"Horrors of the Red Cathexus!" Take two!

[SpiralErrant]

Demonsoul

"Look at all this sand, Friend, it looks like it's dancing." Thorn stopped walking lightly and began dragging their feet through the sand. "Feels good between my toes- I have toes now - that I feels. Do you like having toes? "

And so Thorn's mind went on, darting from one thing to the next as they went about toying with their new weapons. Was that wings they could hear? Something else was with them in this new dark.

(+7 Perception check in the sandy cavern.)

 

[Beckoncall]

SpiralErrant

It was not easy to see -- but thorn saw it.

A damn huge bat -- a dire bat: Bat

It was presently hanging from the ceiling just about 60 feet away, chewing on... something. Then he heard another flying noise... probably more of them.

Inside the memories of the goblin were traces of fear, and care regarding these creatures.

"Keep to the rocks when you can and be sneaky!"

 

[SpiralErrant]

Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky. Thorn could do that, or this goblin it had taken over could. Thorn was more about the maddening pulse of a battle hungry heart and the exquisite bliss of hell fire. Today though, he and his tiny goblin body could be sneaky 'cus this new brain was smart enough know it stood little chance as things were and right now Thorn was smart enough to know better than risk being lost in these shifting sands with no one to have fun with.

Getting all shifty like, the Thorn-goblin ducked down and tapped his new friend on the shoulder, motioning for them to do the same. They were too few to get past such creatures on their own and this body's instincts were telling thorn to find help if they wanted to stand a chance.

(Stealth check and sneak back to the cistern of skulls if possible.)

 

[Beckoncall]

...Thorn easily sneaks back into the cistern of skulls, leaving the sounds of screeches and flapping behind them!

 

[Demonsoul]

Seeing Thorn move back to the cistern, the Abrather made a rather controversial decision. The Abrather used stealth in a different path. Vasilissa began to sneak around the lake, following the path the goblins would follow to get back by using Darb's memories. While Thorn would hopefully rally the other horrors, Vasilissa would scout ahead for dangers. Bats had excellent senses but even those fell off with distance.

(Stealth, Perception, to scout)

 

[Heyitsjiwon]

With some of the loot secured, the Gluttonous One was left with a problem. He didn't have the means to carry everything around nor did he want to. Plus, the Crystal was in the middle of the water and relatively exposed. Thus, it decided to do what it did best. Use its long tentacle like arms to reach down into the water to retrieve the crystal. Then, he would burrow and dig a nice little hiding spot for the group's loot that they were not going to be using. A small "hoard" if you will that would be buried and its location only known to the other horrors. The items that he would bury were the voodoo doll and the Crystal. The Gluttonous One would also separately bury the trash in another location. It stank... and would attract attention. Such attention could be wanted later, but not now.

With all that dealt with, the Gluttonous One would then approach those still in the Cistern and ask in Elder speak "Does anyone know the captive's tongue? We should ask it what they were all doing out here and where they came from... especially why they have a voodoo doll."

 

[Beckoncall]

Vasilissa followed the larger boulders in a path back towards the goblin camp... the darkness of the cavern prevented the gathering of much intel, but from a particular direction along the route the sounds of desert toads -- big ones -- could be heard.

It was several hundred yards before The Abrather could retrace his host's steps, which came to a rocky side of the cavern that rose above the sand. a cave tunnel seemed to separate the sandy cavern of blackness from the domain of the goblins -- and this tunnel passage had been fortified with a vast heap of wooden and metal junk with a particular zig-zag route required to ascend it safely. along the zig-zag goblin dogs prowled and atop the battlement/mound a handful of goblins spied into the cavern.

 

[Demonsoul]

The Abrather knew with the knowledge gained from her goblin host that the goblins would be suspicious if only one goblin returned from the venture. And so, Darb snuck away from the battlements in order to gather the fellow horrors. Vasilissa was careful to follow the path it went on in order to avoid the dangers that might be encountered from straying.

(Stealth back, Perception to prevent anything from sneaking up on her)

 

[Beckoncall]

Vasilissa was careful to be very quiet, and retrace her steps without error.

It was with some surprise however she discovered that her steps were being retraced by something else... a pair of stone Troglodytes.

Vasilissa would have to make a choice, sneak a wide path around them, but risk being detected by bats or even worse getting lost, or sneaking past creatures that were obviously hunting goblins...

 

[Beckoncall]

Heyitsjiwon

The Gluttonous Mandragora successfully buried the cathexus in a watery, algae and bone-laden depression in the cistern... not even it's telltale glow would give it away there.

Disposing of the trash at the other side of the cistern, it was merely a question of what to do next...

 

[Demonsoul]

Vasilissa knew the danger of numbers, as a predator numbers can turn the tide. While the troglodytes had a harder chance of detecting the goblin body, they were far more dangerous with their numbers. One bat is easier to run from than two creatures. The Abrather made a calculated choice and decided to take the long way around the troglodytes, risking detection from the bats.

(Stealth, if detected by bats RUN FOR THE CISTERN, bat move speed is lower than goblin, and can't take the run action whilst flying.)

 

[Beckoncall]

Demonsoul :

Numerous times Vasilissa was certain the bat (or bats) was onto her, but she picked her way back to the cistern without trouble. With her own perception she could detect that the troglodytes were making their way towards the cistern as well, however - and had determined their quarry was attempting to elude them...

 

[Demonsoul]

Vasilissa reached the cistern with bad news for her compatriots. Her goblin mouth opened unnaturally to speak elder tongue.

"Danger. Comes. Powerful. Prepare. Ambush."

The Troglodytes were far behind with their slower speed and need to track foot prints. But they were coming. How to deal with them was the only question.

Heyitsjiwon SpiralErrant Seraph Darkfire Daimao

 

[Heyitsjiwon]

With that, The Gluttonous One began to burrow once more into the sand. "Attack from all directions like before... let us hope this quarry is more tasty than these skinny goblins." Suddenly, an idea struck the Gluttonous One. The lone surviving goblin. They could use it as bait to distract the on coming foe. Leaving the goblin to hand in the web, the Gluttonous One gurgled with laughter as it attempted to sense the ground for the approaching enemy, and would lay a trap just like it did for the goblins just moments ago except this time there was something to draw the enemy's attention... a nice treat, dangling right before their eyes.

 

[Demonsoul]

The Abrather's predatory thoughts took over in her plan for an ambush. She was sure that the troglodytes lacked dexterity due to their stone bodies, and so Vasilissa attempted to climb over top the roof so that it she could drop atop the troglodytes when they enter the cistern.

(Climb, Stealth)

 

[Beckoncall]

Demonsoul climbs up to a hidden perch and hides herself with cobwebs!

 

[SpiralErrant]

Back at the cistern!

Thorn had made it home, safe and sound with fresh tales to tell of all their adventures.

"New friends, we found more big beasties, too big for little goblins and- you found more treasures?!" Thorn wanted treasures! All this stuff was covered in webs, did that mean there were more treasures for Thorn to find up in the web walls?

He didn't have much time to think about that as his first new friend arrived with news of danger. Danger and new fun maybe, HA! Thorn's goblin mind seemed to take pleasure in the idea of being sneaky springing ambushes. Searching for treasures would have to wait, Thorn found a quiet patch in a corner of the chamber and readied his sword. Maybe these things would be tougher than some spiders... maybe he could eat these too?

(Stealth check as Thorn joins in the ambush.)

 

[Beckoncall]

Thorn gets into hiding just as the troglodytes approach!

Sniffing the air, they approach the cistern cautiously, one of the troglodytes making it's way towards the webbed goblin as the other seems to sniff the air... examining the surroundings but finding nothing amiss.... thus far.

 

[Eliasdagood]

Cortova can feel something from where she floats in the darkness. A pull, a call… she tentatively reaches out, and feels herself wrenched from the void she’s called home for so long. When next she’s able to get a bearing on her surroundings, she’s stunned to see light. It’s almost frightening after so long without it. It’s moving strangely, however, like… ripples. Oh, wait, is she underwater? She moves one flawed hand around experimentally. Mmhm. Definitely underwater. There are bones resting in the water around her, but when ignores that for now, hurriedly swimming up toward the surface. The light grows stronger as she rises, which makes her want to shy away, but she has to figure out where she is. And with how… strangely physical this body feels, she may even need to breathe.

Cortova pokes her head out of the water, looking around curiously. She doesn’t recognize this place… but she recognizes some things. This is the mortal plane, the underdark… this used to be her home. A slow, wicked grin spreads across her mangled, colorless face. Finally. She has a chance to claim her kingdom as her own. She just has to find it… for now, she needs to grow stronger.

She needs to find a suitable host for herself for now. Eventually she’ll want a drow Noble, the closest to what she once was, but for now... Let’s just take a look at the options.

(Perception check to get up to speed, got a 15)

 

[Beckoncall]

Cortova realizes that there are potential predators in the cistern chamber -- Stone Troglodytes! Their forms look too strong to possess... for now, but determines they are here to hunt goblins -- one of which wriggles under a web of netting.

She can also sense the presence, but not location, of several other horrors from the Cathexus... but they are hidden -- could this be an ambush on the troglodyte interlopers?

The cathexus was hidden, so at least she knew that the source of her power was safe... but how to deal with these creatures? Their kind were little more than slaves in the empire she knew, but in her fledgling form, they posed a real threat. Still she felt they might know to fear the drow...

What action would she take? Or would her comrades act before her?

 

[Eliasdagood]

Cortova narrows her eyes, thinking for a moment. Slaves they are, yes. That is simply their place in the world. But if these ones have not yet been broken, then they might attack once she tries to remind them of that fact. She glances at the goblin in the web, and smirks. Perhaps she should just wait here, and let them take the filthy creature. She dismisses the thought. These will be useful hosts in the future. Powerful bodies to use in her conquest. She wants to take them alive.

She steps out of the water, standing near the bound goblin. If her… companions have any sense, they’ll be waiting for these dull creatures to advance on their prey. That means that there’s a high chance that if she stands here, a charge will provoke several attacks of opportunity, and perhaps save her.

She glares at the troglodytes, lifting her chin proudly, and fixing them with a gaze that shows full well her utter disdain for everything they represent to her. “I, princess Cortova of the Trascian empire, command you to kneel! To attack is suicidal. To flee is hopeless. Any resistance you give will be met with death, and it will not be swift. As of right now, I claim your pathetic lives as my property.” She calls in undercommon. Her tone carries all the authority and harshness of a true drow princess, and her gaze still shows utter contempt.
(Holy cow, crit on that intimidate!)

 

[Beckoncall]

Just like that, the Troglodytes BOW THEIR HEADS IN SUBMISSION, in utter terror of having disturbed some ancient drow tomb and being subject to it's vengeful ghost.

"Spare! Do not curse or kill! Mighty Drow, we beg!" The Trogs blurt out in broken undercommon.

"Willing to serve! Do not destroy! Plea!" They continue rambling.

Still looking hungrily at the helpless goblin, they prostrate themselves before the spirit of Cortova... petrified at encountering the true rage of what they perceive as a powerful Drow...

Cortova is not sure how long this loyalty will last, but she has the Trogs at her every whim, for now...

 

[Eliasdagood]

Cortova smirks, looking down at them imperiously. “Hm. So you have some sense.” She sneers. She glances around, not sure where the other creatures of the void are, but aware that they’re here. She calls out in the language of Elders, not wanting them to become angry with her. She has no respect for the troglodytes, but she knows better than to underestimate the others that have joined her. “I say that we take this opportunity to capture them. There’s only so much their little minds can take before they break, and then possession will be simple. If anyone has a way to bind them, it would be much appreciated.”

She looks back to the beasts at her feet, hoping they’ll have some information for her. “Now then. Tell me, where are the rest of your people? Additionally, I want you to tell me everything you can about this area. What lives here?” She asks, deciding to cut down on the amount of exploring that needs to happen.

 

[Heyitsjiwon]

The Gluttonous One exploded from under a pile of sand behind the intruders. It gurgled "And here I was thinking I would get to enjoy the thrill of hunting my food." in its mandragora form. It then continued "I believe we were going to infiltrate the goblin tribe... I can consume the body of one that was recently killed to gain its form." pointing to a dead goblin in the corner with a clearly broken neck. "Perhaps, we can have our new servants join us in our hunt?" He then pointed over to the dangling goblin and said "No one has yet claimed that body... it may be in your interest to take it." The Gluttonous One then walked over to the dead goblin and covered it in a sap of some sorts to preserve the body... a natural instinct of the Mandragora that the Gluttonous One learned and felt.

 

[SpiralErrant]

Waaahh?! This day was just getting better and better!

"New Friend!" Thorn screeched, bursting from the shadows and scampering over to Cortova's flickering shape as fast as his little goblin legs would carry him. He was practically dancing as he came to a stop and craned his neck to look up at the imperious form of the fancy talking ghost lady. It went without saying that to Thorn's currently manic mind, the ability to reduce two big and beefy looking monsters like these angry lizards to cowering wrecks was super duper impressive.

"We should send them back, New Friend! M-me and angry bitey friend over there," He pointed to Abrather. "We found big mean bats that try to eat us over there. Make 'em fight, make the big things fight!" Oh how he'd love to see that, to look at that kind of horrible blood combat, or better, to take part in it.

"We was gunna go over there but stuff was too big so- so we came back y'see and - and I was gunna... gunna..." What was he going to do before? "I was gunna look for treasure!"

And again Thorn's goblin mind slingshot to another idea and topic. Without a second thought he started throwing himself at the walls in an attempt to climb the walls that had once belonged to the spiders to see what other fun and shiny objects he could find lost in the higher webs. Completely ignoring the kneeling troglodytes and the whimpering goblin that remained.

(Climb check to climb the walls to the higher webs. Bonus is now +5 with Thorn's skill rank combined with goblin body = 13
Perception to find more treasure +7 =9)