RealmsToowoomba Recap # 98 [RPG]

[13 Eleasis 1372 continued]

In the Mere of Dead Men, after having fought off a troglodyte attack, Daisy and Usuku see shapes emerging from the fog.  Usuku draws closer before discerning that twisted, rotting unliving abominations are approaching to attack the party! He unleashes an arrow at one as they advance. Meanwhile, Immaril persuades Dunlop to row closer to the shore so they can see what is happening with the others, but the presence of the undead fill him with such fright that he tries to row backwards!. Usuku’s bow suddenly transforms into a sword and he lops off the head of one of the monstrosities, turning to face the next creature. Yin moves forward to assist but the horrifying and magical aura of the undead overcome his strength of will and he is filled with fear and the urge to flee back to the boat.

Daisy finally recognizes the type of creatures that the group are facing as Spawn of Myrkul and advances with her great axe, laying waste to the creatures in front of her. However, the last of the undead lands a last ditch attack just as it’s destroyed by spitting a worm directly into Daisy’s face where the tiny creature immediately begins to burrow into her forehead! Luckily, Daisy is quick to react and snatches the worm and crushes it between her fingers before it can embed itself deeper into her flesh.

Back in the boat, Immaril magickally removes Yin’s unnatural fear and he rows the boat back to shore before joining the others. He picks up the bodies of the undead and begins to dig watery graves. Daisy talks to Udolpho to try to explain the situation but he’s exasperated at her apparent stupidity and expresses his fear that he’s picked the wrong group of adventurers to help rescue his brothers.

When the others have returned to the boat, Usuku tells Yin that he intends to remain on shore with Lilith who seemingly remains trapped in her tiger form. He explains that she will be vulnerable when she changes back and that he intends to protect his ward. Yin understands this and persuades the others to continue rowing but staying in sight of the shoreline so Lilith and Usuku are able to keep up on foot. Through the night the others catch glimpses of Lilith and her mentor, though he appears to also have taken the shape of an anthropomorphic cat of some kind.

[14 Eleasis 1372]

Dawn reveals that Lilith has resumed her human form and she and Usuku slump back into the boat, exhausted. The morning passes uneventfully and by midday, Usuku awakens. He observes Immaril is scantily clad, sunning herself using a mirror.  Perplexed, Usuku asks Yin why Immaril (who he now realizes is an elf) would deliberately burn herself. Yin explains that some individuals enjoy life differently.

After a quiet day all seems well, but as evening descends, Usuku’s sharp eyes spot a massive shape moving through the water towards the boat. He realizes that the submerged shape is a huge crocodile, intent on attacking the adventuring party. He shouts to the others that there is danger in the water and takes control of the boat, rowing as fast as he can towards shore. Daisy attacks the creature with her axe, proclaiming it to be “very naughty” and Usuku manages to kill it by slashing the creature’s snout. Udolpho praises Usuku and makes it clear he believes him to be the group’s leader.

Lilith finally awakens with a start, shivering profusely. Usuku offers her his cloak but tells her he is “very disappointed” in her and that she “must practice more”. Lilith protests sharply that she hasn’t lost control in months and she doesn’t like to “practice” as every time she feels her humanity slipping away from her. Daisy, for her part, praises the “kitty lady” and makes it clear she is very impressed with Lilith’s other form. She asks whether Lilith has other catlike tendencies and whether she enjoys playing with yarn. Usuku shakes his head and declares in Elvish that Daisy is a complete moron.  Lilith demands to know if she hurt anyone while she was indisposed and is relieved when her mentor assures her that he made sure everyone was kept safe. Immaril calls Usuku Lilith’s ‘boyfriend’ which he vehemently denies, noting that he is in fact, her ‘sensei’.

Some time later, the group sees a strange tower come into view, leaning to the side at almost a 45’ angle. Udolpho declares that the group has reached their ultimate destination and the boat can go no further. The group disembarks, though Udolpho and Dunlop decide to stay and ‘guard the boat’. Usuku inquires whether Yin can be quiet and Yin notes he can ‘make do’. At Usuku’s request, Lilith sends her hawk, Ellia, into the air to scout. When the bird returns, she reports that the tower is surrounded by tar and is partially sunken, but there is a covered walkway on the roof that might provide entry into the rest of the tower if the tar can be bypassed.  The group advances.

When the group arrives, they see that the tar pit extends all around the tower, and that the nearest point between the tower and solid ground is at least 10 feet. They also notice a mound of vegetation lying near the eastern edge of the pit. They debate how to cross the tar, with Usuku seeking a point where he could jump across. Yin gets a stick and tests the tar but realizes how dangerous it is when the stick immediately disintegrates from the burning pitch!

Lilith sends Ellia to scout again and this time the bird reports there are animals hiding in the woods nearby, stalking the party. Usuku declares that adventurers must be ‘hunters not prey’ and he and Yin cautiously move towards them. Immaril utters an incantation to make herself invisible to animals. Unsure of what’s happening, Daisy sits down and waits.

Usuku and Yin slowly advance on the creatures using their highly-enhanced senses of smell to determine their rough whereabouts.  However, they quickly realize that half of the animals have broken off to circle around behind the group.   When the attack comes, the animals are revealed as small two-legged dinosaurs with sharp talons and jagged teeth—deinonychuses!  The animals pounce towards the adventurers, but Yin and Usuku are so agile that they dance away from the attack!  Usuku slashes at the dinosaurs with his strange magical bow-sword, while Yin tries to grab and pin them.

Greater danger lurks for Immaril, however. Attempting to stay out of the way of any impending battle, she moves close to the pile of rotting vegetation only to realize too late that something is hidden inside!  Vinelike appendages lash out and wrap around the elf, and constrict to squeeze the very life out of her!  Immaril tries to use a wand on the shambling mound to escape, but the magic has no effect.   Seeing her danger, Usuku quickly skewers two of the dinosaurs and moves to help. Daisy also charges the shambling mound, hacking at its vegetable matter. Lilith observes the battle and collapses to the ground, writhing and screaming, again transforming into her tiger form with a loud roar. Before she can join the fight to save Immaril, however, there is an answering roar from the top of the tower and a small black dragon dives toward the group!

Daisy manages to hack Immaril free and the elf slumps to the ground, unconscious and weak. The black dragon, Tarfoot, roars that the adventurers will rue the day they came to Skullshank’s tower.   It swoops down on Usuku, but he ably dodges its claws. Usuku takes advantages of the near miss to change into his hybrid form.

Daisy is very impressed with the dragon and calls the creature ‘very pretty’ but it only hisses at her angrily and taunts the group with their impending deaths. It opens its huge maw and breathes a spray of acid, which injures the fighters but does worse to the unconscious Immaril—the corrosive stream kills her instantly!  Enraged, Lilith rears up and leaps on the back of the fierce dragon, somehow managing to wrestle it to the ground and pinning it in place!  Usuku and Daisy react quickly and hack at the dragon while Lilith tears at its throat with her teeth!  Incredibly, the proud dragon is unable to break free from the furious attack and its life-blood spills to the ground.

Nearby, Yin’s efforts to grab and pin a deinonychus are met with frustration.  Without warning, the adventurer becomes enraged and tries to tear the creature in half with his bare fists!  When Lilith, having feasted on dragon blood, moves to attack the creature, Yin is uncharacteristically fierce and tells her to back off with a sharp growl. Lilith growls back and ignores Yin before killing the dinosaur with a swipe of her claws.  Yin is enraged and kicks Lilith in the face, and suddenly the adventurers are fighting amongst themselves!  Lilith responds with a swipe of her claw that leaves a cruel, jagged tear in Yin’s upper lip.  Daisy is distraught to see them fighting, particularly Yin who had been teaching her about pacifism. Usuku is also angry and grabs hold of Lilith to pull her away, as does Daisy with Yin. When Lilith is pulled away she screams but then slowly calms down and returns to her own form. Yin shrugs Daisy off and stalks away.  Daisy, upset at the death of Immaril and the negative emotions coursing through the group, sits on the ground and beings to cry. 

The fate of the adventurers, and whether they stopped the evil under Startop Mountain in time, has never been determined . . .