Session 92: When last we met 9/2/24

General Summary

When last we met, the party had just cleaned up the deck of the airship of their nighttime attackers. Assassins in league with the Order of the Perpetual Shroud. They go about their business for the next for days as the last leg of their journey unfolds. After about 3 more days airborne, the party come upon an abandoned city far below them. This city, to their knowledge has not been on any map or historical record in the modern era. No one knows this place exists. 
The party signal captain Ernesto to lower the airship and formulate a plan to have him keep the airship at a distance and signal him with fireworks when it's time to pick them up. He proceeds to drop them off then takes to the skies once more. The party head inward toward a huge temple they saw from the air, thinking that must be where their journey takes them. 
They move through the abandoned city and head towards the temple. They come to a bridge that has since crumbled under the ravages of time and the desert. The party formulates a plane to get everyone across involving rope, and Celeste's strong arms. Things don't go as planned though as Vandread and his steel defender strapped to his back are too much for Celeste and Mistral to bear. He teleports across and is able to hold the line as the rest of the party move across the improvised rope bridge. 
Once across they move to a set of steps leading up to the temple. They are stopped by a hulking human snake hybrid who informs them they are tresspassers. The tension mounts as more of these Yuan-Ti snake people make their presence known. The tensions cease as a woman (Who is still a Yuan-Ti) says the party is welcome and infact are right on time for their festival. She invites them to join their festival to their god known as Merrshaulk. They are treated to food and drink, music and dance, and all forms of debauchery as the enclave of Yuan-Ti pay homage to their god. 
Mistral and Vandread have talks with the woman who intervened, who calls herself Zashei, that the whole lot of them are in danger as they are pursued by the order of the perpetual shroud. Zashei simply reassures them that when they awaken their god Merrshaulk, they will need not worry about anything. 
Meanwhile, Sebastian pulls aside celeste and Romaia, informing them that these Yuan-Ti are bastardized humans who long ago left their humanity behind for the sake of attaining power and godhood. He illustrates his point by reminding them when the last time they ever saw a snake show kindness or compassion. He leaves them with that thought and they rejoin the party. 
At this point, Mistral and Vandread have taken their leave of Zashei and say that this whole thing is growing more and more suspicious as the hours move forward. Finally, Zashei informs the party that their formal Ceremony to Merrshaulk is about to begin in front  of the temple. She takes Mistral by the hand up the stairs and the rest of the party follows behind. 
At the temple's entrance, Zashei as well as some sort of Priest begin chanting a prayer in Abyssal. Vandread translates and it isn't anything good or nice. They are calling upon a creature known as the anathema of Merrshaulk to come devour the party as sacrifice to their slumbering god. 
At that moment, Emerging from the temple is a slithering horror torn from the darkest recesses of nightmare. A mass of snake appendages suspending a dessicated human torso above it lurches forward and attacks the party, along with several other Yuan-Ti members. The party fight back hard and try to stop this sacrificial ritual from happening. 
And that's where we pick up next time!

Character(s) interacted with

Ernesto Sharima - Captain of the airship, Left the party at this forgotten city and will be hovering at a safe distance. 
Tholsa - Yuan-Ti chieftain, greeted the party with hostility but was convinced to let them join the festivities
Zashei - Yuan-Ti "pure blood" who still retais largely human-like qualities. invited the party to join them for their festival honoring Merrshaulk. Little did they know, they were to be the human sacrifices. 
The Anathema - good god I don't even know how to describe this thing.

Notes

12th of Arawn

• Party continues their journey after their second encounter with Ostera

15th of Arawn

• Party arrives at an unknown forgotten city
• Party touches down to the ground and enters the city
• Finds an enclave of Yuan-Ti inhabiting the city and the temple within
• Party is offered up as sacrifice to their dark god
• battle ensues

It is coming upon evening when we pick up next time. It is the middle of the battle.

Report Date

03 Sep 2024

Primary Location

The Country of Sunwilde