Session 129: Time to Heal

General Summary

4th -7th Sydenstar 836PD   4th -6th Sydenstar   The Unbroken travel back on their skyship, the Storm’s Call, with J’mon Sa Ord, Eva and the other captives back to Ank’Harel. The party rest and start initial preparations, sending to their contacts such as the de Rolo’s to inform them that Eva is safe. As well as checking progress on prior plans for the Cult gathering on the 18th.   7th Sydenstar   After taking time to recover from their imprisonment, J’mon Sa Ord invites the Unbroken to their Cerulean Palace for an audience.   The ruler of Ank’Harel is grateful to the Unbroken for saving their life, and is indebted to them. Although they lament their failure for being captured and losing the Key to the Shackle, they offer whatever help they can to the party.   J’mon Sa Ord’s knowledge is limited on the exact magics of the Key and the Bronze Shackle, Niratham. Although they do know someone who would be able to help them, a holy man named Vil Grinon, who resides in the Guided district of the city.   The party’s walk through the worshipper’s district leads them to the concave stone courtyard known as the Blessing Well. Simeon persuades Raphael itching urge to bequeath money so readily, to grace the collection plate outside before entering.   As the group walk through, Raven and Enessa overhear someone giving an open sermon on the struggles between inner light and dark by a preacher of Pelor, the Dawnfather. The Gloomstalker and the Drow are both naturally skeptical on the criticism of shunning the dark, and another bystander overhears their conversation. The middle age man engages the two in a philosophical debate, and the conversation naturally flows to the party’s business here.   Simeon presents a Letter of Introduction from J’mon Sa Ord, and it seems they have found the intended recipient, as the man introduces himself as Vil Grinon. He walks and talks with them till they find a more quiet and private area, where the Unbroken give him the full brief on needing a way to get to Celestia to speak with the Bronze Shackle.   Vil, as a former adventurer, sympathises with the party’s predicament and presents his Holy Symbol of Pelor, granted by the God himself when he travelled to Celestia during his past adventures. It would act as an item that could be used to Plane Shift to Celestia.   Simeon suggests that if the party is going to Celestia, they could ask for another Council of the Gods to gather further information and coordinate their planning with the heightened threat of the Lock-Breaker’s advantage. An uncomfortable Arthur loudly scoffs at the usefulness of the Gods, revealing a brief glimpse of his private pain, the loss of his family and not even getting a chance to say goodbye.   Viln sympathises with Arthur’s loss, but challenges the blame he directs at the Gods, they are powerful but they are not infallible. With pain being a part of this world and life, whilst Arthur’s magics could nudge fate, they can’t be avoided forever. Does the blame truly lie with the God’s?   Arthur becomes stunned for words, and he seems to silently spiral in his own torment and thoughts. Viln hands him the Holy Symbol, a gesture that could help Arthur speak with those who he’s long held accountable for his pain.   Simeon takes a moment to Commune with one of his Lady’s servants, to ask if a Council could be arranged and to update on the Shackle threat. He senses the worry from Celestia at the developments, but they confirm that they can arrange another audience with the Gods in 24 hours.   The party prepare to spend their last day in Marquet. Raven purchases some fine wine and refills the Feather Fall tokens (800gp). Zeni and Sabali take Eva on a tour of the city. Orlando briefly visits the Sunfire forge and commissions some enchanted items of a new Dimensional Duster and an upgrade to his magical Boots (10,000gp).   Arthur seems to slip further into his turmoil, and seeks the comfort of home in Wildemount and his friends to help with his relapse. The party, bar Simeon, whose religion is banned in the Dwendolian Empire, decide to join Arthur to see his home and know more about him.   They arrive through Arthur’s teleportation circle at his family mansion in Deastock. There they are met by Taryon Darrington, famed artificer and former member of Vox Machina, and his automaton Doty. Arthur was a former apprentice to Taryon, and his family wealth has been a great help to Tary’s Darrington Brigade.   Arcanist Allura also arrives as a friend to Arthur, rather than their professional role as member of the Tal’Dorei Council. Allura, Tary and the Unbroken comfort and console Arthur through the trauma of losing his family to a plague that wiped out half the town whilst he was studying in Rexxentrum. He had blamed the God’s for not giving him the time to get back and try to help or even just to say goodbye to his family.   With that loss, he vowed to for others to never run out of time, and that was the moment that set him on this path to master Chronurgy. Talking through his grief, the other’s sharing their own tragedies, and Orlando’s logical insights providing some stability for Arthur to reflect through the wave of emotions.   Through tea and sympathy, Arthur becomes comfortable enough to give the party a tour of his home, where they rest for the day. Arthur sleeps by the family portrait, watched by his father Kristoff, his mother Sophia, and older brother Roland. The Chronomancer finally getting the space to grieve, and the time to heal.