Session 113

General Summary

• The party carefully fought the Devourer, a demon minion of Orcus. Kesmet managed to evacuate the trapped individual and finish off the beast, then the party interrogated the man.
• His name is Dober, and he is a member of The Hounds Guild. "The Metronome Man" is apparently a top-ranking lieutenant of the guild too.
• Dennis, who Dober claims is "currently dealing with an adversary in his past", intends to try to resurrect the Great Serpent and use it to hold Exignis hostage.
• The party held him overnight until Dazki finished meditating for the night, then they all decided to let him leave.
• They traveled closer to the World Sunder and the Great Serpent, stopping by an unusual-looking pool of water.
• Upon investigation, it seemed unnatural, so they had Barry scout further down.
• While the rest of the party waited for Barry to return, Kiirni showed up. She seems mad at Dazki for something.

Full Recap

The noise of the screaming man wakes up the full party, and a narration comes from nowhere in particular.

Metro:

Some people would have a hard time differentiating between the Devourer and a Turmoil event, but I assure you: it is cooked up by one of your more mundane sources. The Devourer... an interesting fiend which behaves much more like an undead than a demon — but what can you expect from a minion of Orcus, the demon lord of undeath? I wouldn't go near it if I were you!

Marvin: Oh! OK, so not only is this asshole tormenting us along our entire journey — he's also not letting us get a good night's sleep!   Metro:

It is fortunate for the adventurers that the fiend is stuck in the mud and unable to pursue. The conundrum is in regards to the Devourer's captive. The adventurers work hard to think about how to free the doomed man for long enough to speak with him, while not getting close enough for the Devourer to unleash its deadly Soul Rend attack.   Do they attempt to calm the man's soul for long enough to gain information? Do they attempt to shoot the monster at range, knowing that even one stray shot could end the hapless Hound's life? I await with bated breath, adventurers.

Marvin: OK, I don't know about you guys, but I don't need a narration for my life. I'm the storyteller, here! I'm the one who decides how these stories go down!

Combat Notes

Marvin cast Ego Whip on the Devourer, which stayed up the entire combat, putting it at a severe handicap.   Dwardazik needed to take a bit to recover his mace from Dazki.   Being a servant of Pelor, Grogery recognizes the name Orcus, the demon lord of undeath, from "The Metronome Man"'s narration. Grogery relays this to the rest of the party.   Barry looks around, indecisive, but when Kesmet yells to him to run, he bolts away for the rest of the encounter.   Kesmet turns himself invisible (more greatly than normal) and quickly releases a well-placed Fire Bolt at the Devourer, impacting it. He instinctively hides behind cover, noticing only after moving that the ground has some sticky spots that he stepped in. (Athletics 19) His new boots are doing fine, though.  

Dazki, handing Dwardazik his mace: Are we actually dealing with this, or are we just picking up camp and leaving? The thing can't move, so we should probably just get away from whatever fucking games are being played with us.   Kesmet: It's a Hound with information!   Marvin: Also, we'll be able to hear that thing from a mile away, we're never going to get to sleep.   Dazki: All right. Fine.

Dazki pulls out his bow and takes a defensive position. It's still stuck in the mud. More narration:

Metro:

The Devourer's singular perversion is to capture those at the brink of death and torture their souls, resulting in an undead servant ripe and ready for the next foul get-together. Any extra soul material is frequently used with devastating force around it, if disturbed —

Marvin: No.

Marvin interrupts "The Metronome Man"'s narration to cast a high-level Dissonant Whispers on the Devourer and takes a step back.

Dwardazik: Dazki's got a point! I don't really see why we should deal with this at all! But we need to pack up our supplies, we can't just leave it here. Kill it from ranged, get rid of it, and we'll come back!

He moves by Marvin and Dazki, ready to defend them.   Grogery casts Spirit Guardians to help keep the Devourer far away from the party, while also damaging it.   Kesmet dashes up to the Devourer, grabs its victim, and quickly casts a Dimension Door to free the Devourer's victim. It's a bit rough, and the victim falls unconscious, but he's not quite dead yet.   Dazki takes aim at the Devourer with his bow, but misses.   The Devourer escapes from the mud and walks straight to Grogery, taking damage from Dwardazik's barricade of spikes as he does. He turns and claws Grogery twice; Marvin using a Cutting Words to try to mitigate the blow, but it doesn't help. It telepathically shouts abyssal curse words at Grogery, though it doesn't really do all that much.   Marvin casts a Mass Healing Word to try to stabilize the victim (and heal Grogery a little), then takes a few steps away from the Devourer.   Dwardazik runs to the Devourer and attacks it several times, causing it to trip and fall down and dealing huge damage to it. On his last blow, he looks like he's about to exploit a weakness, but instead he exhales a 15-foot cone of cold, hitting the Devourer and also Grogery behind it.   Grogery attacks with his mace, missing it entirely, and walks away back towards the victim.   Kesmet does his rapid-fire Scorching Ray attack at the Devourer, which destroys it. As he drops out of invisibility...

Kesmet: You see? Cauterizing Hands is a good healing spell! (He does another Fire Bolt at its corpse.)

Aftermath

Marvin: Holy hell, Grogery, are you OK?!   Grogery: I've seen worse about twenty-four hours ago. Is this guy OK?   Marvin: Well, I think he's stabilized, but you're better at that than I am.   (Medicine 11) Yeah, he's playing dead.   Dwardazik: DAMNIT! Can we not get a single night's rest without that damn person interrupting us?! Fuck that guy!   Dazki: I'm gonna guess that the answer's probably "no".   Kesmet uses the campfire to ignite the corpse of the Devourer.   Dwardazik: Grogery, how ya doin'? You look like you're bleedin' outta your eyes!   Grogery: I'm fine. Good news is, we saved this guy. Whoever this is... (He heals the victim some more)   Dwardazik: Ugh, I can't help but feel like we were manipulated once again into doing whatever the hell that bastard wants us to do.   Dazki: At the moment, he's giving us information, because he wants us to use it to find him, so that we can bring him the Rotor of Return.   Marvin: So, should we just assume that he's always Scrying us right now?   Grogery + Kesmet: Probably.   Dwardazik: No, he's with us, based on what I've seen.   Grogery: I've felt this weird sense of foreboding a couple of times earlier. I'm not sure if that was just... being far away from civilization or not...   Marvin: You really think he's... like... here?! Physically?   Dwardazik: I think he's here in a different dimension or something like that. Some magical bullshit where he can observe us and walk around, but he's not of this world. Whatever magic that he's wielding, his presence is physically here, as far as I'm concerned.   Dazki: To me, that sounds like he's probably on the ethereal plane watching us, based on everything you've mentioned. So, he's kind-of here, but also he's kind-of not here, if everything you're saying is accurate. He can watch us and talk with us, but he can't really interact with us.   Marvin: Dazki, I have a question for you.   Dazki: Yeah?   Marvin: You know how I can do that thing where I, like, whisper, and it fucks with somebody's head?   Dazki: ...yeah?   Marvin: Should I try that right now?   Dazki: That, I would not know.   Marvin tries to cast Dissonant Whispers at "The Metronome Man". No perceivable consequences are observed.   Dazki: Well, if you guys want to interview our friend here, I still need some rest. So I'm gonna go find Barry, and we're going to meditate since we had first and second watch.   Dwardazik: Well, how long do we think it'll be before we have to head out? It's hard for me to tell the time.   Kesmet: Well, Marvin and I were just about done, so it's about 6 hours through the night.   Dwardazik: RRGH. I'm gonna find it hard getting to sleep with all my blood pumping as it is.   Kesmet: I'm not. This has been just, like, the last 5 years. (He climbs into a tent and plops down face-first onto a sleeping bag.)   Dazki: Don't you want to talk to him? Since —   Kesmet:

  Dwardazik, just now realizing that the Devourer corpse is already on fire: All right, well, I'll make sure this doesn't become a problem over here. See to Grogery, and make sure he's doing with the captive all right. (He kicks some dirt towards the burning corpse, and then says to no one in particular:) Ugh. I'm not gonna be able to sleep for the rest of the night. (He puts on his armor and pulls out a cigarette, preparing to stay up.)

Grogery: So how did you end up in an encounter with a Devourer out here?   Marvin: Well, to be fair, I don't think he encountered it out here. You know, he was rudely teleported. And he rudely awoke us!   Dober: I don't know where I am.   Dwardazik, taking a drag of his cigarette: Lad. Are ya OK?   Marvin: I think the safe answer's "no", Dwardazik...   Dober: Where am I?   Marvin: You're in a swamp, pretty far east. That's about as much direction as I've got right now.   Dober: Who are you?   Marvin: The name's Marvin! What's your name?   Dober: No, like, who are you?   Dwardazik: The name is Dwardazik Stoneturner Boulderhearth, exile from Amber Falls, warrior of our adventurous party, savior (and damner) of Ashport — frankly, all these titles are meaningless. ...but you can just call me Dwardazik!   Grogery: And I'm Grogery. To add more detail to the "where are we?" question, we are near the Invictus Una, the south end of it.   Dober: By the big old snake?   Grogery: About, yeah.   Dwardazik: It appears you've been through quite the traumatic experience, as I'm sure my companions can elaborate. Just don't make any sudden moves, and know that you're in good hands.   Dober: Um... uh... why are you out here?   Marvin: You know, we ask ourselves that question every day.   Grogery: It is honestly very complicated.   Marvin: Do you remember being in the chest of a Devourer? We still haven't got your name, by the way.   Dober: Oh, I'm... I mean, names seem silly — they can hold that against you, you know?   Grogery: Well, what name would you like to tell us? Doesn't have to be a real one, just something we can call you by.   Dwardazik: That's ridiculous. Lad, don't fear nothin'. Give us your name so we can know who you are. You should have pride in your name. It speaks about who you are, what you represent in your actions!   Dober: OK, OK! Fine. My name is Dober.   Marvin: OK, Dober. Do you remember getting Devoured?   Dober: Are you guys... clean?   Marvin: Define "clean".   Grogery: Clean of drugs? Clean of crime?   Marvin: Clean of intentions?   Dober: You're wandering in an infected part of the Swamp.   Dwardazik: Can you elaborate on that a little bit more? Say it like we're foreigners. Is there something we should be worried about?   Grogery: We are basically "colonists", if you know the lingo down here —   Dwardazik: There's no reason to use that damned term! ...but... I guess it's the truth...   Dober: That's fine, I'm from out of town, too.   Dwardazik pours him a tankard of ale and passes it over.   Marvin: You know, I don't think he has enough fluids for —   Dober immediately drinks it.   Marvin: Well, all right!   Dwardazik: We could use some information, if you're willing to share? But we understand you've been through quite a traumatic experience.   Dober: All right, but don't touch me! I don't want to get infected.   Dwardazik: What do you mean, "infected"?   Marvin: Well, we are in a swamp...   Grogery: If you're talking about just regular infection, I think you should be just fine, as long as you don't leave the bandages on too long and don't pick at anything. But something tells me you're talking about another kind of "infected"?   Dober: I just... I... I don't know, I think perhaps the Guild is going in the wrong direction.   Marvin: "Guild", you say? Are you a Hound?   Dober: But maybe this isn't true, because I did almost get myself killed.   Marvin: Wait, the fucker did say you were a Hound... why would he even send us this guy? You're part of the Hounds Guild, right?   Dober: Yes.   Marvin: Are you a werewolf?   Dober: No.   Dwardazik: Isn't that a strange question to ask someone, Marvin?   Grogery: Most of our experiences with the Hounds Guild have been werewolves.   Dwardazik: It's been a bit hit-or-miss, I'll admit that. But as far as I'm concerned, we might as well give everyone a chance.   Dober: I have no problems with that. That's not the thing I have problems with.   Dwardazik: So, Mr. Dober, you seem particularly concerned about this "infection", and that this area is infected. Could you elaborate a little bit, since we did save your life...?   Dober: OK, fine, just don't touch me!   Dwardazik: You can be sure we mean you no particular harm, assuming you don't mean us any harm.   Dober: I'm not the biggest fan of this new, powerful lieutenant. I mean, it's great for Mr. Donahue to get the power and respect that he deserves, finally, I just think there's other ways to gain power, like, just in case? You know?   Dwardazik: So, Mr. Dober, the year is 602 for us. Is that the same for you?   Dober: Yeah? I think so?   Dwardazik: I'm just making sure. What's the last thing you remember, before you were captured?   Dober: I was attempting to summon a powerful demon, 'cause I wanted to show 'em that there are other ways of gaining power that we could utilize, instead of putting all of our ducks in this one basket.   Marvin: ...so, you thought the best... you know what, I would berate you, but —   Dober, defensively: OK, it got a bit out of hand, OK? I really think demon summoning is the way to go!

Dwardazik slinks away to fetch Dazki and Kesmet. Dazki ignores him, but Kesmet gets up.

Grogery: Here's the thing about demon summoning: you don't get anything for free.   Dober: Yeah, I'm figuring that out.   Grogery: And it seems to be the case with Donahue's current methods, right? Even if it doesn't seem like he's going to pay for it now, he's probably going to pay for it in other ways later.   Marvin: So what's Mr. Donahue trying to do that you didn't necessarily agree with?   Dober: This lieutenant's really big on the tribal shit, and I just think that summoning demons would be more controllable. We know more about how to deal with demons than we do about all this new stuff.   Kesmet: Yeah. You dealt with that demon just... beautifully. Why are we not all asleep now? What's going on?   Grogery: So, we're talking about Dennis Donahue, right?   Dober: Yeah.   Grogery: Who's this lieutenant?   Dober, noticing Kesmet: Wait, holy shit, is that YOU?! Uhhhhhhh..... no, no, no... I didn't say anything!   Marvin: Wait, you know Kesmet?   Dober: What is he doing here?!   Kesmet: Saving your fucking ass, that's what.   Marvin: I mean, he did kill the demon.   Kesmet: And pulled you out of there!   Marvin: And he pulled you out of there!   Dober: OK, I didn't notice at the time, all right? A lot of shit was goin' down!   Grogery: He was invisible at the time...   Kesmet: I was invisible at the time. This is true.   Dober: Oh.   Marvin: You seem to know him?   Dober: I know of him.   Marvin: His name's Dober. Does that ring a bell to you, Kesmet?   Kesmet: "Dumber", you say? No, doesn't ring a bell.   Marvin: I'll be honest, dude, it's kind of a dumb name. You should change it, come up with something better...   Dober: Look, man, I don't like this new plan, OK?   Marvin: So he's involving himself with the tribes here, near the Invictus Una?   Dober: Uh-huh.   Marvin: To what end?   Dober: Oh, we're going to hold the country ransom.   Marvin: The whooooole thing?   Dober: Yup!   Kesmet: Brilliant plan.   Grogery: So, OK, hang on. Because of the closeness of the Great Serpent, and some mumblings we heard elsewhere, is he going to try to hold the country hostage by saying "look, we'll wake this guy up again, we'll revive him from the dead, unless you do what we want"?   Dober: Oh, no, they're gonna wake it up first.   Grogery: They can't possibly think they can control it?!   Dober: That's what I'm worried about! But the lieutenant seems to think everything'll be fine. And Dennis agrees.   Grogery: Who is this lieutenant?   Dober: Some squirmy little fella.   Grogery: Gnomish?   Dober: Have you guys heard stories of an old gnomish folktale?   Grogery: OK, well, can't say I didn't literally expect this, but nice to have direct confirmation.   Dwardazik: What, "The Metronome Man"? What about him?   Dober: Yeah, that's the guy. He works for Dennis, and —   Marvin: EXCUSE YOU?!   Kesmet: I KNEW IT!   Dober: — and we're going to resurrect the Great Serpent, and the lieutenant says he can control it, and then we can ransom the country and do whatever we want.   Kesmet: You're all a pack of idiots.   Marvin: This "lieutenant" is "The Metronome Man"?   Dober: Yeah! Like, an advisor.   Marvin: Aww, shit. Well, you had the right inkling about him, because that was the guy who put you in the —   Dober: No, I definitely did that. That one was on me.   Marvin: Yeah, but he teleported you here, to fuck with us, —   Dober: Oh, he saved my life! That was very nice of him.   Grogery: Actually, he specifically teleported you here to give us a difficult choice about whether to try to take potshots at the demon to preserve your life, or try to calm you down to grill you for information before you died anyway.   Dwardazik: Listen. I want to make something really clear, Mr. Dober. The majority of us wanted to walk away and see you just die, because dealing with you would've been pointless. Because you're just a pawn of "The Metronome Man".   Dober, interjecting: I'm a "pawn" of Dennis Donahue.   Kesmet: That's not better.   Dwardazik: But Grogery here decided that saving your life was worth the hassle.   Kesmet: What am I, chopped liver?   Dwardazik: ...and Kesmet helped. But listen, it wasn't "The Metronome Man". If you say it was his actions that saved you, ... then I might just find that this camp has one too many guests.   Marvin: That's a little extreme...   Dober: I can say whatever you want. I'm not that bad at lying. I'm just trying to figure it all out, man! I've been through a lot!   Grogery: OK, quick question — this might not be relevant until much later — who is Donahue's second-in-command? Is it "The Metronome Man"? And if it is him, then who is Donahue's third?   Dober: Well, it's usually pretty mysterious, but definitely Metro Man, for sure. There was that Cairo fella for a bit.   Dwardazik: ...do you mean Kerro Schene?   Grogery: Yeah, he's dead.   Kesmet: Twice!   Dober: I mean, how many lieutenants does a person need?   Grogery: How high up are you on this food chain?   Dober: Listen, I'm goin' places!   Marvin, sarcastically: Yeah, you've already become a werewolf and — oh wait, that's right!   Dober: I can summon demons. I don't need to be a werewolf!   Kesmet: Summoning them is half the battle. The other half is actually battling them. Which you can't seem to do.   Marvin: Yeah, that's clearly working out so well for you.   Dwardazik walks off to survey the area, looking for ambushes.   Dober: So, what? Where do we go from here?   Marvin: Part of that depends on you. Because you don't really like the idea of this snake monster, right?   Dober: Well, I don't think it's the best plan. I just really think there should be contingencies.   Marvin: So, you still want to take over the country?   Dober: 'cause I'm pretty smart, and if I can't control this demon, I don't see how a simple advisor's going to control the big ol' snake!   Marvin: "Simple advisor", you say?   Grogery: Yeah, we're pretty sure that advisor isn't really intending to control it afterwards.   Marvin: Yeah, no, he just wants it to destroy The Wall™.   Dober: Well, that's just your opinion. I'm gonna believe whatever Dennis Donahue believes, because he hasn't been that wrong so far yet, and I've been way more wrong.   Marvin: Well, "The Metronome Man" told us himself.   Dober: Yeah, uh-huh. I speak to fairies too, and they tell me all sorts of things!

Kesmet grabs Dober by the shoulder and burns him badly enough to knock him unconscious. Grogery stabilizes him.

Marvin: Was that really necessary?!   Grogery: Kesmet.   Kesmet: Yes?   Grogery: I get on Dwardazik for doing similar things. Cut it out.   Kesmet: Yeah, two things. 1: he was being way too flippant in saying He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named way too often. And 2: I genuinely thought that that wouldn't put him down. I did not know that he was that injured.   Grogery: I just barely patched him up.   Marvin: "Being flippant", you say?   Grogery, glaring at Kesmet: He's not the only one being flippant right now. (Sigh.) I have to re-dress this arm.   Kesmet: Don't worry. It's been cauterized.   Grogery: No. It weakens the skin, makes it easier for disease to get in. Hang on.

Grogery revives him with a Cure Wounds, and Dober immediately backs away from Kesmet towards a tree.

Kesmet: So, did we learn our lesson?   Dober: What do you want from me?!   Marvin: No one understands what Kesmet wants. We do know he wants to kill Dennis — and rightfully so, but —   Kesmet, pointing at Dober: And you don't get to say his name anymore. 'cause he's a fucker.   Dober: OK, OK! What do you want, though? Like... I can get it, I can get what you want! What do you...   Kesmet: Just talk to these nice guys, give 'em whatever information they want, or you can talk to me and not give anybody any information.   Dwardazik, returning: Yeah, what he said!   Dober: I've been really forward! I've been telling you everything!   Marvin: You said, yourself, that you're a pretty good liar.   Kesmet: Whether you're lying or not, if we don't believe you or don't like what you're saying, then I need to give you another pat on the shoulder.   Dober: OK, but, like, what do you want to know?!   Kesmet: WHERE IS DENNIS, right now?!   Dwardazik: Oh, are we at that point?   Kesmet: We are always at that point.   Dober: """The D Man""" is currently dealing with an adversary in his past.   Kesmet: He knows I'm coming for him, then.   Dwardazik: Could you tell us, perhaps, the location that you believe he is in?   Dober: I don't know where he is, because he used a magical device to teleport there, or something.   Marvin: What magical device?   Dober: Something through the bypass tunnel on the other side of The Wall™. I'm not allowed to go there, so I can't tell you any further.   Marvin: The device was over there. Is it small, portable? Or something big, fixed in a spot?   Dober: I don't know. I just know that that's where it is, and I'm forbidden to go there.   Dwardazik: I understand. But as a growing member of the Hounds Guild, you should surely know where that passageway is, to go through the wall, right?   Dober: It's in the shadow of the big ol' snake.   Dwardazik: Yes, yes, I know, but you should know where not to go, right?   Dober: You'll really have to put your heart into it to find it. You're just going to need the correct angle of attack.   (Insight 17) he's not lying; in fact, it sounds like he's reciting something word for word.   Marvin: Why would you give us this information?   Dober, frantically: I don't wanna fuckin' die, man! What do you want from me?!   Kesmet: It is a very powerful motivator.   Dwardazik: Marvin. My friends. If what he's saying is true, then I believe that the heart of this serpent — or this zone, or wherever we're heading to — probably contains the tunnel past The Wall™. Now, it's been a long night, and our guest here has been very accommodating. I believe that we have all received what we've needed. Have we not saved him, and has he not repaid us fairly? I think that the most acceptable thing to do would be to allow him to remain, unharmed, while we finish this evening and go our own ways.   Dober: No, can I just, like, go instead?   Marvin: You think you're going to be able to survive, out here on your own?   Dober: Dude, I'm willing to give it a try.   Grogery: Here's the thing. You can tell that we don't have the highest opinion of "The Metronome Man".   Kesmet: Or his boss.   Grogery: We fully intend to go put a stop to this whole snake plan. If you are there at the time, things might not work out so well for you. But if you stay back and let what's going to happen happen, then perhaps you can find some extra room in the power structure to ascend after the vacuum?   Dober: Or... or, I could just leave. Never to be seen or heard from again. Maybe start a business, making candles or soap or something.   Dwardazik: Mr. Dober. I think what we're trying to say is, if you get in our way in the future, ...we'll make sure you get out of our way. We may not be on the same path here, but perhaps our paths shouldn't cross again. We are accommodating individuals, here.   Kesmet: ...most of us.   Dober: I mean, kill me once, shame on me, right?   Dwardazik: Does anyone object to allowing Mr. Dober to go on his merry way?   Kesmet: Only slightly.   Grogery: My concern is that he would go back and then warn people that we're coming, which would then lead more people to get hurt in the long run.   Marvin: "The Metronome Man" is already listening to us.   Kesmet: Yeah, but Metro Man seems to be trying to betray Dennis.   Dwardazik: Sir Grogery, I have to object. As a wise elf has taught me, we save an individual for a reason. And we must trust their actions going forward. I do not believe that this man is guilty.   Marvin: He technically hasn't done anything yet.   Dober: You guys killed my fuckin' demon, what am I gonna do?   Dwardazik: Listen here. That demon is a scourge. Do you really want me to throw you back to it? You should be grateful that we saved your pathetic life.   Dober: That's what I'm sayin'! Like, you guys can kill my demon, why am I not gonna do what you say? You've already killed me, like, once.   Dwardazik: Listen. Grogery, Kesmet, Marvin. I think we should let him go. Otherwise, why did we even bother saving his life? Don't cross us, Mr. Dober, and you won't have to worry about us.   Dwardazik leaves to take another smoke and patrol the area watching for ambushes.   Kesmet: Well, him not warning Dennis about stuff, that's one of the concerns. The bigger one is that "The Metronome Man" was implying that he would soon die, and he doesn't seem to be much hurt at the moment. He seems stable.   Dober: Wait, I was supposed to die?   Kesmet: Yeah, by the way, you were getting betrayed by either Dennis, or "The Metronome Man", or somebody up top. And presumably, that means that if we simply release him into the wild, then a) something in the Swamp will just kill him naturally, or b) "The Metronome Man" has a plan to just kill him anyway. I vote for keeping him close at hand, at least until we get to civilization. Then, if "The Metronome Man" was going to kill him anyway, then whatever, we can't babysit him all the time, but at least all our effort won't go to waste because he gets eaten by a giant fucking frog or whatever, like those three goblins that are probably getting eaten by our two mounts as we speak.   Marvin: So, I understand where you're coming from, Kesmet, but we have no idea when we're going to be heading back to civilization.   Kesmet: Then we just drag 'im along and see what happens!   Marvin: Honestly, I think he might wind up being a liability. (Turning to Dober) No offense to you — well, actually, some offense, because you did fuck up with the demon — (Turning back to the party) He can summon another one while we sleep!   Dober: No, that took a lot of stuff to do, and all that is kinda left...   Kesmet: You see, Marvin, if he does summon another one, it is very simple how we solve that situation: we simply leave him to it.   Dober: Maybe we should take a vote?   Marvin: I think he's going to be a burden, personally.   Kesmet: We should put it to a vote! Who wants to just release him into the wild, who wants to keep him here for whatever reason?   Marvin: He wants to take his chances in the wild.   Kesmet: He's a bad guy, he doesn't get a vote.   Dober: I'm a "bad guy"? Wait, what?!   Marvin: You wanted to take over the country!   Kesmet: And you work for an asshat!   Marvin: That too...   Kesmet: Which wouldn't be so bad, but you do speak about him with reverence, so I'm gonna assume that you're also just a bad guy.   Dober mutters something under his breath.   Grogery: I'm sorry, I didn't catch that?   Kesmet, hand to ear and producing some flame: I'm sorry, say again?   Dober: I said at least I didn't murder my whole family!   Grogery: Kesmet. Breathe.   Kesmet, still keeping the flame in his hand: Yes, Grogery?   Grogery: Breathe.   Dober: Like, I don't understand this moral situation here, this whole thing is just bullshit!   Kesmet: You're right. Breathing is necessary for producing the flame.   Dober: Are demons good? Are demons bad? Is the serial killer good? Is he good? You seem to think he's good! But then "oh, these other guys, they can't be good if we're good", but you're —   Kesmet, extinguishing his hand and grabbing Dober: I'm only going to say this once, because I'm very sleepy. Were I less sleepy, I would've just killed you right here and now. I did not murder my family. That is some bullshit that Dennis has been spreading for I-don't-know-what-reason, to shift the blame off himself. Which, I don't even know why. Everyone knows he's an asshat.   Dober: Listen, man, I just wanna go!   Grogery: Maybe we should take a vote.   Kesmet: I vote we keep him here. 1) he might actually just kill himself or die to something and that would waste our resources, and 2) he doesn't want to stay, so nyeh! That's my vote.   Dober: No offense, but I think I should get a vote if he gets a vote.   Dwardazik returns.   Dober: Dwarf! Reasonable dwarf, please! Speak to this man!   Dwardazik: All I have to say is this, Kesmet. Grogery. Marvin. We (deep breath) are not murderers. We take the facts as we see them. We saved this man. Has he tried to harm us? No. You're merely trying to entangle him and keep him around, because you fear what he might do. I would've done the same thing. Normally, I would've killed him on the spot. But I have learned, through my meditations, that we should be more resolved to accept that not everyone around us is an enemy, and to put some trust into people around us. As far as I'm concerned, until he has directly done something that we can accuse him of that makes him our enemy, then we are simply being paranoid.   Kesmet: Uh, "worked for Dennis"? "Summoned a demon"?   Dwardazik: Then you kill him, and I will have no part in it.   Dober, frantically: No-no-no! No! No!   Dwardazik walks away.   Dober: But he's the reasonable one!!!   Marvin: My vote's to let him go.   Grogery: I'm so proud of Dwardazik, but um... I would also vote to let him go, but I want Dazki's word on this as well.   Kesmet: I mean, Grogery, if you vote to let him go, then that's three votes for "let him go", against —   Grogery: We have all brought up opinions on this, but Dazki hasn't had that opportunity.   Kesmet: Ironically, I want to keep him for his protection. Where's Barry? We should ask Barry what he thinks.   Dober: Listen, man, what do you want? I don't have a lot on me right now, but —   Grogery: Just stay for another four hours until our friend wakes up. We hear him out. If everything is good, then you'll be free to go. It'll be sunrise, you'll be able to see where you're going.   Kesmet: Out of curiosity, what exactly was your plan? You were out here in the middle of fucking nowhere, and —   Dober: I wasn't.   Kesmet: You weren't, but now you are.   Dober: I'll figure something out, man!   Kesmet: Oh? Like what?   Dober: I mean, I'm very resourceful! You saw that I can summon demons, right? I'll do somethin'! The Hounds have tribal friends, right?   Marvin: You look like a colonist, they would probably just kill you.   Kesmet: About that... we also saw Hounds just getting their asses handed to them somewhere else in the swamp. We've been kinda lost. Yeah, you have no support network out here whatsoever. Literally — and this is going to be pretty sad for you, but — we are the closest thing you have to a support network. And you are pissing yourself scared of me, the only person who has voted not to let you venture out into this deathtrap of a swamp. You have less than a snowflake's chance in hell. You have less than a snowflake's chance next to me.   Marvin: I thought some religions say that hell is actually frozen over?   Kesmet: Well, it seems we're at a stalemate. Grogery wants to get Dazki's input on it.

Dazki: All right, so, what happened with our friend last night?   The things are told.   Dazki: All right. I mean, if he wants to trudge back... he's safer with us, but I'm certainly not going to force him to come with us. His choice, as far as I'm concerned.   Kesmet: I just want to make sure he understands he's safer with us. I don't think he believes that.   Dazki: Given all of the incorrect rumors that Dennis has spread about you, I don't blame him for not believing it.   Kesmet: That is fair.   Dazki: So, my opinion is, whatever he chooses, he's fine to do whatever. But we can't afford him any supplies, or a canoe, or anything like that.   Grogery: He's free to take some of the bread from my usual bread, but it won't last very long.   Marvin: I guess you're on your own, friend.   Dober: What?   Grogery: I'll be producing some bread shortly.   Dober: Just like that?   Kesmet: Yeah, you're free to go. The exit's right there. (He gestures to...)

Kesmet: That was mostly symbolic. There are no doors. We're in a swamp.   Dwardazik: It's not "just like that". We deliberated, and — frankly, I don't know why it was so difficult for us, but — yes, you are perfectly fine to leave.   Dober: This is the weirdest kidnapping I've ever been involved in.   Dwardazik: How would you consider this a kidnapping, Mr. Dober, when we saved your life from a demon who was consuming your soul?!   Dober: Mostly, the kidnapping part was when you wouldn't let me leave, and then almost killed me, and then brought me back to teach me a lesson, and then still wouldn't let me leave.   Dwardazik: Incredible! We allow you to stay safe during the night, into the morning, and then you treat us like this? Unbelievable!   Kesmet: You know what, I've changed my mind, I vote for letting him go. Totally not because it's a surefire death sentence to walk into the Swamp unprepared (and we believe he is completely unprepared).   Dober: I think the Swamp's the safest way, man.   Dazki: That's fine. Go ahead and make your way, then. Good luck, and may whatever gods you worship have mercy on your soul.   Dober: You're not even gonna... not anything that could help me?   Grogery: Now you want to travel with us?   Dober: No!   Marvin: You're lookin' for a handout? We've barely got enough for ourselves!   Dober: OK, fine.   Grogery: Again, you're free to come with us. We make more food than we can eat most days.   Dober: Nope. I'm gonna die if I come with you, I've gotta take the swamp route.   Dazki: Kesmet, can you spare him a dagger?   Kesmet, giving him a non-magical dagger: Here! Just to give you a fighting chance.

Dober takes bread and water then wades into the swamp, and Dazki and Dwardazik start breaking down camp.

Grogery: Well, he seems to at least... sorta know where he's going.   Kesmet: He is going to die.   Dwardazik: I have to ask, my friends. Why was that so difficult?   Kesmet: Because he is going to die.   Dwardazik: Did we not just save him for the sake of saving him?   Dazki: Letting him walk out there is very likely to —   Kesmet: He is going to die.   Dwardazik: But we're not gonna be, like, involved in —   Dazki: Yeah, we can't control his choices.   Dwardazik: All right, I just wanted to make sure we're all on the same page, because sometimes I get mixed signals from you guys.   Kesmet: I'm gonna feel a bit bad about it. We went through all the trouble, and he wasn't even a werewolf. He's gonna die. But, then again, he's not any worse off than if we weren't there. He got to live for a while longer, got to eat some of that bland bread. Got some water. (Clean water, at least.) And now he has a shiny new dagger! Well, new to him.   Marvin: More importantly, he has a chance.   Kesmet: No, not even a snowflake's chance in hell. But he has a shiny new dagger.   Dazki: Regardless, it is time for us to head out. We have what passes for light, and it is way too fucking hot.   Grogery: You know, I've realized what feels different about being in the swamp. It's like my ears are finally actually all the way warm.

Travel

The party travels as far as the boat will let them go, then they start heading the rest of the way on foot.

Grogery: Hey Marvin, I was going to ask if you can Send to the goblins and — well, they probably know by now that we're not gonna be around, but —   Marvin: Grogery, I hate to break it to you, but I don't think I can Send to them in Common and have them understand.   Grogery: Oh.   Kesmet: What if Grogery were to dictate something in Goblinese and Marvin were to Send that?   Marvin: I dunno.

Dwardazik: That's a big sword.   Kesmet: I am appropriately impressed.

Dwardazik: It's quite an interesting creature. Isn't it strange? How long has this been here?   Dazki: About a century.   Dwardazik: To think it's still in such a condition!   Marvin: It's a lot of mass to decompose.   Dazki: And all sorts of magic, stuff like that. So, I guess we've got to find the thirteenth rib, where the heart was, and probably up from there?   Dwardazik: That's where I would suspect it to be, but instead of going straight there, we should scout the surrounding area. No doubt that on this side, they have some kind of defense.   Barry: Plus, I don't see how the entrance underneath The Wall™ could be up there.   Dazki: Fair.   Marvin: Maybe it's not a physical tunnel? Maybe the heart teleports?   Dazki: Probably a physical tunnel. Friend from last night said something about a specific angle, right?   Grogery + Dwardazik: Yeah.   Dazki: So it's probably only visible from a specific angle. Either above, or below. Something like that. First of all is to find where the heart is, and make sure we're not being watched.   Kesmet: How do we do that second part?   Dwardazik: Dazki, I think you should be on watch duty, and we'll find this damn angle. Obviously, together, but... focus on the watch. Your elven ears are more powerful than ours.

Dazki: So. Good news and bad news. Good news is, there's no one watching us. Bad news is... there is nothing. And I mean absolutely nothing. No animals, no anything like that around.   Marvin: It's residual magic? What would that imply?   Dazki: It is also really, really hot here, but I wouldn't think that'd matter too much to animals of the swamp. But, there could just be residual magic that makes it feel like a bad omen that would make animals instinctively avoid it or something?   Grogery: Or something that just keeps food from properly growing here. If there's no food here, then there's no animals here.

The party cautiously approaches the serpent, intending to get directly underneath the 13th rib. Dwardazik rushes in front of the party to shield wall in front of it.

Dazki: Do we have any of those Potions of Water Breathing left?   Dwardazik: Water breathing? Hmm...   Marvin: "Water breathing"?   Dazki: We found them before we met up with you, Marvin.   Metro: I do appreciate the slower pace you're taking. However, I still don't have the time required. Perhaps you should take a break? I might even let you sleep this time!   Grogery: You're the one who didn't let us sleep, so I guess we're going this way. Also, we don't have those potions anymore.   Dwardazik: My suggestion is to completely ignore the man. We know not if he intends for us to heed his words, or to change our actions based on his words. I say we completely ignore him.   Metro:

The adventurers take some time to deliberate their options. They could investigate this seemingly unguarded and useless tunnel, or they could bide their time and gain their strength for the upcoming battle. They decided to choose the wiser of the two options.

Dwardazik, ignoring him: Dazki, why did this catch your eye again?   Dazki: This is the only one that's deep enough. Could be a kind of tunnel, it's the only one with anything growing around it.

Marvin touches it with his hand.

Dazki: Much as I hate to say it, last night was a pretty rough night for most of us. It wouldn't be the worst idea to try to get some sleep. It could be "The Metronome Man" trying to buy himself some time.   Marvin: What I don't understand is that, if he's capable of just dropping eldritch abominations on top of us at a whim, why isn't he just doing that all the time?   Dwardazik: I don't care. My suggestion is that we take a pebble, someone can cast a Light spell on it, and then we drop it, see how far down that pebble goes?   Grogery: Not a bad idea.   Dwardazik: I refuse to be a pawn of "The Metronome Man"'s machinations now. As far as possible.   Grogery: He could also be trying to egg us on.   Dwardazik: Exactly.   Grogery: But this is a very deep rabbit hole. If he is trying to egg us on and convince us to move on without resting, by telling us to rest, making it look like he might be in trouble and that we're too fast for him... but he knows we don't trust him, so he might be —   Dazki: Yeah, we don't need to go all "we know he knows we know he knows".   Dwardazik: Who cares? The man is evil. Simply ignore his petty actions. We will meet every single thing we face, overcome them, we'll find him, and deal with him.   Marvin: Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually was trying to egg us on to rush in, when our resources are not optimal.   Dwardazik: Then we should make the decision based on our own opinions, not his. But first, I think we're jumping the gun in assuming we've found the tunnel. Is this the location?

Grogery lights up a pebble and drops it down.

Marvin: Yeah, there's no way that that's natural.   Dwardazik: Do you think we've found the entrance?   Dazki: Maybe. It could be a water discharge pipe from The Wall™ or something of that nature.   Dwardazik: Hmm... how would we investigate this further?   Dazki: That's the hard part. I know I can't breathe underwater.   Grogery: There's nothing I could cast that could help people, even if I had the time to regain spells.   Marvin: Hey, Barry!   Barry: What?   Marvin: So, I heard a rumor that you're a really good swimmer.   Barry: What do you want?   Marvin: I want your gills.   Barry, concerned: I don't know what that means! GUYS, don't let him take my gills!   Grogery: Would you be able to swim in the pipe and see if it's a distance that any of us would be able to swim? Like, if there's an air pocket just barely out of sight, then we could probably make it.   Barry: Yeah, but what if there's a big crocodile or something down there?   Marvin: Then turn around and get away from it.   Dazki: Barry, I know this is a bit frightening, but I think you're an equal member of the party. You're brave, you're capable. You can go and swim down there, and swim for a short distance, come back, and report to us. It's important if you want to be who you used to be again.   Barry: I still don't know if that's true. You sure nobody else can... uhh...   Dazki: None of us can breathe underwater, Barry.   Marvin: Barry. We need you. You're the only one who can help us with this right now.   Dazki: Here's what we'll do too. We'll tie 100 feet of rope to you. That way, we can pull you back if something happens.   Barry seems excited.   Dwardazik: Sounds like a good plan to me.   Barry: OK.   Marvin: If you need us to pull you back, then pull it yourself three times really fast.   Barry: Three times. Got it.   Kesmet: But if you find, like, an opening on the other end, and everything's cool, then pull it four times —   Dazki: No, don't pull it four —   Barry: Four times...   Grogery: Just come back to us if you find a convenient opening that we'll be able to swim to.   Dwardazik: Yes.   Kesmet: But, like, leave the other end of the rope there so we can find —   Dwardazik: Nope. All you need to do, Barry: we'll tie a rope to you, you go down, we'll enchant your gloves with light, and if you can find anything of interest, come back and tell us. If you get in trouble, then pull on the rope more than two times. Then we will pull you back.   Barry, filled with determination: OK! OK, you know, I can do this! As the cleric of the party, I think —   Dazki: You can do this, Barry. You got this.   Dwardazik: We believe in you.   Marvin: Yeah, we know you can do this.

Dwardazik checks on the rope, (Survival 13) which seems fine. Barry goes down into the pipe.

Kiirni, yelling from the distance: YOU!!! What did you do?!