Session 008: In Which Janzuroth Drinks Before Confronting Fell Eldritch Horrors of the Milakul Swamp

Wherein Exposition Occurs

  As our heroes rest up at The Cage Tavern & Inn they get a quest from Cecylia of the Temple of Rava to seek out eldritch horrors in a nearby swamp and must once again interact with the Dwarves of the Shattered Axe and their leader Durgis, who has delved the depths of Rappan Athuk - Dungeon of Graves, slain trolls beyond count, acquired numerous magical weapons before finding his favorite axe named Grodek. Though oddly the heroes have only seen him drinking and his gear seems lightly worn.   After gaining information about the swamp creatures from Durgis, Janzuroth notices an Expensive Drow Wine in Durgis' backpack. The party contemplates starting a bar/food fight in an attempt to steal but decide to cheat at arm-wrestling to win it from him. They succeed and should Janzuroth drink this bottle of wine his fire breath dice will be doubled on his next breath attack of the day.   Presented without comment: The heroes want Durgis to find cool stuff and bring it to them so they can bully it from him and also get him to become addicted to gambling in their gambling Fight Club.   Mattias uses The Mayor's Authorization to gain that sweet Black Friday deal of -10% off in as he purchases a bow to give him some ranged capabilities.   Erky completes his breakfast punch card granting his next breakfast free at the Cage Tavern & Inn.  

Gru's New Family

  As the heroes boat deeper into the swamp, many strange and deformed creatures are seen and hunted down as craft parts for Ichbon Teastrainer to make new brews with. Gru gets help from his friends in an attempt to find himself and reunite his soul with his body...   Erky shares his past as an orphaned gnome, saying that the Ghostpunchers are different but united.   Mattias speaks of the monks who took him in and taught him   Fox, the reminds us that in desperate situations we sometimes need to do desperate things like use the Wand of Wonder. He shares the wisdom that there are only two days that matter in one's life:

1. When you are born and given the miracle of life.
2. When you find yourself and have gained control over that chaos of the world.

  Yawndell gifts us the motto of the Ghostpunchers, "Whenever there is danger... Run to it!" For being uncomfortable and always reaching towards something greater is how we make our short time together worth giving a damn about.   Ushulx, who is now closer to Gru than ever before, talkes about how similar their upbringins are. And how they both had to move on from their past to forge ahead their own way.   Now with all that sentimential crap out of the way...   The heroes investigate an eldritch horror and slay the broodlings one-by-one. Wave after wave assaults the heroes as charmed swamp creatures attack them. Frog humanoids blow dart after dart at them. Snakes slither all about! But eventually the Broodmother has amasses enough organic matter and the hive-mind joins and the Broodmother is re-born! A wave of swampwater crashes forth and the real battle begins...