IX - A Sabbath for Six - 6.25.23
Tarsakh 1-3
On the afternoon of Tarsakh 1, the party walked from Shattered Dragon Inn to Growboats to purchase rowboats. The shop and grower lay north of Ylraphon nearby the road to Tavilar. As the party passed by the House of Merchants, they shivered at the thought of what dwelled below. They arrived at Growboats to find a small and tidy shop adjacent to an orchard of sorts. The boats seemed to be growing out of the ground, pruned and shaped through espalier. Oliver Thickets noted that the plants themselves seemed to be olive vines. Perhaps the supple and strong wood was well suited for use in boats.
The proprietor seemed to be all alone. She was an elf named Janet, and she appeared elderly (for an elf). The party made arrangements to purchase three boats and store them nearby for future use. Janet seemed in high spirits; she made small talk about the business and asked the group about their plans for the boats. Rhokeion Archos was keen to play things close to the vest and did not give away much about the group's experiences in the Flooded Forest. As the party went to depart, Janet strode gracefully toward the orchard with scissors so tiny they barely fit on her thumb and forefinger. Sharing a chuckle, the party walked once more toward Ylraphon.
Oliver turned in for the day, endeavoring to learn more about Dragonchess through study. Rhokeion led the rest of the group to Ilnatar Manor in the hopes that Amrul Ilnatar might identify the strange ring Rhokeion had found in the rooms beneath the House of Moander. Amrul was once again hospitable and seemingly excited to interact with the party. After catching up briefly, the nobleman told Rhokeion that the ring was a weapon; the intricate grooves and rivulets were designed to apply a poison when activated. Disappointed, Rhokeion gifted the ring to Sariel Amastacia; he thought she might find more use for the strange device.
Anticipating a day or two of rest in Ylraphon, Sora Shana offered her services as an experienced scribe. Amrul agreed to pay her to come back the next day and do some clerical work. Secretly, Sora was intrigued at the prospect of spending time alone in the Ilnatar library. Once again, it seemed Amrul was the only Ilnatar available. His mother, Aleratha Ilnatar, seemed reclusive in nature. The man's older brothers were apparently out hunting once more.
The half-orc Gremir hoped to proselytize in Ylraphon proper. He asked Amrul, a fellow worshipper of Donlad, for advice regarding this pursuit. The man replied, stating sadly that no temple to Donlad yet existed in the port town. The temple district in the northwest had fallen to ruin and had not been reclaimed. Moonwater on the coast was the best-kept temple in town. Gremir began to formulate plans for a demonstration the next day, and OPTIX seemed curious to watch.
The party trudged back to the Shattered Dragon for the evening; Oliver was still tucked away in the tavern reading. He recalled that the group of adventurers had been invited to an initiation ritual at the Horned Keep that night. Thinking back to the minotaurs who had attacked them in the Flooded Forest, the party made the unanimous decision to avoid the Hunters for the time being. Notably, Zepp Wilson and Gruesome did not seem to have returned to the inn for the night as planned. Depriving himself of rest, Oliver read his book through the night.
On the morning of Tarsakh 2, Escher O'Hara was waiting to meet the party in the tavern. She presented the group with armbands- licenses for magic use within the city. They were black and leathery with purple embroidery. Everyone in the group received their own, meant to be worn on the forearm. Escher then informed the party of a slowly mounting effort within the Horned Keep to clear out the caverns beneath the House of Moander. She reasoned that something so foul as the fungal flesh mass must at some point be destroyed. The fungus sightings and Evangeline's disappearance could not be ignored, either. Escher said that a Hunter would be ready in a day or two to accompany the party on their trek back to Throstulgrael. He was a tabaxi called Harold; the cat was an experienced spellcaster from the Keep.
As an aside, Escher told the party of T2's intrusion at the Hunters' initiation event the previous night. Apparently, the two had lashed out and murdered multiple members of the Hunters before fleeing town. When prompted as to what might have caused the reaction, Escher revealed hidden horns upon her head. They were short and smooth, like the burgeoning antlers of a young stag. The woman said that many Hunters were gifted with bestial features upon initiation. The "God of the Hunt" favored beastly acolytes, evidently. Zepp and Gruesome must have assumed the worst and lashed out in fear.
Finally, Sariel inquired as to whether any understanding had been gained as to the nature of the Moander mask the group had found beneath the House of Moander. According to Escher, it had been determined that the mask was magical but likely did not pose any threat to its wearer. She said no one had yet worn the mask, but tests were still being conducted to determine its purpose.
The group planned to spend the day in Ylraphon, resting up a bit and possibly earning some income. Sorashana and Oliver went to the Ilnatar Manor. Oliver returned the Dragonchess book he had borrowed, playing a game with Amrul and drinking some tea. The two gamers discussed the coming Dragonchess tourney excitedly. When Amrul heard about Oliver's hefty contribution to fund the tourney, he felt inspired to match it. Sorashana copied some scripts into bound books for the Ilnatars. Mostly small-time local historical accounts. Within the last 3 years, sea-elf activity in Seros (the undersea elf kingdom on the floor of the Sea of Fallen Stars) had been growing in aggression. Sora read several accounts of strange happenings regarding fungus creatures nearby Ylraphon. The House of Moander was only referenced specifically in the account regarding Evangeline's case.
Sorashana finished up early and was able to look around the library a bit. She found texts dating all the way back to Ylraphon's founding thousands of years before. Many seemed magically preserved. Prominent documents included accounts of the various destructions and historical battles involving Ylraphon.
Rhokeion went looking for bookstores hoping to find a forgotten snippet of magical knowledge to add to his repertoire. During a couple hours of shopping around small bookstores, he was not able to find anything too interesting. Just before he gave up, Rhokeion found and bought an unusual-looking book which looked refurbished. It seemed to be an anonymous biography of an elf woman named Aleratha Ilnatar. Rhokeion remembered that had been the name Amrul used to refer to his mother. According to the well-worn text, the woman had died in a shipwreck years ago. Aleratha had been exceptionally long-lived, even for an elf. Thinking the book was curious but nonmagical, Rhokeion was surprised to find multiple rune formulas inscribed onto the reverse of the book's dustcover.
OPTIX and Gremir went off to find an animal to sacrifice to Donlad. They eventually captured a fox using OPTIX's net. The two took it over to a fountain at the center of the ruined temple district. Oliver had said he would join them after his visit to Amrul, so Gremir decided to spend some time proselytizing. Eventually, a duo walking from Tavilar gathered near to hear of Donlad's glory. Gremir's conviction was pure and he proclaimed his gospel for all to hear. Soon, Oliver arrived to witness the proceedings. The five present gathered around as Gremir beheaded the fox alongside two toads that Oliver called from the swamp.
As Gremir made the last cut, a booming voice echoed in the chests of those present. Their vision flashed white and they all heard a whispered phrase echo through their minds: "It is well with me..." Gremir took his bleeding sacrifices on a spike into town, proclaiming the glory of Donlad to the townsfolk. His procession, while gruesome, was met with praise and passion for the redemption Donlad had offered every living creature.
Sariel spent the day at Ylraphon Plaza making caricatures for passers-by. She found a spot near the center of the pop-up shops and carts peddling trinkets and wares. She spread out her supplies, eager to exercise her artistic talents for the first time in awhile. During her time there, Sariel made a few coins; every customer seemed pleased with their portrait. Most of the people in the plaza seemed to be traveling through Ylraphon or simply relaxing; the weather was temperate. After a couple hours of working, Sariel went off to look for a substance to use in her new ring. She visited an apothecary and selected a vial of lethargy poison for purchase.
In the evening of Tarsakh 2, the party reconvened at the Shattered Dragon. As the party was headed upstairs to their accommodations, Elmo approached and took Oliver aside. Timidly, the innkeeper asked Oliver about Zepp and Gruesome. He said they had left something odd in their room. The two gathered the party to go see. Elmo led them all upstairs and to the end of a long hallway. Producing a key, Elmo opened a door and showed the party what had been left. It was the Warforged of Eberron which had been in the possession of T2 since Ches 19. It seemed Zepp and Gruesome had left it behind in their hurry.
Seeing some similarities to his own construction, OPTIX examined the inanimate construct. The party thought back to that night over a week ago when they had seen the Warforged shuffling around in the muck within the Sunken Spire. It seemed damaged then, but now it did not move at all. OPTIX was able to find a deformed panel on the construct's shoulder. Pulling it back carefully, he saw a laceration beneath. The Warforged seemed to have "muscles" of a sort fashioned from a wooden medium beneath its armored plates.
Oliver magically healed the wound partially using his wand, and the Warforged burst to life. It produced several guns from its arms and burned cuts through the ceiling with lasers from its eyes. The party felt frightened and immediately in danger, but the thing fell prone and stopped moving as it whirred to a stop. Shaking herself off, Sorashana was determined to see the thing restored. She had grown up around Warforged and knew them to be intelligent beings. She used magic to heal its wounds further. The construct sat up, introducing itself as Lucy and looking around inquisitively.
Lucy revealed that she had been aware of her surroundings during her apparent slumber. She recalled being pushed into the pit within the Sunken Spire, which damaged her capabilities. She was able to claim revenge and kill those who pushed her but soon fell into a sleep-like state of dejected abandonment. She had grown fond of Zepp and Gruesome, endeavoring to find them again. Everyone (especially Elmo) was worried about keeping her around but they soon were relieved. Lucy rose to her feet and began to leave the room. Careful to avoid further destruction of property, the Warforged trudged out of the Shattered Dragon with the party trailing just behind.
Reasoning that Lucy did not pose a threat and seemed more than capable, the group agreed that she should be left alone for now. Rhokeion walked Lucy to the edge of town to ensure she did not cause any offense. She seemed to have analyzed the footsteps in the dirt and gravel, satisfied that she had identified those of her companions. Carrying on with no trouble, Lucy stepped past the Hunters standing guard and turned to wave at Rhokeion and the rest of the party. She called out and said when they next met, the party would know her as part of the "Triumphant Trio."
On the morning of Tarsakh 3, the party met Harold the Tabaxi of the Hunters. He had come to the Shattered Dragon for a hearty breakfast before the day's trek. He seemed self-absorbed and spoke of his skills without humility. Harold was eager to get going, and the party was soon on the way to the House of Moander. Descending into the familiar landing beneath the ruined temple, the party discerned the presence of undead. Thinking to test its purpose, Sariel revealed and donned the Moander mask she had taken from Velvet's hoard. She was immediately met with a cacophony of voices and fragments of imagery filling her field of view. She heard pieces of hundreds of conversations, bouts of screaming, and much more. Sariel thought she could hear the voice of Escher, berating some poor soul. She could not focus on any particular perspective filling her view, as it all washed over her in a static-like sensation.
Sariel could also see that the mask's lenses seemed to highlight the fungus underfoot and in nearby rooms. She then saw something which gave her pause. Far away and slightly overhead, Sariel could make out a clear formation of fungus growing in long paths across her field of view. In the direction of Tavilar, she could see that the largest two paths crossed in the shape of an "X." Unsure of the implications, Sariel removed the mask and recounted what she had experienced to the group. Mildly disturbed, they all descended into the tunnels. They soon fought and killed two fungus-infested beasts, feeling more accustomed to fighting them. Harold was not much help.
Does "X" truly mark the spot? Can the party make good on their deal with Throstulgrael? What went down in the Horned Keep? Find out next time on... The Domain of the Metamage!
The proprietor seemed to be all alone. She was an elf named Janet, and she appeared elderly (for an elf). The party made arrangements to purchase three boats and store them nearby for future use. Janet seemed in high spirits; she made small talk about the business and asked the group about their plans for the boats. Rhokeion Archos was keen to play things close to the vest and did not give away much about the group's experiences in the Flooded Forest. As the party went to depart, Janet strode gracefully toward the orchard with scissors so tiny they barely fit on her thumb and forefinger. Sharing a chuckle, the party walked once more toward Ylraphon.
Oliver turned in for the day, endeavoring to learn more about Dragonchess through study. Rhokeion led the rest of the group to Ilnatar Manor in the hopes that Amrul Ilnatar might identify the strange ring Rhokeion had found in the rooms beneath the House of Moander. Amrul was once again hospitable and seemingly excited to interact with the party. After catching up briefly, the nobleman told Rhokeion that the ring was a weapon; the intricate grooves and rivulets were designed to apply a poison when activated. Disappointed, Rhokeion gifted the ring to Sariel Amastacia; he thought she might find more use for the strange device.
Anticipating a day or two of rest in Ylraphon, Sora Shana offered her services as an experienced scribe. Amrul agreed to pay her to come back the next day and do some clerical work. Secretly, Sora was intrigued at the prospect of spending time alone in the Ilnatar library. Once again, it seemed Amrul was the only Ilnatar available. His mother, Aleratha Ilnatar, seemed reclusive in nature. The man's older brothers were apparently out hunting once more.
The half-orc Gremir hoped to proselytize in Ylraphon proper. He asked Amrul, a fellow worshipper of Donlad, for advice regarding this pursuit. The man replied, stating sadly that no temple to Donlad yet existed in the port town. The temple district in the northwest had fallen to ruin and had not been reclaimed. Moonwater on the coast was the best-kept temple in town. Gremir began to formulate plans for a demonstration the next day, and OPTIX seemed curious to watch.
The party trudged back to the Shattered Dragon for the evening; Oliver was still tucked away in the tavern reading. He recalled that the group of adventurers had been invited to an initiation ritual at the Horned Keep that night. Thinking back to the minotaurs who had attacked them in the Flooded Forest, the party made the unanimous decision to avoid the Hunters for the time being. Notably, Zepp Wilson and Gruesome did not seem to have returned to the inn for the night as planned. Depriving himself of rest, Oliver read his book through the night.
On the morning of Tarsakh 2, Escher O'Hara was waiting to meet the party in the tavern. She presented the group with armbands- licenses for magic use within the city. They were black and leathery with purple embroidery. Everyone in the group received their own, meant to be worn on the forearm. Escher then informed the party of a slowly mounting effort within the Horned Keep to clear out the caverns beneath the House of Moander. She reasoned that something so foul as the fungal flesh mass must at some point be destroyed. The fungus sightings and Evangeline's disappearance could not be ignored, either. Escher said that a Hunter would be ready in a day or two to accompany the party on their trek back to Throstulgrael. He was a tabaxi called Harold; the cat was an experienced spellcaster from the Keep.
As an aside, Escher told the party of T2's intrusion at the Hunters' initiation event the previous night. Apparently, the two had lashed out and murdered multiple members of the Hunters before fleeing town. When prompted as to what might have caused the reaction, Escher revealed hidden horns upon her head. They were short and smooth, like the burgeoning antlers of a young stag. The woman said that many Hunters were gifted with bestial features upon initiation. The "God of the Hunt" favored beastly acolytes, evidently. Zepp and Gruesome must have assumed the worst and lashed out in fear.
Finally, Sariel inquired as to whether any understanding had been gained as to the nature of the Moander mask the group had found beneath the House of Moander. According to Escher, it had been determined that the mask was magical but likely did not pose any threat to its wearer. She said no one had yet worn the mask, but tests were still being conducted to determine its purpose.
The group planned to spend the day in Ylraphon, resting up a bit and possibly earning some income. Sorashana and Oliver went to the Ilnatar Manor. Oliver returned the Dragonchess book he had borrowed, playing a game with Amrul and drinking some tea. The two gamers discussed the coming Dragonchess tourney excitedly. When Amrul heard about Oliver's hefty contribution to fund the tourney, he felt inspired to match it. Sorashana copied some scripts into bound books for the Ilnatars. Mostly small-time local historical accounts. Within the last 3 years, sea-elf activity in Seros (the undersea elf kingdom on the floor of the Sea of Fallen Stars) had been growing in aggression. Sora read several accounts of strange happenings regarding fungus creatures nearby Ylraphon. The House of Moander was only referenced specifically in the account regarding Evangeline's case.
Sorashana finished up early and was able to look around the library a bit. She found texts dating all the way back to Ylraphon's founding thousands of years before. Many seemed magically preserved. Prominent documents included accounts of the various destructions and historical battles involving Ylraphon.
Rhokeion went looking for bookstores hoping to find a forgotten snippet of magical knowledge to add to his repertoire. During a couple hours of shopping around small bookstores, he was not able to find anything too interesting. Just before he gave up, Rhokeion found and bought an unusual-looking book which looked refurbished. It seemed to be an anonymous biography of an elf woman named Aleratha Ilnatar. Rhokeion remembered that had been the name Amrul used to refer to his mother. According to the well-worn text, the woman had died in a shipwreck years ago. Aleratha had been exceptionally long-lived, even for an elf. Thinking the book was curious but nonmagical, Rhokeion was surprised to find multiple rune formulas inscribed onto the reverse of the book's dustcover.
OPTIX and Gremir went off to find an animal to sacrifice to Donlad. They eventually captured a fox using OPTIX's net. The two took it over to a fountain at the center of the ruined temple district. Oliver had said he would join them after his visit to Amrul, so Gremir decided to spend some time proselytizing. Eventually, a duo walking from Tavilar gathered near to hear of Donlad's glory. Gremir's conviction was pure and he proclaimed his gospel for all to hear. Soon, Oliver arrived to witness the proceedings. The five present gathered around as Gremir beheaded the fox alongside two toads that Oliver called from the swamp.
As Gremir made the last cut, a booming voice echoed in the chests of those present. Their vision flashed white and they all heard a whispered phrase echo through their minds: "It is well with me..." Gremir took his bleeding sacrifices on a spike into town, proclaiming the glory of Donlad to the townsfolk. His procession, while gruesome, was met with praise and passion for the redemption Donlad had offered every living creature.
Sariel spent the day at Ylraphon Plaza making caricatures for passers-by. She found a spot near the center of the pop-up shops and carts peddling trinkets and wares. She spread out her supplies, eager to exercise her artistic talents for the first time in awhile. During her time there, Sariel made a few coins; every customer seemed pleased with their portrait. Most of the people in the plaza seemed to be traveling through Ylraphon or simply relaxing; the weather was temperate. After a couple hours of working, Sariel went off to look for a substance to use in her new ring. She visited an apothecary and selected a vial of lethargy poison for purchase.
In the evening of Tarsakh 2, the party reconvened at the Shattered Dragon. As the party was headed upstairs to their accommodations, Elmo approached and took Oliver aside. Timidly, the innkeeper asked Oliver about Zepp and Gruesome. He said they had left something odd in their room. The two gathered the party to go see. Elmo led them all upstairs and to the end of a long hallway. Producing a key, Elmo opened a door and showed the party what had been left. It was the Warforged of Eberron which had been in the possession of T2 since Ches 19. It seemed Zepp and Gruesome had left it behind in their hurry.
Seeing some similarities to his own construction, OPTIX examined the inanimate construct. The party thought back to that night over a week ago when they had seen the Warforged shuffling around in the muck within the Sunken Spire. It seemed damaged then, but now it did not move at all. OPTIX was able to find a deformed panel on the construct's shoulder. Pulling it back carefully, he saw a laceration beneath. The Warforged seemed to have "muscles" of a sort fashioned from a wooden medium beneath its armored plates.
Oliver magically healed the wound partially using his wand, and the Warforged burst to life. It produced several guns from its arms and burned cuts through the ceiling with lasers from its eyes. The party felt frightened and immediately in danger, but the thing fell prone and stopped moving as it whirred to a stop. Shaking herself off, Sorashana was determined to see the thing restored. She had grown up around Warforged and knew them to be intelligent beings. She used magic to heal its wounds further. The construct sat up, introducing itself as Lucy and looking around inquisitively.
Lucy revealed that she had been aware of her surroundings during her apparent slumber. She recalled being pushed into the pit within the Sunken Spire, which damaged her capabilities. She was able to claim revenge and kill those who pushed her but soon fell into a sleep-like state of dejected abandonment. She had grown fond of Zepp and Gruesome, endeavoring to find them again. Everyone (especially Elmo) was worried about keeping her around but they soon were relieved. Lucy rose to her feet and began to leave the room. Careful to avoid further destruction of property, the Warforged trudged out of the Shattered Dragon with the party trailing just behind.
Reasoning that Lucy did not pose a threat and seemed more than capable, the group agreed that she should be left alone for now. Rhokeion walked Lucy to the edge of town to ensure she did not cause any offense. She seemed to have analyzed the footsteps in the dirt and gravel, satisfied that she had identified those of her companions. Carrying on with no trouble, Lucy stepped past the Hunters standing guard and turned to wave at Rhokeion and the rest of the party. She called out and said when they next met, the party would know her as part of the "Triumphant Trio."
On the morning of Tarsakh 3, the party met Harold the Tabaxi of the Hunters. He had come to the Shattered Dragon for a hearty breakfast before the day's trek. He seemed self-absorbed and spoke of his skills without humility. Harold was eager to get going, and the party was soon on the way to the House of Moander. Descending into the familiar landing beneath the ruined temple, the party discerned the presence of undead. Thinking to test its purpose, Sariel revealed and donned the Moander mask she had taken from Velvet's hoard. She was immediately met with a cacophony of voices and fragments of imagery filling her field of view. She heard pieces of hundreds of conversations, bouts of screaming, and much more. Sariel thought she could hear the voice of Escher, berating some poor soul. She could not focus on any particular perspective filling her view, as it all washed over her in a static-like sensation.
Sariel could also see that the mask's lenses seemed to highlight the fungus underfoot and in nearby rooms. She then saw something which gave her pause. Far away and slightly overhead, Sariel could make out a clear formation of fungus growing in long paths across her field of view. In the direction of Tavilar, she could see that the largest two paths crossed in the shape of an "X." Unsure of the implications, Sariel removed the mask and recounted what she had experienced to the group. Mildly disturbed, they all descended into the tunnels. They soon fought and killed two fungus-infested beasts, feeling more accustomed to fighting them. Harold was not much help.
Does "X" truly mark the spot? Can the party make good on their deal with Throstulgrael? What went down in the Horned Keep? Find out next time on... The Domain of the Metamage!
Key Items
- "Bane" rune formula
- "Authorized" rune formula
- Book of tea formulas (Amrul Ilnatar)
- Magical Licenses (6x)
- The Life & Times of Aleratha Ilnatar (anonymous biography)
Comments