Session VI
The cast:
- Hugo Reyes, Elvish Spellsword
- “Gaz” “Gazebo” Gazorpazorpfield, tentacle'd Dwarven Craftpriest
- Sinbad, Venturer
- Audarius, his henchman, Fighter
- Borgnar, Mystic
- Gnarrr, Thrassian Gladiator
- Aladdin, Elvish Nightblade
The party realized that a blind nightblade would be of little contribution. So they spent their time in Cyfaraun asking around to see if any restorative magic could be found. They were in luck: legend had it that the Viaspen contained a hidden shrine sacred to the Empyrean gods.
Since Aladdin was currently not fit to act as navigator, wandering through the forest could be a dangerous proposition. Yet Fate shined on them, and they discovered the shrine in less than a week. Its guardian, a proud unicorn, bestowed the shrine's magic upon Aladdin, and his sight was restored. In return, the nightblade accepted a geas to slay Idimmu the Demonic, the dragon known to lair in the buried temple. Hearing that his friend had been geased, Sinbad quipped “Just remember, every day you tarry in this task will leave the rest of us completely unharmed.” Gaz hoped to have his wounds healed as well. But the unicorn informed him sadly that the shrine's powers would not work on him, tainted as he was by chthonic sorcery.
Reaching the edge of the forest, Aladdin and Hugo noticed a circular patch of wheat of unusual vivacity. In the center of this wheat patch was a farmhouse; nearby was a solitary scarecrow. Such a description matched a rumor Sinbad had heard back in Cyfaraun. Their attentions piqued, the adventurers approached the farmhouse, following a narrow path of beaten-down wheat. Inside the farmhouse was a deathly wounded man. Upon seeing the party, he whispered, “Now you too are trapped...” Sinbad offered him some food, which the man greedily took, but he offered no other information. The group decided to test his claim, and they attempted to leave. To their surprise, the wheat around them was regrowing, and the path they had taken was almost gone. Furthermore, a few steps away from the farmhouse, a massive tentacle burst from the ground and ripped at Sinbad before vanishing back into the earth.
The adventurers broke into a mad dash for the road. Fortune shined on them, and all but Hugo made it. And even then, in a remarkable feat of strength, the puny Sinbad dragged his friend's body to safety. It turned out that the spellsword's tongue had been ripped from his mouth by the hidden monstrosity. Gaz sincerely apologized for the behavior of this particular tentacled creature and promised that not everything with tentacles was inherently evil.
The nearest settlement was the outpost of Türos Spen. Hugo would need a month's rest before he was fit for longer travel, so the group resigned to wait there. During this period of convalescence, the adventurers heard that their fellow adventuring party, the Fierce Brethren, long thought lost, had stumbled out of the Viamir Marshes. They too had discovered the buried temple, and had slain some number of orcs and hobgoblins in it. The party resolved to stand firm against their competition.
Even healthy, Hugo would be of little use as a spellcaster so long as he lacked a tongue. So Cyfaraun was again ventured to. The party just barely managed to scrape together enough gold to pay for his restoration, which luckily went well. Sinbad wondered to Borgnar whether it would be possible to keep Audarius on retainer given their financial situation. The party needed a big score on their next outing. While waiting for Hugo to recover, Aladdin heard news that a new organization was said to have appeared in Cyfaraun. Little was known about them save their (rather unpleasant) name: The Brotherhood of Pus.
Finally, the adventurers were prepared to return to the buried temple, to seek Idimmu the Demonic. Thanks to the Fierce Brethren, the temple was still fairly empty. Some member of their counterpart group had a most peculiar tic: a true passion for labeling. “Orcs (dead)” was written on a note attached to a pile of orcish bodies. “Blood (hobgoblin)” read another. And so on. Hugo was truly perplexed as to why anyone would do this.
The party knew that Idimmu had to be making his lair in the great ziggurat they had noticed in the northwest corner of the temple. So into this room they ventured, unsure if any of them would leave it alive. The wyrm was awake and aware of their intrusion. From the top of the ziggurat, he beckoned one of them approach and do him homage. Trembling, Sinbad stepped forward. Idimmu asked what tribute the venturer had brought for him. Searching his pockets, Sinbad realized he had no valuables at all on his person. So he presented the old, worn pair of bone dice he carried with him for gambling. He fully expected to be devoured for such a paltry offering, but, instead, Idimmu was amused by his audacity and bid him rejoin his companions.
Nervously, the party looked at one another. For Aladdin's geas to be lifted, the dragon would have to be slain. But how could such a feat be done? Lacking a better plan, they lifted their weapons and charged. Yet here Fate turned decisively against them. As if he had expected such treachery, Idimmu flew forward before the adventurers had had time to fan out. And with a single blast of his corrosive breath, he ended the lives of Sinbad, Borgnar, Gnarrr, Aladdin, and Hugo. One might hope that their deaths were at least painless, but this was probably untrue. Audarius had carefully ensured during the advance that he remained by the room's exit, and he beat a hasty departure at this turn of events.
So only Gaz remained. He was too far away from the exit Audarius had taken, so he instead chose a nearby door and dashed through it. Yet not content with her accomplishments for the day, Fate cruelly twisted her knife. For the room Gaz now found himself in was tiny and lacking in any means of escape. The dwarf knew his chances of survival were slim. He made peace with his gods, raised his enchanted mace, and swung at Idimmu. He got in one good hit, and then the dragon ended him.
Mortal Wounds Count:
- Hugo, tongue ripped out by tentacled beast
Tampering with Mortality Count:
- Hugo, drained spirit
Death Count:
- Hugo
- Gazorpazorpfield
- Borgnar
- Sinbad
- Gnarrr
- Aladdin
Survival Count:
- Audarius