Sesel Investigating the Weird

 (written by Jacob, and earning Sesel 100 xp per level, an account of last week's expedition)

Before we began our expedition we had a sudden, if not so surprising, meeting with the House al Rashid. For, the Survivors are, of course, the preeminent Adventuring Company Under-Star, and so of course the great Houses of Gadeed should show interest.

Let me tell you, patrons, Gadeed is a world apart of Cothon, almost more strange to our experience with Cothon or even the Klakon spire, though more familiar at the same time. With it’s markets, and people moving about from place to place, but instead of merchants hawking wares, or adventuring types looking for work the market was full of formal conversations of politics, trials, and such strange and alien topics. The House al Rashid is a beautiful compound, gardens for entertaining, a wall and gate to protect their interests. I find myself wondering what it would take for the Survivors to have a place such as this to house our interests in Gadeed much as we have the Under-Star in Cothon. Though, I am confident many of our members would find the lack of you patrons, the drink and talk of adventurers quick lacking within those walls.

At any rate, following that meeting we did begin our adventures into the Tel once more, seeking the remains of Teucer’s adventuring company who was not so lucky as to be a Survivor.

Having spent some time previously in the Weirding Caves, Torkol was able to provide us with some information from their expedition. This proved to show us where we might go within the caves to try and find our target, as one of the markings was a cave where the ceiling was beyond light. However, upon entering, and reviewing the instructions provided by Gan, we did find another path that seemed to better fit the descriptions.

And so it was that we split off from the places Torkol had traveled. Following hints and possibilities from the instructions provided we delved deep into the Weirding caves. It was here that we found ourselves a rather large cave with the light of a fire burning and the chattering of ape-men.

Unfortunately we were unable to find any way to progress on our path other than through this cave. Not knowing enough about these ape-men myself, we decided to form up within our tunnel entrance and make some noise to draw them to us. They approached with hostility and aggression, and in a very large number.

Our understanding was that these were primitives, and their actions seemed to agree with these. We decided that, in order to progress, it would be a fight. Fortunately, Barbajagle and I were able to subdue a little over half of the beasts in a single blow. The beasts though, being of barbarous intellect, charged us anyway.

Between my allies and friends we were able to dispatch enough that the remaining fled into the darkness. In this cave we were able to harvest our sack of sagh mushrooms, having noted these from the account of Teucer’s adventure.

Exploring further we did finally come to our destination. The plant that did destroy Teucer and his comrades. The plant, according to the account, was merely “a growth of organic material and twisted reaching fronds”. This proved to be quite an understatement. The “growth” was roots and fronds covering the floor and walls of the short tuenn to a small cave which was positively infested with the things. However it was in these roots and fronds that we did detect our objective. The fronds, upon some quick investigations, seemed to react to our presence, pulling towards us slowly.

Being the brave, and well armed, adventurer I am, I volunteered to make my way into the den of the monstrosity. Despite my plate I was able to make my way carefully through the fronds and roots of the dark corridor leading up to our treasures.

Feeling rather like the fly investigating a venus trap plant I did carefully collect the treasure and items. The whole while the fronds slowly reaching towards me, and the massive hulking trunk of this creature leaning towards me as though to engulf and devour me as it did Tulcer and his men.

Having retrieved our target, I made my way out and back to the relative safety of the Weirding tunnels. We then made our way out, feeling lucky that the chnelh were either unable or unwilling to return, we absconded from the caves with our rewards. Thankful, as Torkol was, for the patrols on the Paulbearer’s way providing safe passage back to the city, and the strong drinks and soft beds of Cothon-Under-Star.