Session 044 - Night of Death

General Summary

Night of Shadowmath, the 1^st of Morgat (12) 720TR (Winter)

 

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The story so far

The Church of Naveh has invoked the Rite of Nao-Thian and summoned the Greater Gytevsha Krasula. This fiend has escaped into City of Coranan intent on taking thousands of innocent lives by turning them violent and insane or killing them with nightmares in their sleep.

The heroes plan to intervene and have assembled a band of compatriots to deal with this threat. One of their allies, Brother Merric, may be able to capture Krasula in a magical Dreambox. However, this will require the heroes first to defeat him in combat.

Desridaen the Weaponcrafter of the God Naveh and hated rival of Krasula has plans as well.

Continuation of Session 43 - Shadowmath, the Summoning.

Part 1 - A Moment's Rest

Recovering from last session's battle against Karsula's in his shadow form, the heroes use healing magic, Yureb coats Oil of Sharpness onto his short sword, and Athena applies Oil of Giant Strength.

Yureb notices the Black Diamond he found during the summoning ritual to collects small sparks of energy. He deduces that the energy created from deaths in the city above is charging it with power. Strangely he can see this psionic/magical energy, maybe his Psionics Psionic Talent of Sensitivity has awoken.

Quazzy believes that this Gem may be able to be used to enchant the last Desridaen Dagger.

The heroes leave the sewers through the hidden entrance into the Pipe and the Potion Apothecary. They find the owner, Master Apothecary Parmen Merros, who previously manufactured poisons for the Church of Naveh, is murdered. He has abdominal wounds, and his eyes have been cut out.

Part 2 - The Grey Streets

 

The Heroes emerge onto the streets. They have taken on a drab grey tone, almost bleached of color, but filled with the cries of the insane. Dead bodies are scattered about, and a large violent mob surrounds the heroes, but they are driven back and flee from Quazzy's fear spells.

Krasula is not far away, having taken the form of a grey, angry-looking boy with a stick. He sees the heroes and gestures towards a nearby statue of the Goddess Larani, and it comes to life, attacking with devastating power. Lucia is lucky to survive. Quazzy identifies this as a phantasm, but most of the heroes cannot see through this illusion.

Shortly after Kirstie, the Acolyte of Ilvir, arrives with a few fellow cultists. She summons Vlasta, the diminutive eater of eyes. These small Ivashu swarm Krasula and the Illusionary Goddess, although some get distracted by eating the nearby dead's eyes. These are only a minor hindrance, and Karsula fights back with more Nightmares and his stick, which liquefies flesh, forcing Yureb to retreat. Quazzy bravely approaches and puts a curse on the Krasula, which muddles his actions, and his second form is vanquished under the Heroes' onslaught.

Part 3 - The Final Battle

Kalin climbs on the roof and looks out for disturbances while the heroes spend some time resting and recovering. He observes in the poor district, near the Pamesani Arena, fires starting and hears a scream coming from that direction. On the way, Athena coats her greatsword, Retribution, with the magical Oil of Sharpness.

The heroes travel to a small square with a fountain guarded by four stone statues of Night Lions. Again angry mobs move to block the heroes. Krasula, who has changed form again, creates the illusion that the Night Lions have come to life. Again it is only Quazzy who can see through this deception.

Quazzy and Yureb split from the party, making their way onto nearby roofs. Quazzy is attacked by Nightmares, which she cannot resist, and finds herself rapidly drifting into unconsciousness. Yureb fights off several Night Lions, then suddenly Krasula draws out from the metal box on his belt a Mindflayer, which only Yureb can see.

Athena and the remaining heroes eventually disperse the Mobs and dispatch the last of the Night Lions. Krasula attacks directly, drawing from his metal box another Mindflayer to attack Yureb, and then two much-hated men from Athena's past, Gerharn, and Rarvel Hamlen. Like the Mind Flayers, these are semi-real Phantasms taking the form of entities from the character's past, which drain willpower and cause physical damage. Kimar inflicts some damage to Krasula with his silvered short sword, then Athena hits with a series of superb strikes empowered by her last remaining reserves of Balefire. Yureb uses his magic to launch a vial of Alchemist Fire at Karsula, completely missing and nearly sets a nearby city block alight.

Brother Merric the Peoni Priest and member of the Shields of Belsirasin arrives, and very nearly is able to exorcise the weakened Krasula, but his will is just too strong. Soon the party's best fighters fall one by one, first Yureb, then Athena, and followed by Kimar. Krasula senses victory is at hand.

Part 4 - Quazzy's Gambit

Quazzy, on the verge of passing out desperately, creates an Illusion of Krasula's greatest rival, and her Warlock Patron, Desridaen. Krasula is fooled, buying a few moments for the heroes to regroup.

Kirstie applies magical healing to Athena as Quazzy, still suffering from the onslaught of mental attacks, falls unconscious. As the illusion of Desridaen fades, Krasula launches an attack on Brother Merric, very nearly killing him. The next hit will be lethal. Athena, who is still severely injured, gives her sword to her Squire Lucia, who then attacks. Her first strike misses but the second hits the monster directly though where its heart would be. He screams with pain, his body shimmers, dissolves, and is then sucked into Brother Merric's Dreambox, captured hopefully forever.

Part 5 - Rebirth

Quazzy receives some healing and awakens. She immediately takes the Black Diamond and Desridaen's Last Dagger from Yureb and touched them together, allowing the arcane flow of energy from the gem into the weapon. The Gem cracks open, turning to dust, and the dagger fires to life with magical energy as the enchantment is completed.

She hears the whisper of her patron Desridaen, "Stab my weapon into a body." Selecting a dead body, she complies. As the dagger enters its heart, magic from the blade erupts over the corpse, and it twists and reshapes. Desridan has been returned to life.

Aftermath

Around 300 people died during the so-called Night of Death. Many believe the free alcohol supplied after the Gladiatorial Games was tainted with a drug causing the riots, inflaming hatred and violence, making people have horrendous nightmares and hallucinations. Those few organizations who know the truth encourage the lie.

Quazzy's warlock patron Desridaen is exceptionally grateful. His hated rival is imprisoned; he is free of Naveh's control and lives again. His scheming and plotting over the last 1,000 years have worked perfectly, and it only needed the actions of Quazzy and the death of hundreds of innocent people to achieve. He promises to talk with Quazzy at a future date giving her much-needed information about her past.

Rewards Granted

Yureb has awoken his Psionics Talent of Sensitivity.

Missions/Quests Completed

Stopped Krasula from destroying the city.

Capture Krasula in a Dream Box.

Freed the Demigod Desridan from the clutches of Naveh.

Character(s) interacted with

Kirstie - Acolyte of Ilvir and 3 of her friends.

Carle Alfaro - Rydequelyn Priest.

Kimar Brynn - Bounty Hunter.

Brother Merric - Shieldman.

Shield of Belsirasin - Updated.

Krasula, Greater Gytevsha and bringer of nightmares - captured in a Dreambox.

Desridaen - Freed Demi-god.

Related Reports

Krasula - Updated.

Desridaen, Demi-god - Updated.

Naveh - Updated.

The Pipe and the Potion - Updated.

City of Coranan - Updated.

Shield of Belsirasin - Updated.

Notes

Players Character Status

Athena the Banshee - Level 12 Paladin of Vengeance - gained Level.

Yureb - Level 12 Arcane Trickster.

Quazzy - Level 5 Necromancer and Level 7 Warlock Disciple of Desridaen - gained Warlock Level.