Session 84: Ssech's Last Shadow; The Syth in a Pocket's Sight: Animaesus and Tarrasques
General Summary
Faurwiin has set up arrangements for Killian and the first house to begin to escort the citizens out, but in order to do this, Martial Law must be instated. Killian is the liaison with these movements, so it hopefully will align well, seeing as the 11th House, Tenebris and Faurwiin with Celegorm and Caranfir, are going to assist with investigations into the sewers and undercity that the 9th House has taken control of since the fall of the former 12th House. However, even Killian knows, and hears in his own terms from Hybearn, that the first house has other players to attend to since the arrival of the Aragesh and the wolfkin Primordial.
That sewer investigation begins, and Faurwiin joins in his true form rather than some simulacrum, for there are rumors to high end adversaries of the 9th House to be in attendance; even his apprentice Tenebris joins in full regalia. They begin to trail in, and they soon see, through Caranfir's aid with an arcane, invisible eye to scout ahead, that the 9th House gathers around a bloody cave pit, full of even bloodier water. Inside, submerged, a few tarrasques grow, and other strange beasts, aberrations really, as well as blood imps, and ghouls. They drink and subsist off the remnants of the pool, and the growing tarraques, those looming monstrosities. How will they get across? The eye easily flies over, this invisibile visionary, and when across, it finds a group of a half dozen humans, two in the center, in front of a infant tarrasque. This monstrosity has been nearly drained dry, and from its essence, siphoning down into a spout for Xantha and his dauther to taste, comes a type of serum, blood, something special and divine. Something to spawn mutations.
We find Birdman making his way to Mels camp, just south, over the wall near the Sluice Gates, over the river. She has made a place from their and the Undercity beneath, a camp, yes, but also a lair and place for her nulls, vampire spawn, and other undead, and/or followers--a place for them to have a home, a city of their own. Birdman had just teleported in with Pocket's help, a strange celestial creature who seems to have an intimate bond with the events of the lands, of Barur herself. Now, he is trailed by an unexpected visitor, Karen Eldurach, the triplet and daughter of Xantha of the 9th House. She engages in conversation with Birdman, grateful for the happenstance to meet, to both be going to Mel. They both know the city is in desperate need, and they both know that Mel is a crux to that future. Karen wants his help, for there is something wrong with her father, and the 9th House leader. Then, Birdman introduces the idea to her, as Mel walks up, the idea of the tarrasque and the city evacuating, the truth of the meeting of last night being true. Amu convinces her as well, that now is the time for allies, now is the time to come together. However, she is scared, and she almost walks away, intimidated by Birdman's willful mutation, and this apparent deific intervention. However, with Birdman, there something about him, and she stays, and she goes over the rope-laddered wall, and then bridge, with Birdman, Amu, and Pocket still hidden within Birdman's own pocket.
Through Faurwiin's connections with the 8th House, he is able to convince the 6th House Lord, Duordein, to begin more specific preparations towards the evacuation, yes, but also towards a powerful Militia to help protect those citizens, yes, but also the incoming, the looming threat: Jourvain Dwarves have already warned of their presence.
Back in the sewers, the group soon engages after Killian jumps and rages into the bloody water. The beasts, ghouls, and soon another creature rises, encircles around the group. They all engage now. Tenebris changes into a demon to wade through the water, and Faurwiin gives him magical haste, to push past the others, and go for the back platform where Xantha and his daughter Karyn drink odd tarrasque essence, and mutations take hold; she screams from the pain.
After Tenebris charge forward, his demon form shrugging off attacks like water on rock, Faurwiin has a brief flashback about regaining his flying broom from Thelas (he has promised another flying broom, but there is also a brazier of fire elemental control given as collateral).
Curufin starts using magic, psychic blasts to keep beasts at bay, but he is soon surrounded. Faurwiin has flown off, and so has Celegorm, and they attack a few before returning to aid their kin. However, before Faurwiin escapes, he casts feeblemind upon Xantha who has charged forward to offer some spells to retaliate. However, he and his own daughter are not able to, with the flurry of counter spells about. And, and, with Tenebris is goristro demonkin form, charging, attacking, and felling many blood sucking demons, aberrations, and minions of the 9th House.
Amu, Birdman, and Karen come to Mel's camp, that of undead hordes of nulls, vampires, and whatever else is willing to follow her. They find Mel in her camp, in a tent covering an entrance to her under ground lair, and she sits as they enter, putting her sunglasses away. They see her in her true form, not hiding her undeath, the vampiric nature within. They talk first of the need, from Karen, for the actions against Xantha, a group effort. However, there are some discussions to Had, to the darkness that took over these lands for thousands of years; of the time before the Tarrasque, and how it is intrinsically connected to the movements of the world, to the primordials like Kash, the wolf outside the gates, and the Eagle's Prophecy from weeks past. Amu states that there is simply too, too much of a coincidence for this, for all these key parts of Barur to come together right now. They finally agree, and eventually find Mel agreeable to, to the idea of letting the beast rise, to finding what we can make of these lands and the world afterwards. Upon this agreement, this group of four separates, and Amu takes Karen to help with the evacuation efforts. Birdman and Mel go to find Ssech, who must be in and near the keep of the Beast at the center of the City of Salt.
On the way there, there is an odd rumble and shift from the beast at the center of the city, as the True Tarrasque moves, shifts, its legs and bowels in a direction more straight. Then, it farts, loudly, and with the smell and stench, the city begins to evacuate even more quickly, many leaving items trailed behind, items perhaps needed for survival in the swamps about the city. The City reels, and the Binder Lords know the shift has occurred. The 4th House has fallen; Trundle is now more. It must be Ssech; however, Birdman is able to see something from the distance, some shadow landing on the wall opposite to where he and Mel climb. So, they dash, and at all speed they can muster, across the eastern wall, to the northern section where the Stagecourts had already fallen. They sprint, and they hope they can catch Ssech before he flies off. Their luck is unsure, for they have to climb and jump over at least three of the fall ballistae; guards from various houses are being pushed aside as they run, and still they must fly more than twelve hundred feet across the walls area. Then they find the edge, and luck is with them, for a little orc boy rests, near some dilapidated alcove of a rock; it looks like something akin to a campsite, with a bedroll and lantern, and the orc boy looks inconspicuous enough, but Birdman knows, he feels something wrong. He shoots, and Pocket supports, knowing the truth of this orc form to be Ssech, and even at Mel's behest--still Birdman shoots, and two magical bolts tear into its flesh, and the creature tries to escape, to teleport away, but Pocket draws forth enough from Birdman's clothes, and he counters the magical teleport. Thus, the creature uses another form to break away, and disappear. However, he is bleeding, and Birdman finds the drops easily enough with Mel's help. He then takes an extra sense for it all, and it feels, he sees througth Ssech's eyes, and he finds Ssech is running down a familiar alley. Birdman takes off, knowing the perfect short cut, and soon he is in front of Ssech, and Birdman gets Mel to charge forward, and she grabs and punches at Ssech until he falls, and she is on top of him. With this, Birdman takes aim again, and he fires until Ssech falls: radiant arrows through the air. But as he does, Mel takes Ssech's body, and she bites into the changeling's neck, draining Ssech's form of his sanguinity. With that, soon Ssech is no more, but from this, Birdman feels a shift. He now is one with the beast, completely. Mel mutates, her eyes becoming more akin to the beast, slit like a repitlian, but definitely filled with vampiric rage.
With this, Pocket can take no more, and he tries to cast a spell on Mel, to end this evil, but Birdman is able to distract, and Mel gets away. Birdman tells Pocket that there are bigger powers at play, and Pocket cannot help but agree. They also discuss how Birdman is definitely wary to continue, how Pocket wishes to slay the Syth of the City, the evil within, and how if Birdman cannot, Pocket will bring master Strass'eh who can, as well as others to fight this evil of the Syth. However, Birdman will take Pocket to the 11th House, so the stone, the celestial can get the connections he needs to bring those more brave to face the Syth present within this dark city. Pocket is indeed confused by Birdman's heart, and the creature warns Birdman will be broken.
Now they go to Faurwiin, and Birdman will leave pocket to his own devices.
However, the Sewers, the Cloning facillity of the 9th House, is still at play, and Tenebris and Faurwiin, with Killian and the others, must face the wrath of Xantha, feebleminded to be sure, but still a powerful connection to the undeath, one to allow him to possess others, and he tries with Tenebris. And strange aberrations still surround Faurwiin, and his sons. The fight for the 9th Seal, it seems, is far from over.
That sewer investigation begins, and Faurwiin joins in his true form rather than some simulacrum, for there are rumors to high end adversaries of the 9th House to be in attendance; even his apprentice Tenebris joins in full regalia. They begin to trail in, and they soon see, through Caranfir's aid with an arcane, invisible eye to scout ahead, that the 9th House gathers around a bloody cave pit, full of even bloodier water. Inside, submerged, a few tarrasques grow, and other strange beasts, aberrations really, as well as blood imps, and ghouls. They drink and subsist off the remnants of the pool, and the growing tarraques, those looming monstrosities. How will they get across? The eye easily flies over, this invisibile visionary, and when across, it finds a group of a half dozen humans, two in the center, in front of a infant tarrasque. This monstrosity has been nearly drained dry, and from its essence, siphoning down into a spout for Xantha and his dauther to taste, comes a type of serum, blood, something special and divine. Something to spawn mutations.
We find Birdman making his way to Mels camp, just south, over the wall near the Sluice Gates, over the river. She has made a place from their and the Undercity beneath, a camp, yes, but also a lair and place for her nulls, vampire spawn, and other undead, and/or followers--a place for them to have a home, a city of their own. Birdman had just teleported in with Pocket's help, a strange celestial creature who seems to have an intimate bond with the events of the lands, of Barur herself. Now, he is trailed by an unexpected visitor, Karen Eldurach, the triplet and daughter of Xantha of the 9th House. She engages in conversation with Birdman, grateful for the happenstance to meet, to both be going to Mel. They both know the city is in desperate need, and they both know that Mel is a crux to that future. Karen wants his help, for there is something wrong with her father, and the 9th House leader. Then, Birdman introduces the idea to her, as Mel walks up, the idea of the tarrasque and the city evacuating, the truth of the meeting of last night being true. Amu convinces her as well, that now is the time for allies, now is the time to come together. However, she is scared, and she almost walks away, intimidated by Birdman's willful mutation, and this apparent deific intervention. However, with Birdman, there something about him, and she stays, and she goes over the rope-laddered wall, and then bridge, with Birdman, Amu, and Pocket still hidden within Birdman's own pocket.
Through Faurwiin's connections with the 8th House, he is able to convince the 6th House Lord, Duordein, to begin more specific preparations towards the evacuation, yes, but also towards a powerful Militia to help protect those citizens, yes, but also the incoming, the looming threat: Jourvain Dwarves have already warned of their presence.
Back in the sewers, the group soon engages after Killian jumps and rages into the bloody water. The beasts, ghouls, and soon another creature rises, encircles around the group. They all engage now. Tenebris changes into a demon to wade through the water, and Faurwiin gives him magical haste, to push past the others, and go for the back platform where Xantha and his daughter Karyn drink odd tarrasque essence, and mutations take hold; she screams from the pain.
After Tenebris charge forward, his demon form shrugging off attacks like water on rock, Faurwiin has a brief flashback about regaining his flying broom from Thelas (he has promised another flying broom, but there is also a brazier of fire elemental control given as collateral).
Curufin starts using magic, psychic blasts to keep beasts at bay, but he is soon surrounded. Faurwiin has flown off, and so has Celegorm, and they attack a few before returning to aid their kin. However, before Faurwiin escapes, he casts feeblemind upon Xantha who has charged forward to offer some spells to retaliate. However, he and his own daughter are not able to, with the flurry of counter spells about. And, and, with Tenebris is goristro demonkin form, charging, attacking, and felling many blood sucking demons, aberrations, and minions of the 9th House.
Amu, Birdman, and Karen come to Mel's camp, that of undead hordes of nulls, vampires, and whatever else is willing to follow her. They find Mel in her camp, in a tent covering an entrance to her under ground lair, and she sits as they enter, putting her sunglasses away. They see her in her true form, not hiding her undeath, the vampiric nature within. They talk first of the need, from Karen, for the actions against Xantha, a group effort. However, there are some discussions to Had, to the darkness that took over these lands for thousands of years; of the time before the Tarrasque, and how it is intrinsically connected to the movements of the world, to the primordials like Kash, the wolf outside the gates, and the Eagle's Prophecy from weeks past. Amu states that there is simply too, too much of a coincidence for this, for all these key parts of Barur to come together right now. They finally agree, and eventually find Mel agreeable to, to the idea of letting the beast rise, to finding what we can make of these lands and the world afterwards. Upon this agreement, this group of four separates, and Amu takes Karen to help with the evacuation efforts. Birdman and Mel go to find Ssech, who must be in and near the keep of the Beast at the center of the City of Salt.
On the way there, there is an odd rumble and shift from the beast at the center of the city, as the True Tarrasque moves, shifts, its legs and bowels in a direction more straight. Then, it farts, loudly, and with the smell and stench, the city begins to evacuate even more quickly, many leaving items trailed behind, items perhaps needed for survival in the swamps about the city. The City reels, and the Binder Lords know the shift has occurred. The 4th House has fallen; Trundle is now more. It must be Ssech; however, Birdman is able to see something from the distance, some shadow landing on the wall opposite to where he and Mel climb. So, they dash, and at all speed they can muster, across the eastern wall, to the northern section where the Stagecourts had already fallen. They sprint, and they hope they can catch Ssech before he flies off. Their luck is unsure, for they have to climb and jump over at least three of the fall ballistae; guards from various houses are being pushed aside as they run, and still they must fly more than twelve hundred feet across the walls area. Then they find the edge, and luck is with them, for a little orc boy rests, near some dilapidated alcove of a rock; it looks like something akin to a campsite, with a bedroll and lantern, and the orc boy looks inconspicuous enough, but Birdman knows, he feels something wrong. He shoots, and Pocket supports, knowing the truth of this orc form to be Ssech, and even at Mel's behest--still Birdman shoots, and two magical bolts tear into its flesh, and the creature tries to escape, to teleport away, but Pocket draws forth enough from Birdman's clothes, and he counters the magical teleport. Thus, the creature uses another form to break away, and disappear. However, he is bleeding, and Birdman finds the drops easily enough with Mel's help. He then takes an extra sense for it all, and it feels, he sees througth Ssech's eyes, and he finds Ssech is running down a familiar alley. Birdman takes off, knowing the perfect short cut, and soon he is in front of Ssech, and Birdman gets Mel to charge forward, and she grabs and punches at Ssech until he falls, and she is on top of him. With this, Birdman takes aim again, and he fires until Ssech falls: radiant arrows through the air. But as he does, Mel takes Ssech's body, and she bites into the changeling's neck, draining Ssech's form of his sanguinity. With that, soon Ssech is no more, but from this, Birdman feels a shift. He now is one with the beast, completely. Mel mutates, her eyes becoming more akin to the beast, slit like a repitlian, but definitely filled with vampiric rage.
With this, Pocket can take no more, and he tries to cast a spell on Mel, to end this evil, but Birdman is able to distract, and Mel gets away. Birdman tells Pocket that there are bigger powers at play, and Pocket cannot help but agree. They also discuss how Birdman is definitely wary to continue, how Pocket wishes to slay the Syth of the City, the evil within, and how if Birdman cannot, Pocket will bring master Strass'eh who can, as well as others to fight this evil of the Syth. However, Birdman will take Pocket to the 11th House, so the stone, the celestial can get the connections he needs to bring those more brave to face the Syth present within this dark city. Pocket is indeed confused by Birdman's heart, and the creature warns Birdman will be broken.
Now they go to Faurwiin, and Birdman will leave pocket to his own devices.
However, the Sewers, the Cloning facillity of the 9th House, is still at play, and Tenebris and Faurwiin, with Killian and the others, must face the wrath of Xantha, feebleminded to be sure, but still a powerful connection to the undeath, one to allow him to possess others, and he tries with Tenebris. And strange aberrations still surround Faurwiin, and his sons. The fight for the 9th Seal, it seems, is far from over.
Report Date
23 Nov 2024
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