Session 409 - Last Gasp, First Breath

Date: 27th May 1625

Moon Phase: New Moon

Moon Face: Pocked Face

Zenith Deity: Deusix (Red)

Events:

 

--- Higher-Lower-Middle Cultist Guthrie Clamps

- Bulgur is in a glass walkway looking into a large waiting area containing many Necromancers and skeletons and zombies. One sits on a throne of bone, huge leprous monster at his back, and stretches out a lazy hand. "Attack!"

- Bulgur rushes in with a smile on his face.

- Elsewhere, the others are cutting their way through a maze of velvet ropes on the way to Bulgur's location in the boss room. We make up a gimmick on the fly which means they'll take a few rounds to arrive after hearing Bulgur's battle cry. Alas, it's going to be too late.

- Bulgur runs straight for the boss - Higher-Lower-Middle Cultist Guthrie Clamps on his bone throne. He swigs his Potion of Extra-Healing, swings, and... the Bone Throne itself animates and gets in the way!
- Bulgur puts his back into it and SHATTERS the Bone Throne in a single blow! Guthrie himself yells out as he hits the ground, right under the feet of his leprous beast.

- The lesser Necromancers prepare spells and the Dead minions surge in to attack. Bulgur is in his element and hefts his axe at the leprous beast which... vanishes.
- "Bheinid yhou" it says, and deals one, two devastating blows to Bulgur's kidneys which send him blasting into the wall. It leaves a Bulgur-shaped crater.

--- Sophia Reborn

- Bulgur grunts as he pulls himself from the wall. The Bone Throne is reforming around Guthrie to become a sort of exo-suit. Spells go off, and Bulgur is slammed by Atrophy Beams. Something ancient in Bulgur goes off and releases Chaos in return!
- The skeletons and zombies fall at the feet of one of the Necromancers in worship.
- Something even stranger happens to Bulgur.

- An old soul enters Bulgur's body. The long-dead soul of Sophia, a Necromancer dead for decades.

- Bulgur is now a Lictor, containing the soul of Sophia and the vestiges of Bulgur. A hybrid. More than the sum of their parts. More than enough.
- Bone bullets fired by the Necromancers embed into his skin. Chaos reigns and plants push up from the dungeon floor, the food in the room spoils with rot.

--- Blistering Assault

- Sophia/Bulgur rages on the edge of death. They shatter the throne-suit. Guthrie hasn't got time to scream.
- They strangle the Necromancer. Thumbs crush his windpipe. He tries to beg.

- A blast of ghosts and ectoplasm snaps through them, straight through their heart.

- They're dead. The hole straight through their chest pumps with black blood.

- The blast went straight through Guthrie too. They all die together.

--- Last Gasp

- Bulgur/Sophia stands anyway. They turn and fling the corpse of Guthrie Clamps and take the first Necromancer's body off at the knees. Absurd strength floods their body, black blood dripping through the hole in their chest.

- They stagger forward with the Pumpkinhead Axe and... there's a shimmer as the leprosy beast flash-steps into the path and crushes a leg. It's still not enough to stop them.

- Bulgur/Sophia crushes the creature to the ground and grinds their shattered leg-stump into its chest as it groans a bestial catechism and its leprous mass grows up and through, pinning them to the floor.

- Unable to walk, Bulgur/Sophia throws their arsenal of swords and axes and daggers at everyone in sight.
- A good death.

- Finally, they rest. Ah, but yet...

--- Late to the Party

- Finally, finally, the rest of the party shows up to a chaotic sea of blood and bone and unleash the whirlwind.

- Zeppelino's goblin firing squad shoots arrow after arrow into the remaining enemy.
- Manrat, aghast at the death of his liege, opens up with gunfire.
- Zeppelino himself tackles the skeleton-worshipper Necromancer into a boiling pot of rotting stew.
- Bulgur/Sophia's eyes open once more. There is more blood to spill!
- They are a blender in the centre of the room. All kicked or thrown or fishing-rodded to them are turned into a fine mist. Sophia takes control and sends a one-handed blast of ectoplasm at the remaining Necromancers, blasting holes through their chests and sending their bodies careening into the wall.
- Sophia speaks with the Voice of the Dead with her last breath and reforms the Bone Throne behind their own shattered body.

- They slump into the bone throne.

- Bulgur's voice booms out - "I am Bulgur, Son of Borgar, Strongest Man in Loegria, and my Honour Remains".
- Their body finally stops moving.
- A good death.

--- First Breath

- Something stirs in the body of Sophia/Bulgur. The ghastly energies unleashed in this place allow those present to see a blue ghost of Bulgur emerge from the body. It arises, looks around, feels his chest. He floats to Manrat and bestows upon him the title of the heir to the Wheat Throne!

- The body itself is shivering, reknitting. Ghosts swirl around it. The eyes that open in its face are not Bulgur's. They're black, swirling, like galaxies.
- It's mouth opens and tells the world that it is the body of Bulgur with the mind of Sophia! The name is Bulgaria! It is the Rotting Fist Wizard!

--- Loot the Room in an Age of Miracles

- Despite the reincarnation of an elder hero, there's work to be done. Specifically, loot!

- They take the Necromancers' spellbooks (useful for the new grimoire-less Bulgaria) and the a couple of Rituals on ancient scrolls. There's also 6000 obols-worth of coins and general small-but-valuable treasure, along with a big chunk of gold. The shattered wall nearby looks to go to the surface.

- Maxwell conjures Gifflewim by the simple expedient of saying his name three times, and Maxwell pays back his debt. Gifflewim is between Ideas at the moment, the Idea of Wheat and the Idea of Thorns warring. It's a bit awkward, but the deposit is made regardless.

- He also tells them that Julgoor has taken control of their mutual business and cleansed himself with the magic items he controls now. Disturbing news.

- With that minor bombshell, and the apparent compete mutual trust with the newly formed revenant of a Necromancer in their number, they face the way down and hope it's a better place than up here...

Total: 8000 exp

Foes Defeated:

- A mob of various Dead (70 exp)

- A few Necromancers (225 exp)

- The Boss Necromancer (250 exp)

- His Bone Throne (100 exp)

- A Leprosy Monster (1000 exp)

Total: 1645 exp

Loot Looted:

- Ritual #155 - The Leprous Dweller Below

- Ritual #167 - The Ninety-Six Chants of the Leprous One

- Grimoire containing: #76 Teeth Bomb, #70 Ghost Shield and #81 Soul Sight

- Grimoire containing: #56 Black Blood Baptism, #26 Detect Bones and #54 False Life

- Grimoire containing: #8  Detect Animated Dead, #59 Skeleton Steed and #31 Rise From Your Grave

- Coins and Trinkets worth 6000 obols (6000 exp)
- Gold Chunk (5000 exp)

Total: 11000 exp

OOC:

- "El Ruedero" the Chronicler and Cartographer (200 exp/level)

- "Kittita" the Expedition Leader and Chef (200 exp/level)

- "Carlos" the Paymaster (100 exp/level)
- "Jorge" the Vanguard (100 exp/level)

Exp Totals:

- George / Manrat Snels, Level 7 Ratman: 83541 (Level up at 112000)

- Charles / Zeppelino, Level 7 Goblin: 81743 (Level up at 128000)

- Carter / Maxwell, Level 6 Specialist: 55533 (Level up at 56000)

- Kitty / Bulgaria, Level 3 Rotting Fist Wizard: 5762 (Level up at 9000)
*LEVEL UP! +1d4 HP! +1 to Saves! +1 Mana! +Free Spell! Plus Backstory!
*LEVEL UP! +1d4 HP! +1 to Saves! +1 Mana! +Free Spell! Plus Backstory!