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Story Hour
Way of the Wicked Playthrough - Updated 2023/03/28
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<blockquote data-quote="rchodges" data-source="post: 8548822" data-attributes="member: 7031385"><p><strong>Part 2:</strong> Call Forth Darkness</p><p><strong>Act 2: </strong>Taking the Horn</p><p><strong>Session 14:</strong> How to Build Friends and Murder Enemies</p><p></p><p>“Oh Tamsen,” Donovan murmured, his breath quickening. Donovan had awoke from his night’s sleep to find Tamsen’s form on top of his, kissing her way down his body. “I thought you were still in Bebop’s room.”</p><p>Tamsen smiled, as her eyes looked up to his. “Would you prefer I was there instead of here?”, Tamsen teased.</p><p>Donovan shook his head, his hand running over her face, “I’ve missed these moments with you.”</p><p>Tamsen smiled mischievously, then moved up to Donovan’s lips, kissing him. “You want me, don’t you baby?”</p><p>Donovan nodded eagerly, “Gods, yes!”</p><p>Tamsen slid her body on top of Donovan’s, “I want you too, lover.” With that, Tamsen reached her hands between Donovan’s legs, staring at him in anticipation.</p><p></p><p>Just then, the door to the room where Donovan was staying was thrown open, banging against the side wall. “We’re going to Drowington!”, Bebop said excitedly. “We are going to do the fighting thing, and the gambling thing, and the prostitutes’ things. “ Bebop chuckled to himself at the end of his sentence, having used “things” in such a creative way.</p><p>Donovan put his hands to his face in frustration, having missed his moment with Tamsen. “What are you talking about, Bebop?”</p><p>Meanwhile, Lucius followed in behind Bebop, “We should make a run to some of the markets in town. I’ve been using up more of our spices than I planned.”</p><p>GrumbleJack pushed his massive frame through the doorway to Donovan and Tamsen’s room, “GrumbleJack hungry!”</p><p>Donovan began to rub his temples with his eyes closed, “Ok, it sounds like we have a lot to take care of today. I should get dressed.” Having said that, Donovan reached out from the bed to where his undergarments were lying on the floor, grabbing them and putting them on while still under the bed sheets.</p><p>“Sorry love.”, Tamsen cooed as she touched Donovan’s face. “I wasn’t trying to tease you.”</p><p>Donovan smiled and shrugged, “I know that my love. I don’t believe you would deny me on purpose.”</p><p>Tamsen moved up close and whispered sweetly in Donovan’s ear, “I don’t care if they are here, I would still have you if you let me.”</p><p>Donovan scoffed, “Yes, Tamsen, I’m sure if I was as gorgeous as you, I would also be comfortable showing everyone my naked body.” With that, Donovan grabbed his remaining clothing from where it had been set on the back of a chair, and finished getting dressed.</p><p>Tamsen pouted momentarily before getting up out of the bed, and putting on the piece of silk that she called her clothing.</p><p>Donovan looked at the group and smiled, “Alright then, shall we be off?”</p><p></p><p>Sitting around a table outside of a local bar, the group continued their previous conversation.</p><p>“Alright Bebop, now what are you talking about with regards to Drownington?”, Donovan asked, looking curiously at Bebop.</p><p>“I told you, when I went out to Drowington yesterday, I found out all about what’s going on in that area. We need to get you in touch with Rubal Thraam, you’ll be able to set up connections throughout the city!”, Bebop spoke excitedly about the area.</p><p>“And I’m guessing you want to spend more quality time with the ladies of the land, right Bebop?”, Lucius teased, saying what everyone was assuming.</p><p>Bebop shrugged nonchalantly, “Eh, maybe, but I have Tamsen for that. I’m only interested in finding something I haven’t been with before.”</p><p>Donovan and Tamsen’s eyes met, the annoyance painted clearly on his face.</p><p>Bebop continued, “But the important thing is the fighting games. Donovan can bet on me, and we’ll make a ton of money!”</p><p>Donovan chuckled, “And you’re certain that you’ll just win every match, and nothing will be a challenge for you?”</p><p>Bebop puffed his chest up, “No one can beat me!”</p><p>The table laughed uproariously at this comment, especially GrumbleJack. “GrumbleJack like brave pig man!”, GrumbleJack said as he slapped Bebop on the back.</p><p>“That’s all fine and well Bebop, but if Thraam is as important as you say he is, then he’s undoubtedly already being influenced by the Baron. “, Donovan replied, clearly unconvinced on the value of this individual.</p><p>“Sure, but you can convince him. Besides, you want extra eyes in the city, since you don’t trust Elise.”, Bebop pressed Donovan, then continued. “Speaking of which, why exactly don’t you trust her? She seems nice.”</p><p>“How do I know?”, Donovan said incredulously, “Let me show you how I know.” With that, Donovan pulled out a deck of cards, briefly shuffled them, and dealt one card face up in front of himself, and one card face down in front of Bebop. “Look at the card.”, Donovan instructed.</p><p>Bebop looked at the card, then set it back face down.</p><p>Donovan smiled, and locked his gaze with Bebop, “Is your card higher or lower than mine?”</p><p>Bebop responded “Lower.”, before his gaze shifted away.</p><p>Donovan snorted, “So higher, and this is exactly how I know. I spent years in my dad’s stores, listening to people come in and lie about the value of their goods, and how they obtained them. Always another story of how people just needed to be trusted.”</p><p>Tamsen turned Donovan’s face towards herself. “Want to try that trick with me?”, she said with a giggle.</p><p>“It would be a coin flip with you, my love. You are quite skilled at saying whatever you want.”, Donovan sighed in his response.</p><p>“Then what’s the plan, Donovan?”, Lucius queried.</p><p>“We need to head off to the Horn now, in order to determine what we’ll need for staying there long term.”, Donovan looked over the group , resolved in his decision.</p><p>“Boring!”, Bebop jeered. “Why do you always have to be so efficient, Donovan? Don’t you have any sense of fun?”</p><p>Donovan continued, unfazed by Bebop’s response, “GrumbleJack, take these funds and keep our rooms rented for the next couple of days. We’ll go out there briefly and then head back once we know what we are dealing with.”</p><p>After GrumbleJack departed, the group walked to the end of the town, and Lucius summoned a pair of mounts. Lucius and Bebop took hold of one mount, with Donovan and Tamsen using the other. A few minutes into their ride, Lucius issued a command word to the mounts, and they began to fly towards the Horn of Abaddon.</p><p></p><p>Looking out over the forest canopy, Bebop began shouting over to Donovan, “You think we can find some Pixies or Dryads out here?”</p><p>Donovan shook his head in frustration, “Focus on finding the horn, Bebop.”</p><p>After several hours of travelling across the sky, Lucius alerted the group that the magic was coming to an end. The group located an open area, bringing their mounts to the ground. As they began to land, they could see in the skyline the Horn of Abbadon that they had been seeking.</p><p>After they landed, Bebop looked around the area where they arrived, noticing some tracks. “Looks like some sort of frog prints. I wonder if these are the same creatures that attacked us when we left Branderscar.”</p><p>Donovan studied the tracks carefully, “No, these are humanoid shaped. Notice the pairs of prints moving around?”</p><p>Bebop replied, “Oh, so froglings?”</p><p>Donovan gave Bebop an odd look, “Froglings? No, there’s no such thing. But there is a humanoid creature that has froglike attributes. What is that creature called?” Donovan became lost in thought, trying to remember the name of the creature as they continued to move towards the Horn.</p><p>About twenty minutes later, Donovan cried out in exclamation, “It’s Boggards! That’s the name of the creature! Finally!”</p><p>The rest of the group stared at Donovan, and he realized he had been overly loud in his realization. Another realization took hold, “Oh no, I don’t speak Boggard.”</p><p>Bebop laughed, “Yet another language you don’t speak Donovan! How are you going to speak for us if you don’t have any language skills?”</p><p>Donovan looked at Bebop with irritation, “Another? Would you be referring to the time we encountered a Vampiric Mist, and I didn’t speak Aklo?”</p><p>Bebop nodded and laughed, holding up two fingers.</p><p>Donovan growled, “You know, there’s not a lot of customers who come through the shops needing to speak Aklo or Boggard. Why in the planes would I learn a language that would never come up in my work or personal life?”</p><p>Bebop shrugged, “Just saying.”</p><p>Tamsen grabbed Donovan’s hand and smiled, “It will be fine, love. Stop overthinking everything!”</p><p>Donovan looked at Tamsen, “How is it going to be fine? I don’t have any way of communicating with them.”</p><p>Tamsen ran her fingers across Donovan’s lips, “You aren’t the only one with a talented tongue.”, she replied, winking at him.</p><p></p><p>In the distance, a loud crash could be heard. Looking out towards the sound, it initially appeared that a tree had fallen over. That thought was quickly dismissed as the tree began to move towards them. The tree had what appeared to be facial features on one side of it, as it continued to stride towards the family. There was no doubt what was approaching them. “Treant.”, Donovan spoke with confidence.</p><p>As the creature approached, Donovan stepped forward, shifting his words to Sylvan as he began his greeting, “Hail to you mighty Treant. May the winds blow cool, and the sun beat warm through all your travels.”</p><p>For its part, the Treant seemed pleased to receive such a greeting. “Hello, little one. It is so rare to see one of your kind who speaks with such words. My name is Jurak the Eldest, and I am charged to guard this land from the corruption of the Horn of Abaddon. You should take leave of this place for your own safety.”</p><p>“You honor me and my family, Jurak the Eldest, by giving us this warning. My name is Donovan, and this is my family. How long have you maintained the harmony of these lands?”, Donovan spoke, slipping into his all too familiar role.</p><p>The conversation proceeded, with the Treant telling the group about the man named Victor who came to this place about eighty years ago, defeating the residents of the Horn over a matter of a few days.</p><p>As the two continued to speak with one another, Donovan told the Treant about the group’s search for the Elf named Aiden Kael. While Jurak knew nothing of the individual, he warned Donovan of the Boggards that resided in the caves below the horn, and said it was likely that the Elf had died in the accursed Horn.</p><p>Their conversation complete, Donovan thanked Jurak the Eldest for his time and wisdom; and each of them went their separate ways.</p><p>“What was that?”, Bebop asked Donovan about the conversation that had taken place.</p><p>“I’m not sure.’, Donovan pondered his response, “Perhaps an ally, perhaps a complication. I’m hoping the former.”</p><p>Having met with the guardian of the Horn, the group continued on to the caves beneath the Horn.</p><p></p><p>Dusk came, and it was clear that there would be little to no light inside the cave. Donovan pulled a flask off his bandolier and handed it to Lucius. “Drink this.”, the all too familiar instruction came from Donovan.</p><p>Lucius looked suspiciously at the flask, but grabbed it from Donovan and swallowed it quickly. The fluid was thick, like he was drinking something that was barely liquid. Once Lucius finished drinking the contents, he noticed that his eyes gained the ability to see beyond the normal spectrum of light.</p><p>As the party began to move through the unlit cave, the forms of the Boggards could be seen darting away and moving into hiding positions.</p><p>“What are we doing, Donovan?”, Bebop questioned, as he consumed his mutagen.</p><p>“We’re not going to provoke them. This is their home, let’s make it easy for them to move around us.”, Donovan replied, somewhat nervously.</p><p>It did not take long before the largest Boggard approached the party, brandishing a greatsword that seemed clearly oversized in its hands. The lead Boggard had a coterie of followers that accompanied it up to the group.</p><p>It was then that Tamsen addressed the group of Boggards in their native tongue, “Hello there. I am Tamsen, and these are my servants.”, Tamsen motioned to the group as she spoke. “We have come here in search of access to the Horn.”</p><p>Donovan stared at Tamsen in disbelief. When did she learn to speak such an obscure language? Even more oddly, she appeared to have no delay in translating between languages, as he had while he moved between different tongues.</p><p>Another Boggard approached the taller one, and began to have a conversation with it. This Boggard appeared to be a shaman in some ways, carrying a staff with fish heads They appeared to have some sort of disagreement, with the taller one ending up pushing the shaman appearing Boggard to the ground. “All who trespass in the home of the Bane-Wogs will perish.”</p><p>Tamsen attempted to reign in the conversation, being confident but firm. “We are sorry to have invaded your home, and are willing to pay a toll to pass through. But make no mistake, if you threaten us, we will end your life here and now.” At the same time, Tamsen communicated into the minds of Bebop and Lucius, “Be ready, we’re about to fight.”</p><p>Hearing Tamsen’s threat, the warrior Boggard gripped his blade with both hands, then released a primal scream. Before the angry creature could even take a single step towards the group, Tamsen muttered some words, and the Boggard fell asleep where it had stood. A moment later, Lucinda and Bebop each surrounded the fallen creature. The other Boggards considered making a move to stop the group, but the shaman seemed to ward them off. In a single vicious blow, Bebop struck the Boggard warrior dead, then grabbed its greatsword in his bloodied hand and held it aloft.</p><p>The Boggard shaman said some other words that referred to its belief. Donovan could make out the word “Dagon”, and understood that to be a deity of the Boggard people. Tamsen filled in the other details about what the shaman was saying, The creature referred to itself as “Zikomo Hears the Father”, and spoke of a vision that he had regarding the arrival of the family. Zikomo spoke of the hard times that were to befall the Boggards in order to receive the blessings of Dagon, and how the strongest of them would survive to see their Father’s reward.</p><p>Zikomo continued his story, but Tamsen apologized midway through the Boggard’s discussion, “I’m sorry, Zikomo, I can no longer speak in your language today.” Tamsen’s words had returned to Common.</p><p>“Magic.”, Donovan realized to himself, as he began to pay more attention to the Boggards.</p><p>Zikomo replied, “You have spoken in my language, now I will speak in yours.”. Zikomo continued his conversation with the group in Common, as he showed them around the cave area. He took great pride in the efforts that his people had made to build a home out of this relatively hostile environment. Donovan began to take over the conversation from Tamsen, pointing it in the direction of the size of the Boggard group, and the advancements they had made in making this area hospitable for them.</p><p>Zikomo was almost gleeful in showing off to the new guests. There were several points of interest. Donovan noted the mushrooms that were growing throughout the cave, to which Zikomo replied that they were only used if no other option was available. Donovan also noted that the cave held a collection of fish that were being caught by some of the Boggards. While Zikomo continued to lead the group around, Lucinda quickly grabbed one of the fish and handed it over to Lucius. As they continued to walk, Lucius began preparing a section of the fish for consumption. When he was finished seasoning and preparing the uncooked fish, he pushed it over to Donovan. “Eat.”, Lucius said without fanfare.</p><p>Donovan was confused, but took a bite of the fish, and nodded in approval, “Excellent as always, Lucius.” Donovan handed over a section of the fish to Tamsen, who intentionally put her mouth around both a part of the fish and Donovan’s fingers, while staring seductively into his eyes.</p><p>Donovan shuddered slightly, as Tamsen tittered to herself while chewing the food in her mouth. “It is tasty, Donovan.”</p><p>Donovan put the rest of the meal into Bebop’s hands, then continued to follow Zikomo. Zikomo pointed out an unusual section of the cave. The liquid that was pooling up in one area had been heavily affected by the stalactites that were dripping into it, and now the pool was effectively a very concentrated acid.</p><p>“Ooh, we should take some of this.”, Bebop said excitedly.</p><p>“Why would we want to carry around acid?”, Donovan asked, clearly concerned.</p><p>“It could be valuable.”, Bebop insisted.</p><p>Donovan looked at the acid. Perhaps a vial could be worth around 5 gold per vial, but that was hardly worth the potential risk in Donovan’s mind. “There’s no reason we will ever need this.”</p><p>Bebop was undeterred. He pulled out several vials from one of the kits, then filled them with acid, shaking around the fluid as he finished filling them.</p><p>Zikomo continued showing different areas to the group, The group passed by the spawning pool of the Boggards, which Donovan explained to Bebop. “See, Bebop. This is how they breed, in the same way as frogs, with eggs placed in the water that are externally fertilized.”</p><p>Bebop nodded, “Ah, I get it. That makes sense.”</p><p>As Zikomo continued to lead Donovan, Tamsen, and Lucius around the cave, Bebop stayed behind, staring at the pool.</p><p>Finally, Bebop pulled down his pants, “Well, when in the stranger’s land…”</p><p></p><p>After receiving a tour of the cave, Donovan told Zikomo that he would back to discuss more with him later. The group was shown the stairway that led up to the first floor of the Horn, bypassing the cave altogether. Upon entering the first floor of the Horn, the damage was apparent throughout the hallways and rooms. It was apparent to see that the struggle between Victor’s forces and the Sons of the Pale Horseman was a brutal affair, with blood splatters and weapon damage throughout.</p><p>Several rooms in, the group encountered what appeared to be some sort of metal construct. Donovan’s eyes widened, “An Alchemical Golem! Do you know how much building one of these would cost?” Donovan’s hands moved over the different sections of the golem, looking to understand the level of damage that the device had sustained. “If only I had the schematics for this construct.”</p><p>Almost on cue, Lucius handed a piece of vellum to Donovan, “Look what I found!”</p><p>Donovan’s face brightened with excitement, “Yes! This is exactly what I need!” Donovan opened the schematics, studying the material components required compared to the current state of the construct.”</p><p>Pointing at the four reservoirs that were in the arms and the legs of the Golem, Donovan reviewed the schematics, “Ok, so we need Alchemist’s Fire, Liquid Ice, the blood of a Lightning Elemental, and…”, Donovan paused as he saw the next component, “… and Acid.”</p><p>Bebop laughed, mocking Donovan, “What’s that you said in the last one?” Bebop rolled one of the vials of acid he had gathered from the Boggard cave.</p><p>Donovan sighed, “Yes, you were right Bebop. Apparently, I should have accounted for the appearance of a Alchemical Golem lying around for the last eighty years.”</p><p>Bebop pushed the vials of acid to Donovan, smiling wickedly the entire time.</p><p>“We’ll also need a glass lens for the eye, mithral for the heart cog, and the brain of a recently deceased humanoid.”, Donovan said, continuing to stare at the schematics. “I guess I better get to work on prepping up the items I can do myself.”</p><p>Bebop interjected, “Don’t bother Donovan. I bet you we’ll find all of these things lying around somewhere in this castle.”</p><p>Donovan looked at Bebop, “We’re going to find Alchemist Fire, Liquid Ice, and a Mithral heart cog just lying around?”</p><p>Bebop nodded his head, “Exactly. Have some faith.”</p><p></p><p>As much as Donovan wanted to stay behind, the group convinced him that they needed to explore the rest of the area. The rooms continued to show destruction and disuse. Donovan remarked that it was going to be somewhat expensive to properly renovate this place for long term use. In one of the rooms, a collection of wall plaques was to be found. While the people weren’t familiar to Donovan, he was immediately taken by the way the plaques were written.</p><p>“Do you hear that?”, Donovan addressed the group, “The iambic pentameter of these words. There’s a pattern here. Notice the numbers and the letters within the phrases. Could it be a cipher?”</p><p>The last plaque, bearing the name “Ergun Nigma”, caught Bebop’s attention. Pushing around the plate, it fell off to reveal a safe behind it. “Take a look, Donovan.” Bebop stepped away, as Donovan rushed over to where the safe was located.</p><p>“Yes, the numbers! I knew there had to be a code in all of these plaques.” However, once Donovan looked at the safe, confusion set across his face. The safe had no numbers, just four lines marking the cardinal positions. “Wait, no, that doesn’t make any sense. What about all of these numbers?”</p><p>As Donovan continued to run around the different plaques, staring fervently at each one, Bebop approached Tamsen, “Hey Luxury, I want you tonight.”</p><p>Tamsen’s face grew annoyed as she caught Bebop’s gaze, “Are you serious? Especially after that stunt you pulled this morning?”</p><p>Bebop put his hands up, smiling, “How was I to know you two hadn’t already had quality time?” Bebop slid his arm around Tamsen’s waist, “But, I can tell you are very ready to enjoy yourself.”</p><p>Tamsen remained cold, “Yes, with Donovan. Not with you.”</p><p>Bebop chuckled, “Come on, look at him. He’s so caught up in all of the things going on right now, you could be standing naked next to him and he wouldn’t acknowledge it.”</p><p>Tamsen’s eyes flicked over to Donovan. She could see how fixated he had become on the safe and the codes in the room, mumbling to himself. This was always his way, since she first started living with him. Tamsen returned her gaze to Bebop, sighing.</p><p>“Hah! I’ve got it! It’s three to the left, two to the right, and one to the left!”, Donovan spoke up as he opened the safe up. While the limited amount of gold and a ruby was hardly interesting, the presence of a pair of Manacles of Cooperation was more appealing, as well as a ring hidden inside another plaque.</p><p>Donovan handed the objects to Bebop, who stored them in the Haversack. “Well, I guess we need to find a room to secure ourselves for the night. We’ll finish up here tomorrow.</p><p></p><p>The family found a room that was inside another room, limiting the number of creatures that might be drawn to investigate any disturbances. Donovan instructed the group that they would not be able to leave the room until the morning. With that, he painted the frame of the door with Shrieker Paste. Once the room was sealed up, Donovan pulled out a Candlerod, and began to review the schematics.</p><p>Bebop crept over to where Tamsen was lying on her bedroll. “Ready to show me that talented tongue of yours?”</p><p>Tamsen looked over at Donovan again, who was fervently studying the schematics and taking notes. She then pushed Bebop down on the floor, as her lips traced their way down Bebop’s chest and stomach.</p><p>Bebop closed his eyes, lost fully in the sensations, “Oh, Tamsen.”</p><p></p><p>Session 14 Ends.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="rchodges, post: 8548822, member: 7031385"] [B]Part 2:[/B] Call Forth Darkness [B]Act 2: [/B]Taking the Horn [B]Session 14:[/B] How to Build Friends and Murder Enemies “Oh Tamsen,” Donovan murmured, his breath quickening. Donovan had awoke from his night’s sleep to find Tamsen’s form on top of his, kissing her way down his body. “I thought you were still in Bebop’s room.” Tamsen smiled, as her eyes looked up to his. “Would you prefer I was there instead of here?”, Tamsen teased. Donovan shook his head, his hand running over her face, “I’ve missed these moments with you.” Tamsen smiled mischievously, then moved up to Donovan’s lips, kissing him. “You want me, don’t you baby?” Donovan nodded eagerly, “Gods, yes!” Tamsen slid her body on top of Donovan’s, “I want you too, lover.” With that, Tamsen reached her hands between Donovan’s legs, staring at him in anticipation. Just then, the door to the room where Donovan was staying was thrown open, banging against the side wall. “We’re going to Drowington!”, Bebop said excitedly. “We are going to do the fighting thing, and the gambling thing, and the prostitutes’ things. “ Bebop chuckled to himself at the end of his sentence, having used “things” in such a creative way. Donovan put his hands to his face in frustration, having missed his moment with Tamsen. “What are you talking about, Bebop?” Meanwhile, Lucius followed in behind Bebop, “We should make a run to some of the markets in town. I’ve been using up more of our spices than I planned.” GrumbleJack pushed his massive frame through the doorway to Donovan and Tamsen’s room, “GrumbleJack hungry!” Donovan began to rub his temples with his eyes closed, “Ok, it sounds like we have a lot to take care of today. I should get dressed.” Having said that, Donovan reached out from the bed to where his undergarments were lying on the floor, grabbing them and putting them on while still under the bed sheets. “Sorry love.”, Tamsen cooed as she touched Donovan’s face. “I wasn’t trying to tease you.” Donovan smiled and shrugged, “I know that my love. I don’t believe you would deny me on purpose.” Tamsen moved up close and whispered sweetly in Donovan’s ear, “I don’t care if they are here, I would still have you if you let me.” Donovan scoffed, “Yes, Tamsen, I’m sure if I was as gorgeous as you, I would also be comfortable showing everyone my naked body.” With that, Donovan grabbed his remaining clothing from where it had been set on the back of a chair, and finished getting dressed. Tamsen pouted momentarily before getting up out of the bed, and putting on the piece of silk that she called her clothing. Donovan looked at the group and smiled, “Alright then, shall we be off?” Sitting around a table outside of a local bar, the group continued their previous conversation. “Alright Bebop, now what are you talking about with regards to Drownington?”, Donovan asked, looking curiously at Bebop. “I told you, when I went out to Drowington yesterday, I found out all about what’s going on in that area. We need to get you in touch with Rubal Thraam, you’ll be able to set up connections throughout the city!”, Bebop spoke excitedly about the area. “And I’m guessing you want to spend more quality time with the ladies of the land, right Bebop?”, Lucius teased, saying what everyone was assuming. Bebop shrugged nonchalantly, “Eh, maybe, but I have Tamsen for that. I’m only interested in finding something I haven’t been with before.” Donovan and Tamsen’s eyes met, the annoyance painted clearly on his face. Bebop continued, “But the important thing is the fighting games. Donovan can bet on me, and we’ll make a ton of money!” Donovan chuckled, “And you’re certain that you’ll just win every match, and nothing will be a challenge for you?” Bebop puffed his chest up, “No one can beat me!” The table laughed uproariously at this comment, especially GrumbleJack. “GrumbleJack like brave pig man!”, GrumbleJack said as he slapped Bebop on the back. “That’s all fine and well Bebop, but if Thraam is as important as you say he is, then he’s undoubtedly already being influenced by the Baron. “, Donovan replied, clearly unconvinced on the value of this individual. “Sure, but you can convince him. Besides, you want extra eyes in the city, since you don’t trust Elise.”, Bebop pressed Donovan, then continued. “Speaking of which, why exactly don’t you trust her? She seems nice.” “How do I know?”, Donovan said incredulously, “Let me show you how I know.” With that, Donovan pulled out a deck of cards, briefly shuffled them, and dealt one card face up in front of himself, and one card face down in front of Bebop. “Look at the card.”, Donovan instructed. Bebop looked at the card, then set it back face down. Donovan smiled, and locked his gaze with Bebop, “Is your card higher or lower than mine?” Bebop responded “Lower.”, before his gaze shifted away. Donovan snorted, “So higher, and this is exactly how I know. I spent years in my dad’s stores, listening to people come in and lie about the value of their goods, and how they obtained them. Always another story of how people just needed to be trusted.” Tamsen turned Donovan’s face towards herself. “Want to try that trick with me?”, she said with a giggle. “It would be a coin flip with you, my love. You are quite skilled at saying whatever you want.”, Donovan sighed in his response. “Then what’s the plan, Donovan?”, Lucius queried. “We need to head off to the Horn now, in order to determine what we’ll need for staying there long term.”, Donovan looked over the group , resolved in his decision. “Boring!”, Bebop jeered. “Why do you always have to be so efficient, Donovan? Don’t you have any sense of fun?” Donovan continued, unfazed by Bebop’s response, “GrumbleJack, take these funds and keep our rooms rented for the next couple of days. We’ll go out there briefly and then head back once we know what we are dealing with.” After GrumbleJack departed, the group walked to the end of the town, and Lucius summoned a pair of mounts. Lucius and Bebop took hold of one mount, with Donovan and Tamsen using the other. A few minutes into their ride, Lucius issued a command word to the mounts, and they began to fly towards the Horn of Abaddon. Looking out over the forest canopy, Bebop began shouting over to Donovan, “You think we can find some Pixies or Dryads out here?” Donovan shook his head in frustration, “Focus on finding the horn, Bebop.” After several hours of travelling across the sky, Lucius alerted the group that the magic was coming to an end. The group located an open area, bringing their mounts to the ground. As they began to land, they could see in the skyline the Horn of Abbadon that they had been seeking. After they landed, Bebop looked around the area where they arrived, noticing some tracks. “Looks like some sort of frog prints. I wonder if these are the same creatures that attacked us when we left Branderscar.” Donovan studied the tracks carefully, “No, these are humanoid shaped. Notice the pairs of prints moving around?” Bebop replied, “Oh, so froglings?” Donovan gave Bebop an odd look, “Froglings? No, there’s no such thing. But there is a humanoid creature that has froglike attributes. What is that creature called?” Donovan became lost in thought, trying to remember the name of the creature as they continued to move towards the Horn. About twenty minutes later, Donovan cried out in exclamation, “It’s Boggards! That’s the name of the creature! Finally!” The rest of the group stared at Donovan, and he realized he had been overly loud in his realization. Another realization took hold, “Oh no, I don’t speak Boggard.” Bebop laughed, “Yet another language you don’t speak Donovan! How are you going to speak for us if you don’t have any language skills?” Donovan looked at Bebop with irritation, “Another? Would you be referring to the time we encountered a Vampiric Mist, and I didn’t speak Aklo?” Bebop nodded and laughed, holding up two fingers. Donovan growled, “You know, there’s not a lot of customers who come through the shops needing to speak Aklo or Boggard. Why in the planes would I learn a language that would never come up in my work or personal life?” Bebop shrugged, “Just saying.” Tamsen grabbed Donovan’s hand and smiled, “It will be fine, love. Stop overthinking everything!” Donovan looked at Tamsen, “How is it going to be fine? I don’t have any way of communicating with them.” Tamsen ran her fingers across Donovan’s lips, “You aren’t the only one with a talented tongue.”, she replied, winking at him. In the distance, a loud crash could be heard. Looking out towards the sound, it initially appeared that a tree had fallen over. That thought was quickly dismissed as the tree began to move towards them. The tree had what appeared to be facial features on one side of it, as it continued to stride towards the family. There was no doubt what was approaching them. “Treant.”, Donovan spoke with confidence. As the creature approached, Donovan stepped forward, shifting his words to Sylvan as he began his greeting, “Hail to you mighty Treant. May the winds blow cool, and the sun beat warm through all your travels.” For its part, the Treant seemed pleased to receive such a greeting. “Hello, little one. It is so rare to see one of your kind who speaks with such words. My name is Jurak the Eldest, and I am charged to guard this land from the corruption of the Horn of Abaddon. You should take leave of this place for your own safety.” “You honor me and my family, Jurak the Eldest, by giving us this warning. My name is Donovan, and this is my family. How long have you maintained the harmony of these lands?”, Donovan spoke, slipping into his all too familiar role. The conversation proceeded, with the Treant telling the group about the man named Victor who came to this place about eighty years ago, defeating the residents of the Horn over a matter of a few days. As the two continued to speak with one another, Donovan told the Treant about the group’s search for the Elf named Aiden Kael. While Jurak knew nothing of the individual, he warned Donovan of the Boggards that resided in the caves below the horn, and said it was likely that the Elf had died in the accursed Horn. Their conversation complete, Donovan thanked Jurak the Eldest for his time and wisdom; and each of them went their separate ways. “What was that?”, Bebop asked Donovan about the conversation that had taken place. “I’m not sure.’, Donovan pondered his response, “Perhaps an ally, perhaps a complication. I’m hoping the former.” Having met with the guardian of the Horn, the group continued on to the caves beneath the Horn. Dusk came, and it was clear that there would be little to no light inside the cave. Donovan pulled a flask off his bandolier and handed it to Lucius. “Drink this.”, the all too familiar instruction came from Donovan. Lucius looked suspiciously at the flask, but grabbed it from Donovan and swallowed it quickly. The fluid was thick, like he was drinking something that was barely liquid. Once Lucius finished drinking the contents, he noticed that his eyes gained the ability to see beyond the normal spectrum of light. As the party began to move through the unlit cave, the forms of the Boggards could be seen darting away and moving into hiding positions. “What are we doing, Donovan?”, Bebop questioned, as he consumed his mutagen. “We’re not going to provoke them. This is their home, let’s make it easy for them to move around us.”, Donovan replied, somewhat nervously. It did not take long before the largest Boggard approached the party, brandishing a greatsword that seemed clearly oversized in its hands. The lead Boggard had a coterie of followers that accompanied it up to the group. It was then that Tamsen addressed the group of Boggards in their native tongue, “Hello there. I am Tamsen, and these are my servants.”, Tamsen motioned to the group as she spoke. “We have come here in search of access to the Horn.” Donovan stared at Tamsen in disbelief. When did she learn to speak such an obscure language? Even more oddly, she appeared to have no delay in translating between languages, as he had while he moved between different tongues. Another Boggard approached the taller one, and began to have a conversation with it. This Boggard appeared to be a shaman in some ways, carrying a staff with fish heads They appeared to have some sort of disagreement, with the taller one ending up pushing the shaman appearing Boggard to the ground. “All who trespass in the home of the Bane-Wogs will perish.” Tamsen attempted to reign in the conversation, being confident but firm. “We are sorry to have invaded your home, and are willing to pay a toll to pass through. But make no mistake, if you threaten us, we will end your life here and now.” At the same time, Tamsen communicated into the minds of Bebop and Lucius, “Be ready, we’re about to fight.” Hearing Tamsen’s threat, the warrior Boggard gripped his blade with both hands, then released a primal scream. Before the angry creature could even take a single step towards the group, Tamsen muttered some words, and the Boggard fell asleep where it had stood. A moment later, Lucinda and Bebop each surrounded the fallen creature. The other Boggards considered making a move to stop the group, but the shaman seemed to ward them off. In a single vicious blow, Bebop struck the Boggard warrior dead, then grabbed its greatsword in his bloodied hand and held it aloft. The Boggard shaman said some other words that referred to its belief. Donovan could make out the word “Dagon”, and understood that to be a deity of the Boggard people. Tamsen filled in the other details about what the shaman was saying, The creature referred to itself as “Zikomo Hears the Father”, and spoke of a vision that he had regarding the arrival of the family. Zikomo spoke of the hard times that were to befall the Boggards in order to receive the blessings of Dagon, and how the strongest of them would survive to see their Father’s reward. Zikomo continued his story, but Tamsen apologized midway through the Boggard’s discussion, “I’m sorry, Zikomo, I can no longer speak in your language today.” Tamsen’s words had returned to Common. “Magic.”, Donovan realized to himself, as he began to pay more attention to the Boggards. Zikomo replied, “You have spoken in my language, now I will speak in yours.”. Zikomo continued his conversation with the group in Common, as he showed them around the cave area. He took great pride in the efforts that his people had made to build a home out of this relatively hostile environment. Donovan began to take over the conversation from Tamsen, pointing it in the direction of the size of the Boggard group, and the advancements they had made in making this area hospitable for them. Zikomo was almost gleeful in showing off to the new guests. There were several points of interest. Donovan noted the mushrooms that were growing throughout the cave, to which Zikomo replied that they were only used if no other option was available. Donovan also noted that the cave held a collection of fish that were being caught by some of the Boggards. While Zikomo continued to lead the group around, Lucinda quickly grabbed one of the fish and handed it over to Lucius. As they continued to walk, Lucius began preparing a section of the fish for consumption. When he was finished seasoning and preparing the uncooked fish, he pushed it over to Donovan. “Eat.”, Lucius said without fanfare. Donovan was confused, but took a bite of the fish, and nodded in approval, “Excellent as always, Lucius.” Donovan handed over a section of the fish to Tamsen, who intentionally put her mouth around both a part of the fish and Donovan’s fingers, while staring seductively into his eyes. Donovan shuddered slightly, as Tamsen tittered to herself while chewing the food in her mouth. “It is tasty, Donovan.” Donovan put the rest of the meal into Bebop’s hands, then continued to follow Zikomo. Zikomo pointed out an unusual section of the cave. The liquid that was pooling up in one area had been heavily affected by the stalactites that were dripping into it, and now the pool was effectively a very concentrated acid. “Ooh, we should take some of this.”, Bebop said excitedly. “Why would we want to carry around acid?”, Donovan asked, clearly concerned. “It could be valuable.”, Bebop insisted. Donovan looked at the acid. Perhaps a vial could be worth around 5 gold per vial, but that was hardly worth the potential risk in Donovan’s mind. “There’s no reason we will ever need this.” Bebop was undeterred. He pulled out several vials from one of the kits, then filled them with acid, shaking around the fluid as he finished filling them. Zikomo continued showing different areas to the group, The group passed by the spawning pool of the Boggards, which Donovan explained to Bebop. “See, Bebop. This is how they breed, in the same way as frogs, with eggs placed in the water that are externally fertilized.” Bebop nodded, “Ah, I get it. That makes sense.” As Zikomo continued to lead Donovan, Tamsen, and Lucius around the cave, Bebop stayed behind, staring at the pool. Finally, Bebop pulled down his pants, “Well, when in the stranger’s land…” After receiving a tour of the cave, Donovan told Zikomo that he would back to discuss more with him later. The group was shown the stairway that led up to the first floor of the Horn, bypassing the cave altogether. Upon entering the first floor of the Horn, the damage was apparent throughout the hallways and rooms. It was apparent to see that the struggle between Victor’s forces and the Sons of the Pale Horseman was a brutal affair, with blood splatters and weapon damage throughout. Several rooms in, the group encountered what appeared to be some sort of metal construct. Donovan’s eyes widened, “An Alchemical Golem! Do you know how much building one of these would cost?” Donovan’s hands moved over the different sections of the golem, looking to understand the level of damage that the device had sustained. “If only I had the schematics for this construct.” Almost on cue, Lucius handed a piece of vellum to Donovan, “Look what I found!” Donovan’s face brightened with excitement, “Yes! This is exactly what I need!” Donovan opened the schematics, studying the material components required compared to the current state of the construct.” Pointing at the four reservoirs that were in the arms and the legs of the Golem, Donovan reviewed the schematics, “Ok, so we need Alchemist’s Fire, Liquid Ice, the blood of a Lightning Elemental, and…”, Donovan paused as he saw the next component, “… and Acid.” Bebop laughed, mocking Donovan, “What’s that you said in the last one?” Bebop rolled one of the vials of acid he had gathered from the Boggard cave. Donovan sighed, “Yes, you were right Bebop. Apparently, I should have accounted for the appearance of a Alchemical Golem lying around for the last eighty years.” Bebop pushed the vials of acid to Donovan, smiling wickedly the entire time. “We’ll also need a glass lens for the eye, mithral for the heart cog, and the brain of a recently deceased humanoid.”, Donovan said, continuing to stare at the schematics. “I guess I better get to work on prepping up the items I can do myself.” Bebop interjected, “Don’t bother Donovan. I bet you we’ll find all of these things lying around somewhere in this castle.” Donovan looked at Bebop, “We’re going to find Alchemist Fire, Liquid Ice, and a Mithral heart cog just lying around?” Bebop nodded his head, “Exactly. Have some faith.” As much as Donovan wanted to stay behind, the group convinced him that they needed to explore the rest of the area. The rooms continued to show destruction and disuse. Donovan remarked that it was going to be somewhat expensive to properly renovate this place for long term use. In one of the rooms, a collection of wall plaques was to be found. While the people weren’t familiar to Donovan, he was immediately taken by the way the plaques were written. “Do you hear that?”, Donovan addressed the group, “The iambic pentameter of these words. There’s a pattern here. Notice the numbers and the letters within the phrases. Could it be a cipher?” The last plaque, bearing the name “Ergun Nigma”, caught Bebop’s attention. Pushing around the plate, it fell off to reveal a safe behind it. “Take a look, Donovan.” Bebop stepped away, as Donovan rushed over to where the safe was located. “Yes, the numbers! I knew there had to be a code in all of these plaques.” However, once Donovan looked at the safe, confusion set across his face. The safe had no numbers, just four lines marking the cardinal positions. “Wait, no, that doesn’t make any sense. What about all of these numbers?” As Donovan continued to run around the different plaques, staring fervently at each one, Bebop approached Tamsen, “Hey Luxury, I want you tonight.” Tamsen’s face grew annoyed as she caught Bebop’s gaze, “Are you serious? Especially after that stunt you pulled this morning?” Bebop put his hands up, smiling, “How was I to know you two hadn’t already had quality time?” Bebop slid his arm around Tamsen’s waist, “But, I can tell you are very ready to enjoy yourself.” Tamsen remained cold, “Yes, with Donovan. Not with you.” Bebop chuckled, “Come on, look at him. He’s so caught up in all of the things going on right now, you could be standing naked next to him and he wouldn’t acknowledge it.” Tamsen’s eyes flicked over to Donovan. She could see how fixated he had become on the safe and the codes in the room, mumbling to himself. This was always his way, since she first started living with him. Tamsen returned her gaze to Bebop, sighing. “Hah! I’ve got it! It’s three to the left, two to the right, and one to the left!”, Donovan spoke up as he opened the safe up. While the limited amount of gold and a ruby was hardly interesting, the presence of a pair of Manacles of Cooperation was more appealing, as well as a ring hidden inside another plaque. Donovan handed the objects to Bebop, who stored them in the Haversack. “Well, I guess we need to find a room to secure ourselves for the night. We’ll finish up here tomorrow. The family found a room that was inside another room, limiting the number of creatures that might be drawn to investigate any disturbances. Donovan instructed the group that they would not be able to leave the room until the morning. With that, he painted the frame of the door with Shrieker Paste. Once the room was sealed up, Donovan pulled out a Candlerod, and began to review the schematics. Bebop crept over to where Tamsen was lying on her bedroll. “Ready to show me that talented tongue of yours?” Tamsen looked over at Donovan again, who was fervently studying the schematics and taking notes. She then pushed Bebop down on the floor, as her lips traced their way down Bebop’s chest and stomach. Bebop closed his eyes, lost fully in the sensations, “Oh, Tamsen.” Session 14 Ends. [/QUOTE]
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Way of the Wicked Playthrough - Updated 2023/03/28
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