Session 131: Soul Searching

General Summary

8th-9th Sydenstar 836PD   8th Sydenstar   With the longer-term plan of a new Mortal Shackle to be explored with further research by the Gods, the Council bring their attention back to the immediate task of supporting Nirathram, the Bronze Shackle.   Corellon, the Arch-Heart, recalls there is an artifact, the Soul Splitter, that could be used to create the summoning bond between the Unbroken and Nirathram. Ioun adds that magics of items such as the Soul Splitter, could be used to break as well bind souls.   She warns that the binding of souls could only safely last no more than a month, and that there is a danger of the individual’s sense of self could merge into each other. However, the magic of breaking souls is dangerous and restricted knowledge, but the Knowing Mistress would be able to help find it when the time comes to undo the bond.   Raphael asks where they could find this item, but the slight optimism in his face fades when Mab confirms the last time one was used was by Karkematth. His face sours even more with news that it is likely still at his laboratory in the Summit Peaks. But the Winter Knight steels himself, and acquiesces to his patron’s charge to find this item.   Before they are sent back to the material plane, those with closer ties to the Gods spend a few moments in private. Raven joins Simeon to pay his respects to Sehanine, then introduces himself to Melora, the Wildmother, to give thanks to her boon of shaping him closer to the Wild.   Orlando and Moradin soon take up a sizable portion of the Council desk, as they pore over the Gnome’s designs before disappearing to the Soul Forge to procure some ‘back up’ for the other members of the Unbroken that will be commissioned to kill the Rakshasa Lock-Breaker in the Hells. Enessa spins round and straddles a chair by Corellon, to press them on how best to combat Lolth, the Spider Queen’s claim on her soul.   Raphael thanks his Queen for her counsel, but respectively asks if he could speak with the Matron of Ravens again. Intrigued, Mab relents and channels her ‘Mother’, her silver hair darkening into jet black, and her face hardening into the white porcelain of the Raven Queen’s mask.   Raphael looks over afar at Arthur, and asks a potential favour if they succeed in their quest, that Arthur be given a chance to speak with his family to bring him closure. The Winter Knight recognises what loss can do to someone, and what path it could set them on, especially if it is a route influenced by Karkematth’s teachings, and so he wishes to avoid that for Arthur.   The Matron bristles at the mention of Karkematth, and agrees that this could be something she could do to help, even if it is just a short moment for Arthur to speak with his family. As her form fades back to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness, she looks quizzical at Raphael, “Sentimentality my Knight?”.   “No, my Queen, logic would dictate that such a gesture could provide leverage over a potential suspect” deceptively replies Raphael. His patron’s eyes narrow, “It is a wise request to make, my Knight”.   With everyone ready, Sehanine plane shifts the Unbroken to the safest and closest place near the Summit Peaks, Zephrah.   As they travel into the mountainous village, they are warily met by a halfling Air Ashari Guard, Orym. But once they establish the party are only passing through, they help to give the party a tour around the village, where they end up bumping into the Archdruid village leader, Keyleth, the Voice of the Tempest.   Keyleth welcomes the party to her village, and sympathises with their mission to save the world, something that she along with her former adventuring party, Vox Machina, also had some experiences with that undertaking. She offers her village’s hospitality for the night, as well as a guide and Skysails to traverse the peaks.   The party enjoy the tranquil environment and hospitality of the village, purchasing some local supplies as well as 3 of the Skysails (6000gp). They spend a night outside under the stars of Zeni’s tiny hut.   9th Sydenstar   After morning breakfast, the party travel on their Skysails, whilst Raven wild shapes and enjoys the peaceful flight through the winds of the Summit Peaks.   Arriving at the metallic structure of Karkematth’s arcane laboratory, Raphael sends to his Clone Progenitor, to inform them of their presence there and to have a friendly conversation. The arrogant Archmage abruptly replies that he has no interest in him, and chides that he had long abandoned this laboratory in the mountains.   Raphael confirms that they won’t be having an encounter with Karkematth, but to still proceed with caution when exploring the lab. Arthur sets up a telepathic bond, whilst Zeni ritually holds up an aura to detect hidden magic.   Raphael tries the door but finds it locked from the other side, just as they prepare to force it down, they surprisedly hear a voice from the other to wait whilst they open it! But they are even more surprised when they see the voice belonging to another Karkematth clone, who introduces himself as Dorovar.   Dorovar, doesn’t recognise Raphael as one of the ‘others’, and is initially restrained in his answers but he confirms that he’s been here a couple of years, although he doesn’t recognise the name of Karkematth. The party telepathically debate of whether to inform Dorovar of what they are looking to find, and eerily Dorovar seems to detect their thoughts as he asks them about what they are looking for?   He invites them in, and just as they enter into the loading bay, the doors behind them close and they see in the centre a floating hideous mass of coiling intestines, a Nharyth. Then Dorovar’s own face begins to ripple and writhe, revealing the aberrant corruption of being a Mind Flayer!   Arthur is quick off the mark, hindering the Nharyth with Tasha’s Mind Whip. Orlando dodges through the web of transparent spears that are spewed by the many orifices of the aberration.   Dorovar tries to psychically stun the rest of the party, but they all resist his mind blast. Raven marks the aberrations as his Moon Bow’s Oathsworn, and strikes deeply into the wet slithering Nharyth. The intestinal orifices squelch in pain and then shoot a resinous spine at the nearby Orlando, striking him in the neck and paralyzing his nerves.   Dorovar closes the loading bay doors, trapping Orlando in with them and protecting the wounded Nharyth from the ranger’s arrows.   The lead lined doors block any magic aimed at the doors from the outside, but Zeni outsmarts the barriers by dimension dooring past with Raphael into the back of the bay. Raphael dispels the powerful Arcane Lock on the inside of the door, freeing the others to come in.   As the doors open, Enessa finds a target for her held arrow and volleys into the bleeding bulges of the Nharyth, striking it down dead. Raphael takes back the initiative to come face to tentacle with his corrupted clone counterpart, he smites down the imposter illithid and staring into his (own) eyes he runs Frostweaver through his throat, ending his life.   The party take a moment to search the loading bay, and find a door that leads downwards. Enessa quickly checks on Raphael for having to fight and kill in some regards himself, but the Winter Knight dissociates and dismisses to continue on with the mission.   They cautiously stealth down the stairs and find another Clone sweeping the corridor, Raphael steps forward to try to bypass as Dorovar, but the other clone ‘Elmorn’, also picks up that he’s not from this facility. Although when questioned, it seems that Elmorn is actually not an Illithid, and is acutally relieved to be potentially getting help to get rid of them.   He takes them through to the Cloning Chamber, where they meet several other non Illithid clones, Belena, Wilben, Ilonan. They’ve all been in here for a couple of years, but have no concept of the outside world, nor aware of their original progenitor, Karkematth.   They share that there are about a dozen servant clones, and another dozen clones that are corrupted like Dorovar. The rest of the Illithid reside on the bottom level of the laboratory, and have been ordering them to continuously produce more clones, which Zeni and Orlando examine to find that the Cloning Pool has been corrupted with aberrant influence…