With their affairs in order, the party set out once more for Jotun's Tomb. They manage to find an alternative entrance, and with Randon's men watching the horses, the party begin exploring more rooms within the first floor, as they've done a surprising lack of searching within the area. With the party exploring what they perceive to be the least strife inducing floor of the complex, they expect to find simple treasures and then continue their search into the second floor. Sure Matthias was deafened by the vomit of a massive vulture, but that thing was frail and died in relative ease, and they're pretty sure he'd get his hearing back within an hour or so, so the party was not worried. But life has a funny way of mucking with one's plans, and that was in the form of ticks. Lots of ticks they find early on, who promptly begin harassing the group with their bad attitude and massive proboscises. Nym is now crippled from one of the ticks piercing his knee, while Ancient Pistol is rendered mute from a stabbed throat. An appropriate welcoming to the CeeCee's.
They're returned to the surface with their leader Bardolph also staying behind to look after his friends. On the upside, he said he would make the party soup later, and who wouldn't like a nice bowl of soup after a long day of exploring death pits and dealing with monsters?
Their journey is mostly fruitless. They encounter some interesting sights, like a fight between a giants vulture, and a group of skeletons and coiled up masses of snakes, and they find a nest of tick eggs that they do absolutely nothing about, but they could not find even a single piece of copper no matter where they went, and all of the time spend navigating the unseen parts of the first floor whittled away what time they would have spent getting banana water for their cripple and mute party members. It's not like the CeeCee's expected much out of them however, so the party decided to leave them in their current state and that they would try to aid them on another day. For now, IT'S SOUP TIME!
The party return to nice hot bowls of soup, served as promised by Bardolph. As a good chunk of the party gulped down the liquid however, it quickly became apparent that something was wrong. Halthor and Matthias specifically requested that peppers be added to the soup to give it some spice, but this stuff, is one step above mild at best.
Also the soup's been poisoned.
Most of the party begins convulsing and vomiting on the floor as they feel their life force diminish, but little did Bardolph know, NOBODY in the Combative Companions knows how to cook, so this isn't the first time they've had vomit inducing garbage before. Nobody dies, and with Bardolph desperate he tries to pull out a dagger to finish what he started with the aid of his two allies. Nym and Ancient Pistol are quickly murdered however, as they were already in a barely able-bodied state to begin with. With no other choice, Bardolph drops his weapon and falls to the ground begging for mercy. Turns out spending hundreds of silver getting drunk and partying gave the men the impression that Matthias, Krok, and Kanut were a trio of fools that probably had a fine sum of money to be taken, which is only half true. They ARE a trio of fools, but a fool and their money are easily departed, as evident by their partying, so his logic was flawed from the very beginning. He had promised to pay them a ransom put on his name so long as they don't kill him, so, having not gained anything from this adventure, the party tie him up and bring him back to Lestryhonia. Much to their surprise, he wasn't lying to save his own skin. He actually had an 800 silver ransom that was given to the party accordingly. That kind of money was more than enough to make the day worth it, so the party let Bardolph leave, and thankful for their mercy, he had vowed to become a better man that the swindler they nearly murdered.
And then Zanorak stabbed him in the gut before loudly declaring, "Praise Zaba!"
Session 27 Downtime Events
Upon their return to Lestrhyhonia Turni, Matthias, and Halthor repeated the ancient rites of Vodim. Beneath the rune etched stones of the Temple they bathed in smoke of burnt oak. Each was scarred along their right arm with an open eye and a closed eye, sigils of Vodim's protective gaze. Upon their departure they were approached by a one-eyed priest of Vodim with whom they spoke of their journey to Cycladea. The Priest urged them to sail far from Likas warning that it was place where Chaos was worshipped.
Zanorak hid away in the dark depths of Lestryhonia and prepared sorcery taught to him by Zaba. As he did so he could feel his body shape yet again as his body hair shed itself and his spine bent forward hunching him over.
Randon too prepared sorcery. Repeating the rituals taught to him by his master he called forth the wolves upon the eastern wind and bound one into a bead which he tied taut to his wrist.
Bodhi accompanied by Kanut the Wide, sought to gain rumors about the Jotun's tomb. Seeking to find those that had themselves attempted to plunder the tomb. In their search they were approached by a blind crone who called out their names. She slipped into their hands an urn of pitch, warning that they would find dire need of it soon.
They found one another aboard the Eruption on dawn of day 30 of Fall month 1, the rain from the prior night ceasing.
Rumors gained during Downtime
1) Bojhnad is said to be the son of a demon god who presides over those burned to death.
2) A man found a sword on the 1st floor of the Jotun's tomb.
3) The giants within the Jotun's tomb are able to spread their curse to others.
Desdaimonia responds to various questions posed to her about Cycladea.
King Agamemnon seeks a new wife, perhaps you could enter his employee and search for a beautiful maiden to present to him. You would not be the first group of northern barbarians to visit Dolonia, the Geats are known to King Agamemmnon.
In the mountains north of Dolonia, an ancient shrine to the three goddessess stands. It is said whomever drinks from the fountain, if found worthy, shall obtain their blessings. To the southeast of Dolonia stands a Temple of Aekis. It is said that amid the valleys in Dolonia is passage to the land of the dead ruled by Agesander Katachthonios.
The blacksmiths of Cycladea have unearthed the secrets of the Bronze Panoply which armors a man better than Lamellar. Cycladea exports marble, ivory, olives, bronze, and pottery.
It is said that one-eyed giants live in the hills of eastern dolonia, but I dare not see if the folk-tale real.
The Knossian tribes are the descendants of the ancient Knossian Empire. In ages past many joined Arekasadra in her conquest of the lands of Ivory and spices, and following their return organized themselves into the Cycladean kingdoms. To the northwest of Dolonia, is a tribe, but I do not know much about them save they keep to the ancient ways.
The members of the Hekatapotropan mysteries are in Dolonia, but if Chaos is what you seek travel to Likas. They have no Lawful gods there, they instead worship terrible spirts who clamor for war.
To the north of Dolonia is the temple of the Oracle, perhaps she could grant insight on how to free yourself from Zaba's Thrall.
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