Nisus? Nisus, who?

Kailyn and Yesne read the letters from the desk. One is signed off by Widow Groat, one signed Peggy Deadbells and the final one is bizarre in that the style of writing changes frequently between sentences, words etc. Three distinct styles in this signed off by Baggy Nanna. The information on Harnt proved useful in locating the interfering Bronn. Located at the pathetic human settlement, is scaling the cliffs to look for weakling. Several criticisms of quality reports and frequency with threats, don’t make us come up to see you. One very aggressively written, resolve that meddling idiot of a red crested arracocra. Peggy Deadbells – it has begun it feeds, be vigilant of adventurers who have become attracted by the activity. The red thayans are pushing south – send out your winged lizards and see if more of them are arriving. (Thayans - the Red Wizards of Thay). Most are just criticising, bragging etc.   Kailyn shows Autumnreaver Harnt the letter regarding Summerstrider Bron. Asks her if she knows about Saja N'baza.   Fang wonders if these three are all Night Hags. Autumnreaver Harnt says they could well be hag names, it’s the sort of thing Summerstrider Bron would go after.   Fang, Bjorn, Kailyn, Yesne and Harnt depart camp leaving Azaka and Inete (and Undril) behind. Bjorn takes Azaka and kisses her. Azaka promises to take care of Inete.   We head South following the river, towards the basin – it’s huge. It takes us a day. A further ½ day we come across a huge monolith. Sheer cliffs and boulders the size of ships lay at the bottom of the cliffs. After some scouting we do find the path cut into the cliffs, winding haphazardly around towards the plateau above.   Upon looking, the path width varies, but around 5ft wide, sometimes goes down to foot and half wide. Can see in places the cliff is relatively unstable. Also quite overgrown in places. Looks to be fairly easy to climb if taking the time. Looks about 3 miles of path as it winds so much. Kailyn has a look through his telescope to see if there is anything impeding the way (particularly plants). There are some areas where we’d have to push through.   Fang, Bjorn, Kailyn, Yesne and Harnt – tie ourselves together, and begin to ascend. We progress at a steady pace. It is quite challenging but we manage to navigate over large boulders, areas of crumbling path and thick, viney growths. About a 3rd of the way up part of the path is missing for around 15ft and at a 3ft incline.   Bjorn and Fang tie themselves together. Bjorn goes on one knee with palms locked, Fang runs as fast as she can to Bjorn , leaps onto his palms. Bjorn pushes up whilst Fang pushes with all her might to leap across the gap. Fang times the jump perfectly and clears the distance. Fang finds a piton which appears relatively new and attaches her side of the rope onto the piton. Kailyn adds a knot to each foot of the rope to allow us to cross easier. Kailyn crosses very easily (turns out he took a potion). Yesne struggles and falls down, by casting feather fall she manages to mitigate the damage. Bjorn pulls her up and throws her across the gap. Harnt goes next, and easily makes it across. We then tie Bjorn to all four of the other party. Harnt gives us two pitons to aid the tying of the knot. Bjorn takes a running jump and slightly overshoots the landing, a bit more of the cliff behind crumbles away upon his landing.   We continue to negotiate the cliffside. Eventually (around 800ft up) we reach a natural tunnel cut into the cliffside. The tunnel is around 60/70ft.   Bjorn and Kailyn look around as this is the highest we’ve ever been up. They spot, hovering over the basin, a massive chunk of earth and rock, like it’s been torn out of the landscape. It would appear to be hovering around 200ft above the waterway itself. It does look, from this distance, like a heart, there are two trees at the top on either side which look like aorta, the roots protruding throughout the structure. Referred to as ‘Ubato's Heart ’. Kailyn suggests we could kill it. Bjorn ‘we don’t mess with the Gods, not of this land’.   Bjorn continues to look at the view, and sees an Airship planted in the tree canopies beyond the basin.   Kailyn and Fang stealthily approach the tunnel, as they approach they notice pulses of powerful air emitting from it. The walls of the tunnel are perfectly smooth. Fang enters the tunnel and begin to make their way through it. They notice ‘branches’ coming off the sides at various points. As she progresses, a small bear like creature drops out of one of the holes. It has orange, fiery kind of fur. As it drops and hits the ground it’s fur and skin shimmer and turn grey and shaley looking/rock like. It has sharp claws which it attacks Fang with, puncturing her skin. She then feels another attack from behind. Fang shouts out for help and Kailyn responds. The rest of the party enter the tunnel. Bjorn attacks the closest. Harnt shoots an arrow at the closest. As it leaps it changes again to orange fur momentarily. Kailyn shoots with a bolt, as it dies it goes from orange fur, to bronze armour, to steel plate armour, then fragments of wood and finally settles on red / orange fur then settles. Bjorn goes for the remaining creature, and bites with his gorilla mask. Fang shoots an arrow and hits, Harnt another arrow and misses. Kailyn shoots another bolt and kills the second.   Yesne asks Harnt what they were, they are known as Zorbo. In their natural state, some incorrectly assume they are not a threat, but they are omnivorous and quite fond of humanoid flesh. A unique trait is its ability to mimic the surroundings it is touching.   Yesne goes to repair Fang's torn armour but is physically unable to mend it due to the way it was damaged. Fang, throws the Zorbo that damaged his armour off the cliff top. Kailyn retrieves some skin from the other Zorbo. Then throws that one off the cliff too. Kailyn wants to investigate where they came from so Bjorn pushes him up into the hole at the top of the tunnel. He finds various remains but nothing of interest. Kailyn ‘finds’ (from his pocket) some platinum.   We continue up the stairs (tied together), slowly but we do progress. When we reach around 100ft from the top / plateau, the path veers directly into the stone cliff face itself, seemingly a tunnel. This has definitely been worked. There is a crevasse, and worked steps taking you up the last 100ft, there are scenes lightly carved into the walls on either side.   Bjorn, Fang, Kailyn, Yesne and Harnt progress up the steps. The carvings continue over the entirety of the ascent. We emerge onto the plateau, a once grand but now decrepit gateway lie open. In their place are heaps of human skulls filling the gateway. It looks relatively stable but would probably crumble if everyone was standing on it at the same time. Yesne notices a lot of the skulls have strange markings on, they look like the skulls have been gnawed (whilst there was still flesh on them). The skulls are around 30ft in depth and 20/30ft high.   Fang cautiously climbs the skulls and manages to scale the pile of skulls. She waits over the crest (before getting on the plateau) and the rest of the party proceed up the skulls. Fang pokes her head over the top. Ahead is the plateau, the wind is surprisingly calm despite our height, air is thinner, noticeably so. There is evidence of a wooden palisade, most has fallen and gone. She sees the remains of multiple wooden structures, they’ve long since crumbled. It is clear it was once a significant village. (Mbala). There is one structure around 1000 meters SW of the gate – a hut, made of thatch with animal hides stretched over the rib cage of an immense reptile. From here we can see / hear animal skulls and wind chimes. From it’s centre, a hole in the roof, fire smoke is drifting upwards.   Kailyn clambers up besides Fang and uses his spyglass to see if he can make out anymore detail. The party decides to stealthily make their way towards the hut. As we near the structure it seems a lot bigger than first thought. It seems to be on a slightly raised stony outcrop. Off the plateau section is a sort of garden looking area.   Whilst surveying the building a creature comes around the corner, appears to be an old woman, hunched back and shuffling. She’s constantly touching things in her vicinity in order to progress. Kailyn assumes she is either blind or has poor vision. She slowly makes her way into the entrance of the hut.   Kailyn puts on his glasses to detect any kind of magic, he sees some abjuration magic. There is an area of ‘alarm’ around the hut. Kailyn makes his way towards a window to see if he can see anything else. As he does so a tendril of the vines around the windows/buildings reaches out and attacks Kailyn. Kailyn tries to stifle the sound of the vine wrapping around him. It is beginning to seep purple liquid.   As Bjorn attempts to free Kailyn, the vine strikes at him. Kailyn manages to break free from the vine, Bjorn Lovehammer grabs him and throws him free from the vines.   Kailyn looks through a window to see if he can see anything, it is assumed he has set off the alarm. The hut is filled with objects of all varieties (nothing magic as far as Kailyn can see). He looks towards the door, either side is framed with what looks like a large jaw of a reptile-like creature, possibly a ptserasaur. Kailyn makes his way towards the door with Bjorn leading.   Bjorn knocks his javelin on the door. A small porthole opens around 4ft off the ground ‘Yes?’. Bjorn convinces the lady to let us in which, after consideration, she opens the door.   The tiny individual is at the doorway, no hair on her head – she does wear a turban. Her eyes are blinded by cataracts. Her dark face is painted yellowish. Kailyn beckons Yesne, Harnt and Fang over and they enter her house. About 2/3rd of the way in is the living quarters. Bjorn asks if we can sit, we are welcomed. She says she can’t remember how long she’s lived here, a long time. She says there is a nest ofpetrafolkon the other side of the plateau who won’t let her be. Suggests that Bjorn could get rid of them. Kailyn asks her name – she says ‘Nanny Pu'pu. Kailyn asks if her water is safe to drink and gets the impression she is telling the truth when she says yes. Bjorn helps himself to some water but can tell it’s not good. Nanny Pu'pu says she’s been here a long time though she can’t remember, she says everyone else is dead, not sure what happened. Kailyn asks if she has heard of Saja N'baza. She says no but appears to recognise him from her reaction.   As we get up to leave, Kailyn Tharamor hears a muffled banging and screaming coming from further in the tent and downwards. Bjorn feels incredibly relaxed and light. Yesne feels a resonation of frantic banging, it’s incredibly muffled. Kailyn hears a muffled ‘help I’m here, I’m here!’ incredibly muffled. Kailyn beckons Harnt via message there is someone trapped here. Her and Fang enter. Kailyn feigns illness and Nanny Pu'pu says she will make a potion to help. Fang tries to find out where the trapped person could be, there is a sort of cave mouth towards the back but Nanny Pu'pu tells him to stop snooping. Bjorn and Kailyn again here the muffled sounds… ‘Anyone, please help, I’m down here’. Kailyn asks for the toilet, she says it’s outdoors. Kailyn goes to rush out the front door. When outside he goes to the back to see if he can find a way to the trapped person but sees the building is covered in vines.   Bjorn casts a spell which detects whether the lady is good or evil and is either Celestial, Fiend or Undead. Upon casting the spell he realises that it is one of these creatures and is inherently evil. Bjorn goes closer to the old lady and tries to bite her in the face. The lady dodges out of the way and says ‘well this isn’t how it was supposed to go’. Bjorn turns Nanny Pu'pu and allows us one minute without her attacking. Kailyn Tharamor takes the opportunity to rush to the cave where the sounds come from. He runs down and shouts ‘where are you’.   Nanny Pu'pu takes on a semi demonic visage. She runs to the back of the room. At that point we hear a roar as two of the rugs on the floor fly up as a creature begins to stand and rise upwards from a pit underneath. It’s appearance is like chunks and pieces of different pieces of chultan creatures. It is around 9ft tall. It starts to move towards us.   Kailyn meanwhile hears, I’m in here in one of the doors on the left.   Yesne lightning bolts the creature which appears to just absorb all the power for itself. Bjorn asks Nanny Pu'pu why she is here ‘to exist’. ‘Targ will kill you’. Bjorn tells her to stop Targ or she will stop existing. She says she will stop Targ if she can live. He says you can stop Targ but you won’t live here. She tells Targ to stop.   Kailyn goes to the door and kicks the bar blocking it out of the way and opens the door.   Behind the door is a humanoid. A dishevelled individual is behind the door, he is not well. Kailyn tells him they have to leave now. He wants to know if ‘she’ is dead. Kailyn says no, but we have to go now.   Nanny Pu'pu says we can go if we leave her be. Kailyn says we are here to hunt treasure. Fang says we want to rid the world of her kind. She says we can if we leave her be. She wanted to be a member of the coven but she was not deemed good enough. the coven (Baggy Nanna etc.) are working on something. Not for themselves but for some being. She doesn’t know what it is they are working on.   Nanny Pu'pu says we want to know about Saja N'baza. You will see out the back you face West. There used to be an old watchtower – climb that and you will see the tip, only just, of Zigarat. That is where he resides.   Kailyn and Fang go back downstairs. Kailyn Tharamor lights a torch, listens at the door of the only one left closed, and opens it up. They are caught by a sickening smell as the door opens, a body, hung by it’s ankle in the middle of the room. The individual looks like Summerstrider Bron.   Kailyn Tharamor tells Yesne Brightstar to get Autumnreaver Harnt out, she won’t want to see this. Yesne Brightstar tries and with Bjorns assistance manages to tell her to leave.   Humanoid wants his stuff back. Kailyn goes to investigate and finds some things in the back room. Fang takes Bron down and realising she is still alive, gives her some healing and puts her cloak over her.   Kailyn finds an array of butchery/pain inflicting tools. Fang takes Bron up. She walks with purpose and determination. She goes outside. Fang whispers ‘we’ll get her’. She nods once.   The hag finally disappears.   Autumnreaver Harnt runs over to Summerstrider Bron, embraces her and they shed tears.   We find shelter in a ruined house. Yesne tells Nisus all about Inete and her dreams, Bjorn recounts Moa and then asks Nisus why he is here. He is a member of the Mireni Order. Yesne and Kailyn haven’t heard of them. He was sent here with his partner who is no longer with us (dead). They took the shosenstar to head to Camp Vengence. They were trying to cut through the mountains through the Jungle. They arrived at this village ‘Mbala’ where they were held hostage. Told to head to the middle of the jungle – Camp Vengence. There is talk and some evidence of the curse. Yesne says she knows about the curse too. He came through the Mist Cliffs before the Jungle. He says he found an arm in the rock – made of steel. A big arm, his size almost. Had writing by it in dwarven (possibly) *Vorn the Automaton*. Roughly about a week away. Told him about the Map and then Yesne goes into detail about Aumar. Kailyn says he is also known as Aumar and it turns out that he is the one who created the Mireni Order. Summerstrider Bron, Autumnreaver Harnt and Fang take watch in the evening/through the night. Fang notices that, although they speak, Summerstrider Bron never replies with words and only uses sign language. She asks Autumnreaver Harnt if this is normal, she discloses, that Summerstrider Bron is actually deaf. But due to her knowledge/wisdom etc. she can understand what is going on in other people’s heads more than probably they can themselves.