Coia: 36 - Through the Looking Glass
General Summary
Confused about the events that just transpired, the Dragonbone Vanguard pause for a moment to discuss their options. They realize that this seemed to be an ambush and the Abashi were waiting for a scapegoat so that they could steal the Rod of Rulership. Fearing they’ll be blamed by a corrupt king and court, the Vanguard sneak out of the catacombs via the church.
Lucy is not able to find the Rod but senses that it was taken north, so the group heads to the North gate where they encounter Gerhart. He agrees to take them to Westin since he was going to travel north to Ponai to visit with a friend anyway. Szarden sends Rasputin off to find the rod and Garus looks through his eyes. We take a short rest at a local tavern before meeting up with Gerhart and traveling north.
Garus removes his Ring of Water Elemental Command and Szarden attunes to his STAFF??. Gerhart examines the relics that we took from the catacombs and determine that they can command elementals. They are the Bowl of Commanding Water Elementals, the Brazier of Commanding Fire Elementals, the Censer of Controlling Air Elementals, and the Stone of Controlling Earth Elementals. Szarden tries experimenting with them by guessing that the answer to the riddles written on the walls must be the Command words to summon the elementals. As the caravan slows down, he attempts to summon the Water elemental by pouring water in the bowl and saying “ICE”. Water begins to jump from the bowl to a spot on the ground and quickly forms into a Water elemental. He safely dismisses it and after some thorough testing, the group is able to determine that the other command words are “ASH” for the Fire elemental, “SAND” for the Earth elemental, and “TEMPEST” for the Storm elemental. This may come in handy if tomorrow ever comes…
After traveling for a few hours, Szarden and Garus (who are atop the caravan) hear a voice cry “He said you might follow us. This will be fun.” And are surprised by a very much alive white Abishai. The black Abashai lands on the roof and after a few choice words, Mithac comes up top and takes them both out. Holy crap that Paladin can hit. Mithac loots the black Abashai for 700G and two scimitars and Nym loots the white one for 600G and a tapered staff with a blue gem on top. Nym falls off the caravan trying to pull the staff away from the dead foe.
Lucy detects that they’re still ahead and the signal is getting stronger. Rasputin and a flying Polonius scout out a campsite ahead on the left with two fires and tents. Gerhart quietly parks the caravan near the camp which is blocked from the road by large rock outcroppings. The group sneak up to the campsite to find a Green Abishai emerging from a tent. They attack and almost kill it before noticing the Blue Abishai stepping out of a nearby cave. He holds the Rod of Rulership up above him and Nym, Zen, Lucy, and Garus are immediately mesmerized by the Rod and begin walking toward and eventually into the cave.
The blue Abishai retreats to the cave while Polonius, Sszarden and Mithac finish off the green one and then follow their friends in a rescue attempt. As they enter the cave, they discover it’s a centuries-old mining cave where the blue and red Abishai are lying in wait. Like lambs to the slaughter, the rest of the Vanguard wanders into a portal at the other end of the cave, the blue Abishai teleporting on their heels. The red Abishai knocks Mithac and Polonius unconscious, picks them up, and flies through the portal. Sszarden runs back to the entrance to find it’s collapsed in a cave-in.
Weary and alone, the last standing member of the Dragonbone Vanguard accepts his fate and crosses the portal himself.
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Zen awakes in the middle of a hayfield. It’s peaceful and serene. He feels like he’s in a dream. He notices small green creatures lunging in and out towards him. As he looks up, he sees six other figures standing over him.
Sszardan T'Sarran
Zenhorn
Mithac Fezim
Lucius
Garus Silenus
Pelonious Pomp
Nym Lenore
Report Date
29 Jun 2023