Session 5- Present

For brevities sake and with a lack of adequate note taking the following sessions up to the present point will be abbreviated below.

The Party decide to set out further north up the coast with their newly acquired ship utilizing a naval chart with locations of stash houses from whoever the previous crew on this ship was comprised. They finally enter a small cove below the cliffs that surround this part of the island to a cave that the previous tenants of the ship used to smuggle and stow any of their living or mundane cargo. With some minor difficulty getting the logistics of lifting a megaraptor out of the ship onto a ledge and into a cave figured out, the party manage to set out further on their journey to the Tortle village.

Along the path they travel they encounter some obstacles and find a small break in the trees beside the path. Here they find a tree that appears to be rotting and decayed, oozing this strange black ichor. Upon further investigation the tree somehow pours forth this black ooze with necrotic effects when touched or ingested. Some smart thinking by Khaeron led to a newly found health spring for him since, having no use for regular health potions, the necrotic damage that would normally affect an individual imbibes him instead with a strange healing. So he fills up on the ooze and his party members dip their 'Tips' in the ichor to hopefully allow for some additional damage when used. Urx was interested in what the tree was and in investigating further noticed that there were bones riddling the tree, hung up either for decoration or some form of ritual or sign to outsiders. Full skeletons and some still rotting remains of everything from tortles to goblins. A small bone necklace was also discovered which Urx identified as coming from a tribe of cannibals rumored to live somewhere on the island. The troupe, led by Urx, followed some tracks that were left behind near the tree and made their way deeper into the forest. After some travel and encountering quicksand, the party come upon a bridge made entirely of bits of wood, bone, cloth, and rope. Khaeron is absolutely amazed at the site and considers it a form of art and a beauty to behold. Urx, however, did not like the fact that so many died to make this bridge and that these cannibals had a way to get to this side so he came up with a plan. He casted out multiple magic bonfires into the center of the bridge and it slowly ignited breaking apart and sending a large amount of ash and smoke into the canopy of the forest and beyond. What he did not consider at first was the fact that this would attract the attention the tribe, but being stoic and full of pride he figured they could still easily dispatch of anyone that came.

Fast-forward to later that evening, a party of about 15 cannibal kobolds approached the bridge and began to attack the party. Khearon decided it was not in his best interest to involve himself in the fight since he saw good in the cannibals and what they stood for in their evil ways. So the rest of the party began a long range fight. Bosk utilized Urx's enlarge spell to the immovable rod to provide a makeshift means to get across and Tartarus forgetting how difficult it was to be nimble in plate armor almost fell into the pit below the bridge to his death. Tartarus stood before the Kobolds and utilized his Dreadful Aspect in which skeletal wings protruded forth from his back spewing black miasma which surrounded his form and that same shadow, somehow taking form, crept from beneath his mask surrounding his eyes and the lenses that cover them leaving two small blue pupils in irises of pitch black. Khaeron, in seeing this display and not having any real knowledge of Tartarus' past, is intrigued and fully believes that if Tartarus isn't a god then he still must be the most powerful member in the party and will treat him with respect and regard him as the ipso facto leader. Khaeron isnt the onyl one to be intrigued as Tartarus manages to frighten the kobolds and convince them that he is their god taking human form and that they should go back to their tribe and inform them of his return. The party then plan an invasion of the cannibal village and they are unsuccessful in convincing the rest of the cannibals leading to an outright slaughter of the entire village including the women and children. They party then left with blood, ash, and all amount of gore lain upon the ground in their wake back to the roadway.

When they make their way back to the necrotic tree they notice this other strange tree that seems to have just formed and when trying to get closer to investigate they realize its some creature come to eek the bounty of the other tree. They go on to fight this tree blight and end it without mercy by setting fire to it and burning it to the ground as well.

They then make their way further up the road and almost encounter some obstacles but with some high rolls on perception are able to circumvent any issue to make it, apparently, to the Tortle village of which their search has been focused. When entering the village they find that it is somehow empty except for some strange crying sound in one of the tents. They find an older Tortle man with a large bald spot atop his head and a distraught woman who is crying over the loss of her children and the rest of the village whining out that they have somehow been taken in the night and they're (the two Tortles) not sure where or who could have done this. The party leapt into action and began searching for clues and footprints but upon investigation there was nothing at all around even in the woman's home where she had stepped. In an instant the illusion of the village vanished as did the visage of both the woman and the man as both melted and metamorphosed into two hideous creatures, one very large and muscular and the other a terrible sight to behold. The party then fought this Oni and Night Hag in what was, up to this point, one of the most difficult battles they have had yet they still came out victorious.

After defeating the two wretched figures they manage to obtain some strange stone the Hag had on her which was claimed by Tartarus. While observing it and delving into its arcane powers he surmised that if he were able to murder 50 people in cold blood he may be able to activate the innate powers of the stone. After another few hours of wandering about the party make their way to what they are now sure is the actual Tortle village for which they have been searching. In the village they learn that the artefact, this stone that they used in their ritualistic worship, was stolen by some strange being that was able to come and go without any notice and they are willing to pay the suggested amount of 10,000 gold pieces worth of diamonds in return for it. While gaining information a small tortle boy recognizes Urx from stories he has heard of the incorrigible Druid-Goblin-Pirate Urx and proceeds to beg for some old stories from his adventures. The party learn of the existence of a large stone monolith set into the side of the nearby volcano which had appeared shortly after the theft and was traced to by a new face to the party, the Scaled Sorceror Scalabrini (Sss). This new addition to the party was from a separate but similar organization to the Seeds of Dawn which is the party's Guild. He traced the footprints and signs left after the theft to this rock and decides to go along with the party on their quest. Bosk having been through a lot at this point decides its best for him to part ways, having seen the children of the Tortle village and reminded of his sordid and tragic past and wanting to right some of his wrongs. Khaeron in the meantime has just had his growing suspicions of Urx progress and now he decides to watch him very closely.

The next day the party make their way over to this stone monolith set into the volcano. It appears to be some large stone magically set in place and of a different kind of rock than the rest of the volcano. There seems to be some inscription on the front of the rock but it lends no clue as to who put it their or how to remove its presence. Urx decides to dig a small tunnel under the rock as a means for all of the party besides Lach (the megaraptor) to make their way through. On the other side of the rock they discover a tunnel that leads into the volcano and almost set off a trap that surely would have maimed or possibly even killed one of the party. Thanks to some good thinking by the members, it was disarmed for the time being and they set it in such a way that they could make a quick escape and utilize it to trap those behind them if necessary.

Further into the tunnel they observe a fork in the path at which there appears to be some form of magical light emanating from the wedge of the path and some pedestal below it. They send a beam of fire towards it and set what upon closer inspection appears to be a religious book on fire burning it almost completely to ash. Above the book they find a small cage that appears to be the source of this light in which there is a small creature that tells them it was taken from its home and used here in part to be a source of light for the reading of this strange arcane book which apparently becomes more intelligible by the creatures light. They party let the creature go and it leaves thanking them for there trouble and guides them down to another path where they meet this unnamed ghoul who appears to be consuming the decomposing bodies from that were sent down here by his masters. He tells them of the ones who took from his home and took his memory but imbued him with more knowledge and wisdom in exchange for his services in searching through and consuming the bodies of those they have taken for some unknown purpose up above. Going further down the path the party enter into a room that appears to be some natural cave with a somehow level floor to it and they encounter some Ropers that they are able to discern from the natural stalagmites in the room. They come to another fork in the path and decide to go left down the path searching for traps along the way. They find a pair of stones set into the walls down this path that are slightly different than the others and seems arcane in nature. Urx sends in one of his poisonous snakes to see how the arcane trap works and the fey creature is incinerated instantly. He sends in another and it shrivels up completely and dies. One of them manages to make it through however and they find that the path leads to a completely closed door that is enchanted so as not to be opened.

They make their way back to the room that the ropers were in and Urx attempts to lead them the other way when Khaeron, unable to keep to himself concerning his doubts about Urx as a legitimately evil member of the party confronts him at arrow point. Without it coming down to full combat the two hash out their differences and decide that from now on individuals in the party will work towards the overall immediate goals of the party unless voted upon in favor by the majority of the party. Likewise if anyone should have their own agenda that they decide is more important to them than the party than a discussion and vote will be called as to the proceeding outcome.

The party rest for the evening back of the Ghoul's hideout and wake the next day furthering down the right path this time. They find themselves in an octagonal room with an obelisk in the center. There doesn't seem to be any door leading further and the walls appear to be made of a mirrored obsidian of some kind. As they observe their reflections more closely they see them move independent of the players movement strangely they arent able to see each others reflections. Suddenly out emerge some shadowy obsidian versions of all the players. Combat ensues in which each party member can only see their own solid reflection and their reflections were able to copy their moves and weapons and fighting style. Midway through the fighting they realize the obelisk in the center of the room may hold the key to stopping these Nega-versions of themselves. Urx wild shapes into a treant with the power of his new ring and destroys the obelisk causing the reflections to disappear. While resting up after the fight they search for a way to continue and find a button set into the floor under where the obelisk was set and they push it. Water begins to enter into the room and the floor is dropping at the same time. This is all a false tactic however, and they find that the room has now opened up into an underground aqueduct of perched water inside the volcano and it leads to stairs. They camp for the night and over the course of the evening they feel this big vibration in the ground that they identify as a small earthquake of some sort. Following the stairs they end up in a room filled with metal boxes with these strange gems emanating lights and dials and levers and none of the party is able to understand their function.

This room then leads out into a corridor where there appears to be a door leading further into the volcano. They manage to pick the lock and enter the room where they see a fraise set into the wall depicting an asteroid of some kind crashing into the Snout of Omgar near the volcano that they can only assume is the one in which they find themselves. In seeing this and putting two and two together from his past knowledge, Urx surmises that the asteroid hit at the same time as the calamity involving purple light began on the island given what Gabriel had told them. While looking through the rest of the room they encounter two intellect devourers that they quickly dispatch and hey begin to feel more tremors in the ground underfoot. They break down a door after a control water spell and lockpicking don't seem to work and find themselves in a corridor leading to another door. Urx in Treant form busts this door down in the same way as the other and they enter into a large red-lit room. There they see a pit leading down to magma with a bridge over it and a large thrown with the artefact they are searching for set into this strange apparatus above. There are hooded figures surrounding the pit and near the bridge which holds six or seven posts with manacles set into them. They hear this familiar roar as they observe a literal Giant with flowing red hair and pale green skin beside a cage containing Lach, who appears to have somehow been captured and brought into this inner chamber from outside. On the throne they see a pale slightly disfigured mindflayer-like creature that reaches out and flashes a purple light emanating from his hand towards the party causing some of the party to be held in place. He says, speaking entirely through the minds of the party, 'It's about time, I was wondering if you would ever join me here. You have a lot of spunk, you will all make great sacrifices to the great Cthulhu.' Urx then tries to bargain with the creature which does not succeed and an all out brawl ensues in which Lach is freed and Tartarus almost single-handedly takes down the giant which is an eldritch giant. Before the party is able to dispatch Alhoon, and that's what they find it to be, he says that he will be back and apparently disappears into the ether.

As the Alhoon disappears the volcano begins to erupt and Urx casts down earth into the pit and manages to slow the rise of the magma in this chamber long enough for the party to escape in gaseous form out of a chimney set into the top of the chamber and to the entrance where the stone monolith lies. Scalabrini made friends with the ghoul and in some strange way saw fit to return inside as the volcano was erupting to convince the ghoul to come along with the party on their adventures and naming him. With the wounds and bruises from the fight still fresh the party decide to rest for the day and decide that they are going to attack the Tortle village now and see if they can persuade and torture Dormu into telling them where the diamonds he was going to pay them with came from. They would have to murder the whole village but they figured that would be no difficult task compared to the fight they just won. Tartarus also had a bull in this fight because he figured it was the perfect opportunity to start murdering people to help activate the stone he found on the night hag. Also with a source of income like a river of diamonds, as described by Dormu, and a cleared village this far from civilization to the north of the island, they could have a base of operations for themselves. So upon resting the party enter the village at nightfall with Urx running in with a disguised Tartarus and screaming they need to see Dormu and that they have obtained the stone but its on the ship with their gravely wounded party members so they will need a healer and quickly. After some smart strategy the manage to kill off a few tortles and a healer and dimension door Dormu out of his home outside of the village. Tartarus decided that with the ease of silence and looking like a tortle himself he could fulfill some of those murders in the meantime until an alarm was sound. He enters in to house after house until finally he slips up and a male tortle manages to sound an alarm to the village and panic and fighting breaks out.

This is where we left off on out last session.