The Crown of Balance – Session Information – Sessions 24 – 31
Posted by Steve | Filed under D&D
Session 24
After getting back together, the group exchanged information, then headed over to the church. They came across lots of clerics working, setting up tables for some festivity going on the next day. There was to be a celebration thanking the citizens of Baldur’s Gate in welcoming the church. They went into the church, but only found a few worshippers at that time of night. Finally, the party decided to rest up until morning. Kaiya was visited by Pandora, who hoped her brother was now safe. Opal was praised by the Raven Queen regarding the Lolth boon. Chance dreamed of Easton.
In the morning, they ate and headed over to the church. The group came upon the morning service, complete with food and drink for the visitors. Opal called in Gabrius, and asked for him to disguise himself and find out if anything fishy was in the church. Once the service began, the head priest spoke, followed by the prior Bahamut high priest, and then the mayor.
Head Priest, Galen Thrynn: Citizens of Baldur’s Gate, it is an honor and blessing that you have opened your arms and hearts to us. We, the humble few who follow her most holy, Callisto, the Warrior Goddess, thank you for attending our small offering to the great people of this city. We hope this will be one of many gatherings where we can break bread together, and heal what wounds need mending. Goddess Callisto has an important mission that requires us all – the protection of our own world. Together, we can lend aid and faith for her to be the shield we need. The fall of the gods, two of which we know full well of, is the harbinger of foul things to come. My heart feels the pain of those followers of the Great Serpent, Bahamut. May his soul rest in peace. I, Galen Thrynn, as chosen city priest of her most holy, beseech those in need, to be healed within our fold. Kedrin Damos, former high priest of Bahamut, will now honor us with his words of guidance.
Former High Priest of the Bahamut Temple, Kedrin Damos: …Well, thank you, High Priest Thrynn. I’d like to thank you for the hospitality you’ve shown me and my brethren, and to our citizenry. The pain and grief we all feel is hard to fathom. Some have gone mad and either taken their lives, or left the clergy. The loss of his majestic presence is great indeed. Even so, you and your goddess have been kind to us. You’ve given us a place to rest when our own home was taken from us. You’ve been quick to rise and fill the city’s needs of faith. Baldur’s Gate cannot thank you enough. My thanks also, for taking in my brothers and sisters into your faith so they may continue to lend aid to our great city. …Lord Mayor, do you wish to speak?
The Lord Mayor, Everin Masterson: Welcome, and thank you for this generous kindness offered our city. As your elected representative, I hope our people will accept the kindness and give in return. I value the happiness and security of all our people. That now, includes you. Be safe within our city. The guards outside will assist you in keeping order during this most amazing display of affection to the city. I look forward to a return to normality within the city. I remind you all, in order to run smoothly and without problems, we must all accept our differences, those cultural or religious, and look past them. Here! Together! We are all citizens of this great city and this magnificent world! Enjoy this meeting of faith.
Once the service ended, the party created a diversion within the temple to clear it out and get into the back room, which they had determined the head cleric was in. Gabrius was able to determine that the head cleric was disguised. They eventually damage the door enough to get in and confront the cleric, who immediately attacks once seeing Opal. During the battle, Opal calls out to Callisto regarding those that work for her. Callisto, in an angelic form, descends from the sky outside, and makes her way into the building. Kaiya, Maryn, Gabrius, and Ember try to stop Callisto from proceeding further, but she flies over them unscathed and tears the door from the frame. Inside, she sees the battle with the cleric, rushes forward, and grabs him by the face. Slamming him down onto the floor, she looks over at Opal, who called her out, and tells her to “Finish It!”
***************************************************
Session Session 25
At the onset, Opal begins to question the rakshasa impersonating the head cleric, but he tells them they will all die once his father learns of this, and he eggs on Opal to kill him. Opal attempts to shock him into talking, but it does not work, so she starts to cast eldritch blast into his head, but Callisto stops it. She tells her that it is a mistake she has made in the past, outright killing them only to have them return days later to continue their attacks. She tells the group that the only real way to kill these demons is to kill them in their own realm.
Seeing that the rakshasa is not cooperating, she pulls out a golden sword and slams it into the rakshasa. She says this will not kill him, but force him to speak truth. Opal begins to question him.
She learns:
– He is one of Loroq’s sons named Kadal. He is currently within a plane in the Abyss called the Bloodpits.
– He is part of a group called the Deathstalkers. This group is sent out as advance scouts to destabilize a realm and prepare it for invasion.
– Laroq is working with Bhaal, who was the leader of the demon swarm who desecrated Callisto’s world.
– Opal’s troupe was targeted for death due to revenge against Opal in the past.
– He will say the minions of Bhaal are “everywhere”.
– The head cleric who he impersonated is dead and burned to ash.
– Laroq has two tabaxi children, now young adults, as slaves. Opal knows them as Snowflake (white female, 4) and Walnut (light brown male, 5). Their current ages are 14 and 15, by this point.
Needing to find a way to dispose of the rakshasa without killing him, Callisto calls for the former head priest of Bahamut, Kedrin Damos. She knows he was fluent with spells when he was empowered, so she grants a small iota of her power for him to cast Petrification on the rakshasa. (Opal tries to use the Wand of Smiles on the priest as he casts, which fails. She also uses the Ever-Disappointing Mug on the rakshasa as he begins to petrify.) After his petrification, Opal tells Callisto that she has lots of cleaning up to do, and wonders why she is forcing Chance’s friend, Myka, to work for her. Callisto seems confused, and summons Myka.
She questions Myka if it is true, and he says it is not. He sees Chance, and asks that she not hurt him. She releases the group from her Hold Person spell. (Chance, before being held, was in the middle of firing at the rakshasa, and his bolt flies above his form. Kaiya proceeds to swing toward Callisto, but is buffeted away by her wings. Myka asks the Magic 9 Ball two questions.) Myka goes to Chance and asks if he is okay. The group question Callisto about her deeds, chiding her about letting evil fester within her midst.
Chance takes Myka out of the room, and questions him on why he said he needed to be saved. He tells Chance that he needs his help finding a way to save Easton. They have tried all they can, and he believes Easton is unwilling to return, or something is preventing him from returning. He tells Chance that with the duties Callisto has given him, his ability to focus on Easton is next to impossible. Chance tells Myka that he has spoken with Easton and he says he will not return at this time, and maybe he does not want to return, perhaps he’s earned his peace. Myka is slapped when he tells Chance that he’s disappointed that he won’t fight for Easton. Myka tells Chance that he cannot believe that Easton does not want to return. Myka thens returns to the room with Callisto and the rest of the group. Chance remains outside.
Kaiya questions Callisto about Glory and her role in the church. She tells her that Glory is being sent out on errands to locate magical relics. Her personal vendetta against Kaiya doesn’t seem to mean much to Callisto, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the task. Opal and Kaiya both press Callisto on the idea that it makes her seem insensitive to those who could join or aid her cause. Callisto tells them that she is beginning to see that, and this gathering was one of the first ways to break that pattern. She tells them she is not a diplomat, but a warrior, and learning a new role is an arduous task for her. She tasks Myka to communicate with the clerics and city members and get things under control here. He heads out to begin unruffling feathers with the nobles and calm people down.
She takes up the now petrified form of the rakshasa, and begins to head out. She tells them she will create a trophy room for these beings as they are hunted one by one. She also tells the group that they can still earn her favor, even though they spurned it the first time. Kaiya talks with Kedrin and lets him feel the essence of Bahamut within her. Not being religious, she tries to let him know that he needs to have faith. He tells her perhaps it is her faith that can one day shine light on the world as his former patron did for others. He thanks her for her kind words, and the chance to feel Bahamut’s spirit.
The party then head outside and join the rest of the city in eating at the morning feast. Together, they go over what was learned, much of it confusing and unsettling. Myka joins them after his diplomatic rounds and is introduced to the group by Chance. The group tells him they don’t yet trust him, and he returns that he does not trust them other than Chance. Kaiya mentions that they are now family, after he shared drinks with them, and Myka begins to soften, saying they are his family then as well.
Kaiya, feeling quite confused by the knowledge gained, leaves the group and heads to the tavern to send a message to Nasir and her father. Nasir replies that he will deliver the message to her father, and he looks forward to getting together when she returns, as he thinks they need to get together and talk about things.
Chance spends the rest of the day hanging out with Myka, getting to know him again. After some drinks, and a little boyhood rivalry tamed, their current tense relationship falls away. Chance tells Myka that they can send messages to each other via the Beholder’s Eye. Chance tells his friend goodbye, and heads to the tavern to meet up with the group. (Note: During this time, Opal, in raven-form, spied on them.)
Opal visits Fragrance and lets her know about the children who are in servitude to Laroq.
The party then meet back at the tavern. Kaiya is asleep by this point, The rest of the group quietly head to bed. Each of the party members have dreams.
-Kaiya is brought to Pandora’s realm to visit. She’s served tea, and tells Kaiya that there appears to be a haze of darkness around Opal and Chance.
-Opal dreams of the children before the attack.
-Chance dreams of fishing with Easton. In the morning, he uses the Magic 9 Ball to find out if: the Raven Queen had something to do with Opal’s group getting attacked.
The group wake up, exchange information at breakfast, and prepare for the day ahead.
***************************************************
Session 26
The group decided over breakfast to head to Arcadia to deliver the amulet to Isaac and confer with Nasir and Kaiya’s father. Before leaving, Radiance joined them to pick up Ember. He told her that her mother was alive, and that due to circumstances, wanted her to meet her mother in case things went from bad to worse. Her mother had been in a coma, and was expected to never fully awaken from it, but she had. Fearing that it would not last long, he decided the reunion had to occur now. Ember said her goodbyes to everyone, and Radiance told them she would be back.
After Radiance and Ember leave, Kaiya teleported the group to Arcadia, bailing on the tavern breakfast bill. In Arcadia, the group headed over to Nasir’s office in the Magus State Building. Nasir was delighted to see the group and again, and told them of a meeting the Inquisitor Department wished to have once they returned back to Arcadia. Nasir believed it was better to get the meeting over and done with, so he joined the group and took them to the meeting.
The meeting with two inquisitors, Janeth and Arryn, proceeded in their conference room. They told the group they had questions regarding Callisto, the new god making her presence known within the world of Toril.
Arryn: Greetings. This shouldn’t take long. please be seated. Magus Carnala, you were not contacted for this interview.
Nasir: I am here as a representative of the Arcane Order. Kaiya is my apprentice, and her friends are in my protection while on Arcadia. You understand, surely.
Janeth: I see. Well, let’s get started then. We are interested in what you could tell us about this new god, Callisto, making her presence known within Toril. Usually, these new religions come and go, made up by charlatans trying to rile up the city’s or town’s populace, while going after their gold. This one, however, seems to be much more. Reports tell us she actually showed up physically in the city of Baldur’s Gate a day ago. Seeing as how we have some visitors from Toril in our midst, it would be a shame to waste some first-hand knowledge.
Arryn: The reports say she’s female. Can you give us any other information? What was she wearing? What weapons did she seem to use? Can you describe any items she was carrying?
Janeth: The reports from the city seem to believe she is a “good”, benevolent goddess. Do you agree with this assessment?
Arryn: Have she or any of her representatives given you any idea as to where her current base of operations is? The name of a particular plane of existence or a pocket dimension, for example?
Janeth: Did she seem to have any weaknesses you could see? Anything she “shied” away from? Did light seem to harm her?
Arryn: Did she seem trustworthy? Did her representatives seem brainwashed or magically coerced?
Janeth: Last question: Has she or her representatives mentioned searching for an item called the Inception?
Nasir: Do you really think my apprentice and her friends would have received that deep a well of knowledge from their brief encounter? I can vouch for Kaiya that her training has not delved into fanciful legends and myths, only factual, identifiable information.
Janeth: Perhaps you are right. Certainly out of their pervue of knowledge. Strike the last question from the record. Anyways, thank you all for your time. We hope your visit in Arcadia is a good one. Do let us know if you come across any new knowledge on the subject in question…for the sake of Arcadia’s safety, of course. Magus.
The group, in general, answered what questions they could, and overall did not completely agree and trust Callisto. Kaiya seemed the most likely to see the good in her. Chance believed she was doing what she thought was right, but was using others as pawns. Opal, not quite trusting Callisto, seemed to trust the inquisitors even less. She was highly offended by the line of questioning.
After the meeting, the party then proceeded to Kaiya’s home to give Isaac the amulet. Kaiya requests Nasir be there as well. After greeting her parents and brother, and introducing Maryn to her family, she gives her brother the amulet. After joyou hugs and thanks, Nasir eyes Nolan and requests the group join them for dinner. He tells Kaiya he will notify her later after making a reservation for the meeting place. Kaiya decides to stay with her family during the day to talk to her brother and give him insight in his now open future choices.
Opal and Chance head to the library and research the Bloodpits. They find out about what the researchers have found about the plane. They do find out the plane can be reached via magical gates or from a portal in the City of Doors, Sigil. After researching, they return to Kaiya’s home prior to dinner.
Later, Nasir meets them at Kaiya’s home, and teleports them to the town if Ghetto in a room at the Long Night’s Tavern. There, they get a room in the corner, blocked from the eyes of the other tavern revelers.
– Nasir speaks about the Inception item mentioned by the inquisitors, and presents a quest: An ancient ruin called Greystone on a world named Galicko, to find out what the Inception object the inquisitors mentioned is about. The gate to this world is located in Sigil. There’s a representative from Galilcko at Ghetto. Sigil can be reached through a portal in Ghetto.
– Kaiya’s father, Nolan, provides additional information about the army. Army – The army is called the Harmonium. It’s composed of three forces – one: Arcadian volunteers who are troops and support, two: celestial representatives called the Solari from various lawful realms, and three: a section of troops consisting of chaotic and neutral beings who have undergone “retraining”, as well as good spirits found by the Elandrin (angels who roam the cosmos for these beings to give them purpose) called the “Ascended”.
Leaders: The Arcadian leader is High General Dorath Thundren, a male human. The Solari general is Guardinal Jophiel, a female celestial. The commander of the Ascended is First Knight Garen Stareye, a male dragonborn. The three leaders focus on training and preparing for the next incursion of attackers, or demons, into the realms of the Outer Planes. Their orders can come from various leaders including: the celestial leader – Archon Uriel; the Balance leader – Imperator Louis Valarine; or a summons from at least three members of the Planar Council. He offers a quest to infiltrate a military records complex to see if a record about who sanctioned the Harmonium to kill Bahamut and/or Lolth. The complex is in control of the gnomish house, and near their domain.
After the meeting, and dropping Reich, the tavernkeeper, onto the table, the group transport back to Kaiya’s house and bed down for the night. Before going to bed, Chance calls for an audience with the Raven Queen.
***************************************************
Session 27
Chance is visited by a shadowy form of the Raven Queen a few hours before morning. First, he asks her why she kept Xanatos from hearing their conversations. She answers that not all words are for others to hear. He also asks her if she had anything to do with the fires on his island and the death of Opal’s people. She mentions that some seeds were planted, and some pieces were placed on the gameboard. After sensing some anger and hesitation within Chance, the Raven Queen attempts to use her female image to tantalize Chance, all while making it known not to cross her. Chance ends the conversation, with the warnings still being heard in his head. The Raven Queen tells him “Be careful, Chance. Silence can feel like an eternity. Don’t disappoint me.” Upon exiting the dream, he cannot hear the thoughts of Xanatos, Vax, or Vex. After going to the bathroom, he visits Opal and tells her about what he learned from the Raven Queen. Chance is disappointed in the whole situation, and Opal is unsure if she should, or even could, cross her. They both decide to be on the lookout and pay more attention to the choices presented to them by her. Opal also finds some errant crumbs left by Payne to be under her bed.
He wakes up soon after, and checks to see if Xanatos is still with him. He pops Xan out, and Xan asks him what is wrong. Xanatos tells Chance that he doesn’t trust her either, and that he had been keeping a secret as well. He tells him that if he stores his energy, he can sometimes step out during Chance’s sleep. On one of those occasions, he was able to contact a former ally to find out if Xeranna had been freed when he sacrificed himself. His friend tells him that there was no Xeranna within the celestial realm. This leads Xanatos to believe the whole promise the Raven Queen made to him was a lie.
The voices of Vax and Vex are still silent. In fact, the magic of the crossbows have been rendered inert.
During breakfast, the group decide to visit Nasir. Chance begins to plan after finding out that mice were not within the city of Arstead.
*******
Kaiya —> Saber Knight
Kaiya and the party visit Nasir to ask for guidance, and he asks Kaiya to meet an individual that has asked for her. Nasir has told this group about his apprentice, and they determine she could be a candidate for the Saber Knights, a group of mage/warriors who defend their respective realms. She is introduced to Loqi Jaxson (sounds like Loki), a member of the Saber Knights who wishes her to be a member. She comes from a world called Aether. Her world had a constant influx of demons and errant spirits that was eventually tamed once they created the Saber Knights. Since bringing peace through their world, they have determined that helping other worlds set up their own sister organizations would stabilize the planes and bolster the general safety of their world. Becoming a member does provide some perks for planar travelers. Nasir believes this is a good idea, as his doubts about the Balance and the army has been increasing.
*******
After saying goodbye to Loqi, Opal asks Nasir if he would be willing to take them to visit Ghetto. He says it’s not a problem, and takes them there. On their arrival, Opal tells the group that she will be back a little later, and heads off to find a quiet temple. She comes across a currently empty alcove dedicated to the god, Thor. She enters, and meets an older priest named Jessa. Opal, metaphorically with jugs of water, asks Jessa which would be better to drink – water that you knew was dirty, or water that may be dirty. Jessa tells her that if she had to choose, she would choose the one that may be dirty, as the other was for sure dirty. Opal stays there and meditates for awhile in solitude, and eventually returns to the party. Nasir then returns them to Arstead. (During the visit, Chance captured some white mice from Ghetto.)
The party head back to Kaiya’s house, eat dinner, and rest for the next day. In the morning, after breakfast and after saying their goodbyes to Kaiya’s family, they head over to Nasir’s office and request a teleport back to Toril. They return to Radiance’s tower.
*******
Opal —> Loremaster
Fragrance left a message with Radiance to give to Opal when she returned. Because he had to leave, he left the message on the door which they found on their way in his tower. The letter tell Opal that she sensed the passing of her father, and Opal’s mentor, Loremaster Skyfall, and asked her to visit her as soon as she can. The group head out to Baldur’s Gate immediately.
At Fragrance’s home, Fragrance asks her to meditate and share stories for his soul at a little shrine she has setup in his honor. It is during her meditation that she is visited by the spirit of the Loremaster. He tells her he is happy to see that she is well, and that he hoped she would have returned by now from her travels, and is sad to hear about the loss of her group. He explains that it is her time now to take up the mantle of Lore Keeper. He asks her if she is ready. “All knowledge must be preserved. It must be saved and protected, for knowledge holds the key to who we are, what we were, and what we shall become.”
He then passes on his knowledge to her, and a golden book appears by her side.
He tells her how proud he is of her, and looks forward to the day she can return to her people and pass on the knowledge she has gained. He also asks her to protect Fragrance, and tell her he loves her.
Before leaving, Opal wrote down memories of Fragrance that were passed down from her mentor for Fragrance as a parting gift.
On their way to Matron Dumar’s, the group feels a presence and a violent shaking behind them.
Chance —> Reaper
A girl named Kasumi is following some Hollows (souleaters) and winds up stepping into our world via some planar intersections. The Hollow she is fighting looks like a giant with a white mask and a hole in its chest. (All Hollows have that chest hole.)
It sees Chance and the group, and rushes to attack. “SOULS FOR THE PICKING! TASTY TASTY FOR ME!” Only Chance can see her and the Hollow. The rest of the group sees a wind similar to a tornado, and they keep getting knocked down by the Hollow. The Hollow sees that Chance’s soul is unusually bright due to Xanatos, and uses a move that sucks out Xanatos. The move also begins pulling the souls from the rest of the group but they resist the pull, which reduces their movement and abilities.
Kasumi gets badly wounded by the giant with Xanatos’s soul within in it. She then realizes Chance can see her, and says through bleeding teeth,
“Do you want to save your friends?”
“If you can see it, your soul is strong enough to help me. I can share my powers with you…”
>She coughs up blood.<
“...and you can save them. Will you do it?” Chance agrees.
She plunges her sword into Chance, and a bright flash of light occurs, and he then becomes a Reaper. Kasumi drops to the ground, but Chance now has a long black blade in his hand, and is clad in a black and white gi. The sword and crossbows glow with a green energy. “Aim for his forehead…the mask is the key. They will not back down!”, she drags herself along the ground to safety, and passes out.
After a tough battle, Chance and Opal deliver the killing blow to the Hollow and it falls apart, leaving the spirit of a little girl, which fades away. Chance becomes a Reaper.
***************************************************
Session 28
After last session’s battle, Kasumi introduces herself and answers a few questions:
-She is not human, but a race called the Shinigami (soul reaper) and comes from a world called Ressic. They are created by being born from a purified soul that has a desire for justice and empathy for the lost. They act as guardians of souls. They maintain the cycle of souls within the universe. Beings that actively prevent souls from traveling on are enemies of the Reapers.
-Kasumi realizes too late that Chance’s soul was stronger than she expected, and the transfer was complete, not partial. She will need to figure out how to get back to her world, and how to get her powers back. Chance and the group take her to the inn to rest and exchange information.
– Hollows are souls of people that have become empty due to staying in the physical world for too long. Examples of why are: being obsessed with a living loved one, being unable to prevent the death of a loved one who then goes on, or thinking they will be saved by their family. They are filled with sadness and depression, and their heart becomes empty, thus creating the hole in their chest.
-The mask on their face is the empty heart, twisted in anguish.
-It is driven by an eternal and insatiable hunger to devour other souls, living or dead, to fill the void caused by its descent.
-Destroying the mask will free their heart and let them go on to their destined location. It can, however, still be killed by attacking it’s body, but it may take longer.
-When a Reaper kills a Hollow, they purify the soul before it goes on, thus preventing it from journeying into the Abyss and becoming a demon.
-The masks of different Hollows can differ greatly in shape and form, but are always white and skull-like.
-Hollows have been rare for 50 years, but have recently been encountered much more frequently.
-All Hollows can inflict acid-like damage. Their powers vary, depending on the form their Hollow takes.
-Reapers can generally handle Hollows, but Hollows that have merged together is horrifying and deadly. They are called Legion. That happens when the anguish of a Hollows heart is so great, it begins to consume other Hollows around it.
-There are even Hollows who have learned to remove the mask, gaining their humanoid forms again, yet still retaining the hole of anguish somewhere on their bodies. They are called the Sundered. They are extremely dangerous, as they retain their Hollow powers but are now capable of thinking and plotting. Their evil and power rivals some of the highest order devils and demons. They are similarly cold, cruel, sadistic, ambitious, impatient, selfish, overconfident, ruthless, arrogant, impulsive, brutal, relentless, battle-hungry, overbearing, short-tempered, indifferent, and/or egotistical.
The group, with Kasumi tagging along and wearing Kaiya’s elven mask, head to the Beholder’s Eye to speak with Matron Dumar. Chance asks her if she knows of a captain who can take them to Evermeet. She tells him she has a captain named Victoria Black who can provide ship transport for them, but they will need to locate a navigator. She gives Chance a coin with a dagger and a hawk on it which will signify the favor/”payment price” that will alert Captain Black. She also tells the group about the great instability occurring below in the Drow cities due to the death of Lolth. Multiple forces have been pushing their way into their lands. She offers the group a job to locate a previously sealed (by Lolth) location in the Underdark.
With coin in hand, the party head over to the pier to talk to find Victoria Black. Opal pops into crow form and locates four captains, a tiefling male, a blonde human female, a grey tabaxi female, and a black haired human female. They ask around and eventually locate Captain Victoria Black. Using the coin, they gain access to the ship, but she tells them they will need to locate a navigator to the island. She tells them she will be leaving that night, and will return in a week. They head into the Blushing Mermaid, and ask around for a navigator, but none have the skill to get to Evermeet. They all sit down and drink some beer while they decide on where to go.
They decide to head over to Lenna’s lab. There, they find her continuing research on the planar intersections.
-She asks where their adventures have taken them. She comments that she only added a spell to allow teleportation between planar circles, not interplanar travel to Kaiya’s bracers. She comments that it seems like Kaiya’s armor has been magicked with a Gate spell instead.
-She comments that she has been a researcher for a long time, but it was the resources of the Balance that have really allowed her to advance her studies.
-She believes in the good that the Balance has been about, but always assumed it was for the greater good, but she never thought they actually would go ahead with killing good deities. She didn’t expect to face that choice.
-The assassination attempt has really questioned things more than before. Previously, she was comfortable openly questioning missions. Rarely did they occur so swiftly. Most missions would have at least a 6-month lead time to gather information and verify what they were doing was correct. The attack on Lolth seemed so soon after the fall of Bahamut.
-She is still working on gathering data using the planar locators that the group had gotten for her earlier. “I’m getting close, but rebuilding the lab has taken some time. Plus, I’ve been adding more security to the place.” The group mentioned the portal that Kasumi came through, and she tells them she did detect a high amount of interplanar activity within the last two hours.
They ask her if she will teleport them to Silverymoon to find the navigator, Tiana, that she mentioned before to take them to Evermeet. The group are teleported to the teleportation circle in Candlekeep in the city of Silverymoon. The meet one of the scribes named Everin who greets them and gives them a brief rundown on where a few may be found within the city. He mentions the Vault of Sages, the Conclave of Silverymoon, and the Map House. He also tells them about three average priced inns, Thundersquirt’s, Two Fist It, and Gallie’s Eatery. (He specifically tries to ward them away from Thundersquirt’s.)
On their way out of Candlekeep, Kasumi removes the mask and returns it to Kaiya. From a short distance away, the old elf maskmaker, Jub Yammy, notices the mask and rushes over. He is happy to see his prior customers, and offers to purchase or trade back the masks. The group ask why he wants them back, and he mentions that a small life leech spell is on each mask that will absorb up to a year of someone’s life energy. He uses the energy to extend his own. Kasumi doesn’t like this, and the group are a little shaken up by this knowledge. Kaiya sells hers back to Jub for 100 gold. Chance offers to trade his to him for one without the leech enchantment. Seeing the amount of life energy within it, Jub agrees and steps away to make one. He returns with two masks without the enchantment, one a long blonde-haired thin elven male and the other a more sturdy short red-haired male elven mask. Chance trades for the red-haired male mask.
Kasumi decides to leave and tells Chance: “Remember, you hold the duties of a Reaper now. Release full souls, and defend your world against Hollows. I’ll find you when I know more. It was a pleasure meeting all of you.” She then transforms into a white owl, and flies off in the direction of the waterfall sound in the distance.
They then head to the Map House. There, Opal’s Loremaster abilities kick in and she helps two dwarves locate an ancient hold through an old song. They give her a bag of 6 gold and a Coin of Barter. The rest of the group locate the fey, Tiana, a deer/elf looking female. They tell her that Lenna sent them to find her to help them get to Evermeet. She says she will help, but needs to finish off her business here before she can leave. She asks the group for help, and they agree and will meet her in the morning at Candlekeep. Opal buys a map of her continent to give to her lost people. Kaiya buys a map of Arcadia for Nasir. As the sun sets, they head back to the Two Fist It tavern and eat dinner.
After relaxing in the main room, a long-brimmed hat and spur wearing human male walks up to their table. He tells them his name is Austin, and was paid to find Kaiya. Eventually he mentions that it was Glory that paid him. He lets Kaiya know he would be willing to “forget” he found her if she paid him, but Kaiya declines and tells him to send her a message. “Come and find me yourself.”
********************************************
Session 29
The party waits until Austin heads out and waits a bit before following him down the road heading south in the area of Thundersquirts. They hang back about 200 feet as he enters the steamy in. Chance and Kaiya separately enter the front of Thundersquirts, briefly questioned by the bodyguard, but are let in with no issues. The tavern/bar is owned by three tritons (Seymour (suave business man), Silver (thin male), and Moby (heavy, low intelligence)) who have themed this as an aquatic sexy bar, as female and male tritons and a mermaid swim nude in a large tank as a show for drinkers.
Pushing her way through the back, Opal and Maryn enter the bar from the back, acting as a recently hired entertainer and her manager. During their stay, Opal entertains the crowd and earns 70 gold in tips. She later flirts with Silver and is taken to a small shack behind the tavern. She winds up knocking him out, and leaves evidence that something sexual had happened to him. Chance gets flirted on by a half orc female. Kaiya is flirted with by a triton dancer and offered a job.
Eventually, they all head out of the bar. Thinking Austin is still following them, or that Glory will coming to attack them, they set up camp with Kaiya and Maryn acting as bait. Chance and Opal sleep in the trees, and keep a look out. Kaiya has a dream about a shadowed knight named Lord Soth raising the bones of Bahamut as a mount. Other than the dream, nothing bad happens at night.
The party then head back to town to meet up with Tiana. The fey, Tiana, has a task to find out why a section of the forest is barren. The town thinks it may be related to blight worms in the ground, or possibly some creature living in it. She had asked the party for help and to meet her at Candlekeep in the morning after breakfast. Once this is completed, she has agreed to act as their navigator to Evermeet to assist with Magister Lenna’s task. The group gather some supplies, including a tent and bedrolls. When they reach the location of the blighted zone in the forest, Chance sees a ghostly town filled with wandering spirits. All of the spirits are acting together to hold a semblance of their former lives together. If the party will help the original spirits complete their tasks and go on, their substances will no longer be able to hold this town within the material world and he can send them all on their way.
–An elven male named Waylen Fieldspar. He is sitting on a bench. He has a daughter named Neela, and he wants her to have his deceased wife’s ring. He has buried it under a tree that they both marked in the past. Once the ring is found and returned to his daughter, he will allow Chance to send him on.
–A young human girl named Alice Corker who requests the bones of her faithful pet( a small dog named Casey) be buried near the location of her body.
–A female dwarf named Zelda SIlverflint. She wants her hammer, found near her bones buried under some rocks, to go to her mate, Theo. The hammer looks to be silver and small with a Z on it.
–Three young wolf cubs – They want revenge against the creature that killed them and their mother.
–The original spirit of an ancient female elf named Tessa Yammy. She is the mate of Jub Yammy, and she asks that they convince him to come visit her and to return with her to the next adventure. She will offer her greatest treasure – a mask that acts like a Disguise Self spell.
–A wild gnome girl named Mystara will float around the group and chatter. If talked to she will mention “Have you seen those without a name? Forgotten? No one knows. Their home still stands. All quiet inside. So many secrets. Where did they go? Only the flying rats know where it is.”
********************************************
Session 30
The group gather and make a plan to go out and assist the ghosts. After talking to each of the spirits to verify their requests, they head out to assist them.
–Opal flies around and finds the small meadow with the two rocks. They resemble two crude humanoids, which Opal believes are based on a very old legend – the First Ones. They find the ring.
–The group find the mine and see a large boulder covering a collapsed mine. After discussing the problem, Kaiya reduces the boulder’s size and together they all free it from the entrance. There, they find the squashed bones of Zelda. They gather the hammer and a collection of bones to return to her mate.
–They head out to find the waterfall, but come across two violent male owlbears, which they dispatch. –The group then find the waterfall and locate the bones of Alice at the base of the waterfall. Calling out, they summon the ghost of Casey, who takes them to her bones. She takes them to a cave which she describes as the place where her “last sleep” happened. It appears to be the den of the owlbears they killed earlier. Also there, they find an inscribed ring “to my love Marilyn” within the collection of bones.
–The group then head back to Silverymoon. They head to the library and find the location of the survivors. They return her mother’s ring to Neela, the silver hammer to Theodora, and the ring to Marilyn’s husband.
–They locate Jub Yammy in the city, who tells them he does not have a wife. Tessa is actually his past love. They convince him to return to the village to see her. There, the group convinces him to destroy his own mask, which ends his life. Chance sends their spirits on. He also sets Alice and Casey free.
********************************************
31
Chance continues setting the spirits of Waylen and Zelda free. They then set out to locate the wolf den. Using her crow form, Opal scouts ahead and finds an area southwest of the town surrounded by a strange green fog. Circling into the area near the center, she notices a large cave entrance underneath a large tree. On returning to the group, she describes what she saw.
The party then decide to head back to town to gather additional information and supplies. In town, they get some info on green dragons from two dwarven vendors. Chance picks up two black powder bottles.
They also head to Theodora, the blacksmith they met earlier, and procure three pairs of magical boots. Chance gets the black powder bottles fitted with pressure flints to make them into grenades.
Finally, they head over to confer with the druids, alerting them of a possible green dragon deep within the forest. The druid speaker recommends two inns to stay in, The Star’s Loft and Eve’s Rest. The group decide to stay at the Star’s Loft, where Kaiya, Maryn, and Opal enjoy a great, but expensive, meal before bedtime. Chance, not liking the food prices, traveled down to a cheaper tavern and picked up a sandwich.
In the morning after breakfast, they head out on the 17 mile trek toward the spot Opal had run into before. They run into a 10 foot tall hedge at the edge of the fog. After Chance fires into the hedge to determine if it was an illusion, Tiana opened up a hole that they walked through. On the other side, the fogged zone was quiet and nothing was seen other than some ravens and mice quietly skittering within the forest. Chance shoots a raven, also in verification if they are illusions.
After a mile’s travel, without detecting any game or large creatures, they came upon the large opening under the tree. Not quite sneaking, they made their way into the tunnel. After a few turns, the cave opened up to a large opening where they were “greeted” by a female bugbear (“Chancellor” Hegarr) and three others (Korz, Vort, and Thol). Chance used his new Yammy mask and took on the form and voice of a noble male elf and introduced himself as “Sir Beaurigard, servant of Royalalice of the Western Realms”.
The bugbear called forth the “Princess”, and a small green dragon wyrmling floated down from an area in the ceiling. She introduced herself as “Princess” Zeska Moorbane and asked if they wanted to speak to the Queen. It is there the group look over and see the nearly sleeping form of “Queen” Zathira Moorbane, a large adult female green dragon. Zathira told the party to work through their offer with her daughter, the Princess. Chance offered the Princess 10K gold and jewels to take out their enemies in the east. The Princess said she would need to confer with her mother on the offer, and that they were to stay as guests. She told her Chancellor to escort them to the guest residences. They are led to a back room with beds and a large bookshelf.
On the bookshelf are many volumes of journals with a strange language that even Opal finds difficult to decipher. In the midst, she does find a more handwritten journal set that has the following account.
—
Today, I climbed onto the edge of the mountain I grew up seeing from my home, and looked down upon the world. The beautiful forest of chaba trees below, softly swaying with the wind – quiet, for the few sounds of hunting animals in the distance. Mother and father would be angry if they knew I was up here, but I so wanted to get closer to the face of Indra, mother moon. I know she’s there, as she hides the lights behind her as she passes. I feel her, as she glides by. So serene. So purposeful. I know that it is because of her that we have the bounty of the land. With each of her passings, our crops grow strong. Our people prosper. Maybe father will let me learn the way of the Chaser, so that I may devote my life to her teachings. Pass on that knowledge to my children one day. Make them proud, and our people strong.
Today, our city was visited by two creatures, people so unlike anything we have ever seen. They carried within themselves, an energy that seemed to flow and hum from their forms. They tried to talk to us, sounds unknown, but we could not stay as that energy hurt our eyes so. We turned away. We could not bear to look at their presence for long. Some say they seemed confused, angry, or hurt. They did not stay long, praise Indra. Who were they? Where did they come from?
The two strangers have returned, along with others. All glowing like the cave lichen, but so much stronger. Do they not understand we cannot tolerate this? The glow is painful! and yet they keep coming, talking, in that strange language of theirs. We cannot stand near them for long, much less learn to communicate with them. We shooed them from the city. Better they live together, away from us. I know it sounds awful, shunning a people for being different, but it hurts so much.
I followed one of the strangers. They have set up a small encampment, not too far from the city, but far enough away to leave us be. How many times can they endure being turned away from the city gates before they understand. We have tried to tell them, but they seem unable to understand us as we them. They have cut some of the chaba trees down. As I followed the stranger, I noticed the animals became quiet. Maybe they also are pained by their glow. The trees around their makeshift camp look sick.
I visited the strangers’ new village again. The poor chaba trees cry in pain. Their bark has dried out, cracked, flaked to the ground. Even our world aches at their presence. There are more of them now. They chatter among themselves. I would have stayed longer, but one of them made this hideous glowing ball that cast a glow far stronger than their own glow. I had to run, blindingly through the forest until I could see again. I cry for how the trees must ache now.
The strangers have begun to make more of their glowing orbs, expanding the pain of their expanding city. The trees grow quiet and have begun to weaken and fall near their glow. The animals are afraid. Father says something must be done or they will forever quiet the forest.
We had a meeting together, the whole of the city, on what to do about the strangers. Their expansion continues, and gets closer to our town. Some parts of the glow have affected our crops, making them die, rot from the outside in. We have set up signs to warn them away, but they ignore them. We have found some of our signs broken, or lying on the ground. The city has communicated with other cities, and have asked for aid to disperse these strangers. Maybe it’s for the best. Their glow pains the world.
The defenders came, and together, the warriors of four cities went out to disperse the strangers. It was to be peaceful – shoo them further away and destroy the globes, but it was not to be. Some fought us, and a few died. After the deaths, the others gather together and made their glow bright, and just…disappeared from the world. We have frightened them off. The globes ceased their painful glow when they left. Praise Indra. The world can be at peace again.
SO MUCH PAIN! The strangers returned, but brought with them a hideous monster that sits in the sky. Its glow is so horrible! The chaba trees and beasts of the forest cry out! It not only pains our eyes, it burns! I can feel heat drying my skin. We tried shooting it down, but our weapons cannot reach it. Poor Indra! Her soothing rays do nothing against this fearsome beast. Woe to us all! The leaders tell us we must go below, hide from this beast. Mother has told me to gather my things. We are leaving tonight.
We’ve been below in the cool ground, shielding ourselves from the monster above. It never leaves – just hovering above the world, casting its glow, its pain, its…fire! I’ve snuck out a few times. Seen the strangers going through our city, knowing we cannot be there. My eyes ache, but my blindness has receded some. I can’t stay for long though. Why would they attack us so? We only wanted their pain gone from us. Why couldn’t they see what they were doing to the trees? Not doing, but done to the trees. The great chabas are falling. They have no more strength. The monster above has stolen their souls. Our world, my future, is dying.
The chabas are dead. All around me is emptiness. Underground, my people yet live, but…the world we knew is gone. The great beast is no longer stationary in the air. It has moved, but comes back to torture us. It leaves. It comes back. It leaves. It comes back. Over and over again. Are they using the beast to destroy all of our world? Is no place safe? Will we ever see Indra again? My eyes ache…
Father says I am going blind. Tells me I should not have gone above ground. I should have stayed safe and cool within the embrace of the world, but I cannot. Someone has to tell our world’s story. Someone has to bear witness to its death. If not me, then who? I never imagined I would go blind in my thirteenth season. No matter. I will tell our story. Remember us. Indra, forgive us.
~Nala~
—
Within the hour, they hear a knock at their door. The Chancellor tells them Maryn, “the gold celestial,” is requested by the Queen for a brief questioning. She is lead out of the room, with Kaiya listening at the door.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.