Lost in the Abyss – Episode 1.9
Blanca, Marcus and the two Dwarves re-materialise, some distance away, in a small chamber up on a ledge. Thanks to Mardike’s magic, they have narrowly escaped from the rapidly expanding tentacular mass. Far behind them the Balor’s subjects are not so fortunate. Panicking and confused, they are at the mercy of the alien abominations.
Gendwar and Mardike conduct a hurried but business-like inspection of the chamber. For the moment at least, it appears to be a relatively secure location and they need somewhere to rest and recuperate. Mardike gestures and magically closes the wall over the entrance to conceal it from anyone passing below. He leaves only a small hole through which they may keep watch and a narrow exit at the rear.
Once they are satisfied with the defences, the two Dwarves gruffly make their introductions and ask Blanca and Marcus how they came to be in the arena.
Mardike does most of the talking, revealing that the Dwarves themselves were inexplicably transported to the Abyss within the last couple of days. It is difficult to mark the passage of time within this domain, but it seems fairly clear that this was some time after Blanca, Marcus, Shaaaargraio and Tanemous had been deposited there by the destruction of the portal. Thus it remains unclear whether the arrival of the Dwarves can also be attributed to the multi-planar explosion.
It becomes apparent that Mardike and Gendwar are devout worshippers of the Dwarf god Moradin. In fact Mardike is a priest. Consequently he is somewhat reproachful when he discovers that neither Blanca nor Marcus follow any recognised religion.
The Dwarves’ opinion of Blanca is lessened still further when she asks them if they have seen either Shaaaarghraio or Tanemous. Once they learn that one of her travelling companions was a Minotaur, Gendwar spits and Mardike comments that if they had seen the creature they would have slain it. Apparently she will get little assistance from them in finding her comrades.
However, despite the Dwarves’ misgivings they grudgingly agree to pool their efforts in order to escape from the Abyss. So for the time being they will all travel together.
Having had no luck with the Dwarves, Blanca turns to Marcus hoping that the young swordsman will know of some sorcery to enable them to find out what happened to their companions. However Marcus simply looks surprised and remarks, “I hadn’t really imagined that either of them would have survived. Though in any case I have no magic that would help us to find them.”
“They are both durable and resourceful,” Blanca declares adamantly. “I would not write them off just yet.”
The group rests for a few hours until Gendwar hears a knocking on the wall outside. It sounds as though someone is trying to get their attention.
“We’ve got company,” the Dwarf says gruffly. He hurries over to the spy-hole in the wall and carefully peers out. “Who’s there?” he whispers.
“At last” a female voice replies. “You wouldn’t be so kind as to let me in would you? It’s not very safe out here.”
“Who are you and what do you want?” Gendwar demands.
“My name is Tass” says the voice. “I think we can help one another”
“And what makes you think that?” asks Gendwar.
After a brief exchange, the woman convinces them to let her in so that she can explain herself further. She already knows where they are so they have little to lose by doing so. Mardike suggests that Gendwar knocks a hole in the wall large enough for someone to squeeze through and, once this is done, a cloaked and hooded Humanoid figure wriggles through the gap and joins them.
The woman stands and tosses back her hood to reveal a tangle of serpents.
“Don’t be alarmed they won’t bite,” she says.
It seems that Tass is the Medusa who led them into the Balor’s domain.
“What do you want?” asks Mardike frostily.
“Before you jump to any conclusions” Tass pleads “I must apologise for your treatment at the hands of my previous master. However, that was not my doing, I was merely following orders. And much has changed since then. Circumstances have seen me liberated from that servitude and I am here now representing my own interests. You seek to be free from this place, as do I. And you are the first group that I have encountered that I think might succeed in this endeavour. I offer you my assistance because, if you do make it out I want to be going with you.”
“And what makes you think we would trust you?” Mardike challenges.
“Because it is in my interests to cooperate,” Tass replies. “After all, you represent my best hope of escaping and it seems that, with the tentacular mass spreading as it is, I may not get a another chance. Also… it just so happens I know the way out”
Mardike raises an eyebrow. “If you know the way out then why come to us?” he remarks.
“Don’t imagine that it is going to be easy”, Tass answers. “I need you to get me there alive.”
And so they reach a cautious agreement. Tass knows the way out but will not tell them exactly where it is. She will guide them there and in turn they must keep her alive.
Once the bargain is struck Blanca demands that Tass tell her what happened to Shaaaarghraio and Tanemous.
Tass looks at her sadly. “They are surely beyond your help by now” she replies. “They fought in the arena and nearly tore each other apart; though ultimately both of them survived. But their wounds were quite severe. They were in no condition to escape the tentacular mass. The whole area has now been consumed. Nothing is left. I am sorry”
Blanca is deeply saddened, but recognizes that Shaaaarghraio and Tanemous are indeed lost to her. She hopes that they survived and are still out there somewhere, but if what Tass says is true, the chances of this are very slim.
The Medusa then informs the group that the first part of their journey will require that they infiltrate the Citadel, the huge fortress that was partially visible to them when they were on the surface. It is well guarded but she knows a secret way inside, assuming they can find a way to negotiate a tunnel of lava that is.
Mardike consults his books. After an hour or so he declares that the divine might of Moradin does indeed have the power to protect them while they pass through such an inhospitable environment. However, it will not be without its risks, particularly for those who are not amongst the faithful.
Some hours later they depart. Gendwar knocks a large enough hole in the wall so that they can all get out, and then Tass skilfully guides them along dark tunnels and passageways, avoiding rag-tag groups of Petitioners and Demons that they might otherwise have encountered.
A short distance behind them they are shadowed by Tass’s guardian, a construct known as a Retriever.
Eventually they come to a crossroads where a Demon Babau and five Petitioners are having an animated discussion. They seem to be in disagreement over which way to proceed. Tass says that taking another route will lose a lot of time, but the argument that blocks there path continues and they will soon have to decide on an alternative course of action.
Suddenly Marcus gasps, “What was that?” as something ripples along the wall. The light sources illuminating the crossroads go out and there are a few gurgled screams, which are quickly cut short. Then everything goes quiet.
“I think we should take the other route,” Blanca suggests.
Tass nods and they start to back up.
They have not gone far when a tall humanoid creature covered in black tendrils comes down the passageway after them. It radiates utter evil and is easily recognisable as one of the abominations that they saw fighting the Balor when they escaped from the arena. Strange chaotic forces distort the space around it and it moves at incredible speed, passing in and out of the wall, as though it wasn’t entirely within their reality.
Calling upon the might of Moradin, Mardike utters words of power and gestures as if to strike the ground with his hammer. He is rewarded with a resounding boom as a tremendous impact crushes the creature into the earth from above.
“Moradin be praised” Mardike mutters approvingly.
Gendwar kneels and bows his head in thanks.
Then the creature gets up.
Gendwar snarls. He stands and charges into battle.
Within the localised reality distortion that surrounds the dire creature, the Dwarf is assailed by waves of utter evil. He fights back the nausea that threatens to overpower him and hacks at it furiously with his Holy war-axe. The abomination seems unbelievably tough however and simply retaliates by pulverising the Dwarf with incredibly powerful fists. With every blow the tendrils hungrily fasten themselves onto Gendwar’s armour or flesh, striving to penetrate whatever substance they come in contact with. Each time the Dwarf is barely able to break free of them before they can spread.
The others rush to aid him but only Blanca and the Retriever are able to stomach the shifting reality distortion effect and enter into close combat with the creature. Tass fires arrows at it from a distance, while Marcus and Mardike are unable to approach the abomination due to the intense aura of evil that emanates from it.
In fact, so extreme are the chaotically evil forces in the vicinity of the creature, that within a short space of time Gendwar, Blanca and the Retriever all start to sicken as their bodies struggle to resist the corrupting effects, which are rending reality all around them.
Despite also taking the brunt of the creature’s physical attacks, Gendwar continues his ferocious assault. Bolstered by Mardike’s magic and aided by Blanca and the Retriever, he slowly begins to gain the advantage. Gradually their dire adversary starts to look the worse for wear.
When Blanca finally carves into the abomination with a well-timed strike, it turns on her and crushes her against the wall with immense power. Had Gendwar not taken advantage of the distraction to cleave into the creature with a succession of mighty blows it might have killed her. As it is it shrieks and comes apart at the seams. The reality distortion tears it apart and then vanishes. Nothing remains
Afterward Gendwar helps Blanca to her feet and then Mardike heals them both. It seems that Blanca’s performance may have gone some way towards ingratiating herself with the Dwarves.
Looking concerned, Tass suggests they should move on quickly, in case there are any more of the creatures around.
They press onward.
After a time, they come by secret ways to a large open expanse crowded with Demons and Petitioners. The multitude presses forward, fleeing across a narrow bridge that is suspended high over a river of lava. On the far side are two huge bronze gates carved with pictures of dismembered angels and beyond the gates is a gigantic citadel. This is where they must go.
Circumventing the crowd, Tass leads them through the shadows into a hidden tunnel that brings them to an opening far below. There they stand far beneath the bridge looking out across the lava flow.
“That’s it” Tass says pointing to the far shore. “Straight across from here, about ten metres below the surface, is the mouth of the tunnel we must go through. It leads to a small chamber within the outer walls of the citadel.”
Passage through the lava remains a daunting prospect but, given the likelihood that the all-consuming tentacular mass is not far behind them, there are no other alternatives left open to them at this point. Mardike and Marcus cast a large number of spells that should have the combined effect of allowing them to move and survive beneath the lava for a short time. Then all except the Retriever plunge in. Sadly Tass has no way of getting the construct through the lava.
“Go home” she instructs it. “You served me well”
As they negotiate the lava tunnel they are stalked and attacked by a lava worm, which comes close to dragging Blanca off into oblivion but she is able to break free of it and makes it to their destination.
When the lava worm subsequently emerges Gendwar is on hand to despatch it before it can do any further harm.
And so the five companions find themselves in a tiny chamber, half full of refuse, bones and decaying flesh. A small hole in the ceiling is the only way forward. But first they must rest again and recover their strength for the challenges that lie ahead.
Notes:
Though this is the first Episode actually guest starring Tass she also appears briefly in Episodes 7 and 8.
