Chapter 8, Part IV: A Hole Lot of Poison
As the last remaining ship landed on the small island of cleared ground, the Platinum Talons saw nearly all of the Order members who had gone down to clear the area overtaken by the poison. Realizing with a high insight check, they understood that if the Gragtharian army had been sent, they would have been the ones dead instead.
Behind the ships, Hildar was dragging BOJO away from the edge, keeping him safe from the poison. Nohki and Xerxes hurried over and the latter used lesser restoration with the shield to help BOJO heal from his injuries.
After landing, the Harvestman headed straight to the hole, calling Pluveria over to burn away the remaining poison. Xerxes noticed some ORC members getting back to their feet and he, Drez, and Nohki saw the Harvestman and Pluveria heading to the vent. Pluveria used burning hands to clear the poison in the vent while Xerxes gathered everyone, thinking they needed to be involved in the discussion.
As they approached, they saw the Harvestman slap a pair of cuffs on Pluveria. Suddenly, Pluveria turned and attacked the party, sending fire their way. Drez, Nohki, and Xerxes, with their high passive perception, noticed this in time. Everyone made dexterity saving throws, with Nohki, Drez, and Xerxes having an advantage as Pluveria unleashed a firestorm.
Firebrook counterspelled the black spell that Pluveria was charging. In response, the Harvestman cast corrupting hex, cursing Firebrook and halving his speed. After a few rounds of devestating attacks on both sides, the Harvestman and Pluveria then jumped into the open vent, with Xerxes and the party following them.
They landed in a dark, narrow cavern with fetid, toxic poison reaching up to their ankles. As they traversed the tunnels, Drez sent Dr. Hoo ahead to scout. Unfortunately, Dr. Hoo was quickly eaten by something unseen. Nohki cast find familiar to conjure Dr. Two. Xerxes casted aura of Purity, providing a needed layer of protection on the party from the poison. With too many tunnels and the poison rising, they decided to take the orb of last location. As they did, a giant goop spider formed on the ceiling and lunged at them. Nohki used the decanter of endless water, creating enough resistance to push back the sludge long enough for them to transport the orb to the wagon inside Brimhold.
Returning to the Grand Fortress, they found Chieftain Ouglana who was concerned about their quick return. Informed of the battle's events, she directed them to the Vega twins, Professor Pluveria's assistants. The twins, Orion and Lyra, were sitting in the tea room, wearing school uniforms. Orion wore a teal and seafoam jacket with a tentacled creature emblem on the back, while Lyra wore a purple and lilac uniform with a horned rabbit emblem. They provided information on Pluveria's studies and explained the existence of a backup plan, Plan Z, which they intended to initiate by returning to the Arcademy within in a few days. They invited the Talons to join them.
Xerxes then asked Chieftain Ouglana about Vola. She revealed that Vola was a top military officer and that Vola's mother, Azra Jak'en, still lived nearby. Xerxes went to speak with Azra, introducing himself as Thorn. Azra identified him as her grandson and invited him in. They discussed Vola and her whereabouts, and Xerxes learned that Vola had been called to Gragthar when General Valerius Tyr sent an invading army to the north of Harking. Although she loved him and his father dearly, she couldn't sit on the other side of the world while her homeland was attacked, and so had to leave her 1-year-old son to fight against the invasion. She returned to Brimhold to take her place in the Gragtharian army and marched up to Doumshar. Seeing the troops being decimated by Tyr's armies, Vola decided to enlist the help of an unlikely source: the people of the Underdark, a previous rival of the Gragtharian people. With the help of the Underdark and a miracle that is only talked about in legends, the Gragtharians stopped the invasion and saved the land. Though it was not without the sacrifice of man Gragtharian soldiers, including, Azra believed, Vola herself.
Reflecting on his past resentment towards his mother for running, Xerxes saw parallels with his actions at the poison veil. Azra reassured him, saying that sometimes a tactical retreat is the smartest move, allowing one to live to fight another day.
The party then discussed their next plan: to head through the Underdark and take the railway to Doumshar.