Session 40

A Deal Nearly Broken

Date: Wednesday, 1st of December, 2020
Attending Players: Ashara, Embra, Ish'Mael, Victalyassa
Time 4.75 Hours (Total: 128 Hours)

Game Time 14th of Sowmeadow, 7:00 AM
To
15th of Sowmeadow, 9:00 AM
Game Locations:
Watcher's Quarter and Bluecliff of Orvadah

Dearest Nikova,
The Rann's have promised to pay our fee's and send us home via safe passage if our patrons do not come within a few days. The Lord here, Thorikar Rann, believes they may have either died or become trapped. The last seen from them, they stepped into a portal the cultist used. After several minutes, a dead man flew through, though it was neither one of those evil men, nor our patrons. Another several minutes later, and the portal closed in a violent burst of wind that blew out the windows of the room.
I long for you Nikova, and am eager to return. When Lord Rann releases us, we will be taking the roads back, much safer than the mountain trail that the patrons wanted us to take. Its for the best, Bob's leg is not working the way it did before. At least he says its constantly stiff and sore. It was healed by some magics of that tiefling woman that the evil patron walked with. We, as a group, told Bob that if he won't help, he won't lead. We have voted to have Robob take us back.
Only a weeks time more my love, and I shall see you. By the time you read this, it may only be a few days. Look for me at the gate. I'll be there soon.
Your eternal man,
Bobkeen

8 in the morning, 14th of Sowmeadow, at the Crow Bar in Orvadah, the "holy" shrine of Bom. Ish Ma'el looks down at his blood, piss, shit, and charred being, now undead. "I'm going to call it, we are now on break for 2 days... I need to get this mess cleaned up. I need a new tailor, talk to ...somebody..."
Behind him, Victalyassa utters the words to fill her magical bucket full of soapy water and dumps it over Ish Ma'els head. He screams but not from pain, since most of those were burned away not a few hours ago, but from the interruption of his complaints.
"I think Victalyassa speaks for all of us there, we cannot afford 2 days. You get 1." says Ashara.
"I died... and look, I'll make it worth your while, paying for everyone's room and board."
"1 day, or I leave for Benira alone it seems."
"Wait, I still need to get these bracers where they have to go."
"Well then we will do that tomorrow..."
"Fine." He says. He pulls out 10 High Marks and hands them to Ashara, telling her to pay for everyone's room and board. Ashara takes one for herself and gives the rest to Embra and Vic, knowing they care more about spending money than she. They gladly accept the extra income and decide they will try to get a spa day with their extra time.
Ish Ma'el suggests everyone goes and gets cleaned, himself primarily and gets up from the bar to urge everyone on to the Seraph's Estates district in the city where they can get room and board. The party soon follows and Ish Ma'els condition luckily pulls no extra attention to himself despite looking like smashed ass.
The Estate's themselves is a location that is breathtaking, carved stone and adorned with only the highest of quality wood, decorations, and filigree. There is a gothic tone but the residential area still looks very lively. The party soon finds an Inn, with a bar in it for Victalyassa's pleasure, called the "Milton Inns." The bar mostly serves wines, to Vic's dismay though her presence alone is dismay to the bartender himself who clogs his nose as he approaches, "may I help you?" he utters.
"What is your best drink, I want to stack it up against some of the others I have tried?" begins Victalyassa. The bartenders awkwardly walks around as far as he can, reaching to the top of his liquor cabinet and presents her a sparkling wine called "Sapphire Foam." Victalyassa denies and tells him she wants liquor. He finds a drink called "Abyssal Rum" and presents it to her. Embra soon moves to the bar after letting Vic have her space to enjoy the drink.
Over the course of her stay at the bar, she inquires if there are any jobs worth doing or information worth learning. The bartender explains how grandiose the city is, getting into a small spat with Vic who quickly retorts the "shittiness" of the city. The bartender admits that if she is looking to strike into business, the mithral industry has been hard hit and the market it quite vacant of the metal; shipments sent to Norva, but that is about all. Some construction area's in town, some near Saltfield, would be willing to work with her kind.
Ashara and Ish Ma'el, who were recently left standing in the lobby of the Inn, maneuver to the clerk at the desk. Ish Ma'el takes the lead, hoping Ashara will stay indtimidating behind him. The young dwarven lady at the desk explains that they don't serve lepers. Ish Ma'el pulls out a High Mark and plops it on the counter, with his finger pressed firmly on it: "I require a room, a bath, and a tailor. How much will that be?"
"I can tidy that up for you right now, how many rooms for how many nights?" she asks. He explains just the one room for the night and wants just a simple regular room. She explains that it will cost 1.1 High Marks, he gives 1.3, "for your trouble" he says.
The clerk snaps her fingers and a young human walks Ish Ma'el away. The clerk looks to Ashara, who after observing Ish Ma'el, places 1 High Mark down on the table with her and demands 1 room. The clerk says it will be 0.7 High Marks and goes to give Ashara 3 Marks back. Ashara, not understanding how Marks and High Marks works, gets insulted by the woman giving her coins back. The woman quickly realizes that Ashara is dangerous and bumps the price up to 1 High Mark. Ashara insults her and tells her "not to be so frivolous with her life" before leaving to follow Ish Ma'el to the rooms. The clerk quickly gathers another hand and tells him to point her in the proper direction without talking to her.
Embra claims that she wants to have a spa day but Vic says she isn't interested in the spa, but will join if she can bring her drink, and maybe get her feet massaged. Looking down, Embra sees the dirt, blood, and shit between Vic's beast-like feet, the only thing somewhat clean are the razor sharp pointed toenails. She smiles and says how great the day will be, excited for a day off. The ladies head off to the spa and return some hours later, significantly cleaner and more relaxed.
Before they leave, Victalyassa pulls out her drink experiment and tries to work on it at the bar with the new ingredients she received earlier in the morning. She rolls for her Brewers check, (23). She adds her Eagle Eye berries to the drink, hitting a milestone in the progress of the drink, but not finishing it quite yet. She realizes that she is now narrowing in on a particular recipe of her own, it can either restore health or give a temporary HP shield depending on how she puts the berries in, she picks the temporary HP shield trait but still has some work to do before it is done. At this point, it tastes like a rich beer with a tart undertone to it.
She presents her second experiment to Embra and is gleeful as Embra drinks it down and doesn't die from it. Vic then happily goes back up to her room to spend the rest of the night writing to her family.
Ashara settles in her room and attunes herself to the bracers she received. She spends about an hour messing with it, feeling it to be a part of herself by the end. She puts her back off to the side and pulls out the runed greataxe to try to decipher its meaning. She pulls out her journal, filled with celestial scribbles and spends time to understand the runes to use herself. She studies the decay runes on the axe, tantalizingly close to gaining understanding. Frustratingly close!
Ashara, still sitting at half HP, lets her rage run free, and she swings the axe around violently, breaking the trunk, bed, wardrobe, and chairs, causing a large scene and finally buries the axe in the door. She huffs and puffs, calming herself down some to pull out the two strange eggs and places them on her bed. "Come forth guardian, I have need of you."
"I am not at your beck and call you know," says the guardian.
"I don't know who or what you are. I only know I can talk to you and no one else can, and you seem to come when called."
"Is it another dark gift you are to receive."
"No, and I don't appreciate you interfering with my work with Gavathrak."
"No matter for now. What do you need Ashara?"
"I keep failing at my tasks and I need help. I want to know what is so special about the eggs, what lies inside."
The guardian maneuvers from her spot on the broken bed and moves toward the eggs. The angelic representation of Ashara stares down and waves her white arm over the scaly eggs.
"These are cursed. I cannot see within them, you will need to find a dark wizard or warlock of some sort that work with this type of magic."
"That explains why my efforts have been fruitless. I have a question for you guardian, where are you from?"
The guardian gives her a smirk and then begins to fade back out of the room. Ashara stands in the destroyed room, content with her night and makes a comfortable space on the broken bed for herself after placing the eggs safely inside her bag and calling it a night.
Embra moves herself to her room for the night as well. She pulls out of her bag, her "Squishy" the small living acidic jello that was taken from Orvadah's temple and claimed as her own pet. She observes how it moves around the jar, and she smiles, in love with a pet of her own. She moves her way down to the bar in the evening, noting the high society types which are staying at the Inn, and she looks for what she can take, beginning with a glass of wine sitting on the bar top with the owner looking away.
She slides the glass of wine and walks around, sipping it as she goes. She hangs out toward the front window, enjoying the air of being at the party. She maneuvers around for a bit before calling it for the night, having gained 26 Marks in loose change and a new Emerald brooch.
Meanwhile, since Ish Ma'el has been brought to his room: the busboy stands waiting for a tip after setting up his bath. Ish Ma'el ignores the sublte gesture and closes the door to the bathroom. He sets Kal's head down, facing away from the bath to be respectful, and begins taking his clothes off. He looks at himself in the mirror and remarks that his face is something even his mother wouldn't love. "So what do you remember of the old days Kal?" he says finally.
"I only remember some of the highlights of my life. Quelling the human and elven tribes, the dragon kingdoms which felled many. When the nullium scales came for us, I was with my master and attempted to hide in a bunker we helped build. I was put on standby in a charging station for when my master woke up in the new cycle, but instead I was revived on that table where you found me. My masters no longer walk this world and I am but a disembodied head void of purpose."
"Who was your master?"
"Her name was Thi! (pronounced "Thiii k")" says Kal, longingly.
"Well never heard of her. What do you know about the embodied and the guardians, I've heard of the nullium scales but only recently and vaguely."
"They were not a part of the world as they are now put down by Alexor (of all men, a fabled hero of old akin to Hercules. Fabled for stopping the embodied from ruling the material plane, pushing them just outside). They were fringes on the universe during my time and the guardians were comfortable to keep it that way until this cycle it seems."
"What about the Deus, have you heard of them?" asks Ish Ma'el. Kal dismisses them, knowing only of the Embodied and the Guardians.
Soon after his bath, helping hands move into his room and begin to take his measurements for his new suit. Ish Ma'el explains that he wants an eye patch made as well, dyed scarlet leather. I would also like to find any information I can on Alexor of all men and Thi!. When the men have walked out, Ish Ma'el resummons Quequeeg and lets him fly about the room while looking at his broken focus. "it looks like it shares similar designs to those we had in the past," states Kal.
Ish Mael nods and continues to look it over. He pulls out another orb which he found before and using his arcane intellect and some time deduces it is an Orb of Gal'Nur which can be used to perceive creatures around him with an attempt to penetrate their mind. Soon after, one of the helping hands returns with some books on Alexor on loan from the library, checked out in his name and gives the assistant 3 marks. This was not the library of Oroval luckily, so the man in the closet was not discovered.
Ish Mael moves to eat some wine and cheese, realizing it turns to ash in his mouth on account of him being undead. He looks to Kal and explains how horrible immortality really is. Kal explains that he is talking to a removed head, so he can relate. "At least you don't have a shelf life!" he laughs at his own "joke," adding 1 to the Pun Counter. He then pulls a unidentified potion out and finds it to be a potion of Enlarge/Reduce which can be used to affect him in the way that the title implies. Tired, he decides to end the night and finally get his long rest.
The next morning, around 6 AM, the party all wake up in the respective rooms, refreshed and ready for the day. This being Ish Ma'els first rest as an undead, his dreams are highly focused on Yula, the target of his hunt and as he awakes he realizes that she is 23 miles east of his exact location, but not where that is entirely. They head down to the lobby and greet one another with humble pleasantries: a bow before a drink of whiskey for Vic, Ish Ma'el stacks his food on the bar exclaiming that he can't eat it anymore, Embra questioning the logistics, and Ashara chowing down to prepare for another long day of battle.
Ish Ma'el walks up to the morning clerk, a younger annurin, and asks where the Viper House, the bar where he was told to bring the bracers by Baum, can be found. The clerk was unable to direct them properly so the party decides to leave and find it on their own in the lower districts as the sun is coming up. Embra puts out her cloak and straightens her brooch as they step out into the brisk street. Ashara has a way with city streets and quickly move the party through the city, but is not aware of the exact location herself either. Ish Ma'el suggests they go to the docks for information and Ashara pulls back a curtain to reveal a shady back alley that would get them there in half the time.
Arriving at the docks, several cargo ships are found loading themselves for the day journey ahead of them. Ish Ma'el looks for the "seediest" dock hand he can see to ask for directions. He finds a particular in charge looking man and approaches him. "Dead god, aren't you an ugly fuck, what do you want?" says the man in a British pirate accent.
Ish Ma'el frowns for a second and then asks for information on the Viper House. The man gets excited, grabbing Ish Ma'el close and explains where it can be found, in The Greater Ward, and tells him not to wear out his favorite girl, "Cindy," before he gets there later that night. Ish Ma'el flips the man a coin and the party heads down the dark alley pathways. Eventually, the neon colored illusion magic of the Viper House sign can be found, the floors a little slick but still warm and inviting. Ish Ma'el steps onto the full shag carpet in the building and comments on the "tight squeeze" and concerns if "they can all fit in at once."
The establishment itself is quite nice on the inside against the harsh exterior. The dim illumination hides the shabby worn furniture, but the chandelier and candles give a cool and inviting ambience. A barely dressed young woman stops in her tracks as she sees Ish Ma'el she moves away from him and approaches Ashara. "Can I help you and your party miss?"
"We need to find Cindy. Bring her to us." says Ashara directly.
"She isn't seeing clients today I don't think." says the woman. Ashara gives the girl a glare, and she leaves to find Cindy.
Ish Ma'el questions why she asked for Cindy and not his contact and Ashara proudly exclaims that this is why they are here she thought. Soon, an older dwarven woman with massive biceps comes down the stairs, surprised to see the party. "You are not my normal clients, what do you need of me?"
"We need to find the Geomancer, Ashara here may be more in need of your services, she asked for you specifically." says Ish Ma'el. Cindy directs Ish Ma'el to the Geomancer and then offers Ashara some personal time. Uninterested in Ish Ma'els personal quest, Ashara decides to go with the woman to take part of her services. A massive orc in a tiny banana hammock, wearing a robe, approaches Ish Ma'el and asks what services he is in need of.
"I have brought you the Lovers Embrace bracers from the final fight statue as requested by Baum." he says directly.
"Well, while I do know of Baum, I can't imagine why she would want me to have these bracers..." says the Geomancer.
"Is there a second Geomancer by chance?" says Ish Ma'el wondering why he is not getting the reaction he expected.
"No, just me."
Ish Ma'el rummages through his bag and asks, "wait, what do you know of the Deus?" The Geomancer pauses and tells Ish Ma'el to get his party together and meet in his room. Ish Ma'el rounds up the party, Ashara a bit upset at the loss of her good time, and they follow into the room. The Geomancer begins by saying, "most people aren't so happy talking about the Deus in public, they are afraid of Change. But if Baum is reaching out to the Deus, that is very good. I only speak for the Deus of Blood and Ecstasy, but she isn't as evil as she sounds. Would you like to speak to the Deus yourself?"
The party give confused glances at each other, realizing that they are in the presence of a Deus Preist, but Ish Ma'el quickly speaks up and asks about how many Deus there are. The Geomancer explains that," there are at least 5 he is aware of, but he only concerns himself with the Deus that found him, and I am her only priest as I understand."
"Well let the meeting begin, please." says Ish Ma'el. The Geomancer begins cleaning the room and setting up candles lit for the ritual. Scented oils and bowls are laid down and the man pulls out a gerbil, pulling out a small dagger, splitting it down the middle and letting the blood pour into the bowl. He makes markings across his face and his words start to fall quiet as he speaks in an old strange unfamiliar voice. The Geomancer stands, Amber color in his eyes, and his voice is now otherworldly: "who is this my priest brings before me?"
"Baum has asked me to bring you these bracers," says Ish Ma'el.
"Oh, I know what this means," says the Deus. Ish Ma'el hands her the bracers. "I very much appreciate the hardships you went through to bring this to me. They are very beautiful. This token brings me one step closer. Baum recognizes me and the rest of Embodied Gods will soon fall in line."
Ashara looks to the Geomancer's possessed body and says, "listen her you Deus of shit, Gavathrak will never fall in line." The Geomancer's face contorts quizzically as Ish Ma'el tells Ashara to hold her blade.
"Gavathrak doesn't even see his own siblings, he only sees his own will. Instead of death and suffering, I bring joy to the pain." The Deus eyes flash, "does that not sound better Ashara?"
"That sounds like a nightmare made from the minds of the weak, and it is on their bodies you grasp for power," she retorts.
"Perhaps I can change your mind one day, but today I will give a boon to each of you, a blessing of pleasure. You can indulge and see that aggression be released."
"I'll take one," says Embra, curious to what that would mean.
Ashara turns to her, "don't take anything from this thing.
The Deus turns to Embra and says "doesn't it feel nice every time your rapier runs through an enemy? We can expand on that."
Embra looks to Ashara and back at the Deus, she realizes that Ashara is not always in the right, but she trusts Ashara more than she wants to engage in a pleasure that she has been lacking lately. "Well that's where you made your mistake, I never hit my enemies," says Embra as she turns away and rejects the Deus.
The Deus turns to Vic, "What say you then. Am I to be rejected by each of you or will you drink from the cup of pleasure Victalyassa." The Deus presents a golden chalice filled with the finest rum she had ever smelled.
Vic looks at the Deus and the cup, slapping it down and saying: "You can't tempt me you demon of filth!"
The Deus turns to Ish Ma'el. "If you will not accept my blessing, then at least allow me to answer one question for you with all of my knowledge."
"What is the darkness within me, I was quested to kill it." says Ish Ma'el.
"The darkness within is everything and nothing. The black inside your own being and amorphic of your own design. For the quest you have, it has to be what you seek: to destroy the source of destruction that lies inside the inside. It is up to you." the Deus says.
Ish Ma'el stands biting his nails and thinking deep. "That sounds like a lot of horse shit. Well let's leave." Ish Ma'el get up to leave and Ashara gets the que that it's time to adjourn the meeting. Ashara looks deep in the Deus's amber eyes and says, "say goodbye to your preist."
"What? NO!!!" yells the Deus, and also Embra surprisingly, as Asharas Katana stabs into the chest cavity of the Geomancer. The Amber in his eyes burn out.
Ashara kicks him.
Embra runs over.
Ish Ma'el turns back.
Ashara, feeling her new found power rise up, pulls out the small spark of power provided by Gavathrak, and sinks the teeth of her very soul into that of the Geomancer's. As his spirit fades to its destine plane, she tears a small chunk of it, a soul shard, and pulls it into her essence, savoring the sensation.
Ashara and Ish Ma'el search the room, finding clothing and loose change, 43 Marks which Ish Ma'el takes quickly. Victalyassa takes a swig of her rum and asks Ish Ma'el, "wait so did you know the whole time that this was a Deus Priest we were supplying?"
"There are greater forces at play here, but I had an idea." They finish looking around the room and do not find anything of interest.
Ish Ma'el suggests finding Yula.
The Party rebuts and decide to go to Benira.
Ish Ma'el asks to find Yula if they are within three miles of her and Ashara reminds him that she cannot help in that endeavor at all. Instead, she should be running him through. She struggles with her words. "When you confront her I cannot help Ish Ma'el, because if I did...." Ashara turns and leaves the room, slamming the door behind her as she leaves. The party look at each other and decide to leave as well.
As they walk out of the door, Ish Ma'el is overcome with a presence that knocks him to the ground. The world goes slow around him, and he hears the voice of Baum, "YOU LET HIM DIE! I TOLD YOU TO DELIVER THE BRACERS TO THE DEUS BUT NOT TO ANTAGONIZE. I WILL STILL HONOR OUR DEAL BUT YOU ARE ON THIN ICE!"
The world returns to normal and Ish Ma'el gets up from the ground, Embra and Vic sitting above him. They ask if he is okay, and he explains what Baum said, but wags it off for the moment. He is reminded at that moment that Embra is being followed by the sister of Bom, but Embra explains that she chooses to ignore it. Ashara had left to go to the meeting room with Cindy, knowing it will only take her about 10 minutes to get what she needed from the transaction. The rest of the party sits in the bar to relax, wait for Ashara, and then gather their transport to go to Benira.