Episode 50: In the Wake of the Missing
General Summary
Realizing what the rune was, Reylan and Tetran resolved to rush back to the others to warn them. However, before they could head back, Alexander placed a hand on Reylan's shoulder and silently passed her a letter before shrouding himself in his cloak and heading off in the opposite direction. Sparing a moment to read through, the duo saw that the letter was that of gratitude and farewell confessing that there could have been more dangers if he were to stick around.
Heading back to the ship without their leonin friend, they are met with a few questions but quickly alert the others that there are only four more point missing before the transmutation rune on the city can be completed. While Reylan theorized that the city's population was going to be transformed into Rasa, Tetran proposed that instead the city could be raised from the ground. Either way, the group agreed not to alert the guard and Marcus as they were wary that a revelation would increase guard presence making it that much harder for anyone to stop as it would scare off the perpetrators.
Before the group could leave investigate, Solanos assembled everyone on the deck to introduce the crew to the artillerist that he had hired to arm their ship, a kobold artificer by the name of Sarku. The crew and party immediately welcomed the new addition to the crew and as the party gathered what they needed for a day around the city, Vasya invited the artillerist to join them as she heard that he was looking to replenish some supplies needing aid as the marketplace was not as kind to him when it came to purchases.
Heading to the closest location on the map, the group discover that the person that went missing left no trace and seemed to vanish. An investigation resulted in nothing but scratches on the ground and the place a little bit of a tilted mess as it was went through. With nothing to go off of, the party split up with Reylan, Vasya, and Valentine heading to the Temple District while the others went to the market.
Meeting Sister Vea at the Temple of Valyrhn, Reylan learned that the head of their order had been one of the missing and that nothing special had been noticed in the area. Meanwhile Vasya offered a prayer for a woman that asked for blessings for her wayward son and Valentine headed to the shrine of Herrus and stole an offering from a passerby for the altar-- one that had vanished the next moment he looked back even though there was no one else nearby.
In the market, Gideon, Tetran, and Sarku combed through stalls with Gideon and Tetran able to bargain for a few pieces for Sarku discovering just how mercurial the marketplace was even for them. As they walked around, the duo spoke to their new ally wondering of what he needed the items for and of his own experiences. Sarku spoke of the prejudices he faced but did have a bit of an air of indifference explaining that he hoped to arm them and their ship as he was hired to do. The trio's shopping trip didn't last long and they were able to meet up with the others who told them that they were unable to find anything new.
In a last ditch effort to find one more lead on what was happening, the party headed to the Isle of Lost Thoughts a spot already marked on the map. As the group investigated the area, which turned out to be a public park, almost all of them were unable to find anything interesting save for Terra who picked up the same scent of something fishy coming from the waters-- the only significant thing that connected each spot they had all visited. Besides meeting a cursed ghost who recounted her inability to recall what happened as someone had attacked and "killed" her, the lack of leads led the party to agree on a stakeout on the Isle of Stars and collectively give up on pursuing any further leads. The discussion left Reylan rather inconsolable and led Tetran to finish reading the Tome of Clear Thought instead of planning to use it to possibly con his way to some extra funds.
After taking a long rest, the party headed to the Isle of Stars for a stakeout, choosing a location relatively near a waterway in a quiet part of the isle. Late into the night, Reylan heard something slinking onto the bank while Terra caught the scent of fish once more. As Reylan warned the others, a scream rang out into the night and launched the group into action.
Tetran rushed forward across the waterway's bridge attacking the first water-like humanoid he saw. As the first on the scene, he witnessed one shimmer into the shape of a woman and another suhuagin-like humanoid rush off with what looked to be a captive on their back while a third was kneeling on the ground by the waters. After blasting them, the transformed suhuagin dashed to him cutting deep with a blade.
As Vasya and Sarku approached from the opposite side and Gideon and Valentine ran to support Tetran, Reylan took to the skies on Nyx to get a view of everything and everyone as well as firebolt the attackers. However, what went amiss in the darkness was that someone else witnessed the party's attack onto the human-looking suhuagin. Not long after Vasya had caught up to and attacked a watery foe did someone call out to the party. The Fox, the city's vigilante, had come across them. Believing Vasya to be a criminal attacking a hooded innocent, he glided down to strike the ranger in the side and demand an explanation.
Meanwhile, though Tetran was bleeding out, he commanded Tenahbra forward and for the first time Gideon, Reylan, and Nyx were witness to Tetran's cloak flying off to harrass one of the suhuagin as the woman attempted to cut him down. However, before the blademaster could kill him, Nyx fired a plasma blast destroying it and allowing Gideon to give chase to the fleeing suhuagin that had cut Tenahbra apart-- leading Tetran to lend a healing light before calling the cloak back.
With the Fox catching Valentine's attention and Gideon rushing after the remaining suhuagin, Valentine sought to catch him off guard but he blinked out of the material plane for a moment re-emerging as if nothing happened and his attack had missed. Sarku, who had also attempted to assist Vasya, found his rifle slipping from his fingers due to the Fox, and Vasya was now facing down two enemies nearly being felled by the quick attacks from the Fox. While Reylan was able to shoot a healing spell her way, it helped that the blademaster had run from Vasya's own Spiked Growth spell causing the blademaster to charge the Fox who quickly realized that he could have made a mistake as to who the enemy was.
From the skies, Reylan realized that though they were split they all were still working toward a common goal-- stop the suhuagin and find out the plan. Doing her best to support everyone as Nyx attempted to lend his only ranged attack to the battle, she watched as Gideon attempted to engage the escaping blademaster while Tetran mourned after firing an eldritch blast at the victim in order to ensure the suhuagin's plans couldn't be furthered. Meanwhile, Vasya, Valentine, and the Fox turned on the remaining blademaster and were able to capture her allowing Sarku to assist with sniping off the last that sought to escape.
In the chaos, as Valentine prepared to get everyone out, guards and bells could be heard in the distance and the party realized they were going to be surrounded soon. Tetran rushed into a dark alleyway, shifting his form for a deception and expecting Valentine to wait for him in order to play along, but in the rush, Valentine instead assisted Vasya in containing the suhuagin as the Fox polymorphed and flew off. Sarku had intended to stop the guards and created hard terrain for them to travel but in a surprise twist, the Fox reappeared on a nearby roof shunting the guards forward and far away from half of the party that wished to retreat as the others sought to stay.
As Vasya, Valentine, Terra, and Sarku ran with the aid of Pass Without a Trace, Reylan, Gideon, and Tetran (now disguised as the woman that had nearly killed him) stayed behind to explain. As the guards surrounded them, Reylan Revived the victim- a fifteen year old girl- who instantly broke down in tears and recounted her story to everyone that listened while Reylan demanded that Marcus be brought to them.
It wasn't long before the captain arrived and while he heard the start of the story, they were all interrupted by a force of magic that swept through all of them and the feel of the ground giving way. A deafening crack filled the air and rumbling akin to thunder emanated through the city. A heartbeat later, water begin to fill the streets and light emanated in a bright beacon behind the group-- from the very spot in which Tetran had first engaged the suhuagin. It dawned upon them all that the city wasn't being transformed-- it was being sunk.
Rushing to the light underneath a rising surf, Reylan dispelled the magic of the rune as Tetran counterspelled its effects. Their combined efforts successfully rendered the rune useless killing the light of the beacon and stopping the transformation of the city. Though nearly a half a meter of water filled the streets, the city was saved...
Report Date
05 Dec 2020
Feats & Features
Valentine |
Slayer's Prey |
Reylan |
War God's Blessing |
Signature Spells
Reylan |
Enhance Familiar (3) |
Vasya |
Hunter's Mark Spiked Growth |
Valentine |
Pass Without a Trace |
Notes
⦿ This marks Alexander's departure from the party and the introduction of Sarku, played by Nespher.⦿ Reylan uses Enhance Familiar to turn Nyx into his dragon mount form for their visit into the city. This is the first casual use of the spell that she keeps up ritually in order to allow the guards that are keeping watch to keep track of them and see that they aren't doing anything untoward in the city.
Trivia
⦿ This is the second time the party has crossed paths with a city's vigilante. The first being in Red Rest.⦿ Previously, the party hasn't dealt with their weapons needing to be peace-tied. As they had been seen entering with Gideon back in Batun, the Vigil hadn't approached them. However, here in Prin their weapons are tied with the exception being Reylan who had bamfed away the Arclight and Tetran who left his spear on the ship. The peace-ties would later be broken in the fight against the suhuagin by the party.
Session 50 Stats and Sidenotes
