The air was thick with tension as the party approached the cavern in The Choke, guided by Ptepses, Who soared ahead. They followed the large giant tracks, their minds racing with the Kolos’ request to investigate the disappearance of their brethren. Upon arrival, they were met with a chilling sight: a platform adorned with six braided ropes and a charcoal message inviting them to call for help, but the desiccated figures tied to poles, resembling Asterion, Jafaki, Rocky, and Mr. Hershey’s, sent a shiver down their spines.
As Ptepses and Bags drew closer, the heads of the figures lifted, revealing an illusionary trap aimed at them. Torren quickly recognized the threat and suggested a way to disable it. The party sprang into action; Torren threw a knife, injuring one of the illusions, while Dreg resisted an illusion that appeared to be “Rocky.” Bags was overwhelmed by an illusion calling her “Mr. Hershey’s,” suffering heavy mental harm. Ptepses and Torren continued their assault, uncovering the grim reality: the corpses of Kolos, each marked by poisoned puncture wounds.
In the chaos that followed, Dreg summoned the Eldamon Who, Who leapt between giants, striking them down. Torren used his magic to fly back up, while Ptepses charged and gored a giant. Bags delivered a finishing blow to another giant, and Ptepses shoved one off the rim into the shaft below. Dreg was forced to reappear at the bottom after Who was critically struck, collapsing in a grievous state. Torren flew down to assist Dreg, while Bags dropped an alchemical bomb into the shaft, critically striking the giant below and ultimately ending the fight.
With the giants defeated, the party advanced into a northeast chamber resembling a cathedral, adorned with angry faces and hieroglyphs of Nethys. Ptepses recognized the site as a Nethys cult temple. They searched through debris, recovering various items, including a stone tablet depicting Belcora in ghost form, which appeared to be a recent addition. They also reviewed lore on Girtablilu, the desert scorpion-centaurs that posed a significant threat. Ptepses squeezed through a barricade only to encounter gun-wielding giants. Despite initial setbacks, the party coordinated their attacks, with Dreg stunning two giants and Bags delivering lethal strikes. The last giant fell, and the room fell silent, allowing the party to regroup and assess their next steps.
They discovered another elevator shaft rising about 80 feet, spotting Girtablilu at the top. Torren cast a flight spell and ascended stealthily, reaching the top unseen. There, he found mechanisms to operate the elevator and observed the movements of the Girtablilu. Signaling for Ptepses to join him, Torren prepared to haul the rest of the party up, ready to face whatever awaited them above.
- Threads to Watch:
- The identity and motives of the trap-setter Who knew the party so well.
- The significance of the stone tablet depicting Belcora in ghost form.
- The potential threat posed by the Girtablilu at the top of the elevator shaft.