Making their way to Sarambov, the wanderers enter the town where three message boards stand. One has birth, death, marriage announcements, one has effectively advertisements for the three inns, and one is a job board. That last one, the job board, has a few odds and ends, and one lacquered, edited, sign asking for help clearing out ‘something’ from the Rapava Stables.
Back at Artem’s farm, he had mentioned that the Rapava family was incredibly unlucky, and it seems that continued. According to a local (who was posting a birth announcement), ‘something’ had eaten a man’s arm clean off the bone. The man lived, but they had to chop off what was left of the arm.
At the inn of Artem’s brother/cousin Costas (later on they learned they were genetic cousins, but Artem’s family adopted Costas as a young man, and the two called each other brother or cousin depending on mood), Costas admitted his inn was pretty much full up, but the nice inn had space. He also explained a little more about the Rapava stables, interesting the group more.
They checked in at the Dusty Crows Inn, learning they (and some others they knew) were on a list to be granted discounts. Navar, the halfling manager, explained the owner was away on bereavement as his son had died in the battle in Volgograd (formerly New Vasselheim, formerly Volgograd). Setting them up in a suite, Navar gave them directions to the Rapava stables, though they were hard to miss.
Outside the inn, the group met Nina, the Dwarves local law enforcement, who was throwing a man out of the brothel by his britches. Nina explained that whatever the hell was in the stables had killed a few of her men, as well as some stablehands, and she too would appreciate any help.
Khatia Rapava was easy to find, and she explained she had no fucking clue what the things were, but they’d sealed off half her barn, trapping war horses, war cows, war rhinos, a horned horse (not a unicorn), and a pegasus within. She offered them a war cow if they could help, but espying Stubby’s interest, then offered the Sovereign Glue.
Naturally they agreed, and Tāmari remembered the monsters, based on the description and the remains of the ooze. These were bakavac, a primordial sort of ooze only found in Xhorhas, at least to anyone’s memory. Stubby deduced they were vulnerable to water, so armed with the Decanter of Endless Water, they went in through the roof.
The battle was tricky, but they found if they got the bukavac went, they would take serious damage, and used their teamwork to defeat the mama and her many children, saving two of the four missing stablehands (the other two died), and all of the animals except one cow.
The heroes were treated by everyone (drinks and desert) and Stubby, for some reason, got one more room, a bottle of drink, and two glasses. Only the future will explain why.
The players made Level Seven at the end of this session
Loot Acquired
- One vial of Sovereign Glue (4 applications)
Players
- Rinn Shrike – Half-elf Sorcerer/Rogue (Storm Sorcery)
- Stubby – Half-elf Artificer/Artillerist
- Tāmarai Shikomi – Gnome Bard (College of Lore)
- Fisch – Bear Fighter (regular NPC)