Session 25: The Open Air

General Summary

After leaving the city of tents, Bel Tocino, the party visited a merchant post just outside of the city. Max gained a small box from Leomund de Vilma which he attempted to conceal, quite badly, resulting in a near-panic attack. The gang all sorted out their vague plans and headed in the direction of the village of Artesia, where Jackal’s cousin, Bathos, would provide bed and board. In the air, they encountered three red dragon wyrmlings, who they fought over a group of floating islands.    Ren, Devis, and Ekxus were all beaten quite severely, and Max wild-shaped into a bear and avoided a great majority of combat, before the party continued their journey through the air. As hours passed, they noticed a strange procession of people in pale yellow robes walking across the air as though it were land. Getting closer, the party recognised the curious group as people they had killed in the past; Dante Bolivar, Sebastian Bolivar, Delilah, Grandpa Toko, Bai Sen, and Aries. Ekxus also noticed the presence of a prominent headless figure from her past. Balasar attempted to touch the figures, but his hand went right through.
As the group flew over the desert on their respective dinosaurs, they also noticed a valley filled with small brick protrusions, no taller than two feet, stretching out of the sand, emitting smoke. Spurred on by Moses, they almost resisted the allure of this spectacle, but eventually decided to investigate, finding that it was in fact the village of Artesia. Noticing a tower, the only structure above ground, they entered. There they met several familiar figures and a couple of new ones, including a dishevelled Romero Sorelio Bravo, an old half-orc friend of Moses’ named Quinn, whose countenance was notably more severe than the last instance Moses had interacted with him, as a child. They also met the proprietor of the establishment; Bathos.
Some unprofitable gambling was done and the gang played several - both literal and figurative - revealing rounds of truth or dare and had some surprisingly deep conversations about morality and the gods of the material plane. Max and Devis had a heated argument about the morality of their mentor and sister, respectively, Ester Tordek. 
Max also spoke to Bathos about the people of Artesia, who, he found out, worship the Decaying Mistress, Al-Thaid, who they believe will return to the material plane one day and destroy everything. They worship her relentlessly, hoping to prevent her from bringing about the end times.

Character(s) interacted with

Several onlookers at the merchant post, Romero Sorelio Bravo, Quinn, Bathos

Report Date

24 Nov 2020

Primary Location

Artesia