Chapter 1, Session 9: Hermione doesn't drive

General Summary

I see the past as something that shouldn't define you now... you should remember it, but don't let it ruin your life.

• Peregrine offers sage advice to Da'Shaw Zalnyx upon seeing his subdued state in The Ruins of Zazzgrad

Session started with The Kaechaek Party continuing to make their way to Da'Shaw Zalnyx's destination.
Though the day did not start in the smoothest fashion with Auriel critically failing in starting the groups Sand Speeders and causing it to explode (with pieces hitting Esmerae, Auriel and Mallus during the explosion).
After a conversation and recovery from this, Hermione, Fionn, Peregrine and Mallus gathered the pieces back together and repaired the Sand Speeder before (with Hermione refusing to start the sand speeder as she 'does not drive... she gets driven') allowing Auriel another attempt, with the dragonborn cleric this time succeeding in starting the sand speeder in it's most basic fashion.
With that, Zalnyx gave directions as Auriel drove the party towards his destination. Eventually, the group came upon a village overlooking the Shadewoods that was burned out, emptied and clearly the site of a massive bloodshed, upon seeing this scene and Zalnyx's pained expression the party leanred that Zalnyx was responsible for the destruction of the village twice over: The first time was as a marauder with the Da'Shaw clan where he slaughtered a family and their deaths haunted him, the second time was several years later when, due to his recurring murderous nightmares, Zalnyx summoned enough of The Quori and The Nocta Mori that it drew the attention of The Venator who arrived in the village and slaughtered it's inhabitants whilst Zalnyx was out of town. The party supported Zalnyx by reassuring him that he has led a good life and that he should not let his past define him; something Zalnyx agreed with.
With that, Zalnyx asked the party to give him 10 minutes to pay tribute to a large shrine in the centre of the village and so the rest of the party wandered the village and kept guard whilst he sat in front of the shrine, a pile of the keepsakes from the village.
Auriel decided to investigate the houses after Zalnyx advised her to have a look around in order to better understand the Da'Shaw clan... as she searched, Auriel heard the sound of draconic chittering behind one of the houses and went to investigate.
Behind the house, Auriel saw a small gold dragonborn girl in a dress with a teddy in one hand and a wand in the other. In shock, Auriel watched as the girl rose to float 5ft in the air and turned to face her... the shock of the person sent Auriel immediately into a deep sleep.
With that, initiative was rolled and the party gathered in the centre of the village ruins after Fionn felt the cold sensation of a Nocta Mori in the area. After gathering to protect Zalnyx, the party realised Auriel was absent and, using Jolly, Hermione managed to spot Auriel unconscious on the ground whilst the Nocta Mori was feeding over her form. Auriel meanwhile found herself caught in the familiar safe surrounding of her old home where, sitting next to her brother, she watched Inora promise to protect them from their nightmares and make sure they were always looked after.
The party rushed to support Auriel and Esmerae was the first to draw the creatures attention (despite disturbing a nearby Cindersoul tree and causing another danger to the party) by shouting towards it and combat truly started.
The creature proved to be unpredictable and having a variety of abilities to ue including a dimension door bonus action ability to reach it's enemy targets and a powerful bite skill, a frost breath weapon a trauma radius and a 'Drowning Suffocant' attack that caught a creature it hit in suspended animation as though they were also drowning.
Auriel soon woke up and joined the party in the fight despite her clear fear and discomfort and the party were forced to draw on most of their reserves as Peregrine and Esmerae were both knocked unconscious and Mallus revealed his new ability to conjure tentacles that directed enemies away from his allies to allow him to better protect the party.
However, the fight took a turn when, after escaping 'Drowning Suffocant', Peregrine and Mallus watched Auriel's Trauma Hound turn to them and, in a language they both seemed to understand, told Peregrine to 'BRING US BACK TOGETHER' something that greatly confused the pair... though Peregrine refused anyway. The battle raged on and Fionn managed to destroy the angered Cindersoul whilst Mallus managed to destroy the trauma hound.
With the creature destroyed, Auriel left the group to be comforted by Zalnyx and the party checked on one another as the trauma hound slowly faded away. In this sombre moment, the party decided to leave the village before anything else came for them. Zalnyx agreed and Hermione started the Sand Speeder first time, cleverly using her minor conjuration to create a schematic for it to start more efficiently. Notably during this time Fionn researched the creature and discovered it was a trauma hound that was likely related to a deep loss Auriel had experienced in their life though he also struggled to accept that the nocta mori really spoke to Mallus and Peregrine. He then helped Hermione to loot the cindersoul and take it's bark wood for future use. Esmerae also notably chose against engaging with Blodhren in the village, telling herself this 'wasn't the place'.
The rest of the days travel went without issue until that night when Peregrine experimented with their necklace once again and saw that it's inner message had changed and it had marked a golden trail leading into the forest. Waking Fionn up, the spook and Mallus agreed to check the path in case it was an attempt by The Quori and The Nocta Mori to manipulate Peregrine... stealthily, they made their way through the trail (with Fionn noticing that quori and nocta mori Spores had gathered there in a perfect line and were connected by thin trails of silver light). After following the trail into a forested copse about 100ft away from the party, Fionn and Mallus found the Quori and Nocta Mori slowly circling around a ruined stone altar and, on top of the altar, was a strange totem measuring 10 inches in length and with triagnular dimension. One side of the totem portrayed a queen chess piece; wrapped in the skin of a Nightmare, one side of the totem portrayed a king chess piece; made of pure white bone and the final side portrayed a pawn chess piece; made of crystallised and hardened blood. Fionn picked up this unsettling totem and immediately felt the magical power emanating from it, though he also felt the cold dreams flooding out of the item. Fionn placed the item in his bag and moved back towards the party's camp. 
Upon reaching Peregrine, the tiefling questioned Fionn and Mallus and they both claimed they did not find anything but a broken altar in the woods, Peregrine accepted their answer and Fionn kept The Totem of the Sleeper for himself for now... unsure of whether it is right to give the item to Peregrine.

Rewards Granted

• The Totem of the Sleeper - A strange magical totem that Fionn found in the forest.
• Cindersoul Bark Wood- handy wood used in crafting magical items with fire affinity.

Missions/Quests Completed

• The party successfully escorted and protected Da'Shaw Zalnyx on his pilgrimage to The Ruins of Zazzgrad. 

Report Date

05 Apr 2023

Primary Location

The Slumbering Incisors

Secondary Location

Shadewoods

Related Characters

• Da'Shaw Zalnyx