Chapter 5, Session 1: Welcome to Varne Gate

General Summary

Peregrine called Luc Brightrose as the party approached the entrance to Varne Gate. He answered that he was at the docks, working hard and a little stressed. 
Mallus Somnium persuaded Hermione of Vallea to put googly eyes on the Sandspeeder’s cannon in an attempt to make the vehicle look less deadly to the roaming city patrols. As the party approached down the main road, they passed a patrol of armed riflemen and The Bronze Citadel casters, guarding a young noble tiefling. The party recognised this to be Virate Marziel Varnel, the man in charge of trade/a trade broker between Thornden and Kaechaek baronies. He is known to be very cunning but a lover of the arts, and had lots of crates with his travel company like the ones the party recovered in their earlier mission outside The Diamond.

The party entered the city, as Peregrine told the party a bit more about her mysterious friend Luc. Malus became starstruck! Walking through the city toward the docks, Peregrine noticed things looked odd - in particular, whole areas of buildings being missing. It looked like the city was packing up shop. Eventually the party found Luc, who explained that Thornden was evacuating due to the original agreement they’d made with Emperor Honour: that they would clear out of Kaechaek if he gave the order, something they received six months ago. The party tried to get Luc to go with them to his office for a private conversation about this order, when suddenly above them, three of the four sky ships began to sway and destabilise in the sky, as the magnet tethering the skyships in place exploded. Flying Nocta Mori appeared in the air, swarming the ships. Esmerae moved to protect Luc, holding her spells in readiness as Peregrine dragged Luc toward a fallen crystal from one of the exploded Skyships, summoning her Spirit Guardians at the same time. Suddenly, from the water, a figure appeared: The Ritual Masters Sigholdt had killed in the Diamond quest. Clearly, the creature was undead. Hermione shot at him with an electric chromatic orb, followed by Esmerae and Sigholdt’s Eldritch Blasts, the latter of which only seemed to boost a strange field around the figure. Malus transformed, feeling fear from Mallus' Nightmare in his dreams upon seeing the Ritual Master.
Esmerae released another Eldritch Blast before realising it was enhancing the strange energy field around the Ritual Master. Peregrine then shot him with a radiant guiding bolt, which seemed to be more effective than force damage, and moved Luc behind the crystal to shelter him from being targeted. The Ritual Master stabbed himself, pulling out a silver bead before swearing a temporary allegiance to 'the one that will soon ascend', then summoned horrific Nocta Mori. Esmerae ordered the guards to shoot at one of the horrors nearest Luc, which they easily killed as two others attacked the rest of the party. Malus and Sigholdt shielded Hermione from the worst of the damage, getting hit themselves. Hermione in turn became Deku, using a new spell to flick a Nocta Mori Infection Swarm far far away from the party. Luc failed to fix the crystal, but healed Sigholdt a little, who failed to Hold Person on the Ritual Master. Sigholdt found himself suddenly slammed by a summoned creature, the Nostalgia Abstract as it moved past him. Malus carved into an Infection Swarm as he tried to give his inner Quori a pep talk - it asked where the Planar-Forge  was, confusing Malus, which earned him frustration from the Quori. Esmerae rushed out to stab the Nostalgia Abstract, then turned into a flock of ravens to defend Hermione and position herself tactically. Peregrine killed one of the last Infection Swarms, before shooting the Ritual Master again with a Guiding Bolt. Suddenly, where the Infection Swarm stood, an Adjudicator Dream Woven appeared, as Peregrine accidentally allowed the Ritual Master to also summon ice to walk across the water and approach the shore.
Hermione reached the crystal and figured out what was wrong and how to fix it! Luc, upon learning he can’t risk spells due to the Adjudicator, grabbed his blade and ran in to stab the Dream Woven, both critting and smiting! Sigholdt ran across the ice to stab the Ritual Master, as the Nostalgia Abstract moved closer, catching Peregrine, Malus and Esmerae in its Nostalgia effect. Malus heard the Quori in him chant ‘Kill’, and he attacked the Adjudicator. Esmerae moved around to stab the Nostalgia Abstract as Peregrine ran to help the others, killing the Adjudicator with her spirit guardians, then killing the Nostalgia Abstract with a rage-filled Burning Hands, only to paralyse herself with fear. The Ritual Master cast a ritual, and forced Hero and Crumble onto his side, as a shape appeared beneath the water - Malus’ Quori vanishing from him. Hermione cast repair metal to start fixing the crystal. Suddenly from the sky, a bat Nocta Mori-like creature with the top half of an Adjudicator flew down from one of the ships - a Silver Herald Dream Woven. Sigholdt, naked and unarmed, attacked the Ritual Master and punched his head off - knock out!
Luc threw more magic into the crystal now the Adjudicator was gone, as Malus attacked the Silver Herald bravely. He missed, but his Quori returned to him with the Ritual Master slain, and it agreed to talk to him later. The Silver Herald turned to Malus, telling him to leave, as they didn’t want to spill innocent blood. Malus asked why they were here, and it stated some aren’t innocent - is Luc sus? Esmerae fired Eldritch Blast at an Infection Swarm as Peregrine tried to get answers. She used her spirit guardians to kill the Infection Swarm, and after checking with Luc, ran forward to the Silver Herald, summoning her new Mind Terror spell. The riflemen released a barrage, badly hurting the Silver Herald. The creature screamed via its bat: Enough, we leave. It tried to flee, but Sigholdt fired his weapon, killing the creature. The two other Silver Heralds still in the sky turned and fled.
Combat ended, and after fixing the crystal, the sky ships finally stabilised. All fell still. Luc said that Peregrine had some very good friends as she hugged him, before agreeing to take the party to his office so they could talk properly. The group set off to do just that.

Report Date

18 Feb 2025