Esterson Session 16

Covenant in Direson

General Summary

The Inquisition has done a follow up about the Phantom’s mask that was given to them. They suspect that there’s a cult for Alkaran in Direson, a western town in Dulnmoor. What makes this all the more uneasy for both Esterson and the Inquisition is that a Maledian of Sidresk gave these details.

Arnsley Dorian is keen to be of assistance to root out any Maledict influence. Know this: Dealing with Alkaran’s following is probably the most heart-wrenching compared to the other Overlords. Because the light of the Reverie doesn’t help everyone and those in the dark often wind up in a Vician’s grasp.

— Remus Starner

Before Reaching Direson

Household Troubles

We begin our session during the night. If one has been paying attention, you would know not everyone has a restful night's sleep. Because Altor and Maedhros are the ones to sense who isn't resting, actually, as they try to lithely creep out of bed. The sight of elven ears against the torchlight when the door opens can only mean who our suspect is as they head further south of the quarters. [/aloud]

Antharine had crept out of the sleeping quarters, clearly uneasy. Maedhros came along to insist that she didn’t need to resolve what she needed alone. To compromise, she insisted that he could at least follow along. Following her, it turns out that Antharine had gone out to confront Elema on which of the inferiin households could possibly be holding her parents as indentured servants.

Household	Power Rank
Anhastelle	1
Palran	4
Sarter	3
Ulnress	2

Of the households, Elema suspected that House Palran would be the likely one. Palran is known for using more dirty tactics to try and get on the same level as the others. Suspecting that Elema could have provided more insight, Antharine remained furious and was bound to strike Elema had Maedhros not stopped her.

[quote] Why is your bother not with you? Does this not matter to him just as equally as it does for you? Or are you leaving him out so that you are sacrificed for this instead? Like the caels, this is a weakness you must watch over carefully. I would improve upon it.

— Elema

Nicodeme’s Involvement

With the venture into Direson, and the presence of a new cult gathering, Arnsley Dorian suspected that it would be optimal to bring along Nicodeme. Most party members agreed to the idea.

Varsil, the Woe Bard

The familiar woe bard, Varsil, stopped by and played a song for the party.

There is a fight in the town. No one shall win. For I saw a leader who cannot lead, commoners who are not so common, and peacekeepers that have kept the peace for themselves. Will they see the light of day or shall they be part of that blight?

To the Tune of Gloomy Sunday

The days glow gloomy, their eyes become slumberless, the shadows they live around grow numberless. Little white flowers are pale in comparison, to the bloated tree which has claimed yet another son…

The people down low look to those up on high, just as the darkness begins to intensify!

Oh… Direson…

Oh Direson, caels have lost your light, I hope you are ready for an eternal night!

Soon there’ll be fires and people who are scared down there, let them not fight before it becomes too much to bear.

— Varsil, the Woe

Direson’s Dires

On arrival to the town, a stranger was quick to point to the party about some lowlife teenagers about to burn down a chapel with a bottle of alchemist’s fire. Johan was quick to intercept the roden carrying it and plucked it right out of its hands with the use of mage hand.

Seeing the party with an Inquisitor especially, the lowlifes quickly ran off.

Nicodeme interrogated the stranger who directed them, seeing that he was a dhampir. It only made him more paranoid of the matter with his timing on stopping those lowlifes.

With Rosanna’s help, she tracked down the roden lowlife and let the party interrogate him. He then led Johan later on to the hideout of the new Alkaran cult in town. There, it was led by a young adult human named Dent. He, being a party animal, welcomed every exile, outcast, and other degenerate of the town to give them a place. His following was mainly made up other young adults his age. Johan bargained with him and to prove his loyalty to the Cult, he was to swipe a valuable from the governor, cementing the trust.

The party went in to see Governor Dower of the town. He was tired, shaken, and spooked by something haunting him. It’s why he kept himself shut in. Altor went about and used a Fire Bolt spell on the shade, dispersing it. During this time, Johan had used a bit of trickery to swipe a vase unseen for the Alkaran cult.

The party then tracked down the dhampir, Lorne, and interrogated him of his sketchy connections. He was soon revealed as a Sidresk cultist, revealing that another Maledian cult had its eyes on the town. This one in particular is led by Reaving. He then led the party to his master.

Reaving greeted the party, except for Johan who was away still with the Alkaran cult, in a spectral form. He insisted that the town would be his and that the Alkaran cult ought to be removed. A few more back-and-forths, the two departed their own ways. Though, Lorne would be thrown to Inquisitor Captain Dorian’s care.

The party as a whole then went for the Alkaran cult’s hideout. There, Darwin confronted the youngsters and spoke to them all about returning to their families and actually engaging with the community in better places. Soon, the crowd awkwardly dispersed, leaving Overseer Dent on his own. The party then assured him that he could start far better with his life still ahead him. He soon walked out.

The party then found him in the street, looking down the road toward the south of town, where Reaving had met the party. They then startled him a little, waking him. He then went for the governor’s estate with Arnsley and the Vicar aware of his arrival there. Though, as he walked off, the party saw a vision of a sneering Reaving which then faded with the mist.

The party then went back home for Esterson Hall, planning to help Antharine with her missing parents.

Rewards Granted

• 100 sums

Missions/Quests Completed

• Resolved the Alkaran cult in Direson

Character(s) interacted with

• Antharine
• Elema
• Arnsley Dorian
• Nicodeme
• Governor Dower
• Overseer Dent
• Overseer Reaving

Esterson Session Reports

Campaign

Cobwebs of Esterson Hall

Protagonists

Altor

Neutral Fallen Aasimar (Inheritor)
Sorcerer 2
Cleric 1

16 / 16 HP

STR
13

DEX
12

CON
10

INT
8

WIS
16

CHA
16

Johann Fogwood

None Custom Lineage (Folk Hero)
Rogue 3

21 / 21 HP

STR
10

DEX
17

CON
13

INT
14

WIS
8

CHA
12

Darwin the Life Cleric

None Variant Human (Folk Hero)
Cleric 3

24 / 24 HP

STR
15

DEX
10

CON
14

INT
8

WIS
14

CHA
13

Maedhros

Chaotic Good High Elf (Far Traveler)
Battlemaster Fighter 4

31 / 31 HP

STR
17

DEX
14

CON
12

INT
10

WIS
10

CHA
14

Report Date

02 Sep 2022

Primary Location

Province of Dulnmoor