Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

List looks good to me.

[Karaunios]

Shit.

Completely forgot about him Take the ruby or the amulet from Akhilleus if you want. The amulet has to be identified though.

[Rex]

Thanks, I took the amulet for now.

[Karaunios]

Final list:

Akhilleus
1 ruby (500gp) - profits to be shared

Drest
1 amulet made of withered flesh and twisted herbs

Sik
1 ruby (500gp) - profits to be shared

Xenos
1 gem (500gp) - profits to be shared
Dagger

Kain
1 pair of shell shaped driftwood castanets

Taibhse
1 moleskin journal with detailed information on fungi species and their effects

Belloc
4 vials with liquids of varying colors
1 human flesh bound book with magical phrases, sigils, and notes on spells

Cyric
1 doll of a dwarf with long iron pin

Ceana?
A single page of notes with the words dwarfs, philtres, and about an invaluable magic gem*

*Maybe one of the three gems we have is the magic one, I suggest we ID these too. That page is worth a thorough reading (maybe that gem is to be found in this cave or in the fortress).

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

The druid takes a few moments to come to herself and regain her composure. Appalled at trying to hurt her companions and embarrassed at being in the thrall of the frog woman-thing, Ceana rifles through the notes and even asks Taibhse if she can peruse the fungi tome. While doing so, she also looks around the garden to see if she recognizes anything helpful.

From her character sheet:
Natural Identifications > potable water, plant types and animal types.

D12 roll: [1d12]=8

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril

Sik investigates the rustling noise from the washtub, finding something absolutely hideous under the makeshift cover. Nestled in some foul smelling dirt is a foot long yellowish orange fat and pulsating maggot. As it squirms around in its own slime in the flickering torchlight, the barbarian notices that the head and face of this sickening worm is vaguely humanoid.

"What is it you've found there Sik? Was anything in the washtub?"

[silifi]

"Some foul creature in the dirt. A worm. But it has a face," Sik says in disgust. "Should we kill it?"

[Rex]

Drest

Drest moves over to look at the worm-creature, "Looks foul, what do you think Xenos?"

[shaidar]

Drest

Drest moves over to look at the worm-creature, "Looks foul, what do you think Xenos?"

I'm waiting to hear back from OM on a question I asked

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He makes a face of revulsion upon the bathtub discovery. Does he have any inkling as to what this is?

"It's clearly cared for, let's not dispatch it until we can learn more about it. It's possibly the young of some creature."

Kain is fine with the distribution, understanding that true accounting would happen later. Like the spells.

[shaidar]

Xenos

"I don't know what it is, but it is foul and the face reminds of those dwarves. I'm not sure we should let it live."

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Killing Hooks
Late Afternoon?

The treasures are divided and stored, though the bronze censer seems to have been forgotten about.

Belloc starts sipping the elixirs one by one, a practice Sik finds terribly upsetting. The first is a reddish liquid that he has never seen before. Tasting a sip reveals nothing of its nature, however. The second is a clear liquid, and as soon as a taste is consumed, the mage falls into a deep slumber. By the time he regains consciousness, his health boost from draining the frog witch earlier seems to have faded. (1 hour duration)

The wriggling orange maggot is left alone for now, its use or value completely unknown to the surface dwellers.

Ceana looks over the garden journal, finding it both fascinating and informative. She learns that several of the colored species of this fungus have magical properties, including placidity, premonition, creativity, and temporarily increased intellect. With a few more hours of study, she is sure she will know which plant will aid her diseased friends. The garden also contains many varieties of healthy vegetables, and even some low light fruits.

After looking at the worm again, those who faced the DWARFS before do indeed see a slight creepy resemblance in the face and head.

The frogs and toads continue leaping about the place as you explore, most of them still suckling on the remains of the dead carcass left on the floor.

Actions?

I will be rewarding XP for these last few encounters once this search is over and the group decides on what to do with the spoils you've found so far.

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22 Diseased
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7 CLW
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 31/32
Taibhse (Sh1) AC5 7/7
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9
Sik (Ba1) AC5 9/12 Diseased

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

"I didn't meet these dwarfs, how hostile were they? That may be one of their young, stolen by the Frog Matron. We may gain favor, or a reward by rescuing it." Kain looks back at the thing. "Or maybe just telling them we saved it would be good."

Kain investigates the censer and is in favor of allowing Ceana the time to devise an antidote.

While Belloc is sleeping...

"I worry about him. He is clearly under that staff's influence. You see how disturbed he acts when it is discussed, a sole martyr who is the only obstacle to whatever his shattered mind has devised. It's not yet a direct danger, but its impulses have already endangered us twice. I believe I owe the man under the staff my life, so I hesitate to act too rashly."

I will concede that dwarfs is correct in Hyperboria, and in the real world. But referring to the bearded mountain folk of D&D, those are dwarves.

[Rex]

Drest

Drest will take the bronze censer.

"The dwarfs were crazy violent and ruthless. Focused their attacks on our light sources so they can clearly see even in total darkness."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"From our previous interactions with the dwarfs, they are extremely hostile and we would be foolish to trust them. Their hatred of us was almost palpable. As for Belloc, I fear it is only a matter of time before his insanity costs someone their life, he must be watched."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"I can corroborate Drest and Xenos' claims. Our only encounter with the dwarfs has been hostile. They attacked us the moment they laid eyes on us. They don't even seem to possess enough intelligence to negotiate with. I doubt they're capable of thanking us for dealing with one of their enemies. Perhaps their worst enemy down here. Who knows.

Something tells me that if that magic gem is in here, we're going to have to deal with them.

As for that... thing..." He says, nodding towards the larva-like creature. "I can't fathom what it might be. Either those dwarfs are so strange that they're born like that, or the Matron turned it into something so repugnant with some of her dark arts..."

AFAIK the form "dwarves" was invented by Tolkien.

[silifi]

Sik listens to the discussion regarding the dwarf worm, and has an idea.

"Perhaps we should take it with us. Alive. Whether it is one of the blasted things young, or had it been transformed by the witch, the dwarfs may take an interest in it. Whether it be for a trade, or a hostage. It could come in handy," Sik suggests.

[Rex]

Drest

"I doubt it will slow the dwarf's from attacking us, but if you want to carry that thing go ahead."

Drest will rest.

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril

"I will 'carry' it if I can find something to carry it in. Maybe it will offset the bad karma from carrying around the dwarf doll with the pin in it - or maybe it will make the dwarfs hate me more. We shall see!"

He looks around for a jar...or something to carry the squirming thing in. If he can find a container of some sort, he will make sure there is breathing holes in it and then carefully scoop the thing into the container and place the container in his pack.

"Too bad she didn't tell us where to find these dwarfs."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain has a sack if that is needed.

So I think the plan is to wait a bit to see if Ceana can cure the sick, then continue exploring the area down here? Do we head across the river or north?