S25: Following Tracks

Our fellowship is tired. The last few days have been long. With two young halfling twins, Sweets and Smalls, in tow they arrive back at Fulcrum Underground for some much needed rest. The group is graciously offered the orphans sleeping quarters for the night. While most of the party is thankful. Glug believes orphans who have next to nothing should also be used to sleeping on the floor as he tries to take their last and only bed. Fortunately, Alora, herds Glug back to the fold. Before seepy-time each of the party members takes a little me-time. Alora and Fey dip into Huther’s Panty Remover -- Alora having a bit more restraint than Fey. In turn, Fey drunkenly builds a crooked-ass satchel of Gerald holding. Glug tests his luck on a new spell weaving together fantasy and reality while using ingredients that aren’t quite right, successfully creating a new friend and familiar named ButterButt -- who is perfect to Glug, but in truth, just a little out of proportion. Mokon is touched by his god in a “good” way allowing him to take on the pain of others. Nom’s anxiety over her curse causes her to make the decision to sleep outside the room in the hall, hoping to distance herself from her friends. Time will tell.

Our party sleeps deeply. Dreams dance through their heads, some good, some bad, but all having an impression not easily forgotten.

Alora wakes first. Feeling refreshed and happy albeit with a slight backache due to her sleeping partner and an apparently lumpy mattress. Fey is second with a nasty hangover that only a good ol’ fashioned vomit in the corner can fix and a longing. Next is Glug, rested, unsettled, and hastily trying to cover up the bugs and mice that are now covering his bedding (of which Alora now realizes is not just a lump mattress). Glug, trying to pass off the bugs and mice as a new spell learning curve and/or byproduct begins to walk toward Fey to help her clean up her “mess” tripping over tied together shoelaces. Mokon sleeps deeply as his telling dreams become clear. 

During the morning commotion the team begins to feel a tingling, as if a mild electric shock was coursing through their body. Uncertain as to what this feeling means or its cause the team looks up as Nom enters the room. With sword drawn and eyes as black as coal Nom slashes angrily at Alora narrowly missing a head removing opportunity. Blood trails down Nom’s face from the corner of her mouth. As Nom’s eyes clear and her dream fades, she wakes to a room of confused party members and a very angry Alora. Nom quickly begins to explain that her curse is getting worse, as she does so, Sweets enters the room with a basket of fruits and immediately drops them to the floor. As her little halfing body is racked in pain Nom’s bracer begins to get warm pulling its requirements from the all to close halfling child. Glug reacts, knowing what is happening, pushing the child out of harm's way and personally taking on the torment of the bracer. Alora quickly picks up Sweets from the floor -- she is cold, damp, and pale. Mokon jumps out of bed healing her just enough to keep her from death’s door. He uses this time to completely cure Sweets of yet another disease -- transferring it to himself. With a slight cough he pulls back a glowing hand and the thanks of a young halfling. Sweet’s stumbles out of the room for a much needed rest to recover.

The crew is angry, some more than others, at Nom, but more so at her curse. Nom implores the group to find someone to take it away. The group has been awake for less than ten minutes. Hopefully, this is not a premonition of things to come.

Before continuing on their journey to find Huther and his slaves, Glug steps aside with Mokon asking if he could use his new found godly gift to remove the darkness inside him. Mokon eagerly accepts Glug’s plea. Mokon begins to recite a prayer of cleansing placing his hand upon Glugs head. A bright like emanates from Mokon’s hand. Mokon senses the disease in Glug, filtering through Glug’s essence he tries to pinpoint the source. Mokon’s vision goes dark, his skin runs cold, he is in the deep blackness of an underwater void. Mokon gasps for air, he tries to find the surface, but cannot. For hours Mokon is drowning in a sea of nothingness. Mokon then jolts awake, his hand not glowing with divine light, but with dark shadows. He gasps for air fearfully pulling his hand away landing prone on the floor. The group has many questions for Glug of which he has very few answers.

Gathering themselves, the group presses on.

Arriving at Huther’s shack the group begins to investigate. Fey heads to the old well, finding nothing but its murky depths. Glug sends his new friend ButterBall into the well to have a look around. The water was only an illusion as his familiar finds a spiraling staircase heading downward. During this time, Alora heads inside looking for a worn path through the dust and webs. Upon inspection she finds a door knocker. Remembering Sweets' tune Alora follows suit, rhythmically thumping the knocker on the wall which reveals a once hidden door. Upon a quick vote, the crew decides to head through the door, leaving the well for a later date.

Alora opens the door, inside a beautiful sitting room. Four paintings adorn the walls along with a rare large clock angled in the corner. As the group enters the door shuts behind them divulging a similar knocker to the one Alora found outside. Without hesitation Nom thumps the knocker in Sweet’s rhythm. The room begins to fill with tepid water. The group begins to search for ways out. Opening another door reveals a simple dining room. Glug grabs a bread roll from the table. Instantly flames shoot out from two areas in the room engulfing Glug in fire. He dives to safety, receiving only minor burns. The water begins to heat.  Nom finds each painting has unique numbers on the frame. Mokon finds turning the frame offers a mechanical click. Still no rhyme or reason to the sequence. Another door is opened by Fey -- a hallway with two unique statues. As Fey enters she begins to stiffen -- her legs won’t move. Nom pulls Fey from danger only to find her legs also have begun to stiffen. Slowly the two begin to turn to stone remembering a glint of green moments before the process started. The group is now in a panic not knowing how to stop the onslaught of danger. Then they remember -- Huther’s crumpled note they found in his office. The water rises and heats as Fey and Nom slowly turn to stone. They begin to decipher the meaning. A code - they turn the frames to match the numbers. The water begins to subside. Fey and Nom continue to petrify. In a last ditch effort Fey casts a firebot at the stag’s head breaking one of its green eyes. Nom instantly begins to feel relief. Seeing this Glug and Alora attack the head shattering the second eye saving Fey moments before she became completely stone. They notice the two statues have also reverted back to their natural form. Two dead humans lay on the floor. Nom finds they have only limited resources -- early adventurers that had stumbled into the wrong place perhaps. As they decide their next move the flames from the dining room subside -- the group is safe… for now.

Moving forward with much more caution the group tries a door at the end of the hallway. Fey finds it is for display only connected securely to a wall behind. Glug finds the same ruse in the dining room for the closest door. A second door opens easily revealing what appears to be a fully stocked pantry. Still cautious and still confused with Huther’s note (as the middle had been burned away) the group proceeds cautiously into the pantry. All except Mokon who boldly grabs a large pumpkin and begins to carve. After some time and discussion the group moves forward, through the pantry, into a warm and inviting bedroom complete with canopied bed, oaken armoire, and a large mirror with steps. The crew does not like the mirror’s vibe giving it a wide berth catching only glimpses of something more. Nom throws a dagger at the mirror -- the dagger disappears. Entering the next room an ornate bathroom with a large tub and well stocks lavatory. Next, an office… with someone or something inside. Closer inspection reveals a small purple-hued body waist deep in a large safe. The sounds of coins and treasure jingling throughout the room. Nom grabs the little slippery creature. Big green eyes stare back. The purple creature secretes more of the slimy ooze sliping from Nom’s grasp as he grumpily pushes by the group and begins to clean. The BOP begin to question Bogtoo with varying results. They find that Huther is probably nearby, the mirror is a doorway, and there is another creature named Bogone. Nom finds a high-thread-count pillowcase for pillagery (and stumbles across a few leather straps under the bed for Huther’s extra curricular activities). She fills the pillowcase with the treasures from the safe. Additional investigation reveals many artistic drawings (including tasteful art of the party females), equations, and various animal dissection charts. Fey and Glug leave Huther a couple screw-you gifts before departing. 

Back and the bedroom mirror Alora tempts fate by getting close and personal with the large ornate mirror. Her reflection begins to twist and turn until, instead of her own reflection, she sees a wall of book laden shelves. She enters and is instantly and jarringly transported to another room -- a library with a large desk and four larger bookcases. On the desk, a book named Manual of the Flesh Golem -- arcane writing and unknown symbols litter the pages. Although no sound passes through the mirror, Alora visibly beckons the group forward. They follow her lead.

The fellowship now stands in a small library surrounded by books of anatomy, surgery, history, myths, and legend. Standing out, a larger, more ancient tome rests open on a large oak desk. On quick inspection, unrecognizable runes and symbols adorn the thick yellowed pages. On the binder, handwritten are the words, Manual of Flesh Golems.