11. Szraiels ‘Notes aboot Notin’

Still floating I smell something, mmmm, all of a sudden I am her again – awake and present. I watch as the others pile the loot into our various bags.

 

It seems no one noticed my episode, thankfully, or they probably wouldn’t let me finish of the coast. It was worth it as slew some cave fisher – such a pox on the serpents that live on this beautiful island. I really am liking this place alot, now its oppressive evil seems either gone or one with me – either way I no longer have any discomfort.

We found some more wrecks, these were empty, the childish apes jeer, thump and fling poo each time. So easily forgetting how previous wrecks found us treasure, understanding and taught us much. Ron had some issues on one boat so I decided to share my one and only super spell: heroism with him. He soon abolished the zombie menace.

We explore the top of the mountain and to my surprise there is nothing there. A rickety rope bridge indicates some nasty creature is probably in the ravine below, either through design or incidental good feeding grounds but none want to check it out. More depressingly there is one, just one last significant place to search – a high point, as broader and as green as the dryads home hill yet the others are impatient and will have none of it. Such a shame but I shall return.

After this we spend close to a week moving our charges, setting up a secure, non-infested camp, repairing the lighthouse and waiting for a ship. It amazes me how quickly it passed as none of the monkeys had issue with it. Yet it was so much longer than exploring the last high point would have been.

We are rescued despite rons attempts to insult and threaten the crew. He is so stupid at times its beyond belief. Dorian sees no need to say goodbye to the dryad, I fear he is no libertine just another asshole that needs to hurt others to temporarily fill the hole in his heart caused by never getting enough loving hugs as a child. He too was probably hugged like a toy and played with lovelessly like a accessory not as a person. And so mammalian problems propagate I suppose!

The arrival in the city is a great relief. Using my many skills I manage to find and then pawn all our assorted loot. I also go on a spending spree, with some help from Helga. Drawing on my vast array of knowledge I had some unique armour custom designed and made. I might just be a genius combining materials to create the first ever Mitheral Studded Darkleaf Leather Armour. With my custom shaped darkwood buckler at last I feel completely protected. Also as my seafaring days taught me – buoyant. Sometimes the witch seems a bit bizarre but she cannot be all bad helping me purchase this protection.

I also bought a Elysian Bronze Kukri, I love its golden colour and the rarity. You never see bronze or elysian bronze really. I know bronze was favoured by serpent folk of old in ages past for it doesn’t rust. It buoys my elder spirit as well as legend has it the elder titans of old crafted it. The paladin whined a bit, something about its bonuses vs magical beasts and monstrous humanoids being unpredictable. I found that rich considering he gets varying bonuses against evil, evil outsiders and dragons. Likely he is just jealous he lacks the creativity to forge ahead and break new ground. Ironic seeing it’s what humans are famous for among the races. It’s the one and only thing that explains their meteoric rise to supremacy. Perhaps poor breeding or jealous practices have cut  their lifeblood, either way it shall make our dominion easier.

The red mantis gave us a very good offer but it seems the paladin has issues. I would have thought their judge, jury, executioner ways would match his. Apparently not. He really is one of those creatures that manage to hold in his head convergent perspective at once despite them not working together.

I still find it ironic he refused ron his wish to have a cannibal woman to train and guide while constantly claiming ‘I am but an instrument of Iomedaes will’ surely he is just the slave of her? She approves of slavery so why not he?? He even says ‘It is not their choice. It is the will of Iomedae.’ So why cannot anothers will be dominant over a random sentient?

Also why use a butchering knife and approach menacingly to grab, grapple and hold them while stabbing them in the back? Surely facing them is better and using a weapon you better at that does fast large damage that obliterates. He really seems to revel in blood, power, pain and almost thief like attacks.

Maybe he really is guided by Asmodeus and just thinks its Iomede. Surely from what I have read of her she would not be so violent, impatient and domineering.

No great loss I managed to go to all the others we rescued and hear other proposals. The group seemed to appear at these meetings despite not thinking of making them and cut down any opportunities till they were backed into a corner with our last contact. So it seems we are working for the government. How ironic. At least they came in handy for a random rabid dog attack. So it’s of to Saventh-Yhi so I can learn the elder secrets and leave the empty shell of that long dead city as a testament to those who failed the world serpent before.

10. Szraiels ‘Notes aboot Notin’

I blacked out. I remember nothing. I feel I have been places, held a kukri, felt blood dry and fasten it to my hand.. but where, what I know not.

Is this the true awakening  of the askha, the shared dream of all the serpent folk? Was I controlled to slither with my ancestors as before ...  : (

It worries me, I somehow know it is now I either loose myself or soon ALL the knowledge of a thousand thousand serpents shall be mine and I will know EVERYTHING.

I do not know how this will end but my will is inhuman and my luck is ever strong.

I remember some memories, I am not sure they are mine. But no longer do I question my choice, I KNOW the bardic arts are the only option for rule.

Commitment to what one is is the only way, I am no half class.

Martial professions AND professions dedicated to casting (full casters) are merely the janitors. Its just full casters are too egotistical to admit it blinded ever increasingly by their ability to warp what they are pointed at.

Full casters are the toilet spray that neutralises bacteria, Martials the mop.

In the bardic arts lie the real power - they find the mess, know what the mess is, how each mess fits, lead others to it, network along the way, identify the kit needed, tell others what they need who know nothing of magic, buy the kit others need, sell the kit others don't, motivate their lazy bones,
then kick back and watch their employees!

While others are on their knees in the muck: physical or metaphysical; their huming their fav tune with a smirk and sucking up the profits from the sweat of their asses(aka donkeys) backs!

They tell the stories and write the histories as well. They can keep their cash- others blow on spells or weapons (cleaners’ kit) to work for them. Their famous and others a mere footnote in their histories under w: warrior or wizard its much the same.. workers!!

9.Szraiels ‘Notes aboot Notin’

While examining what we suspected to be the tide stones the vampiric horror attacked, I was surprised as it was daylight. After our unified fight with the mother creature we seemed to work far more cohesively. I hoped it would last. Taking some risks I flanked the beast and between us all through bomb, hex, melee, poison and spell we laid the terror of the island low.

Obviously what came before us has a long head start so I wanted to circle our flank and see the terrain from the vantage point of the peak above. It was not far and likely we would have seen any surprises that the water hid. Unfortunately the others were impatient so I decided to go with it, the ungrateful twerps.

They seemed intent on assuming the meaning of the writings we had found and misreading it as the blood of a serpent instead of one poisoned by a serpent. Any with an education knows to be kissed by a serpent is to be poisoned and the blood of poisonous animals certainly contains no toxin. I gave up when they made fun, ron stomped of and they refused to read and listen. I knew their idiot suggestion before they did, yet they assumed I did not understand and so once again they would not listen and so sooner or later loose!

I smeared my poisoned blood upon the stone and nothing happened, truly this island is backwards, petty and cursed.

Ron returned with a snake and to my amusement the paladin bled enough blood to fill a peasants trough on these heretic symbols of a bygone age and elder, non-mammalian gods. Then ron pressed the snakes lip-less jaw against the blood and despite there being no poison exchange and no kiss it seems these long tainted pillars revealed their secret and activated lowering the tide.

It is sad how real knowledge and the true power has waned, so much so that the misbegotten fumblings of gene filth actually succeed. How it angers me and I long to purge this new breed from my world.

Perhaps it was not the ideal way as we were all deafened. I descended as the others followed, struggling on the slippery rocks, and jumped across a large gap and waited for the others to wade across. A shark attacked and they scampered from the water like children. Taking a lead from their previous impatience I jumped in and dispatched the creature. The others complained of my impatience.. they seem to be as whimsical as women.

Boarding a shattered vessel and exploring a water mephit accosted us. It was stupid and would have easily been outsmarted into assistance but as I was doing such they impatiently insulted it and attacked.. truely they are all insane. Impatience/Patience these are nothing to them they merely respond to whim and whimsy and use those words to rationalise an utter lack of planning or strategy. Predictably for randomised acting out the mephit escaped. We explored further and thankfully I spotted an GIANT urchin and got away before it attacked. It was an absolute horror and seemed unimpeded attacking through a cramped doorway. It was beyond my abilities so I attacked the mephit that had attacked us from behind. The fight was short as dorian kept it stunned as the witch, paladin and ron downed the horrid spiked monstrosity.

I searched some doors and opened them, peaking through there stood 4 skeleton javelineers atop a bridge. I had a plan to provide myself as a target and evade the arrows so then the paladin and ron who had just done such good work in close quarters could take them up close and at leisure.

Unfortunately the paladins earlier success in closed quarters meant the fool felt confident in open surrounds against an enemy with superior position despite his useless movement abilities. I pity dorian having to heal idiot wounds. The paladin soon learnt and got out of the hail of arrows after three volleys. I managed to evade almost all the arrows and even better after they ran out the skeletons jumped down. Their mindless action oriented purpose a problem. Well a problem against opponents with more mind then them..

Ron and the paladin stepped up but there was not much left after dorian and I finished with them. Though dorian still had some work, healing our pet mindless undead!

8.Szraiels ‘Notes aboot Notin’

I awoke in an ALCOVE!! and knew it strait away! I was un-dead, or soon to be.

If only they had followed the plan!  Thankfully my many skills made short work of the escape and made it to the surface. It was apparent to all we needed a better (or my original) plan.

Ron was keen again to take one of the captives under his wing to rehabilitate but the ‘paladin’ would have none of it. In part as it was not sensible to leave the mother stock to replenish her forces but I suspect mainly due to the inconvenience he felt in being responsible for them should they accompany us. He really seems to shirk his duties, as a soundboard about religious issues, a voice of reason, a shoulder of compassion. Anyway while the debate raged I continued actually being concerned and helping people by further cleaning up the village for the eventual arrival of our charges. 

I really feel my activities of pretending to be a mammal, show compassion and care, assisting others, rallying to protect the weak at personal expense really isn’t required. I have memories that this is the way to fit into this society but it seems either the group memories of the askha I tap are fractured or out of date. It really seems I just estrange myself and stand out through my use of reason and compassion.

We returned to the dryad my explorations found that the libertine dorian violated. I am glad he did, I have to confess my only motivation was to then cast heroism on her so she would be better (it helps ALL skills) but not myself .. all to illicit some laughter. How I could be caught up in the stench of their puerile hormones is beyond me. I need to watch myself in future.

Despite the paladins whining and even rons complaints (curious as he initially was the loudest voice for checking on the others every 3 days at least) we went to check on our charges and their camp. Due to their complaints I could not go the planned circuitous route with counter tracking (in case that abomination of darkness followed), but I did what I could and made some reasonable excuse to pick up the tengu on the way. This meant no direct route would lead to the camp. 

I introduced the Tengu and did my standard performances to lift their spirits as the others crashed out. The mammal human has potential, she revealed she had a kukri and leant it to me! Either she loves me or needs to be taught NEVER give away your kukri. To this end at some point I must impregnate her – willingly if she loves me, unwillingly if she lacks a kukri to defend herself with!

The next day we head off being interrupted in the morning by unnatural lightining coming apparently from the red mountain. We will have to check its summit, every peak on this island has revealed something – a large dino nest, a pirates buried treasure, a compliant dryad – so it would lack sense to not explore one of the remaining (and largest) peaks even if inevitably these mammals forget themselves and spend effort whining instead of painlessly marching and getting it all over!

At least this time the paladin did not argue that we should take our charges with us.. he remembered he was wrong last time and had we likely they now would have all been dead.

On the return again I could not counter track or be excessively circuitous however I managed to make the trail slightly convoluted, backtrack some and explore one of the last 2 peaks. Again we found something of interest – a ruined hut and some history about the cannibals. It will be invaluable for cataloguing the history of this island.

Arriving back at the village we spotted a witches hut, I would SWEAR it wasn’t there before. This island is cursed indeed. We examined it for ‘finds’ the others decided to rest though I continued to clean the lighthouse. It was tough going but eventually some of the others helped. The last thing we need is to bring the survivors here and have them freak out and go charging into a hole, off a cliff, into another hidden house of undead or into some trap or monster.

We sneaked back into the cave system below and followed to the letter my ORIGINAL plan. We ALL worked together really well for once. The mother could do little and seemed far to cowardly to match us up-close and rely on her luck, ability and paralysis to carry the day. I was disappointed such a religious, god queen zealot was so cowardly and only attacked from afar. Its not like we were not equally hampered in melee now. It seems she thought we would repeat the whimsical suicide attack of last time and risk it all to our luck vs her advantage and amazing stealth!  

It matters not the once god queen is now a scared old woman and most importantly I got my kukri back.  I REALLY LIKE kukrisss!

Everyone was very casual now she was defeated, even curiously those with apparent religious training, till I pointed out she likely gets her spells at dusk and we were tapped out till morning!  That shut down the party and we barricaded ourselves in and holed up.

I was keen to get our charges as there is risk the mother might go exploring for them not that she has any reason to suspect they exist. As a religious figure living in a hole she will likely fail but the gods and goddesses are petty and whimsical so their best protection is us. The others convinced me it was of little likely hood and that something big was going down on the mount was VERY likely we headed to the mountain.

I was comforted we were heading again away from the direction our charges are. On the way to some monoliths we found some shipwrecks. A crab almost had the paladin till ron and I laughingly slashed it to ribbons (against my better judgement). I have to say I don’t like ron chewing on everything before we cook and eat it. Anyway at least the witches scorpion and the tengu seem to be getting along!

Session 13 Summary

The PCs loot Umagro and find evidence of communications with the Red Mantis.

At the suggestion of Baron Utilinus (The Grand Custodian) the PCs seek a strange hermit to act as a guide on their journey, all the more important since their departure will be delayed by a week after the spectacular failure regarding the warehouse fire.  Or maybe the spectacular result of a 20 roll on the fire rules.

A small boat is provided, complete with crippled, eye-patched and be-parroted captain, and the group head off to the hermit's cave.  They survive the violent surf at the base of the cliffs, avoid annoying the priest (hermit) by not killing his giant crabs, call his attention and are sent on a couple of missions to prove their worth.

The challenge of water is undertaken first, the quest to find the black pearl.  Or a black pearl, probably with less undead than the Black Pearl.  A village is found near the pearl beds where extensive partying is enjoyed, and in the morning the natives try to rip off the party on pearling equipment.  The party manage to find a black pearl, run off a kelpie from the area, find a valuable ring and not return to the village with the kelpie's head as promised.

They then head off for the trial of wind, where they must gather a complete feather from a stormbird.  They manage to get the feather, but antagonize the bird in the process, but manage to leave without killing it.

On their return to the hermit, the party is stopped by a bunch of natives who are very suspicious of them and insist on ensuring that the stormbird was still alive, and issue a wrestling challenge for the right to keep the stolen feather.  Ron wins the challenge easily, and the party is rewarded by the natives with jewelry after it is confirmed that the bird is still alive.

The group returns to the hermit with their feather and pearl, and he is impressed enough that he invites them into his cave and hands around a peace pipe.  Everybody chooses to smoke and enter a trance, where they see visions of the future, including a rather nasty dream serpent, resembling Yarzoth.  The serpent is defeated in a scene reminiscent of the god Ydersius's end.  The PCs come out of their trance and the hermit announces that he will accompany them, as it is Gozreh's will.


 

xp		Dorian	Szraiel	Helga	Ron	Titus
Start		14189	14839	14289	14889	14739
RP - Story		0	0	0	200	0
Wave "trap"		120	120	120	120	120
Kelpie		240	240	240	240	240
RP - Getting the black pearl		240	240	240	240	240
RP - getting the feather		320	320	320	320	320
Wrestling Match		80	80	80	80	80
Dream Serpent		240	240	240	240	240
End		15429	16079	15529	16329	15979

Everyone is 5th level.

Therapy Session of Ron Plunderman #7

Once more Ron seemed to be in a mostly positive mood, he had been chatting away with the doctor for some minutes and there had been none of the usually evasiveness or angry rebellion.

After a time the doctor steered the conversation back to the events at the South Arcadian Whaling Company.

“So this native rebel had your patron Jask Derindi captive … a knife to his throat.”

Ron paused, a glimmer of annoyance crossed his face. “I suppose, if you say so.”

“What do you mean ‘if you say so’ I thought this was on public record? Are you saying events went differently?”

Ron shrugged, “No I mean if you say his name is Jask Derindi? I never learnt his last name, but yeah Jask was held captive and was murdered by that nigger with the knife.”

The doctor sighed and mumbled something inaudible to himself. “Okay and by all accounts it seemed he died as a direct result of your actions.”

Ron screwed up his face. “Hang on that’s bullshit I never cut his throat. That was the nigger, what account have you been reading?”

The doctor quickly answered, “No I didn’t mean you actually killed him but that you forced the rebels hand … the fellow by the name of … “ the doctor flicked through some notes …” Umagro.  And if you must know this is the eye witness account of Titus.”

The doctor flicked through some more notes looking for the relevent passage. “Here it is …’Iomedae save me, this was perhaps the last straw. If it was not bad enough that the infernal snake man tempt fate with his fanciful and ridiculous illusion of the natives gods rejection of the rebel Umagro; the mad buffon Ron Plunderman did not hesitate for a moment. He threw one his dishonorable toxic bombs upon the rebel which only served to anger him and make his mind to slay our friend Jask. What crime did Jask ever do to deserve such a treatment from us, or more particularly Ron and Szariel. These people I associate with have no regard for any but themselves. None showed any remorse for Jask’s death, not Ron, Szariel, Dorian or Helga.’”

The doctor stopped reading and silence fell upon the room as the testament of Titus’s words were absorbed by Ron.

After awhile the Doctor prompted Ron, “So what have you to say.”

Ron looked a little confused. “Titus wrote that? I had no idea he could write. He’s quite the wordsmith. Hmm, have you got any more of his stuff? Could you read it to me?”

The doctor shook his head. “Ron come on, you know what I meant. What do you think of what  Titus said.”

Ron imitated the doctor immediate. “Doctor come on, you know what I meant. Titus is full of shit and doesn’t know anything.”

The doctor continued, “So you didn’t throw the bomb? You didn’t force the rebels hand?”

Ron squirmed for a bit before relaxing. He was determined to keep his temper. “Yes I threw the bomb but how should I know if I forced his hand? Maybe he would’ve killed him that instant anyway.”

The doctor flipped back a page and read some more from Titus’s account. “’The rebel had taken Jask hostage and was demanding to speak to a representative from the government.’ That doesn’t sound like he was going to immediately kill his hostage. In fact quite the opposite. You had time on your side, you could’ve stalled … negotiated … devised a plan to rescue Jask where his chances for survival were greater.”

Ron took a deep breath before answering the doctor. “Bah, what ridiculous soft hearted drivel. Let me tell you something doc, there were over one hundred dirty smelly blacks milling about listening to that idiot rebel drone on. If we had done what you said we would’ve looked like a bunch of piss weak whores looking to suck some dick. Every one of those little monkey fuckers would’ve learnt that it was okay to abduct and ransom people and make demands upon the city. The fact is we saved lives that day. Countless lives, because in the future when one of those pea brained little fuckers thinks it is good idea to hold someone to ransom, they need only be reminded of what happened last time. And that is eight dead niggers and one dead hostage. Where do you think the saying ‘never negotiate with terrorists ‘ comes from? They say that because it works.”

Ron paused before adding … “Oh and one more thing, Jask might’ve survived, if the rebel had succumbed to my stink bomb, then Jask would probably be still alive. It’s a tough break but I don ‘t give a shit. He didn’t die in vain”

The doctor smiled. “So you’re hero then. Do you think Jask would agree with you?”

Ron scowled, “How should I know, probably not, but as I said it was tough break. Good people die everyday. So what? If you really want to know go get him resurrected, it’ll only cost you ten thousand gold.”

The doctor held up his hand defensively. “Okay Ron, I’m sorry if you think I’m judging you. Look what I want to know is how you felt about his death. Was there really no remorse.”

Ron scoffed. “Bah. I’ve been to war several times, had countless die on me while I’m trying stitch up an artery or pull out arrows and other crap out people. I don’t have the luxury of remorse.”

The doctor continued. “But you knew Jask…”

Ron shook his head, “What and you think I never knew the names of other patients I lost. So what. Sure I knew Jask, I guess he was okay. I really didn’t socialize with him much. As I said good people die. Its not my fault; it’s the nigger rebel’s and no one else’s.”

The doctor shook his head and persisted. “Come on Ron, you spent weeks on remote island with him, you must have felt something.”

Ron kept shaking his head. “Have you not listened to anything I’ve said. He was part of the useless group that sat around all day, probably getting their knob polished by the useless whore Sasha, while we did all the hard work rescuing them. So NO. I didn’t spend weeks with him and no I actually didn’t know him that well.”

The doctor calmly continued his questioning. “So there was absolutely no glimmer of remorse.”

Ron took a breath. “I never said ‘no remorse’. I said I’ve seen heaps of bad shit and I don’t let it get to me. So if it makes you feel better. I. Did. Not. Want. Him. To. Die. But he did and that’s too bad and I didn’t lose any sleep over it.”

“And that is all you are getting from me today.”

Session 12 Summary

The party head to the warehouse where their government contacts have been storing the supplies for the trek into the jungle where they find a couple of native arsonists.  The arsonists are captured, but not before they set the building on fire, causing it to burn to the ground courtesy of a near explosive spread of the fire shortly after it started.

They then question the prisoners in prison and discover that there may be some minor racism in Eleder, and that the Freeman's Brotherhood have taken over the South Arcadian Whaling Company. 

After resting overnight, the party approach the Whaling Co., where they find Umagro the leader of the Brotherhood standing on the roof, with the group's government contact Jask held prisoner.  Umagro is speaking to a crowd of natives outside the compound, trying to incite a riot.

The party, being very careful to ensure that their friend is OK, charge in.  Jask has his throat cut and is dropped from the roof, and a significant fight follows, where Umagro is significantly underestimated, but dispatched in the end.  Titus manages to overcome the secondary bosses in the gatehouse on his own, while everyone else sorts out the rest.

xp		Dorian	Szraiel	Helga	Ron	Titus
Start		12789	13439	12889	13289	13339
RP - Stories		0	0	0	200	0
Arsonists		240	240	240	240	240
Titus Minions		240	240	240	240	240
Archer Minions		240	240	240	240	240
Minions		360	360	360	360	360
Boss		320	320	320	320	320
End		14189	14839	14289	14889	14739