Shattered Star Session 2.04

[07:02.28] <TenMihara|GM> *****Pathfinder: Shattered Star*****
[07:02.55] <TenMihara|GM> ~Chapter 2: Curse of the Lady's Light~
[07:03.07] <TenMihara|GM> -Part 2: The Lady's Cape, Session 4-
[07:04.19] <TenMihara|GM> The Pathfinders, inexploring the caves connected to the curious intersection beneath the Lady's Cape, found themselves smack dab in the middle of the remnants of the boggard-troglodyte war. The victor, it seems, would be them, as they were attacked by a Boggard Warrior Chief, and a wicked Troglodyte Cleric, both of whom they vanquished.
[07:05.40] <TenMihara|GM> While the Boggards fought on in spite of their chief's death, the Troglodytes, who had lost previously, seemed to have run out of desire to fight, fleeing after the cleric was killed. Whether or not any remained to defend their lair remains to be seen.
[07:05.44] <TenMihara|GM> ****Session Begins****
[07:06.23] <Alette> "Well, this might make establishing trade difficult."
[07:06.57] * Runa frowns. "Or easier. Now that they no longer have the priest of a demon-god leading them."
[07:07.40] <Alette> "Depends how either side feels about us having just done... all this to friend and foe alike."
[07:07.50] <Ewan> "We can hope, at the least. At least if they're afraid, they might be less likely to pick a fight first thing."
[07:10.59] <Alette> "Well, the majority of our fights, at least since I met you, were animals or insane so I'm hoping you're right."
[07:13.05] * Runa nods her head. "Only one way to find out." She moves in the direction of the tunnel the troglodytes fled down.
[07:14.35] <TenMihara|GM> The passage to the south narrows owing to a rock formation, leading to a five-way intersection. The stink of the troglodytes permeates the cavern, though at a tolerable level for the moment.
[07:20.00] * Ewan covers his face with a frown. "Hopefully we can figure things out quickly." he mutters, glancing back to find Dilys staring at him, head tilted in confusion.
[07:20.16] <Alette> "This is the life I was born into. Even after I started to mature, delving into the most rancid holes on this plane."
[07:24.52] <TenMihara|GM> Looking to the southern pass of the intersection provides some illumination, as at the far side of the chamber south of the intersection, a faint amount of moonlight spills in from the cave mouth.
[07:26.52] <Ewan> "Better that we're doing it together now, at least." he says, chuckling and looking around. "So where should we try first?"
[07:28.57] * Runa rolls her shoulders slightly. "Side passages first. Better to ensure we don't have troglodytes coming up behind us when we make for what is likely their main settlement." She turns to the right to head down that passage first.
[07:33.28] <TenMihara|GM> The air in the long cavern Runa turns down is much drier here than elsewhere, and the thick tang of smoke fills every breath. A large fire pit burns brightly to the north. The immolated remains of troglodytes can be seen burning away.
[07:33.50] <TenMihara|GM> If there were any living troglodytes in this room, they seem to have vacated it.
[07:36.53] <Alette> "This must be what they did with their dead. Or ritual sacrifice."
[07:39.04] * Ewan nods, cringing away from the smokey room. "Well, at least we won't have to worry about that room..."
[07:40.06] * Runa frowns and nods her head. "It could be either. Or both. Or... Something else I'd rather not think about." She turns back to head the other way.
[07:40.47] <Alette> "To the north then."
[07:42.41] <Ewan> Dilys nods and sticks to the front, curious to see what the next room held.
[07:44.32] <TenMihara|GM> Heading back to the intersection and then to the north, the Pathfinders find a a cavern with a slightly sunken floor, forming a shallow pool of filthy water. Mounds of swamp plants and branches are heaped here and there to form crude, nestlike beds.
[07:45.16] <TenMihara|GM> This room has not been abandoned, but only because it seems like the occupants are barely conscious, or perhaps unable to move at all. Fourteen troglodytes in all lay among the beds, some groaning, some twitching, and none seeming to react to the presence of the newcomers.
[07:49.46] <Alette> "We appear to have found the hospital wing..."
[07:50.22] <TenMihara|GM> Even the air in the room is sickly, and Alette has to take a quick step back to avoid a coughing fit from one of the troglodytes.
[07:50.42] * Runa frowns, taking a moment to look over one of the injured troglodytes. "No doubt. Something is definitely wrong here."
[07:51.44] * Ewan raises a hand to his face. "Maybe this is why the trogs were on the losing side..." he wonders, stepping up to examine one of the trogs as well.
[07:52.20] <Alette> "See what you can do for them, I'll wait outside... open wounds and all."
[07:55.12] <TenMihara|GM> Ewan recognizes the telltale signs of Filth Fever. Profuse sweating, heat rash, and localized numbness.
[07:58.19] * Ewan grimaces. "Filth fever... They probably can't even move if it's this bad." he says, digging into his pack. "I don't think I have anything that would fix it... But we might be able to delay it if we wanted to get information."
[08:00.36] <Ewan> Pulling out a restorative wand he had picked up earlier, the half-elf leans over one of the trogs and starts trying to undo the damage from the fever.
[08:01.21] * Runa nods her head. "I'm sorry to say that removal of diseases is a gift that Abadar has not granted me. But hopefully we can salvage some survival for these creatures out of this. Even the savage doesn't deserve to suffer the ravages of such a disease."
[08:05.18] * Ewan waits to see if the trog will move, before applying the wand again. "Nobody deserves this kind of death."
[08:05.37] <TenMihara|GM> The troglodyte Ewan touched with the wand stirs and opens it's eyes. It tries to focus its gaze on him, speaking in draconic. ("Who is it? Uggilo?") He seems surprised as he's able to lift his head a bit to look.
[08:08.29] * Ewan frowns, taking a moment to pin down the language. He glances over to Dilys, who moves to the door, then back to the trog. ("No, travelers looking to find out what's come to pass.") he replies, trying to sound comforting. ("We can try to help, but what has happened here?")
[08:10.28] <TenMihara|GM> The Troglodyte doesn't seem to be in much of a mood to resist or struggle. ("Fought boggards. They had good weapons, encrusted with filth. They seemed... better fighters than before.")
[08:14.10] * Ewan scratches his head. ("Better, how? Was it too much of a difference to just be a shift in tactics?")
[08:16.17] <TenMihara|GM> The Troglodyte shakes his head. ("The swamp... they moved like demons.") He stills seems a touch delerious.
[08:19.04] <TenMihara|GM> As Alette waits by the intersection, another figure moves off to her right. Another troglodyte by the looks of it, approaching the sick room slowly. He carries no weapons at the moment, and has a curious look about him.
[08:20.58] * Alette rememebers them speaking draconic, being versed in it herself she mentions to the approaching creature. "My companions are currently inside rendering aid to your kin."
[08:22.41] <TenMihara|GM> He stops as Alette looks at him. He looks surprised when she speaks his native tongue. He responds. ("My name is Sulgesh I was arguing with some of my tribesmen when Uggilo's men ran through screaming that he had been vanquished. Most of the others left as well, but...") he trails off.
[08:24.04] * Ewan looks to Runa, then to the trog. ("Demons? There was a priest to a demon lord of your kind, would it be a proper assumption that the boggards would have their own priests?")
[08:25.01] <TenMihara|GM> The trog shakes his head. ("They might have... but the way they moved in the swamp... was monstrous. It was all we could do to not be wiped out, but those of us who returned suffered for it still.")
[08:25.35] <Alette> "So his name was Uggilo. Please understand we acted in self defence, our intention for coming to these lands is quite the opposite."
[08:26.36] <TenMihara|GM> SUlgesh nods. ("I see. Good riddance. It was Uggilo who drove us to war with the boggards, at least more so than our usual turf squabbles, and it was him that led us to this disaster.") He spits a wad of foul smelling phlegm.
[08:28.33] * Ewan shakes his head. ("Well, I suppose how they became such will have to wait. How long have you all been with fever? I can't halt it, but I can buy time.") he says, holding up the restorative wand.
[08:30.42] <TenMihara|GM> The Troglodyte looks at the wand with a touch of hope. ("The battle... was three days ago.")
[08:33.33] <Alette> "Yes we... saw one of your battlefields. Might I ask what caused this sudden hostility? The boggards who attacked us seemed to believe one of us was to blame for... something, due to the fact she was a human who wore armour."
[08:35.18] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh shakes his head. ("After all this, many of us lost faith, especially when the boggards destoryed our nursury, but many also feared Uggilo still.") He points to the room to the east he had come from. ("I was arguing about leaving up until the word came of Uggilo's death, and all the others who could fled."
[08:36.37] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh looks to Alette and ponders a moment. ("They must have had help from someone. Uggilo drove us to greater conflict with his zeal, and for the most part we'd always been evenly matched before, but this time they had better weapons, devious tactics with their filth, and better knowledge of the swamp's terrain it seems."
[08:36.51] * Ewan nods again. ("That's not good... I'll try to assist those furthest along, but resources are limited.") he finally says, stepping back. Turning to Runa, he shakes his head. "Well, we already know who won, but it's obvious that the boggards have their own influence. It sounds like they got mysteriously better at fighting, and inflicted disease through filth-covered weapons."
[08:38.08] * Runa frowns at that and nods her head, rubbing her chin. "That's likely not the prevalence of their priests then. More likely it was the woman in armor who is responsible." She scowls heavily. "Which is disturbing. And strange."
[08:40.51] * Alette nods at this information. "Dedication, lethal in large doses, to who is anyone's guess. So the boggards became more hostile and Uggilo was pushing you too hard to retaliate. Seems we may have to investigate them. Would you know where their leaders are most likely to be found?"
[08:41.11] * Ewan nods. "Their fight was around three days ago, so a lot of them are probably near-death. I don't think I can help all of them, but we might be able to sway them if we at least keep them from succumbing fully." he says, going down the rows to find out which trogs were closest to death.
[08:42.57] * Runa nods her head. "Unfortunately I'm not much help with this. Making sure they don't die too quickly would help I imagine. Finding a proper priest to come and help them would be useful as well. But finding someone willing to proselytize to troglodytes might be difficult."
[08:45.00] <TenMihara|GM> Not counting the troglodyte he already restored, all of them are completely immobilized, but a quick check of their vitals shows that about half of them are a little closer to death than the others. Whether by luck or fortitude it's hard to say.
[08:47.44] * Ewan gives each of those closer to death a quick tap, hoping to at least delay the disease until a permanent solution could be found.
[08:51.18] * Runa rubs her chin. "I suspect we'll get more information in the Boggart's territory. Finding out more about this metal-wearing woman who they blame for their current state of affairs."
[08:53.16] * Ewan nods. "We've bought time at least..." he says, looking around. "Where's Alette?"
[08:53.38] * Runa motions back towards the entrance. "In the hall. She didn't want to risk exposure with her still open wounds."
[08:56.03] * Ewan nods and sighs. "We should probably go meet back up with her and tell her the situation."
[08:56.18] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh nods to Alette. ("The boggard village is to the south, but the caves also connect us to them. That was how they got in and destroyed our eggs. We tried to retaliate, but were stopped by the giant snapping grabber bugs. The Boggards had some kind of magic juice that made them docile."
[08:56.21] <TenMihara|GM> )
[08:58.37] * Alette puts a hand against her larger wound. "So... well you'll be pleased to know they were exterminated... with extreme prejudice. We will stop all this invading, one way or another."
[08:59.48] * Runa nods her head, turning towards the entrance to head back out into the hall.
[09:01.15] <TenMihara|GM> Runa finds Alette there conversing with a Troglodtye who is presently ambulatory
[09:04.05] * Ewan follows close behind, finding Dilys staring at Alette and the trog from around a corner. ("Has the situation been explained?")
[09:04.44] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh sighs. ("Frankly I'd be happy to uproot and find a new mate and settle elsewhere, but-") He looks as others come out of the room. ("You are the others who slew Uggilo?")
[09:05.57] * Alette nods to him. "And he told us where to find the boggards. And that we can thank them for those... insects." She gestures to the others. "Yes, they're with me." She turns to the alchemist. "So how are they? Cured now or cure later?"
[09:10.01] <Ewan> ("I do not have a way to remove the fever, but they have more time at the least.") he says, sighing. ("We had the misfortune of stumbling upon him, yes.")
[09:11.15] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh nods. ("Good riddance, as I said to the she-human. His zeal drove us to this disaster, and his foresight was not good enough to see that the Boggards had been aided.")
[09:12.09] * Alette decided against correcting the racial designation.
[09:14.53] * Ewan rubs his forehead with a sigh. ("Well, this is an unfortunate first meeting. Is there anything else we should know if we wish to help?")
[09:15.42] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh shakes his head. ("You have helped more than Uggilo did already, though I must admit I am surprised humans would help us at all.")
[09:17.02] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh adds with a chortle. ("He was selfish as well, claiming our ill to his own benefit, saying that his survival where our chief fell meant he was chosen by Zuvgavizeb to lead us.")
[09:18.36] * Runa tragically doesn't speak Draconic, so mostly just remains quiet and watches the ongoing conversation.
[09:19.38] <Ewan> ("It isn't wholly charity that brought us here, but I can't do nothing when there are those dying from disease. None should suffer that.") he says, shaking his head. ("How many of you are well and able?")
[09:21.18] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh shakes his head. ("I am the only one who did not flee when Uggilo was slain. I wanted a chance to spit on his corpse.")
[09:22.04] <Alette> "Knock yourself out, he's the faceless one on the altar."
[09:22.50] <Alette> "However I should note, without the boggard threat being dealt with, I don't think fleeing will do you much good."
[09:27.44] * Ewan chuckles, shaking his head. ("Feel free, I suppose...?") he finally says, scratching his head. ("We'll have to find answers elsewhere, and hopefully find a way to heal the fever.")
[09:28.31] * Alette holds up the scythe she held and spoke in common to the others. "I'll need a minute for a resummoning. She had some buisness to attend to."
[09:29.18] <Alette> "And that is a good idea, the boggards may well know a cure for this sickness, in case they themselves were infected."
[09:29.20] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh nods. ("I had given those taken ill up for dead but... if you intend to heal them, perhaps we can all form a new tribe once we have recovered. After the boggards took my mate I was... lost. Perhaps some hope can be found, though not from a place I expected.")
[09:29.51] <TenMihara|GM> *took my mate and destroyed the eggs
[09:31.20] <Alette> "Hope is generally found inward." She said to the trog, tossing her scythe into the air, an armoured hand grabbing it. A somewhat familiar face to the others, with strange metal objects floating behind her.
[09:31.51] <TenMihara|GM> The troglodyte jumps in alarm at the sudden appearance of the Death Maiden, but thankfully doesn't bolt.
[09:33.21] * Runa looks back towards the tunnel they originally came from. "If we want answers, it seems we'll have to go find the Boggards again. They may be expecting us this time, so we'll want to be extra careful."
[09:34.06] <Alette> "If we are heading straight to the boggard village, we should do it above ground, I'm certain flight will allow us to get the jump on them. As they may well be expecting us in the tunnels."
[09:35.44] * Runa looks towards Alette. "Do you know where their village is above ground? We know where the tunnels are. But I don't fancy a traipse through the swampland in the moonlight without at least knowing where we're going."
[09:36.36] <Alette> "South."
[09:36.43] * Ewan nods. "She's right, unfortunately. The boggards also might not know we're coming, since... Well, there would have been nobody to tell them of our arrival."
[09:43.08] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh looks to Ewan. ("I will stay here and see that they are fed. Unless they can move on their own again?")
[09:44.09] * Ewan shakes his head. ("Most of them are still bedridden, but again, they have more time to make a recovery.")
[09:44.43] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh nods. ("Then I will not abandon them, not if they have a chance now.")
[09:45.22] <Alette> "Keep them safe, we'll handle the rest." She waved as she headed through the south entrance.
[09:47.52] * Runa frowned, but followed after Alette.
[09:48.41] * Ewan turns and nods to the trog, then turns and frowns. He follows after Alette anyway, shaking his head. Dilys floats after the party, waving at Sulgesh as she passes.
[09:49.52] <TenMihara|GM> Sulgesh waves them off, looking contemplative.
[10:03.40] <TenMihara|GM> As the party follows the river to the southeast, the sounds and sights of the marsh at night greet them. Fireflies, buzzing mosquitoes, and an alligator on the riverbed. However, as the party passes by a sudden swell in the water is all they have time to see before something surges out of the water and mauls the gator. The obsidian scaled carapace of a black dragon, webbed claws tearing into the other reptile.
[10:04.11] <TenMihara|GM> This dragon is, comparatively, small, being only as tall as Alette at the shoulders, though it's tail and neck make it longer on the whole.
[10:19.25] * Alette lets out a long exasperated groan. "Is spending some time out a night REALLY so much to ask!?"
[10:21.58] <TenMihara|GM> Before it takes a bite out of the Alligator, the dragon looks up as it spots other creatures moving. It lets out a draconic hiss. ("Haven't had human in a while~") It then spews a line of corrosive putrescence from it's maw.
[10:26.40] <Ewan> Dilys, for once in her career, actually lets out a verbal, high-pitched scream of pain as she's doused in acid, the homunculus stumbling backwards as she fumbles for an extract. She pops the cap, unleashed a small earth elemental that immediately charges the dragon. "Hot, hot! Go, now!"
[10:28.28] <TenMihara|GM> The earth elemental blows across the ground, but doesn't seem to be at it's best on semi-solid swampland, coming up short against the ferocious mythical beast
[10:31.05] <Alette> The metal objects behind the reaper began to show their purpose, forming the arms if a pair of wings with ethereal flaps, she takes to the air, twisting and slashing down into the dragon from above.
[10:31.05] <TenMihara|GM> The Dragon turns it's long neck around as the dark shape of the death maiden glides behind it, looking away for a moment as the earth elemental faceplants into it. That moment of distraction costs the beast as the reaper's scythe cuts deep.
[10:32.18] <Alette> "We aren't humans, you idiot." She replied in draconic, focusing her magic on the only actual human there, she could feel herself and her weaponry growing in size.
[10:33.05] <Alette> "... Wait, did she just TALK!?"
[10:34.18] * Runa wastes no opportunity to deal with her foe. Grasping her enlarged blade she rushed the dragon full speed.
[10:36.13] <TenMihara|GM> The dragon, looking ahead as Runa charges, tosses some muddy water in her face as she charges, throwing off her swing
[10:38.28] * Ewan rolls to the side, hissing. ("Wandering bastard, you're not eating anyone today!") he yells, disoriented from the stinging acid that managed to graze him. He also pulls out an extract and uncorks it, causing a second earth elemental to burst forth and charge the dragon.
[10:39.17] <TenMihara|GM> This earth elemental doesn't fumble and faceplant, but the dragon's scales seem to be harder than it's stone fists.
[10:40.33] <TenMihara|GM> The beast snarls and lashes out. Its maw clamps around the enlarged Runa while its from claws laws out at the twin earth elementals. It turns it's wings and lashes backwards with their clawed tips at the scythe wielder.
[10:45.35] <Ewan> Dilys, hissing in pain, flies backwards and knocks an arrow, drawing back as far as possible before letting it fly at the beast's head. As she does, her earth elemental takes another swing at the dragon.
[10:48.01] <TenMihara|GM> The arrow flies wide as Dilys is distracted by her acid burns, and the elemental can't get through those thick scales
[10:48.56] <Alette> The reaper, taking offense at the attack and sensing distress, reared back to try and remove the attacking appendage.
[10:50.30] <TenMihara|GM> She gouges another deep slash along the dragon's body, causing it to hiss and thrash
[10:51.36] * Alette aims a beam of magical energy at one of the wounds.
[10:51.53] <TenMihara|GM> The resilient creature doesn't seem to notice
[10:57.11] * Runa sets her stance, raising her blade and bringing it down hard against the dragon.
[10:57.09] <TenMihara|GM> Calling upon a great deal of the divine power given to her, Runa retaliates against the savage bite of the dragon by driving her sword deep into it's shoulder. It's mouth detaches from her as it gives a shrill, pained wail.
[10:58.59] * Ewan fumbles for his bow, hastily knocking an arrow and firing as his own elemental attempts to finish off the pained dragon.
[11:03.37] <TenMihara|GM> As the dragon staggers from Runa's deep, crippling blow, the elemental clocks it in the face, knocking a few teeth loose and causing it to slump against the bank of the river.
[11:08.05] * Ewan slumps down to the ground, taking a long, deep breath. "It's an amazing language, but why do so many who speak it have to be such horrible creatures?" he groans, pulling out his healing wand.
[11:11.29] * Alette also slumps down. "This was just because I wanted to take a walk in the night... I could've gotten them killed..."
[11:12.24] <Ewan> Dilys, huffing, staggers over to the dragon. She hisses at its unconscious form, then attempts to plunge an clawed hand into its eye to finish the beast off.
[11:14.00] * Runa pulls her blade from the cooling remains of the dragon, rolling her shoulder where it bit her and pressing her hand against it as it glowed briefly and the wound began to heal. "One less monster terrorizing this swamp and its inhabitants, at least."
[11:15.06] <TenMihara|GM> Dilys stabs deep into the skull of the dragon through one of its weakest points, finishing the deed.
[11:17.33] <Ewan> She holds still a moment, then pulls back, falling onto her backside and glaring at the hole her arm had left. "Never again, hurt anyone." she pants out with a hoarse, childish voice.
[11:28.28] <TenMihara|GM> ****End Session****
[11:28.52] <TenMihara|GM> Rewards: 3200 Experience Points; +1065 XP Each