Neverwinter Stories: Campaign 1 — Session 47

Book One: The Trees of Life and Death — Chapter Forty-Seven: Escaping Ivaeska

General Summary

On one front, the party was beset by Jocelyn's ghost, whose horrifying visage caused Alessandra to age 30 years. Meanwhile, in the rear, Markus and Ilyra fought off their pursuer, a vile bodak. With fireballs and liberal use of gravity, the group defeated the opposition and made their way to the stairs they came from. Unfortunately, the had building shifted, choaking the stairs with rubble and preventing their escape.
During the other's confused attempts to formulate an escape plan, Markus and Ilyra went back down the way they fled. When they arrived on the ground floor, they found that they shifted onto another plane again. The mists grew denser as the two explored, and from them came memories of Ilyra's past: how the Zhentarim victimized her, she double-crossed her fellow prisoners in Darkhold, and how their escape party was subsequently executed. ████. Finally, they came across an exit and stepped through.

Meanwhile, the other half of the party tried their luck with the main entrance. However, prying it open only caused more mists to pour into the room, so they fled through a set of nearby doors. To their dismay, the hall they entered was a dead end. Its walls turned to glass and revealed the vengeful specters of Big and Little Lou. They demonstrated how Lilith  mercilessly killed them when they were just as easy to spare with illusory aid. Although the rest of the party chastised her for what she did and how she tried to cover it up, they saved her as the ghosts tried to claim her. Infuriated, they lashed out from the walls. However, Alessandra discovered that one of the walls was an illusion and promptly led the others through. They ran into a nearby room—a dust library—then barricaded the door with a bookcase.

On the floor above, Markus and Ilyra returned to the material world. Trying to orient themselves, they searched room after room, finding a high magic circle in the process. Not long after, they entered the upper level of a library, where lamplight from below allowed them to reunite with the others. Together they found an exit, but it came to light that if they didn't reverse Alessandra's aging soon, then it would become permanent. Unfortunately, their magic wasn't enough, so Ilyra suggested the magic circle upstairs could be used to do just that.

The circle was a complex pattern drawn with magic chalk that disobeyed the laws of this deathly place—a potted, still-living bush remained at its center. The rhododendron was traded for the Neveren girl, the circle was modified, new life sources were added, and Ilyra and Sheldanna performed the ritual. Then, they channeled positive energy into her, reversing the aging. However, there were no safety measures written into the circle, causing it to destabilize. Alessandra was reverted to a teenager before they could pull her out, the positive energy quickly built to critical levels, and the party bolted from the scene. They escaped the haunted estate as a brilliant flash of lifeforce ripped through the weave behind them.

Rewards Granted

Markus and Ilyra's time together enriched them both, brought them closer, and provided each with a lofty, but shared goal—granting them inspiration.

More items were uncovered in the ruin. Markus discovered a silver tray holding an assortment of unidentified potions. The room containing the magic circle had a spellbook of transmutation, Parma a Faerfhaor, that was given to Lilith.

Character(s) interacted with

After being haunted by the ghosts of Jocelyn, Big Lou, Little Lou, and Jacks, the Redwings worked with Trogo "Good Shot", Worvil, and Sheldanna to find an was the escape the ruin.

Notes

• Worvil and Sheldanna were also aged by 30 years, but their lifespans weren't nearly as affected as Alessandra's.
  
• The most prominent ghost in Ilyra's memories was Jacks, the leader of the Darkhold prison riot and escape attempt.
  
• Until she was told she had aged, Alessandra was convinced Jocelyn's ghost places a weakness curse on her.
  
• Due to high magic requiring elves, Ilyra and Sheldanna were the only two people capable of performing the ritual.
  
• Alessandra was reduced from a 55-year-old to a 17-year-old, overshooting her original age by six years.
  
• Askra's attempt to save Alessandra caused her to age down by 10 years—reverting her back to 74.
  

Report Date

27 Sep 2021

Primary Location

Ivaeska

• The Trees of Life and Death Saga
  • Sunless Expedition Arc
    • Prologue
    • Chapter One
    • Chapter Two
    • Chapter Three
    • Chapter Four
      • Paralogue One
      • Paralogue Two
    • Chapter Five
    • Chapter Six
    • Chapter Seven
    • Chapter Eight
    • Chapter Nine
  • Map Hunters Arc
    • Chapter Ten
    • Chapter Eleven
    • Chapter Twelve
    • Chapter Thirteen
    • Chapter Fourteen
    • Chapter Fifteen
    • Chapter Sixteen
    • Chapter Seventeen
  • Shadow Giant Arc
    • Chapter Eighteen
    • Chapter Nineteen
    • Chapter Twenty
    • Chapter Twenty-One
    • Chapter Twenty-Two
    • Chapter Twenty-Three
    • Chapter Twenty-Four
      • Paralogue One
      • Paralogue Two
  • Armillary Road Arc
    • Chapter Twenty-Five
    • Chapter Twenty-Six
    • Chapter Twenty-Seven
    • Chapter Twenty-Eight
    • Chapter Twenty-Nine
      • Paralogue One
    • Chapter Thirty
    • Chapter Thirty-One
    • Chapter Thirty-Two
    • Chapter Thirty-Three
    • Chapter Thirty-Four
    • Chapter Thirty-Five
    • Chapter Thirty-Six
  • Furtîlorn Expedition Arc
    • Chapter Thirty-Seven
    • Chapter Thirty-Eight
    • Chapter Thirty-Nine
      • Paralogue One
    • Chapter Fourty
    • Chapter Fourty-One
    • Chapter Fourty-Two
    • Chapter Fourty-Three