Session 241 - Ancient Secrets
General Summary
20th to 28th Peonu (Second month of Spring) 725TR
The story so far
While traveling to the wizard's Kingdom of Melderyn, the heroes cross paths with the legendary evil dragon Blackfang. They plan to investigate this flying reptile and learn why he is obsessed with an enchanted silver necklace sacred to the Church of Peoni.
This is the continuation of Session 240 - Deceiving a Dragon.
Location - Burzyn Castle in the Kingdom of Chybisa.
Part 1 - Olmedian Island
The heroes arrive at Burzyn Castle and decide to investigate the legend of Blackfang, the dragon. They examine the records at Olmedun Island, an enclave of the Peonian Church.
They find reports of the infamous 439TR Pagaelin Barbarian raid of the Burzyn settlement. Frustrated by the township and castle's defenses they plundered the more vulnerable Olmedian island, specifically the small temple to Peoni, the goddess of peace and healing. Most of the clergy were murdered, and the temple was looted.
Further investigation showed that one of the priests, Ebasethe Marone, survived the raid. Marone, a former woodsman, and poacher, followed the trial of the fleeing barbarians. A week later, he returned with most of the temple's treasures. What was missing was an allegedly enchanted silver necklace that "protects the meek." Ebasethe Marone kept a journal which was given to his nephew on his death decades later.
Part 2 - The Carpenter
The party starts trying to trace Ebasethe Marone's living kin. After searching through the temples of Peoni and Larani genealogical records, they piece together that Anseh Derson, the settlement's best woodcrafter, is likely his sole remaining relative.
Anseh Derson is happy to help and finds the missing Journal among his family records.
The Journal, somewhat faded and damaged, describes Ebasethe Marone's life after joining the church. He details the good deeds of anyone he meets, not limited to only his fellow Peoni worshipers. What is more interesting is a hard-to-follow parable on a scrap of paper.
A humble priest whose temple was sacked followed the tribal folk who did the violent deed. He found the barbarians being feasted on by a mighty dragon. The dragon apologized to the trembling priest, repented, and pledged to make amends as the barbarians raided the wrong temple.
Part 3 - Vaspian the Inquisitor
As the party ponders the parable, specifically this "wrong temple," they note a stained glass window in the town's temple of Larani. The party investigates.
At the temple, they learn that the panel was created in 425TR. It shows a green dragon, a village burning in the distance, and the legendary St Vaspian the Inquisitor. The saint wields his flaming sword, the Light of Valor.
The St Vaspian was a traveling knight under orders from the Pontiff to root out and destroy the Covens of the Eternal Impostor; these demon-worshiping women were said to kidnap and eat children. After a dragon attacked a nearby village, he was last seen traveling off to fight this evil, flaming sword in hand. He never returned.
Location - Site of Telumar between the Kingdoms of Chybisa and Melderyn.
Part 4 - Thee Pillar of Light
Having learned all they can at Castle Burzyn, the party decides to continue their journey to the Kingdom of Melderyn. The party entered the hills heading towards the mysterious Earthmaster site of Telumar, a shortcut to the so called Wizards Kingdom.
They spot the now familiar Swarms of Fireflies. These strange magical creatures are created around Telumar's light pillars. They are an annoyance, and quickly dealt with; however, flying higher up are three Eunlann or Razor Wings. These rare mountain-dwelling pterodactyl-like Ivashu attack as the swarms are dispersed, but run into one of Jolanta's Ice Storms. They are quickly killed.
Out of the ruins of the nearby ancient dwarven walls a strange character called Jaarede, the Hermit, calls out to the heroes. Jaarede is an old heavily tattooed pagealin mystic, a bit eccentric, but otherwise harmless. He is aware Jolanta and Blaine dealt with the Tiger Demons previously (refer Session 220), but claims a greater darkness has emerged from the magical doorway (Godstone). "Eyes of death", he rambles.
If the party enters Telumar, he predicts their doom. The heroes ignore him and enter the building.
Part 5 - Ancient Secrets
The characters find the familiar chambers deathly silent. Jolanta leads the party to the lowest levels, to the so-called Bubble Chamber. This chamber emanates strange magical energies. These manifest as brightly colored bubbles that destroy anything in their path. Jolanta, who now believes she is skilled enough to deal with this threat, activates her Psionic ability of Negation and creates a dome that neutralizes these dangerous bubbles. It works, and the characters under this psionic protection, enter the chamber and search through the scorched and twisted debris. They find some gold, gems, an enchanted ring (Ring of Jumping), and two gems charged with magic from the chamber.
Jolanta then takes the party to a psionically sealed door she could not open during her previous visit. It is now easily unlocked, revealing a chamber with a levitating and rotating cylinder made of pseudostone. It hovers 6 inches off the floor and roof. Crawling under Acheron hinds a hatch with a large six-fingered palm print. Dexterously dodging dangerous protrusions, he opens the hatch finding that the cylinder is hollow. A black spear, also made of pseudostone, levitates in the center. This is a rare Earthmaster Artifact, a Spear of Icaron. Quickly, he claims it and makes his escape.
Part 6 - The Overmind
As the heroes make their way towards the site's Godstone, its magical gateway, monstrous creatures await. Suddenly three large beastly creatures with oversize heads and enormous teeth charge the party. The Maw Demons are not alone; something bigger and much more deadly floats in the upper chamber. As the heroes kill the last demon, a floating ball of death emerges, an Overmind.The Overmind is a floating sphere of teeth and eyes which negates Moneypenny's and Jolanta's active magical spells. It then attacks with eye beams that force Blaine and Jolanta to retreat and badly injures Acheron. Avon dodges the worst of the magical eye beams and calls on the dark magic of a pendant he was given some years ago. The dark forces grant him a moment of murderous insight. He spots a weakness in the eye creature and drives his rapier into it. The aberration screeches with pain is seriously hurt, and momently disappears.
It reappears not too far away and prepares to unleash all its remaining destructive magic onto Avon and his friends. At the last moment, Acheron appears out of nowhere and finishes the monster with his silver sword (and a Divine Smite).
The Party then harvest what they can from the monster. Its eyeballs look highly magical, maybe an alchemist in Melderyn can do something with these. Jolanta opens the Godstone, and the heroes heads through the gateway directly to the Guildhall of Arcane Lore in the City of Cherafir.
NPC Interactions
Anseh Derson - Burzyn's best Woodcrafter.
Various old soldiers and priests of Peoni and Larani.
Jaarede the hermit
Challenges Overcome
4 x Swarm of Fireflies and 2 x Eunlann, or Razor Wings.
3 x Maw Demons.
1 x Overmind.
Jolanta Investigated the bubble chamber and found some minor treasures.
Acheron discovered the Spear of Icaron.
Rewards
Ring of Jumping.
Spear of Icaron.
Gem imbued with 5 x Prismatic Spray.
Created Content
Nothing this Week.
Related Reports
Earthmaster Artifacts - Updated.Player Character Status
Acheron- Human - Level 6 Devotion Paladin, Level 4 Hexblade, and Level 5 Divine Soul.
Jolanta - Human- Level 15 Evoker.
Avon- Half-Elf - Level 15 Thief.
