Way of the Wicked 24

Cardinal Thorn is dead (well, really dead) and the Agathium is in the hands of our anti-heroes.

This session had a fair bit of roleplaying, lots of discussions and very little combat.

The decision was made to continue Thorn's plan. Tiadaora was sent to find find the 6th Knot (Cedric Malthus) who was supposed to be out raising an army. He was found and returned to the Agathium. Cedric is the flexible sort and after finding out that things had changed, he informed the 9th Knot that he expected a place on the ruling council and maybe a rich barony or something for all of his troubles. The 9th agreed and then returned to the army encampment and negotiated for both the larger army of murderers and cut-throats as well as the services of Herr Eisenmark, captain of the continent's finest mercenary army. They were not cheap but now paid for, they began to embark onto their transport craft and headed for Matharyn.

Next a visit was paid to Fire-Axe. He was saddened that his days in the sun were coming to an end but laid out his plan for his army's destruction. He asked that the PC's rescue him. The one caveat of his plan was that it was likely some of his elite warriors may escape the trap. There needed to be someone or someones to prevent them from breaking out. The PCs agreed to be there to stop them.

The mercenary army arrived and marched near Matharyn on their way to the fields of Tamberlyn. There the trap was set. The Fire-Axe marched his army into the trap where archers rained death upon the monsters, while Herr Eisenmark's elite cavalry assaulted form the rear. As predicted a number of monsters tried to break out but were met by the PCs who mowed them down with little difficulty. Sakkarot Fire-Axe's horde was no more bug the bugbear himself was rescued from a grim fate by the timely intervention of Tiadora who removed the genral from the battle in the final minutes.

Up to this point the PCs were a bit unsure what to do with Vastenus Barca, the traitor general that led the Knights of Allerian to their doom at Daveryn. Thorn had promised him the crown, but he rubbed the PCs the wrong way and they had a better candidate of the own (the now Cardinal Hellcrate, whom the PCs had added to the Liber Darius). The PCs had brought him along to see how he did in battle and were hoping that he suffer an accidental death. With the giants of Fire-Axe's horde being contained in rings of Blade Barriers and being snuffed out by Earthquakes and Implosion spells, the risk level was pretty low so one of the clerics "accidentally targeted Barcus with an Implosion and that was the end of the traitor.

Marching back to Matharyn at the head of their victorious army they were met by the Mayor Hubert Rowen and Leothyn Barca (the very old younger brother of the last Barcan king).  The city was surrendered to the PCs and Hellcrate made his claim to the throne. Leothyn Barca looked skeptical but said nothing.

A coronation was held that was extremely lavish as fitting of one representing the mighty Asmodeus. Duke Hadrian of Ghastenhall failed to attend the coronation and sent a delegate in his stead. The duke was informed that he had to attend and swear fealty. He sent a doppelganger in his place. The PCs discovered the trick, and disguised Gorbatch as the Duke and returned him to Ghastenhall. The real Duke emerged form hiding and congratulated his ambassador on the successful deceit only to have Gorbatch cleave him in two. As word got out that the Duke was dead, his mercenary guards fled looting as they went. The Duke's heir, his 14 year-old nephew was now the new duke and quickly swore fealty to the new King.

 A ruling council was formed, although a few members would only attend for urgent matters or that directly affected their sphere of influence. The ruling council consisted of the PCs (who make all of the real decisions), Leothyn Barca, Mayor Hubert, Cedric Malthus, Baroness Vanya, Queen Ellisif of the Frost Giants, Gaius Richter, and Mallory Hawthorn.

Only two month's into the reign, Herr Eisenmark has led a large expedition into the Borderlands to quell any remaining monster troops and to see what would be required to rebuild the Watch Wall the the PCs breached oh so long ago. There are no plans to build a new cathedral but there seems to be some thoughts of converting the Mitran temple into a temple devoted to Asmodeus. So far they are just in the early stages of trying to corrupt the Mitran church. With the High Cardinal missing along with some of the church's money, the PCs are trying to get Brother Thane nominated as the new High Cardinal.

And I think that covers everything. The Princess Belinda is missing and cannot be found. Their have been no sightings of her mother (an ancient wyrm silver dragon). The High Inquisitor Tyrath abandoned the capital when the PCs won at Tamberlyn and took whatever he could carry with him.

For now the PCs rule unopposed. At long last they are now the rulers of Talingarde. What will they do with their new found power? Can they keep it?