All Aboard! O Nazerack Expresso

During their pursuit of The Salmon Slurper, the Triple-A Fixers managed to get sidetracked by a different adventure that would change the course of their lives entirely.

AAA Fixers: Rebirth

As political tensions in the city of Moradu came to a boil in the days leading up to the celebration of Festa do Anastasis, the AAA Fixers For You busied themselves taking listings from the job board. In pursuit of a fiend known only as the Salmon Slurper, the group entered a cave that would change their fates forever.

Entering the cavern filled the adventurous band with an immediate sense of nauseating deja vu - it was as if they had been there before; done this task already. Visions of a large frog, crystaline entities and cosmic horror haunted their minds. Furthermore, their group seemed different - had it always been these four in pursuit of the Salmon Slurper? Had it always been Zimo the Cur accompanying them?

While the interior of the cave seemed familiar, it also presented uncanny new sights. Red signs detailed the events of Castelo Ayodar and the dreaded Primordial Nazerack; one such sign preceded to talk about a ethereal boat that sails between the surface world and the Cthonic Remains. The path lead them upwards, deeper into the unknown.

In a vacant ticket booth, the group found only a placard reading an enigmatic statement: One for One. Attached to the counter with a beaded chain, Zimo found a masterpiece Dagger of Venom, which he happily plucked from its tether. Less impressively, Sebuh Kenku procured a worn, stinky cushion from the unmanned stool. Bo Skaal investigated both, finding the dagger to be the better loot.

Following the sign towards "Platform A", the group discovered a haunting gathering of Shades waiting silently on benches at a paved platform by a subterranean river. Though the Fixers attempted to engage with the spirits, they found them to be unresponsive; almost statuary. While they investigated the scene, a massive form appeared down the river, making an unpleasant screech as it approached. The group hid behind the platform benches as O Nazerack Expresso pulled into the station.

From the train, a strange gnome emerged and granted entrance to those who were listed on his clipboard. Sensing no hostility, the Fixers approached the strange boatman and asked what the purpose of the vessel was, and how one books passage. The Wondrous Boatman informed them that everyone who boards the ship must pay with a great sacrifice. Zimo, being the bravest of the group, feeling he had little to lose, stepped forward to be the first to board, a decision he likely regretted only a moment later when a slight tap of the boatman's bone flute against Zimo's chest blew all the flesh from his bones, coating the platform in gore.

Strangely enough, though, from his bones a new entity took form - the Crimson Sorcerer Svorcra emerged from the remains, sharing hazy memories of both Zimo's past and another life lived independently. Both memories present but hazy, intermingled into something unrecognizable form either perspective. One by one, each Fixer stepped forward to be born again. Sebuh Kenku came back as the Relicborn Kadav Papazuzian, the leader Bo Skaal came back at the hulking simpleton Errndar Bearfinder and last, and most trepidatiously, Gordo Bloodfury had his flesh melted only to come back as Elgor Silvershadow. Having thus made blood sacrifices, the four were permitted to enter the boat of the damned.

O Nazerack Expresso

Having finally boarded the boat of the damned, the shades seemed to finally attain a greater sense of awareness, which was immediately evident in the passenger compartment of the serpentine ship. Among the many sitting patiently as the boat began its nightmarish descent into the Cthonic Remains, one seemed unusually familiar. When approached by the group, this shade smashed the window of the vessel, allowing the corrupting miasma of the between-realms to seep into the boat. This black mist turned the docile shades into murderous spirits.

As the group worked to dispatch these corrupted shades, they all ended up fleeing through the broken window, where they dissipated into the mist beyond. Once the coast was clear, The Wondrous Boatman used his cane whistle to seal the aperture with a scab-like substance. Claiming that it was disastrous that the corrupting fog was allowed to enter the cabin, the Boatman returned to his office to tend to the situation while the group left to explore the rest of the massive ship.

Among the first discoveries made were the horrible creatures known as the Grimpa Gloompa. These squat, orange skinned humanoids stood out against the dark figures of the shades - further accentuated by their proclivity towards mocking song and clumsy dance. These creatures served as a support staff in the many different sections of the ship, though seem primarily occupied with humiliating wayward souls that have lost their purpose. Whereever a tortured soul was to be found, there was always a Grimpa standing nearby waiting to mock them.

Dark Companions

Exploring the compartments of the ship introduced the team to a number of unusual passengers. While most of these were shades, being ferried from the world of the living to the Cthonic Remains, there were two guests that stood out from the crowd.

In flesh and blood, the group came upon a couple who graciously invited them to join them in their private lounge. These two introduced themselves as Salvadaro Harbin Glumbo and Magdalena Isabel A'Dora Glumbo - The Lord and Lady of the land. Sal explained that it was through his will and magic that the land of Mag Duinn took shape; transforming it from a cruel and brutal land of darkness, to a whimsical playground of delight beneath the mortal world.

While they were enjoying the company, Magda did a tarot reading for the group, which seemed to foretell a great journey ahead. Lord Elgar pulled the card of The Fool, seeming to suggest he walks unaware and unharmed through perilous situations. Ernie was the next to pull, drawing the Wheel of Fortune card, which represented an upcoming change as a result of choices already made. The next to draw was Kadav, who excitedly pulled The Lovers from the deck; Magda insisted that someone who recently entered Kadav's life will turn their entire world upside down in due time. He was quick to remark that the couple pictured on the card resembled Sal and Magda. Last to pick a card was Svorcra, who drew The Chariot, foretelling of a struggle between imprisonment and freedom. The group kept the cards as a keepsake of their reading and a reminder of their future; of the struggle and prosperity to come.

Also in the lounge, Ernie and Kadav became invested in the personal struggle of the shade on stage. The Songstress complained about desperately wanting to express herself through song, but having failed to have found the words to the song of her life, finds herself mute at the microphone. Encouraging her with a discordant backing band, the two brought a strange rhythm in direct contrast to the jazzy music of the lounge. This helped the singer break free from the genre into a sound she would describe as "New Metal"; which meant nothing to those around to hear it. Having completed her life's purpose, she excused herself to speak with The Boatman about disembarking the ship.

The group continued to explore the ship, finding lost souls that needed help in moving on. They provided a final meal for a man executed before his last supper; they evoked the spirit of the sea for an old sailor by regaling him with a sea chanty; they attempted to help the shade of a clown who let loose a terrible beast and, while they successfully recaged the monster, the clown was slain. Eventually they even managed to retrieve the boy's lost toad.

During the course of this adventure, they happened upon an Orc named Morgamorgar who was caged in the back of the ship. As a being of flesh and blood, just as confused as the rest of the group, he decided to join them on their exploration.

Corruption

Using the intercom, the Boatman called the group to his office, where they found the many shades they helped waiting to make arrangements to disembark. Here, they found that for these spirits, their long journey was at an end. Each of them was fed to the heart of the ship: contained in a bizzarre chamber was the flesh of the God Nazerack, which had infused itself with the inanimate ship. Through the divine gifts of the god, the ship was able to traverse between the Upper Sphere and the Cthonic Remains.

Unfortunately, as these shades were being consumed, the creeping darkness let in by the grim passenger slid into the chamber, causing the flesh to corrupt. In a panic and rage, the contraption spit out a hemorrhage that took shape as a blood dragon. Though this apparition was easily dispatched, the raging heart of the ship could not be calmed, and the ship crashed into a densely wooded area.

With O Nazerack Expresso destroyed, the heart of the God was freed at last and the group had to defend their lives against its rampage. The struggle was intense and, for Ernie, nearly deadly. While each of the adventurers gave everything they had to overcome the divine flesh of a god, Svorcra was able to finish the monster off with his dark blood magic.

As the blood of the devastated monster splashed across the face of Elgar's tarot card, it magically transformed into a mysterious artifact.

Resolution

Finding themselves stranded in an unknown woodland, the group consulted with Sal who said he believed they were only a stone's throw from the village of Aldeia de Raiz. Magda reminded Sal that the mayor had, some years ago, dedicated a mansion to them should they ever wish to visit. Though they hadn't, made the journey, the couple seemed optimistic that they would be welcomed warmly regardless.

There was a moment of concern when Sal attempted to use his godlike powers to conjure a wagon for the group, but was unable to tap into his abilities. Shrugging it off as trauma from the crash, they resolved to walk to town the old fashioned way.