Session 24: The Moonshadow Masquerade

General Summary

The Shore’s Light spent an afternoon resting before the big event that night. Donning their respective costumes, they gathered in the lobby and talked briefly with some of the Oryan delegation (who were dressed as a chimera) and witnessed the Sanctyran automaton, all heading towards Moonshadow Manor for the masquerade.   Throngs of people lined up outside the high iron fence as servants in purple doublets spooned out small bowls of soup and handed out crusts of bread. Giving a guardsman their invitation, the Shore’s Light entered the expertly tended grounds of Moonshadow Manor. A veritable carpet of green grass decorated with fountains, gardens, and animated topiaries that resembled magical beasts.   Inside a food tent they were treated to all manner of delectable items. Odd fruits from the Gold Marais, baked treats from Sanctyra, Arkhazian olives (courtesy of the Endalus family, and sea food canapes from Delvingshore. Aatavi was nearly brought to tears as he sampled flavors from the Auroric Ocean; tastes that reminded him of home. The halfling chef that had prepared the fish was on hand and spoke to Aatavi briefly about their respective homes on the other side of the continent. Remarking on the many miles between Delvingshore and Damarask, the chef revealed that he had been lucky enough to make use of a teleportation circle located somewhere in Penumber's mansion.   While standing in line to board one of the hot air balloons the heroes were approached by Lt. Shammatam, Commander Trammell, and a tall aarakocra they introduced as Redianna Redplume, the head of the Goldfeathers. She thanked the heroes for alerting the city to the wererat menace and explained that a number of security measures had been tightened. If Decroux and the Melody were planning anything during the Harvest Festival, the forces of Damarask would be ready.   Redianna also enquired about the Blightstone Orb that the heroes carried, and asked them to consider handing it over to the authorities. Uncomfortable with the prospect the heroes politely refused, but Redianna asked them to talk with the mages of the Matrix Arcanum, one of whom was currently inside the mansion.   Pulled from the line they were introduced to Harker Penumber, the Master of Moonshadow Manor, who was greeting guests at the front door. All too eager to leave his post Harker guided them into the manor.   The interior of Moonshadow Manor was an opulent and excessive – every room reflective of its hedonistic master. Escorting them through the house, Harker made a quick stop for some grapes in an orgy filled bath chamber before leading them into a room where the heroes found themselves suddenly embroiled in a tense argument.   A Blightstone Orb lay on the center of the floor, a circle of powdered silver drawn around it. Resting her hand on the orb was Ilya of the Jasper Covenant in the midst of some sort of incantation. At the edge of the circle Gavain Entwhistle, the tall red-haired wizard of the Matrix Arcanum, was in a heated dialogue with the other two Covenant Members.   As the heroes entered Aatavi instantly felt the Blightstone Orb within his bag begin to thrum with power. Wasting no time, he threw the bag into the far corner and readied for action. Tensions from the argument and the sudden arrival of the Shore’s Light caused the room to erupt into fierce shouting from all sides. Weapons were drawn, spells were readied, and violence looked assured.   Placing himself in the middle of the fracas, Harker pleaded with everyone to keep a cool head. Gavain chastised him for allowing the Covenant access to the orb, which Harker blithely disregarded. Shadow moved quickly to the orb in the bag to snuff it out with radiant magic and Gavain did the same with the orb in the center of the room. As things de-escalated the Jasper Covenant said a quick word of thanks to Penumber and made a hasty exit.   The arguments continued for several minutes as the rest of the group left the orb chamber. Penumber, content with having avoided violence and bored with the harsh tone between the Shore’s Light and Arcanum Wizard, left them in the library to hash things out.   Tempers cooled further as the heroes talked with Gavain and a number of revelations unfolded. The orb in Moonshadow Manor wasn’t the same orb that the Matrix Arcanum had been studying in the Golden Garrison. It was another, completely different orb. How it had come into Harker’s possession remained a mystery but he obviously wasn’t keeping it a secret, allowing both the Matrix Arcanum and the Jasper Covenant to examine it. Gavain also confirmed what the heroes had suspected early on in their time in Damarask – that yet another orb may still be in Damarask, hidden under their feet in the sunken citadel below. Gavain and his colleague Adockus Rexia speculated that this other Blightstone Orb had caused the fish in the harbor to die, and the longer it went unchecked, the more damage it might do.   If there was an orb in the sunken citadel it needed to be found, and soon. Leaning on their experience with these matters, the Shore’s Light could prove to be the perfect group to tackle the search. Standing under a large and garish portrait of Harker Penumber, Gavain also quietly alluded to another problem for the Matrix Mages. Due to the Jasper Covenant finally being able to examine an orb, he suspected that his colleague Adockus might soon come under unwelcome suspicion. The safest course of action would be to send his colleague with the heroes into the city below while he tried to talk sense to those in possession of the orbs topside.   Gavain also surmised that should the party manage to find the missing orb and take care of this problem, there might be no limit to the City’s gratitude. Finding themselves allied on numerous fronts, the Shore’s Light bid farewell to Gavain and returned outside where the party was in full swing.   They made their way to the large entertainment tent, where the Rogues Regent Resplendent's latest amusement, “The Vault of the Brave Hearted” was soon to begin. After signing a waiver our heroes made their way into a dark, mist shrouded tent where Faelyn'sfather, Indre Mithune, began an illusory tour through sideshow attractions.   Many of the attractions were quaintly amusing trifles, burnished with a charlatan's flair by Indre. Haunted tomes bound in flesh, eerie dragon scale armor, Magical swords that hovered in air made the crowd gasp and giggle. Indre took them one by one through these fantastical exhibits, all illuminated in the darkness by a magical light from above.   As they moved on from a strange horn “cut from the Demon Lord Grix-Daffik himself” Aaura suddenly noticed a strange rift appear in the darkness. A horrid droning split the air and a bellowing voice boomed out, “You have made my Lord’s horn into a sideshow oddity! For this impertinence I shall peel the skin from your bones!”   The crowd watched in horror as a vicious pair of demons emerged from the rift. One buzzed through the air on dragonfly type wings, a wicked looking proboscis protruding from its blue skinned face. The other stood nearly 10 feet tall with four arms, its two largest ending in merciless looking pinchers.   Screams echoed from the crowd. Indre drew the innocents close by and threw up a magical barrier around them. From within he yelled to Faelyn and his friends, “I can protect the common folk, but you must help us!”   The fight was on.   The Shore’s Light had faced fierce foes before, but the two demons took all of their collective might. The awful Chasme, the enormous mosquito like demon, nearly pierced clean through Aaura as she hovered in the air. The four-armed Glabrezu crushed both Aatavi and Keokan in its powerful claws. Shadow nearly fell unconscious from the horrible Abyssal droning that filled the air. And Faelyn found himself stunned on his feet, unable to move for several seconds.   When Faelyn’s senses returned he saw his friends in great peril. Blood streamed from the mouths of both Aatavi and Keokan as they struggled against the might of the demon. Necrotizing energy had blackened the veins on Aaura’s neck as she spiraled through the air trading blows with the Chasme. Seeing the strange demon's horn on display at his side, Faelyn grabbed it and took to the air. Stopping over 30 feet above the Glabrezu he dropped from the sky with the horn leveled at his foe. His aim was true, burying the horn deep between the plates on the Glabrezu’s back. And just like that the tide of the battle turned.   Omori had managed to punch a hole through the Chasme’s wing, grounding it. With her angel’s wings beating, Aaura floated between their foes and let loose a barrage of magic missiles, killing the insectoid menace.   Roaring in pain, the Glabrezu had dropped Aatavi as it struggled to extract the horn from its back. It gave Keokan the opening he needed to finish it off with his Moon Sickle.   As the heroes caught their breath a strange thing happened in the aftermath. Their wounds began to vanish, their vision blurred, and suddenly they found themselves back in the tour group being guided out of the tent by Indre Mithune.   “Thank you for joining us for The Vault of the Brave Hearted. We hope you enjoyed yourself!” The illusionist’s tone changed suddenly as he put a finger to his lips, “But remember. Don’t spoil the secrets for those who come next. Enjoy the rest of the Masquerade!”