Nomen Infernale III: Peril in the Mines Report

It became increasingly clear to La Compagnia that they had stepped into a battle they were ill prepared for: Abet and Alex were bound in mystical chains, Riven was fast asleep and Kegho had taken a great deal of physical damage, which due to the touch of Tef-Amen, would not be healed. Teleptyon, in an act of desperation put on the amulet he had taken off of Raisa Belvukova during the carnage at Domus Kerularios. Teleptyon gazed briefly at the Amulet of Typhlonous before slipping it on; he felt a rush of energy prickle across his skin, which he would later describe as a cloak and perhaps protective. In the moment though he did not have time to think that hard on it as he launched a bolt of pure Ar at the bearman who was hovering over the sleeping Riven.

The bearman was startled by the energetic blow, but a second bearman was nearby and scooped her up to drag her into the darkness. A bearman in white furs looking for all the world to be a chieftan of these savages, charged down the hall brandishing a pike decorated with a skull with the characteristic blue that La Compagnia had come to recognize as a sign of the taint of the hills. Theophilus cried out to his gods to hold the attacking bearmen in place, and was able to entangle the chieftain and the bearman carrying Riven in chains glowing with Edius' fire. Having expended so much energy in such a short time, he was wearied. But he was not so tired that he was struck by an incoming spear-strike. Kegho rushed to retrieve Riven but was engaged in melee by a bugbear. He countered with Skullcleaver. He dodged a spear and an arrow fired down the hall at him. Teleptyon considered throwing a vial of Eknoi fire into the mix but the fighting was close that he feared he would hit friend as well as foe. Instead of he attacked with his envenomed snake finger, but was unable to find purchase to scratch. An archer missed Teleptyon. The bearman that Kegho had viciously sliced ran.

Asbjørn was able to strike a bearman's flank.

The bear-shamaness made lascivious, uncannily erotic gestures at Kegho in a dark imitation of seduction. Kegho wass smitten by her charms. Asbjørn attacked the shamaness but missed. He was attacked by a beastman and shot at by an archer, but deftly avoided being hit. The Chandler dug deep into his reserves to bind the shamaness the way he had the chieftan, but her spiritual fortitude allowed her to shrug off his attempt. He was exhausted by the effort. Kegho woke the sleeping Riven who was briefly disoriented, then concerned by the close contact and then somewhat comforted by the tactile pressure.

Teleptyon felt like he had enough space to test out Eknoi fire. He fumbled the throw but still managed to catch a warrior and an archer in the conflagration. The archer was terrified by the blast and retreated deeper into the mines. Theo, in desperation, pleaded with the gods to hold the shamaness that La Compagnia might prevail. Manacles glowing with the presence of Edius went their way around her and her foul imprecations to her fouler gods were silenced. Those who could still move turned to dispatch her before she worked her way free. Asbjorn and Riven both attacked, which angered Kegho, still under her spell. He attempted to menace Riven to deter her, but did not want to cause her harm. She withdrew and shot a different beastman, who Kegho was under no geas to protect, but he had already decided she was a threat to his mamabear and he gave chase and subdued her. With Kegho distracted, Asbjørn continued making attacks on the shamaness, all the while taking multiple strikes from a beastman who thought he would gain honor by skewering the hulking Rhenlander. He finally ends the shamaness and tears rolled down the cheeks of the trapped chiefbeartain as he saw the love of his life cut down. Theo, in his wearied state tried to drag Alex toward the door, but was unable to get him very far. With the shamaness dead, most of the party moved toward the door, but Asbjørn was still engaged in battle and being shot at from a distance. He fought bravely but was knocked out. Seeing Asbørn fall, Theo stumbled back deeper into the tunnel and Teleptyon risked his own sanity reaching into the paradoxes of the Ar to fire a bolt of energy. Theo managed one last supplication before the Ouranic gods and spirit chains bound the remaining free bearmen. Unfortunately Teleptyon had become lost in the mazes of his own mind and he began stabbing and slashing at the paralyzed Abet's back before coming to his senses. In his great shame he fled instead of apologizing or tending to the ranger's wounds.

Kegho began systematically killing the frozen bearmen, including the chieftan. Theo attempted to rouse Asbjørn and was successful after several tries. He immediately went to collect the shamanesses head as a trophy. They exited the tunnel to lick their wounds and the sweet dust that covered them. Zahur Nahi had made a camp close by the exit of the mine.