Session 5: Memories Revealed
General Summary
Awakening from their shared slumber and still haunted by the visions granted by the Memecryst , the party attempts to reconcile their experiences and put together what they have learned so far. Tynom gathers the crystal dust into a bag, and with no further developments, the party gathers together to leave. However, as the party makes their way out of the obsidian cavern, they discover that the crystal has also changed them. Karesh and Tynom realize that they can now read the runic sigils carved into the broken stone circle, and with some time decipher the text which says:
Seris and Daarath climb out of the hole and realize that they now know the broken ruins as The Observatory of Anak'Dun , even though such a name has never been mentioned in their presence. As the party makes their way down from the hilltop, they are further disturbed by the fact that the undead (now dead dead) corpses which they had left before venturing into the cavern, have now disappeared, apparently dragged back into whatever graves they may have arisen from.
Journeying back to The Academy , the party return to Scherazade Sal'Dain 's office, where they discover her in the midst of conversation with Pierre Dupont . Scherazade greets the party with surprise, and informs them that even though the party thinks they've been gone only three days, they have in fact been gone for two weeks. The Vice-Chancellor informs them that they had almost thought that they had been lost, and that Pierre had been in her office to volunteer to find them, to which she was about to decline.
The party informs Scherazade of their experiences underneath the Observatory, and of Jasper's fate, his memories eaten by the Oblex and his visage impersonated by the eldritch creature. Scherazade is further disturbed when she also notes to the party that they have been dropping into an ancient forgotten language as if it were Common. As the party explains how memeticancy may have been involved and that the abuse and tampering of memories may have played a key role not only in Jasper's madness but also the disappearance of Lena the Handmaid, Scherazade calls upon the Academy's resident expert, Maxwell Malabar , Dean of the College of Memeticancy.
Malabar arrives as the party continues to brief Scherazade and Dupont, expressing more than a little exasperation at being summoned so suddenly. Having heard the description of the party's experiences, he explains that the party had found a Memecryst , a crystallized memory that can be used to store and transfer a recorder's memory to any audience that happens across it. Having lain dormant for centuries, the concentrated memories within the crystal gave birth to an Oblex and its spawn, which is what attacked the party. He also notes that the memories that have been transferred are now tightly entwined within their psyches. Attempting to see what other memories have been transplanted, Daarath offers to open his mind to Malabar, who sifts through Daarath's memories, some voluntary, some involuntary. Likewise, in the intrusion, Daarath also sees fragments of Malabar's memory, including an icon of an eldritch moon recognizable to Daarath and Daarath only.
As Malabar leaves, the party compiles their clues, noting that the last known location of a memecryst was in the ancient libraries of Eldkeep, the historical and ancient elven capital, and the only known storehouse of High Chronian writings. Scherazade notes that teleportation circles are down as the kingdoms head to war, and that the best that they can do is to provide resources and a wagon to take them past the Academy's borders into the Ravenswood. As the party retires, Daarath also obtains a cryptic message from his sending stone, indicating that Malabar is in possession of a cryptex that must be retrieved with urgency. Revealing his affiliation to the party in private, Daarath notes that Malabar may not be trustworthy, and as the party proceed to their evening activities, Daarath independently sneaks out to investigate Malabar's office. Silently making his way through the Academy, Daarath enters Malabar's office, eventually finding a locked drawer. While unable to unobtrusively pick the lock, Daarath eventually pries open the drawer, revealing a locked cryptex. Using clues given to him by his Order, Daarath discerns the passphrase, opening the cryptex and revealing a hidden message with a handprint stamped in dried blood, reading:
The next morning, Daarath reports his findings to the group, who agree that Malabar must be apprehended and the Vice-Chancellor informed. Seris, Tynom, and Pierre go to inform Scherazade while Daarath and Karesh go to stand watch and lie in wait for Malabar. Scherazade takes the information in stride, if not deeply disturbed that the Carmine Council would be betrayed by one of their own. The Vice-Chancellor calls on Markus Hakke to join them to arrest the Dean, and upon reaching the College of Memeticancy, run into Daarath and Karesh, who remain lying in wait for Malabar. Going to the office, they find the office empty, the drawers emptied, and the cryptex gone. Daarath notes that Karesh is bleeding, and when Pierre investigates, the party soon discover that in fact Daarath and Karesh had encountered Malabar in his office, and after a brief encounter, were unable to prevent his escape. However, neither Daarath nor Karesh remember the encounter and can only remember having staked out the College outside its premises. Realizing that the memory mage was indeed a powerful wizard and capable of feats that nobody would have thought possible, the party realizes that tracking Malabar may prove fruitless. Urged on by Scherazade to seek out the keys before the political situation frays any further, the party ventures once more past the Academy's gate, finding a six-seated wagon waiting for them. Armed with the knowledge that only the five keys may stave off cataclysm, the party heads forth into the unknown wilds, as the once safe haven of the Academy slowly recedes behind them.
"Bear witness and lament, the Beast returns to devour the world. May the sacrifices of the Keepers let our memories persevere. Five keys to save the next world, let our memories be the guide"
Seris and Daarath climb out of the hole and realize that they now know the broken ruins as The Observatory of Anak'Dun , even though such a name has never been mentioned in their presence. As the party makes their way down from the hilltop, they are further disturbed by the fact that the undead (now dead dead) corpses which they had left before venturing into the cavern, have now disappeared, apparently dragged back into whatever graves they may have arisen from.
Journeying back to The Academy , the party return to Scherazade Sal'Dain 's office, where they discover her in the midst of conversation with Pierre Dupont . Scherazade greets the party with surprise, and informs them that even though the party thinks they've been gone only three days, they have in fact been gone for two weeks. The Vice-Chancellor informs them that they had almost thought that they had been lost, and that Pierre had been in her office to volunteer to find them, to which she was about to decline.
The party informs Scherazade of their experiences underneath the Observatory, and of Jasper's fate, his memories eaten by the Oblex and his visage impersonated by the eldritch creature. Scherazade is further disturbed when she also notes to the party that they have been dropping into an ancient forgotten language as if it were Common. As the party explains how memeticancy may have been involved and that the abuse and tampering of memories may have played a key role not only in Jasper's madness but also the disappearance of Lena the Handmaid, Scherazade calls upon the Academy's resident expert, Maxwell Malabar , Dean of the College of Memeticancy.
Malabar arrives as the party continues to brief Scherazade and Dupont, expressing more than a little exasperation at being summoned so suddenly. Having heard the description of the party's experiences, he explains that the party had found a Memecryst , a crystallized memory that can be used to store and transfer a recorder's memory to any audience that happens across it. Having lain dormant for centuries, the concentrated memories within the crystal gave birth to an Oblex and its spawn, which is what attacked the party. He also notes that the memories that have been transferred are now tightly entwined within their psyches. Attempting to see what other memories have been transplanted, Daarath offers to open his mind to Malabar, who sifts through Daarath's memories, some voluntary, some involuntary. Likewise, in the intrusion, Daarath also sees fragments of Malabar's memory, including an icon of an eldritch moon recognizable to Daarath and Daarath only.
As Malabar leaves, the party compiles their clues, noting that the last known location of a memecryst was in the ancient libraries of Eldkeep, the historical and ancient elven capital, and the only known storehouse of High Chronian writings. Scherazade notes that teleportation circles are down as the kingdoms head to war, and that the best that they can do is to provide resources and a wagon to take them past the Academy's borders into the Ravenswood. As the party retires, Daarath also obtains a cryptic message from his sending stone, indicating that Malabar is in possession of a cryptex that must be retrieved with urgency. Revealing his affiliation to the party in private, Daarath notes that Malabar may not be trustworthy, and as the party proceed to their evening activities, Daarath independently sneaks out to investigate Malabar's office. Silently making his way through the Academy, Daarath enters Malabar's office, eventually finding a locked drawer. While unable to unobtrusively pick the lock, Daarath eventually pries open the drawer, revealing a locked cryptex. Using clues given to him by his Order, Daarath discerns the passphrase, opening the cryptex and revealing a hidden message with a handprint stamped in dried blood, reading:
Character(s) interacted with
Karesh
Lawful Neutral Half-Orc (Hermit)
Druid 7
Druid 7
59 / 59 HP
STR
12
12
DEX
10
10
CON
16
16
INT
10
10
WIS
20
20
CHA
9
9
Daraath
Tynom Erris
Chaotic Good Half-Elf (Hermit)
Sorcerer 7
Ranger 1
Sorcerer 7
Ranger 1
52 / 52 HP
STR
12
12
DEX
14
14
CON
13
13
INT
10
10
WIS
13
13
CHA
18
18
Report Date
18 Aug 2021
Primary Location
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