Session LV: Allies in High Places

General Summary

The party has slain Fraz Urb'Luu, Demon Prince of the Abyss. Was this a part of the Court's plans? What do they do next?

Notes

WIth Fraz defeated, the party set about slaying both Jaina and the other large demon that had been summoned. Both were dispatched relatively easily, and Jory set about revivifying Ren, to great success. She was returned from the dead, and Ulric was brought back from consciousness. On Jaina's body, the party found yet another note, detailing how Fraz likely wasn't actually apart of the Court's plans, and Jaina had gone renegade due to the loss of Kul Tiras being too great of a cost to bear.
With the terrain that Fraz had created falling, the Akrithian bombardments and landings resumed, prompting the party to retreat to the inner city. Here, they took a much needed rest for an hour, with Jory patching their wounds. From there, they decided to head to Uramae, to confront Khiale with the overwhelming evidence of Vel'oth's treachery. On the way there, they passed by a large camp of LightGuard and Duvielian soldiers, holed up in a destroyed plaza. As they were attempting to engage the enemy, a dark cloud landed in the center, revealing Vitomir, their old friend. He quickly revealed his vampiric strength and agility, grotesquely butchering the entire camp. He nearly turned on the Silver Dawn with the same bloodlust, but recognized them, and approached.
At the same time, from behind, they saw (but did not hear) their other friend, Artem. The two powerful vampires spoke plainly and friendly with the party, wishing for them to aid them in the defense of the city. The party revealed their concerns with Abimorhan, and, reluctantly, the vampires agreed that they should go. They did explain that they would be staying to help the city, though, and would not join the party, to which the Silver Dawn agreed was likely for the best. With this, Vitomir (telling Yamma they should duel again as he did) left in a cloud of smoke, and Artem ran impossibly fast back to the massive hospital set up in the center of the city. The party, waving their friends goodbye, finished their trek to Uramae unmolested.
There, the guards attempted to stop them, before being intimidated into backing down by Xarreus. They allowed the party in, and once inside, the Silver Dawn saw that, in lieu of Khiale's tower, which had been destroyed, a sprawling, makeshift command center had been set up in the center of the palace's courtyard, in the middle of which were their quarries: Khiale and Vel'oth. They hurriedly approached the two powerful figures, and cut straight to the point, accusing Vel'oth of his treachery.
Vel'oth, naturally, was taken aback, while Khiale was intrigued. The case the party presented had some merit: how else could the barrier have fallen so inexplicably? And, if the Court's motives were as the party said, Vel'oth would have the leverage needed to propel them forward. So, Khiale indulged the party, and allowed them to investigate. This "investigation" consisted of Vecna asking Vel'oth to disrobe to show his golden snake tattoos. Through some rather extreme persuading, Khiale indulged this request, and ordered Vel'oth to do so, claiming that if he had nothing to hide, he should have nothing to fear.
And so, Vel'oth began removing his armor, and it was as the party believed: emblazoned across his Lightforged back were two intertwined golden snakes. Seeing this, Khiale, in a flash of rage the party did not believe possible, totally annihilated Vel'oth's form, using the Light within him to shatter his physical form and obliterate his metaphysical existence in a display of raw, divine power. She then turned to the party, who handed her the notes they had that hinted at the plans in Abimorhan, and she quickly drafted them an official writ of investigation. As she handed it to them, she told them that any traitors following the Court could be killed, for they were no longer Lotorian in her eyes.
Xarreus and Ulric, while wishing the party luck, did believe that it would be helpful for at least some of them to stay to help with the defense of the city, and so, the two departed. The Silver Dawn, minus Ulric and Xarreus, alongside their new allies Kyra and Nemeia, departed forthwith and hastily made their way out of the city. Leaving the battle behind, they spent the rest of the day travelling east along the coast. As night fell, they decided to camp, leading to a rather eventful evening.
First, the party's old friend Gaunter arrived, and took them all on an "adventure." This adventure consisted of watching the last vestige of "Big 'V,'" as the Silver Dawn so lovingly called him, being slaughtered by Vivrah's son, who was presently leading a secret invasion of Emaxus. Gaunter then took them to some strange island, noting that this was where "Yamma's girlfriend's friends" were, and led them into a massive tower. Inside, they saw Celrih, alongside four other powerful mages, all clad in matching blue robes and dull gold armor, discussing the events that the party had just witnessed firsthand, which the mages were viewing through a large scrying orb.
Afterwards, back at camp, Vecna at last accepted Gaunter's offer, taking the Hand and Eye back, on two conditions: no more wonky deals, and no nasty looking hands or eyes. Just normal appendages. And so, the Hand grafted itself to Vecna's left stump, looking normal for all but a black onyx band in his skin where it attached itself, and the Eye plunged itself into his empty left eye socket. And, through blinding pain, Vecna was made whole once more.
Meanwhile, out on the cliffs far from the party, Yamma, who had been meditating, made a breakthrough.
What breakthrough did Yamma achieve? And what remains now of "Big 'V'" in Vecna? And what awaits the party at Abimorhan?

Report Date

26 Dec 2019