Sessions 45 and 46: Beasts from Beyond
General Summary
Know Way Out
Chaos erupts as another abyssal minotaur lumbers out from the shadows within the depths of the Praetorian lab. The Departed brace themselves as the monstrous entity charges, its aura of dread seeping into the lives of all who get too close. A brutal battle ensues, the Departed struggling against the minotaur’s overwhelming strength. Just as they begin to gain some ground, the shattering of glass reverberates through the chamber. A swarm of nightstalker dire rats and a group of malfeasance-ridden test subjects emerge from the darkness. The battle turns desperate, the sheer number of foes threatening to overwhelm them. Cul, sensing the fight could not be won here, banishes the shadow-touched minotaur, but he knows it will not last. He signals the rest of the Departed to follow him and the tormented test subject to a side chamber, believing it could hold a secondary escape route. The toll of the fight weighs heavily on them; many are grievously injured, now resorting to their most powerful skills and magic to push back the relentless enemies.Death's Stench
Upon reaching the side chamber, Cul and the test subject frantically search for a way out. Amidst overturned desks and scattered documents, a hidden button is discovered beneath the desk. With a press, a concealed passageway is revealed. Wasting no time, the Departed begin filtering through, escaping the carnage behind them just as the minotaur’s banishment begins to wane. In a panic, Tempest is the first to step into the next room, his steps uncertain, his breath shaky. Inside, an eerie sight greets him - dozens of large stones, each pulsating with an unnatural purple light, the glow fluctuating from a single point on their surfaces. There are at least forty or fifty of them, and two even larger ones, their composition resembling obsidian. He rushes to the doors at the far end, throwing them open, only to come face to face with the abyssal minotaur.A Final Breath
The Departed pause, catching their breath, believing themselves safe until they realize Tempest is missing. A terrible thought jolts through them, and they race forward, bursting into the strange chamber filled with the glowing stones. There they spot Tempest, paralyzed by fear, standing before the hulking minotaur. Before they can reach him, the shadowy beast moves for a fatal blow. Its hulking greataxe swings with brutal efficiency, tearing through the young earth genasi. He falls, the mighty blow too great to endure. A choked cry escapes Tempest’s lips as his life slips away, his body crumpling to the cold stone floor. Grief and fury surge through the Departed as they ready themselves to avenge their fallen ally.Vengeance
For a brief moment, intelligence flickers behind its abyssal eyes. It vanishes into the shadows, only to reappear behind Paz in the backline. Paz barely manages to evade it, the air around him crackling with residual darkness. Realizing the danger, the Departed adjust their tactics, shifting into a defensive stance while seeking a way to destroy the second minotaur once and for all. Aurin, charging headfirst into battle, notices movement among the glowing stones closest to the beast. The purple light within them flares violently before one suddenly shatters. The fragments hover in the air, drawn toward the minotaur as if by an unseen force. Then, from the remnants of the stone, an appendage unfurls—a long, insect-like limb tipped with a jagged, purple crystal. With lightning speed, it lashes out, striking the minotaur. Seizing the opportunity, the Departed unleash their full might, driving their weapons and spells into the abyssal beast. As the two bug-like creatures fully emerge from their stone prisons, their forms grotesque and alien, they prepare to engage. The minotaur, caught between two threats, enters into a reckless frenzy, striking one of the creatures down. But in doing so, it momentarily loses focus on the Departed, long enough for them to deal the final blow, ending its reign of terror.Fight and Flight
Their victory is short-lived. With the minotaur vanquished, their attention shifts to the remaining monstrous entity. Uncertain of its intentions, Cul attempts to communicate, but his efforts are met with hostility. The hunter bug locks onto him, its chitinous form bristling with predatory intent. Realizing the sheer number of these creatures still lurking within the chamber, the Departed make a swift decision to flee. As they retreat, the hunter bug pursues relentlessly, fixated on Cul. In the chaos, Tempest’s lifeless body is recovered, carried with desperate care. The creature is eventually slain by Gloinn during their escape, but there is little time to celebrate. Cul moves with anxiety-induced urgency: what he has to do has to happen now. With the others gathered around, he prepares for a desperate act, calling upon divine intervention to revive the fallen fighter while his fleeting soul clings desperately to the material plane.
Report Date
02 Mar 2025
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