Centrum Glacies Session 79: The Cult Attacks
Week 79 Dungeons and Dragons Campaign in Centrum Glacies continues with the party trapped in a dangerous jungle. The Cult of Obsidian makes an appearance and attacks.
Like my other campaign, I’m turning this one into a book series. You can check out the first one here.
Anyway, just like my other campaign, there is a whole lot going on and I don’t want to elaborate on every moving piece in the story. You can see the whole thing in the book series.
!!!Trigger Warning!!!
This story deals with a cruel world with some horrific twists. So far, this campaign has featured: Animals getting killed, Genocide, lots of body horror, evil cults, brainwashing, torture, psychological warfare, child abuse, slavery.
One of the party members had an eye gouged out and lost an arm. Not exactly the way it happens in Berserk, but that might have been the inspiration for it. The group was incinerated in lava. But rather than die, they were transformed into Demons. They might be free from these transformations for now, but only time will tell what this means for them.
!!!Final Trigger Warning!!!
At long last it was clear to the party who the true culprits of this corrupted forest were. The Cult attacked and as Trent was surrounded by countless members, he transformed into his demon form and embraced hatred.
The cultists smiled at him as he showed his rage and hatred made manifest. Naturally this only made him more aggressive as he tore through their ranks.
Save for Jyona who had gone into another of her dissociated fits, the rest of the party helped Trent clean up the Cult of Obsidian Members and the creatures they made use of. This included several more of Jak-Rath’s horrific experiments.
More Demons
Unfortunately, there were several reasons why the Cult of Obsideon was feared and hated around the world. And one of those reasons is that there were Demons among their ranks. A group of Chasme emerged from the darkness, their horrific buzzing marking their entrance. And something else trampled through the forest. Something massive.
The Chasme’s buzzing placed both Jyona and Obrom into a trance and forced them to sleep. At the same time, the other Demon made its own entrance. A Nalfeshne in all its ape like glory teleported to Jyona’s location and attacked her while she was vulnerable.
But its attacks either backfired or the Cult of Obsidian had something even more sinister planned. As Jyona woke up to her body in immense pain as she slowly bled to death, a dark power gripped her. She shifted into her Demonic form against her own will.
It was a struggle of control as Jyona at first fought back against the Nalfeshne. But eventually her mind was overcome with aggressive rage, partially due to the transformation itself. At one point she even attacked Trent, who was still in his own Demon form.
Returning to Sanity
Jyona’s animated armor construct once more showcased hints of its own sentience and restrained her. Her bloodlust subsided since she couldn’t attack anything easily. Her own mind taking over again, she commanded the construct to let her go.
It had not expected her to command it to release it. It’s limited consciousness was confused by conflicts in programming and it let her go.
The Chasme were easily dealt with after their surprise attack. But the Nalfeshne was another matter. Even against the four adventurers, it possessed exceptional strength and fortitude. Even once it was clear that it was outmatched, it tried to bring at least one of the party with it as they finally struck it down.
The group rested for a moment without the coldlight. Something about how this played out didn’t add up. They feared that when the returned to the Circle of Cleansing that they might be attacked again. But they had cleared the path as instructed and so returned. Cautious with each step back, they prepared for the worst.
A Second Strike
It was wise that they came prepared. They reported their success to the Druids of Cleansing. And notably, the one who was acting as the head of the camp seemed uncharacteristically upset that they were back. And he played his hand to reveal why. The Cult of Obsidian had infiltrated the Druids and had killed and replaced many of them.
Roughly half the Druids in the camp were Cult Members. And the Fake Druid Leader was a commander of their forces. He was also much more powerful than his minions.
He commanded the Cultists to put out the coldlight torches. Not only would this expose everyone to the toxic spores, but it made it impossible for the party and the Druids to see more than a few feet in front of them. For whatever reason, the Cult of Obsidian was not suffering the same effects.
Painful Transformation
But the tide turned quickly against the Cultists in the camp. Compared to their sheer numbers deeper in the forest, this wasn’t nearly as threatening of a force.
But that changed to some degree as the Cult Commander played his final card. His body contorted and melted. He even screamed as the transformation fully set it. In place of the commander, the party faced a second Nalfeshnee.
But the party had already fought one of these in the same day. Or night, they couldn’t be sure what time it was. And all in all, it was a final chance to harm them. Even the Commander knew he was going to die in this clash.
But with his final breaths, he made fun of the group. He admitted that his task was to stall for time. Countless of his associates were deeper in the Jungle. He called out Jak-Rath’s name and glory for the Dark Elven Race.
Wrap Up
Its clear that Jak-Rath’s experiments are relevant to what has happened to this jungle. But the party still doesn’t know what happened here. Nor do they know the Cult’s goal.