Session 35 - XIV Report

General Summary

28th Moonshine   Panser and Geoffrey go off to find Geoffrey's old acquaintance Nathynel, who is supposedly known as a kind of "Urban Ranger".   Elxis and Akio seek Sorfon Fidrindi, the private investigator. They reach the residence of Kildrak Barrelhelm, the man that Sorfon serves as a retainer. Kildrak is arguing with his partner, who ends up splitting a table.   They find out that Sorfon is actually out on business, so they take a trip to the docks to find Elxis' old friend, Kren Mckinnen. They can't find Kren, so they look for Cel'Niana instead.   Cel'niana is found at the dock. She is convinced to join the party.   After meeting Cel, Elxis, Akio and Cel head back to Kildrak's house. Sorfon is there, this time. They speak with Sorfon in the house for a time before taking him and Cel back to the Steelbeak. On the way home, Panser cashes out his stocks in Furs and Moonshine, and Elxis buys two fishing rods.   In the meantime, Panser and Geoffrey make less progress. They eventually find Nathynel living in a dilapidated house. He is drinking dreamleaf tea and clearly completely out of it. They realise Nathynel seems to have fallen off.   They return home. Now, the entire adventuring party, plus Cel and Sorfon, are aboard the boat.   Midnight of 28th Moonshine   The adventurers receive a letter of distress from Aminen Hursal. He reports a strange, loud grinding noise coming intermittently to Iaidar's residence, that is disturbing everyone, and he urges the adventurers to return to try and investigate the noise.   The adventurers all wake up, despite the late hour, and sail out of Alduran, setting sail for Iaidar's residence. The boat is scraped on the way out, damaging some paint on the prow.   34th Moonshine   The adventurers arrive at Iaidar's estate. They approach the house, and upon entering, they speak to a gnomish slave, who reports that the noise comes every one or two minutes. Sure enough, the horrific grinding sound comes, and the adventurers begin searching the house.   Panser finds Iaidar's retainer, Aminen Hursal, and speaks to him. Aminen seems to be hiding something, so he uses detect thoughts - despite refusing to admit this, it turns out Iaidar's residence has a basement. Some more probing is done, and Panser finds out how to get to this basement.   Gathering the rest of the group, while Aminen remains in horror that his mind was just read, the adventurers all venture into the hidden basement.   After investigating the strange canister within, one bristling with strange power cords and coated in rust, a sound louder than ever before comes. The canister eventually opens, and out steps a colossal being of rust. It is XIV.   At first, XIV has no idea of his purpose, and simply strides past the terrified adventurers and through the estate, past terrified slaves who flee from him.   XIV wanders out of the estate, slowly awakening and realising more emotions. He comes across the statue with the relic Kaldar-era plate armour that sits near Iaidar's mansion. In a confused rage, he reduces it to dust with his hammer, crushing it until it is no more.   He is not immediately aggressive to the adventurers. They begin to speak to him, and he begins to slowly grasp more and more concepts of being, of sentience and of the world around him. Akio casts prestidigitation to clear the rust on XIV.   Panser probes his mind, once they begin to gain XIV's trust and speak to him, and as XIV learns. Panser finds his mind to be incredibly organised. He also sees the mental image of a great black wall - one that stretches from horizon to horizon in every direction, a wall that holds something great and immensely important.   The wall is impenetrable. As XIV's intelligence and memories are shaped and formed, this wall looms behind, locking away what XIV must have once been.   Panser also casts Sending to Iaidar. Iaidar, upon hearing the news, is shocked and afraid. He urges them to restrain the being, destroy it if necessary, warning them that it is a creature of destruction, and that they should not get close to it.   Later, Iaidar gets an accompanying slave of his to cast Sending to Panser, telling him that Iaidar is on his way back from Taurin to Kotoxi Mari. Iaidar will return roughly around the 64th of Moonshine.   35th Moonshine   The adventurers do not sleep, instead, they speak with XIV. Geoffrey goes off to enjoy the world outside with XIV, while Akio, Elxis and Panser discuss important matters, concerned about what Iaidar was saying, and realising that XIV in many ways is just a child. They discuss developing a contingency plan for if XIV goes violent, but make no conclusion.   Later, the adventurers and XIV all return to the sarcophagus to see what they can learn. Akio uses prestidigitation to clear the rust from it, showing that it too says XIV in large numerals, and one word underneath in Old Common. XIV's ability to use Old Common returns, and realises the word says "Aparatii".   The adventurers try and research various books on Old Common, finding these books with Elxis' library automaton, Akio using Absorb Written Knowledge to understand the books faster. No word appears that matches Aparatii, except Aparat, meaning machine.   They come to the conclusion that Aparatii probably refers to what XIV is.   Eventually, the adventurers must lay down to rest, as they are tired. Panser uses Leomund's Tiny Hut, which XIV sleeps in.   36th Moonshine   In the morning, Geoffrey gives XIV a massive cloak which a slave made, one made from an entire double-bed quilt. XIV appreciates this and wears it. The whole group, including Sorfon and Cel, board the Steelbeak and begin the journey back to Alduran.   On the journey, Elxis finishes her deerhorn knives. Also, Sorfon Fidrindi seems to be hitting on Cel'Niana.   40th Moonshine   The Steelbeak approaches Alduran. It is midday, and only ten minutes from docking.