Chasing a Blaze in the Northern Sky Session 17 Summary

Though their victory against Hetun freed the Combative Companions of his thieves and assassins, the party found themselves under threat of an entirely new threat. The CeeCees encountered a man named Kormak who claimed to be Hetun's brother and sought vengeance on his behalf. After witnessing the death of four of his men at the might of the trinity of lawful companions however, he had set forth a hasty retreat declaring that they would meet again. They should probably deal with this threat before it becomes a larger problem in the future, but that ring isn't going to get itself, and the Eruption is just begging to be ride across the sea, so they choose to ignore it until it inevitably comes back to haunt them.

The party decided to once again set out to the Burial Temple of the Tridobatrakus to get the ring of Kordis. They already knew it should be in the general northeast of the second floor, so they figured today would be the day they would finally get the ring, and eventually trade it for a metal melting weapon crafted from the skull they had obtained. And just to be certain they don't screw up what may be their final trip to this tomb, Axrid invested in four more hirelings that he armed for the journey.
Back in the Tomb they begin further exploring the second floor with a wall of expendable men taking care of the search for them. Their search is halted however by a mild case of death as one of the hirelings Marse inspects a tomb and collapses due to reasons no one was completely aware of as they had let him move ahead on his own. His torch then fell, bathing his area in darkness. Those that were near had heard a distinct buzzing noise, leading to many assuming that the corpse was secretly filled with bees. Nobody wants to deal with bees, so they decide to leave the site, and explore other parts of the floor before returning to this area.

Their search does however lead to a few useful faces, as they find several Zaba worshipers feasting on a stray corpse. They were more than willing to help the servants of "Zanorak the Magnificent", but they knew nothing of the ring. Thankfully however, they were however of the location of Kordis, the man who bared the ring.

They gave the party a path to the tomb, and sure enough they were able to recover a ring from a body that depicted two ravens tearing apart a serpent. It's his ring! After a month long promise for something they probably could have found in a few days if they didn't set out to the sea, they have the ring they've been looking for, and can return to the surface, head into the swamps, and get their weapon...but then again, what if they didn't? This ring may be more useful to the party than the weapon, but it may also eat the soul of the wearer and summon a demon from their chest. With no context of what the ring can do, the party decides to keep a hold on it until they make it back to Lestryhonia.

But before they can put an end to their constant travels within these tombs, that corpse also had a key. Maybe, just maybe, there's a nearby room the key will open, that is filled to the brim with treasure, and there was an unexplored passageway in the very room they had found that key. They decide to explore the passageway, and after opening a nearby room, another hireling was quickly torn apart by one of multiple dog sized spiders.

"God I hope these things aren't poisonous," thought Matthias as a spider set its compound eyes upon him, but thankfully...yes, they were in fact poisonous. The only reason they did not succumb to the poison was due to hundreds of silver worth of tithing, and an aggressive amount of prayer, but they at least managed to kill the spiders.

With the room cleared, they had opened one final tomb revealing a wondrous lammellar curiass on a body that Halthor accordingly loots. They didn't figure out what the key was for, but they've danced with death enough for the day, and decide to leave.

Session 17 Downtime Events

Zanorak hid himself alongside Hurass, in the darkened corners of Lestryhonia, as both turned more frog-like. Zanorak's left leg turned into that of a frogs. His toes transforming into wide webbed pads. Hurass hid himself in the shadows and croaked a dirge of loathing which echoed underneath the night sky.

Halthor was approached by a tall blond woman her head taller than the pair of armored men who flanked her. She introduced himself as Alais as each of the cast harsh glances around, their hands resting on the axes hanging from their belts. In a clear voice she explained how her father Kalu Wolf-toothed, Lord of Thain, sought to hire them to map out the shores of ilse of Hamin. She explained they would be well compensated for their service and if they sought to accept the offer to travel northwest towards the Island of Thain where Kalu would speak with them directly.

Nanok called upon the Cult of Dyspatur and the party was joined by a man named Kaligula. A wirey man with thin black hair tied up taut behind his head ventured forward with Nanok as he proclaimed himself a potent wielder of sorcery. He claimed he could strike men dead where they stand and overwhelm even hardened veterans with visions of their doom. 

Jorund traveled the streets of Letsyrhonia with Randon and Morrigu. The trio talked about themselves and their travels. Jorund learned that Randon was taught his sorcery by a traveling mystic from the far east. He spoke of how his master had the power to call forth a great burning wheel to destroy everything in his way and that his master was taught sorcery by a four armed dancing demon with skin as dark as obsidian. He spoke of his wishes to help Dysdaimonia return to Abystra and his plan to gather enough money to purchase a boat of his own. Morrigu, who normally kept quiet and timid, spoke of her past as well. She spoke of her birthplace on an ilse ot the west of Lestryhonia. She explained that she was traded to a merchant for a sword when she was young and then brought to serve in Hetun's kitchen as she could easily taste poisons. She spoke of her kindred the Tokhari who ate the flesh of their fallen brethren to honor them and keep their spirits safe. She spoke of the the taboo against eating flesh and that she had to purchase special rations at triple price lest she suffer a terrible death.

Returning to the Eruption Axrid consulted the tome of lore and learned that in ages past it was said that Kordis could use his ring to bind monstrous beings into his service. With these terrible beings under their thrall, the kings of the Tridobaktrus were able to wage war against the ancient giants and slay a great deal of their number. Axrid learned that the ring he possessed could be evoked to bind a entity into the wearer's service in perpetuity.

Bodhi and Halthor returned to the Temple of Vodim to pray. The trio chanted the ancient song of the world-tree and each prepared doses of holy water. During their time at the Temple of Vodim they assisted in the burial of the head of the family and helped his youngest son remove his left eye to join the temple of vodim.As they left, they were approached by Vali, the chief Ymirist priest who asked them why they had not yet travel west to slay the bandits who call themselves the Fishers.  

They gained the following rumors:

1) Under the light of the full moon, the undead gather to wage war against the living jealous of the love they still have. 

2) It is customary for kings to feed their populace an extravegant feast each summer solstice. 

3) Sailors speak of terrible things watching them from the waters, they describe mishappen men with the heads of fish.

4) Cycladeans from Dolonia sail north searching for a new bride for their king.

5) Marius the Lost was the most recent winner of the great games in Gotalandia.