Session 24: A Swarm of Sarachs

General Summary

Still in the Shifter's Catacombs, the party headed into the last of the seven trials, the trial of survival. The final tunnel led them to a swamp, where they were greeted by a giant toad who gave them a task of reaching a large mandrake tree off in the distance. Stringing a rope between them, to provide support, the party proceeded, using poles to find solid ground. At first, they were navigating a small strip of soggy but solid ground, but before long, they found they had to swim. Mandrake trees with large roots and vines hanging down surrounded the area, but were pretty far off from the solid areas. As the party swam forward, several members got stuck and nearly pulled under by muck and vines, but with some effort, the party worked together to remain free. Ahead, they found some small islands of land, big enough to hold only one or two people. Rome and Shadow jumped across, holding onto a rope, allowing others to be pulled along behind.   Standing on the edge of a the last few islands, as the water got ever shallower, the party faced a large pit of mud. Rather than try to cross it, Rome drank one of Doug's potions of flying and carried everyone across one at a time.   With the final trial completed, the party found that every path was open to them now in the main central chamber and that a doorway had opened into the central dirt pillar below the sundial. Walking through another tunnel, winding into the earth, the party emerged into a huge chamber filled with periodic termite mounds and buzzing with every manner of insect. The party crossed without issue to the far wall, as insects skittered out of the way and swarmed around them. Finding a cave entrance in the far wall, the party entered a narrow system of winding tunnels, much more rocky than the rest of the cave so far, with white glowing crystals.   Inside, the party found a large larval creature slithering slowly around the ground. It had mandibles, a pair of tentacles out of the centre of its back, and was covered in a bright purple chitinous material. Alden and Eirame identified it as a sarachs, something native to the rockier parts of southern Rasharan, though not around the Cradle of Spices where their hometown of Varesh Alan. In addition to the larval form, there are workers, who are large and lumbering, walking around on four limbs. The warrior version of the species walks on two limbs and is much more fierce. The queen is large and bulbous, presiding over a nest of large purplish eggs.   Walking through the main tunnel, the party ventured down a side passage after hearing a lumbering sound. They came upon a pair of workers who seemed to be moving faster than they'd have expected. Eirame used Speak With Animals to contact the workers, but that just agitated them more, with one letting out a high-pitched screech. Thinking the warriors might be on their way, the party returned to the main tunnel and started to jog through it. As warriors came out of the many side passages they jogged past, the party quickened their pace, arriving in the queen's chamber.   This room was round, with the queen sitting in the centre, with eggs around her and around the outer wall. Two warriors guarded the entrance and two more guarded an exit behind the queen. The queen was able to talk psychically to the party. She revealed that her children were disturbed because of the gorgons and snakes coming through; a number of them had been petrified. Stating that they were here to end the gorgons, the queen hesitantly considered the party. Alden reached for the gorgon head in the bag of holding. His movement drew the attention of a skittish guard, who attacked him with a tentacle, but Alden stood his ground and didn't fight back. Seeing the gorgon head, the queen decided to trust the party, allowing them to pass through without further harm.   The exit tunnel quickly rose, and after some more twists and turns, the party emerged into a lush forest that seemed to be floating in nothingness, lit from above. At the far end, a waterfall poured over a grassy wall into a pool, and a stream flowed out from the pool, passing the party, and dropping off over the side into the void. The trees are filled with a huge variety of birds, each resting quietly and making little movement. The forest has a very dreamlike quality, and time seems to slow down.

Notes

Takes place on YA 2269, The Panther, day 24-25