Session Thirty-seven: The Plot of Queen Brighteye

General Summary

- 21 of Solas -

The party started down the rough hidden tunnel in the mountain. The sounds of moving earth and magic in the distance. They moved as quietly as possible and at the end of the hallway they met a fork in the path. The left way led down further into the mountain. The tunnel going down was rough just like the one they were in except for a set of magically shaped stairs in the stone. To the right was a tall stone door. 
Cooper tried the door and it didn't budge. He thought for a second and reached for an arrow from his quiver. In the meantime though Yarrow, unable to see well in the dark, grew his nails out using primal savagery and slid them up the crack in the door to unlatch it. The party pushed on and into the room. They closed the door behind them and lit a torch.
The first thing they noticed in this room was the large arcane glyph in the middle of the floor. Scraps of metal and chunks of wood in the shapes of talons, arms, and legs were scattered around the room. Behind this glyph next to the north wall was a large circle. This one looked more permanent and more structured than the glyph in the middle. There was a bed in the corner and two writing desks at the North wall. On the South wall was a large series of maps with lines and marking across them.
Cooper and Yarrow quickly identified the larger more structured circle along the north wall as a teleportation circle. They nodded at each other and began the work of trying to disrupt the circle by damaging the surrounding area.
Cyrus walked along the walls over to one of the writing desks. This one was covered in letters, notes, and schematics. He searched but didn't find much else so he funneled all the papers into his bag of holding and moved to the other desk.
Cooper and Yarrow continued to try and destroy the teleportation circle. After enough damage they were convinced that if anyone tried to use it it might still work but it wouldn't work well. Yarrow continued his work while Cooper stopped and cast find traps. The magic made him aware of three traps. Two further away seemingly below him and one in the room tied to an object.
Cyrus continued to the other desk. The top was covered in letters and plans about attacking Alderheart and the real plan for Brackenmill. Interested he began to read.
The real plan of Brackenmill was to have Wolne and Alvert infiltrate the Perch Guard using Serra Hyne who they knew was a double agent. Alvert would suggest the plan of creating cursed weapons that they let the bandits raid under the pretense that they were the new weapons for the Perch Guard. Odwald would help curse the weapons and would create an enchantment that would make the owner of the weapon covet the weapon. Underneath that curse he would lay another curse that the Perch Guard would be unaware of that would sap the strength of the owner over time and eventually turn them into a shade and kill them. They would then do the raid and get the weapons and during the raid kill Serra Hyne and Jorn would take her place. Then the Perch Guard would believe that the bandits would be taken care of meanwhile Jorn as Serra Hyne would go to the capitol and distribute the cursed swords to the Perch Guard. The Perch Guard would get sicker and sicker until the Sun Dance Festival and then, when they started dying and turning into shades, Jorn would give a signal and they would attack Alderheart. 
Cyrus put down the letters and plans and began to investigate the desk. He found a locked drawer, broke the lock and inside found an old leather journal. Cooper warned Cyrus that the journal was trapped and he could sense it with magic. Cyrus steeled himself and began to read the journal anyway. 

Hora 520: Bas 9 - "I need to get away from Chikara. There's a boat going North that I can take..."
Hora 520: Bas 10 - "On the boat we were attacked by a large beast. It's great tentacles wrapped around the boat but me and my new friends fought it off. I felt a presence, Kren, guiding me to these people and helping us strategize on what to do. After the hard fought battle we won and protected the ship. My new friends are a bit strange but I like them. 
Gifu and Dustclaw are druids looking for ancient artefacts in the Gavrilo Principalities. They seem to want to gain some powers in order to work with the elemental anchors or some such.
Signa is a cleric who has lost his way. Apparently serving many gods he has become disillusioned by them and wants to know their true nature.
Odwald is a wizard, the smartest man I've ever met and the most fearful. Odwald seems to be looking for a way to cheat death itself. A goal I can sympathize with at the very least. 
Slim is a merchant but everyone knows Slim. He runs the Blue Wing Trading Company. He's surprisingly good in a fight though. We've all decided to travel together across the Gavrilo Principalities in search of ruins and artefacts. Now that we've all been blessed by Kren we've also decided to give our party a name, the Circle of Kren." 
Hora 524: Cai 5 - "We found new ruins today. They were huge, fit for giants. Deep inside we found forges and automaton guardians. After fighting them off we found a vault and inside were countless gems along with two daggers and a tiara. Odwald can't decipher the texts on the walls but these items seem incredibly important. Since I'm the only one proficient with daggers I've taken them for now along with the tiara. The gems were split among us all. These items must have been used for something specific."
Hora 525: Alta 13 -"We were nearly killed today by air elementals. Odwald fearing the worst wants to backtrack to the giant ruins and use the forges there to make us backup plans. He says we need some materials but he has a way to craft us an item to guard us from death. He says it will take him a year or so to make them for us. We all agree of course. Odwald has never been wrong before."
Hora 530: Bas 10 - "We got back together after being apart for a while. I've found out how the daggers and the tiara work. It's awful but the gems are incredibly useful. Also if they are handled specifically they can stop us from aging. I had to share this knowledge with everyone especially Odwald, he's like a brother to me and he's already so old."
Hora 531: Han 15 -"We found another set of ruins. Religious ruins to be more specific. The ruins were bad, I could taste it in the air, and they were massive. Dark stone, dried blood, and purple flowers were everywhere. Something was here, something malevolent."
Hora 531: Han 16 -"At the center of the ruins we hid from the beasts inside. They were everywhere. Signa found a shrine and on it a staff of dark thorns and a large tome made of bark and covered in purple flowers. He took the items up even when we asked him not to and started to read from the book. Eventually he smiled and told us to open the door. We protested but eventually grew tired and let the monsters inside. With an incantation and a wave of the staff Signa stopped the monsters and they fell apart into goo and plant matter." 
Hora 532: Bas 10 - "We've been apart for a while so I understand that people change but something is different about Signa. He's distracted often and won't eat with rest of us. "
Hora 532: Cliste 4 - "More ruins, finally something to do, we found an old town. In the town we found a library, the books all disintegrated. At the base of it though we found a secret hatch and large ritual chamber. Odwald and Signa looked at the murals while the rest of us pressed on. Eventually we found a staff made of crystal on a gold pedestal and two books still intact. Gifu and Dustclaw took the books and began to read. With a smile they took the staff, called the Borealis, and said that it was exactly what they were looking for. "
Hora 532: Cliste 17 - "We decide to go off on our own for a while. Everyone has things to do apparently. I might start a guild or two around. Things are much easier when you don't have to worry about aging."
Hora 536: Bas 10 - "Everyone's acting strange. I get being off in your own business but Signa has grown cruel and Gifu is talking down to everyone else. I know Signa has started his own church but I don't know who he is praising. I thought it was Kren but I think that was a lie. Gifu has apparently saved two countries from some kind of disasters and has started his own order or something. He won't tell us where Dustclaw is though and he's being really cagey about it. I tried to talk to Slim but he obviously is just saying what I want to hear. He's playing everyone's side. I'm going back to my guilds I don't want to see anyone besides Odwald."
Hora 632: Bas 10 - "Everyone is so different from how we first met. It is nice to see everyone after so long though. I've changed too so I can't say much. I'm the head of a guild or organization in every country. I can kind of deal with Gifu now, I understand how leading from the front can change a person. Signa still creeps me out but he's covered in bandages now so I don't have to see his face. Odwald is still my closest friend. He's been there for me through thick and thin although he seems distracted as of late. Hopefully some exploration and good old fashioned ruins will get us back into the swing of things. I'm growing so bored of everything as of late." 
Hora 634: Cai 15 - "I have to leave. I found out that Slim has agreed to hire assassins to kill the dancers of Kagi. Like all the dancers, like genocide. He's afraid of some ritual dance or something and his new god is obviously not one of the twelve. I have to get away and I have to hide. I know how the daggers work and the tiara. I need to get the other dagger back from Gifu and then I can leave. I need to come up with a plan and I need to get stronger... I need more gems..."

Yarrow moved to destroy the more experimental magic glyph in the middle of the room. As he did so Cooper copied it down on a scroll in case they needed it later. Yarrow grew his claws out and systematically destroyed the glyph, this one relenting easily unlike the teleportation circle. 
Cyrus went to go close the journal. Something tried to overtake him. For the briefest of moments he felt a presence in his mind. He quickly shook it off and closed the book. Yarrow started destroying the rest of the room with Cooper. Cyrus put the journal into his bag of holding and reached in to look through some of the letters. He found one with the royal seal of East Octilom and opened it to read it.

"I will send Warder and his mages to help you. I do not want them in my kingdom. They should help you with the magic part of your resource gathering. Once Alderheart is nothing but gems inform me and I will bring my forces across the Bafal Marg and we will seize Humblewood. With two countries resources our research can truly flourish.
Be warned though Warder is taken by madness and will most likely demand to work on his own research of digging into the earth. If you do not have a hidden spot for him to do this it can cause trouble. If I do not hear from you by Rey I shall assume the mission a failure and send people to wrap up the loose ends.
We will prepare for this Darkbringer and we shall win.
Queen Brighteye."

Yarrow tried his best to mimic Odwald's handwriting and wrote "In regards - Odwald" in front of the door to the room. The party talked for a moment about what to do next and decided to see if Warder was the one below them digging into the mountain.
They moved silently and Cooper, having located the traps earlier, cast dispel magic twice upon the magical glyphs protecting the tunnel at the base of the stairs. They moved through tunnel after tunnel hitting small rooms with perfectly smooth walls, obviously made by magic. After a few rooms like this they found a small room with three mages inside. The mages hadn't seen them. They wore strange fabrics, silks from  East Octilom. There was a Jerbeen and a Corvum both digging with pickaxes while a Vulpin in tattered robes and matted fur read a book behind them. 
The party readied themselves, Cooper showed Cyrus that his warhammer opened and contained vials of poison. He poisoned the blades of the party and then they moved with alarming speed and coordination. Lunestra charged in and got into melee with Warder striking him with her shortswords. Cyrus ran across the ceiling and struck the Vulpin while Cooper charged at the Corvum in the back annihilating him with his warhammer. Yarrow turned the corner, cast ensnaring strike on a rock, and flung it with his sling. The roots grew from the rock grabbed and tied up Warder who had no defense against such an attack. 
Yarrow noticed their surprise and turned the corner to intimidate them. He told them to surrender and the two remaining mages did as they were told and dropped to the ground. The party gagged the mages and tied them up, they each had an amulet around their neck which Cooper recognized as focuses and took form them. The party then took their things, they had some gold and scrolls as well as a star sapphire and several unique scrolls. These scrolls contained the spell for teleportation circle and there were two kinds, one with orderly symbols and one with sharp symbols. 
The party began to talk with one of the mages. Yarrow asked the Jerbeen if he could have his name and the Jerbeen said yes and that his name was Gilex Smaycey. He explained that they were mages from East Octilom and were banished. The Queen had made it illegal to practice magic anymore save for a few key individuals. Warder was working with Jorn, a shapeshifter who was a leader of the bandits here and worked for Queen Brighteye in the royal court. People in the court knew of him because of a hand signal he would use. Once used he would be detained and questioned to make sure it was him and then they would continue research for the Queen. Jorn was the head of the Ministry of technology and magic for Queen Brighteye. 
Yarrow turned to Warder who was still gagged. Warder seemed to be resisting as best as he could unlike the other two mages. Cyrus went over and cast Charm Person on him which he resisted. Yarrow giggled and did the same which took effect. They removed Warder's gag and Yarrow asked him what he was doing here.
Warder started going on and on about the Hall of the Lost Gods. Warder believes that there is an underground civilization and they hold the secrets to the gods. Why are the gods all different forms in different stories? Why are there so many gaps in history? What of the great beasts? Warder believes he can find his answers underground. He chose the Crest Mountains because there is a Great Beast upon the top of the mountains. This must be an indicator of the civilization underneath.
Cooper thought for a moment. In his studies there were some myths about ancient ruins with the powers of the gods but nothing concrete and nothing studied. Tall tales at best with no real merit. They regagged Warder and put him in Yarrow's bag of Colding. Yarrow asked the other two mages what they wanted to do. The mages were beside themselves. They didn't want to work for Warder anymore but they couldn't go home. Yarrow smiled and said that if they helped them get out of the cave they could have a place to go. He then took out a pen and paper and began to write a letter.
After a little recovery the party now with the two mages went upstairs. Cooper gave them each a dagger but didn't allow them their spell focuses. As they got past the secret door upstairs and back into the torture chamber they heard distant voices from the head of the cave. Gilex went pale, it was Captain Merridan the Necromancer. 
The group decided to plan an ambush. Cooper gave the mages back their spell focuses and everyone got into position. Lunestra in the middle of the room, Cyrus on the ceiling, Yarrow hiding with the mages in the back of the room and Cooper behind the door. Cooper reassured the mages that everything would be okay but that they needed to help.
They waited and then the door to the torture chamber opened. Lunestra saw Burga, resurrected as an undead. Burga bellowed, behind her was a Luma with a twisted staff and Captain Wolne from Brackenmill. The party lept into action. Yarrow burst forward and turned into the White stag, his eyes glowed and gentle mist flowed into the room. He smashed his hoof into the stone and a hairline crack raced back to the Luma. The ground beneath her opened up and solid mist grabbed at her ankles and pulled her below. 
Burga ran in to attack Lunestra and was hit by every person along the way. Wolne panicked and ran into the room. He would kill that Tola. As he entered Cyrus cast slow on him. Unable to move Wolne steeled himself. Cooper turned around and smashed into him as Lunestra and the mages attacked Burga. Wolne saw an opportunity and took a few hits in order to strike at Yarrow. His rapier pierced the heart of the white stag and Yarrow turned back to his true form. Lunestra and the mages continued to bash Burga. The Cervan zombie fell to the ground and then her flesh began to stitch itself back together. The mages panicked and started casting fire bolts against her. The fire lit the zombie up and Lunestra used a divine smite disassembling her into shambles. 
Yarrow, with a rapier still in his chest, lifted his head and white mists filled the room. The mist coalesced around into tiny pockets and small sprites filled the room. Yarrow looked to Wolne and cocked his head to the side.
"You're a crow right?" He asked with a smile. Wolne sneered at him and pulled his rapier back to strike again.
"I'm a Corvum, we're different!" Wolne looked around distressed. 
"For now." Yarrow pointed to Wolne and the sprites all giggled and began to cast. 
Wolne felt magic overtake him. He resisted it over and over but eventually he felt his form changing. Slowly he turned into a small crow. Cooper ran over and grabbed the crow, grappling him. They tied the crow up and Cooper asked about Merridan. Yarrow told them that she could rise up at any point. The party prepared and waited.
After half a minute the Luma began to claw her way back up above the stone, gasping for air and covered in blood. The party cast silence on her, cyrus blasted her with a bolt of sickly green magic, and the mages shot firebolts at her. As soon as she surfaced she died falling to the ground. They went over to her body and took her things including her spell book. 
Afterwards they placed the crow in the middle of the room and then all attacked him at once. Wolne changed back into his natural form for just a second before beings brutally murdered by the party. Yarrow began to go through Wolne's things and in particular was looking for a ring. Wolne did have a new ring and on the inside was the mark of Kren etched into the silver. Cooper went over to Merridan and decapitated her and began to cut her apart, unsure if she would stitch back together like Burga.
The sprites began to celebrate and dance. One flew over to Cyrus and asked him for his name. Cyrus panicked and slapped the sprite killing it. The sprite poofed into mist and Cyrus ran into the corner and began a sending to Captain Uyncis in Brackenmill.

"Wolne broke out of prison we just captured and killed him. Thought you should know. Are you okay? We are in the bandit stronghold."

"I'm alive but sick. People in Brackenmill are getting sick and we've closed off the town. If you can get help from the Avium I'd appreciate it."

Yarrow felt the rope that he had to keep his bag of colding open begin to move. Inside Warder was beginning to struggle. Yarrow smiled and shooshed him. The party talked about what to do next. They decided to go and talk to the great beast atop the mountain and they would use sending to warn the Avium of the goings on in Brackenmill. 

Report Date

04 Jul 2021