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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WayneLigon" data-source="post: 1235188" data-attributes="member: 3649">Episode 2: Descent in the Depths The party consists of…Vorz, male Litorian Totem Warrior (Wolf)Sellik, male Verrik Mage BladeKyran, female Verrik Iron WitchMont Nuyen, male Human Unbound UnfetteredAlayah, female Loresong Faen Greenbond (The part of Keltset is now being played by Vorz…) Thirdmonth 3. The great spring festival of Landwarden is gearing up outside; many people have come in from the surrounding country areas and over the bay to trade and make new contracts. New people stream in through the gates, which are open late. The Inn of the Three Candles is jumping the night of the 2nd, with various entertainments cramming the small inn tighter than usual. Mont is subdued and quiet, doing only a couple of songs to provide variety. The serpent’s poison has done him ill and he still feels the debilitating effects despite Alayah’s ministrations. So the party sits at a large table near the fire and talks over what they wish to do over the next few days. Many early entertainers come in, including the Holly Queen, who distributes flowers and small nut-like cookies with fortunes in them.  The merriment fades as the hours wear on and finally the master of the inn calls it a night and bars the door. Several more people than usual bed down on the straw mattresses and rough blankets provided to those staying the night in the common room. The party forms a small circle around Mont, keeping him against the wall. Cautious since their encounter with the mojh, they set a light watch just in case the known criminal had friends who may wish to avenge him. Lucky that they do so, for in the very early morning hours, Alayah spots a shadow not cast by the flickering firelight, making it way down the wall towards Mont. She alerts the group, and Vorz picks up the sleeping Mont and places the short human behind him. The shadow changes from a vaguely human shape to that of a serpent and slithers along the floor towards Mont, ignoring the others. They attack, and Vorz’ weapon manages to disperse the undead creature.  The other patrons are of course awakened by the ruckus and most do not sleep for the rest of the short time until morning. Dawn comes with horns, bells, whistles and songs greeting the dawn of spring; processions and ceremonies, deep rituals and light-hearted play dominate the day. Sellik goes forth to question one of the Akashic scholars; he read about snake cults and such that used to be in the area. Mont uses his skills to talk up the locals and try to find out about any such cults, as they now suspect the ruined temple of Khaelorr to be the focal point of some new horrible worship. Mont runs across a young woodsman called Arad, in the city to see a relative of his, Iaska, a greenbond healer. Arad tells Mont about a ruined watchtower he stayed at during a storm; the squatters there gave him shelter. He was almost killed and eaten by them, one of which proved to be some sort of snake-shapeshifter. He provides a map to the place in the southern mountains where he encountered them two seasons ago.  Alayah, Kyran and Vorz go to participate in the various games of chance and skill; all enter the archery competition, which they lose. Vorz manages to win the blunted sword and hand-to-hand competitions, though, and win a small purse of silver. At the competition, they notice they’ve seen no Giant women, at all. Questioning a male Giant, they find that the females are all participating in a day-long ritual calling back spring into the land. That night and all night, the men will do a ritual that puts to bed the old year. Vorz, who was partially raised by Giants, is attracted to Ia-Ka, the second-in-command of the Guard whom they met earlier. He sees this as an opportunity to find her and get to know her better.  Vorz finds out that the Queen Arelora Inn is where Ia-Ka will be, so he arranges to go there along with Sellik, Alayah, and Kyran. Vorz finds the Giant woman with two friends of hers, and goes to join them. Aa-Kar and Ae-Torin are a warmain and magister respectively, and express concern over the shadow attack. They confer, then decide it might be best to return to the Inn of Three Candles so they can talk to Mont directly. The others follow, Alayah at a distance and under cover of darkness so she can see if they are followed. Kyran remains behind at the inn, since she finds the calm peaceful atmosphere of the Giant inn much more calming and orderly than the raucous Human celebrations.  Meanwhile, Mont has hooked up with a young human girl by the name of Eana; she’s a chandler’s apprentice and they seem to hit it off very well. Mont charms her to no end, though as the other re-appear with the Giant women in tow, Vorz can see a flicker of fear across her face that no-one else seems to notice. Ia-Ka questions Mont, listens to him and tells him of shadows. After the meeting, they also meet with Mellen, from the Akashic guild, and he tells them what he’s managed to learn about the worship of Khaelorr. The aspects of death and pain worship worry them. The discovery of a ruined temple to the old baboon god excites Mellen and he wishes for them to escort him to the ruins in the Lost Quarter.  That night is quiet. Vorz notices that Eana, who sleeps in Mont’s arms that night, positions herself so that if Mont were attacked, she would take the damage instead.  The next day, the group girds for exploration of the temple and courtyard once more. Going there, escorting the scholar through the dangerous Lost Quarter, they find more kobold tracks – fresh ones – going in and out of the courtyard and into the small temple ruins. Suddenly, they are attacked by kobold crossbowmen on the roofs surrounding the courtyard! They manage to kill the kobolds, after taking a few wounds themselves. They push on into the temple and find more kobolds, plus a leader-type with his undead zombie wolf! Battle is joined in the small temple ruin, and finally the party manages to prevail, even though Mont is wounded near to death by the kobold leader. Alayah manages to restore him to health, but almost exhausts herself to do so. Even the scholar Mellen fought, using a purloined kobold crossbow. They party notices that the crossbows and shortspears are new and fairly well-made, certainly not the normal possessions of ruin-dwelling kobolds.  Only one kobold managed to get away from the previous fight. The party confers and decides to push onward. They discover this time how to trip the hidden stairway (the stairs up to the dais also can sink into the floor, giving access to the long-ruined and mostly dry old sewer system. There, the discover ominous lizardman tracks, leading off into the darkness. Following for a short distance, they have a terrible encounter with the guards of the passage: two zombiefied troglodytes. Tremendously strong, the zombies claw Sellik almost to death when the young mage blade leaps out to engage them both at once. The small passgeway becomes a swirling melee as the party fights to kill the things. Terrible wounds are taken, bad enough that healing only a small amount exhaustes Alayah’s powers and a decision for retreat is made. They make their way back up the stairs and out through the Lost Quarter to the home of greenbond Iaska. A runner goes to get Ia-Ka, and they tell her the tale of their encounter while Iaska heals their wounds. Ia-Ka suggests the Steward may be generous to someone who could clear out whatever evil is festering beneath the city…. Is there a serpent cult beneath the city? How does Drakon figure into it? What is Eana's secret? Will Vorz and Ia-Ka hit it off or will Alayah's matchmaking come to naught? More answers next week....</blockquote>

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