Session 123: Remembrance Restored

General Summary

29th Brussendar   Orlando further questions the surrendered bandits, with the promise of their lives and a fresh start in Ank’Harel they reveal more about their group and dealings with the Ancient Blue Dragon. They are members of the ‘Band of Nightmares’, led by War Chief Djinguré, they point out his fort several miles north on a map, and warn that it is guarded by a younger blue dragon, presumably kin of Zolar.   Zeni and Raphael help the Starbury entourage, fixing their cart and tending to their wounds. Arthur asks for a personal item of the ‘Sapphire of the Sands’, and with luck finds something with her hair to help scry on her, and try to find where Zolar has taken her. The entourage and the former bandits are sent off to Ank’Harel for safety and to inform the Hand of the Ord of the Blue Dragon attack.   The Unbroken take a moment to mend themselves and carry on with their journey to the Tash Rabat, along the way Arthur receives a sending from Allura to know where they are and where she should teleport Simeon. As they reach the carvansari they see their Cleric of the Moonweaver racing over the sands to catch up with them. He shares how his debrief with the Council went and what preparations are underway for the upcoming convergence of the cults at the Grey Valley in 3 weeks.   The group enter the caravansari, Zeni again taking precaution to disguise herself in case of any other unremembered trouble she could be in. Raphael and Enessa head to the inn for information and rooms to rest, whilst the rest of the party explore the trades and comforts of the site, in particular the exhaustion suppressing spiced coffee.   Raphael and Enessa speak with the minotaur innkeeper Hesmin Jaggedbody, she’s welcoming at first but becomes guarded when questioned about any of the recent events and activities. It’s only when Raphael finds another patron versed in thieves cant who shares the main trouble in the area is the missing Captain of the Hand of Ord, that the innkeeper becomes visibly rattled. Zeni detects her thoughts, and is surprised to find Hesmin thinking of Zeni and what kind of trouble have they got them in.   Zeni finds a private moment to contact Hesmin, and relay her situation of having no memories, and when she asks about the missing Captain, it turns out she’s been upstairs in a room for a couple of days, and seems to be under a spell. Zeni regroups with the party and they are taken to see the Captain.   Arthur examines her as she stares blankly, recognising that she has been cursed with a Feeblemind spell. Simeon uses a scroll of Greater Restoration to restore her shattered intellect and personality. The Captain comes to her senses, and is relieved when she see’s Zeni. Whilst initially hazy, Captain Aliss Rawson introduces herself to the group and recounts the events she can remember.   J’mon Sa Ord, the ruler of Ank’Harel has been missing for some time, which explains Zolar's confidence to encroach on his territory, and she had joined forces with Zeni who was also searching for her missing friend Sabali as with both cases, no magics could reach or divine on either of the subjects. During their joint investigation they uncovered that a series of missing people had been occurring for a while and all over Ank’Harel.   The last revelation Captain Rawson could remember was that she and Zeni had been staying at the Tash Rabat about 2 days ago and that Latara the Enchantress had ambushed them there and cast a spell towards them. Raphael presses if there had been any further findings or if there could be something that could push the investigation further with the return of the Captain.   Unfortunately, whilst the Captain is high up, she does not have the leverage to enact any new measures, and all her efforts had led to a dead end with investigating the disappearance of their ruler. The disappearance of J’mon Sa Ord has also been suppressed in order to not panic the public, so that would continue to limit efforts.   As a new thread emerges but soon ends, Arthur uses his Crystal Ball to scry on Miss Starbury. He sees her chained by the foot of a dais, forcefully singing a song for her captive, Zolar sitting in human form. In the brief surrounding glimpse, Arthur could make out the cave and the ancient worn mosaics that adorn the walls.   Zeni takes a moment to use her use her dual connection with knowledge through her Ioun Stone, and her storm ancestry, for a divination on where Zolar’s lair could be located in the nearby Aggrad Mountains. She receives an accurate if unhelpful reply “The Dragon’s lair that you do seek, is found on the 87th highest peak”.   With no immediate lead on Zolar, and currently no further progress on finding J’mon Sa Ord and Sabali, the party decide to investigate the next link they have, the Band of Nightmare’s fort. The party start their rest and preparations for a night-time assault on the fort…