Kick in the Seat of the Storm

Wonderbringer International Division

Katashaka Mission Report XLV

On the reallocation of scouting assets towards scientific assets leading to consternation of resident piscators prior to estuary traversal on approach to experimentation grounds resulting in fierce skirmishing with subsequent cadaver conveyance; and other encounters.

Prepared by: Cober Snek, Seeker of the Eleventh Order

Prepared for: High Holy Crafthouse of Inspiration Record Keeping Department

Prepared on: The Second Day of Uktar in the Year of our Lord 1495

Local time is 0854

Eight was determined to investigate myriad areas of interest pertaining to these gnolls and their allies. He recruited a number of us to look further into the LOCITUM, but decided first to loop around the easterly stormfront pressing in on White Moon Cove via the folding boat up the waterway from the swamp to the south. Besides unintentionally frightening off some wary fishermen from Centaur Island, the first day’s travel passed without notable events as we made camp on the southern peninsula as indicated in the sketch below. However, during the night we saw three quick pillars of fire materialize deep out to see and made me reminiscent of a similar sight when rounding the northeastern tip of Sleeper Island after having been warned by a storm giant that “Death awaits you at the Pyramid of Nur’Kulaa.” Possibly unrelated, but I find such seemingly random connections are often more intertwined than might be at first thought. Then during the third watch, Eight spied a figure with arms outstretched some small ways from our campsite. Upon closer inspection in the morning this turned out to be a well carved and painted stature. Appearing to be an average human in red robes that possibly indicated some sort of magical knowledge though seemingly not religious with the word XioiX carved into the figure. The capitalization of the last letter seems somewhat curious as well as the general palindromic nature of carving. The arms seemed to be pointing out to sea, but with more pressing matters at hand decided to continue onward. If you would do a little research into both matters at the Record Keeping Department and send me the results I will be yet further in your debt, though sometimes I think you rather enjoy these research projects even more than myself.

Pushing onward down the waterway we soon cruised into the storm and determined that unlike reports we had heard of the more western storm, this storm imposed no more significant hindrance to those with darkvision than a dark night and various light sources such as Produce Flame, Light, even standard lantern light performed as expected. Pressing yet further inward we soon came to a bridge and determined simply to cross we soon heard a deep gravelly voice boom out seemingly from the center of the bridge “Stay Away”. Naturally, we decline to acquiesce to that request. Soon some Darkness spells appeared around us and a dagger was flung at Snails without even Caslech’s Ghostly Gaze revealing any creatures causing these phenomena. Darkness bubbles continued to appear and as Eight and Anhinga drew closer to the bridge itself they brought forth the appearance of what we later determined to be Eldritch Horrors constructs and various manner of kobolds including a spellcaster at least as powerful as myself. As they crossed the bridge, darkness bubbles continued to appear along with a fog cloud and caused not a few difficulties until Hillval cast Daylight dispelling all the darkness, revealing a human magic user and ones we later determined were known as DarkStalkers. All the adversaries subsequently still gave us some small trouble, but the Eldritch Horrors immunity to many magical conditions and non magical damage along with their powerful attacks nearly bested us. They seemed to be remotely controlled even going so far as to stir incapacitated allies, execute the kobold mage once he was knocked unconscious, and one even performed a self-destruct sequence to collapse the bridge. It became apparent we had happened upon a rear guard of the main force further northward into the eye of the storm. One construct and two Dark Stalkers survived the encounter and fled the field giving us a tenuous victory. Subsequently, we gathered the kobold and human mages, trundling them into our folding boat and making our way back to the sea. Hopefully they will prove of greater assistance to the AFK in death than life, but they at the very least they will most definitely prove of use to myself in the reconstruction of Os. 

Eldritch Horror

Kobold Mage

Human Mage

Dark Stalker

Returning with all haste up the coastline, we did not break for sleep, but worked in shifts rowing towards WMC and were rewarded with a small piece of intelligence when we saw campfires light up the storm as indicated. 

Though we did not accomplish inspecting the LOCITUM these scouting missions have provided avenues for flanking from the rear and location for what may potentially be a primary camp for the enemy.

Ever a Seeker of The Holy Maker of All Things

Amen