Session 6

Session 6
Dozar, towering priest of the slumbering god
Cletus, cleric of an unknown deity, surprisingly accurate with sling
Gil, an increasingly depraved sorcerer
Vyhoff lavender skinned barbarian (hireling)
Selwin simpering linkboy plus (hireling)

The party returned to Ultan's shop after a two week sojourn. Ultan informed them that the rival adventuring party, now led by an unknown Storm Rider with a black beard and a scabbard engraved with black flames had been through the door. Most recently, they came with a pack of hounds, armed with crossbows, returning largely unharmed. 

The party transported the coracle through the door and headed straight for the sewer river. They donned their wooden masks. After securing the carved green canoe, they traveled downstream towards the catacombs of the Fleischguild. In a section of the sewer river where criss-crossing copper pipes brilliantly stained with verdigris hung quite low, the group came upon an unusual sight. The normal cloudy and foetid waters were crystal clear in a 10' patch. Beneath they could see multi-coloured fish darting, and the glinting of jewelry and gold from a skeletal remains. Using his 10' pole, Cletus prodded the patch from within the canoe. It unfurled from the surface of the water, images of the undersea still unrolling with it like a halographic image playing across a thin surface, and pseudopods surged towards the canoe. After a spirited but unsuccessful attempt to slip past in the river, they were forced to engage. While Dozar cut deep into the ooze, Cletus transfixed it by reflecting its own image in a mirror. As the thing sloughed apart into a viscous liquid in the bottom of the canoe, they harvested two flasks of the material.

Approaching the chum slick by the catacombs, the party caught sight of a light shining at the first of the landings. Approaching with caution, they saw two figures wearing serene copper masks and purple robes, armed with bows and serrated metal swords. They hailed the party, "You are far from the precincts and jurisdiction of your house. By the Topaz Edict we enjoin you to turn your ship back. These catacombs are sacred to our guild." Gil replied with bluster, "We have come with the blessings of the God, who will pass judgment on you if you do not relent!” In confirmation of his exhortation, Gil directed to them the swarm of insects that feed on the sweet ichor of his new symbiotic familiar. Swarmed by biting flies, one of them lost his footing and fell screaming straight into the river. As they docked the other hastened up the stairs. Meanwhile, on the second landing a skulking figure prepared to fire a bow. Cletus split his skull with his sling stone, somehow fired with unerring accuracy by his palsied hands.

As the party tied of the canoe and dismounted, the barbarian Vyhoff finished off the unfortunate who had fallen in the river. Two more robed figures were rapidly carrying a large metal box down the stairs towards the party. Another sling stone from cletus dropped one, and the other fell to the blows of Dozar, but not before Dozar glimpsed the contents of the case, a writhing hunk of raw muscle, unfurling itself like a muscular, sinuous carpet. Dozar leapt upon the box, managing with great exertion to seal the lid and fasten it shut before the entity could escape. However, two more figures emerged carrying a second box on the other landing. 

Dozar bounded up the stairs hoping to flank them as they opened the box. He met at the top of the stairs a priestly figure wielding a queer polearm with a saw blade at the end powered by a crank. As the spinning blade sent sparks flying from his armor, Dozar made quick work of the fellow. Meanwhile, the muscle jelly surged forth from the box on the other platform, gyrating and unfurling, undulating towards the party from the other landing. Vyhoff was the first to confront it, and a single blow from massive limb of the tongue like entity brained him and sent his corpse flying into the river. Selwin was struck by the arrow fire coming from the robed figures on the other dock.

Dozar proceeded down the stairs, slaying one robed figure as he emerged bellowing onto the platform. The remaining figure cowered before him as Dozar commanded him to recall the beast. Just as the muscle jelly reared up before Gil, the pacified trembling figure blew a silent metal whistle around his neck, recalling the creature back to the second box, where Dozar sealed the lid. Dozar interrogated his prisoner, asking where the most valuable treasure remained in the catacombs. He hinted that the greatest treasures lay with the patriarchs in the tombs below this level. However, under considerable pressure, he did divulge the fact that the most significant treasure on this level was undoubtedly the sacred heart of Haldicar, Nourisher of All Tissue. 

With the bound prisoner in tow, the party proceeded into the catacombs, passing up the western set of stairs, through the mural room, and into the room filled with child sarcophagi. Under direction from their prisoner, the party moved to the unexplored arch on the Western wall over which was inscribed, “Glory to the Archons, Principles of All Life!”. The party entered a corridor with two small passageways of each side. To the left inscriptions over the passageways read ”Hail Lord Murusha Eater of Winds!”, and “All Praise to Portentious Ulambo the Devourer!” respectively. To the right the inscriptions read ”Blessed be Kolail The Source of All Movement!”  and “Valdizaz The Protector, May his Name Be Ever Sanctified!” Bypassing these, the party proceeded straight to the end of the corridor, where it opened into a larger room over the entry to which was inscribed “Tremble Mortals Before Omnipotent Haldicar, Nourisher of All Tissue!” 

Along the curved back wall, a niche was set at chest level. Fastened to the wall of the niche, a massive uncut ruby flickered with an eerie inner light, filling the niche with a red glow. Running from the alcove, along the wall are carvings of branching tubes, that flower into the shapes of organs, and limbs, a liver, a head, etc. The overall impression was that of an alien plant, bearing macabre fruit. At this point their captive resisted, refusing to enter the room saying, “Nothing you can threaten me with will convince me to enter the sacred shrine Omnipotent Haldicar! I can assure that he will punish you for your transgressions so that you pray for a merciful death.” As Dozar entered the room, the flicking of the heart flame became rhythmic, and a reverberating drum could be heard. The rate of the rhythm increased as approached the niche. Prodding the niche with a 10’ pole, the pole encountered a sudden resistance as it touched the red light of the niche as though striking a solid surface. Thrown objects were also deflected.

After consulting, the party decided to gag their captive and carry him forcibly into the room. Together holding him as he writhed wildly, screaming into his gag, they forced one of his bare hands into the red light of the niche. It penetrated it easily, but when the hand had enetered the light, the drum beat stop suddenly and the light in the ruby went out. The captive spasmed and fell backwards. With some ministering to, he became conscious again, attesting that his heart had stopped when the drumbeat ceased. After a minute the drumbeat began again and the flickering light returned to the ruby.

Feeling themselves stymied for the moment, the party decided to beat a retreat, carrying their captive, the loot from the corpses, and the huge metal boxes back with up the sewer river.

Creatures Slain or bested:

6 Guildsmen: 90 XP
1 Master Carver: 50 XP

4 sets of black lacquered armor (splint mail): 600gp
4 serrated swords: 240 gp
4 shortbows: 200 gp
5 copper masks: 300 gp
1 suit of fancy armor: 300 gp
1 pearled circlet: 400 gp
1 saw-bladed polearm: 300 gp
Assorted alien coins: 100 gp

XP per player: 860
GP per player: 813 

(More on Adriana and the magical item shortly)

+Eri Eric Boyd a Travis Miller r Chris P.