Session 176 - "Rising"
General Summary
The Fellowship works its way deeper into the skum's territory, uncovering frightening new threats and a surprising ally.
The Soul bites and rips into the skum squared against him as Neferu unleashes an electric arc against them. A third storms around the corner and strikes Kyrrn with a trident. Kyrrn amps a telekinetic projectile and flings her lucky hatchet at her attacker, lodging it deep into its body and flinging back from the force of it. A fourth deep one rounds the corner as well. The first skum presses its attack on X and the Soul, slashing only X. The second one continues its siege on Neferu, skewering him with its trident. X rips through the third skum, rocking its body with his blows. The sounds of splashing water is heard as if something large is running towards the group from the north. The sense of pressure suddenly increases tenfold and it feels like something is pushing against them, but it suddenly dissipates with a pop in their ears. There is a small splash of water and a catlike form appears to the north. Running towards the group, Vesper, the Dreamlands cat encountered only briefly before, yells that something enormous is coming at them. He then launches himself at one of the skum. Kelath skewers into the same creature and puts it down.
Yet another skum emerges from the southeast, but its brain is not exposed and its thick hide is covered with tattoos. The Unworthy Soul continues savaging his opponent with his claws. Neferu quickly renders aid to himself. Another skum attempts to lay into X, missing disastrously, triggering X's twin riposte. Kyrrn cries out Vesper's name as Nyrrk comes forward to catch all skum in a telekinetic rend, followed by a psi burst that explodes the head of one of the creatures. Two of the skum try to press attacks again X and the Soul, but are unsuccessful. X pays him back and lops off its exposed brain. Around the corner a huge, four armed monstrosity emerges around the corner. Nyrrk notices that it appears to be a gug with a skum head on it. It goes to lash against Nyrrk as the horrendous pressure returns, pressing down on them. The monster suddenly pops out of existence. The veil between the planes is tearing. Vesper pounces forward and his small but powerful form rips into fourth skum drone. With a cry to Iomedae, Kelath slices cleanly through its head with his Dragon Winged sword.
The tattooed skum begins to cast a divine spell and a column of fire explodes around the party from floor to ceiling. He then quickly casts heal on himself as well. The Soul charges forward and meets the skum with his claws. Nyrrk flings the hatchet into the skum and suddenly senses SOMETHING coming from the south. X suddenly charges forward but is unable to land a blow. Vesper lays paws on Neferu, healing him, and then runs to the skum and begins clawing at it as well. Kelath takes his place with the others, slicing into it.
To the northeast the party sees a large stone statue. It is a statue of Dagon, carved of green and black stone, depicting a nightmarish creature that is neither fish nor eel nor octopus, yet contains features of all three and more. The walls around the statue have been decorated with hundreds of varieties of inlaid shells and pieces of strange reddish gold, amid profane symbols carved into the rock. The skum attempts to move away, but Vesper trips him underfoot and he falls prone into the water. It stands back up and begins to flee to the south. On its heels is the Soul, who rips into him with his jaws. Nyrrk flings the hatchet once again, but misses and follows up with a psi burst. X quickly catches up as well and cleaves through its mouth.
Neferu tells everyone something about the pedestal seems to catch his eye, but he can't describe it other than a feeling. Clearly seen on top of a stone protrusion is a wooden rod. Old peachwood mace handle engraved with the spiral symbol of Pharasma. One side is wrapped in stained leather, and the other capped with a golden metal. It is clear that the metal-capped side once housed the head of the mace. One end has a well-crafted piece of metal with the other having old beaten leather wraps. The metallic piece appears to be damage and mostly had something else connected to it that is no longer there. It lights up to Neferu and he senses extreme power. Kyrrn begins to feel a sense of awe and she removes the Frog Globe from her side. Neferu steps on the dais and wraps his hands around it. He is suddenly and completely healed as he feels a sense of awe and communion descends on him. At the edge of his vision, he sees a mighty armed and winged ghostly warrior on the other side of the pedestal. It is at least seven feet tall and gazes at him and Neferu suddenly knows he is in the presence of a divine servant of Pharasma and that the rod he holds is a piece of the relic the Raven's Head, though it has been desecrated. The faint, ghostly outline of the head of the mace showing four raven heads is visible to him, but then fades away.
Moonday, Desnus 2, 4711 AR
Skum Tunnels
6.15a
The Unworthy Soul lashes out against the first dimensional shambler and catches it with one claw. Neferu fires an electric arc at the same creature. Velexander drops into a defensive stance and unloads both his swords, slicing deep into its bloodless hide. Kelath adapts an inspiring stance and finds a strategic opening that he capitalizes on with his Dragon Winged sword. He follows through with another slice. The second shambler attempts to use two of its limbs against X, but he parries the blows aside. Kyrrn unleashes and Nyrrk teleports behind the shamblers before unleashing with a shadow blast against both of the creatures. The bolt tears through them, killing the first shambler. Its body sudden bursts into a primordial ooze. The Soul moves to the remaining shambler, but is unable to press his attack. X advances as well, driving the Sword of Swany Tort into it. Kelath strides forward and strikes a glancing blow against it. The air seems suddenly colder and some of its wounds knit back together. It then steps back and swipes out at X, but he parries its attacks as well. Nyrrk launches six magic missiles that slam into the creature, rocking it back slightly. The Soul sinks its jaws into its thick hide, but not as deeply as hoped. X once again adapts his twin parry stance and attempt a feints, but the creature is unfazed. However, it is still totally unprepared for his skewering strike. Kelath scores a deep hit into its body and then brings his sword again for another slice. The temperature drops as it heals itself again and then steps back. Kyrrn feels the hair stand on the back of her neck as it teleports away. Neferu and Kyrrn investigate the slime left behind by the dimensional shambler's body. They conclude that dimensional shamblers are highly resistant to being forced into another plane and its remains could possibly be used as a powerful component as a dimensional anchor. Kyrrn gathers some of the sludge.6.25a
The Soul notices something to the southwest. It appears to be a low rock sitting against the wall, however upon closer scrutiny it appears to be a human figure. It turns out to be a dead skum that has been opened from groin to gullet by a slender blade. It also has had its head split open and its brain is laid bare and appears engorged. The brain cap has been removed and the organ itself enlarged and engorged. Kyrrn examines the remains and notes that they bear the hallmark of the mi-go surgical skills. Greenish motes of light begin to appear at the edge of the Fellowship's vision and they begin to feel pressure bearing down on them as if under a great depth. Pushing through its effects, the party continues to the west. X suddenly pulls everyone short and says they have company. Living skum with exposed brains as before are standing motionless as if entranced in a cave. A very dim light appears to also be in that area, the source of the skum's attention. Deep sea plant growth also grows on the walls. Kelath advances forward and sees that there are four of the odd deep ones, all of which are staring at seaweed mounds. Within one mound appears to be a baby's blanket. It suddenly strikes him that these could be some kind of nest. There are also carvings on the walls that graphically depict deep ones mating with human females. Kyrnn shares that this is how the skum increase their numbers, they tainted offspring often becoming skum themselves. Deciding not to disturb them presently, the Fellowship moves on. To the west and north, Kelath sees additional areas with mesmerized skum to the west and north.6.35a
Further south they find another dead skum that has been eviscerated as seen previously. X asks Neferu to examine the corpse to see if it has had any organs removed or something similar. He finds that their anatomy is similar to humans and that the wound also has been caused by a sword. X examines the scene to get a sense if the person involved was either fleeing or pressing forward. He sees a trident lying in the wall next to it, and both he and Kelath note blade strikes on the wall. Kyrrn picks up the weapon and attempts to psychically assess it, but finds it shockingly devoid of emotion. The party theorizes that these skum are serving as mindless drones, created and controlled by the mi-go. The cavernous passage continues south and comes to a fork to the east and south. To the east is a flash of colorful fungi and to the south appears to be a stone pedestal with something mounted on it. As they pass the eastern passage, there also appears to be a large room with growths of varied and colorful fungi further in. Moving further south, a slimy dais emerges more into view as the passage opens into a large open area with another passage further south with a forest of fungi. Gathered next to the dais are two skum who are not as senseless as the others. Neferu attempts to communicate with them, saying that they are "neighbors" from Illmarsh. They seem understanding of his words. Kyrrn moves forward and senses the thoughts of another creature. She relays this information to the others as she draws a wand. One of the pair rushes forward with a trident straight at the Unworthy Soul. The second rushes forward at Neferu. X squeezes past them and unleashes his full fury on the second one. However, its body only flinches at the blows with its face so no reaction at all. Kelath attempts to evangelize the pair, but it appears to have no effect on them.Versex Sessions
Report Date
18 Jun 2023
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