Session 29

General Summary

Rain is a Good Thing?

As the rain got heavier and heavier, the party could hear laughing coming from the woods around the road. Then, rested in the center of the path ahead, the skeletons from earlier that day now set up in an elaborate throne, with one complete skeleton now sitting at the throne baring a note. Gio approached the skeleton, grabbing the note and reading it. The note, from Strahd, stated that he apologized for not being there in person, and that he sympathizes with the party's loss. Hopefully the message was clear. But don't worry, for now you have his full attention.
Apparently, to those who did not know, THIS was from the dick in the castle. The party composed themselves before moving along, making their way to Krezk.
Arriving back at the town, the horses were dropped off to be tended while the party hunkered down for the night. It seems Anna had been taking care of the meals since the party's departure earlier that day. Sena went over to her band mates, letting them know that she had told Grim that Idris was still alive, and that she was going to pick him up. Just be cool until she gets back. The two reminded Sena to stay safe before welcoming Grim back into the group.
When the party set out again the next day, they decided that they would head straight for the lake this time. Moving along the road, the party came across an armored skeleton on a barded horse walking in the opposite direction as them. Choosing not to engage, the skeletal horse and its rider holding a lantern strode right past the group as they journeyed onward.
Arriving at the lake, the party set themselves up in boats and journeyed out into the center of the lake. Sena and Diem chose to dive under as Ariadne, Gio, and Nova stayed above. Gio took this moment to talk about their new party member and how weird all the stuff she does is.
Meanwhile, underwater Sena asked Coryphian for a ping to find out where this place she should be going is. A moment later, Sena had a direction and the two started to make their way towards the building that Idris had found before. Upon arriving at the stone building, Sena put the necklaces in one by one until an orange glow formed in the seam between the two stone doors. As they slowly opened, water rushed from the lake into the building and began to suck the two party members down. While Sena resisted, Diem was dragged down, and Sena chose to follow her.
Above water, a small whirlpool began to form, and Ariadne began to get dragged down as it cracked her boat in half. Gio and Nova, avoid the entire situation, decided they should probably follow them, and dove down to follow Ariadne.

Drama Makes for Good Material

The party came to in a darkened room. Still hearing rushing water from behind, as the party moved forward they saw a very complicated and long riddle written in the stone. Apparently Flameo wants to make a drama about it. After taking a while, and Sena getting many nosebleeds from incorrect combinations, eventually the door was opened.
Then, the party was delivered to a foyer, a non-descript statue standing in the center with an arm outstretched as if waiting for something. The plaque below read...

“In deep sorrow, there is no place for sentimentality, but it sure makes for good material.”

Confused at first, everyone placing their hands onto the damp, outstretched one of the statue, the party seemed stumped. They then thought perhaps one needs to cry in order to have it work. Ariadne suggested Gio pluck a nosehair, to which after doing so and shedding tears, opened the door at the end of the hall. However, it opened just for him.
The rest of the party followed suite. Apparently Coryphian is a sick fuck and likes to see people cry. Sena recalled some, unpleasant memories. Diem make Ariadne cry by telling her that she got her friends killed. Nova poked herself in the eye, and Diem kept her eyes open long enough to shed one, single tear. As the door opened for everyone, Coryphian stated in Sena's head that the way they solved that door was NOT how it was expected, though entertaining nonetheless.
Moving into the next room, the party saw themselves on a stage as a crowd looked at them expectantly. Around them were props of every manner, and on the table a set of pages that seem to go to a short play. Taking a moment to put the pages in the right order, the party then had to act out the scene. Gio and Diem put themselves in a giant T-shirt, while Ariadne put on a baby bonnet and Sena sat in a wooden rocking chair, telling a story. Nova then came out with a massive axe hat, which was used to split the shirt in half. At that moment, the crowd cheered, and the party disappeared.
Then, they appeared on the same stage. However, an immaculate pole was now standing in the center of the stage. Suddenly, flames erupted around the stage. The party took a moment to read the plaque at the base of the pole.

“It sure is getting hot, isn’t it?”

Sena began to strip down to her skivvies, but that didn't seem to solve the issue. Gio averted his eyes as pole dancing was tossed around as a way to make the flames stop. As Sena mounted to mole and gave it her best shot, an audible pop was heard as Sena disappeared. Diem took it a bit more literal, and walked upon the pole and began to dance. She too disappeared. Ariadne went, fumbling on her first try, then nailing it the second. Nova simply slid down, and both young women disappeared. Alone, averting his gaze no longer, Gio felt the flames on him. Trying at first to give it his best shot, Flameo was not impressed. On a second try, shouting to the sky "IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT?" Gio it the ground, and promptly disappeared.
The party then came to another door, which actually just looked like a mirror. Whenever the party tried to move through, their mirror self stopped them. Sena managed to shove Diem through the mirror, as the rest of the party closed their eyes and attacked the mirror, only to fall through.

Everyone's Favorite Game Show

Everyone then found themselves sitting in a crowd. Up on stage was a man with a very lively voice, who took time to introduce the group. Do you guys even have a name? BOBA? Interesting.
The man took a moment to introduce this session as the Var'Qana admission exam. Gio was brought up first. The game is simple. One door holds treasure, one holds entry to glorious Var'Qana, and two hold massive dwarf goats that breathe fire. Simply pick a door. Reluctantly, Gio picked one of the doors, and with the host revealing one door with a fire-breathing goat, Gio stuck to his guns and walked through the door.
Next up, Diem was brought on stage. Despite all his questioning, the only response the host got was that Diem was hungry. Disappointed, the host explained the game. Diem had to guess the word that was being displayed on tiles above them. They can ask for 4 letters total, but if they ask for two, they get an extra prize. Asking for an "A" and an "S", Diem guessed "Madness" correctly. Surprised, the host opened up a door for Diem to walk through.
Finally, the last three ladies were brought up to play Fiendish Feud with a group of demons straight from the fourth circle of hell. The category was what people were excited for in this year's harvest festival. Nova guessed carrots, which were correct. Sena guessed fucking potatoes, which didn't seem to quite hit the mark. Ariadne chose squash, which was accepted as decorative squash. With a decent amount of points ahead of the demons, the three were declared the winners and were brought through the doors which appeared before them.

Where Dark Suns Rise

The party found themselves face first on a beach. Though, looking behind them, the waves ebbing and flowing off the sand seemed to be vapor; or clouds more specifically. Before them, an immaculate theater of orange and yellow stood. 
As the party walked through the doors to the theater, a short and portly kobold with blazing orange eyes named Toby checked them at the door. Asking for their invitations, apparently the entire party had one somewhere on their person. Allowing the group inside, Gio asked about anyone fitting Idris' description playing. Apparently there isn't anyone with short hair and a well kept beard. Though there is this new guy. He'll play eventually, we work off of vibes here. Enjoy your stay. Diem checked, he definitely has a heartbeat.
Walking in, the group immediately headed towards the bar. Gio and Diem noticed that some people have orange eyes, while others seem to have normal eyes. The bartender is one with normal eyes, and upon getting people some drinks and Diem some blood, he told them about some of the current line up in the theater. Again, informed that they work off of vibes here, the party moved towards the theater itself, where their seats were visible only to them. 
Sena and Diem moved up to the box up top in the theater to speak with the man in charge. Covered in this orange yellow mist, the voice of Coryphian came through, though he is currently powdering his nose and will not see them face to face. However, he will bump up Idris' performance so that they may see him, and also permit the entire group backstage passes. 
However, before his show, the next performance was a dramatic reading by someone named Nizakoramdi the Loquacious. Speaking a poem while playing a piano with blazing orange eyes, the performance came and went. Next up, accompanied by the finest of the Var'Qana ensemble, Idrissyl Tristan Drakenhal performing everyone's favorite piece. As the man, now long unkempt mane and beard, littered with orange runes and tethers all across his body, played the song with blazing orange eyes and a peaceful smile on his face as the party looked on, and the song ended. 
He'll be back to play again, same time.

Report Date

01 Apr 2023