Chapter 7: The Escape & Halo’s Sacrifice

• The party investigated dragon weapons:
  
  
• A longbow and axe “hummed” toward Grizzly.
  
  
• Glowed amber when gifted to her.
  
  
• Made her feel paranoia and doom, as if the weapons fed on her.
  
  
• Possibly linked to her past trauma.
  
  
• Discovered a strange riddle book related to Malakar. No one could understand it.
  
  
• Entered a massive cult ritual room:
  
  
• Hundreds of chanting red-robed cultists.
  
  
• Some party members briefly danced, then realized the danger.
  
  
• The cult noticed them. They started running—fast (60ft/round).

The Chase Begins 

• Gnarly eats an item and yells to run.
  
  
• Grabby, wearing cult robes, sneaks around and confuses some cultists.
  
  
• Whiskers sprints ahead, carrying Bug. Triggers a tripwire—injures her legs but warns the group.
  
  
• Grizzly awkwardly climbs the boulder, tries to find a path.
  
  
• Shrubbery becomes a warhorse, carries Inferno and Grabby, but forgets Halo.
  
  
• Bug flies with her stick and weaves through obstacles.
  
  
• Inferno and Grabby ride over the boulder; Grabby falls off mid-straddle.
  
  
• Whiskers heals herself and tries a cool wall flip—fails, lands on her bum.
  
  
• Party crosses traps, rocks, and debris with varying success.
  
  
• Cult destroys a holy fountain in rage, still chasing.

Chaos Builds

• Shrubbery kicks down a rock wall, which causes a flood of water behind them.
  
  
• Inferno finds a tight gap between boulders—sees light ahead, confirms a possible exit.
  
  
• Party scrambles forward through the rocks and ruins.
  
  
• Grizzly and Shrubbery try building a wall of stone to redirect the coming flood.
  
  
• Gnarly drops a glowing dildo to distract cultists. It works—some swipe at it confusedly.
  
  
• Gnarly causes a ceiling collapse to slow the cult further.
  
  
• Cult slows down, but some still climb through the debris.

Halo’s Sacrifice 

• Halo struggles to keep up, injured and falling behind.
  
  
• Sees the cult hoard closing in.
  
  
• Turns to Gnarly and says:
  
  
• “Thank you for giving me all you have given.”
  
  
• Pushes a rock into the wall, sealing himself off.
  
  
• Faces the cult alone to protect the others.
  
  
• Final words: “Please avenge me.”
  
  
• The party watches in shock as the wall closes behind him.

Final Discoveries

• In a secret room, the party finds:
  
  
• A strange chair and scrolls with plans to release Malakar.
  
  
• Confirmation that the cult worships Malakar, an imprisoned dragon.
  
  
• A mysterious machine design related to the prison break—but hard to decode.
  
  
• They crush herbs and form a pentagram.
  
  
• Grabby says the words “Gerstriks Kathar.”
  
  
• The party is teleported back to the bank.
  
  
• The session ends in mourning:
  
  
• Halo is gone.
  
  
• Gnarly cries.
  
  
• The mood is heavy.