Refugees From Real Life

We went back to the base camp to pick up Bell Cry and take a rest. The idea was that Bell Cry would be able to cast Remove Curse on the blue elf Olara, who had been accursed for hundreds of years and could not leave the area for centuries and centuries.

Bell Cry informed us that the other Kenku had had a similar vision to Blynce's -- a voice that popped into the head.

We were beginning to piece together a picture of a lot of psychic things going on -- monsters dealing psychic damage, psychic messages from beyond. We still didn't know what the connection or the meaning was -- our quest to find out about Alyxian was still far short of completion. We did some experimentation with the ruidium in our possession, but didn't find out much, save that the ruidium seems to be "rubbing off" when handling it too much, as if the ruidium were seeping into our bodies. So far, Bumi seems to be the only one affected by this. But it seems ruidium has benefits and drawbacks.

We went back to the Sunken Tavern and removed the curse from Olara. She was greatly surprised to realize that she'd been down here for centuries. We offered to show her the new world, in exchange for hearing about Alyxian/Apotheon, who was blessed by the three gods to perform a task for them.

"The host gathered to defend the city against the betrayer gods let by Gruumsh. A cataclysmic light and sound," and she remembered little after that.

She also said Alyxian seemed "doomed," which tallied with the emotions of the visions we'd been having.

She remembered the ruidium, saying that Consortium folks had been seen carrying it over the last year. (We also discussed the idea that the ruidium has a relationship with one of the moons, which is why it's called ruidium after the similarly-named moon.)

We left her, promising to return, to go back to our search for the lost researcher, one Galeokaerda, a high elf professor of ancient literature.

We found a big hole! Amid the ruins of a sunken palace is a gaping rift that pulsates with sickly red light. Black energy swirling with oily colors shimmers and hisses inside the opening of the rift. Glowing spines of ruidium sprout from its edges, forming a jagged, partially intact dome around the space.

Ack! An aboleth! All shot through with ruidium, and a mutant second face stuck on the side of its abberrant head! Surrounded by a cloud of sticky mucus, it was just all kinds of yucky. It attacked!

For some reason, it had a second face growing out the side of its head -- a head which strangely reminded us of Alyxian!

Blync heard a voice in his head: "My power was not enough. It will never be."

Rummaging around the ruins, we found a scroll of Teleport!

We took a guess as to which way the lost Elf went, and set off. We found a corpse of a shark, being eaten by scavenger fish. Something shiny in the carcass caught our eye -- a large jewelry box.

Oh no! The shark was actually undead and moved to attack us as we approached. We battled it and the scavenger fish.

For some reason, Senzei jumped on the shark's back and rode it.

We discovered that the ruidium weapons some of us had were particularly effective on the shark, and also allowed us to swim at our regular walking speed.

We found a strange tavern run by a blue elf, and bought some magical potions, but learned little, and none about the lost researcher we sought.

In Ank'harel, still seeking the mystery of ruidium and the meaning of the visions of the long-ago war….

---

The factions -

Cobalt Soul (NOT Kobold Soul) - a magic-oriented group. Blue robes. Sheeza belongs to them. They are very interested in ruidium, and also worried about it.

Allegiance of the All-Sight - ostensibly allies of the Cobalt Soul. Interested in general learning and knowledge. Monopoly on access to Cael Morrow, the underwater/underground city under Ank'harel. Our "rival" adventuring group are allied to this group.

Consortium of the Vermillion Dream - Red robes. Aloysia was one of these. They've been hostile to us. More interested in profit and power. A shadowy group.

Hands of Ord - the official police force of the city.

The Veil - instrumental in the cultists of Zahir plot - the thieves guild

Sentinels of Memory - working with the Consortium. Don't want anyone getting into Cael Morrow. Not much known about them.

---

Another tournament! Senzei faced off against a goblinoid sort of fellow with a ruidium-infused hammer. He failed, quite ignominiously, and those of us that wagered on him lost our money.

A message from the Cobalt Soul - the high curator wished to speak with us. The Allegiance has decided to give us access to Cael Morrow. We need to get the key to get from Cael Morrow to the "Netherdeep" -- the source of the ruidium.

"Insight" Acurere - our Allegiance contact. We were asked to earn her trust and find out from her what the key is and how to get into the Netherdeep.

We went to the guarded opening to Cael Morrow! The hired guards checked our passes received from the curator and we passed down the spiral staircase -- the "Maw" of Cael Morrow going down 500 feet.

We were taken to the "base camp" and met "Insight" the researcher. Along the way, Bumi received a message. Something about Alyxian "burning the world if I cannot live"??

We helped "Insight" with some various errands -- apparently she was very short-handed. One of her companions (an elf) was lost, although apparently she wasn't too worried about it, one Galeokaerda, a high elf professor of ancient literature.

We found reference to "Apotheon" - an ancient Elvish word comparable in some way to Alyxian (perhaps even identical?).

In Ank'harel, still seeking the mystery of ruidium and the meaning of the visions of the long-ago war….

We found ourselves in possession of the Lash of Shadows (a weapon of the Betrayer Gods) and an airship!

We went to confer with the high coordinator of the Cobalt Soul. Ruidium comes from the underwater city deep beneath Ank'harel. He wanted us to infiltrate the Consortium to see what they know about the ruidium.

---

Seated at the wide table is a young man no older than thirty, with brown skin and hazel eyes. His white robes are adorned with blue designs.

He smiles warmly as you enter. “Please, shut the door behind you,” he says, closing the book in front of him. “I am High Curator Jamil A’alithiya, and I’ve heard much about you."
“We know that the Consortium of the Vermilion Dream is experimenting with a red substance its leaders call ruidium. Rumor has it the substance comes from the ruins of Cael Morrow, the underwater city beneath Ank’Harel."

“I’m worried that the Consortium is tampering with powers beyond its control. That is why I would like you to infiltrate the Consortium’s headquarters—a tavern called First Eclipse—and find out anything you can about its research on ruidium. If you happen to come across any magic items in the Consortium’s possession, please confiscate them and bring them to our temple for examination and safekeeping.”

---

The place we wanted was called "The First Eclipse" -- a bar in an eastern district. We argued a bit among ourselves about how to approach this assignment.

As we approached, we found two crystalline elephants -- made of ruidium! -- trumpeting and acting all berserk! We attacked. The "elephants" reverted to small things once defeated, the first one to a figurine and the other to ruidium dust.

We tracked the destructive path of the elephants to the very tavern we were seeking -- "The First Eclipse." The tabaxi barkeep attempted to give us the brush off but we insisted on asking about the elephants. Sheeza magically charmed him, and our questioning continued. The "barkeep" -- really an operative of the Consortium -- summoned others and combat ensued. A rather confused melee occurred, and we captured several.

We found this ominous note:

Master Khelkur,

Our attempts to gain access to the rift have been disastrous. An aboleth haunts the Drowned City. It slaughtered all but one member of our last expedition. The creature calls itself Alyxian—certainly not an aboleth name, but not one I am familiar with either. But know this: Cael Morrow is where we must focus our efforts, lest the Allegiance of Allsight claim the only known source of ruidium for itself.

Our key to the rift is lost, but we have a spy in the Drowned City searching for it. Meanwhile, we have decided to secure a new headquarters. Please see that First Eclipse is cleared out—and quickly—before the Hands of Ord search the place.

Humbly,

Master Dendarron

On board the "Wind-Runner" -- the airship we commandeered. Supposedly Borssk was supposed to deliver the "Lash of Shadows" to Lady Adaline on this ship, but we stopped Borssk and were now in command of the airship.

We heard commotion on the streets below. Guards were about. We could hear the clash of arms! We decided the Lady Adaline was probably behind it all and determined to pay her a visit.

We found who we assumed to be Lady Adaline and a bunch of Yuan-Ti cultists. She ordered her minions to "get us!" As the fight began, for some reason the rugs in the room began to attack us.

Apparently Lady Adaline was a Medusa! I suppose we could have guessed that from the petrified victim/statues decorating her front lawn.

But, we overpowered her and her thugs, thus bringing an end to the plot to bring back the cult of Zahir.

The city was so grateful they let us keep the airship!

As we were walking the streets, we heard alarms! A prison break!

We decided to intervene. We successfully destroyed several of the escapting Yuan-Ti cultists but one, Borsk, the largest, escaped down a drain.

We found a note on one of the bodies from one Eskisian - the note was instructions to break out the cultists because cult activity (the Cult of Zakhir) was increasing and they were needed.

We decided to pursue the escapee down the sewer. But first we had to go to the escapees' cells and talk to a snake. It claimed its master was one "Adaline" and that it was a messenger. It mentioned something about an airship -- the "Windrunner" -- docked here in town.

I tried speaking to a Yuan-Ti woman and child (there seemed to be a whole village down here) but at the mention of the name "Borsk" she stopped communicating and fled.

We continued our exploration of the sewer.

We found Borsk! And a couple of his buddies. Borsk carried a snake-headed whip of many strands, which Bell-Cry identified as one of the artifacts of the Betrayer!

PART 2

We found Borssk! And a couple of his buddies. Borssk carried a snake-headed whip of many strands, which Bell-Cry identified as one of the artifacts of the Betrayer! The "Lash of Shadows."

Combat ensued! Borssk went down fairly easily, all things considered. I confiscated the whip.

Senzei spoke with the whip, which had the personality of a demon locked within it. It said it was to be taken to the airship, the same one we'd heard of before.

We climbed aboard and had a somewhat confused conversation with the crew. The captain was hostile and wanted us to leave, but did not immediately attack to kill. But things quickly turned more serious, and somehow a swarm of snakes was summoned to deal with us! We dealt with the crew, discovered documents proving the ship was owned by Lady Adaline.

In the catacombs under the heart-shaped rock in the desert….

Suitably warned by the winged lion, we resumed our exploration. We found a room which apparently had been occupied recently -- a cushion appeared to have been sat on, and there was a bowl of fresh fruit. We also found several sarcophagi and artwork depicting scenes from the Calamity.

We opened the sarcophagi and found the remains of well-to-do Elves, apparently architects and builders. We questioned whether or not to loot the caskets, and decided not to.

We went back to the large cavern where we had found a dragon before. Val foolishly decided to walk through the mirror in the center of the chamber! He disappeared, as if he'd walked through an open door. His servant threw a rope around him and yanked him back.

After much deliberation, we all went through the mirror. A large luxurious chamber! Three richly-garbed people and two armored guards awaited us there, looking at us quizzically. Jaman-Sa Org (ruler of Ankharel) greeted us -- apparently this place was the Cerulean Palace! The ruler asked us to not return to the catacombs, and to not speak of the matter to anyone. We left peacefully.

As we were walking the streets, we heard alarms! A prison break!

In the lost catacombs in the desert, underneath the heart-shaped rock, we continued our exploration.

Next to a pit of unknown depth, we decided to proceed through an east-facing door. It led to a natural cave passage, leading in turn to an enormous cavern full of treasure!

Naturally, the place was trapped. As with the previous corridor, construct guardians suddenly animated and advanced.

We were doing poorly in combat against the stone guardians, and were thinking of retreating, when an ancient brass dragon showed up! The dragon told us in no uncertain terms that we were trespasses and should leave immediately. However, it took no action towards us, neither for help nor harm.

We retreated.

After we left, we started wondering whether the dragon was real or not, but thought it best to investigate the catacomb elsewhere first before returning here.

We found a large chamber with a winged lion (Azmutiya) that asked us riddles. Apparently we succeeded, for the lion gave us advice for if we went back to the treasure chamber. We decided to take a long rest under her guard.

We journeyed into the desert, based on the story from a passing airship. Our griffin steeds served us well, and we arrived at the site speedily, though not without incident.

Undead things attacked our camp, and we also fought some strange desert beasts, but we dispatched them without lasting harm.

We arrived at a large doorway set into a hillside! This must be the place spoken of. Having gained the friendship of the hippogriff guarding the anteroom, we proceeded inside.

Huge statues opened up and strange constructs attacked us -- helmed horrors! A hard-fought battle, but we were victorious.

We found a secret door and managed to get through it. A strange hallway blew a damaging gust of wind at some of us. I thought that was a bit rude. We found a couple pits descending into inpenetrable darkness and decided to explore the northerly one.

==Roll Call==
Childe Raymonde, Githyanki Paladin (Doty)
Bell, Kenku Cleric (CJ)
Blynce, Human-hybrid Fighter (Eric)
Vaal, Eladrin Rogue (Tim)
Bumi, Goblin Wizard (Matt)
Sheeza, Aasimir Wizard (Joanna)
Senzei, Human Monk (Frank)

To the Sanctuary of Albahith, Jigow Township

Greetings to the Masters of the Pilgrims, and hail to The Luxon:

Mission Report from Childe Raymonde (Part 29)

In Ank'Harel, our comrade Senzei participated in the Games. This round, he faced Milo the Invincible in straight combat. Milo proved to be a werewolf, and Senzei did well against him, but ultimately was defeated. Senzei did manage to seize two "ruidium" daggers from Milo, which I held onto, sensing that this metal had some meaning for our strange quest.

One of the daggers I kept, the other I gave to the Cobalt Soul for investigation.

(By the way, my masters, I must apologize for calling that organization the "Kobold's Soul" before. I had mis-heard. They apparently have nothing to do with Kobolds.)

The Cobalt Soul had a job for us: investigate a heart-shaped rock in the desert. We acquired griffons for transport, and we leave on the morrow.

It is becoming clear that our quest will take us to "Cael Morrow" -- an underground realm beneath Ank'harel. The Allegiance of Allsight, another organization of adventurers and sages, controls the entrances, and the Cobalt Soul is unsure of their attitude. We must be cautious (not our strong suit, I am afraid).