Mattsters of the Mattiverse Session 20

...last episode

The party tries an alternate route, deciding on the sewers, scooching past rats, catching diseases and having a grand old time

The last visible otyugh put down, the party prepares for what is sure to be another part of the onslaught
Some buffs, some readied actions
Russ, in his gargoyle'd form, flies into the center platform and peers around.
- Another, by now familiar, shape hides in the water to the West
- He throws a bomb at it, and it shows itself--another plaguebearer otyugh. It is staggered by the blast, and the two bruisers start going to town on it
- Edi joins them on the central platform to be ready with a heal
- More otyughs (corpsefeasters) join the fray, including a massive specimen, almost twice the size of the next largest. It is an oytugh queen!

Apt rushes into the middle to blow the horn. Gokar and Russ beat down the plaguebearer, but also try to position themselves to protect the casters
Edi tosses up a clutch wall of fire. It deters the otyugh queen--the other two corpsefeasters, caught in it, power through to engage the party, while she finds a way around.
Apt finds himself being grabbed and then released repeatedly as tentacles sweep him up, and then the bearers of said tentacles are killed. Two, maybe three times.
Just as the last corpsefeaster is being dispatched, the queen shows herself again. Apt gambles his personal safety for the party. He will end up beaten and busted on the river draw.
- Apt rushes in to blow the Silver Horn
- She attacks (Apt) with a massive (critical hit) blow.
- The party moves to engage. Rather than running, Apt decides to step in and unleash the full fury of his bow. This proves to be his downfall as...
- The queen lands a SECOND critical blow! It smashes Apt well past his negative hit point threshold, CON 10 and all, and the party's leader falls lifeless

- The queen is killed the next round in a flurry of successful attacks. And then beaten further. And then ripped to shreds. And then ripped a bit more. Ends up with about 180/125 damage.
- Edi processes his grief a different way, attempting (uselessly) to heal the corpse while sobbing a heartfelt lament
The party composes itself and secures the perimeter. They half-heartedly search for treasure, but aren't really committed to it. None is found.
Impending diseases are treated (filth fever and sewer madness). Alchemical and clerical aid prevents it from becoming symptomatic.

As soon as they are rested, they begin taking the body back to the Wydmoor Swamp Temple to regroup. A day in, they run into the halfling Sena, who is able to lead them on a swifter route.
Astlen is informed immediately. She expresses her condolences, and discussion is had about how to proceed
Edi, naturally, wishes to perform a funeral service, and all of the appropriate rites (including the Feast of Bodin the Fisherman‎, given the nature of the death). A not-insignificant sum is "donated to Alexandria", although it is up to the reader to divine how that comes to pass in a temple so far removed from the Church's authority.
Astlen promises to find a replacement while that is done. Gokar and Russ busy themselves with alchemical work, and some supplies are procured while they are in town.
After the funeral, the party is once again brought into audience. There, they meet a new friend

- Her name is Yoa. She is a summoner, and a formal member of the Azure Geese (and not just a contractor)
- Her eidolon companion is named Try. He has a bird aspect, but is expectedly otherwordly and unique. He and Yoa speak interchangeably when he is summoned, which is a bit disconcerting but you get used to it.
- There's little fanfare--all present know the stakes and purpose involved. However, Astlen does see fit to present the loan of an artifact of Germain, the original leader of the Geese
  - It is the (Improved) Coldheart Bow--while it was originally a shortbow, it has been recrafted by unknown agents into a composite longbow. (The bow will always grant the maximum strength bonus to the wielder.)
- Yoa humbly accepts the gift, knowing its significance.
- As the last survivor of her own squad, she doubly respects its significance.
  - She will be the Col. Potter of this M*A*S*H unit. . . or something.
    - He does bring an ensemble with him.
With little desire to lose more time, the party immediately sets off, after maybe one more day(?), to try to finally assault the Dark Cathedral.