The Adventures of The Unknown
Episode 8
“The Temple of Kara Sharyss - Part III”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seth DeCalea: Half-Elven Ranger
Issic: Half Dragon from Sigil
Manderkarr: Dwarven master of Axe
and asskicking.
Piper Troublefinder A halfling with
a taste for vengeance
Shanagra Darmal: Nyandarian Druid
late of Drychtnoth.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Place: The Unknown Lands, Lake Eonnoth, Leoxornathat
The Time: Spring, 6 -11 Eul, Sixth Year, Eighth Age.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manderkarr climbed out of the pit. They had a long tunnel ahead of them, a
tunnel that was carpeted and lined along the sides with curtains... pink, soft
curtains, billowing in an unfelt breeze. Tapestries lined the ceiling, also
pink. Ghallen remained behind to guard against a rear attack.
“Ack! This pink makes me sick,” said Manderkarr. Shanagra started
along the hallway, moving slowly.
“Then burn it,” suggested Issic.
“Hmmmm...tempting, but would take what little air is available,”
said the dwarf.
“Kind of turns me on,” said the druid, his red glowing eyes flashing.
Seth looked for people behind the curtains as Piper examined the
curtains. The curtains were silk and seemed to be coated with some sort of
slick liquid.
“Might be burnable and smoke causing,” said Manderkarr, lifting
his war hammer. “And possibly piesonous! These curtains are bait for the curious.”
Seth jerked his hand back and noticed the liquid was soaking through
his glove. He slammed the glove to the floor and left it there. Shanagra motioned
for each of them to continue along with him and to stop dawdling.
“Remember, I kill Sharyss,” said Seth. “She must pay for what she
did to me.”
“What did she do to you, Seth?” asked Shanagra.
“Yeah, what did she do?” piped in Piper from the rear of the group.
“She dishonored me,” said Seth. “She stole my virginity with magic.”
He spat at the word magic.
Manderkarr began to clang on the walls lightly as they walked along.
He noticed that the walls didn’t clang and that the floor rippled everytime
he struck the velvety walls. He thought that was odd. He clanged the floor
lightly. The floor rippled heavily in response, as did the walls and ceiling.
Somehow everyone managed to stay on their feet.
“This ain't right guys. I'd be leary of an illusion,” said Manderkarr.
He looked around for inconsistencies. Issic looked around for magic enhancement
and saw plenty. But no proof of illusion.
“So you think this place is fake?” asked Piper. He began investigating
for signs of traps.
“Something ain't right. Walls and floors don't ripple with hammer
clanging,” answered Manderkarr. Everyone soon noticed a strange but pleasant
odor. They could hear femal giggling coming from nowhere.
Seth drew my sword
Manderkarr really pounded the floor. The entire place, walls, floor,
and ceiling, rippled. Shanagra, Seth, Issic and Piper fell to the ground.
Issic, on hands and knees, began crawling toward the end of the hall.
The temperature began to increase until it reached about 98.6 degrees
and the humidity began to rise.
“We need to get out,” said Seth as he stood back up. “We’ll boil.”
Manderkarr took out his axe and started shredding the curtains.
Seth followed suit with his sword.
“It seems to me these witches want to invite us to dinner....If
you catch my drift,” said Piper.
Blood poured out of the wounds in the curtains, covering Manderkarr
and Seth. The walls, ceiling, and floor rippled to the point that all of them
were crushed to the ceiling then smashed between the walls over and over and
over and over and over and over again. Piper passed out from the beatings.
“We are in a mouth!” said Issic.
Shanagra said, “I don't think this is representative of a mouth.”
He knelt down and healed Piper with his magic.
“This is some damn illusion! Devilry I tells ya!”
Shanagra healed Seth after Piper opened his eyes.
“Thank you, friend,” said Seth.
Issic, crawling ahead, reached the end of the hall. There was a
round door. Manderkarr and the others followed. Seeing the door, the dwarf
decided to see if he could split it, so he swung his axe on it hard. More ripples
smashed into them.
“Stop that!” said Piper. “I can only take so much!”
“STOP YOUR INSISTANT, INEFFECTIVE SMASHING!” exclaimed Issic. “I
think I can open it. It’s not locked.”
“If it's flesh, it'll drown in it's own blood! Unless you's gots
a better idea. I don't like this illusionary devilry,” said Manderkarr. “It
don’t exist for me.”
“Don't cut it!” said Seth.
“Just because it appears impossible does not mean it is so,” said
Issic.
“I’m gonna kill those harlots when I get my little halfling hands
on ‘em!”
Issic went to the door. He wrapped his hands to protect from the
poison and acid and lightly stroked the edges of the door. When you stroked
the edges, the door slowly opened up. The hallway, which was getting a bit
tight, loosened up and enlarged a bit. He stroked the door until it was large
enough to get through, even licking it a bit. It soon enlarged large enough
that Issic could enter in easily.
A large oval shaped room, with a concave floor and ceiling, was
on the other side of the portal. There were two doors, the room was filled
with curtains fluttering in the unfelt wind, and a large bed was in the center
of the chamber.
“There'll be acid strong there if you's thinking this bitch is alive,”
said Manderkarr as Piper stepped in cautiously.
“Don't touch the bed!” cautioned Seth. Manderkarr, having an interesting
thought, started taking out some charcoal from his packs.
“This is probably her 'Flawless' bed of love,” said Seth, rolling
his eyes.
“This is the wrong way I think,” said Issic. “Or maybe not. This
is a temple dedicated to sexuality.” He continued to caress the portal a bit,
noting that the poison didn’t seem to be affecting him.
“Damn lovesick demon,” commented Manderkarr with disgust. He dumped
soap and charcoal on the floor and spread it around. Shanagra looked at the
dwarf, wondering what he was up to.
“What are you doing hair face?” asked Piper of the dwarf.
I wonder why it bothered the others but not me, thought Issic
as he stepped into the room.
A voice answered his unspoken question. “Because they meant to
harm. You did not.” Sharyss stepped from behind a curtain.
“I'll kill you you wench!” yelled Seth. Piper drew out his dagger.
Manderkarr lit his torch. Sharyss waved a hand and the torch went out.
“You destroyer of unity and marriage,” said Seth with disgust.
“Why are you soo interested in sex?” asked Piper.
“Because I love it. It brings me souls to give to my master. Larbius
the Gelugon commands me. Sex is the best way to corrupt the innocent,” she
said.
Manderkarr rushed forward to attack.
“Have at you!” said Seth, also rushing forward on the slippery floor.
“I get the final blow!” he yelled to the dwarf.
“You not getting my soul!” said Piper.
“Kill me and Issic and Seth will never regain the part of their
soul the already surrendered to me,” she threatened as she leaped into the air
avoiding Seth’s sword.
“Kill you and the rest ain't your's either devil bitch!” exclaimed
Manderkarr.
“What importance is that you fiend?” demanded Piper.
“Larbius will always be linked to them, fool!” laughed Sharyss.
“If they don’t kill you I will!” exclaimed Piper.
“DAMN!” exclaimed Seth.
“Dump some water Issic!” said Manderkarr.
“You, witch, hurt the halfling race! That was a mistake!” said Piper.
“Return what is mine or I shall be content to make sure that you
will not rise in power for the rest of your existance,” threatened Issic. “You
might have me in the end but that is nothing next to what I will deny you!”
The other two erinyes flew in. They flew at Seth and struck him,
picking him up. Piper hurled Shiney Trouble at one of them and Manderkarr hurled
his hammer at the other. Both of them hit glancing blows. Issic threw a rock
doused in water from the lake, but missed. Seth struggled to break free.
“Throw some water!” screamed Seth. “Issic, get an open skin of
water!”
“Manderkarr, use the ropes,” suggested Issic.
“No!” said Seth. “They know how to use them!”
Shanagra hurled his scimitar and said a command word. A nimbus
of lightning surrounded the weapon as it rammed into Luhalla, impaling her.
Her black blood exploded outward as the blade buried itself to the hilt between
her smallish breasts and lighting wrapped around her. Her skin started to burn
and peel away as the electricity ripped into her. A terrible smell filled the
chamber and she dropped to the ground and melted into a black, sticky, ichor.
Seth was dropped immediately and he started to vomit. Piper ran
and grabbed his dagger, wiping the ichor from the blade.
“Oh yeah!” said Manderkarr, whipping out his Rope of Entanglement
and throwing it at Sharyss. Reshni dove down and intercepted Manderkarr’s rope
and she, instead of Sharyss, became entangled. She crashed to the floor and
Issic moved to decapitate her. She cried in anguish as her head was separated
from her shoulders. Her body bubbled and decorporealized into an ethereal goo.
Manderkarr pulled out the second magic rope. “Let the demon toys
take 'em!”
Sharyss said, “You have won this day, but I will be back!” and she
teleported away.
“NOOOOOOOOOO!” exclaimed Seth. “Come back, you devil bitch!”
“Come back, you blight upon the world!” yelled Piper.
“Lets leave, then burn this place,” said Seth. Then they heard
an outcry coming from behind the pair of doors. Seth ran to one of the doors.
“Hello?”
“Ther could be people inside!” said Piper. Manderkarr rubbed some
soap on the door and it opened quickly. Seth opened the other door, his sword
ready. Inside, they both could see the same things on the other sides of their
respective doors. People chained to the walls, naked and crying for help.
Three small devils in each area seemed to be hording them into a portal.
Manderkarr and Seth stepped into their respective rooms to engage
the devils.
“STOP!” demanded Seth. Piper snuck into one of the rooms and started
to pick the locks on the prisoners while the devils were occupied with the warriors.
Issic, Seth, and Manderkarr each killed one of the tiny fiends. The remaining
fiends tried to strike back with their terrible little pitchforks, but to no
avail. The rest of them were soon slaughtered.
“Let’s get out of here,” said Manderkarr. “This place makes me
ill.”
“Ever notice places like this don’t have windows?” observed Seth.
“I hate this place,” Piper said as he continued to unlock the chains
from the prisoners.
The people cried out in thanks and they hugged Piper as he freed
them. Piper was satisfied to find that his halfling friends were there. Seth
gave the prisoners food and water. Issic went to the portals to Hell and threw
some lake water on them, hoping they would close. They did close. When the
second one closed, the entire temple vanished and everyone was standing outside
in the village. The fishermen, no longer ensorcelled, cried out in terror when
they looked upon Manderkarr and Issic, and fled into the woods. Manderkarr
laughed. Issic went down to the lake and filled up his waterskin. “At least
I won’t get thirsty,” he said.
Piper hugged his fellow halflings, saying, “Hello, my brethren!”
“On to Nyandar!” said Seth. He looked at the circle of halflings.
“Great. More little folk.”
Piper asked the halflings what the devils were doing with them.
They replied that the devils were sending them to Hell.
“I will send them to hell..mark my words!” promised Piper.
“I'd just as soon kill them in hell, Piper. That's a way, they's
dead forever!” chimed in Manderkarr.
“But also much harder to do, Manderkarr,” said Issic.
Shanagra said, “Seth is right. On to Nyandar.”
Piper handed the halflings his nine gold coins and three silver
coins and said, “Here you go, friends. I will be back.” They thanked him.
Piper thought, I’ll just take more from some unsuspecting human in the next
town. Piper and the others joined Shanagra on the trail around the lake.
Arriving at a clearing with a small beach, Manderkarr said, “I could
use a drink and bath after all that.”
Seth agreed, saying to Shanagra, “Wait, can I bathe? I am smelling
like evil sex.”
Shanagra nodded and bathed also. He wished Flower was still with
them. She made bathing rather enjoyable.
Piper refilled his water skin, then stripped down and dove in.
Seth and the others did likewise. Seth kept his dagger with him.
“This water is nice,” said Piper.
“Mes think well see them devils again,” said Manderkarr, his mind
still on Sharyss and her comment about her lord, Larbius.
Shanagra said, “Be careful. The lake is rumoured to have lake monsters.”
“Ehh, monsters. They'd attack one of you first. You guys would
make a better meal,” said Piper.
“And the town is rumored to be inhabited by a tall demon and a short
devil,” said Issic, nodding at Manderkarr and laughing.
“Ah, I taste bad, and I'll cause one hell of a case of indigestion,”
said Manderkarr, probably not intending the Hellish pun.
“Sounds like I'm the best, all over,” said Seth with a grin.
“And you'd be a bugger poopin out, you stubborn thing,” laughed
Piper.
“I doubt if the demons and devils won't come to us,” said Manderkarr
as he got out of the water and got dressed. Soon they were all bathed and dressed
and ready to trek.
“At least not now,” agreed Issic. “Though we need to stay alert.
On to Nyander!”
“Yes, Issic, you're right,” said Manderkarr. “The lake is yours
again, monsters!”
Shanagra sang a traveling song, “Off through the woods we're just
walkin' along/ Telling our tales and a singing a song/ I'm as rangy as a bear
and twice as strong/ I think I’m right, cause I ain’t often wrong!”
“Out of the lake and thru the woods to Nyandar we go. Out in the
green, mean and clean, slaying what causes pain,” sang Manderkarr.
They walked for five days. The sun was warm and the walk so far
had been pleasant.
“This is more like it,” commented Manderkarr.
Soon they came into sight of a large walled city. An army was practicing
outside. They could see peasants farming the land, planting seeds for this
year's crops.
“Drychtnoth?” asked Seth.
“What's this place called, Shanagra?” asked Manderkarr.
“What city is this?” asked Piper.
“This,” said Shanagra, “is the edge of Drychtnoth. The town’s name
is Leoxornathat.”
The city was large and the stones of the wall were a deep grey.
They saw a small town outside the main gates, and off to one side, they saw
the tents and pavilions of what looked to be a gypsy caravan.
“Time for some wine or ale, then unfortunately sleeping inside,”
commented Seth, heading toward the gypsies.
“Full of plague spreaders no doubt,” said Piper with disgust as
he followed Seth. “Well, some are better than others.”
“Shame it fell into civil war, it had such good potential,” said
Manderkarr about Drychtnoth in general.
The gypsy caravan looked like some sort of carnival. There seemed
to be all sorts of attractions and entertainments. A large crowd was moving
through the carnival.
“Finally, something freakier than us!” laughed Manderkarr.
“It's too crowded,” said Seth.
“Gypsys are the best kind of plague spreaders,” said Piper. “They
are so nice and sharing, it is like they aren’t human.”
“And they sell children, so don't run off, Piper,” joked Manderkarr.
“I’m no child, you ale bellied hair face!”
“Speaking of ale, I could use some. Onward ho!”
“You could use ale like you could use a hole in your thick dwarven
skull!”
“I've got a hole in my thick head for the ale, Piper.”
“Well, I don’t touch the stuff myself.”
“Just the bottom of me stomach and what misses on my beard.”
“Can we just go somewhere with more trees and less people?” whined
Seth.
“Trees? They’re no fun!” said Piper.
Issic shrugged. “Let’s take a gander and see what interesting information
they may have.”
Shanagra said to Seth, “A little while won’t matter.” He took off
his ring and his eyes went back to human normal. The group descended down the
path to the carnival.
When they walked closer to the carnival they saw a speaker is in
front of the entrance to the carnival.
“Pet the demon, he won't bite; only a silver!” mocked Manderkarr.
The speaker said, “Tindal at your service! Welcome one! Welcome
all! Welcome to the short, and welcome to the tall! Welcome angels and welcome
fiends! Welcome to all from walks between! Welcome to the Carnival!”
“Hey that explains our group right away!” said Piper.
“Hey, I just got here, don't make me an attraction yet!” said Manderkarr
with a laugh.
“As long as he feeds and pays us,” said Issic with a smile.
“Step right up and lay your eyes on our menagerie of the macabre,
our gathering of the grotesque, our collection of the curious, our festival
of freaks!” continued the speaker. “For a mere pair of copper coins, you can
behold wonders beyond your wildest dreams and nightmares. Yes, that's right,
folks - just two thin coppers buys you a ticket to thrills and chilling revelations!
Step right this way and through the first curtain!”
“Are ya'll going?” asked Manderkarr with a yawn, noting two sexy
women accepting coins and letting people through the curtains into the carnival.
“Disgusting!” said Piper. “Show living things for money just because
they’re different. Maybe all humans are stupid!”
“I'm game, although I'm suspicious,” said Manderkarr. “We should
stay together.”
“I don't care about these things,” whined Seth. “I don't like tents,
and I've had enough of my share of beautiful women.”
Shanagra asked, “Well, do we want to go in and have a bit of entertainment,
or shall we pass on it? We cannot all go into the town. They will stone to
death most of us. Our only safety is to go into the carnival and hide amongst
the freaks, I should think. Or we can avoid the civilization entirely.”
“I am staying back with Seth here,” said Piper. Issic was watching
the women. He was looking for magic surrounding them, but no one could really
know that.
“Always looking at the women, Issic?” asked Manderkarr. “I hoped
you had enough already. You need a good dwarven bearded girl. She'll keep
you from wondering. Now only if I can find one.”
“I have had my fill of devils, but not of beautiful women,” offered
Issic.
“Demons will screw anything, eh Issic?” said Manderkarr.
“There are a few exceptions,” said Issic. He looked over at Seth.
“Like trees.”
“Shanagra and I should go get supplies and pass this town,” offered
Seth.
“Very likely there is a bearded lady in the carnival,” said Shanagra
to Manderkarr.
“Hence my reason to enter,” mused the dwarf.
“She’s probably a dwarf..hehehe!” laughed Piper.
“If only she was shorter,” said Manderkarr with a smile.
“Should we split up, Seth?” asked Shanagra.
“No, we will just look like mercenaries.” said Seth.
“Let’s vote. There are five of us. Majority wins. Who wants to
go into the carnival?” said Shanagra.
“I'd as soon stay together,” said Manderkarr. “Piper, these people
make money at this, not just the owners; it's how these people make a living
and not get stoned.”
“Well, I'll sit by this tree over here and wait for ya guys....Seeing
the less fortunate, be they humans or anything else, chained to a wall to be
gawked at isnt my thing,” said Seth.
“The dwarf is right,” offered Shanagra. “Everyone of them is a
performer and they get paid to look funny.”
“They'd revolt and trash the place if they stayed unhappy,” said
Manderkarr. “This group is huge, and must be successful.”
“Whatever,” said Piper. “I guess it couldnt hurt.”
“Let's go in,” said Issic, and the majority had decided. “It looks
interesting enough to take a quick gander.”
“Welcome to the show!” said Manderkarr.
“I'll keep ya from getting stolen, Piper; just stay close,” said
Manderkarr with an ugly grin. Piper thought, I think I will be the one stealin’.
He looked around for someone overly drunk and overly paid to pick pocket.
Shanagra said, “Let’s go in, Seth. It would be a good way to find
out the news. This carnival travels all over. The town over there would likely
only have old news.”
“Well, When in Drycthnoth, do as the Drycthnothians.”
“And when in a carnival, carnival,” said Manderkarr.
“I dont like all these humans....they give me the creeps,” said
Seth.
Manderkarr paid the price for everyone and they entered into the
Carnival...
2,000 exp for everyone
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current Events: The
Azraelite troops in Alisander under General Morgul began to prepare to mobilize.
The coming of summer promised loot and glory for the Azraelites. Becoming accustomed
to the climate, they were prepared to go out and conquer the lands around them.
But Nadam, Lord of Alisander, had other plans. Secretly, all loyal Lamapachans
were to carve the ancient symbol of Vale over their doors. On the 25th of Artim,
Nadam struck. He summoned the Guardians of Lamapacher and, during the
night, the Guardians killed every Azraelite in the city.... including
General Al-Madhiri. (Spring, 25 Artim)
The generals of the Azraelite armies blamed General Morgul for
the deaths in Alisander. Yam ibn Saud ordered Morgul beheaded. Morgul killed
twenty men before he was finally taken and decapitated. (Spring, 27 Artim)
Kara Sharyss: Erinyes (lesser baatezu) Incredibly beautiful, her feathery
wings are the only indication of her devilish origins. She is very adept at
tempting mortals. She frequently travels to Inzeladun unsummoned. She works
for the gelugon Larbius. She has a 2 AC, a ThacO of 10, and 60 hitpoints.
6’0” tall. +1 or better weapons to hit her, or weapons dipped in Eonnoth lake.
She has a magic resistance of 30% and her charm ability is not only permanent,
she can charm up to 5 people at one time (unlike other erinyes). Also, she
is one of the rare devilish spell casters and is a 6th level enchantress. She
is even more rare in that she is an augmented spell caster. Her spells are
of a decidedly sexual nature. She has recently, after the course of these adventures,
decided that Issic and Seth are the worst of betrayers and she has vowed to
see their souls corrupted one way or another.
Luhalla: Erinyes (lesser baatezu): Also incredibly beautiful, she met
her death at the hands of Shanagra. A distorted spellcaster, she burned away
her magic resistance trying to learn magic at the feet of Sharyss. She is a
second level enchantress. She had a 2 AC, a Thac0 of 13, and 54 hitpoints.
+1 or better weapons are required to hit her, or weapons dipped in Eonnoth lake.
Her charm ability is permanent, but she can only hold one person in charm at
a time. She served Sharyss with complete devotion.
Reshni : Erinyes (lesser baatezu): intensely beautiful, she met her
death at the hands of Manderkarr. She wasn’t a spell caster at all, but she
had a mind very bent toward politics and temptation. She served Sharyss, but
was trying to replace her in Larbius the Gelugon’s ranks. She had a 2 AC, a
Thac0 of 13, and 52 hitpoints. She had a 30% magic resistance and only +1 or
better weapons could strike her, or those weapons as were dipped into Lake Eonnoth.
Her charm ability was permanent until she chose to end it, but she could only
hold one person at a time. She was mated to the Pit Fiend Tionetenty, and was
a spy for him. Tionetenty will likely seek to avenge her death - not out of
love, but out of pride.
Lake Eonnoth: A lake that is reputed to be the site of Olanigan’s visitation
with Khasmanen. It harbors several lake dragons and other monsters and is very
dangerous. It is dangerous to Sharyss and her kind because a priest whose companions
were seduced cursed the three erinyes to always be vulnerable to its waters.
Leoxornathat: A city on the edge of Drychtnoth’s borders in the kingdom
of King Thoxar. Ruled by Baron Kadam II, this city is the first stop in Drychtnoth
for many of the slaves taken out of the Unknown Lands. The slave trade here
is brisk and brings in much income for the city. The city is also the site
for one of the largest battle colleseums in all of Drychtnoth. The city maintains
a large fishing fleet and offers substantial rewards for the deaths of the lake
dragons. This is a grey forboding city of gargoyles and violence. On the edge
of the frontier, Baron Kadam II maintains a force of rangers to enforce the
laws of King Thoxar, as well as the laws of the Empire.
The Carnival of Isolde: A menagerie and carnival of freaks and misfits.
Safe throughout the lands of Inzeladun, even the slavers of Kadam II don’t try
to mess with Isolde and her carnival.