Frontier Session 10 Report

Session 10: 04-11-2024

The party decides to move from the cavern housing the strange machinery and lava pool with the odd half flesh/half mechanical robot patrolling the path. They double back to the tunnel leading through the mushroom farm. There they try to get through stealthily but get spotted by one of the drones in the area. However they don't appear hostile and after some conversation they lead the party through the warrens and tunnels dug into the volcano to meet with one of the Mystics.

During the trip to the Mystic the Drones explain to Jock that their society is a Caste system made up of the Drone Caste, The Mystic Caste, The Warrior Caste and the Noble Caste at the top. The Warrior Caste has been unusually aggressive against the Orcs to the south and have been using the situation to expand their influence. Their leader Pok-Tik has been pressuring the Queen to take even more aggressive action against them. The Drone Caste and the Mystic Caste want to have a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Jock receives a gourd of fermented mushrooms from the creatures and starts seeing bright colors everywhere.

They meet with a Mystic in a cave floating above lava. He introduced himself as Chac'Ta leader of the Mystic Caste. He wants a peaceful end to the conflict and thinks the Orcs should leave however they could share the island if they stay on their side. The creature explains that the General of the Warriors has been abusing his position to influence the Queen and must be removed in some way for this happen.

The party comes up with the idea to provoke the General into attacking them in court or in sight of witnesses. Hiron offers to create a potion that would make the creature go beserk. But first they must be able to travel freely to the Thri-Kreen city so the Mystic offers to take them to the Queen to have them marked as friendly. In court the Queen greets them but searches their minds for their recent memories and Suicu allows her to do so. She determines that you are no threat and are honestly trying to resolve this peacefully. Marking you with her royal pheromone and even finding Jock polite and friendly she gives him her favor. Glee notices that some elements of the throneroom share the same architecture as the temples they visited in the jungles near Brighwater.

Before they leave they meet the General who tries to provoke Jock into fighting him but after some tense exchanges of insults and threats he leaves with his retinue.

Traveling through the tunnels Glee notices the same construction in one of the tunnels as he's seen in the cavern with the machinery. He and Hiron decide to stay behind to investigate this construction and one of the Drones tells them there are similar rooms throughout the caves. Jock and Suicu decide to fly south to the Orc encampment. Hiron takes the time to create a Berserk potion and tests it succesfully on one of the Drones nearby.

The large steel door is impossible to move but investigation has revealed a compartment that can fit a hand inside. Glee tries this and his hand gets pricked by a machine. Later Hiron identifies this as a syringe that takes a blood sample. Meanwhile Glee explores a ventilation duct and discovers a fan blocking the way. He takes an hour to deconstruct the fan case and remove the obstacle but almost falls into a tank of strange liquid. Taking a sample through a device he brings this to Hiron and he identifies it partially as a solution containing formaldehyde, a substance used to preserve corpses.

Jock waking up from a drug fueled dream he thinks he sees a Hag coming towards him and jumps of Raven Suicu. He does manage to deploy his parachute and land safely.