Episode 13, Me and the Devil

General Summary

Quest	fin	What is up with that?	fin
O̶̧̟̔́̄̐̽̓̿̊͐̍͝͝p̷̗̼͖̼͙̃̉̍̈͗̽́͒̈́͗̌̀̉͑̽̚͝ę̵͇͎̤̜̟̯̖͎̲͙̻̼̹̆̎̂͝n̷̨̺̬̲̔͆̽͋̉̐̓̑̓̅̍͛̚͘̚̚ͅ ̷̡̻͈̲̝̩̳͔͍͈̙̙̳̌͛̽̍́̈́͑̎̕͜͝ͅt̶̛͉̖̩̬͕̖̲̗͓̱͋͂̕h̶̨̭̻͈̟̱̱̟̠̱̊͜ȩ̵̢̢͙̭͕̬̪̪̌͋̉͝ ̶̢̬̞̣̲̜̼͋̌̆̒b̵̹̈́̓͛͐̎̑͐͗̉̃̋o̶̧̱̺̯̣͚̱̰̩͖̩̊̓́̀̀̽̄̀͐̂̀͂̍͝o̴̡̘̝͉͛͛͛̓̾̈͂͠k̶̛̯̰͎̘̂͋̀̈ͅ		Big statue
Investigate the Carthelian Estate		Planeswalkers' Folly
Explore your infernal powers		Pathfinders' Legacy
		Millich mines go deeper
		Chess Pieces

Clocks

Event	Segments
Dorian arrives in Millich (days)	7 of 28
Andromeda's Nature proficiency (days)	6 of 35
Lorelais's Medicine proficiency (days)	1 of 70

Recap

Lunasa 6, 3032: Year of Ruin

The Omens continued exploring the ruins of the Carthelian Estate, picking up where they left off: about to open a very obviously evil book that was telegraphed as evil and bad. Ilya did it, everyone else stood back. He noticed that it markedly reduced the time he was able to summon his mage hand. The book felt maleable and cold to the touch, as if it were made of dead flesh. Unlatching its clasp, Ilya was assaulted by the psychic presence of the volume. Turning each page was a trial, forcing him to fortify the strength of his will to comprehend what forbidden secrets were locked into its pages. With each page he turned, the book warped his body: spliting his tongue and turning his eyes an empty black, filling his veins with dark ichor; and in exchange, bestowing some aspects of its forbidden knowledge upon him: otherworldly resistances and appearance, the understanding and ability to invoke Dark Speech.   While in the library, Ember Carthelian hid in the hallway, avoiding the book, the thing which turned him into the nothik he is today. But Ilya withstood the urges and returned the book to its dias after reading the forward. Continuing the the next room, the party explored an infernal disection room, soaked in the blood of Devils and Mortals alike. Devilish specimines lined the walls, and Ember shared a memory of the work his father would do in this room, and the screams no amount of transformation could allow him to forget.   Entering the final room in the west wing, the Omens found the official Carthelian Contract, and picked it up. When they did so, they each in turn found themselves branded with the mark of an asp; a black serpent with red eyes coiling up from their hand, around their forearm, and terminating just below the elbow. They all felt infernal power swell within them, save Amara, who after seeing the first asp appear, opted out of picking up the the tome.   Which, depending on your perspective, turned out to be quite wise. Opening the volume and reading its contents, it was revealed that the Carthelian Contract is extended to "whosoever holds this contract" - they became entangled in the Carthelian drama the moment they picked it up. The full contract can be read here. However, it wasn't all a loss, as all of Ilya's permanent damages to his person were healed the moment he was bound to the contract, so he is no longer icky.   As the Omens settled down for the night, they left the ruins to rest and spoke to the other group of adventurers. After the Bad Omens delivered the news of the other party's companion's passing, they left. As the sun set, the Omens spread out from camp, searching the western portion of the estate; in reference to the riddle of the Pathfinder, they assumed that sunset is "where the sun kisses the sea." And they were correct, uncovering the missing sword hidden in a demiplane.   Resting and continuing deeper in, the Omens placed the swords and shield into the crest slot and the doors swung open. Inside they found the gnawed on bones of the foresaken Carthelians who the Pathfinder had trapped in this chamber, scratchmarks marring the door as they tried in vain to break free, imprisoned by their own wards. The dead rose to life once more as Pryam Carthelian's form reanimated to do battle with the Omens. When they defeated him, he breathed a "thank you" through his visor as his armor fell to the ground, empty. In the moment, this was perceived as a grateful, sweet release sort of thank you, but I cannot emphasize enough that it was much, much more sinister than that.

Rewards Granted

• Eldritch Initiate feat for Andy, Ilya, and Lorelai

Missions/Quests Completed

 O̶̧̟̔́̄̐̽̓̿̊͐̍͝͝p̷̗̼͖̼͙̃̉̍̈͗̽́͒̈́͗̌̀̉͑̽̚͝ę̵͇͎̤̜̟̯̖͎̲͙̻̼̹̆̎̂͝n̷̨̺̬̲̔͆̽͋̉̐̓̑̓̅̍͛̚͘̚̚ͅ ̷̡̻͈̲̝̩̳͔͍͈̙̙̳̌͛̽̍́̈́͑̎̕͜͝ͅt̶̛͉̖̩̬͕̖̲̗͓̱͋͂̕h̶̨̭̻͈̟̱̱̟̠̱̊͜ȩ̵̢̢͙̭͕̬̪̪̌͋̉͝ ̶̢̬̞̣̲̜̼͋̌̆̒b̵̹̈́̓͛͐̎̑͐͗̉̃̋o̶̧̱̺̯̣͚̱̰̩͖̩̊̓́̀̀̽̄̀͐̂̀͂̍͝o̴̡̘̝͉͛͛͛̓̾̈͂͠k̶̛̯̰͎̘̂͋̀̈ͅ - Ilya opened the book to some damage to his person as his mind was opened to the forbidden knowledge contained within. However, these marks and abilities were removed as soon as he entered the pact with Aspen Carthelian.

Notes