Session 8: For Whom the Bell Tolls

General Summary

Last we left off, Swordbearer Annghorhast lay standing over the body of Aeren Grimvein and picked him up and placed him on the bed. Pulling out a book and a small blade, he began carving symbols in the body of Aeren. After some time had passed, the blade stepped out of the room and into the chaos of the hospital once more joining the remaining group. They decided that it was best that they make their exit, heading back south towards the walled city of Nadena to attempt to retrieve the bell. While at camp that night, a familiar face stepped forward; however, that face seemed more depressed, and sorrow filled as an "alive" Aeren stood before them. The group immediately pulled their weapons, attacking him, but he held true. He tried to reason with Annghorhast, but the blade would not hear it. He tried to tell him that the mythal in the temple of Mili Alora was a phylactery of all moon elf souls that was super charging Krorone Goddess of Darkness and that none of his kin slept amongst the stars, but in a battery. This still fell on deaf ears...at least until Ray mysteriously learned a new cantrip out of necessity and created a blackboard to where he could explain things with pictures. After some tense moments and extremely close calls for the returned Aeren, the group finished their rest and made their way south. Upon their travels, they came across the child blade Nurn riding a horse that ended up being Alerick who wild shaped back into his elven self and stood before the group. He explained to them that the blade was "acting strange" and being "chatty" and he felt that it did not bode well for them, and they needed to escape from the wall. The group attempted to recruit them; however, he was not quick to trust them and made a flimsy promise that should they return to the elven city, they might could help them. He did give them some information regarding the mayor Verona Laerin and that she was more than likely the one to have the bell. The group waited until the dark of night before Boots aka Ghost started to do rogue things. Utilizing her claws, she was able to climb the width of the wall and sneak into the city where she ended up finding Roderick Hale, who she made some "negotiations" with regarding Verona. As long as she spared his life, he would get the guards to be in other places while she was tending to business in the farms at the far end of the peninsula and once they were gone, they were to not return so he could take over. This pleased the both of them and she exited; however, she had one more stop to make, which was Verona's office. Sneaking inside she found that the place had already been ransacked and from the shadows emerged a yellow male tabaxi that had a satchel with what appeared to be a book. He consoled her and told her better luck next time, but Ghost would not have it. She lunged after him and after a slight tussel, she was able to wrangle the book away from him, turn ethereal, and make her way out of the room and escaping into the night without the thief not knowing what had happened. With book tucked safely away, she returned back the group who had been patiently waiting and informed them of where they would need to be. The group sneakily maneuvered their small boat into the waters and around the edges of the city before landing and sneaking onto land. It wasn't long before they found her as well as two guards around her walking towards a house. Ghost not wanting to miss this chance, released a shot from far away that hit. A battle began. Undead minions rose up from the ground and the mayor turned invisible, attempting to pick the group off one at a time. The undead that dropped rose again in a never ending cycle from the ringing of a bell...a bell that Amahri Rhea heard and was able to slice through the mayor with one fell swing. It was then in her dying breath that she cackled, gurgling up blood and told them that Ozraxis, The Infernal Architect was coming for them. Just then, a large demonic looking creature erupted from the bell, destroying the house that Reese was in and began smashing and scattering the group. One-by-one they began to fall until Boots aka Ghost was able to scoop up the bell and felt something. The bell wanted to be attuned to. The bell yearned for it. And so, she did, and the creature disappeared. Now with speed, the group headed back to their boat and back to the mainland. The city was left in chaos; however, they had achieved their goal. As they traveled, the determined that it would be best to go back to Prul to acquire some transportation to make the trip to Blale a little shorter. Stopping by Trealing Ray Cyst went to see his mother Elara Cyst who had taken over administration there and was researching what the group had found underneath the hospital. After some banter between the two, they made their way towards Prul until they had reached the grand forge where much to their surprise, the dwarves from Windbury with the wild colored hair had started dismantling the forge. With fists clenched and attempting to keep his anger down Ray asked for the whereabouts of his father. They pointed to an office and he began his march towards it, reached out and opened the door.