Episode 11: Wanna Take a Bath?

The scrolls were unrolled as Clavdivs shuffled slowly away. Short messages. Weird phrases. Someone named Trevor.

It appeared that the crew of Der Mobile had stumbled upon Aquae Sulis' ancient node of communication: the Omphalos. The city was built ages ago on top of a stone that was used to communicate with similar stones throughout the region. One of these stones is being used by Count Fundus, who communicates with "Scaryland" - the Sulian seer's name for a community of fanged, malformed, black-skinned creatures who are employed by Fundus and send him 'shipments'. It is believed that the "Black Sheeps" that Santiago mentioned are these shipments to and from Count Fundus.

After scanning and discussing the scrolls, it was agreed that everyone should heal and relax in the baths, or The Baths as they are (or were) known throughout the Empire (or 'empire', given the chilly state its in). The adventurers relaxed, sipped tea and unwound in the steamy depths of various pools.

Some adventurers just plain unwound.

It would seem that the heady mushroom tea that is brewed in Aquae Sulis is unfit for gnomish consumption. For while Saladin, Iryien, Takemiya and Kobayashi had a vivid and kaliedoscopic Trip into the Shroomy Void, Xeno was slapped around by a betentacled woman and Xoe watched placidly as an evil clown entered her room, unpacked his knives and performed unknown surgeries on her unconscious body. It is not yet known what lingering effects could plague these two going forward, but it could hardly be worse than their die rolls on that ill-fated evening...

Meanwhile, the others discovered that the tea enabled them to access a large lifeform that lurked in the grounds around Aqua Sulis. A gigantic mushroom by the name of "Bob" lives in and around the city and extends for miles. By 'entering' it in their state of heightened awareness, the Fungus Four were apparently able to travel miles in mere seconds and return in one piece. Saladin immediately planned for a return trip, kind of like that roommate freshman year who you got high because it was easier to smoke him up than ask him to leave and now he's back from the mall with a Zeppelin tye-dye, a Grateful Dead tapestry and like fifteen blacklight posters.

What will happen next?

I don't know, but I bet there'll be explosions...