Chapter 2: Hell's Back Road

[Pulpatoon]

Well, this is curious. What happens now?
Frail: Begin with maximum 1 HP. When you advance a level, you roll d4’s instead of d8’s for additional hit points.
Hard to Kill: Reaching 0 HP does not permanently kill you. As long as your entire body is not destroyed by fire or acid, you will regain 1 HP per day. At level 4, you regain 2 HP per day; at level 8 you regain 3 HP per day.

You're squished, but you're already dead, so this hasn't killed you. It'll just be a day before you can knit yourself together enough to do anything.

[rossik]

Doctor Gori makes a nimble somersault
[1d20] = 13 DEX [1d6] = 4 Dmg, if any

Taking little Karas into his pocket, he yells to the creature "Dont kick the baby!"

[Pulpatoon]

If I have his HP marked correctly, that's a dead Bubba.

By my records, Bubba is now at 3 HP.

Most of the party is able to leap away from the careening pill bugs, But Whither, Bubba, and Greminus are all struck.

Wither collapses into undead kindling. Bubba has the breath knocked out of him, and Greminus is squashed. His lat utterance is, "Take my master's bones with you!" before he expires.

Doctor Gori has protectively gathered up the tyrannoclops baby he has named Karas. The other babies have largely fled the area, seeking to escape the pill bugs. The pill bugs themselves are now placidly eating the ones they caught. One pill bug takes an exploratory nibble from Oothu's heel.

From the West, a new party arrives. At a distance, stand two grey humanoids. One is female, wearing complex robes and a shining jewel upon her collar. Next to her is a male, clearly outfitted for battle, including a helmet of filigreed gold. Before them march a horrifying sight: powerful humanoid bodies, armed with spears and scimitars and decorated with trophies of their fallen enemies, each one bearing a thing metal pole where their head should be.

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One dozen decapitates march forward, six along the north wall, six along the south.

ACTIONS!
Next update: Friday!

[Zhym]

Bubba goggles at the pole-headed warriors for a moment, then looks for a place to stand well out of the way of the approaching procession. Hopefully they'll just march on by...

[Pulpatoon]

The decapitates surround the party with military precision and eery silence. The woman and her male companion approach the ring of headless soldiers, but still stay about twenty feet back from the party.

You hear the woman's voice echo in your head: "I am Urethria, Priestess of Nul. Our eldritch detectors alerted us to unusual interlopers in this area. Identify yourselves. Where do you come from, and why are you here? What do you seek in the Underworld?"

ACTIONS!
Update: Monday!

[GreyWolfVT]

Galot bows to Urethria "We're from the surface. We came to stop a lunatic from ending the world in a matter of speaking. He seeks the Nul rod."

[Zhym]

A light bulb all but goes on over Bubba's head. "Heyyyyy...Priestess of Nul, huh? So is that your rod we're looking for?"

[Captain Kinkajou]

Anurak

Though quite distracted by the prospect of sudden death at the hands of the horrifying decapitates, Anurak is also awed by the power of the Priestess of Nul's commanding voice echoing around his mind.

Oh my! She's in my mind, reading my very thoughts! he thinks. Gosh, that's both a little scary and quite impressive. What a remarkable woman!

He is terrified and, truth be told, a little exhilarated. Anurak has always been secretly attracted to powerful women but has never had the courage to tell any of them. Does Urethria, Priestess of Nul know that right now? Is she reading his every thought? He feels strangely, and entirely inappropriately, attracted to her.

No, no, not thinking that, not thinking that, he tells himself, trying to quash the unruly thoughts that swirl into his mind. Move along. Go away. Shoo. Shoo. I wonder what she looks like naked? A fantasy of a shapely grey humanoid form pops unbidden into his mind's eye.

Facepalm. Anurak is suddenly stricken with horror, shame and embarassment. What are you doing! he chastises himself. Just stop it. Stop it. But, he can't help himself.

Sorry. So sorry. Nothing to see here. I'm just hoping you're not actually in here to see that. If you are, let's never speak of it.

[rossik]

Doctor Gori pet little Karas. He stare to the priestess and say:
"I'm Doctor Gori, a man from the future. Or the past, i'm not sure. We are not enemies, so there is no need to worry"

[Pulpatoon]

Galot bows to Urethria "We're from the surface. We came to stop a lunatic from ending the world in a matter of speaking. He seeks the Nul rod."

A light bulb all but goes on over Bubba's head. "Heyyyyy...Priestess of Nul, huh? So is that your rod we're looking for?"

A deep male voice join's Urethria's mind-voice in your heads: "Urethria! They speak of the Nul Rod!"

Urethria's mind-voice responds: "I hear them, Yithbara. We will..." she trails off for a moment, distracted, and then shoots Anurak a sharp look. Her expression softens for a split second, before she visibly collects herself, and declares: "You will tell us all you know of the Nul Rod! Upon pain of death!"

At this, the decapitates ready their spears and take a step forward, narrowing the circumference of their ring around the party.

ACTIONS!
Next Update: Wednesday!

[Zhym]

"Hey, whoa there!" cries Bubba, taken aback. "No need to get your dander up—we're happy to chat with ya, right everyone?"

Bubba's mushroom brain tries to remember what he knows about the reason he's here. "So, there's this thing called a Nul Rod. The Sorcery-King told us to get it, and when the Sorcery-King tells you to do something, you don't get to say no and live. Anyhoo, it's something about his son—the Prince? He brought the rod down here and kind of lost it and a whole bunch of his men and the Sorcery-King wants it back. And, y'know, like I said, when the Sorcery-King tells you jump, you don't ask 'how high' because he hates answering dumb questions. Or so I assume. It's not like I met him personally. The Sorcery-King doesn't travel to our neck of the woods just to talk with the likes of us!"

"So, anyhoo, that's that. We got 'volunteered' to go find the rod. But then we met a bear from the future who told us that the Nul Rod has to be destroyed to prevent the machines from taking over the universe in a thousand years? Or something like that? I'm kinda fuzzy on the details—no pun intended—but that bear seemed awfully insistent. So now I don't know what we should do."

"And, yeah, that's what I think I know about the Nul Rod."

[GreyWolfVT]

Galot "Well we know that plus what the talking professor bear fella told us too." the former performer confesses.

[rossik]

Doctor Gori nods with his head, as if he had any clue about that. At least, now he understand what he is suppose to do with the ragtag team.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Anurak

As Anurak fails dismally to control his racing thoughts, he notices Urethria's subtle reaction, and realises the Priestess had absolutely read his mind. His cheeks flush. Oh boy. That means she knows I'm attracted to her, his mind whirls. Doh! I'm doing it again! Stay calm. Hold it together.

Truth be told, the whole mind-reading thingy was rapidly propelling him further in this relationship than he'd ever managed to get with a woman on his own. He'd never actually plucked up the courage to make his feelings known before, always settling for feeble admiration from a distance. Having such a remarkable and beautiful woman actually know he was attracted to them was very much a first.

Maybe he should ask her out. Oh, wait a minute, did that mean he just had? His head spun and his heart pounded. The whirlwind romance was leaving him quite giddy. It was so hard to keep track.

Gosh, is it like this for Urethria all the time, he finds himself empathising. Seeing into other people's heads must be quite daunting and confusing for her. His esteem and affection grows a little at the thought of this incredible woman coping with it all. From his perspective, there's something quite liberating and dare he say alluring about it and how the relationship is racing ahead at break-neck pace without him really doing anything. It must be meant to be, he thinks blissfully, his heart soaring. It was the only reasonable explanation. He smiles happily at Urethria.

So, this is what true love feels like. How wonderful! His eyes well up with emotion and he almost weeps. I wonder if she will be joining our quest to retrieve the Nul Rod from the evil Professor Gormentine in order to save the universe from the row-bots, he thinks, adoringly replaying the highlights of his/their tale in his mind for Urethria to witness. I very much hope she will. He imagines the two of them happily travelling together, editing the decapitates and her male companion out of his vision. Then his fantasy shifts to a romantic sunset, and an intimate candle-lit dinner, perhaps mussels, followed by ragu and potato cakes, and then chocolate-covered strawberries dipped in honey for dessert. His heart swells and he sighs happily, lost in his reverie as his thoughts spin on and on and on.

Apologies if I'm spinning this out a bit too much. I'm finding the whole concept of how this situation would play out rather entertaining I hope that's not just me. Feel free to move things along if it is.

[Pulpatoon]

Urethria and Yithbara listen hungrily as the party gives up what scraps of knowledge they posses on the fabulous Nul Rod. When Galot mentions Dr. Ephram Thontorius' story, the bear steps forward, polishing a pair of eyeglasses on his jacket cuff, and begins to recount. "You see, I have this colleague..."

During this story, Urethria keeps showing signs of distraction—fidgeting and tiny flicks of facial expression that are not in sync with what Thontorius is saying. Thontorious continues to drone on, however, warming to his subject. "... and we cannot root Professor Gormontine out of these dreaded caves, and foil his abominable scheme, all of futurity is doomed to an exis..." Ubruptly Urethria snaps, "Stop! Knock it off! How am I supposed to think with your tumescent ramblings pressing against my mind like the besotted fumblings of a youth at his coming-of-age slow dance?" Blushing furiously, she glares at Anurak.

"Enough of this!" she declares. "We will take them to the local franchise temple, and extract the information we require under more controlled circumstances."

Throwing her arms in the air in a theatrical gesture that can only signify some sort of arcane activity, the jewel at her collar flashes. "Sumjectivo clamm di squalikedly! You are slaves to the will of Urethria! Do you hear? You will obey me without hesitation or delay!" You find yourself drawn to her eyes, even brighter and more beautiful than the jewel. You are unable to look away. They are so deep and compelling; they take over your field of vision, becoming the universe. You feel like you are falling, falling endlessly into those eyes, leaving behind the fungus-light of the Underworld, the stink of rotted tyrannoclops, your cares and aches and concerns. There is only the all-encompassing, dizzying Will of Urethria.



Oh no! Everybody roll 1d20+INT bonus and try to beat 16 or become a hypnotic thrall to Urethria!

ACTIONS!
Next update: Friday!

[Zhym]

"Obey," repeats Bubba. "I will...obey. I will—"

He stops, a look of sudden understanding on his face. "Now, just hold on there! Information extraction doesn't sound nice at all!"

Int check (DC 16): [1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16

[Captain Kinkajou]

Anurak

INT save (DC 16): [1d20+1] = 16+1 = 17

Yay! Now that's both unexpected and kind of funny

Anurak is more than willing to look deeply into Urethria's beautifully compelling eyes. So deep and all-encompassing. Sigh! What beautiful eyes! How gloriously beautiful and commanding she is!. He hadn't quite followed what the Priestess was saying when she had told him to 'knock it off'. To be honest, with everything whirling in his head, he'd found it difficult to concentrate and fully process what she was saying as a linear flow, but the gist was clear, Urethria's feelings about their burgeoning romance were as tumultuous as his. Things were heating up, all the signs were there. She'd looked deep into his eyes, mentioned 'his mind pressing against hers', a 'slow dance', 'fumblings'. Now she had invited him back to her place. So much passion was radiating from her that their mutual attraction was undeniable. She'd been pretty explicit about where things were heading. Anurak is giddy with anticipation. Come my love, free yourself from the strictures of your subterranean order, unleash the strictly bridled emotions burning within you and let us run away together to save the universe.

Having made his save, is there even a remote chance that Urethria starts to succumb to the power of Anurak's mind and buy into his romantic fantasy? I mean he is kind of getting to her. Just asking I'm struggling to see how we get out of this otherwise!

[rossik]

"Must...obey....lady funnyname....."

[1d20] = 7

[GreyWolfVT]

Galot "hmm yes sure I'll tell you what I know. Ooo this looks a lot like what the hypnotist would do in his show that truely is mesmerizing."
INT Save [1d20+1] = 20+1 = 21

[Pulpatoon]

Operation: Unfathomable! Day Three: Late Afternoon


What a great day! Oh, thank all the gods! Urethria has found you!

Everything about this mission has been terrible—the manure-splattered settlement of Fort Enterprise, the long trek across frozen tundra, the interminable climb down a thousand foot ladder, only to reach an absurd and violent Underworld, with its weird light, peculiar smells, idiosyncratic peoples, and sudden deaths. But! Now! You are Saved! Exquisite Urethria, so beautiful, so wise, so caring, is here to lead you to something better. All you have to do is listen to what she says, and everything is going to work out just fine!



Poor, sad, stupid Bubba and Galot don't seen to have noticed just how lucky the party is to have encountered someone as wonderful as Urethria, and don't immediately make their appreciation known, which is terribly rude. How embarrassing for them! Won't they feel awful, any minute now when they figure it out! In the meantime, Urethria's jolly decaptitates surround the two, four to each resistant party member, and hold them so that they don't do anything foolish that they would only regret once they come to their senses. Yithbara comes along and binds their hands with some manner of tough cord made from long strands of fibrous fungus. Now they're so safe and secure! Thanks, Urethria!



(Anurak, having not yet wiped the look of puppy-dog infatuation off his face, is mistaken to be charmed, and is not tied up. As near as he can tell, however, the rest of the party is thoroughly under the Nul Priestess' sway. Anurak, please give me an INT check, to see if you can marshall your thoughts enough to avoid giving yourself away. 1d20+INT bonus, you need a 16 or higher.)

The captured party is lead west by the accompanying decaptitates, preceded by Urethria and Yithbara. The two grey humanoids walk well ahead of the rest of the party. It is so brave of Urethria to lead the expedition, this way, and so funny of her to have pretended to sneer and say she had to get "away from the mental ramblings of the moronic foreigners." She's such a kidder!



Up ahead, a stone bridge in the center of the passage arcs over what appears to be a dry river bed running from a 3’ high by 10’ wide opening in the north wall to a similar opening in the south wall, as indicated by the pattern of erosion in the sunken bed. The bridge appears ancient and composed of large slabs of stone held together only by their own weight. Lush vegetation—the first non-fungal vegetation you have seen down here—chokes the floodplain area around the river bed, obscuring the view beyond.

As Urethria and Yithbara approach the bridge, they meet three figures crossing it in the other direction. They are far enough ahead that it is difficult to make them out in any detail, but two are large and appear armored, and the third is small with an unusually large, round head. Urethria greets them with the poise and majesty you would expect of someone of her refined and noble nature, and eight of the decaptiates jog forward, spears readied, to enforce her glorious will. You can just hear the high-pitched, almost boyishly enthusiastic voice of the smaller figure responding to her, but cannot quite hear the words exchanged.

Dr. Thontorious' ears perk up, however. "Oh!" he says, "I do believe that is my colleague, Professor Zabon Gormontine!"

Everyone can act as they wish, although Gurzubar, Wither, Krodok, and Thontorious (EDIT: and Doctor Gori!) will not act against the will of the enchanting Urethria. And she has made it clear that you are to accompany her back to the "local franchise temple," whatever that might be. Bubba and Galot have their hands tied behind their backs, and their weapons taken from them. Four decaptitates remain behind to guard the party, while the rest are about 40' ahead, with Urethria and Yithbara. Anurak is also bound if he loses his INT check, but is free if he succeeds.

ACTIONS?
Next Update: Monday!

Dice:

Hypno-check: [1d20] = 5
Encounter [1d20] = 1