 |
| The Brigand Caves |
1.Danor Dwarf Cleric-3
2.Bright Star Catfolk Rogue-3
3.Trystan Half Elf Bard-2
4.Human Monk-1>2
5.Nightshadow Rogue Assassin-4
While some adventurers head west from Selatine to Bratanis to investigate the Sunless Citadel, the mysterious Nightshadow joins Bright Star and her friends to investigate the Brigand Caves, finding a shrine to Nixthisis. Bright Star finds an enchanted were-bane blade. Battle lizard, centipedes, and monstrous spider in the sinkhole shaft; then descend into the depths where they encounter Zorrel Gnast & 3 of his men gathering the red rock-sap. The dastardly Zorrel Gnast is killed by the heroic Monk, the adventurers triumph and with difficulty return to the sunlight.
The army of Selatine returns from the war evening 8/6, heralding 2 weeks of celebrations announced by Lady Jana Vex. Vorel's sturdy plate armour is reforged to fit the dwarf Danor over the fortnight.
 |
| Kym Goodkind, object of rivalry |
 |
| Zorrel Gnast RIP |
Sunless Citadel PC group (3 + GMPC Dwarf Cleric):
(GM David): The PCs survived a goblin ambush, then cleared out about a third of the first level of the citadel. Talking down the kobolds, and agreeing to get their dragon. 200 EXP each.
12/6/47
A few days into the celebrations at Selatine for their warriors' successful return from the war against the Black Sun, Trystan the Bard is relaxing at a Scalpy Inn table with Cleo the barmaid on his lap, chatting with Bright Star of the East and Danor Gordak when Trystan is approached by a tall and very beautiful brunette woman wearing a plain grey robe, sandals & spectacles. She has Mordred Midwinter the blue-skinned Avalonian Vizier to the Lady Jana Vex, in tow.
The woman speaks to Trystan with a strange accent, a bit reminiscent of the northern Skandiks: "Good evening sir. I understand you are the Loremaster of your party? I am Dr Rosa Piercemuller, a scholar. We are seeking information about an entity, the Nixthisis - I believe it may dwell in Stonehell Dungeon. May I ask you to bring us anything your band discover in your explorations?"
Danor: Hmm, Danor think that there should be a nor-so-small donation placed in the pot.
Mordred: is none too keen at the idea of parting with Selatine’s gold.
“Perhaps after we discuss the matter of taxation?”
He mentally marks Danor down as chief troublemaker...
Danor: the pot is a donation to my lord god, normally a small donation allows me to forgive you for a sin of you’re choice, so that you may continue on you’re path of righteousness.
Mordred: looks pensive at the mention of sin. His blue cheeks purple a little. He hurriedly drops three pieces of gold into the wretched tin. “Now speak. And be quick about it.” He snaps peevishly.
Danor: In the name of the Hammer, the Anvil and the Heavy Metal i absolve you of you’re sins, now sit! Drink! Be merry!
Bright Star: shakes her head with a low chuffing laugh and waves Rosa & Mordred towards some spare chairs. “Bright Star of the East welcomes you to our table,” she rumbles. “Bright Star has indeed heard of this Nixthisis”
“Wizard Dock, friend of Bright Star, has had dreams in which this lady is seen. He fears her. Bright Star also saw a shrine to this name in her last exploration. Nixthisis was a small but pretty statue, with letters of devotion written to her by a man who was a jailer, so it is thought. Friend Danor can draw you a map to where we saw this. He is very good with maps. Bright Star recommends you watch your head for the ceilings are low and your legs for there are centipedes and traps.”
Danor: Silly humans and cat people, long legs stop them from getting to all the good places...
Mordred: sits down after first making sure that the seat is clean and that no mess is on the table that could get onto his clothing.
He points out bits of the map that he and the rough fellows Zagaar & Sandro explored.
“I am pleased you brought Mr. Goodkind’s murderer to justice.”
Rosa sits down too. "Thanks- so your wizard has had the same dreams as me! Fascinating..."
Bright Star: shifts over and peers at the map. Nodding to Mordred she says, “Bard Trystan was most adamant we assisted, but as one merchant to another, Bright Star was pleased to see his wares returned to the daughter.”
Star then turns to Rosa “Wizard Dock would be best to speak to. Bright Star remembers only that the dream woman was called this and she beaconed him somewhere green and he was afraid.”
She considers her claws for a moment, debating her next words. “Bright Star believes the Wizard was very drawn in by her dream-words, only his skill in magic helped him know she was dangerous. This jailer who wrote those devotions at the Cave-Shrine, Bright Star does not know if he was easily
Mordred: “So this Nixthisis can enchant folks through her writings?”
Danor: Possibly, but maybe it only works on the weak minded
Bright Star considers. “Bright Star is not certain about writings but she can enchant through mind magics, as through the Wizard’s dream. Aside from Nixthisis’ name scrawled on the Cave-Shrine, Bright Star has seen no other writings of her and cannot say what enchanted the jail-man.”
Danor: Given the tastes of hummies he could have been enchanted by a particularly ugly cave troll, hummies have no standards
Mordred thanks the exotic Bright Star for her insight. As a dabbler in magic himself he is interested in all things arcane.
“What do you make of all this Dr. P.?”
Bright Star glances at Danor. “Harsh words, friend. We know two humans and neither have shown such silliness to engage with a Troll in such a manner. On the other hand,” one of her ears twitch towards the Bard. “Still, you are right in that we do not know what his tastes were. The statue was very pretty, so he could have easily been enchanted by a beauty, real or not.”
Danor: Yes i’m pretty sure he can afford the cost for me to forgive ALL his sins
Trystan: listening with amusement to the conversation until now, gives a wry smile: 'Finally, a subject worth talking about: beauty!' He blows Rosa an artful kiss, without Cleo noticing (hopefully!). That amateur poetry really was awful, mind you. All this talk about dreams? I'm still having nightmares involving similes.'
GM: Cleo rises and goes to fetch more cake for the white dragonborn Drakonok stuffing himself in the corner. :) Rosa smiles a little coquettishly at the handsome bard's compliment. "Thank you, yes... " She seems slightly distracted for a moment.
>>Mordred: “What do you make of all this Dr. P.?”<< Rosa looks thoughtful, deciding how much to tell the adventurers, then speaks: "My sleep has been troubled by strange dreams - not the first time since I arrived ...here, but perhaps stronger. A woman, calling me to Stonehell, who then became a hideous monster - a mantis-like entity with features of an undead horse, and too many tentacles... and the name, Nixthisis. I sought information in the library at the Lighthouse - the wizard Oriax had accumulated many strange grimoires there. In the ancient Ineffable Grimoire of Alkazam I found reference to a creature which matched my dream. A race of extra-dimensional beings, originating in a place called the Far Realm, beyond our realities, known as The Nakthotis. One form of Nakthotis is The Nixthisis, an emotio-phage - a feeder on the emotions of living things, sentients especially. Especially on negative emotions - pain, sorrow, fear... emotions which it ...farms... and harvests. The mature form of the Nixthisis resembles the creature of my dream. Alkazam wrote 'If the Nixthisis should feed too greatly, it Must Grow Beyond All Reason.
The Walls Between Worlds Shall Crumble.
Dreams become Reality.
Nightmares Walk the Earth. The Dead Rise.'
Rosa: " "Oriax speculated in his own diaries that the Mad Vizier of Nerath's Stonehell project had attracted some supernatural Evil to it - I believe the Nixthisis may be that Evil. That it has attached itself to the Dungeon, somewhere in the depths. That it is warping both dreams and reality - and that as it feeds, its influence is spreading. Already it has begun to reach beyond Stonehell's dark halls..."
Mordred pales at this news. Stonehell is too close to Selatine for extradimensional evil to be lurking. Absentmindedly cleaning a spot of spilled food from the table he waits to hear what these fellows intend to do about it.
Danor: Ugh, looks like we’ll be needing to go back in and purge the evil....after we’ve had a few dozen drinks of course! Danor signals the barkeep for another round.
GM OOC Fergus Watt & Kyle Whitton feel free to have Sandro the Monk and Zagaar the Half-Orc participate in the conversation, I'm sure Zagaar's charm and erudition would be most welcome. :p
Sandro: is just watching and observing at the moment, hoping that Zagaar starts opening his mouth sooner rather than later....
Zagaar: is in the throes of foot & mouth induced psychosis from some 2 week old sheep corpse he unearthed. He is oblivious to the conversation as he swats away invisible bats.
No comments:
Post a Comment