Session 108: Three Location Updates

Anvilhold

• Linette took Ashpin aside and told him of her planned next steps: helping escort the dwarves to the Soulforge and setting up their territory. Afterwards, she said she would begin to investigate the daelkyr, as they would undoubtedly be the greatest threat the Dusk Watchers have faced. She was anxious, yet determined, and said she would miss Ashpin. He read the situation perfectly and swooped in for a kiss.
• The Anvilbenders threw another, even rowdier, party in celebration of Bagan and the Crypt Crew's return. Lord Anvilbender was sad, but proud, to see Bagan off, knowing what he had accomplished. What he did not know, however, is the burden of the Nhurat Khazuun had accepted in the reclamation of the Soulforge.

Library of Korranberg

• The Crew first decided to check on Toali, the Korranberg gnome that went mad in Droaam. When they last left him, they kept him company with Brock the Lock, and set him a task of a dimensional seal that would help the Daughters (to whom he was so devoted).
• In order to enter Toali's office, they had to get past the notoriously difficult boss of Brock's standup routine (I used to believe in reincarnation, but that was a different guy.)
• Toali's office was much, much cleaner than it was when they left. The man behind the desk was both familiar and unfamiliar: Toali, but clean-shaven and removed of Droaam iconography.
• He thanked them profusely - the actions they had taken had kept him sane enough so he had sense enough to ask Brother Halien for help, who healed Toali of his ailment. Apparently, a Droaamic necromancer had heard tell of Sorata Lavyn's work in recruiting powerful supporters to Droaam, and tried to replicate her work. Toali was an experiment, and a terribly failed one.
• N'nchyk related to Toali's mind control, knowing what it was like to awaken from what felt like a terrible dream. However, he didn't understand Sorata Lavyn's magic being a bad thing.
• Next, they went to visit the twins, Paven and Naven. The firbolg twins from the Clifftop Adventurer's Guild uncovered some lore at the Korranberg Library regarding Sora Maenya, a task assigned to them by Flame'chyk, arising from ambiguous punctuation used by Sora Kell, the First Daelkyr, told to the Crypt Crew within her spacebound Siberys crystal sanctuary orbiting the corpse of One Before Names.
• The Crew also uncovered a song about Uul Dhakuun, a bastion in Dal Quor of the Dhakaani Empire.

Sharn

• To get back to Sharn, the Crew needed to pass through the Necropolis, which contained some updates. Siltwave and Whistle-of-Ashes of the Flametide Circle were in charge of supervising Squid while N'nchyk was gone. He took some habits from each: from Whistle, an effort to overcome a fear of fire. From Silt: the practice of daily meditation while submerged neck-deep in mud, sand, or a similar substance, saying "The meat of the soil must cultivate the quiet peace of the true tomorrow."
• Squid had also been murdering small animals and placing them in "rot piles" to study them. Whistle and Silt tried their best to stop him from doing this, eventually convincing him to only use already-dead creatures, citing the natural cycle. Squid complied, but they suspected he cheated on occasion.
• Also in the Necropolis, Dooturr learned the SS Octopus has been commissioned by all sorts of organizations, due to its size and efficiency of crew, to carry different goods in the wake of the Dragonmarked Houses disbanding. The Blacksmith has been instrumental in organizing this. Dooturr received 500 gp in income.
• Now back in Sharn, the Crew received a much colder welcome than last time. They were required to state their business and expected duration of stay before entering.
• Once in Sharn, they received many untoward looks. They soon find out why, with their portraits emblazoned on the front page of Sharn Inquisitive: Issue #9719‌.
• The Crew convened at Viribus' mansion, discussing the article. N'nchyk suspected the hand of Brucos in it. Paven and Naven slid notes to N'nchyk, asking him if it was all true.
• Ashpin was quickly called into the Sharn Council. He was able to gauge some of the councilor's true reactions to his return and the Crew's recent criticizing. Gavinythx confronted him about the article as she made several notes in her ledger. Ashpin said the article was mostly true, but some of the unscrupulous things were up to interpretation. He really wanted to lay into the Council, saying they undoubtedly had non-Mourisi skeletons in their own closets, but managed restraint. Regardless, he said it wasn't important at the moment, and it wouldn't impact his Council duties. Gavinthyx liked this response, and they proceeded in business without her making another note in her ledger.
• Ashpin also received 250 gp in salary from the Council.
• The Dragon's Elite, at the request of the Sharn Council, successfully hunted down the problematic werewolves terrorizing the borders of the city. It took them an average amount of time that was neither impressive nor embarrassing.
• Dr. Quillicarious von Palting had successfully received the large grant Ashpin had recommended the Council give to his Morgrave department thanks to his work in curing the Sharn mushroom plague of 999. Morgrave University was surprised at the notification of the grant, as apparently they forgot they had a mycology department. Quillicarious has begun to use the funds to pay off fines he owes for the unlawful mishandling of the deceased (something he plans to continue do, calling it a “cadaver subscription fee”).
• His work with Njord was fruitful, as the celestial kitty now has the ability to make biscuits on the spine of a corpse, turning it into a zombie.
• Mora Bordafell, the neatly dressed gnome, finds Viribus and says he asked around about their offer to buy and sell items to and from the Aurum (something of an exclusive relationship between the Aurum and Crypt Crew). He did in fact find a particularly interested party, who is willing to meet with them in Sharn within the next few days. His name is Machine Head.
• Frisian received a note from a crow that simply stated the name of an old, hardly used Silver Flame temple in Lower Northedge, and the words “come alone”. Frisian dapped up the crow and made for the temple.
• The dilapidated temple was empty, save for the kneeling, grizzled figure of Ser Caldus, templar of the Silver Flame, silvered sword driven into the splintered wooden floor. "I was once called the Witchhammer of Thaliost. They gave me that name because I did not hesitate. Lycanthrope, cultist, heretic, fiend-touched; I made no distinction. I thought mercy was weakness. I thought the Flame had made me certain. There was a time when I would have killed you before asking your name. I have spent a century repenting for that certainty. You are a shifter. You are a lycanthrope. So I will not ask if you are pure. I will ask something harder: if the Flame falls silent, will you still choose the light?"
• Frisian tells Ser Caldus that he knows the Flame is flickering. And he says he will be the Flame if need be.
• Ser Caldus clearly approved of this answer, as he rose and turned towards Frisian. The true purpose of their meeting was soon made clear, as he informed Frisian that Cardinal Halric Thorne, a man with a storied past with Caldus, is hunting Frisian. He says Cardinal Thorne is not afraid of the monster Frisian is - he is afraid of what he might represent. A stain, an impurity within the Flame. How could a lycanthrope, a beast, possibly receive the silver light of the Flame?
• Later, N'nchyk tells his Circle his defense of having been a different person and that he is trying to be better. Out of all groups, the Flametide Circle perhaps understands N'nchyk the most. They do not brush it off, but almost all the members themselves have a darker past, and are seeking the Circle for a fresh start and a new beginning. Knowing that N'nchyk has fought past this dark past into the hero he is today actually ingratiates him even more to some members in a strange, backwards way.

AKM and the Upcoming Gala

• The Crew was approached by an individual in a dark, high-collared coat and a steel-and-amber mask. They handed the Crew a letter, the second from AKM, telling them they will attend the King's Lanterns Charity Gala in two weeks time. This is the second time they have heard of this gala - the first was when Ashpin interrogated M1T1, the warforged accused of being a Droaamic spy.
• Theobald, who had previously agreed to help with the Crew's investigation of Brelish corruption, said he had completed the task of creating a twin to the magic mirror from Zorvoth's hoard. However, when working on the original mirror, he discovered that Aegoth, the proprietor of the Wandering Tale, the traveling tavern that now lies in the elements of the Demon Wastes, is currently stuck in Baator, after his battle with the ancient blue dragon during the rescue of the Crypt Crew from the White Room.
• When asked about the gala, Theobald said he was familiar with the environment, as he has rubbed elbows with many a higher-up in the Brelish government, due to his superb reputation and significant accomplishments. He provided them with a list of people that would likely be attending that he could help test the character of.
• He also said that the gala was almost sure to be a mere front. Cornelius is likely trying to ingratiate powerful people to his side. The last thing the Crew wants to do at the gala is make a scene.
• Frisian received another vision from Tira Miron, telling them that though it may seem strange, the path they were on was the correct one, but they must remember the task they have been set.

Report date
11 May 2026