June 7, 2014

The Egg, At Last!

Earlier that day, the old lizard shaman Sridthirr tasked the Motley Crew with finding and destroying a lizard god egg, leaving them an elf named Kurtis to help. After killing several two-headed trolls and rust monsters in an abandoned lizard dwelling, the party interrogates the remaining troll about the lizard egg. Unsurprisingly, the troll doesn't have much information to offer; he and his troll brethren were commanded by another shaman, of whom they were all terrified. So, of course the Crew tells the troll to take them to this shaman. The troll leads them to the door on the opposite end of the corridor.

As they are walking to the door, Adarra sees a flash of purple light. Vain straightens from his usual slouched pose and lunges towards Brecaryn. Just before he grabs her, Vain stops and returns to his normal self. No one else in the group seems to have noticed.

Before Adarra can say anything, the troll opens the door and leads them into the room. Before them is a large cavern with a giant purple glowing egg in the center. At last, they have found the lizard god egg!

Behind the egg stands several strange creatures. Flanked by two chaos demons, a pair of two-headed trolls, and a smaller, deformed troll with wings is something with a human body and a tiny baby face inside a triple-sized head. On the far end of the cavern, something unseen lurks in the shadows.

As soon as the group is in the room, large slimey tentacles reach down from the ceiling and pluck Adarra, Malouf, Elena, and Kurtis off the ground, sealing them in cocoons. Vain is unaffected by the tentacle attempting to grab him. The others manage to dodge in time. The shadow creature chuckles.

Brecaryn lightnings the two-headed trolls, but though they are injured, only Lieralyn's anti-regenerating sword can truly kill them. Malouf breaks free from his cocoon and punches the chanting shaman on his tiny baby nose. Babyface cries at having his spell interrupted. Touching the shaman, the flying troll heals his injury. In retaliation, Babyface engulfs Malouf in a column of fire.

The chaos demons move so quickly, it almost appears as if they are teleporting. One attacks Josy in a flurry of claws and teeth. Josy starts feeling her body turning spongey, her ability to focus diminishing. Lieralyn runs up to help Josy, taking out both two-headed trolls on the way. The chaos demon proves difficult to engage as Lieralyn finds she can't look directly at it, her gaze sliding past each time. Unfortunately, she too ends up with a spongey body and brain.

The shadow creature moves, revealing arms that reach clear across the cavern and are attached to the shaman's back. Twitching its arms, it pulls Babyface away from Malouf and throws him in front of Brecaryn. The obscenely long limbs drop back limply onto the ground.

Meanwhile, as Malouf and Brecaryn continue to fight and Josy and Lieralyn struggle to hold themselves together, Adarra, Kurtis, and Elena make several feeble attempts to break free. On the third try, Adarra is at last able to just barely break out and tumbles gracelessly to the ground.

Josy can feel her body losing cohesion, her brain barely able to concentrate. Before it is too late, she manages to cast a Dispel Magick spell and returns to normal. Lieralyn, losing control of her body, stumbles drunkenly into the chaos demon, scoring a lucky fatal blow. The taste of victory is enough to give her the will to pull herself back together.

Adarra rushes to help Malouf and Brecaryn, casting Fairy Fire on the remaining chaos demon, allowing everyone to look directly at it. There's a collective gasp in the room as everyone recoils from the sight of the creature's hideous visage, its pus-filled tentacles. Adarra is not so sure making it easier to hit was worth that.

Overcoming their revulsion, the Crew finishes the chaos demon, the flying troll, and the shaman.

Moving into the light for the first time, the shadow creature resembles a stitched-up zombie. Unlike a zombie, there is an intelligence behind its eyes. Whipping its arms up, the zombie grabs Malouf, dangling him upside-down. Chopping at the zombie demon's wrists, Malouf frees himself, swinging down on the now-handless arms, spraying purple goo all over Adarra, Brecaryn, and Vain.

Just then, Kurtis breaks out of the cocoon and holds up the dagger the lizard shaman Sridthirr had given him.

Kurtis: Who wants this?

Malouf: Yield, demon, for you face Gods' Bane!

Zombie demon: Fight all you want. The egg will hatch in a few seconds and the lizard god will be reborn.

Malouf: Kill the egg!

Josy runs up and grabs the dagger from Kurtis' hand, piercing the egg shell and slicing down. A lizard-shaped fetus slides out of the ruined egg. Cursing, the zombie demon disappears.

Checking the bodies, it is discovered that the wings on the troll are actually attached by a harness. Equipping them allows Josy to fly and also grants her protection from enemy attacks as long as she herself does not fight. Adarra collects a beaded necklace that offers protections against spells and poisons and a very well made set of leather-like wood armor from the shaman.

Just then, Adarra sees another purple flash. This time, Vain not only knocks out Brecaryn, but Lieralyn, Josy, and Malouf, as well, grabbing the four of them and running out. The now-freed Elena, Kurtis, and Adarra look at each other, unsure what just happened. With a shrug, Adarra suggests they make their way out of the lizard caverns and back to Gelfini. On the way out, they run into Leento who reveals that Vain appeared on the Isle of Dread and kidnapped Alana and Flerm. He also discovered that Elena was lying about being a missionary when in fact, she is an assassin. Leento returns Kurtis to his own dimension before leaving with a vine-tied Elena, abandoning Adarra to a solitary walk back to town.

Reunited

In Gelfini, Adarra discovers that Snow was similiarly abducted by Vain. Luckily, all of the kidnapped Crew members return by morning so Adarra and Thrain do not have to launch a search and rescue mission. It turns out wizard named Erintrah found some notes belonging to the Oblivion King and was able to temporarily gain control of Vain (the purple flash Adarra witnessed). They were able to escape his trap, but he got away. Brecaryn is determined to find out as much as she can about Vain in order to prevent Erintrah from seizing control again.

Malouf, Brecaryn, Josy, and Lieralyn have no recollection of the fight with the demons and trolls in the lizard egg room. Adarra fills them in on what they've forgotten and what they missed.

As nothing can be done about Erintrah for the moment, the group decides to continue cleaning up the troubled areas around Gelfini. The next item on the agenda is the Forest of Forgetfulness. Several reports have reached the Motley Crew of people entering the forest and then turning back with no recollection of doing so. This has even caused a minor political incident. Perhaps it's more obliviaxes.

We Should Rename it Skydancer Forest

The next morning, Malouf, Brecaryn, Adarra, Josy, and Lieralyn head out to the forest. On the way, they meet a pair of merchants from Armynth on their way to Gelfini and Rowan Dee to sell their wares. Normally, they don't travel directly to the territories due to the dangerous monsters roaming the area, but have heard lately that the route has become safer.

Malouf: You're welcome.

At the forest entrance, She-Tan refuses to enter so they leave him to watch the other horses. The atmosphere within the forest is dark and oppressive.

Josy feels uncomfortable and would like to leave. Malouf doesn't see a point in going any further anyway, so he's happy to leave if it will make Josy feel better.

Adarra: Ooh! A purple cat!

Lieralyn: Hey, there's an injured pixie over there.

Walking a few steps away, Lieralyn moves as if picking something up off the ground.

Lieralyn: We need to leave now. We need to get help for the pixie.

The rest of the party look at each other. There is nothing in Lieralyn's hands. Josy casts Dispel Magick. Lieralyn realizes there never was a pixie. However, Adarra still insists she saw a purple cat.

Brecaryn: (full of skepticism) So, where did you see the purple cat?

Adarra: Right...there! (points finger)

Out of the tree bounds a six-legged, goat-horned, purple-striped cat the size of a tiger swishing a club-tipped tail. It executes a series of hit and run attacks on the group before Malouf manages to injure it.

Adarra: (claps hands in glee) Told ya!

They hear a voice in their heads.

Cat: Mmreow...You hurt me... (petulantly) Why don't you leave like the others?

After some stimulating conversation, Adarra convinces the cat to lead them to its "master". It brings them to a clearing where a magnificent castle stands. The walls of the castle are entirely covered in valuable gems of various types. Having completed this task, the cat disappears back into the forest.

I'm not dead. I feel fine! I think I'll go for a walk.

Inside, even the interior walls are covered in gems. Brecaryn is relieved Alana did not come along as she would surely have tried to convince Brecaryn to put the entire castle into the Mirror of Thought.

As they move from room to room, the party is beset by several enemies. An ebony barrel opens to reveal it is full of angry gorillas. Josy knocks the first one back in as Malouf quickly seals the lid.

Stained glass knights drop down from the ceiling, shooting colored blasts at the party with varying affects.

Hit with a violet light, Malouf disappears, transported to another plane. Surrounded by beautiful forests and sounds of a hunting party, Malouf immediately realizes what has happened and sits patiently waiting for someone to retrieve him.

Hunter: Come my friend. Join the Hunt.

Malouf: I'm not dead yet. I'm not joining the hunt!

Hunter: (indulgently, with a knowing nod) Yes, my friend. We've all been there.

Josy summons a disgruntled Malouf from the Happy Hunting Ground with an Implore spell. Now Malouf is of another plane and is susceptible to banishment.

Along several of the walls are mirrors like the ones seen in Erintrah's cave. And just as in Erintrah's cave, the angry mercenary is standing on the other side in a mushroom-filled room, making threatening gestures at the group.

In another room, the Crew successfully solves a puzzle involving a pattern of sapphires on the wall, revealing a hidden room. Upon entering the room, the party members are briefly surrounded by a glowing light. Each of them feels as if some skill or ability has been enhanced.

With renewed confidence, they continue to search the castle, at last coming upon the master of the castle, a disheveled human in shabby robes. With him are five more stained glass knights and a crystal demon.

I Don't Want to Alarm You, But That's a Hermit

Shabby hermit: You are so persistent. You want my gems. You're not getting them!

The party is moved around by an invisible force, placing each of them in front of different adversaries: Lieralyn is confronted by three knights; Adarra faces two; Malouf must fight the demon; and Brecaryn has to fight a magickal duel with the hermit. Only Josy is unaffected, left to flit around the entrance, ready to aid any of her companions as best she can.

Lieralyn and Malouf make an excellent showing, easily dispatching each of their opponents. Adarra, on the other hand, does less well, striking no blows and ending up sent to a plane entirely under water. Fortunately, she is able to cast a water breathing spell that allows her to wait for rescue rather comfortably. Soon, a mermaid rides up on a dolphin.

Mermaid: Adarra, you have been called.

Adarra: Ok! Hey, how come you have to use a dolphin to swim around?

Mermaid: I don't have to, but it's fun.

Meanwhile, the magickal battle between Brecaryn and the shabby hermit rages on, each quickly countering the other's attack until the hermit is staggered by Brecaryn's Cold Flame attack. Angrily, he points to the mirror.

Shabby hermit: Finally, I call on you.

The mercenary in the mirror steps through.

Mirror minion: I've been waiting for this. You guys, I'm so sick of seeing you every time I look in a mirror, I'm gonna take care of you once and for all.

Just as he moves in to attack, a dolphin-shaped bubble of water appears above them.

Adarra: Woooohoooooooooooooo!!!
Adarra drops from the dolphin into the room.
Dolphins are awesome! (cocks head to the side looking around) Oh, wow. You guys aren't done yet?

The fight doesn't last much beyond this as the hermit makes a fatal error - he tries to turn Lieralyn into a sheep. Enraged, she skewers him on her sword. With his death, the mirror turns into a swirling portal pulling the mercenary back in. When the mirror is returns to normal, he can be seen pacing agrily on the other side, cheated of the chance to kill them.

Malouf claims the crystal demon as a gift for his brother Malain. Lieralyn rolls her eyes.

Finding a lever on the wall, they pull it and reveal yet another hidden room, this one inhabited by an adolescent crystal dragon.

Crystal dragon: Are you the new ruler?

Brecaryn: No. You're free now.

Crystal dragon: This can be my horde. Stay, ravage nearby areas.

Brecaryn: Uh...no...

Crystal dragon: You command me? (contemptuously) You are like herd animals, eat plants.

While Brecaryn tries to convince the dragon to leave and not ravage the land, Adarra goes back to the hermit's corpse, divesting it of anything valuable or interesting looking before dragging it back to the room with the others.

Adarra: (chanting) Meat meat meat meat, meat meat meat meat...

Brecaryn: (horrified) Where are you from?

Adarra: (innocently) What? Everybody's got to eat.

After the dragon is fed, it agrees to leave without hunting in their territory. The purple cat (a kirre) is unhappy it did not get to feast on its enslaver. Adarra appeases it with some fish Josy produces. In exchange for this and for its freedom, the kirre magickally enhances their health. Josy casts Abjure to send the cat back to its own plane. Somehow the Crew is going to have to figure out how to dismantle the castle and convert the gems to currency without any of it being stolen, but that's a problem for another day.

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