So, after I missed some sessions, Loge finds himself in the Jungles of the Outlands, helping some Tabaxi liberate prisoners and fight off some Yuan-Ti.
Basically, hundreds of years ago some Yaun-Ti were oppressing the locals but were driven off. They’ve come back and made slaves out of the locals, and are also apparently sacrificing them to something inside a temple.
Loge has a problem with slavetakers anyway, so he’s happy to lend a hand when a Tabaxi begs for help with no rewards. Apparently many of the others in the group are also happy to take on the task.
The gang managed to get to the Outlands from the Infinite Staircase, fight some Yuan-Ti and flying snakes in a village, and save some Tabaxi from their slavery.
We then headed into the forest towards the Yuan-Ti stronghold. At some point along the way, a friendly local Firbolg wizard joined us.
Very early on, we knew we’d have problems. Just getting inside meant some of the group being trapped by a portcullis and fighting a giant skeletal Tyrannosaur whilst archers took pot shots at them. Elsewhere, the gang caught outside had to fend off a young Black Dragon when it flew down from a cliff.
Somehow, the gang survived.
When the group were split, it made sense to try and find another way in. Loge began climbing up the cliff, and at the top was joined by a Tiefling Ranger, out hunting some kind of bounty on whatever runs the temple. At the top of the cliff was a room containing portals to the Abyss and several Prime Material Planes, and on the highest level of the complex was a large landing encircling an impenetrable magical darkness.
The floor below wasn’t any better, as the darkness began at the doorways. Something was inside the darkness,s craping across the floor. Based on the huge swords that swung out of it and the equally large arrows fired from inside, whatever made the noises was terrifying. After almost killing Loge and the Tiefling, they ran and tried to climb back down the cliff.
Loge fell, landing more or less at the same time as the rest of the party was making their escape – something inside had created a zone of darkness that couldn’t be dispelled, and was filled with more nasties.
He of course had to be immediately healed.
At about the moment of healing, another crash signalled an unknown Tiefling also falling from the cliff, pursued by some flying snakes.
She was also healed.
Escaping into the undergrowth, the group tries to head to a village to heal. Spending the night in the trees, Loge tries out a new spell he’s learned – a ritual to speak with animals. A nearby bat finds him very strange, but is happy to talk about the snakes and the cats and where they are and where they went. And to be careful of the snakes.
Nice bat.
The next day, the party managed to find a new village, along with their original guide. The party is the first group to enter the Yuan-Ti fortress and return, so they have some pull.
A plan is formed to find the other local tribes and make a grand alliance: the bird people (Aarakocra) and the Firbolg should be easy, say the cat people, but the frog people (Grung) are nasty and mean.
We’ll see how this pans out.
jot jot ïota 