They each describe what they've been doing during the last two months.
Naze has been working in the infirmary and training his replacement, Ewan Shezsha.
Runmae has been maintaining equipment in downtime, and also patrolling the Labyrinth with Denzel Wolfe's squad. She's adjusted more to her new life, and talks less about her life before joining the Ghaash'kala.
Warren has been patrolling with whoever would take him (including Runmae and Denzel) and has been trying to grow a toilet in his room with the mushroom he stole from Krisek Yor. It's starting to grow! He also gave himself a haircut.
Valaari is confused about why they can cast fireball, but we investigate and determine it's due to their faith tattoo.
Bhaltair has been working on his garden. In their absence, the garden has been maintained but new plants aren't growing for the others. Bhaltair is open with their possible connection to Avassh, the Twister of Roots, which may explain why the plants grow for them but no one else.
Bhaltair is able to plant the Brightwort they recovered from the Eldeen Reaches, which allows them to produce Elixir of Life (Moderate) every day.
They then work on growing a Dragon's Blood tree. They spend 26 days on this, reducing the cost as much as they can down to 80 gp.
Bhaltair then grows the Verbena Sapling, spending 15 days on this.
Bhaltair also spends some of their time helping to induct new recruits into the Ghaash'kala, to help people adjust to their new lives.
Valaari has been going on patrols with Runmae, Warren and Denzel, and looking for information on Arak Yor. (Me to read the Research subsystem for PF after session and work with Valaari's player to determine what they learn).
The Krisek have established contact with the Kastar Ghaash'kala and begun working together. They are also scouting Khyber for routes to the other clanholds to provide support there. This makes Warren nervous.
The Ashbound have also begun working with the Vaanka Ghaash'kala, thanks to the work of Acorn. They're ensuring supply caravans reach Vaanka Dar, and also catching any fiends that slip past.
7th Rhaan, 999 YK
The party are on a resource run in the Ironlands, gathering metal, when they hear sounds of an armed conflict. That's not unusual, but the languages they hear are: Dhakaani and Old Common.
Obviously they have to check that out. What if another clan is in trouble?
They approach carefully and quietly. Most of them are sneak pretty well, but Naze and Zaphkiel give them away.
They arrive as the conflict is ending, with a minotaur getting cut down by a glaive wielding hogoblin. Looks like a carrion tribe group ran into the Kech Shaarat.
The tribals didn't stand a chance. The entire Dhakaani regiment is decked out in full adamantine equipment.
Naze waves at the goblinoids, and then Valaari stands and instructs the others to do so. They don't want the Dhakaani to find them hiding. One of the hobgoblins scowls when they see Runmae.
Bhaltair gives a musical flourish as they stand up.
Valaari greets them in Dhakaani. This shocks them. The two in the lead approach the group and greet them in Dhakaani.
They're not hostile, there is some discussion. The two hobgoblins are Ulaash Rhushaarat and Tazhii Duur'kala. They ask what the group is doing here?
Valaari explains they're gathering resources. The dhakaani are here training, looking to fight demons.
They ask if the group know anything about these tribals?
Valaari says they belong to the Carrion Tribes. Different tribes. Not usually found in Khyber.
The dhakaani explain that the group seemed to know where they were going. The minotaur was leading the way. The one in blue rags could throw lightning. The gnoll was riddled with crossbow bolts as soon as it started casting a spell.
The group and the Kech Shaarat affirm a desire to remain non-hostile, they each have their own concerns. Good.
If there's nothing else, the Dhakaani will leave. The party seem more interested in the corpses than they are.
They search the corpses, and note that their equipment has been enhanced with runes.
Runmae goes to search one of the orcs, and sees that they're still alive! She takes his weapon, and calls Naze over to stabilize him.
Naze treats the orcs wounds whilst the others identify their equipment.
The orc awakens, and grabs Naze's hand. Valaari and Zaphkiel both point weapons at him.
The orc notes the threats, and lets go of Naze. He lays his head back down, and Valaari tells him that he's coming with them.
They tie his hands together with rope. Bhaltair grabs his face while they tie him up, and looks into his eyes. The orc scowls, but doesn't fight or speak.
The orc asks if the group killed the others. They say no, the Kech Shaarat did.
Valaari says it was stupid of them to come into the Ironlands. What were they doing?
The orc doesn't respond, stonewalls them.
Runmae tells him to answer the question, but he doesn't respond. Naze goes to press his thumb into one of the orc's wounds, and Bhaltair steps in and pulls Naze away. They don't do that.
Naze says he wasn't gonna do it, he was just trying to scare him!
Warren, Naze and Bhaltair start bickering about that. The orc comments on their disunity, and Valaari says he better talk or they'll make him listen to it forever.
This works. The orc introduces himself as Druhk Nish, he's Razor Wind. This was an experiment, another mixed tribe group. They're following some of "the gnome's maps", which the minotaur had memorised.
Wait, gnome?
They grill him about the gnome. They get out the letters they'd found, and asks if the gnome is Carro Canowyn d'Sivis or Xander Torralyn d'Sivis?
Xander
Hmm
Runmae asks if the gnome has any glowing tattoos? Yup
Valaari comments that this gnome probably knows Khyber better than they do and he's giving the tribes maps. Fuck.
Valaari asks what they were doing here? Druhk says the minotaur knew the route, Druhk doesn't, but their plan was to find a route out of the Wastes and then report back so they could get more out.
The chieftain is smart, he doesn't tell them anything they don't need to know, to avoid "leaking information to the enemy".
Valaari thanks Druhk for his cooperation, and issues the Challenge. Druhk accepts, they'll take him back to Maruk Dar.
They untie him, and Valaari asks Runmae to return his weapon. He'll need it.
Before they start heading back, Bhaltair tries to consult the spirits, intending to ask the dead minotaur where they were going.
The spirits manifest, and Bhaltair asks which direction the tribals were travelling. The minotaur spirit points to the south. Bhaltair is not aware of any portals in that direction.
They start walking south, intending to find the exit that the tribe were looking for. Bhaltair uses their magic to search for portals.
On the way, they spot a rusted Mithral Bison. Nearby rust monsters are also agitated. As far as they're aware, mithral doesn't rust (and so neither do the bison). Something is wrong with it.
They spread out as it begins to approach. The rust monsters start to freak out.
The bison gets about 60ft away and then stands up on its hind legs, revealing that it has hands...and a weirdly human-like face.
Oh
It stands there, menacingly, for like 10 seconds before it huffs and then roars at them, with a sound like a cinderblock being dragged across an iron floor.
Runmae braces and gets ready for its charge.
Valaari uses Exploit Vulnerability and gets a crit, instantly learning all of the creatures weaknesses, resistances and immunities, and also what it is. This is not knowledge they had 5 seconds ago, but they somehow know it. It's an Azmakian Effigy, an ancient fiendish construct that is resistant to fire and physical (other than adamantine)
Valaari then throws their spear at the effigy, and manages to hit (bypassing their resistance to physical damage).
Bhaltair plays some music and then casts Haste on Runmae.
Naze begins cooking up some holy water and then throws it at the effigy. It is completely inaffective, the effigy takes no damage. Zaphkiel moves up next to a rust monster and observes that it is also weird.
Warren sneaks and hides behind a bush. He then analyses the effigy in an attempt to ascertain its lowest save, which is Reflex.
The effigy charges at the group, and Runmae's braced hammer strikes at it, arresting its charge. Valaari's weird magic also kicks in, preventing Runmae from taking damage.
One of the rust monsters stands up on its hind legs and takes a bipedal stance. Wtf.
It then runs up behind Runmae and tries to lick her hammer. Gross. It fails.
Druhk runs up behind the rust monster and knocks it over with his hammer.
Runmae shifts her long hammer into a maul and then swings at the effigy, but bounces off. She then alters course and brings her hammer down on the rust monster behind her, dealing a heavy blow and discovering a weakness to cold iron.
Valaari casts Bane, which is ineffective, and then stabs the effigy which is effective because it bypasses the effigies resistance.
Bhaltair runs in and tries to touch the effigy and cast Curse of Lost Time, but their spell fails and has no effect. Aww.
Naze casts Heal on Druhk, and Zaphkiel moves up behind the effigy and electrocutes it.
Warren sneaks up on the effigy and stabs it for greatly reduced damage. Better than nothing!
The effigy exhales a rusting gas, but they all protect their items.
One of the vloriaks tries to get up and both Druhk and Runmae beat it into paste.
Druhk then runs up to the effigy and knocks it over!
The remaining vloriak runs up behind Warren and slashes at him. Druhk reactively smacks it in the face.
Runmae brings her hammer down on the prone effigy, delivering a crushing blow that almost destroys it.
She then presses the advantage and hits it again, crushing its head. It drops the horn it was carrying.
Valaari then exposes vulnerability on the remaining Vloriak, and throws their spear at it, impaling it but not killing it.
Bhaltair then obliterates it with a beam of holy moonlight, ending its entire lineage.
They try to identify the horn that the effigy dropped, only Naze manages it.
It's the Horn of Rust. They all want it, but after discussion decide that Bhaltair should have it, as they get the most use out of it.