Chasing a Blaze in the Northern Sky Session 25 Summary

With five members of the party dead at the hands of a whole two rooms and one specific enemy, the Combative Companions decide they should probably quit while they're ahead and actually do what they came here for. So, the party began mapping the shores. For multiple days the party diligently mapped so that they could finally leave. They had discovered the location of the cult controlling the kraken at some point, and while it was tempting, they would not let it distract them. After finally finishing their map, the CeeCee's left. No detours that led to killer pyramids, no stops to fight nemekians for ray guns, they didn't even go back to fight the cult. Just pure focus on the task at hand. There was an encounter with a bunch of sea people with face prolapses however. They had boarded the boat offering protection from the sea in exchange for somebody they could work to death. Said exchange ended with Zanorak getting a face full of acidic spit for making fun of their anuses, but aside from that, they had left without complication when the party refused their offer. Eventually, they had finished their mapping, and were off to Thain to give Kalu their map. On their way back to Thain however, they did encounter a very notable man.

Riding across the sky on a stork came a man named Yog-Kosha of Zamoria. He was a traveling craftsman who was offering to sell and trade treasures. Among his goods were a series of carved idols containing the bound souls of warriors. Said idols would guard the user and warn of dangers upon use, and considering how much the CeeCee's hate traps and ambushes, they seemed like good items to invest in. The party ended up buying 4 idols. Before he had left however, there was an ominous message he had given to the party's froggy mascot and recent Two-Face impressionist, Zanorak. Zanorak has began experiencing nightmares that have led to him waking up screaming, and Yog-Kosha is apparently well aware of what has been happening to him. He had not gone into further details, but he told Zanorak that Zaba "eats your destiny" and that he would "not see winter snow". Only time will tell what Zanorak's fate will become.

After a few more days of travel, they had finally made it to Thain, Viglaf had departed from the party taking him and his brother's swords with him, and the Combative Companions delivered the map to no fanfare or payment. Somewhat disappointing, but Halthor did decided to take advantage of the kindness they had performed, with a favor that he had hoped they could fulfill. For a very long time, they've had that salamander skull sitting around with hopes of turning it into a weapon of some sort, but they had never found someone willing to do the task for free. He had figured a place that could produce swords would surely have men capable of crafting a weapon out of the salamander skull, and sure enough, Viglaf agreed to see if his Kalu's smiths could do something with it. Who knows what he may gain from this offer.

Session 25 Downtime Events

Upon returning to Thain, Matthias and Randon sought to consult sages and scholars in order to obtain information about the ray-guns and the amulet. Both were unable to find answers to their querries.

Halthor sought out fellow worshippers of Vodim and with them did conduct holy rites of worship. He stood awake for three nights tending to sacred fires. 

Sain sought out information of the Trepenated Magi and learned that they allegedly dwelled in the depths of the Jotun's Tomb, emerging to wage terror on the surrounding populace. 

Bodhi went out in search of able men and found a giant of a man, who introduced himself as Kanut the Wide. The two traded stories and Kanut offered to enter the Bodhi's employment as a retainer. 

Krok caroused away his time in Thain, and drank himself into a stupor. He emerged at the dawn of their last day covering himself in a cloak to protect himself from sight and sound. 

Zanorak spent 100 silver on regents hiding away in the shadows of Thain. By the sacrifice of several sheep he etched ugly symbols into the ground and his spirit departed from his body. He found himself upon a cliff covered in fog standing before Zaba. Zaba laughed at his presence and spoke. "By taking upon my blessing you offer your soul to my maw. You will find yourself changed to a form more subservient to me. Beware as not all survive the transformation and grow mad." Upon his return to his body he had found that his skeleton had turned cartilaginous, allowing him to slip through tight gaps if he were unarmored but wasting away his strength.