RPG Campaigns

Giraine Summaries

Good morning,

You heal up, with Fraud inspecting his wound and deciding that it is beyond his skills to cure here; he needs to find something else to help. All of Shrett's investigations of how to stop the venom fall short. Bog Devours the remains of the 'Babe. You debate the pros and cons of leaving now vs. finishing your efforts. The risk of the former is that the power here may not be gone and you might face more foes if you wait, so you uneasily proceed.

Then Shrett helps Boamund down to the bottom level, where some magic hits them, making their flesh ripple, but they staunchly press on. It must have been wicked Ulfrathgar sorcery (it was Liquify Flesh; 1d6 to all locations!). The room has access to the bridge to the southeast, and from the old ladder above, from floor 0. There is rotten old furniture here, bones mixed within its wreckage. The others come down, braving the magics, and you cross the bridge warily.

You come to a 14m wide cliff whose back end is dominated by a worked stone platform bearing two circular obelisks topped with leering fanged heads that drool pus. A dias ascends from the rear of the platform to a stone font swarming with maggots. The stench of pus is overwhelming here. As soon as you set foot on the cliff, spirits manifest around you; two forming near Fraud and Boamund, as misshapen, moaning, red humanoid shapes streaked with black; the other two forming by Shrett and Bog, as bubbling piles of warm filth. Shrett shouts a warning that some are Disease Spirits. You are greatly frightened as many of you are weak on magical energy, most of all Shrett, but the spiritual struggle goes quickly. Shrett drains essence from his foe, refreshing his mana, and Bog does the same; both spirits are destroyed, and you are able to double-team the remaining spirits and wipe them out before they cause any harm. Fraud is relieved, as the Wound spirit was reaching to infect his leg. You burn and smash the maggots, obelisks and font, and it seems that the pus might stop flowing here.

You go back up to the “ground” level and cross the other bridge. You saw its endpoint from the other cliff. This is a 12m long cliff overlooking the lake of pus, sloping gently upwards to its far wall. There are three cubical slabs here, slathered in blood. Some sort of Blood-demon, clad in ornate black armour and wielding a fierce hatchet, arises from each slab as all of you cross the bridge and Shrett steps forward to investigate. They are fearsome opponents, and you already are weakened, but they are outnumbered and you knock them down one by one. Bog, however, takes a wound that keeps bleeding until the battle ends and he is treated. You push the bodies into the pus and the stone slabs too, and your work here seems done. Shrett soon feels better as you leave.

Shrett explains that the blackstone projection where Quick Sister hides is nearby to the south, so you head there, with Fraud feeling more ill as you go; his leg is throbbing with venom. He faints as you come to the geyser, and you worry that his plight is severe; he might not survive the night and needs some kind of healer or strong magic. The geyser is a 18m projection, about 12m external diameter. Strangely, the blackstone pulses and throbs as if it is made of flesh rather than stone. Steam rises from the top. Shrett comes forward, Ironhand spell cast to protect against the heat, and touches the column, calling to Quick Sister, but the geyser shows little reaction as he tries this, tries speaking to and through his frog, and pleading to her. The frog tells him that Tustyna probably cannot wait until morning, and you can't wait that long. Boamund's demon-sword agrees, that the wound is far too toxic for him to last. You recall that Quick Sister's powers are of Life/Fertility, Death and Water - maybe she can help, if you convince her (against all odds??)? Your attempts to get much reaction frustrated, you press Fraud's body against the pillar and it trembles, with a deep voice croaking from within, “No, not that one”. So it doesn't look good…

Shrett calls out to Quick Sister, formally pledging that he will be her suitor and do her justice, and the pillar shakes as she replies, “Well what are you waiting for then?” He takes this as an invitation and climbs the pillar, letting down a rope that lets you all follow; hauling Fraud up too. As you climb, a deep voice calls out from within, in an odd, deep voice with no hint of femininity, “Ohhhh, that feels good, yes…” and similar; with the pulsing pillar thrumming along. A 2.5m diameter vertical tunnel extends downwards from here, caked with greenish rime and sulphurous minerals that quiver with the pulse of the geyser. You put the rope down into the tunnel and Shrett, then Bog descend. They are greeted with similar words of pleasure, louder now, croak from below. The tunnel grumbles as Fraud descends, so Boamund drags him back up and stays there. Shrett finds a side passage above a bubbling sulphurous pool of steaming geyser water that seethes and churns constantly. He climbs and swings over, followed by Bog.

The tunnel soon turns into a construction carved into the blackstone, 3m in cross-section. The mineral-rich water and heat are extensive in the entry tunnel at first, then oddly they cool quickly as they reach a steep staircase that descends 10m. At this point, the air is simply very humid and warm, but still stinking. The floor of the staircase runs with a thin river of hot water, mainly from the west but also, as if circulating in vessels, from all directions. All surfaces are coated with the grimy minerals of the geyser, and they eerily ripple as if circulation flows through them.

The stairs open into a 10m wide, 18m long hallway, 4m tall with vaulted ceilings in fine First Age architecture, but coated in thick layers of green-yellow rime that writhe as if alive. If there were decorations or runes, they are all covered. Likewise, the floors are thick with mineral deposits and a sluggish current of water flows from west to east. Along each north and south wall there are alcoves; four to the north and three to the south. Where the fourth southern one would be, there is another passage. Three northern alcoves (all but the second), and the middle southern one, hold human-sized statues caked with grime, the minerals rendering their features grotesquely misshapen, as if they'd melted. The statues jiggle and sway to the irregular beat of the geyser. You eye this up uncomfortably, wondering if there is great danger. Bog uses his mace to scrape some minerals off the floor, seeing some patterns in the stone but unsure what this place is or was, but it is not Second Age and is not new, so it must be some sort of First Age thing, of civilised humans akin to Godlearners, but maybe not them.

Shrett steps forward. The figures stiffly step out of their alcoves, patches of their coating jiggling like jelly, while others remain rigid as if lichen. From places where mouths are hinted at, muffled attempts at words drawl forth, but their meaning is lost in the mire. They make gestures but their fingers similarly are concealed so that only clumsy arm motions are evident. They then bow slowly, wavering like they might even topple over. Thinking this is a welcoming sign, Shrett boldly walks through the figures, who turn to him and do seem welcoming as they continue their bowing, so Bog scurries in behind.

The voice then calls, “My hiding place has kept me safe with powers of Death and Water. I spare you that fate. Enter.” Shrett responds, and continues. The voice speaks again, angrily: “He has not dared to come. The fool shows wisdom for once. My passions ebb and flow, but my grudges are legendary.” (Boamund could hear this one from outside) There is splashing from beyond, then: “I chose this place as it reflects my anger. Many have given me reason for that anger. I can count many enemies. He is one.” This still sounds very bad for Fraud.

The stone staircase winds tortuously vertically downward 8m, and water swirls downstairs. The stairs open in a bend to the east, into a grand 14m square with impressive 8m high vaulted ceilings supported by four central columns. Water descending from the stairs swirl around the floor in a vortex, with clusters of foam that whirl around the surface. There is a 4m long stone trough along each of the north and south walls, whose bubbling watery contents constantly overflow. The vaulted ceiling sports great greenish mineral stalactites that have a disconcerting oscillation, as do the columns and basins.

Bog enters, toward the northern trough, which erupts in a fountain which solidifies to form a mound of congealed tissue, which then reshapes into a warped froglike head, thrice as big as a man's. It opens its wide mouth and croaks, “I know the Hunger of Umbrodriith has been stopped and you are here because you have stopped it.” It explodes in a fountain of blood. More heads appear in this way that is characteristic of her. Bog or Shrett recognise some.

She says as new frog-head, “Pass this message onto the one that spurned my affection.”] (Again, Boamund could hear this)

A head forms in the centre of the chamber. It is shocking. It is Inyana's head. It speaks in a deep mockery of her voice, “I gave myself for you and look at what you did.”

It explodes and another forms before Fraud-this time, it is HIS OLD head! “Who do you think you are; do you even know?”

Then Seshna Gira's, “You forsook my daughter and slaked your desire with me? More treachery!”

Quick Sister's frog head returns, fuming as its pool heats and sputters. “You should keep away. I am of the mind to boil you alive if I see you. There might be forgiveness if you cleanse the world of the madness that cursed you to betray me.”

A new head forms in a volcano of goo in the southern trough. “I withhold my boundless lust, my power of Life, because my danger has not ended.”

The pattern repeats to the north. “A necromancer came to my enemy seeking its power, and he won that favour.”

Again to the south, “So now it spreads its shadow forth from its lofty perch, clutching my way.”

And to the north, “I offer the blessing of my vast cravings to he who strikes the killing blow.”

Finally, “Until then my geyser will erupt to continue my sanctitude, protecting me with Death.”

Bog hurries to the exit, expecting bad things. This froggy lady is creepy!

Shrett replies, pledging that he will do all she asks, to become her protector and vanquish all foes, but he gently argues that Fraud fell to wounds from the Chuckling Babe and that he needs to be healed so he may aid against the necromancer. She clearly considers this, hesitantly, then relents, saying that she will stop her waters of Death for a time, and let waters of Life flow, which will bathe any that they touch and bring healing. BUT, she says, you must make haste to her enemy, and not return to her or talk with her again until the deed is done. This is firmly worded as a threat, as is her way.

You leave safely to the top of the pillar and explain the situation to Boamund, as the steams cease and new waters come from below with a rumble. These are sweet-scented and calmer, gradually flowing more strongly. You ensure Fraud's leg is washed, and it heals quickly, and you splash your wounds with the water, too; Bog's bleeding is restored and he drinks of the water with pleasure. Fraud awakens groggily and you slowly go through the events in the underground complex. He is deeply hurt by Quick Sister's words recounted by Shrett, which open new and old wounds. Yet he lives! And now your path is clear: you must go to the Tower of Uncertainties and face Vran the Conjurer and his iron-clad warriors, some or all of whom might be vampires. At least you have the advantage that Sesgallah of the Sharde clan says she can make the deadly mud around the tower safe for you to cross. Yet, given the fierce and terrible foes you faced with the Chuckling Babe, you prepare yourselves for what is sure to be a most challenging encounter.

Well done! Shrett's good roleplaying and rolls did save the day, even if party luck points would have saved Fraud (but left him very messed up). It could have happened that Bog ended up as her husband, but it still could! Or no one… Quick Sister has always had powers of and against poisons, so her aid was very appropriate.

Until Friday! -John

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