Session 09 (2025-01-03) - Brian
Radovan rejoins the party. He’d let the orc kids go and came back. Nadia joins us.
We cross the bridge with Nadia and see orcs throwing prisoners off a cliff. We [roll initiative]. We kill all the orcs with some surprising help from the goblins and free all the humans. The humans are Stoica and Calumshite and there is a halfling (Pocket).
We briefly talk with the goblins, who tell us that there are about a half dozen Laguna-kin in the tower. They then leave through the northern Grove and then over the northern bridge. The Grove has been defiled in the last 20-30 years.
Nadia and Pocket leave with the other prisoners. They will wait for us to escort back to Port Maraisa. We approach the tower.
The water has elemental magic to it. We enter the lower levels of the tower.
We fight Laguna-kin, then take a short rest. We find and kill [[Mother Viola Verduna]] after she’s summoned a shadow elemental which beats the shot out of us. We put the 4 items on the alter to summon a second shadow elemental. That second shadow elemental kills [[Mother Viola Verduna]] freeing the first one. The second elemental leaves.
After the battle, the first shadow elemental talks to us. It said it has three faces. When it finds it’s third face, it says it will go home. We tell it that it is in Bad Doric and offer to take it there. It possesses Gavin to find out where that is, then floods back out and then leaves, combining with the second face.
We loot this place and go out to rest (next session). Level 5.
Post Session
Kira and the Shadow
Kira twirls the piece of bark shrouded in darkness around her neck and looks at the shadow creatures. “I care little for those who would abuse others, and this “Mother” has shown the extremes she’s willing to take by binding you. The darkness that emanates from the Shadowfell, that this Hag was spreading against your will, would you grant me a portion of that power so we may deal with the Hag? It would please my Queen if I were to deal with this creature appropriately.”
The elemental, now one slowly swirling mass of black and gray smoke, focuses ice-white eyes on Kira. “Open yourself to us.”
Kira smirks and says “gladly”
Black, shadowy tendrils flow from the elementals forming a shroud over Kira’s face. Her mouth opens involuntarily and the shadows flow into her throat, lungs and spirit. Their experience is cold, sharp, and oily, moving through her body and probing her mind with detached apathy. The terms smothering and invasive don’t capture the totality or indifference of the experience; they imply a level of personal attention the shadow elemental doesn’t bring. This is like night falling in her body and mind. Complete, all encompassing, and completely indifferent to her.
Gavin holds his hand out and shouts “wait Kira, you’re making a mistake! Charisma is a dump stat for druids!”
The bargain, heard in her mind with a voice like rustling branches and howling wind, is simple. Free the third form of the elemental, and eject the nightmare hag from the prime so she cannot bind them here again. In exchange, a conduit of shadow force to shape as she’s able.
Kira’s eyes open wide and before the tendrils enter her mouth she says “wait, what?”
Bikke asks, “Is the purpose of your imprisonment the malaise and rotting diseases of the Mirefen; and if not what was and are they side effects; and what is their remedy?”
“The rot is not of us; it is born of fever and the hag’s doings. The indifference that allows it to fester unquestioned and uncured… that is the result of our binding, though your brethren were all too eager to accept. The cure, we care not.”
Turning its attention to Kira, “Release our third.” Then it is gone, billowing through the ruined wall and disappearing into the night sky.
Bikke and Barrick
During downtime, everyone overhears this exchange:
Bikke to Berrick during a quiet moment while resting: “Hey man, I don’t know where you learned to fight, because where I grew up taking a break in combat to hand weapons to statues was not part of the rubric. That being said, I’d say it might have been a savvy move and I appreciate it. Moreover, everything else you learned appears to be pretty damn good, you’re a helluva good man to have in a fight, and if I’m being honest it seems more likely that I’m behind you than you being behind me.” He pauses, looks down, and hands the second shield retrieved from the alters to Berrick. “I don’t know shields. If this is half as good as I guess it is, you ought to have it.”
Barrick replies. “Thanks. I live to protect my family and also my friends. Like you. But next time I tell you to do a thing, an important thing, you do it. Even if you don’t get why. Or I’ll shove this shield where the sun don’t shine. Get me? You put my brother’s life in danger doing your own damn thing back there. But we’re good.”
Barrick sees a grimace settle on Bikke’s handsome face, then after a strangely long moment, he busts into a big grin, winks, and says “You got it sweetheart!”, turns heel and walks away.
Barrick shakes his head and chuckles to himself, “he’s a strange one”