7th Rhaan, 999 YK
- Runmae starts harvesting the Azmakian Effigy's corpse with Bhaltair's help.
- While they're doing that, Naze begins tending to their wounds.
- Runmae continues harvesting while Naze does another round of healing. Bhaltair takes the opportunity to invest in the Horn of Rust.
- When they finish, they find themselves somewhere else, a dilapidated, rusted iron temple. They're stood in front of an enormous, rusted iron statue that looks similar to the Azmakian Effigy, but with more presence. It has 6 spiral horns on its head, though one is broken (and the horn is Bhaltair's hand seems like it would fit the break).
- A voice emanates in Bhaltair's head, asking who they are. Bhaltair speaks to the voice, which identifies itself as Xar Azmak, fallen god of Rust. It was destroyed by the "adamantine people", and has been insensate since. Bhaltair has their horn. They have a dim awareness of Bhaltair and their surroundings, but cannot "see".
- Bhaltair played them some music, and Xar Azmak found it pleasant.
- Bhaltair guesses that this isn't real, it's in their head. They suggest they may try to find the temple, but probably won't manage it. They wake up, back with the group.
- Bhaltair tells them that they spoke to a god! Xar Azmak!
- None of them have heard that name before. Even Valaari!
- Bhaltair thinks it may be a fiend, but they seemed nice.
- Valaari asks whether its worth taking the horn, if it's associated with a deity?
- Bhaltair thinks so, and they aren't made of metal so like, what's it gonna do?
- Valaari agrees, but instructs Bhaltair to say something if anything else happens.
- Druhk is distrustful of "gods". He doesn't like this.
- Runmae also suggests they should take anything the "god" says with a pinch of salt. And also keep it away from Naze.
- They decide not to harvest the Vloriak, not worth it.
- They keep heading south to see if they can find the portal that Druhk's squad were heading towards.
- It's a couple of hours travel before Bhaltair detects a portal. They don't immediately draw attention to it, but ask if the group can take a rest. They then whisper with Valaari, so that Druhk doesn't hear.
- They tell Valaari they they've detected a portal. They suggest sending Warren to scout ahead, but then they think about it and realise if the portal leads out of the Wastes, they can't send Warren. Bhaltair has to go.
- Valaari suggests taking Warren with them, but keep Warren inside.
- Okay, that works!
- Bhaltair tells Druhk that they're a big confused, so they wanna go walk around to recalibrate. They need to take Warren, too.
- Druhk makes awkward small talk with the others. He doesn't know how the Ghaash'kala operate.
- Bhaltair and Warren go to the portal, which is hidden by metallic foliage, and go through. They're in a tunnel system now. Bhaltair places a magical sigil on the wall, so they can find their way back.
- Warren waits in the Ironlands.
- Bhaltair comes to a fork in the tunnel, and their portal sense pings in both directions. Uh oh.
- They head back, to inform Warren that they've got 2 portals. They're gonna check them both. Warren can either go back and tell Valaari, or wait.
- He could even wait in the tunnel, since it's a liminal space.
- Warren waits.
- Bhaltair goes in, and explore the left fork. They seem to emerge in the Cinder Steppes.
- They go back, and check the other tunnel. They come to a point where the tunnel is submerged, they'll have to swim. They decide to swim and check it out.
- They find themselves in a mangrove forest, with an overcast sky. A lot of it seems "normal", they could be in the Shadow Marches. They don't see the ring of siberys or any moons, though.
- They go back into the tunnels and place a 2nd sigil at the fork, in the direction of the mangroves. They then head back to Warren.
- A soaking wet Bhaltair emerges from the tunnel behind Warren, who was picking his fingernails because he got bored.
- Warren comments on Bhaltair's wetness.
- Bhaltair explains they had to go swimming. They need to double check with Runmae, but it could have been the Shadow Marches.
- Oh and the other portal goes to the Cinder Steppes.
- "Oh, the fire place!"
- Yeah
- They head back to the rest of the group.
- Druhk is still making awkward small talk with the group. They aren't very receptive.
- Runmae asks why Bhaltair is wet. "Why is everyone asking that? I went swimming"
- You found water?
- Bhaltair asks the group to huddle. They ask Druhk to give them a moment. He nods and walks away, sitting on a metal log nearby.
- Bhaltair explains what they found. They think one of the portals leads to the Shadow Marches.
- They describe it, and Runmae doesn't think it is. The Ring of Siberys should be visible from the Shadow Marches.
- Valaari thinks the demiplane sounds like the Lagoons of Piety. Potentially quite dangerous.
- They discuss it, and suggest they should return to the clan with Druhk. They can always come back to check them out.
- Warren makes a note on his map of where the portal is.
- They go and fetch Druhk, and he says he's been thinking and maybe something in his backpack would help?
- He goes through his bag, throws a piece of paper to the side, and gets out some cold weather clothes and some primitive swamp shoes.
- Bhaltair picks up the paper and reads it. It's a note from Xander Torralyn d'Sivis, detailing the risk of the Lagoons of Piety.
- Ah, so that is where they were going. They re-discuss whether to investigate it now or go back to Maruk Dar first. They all vibe check Druhk, and Runmae is concerned about the risk of him running if things get spicy.
- They decide, again, to return to Maruk Dar first.
11th Rhaan, 999 YK
- They observe Druhk on the way back, and he gets less skittish once they get out of Khyber.
- Warren's player has a concern that Druhk may be a disguised fiend, but Bhaltair's player reassures them. They checked him over.
- The party arrive back to Maruk Dar.
- Druhk freezes and calls out to Auric. They approach, and Auric seems to be in a bad way. He's distracted and his eyes are glazed over. Naze reckons Auric has some kind of disease, and then Auric collapses.
- Farren yells at everyone to get back, and explains that their patrol encountered Plaguebearers about a week ago, but no one got sick.
- Naze and Bhaltair try to stabilize Auric.
- Bhaltair uses the Horn of Rust to try and draw out the disease. They have an impact, and the Horn gains charges.
- Auric begins convulsing, and shapeshifts into a human woman with light skin and brown hair. Huh.
- Farren suggests getting Auric into the infirmary and out of the courtyard. Naze gets Zaphkiel to do it, along with him and Bhaltair, to limit exposure.
- Kaitwaen instructs that everyone who has been in contact with Auric needs to quarantine until they know the infection isn't spreading.
- People are dispatched to get everyone quarantined. Valaari was already close and had gathered the patrol, expecting this.
- Bhaltair does a Status check, and confirms that Auric is still infected. They don't detect anything that would have changed his shape.
- They get Runmae and Valaari to ask about shapeshifters. Demons should not be able to enter Maruk Dar, there are wards, and Auric has been here for months.
- Runmae explains Changelings exist, and can shapeshift at will. They can turn into other people, or invent new identities, at will.
- Over the next several hours, Auric shapeshifts several times, into peoples of various ancestries. At one point, they take on Kauth Dannar's visage, which is unsettling for Bhaltair. Bhaltair warns Runmae through the door.
- Both of the bois roll Fort saves to see if they contract the disease from Auric. They feel okay for now, but they know the disease has a delayed onset.
- Valaari explains what they found to Torgaan Shashaarat and Lharc Suusha through the door to their cell. That they found carrion tribals in the Ironlands, killed by the Kech Shaarat. They had a positive interaction with them, so they're not hostile for now. They also found the next demiplane that the tribals were heading to, they were exploring a route out of the Wastes. They were heading to the Lagoons of Piety, which they know because Druhk had snow shoes. They also share the note.
- Valaari asks for permission to explore this when they're clear. Permissions granted.
- They talk about the lagoons and the risks. Lharc concurs, and explains that the demiplane answers prayers, but it's ultimately a Khyber demiplane, so those answers may not be what you're hoping for.
- She also suggests that Naze not summon Zaphkiel unless he is needed.
12th Rhaan, 999 YK
- They spend another 8 hours treating Auric, and Bhaltair uses the Horn again.
- Auric regains consciousness, puts his hands to his face and panics. He shifts back into the form he should be in, but it's too late.
- He asks what happened?
- The pair explain that he was afflicted by an atrophic plague. He nearly died.
- Auric says he needs to talk to them, all of them, about something important.
- But it'll need to wait until the quarantine is over.
- Druhk is quarantined with Valaari. He explains why he reacted to Auric the way he did. Peacekiller has been on the war path since Auric went missing, he was one of his closest advisors.
- Ah, Auric never mentioned that.
- Valaari talks to Druhk about the Ghaash'kala. They help each other, they protect each other.
- Druhk makes awkward small talk with Valaari.
- The doctors make their saves again.
13th Rhaan, 999 YK
- Naze and Bhaltair spend time treating the disease.
- Bhaltair then uses the Horn to completely remove the disease, curing Auric.
- Naze checks him over and confirms he seems fine.
- Warren is losing his mind being isolated. He's pacing his enclosure.
- Runmae has been crafting stuff.
18th Rhaan, 999 YK
- The quarantine is lifted.
- Auric asks to speak to the group privately, along with Farren.
- He explains that he has lied to them, his name is not Auric. His name is Aunn.
- He's a spy, a Royal Eye of Aundair. He was sent into the Demon Wastes to find this promising chieftain, and to do everything they could to help them break through the Labyrinth and into the Reaches. To give Aundair a pretext to send their forces into the Reaches, to take it back.
- Aunn taught Valkhoth how to read, military strategy, diplomacy. They primed the chieftain to unite the tribes, and perhaps even motivated them.
- They'd been in and out of the Wastes several times. They actually got caught by the group on their last re-entering, they were Kauth Dannar. Bhaltair and Runmae would not be here if not for Aunn.
- They ask Aunn about Xander, but Aunn doesn't know him. They can't rule out that they're connected to Aundair's interests, however.
- They ask if Aunn would ever have told them, if they hadn't gotten sick? They don't know
- Valaari says they appreciate that Aunn is coming clean now, but they aren't sure it is enough. They have potentially caused irreperable damage to their cause.
- Bhaltair feels incredibly betrayed. He thinks Aunn should be killed.
- Farren thinks Aunn would be better used against the tribes, but he is angry and betrayed too. He says they should lock Aunn up, Farren needs to talk to Torgaan.
- Warren doesn't understand why they keep dying for people who are so ungrateful.
- Bhaltair explains it's not about them. What about everyone else? Nature? Nobody wants a world ruled by demons.
- And besides, most people don't know anything about the Wastes. They don't know what's at stake. You can't blame those that aren't aware.
- You can blame those that came in, saw the situation, and agitated it anyway.
- Farren asks each of them what they think should happen to Aunn?
- Bhaltair wants him dead
- Warren thinks that would be a waste, Aunn has valuable skills
- Aunn has lied. Left the Wastes multiple times and spread corruption. They worked for the enemy, and instigated the current situation. That's a lot of crimes.
- Valaari says they need to think about it, like Farren. This is a magnitude of evil they've never encountered from something that isn't a demon. They're particularly concerned about the entity that Aunn keeps mentioning. It could be a ploy, but it could also genuinely be Kalok Shash.
- Bhaltair suggests that if it is, Kalok Shash may try to protect them if they try and kill them.
- Aunn also knows a lot of things. They can be an asset, and if need be, could be killed later.
- Valaari doesn't think they should make a hasty decision, Aunn seems to be cooperative. They're going back and forth between a death sentence and redemption. They firmly believe that non-demons should have a chance at redemption, but they're struggling with this one.
- Farren looks to Runmae and Naze for their thoughts.
- Runmae wouldn't be here if not for Aunn, she was chasing them into the Demon Wastes. She can see the value in them, though. A spy is a useful thing to have.
- She is very, very angry though.
- Farren then looks to Naze. "And your thoughts, young man?"
- Naze doesn't think Aunn can be trusted, but that they're too useful to kill. At least for now. There's a lot of information Aunn could share, and they'd lose that resource if they execute them. They can't be trusted to be let loose, however, because they'll disappear.
- Valaari thinks if they live, they should not be permitted to leave Maruk Dar and should be under supervision at all times.
- Farren will take it to Torgaan, and asks if the group wish to wait for a decision before they head back out. They do.
- Farren affirms they will be informed once a decision has been made. Farren thanks them for their discretion, and Bhaltair and Naze specifically for saving Aunn's life. As much as they may be regretting it now.
- We'll find out next time! For now, they level up.
- Valaari sells some stuff to get a Lesser Reinforcing Rune for their shield (which they also just bought).