The Demon Within
After a few weeks R&R, the party received a message from Wen Histani, the Korvosan Prelate of Abadar, asking the party if they would escort her to Clydwell Keep on the edge of the World Wound to witness the inauguration of one Sir Holton Albright to the order of Holy Sentinels tasked with keeping the Demons at bay within the World Wound.
Meeting Wen Histani at Korvosa, the party accompanied the Prelate to Clydwell Keep, initially via a teleport scroll then the remainder of the way by horseback. The party were provided accommodation in the nearby town of Kenabres by the Order of the Holy Sentinels. The party were advised that they could explore the town and the Keep grounds, but the Keep itself was off limits.
On the morning of the ceremony the party joined Wen Histani and entered the Grand Temple, an enormous celebrating Saint Clydwell’s life. Wen was shown to a seat nearer the alter, whilst the party were given seats towards the rear of the temple. Dignitaries and their guards from across the land filled the Temple. Knights of the Holy Sentinels were standing guard around the temple, resplendent in their shining armour.
Eventually the high priest Nestrin began the service. The inaugural service proved to be a long, drawn-out affair. Both Hogradin and Thokk were bored senseless. Eventually the high priest called out Sir Holton. When the priest touched the young man’s shoulder chanting the words of consecration, Sir Holton convulsed widely and groaned inhumanly as he transformed into a Glabrezu. At the same time, two Vrocks broke through one of the stained-glass windows and a hoard of Dretch spilled out from behind curtains to the side of the dais. All hell broke loose as the Demons tore into the congregation, with the high priest Nestrin the first to fall, ripped apart by the Glabrezu. The part, joined by the Knights, aided by others fought the demons. Eventually weight of numbers was sufficient to defeat the evil, and the last demon, the Glabrezu fell, but not before many people were slain.
As the party and the remaining congregation collected themselves after the battle, a dishevelled, bloodied soldier entered the temple, crying out Clydwell Keep has fallen. As panic and consternation erupted, the party and Wen were approached by an elderly gentleman, Kutholiam Vuere, the resident demonologist, asking the party to help him save Clydwell Keep and save the Demonscope and its wards that hold the demon army at bay. Kutholiam told the party he can show them a hidden way to enter the keep, but speed is off the essence.
Kutholiam provided the party with some cold iron longswords and holy water and showed them to the hidden tunnel that leads to the sub levels below the keep itself. The party made the long trek through the tunnel, which eventually opened into a wide staircase to a landing, revealing desperate keep soldiers trying to hold the door closed against whatever was trying to come through. The door was shoved open and a Balban and several Dretch broke through and battle was joined. Once the demons were defeated, the party left the soldiers on guard and headed into the Mausoleum under the keep itself.