Session 09 Report
General Summary
[session 09: 24.03.2024]
22nd of Hammermoon/ 23rd of Hammermoon / Deepwinter, 1489, Year of the warrior princess
After triggering a magical trap that almost ended up cooking Coco, you decide it’s time for a small breather, just gathering your bearings until you feel a little less exhausted once more. The tunnel itself may not be the best place to set camp, but you won’t stay for too long, just long enough to let your legs rest and get Viridian’s and Vilus wounds looked at and bound. Primrose takes a moment to help them start healing with magic. You share some snacks, and while you sit and rest, Coco keeps watch. It seems that Annie’s bond with the familiar lets her see through the almiraj’s eyes, which certainly helps with keeping watch.
Through Coco’s eyes, Annie sees a figure in full armour pace at the end of the hallway Coco is watching. Although heavily armoured and also worshipping a sun deity, this person doesn’t seem to be Salvia, the cleric you’re looking for, at least judging by the full, blazing sun emblem on the breastplate of the armour - this is likely one of the guards or paladins of Amaunator, and thus perhaps not necessarily a friend.
Although having been sneaky, you do not avoid a confrontation with the guardsman, and she quickly calls for the aid of another guard who is patrolling the premises. Vilu thinks quick on their feet, and casts an illusion to resemble a plate-armoured guard that doesn’t perhaps fool the guard who has already spotted you, but certainly will confuse the one arriving later. Viridian is also quick on her feet, and raises roots to entangle the guard’s legs and turning the tiled tunnel into difficult terrain, but the guards are dexterous enough to avoid the trap.
As talking and Primrose’s calming spells only seem to get you so far, Annie eventually blows out one of the torches the guards are carrying, which agitates them both immediately - You’ve been walking in the darkness so far and yes, you’ve felt the presence of something not quite from this world, but the shadows haven’t manifested quite so heavily. They can be dealt with, after all. Which is something you tell the guards, the moment one manifests behind you in the tunnel. Eventually the guards let you pass, and tell you that the man you’ve been looking for is locked away in a cell further along. This is not their problem, it really isn’t.
Before encountering more guards, you find a note that details the Tenets:
Might Makes Right.
Power Above All.
Rebuke the Undeserving.
One Will, Many Hands.
Curiously, it doesn’t sound like something sworn for Amaunator, nor any other god of the sun for the matter.
You decide to continue with the path of deception - Vilu keeps up the illusion of the guard’s visage, and with that, you manage to fool the next two guards into thinking the rest of the party has been captured, and thus shall be thrown into the same jail cell where Salvia is currently residing. However, before you get locked up, Viridian takes wild shape for the first time in front of your eyes, transforming into a ferocious wolf. With Viridian taking the brunt of the attack from the guards and Annie and Primrose providing backup support, Vilu manages to sneak into the cell where Salvia is kept and open his manacles with the use of their thieves’ tools. Even without his weapon or armour, Salvia seems eager to join the fight, but you eventually manage to flee the encounter by the same means as before - Annie douses the fire from the nearest brazier and invites the ungodly shadows to advance closer. That seems to be enough of a distraction for you to bolt without the guards following on your trail. Viridian’s keen nose helps you locate Salvia’s weapon and armour - a beautiful halberd with the sun on its blade, as well as heavy plate of his own, also in shining, warm-hued metal.
As you didn’t manage to disarm the traps from the rest of the tunnel, you decide it might prove out to be safer to keep low until you reach the staircase once more. It takes some time, but finally, you leave through the same window you came from. If it’s grave silent in the tunnels below, you do not talk about it.
It seems dawn has already come to pass, or at least what’s left of it in Auril’s icy grasp.
You head back towards Geldenstag’s Rest as the town is starting to wake up.
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