Session 9
Arodus the 10th (Cont).
As we returned to exploring the caverns, I tried to recall the name of the Serpent-folk deity, but could not. Luckily we found it shortly thereafter, written upon the walls of the cavern, Ydersius. Continuing on, we found a few more ghouls and a spot where the caves opened to the sea. We also found a disgusting, ghoulish nest, most likely belonging to Mother Thrune.
Once the caverns were thoroughly explored, we returned to the surface to check in with our fellow castaways. All was well. I checked the lighthouse to see if it might be possible to use the light to signal ships once more. Luckily most of the parts needed to fix it were merely scattered about and not missing completely. I instructed Jask and Ishiru in the installation of the focusing lens to intensify the light from the oil lamp. If they follow my instructions, it should be ready to work sooner than we had originally thought.
As there was plenty of daylight left, we started toward Red Mountain. We felt we should try to get there as soon as possible. We stopped to camp for the night about halfway to the Mountain.
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Arodus the 11th.
Last night there were two events worth mentioning. At one point, the creature that dwells on Red Mountain flew overhead and dropped the carcass of a cannibal nearby. Later, we observed lightning flashes coming from the western side of Red mountain, near the shore. I believe the lightning was a product of Ieana performing the ritual.
In the morning we set out for higher ground. At an intersection of the game trail, looking west to the sea, we saw the standing stones that had been represented on the walls of the cavern. As we approached them, the Red Mountain Monster attacked, flying low and dropping yet another carcass. Even seeing it clearly in the daylight did not help with my attempt to identify it, I have never seen a creature like this before.
It was a difficult fight, as Chumba and Max are not well equipped for ranged combat and my accuracy seemed to be off today. Since the luck of Desna was just not with me (a trend that continued throughout the day), I switched to Magic Missile to strike my opponent unerringly. We attempted to use tanglefoot bags to bring it down, but were unsuccessful in that as well. Ace summoned some eagles to harass it and Chumba and Max struck at it as it closed with them. Once we got organized, the creature was finally defeated.
Reaching the site, we saw four stones surrounding a small pyramid. We searched, but there was no sign of Ieana. Rereading my notes aloud, it occurred to us that performing the ceremony would likely reveal or, “give up”, something from the sea, “To Command the Very Tides to Rise Up and Eschew What Lies Below.” So, against our better judgment, we performed the ceremony. Taraz was nice enough to donate his blood for the stones, Ace summoned a serpent and I poured salt water onto the pyramid from my metal flask and spoke the name of Ydersius.
As we finished the ceremony, the sea quickly receded as if a tsunami might be approaching. The floor of the bay was revealed to us. There, beyond a wrecked ship, stood two stone doors. On the way to the doors, Chumba and Max investigated the wreck and reported finding a strange water creature that insisted he was Captain of the vessel, the Salty Strumpet. They left the creature unaccosted.
The stone doors were covered with seaweed. Once we moved it aside we saw bas-relief carvings of Demons feasting on Human maidens. Taraz and I had a short discussion about the images and we believe they are of Azlanti origin and related to the demoness Zura, patronized by cannibals and Vampires. It seems quite unusual to me, a ceremony invoking Ydersius to open the way to a Temple of Zura? I have no idea what the link between Ydersius and Zura might be.
We entered into a large, oddly shaped area. Over a dozen stone pillars supported the cavernous chamber's 60 foot high vaulted ceiling. To the north, four empty alcoves sat in the walls, their edges carved to resemble yawning, fanged mouths. To the south, a pair of bronze doors that seemed to drip with blood sat under a stone bridge that passed through the upper portion of the room, from east to west, forty feet above. The walls were decorated with unsettling carvings of bats, human sacrifice, and the walking dead. The dismembered, skeletal bodies of three humans were scattered about the floor of this chamber. Upon the bridge were three serpentine skeletons wielding javelins.
Faced once more with the prospect of ranged combat, Max threw a rope up and over the bridge as Taraz and I moved to investigate the double doors at the back of the room. Chumba grabbed on to the far end of the rope and was pulled up to the bridge by Max’s formidable strength. Though the skeletons slashed and bit at her, she was able to pull herself up onto the bridge.
Opening the door, we saw stairs going up to our left and right. Ace and Kay’Es went to our right while I, unfortunately, went left. Keeping my streak of bad luck going, I discovered a pit… by falling into it. Max (rope trailing behind) then tried to leap over the pit… and almost made it. Luckily neither of us was harmed too badly by the 30 foot drop. Max offered to throw me out of the pit and, though I was pretty sure he was joking, I made sure to give a polite but firm, “No, thank you”.
As he started to climb out on his own, I kept hold of the trailing end of the rope. While waiting for Max to climb out, I noticed two small tunnels on either side of the pit. I watched them closely, but nothing appeared in the time I remained trapped. Though combat was over before I got out, I understand Chumba defeated the other two skeletons almost singlehandedly.
Returning to exploration, Ace discovered another pit… by falling into it. I think it is time for a discussion on exploration methods and strategies. Another thought has occurred to me as well as we debate the possibility of resting since Taraz has expended almost all of his healing power to restore Chumba to full health. The question has come up as to how long the magical tide will stay out and I suspect we have met someone who may know the answer. We should pay another visit to Max’s water friend in the ship wreck outside.
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