Session Date: 9/27/2018
Summary:
The party travels back to the town of Uxena to discover... changes.
spoilers
- They hear the story of how Gregor lead a revolution and has spread his cult.
- The group heads to the mines near the town to look for Gregor.
- The party overhears 2 Shadow Web agents talking before stumbling over crystals.
Fogbound Lake
As the guard’s body lay in the shallows of the lake, Gardevra once again starts her chant as arcane energy swirls around her. In the water scenes begin to take shape. From the guard’s perspective, they see Gregor and Simon coming towards the city gate. The vision turns and follows them into town towards the tavern before shifting to a large room with pillars. An official looking man, presumably Mirkwood, is barking orders to a large collection of guards. The party asks if Uxena can find any memories older and perhaps dealing with the symbol. The visions fade and rematerialize as the same grand room from early appears but it is dark. A cloaked figure with crooked gray hands gestures and talks with some of the guards. Briefly, they see a symbol on the shoulder, blurred and distorted before the memory fades and the water becomes clear once more.
The party thanks Uxena for her help but question what should be done about the guard. She mentions she has enough energy left to erase his memory. It’s not an exact science so it could be anything from the trip up the mountain to years in the past. The party agrees and with a flash of yellow from the lake, it is done.
The party drags the unconscious guard down the mountain just outside the fog and dumps him there. They make their way to the edge of the forest as the sun starts to rise over the horizon. Varis has them all stay hidden as he stealths to the town wall. After he leaves, Gavin takes out his disguise kit and makes himself look like a half-elf. He then strolls to the wall hoping the disguise fools the guards.
Uxena
Once he gets close enough, he notices that there are far fewer guards than usual. In fact… they look like civilians. Varis watches as a stranger approaches the gates and hopes to use it as the distraction he needs to get into town. Gavin talks his way past the 2 guards and Varis sneaks by this person he totally doesn't know. Once inside, Gavin ducks into and alley, removes the disguise and leaves the city to go get the rest of the party.
Guard: “Eh? Didn’t you just come in here?”
Gavin: “No, you must have me mistaken with someone else. I have one of those faces.”
and they believe him despite him wearing the same clothes the whole time.
During this time, Varis was making his way to the Misty Mountain Tavern. Inside he notices the place is packed and bustling. Ruby is running back and forth taking orders, and bringing food. Varis gets her attention as she is going back to the kitchens.
Ruby: “Oh my goodness! I didn’t see you there. Where have you been? So much has happened.”
Varis: “Yeah I can see. Uh, well we were just up on the mountain and… have you seen Gregor around. We sent him back early and...”
Ruby: “Oh yes, and a good thing too. Hahaha! Oh! Oh, dear, please excuse me I have to tend to customers, can I get you anything while you wait?”
Varis: “No that’s fine.”
And she returns to her work. When the party + Hlin reached the gates, Hlin’s jaw dropped. She questions what happened to the Governor, what happened to the guards and why on earth these two dunderheads are guarding the gate. They mention to go to the Governor’s mansion to get their questions answered.
The party meets up with Varis in the tavern and all head to the mansion. As they approach they can see scorch marks and a large gaping hole on the north wall. A small figure is running around taking notes and talking to herself.
Varis: “Uh, hello? Do you know what happened here?”
She turns and looks at the party with goggles that make her eyes look gigantic.
Kathra: “Oh! Oh goodness I always forget these things are on. Yes look at this! Amazing isn't it! I didn't think it would work but look at the results! I never got notes from that man though. Would have liked to hear how it happened.”
Gavin: “Big shield? Lots of armor? Thought he was a god?”
Kathra: “Oh yes! That was him. He and some others came and got some of my supplies. And look! It worked!”
The party exchanges concerned glances. They proceed through the open gate and pause at the scorched front courtyard and look upon the mansion with its broken window and scorch marks scattered across it.
They enter the mansion to find a very drunk and eerily jovial Barkley, to the absolute shock of Hlin. He recounts some of the details from his perspective before showing the party to rooms to let them get a long rest. The party loses track of Hlin after that. They then try to track down a character known as Tuliscious Pockston at his parent’s armory. Finding he's not there they travel to the tavern once again, which has started to calm down a little bit.
Ruby sees them come in and waves them over to a table. She then recounts the full story from her perspective. How she and Thrain were arrested. The execution scheduled. Hearing shouting and running at night and then Gregor with Pockston, an elf, and Barkley storming the dungeons. Nicholas was elected as interim leader of the town, and it was a hectic day keeping the peace. Today was another crazy day. Most people now know the full story of what Mirkwood was doing so no one has really put up much argument.
She calls over Pockston to see if he had any other details or information on where Gregor went. He had not been seen since the morning all of the events happened. Pockston thinks he left town with someone, heading towards the mines.
The party asks about this mystery figure who stabbed the governor, but strangely the body was not recovered. There was a body and he was definitely dead, but when it came time to collect and dispose, it was gone. Varis sees Gardevra talking to another group of people. He excuses himself and then walks over to her and asks to speak privately with her. Once in the hall, he takes out Gerard’s amulet and returns it to her, apologizing they didn't find him alive. She thanks him and says she is just glad no one else will have to suffer the same fate. As they both return to their groups, Ruby pats Varis on the arm as he walks by and gives him a smile.
About this time, Nicholas enters the tavern with Barkley, now somewhat sobered up. Gavin asks about the symbol, and Nicholas tosses an amulet on the table. A smooth dark purple stone with the same symbol engraved on it housed in a thin silver frame. Khadgar casts identify on it and learns it is an Amulet of the Shadow Blade. It allows the one attuned to it to cast the Shadow Blade spell but still requires concentration. It has 3 charges and is restored via light of the moon. He gives this to Varis.
The Mines of Thurak
The next day, the party treks out to the Mines of Thurak. Inside they opt not to ride the minecart down and trek on foot deep into the caverns. They don't find much except falling apart pick axes and a few black stones of some sort. Once in the deepest parts of the mine, like the visions Uxena showed them, they pass into tunnels more naturally shaped. They pass the bubbling of an underwater spring and avoid the tunnels of… some creature that lives in the dark. As they proceed deeper Varis hears someone crying up ahead. They stealth over and see a black dragonborn and drow conversing on a lower level. (“Careful guys, these are not good people”)
Dragonborn: “It wasn’t her fault! That slimey, two faced {draconic swear word}! He could have gotten them out. She was too young, Rolan!”
Rolan (Drow): “Korrin, I really don't care. He’s a Sentinel, he has the rank to make those calls and if Eiravel was too weak to survive then we are stronger for it. Now silence! She has been adding more patrols to the border. We’ll be lucky to get past undetected this time. If she comes after us, we’re doomed.”
The party stealthily follows them deeper down the tunnel unbeknownst to the pair. That is until Moana trips on a large crystal formation, alerting them to the parties presence.
Comments