Venerable Master;
We remained only a single night in Drezen before setting out to seek the missing priest of Erastil.
As we made our way through the desolate landscape of winding ravines this time, we decided we should remain on the top of the plateau rather than walking along the floors of the ravines as we had done previously. We encountered a variety of strange creatures during our travel, ordinary creatures such as an owlbear and several birds but strangely modified. The owlbear had a demon claw attached to its body, and the birds were variously equipped with an excess of wings or extra legs and heads. When these creatures set upon us the behavior seemed to be instinct rather than any true desire to harm us. Jiro examined the owlbear and concluded that it may have been intentionally altered rather than mutated by the unwholesome atmosphere of the Worldwound.
Demonic owlbear
This led us to seek out those who were responsible. It was not difficult to follow the animals' tracks to a cavern. As we approached we spied a bird with seven wings circling awkwardly above the cave entrance, and while we looked on it dropped gracelessly to the ground, flapped its excess of wings once more, and died.
Mutated bird creature
The cave's large entrance took us into a series of branching tunnels. There were innumerable tracks in the dirt, too many to identify or count. Just as we rounded the first corner together we came upon what appeared to be an imp, but its wings had been removed and it wore four legs attached to its body in an irregular fashion. This creature did not appear to pose any threat, but we decided to turn aside and proceed down another tunnel in the opposite direction. Zosta, however, was not willing to let the imp go. She pursued it, pinned it to the ground and pummeled it to death with her fists.
Mutated imp
When Zosta rejoined the rest of our group, she ranged ahead of us and quickly reported that she had heard a sound. We split into two groups as we came to a fork in the passage, Zero and Runa going down one branch while Jiro, Zosta and I entered the other. Runa came upon a winged cat which was engaged in washing itself with its forked tongue. Though she suspected it might be an intelligent creature like Kirara, she did not strike it and the feline wandered off. Meanwhile Zosta observed two bats, one lacking wings and the other equipped with an extra pair of legs. The winged one of the pair was taking advantage of its ability to fly to assault the wingless bat. These seemed disturbed by our presence and attempted to move away from us.
Just ahead of Runa another creature appeared while all of us emerged into the same passageway. Jiro and Runa immediately identified it as a stirge, but it was much larger than an ordinary stirge, as large as a person. While I was looking ahead toward this awful creature, I suddenly sensed Kirara's distress from behind me. The winged cat had crept up behind us and bitten her. Its tongue bore some kind of poison. I told her to assume her misty form and escape from it.
Jiro tossed a paper crane at the stirge. I drew a wand from my quiver and sent a missile at the cat but its body resisted the magic. Runa began to fight with the stirge, which was attempting to attach itself to her body. Zero began to recite an inspiring saga and fired an arrow at the winged cat, which caused it to flee.
As the cat departed two babau demons appeared, one near Runa and the other around a corner where I could not see it. The first babau struck Runa a harsh blow with its spear. Zosta tripped the first babau and stamped the life out of it, while Jiro summoned a weapon into the air and sent it to strike the stirge that was still trying to drain Runa's blood.
A third babau suddenly appeared behind Zero and I. I made an attempt to send it back to its native plane but my magic failed to affect it. Beyond the babau a robed figure appeared, bearing the holy emblem of some demon lord that I did not at that moment recognize. A column of flame filled my vision, leaving both Kirara and I badly burned. A second robed figure had appeared nearer to Runa, and then a third made its presence known around a corner at the end of the passage nearest to Runa and Zosta. The second and third figures set more flames upon us, burning all of us but Runa. I watched in despair as Kirara fell to the ground and assumed her solid form, her beautiful fur all burned away and her eyes dimmed as her life fled.
Zero had somehow appeared beside the first mage. I turned my back, as the babau threatening me had teleported away to attack Runa instead. I moved beside Jiro and a bolt of lightning shot from my fingertip toward the second person at the far end of the passage. In my ire I did not care that the babau which stood between my position and the robed figure would not be harmed by the bolt. I felt a sense of satisfaction when the lightning danced over the robed person's body and made their arms contract in agony. Then I took a vial of healing oil from my pouch and poured it over Kirara's body, sighing in relief as her fur was restored and she began to breathe again.
When Kirara begain to fly again, I turned to see Bohgong, who was riding on Jiro's basket, wildly gesticulating, but I could hear nothing. An imp had approached me, carrying with it silencing magic. I took my staff and smashed at it until its broken body stopped moving and then threw it away from me to remove the magic from the area.
Just ahead of Runa another creature appeared while all of us emerged into the same passageway. Jiro and Runa immediately identified it as a stirge, but it was much larger than an ordinary stirge, as large as a person. While I was looking ahead toward this awful creature, I suddenly sensed Kirara's distress from behind me. The winged cat had crept up behind us and bitten her. Its tongue bore some kind of poison. I told her to assume her misty form and escape from it.
Giant stirge
Jiro tossed a paper crane at the stirge. I drew a wand from my quiver and sent a missile at the cat but its body resisted the magic. Runa began to fight with the stirge, which was attempting to attach itself to her body. Zero began to recite an inspiring saga and fired an arrow at the winged cat, which caused it to flee.
Winged cat
As the cat departed two babau demons appeared, one near Runa and the other around a corner where I could not see it. The first babau struck Runa a harsh blow with its spear. Zosta tripped the first babau and stamped the life out of it, while Jiro summoned a weapon into the air and sent it to strike the stirge that was still trying to drain Runa's blood.
Babau demon
A third babau suddenly appeared behind Zero and I. I made an attempt to send it back to its native plane but my magic failed to affect it. Beyond the babau a robed figure appeared, bearing the holy emblem of some demon lord that I did not at that moment recognize. A column of flame filled my vision, leaving both Kirara and I badly burned. A second robed figure had appeared nearer to Runa, and then a third made its presence known around a corner at the end of the passage nearest to Runa and Zosta. The second and third figures set more flames upon us, burning all of us but Runa. I watched in despair as Kirara fell to the ground and assumed her solid form, her beautiful fur all burned away and her eyes dimmed as her life fled.
Lamashtu cultist
Zero had somehow appeared beside the first mage. I turned my back, as the babau threatening me had teleported away to attack Runa instead. I moved beside Jiro and a bolt of lightning shot from my fingertip toward the second person at the far end of the passage. In my ire I did not care that the babau which stood between my position and the robed figure would not be harmed by the bolt. I felt a sense of satisfaction when the lightning danced over the robed person's body and made their arms contract in agony. Then I took a vial of healing oil from my pouch and poured it over Kirara's body, sighing in relief as her fur was restored and she began to breathe again.
When Kirara begain to fly again, I turned to see Bohgong, who was riding on Jiro's basket, wildly gesticulating, but I could hear nothing. An imp had approached me, carrying with it silencing magic. I took my staff and smashed at it until its broken body stopped moving and then threw it away from me to remove the magic from the area.
Imp
In the meantime Runa and Zosta had been battling two babau and the two robed people at the opposite end of the passage, while Zero and Jiro's summoned spirit attacked the third person. These three robed people proved all to be women after they died, and Jiro remembered that the emblem they wore represented the goddess Lamashtu.
Soon enough we found other evidence of the hideous experiments they had been engaged in. One chamber was filled with monsters they had created which they had evidently decided to keep as 'trophies', for these poor victims were impaled on the walls, some of them while still living. We released these beasts from their suffering. I fervently hope that we do not encounter any more of these foul devotees of the Mother of Monsters.
Symbol of Lamashtu
We stripped them of their cloaks, armor, weapons, and other items before going on to explore the remainder of the caves where they had made their lair.
Soon enough we found other evidence of the hideous experiments they had been engaged in. One chamber was filled with monsters they had created which they had evidently decided to keep as 'trophies', for these poor victims were impaled on the walls, some of them while still living. We released these beasts from their suffering. I fervently hope that we do not encounter any more of these foul devotees of the Mother of Monsters.
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