Jacob's Journal, entry 66
Talk about getting this in at the very last minute! I actually finished it a couple of days ago, but forgot to post it last night after getting the thumbs up from baronsamedi.
The Redoubt was an interesting place, but one that could only be manipulated by a Pesedjet or an Atzlanti so Cesar had to open the door for us. The facility's defenses had been damaged at some point in time, which explained why the moon beasts were able to get so close to it. While Carina used Helena's talent with computers to work the Redoubt's computers Helena and Cesar repaired the defenses.
With the computers online we were able to read up on the local area. There were three villages: Ib - inhabited by reptile like humanoids similar to the ones Storm and Cesar wiped out in the Empty Quarter back in the Middle East. Inganok was populated by Satyrs and female satyrs but they had no affiliation with Pan. Finally there was Dylath-Leen, home to a were-serpent race that had no connection to Apep. There was a good chance the inhabitants of the villages were either loyal to the Atzlanti or Pesedjet, or they were completely neutral. We wouldn't know for sure until we visited the villages.
We also learned about some of the creatures of the area. It was pretty much a guarantee we'd have to fight at least some of these creatures if not all of them so I tried to pay careful attention to the information Carina pulled out of the Redoubt's databanks. Along the way we'd probably run into Gugs, Ghasts, Great Leng Spiders, Gaunts, and Dholes. Each was nasty in their own way but luckily some of them were a bit more susceptible to disease than others. I'd be able to hold my own against some of them at least.
When we left we decided to head for Ib. Cesar took point and introduced himself, immediately earning a meeting with the High Priest, Bug. Bug explained to us that the moon beasts had enslaved or killed off all the inhabitants of Dylath-Leen and he worried Ib would be next. In return for sacrifices from Ib, Cesar agreed to deal with the moon beasts after Bug explained that the most likely entrance to Zin was in the underworld (underground) beneath Dylath-Leen.
Bug also told us that some “Hostile Blobs” came through Leng recently. Once Storm described the polyps we fought is the Empty Quarter Bug agreed they were probably the same species. If a stable entrance to the underground was under Dylath-Leen there was a good chance that would be where we'd find the polyps as well. We headed for the overrun town and prepared to cleanse the place of moon beasts. Helena frosted our weapons before we reached the city gates so we would have less trouble with the beasts.
Three moon beasts were patrolling the battlements with a couple of satyrs. The satyrs were clearly slaves so I made sure and held their attention while Carina, Cesar, and Storm took out the moon beasts. Once the beasts were down the satyrs had no interest in attacking us. They just wanted some supplies and their freedom. Storm broke their collars and they pointed us towards the supply building.
Cesar blew a hole in the door and two moon beasts as well as a ghast came to investigate. The ghast immediately dove back into the building but the beasts were quickly dispatched. Cesar winged the ghast and drove it back so we could get in and gather up some supplies and a few relic items that were sitting around. Storm gave the relics to the Satyrs as well since they'd be able to get a decent price for them and none of us needed them. From there we started a building to building search that produced plenty of moon beasts to kill but also a few polyps and even some shamblers.
In one of the buildings we wound up in the basement and discovered the entrance to the underground. We had plenty of enemies to take out as well as several slaves to free in that building but we cleared the basement without too much trouble. Once the slaves were free and the fight was over, they told us several of the polyps had already gone below. They also pointed us towards a cathedral-like building that held the leader of the moon beasts, apparently he was known as the High Priest. We decided to take care of the remaining beasts before continuing on towards Zin. At Cesar's request, Storm took one of the moon beast corpses and hurled it through door.
The fight was brief as Cesar brought his firepower to bear on the priest while Carina, Sam, and Storm dealt with the beasts and gaunts that flew around the room. Helena used her frost abilities to slow several enemies while I focused on the giant spiders that flanked the main room. The spiders had a particularly nasty venom so I wanted to keep them away from the others, but it was a relatively slow process, but it kept them busy at least until the rest of the fight was over.
Cesar's sacrifices will certainly occur considering we wiped out every moon beast in the town, but I'm guessing they'll keep until we're finished below. Since time's of the essence I doubt there will be any additional delay in heading underground.
The Redoubt was an interesting place, but one that could only be manipulated by a Pesedjet or an Atzlanti so Cesar had to open the door for us. The facility's defenses had been damaged at some point in time, which explained why the moon beasts were able to get so close to it. While Carina used Helena's talent with computers to work the Redoubt's computers Helena and Cesar repaired the defenses.
With the computers online we were able to read up on the local area. There were three villages: Ib - inhabited by reptile like humanoids similar to the ones Storm and Cesar wiped out in the Empty Quarter back in the Middle East. Inganok was populated by Satyrs and female satyrs but they had no affiliation with Pan. Finally there was Dylath-Leen, home to a were-serpent race that had no connection to Apep. There was a good chance the inhabitants of the villages were either loyal to the Atzlanti or Pesedjet, or they were completely neutral. We wouldn't know for sure until we visited the villages.
We also learned about some of the creatures of the area. It was pretty much a guarantee we'd have to fight at least some of these creatures if not all of them so I tried to pay careful attention to the information Carina pulled out of the Redoubt's databanks. Along the way we'd probably run into Gugs, Ghasts, Great Leng Spiders, Gaunts, and Dholes. Each was nasty in their own way but luckily some of them were a bit more susceptible to disease than others. I'd be able to hold my own against some of them at least.
When we left we decided to head for Ib. Cesar took point and introduced himself, immediately earning a meeting with the High Priest, Bug. Bug explained to us that the moon beasts had enslaved or killed off all the inhabitants of Dylath-Leen and he worried Ib would be next. In return for sacrifices from Ib, Cesar agreed to deal with the moon beasts after Bug explained that the most likely entrance to Zin was in the underworld (underground) beneath Dylath-Leen.
Bug also told us that some “Hostile Blobs” came through Leng recently. Once Storm described the polyps we fought is the Empty Quarter Bug agreed they were probably the same species. If a stable entrance to the underground was under Dylath-Leen there was a good chance that would be where we'd find the polyps as well. We headed for the overrun town and prepared to cleanse the place of moon beasts. Helena frosted our weapons before we reached the city gates so we would have less trouble with the beasts.
Three moon beasts were patrolling the battlements with a couple of satyrs. The satyrs were clearly slaves so I made sure and held their attention while Carina, Cesar, and Storm took out the moon beasts. Once the beasts were down the satyrs had no interest in attacking us. They just wanted some supplies and their freedom. Storm broke their collars and they pointed us towards the supply building.
Cesar blew a hole in the door and two moon beasts as well as a ghast came to investigate. The ghast immediately dove back into the building but the beasts were quickly dispatched. Cesar winged the ghast and drove it back so we could get in and gather up some supplies and a few relic items that were sitting around. Storm gave the relics to the Satyrs as well since they'd be able to get a decent price for them and none of us needed them. From there we started a building to building search that produced plenty of moon beasts to kill but also a few polyps and even some shamblers.
In one of the buildings we wound up in the basement and discovered the entrance to the underground. We had plenty of enemies to take out as well as several slaves to free in that building but we cleared the basement without too much trouble. Once the slaves were free and the fight was over, they told us several of the polyps had already gone below. They also pointed us towards a cathedral-like building that held the leader of the moon beasts, apparently he was known as the High Priest. We decided to take care of the remaining beasts before continuing on towards Zin. At Cesar's request, Storm took one of the moon beast corpses and hurled it through door.
The fight was brief as Cesar brought his firepower to bear on the priest while Carina, Sam, and Storm dealt with the beasts and gaunts that flew around the room. Helena used her frost abilities to slow several enemies while I focused on the giant spiders that flanked the main room. The spiders had a particularly nasty venom so I wanted to keep them away from the others, but it was a relatively slow process, but it kept them busy at least until the rest of the fight was over.
Cesar's sacrifices will certainly occur considering we wiped out every moon beast in the town, but I'm guessing they'll keep until we're finished below. Since time's of the essence I doubt there will be any additional delay in heading underground.