Category: Netherdeep

The Rush of Danger

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, Netherdeep1 Comment

The young rush so quickly toward danger. First Juhka, and now Kai’Osh and his new friends. I was surprised to see them in the demon city. Perhaps as surprised as he was to see me. But Verin asked, and when a Thelyss asks, you can hardly refuse.

They looked to have made it through the Gibbering Mouther attack fairly unscathed. Quite a large group of fighters young Kai’Osh has gathered around him. All so very young. Well, perhaps not the gnomes, it’s hard to tell with their kind. Invited to speak with Verin himself afterwards, so good fighters, at the least.

The soldiers do love to gossip about new comers. One told me the metal gnome impressed Bautha with his healing the wounded. Even pessimistic little Naevyn might survive, if she rests before joining the next fight instead of throwing her life away. Old Kalym said they were very respectful, even joining him in prayers. Foghome told me at breakfast that he’s worried though. Said they seemed to be rushing headlong toward the Betrayer’s Rise. Following visions and relics of the Calamity.

I think he’s right. They had already gone to bed by the time I got to the Ready Room for a drink. Prolix and Question were excitedly talking about having another group on their side. Prolix a little less excitedly, of course. He was bemoaning offering to go inside with them, but it sounded like the only way to keep them away from Aloysia. I thought Kai’Osh was smarter than to take a harpy’s money.

Not a day into their stay here in Bazzoxan, and they’re already heading into the mouth of the Abyss. Looked like an cursed start, they battled demons on the Rise before they even got inside the door this morning. Well, I do wish them luck, they will need all they can muster.

~Sevonious

Light and Dark

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, NetherdeepLeave a comment

Papa always says I shouldn’t run up to everyone who comes to visit, but Big Yuyo will protect me if they’re bad. And these people weren’t bad, and some of them were barely bigger than me. They were all so nice, especially that Mimi one! And there was a shiny one! And a scary one, but not so scary. There’s way scarier things out here in the wastes. They’re mostly afraid of Big Yuyo though, he keeps us all safe. Auntie Jaller says so.

Papa made me go to bed, but after he and Pops went back down to the fire, and Gothby fell asleep, I snuck back out to Yuyo’s tail. Well, the part of his shell where the tail comes out, but he was sleeping, so it was inside. The soldiers always sing funny songs, and that big red guy, I think they called him Shaknul, he told a scary story about HUUUUUGE sharks! And the scary one went to say hi to the Acorn Sisters, but he didn’t give them anything. Nice Mimi did, though, she made a smoke dragon for them, I think they really liked that.

Then Mr Goorran started talking about all his magic stuff and they all got in a big discussion about money. Money is so silly. It’s just bits of metal. Why do people like it so much, I can find bits of metal one the ground all the time, doesn’t make them special. But anyway, I fell asleep then cuz money is boring.

Pops found me and carried me to bed, I guess, cuz I woke up there in the morning when Auntie Jaller came to get me for breakfast. We all went down to the campfire and I played with Mimi again while Auntie Jaller gave everybody some ash tea. She’s says it’s waste tea, made from the natural plants of the wastes, but I think it tastes awful. Mimi had a special bottle of something she drank and it made her really happy, but she didn’t have any to share, and Papa made me stop playing with her. Then the scary one said not to give your blood to strangers. Why would you do that? It’s MINE! Then they left, everybody leaves. Papa said we’re going to leave soon, too. I wonder if we’re going to go home or somewhere else this time. I miss home, but somewhere else is exciting!

~Lil’ Chespa

—

I was dead. I knew I was dead. I had accepted it. That cursed moon the night before proved it. The shadow demon was dead, and so was I. Dead in the rain in the Barbed Fields. It was an honorable death, and I would be reborn in the Light. A death with a sword in hand was the best one could ask for.

Then they came. Woke me back up, Pulled me from the brink. Just in time for the scavengers to come. Two Gloomstalkers descended, ready to harvest myself and my fellows. But they fought them off. Them and the skeletons that their screeches pulled from the ground. I don’t know how they did it. One named Kai’Osh stood over me, protecting me from the fight, keeping me safe and alive. Why am I alive?

Once the skeletons were scared off (that’s a powerful little autognome they’ve got there) or crushed and the stalkers put down, a young girl they called Urzutha began to cut them up. Harvested their eyes, teeth, claws, and webbing like it was nothing. I clocked a symbol on their metal friend. Slayers, of course. This couldn’t have been a contract, not like this, but once a Slayer, always a Slayer.

With their help, at least, my patrol won’t rise again. They load them and myself up on their mounts, and we ride. They’re a friendly bunch. The small ones keep everyone else entertained, it seems. Strange folk, but charming. They are all very kind to me, sharing what they have, and being very respectful of my friends’ bodies. Perhaps they will be useful back at the fort.

Ah Bazzoxan, home sour home. The moment we step inside, the horns start blaring and the mouthers start their babble. Yep, we’re home.

~ Captain Etupa Dreanelvie

Death and Demons

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, NetherdeepLeave a comment

Poppa said we should trail the Champions when they left today. Not too close, people like that invite trouble, he said. They got themselves some new mounts, too. Some worgs and a horse. The weird little gnome looks even scarier on his big scary worg. Guess Poppa was right.

A couple days out we found a big dead Gloomstalker. Looks like they mighta carved it up a bit to feed their doggos, too. We stayed away from it though, lots of scavengers were tearing up what’s left.

Couple more days there’s the leftovers of a big fire. Looks like they set a wagon on fire with three people still sleeping in it! Wow! Musta been real bad people.

Few more days and there’s a whole Bunch of people all laid out with their eyes and guts being chewed on by birds. Looks like there was some big battle, too. They musta really made the Champions mad. Poppa says it looks like there was some big creature here, too, but it’s all gone now. The ground is pretty gross still where it melted.

We’re almost to the Emerald Loop Caravan Stop now, and there’s some dead Moorbounders, all carved up and skinned, with their heads chopped off. I hope we don’t run into the Champions, they’re a lot scarier than they looked back at the Festival.

~Netti

Festival of Merit

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, NetherdeepLeave a comment

Some of them are walking a bit slow after all those pies, so they’re not going far. The riddle table is closest. Jonas steps forward from the group, I thought sure one of the others would want to do this one. He studies the box, and doesn’t even get a shock, picking the right key the first time. Ugh, boring. Guesses the moon riddle right off. Takes a bit of time on the bottles, but gets that one right, too. I guess that “proper” upbringing taught him enough doublespeak to understand riddles.

They’re headed to the Maze now. All the little gnomes take their turns. The metal one doesn’t make it, though it is a bit sneaky, and doesn’t get caught the first time. Did Jonas just bribe the judge? Strange, the little guy already lost. Ah well, even exiled nobles have more money than sense.

Down to the river to go swimming with the sharks now. Looks like the traitor is getting volunteered. At least fighting over here has put some meat on those bones. Getting stronger every day, and not a bad swimmer either. Though that genasi girl is keeping up. Did… did he just puke? Oh man, that orc swam right into it. And he got the spear. Quite a scrum up there. And here come the sharks. That orc is just done and out. Looks like that goblin might be done for, too. The traitor just leaves him behind. The genasi tries to keep up, but… Yes, I think he just used his echo to teleport. Wow, he’s really learning to control it! The traitor wins, and everyone rushes to save the dying goblin. Should have just let the failure die, he can’t even fight a shark.

They’re headed for the young tortoises, now. This oughta be good, some of them are snack-sized. There’s that genasi girl again, might have to have a chat with her. Everybody, even the fancy-pants drow mount up on tortoises. Guess I should grab one too, if I’m going to keep up and not get trampled. This isn’t so bad. Oh, the freaky gnome just fell off trying to get out the gate. He caught up, but the other little freak just fell off hers. Seems she made it mad, maybe kicked it in the eye on the way down or something. It is not interested in moving anymore. The lead herder had to go back and help her. I like this tortoises. Completely impractical in battle, though.

Back into town we go, they’re headed for the final game – arm wrestling. The hobgob made a good show, but the traitor nearly bested all three soldiers! None of the others even came close. I best be careful, he’s definitely getting stronger. Maybe I can join the genasi’s team, keep an eye on things. They’re headed to the temple, I guess I’ll go find her now.

Success. The final is a head-to-head event, and Ayo’s Crew looks strong to compete, and given the numbers difference, it was easy to get her to let me in. Glasariad seems interested in what I know about the others, as well. As I thought, Ayo and the “noble fragments” are the chosen teams. An underwater race for a prize.

An octopus? Who sends folk into an octopus den without warning!? The rest wasn’t so bad, and the sharks were nearly dead by the time we caught up with the fragments. The hobgob looked like he’d been bitten in half though. Dermot helped heal him back up. Ugh, I don’t know about this group. At least we go the kills. No amulet? Where’s the prize? Dammit, they got it before killing the shark. Another cave, though, another amulet. The traitor grabs it, of course. The fragments all fall unconscious and there’s a weird voice! Ayo won’t let us take the amulets from them. Not sportsmanlike. Ugh! Calm, must be calm. A vision? Hmm…

Cheers and gold for the victors, but they’re not even going to keep it? Feed and water the whole town? Amateurs, but I’ll drink on their coin. After I convince Ayo that we should find out what they know. Galsariad doesn’t take much convincing. A powerful artifact that gives visions? He’s already in.

In the morning, that elder talks to the fragments. Something about Bazzoxan, and a Vestige. Ayo is now all in. She’s ready to invite herself right along with the fragments, and they’re surprisingly up for sharing their glory. But they want to stay in town to help clean up and get supplies? Ayo is not about that. I guess I can let them out of my sight for now, they’ll catch up in Bazzoxan, and if he dies before he gets there. Well, I’ll get to go home with a good report.

~FS

On the Road Again

On By ravonlockeIn Journal, NetherdeepLeave a comment

What’s this? The traitor and the locals are headed to the Cuddly Snake Inn? Are they going to turn the little thief in or run the bounty out of town? I know what I’d do. They’re not even talking to her? Ugh! Oh, there we go, she’s giving them another poster and the hobgob is nodding. I don’t think they’re going to do it. How boring!

Back to the Take. What are they Doing in there? I hate boarded up windows. Gathering up the horses now. I think that goblin’s probably the little thief, or maybe it’s the walking goblin, never can tell with magic. They’re skipping town? Cowards!

What? Why are they going to the off road? Walking, along the river? Just take a boat if you’re not going to take the roads. Gotta be careful, stay far enough back. At least there’s only two horses so they can’t outpace me. I should have packed better, no telling how far they’re going.

Toads? They’re on the riverbanks because of toads? If I hiked all the way out here just to watch them kill some freakish toads!! Oh, what’s this? It worked?? He just… he made an echo! It looks a little small, though. But it is an echo! Oh, they’ll be so thrilled! And it’s gone. That wasn’t much of an echo. Now they’re cutting out the tongues and chopping off legs. Well, gotta eat something in this wasteland, I suppose. Maybe I can get some of the leftovers when they move on.

Ugh, so boring, but at least they’re still heading north and I didn’t waste my time. Not a simple hunt, they must be running for sure. It’s just a little gnome and dwarf, they could have taken them. Dynasty cowards.

Lighting a campfire at night? In this wasteland. That’s just asking for trouble, and it looks like trouble has come calling. Fortunate that they passed by me first. Keys? they’re looking for keys. Good job I didn’t have any, I guess. Oh, of course, now they’re fighting. I guess the hobgob doesn’t like unhinged cultists talking at him. Guy didn’t even move forward. Shot him anyway. Another echo! This one’s big! Hasn’t quite got it down right, but it’s fighting without him being outside his tent with it. That’s some control at least. They were harmless, well, for monsters. Two down, and three running away.

Spooky little gobbo keeps pointing at the hobgob, I guess he has keys. The Many? What are they even talking about? And why? Just kill them and be done with it, you start a fight, you finish it. He’s just babbling about keys and prisons and going away. That drow fellow is far too reasonable. They didn’t even kill the orc they downed. Put his own friend on the fire, well, I suppose he was mostly burned up already. Note: don’t make the creepy gnome mad, he shoots sticky fire. Now they’re talking religion and redemption?! And off the crazies go, into the night. Easy prey, but not worth the trouble.

Finally! A town! Map says Jigow. Interesting place. Houses on stilts, major trade hub it looks like by the amount of docks. Bet they’re happy the toads are dead. A festival, eh? This could be interesting. Easy to stay out of sight in the crowds. He is such a rube, can’t he see those goblins are just getting him to do their harvesting? Who can do it fastest? You probably, but you’ve convince all these folk to do it for you. Nice grift. Pie eating contest? Of course he going to stuff himself now. Hobgob won, tied with another human, and a halfling. Pathetic.

Wonder what else they’ll get up to, that swim in the river looks a bit dangerous, I swear I saw a shark fin.

~FS