Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Lost beneath the Mushrooms of Madness

Since two of their companions were feeling sluggish and disinclined to explore, Kasefeh, Ghurag and Grima decided to see if they couldn't learn a little more of the world while also hiding 'The mad god's treasure' where it was unlikely to be found - in the interests of the safety of others, you understand.

There contribution to the commonweal made for that day, the trio (plus their Orc-servant, Ogely) made there way to the ruins of Dheras. They had spent many an afternoon wondering about as they watched  that horizon from Kaer Jerall. As they drew near, they were assailed by filthy harpies, which made cruel taunts about their manhood and infected Grima with some mysterious disease. While hemanaged to drive the cowardly harridens away, Grima worriedly quaffed a curative draught in order to protect himself from any unwanted surprises later on.

The ruins of Dheras themselves at first seemed largely unexciting. Unlike Tyren, there was not great tower with a shape-shifter lurking within, or Hellas where the buildings hid entrances to a mysterious underworld or even the burnt-out campfire, with had proved to provide their first meeting with those from outside the Kaer after hundreds of years of hiding.

No, search as they might, there were no entrances or treasure and even the cistern, that Grima hopefully leaped down into, contained only decaying muck. However, while he was down there his fellows above were narrowly missed by a flying glob that came seemingly from nowhere. As they gave cries of alarm, Ogely began wailing in terror then fled screaming  "Globberog, Globberooog!No, not agaaaain! We are all going to DIIEEEE!!!" Sure enough, Ghurag was hit -then stuck fast by another gob of goo and then Kasefeh was stuck as he began dragging him away. Hitched to the grumpy and long-suffering Dyre, they made their escape from the slow-moving threat of the hideous Globberog. As Grima climbed up from where he was, he surprised the creature. It was some kind of quadraped with a heavy 'shell' composed of stuck together skeletons, junk and weapons. It took many rounds of combat, but Grima prevailed and they happily looted the precious glands that secreted the viscous substance.

Since they had had thoroughly (or so they thought?) searched Dheras, the trio (and Ogely!) made thair way toward another ruin tower that they had espied from atop the tower of Tyren. On the way, they passed a forest of giant fungus.

Grima, cocky from his earlier success with the Globberog, strayed a little too close to the shadow of the mushroom caps.

There was something hallucinogenic in the spores that floated about and he lost his reason and began to wander inside. Using standard operating procedure, Ghurag went in with rope attached. Despite the inevitable succumbing of the Orc to the spores and Grima's lack of cooperation, they managed to all escape safely.

Who knows what treasures or mysteries might lie, undisturbed, beneath the brooding and damp shadows of the mycanoid forest?

However, they resolved to skirt around it for now and make their way to the ruined tower. On the way, they saw off the rest of the Harpies and arrived safely on the third day of their sightseeing tour to find the tower occupied. They tried staking it out but the approach of a floating eyeball announced the fact that their presence was known. They met the Mage inside the first curtain wall, amongst a statuary garden (which Grima divined to be made up of living Gragoyles...). Somewhat unnerved, they made a trade of the Globberog glands for a coin of elemental fire. Once they discovered that the Mage would buy but not sell, the companions decided that this was a good time to head back to Jerall and collect their lazy companions. As they drew near the Mushroom forest once more, they had an unexpected encounter....

To be continued in session six!