2020-01-27 || Desert of Desolation | Amputations, Exploration, and Executions

General Summary

With the last of the zombies creatures dead the heroes began to look around their immediate surroundings to ensure that they are alone. Grimogall Varangr  and Belus settled down for a short rest to heal up while the others explore the adjoining cave. The smell of death assaults them and there they found the lair of the zombies who have settled into and dug out a room for hiding. Searching through the refuse on the ground they found a lute.
Thallan  explored to the south, not a cave but another room with three pools that run across the floor just a few inches deep, each filled with a different coloured liquid. One Red, One Green, and One Clear. Thallan in his excitement hacked off the limb of a zombie and tested the water in the first pool. After realizing that the flesh did not react to the liquid he tasted some of the water and appeared to be fine. They continued to test and explore the different pools with Cramus getting into the tasting of the mysterious liquids. They all appeared to be ok after drinking the water, even sometimes determining different tasting notes, like sage.
Merosh and the others then began to inspect a corridor that exists to the east off the room with the pools. Just inside they identified runes over an archway. One of which Cramus is able to decipher, as fire, and the other escaped him. One by one the party rushed past the runes finding that they were subjected to a blast of flame and flash that attempts to blind them. When Grim rushes across he was blinded as he bashed the door open and on the other side they are confronted by a room full of cultists.
The two leaders, men wearing masks - one a jackals head and the other some kind of humanoid skull with oversized fangs and a three short horns - attempted to dissuade our heroes from approaching and demanded that they leave but ultimately battle began. The room lit up with faire fire and cultists were blinded as the party lept into combat as if they had gotten stronger since their last battle. Bodies fell and blood was spilt all while a statue of the God Anu looked on and a pulsating red lightominously lit another part of the room.
A captive human freed himself from his bonds and rushes to get to safety, slipping behind Belus but as soon as he did, the prisoner transformed into a demonic ape creature who battled our heroes. Already engaged with others, the creature knocked Belus unconscious butbefore it can deal a fatal blow Fye rushed to heal him. The cultist wearing the jackal's mask threw it off revealing himself to be the sheik's son, Korus,  but Grim who was engaged with him did not recognize him and dealt a killing blow.
When the creature and the cultists were dispatched the party took captive the priest, Corga, and use a levitation spell and a carefully positioned rapier to hold him. Merosh took off the mask and put it on. The mask appeared to be magical and it lifted his body off the ground and engulfed him in flames, astrally projecting him to the throne room of Khalitharius.
He appeared to know who Merosh is and toldhim that he has been preparing for thousands of years for this moment, but still seemed inquisitive about Merosh. As if there were more to learn.
"I control regions and you impress bars, Merosh."
Then the Efreet asked Merosh what he sought. To which Merosh replies, "To be the most renowned bard of all time."
"Would you kill for it?" Mersoh had no answer.
The conversation ended with Khalitharius dismissing him from his sight, but telling Merosh he can't wait to meet him.
When he returned he told the party what he saw and they make jokes about Fye's height. They then moved to interrogate Corga who toldthem he talks to the dark one. Upon questioning the pools and decerning their true nature Thallan lamented.
"We're so stupid. We drank foot-water."
The party felt conflicted about what to do with the priest who served the will of the evil Khalitharius. This man, who openly admitted to working to kidnap the princess even if he was not successful, was not a good man. Grim began asking for last words but Thallan tried to talk it out.
How the sheik would respond to his son being a cultist and be killed? The question lingered in the room and no answer satisfied.
Corga, the priest, attempts to make a case for his innocent by saying he's being noble that he brings hope, but does not appear to sway anyone. He has proven to them he has evil intent. They talk it through and slowly get closer to agreeing he must die. Grim readies his weapon and while Thallan is making one last case, the half-orc, with a flash of his dragon scale glaive , Grim's Dark Avenger, brings justice to the desert.

Rewards Granted

XP : Combat (3775 XP) + RP ( 1000 XP) = 4775 XP ( 700 XP per Character )

Report Date

27 Jan 2021