Session 171 - "Turning the Tide"
General Summary
The Fellowship continues its assault on Unidomede Manor with an unlikely ally against a familiar foe.
Suddenly, the four creatures pop into existence. They appear like some foul mixture of humanoid and sleek big cat that is without fur and whose flesh is pallid and muscular, yet lean as if starved. This strange mixture results in their odd body shape and, despite their long arms ending in dexterous, flesh shredding claws, they usually move about on all fours. Their faces are possibly their most alien feature with huge, black, soulless eyes sitting above a chasm of a mouth filled with razor-sharp, broken teeth. Kyrrn immediately recognizes the creatures as Hounds of Tindalos, horrific beings previously encountered underneath the town of Carrion Hill. At their appearance, Kyrrn wonders aloud if they could somehow be in a splinter of a different dimension. The Dimension of Time?
Kelath gives a demoralizing cry, cowing one of the creatures. The first hound moves quick and liquidlike on Yib, but it bites and misses her, and then teleports begin Kyrrn. The second one lops around the corner and rips into Yib with its jaws but misses with it claws. The next one moves on Neferu and savagely bites him. X steps forward and strikes at Neferu's attacker, slashing it, but not as deeply as expected. The fourth bounds forward at X but misses him. While looking at the monster, X feels something crack in his mind as a spike of pain lances through his head. Its gaze also suddenly causes bloodless wounds to rip across his body. Neferu quickly transposes with the Unworthy Soul, but he is unable to land an attack. Yib strikes out with her gaff, viscously ripping into the first hound. Kyrrn rends into the hounds and then targets a kinetic ram against one next to X, slamming it against the wall. Kelath strikes a particularly inspiring marshal stance and then evangelizes two of the hounds with the power of his faith in Iomedae. He catches their gaze and feels it rip into his body.
Sunday, Desnus 1, 4711 AR
Town Hall
11.33a
The party discusses how to reapproach Unidomede Manor, with Kelath suggesting possibly entering through the smuggler's tunnel system, which is rumored to exist beneath the manor. Kyrrn mentions about wanting to talk to Jaleen at Gifts of the Swamp about marsh giants, and that perhaps she may know something of the tunnels.Gifts of the Swamp
11.43a
Kyrrn speaks with Jaleen, dropping all pretense of being a traveling adventurer in favor of the full rundown of the Fellowship's mission and what they had discovered about Illmarsh. The half-elf is shocked and dismayed at the revelation, but she quickly collects herself and asks what she can do to assist. Kyrrn asks what she knows about Yib's kind. Jaleen tells the party of her fascination with the Soddentimbers and its flora. She regularly makes many trips out into it look for rare plants as that is her primary source of business. On her travels she began to notice that marsh giants engaging in some sort of orgiastic and ritualistic gathering being performed at a stone altar in the swamp. The altar laid deep within it, covered in vines and fungus. Jaleen hadn't noticed it before, but saw that it had some sort of carvings resembling a vague, octopoid appearance, upon which hung many primitive fetishes. The rituals would go on for three days and was both reverent and horribly crude at the same time. The process culminated with the giants ripping the hearts out of humanoid cadavers and presenting them as a very special gift. With Jaleen's assistance, Kyrrn is able to discern a pattern to the rituals, with the next one occurring presently. With this information, a plan is formulated. The party plans to redon the robes of the Recondite Order and get as close as possible to Yib. Kyrrn will attempt to communicate her via Aklo and offer the information that they are a splinter sect of the cult of Dagon. She plans to show Yib that Father Voltario and his familiar are weak and have been forsaken by the demon lord, as evidenced by their inability to protect the church and altar, and the systematic destruction of the family. The Fellowship's "cult" plans on making Yib and her kin the focus of the new sect, as opposed to the Neighbors. Kyrrn will further demonstrate Dagon's favor upon them by producing the holy relic, the Frog Globe. Lastly, they will present to her a gift of hearts, taken from the chests of the charlatans in the Recondite Order. Kelath asks if Jaleen if she has come across the rumored smuggler's tunnels, but she says no one has ever found them. She can't recall seeing something out of place that would designate them as well. However, the shopkeeper does mention that the manor was built on an ancient stone circle, but hasn't seen a symbol of House Unidomede anywhere either. Before leaving, the party purchases and receives vials of alchemist's fire and acid. Before leaving town, they Fellowship returns to the defunct church and stows several cultist bodies in their bag of holding.Unidomede Manor
12.33p
Once outside of town, X transforms into his dragon form and excises the hearts from the bodies before putting them in a bag. At the manor, they make their way through the collapsed wall where they notice the floor is moving, appearing to be some sort of insect swarm. X calls out to Yib in perfect mimicry of the guard from earlier. The giantess quickly appears to fend off attackers and Kyrrn notices her to be paler, most likely indicating she is also infected with bloodsucking parasites. Kyrrn cries out to her in Aklo, "I see you sister!" before touches her and using mindlink to info dump proof of the Fellowship's "favor" of Dagon. Immediately there is a deep exhalation from Yib. All the strength seems to leave her in that breath and the foul creature drops to her knees, shoulders slumping. She cries out in great agony and asks what she can do to avenge this dishonor and shame. Kyrrn quickly asks if she would help them to finally eliminate the Voltario bloodline, a task she readily and quickly embraces. Yib quickly leads them to a spiral staircase surrounded by the standing stones they recently were told of. Yib points to one stone with one particular rune; a symbol of Dagon. The giant simply says in Aklo, "Gateway". Finding that the symbol is actually slotted, Kyrrn removes her holy symbol of Dagon and inserts it. Suddenly, a field of deep purple energy comes out of the ground, washes over the stone and becomes part of the face of the stone itself. The thrill of teleportation energy is immediately apparent. Without hesitation, they bid Yib to enter as they quickly follow behind.The Tunnels - Under Unidomede Manor
12.43p
The Fellowship appears suddenly in stony, cavernous passageway. It looks to be natural formation, save that the color of the rock appears to have been leeched out. It has a bonelike, washed out look to it, which seems strange even to the party's darkvision. Immediately Kyrrn is awash with the feeling like something has hitched a ride with the group's teleportation. "We're not alone. Something came with us," she warns.Versex Sessions
Report Date
19 Mar 2023
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