Onto the Shadows, Strings of Fate

Departing from the Emerald Grove towards the Moonrise Towers, we marched on, my back segmenting open as I pulled a folded and compressed psychic hell flame great sword from it. Passing the weapon to Sif who took the hilts handle into her mouth and swung the blade to the left, activating a gravitational enchantment that stuck it to her body. Closing my back, once more my arms popped open with steam rising from them as coolant systems maintaining a stasis effect on two cursed Hellion Gun Blades deactivated with the blades shooting out from my arms with a high-pitched metallic whine. Chains at the pommels of the weapons sought my arms and wrapped around them with a bloody red glow as the weapons slammed themselves into my hands.

Inspecting the cursed weapons, I noticed some cold damaged along the blades, causing small hairline fractures that only a Warforged could catch due to our eyes being able to zoom in. Casting Mend on the blades, I could feel their pleased emotions as the Devil Souls sealed within them greet me groggily.

"Good morning to you as Zazeal, Nutonic, it has been some time since you two last saw the light of day. I apologize for that, given you two helped us escape Avernus with those who wanted out, and Hell Engines for Sif and Silf."

The two once living Devils who were nothing but slaves and prostitutes to hire ranking Devils gave off a feeling to say it's alright. The two were an interesting pair of twin Devils who when they fell to delay Baphomet himself, I couldn't just abandon their souls as their bodies were destroyed. I committed a taboo to spare them, I used the souls of a living creature to create cursed weapons using their souls. The Devils were surprised when they came through as sentient cursed weapons in the Mortal Realm, but they seemed to like the outcome in the end.

Shaking my head, I noticed Silf teleporting about and herding a patrol of Goblins with cruel glee in his glowing purple optics. That's when I noticed why he was being cruel, something was different about these Goblins, something wrong, something that shouldn't exist on the Sword Coast. Rumbling out a metallic sounding growl, I ran towards the Goblins with a need for answers, and they didn't have to be whole or alive for them! Sif howling behind me before bolting after stragglers, great sword out and cleaving through them like butter from a goat. Spinning Nutonic I pulled the trigger as the cursed weapon barked a scatter shot of Eldritch Blast propelled bullets riddling a Goblin tracker with some new holes. Swing Zazeal I locked blades with a Goblin knight who seemed to be assured she'd win this confrontation.

Growling, I could feel objects within a pouch that mimics an organic Dragonborns breath weapon storage stir and swirl violently. Seeing three Goblins running towards me and away from Silf and Sif, likely thinking I'm a weak link and easier to kill, were met with flying 4 cm long smoldering bits of metal as my own breath weapon consumed the four Goblins. Paying no heed to their death throes, I charged a Bugbear Warlock who just arrived through a Teleport Beacon that a Goblin shaman used. Catching the Bugbear off guard, I latched my teeth into the side of its face, breaking several locations along its skull and jaw. Weapons against its stomach, blades impaling them, I began firing through them as a shield.

My amber glowing optics narrowed as I kept my hold on it face, glaring down any Goblin behind them as bullets ripped through the Bugbears flesh into their small bodies. Cutting the Bugbear in half to free my blades, I helped to propel Sif towards a fleeing Goblin, which looked to be a commander. Flying through the air, she spun, the great sword compacting into a smaller blade as she shot past the Goblin, cutting off its legs at an angle, causing it to fall on its face. Silf prowling up behind it slowly, a tentacle raised before slamming it through the Goblins back and crushing their heart when it tried to crawl away frantically.

Chuckling, I approached the only real intact corpse, my weapons floating in the air beside my arms as they hummed a tune. Crouching before the dead creature, my optics glowed a cyan green as the spell Speak with Dead casts itself using my automated systems. The Goblins once limp head raised itself, eyes glowing, as I asked it some numerous questions, forcing its soul to stay until I was satisfied.

"Where do you come from?"

"Moonrise… Towers…"

"Who do you follow, you abomination."

"The Absolute… she… is queen…"

"Who is the Absolute?"

"A… Goddess… who promises power and change…"

"Does that mean you willingly allowed them to do what makes you feel WRONG?"

"No… NO!.. Didn't want this!... Used to… be Chieftan… all that changed when… my people… became cultist…"

"Your people became cultist? You mean they were possibly abducted… enslaved… and sent back…"

"Yes… Slowly and gradual… she will take over… using anyone to grow her… forces…"

"Anything else you could tell me?"

The corpse shook as if fighting something, speaking slowly as its soul was starting to glow too brightly for any good to come of it.

"She… will… save everyone… no she won't… Thank you… KILL ME… RELEASE ME FROM HER!"

"Return to soil and become one with the world once more!"

The corpse was suddenly encased by the growths of nature, and fed upon by the growths to make new plant life, even as the body and soul exploded within the confines of nature. Standing up, I couldn't help but feel disgusted at this upstart deity doing such things to the inhabitants of the Sword Coast. The demonic weapons showing their own displeasure as memories surfaced within their souls, flames of hell coating the weapons erratically. Eventually, we all moved on as nature showed its fangs and began devouring the corpses we leave behind, my feet glowing with emerald colored magic.

"Protocol Regicide, it seems our destination and that things cult share the same space within the shadows."

"Artorias if he was still alive, would be thinking the same as we, another deranged fool playing God must be put down like the beast they are. Like Velonias…"

"I will not let someone like that THING take from others like Sage Ariel was taken from me…"

Our steps were murderous with resolve as we approached the shadow lands, any hostiles in our way were put down with violence a Barbarian of Sharr would be pleased with. Along the way, we met a group of fleeing Tieflings being pursued by Goblins and Bugbears in numbers that even we couldn't delay for long. Yet, the three of us charged head long into the approaching swarm of enemies after the Tieflings with a thirst for blood and violence as we tore through their forces with our weapons and bodies.

"FOR THE SWORD COAST! IT SHALL NOT FALL AS LONG AS WE SERVE THE BALANCE!"

"DIE, YOU CRETINS OF A FALSE DEITY! YOU SHAN'T TAKE ANY MORE LIVES! YOU SHAN'T TAKE MY ARTORIAS!"

"FOR ARIEL THE SAGE OF STARS YOU MUST REPENT FOR YOUR CRIMES IN SERVING A MONSTER!"

//\\ Zevlor POV \\//

As we ran, I couldn't help but feel my gut twist as we fled from a horde of Goblins and Bugbears who suddenly took over our town. Hearing the hollering laughs behind us, I could only pray for a miracle. That was when from a cliff side three armored covered figures jumped over our heads screaming something that I couldn't hear as the blood pounded in my ears. Daring to look behind me, I saw those who chased us were stone walled, even as some got around the three unexpected helpers. That's when I heard a voice as one of the figures spilled the bowels of a Bugbear onto the ground with their blades.

"Seek the Emerald Grove! First Druid Halsin will house you temporarily if you plea your case!"

I could only process that as the figure sent a group of twelve Goblins flying with the Catapult spell combined with Thunder wave. The aura of Vengeance Paladin covering the three with a dark gold color as the ghostly figure of a humanoid jackal appeared behind them, empowering the three as they seemed to become more frenzied. Squeezing my eyes shut, I faced forward again and screamed at the top of my lungs for my people to hear over everything.

"SCOUTS FIND THE DRUIDS GROVE, WARRIORS DEFEND THE CHILDREN, MAGES PROTECT EVERYONE WITH YOUR SPELLS!"

The sound of viscera rang out as a pained howl was heard before an explosion followed with a shout of rage. Goblins and Bugbears screamed in fear as the sounds of rapid teleporting could be heard with a deranged roar of a beast. May the gods forgive us for abandoning our helpers.

\\// Scratch & future Oathbreaker Knight POV //\\

Following master, we stumbled upon a scene of carnage, with Goblins and Bugbear corpses everywhere as blood and meat painted the surroundings. It smelled horrible, but the smell coming from master was slowly getting even worse than the smell from the dead green ones. Master used to be a faithful Paladin for Heironeous, but the smell coming from him recently has been different… I hope he's alright. If not, then I just have to make him smile more by playing fetch with him!

–

Looking down at my faithful companion, I couldn't help but worry about Scratch. He was a good dog, better than I deserve as of recent events with what's been going on. I was being forced to break my oath as I resisted the influence of that thing which crawled into my eye and demanding I do things I couldn't be proud of. I fear my time is short, soon my lord shall forsake me even if it is against my will, and I'll become an Oath Broken sentenced to eternal damnation as an undead.

That was when I felt it. My blood boiled as my lord sent a message to me directly, a warning and a way for salvation.

'Oh child of man, listen to my words. You shall be stricken from the books as an Oathbreaker and upon your death shall rise again an Oath Broken. However, I am not without mercy. Your companion shall not witness your change, and you can be redeemed from the crimes forced upon you. Find the Avernus Paladin in service to three divines when your time as an Oathbreaker comes, and work with them to be redeemed and fear no curse, for they shall protect you.'

With those words, the presence of my lord vanished, his powers all but stripped from me, and a hollow feeling fills my chest. I've been damned…. Yet, my lord's words give me hope to redeem myself and so I shall not despair, but instead ready myself for what is to come. I will redeem myself and take up my Oath of Crown once more for my lord. Giving Scratch one of potentially the last pettings I can give him, I try my best to not cry, picturing how this all shall affect my precious companion.

//\\ Jamerson Blake POV \\//

Whoever built this damned ship best hope I do not find them, for I shall get my revenge! How dare a filthy Mind Flayer abduct a proud Dragonborn of Clan Sun Claw and put a small worm inside my eye! I will have my revenge and force the foul creature to remove it from my head. Eughk I stepped in fleshy flooring again and it farted… I'm a famed Bard of the College of Lore, not a warrior who enjoys trekking through THIS…