Session 2: The Artifat Report

General Summary

Last we left off, Lucid was face-to-face with a mummy while checking for traps; however, using some quick thinking the group revealed the fabric that held a symbol that they took from the sand king. The mummy pointed and allowed passage further into the temple where they interacted against an mummified cat holding onto a key. Using the key, they opened the chamber containing the citizens that had been kidnapped and were told that a young girl had been taken further into the temple. Keeping the citizens there, they moved further in where they came across a room covered in desert sand and were attacked by a giant bone cobra along with two jackal-like humanoids. After some heavy hits, the group smote the creatures down, unveiling a sacrificial chamber with fresh blood on an alter and another room. Entering the room, they found Nebnuss in a bathtub, eating a turkey leg, while another mummy painted her toes. After some dialouge and chewing out of a child, they obtained the items that had been taken from other adventurers and took everyone back to the town. The town celebrated the return of their cititzens while Jeeves celebrated the return of Nebnuss; however, just doing this did not sit well with the more holy members of the group and the next morning they returned back to the temple to finish off the mummies and the cat before leaving. Making easy work of these undead creatures, the group put them to rest; however, Lucid unlocked a new achievement and became cursed.    Leaving the town of Chillglen, Lucid continued to deterriorate as the curse took hold and after traveling for a day they found themselves within less than a day travel of the magic school. Resting, an hold man approached them headed south towards one of the port towns and asked to rest there with them. He explained that he was a bounty hunter looking for a "bad dude" and was headed down to the docks to pick up a magical item that would help him find his quarry so he could retire after this job and spend his life raising his daughter. He also handed the group a flyer if they wanted to make some quick coin by hunting down members of a group called the Sikkums Brigade that had apparently committed treasonous acts. By a stroke of luck and preparedness, he did have a spell scroll of remove curse in a pack of spell scrolls on him that he sold to Lucid to remove the mummy rot curse. After removing the curse, the group continued on through the rain towards the magical city of Kixelts where a large tower penetrated through a massive dome shielding the rain from the city. There was a special guest here at the time by the name of Theoden attempting to work out peaceful trade routes between here and the continent of riches. The group was allowed in where they followed Nebnuss close to the top of the tower where research against a magical artifact was being performed and she immediately went to work. The next day the group was paid and was offered another job to continue protecting and watching the child that seemed like an easy task for easy money and the group decided to take it, dubbing themselves the "Five Guys".    The days slowly ticked by and each member found themselves exploring the facility, from making secret underhanded deals in the dark, to catching a glimpse of guards and higher ups while preaching the good word about their mother, to someone wishing to experiment on a certain pointy eared party member. During one of these days, Smithy lost a connection with his dwarven gods. Digging deeper into this, Smithy uncovered that this had been happening for a couple of months in the city which also seemed to align when the artifact was brought in; however, the next day Smithy found his powers had returned to him seemingly without consequence. During this time they also met Vo Beknidz, a necromancer who utlitized zombies to help her with her work researching the artifact. The five guys ended another uneventful day making easy coin and proceeded to sleep soundly until Arty was awakened by Nebnuss explaining that Vo was taking the artifact. Arty rallied the group and they rushed towards the research chamber where Nebnuss opened it, attempted to go inside, and was stopped and told to find the guards. After a minor confrontation, a fight broke out between the Five guys and Vo and her zombies. Attacking them with a wave of necrotic energy, the walls were damaged and the water cascading from the dome began to pour in, filling the room. It was around this time that Nebnuss returned back appearing very upset and she turned back from where she'd come. Dot utilizing his ability to read lips was able to gather that she was saying "No stop, you don't understand. Please no!" Shaking her head with tearful eyes, she placed her hand on the doorway, looked back again, and then towards the five guys and said, "Go to Zedsia" and a purge happened. The floor seemed to spliter open, the artifact holster closed, and the five guys tumbled downwards through large pipes, sliding down throughout the tower until they landed in a sewer. Gathering themselves, the artifact gave off a small, strange glow as they began pulling themselves out of the sewer water where they were greeted by a raspy voice, along with metallic legs, and 8 eyes almost snickering towards then, "Welcome."