Session 47: Jekaa's Gambit Report

General Summary

Karaxos' Departure

Entering the dimly lit Curator's Exhibition, they saw Karaxos holding an orb on the other side of the room, flanked by two powerful Yuan Ti Abominations.   As combat started, Karaxos, seeing the approaching party, vanished, turning invisible as the two Abominations bore down on the party.   The battle was hard fought, both sides taking significant knocks, however eventually the party emerged victorious.   Or at least, mostly victorious, unfortunately before they could pin him down, Karaxos was able to escape along with the orb of dark magics.   Jekaa emerged towards the end of the fight, but not in the form you had known him previously, instead, furred and fox like.

The Aftermath

Jekaa, visibly dismayed at Karaxos' escape accompanied them out of the building to where a combination of the Slowpass Boys (and Bholin) and the local Yugoloths from below.   The party emerged from the manse, 5 heroes alongside Jekaa and his bodyguard, Shathilas Proudarm, bloodied but unbowed, they saw to the rout of the serpents and securing of the city.   Returning to the Devil's den the party rested overnight, taking the toll of their rally the following morning.

An Audience with an Arcanaloth

The following morning, the party awoke, well rested but aching from their previous exertions. As agreed with Jekaa, they made their way back to the High Curator's Manse, noting how clean and tidy the city was, the bodies of the serpents removed and few signs there had been a battle the previous night.   They reached the Manse and were welcomed in, a new, or rather, old receptionist had been recruited, and they were ushered into the Curator's sanctum, his collection.   Entering this time, it was very different, a plush interior, beautiful woods and lush carpets delicately highlighting all of the marvels in his display. The majority, if not all, of which appeared to be magic in some way.   Inviting them up to the dais in the centre of the chamber, Jekaa showed them where Karaxos had taken the orb from the previous day, a pedestal emanating powerful abjuration magics. He explained that this item was one of the Beacons, a control orb for the Collective, which he had found shortly after their defeat 152 years previously.   Jekaa explained that there were 12 of these scattered across the continent, they had been used to control the masses and helping to provide the collective with much of their power. He informed them that at least 4 of these orbs had reached Nightwell, with this being the 5th.   He also informed them of much of the Lore of the Crone, that her true name was Nyx, a god who had been assigned to guard the Material realm alongside her sister, Erebus (The Forgotten). This was in many ways their domain with the other gods retreating to other planes.   He was curious about Tarvy's connection to Erebus, and in his knowledge of where she was, outside the known planes. He informed them there were a couple of ways that Nyx could be defeated, through sheer force, or through finding a way to bring Erebus back as she would be able to balance Nyx's powers. Both were incredibly difficult and would require much work to accomplish.   He explained that he knew this as he was an accumulator of knowledge, and that, happily for everyone present, he wished to ally himself with the Fulcrum, being an old enemy of Nyx, and having made a binding agreement with Caidi the Copper - the Copper champion of the Warldswarm - that he would assist in bringing the collective down wherever opportunities presented themselves. It also appeared that he had grown comfortable in his home on the Material Plane and had no desire to see the Collective rise again.   As a gesture of goodwill he freely gave a few gifts, two relics from Caidi, her banner and her relic, a copper rabbit's foot.   In addition he agreed to give each member of the party one item from his collection, or some information in what it is that they sought to know.

• To Tarvy he gave insights into demons.
• To Hal he gave a Gambler's Blade
• To Gortan he gave a suit of armour
• To Rukk he gave information about the whereabouts of his children
• To Blaize he gave information about where Jellicoe Gaurer was and what his plans were.

  Next Session Start: The party are gathered within Jekaa's Collection, examining their new found gifts. Jekaa sits before them, as they must decide their next course of action.