Meet 107, Adv 14, 11/23/24

We talked about establishing a shrine to Lathandar. After hearing about what had happened to the Church of Lathandar some 150 plus years ago, persecuted, demonized, and then dismantled by the court of public opinion because the Curate refused to go along with the Gorokian mandate at the time, the party, spearheaded by Eoghan, wanted to right that wrong.

The party discussed costs with the Sunrise Rabbits Orphanage, and also the potential cost outlay and space allocation with the Ecclesiastic Guild. There was a cost given of a couple hundred nobles which the party discussed. Very quickly the wealthier half of the party ponied up the money before even going out for donations. Which then had Captain Asher and Annalee Mason get involved. The Mason Matriarch would be happy to help take on the job, and even the upgrade of stone was tossed in.

And then we expanded the local number of shrines to 4. Lathandar – back on the map.

The group then went through the new Charter, taking the time to fill it out, reread the pertinent parts, and revote on leadership – which was mostly unchanged for now.

As time went on, we then discussed the visit to Ralstrom Gorok. In Gorok. If he was located anywhere within the Dwarven section of Gorok, we would need a way to disguise ourselves. No non dwarves can be in that area.

There was talk of disguises and best ways to do it. V, in the Terror Dungeon, had provided the party some polymorph potions at one point, giving us the chance to appear as Bugbears for 2 hours. That idea was discarded as we did not know if 2 hours would be enough time, there was no guarantee he would have a potion for dwarf, and we did NOT want to go to the Terror Dungeon and tip off the Gorokian Collective where we were or what we were doing.

We then took a trip to the Mage’s district where a talk with Shandrila at the Tower of Air and after some discussion of what we were hoping to happen settled on something called a Majorica Mask. It would take a “picture” of a being, and then whoever wore that mark would appear as that person for 2-3 days. That was doable. We could rent a number of them for 75 crowns a pop, with the knowledge they had to be returned. Also, invisibility might not be the end all best solution for exploring – there are anti-magic runes spaced periodically throughout the dwarven complex that will nullify spells or effects.

We left and took some pictures with the masks around town of random dwarves, and then arranged to purchase an oxen and food and water. It was 8 solid days to Gorok from here if we go through the Firvanir Lands – and 3 days to Donnegarten Stronghold. We decided that would be the best bet. Get back to Donnegarten, and then get to the 4th level and the Stronghold down there. Then activate the rune and portal in Ralstrom’s Office and hope it leads the group safely back to wherever Ralstom had the portal set up to deliver him.

We leave on Firemonth the 28th, tomorrow.

Meet 106, Adv 13, 11/16/24

Wilhelm was focused on the 15th of Firemonth, the Summer Solstice, longest day of the year. One of the holiest days to Frey. And the first chance since he became a member of the Druidic Circle to cut and harvest his own mistletoe.

He had gone to the druid elders at the temple and learned he would need to purchase his own silver sickle and gathering bowl. The entire druidic circle would be heading up river tomorrow @ 8 to a wild area north of the Enderlyn River where they could gather and harvest without issue. Mistletoe need to be cut without touching and caught before landing on the ground. Then it is prayed over and pressed and used afterwards to power the druid’s spells.

Either – if the spell requires components of a holy symbol and the druid does not have – the mistletoe is a usable replacement. Or, the mistletoe can be added at time of spell casting and the spell would be less random and more powerful (any random effects of the spell are automatically the maximum amount).

After spending his money, Wilhelm joined the queue up river where under the tutelage and guidance of the elder circle members, had a very successful harvesting session, easily achieving the top 25% of gathered herbs. Good Wilhelm!

For the rest of us, there was training and resupplying. Things to fix and sharpen, items to replace, and visits to various guilds to train up. The rest of the party had come back a few times and we discussed what we had learned and what our next steps were going to be. Dizzy took pains to disguise himself, as his skin and horns had those that encountered him disturbed and bothered.

It was a 12 days run of taking care of town business and issues. And throughout it all – Shim’s returning nightmares of the Norns cutting huge swaths of the skein…and the Mountain at Donnegarten’s Stronghold exploding…reminded us that the time to solve and resolve this issue was diminishing. In Shadowthyrst we know there is a countdown clock winding down. And during our time at Donnegarten, we also know that Fimbulwinter…Ragnarok…The exploding of the mountain…is slated, due, expected to happen at some point before the Winter Solstice.

And could happen as soon as tomorrow.

We were going to have to take a trip to Gorok and see about getting Ralstrom’s signature on the Addendum. And maybe get some damned answers as to what the reason was for all this…and maybe how to stop it.

Meet 105, Adv 13, 11/9/24

Firemonth 10th, 10:15 AM. After the scent of brimstone had faded away, the group left the toporified divine beings where they were and trudged across the feculent floor to the elevator shaft. Looking up, the group discussed options. It was going to be Wilhelm and Connal going back to the top. The druid cast a pair of spider climb spells and the two men began the long walk up to and back to the top. A light spell followed and eventually they arrived at the 2nd floor. From there, not trusting the duration of the spell, they turned to the stairs and made their way with care back to the top floor.

Wilhelm went back to the Lift Control Station while Connal made his up the rungs to the Lift Machinery. He shook out the fire pan, primed the pump. Made sure the pilot light was lit. Then it was kindling in the dampener and some time later the burner was hot enough to start heating up the boiler. As the temperature gauges rose Wilhlem stabbed the start button and the entire machinery burst to life again.

With smoke gathering over there, Connal made his way down the rungs and then back up to this side. Wilhelm started the lift rising up after getting a Telepathic OK from Shim 4 levels down – and the group was brought back up through the Donnegarten Complex and we were all together again. The machine was shut down and we let the fire box cool. We then made our way slowly to the entrance where we had to fuck with the doors and counterweights to get it to open again. We were outside by 1:15 and by 2 PM, had the place sealed up again.

Eoghan leading the way took us off the mountain and eventually to the valley floor below. We traveled to the southwest and in a cup shaped tree full valley, set up a camp. We rested, tired and exhausted, and awoke the next day feeling much better. A Create Water had our skins refilled. It was Firemonth the 11th sand by 9 AM after praying and studying, we were ready to go. Our foodstuffs should be ok to get us home but the party was pretty worn out. We discussed the 3 day trip back to Erylond, or we could press south to Great Road and head off to Canaslan and rest in Paxian. It would be late, but we’d be able to rest and eat properly.

Our road decided, we headed off south. We were out of the Mountain area by 1 and by 1:45, were safely across the river. We headed south, Eoghan and Wilhelm being dead on with their directions and picking the best trails and paths for us to take – maximizing our travel time. By 6:30 PM we were looking for a campsite and eventually bedded down for the night. Again, we were lucky not to be disturbed by the locals.

On the morn of the 12th we were up early, 6 AM, and by 7 were on our way. The travel was not arduous and we made the Traderoads by 3. We went east for an hour or so and arrived @ Canaslan without issue. On entering we noted the pressing heat and the fact that there was more drunkenness and merriment abounding. Turns out it was “Paxian Day” – roughly 16th year anniversary since King Seljack found the Sovereign Stone and became lord of Canaslan.

We entered the gates of Paxian which were thrown wide and were informed that King Seljack was picking up the tab for…well…everything. As long as it wasn’t top shelf crap or exotic food stuffs, just about all shows, foods, and drinks were gratis from the King. The place was already crazy with open bottles and fornication in the streets. Revelers were dancing and racing about, even the guards and constabulary were partaking.

We made our way to Third Shadow and got a room just off the main strip. We drank and laughed and had a good time. Someone came in asking about Knox, our donkey, and Connal wanted to know why. Was it for sale? One of the entertainers did not have a donkey available as hers had come up lame and wanted to buy ours. At first it was like, no, thanks but go away. Then when they offered 400 commons for it so she could do her donkey show, we were like, hmmm. The party discussed it and to a man, they all said to dump it. “Damn thing never liked anyone,” Wilhelm offered. “And I’m a druid. What is a donkey show anyway?”

After paying the monastic the bag of coppers, the pimp led Wilhelm out to the stables and the druid had the chance to see the awkward and perverted joining of equine and human set to the pounding beat of a kettle drum and a vibrating mouth harp. He was stunned and watched the entire show. Twice.

We awoke the next day amidst the rain and gloom and Eoghan was just a miserable fuck for it. With pounding heads and tired limbs, we left Thirdshadow and made our way out of Paxian. And Damn it to hell, King Seljack was there! He wished us a good trip and asked if we had a good time. He wanted his people to be happy and blowing off steam for a few days and not having to worry about paying for it (outside of a headache) was a cheap enough cost for him.

We travelled down the Traderoad westward, without a donkey this time, so we were all carrying the tool boxes, food stuffs, and other items Knox had been carrying. It was slow going and were were tired and wet. Eoghan snapped at Dizzy and Connal a few times before the day was done. We rested that evening without a fire and ate our rations cold.

The next day was warmer and brighter. Firemonth the 14th was already much better and we travelled on. The miles passed by with little fanfare and our steps were light and happy. We saw smaller thorps and farms, then larger estates, and in the distance on the hill, was the mighty city of Erylond. 6:30 had us going through the main gates and 6:50 at our home.

We greeted the friends there (Asher, Annalee, Gryg, Thalin, Godrick) and shared some of our tales with them. It was 8:15 on Firemonth the 14th, and according to our calendar – it had been 16 days since we had left Erylond to head off to Donnegarten.

Meet 104, Adv 13, 10/19/24

Firemonth the 9th. The group went through plans to come and the anticipation that we would be facing Jubilex tomorrow. Haztez, the Black Warrior was keen on it and Hiawatha was happy to be a part of it. Glooskap, the Skinwalker, would handle whatever large slime the Faceless Lord threw our way. The rest of us would react accordingly and allow the heavy hitters to do their attacks on Jubilex. We had a few surprises of our own, including 4 Thunderbird Arrows when the time comes.

We walked around, bottled up some water, and arranged a night’s rest. We slept well and awoke the next day anxious to get engaged. Prayers and spells were revisited. We climbed the buildings and talked about fighting from within. Did not want to move the shutters, did not want to get the party cut off from one another, did not want to set us up to fail. We drew up a line in front of the dwarven stronghold and after making sure of a good place to piss off Jubilex; Haztez summoned a line of flame and set fire to a large 60’ swath of assorted slimes, lichen, mushrooms, and fetid pools.

The smell was horrible and as it popped and smoked and filled the air, we heard a large “BONG” from the Maw above; where the 23 cables all ran together. A faint glow appeared followed by another “BONG”. And then another. And finally a huge slimy mass extricated itself from the hole, slid over, and grabbed a part of the ceiling. It then seemed to retract and from the hole…emerged Jubliex.

18’ tall, a mass of frightening eyes and snarling toothy maws, it shuddered and dripped and roiled in a sickening display of shifting colors. It brachiated across the ceiling until it finally drew close to the platform where its movements sped up and it became stronger and then some 80’ or so from our front line; it dropped the 70’ from the ceiling and landed with a wet splash here before towering over all of the party.

Haztez whistled, grabbing his cudgel tighter. Hiawatha readied his spear and the group tightened their grip on weapons and spells…and then Jubilex roared and charged us screaming with a dozen ragged mouths.

It flung a large slime out from a waving hand and it hit the ground and slithered towards the group. A Thunderbird Arrow was readied and then…fired. The struck the Faceless Lord who absorbed most of its power but still was burned for his efforts. More followed and Bless spells echoed out. Our lines grew closer and it ripped a hole in space, and a damned vampire spooled out and flew towards us, a cloud of bats surrounding its head.

Shim shot off a magic missile and the vampire was hit and it turned in the air, heading from the gnome. Connal raced to intercept and Hiawatha and Haztez smashed weapons into Jubilex. It rocked back and smashed out, flattening Haztez and then hurled another wave of slime out, and a 15’ square gelatinous cube slapped down right by Eoghan and Wilhelm. “I’ve got this one!” Glooskap ran to interfere, her hands outstretched into long talons and she plunged them deep into the cube, making it shudder as it tried to dissolve her enchanted skin and she tried to devour it.

Another Thunderbird Arrow flew out and Jubliex rocked from the blow. Connal was fast and the bats tried to blind him but the monk leapt and jumped and knocked them aside. The undead menace made to grab him and he managed to avoid the touch, instead using his enchanted bracers to deliver powerful blows against the vampire.

Getting hurt, Jubilex tore open a hole in space and had it consume Haztez, dimension dooring him half a mile away to land in the waters…where Sargonnas swims. Damn it! He them smashed Hiawatha, the hero taking 40 points of damage from that single blow! He shoved himself up and ran back to the fight. More spells were flung and then Jubilex hurled a few slimes to land near the ranger and druid, causing them to run back and avoid being consumed.

Connal and the Vampire were ripping into one another and Shim called, “Haztez! I call for your aid!” and the once a day answer came forth and Haztez appeared! Soaking wet and nursing a few bruised ribs he laughed and thanked the group for the call. He let his fire surround him, drying him off and giving him a barrier and he rejoined the fight. Glooskap had the Cube mostly devoured, the center of it hollowed out as she swelled larger and larger. A Vrock was summoned, the vulture demon coming in hot and causing Wilhelm and Eoghan to abandon shooting the Faceless Lord and hit the new threat.

It was the snake faced demon that came through next that had the group look for anything to end the fight before it got too large for us to handle.

Shim took out the Lightning Bottle he had been carrying for some time, raw lighting harvest from a Gnomish Skyship some time in the past. He pointed it at the Faceless Lord and yelled at everyone to get clear. He then ripped open the cover and let all 4 lightning bolts rip out. They cleared the 55’ feet between the sorcerer and the Demon Lord, and each one buried itself deep inside its nightmare body. Huge chunks of slimy material blew out from the scorching impact craters as it roared in agony and fell over and teetered slowly before finally beaten and then it dropped down.

Unmoving and dead.

The rest of the fights went easy well as the demonics did their best to re-gate home and the group could devote their efforts to unite and take down the last of the enemies. Exhausted and hurt, we finished them off and then looked over the very dead Jubilex. As his body melted away, a brass plate appeared in the mass of bubbling ooze and filth. Dizzy stepped forward, the one he was carrying burning as he got closer. The thought was to combine the two and then use its latent power to force the portal open back to the Happy Hunting Grounds. Sending all the denizens here home.

And when he touched it he felt an inrushing of demonic power. His skin grew red and his eyes yellowed. But when he tried to force a beam of power UNDER the water and into the gate, it burbled out and then time seemed to stop.

Everything stopped and the air grew still and stepping out of nothing, was a 6’4” tall red skinned man in a bespoke suit, handsome face, and a welcoming smile. “Just what do you think you are doing?”

“I was going to open that portal and send everyone here back. They don’t belong here.”

The figure looked around and nodded. “You are right, they don’t. But that portal. That portal? That’s not yours to open. That specific portal is deeded to a Ralstrom Thermun Gorok.” He pulled out a rolled up scroll and read it over. “Yep, signed it right there, see?” He showed it to Dizzy and it was some infernal contract. “Signed right there by his own hand. And the other signature is mine.” He pointed to a different scrawl. “Name is Asmodeus. Duke of Hell. And I have a contract that says you cannot open that up.”

Feeling the power of the Abyssal Tablets within him, Dizzy looked down at his fingers. “I have the strength to open up that portal.”

“I don’t deny you have the strength to open…A…portal. A. Portal.” He pointed east, “Not THAT portal. Not unless your name is Ralstrom…or you have a contract addendum that he authorizes you to open THAT portal.”

Dizzy frowned. “What if I just do it?”

Asmodeus smiled. “You would open a portal, and it would go somewhere. There are over a thousand other layers of outer planes out there past the Astral void. Over 600 of them lead to the Abyss. You want to open a random hole from this plane to another and hope you manage to get to the RIGHT plane where every divine being in here not nailed down gets sucked into and spat out,” he leaned over and smiled, “Then go right ahead. Let’s see if you get 772. Anything else, and it’ll be entertaining.”

Dizzy was very uncomfortable dealing with the Hellish Duke, but did latch on to one thing. “So if I get Ralstrom’s signature, I can open THAT portal?”

Asmodeus nodded. “Yep. His soul is eventually mine, but he is still alive and kicking. One of the last Axiom’s he adhered to was “Forever Alive”. It doesn’t mean what he thinks it does, but it applies to him and his situation at least for now.” He rummaged into his briefcase and pulled out a small scroll. He spent a minute penning on it and then held it out to Dizzy. “There. I don’t need your signature on it, but Get Ralstrom Gorok to sign off on this that he knowingly and of his own free will gives you proxy to operate the opening and closing 1 time of the portal specifically Donnegarten Stronghold number 23 between the Prime Material Plane and the Happy Hunting Grounds and then you can come back here and do what you need to do.”

“No tricks?”

Asmodeus nodded. “No tricks. Getting the old Duke of Razors to sign it is your issue. As for this place, I sort of forgot about it. The divine leak here is a no go so we are going to just,” he squinted and there was a strange squeal coming from the maw, “shut that down. There.” The feeble lights seemed to die off a bit and the bodies of Haztez, Glooskap, and Hiawatha all slumped further down, their bodies unmoving and their color seemingly muted.

He looked Dizzy over. “Two tablets. You are growing in power. I wonder what kind of Abyssal Lord you’ll end up being.”

“Excuse me?”

The Duke smiled. “That kind of power stains a person. When you die, and all mortals do, you will go like a comet to the Abyss where with luck, you’ll end up on a layer that is lightly guarded where you can let the powers of the tablets roar through you and do what you can to run the place. Mind you, Jubilex and Zuggtmoy might eventually get wind of you, but that’s a problem for the future you.” He looked at his wrist and smiled. “Time flies and I’ve got to go. Good luck, Idela Dizrea.” And then he stepped between worlds and was gone.

The group had not been able to move but heard all of it. Ok, we have to go to Gorok and soon. And while there, maybe get some more information from Ralstrom as to what the goal was to be here. And who the hell is Donnegarten? It was Firemonth the 10th, about 9:30 AM, and we had a long way to go to get out of this place and we did not have the help of Hiawatha of Haztez this time. And what of the Lolthian Spiders? Were they still here somewhere or were they now dormant too?

Meet 103, Adv 13, 10/12/24

Leaving the dwarven offices, we went over the map of the locales, 23 (22 active) of them and decided that we would walk down to the one that was marked as Tyche, Goddess of Luck (as opposed to Lord of Efreeti and King in Yellow). Hastez opted to wait at the top of the area (since he would be cut off from the divine if he left the platform), and we also left Glooskap, Connal, Knox, and both smaller cats.

The stairs were wide, no railing at the edges, but more than sufficiently able to support the party’s passage at over 50’ wide. They were designed for dwarven feet and legs so the rises were only about 7”, shallower than most found comfortable. The platform of stone below was pretty sizable, triangular shaped and about 200’ at the widest point to point. A squat keep of stone was here, 30’x 30’x15’ tall. A 5’ wide braided cable of steel was bolted to the roof somehow with a crimp collar, anchored in many places along the floor and then down into the water where it eventually made its way to the roof far above and what had been labeled the “maw”.

There was only an indistinct candle watt powered glow coming from it and looking over the entire building, there were no doors, windows, or ways in. Two of us went to the roof where they swept the grit, mushrooms, and fungi off the surface with a shovel, letting it rain to the floor around the keep. But nothing up here. Dizzy was pretty sure he could see where a doorway once was – 5’ wide, 8’ tall, but had been filled in with blocks of stone and mortared to match the rest of the structure. Dizzy’s guess? The blocks of the entire structure were easily 3’ wide and would not move. No way in.

We did look it all over and Dizzy had an idea. Taking a coin out, he flipped it and called it heads – and it was heads. Then he did it with 2 coins, then 5, and each test came up heads. The lucky effect only seemed to stretch out about 4’ from the edge of the building. We had the idea of luring Jubilex out to the area, get him to the edge of the platform, and Eoghan up here with his bow would shoot, landing shot after shot.

Why would Jubliex come to the edge of the platform at all, knowing the faceless lord would have reduced powers and strength? And a test of the shooting showed that the lucky effect stopped at 4” from Tyche’s gate keep – and the arrows fired had no special ability to hit, luck or not. It was about 10:30 at this point, an hour past all our checking over the area, and we wanted to go to the water and try to find the platform with Ahto, God of the Seas location. Thunderbird should be down there.

Eoghan poured over the map and once he was sure based upon where we were with Tyche, talked to Hiawatha about using the Native American’s canoe. He took it from his satchel and tossed it to the water where it grew large enough for Hiawatha, Eoghan, Dizzy, Shim, and Wilhelm to board. Standing there, arms folded, he plied in on the water and we sailed off into the darkness.

Wilhelm had spoken to the group earlier and going through animals he could transform into, it was Connal’s suggestion of a harbor seal that made the most sense. So he stripped off his clothes and down to his skivvies and when we got to an area in the underground lake that Eoghan suggested, Hiawatha stopped the canoe and had it settle lower in the water, magically anchored to this spot. Wilhelm got completely naked and then concentrated, green glow surrounding him before a flash of light and WHAM – 220 lb grey/brown harbor seal fat and blubbery on the canoe.

He managed to get to the side and roll over where his natural skills came to the forefront. He got used to his body and then swam down into the gloom. 30, 40, 50, 60’ down. He eventually came to a platform of stone and swimming around it found another one of those stone keeps on it. While circling behind it he was able to find the massive body, large as a Roc, of Thunderbird. The Native American god was dead here, neck twisted in a strange way. But cold and unmoving in the deep waters. He swam around it a few times, answering Shim’s telepathic questions when they arose, and once sure there was no way to lift the city bus sized deity, went looking for feathers he could pluck or remove.

It took some time, almost half an hour before he was able to find 2 feathers able to be removed. The god’s body was tough, firm, and unyielding – but 2 of them were plucked. Rising to the surface he gave them to the party, took a deep breath, and on Eoghan’s urging, went back down to try and get more. It was again some time before he was able to get 2 more – at this point he had been over the entirety of Thunderbird’s body, some hour plus, and we had gotten 4.

There was a stream of light that slowly rose from the top of Ahto’s stone keep, filling the cable and brightening as it made its way up the cable, through the water, and then up the walls of the cave and to the maw itself. Not wanting to be in the water any longer, Wilhelm swam up to the canoe, was helped in, and Hiawatha had us sail back to the shore. The druid shifted back to his normal form and the light stayed lit for half an hour before it eventually died down.

We came out of the water and made our way up the stairs to Tyche’s area and then finally to the top platform. We shared what we had learned with the rest of the party, ate some lunch, and Eoghan looked over the Thunderbird feathers. He figured he could split them and refletch one feather on 4 different arrows, imparting Thunderbird’s power (purple threads of magic seemed to infuse each arrow as he was successful). Wrote some scrolls and by now it was about 4 PM. We wanted to go and see if we could find the stone keep that led to the Happy Hunting grounds.

According to the map, it was off the northern most platform (efreeti), and then eastward 800 or so feet into the dark gloom – and from there, 100’ below the surface of the water. We each got into place again, leaving the cats, mule, Connal, Glooskap, and Hastez at the top of the platform. Canoe was cast on the water and we all boarded again, heading into the dark of the cave.

It was like being in a different world. The darkness. The stillness. Only the soft flap of water against the canoe echoed into the gloomy darkness. Eoghan did his best to guide us to where he felt the location was. There was some jockeying about and then Hiawatha stopped the canoe. He had it anchor in place, settling it a few inches in the water. Wilhelm again got naked and then transformed for the 2nd time into a harbor seal. The group had cast Light on a stone and Shim wove it into a necklace for the druid. He flopped over the side and had a harder time getting his bearings in the water before swimming deeper and deeper down.

It was hard going and at 100’ below the surface it was terrifyingly spooky. He swam around, pacing his place by an outcropping of stone before stumbling on a platform of stone deep under the water. He swam around it but there was nothing about it that stood out. There was also some light coming from the cable above it, meaning this was not the right location since the Happy Hunting Grounds was supposedly not finished when the orcs attacked. He swam back and up, finding another platform of stone and it was here that he came upon one of the 30x30x15 structures. The cable was dark. And the door…was open. A black rectangle.

Assured this was the place, Wilhelm swam back to the surface and then had the canoe move so it was over the right area. He spoke to Shim through the amulet and then was encouraged to go back and look inside. So he swam back down and went up to the door. And bravely, made his way inside. It was dark in here, his light stone helping to show the way. There was a 5’ diameter reflective surface standing up in the center, a few cracks near a corner. He crept closer and placed a flipper on the edge, where it seemed to fold over.

Looking it was a 30’ long tube 5’ diameter with a reflection of him at the other end – but the area was not the dark keep he was in, instead it was some ocean shore with a nice set of low cliffs and verdant lands beyond. Pastoral and wonderful. A voice, sounding like many layers on top of each other, asked, “Who are you?” Wilhelm tried to answer and it kept saying, “You are NOT supposed to be here. Leave!” And then as Wilhelm was trying to make his case the many layered voice said, “Sargonnas. Remove this interloper!”

And then an 18’ Tiger shark seemed to swim into the mirror view. Terrible and feral, it looked like what a perfect version of a shark would look like. It snarled at Wilhelm and he felt it ripple at him. And then it forced its way…into the tunnel! It seemed to be stretching and shoving. It bit and flexed and its flukes shoved it forward AGAIN, now more than half way down the tunnel and getting closer to Wilhelm’s face.

This is wrong. I have to go.

Wilhelm started waving himself backwards out of the stone keep as the Shark God shoved AGAIN – actually passing through the last of the disk and INTO the prime material plane. Here. Right fucking here.

"SARGONNAS!!!" It roared and the water swirled at its anger as Wilhelm turned and fled for the surface.

From above they saw bubbles rise and the water seemed to take on a strange hue. And Shim was asking Wilhelm what is going on as the harbor seal flew out of the water and beached himself on the canoe, screaming in Shim’s ear to get the fuck out of here. Shim was trying to pass the message along as Hiawatha turned the canoe from the area and started to move it back to shore. 800’ away. The closest area out of the water which at max speed was 50’/round – making us 16 minutes from safety.

And the Shark God was swimming below us.

Hiawatha was stunned. Sargonnas is NOT here and did not come through when the portal first tore open 144 years ago – most of the aspects of the mythology did not get sucked through. But now? Here? Dizzy was shouting, “What did you do?!” to the druid as Sargonnas finally crashed through the doorway of the keep below and swam to the surface, lifting entirely out of the water and snapping its teeth where we once were, Hiawatha sailing us back as fast as he could.

Eoghan shot an arrow out as Wilhelm turned back to human. The shark god charged the boat and sank its teeth against the back of the canoe, the enchanted vessel getting scored from the effort but Hiawatha’s will kept it upright and sailing along. Wilhelm called to Frey and summoned Monster 3 – and holy hell – got a shark! He sent his shark at Sargonnas and the two of them did bloody battle in the water as we raced away. The distance closed and then it came back for us and we fired and shot and more summons were made, and we got an ogre – dropping it right in the shark god’s mouth as he tried to bite us.

It held on and was screaming and Sargonnas chewed on its midsection, ignoring the blows, and dragged under the water. And we raced away, distance closing to shore. As it surfaced again more summons were thrown at it, 3 stirges and another shark! It ignored the stirges and did battle with the shark again, giving us more time to get closer. 6 mins away? It dove down and then breached again. More arrows fired off along with a trio of giant rats! Two got washed away or swallowed, but one hung on in Sargonnas’ mouth, clawing at the gum line!

As it approached Wilhelm had one more summons – and got a giant crocodile! It bit at Sargonnas and tail slapped him as it swam past. He bit it back and tore through the croc. And then the shark god hit the canoe from below, and this time Wilhelm and Eoghan were pitched over the side. Damn it! We drifted aside and the crocodile slammed at Sargonnas again. We looked over, the druid was treading water – but Eoghan slipped under!

At 250 feet from shore, Hiawatha went to Dizzy and said, “Spiritual Warrior, I do hereby give you the ownership and control of my canoe now and of my own free will!” The canoe shook a bit and Dizzy was coaxed to stand up, the magical boat following his commands as it drifted to Wilhelm, the druid hoisting himself over the side. Hiawatha looked in the distance where Sargonnas was doing battle with the crocodile and then dove off the canoe in the direction of where Eoghan had sunk under the water.

Dizzy was driving the canoe forward, controlling it as the shore got closer and closer. There was a final cry and the croc was slain and we were 75’ feet from the stairs – we were going to make it!

But Sargonnas is not just the god of sharks, he is also the god of tides…and tidal waves.

“SARGONNAS!!!” the shark roared in the darkness behind and a 25’ vertical wall of water CHARGED the canoe. Dizzy tried his best, pushing and coaxing every bit of speed out of the vessel but it wasn’t enough. The canoe leaned forward and rode the wave before Dizzy lost his contact with the floor and the vessel tumbled and rolled, driven forward and UP the stairs, smashing everyone to the stone steps and dashing the canoe to splinters. Everyone was knocked out, dazed, barely alive.

And Sargonnas growled in the dark and then turned back, Dorsal fin leading the way as it swam deeper into the cavern of Donnegarten.

As for Eoghan, he could not hold his breath before the Indian hero could get to him and he swallowed the water, it racing into his lungs and drowning him – taking him right to 0 hp. Hiawatha did find him and holding him backwards, swam him through the edge of the steps and then finally out of the water, terrified that Sargonnas would find them and come back.

The group managed to roll Eoghan to his side and let the water drain from his lungs. Pressure was given to his chest to force out more water and then finally healing was dispensed and Eoghan gasped back to life. Broken, sodden, a mess. But alive. Carrying our passed out friends, we staggered up the stairs to the platform and then finally to the rest of the group. Dizzy felt horrible about Hiawatha’s canoe but the Indian hero told him not to worry. It served its purpose well and he managed to save the 3 party members in light of Sargonnas’ assault.

We did LOTS of healing and we talked about what happened – and that for now, we would not be heading back under the water. Now with the threat of the Shark God down here.

It was 6:45 PM on Firemonth the 9th and we’ve been up for 18 hours. We were discussing what to do next and how bad things would be if Jubilex showed up now.

Meet 102, Adv 13, 10/5/24

Once the room was back in order, Hiawatha and Hastez (and Glooskap!) went with us out of the dormitories, through the waters of the 3rd level, and then up the collapsed stairs. We made our way over to the steps where Hastez had a conversation with his Ve’Estan. As soon as they hear ANY noise from above, play their belly drums loud! This will deter Hastel, the Red Warrior, from coming to investigate.

We led our group up the steps and over the gaps, making our way ever upward until we were back on the top floor. From here Shim, Dizzy, and Wilhelm went over the lift machine again, making sure we still knew how to work it. Some wood was gathered and Connal went down to the rungs and then up to the machine itself. The fire box was mostly ash, maybe 15 pounds of wood. The pilot light was still lit. And the water tank was hard to tell – less than half full? The thought was that Hastez could heat up the boiler with his hands so we could get the elevator back up to the top. And then we could do like we did before with the water elemental.

But according to the fill dial, the tank was not quite out of the red – pressure to work the main dwarven spiral gear would not be high enough. So we all brought our water skins over and Connal filled the reservoir with them – getting it CLOSE – but not enough. So Hastez held his hands up and concentrated…making it rain! A pounding warm summer rain fell all around the area and Connal used his cloak to act as a funnel, forcing the rain into the fill tank – and getting the boiler tank just into the green mark of the dwarven dial.

The Black Warrior was exhausted from his display of divine magic, but was excited for being a part of this. Getting the green light from Wilhelm, Hastez placed his hands on the metal boiler and HEATED it up with his touch. The water inside quickly grew hot and the whistle began to steam. Wilhelm started the lift and then with the engine running, manipulated the lift controls to get it to rise. On pushing the speed level higher though, he did forget about the blowback, and the lift boiler gave a loud BANG – and a 9’ gout of flame shot out scoring the two men. Hastez stood there and smiled as the flames coursed over him, but Connal had to JUMP, evading the worst of the fire and perched up on the machine’s top cowling.

As soon as the elevator came closer and closer, Wilhelm slowed the machine down and eventually engaged the brakes, locking it in place. The boiler was now about a quarter filled and the metal was cherry red for a bit until it eventually cooled off. The god and the monk jumped onto the lift and Connal pulled the platform out from the bottom of the lift. Meanwhile Dizzy and Wilhelm worked the controls and bounced and lifted the gantry until it finally slipped out from the wall and extended enough to bridge to the lift from this side.

All over here now, we had gathered some 100#’s of broken wood and Shim attempted to write a scroll. Needing more water, Connal and Hiawatha went down to the 2nd level and filled up the 5 water skins at the water from the bridge. The Native Hero’s presence kept the water babies at bay, allowing them to gather the needed resources without issue. From there they went back to the top floor and placing 2 of them in the middle of the loading area, Dizzy and Wilhelm cast Create water. As the water spread, 20 gallon pooling out, Dizzy cast it again and Wilhelm cast Animate water. It all gathered together into a 4’ tall fat bipedal form.

He guided it over the gantry and to the platform and then to the machine where he had it flow up to the fill pipe and then slowly pour itself into the boiler. We were now very much in the green.

Everyone got in position, Hastez and Wilhelm staying up at the machine controls. The druid then turned it on and sent it down the almost300’ to the 4th floor. When the smoke got too much, Hastez inhaled it. And when it was safely down, the fire god inhaled the flames from across the way and extinguished the fire box. Once off the lift, the group called out Hastezilini’s name and the Black Warrior grabbed Wilhelm and the 2 of them portalled down to the 4th floor.

The area here as a fucking mess. We had come from Shedaklah not too long ago and this was very much like that. Foul, feculent, mushrooms and slime and oozing stink everywhere. Also, unlike our Vision quest, the cave was filled with phosphorous fungi and lichen on the ceilings, giving it an otherworldly glow. The cables were also only dimly lit, visible in the half mile gloom of the cave but only just barely. Hastez also let us know about the strange feeling down here.

There was a 500 foot triangular platform of stone here with a dwarven compound on the north end. Three main trunks led off of the main platform to other landings where those keeps were. And from there they went off again into the gloom and down – but sunk into and under the water. This meant just under 20 of the platforms were out in the water and below the surface.

And no divine being can get off the platform. If they do, their divinity seems to be sapped. None of the gods have dared it. Only Thunderbird. He was the strongest of them all. Constantly looking for a way to get them all home. Jubilex makes his home in the maw above on the ceiling, a gathering of all the cables that go up into a nest of cables. He stays there for the most part, feeding on the residual energy before coming back down to the here to feed. It was during one of those times when the Faceless lord was at his strongest and Thunderbird was at his weakest that they fought and the great god fell from the sky and plummeted down to the water. According to Buffalo he rests near some gate to an Ahto, god of the seas from some pantheon. We don’t know which that it was. There is a compound to the north, so we decided to go there and check it out.

The door was still locked and the blast shutters were all in place. It looked like no one had been in here. Dizzy picked the lock and we looked in. Decent sized room, entrance area, some chairs. Signs for Offices, Meeting Room, and Record. And 4 dead dwarves here. Still had skin and hair, wearing rags. We entered and the first dwarf gasped and choked, hand out pointing to us. Then the next and the other 2. Damn it, ghouls! Dizzy called to Sif and turned them, and the ghouls all fled to the far end of the room, forced there but unable to get away.

So Shim shot a magic missile at 2 of them and damn it all to hell – they fell over dead! This spurred Hiawatha and Hastez to also throw projectiles, killing the last 2. Dizzy looked them over and assured us the dwarves were in such bad shape that even undead, they had only a few sparks of life. Still dangerous, but easily manageable.

We went to the offices first. Short hall, west door and north door, 2 more dwarf ghouls. We go west and find a conference style office table and chairs. Over 10 could sit here. There were signs on the walls (in dwarvish). Maxwell’s demon, work is the best reward, future is better when worked for. We then left and went to the next – a secretary’s office with the secretary here. Dead of course. Aaaand a ghoul. We killed her and looked around. Found a key to the next door and entered. Someone who ran this place, that’s who the office belonged to.

It was in pretty good condition, picture of Mt Gorok on the wall, some knicknacks and the like. Big desk. Just…no dwarf. No zombie. Placard said: High Thane of 3rd District (retired) Ralstrom Thermun Gorok, Ordained Nornian Threadbinder, General of the 2nd Gorokian Special Forces (Retired), Advisor to the Council of Thanes, Head and Master of Future Projects, Duke of Razors.

And where was he? Shim did a detect magic and we saw a single point, weak, on the wall with the Gorok picture and some real dormant but still possible ritual type on the opposite wall. We spent some time mulling it over and guessed it might be a portal of some sort. The place was supposed to be self contained, no one leaves ever. But this Ralstrom, had it seemed a back way to get out. And it was his name on that contract we saw in the vision quest with Asmodeus. Dizzy guessed that he might even still alive and probable ran away when the orcs hit the place, portalled back to Gorok. 144 years ago.

We then left and went to the meeting room, killed some ghouls, and then the records area. No ghouls here and there were 6 rooms on both sides of the hall – 41, 42, 43 and then the right was 44, 45, and 46. We went into 44 and looked about. 25’ deep, 10 wide,15’ tall, both sides lined with shelves to the ceiling. A rolling ladder on a track above allowing someone to get to any shelf either side. A mix of tomes, scrolls, folded pages, vellum, stone tablets, clay tablets, and other off things. Dizzy and Shim took some time to read them and it was some records that the researchers had noted a long time ago of getting portals open.

We guessed the numbers were the year in question the place had been keeping records. 6 years before it was overrun. Made sense. They went back to 41 and looked and it was mostly all stone bits and clay bits – no paper. All real old, like millennia old bits of legend. Kinslayer wars and dwarven combats. Legendary bits of ancient wisdom 1500, 2000 years old.

Thee went to the last rooms and it wasn’t full, likely the orcs had come and destroyed it during year 46. The missives talked about Ralstrom and the Randari getting some wind of this place. A traitor or spy on the Thane’s council. And each trip back to Gorok made it likely they’d be caught. Also, some notes about the entire set up being stable and not needing their support if they could get 30 gates in place. Something about the elves of Tilani and a frustration of the world tree.

We then went back and the two of them did a deeper dive into the older records and legends. Seems part of the genesis of this was the elves had a Lifetree, a huge 300 foot tall redwood/oak sort of Fey tree that was a descendant to their original home across the stars. And Tilani was unable to be broached. But a dwarven tactician named Oden had figured out a way to portal through the Astral plane, bypassing the elves defenses, and the Gorokian dwarven set a massive explosion at the Lifetree, crippling it and then it fell – a living natural embodiment of the elven home and culture. It demoralized them immediately and they lost the Kinslayer war, where they were subjugated to the dwarven empire for the next 300 years.

This. This bit of information was key to the entire Donnegarten Stronghold. And this Ralstrom was the chief researcher and architect of it all. Which eventually gave birth to the Terror Dungeon. And according to Shim, it will be ground zero for Ragnarok…or at least Fimbulwinter…very damned soon.

Meet 101, Adv 13, 9/21/24

We figured we’d try and work the Inserrat next – but didn’t want to do it where there was water nearby. So we made our way out of the sunken area of the 3rd level and then figured we’d head back to the Kitchen/Pantry area to sit with them. It was here that we managed to talk with them (Glooskap and Hiawatha translating for us). Their patron, Shakak, God of Winter, was not here but they could imprint his protection on one if they were willing to pay the price.

Wilhelm settled down and the Inserrat worked a mixture of ash and their own blood and then proceeded to tattoo a large design into the elven druid’s back. Each passage of ink stole more heat from his skin, giving it a bluish cast until finally it was done. Some of the Winter God’s protection would be at his constant back and call. As we left though to head off to do the vision quest we did come across Hastez, the Black Warrior.

We had some words with the volatile fire god, and he remembered Hiawatha. There was some history there and it wasn’t good. But on seeing Wilhelm, the Coward, they had some back and forth and some fire was exchanged and the Inserrat were visible. As Wilhelm was not backing down and there was a skinwalker with us, he deduced we were going to go on a vision quest.

To learn how to fight Jubilex.

Damn.

He wanted in. Him or Hastel? Fuck that guy, his brother was a piece of shit. Hastez was in. We smoked a peace pipe and Wilhelm was renamed Noco by Hastez (not a coward). So we went off to the dorm room and Hastez was pissed at Hiawatha as he had been here many times before an never saw the cacti, pants, or herbs the Indian brave had hidden here. Hiawatha used his spear to force the water out of the room and then when it was dry, gave everyone a slice of the cacti, the peyote.

We ate it and over the next short time found ourselves getting more and more spaced out and thrust into the spirit world where we had our vision.

We found ourselves on the 4th floor – but it was different. It was dry and not flooded. And there were 22 huge lit up cables running from the ground, up the side of the humongous cave (half mile by quarter mile), lit and pulsing, eventually coiling together like the base of a tree and going up into the ceiling – reminded us of the roots of Yggdrasil.

Our visions were spread over 4 of us. First we had a vision of the past where there was an attempt to activate the 22nd cable – some sort of 30x30x15 stone keep with a 5’ diameter braided cable out of the top. There were some discussions off screen so to speak and that the orcs were coming soon. Then the switch was thrown and most likely it was the portal to the Happy Hunting Grounds. Then it seemed that Jubilex came from the heart of the base of the cables on the ceiling, 18’ tall and dropped to the group upright and terrible.

The next person had a vision of a table with a number of strange piles of items. Eggs and swords and coins and a lantern and dirt – 22 small piles of offerings. Then a discussion off screen of what would encompass the offering for Thunderbird.

The next person had a vision of a devil and a deal being signed off on. Blood was offered and someone named Duke of Razors had signed the contract. There was another name on it – Asmodeus.

The last vision was of the what was most likely the first person and first established broken gate – Lathandar and his priest. Dwarf was abusing him, something about his religion reduced to a cult, a joke. And this was the last priest and his death would power the gate at long last – then the dwarf unfolded a 2’ straight edged razor and cut the priest from chest to neck, spilling it over a broken mirror and cracking the gate to the Dawnlands and Lathandar.

From there the group all seemed to be in the same area, water was filling the cave. They visited a few of the keeps – seeing Lathandar, Lovitar, and Arawn. Then the cave had filled and 18’ Jubilex fell to the area and the fight was on. It was strange and … perfect. Connal was very fast. Shim’s magic was spot on. Dizzy’s spiritual energy was off the chart. And Wilhelm’s blows were ridiculously strong. Jubilex took damage and hit back as the fight went on. He displayed some innate powers and seemed immune to certain attacks and effects. At one point when Shim was about to die, he and Eoghan swapped places and the ranger died instead. Then it happened again!. However the fight was over at short last and again – it seemed perfectly executed.

And the vision quest ended.

We were still in the dorm room. Some of us had been wounded during the vision quest and Knox the mule HATED Shim as at some point the gnome had hit the animal with his whip, tearing the mule’s face in the process. We studied, prayed, and broke our fast. It was Firemonth the 9th about 2 in the AM. (Our sleep schedule was now off about 6 hours from normal) We were going to go back to the top level and then operate the lift to the 4th level, being it would be safer to do it that way. We also knew that Thunderbird had “died” down there at some point and his body was near some sea god node. His feathers, if any there, according to Buffalo, could be useful for Eoghan for his arrows to use against Jubilex.

Meet 100, Adv 13, 9/14/24

With Glooskap’s information, we knew we had a day (maybe 12 hours) to set up for our interaction with Hiawatha. We paced out the area and if Hiawatha was half the hunter that the Skinwalker indicated he was, we were going to be hard pressed to set up any chance to talk to him. We figured an offering of a pipe to smoke and a sign of peace (hands up?). Shim took to drawing a few things and had a decent thing going.

Wanting to hold it in place, we needed some rocks and Dizzy offered to get as the mushroom chambers had no loose stones (only soil). Heading to the Crystal chambers, he looked around eventually getting 5 of them. At some point though he felt a draw to a set of red crystals and was thinking of touching/taking them but after talking to Eoghan, got it in his head to leave it alone. We got the gist from Jessie that this is a natural weak spot in the prime material plane (which we knew), and that the various planes that brush up against here leave a distilled residue that somehow grows as a crystal outcropping here. Yeah, better off to leave it alone.

Taking time with chisel and hammer, Dizzy was able to split each of the stones in half, making a flat side for each. We set up the area and were hanging out. Shim came across a hallucinogenic mushroom and vialed it for now. Eventually we heard the sound of movement and looking out, there was a 10’ puddle of some grey oozing mess sloshing its way down the corridor. He went back and let us know but going back out there, it was hard to see as it blended in with the hall and walls.

Suspecting it was still there, Wilhelm fired off a Fairie Fire spell, illuminating the ooze. This allowed Shim to magic missile it and send it down the hall towards us. A few tossed things were ignored but the next magic missile spell stopped it and it fell to one place and liquified. Nice. Taking a sample we retreated back to the Mushroom chamber and waited. Wilhelm had a speak with animal moment with Louie, convincing the cat that he had to wait in the crystal chamber and gave a description of Hiawatha as based upon Glooskap’s information. Once then, he would be given a magical message to reveal to the hero and then lead him back here.

An Animal Messenger spell followed and Louie went off to await the Hero. It was a few short hours later that Louie bounded back into the chamber and then a minute or 2 later, Hiawatha arrived. 6 and a half feet tall, skin brown and healthy tanned, thick leather buckskins, a few spears and a bow and arrows at his side, long black hair in a warrior’s braid a few feathers plaited in; and finally wearing the torn off fur skin of a large bear.

Hiawatha was willing to talk, he has been sort of lonely for a very long time, and having a hard time adjusting to being here. When he found out the door was opened and the group entered, his first thought was, Fuck this – let’s go! We had to convince him that the world out there is not his world, and that we needed his help. Somehow he had the impression that we were more powerful than we really were.

We talked for a while, doing what we could to convince him that we needed his help against Jubilex. Glooskap made herself visible at this point and there was much talking . We would need to go on a vision quest to see how to defeat jubilex, then that is what we’d have to do. He has some peyote that he had been growing somewhere on the 3rd level and wanted to go there. He said a vision quest typically included 5 braves or warriors who are the heart of the group quest. The strongest, the fleetest, the most magical, the most spiritual, and the one doomed to die.

We identified Eoghan as that one.  The Ranger did not take it well. Hiawatha said that this was not a bad thing since that was also the most noble and self sacrificing – it was his death and hardship that makes sure the rest of the warriors can complete their quest. So it’s a good thing. Ok, but let's try not dying. We talked about the 2 brothers and came back to the idea that we still need to help Wilhelm – that meant going to the Inserrat. Another thing Hiawatha thought was neat regarding us.

We left the chambers and made our way back to the bridge where the hero blocked the water with his spear and body, holding all the water back so we could run across the 50’ span. Then he charged after and the water returned. Wilhelm offered to hang back here and see if Buffalo wanted to talk and we all went down to the end of the area where Hiawatha was impressed that we actually moved the elevator! It wasn’t just a floating floor? It moves?!? Wow!

Buffalo showed and Wilhelm and the plains god had their conversation before we all rejoined and then went down the steps. At the gap Hiawatha watched and helped as we set up a bridge of the door and was like, hmm – neat low energy solution!

At the 3rd floor we went south to the kitchen, replaced the door on the hinges, and took the 2 dead bodies from the oven. We knew we’d have to be in the water to face the Inserrat, but if we could use the bodies of the Ve’Estan as bait, it would be better. So we gathered them up and tied some ropes to their shoulders. Hiawatha said he had a canoe we could use that that was good. As for the pool of water, Glooskap let us know it was a break to the elemental plane of water. Oh. Neat!

We went to the 20’ drop and Hiawatha picked up Knox and then carrying the donkey – JUMPED off the 20’ drop to the water where he put the mule down. One by one we all clambered down, Hiawatha helping where needed. He then took us down the north most passage. There were a number of dorms (old dwarven) on the north wall and some larger ones on the south. It was in one of those that we led the mule and the lynx (that we just learned today the druid named.. Jar Jar. Jar Jar Lynx. Frey help us…) inside. We could see there were some cacti growing in some pots and shelves high up and Hiawatha let us know that we’d come back here and have our vision quest later.

We went back to the main hall and then south. Stairs here were gone and it was 5’ down to the water surface (10’ down to the floor). Hiawatha went into his medicine satchel and took off a carving of a canoe, held it once, and then cast it on the water. And it grew to a large canoe! Enough for everyone. He climbed down and helped everyone on, telling them to stay low for center of gravity. He then stood in the middle, folded his arms, and the canoe was driving as if it was being paddled!  It wasn’t very fast but we managed to go and explore these halls.

Some time ago, When the Inserrat came here, the two warrior brothers trapped them down in this part since they are very agile in the water but are terrible climbers. Their deity is Shakak, god of winter. It seems he did not fall here when the dwarves opened the gate to the happy hunting grounds, so their numbers do not replenish or diminish. They do eventually reconstitute if slain, some weeks later though.

We passed by store rooms and work shops, but it was at the end of the hall that the water grew cooler. We looked around and splashed the water but nothing. So we went back down the passage again to the front, turned and went again, jerking and tugging at the Ve’Estan dangling behind. It took a few passes but eventually they came from the bottom and attacked!

Fast – So fast in the water. They were jumping and slashing and biting. We bagged one quick and then bashed it on the walls a few times to get it to stop moving. Then the same again a second time. There were 5..6 of them? They managed to bite the ropes free and took one of the Ve’Estan so we used the 2nd. More back and forth and even Connal running on the water monk style. He got a 3rd one bagged up and jumped up to the landing out of reach of the others while we were shooting spells and giving chase.

We all got up to the landing area Hiawatha got the canoe back to small and back in his medicine satchel, and we were going to decide what to do next. Inserrat or vision quest? It was 12:45 PM on Firemonth the 8th and it was about an hour or 2 before we needed to rest.

Meet 99, Adv 13, 9/7/24

Firemonth the 9th. The group went through plans to come and the anticipation that we would be facing Jubilex tomorrow. Haztez, the Black Warrior was keen on it and Hiawatha was happy to be a part of it. Glooskap, the Skinwalker, would handle whatever large slime the Faceless Lord threw our way. The rest of us would react accordingly and allow the heavy hitters to do their attacks on Jubilex. We had a few surprises of our own, including 4 Thunderbird Arrows when the time comes.

We walked around, bottled up some water, and arranged a night’s rest. We slept well and awoke the next day anxious to get engaged. Prayers and spells were revisited. We climbed the buildings and talked about fighting from within. Did not want to move the shutters, did not want to get the party cut off from one another, did not want to set us up to fail. We drew up line in front of the dwarven stronghold and after making sure of a good place to piss off Jubilex; Haztez summoned a line of flame and set fire to a large 60’ swath of assorted slimes, lichen, mushrooms, and fetid pools.

The smell was horrible and as it popped and smoked and filled the air, we heard a large “BONG” from the Maw above; where the 23 cables all ran together. A faint glow appeared followed by another “BONG”. And then another. And finally a huge slimy mass extricated itself from the hole, slid over, and grabbed a part of the ceiling. It then seemed to retract and from the hole…emerged Jubliex.

18’ tall, a mass of frightening eyes and snarling toothy maws, it shuddered and dripped and roiled in a sickening display of shifting colors. It brachiated across the ceiling until it finally drew close to the platform where its movements sped up and it became stronger and then some 80’ or so from our front line; it dropped the 70’ from the ceiling and landed with a wet splash here before towering over all of the party.

Haztez whistled, grabbing his cudgel tighter. Hiawatha readied his spear and the group tightened their grip on weapons and spells…and then Jubilex roared and charged us screaming with a dozen ragged mouths.

It flung a large slime out from a waving hand and it hit the ground and slithered towards the group. A Thunderbird Arrow was readied and then…fired. The struck the Faceless Lord who absorbed most of its power but still was burned for his efforts. More followed and Bless spells echoed out. Our lines grew closer and it ripped a hole in space, and a damned vampire spooled out and flew towards us, a cloud of bats surrounding its head.

Shim shot off a magic missile and the vampire was hit and it turned in the air, heading from the gnome. Connal raced to intercept and Hiawatha and Haztez smashed weapons into Jubilex. It rocked back and smashed out, flattening Haztez and then hurled another wave of slime out, and a 15’ square gelatinous cube slapped down right by Eoghan and Wilhelm. “I’ve got this one!” Glooskap ran to interfere, her hands outstretched into long talons and she plunged them deep into the cube, making it shudder as it tried to dissolve her enchanted skin and she tried to devour it.

Another Thunderbird Arrow flew out and Jubliex rocked from the blow. Connal was fast and the bats tried to blind him but the monk leapt and jumped and knocked them aside. The undead menace made to grab him and he managed to avoid the touch, instead using his enchanted bracers to deliver powerful blows against the vampire.

Getting hurt, Jubilex tore open a hole in space and had it consume Haztez, dimension dooring him half a mile away to land in the waters…where Sargonnas swims. Damn it! He them smashed Hiawatha, the hero taking 40 points of damage from that single blow! He shoved himself up and ran back to the fight. More spells were flung and then Jubilex hurled a few slimes to land near the ranger and druid, causing them to run back and avoid being consumed.

Connal and the Vampire were ripping into one another and Shim called, “Haztez! I call for your aid!” and the once a day answer came forth and Haztez appeared! Soaking wet and nursing a few bruised ribs he laughed and thanks the group for the call. He let his fire surround him, drying him off and giving him a barrier and he rejoined the fight. Glooskap had the Cube mostly devoured, the center of it hollowed out as she swelled larger and larger. A Vrock was summoned, the vulture demon coming in hot and causing Wilhelm and Eoghan to abandon shooting the Faceless Lord and hit the new threat.

It was the snake faced demon that came through next that had the group look for anything to end the fight before it got too large for us to handle.

Shim took out the Lightning Bottle he had been carrying for some time, raw lighting harvest from a Gnomish Skyship some time in the past. He pointed it at the Faceless Lord and yelled at everyone to get clear. He then ripped open the cover and let all 4 lightning bolts rip out. They cleared the 55’ feet between the sorcerer and the Demon Lord, and each one buried itself deep inside its nightmare body. Huge chunks of slimy material blew out from the scorching impact craters as it roared in agony and fell over and teetered slowly before finally beaten and then it dropped down.

Unmoving and dead.

The rest of the fights went easy well as the demonics did their best to re-gate home and the group could devote their efforts to unite and take down the last of the enemies. Exhausted and hurt, we finished them off and then looked over the very dead Jubilex. As his body melted away, a brass plate appeared in the mass of bubbling ooze and filth. Dizzy stepped forward, the one he was carrying burning as he got closer. The thought was to combine the two and then use its latent power to force the portal open back to the Happy Hunting Grounds. Sending all the denizens here home.

And when he touched it he felt an inrushing of demonic power. His skin grew red and his eyes yellowed. But when he tried to force a beam of power UNDER the water and into the gate, it burbled out and then time seemed to stop.

Everything stopped and the air grew still and stepping out of nothing, was a 6’4” tall red skinned man in a bespoke suit, handsome face, and a welcoming smile. “Just what do you think you are doing?”

“I was going to open that portal and send everyone here back. They don’t belong here.”

The figure looked around and nodded. “You are right, they don’t. But that portal. That portal? That’s not yours to open. That specific portal is deeded to a Ralstrom Thermun Gorok.” He pulled out a rolled up scroll and read it over. “Yep, signed it right there, see?” He showed it to dizzy and it was some infernal contract. “Signed right there by his own hand. And the other signature is mine.” He pointed to a different scrawl. “Name is Asmodeus. Duke of Hell. And I have a contract that says you cannot open that up.”

Feeling the power of the Abyssal Tablets within him, Dizzy looked down at his fingers. “I have the strength to open up that portal.”

“I don’t deny you have the strength to open…A…portal. A. Portal.” He pointed east, “Not THAT portal. Not unless your name is Ralstrom…or you have a contract addendum that he authorizes you to open THAT portal.”

Dizzy frowned. “What if I just do it?”

Asmodeus smiled. “You would open a portal, and it would go somewhere. There are over a thousand other layers of outer planes out there past the Astral void. Over 600 of them lead to the Abyss. You want to open a random hole from this plane to another and hope you manage to get to the RIGHT plane where every divine being in here not nailed down gets sucked into and spat out,” he leaned over and smiled, “Then go right ahead. Let’s see if you get 772. Anything else, and it’ll be entertaining.”

Dizzy was very uncomfortable dealing with the Hellish Duke, but did latch on to one thing. “So if I get Ralstrom’s signature, I can open THAT portal?”

Asmodeus nodded. “Yep. His soul is eventually mine, but he is still alive and kicking. One of the last Axiom’s he adhered to was “Forever Alive”. It doesn’t mean what he thinks it does, but it applies to him and his situation at least for now.” He rummaged into his briefcase and pulled out a small scroll. He spent a minute penning on it and then held it out to Dizzy. “There. I don’t need your signature on it, but Get Ralstrom Gorok to sign off on this that he knowingly and of his own free will gives you proxy to operate the opening and closing 1 time of the portal specifically Donnegarten Stronghold number 23 between the Prime Material Plane and the Happy Hunting Grounds and then you can come back here and do what you need to do.”

“No tricks?”

Asmodeus nodded. “No tricks. Getting the old Duke of Razors to sign it is your issue. As for this place, I sort of forgot about it. The divine leak here is a no go so we are going to just,” he squinted and there was a strange squeal coming from the maw, “shut that down. There.” The feeble lights seemed to die off a bit and the bodies of Haztez, Glooskap, and Hiawatha all slumped further down, their bodies unmoving and their color seemingly muted. 

He looked Dizzy over. “Two tablets. You are growing in power. I wonder what kind of Abyssal Lord you’ll end up being.”

“Excuse me?”

The Duke smiled. “That kind of power stains a person. When you die, and all mortals do, you will go like a comet to the Abyss where with luck, you’ll end up on a layer that is lightly guarded where you can let the powers of the tablets roar through you and do what you can to run the place. Mind you, Jubilex and Zuggtmoy might eventually get wind of you, but that’s a problem for the future you.” He looked at his wrist and smiled. “Time flies and I’ve got to go. Good luck, Idela Dizrea.” And then he stepped between worlds and was gone.

The group had not been able to move but heard all of it. Ok, we have to go to Gorok and soon. And while there, maybe get some more information from Ralstrom as to what the goal was to be here. And who the hell is Donnegarten? It was Firemonth the 10th, about 9:30 AM, and we had a long way to go to get out of this place and we did not have the help of Hiawatha of Haztez this time. And what of the Lolthian Spiders? Where they still here somewhere or where they now dormant too?