Alas Alack !

 Thanks to "Claude" for providing the florid descriptive text in the style of a 1930's Flash Gordon story.

Present:

• Sophia Beauchamp (half-elf priest 21) - Ian
• Joe Manco (human fighter) - Shane
• Balder Dash (gnome wizard) - Jamie
• Kosha Pickles (human rogue) - Darryl
• Walton Formalin (half-elf mystic of 21) - Andrew
• Red Feuersturm (human temple fighter of Hob) - Chris
• Malcolm Gandhi (gnome thief) - Kevin
• MARMALADE: Grizo Muso (human thief) - Jeff

By Kosha

Gandhi awoke with a groan, every muscle aching as if he had wrestled with Ming the Merciless himself. And that smell - like putrid marmalade rotting in the jungle heat. Clearly his companions had neglected their usual hygiene during their harried flight from the caves. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Gandhi's thoughts turned to his beleaguered crew. They had fled under cover of darkness, pushing their pace to outrun any potential pursuers. Poor Ghandi suffered greatly, strange welts and rashes spreading across his flesh with every labored step.

The moon still held reign in the sky when Kosha, wheezing and weary, crested a small rise. Spying a grove of trees in the distance, he roused his remaining strength and hurried his findings to the others.

"Shelter!" he called, and the party hastened their pace.

Within the copse they collapsed in exhaustion, allowing their aching muscles a few hours respite. Though their packs now bulged heavier with certain "appropriated" supplies, such matters could wait. For the time, rest and safety were the only priorities.

As dawn's first rays breached the treeline, talk turned to their route. 

"Four hours to Sequel village," said Walton, "but I advise we steer well clear - too great a risk our pursuers have alerted the locals."

Our journey stretched into the afternoon sun under weary feet. Six hours into the march, Gandhi's keen ears detected pounding hooves approaching from behind. Signaling a halt, we took shelter amidst a cluster of boulders to observe our stalkers, Sophia spotted one rider she  recognized - Dorf the lighthouse keeper, no doubt sent to run us to ground. And a second rider.

Accosting Balder and Walton, Kosha urged swift action. With intricate gestures and mystic words, the mages cast their sleeping enchantments. Within moments, both men succumbed to magical slumber, slowly slumping from their saddles.

Red managed their bonds while Walton rummaged through packs and pockets, seeking clues to our pursuit. A heated debate then arose - whether mercy or vengeance best served our escape. But time was against us.

Just then, the grinding wheels of covered wagons echoed across the plains. Taking shelter, we watched as merchants passed by, slow and carefree. 

"Damn, no hiding the horses now!" Balder hissed.

Ever cunning, Kosha stepped forth. "Leave this to me, I'll smooth things over." 

Sure enough, his silver tongue and Red's backing convinced the travelers no harm lay in our path. With the coast clear once more, we debated our captives' fates. Justice and self-preservation warred, until Walton proposed a compromise. "We'll not kill them, but not return all we've gained. Our cake, let us eat it too!"

Our party pushed on through the night, hoping to learn Pugtown's ferry schedule in secret. Exhausted, we made camp at dusk's end. The mystic Balder and ravishing Sophia swallowed power-restoring elixirs to replenish their ethereal gifts through deep, prophetic dreams [grape and wafer]. But an ominous force stirred...  As the last flames guttered, Kosha and level-headed Walton felt dread creep down their spines. 

The lighthouse keeper's horse whinnied in terror, rousing us with his savage cry.

From the mist emerged a lone horseman, halting beside our fire. Raising a bone-white finger, he uttered ancient spells - and Balder rose lifelessly into the misty boughs above, fully frictionless!

Nothing could release the floating mage from this soul-curdling levitation. Pandemonium erupted as Walton scrambled atop the bucking Balder, releasing wild yells.

Grim Red then noticed a true portent of doom. Four titanic pythons crawled from the gloom, the largest already constricting the lovely Sophia in its scaly embrace!

Kosha unsheathed his enchanted blade but faltered at the snakes' withering Death's-head stares. 

"We are doomed!" he cried in terror. What horrors would this prophesy unleash upon our souls before the  witching hour claimed the night?

Seeing Sophia's peril, Red knew only his fiery aura could save her. Channelling mystical energies through his cursed ring, a hellish crimson radiance engulfed his arm.

With a battle cry, he charged the serpent, rolling a natural 20. Nearby companions narrowly avoided the blistering flames as Red's savage blows charred scaly flesh.

Moving with unearthly speed, Red felled two more beasts in a whirling tempest of fire. Joe and Walton joined the frenzied melee, cutting down more snakes through sweat and blood.

But in his fury, Red clipped Walton and Gandhi with stray embers, sending them crashing unconscious. The prisoner Dorf screamed ablaze, forming a gruesome torch amidst the tangled fray.

Kosha grappled his own monstrosity, narrowly dodging venomous fangs through dexterous flourishes. But one strike was missing - fangs piercing flesh as the snake overpowered him.

Red raced to assist, smashing the final serpent aside Sophia's fallen form. Hot on the trail of victory, Kosha finished the beast in a spray of gore.

But at what cost? As the smoke cleared, our numbers had greatly diminished under fang and flame. Could any survive the shadows yet to come?

The last serpent fell lifeless at Red's feet. Slowly, his flames receded, returning his skin to a normal hue.

But amidst the carnage, new horrors emerged. Walton lay charred and still - consumed by Red's inferno in defense of comrades.

Gandhi bled out upon the jungle soil, charred Sophia next to him still and cold, while Kosha cried in anguish, snake venom coursing his veins. Their lives hung by threads as Joe scrambled for healing draughts.

With Sophia's breath drawn, what hope remained? Joe tended Kosha's wound but the marks would not fade. As he attended Gandhi, a chill breeze blew through the camp—Balder had vanished without a trace!

In the distance, Dorf's body lay abandoned. What dark magic lured our mystic guide from this world? Despair gripped our battered crew. The coming dawn might reveal salvation, or spell certain doom. All they could do was huddle in sorrow 'til the jungle's whispers answered their pleas for mercy or revenge. Our heroes' fates twined ever closer to their prophesied ends...

Dawn arose with a bittersweet light over our ravaged encampment. Balder floated serenely just offshore, guided by mystical tides. 

Once retrieved, he wept to learn of Walton and Sophia's sacrifice. Together we paid final respects to our fallen, then journeyed heavy-hearted into Pugtown.

Within the Temple of Aquamarina, Gandhi received urgent healing for his wounds. Inquiring after leaving this cursed isle, we learned the ferry departed in two day's time.

Determined to charter our escape, negotiations began with a salty captain. But alas, Kosha's silver tongue had turned to lead under recent stresses. The bargain crumbled before our eyes!

With no alternative, we booked lodgings at the "Tally's Tavern" and prepared to lay low. Red worked tireless magic to revive our battered crew. As the hours slipped by, Balder meditated deeply to regain his ethereal gifts. 

At last, our vigil ended and we boarded the ferry under cover of darkness. Behind us lay only sorrow—ahead, the mysteries of a new horizon called our adventurers ever onward into fate!

Our battered band of adventurers settled into the rustic "Hole in the Bagel" inn, recovering our strength in Driseville town. Over a hearty stew, we met Phoebe Lacrosse a barbarian lass and Napoleon Twig the wily druid [Andrew & Ian's new characters]. Ours was a tale of woe that stirred their adventurous souls.

Seeking answers amidst the mysteries haunting us, Balder suggested the Aleph Forest where mushrooms grew in strange abundance. With Oswald's herbal arts, perhaps the enigmas before us would begin to lift. Under starry boughs we made camp, braving the forest trails come darkness. Kosha took first watch, alert for nameless threats prowling the mists.

Alas, dancing lights appeared through the gloom - five, six or more pale globes slipping between the pines. Kosha swung but contact evaded his grasp. His senses shrieked unseen assault in those veiled glades.

A blow struck Kosha's stalwart form like thunder, hurling him wounded across the camp. What ethereal scoundrel tested our mettle so? Dawn would reveal such mysteries, or birth stranger perils yet in the deep, dark heart of Aleph forest...