Session 34
General Summary
Just a Regular Ol' Day at the Namakan Games...
What could you have possibly done Newt to incur the Ire of the Goddess of Death? Did you raise an army of the undead? Did you participate in mass grave robbing?? No? Are you sure? Well then, it's clearly not fair and not right. Oksha's faith in Ah'Shal seems somewhat shaken by this turn of events. Although acolytes are taught to look for signs of those who have incurred the Ire of the goddess they serve, they were not told anything about how to remove the Ire... but she offered to pray about it.
After asking if they could speak privately somewhere, Newt flew Oksha to the top of the statue in the Bay. Newt told Oksha how he saw something in the smoke when Thyron died and that, although he's quite frequently felt Ah'Shal's presence... it has felt a bit off. Oksha warned Newt to be wary of Ah'Shal's domain and her acolytes. The Goddess holds sway in her domain, but is subject to the whims, desires, and orders of the other deities' in their domains. And, although most followers of the goddess of death are acolytes or simple morticians... there are some – executioners – that exist to do her bidding. Be wary of the acolytes of the Dead. They both sat on the statue together until later in the night, when Newt dropped her off at the Temple.
Meanwhile, Moira checked in with Jeremy by sending to him from across the floating platform (she also made eye contact and waved). She then introduced him to Ghilani and they agreed to be friends, immediately. The group then went to Bert's Snails and consumed copious amounts in the (mostly) vain attempt at getting high... though a few individuals did delight in some marvelous hallucination.
Therarask is aware that Newt has the Ire of Ah'Shal and no, they won't go speak to the Goddess of Death about it. They've not spoken to her in... well, a long time. Who do they speak to? They seem fond of Varoona, Ragna, and Lark.
The following morning, Moira, Newt, and the twins went to the swimming event with mischief in mind. After watching and waiting for the perfect moment to strike, Newt (as a pelican) flew Moira (invisible) over five of the competitors... and watched as three of them were suddenly forced on top of the water's surface, continuing to swim in vain before they all awkwardly got up to run across the water. Moira dropped the spell at the perfect time... watching them slip, slide, and plummet at the turn-around. The twins were amused.
At the beach, Ghilani and Widow decided to challenge some fellow casual newbies to Terrain-Ball – simple 2-v-2. Most of the balls were out of bounds, but there was a momentary bout that was somewhat entertaining... there was a return and a couple of hits!
In the afternoon, everyone headed to the Athletic Fields. Upon arrival, Newt noticed Diavolo tucked away in the shadows of the stands... simply watching and observing. Ghilani, after being told this, immediately high tailed it back into the city (with Moira on his heels). Newt and widow chose to participate in a long distance race and, somehow, The Widow managed to win while Newt got a bit winded halfway through. Ghilani and Moira listened to Dr. Valdove's Theory. One story of the Dread King's War states that the Dread King wasn't killed, but by Judas' sacrifice was sealed away... If she can extract a bit of that essence, she can succeed in her goal; she can restore the pantheon by raising the missing deity. Of course, that would require fighting the Dread King. But better to take the fight to it right?
Moira mentioned that the Dread King is already "out and about". She then asked if she could just show Dr. Valdove. And so, Moira found herself once again speaking with a dark shadow of a vaguely humanoid shape. It seemed annoyed by her "fickle" mortal behavior and mentioned that perhaps it should begin tryin to discover a way to find a new host, if Moira is uninterested in helping it remember...
As the sun began to set and the weather cooled... Widow and Newt prepared for another race... Ghilani and Moira made beignets... and Rani prepared for On Tides of Dread...
... and it all ground to a halt when a faint, familiar tugging sensation took hold, pulling on the very soul.
...Until the Pirate Lord Shows & Ruins Everything.
In the Bay, one of the naval ships was suddenly ripped downward, water churning as it vanished beneath the rolling waves of the Bay. Moments later, a large, dark monstrosity covered in dark armor and spewing dark purple spittle from its five heads, landed on and ripped apart the statue of Ambarra. From its perch, it's eerie gaze turned towards the city, releasing a horrible roar before diving back beneath the waves. Before the navy could attempt to engage, a fleet of ghost ships appeared, quickly gunning down the surprised Bay Guard forces.
And then the star of the show arrived. From the fog, a massive floating fortress - a fleet of ships connected by a metal amalgamation - emerged. Projected on a screen above the bay, the Pirate Lord appeared with a white-haired woman glad in armor to one side and a familiar face, with glorious mustache looking a bit worse for wear. With the smiley face flag flying behind his projected image, the Pirate Lord spread his arms wide and addressed the entire city of Varoona.
"Hugs, Kisses, and incoming drugs! Let's all have a grand old time!"As bombs began to arch over the beach into the city... the High Priestess sent to the party begging for their help.
"The Pirate Lord is here. We must retreat within the city walls. There, I can protect us. Keep enemies out. Please help my people. Hurry."Newt and Widow immediately began to book it south into the city as the shadow of skiffs began to cruise over the horizon. Rani, Moira, and Ghilani made their way to the beach, watching the Hydra make quick work of any reinforcements the Port tried to send. On the beach, the trio fought alongside Noel and her gang to stop and destroy a portion of an encroaching army: watery forms bound by familiar looking armor. Newt stopped to pick the locks of the noble townhomes to let in terrified commoners... they will remember that. Fearing for the safety of Jeremy, everyone began to converge on the Docks... including the Hydra. With Rani and Trix unconscious, the Widow still 60 feet away, and the ghost fleet reinforcements arriving... how will The Deep End live up to their new reputation as the defenders of Varoona? Will they continue to be a thorn in the Pirate Lord's Side?
Report Date
24 Feb 2022
Primary Location
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