Kaklatath Revitalized

Erevel led the way north from the Yithian guarded chamber.  Again the passage was covered with graffiti in the same language as before.  Gavril confirmed that it had the same dystopian view of the world and future.

The passage wound back and forth, up and down, and was crisscrossed in places by crevices, large and small. After twenty or thirty minutes of hiking Erevel saw the passage end at an east-west passage.  Moving slowly up toward the intersection Erevel saw the west end turn almost immediately to the north while the east passage continued but had a north passage off of it a few feet in.  She did not hear any noise, talking or smell anything unusual.

Necronomicon Found

The large Grave Knight strode out of the water toward Erevel who sprung her sudden strike on it.  To Erevel's surprise the monster then attacked Ciprian and nearly laid him out.

Erevel then attacked and had a critical but found that the Sonic damage no longer affected the monster!  Ciprian moved backward and cast a Greater Dispel Magic from a scroll.  The Grave Knight shrank back down to normal size before the party's eyes.

Ursina seeing her opening moved to Erevel and gave her healing while Gavril moved into position to flank with the demon.  His attack also landed as the thing seemed easier to hit now.

Necronomicon Lost?

"What was that thing?" Erevel exclaimed trying to piece her armor together.

"It apparently has some sort of Sunder capability." Ciprian responded.

"We need to bring Gavril back to the living," Ursina pleaded with the party.

"Soon enough, being dead for a few hours won't hurt him anymore," Ciprian snidely retorted.

"But we all have to wait for healing until Gavril is alive again," Armania stated.

Moon Giant, Star Sworn Nagas and The Spoil Pit

 "I can feel the power of this sword, Teralindar's Honor, it is not overwhelming me though," Erevel exclaimed testing out the feel of the intelligent weapon.

"Just don't wave it around me too closely," Gavril retorted.

"I am still not feeling too well," Ursina said softly.

"I could use some help also," Erevel added.

Ciprian began his Greater Path of Glory to heal up the rest of the party.

Hoshbagh and Upianshe Redux

The swarm of Quelea followed the heroes right into the tiny hut pecking and clawing at everyone but Armania.

When Ciprian took his turn he suggested Teleporting out to Mother Grim Moon.  He could take everyone but Kaklatath.  

"Armania, can you teleport with Kaklatath to Mother Grim?"

"I will step to her and then we will join you," Armania responded.

Echoes of Earthfall

Ciprian heard the sounds of all sorts of animals, birds, reptiles and the like which suddenly fell silent.  At that he moved apace back toward the Monument of Destruction calling for his fellow explorers to leave the area.

Then Paullus witnessed Gavril and Erevel suddenly fall to the ground after which their bodies seemed to be crushed.  He could barely make out the shallow breaths of the two.

Erevel, with much effort, pushed herself to her knees and elbow and crawled slowly toward the room the party had just left.

Monument of Destruction

"We do not know if Lowls is still in Neruzavin or not.  If he left the Big Book behind it would have cost him dearly to get to Carcosa.  But maybe he doesn't care or know at this point," Ciprian mused as the party finished healing and wondering where to head next.

"We should get that sword for the Ghost, Upianshe, maybe she can help us then," Gavril added.

"Let's get going to the next chamber at least," Erevel said.

As the party was discussing the next move Kaklatath entered from the west, "So another battle won. But we still need to find my body and clean up the lower level.

Speaker for the Deep

Ursina pulled herself up to a sitting position and breathed deeply.  "Did we win?"

"Yes all of the creatures are gone," Gavril responded, "Do we need to heal you more?"

"No, I can take care of it myself."

With that Ursina cast a cure on herself while the others looked for magic items on what remained of the bodies.  A few weapons and armor, cloaks, and three potions of Hiding.  Not a big haul here.

After a short rest the group continued their passage to the east and finally came to the edge of the "Snarl".

Deadly Fog

It took five days for the party to completely recover from their sanity damage and regain some control over their minds.  Madnesses were pushed to the background or in some cases removed completely.  Discussion continued to ensue about what route to take, should they reenter the city or just leave and let everything be.

Erevel was adamant about heading back into the city.  She wanted so badly to get Lowls and maybe he was still here.  Even so his foul plan caused her to choke on her food.  No way could Golarion be drawn anywhere near more Flying Polyps or worse.

Ciprian found two Rituals marked in the large Tomb, Beckon the Stars to prime the Star Stelae and Path to the Black Stars to journey to Carcosa.  He felt that if he memorized the Rituals, not like a spell memorization, neither he nor Lowls would need to have the Necromonicon to cast the Rituals.  He was wondering why Lowls had left it in the camp.

Insanity at the Well

The party was fairly surprised and stunned at the appearance of the Flying Polyp.  Agna had already made it back to the doors into the tower and was ready to shut them at a moments notice.  Ciprian and Ursina were invisible somewhere on the battlefield.  Armania was prone and near the doors to the tower while Gavril lay close to the well after firing an arrow at the monster.

Erevel had headed toward the doors signalling here intention to get the hell out of Dodge, at least for now.  The situation looked bleak to the party as the huge aberration was surrounded by winds.

A whirlwind began over Gavril and the invisible Urisna, its winds were cyclonic in strength as in tapered from a ten foot width to thirty feet wide and the top of it's thirty foot height.

Lowl's Encampment

"Let's identify this new magic gear we found," Ursina suggested.

"Yes, maybe those magic boots were worth finding," Gavril added.

So Ciprian set about identifying the new items, nothing really stood out but a couple of items were given to Kaklatath to help improve her chances of surviving.

At this point Erevel was more than ready to get a good night's rest.  She was already itching to be back in the city and explore that camp outside the tower.

In the morning the crew again welcomed Agna to the fold and had to fill her in on the specifics as the spell casters memorized their new spells for the day.

Echoes of Ninshabur

"I am hurting pretty badly.  Does anyone else need some healing?" Ciprian inquired shortly after the battle.

"Yes, I am hurting too.  I'm feeling a little less intelligent also," Gavril quickly added.

"I think most of us could use some help," Erevel piped up.

Ciprian then set to healing everyone, followed by checking on Kaklatath and Havigan, in that order.  It seemed that both of them were blinded for a short time, as was Paullus but all seemed better now.

Armania and Erevel were still trying to make sense of the area outside the doors.  It was at street level at least as one looked away from the tower.  Looking toward the tower the doors were visible and the tower extended around 200 feet higher into the air.  But looking north, south or east from the street level seemed to indicate that the area was nowhere near the tower.  Erevel noted human footprints going in and out the doors and all around the tents.

The Jungle

Erevel and Gavril moved into the tower from the outer pathway.  Both were glad to be away from the barrierless walkway several hundred feet above the street level of Neruzavin.  The passage led into the tower toward the northwest but soon Gavril's sunrod illuminated a chamber.

Ropey strands of sickly fungus stretch across the rough-hewn chamber’s walls. Vine-like growths hung down from the ceiling, taut anchor lines that crisscrossed the area.  It was difficult to peer through the mass of fungus but Erevel could see the ceiling about 40 or 50 feet above.

The rest of the party followed slowly but everyone stayed in the short pathway.  Erevel took out a copper piece and threw it at the ropey strands.  The copper bounced off the strand which moved slightly like a harp string, the copper clanged off the floor as it dropped.

Twisted Hall

Gavril shifted over to flank the axe wielding woman and attacked with fury.  His thrusts were successful enough to drop her to the floor of the chamber.  As the body hit the floor it burst open releasing spores that Ursina and Gavril breathed in.

Armania again grabbed Ciprian and the two stepped to the highest stairway they could see.  With this vantage point they could see an undead man standing on that stairway somewhat lower than their height.  The creature was popping in and out of ethereal being as they watched it.  Armania fired magic missiles at the creature but they stopped short of its body.  She recognized this effect as a shield spell. The flaming sphere continued on the cocoon.

Meanwhile Erevel was watching her blood on the floor ooze toward the walls where it climbed upward in the etchings like it was being pulled upward.

In Defiance of Heaven

"The city is certainly large.  How are we supposed to find Lowls, or the Star stelae?" Paullus wondered after Barnabas had returned from scouting.  "He says that there are toppled buildings and standing ones but it is very strange looking.  Twisted and abnormally formed buildings. If that is what they are."

"Do you know anything about where to go in Neruzavin," Ciprian asked of Mother Grim Moon.

"I know that one of the standing pillars is close to the western edge of the city.  But I will not give any more help to those who would prevent the condemnation of the world," Mother Grim Moon repeated again.

"The camels will not move any closer to the city.  I will have to keep them here away from the evil influence," Hassad noted with relief.

Sport and Savagery

"We should get going.  We probably need to make more tracks tonight," Gavril said encouraging the others to get moving.

"Do we know if this is the city?" Armania asked.

"We are not at Neruzavin yet.  I seem to recall a medium size trading post here.  It seems that the sands have recovered it," Kaklatath injected.

"Then let us be on our way," Erevel added while mounting her camel.

A Test of Strength

"I said all along we should have killed that Gnoll," Ciprian fumed.  "Now she is still after us in the desert."

"This will be the last we hear from her," Gavril retorted.

"I'm sure she will do nothing when these creatures don't come back for their reward!" Ciprian clapped back.

"It is time to rest, even these nights in the desert are exhausting," Erevel added.

"Does anyone need healing or do you want any of your madnesses reduced?" Ursina queried.  As she received no response she was also ready for a rest.

Across Accursed Sands

Before the group could rest Ciprian was adamant about questioning their new addition, Kaklatath.

"Is that your actual name?" he queried.

In his mind, and the minds of others was the reply "I am Kaklatath.  This body belongs to Elari.  Her mind has been in my body in Neruzavin for the last two or three years."

"Who is this Elari?  And is was this transfer done with her knowledge?" Ciprian demanded.

"This is the body of an now old Keleshite slave woman.  I have inhabited many bodies over thousands of years!"

Kaklatath

The heroes faced a difficult task on the roof of Blossoming Thorn.  They were still faced with four burly Gnolls, and eagle, Biting Lash and something that was casting spells while invisible.

Gavril shifted over and killed the eagle as Erevel continued the battle against the Gnolls.  Ciprian yelled out that Hakoor, the halfling bodyguard of Princess Njano was invisible near the old Glitterdust area.  He then moved down and cast a new Glitterdust which covered Hakoor, and apparently seven other copies of the halfling.  Paullus fired arrows into the fray.

Ciprian saw some movement out of the corner of his eye and saw Kisetz appear behind him.  His view was enough to counter the sneak attack, also defying the Death Attack, but he took significant damage.

Rooftop Garden (cont'd)

Gavril, deaf and fatigued, killed the gnoll guard near him.  Other gnolls made their way forward from the area of the building.  One fired arrows at the flying Armania.

Erevel continued her charge toward the southern building but ran directly into the gnoll guards.

Then two squat, reptilian monsters with eight legs, bony spurs jutting from its back, and eyes that glow with pale green fire, clambered out of the top of the stairs.  One directed its gaze at Ursina while the other focused its eyes on Paullus.

Ciprian yelled Basilisks at the top of his lungs as he saw the monsters and moved to fight while averting his eyes.

Rooftop Garden

"Shall we fight through the whole tower?  It seems like none of the occupants wish to talk with us?" Ciprian asked slightly trembling.

"Let's go.  I am ready to fight anything," Erevel responded eagerly.

"I was hoping we could just enter and talk with Biting Lash.  Or at least have someone take us to her," Ciprian said wishfully.

"Do you speak Gnoll?" Gavril snidely responded.

"Lets go up to the roof and bypass the rest of this tower," Ursina said agreeing with Ciprian.

Rukh Attack

The party was still cautious about entering the tower.  Discussion was on going about how to approach this.  Erevel was interested in just going in, swords drawn.

Ciprian moved 100 feet off to the east and levitated to about 100 feet.  He saw the magnificent garden on the top of the tower along with flowers, ballistas and statues.  The tent and building seemed silent as he saw no one or thing moving among the trees and flowers.  Two stairways led up to the tower top and the middle was open as Barnabas described.

"We are going to have to fight our way out in any case," she said.

"You think we can't talk with Biting Lash without fighting everyone?" Armania queried.

"If we have to fight on every level we might not make it in, let alone out," Ciprian added.

"Do they even notice us standing out here?" Gavril wondered moving up to the edge of the entryway.

Blossoming Thorn

"That was close, I didn't like being on the floor," Gavril bemoaned.  "This has been happening way too often.  I miss out on the battles!"

"We will keep you upright if we can get to you," Ursina replied.

"We still need to talk with that Assassin who had our names," Ciprian reminded the party as he and Erevel entered the rooms at the inn.

"Thank you all for saving my life.  I will put in a good word for you when we see the Princess," Dahab interjected.

The Quiet of the Tanneries

Gavril heard smothered moans and scream coming from beyond the door to the northeast.  Erevel, concerned about the guards in the tanning yard moved to ambush anyone coming in from the west.

Ursina ran up to Gavril and gave him some stout healing while Ciprian moved to the door and tried to unlock it as he heard a sensuous voice from within.

"You will die now! You are a horrible lover you bastard!"

Paullus and Armania moved to be able to see the in through the door when it opened even as Armania took more strength damage.  Gavril checked the door for traps and then picked the lock.  He opened the door to a ghastly scene.

The Frangrance of the Tanneries Part 2

As the party breathed, the door to the dining room opened and another guard and two leopards ran in.  In the entry hall a guard appeared at the door followed by a leopard.  The door to the workroom that Armania was viewing invisibly had its southern door open also.

The battle continued as Paullus was firing arrows, Gavril moved up next to the door leading into the entry followed by Ursina.  Erevel had to attack a leopard in front of her.  While Ciprian read a scroll of Black Tentacles into the hallway.  This entangled several guards and leopards, but one leopard was free to pounce on Ciprian.

The Fragrance of the Tanneries

"Let's go to the circus first as the other two destinations are further to the south," Gavril suggested on returning from the inn.

"Sure, we could catch the animal act," Paullus interjected.

So the party headed to the area of the Black Circus which consisted of a mass of tents, wagons, shelters and one fixed building.  A small army of circus performers and staff were tending the animals, practicing their acts, and tidying up the circus building.

Ciprian found an unlucky target and asked for Rahmir, the beast tamer.

"Sure he's over there with the Mastodons," came the sprightly reply.

Handmaiden Tale

Noting that Erevel was stuck in the Black Tentacles Armania dimension stepped to her side and then D-doored Erevel next to the Handmaiden Devil.

One Erinyes moved closer to Ciprian and cast Fear, but it only shook the Bard.  The second Erinyes moved over toward Armania and Erevel and cast Unholy Blight which caused damage to Erevel and Armania, the latter being also sickened.  The third Erinyes fired arrows at the invisible Ursina.

Ciprian then started a performance against the Erinyes and hasted himself and Paullus.  Gavril attacked from inside the cage and cut himself out to the north.

The Handmaiden then full attacked, two claws on Gavril and two tentacles on Erevel.  It failed to grab and encage Erevel.

A Perilous Request

After Gavril and Ciprian had followed Njano she motioned them to move a little further away from the group of Gnolls and her guards.

"Who did you say you were looking for?" she asked.

"We are on the trail of Count Lowls of Versex," Ciprian responded.

"Lowls, Lowls. This name has no meaning for me.  But you showed me another name,"

Ciprian again showed Njano the piece of paper with then name Biting Lash written on it.

A Journey to Okeno

"I found some very concerning information in the Mysterium," Ciprian began.  "We have to be very careful in mentioning the name, or even thinking the name of the supposed Yellow King or the other elder being we heard, the X-D.  We can unwittingly become allies in pulling Thrushmoor, or even Golarion, into Carcosa."

"How do we not think about this Yellow King," Erevel said jocularly.

"We must, I believe that Lowls' may already be infected somehow by his actions.  We could fall into that category easily.  The effect can manifest through dreams, warping the subconscious to serve its ends," Ciprian shot back.

The Keeper

Gavril looked at the opening in the top of the platform.  It was completely black, even Ursina's darkvision could not see beyond the blackness.  

Erevel was ready to jump, or at least lower, herself into the open space.

"Hold on," Ciprian interjected. "Let's put together a couple of ropes and extend them down into the entrance.   I notice that the entrance above is also still open, so we could go up and ask Elder Lythiin any suggestions."

Armania stepped forward and dropped a light rock into the entrance.  As soon as the rock entered the dark it disappeared.  No one heard it hit anything, if it actually did hit the floor, wall or some other object.

Erevel stuck her arm into the space and then removed it.  The air inside the hole felt cool and crisp.  The rope dropped into the hole instantly disappeared below the entrance level.  Erevel could feel the rope inside the hole.

The Key to the Soul

"I will go down this hall to find the last angel.  Does someone want to come with me?" Erevel said moving into the narrow hallway to the east.

"I am right on your back," Gavril replied.

About thirty feet in Erevel came upon the angel that was facing her.  She turned the head to face the east where it stayed.

"Done here, are we ready for the last room?" Erevel stated with satisfaction.

Blasphemous Shouts

"This is very different and difficult, fog which limits visibility and an apparent invisible creature," Paullus surmised.

"I hope this thing does not wrap my face in its folds," Ciprian shouted.

Erevel then felt an attack from south of her, but she managed to avoid being grappled.

Ciprian felt the grab slide away from him being helped along by the grease he cast on himself.

Gavril found that the creature had moved and delayed his turn.

The Case of the Missing Head

"I can't see anything with this fog and cloud surrounding me," Gavril yelled as he fought off becoming nauseous from the green vapors.

As he swallowed the bile rising in his throat Ciprian state loudly "I can't provide any help just now.  I will wait for Gavril to move."

Erevel stepped up and attacked the construct but as she was fatigued her attack was limited and the creature seemed to be somewhat resistant.

Foggy Brains

"The angel heads are becoming more fierce and possibly evil," Ciprian observed. "The pointed teeth are interesting."

After a few minutes Erevel was raring to move forward once again.

"I am going to make a circuit around checking the heads on each angel.  Anyone want to come with me?"

"I'll go along," Ciprian answered.

Off the two went first to the eastern and northern angels.

The Beast in the Broken Menagerie

Armania was being sickened by the colorful mushrooms growing from Paullus' and Erevel's skin.  "Can something be done to fix this?"

"Maybe they are a food source," Paullus surmised.

"I wouldn't try that!  They probably are poisonous," Ursina warned.  Let me check again to see is this is a disease or something else.

After studying his two affected heroes Ursina was at a loss, "I don't think this is a disease or infection.  I can't determine if I can help."

Miacknian Mun and Friend

Gavril was hurting bad but went ahead and attacked the oozing monster in front of him.  With great aplomb he used both hands to inflict damage, though less than he wanted.

Armania finally was able to fire off a magic missile at the creature.  Then she moved south to get a view down the main hallway.  As she settled there the mate ooze slogged up around the corner and moved toward her.

Erevel and Gavril were the targets of the next attacks of the Proto-Shoggoth although neither ended up being grappled.

Haunted

Ciprian was worried about the staircase.  "Did Elder Thyrr tell us how to open the staircases from below?"

"She didn't tell me, and I didn't hear it during the conversation," Armania replied.

"Were we sure she had visited this level?" asked Erevel.

"She said she never was in the Soul, but I thought she knew the other levels," Ciprian responded.

Forced Lecture

The night was passed without any Night Terrors incidents but as the party awoke Agna/Paullus asked where in the world the party was.

As the spell casters memorized the days spells, Ciprian explained to Paullus that the group was now in Katheer.  The rest of the explanation went relatively smooth as Paullus didn't seem overly concerned about the gap in his memory.  Possibly his past with no memory in the Asylum had desensitized him to this happening.

Erevel was raring to go, "Lets get into the Library.  Time is a wastin'."

Glorious Golden Katheer

Ciprian started examining the body of the Hooded Harbinger that lay upon the decking.  The whole face was covered by a filthy hood and the reek was incredible.  The hands of the creature were a dark mottled skin but each hand held five digits.

Pulling the hood off revealed another layer of stinking, rotten wrappings, he cut the next layer off and beneath was another layer.  At this point he decided to stop trying to figure out what lay beneath and Erevel swung her mighty sword to cut off the head of the monster.

The body exploded in a massive flash of light and concussive force that completely obliterated all evidence of it.

Harbinger of Doom

"I can get some of us out with dimension door," Ciprian began.

"And I can get other out with a teleport, but not everyone," Armania chimed in.

"We don't really want to split the party," interjected Gavril.

"Can't we just pop back in behind the inn?" Erevel queried.

"Not really the dimension door has a limited range," Ciprian answered.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Erevel grabbed some healing from Ciprian and Ursina as Gavril checked the only door to the north.  No traps or locks were found so Erevel opened the door which led to a ten foot hallway.

Gavril again headed to check for traps.  The party was in a hurry to continue the battle before some of their spells wore off.  Erevel then opened the next door and found a the dark cavern.  The floor was awash in fetid water.  The catwalk was ten feet overhead.  A ladder led to the catwalk on the open side of the catwalk.

Derro hanging from the chains fired crossbow bolts at Erevel and reloaded by bringing the crossbow to their off hand.  They were repeating crossbows.

Derro Overload

Gavril headed to the eastern window as Armania was asking if the angels head could be turned or rotated.

"The windows are just glass, the only way to turn them is to open the whole window," Gavril responded.

Gavril then opened the window revealing a niche containing a candlestick like object holding a depleted sunrod.  Gavril then moved to the western window and again opened it.  Again a niche was revealed but inside was a tunnel lined with heavy paving stones. Occasional iron spikes had been thrust into the seams of the stones to serve as a kind of ladder.

Erevel looked down the tunnel and it finally disappeared into darkness.  Gavril suggested looking at the northern window before exploring the tunnel.  The niche in the north contained a depleted sunrod like the eastern.  Gavril took the sunrod out and tried to move the rod holder but it did not move, he also tried the same on the eastern alcove with the same effect.

Infirmary Deeds

The Hellwasp Swarms flew in through the open cupola windows and attacked Armania and her summoned Bralani.

Armania decided on self preservation, floating down through the trap door which she shut and landed on the floor to enter the fight with the Hollow One.  Ciprian began his Bardic Performance while Erevel, Gavril and Agna each continued their attacks.

As the Hollow One fought back he began sobbing and mumbling "Kill Me! Please end this nightmare.  Kill Me!"

The Creature in the Attic

As the battle raged Gavril moved to flank the three armed Derro, but found that his flanking did no good, neither did his sneak attack.  But he managed to hit the Derro, but took damage from the thorns.

Then the Derro cast a spell and disappeared.  Her ally also cast a spell and disappeared.

"Where did they go?" Paullus bemoaned.

"I'll find them, if they are still in the room," Armania declared as she cast Invisibility Purge revealing the two Derro in the northwest and southwest areas of the room.  Ciprian also appeared next to Gavril.

"They are in the corners behind the skins," Armania stated pointing in those two directions.

The Place of Skin

"Where are we?" Paullus asked in a hushed tone.

"What do you mean?" responded Ciprian

"Last I recall we were on the Sellen Starling getting ready to dock in Cassomir!"

"We are in Cassomir.  Don't you recall the ambush at the docks?" Gavril interjected.

"No.  And what are these ribbons doing in my beard?" Paullus continued confusedly.