We rest in the cleared camp, then descend into the chasm. After some distance it leveled out and we came to a more horizontal cave with icy stalactites and stalagmites. Blue veins run through the perimeter of the icy tunnel; Jess climbed up and chipped away at the end of the vein. A purple fluid flooded the end of the “vein” and nearby “capillaries”.
Zatuva was a primordial demoness, Daelwyn recalls and explains. We find a way around the large cavern, 20 miles across, and decides to investigate what appears to be a city in the cavern. Ruaumoko finds a successful route, but Jess sets off an avalanche following the trail. The trail pulls away from the path and smashes into a lower trail — with three figures. Jess calls a warning and two successfully escape the sliding ice, but the third is swept off the narrow path and down to the cavern floor.
Ruaumoko (as a winged panther) flies down into the mists and hunts for the missing explorer, “Clams”. He finds a boot and calls up to Clam’s companions that he found the missing explorer. He then digs Clams out of the snow where he’s buried; he’s battered and unconscious.
Clam’s pair of companions, Ico and Iwobay, set aside their heavy supplies, then gather their materials for a descent down to their companion and Ruaumoko. While they descend, Jess slides down the icy face in perfect control, then sneaks over & investigates their abandoned equipment. He found scrolls with the recordings of their excursion, snatched them, then hid in the shadows nearby.
Daelwyn tries to boldly leap down, imitating Jess’s graceful descent, but loses control and bounces down painfully, smashing his head against a rock and getting thrown away from the rockface, out of control. Ruaumoko has to leap into the air (still as a winged panther) and grab the falling Daelwyn to prevent a fatal impact. Thelian uses the climbing gear and makes a much more controlled descent.
Thelian, Daelwyn, and Ruaumoko descend to the three explorers. They’ve been exploring for a few days, and have had enough; they’re ready to leave with their fallen friend Clams and return to their friends at the base camp. Thelian tells them that their companions at the base camp attacked, and won’t be there to greet them. That seems to be an additional spur to depart; they agree to meet us at the Lute & Loot when things are over to share information from our excursion as small payment for their abandoned gear, since they’re out so much on this expedition. (It sounds like they’re on a similar exploration for Wizards of Dis, and as Thelian pointed out, we didn’t promise to keep our experience exclusive to the Brothers Dimov.)
They tell us about some of the foes they’ve encountered, including leech like creatures that float through the fog, are drawn to people’s warmth, and try to suck the heat out of their victims. They’ve also seen giant shadows, but managed to avoid them. The creatures get stirred up when the wizards in Dis intervene directly (with scrying or floating eyes).
To climb the wall with the sick/unconscious Clam will be difficult, so they turn their heavy gear over to us. Iwo & Iwobay leave behind a heavy hammer/pick for ice, adventuring gear (5 uses), and a fragile glass & silver inlaid idol of the moon. Since it’s small and light, Thelian and Daelwyn are immediately suspicious of their desire to leave it behind. They claim that it’s Clam’s idol and they won’t be able to avoid breaking it while carrying him, it’s so fragile.
Thelian is suspicious of the idol and studies it closely. It reveals a wondrous enlarged image/map of the moon. He stares too long at the idol… and vanishes, appearing on the moon outside the corresponding crater. The cold and vacuum assail his lungs, and weird people, Clam people, stir from the nearby crater. [+1 XP for failing while discerning Clam’s moon token]
Spurred by Thelian’s disappearance, Daelwyn remembers that the moon charm was held by Lord Sequester; it allowed teleportation to and from the moon. In the first moment, the seeking magic can be disrupted, which is how he was brought down.
As the clam people emerged from the sand and approached Thelian; he studied the glass charm, now in the shape of any heart… the world he left behind. As he stared, the images grew larger. He searched and studied, seeking the chasm, which the clam people’s chatter approached. With a twist of effort, the image enlarged, clearly showing the icy clearing and avalanche where his companions still were. He vanished from the moon, returning confused and disoriented from hypoxia.
Clams was distraught at the absence of his icon; Thelian wanted nothing to do with the cursed object and weakly rolled it back to Clams, who clutched it tight and slumped back to unconsciousness.