ToA: Session 24

Enter Raum
Beastly and majestic Raum with his amber crown confronts D-Squad in the jungle proclaiming that he will speak with the Godslayer aka Fargus. Fargus steps forward to seemingly face down another jungle deity and they lock each other in a stare-down. Luckily Raum blinks first. He proclaims that Fargus "Reeks of prophecy" but then transforms into a handsome native youth with characteristic amber earrings and takes a less confrontational tone. Raum proceeds to answer D-Squads various questions telling them that the floating rocks are leftover pieces of Old Omu as well as entering a philosophical debate with Bucket.

The-Totally-Not-A-Trap-Cave.
Raum offers the D-Squad shelter for the night if they are interested which the D-Squad tentatively accepts. He leads the group through the Jungle to a serene clearing that quite simply resembles paradise, and further into a cave which will be the shelter for the night. However all is not as it seems as all of the members of the D-Squad are hit by profound feelings of unease and vertigo as they enter the seemingly simple abode, even though it seems the shadow realm itself intersects this place. Raum proclaims that inside the cave the group will be completely safe yet the unease grows as D-Squad is introduced to two new entities already sitting in the cave.

The young pair of children sitting next to a fire give their names as Ilhuicati and Nanatzcayan and while they might have looked like a simple pair of native children their mannerisms and overall facade chill Daedalus to the core. Daedalus is overwhelmed by a sense of dread and danger while in the cave and tries to persuade the rest of the group that they should depart immediately. This however falls on deaf ears as all the other member seem inclined to rest despite the horrific general discomfort. Daedalus simply was being too vague while trying to convey the danger to his companions while in the presence of Raum, for the other members to understand his intentions but he would be damned if the D-Squad should perish in such a manner. So in a moment of resolve Daedalus decides to exit the cave, despite Raum's warning that his protection ends at the entrance of the cave and that if Daedalus leaves he will be unable to return. Daedalus steps out anyways in the hopes that he at least might be able to help his fellow companions in the morn.

A Night to Remember.
Daedalus, now separated from the rest of the squad, tries to find a new place of shelter to rest while keeping the ominous cave entrance in view. Seemingly having spent so much time observing Fargus' jungle trekking had paid off as Daedalus finds a comfortable spot in view of the cave and lies down to sleep. Suddenly he becomes aware of great footsteps approaching his position and while visions of zombified T-Rexes filled his thoughts Daedalus is confronted by something completely new. A giant friendly brontosaur who can talk and is named Samala. Samala and Daedalus share stories and information and finally Samala reveals that she has lost her mate Niina and asks Daedalus if he would join her in song, to which Daedalus agrees. During the song Daedalus catches a glimpse of a heron flying across the moon, and finally is met with a peaceful sleep.

On-wards D-Squad!
In the morning the group that had slept in the cave awake after a troubled sleep to find an empty cave with only some amber medallions to remind them of their previous encounter. They exit the cave to find Daedalus sleeping peacefully near a tree surrounded by various fruit offerings and effigies as well as great footprints. The group is again united and for the most part ready to continue the journey. They backtrack away from Raum's clearing then proceed on-wards past more of the floating rocks and finally to the basin where the D-Squad finds evidence of the great horde they had seen previously.

It becomes apparent that the horde is not wandering aimlessly but is rather being herded by a large group of ghouls. The D-Squad catches up to the group and in the trained manner try to gather information about the ghouls and prepare a possible ambush. However everything starts going wrong. Fargus is seen by the ghouls and they blast a summoning horn which is answered by shapeshifting panthers who appear from the thick of the jungle. The apparent leader of the ghouls summons three, six-legged panthers to the fight and leads D-Squad straight into an ambush.

Is this the D-Squad's final foray in the jungle or will they open an infamous can of trademarked D-Squad justice?

Find out next episode The Tomb of Annihilation.