We left our heroes in a cavern with a rock on a pedestal, surrounded by human-ish rock formations. Rajar had been patched up by Valseena, who had effectively stuck his arm back on.

Meanwhile, Nala and her pack had been scouting around and found their way to the bottom of the mountain, where they spotted everyone’s riding animals and some locals. Oh. And a ruddy big rockslide. Speaking to the aging Sartarite who was waiting by the animals, she learned some of what had been happening. Nala decided to head up the mountain to find the others. As it was too steep a climb for Tiwr, he nobly offered to guard the riding and pack animals. Zinat and Nala began the climb. Engaging her spirit sight, she couldn’t help but notice numerous spirits caught up in combat all over the mountainside. Spirits were everywhere, fighting. She pressed on, hoping to catch up to her comrades before they did something catastrophic.

The shaman and her wolf reached the ledge where a short time ago, Valseena had sung to the mountain’s spirit. Here, there was a gap in the rock and Zinat had two trails to follow. She danced and it danced and they came to understand each other. The mountain told her that the others were above and she gained the impression that they were aiding it. Its dance gesture, etched on the mountain, was ‘upwards’, and could have meant either the path or the entrance into the rock which it was pointing towards. With some help from Zinat, and some of Berra’s spicy jerky, she determined that the best path forward was up. They continued to climb towards the cave she now knew they had entered.

Along the way, Nala and Zinat encountered a man and his dog. The animals postured briefly, but were called to heel. The man put up his hands and said in bad trade talk ‘I have no argument’ and then left at a run. The man continued down the mountain, while Nala continued up.

Also in the cavern, having been abandoned, there was also a heap of sobbing Esrolian.¹ who was neither Varanis nor Xenofos Yanrella had just seen her lover nearly killed, then watched as he vanished without her. Thanks to the magic Xenofos had cast, the Vingan and the Scholar both detected an enemy coming towards them down one of the passages. There was some jostling for position, ultimately leading to Rajar, Broulf, and Rurik in the front line, followed by Berra and Varanis²”I got a Special for a DEX x 5.” – Berra.
“Mine’s a critical.” – Rurik.”
“Does Berra still have her feet on the ground or is she squeezed between people?” – Varanis While the others realised they were facing a two-headed, tentacled dragonsnail, Xenofos attempted to reason with the weeping Ernaldan, but failed to charm her from her tears. She left the cavern as she realised the danger, with Xenofos making sure she was safe.

Outside the cavern, Yanrella encountered Nala, who also made sure she was safe. Zinat was instructed to protect the Esrolian, while Nala went in.

Rajar, Broulf, and Rurik got into combat with the dragon snail, with Rurik doing well with Wind Tooth, and Berra waiting for her chance. Berra and Varanis both spotted a figure behind the dragonsnail. Unable to get to it, Berra called for javelins, getting the attention of Xenofos. Varanis, however, cast Leap to get over the dragonsnail.

The thing ate Broulf’s head with one of its heads, giving Berra the chance to decapitate it, but that did not stop it, as it had another head. Xenofos cast his javelin at the figure with a staff, now revealed to Varanis.³Inspired by loyalty Varanis, to hit true. With GM warning of consequences should he accidentally skewer Varanis. He hit her, doing an unknown amount of damage. The figure, a woman of about twenty, swore. Varanis could hear that her voice was just wrong. The woman swung out at her with an iron-bound quarterstaff, but missed.

The figure pointed her hand at Berra and cast a spell that made her gifted sword fall to bits, along with the armour on her right arm. Berra yelled in fury. Nala, on finally catching up and seeing what her companions were facing, summoned an earth elemental. She sent it forward to attack the woman Varanis was facing. The dragonsnail bit at Rajar and he lost the use of a leg. Berra grabbed at Broulf’s broadsword and Suuraki cracked the shell of the dragonsnail with his dagger axe, finally killing it. Xenofos dispelled the shield that the shaman woman was wearing, and she swore again and fled. Varanis put a fireblade through her as she went, killing her. Berra and Rurik, running in to help, caught a glimpse of a horned figure rising out of the body. Varanis saw more clearly that it was a horned human, not distorted as Broo were. Suuraki and Rajar made sure that the shaman was very, very dead.

Xenofos and Varanis sensed an enemy behind the group, and they returned to find that a part of the thing on the pedestal wanted to kill them. It had now lost its glow and was multi-coloured; obviously Truestone, with a black vein on its surface, or running through it.

Berra disconsolately gathered up the shards of her sword, and Nala was helping her with the Repair spell while the group discussed what to do about the stone. Valseena warned them against touching it, but Xenofos, sagacious and wise, decided he knew better and picked it up.⁴He rolled 000 on mineral lore and decided that it was safe, but should be returned to Prax. The pillars of stone once more turned into cultists, this time rather more prepared for what was going to happen. One of them called up a Portal to primal chaos in the middle of the room, and they all turned on the group with as much magic as they could gather. A spell hit Berra but failed to hurt her. Rajar was wounded almost instantly, once more losing the use of his right arm, which was almost entirely destroyed.

Xenofos put the rock back down, after seeing the results of picking it up, or possibly because it was very big, and too heavy for him. The cultists began to turn back to stone. Nala called her Earth Elemental back, and cast demoralise on the enemies facing them. One of them slit his own throat, possibly from despair in the face of Nala’s spell, or possibly to prevent himself from becoming trapped in stone again.

The stone pillar that had attacked Rajar leapt into the portal and Varanis tried to follow. She was stopped by Suuraki hooking her with his dagger axe. Berra managed to wound hers, and Rurik struck his as well, but neither managed a clean kill. The cultists who survived were once more encased in stone.

Varanis was now lying face-first in front of the portal, when a ghoul stepped through it, and howled. Valseena was terrified almost instantly, though she did not flee. Berra struck it down and Nala’s Earth elemental pulled it into the cave floor, as Varanis inelegantly scrambled out of the way. Rajar patched himself up with Rune Magic, once Valseena stopped him from bleeding out.

As soon as Valseena was recovered, she slapped Xenofos. Berra told her not to do that to one of her companions and then shouted at Xenofos very loudly indeed. Explanations were given to Nala about what had happened when she had not been there, and weapons were returned to their appropriate owners. Broulf’s body was propped up at the cave entrance, after a discussion on whether they had to bring his bison up. It was decided he was a Tarshite not a Praxian, and not a cavalry sort anyhow. Rajar said he had to stay at the cave to keep an eye on the Chaos. His sister-in-law offered to stay with him. Rurik volunteered to ride to Alda Chur and warn people, including the Storm Bulls outside Snakepipe Hollow.

At the bottom of the mountain, Nala communed with the rock slide spirits and convinced them to put themselves back. This revealed the mostly consumed remains of the caravan. There was little evidence of the bodies, but it was decided that something should be done to ensure the dead did not remain as unsettled spirits. Falrem the bothy keeper knew where the shrine had been.

Nala settled down to ask Ernalda where the Feathered Horse Queen was, while the rest of the party took stock of their situation.

“I can’t hear anything over the sound of that cultist chanting.” – Suuraki’s listen roll

“Sorry, what body?” – Nala
“Bothy. The hut.” – GM

“You’re with… those people….” – Person

“I have no quarrel!” – Random NPC
“Things are obviously going well up there.” – Suuraki

“Of course he has no quarrel. It’s a bow.” – Nala

“At least it’s not Rajar this time.” – GM
“30 points of damage to the head.” – GM
“That’s going to hurt in the actually it’s not going to hurt at all.” – Suuraki

“If I’m really lucky, the acid blood will just make the sword shorter.” – Berra

“….I suppose I should cast control elemental, too” – Nala

“LITTLE FUCKER!” – Berra, a bit annoyed.

“I will inspire myself with Loyalty (Varanis).” – Xenofos prepares to throw a javelin into a combat with Varanis in it.

“Rajar screams in congratulation, among other things he’s screaming about.” – GM
“Are we sure that’s what he’s screaming?” – Suuraki?

“When the rock is picked up, what does the spirit of law do?” – ???
“Sigh, I should imagine.” – Valseena

“Nothing noticeably happens to Berra.” – GM

“Rajar picks up another crit against him…” – GM
“Same arm.” – GM

“Can I slap Xenofos? I totally do.” – Valseena
“Ow.” – Xenofos
“No, no, you don’t do that. You don’t be violent against your group. XENOFOS WHAT IN HELL WERE YOU DOING?” – Berra

“Berra goes to hold out the bits of her armour to Nala.” – Berra

“Thank you for the healing to my weapon, Nala.” – Berra

“Varanis asks Tiwr if he saw a random Esrolian woman coming down the mountain and if so, which way did she go?” – Varanis

“You find your sword stuck in a rock at the bottom of the mountain.” – GM
“If you manage to pull that out you’re going to be King of the Malani.” – Berra

“Perfectly safe except that it needs to be taken back to Prax.” – Xenofos and his 00 on Mineral Lore.
“Apparently I was wrong.” – Xenofos