Session 172 - "A Neighborly Welcome"
General Summary
The Fellowship continues onward through the tunnels underneath Undiomede Manor and encounter a raging terror.
Neferu begins to attend to the combatant's wounds. Kyrrn does not detect anything magical from the corpse, but suddenly hears a moan from the direction she sensed something before. A sudden noise draws Neferu's attention from the east as a group of skum attempt to sneak up on the party. He steps forward and unleashes a powerful arc of electricity at two of them. Kyrrn moves forward and amps a wide spread of telekinetic rends. A howl of rage erupts from the south as a large shark-like, amphibious humanoid emerges around the corner. X charges at it, slicing into its thick hide. Kyrrn notices that Yib's attention appears to be drawn to the southwest. She asks what the giant sees, who replies that she hears something and indicates to go that way. Kelath devises an effective strategem, remembers that skum are resistant to cold, and then moves forward. One of the skum attempts an attack, but misses.
Kyrrn attempts to redirect Yib towards the skum, but she takes off roaring to the southwest. Neferu flings out a fireball, catching all the skum in its blast. Kyrrn steps forward as Nyrrk drops an animated assault on the skum, dropping one of the lesser creatures. The shark creatures pushes X forward, but still finds itself within the maelstrom. It attempts to strike X, misses wildly, and X smacks his axe, loosening its grip. X follows through with another slash. Kelath once again notes the creatures' weaknesses and stupefies the raging creature. The remaining skum stumble out of the assault.
There is a scream as the sound of Yib's gaff connects with someone. Neferu casts a forbidding ward as the Soul advances forward. Nyrrk sustains the assault and then drops a sonic blast in the room before departing. The sounds of conflict continues from Yib's direction. With a roar, the rager embeds its great axe into X. Gritting his teeth, X viciously skewers his blades into his attacker as well. Kelath lays hands on X, quickly performs a battle medicine on him, and then makes a plan of attack.
Yib continues her one-on-one battle. Neferu maintains his ward and then casts heal on X as well. Nyrrk attempts to telekinetically shove one of the skum into the assault as he continues sustaining it against the shark humanoid. The barbarian continues to press its attack against X, but only receives a riposte for his trouble. X changes tactics and begins making quick, piercing strikes that bite deep. Kelath demoralizes the beast and viciously mocks him, drawing its attention.
The sounds of Yib's battle suddenly sound one sided as she ravages an unconscious form. The Soul rips its claw into the shark. Kyrrn continues her physical assault and then creates within it an agonizing despair. Greatly pained and distracted, the rager tries to press an advantage, but finds none. X continues to open slashing wounds across his body. Kelath steps forward and delivers a precise strike, followed by another blow.
Neferu releases an electric arc that violently seizes the shark's body. The attack seems ready to finish him, but he suddenly roars back to life, shaking everyone's resolve. Kyrrn once again unleashes Nyrrk who sustains the assault and then delivers another punishing agonizing despair. The raging shark creature begins to shriek in horror before his ears burst and his eyes explode, finally falling bonelessly to the ground. Looking back into the cavern with the shimmering illumination, realization suddenly dawns on Nyrrk's face...
Sunday, Desnus 1, 4711 AR
The Tunnels - Under Undiomede Manor
12.34p
Suddenly, all four hounds of Tindalos look to the southwest in unison. One of the hounds in the east suddenly warps away, as does the one to the west. The third hound begins to sway its head and the wall behind it begins to shimmer. X and the Soul attempt to strike out at it, but only the Soul is able to land a blow before it too disappears. X presses his attack on the last beast, catching it across its body with the sword of Swany Tort, however it has little effect on it. He scores one final hit before it also blinks away. The Fellowship finds itself in a damp, close quarters stone tunnel. Yib attempts to push forward, but the ceiling dips down to only about a 5 ft. clearance. Kyrrn calls for Yib to hold and Neferu attends to the party's wounds. Kyrrn asks if the giant has ever encountered the hounds before, but she admits she has not. Kyrrn also quickly looks ahead to see if the marsh giant will be able to continue forward. She retreats back and pulls her journal out and begins channeling her automatic writing. The process is unexpectedly more open to her, as if a mob is competing for her attention and pressing in on her mind. Sweat drips onto her journal and she is finally able to draw the picture of a medium sized glass case, which contains the body of a man floating within. Next to it is a small table with a leatherbound book. The area around the case closely resembles their own surroundings. The experience leaves Kyrrn with the belief that have not traveled do a different plane. However, the appearance of cavern's walls begins to nag at her in relation to lack of color.12.44p
Pressing forward, the party rounds the corner as a room opens up to the east. The scene from Kyrrn's vision immediately plays out as they find the glass case with the man floating within, the book on a nearby table. A brass bell is set nearby in the wall. An area in the southeast appears to shimmer. Neferu reaches out with detect magic, but is surprised to find none. Yib appears to not be sure how to proceed. Kelath notes that the shimmer is not like the red energy they have encountered before, but could possibly be a natural phenonium resulting from a source of heat below. X notes that a passage to the west is warmer than a passage to the south. Kyrrn asks Yib if she knows who the man is, to which she replies "Cassius". She also admits that she has never been further than this area. Kyrrn looks at the shimmer, its presence and the surrounding area claws desperately at her mind for recognition, but it remains agonizingly out of reach. Neferu continues examining the body and that it appears to be a perfectly preserved corpse. It appears to be a middle-aged man in his 60's, with the case itself being plain in design but appearing to be put on display. Kyrrn levitates the book over to her and finds that it appears to be bound in sharkskin or something similar. Immediately visible on the cover is the title, "The Journal of Cassius Undiomede Manor, Lord of Baytown". The similarity of the man to the statue in the town square becomes apparent. Kyrrn quickly uses her strange script abilty to read the journal. It speaks of his first meeting with the Neighbors, the Fostering (and its process beginning by ringing the bell), the location of their city at the Turn Rocks, the pact they made together, among other details. Kyrrn indicates for Yib to take point down the west tunnel. This area is quite damp and foul of odor. An area to the north appears to have standing water floating with fungus. Yib appears to be growing frustrated with her inability to track Father Voltario through the stench. X strains to hear the sound that attracted the hounds' attention, but does not detect anything. Striding forward, X targets the noxious fungus with his flaming breath. Suddenly, flailing out of the flame is a fetid flood of furry fungus, flinging filthy fluid from its foul form. Kelath quickly studies the creature and believes it to be a shambler, recalling that electricity strengthens it and that it is slightly resistant to fire. His raises his shield in anticipation of an attack. Yib looks to Kyrrn, who nods, and then suddenly charges the creature. She strikes out at it with her hook, ripping through its body, and then brings it around for another slash. Neferu flings a divine lance at the shambler, impaling it, before reinforcing the Soul. Snaking out of the mound is a collection for vine-like tentacles which slash deeply into Yib before wrapping around one leg. Velexander prepares to defend himself before charging at the monster and chopping at with one sword. Kyrrn flings a rock but misses the shambler, and then draws a wand. Kelath moves forward, bringing inspiration with him, and then launches a bon mot, distracting the creature. Growling in frustration, Yib attempts to pull herself free from the plant's grib, but is unsuccessful. With a howl, she manages to haul herself away from it and then quickly follows up with a slash of her gaff. Neferu makes the sign of Pharasma and X is suddenly enveloped in divine energy. In a flurry of violence, the creature slams a tentacle at X and Gib, but manages only to connect with Yib and wrap her up again. X slashes out at the plant. Kyrrn launches an acid arrow, but misses wildly. Suddenly, she feels a "pressure" from the southwest and broadcasts a warning. Striding forward, Kelath raises his shield before lashing out and slashing the shambler. Yib rips herself free before impaling the creature with her gaff. Neferu fires another divine lance, but misses this time. The shambler retaliates and slams a tentacle into Kelath. It misses X who reflexively strikes back and then follows through with a scissoring attack, pruning the plant creature once and for all.12.54p
Versex Sessions
Report Date
26 Mar 2023
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Plots