Session 043 - Shadowmath, the Summoning

General Summary

Date the 27^th of Navek (11) to the 1^st of Morgat (12) 720TR (Winter)

 

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The story so far

The Church of Naveh is planning to invoke the Rite of Nao-Thian, summoning the Greater Gytevsha Krasula on the night of Shadowmath. This is only a few days away and will cause devastation to the City of Coranan.

The heroes plan to intervene and have assembled a band of compatriots to deal with this threat. They expect the summoning will occur in the Spiderlodge, an underground cistern with magical properties.

Continuation of Session 42 - It's a Trap.

Part 1 - Leaving the Sewers

The battered party leave the sewers after assaulting the hidden Temple of Naveh with Sir Scarow. He is clearly not looking forward to having to explain the deaths of thirty-six of his men to the Temple's poisonous gas traps. Athena reminds him that the Assassins were prepared for the attack, implying that there is a spy in his Fighting Order of the Cohorts of Gashang or in it's sponsoring Clerical Order of the Eight Demons. He agrees to keep the knowledge of the Heroes' survival secret.

The next day the Heroes learn that the Cohorts of Gashang have claimed credit for destroying the temple, and the Priestesses of the Eight Demons have been cleansing it with fire and cremating the dead.

Part 2 - Many Meetings

Yureb organizes a safe house, via the Thieves Guild, as a party hideout. When Quazzy and Yureb, in magical disguises, collect their belongings from The Stake Inn, they hear a familiar voice singing. Carle Alfaro the Rydequelyn Priest has arrived as promised to help. He gives Yureb three Rydequelyn Fate Cards to use in a emergency.

The heroes then meet with Kirstie, the Acolyte of Ilvir. She has convinced several of her fellow members of the Children of Ilvir to help, including one strange fellow with an unnaturally long neck and the Troll Urgath. Urgath is a surprisingly intelligent Ivashu but can only travel through the sewers, and Kirstie says he usually guards the secret underground shrine to Ilvir. Kirstie is not good at keeping secrets.

Next Yureb visits the Temple of Peoni and meets with Brother Merric, and Matron Aggatha. The good Matron Aggatha gives the party a large collection of powerful Healing Potions and Brother Merric, a member of the Shield of Belsirasin promises to assist. He will battle on the streets where he can do the most good protecting the poor and innocent.

The party briefly visit Ivor the Pale, founder and High Priest of the Servants of Dekejis, a breakaway cult from the Church of Naveh. Ivor informs the party he will be stalking the streets, killing any Priest of Naveh or their allies he can find.

Arriving last from the Kingdom of Rethem is Kimar Brynn, Bounty Hunter, for the Earl of Tormau, accompanied by two Sisterhood of the Crimson Dancer Soldiers Vibeke and Helle. Vibiki and Helle were keen to help Athena as she had previously cleared them when they were suspected of murder and personally assisted in their training.

Part 3 - Quazzy's Dream

Quazzys decides to use her Psionic Talent of Disembodiment and ethereally travels into the Spider Lodge, the most likely location where the summoning will occur. She finds a particularly active point, a magical weakness between worlds, and believes she knows exactly where the gate will open.

On the night before Shadowmath Quazzy has a strange "dream," she is summoned by her Warlock Patron Desridaen and appears in a dark and sinister-looking forest. Desridaen prepares Quazzy for the battle to come against Krasula.

She learns the following;

• She must allow the ceremony to start and Krasula to appear so he can be defeated.

• Desridaen will be pleased if Krasula gets trapped in the Peoni Priest's Dreambox.

• He is a fiend, more solidified nightmares than a physical body, as such is vulnerable to attacks of the mind.

• It's Shadowmath. Sunlight will no longer weaken him.

• Magical or Silver Weapons will be required to injure him.

• He has three forms, each of which will need to be separately defeated. Each new form will be more powerful than the last and have different strengths and maybe weaknesses.

• He will turn your fears against you or use the weak-minded anger and insanity as a weapon.

• Additionally, he teaches Quazzy another spell Desridaen's Spectral Dagger.

Finally, he instructs Quazzy to recover the Diamond used in the summoning ceremony. It will turn black and must be used to complete the enchantment on the last dagger he forged while living. This weapon was used to kill him, and some of his blood, magically preserved, still runs over it.

Part 4 - Shadowmath

On the day of Shadowmath the heroes note the streets are sullen, the sky is clear, but everything appears grey. Many houses have holy symbols of the various gods attached to their doors to ward against evil spirits. After sunset, on the night of Shadowmath, the heroes decide to move closer to where they think the summoning will occur. Senator Horbil Jeredosta allows them to stay in the stables next to his townhouse. Quazzy sends her familiar into the Spiderlodge and to observe.

That night the Gladiatorial Pamesani Games run long into the night, funded by anonymous donors, who supply large quantities of free wine. Soon the streets are filled with drunks, and people are generally angry and irritable. Then one hour before midnight, Quazzy senses her familiar has died. The Priests of Naveh must have arrived.

Part 5 - The Summoning

The party and their companions spring into action. Kirstie runs back to Ilvirian Hostel to get her fellow cultists. At the same time, the heroes (Athena, Quazzy, Yureb, Kimar, Carle, Vibeke, Helle, and Urgath the Troll) move to the Spiderlodge via the entrance in the waterways.

They approach the cavern they hear chanting, the ritual is underway, Yureb disables a trap and then rapidly unlocks the gate leading in. It is guarded by a Gytevsha, a monstrous shadow fiend which holds back the heroes long enough to warn the Priests, who begin rushing the summoning ceremony.

The heroes attack, but most are limited by visibility. Two Priest-assassins intercept them but are quickly dispatched.

Yureb uses magic to disrupt the ceremonial materials causing the Primate to complete the rite prematurely. One of the younger priests sacrifices himself, then the gate opens, and Krasula, in his shadow form enters. Due to the players' interferences, the ceremony was botched. Krasula is slightly weakened and not sufficiently bonded to be under the control of the summoning priests. The greater Gytevsha immediately attacks intruders with a physical touch and nightmares.

The Primate neutralizes Athena with a Stun spell; however, Quazzy proves more resilient using her Rod of Absorption to negate similar magics. Numbers soon prevail, and the outnumbered Priests-assassins are overwhelmed. Kimar entraps the Primate in magical vines, and he is hacked to death by an angry Athena.

Yureb notices his Shadow Blade is particularly effective, disrupting Krasula's Shadowy form while non-magical weapons such as Urgath the Troll claws and the heroes weapons do little damage. Krasula quickly disables the Urgath with nightmares and attacks Yureb, his biggest threat. Krasula's life-draining and spirit-crushing touch nearly kill him, then he moves on to take on the remaining heroes.

Krasula is deadly, but the concentrated attacks from the party and their companions eventually eliminate him. However, his essence reforms stronger and travels up onto the streets above. The heroes follow, although Urgath the Troll, Vibiki, and Helle remain behind as they are too severely injured to continue fighting. Yureb finds the black diamond, used in the summoning ritual, which he takes.

Rewards Granted

Sir Scarow gives Athena a Potion of Heroism.

Matron Aggatha give the Heroes 10 Potions of Healing.

Carle Alfaro the Rydequelyn Priest gives Yureb 3 Fate Cards.

Desridaen grants Quazzy with a new spell, Desridaen's Spectral Dagger.

Character(s) interacted with

Sir Scarow - Order of the Cohorts of Gashang knight.

Matron Aggatha - Peoni Priestess.

Kirstie - Acolyte of Ilvir.

Urgath the Troll - Guard of the Hidden Ilvirian temple.

Kimar Brynn - Bounty Hunter.

Vibeke and Helle - Sisterhood of the Crimson Dancer soldiers.

Senator Horbil Jeredosta.

Hennigar Gyll - Assassin and Astrologer. Killed.

The Primate, High Priest of Naveh - Who has the secret identity of Senator Baloth Nemirina. Killed.

Krasula, Greater Gytevsha and bringer of nightmares - His weak shadow form was defeated. Due to the disrupted summoning ritual his AC and Spell Save DC were reduced.

Created Content

Urgath the Troll.

Desridaen's Spectral Dagger - Unique Warlock Spell.

Related Reports

Shadowmath, the Night of Shadows.

Rydequelyn Cards - Updated.

Ilvirian Hostel - Updated.

Sewers and Cisterns

Rite of Nao-Thian.

The Primate, High Priest of Naveh a.k.a. Baloth Nemirina, Senator - Updated as he is dead.

Great Families of the Thardic Republic - Updated.

Notes

Players Character Status

Athena the Banshee - Level 11 Paladin of Vengeance.

Yureb - Level 12 Arcane Trickster - gained Level.

Quazzy - Level 5 Necromancer and Level 6 Warlock Disciple of Desridaen.