Gods and Choices

 

Location: the Lortmill mountains - former Duchy of Ulek. Near the village of  Hallowuud

Date: 19th of Reaping High summer

The Fellowship:

• Doc Holliday - Male 1/2 Orc | gunslinger/paladin
• Gothi - Female Foreclaimer | Ranger
• Graxxuzzaz - Male Lizard-folk | Sorcerer
• Tibaltuous -  Male 1/2 elf | Bard/Rogue/Warrior
• Hester - Male Tabaxi | Cleric

We rejoin the Redwater Fellowship as they are endeavoring to regain control of their Flying Tower from a band of Drow elves. Doc and the heavily wounded Tibaltuous are on the edge of the cliff looking down into the water where the drow knight fell and submerged; while Gothi, Graxxuzzaz and Hester are in the power chamber under the control room as the tower continues to ascend into the night sky.

Lukann

Tibaltuous limps over to the tent where he had persuaded the kobold to go back to sleep during the battle and discuss how to get to the tower.

Graxxuzazz goes up to the control room with the sphere and controls. They are smeared with blood, and the lizard-folk grins and takes control and then the tower slows it ascendance, and then slowly moves over to an open area near the camp. Doc and Tibaltuous, nod and smile.

The Librarian

Gothi, assists Lukann and the small insect/reptilian creature [the Librarian] a hand manacle around its waist, both still being drained of life force. Gothi examines Lukann, the wizard appears to be nearly fully drained of energy and life and releases him. Lukann sighs as the intense pain stops. He only weighs about 40lbs. now. Gothi nearly leaves the Librarian, after heading some activity upstairs but releases the small insectoid humanoid as well.

With a crunch and grinding, the tower lands, and then both Hester and Graxxuzazz hear the click on heels on the stairs coming from above. Gothi comes up into the control room and the three then see a female drown elf in black leather shiny boots on at the bottom of stairs. Tibaltuous and Doc search the tents -  Doc finding two children tied up, the paladin releases them as Tibaltuous searches boxes and bags.

Gothi nocks an arrow and pulls back, aimed at the black armoured drow elf woman. Looks exactly like the one recently killed. Clone or twin..? "Well my friends..." She starts.. then smiles as Graxxuzazz holds up a finger as if "one moment". Graxxuzazz notes a sensor that blocks all communication or scrying and it is turned on. So the Fellowship's telepathic comm. units cannot connect to the two outside.

One of the Drow Sisters

Doc and Tibaltuous gathers three chests as well as holding the kobold by the neck. Doc sees the whole front entrance to the tower is smashed and one gate door is gone and part of round wall destroyed - assumedly when the tower crashed into the cliff. Doc assists the two human children a 7 year old boy and 10 year old girl. The Paladin is able to calm them.

The party then engage in conversation with the drow. back and forth until they reach an agreement to allow the drow to acquire an item from one of the levels behind the glum gargoyle. Doc and Tibaltuous rejoin the group as the negotiations continue when another drow female who looks the same as well - triplets? The drow advises there are thirty drow still in the tower, so at first, the party decide allow the drow to acquire what they want an amulet to take over control of a level of the Abyss. The party continue to debate - telepathically - about taking the drow crew on. It doesn't appear that the drow is lying about this [DM: multiple insight checks]

Graxxuzazz offers to go get the amulet, and the drow readily agrees, asking "Once he dies," pointing at the lizardfolk, "who goes next?"

Entry to the Forbidden Zone

The other female suggests they come with the two drow, Gothi suggests this. "Come back with the amulet and then leave." The two drow agree, while Doc starts to go up the stairs. The females move out of the way. Doc scans the former kitchen with his detect life capability, and sees - invisible - seven drow in the room. The gunslinger/paladin then heads back down.

The party confront a LOT of drow

The party finally agree - very reluctantly - to allow the two female drow to go past the guardian gargoyle to try and obtain the amulet. The gargoyle looks to the Fellowship for confirmation and Doc, Gothi
and Graxxuzazz agree, he lumbers aside. The door opens and two massive tentacles can be seen briefly, until the two drow move in and then the party prepare to take on the drow females' followers.

Doc and Gothi confront the drow followers - a group of mercenary types it seems - and intimidate them to leave their masters. Gothi requesting them to speak in elvish - rather than drow. Gothi counts eleven drow as they head down the stairs. The ranger very resolute to make sure they ALL leave. Gothi for a moment thought she saw something going up the stairs and Gothi shouts out in anger. Was there ten.. or eleven drow out into the darkness around the tower? The party race through the tower, checking rooms and searching. Gothi heads to the Power room and the dead sister is not there!

Behind the bars the prisoner says "He came down grabbed her and headed up the stairs!" Gothi jumping up the stairs, then stops, activating her X-ray vision. There is something strange about the figure in the cell. An illusion! Gothi shouts telepathically - In the engine room! Hester moves down to assist.

The humanoid casts a spell on both Hester and Gothi. 

Graxxuzzaz and Tibaltuous delve into the Abyss

Meanwhile, Tibaltuous and Graxxuzazz head after the two female drow, behind the gargoyle. The two
have a LONG philosophical conversation with the gargoyle on guarding one side or both sides of the door, as it has done this for hundreds of years only stopping those from going through one way not both! They finally make the guardian understand - they hope and head through. The two massive tentacles one on each side lie unmoving, burned and cut to pieces. A glowing blue portal faces the two adventurers.

Graxxuzazz takes the time to summon his owl familiar and it flies through the portal. The sorcerer thinks he no longer has contact with his owl. Tibaltuous draws Sir Lawrence - his sentient sword - and puts the blade through the portal. The sword sounds like he is 100s' of feed away yelling, but the bard cannot hear. Tibaltuous steps through the portal, stepping onto a spongy surface, flesh like, with oozing sores, gangrene pock marks, blood and other fluids oozing from wounds. The passage walls seem similar as well, oozing wounds dribbling blood and other puss like fluids trailing down them. The two look back and the passage looks to be about a 100' back

Meanwhile, Hester fights off a charm like feeling while Gothi does not want to attack the drow. Hester fires a guiding bolt at the drow.  Hitting and the energy washes over the female dark elf. The drow tells
Gothi - charmed - to protect her and stand in front. Glowing bolts of energy fly from the drow's fingers and smash into Hester.

Doc having taken control of the tower and raised it into the sky to around 300', heads down to assist Hester and Gothi. Doc yells down to take the spike growth spell, but she declines, after the drow whispers to not do this. Doc jumps down taking some damage and joins the fray. Hester summons a Spiritual weapon. The moon sickle swings and hits, but she is able to keep concentration of the charm on Gothi. Doc calls forth the power of the Raven Queen and fires his pistol, still holding the concentration to dominate Gothi.

Back to Tibaltuous and Graxxuzzaz, the two move down the passage, a wall with a skull inset seems to recede as the two move forward, but the two start to sink into the blood and puss filled fleshy ground. The two pray to their patron? - Orcus. [DM: Blogpost].

Tibaltuous is starting to struggle and sink into the fleshy ground, the puss and bloody ooze seeping into his clothes and all over. For Graxxuzzaz though he is able to step forward and the skull wall appears closer. The lizardfolk looks back, pausing reaching down to assist the 1/2 elf bard but then stops and stands up tall, as the bard tells sorcerer to go onwards! The bard prays top Orcus and ponders realizes he is losing his connection to the tome of Orcus and sinks to his waste into the spongy gangrenous ground - even as Graxxuzazz gains the power and understanding. 

Tibaltuous calls out to Graxxuzazz to help,  the sorcerer turns and contemplates the bard, Graxxuzzaz tells him head back. Friendship or power.. It seems power wins out as Graxxuzzaz leaves the bard.

Tibaltuous raises his sword and tries use the flying power to raises himself but it only stops him from sinking. Tibaltuous slowly tries to continue. The two talk about treachery and more. Drama in the Book club [other party name]. The bard starts to sink again, all his power and more to try and hold steady.

Meanwhile, back with Gothi, Doc and Hester. Gothi is n o longer affected by the charm and the drow disappears [combo misty step and invisibility] and then up to the top of the stairs they see her. Hester brings the spiritual weapon forward but misses. Gothi action jumps around the corner and as she is leaping fires two arrows at the drow sorcerer - she slumps to the ground as the first arrow hits and the ranger ensures she is down with the second arrow cuts into her neck, Gothi walks up and stabs her fiercely with her trident. The drow sorcerer is dead drained of blood.

Meanwhile in the abyssal pocket dimension - Graxxuzzaz moves forward into a large room and find the two drow, he negotiates with the two and is able to grab the amulet from drow. Before they can react, Graxxuzzaz puts the amulet ON. 

gods and patrons

The lizardfolk feels like he is pulling in three directions by omnipotent beings:

His Lizard-folk God Essyliss - is starting to fade

OR

Orcus his patron working with Tibaltuous for the last weeks and months - is starting to fade

OR 

This new being that is coming up behind the sorcerer. A formless entity, power emanating and pulsing - massive in size. He feels his bones, tendons and muscles being pulled in three ways and screams in pain, having never felt this level of agony before. He has a major decision to make choose his god, his patron or a NEW patron.

The Book Of Orcus

Gritting his teeth as blood seeps from his mouth, eyes and ears, he TURNS to face the new being as he feels the power of his LIZARD god AND of Orcus being ripped from his body. He sees and feels this form come around him and feels his body regenerating. He feels the power of his former god, and patron Orcus - gone. The  lizardfolk feels a new connection to the Abyss.

Tibaltuous chest deep in the bloody ooze of the spongy ground. He feels newly energized and no longer tied to the book of Orcus. The bard is able to move forward and sees a massive room filled with lava with pedestals across the area.

Tibaltuous launches a fireball which hits the two drow and Graxxuzzaz. The two drow bow to the sorcerer. 

Graxxuzzaz hears in his mind: "Don't kill your servants or mine." 

Tibaltuous casts hold person and one of the drow is not moving. Graxxuzzaz advises the drow are not a threat. 

Tibaltuous pauses and looks about - thinking. He realizes he is in a room created by the demons and elves. There is a massive form behind Graxxuzzaz and it looks to be a humanoid form, it is one toe of the massive being. Probably estimates 600' or 700' tall. Tibaltuous and Graxxuzzaz discuss and debate. Later both realize that the form was not a toe, but their small minds could only perceive a humanoid form as they thought about it longer both realized the form was amorphous.. was a vast entity in space.

The NEW Patron

One of the sister drow says to Graxxuzazz, "Avatar. Do you wish us to deal with him?" She places a hand on her dagger hilt as she looks at Tibaltuous with a gleam in her eyes and a wicked smile.

Graxxuzzaz declines and says no. It seems the drow look to the lizardfolk as their leader now. He advises Tibaltuous he had to relinquish his worship of his god and Orcus.

The bard agrees reluctantly and the two make their way out of the Abyssal plane. The two drow do not follow.

It appears the number of titles of Graxxuzazz grows larger. The titles he holds:

Graxxuzzaz, governor of the west, deacon of the south, chief of money, noble of the north, sir of treasure, finder of passages, the entertainer, slayer of evil, Namer of lakes, holder of many titles, banisher of spirits, master of locks, flyer of towers, master of fire, Parter of Waves, Master of History, master of elements, closer of gates, slayer of giants, grand strategist, destroyer of otherworldly beings, Champion of Essyliss, crusher of stone beings, man of many faces, persuader of demons, the strong, the lucky, the wise, the willful, the Abyss walker, the steadfast, the charismatic, Senteq Saply, the great, the glorious, the First and Only.

Now.. "Avatar of..?"

Once back in the hall, they see and move by the sad gargoyle. Doc scans through the tower looking for hidden drow and doesn't detect any. The Fellowship finally.. have full control of the flying tower! 

Next time a debate/confrontation between Graxxuzzaz and the rest of the Fellowship!

Audio Summary: 

[courtesy of https://notebooklm.google.com]