps of a large portion of the undead army walk right toward this line and then disappear. I conject that the general of the army must have had access to a scroll, or is a incredibly power wizard itself.
Looking further I saw the sandstorm, it too was unnatural, not blowing away, but slowly decreasing in size. I decided to wait out the storm, and see whatever was at the apex of its creation, off course safely om leomund tiny hut.
After an hour of waiting the sandstorm had abated and showed a giant crater, with in the centre of it a ziggurat. A giant pyriamid like structure, a structure that had way to much in common with the vision redemption shared with us.
I hurried back to Soro, but upon arriving I found the city in chaos. A lynchmob was forming yelling: “they are the cause of it all” “He is not a savior, he is a necromancer” “we should just end them now”.
I hid a bit in my cloak, because I had an inkling of what might be going on. I was able to spot both Doemas and Davons walking towards the commotion and joined them, urging them to stop this irrational behaviour.
Upon arriving it was as I had feared, Ka’Tau, Ricardo, Redemption and Romero where held by multiple men and slightly bound, Garritas was worst of and resembled more of a rope spool at the moment than an actual Halfling.
While calming the crowd it turned out that the people in the inn had heard a telepathic message, telling them that this area was now under the control of a creature, and that, to stay in its good graces, we were to sacrifice the newest new born of the town to it.
After the message Ka’Tau had said to Ricardo that this might very well be the being he accidently summoned while trying to deal with the undead, but his words were overheard. Egbert, a roudy fellow had overheard him and drawn the conclusion that Ka’Tau and all his associates were responsible for this demand, and the attack in the first place.
Doemas and Davons were able to calm down the crowd with a little help of myself. We agreed that we, and some representatives from the village (including Egbert) would go to this new entity and see what he wanted, and if we could appease it in any other way.
We came together in the command centre, Ka’Tau told of his experience summoning the creature that had helped us in turn for a favour. He added vehemently that he would sooner sacrifice himself than let a newborn be killed.
So with that hanging over our heads we rested. Ready to head to the ziggurat once the day commenced.
Before we went however, fearing for his life, Ka’Tau tried to settle the last score he still had to settle in Soro. The poor children who had had their life energy sucked out shortly after Ka’Tau and Romero had arrived in Soro. The Children their bodies had been turned into that of old people. Ka’Tau had already earlier discovered that his magic could restore them, but he had been to busy to heal them for a long while. Laden with the guild of not healing the children sooner he went by their houses, one by one, pouring all the magic he could into them, eventually healing them all. As I heard it, it was quite the happening with dozens of people watching and people converting to Bahamut on the spot.
The ziggurat seems to have been designed for mass sacrifice, the stairs still had traces of blood on it, and there were gutters to let the blood flow away. Arriving at the top we could find an altar, covered with knife scratches and complete turned a brownisch red from all the blood that had been spilled there.
Before we would summon the creature we pooled all our information together for one last time. From Ka’Tau’s description I concluded that we were most likely dealing with some kind of nature spirit, which must have been undead in nature. A creature that claimed a territory and had much magical strength when inside it, but also a creature that would probably not be interested to get involved in local politics. The spell that was cast to create it, and the first words that it had muttered seem to indicate that this creature is a new inhabitant, that has no special associated affinity with this area except that it has claimed this territory for itself. Garritas had heard the message that it had send, and he was convinced that this creature would want a sacrifice from it, something we hold dear, in order to get in its good graces.
I drew on Boccobs power to amplify my voice and beckon it to come forward. A thick swirl of dust arose and when it settled a vague outline of a large humanoid shape was formed, two shining yellow lights came from its eyes should have been.
It asked if we had come to give the sacrifice it had required from us. We showed our respect to the create, praising its power and kneeling. With some gentle prodding I took the step to try to negotiate with the creature. Its demand was simple, the life of the firstborn of Soro, in exchange for a 100 years of protection of this area. I tried to explain it that sacrificing a child is not well received in our community, it however would not bent.
We tried to haggle, giving it other sacrifices, first of harvest, cattle, or material. But it wanted something that would cost us greatly, something that would show our conviction to this creature. Ka’Tau offered himself, his service to this creature for a period of 10 years. The creature seemed to not be.. happy, but at least satisfied with this compromise. In exchange for his unquestionable service the creature would protect us as long as Ka’Tau was in service.
Ka’Tau only asked for 1 thing, respite for a single year. The creature must have been satisfied with us, or maybe saw something of its creator in Ka’Tau as it granted his request. A Geass was places on Ka’Tau, 1 year and 1 day, and he had to be here to begin his service. Until that time the creature would not interfere.
As the Geass took hold, Ka’Tau’s holy symbol crumbled to dust, his divine connection to Bahamut broken..