@Southpaw8668 - Thanks! Glad you like them!
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Kiora and Gaile wanted to go to the Worldstone Keep to stop Baal. But to get there, they would need to pass a test. The barbarians hesitated to speak of it. The way was guarded by the spirits of their greatest ancestors. No outsider had ever survived to enter the Worldstone Keep, and the barbarians feared that this time would be no different. If only Nihlathak hadn't given Baal the one relic that guaranteed safe passage!
The cultists were undeterred, although they were a little uncomfortable about intruding on something so sacred to these people. The barbarians told them how frighteningly strong the Ancients were, and that Kiora and Gaile would have to face them in battle. They didn't have to worry about killing the Ancients; the ancestors' spirits were eternal. But they did have to survive and demonstrate their worth.
Gaile and Kiora traveled through more demon-filled icy caverns and over another battle-scarred tundra. At last, they reached the summit. Kiora felt an aura of peace here, not the passive kind of peace, but the kind that should not be broken, or else. Three golden statues of mighty warriors stood facing a central stone pillar covered with writing in a script that Kiora didn't recognize, and certainly couldn't read. But there was no need to. The voices of the Ancients flooded into their minds, explaining the trial they were about to face. And then the three statues came alive and attacked them.
After everything the barbarians had said, Kiora and Gaile had expected more of a challenge. Well, Kiora had. Gaile had been hurt in the battle and told Kiora that the strength of the Ancients was, in fact, legendary. Declared worthy, the cultists approached the gate of the Worldstone Keep, which opened to greet them.
The inside of the keep was magnificent, with delicately carved pillars and geometrically tiled floors. There were signs that the demons had been here already, but it was nowhere near as bad as Nihlathak's temple. Perhaps the demons had only just arrived, or maybe they'd ignored this place in favor of getting to the Worldstone faster. But Kiora and Gaile didn't really have time to admire the first uncorrupted architecture they'd seen since beginning their journey.
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They knew Baal was watching them. Whenever they would stop to rest even for a short while, they heard demonic laughter before the place they'd just been standing burst into flame (or crackled with electricity, or completely froze over, or was tainted by toxic fumes). Gaile wondered if Baal knew that his laughter gave the cultists fair warning to get away in time. Maybe he was just so pleased about the destruction that he didn't care.
Baal had claimed the lowest level as his throne room from which he could command his demonic legions to continue their assault on Harrogath, and soon, the whole world. He cackled madly as Gaile and Kiora advanced towards his throne, slaughtering the demon guards. He laughed as the guards died, laughed as he summoned more demons, and laughed when they died also. He hadn't yet joined the fight himself when he opened a portal and stepped through it, still laughing.
Kiora and Gaile followed right behind him. They stood in the Worldstone Chamber, the heart of the mountain. A narrow bridge over a seemingly bottomless pit led up to an immense floating crystal, the same kind of crystal that the demon's soulstones had been made of. Baal stood on the bridge facing the Worldstone. His many writhing tentacles etched demonic runes over its surface everywhere at once. He wasn't laughing anymore.
Kiora shouted a challenge, trying to disrupt the Lord of Destruction's ritual. When Baal turned his head slightly to look at them, the ground beneath Gaile and Kiora erupted with clutching, crushing tentacles. The cultists only barely managed to evade their grasp before Baal vanished. Unfortunately, the distant tentacles were still scratching unholy sigils into the crystal, rapidly turning it a bloodier shade of red. Kiora and Gaile were punished for their momentary inattention as a wide chevron of flame surged across the floor. Baal hadn't left. He'd teleported behind them.
The battle raged on. Baal concentrated on blasting Gaile with terrible magics while paying no heed to the hydras. Kiora stayed behind a pillar as Gaile dodged as best she could. Kiora wasn't just hiding. She placed the hydras where they could damage Baal while she remained out of his line of sight. He eventually caught on to her strategy though, and teleported behind her to unleash more deadly spells. Because Kiora had been watching Gaile dodge, she was also able to avoid the worst of Baal's attacks.
The hydras were relentless. Baal's form flickered for a moment, seeming to split in two, as he began to cast another spell. But he never finished it. The last of the Three had fallen.
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The first real NDE. Lister trapped me in this corner and I fireballed him to death before he ran me out of purple potions.
View attachment 4141
This is how the Baal fight went. Baal was a little confused, I think:
View attachment 4142
And then the drop:
View attachment 4143
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Kiora and Gaile wanted to go to the Worldstone Keep to stop Baal. But to get there, they would need to pass a test. The barbarians hesitated to speak of it. The way was guarded by the spirits of their greatest ancestors. No outsider had ever survived to enter the Worldstone Keep, and the barbarians feared that this time would be no different. If only Nihlathak hadn't given Baal the one relic that guaranteed safe passage!
The cultists were undeterred, although they were a little uncomfortable about intruding on something so sacred to these people. The barbarians told them how frighteningly strong the Ancients were, and that Kiora and Gaile would have to face them in battle. They didn't have to worry about killing the Ancients; the ancestors' spirits were eternal. But they did have to survive and demonstrate their worth.
Gaile and Kiora traveled through more demon-filled icy caverns and over another battle-scarred tundra. At last, they reached the summit. Kiora felt an aura of peace here, not the passive kind of peace, but the kind that should not be broken, or else. Three golden statues of mighty warriors stood facing a central stone pillar covered with writing in a script that Kiora didn't recognize, and certainly couldn't read. But there was no need to. The voices of the Ancients flooded into their minds, explaining the trial they were about to face. And then the three statues came alive and attacked them.
After everything the barbarians had said, Kiora and Gaile had expected more of a challenge. Well, Kiora had. Gaile had been hurt in the battle and told Kiora that the strength of the Ancients was, in fact, legendary. Declared worthy, the cultists approached the gate of the Worldstone Keep, which opened to greet them.
The inside of the keep was magnificent, with delicately carved pillars and geometrically tiled floors. There were signs that the demons had been here already, but it was nowhere near as bad as Nihlathak's temple. Perhaps the demons had only just arrived, or maybe they'd ignored this place in favor of getting to the Worldstone faster. But Kiora and Gaile didn't really have time to admire the first uncorrupted architecture they'd seen since beginning their journey.
-----
They knew Baal was watching them. Whenever they would stop to rest even for a short while, they heard demonic laughter before the place they'd just been standing burst into flame (or crackled with electricity, or completely froze over, or was tainted by toxic fumes). Gaile wondered if Baal knew that his laughter gave the cultists fair warning to get away in time. Maybe he was just so pleased about the destruction that he didn't care.
Baal had claimed the lowest level as his throne room from which he could command his demonic legions to continue their assault on Harrogath, and soon, the whole world. He cackled madly as Gaile and Kiora advanced towards his throne, slaughtering the demon guards. He laughed as the guards died, laughed as he summoned more demons, and laughed when they died also. He hadn't yet joined the fight himself when he opened a portal and stepped through it, still laughing.
Kiora and Gaile followed right behind him. They stood in the Worldstone Chamber, the heart of the mountain. A narrow bridge over a seemingly bottomless pit led up to an immense floating crystal, the same kind of crystal that the demon's soulstones had been made of. Baal stood on the bridge facing the Worldstone. His many writhing tentacles etched demonic runes over its surface everywhere at once. He wasn't laughing anymore.
Kiora shouted a challenge, trying to disrupt the Lord of Destruction's ritual. When Baal turned his head slightly to look at them, the ground beneath Gaile and Kiora erupted with clutching, crushing tentacles. The cultists only barely managed to evade their grasp before Baal vanished. Unfortunately, the distant tentacles were still scratching unholy sigils into the crystal, rapidly turning it a bloodier shade of red. Kiora and Gaile were punished for their momentary inattention as a wide chevron of flame surged across the floor. Baal hadn't left. He'd teleported behind them.
The battle raged on. Baal concentrated on blasting Gaile with terrible magics while paying no heed to the hydras. Kiora stayed behind a pillar as Gaile dodged as best she could. Kiora wasn't just hiding. She placed the hydras where they could damage Baal while she remained out of his line of sight. He eventually caught on to her strategy though, and teleported behind her to unleash more deadly spells. Because Kiora had been watching Gaile dodge, she was also able to avoid the worst of Baal's attacks.
The hydras were relentless. Baal's form flickered for a moment, seeming to split in two, as he began to cast another spell. But he never finished it. The last of the Three had fallen.
-----
The first real NDE. Lister trapped me in this corner and I fireballed him to death before he ran me out of purple potions.
View attachment 4141
This is how the Baal fight went. Baal was a little confused, I think:
View attachment 4142
And then the drop:
View attachment 4143
Last edited:
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