The vampires' trap was not particularly ingenious; however, their advantage in terrain proved crucial. First, the bears broke the ranks, then they seized the opportunity to slay the spellcaster, and finally, through a series of spells unleashed in quick succession, they inflicted widespread carnage upon their confined foes. The vampires executed their strategy with considerable effectiveness.
Yet, as the noxious cloud and fireball descended, the inherent flaws became apparent. Unlike the summon creatures and faithful servant spells that could be preemptively cast, both the noxious cloud and fireball required proximity for their release, thus revealing the vampires' presence in the vicinity while inflicting damage.
This realization did not escape Lynn alone; the adventurers who had survived the fireball quickly grasped the situation as well. With a spoken incantation, the priest amidst the chaos had already cast a detect undead spell.
A chorus of gasps rippled through the crowd as a cloaked wizard, moving with remarkable swiftness, distanced himself from the throng, confronting them. At some point, this vampire had assumed human form, stealthily blending in during the confusion of their party's amalgamation.
He had the audacity to reveal himself now. However, his position was ill-placed: the narrow path of the gorge lay straight, positioning him directly between the main group and Lynn's party.
The larger group had already suffered significant casualties. The vampires had employed only a few bears as sacrifices, yet they had succeeded in killing or wounding seven or eight adventurers. Nevertheless, their numbers remained substantial, and the vampires had no desire for a direct confrontation. Turning away, the vampire sought an escape route from Lynn and his companions.
However, Finn stepped forward, brandishing his holy symbol. He swung his flail and locked eyes with the vampire. Although the vampire's strength was formidable and Finn was uncertain of his ability to dispel the undead, the priests' dispelling powers certainly wielded a measure of deterrence against vampires. Thus, he stood his ground, refraining from further action.
Trapped in the gorge, with daylight still illuminating the scene, he did not dare to take flight. Yet, even in the direst of circumstances, he remained unperturbed, presenting an air of arrogance.
"Do you truly believe that you, mere insects, are entitled to interfere in the affairs between us and the Church of the Dawnbringer? What business have you in our conflict?"
So they indeed had a grudge… Lynn pondered swiftly and then spoke up.
"Certainly, it is for the artifact—what else could it be, justice?"
His question momentarily stilled the outcries from the larger group. Although some among them truly sought justice, upon witnessing the six individuals comprising the party—complete with a priest of Bane, an unusual wizard, and an elven presence—they quickly surmised that these were not the champions of righteousness. Yet, now they needed to unite against the vampire, and it was not the time for discord.
"An artifact? We have searched for over a hundred years without success; do you think you can stumble upon it? And even if you could locate it, do you know how to obtain its power and blessings?"
The vampire's words stunned Lynn momentarily. The notion that the vampires coveted an artifact had been a mere fabrication of his, yet here the vampire was, openly admitting that they had been searching for the artifact for centuries. Their idle rumor had inadvertently aligned with the vampires' true intentions. Could it be that fortune favored him so?
As he contemplated this, Lynn sensed something amiss. When the vampire spoke of the artifact's purpose, he had referred to "power" but also invoked the term "blessing." For the vampires to seek the blessings of Lathander was utterly ludicrous—who, then, were they actually referring to?
If the artifact could not only bestow power but also confer blessings, were they searching for it on behalf of some powerful entity? But would an artifact associated with Lathander warrant such a pursuit? Furthermore, did this entity hold a grudge against Lathander…? Lynn discreetly gestured and continued speaking.
"When you possess the artifact, the means to wield it will surely present themselves. If all else fails, we could hand it over to the Church of the Dawnbringer for some advantages in return."
"You? That's quite the jest," the vampire scoffed, "Do you believe your master would permit you to solicit favors from the Dawnbringer?"
Lynn retracted his gesture; it was a sign of the Cult of Oghma. The vampire across from him evidently recognized it and understood to whom he was devoted. Lynn had initially believed the vampire to also be an undead creature, perhaps even a fellow cultist, but this assumption proved overly optimistic. Yet, the vampire's words held no contempt, nor did they express any respect for Oghma, nor did they expose him—this intrigued Lynn.
If it were another dark lord or a follower from the Nine Hells, ridicule would have been inevitable; after all, relations among demons were notoriously contentious, with mutual curses a common practice. If not one of their adherents, might the vampire be a follower of some dark deity? Yet among those deities, who bore animosity towards Lathander?
Lynn realized that his knowledge of religions was insufficient; he could not ascertain the connections among these deities and would need to consult Finn privately later.
"Whether or not the artifact can be found is a matter of fate, but the vampire must perish—that is our task. You have wreaked havoc in the Dagger Valley for a hundred years; the time has come to pay the price. The Dagger Valley shall no longer suffer at the hands of evil, starting with you!"
The adventurers across had previously tended to their wounded, but as they regained some strength, they joined the conversation. Compared to Lynn's party, they appeared far more righteous, and even while berating the vampires, they did not hesitate to insult Finn.
Finn remained silent in response, but it was evident that he took note of the slight.
"Enforcing accountability requires strength—do you possess that strength?"
The vampire chuckled and suddenly snapped his fingers. Above, the sound of flapping wings erupted as a swarm of bats surged into the gorge, darting chaotically. In an instant, the vampire transformed into a bat himself and, along with the mass of bats, appeared poised to escape the gorge.
Yet, the priest on the other side also stepped forward. Fully aware of the presence of undead, the priest had many abilities at his disposal.
At that moment, however, a cacophony echoed from the walls of the gorge. Two mice, perched upon the cliff faces, morphed into massive triceratops, charging downwards. The two savage vampires rejoined the fray, once more disrupting the adventurers' formation, rendering them unable to contend with both the vampires and the swarm of bats above.
Chaos ensued, as the vampires sought to slip away, with the two savage vampires poised to employ the same tactic to escape alongside them.
Yet, just then, a cry rang out from above.
"Lathander!"
A powerful beam of dispelling light pierced through the mass of bats, incinerating one into a cloud of ash. Hovering in the air, Alaric targeted the two triceratops without a glance toward the remaining bats.
The Lathander party had finally arrived.