X - The Dragon's Third Death - 7.9.23
Tarsakh 3-6
On the morning of Tarsakh 3, the party was descending once again into the tunnels beneath the House of Moander in Ylraphon. They had just handily overpowered a few fungal denizens, and their plan to retrieve Throstulgrael's hoard was well underway. The Tabaxi Hunter Harold was confident in his abilities to open a portal between Throstulgrael's Lair and Ylraphon. The group made their way carefully past the fleshly abomination and to the grotto which was becoming so familiar to them.
As the party ascended onto the marshy area near the beaches, they beheld an unfamiliar individual sitting peacefully in the shade near the edge of the Flooded Forest. Seeing no immediate threat, the group approached to investigate. They found there a fair-skinned woman outfitted for extended travel through the swamp. She introduced herself as Aria Ilnatar, daughter of the matriarch Aleratha. The party was taken aback; Amrul Ilnatar had never mentioned this sister. As the party was serving the city of Ylraphon (largely funded by the Ilnatar brood), they saw fit to include the sharp-toothed woman in their endeavor. Aria seemed the adventurous type and knew the swamp well. She agreed to accompany the party to the Grinder camp.
Before too long, the group came upon a grisly sight in the swamp. The rotting corpse of a traveling horse lay in the muck, its eyes seemingly carved out. Rhokeion Archos examined its bridle, noting the number 72. The stamp matched the ones used by the stable keeper in Ylraphon. The party was unable to determine what could have happened; the swamp had seemingly wiped away any tracks that may have been made nearby. Unsettled, the group proceeded. As Tarsakh 3 drew to a close, the party drew near to Gnasher Spring. A brief evening of revelry and rest ensued. Hapless, Oliver Thickets tried and failed to teach Dragonchess to some of the Kecuala before turning in for the night.
In the morning, the group got an early start. Once again, the strange colorful shimmer lay in the air everywhere. Rhokeion confirmed to Throstulgrael the party was en route. The latter seemed exasperated at his lizard subjects but excited to finally be free. Stepping carefully over sluggish Kecuala, the party departed north for the Grinder tribe. After walking for a few hours, Sora Shana caught sight of thin smoke rising above the trees in the distance. The party approached, with Sariel Amastacia and Aria sneaking ahead to investigate. They came upon a downtrodden looking man squatting near a small fire. While tattered and dirty, his clothes were clearly fine once. Aria stepped on a twig, alerting the man to the presence of the two. As if in a daze, he regarded the women briefly. He blinked slowly, then shook his head and returned his attention to his fire.
As the rest of the party approached, they all realized the man was softly muttering to himself. Rhokeion approached and attempted to introduce the party. The man, not reacting to the friendly Halruaan, could be heard saying "Got to wake up...a prison...no one is real." Ever empathetic, Sora approached. If this man knew about Empty Seats, he might have some greater insight into the nature of this mysterious plane. She spoke of the party's appearance within the Flooded Forest via the Sunken Spire, hoping to illicit a response.
In an instance of lucidity, the man looked up dolefully and wondered aloud: "Could this seat be filled?" Seeing the spark of life in the man's eyes, Sora excitedly proclaimed herself to be "real." Disappointingly, the man shook his head and turned away once more. "Could be getting smarter...can't be real..." Rhokeion, seeing the man's once-noble attire, had an idea. He produced his last bottle of fine Halruaan wine, thinking to treat the man to a taste of luxury once more. This seemed to work wonders- the man's countenance soon improved. Color began to return to his cheeks, and his eyes seemed to focus more intently. His muttering never ceased, however. He looked about at the shimmer in the air, a wary look in his eye.
Thinking back to the Sunken Spire, Sora remembered something: a spellbook, burned and desiccated, hidden beneath a cobble in the lowermost room. If this poor man was real, he must have come through the Spire as well. Sora asked Rhokeion to produce the book to see if the man reacted. Her intuition was correct; the spellbook inscribed with the name "Phineas G." had an immediate effect on the man. "Yes...Phineas!" He clutched the book to his chest as if it held the keys to life and death. Phineas' lucidity continued to improve. The party learned that he once lived in Harrowdale across the Dragon Reach. Phineas had been plucked from his life and dropped into the Flooded Forest, the same as all others (save Aria) present. According to Phineas, he had returned to his home only to find soulless approximations of his family and friends. The "Empty Seats" broke his resolve and shattered his mind- unable to face those terrible things, he had returned to the Flooded Forest to wander aimlessly for some time. According to Phineas, Ylraphon had been mere ruins in his world.
The party was eager to carry on in their mission but felt empathy for the broken man. They decided to bring Phineas along and try to help him find a better life in Ylraphon. Harold was growing impatient, so they continued north. Soon, the party beheld the Grinder village. Eerily, there were no Kecuala about. The lizards' twisted metal and crude constructions were strewn around as before. They seemed particularly odd without the context of nearby Blackscales. The party approached the spring at the center of the village and dove in, ready to complete their quest. Gremir's powerful grasp helped to pull along some of the less athletic party members. They all surfaced in Throstulgrael's lair, seeing immediately where the Kecuala had gone. They were all working to arrange Velvet's treasure for ease of transport. The great ghost hovered about, barking orders and angrily swiping at the clumsy lizards with incorporeal claws.
Throstulgrael was more than pleased to see the party's return. His delight was unusual to witness. The dragon spoke of the impact his passing would have to further sink the Flooded Forest. He seemed to bristle with pride at the thought of his putrid legacy. The party was allowed to take more of Velvet's gold for themselves and the hoard was soon prepared for transport. Rhokeion spotted and pocketed the other Sending Stone the dragon had been using to communicate. Phineas stood in apathy, clutching his tome to his chest. Harold began his incantation, forming a portal in the center of the room. Magical energies crackled and sizzled as the hole through space was torn open. As the portal opened, the party beheld a bustling lumberyard on the other side. A couple dozen minotaurs hustled into the cavern and began carting off treasures by the armful.
Realizing they must be looking into Twilight Lumber in Ylraphon, the party could discern two figures standing back to observe. One seemed to be a Hunter- tall and dark, yet boyish and rugged. The other was a gnomish man who seemed in high spirits. The party had heard him described and assumed him to be Branton Ford, proprietor of Twilight Lumber. The party watched in near-disbelief as the minotaurs emptied out Throstulgrael's lair in record time. The dragon's chuckle grew over the minutes, becoming more excited in anticipation of his release. Soon, only a few scattered coins remained on the stony floor.
The Hunter in Ylraphon stepped through the portal, looking up at Velvet with some mixture of curiosity and wariness. He nodded at Harold, then stooped to pick up the remaining coins at his feet. Just as he came to possess the final piece of gold, a small implosion rocked the cavern. Velvet's spectral form had ballooned out to fill the room, then suddenly reversed. The wispy substance making him visible collapsed in on itself with a simple pop. The Grinder tribe all shrunk in fear for a moment, then a cheer rang out around the cavern. The Kecuala were free of their tyrannical master, and he had been so kind as to leave them with enhanced bodies and modest mechanical skills.
The Hunter at the center of the room smirked, then gestured for the party to follow him back through the portal. The Kecuala around the room's circumference showed no intent to interact with or even come near the portal. Excited to skip a return through the swamp, the party soon found themselves within Twilight Lumber. Aria had come along as well, slinking quickly into a shady nook and trying to look relaxed. The colors of Ylraphon were more vibrant than ever, given the shimmer. The taller man introduced himself to the party as Lyktos LaVey, appointed leader of the Hunters. He spoke cheerfully and thanked the party for facilitating the transport of Throstulgrael's hoard.
Lyktos offered the party a room within the House of Merchants to do with as they please. Apparently, many city officials of varying degrees of importance took residence there. Graciously, the party in turn offered this room to Phineas. They explained to Lyktos that the man needed help to get back on his feet and rejoin society after a time in the wilderness. The Hunter smiled and agreed that it should be so. The crowd of minotaurs, absent a task, began to fall into petty fighting and displays of dominance. Lyktos ushered them away toward the Horned Keep, bringing Phineas along. The latter turned and said a thankful farewell to the party, evidently pleased.
After a brief conversation with Branton, the party departed the lumberyard. The gnome had mentioned trouble to the north- one of his biggest customers had ceased communication suddenly. A group of Hunters had been sent to investigate but had not yet returned. Now, the group walked to the Shattered Dragon Inn to bathe away the stench of the swamp. Escher O'Hara made an appearance at the inn that night. She thanked the party for their help with Velvet and said a group of Hunters were planning to destroy the thing beneath the House of Moander on Tarsakh 6, two days' time. Aria agreed to remain with the party for during that period and help with the abomination if she could. Oddly, she never made any mention of returning to or even visiting Ilnatar Manor during her time in the city.
The day of Tarsakh 5 was spent resting and preparing for the mission. Rhokeion used his wiles to procure many consumable weapons for use against the flesh pile. Fire had proven useful in killing the reanimated fungal creatures already. Gremir once again made a display of worshiping Donlad, parading a sacrifice through town. This time, a commoner in town made mention to Gremir of a rumor. The commoner had heard that a temple to Donlad might soon be built in Ylraphon. This intrigued Gremir.
Later that day, the group decided to visit Phineas at the House of Merchants to check in. They were happily ushered past the reception area and to their room in the complex. The party came to a dark wooden door marked with a chiseled plaque displaying their first names. Inside, Phineas sat upon the floor reading. He was well-dressed and the room was arranged much like a dormitory. A comfortable-looking bed, a bookshelf, and a desk adorned the very clean space. Phineas looked almost good as new, though the odd vocal tic slipped through time and again. He said he was filled with a new curiosity since meeting the group. If he was not the only real person on this plane, that meant there were probably many more.
Phineas was surrounded by historical records from Ylraphon; the city's existence over three millennia was a complex tale. According to the man, he had been lent several books which he heard came from Ilnatar Manor. He thanked the party for giving him their room in the House of Merchants, saying he would do his best to research this place and discover what he might about what it could be. He exclaimed that Ylraphon was mere ruin before his journey through the Sunken Spire. This puzzled Sora; she knew from her time in the Ilnatar library that the current iteration of the port city had begun construction almost 70 years ago. After wandering the swamps for untold months or years, Phineas was content to just exist in this room and read. The staff of the House treated him well and catered to his basic needs. Satisfied, the party departed after vowing to return one day soon. The sun soon set on Tarsakh 5, the vibrancy of the shimmer darkening into night.
On Tarsakh 6, the group set out once more toward the House of Moander. They were accompanied by Escher, Aria, a handful of Hunters, and over a dozen commoners armed to the teeth with firebombs and acid solutions. The party went down first upon the staircase, planning to clear the way should there be trouble. The Hunters and commoners weighed down with flammable and corrosive liquids were not too keen on getting surprised, either. Sure enough, the party encountered and fought another pair of fungal Owlbears in the rooms at the bottom of the stairs. With their own experience and Aria's help, the party soon crushed the meat puppets. Just as the last one fell, Escher appeared at the landing to see what was happening. Gremir and Sora's methods of detecting undead went inert; it seemed no more fungus creatures lurked on this level. Escher called up to the mob, which soon descended as well.
Will the abomination below put up a fight? What do the real people on this plane have in common? Will the swamp get more stinky because Velvet moved on? Find out next time on... The Domain of the Metamage!
As the party ascended onto the marshy area near the beaches, they beheld an unfamiliar individual sitting peacefully in the shade near the edge of the Flooded Forest. Seeing no immediate threat, the group approached to investigate. They found there a fair-skinned woman outfitted for extended travel through the swamp. She introduced herself as Aria Ilnatar, daughter of the matriarch Aleratha. The party was taken aback; Amrul Ilnatar had never mentioned this sister. As the party was serving the city of Ylraphon (largely funded by the Ilnatar brood), they saw fit to include the sharp-toothed woman in their endeavor. Aria seemed the adventurous type and knew the swamp well. She agreed to accompany the party to the Grinder camp.
Before too long, the group came upon a grisly sight in the swamp. The rotting corpse of a traveling horse lay in the muck, its eyes seemingly carved out. Rhokeion Archos examined its bridle, noting the number 72. The stamp matched the ones used by the stable keeper in Ylraphon. The party was unable to determine what could have happened; the swamp had seemingly wiped away any tracks that may have been made nearby. Unsettled, the group proceeded. As Tarsakh 3 drew to a close, the party drew near to Gnasher Spring. A brief evening of revelry and rest ensued. Hapless, Oliver Thickets tried and failed to teach Dragonchess to some of the Kecuala before turning in for the night.
In the morning, the group got an early start. Once again, the strange colorful shimmer lay in the air everywhere. Rhokeion confirmed to Throstulgrael the party was en route. The latter seemed exasperated at his lizard subjects but excited to finally be free. Stepping carefully over sluggish Kecuala, the party departed north for the Grinder tribe. After walking for a few hours, Sora Shana caught sight of thin smoke rising above the trees in the distance. The party approached, with Sariel Amastacia and Aria sneaking ahead to investigate. They came upon a downtrodden looking man squatting near a small fire. While tattered and dirty, his clothes were clearly fine once. Aria stepped on a twig, alerting the man to the presence of the two. As if in a daze, he regarded the women briefly. He blinked slowly, then shook his head and returned his attention to his fire.
As the rest of the party approached, they all realized the man was softly muttering to himself. Rhokeion approached and attempted to introduce the party. The man, not reacting to the friendly Halruaan, could be heard saying "Got to wake up...a prison...no one is real." Ever empathetic, Sora approached. If this man knew about Empty Seats, he might have some greater insight into the nature of this mysterious plane. She spoke of the party's appearance within the Flooded Forest via the Sunken Spire, hoping to illicit a response.
In an instance of lucidity, the man looked up dolefully and wondered aloud: "Could this seat be filled?" Seeing the spark of life in the man's eyes, Sora excitedly proclaimed herself to be "real." Disappointingly, the man shook his head and turned away once more. "Could be getting smarter...can't be real..." Rhokeion, seeing the man's once-noble attire, had an idea. He produced his last bottle of fine Halruaan wine, thinking to treat the man to a taste of luxury once more. This seemed to work wonders- the man's countenance soon improved. Color began to return to his cheeks, and his eyes seemed to focus more intently. His muttering never ceased, however. He looked about at the shimmer in the air, a wary look in his eye.
Thinking back to the Sunken Spire, Sora remembered something: a spellbook, burned and desiccated, hidden beneath a cobble in the lowermost room. If this poor man was real, he must have come through the Spire as well. Sora asked Rhokeion to produce the book to see if the man reacted. Her intuition was correct; the spellbook inscribed with the name "Phineas G." had an immediate effect on the man. "Yes...Phineas!" He clutched the book to his chest as if it held the keys to life and death. Phineas' lucidity continued to improve. The party learned that he once lived in Harrowdale across the Dragon Reach. Phineas had been plucked from his life and dropped into the Flooded Forest, the same as all others (save Aria) present. According to Phineas, he had returned to his home only to find soulless approximations of his family and friends. The "Empty Seats" broke his resolve and shattered his mind- unable to face those terrible things, he had returned to the Flooded Forest to wander aimlessly for some time. According to Phineas, Ylraphon had been mere ruins in his world.
The party was eager to carry on in their mission but felt empathy for the broken man. They decided to bring Phineas along and try to help him find a better life in Ylraphon. Harold was growing impatient, so they continued north. Soon, the party beheld the Grinder village. Eerily, there were no Kecuala about. The lizards' twisted metal and crude constructions were strewn around as before. They seemed particularly odd without the context of nearby Blackscales. The party approached the spring at the center of the village and dove in, ready to complete their quest. Gremir's powerful grasp helped to pull along some of the less athletic party members. They all surfaced in Throstulgrael's lair, seeing immediately where the Kecuala had gone. They were all working to arrange Velvet's treasure for ease of transport. The great ghost hovered about, barking orders and angrily swiping at the clumsy lizards with incorporeal claws.
Throstulgrael was more than pleased to see the party's return. His delight was unusual to witness. The dragon spoke of the impact his passing would have to further sink the Flooded Forest. He seemed to bristle with pride at the thought of his putrid legacy. The party was allowed to take more of Velvet's gold for themselves and the hoard was soon prepared for transport. Rhokeion spotted and pocketed the other Sending Stone the dragon had been using to communicate. Phineas stood in apathy, clutching his tome to his chest. Harold began his incantation, forming a portal in the center of the room. Magical energies crackled and sizzled as the hole through space was torn open. As the portal opened, the party beheld a bustling lumberyard on the other side. A couple dozen minotaurs hustled into the cavern and began carting off treasures by the armful.
Realizing they must be looking into Twilight Lumber in Ylraphon, the party could discern two figures standing back to observe. One seemed to be a Hunter- tall and dark, yet boyish and rugged. The other was a gnomish man who seemed in high spirits. The party had heard him described and assumed him to be Branton Ford, proprietor of Twilight Lumber. The party watched in near-disbelief as the minotaurs emptied out Throstulgrael's lair in record time. The dragon's chuckle grew over the minutes, becoming more excited in anticipation of his release. Soon, only a few scattered coins remained on the stony floor.
The Hunter in Ylraphon stepped through the portal, looking up at Velvet with some mixture of curiosity and wariness. He nodded at Harold, then stooped to pick up the remaining coins at his feet. Just as he came to possess the final piece of gold, a small implosion rocked the cavern. Velvet's spectral form had ballooned out to fill the room, then suddenly reversed. The wispy substance making him visible collapsed in on itself with a simple pop. The Grinder tribe all shrunk in fear for a moment, then a cheer rang out around the cavern. The Kecuala were free of their tyrannical master, and he had been so kind as to leave them with enhanced bodies and modest mechanical skills.
The Hunter at the center of the room smirked, then gestured for the party to follow him back through the portal. The Kecuala around the room's circumference showed no intent to interact with or even come near the portal. Excited to skip a return through the swamp, the party soon found themselves within Twilight Lumber. Aria had come along as well, slinking quickly into a shady nook and trying to look relaxed. The colors of Ylraphon were more vibrant than ever, given the shimmer. The taller man introduced himself to the party as Lyktos LaVey, appointed leader of the Hunters. He spoke cheerfully and thanked the party for facilitating the transport of Throstulgrael's hoard.
Lyktos offered the party a room within the House of Merchants to do with as they please. Apparently, many city officials of varying degrees of importance took residence there. Graciously, the party in turn offered this room to Phineas. They explained to Lyktos that the man needed help to get back on his feet and rejoin society after a time in the wilderness. The Hunter smiled and agreed that it should be so. The crowd of minotaurs, absent a task, began to fall into petty fighting and displays of dominance. Lyktos ushered them away toward the Horned Keep, bringing Phineas along. The latter turned and said a thankful farewell to the party, evidently pleased.
After a brief conversation with Branton, the party departed the lumberyard. The gnome had mentioned trouble to the north- one of his biggest customers had ceased communication suddenly. A group of Hunters had been sent to investigate but had not yet returned. Now, the group walked to the Shattered Dragon Inn to bathe away the stench of the swamp. Escher O'Hara made an appearance at the inn that night. She thanked the party for their help with Velvet and said a group of Hunters were planning to destroy the thing beneath the House of Moander on Tarsakh 6, two days' time. Aria agreed to remain with the party for during that period and help with the abomination if she could. Oddly, she never made any mention of returning to or even visiting Ilnatar Manor during her time in the city.
The day of Tarsakh 5 was spent resting and preparing for the mission. Rhokeion used his wiles to procure many consumable weapons for use against the flesh pile. Fire had proven useful in killing the reanimated fungal creatures already. Gremir once again made a display of worshiping Donlad, parading a sacrifice through town. This time, a commoner in town made mention to Gremir of a rumor. The commoner had heard that a temple to Donlad might soon be built in Ylraphon. This intrigued Gremir.
Later that day, the group decided to visit Phineas at the House of Merchants to check in. They were happily ushered past the reception area and to their room in the complex. The party came to a dark wooden door marked with a chiseled plaque displaying their first names. Inside, Phineas sat upon the floor reading. He was well-dressed and the room was arranged much like a dormitory. A comfortable-looking bed, a bookshelf, and a desk adorned the very clean space. Phineas looked almost good as new, though the odd vocal tic slipped through time and again. He said he was filled with a new curiosity since meeting the group. If he was not the only real person on this plane, that meant there were probably many more.
Phineas was surrounded by historical records from Ylraphon; the city's existence over three millennia was a complex tale. According to the man, he had been lent several books which he heard came from Ilnatar Manor. He thanked the party for giving him their room in the House of Merchants, saying he would do his best to research this place and discover what he might about what it could be. He exclaimed that Ylraphon was mere ruin before his journey through the Sunken Spire. This puzzled Sora; she knew from her time in the Ilnatar library that the current iteration of the port city had begun construction almost 70 years ago. After wandering the swamps for untold months or years, Phineas was content to just exist in this room and read. The staff of the House treated him well and catered to his basic needs. Satisfied, the party departed after vowing to return one day soon. The sun soon set on Tarsakh 5, the vibrancy of the shimmer darkening into night.
On Tarsakh 6, the group set out once more toward the House of Moander. They were accompanied by Escher, Aria, a handful of Hunters, and over a dozen commoners armed to the teeth with firebombs and acid solutions. The party went down first upon the staircase, planning to clear the way should there be trouble. The Hunters and commoners weighed down with flammable and corrosive liquids were not too keen on getting surprised, either. Sure enough, the party encountered and fought another pair of fungal Owlbears in the rooms at the bottom of the stairs. With their own experience and Aria's help, the party soon crushed the meat puppets. Just as the last one fell, Escher appeared at the landing to see what was happening. Gremir and Sora's methods of detecting undead went inert; it seemed no more fungus creatures lurked on this level. Escher called up to the mob, which soon descended as well.
Will the abomination below put up a fight? What do the real people on this plane have in common? Will the swamp get more stinky because Velvet moved on? Find out next time on... The Domain of the Metamage!
Key Items
- Sending Stone pair
- Room 44 (House of Merchants)
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