Demons and Griffon riders

 Doc Holliday sighs, "Seems we got lucky coming out here. My apologies that we have been focused on my business so much recently. I plan to pay you all back rightfully when that time does come." Advising the party of the message from his Grandmother on the siege of Wayberry.

Kantif asks, “So what will our plan be regarding the siege of Wayberry? Should we try assisting Romack's siege or wait until it’s over then ask to work for him?”

The party discusses a variety of options but does not come to a final consensus until they know more on what is going on. The party recovers and speaks further to the ghost of the elf girl monk, Sarrah. She seems to have an affinity to the 1/2 elf, Kantif and implores him to stay with her, but he decides to stay with the party. She seems interested at 1st with Kaleer, but he being a clone of a 1/2 elf, but not a true 1/2 elf. 

Graxusas, no longer has the symbol of the goddess and it appears on Kantif's forehead and his wounds now starts to regenerate instead of the lizardman. Leaving her alone in the monastery, she weeps, but the Fellowship promise to return and either put her soul to rest or rescue her.

Kantif decides to go back and do some treasure hunting in the room's sarcophagus. The party waits and some traps and treasure are recovered.

Exiting the Monastery, the party takes the switchback ledges down the side of the cliff. They return to where they had stabled the horses and find them long gone. ties broken most likely after investigating. The party realizes after some discussion, that the time outside the monastery had passed much faster than while they were inside. It seems that over 4 days had passed while they were in the complex for 4 hours.

Traveling back on foot to Doc's camp and Wayberry, the party keep an eye out. Then, Gothi sees far int

he distance a flight of griffon riders. Graxusas send off his owl familiar to try and get their attention. After some hooting and hollering, and cantrip booming the sounds louder.. the Griffon riders - 2 gnomes per griffon - circle the party and then land.

After some wary questioning, the party has been found by a flight of Overlord Romack's army. Doc and the Fellowship mention the Flying tower that may be of help to the Overlord's cause.

Katch, the larger sergeant of the flight, offers to escort the party - as they are not 100% sure of their story, sending the griffon riders back with word and for further discussion. 

Travelling back by foot, the party learns more of the siege which has decimated Wayberry. The Overlord's flying fortress/city was right above the city, with a host of magic - fire, lightning, cold and more turning large areas of the city into a desolate ruin.

That night, camp is set and the party rests. Discussion on how the war goes on takes up much of the campfire discussion. The Scarlet Brotherhood are mentioned working with the BlackRunes as well as evil forces from the North have pushed back Romack's forces. Part way through the night the noises are heard and then a

demonic forces attacks. It seems the forces of IUZ, are striking, being allies - of a sort - with the Black Runes. A massive creature what looks to be a horned devil -but the 2 paladins feel this is a demonic creature.. looms from one side while a small scaly creature attacks from the other.

The Fellowship are prepared and are able to do devastating attacks on the two creatures.

Back and forth the battles go, Gothi's bow and Jawbone attacks doing great damage while the blasts of Doc's guns echo around. Cedric is able to block many of the blows with his great defensive skills, until a devastating blow to Doc takes the gunslinger /paladin down. Kantiff uses his sneak attacks as well as monkish abilities to great effect, while Graxusas' spells are quite effective. Cedric has the killing blow on the powerful demon.. or devil?

Defeating the 2 creatures, Doc lays dead on the ground. Katch the gnome griffon rider lies unconscious as well. Gothi is able to use the skeletal hand of the saint to cast a revivify spell on Doc and he is alive, but unconscious. The unique item crumbles to dust after casting this spell.

Doc Holliday has a dream or vision of his goddess the Raven Queen where she does not accept him to her realm yet, it seems she still has work for the 1/2orc to do. The next day, a wagon of Romack's army arrives to take the party faster to their destination, the Doc Holliday camp.

Arriving at the camp, they get Doc's father into the care of Grandmother Holliday and then the party takes Katch the gnome to the tower, which is hidden under the shield. Calling to Lukkan the former archmage now only a journey level wizard. The wizard allows them in to the tower and tells the Fellowship of what his research had uncovered. He takes the party to the main control chamber. A secret trapdoor is there, to a circular room below, where there are six racks with shackles arranged around the room. It appears the tower is powered by life force. The demonic power that runs this tower is similar to the power that cast the great spell to gate all elves to the Bright desert. There is a black sphere in the middle of the room that drains the energy. Lukkan looks to be gaunt and extremely drained of power. It seems the elves of the tower also had a pact with demonic forces.

The Fellowship have choices to make..