Episode 57: Ethereal Nightmares
General Summary
As the party took a moment to gather themselves, Nyx flew ahead to discover that there was a door and some sort of light pulsing from the other side. As the party made their way through the place, they discovered that one part of the structure was trapped with evocation magic and that there was abjuration placed with a bear that lay in the arms of a young humanoid bones showing decay but preserved for decades by the condition.
It wasn't long before the group decided to travel on meaning Nyx was transformed into his larger form to assist them in battle. Eventually, the party noticed that Valentine was nervous to even cross ankle deep water leaving Nyx to stretch over the puddle to allow him to cross. As the group travelled forward, they found themselves stepping through what seemed to be rift-like energy, disappearing through the doorway one by one to those that followed behind. Inside there were the same phase-like cocoons this time giving off a more solid glow as they didn't fade in and out of the planes. Vasya identified them as being near ready.
Rushing forward and through the hallway, the group entered what seemed to be a rather large cavern filing in one by one to view a pedestal purple in both hue and color with the sigil of the Cult of the Six-Eyed Queen floating in the air and six bright orbs dancing around it as if in orbit. The three looked to be encased in a shimmering orb, translucent and odd to the arcane casters that observed it-- because not only was the orb strange but it was the only defense... seemingly.
Roaming along the edges wondering just how they were going to walk forward and deal with the orbs, Gideon disappeared and cried out in pain as something had reached out and tore at him. But when the party turned to him, he was nowhere to be seen. Panicking, the others readied spells able to free Gideon from whatever had restrained him as Kam cast Truesight on himself-- remarking at the large arachnid-like creature that was hovering just above the far side of the cavern.
Eventually, when Gideon was free and able to light the Lantern of Revealing, the being was revealed. A large otherworldly spider-beast with intelligent eyes and pallid tone focused on each and every one of the party that had entered. As it cut through others and attacked those nearest, Gideon was felled in a flurry of swipes and bites dropping the lantern allowing it to sleep back into its phased form.
While Vasya sought to distract the being casting an illusion of fire at the eggs, the creature turned its attention to her, trapping her in its phased plane before tearing at her, felling her as well. As Tetran was able to bring both Gideon and Vasya back up once he could find them, Reylan, Kam, and Nyx took on the queen with Kam able to follow up and deal the killing blow.
All alive, hurt, and tired, the group took to immediately trying to destroy the orbs with Reylan giving Tetran the cult book in order to hopefully understand what was happening. As Vasya took to butchering the queen in vengeance with the help of Valentine, Reylan and Kam investigated the orbs and studied it. After identifying a necklace, taken from the youngster's skeleton, Tetran set out to reading the book discovering that whoever had written it had left just before the festival and had revealed exactly what he had been doing on the island. However, before Tetran could even warn the others, he read the last word.
There was a dull thud as Tetran slumped forward over the book... dead. Quickly, Reylan rushed over and used her charge of Revivify bringing him back and revealing just exactly what happens when she brings the dead back to life. A hooded figure approached, feminine only by the slight features that could be seen when the light shifted on her face, and knelt down-- placing a hand over Tetran's chest before standing and taking a glance about the room at everyone there before fading away into mist. As Reylan reveals what it means, Tetran tells them that the outer orb is an anti-magic field that can be broken by brute force and also exactly what he had read in the journal revealing the mage's name, which Kam identified to them. With nothing left to do, Kam, Gideon, Reylan, and Nyx surrounded the orb before each taking blows at it hoping to shatter it. When the first couple of strikes failed to break it, the dancing orbiting lights began to move faster and a pulse of magic seemed to cast from the center. The eggs began hatching with large phase spiders breaking through and beginning to surround the party. As the remaining others shot and fired at things before they could break through, eventually the orb fell and Reylan rushed to the center, trying to shatter the crystal with Arclight. A high-pitched scream filled the air, fearing some of the others about to make them bolt through the tunnels filled with spiders, but Kam took one more slash at it, too. In an angry and defensive state, the eyes turned to Kam and shot through him one at a time, tearing through him until... The cavern disappeared... or rather the cavern that they were in- the one filled with hatching phase spiders closing in on them- was gone. Instead, they all stood in an empty cavern save for the skeletons of what the party could only assume were some of the dead missing townsfolk and sailors. While Kam was attended to with some healing, the others moved forward, back the way they came. Reylan even stopped to return the old stuffed bear toy into the hands of the youngster-- swearing she witnessed the form curl in tighter around it. Returning to the surface via the basement that Reylan and Valentine found, the party came across an empty and deserted home of who they could only assume was the wizard. As they looked around trying to find anything that could one day lead to him, Valentine attempted to disable a trap that he found behind a mirror-- only for that to be the trap's trigger causing the whole house to start to burn. The group was barely able to make it out alive before the house exploded. Thoroughly exhausted by the day, the party decided to get a drink with Kam splitting off to go back for his men that were guarding the entrance to the cave and "clean up". As they sat around the tavern, busy because of the festival, they spoke about a few things before suddenly spotting a familiar man in the corner-- the man from the Temple of Rest that donned a broken chain around his neck. He spoke to Gideon offering him assistance in his own matter before turning to each member and making a comment about the diety affiliated with them.
As Rupert took his leave, Reylan decided to draw tarot for him trying her hand as he left revealing the cards to the others. She then turned and offered a reading to Tetran before drawing cards for him-- drawing a reaction from him to one in particular before his drunken state won out. With everyone either barely inebriated or trashed, the group headed back to the Falcon for some rest.
"Guten tag."- Cult book, The Last Word (Power Word: Kill trap)
There was a dull thud as Tetran slumped forward over the book... dead. Quickly, Reylan rushed over and used her charge of Revivify bringing him back and revealing just exactly what happens when she brings the dead back to life. A hooded figure approached, feminine only by the slight features that could be seen when the light shifted on her face, and knelt down-- placing a hand over Tetran's chest before standing and taking a glance about the room at everyone there before fading away into mist. As Reylan reveals what it means, Tetran tells them that the outer orb is an anti-magic field that can be broken by brute force and also exactly what he had read in the journal revealing the mage's name, which Kam identified to them. With nothing left to do, Kam, Gideon, Reylan, and Nyx surrounded the orb before each taking blows at it hoping to shatter it. When the first couple of strikes failed to break it, the dancing orbiting lights began to move faster and a pulse of magic seemed to cast from the center. The eggs began hatching with large phase spiders breaking through and beginning to surround the party. As the remaining others shot and fired at things before they could break through, eventually the orb fell and Reylan rushed to the center, trying to shatter the crystal with Arclight. A high-pitched scream filled the air, fearing some of the others about to make them bolt through the tunnels filled with spiders, but Kam took one more slash at it, too. In an angry and defensive state, the eyes turned to Kam and shot through him one at a time, tearing through him until... The cavern disappeared... or rather the cavern that they were in- the one filled with hatching phase spiders closing in on them- was gone. Instead, they all stood in an empty cavern save for the skeletons of what the party could only assume were some of the dead missing townsfolk and sailors. While Kam was attended to with some healing, the others moved forward, back the way they came. Reylan even stopped to return the old stuffed bear toy into the hands of the youngster-- swearing she witnessed the form curl in tighter around it. Returning to the surface via the basement that Reylan and Valentine found, the party came across an empty and deserted home of who they could only assume was the wizard. As they looked around trying to find anything that could one day lead to him, Valentine attempted to disable a trap that he found behind a mirror-- only for that to be the trap's trigger causing the whole house to start to burn. The group was barely able to make it out alive before the house exploded. Thoroughly exhausted by the day, the party decided to get a drink with Kam splitting off to go back for his men that were guarding the entrance to the cave and "clean up". As they sat around the tavern, busy because of the festival, they spoke about a few things before suddenly spotting a familiar man in the corner-- the man from the Temple of Rest that donned a broken chain around his neck. He spoke to Gideon offering him assistance in his own matter before turning to each member and making a comment about the diety affiliated with them.
(To Vasya) "Be careful of whom you call."
(To Valentine) "He will not always be there for you."
(To Tetran) "She cannot always help you."
(To Reylan) "You won't always be the favorite."
"I never was."- Rupert
As Rupert took his leave, Reylan decided to draw tarot for him trying her hand as he left revealing the cards to the others. She then turned and offered a reading to Tetran before drawing cards for him-- drawing a reaction from him to one in particular before his drunken state won out. With everyone either barely inebriated or trashed, the group headed back to the Falcon for some rest.
Report Date
25 Jan 2021
Feats & Features
Valentine |
Slayer's Prey |
Vasya |
Luck (2) |
Signature Spells
Vasya |
Spiked Growth |
Harvested
 |
1 vial of poison |
Trivia
⦿ This is the first session in which two player characters went down during a fight. Both fell to the same creature at different times and Tetran was able to heal them both.⦿ Ironically enough, Tetran was killed later one due to reading a book by the mage who assisted the spiders onto the island. It was revealed to the players that Power Word: Kill was used. (He was brought back with Revivify from Reylan.
⦿ Sheriff Kam was the one to kill the spider queen as well as destroy the orb.
Tarot Readings
The Six of Books (Inv) The card depicts a paranoid lad before dawn. It has a border of metal. Inverted, it represents deceit, and masculinity.
The Handsome Soldier The card depicts an optimistic adult with green eyes. It is associated with propserity, hatred, a breakdown, and warding.
The Wretched Oracle The card depicts a broad-shouldered, curious adult with coffee brown eyes and a poisonous plant. It is associated with a takeover, air, a failure, silence, and a recovery.
Session Stats
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