Session 12
The khezu uttered a guttural roar as it stood over its intended prey. Trance and Umi were knocked prone, too startled to move immediately. Thinking quickly, Sylas aimed a blast of magical force that pushed both Trance and Umi out from under the khezu, mild enough to cause minimal damage. He then slashed at the beast, getting its attention away from the prone members. The khezu whirled on Sylas and pinned him to the ground with its circular mouth, impaling him with its ring of many teeth. Mischief and Guncat fired on it, piercing its rubber hide. Before Umi and Trance could get to their feet, however, the Khezu unleashed a pulse of electricity, paralyzing half of the party. Mischief, Guncat, Umi, and Helena narrowly avoided the wave of lightning, and began firing on it and slashing at it with everything they had. The khezu whipped its long neck, snapping at its attackers, then leaped to the other side of the closest canal. It hacked up and spat electrified mucus, narrowly missing Umi.
It was then that Trance struggled to her feet, reaching for her bejeweled saber. She clenched her fist, resisting the urge as it rattled in its scabbard. She instead drew her bow, firing several poisoned shots, and marking it as prey. Alarac followed suite, loosing his own arrows into the beast. Umi, Mischief, and Guncat continued to pepper the thing with ice and bullets, narrowly avoiding its snapping maw. Helena found an opening in the onslaught and rushed to Sylas, doing her best to save him from death. He didn't stir, but most of the bleeding had been mitigated.
Under the hail of bullets, ice shards, and arrows, the creature spat again, splattering Helena and giving her a shock.
The khezu, bleeding and poisoned, fled to the darkness with a dry squeal. Trance could feel it gliding away.
She found herself putting her bow away, and reaching for her saber as she felt herself pulled irresistibly to pursue the khezu. Her paw struck something soft, and she looked down. Sylas lie before her, unconscious and bleeding. The sight snapped her out of her daze, and she immediately dropped to her knees beside him, removing her quiver and rummaging frantically through her herb pouch. She found a jar of potent balm, setting it aside before tearing open the tatters of his shirt. She applied the balm to each wound, then placed both hands to his chest, chanting an incantation in Tabaxi. A faint glow radiated from her hands, sealing shut the holes in his flesh. Sylas roused, muttering something about a cat, and to leave him alone. Trance, relieved but insensed, tossed a rag at his face, telling him to wipe the blood from his mouth. She pulled her quiver back on and stalked away, tail lashing. The pull to chase prey was back, and strong. She knelt at the canal, splashing water on her face. Umi asked if she were alright, and Trance confided that she had not felt like herself since they had entered the cave. Something about the smell, or the lights. The party regrouped, licking their wounds, and continuing across the delta.
Under the comforting glow of Umi's dancing lights, the party ventured along the opposite beach, finding little to nothing. Trance gradually felt the khezu's presence fade as they went, feeling a sense of relief. Soon, they came upon a stonework village of domed huts and towers. The group opted to split up to check out the huts in the immediate area. Most of them were empty and crumbling. Trance found an old giant crab egg, but it was petrified and inedible. Sylas found some metal scraps. Mischief found a hut in decent condition, and called everyone over to make camp. Alarac and Helena started a campfire, while Trance lugged her cauldron out to the water to get a base for soup. As she was filling it, she noticed a row of destroyed boats, but one of them was still floating and appeared intact! She returned and told them the good news, but no one seemed all that interested in taking a boat anywhere. Trance cooked a simple stew from dried meat, herbs, and pickled vegetables. Umi, Mischief, and Trance ate the stew, as there wasn't enough for everyone. Everyone else ate rations.
The night watch list was made, with two watchers at a time. Umi and Mischief went first, spying another large lizard hanging high up on a wall. It licked at its eye, then stuck its tongue behind its eye, dislodging something that clattered to the ground. It scurried away. Mischief went to see what fell, discovering a slimy gem in the shape of a teardrop. (Bedazzled eye booger)
Sylas and Trance went next. Trance had volunteered to take the watch with Sylas under the pretense that he was a "weak baby," but really, she had wanted the opportunity to spend time alone with him. The close call earlier made her... feel things. She wasn't sure, as she'd never had a crush before.
Sylas woke Trance by batting at her face, in much the same way she had previously. Once they were settled outside, he asked about her preferred weapon, her composite bow. She said she learned from her father how to use it, and missed him. He pointed out that she seemed to be favoring the saber, recently. She admitted that it seemed to draw her to use it; that she felt more feral and dangerous when she used it. She stopped mid-sentence, compelled into silence, gripping the saber.
Trance changed the subject, noting that life must be difficult without claws and sharp teeth, going so far as to stick her finger in his mouth to illustrate his dull teeth. For some reason, he allowed this. She withdrew, and they spent the remainder of their watch in awkward silence.
The next watch belonged to Alarac and Helena, and was relatively uneventful.
The next day, the group decided the best course would be to follow a nearby stream out a tunnel, where they could see daylight. Upon reaching the outer exit, the party beheld a lush, tropical jungle surrounding a lively delta. A massive tree towered above the rest, drawing Trance's eye. She said a quick prayer in reverence.