The Age of Worms / The Zenith Trajectory pt. 14/ Fos the 22nd through the 23rd, 3593 CE / 10-17-21

General Summary

In the depths of Bhal-Hamatugn, Not by Choice leap into action as their companion, the gnome archaeologist Cherrit, is struck by a spear from an unseen assailant. They have been searching a series of craftsmen's workstations, and it was in the last one that the attack happened. Milton, Jozu, and Harrov all rush in to fight off the enemy, a spear-wielding ulat-kini. Though their opponent is an adept fighter, they manage to land some heavy blows. Meanwhile Nari has used her wand to heal Cherrit, who returns to the battle just in time engulf the enemy in magical flame, justifying his earlier assertion that his magic could aid the party. Having cleared out the workshops, Not by Choice returns to the northwest junction of hallways to investigate a set of double-doors leading south. Milton flings them open and strides in, only to trigger a false floor and find himself plummeting forty feet into the pit below. The magi hits the ground with a thud and lies motionless. Kade volunteers to be lowered into the pit, but the wyrwood's healing fails to revive the ailing warrior. Uriah is able to create a healing bomb with his alchemical skills and tosses it into the pit. The surge of positive energy revives Milton, and soon the party has pulled him and Kade back out of the pit. Nari lays a collapseable plank across the gap and the party investigates the room, which appears to be laid out like an altar, with bodies of dead ulat-kini warriors on one wall, and females with burst stomachs along the other. Lulu determines that these corpses have been hung from the walls to be honored as heroes, and the party conjectures what horrible acts the females may have had to engage in to earn this distinction. Not by Choice decides to use the craftsmen's stations as a resting place, with the unsleeping constructs, Kade and Sarous, keeping watch. In the middle of the night, Kade is attacked when a dagger is flung from the darkness and strikes the wyrwood in the chest, but luckily it does only superficial damage, despite being coated in some sort of poison. The figure of an assassin quickly disappears back into the darkness, heading towards the main temple area. As the party rouses, they decided to investigate the stairs leading up in the water birthing chamber, despite the fact that monstrous dragon-like spawn still infest the waters around the staircase. As the party gathers to investigate, they fail to notice that Milton still suffers from multiple wounds, not to mention the reckless manner with which he has been leading the charge through Bhal-Hamatugn. In front of the birthing pool, he manifests his psychic blade and infuses it with electricity, striking the water of the pool. The electricity ripples through the water and the spawn within, which immediately surge towards the ex-Baalite, covering him in acidic bites. Harrov and Uriah both throw bombs into the swarm, but the explosions not only kill multiple dragon fish, they knock Milton into the water, woozy and struggling to stay conscious, while his familiar Chester leaps to safety in a dry corner of the room. Even as Lulu attempts to aid him, the swarm covers Milton, tiny monsters burrowing into his flesh with acidic mouths and razor sharp teeth. As the dying magi spits blood, his eyes roll into his head and a dark power seems to overtake him. He chants the words to a strange ritual and suddenly a portal to a swirling void opens up under the swarm, sucking the creatures and the waters of the pool into a realm of swirling chaos. Just before he himself is sucked into the void, Milton grins in triumph through blood stained teeth, muttering the words "Emperor..." Then he is gone, and portal closes, leaving the rest of the party to stand in shocked silence.

Rewards Granted

2 +1 short spears

Character(s) interacted with

Lulu Victry, Nari Ashida, Milton Butters, Harrov Runerider, Uriah Skrain, Kade, Jozu, Sarous, Cherrit, White Eyes, Hlanamm (ulat-kini weaponmaster), Saagogoi (ulat-kini assasin), dragonspawn swarm

Report Date

17 Oct 2021

Primary Location

Bhal-Hamatugn

Secondary Location

The Everlasting Night