A Report - An Excursion into Ando Alur

[ReveredOwl 5354]

Spoiler

 

 

This report has been written to document the circumstances regarding the death of brother Vulmon Heidan. This report shall also include details and what we experienced during the expedition into the voidal fallout from the destruction of Ando Alur, alongside members of the NGS.    To be placed upon the desks of Lord Marshall Johann Barclay and his Majesty, Koeng Sigismund III.

 

Walton Shock Troop	Flemius Knight	Tavisha Markov Knight	Reinhardt Barclay Knight
Alexander Novikov Squire	Emelya Kortrevich Squire	Aleksi de Khlovko Oathedman	Vulmon Heidan Armsman
Osric NGS	Dilvyn NGS	Ash NGS

 

The National Geographical Society (NGS) had planned an expedition into the voidal fallout that resulted from the collapse of Ando Alur. The NGS were unsure as to what they would face, there were rumours and stories about the creatures that grew and lurked in the tainted land, so they requested that the Brotherhood of Saint Karl escort them on their excursion into the afflicted zone. The party made its way from Karosgrad to South hub where we were
met by an armoured fellow knight who instructed us on the path that we must take, in order to not be spotted by the creatures that lurked within. We were warned that parts of the caverns beneath the ground were covered in quicksand, so we were to be careful with our footing and proceed
cautiously. Osric then distributed his potions throughout the party should we encounter anything within - though I'm certain we all knew that if we faced something like the tales had foretold, we did not stand much of a fighting chance.

 

After checking that we all had the correct supplies, we were led into the voidal zone, the ground had turned blue and tainted with pure voidal energy, it was completely unnatural and something I had never seen before. In the sky there were vortex-like shapes spinning across the horizon. A deep sense of foreboding wafted over us all as Flemius led us through a deep trench between two hills, something the knight we had met up with told us was the safest option than being caught out in the open. We were told to follow the trench until we found the opening into the caverns beneath, and so Flemius led us along the tainted ground with myself and Aleksi keeping a rear-guard and eyes upon either side of the trench - although we could not see anything, we all felt like we were being watched and stalked. Though we found the caves entrance without incident and started to make our way inside. However with only half of the party inside, Flemius called a halt. Just further into the caves entrance was a figure cloaked in pure white with a wrap around its head, we could make no features out - it is most likely this was one of the voidal creatures. It informed us that it would take us further into the cave and that the knight we met upon the surface was an associate of itself. Tavisha called me up from the rear-guard as I had already loaded my crossbow, I was informed to keep an eye upon this mysterious figure as we followed it; if the creature did anything nefarious then I was to shoot it.

 

We followed the creature through the large caverns, though these caverns were strange. The caverns had holes in the roof where you could see the skies and so we had to keep an eye on the roof as well as in front. We passed several pools of a bubbling blue liquid which we were told not to touch. We cautiously advanced through the unnatural abyss until we were halted due to movement on the other side of one of the pools. We could not make out any identifiable features but they stopped and stared at us all in unison. Unable to reach the creatures across the poisoned blue pool we pressed on until we came upon a tree. Words can not express the sheer horror and fear that soaked us all as we gazed upon this tree. The tree was reddened by voidal corruption but seemed to have grown strong. Upon this
hung several corpses which stared at us, the corpses were replications of ourselves - our own lifeless corpses were hung from the tree, staring at us. Those who did not look away in distress saw that as we passed the tree, the corpses turned in their chains to keep their gaze upon us. But we pressed on until the figure cloaked in white stopped abruptly. In front of us in the distance we could see a ruined fortress-like structure and to
our right was another structure Similar in architecture. It told us we could only explore one of the two ruins as if we had stayed much longer we would get spotted by the creatures that dwelled within the caverns, and with a blink of the eye the cloaked figure vanished.

We decided to explore the one to our right as it was closer to our route and if we had disturbed any voidal horrors then our escape would not be prevented by anything that emerged from the other ruin. Though as we turned the corner we noticed movement within the ruin, and despite a member of the NGS using a spyglass, he could not make out what it was. We slowly advanced downwards towards the ruin with Flemius heading down first. The ground below our feet was soft, so I advised our party to be careful of their footing as there might have been quicksand around the ruin. As we got closer to the ruin we noticed that there was no creature inside and instead it appeared like a shimmering mirage. The mirage shimmered in and out of reality but we were able to make out what it was. The mirage showed some form of serpentine creatures wrestling a large black-clad being, it was shrouded in a black smog. As we moved closer to get a better look, a large red fleshy ethereal tendril emerged from the walls of the cavern and hoisted Vulmon into the air before any of us could reach him. The tendrils wrapped around him and began to form into a chain-like structure to hang him from, akin to the tree we had seen prior. As soon as the tendril emerged the mirage shattered, several of our men tried to hack and slice at the tendril but no weapon seemed strong enough to stop it from killing Vulmon and he was too high for us to grab a hold of. This is when Alexander used his will o’potion and threw it at the tendril in a bid to save Vulmon from his demise. The potion had its desired effect and burnt the tendril into a crisp, though sadly the flame enveloped both the tendril and Vulmon - though I am sure Vulmon was already deceased when this happened. The tendril released Vulmon onto the floor below where Alexander and  Ser Reinhardt tended to him and the rest looked around the ruin.

 

As the ruin was being explored a loud gurgle and stomps were heard far off in the cavern's depths, it seemed our fight had attracted one of the inhabitants of this strange land. The NGS recovered several things from the ruin and its surrounding grounds and Flemius led us out of a passage that he knew to be quicker, rather than facing whatever horrific beast was stomping towards us. We emerged out of the cavern and made a run of the clean, untainted greenery just across the hill. No creatures appeared to pursue us and yet it did feel like we were chased and watched continuously during our time there.

 

I believe more preparation is needed should any further excursions into Ando Alur take place, for GOD knows what manner of beasts and horrors lurk there.

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by Basil Moroul
Forgive me if it appears some words are missing, I've been having to constantly re-edit this to get the formatting right.

[Herod 808]

The Lord Palatine Baruch mulled in his seat at the King’s office, opposite him sat the Aulic Envoy and the Lord Marshal with the report between them.

After an eerie minute of silence, he shakily pushed a document to Feodor. “Davai…” 

After the meeting had concluded, he remained shaking, the recounts of the horrors of the Voidal Tear haunted him and he did not sleep that night.

 

@Sander@Frymark

[Frymark 2793]

11 minutes ago, Herod said:

The Lord Palatine Baruch mulled in his seat at the King’s office, opposite him sat the Aulic Envoy and the Lord Marshal with the report between them.

After an eerie minute of silence, he shakily pushed a document to Feodor. “Davai…” 

After the meeting had concluded, he remained shaking, the recounts of the horrors of the Voidal Tear haunted him and he did not sleep that night.

 

@Sander@Frymark

Johann Barclay frowns.

[Lokvank 339]

Vulmon Heidan, the fallen soldier, wonders if he'll go to the Seven Skies after his death, even though he wasn't a believer in his lifetime.

[Fionn__TWG 2616]

2 hours ago, Lokvank said:

Vulmon Heidan, the fallen soldier, wonders if he'll go to the Seven Skies after his death, even though he wasn't a believer in his lifetime.

Klaus Barclay prays for the fallen soldier upon hearing of his death, hoping the man made it to the First Sky should he have lived a virtuous life.

[greygre 220]

NGS Vice-President, Dilvyn Deveral, looks over the relics recovered during the expedition.   "What could it all mean..?" He wonders to himself, before jotting down a note.