Expedition 52f - Mandras' Account

1. 1. Mandras shook his head, he had spent the last hour in a mist and was now re-awakening in his mind. The party was in a room, facing three creatures built like gorillas with the arms of an octopus. Instinctively, he struck at them, as did the party members. They were quickly dispatched to everyone’s surprise.

      
      

      Heading N, the party entered a large cathedral, too big to see the boundaries of. It was dominated by desecrated statues of the 3 deities and full of pews covered in some form of dried slime. The party didn’t explore the cathedral but headed E and meandered in the corridors until they reached a door, behind which chanting was heard.
   2. The door blew open as Alf kicked it down. The 10 cultists within were caught by surprise – after an instant of silence, the adventurers surged forth, killing half in the first breath and made fast work of the rest. Rarder and Konrad had beaten 2 senseless and then interrogated them, before sending them onto their god. A door beckoned to the S and Alf kicked it down too – it seemed to be some kind of games parlor with tables and a dozen cultists playing card and dice games. The attack on the previous room had been too swift for them to notice much. Mandras slew two of them in quick succession. A partition opened to the S and another 7 cultists entered. One wore a golden mask and the being who controlled Simon’s body yelled: I have you Darios! Mandras slew another 4, but took some heavy wounds in the process. Rarder charged the Darios as the latter cast a strong spell; Rarder blocked it with his eon stone, probably discharging it. In the distraction, Simon threw himself on Darios, slaying him. As the light left Darios’ eyes, so too did the ghost of Darios’ brother exit Simon, leaving him once again a 1st level, exhausted adventurer.
   3. The alcove Darios had come from held a cozy bedroom. The party inspected and pillaged both rooms. There were quite a few spoils left on the gaming tables as well as a significant necklace – Mandras took the latter, as well as 100 GP. The N door to the games room was hastily barricaded and the party sought rest for their cleric, who took to the bed in Darios room.

      
      

      In the course of the night, the party was interrupted by 6 cultists, who were rapidly dispatched by ambuscade, without awakening Rarder (1 in 6). After 12 hours, he awoke, refreshed and proceed to pray for healing for the party, repeatedly.

      
      

      Backtracking, the party re-entered the cathedral room and explored it further. Some of the pews had bones lying on them and a large lizard skull in one open area. It was a vast space and as the party headed N, the walls narrowed a bit. A taunting voice invited us to join the ranks of its followers… it must be Malachie, at last! Rejecting the taunts, the party closed and was horrified to be confronted by a 15-foot-tall monstrosity.