Session 9-16: Rosseau, Accursed District

The haunting of Rosseau and the questions surrounding a newfound companion.

General Summary

The arc begins with a fateful dinner at the home of Harrison Grey. After the formation of their adventuring group, Lumière Éternelle, Harrison invited the entire party, as well as some additional guests, to his home at Valbonne in the Rosseau District to celebrate this occasion. Among the invitees were Uncle Tim, K'aamni's guardian and assistant in her laboratory, and Pierre Sylvestre, the adoptive father of Faessi. As introductions are made, congratulatory toasts are offered, and food and drink are emptied, the night takes a turn for the worse when the weather grows progressively more stormy, and the two chaperones investigate the weather conditions. As the party await their return, a stranger appeared at the front door, and before the party could ascertain his intentions, he suddenly entered, turned into a creature of shadow, and invited others alongside to attack the party. The party triumphed after a close-quarters battle, and received an invitation to a gala located at the Grimaldi Manor in Nouvelle. But just as they finished reading it, the letter suddenly burst into flames, and the party was greeted with a massive Rage Demon, threatening to burn the house down, were it not for Pierre and Uncle Tim's timely return, who froze it and shattered it's frozen form, respectively. Just as it seemed the party had time to rest, they were greeted by another guest. This time, it was a gray-skinned aasimar who introduced herself as Jourdain, a groundskeeper for the Rosseau District. She came to the party's door, seeking their aid in her quest to rid Valbonne of its periodical attacks from the shadows and specters that haunted Valbonne. The aasimar warned them that even if they leave the District, those who have been attacked in Valbonne have experienced haunting nightmares in their sleep for many years after the attack, something that would be proven true that night. So, the party agreed to aid her, and began an investigation into the Grimaldi Manor, beginning at the community of Nouvelle. Speaking to notable shopkeepers and tavern barkeeps, among them a half-tiefling charmmaker named Savin, as well as up close viewing of the manor, they discovered that the manor had been surrounded by a wall of invisible force that prevented entry, and that to dispel it, they would need to locate two great wizards: Minca, one of the Ten Companions who had entombed herself in an unknown location, and a descendant of the Delacour bloodline, rumored to have been advisors to the late Francesco Grimaldi, who owned the manor in life. Investigating Minca, first, they were directed to the up-and-coming cultural museum, where the curator, after some convincing, allowed them entry to retrieve evidence that would point to Minca's tomb location. During the visit, they were cordially greeted by a simic hybrid named Miledy, a skilled negotiator by trade, who wished them good fortune in their search for answers. Soon, they retrieved a letter that, upon translation by Harrison and Faessi, pointed to the tomb's location. They entered the tomb, and were beset by several trials. A trial of knowledge, testing their knowledge of who the tomb was built for. A trial of might, in fighting against Minca's servants in death. A trial of faith, in the lantern that they retrieved and in each other's capabilites. Even in an area of rest, Jourdain had experienced a trial of her own, when she confessed to not knowing of her own past, as she asked the party of what drives them forward. At the end of those trials, they reached the tomb of Minca, where she manifested before them as a spirit and as The Scourge. Dissatisfied by their request and by their resolve, she bade them submit to a final test of their will against some of her most loyal servants. A tough battle of both body and mind resulted, but the party prevailed after surviving for a period of time. Seeing that the party proved their mettle, Minca provided them with two items: a ring that would absorb her portion of the barrier at the manor, and a wand, whose purpose would be revealed at the right time. Next was the heir of the Delacour family, a young man by the name of Lew. Travelling to Provence, the party once again met with Miledy, who directed them to a contact within the Rosseau Residential Board, named Curie Firsinger, who could gather information on where the reclusive mage resided. After a tricky tangle that resulted in her needing aid to avoid getting investigated by Board enforcers, they got the information they needed and made their way to Lew's home. At the mage's home, Lew had nervously informed them that in exchange for his aid in removing the barrier, they needed to help him gather information about the Flower Lady of Provence, a dangerous phenomenon that stalks the midnight streets of the community. Devising a plan and gathering information in a library and among survivors of her attacks, they executed the plan at the dead of night, but was foiled when the Flower Lady decided to attack them, seemingly on a whim. The party narrowly avoided being incinerated as they fought flame wisps and the blistering heat that she commanded, but they had the information they needed. Returning to Lew's home, they got his promise to aid them in lowering the barrier. The final battle was at hand. The party prepared for the day their nightmares would end, and set off for the manor, with Jourdain and Lew in tow. Facing shadows and specters once more, the party fought past them, sustaining minor injury as they arrived at the manor. At the front of the manor, Quico and Lew combined Minca's Ring and his necklace to lower the barrier, and the party proceeded as Lew departed. Entering the manor after taking care of the locks that prevented entry, the party was greeted with a somewhat intact-looking manor, with very little signs of carnage and damage, despite its centuries of standing. Among other things, a lockbox was discovered that belonged to the late Grimaldi as a present for his wife, with three key pieces hidden throughout the manor. Entering the living room and the dining hall, the party was beset simultaneously by animated furniture and lesser rage demons, and after a grueling fight involving the fiery heat of the demons and the forceful animation of the table and brooms. The party scraped by, simultaneously cleansing a seal that appeared after the fight had included. The party opted to rest for an hour to recover from that fight. During the rest, Jourdain was beset by visions and ill thoughts, beginning a downward spiral that caught the eye of Stephanie. The party soon made way into the second floor, where they discovered a children's room that bore a second seal. As the party gathered items that could be used to cleanse the seal, Jourdain's headache began to spiral out of control, kept in check by Eris and Stephanie. Finally, as the nameplates of three children named Drago, Luca, and Alcina were placed at the seal and subsequently cleansed it, Jourdain snapped and ran out towards the master bedroom. The party chased after her, breaking through the doors, and discovered her kneeling next to the bed, despondent. The party discovered what had devastated her so.

Jourdain had been dead for several centuries.

A third seal had appeared before them, and the party got to work with cleansing it as quickly as possible, so as not to extend Jourdain's anguish. They found evidence to suggest Francesco Grimaldi had perpetrated this murder, piecing together a bloody note of confession, the murder weapon, a bloody coat, and a charred journal the party had retrieved prior. After cleansing the seal, Jourdain had to be convinced by the party to move past and end this, and she asked the party to leave her alone until she was ready. During this lull, the party discovered the key pieces needed to open the lockbox, and it contained a diamond ring that Grimaldi had made for his wife, who was now revealed to have been Jourdain in her time alive. Meeting Jourdain in front of the final room, she resolved that she would end this, even if it costs her life. Pushing through the ballroom double doors, they discovered the ground zero of all the attacks against Valbonne, and the perpetrator behind the horrible attacks: a specter in the shape of Francesco Grimaldi. The specter of Grimaldi unleashed fury against Jourdain for evading death time and again, blaming her for his eventual madness and the murder he had committed for corrupting him; Jourdain took it by heart but remained firm in the belief that this would be the end. A battle ensued as a rage demon sprung forth from the embers that littered the battlefield. Eris and Stephanie focused their efforts on the Shadow that had emerged from the specter, while the rest coordinated to take down the rage demon that threatened to consume all. The two demons hacked and slashed their way to the party, taking down Harrison and Jourdain and nearly downing Tandi and Eris in the process, but a comeback strike from Eris ended the rage demon, leaving the Shadow alone. The Shadow chased down Quico after downing Jourdain, but as he was about to bear down upon him, Jourdain rose from unconsciousness, declaring that she wasn't done yet. Sprouting wings from her back, she chased Grimaldi down and engaged with him in a duel that would end in both their deaths. Everyone was forced back from the confrontation and their possessions strewn about, including the wand from Minca. The wand would surge with energy at this moment, and K'aamni would be the first to reach it. She now had a choice.

Save Jourdain, or let her rest in peace?

K'aamni had but one thought in her head. "Heroes deserve to live.".

The spell was unleashed, and the party was blinded. When the light disappeared and the dust settled, Jourdain remained before them, the shadow slained. Her body looked as if there was no fight left... but she weakly coughed. The party rushed to her side, and for the first time in her life, she felt... happy. Jourdain was reunited with her body, with her emotions, with her past. All thanks to the party's efforts. She picked up the pieces of herself, declaring that from now on, she owed the party a blood debt for saving her. But that would wait. The party left the now-decrepit ruins of the manor behind. At the entrance, Jourdain bade farewell to them, promising to return after a journey to discover her true self... But that was not the end. As she left the party behind, two more figures appeared. One being Curie Firsinger, and the other her escort. The simic hybrid negotiator congratulated the party and asked that she reintroduce herself. Her name was Ylladi, left hand to Council hopeful Mirabella Valois. In service to her lady, she extended an invitation to the party to join under Mirabella's banner. As a sign of goodwill, she concluded her offer with this:

Those ruins were once a proud manor. How would you like it to be made into your headquarters, Lumière Éternelle?

Session Summaries

Session 9: An Uninvited Guest

Home is where the heart is.

It was a peaceful evening in Valbonne, a community within the residential Rosseau District. Harrison was in his home, cooking a mountain of food in preparation for a dinner with his fellows from the adventuring group that he found himself involved in: Lumière Éternelle. As he cooked a three-course meal, guests began arriving. First was K'aamni, who brought along her Uncle Tim, who was the caretaker of the young armorer in the absence of her parents. Then came Stephanie, bringing sweets for the occasion. Quico came next, having secured a leave of absence for a week. As the plates started getting put out, Tandi and Eris arrived together, Tandi bringing her booze, and Eris dressed more casually. Finally, as everything was about to come together, Faessi arrived last alongside his adoptive father, a towering dragonborn with a fearsome reputation as a mage in spite of his retirement from active guild participation in the Inquisitors, Pierre Sylvestre.

Left to Right: Uncle Tim & Pierre Sylvestre

The dinner gets off to a shaky start as Pierre questions each and everyone's identity in an effort to protect his son, as well as his various disciplinary actions against Felix, which is the name that he chooses to refer to Faessi as. Soon, however, the dinner becomes lively as Pierre and Uncle Tim engage in a conversation about the party, as the party takes the time to discuss their future plans together as well as just enjoying everything that was brought to the table: from the food to the drinks and the sweets. Everything was set up for a nice dinner. But the inclement weather suggested differently. As the dinner progressed, a light rain turned into a shower, and the shower turned into a storm. Pierre and Uncle Tim went to investigate whether it was possible to return home. As the party awaited their return, they heard a knock on the door and cry for shelter. Moving to the door, the party discovered a figure dressed in soaked black robes asking for mercy from the storm. K'aamni was moved to help him, but the rest were wary. K'aamni unlocked the door while Harrison prepared for the worst, and his fears would be confirmed as the lights around the house suddenly dimmed and the figure disappeared into a set of damp robes. Suddenly, Specters populated the house, and the figure that was once there was now replaced by a demonic Shadow. The battle for survival begins.

Specters (left) and Shadows (right) attacked the party during their dinner party.

During the close-quarters brawl, the party found that with each of the apparitions' strikes, they would feel their strength and vitality be tested, and for a few, drained completely, leaving ugly dark burn scars where they struck. The battle looked to be testy, but a tide turner formed when a figure familiar to Eris suddenly appeared and begun to help the party. With its help, the party struck down all of the opposition, one of which left behind a charred letter that seemingly contained an invitation to a manor in some other place. As the party looked to contain it, it suddenly burned up before the party, before forming a demon made of fire right before their eyes. A giant Rage Demon. It threatened to burn down Harrison's home with them inside of it. Pierre and Uncle Tim arrived at just the right time. Calling for everyone to stand back, Pierre launched an icy globe through the demon's midsection, freezing it as the globe shattered into hundreds of shards, somehow fine-tuned to avoid all of the party. Then, running after him, Uncle Tim rammed the rage demon's frozen form and caused it to shatter onto the floor. They explained that they had seen shadows and specters attacking other houses and had moved to aid them as well, until they reached Harrison's home. But their work wasn't done, as two Peacekeepers, the elf, Faralei, and the dwarf, Dulnur, approached from the door, asking for aid in driving off the rest of the attackers. They agreed to help, telling the party to stay for now, especially K'aamni and Faessi. But before they could rest for the night, another knock on the door grabbed their attention. As they looked out the door, they saw an aasimar dressed in a tribal-adjacent garb, wielding a greataxe behind her back and bearing the scars of the apparitions they had just fought. The session ended with a plea:

"My name is Jourdain... we are cursed. Help me end this threat."

Session 10 & 11, Part 1: The Groundskeeper & Minca's Rest

Nouvelle, home of a large nature park... and the Grimaldi Manor.

The party, recognizing that this aasimar offered knowledge in this situation, invited her inside to explain the situation. As before, she introduced herself as Jourdain, a groundskeeper for the Rosseau District who has raised her axe time and again in defense of Valbonne against the tide of ghosts that attack periodically. She had recognized the party's strong will in driving them back, and so wanted them to help her end the threat that they posed. She gave them the following snippets of information:

Jourdain protects graveyards and other places of rest as her role for the Rosseau Residential Board. She has done her job for many years, now.
The undead have been acting up in recent times. She believes that the manor at Nouvelle bears the answer as to who is commanding them to attack.
Shadows and specters are the result of souls corrupted. This would only be possible if the bodies of the fallen are not cremated, and thus, the souls are allowed to wander the material plane.

Jourdain, the Groundskeeper.

She bade them see the manor at the community of Nouvelle to see for themselves, and so, they slept for the night... but K'aamni and Harrison would not sleep well.^{see below} (Author's Note: See the "Nightmares, Scripts" section underneath the "Missions/Quests Completed divider for the contents of each nightmare.) Unfortunately, there was little time to process the nightmare, as they had a job to do. Hitching a train to Nouvelle, the party would begin a preliminary shopping trip throughout Nouvelle to see what could help with their mission. Notable purchases and visits:

The Enchanter's Emporium O'Goods: From the kindly loxodon enchanter, Fortis, they had bought Bracers of Defense¹ (Tandi) and a Cloak of Protection² (Quico). In addition, they traded some remnants of the specters for the promise of two invisibility potions in the future (Stephanie), as well as Eris' yari to silver for a month (Eris).
Expressed Oils and Reagents: The eccentric kobold alchemist, Vern, sold a couple of potions of healing (Harrison), a "potion of healing" (Stephanie), and a bottle of alchemist's fire (Faessi).
Lady Luck's Charms: While the party bought some charms³, the charm-maker, a half-elven half-tiefling by the name of Savin seems to know the purpose of the party's visit to Nouvelle, and promises more information for them after they visit the manor.
- When they return from the manor, Savin gives them some important information for their investigation: the manor, called the Grimaldi Manor after its owner, was rumored to have burned down after the owner, a man named Francesco Grimaldi, was spurred to do so by a "messenger of death". To that end, two wizards raised a barrier to prevent any evil from escaping: Minca, who was buried in a tomb somewhere, and the other wizard bore a descendant that holds the second key to removing the barrier, Lew.

Fortis and Savin, two of the shopkeeps of Nouvelle.

Visiting the manor and meeting Jourdain at the gates, they got to see first-hand the charred remains of the manor, as well as feel the invisible barrier of force that has prevented any entry or exit to and from the manor. Now they had a goal: Find a way to lower the barrier. So, they decided to take the first lead towards Minca: the Nouvelle Cultural Museum. Moving to the museum front, they found the elven curator, Norren, recovering from a bout of alcoholism, and bringing that incident up, they convince him to get them the information they need to locate Minca's tomb. The party received an impromptu museum tour, telling them of the history of Rosseau and its origin as the center of negotiations between the native aasimar of Providence and the refugee Marseillians. Several aasimar artifacts have been recovered and put on display, including a large painting recreation that Eris takes an interest into. While touring, they briefly met with a simic-hybrid woman who introduced herself as Miledy, a negotiator by trade. Upon speaking to Norren for a brief moment, she wished the party luck on their journey, hoping they would accomplish whatever they choose to do. Finally, arriving at the gallery of documents and treatises, Norren produces a letter written in Old Gaulish, which Harrison and Faessi translate as a letter of request from the servants of Minca as to what should be built within her tomb. Using it as a guide, they do manage to locate the entrance of the tomb, which is within an old grain silo, guarded by the Peacekeepers they had met before, Faralei and Dulnur. They had been tasked with guarding the silo but didn't know the purpose of their duty, and so Eris appealed to their sense of honor and duty by speaking of their reason for entering the silo. Dulnur picked up on this mini-speech, and allowed them to enter on the condition that they seal the silo behind them. Discovering the secret facade hiding the entrance to the tomb, the party proceeds into the depths...

Session 11, Part 2 & 12: Minca's Rest & Power to Protect

The Tomb of Minca.

The first obstacle the party encountered as the party descended was a puzzle to identify Minca's most important work. The answer would take the form of a ten-letter word, using ten wheels that had letters engraved in three distinct sections on their round side, mounted into a recess on the wall. There were various clues that hinted towards the answer to the puzzle:

The inscriptions on the east wall detail her life from her time as a young child in Gaul, to the first settling of Providence, until the founding of Verdane.
A large plate on the table next to the west wall depicts a series of figures rushing towards a tower. it is unfinished, and Jourdain notes that the High Demon of Ascalon is missing from this plate.
Of the ten wheels located within the recess, one at the end is missing, and a pile of wheels on the floor next to the mechanism contains three different letters on the wheel.

Eventually, the party thought of a ten-letter word: "Companions." The party looked to make the combination, but realized that there was no wheel that bore the letter "S" for the puzzle. But they had a solution; Quico made use of his newfound powers to create a wheel, painting one that fit the mold of the wheels nearby before bringing it into physical being. The wheel is accepted by the mechanism, and the party continues onward. Following into the next hall, the torch sconces on the side of the relatively-narrow hallway light up until eventually, a certain section right before another room with dugouts at the sides for other corpses to rest. A voice reverberates throughout the hall, belonging to a servant to Minca, wishing to test the might of the party. A Sword Wraith, Skeleton Guards, and Skeleton Archers, attacked the party in the narrow hallway, making use of the tight space to force the party away from the center, while using their archers to pin down any who exited the side dugouts. The sword wraith attempted to raise havoc among the party's ranks, but Jourdain managed to successfully pin its attacks down with wisps of gray energy that mysteriously emerged from her greataxe. The party succeeded this test, and the party continued onward.

A Sword Wraith, attacking the party.

Coming into a room bearing a singular wooden staff affixed in the center, an inscription informed the party of its purpose: Pull down to unlock, pull up for respite. Deciding to rest, the party was greeted with the illusion of a tavern room with a ghost serving as its bartender. Upon accepting some money, the ghost would serve them any swill or meal they could describe. A pair of chests appeared as well, and within, the party claimed a magical silver lantern⁴ and a flash of special oil, but not taking more than one of either. During this rest, Jourdain suffered a minor headache upon seeing a family portrait; this prompted her to ask what drives everyone to move forward. The party responded in all of their different ways, to which she acknowledged their answers, but plainly, honestly stated that she didn't know what drive she possessed, as her past was unknown to her. She did resolve to see this task through to the end, however. The party forged onward, when an invisible path seemed to bar their passage further into the tavern. With K'aamni designated as the lanternkeeper, she activated the lantern and produced a revealing green light, which allowed them to move forward. They happen upon a series of marble tablets that bear the Story of the Silkworm, which would later prove important for proceeding forward. As the proceeded through the chamber, they were beset by various threats and strange wonders: skeletons that would manifest as people important to the party members without the guiding light of the lantern, and crystals that would fire beams of energy into the nearest creature with the lantern's light shining. They did discover a hidden alcove that led into a chamber high up on a wall; Stephanie was chosen to reach it, and she discovered a charred journal belonging to Francesco Grimaldi, as well as a small lockbox that contained a magical black opal brooch⁵. When she read the journal, a voice touched the back of her mind:

"I see you..."

This was enough to spook Stephanie into returning, without sharing the journal with the party. Eventually, they cross a bridge leading towards another puzzle door, with four slots that intended to be filled with tablets with engraved images upon them. Using their knowledge of the Story of the Silkworm, the party proceeds into the final chamber of the tomb...

The party proceeds into a small chamber that bore the marble white tomb of Minca, with a painting of her image atop it confirming this. Before they could speak, however, translucent, milky white energy flowed around the room, before coalescing into the light-greenish form of Minca before them all. She commanded them to kneel, and introduced herself fully as Minca, The Scourge. She demanded the party's reasoning for infiltrating her tomb, as well as assessing their performance throughout her trials. When the party relayed their reasons, she doubted the will of one, and demanded a trial the party be put through: a grueling fight with some of her most loyal servants. Wind began to surround the small room, before eventually blasting out the walls and revealing a bigger arena. There, two Deathlock Wights and one Deathlock ambushed the party. The final trial of Minca begins.

Deathlock and Deathlock Wight: A deathly nightmare.

The party is beset by a multitude of necrotic powers: An expansive spell that separated the party into smaller groups from the beginning, a multitude of spells cast that exposed Quico, Tandi, and Faessi to their worst fears, and a paralysis spell that took Eris out of the fight for several crucial moments. Even another Deathlock Wight joins the fight on the command of the Deathlock. But the party holds fast with the combination of flexible maneuvering and covering each other's backs, and they survive Minca's onslaught. At its completion, Minca recognized the party's resolve, and banished them to the old grain silo with a ring⁶ and a wand⁷ in tow. Exiting the silo, they clarified the situation with the overtime Peacekeepers and proceed immediately into their next destination, the community of Provence. There, they find an inn known as the Repos d'Or, and take a rest within its luxurious rooms...

Session 13 & 14: A Wizard's Bloodline & Carnation

Provence: a business center of the Aristocratic Belt.

As the party settled for the night, they were not spared from the slew of nightmares that affected K'aamni and Harrison, with Tandi and Faessi experiencing theirs, next.^{see below} The next morning, the party took a deserved respite in the bathhouse of the inn. It is during this event that a few notable things happen:

Stephanie steals some servant's clothing within the locker room of the bathhouse, in order to better blend in with the Aristocratic Belt.
K'aamni, Faessi, and Jourdain coincidentally meet Miledy once more within the center bathhouse, and they they decide to tell her about what they had just accomplished in Minca's tomb.

An old friend, Miledy, with new information.

There, she informs the party of the contact that could help them locate the Lew: an elven contact within the Rosseau Residential Board named Curie Firsinger. After morning routines, the party met with her within the community's famous flower park, where she would attempt to give them the information they needed, but enforcers from the Residential Board appeared. Explaining quickly, she stated that the Board did not like her leaking information, and that they needed to shield her from detection. Several notable distractions were employed:

Faessi and K'aamni pretended to be young children and distracted enforcers away on a goose chase for insects. Later, against an angry nobleman, Faessi took a punch, which resulted in K'aamni pulling off crocodile tears so convincing that the gendarmerie were moved to arrest the nobleman, contributing to the distraction.
Eris made use of her shadow to perform several key distractions that would eventually cause complications down the road.

They successfully extricated Curie from that situation, and later, would provide them the logs to locate Lew. While waiting, the party got information on the history of Provence from a satyr stall-owner named Ponikas within the Saison Galerie, the largest flower market in Verdane. Soon, they would be knocking upon the door of the reclusive wizard, and they met with him at his front doorstep. Lew Delacour confessed that he was looking for them as well, and hurried them inside to state his request: in exchange for his help lowering the barrier at the Grimaldi Manor, they gather information around the infamous Flower Lady of Provence, famous for burning down the homes and business of many within the community. What she was, what her intentions were, and how she operated.

Lew Delacour and his nemesis: the Flower Lady of Provence.

The party agrees to his terms, and begins work immediately. At first, they begin with the angle of the flowers she sold: chrysanthemum, carnations, and peonies, and what they represented. When Ponikas was interviewed, they failed to gather information that they needed, due to Ponikas not being an authority of the flowers being sold around the community of Provence. In between investigation days, however, Quico and Eris experienced their own personal nightmares as well, which threatened to spill over the next morning, but their blow was softened by their companions.^{see below} Then, they pursued the survivors, and gathering information from the Library of Business and Human Resources, they formed a narrative of the Flower Lady's attacks: one who wanders the streets at midnight, avoiding the center of the community and any alleyways, preferring to work in the open. Her victims would either have their homes and businesses burnt down, or they would be incinerated in a flash if they attacked her in any way. They now had a plan. Stealing into the night, the party sneaks through the alleys and tries to locate the Flower Lady. In the process, they find Ponikas and Curie Firsinger trying to make their way through the night to safety, and they split their party to watch over them. Curie is secured by Stephanie, Tandi, and Eris, but the others pursue Ponikas into a tight situation. In the middle of the street, Ponikas happens upon the Flower Lady herself. Knowing her lessons, she bought flowers from the lady and didn't outwardly fight against her or leave without buying, but her hand was still grabbed, and the Flower Lady warned her to keep her loved ones close. But now, the party executes their plan: Faessi and K'aamni pose as buyers of the flowers and try to probe her for who she was, where she operated out of, and what her agenda was, but she remained resistant to all of their interrogation attempts. When it came time to conclude the transaction, Faessi's hand was grabbed, and the Flower Lady's visage was set aflame, revealing her true form. The party tried to jump in and protect them, but a circular wall of flame separated them and Faessi and K'aamni. Flame wisps appeared, and a desperate fight to extract their friends ensued.

The Lady of Fire: Provence's Flower Lady revealed.

Any attempt to attack the Flower Lady was severely discouraged due to the survivors' accounts, and crossing the flames would sear anyone's flesh, as Eris found out when she crossed the wall. Jourdain followed in afterwards, and the party outside would engage with the wisps outside, noting that the wall grew weaker with every single wisp slain. In the middle of the circle of flame, K'aamni and Jourdain sustained multiple ugly burn wounds every time they tried to prevent the Lady from approaching. They could do nothing but rely upon their party to extricate them from this situation. Eventually, the flame wisps were slain, and the party escaped with their lives intact. They spent the night at Lew's place, bursting in and giving the information as well as some of the wisp's essence to the wizard. For the risk they took, Lew compensated them with potions of his brewing, including a Delacour signature⁸. Tomorrow, they would take the fight to the Grimaldi Manor and end their nightmares.

Session 15: Beloved

Grimaldi Manor: the source of all attacks on Valbonne.

The next morning, Stephanie, the last left untouched by nightly terrors, would experience her own personal brand of nightmare.^{see below} She explained to the party the next morning that a blue-eyed demon attacked her in her nightmare, and that almost made her choke in the real world. This was corroborated by Jourdain, and they hypothesized that this would be the cause of all those attacks. So, they made their preparations, collecting the silvered yari and two invisibility potions from Fortis before walking to the manor. Meeting with Lew, they continued on the path through the forest. The forest path was noticeably darker and chillier than last time they went, and in the middle of the path, the party anticipated an attack and fought off shadows and specters that ambushed them in the middle. During the fight, Eris and Quico had their strengths drained from the shadows. They pushed through in spite of those injuries, and arrived at the manor front. With the combined casting of Quico with Minca's ring and Lew's necklace, the wall of force was dispelled, and Lew made his departure to begin the defense against the Flower Lady. Before they could enter, a magical lock and chains surrounding the manor itself blocked their path, and the party needed to find a key that would fit within. They searched at four places:

A towering pit of dirt to the right of the manor was dug up, revealing pieces of bone within. It was hypothesized that this was a mass grave.
A field to the left was dug up and searched, at which point a sign was found, on which was written: "Play Pen".
A tree with a broken swing and a hole in its trunk was to the northwest of the manor. Jourdain seemed to stop here and look upon it.
A well with a broken winch was found; the artificers took it upon themselves to repair it, before pulling the bucket up from the well. Within the bucket was a horrid sight: a small amalgamation of flesh, ash, and dust, as well as a key sticking out of the rotted mess. Faessi retrieved it, but risked disease gathering a sample of the flesh.

Finally, they entered the manor, and they discovered that the place was relatively intact, in spite of the rumors told by Savin. Searching the manor:

Tandi, Eris, and Jourdain searched a guest room and found a journal written by Lew's ancestor, a man named Sten Delacour. It described his life with the Grimaldi family, as well as the location of a jewel-encrusted lockbox meant for the Grimaldi matriarch, as well as the fact that three key pieces were hidden. Jourdain was able to locate the lockbox within the cavity of the nearby mage statue.
Harrison, Quico, and Faessi discovered writing supplies and a barricaded basement underneath a trapdoor.
A guestroom bore a trapdoor that contained a piece of the key for the lockbox.
The kitchen's roof was on the verge of collapse, as discovered by Stephanie.
Faessi found an intact gala invitation letter within the dining hall.

When the living room and the dining hall was entered, a series of events occurred that resulted in brooms and a large table animating, the latter of which chased Faessi out the dining hall, as well as lesser versions of rage demons appearing alongside. The mighty force of the table, the nimbleness of the brooms, the constitution and burning aura of the lesser rage demons, as well as the furniture's attacks being enhanced by their being set alight by the demons proved a great challenge against the party, even resulting in Faessi going down with injuries. They barely eked out a victory, and after the victory, a seal had appeared and cleansed itself immediately. The party had been drained from the fight, and decided to rest for a spell.

Flammable animated furniture and rage demons make a deadly combination

Session 16: Rebirth

The party was about to conclude its rest, but Jourdain has suddenly experienced severe pain in her head, grunting out that she needed answers for the visions she was being shown. Before they could help her, she recovered and told the party that she would be fine. It was at this moment that Stephanie relayed her concerns with the party, with regards to the charred journal, and to her suspicions about the whole affair. There was no evidence that could possibly confirm her suspicions, so Eris resolved to discuss this with Stephanie afterwards. The second floor is breached, and they spot a different seal preventing entry into the master bedroom. The second floor:

Seals were found that blocked entry into a large room at the back of the second floor. Upon study, Faessi deduced that the initiator seals must be located somewhere that linked to these output seals.
Within a storage room, Quico found a cane that seemed to be hollowed out in the center. K'aamni worked out the mechanism and figured out the true purpose of the cane: a staff containing a thoughtlock scroll in its center mechanism⁹.
The library had nearly collapsed in its entirety, and a connecting private study held the framed peace treaty between the Marseillians and the aasimar of Providence, negotiated by Francesco Grimaldi. A hole in the wall behind the frame contained a second part of the key.

Then the children's room was discovered with the second seal, and the party got to work in cleansing the seal. As the party got closer to unraveling the seal, Jourdain's pain had become crippling, necessitating watch by Eris and Stephanie. Eventually, Tandi and Harrison found three distinct nameplates; the names on the plates were Drago, Luca, and Alcina. Tandi placed them upon the seal and cleansed it; this coincided with Jourdain going through a bout of madness, rushing past Stephanie and entering the Master's bedroom on her own. The party chased after her... They caught up to her, and they discovered her looking despondent and shocked, kneeling over something she saw on the bed. Looking at the bed, the party discovered the truth behind Jourdain's amnesia of her past.

Jourdain's body rested upon the bed. Her real self had been dead for several centuries.

It seemed clear-cut: A bloodied sacrificial dagger with fingerprints indicating a reverse grip suggested a suicide. A third seal was discovered within the room, and the party moved to discover the truth of what happened here. All throughout the investigation and cleansing, Jourdain didn't respond to any of the party's words panicking and wondering if she would go insane like the rest of the lost souls. The party tried to console her to no avail. Evidence:

Quico found a bloodied coat and undershirt within the wardrobes in the room.
Faessi discovered a false back panel within a chest full of gold and silver. It contained a silvery-white cinquedea that had dried blood upon it.
Faessi also found pages stacked on the floor past a hole in the floor. Retrieving them, he found a bloody note containing a confession by Francesco Grimaldi to his crime.
Stephanie found a small journal in the drawer below the dagger. It seemed to belong to Jourdain, in life. It contained an account of Jourdain's marriage to Francesco until her final, fatal last resolution to stay with him through his troubles.

Placing the evidence upon the seal, it was cleansed, and the party could proceed to the final room. Jourdain was hesitant to move, citing the danger she posed to the party as an errant soul. But the party rallied around her, stating that real or not, she would do what they set out to do and end the threat to Valbonne, and then they could find answers. Later, after searching the study, Jourdain met them at the final door, her resolve strengthened.

"Live or die, I will end this threat alongside you all."

They entered the double doors, past piles of bones, ash, and embers, and found themselves in the center of a ballroom. While they searched about the room, a flurry of shadows rushed towards the upper platform of the second floor, and Jourdain called out that it was Francesco Grimaldi. But there was something wrong about him. He had bright red eyes shining through his irises, his voice had a demonic undertone, and there was a shroud of darkness surrounding him. From the mouth of "Francesco", a rant ensued, as he raged against Jourdain and her corruption of others to her cause in an attempt to torment him, even in death. He was angered by the fact that every time Jourdain died by his hand, she would come back and haunt him once more. So, he sent out the shadows and specters to attack Valbonne periodically, in the hopes that each attack would kill Jourdain permanently once and for all. But she resisted, and now she was here, within reach with others she "corrupted".

The source of all attacks against Valbonne: Francesco Grimaldi, animated by a demon.

The specter transformed into a different creature, and the embers surrounding the party combined to form a giant rage demon. Now without Pierre and Uncle Tim to aid them, the final battle commenced.

The Shadow of Vengeance, and a Rage Demon, working in concert.

A nearly-deadly battle commenced. The demon that formed out of the specter turned invisible, but Stephanie, Eris, and Quico had been unaffected and could see him clearly. The party split into two groups: Eris and Stephanie tried to slay the demon, while the rest fought the Rage Demon. The Rage Demon's lava form and it's incinerating aura made it difficult to approach, and multiple times K'aamni and Tandi had to disengage to deal damage to it. A plan was made to drop a chandelier onto it, and was successfully executed by Faessi in between his effective bursts of cold, dealing massive damage to it. But all the while, the Shadow evaded Eris and Steph's attempts to approach and peppered the party with bolts of dark energy, one landing on Harrison, and in concert with the Rage Demon, was enough to down both Harrison and Jourdain, as well as nearly put Tandi and Eris down as well. Eris, recognizing an opportunity as the demon chased towards Quico, fought the rage demon at the right time, slaying it, leaving only the final demon. It was bearing down on Quico and threatened to kill him... But... Jourdain, on the brink of death, stood up, sprouting dark wings and a terrible resolve, rushed towards the Shadow and took it down, bringing it to the center of the room and flying after it. The Shadow let out its last gasp as Jourdain let out hers, and this burst of power scattered the entire party and their belongings, including the wand that Faessi kept from Minca. Just then, a burst of green energy surrounded it, which Faessi identified as the reunite soul spell. Racing to the wand, Eris nearly got to it, but K'aamni reached it first. Thoughts flowed through her mind as she felt the wand's energy surge. Jourdain and the Shadow of Vengeance would eradicate each other without interference.

Save Jourdain? Or let her rest?

K'aamni had an answer. "Heroes need to live." She released the spell. A blinding burst of light consumed the room...

Aftermath

The energy subsided and the dust settled. The party looked to the center of the room. The body of Jourdain was sitting on her legs, slumping. Then, a breath of air and a cough. Jourdain was alive. The party knew it, and she knew it.

Jourdain was reunited with her true self.

Emotions filled her for the first time in her life. She was happy, sad, scared, angry. But most of all, she was hopeful. The party talked her through it, and she gladly accepted her new lease in life. She profusely thanked the party, stating that she owed a blood debt to them now. As they exited the manor, she promised to return to them one day and begin repaying them, but that for now, she must leave to discover and mend her past and her present. She gave a group hug to the party and left, her heart full. But that wasn't the end. A figure arrived in front of the manor, and it was revealed to be Curie Firsinger. But she stated she wasn't the one they were looking for. Another figure followed after, revealing the form of a simic hybrid dressed in negotiator's garb. She asked to reintroduce herself.

"My name is Ylladi. Right hand to Council Hopeful Mirabella Valois."

Here, she offered them two things as an extention of her Lady, the chance to work as an adventuring party under Mirabella, and the other...

Those ruins were once a proud manor. How would you like it to be made into your headquarters, Lumière Éternelle?"

Rewards Granted

Notable Items Gained

1. Bracers of Defense. These bracers were bought from the Enchanters' Emporium O'Goods. Upon attunement, these bracers provide a +2 AC bonus to the wearer if they are wearing no armor or no shield. This was attuned to by Tandi.
2. Cloak of Protection. This cloak was bought from the Enchanters' Emporium O'Goods. Upon attunement, this cloak provides a +1 AC bonus and +1 bonus to saving throws to the wearer. This was attuned to by Quico.
3. Assorted Charms. These charms were bought by the party from Lady Luck's Charms and distributed and attuned to by the party. These charms bestow an effect for a number of charges before losing their potency. The charms that were bought are:
- Warding Charm Against Apparitions. A small set of Nerevar scriptures encased in a small box. As a reaction, you may add +1 to your AC to a single attack from a creature without a corporeal form.
- Perceptive Charm Against Apparitions. A small monstrous husk containing a glass eye in the center. When you make perception checks to perceive abominations, you may expend a charge to gain advantage on that check.
4. Magical Silver Lantern. This lantern was found in the illusory tavern room inside Minca's tomb. This lantern accepts special oil, and each globule of oil suspended magically within the lantern grants 10 seconds of light. The green light that emitted from the lantern could pierce through the magical darkness and reveal invisible paths. The function of this hooded lantern has not yet been identified.
5. Black Opal Brooch. This was found within a hidden room in Minca's Tomb. A small brooch with a brilliant black opal gem set in the center and an inscription in elven at its back, reading "The World Revealed". When attuned to, the wearer may recite the incantation inscribed on its back and gain blindvision for up to 30 feet for 1 minute. However, beyond those 30 feet, the wearer is blinded.

6. Minca's Ring. A ring rewarded by Minca after completing her trial. This was used to absorb the power she expended to maintain the barrier around the Grimaldi Manor.
7. Minca's Release. A wand rewarded by Minca after completing her trial. The purpose of this wand was not revealed until the final battle against the Shadow of Vengeance, where it had the spell reunite soul enchanted upon it. Wielding it, K'aamni chose to cast the spell and saved Jourdain from her final death.
8. Lew Delacour's Potions. A set of potions brewed by Lew Delacour as a reward for gathering more than enough information about the Flower Lady. The potions are:
- Potion of Hill Giant Strength. A transparent potion with a sliver of a hill giant's fingernail within. The drinker of this potion changes their Strength score to 21 for 1 hour.
- Potion of Waterbreathing. A cloudy-green potion that smells of the sea. The drinker of this potion can breathe underwater for 1 hour.
- Potion of Greater Healing. A healing potion whose liquid shimmers when agitated. The drinker of this potion regains 4d4+4 hit points.
- Delacour's Protective Wonder. A shiny blue poultice located within a flat, round glass bottle. As a reaction, the person holding this potion may either drink it or smash it upon their body to coat their body in the quick-drying liquid, gaining resistance to all the damage of a single attack.
9. Canestaff. This staff was found in a chest inside the Grimaldi Manor. A walking stick that seems to have a mechanism to hide a scroll within. When a spell scroll is enclosed within the mechanism of the staff, the wielder of this spell focus may choose to cast the spell scroll through the staff inside, using the staff's save DC (DC14) or attack bonus (+5) instead.

Missions/Quests Completed

Main Quests

Repelled the shadows and specters from Harrison's Home.
Conquered Minca's Tomb and collected a ring and wand, provided by the Scourge herself.
Secured Lew's aid for lowering the wall of force.
Cleansed the manor from the influence of the shadow demon.
Revived Jourdain and made her whole once more, reuniting her past and her present.

Sidequests

Norren was convinced to help the party.
Curie Firsinger was helped from her predicament with the enforcers of the Residential Board.
Ponikas was liberated from the Flower Lady's fiery vengeance.
The jewel-encrusted lockbox was opened in Grimaldi Manor.

Nightmares, Scripts

This is the realm of dreams. Dreams make possible what is impossible in the material plane, limited only by one's imaginations. It can be a happy place, it can be a sad place. It can be a place one remembers fondly and eagerly awaits, or a place one hates, dreading the time spent away from a restful sleep.
Refer to each nightmare in this link, separated in order of session: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mx6YcNqXkbTpwFzFVnfSKMbt6IXAaAAVbczmOmxwdbQ/edit?usp=sharing

Character(s) interacted with

Session 9

Uncle Tim: K'aamni's uncle and a former butler to the Déon family. Now works as K'aamni's assistant in the Eighties and caretaker. Protected the party against a rage demon in tandem with Pierre Sylvestre.

Pierre Sylvestre: Adoptive father of Faessi. A powerful mage with a fearsome reputation, but is well-respected for his ethic, education of magic, and his loyalty to his family. Formerly of the Inquisitors to the Arcane. Protected the party against a rage demon in tandem with Uncle Tim.
Faralei: Elven Vigilant Peacekeeper. Part of a duo with the dwarf, Dulnur. The more imaginative of the two.
Dulnur: Dwarven Vigilant Peacekeeper. Part of a duo with the dwarf, Faralei. The more grounded of the two.
Jourdain: Aasimar groundskeeper for the Rosseau District, in partial service to the Residential Board. Accompanied the party all throughout their quest to end the threat to Valbonne. Suffered from nightmares for most of her life, and doesn't know her past.

Session 10

Fortis: Shopkeeper of the Nouvelle branch of the Enchanter's Emporium O'Goods. Sold the party various magical items and used their materials to create magical potions for them.

Savin: Half-elven half-tiefling charm-maker for Lady Luck's Charms. Gave the party valuable information regarding the two wizards that created the barrier around the Grimaldi Manor, as well as some insight into its history. Seemingly very perceptive.

Vern: Kobold shopkeep and alchemist of the Expressed Oils and Reagents. Gave a Philter of Love to Faessi, and sold various brews to the party.
Ireris: Minotaur barkeep and owner of the Drowned Sorrows. Shared a rumor of a "wizard-type" messing with the barrier of the Grimaldi Manor.

Session 11

Norren. Elven curator of the Nouvelle Cultural Museum and member of the Historiens de Verdane guild. Gave the party the letter and helped lead them to the site of Minca's Tomb.
Miledy: Simic hybrid negotiator, with fish-like complexions and fins surrounding her body. She told the party of a contact that could lead them to Lew. Was later revealed to be Ylladi, right hand to Council hopeful Mirabella Valois. Offered the party an employment opportunity and a site for their future headquarters.

Session 12

Minca, The Scourge: Undead, yet powerful, wizard. Formerly a Companion to Verdane Baldwin. Subjected the party to a trial, before providing them the means to tear down her energy from the barrier surrounding the Grimaldi Manor, as well as a wand whose purpose would eventually save Jourdain.

Session 13

Curie Firsinger: Elven member of the Rosseau Residential Board and contact to Miledy/Ylladi. Being pursued by Board enforcers for leaking information. Retrieved a ledger that led the party to Lew Delacour.

Ponikas: Satyr gardener and stall owner within the Saison Galerie flower market. Sold the party some charms and gave them the history of Provence.
Lew Delacour: Human wizard and descendant from a long line of wizards. He asked an exchange of favors of the party: give him information he can use to fight against the Flower Lady, and he can tear down his ancestor's power over the barrier around the Grimaldi Manor. An alchemist in his spare time.

Session 14

Flower Lady: A being who bears unimaginable dominion over fire. Spotted at the midnight streets of Provence, coinciding with buildings being burned to the ground or incinerated corpses on the streets. Showed her true form to the party: the Lady of Fire.

Session 16

"Francesco Grimaldi": The one behind all the attacks against Valbonne. Was assumed to be Francesco Grimaldi's soul given a specter, but was revealed to be a shadow demon, called the Shadow of Vengeance.