Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus laughs at Drest's comment.

"I agree with you my friend. I'm thinking about that Theosophist’s Gem. I'm sure it's pretty valuable."

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Ding Dong.....
No Idea On Time Of Day

After the aggressive white ice toad is killed, Sik and Drest both drink the fungal elixir, hoping to heal their malady. Both of them immediately regret it. The powerful liquid does what was intended and then some, afflicting both strong men with vivid visual hallucinations and strange bodily anomalies that lasts for hours. When they finally awaken from their trip, their mind is filled with more questions, but at least their disease seems to be getting better. Let me have a percentile roll from the two of you with your next actions. Perhaps you noticed something important during your hallucinations.

Once the others are sure their friends will survive their magic mushroom miscibility, they all get some rest before preparing a meal of fresh veggies from the garden. Again, Ceana is careful not to pick all of one specie of plant or fungus, so they can replenish themselves and continue flourishing. A stashed box of candles is found and the little flames spread around the shack work pretty well to contain the frogs and toads in the garden area, allowing a little easier sleep and food prep for the non-froglings.

Once everyone is fed, well rested, and feeling better, the talk turns to the dwarfs across the river. The little 6 man punt is still tied offshore outside, though a group this size might need to make 2 trips if they plan to cross the waterway safely. Leaving the relative comfort of the mushroom shack, you find yourselves once again back in the indomitable blackness of the dark underworld.

Actions?

IMG_3413.jpeg (23.45 KiB) Viewed 27214 times

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 12/12 CLW
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F4) AC4 35/35
Taibhse (Sh2) AC5 11/11
Belloc (M2) AC6 14/14
Sik (Ba1) AC5 11/12

[Rex]

Drest

Trip [1d100]=92

"That was very weird."

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

The druid looks back on the shack of the Toad Mother with a bit of sadness. "I wouldn't be too upset to live here for a time...or at least have a place like this to come home to. It's cozy and comfortable...and would be more so with a few less frogs."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"Let's cross the river in two groups. I can go with the first group if you want. Someone using in each group would be of help. And then two can row back and get the rest."

Suggested groups:

Akhilleus
Drest
Kainaxarthos
Cyril
Ceana

Xenos
Taibhse
Belloc
Sik

[Ahlmzhad]

That order is fine with me.

[Rex]

Me too.

[Belkregos]

OOC: sounds good, Belloc will go back and pick up the rope before crossing the river

[silifi]

Sounds good to me.

[1d100]=2

Sik waits with the second group, still pondering his strange visions.

[The_Wanderer]

Drest

"My primary goal is to stay alive. After that anything positive is just a bonus."

Cyril

"How unnecessarily dour! I certainly wish to stay alive as well if for no other reason than Azathoth has not yet told me how he will punish me if I die. Perhaps he will put my face on a maggot next."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

"Oh, if I were to be honest, I would love to see the fortress above and this river below be civilized again. We could lay claim to it and make use of it as a trading outpost and waystation."

"Those are my plans, at least. And finding an abandoned gem mine." Kain is more forthcoming than usual, probably due to the lack of sunlight.

Kain lights a torch and moves down to the riverboat.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

Kainaxarthos
"Oh, if I were to be honest, I would love to see the fortress above and this river below be civilized again. We could lay claim to it and make use of it as a trading outpost and waystation."

"I like the way you think. I was part of a mercenary company once. I wouldn't mind going back to those days, and having our own fortress sounds like a good place to start."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"It's an interesting idea, but we may need to find the gem mine first to be able to afford it, but who knows what the gods have in store for us."

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Ferry Cross For Mercy
No Idea On Time Of Day

Drest awakens his usual dour and angry self, remembering almost nothing from his mushroom trip. For Sik however, the strange visions he experienced were far more profound and intense. He remembers seeing snakes, and men, and even snakemen. A vision of a cyclopean enclave assails his mind, with black towers and other vermiform, baleful structures as far as the desert barbarbarian can see. He has a recurring vision of the maggots as well, with several larger versions of the creatures assembled all together in a massive pit. A final vision he remembers is of him poking his finger into the eye of a painted batrachian, half-lidded eyeball. Very disturbing memories, but none that permanently affect his mental well-being.....yet.

With the rotting dead body of the witch they recently killed still laying in a frog covered heap inside the same place the group just slept, Ceana and Kainaxarthos begin discussion about long term living. Akhilleus decides who should cross the river first, while Kain gets a torch lit.

Akhilleus, Drest, Kainaxarthos, Cyril, and Ceana hop in the punt first, the single torch Kain holds the only light source the party uses. The current of the moving water is not strong, perpetually flowing towards the north. Paddling across the waterway is easy enough, and the little boat makes it to the other side without incident. There the group finds a small, poorly built raft, tied off outside a narrow cave opening cut into the solid rock of the opposite bank. There is no light or sound coming from within.

Xenos, Taibhse, Belloc, and Sik wait in the pitch black darkness on the other side of the river, watching the glow of the single torch crossing the river. The frogs continue to gleep softly from their nearby garden.

Actions?

IMG_3616.jpeg (84.89 KiB) Viewed 27022 times

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11 Torch
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 12/12 CLW
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F4) AC4 35/35
Taibhse (Sh2) AC5 11/11
Belloc (M2) AC6 14/14
Sik (Ba1) AC5 11/12

[Ahlmzhad]

Drest

"My primary goal is to stay alive. After that anything positive is just a bonus."

Cyril

"How unnecessarily dour! I certainly wish to stay alive as well if for no other reason than Azathoth has not yet told me how he will punish me if I die. Perhaps he will put my face on a maggot next."

Agreed, death can be a great release and transition. It will be what one makes of it. He then pulls out a torch and lights it. While he waits for the others to pass over to the other side.

[Rex]

Drest

Once across Drest will set up as a watcher.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Once clear of the boat, he'll stay near the cave and raft. "I'm going to take a guess and say our dwarfs are in there."

Kain will keep his torch held high so that the boat and others can make the trip back. "I'll hold the light so you can see where to row back to."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Once clear of the boat, he'll stay near the cave and raft. "I'm going to take a guess and say our dwarfs are in there."

Kain will keep his torch held high so that the boat and others can make the trip back. "I'll hold the light so you can see where to row back to."

Looks like Drest and Kain have both said "not it".

[Rex]

Drest

Yup

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"Maybe Cyril OR Ceana will row back in order to get the others? I'll mount guard here with Kain and Drest, in case of attack." He readies his sword, just in case.

I don't know about the other four remaining in the other side of the river, but if they don't light a torch, it's gonna be difficult 1. for them to see; 2. for them to be seen by the party member that rows back to pick them up.