Session 027: Starting the Trials Report

General Summary

Therapy Session

  In Linnea's study, with its shelves adorned with ancient tomes and flickering candlelight, Quinn and his father Ilvisar meet for the first time in years. The air was thick with tension as father and son faced each other, their expressions a mix of defiance and hurt.   Ilvisar's spoke about the Duergar cleric, Harnok, and the bounty placed on Quinn and his companions. Quinn's anger simmered beneath the surface as harsh words were exchanged, each accusation cutting deeper than the last. Quinn's ire, fueled by years of resentment, threatened to boil over. He stood his ground, unyielding in his stance against his father's controlling ways. Yet, just as the confrontation reached its breaking point, Ilvisar, perhaps realizing the futility of the situation, left, leaving Quinn to grapple with the emotional aftermath. Linnea, perceptive as ever, sought to understand the turmoil Quinn faced, gently probing for details about the encounter.   In the wake of this emotional upheaval, Quinn found a newfound and dark resolve. The clarity he sought, though born of turmoil, lent him a sense of purpose. He made a decision to part ways with Linnea's therapy, feeling that the answers he sought lay elsewhere, in the accention to godhood.   

Downtime

There were two weeks until the celebration of the ascention. Otto engaged in intense studies on the laws governing the Nine Hells, forming a partnership with Lohre. Otto paid Lohre for the next few months of work as he tries to gain every edge for their trip to the Nine hells in Wealsun.   Quinn, on the other hand, immersed himself in the lore surrounding the ascended warriors of the Bastion, seeking understanding about their ascent to greater deity status. His research yielded a sobering revelation—none of the ascended had transcended to the echelons of greater deities since the inception of the ceremony, only achieving demi-godhood.   Tama studied nature and the forms of beasts yet to be unlocked, and writing to Penn in Mystwall. As he was sending an owl with a message to Quinn he met Brother Galad who congratulated him on making it to the trials and confided that his apprentice, Aimen Firethorn, was actually in the trials as well. 

The Trials

The City was alive with the celebration in the first day of Growfest. The trials set forth by the Seventh Seal heralded a momentous challenge for the party, a crucible that would test not only their skills but their unity as a group. The assembled members, a mix of potential candidates and seasoned individuals, stood together as the weight of their destinies rested upon the outcome of these trials. Jowan Cormak's proclamation hung heavy in the air, the promise of success entwined with the dire consequence of failure—the erasure of two critical months from their collective memories. The citadel's unsettling artifact, its purpose clear in stripping the minds of failed apprentices, served as a stark reminder of what was at stake.   As the party ventured deeper into the citadel, their encounter with Brother Galad took an unexpected turn. The casting of Astral Projection transported them to the astral plane, a realm of dreamlike wonder and mystique. Their astral forms guided by Galad, the group navigated to a portal, a gateway to a demi-plane, where their journey truly began.

The Dinner

In this foreign realm, marked by a circular room and four imposing doors, the party was greeted by a lantern archon, the harbinger of the forthcoming trials. The archon delineated the paths—wisdom, swiftness, personality, and power, each a distinct trial to test their mettle. Yet, before the trials commenced, a serene interlude was gifted to the party—a Heroes feast, suffused with a radiant light that eased their tensions and grievances, fostering an inner tranquility among them.   Amidst this respite, conversations between party members surfaced, unveiling unspoken truths and buried emotions. Tama's interaction with Mastiff hinted at a clandestine encounter, a revelation that left Mastiff unaware yet affirmed mutual respect as worthy rivals. Otto's peculiar behavior towards Carrie stirred forgotten sentiments, leading to a candid conversation where Carrie confessed her lingering thoughts about what could have been between them, her words veiled in metaphorical beauty.   Quinn found himself in a tense exchange with Sabinee, whose past rooted in adversity and survival on the unforgiving streets contrasted sharply with the Bastion's apparent indifference. Sabinee's desire to effect change from within the Bastion, fueled by her experiences, led her to extend an unexpected offer of collaboration—a chance to sabotage their rivals in the trials, a proposal fraught with moral complexity.   The party stood at a crossroads, bound by the impending trials that would test not only their skills but also their moral compass. With alliances uncertain and the weight of their choices pressing upon them, their journey through the trials of the Seventh Seal promised revelations and challenges that would shape their fates irrevocably.

The Infiniate Battlefield of Acheron

The Trial of Personality became a battleground not just of physical prowess but of emotional and moral conflict as well. Quinn's impassioned speech, a rallying cry that resonated with the spirits of the dead, showcased his ability to inspire and sway even the souls burdened by their past conflicts. However, the confrontation between Quinn and Sebastian took a darker turn, revealing the depths of their animosity. Quinn's desperate act, casting Lesser Geas on Sebastian in a moment of raw emotion and hatred, unleashed a chain of catastrophic events. The spell's influence over Sebastian, compelling his failure in the trials, ultimately led to a brutal demise at the hands of the petitioners, a chilling and gruesome spectacle that left the party reeling.   Carrie's swift response to Quinn's actions, casting dismissal to remove him from the astral plane, brought an abrupt halt to the chaos of the trial. Quinn found himself abruptly thrust back into the Bastion, only to awaken and discover Sebastian, alive and vengeful, poised with a rapier at his throat. The sudden return and the shocking turn of events left Quinn facing the consequences of his actions, with Sebastian's retribution looming ominously.   The trial of Personality came to a close and our Party and the Sabinee's party were victorious. All the living members were returned to the room of 4 doors where the trial of Wisdom awaited and the fates of Quinn and Sebastian were yet to be known.