RUINS OF SESS'INEK

 

The group make their way towards their old raft, which they find broken. Agis manages to patch it up, and so their new journey begins. They decide to avoid the open lake, sticking to bordering the land heading towards the south. They notice catfishes are 2 and 3 feet long, and numerous, in the area they are going through. After a while, Sir Frederich spots the ruins. They make their way and arrive at its entrance. The ruins are completely covered in vines. Through their journey there has been the constant sound of cicadas. Agis checks for trails and deducts that rodents and snakes have been in the area. The doors of the ruins lay one on top of the other and seem rotten. Sir Frederich attempts to open them, they fall at the same time and break in pieces, rotten wood spilling along some termites. Inside, darkness greets the trio. The floor shimmers, reflections of the outdoor light.

Sir Frederich goes in, and as he steps indoors something raises in front of him, a greyish substance that strikes like a snake. Pheara faces two strikes from this type of entity. Agis attacked from behind with his bow, Kelar attacked using his crossbow. The three snakelike grey oozes raise and prepares to engulf their prey... Pheara gets engulphed by one of the grey oozes. Agis and Kelar fight it but realize they are not haring it. Kelar decided to light an improvised torch by strapping rags around the light crossbow’s bolt tip and setting it ablaze. He hit the ooze, but it did not flinch. Trying to get Pheara out, Agis was able to push his arm inside the ooze and grab her, taking her out. The ooze leaped backwards, as if in pain.

Meanwhile, Sir Frederich battled an ooze as well. His strong and certain hits only made the creature split for seconds. The creature did not seem to be harmed at all by his blade. He decided instead to punch it. Punching the grey ooze proved effective, as his fist’s momentum made the creature leap backwards.

Kelar and Agis kept battling the first wounded grey ooze, but then the third ooze leaped over Pheara, engulphed her again. Pheara desperately tried to get out of the thick blob without much result.  

FEN

Returning to the village of the lizard folk granted a much-needed rest. The acolyte and lesser shaman, Rhask and JinkJink, helped shaman Quazky preparing and applying medical herbs to the human, the elf and the Vistana. Of the lizard folk warriors, only one made it. And the young human seemed rather disturbed with thoughts of legend and lore. Shaman Brucian greeted everyone in the mess hall, but only speaks to the adventurers when they handle being separate from the lizard folk. He is very concerned about Luc and fears that something is up. When asked about what it meant when Luc kept saying “Libert’e”, he grows grim and explains:

“Libert’e, rumors of Libert’e… The common… the oppressed… The dreams of true equality and freedom… Dreams humans pursue when they have always lived enslaved… Enslaved to the material, enslaved to plantations, enslaved to Loas… enslaved to the Lord of the Dead.

Libert’e lies somewhere in the mists… A land of peace, freedom and long lost friends who awaits for you… Legends say you must have suffered like no other and found a special protective amulet before you dream of a safe path towards it… Humans fell to the Merrshaulky, but some wandered the swamps as part of that quest… finding Libert’e… They looked, too far, too deep… And here we are”.      

 The lizard folk in the village keep to themselves. Shaman Quazky is very concerned as the leader of the lizard folk wants the humans gone. The lizard folk is starting to prepare to move on from the location as it has been compromised by the presence of the humans.

The people rescued from the Merrshaulky are still asleep. The Coup Padre effect lasts up to three weeks… Quazky warns the adventurers that they must think of a way to take the humans home, as soon as possible. There are almost 40 humans sleeping in the village right now.

When asked about who their god is, he explains Essylizz is the lizard folk deity. Essylizz is kind and provides nourishment and protection. Sandovor spoke of a snake god that was worshipped many years ago… Sess’inek, a snake god, was worshipped in some ruins that still exist, to the south. The ruins have been emptied. The lizard folk are practical people, and they have taken furniture from the ruins. Those are the furniture around the village, furniture carved with images of snakes. They did not mind the carvings are they are reptilian. Quazky adds “You may find answers in the ruins of ancient Sess’inek. Now, about human dreams… there are rumors of a special amulet found in the hands of the son of suns. I have heard such things… from other travelers, lost. I know not what that means”.

Kelar awakens from his sleep, quite disturbed. He walked through the mists, reaching a gate leading towards what seem an idyllic place. He could glance at people moving and dancing and singing far away. Holding the gates, he saw a figure walking towards him. The figure gets near and is about to open the gate. Kelar recognizes the priest of Osiris that had helped him back in Marais D’ Tarascon, fighting the walking dead: Orion. Orion stood dressed in white robes trimmed in gold. He smiled and extended his arms: “Welcome, my friend! Welcome to Libert’e”

Kelar looked confused. Orion nodded “I do see you found the destination, but not the way. You must find he way, spread the word, get the key. It is real. Libert’e is real. Spread the word. Find the key”.

Kelar repeated” Libert’e…”

Orion smiled again “Yes, my friend, we live on free… forever… in here. But you need the key.

Kelar saw Orion turning around starting to walk away. He kept asking as he went away: “What is the name? What is the name? Say it, say it loud… Say it, my friend”

Kelar screamed: “Libert’e”. He sat, abruptly waking up. He was in a room filled with cots with dormant humans. At his side, shaman Brucian had been changing a bandage in his arm. Brucian smiled, saying in a very low tone “Seems whatever sting you also sting Luc… Quiet… You don’t want to draw more attention to yourself. We have enough to discuss.”

Kelar, Sir Frederich, and Agis decided to go visit the ruins of Sess’inek to see if they could find answers in there. Luc had come to them, letting them know that there may be a way towards the sea if they headed North, a way that may be safer to lead his people through. Upon learning that the others will go check the ruins, Luc wants to go with them, but sir Frederich convinces him not to, because he needs to lookout for his people. Luc thinks about it and then agrees. He would stay with Brucian in Fen, to take care of his people.

THE WELL

Sir Frederic, Agis and the lizard fol shaman went down the hill. They agreed on checking if there was something in the well. Sir Frederic piled up bodies of Merrshaulky in the event that the toad resurfaced… but they would focus on trying to find out where was the snake god or is there was another way out.

Getting close to the well, they noticed that for moments there is a draft of extreme heat coming from inside the well. Looking into it, they can only see up to 7 feet down, after that everything remains in deep darkness. Quazky tied a rope to himself, as Sir Frederick decided to go down, followed by Agis. Shaman Quazky would stay making sure the rope would hold.

A few feet beyond the darkness, there was a light. It seemed that there was an arch right to the front, and then another arch with a lighted torch on each side. Beyond the second arch, there was only darkness. Sir Frederick went on to explore, going into the darkness making sure that there was a floor before stepping in. Both him and Agis felt an ambience of heat and dryness. The swift wind that would pass by at what seemed like synchronized moments would bring hotter air from down below. Perhaps hell could be reach down below… A few feet after the darkness, the visage clears up a bit. The place looks to open up as a cave, a small cave. Grunts and muted, raspy sounds are heard from a corner. Getting closer, the adventurers met with the dreadful visage of the man they came to know as Sandovor. In the shadows, he reacted to their approach throwing himself at them, his clawed hands open and ready to rip flesh…

Sandovor fell to the floor, in pain. He had giant shackles tying him down, binding him to the small, dark, dry, hot cavern. His naked body revealed some broken scales as well as wounds that were still bleeding. Sunken chest and protruding ribs gave the feel of starvation, and his dry, rugged dark skin could easily remind you of flesh ready to be ripped from an animal to be manipulated into leather works. He sneers, as well as he seems suffocated. Still, he tries to stand once more. Sir Frederick and Agis were shocked to find him there, trapped in such a way. Upon asking him why he was there, he smirked and hissed “Waiting for death”.  He raised his arms defiantly, tightening the links of the thick chain. A wave of wind with heat went in and he winced. Agys poured drops of water on him. Sandovor savored the drop as if it was his last one. The elf gave him the flask of water, which Sandovor gulped in a frenzy. Compassion overcame Agis’s mistrust of the wretched creature… He knew the evil that the leader of the Merrshaulk could do and have done… but he would not agree to death by starvation and thirst. He gave him more to drink, and rations. Sandovor lost himself in the improvised feast that was offered to him. Sir Frederic took Agis aside, and both discussed what should be their next step…

In an exchange of words, they came to an agreement for just being able to get out of the accursed place. Sandovor speaks for the survival of the Merrshaulky… their rites and right to be left alone. He is made to promise that attacks to abduct villagers from Marais D’ Tarascon will stop. He promises to keep his word, in exchange of the eyes of the serpent. He claims he needs the eyes of the serpent… Upon closer examination, you realize that his eyes had been taken out of their sockets… leaving him blind. Sir Frederick is not compelled to make any promises, but Agis gives hope for that. Sandovor replies with anger: “Bring me the eyes of the serpent and then I will no longer prowl upon your people. Of this I give my word. But I must have the eyes! He took my eyes!”. The adventurers released Sandovor from his captivity.

Sir Frederic tries to see if there was more following the rope down, but he slipped and was lucky enough to grasp the end of the rope. Darkness, extreme heat, the wind that would come… but nothing but darkness… He decided to go up. Upon passing by the arches, Agis and Sandovor follow his lead. Soon the trio made it out of the well. Shaman Quazky was startled when seeing Sandovor, but the others let him know they had a… deal. The shaman noticed the dark man’s eyes were gone… He tried his best to steer away from him, not trusting him.

The group decided to get Luc out trying to avoid the toad. Agis went on using the roots that made up the walls around the pool. He balanced himself swiftly, and silently, but upon reaching the main trunk and trying to climb it to reach the branch with the cage, he slipped. He managed to hold on to roots avoiding the mud, but branches broke and fall in the mud pool, and bubbling intensified in the area around the tree trunk. Sir Frederick had some Merrshaulky bodies ready to throw them to the toad, if needed.

Agis went on to walk on the branch as it was wide enough, opened the bamboo cage, and tried waking up Luc… Luc opened his eyes, extremely agitated and violently screaming on top of his longs “Liberte! Liberte!”. Trying to calm down Luc was almost unachievable. Agis mentioned how Brucian would love to hear about this, and Luc seemed to be able to control himself. They got out of the cage and started making their way back from the tree. Almost reaching the end, both fell into the mud. Sir Frederick tossed the bodies, so the toad was busy with them, and Agis was able to get out and take Luc out. Luc was beyond weak and kept repeating “Liberte”.

Running out of alternatives, they went one last time to the top of the hill. Shaman Quazky took two of his men over his shoulders. Agis took Kelar and one lizard folk. Sir Frederick took Luc and the last warrior lizard folk. Sandovor looked around, visibly bothered by the dryness and heat. “Not natural”. The shaman echoed that statement “Yes, we can agree on something”. Sir Frederick and Agis started walking towards the area they think that they arrived from. Everyone agreed there was nothing left to lose.    

Walking through the woods became hard to do because pushing against the bushes engulfed all of them, pressing on felt as walking into a barrier that would barely give in. Mists blurred the vision, disturbing the heat with a sudden shiver of coldness… In a blink, the small group stood in the chamber of the crocodiles… The walls were roots that glistened with moisture, the familiar rotten humidity of the swamp filled the air, and the floor… The floor was covered by the crocodiles that inhabited it, all of them whom have been slaughtered. Sandovor fell to his knees, screaming as he tried finding his pets with his hands… being unable to see, but much able to smell what had happened. Shaman Quazky moved on, asking the others to do the same. As they left the place they kept hearing Sandovor screaming and demanding: “: The eyes, you promised the eyes! Remember, you promised!”.

SNAKE GOD & TOAD

The heroes realized their presence was known all along. Sir Frederick raised his longsword in defiance, as Kelar and Agis prepared their arrows. Pheara prepared her hammer. Shaman Quazky mumble unrecognizable words in his native tongue, his warriors irradiated a faint light for a moment, as they raised their lances and start to walk towards the enemy. Sir Frederick moved ahead of them, and upon seeing him charging, the warrior lizard folk followed his lead, charging as well.

 The heroes, the lizard folk, and Merrshaulky met in a deadly embrace at the base of the crooked hill. Although quick and feral, the Merrshaulky didn’t have good aim and mostly missed when attacking. This further encouraged their hysterical, fanatical rage. The lizard folk took care of most of them. Sir Frederick and Agis went on to directly fight the giant snake-god. He laughed in delight while moving his tail as if swatting flies. All the time he remained hovering over the well.

“Puny human…”

The serpent-god attacked with his clawed hands, striking down the ranger elf and the human warrior. The Vistana threw small bottles at the giant snake, which distracted the beast long enough for Sir Frederic to strike two dangerous blows. Agis followed his lead. The serpent-god looked surprised at this, at the dark thick blood coming out of his flanks. He wailed a deafening scream. A piercing buzzing was suddenly heard, and from the highest areas from the giant tree, a dark cloud began to move towards the group. The cloud seemed to be made of bats, but as they drew closer upon the group, their shapes became clear. Bat-like creatures moving the wings so fast that it made that buzzing sound, dark brown bodies and insectoid head with a long, needle-like elongated appendage, a tubular mouthpart used perhaps for feeding or sucking… The piercing appendage slashed the air as it looked for its prey. These creatures fell over lizard folk and Merrshaulky alike. They attached themselves to Sir Frederick, and Agis as well. Kelar tried battling them with his arrow-bolts, but soon fell as two of the creatures attached themselves to his body.

The serpent-god collapsed over the well, but with the dark winged maelstrom, he seemed to vanish. Soon all Merrshaulky were dead on the floor. Lizard folk were also in the floor, except shaman Quazky who frantically tried to bring his people to safety. Sir Frederick, Pheara and Agis managed to destroy all bat-winged creatures. They realized Kelar was in the floor, along with 3 more lizard folk and all Merrshaulky. The bubbling of the mud called their attention as it had loud popping, and as they explored around the edges of the mud, a long tongue slapped one of them. Something lurked inside the pond. Soon, two eyes came up from under the mud pool, and the visage of a giant frog was quite evident. As it arises from its lair, the giant toad presented its 6 legs. It was covered in muddy spikes, plates, and warty bumps. Its yellowish eyes grew fixed on Sir Frederick.

Agis and Sir Frederick tried battling the giant toad, but the injuries and lack of rest from previous battles had taken their toll. The toad somehow made the mud bubble in extreme heat. Mixed together, fumes and heat were just too much for the adventurers as they were badly hurt. Using Merrshaulky bodies to throw at the toad, and distract it, they decided to retreat to the top of the crooked hill to rest and think their next move. Reaching the top, they found shaman Quazky, also wounded, seated. His fellow warriors had fallen. Four were nearby him, as he had tended their wounds, but they were not conscious.

Shaman Quazky looked at the heroes and at fallen Kelar. “Not natural… This place… No nature… Too dry.” Agis tried looking around, but there was no hint of the way back. The surrounding wilderness extended high and spread in luscious but dry woodland that was also mixed with mists that became thicker until there was no possible vision… Further exploration seemed extremely hard. Agis and Sir Frederick came to decide they would go back down and find a way. Through the overlook they could see Luc was still collapsed inside the cage, hanging over the boiling mud.

THE SHIFT

As shaman Quazky mutters “It’s… alive…” the cavern stats to move. As tremors shock the land, dirt and rocks shift. At the same time there is a screeching sound, the sound of claws… A loud bang of the nearby shaft is followed by a heavy thud. A hulking creature emerges from the shaft, facing you. As it emerges, you see the torso of a man whose massive arms end up in claw like gator nails and whose head seems sew upon his shoulders. A transformed nose and mouth show a crocodile snout with a row of sharp teeth. From the torso down, the creature has the paws and tails of a giant crocodile. The adventurers recognize the distorted face as the face of Sandovor. The titanic body reminds them of the crocodile that you had previously faced in the same chamber.   

Sandovor screams enraged: “Puny humans! Defilers! Today, you die!”

Battling the titanic man beast seems a daunting task. Each time a hero hits the beast, the surroundings flash showing the cavern walls as walls of entwined roots made of mummified crocodile corpses and mummified priests. The beast roars, hisses, and attacks in a mad rampage, salivating pus and blood. His roar summons the mummified crocodiles, who crawled crookedly from the wall to his aid, attacking the lizard folk. The entwined roots transform into snakes that jump over the heroes as they show their venomous fangs in a deep hiss.

The ambience of confusion is furthered by mists raising from the walls, mixed with the sickening green light that seems to pulsate like the sound of a heart. The deafening heartbeat comes into a halt as Sir Frederick beheads the creature with a single strike! The heartbeat halts. Insane laughter from somewhere far, but near, fills the air… Laughter of diverse pitches, followed by a common chant that spreads around all voices…. Slowly rising from murmur to banged chant:” Merrshaulk! Merrshaulk! Merrshaulk! Merrshaulk!”

Sir Frederick, Agis, Kelar, shaman Quazky and his fellow lizard folk warriors stood hidden by swampland and mist, realizing they were at a location much different than the cave. The surrounding roots covering walls gave way to trees that raise up so high that they covered the sight of the sky. The swamp woods seemed extremely thick. Following the voices, our heroes realized they were in higher ground. From the natural overlook, they could see beyond the roots, what seemed to be a giant tree, whose roots and branches extended in such a way that they formed a barrier below that went far… a barrier holding a pond of bubbling mud. A cage was hanging from a branch of the gigantic tree, a bamboo cage holding young Luc inside. To the side, you see Sandovor standing, floating over a well. The well is surrounded by Merrshaulky lizard creatures, all with their voices united by saying over and over “Merrshaulk! Merrshaulk!”.

Luc screams from his hanging prison. The vapors and fumes from the heated mud pond burn his nostrils. The pungent miasma is too strong for him, his voice gives out as he falls unconscious. The Merrshaulky did not even glance at him. They were all enthralled by the transformation of their leader into their life-bringer, their creator, their dark flame… Merrshaulk! The serpent god rose higher and higher, his massive arms extended as if asking the Merrshaulky to rise with him. His chest inflated, as his head sprouted a cobra-like sides that ran down his chest and ribcage, framing him with a crown of shimmery dark scales. The sly eyes of the serpent-god flickered in delight.

“I am the way into the city of woe!

I am the way to the forsaken old,

I am the way into eternal human sorrow!

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!”

The snake-god moves his arms, signaling to the peak of the hill that crept upon the mud pond. The Merrshaulky screamed and squealed in glee, as a chorus began to voice and demand “Feast! Feast! Feast! Feast!”. The serpent-god screamed: “Puny humans! Defilers! Today, you shall die!”