Session 27: Solas, Tanyth 3rd

During the funeral pyre events, Sylvie felt sick. Lennie got a blessing from Selune. It is Vilis’ (the moon representing the drow) last quarter and Avalan (the moon representing the eladrin) first quarter – the balance of moons has been reflected in the balance of Lennie’s actions – this has been observed by Selune, so she sent a blessing – a feather fell from the sky right into Lennie’s hand. This feather at first looked like just a small white feather, but Lenny noticed it is very reflective, silvery, and has an unusual energy to it. The party and the 9 surviving monks proceeded to head back to the Hopeful Dawn cave. As they approached, the party came across a group of vampires and drow. After a rather bloody battle, the group convinced the two vampires to join their side. The two vampires, Barbary (a human female) and Ryia (a human male), took the “half-cure”. The party looted several swords and crossbows from the drow. Lennie noticed Sylvie slipping something shiny onto one of the drow’s bodies.

Once they got into the Hopeful Dawn, they noticed signs of battle. As they progressed into the cave, they saw that some of the drow had made it inside and managed to drive wooden stakes into 5 of the sleeping vampires, including Scabbers. 20 Hopeful Dawn members remain (including Olena, Zaru, Bartok, and Halaema).

Halaema offered her quarters for the group to have a private meeting (joined by Olena) to discuss strategies. Halaema watched the entrance (along with a few Hopeful Dawn members and monks), whereas the monks Fir and Willow watched Barbary and Ryia.

Olena and Halaema revealed that there is a mole among the Hopeful Dawn. Elder Qinyarus gave Kalim his staff, as he realized Kalim is a lot more capable in battle, and the Elder feels more helpful in a healing role.

The group meeting topics included:

-     Hopeful Dawn cave is definitely no longer safe.

-     Need to make their way to Menell Dilth to restock.

-     Options of places for Hopeful Dawn to stay in Menell Dilth include:

-     Tanner Farm

-     Faith Fast Fingers (thieves guild or Orphanage – previous casino)

-     When it comes to battle preparations:

-     Olena and Armando will take the sky crew (Garth will join, and bring additional “air forces”)

-     Kalim, Lennie, and Sylvie may disguise as drow, and hopefully have some aid from the thieves guild to do a stealthy ground surveillance

-     Lennie sent a message to Clyphek to set up a meeting with one of the Bahamut Brigade’s Dragonborns (Golemmoth) in Menell Dilth (at Cat’s Cradle Farm) tomorrow. The Bahamut Brigade also informed Lennie that they can contribute with 15 soldiers.

Session 26: Solas, Tanyth 3rd

 Before leaving the Hopeful Dawn to head over to Ivtar, Lenny made a donation to the Hopeful Dawn: she donated 2 fancy gowns and a doublet. Slarty was left in Halaema’s care.

Party leaves Hopeful Dawn cave. Upon leaving, they notice a raven which intently watches them, and as soon as it is spotted, it takes off to the east. Armando shot it with his crossbow, and it went off in a “poof” of smoke.

They proceed to Ivtar. On the way there, it got strangely colder as they approached. At some point they come across a group of goblins. These goblins were carrying a variety of goods, such as pottery, cutlery, old tools, and household items. They were running and had a very scared look on their faces, particularly scared of Kalim.

Kalim, recognized some of the items as belonging to the Ivtar monastery. They revealed that they only took these items because the monastery was a big mess, and there were no monks standing. They mentioned a big scary and stinky creature that caused them to run away.

The group proceeded to Ivtar, Kalim heading in first (sneakily). He saw Ivtar completely destroyed. Every building, tent, or structure was flat. Dozens of bodies of his brothers and sisters were strewn across the area. The area was also covered in ice and snow, and some of the bodies had clear frost damage, some of them with limbs shattered after being encased in ice.

Shuffling throw the rubble and corpses is a Tyrannosaurus. But this beast was not like the one Kalim faced before. This one had parts missing, flesh falling from its body, and exposed bones in several parts. The creature reeked of death and decay. Its ribcage was visible, and from within it several undead hands were reaching out and grasping, in a horrific and revolting scene.

Kalim doubled back towards the group to let them know what he saw. The group approached the monastery grounds sneakily and managed a surprise attack on the Tyrannosaurus zombie. Two snow golems were also revealed as the group started fighting the creature.

Once the battle was over, Kalim found the hatch that used to lead to the pantry underneath the kitchen tent. Inside were Elder Qinyarus, along with 8 other survivors (Fir, Willow, Ash, Acacia, Oak, Aspen, Birch, Cedar).

Elder Qinyarus told the party that the vampire/drow coalition grew more desperate overnight. He felt that the corruption has lost strength, and that must have gotten them more desperate. He overheard some of the drow interrogating some of the monks about where Olena is. But it doesn’t make sense, because nobody at the monastery has seen or heard from Olena in 15 years. The vampires and drow were ruthless, interrogating and executing dozens of the monks in a surprise attack. Once they realized they weren’t getting any information about “Olena and her people”, they moved on and brought in a dragon to finish off the remaining monks.

This dragon (Ugoa, the White) has been known for many generations to inhabit the mountains to the south (Dragon Eyrie). Legends say that she took over a fortress built by dwarves and made it into her hoard. Elder Qinyarus is concerned that with the monastery gone, the vampires and drow have free range within Khaorvandor forest, and easy access to the west. He suggested the group joins forces so that they can take the dwarven fortress and set up a stronghold there to protect the forest and these lands.

Kalim told Elder Q. about Olena and the Hopeful Dawn, while the remaining monks and the group gathered all the bodies of the deceased and started a funeral pyre. Lenny said prayers and blessed the bodies. Sylvie found footprints leading mainly northwest but also some going south.

Elder Q. recognized the importance of what Kalim had started with Olena, and the wisdom in his actions. He also recognized that life is change and evolution, and that hiding behind a mask no longer suits the monks of Ivtar, because that way of isolating themselves from the world nearly brought their extinction. He surrendered his mask respectfully into the fire, an action which was followed by all monks. He also said that it would be an honor if Kalim could lead the monks of Ivtar when the time comes.

The monastery of Ivtar is destroyed, but it can be rebuilt in time. There is no time right now, so they need a safe, defensible place. This may sound crazy, but perhaps defeating the white dragon and taking over the fortress would be a sensible move, especially if we had more allies. The only foe ever capable of taking over that fortress was the white dragon, and only because the dwarves residing in it were fighting amongst themselves for decades and internal betrayal led to their ruin. The dragon would not expect confrontation, or an attack, as she is very arrogant, and underestimates her enemies.

The group is considering this option, and decided to proceed to the Hopeful Dawn to gather more forces and devise a plan. Lenny contacted Gralkas to ask for Kepios’ help, but Gralkas revealed that they are 2 days away from Kepios. Lenny then contacted Elder Clyphek (the Bahamut high priest at Kepios), who responded with the assurance that Kepios will aid in the battle, and that Garturax (the golden dragon) will also be asked to join.

Lenny also contacted Othorion in the Seldarine. He responded by saying that the Seldarine should not be trusted.

The group continued south towards the Hopeful Dawn cave, along with the 9 monks of Ivtar.

Session 25: Solas, Tanyth 3rd

 The group settled for the night at the Hopeful Dawn headquarters. Kalim cooked a tasty soup, which was well-received by the group (as opposed to the spider goo). Armando spent some additional time with his mother. She told her a bit about her journey here, and how Kalim saved her life. She also told Armando that vampires and drow seem unaffected by the corruption, but she didn’t know much about their plans or about Ascal Olovalur and suggested they ask more questions to Halaema, as she spent some time in captivity with the vampires and drow.

Kalim told Sylvie everything the group has been through since he joined them. Sylvie worked on her concoctions for a while alongside Halaema.

Halaema had a conversation with Elenion, in which she revealed a few things:

-     That she is also unseelie, and had to leave Aerie when people started getting suspicious of her, and got transferred to the Seldarine, away from unprying eyes. Othorion always accepted her for who she is (he knows about her unseelieness).

-     She cast a memory spell on Elenion’s parents, so they wouldn’t remember Halaema, or that she left. It was a painful parting for Halaema, but she wanted to spare her sister from the same pain. Elenion’s mother never cared about Halaema’s unseelieness, and always treated her with a lot of love and care.

-     She revealed that there is a secret chamber in the crypt below “Celeste’s Rest” – the place where the Eladrin meditate during the winter (and where Elenion was born), and where Elenion’s mother’s tomb is. The secret passage to this chamber is sealed by blood magic, and can currently only be opened by Elenion.

-     Halaema knew Ascal for a long time in the council, and noticed something was “off” about him as he got transferred to the Seldarine. She never detected any magic on him that would allow him to change his shape, so that was very odd. But it would be explained if he is a creature that can do so naturally.

-     She doesn’t know where Ascal Olovalur is, though he has been on the move. He managed to get a powerful Orc sea captain as his ally, the name of the vessel is “The Sanguine Raider”. There are not many orcs that would ally themselves to really anyone outside of their own kin (who live mostly in Bhogur Ghaz), so this is very odd, and Ascal must have some powerful leverage or bargain with this Orc.

-     During her time in captivity, she noticed the vampires were desperate for an easy way to freely travel between realms. At first their efforts were concentrated on Aerie, because they are the ones controlling these portals, but their interest has recently shifted to the temple of Yemoja (although they’re continuously infiltrating Aerie). They do seem very frustrated at the moment, however. She doesn’t think they have been able to infiltrate it yet. Halaema knows little about the temple itself, much less how to enter it. As expected, very little information was shared between the “Pact of Life” groups and Aerie. However she knows that Yemoja and Yigdrasiil are known to be deities that were lovers, and it seems that their worshippers also seem to get along quite well, so maybe the druids of Yigdrasiil can help with getting into the temple.

-     Halaema has noticed not all drow are invested in the alliance with the vampires. Some seem hopeless, almost as if cornered, without a choice. Which is not surprising, given history…The ones to beware are the worshippers of Ganasis.

By the end of the night, Halaema completed enough of the Dragon blood solution to distribute amoung the Hopeful Dawn, which is currently 25 people strong. They pledged their alliance to the group, and will collaborate in any way they can to fight this crisis. Halaema also handed Kalim 4 extra vials of the solution, in case they come across additional vampires willing to take the cure.

Kalim offered to talk to the monks about this, and get them to join as well. Halaema still had reservations about this, as the monks had shown a zero tolerance towards vampires in the past.

Kalim left her with an additional 2 vials of red dragon blood and 2 vials of gold dragon blood, and succeeded to concoct a potion of giant strength (fire). 

The group decided to head out towards Ivtar in the morning. They also came up with a password to be used in future traps by the entrance to the Hopeful Dawn. Scabbers agreed to use the password “Mildred69”.