Session 124 - What Lies Beneath

General Summary

15^th Navek (Second Month of Winter) 722TR
The story so far

Sabretooth is investigating the disappearance of Urgath the Troll. He was attacked by undead while digging an escape tunnel for Ivashu captives in the city's Gladiatorial Arena. Following a blood trail, the Heroes find a secret entrance into a large cavern, directly under the Arena, filled with corpses all standing around a large cistern.

Avon sneaks in, finding three priests of Morgath who have captured Urgath. He is in a cage and they are currently vivisecting him.

The continuation of Session 123 - A Troll in Trouble.

Location - City of Coranan in the Thardic Republic.

Part 1 - Struggle in the Cistern of the Dead

The Heroes act. Acheron takes the appearance of one of the dead and moves among them unnoticed. Avon stays hidden in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to strike. Sabretooth creates a small ball of fire for light and attempts to sneak into the chamber. Things go badly straight away, Sabretooth and his ball of fire are spotted by one of the Priests.

The evil Shadow of Bukrai permeates the cavern, becomes active, and starts to apply curses onto the Heroes. Most are shrugged off, but Acheron feels his strength begin to be sapped as some of the dead begin to stir and join the battle. The Male Acolyte passed close to Avon, who instantly kills him with a surprise strike from the shadows. The Female Acolytes presents a brass amulet in the shape of a demon's head. From its mouth, a cone of life-draining black miasma emerges and envelopes Avon, severely weakening him. Sabretooth throws his ball of fire ineffectually against one of the priests but is held in place by spectral skeleton arms (Hold Person) conjured by the Head Priest. He is then mobbed by the Walking dead while trapped in darkness.

Acheron attacks the Head Priest, forcing him to retreat and give up his magical hold on Sabretooth, but has to survive clouds of Poisonous Gas and his sword temporarily becoming invested with a flesh dissolving curse (Tainted Metal spell). More undead wake and a Wraith emerges from a structure to the East on the other side of the cistern. The Female Acolyte blasts Sabretooth and Avon with her demon amulet, nearly killing Avon, who has to withdraw. Sabretooth eviscerates Female Acolyte and starts attacking the Zombies.

Undead are everywhere as Acheron dispatches the Head Priest, then frees the Troll by breaking his cage's wooden supports. Before he and the Troll retreat, he glances at the structure on the other side of the cistern. It is elaborate and sinister, with two stone statues of some demonic creatures guarding a staircase leading up to black stone doors. He feels that he is destined to enter that building sometime in the future.

Sabretooth carries the Troll and the Heroes retreat and closes the stone door behind them.

Part 2 - Looting

Having escaped alive, Avon decides the Heroes need some treasure. Moneypenny turns him Invisible, and he opens the secret door preparing to sneak in. On the other side are a half dozen active zombies, but more frightening, a massive Nightmare Walker, a rotting froglike undead mass covered in long tentacles, has emerged from the cistern. He sneaks past it as the party slam the stone door shut. The horror begins smashing at the wall. At the same time, Avon loots the bodies, and the rest of the Party retreat down the passages.

Avon quietly collects treasures from the dead priests, the Demon Amulet of Desiccating Breath, and two small Canopic Jars containing Oil of Decay from the Acolytes and a Knucklebone Necklace of Ill Fortune from the Head Priest. This mysterious and creepy artifact is made up of thirteen human knucklebones on a string.

The Nightmare Walker breaks through the secret doorway, followed by more walking dead and attack the Party. Outside the baleful influence of the Shadow of Bukrai, Urgath the Troll begins to heal and joins in the battle. Eventually, the Heroes prevail, Acheron invokes the power of Larani (Turn Undead), and the undead flee back to the underground cistern. Avon avoids them and makes his escape.

Part 3 - New Companion

Ringo, art by Attacus

The Heroes and Urgath limp their way back to the Temple of Ilvir and receive a warm greeting. Over the next few days of rest and recovery, Avon and Monypenny claim the magic items taken from the dead priests.

Urgath introduces Sabretooth to one of his friends, a strange Starfish like Ivashu called a Thrikra - the Bane of Fungi. Thrickras are very rare, known to hunt dangerous fungi. Sabretooth and the Thrickra soon developed a friendship and bond. Sabretooth calls him Ringo.

To be continued...