Daisee protests, "Just a few more days! Dino races start again in 2 days and I wanted to try my luck betting and riding again." But Kevar speaks up imploring the urgency of our tasks related to the 'dead curse'. The kinder's pout turns into a smile when Diero offers to give her a dino ride in the wilderness, "sometime."
6 August (Eleasis): It’s an uneventful 6-day canoe up the Soshenstar River to Camp Righteous. Well, uneventful considering we’ve traveled this river before and are now prepared! We gaze up at the crocodile/man structure, unaware Sudieman is already walking toward the entrance, too engrossed in description with his fellow cleric, Undril Silvertusk, half-orc priestess of Torm. “Did you already forget the instructions to brave the inner chamber that kicked our butts last time? Like the totem pole and legend, we must stack ourselves if we hope to escape the traps.”
And so it is, Daisee on Diero’s shoulders, and Dyxon on Kevar’s. Sudieman standing watch outside, “In case those goblins return.” The mazed floor of tiles that before caved in as a pitfall now solid footing for us walking totem poles. We pause at the ledge looking down at the double-bronze doors etched with their own maze. Indecision as how to approach; which protruding squares to push first. In what order. As if riding a horse (or as she’d like to think, a dinosaur), Daisee spurs Diero into action, “We’ve got this. I’ll activate the top two while Diero can reach the lower two. Piece of cake.”
“BOOM!” The thunderwave concusses down the entrance, buffeting the pair who manage to keep their balance. Dyzon and Kevar outside the threatened range. “I can’t hear you, WHAT?!” Eardrums almost shattered from the concentrated blast. “I said, you can eliminate the 1-3-2-4 combination. Let’s try 1-3-4-2.” Diero pauses to cast ‘Bear’s Endurance’ on Daisee (advantage CONsave), “I don’t need you flying off my shoulders and activating those tiles in the approach corridor.” Kevar does the same for Diero. Smart move as another concussion echoes forth.
Once again the pair withstand the shockwave, staying stacked. Diero takes time to heal them, then steps forward. Daisee already plotting the next move, “You don’t think it would be so simple?...” 1-2-3-4 and the doors open. The inner chamber filled with webbing and stairs. Dyxon ready to jump off Kevar’s shoulders to put his rogue skills to the test. The wizard grabbing the ankles draped on his chest, “Not so fast. We’d best stay stacked per the totem pole legend.”
That was close…magical traps glow as the pair climb the stairs. A glow of bluish light on the 3rd/10th/17th/23rd steps that surely hint at their explosive nature had they NOT been stacked! As they get close to the top, Dyzon spies a jug on the plateau. He is already planning a swap of equal weight in case it too is trapped. As Kevar squats, Dyzon quickly places his bag of rations as he lifts the jug. Phew. Feels…well, it doesn’t feel heavy. Doesn’t slosh. But the longer he handles it, “Hey, this thing feels warm. Tingles. I’d say magical.” And that’s when the jug does slosh. “Wouldn’t it be great if it was filled with beer?”
And true to his thoughts, beer pours forth! Only after we exit the structure, does Sudieman recognize our treasure, “An Alchemy Jug. Whatever you think pours forth for that day.” Daisee already testing the limits, “You mean even Mayonnaise for cooking? Or lubricating?”
9 August (Eleasis): We arrive at Camp Vengeance finding the campfolk slowly recovering from their ‘Mad Monkey’ sickness. It’s a slower recovery than even our cleric Sudieman expected. No wonder his half-orc sidekick cleric was wanting to join us. She is already busy tending needs. Which frees us to set off for “the Dead City” of M’bala to the south. Our Taboxi guide have little additional information about our destination. 4 day journey that involves the burial of a fallen albino dwarf found along the way. Dyxon ever so kind as to relieve the fallen of his pouch (small onyx orb).
12 August (Eleasis): We arrive at the base of the M'bala plateau; an 1800 foot cliff with a narrow passage winding up to the top. A steady but exhausting 3 hour climb that rewards us with a grand view along the eastern slopes: a floating chunk of land almost heart-shaped. Our Taboxi explain, “The Heart of Uptao.” We climb higher till we reach the plateau where the ruins of the once great city lie. We use the vista to identify:
1) An obvious huge ziggurat poking above the tree canopy to the west - Orlangu.
2) To the south – at a distance but what appears to be a large airship wrecked among the trees (we'd seen this while flying).
1) An obvious huge ziggurat poking above the tree canopy to the west - Orlangu.
2) To the south – at a distance but what appears to be a large airship wrecked among the trees (we'd seen this while flying).
As we explore we find rune carvings and murals painted on walls below the plateau. Various scenes depicting life within M’bala before the ‘Spell Plague’ spelled its doom. Curious pile of skulls…white and picked clean. A HUGE heap of bones to include children which sets Daisee on edge. Mad for the plight of the children. Carving nearby depict flying dinosaurs; we ask the Taboxi who confirm, “Yes, Terrafolk you have already encountered. They preyed upon the people.” Dyxon finds fresh skulls, “I’d say they’re still here.”
We climb back to the plateau to explore the city. A lone hut rises out of the ruins in the central area. We approach cautiously. Well, except for Daisee, “HELLO? Anyone home?” An old withered woman ambles out of the hut. Her walking stick hinting at her blindness confirmed by her sunken eye-sockets. “I am caretaker. You can call me Nanny-Pupu.” She describes what was once a grand city which draws giggles of delight from Daisee. “Oh, I see you have brought children with you.” Her slumping shoulders seem to rise in greetings, “Come, come. I was just preparing a meal fit for the kids. But first, if you adults will be kind enough to do me a favor and rid the cliff-dwellings of those flying dragons.” Daisee acts a little insulted; Dyxon takes the insult as an opportunity to harass, “Yes, you bigges go do her bidding while we kiddies relax with granny tit-dragger.”
And so it is Kevar/Sudieman/Diero approach the southern slopes where the Pterafolk roost. Ill prepared for the half-dozen birds. Well, Kevar does frighten (spell-Fear) half of them away. But the remaining 3 attack viciously (3 attacks per bird). Sudieman is quickly dropped despite Diero’s attempt to wound the masses (his spell-Moonbeam only doing 4 points damage each). Kevar cast adding to their wounds before he ‘Mystic Steps’ to Sudieman’s side to heal him. It’s with effort the trio finally kill the last beast. “Keep a lookout for the return of the others frightened away, while we take time to heal.”
Unbeknownst to the ‘bigges’: Daisee and Dyxon continue to badger the blind woman. The monk on purpose; the kinder out of curiosity. She continues about her business then suddenly reaches for Daisee, “Time to flavor the cooking pot.” That ain’t no old biddy; that’s a Green-Hag! Wounds pile up on both sides of the fight till Nanny calls for, “Frankie.” Her dying breath from Dyxon’s flurry-of-blows.
The hag replaced by another…thing that ambles from the storage room. A Flesh Golem! Daisee’s pseudo-dragon picks at the stitching holding the head together while the little-folk flank in their attack. Soon this beast too falls, giving the little-folk time to heal and search. Nothing Dyxon’s wishes to put in his own pouch.
The hag replaced by another…thing that ambles from the storage room. A Flesh Golem! Daisee’s pseudo-dragon picks at the stitching holding the head together while the little-folk flank in their attack. Soon this beast too falls, giving the little-folk time to heal and search. Nothing Dyxon’s wishes to put in his own pouch.
They exit the hut just in time to see their trio partners returning. “Forget about dinner; I don’t think you’d like what that hag was serving.” We are ready to leave but the monk demands treasure which draws him to the cistern outside the hut (I’d say it was her septic tank). Sudieman has to cast ‘Purify’ for Dyxon can see far enough below the ‘water’ surface to spy a side alcove. Dyxon diving into the crapper to retrieve a human-skin pouch (nut-sack) that contains: scroll, gems, ingots.
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