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Month: February 2023

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==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, Aasimar 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 22)

In the mansion, I was paralyzed by a ghost. My companions brought me towards the party's chambers at the inn, but my condition did not improve. They figured it would take a Greater Restoration spell from a high-level cleric to bring me back to normal. Mid-way, they changed their minds and brought me to the Temple instead.

Finding Fogholm the Firbolg priest, they asked for assistance. I was restored to full functionality, and we told him of our adventures.

We rested in the temple, and had the following vision!

Glass crunches underfoot amid overgrown weeds. Collapsed walls have been replaced with rows of wooden shelves that hold earthenware pots. Numerous alcoves are being used as planters for stubborn flora. Just outside the far end of the enclosure, a smashed mosaic of stained glass sits in a splintered window frame next to a withered, skeletal tree.

You see a young human, curls plastered to his brow by sweat, sinking to his knees in the garden. His eyes betray a lack of sleep, and despite the softness of his features, he looks like he has experienced more pain than any one person should bear. “They’re counting on me,” he whispers. “They need me, but I’m exhausted and frightened. What do I do? Please. Someone tell me—what do I do?”

The moons race across the sky, soon replaced by the angry red sun that rises before a fateful battle. Five silhouettes approach the temple, and one claps the kneeling figure on the back. Their voices are muffled, as if coming at you through water, but you see them embrace, standing strong, before marching off to war.

Upon awakening, the Firbolg priest told us this story:

“The Kryn capital of Rosohna was the Betrayer Gods’ citadel of Ghor Dranas in the time before the Calamity, and the Betrayers’ Rise was once a fortress protecting Ghor Dranas. In the darkest days of the Calamity, the Prime Deities and their most loyal champions laid siege to Ghor Dranas before capturing the Betrayers’ Rise and routing the Betrayer Gods’ forces there. Though storytellers have long since forgotten the names of many of those heroes, the force of their bonds still resonates across the land.”

We supposed it had to do with Alyxion, the man in our visions.

Five alcoves in the temple had the following carvings in common. The plants here seemed more healthy than the others.
“Friends forever. Don’t——forget——”
“You owe me a drink in Marquet, A——”
“I am writing this——record of me stating——I will never, ever duel you again.”
“This——written proof——promise to show you the mountains of my home one day.”
“We love you. We will always be with you.”

The priest gave us some insight into the symbol that Bumi had drawn some time ago -- the Jewel of Three Prayers. It was actually three symbols together: the symbols of three gods.

The priest bid us well and we went on our way.

We went to report our adventures to the Taskhand. The Taskhand thanked us for the information, and asked us to consider taking on a job for him. Apparently there was a smuggling ring active in Bazzoxan. (The magical mineral ore being smuggled was gray with red veins, similar to the skin of the woman from our vision.) The best place to start is to start to the known fence (Jacinda Almarie - Human) in town -- in the Seventh Clasp. The Clasp was an organized crime group on Wildmount.

We went to see Question, who was sitting with Prolix in the Inn. We told of our adventures. She told us of the death of Maggie Keen-Eyes. Prolix identified the ore (a sample which was carried by Bumi) as Ruidium, which can be used in weapons and perhaps even as a spell component. The Consortium is trying to acquire a supply of it, according to Prolix.

We then went to the Seventh Clasp, a trinket shop. The shopkeeper offered to tell our fortunes, and I immediately agreed. We bought some items (and surreptitiously searched the store, finding some correspondence about the smuggling):

Forward Aloysia’s shipment to the First Eclipse. Be very careful with it, we need it intact this time if we want to get ahead of the Allegiance.
-Aradrine the Owl
The following letter is in Thieves' Cant
LF FNCE N RTHLD. CALA GDS TRE GMS TRDE. 5in5 ENCRCH N TERR. FNISH N DEM TWN N CM RTHLD.
SP.R.ACD-A

“Looking for a new fence in Rothold. We deal in many Calamity era goods, treasure, gems, and trade. Five-in-five (Myriad) wants us dead. When you’re finished in demon-town you should come.
Spireling of Rothold, Arcadia”

Bumi's recurring dream: a Gray lady with red veins - "He's in prison, save him! Hurry!" Presumably this has something to do with the vision in the Grotto.
Sehanine - at the end of the Emerald Grotto, where Bumi found the Gem of Three Prayers.

We all had this vision (including our "rivals"):
The light around the pedestal fades as a spectral figure in the form of a male human rises from the amulet. He is dressed in leather armor and a tattered red cape and wears a shield. His face is framed by curly brown hair and bears a melancholic expression. He pleads, “I am imprisoned. Please help me.”
Suddenly, the ground vanishes beneath your feet, and you fall, tumbling through a vortex of golden light. You fall deeper, deeper, deeper, then suddenly stop. The golden light subsides, and you find yourself suspended in a pitch-black expanse. You feel water buoying you. A vermilion light appears in the distance, illuminating the melancholy warrior, who is shackled to the ground by disgusting strands of a fleshy, crimson substance.
He raises his gaze to the heavens and, sobbing, chokes out, “Moon Weaver, I beg of you. Guide those with the power to save me to the site where first I prayed to you.” He looks around, and his eyes settle on you. “Oh, gods, there you are! My name is Alyxian. I am lost in darkness. Long ago, I prayed to the Change Bringer in the heart of a temple of evil. I beg you, take my jewel and…”
You feel consciousness leaving you, as if the pressure of the water were crushing the life out of you. Alyxian’s voice is the last thing you hear before you pass out. “Save me. Please.”

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Netherdeep Campaign Friday, February 3

Roll Call
(Absent) 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)

GM (Chris)

GHOST IN THE STAIRS

The party forgoes rest to forge ahead up the stairs.

Just as they begin their climb a ghostly, icy-blue figure appears through the stairway wall and surprises the party. The ghost immediately freezes Childe Raymonde and his cold, rigid body slowly slides down the stairs. Senzei attempts to make friends with the ghostly lady, telling her, “We come in peace”. She smirks, but otherwise ignores him. Vaal attacks her with his mighty Time Piercer. Blynce swiftly draws his long bow and fires two arrows, wounding the ghost. Bumi shoots buckshot at the ghost with no effect and uses telekinesis to ease Childe Raymonde’s fall. Sheeza attacks with Fire Bolt. The ghost still stands. Bell casts Sacred Flame, but the ghost is unscathed. Vaal steps in to finish the ghost with his Time Piercer rapier. Senzei swipes Childe Raymonde’s sword from his icy grip and manipulates his frozen body into shameful poses at the base of the stairs as the rest of the party ascends.

GHOULS IN THE DEATH ROOM

The party proceeds to the hallway at the top of the stairs where they hear scratching sounds and see a flickering light coming from an open room. The room is a large, dusty chamber with sparse furnishings, and it smells of soot and death. Little else is in the room except for some parchments and a bookshelf. Blynce sends his Echo into the room to investigate further.  He observes a smashed urn in a pool of dried blood in the center of the room. 

Echo attacks and wounds a Ghoul that was hiding in the corner.  Senzei creeps up to the doorway after he hears the faint snap of Echo’s bow string. Bumi moves up and casts Chill Touch on the Ghoul. A strange mangled, humanoid corpse scuttles down from the ceiling and lunges at Blynce’s Echo, attacking with its tentacles. Echo disappears. The corpse then approaches the doorway directly in front of Sheeza. Sheeza reflexively stabs at it with her dagger. Blynce fires his bow from the doorway, aiming at the wounded Ghoul in the corner.  Another Ghoul emerges and attacks the reappeared Echo, but misses. The wounded Ghoul heads to the doorway and tries to claw at the real Blynce, but misses.  Vaal lunges at the corpse with his rapier. Bell casts Toll the Dead on the corpse, but the target is unflinching.

Vaal swings and lands a wounding blow to the corpse with his rapier. Senzei attempts to put the pointy end of Childe Raymonde’s sword into the Ghoul but fails. Bumi catapults a piece of debris at the corpse, missing him. The debris continues flying, landing on the unwounded Ghoul. Bumi manages to shove Sheeza out of harm’s way (away from the corpse in the doorway). The corpse responds with a tentacle attack directed toward Vaal. Sheeza takes out the corpse with Fire Bolt. Blynce’s Echo fires an arrow at the unwounded Ghoul. The Ghoul advances toward the doorway and attacks the real Blynce. Bell crushes the wounded Ghoul with his Cactus Mace. Senzei attempts to chop at the remaining Ghoul with Childe Raymonde’s pointy stick but misses horribly. He pokes again at the Ghoul with the pointy end and finally kills it!

Sheeza investigates the room and finds more black stones like the one found downstairs. The items were taken from Betrayer’s Rise. Bumi uses Mage Hand to place a dozen black stones in the Bag of Holding. There is a key and three vials on the table, along with some sketches scattered about. Sheeza takes the sketches and the key. Vaal recognizes the vials as acid and Bell acquires the vials. Sheeza recognizes the dead corpse from a portrait of Tenaryn Hythenos downstairs. The party hears movement from the end of the hall and makes haste in the direction of the sound.

THE NOISE AT THE END OF THE HALL

The party heads towards the noise at the end of the hall. Blynce attempts to open the door at the end of the hall, but lightning flashes and a glowing Rune appears on the door. Bumi has the Mage Hand open the door. The room is a bedroom inhabited by a potbellied Maurezhi demon and a flying, decayed Aurora Watch soldier. The soldier flies past Blynce and he shoots it with his long bow. The soldier attacks Blynce with a tentacle. Senzei attacks the soldier with what he is now referring to as “his” sword. Sheeza Fire Bolts the soldier and moves to the back left corner of the room. Blynce switches places with his Echo and fires his bow at the soldier. Vaal attacks the soldier with the Time Piercer and takes it out. As the soldier fell Vaal saw a black, shimmering shadow fly out of the soldier and go through the floor below. Bell sees figures moving in the room and runs to the entryway to cast Toll the Dead, but it is ineffective. Bumi casts Chill Touch on the pot-bellied demon that walks through the doorway. The demon bites Blynce. A Ghoul approaches the doorway.

Senzei attacks the Ghoul in the doorway with his sword. Sheeza Fire Bolts the demon. Blynce swaps places with his Echo to escape the grasp of the demon and attacks with his bow. Vaal attacks the demon with his rapier. Bell smacks the demon in the face. Bumi catapults through the demon and the Ghoul in the hallway, killing the Ghoul. Senzei attacks the demon with his sword. Sheeza Fire Bolts the demon, but it still stands. Blynce wounds the demon with two shots from his longbow. Vaal then decimates the demon with his rapier.

Sheeza finds a journal on a nightstand near the bed. The  journal is Hythenos’ coded notes. Bumi determines that his notes say Betrayers Rise can be cleansed by destroying Arms of the Betrayer in the capitol and that Ruin’s Wake is still in Betrayers Rise. Sheeza’s new-found key opens a foot locker containing 140 gold, 20 platinum, 2 vials of healing, and a Periapt of Health. There are several knapsacks near the bed. They belonged to the Cobalt Soul investigators. The knapsacks contained 34 gold and a scroll of Comprehend Languages. The party will later decide who should take the potions and the periapt.

EXITING THE HOUSE

Downstairs we see another animated corpse attempting to attack Childe Raymonde’s frozen body at the end of the stairs. Immediately after we dispatch the corpse, yet another corpse comes out of an adjacent room. The party quickly eliminates the threat and realizes the shadowy figure Vaal saw upstairs seems to be a Dybbuk, which is a spirit creature that moves from corpse to corpse. Bell determines Childe Raymonde needs a spell of Greater Restoration to reverse his frozen state. Bell recalls meeting Fogholm the Firbolg priest in town and suspects he may be able to help Childe Raymonde. The party must now decide whether to rest or promptly attend to Childe Raymonde.