Session 10: Righteous Anger, Destroyed Bridges, Spooky Towers, Pooping on People, Zombies, Necromancers, Big Angry Brain in Jar, Memories

General Summary

4/10/22
I think maybe Skreek has lost the marbles. He was just smug asshole before he found out about ancient sylvan fuckers making bird people in labs for profit. Now he is more “death to sylvans” and writing revolutionary pamphlets kind of asshole. I am knowing this type, with their stupid vendettas and their emo bullshit and it is giving me pain right between eyes. Do not mistake me, I am all for killing Sylvans of course, but I prefer to keep it recreational. I will save dramatic “death would be mercy” confrontations for people who have personally and individually pissed me off. Business is business, and feelings are nothing but liability when knives are out.
So I am looking at him with the raised eyebrow when he decides to disguise self as strange pink bird with enormous beak, and starts flying around over engineering school trying to draw Sylvan attention. It is… something. Anyhow, he returns to tell us he heard someone on horseback approaching engineering school, so now it is time for leaving.
Hiking through jungle is not experience that is growing on me. Still sweaty and terrible. We come across ruins that do not look like they have been explored by Sylvans, so we get all excited about possibly treasures, but all we find is undead and wisps. Goddamn wisps may be most annoying part of jungle. But at least it is brief interlude where we are not having to listen to Skreek muttering under breath about killing every last Sylvan bastard. He is creative, I admit, but is starting to repeat himself, and now I am bored.
In late afternoon we see across river is burnt out remains of small encampment. I remember in his journal, Commandant Fuckwad wrote about eliminating Hobgoblin camp in “interests of security” so I am guessing that is what we are seeing. I look to Baermek to see if he has reaction, but he is usual stoic self. I mean, if I were to see place where many drow were killed I would not be very upset either, but I know for fact that all drow are assholes. There is chance Baermek does not believe all hobgoblins are assholes, but, if you ask me, his face is saying “assholes probably deserved it.”
It is still long way to tower, so we make camp. Night is uneventful, and next morning we continue hiking. It is late afternoon when we finally arrive and see confirmation of what we read in journal – sylvans have cut bridge and painted big sign that says “danger” in Sylvan. I do not know who it is they think they are warning. Do they worry they will forget getting their asses kicked by tower? Are there many other people who can read the Sylvan who are wandering around god forsaken jungle? This seems very civic-minded, and also stupid.
The bridge stretched across gap of about 100 feet and we can see tower standing about 50 feet beyond far side. There is something glinting on ground around tower, but it is too far to make out what it is.
We tie together ropes and Bird flies down to where cut end of bridge dangles and ties off one end so we can pull bridge back up to refasten it. It is still few hours before dark and there is minor debate whether to head in to tower or camp for night and go at first light. We decide to go in. What are you thinking? That we would take cautious approach? That is funny.
The tower stands about 40 feet tall. There are several outbuildings and remains of a bonfire. Baermek investigates fire and finds bones of person. Metallic glinting we saw earlier was coming from five dead Sylvans in shiny, useless armor. Skreek decides that mighty Sylvan empire will be best combatted by shitting on dead Sylvans. I appreciate sentiment, but It is creating the social awkwardness as we all try not to see this and, what is more, effort is wasted. At Academy we are taught humiliation can be useful tool in certain situations, but it is tool only. To use otherwise is self-indulgence that endangers mission. Sylvans will never know about this shitting, so what is point? I wander over to look at other dead Sylvan who is not in process of being desecrated, and notice it is strange. We know from journal that they were killed at least year ago, but body looks fresh.
Uh-oh.
I yell at others to back up, but it is too late. They are undead assholes who start attacking us. Skreek, who is in delicate process of balancing over dead Sylvan with pants down, almost falls on feathery butt trying to get away from threat. See? Self-indulgent. Maybe Academy instructors were assholes, but they knew their business, and I learned many things from them. Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t… but this thought is self indulgent too. Right now it is time only for fighting dead Sylvans. There will be time to deal with Academy assholes later. I stroke finger along scar on cheek, allow myself a quick smile, then turn to fight.
Five undead guys on ground are not much problem. It is two undead assholes up on top of tower who are shooting us that is issue. One of them is stupid and tries to shoot me. I catch arrow and fling it at nearest undead, and I swear all assholes, alive and undead, stop and stare at me. What? Any second year can do this little party trick. It is a nothing.
We kill ground level undead, then Ingoria climbs up one side of tower, I scramble up other side and Skreek flutters up, pants now securely fastened, and hopefully lesson learned. Between us we destroy both archers, although I take couple of good hits in process. After they are killed (again) we take quick look around top of tower. There are big magic circle type things and remains of much scientific equipment. Grandfather would probably know what these things are for, or Baermek, but they are are still down below, probably talking about bowel movements or how much music today is terrible, or other old guy things.
We decide to take quick rest outside tower before facing what other little annoyances may be waiting for us inside. Baermek shows us ring he has found in ashes of fire. He tells us he does not recognize it, but he also tells us he had dream of burning, so it is not taking genius to figure out who is bones. Ingoria uses wand on it and sees very brief flicker of magical aura about it, but then it is gone. Then Baermek is total idiot and puts on ring. He gets glazed look on face then tells us it was his mistress and he is now connected to her through ring or something. Everyone else is like “cool, cool” but I am like “holy shit! Scary powerful fucking necromancer who you hate is now in your head?” I am going to have little talk with him as soon as I can. Ring is bad news.
We go inside and see downstairs is living area plus Baermek’s room. There is also locked room that Baermek says was his mistress’s bedroom and there is much evidence that Sylvans tried to get in but were unsuccessful, because they are total losers.
On second floor is lab, but mostly everything is broken. We use wand and find three scrolls in library. Above this floor is top of tower where we killed two archers. Baermek says circles and equipment were tied to her celestial studies. She had some kind of connection to moon.
So it is back down we go to stare at locked door to bedroom. Baermek holds up ring as he approaches door and it opens. Well, that was easy. Does not change anything though – words still need to be said about ring.
Inside is undisturbed. We find footlocker filled with coins and chest with clothes, and small box containing jewelry. There is also spellbook on desk. No sign of tri-key though, and Baermek is certain she had secret room, so we keep looking for entrance.
On side of fireplace I find place where necklace Baermek is wearing (the one we took off Sylvan supply detail) would fit. It takes some fiddling but we manage to fit it in holes, and passageway down opens up in front of fireplace.
So we descend into necromancer’s secret room. What terrible things might we find? I will not be keeping you in suspense. It’s big ugly brain in jar. No, seriously. We also find skeleton of dude who made puzzle keys. And a body on floor that was cut in half. Room was pretty trashed. Looks like body may have been undead who got trapped down here and went crazy. But main attraction is big pissed off brain in jar.
We are wandering around checking things out when handsaw flies across room nearly cutting Skreek in half! Ingoria has used wand and identified brain as source of flying tools. Skreek tries to reason with brain, but brain is not having reason. I mean, there it is, trapped in jar, running out of whatever weird brain juice is sustaining it, and probably it hasn’t had good conversation since necro went up in flames. I do not blame it for being cranky, but it now needs to be out of jar and squished on floor, not bothering us anymore.
Jar is very hard and flying objects are somewhat distracting but finally it is squished and we can go back to checking out room. On floor by desk we find little doodah that can only be tri-key. This is good news. Books are mostly destroyed, but we do find two more scrolls and candle that smells weird.
Once there is no more things to be found, we go back up to bedroom, closing secret room behind us. Since door to bedroom can only be unlocked with ring (or possibly it could be puzzle necklace) we decide here would be good place for sleeping.
Quarters are cramped, but I find corner to sit and do meditation. It is good to let mind go blank. But soon, Grandfather pokes me and it is time for my watch. I give him corner and find place to sit where I can keep eye on both doors. It does not seem likely that we will see trouble this night, but what else will I be doing if not watching over assholes?
But now it is bad, because mind is no longer blank. I can feel it circling around memories that had appeared unbidden during earlier fight. I am trying not to think of Academy every day, but it is hopeless. Academy has written itself into my bones. It would be easier to stop breathing than to not think of it at this point. Of Upstairs and choices I made. Of him and choices I did not.
Fear and a terrible anticipation wrap themselves around my heart as dawn approaches. I am one day closer to retribution.

Report Date

25 Apr 2022