Wrangling about the magic items took a while to complete. As usual the group could not make definitive decisions on who wanted which items. The most popular items were the more powerful Cloaks of Resistance. The two Ioun stones were divided between Erevel and Ursina.
Erich found his tunic and dagger in the loot, but was left with a lesser Ring of Protection. Paullus took several items as he recovered his memories and ability to talk and woke up with his old self active once again.
The group took a night's rest and started out early for the vineyard following the directions of Lord Eldarius.
The ancient vineyard was surrounded by a clear area with trees on each of its four corners. Other vineyards were separated by wide fields as if no one would encroach on its ancient vines. A small path ran between each of the rows, and the stela stood near the center of the vineyard. It was clear that they couldn't walk north and south through the vines without cutting through the trellis with a slashing weapon. The lush vines stood 5 feet tall and provided soft cover.
Gavril and Erevel headed down the rows looking for anything or anyone hiding behind the vines. Ciprian and Erich talked about what could be done during the ritual to block some enemies. Erich hit upon his Fugue de Rue d'Auseil masterpiece which would create a hemisphere to block out Aberrations, Undead and Outsiders. As the levitating and invisible Ciprian began the Ritual, Erich cast Exquisite Accompaniment and began the masterpiece.
Armania and Paullus moved to scout north and south, Ursina entered the row and cast invisibility on herself. Erevel and Gavril stood on either side of the stelae some feet away in the row. Ciprian reached the first ten minutes of the Untether the Dark Connection Ritual with no issues and made the first of his skill check successfully. The stelae began to hum with a low vibration. Armania cast mass fly on the party to make it easier to move over the trellises holding the vines.
As the ritual continued a blood red blob came hurtling from the northwest and hit Erich directly and splattered on Erich and all around him. Erich continued his masterpiece as the party attempted to see what the enemy was. Gavril looked to the northeast but did not see anything unusual he also rose flying to see over the vines. Erevel moved directly in front of Erich, trying to block further attacks. Ciprian continued the ritual. Armania rose in the air looking for something to attack as Ursina headed to Erich's side and applied healing. Paullus flew toward the tree in the northeast and noted that it had the appearance of tumorous, misshapen vines laden with dark red fruit that appeared to be a bunch of grapes. He fired away at the thing but sadly did little damage to the "tree".
Gavril began maneuvering toward the abomination while Erevel rose in the air to further protect Erich. Ciprian kept the ritual proceeding but identified the creature as a Kudimmu and then advised Erich to begin a performance against the monster. Armania cast a fireball on the tree but found that the fire damage was reduced. Erich changed his performance to Inspire Courage against the Kudimmu. Ursina cast Flame Strike even though the fire part was reduced. The Paullus continued with his arrows.
The Kudimmu then blink out again and appeared close to Paullus where it attacked with its limbs. One of which tripped Paullus, knocking him to the ground and pulling him toward the creature. It then appeared on the opposite side of Paullus and attacked once again, this time grappling him and draining blood to lower his constitution. Gavril and Erevel moved to attack the plant but each took an opportunity attack and then found that slashing weapons worked better against the monster. Ciprian continued the Ritual as Armania moved over and cast a Lightning Bolt. Erich continued his performance and flew up to have the stelae, at least partially block sight from the creature. Ursina cast another Flame Strike and Paullus attacked from the grappled position.
The Kudimmu released Paullus and then blinked to Armania, attacking with similar affects to the attack on Paullus. Limbs attacked and tripped Armania, then it moved again and grappled her. Gavril and Erevel again chased after the monster.
"This is getting old, if it happens again I am just shooting arrows," Gavril harped.
Ciprian was getting concerned, "Is that thing going to die soon?" Assured that they would take care of it he just continued the Ritual.
Armania stepped away from the grapple and then cast another Lightning Bolt as Ursina used her new Ioun stone to cast Magic Missiles. Paullus followed Gavril and Erevel toward the monster. The Kudimmu now took its turn attacking four separate heroes, somehow teleporting or dimension stepping around each of them. It then took off past Ciprian to put some distance between it and the party. True to his work Gavril fired arrows, Erevel took off after the monster once again but this time Ciprian stopped the Ritual to use Deafening Song Bolt which dropped the creature. It sort of sunk into its roots creating a mound of dirt in the midst of the row of grapes.
Ciprian continued the Ritual and as he did the low hum became louder and higher as each successive minute passed. Finally it rose to a high-pitched whine as the Ritual completed and then became completely silent. Ciprian took damage from the blast of energy from the stelae and was exhausted. Erich then began a soothing performance to heal the party. The group then decided to use the remaining fly capability to fly toward their next goal, Bohlvarai. They traveled for two hours and then landed in a lightly populated area.
Not speaking to any of the locals the group continued east and came upon the boundary with the adjoining nexus. The cityscape was filled with spiraling minarets reminiscent of conical seashells and walls and walkways seemingly grown from exotically colored coral. It appeared that this once underwater city now sat dry amid the vast expanse of Carcosa. Heading south toward a set of peaks, not a mountain range, but just the peaks of mountains, Bohlvarai by their description, the party was making its way over a previously underwater bridge.
Paullus sent Barnabas to scout and after about five minutes he returned screeching. "There is a huge dragon that just appeared from under the bridge," Barnabas related. The party looked back and saw an ebony dragon with frills that appeared terribly contorted and trailed shadows.
DM's Notes: The party earned 12,800 XP for the night.
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