Esterson Sessions 25-26
General Summary
Leaving the Carved Paths
We begin where it ended deep below in the Carved Paths. The Big Noggin project was dismantled after dealing with Aversal repercussions. Stepping out into the torchlight, you see Dulner soldiers watching over corralled roden in the courtyard of this strange underground fortress. A few caels hover by, tending to the wounds of both friend and foe.
Lenhall is off to the side with a massive grin on his face seeing the roden pack master in his custody. Hateful roden eyes glare back at the human general. The only thing holding the bitter creature back are the guards with pointed spears.
The party sees a successful victory and heads off to return to Ridgewater. General Lenhall planned on meeting them back there once they cleaned up what remained of the roden and undead.
Visions in the Paths
During their trip back, they encountered odd visions…
Karnell, Fallen Grandmaster of the Shattered
The torches that line the cavern walls begin to glow a dull blue hue. What bright light lingers begins to retract and pull aside. The air grows colder as result.
Up ahead, you hear the sound of bones breaking as a cry of pain rings out. Something then slumps to the floor. Turning around the corner, you a rather odd sight. On the ground is a Candescent Monk holding onto his arm. Hover above him is a taller figure draped in black cloth as his back is to you.
“Why would you do this?”
“To prove these Revered teachings as fraudulent!”
With another heavy stomp, the figure leaves the monk wheezing on the ground and proceeds down the hall.
Once the party had made it past the former Grandmaster, they heard another voice…
Elema’s Betrayal
Another vision occurred..
Continuing along the trail, you stumble on an odd courtroom only familiar in Dakarran. Two distinct groups sit apart from the other, one being the familiar House Palran and the other must be House Sarter with the sight of Rolem, Elema’s brother. Standing at the side of Palran is Setesk pointing at Rolem, “This is clearly the denial of a traitorous inferiin to save your own house’s reputation!”
Rolem shakes his head, “She has stepped down from her position, after all! What she does is not tied to House Sarter!”
Setesk shakes his head, “No… I have foreseen her harbor these thoughts for so long ever since your mistreatment of her. She could have been your Matriarch’s finest handmaiden but you squandered her talents and perhaps for good reason.” Setesk then creates a fire and smoke visual of Elema discreetly working with the roden to align with Kalgarn nobles, how she intended to free House Palran servants, and the aid in harming other inferiin at the poisonous facility, “I am afraid, Matriarch, this is very clearly betrayal, not just to the Cult of Maledict’s wishes, our Deviser’s wishes, but also to Verita. Her sympathies to Ardentry must be burned. Even now, I foresee her attempts at becoming a duchess to a new Ardentian province! She must burn for this, I’m afraid…”
With outrage, the fire in inferiin eyes turn to Elema’s brother.
Setesk then strides up to look down on Rolem, “I know that to assure where you stand with your loyalties, boy, the killing of your sister will prove to your Matriarch you align with our precious cult’s wishes.”
With reluctance, Rolem tightens a fist before bowing his head.
Then, that same voice echoes once again, “Dust to dust…”
Direson’s Remains
Advancing onward, you find a shell of a town. The cold, bristling wind howls through hollow buildings. The temple in the distance no longer glows a radiate with the loss of the luxian. On the surface, you feel uneasy as you can almost hear something around you.
It’s when a great unsheathing reveals an ethereal view of things does the former town of Direson look far worse. Immediately all around you are spirits of the deceased residents beckoning to you to bring them to the light or a cael to guide the way to Haven.
Eventually, there is nothing but darkness as it fades to black. All is quiet for a brief moment before a pair of red eyes open up. You see the silhouette of a looming vician as wings unfold with the flash of lightning from behind.
The voice of Vicarion echoes once again, “All because in caels we trust.”
Return to Ridgewater
On their return to Ridgewater, Emoru was insistent that Kastor doesn’t join in the fighting as he’s only a novice. The tiefling insisted that his experience with the Strays helped out… a bit… After overhearing this, Aaron stepped in and properly trained the boy in fighting if he wanted to contribute.
Heading upstairs, Darwin found that Elema was planning with Duke Wester.
Elema is found in the Duke’s quarters. There, she gestures on a map beneath Dulnmoor, “There! The Town of Tranquil. It will suffice for Ardentry’s next province as its capital city.”
Wester looks up unconvinced, “I’m afraid such a settlement is not integrated with the Kingdom. You would still need the backing of the caels to reassure the masses that you have pure intentions in integrating that society. My advisory would be to act as a courier to get yourself a proper start in understanding the inner mechanisms of the Kingdom.”
Elema shakes her head, “But I do know! I’ve shown this to Mr. Mayhew and even he would back my proposal in having the province’s Virtuous cael be of redemption.”
He raises an eyebrow, “Mr. Mayhew is an advisor to the Queen. His voice means little in moving around official matters at hand.”
The inferiin slowly blinks her impatient eyes, “Clearly, Mayhew heavily influences the naive Queen Dundragon as the kind man he is. Surely even you can see that. By having his approval, I will eventually have the Queen’s. All that remains is finding a cael to bless the province.”
Wester sighs, “You may know the Kingdom’s material system, but you do not know its hidden divine protections. Clearly, there is maneuvering to get yourself an important position. That’s the easy part if you’re skilled enough as you are. The hard part is proving to our divine helpers that good will come from your actions. It’s how the former magistrate of Kalgarim was removed, actually.
He visited that poor crime-ridden town of Glenbrook at one point and went back to Anvarnem. He then set forth to put not only more funding into the Civil Guard, but reform them into his personal henchmen to stomp out wrongdoers. The caels investigated all of this and exposed how Settendorf had corrupt intention. Because of Haven’s will, they made an arrangement to reverse the changes and the magistrate would be quietly forced to step down in disgrace to live with his son.”
Wester then leans back in his chair, looking up to the inferiin, “So, that is why politics in Ardentry is met with occasional divine scrutiny to ensure that our society runs as cleanly and honestly as possible. Because a cael has far purer motives for the betterment of mortals than we do. I do not say all this to degrade your intentions, Elema, I do so as an advisory should really be sincere in your intentions.”
Elema simply nods her head, “I see I have a lot of work ahead of me then.” The inferiin then heads out of his office, walking past you.
When caught back up, Elema explained to Darwin about the plan to grow the Kingdom of Ardentry with a new province. As the tradition goes that each province has a blessed race attached to it, Elema believes it can be the corrupted races like the roden, inferiin, orcs, etc. The cael overseeing that province would be one of redemption. She wishes to be the one to oversee the future province’s development and growth if possible. This would truly be a testament of her management skills.
Vicarion’s Wrath Unleashed!
After preparations were made, Vicarion stormed the city of Ridgewater on the hunt for Cardinal Marne. Sen and Antharine joined the party to combat the vician.
Vicarion’s Introduction
(0.07) All falls silent once the moon rises and a mist begins to encroach around the city. Caels raise lanterns up high to keep sight on Ridgewater’s surroundings.
(0.19) The army, auxiliary, and Inquisition keep their fatigued eyes peeled for what could possibly come next. For encroaching forward are the shambling and lifeless remnants of the deceased with mangled arms reaching out as they march to be wasted away.
(.40) Volleys of arrows and bullets begin to fire from the battlements. One by one, the fallen dead drop to the ground once again as they lose animation. As with previous attacks, it was expected to be the end of it.
(1.02) But no… The horde kept coming and this time, with a cluster of roden rushing from behind with torches and spears!
(1.12) Distracted with focusing down, Vicarion swoops from above. With ease, he plows through the guard knocking them down to the pile of bodies below!
(1.28) Once through, Vicarion roams the streets with his lackeys. The Savvy Strays are quick to intercept like old times. Emoru flies in and goes to flank the vician but the behemoth pulls the bird from the sky. Attempting the killing blow, Kastor distracts the brute with a stab to his leg.
(1.49) Unamused, Vicarion then punts the tiefling across the street. That’s when the vician sees it in the far distance… The luxian!
(2.02) With rage and fury, Ridgewater’s cathedral is stormed. The tower holding the luxian collapses as his search falls in vain effort for Cardinal Marne.
(2.15) Panting, that’s when both the party and Vicarion lock eyes. By his side, Reaving steps from the shadows. The vician points to the members of Esterson Hall, “Bring me the Cardinal and the civilians may just survive my wrath!”
The fate of Ridgewater now lies in your hands…
During the tough fighting, it came to a great surprise when a nearly beaten Reaving had killed Cardinal Marne for himself. Vicarion, outraged at such blatant treachery, had tried to lash out at whatever was there. Reaving managed to run off as Sidresk’s champion instead.
Fall of Vicarion
(4.07) Vicarion staggers back from the final blow! On his knees, the surrounding shades see the vician faltering. One by one, they strike their former master. “For Amelia,” one screams.
”For Johan!” Wails another shade.
”For Kastor!”
”For Darwin!”
One by one, the shades coalesce around the vician. Vicarion howls in agony as his spirit is jointly ripped from his body and pulled into the Ether. All that remains is a lifeless husk that falls to the ground. Vicarion is beaten.
Missions/Quests Completed
- Defeated the Big Noggin
- Defeated Vicarion
Character(s) interacted with
- General Lenhall
- Setesk
- Duke Wester
- Elema
- Kastor
- Reaving
- Vicarion
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