We’re all still pretty spooked, and Jacques even passed out from sheer fear! That fleeting moment where it felt as though Sarenrae had turned from me, shook me. I was but a moment, but it scared me. And yet – it was just a moment. Perhaps a stronger burst of that unease we’d feel pass us earlier? Surely it wasn’t actually Sarenrae leaving me – but perhaps something is causing our fears to come to the surface?
Either way, we’re all pretty shaken, and decide to leave this place and head back to that cave to recuperate. And again, on the way out, that momentary feeling of unease.
On the way to the cave, we yet again have to make our way go through the crevasse of trash again. Usually in the light of day, it is a simple and quick task. However, at night, it feels claustrophobic and almost suffocating. To combat the darkness, I cast daylight on my Holy Symbol of Sarenrae, bathing our party in light and warning all those who may think of attacking us that it may be last thing they do. Aakpesh though thought he saw pair of red eyes at the very edge of the light.
Safe at the cave, I get to work on healing checks on Jacques, Aakpesh, and Preston – their fright had been so bad that they’d lots some of their wits (the fear effect caused a temporary drop in WIS score – the heal helped them recover points faster. Jacques failed so badly that his WIS score dropped to a negative, rendering him unconscious).
With everone on the mend, I rest. In the morning, I pray to Sarenrae and ask that she replace one of my spells with Lesser Restore, and then cast it twice on Jacques (he really lost a lot of WIS, and I didn’t roll all too well) before making our way to Redtooth‘s. Today, it would seem, is to be a day of healing for me. Many at ratfolk at Redtooth’s are still ill, so I gather them to show them the Grace of Sarenrae, and Channel her Positive Energy through me, to them (15hp!).
A guard taps Aakpesh on the shoulder, and informs us that Redtooth wants to see us. She tells us that she’d sent ratfolk to destroy a dish. This dish was somehow powering the Lords of Rust, and her team had failed. She asks us to destroyit, for her. Now, we’re already disabled a dish in Torch – perhaps that one was connected to the one here? If so, it’s not working, but it wouldn’t hurt to disable both. Just to be sure.
To help us achieve this common goal, Redtooth gives 2 packs of explosives – a sort of putty wrapped in wax paper called “Silex”. If we correctly set the charges (they somehow need to be set right), it should bring the dish down. Jacques takes them, bobbles them, and thankfully manages to not blow us all up. I know he’s a bit of a free spirit, but I convince him that we shouldn’t keep all our explosives in one basket – what if that one person accidentally detonates them? Or is captured? He gives one of the packages to Vayu, but he wants to hold on to the detonators. Again, what’s the point if both of the detonators are taken? He says “ok”, but he clearly isn’t, and leaves in a hissy.
We talk a bit more to Redtooth about these unsettling tunnels we’re exploring. She says her people have seen “grays” around there and that the place is haunted, known to house unnatural creatures – perhaps it is one of these creatures that are unnerving our party. Also, this is also where the dish to be destroyed is.
Before returning to the tunnels, we head to Dinvaya’s. She looks like she’s dancing with a sort of machine-golem – one of her new protectors. She’s not dancing though – it’s more like she’s sparring with it, training it. Her movements are very graceful, very fluid, yet look very powerful.
Jacques is still not feeling well, and I think he needs another night’s sleep before he feels back to his old self. Preston, on the other hand, disagrees. He gives Jacques 10 containers of nufood, saying it’ll help. So, Jacques eats 7. I have never in all my days seen someone eat so much food, especially when they didn’t need to. It’s quite comical, actually. After various containers, Jacques has turned a lovely shade of lavender and has begun to walk funny – like a cat with tape on his paws. Kitten mittens.
We ask Dinvaya for help with these tunnels before we depart, and she gives us a 6 pack of Lesser Restoration – she may not be able to advise us, but it will help. She also says that while doesn’t know how to stop these voices/feelings that wash over us there, she says that a mantra of sorts might help.
It’s been a pretty full day, mostly filled with travel, and we decide to return to the cave to rest and fully recover before we make our way to the tunnels and the dish. I heal up Preston and Jacques, before resting myself. In the morning, after some meditation and additional contemplation on the tunnels, I ask Sarenrae for assistance, and to replace a less useful spell with one to allow me to see the unseen.
Once back in the tunnels, I wait for that feeling of unease and cast Invisibility Purge. It reveals to Aakpesh and I a tentacled creature floating in the air, with one green eye. Thank Sarenrae, it worked! A moment later though, it winks out of sight. This spell lasts for 6 minutes, so it must have fled! We run and chase the creature, and are able to catch up! I cast Bull Strength and good luck on Aakpesh to close the gap, but he can’t make the jump. We go through a door on catwalk right in front of us. Aakpesh has been scared – I try to help, but only Lesser Restore 1 point of damage.
On the other side of that door, is another door which we get partially open. Jacques can’t disable the device, and neither can Aakpesh, so Jacques tries again and gets it! We’re still moving quickly though, chasing our agitator. One room has a number of desiccated grey corpses – they have big heads and large eyesockets. These must be the “grays” that Redtooth was talking about. Tenlow finds a bent white card with a red stripe. Tenlow manages to unbend it (rolled a 24!), but figures this access card is good for maybe 1 or 2 uses. Well, we’d better make them count.
We keep moving, running across more “grays” in cells, when we come across the agitator.
Roll for initiative.
Session Date: 07/28/2016 Session XP: 200. Title: Danzig – Without Light, I Am
