Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)

[talien]

Naoke: Part 9 – The Prisoner

A huge force rocked the Nǎoké. Without warning, the entire vessel shuddered violently, as if struck by a great obstacle.

Vlad peered over the edge of the ship. “I don’t see anything.”

Whatever the ship had rammed into, it wasn’t visible. The vessel’s bowsprit, caved into the likeness of an angel of death, had been smashed to splinters. Judging from the cries of the sailors, it was apparent that the bow had taken damage. Though the sails were still filled with wind, the ship had stopped dead in the water, obviously because it had run directly into something. Yet nothing appeared beyond the ship but open sea and black night sky.

“Shh” said Ilmarė. “I hear something.”

Shouting sailors rushed back and forth between the bow and the storage lockers, quickly mending the fractured portions of the hull.

“I don’t hear anything either,” said Kham. “Besides the crew, that is.”

Suddenly the elorii hopped down off of the bow of the ship, disappearing from sight.

Vlad gasped. “Ilmarė?”

“There’s someone down here!” shouted the elorii from seemingly nowhere. The source of her voice was down below the ship’s keel.

“Magic,” said Beldin. “An invisible island.”

Kham hopped down and, much to his surprise, found himself on terra firma. No more than a tiny islet, the piece of rock wasn’t more than fifty feet in diameter. A hut, made of stone, sat in the middle. A wretch of a man was babbling excitedly at Ilmarė.

The elorii wrinkled her nose when she saw Kham approach. “Good, you can speak to him. He smells like fish.”

“Please!” The man nearly clutched at Ilmarė’s arm, but her icy gaze warned him off. “Please, don’t abandon me here!”

“Easy old fella, we won’t leave you here,” Kham said reassuringly. “Calm down. What’s your name?”

“My name,” the man tried to catch his breath, “is Estaboth.”

“What are you doing on this little rock, Estaboth?”

The words came out in a torrent. “I was a bookkeeper by trade. I once worked for a shipping company in Freeport. But I made a mistake.”

“I’d say this is a pretty big mistake, yeah.”

Estaboth shook his head. “I tried to embezzle money from a company. The owner discovered my embezzling and....”

“Oooh, now I get it. You must have been too valuable to just kill, so he punished you this way instead, huh?”

Estaboth nodded vigorously. “He posed a riddle to me, with death being the outcome if I failed to answer it correctly. Since I gave the proper answer, he sentenced me to twenty years of gulag.”

“How did you stay alive all this time?” asked Ilmarė.

“They left me with an enchanted decanter and several fishing nets. But that was seven years ago, and I don’t think I can stomach any more fish and seaweed! You’ve got to take me with you!”

Kham looked him up and down. “Fine, fine. You can come with us.”

They began walking back towards the Nǎoké. “I didn’t catch the name of the man who imprisoned you here.”

Estaboth was so happy that tears were streaming down his face. “Finn. Finn’s Syndicate.”

Kham froze in mid-climb. Ilmarė easily passed him on the ropes, despite being pregnant.

“You can always throw him back,” she said over her shoulder.

 

[talien]

Naoke: Part 10 – Sole Survivor

The lookout on the crow’s nest shouted, “Land, ho!”

Not far away lay a verdant island, lush with vegetation. Though the island itself was rather small, no more than two miles across, it teemed with life. Most of the island was a dense jungle, and birds flew above the treetops in great number.

”Mariners anchor here and meet on th’ shore in informal gatherings,” said Captain Baldric. “To exchange gossip and inexpensive trade goods. Personally, I’ve never harbored thar. But if ye be willing t’ take a look, we can drop anchor.”

“No,” said Ilmarė sternly. “No more islands. We have enough stragglers and enough grief.”

“I’ll go,” said Kham. “I want to stretch my legs.”

“Me too,” Vlad added eagerly.

“Fine,” said Baldric. “Ye’ve got three hours to conduct an investigation, just in case thar be something of value.”

Kham and Vlad took six crewmembers with them. Given the extra mouths to feed, Baldric secretly hoped they would gather up more food. The ship was getting crowded.

They rowed to the island. The white beaches bore evidence that the place had been used as a port by many vessels throughout the years: old longboats and dinghies were here and there, along with the detritus that sailors left behind after an excursion ashore.

Kham led them deeper into the jungle. “Maybe we can find some fruit or something to eat.”

“Anything but rations!” said Vlad. The pirates shouted in agreement.

With a roar, a horned beast crashed through the jungle, plowing into Vlad and the pirates. Only Kham dived aside in time.

It slowed to a halt, breathing hard. It was a triceratops and, judging from the numerous scars across its frill and head, had fought hundreds of battles for survival.

“Whoa!” said Kham. Vlad was down, bleeding from the ears and nose. Kham didn’t bother to check out the other pirates.

The triceratops wheeled about. It was massive, nearly the size of the Nǎoké.

Without making any sudden moves, Kham drank a potion and disappeared from sight. Then he padded over to Vlad’s unconscious body and poured a healing liquid down his throat.

Vlad blinked awake.

“Don’t move,” Kham whispered to him. “I’m invisible. I’m going to try to get Billy’s attention here—“

“Billy?”

“The thing that hit you like a ton of bricks. I’m going to try to get its attention by making some noise. When you hear the signal, run as fast as you can for the boat. Okay?”

Vlad groaned. The potion had only managed to wake him. He was still hurt.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Kham padded away onto the beach. Vlad could make out his footsteps in the sand.

“Hey!” shouted Kham. “Hey Billy!”

The triceratops that Kham named Billy scanned the horizon. It turned to face the source of the noise. Then two pistol shots ricocheted off its head.

That got Billy’s attention. Kham was visible. Seeing a new threat, the beast roared and charged forward.

“Now Vlad!” shouted Kham.

Vlad jumped to his feet. Shooting pain lanced through his limbs, but he had no choice. He fought through the agony, limping as quickly as he could to the longboat.

Billy barreled down on Kham. He crouched.

Just as Billy lowered its head to gore him with its three horns, Kham jumped into the air. He landed lightly on the crest of its nose and then somersaulted onto its back. The triceratops skidded to a halt, confused.

Vlad kept on limping towards the boat. He was only a hundred yards away.

Billy saw him. With a roar, the triceratops kicked into a gallop.

Kham yanked off his cloak and threw it over the triceratops’ horns. The beast roared and pulled off to the right.

Kham launched himself off the beast and dove into the surf, swimming towards the longboat. By the time Billy shook the cloak from his eyes, Kham and Vlad were long gone.

With a mournful bellow, the sole survivor of the island returned to grazing.

“What was that?” asked Ilmarė.

“Nothing,” said Kham. “We were just saying hello to Billy.”

Vlad winced. “More like he was saying hello to us.”

Ilmarė rolled her eyes. “Stupid humans. When will you learn?”

 

[talien]

Naoke: Part 11 – Heartbreak

Vlad looked glum. It was his turn to be lookout along with Brother Egil.

“You are troubled?” asked Egil.

“How can you tell?”

Egil smiled. “I know the heartbreak of romance. What happened?”

“I don’t know! That’s the problem!” Vlad rubbed his forehead. “I was late for one of our walks on the ship. I was still recovering from my injuries from that…thing Kham called Billy, on the island. I overslept.”

“So now Patricia’s angry with you?”

“Angry isn’t the word. She’s been staying in her cabin almost all the time. According to Yolanda, she’s suffering from seasickness. But I know that’s not true.”

Egil nodded sagely. “In my experience, one cannot rush such relationships.”

“You’ve had relationships?” Vlad stuttered. “With women, I mean?”

Egil chuckled. “No, but I have counseled many couples. My relationship is with Althares.”

Vlad coughed.

“That sounds stranger than it is,” Egil went on quickly. “My faith has sustained me through thick and thin. Through the death of my friend Lucius to the loss of my pinky to Finn,” he waved the stub of his pinky, “to here. I had gathered Tranco and Yolanda to try to stop Livius, but it turned out that Althares guided you on the path. And now he placed me here to heal your wounds.”

“What does this have to do with me and Patricia?” asked Vlad.

“Faith. You’ll have to have faith that she will come back to you, if it is meant to be,” said Egil. “Romance is a fickle thing, and especially in these cramped quarters, you are perhaps spending too much time together. Give her some room. She’ll come around.”

Vlad sighed. “Maybe you’re right. Thanks for listening.”

Egil inclined his head towards Vlad. “It’s part of the job, being a Brother for Althares. I’m glad I could be of service.”

Vlad nodded. “When she gets her footing in Freeport, I’m sure things will be better.”

“I certainly hope so.” Egil looked wistful. “I haven’t seen Freeport in months. I hope the Temple of Althares is still standing!”

They both chuckled at that, although Egil didn’t laugh nearly as hard as Vlad did.

 

[talien]

Naoke: Part 12 – The Swimming Dead

It was Beldin’s turn at watch. The night was tranquil, the sea calm. Nothing, surely, would disrupt the Nǎoké’s journey now.

“You don’t have to stand watch with me, Egil,” the dwarf said gruffly. “I know your weak constitution isn’t accustomed to standing watch at these hours.”

After the attack by the Fang, Baldric had buddied up the lookouts with men and women he could trust. None of the pirates were among them.

Egil chuckled. “Thank you for your concern, Master Dwarf. But I wish to pull my own weight around here. I’m sure I can serve some good.”

Beldin shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

Despite all the turmoil, Baldric was happy with the outcome. Taking on two different pirate crews, despite the casualties, had bloated their numbers. Kham, Beldin, and Ilmarė were three more people the ship couldn’t afford in provisions and space, given that the Yolanda, Patricia, Francesca, Egil, and Tranco were on board too.

When he asked Baldric about it, the captain merely winked at him with his good eye. “I’m sure we’ll all fit just fine by th’ time we reach Freeport.”

Beldin’s reverie was interrupted by a gasp from Brother Egil.

“Egil? What’s wrong?”

The priest clutched at his throat. All he got out was, “Gluccck!”

“What is it?” Beldin’s axe and shield were out in a flash.

Egil fell to the ground. He vomited up seawater, as if he were drowning even though he was safe and dry on the Nǎoké’s deck.

A litany of gasps and groans reached Beldin’s ears. He whirled to watch sailors falling left and right, collapsing as something wet and rancid flopped its way onto the deck.

“Illiir!” whispered Beldin.

It was a corpse, bloated with seawater. The night air shimmered around it, and wherever the strange bubble enveloped a man he fell to the ground, struggling for breath.

Beldin took a deep breath just before the edge of the bubble enveloped him.

He swung his axe, but the thing bashed him aside with one pulpy limb. Windcutter skittered out of his grasp.

The undead monstrosity let out a mournful groan and, glaring with unblinking white eyes, it lurched towards the dwarf.

Beldin scrabbled backwards. The thing wheezed and latched both hands around the dwarf’s throat.

The world went gray. As a dwarf, Beldin had amazing lung capacity. But even he could not hold his breath forever.

He remembered Cho Sun’s ring. Beldin pressed his hand against the corpse’s flesh and his open palm sunk right through the fibrous mass that was its ribcage.

Beldin closed his eyes and concentrated. There was a loud splash as all the seawater blasted out of thing’s back in a great geyser of seaweed and rotten flesh. The desiccated corpse staggered backwards.

The crew immediately stopped drowning. Egil rose to his feet.

“In the name of Althares, I adjure you to return to your grave!”

He held up his holy symbol, a small hammer. Light flared from it. The thing covered its eyes, wailing, before hurtling itself off the ship.

Beldin nodded his approval. Egil smiled weakly. He finally did have a use.

“That’s it,” said Beldin. “I’m becoming a pirate.”

 

[talien]

Naoke: Part 13 – Desperation Island

Before the Nǎoké lay an idyllic scene: smooth beaches of fine, white sand, tall palms swaying in the breeze, the clear blue, placid seas rolling to the inviting shores. The gentle sloping landscape promised hidden grottoes with bubbling springs and tropical fruits falling from the trees.

“We’re anchoring here for some shore leave!” shouted Baldric.

The crowd gave a wild cheer. It had been twenty days since they left Nyambe.

Ilmarė sat with crossed arms on deck. With the advent of her pregnancy it had become difficult for her to stand for long periods of time. “This is a mistake. The island is too perfect.”

“It’s all we’ve got,” said Kham. “Besides, live a little! The weather is perfect!”

Most of the crew took rowboats out to the island. When they arrived, they discovered the island WAS perfect.

Bananas, mangoes, and papayas grew in abundance. Along the hillside were a number of different shallow caves.

“I’ll take a look around,” said Beldin. The dwarf led a team of men into the caves.

Each of the caves was no more than a slight depression, affording any occupants scant but adequate protection from any squall in the area. Only one, some thirty feet in diameter, could be properly called a cavern.

“There are markings here. Bring the torch over.” While Beldin could see in the dark, he couldn’t make out the markings on the wall. A sailor held a torch aloft.

Along the walls of the cave were various tribal markings, hieroglyphs of a long lost native population. It didn’t require any skill to read the tale, however. It proceeded from a quiet, peaceful existence, to tragedy and sorrow, resulting in the eventual death of the entire tribe.

Beldin hustled out of the cave to find the others. They were at the highest point of the island.

“I think we should leave,” he said gruffly.

“Why? This place is great!” said Vlad.

Towering palms surrounded them, with a gnarly, withered tree in the center.

“You don’t find anything wrong with that tree?” asked Beldin.

Kham peered at the tree. “Huh. Didn’t even notice it before.”

“Didn’t notice it? It’s over twenty feet tall!”

“Maybe you’re right…” said Vlad. “Hey, there are ropes hanging from that tree.”

Kham took a step closer. Two rotting bodies swung from the tree’s limbs. “Mutineers, probably.”

“Or suicides. We should leave,” Beldin reiterated. “Now.”

The dwarf turned to go, but Vlad and Kham stared slack-jawed at the tree.

“What’s wrong?”

“I…I want to leave,” Kham said distantly. “But my body…is not going…”

“It’s calling to us.” Vlad was completely focused on the tree. “Can’t you hear it?”

The rustling of the trees transformed into a strange hushed whispering, just beyond the range of normal hearing.

Suddenly, the sailors around them shrieked, clutching their heads. They collapsed one by one.

Kham and Vlad stood, swaying, barely able to keep themselves upright. Then the tree moved.

One of the braches swatted at them as if they were gnats. Beldin took the brunt of the blow with his shield.

“Run!” he shouted over his shoulder.

But Vlad and Kham had collapsed.

The dwarf grabbed his companions by their collars and dragged them down the hill, even as the creaking, groaning tree stumped after them.

“Cover your ears!” shouted Beldin as he splashed towards the longboat. “Stay on the ship!”

But the men who were supposed to stay with the boat were already swimming for shore. In the distance, Beldin could see more men diving off the deck to pursue the infernal allure of the tree.

Suddenly, a clear note rang out. Ilmarė and Yolanda were singing, their clear notes slicing through the chaos. The men paused, temporarily regaining their senses.

“That song won’t last forever!” shouted Beldin. “Come on!”

A few men struggled back to the boat. But there were many who vanished into the tree line and never returned.

Baldric greeted the dwarf’s return with a grin. “Well, now thar be enough food an’ booty tah go around!”

Beldin glared at him. “You knew about that place?”

“Desperation Island? Nay, I would never put me men in danger. I thought it be just a myth! But Yarris has a way of weedin’ out the weak ones. And a few more Khitani sailors means less shares I have to give out when we reach Freeport.”

Beldin shook his head. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to be a pirate. I want to be a sailor.”

 

[talien]

Naoke: Conclusion

Slipping past the lighthouse known as Milton’s Folly, the Nǎoké made its way into Freeport in the twilight. As she came slowly into dock, everyone line up on the deck rails cheering and waving and flags flying. Word of Baldric’s return had made him a hero, and his defeat of Cho Sun only cemented his reputation as a formidable candidate for the Sea Lord’s Council.

Passengers and their possessions went ashore in a scene of great noise and confusion. The milling port officials, crew, porters, hawkers, and would-be guides only added to the chaos. Clem, Tranco, and Estaboth slipped out into the crowd.

“I’ll take you to the Marquis Moon.” Yolanda was about to don one of her familiar masks. “You’ll be safe there.”

“We won’t if you advertise who you are. Keep the mask off for now. We’ll have to lay low,” said Kham. “Last time we were here, we pissed off the daughter of a certain powerful newspaper editor. And I’m supposedly dead in a botched rescue operation.”

Yolanda turned and screamed shrilly. “Patricia!”

Patricia had gone into the harbor. Vlad ran over to the edge of the dock. Patricia’s broad hat was on the quay and there were ripples on the water. The Milandisian dove in.

“She missed her step,” Francesca said, rocking herself. “She missed her step. She missed her step.”

“She jumped,” said Ilmarė. “Stupid humans.”

A man with a pad and paper was waiting for Vlad as he brought Patricia back to the dock. “Freeport News: can I have a word with you?”

“Damn it!” muttered Kham. “Ilmarė, do something before we end up on the front page!”

Vlad laid Patricia gently on the deck.

Egil bent over her, listening to her chest. He whispered a few words and she choked up saltwater with a gasp. “She’ll live, but I should take her to the Temple of Althares.”

“Francesca,” ordered Yolanda, “Go with her.”

Francesca nodded tearfully and the three were whisked away by a rickshaw that Egil hailed.

The reporter turned to Yolanda. “Is she one of your girls?”

Yolanda was about to say something when Ilmarė interrupted.

“O môr henion i dhû.” The elorii sang of understanding darkness through the night.

The reporter blinked. “That sound! That’s amazing!”

“Ely siriar, êl síla.” She sang of dreams flowing and stars shining.

The reporter, entranced, walked over to Ilmarė. She sang, arms outstretched.

”Ai! Aníron Freeport!” she sang.

“You’re singing of Freeport? So you think Freeport should side with the Entaris elves against the Hinterland barbarians?”

Ilmarė tossed her hair and smiled at the reporter. “I think that’s a much more interesting story for your article, don’t you?”

The reporter nodded, dumbstruck.

The elorii traced one finger along the man’s cheek and then tapped him on the forehead. “Good. Keep that in mind.” She sauntered away.

Kham ducked back down an alley with Yolanda. Beldin and Vlad joined them.

Ilmarė walked through the crowd, and as she stepped men made way for her, staring at her with nothing short of love struck devotion.

“It’s a good thing your elf friend isn’t fond of human men,” Yolanda said with a hint of envy in her voice. “You’d never stand a chance.”

 

[talien]

Chapter 55: Shadows in Freeport - Introduction

This scenario is adapted from a Goodman Games adventure, “Shadows in Freeport” by Robert J. Schwalb, set in the Arcanis setting. You can read more about Arcanis at Onara Online. Please note: This adventure contains spoilers!

Our cast of characters includes:

• Dungeon Master: Michael Tresca (http://michael.tresca.net)
• Beldin Soulforge (dwarf fighter/dwarven defender) played by Joe Lalumia
• Kham Val’Abebi (val rogue/psychic warrior) played by Jeremy Ortiz (Jeremy Robert Ortiz)
• Vlad Martell (human fighter) played by Matt Hammer

I knew that one of the PCs would have to sacrifice themselves to save Arcanis, so I had a contingency plan all along to rescue whoever that was. Since that was Sebastian, arguably the most destructive character in the group, it meant that any adventure involving undead was going to be that much harder.

However, the last time our heroes faced off against ghosts, way back in Madness in Freeport, they were unprepared. Since then, both Kham and Vlad acquired ghost touch weapons. And both of them have bane weapons against Carcosan beings, which is precisely what they were up against. I changed many of the infernal references to Carcosan references instead, and just about everything that wasn’t undead has the Farspawn template.

That said, one big difference in how the heroes approached this adventure is that they had a mission. In the original version of this adventure, the goal is to find the children lost in the house, which means tearing the place apart. Instead, I changed the party’s goal: find the portal to Carcosa. They know it’s in the basement. And if you think about it, aren’t all portals to horrible places in the basement?

This means the adventure goes very quickly. Our heroes are in no mood to explore; they want to find the portal and get the hell out of there. So they skipped a whole section of the module with almost no prodding from me. Indeed, they made a beeline straight for the portal without knowing where it was!

What was supposed to be a creepy haunted house ended up being more like a raid on a drug den. But the adventure bridged the gap to Carcosa, and in that regard it was definitely a success.

 

[talien]

Shadows: Prologue

It was an ugly day. The sun hadn’t shown its face at all, seemingly content to hide behind the swollen blanket of clouds that covered Freeport. Worse, the rain was nothing more than a drizzle, enough to awaken old stenches and stains, but not enough to wash the filth from the sewers.

“So this is Cresh Manor,” said Vlad.

Kham, Beldin, and Vlad stood inside the entrance to a veritable wilderness of overgrowth. The street behind them was just visible through the opening in the wall that now only sported one rusted gate hanging from a single bent hinge. The other half lay on the ground, burying who-knows-what beneath its heavy bulk.

“Yolanda said the portal is in the basement, so that’s where we’re going.”

As they looked around, the autumn wind blew through skeletal trees, sending their gaunt limbs rattling and clattering. The life inside them had long since flown, as did the birds and squirrels that once nested in their boughs. A narrow path wound through the tall grasses, stained in places by old blood, a few fluttering carcasses of rotting birds, and tatters of yellow cloth.

“The portal’s been compromised,” said Kham.

“How can you be sure?” asked Vlad.

“Trust me, I just know. I’m the Key to Carcosa, remember?”

“Ilmarė’s not coming?” asked Beldin.

Vlad shook his head. “She said she has unfinished business to attend to. “

Kham smirked. “I think I know what kind of business and with whom. I’ll be surprised if Letah Calame is still alive by the time we get back.”

The house shadowed everything. Two stories and huge, its boarded windows stared down on them like some great multifaceted eyes, opened wide and searching for something to eat. A pair of wooden doors stood before them. They were protected from the elements by the roofed porch, held up by bowed and split columns. Broken glass lay everywhere.

“Well, let’s get on with it.” Beldin stumped forward. “Sebastian’s not going to rescue himself.”

As the wind stirred once more, there was the distant sound of laughter…children’s laughter.

 

[talien]

Shadows: Part 1 – Great Room

The main floor of the Cresh House was in a deplorable state. The walls, once covered in paper, were torn and peeling. Water had stained, cupped, and warped the wooden floors, a testimony to the leaks from the floor above.

They were in a massive room with a polished marble floor that still shined even with all the grime and debris littering it. Two large fireplaces, each big enough for a grown man to stand inside, flanked the sides of the room. Instead of the expected curios and portraits that normally adorned such mantles, there were rats’ nests, chunks of fallen plaster, and filth. Across the room were several windows, though wooden planking concealed whatever lay beyond.

“Tell me something,” said Vlad. “You’ve been seeing this Countess woman for years…and you never suspected she was from Carcosa?”

Kham shrugged. “How should I know? She’s a madam. She always wore a mask.”

“And you didn’t find that strange,” Beldin stated matter-of-factly.

“No.” Kham peered into one of the fireplaces. “In fact, that’s what I was paying for.”

“You PAID her?” asked Vlad.

“I told you she was a madam.” Kham sighed, exasperated. “Look. When you’ve been around as many women as I have, sometimes you need something new. There was a time in my life when the Countess provided that, back in the days when I was a pirate…or pretending to be one anyway.”

Vlad cocked his head. “Can you…can you hear that?”

“Be ready,” said Beldin. “That’s how it always starts…”

A cacophony of babbling assaulted them as a wailing entity, shrouded in black, slipped upwards from the floor. It loomed over them, a fearsome apparition, screeching and whispering and wailing all at once.

Vlad held his ears, struggling to concentrate. It lunged towards him.

“Oh no you don’t!” shouted Beldin. He had encountered an abomination like it once before. But this time he had Windcutter.

His blade slashed through the translucent form and connected, tearing away a wisp of darkness. The thing shrieked louder and turned to Beldin.

Kham’s scimitar, Talon, suddenly protruded through the thing’s torso. It stopped shrieking and looked down.

Then with a tiny wail, it faded away.

Vlad shook off the effect. “Sorry about that.”

“Forget about it,” said Kham. “Let’s keep moving. Sebastian’s got to be around here somewhere.”

Like a man possessed, he fearlessly plunged into the darkness of the next room.

 

[talien]

Vengeance: Part 2 – Game Room

A couple of billiard tables stood in the room, along with a few empty racks for cues. A fireplace filled with trash and bones stood on one wall.

“What the hell is that?” asked Vlad.

Dominating the center of the room were two blobs of quivering flesh, each stained with dark streaks. The flesh shuddered and released a spray of disgusting liquid.

“Pwalgs,” Kham said with a frown. “Sentient tumors torn from the Unspeakable One’s flesh. Look out!”

He dove to the side as a stream of acid spewed forth, melting one of the billiard tables in half.

Vlad drew the light gladius he had retrieved from Bijoux’s homeworld. “This should help.”

He plunged the blade into the center of the pwalg. It hissed and popped and then exploded, spewing acid over Vlad. The Milandisian screamed and fell to the ground.

Its companion, mouths sucking hungrily, slurped forward. Beldin slapped it backwards with the flat of his axe blade.

“Kham?”

“On it!” Kham fired two pistols. Acid spurted upwards as each bullet penetrated.

Then he fired again. And again. Finally, only a smoking husk was left.

Beldin administered a healing potion to Vlad.

“Are you all right?”

The warrior struggled to his feet. “Thanks. I’ll be fine. I didn’t expect that.”

“None of us did,” said Kham. “We’ll have to be careful. We’re going into the heart of Carcosa. Who knows what we’ll find.”

“Let’s just hope no more of those things,” Vlad said with a shudder.