Session XIX - 14.01.2021

General Summary

• The session starts as the group wanders from Fort Knucklebone to the site of battle (between devils and demons) where they could retrieve one of Mad Maggie's infernal war machines that should prove to be useful for the group's further endeavours. Maggie has sent Frick and Frack with the group to restore the (most likely) damaged machine.
• After two hours of march to the south, the group find the site of battle with the infernal machine. Darrak sends an owl to survey the area which is immediately attacked and slain by a swarm of hellwasps (see image). The hellwasps now attack the group which takes some hefty hits before ultimately defeating those creatures (ironically, Darrak summons Giant Wasps himself which sting the hellwasps to death).

• After the battle, Frick and Frack examine the wreckage and state that the control rod is missing which is nowhere to be found on the battlefield. Darrak then finds signs of burrowing creatures beneath and around the infernal war machine and hence summons badgers to burrow into the ground. Here, they find some tunnels which were apparently dug by some worm-like creatures. The group manages to get access to this tunnel system. However, in the wake of removing large quantities of earth and sand, Jo and Darius are dragged into a pool of ichor which mutates them! Jo grows large fangs on her upper and lower jaw whereas Darius now seems extremely gaunt and loses half of his weight. They both are terrified by these effects but there seems to be no immediate help for this. Also, they don't have much time to think about the situation as the group gets attacked by a group of worms (three small ones, one larger specimen). The fight again proves to be very hard and the group has to use almost all of its resources to be victorious. Of note, Jo is telepathically contacted by Gargauth, the devil trapt in the Shield of the Hidden Lord. She follows his "guidance" and uses a fireball spell to incinerate the remaining worms to win the battle. 
• Nevertheless, our heroes succeed and find the corpses of four dessicated red-caps in the caverns below. Besides some debris, the missing rod can be found and so Frick and Frack can restore the wrecked infernal war machine. With this new asset, the group can "drive" back to Maggie to discuss the next steps on their quest to restore Lulu's memory: While they have various options, the group decides to first go to the north to seek the famous wizard Mordenkainen in his tower.

Report Date

14 Jan 2021