Session 45

General Summary

Blindly Through the Darkness

As the party emerged from their visions engulfed by shadows, they found themselves in a spacious cavern littered with bones all over the floor. The darkness itself restricted the vision of each person to only about arm's length. Periodically, the shadows themselves would try to drag people in, and put out any sources of light. Nova rushed ahead into the darkness only to be met by clawing shadows. Returning to the light provided by everyone else in the party, the party split as Gio was dragged into the darkness. Ahrieya, Idris, and Ariadne moved towards the north, following a distressed call from a woman somewhere in the cavern, while Nova and Gio remained at the beginning of the chamber only to be pounced upon by howling creatures. Ahrieya turned around thanks to Viggo's warning as the beasts ganged up on Gio.
As the howling beasts were being dispatched, Ariadne and Idris continued to follow the calls as Ahrieya kept trying to speak with the voice in the darkness. Eventually, the pair came upon a woman in typical Krezkan garb. She claimed to be looking for her son who got lost in here. Idris, feeling particularly suspicious about the whole thing, readied his mage hand to shove the woman to the ground if she began to move towards them, to which she did. Faceplanting on some bones, Idris tried to cast a spell on them, only to find it fail as it seems this creature is not humanoid. Taking the moment to strike first and run, the pair threw shots at the woman as her form shifted to that of a crude, red and pale green ooze. Then they promptly fled on their carpet back into the shadows towards the rest of the group, only to have Ariadne get grabbed off the carpet and pulled into the darkness.
Running to meet up with the pair on the flying carpet, Ahrieya, Gio, and Nova were intercepted by a group of plant-like insectoid creatures, assaulting them with piercing mandables. Gio, rushing ahead, found himself surrounded and attacked from all sides. As the insectoid creatures were slowly picked off one by one, Ariadne managed to turn most of the ooze to dust before blasting the remaining parts of it to oblivion. Then, the party found themselves alone in echoing darkness once more.

Take His Place

Moving through the chamber revealed a small cavern with a hole covered in blackened roots. Off to the side, the party identified a statue depicting an angular-featured woman with antlers sprouting from her forehead. Upon touching the statue, the party was given visions of people they knew with floral features, women being sacrificed, others sent off for execution, and Strahd strangling the woman depicted on the statue. Ariadne, being the final one to touch the statue, had the vision of the woman shove him into the pit behind him as the rest of the group eventually followed suite. Nova found herself on a bridge suspended in air. Behind her, mist engulfed her vision. Ahead, shadows moved as a voice spoke out, impressed with Nova's strength and growth. Emerging from the shadows, a red maw-covered creature revealed themselves as Vengence Incarnate, or Dioltas. 

The entity spoke as if every obstacle placed in front of Nova's path was placed there by them, honing their skills in order to become the perfect champion. Asking what they wanted her to do, the entity removed the shadow from her vision, and before her lay massive, chained bear.

Asking her what she sees, Nova was filled with a sense of pity and disgust. This cannot possibly be the god meant to protect her people. Dioltas then revealed that he has been speaking as Ursor, answering her when he would not. As an act of defiance, the entity demanded that Nova renouce Ursor and kill him. However, the bear god spoke, only to tell Nova that this maw-filled entity was decieving her for their own gain. Decided that Ursor would not be the one renouced, Nova turned towards the entity of vengeance and swung with her axe. Disappointed, the entity grabbed it and shattered the blade, fading into the shadows.

Turning back towards the bear, Nova threw javelins at the chains, breaking each of them and freeing the bear itself. As a blizzard covered her vision, the bear turned into the chief from Nova's tribe, affirming that he knew she would do the right thing. As the figure faded, behind Nova the image of a tundra appeared as she walked through.

Feybles

The rest of the party found themselves in a dirt hole. Attempting to move laterally didnt seem to change much, and after a bit of thought, tried to dig. Upon digging downward, the party saw a cloudy sky below them. Peeking through, everything seemed upside down. However, once they fell through the hole, they turned right side up as the hole collapsed in on itself.

There, the party found Nova unconcious on the ground. Immediately moving to help her, another figure approached, Laura, the woman bound to the cieling of Baba Lysaga's Hut. Her form turned to that of the statue from the cavern they just left. Moment later, another figure joined them; Jeny Greenteeth, though her form soon shifted to that of a much younger, less clothed woman. The two explained that they were the Ladies of the Mountain and Swamp respectively; the Huntress and the Weaver. They thanked the group for their help reconsecrating their fanes, and that their sister, whose shrine remains defiled, tended to remain around the Vistani.

The two fey took an interest in Ariadne, seemingly able to sense parts of her mother about her. The two seemed upset that she decided to leave, apparently on the run from whatever Strahd might have wanted from her. When asked about Dark Moon, the two laughed at the ridiculousness of the name but claimed the needy fey might be trying to take Redinella's power. The Weaver turned towards Gio, claiming he bore the stench of the ones who took The Warden from them and threatening him that he not do the same with Ariadne. Finally, Ahrieya took this opportunity to ask for some hair, to which The Huntress provided without much question. Before the two faded, they claimed that without their fanes desecrated, Strahd must be weaker now. Additionally, it seems as though Nova has had a nasty breakup with a dark power that had taken interest in them. They will recover, but it will be devastating and painful.

Nova soon woke after, feeling like absolute trash. The party gathered themselves together and began to move back down the hill, collecting the nails which seemed to have a spell inscribed on them. As they did, The Huntress could be seen returning many of the forest folk's bodies to the earth, providing a proper death.

Where to next, I wonder.

Report Date

18 Nov 2023