Difference between revisions of "Thaddeus (Chapter 34)"

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Thaddeus (Act V)#Chapter 34

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-Woe to you, destroyer, treacherous one
-With whom none has dealt treacherously!
-Your time among us is spent; when you
-Cease to destroy, you will be destroyed.
-Where is the fury of destruction,
-When there is nothing to destroy?
--- Chronicles of Zakarum, c. 28, v. 11-16
-It was clear, once Thaddeus got inside the mountain, that Baal was in already.  The signs of Destruction's presence were everywhere.  Precisely carved slabs of stone were once laid out in intricate patterns on the floor.  Glorious wide vaults, roofed with arched stone pillars, had sheltered shaman's temples and elaborately roofed tombs.  Now the bones were dragged from their resting places, the idols broken to bits, and the floors broken out by huge chunks of red crystal driven upwards from somewhere below.  The crystals were the worst sign of all.  Demons rarely use crystal; its orderly inner structure is ill-suited to the magic of chaos.  But they love to destroy it.  As a gift of Heaven, the Worldstone would doubtless be made from a single pure crystal.  To judge from the pieces, it was enormous and beautiful in the extreme... when it was still whole.
-As he gazed sadly at the precious pieces battered through the walls of this sanctum, the first group of demons attacked.  They were just Imps, with a few Minotaurs in golden armor.  Thaddeus dealt with the Minotaurs first, then battered the Imps back into oblivion with his maul.  Then he stood in contemplation.  What was he to do?  What could he do?  By all indications, it was too late to save the Worldstone.  Baal won the race, thanks to Nihlathak.  As Thaddeus stood there, a burst of lightning erupted from under his feet, accompanied by the sound of laughter.  His infernal eminence was obviously awaiting the pleasure of his company, and didn't like to be kept waiting.  Bastard.
-So on he went, exploring and admiring the shattered magnificence of the place, smashing every demon he met.  Whenever he stopped for too long, clouds of poison, a burst of icy cold, or lightning bolts would goad him on again.  Baal let him stop to kill his minions, but seemed to have little tolerance for sightseeing or prayers for the dead.  There were a few dead Barbarians in the keep... probably heroes who'd managed to defeat the Ancients, but couldn't deal with Baal's army any better than Harrogath's warriors could.  Fortunately, Baal couldn't stop Thaddeus from casting a portal, so he returned to Harrogath.
-"Hello, Cain.  Here are a few things you might look at."
-"Excellent!  I'm very happy to see you again.  Have you met the Ancient Ones, then?"
-"Yes.  They were very fierce."
-Thaddeus could sense Qual-Kehk behind him, itching to ask about the Nephalem.  Cain simply nodded.  "You do not seem... triumphant."
-"Defeating the Ancients was difficult, but Baal has already gone past them.  There is... was a sanctum dug into the peak of Arreat.  Huge pieces of crystal are everywhere, smashed to bits.  I fear hope for the Worldstone is lost."
-"You bested the Ancients, warrior?" Qual-Kehk burst in.  "Every time I hear from you, your deeds become more legendary.  Now, you have gone beyond all our legends."
-"Qual-Kehk, it doesn't matter!  Who cares for legends?  They will mean nothing without the Worldstone!  Baal has destroyed it.  There will be no one to speak of legends anymore."
-"Nonsense," Qual-Kehk calmly answered.  "Baal cannot defeat you now.  Think on this: the Ancient Ones defeated the hordes of Hell long before the Worldstone even existed. You have defeated the Ancient Ones.  What threat could all Hell's fury hold for you?"
-"I cannot replace the Worldstone.  I don't even know what it does."
-"It seems to me that Qual-Kehk has a point!" Cain smiled.  "The Worldstone was given to us eons ago, but the world existed long before that.  It may be that we can live without it... though perhaps life will be harder."
-"What's wrong with a hard life?" Qual-Kehk smiled.  "It makes men tougher and stronger when they can rely only on themselves.  So the Worldstone is gone.  Maybe the world has enjoyed its protection long enough.  With the light to guide us, and heroes like you walking the earth, we cannot help but prosper."
-Thaddeus looked at Qual-Kehk.  "The Worldstone protected the world?"
-"Why do you suppose there have been so few demonic invasions these last few centuries?  The Worldstone did that."
-"Ah," Cain exclaimed.  "One theory of the Worldstone's purpose is that its energy interfered with Hellish energies trying to enter our world.  With their power weakened, demons could not function.  This gave us respite from constant invasions, and allowed kings and kingdoms to grow and consolidate."
-Qual-Kehk shrugged.  "It is not my place to know what it did or how.  My calling was to protect it.  I failed, but maybe the world is better for it."
-"Surely not," Thaddeus replied.  "Heaven gave us the Worldstone for a purpose."
-"Purposes change!" Cain said.  "Many of Heaven's gifts only last a short time.  When the need for them fades, they fail or are allowed to be destroyed."
-With a shock, Thaddeus wondered... could this all have been a Heavenly gambit?  Hell can plot and plan for centuries; why should anyone think Heaven is less clever?  Surely, the other angels knew of Tyrael's actions... stopping him would have been easy, if no good could come of them.  "Yes, humanity's power has increased since the days of old.  Angelic protectors were not the answer to the infernal threat.  Perhaps simple, common human beings needed to band together and become strong enough to protect themselves."
-"Simple, common human beings?" Qual-Kehk snorted.  "Maybe you started that way, but a true hero is far greater than any lesser man.  The world needs heroes."
-Cain added, "And if the hero must work hard to improve himself, that just may be what makes him a hero.  Heroes are made, not born."
-Thaddeus nodded.  "Well, since it seems I cannot save the Worldstone... there is only one thing I can do, and I will actually enjoy doing it."
-"What is that?"
-"Making Baal wish he'd never been born."
-Thaddeus went down through the Worldstone sanctum quickly, constantly moving lest Baal get the satisfaction of giving him another one of those magic hotfoots.  The place was full of Baal's strongest troops, obviously the ones he'd kept closest to his person on his journey up the mountain.  The most powerful slaves had learned how to excite themselves, and could explode without any Overseer to whip them up.  Such devotion was appalling.  The Minotaurs were the strongest he'd met, and the Succubi were almost a threat in and of themselves.  Baal must like them that way.
-The deepest level of the Worldstone sanctum was full of Minotaurs and Succubi.  These witches could work stronger magic than curses, casting tiny bolts of pure red death from great distances.  They fled from close combat, but charging with his maul took care of them very neatly.  Dealing with the Minotaurs was more difficult if Thaddeus couldn't get a good angle for Blessed Hammer; charging them without his shield was out of the question, they hit much too hard.  Despite all the pieces of crystal blasted up through the floor, Thaddeus felt strangely at peace.  There is a certain freedom in having nothing to lose.  Of course, he kept killing Baal's demons -- they had to be removed from the world.  Even if the Worldstone was lost, there was still hope.  No matter what Hell did, there would always be hope.
-When Thaddeus finally found Baal, he was feeling almost light-hearted.  Baal was in a good mood too.  He was in an impromptu throne room, up on a dais with a red gate behind him.  The way to the Worldstone, no doubt.  *Finally!  Welcome to Destruction's throne!*
-"You're a mean host, Baal.  No wine, no entertainment... not even hors d'oeuvres."
-*Like the servant you are, you will provide the entertainment, and the meal!*
-Baal threw down a glowing ball of energy, and cast a crippling curse on Thaddeus.  His joints ached and his muscles felt weak, but the minions Baal summoned were a joke.  A group of Fallen Ones, shamans throwing fireballs.  Thaddeus didn't even bother to move, just cast Blessed Hammer until they were all pounded to jelly.
-"You should have told me you were on the throne, Baal.  I would have waited."
-The laughter diminished slightly. *I have spent enough time waiting for you!  Do you have any idea how slow you are?*
-"So kind of you to wait on me, Baal.  Now, be a good lad: my boots need a bit of a polish.  I seem to have gotten your servants all over them."
-A twitch developed at the corner of Baal's eye.  Thaddeus smiled to himself; this worked better than taking him seriously.  These proud spirits cannot endure to be mocked.  Snarling, Baal summoned another group of attackers: Greater Mummies, with burning skeleton mages.  His resistance to cold was excellent, so Thaddeus yawned theatrically and started casting Blessed Hammer.  This group was a little tougher than the Fallen Ones had been.  At one point, he prayed for the mage's redemption, not only for his own spiritual strength but to bless the dead so the mummies couldn't resurrect them.  As the last of the dead went to their final sleep, Baal snarled some more insults.
-*You are strong.  A pity you're so stupid!*
-"This from the creature summoning these things.  I'll not match wits with you, Baal; you're too lightly armed."
-*A pathetic joke!  I was flaying angels alive while your kind was still crawling on their bellies in the dust!  How did you delude yourself into thinking you can defeat me?*
-"I believe your brothers said something like that.  Personally, I'm disappointed.  After all the talk I've heard, I expected far more, especially out of you.  In fact, if I'd known you were this weak, I wouldn't have bothered coming."
-*DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH!?!  I AM DESTRUCTION!!*
-Baal threw down a third group: warped humans.  They looked much like the council of Kurast, but they were all dead.  As he retreated to draw them away from Baal, he gave the nearest one his most pleasant greeting.  The string of filth it uttered didn't sound like anything he'd heard in the church.  Then he noticed the remains of magic symbols on their clothing.  This must be Bartuc the Bloody, lord of the Vizjerei before his death, made Warlord of Blood after his demonic "slaves" dragged him down into Hell.  It was a pity there were no Vizjerei here to see the state he'd sunk to, some of them still respect his memory.  The hammers disposed of Bartuc and his followers easily enough.
-"Oh, Mr. 'I am destruction'?  I must apologize; as a guest, I should not interfere with the way you treat your servants.  But they are making a terrible mess."
-*Not half the mess as you'll make!  Take this!*
-Another curse.  "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but curses never hurt me.  Don't you have anything left at all?  Is this the worst you can do?"
-*RRAAAAGHH!!*
-Another group of monsters appeared.  "Balrogs.  Oh, please."
-Thaddeus took the Balrogs a short distance away and disposed of them.  Baal's minions were getting tougher, but they were still nowhere near as tough as the Ancients had been.  They weren't even tough enough for Thaddeus to use anything but the hammers.  No wonder Baal had feared to take the summit; the Ancients probably wouldn't let him enter unless he fought them himself, and he was nothing without his army.  In that respect, he was the inferior of the Barbarians.  He'd won the war on the mountain by being the one who chose how it was fought.  Thaddeus should probably get up on that dais and teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget, but goading him was intensely gratifying.
-Whistling a jaunty tune, Thaddeus came back in.  "Look, this is all very entertaining, but shouldn't we get to the business of sending you screaming back to Hell?  I'm afraid you've overstayed your welcome by a considerable margin."
-*I'm not going anyplace!  YOU ARE!  When I am done with you, I will bring my minions back, and cut a swath across your world like Heaven has never seen!*
-"And these minions are... what?  More Fallen Ones?  Perhaps some Zombies?  Maybe a dyspeptic Quill Rat or two?  I don't think you've got anything left."
-Baal grinned.  It was a very unpleasant sight.  *You aren't the first to think that...  So say hello to my little friends.*
-Thaddeus backed up to give them space, and began casting Blessed Hammer.  This bunch was odd looking, with four legs and four arms, all bony plates and huge teeth.  The hammers didn't stop them in their tracks like most beasts; they walked right up to Thaddeus and flailed their fists at him.  When the first hit his shield, he knew he was in trouble; it knocked him right off his feet and back into a column.  Being trapped among them would be very bad, so Thaddeus took the better part of valor and beat a short retreat.  They came for him again, slowly ambling along; he had several hammers in the air before they reached him and bashed him back again.
-The hammers hurt them, probably a lot, but these things were so tough it hardly seemed to matter.  As Baal laughed, Thaddeus retreated all the way out of his throne room with the things in pursuit.  In the entrance hall, he got behind a pillar and cast a few hammers; one of the beasts died, but more came up behind and battered him into the open again.  Swearing, Thaddeus retreated again and again, getting off one or two hammers before they were on him again, not nearly enough to set up the cloud of death he needed.  Finally, he just ran back to an open area, hoping they would follow.
-They didn't follow; Thaddeus looked out and saw them waiting in the hall.  Well, what now?  Subterfuge?  Perhaps a charge?  No, they'd mutilate him without his shield.  Subterfuge would be much better.  He stepped out into the hall and began casting.  They came forward, he retreated, casting a hammer with every other step.  When they got too close, he kept backing up.  They began to wear down, but Thaddeus ran into a problem.  He'd backed into a wall, and was trapped in a dead-end room.  Throwing caution to the winds, Thaddeus walked into the middle of the group and began casting Blessed Hammer.  He got exactly one off before they smashed him into the wall again.
-With nothing else to do, Thaddeus zealously hit them with his scepter.  All of them gathered around and pinned him to the wall with repeated blows.  That was it; if he ever got out of this, he was getting a bigger scepter.  Smiting one away, Thaddeus walked out of the crowd and into the middle of the room again.  After a couple more hammers, he retreated down the hall, exactly as he'd come in.  Most of the hammers missed, damn it, but as he reached an open area, he had time to cast a hammer cloud.  Another died; now there were four, still too many but he could probably deal with them up close now.
-After downing a rejuvenation potion, Thaddeus retreated to the main hall.  Two followed; the others stayed behind a low barrier and watched.  That was strange, but Thaddeus wasn't about to question their decision.  Casting and retreating, he drew the near two away, until finally there was only one, the biggest.  He took out his maul and battered it senseless.  The last two fell easily.
-Back in the throne room, Baal looked very unhappy to see Thaddeus.  He ran through the gate; Thaddeus followed.  The Worldstone chamber was a huge natural cave, dominated by a pure red crystal of enormous size.  Bits of stone and broken crystal floated through the air, as bits of the Worldstone broke away from the main body and smashed into the walls.  That they could float so delicately and still hit with such power was strange, but the Worldstone was of Heavenly origin and their ways are not easily guessed.  Baal was on a causeway which led up to the Worldstone, laughing triumphantly.
-*Behold, the final act of Destruction!*
-"Well, final act is correct.  A pity, it was a beautiful thing."
-*Your world is doomed!  You may defeat me, but I will be back!*
-"Your brothers said that too.  You demons are so repetitive.  Blood this, doom that, I'll be back the other thing.  I know you'll return; the whole world knows it.  You'll have about as much of destroying the world then as you have of defeating me now.  So shut your face, you pathetic weakling.  If you haven't got it now, you never will."
-Twitching with rage, Baal summoned tentacles from the floor.  Thaddeus ignored them.  He summoned a duplicate of himself.  Thaddeus stood between them and cast Blessed Hammer, giving both equal treatment.  At one point, Thaddeus tried a charge, and Baal replied with a wave of cold, pushing him back.  With a shrug, Thaddeus put his maul away and cast Blessed Hammer.  Without his minions, Baal was truly a weakling; the cold wave was about all he had to defend himself.  Thaddeus was drinking potions more to restore his mana than to recover from any damage Baal could inflict.
-Baal died messily, collapsing to the floor and puking his mummified guts out.  The smell was more offensive than any of his attacks.  Strange translucent spirits floated up from his body; hopefully, they would find the peace they deserved away from Baal.  The earth trembled, the ceiling cracked... and Tyrael descended into the chamber.
-"I am impressed, mortal.  You have accomplished the impossible."
-"Hail, Tyrael.  Is the Worldstone lost forever?"
-"I am afraid you are correct.  Baal's destructive touch has corrupted it completely."
-Thaddeus nodded.  "So... what was it?"
-Tyrael regarded him silently for a moment.  "Ages ago, Heaven retreated from the mortal realms, leaving the Worldstone behind as protection.  When the Prime Evils were exiled to your world, I hoped to use the soulstones, whose vibrational energies were in harmony with the Worldstone, to contain them forever.  This would have turned the balance of power between Heaven and Hell to our favor, and kept it there.  Now, the Worldstone must be destroyed, or Hell will be able to use its power against us both."
-"The world will survive without it?"
-"That is my hope."
-"Then we do not need it anymore."  Thaddeus smiled.  "There is so much more to be done.  The church must be rebuilt, new stones laid for the foundations.  Do you know anything of Fara, and if she has come to Kurast?"
-"She was not greeted warmly, but is earning their admiration.  You will be pleased to know that Asheara did not remain Lord of Kurast for long."
-"How surprising.  I hope she didn't do too much harm?"
-"Very little; she grew bored with the position and left of her own accord."
-"She will find another war somewhere else.  Has peace come to the Sisters of the Sightless Eye, and their monastery?"
-"They have established themselves in strength once again, and new converts flock to their monastery from nearby kingdoms."
-"I wonder if they would consider admitting men.  Probably not, but there are other places men may go to learn.  Hopefully, they'll stay out of necromancy.  What will become of the Barbarians, now that they have no purpose to unite them?"
-"Whatever they wish to do, they will do.  That has always been their way."
-Thaddeus chuckled. "Unless someone tells them to do it... then they do something else."
-"You seem different, mortal.  Has your quest changed you?"
-"How could it not?" Thaddeus laughed.  "I have been considering your servant, the Mule.  His humor confused me at first, but then I saw the joy and love of life in it.  Joy and honest laughter are things demons do not understand.  Your Mule could mock me, and not give offense.  When you mock evil, it grows angry.  Contemplating that humorless selfishness, the joylessness of an evil existence, may be the most compelling lesson I could carry away from all my encounters."
-After a moment's silence, Tyrael said, "I have no servant called the Mule."
-"What?"
-Concluding thoughts:
-#Blessed Hammer is still a viable skill, but don't make it your only one.  There are some situations it simply doesn't work in.
-#Like many old-style Paladins who relied on Concentration as an aura, Thaddeus started running into Attack Rating problems late in his career.  Small ones, but they'll only get bigger as he moves on.  Finding an unenchanted scepter with good skills, having Larzuk socket it, and putting in Holy Thunder, King's Grace, or Honor may be the way to go these days.
-#It may be possible to put together a viable build that just uses Charge and Blessed Hammer.  Spire of Honor may be a good weapon for this.
-This has been fun, but I think I need better weapons to make the Hammerdin shine.  It's time to move on and do something else.  Something simpler, without all these religious issues and complicated interpersonal relationships.  And when I say "simple," I think of the Barbarian.

Difference between revisions of "Thaddeus (Chapter 34)"

Latest revision as of 12:44, 12 February 2017

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