1. Journals

5. Titans of the Labyrinth

Session (Ghaash'kala)
August 19, 2023

22nd Therendor, 999 YK

  • Initiation time!
  • During the initiation ritual, Bhaltair does not flinch but Runmae does, instinctively reaching for her clan dagger.
  • The whole clan rushes to welcome their new comrades into the fold.
  • Runmae and Bhaltair get their first tattoos from Lharc. The Brand of the Binding Flame, which protects them from possession.
  • Sark Jarash accidentally gets some ash and soot on Runmae as he still has it on his hands. Runmae uses her blacksmithing intuition to see what metals he's been working with, and notices Byeshk.
  • Runmae has a chat with Sark about metal. He reveals most of it comes from the Ironlands, where it literally grows on trees. Dangerous though.
  • Runmae then goes to have a chat with Talana'aashta. She made the same mistake Runmae did, chasing a quarry into the Demon Wastes.
  • Talana reveals that she grew up among a Whispering Cult, they fed their dead to a gibbering mouther that they knew as "Grandpa". Neat.
  • Lailari Dzuka is chatting to Valaari Vhesh-Kaan. The weirdos are friends!
  • Runmae comes over to join the conversation. Runmae sees very quickly why Lailari gets on well with Valaari.
  • Runmae leaves, and then Lailari and Valaari have a chat about it. She will strive to seek Runmae's approval.
  • Naze comes over and is like "I saw you speaking to Lailai"
  • "You know she doesn't like that nickname" "What? She never told me!"
  • Valaari asks Naze how he's feeling after his first patrol. It was scary and he doesn't remember all that much, but he's always wanted to do it and he feels like he's made a difference.
  • Valaari says he did well, but he needs to be more careful with his own safety.
  • Runmae has a beer and asks where it came from. The Silver Wellspring made it, a rare occurence.
  • Runmae asks about the bells in the main hall. Valaari talks about the Peals of Dawn, the bells of Maruk Dar.
  • Runmae gets smashed, as Valaari tells her that beer is not a common occurence.
  • They're really fixated on the Silver Wellspring, and wonder how much mayonnaise it could produce. The Ghaash'kala don't produce mayonnaise anymore, after the disaster caused by Helman the Gnome.
  • Bhaltair stays up as long as he can, talking to as many people as he can.
  • They retire to the barracks, where Runmae and Bhaltair share a bunk bed. Runmae calls top bunk but then passes out in the bottom bunk.


23rd Therendor, 999 YK

  • In the morning, Durrnak comes to the bunk, with Valaari, Warren and Naze in tow, to wake up Runmae. She's sleeping like a rock, so Valaari uses a foul smelling herb to wake her up.
  • Runmae wakes up and drinks some whiskey she had in her bag. Warren asks her to share and she conspicuously puts it away. Fuck you, then.
  • Durrnak says they're wanted in the war room.
  • Valaari goes to fetch Bhaltair, who is photosynthesizing outside, and then takes them to the war room.
  • Valaari takes them to the war room, where Durrnak is waiting for them.
  • The other patrol hasn't returned. They checked in at the midway point, so whatever happened to them, happened in the second half of their patrol. Durrnak traces the routes on the map with his finger.
  • Durrnak wants to offer the party the job to try and recover them, if they want it. Runmae spins a story of Denzel Wolfe, and how he was going to retire soon. It was his son's birthday a few days ago, she thinks.
  • Fuck, so many death flags.
  • They accept the mission, and go to collect equipment.
  • Valaari goes to speak to Lailari to get a magic item. They spend some time agonizing over what to get. They pick the Navigator's Star this time, which is a magical tattoo. It'll fade in the sun.
  • About 4 hours out of Maruk Dar, it begins to rain. The rain hurts though! It's acid!
  • Runmae manages to find a cave for them to shelter in, where they wait for 3 hours for the storm to pass.
  • They travel through the night a bit to make up the lost time, but they don't encounter any signs of life.


24th Therendor, 999 YK

  • Early afternoon, they hear loud thuds that shake the labyrinth. A sound like a snort echoes, which disorients everyone but Warren. A few seconds later, a fiendish minotaur comes round the bend ahead of them.
  • Warren gets caltrops out of his bag, ready to make the Goristro's day worse.
  • Naze panics. Action economy of the Summoner is kinda screwing him here. They both run to the wall of the Labyrinth and try to climb.
  • The goristro charges, and right as it's about to get Valaari, the labyrinth wall explodes as a second goristro charges through it and gores the first one.
  • Valaari and Bhaltair are injured by the collision.
  • Oh this is some jurassic park shit.
  • Valaari flees into the hole.
  • Bhaltair follows into the hole.
  • Runmae runs to the wall of the labyrinth and tries to climb it.
  • Warren scatters caltrops and yells at the others to follow Valaari into the hole in the wall.
  • Naze is 5 foot up the wall already. He drops and runs, with Zaphkiel.
  • The OG goristro charges the second one, rushing over the caltrops and pushing the other goristro twenty feet back and knocking Runmae off the wall.
  • Runmae rolls to her feet and runs.
  • Warren tries to usher Runmae through the hole.
  • Naze uses Message to try and confuse one of the Goristro. It works! It gets it's face smashed in with a huge rock by the other one.
  • The second goristro charges again, driving the first one next to Runmae, who continues to run.
  • Runmae in the hole, Valaari tries one last time to Exploit Vulnerability, fails, and then flees.
  • They all run as fast as they can, trying to put as much distance between them and the goristro as possible. A few minutes later, they hear a loud, victorious roar.
  • They are going to have to adjust their route, they won't be able to come back this way either. That Navigator's Star is going to be useful!


The Initiation

The room is lit by silver everburning torches, which radiate light but no heat, adorning both the walls of the chamber and spaced periodically throughout the cavernous space.

The walls have been worn smooth, and every inch of them is inscribed with celestial writings. Those who've been with the clan a while, even if you can't read the text, you know that it tells the history of the Age of Demons, and the peoples who left this fortress for the Ghaash'kala to find. The writings on Maruk Dar revealed the locations of the other clan holds, taught techniques to fight fiends, and named each of the Lords of Dust, your hated enemies.

The ceiling of the chamber is dominated by hundreds of hanging bells, suspended by ancient chains and ranging in size from as small as a thimble to larger than a pit fiend. Most of them appear metallic, but some are a material you cannot identify, it's pearlescent and shiny, almost white.

Tiers of benches radiate around a central point, where Torgaan and Lharc are waiting for you. Almost every bench is filled. Orcs, half-orcs, humans, dwarves, tieflings, and even a singular drow. All have gathered to welcome their new comrades into the fold.

Bhaltair and Runmae are walked down to the focal point of the room, where Torgaan awaits. Others are brought forward as well, such that there are six of you in total, though they are not people that you know. Torgaan gestures at all of you to kneel, waiting for you to do so before he continues.

"Listen well. The day that we found you in the Wastes, you died. You are ghosts now, privileged to spend your last, fleeting days on this world serving Kalok Shash; proving yourselves worthy to join it's holy flame. You are already dead, so when a Carrion Tribe club smashes your skull, or a demon disembowels you, that will simply be the completion of your spirit's journey from life to Kalok Shash. You have given your lives to Kalok Shash, and you will never live again."

Lharc turns then to the gathered clan members.

"Maruk Ghaash'kala!" she shouts, throwing her arms wide. "On this night we gather to witness the vows of these two and welcome them among our ranks! Hearing their vows, we will remember our own! Our promises to serve Kalok Shash and do its holy work. Many of our clan have fallen, and Kalok Shash burns brighter, but today we do not mourn for the dead, but celebrate the living!

Torgaan draws his sword then. It is an ugly thing, well used and maintained as best it could be, but chipped and worn nevertheless. He looms threateningly over Bhaltair.

Lharc stands in front of you, Bhaltair, and speaks to you directly.

"Bhaltair, today you die. As a ghost, you will fight the demons of the Wastes and their servants. You will fight until you have proven yourself worthy of joining Kalok Shash. Are you ready?"

"Do you swear, before Kalok Shash and all the Maruk Ghaash'kala, to fight against evil in all its forms?"

"Do you swear, before Kalok Shash and all the Maruk Ghaash'kala, to permit nothing, living or dead, to pass through the Labyrinth, either to leave the Wastes or to enter them?"

"Do you swear, before Kalok Shash and all the Maruk Ghaash'kala, to fight with courage, to fight until your foes are dead or you join Kalok Shash?"

Torgaan raises his sword in a two-handed grip, poised to bring it down on Bhaltair's neck. Lharc turns to him.

"Torgaan Shashaarat, do you swear, before Kalok Shash and all the Maruk Ghaash'kala, to guide Bhaltair in our ways, and to ensure they do not join Kalok Shash before their time?"

Torgaan nods, "I do."

Lharc turns back to Bhaltair. "Bhaltair, you die this day."

Torgaan's sword comes down towards your neck.

Bhaltair does not flinch.

but the blade doesn't hit home, stopping about an inch from your flesh. Lharc speaks then.

"Ghost of Bhaltair, rise, and join the Maruk Ghaash'kala."

Torgaan pats Bhaltair on the shoulder as they rise, gesturing for them to step to the side. The two clan leaders then step in front of Runmae. Just as with Bhaltair, Lharc speaks.

"Runmae Soranath, today you die. As a ghost, you will fight the demons of the Wastes and their servants. You will fight until you have proven yourself worthy of joining Kalok Shash. Are you ready?"

"Do you swear, before Kalok Shash and all the Maruk Ghaash'kala, to fight against evil in all its forms?"

"Do you swear, before Kalok Shash and all the Maruk Ghaash'kala, to permit nothing, living or dead, to pass through the Labyrinth, either to leave the Wastes or to enter them?"

"Do you swear, before Kalok Shash and all the Maruk Ghaash'kala, to fight with courage, to fight until your foes are dead or you join Kalok Shash?"

Torgaan readies his sword again, as Lharc issues the same vow to him as before. She then turns back to Runmae and repeats, "Runmae Soranath, you die this day."

Just as with Bhaltair, Torgaan's sword stops just shy of decapitating you, and Lharc speaks up.

"Ghost of Runmae, rise, and join the Maruk Ghaash'kala."

This is repeated for the remaining four acolytes. Once all have sworn their vows, the clan stands as one. Lharc raises up her arms again.

"Kalok Shash burns brighter, and the Maruk Ghaash'kala grow! Go now, Ghaash'kala, and meet your new family."


Goristro Boxed Text

It's early afternoon on the second day of travel, and so far you've encountered nothing other than some bad weather. That period of quiet appears to have ended however, as a loud thud seems to shake the entire Labyrinth around you. Then it comes again a second or so later, and again, and then there's a loud snort that seems to disorient you and threaten you make you lose your way.

DC 25 Will Saves for everyone!

The thuds continue for a few seconds after the snort, and then a creature from your nightmares comes around the corner ahead of you. It looks like a red-furred, fiendish minotaur, and it stands well over 30 feet tall. Someone's outfitted it with armoured bracers, and there are rings of metal bolted to it's horns, but that's the extent of its adornments. It's small, angry eyes alight on you all, and then it lets out a roar that drops your stomach.

Round 1

The goristro charges, and it seems like there's no hope that you're going to be able to outrun it. It's almost on top of you when the Labyrinth wall to the left of it explodes in a shower of falling rock and debris, as a second goristro bursts through the ravine and tackles the first one, goring it on its horns.

The first goristro is driven into the opposite wall, where it grabs its opponents horns and throws it in your direction. The second goristro goes down, rolling painfully before grabbing onto the sides of the gorge and driving its hooves into the ground, slowing its movement and sending even more chunks of rock flying in all directions.

Round 2

The original goristro roars again, a territorial challenge to this new arrival, and then charges. The second goristro braces itself, hands forward, and catches the horns of the original, skidding about 20 feet back, its hooves sparking on the ground. Once the two goristro come to a stop, the original still attempting to run its opponent down, the second goristro releases one of the horns and then slugs the original goristro across the face with its fist, sending it into the left hand wall of the ravine.

Round 3

The original goristro, now leaning against the ravine wall, tears off a huge chunk of rock and throws it at its opponent. The second goristro swings its arms wildly, shattering the rock into shrapnel that blankets the area behind it.

Everyone escaped and legged it