(Week Eleven) Shuddering Slumber and Weary Waiting

After I awoke, our fearsome fellowship of active adventurers set out to complete the exploration of this strange craft.  We encountered a large armoured sphere guarding the entrance to the control cockpit and it quickly reduced the other Windling to dust.  After we had fled, I considered darting back in to retrieve his body but thought better of it. 

We found a nest of what seemed to be eggs.  We rescued a dangling dwarf and then as more and more of the eggs began to hatch, turned to flee.  The troll was too slow and as the rest of us watched in horror, and the safety of the next room, she was overwhelmed.  It was a horrible sight to behold.

On the other side of the ship, we encountered too more guards ho proved to be quite dangerous.  I was knocked unconscious for a week and then spent another week or so recovering.  We remained in the belly of the beast and did not explore during that time.

Week eleven -- Vaughn

It was kind of a ... rough time, we had, slogging though fights -- two fights, actually.  We lost our most recent windling addition, but thankfully and conveniently happened upon another elf tied up in some webbing.  I was feeling good about this one, I really was.  I had a good feeling, because he was an elf and all.   And we walk into a fight, and the kid falls.  Within seconds.  Sometimes my intuition ain't so good.  But literally!  Seconds!  It was crazy. 

Unfortunately, that fight didn't pan out so well for the rest of us, either, which resulted in the majority of us fleeing the scene.  And by majority, I mean everyone but Kob the troll, who was too slow to escape properly.  Left by himself in a room full of giant spiders and suggestively modeled eggs, he was ... sadly... ripped to shreds.  I know, I know, blah, blah, blah, how valiant.

Maybe we'll have better luck this time keeping our party members alive.

Week ten -- Vaughn

I returned from my trip, bones thankfully intact, to find my fellow adventurers approximately where I had left them.  There was no sign of the bad what's-his-face, and the party seemed awfully stumped by a  locked door.  Luckily, I have just the skill to bypass such an obstacle.  I quickly examined the door to find a lock and a hole just the right size for... well, you know.  Now I consider myself rather... worldly, and so, given our circumstances, I was fairly sure what I did NOT want to do.  I inwardly applauded myself for my incredible foresight -- after all, sometimes they're just bad bets -- and effortlessly picked the lock.  Win.

I spent most of the rest of the encounter bravely opening doors an dprovoking enemies tha tlay within them.  I mostly let the more muscle-y ones fight said enemies, well, because I was surprised just how much damage a cow-vagine-robot could actually do.  It was kind of astonishing. 

We also found some dwarves that needed saving and some freaky dwarf machines that probably need to be shut down.  We didn't really get to those yet.  That's what I like about this group -- they have the right priorities!

Week nine -- Vaughn

So I had planned a brief trip -- I had some business that needed my attention -- small matters, really.  I didn't expect my traveling to take very long and was relatively mundane.  So I ... more or less... neglected to tell anyone in the group. 

Anyway, that was coming up when we were just finishing with the tentacle-inducing airship.  We had wrapped up acting heroic, when two runners were spotted heading toward us.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make some money, and I was excited whne someone took up my bet!  ... I lost, but I'm not bitter about it.  Sometimes that just how those things go.  Anyway, the two runners bore messages: one was a distress call from a village suffering from animated treasure chests with bad loan reparyment options, an done was a meassage from Charles D. Ward.  Apparently another adventuring party was looking for members, and Charles had thought of us.  How sweet.

Everyone seemed to be short of cash, so we headed for the treasure chests... I mean, the suffering and oppressed villagers.  After arriving, we did some quick intel and found the offending treasure chest.  Apparently, you either paid it some exorbitant sum, or it ate you.  Seemed pretty harsh, so we destroyed it.  The remaining villagers were very grateful and rewarded us handsomely.

So we went to attend to our other business, the referral from Charles D. Ward.  The group seemed a little preoccupied with a particular arrangement of passion worship, but not much else.  It seemed a little silly to me, but you know I don't really get into that sort of hoopla.  But they did have a map and a key that sparked my interest, so I stuck around.

You know, I was actually surprised when the first member of their twam went missing.  But as the next six took unexplained absences, I started thinking of them as less obstacles to breaking into their room to steal their stuff.  With two remaining, I made my move and retrieved what I had wanted.

Upon my return, I leaned that there was only one of the other party left, and he was some sort of... something... not good.  He wanted our help, and I thought, why not?  I was heading out of town anyway, and of course my party is all very competent.  So it was settled.  I make fantastic decisions for other people!

(week 11) Another day on the "H" cock

Before we can continue to explore the cock, we decided to go down to the lower level to rest, mostly so the neuromancer could recover. His small body is just not adept at taking blows from those horror of the cock. The next morning he awoke and we all focused on healing ourselves. Once healed to a functional level needed in order to proceed further into the cock, we set out.

Back upstairs we picked up where we left off and opened a new door. Inside was a Theran but it was not like the others, it was well armored and appeared to be something we should leave be. Wilson approached and was killed immediately. We immediately shut the door, leaving the dead windling in the company of the horror simply for fear of dying should we attempt rescue. This did not sit well with the other windling and he made a dash for the door but came to his senses before he entered. We carried on.

Through the next door we found ourselves being attacked by three beach ball sized Therans. I dispatched one easily with my first blow. The cavalryman attacked a second and it too fell. I then laid waste to the third and battle ended.

We continued to explore through the north door and we found an elf wrapped in silk. We cut him loose and he joined our party. Next we found a room with hatching beach balls. I bravely stepped forward and slayed one. The new elf was attached and fell.

The end.

(Week 10) Shuddering Ships and Tentacly Troubles

While resting in Gnarls Barkley our fulsome fellowship was joined by a travelling troll.  She claimed to have a seen a great ship in the shape of a Thoalic 'H' sailing through the sky.  Sensing that this might be trouble worth investigating.  We headed north after the vessel.

Some time later, we found it crashed into the Earth.  It was a massive, black monstrosity that resembled nothing that we had ever seen before.  A great protuberance lifted out from the center of the crossbar of the 'H'.  Below it I found a door with no obvious keyhole.  The other windling, Wlson, found something but when he put a stick in it we were attacked by a fearsome beast.  A Spheroid with four metallic tentacles and a movable mouth.  The troll thought that it must be a surgically altered Theran but I have my doubts.

After we drove off the attacker, I flew up to see if it was still lurking.  I did not see it but did find what appeared to be a control room in the top of the protuberance with seats for two of the monstrosities.  At this point, Valiant Vaughn caught up with us and he quickly managed to get the door open.  Inside the vessel we found many rooms.  Several of which contained dwarves wrapped in silk, as if they had been captured by giant spiders.  I expected to find 12 (the canonical number of dwarves to rescue from giant spiders) but there were more.  After some additional exploration we went up to the upper deck where we found more monstrosities.  They were too much for us and I was knocked unconscious 

(Week Nine) Terrible Tortures

We met up with a new adventurer, a wise Windling beastmaster named Wilson.  Our fearless fellowship followed the tainted troll for four days.  Valiant Vaugn stayed behind counting gold.  We came to a vanquished village where a silvery object had tunneled out of the ground.  It had a doorway and the horror bade Fritti, Wilson, and Werrymether (myself) to enter.  Zob remained behind on the surface with Bubo.  

Inside we faced a series of challenges.  In each we were confronted by a group of innocent villagers and had to judge one of them the winner.  The others died horrible deaths.  I am sure the horror masterminding the adventure was amused but I was hardy happy, indeed horrified.

After seeing much mayhem we were taken to a court where Zob sat on the judgement seat.  After hearing from the survivors how we had condemned so many innocents to die she, nevertheless, pronounced us innocent.  She paid for her mercy with her life.  As we left the vessel we saw an empty cage.  Something must have been released.  The horror was nowhere to be seen and the villagers, though they forgave us for the deaths of there compatriots refused our advice to move their homes away from the silvery vessel.

Back in Berryville, we received a message that Charles D. Ward was planning a party to which we were invited.  It was deathly dull but we shared some information with Chuck about our adventure.  Hopefully, we can find Vaughn again and perhaps a replacement for that Zany Zob who gave her life for us.    

(week 9) It ate me.

And I died.

(Week 8) Disturbing Discovery

The next day another thundering Theran airship appeared and took possession of the Captain and anything of value.  They particularly reminded us that Barsaive was a province remote of the Theran Empire and that we all owed allegiance to Thera.  Since we were outnumbered we did not press the point.

Soon, we were approached by two runners.  I won a bet with Vaughn as to which would reach us first and learned of a horrible extortion racket run by an enchanted treasure chest.  Vaughn's message was from Charles D. Ward and suggested that we answer a call that had been made to him.

We defeated the defiant chest and returned it's extorted profits, but there was enough left over to compensate us for our trouble.  We then went to see the group that had sent for Charles.

They were a motley mob of adepts seeking to become The Passionate Nine by finding a member who worshiped each of the Nine main Passions.  Since none of us qualified they didn't think that we could help but we resolved to 'help' them find the treasure that they were seeking by 'borrowing' their map.  Unfortunately before Ferocious Fritti could drink them under they started disappearing.  We investigated each disappearance and found evidence of corruption but could not locate the source of the taint until only one of the party remained.  The last lonely member, an illusionist, was revealed to be a horror who had absorbed the rest of the group.  We will try an parley with the thing in hopes of learning its purposes.  

(week 8) Help! It's gonna eeeaat me!!!

Well I was just minding my own business waiting in line to get some of my coins exchanged when a the most rude chest approached. Can you believe it? He was demanding payment. All I could think about was trying not to faint from the smell every time its lid of a mouth opened up to speak. I drew my weapon and screamed in my most helpless sounding voice "Help me, oh please help me!".

Just then a small group of adventures approached and together we defeated the vile horror. I then introduced myself as Zob the Scout and inquired as to whether they might be looking for additional adventurers, as I was seeking adventure. They accepted me with nothing more than a nod, and off we went.

Together we traveled out to small town under the instruction we received in a note from Charles D. Ward, a wizard not well liked by the party. I have never met this Charles, so I will reserve judgement until I know more. When we arrived in the small town, we found a odd of group people. They called themselves the defenders of the passions or some such drivel, and informed us that they were looking for one last member to complete their group of 9. We, unfortunately, were not allowed to join their little club. Now I was happy as a clam to not be invited in and instead enjoyed simply watching from a distance. The elf smelling of horse dung challenged the whole group to a drinking contest and they happily agreed to the challenge, but it must wait untill tomorrow. There was more talk and the mention of a map and key was made. Learning all that we thought we could, we headed off to our room for a little shut-eye.

When we arrived at the room, the annoying elf made it clear that he wanted to steal the map and key while the 8 slept. The party decided that was not the correct move, and instead we all headed to bed.

The next morning we made our presence known downstairs only to find that one of the 8 had left on an errand and had not returned. The next day another left and again did not return. This happened over and over until the 8 was a mere 3. We tried searching for several of the missing folks but came up empty. At that point the annoying elf and I made our way into their room and looted their locked chests. We found some money, a map and a large key.

Week seven -- Vaugn

So we continued our quest after tentacle-y monsters.  Which I always thought would be sexier, but it turns out not so much.  In any case, we arrived in a village being terrorized by a horror composed of many chickens fused head to tail end with tentacles in place of the normal feet.  It laid eggs with tentacles protruding from the shell, which the eggs then used to make a speedy exit.  It was sort of comical, when it wasn't killing people.  Interestingly, this village was also visited by a Theran airship not too long ago. 

Of course we stepped in to relieve the village of this monstrosity, thinking, "How bad could this possibly be?  It's just a chicken, after all.  Just a horrible, mutated, freak of nature chicken."  It didn't take long for us to find out that it, could, in fact, defend itself quite nicely using its many, many tentacle-y feet.  But our sheer perseverance paid off, and after steady blows, it was finally defeated.  The townsfolk were very grateful and threw a party in our honor.  Thankfully, no chicken products were served. 

The townsfolk showed us the direction that the Therans went, and we followed their trail.  It looked like their luck had run out, because we found their ship some ways up the road, crashed and wedged upside down in between two tall buildings.  A crowd had gathered, and they had already captured some of the airship inhabitants and held them in cages.  Also caged was what seemed to be a dog, but with a tiny tentacle instead of an ear.  Some bleeding hearts wanted to save it -- they always think, "Oh, it's just an adorable <blank> with just this one strange little <blank>.  What's the worst that could happen?"  I think I'm pretty quick on the draw, if you know what I mean, and I can tell you that, assuredly, the worst _will_ happen, and it will be exceedingly painful.  So, long story short, I stealthily dispatched the dog-thing, and returned its corpse to its cage.  And no one was the wiser!

After some serious strategizing, we decided to board the airship and look for the remaining crew members.  We ended up finding a captive princess-like lady who -- of course -- needed rescuing.  She wouldn't leave her cabin for fear of the cook.  The cook?  Yes, the cook.  She was afraid of the cook.  Okay, so we went to "talk" to the cook.  With swords, thinking that this was going to be pretty straight-forward.  Well, the man has got one helluva arm -- he threw a turnip at me and I nearly _died_.  The rest of the party didn't fare much better, and we all ended up fleeing the ship, leaving the princess to fend for herself.  While we were recovering, _someone_ set fire to the entire ship, burning the captive alive.  I was really disappointed, because I like princesses, and especially saving them.  They always feel so obligated afterwards.

Luckily, a woman appeared with some sort of soup -- I declined politely since I only eat leaves and berries -- that thankfully replenished everyone, even the charred corpse of the princess.  Even though she probably won't sleep with me, now, I'm glad she's alive.  She seemed nice. 

(Week 7) Strange Sights

Having burned the bothersome brothel. Our fearsome fellowship continued North in pursuit of the hovering horror of the Theran airship. In the next village, we found the friendly farmers surrounding a chicken-coop and hunting tentacled chicken eggs that lept from it. Inside we found a centipedal construct of pulluted poultry.

We directly dispacted the avian abomination to the townsfolk's great relief. After a suitable celebration we continued North. We saw signs of the wayward direction of the airship and found in wedged between two buildings. The mad captain was imprisoned but his little sack of horrors was empty. The last having been consumed by a domestic dog that we discreetly destroyed.

Flying up to examine the airship I found a considerate captive who told a tragic tale of wretched woe. She had been enslaved by the Therans and then locked herself in her room to avoid the Horrors. Unable to contrive an escape, the party and I entered the airship to find our friend.

Instead we found the crazy cook who was nearly impervious to our weapons but had a deadly aim with his vegetable missiles. I was knocked unconcious and remember nothing else until I was fed some delicious horse soup that miraculously restored me. Apparently Garlan had concocted it out of Pinkie, Fritti's noble steed. While I mourned the party's loss, I also noticed that the airship had been badly burned. Luckily my friend had been restored by Garlan's savory soup.

Next, we must decided how to deal with the captured captain.