Session 35:
With the Ice Queen poised to attack Ivristel, Northstar and Ilari sent Tasha and the raptorian cleric Finduilas to retrieve the group. With a vampire named Lectus as their guide (as only vampires can manipulate the Waypoints) they passed into the Tirian woods. Through shadows and shadow children, bad memories and soupy fog, the trio managed through the forest and over the hills to Lastlight...
On the outskirts of town, Sev and Sirocco investigated the old Ministry. If the Minister was destroyed, what would become of his extradimensional base? As they reached for the door, heavy-breathing in the tall grass alerted them to a most shocking creature: a ten foot troll with a massive great sword. His name was Rend, an old friend of Scrin's, come to fulfill a promise. Since Scrin was dead, the troll's allegiance passed to the next arch druid, namely Sev. The goblin welcomed the help, as did Sirocco as he was removing the hinges of the locked Ministry door. With one great kick, Rend booted the door in, though it seemed the shack had reverted back to normal.
Resolved to enter House Huma and vanquish the three Nature marked for defeat (Tisiphone, Kasper and Falst), Sev went to look for the group, Rend in tow and Sirocco leading the way with his keen nose...
Yesenya, Ali and Izaki left the foundry and entered the gold dragon's lair. Coming down the stairs, they found Rees playing chess with a brooding, dark figure. Ali demanded to know the man's identity, and the figure mentioned something about a debt, but things were overshadowed by the tearful reunion of a mother and her child. When the two finally pried themselves apart, Yesenya coyly welcomed the figure as Serren.
During the following hour or so, Yesenya bestowed Izaki with celestial lupin armor. Alisaadi, still quite injured from the foundry and more so mentally drained, was offered a chance to stay with the gold, which she accepted. And as for Serren, deals within deals led to Yesenya promising compensation for the safety of the group during their perils in House Huma.
Sev, Rend and Sirocco met with Izaki and Serren. Tasha, Finduilas and the guide Lectus joined them soon after. When reunions and play was done, two hours were spent puzzling over the perfect plan for entering House Huma. Ideas ranged from magic gift boxes, cursed rings and busting down the door. Lectus cleared his throat and mentioned he might know of a man who could get them into House Huma.
The group followed Lectus through the misty hills and to a river bank where a lone, stilted shack leaned precariously over the water's edge. Lectus went in alone and an hour later returned with a squat creature adorned in rat pelts and carrying a spear twice his size.
Mirkis the Wererat demanded payment for his services. The group offered gold, but even the platinum coins held little wonder to the rat. When Tasha showed him the red demon hide she'd kept from a past battle, Mirkis's eyes lit up. He snatched the payment and stuffed it under his shirt, agreeing to lead them to the secret entrance to House Huma: the shitting pool. Apparently one of the tower sides was designated for harpies and their bird and living allies to defecate. While disgusting to imagine, it was a rarely-monitored area of the tower.
Mirkis leading, the group traveled for a day, over the river and through the foot hills. At dawn the rat needed rest and holed up in a cave, though given enough hours and troll farts, the group was prodded onward. Mirkis took low and secret ditches within the hills to the very edge of the shitting pool, a white-green-gray pond that bubbled and stunk like everybody's business. The pool pressed against the shitting side of the tower, streaked with white, gray and green up its thousand feet.
During this time, the group had to be very stealthy, for House Huma employed many birds with excellent vision, most of which circled the highest eeryies in a dense, cawing cloud. At the tower's edge, the group discussed the best way to go about climbing and entering. Mirkis looked at them funny and began fiddling with one of the tower stones. Eventually it gave, revealing a clawed out tunnel inside. Mirkis passingly mentioned his cousin had once escaped using this way and that before Tisiphone captured and flayed him, he'd been able to share the secret with his kin.
Tasha led the way as the group entered the space between the tower wall, where a nexus of timber and stone supports stretched a thousand feet up, keeping the tower side from crumbling away. Mirkis directed them to climb to the top where there should be another loose stone, however he refused to go himself. When questioned why, his answer was simply that it was too dangerous. However he promised to wait at the bottom until they came back or he had absolute proof they all were dead. Someone had to ask what that confirmation would be, to which the wererat flatly replied "Screaming..."
Whether using flight, magic, or old fashioned climbing techniques, the group made their way up the space between the walls. Thankfully an attack never came, though god knows it was a ripe time for one. At the top they discovered a dead end, Sirocco eventually finding that the loose stone had long been re-mortared and sealed. Serren's investigation of the wall allowed him to "see" what was on the other side, an empty throne room without walls. Rend, begging to break through it, fought the urge as long as he could. When Serren mentioned Tisiphone had entered, the troll blew out the wall in one fell strike.
The fight was on. Tisiphone and the group traded quick words before she summoned a fog cloud. Unable to see their hands in front of their faces, the group was at a loss, breaking thrones and scratching walls. However the natural mountain winds did not allow for the mists to last long, and once cleared the fury was cornered. She proved to be quite elusive, arrogant in her dismissals of their attacks. Worse, she dominated Rend's mind (and right after Finduilas had granted him the added strength of a bull!). Fearful the group might somehow be able to wrestle control of the troll back from her, Tisiphone forced Rend to swan dive off the ledge and a thousand feet down into the shitting pool.
Izaki discovered a new power from Seven Caged Tigers, becoming a weretiger. In the hybrid form he proved the only one able to really hurt the quick, marble-skinned vampire. In an move born of frustration and fury, Tasha tackled the harpy, actually taking her down. Slothy Sev then proceeded to sit on them both. Serren cast a spell that knocked the vampire near-senseless. Sirocco used a shadow-slipping ability to pull Tasha out from under Sev and Tisiphone reverted to gaseous form (lingering close to Sev's giant ass in hopes of disguising herself). Before she could get wind born, Serren cast another spell which sent the vampire into unconsciousness. She reverted back to flesh and the mage leaped onto her, fastening a collar around her neck and then knocking her even more senseless.
Tasha goads, "Goin to go have at it wit the harpy vampire?"
Izaki, by now having shifted back to regular human, is looking around the room and at himself entirely confused as to what the hell just happened to him.
Serren shrugs. "It's not a perfect control device. I'm taking her for questioning. I'll be back shortly." He adds, "We can also find out Kasper's plans and where he's at as well"
Serren puts any of Tisiphone's entrails back into her so she can heal.
Tasha smirks. "Right..."
A cold voice on the wing retorts, "No need to wander far..."
Tasha jumps to her feet and draws her axe and shield. Sirocco readies his bow.
Kasper and ten vampires swoop in. "And I'd appreciate if you put my future queen down."
Experience: 2000
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