Session 50: Ghosts in the Machine
General Summary
25th-29th Horisal 836PD Two miles from the Shade Temple, rising to a cold, still morning, The Unbroken made their final preparations. After informing their old colleague Arin of their mission, Zenirith cast Hyacinth off to the air to make sure of the distance left to the site of their colleague’s redemption. With the distance confirmed, The Unbroken took to the side of the road and gathered around Zenirith, who using the magics available to her, was able to scout the Temple through a disembodied eye of arcane origin. Some twenty minutes later, said Temple came into view – or that is, its outer walls, buildings and a large, grey, fuzzy cube came into view. Relaying the notable traits of the Temple to the group, Zenirith was able to manoeuvre through all parts of the Temple other than what Sabali confirmed was the central building. Behind its ten-foot walls, the Temple was made up of six guard towers, with at least twelve kenku guards in sight. Zenirith was able to relay to the group that the fuzzy grey cube was a well-known means of concealment from arcane investigation which might not have been visible to the Temple’s own denizens. At the group’s request Zenirith searched the site for sign of Sabali’s old master Kenji, but none could be found, although the location of what Sabali confirmed as the cells was found, but could not be accessed. After some discussion the group set off toward the Temple, with a deceptive plan in mind. With Sabali and Simeon invisible, with the intention of investigating the cells and not wanting to give away Sabali’s presence just yet, the rest of the group proceeded to apply to pray at the Shrine to the Raven Queen under the leadership of one Jeremy Hightower, elderly priest on pilgrimage. Gaining entry, a kenku guard brought the party to Vetelius, a Drow monk who named himself Caretaker of the Temple. Through some masterful wordplay and deception, Raphael was able to discover that the true Caretaker of the Temple was, in Vetelius’s words, unwell. Offers of healing were refused and some of the group had suspicions confirmed that Vetelius was not being entirely forthcoming. The group then took to pray at the Shrine before taking a promenade around the grounds. Whilst the party were availing themselves of the Temple’s facilities, Sabali and Simeon set about infiltrating its depths. Nimbly escaping the attentions of a guard nearby one entrance, they found another, through which they gained entry to the guard building under which the cells sat. Wraithlike, distracting the guards through their seemingly phantasmal deeds, the pair passed without trace past the locked dungeon door. The luck of the spectres ran out however as a trap behind a secret door was triggered, dealing them significant damage. As they took tea, the party above witnessed Vetelius, who encouraged their departure mere moments after insisting upon their continued presence overnight, depart suddenly, it soon became obvious that the jig was up and they left via the main gate. The unmasked phantoms rushed to investigate the rooms beyond the secret door, encountering, fighting and eventually killing a kenku who was guarding a clearly-tortured Kenji. Sabali did not hesitate and ordered Simeon, whilst persuading his beloved master, to take Kenji from that place. With a worried backward glance, Simeon spirited the kenku away, leaving what tricks he could behind him for Sabali to make use of in what we can only hope will be his heroic escape. Linked Journals
