Red King 10: Ethereal Tethers

Even though the Herald of the Red King had fallen, the cataclysm shaking the ruins of Felstad had not stopped. The Red King’s invasion continued and time was running out as reality continued to be torn asunder. After a short rest, Vladimir and Vivian located a set of pylons that seemed to be pulling the Red King’s demiplane towards reality. Short on other ideas, they decided to attack and destroy the pylons. When they arrived the pylons were guarded by several barbarians.

Knowing that the pylons were tearing apart reality, both wizards focused their energies on destroying them. Vladimir cast Grenade and managed to destroy one. Vivian had less luck and failed to do any damage with her casting of Elemental Ball. Their apprentices cast the same spells. Narcissa failed to do any damage, but Abigail hurt two barbarians despite not damaging the pylon she targeted. As the barbarians guarding the pylons counter attacked, they took out both Vladimir’s zombie and Dorina.

Vladimir turned his attention to a second pylon, but this time failed to damage it with Grenade. With barbarians closing in, Vivian turned her attention to them and took one out with Elemental Bolt. Their apprentices didn’t accomplish much with their spells, but Katya and Margot both took out a barbarian. Then suddenly, reality bent and twisted the battlefield into a möbius strip. The warbands were trapped until they could destroy the pylons.

Both wizards turned their attention to the pylons. Vladimir continued to cast Grenade, but struggled to damage the magical structures. Vivian rushed towards the closest pylon while casting Enchant Weapon on her sword. Around the battlefield things were starting to get desperate as demonic soldiers stepped through small portals that were opening around the pylons. Magnus was taken out by one of the demons while Hans was defeated by a barbarian that had engulfed itself in flames.

When Vivian drew close to the pylon, a demon stepped into reality near it and she had to deal with it using Elemental Bolt rather than attacking the pylon itself. Meanwhile, Narcissa cast Strength on Mila so that she could try to punch her way through another pylon. Franchesca fell to a demon’s attacks when she tried to gather up some treasure from the base of a destroyed pylon, and then Annabelle was taken out too.

The situation was growing desperate as the warbands struggled to destroy the pylons. More and more demons were joining the fight as the members of the warbands fell in battle. Kari was taken out by a demon. Erik the Vampire had easily held several barbarians at bay, but when they grew enraged enough to catch fire, he was outmatched and burned away.

Eventually Vladimir destroyed a second pylon and Mila punched through the one she was working on, but Vivian failed to destroy her target before falling to the demons emerging from it. Her warband’s last members fell not long after that while Vladimir and his surviving followers did their best to keep their distance from the demonic soldiers and remaining barbarians.

After some time, Vladimir’s warband finally escaped when the remaining pylons proved incapable of holding reality in its contorted shape. Vivian’s warband was in worse shape with Abigail dying from her wounds.

Vivian’s Warband

• Vivian Flameborn
• Abigail the Apprentice (killed by a mob of demons and barbarians)
• Kastor the Apothecary (lost after being taken down by barbarians)
• Rosaline the Apothecary
• Kari the Archer
• Magnus the Captain (now missing an eye)
• Shani the Demon Hunter
• Hans the Infantryman (lost after being taken down by barbarians)
• Dorina the Thug
• Katya the Woman-at-Arms
• Sabastian the Treasure Hunter (rejoined)
• The Collegium Porter (new ally)
• Anya the Javelineer (new ally)

Vladimir’s Warband

• Vladimir Darkbringer
• Narcissa the Apprentice
• Yelena the Apothecary
• Liam the Demon Hunter
• Mila the Mystic Warrior
• Margot the Ranger
• Annabelle the Thief (lost after being taken down by a demon)
• Lionel the Thief
• Erik the Vampire (lost after being taken down by burning barbarians)
• Rodrigo the Man-at-Arms (new ally)
• Giovanna the Thug (new ally)