Session 5: Breaching the Korth Wall Report

General Summary

Seeing the path ahead, but with some mild climbing needed, Trysor transfomed to a giant spider, and Kaalam and others forged ahead toward the path. At that moment Kaalam noticed a strange greenish orb ahead, with many eyes on stalks, and warned the group of the danger. As he spoke Kaalam let fly an arrow from his shortbow and struck the aberrent thing, mildly inconveniencing it. A beam of dark energy leapt from the creature to Kaalam, and he began to know real fear, but Roisin's rallying yell strengthened his resolve and he resisted the fear. Kaalam then moved aside and attempted to hide behind a low ridge of stone. The creature struck next, wounding Roisin and striking Trysor's Giant Spider form without effect. Roisin directed Roy to launch a looming shadow at the eye, but he fumbled the spell and failed. Roy then attempted to launch a Chromatic orb at the thing, but it was reflected back at him; narrowly missing his head. Jeeves moved up and fired his hand crossbow, striking the eye beast for mild discomfort. Another creature, this one humanoid with six arms ending in wicked claws, rounded the low ridge, moved among the party, and then leapt forward in a flurry of attacks that tore into Boris, bringing that worthy to the brink of death. Trysor's Giant Spider form bit this new threat violently, piercing it, but suffered psychic backlash that weakened the integrity of his temporary form. Another eye creature slipped from behind a ridge to the south to paralyze Kaalam and confuse Trysor, then floated to a point some distance above the small lake. Kaalam attempted to break free of the paralysis, but failed. Quirico was struck with two rays, but resisted them both; and struck back with a strong hit from his morning star then used a surge of action to use healing supplies and quickly bind his wounds. Roisin again directed Roy to attack, and he made a masterful shot, dealing a painful wound, but suffered a psychic backlash as well, then Roisin rallied Boris back to his feet. Roy summoned and threw a shadow blade, but the creature laughed, clearly unphased by this attack on its mind. Jeeves rushed forward and attacked with a rapier, but failed to connect. The clawed humanoid struck out at jeeves, tearing his flesh. Boris struck the creature with his hammer as it moved away, suffering psychic backlash as well, and it decided to stay and claw Boris again later, then Trysor's Spider form bit the creature and suffered further psychic punishment. The eye creature now targetted Roy, first with paralysis, which Roy resisted, then with wounding force, which Roy failed to resist, failing so badly that he died instantly as his vital life force was completely drained and Roisin screamed in anger. Kaalam managed to throw off his paralysis, but Quirico was both frightened and paralyzed by the other eye creature. Trysor, at Roisin's direction, bit the clawed humanoid again, and Roisin drew the attention of the eye creature fighting Quirico. Jeeves rushed to Roy's side, taking a claw to the back in the process, and used a powerful herb to restore Roy to life. The clawed humanoid again let loose a flury of claw attacks, tearing into Trysor's spider form, forcing him to resume his normal form, whereupon he clawed at the creature with his cat claws, but failed to connect. Boris fired a clockwork bolt at the eye creature, and inconvenienced it further. The eye creature attempted to wound Roy, but failed, and then confused Jeeves, successfully. The clawed creature then attempted to tear into Roy's weakened form, but Roisin gave out a strange cry, just enough to distract the creature so it missed Roy. Roisin was targetted by the original eye creature, and slightly wounded, but managed to resist its paralysis beam. Kaalam rushed to the clawed humanoid, and struck with a powerful blow to its head, ending its hold upon this world, and the creature drew into itself until it was no more than a point, which winked out. This unleashed terrible psychic retribution upon Kaalam, however, and he was forced to his knees as he cried out in pain and grasped his head. Roy fired a chromatic orb at the other eye creature, and this time it connected, freezing the creature. Trysor resumed his Giant Spider form, and fired a web at the eye creature, restraining it. Boris healed himself with magic. The eye creature attempted to confuse Trysor again, but failed. It then pierced Roy again with necrotic energy, bringing him again to the brink of death. The first eye creature again struck out at Quirico, destroying his echo, then attempted to confuse Roisin, but failed. Quirico finally managed to throw off his paralysis. Kaalam fired his shortbow at the eye creature, but failed to connect. Jeeves used his surgeon's skill to restory strength and vitality to Roy again. The eye again struck Roy with life draining energy, and brought him back to near death; completely destroying his right eye in the process, then caused Trysor's Spider form to become confused again. Kaalam struck from the shadows and pierced the eye creature with a mighty blow, wounding it. The original eye creature then paralyzed Quirico again, more strongly, and tore at him with powerful necrotic energy, nearly killing him. Roisin directed Kaalam to fire another arrow, from hiding, at the second eye creature, and he struck another strong blow. Jeeves again bound Roy's wounds, although he could do nothing for the lost eye. Trysor attempted to bite Kaalam, but fell over himself and ended on his back. Boris attempted to attack the creature with a spiritual weapon and another clockwork bolt, but neither connected. Roy was struck by yet another wounding ray and yet again fell. Jeeves was paralyzed, and Kaalam again struck the creature with a shortbow, killing it, though its body fell onto Trysor, slightly wounding his giant spider form. The original eye creature struck Quirico with necrotic energy, finally bringing that worthy fighter low. Boris struck with a clockwork bolt, and this time finally connected powerfully, killing that creature as well, its body falling to the ground. Jeeves stabilized Roy, while Boris healed Quirico, who then brought Roy back to consciousness. The entire group took an hour to rest and bind wounds, with help from Jeeves to do so more effectively.

Roy, with help from Trysor's spider form, searched the area most thoroughly, before finding a strange crystal buried in the ground. He tried to move it magically, but suffered psychic backlash in the process. Throwing caution to the wind he then grasped it in his hand, assuming it merely resisted magical manipulation, and learned the terrible truth that to touch this thing meant instant death. Kaalam was forced to rush over and administer another very powerful herb to restore his life force. Quiroco tried to grasp it with his echo, but was mind blasted instead. Jeeves finally figured out to use a leather pouch, and placed it in Roy's magical backpack inside the leather pouch. Careful reflection and discussion brought the party to the recognition that this stone was a Void Crystal, a strange and very rare material of great magic and terrible danger.

The party moved on then, traveling until nightfall before Kaalam used a paper shelter to protect them from dangers in the night. During Quirico's watch, he was outside with a lantern shining brightly, and a strange woman wandered by, she seemed to know his thoughts, and gave him wise advice, then left him with a gift, a mark of the constellation of The Huntress on the back of his left hand. Kaalam and Quirico also spoke quietly, and Kaalam learned a bit about Quirico's past, and how he came by his fabulous chainmail. The party resumed their journey, again magically sustained after the previous two days off, travelling tirelessly. Kaalam slipped down a steep slope, then fell off a short cliff, but Roy's magic preserved him. While there, the party lacking rope, Jeeves used powerful magical alchemy (though he claimed it to be technology) to rebuild the stone into stairs. Kaalam looked around this place, and discovered a small vial, a lead crystal closed by a dark iron stopper sealed with lead. Roy discerned that the oil within carried strong transmutation magic, and the vial was put in Trysor's pack. The party moved on, and continued tirelessly through the night. Entering a high and very large mountain valley, they traveled deep into the night, meeting the main road again just before midnight, encountering a road sign indicating they approached Levron's Citadel in a day or two. Just after midnight, they passed a bend in the road, and noticed movement on the sides, as two small brain creatures stepped up on either side of the road. Realizing danger again stalked their path, the party prepared to fight.