Session 14
Fact Sheet: a dark path, into darkness
Date: 18-01-23
Date in-universe: an unspecified Sunday night, followed by a busy Monday
Players present: Ecchima, Marty, Meinhart, Tuur and Vinnie. Dins was our GM.
Major developments:
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Notes
In the wake of Fyllion's concert, Storm is feeling weirdly emotional about our friendships. He compliments everyone, not even drunkenly:
- Hali is so creative, thinking up this humanitarian solution with Mi'Kal
- Fyllion is so thoughtful and attentive, even suggesting Storm sleeps diagonally in the bed, so his feet don’t hang off the mattress
- Ezra is developing as a leader, guiding and educating us, even when it’s hard to hear
- Eldrin is always so helpful and kind
With a little awkwardness, we all head to bed.
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The next morning, Storm is the first to wake. To make up for his emotional incontinence from last night, he plans a prank: putting some cowlicks in Fyllion’s hair and braiding Eldrin and Hali's hair together so they’ll conk their heads together when they get up... Alas, sneaking in during the dawn is less easy than imagined & when Storm’s done with Fyllion, planning to start on Hali and Eldrin, Hali wakes up and sends him back to bed.
A little later, we all head down for breakfast. The town's unrest has infected the Moonflower: despite the morning hour, there are more people than usual in the bar, drawn in by the drinks available for purchase here. The drought is becoming bad.
Frei arrives, in a full guard's uniform rather than her lovely blue top. She's eager to have us solve the issue with the Sable Serpent. Aqueel is also there, scarfing down grapes, huddled in his hood to remain anonymous. Seeing his unrest, Hali recommits to our determination to prevent any further enslavement. Mi'Kal better have a breakthrough with the spell for water creation. Frei mentions there's still a lot of guards investigating the well, so installing the runes might be hard. She advises we should first curry favour with Akram. That way, he won't arrest us (or Mi'Kal) when we reveal our magic.
Hali will inform Mi'Kal he's still got an extra day to figure out the spell.
After a discussion, we agree Enza will stay behind with Aqueel and the other fugitives, although her help with Saatia was essential, and she might be able to reassure the captured citizens from Nawa. Hali suggests we use the shellphone to contact Aqueel, should we need to communicate with Enza. Storm thinks that's a brilliant idea and compliments Hali again. The others are a little disconcerted, what's with all the compliments?? Storm swears he’s really Storm, though he doesn’t know what’s happening to him.
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Hali checks with Mi'Kal : everything is going well, he's just checking the runes (and their size) for the last time, as well as verifying the best way to install them. Hali reassures him we'll trade our help against Na'Dir for a favour from Akram, which we'll use for his discretion.
Hali looks over his inventory, but there's nothing relevant. Mi'Kal is a little miffed by her rejection of his flameless torch or the pan Daemonium 3.0, but Hali isn't too bothered: when he solves this equation, Mi'Kal will be rich from all the waterskins of endless water he'll be able to create.
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Akram and Basri show us the maps and the plans. Eldrin cracks a joke about getting our ducks in a row in the docks... but the mood is too tense to laugh. Storm winds his arm around Eldrin, asking what's going on: “incomprehensible jokes are a staple of yours, but yesterday you swore. You never swear, what happened”?? Eldrin wonders if it's Storm's bad influence rubbing off, which makes Storm's lower lip quiver a little. Eldrin remains pensive and on reflex they fold their hands, as if they might be ready to pray.
Akram explains the expedition: he can’t risk his new appointment as king of the guards (given he relies on his reputation & on the parts of Nasser's fortune that were confiscated), so he can't join us. Instead
- he’ll send Basri, Frei and 3 guards to focus on saving the civilians
- we’ll provide assistance, hindering and destroying the Sable Serpent as much as we can, provided we stay safe
- he's provided equipment: rations, water, torches, 1 climbing kit (Eldrin takes it)
Storm asks about any loot we might find: will the council use it to help rebuild Nawa? Akram promises the council will meet over this. He's grateful we're thinking ahead, but saving the people must come first. Regardless of what we find, as long as we save the prisoners, we’ll be rewarded. He puts a fatherly hand on Storm's shoulder, so Storm has to grind his teeth to keep from tearing up.
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Our little expedition starts down the square: the plan is we’ll enter the tunnels through the well rather than through Nasser’s mansion. There's now a ladder leading down the well. The weird is still swimming in the pool, but now he's purified, he's not aggressive. Eldrin is happy to see the creature restored!
We walk through the store rooms & Aqueel's former room to the tunnel. The collapse has been cleared. The tunnel meanders from room to room: sometimes there's light falling in, sometimes there's humidity, from time to time we hear buckets scraping the bottom of the aquifer in wells run dry.
Ezra takes the lead, Hali and Eldrin follow. Basri and Frei are next, with Storm and Fyllion as a buffer between Frei and the other guards, since one of the guards appears to have an outstanding issue with Frei (although neither of them talk about it).
As we leave the area under the town, we find a long, straight tunnel lit by magical torches that never burn out. Did Nasser install these? From time to time, the path is crossed by cracks and crevasses. Clearly this is an unnatural creation, headed straight to its target. After an hour or three, side rooms start to appear again. It's an indication we're nearing our destination.
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We walk through an emptied-out store room. Clearly, our arrival is expected, esp. because of all the echoes we create.
In the dusk between 2 torches, Ezra steps onto a glyph. A trap opens! Sharp pikes with a noxious green slime gleam up at them from the depths, but luckily Hali can grab their shoulder so they're fine.
Ezra warns us of the trap. We all pay extra attention now, we're relieved Enza isn't with us right now. Ezra and Eldrin discuss who should walk first. Closing the indecision mid-discussion, Ezra jumps over the gap with the climbing rope we got from Akram in hand. Upon landing, they realise it's an illusion : the gap is 10 feet wide rather than 5 feet! Luckily Ezra has a natural agility saving them from falling down. Fyllion misty steps across & helps Ezra to install the guiding rope.
With the cord and some planks, we all manage to cross safely. While waiting for the others to catch up, Fyllion looks ahead for further traps. He doesn't spot anything, the coast is clear!
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As we progress, we hear the sound of rushing water. We emerge into a larger room, deep underground: way, way, way up from the surface, some light is filtering in. In the room, a 50 feet wide river is running down a steep decline. At the far side of the room, an iron grate filters the water as it exits the cavern, but the grate is clogged with planks and wooden debris : the bridge that used to span the river, has been broken. All that remains, are a few ropes and random planks.
How will we get across?
- Hali could change into a dolphin and carry each of us across
- Eldrin and Storm could launch Fyllion 20 feet so he can misty step the last 30 feet, carrying a rope across so we can build a monkey bridge (with the existing rope)
- Hali could freeze water for an hour to build an ice bridge
- Ezra suggests we tie several ropes together & shoot an arrow across
- Storm suggests climbing across the grate just above the raging water
- Eldrin calculates the physics of throwing Hali in the shape of a rat with a rope between her jaws
Luckily Ezra and Basri take a closer look at the map... Alas, it's a NATURAL ONE. Still, their sweaty hands reveal a small squiggly line. It looks to be the notation of a side corridor, circumventing the river... Hali walks over to also take a look at the map: she determines this is clearly a very narrow natural corridor. It's not useful for transport, since it's too narrow and meanders that much it takes a long time. This small passage might give us an advantage: perhaps they won't expect us there, or if they do, we can remain attentive for traps. If we free anyone, they'll just be able to walk this corridor, while ropes might be too hard for them, especially if they’re wounded or have been treated badly in the days they’ve been captured.
A new debate develops:
- Eldrin and Storm argue we should still build a bridge/monkey bridge. That way, we have options for a safer and faster retreat, should we need it. It would be easy to do now we have the option to leave one guard behind and then just throw a rope back (no need to futz with arrows or throwing Fyllion or a rat)
- The others feel the plan is too complicated and the risk of a split party too great for a limited advantage, esp. should we find wounded prisoners, who might have a hard time with that monkey bridge.
Eldrin huffs and puffs and pouts when the majority refuses. Ezra mutters a plea to Captain Magpie, how did he ever manage to accomplish anything with these babbling idiots.
Eventually we decide to seek out the narrow path. When we find it, Storm has to crouch a little. It's roughly hewn and very dark. Eldrin notices claw marks from the beasts that long ago created this tunnel. Storm is very worried, esp. when we pass several nesting burrows.
Feeling pressured to be heroic after the discussion where his misty stepping was mentioned, Fyllion takes the lead with a torch, Eldrin grumpily hangs back with Storm. Impressed with his bravery (or bravura), Frei joins Fyllion.
Lying in one of the nesting burrows, we see a decaying carcass of an armour-covered burrowing creature. It's a bulette (HTML). We can still see slashes in its side, someone killed it long ago for hunting in the transport tunnels. It's surrounded by broken eggshells from its last nest.
The dusty dry air is sickly sweet and pungently disgusting, this air hasn't been disturbed in a long time. We assume we're under the temple we were aiming for.
Fyllion thinks he sees some light is filtering ahead... and distractedly he steps wrong onto a bone. He slides down and lands amid a bunch of crunchy bones, metal armour and fabric scraps. While he’s sorting out his clothes (and finally discovering all the cowlicks Storm left him), Fyllion mentions his bravery in walking first. Eldrin rolls his eyes. Storm is still freaked out by the potential baby bulettes and keeps whipping his head around. He spots
- another dead and dried out bulette on the far side of the room where the tunnel continues
- about 20 to 25 skeletons strewn over the floor, those in the middle are mostly intact, but all of them are strangely dried out
- from the ceiling light filters down: is that where the bodies were dropped down from?
At Storm's request, Fyllion goes to check how high the ceiling is, could we exit through the hole? It's a long chute, ending in a half circle and some vague torch light on the ceiling. Hali joins Fyllion to inspect the potential of this exit. Ezra hangs back to save their clothes from the horrendous smell, but they send Baaloo to take a peek. Storm and Eldrin keep an eye out.
Suddenly some bones fall over, it's a scurrying rat! Or no, it's a carrion crawler dropping down from the ceiling right over Fyllion, followed by a carrion stalker landing on Hali's back. We're all surprised, except for Eldrin, who was as alert as Storm, but also has dark vision.
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1. Eldrin eldritch blasts the crawler and hurts it badly
2. Storm, Ezra, Hali and Fyllion are surprised
3. the stalker on Hali's back tries 3 tentacle attacks, but Hali's disgusted flailing shrugs it off. This creature was the origin of the sickly smell, and now its slime is on Hali's clothes
4. the crawler is joined by its mate, next to the entrance of the room in Eldrin's vicinity. The new one lashes out at Eldrin with ooze-covered tentacles, which threatens to poison anyone who touches it. Eldrin luckily escapes it, and unleashes hellish rebuke. The original crawler lunges at Fyllion, hitting once. He recognises the burning sensation from the ooze... it's the poison Simeon uses to paralyse his victims! The crawler crawls over Fyllion to claim its prey
5. Frei is surprised
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1. Eldrin hexes the crawler next to them. Eldrin tumbles away from the creature, managing again to shake off the poison. They follow up with a hellish rebuke for the attack of opportunity the creature took, and with the added distance they follow up with eldritch blast . Eldrin goads it so it'll probably attack them rather than Storm.
2. Ezra warns Storm (and everyone) they're opportunity predators, looking for solo travellers to drag off. Snapping that Eldrin should close their eyes, Storm blinds the nearest crawler with colour spray
3. Ezra shoots the carrion crawler and weird goop blubbers out. Ezra repositions a little so Frei has some more room to manoeuvre
4. Fyllion manages to break through the paralysis
5. Hali sees the stalker skittering at her feet, so she lashes out with her scimitar. She moves closer to Fyllion, hissing at the crawler on top of him to scare it away, while she changes into her starry form. she shoots the stalker again
6. the wounded stalker angrily hurries after Hali, making a pincher movement with the crawler over Fyllion. It erupts in a swarm of tiny leeches, all over Hali and Fyllion. Hali throws up her arm in time, but Fyllion is covered in the burrowing larvae, creeping under his skin, he's infested
7. Basri uses his crossbow on the stalker but misses, Frei rushes over to Hali and Fyllion to help with the crawler but her flurry of claws only hits twice (a NATURAL ONE for the third attack), still she manages a NATURAL FOUR of damage
Fyllion tearfully reassures her he'll just use minor illusion to hide the damage to his skin from the burrowing larvae... but no one buys it
8. the crawler lashes out at Frei but misses. It skitters away trying to crawl back on the ceiling. Frei and Fyllion get an opportunity attack, but to no avail. The crawler near Storm is still blinded, and scurries away onto the ceiling
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1. Eldrin establishes a clear line of sight and blasts it with eldritch blast. Combined with the hex, the beast is slain!
2. Storm leaps over and stomps on the stalker. Dancing back, he avoids the beastie's reaction
3. Ezra gathers all of their inspiration and hits the crawler next to Hali. It's now on the brink of death
4. Fyllion struggles with the infection & after a worried exchange with Hali, he misty steps through the chute, hoping he won't encounter any enemies, and find something to help us. As he pops up out of the half-circle hole, he arrives in a small room, with a statue, some brasiers and a ladder leading into this room and another pit from which snakes' hisses, very heavy footsteps, sobbing and moaning emerge (including at least a child). From the door to the left, there are more footsteps.
Dizzy from the poison, Fyllion attaches his rope and throws it down to us. In his relief, he manages to shake off the poison and the ticks
5. Hali lashes out with her scimitar but misses the stalker, but her starry arrow kills it (thanks to a NATURAL EIGHT from her inspiration). It sheds several parasites
6. Frei whisper-yells up to Fyllion, relieved he's okay, but disapproving because this doesn't clear a proper way out for hostages. Still, she climbs up, ignoring Eldrin's warning to watch her ass. She wonders how useful this foray is, but they agree to scout furtively
7. the last crawler climbs over the ceiling towards the passage, trying to flee. It poisons Ezra in order to slip past. Ezra seizes up and is very insulted.
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1. Eldrin is infuriated it dare attack Ezra. They hex it and throw an eldritch blast. It barely clings to life.
Eldrin hurries over to Ezra and checks them over
2. Storm skewers it with an arrow
3. Ezra recovers from the poison
4. Fyllion joins Frei at the door, they keep it blocked but also peek out in case other enemies come. They see a hallway, with a guard standing far away, near an altar. On the floor several people are bound and chained, it looks like they're gathered there for some purpose... Fyllion is proud he found an interesting short-cut. Feeling a little dizzy, he heals himself a bit.
5. Hali pursues the crawler and ends it with a starry arrow! The bug juice splatters everywhere, but luckily Eldrin is kneeling over Ezra and heroically covers them so their clothes remain pristine.
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Eldrin heals Ezra. They grasp Eldrin's shoulder in thanks for saving their clothes. Eldrin gives them a watery grin & they hug.
Hali suggests we should continue along the tunnels, along with Basri, who feels we should clear the path towards the moon pool... Others want to head up to join Frei and Fyllion. We'll have to decide a strategy!
Episode guide
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