1. Journals

Unpaid Debts, Unmade Threats

Session
May 17, 2020

Paladirzt 15th, 951

  • The Collector Knight approached Seamus, stripping itself of its armor, revealing its tightly bound body.
    • It read out that Seamus owed a total of 938 platinum, 3 gold, 5 silver, and 7 copper to the Sanarian Tax Agency.
    • Wishing to protect his friends, Seamus began to go willingly with the knight, who tied him up with a barbed rope and threw the half elf over its shadowy horse
    • The Peas began to intervene (totally what happened) on Seamus’ behalf, attempting to bargain with the knight, who stated that Seamus would be taken somewhere to be “corrected”.
    • Leadbelly stood in front of the knight and directly threatened it, leading the knight to make a weird, cracking sound as if bones were breaking inside its body, but was somehow understandable to be a laugh
    • The knight was all too happy to oblige this conflict
  • Leadbelly drew FIRST BLOOD, striking the dark steed the knight was now standing on, scattering thick, dark blood across the temple floor
    • The knight responded by striking Leadbelly as it jumped from his horse, marking the dwarf with a strange symbol of a dragon as its hits connected
    • Tyerjon rushed the knight, dealing heavy damage with his Screaming Sword, but was hit and marked by the knight as well.
    • Journey primed Mirror Image from afar, staying cautious about the conflict
    • Phaelnah, not interested in holding back, primed Dimensional Tendril to strike as soon as her allies were out of range, but took a hit from the knight, getting marked
    • Wander sent an arrow deep into the body of the knight, causing it to bleed a thick, black blood, akin to molasses
    • Sensing a true threat, the knight summoned its steed, plunging its fist into the horse’s chest and turning it inside out to create a dark, frosted blade
    • Seamus burst from his bindings with sheer strength, picking up Voidspeaker but also getting tagged by the knight
    • The knight used its Reap ability on those it had marked, stealing their health and gold
    • After dealing some heavy damage, the party backed off at Phaelnah’s warning.
      • When Leadbelly fled from the knight, the knight took the opportunity to strike critically against the dwarf, giving him a large gash to the chest, kept open by necrotic damage
    • The knight summoned a number of Bagmen to aid it, but soon after they were summoned, Phaelnah summoned the Nightblight’s power, tearing a hole in space and time, ripping some of the bagmen to shreds instantly. Despite dodging the grasp of the tendrils, the Collector Knight was bludgeoned furiously, taking a lot of the fight out of it
      • As the Bagmen were killed, it sounded as if people were crying out in pain
    • Enraged, the knight flew into a frenzy, deeming Phaelnah as a threat and attacking her with a flurry of strikes, bringing her close to death
    • As the party began to engage to put the knight down for good, it sent out a wave of chilling necrotic energy, marking everyone with the symbol of a dragon, and sending Phaelnah unconscious
    • As the knight prepared to use its Reap ability, placing the downed Phaelnah in mortal danger, Wander summoned the power of his heritage to answer with a Hellish Rebuke, burning the knight in hellfire and ceasing its terror.
  • Wander helped Phaelnah up with a potion as the group got their bearing, with Seamus surprised that a Collector Knight could actually be killed
    • Tyerjon assessed Leadbelly’s wound, figuring it would most definitely become a scar. The necrotic magic from the sword kept the wound open, so Tyerjon bandaged up Leadbelly as best he could.
    • Journey began to search through the effects of the knight, finding the paper stating Seamus’ debt, some general travel supplies, an old, creased but cared for love letter from a fellow Collector Knight named Evios, and a small, dark misty blue gem covered by an ornate golden filigree.
      • Through this, they learned the name of the knight to have been Corvel.
      • Tyerjon picked up the sword of the Collector Knight, but quickly dropped it when the sword asked him who he was.
    • Fearful of become enemies of the state, the group wondered what to do with the body
    • They were approached by the man who they had discovered to be praying at the statue of Xawelyn, who told them that he would take care of the body, no questions asked
    • While they group pondered the potential unfavorable outcomes of handing the corpse to this man, they agreed to the convenient solution
      • As the man left with the body, the dragonskull helmet fell off to reveal the face of a young woman. Thick purple veins climbed her neck from the wrappings around her body.
      • Tyerjon picked up the helmet, but could not wear it quite yet, as it was fitted to the skull of the woman.
    • Into the early hours of the morning, the group got to work cleaning the blood and gore from the temple floor
      • Looking for cleaning supplies, Wander went down some of the halls of the temple, finding various makeshift shrines to hundreds of different gods Among these, he found:
      • Shalde, Demigod, Champion of Fecto, Slayer of Vortek, Hero of Orcs and Men
      • Vortek, Demigod, Incarnation of Malice, Orchestrator of Conflict
      • Ajurana, Goddess of Wine and Debauchery
      • Milujana, Goddess of Wine and Refinement
      • Beretar the Blue, Demigod, Bringer of Happiness, Leader of the Bluethorn
      • Usleyn, God of Providence and Foresight
      • Olenno, Goddess of Opulence and Wealth
      • Vuletarra, Demigod, Maker of Knives
      • Ezan, Goddess of Light and Illumination, the Refulgent Lady
      • Felthurn, Demigod, Eater of Flesh
      • Palthen, God of Scripts and Languages
      • Nurien, God of Mirrors and Duplicity
      • Henvak, God of Hair and Fur
      • Lulien, Demigod, Daughter of the Allriver, Mediator of the Sea, the Torn Child
      • The Tearful, Demigod, Eater of Corpses
    • Tyerjon decided to rest under the statue of Patalir, and Phaelnah under Aeltra. The other chose to set up a Tiny Hut outside the temple, where they witnessed the corpse of a giant wyvern, apparently slain by Corvel.
      • Tyerjon dreamed of the northernmost peaks of Fusalis, witnessing people have their burdens lifted by a woman inside a chrysalis of ice
      • Evael visited Phaelnah once again in her dreams, admonishing the elf on her condition, but offering her little guidance on how to alleviate the symptoms. She directed Phaelnah to seek out Inglis, who currently has possession of a very powerful artifact of Aeltra.

Paladirzt 16th, 951

  • Waking late into the day, the group decided to finally deal with the Bottle Demon
    • The group pondered about which god to ask to smite the demon, mainly considering Aeltra and Onyr
    • With neither Leadbelly or Phaelnah being particularly willing to take initiative he group wondered for a time before Leadbelly finally got fed up an decided to ask Onyr
    • Draping the cloaks of the champions Valka and Revarna on his axe, Leadbelly asked his favor of Onyr, who demanded he be given something in return for his power.
    • Leadbelly offer his Serpent in Silver to Onyr, who seemed satisfied with the gift
    • The great dwarven statue came to life, shuddering off caked up dust has hit approached the center of the hall
    • Wander opened up his bag on holding to remove the demon, forcing Seamus, Phaelnah and Leadbelly to fight off its influence, with Leadbelly faltering from the powerful hold the demon once had on him
    • Irritated, the statue of Onyr slammed his foot into the ground sending the cracking sound of lightning reverberating through the room, returning Leadbelly’s senses
    • The statue took the bottle and smashed in onto the ground, with the massive demon growing to its full size
    • The statue began to yell at the demon with a booming voice, answering the demon’s growth with its own, breaking out of its stone and growing into a full avatar of the King of Storms, its height climbing into the ceiling until its head became obscured by the thick storm cloud building up around it
    • Accusing the demon of attempting to steal from him, the gigantic avatar of Onyr slammed his foot down onto the demon, smashing him into the ground. He then followed up with a fist charged by the lightning generated by the now raging, completely erasing the demon from existence.
    • The avatar returned to the size of the statue, returning to stone as it turned back towards its pedestal. Looking to Leadbelly, it stated that was eager to see his next move.
  • Phaelnah offered a prayer to the statue of Aeltra, noticing that it held out a fresh flower in it hand towards her
    • During her prayer she felt a hand touching her hand, and looking up after she finished, she noticed the statue itself had changed to reflect this
  • Tyerjon wandered the halls of the temple, eventually finding a shrine made to the Tearful, labeled the Eater of Corpses.
    • Believing this to be a good fit for the pots for the necromancer, he left the seven remaining pots at the altar
  • Wander experimented with the void underneath the main hall, sending Matilda to check it out, seeing through her eyes
    • Wander experienced an excruciating feeling as his consciousness was torn between his awareness in the bird and his real, physical body, experiencing years go by within the void but only mere moments in the material plane
    • Finally, Matilda made it through to the other side, hitting the stone underneath, and seeing the pot that Tyerjon previously threw down
  • Finally, the party left Godsreach, and began their journey down the mountainside
    • The group passed by the various mountain animals picking apart the corpse of the dead wyvern
    • They passed by where they had fought the phoenixes, noting that the ash was now gone
    • Continuing onwards, they found where they had dealt with the earth elemental, and carefully traversed the disturbed earth
    • Near the bottom, the group decided to rest as it had become late nate, with Wander setting up a Tiny Hut.
      • In the night, a large creature with a toothed beak, the body of a lion, the neck of a snake and gigantic scaly wings attempted to break into the hut, clawing at it and biting with its oversize maw. The group decided to go back to sleep, and would deal with it in the morning if it was still there.

Paladirzt 17th, 951

  • The party finished their journey down the mountain, making it back to Sanar without issue
  • Knowing their destination was somewhere in the Bitterwood, the party decided to find a way to get quick passage to Hymathel so they wouldn’t have to travel all the way around the mountain
  • Deciding to leave a visit to the Denovar District for later, the group went to the teleportation circle they came in through, stopping at an inn on the way for some well-deserved rest.

Paladirzt 18th, 951

  • After exiting the inn, the party came face-to-face with Righty, one of the dragonborn working under Eilon Terix.
    • The silver dragonborn gave Tyerjon a note describing directions to the tomb he was to visit, from either Hymathel or Duenmis.
    • Tyerjon gave Righty a nod, and the indentured dragonborn walked off into the city.
  • The group came upon the building housing the teleportation circle, and by Phaelnah’s impressive social skills learned that a trip with all of them would amount to 2000 gold
    • The party decided to try and save on costs by using the chest to go to Razodon’s cellar
    • Tyerjon and Phaelnah then approached the circle, and paid 1000 gold to instead be transported to Duenmis, as it was closer
    • Arriving in Duenmis, they found the atmosphere to be much more relaxed and open than the regimented cities of Sanaris, with spiraling buildings made from living trees.
    • Finding a secluded spot, Tyerjon entered the chest to get the others while Phaelnah kept watch
  • Going down into the chest, Leadbelly, Journey, Seamus and Murica found Razodon Goswin in the cellar, about to enter another door. He requested an immediate audience with them, if possible, and the party obliged as he escorted them to his dining room.
    • Razodon revealed that he was doing everything in his power to track down and kill Mardyth, as in his escape he murdered his brother, Gestro Goswin
    • The group agreed to keep communications with Razodon about Mardyth, and to share information, especially about methods concerning ending the thief’s life.
    • Somewhat threateningly, Razodon demanded that the group would bring the rogue to him to be killed by his own hands.
    • Razodon stated that his spies had last seen the man heading north, moving unnaturally fast
    • Tyerjon eventually wandered into the cellar calling for the group, and they took their leave.
  • Back at the chest, Phaelnah met a young adolescent that expressed interest in the Roomy Chest, and began to enter it. Phaelnah protested, but did nothing else to stop the boy.
    • The boy began looking around at the stuff inside the chest as the party finally arrived through the back door
    • The boy could not be convinced to leave, and his friend had just arrived above. In order to deescalate the situation, Journey put the boy to sleep with a Shiesian Kiss and promptly woke him up as the group carried him out.
    • Ignoring the two elven boys, the party quickly left for the Bitterwood to find the elven tomb.
  • Phaelnah led the way in the forest, trying her best to follow the directions given by Eilon, but became lost in the twists and turns of the fey forest.
    • The group eventually came upon a clearing in the forest, where a strange, emaciated creature sat humming an off-key tune, surrounded by numerous pixies
    • The group attempted to keep silent, but Journey, Murica and Leadbelly stumbled into each other, making a racket and attracting the attention of the creature
    • It called out to the party, beckoning them to sit and chat with him. Wander obliged.
    • Wander attempted to get some information out of the creature about the tomb they were searching for, and it remarked that they might be searching for the tomb of the Zelvass Family.
    • Journey and Murica eventually joined Wander, and witnessed the creature snatch one of the pixies from out of the air and eat it, seeing it float into a translucent blue bulb on the back of its head
    • Freaked out by this, the party started to leave, but Journey was charmed and came back to sit down. Wander attempted to coerce her back to the treeline, but she wouldn’t budge, forcing him to pick her up, despite her attempts to resist
    • The creature then extended his influence to everyone, hooking Wander, Journey and Leadbelly. Playing along, Murica and Tyerjon approached the creature while Phaelnah remained hidden in the woods.
    • When he was close enough, Tyerjon attempted to strike the creature, leading to combat
  • Tyerjon started out by cutting deeply into the creature, grievously wounding its rather frail body
    • Leadbelly sat listlessly, under the thrall of the creature
    • The pixies surrounding the group then began casting Polymorph on each of them, turning Leadbelly, Journey, Tyerjon, and Seamus into pixies.
    • Seamus tried to utilize his new pixie powers to cast Detect Evil and Good, learning that yes, there were fey presences within 30 feet of him
    • Phaelnah dashed towards the party and let loose a guiding bolt, but missed the creature
    • Journey, still charmed by the creature, made some puffs of air with Druidcraft
    • The creature then released a wave of energy, charming those that had been turned into pixies, excluding Tyerjon. Those affected knew him to be Eldevassas the Vaddanvrit, a creature that turned its prey into pixes to harvest their magical energies.
    • Leadbelly attempted to ensare Wander using Entangle, but the deft rogue managed to dodge the vines
    • Wander pulled out his Ashen Talon and sank the dagger deep into Eldevassas, putting him an inch from death
    • Despite the charmed pixies attempting to fight back, Phaelnah let loose a Produce Flame cantrip, burning the vaddanvrit into nothing and releasing its hold on everyone
    • With the creature defeated, everyone turned back into their normal selves, including all the other pixies, who were mainly wood elves
    • The party pointed the elves in the direction of Duenmis, and continued on their way to the tomb, leaving the folks to probably get eaten in the forest or something
  • After hours of searching with Wander using Matilda to scout overhead, the group finally came upon a stone structure in the forest, congruent with the description in Eilon’s directions
    • The group investigated the outside of the structure, finding a crystal atop a pedestal with an inscribed message in elvish, reading
      • Our secrets, what they took from you; the answers lie within
        You’ll find no answers in the light; in darkness hides their sin
    • Tyerjon and Leadbelly attempted to brute-force the door, but to no avail
    • Wander covered the crystal with his cloak, and the formidable stone doors sank into the ground, opening the way to a staircase descending deep into the earth
  • At the bottom of the stairs, the group came upon a hall lit by a number of sconces with wall carvings depicting the various heroic deeds and triumphs of Fectovarano, and how he ridded Gessaria of evil beasts and powerful foes
    • Phaelnah distinguished the sconces, and then extinguished the sconces, shrouding the room in darkness (RIP Tyerjon and Murica) and changing the wall carvings, which changed to chronicle the injustices done by Fectovarano to the elves of Sanaris. A story is painted that shows how Fecto entered this land of elves many years ago with his champions, doing great deeds and defeating many evils, but demanding that the elves abandon their worship of Aeltra in his pursuit of absolute justice. The ruling royalty of the time, the Zelvass, refused to worship Fecto, and were killed by the army that Fecto had amassed who had labeled them as traitors of the country. Those still loyal to the old ways recovered the bodies of the royals and made this tomb in the Bitterwood, where the followers of Fecto fear to tread.
    • A mirror in the back of the room that was previously dark and non-reflective began to work with the light gone, and Phaelnah noticed a door in place of the staircase they came in on which only existed while it was observed through the mirror.
    • Holding the hands of Tyerjon and Murica, the group backed through the door into a new room.
  • The party entered what appeared to be some sort of central hall, with a large, glowing arcane symbol in the room’s center. Five pedestals were placed around the symbol, with an altar in the back.
    • Looking at the symbol, Journey discerned that it was a sort of unlocking mechanism that was attached to the pedestals around the room
    • On the altar, Phaelnah translated a message in ancient elven that read:
      • Truth lies within. Receive permission from five members of the royal family;
        Irimel, Aylave, Undremel, the Lovers Llanwarys and Viesar
         Azdavar the Protector
    • The group briefly went down the passage to the left, discovering a false wall behind a random grave in the hallway, and ending up at a room dedicated to Irimel.
      • The stone in front of Irimel’s grave read:
        • Irimel the Small
          There was no one shorter or crueler in all the land.
          The depths of his malice had no floor.
  • Circling back, the group took the right passage, discovering a crown on a pedestal in another room.
    • The inscription on the pedestal read:
      • Aylave’s defiance can never be quashed.
        Only one of true royalty can bear her crown.
        Through her words, speak with her protector, and earn his trust to open her path.
    • Tyerjon attempted to wear the crown, but could not life it form its pedestal
    • Phaelnah lifted the crown with some difficulty and placed the crown upon her head. Talons from the side of the crown pierced her head, holding the crown in place, and bleeding in new thoughts
      • However, the voices and ideas swirling through her mind from the Nightblight began to drown out the voice of the princess, and eventually the crown released its grasp on her
    • Murica then donned the crown, and the thoughts of the princess Aylave swarmed into her head
      • Aylave’s overwhelming self-confidence and hubris began to mesh into Murica’s mind, making her very proud of herself
      • While wearing the crown, Murica learned she could cast Command at first level three times a day (DC 16).
    • The party headed back through another hall, discovering the giant skull of a dragon. With the sconces around the skull lit, an inscription read:
      • Azdavar the Coward
        In their time of greatest need, he fled his family, only to be righteously struck down by the champions of Fectovarano
        His soul is bound in eternal agony to this spot
    • Extinguishing the lights, it then read:
      • Azdavar the Protector
        Aylave begged for him to flee, but he stood by her in defiance of a god
        Slain by Fecto’s champions, his soul does not rest, protecting his princess from beyond worlds
    • Murica spoke to the dragon, telling him that she was in fact not the princess, but he allowed her through regardless
    • The grave of princess Aylave in the light read:
      • Aylave, Keeper of Newts
        Self-loathing and emotional, the princess hated the animals she was forced to keep
        Her timid nature hid nothing behind its fraility
    • In the dark, the inscription changed to:
      • Aylave, Keeper of Dragons
        In life, Aylave was fearless, confident and proud
        She cared for the dragons of the royals, forging a special bond with Azdavar the Raze, who in time became her protector
        She hid her small kernel of affection behind her haughty demeanor
    • Hearing the shuffling of rock, the party returned to Aylave’s grave to find a small drawer had opened on its side containing a rounded bottle with some form of undulating green magic held within it
    • Upon taking this bottle, the doors of the room creaked upon, opening a new path to the north and the east
  • The group headed to the north first down another path of caskets, coming to a stone door that was sealed shut. Retracing their path back to a fork, they headed east.
    • Phaelnah, Tyerjon and Wander jumped back just in time to avoid a spinning blade from slicing into their legs.
    • Undeterred, Tyerjon rushed down the hallway attempting to dodge through the blades, and had his legs cut up a bit despite his elevated senses
    • His efforts left him at an unbudging door, so he decided to just stay there while the rest of the party continued to explore the tomb (removing his light source and putting him in the dark)
  • The party came up to the graves of LLanwarys and Viesar, snuffing the flames of the sconces and reading the inscription:
    • Borne of different worlds, the love of Llanwarys and Viesar defied the decrees of royalty
      Risk takers and mold breakers, they ventured into the world to bring culture to Sanaris
      Guarded by their loyal lions, who will not rest until the lovers are connected once again
    • The stone lions flanking the graves then began to creak to life, the sound of shuffling stone echoing through the tomb as they attacked the party

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