The Ninth Session

After meeting Fish Quickwheel, the group headed back to their camp with him to let Vissella and the other crew members know about the encounter. Fish immediately sat down at the fire and helped himself to the rabbit that was roasting, which Ragnar told him wasn't up for grabs. He then commented on Haldes being a species that was rare in Midfall, saying she had a beautiful tail. After forgetting the rabbit was off limits and being denied by Ragnar again, he shot a squirrel with almost frightening accuracy, and started cooking it, prematurely biting into it while still hot, asking what everyone thought about the names "foon" and "spork." When Shag commented that he didn't like the crows that were cawing in the trees around them, Fish asked why. Shag said it was because they could almost talk but not quite, prompting Nul to suggest it was because he was psychologically conditioned from hearing seagulls while on the cruise ship, and prompting Yief to suggest it was because crows were an omen of death, frightening both Shag and Fish. Halrek then mimicked a crow to taunt them, causing Fish to reflexively shoot an arrow at him, very nearly hitting him in the face, but still hitting another squirrel.

Deciding to head out, the group plus Fish ventured through the mountain path until they reached a bridge over a river that had collapsed in the middle. Halrek knocked down a tree by throwing a dart at it fucking somehow, and all of them together were able to carry the tree and drop it over the bridge to act as a balance beam. Yief then yeeted Nul to the other side to tie a rope to act as a stabilizer. Getting across, they found ruins, and then realized they were all still hurt from the last battle and should take a long rest, and were only a 45 minute walk from the campsite, which was a safer place than these ruins. They turned around and went back, confusing Vissella who assumed they would be gone longer.

After they set up camp, they were awoken in the middle of the night by an alarm set by Nul, that was the sound of Nul screaming into the void. Springing up, Haldes sensed the direction the perimeter breach was from, and Shag lit up the area in that direction, revealing a man hiding behind a tree. Attempting to flee, the man was then shot by Haldes and caught by a yeeted Nul, who was carrying a net. Nul successfully snared the man, who attempted to use illusion to intimidate him, but failed. As everyone else showed up, Aoth used Thaumaturgy to appear even more intimidating, and twisted the arrow in the man's shoulder, causing Vissella to get just the tiniest bit turned on. This prompted the man to talk about needing their souls for "the collection." Haldes then sensed another intruder, turning to dead shot him in the chest as he neared the tent that Darkwind and Applaudicus were in. Halrek quickly followed up with a dart that brought the intruder to his knees, and brought his daggers to the man's throat and temple, pinning him. Further interrogation revealed that "the collection" was for the sake of bringing one of the sons of Unulott to the material plane. They determined the men's outpost was in a cave past the ruins they had previously turned from. Halrek then executed his prisoner, and Shag literally taunted the other one to death. There was some light torture involved, but these were basically fantasy nazis and the players all had a rough week and needed to take it out on some nazi fucks. After determining the boys were safe, they went back to sleep.

Morning broke, and they left for the ruins. Discovering their tree bridge had been knocked into the river in the night and the rope cut, Yief once again yeeted Nul, and this time yeeted Shag as well, as they didn't want to take as much time to cross. Halrek and Fish successfully jumped across, but Yief forgot to get a running start and fell in the river. Aoth threw his grappling hook in the approximate place Yief would be, and Yief jumped majestically out of the water to catch the grappling hook and climb back to land. Coming back to the bridge, he jumped again, this time clearing the distance perfectly with a tuck and roll, ending in a double arm flex to redeem the previous blunder. Aoth attempted to get his grappling hook to the other side of the bridge so he could swing into the gap and climb up, but was unable to climb up before the group was ambushed from the ruins by 4 Mane demons. Shag quickly used Thunderwave to kill 3 and incapacitate the 4th, which Halrek finished off. Yief hoisted Aoth up, putting everyone on the side of the ruins. Halrek snuck around, seeing a cloaked figure walk into the ruins, and beckoned for the group to come to his location, prompting Shag to think he meant "cum on me"

After relaying his scouting info, Nul confidently walked into the ruins before making a plan, seeing the cultist waiting to ambush them at the main gate, and seeing a being he sensed necromancy from quickly move from sight. A quick scuffle ensued where Aoth unnecessarily got fucking ROCKED trying to protect Nul (who was equipped with Mage Armor) and Fish tested out a new corrosive arrow method. They killed the cultist and were then attacked by the banshee that had been on the far side of the ruins. Halrek didn't hesitate to fuck the absolute shit out of it with a dart, rapier, and dagger, followed by a flurry from Fish, Nul, and Aoth, which killed it before it could scream. They then decided to stop and rest before advancing to the cave, since it was daytime and they could see what may attack them. They then discussed how they all felt they had somehow gotten more proficient with their weapons since Grenkins' Manor.