Session 137: Promises of Death
General Summary
11th-13th Sydenstar 836PD 11th Sydenstar “Yes, Karkematth was known as the Lock-Breaker.” Matthias gravely confirms. A long pause is held in the study as the Unbroken process the revelations of fate coming full circle, that the true enemy always has been and always was Karkematth. An incredulous Raphael pulls out the sending stone that Karkematth had given him. “For months we’ve been trying to track Azeyeroth, and the whole time we’ve had a direct line to them!” As Raph waves the stone around in disbelief, Arthur notices several strange markings on it. He examines it with Barty’s Legend Lore to find a secret tracking spell, that can locate the stone anywhere. Therefore, explaining how the Lock-Breaker has been able to stay ahead of the Unbroken! What could have been salt on another wound, Raph soon realises can be an opportunity for subterfuge. If he can use the stone to send a message to play to them not now knowing his true identity, they could send the stone with one of the Clones elsewhere to misdirect his tracking of them. Suggesting to Karkematth that the Unbroken aren’t seemingly pursuing Latara and the Cult Deal. Using his natural deceptiveness, he sends a perfectly disdainful and misdirecting message to Karkematth, chastising him for the mess of his abandoned laboratory and that “he’s lucky to be at the bottom of their list, as they’re needed in Vasselheim.” An equally dismissive reply is received, that suggests Karkematth has not seen through Raph’s misdirection and that he hasn’t been found out yet. Kix, the clone that was cured of its illithid tadpole at the laboratory, volunteers to disguise himself as Raphael. Raven offers to join in aiding the deception and to protect him on the wild goose chase to Vasselheim. Now the party turn their attention to the next immediate challenge, working out how to use the Soul Splitter and binding themselves to Nirathram, the Bronze Shackle. Rathbourne and Barty share that Karkematth tried to use the Soul Splitter to ‘copy’ his soul and place it into the clones of himself. However, whilst the Soul Splitter is designed to place a target soul that displaces the soul of other bodies, he struggled to fully realise the ritual as it requires specific timing and placing. A new moon, Catha or Rudius which is more powerful, and a place that’s balanced between the flow of magic through leylines and the edges of the multiple planes. Barty knows of only one place that meets those impossible criteria, the floating island of Inys Lloeren. Barty knows there is an item from Inys Lloeren that is on display at the Cobalt Reserve in Westruun, which could be used to guide in teleporting there. He notes that the next new moon of Rudius is due on the 15th Sydenstar. With only a few days to go, the party must be quick to prepare. Rathbourne assists the party’s arcanists in reviewing and altering the Soul Splitting magic into a Soul Tethering ritual, that would mitigate against the worst of the Unbroken’s individual souls being overwritten by Nirathram’s soul. Matthias counsels from his own experience that the key to wielding the weave is the intention behind it, that’s what would guide the alteration of the spell. Whilst the rest of the party start to make preparations, Simeon decides to make the most of the quiet time before the ritual on the 15th. He conjures the Couatl, Ryuquz, that had aided him in the previous battles with the respective Elder Brains. The Celestial arrives ready to aid in another aberrant attack, but finds itself in the peaceful Hallowed space of the Keep. Simeon explains that they took Ryuquz’s words to heart of only being conjured to fight, and so he wanted to take the opportunity to invite him as a guest to the Material plane and to peacefully explore it. Major-Domo Jeremy Darling has the unique experience of serving afternoon tea to them. Zeni sends to Nirathram to confirm the time and place of Inys Lloeren on the 15th. Orlando burns the midnight oil pouring over and altering his tinkering designs. Deep in the dark and decaying edges of the nighttime woods, Enessa makes a willing pledge. 12th-13th Sydenstar Come the dawn’s dying twilight, Enessa makes her quiet return to the Keep. The young woman hopes to sneak in with the party none the wiser, but she’s caught by the roving Raphael who had trouble sleeping. Usually, Enessa would try to play it off, but Raph notices a change in her demeanour, she’s not a teen that’s been caught in the dark, but a Lady with purpose that slips through the peace of the night. He notices a new Matron of Ravens symbol that’s replaced the Saeness family crest that clasped her cloak. Enessa clock’s him noticing the symbol. “I know you may think of me of some fool that’s ready to get tied up again after just getting freed, Raphy. That’s the point though, I’ve made a lot of promises and met a lot of powerful entities. They’ve all helped in their ways, but it was her who actually freed me from Lolth’s claim. So, for now, I owe her one. And I’m going to do what I can to promise in helping shepherd those that need to face Death’s scales, whether it be for their peace or their punishment.” “I know the toll it takes to pledge yourself to the Matron or her Kin, Enessa. It is a 'logical' pledge. But if the burden weighs heavy, know you do not need to carry it alone.” Raphael cooly consoles. Over breakfast the party plan the remaining days before the new Rudius moon. Raphael and Zeni will travel via teleportation circle to Westruun to obtain the Cobalt Reserve’s item from Inys Lloeren. The remainder of the party will head to Whitestone to gather supplies, and procure residuum for the ritual and potential Mortal Shackle. Orlando sends ahead of Arthur’s teleportation circle to inform Percy of the Unbroken’s visitation. In Whitestone the party are met by the Pale Guards and are escorted to the Castle. Lord Percival greets them, and informs them a special Chamber of Whitestone is being arranged for later that day to debrief with the Unbroken, but in the meantime, they are welcome to the Castle’s hospitality. Enessa joins Lady Vex’alia for her morning archery practice. They compete and bond over their Vestige Bows and their experiences with the Raven Queen. Zeni and Raphael teleport to Whitestone after their success in procuring a cactus like plant, that’s found in the Everspring of the Inys Lloeren island. Arthur loses himself in the multitude of the Whitestone Library’s tomes, to do further research on the island and its Everspring. Zeni catches up with Eva, glad that she’s back safe in Whitestone and consoling her with some of her dreams and memories from Marquet. Simeon travels into the city to plunder the Whitestone expansion of Gilmore’s Glorious Goods for several potions. Orlando checks in with his dwarf rune mentor, Gardain Greybeard (GG), sharing his tales of saving the World Anvil and checking in on the progress of what he hopes isn’t his last commission of his mentor. Later in the afternoon, the Chamber of Whitestone is gathered within the security of the underground Ziggurat’s anti-magic field. Raphael leads the Unbroken's debrief on the current status of the Shackles, the Lock-Breakers, their current mission to Soul Tether with the Bronze Shackle and the idea to create a new Mortal 8th Shackle. Raphael is able to persuade the Chamber to agree to selling the vast majority of its residuum stock to use in the creation of the Mortal Shackle, as well as some as adventuring supplies with the current ritual and upcoming battle for the Bronze Shackle. Lady Vex’alia as Coin Mistress of Tal’Dorei Council assures the Chamber that Whitestone’s economy will be fairly compensated, with a wink that seals a 50,000 gold piece deal of residuum. After the Council finishes, Orlando asks for a private conversation with Percy in his workshop. He obliges with interest in what the Gnome has to show him, but soon regrets it when he sees the designs for a new powerful Boomstick of a gun. A Tool of Destruction, plain and simple. Percy challenges him on the need for ‘more gun’. “Orlando, you cannot win in an arms race of destruction with Oblivion itself!” “I know what I ask of you is too much Percy. I hope I wouldn’t have to, but I must. My soul may be on the line if I pursue this path as a Merchant of Death, but my soul in exchange to protect the World? That’s a fair deal.” The two tinkerers go back and forth, logic, reason, emotion and wisdom battle it out. But when Orlando points to the Bad News rifle that overhangs Percy’s workshop as a sign that even if Percy ‘hangs up his guns, they’re always in reach’. The Lord smiles, and points Orlando towards the window with a prime view of the Heart of Whitestone, the central grand clocktower he built. “There’s no temptation with this reaching distance replica in here Orlando. If you want to avoid temptation, if you want to turn destruction into creation then look at the hand of the Clock. That’s where you’ll find the real Bad News.” Outgunned in the debate, Orlando acquiesces to Percy’s offer to help him build this gun on the condition that after Tharizdun is defeated he promises to return it to Whitestone where they can destroy it together to create something that “would be fitting to ring in the time of a new dawn.” Over the short hours and the next day, Orlando and the party begin their final preparations for the Ritual at Inys Lloeren.
