Otyugh

This session of Strange Aeons was a shopping expedition, but with the added interest of a memorable NPC – a somewhat civilised Otyugh named Hoshbagh who was the trader in the city of Neruzavin. She seemed to grow attached to Costian which was somewhat disconcerting. Our GM has also suggested that someone else start thinking about what they want to run next, since there’s probably only another three months or so of Pathfinder left.

17th Gozran, Sunday

Heading back to camp, we come across more footprints that look like they were made by a 3 legged elephant. There was also a piece of paper stuck on one of the tents. It was decent quality parchment, and had fancy hand writing, stating that it was from Hoshbagh who suggested that we met with her at midnight down by the doors to the tower if we were interested in buying anything.

Hoshbagh had been mentioned before by the ghost we’d spoken to – apparently she was an Otyugh, which made the fancy writing unexpected, but did explain the three footprints. So at midnight we headed downstairs and looked around for an Otyugh.

She was hiding behind some rubble, looking rather concerned that we might actually try to rob her. We assured her that we had no such intentions, and that we were interested in taking a look at what she had to sell – and also in selling her things that we’d come across and had no need for. She was an odd character – a little paranoid, but also really interested in the things she sold, especially where they came from and the story behind them. So I offered to use my Detect Psychic Significance on some of the items. This really seemed to interest her, and as I started telling her about the items she sidled up close to me, and a found one tentacle of hers fondling my ankle.

She seemed to have her own way of finding out about things – by licking them. She could also manipulate items through licking as well, an ability we didn’t want to concentrate on too much, but it turned out to be useful. She seemed quite happy with my story telling though, enough to give us a pretty good deal on the items we wanted to sell, and providing discounts on things she sold.

Other than a ring that would provide me with some protection, and an amulet for my sister, there was also a crudely fashioned doll – a Ganji Doll. These are fashioned to represent a specific person, and allow one to affect the person by causing harm to the doll. Examining it, I got the feel of a man with a haunted smile and hollow eyes, also somewhat pot bellied and full of eldritch knowledge and stupidity.

Apparently Hoshbagh obtained it from someone who had come to the city recently, so my guess is that it is of Count Lowls. I purchased it with the last of my cash just in case.

Hoshbagh mentions a devil by the name of Eshimal who dwells in the Snarl. He has a library but refuses to allow her access to it. She also mentions that leaving the city of Neruzavin – by magic or by walking – is not a trivial matter, so we’re probably stuck here until we can find the route that Lowls took.

The others purchased things for themselves, then we headed off to bed.

18th Gozran, Moonday

The following morning we headed into the Snarl, making our way through the cyclopean ruins of that place towards the shore. With Ray leading the way, he was afflicted with a vision that the rest of us didn’t see but he was able to describe it to us later.

He came across the remains of some armour beneath the rubble. Things fell silent, and the city around was standing as if new. A woman in armour and carrying an axe strode down the street, and cried out to Rovagug that she was here to see his will made manifest. Then the sky was split open with fire and there is a flash as something strikes the ground blasting it to white fire. The city towers are shattered in the blast and they collapse, part of one falling upon the woman and crushing her beneath the rubble.

Then the armour pulled itself back together again – an empty shell which cried “Rovagug I see your will”. It then strode off into the burning ruins. I get the strong feeling that this isn’t the last that we’ve seen of her armour.