Tychris' Tomb of Annihilation IC

[zabbarot]

"Semuanya has gifted to me a vision. I sailed across a sea of bones who whispered to me the name of their master. I saw my fear and consumed it, for it was weak and deserved nothing," Srirak spoke with a fervor they had rarely seen. "It was a test, and wise Semuanya has rewarded me with his wisdom. We hunt Ras Nsi, but we are not yet ready."

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

Laying the tip of her rapier against where she figured the grung's heart was located, Aleandrae glanced at the others. "If anyone has a convincing reason to not kill this creature, speak now. He and his friends nearly killed Lyndal, and I am not in a forgiving mood."

[zabbarot]

Srirak gave Aleandrae a hard look. "His friends are dead. We have goal, and money can be helping. Sell him. His kin are slavers. They can buy him back at market. He thanks us for his life and grung are leaving us alone."

[TheDarkDM]

Siward

It had taken a moment for Siard's head to clear form the orange frog's last assault. However, possessed of his senses at last he laid a hand on Aleandrae's arm.

"To slay a shackled opponent is to spill blood without honor. I do not begrudge your anger, Aleandrae, but if you would have your vengeance then unbind the creature and let it die a warrior's death."

He turned his attention to Srirak.

"A thrall we cannot understand seems of questionable value. Aleandrae, why not put the question to the creature and let it decide? You seem to be the only one here to understand its tongue."

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

"Sorry, Siward. I cannot take that chance, what with its poisonous skin." And with that, the Bard thrust the point of her rapier through the grung and whipped it back out with one swift motion. "That was for Lyndal." After carefully cleaning her blade with magic, she re-sheathed it. "Let's move on."

[Tychris1]

Jungles of Chult
Day 14
7 Days of Rations Left
8 Days of Repellent Left

Trekking through the undead infested jungles the party slashed through fields of vines, sifted through muddy pools, and quickly went about catching or jarring anything that looked remotely edible to the human eye. Upon the thirteenth night in Chult the party’s Tiefling, face still slightly smudged with used ink completed an updated copy of Gertrude’s map, and presented it to Srirak as he continued to lead the party through the humid and harsh jungle. Breaking camp on the fourteenth day, the party continued their rapid pace to Camp Righteous, and made excellent progress during the morning light. As the sun began to crest and afternoon began its descending zenith the eight intrepid adventurers (and one goat) once more began to retire from an extended period of trekking and navigating to pitch down and recuperate on the top of a cresting hill bordering a shrub infested grove. The looming trees overhead provided comfortable shade from the oppressing heat and invisible yet everpresent sensation of light rainfall. Their extended shade provided an almost curtain through which the party could observe the passings of strange and interesting animals in the valley below.

So it was that the sight of a wandering human was almost neglected at first as the party finished settling down. An olive toned man, thin yet with a tough and scrappy frame, brown hair and beard a mess with the humidity, and of no particularly impressive height was trying to walk through the thick and tangling flora of the jungle’s floor. He was not doing a particularly good job. Held before his face was a map or paper of some sort from the manner in which he was examining it. Even from this far away Aleandrae could instantly recognize those features.

It was her father.

Suddenly a skeleton appeared right behind him, covered in cobbled together crimson armor, and brought up a blade in a swinging arc directly in line with Zerakas.

And began to prune the vegetation in sweeping arcs along his path.

Two more skeletons emerged from the thickets behind the pair, one bearing an obtuse amount of luggage and gear, and the other equipped with a variety of metal knick knacks. The knick knack skeleton stared up at the parties encampment, pointed a bony finger, and began to make senseless noise from clanging items together. The creatures noisemaking was silenced in an instant, its sudden lack of energy as spontaneous as its initial reaction, and it rotated patiently just in time with the entrance of a motley crew of figures behind it. Emerging from the obscuring vines and rainfall were four ethnically diverse Zhentarim soldiers in full gear. In the midst of them was a humanoid in glorious red robes and crimson finery, a stylized mask upon their face, and a collection of painted skulls and arcane scrawlings throughout their attire. A blood drenched finch with eyes like golden spheres rested upon their shoulder and with a wave of their hand the guards and skeletons parted.

Zerakas waved at Aleandrae from down below excitedly.

Spoiler: Robed Figure

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[Othniel]

Aleandrae

Aleandrae was not quite sure what to make of the skeleton manservants and the figure in red. Whoever it was certainly had style. What mattered at that moment was the man waving at her. "Father?" she called down to the man, waving back just as excitedly. "I did not expect to run into you like this! I thought, perhaps, at a camp...but that is no matter. We must talk! Either you come up here, or I'll come down there!"

As the Tiefling turned back to her companions, they could see her crimson shaded face turn a darker near-purple as she was flushed with excitement. "My father is here, and in very strange company. I do hope he is all right..."

[PepperP.]

Lyndal

"That's your dad??" Lyndal gaped at the older gentleman as though trying to discern a family resemblance between her friend and the man.

"Hmmm..." She sounded doubtful.

"Who's the spooky guy?"

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

"Well, it certainly appears so. Assuming you see the same brown-haired older gentleman fumbling with a map that I do," Aleandrae explained. "Neither of my parents are Tieflings, Lyndal. It doesn't always breed true. For all I know, I might be the first in my line since one of my ancestors got it on with a devil or demon. No idea who the fellow in red is."

[CockroachTeaParty]

Bean could only gaze down at the curious group with curiosity and mounting excitement.
"Oh, I'd love to meet your father, Aleandrae! How fun, to have a chance family reunion in this strange jungle of all places! I... I do hope those skeletons are kept on a short leash though. I've just about had my fill of skeletons..."

[Tychris1]

Jungles of Chult
Day 14
7 Days of Rations Left
8 Days of Repellent Left

Aleandrae at the front the majority of the party descended below to watch the kindred reunion. Running up to his daughter, Zerakas took Aleandrae’s head and kissed it, wrapping his arms right around her upper body.

“My little inkspot! What are you doing out here? And with so many strange people too....” He set himself arms length from Aleandrae so as to look over each of the party members with curiosity. The robed figure in red had already settled himself in to a seating position as one of his three skeletal manservants bent over to form a chair.

”Zerakas,” He finally spoke from behind his jagged mask “Who are these people?”

The Zhentarim guards stood at attention, weapons stowed yet hands firmly ready to strike, and they all flicked their gaze from one another to the more obviously armed party members.

“Why, Tymora’s twist of fate has me seeing none other than my very own daughter, and the finest Bard of Olamn bar none.” He stood beside Aleandrae with a grin of satisfaction and pinched her cheek in jest.

“Ah. Well. Isn’t that quaint. You may call me Decimus. Decimus Severus. These are my pawns. Prexi, Dop, Laelend, and Huck.”

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

After returning the embrace, Aleandrae stepped back and nodded pleasantly to Decimus. "A pleasure to meet you, mister Severus." She nodded to Decimus' pawns and flashed a winning smile. "These are my comrades: Bean, Siward, Srirak, Jack, Secret, Darion, and my friend Lyndal." Had they simply run into her father, she would have explained their reasons for being in Chult, but she did not like the look of Decimus or his skeletal servants. "Your last letter said you were setting out for this land to dig, but...I won't ask why you are here," she carefully said to her father, the silent implication that he should not do the same, at least in strange company. Perhaps if the two had a chance to talk privately, later. "But you are safe, yes? We have learned that the jungle is home to many dangers."

[PepperP.]

Lyndal

"I was poisoned by a frog!" Lyndal chimed in cheerfully and waved at Aleandrae's dad.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." She greeted her friend's father warmly but kept a wary eye on what she supposed was a necromancer of some sort.

[TheDarkDM]

Siward

Intrigued by the sight of a friendly party traveling through the jungle, Siward stood proudly alongside his companions. At Aleandrae's introduction, he nodded towards her father and his red-robed patron.

"An honor to meet you, Master Valhiri, Master Severus. I must confess it is a shock to see friendly faces so far from the coast."

[Tychris1]

Jungles of Chult
Day 14

Smiling softy, Zerakas intoned “Why yes I’m-“ ”He’s never been safer since stepping foot on this gods forsaken island.” Decimus cut him off rather abruptly, a clearly smug tone in his voice as if to lay sole claim for the feat. Now fully relaxed, the red robed figure lounged back into the waitingarms of another skeleton, and delicately placed his hands in a steepled position upon his lap. Seeing their patron so at ease the Zhentarim guards moved their hands from their weapons and began to casually look out in seperate cardinal directions. Arms crossed they grunted and shuffled lightly whilst carrying out a clipped conversation complaining about the heat, humidity, and jungle creatures.

“Yes, it is as the... good man says. And it is an honor to meet someone my lovely daughter considers a friend.” Zerakas said after a curt cough to regain his conversational momentum. Reaching out he offered her his hand warmly “I do hope you’re feeling better from the poison yes?”

Pivoting his makeshift skeletal chair, Decimus turned his head to look upon Siward, and tilted it slightly as he spoke “To be sure, it is quite a surprise ah Siward was it? Most everything else has tried to eat us. Is this thing your mascot?” He lazily pointed a finger towards Bean and her goat’s general direction making it hard to discern which he meant “I’m curious. What is so important that a Drow comes crawling all the way from the underdark in the company of seven lackies? What business do the Houses have up here?”

Zerakas gave his daughter a confused and concerned looked.

Spoiler: Darion

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It takes you a moment to process their “accent” but you realize the Zhentarim guards are speaking in Thieve’s Cant and are actively ranking the party members on how lethal they look and their literal looks while occasionally insulting Decimus.

[PepperP.]

Lyndal

Lyndal chose not to engage the necromancer and instead focused her attention on Zerakas's greeting.

"The honor is mine, sir. It's a pleasure." She took the man's offered hand and clasped it warmly.

"Yes, I'm all better now, thank you." She did a quick twirl as if to display her good health. She stopped short though as the man in red questioned Secret's presence.

"Well, she hasn't killed anyone yet." She was unaccountably bristly over the stranger's questioning of her companion's reliability.

"We're a team anyway, there are no lackeys here." She was confused as to why he would think that but didn't wish to seem rude.

[CockroachTeaParty]

Bean somewhat timidly approached Decimus upon being mentioned, still wary of the skeletons. Seeing that they seemed to be mostly... temporary furniture, the gnome managed to steel herself a bit, putting on a smile for the strange robed man.

"Oh, there's lots of competition for the position of mascot in our group, Mr. Decimus! Hopefully I'll take the top spot! Hee hee hee! We've fought lots of walking skeletons in this jungle, and they were oh so frightening. Did you... 'tame' some to serve as your chair, or did you, ah... animate these ones yourself?"

[zabbarot]

"There were more than one I would have liked her to kill." Srirak was a bit disappointed. He had expected the drow to be some pointy death machine. So far it had not lived up to the hype.

Srirak let it go and addressed the wizard. "You are of Thay, yes? You have wares? I have collected many <gold... gold bits?>" He slipped into draconic as he tried to recall the word. "Coins!"

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

"You needn't worry, father," Aleandrae tried to assure the elder Valhiri. "Secret has yet to give me any reason to believe she is working some nefarious plan."

[Tychris1]

Jungles of Chult
Day 14

Zerakas gripped his daughter's hand firmly, a tight smile upon his face "I know. You've always had a good head for these things. Runs in the blood." He released a terse breath followed by a light laugh. Looking back at the Red Wizard, the elder Valhiri bowed respectfully, and gestured towards his daughter. "If you don't mind...."

Decimus waved him off as he suddenly stood up from his skeletal chair. His posture changed dramatically, losing its laissez-faire form, and faced down at Bean with his faceless mask. "Half accurate, as usual for those not as skilled in the mystic arts. I destroyed these skeletons as they attempted to ambush us then reconstituted them for my purposes." He placed his hands behind his back and paced over to his third skeleton. Decimus' two luggage loading skeletons began to rapidly arrange and stack the various boxes and chests in a precise manner. <"Well aren't you an astute one, Red Throat.>" He chimed in a smooth and very self satisfied draconic. "I am in fact carrying a myriad of supplies... But sharing them depends on how much coin or bartering material I'm looking at." He placed a single red leather boot upon a pristine black oak box, his sweeping hand instantly cleaning it of any rain water or mud stains with a thin crimson vapor, and cocked his leather strapped face to the side "I do ask that as negotiations take place the casting of spells be limited."

Leading his daughter a few feet off to the side, Zerakas sat down on the ground, cleared out a spot for his daughter, and patted for her to join him. He took her in his arms and began to hug her tightly, curling his right arm over her head, and tucking his head close to hers as he rocked back and forth.

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

"What's this Decimus fellow got you doing, dad?" Aleandrae asked in a whisper. "I saw his badge. Beshaba is trouble."

[Tychris1]

Jungles of Chult
Day 14

"Beshaba? What... oh, he asked me to make that to ward off bad luck. Plucked me out of excavating a city in order to excavate a different site and act as a translator. Something about the Death Curse." He responded quietly.

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

"Is he attempting to do something about it," Aleandrae paused for dramatic effect. "Or exploit it?"

"I'm not sure," her father responded.

Aleandrae looked at the elder Valhiri for a moment, weighing her options. She did not want to deceive her father, and yet the man seemed stressed and was probably in a situation he'd rather not be in. "You have to promise not to tell him just in case he is up to no good (you know wizards), but we've been hired to explore Chult and see if we can find or put a stop to whatever is causing the curse. I won't hide that from you, and if Decimus is keeping you by force, we could attempt a rescue. It would be good to have you with us. It's...been a bit of a challenge thus far. Darion almost died when we fought some pterafolk."

[Jade_Tarem]

Secret waved off the man's guesses. "O-oh! I'm not in charge, and I didn't come from the Underdark. I'm just an acolyte of Lathander." She knew the drow had Houses, but she wouldn't be able to name any of them except Do'Urden, and that only because she'd heard of Drizz't. Well, according to the Dawnbringers, she'd been taken from a 'Baenrae,' but she didn't know if that was a person, a title, a place, or what. Either way, though, they'd had nothing nice to say about the Zhentarim.

[Tychris1]

Jungles of Chult
Day 14

"No, it's fine. He hasn't threatened me once. Honestly I'm the only person he's treated with a modicum of decency of the five of us, and seeing what he can do I don't want you to risk yourself. I don't think he's working alone either, I need to get to the bottom of this too, and the inside is my safest bet. If there's anything I can do for you, tell me." Zerakas looked his infernal spawn in the eyes and after a brief nod of his head he broke their cover.

Decimus was in the midst of bartering and negotiations, his skeletons pulling out various tools for display, and he monologued prices and abilities as the other party members began to haggle and surmise. His rapid pace braggadocious flair was halted firmly in its tracks as Secret revealed herself to be a servant of the Morninglord. "You.... A drow. Are a servant of Inspiration's Dawn?"

He broke down into a fit of laughter as the bones and accoutrements on his robes rattled around noisily.

Steadying himself, he placed both hands on his knees, and tried to straighten himself out before bending over in a second burst of giggles. Patting his pristine crimson robes he gestured towards Secret lazily "I haven't heard that joke since I was a fledgling magus.... Oh, you're serious."

[PepperP.]

Lyndal had been following Srirak and the Red Wizard's conversation as she was interested to hear what goods he had for sale.

<"Pardon me, but do you happen to have any chocolate for sale?"> She smiled hopefully as she asked in draconic.

[Jade_Tarem]

Secret nodded earnestly. "Very serious! If I work very hard and become an instrument of His will, I might not go to the special hell."

[Tychris1]

Jungles of Chult
Day 14

“I have a bit of a sweet tooth myself. I could part with it for a platinum piece or something just as sweet.” Decimus said lecherously while Lyndal retorted "I'm afraid I'm all out of sweets, that's why I need the chocolate."

She smiled coyly to Decimus’ chagrin.

Unruffling his proverbial feathers, Decimus once more flashed his purple ring, and presented it in a better light for Secret to examine.

”If it’s an unfortunate afterlife you wish to avoid look no further Madam Secret. If you bear this ring and die your spirit will be sequestered away inside of it safe from whatever terrible fate may await you after death, if you so choose. You can even speak to anyone else who wears the ring in the future and depart for your afterlife at will.”

[Othniel]

Aleandrae

"The best thing you can do is to stay safe," Aleandrae gently chided her father, still whispering. "And I'll do the same. My group seems all right. A couple are a little rough around the edges, but they all appear determined to see the task done. Lyndal and I are watching each other's backs, and we have a guide that knows her way about this jungle. It's dangerous, I know, and prayers for Tymora's luck would be appreciated, but just keep yourself out of trouble and I'll try and do the same. Oh, and if you find yourself in Port Nyanzaru, watch out for Merchant Prince Jobal. He wanted to buy my map of the island from me and after I wouldn't sell, he sent some goons after us that we were forced to kill. He's probably still sore about that and knows at least Lyndal and myself by name. Our allies in town are Merchant Prince Wakanga, and Madame Gertrude Silvane, in case you need someone to contact. Now, we should probably see to our respective groups before your employer gets nosy."

[Tychris1]

The Jungles of Chult
Day 15
6 Days of Rations Left
7 Days of Repellent Left

Saying their good byes the Valhiri family begrudgingly separate once more with sworn oaths to stay out of trouble and survive in the sweltering hellscape of the jungle. Currency is exchanged, food and magical items are given, and the Red Wizard of Thay leaves upon his skeletal palanquin smugly assured that he had made a fair bit of coin in this dangerous jungle at zero risk. Darion spends the night practicing with his newly purchased Electrum blade, feeling its studded leather pommel hum and vibrate as he steps in one space to the next, and with a gentle tuck into its sheath mental faculties click together to reveal its true purpose. He splatters a mosquito midflight, his fingers moving before his brain can fully process the action, and feels time itself warp and wobble around him. Setting watch for the night in their valley, the party falls to restful sleep, and awakens to an incredibly hot and rainless day.

The ground, now dryer than the day hence proves solid beneath their feet, and the party rushes forth with utmost haste to the River Soshenstar where the ostensibly "Righteous" camp of armed and armored humanoids lived according to Gertrude's map. Cutting a swath through hundred degree weather, splashing themselves with collected rain water all the while, the eight intrepid adventurers emulate what they would have looked like the day prior; Soaking wet and slightly tired.

And yet their extraneous effort proves fruitful as they blaze through the jungle and emerge from the canopy early in the day to a most disturbing sight. Where you had thought there would be life instead you find only devastation as you come upon an abandoned riverside camp strewn with wreckage. The tents are moldy and tattered, and all the permanent structures appear to have burned to the ground. Two intact rowboats are tied off to a short dock.

North of the camp is a ridge, built into which is an 80-foot-tall stone statue carved to look like a man with a crocodile on his back. Between the statue’s feet is a stone archway leading to a dark tunnel. To the left of the statue is a crude animal pen with a small, panicked bird running around inside it. There are no other signs of life.

Spoiler: OOC

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If you have anything you want to retroactively buy from Decimus at half again prices you can state so in the OOC and deduct your gold as fitting by the end of October 18th.

You can also check the Roll20 to see "Camp Righteous" in its full glory and your tokens for moving around and investigating things as you see fit.