Sunday, May 20, 2012

The Gathering Session 6

•  Certain they want to meet with Mr. Ocax and A'Yanna, the neogi and kuo-toa halfbreed respectively,  the group decides to rest up in the infirmary.

•  Barracus realizes he isn't tired and offers to take watch.  At some point while everyone is resting, Variel dons Wrax's headpiece.

•  As Martin, Jacob, Link, and Draco begin to set out, they discover that Variel can't be roused from whatever dream has seized him and Barracus is in a trance.  Andro and Lin offer to watch over them.

•  When they reach the secret room, Mr. Ocax, A'Yanna, and a human stranger are having tea together at a small round table.  Kluge, Ocax's umber hulk, stands behind Ocax, wearing a smoking jacket.  Small talk ensues and A'Yanna openly flirts with Lord Wintresh.  He uses the advantage to gain her help in lowering prices on items the neogi has, and that the Gatherers need to purchase.

•   They discover that the stranger is Corbin St. Charles of Missouri, one of the Seekers.  The Janissary sent him to buy items for their group.  They learn Corbin is not from this plane and he has worked with this "crew" for almost 7 years.  His group used be led by a man named Maximillion, but the Janissary joined up close to 2 years ago, and Max died soon after.  Corbin feels that the Janissary is eliminating anyone who was loyal to Max, such as Martel and Tonfa.  He is surprised to hear that Lin is alive and quickly explains it must be kept from the Janissary.  He says that Jenna and Rolf are "up Jannisary's ass" and explains that the wizard has got 2 of those "things" in his service.  Those "things" are the type of creature that killed Lin.

•  Martin and Jacob decide that with Corbin and Lin--the Seekers and their own group--the Mappers, are already together with Ocax and A'Yanna, and asks if they can simply proceed to the Council of Vhelnish and fulfill the Windgrace Prophecy.  A'Yanna believes this is a a fitting solution and looks to Corbin, who agrees with the plan.  He is glad to see Lin alive and well, but quietly asks why her eyes are now green.

•  A'Yanna leads all of them to the Council Chamber via the secret passage.  As they enter the antechamber, via another painting, they step into the middle of an ambush.  The other council members already lie dead, killed by giant metallic cobra, some type of monster made of serrated metal and a helmet wearing kappa.  Corbin identifies the kappa, as a friend of the Janissary, but comments that he didn't enter the tomb with them.


•  A'Yann immediately dives into a pool at the center of the room and Corbin tells Lin that should remain hidden.  A spectacular battle ensues, but well planned healing by Jacob and extreme valor by Link, Martin, and Draco allow them to defeat the cobra and the serrated monster.  The kappa, Qlakson, teleports away.

•  A'Yanna returns screaming that the kuo-toa egg chamber is empty!  Despair wracks her, knowing the entire Council is dead, including her father and cousin.  Draco announces that the illithid councilmember's chest has been torn open.  The Gatherers realize with dread, that the final creature has matured and its been created from the fallen mind flayer.

•  Martin sees that Mr. Ocax is acting strangely and presses him about it, accusing him of knowing what's going on.  The neogi relents and says that the eggs are a telltale sign that the Janissary wanted nothing to do with the Tomb or the Prophecy.  He believes the wizard can use the eggs to raise Crosis the Purger, whose name is death, from it's slumbering curse.  The neogi explains to them that the dragon lies beneath the Tomb, imprisoned there thousands of years before Yawgmoth chose this site for the speartip of his invasion.  Mr. Ocax informs them that to retrieve the kuo-toa eggs, the will have to journey into the vast Underdark below their feet.  An area that has been forbidden to be used by the Council for over 2 hundred years.  A'Yanna pleads with them to find her people's eggs, and that leadership of the Council falls to her now.



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