Storm Upon the Climb
Thalia faces hallucinogenic dangers when ensnared by a strange flower’s spores, leading to paranoia and restraint. Along their journey through a suffocating thicket, the Veiled Vanguard encounter Percy, a less than willing new companion, once he learns of their fate. Tensions flare within the party before they ascend the storm-battered mountain, where they find a mutilated Shasoth in the Aerosaur’s nest—just as the furious mother returns.
Here is the condensed summary for Session 37, maintaining the exact continuous, direct narrative prose structure:
Session 37
Believing Shasoth to be dead after being carried off by the cloud-generating Aerosaur, the party pressed forward through the subterranean jungle. Spotting a purple, berry-scented lily called Hag's Petal, Thalia approached without warning and inhaled a plume of hallucinogenic spores. Overcome by psychedelic visions of drowning in quicksand, she collapsed, screaming and clawing at herself before crawling into the brush. Ro’Zaad restrained and silenced her for 24 hours, allowing the hallucinogenic effects to wear off while the party healed her injuries—scattering the lizard species Emelyne was sketching in the process. Navigating a thicket that heavily impaired their senses, Ro’Zaad detected movement and uncovered a stranded, blonde elf named Percy, who joined the Vanguard without their consent. Reaching a large tree to set up camp, Naoki wildshaped into a rabbit to scout the perimeter while Percy performed tricks for the group. Suddenly, Emelyne received a magical communication from Shasoth, revealing he was still alive inside the Aerosaur's nest surrounded by eggs.
During the first watch, the fiend Contras unexpectedly manifested before the party. Irritated by their slow progress, Contras bestowed a dark metal pocket watch—ticking in sync with the holder's heartbeat—and set a strict two-week deadline to fulfill their bargain, noting the weakening veil allowed him easier access before vanishing in ash. When the party revealed during the second watch that Percy was now bound to Contras's deal as well, an infuriated Percy berated them until Ro’Zaad threatened to eat him, causing Percy to storm off. Approaching Percy shortly after, Emelyne retrieved Valerie’s preserved corpse to explain her devotion and grief. Choosing not to resist Percy's Zone of Truth, Emelyne detailed their escape from the Elemental Plane of Earth and their pact with Contras to save their loved ones. Softening slightly, Percy shared that the artifact they sought lay within a lake of lava and handed Emelyne a book containing additional details.
The next morning, the party set out on a day-long trek up the mountain. Mid-climb, a fierce thunderstorm battered the Vanguard with lightning strikes. A near-top strike dislodged several party members, but Sanasha slammed into the rock face to anchor the group while Naoki used a spider wildshape to maintain his grip. Reaching the summit alcove, Ro’Zaad and Percy snuck into the Aerosaur's nest, locating a severely mangled Shasoth who was missing three limbs. As they attempted to haul his barely alive body out, the Aerosaur mother returned to the nest, peering inside to discover the intruders.