Jethryk is able to forcibly remove his amorous clingers from his form, but gets the distinct impression from the faces of the boggards around them that a certain degree of consummation will be required of him to maintain his status and aura in the future...
Retreating a short distance so that words may not be o'erheard, you plan your next actions...
Yawning and stretching Shendalyn looks about the village. "A shame Mr. Jethryk is not a cosmopolitan man. So whose up for a bit of the rest before we survey these tunnels a bit more fully? I doubt there's much to be seen here but plenty of use I can imagine. I'm of the mind to send some of our more expendable resources." Shendalyn says with a small gesture towards Gurthock that elicits a growl from the malformed devil. "Up stairs to survey the tunnels above. Though if Hears-the-father may help us it would be good to know why the Bane Wogs have purposely avoided the floors above."
"I'm not surprised our shaman 'hears the father'. He's nuts, hopped up on nightmare shrooms like the ones we found out in the forest. There's bound to be a cave full of them down here somewhere I'd wager." Mi'Dre observes once they have some privacy. "Should be able to make use of it... I can perhaps add some real voices to the ones in his head, but if we push too far on that branch it's going to snap. Any idea who he thinks is talking to him?" Mi'Dre asks the others, he hadn't seen any obvious religious iconography around, but it wasn't exactly his strong suit.
Based on the iconography, the Father that is worshipped is Dagon, a demon lord.
the little devil splutters with momentary rage. "This place may be home of the bane-wogs when we're gone but not him..." he growls, lowering his voice. "I'll take care of him myself..."
It takes several moments before the Devil stops his angry mutterings and is able to continue with the current conversation. "We need to find out what else is down here before we go poking around in the horn proper... The froggies should be able to tell us what is trying to eat them down here. If there's nothing, then we can start poking our heads into the Daemon worshipers."
Sholano, much to his surprise, finds himself agreeing with Mi'Dre, although his eyebrows twitch at the idea of "taking care" of a demon lord. "Indeed. These creatures may not know much, but the threats of the general area should lie within their limited scope. We can use that."
Jethryk nods to Sholano.
"Yes, it would be good if they could be of some real use..."
Over the next day you fully explore the lower caverns of the Horn, Hears-the-Father barking at a lowly boggard to guide you as he retreats to his shrine to commune with his deity.
This broad open cave is the only visible entrance to the lower caverns. The many stalactites, stalagmites, and columns of wet living stone resemble nothing so much as fangs contained inside a large loathsome grin. The cave is covered by countless pools of standing fetid water and ubiquitous slicks of mud that make the entire surface of the maw count as difficult terrain from the entrance to the dotted-line more than forty feet in.
C2 – Pool of Acid
This small wet cave, through a bizarre natural process, sweats acid from its northern wall. The acid has pooled and is surprisingly deep and contains roughly 100 vials worth of acid.
C3 – Empty Cavern
This perpetually dripping cavern is empty save for a murky pool populated with blind cave fish.
C4 – Boggard Ambush Site
With its many stalagmites and shadowy corners, this cavern is a natural ambush site. Further, the ground in the middle of the room here is comparatively dry and soft.
C5 – Empty Cavern
This non-descript cavern is empty and mostly dry.
C5A – the southern passage into this chamber is very narrow. Medium sized creatures can still enter here, but this square counts as difficult terrain. Anything larger cannot pass here. Smaller creatures can pass through here without penalty.
C6 – Empty Cavern
C7 – Empty Cavern
C8 – Mud Pits
Geothermal activity below the Horn of Abaddon has created a natural cauldron of boiling mud here. The hot mud is obvious and not particularly dangerous. If anyone casts detect magic here, the mud is actually faintly magical. Across the mud pool there is a natural shelf and upon that shelf is an old mud-splattered metal chest. Currently the chest is empty and open, its lock ruined.
C9 – Boggard Village
Every boggard in the Lower Caverns lives here in seven crude mud and thatch huts.
C10 – Empty Cavern
An empty nondescript wet cavern.
C11 – Strange Fish
This is another wet cavern with a pool of water at its rear. This pool however has a faint glow to it and is surprisingly clear. This pool contains weird pale blue blind cave fish with delicate thread-like spines on their forefins.
C12 – The Cavern of the Blue Slime
This is seemingly yet another wet empty cavern notable only for its very distinctive blue slime mold that covers the western wall. The vibrant blue slime is neither poisonous nor dangerous but is visually striking. Otherwise, at first glance, this cavern appears uninteresting.
Actually, this cavern conceals a great secret. There is a miniscule little tunnel that leads from the base of the southern wall. No creature bigger than tiny (or gaseous or incorporeal) can pass through this small passage to C13 beyond.
Zikomo Hears-the-Father has been having visions about this cavern and knows that there is something crucial to the future of the Horn of Abaddon here though he does not know exactly what.
C14 – Empty Cavern
An empty nondescript wet cavern.
C15 – The Backdoor
This large wet cavern is dominated by two murky pools on either side of a comparatively wet walkway. The muck and slime that coats the floor makes the entire chamber count as difficult terrain.
A – This is a particularly large and beautiful cave formation that emerges from the pool. Delicate crystals stud its exterior.
C16 – Fungus Farm
The floor of this cavern, save for a walkway around the edge is covered in a mix of mud and boggard manure. From this foul mixture grows a field of barely edible mushrooms that the boggards reluctantly consume when they can’t get anything alive to eat.
C17 – The Breeding Pool
The next generation of boggards swims about and grows in this murky pool. The little boggard tadpoles are noncombatant and confined to the water. They actually look like strange little fish at this stage.
A – A crude stone statue of a great bloated tentacled boggard watches the pool. This is of course a statue of Father as the bane-wogs perceive him.
C18 – Bone Pit
This wet cavern is full of bones of both animals and sentients. This collection was largely cobbled together from everyone the boggards have ever murdered plus dozens of bodies found scattered about dating from the destruction of the Sons of the Pale Horseman eighty years ago.
C19 – Deadly Diamonds
At first glimpse, this room looks like a treasure cavern. Beautiful “diamonds” sparkle along the far wall. However, this sparkling beauty conceals a deadly trap. There is a patch of flowstone so thin that any weight greater than ten pounds will cause it to collapse. Whoever steps on the slick patch will likely fall through this thin “cave ice” onto a floor of jagged stalagmites thirty feet below. There is a pool of strangely luminescent water that pools around the stalagmite’s base.
C20 – Empty Cavern
An empty nondescript wet cavern.
C21 – Fungus Farm
This is another boggard fungus farm, exactly as C16 above.
C22 – Holding Pen
The boggards have constructed a crude holding pen here. This is where victims captured in the swamp are dragged and held until the proper moment for them to be sacrificed to Dagon and then eaten. Currently it is empty save for a few scattered bones.
A – This is the crude door to the holding pen. It is made of salvaged bits of metal that have been lashed together. There are no hinges or locks, it is simply wedged in place and tied to several holes in the rock.
C23 – Zikomo’s Temple
This large and high-vaulted cave drips with water so constantly it seems as if it is perpetually raining. Fetid pools and luminescent algae combine to give the chamber an ominous greenish glow and a lingering stench. The chamber is dominated by a large and impressive mud and stick hut that is surprisingly sturdy. The entrance is decorated with bones and leather strips cut from dozens of creatures (many sentient).
Their 'tour' complete, Sholano releases a deep breath. "Well. As interesting as these caverns were, it doesn't seem like we are to find our answers here. Shall we move on?"
The corpulent hemothurge agrees with a nod;
"I wholeheartedly concur my more comely of Blackhearts... there is little of consequence here to slake our... appetites...mmm"
Cuxcarr holds the gaze of first Albina, then Sholano before whetting his lips before flashing a disturbing smile.
"Whilst I do no care for the decor, there may yet be something for us down here: What about that narrow passage that leads from the chamber of the blue slime? That Boggard shaman seemed to think there might be something beyond, but was a bit vague on the specifics... Albina? Would you be able to prepare a spell to move the stone, or should we just get the frog-people to hack through?"
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Albina nods at Jethryk's query, "Allow me to commune with our true Master, and I shall see if even unyielding stone can be shackled to His will."
When they are near the aforementioned passage, she reviews the area, attempting to divine what sort of magic might best clear the passage.
"Does anyone know aught of architecture or stonework?" she asks, detailing the three options above, and seeking help in determining which would be the best bet.
Albina observes the wall as Albina ponders it's construction. He finds her third theory unlikely, but doesn't bother to comment, simply moving past her and placing his ear against the wall, giving a few experimental taps in different places, shifting his ear and repeating the process a few more times. "If you've got something that could shrink me some I could probably fit through there..." he offers as he tests the wall.
Sholano shakes his head at Albina's query, slightly irritated with himself. "Sadly, not as much as I might like. It may be less risky to start by not disturbing the stone, if we can. Who knows what might be shaken loose?"
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Thinking back to the dweomered mud;
"If the transmutative properties of the mud allow one to breath underneath water, or, in this case, mud, temporarily, it could be a means of reaching another series of chambers that anyone not knowing of the mud's special magic properties would not know of." Albina muses aloud.
She then looks again at the mud and shudders. "I'm not sure that there's any amount of money that would motivate me to use such a travel method..."
Sholano's eyebrows twitch at that last. "I think the motivational power of the right amount of currency might surprise you, lady Mariposa." He flashes her a quick, amused smile of commiseration, then goes back to contemplating their current issue. "That said, it certainly wouldn't be my first choice. I think I would have to decline that option unless we were certain, and it was the only reasonable way forward."
After looking upon the small passage and using Jethryk's influence to give you privacy from the boggard - Albina calls upon her master's power to force the stone to bend to her will. The tunnel proves too long to allow passage for a man... but is made just wide enough for Mi'Dre to squeeze through.
Winding about thirty feet through stone it then opens into a chamber wrought of natural stone. A lime encrusted human skeleton leans against the south wall clutching a heavy leather bound book titled The Dirge of Apollyon. At the skeleton's feet, half-buried in accumulated muck... Mi'Dre spots the glint of a gemstone.
"I'll check it out later and see how deep it goes. Could be an escape route perhaps?" Mi'Dre offers as they approach the 'sacred cave' once more. He watches as Albina reshapes the stone, and pulls off his extra attachments once she has widened it as much as she can, though he leaves his circlet on. He'd have to be careful about revealing himself here it seemed. The shaman's brain may be addled but he still might know enough to recognize a devil, and then they'd have to waste perfectly good minions...
Straightening up after making it through the tunnel he casts a quick look around, and then after concentrating for a few moments, does so again, looking for magic this time. Unless anything strikes him as out of the ordinary or otherwise suspect, he will mosey over and snatch up the items in question.
Shendalyn spends a lot of time in the cavern of blue slime.
Not one to take the visions of madmen entirely for granted he twiddles the blue mushroom between thumb and forefinger for a while before shrugging.
Setting his gear aside he ensures anything particularly sharp on the floor is gone before stripping down to his underclothes. Calling forth Gurthock and Lemures he gives them terse instruction. "Let no harm come to me."
With that he sits crosslegged on the floor of the cavern facing the blue slime and devours one of the hallucinogenic mushrooms.
As Mi'Dre casts his eyes upon the gem with arcane sight he needs squint his orbs quickly closed lest he be blinded by a piercingly radiant aura shining forth from the gem.
The book shows no magic aura upon it.
"Yeesh. Well that should be interesting..." he murmurs to himself, snatching up the two items and turning to head back to the others. "Well, we got a corpse, a magic scrying crystal and what I'm guessing is a daemon holy book" he observes as he emerges from the tunnel. He hands the book to Albina and the Gem to Cruxxcarr.
When he notices the almost nude Shendalyn sitting in the middle of the floor with Gurthok and a lemure he smirks. "What's the naked one up to?"
Gurthock shrugs. "The pointy eared bastard decided ta sample the shaman's goods. I swear by Mammons spiky ballsack if he starts screaming fer a knoife ta pry the spiders off his skin I might just grant him his humble wish."
"A profane book, you say?" Sholano inquires with some interest, moving to Albina's side and inspecting the tome. "Fascinating. Anything to be learned from it?"
"This should be interesting..." he muses, still smiling at the unaware Half-Elf. When Sholano questions him he glances towards the other pointy eared one. "How should I know? Books aren't my thing..."
Opening the tome, Sholano and Albina find that it details the long history of the “Sons of the Pale Horseman” and recounts their efforts to transform this world into a daemon’s playground. Fascinating from a historical standpoint and likely valuable to the right buyer... but it is the text hand written in scratchy verse upon the final pages that holds the most interest:
Behold our shame that we, the Sons of the Pale Horseman, failed in our darkest hour to defend our prince the undying and ever malevolent Vetra-Kali Eats-the-Eyes. But I have seen it! I have seen the road to repentenance! 666 prayers. Three per day will break the hated Seal. With each prayer bathe the seal in unholy water and intone the dirge.
At the stroke of midnight each day call forth the Supplication to Darkness. Pray to the darkness so that we shall be forgiven. Upon the first midnight make the first sacrifice -- one of our own blood -- so that Vetra-Kali will know we are repentant.
At the first light of each dawn call forth the Cursing of the Light. Answer the spread of the shining lord’s light with our unyielding defiance. Upon the 111th Curse make the second sacrifice -- a true believer of Iomedae -- so that the cursed god of the invaders will know that we fear him not and that his power to hold our master at bay is ending.
At dusk as darkness returns each day cry forth the Call Across the Void. Recite the name of Vetra-Kali so that he may hear us and return. With the final Call offer the third sacrifice -- one of the Victor’s own blood. By the same blood that caged him so shall our master be freed.
Let ye with wisdom understand. Once the final prayer is uttered upon the 222nd dusk, Vetra-Kali will begin his long traverse across the great wheel.
At the stroke of midnight on that day he will emerge into his Sanctum and the Seal shall shatter. Blessed day! Be ready, my brothers. His eyes have been stolen from him. Return them and the Prince will honor ye with one task for each.
For the Eye of Vigilance ask only for his mercy upon we mortals and plead that he do ye and yours no harm. For his wroth will be great.
For the Eye of Hatred ask for his greatest gift -- the Tears of Achlys so that once more every corner of the world may know his mercy.
For the Eye of Withering ask what ye will for in his gratitude he must answer your charge.
And then behold, the Prince restored. All shall know his blessings of pestilence and despair.
-R.Kappelbrenner
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"This could take awhile..." Albina mutters aloud as she relates the instructions to the others, "Unless someone has been so kind as to do the 222 days of prep-work for us."
"And we are going to need to find some people, and some missing body parts. A worshipper of the daemon itself, a worshipper of Iomedae, preferably a cleric or paladin, I suspect, and a third person I'm not clear on. A descendent of whomever defeated and bound the daemon, I think. We might have to research that part, if no one happens to remember..."
"I would hope that we'll find at least one of the eyes in the process of finding a descendent of this 'Victor' as well."
Jethryk frowns.
"This... may take a little longer than I was expecting. I just hope that there is better accommodation; I am not looking forward to the idea of spending more than half a year with the frogs!"
Shendalyn begins to sweat profusely before his head lolls back and his eyes shift rapidly from side to side looking at thigns that are not there.
Shendalyn begins to sweat profusely before his head lolls back and his eyes shift rapidly from side to side looking at thigns that are not there.
Cruxcarr assists with the dissemination of the text. At the growing scope of the task ahead the hemothurge mulls a way forward;
"Indeed it will take time... time and patience my Blackhearts... However the process will be a... delicious endeavour... yessss... a succulent quest to fulfil not just Thorn's bidding... but also our own appetites and aspirationsssss...."
The corpulent wizard flashes a needle toothed smile and allows his tongue to taste the air.
As they peruse the notes, Sholano's face slowly twists into an expression of extreme irritation. "Nearly a full year? I do believe that may stretch the Cardinal's timetable a bit more than I'm comfortable with."
He shakes his head. "We should see if there are any other routes we might try before we commit ourselves to this course. It's possible these fool cultists missed something, or perhaps supplicants who hadn't already failed their...Prince can circumvent the ritual."
Sighing, he adds, "If we are forced to waste over two hundred days wallowing in this filthy place, then it seems to me adding a few more to finish exploring won't be a problem. Besides which," he finishes, spreading his hands in a gesture of futility, "We'll need to find these Eyes first regardless."
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"It is entirely possible some devotees to the creature have been performing the rites faithfully already, and we might capitalize on their efforts by providing them with the eyes they need to complete their holy task." Albina says hopefully, having no wish to spend the better part of a year and 100 plus lbs. of gold on unholy water to complete this task.
Shendalyn curls up on the floor and lets out a low groan that sulminates rapidly into a blood curdling scream as he writhes on the floor punching at invisible attackers.
Gurthock sniggers to himself.
Jethryk shrugs.
"Well, I certainly would prefer seeing whether there are any alternatives available in the upper levels! We should probably wait until that one finishes drooling, though.", he says, nodding towards Shendalyn.
Eyeing Shendalyn, Sholano takes a step away from the wailing summoner and simply nods to Jethryk. "Aye."
"From the way he was talking back on the boat I'd say he had some inkling of the scope of this task." Mi'Dre observes sourly. How the hell was he going to keep himself entertained for more than half a year. For now he manages it by flicking mushrooms at the naked, twitching summoner. He could certainly try the mushrooms but he doubted they'd have as much of an affect on him.
"Not bloody likely." He snorts at Albina's optimism. "If we have to wait for him to stop tripping anyway, then I'm going to go check out the mud." he observes, trudging off. "We should probably try and close up that tunnel too, wouldn't want our deranged shaman friend thinking we'd been messing around with his 'holy site.'" he calls over his shoulder, leaving that problem to them.
Mi'Dre moves to the room of mud and attempts to discern more of it's nature. Apart from a seeming concentration of the taint that stains the horn entire, the mud is merely geothermally hot and scalding to the touch.
Mi'Dre flies over the mud pit and gives the chest a bit of a poke to make sure there are no leftover traps before starting to remove his gear, dropping it into the chest. He hesitates slightly over the circlet, finally slipping into the mud and removing it as he sinks down into the hot, bubbling mud with a contented sigh. It wasn't exactly home, but the heat was nice and the odor rather pleasant. After relaxing for a moment he starts to probe around, wondering how deep the thing does go and if there's any merit to Albina's theory. If he finds nothing he simply relaxes, enjoying the bath.
Mi'Dre finds no more of interest than a welcome bathe in the searing heat.