Session 7

Trouble on the Roads

Date: Wednesday, 22nd of January, 2020
Attending Players: Ashara, Embra, Victalyassa
Time 3 Hours (Total: 21 Hours)

Game Time 3rd of Sowmeadow, 7:00 PM
To
4th of Sowmeadow, 1:00 PM
Game Locations: Skad
Enderfaso

"Please, have another," the man motioned for his servant to pour another glass. He subtly turned down a refill of his own, motioning instead toward a different servant with a separate bottle.

"This is marvelous, I do say, it amazes me how well your wine turns out without any magical aid," the older feyling said, taking a drink.

Watching intently, the first man took his own sip. "Sometimes sweat and prayers yield the sweetest fruit."

"Indeed!" the feyling chuckled then shook his head with a sigh. "Where were we? Oh, right. Enderfaso's request. The agreement between them and Treesko. What does that have to do with Benira?"

"Everything and nothing," his eyes locked onto the small and drunk ambassador. The feyling's pupils began oscillating between large and small. It was time. "It is simply for the good of the entire continent that the diplomat never make it to Treesko. Even his death would be better than his words reaching the druidic council."

"His death?" the feyling shook his head a moment, then smiled toward his host. "Why?"

"His death would prevent war. His death would save thousands of lives. Isn't that your job? As an ambassador of Treesko, don't you wish to protect its people? Even if that means ordering the diplomats death?"

"Of...course," the ambassador nodded sluggishly. His face was flushed, but it was more than wine in his system.

"The diplomat needs to die."

"The diplomat needs to die."

"But only you have the power and authority."

"But only I have the power and authority."

The ambassador's host leaned back in his seat, looking off the terrace toward the Glitter Waves. A faint sparkle began in the air. He held his hand up, watching as a few sprinkles of sand landed on his palm. He smiled, basking in the approval of his god.

At some point I began putting incorrect in-game dates in the session reports. If I get a chance, I'll correct them and remove this note, but until I get around to this, from this point forward, the in-game dates have been corrected.

Finishing the Night

Before the night ends, the group debates what to do with the sick individuals upstairs in the tavern. Ashara, without saying a word, draws her blade and heads upstairs. Victalyassa follows, not liking the solution but not stopping it. As the dark aasimar goes from room to room, ending each life, they find a single room empty. Victal discovers, while looting the small chest inside, that the Inquisitor stayed there. She collected several bits of his belongings and began flipping through is personal diary as Ashara finished her self-appointed task.
Embra attempts to sooth her nerves with a free drink from the bar. As she tries to relax from the days events, she is interrupted by a loud thumping heading down the stairs. She turns to see Ashara dragging the remains of her work down the steps. The Runeseeker enlists her half-elven friend in dragging the bodies outside, intent on burning them in case of plague. They take a moment, Ashara having Embra say a few words, then light the bodies on fire, burning them away.
Victalyassa, after reading a large portion of the journal, heads downstairs, joining Vanier downstairs and speculating on what she read. It seemed, she explains, that the town had seemed to turn on one another and gotten sick after the new god was brought into the town. When Ashara and Embra come back in, Ashara heads upstairs while the rest debate leaving that night for a head start or staying the night in town. Embra wishes to leave, Vanier says they should stay, and Victal suggests letting Ashara decide. Embra agrees and joins her friend, asking her opinion. Feeling the pain of the day's battle, she wishes to stay, but voices it as just her preference instead of what they should do. She is inwardly relieved when the group decides to stay.
As the conversation between Ashara and Embra naturally ends, the Vocal Orb in Ashara's bag begins emitting a tone. Having not heard it before, the two girls are alarmed, but then realize what it is, answering it and hearing Drosko on the other end, checking in. They shared what they had found with Drosko, who in return shared several bits with them:

• They should return with what they have as soon as possible. They'll get their reward and get their next tasks.
• He has been looking into the Shrine, as promised, but hasn't found anything yet. Still, he feels he's close to learning something.
• Unfortunately, another group was overheard talking about the same task they are on. That means another adventuring group is on the job.
• A letter has come for Embra, she'll get it when they get back.

The conversation ends with Ashara hanging up on Drosko mid-conversation. The party then goes their way to sleep for the night.

Private Worship

As everyone is asleep, Ashara steps away for her prayers. She goes directly towards the ruined embodied shrines outside the temple. Casting Ethereal Chains in a fashion that wrapped her arms and bound her to the debris, she feels herself pulled down and calls out to Gavathrak in prayer. She curses him, demanding to know why he won't give her more power, and why she doesn't know more runes like those she discovered. She rages a bit more before Gavathrak manifests to her as a giant, demonic hand composed of chains. It rushes upward from the ground, grasping her and slamming her to the ground, causing damage in the process. She hears the bellowing voice of Gavathrak telling her that she is not one to question him, that she will get her rewards as she earns them. They fade away past her and Ashara thanks him, returning for sleep.

The Dangerous Road

When they wake, they find that Vanier has made breakfast for them. Ashara is immediately suspicious and grabs him, threatening him if he his trying to poison them. He demands that he eats first, which he does to appease her. Once he eats some, she gladly enjoys some herself. They collect themselves and start heading towards Enderfaso once more.
They make it several hours down the road, the rain finally letting up to a cool mist, when the beating of leathery wings is heard overhead. Knowing something is coming, they wait only moments before a flock of Stirges flies down and began attacking them. The group is thrown into chaos as they land on each of them except Victalyassa. Even Mr. Ed and Vanier are struck and drained by the foul Stirge. Embra kills one, but is struck by another and more fly in. Within the first few seconds, the entire group become overwhelmed by the fast moving tiny monstrosities. In a moment of rage, Ashara explodes in divine energy. Her eyes glow, flames brighten on her, and skeletal wings manifest from her. The sight of Ashara terrifies everything in radius, except the single stirge stuck to her. Her rage focused on it, swinging, she fails to hurt it, and ironically growing terrified of the creature she can't seem to handle.
Terrified, the stirges all begin to flee, except the one on Ashara, that takes its fill before lifting off from her to fly off. Those still attached to the PCs drain what they can as they take off in fright. The stirge on Vanier drains the last bit of life from him, dropping him unconscious before fleeing.
Embra, terrified of Ashara, fails to strike any of the fleeing stirges, then falls from the wagon. Unable to see her comrade, she gains just enough composure to realize she needs to help Vanier, pulling a potion from her bottle and feeding it to Vanier. The rest of the group are unable to strike any of the fleeing stirges, and the combat ends with the party nearly wiped by the difficult combat.
They recollect themselves, everyone struck by the situation. A silent short rest is followed by the continuation of their journey until they reach the end of their travel day, pausing to make camp. Ashara fished with her tail, Embra disguised their camp with Vanier's help setting up a perimeter, and Victalyassa brewed up the fish as their dinner, making fish beer for the group. Before dinner, they separate, each taking time to relax their minds from the turmoil of the past few days. Ashara, not resting, instead focuses hard on the rune she had found beneath Vanier, drawing with her blood-quill the rune, testing it and repeating it until she manages to successfully activating it, learning Zone of Rejuvination. Afterwards, they share the hearty fish beer while Victalyassa thinks fondly on her family, reflecting on moments not too dissimilar to this. As dinner ends, they each separate, Ashara taking the first watch. Victalyassa would later relieve Ashara, taking the rest of the nights shift.
In the morning, a chill is over the camp. What at first appears to be a light dusting of snow is revealed on inspection to be sand. Victalyassa is wary of it, but Ashara tells her that it may simply be blowing in from the desert to the west. They pack up, getting into the wagon and continuing on toward Enderfaso. Hours into the trip, an interruption comes in the form of an Imp flying overhead. Spotting Victalyassa, it identifies her as "mistress", swooping down and dropping a letter before flying off. It appears to be a love letter from an unknown man, clearly addressed to another. Ashara swears it is meant for her, but that she doesn't know the man. She vows he will find a swift death to unburden him from his unrequited love for her.

Back to Enderfaso

When the group arrives back at the gates, they enter the city and are guided by Vanier through the Topaz Quart district, leading to the Cobalt Hall of the city. Ashara waits outside, not trusting the paladin, and swearing she will kill him if harm falls on Embra or Victalyassa, who follow him in. Inside, they are led to a dining hall where they are met a few minutes later by a woman in full ceremonial plate. The lady, looking immaculate, offers them her thanks and asks if they have any interest in joining their find order. They decline, and she instead asks what she can aid them with, inquiring as to where they are going. When she finds they are headed toward Valtaska, she says that they have a delegation heading there in the morning at 8am. The PCs are given pass to join the delegation as they make use of the Magirium Tranportation to travel to Valtaska. As an extension of their praise, she offers them a small box containing Bottles of Holy Water blessed by Yurona.
As the party debate their next moves, they agree they should look for this Potion Ship while they have the day to do so. The session ends with an agreement by the party on what they shall do next.