DnD:MayaJournal
From RainGamersWiki
Contents |
Paladin's Log
Mission 2
Session 2
After our successful venture last time, we got little rest. The Council in its great wisdom saw fit to task us once again, this time with securing a second land for The People.
The fox had doubts about us, or about the mission, but the Raven Queen's signs were clear -- a slow death for The People without this new land. I asked the vulpen councilor about her doubts, but she was unclear. Imagine, a cagey answer from a fox. What are the odds?
Nonetheless, we set out on a boat once again across the Great Sea, to another land a few hours away. This land is odd and small and uninviting, but it may hold secrets in its bowels.
As we moved up the old smoothstone trail, we spotted a small shack where we could shelter, but a pack of wild canid Little People had made it their home and were hungry for our flesh, so we dispatched them to whatever gods they may have. Kohana showed his utility, Shinte his futility, Inyan his bravery, Sadian his resourcefulness, Hecheta her piety, and Lucan his nose for trouble. But Lucan at least can get himself out of most scrapes he gets into.
After camping, we moved to high ground, where we found two old smoothstone caves, which seemed related to the Great Metal Causeway. We selected one. Kohana found some old metal carts with some magic left, and we discovered that this cave was the home of some foul beasts which the wolf calls "bears".
These bear-beasts soon appeared, and foul they were, strong and toothy. With effort and teamwork, we brought them to their end on this world.
We press on.
Session 3
We press on to investigate the lower tunnel, climbing over the smoothstone rubble of the entrance to the metal causeway. Sadian fell and bruised himself.
We climbed down, and found alternating chevrons of those wheeled dens set up for protection. Just beyond the defenses lies a metal door that Lucan saw open and then close.
Kohana moved up and spied a book in one of the cars. Sadian was able to read a passage, which was about something on the air and people and families dying. I sniffed about, but nothing foul seemed to be left on the air here. So we moved forward.
As we made our way, Sadian read another passage. Something about human people keeping from getting sick and moving to the island for safety. But these journal writers became sick anyway and had to kill some of their own, and they died anyway from the blackening fever.
The fox marked the door as safe, and Lucan moved inside to investigate. There seemed to be human tracks! We moved into a damaged passage leading to metal and smoothstone stairs going down, so of course we went down.
As we went into another turning passage, Lucan spotted two foul creatures, walking on two legs, naked of fur and with bulging foreheads. He greeted, but they ran and we followed. It opened into a huge chambered cavern, where ten or so chill twisted humans fell upon us.
They blocked up a bottleneck and bit and spat death upon us. Sadian assisted Inyan and sang a song of courage to inspire us all.
After some concentrated abuse, one of the chilled ones exploded in corruption! Inyan was showered but seemed unaffected. I moved up and summoned my Defender's Mark to distract three of them. Their blows were ineffectual, thanks to my resilient armor.
One in the back shrieked and spat upon me, searing my flesh with corruption! As we dispatched more, there were more explosions. The master beast was fierce and powerful, but Inyan and Lucan combined to put it down, and its followers were flattened by Inyan. We looked around their lair and decided to head back up for a brief rest.
Sadian and Kohana checked out the salt pool and found it unpolluted, so Kohana took some of the salt for the return trip.
We headed to the highest point of the island to reconnoiter, and we found a number of buildings. A catwalk led to a broken door, behind which was buzzing. Lucan kicked it open to find several humongous beetles, which sought to eat us! Four beetles with mouths of fire and two with mouths of sticky goo.
Inyan and I charged the tanglers and failed to connect, though one bit us both as we passed. Once in the center of the room, the rest of the party fanned out to take on the fire beetles, Sadian cursing them in various tongues, Lucan loading their bodies with arrows, and Kohana freezing them with magical cold. The sticky goo stuck Inyan and I in the center, and we pivoted about, taking hits and dealing hits. Finally, the last one attempted to flee and we defeated it.
We counted our blessings, secured the building, and rested.
Session 4
Sadian set up a ward to alert us of any violation, and we rested.
Morning came, and we decided to check out the attached chamber. It was dark with no windows. Lucan's sharp eyes spotted a box with one side made of glass sat on a desk, and a low hum came from the corner. Stealthier party members advanced in to find a puddle of water surrounded by dead rats.
Investigating further, Kohana noticed a dull glow from a metal rack in the corner. He found some “ups”, which are batteries. Summoning an enchanted light, he discovered a lightning cord laying in the puddle. Kohana enchanted an unseen hand to lift the cord from the water.
The “ups” and the other boxes were useless without lightning, so we left it for now.
We moved around the shoreline and found a place with docks, destroyed by fires and other effects. We pressed on to the foot of the bridge on the eastern side. The smoothstone is crumbled but fairly stable, and the walking surface is in fair condition. Upon the surface are many mobile dens in bad shape. We checked out the bridge further.
Moving along the bridge walkway, we found it blocked. We threw a rope and made it across to the wide black path. Between some of the carts we ran into four enormous rattlesnakes! They charged Lucan and bit him severely. I charged in return as Lucan withdrew, and Shinte and Kaliska moved up to engage alongside.
Kohana blew his icy blast upon them. The rest of us smote in our way, but the snakes would not go down. Kaliska was poisoned by another bite. I called upon the protections of the Raven Queen on our cleric as I struck the snake sneaking around me. Lucan felled the other rattler. Shinte slipped free from the constrictor which was after him, but it got him again, and he escaped again. The constrictors went after me and grabbed me, squeezing mightily and cracking some ribs.
Finally we surrounded the last constrictor and it struck me and Kaliska repeatedly, but Lucan and Shinte were able to finally fell it. We said brief words to its spirit and dug into its flesh for our meal.
Afer a brief rest, we made our way across the bridge to the eastern base to analyze its defensive location. We spotted much wildlife along the shore. Then we returned.
We worked our way around the rest of the shoreline with no notable findings, so we investigated the remnants of another compound on the west side of the slope. Most buildings are useless, but the People can settle here.
We returned to the lightning box room and hooked up enough batteries for Kohana to Make Whole the glass boxes and the “ups”. The glass box erupted in a screaming whine, rising in pitch until it went supersonic. Kohana read the words appearing on the glass, and Sadian wrote them down in the journal. The words said “Windows 10”, but there were no windows in the room. Then it asked Kohana for permission to contact its masters, and he prodded his wand at the “YES” appearing in the glass. The box responded with “login”, but it did not seem to be asking about felling trees nor about salves.
Sadian found a slip of paper and pressed some lettered squares on a board to transfer the information to the ghost, and it presented more images behind the glass. Kohana manipulated the squares to ask it for books. I was quite confused, but it seemed to accept him as its master.
He made something happen, and the box began to speak! Kaliska turned the ghost with divine energy, but it was only dazed and kept speaking. Kohana attempted to understand the language. He spoke to the ghost, and it asked him in its language if he wanted help. It presented words on the glass addressing itself as a wizard, and Lucan yanked the lightning cord, and the box went back into its sleep.
After a discussion, Lucan was obstinate and we decided to leave things as they were. Kohana sent a bird with a message back to Anheles to send two boats. We returned to camp in the round room.
During my night watch, I went into the room with the ghost box and prayed to the Raven Queen for guidance in dealing with the spirits. I received a sense that there is no undeath here, but rather a sort of elemental spirit of the box itself.
After a night's rest, we made our way to the docking point with all of our treasures. The boats came and we loaded up and made for Anheles.
We were escorted into an audience with the Council right away. Sadian sang them the story of our exploration. The Council were impressed but concerned, and they dismissed us. But I got the sense that we were meant to fail.
