Geddon was left shaken after his summoning ritual. He tossed and turned while the others slept. After their rest, the party was recuperated except for Geddon, who was drenched with sweat. He tried to conceal his exhaustion, but the observant halfing Maliston could easily tell he was exhausted. Still, the party ate what little scraps they had. Despite some of the party starving, Ash’rahm refused Geddon’s request to give chef Bobert the raw bacon he possessed to cook. However, fellow bard Fynius generously gave Geddon a small piece of his buttered bread, which Geddon savored every bite.
The group departed down the tunnels, going this way and that, with Ash’rahm and Bobert in front. Bobert and his cursed weapon argued here and there, as the weapon transformed from cheese grater, to butter knife, to slightly longer butter knife. Despite the arguments, the party kept the right course, noticing trails of blood and other disturbances on the floor.
As they began to round a corner, they heard a loud scream. With Geddon exhausted, it fell upon Fynius to sneak ahead, forgetting that his cape would likely add music to his quite sneak. And so it did, but it might have made no matter, because up ahead the screams continued. Ash’rahm and Maliston joined Fynius in their advance, and as they approached, they saw a terrible thing.
The little sorcerer Maliston soon brought light to the putrid room they entered, revealing a pit of sorts filled with debris and sewage. Within the center of the room, the party saw the source of the screams. A woman was trying to crawl away with only the upper half of her body remaining. Behind her, a giant, disgusting thing of flesh and bone and a dozen or so mouths clung to her, slurping up the victim.
The party was too late to save any captees, but they wanted no other to fall prey to this vile, viscous monstrosity (or they just wanted to get paid – it’s difficult to tell with some in this group!). Ash’rahm showed tremendous ability as he targeted the bloody ooze with dark magics that began to rot away its undulating flesh. Maliston once again showed his mettle as he launched freezing frost at the gross creature, as the rowdy elf Fynius struck a nerve with his magical words of mockery. The kenku, meanwhile, was nowhere to be found. The fleshy blob gurgled up a half devoured corpse and spat it at the little halfling, but the elf’s distraction proved successful as the launched corpse instead splashed down into the waters below.
Although the nasty creature sat in the middle of the room atop an island with no current access, the party now knew the thing to be a threat at a distance. They began to scatter along the narrow pipes tracing the room while Ash’rahm kept inflicting great harm to the thing, summoning a massive bell to ring an intense blast into its many faces. However, below them climbed two acidic oozes, and they struck at the party. Unfortunately, Bobert struggled to gain control of his cursed weapon that had now grown into a too-great greatsword that weighed more than Bobert could lift. As Maliston’s skin burned at an oozes strike, Fynius once again showed his versatility and usefulness as he spoke enchanting words that lulled the approaching oozes into a motionless state.
The flesh sack once again shot flesh and bone at the party, this time succeeding. As Maliston continued his magical assaults, he shouted to the party that there were levers on the walls. Geddon hopped into the room and ran for the levers, pulling them. The water current in the room changed directions, and a bridge began to rise off to the side, providing a bridge to the threat. As the fleshy blob started to cross the gap, Geddon suggested they drop the bridge. It seemed a good idea, but they were unable to time it properly because the blob moved quite quickly.
Geddon now found him dangerously gross to the thing. Magical, unidentified sword in hand, he prepared to strike at the creature. Heroic half-orc Ash’rahm came to his aid, putting himself between he and the monster. Still, the approaching monster instilled a supernatural terror in the angel-touched bard, and Geddon ran away as fast as he could, shouting all the while. Ash’rahm soon, too, found himself scared beyond all measure. He also tried to run away, but his cursed boots blasted both he and the creature. With the creature’s continued assaults, he soon found himself beaten unconscious on the ground. Fortunately, Bobert convinced his blade to shrink to a manageable size so that he could help the party. The blade took a swipe at Fynius’s head but missed, as Bobert ran to replace Ash’rahm at the front line of battle.
Fynius rushed to Ash’rahm’s aid, lending magical words of rejuvenation. It was a smart play, because as Maliston continued his freezing rays and guided magical missiles to their targets, Ash’rahm began cracking the other oozes maniacally with his mace. The incredibly tired Geddon attempted to lend a hand from a distance, fiddling with his strange magical weapon. He learned how to fire the weapon by pulling a trigger, but all he managed to do was shoot Bobert and hurt himself in the process by the weapon’s powerful recoil from the ensuing blast.
Still, between Bobert’s strikes, Maliston’s missiles, and Ash’rahm’s furious bashing, the party came out victorious. Or so they thought! A cackle was soon heard, and from the other side of the room appeared a frightening, giant-eyed creature telling them of their doom. By some miracle, an axe then exploded from the monster’s chest. Behind it stood a dark figure. It told the party that it was the night and warned them of the dangers that lurked in the sewers. Exhausted and beaten, the party knew not how to reply other than to thank the figure, which soon disappeared.
Some of the party took a few breaths, while others searched the room. The attentive halfling climbed down into the nasty waters and searched piles of junk and body remains. He found a signet ring, as well as a discarded pouch filled with some coin. Having the signet ring as proof of the missing Kingdom of Chant followers, the party approached the now-reappeared kenku. The bird-like creature led them back to an underground door, and they were greeted by a wrapped-up man. Although hard to communicate with the man who coughed often and whose words were muffled by his wrappings, the party did manage to receive payment for their work. Ash’ram took the pouch which contained ten crowns and several gems. Figuring the reward was sufficient, Fynius led the group back out of the sewers, but not before Ash’rahm left the raw bacon behind to repay a debt he owed.
When they came to the surface, it was night. Although more dangerous, it also proved more fortuitous, for they had illegal weapons in their possession and the darkness would help conceal them. Geddon adjusted his stance to that of a hobbling man, and used his large, strange weapon as a walking stick. The rest of the party managed to hide their gear within their clothing. Between the paths of the market and the docks, the party chose the quieter-yet-more-dangerous-seeming route of the docks. Despite Fynius’s cloak once again announcing their presence, they made it most of the way without being disturbed, but their luck ended as they encountered a man and two guards. The man dressed quite nicely and had the look of a mage about him, and both Ash’rahm and Maliston believed him to be from the college of wizardry.
Caught, the group had no choice but to be subjected to the man’s line of questioning. He cast a magical spell of truth on the party, forcing all but Ash’rahm to speak no lie. The man was seeking information on the murder of two mages nights before in the docks. Not knowing the truth and hoping to escape trouble with these men, Geddon told them he knew nothing of these murders, which was true. He had not been with the party at that time, nor had the party told him of these acts. But the mage pressed Maliston who spilled the beans. Forced to answer truthfully, he gave up the name of Treevil as one who killed one of the men, and the mage then took the image of Treevil from Maliston’s mind and magically made a wanted poster. The questioning ended there thankfully, and none of the remaining party admitted to their involvement.
The mage let them go, and so they went. They made it back to relative safety and split up. Some went to report their findings in the sewers to Tall John, while others went back to their free lodging. At their room, they found the corpse-like creature they encountered in their previous adventure. It demanded its payment of meat, but since Ash’rahm had left the bacon behind, he would have to repay him in the morning.
Maliston spoke with the creepy creature through part of the night to let Ash’rahm and the others rest more peacefully and to learn a little more about this strange figure, but Ash’ram awoke to its spooky stare. Ash’rahm took little time in seeking meat for it (or him), and was the kindest and most generous half-orc in town that day, speaking nicely to townfolk and overpaying on a whole pig. Fynius and Maliston went to get food prepared by Bobert, and Geddon once again attempted his summoning ritual.
Geddon again summoned the same being from before, who again asked to deal with Geddon. After more probing and receiving assurances that he would remain who he was at his core, Geddon accepted the pact and was then awash will a shadowy aura. All but Bobert (and Treevil, who was still nowhere to be found) returned just as Geddon and finished and put together what he had done. Maliston was flabbergasted and furious, telling Geddon he knows not the horrible sacrifice he has made. He also pointed out that Geddon no longer had his shadow, but not quite fully understanding the ramifications this could bring, Geddon didn’t seem to mind. In fact, although Geddon did feel different, he didn’t feel terrible, and he was as much curious about the darkness as he was about the light. He hoped to explore both areas extensively as he has been with his personalities. Assuming a very talkative and friendly fellow, he tried and failed to convince them all that he and everything was fine.
Still, there was nothing they could do but move forward. They talked more with their creepy new roommate, and they learned enough to call him The Collector. They learned he seeks his lady, and wished help to do so. With no new jobs at the ready, the party took on the task, and Geddon coaxed payment from The Collector (or as it referred to it and all rewards/payments/transactions, etc., as settling a debt!) in the form of 15 crowns. The Collector, through broken pieces of memory, told them of previous companions, including a little winged flying creature, a barber, and someone named Avar.
Geddon recognized the name of Avar and remembered of a smithy (or forge) under his control. As The Collector stayed behind, as well as Geddon’s large weapon, Geddon led the party down to the docks. Along the way, they saw a cart carrying dead, and Geddon spoke to the driver and learned that they had all died of some sort of drug. They followed the cart down to the docks and saw them being loaded onto a boat. Geddon gained more information from a market vendor (who sold a delicious piece of peppery fish to a delighted Maliston) who said their bodies were going to be examined. Maliston hid the drug vials amidst his vestments, and he, Ash’rahm, and Fynius refused to divulge much information to Geddon who was becoming quite concerned with the party’s involvement in what he was seeing.
Nevertheless, they continued onward and located Avar’s place, Hammersong Forge. Inside, Geddon played his cards close to the chest as he danced around wanting to talk with Avar, but Maliston cut to the chase. The big muscular man working the forge pointed them to the next room, where they found a strange man asking them if they were his next appointment. Asking Geddon to sit, Geddon instead convinced Ash’rahm to do so, and the half-orc unexpectantly began receiving a shave from the twitchy-faced man.
The barber told them that Avar was upstairs, so Maliston and Geddon went. They then noticed that Fynius had disappeared, but they continued anyway. They found Avar, or the person saying he would be playing as Avar for today. Geddon was quite enamored with this Avar’s performance and tried to play along at Avar’s conversational game. He likely would have failed due to his inexperience, but it was no matter, as Maliston once again was blunt and cut to the chase.
Avar told them he knew of The Collector and told them his name was N’Alen. He agreed to help N’Alen and give them the item N’Alen needs, but only for payment. Having little in funds, Maliston instead offered we do a job instead. Avar was quite cryptic and told them to return in two nights where he would have them deliver something, and he said he would spare them the details. He told them no particulars, in fact, and despite Geddon wanting to know more, Maliston readily obliged.
So there the group has made its next deal, and from there its anyone’s guess as to where it will lead.
