The Life and Times of a Deadman - Episode 25 - Secrets in the Shadows: Confronting Cultists and Fiends

The session began with Sabrina interrogating Greely, but he refused to disclose any information. Audrey Rose tried to intimidate him with her flesh-eating bombs and scalpel, yet he remained uncooperative. Zita took her turn, but all Greely offered was a cryptic suggestion to talk to someone named Molag-Bol, without revealing his whereabouts. No one in the group had ever heard of Molag-Bol.

Sabrina attempted to negotiate, but Greely was steadfast. Audrey Rose was adamant that Greely should either be handed over to the city watch or killed. Deciding to take action, the group grabbed Greely and headed to the toilet, lifting the seat and descending a ladder. Sabrina pushed Greely down the twenty-foot drop and followed with a lit torch. London cast light on Sabrina, illuminating the narrow passage of ancient stonework. Signs of recent passage were evident, and London could easily follow the trail through the twisted tunnels.

The group reached a section of the tunnel where they heard rocks shifting above them. They turned to see a large spider, an Ogre Spider, dropping from the ceiling. Audrey Rose threw a bomb, hitting it squarely between the eyes. Sabrina attempted mind control, but the spider’s mind was unreachable. Zita sneak-attacked with double daggers but had to dodge as the spider lunged at her. Suddenly, a second spider descended, pushing Greely aside. Bosley tried to strike but missed. London blessed the group.

Dol closed in and attacked the first spider, while Audrey Rose drank a Targeted Bomb extract. Sabrina cast Shadow Splinter on herself. Zita tumbled past the first spider, flanking it with Tweetie Bear and double-daggering it into four pieces. The second spider lunged at Sabrina but missed, and Bosley shot a ray of frost at the ceiling.

Audrey Rose threw a Targeted Bomb at the second spider, which Tweetie Bear then bit. Zita tumbled again, flanking the second spider. The spider bit Sabrina, turning her green. Bosley stabbed the spider, and Audrey Rose followed with Alchemical Fire, scaring it. Sabrina activated her Mistarmor, obscuring herself in a cloud. Tweetie Bear then beheaded the spider.

Audrey Rose extracted two doses of giant spider venom from the corpses. London healed the party, and they continued forward. The passage led to natural, warped stairs ending at a portcullis. Two wooden mannequins in green robes stood on either side. The room also contained crates, a table, and several hooks with green robes. A winch was ten feet away.

Greely suddenly shouted, “Hey guys. We have intruders down here.” Bosley and London attempted to lift the portcullis but failed. Dol searched for a hidden passage but found none. Sabrina confirmed that the mannequins were not magical. Audrey Rose picked the lock, and London used a crowbar to bend the bars and lift the portcullis. As Sabrina and Greely entered the room, green and purple runes flashed on the floor.

Three figures with dark blue skin and white eyes, wearing metal chains, appeared. One said, “Look brothers; we have toys.” Tweetie Bear charged but only got a mouthful of chain. Bosley tumbled behind one and attacked. The creature approached Sabrina, hissing, “I want your liver and your tongue,” and lashed out with spiked chains. Another creature threatened Bosley and hit him with chains. The third one examined Tweetie Bear and lashed it with chains.

London blessed his weapon, making it good-aligned. Audrey Rose threw Alchemical Acid at the middle demon, splashing the third. Sabrina’s Hideous Laughter spell failed due to their spell resistance. Zita tumbled to the third demon. Dol identified the creatures as Velstrac fiends, vulnerable to silver and good-aligned weapons, with a gaze attack that could shake a creature and immunity to cold.

The first fiend attacked Sabrina and London with its chains. The second fiend struck Bosley and missed Tweetie Bear. The third fiend lashed at Zita, badly injuring her. London’s good-aligned sword left a bright purple glow on the first fiend, who mocked, “Foreplay, that’s nice.” Audrey Rose threw a bottle of lightning. Sabrina missed with her sword, while Zita stabbed the third fiend. Tweetie Bear attacked the third fiend, and Bosley used Shocking Grasp on the first fiend.

The first fiend missed Bosley but struck London. The second fiend lashed London around. The third fiend attacked Tweetie Bear and Zita, with Zita looking badly hurt. Audrey Rose threw Alchemical Fire at the fiends. Zita double-daggered the third fiend, killing it. Tweetie Bear missed the second fiend. Bosley was injured by a chain, and London was lashed. Tweetie Bear disappeared in a puff. London called on his god to heal the group. Audrey Rose threw Alchemical Acid, and Zita stabbed the second fiend, making it vanish in smoke.

Dol’s daze attempt failed. Bosley missed his attack and was retaliated against. The creature struck London twice, but London retaliated. Sabrina approached London, and Audrey Rose’s Alchemical Fire set the fiend ablaze. Hissing, “Liver and Tongues,” it faded away.

The group searched the crates, finding green robes, torches, and lantern oil. They found eight silver spider sickles worth 26 gold each and a spider candelabra worth 200 gold. Greely, now looking terrified, revealed this place was the cult’s base. They supplied him with Shiver, which he sold, and he brought them supplies. The cult operated from a ransacked house on Hook Street with an underground meeting place.

When Audrey Rose asked about any identifying greetings, Greely demonstrated a spider-like hand gesture. Zita inquired about the purpose of distributing Shiver. Greely admitted it was primarily for profit but hinted at a grander, political plan known only to the three leaders, indicating there was infighting among them.

The Life and Times of a Deadman - Episode 24 - Sleepy Reptiles, Surprise Ambushes, and Hidden Passageways

The group continued their adventure with a fierce battle. London swung at a reptilian creature and missed, while Sabrina swam to the surface. Audrey Rose hurled a flesh-eating bomb at the creature, cutting it off mid-speech. Dol missed the target and clambered up to the roof. Tweetie Bear charged towards the threat but was unable to advance. Zita vaulted off Tweetie Bear onto the roof, positioning herself near the reptile.

The reptile’s neck expanded as it spat a liquid at Audrey Rose, causing her to fall asleep. It then flew forty feet into the sky. London attempted to strike again but missed. The creature attacked London three times, severely injuring him, prompting him to heal himself.

Sabrina stabbed Audrey Rose to wake her up. Startled, Audrey Rose threw another flesh-eating bomb at the creature. The reptile swiped at her but missed, growling, “I will deal with you next.”

The battle continued with Sabrina making the creature laugh, potentially saving the group. Eventually, Zita landed a critical hit, and London decapitated the beast. With the fight over, the levitated water dropped back into the ocean, and the people inside the building, though gagging, were alive. Suddenly, swarms of armed people poured out, yelling, “Get them.”

Audrey Rose ran forward and threw a flesh-eating bomb, while Tweetie Bear charged. Zita readied her crossbow, and London rushed forward, barking and swinging his sword, shaking the mobs. A fight ensued, and after the dust settled, Sabrina interrogated the three goons from earlier.

Sabrina: “How do we get Shiver to you?”

Goon: “The Shiver dealers hired us to ambush you. They promised us Shiver for life.”

Sabrina pressed on with her questions, and the goon revealed that Greely was under the Red Elephant, near the Midnight Fountain. Sabrina secured the goons inside and iron-staked the door shut, then led the group to the Red Elephant to find Greely.

They found a secure door in a dead-end alley. Zita and Audrey Rose picked the lock, revealing a courtyard with an outhouse and a spiral staircase. Sabrina heard muffled voices beyond a door. Four people were in the courtyard. Sabrina asked for Greely, bluffing her way through, and learned that he was upstairs. The group followed her up.

They entered a room with three single beds and found two more men and a robed figure. Sabrina shouted, “Greely, we’re here about raises.” Greely spun around, yelling, “That’s them. Get them.” A fight ensued. Zita took down a blind man and stripped down the mage, finding a potion, scrolls, and a magical amulet.

Audrey Rose examined a pretty parakeet in a non-magical cage. The group searched the room, finding that the outhouse didn’t smell right. London discovered a hidden passage under the wooden seat. Sabrina identified the amulet as natural armor +1, the potion as invisibility, and three scrolls of cure moderate wounds.

Zita found a secret door in the wall, checked it for traps, and found it unlocked. Audrey Rose examined items on a table, including lanterns, mirrors, candlesticks, and various pieces of jewelry worth 300 gold. There was a large glass jar filled with gold-filled teeth worth 30 gold, three holy symbols to the Sovereign Host worth 25 gold each, a gilded birdcage worth 10 gold, and a wooden case of silverware worth 120 gold. They also found a gold holy symbol worth 50 gold.

Audrey Rose remembered Lady Carrington mentioning that Frell Tan had tried to sell her items, including a silverware set and a birdcage. They discovered 40 glass vials of Shiver. Zita opened the secret door with a crowbar, revealing a narrow hallway. She proceeded cautiously, discovering another door. The floor gave way beneath her, but she jumped aside just in time. She opened the unlocked door to a smaller room packed with mundane goods worth 800 gold and an imp corpse resembling a desiccated monkey with a poison stinger.

The Life and Times of a Deadman - Episode 23 - Dreams, Deceptions, and Drenched Discoveries: A Night in the Fallen District

Madam Carrington was once a noblewoman, but her family fell on hard times, leaving her as the last of her line. Despite this, she is highly respected in the Fallen district for her skill in interpreting dreams, and she is guarded by the spirit of a former lover.

The group arrived at her flat, which had seen better days. Despite the state of the building, there was evidence of an effort to maintain it, with tents set up around it. Sabrina knocked on the door, and they were instructed to place their weapons inside a wardrobe.

Entering a room with fine but faded furniture, they found an ancient woman with a slack left side of her face but bright, active eyes. Beside her was a peculiar device, a desk with an arm equipped with gears. The arm grabbed a feather, dipped it in ink, and began to write, producing a slip of paper for Zita. It read, "Why have you come to me to pierce the veil of dreams?"

Zita explained their quest, asking what would bring Leng spiders into their realm and put them in servitude. The Mystic responded, "The dread arachnids of Dracor do not typically spend time in this plane and wouldn’t be placed into servitude."

Zita continued, "Are you asking about the Brotherhood of Spiders?"

"Yes," Zita confirmed. "What knowledge do you have of the brotherhood?"

The Mystic suspected that the Dread Brotherhood was distributing a dream drug causing havoc in their neighborhood. She provided a slip of paper with a symbol of a black spider on a web motif, identifying it as the Brotherhood's emblem. Their dissemination of poor-quality Shiver had given the area a nightmarish quality.

Zita asked, "Where would we find the Brotherhood?"

"That is not known to me," the Mystic replied. "Your best bet is to find one and interrogate them. Does the name Greely mean anything to you?"

Zita inquired about an antidote for the dream drug. The Mystic explained that only time could counteract it. She mentioned another man, Frell Tan, who had tried to sell items to buy more Shiver, including a book on dreams, which he wanted too much for.

Zita asked what other weapons or strategies the Brotherhood might employ. The Mystic revealed that the Brotherhood sought to awaken the foul creature they worship, Mog-Lathr. Dah suspected this cult was part of the Cults of the Dragon Below.

Audrey Rose asked how the terrors manifested into reality. The Mystic explained that the tainted Shiver was affecting Lucid Dreaming, bringing night terrors to its users. Those who died in their nightmares died in real life.

Zita asked how to fight dream creatures. The Mystic assured them that the creatures of Dalcour could not exist in the material plane.

Dal asked, "What would happen if someone were sent to the dream realm and had to fight creatures there?"

Madame Carrington, with the help of her clockwork dictation apparatus, replies:

"The plane of Dal Quor, the Dreamlands, has many inhabitants that have emigrated from the Material Plane: moon beasts, Leng spiders, humanoids of every shape.  And all dreaming creatures enter Dal Quor psychically when they rest, returning to their native realms upon awakening.  But the true natives of that realm, a host of beings collectively called the quori, are the living embodiments of dream and nightmare.  They resist magic, are immune to enchantments involving sleep, fear, or charms, and shrug off most elemental damage.  You won't see one in Sharn, or anywhere on Eberron, though, as dream matter cannot exist in the waking world.  They would be snuffed out in an instant."

Dal asked about the environment favored for their rituals. The Mystic indicated it would be somewhere nearby.

London asked, "Is there anything to eat?"

Audrey Rose and Zita discussed compensation for Madam Carrington. The Mystic mentioned that Mr. Tan and Mr. Greely were notable figures. Audrey Rose revealed that Mr. Tan was dead, to which the Mystic responded, "Yes, I know. He was killed by the Brotherhood’s witch."

Audrey Rose pressed for more information about the witch. The Mystic mentioned Sally Scrabblebones, a night hag of local legend who haunted children's nightmares. To kill a night hag, one needed to take her heart stone, a gaudy gemstone she kept close.

After exchanging gold for information, the group was offered shelter in the Mystic's domicile. She introduced them to an acquaintance who consumed bad dreams.

As they left, Audrey Rose advised London on when to give money, prompting Sabrina to playfully suggest he always give her money. The hobgoblin joined the game.

The group headed to the well. London sniffed the water, confirming it was just water. They found places to lurk. Zita and Sabrina hid in dark doorways, while Bosley and Audrey Rose staked out the well. Dahl disguised herself as a local resident, and London sprawled on the street to nap.

A coffee vendor approached London, who barked him away and ordered skewers of unidentifiable meat. Sabrina and Zita noticed a pattern at the well, where people frequently bent over to tie their shoes. Investigating, Zita found a loose stone with a small leather pouch and empty glass vials.

The group gathered to inspect the findings. The pouch was empty, and the vial had contained Shiver. London identified the faint smell of the drug.

A homeless person approached, revealed to be Dahl. They strategized about the drug deal's usual operations. Hours passed with no activity until a squirrely young woman with tattered red hair informed them the dealers wouldn't come while they were around. For a hundred gold, she offered to lead them to the dealers' location.

She guided them to Ship’s Tower in the harbor district, pointing out a jetty and a boarded-up shed. Audrey Rose handed over half the gold, and Sabrina approached the door, discovering the fake boarding.

Inside, they found four shabbily robed individuals. Sabrina bluffed her way through, claiming an inspection. They revealed their ignorance about the Shiver's supplier. Suddenly, the water rose, and a water elemental emerged.

A battle ensued. London swam back to land, casting Heroism. Sabrina used Forbid Action on the elemental, while Zita floundered. Audrey Rose drank a mutagen and swam towards the door. Dahl enlarged London, who cast Bull Strength. Sabrina maintained eye contact with the elemental, commanding it not to attack. The elemental missed London but struck Bosley.

Audrey Rose threw a shock bomb, dazzling the elemental. Tweetie Bear dragged Zita into flanking position. Dahl climbed onto the roof, enlarging Tweetie Bear. Bosley used Shocking Grasp, and London struck with his sword.

Sabrina's Forbid Action held, and the elemental stared at her. Audrey Rose threw another bomb, and the elemental imploded. The water didn't recede, and Audrey Rose suspected a caster's presence. They all heard thumping, revealing a reptilian creature in the shed.

Daily Planet 27 May 2987

Community

CELEBRATION TURNS AWKWARD THANKS TO A STARTLING TRANSFORMATION

by Tawn Ortega

A family’s triple celebration turned strange today as an unexpected transformation disrupted what was supposed to be a time of joy. Earth President Kel Wynters and Alessandra Maria-Luisa Alvarez Blanca Sanchez de Carrillo Wayne Wynters were hosting a party at stately Wayne Manor in honor of their first wedding anniversary, while also celebrating the former Mrs. Wayne’s daughter Diana’s quinceañera. The party was additionally a Klordny celebration, honoring the holiday’s foundational principles of Freedom, Friendship, and Frunt. But the unexpected happened when one of the couple’s guests, Legionnaire Sun Boy, who was present as Diana Wayne’s date, suddenly transformed into a Quatro and disrupted the celebration.

The quinceañera is an ancient Earth tradition among some cultures, notably Latin American and Inuit peoples, to commemorate a female sentient’s passage into adulthood on their 15th birthday. In the absence of her father Thomas Wayne, who was brutally murdered two years ago, Miss Wayne, the youngest of three children, was enjoying the traditional father-daughter dance with her mother’s new husband, President Wynters, when the party was disrupted.

Dirk Morgna, better known as Sun Boy of the Legion of Super-Heroes, was present under special dispensation of EarthGov to attend the celebration since Legionnaires are currently barred from Earth. During his, reportedly, fifth visit to the Silverale-spiked punchbowl, he was loudly proclaiming the virtues of “barely legal” females, according to other guests, when he began spasming and convulsing. His Caucasian skin color darkened to purple as two extra arms burst from his sides, shredding the faux-velvet tuxedo he was wearing. With one pair of arms he grabbed the punchbowl and quickly downed the remaining liquid, while the other pair of arms snatched Miss Velma Dinkley, the daughter of Earth Minister Arnaq Dinkley and one of Diana Wayne’s closest friends. The newly Quatro-fied Sun Boy hoisted himself and Miss Dinkley into the trees and quickly brachiated them out of sight.

Dirk Morgna aka Sun Boy is the son of noted nuclear scientist Derek Morgna. The younger

Morgna gained the power to radiate intense light and heat after an accident with an atomic

reactor. He is one of the longest-serving Legionnaires and notorious for his womanizing behavior.

Lately he has been spending free time away from his duties with the Legion as a model. Legion

Leader Sensor Girl, when reached, had no comment about Sun Boy’s latest escapade.

A search of the Wayne Estate by the Science Police officers who were providing security at the party finally discovered the pair in the manor’s attic. The transformed Sun Boy was asleep, and the disheveled Miss Dinkley refused to comment on what exactly had happened in the hour they had been missing. Straightening her dress and fixing her hair, she was heard by one observer to quietly say, “Once you go foursie, you always want moresie.” The slumbering Legionnaire was taken into custody by the Science Police, and Chief Kimball Zendak, who had been a guest at the festivities, indicated that a full investigation would be held into both Sun Boy’s behavior and his startling transformation.

Other guests at the celebration included members of EarthGov’s cabinet, including the President’s Chief Advisor Vid Gupta, who said that such disgraceful behavior was a big factor in why the Legion of Super-Heroes is no longer allowed on Earth. Another celebrant was noted holovid producer Leww Kohan, who announced that the party would be incorporated into the latest season of his hit holoprogram, Whine-asty and Her Amazing Friends, which includes as one of its characters Li’l Hunty, based on Wayne scion Ian, who, however, was not present at the party.

Chief Advisor to the President Vid Gupta said he strenuously objected to the dispensation that allowed Legionnaire

Sun Boy to be present on Earth for the Wynters-Wayne triple celebration. “This disgraceful behavior, exhibited time

and time again by the so-called heroes of the Legion, is a threat to the well-being of Terrans and the planet’s

standing among the United Planets. You can rest assured I will be doing whatever I can to keep something like this

from happening again.”

President Wynters finished his dance with his stepdaughter Diana, followed by one with his wife Alessandra. In a statement to the press after the party concluded, the President refused to answer questions about either the events of the afternoon or his controversial comments about the Khunds at last week’s EarthWar Memorial Commemoration. Instead, he merely said that he was happy to be celebrating his anniversary with his lovely wife and was grateful for her loving family that have accepted him with open arms, a family with includes daughters Diana and Yoana as well as the absent Ian.

Following the disruption, Earth PreEarth President Kel Wynters (right) and CEO of Wayne Enterprises Alessandra Wayne (left) were married last year. This is the second marriage for both. Both have long maintained silence about the deaths of their respective spouses.

The President’s first wife and husband were killed in EarthWar, while Wayne’s husband was murdered by an assailant who has never been identified or caught.

News of the Weird

MASS ORGY PREDICTABLY RESULTS IN MASS PREGNANCY

by Tawn Ortega

Readers of a prurient nature no doubt remember the vast orgy on Velok-3 that accompanied an unexpected meteor storm last year. Fully 100% of the human colony participated in the carnality, as immortalized in the bestselling holoporn Venereal Veneration on Velok-3 from Porno Prince Productions. Now, months later, it has been confirmed that 97.3% of the mature females on the moon are pregnant as a result, with the other 2.7% having been pregnant already at time of the orgy.

The colony, established in 2975, was naturally populated with sentients tested to be fertile and genetically compatible in order to ensure the growth of the population, currently numbered at 386 adults. Nevertheless, this stunning fertility rate has attracted the attention of the UP’s Department of Reproductive Biology, who is sending scientists to the small moon to conduct testing on the population and the fetuses, which are said to be in their third trimesters despite the short time since the incident in question. Some have speculated that the inhabitants of Velok-3 merely evolved the ability to reproduce more quickly, just as residents of Braal, for example, evolved magnetic powers to fight the metal beasts its colonists were threatened by.

Local vintner Myron P. Hornswaggle III was thrilled by the news of his wife Maisie’s pregnancy: “I always knew my little swimmers had a lot of pep to ‘em. At least I hope ‘twere mine that knocked Maisie up. I mean, that night was pretty wild, and I can’t rightly recall who else might have been in the pool, if you know what I mean. I mean, I took a dip in other pools, too. Little Sue, she done jumped me after she was through with Lester, Legless Pete, and 7-Fingered Kaveh. I guess we’ll see if any of them little babies have the traditional Hornswaggle third nipple.” When reached for comment, Hornswaggle’s wife, Maisie Lou Gurnpupple, just said: “Get this thing out of me! I’ve got work to do!”

Myron P. Hornswaggle III and Maisie Lou Gurnpupple, local vintner and xenogeologist respectively, are

expecting their first child, as are hundreds of other couples on Velok-3.

Faced with the impending births of hundreds of children, the colony has despaired of being able to care for them all. However, Terran entertainment mogul Leww Kohan has announced that he will be donating surplus Legion Academy Babies merch, including Foursie diapers, Skid Mark baby wipes, and Whine-asty blankets. The planets Winath and Cargg have also indicated they will be providing supplies for the newborns.