Ed: DMing; Paul: Zoozeki (high elf wizard 10); Scott: Smudge (shadar-kai rogue 8 / barbarian 2) and Martin (dwarf cleric 10); Matt G. (Roscoe, Halfling Bard 10).
Last time, we finished exploring (much of) the dungeon under the volcano, and set sail back to the apeman city. (See the section on apemen city factions on the NPCs page.)
When we reach the city, there are strange, H.G. Giger-like ships in the harbor. Sea-serpent-men are offloading cargo onto the docks. Their lower halves are snake-like.
Garrion, Ootherion's gentleman's gentleman, meets us at the docks. He says Ootherion wants to see us immediately. The death of Anaxagoras has not fully secured Ootherion's rule, and rivals and enemies still beset him. Garrion: "Thank the gods that Sukbeir the slugman came from the Yellow City with his legion crabmen to support Ootherion."
We meet Ootherion, bedecked in regalia, in his audience room. He greets us warmly. We go to a banquet hall.
Ootherion looks worn and wearied. Ootherion launches into a strident complaint about how Palinurus has taken control of Anaxagoras's forces, a dragon is still abroad, and domestic enemies abound.
Ootherion is concerned about the serpent-men. He's been told there are only thirty, but it's hard to tell them apart in their armor.
Roscoe casts legends lore. The sea-serpent-men are from the deep depths of the earth. There's no record of them being on the surface before. Their weird, organic ships normally traverse oceans near the center of the planet.
Triturus the Irrigator enters.
Ootherion gives us choice: find kill Palinurus or exterminate the strange creatures lurking below the city.
Pamphilus the Banker enters. His servants bring in cart full of horrible creatures, some snail/leech things and some more horrible fanged-frog-octopus-man-creatures. Pamphilus: "We think these creatures have breached the caverns of the knot men."
What are these creatures? Zoozeki thinks the snail thing is a normal (and edible) creature well known near the yellow city. The beast from the Holes of Lahague tooks like something a wizard made, though.
Ootherion's court philosophers, Xeno and Metrodorus, advise conflicting courses of action.
Xeno thinks the slugs are from space. Also, his dousers have triangulated a strong magic source under the city.
Zoozeki goes with Metrodorus to review his equations. Chalk boards covered in equations fill a large room. Metrodorus explains that his equations prove where in the universe Ootherion's enemies are gathering. Zoozeki strongly suspects that the equations are gobbledygook with only a semblance of reason. Zoozeki humors Metrodorus, then heads back to the dining hall.
Before entering the dining hall, Zoozeki detects thoughts. Zoozeki asks Pamphilus which of his many challenges Ootherion should be focused on now. Pamphilus says verbally that he should focus on the sea-serpent-men and Klaitos. But, Pamphilos thinks most about Gimulsh the Devourer (a Beholder) hidden beneath the city.
Zoozeki turns to Triturus the Irrigator and ask him the same thing — what threat should Ootherion focus on? Triturus says that Palinurus and his fleet is the greatest treat. Tritus thinks about Palinurus but also Klaitos the admiral, Pamphilus the Banker, Potash and Qaddas (the mind flayer brothers), and Gimulsh the Devourer. Triturus believes Klitos is on the side of the mind flayers. Zoozeki feels that Triturus isn't necessarily Ootherion's enemy, but he's also not saying everything he knows out loud.
Why do they call him the Irrigator? Triturus says he's been a general for a long time, since Ootherion's father's time. There used to two ape city states; now there's one city state and a lake. Internally, Triturus feels bad that the used such extreme measures against other apes.
Zoozeki asks Xeno if there's anything else he knows about the strong magic under the city. Xeno says he doesn't now anything else, but he's suspicious of the banker.
Zoozeki can tell that both Xeno and Triturus are being deceptive.
Zoozeki messages a summary of what he discovered to Ootherion.
Ootherion, startled, dismissed everyone but us. He opens a secret door with a staircase up and motions for us to follow him. We secretly conferred in the tiny, windy parapet at the top of the stairs. Everyone agrees that the navy should pursue the remaining enemy fleet and that our party should investigate under the city, targeting the strong magic source Xeno identified.
Enemies defeated: none
Treasure: none
