Week 24
Loot is to be had - Sorrel finds a slightly rusty mace. Jaxzon finds an attachment that makes his axe magical. Iliqua finds a golden disc and some non-magical gold rings. Zer0 looks for some armour gadgets, finding a thick tar-like oil that may be magical.
Jaxzon decapitates the former teacher, and dedicates it to his goddess. Iliqua finds some gold and silver, and distributes it to the party. The party takes a short rest, the 10 minute version granted to them by Sorrel’s goddess. Sorrel claims the teacher’s dog tags as proof of death.
A large brass and copper door dominates the opposite wall, large rings embedded in it for pulling it open. A slot can be seen that looks like it’ll take one of the golden cards.
Zer0 claims the rights to the Tron quote and says “Now that is a big door”. Lots of bug noises can be heard from the other side of the door.
Zer0 swipes his card through the slot - the door opens to a small antechamber on the other side. Another door on the other side, a similar size, but with far more enchantments and iron reinforcement to keep out whatever lives on the other side.
The party enters the antechamber and immediately the buzzing sounds stop. Another card slot is found and Zer0 swipes his card again, with the others preparing for battle. A large room on the other side is completely white, a large podium sits in the middle with magical energy swirling around it. Large circular objects adorn the far wall.
Iliqua examines the big door, looking for a way to open or close it in a hurry, but finds absolutely nothing. Jaxzon checks out some eggs that may be for an Arachnotitan in some glass cases. He notices behind one of them, finding a black shadowy figure standing nearby. This person talks to the party and instantly paralyzes everyone and introduces itself as Endo, servant of Mournkeld.
It explains that it’s one of the ten phobias (fear of insects), and its plan is to hatch one of the Arachnotitans, blow up the academy and kill the party. A conversation of sorts is had, the party trying to talk it out of the plans.
Endo crushes the glass with one of the eggs, collects it and pushes shadowy stuff into it. The egg shakes and cracks, Endo drops the egg. A table sized hairy spider emerges, with an orange and black colouring, and starts to grow quickly. Endo flicks something to the podium, causing it to screech, grabs the spider, opens a hole in the ceiling and leaves.
An old man can be heard from behind, looking like Merlin/Gandalf, muttering and complaining. He clicks his finger and casts a spell to remove the paralysis. He introduces himself as Professor Linden, levitates and heads to the energy column trying to fix the system and remove the corruption.
Iliqua and Zer0 leave, Jaxzon tries to grab an egg of his own smashing his axe into the glass container. He gets launched across the room, hitting the wall hard. Sorrel heals Jaxzon while picking him up. The professor succeeds in removing the corruption, Sorrel and Jaxzon finally leave.
The journey back is quieter than before, a distinct lack of bugs and anything else is noticed. The party returns to the main part of the Academy, a massive amount of shouting and people rushing to the windows. The arachnotitan has grown massively, almost double the size of the academy itself, the black energy has condensed near its back. Combat between it and the tree guardian is seen, Endo is also fighting Alarielle.
The party returns to the head mistresses office, she invites them in and removes everyone else. A plan involving enlaring a boot to arachnotitan size to squash it is hatched. The head mistress complains about the party’s failure, but still pays up anyway.
An earthquake shakes the academy, Jaxzon rushes off to a window, seeing that the tree guardian has killed the arachnotitan, but damages a large part of the city too. Jaxzon returns and asks if the head mistress can cure him of his “curse”. She investigates him, asks what he has been eating. Jaxzon says it was from reading a book. She says she can cure him, but warns it will hurt a lot and may require a lot of sleeping.
She touches Jaxzon and appears to pull some dark energy from him, and Jaxzon passes out. She tries to warn the party against letting Jaxzon do Jaxzon things. Zer0 grabs a leg and drags him out of the room, takes him to a room and drops him onto a bed.
Iliqua and Sorrel bathe, Jaxzon wakes with a massive headache, uses his lay on hands ability to reduce the pain. The three head off to find alcohol. The party gets various things identified - Sorrel’s mace is called a Mace of Crippling - a constitution saving throw on a hit, a failure reduces their speed by 10 feet. Zer0’s oil is called Coagulated Darkness - applying it to heavy armour removes the stealth disadvantage. Iliqua’s golden disc is basically a Pokeball - can be used to capture incapacitated beings.
A bunch of drinks are had, and a plan to find tree drugs for Zer0 is formulated (Zer0 has no mouth yet he must scream?) Sorrel looks around for a shop keeper to help out, but fails horribly. The party eventually return to their respective rooms to rest up and prepare for the next day.
Zer0 heads off to find the other warforged (Tantalus), taking all day but eventually finding it at the port. Lightly armoured with a bow slung over a shoulder. Zer0 asks again about Adeptus Prime, the other warforged mentions that it’s an old story, and that no-one has found them. Finding them may allow them to extend their life beyond normal amounts. Notes from a third warforged that went to find Adeptus Prime and failed.
Iliqua and Jaxzon sell a bunch of things. Iliqua sends a message to Alarielle through a sending stone, but gets no reply. Iliqua checks on the party boat, finding it very damaged, though still afloat. He asks about getting it repaired, getting a rough estimate of 100 gold.
Jaxzon finds a somewhat disreputable blacksmith, selling the chitin via some haggling, swapping a beetle shell and some gold to buy splint mail. He tries to sell a goblin some drugs and a map, getting nothing, and resorting to intimidating it. Getting nothing more, he leaves in a huff.
Sorrel finds a place on the street and sets up an arm wrestling competition. A resonable crowd forms, mostly dock workers. Setting 1:3 odds, a few people try, leaving Sorrel with a profit of 1 gold. Jaxzon shows up and takes up the challenge. First part goes to Sorrel, second goes to Sorrel again, giving her the win. A gold piece comes out and a second attempt is made - Jaxzon wins this one handily.