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.
The Desecrated Chapel
Moving through the Mausoleum the party discover demon footprints and desecrated marble headstones of former Clydwell priests and warriors. Entering a large chamber, the party interrupted 5 Babau mutilating a corpse of a Clydwell knight. The party engaged the demons, dispatching them. One of the Babau tried to escape in down a passageway to the South, but they demon was killed before it could escape and raise the alarm.
The party decided to head down the South passage to see where the demon was attempting to flee to and found themselves in a wide passage containing suits of Bronze Plate Mail lining each side of the passage and stairs leading up to the East. Hogradin came under attacked from what looked like small, poisoned crossbow bolts. Although Hogradin shook off the effects of the poison, the shooter could not be found.
The party headed up the steps and followed a corridor that ended in a sliding panel that opened into a wood panelled room filled with priestly robes. A short flight of stairs in the room ended in a shot wooden door with blood flowing underneath. Stealing themselves, the party opened the door an entered a chapel. The stench of death lay heavy in the room and mutilated bodies lay everywhere. As the party enter the room, they notice a shimmering in the air as 3 Babau appear. They also see a Knight of Clydwell, wild eyed, brandishing a tower shield with a young man nailed to it.
As the Babau attacked the party, the Knight shuddered and falls to the floor weeping, as a ghostly demonic figure seemed to seep from the Knights body and also attack the party. The Babau were dispatched quickly but the ghostly demon, Son of Perdition proved much harder to deal with due to its immunities and the fact it was incorporeal. After a frustrating fight the ghosty demon was eventually killed, but not before harming the party. After the fight was over on questioning the weeping Knight is transpired, he had been possessed and forced to nail his squire to his shield. Lia managed to heal the squire enough and the party directed the two to safety back through the Mausoleum.
The Lower
Bailey
Leaving the Chapel the party ventured out into the lower bailey of the Keep to be greeted by the sight if carnage and devastation. Demons could be seen on the walls and around the bailey. Venturing forward the party moved towards a building that a group of Dretch were leaving, carrying large clay urns and towards the main gate house. Thokk and and Hogradin moved to dispatch the Dretch whilst Farren, ever impulsive, stepped into the building the demons had just left to be confronted by a female Tiefling and more Dretch. Surprisingly, Farren got the jump on the building’s occupants, casting fireball and taken them all out.
As Hogradin & Thokk dealt with the Dretch outside, supported by Lia and Ulthgar, they came under attack from two Vrocks on the wall above the gatehouse that started hurling lumps of masonry at the party. A combination of spells and ranged weapons eventually dealt with the Vrocks but not before the Party took some punishment. As they party gathered themselves, they noticed a shimmering above the Upper Bailey and more Demons seemed to appear out of nowhere. Realising that time was of the essence the headed up the ramp to the gatehouse separating the Upper and Lower Bailey.
Hearing
sounds of combat from the left-hand tower of the gatehouse the party headed up
the stairs to find a group of St Clydwell warriors fighting a losing battle
against several demons. As the party joined the combat, the tide turned, and
they demons were slain. The Knights of St Clydwell thanked the party and said
they would help them access the keep and keep rearguard, but suggested the
party stop at the Smithy as there may be still some useful weapons there. As
the party left the gatehouse and ventured into the Upper Bailey, they spotted
two more Vrocks atop the South West tower