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Story Hour
"Second Son of a Second Son" - An Aquerra Story Hour (*finally* Updated 04/19)
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<blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 4760152" data-attributes="member: 11"><p><strong>Session #32 – “Assault on the Old Apshai Temple” (part 2 of 2)</strong></p><p></p><p>Later as Timotheus started work on skinning the crocodile (quickly realizing it would take much longer than they had), Markos prepared a spell in place of one he had readied that morning.[sup]1[/sup] They finished carrying the boats across the mucky ground and then continued deeper into the bog on the other side. Timotheus, Bleys and Victoria rode in the magical boat, while Telémahkos, Markos, Tymon, Savion and Katan rode in the larger boat, along with a great deal of gear and Tim and Victoria’s armor.</p><p></p><p>The foliage grew even thicker and their progress slowed as they often raised the oars to push aside brush as they went by. About two hours after getting past the island where they fought the bullywugs the mushroom creatures began to sing, and Katan began to holler his hatred of their song. “Ya nasty varmints! You’ll call the creatures of the swamp down on us!”</p><p></p><p>“You are making more noise then they are,” Victoria said.</p><p></p><p>“Light the cigars! Light the cigars!” Markos called and Katan obeyed. In the rear boat, Bleys did the same. They all heard the buzzing of the giant mosquitoes momentarily, but it passed without their coming into view.[sup]2[/sup]</p><p></p><p>When the danger was past, Markos had fun getting the mushrooms to harmonize with him on bawdy sailor’s song, annoying everyone, but Katan most especially.</p><p></p><p>As they passed one last long stretch of deep still green bog water, Markos called out to those in the rear boat, “The spell may be ending soon, so that boat might be disappearing!”</p><p></p><p>“How will we know?” Timotheus called back.</p><p></p><p>“When you fall into the water,” Markos replied. And a few moments later, about 100 yards short of the mossy shore of an island thick, the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Spell+-+Conjure+Boat" target="_blank"><em>conjured boat</em></a> disappeared, sending Bleys, Timotheus and Victoria into the water.</p><p></p><p>“You fool,” Telémahkos cursed Markos.</p><p></p><p>“Race you!” Timotheus said to Bleys, and the two of them made a beeline for the shore, Bleys’s finer swimming stroke edging out the strength pulling Timotheus in great ragged yanks across the water. </p><p></p><p>Timotheus pulled himself out of the water laughing and then reached down to help Victoria out as well and later grabbed the prow of Katan’s and helped pull it ashore.</p><p></p><p>This was a lush island, green and covered in tall broad blades of wavy grass that leaned over each other in humps and waves. It rose up in rounded hills that built upon each other, leaving a winding path of grass-choked valleys that had clearly been hacked through with machetes. Katan explained that the last time he had passed through this area there had been no path and the way up to the overgrown shrine was a difficult passage. Savion asked that the others stood where they were while he went to the edge of the hacked path and checked for tracks.</p><p></p><p>In the meantime, the others discussed what to have Katan do. Bleys felt he should come back in two days and told the man as much, and the others quickly agreed. Since the matter was decided, he moved up to observe Savion looking for tracks, asking a few key questions about how such things were done.</p><p></p><p>“It may be there is another way out of here, so if we are not here waiting in two days forget it,” Bleys said, handing the man some coins. “But we shall find a way to send you due payment.”</p><p></p><p>The Scions of Thricia, with their new companion and manservant in tow, began to make their way up the path. Savion said he had found several sets of tracks overlapping each other, including those of lizardfolk and some he was sure were made by the gnolls he had been tracking. Timotheus led the way, followed by Bleys and Tymon. Then came Savion, Telémahkos, and Markos. Victoria took up the rear of the line. The grass was slick and often their booted feet sunk down into the soft loam below as it was impossible to know exactly where they were stepping. The grass was tall and thick, like tight blooming ferns creating a thick green wall to either side of them, and forcing them to go directly along the path. </p><p></p><p>“Look! Canoes!” Victoria called to the others. Everyone else had walked past them without noticing, but there were three large canoes tucked into a ditch at the roots of some of the grass on the right side. The canoes were painted green and brown and blended easily with the background. “Markos, make sure to mark this place in your memory so that we might find them again on the way back,” the militant said.</p><p></p><p>The tanned mage walked back and looked to where she pointed and then made an exaggerated expression as if he were straining, putting his right hand to his temple. “It is memorized,” he said to Victoria with a smirk, and rolling his eyes he turned as everyone else continued to walk.</p><p></p><p>“What do lizardfolk need with canoes?” Timotheus asked. </p><p></p><p>“The gnolls might have used them,” Savion suggested.</p><p></p><p>“And MacHaven’s Brood,” added Bleys.</p><p></p><p>They had marched perhaps thirty minutes when Timotheus stopped short. “Gnolls!”</p><p></p><p>There were three tall humanoids wrapped in studded leather armor and holding long recurved bows. They had red-furred hyena faces with long toothy snouts and large eyes. Savion rushed forward and winced as an arrow cut him deeply across the forearm as he reflexively raised his arm to deflect it, dropping to one side to pull and arrow from his quiver.</p><p></p><p>“I’ll keep them tied up!” Timotheus called, rushing forward, ignoring the arrows narrowly missing him as he advanced, hacking at one of the hyena-headed men. It leapt back, deftly fitting another arrow to its bow as it did, giving a sharp barking call to its two companions.</p><p></p><p>Bleys moved up and then squeezed into the thick press of the tall broad grass letting an arrow loose that caught one of the gnolls in the calf, before springing out, advancing and firing again, this time the gnoll barked in deeper pain. Meanwhile, the three of them kept deftly avoiding Timotheus, managing to withdraw just enough to fire arrows that only shattered uselessly against the bulette shield. Telémahkos ran up and supported his cousin, screaming for Victoria to aid him, but the militant was not as fleet of foot in her scale armor, and had been trailing the line. Markos kept hidden, slowly advancing by hiding behind different lumps of the fern-like grass.</p><p></p><p>One of Savion’s arrows found the lead gnoll’s chest and it collapsed, dying. And Victoria reached the melee in time to pen in another that bounced between heavy blows from her spear, Telémahkos’s rapier and Timotheus’s saber. It fell over dead.</p><p></p><p>The remaining gnoll withdrew down the path dropping its bow and drawing a battle-axe off its back. The party could see now that around the bend here, the path split into two directions, though the way to the right was much narrower. The gnoll stuck to the left. Timotheus rushed it, shield up and the resounding blow echoed across the grass as Tim’s jaw chattered as he fell backward painfully. The gnoll barked its laugh-like bark delightedly, but its victory was short lived. Markos let a bolt from his gnomish repeating crossbow fly, staggering the thing, and then Bleys moved up and fired an arrow from his longbow. The hyena-headed man-beast fell back, dead.</p><p></p><p>Tymon and Telémahkos helped Timotheus to his feet. The gnolls were searched and their weapons distributed, though the axes were thrown into a nearby ditch. They found many silver and copper coins in a sack along with what looked like two large insect cocoons. They were a dirty whitish-gray and slightly curved, ridged on one side with a seam. Markos sliced the thing open and inside was some kind of large locust pupae. It was unmoving, dead by the time he got the thing open, ichor spilling all over his hands. They also found leather leashes of the kinds used on human slaves. Savion recognized them as the type used by the previously defeated gnolls slavers.</p><p></p><p>“They must have dropped the boy off at the shrine,” he said.</p><p></p><p>As Victoria called on Anhur to heal Timotheus, Savion scouted the two paths (Bleys once again, looking on) and announced that the gnolls had come from the broader path. </p><p></p><p>They marched on pressing the pace as fast as they dared. </p><p></p><p>“You said you are from Collines d’Or?” Markos asked Savion as they marched. “That is in the northwestern shore of the Captured Sea?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” Savion replied, shortly. He continued to march at the increased pace, and Markos momentarily fell behind.</p><p></p><p>”So, your surname is ‘Gold’… As in House Gold, former bannermen of House Amber?” Markos asked. He had recently learned much of the area from his research at the Library of Thoth in Lilly City.[sup]3[/sup]</p><p></p><p>“Yes, I am descended from the nobles of House Gold,” Savion replied. “But now is not the time to discuss lineage…”</p><p></p><p>Markos nodded, “I just wanted to say I have some interest in House Amber and thought perhaps you knew more about them…” </p><p></p><p>Savion nodded. “I know some…”</p><p></p><p>The trail they were on began to get windier making it way up a steeped hill covered in the wall-like grass. They caught a glimpse of a large opening above them and some areas that looked like they were smaller clearings flanking it to the lower left and right. The foliage here was more like an unkempt hedge, tall and creating narrow passages that wound up the hill.</p><p></p><p>A lizardman’s voice was heard to call in common, “Intruders!”</p><p></p><p>Ahead the path forked out, and the lizardfolk appeared on their right and then dove back the way it came around the corner. Telémahkos hurried after, followed by Timotheus. “We need to hurry to save the kid,” Telémahkos called out. “We must not be too late!:</p><p></p><p>Bleys quickly cast <em>message</em> on Telémahkos before the swordsman disappeared with his cousin around the bend. But Telémahkos stopped short as the lizardfolk hurried past a shambling humanoid figure with pasty yellow skin and dead eyes. It was some kind of zombie, but was wrapped in a green thorny vine that emerged from its neck and head.</p><p></p><p>“Ra’s Balls! Timotheus! Kill that thing!” Telémahkos swore. “I’m checking for the kid.” He leapt and avoided a spear the lizardman spun and chuck at him, hurrying past the zombie-creature. The thing reached out with its calcified hands and slapped at Telémahkos with dead heavy limbs. The blond Briareus grunted and fell into a tumble to get past. Timotheus charged in as Bleys began to cast another spell, stepping forward to keep them in sight.</p><p></p><p>Timotheus buried his saber into the creature’s shoulder and yellow-green ichor poured from the wound instead of blood, and it would not fall.[sup]4[/sup]</p><p></p><p>“<em>Augeo Alio!</em> Bleys completed the long spell and Timotheus grew in size to reach over twelve feet in height. The narrow confines of the path were now blocked by his immensity, making it difficult to get past him on the main path, or even in the direction Telémahkos had gone. Savion, whistling a jaunty tune, managed to squeeze past just as Timotheus was still growing, while Victoria cursed and bullied her way through the tall grass and broad-leaved bushes. She cut through the intersection and by-passed Timotheus, arriving back at the main path where it curved to the right, joining Savion. Markos dove between Tim’s legs and followed the newcomer and the militant, quickly passing the latter.</p><p></p><p>Tymon pushed his body against the hedge and reached for the zombie with his longsword, chopping through its head. The thing collapsed and fell apart, letting out brown dust. Timotheus squeezed down the side path and found Telémahkos at the edge of a pit in one of the side clearings they had noticed before. The lizardfolk was on the other side, drawing a thatched cover off from over the hole. </p><p></p><p>“Watch out! It is probably like the thing that killed Victoria’s horse that time!” Telémahkos warned his cousin.[sup]6[/sup] Timotheus could easily reach the lizardfolk with his increased armreach and drew green-black blood from it, but the lizardfolk was able to pull the cover clear.</p><p></p><p>“Get out of here!” Telémahkos called to Tim, jumping forward to stab the lizardfolk with his rapier.</p><p></p><p>Out on the main path, Savion was startled by a second zombie creature stumbling at him from a path on the left. The whistling man hurried further down the path away from the thing. Another lizardman spun around the corner, spearing at Markos, who cried out in alarm. Victoria called to Anhur and lay a <em>cure light wounds</em> spell on the mage as she drew her morningstar with her other hand. She swung the heavy spiked and moved in. Bleys let an arrow loose at the lizardfolk, but the projectile stopped by the hedge, hanging limply between blades of thick grass. The zombie turned to the next nearest target and slammed Victoria under the chin, pushing its way into close quarters with her.</p><p></p><p>Savion’s whistling changed into several sharp blasts and a flare of red light burst into being near the lizardman’s head, but seemed to have no affect on it. Victoria tried to drive the zombie back with pure strength, pushing her morningstar into its belly to pry it back away from her. Tymon moved up and chopped at the thing from behind. It spun around and slammed the manservant heavily on the side of the head.</p><p></p><p>Bleys hung back looking for an opening with his bow, stopping only to cast <em>expeditious retreat</em> on himself.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile Telémahkos was able to thrust his rapier through the neck of his own lizardman foe and hurry to dive between the legs of his fleeing cousin, before any of the feared yellow pollen emerged. Seeing the battle out in the intersection Telémahkos squeezed past Bleys and then fell into a roll, gaining momentum to leap over the melee, twisting his body to avoid the spear thrust of the lizardfolk attacking Savion. Timotheus stepped over Bleys and then charged in trying to use his increased size to barrel through the fight and emerge at the other side, but the vine-covered zombie got tripped up in his legs and he did not get by.</p><p></p><p>A third lizardman emerged from around the corner from where more of the tall frond-like grass formed a ring around the huge clearing atop the flattened hill. It flung a javelin and Telémahkos gasped as he felt the pain of it glance off his ribs through his chain shirt. Savion moved to join Telémahkos, but stopped short as he felt the sting of many needles against his arm and face. He looked up to see another strange humanoid creature atop a tall narrow moss-covered standing stone that was one of matched pair, twelve feet high that flanked the entrance to the clearing – the old shrine of the dark insect god. It has fibrous skin of a dun-brown and pale green that covered knots of muscled vine. And over all its body it was covered in countless tiny needles. In its hands it held a short bow and wore a quiver on its back, but the needles had emerged from its very body. Another of these bizarre needlemen stood on the twin stone at the other side of the entrance. Just within these stone columns were deep shafts of clear water about five feet wide and ten feet long.</p><p></p><p>Markos chanted an arcane word and the lizardman in the intersection fell to sleep, and Victoria squeezed against the hedge to flank the zombie.</p><p></p><p>“Telémahkos! What is happening up there?” Bleys whispered, using his spell to talk to Telémahkos, still trapped behind the fight by the zombie and Timotheus’ immensity. The third lizardman came charging up just as Timotheus chopped down the zombie, but it managed to stop just short of being caught by the saber’s wide swing. </p><p></p><p>If Telémahkos heard Bleys call to him, he did not reply. Instead he reached into his toga and drew out the potion of <em>invisibility</em> that Markos had given to him after the first assassination attempt back in <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Sluetelot" target="_blank">Sluetelot</a>.[sup]5[/sup] He choked it down and promptly disappeared.</p><p></p><p>Savion fired some arrows at the needleman on the left, but the arrows seemed to do little or no harm to the thing. Unfortunately for the newcomer, the same could not be said for these creatures’ arrows on him. They both fired and he felt one clip his shoulder and the other bounced off a stud on his armor. He could feel the welt swell and tighten beneath his clothing. Behind him, Victoria slammed the remaining lizardman in the shoulder with her morningstar, knocking it down. Tymon stepped over and thrust his sword in its chest drawing blood.</p><p></p><p>“Finally!” Timotheus swore, pushing past everyone, his broadened shoulders brushing against the hedge on either side as he made it to the opening to the circular shrine area. He winced as he felt the bite of needles flying at him from the plant-men flanking him. “Telémahkos! Where did you go?”</p><p></p><p>“Tim! Telémahkos is invisible!” Bleys whispered with his spell. The blond Briareus had informed the watch-mage of his state by means of the <em>message</em> spell, as he hurried towards the center of the shrine area. The area was about 80 feet across and at its center was a painted circle of stones with a stylized red mantis in the center. There were five tall spires of stone ending in rounded points and covered in damp green moss that flanked each side of the central circle, eight of them were about six feet in diameter and nine feet high, but the center one on each side was nearly ten feet in diameter and twelve feet tall. The wall of tall frond-grass (fifteen feet tall) emerged from a trench dug around the entire circumference of the place and brimming with green water.</p><p></p><p>Two figures in long brown robes were walking at a steady pace around the circle on the ground, while a third stood over a small boy tied up lying on his side and crying. The third figure was a homely woman with two long dirty nappy brown fraying braids emerging from her shaved scalp. She was covered in countless tiny tattoos of insects, including on her face and head. She wore studded leather and held a spear in one hand, on her back was a quiver of javelins. She turned to look at Timotheus with her cold gray eyes.</p><p></p><p>“Get away from the child!” Timotheus demanded. “And perhaps I won’t kick your asses quite as hard!”</p><p></p><p>Telémahkos was not far from the tattooed woman, on his hands and knees on the edge of the circle, invisible and taking in the layout of the place. He gulped softly as he noticed two black ants, larger than mastiffs making their way from the rear of the clearing. “I’m up at the cicrle,” Telémahkos whispered to Bleys via the spell that connected them. “I am going to save the child…”</p><p></p><p>Savion shouted as he was struck by another arrow, so moving forward Bleys spoke some arcane words to protect the newcomer from the onslaught of missiles.[sup]7[/sup] Nearly simultaneously, Victoria called on Anhur to shield Savion with her faith, as the tracker was bleeding profusely.</p><p></p><p>“Chansomps say,” the woman with the spear called, obviously referring to herself. “Apshai! Dark lord of the hive and the colony! Use your power over plants to grasp these intruders!” And suddenly the grass and bushes began to grow and coil in a large area at the entrance to the clearing and even right up to the edge of the inner circle. Tymon and Markos were held immobile, while the others were able to avoid the quivering plantlife for now. The sleeping lizardman was also caught by the grasping foliage. “Master! What should I do?” Tymon cried out, squirming to free himself. </p><p></p><p>But Telémahkos was too busy, he straddled the boy and flared his cloak, hoping to shield him with his invisibility (but failing), quickly cutting the first bond about the boy’s wrists. “We are noble heroes here to rescue you,” he whispered to the would-be sacrifice. He noticed that the boy was bound to a stake in the ground that was tied about his waist and had two sets of bonds on his ankles and knees.</p><p></p><p>One of the circling druids stopped to direct one of the giant ants towards Timotheus, who made a large crack in its shell with his saber as it approached, barely sidestepping to avoid an arrow from the needleman on the right. Victoria hopped from one side to the other avoiding the flailing plants and handing a potion of <em>aid</em> to Savion as she passed him to reach the clearing entrance. Bleys followed with his increased speed, passing her and managing to escape the area of <em>entanglement</em> altogether. He moved to the left side of the clearing, noting one of the two ants charging to clamp down on Victoria’s calf with its pincer, even as she winced from needles flying at her from the flanking plantmen. Savion drank the potion and then fired an arrow at the needleman on the left. The arrow made contact and drew the smallest bit of sap-like blood from the plantman.</p><p></p><p>“You will not stop the coming of the avatar!” Chansomps cried, beginning to huff and puff as her chest expanded and her eyes grew wild and bloodshot. She charged at Bleys who was well within the clearing now, but the watch-mage easily avoided her, running with the speed granted by his spell past the circle, to the deeper into the clearing. Telémahkos cut the second set of bonds on the boy. There was a cry as one of the two druids cut across the circle to strike Timotheus with a club she drew from under her voluminous cloak. Tim’s <em>enlarged</em> blade drew blood as the insect-priestess tried to duck out of its way and slammed her cudgel into Tim’s knee, but she got the worst of the exchange. The other druid thinking he could use the distraction, found himself cut deeply across the face, and as he fell the last thing he felt was the point of Timotheus’ sword slicing open his gut to spill his entrails on the grass.</p><p></p><p>Chansomps turned from chasing Bleys and went after Timotheus instead. The <em>enlarged</em> brawny warrior cut through the foe swinging at him and brought his blade up in time to send the berserking druid’s spear off line and clip her with the tip of his sword on the chin, drawing a lot of blood. </p><p></p><p>Bleys hustled around the left side of the clearing and let loose and arrow, hitting the needleman on the left dead in the center of its back. It made no sound.</p><p></p><p>Victoria roared as she felt the grass about her ankles finally grab a tight hold of her, arresting her movement, but was able to bring down her morningstar heavily one last time, crushing the ant biting at her. Roaring her ambition to slay all her foes to her god, she entered her <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Militant+of+Anhur+Characters#righteousfury" target="_blank">holy rage</a>.</p><p></p><p>Tymon finally able to pull himself free dragged himself over to Bleys. “If you can make me big, Master Bleys, I will attack those thorny things on the rocks!”</p><p></p><p>As Savion continued to send arrows at the needlemen, Timotheus fell into the harsh rhythm of melee against the raging druid-warrior, Chansomps, and Telémahkos cut the last bond on the captured boy…</p><p></p><p><strong>End of Session #32</strong></p><p></p><p>--------------------------------------------------------</p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><p></p><p>[sup]1[/sup] Arcane casters can prepare spells in place of already prepared spells if they take 15 minutes per spell level. However, just the act of beginning to prepare a new spell removes the old one.</p><p></p><p>[sup]2[/sup] Remember, the cigar smoke acts as a deterrent to the giant mosquitoes. (See Session #30)</p><p></p><p>[sup]3[/sup] Markos had his cousin Laarus get the information with the help of Telémahkos’s brother, <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Nikephorus+of+Thoth" target="_blank">Nikephorus</a>. (See Session #27)</p><p></p><p>[sup]4[/sup] This was a yellow musk zombie.</p><p></p><p>[sup]5[/sup] See Session #27.</p><p></p><p>[sup]6[/sup] See Session #4</p><p></p><p>[sup]7[/sup] <em>Protection from Arrows</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="el-remmen, post: 4760152, member: 11"] [b]Session #32 – “Assault on the Old Apshai Temple” (part 2 of 2)[/b] Later as Timotheus started work on skinning the crocodile (quickly realizing it would take much longer than they had), Markos prepared a spell in place of one he had readied that morning.[sup]1[/sup] They finished carrying the boats across the mucky ground and then continued deeper into the bog on the other side. Timotheus, Bleys and Victoria rode in the magical boat, while Telémahkos, Markos, Tymon, Savion and Katan rode in the larger boat, along with a great deal of gear and Tim and Victoria’s armor. The foliage grew even thicker and their progress slowed as they often raised the oars to push aside brush as they went by. About two hours after getting past the island where they fought the bullywugs the mushroom creatures began to sing, and Katan began to holler his hatred of their song. “Ya nasty varmints! You’ll call the creatures of the swamp down on us!” “You are making more noise then they are,” Victoria said. “Light the cigars! Light the cigars!” Markos called and Katan obeyed. In the rear boat, Bleys did the same. They all heard the buzzing of the giant mosquitoes momentarily, but it passed without their coming into view.[sup]2[/sup] When the danger was past, Markos had fun getting the mushrooms to harmonize with him on bawdy sailor’s song, annoying everyone, but Katan most especially. As they passed one last long stretch of deep still green bog water, Markos called out to those in the rear boat, “The spell may be ending soon, so that boat might be disappearing!” “How will we know?” Timotheus called back. “When you fall into the water,” Markos replied. And a few moments later, about 100 yards short of the mossy shore of an island thick, the [url=http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Spell+-+Conjure+Boat][I]conjured boat[/I][/url] disappeared, sending Bleys, Timotheus and Victoria into the water. “You fool,” Telémahkos cursed Markos. “Race you!” Timotheus said to Bleys, and the two of them made a beeline for the shore, Bleys’s finer swimming stroke edging out the strength pulling Timotheus in great ragged yanks across the water. Timotheus pulled himself out of the water laughing and then reached down to help Victoria out as well and later grabbed the prow of Katan’s and helped pull it ashore. This was a lush island, green and covered in tall broad blades of wavy grass that leaned over each other in humps and waves. It rose up in rounded hills that built upon each other, leaving a winding path of grass-choked valleys that had clearly been hacked through with machetes. Katan explained that the last time he had passed through this area there had been no path and the way up to the overgrown shrine was a difficult passage. Savion asked that the others stood where they were while he went to the edge of the hacked path and checked for tracks. In the meantime, the others discussed what to have Katan do. Bleys felt he should come back in two days and told the man as much, and the others quickly agreed. Since the matter was decided, he moved up to observe Savion looking for tracks, asking a few key questions about how such things were done. “It may be there is another way out of here, so if we are not here waiting in two days forget it,” Bleys said, handing the man some coins. “But we shall find a way to send you due payment.” The Scions of Thricia, with their new companion and manservant in tow, began to make their way up the path. Savion said he had found several sets of tracks overlapping each other, including those of lizardfolk and some he was sure were made by the gnolls he had been tracking. Timotheus led the way, followed by Bleys and Tymon. Then came Savion, Telémahkos, and Markos. Victoria took up the rear of the line. The grass was slick and often their booted feet sunk down into the soft loam below as it was impossible to know exactly where they were stepping. The grass was tall and thick, like tight blooming ferns creating a thick green wall to either side of them, and forcing them to go directly along the path. “Look! Canoes!” Victoria called to the others. Everyone else had walked past them without noticing, but there were three large canoes tucked into a ditch at the roots of some of the grass on the right side. The canoes were painted green and brown and blended easily with the background. “Markos, make sure to mark this place in your memory so that we might find them again on the way back,” the militant said. The tanned mage walked back and looked to where she pointed and then made an exaggerated expression as if he were straining, putting his right hand to his temple. “It is memorized,” he said to Victoria with a smirk, and rolling his eyes he turned as everyone else continued to walk. “What do lizardfolk need with canoes?” Timotheus asked. “The gnolls might have used them,” Savion suggested. “And MacHaven’s Brood,” added Bleys. They had marched perhaps thirty minutes when Timotheus stopped short. “Gnolls!” There were three tall humanoids wrapped in studded leather armor and holding long recurved bows. They had red-furred hyena faces with long toothy snouts and large eyes. Savion rushed forward and winced as an arrow cut him deeply across the forearm as he reflexively raised his arm to deflect it, dropping to one side to pull and arrow from his quiver. “I’ll keep them tied up!” Timotheus called, rushing forward, ignoring the arrows narrowly missing him as he advanced, hacking at one of the hyena-headed men. It leapt back, deftly fitting another arrow to its bow as it did, giving a sharp barking call to its two companions. Bleys moved up and then squeezed into the thick press of the tall broad grass letting an arrow loose that caught one of the gnolls in the calf, before springing out, advancing and firing again, this time the gnoll barked in deeper pain. Meanwhile, the three of them kept deftly avoiding Timotheus, managing to withdraw just enough to fire arrows that only shattered uselessly against the bulette shield. Telémahkos ran up and supported his cousin, screaming for Victoria to aid him, but the militant was not as fleet of foot in her scale armor, and had been trailing the line. Markos kept hidden, slowly advancing by hiding behind different lumps of the fern-like grass. One of Savion’s arrows found the lead gnoll’s chest and it collapsed, dying. And Victoria reached the melee in time to pen in another that bounced between heavy blows from her spear, Telémahkos’s rapier and Timotheus’s saber. It fell over dead. The remaining gnoll withdrew down the path dropping its bow and drawing a battle-axe off its back. The party could see now that around the bend here, the path split into two directions, though the way to the right was much narrower. The gnoll stuck to the left. Timotheus rushed it, shield up and the resounding blow echoed across the grass as Tim’s jaw chattered as he fell backward painfully. The gnoll barked its laugh-like bark delightedly, but its victory was short lived. Markos let a bolt from his gnomish repeating crossbow fly, staggering the thing, and then Bleys moved up and fired an arrow from his longbow. The hyena-headed man-beast fell back, dead. Tymon and Telémahkos helped Timotheus to his feet. The gnolls were searched and their weapons distributed, though the axes were thrown into a nearby ditch. They found many silver and copper coins in a sack along with what looked like two large insect cocoons. They were a dirty whitish-gray and slightly curved, ridged on one side with a seam. Markos sliced the thing open and inside was some kind of large locust pupae. It was unmoving, dead by the time he got the thing open, ichor spilling all over his hands. They also found leather leashes of the kinds used on human slaves. Savion recognized them as the type used by the previously defeated gnolls slavers. “They must have dropped the boy off at the shrine,” he said. As Victoria called on Anhur to heal Timotheus, Savion scouted the two paths (Bleys once again, looking on) and announced that the gnolls had come from the broader path. They marched on pressing the pace as fast as they dared. “You said you are from Collines d’Or?” Markos asked Savion as they marched. “That is in the northwestern shore of the Captured Sea?” “Yes,” Savion replied, shortly. He continued to march at the increased pace, and Markos momentarily fell behind. ”So, your surname is ‘Gold’… As in House Gold, former bannermen of House Amber?” Markos asked. He had recently learned much of the area from his research at the Library of Thoth in Lilly City.[sup]3[/sup] “Yes, I am descended from the nobles of House Gold,” Savion replied. “But now is not the time to discuss lineage…” Markos nodded, “I just wanted to say I have some interest in House Amber and thought perhaps you knew more about them…” Savion nodded. “I know some…” The trail they were on began to get windier making it way up a steeped hill covered in the wall-like grass. They caught a glimpse of a large opening above them and some areas that looked like they were smaller clearings flanking it to the lower left and right. The foliage here was more like an unkempt hedge, tall and creating narrow passages that wound up the hill. A lizardman’s voice was heard to call in common, “Intruders!” Ahead the path forked out, and the lizardfolk appeared on their right and then dove back the way it came around the corner. Telémahkos hurried after, followed by Timotheus. “We need to hurry to save the kid,” Telémahkos called out. “We must not be too late!: Bleys quickly cast [I]message[/I] on Telémahkos before the swordsman disappeared with his cousin around the bend. But Telémahkos stopped short as the lizardfolk hurried past a shambling humanoid figure with pasty yellow skin and dead eyes. It was some kind of zombie, but was wrapped in a green thorny vine that emerged from its neck and head. “Ra’s Balls! Timotheus! Kill that thing!” Telémahkos swore. “I’m checking for the kid.” He leapt and avoided a spear the lizardman spun and chuck at him, hurrying past the zombie-creature. The thing reached out with its calcified hands and slapped at Telémahkos with dead heavy limbs. The blond Briareus grunted and fell into a tumble to get past. Timotheus charged in as Bleys began to cast another spell, stepping forward to keep them in sight. Timotheus buried his saber into the creature’s shoulder and yellow-green ichor poured from the wound instead of blood, and it would not fall.[sup]4[/sup] “[I]Augeo Alio![/I] Bleys completed the long spell and Timotheus grew in size to reach over twelve feet in height. The narrow confines of the path were now blocked by his immensity, making it difficult to get past him on the main path, or even in the direction Telémahkos had gone. Savion, whistling a jaunty tune, managed to squeeze past just as Timotheus was still growing, while Victoria cursed and bullied her way through the tall grass and broad-leaved bushes. She cut through the intersection and by-passed Timotheus, arriving back at the main path where it curved to the right, joining Savion. Markos dove between Tim’s legs and followed the newcomer and the militant, quickly passing the latter. Tymon pushed his body against the hedge and reached for the zombie with his longsword, chopping through its head. The thing collapsed and fell apart, letting out brown dust. Timotheus squeezed down the side path and found Telémahkos at the edge of a pit in one of the side clearings they had noticed before. The lizardfolk was on the other side, drawing a thatched cover off from over the hole. “Watch out! It is probably like the thing that killed Victoria’s horse that time!” Telémahkos warned his cousin.[sup]6[/sup] Timotheus could easily reach the lizardfolk with his increased armreach and drew green-black blood from it, but the lizardfolk was able to pull the cover clear. “Get out of here!” Telémahkos called to Tim, jumping forward to stab the lizardfolk with his rapier. Out on the main path, Savion was startled by a second zombie creature stumbling at him from a path on the left. The whistling man hurried further down the path away from the thing. Another lizardman spun around the corner, spearing at Markos, who cried out in alarm. Victoria called to Anhur and lay a [I]cure light wounds[/I] spell on the mage as she drew her morningstar with her other hand. She swung the heavy spiked and moved in. Bleys let an arrow loose at the lizardfolk, but the projectile stopped by the hedge, hanging limply between blades of thick grass. The zombie turned to the next nearest target and slammed Victoria under the chin, pushing its way into close quarters with her. Savion’s whistling changed into several sharp blasts and a flare of red light burst into being near the lizardman’s head, but seemed to have no affect on it. Victoria tried to drive the zombie back with pure strength, pushing her morningstar into its belly to pry it back away from her. Tymon moved up and chopped at the thing from behind. It spun around and slammed the manservant heavily on the side of the head. Bleys hung back looking for an opening with his bow, stopping only to cast [I]expeditious retreat[/I] on himself. Meanwhile Telémahkos was able to thrust his rapier through the neck of his own lizardman foe and hurry to dive between the legs of his fleeing cousin, before any of the feared yellow pollen emerged. Seeing the battle out in the intersection Telémahkos squeezed past Bleys and then fell into a roll, gaining momentum to leap over the melee, twisting his body to avoid the spear thrust of the lizardfolk attacking Savion. Timotheus stepped over Bleys and then charged in trying to use his increased size to barrel through the fight and emerge at the other side, but the vine-covered zombie got tripped up in his legs and he did not get by. A third lizardman emerged from around the corner from where more of the tall frond-like grass formed a ring around the huge clearing atop the flattened hill. It flung a javelin and Telémahkos gasped as he felt the pain of it glance off his ribs through his chain shirt. Savion moved to join Telémahkos, but stopped short as he felt the sting of many needles against his arm and face. He looked up to see another strange humanoid creature atop a tall narrow moss-covered standing stone that was one of matched pair, twelve feet high that flanked the entrance to the clearing – the old shrine of the dark insect god. It has fibrous skin of a dun-brown and pale green that covered knots of muscled vine. And over all its body it was covered in countless tiny needles. In its hands it held a short bow and wore a quiver on its back, but the needles had emerged from its very body. Another of these bizarre needlemen stood on the twin stone at the other side of the entrance. Just within these stone columns were deep shafts of clear water about five feet wide and ten feet long. Markos chanted an arcane word and the lizardman in the intersection fell to sleep, and Victoria squeezed against the hedge to flank the zombie. “Telémahkos! What is happening up there?” Bleys whispered, using his spell to talk to Telémahkos, still trapped behind the fight by the zombie and Timotheus’ immensity. The third lizardman came charging up just as Timotheus chopped down the zombie, but it managed to stop just short of being caught by the saber’s wide swing. If Telémahkos heard Bleys call to him, he did not reply. Instead he reached into his toga and drew out the potion of [I]invisibility[/I] that Markos had given to him after the first assassination attempt back in [url=http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Sluetelot]Sluetelot[/url].[sup]5[/sup] He choked it down and promptly disappeared. Savion fired some arrows at the needleman on the left, but the arrows seemed to do little or no harm to the thing. Unfortunately for the newcomer, the same could not be said for these creatures’ arrows on him. They both fired and he felt one clip his shoulder and the other bounced off a stud on his armor. He could feel the welt swell and tighten beneath his clothing. Behind him, Victoria slammed the remaining lizardman in the shoulder with her morningstar, knocking it down. Tymon stepped over and thrust his sword in its chest drawing blood. “Finally!” Timotheus swore, pushing past everyone, his broadened shoulders brushing against the hedge on either side as he made it to the opening to the circular shrine area. He winced as he felt the bite of needles flying at him from the plant-men flanking him. “Telémahkos! Where did you go?” “Tim! Telémahkos is invisible!” Bleys whispered with his spell. The blond Briareus had informed the watch-mage of his state by means of the [I]message[/I] spell, as he hurried towards the center of the shrine area. The area was about 80 feet across and at its center was a painted circle of stones with a stylized red mantis in the center. There were five tall spires of stone ending in rounded points and covered in damp green moss that flanked each side of the central circle, eight of them were about six feet in diameter and nine feet high, but the center one on each side was nearly ten feet in diameter and twelve feet tall. The wall of tall frond-grass (fifteen feet tall) emerged from a trench dug around the entire circumference of the place and brimming with green water. Two figures in long brown robes were walking at a steady pace around the circle on the ground, while a third stood over a small boy tied up lying on his side and crying. The third figure was a homely woman with two long dirty nappy brown fraying braids emerging from her shaved scalp. She was covered in countless tiny tattoos of insects, including on her face and head. She wore studded leather and held a spear in one hand, on her back was a quiver of javelins. She turned to look at Timotheus with her cold gray eyes. “Get away from the child!” Timotheus demanded. “And perhaps I won’t kick your asses quite as hard!” Telémahkos was not far from the tattooed woman, on his hands and knees on the edge of the circle, invisible and taking in the layout of the place. He gulped softly as he noticed two black ants, larger than mastiffs making their way from the rear of the clearing. “I’m up at the cicrle,” Telémahkos whispered to Bleys via the spell that connected them. “I am going to save the child…” Savion shouted as he was struck by another arrow, so moving forward Bleys spoke some arcane words to protect the newcomer from the onslaught of missiles.[sup]7[/sup] Nearly simultaneously, Victoria called on Anhur to shield Savion with her faith, as the tracker was bleeding profusely. “Chansomps say,” the woman with the spear called, obviously referring to herself. “Apshai! Dark lord of the hive and the colony! Use your power over plants to grasp these intruders!” And suddenly the grass and bushes began to grow and coil in a large area at the entrance to the clearing and even right up to the edge of the inner circle. Tymon and Markos were held immobile, while the others were able to avoid the quivering plantlife for now. The sleeping lizardman was also caught by the grasping foliage. “Master! What should I do?” Tymon cried out, squirming to free himself. But Telémahkos was too busy, he straddled the boy and flared his cloak, hoping to shield him with his invisibility (but failing), quickly cutting the first bond about the boy’s wrists. “We are noble heroes here to rescue you,” he whispered to the would-be sacrifice. He noticed that the boy was bound to a stake in the ground that was tied about his waist and had two sets of bonds on his ankles and knees. One of the circling druids stopped to direct one of the giant ants towards Timotheus, who made a large crack in its shell with his saber as it approached, barely sidestepping to avoid an arrow from the needleman on the right. Victoria hopped from one side to the other avoiding the flailing plants and handing a potion of [I]aid[/I] to Savion as she passed him to reach the clearing entrance. Bleys followed with his increased speed, passing her and managing to escape the area of [I]entanglement[/I] altogether. He moved to the left side of the clearing, noting one of the two ants charging to clamp down on Victoria’s calf with its pincer, even as she winced from needles flying at her from the flanking plantmen. Savion drank the potion and then fired an arrow at the needleman on the left. The arrow made contact and drew the smallest bit of sap-like blood from the plantman. “You will not stop the coming of the avatar!” Chansomps cried, beginning to huff and puff as her chest expanded and her eyes grew wild and bloodshot. She charged at Bleys who was well within the clearing now, but the watch-mage easily avoided her, running with the speed granted by his spell past the circle, to the deeper into the clearing. Telémahkos cut the second set of bonds on the boy. There was a cry as one of the two druids cut across the circle to strike Timotheus with a club she drew from under her voluminous cloak. Tim’s [I]enlarged[/I] blade drew blood as the insect-priestess tried to duck out of its way and slammed her cudgel into Tim’s knee, but she got the worst of the exchange. The other druid thinking he could use the distraction, found himself cut deeply across the face, and as he fell the last thing he felt was the point of Timotheus’ sword slicing open his gut to spill his entrails on the grass. Chansomps turned from chasing Bleys and went after Timotheus instead. The [I]enlarged[/I] brawny warrior cut through the foe swinging at him and brought his blade up in time to send the berserking druid’s spear off line and clip her with the tip of his sword on the chin, drawing a lot of blood. Bleys hustled around the left side of the clearing and let loose and arrow, hitting the needleman on the left dead in the center of its back. It made no sound. Victoria roared as she felt the grass about her ankles finally grab a tight hold of her, arresting her movement, but was able to bring down her morningstar heavily one last time, crushing the ant biting at her. Roaring her ambition to slay all her foes to her god, she entered her [url=http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Militant+of+Anhur+Characters#righteousfury]holy rage[/url]. Tymon finally able to pull himself free dragged himself over to Bleys. “If you can make me big, Master Bleys, I will attack those thorny things on the rocks!” As Savion continued to send arrows at the needlemen, Timotheus fell into the harsh rhythm of melee against the raging druid-warrior, Chansomps, and Telémahkos cut the last bond on the captured boy… [b]End of Session #32[/b] -------------------------------------------------------- [b]Notes:[/b] [sup]1[/sup] Arcane casters can prepare spells in place of already prepared spells if they take 15 minutes per spell level. However, just the act of beginning to prepare a new spell removes the old one. [sup]2[/sup] Remember, the cigar smoke acts as a deterrent to the giant mosquitoes. (See Session #30) [sup]3[/sup] Markos had his cousin Laarus get the information with the help of Telémahkos’s brother, [url=http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/Nikephorus+of+Thoth]Nikephorus[/url]. (See Session #27) [sup]4[/sup] This was a yellow musk zombie. [sup]5[/sup] See Session #27. [sup]6[/sup] See Session #4 [sup]7[/sup] [I]Protection from Arrows[/I] [/QUOTE]
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"Second Son of a Second Son" - An Aquerra Story Hour (*finally* Updated 04/19)
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