Session 118: When Last We Met 3/16/25
General Summary
When last we met, the party had entered some sort of underground chamber. Likely in the basement of this building. Here they heard a disembodied voice beckoning them further. First, the party had to deal with two hostiles right as they entered the room. Vandread teleported behind one and clapped a Necklace of Carceri around his neck, and the other was downed by Eldritch blasts from Mistral. With the immediate threat defeated for now, the party goes about investigating the immediate vicinity.
Romaia and Celeste enter opposite adjacent rooms only to find some hideous, half cooked aberration. A mix of human and these Star Spawn that the party has faced twice already. it moves to attack both ladies and Romaia puts one down easily with Eldritch Blasts. Celeste meanwhile misses a few of her shots and only manages to wound the Star Spawn before finishing it off with her short sword.
After that, Romaia and Celeste each find a robe or cloak displayed in their respective side rooms. The disembodied voice invites them to take the garments as a gift. They both do.
From there, the party move up a set of stairs and find another hallway with some adjacent rooms. Members of the party start investigating independently. Celeste finds a body of one of these star spawns that still remain in its human form. Whatever malevolent ritual used to change it hasn't taken place yet. She then moves to another room and finds a Hooded Lantern which she takes and hangs off her belt after Vandread Identifies it.
Mistral meanwhile finds a few skeletal artifacts as well as a very strange looking eye. He seems to surmise whom it belonged to.... and he puts it in his bag. From there Celeste leads the way up another set of stairs where she finds a large ritual chamber containing four elderly cult members and... what appears to be a brain suspended in a briny liquid. The disembodied voice speaks once again and they collectively realize it is this brain in a jar speaking to them.
They question it and it scornfully chides that their actions, by destroying the book of vile darkness have caused their world to essentially end as the Star Carcossa is on a collision course with their world. The party retorts that their must be some other way to stop it. This brain simply mocks them and says they are now his prisoners as they await the end of the world together.
To that Celeste replies she is no one's prisoner and fires arrows into the pool striking the brain and combat ensues. These elder cultists begin hurling high level spells at the party to great effect. They lose one of their hirelings, Jack and Scar-Face nearly kicks the bucket as well. Then The elder brain hurls out a burst of psychic energy which stuns almost the entire party save for a few fortunate ones. They do their best to keep the pressure up and keep the fire directed at them as their compatriots slowly try to shake off the Stunned condition.
The elder brain seems to create a psychic link to Celeste intending to use her to attack her friends. She instead focuses on breaking the psychic link, which she does successfully.
As the party regains their own autonomy once more, they begin taking the fight to these elders. picking them off one by one. Sebastian eliminates one with a finger of death attack and Vandread incapacitates another with a necklace. After that Vandread hops down to go toe to brain with the Grand Harbinger and sucessfully knocks it out of its pool and onto the ground. An elder cultist telekinetically rescues it from Vandread's clutches only for him to follow it and finish the job once and for all. He had also ordered the Elder clasped in the necklace to restrain the final Cultist which he does.
From there Mistral flies into the center of the chamber and finishes the last elder with Eldritch blasts.
And that's where we'll pick up next time.
Rewards Granted
- 50PP
- A shimmering Cloak
- A robe embroidered with Eyes
- Eye of Vecna
- Hooded Lantern
Found in the chamber of the Grand Harbinger.
Character(s) interacted with
Jack - The former inhabitant of a Magic jar. Then given a body and purpose. Lost his life in the battle of the Grand Harbinger
Scar-Face - Former inhabitant of the Magic Jar. Given a Body and a purpose
The Grand Harbinger - The mysterious leader of the Order of the Perpetual Shroud. An Elder Brain living in a vat of liquid. Killed by Vandread.
Notes
30th of Brigid
- Party infiltrated the lair of the Grand Harbinger
- Discovered the Identity of the Council of Elders and the Grand Harbinger
- Battled All of the above
It is noon when we pick up next time.
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