Season 9, Episode 12: "Birefringence" Report

General Summary

A nightmare slammed into the minds of the Dream Team, assaulting them and the psyche of mortals across the galaxy, announcing the return of Crow and his aspects (see The Black Wind Rises). On cue, a horde of Skinny Men poured over the walls of Mist's family home, proclaiming that they had come for the heart of Desna.
While initially on the offensive, many of the group struggled to find the Skinny Men without aid from Flay and Isra (who bear Blades of Purest Light) or quick callouts from Mist. Confusion reigned supreme across Ralhoma as bodies of the weak and sick began to lift and disappear, including Unari Dama, Fury in the Black, and Dances with Leaves. One Leng beast nearly succeeded in taking Roar in the River, but was stopped as a gift arrived from Qwen — the backup Wyatt had promised them, taking the form of a legendary Kanabo spirit known only as the Mercenary.
Then a Skinny Man snatched Cornelius out of a nearby tree, disappearing from the courtyard in a flash of eldritch light, and the remaining spirits were slaughtered before they could flee.
Devastated by the loss of her best friend, Isra began using her Mantle to discern his location and health, only to confirm that he had been taken to Leng. The crew found the Mercenary to be a creature of few words, but trustworthy in their innate craving for honorable conflict, which the Kanabo sensed forming over all of Castrovel.
With no target in sight and the clock ticking, Lockette got to work with TRAVIS to confirm what they knew about the upcoming solar eclipse, and Isra led a ritual with the party at the Fivefold Cauldron. Through the vison it granted, they discovered a ritual site buried over a mile underground, which would pass light through a series of mirrors and channel into a set of ritual circles carved into the stone. There were four human-sized bowls with manacles around the center circle, which contained a frightening simulacrum of Sara No-Name, currently sans face.
Using her star charts and meteorological data, Lockette was able to pin down the location of this ritual site to be somewhere within a mile radius in the mountains to the northeast, but initial scans from the Aga Jain offered no clear path downward. She determined they had roughly 69 hours remaining until the solar eclipse would manifest over Ukulam, occurring at precisely 6pm local time, and that it would last for several minutes before fading.
The study session was then cut short by the arrival of Rastelviri, who seemed disgruntled that the hunt had yet to begin, and took roost in the jungle while awaiting the call.
Meanwhile, Mist and Warmth in the Clouds came to terms with Mist's history with the Calamity Prism, and Clouds decided to show his son the artifact's location. Buried behind a nondescript statue in the new temple at the center of the city, Mist and Lockette excavated and dismantled a chest containing an intricate series of technological and magical locks, which contained a jewelry box machined to show no latches. But Dances' preparations were no match for her son's newfound skills and influence, and so at last the trappings came free...
And the Prism opened.

Rewards Granted

Tarot Deck

• The group found two bricks of C4 after dismantling a trapped chest.

Loot

• Mist found the Calamity Prism.

Created Content

New and updated articles for:

• The Black Wind Rises

Notes

This game was the debut of a recent guest at the table turned player, starring as the Mercenary! Also, I had not expected to actually get to nab Cornelius (or any of the party), but when a grand opportunity presents itself...

Campaign

The Centurion's Riddle

Protagonists

Flame in the Night

Tesin Movahesh

Thunder in the Mist

Lockette Endrinmaster 12 2.0

Isra

Report Date

30 Nov 2022

Primary Location

Ralhoma

Secondary Location

Ikal Expanse