Not Dressed Up and Somewhere To Go
The party regrouped and gazed at the city, seeing the massive spire at the center. Being the most likely spot to find Corinth, they headed there. Upon arriving, they noticed a large party inside, fitting for Corinthia, but there was also seemingly a large number of diplomats. Trying to enter, they were quickly turned away by the guards. After a short discussion, they decided that Red would go in as a famous musician with Yannick in disguise as a bodyguard. After applying guyliner and ruffling his hair Red attempted to enter but was still stopped by a guard again, verifying if he was on the list. Quickly Red snatched the list and found the name of a Winthrop Paddlebutt and passed Red Knight off as his stage name. However, the guard required proof of identification, which luckily Nadia was able overheard with Aidan and rushed up, creating a fake ID with illusion magic. From there the rest of the party came in under the disguise of Paddlebutt’s pyrotechnic crew (Tye’s cannon being a huge aid in this ruse).
Inside the spire, all the magic equipment on the party began to glow as well as Yannick’s illusion forcing him to adopt his usual bulking form. The party then moved into a concert room where classical music was being played. Here, though the Paddlebutt ruse, the party learned that Corinth will be down later and they have a few hours to kill and gather information (an obtained a potion to help with hyper-hemorrhoids). First room they stopped in was hot springs, as everyone entered the springs at various degrees of nudity. Krim pretended to fall sleep in a tub, clearing out his spring at first but it later refilled and he learned Corinth’s drug habit or lack thereof, opting not to partake in the various drugs and alcohols he brings in. Tye and Nadia in a separate spring, learn about the reason for diplomatic meeting, a fight between Padre Hector and Crella in Indeen and rumors about a curse affecting Corinth’s family. Red and Yannick schmooze the crowd in their hot spring, and learned about some of the delegates in the party.
The party re-robed and entered into the winter room, with gentle snowfall, skating rink and small skiing course. Nadia schmoozes an Elven party, while the rest of the party fucks about and makes one hell of a snowball fight. Starting with Tye, who made a giant snowball and hurled it at Krim and Yannick. Krim started making his own while Yannick snuck onto the ski course, attempting to land on Tye. Tye caught him while he was landing and was just able to dodge Krims retaliation snow boulder. Krim then builds a snowman and teleports it on Tye, leaving a snowman with a trunk left. Red uses his curse and throws snowballs from his teammates position, then moves aside to watch the chaos unfold.
Now slightly tired and cold the party regroups in the main hall after a commotion was heard. Inside, Corinth descended down the stairs in extravagant fashion and began making rounds with the people. The party dangles the emerald as a bait for Corinth, attracting his attention as they headed to a backroom for talks. Here Corinth explains that he has necklaces that protect against the sickness and offers in exchange for the emerald. Opting to view other options, Corinth also offered the necklaces in exchange for killing a dragon that lives on the island withing the administration facility, a dragon that most likely has an affinity to the toxic area. Nadia and Red negotiated for supplies and the party was given a shotgun ax that left Yannick drooling in his gas mask. The party took the deal and prepped to infiltrate the island and slay a dragon.
An Elephant Bird and a Flying Talking Fishman
As the party was looking to regroup, they heard a tiny sound from within Tye’s backpack. Opening it they found a now well rested Ulver, who was taking a nap inside. After filling Ulver in on the deal with Corinth, they set out to get supplies for the venture. Buying a robe of useful items with rowboats and parachutes for the drop and begun to look for a pilot mad enough to sail near Arcadia Island. Meanwhile Nadia examined the necklaces and discovered how it works, that a creature inside takes the burden of the sickness. Speaking with the Pilots in the area served fruitless, so Red decided to contact an old friend, Dave, who happened to be eating trash nearby funnily enough. Tounges was cast on Dave to avoid a charades game, as he explained that he was unable to drop the party directly on the island as airships often dropped from the sky near its airspace.
But this group of assholes had a plan, when the party arrived at island, Nadia turned Tye into a Quetzalcoatlus (dinosaur birb), as Yannick casted speak with animals to stay in contact. The party boarded their bird and flew towards the island. As Tye flew away, the party noticed purple glints of light begin to appear in the ruins of the island. The party wondered what they were until one the glints streaked passed them melting the hull of Dave’s Airship, a beam weapon of some kind. Dave was saved by featherfall as beams raced for Tye aswell. Tye deftly dodged all the beams as he raced towards the island. Within the ruins they found the source of the beams, a floating metal ball with a lens for focusing the energy. Those riding Tye, took shot at the first one to appear, destroying it but more encroached from the ruins. The spheres pursued the party well into the island before suddenly breaking off. Here the party gained their bearings and learned they had arrived at one of their destinations, the library. Inside the library, besides the ruins typical of the location, a statue stood pushed aside, with a once hidden staircase. Descending below the party encountered a warforged librarian still presiding over area. He gave them general directions for how to proceed as the party headed first west then south. Moving south the party walked past strange statues that seemed to stare and shift as they moved past, unnerving everyone. Here, the party was stopped by a large arcanely locked door with the ‘Restricted Section’ written above and two statues with riddles on the bases. Believing they needed more to open the doors then the riddles, they party headed back.
Moving back, the sounds of metal scratching against stone rang throughout the halls. Its source soon revealed itself as the party walked right into an invisible mechanical praying mantis. The front line of the party beelined to the mantis while Nadia rushed away to create space and found another mantis just behind them. Now realizing the mantises could materialize between the walls, the party found each other isolated, mantis in between them each. But even fighting so dispositioned could not stop our heroes, as between multiple mace strikes, flaming blows, swift pierces and arcane assaults, the six mantises never truly stood a chance.
After the fight Ulver showed Nadia a bunch of books and notes he scavenged in the fight. She sifted through and found what she believed to be the most useful of the notes. The first explained the statues from before have a paranoia curse on them and nothing else. The second read as a cryptic message about black being an appropriate color but was not used, most likely to be useful later. Moving west then south, the party found a casual study hall complete with some desks, ambient magical fields,some books, some pencils, a creature made of negative energy and small stage for oration. The creature seemed trapped by the field of ambient energy but so did a set of keys that looked useful, so the party explored looking for a way to release just the keys. Luckily, the party found a mosaic wall with purple white and black squares, and realized this is what the note was speaking about and that moving the black squares can’t release the entity. The Party began to solve the puzzle.
Puzzles, Riddles, and Other Hinderances
Two lines of black were formed, solving that third of the puzzle, as the red energy field drop. Unfortunately, this was the empty one, but Nadia investigated the remnants of the shield and found, written in Elvish, the word black. Investigating the blue energy field, the party found the same writing but this time, saying white. This being the only clue to act on, the party solved the puzzle once again, this time with the white tiles, ending the blue barrier, allowing the party to grab the keys while avoiding the Nightwalker.
Proceeding down the hall, a swift investigation of a mysterious dead end, lead the party to realize that it was actually an illusion. On the other side sat an Ooze who approached the party curiously, and non-hostilely which was surprising given the environment. The ooze wiggled when spoken to and lead the party to a nearby table with brass tablets. Red, following the oozes suggestive wiggles, slid one of the tablets into the ooze. A moment of sizzling before the tablet was pressed out with writing on it, explaining the ooze was a fabrication ooze, and his duty was to make items for the library. Naming the ooze, Foz, the party proceeded to have some basic mundane items made, as well as a map of the library.
From there, the party heads back to the beginning, to a sealed door and tried the keys found near the slider puzzle. But the door refused to open as second set seemed to be needed. With this, the party headed back to the library they passed being the only other place they haven’t looked yet. Here various books stood around the room, guarded by the Magus guards that loomed in the east. On a desk towards the back of the room, they found the keys they needed but knew taking them would start a tough fight. Instead, Krim grabbed clay from the Foz’s room and made a casting of the key and brought it back to have a copy made, bypassing the issue entirely. From here the east wing was opened and the next riddles were found. Behind a magical veil lay a set of braziers with two chests between them. The chests contained a variety of 1-5 leveled wizard spell scrolls and a large number of true polymorph spells. The braziers had a selection of riddles on them, the party quickly realized that the bottom row was asking for spells and the top row was asking for creatures. As the party answered a few, one was given incorrectly, damaging them all. Krim volunteered to be the caster being the sturdiest and took the damage on the failure, as the rest waited beyond the veil they first walked through.
The north questions were…
The south questions were…
After the answers, blue slaad, werebear, bronze dragon, spectator, fabricate, contact other planes, charm person and locate creature were given, Krim heard a jingle behind him as another set of keys presented themselves.
Exiting the veil, all of the spell scrolls vanished, saddening Nadia, who would have had a spell book so thicc it would give disadvantage on stealth checks. Continuing down the hallway, yet another illusionary wall, and behind it three chests, guarded by three steel predators. They explained, bluntly, that answering another set of riddles would open the chests, but their contents would vary depending on the order opened. Also, that they would shred the party if given the wrong answer.
The three chest’s riddles were…
A small conference was had before an answer was given, a wrong answer though. The steel predators teleported, encircling the party, as the party tried to guess the answers mid battle. Even with the predators baned and radio disrupted, their attack hit often and hard, rending the party. As Ulver downed the first predator with a heavy shot, Yannick shouted performance and the south most chest opened. The party realized the answers were skills that they used so Nadia next answered religion and Ulver himself answered animal handling opening all the chests. Still the predators assaulted as one looked ragged, another looped around and used a breath weapon on the party stunning most of them. But as swiftly as they were debilitated, they returned to strength and shredded back, Ulver pierced another’s steel hide, downing it. Red opted to roll through the remaining beast, hoping to give his allies an edge but was knocked unconscious while isolated instead. But while the predators back was turned Tye broke it’s back with his Warhammer and casted healing word, reviving his downed companion. With the predators gone the spoils of war were soon to be collected.
The Benefits of Higher Learning and Drugs
As the party collected the items from the chests, they realized Ulver was nowhere to be seen. After checking under the predators in case he was crushed, they found a note from Ulver saying he discovered a small hole and went to explore. Tye healed the party before pressing forward to the east.
To the east the party found a large chamber with a cherub statue with four ransacked offices within the corners and behind the statue stood two machines. Investigating the machines, they were revealed to be the library card printer but tinkering with it the party learned it to be unpowered and in disrepair. The statue seemed to be on a pivot, able to rotate to face around the room. The cherubs gaze was moved to machine as they hummed to life but other beings were summoned as well, living spells.
A large crushing Bigbsy hand, a noxious Cloudkill, a spindly Lightning bolt, a blisteringly hot Burning hand and two constructs with spinning blades for arms encroached on the party. The party was already battered from the earlier fight and the fumes of the cloud kill proved strong, injuring the Nadia Krim and Yannick heavily. However the toll was heaviest on Aidan, who died, but his spirit was absorbed into Nadia’s staff. Tye swiftly became surrounded by the spells but his spirit guardians dealt with the Burning Hands quickly. Red forced the attention of the cloudkill on himself and freed his companions from its fumes. Nadia fireballed, curling it around Tye and highly damaging the Lightning and Bigby hand, which were cleaned up by spirit guardian’s next turn. Meanwhile the mechanoid surrounded Krim and Yannick with buzzing blades, taking damage just by being near them. Nadia finished the cloudkill, and the rest of the party ganged up on the mechanoids ending them soon after.
With the living spells finished, the party took a much-needed short rest and acquired their library cards. Nadia in this time was also able to resurrect Aidan. Before leaving for the room, Red thought that the party might be missing something and turned the Cherub southwest (despite being told not to by Nadia) summoning the living spells and a construct again. The fight was short however, due to the multiple AOE spells and Red doing Blur, sprinting around the battlefield like a madman.
In the wake of the battle, the room to the southwest had been restored, and a note there refrecing a set of keys that should not be left in his office, addressed to a “neighbor”. Knowing what the cherubs gaze would bring this time and needing the keys, the party rotated the cherub northwest and held attacks, once again ending the fight quickly. There in the restored room, the party found the last set of keys they needed as well as a note saying “the answer should be obvious”.
Heading back to the restricted section, the party used the key sets they acquired and turned their attention to the riddles.
The answers were given; obvious and anchor, and the door opened. Over an intercom, a voice welcomed the party to the restricted section and stated to keep their library cards visible at all times or risk disintegration. Happy to have printed their cards earlier they ventured further into the library eventually coming to a large open room filled with desks and bookcases. Inside another voice called out “it’s been so long since I’ve had visitor”.
Cursing, in every Sense of the Word
As the party approaches the talking book, Yannick triggered a Scooby-doo style trap, revealing Ulver but trapping himself in the walls. Enjoying the lounge he found there, he opted to stay a while. The Party conversed with book learning his name was Huang Zheng. He was once a person cursed a long time ago and worked for Daganth. He wished to share more, but couldn’t, as an additional curse prevented him from doing so, only removeable by a powerful spellcaster. The party pocketed the book for now not wanting to waste time and grabbed books on curses, fiends, liches and Maelstrom and any other book that looked valuable. While going through the books, Krim found a row of false books hiding a rather impressing looking war-hammer behind.
Nadia set up a tiny hut on stairwell and the party long rested. During the rest, Red contacted Aelith about the curse on the book and the need for a powerful spellcaster. He replied saying he had someone lined up already within Arkaydia. The party ended their rest during the night and set off. It was easy enough to find the administrator building and as they approached, their quarry, the dragon swooped inside. Tye opted to sneak to a nearby window and witness the dragon searching the nearby room. Tye turned to face the party trying to decide what to do, and when his gaze returned to the window, he was met with a large glowing reptilian eye.
In a panic, Tye charged the eye and struck it through the window before rushing out of the room, dodging the grip of the Dragon in retaliation. Now back with the party, light spells were cast before walking into hall where the dragon nested. Despite being a red dragon, Tabbarris wished to speak oppose to directly attacking. He told his story, saying he’s been trapped here by Vaeril, who keeps him from dying from the radiation in exchange for keeping him safe. He was lured into this trap by was trapped there by Corinth the Steel, a dragon rival (with a familiar name).
The party felt slighting bad about killing a trapped creature but not bad enough to stop them as the fight began. Tabbarris exhaled sharply, nauseating the party and deals heavy damage, as the party noticed that he seems to radiate the sickness of the area around him. Krim moved up only to be struck hard multiple times. Red used his second dose of Blur (hopefully last dose) and taunts, hoping keep Krim and Tye safer. Tye moved up to flank, casting bestow curse on the dragon, freezing Tabbarris when he tried to attack. Nadia threw a chromatic orb at the dragon as it wheeled around biting and slashing Tye thrice, but Tye was able to hold on to the curse. Red baned Tabbaris as well and gave his own curse and sliced as Ulver took aim and pierced his hide. Tye was sickened by the radiance coming from Tabbarris so he disengaged fell back and guiding bolted. Tabbarris inhaled, tempting to breath his noxious miasma on most of the party, but was halted by Tye’s curse. Krim deals another heavy hit that seemed to weaken the dragon, slowing its onslaught.
Tabbarris exhaled again on Krim and Tye, leaving Tye barely standing. Red attracted the dragon’s attention and dodges the all the attacks. Ulver pierced Tabbaris’s hide on one side as Nadia casted vitriolic sphere on the other, damaging the dragon it’s on various turns. The sphere earned the Tabbarris’s ire as its breath hits Krim once again and Nadia through the window downing her. Red revives Nadia as Ulver hits with another arrow. Krim once again slowed Tabbarris’s attacks but it shed the curses placed upon it as its skin slopped off. Here the party unloaded on Tabbarris, Nadia lightning bolts, Red’s infernal flaming blade, burned into the once red dragon, Ulver’s arrows continued to hit the mark, as well as Tye’s guiding bolt. Krim released a volley of 4 attacks, and yet Tabbarris still stood, bloodied but still with plenty of fight yet.
New Year, Same Crazy Shit
Tabbarris loomed over the party but before he could bear down, Yannick burst through a window, slashing and shooting with his problem solver. Tabbarris countered with his toxic breath, downing half of the party, Krim, Yannick and Tye. Fearing what Tabbarris could bring next, Nadia mustered a chromatic orb with all her might, electrocuting Tabbarris till his body seized violently then stopped, dead.
After the party was healed, Ulver looted a nearby chest finding a large donation to the Arkaydian SPCF, 3000 plat and a very impressive looking rapier. With Tabbaris dead and looking at the amulets that were now rapidly deteriorating, the party rushed to get off the island. Tye is transformed into a teradon quetzalcoatlus and flew the party off the island and when the spell ended, they row boated the rest of the way into Arkaydia.
Upon landing at the beach in Arkaydia, the party heard that Dave was in the nearby police station, so they visited him, gave him money for his lost airship and wished him well on his journeys. Here the party headed to an inn, The Gilded Mare, and rested for the night. In the morning, the party found themselves at a small feast set up by Red to celebrate the new year (which was today!) along with gifts for the party. Still wishing to celebrate a bit, Red took the party to see a show performed by his old theater troop. As they were leaving theater Ulver saw a local dentist who installed new gold teeth for him.
Having had their fun for the day, the party headed to the Marble Tankard looking to meet with Aelith’s contact. After saying the code word to the bartender (frost), they party was escorted to a back room where they met with a veiled woman. Dalia, a hemo-mancer applied her craft on the Book, rubbing blood into the book until the curse was broken. Huang Zheng was quite talkative once freed and told the party that he helped design Daganth’s phylactery, which is stored within an artificial demon, who happens to be Daganth’s second in command.
Sending were sent to Aelith, informing him of this information and the party split for a bit, with Krim, Nadia, Tye and Yannick enjoying the local nightlife. Meanwhile Red and Ulver visited The Loom’s Better, a tailor’s shop to fit Ulver for a fancy suit and for Red to see his parent’s, the owners. As the party reunited at the rave, Huang Zheng was crowd surfing when his was abducted / stolen. The party gave chase into the streets as the suspect began to fly. Tye thinking quickly, casted dispel magic causing the criminal to drop to the ground. Nadia teleported ahead of the thief/kidnapper and grappled him as he approached. Seeing he had no escape; the thief gave up quickly.
He explained he works for the Magnate of Clarity and that she wished to speak with them. The Party followed thief to this Magnate, Mirana Fontaine, who greeted everyone by name including Red’s real name. She explained that in her many visions of possible futures, Aelith and the Prince of Maelstrom conquer the world, with the Prince becoming a demon of his own ambition (not sure if that was figurative or literal). The party explains their reasons for working with Aelith in regards to the High Regent and Mirana explained that she works with him and can get him to stop creating the demons, but requires he party to kill Aelith. Now the party stands at an impasse, continue with the deal they had made or work with people who associated with man that creates demons.
Decisive Indecision
With the delicious cookies on the table Yannick and Ulver, ate and ate until they fell into a sugar induced coma. They sat and digested while the rest of the party decided who to work for. Many pointed out that no one trusted Aelith when they worked with him, but saw him as the only option at the time. This was a new option, but they were hesitant to work with someone who works with the High Regent and knew of his actions. Here Red received sendings from Aelith asking them about the thief who stole their stuff. Red replied saying it wasn’t an issue, but this let the party knew they were being spied on.
The Party was still indecisive as to who to work with so they turned to Mirana to discuss what the future could hold (a totally unbiased opinion). She stated how her powers worked, she can see the future but each subsequent time it became less accurate. As they discussed options with her the Party’s favor slowly shifted to working with Fontaine. The conversation eventually came to Aelith and how he came to have his powers and work for the Prince of Maelstrom. Mirana replied that he was basically adopted by the Prince and raised to be a soldier but his frost powers came from a curse inflicted by a hag. This fact resonated with Nadia who questioned which Hag set the curse. Mirana used her powers and discovered that it was Grandma Gristle, the same Hag that cursed Aidan.
This presented the party with a dilemma, where killing the Hag would weaken Aelith and help Aidan, it would also little time to get to Aelith after, but Aelith was powerful and that fight would not be easy either. Mirana viewed the possible futures seeing that both options had 35% chance of success with direct confrontation being slightly higher. Despite this, the party decides to kill the Hags to weaken Aelith and contacted an old friend, Arsene, with instructions (and a super inspiration) to slow down Aelith as long as he could.
Hags and Hard Places
The party buys healing potions in prep for the hard fight ahead. They found themselves a teleportation circle and traveled to the city of Pisallo. In the middle of the busy street, Tye is transformed into a quetzalcoatlus, and they took off into the mountains. They got slightly lost, losing about 20 mins, but the party eventually found the hut. Outside sat two dire trolls and three hags desecrating a human body over a caldron.
Tye swooped in, getting hit with a boulder doing so but got the rest of the party into range. Granny Gristle and Aunty Frostbite take off avoiding the cluster, while Aunty Agony pulled a wendigo from the caldron. The troll to the south swiped, hitting most of the party except Nadia who phased to another plane. Aunty Frostbite opened with a cone of cold hitting the same cluster and at this point most of the party is on their last legs. The other troll chases Ulver who scooted away and clobbered him badly.
Red misty steps above Granny and knocked off her broom and her to the ground. Nadia popped back to fight and lighting bolted the wendigo, Aunty Agony and a troll before fading again. The southern troll knocked out Tye with a flurry, as Ulver dealt with his own troll, attacking and darting away. However, the troll catches up with him, knocks him unconscious as well and begins dragging him away. Krim gets paralyzed by Aunty Agony as the wendigo raked at his flesh. Yannick popped some Blur (we may need intervention soon) and clobbered the troll with flame-tongue and hits Wendigo, learning that its immune to fire. Red said a barely witty one-liner before fading from Gristles range and healed the party, bringing up Tye and Ulver. Aunty Frostbite raised her staff and with it rose a wall of ice, cutting the party off from each other. Nadia pops back on top of the ice, knowing Granny was look for her to appear. She fireballs the troll and Aunty Frostbite, dropping the ice wall but drops into Gristle’s touch, poisoning her.
Freshly awoken, Ulver escaped, using Kasdiels blessing, before darting away again. The Wendigo clawed at the still paralyzed Krim, downing him. Yannick feed a potion to Krim and shotgun blasts wendigo and Granny Gristle. The second troll still bore down on Ulver and downed him again, Red brough back with potion shortly after. Aunty Frostbite casted cone of cold again, with Red, Krim, Nadia and Yannick in the path, downing Krim again. Nadia misty steps away after being surrounded by hags and gives Krim a potion. Ulver smited the troll from the ground as the other troll beat on Tye until he was down and then some, almost killing him. Red killed the regenerating troll while it was down and saved Tye from death. Enraged at being knocked down again, Tye jumped back to his feet and wailed on Aunty Agony. Wishing for the fight to end, Granny Gristle raised her staff and blasted necrotic energy, casting Circle of death on the entire party and the other Hags, downing Red, who no one could notice. Nadia lightning bolted, killing the wendigo and injuring Aunty Agony.
A Common Curser
The fight continued as Ulver downed a via of liquid and from is gut erupted a blaze that ignited the troll and killed it. Granny Gristle hopped atop her broom and strode to the middle of the field to created a field of frost, downing Yannick and Krim. Red dusted the snow off himself and healed the party before sending three blasts at Aunty Agony, the last being a lethal hit. Ulver slowly approached from the tree line and spun his ring of telekinesis, yanking Granny Grislte from her broom and into the frost below. Tye and Aunty Frostbite traded blows, with Tye goes down multiple times but kept standing back up (Praise The Admiral). Yannick and Krim saw Gristle on the ground and pummeled her in her vulnerable position. Red grabs the staff that Gristle dropped as Ulver used his new Timepiercer and cast slow, weakening Gristle and Frostbite. Tye took this opportunity and caved in Aunty Frostbite head before she could defend. Granny Gristle tried to cast cone of cold on the party once again but Nadia counter spelled it easily and in return casted disintegrate. Ulver snuck up and sliced Gristle’s neck open, finishing the fight.
A small healing session was had while Nadia casted detect magic and entered the hut. Inside she found a collection of potions, four figurines (a bird, a snowflake, a car a pig), a path to a cellar filled with dead bodies. Ulver explored upstairs and found a small chest containing 30,000gp worth of gemstones. The Party regrouped, pocketing potions and discussed the figures. They assumed that the snowflake represented Aelith and the bird figure represented Aidan, which they broke in an attempt to end the curse. Surviving the small burst of bird that came out of it, inside they found a note from Granny Gristle. It essentially mocked Nadia saying her and Aidan’s curse has been purchased by fiend Adriklos, a name that Red knows all to well. In the anger that followed, the hut was set ablaze and the party walked off in preparation of the next fight.
If You Like It Then Keep a Ring Off It
The party swooped down the mountain on the back of quetzalcoatlus-Tye (not a term I though id be using this often) where they got a sending from Arsene, saying Aelith had company a group of eight with matching rings. Knowing time was shorter then ever, once in Parisol the party immediately teleported to Is’nol. Here they quickly met with Arsene and discussed the ambush, the hag fight and Aeliths condition. Sendings were sent to Aelith, saying they wanted to discuss possible dangers and the reply was that he was staying in the Crystal Cavern. Ulver went in first, scouted with the idol and hid in the bathroom.
Inside the Crystal Cavern, Aelith sat at a table and ushered the party towards him, with Arsene taking position a few tables away disguised. Both Aelith and the party discussed their recent fight when Aelith revealed he knew about the party’s encounter with Granny Gristle. Here Aelith demanded the idol and called out to Rivka as Arsene holds a knife to his own neck. Red, not wanting to see Arsene hurt, went to the restroom to talk grab the Idol from Ulver. However, Ulver refused to give the Idol, so they and Nadia hatched a plan to hold person Arsene.
Upon exiting the bathroom, Red was caught trying to hold Arsene, starting combat combat. Ulver destroyed the idol through bow and flame breath. Krim and Yannick enclosed, beating on Aelith as Nadia attempts to hold person Arsene but failed. Aelith’s ice powers had diminished but still remained as he summoned frosty duplicates of himself and shot frost at Tye. Red dispelled the magic upon Arsene as he reached and pulled a ring off his finger and dashed it to the ground. However the ring jumped to Tye’s hands instead as he talked about Ulver’s family in Timberfell, Red’s in Arkaydia and Nadia’s being a bird. In his possessed state Tye casted disintegrate on Red. Ulver charged up to Tye and quickly ripped the ring from his hand. Aelith raises a potion to his lips but before he can drink it, Yannick comes in hard and caves in his head, dropping the potion to the ground.
Searching Aelith, the party found, 30,000gp worth of Barer bonds, 5 sending scrolls, 2 teleportation scrolls, 2 scrolls of Rary’s telepathic bond. The party fled the tavern immediately (except Ulver who needed to buy another shirt) and regrouped in a nearby tavern. Here they messaged Manara Fountain, and learned the ring was Rivka and possessing people of its own will and they needed to put it in the bag of holding, however it was no longer in Ulver’s possession .
The party raced down, back to the Crystal Cavern. Nadia casted detect magic and discovered the ring was on a police chief nearby conducting the investigation. He was about to drive away when Red misty stepped into the car and tried to rip the ring off. Before it could be grabbed it jumped again to a passerby as Nadia dimension doored in front of him. Rivka saw its opportunity and jump onto Nadia’s hand as she teleports to the roof. Inside the ring, the real Nadia tells Aidan about her position and Arsene flew up. Boxed into a corner, so to speak, Rivka forced Nadia to jump from the roof but Red casted featherfall and Ulver held her in place with telekinesis. Realizing the party can shut each other down very well, the ring jumped to various passersby causing chaos. The party quickly lost track of the ring but Nadia was able to use scry, tracking it, as it continued to jump wildly. The party found its general direction but with no means to stop it controlling someone else, they needed to find a way to keep it in the city.
May you be in heaven 30 minutes before the Devil knows you’re there
The party found themselves in a nearby tavern, regrouping after their many possession s. With the sending scrolls looted from Aelith, the party attempted to contact the police chief that was possessed when Red’s sword counter spelled on its own will. Ulver inspected the room with divine sense seeing that Red’s sword, Nadia’s staff and Yannick’s face under the mask shared the same dark aura. Red’s sword began pointing in a direction, urging to follow as the party began to discuss splitting up. But Aidan started uncomfortably bloating every time they tried to step off the swords guided path. The path of the sword eventually this led to a tavern, The Cooked Goose and inside Adriklos, the curse holder for Red, Nadia and now, Yannick.
Adriklos began praising himself saying he saved the party, as Rivka planned to ambush their meeting, along with Vaeril ver Veridian. He offered an out for the party, as Vaeril would only rest if the party was dead, he would allow that and resurrect them after using the magic floorboards he enchanted. In addition, he offered to help the party with the man-made demons, to collect their souls upon dissipating them (and of course gain massive power doing so). The party took a side bar as Ulver attempted to commune with Kasdiel but it unfortunately failed. Seeing little other option, everyone took the deal and because of Tye’s negotiation, gained the benefit of long rest.
With the deal taken, the party fortified the tavern. This proved to little avail as meteors rained from the sky, destroying the first floor of the tavern. Obscured in smoke and dust, the party heard two people enter. Rivka entered through a window and charged Nadia but was unable to possess her, allowing her to cast the anti-magic field. Krim rushed up to her and cracked with his Warhammer as Red rushes and finishes the job, killing Rivka permanently. Vaeril was relieved to hear Rivka was dead, as he coated a good chunk of the party in poison and downing Ulver, who was then encased in stone. Luckly, Tye heard Ulver being encased and uncovered him as the party charged Vaeril. The fight goes well with Vaeril getting to low health until an addition attack comes out of nowhere downing Nadia. From here the Vaeril in front of the party downs a potion of long rest and recast meteor swarm, downing the entire party.
While dead, everyone seemed to go to an idealized version of hell for themselves. Nadia saw a library and begins perusing books for spell but was unable to gain anything from them. Krim found a bar that does not serve alcohol. Tye founds himself on a ship with his old crew, unable to move as they were attacked. Ulver find himself in his old town, near his house but wasn’t able to find his family, asking around none knew where they were nor of the church of Kasdiel. Red found himself near his parents shop but they have died of sickness, as an auditor judged items for charity. Yannick founds himself at his old village, face healed but no one wanted to look at him still. After what seemed like weeks passed but was only about two hours, the party resurrects in a largely burnt down tavern.
Two Cooked Geese
The party arose in what remained of the Cooked Goose, as a police officer looked over the party. Here they noticed that Yannick and Arsene were gone, as the officer explained Arsene as taken into custody. Wanting to gain more info, sending were sent, first to Manara Fountaine, learning she was in the city and informing her that Rivka was dead. The Second sending was sent to Iota on a whim, learning he was reconstituted and he and the rest of the Demons were gathered in preparation of the party’s arrival.
At this point while the party was getting their bearings again with fatty foods, Adriklos sauntered up, explaining that Yannick was helping him in another regard (possibly unknowingly). In addition, he had a contact in the Temple of the Merchant, James Mer, that would assist them in assassinating the High Regent. Adriklos also advised the party to squeeze the location of the Regent from Manara as he had run to ground. As a show of good faith Adriklos stated that he would release Aidan from his curse if they killed just two of the demons. With that out of the way the party met with James in the temple and learned of his assassination skills and previously failed attempt, the regents Veilmari guards, and the party informed him the new army of demons.
Unsure of how to proceed, the party headed to the Wavering Gadfly to meet Manara in a backroom. However, she was unable to help with Arsene and unwilling to let the party kill the Regent. She explained that she needed the demons to speed up the civil war and that Dagonth later would dispose of them and absorb them into his phylactery. Red laid his cards bear, explaining that he barely wanted to kill the Regent, that they were working with Adriklos, the sway he held over them due to the curses. Here he offered his counterplan, as Adriklos stood in Manara’s way, wishing to kill the demons ASAP and the power he would gain would most likely create a threat. Red’s offer, give the Regents location and betray Adrikos after he freed Nadia, only killing two demons. This made Manara pause and search the many futures for the best course. After a moment Manara makes a counter offer, work with Daganth to end the civil war and use his ability to destroy the demons as leverage against Adriklos to free all their souls. She revealed he would become an Archdevil in the process and his actions would disrupt the Songdeath’s significantly. The party agreed on this deal and they began to assist Arsene.
The party then spoke to Arsene via sending and found out he is to be tried tomorrow at 4pm and executed the following day, assuming he would lose the case. Nadia stopped at Kuo Koffee and picked up two prawn sized coffees for “negotiations”. Entering the court house, in the early hours of the morning Nadia and Red pretended to be assistants in the court case dropping off files. Using the Bribe coffees to schmooze the two guards, they heading up to the office where the Prosecution lawyer was preparing the case. Nadia lagged behind allowing Red to head in first to make a distraction. As Red entered, he saw Abernathy J. Birdstien berating a Halfing assistant and threatening to peck his eyes out. Red got Abernathy’s attention immediately by pretending to be Human Resources and got Abernathy and his assistant out of the room. From here Nadia was able to sneak in and open a window so Ulver could be thrown in by Tye. Investigating the desk, Nadia found only papers unrelated to anything, before realizing the papers were under Illusionary Script. Not knowing which papers needed to be altered, Nadia staged an accident making it look like a cigarette wasn’t properly put out and set the table ablaze. Escaping outside as the building was evacuated, the party was able to find a nearby drug dealer who just so happened to be planning on killing Abernathy. They were able to buy cocaine from him and Nadia was able to teleport into the office again plant the drugs. Waiting nearby in a coffee shop the party was treated to the sight of Abernthy being escorted out of the premises and arrested while threatened to peck police officers eyes out (totally helping his case).
A Deal With The Dracolich
While watching Abernathy get arrested, Ulver received a sending from Lloyd saying a spell was being cast on him. He allowed it and Lloyd and Ulver swapped after some minor complications. The party introduced Lloyd to Nadia and filled him in on all the (dumb) things they have been up to. Once caught up, they travelled, teleporting from Is'nol to Noxas to Daganthrai, with some seeming to avoid customs.
In Daganthrai, the party was recognized and sent to Daganth’s Spire. On the way a Green Dragon attempted to take Reds coat, Red fucks off leaving the dragon confused. At the Spire, the Party meets Vaer Idalin, Daganth’s right hand man and his Phylactery. They met with Daganth and gave the emerald, and discussed The High Regents location on a peninsula near the Blue Blood Channel. Here Daganth also offered the party extended help, if they assisted him in ending the civil war faster. They party agree and Tye (begrudgingly) received a boon. Daganth named six targets he wanted sabatoged, the teleportation circles, a railroad convergence to the east, two bridges to the east, munitions factory and components storehouse which location is unknown, and most importantly a weather spire. Many plans were discussed but nothing set in stone.
The Best Counter-Terrorism Plan, Greater Terrorism
The planning continued, until Lloyd got a message from his boo-thang and left the party. Eventually, the party decided to scout the city and set the sabotage the next day oppose to arguing in circles, coming up with more hairbrained schemes along the way. So, a train was taken to Is’nol, with Red sitting in first class and the rest of the party in economy. On the third day of travel, Is’nol was visible from outside the city, and a one of the pieces of the next day was prepared. Red misty stepped out onto the tracks, planted the bomb in the snow and teleported back into the train, pending destruction tomorrow.
Meanwhile Tye was chatting up a gentleman that was riding with them, the only other person riding with them. As he was acting shady, Tye opted to follow him until, with Red sneaking along after. Tye’s intuition paid off as, he pulled out a grenade launcher and tried to fire at the tracks. Red smacked the weapon, making the terrorist lose his mark, while Tye apprehended him fully.
What was left of his gear was split between Red (taking the grenade launcher) and Krim (taking an emergency grenade and holdout pistol). While interrogating the terrorist, He chewed a suicide pill hidden within his mouth, but Tye revived him. More willing to talk now, the party learned he was affiliated with Black Mask, an Anarchy group with cells in most of Umbria. Nadia used modify memory on the train staff so he would forget about the attack. The party decided to meet with the terrorist cell, hoping to gain help or at least info. The signal was sent via the grenade launcher and rings of black smoke, with Adian staying behind to direct them to the party waiting by the courthouse.
Arriving at the station, Red immediately sneaks off, not wanting to pay customs for his drugs and bombs. However, Krim was still left holding a grenade and pistol. Thinking fast he hid them in his beard, which snooty Elf soldier didn’t think to search, and the whole party along with Jeff the terrorist, were clear to leave. But as they were leaving the station, one of the train staff, who was in charge of the passengers, was executed for not finding one very forgettable one.
In the same Kuo-Koffee that they watched a goose get cooked in, the party met with the terrorist cell. They seem to be just hired mercenaries though, were more just interested in getting payed and getting out. However, they did agree to arrange a meeting with the other Black Masks in the city. The party agreed and are currently awaiting the location, so that the sabatoge can truly commence
Sewer Shoot-Out
The Group returned and agreed to introduce the party to their leader. As they were walking through the streets, Ulver randomly appeared and tagged along. The mercenaries lead the party to the sewers and gave instructions of were to head from there. Moving through the tunnels the party came to a dead end with a one-eyed man, named Gurok He had agents imbedded into both the Components storage and Munitions Factory and had stolen some supplies. The party lied, bluffed, and persuaded into getting help from him by offering to be a diversion so he could sneak the supplies out of town. Gurok told the party to look for Clyde at components storage and Smitty at munitions factory and they would take care of bridges on their way out.
Gurok stopped for a moment realizing his alarm spell was triggered as the party was followed. Gunshots rained as the frontline party rushed forward with Gurok and Tye leading. Nadia is flanked by an assassin but Ulver was able to assist. Red is paralyed by an assassin via hold person but still blocks shots with the sword. Gurok reveals himself to be a vampire and launched into the fray. Krim rushes the battlemage and shut down the invulnerability that was blocking shots but was banished soon after. Gurok points out a door to the back of the room as he takes off dealing with the invisible assassins. Nadia caught many riflemen in a fireball as Red get vengeance on the assassin with hold person.
The Good, The Bad and the Dumb
The battle continues as the Battlemage rendered Red dumb, er… dumber… via feeble mind. Nadia hasted Gurok, who charges the battlemage releasing Krim from the pocket dimension. The rilfemen take shots on the party as Krim and Tye swing in retaliation. Now threated by an amped half-vampire, the Battlemage casted cone of cold, downing Red and Ulver. Krim cleaned up a few of the riflemen while Tye killed the last assassin via spirit guardians before healing the party. The last rilfemen was cornered when Krim struck him down as well.
With the soldiers finished off, Tye grabbed one he knocked unconscious and the party headed though the secret exit. Gurok warned of the Remorahz den that lied ahead but the party was able to sneak and charm their way through. The guards that followed them were not so lucky as Gurok led the party through tunnels to surface arriving at the surface before parting ways. Needing a rest the party regrouped at a Pun Last Drink, where Ulver used Dumber Red to collect tribute saying it was going towards taking care of him.
In his room with Krim, Tye interrogates the captured rifleman and once he is satisfied, released him. Krim however didn’t trust the rilfeman and hired a halfing gang to tail him. The rifleman immediately tried to contact police but the halfings nabbed him a placed him on a train before he could. The next morning Tye cured the dumb and the party did some minor planning.
Deception and Demolition
The party split up, Krim and Red in one group, Nadia, Ulver, and Tye in the other. Red and Krim took the munitions factory, with Red misty stepping in. Luckly, he found himself in a volatile ammo storage room and stocked up on grenades. Outside, Krim used suggestion on the guard, telling him to prep for a fire drill. The guards complied, clearing out the factory. From there, Red was able to sneak down to a hopper, place the bomb in a crate, and cover it in bullets before leaving.
Meanwhile Nadia scouted the warehouse with Aidan’s help, finding a location to drop into. Nadia and Ulver dimension door in the building and loot the room of components, including diamonds and potencium. Ulver hid the bomb in a barrel of guano with an oil trail to connect to another component. Outside, Tye found a small child who offered to help distract the guard for a fee. A few moments later the guards ran offsite, as their car was lit on fire. The child accepted his payment in elephant rides.
The party regrouped and met with James Mer, asking him for ideas on the teleportation circles. He suggested to secure documents and pose as inspectors to clear the buildings. The party realized the courthouse would most likely hold these documents and dolled up Ulver as a disguise. Inside they heard gossip that Abernathy was cleared of his charges by Adriklos and that Abernathy was on the premise so Red left to avoid being detected. Inside the document room, Nadia and Ulver found Abernathy and Adriklos, where Adriklos offered to take care of the weather spire for a small body part. They refused and secured the documents.
Mur doctored the documents for Ulver and Nadia, and the party split up again, this time Ulver Krim and Red and Nadia with Tye. Both groups were able to enter easily with the documents and both set off their explosives without a hitch. After detonating both Nadia turned Tye into a Dinosaur and soar off to collect everyone. Red set off the other explosives and contacted Daganth, who stated he had another task for the party.
Spellcasters took potshots on Dino-Tye, but Nadia uses an eversmoking bottle to give cover, allowing Tye to pick up the rest of the party. This tactic lasted until the party reached the weather tower, but on the accent Tye gets shot down. Featherfall prevented most of the damage but once that party it the anti-magic field, they fell the last 30 ft. However, as Aidan hit this field, the curse was suppressed and he turned back into a human. The riflemen closed in but halted briefly to scan the horizon, now seeing Daganth’s army approaching from the skies.
Clusterfuck LLC.
As the party dropped to the ground, Krim found a secret door and quickly escorted the rest of the party into the bunker. As he was about to drop in himself, he was struck, and fell unconscious on the door. Soon after the party received a sending message from Daganth, telling them to forget about the weather spire and focus on another teleportation circle that was underneath the spire, AKA where the party conveniently fell into. As the party pressed forward, Ulver scouted and discovered a pit trap. As he moved over, he was shot at by riflemen cueing combat.
Knowing time was short for reinforcements were inbound, the party devised a plan, a very bad plan. They gathered and held their actions aiming to move together, as Red cast darkness to avoid rifle fire as Tye was hasted and he carried the party. This did not account for two things, one being all the traps they would run into and two all the grenades they would be hit by. Soon, following Reds direction, they hit a dead end, realizing now they back themselves into a corner and had to fight their way out.
Going Apeshit
As the shots ring though the hall, Krim awakens and heads down to assist. Now with their backs against the wall, the party pushes forward, Nadia and Ulver cleaning up Rilfemen that broke through as Red and Tye used a combination of darkness and spirit guardians. This allowed them to hold their own but when Tye was polymorphed into a Giant Ape did they begin a true push back. Cleaning up most of the riflemen and Arcane Assassins, the party began to explore a bit finding barracks and pressing further south.
Eventually they chased the last Arcane Assassin to a corridor filled with visible traps and more riflemen. Here most of the party took potshots at the riflemen, hesitant to crawl through more scythes, logs, and pitfalls. Meanwhile, speedy Krim headed south, finding more pitfall traps aswell as a rolling boulder
Floating Ulver… I mean over
With the party very low on health, Nadia uses the same trick as before and turns Red into a giant ape, as Tye added stone skin to the buffs and sent the monkey down the corridor to tank. Unable to see, Ulver added oil to the fire pit casting light and increasing what would be to come. Monke grabbed one rifleman and drops him in firepit. Tye jumped the first pit and saw the cannons, learning of further danger. Here more riflemen pop out from further down, as Nadia finished one of the closer ones. The Monke charged down the hallway, grabbing both riflemen throwing them into a pit of acid. The rifleman in the firepit gets pummeled by Tye, Ulver and Nadia, stuck in the pit. With Riflemen in the pit of acid struggling to escape, they had no choice but to attack the ape covering the hole, returning Red to normal and rendering him unconscious.
Needing a way across and fast, Ulver dropped his shield and casted telekinesis on it, making it into a hoverboard. This allows Tye to jump over and heal Red. Knowing more traps ahead Ulver bravely jumped on off his safe platform, triggering the cannons, but dodging them deftly. At the last chasm Tye held both Nadia and Ulver while balancing on the shield and threw them next to Red, who continuously kept taking a beating. Mostly together now, the party pummels the last 2 riflemen.
Tye opens the door at the end of the corridor with mage hand and inside two Battle Mages were prepping a teleportation spell near the circle. Red, incredibly fucking done, loads his last grenade and fired into the room, destroying the teleportation circle. Ulver, unable to see into the dark room, gives out potions to the weary party. But before they could be dunk, the Battle mage fireballs the party, downing Nadia and Tye. Red and Ulver revive their downed allies and noticed Krim in the room with the battle mage. This greeting was short-lived as both Krim and Tye got banished by the mages. Ulver hatched a brilliant plan, as Red ran into range, he hasted him and charged the battle mages, downing one and making the other drop banish, bringing the whole party back. The last battle mage fireballed the party, downing Tye again, however Red makes him pay dearly for that slashing him down and reviving Tye via a plenty of potions that Krim found.
Talking with Krim, he shared the many pieces of loot he found including potions and Potencium. Afterword he showed the party the other two limited teleportation circles. They are promptly blown up and the party moved to exit the dungeon. Outside they meet with a Dragonborn Commander who escorted the party to a safe zone. Here, Arsene is met and the party received a long-warranted rest.
From Dracolich to Devil
As the party wakes up, they met downstairs and plan out their day. Red sat next to Arsene and told him what they learned about his father’s death, which all things considered, he took rather well. During this, Nadia is visited by one of Daganth’s men, who offered her spells from Daganth’s many tomes. Tye took the time to donate his armor to a nearby church of the Admiral. Krim worked with Daganth’s engineers to learn more about weather spires. Ulver opted to send money back home, however has he reached the post office he received a letter from Chappy, telling him of recent troubles in Timberfell.
Once regathered the party visited Daganth in his new perch, the weather spire they were set to sabotage, acquiring gold, a dragon scale, a belt of fire giant strength, and a vial of refined potencium. With their business with Daganth concluded, the party summoned Adriklos to renegotiate terms of their assistance. Red laid four terms on the table; 1, Nadia and Aidan are freed from their contract now; 2, Kikris is saved from Gamma’s posession ; 3, Iota is left alone; and 4, Red himself is freed from his contract. Adriklos answered, saying that Nadia and Aidan’s curse was held within her staff, but he was unable to break it with his current power. As for Iota, when the party attacks if they don’t destroy Iota, he will not be absorbed. The situation with Kikris is similar, if they can defeat just Gamma, only it will be destroyed. Lastly Adriklos mentioned special plans for Red, as after he was done with the demons, Adriklos would have him assist with his powerplay in Thraven. Wanting to think on this the party told Adriklos they would discuss this new deal as they dealt with issues in Timberfell. Adriklos accepted for now, but threatened Red, saying he could do far worse than the curse has done so far.
Done in Is’nol, the party teleported to Timberfell and headed to the Church of Idakor, only to see an angry mob at the doors. Ulver, using intimidation and conversation in equal measure, was able to disperse the crowd. Talking to the priest, the party learned that about a dozen children were taken from their homes, always at night but no other pattern was presented. Here the party split, Ulver and Nadia went to a blacksmith and Ulver’s brother, Mulver. Nadia wished to coat a dragonscale in platinum and Ulver wanted a plus one shield. Elsewhere, Tye and Krim investigated a kidnappee’s house. Tye investigated via scent and found the child’s scent strongest by the fireplace, with a hint of brine and rot as well. Meanwhile Red entered into the police station looking to gain more info. He spoke to a detective Smithers who was unhelpful. Afterwards Red broke into the evidence locker and read the files on the lost children. Done with the blacksmith, Ulver checked with his contacts in the thief’s guild, who mentioned supplicants of obscurity but had no further info. Ulver then paid them to spread positive words of Idakor.
The party regrouped, and establish that the culprits may be an undead and possible water elemental. Outside one of the houses, Aidan investigated the roof and found footprints of child and kidnapper with seemingly long nails, and a drag mark of some kind, a possible tail, in the snow around the house. The party split once again, going to other victim’s houses, found same thing at all locations. In addition, they learned that all the houses didn’t have their fireplaces lit that night.
Chule Steaks and Steak-outs
Regrouping, the party discusses their plan, and decides to steak-out five different houses on one block, Ulver choosing his own. In downtime party eats, Tye and Krim at Pun Last Drink, and Nadia Red and Ulver at the Ivory Elephant. Come nightfall both Krim’s and Ulver’s staked out-houses are visited by red cloaked men mindflayers as well as walking brains and fish that open portals. Ulver was able to stop them from taking Olivia but they escaped. Meanwhile Krim was able to follow them through a portal, finding himself in another plane of existence. The rest of the party regathers at Ulver’s house and try to find out where Krims is, Nadia using scrying and Red using sending. Krim receive only the sending as his reply was “I am being held in a field of floating rocks by Karra M'Pus. He has built this realm over 5000 years eats children for fun.”
Stunned, Slowed and Swinging at Eachother
Not knowing how to proceed, Red sent a message to Mirana asking for help. Once she woke up, she advised that they seek out a mindflayer within town. Asking around, Nadia found one that had just moved within the city. Meeting with them, he introduced himself as Hal Joon and offered to help, needing a body to create the portal. Hal Joon only asked to keep quiet about mindflayer involvement and request we mention his involvement.
Hal opened a portal and the party jumped in, finding many floating platforms, with illithids and intellect devourers waiting, as well as the missing children protected by a barrier with a Ulitharid within. Luckly with this the party also saw Krim as combat began. The mindflayer stunned the party multiple times but were quickly defeated. With this the Ulitharid taunted the party and summoned Nihleths, but dropping the barrier. These proved much more difficult to deal with as they charmed Ulver and Krim, turning them against the party and hitting hard. As the ==== Session ends, Tye is downed between two Nihleths, Ulver is threatening Red, Krim is threatening Nadia and Kram-Pus is still somewhere in the distance
Tadpoles in the Membrane (tadpoles in the brain)
The fight continued, as Nadia killed the Ulitharid supreme and Red revived Tye. Ulver and Krim continued to assault the party as Hal jumped through the portal to help the party. With the Nihleths numbers slowly whittling, Kra-m’pus landed and breathed its sickly breath on the party, infecting them with tadpoles. Many long rest potions were used to heal up and cure themselves of BETS (brain eating tadpole syndrome). Ulcers is grappled and torn like a chew toy as Hal repeatedly casted disintegrate. Krim rushed over the floating landscape and landed the final blow.
Healing and exiting the portal, Hal admitted another aspect of his involvement was desire for a specific award (monetary not souls). The party dropped off the children at the police station and rested in the Ulver household. The next morning they met up with Hal and collected a reward from rich family with most taking checks for gold. Hal instead took a strange deck of cards before saying his goodbyes to the party.
Unloading Inventory and Backstory
Now having the time to do so, the party sold off loot they no longer required and bought much in the way of supplies. Done shopping, they then contacted Mirana and spoke with her about the High Regents location, which she gave but warned the party that doing so would be suicide. High Regent is protected by an army and the demons; the party needs to get stronger to have a change. She also suggested that the party possibly kill James Mer (or fake his death) to lessen the security around the high regent.
With the advice out of the way, sending was cast to Deportes, wondering where he was. He responded that he never made it to Timberfel, was captured and is being held in some facility. The party didn't know how to proceed with this information and turned to other matters, contact Mur, who was conveniently in the city. Meeting with him, they learned he is willing to die but he has buissness he needed to be concluded first a Ver Paust assassination.However he prefered to live and suggested maybe asking Valgas for assistance. They also learned about Clegerous, the High Inquisitor Velmari and spymaster of the country, one of the High Regents confidants. The party also realized they knew nothing about each other and had a minor breakdown, actually learning about each other (or trying to).
We put him there, Well take him out!
With the party still muling over options. Red sends to Lloyd, about visiting Valgas and learns of the visiting hours in Mahima jail. The party teleported over and met up while planning how to break Valgas out if necessary (hiding this fact from Lloyd). Nadia bought a scroll for instant summons, and sapphire to use it. Tye cast spell comune to learn of other possible avenues. He learned Clegerous ate Deportas memories and that Deportas is in Srine.
After this, the Party split minorly to take care of things, Nadia prepped spell, Ulver investigated with local thieves guild. Tye headed to admiral church, Red gave Lloyd relationship advice. The next day the party visited the prison and smuggled in the sapphire and some other items. But as they examine the room they realized these can’t be used and fall back on plan B, negotiation. Red and Valgas negotiated for his help, coming to the terms of, if the party aids his liberation and is given co-ownership of the radio station again, he will help with the Regent. Valgas also suggested that Memista, Lloyd’s crush, may be able to issue a pardon, opposed to mounting a jailbreak.
Barely witty title
The party mulled over options for hours, contacting Mirana and James Mer in the process. Eventually they decided to speak with Memista and see about pardoning Valgas so he can lure the High Regent into a trap with the promise of blood honey. Memista is willing to call in favors but asks the party to help by dealing with ghouls in the sewers that had killed the child of someone influential. Agreeing, the party also learn that there are reports of giant maggot along with the ghouls, possibly associated with necromancers and Kyuss
The Sights and Stench of the Sewers
The party entered the sewers to deal with the ghouls. Ulver scouted ahead along with Nadia’s arcane eye, finding multiple foot soldier ghouls and as well as a priest ghoul. After a small plan, the party engaged in typical fashion. As the foot soldier numbers waned, the priest ran around a corner, in what was assumed to be seeking refuge. But this was proven wrong, as the party advanced, from the walls emerged a colossal maggot. However, it did not last long as it was focus-fired by Nadia, Krim, Red and Tye. With the maggot felled, the rest of the ghouls followed.
Last Stand in a Sewer Pipe
Past the giant maggot’s corpse, the party crawled through a pipe into a small pool. Red waded as Nadia and Ulver rode Tye over, who can walk on water Krim held back waiting to see what was ahead. But nothing is ever easy, for as they were crossing, undead muck monsters. Tye managed to scatter them but not before they created a strong whirlpool ripping at him, Nadia and Ulver. Red heard more commotion coming from ahead, blocked the tunnel with himself.
More Ghouls rushed in and downed Red through sheer numbers. Nadia and Tye hurled fire magic down the pipe, while Ulver and Krim cleaned up the entrance to the pipe. But the ghouls could not gain way while Red was in the way so they killed him while he was down, and started dragging him away. Now needing to get through Nadia thunderwaved the pipe emptying the tunnel. Tye moves through the pipe and blasts with the cannon, with Nadia and Ulver following suit.
Red Un-dead Attempt-ion
Red’s body continues to be dragged away by the Ghoul Honorguard, when Ulver uses his ring of telekinesis and flung it to him. Unfortunately he was overzealous in his pull and knocked himself in the process. Tye was able to revify Red but soon after was dropped by a spiritual weapon. From down past the ghouls a member of the Rampart approached engaging with the ghouls as well, finishing the last honorguard with Krim. Seeing the threat he posed, the Priest banished the Rampart guard. This was short lived though as Red and Krim make him drop the spell and killed him respectively. In dire straits the Priest casted spirit guardians at 9th level with most of the party in range. Red was just able to survive the damage, and killed him with a solid chop.
The Rampart Guard introduced himself as Ulysses and distributed potions as aid. With Ulver unconscious, Nadia scouted ahead and found multiple extra items and potions. She also sent an arcane eye ahead, finding more maggots up pipes, more guards feeding them, an a noble dropping food into pools.
After a small plan was formed, Krim blew through a wall with radio magic beginning the attack. Tye baned the ghouls as Red slowed them. Nadia pluged a maggot in a pipe with flaming sphere. But the Ghouls and another maggot ganged up quickly spitting acid and casting spells, bringing the party back into low health.
Sewers to Spas to Spies
The party drew a long fight but the maggot ran up and away from the fight. However the ghouls were still formidable and killed Ulyssess. Battered but not beaten the party slogged through. Approaching the circular pools, they found a singular ghoul lording over, while soldiers of rampart floated dead in the pools.
The ghoul was surprised by the party, mainly that they weren't the ones he expected. He described a group called the A-men that were a rival of his. He’d raise an army of ghouls, they’d stop him and repeat. Hearing enough, Tye swept the Ghoul into a whirlpool. But thus was part of his plan as he raised an Undead Kraken.
A tough fight was ensued, with Krim being eated, the maggots returning, and Nadia being thrown across the room. But the party prevailed with Nadia turning the kraken to a turtle and Tye looting potions mid battle. With the kraken redead, they looted the room finding spell scrolls and a good supply of platinum.
The party reported to Memista, who set to work creating a magical binding contract for Valgas’s release. With that being ready tomorrow, the party treated themselves to a spa day to rest. They reconvened midday with Valgas and Memista to settle the terms of the contract. Valgas will be given his pardon and co-ownership of World’s End Radio. In exchange he will assist with the High Regent and the artificial demons. The penalty for violating the contract will be death for both sides (starting with Red for the party). The deal was signed and the party planned its next step. Red asked Valgas if he knew of any way to get to Clegerous and learned of the secret police’s warehouse.
Cue Mission Impossible Music
Tye also manages to get a spa day in before reuniting with the party during the meeting. With the contract signed they waited in a nearby coffee shop to see news of Valgas’s “escape”. Once the escape was aired nationally, a break was taken to go shopping and training. The next day, the party headed out by airship to Marinto, looking into Clegerous and the warehouse.
With Ulver, not feeling well(?), Red opted to infiltrate the warehouse, Nadia helped him access the roof via an arcane gate and he used a hatch to slip into the rafters. Overhearing the warehouse workers gained him nothing but inside the offices he gained a floor plan for the boxes. Almost running out of time, Red did learn that the boxes on the outside perimeter hid a gear system, and inferred that the entire bottom of the warehouse may lower.
Exiting the building, the floor plan was given to Nadia to translate, which cited the office room as “elv - clter”. Inferring that it's some sort of elevator control, the party knew where to target when they made their move.
Finding answers in the bottom of the Bottle
Nadia scouted with Aidan, discovering all nearby buildings are protected with abjuration magic to some extent. Meanwhile Ulver and Red investigated a thieves den, found that no one who’s tried to mark the warehouse was heard from again. Inquiring about the last person to try this, they discovered that it was Deportas and that he had a room rented nearby.
Party headed to the Pun Last Drink and after Nadia and Red presented fake inspector documents. Inside, the room was tossed, the only thing of note was a scroll case on the floor and scraps of papers that had been smudged over. In the bathroom, Tye found a brick of salt and a mug hidden away in two different stalls. Within the bedroom, Red shined a light behind the paper shreds, revealing lost notes, including “i’ve hid a clue within my sea”.
Gathering in the bathroom, the cup is filled with water and salt, creating a sea-scape seen through the cup. Taking a cup over another toilet, the party was able to fine a key but little else. It wasn’t until the cup was being traded around that they noticed that when held over a basin, the cup seems to get deeper. After filling the bathtub with water, they saw the chest that goes with the key. Ulver was able to lift the the chest with telekinesis and extract the contents, a staff that seemed to fit the trident the party has, and a journal. The journal stated that Deportes kept forgetting things, but Nadia discovered an encrypted note; Fear omega. With that gathered Tye and Krim headed to warehouse and discovered when the floor drops.
Witnessing Witnesses
Needing more information on shutting down psionics, Ulver adopts the most handsome disguise possible and the persona William. Re-entering the thieves bar, Ulver had a tense standoff with the bartender but gathered the knowledge that shutting down the relay will knock out an area but destroying the Elder Brain will down the city’s network. Not wanted to functionally destroy the city, they opted to target the relays. After a rest, Nadia talked to a friend for further information on Relays. She learned that the relays are mind witnessed and that each has a range about 600ft.
Deciding this would be another recon day, Tye used locate creature and triangulated the area to find two relays. The first was found in a warehouse’s top floor. Nadia dimension doored into a nearby stairwell and found the witness grooving, i mean absolutely jamming. Realizing that it would be easy to sneak up on, the party pressed on to the next one within a firehouse. Red goes in unknown and found the Witness binge eating popcorn. Realizing it would be easy to drug him, Red purchased some dust of deliciousness.
No (Mind) Witnesses
Ulver, while the rest of the party planned, took off somewhere to be determined later. Even though they were down a member, the party took a midday nap, still committed to breaking in today. Nadia and Tye split to take care of the musical Mind Witness. Getting into the room was no problem, but even with Tye baneing it, it succeeded on the modify memory. Luckly, before it could send a message out, the spell was recast, succeeding this time. Meanwhile Red and Krim took care of the binge eater. Red snuck in, and dosed the popcorn it was devouring with the dust of deliciousness. From their the spell took effect with no issue
Regrouping, the party observed the inside of the warehouse from the top hatch, seeing that the floor had dropped 10ft and multiple pillars with doors on them stood in the middle. Trying to be stealthy Tye dropped onto the scaffolding, which couldn’t take its weight and collapsed. With the guards aware of their presence, combat ensued. Wanting to silence the guards quickly, Red paralyzed two guards that Krim and Tye killed off (Hammerblows and a cannon to the face). The Valmari guard countered by stunning Krim and Red as Nadia prismatic sprayed the entire enemy force before positioning herself away. From her new vantage point, Nadia saw red mist appear in the distance and the whole party heard “you have disturbed by feeding” within their minds. Soon after Omega appeared, a moth-like, many-eyed creature, and stared at Nadia as her magic items stopped working.
Violence isn’t the answer, and that sucks.
Omega harassed the party with his anti-magic vision, powerful claw attacks, paralyzing darts and restraining pins but what was worse was he seemed to be unfazed by the parties attacks. While the party was trying to deal with the other combatants, Omega attempted to move from Krim to pummel Ulver, as Krim held him in place. This earned Omega’s ire as he beat Krim unconscious and held his gaze on him until he died, unable to be healed. Omega then consumed Tye, but Ulver freed him with his god’s blessing, as he was able to revive Krim. As the party’s health dwindled, shots came through the windows, healing darts, aiding the party. Aidan also flew in to heal Tye, explaining he’s being helped by a blue glowing man. Searching for another way to deal with this, Tye opens one of the doors, and saw a man on an automatic stretching rack. Red knew he had to slow down Omega literally, and used slow, but seemed to have some resistance to it.
The Art Of Combat: From Alpha to Omega
Nadia fell trying to escape Omega and was promptly consumed. To the south, Tye freed a prisoner strapped to a stretching rack. as Omega shrieked in pain. The party were raised and fell repeatedly, but when Ulver fell he was consumed allowing Nadia to escape. Nadia sent Omega away with scatter, leaving Ulver behind. Krim freed another prisoner in an iron maiden, who turned out to be Deportes. Ulver and Red free the last prisoner, who had his feet licked to the bone by goats.
Seeing Omega reeling in pain from this, the beatdown on Omega commenced, with everyone throwing all they had at them, (including Aidan being a dick…with his dick). Still the threat, Omega knocked many of the party down, including killing Red, but he was revived and Nadia incinerated Omega with an overcharged fireball. Gathering the prisoners, the party met Estaban, the man who was helping them with the healing darts before they disappeared into the night.
The New BBEG
The party met with James Mer in the back of a bar. He stated he would need about two days to set everything up. Finishing the meeting, the Party visited Konigzpfalz seeking to get the needle forged. Meeting with the high Enchanter, Tye settles on a warpick. After that, a small shopping stint was had and the party visited a small dueling gym and tested their mettle.
Puzzling on how to spend the rest of the day, a man approached placing an offer on the trident for his master. Wanting to meet this buyer in person, the man (begrudging) brought them to a teleporter. Going through, the party find themselves within a cavern with brine pools as an Aboleth rose. Negotiation broke down quickly (our fault) and the Aboleth fucked off.
Traveling through the cave systems blind, they kept running into attempts from the Aboleth to get the trident, including; a find the queen game, a talking door, a puppet show, a fake bar, a fake floor and a false floor with a slide. Eventually, Red decides to contact Nevik asking for help. Soon after the party met Sheriff Webber, his contact, a horse sized spider. He helped them escape and sealed the tunnel behind them. After, a Sending message to Nevik was sent, thanking him and saying if he had a plan for that rival Aboleth, they wanted in.
Vengeance? So Soon?
Arriving in town, the party were called over by a Kuo-Toa in a sewer. He said Nevik was ready to move on his rival. Meeting with Nevik, he explained he had a way to contain his rival but the party would have to do the dirty work, and that one of them would have to become enthralled. Red volunteered, and they met with Sherriff Webber, and descended into cavern.
Inside the cavern was narrow but it was perfect for Ulver’s scouting. He found chuls, Skums and a hulking Skum, which the party got a drop on. As the fight continued an Abyssal chul appeared and grappled Krim and a Balhannoth did the same to Nadia and teleported away. The Balhannoth was short-lived however as Nadia teleported away and blasted it down.
That Fucking Aboleth? That Fucked Aboleth!
Battle continues with the party slaughtering the skums handley. The chul holding Krim briefly tried to drown him before getting cracked open. The party converged to dramatically pose in a storm sphere before clearing the eastern portion of the cavern.
Pressing forward Krim found that fucking Aboleth who tried to entrall him twiced and failed. Reinforcements started to come from the northwest but Nadia froze the in space and suppressed them with an illusionary dragon (that looked a lot like Aidan) . With Krim’s mind too sharp to control, the Aboleth turned its entrall to Ulver, who in turn stabbed Tye in the back. This control was short lived though, as Tye greater restoration-ed (open palmed slapped) some sense into Ulver.
Un-Friendly Fire 2: Cause we suck as getting along (and Wisdom Saves)
Plipplop appears as a champion of the Aboleth and engages the party. Nadia and her (crow) dragon clear the hallway. Red and Krim are held by Plipplop and battered by foes. Tye and Plipplop slug it out before Tye frees Red of paralysis, and Ulver soon after does the same for Krim. Many of the thralls grouped up, allowing Nadia to score a big hit with the illusionary dragon. Plipplop tried a hypnotic pattern but was shut down by counterspell.
Aboleth reappeared from its brine pool and tossed Nadia like a ragdoll. She was revived via the regeneration potion, only to be enslaved, along with Ulver. She immediately firebolted Red with an overcharged firebolt, and Red countered with Steelwind Strike, slicing Ulver, Nadia and the Aboleth. This damage was enough to break the control on Nadia. The Aboleth dove in fear as Ulver shot Red in the back. Aboleth drained Plip-plop but re-emerges in pain, as Neviks plan kicks in. Tye casts greater restoration on Plip-plop, a hopeful ally as fight continues.
The Other Pincer Maneuver
Fearing its demise, the Aboleth dove under its brine pool to escape. Having no target, Krim smacked Ulver so that Tye could restore him. Nadia turned Red into a huge giant crab so he could give chase after the Aboleth. Huge Red Crab took a beating but grabbed the Aboleth. Tye parted the water allowing the Aboleth to be dragged to the surface. Now suffocating, The Aboleth tried to enthrall again but found no purchase and was swiftly hammered by the party and the newly freed Plip-plop.
Searching around, the party found the last trident piece and some brainless thralls. Nevik contacted saying he wanted the tralls. With the help of Sheriff Weber and a millipede horse costume they were delivered and a reward was given. Before resting, the party (or at least SOME of them) decided to repair the Trident. Upon mending, the trident spoke and decided to give the party a minor wish. Red, the one who bought the materials to mend the trident, wished for Aidan’s and Nadia’s curse to be removed. The wish sort of worked, Adian could now turn into a human for a short time.
Getting a good night’s rest, the party was met with a sending from Memista, she had sent help. Downstairs they found Dj Khaled-mari, a College of Vinyl bard Squidman. Having no further business in town, the party teleported back to the Capital and Tye received his cold steel pickax.
Beachside Real Estate and the Squatters-Right We will use Later
Since the party had some time to kill, a nice shopping trip began. Wanting to pick up items for “human” Aidan, Nadia lucky found a shop specializing in bird magic items. She picked up weapons and armor that could transform with him. With shopping done the party teleported to Arkaydia and headed to the bar James said to meet him there.
What a bizarre way to begin. Perhaps this is normal on this planet, in this time? Time to shop. Shopping time. His mantle buzzed with anticipation. Neurons fired and clawed back to a moment before – had he ever shopped? It certainly sounded familiar. Surely he had done so at some point.
Is this how shopping always worked? He didn’t seem to think it was always so pet-focused but, again, it could be a function of this particular time and space. Best not to mention it. Pretend to understand. And then the beat dropped.
The familiar frequency of selling, haggling and buying. An everyday rhythm. There was safety in that. He relaxed into the moment. There were some alterations along the way – a suggestion for chord change. Magic pets, talking dogs, exploding kittens.
Reaching the bar, the entire place was disheveled. Speaking with the bartender, they learned thugs came in, burst into the backroom, grabbed someone and dragged them out. Assuming this was James, Red ducked into an alleyway and cast sending, while being paranoid by the pigeons that seemed to spy on him. James messaged back with coordinates. Through the stealing of a map and a scry from DJ, they found the “prison” James was taken to, a small villa on the sea
He lost himself in the thrumming pulse of bass and when he next became aware, he was at a bar – ah, the comfortably commonness of it. He could get used to that. Drinks at the end of a long night. Was it night? The sun never moved here, hard to tell the passage of time but he was accustomed to that too.
Scouting with Aidan revealed James' exact position, tied to a chair being beaten, with a group of elves eating in the background; The Ver Schwa family. Tye and Red attempt to teleport, only to get stuck along the outside wall. To cover their position Dj cast silence, Tye blows through the wall with his new toy. The inside room was luckily an empty lounge, so Red popped his head through the door on the other side and spotted torture ==== Session . Signaling to the party, Nadia opened an Arcane gate and the party flooded into the room. Greater invisibility and slowness are cast, as Tye and Red rush into the room, cannon blasting as slashing until the three nobles are dead and guards were injured. Nadia locks the doors to close off the room, as Aidan turns human on the roof and turns invisible.
He closed his eyes and floated through the astral white, jumping to a fortress on the sea. There was blood on the dance floor. The tempo suddenly quickened. They moved in effortless unison, at ease with their capabilities and roles, harmonizing with each other and he fell into their cadence.
The nervous energy of eagerness right before the start of a party thumped in his chest, violence drummed loudly in his ears and exploded from the silence. That instant release as you lose yourself in the music, as you look over and see others lose themselves in it too. As you see them released. Fairwell, fellow travelers.
The only guarantees in life are Death and Taxe, and we aren't dying here.
Ulver jumped off a table, ready to pounce, but immediately slipped and knocked himself out. DJ spun up a record disk, applying bless to the party. Red and Tye cut James free and healed him while dealing with the guard looming over. Tired of Aidans invisibility antics on the roof, the priestess there casted truesight, calling out his position for the nearby guard. Guards from the south hallway approached via teleporting (something that made us jealous), but both tried to teleport directly into Nadia, and were shunted out. Realizing reinforcements could be coming, Tye summoned the dwarves and blocked the eastern doorway but was hit by the priestess who lowered his credit score (and health). Now with 5 guards in the hallway, Red cast darkness into the hallway hoping to gain an advantage, but was soon dispelled by the Priestess who then hid in the bathroom.
Outside, Ulver is carried out, looted, and tossed into the water below. Surrounded (or in a target rich environment) Nadia cast sunburst, damaging everyone and blinding most through the arrow slits.Wishing to further impede the guards, DJ paralyzed 2 of the guards allowing Krim to Hammer them. Aidan is knocked out on the roof, and as Nadia attempts to rescue him she is bonked by a guard and knocked out as well. Tye continued to suppress the right door, bludgeoning the priestess. Fearing his return, the guard executes Aidan, but soul is returned to Nadia. Krim shows unexpected acrobatics prowess by cartwheeling past an enemy to get into blocking range. Scavenging a pistol from the dead noble, James takes aim and explodes one of the guards. Red revives Nadia, who immediately got out of dodge, as he walked into the bathroom and brutalized the priestess hiding within.
Dreams of Squating Dashed Aside
Finished catching her breath. Nadia opened the bedroom door and ended the bathroom priestess, before locking herself into the bedroom again. Ulver woke up toothless and penniless, and began levitating up the cliffside. Tye continued to clean-house on the right side of the room with his dwarves. Now being the biggest target in the halfway, the priestesses further lowered Krim’s Credit score. Nadia continued to use her peek-a-boo tactics from the bedroom, summoning a whole ass storm in the building. Dj recast hold person, paralyzing most of the guards. Seeing the opportunity, Red teleported and slashed the paralyzed guards, killing 3 of them. The one guard who wasn’t held teleported to cut Nadia, but couldn't get through the door and was electrocuted to death by the storm soon after. All that was left then was a priestess, and Krim decided to get vengeance for his fractured credit score.
Ulver collected his teeth, and was filled in on the happenings as the room was looted. Various magic items were found including potions, books and mechanical control gems, along with a good supply of jewelry. What prisoners “survivors” remained were finished off. Sad that they couldn't find the deed and have some beachfront property, the party left and contacted Valgas. He had learned the whereabouts of Clegerous and wanted to meet about it. Wanting to sell off their ill gotten gains, first the party teleported to Corben hoping to sell the control crystals off there. Upon arriving they were immediately extorted into buying Marshalbucks, the new currency of the region. Realizing this place sucked big floppy tarrasque dick, they immediately turned on a radio and teleported to Worlds End. Speaking With Valgas, they learned storming the warehouse in Marinto caused Clegerous to look for a new slave warehouse in Morne. Needing info from him, both on Deportas and The High Regent, they realized Dj could access his memory by eating it. With a plan in place, the party rested and prepped for the train ride ahead.
Selling Ourselves Out
After the party awoke from their rest, they were met by Adriklos, who informed the party (or maybe just Red after all is said and done), that his plans against the Songdeaths may be happening sooner than expected. He then left, with the party heading out soon after, teleporting to Marinto. Nadia split off to prepare feeblemind, while the rest of the party scouted. The mountain paths proved far too rough to scout well though, so the party fell back to get info from a Snake instead.
In the meeting, the party sold three pieces of info; 1, The party sold the info on 3V hunting them under their former alias for the location on three facilities nearby, 2, the sold info on the High Regents plans for exact info on Clegerous, and 3, Sold info on how many demons were created so far for 500 plat. With that done everyone met back up and split off for training.
Ferrets and Other Drugs
As Nadia finished prepping her spell book, the party trained more and set off in the afternoon. Supplies were bought for camping and DJ went looking for drugs, finding a ferret, a slug and a swarm of mosquitoes. The party set out that afternoon and camped a few times on the way, such highlights include;
That day, within the mountains, DJ started feeling a vibration in the ground (not from drugs). Searching the area, Nadia found a rock with hinges. Tye was able to pick through the door but it set off a grenade trap. Inside an Urmari soldier sat at the ready near what the party assumed was a communicator. He suicide bombed himself to damage the party and destroyed the device but the party noticed a lever nearby. Pulling it, opened an elevator on the snow. The party got on and as they were riding down, a voice over a loudspeaker began taunting them. Knowing they've been made, Red cast darkness the second he saw light from the elevator's end, as Urmari soldiers began to fire.
What Happens in the Darkness, Stays in the darkness
The guards release their shots as the elevator levels out but all miss due to the enshrouding darkness as DJ upcasted hold person, paralyzing all of the visible guards. Weakened and vulnerable, the party massacred them swiftly as a Velmari guard watched helplessly behind glass before hitting a switch to let more guards in. After a guard took a pot shot before closing the door in front of him, DJ blocked the door with an immovable rod.
Just when the party thought they had an upper hand, a large hairy eyeless cat appeared and thunderously screamed at the party, a shriek that stunned Nadia. Seeing an easy target, Nadia is shot by more soldiers as they burst through doors only to duck behind them. Soon after as the cat disappears. The Party takes out some enemies as doors are locked and a second eyeless cat appears. Red darkens the doorway to cut off line of sight of the soldiers as Tye takes out the second cat and joins Red in the darkness. Nadia summoned Aidan just in time to be fireballed with the rest of the party through the glass. Krim teleports into the lever room and attacks the Velmari
Go Ham On Walls
DJ teleports through the glass to join Krim only to be charmed a second later by the guards. This however was backfired quickly though as DJ forcecaged to protect them but seal them off from combat. With the guards taken care of Tye made the most of his new warpick and knocked down walls to explore more. Finding an interrogation room, the party saw a wanted poster for a Tabaxi, for crimes against state. Opening another door, guards scrambled to better position, with Red and Krim giving chase, forcing their way through the door, provoking combat in darkness. Nadia threw Aidan into the darkness where he turned human. One of the guards slipped around to where Tye was waiting for them but he was immediately feebleminded. Unable to see their targets, the guards grenaded, grenaded and fireballed the darkness, beating Nadia, Krim and Red. Nadia spun around and circled to where Tye was and turned into a giant snake. Aidan conjured an illusion of himself and went to town. Now regrouped and with the guards in a pincer, the party beared down, and eliminated the guards.
Dj undumbed Tye, and healing was had all around. Tye open a pathway like a miner and revealed a natural cave system with a river and cells built into the walls. Oh and more enemies, lots of enemies. Seeing this DJ cast Reverse Gravity, throwing creatures and the river to the ceiling and taking a hidden creature with it within the river. Nadia flew in, to frost finger the water (A plan that i'm sure in going to go wrong on the very next turn.)
Power Napping During Battle
Aidan’s illusion walked into the gravity whirlpool. Red seeing the party is soon to be flanked, casted Eyebite and began putting Velmari to sleep. The eyeless cats attack Tye and DJ as Krim gives himself blindsight to counterattack. Tye and Nadia are surprised by a jelly-Shrimp hiding in the water and are battered by them. Nadia casted Scatter, sending enemies to the “floor” so they can fall to the ceiling again. Red heard noises and moved back into the hallway, getting shot by the additional enemies as he peaked. DJ dropped the gravity reversal, slamming enemies into the floor. Krim attacked the kitty and backed away to aid Red in the hallway.
Seeing Tye beaten severely, DJ turns Tye into a gold dragon with true polymorph. Nadia has Aidan attack the cat and try to ensnare it. The Velmari soldier primed a grenade but Red caught it and tossed it away. Gold Dragon Tye breathed flame and killed many of the guards that were harassing him. Seeing how well Tye was doing, DJ turns himself into a T-rex. However both Tye and Dj are knocked out of polymorph and Tye was rendered unconscious. Dj sped in and gave a potion to him. Nadia and Aidan performed do dimension door shenanigans and pulled Tye out of the water as he banished the Velmari looming above.
The Best Bonding Activity is Bloodshed (or watershed in this case)
Alarms sound and the prisoner cages open. Inside five figures emerge, two rather feline looking (one tabaxi and one catlike humanoid) and three sand-people, all of them enter the fray. Immediately the catlike Human (not to be confused with the human-like cat) aka Voci, summoned a primal companion and summoned a spiritual tiger. Meanwhile the Vallette (the human-like cat) electrocuted the jelly shrimp creature. Nadia and Aidan float down the river unceremoniously. Red took out the warden that loomed over Tye as DJ healed him.
Down the hallway, Soldiers began waking up each other as Krim began to clean them up. DJ provokes AAO trying to escape from the jelly-shrimp and is promptly knocked up but Tye revived him quickly after. One of the dust monsters Voci took out reconstituted itself as Krim raced down the hall to stop the guards from waking up. Red kills off the jelly-shrimp as Voci fired a volley, destroying some more of the dustmen. DJ gets out of the water and locks himself into the cell. Tye loaded a mortar into the cannon and cleared the dust monsters, which don't reconstitute with the fire damage. Red finished the rest of the dustmen being that fire damage is his specialty. Krim is dominated by the awakened Velmari and attacked DJ, but it was soon dropped as Vallete broke its concentration.
We Trama Share to Make More Trama Later
The Warden breathed gas on Tye and Valette, paralyzing Valette as Nadia and Aidan rushed up and Prismatic Sprayed the hallway. Krim took down the Agent as the warden prepared another breath, but failed to catch anyone. Coordinated as only they could be, Nadia kills the warden as Aidan killed the last Soldier.
The Rooms were quickly looted as Krim and Red open a door to find Clegerous, sitting at a table calmly. He openly cuts off tentacles for the bunkers layouts, info on the demons and all the knowledge about Deportes. When asked why he was so cooperative, He said he regrets what he’s done and plans to blow up the base to cover the party’s tracks. A few countermeasures were placed to keep him honest, and the party left the facility with Tye polymorphed. The facility blew and with it an avalanche rolled down, the party watched as a local farm settled in the middle. The party opted to rescue who they could saving the workers and the owners, before trekking down the rest of the mountain
While in camp, they learned about Valette, how he was forced into working for a Solarian entity, and wanted to head back to gain their freedom. The rest of the party trama shared to fill everyone up to speed. Midway through the rest, Krim was alerted to a startling sight, all the Demons the party, with Sigma’s singular eye staring at the hut. Needing a distraction, Red threw out the feather token and summoned a Roc which headed up the mountain. As the demons gave chase, the party ran past and down, turning back to see a space whale with an underside of eyes cutting off the Roc. The party muscled through the night, arriving in town a half of day later, before teleported away to Konigspfalz.
Rimming The Drug Ferret
DJ, now awake, consumed the memories, (abbreviated below)
With the knowledge gained the party headed to the palace and visited Dryani. After a small debate the party opted to upgrade Vallete’s Bracers. With that completed, The party started Sending to people to gather the support for the final battle. Collection of support listed below.
A day and many Kuo Koffees later, the party went back to Dryani for the bracers. Unknown to the rest of the party, Vallete stuffed a small object onto a shelf. Leaving the room, the party planned their next move before remembering that Dryani potions are the shit and went back in to beg. However negotiations (if it could be called that) were cut short as Dryani suddenly became ill after a bug bite. DJ and Red swiftly discovered that the bite was a Velmari and was assimilating her. Red was about to cut out the bug, when Vallete heard Adriklos offer to stop him. Agreeing, the wound closed and Red’s sword went limp. With than Dryani’s fate was sealed and quite possibly Vallete’s as well.
Out-dealing the Devil
Now with more spell slots Red contacted Corinth, who was in the middle of licking Grung. After a brief explanation (and suggesting his drug trade might get disrupted) he volunteered aid as well. With their business concluded, the party tagged along with Tye as he and DJ restored Deportes’s memories. The moment was tense but Tye decided to spare him, knowing he acted under duress. Deportes, thankful, called in some favors for the battle ahead.
Now came the hard talk, as the party discussed who to work with. Contacting Dagonth and showing him how Nadia and Aidan were cursed, he stated he had an 80% chance to remove it. A long discussion was had but a verdict was reached, Party decided to side with Dagonth but as Red tried to cast with sending but it failed. The sword cut the air, which opened a portal and Adriklos stepped out but Red was prepared for this. Red knew he would threaten his parents, so Red told him if he did, he would go straight to the Songdeaths and tell them about Adriklos’s power grab. This was enough to scare Adriklos back and he left, a win Red needed.
Before leaving Timberfell, Tye visited the temple to The Admiral. He poured his heart into his prayer, needing a boon for the upcoming fight; And a boon he received in the form of blessed cannonballs. The Party teleported to Worlds End, where Valgas and DJ went over the plan. The Plans starts in the communication room, where all the forces teleport in, cut communication and slay demons with Dagonth’s demon. Meanwhile the backup help stays back to hold the line and prevent flanking. Pouring through the memories DJ saw something interesting; Kikris seemed to be walking separately from Gamma and had free range of the place.
A Name Now Shared
All the called help arrived at World’s End, in addition to an unwelcome one. Adriklos appeared to Red, stating since he’s such a big hero now, the contract is complete, and he’s taking back the powers. However Adriklos was unable to take the sword, and left saying he was going to leave a surprise for the party during the bunker. Not long after he left a strange tiefling arrived named Skander Glaya, who offered Red another pact and informed that the plan to eliminate the Songdeaths was still on and that they obtained the Book of Vile Darkness. Red declined the pact, saying he needed to rely on his own strength but was still interested in the later.
The plan was covered, simple but efficient, to be enacted the next day. With time to kill, Tye opted to splurge some coins, and threw a big party, during which Red learned he could say his name (Deslin). Waking up the next day slightly hungover, the party ate DJs health paper and had Valgas contact the bunker to teleport in.Over the radio, he learned that two other parties entered the bunker ahead of them. Unable to learn more currently and being unable to change it the party teleported in. The token guard force was short-lived as the party ripped through them like paper. Pressing forward, the party headed towards a prison, hoping to free anyone inside, but it was emptied. Moving to the first demons chambers, the party found Beta, Kappa and Epsilon, as well as a familiar goose who was looking for vengeance.
Cookin’ the Goose
Abernathy made idle threats, (pecking the eyes out and sexual harassment) as he summoned a gigantic goose with eight legs Kappa’s tendrils descended from the ceiling, hanging near the party’s footing.The party focused the Spider Goose first as it honked a terrible thunderous honk. Nadia flew, escaping the tendrils grasp and caught the foes in a Sickening Radiance. In the back lines, Epsilon pulled DJ and Vallette into the water. Red, surging with anger, struck the Spider Goose and Smited it, not through eldritch machination but through righteous fury (divine smite, paladin). DJ escaped from the water and wanting to clear up the battlefield DJ dropped the Bass (a pun) and turned Kappa into a Rock Bass (the fish, not the musical instrument). Abernathy tried to berate the party with spells but got shut down with counterspells every time. Vaer teleported near Abernathey and decimated his health. Valette, escaping from Epsilon, capitalized on Vaers work, and threw glass shards through him. Krim and Red dove into the water Epsilon and drove it to the surface as Vaer concentrated on Beta. Tye and Vallette destroyed Beta but in its bone ash rose four beta spawns. Nadia casted Prismatic Spray catching the Beta spawns and the arisen Epsilon. The fighting pressed on as a small bat flew into the room.
Old Friends to New Allies
Vallete eliminated a Beta Spawn as Kappa is Re-bass-ed. Krim dropped Epsilon to critical health as people eased off it. A slight mistake however as this gave room for Epsilon to breath noxious poison, before dragging Deslin (Red) and Vallete into the water. Tye and DJ pummeled the last beta Spawns as Vaer absorbed the remains. With Beta dealt with, Vaer connected with Epsilon as it breathed again on Tye and DJ and pulled DJ and Vallete in again. Vallete was tired of being dragged back and forth and threw a glass dagger through Epsilon, dead center of the eyes, adding another to Vaer’s power. Now all that was left was Kappa, as Red prepared his strike. The second Vaers energy connected, Red launched his cut and Kappa exploded in radiance.
Regrouping, Nadia was able to resummon Aidan. As the party pressed into the next room, they meet face to face with an old friend. Kikris. Kikris was surprised and flustered seeing the party, thinking they were dead, only for them to come back and screw up their plans. When pressed for more info, Kikris explained that Gamma eventually spit them out, and they were able to speak with the High Regent and his reasoning. The demons weren’t made for a political/territorial power play but were made to fight the Envoy, who plans to destroy the world. With his death drawing near he decided to choose Kikris as his successor and gave them control of the demons.
Negotiations were tense, as the party neither wanted to hurt Kikris and leave the Envoy unopposed nor double cross Daganth and Vaer and leave Nadia and Aidan high and dry (and turn on their allies). Quick thinking, Red was able to hammer out a deal; Kikris keeps the demons until the Envoy is dealt with, and afterwards Vaer gets the souls. Vaer, knowing the Envoy was a threat and had other preparations in the works, agreed, while the High Regent agreed with one condition. Since his protege would be left with nothing come the end of that endeavor, he insisted the party go to Fishaug in Solaria and eliminate Kikris’s half brother, Hans, who also sided with the Envoy. An easy sell all things considered, the party agreed and contacted Memista to draft a contract similar to the one with Valgas. All that was left was the High Regent, old and feeble, who knowing everything would be taken care of, could die at peace. A swift cut was delivered as he was freed from his mortal coil.