Arom’s Stand
Two weeks after taking and securing Fletcher’s Hollow, the coalition were on the move through the mountains and made their way west, stopping to gather and group up atop a high glacier.
Those gathered listened to a final briefing by Highlord Raseri of the Legion of the Dawn, which included prioiry objectives. The end goal was to retake Arom’s Stand, under Landers’ control, while harming as few of the ensorcelled civilians as possible. Any means by which to take civilians out of the equation without killing them would not only spare innocent lives, but would also keep the dark relic used by Lander’s from its fuel source: spilled blood.
Then, last minute reconnaissance revealed the enemy was aware of the coalition’s movements and had begun to employ counter-magics to make their job more difficult: the cave that was to be their passage had been warded.
The time for action had come. Highlord Raseri lead one group to assault Arom’s Stand directly, while Commander Vadinnar and Magister Sungazer lead those more magically inclined to the warded cave where the relic was suspected of being.
Raseri’s team moved as one towards the Stand, encountering heavy resistance early on and being fired on with azerite bullets, taking significant damage.
Pushing their way through, the eventually come to a line of innocent civilians, under control, riffles in hand. A hard battle begins.
At the same time, Vadinnar’s group found the cave entrance and the magi worked at disabling the wards, which were not arcane, void nor shadow, but rather Drust death Magic. Thornspeaker Yorick used his abilities to bring the wards down, allowing the party to move inside. They find a Drust Brute waiting for them, the dark relic at its heart.
The group proceeded carefully, attacking the creature while not aiming any magic anywhere near the relic at its heart, but the beast swung at the group ferociously. They maintained their attack, coordinated as they could, and eventually took down the damned beast, the relic released from its chest.
Suddenly, the brute wavered and the relic was exposed. Commander Vadinnar ordered Axiann to fire at the relic, contradicting earlier warnings about using magic. Trusting the commander, the Magister hurled his fireball right at his target.
At the very last moment, Vadinnar erects a shield of Light. The relic is hit and a massive explosion ensues. While he is pushed back by the explosion, the commander’s shield protects the group from meeting their end.
As the relic is destroyed, throngs of inhabited civilians fighting against Raseri’s group fall to the ground, incapacitated. Vadinnar’s group run to join the rest of the coalition.
Together again, the group face a vastly diminished force. However, one cultist in ashen robes begins to chant in demonic and summons an infernal which comes crashing down among the allies. While it doles out significant damage, it is eventually taken down, allowing those engaged with it to find their allies and aid in other fights.
Foe after foe was defeated, but a dark ritual was being conducted to the east. While the cultists were engaged, their ritual was completed and a Drust Stone Giant came to life, charging at the group on the banks of the frozen lake.
All of the might of the allies of the coalition turn towards the Stone Giant, pummelling it with as much force as can be mustered. What ensued was a heavy firefight of weapons and spells, the Giant assault with heavy unrelenting damage until it fell, the last foe defeated by the coordinated efforts of the coalition.
A relic of Drust design with a strange crimson glow from runes on the object was also secured. This appears to be responsible for bestowing a power on the enemy, giving them sight through shrouds and invisibility and stealth, while also itself being a storage vessel for souls sacrificed to be used in a later ritual.
Arom’s Stand was liberated from Lander’s control.
