Session 23: The Gilded Gala
General Summary
On this magnanimous episode of DREAM THIEVES...
Recovering in Riverwind
Our heros, having escaped from the treacherous city of lost Children in their first "Dual Dive" with Grantham Hall and Grimsby, they returned to Riverwind to rest and recuperate. Baronness Von Schrader interrupted their planning with news of letters addressed to each hero. Aetha found an assassination contract from Shalas-Kahn in her letter, asking her to end the life of a man named Melvor Melray. Azriel received work from House Stryxia that the king's son was found somewhere near Bradbureigh, and asked that he be sent back to the 8th layer as soon as he's found. Zanuriel receives word that his good deeds had been recognized by the gods above, and would received a blessed gift if he passed one last test of loyalty and trust by using the fountain of the Daeth'tiri, a secret fountain somewhere around Bradbureigh. Torrentous heard from his friend Tennyson that he was in trouble and needed his help! Our heroes had tickets to an expensive gala being held in Bradbureigh by House Melray, one of the noble families vying for power within the city. Their main mission was simple: Find Delphine. This woman, mentioned in the Dream Dive with Grantham Hall, was the key to forming the connection that would lead them to Stockton Araby and Sleepwalker; the mysterious figure controlling him.The Masquerade Ball Begins
Heroes arrived in costume and were welcomed by Melvor Melray. Melvor, a seemingly inocuous noble interested in showcasing his wealth, invited his guests to have a good time. Aetha talked to the camel to get a lay of the land. The camel, stocked to the brim with gold and jewels from a far away land, obediently kept tight lipped as his master was inside the house. Grantham introduced Danica Kraster, tradeswoman and bodyguard. Danica mentioned that many of the house members at the party could not be trusted. They acted nice to each other but in the shadows they were ready to stab anyone in the back that got in their way. Gervil, having accidentally worn the right costume for the circumstances to align, was brought into a political intrigure plot for House Cardigal and Gregory to steal special bearer bonds in the hands of House Melray. The bonds would entitle the bearer to property rights to a significant part of Bradbureigh, shifting the circle of power from one family to another. The mysterious man asked that Gervil make his way to the basement of the house where the conspirators would begin acting on their master plan to steal the bonds. Aetha went upstairs looking for the chest that Shalas-Kahn had left for her. Sneaking from room to room, a woman confronted her and offered to spend a little time with her in one of the spare rooms. She found some family jewels in a chest in Dahoia Melray's room. Aetha, seeing her opportunity, put the woman to sleep with her song book's lullaby, leaving her to find the chest in the room's closet. It contained 100 Gold and a vial of green liquid. Attached was a note instructing her to drink it. Azriel and Torrentous explored the first floor and found a giant possom digging through the vegetables in the kitchen. The possom was a pet of the animal tamer who rode out into the courtyard. Azriel found a keepsake box owned by the Cardigal family.The Plot Thickens
Dahoia Melray pulled Torrentous upstairs for some "additional questioning." She had pulled him into a trap of love, thrusting her affections onto him inappropriately and without his consent, to which moments later he heartily consented. After their fortuitous tryst, Dahoia asked him to find out who was after the Melray family, and for each individual that he brought in he would be handsomely rewarded. Zanuriel took Danica aside to find out more useful information. After a few drinks, she said that House Halliis coudl be trusted. Additionally, Danica asked zanuriel to go to Valamar in Falden and restore the Kraster name to good working order, which he accepted. Zanuriel saw Melvor in the library and informed him that his life was at stake and to meet at the front gate where he would offer his protection. Melvor flew into a flurry of panic, agreeing and dashing outside. On his was out Zanuriel found Gervil speaking to a member of House Gregory and discovered they had fallen on hard times. A member of house Gregory was going to use their knowledge of the secret wishing fountain in the woods to turn their fortunes around. Gervil, having convinced the woman he was also a member of House Gregory, received the instructions on how to get to the well himself to help in the effort. Our heroes met back up at the front gate only to discover the Melvor had, in further panic, fled for his life out into the woods, with Penelope traveling with him! They followed the instructions to the well but still saw no sight of him. Azriel approached the well and met a nymph named Sarena. She charmed azriel and compelled him to use the well. It's mechanisms unknown, he threw in an item and was punished for his choice, causing him to gain a seaweed curse, impairing his healing.The Wishing Well
Torrentous took a mushroom and got really high, opening his mind up to a new spell capability. Jasker and Hansel, two party goers that had lost their way into the woods, were equally unresponsive to the party's requests for information. Gervil threw in liffs leaf and got a court summons to the faewild for improper dealings with a fae creature. Zanuriel, having remembered the celestial message he received, first threw in a bauble and a seahorse showed up, giving him another chance to "toss in that which he loved most." Zanuriel trusted in the words and threw in his beloved Mytril Mice, and in return he, after entering the pool himself, earned the ability to talk to plant creatures far and wide. He promised to protect all creatures of nature with his newfound power. Two myconids told the party how to move deeper into the forest where Melvor and Penelope had gone.The Deep Forest
They followed hence, and discovered Melvor had entered into an agreement, foolishly, with a fae creature from the wishing well and was transformed into a hideous tree, with his head growing as fruit on the branches! Boy that was gross. Penelope had been ensnared in the topiary of the tree and needed assistance immediately. Our heroes fought valiantly against the deadly Kapre, a forest spirit who's life force was connected to the tree itself. The heroes bested their adversary, knocking the fruit heads off the tree with repeated blows to the Kapre. Melvor, having been defeated, returned to his human form. Seeing her opportunity to complete her assassination contract, Aetha drank the green potion and sprouted venemous fangs! She sunk her teeth into Melvor's neck, delivering a fatal dose of poison into his blood stream, ending his vacuous, gilded existence, and completing the assignment. Gervil, having turned into Virgil during the battle, discovered that he could not change back! A new figure appeared, seemingly taking over control of Gervil permanently! The figure introduced himself as the real Virgil Vorenz, having incubated within Gervil for quite some time, and now he was back ready to reclaim his corporeal form and return to his seemingly unknown mission on earth. Zanuriel got a detriment with Aetha and Torrentous both getting a final boon from the being before he disappeared into a thousand oily slugs scurrying off in all directions. What will our Heroes do next? Find out in our next episode of DREAM THIEVES!
Aeða Mɛlñɛriæn
Azriel Carynthian
Zanuriel Leafbreeze
Torentous Tenaysius
Gervil Norev
Report Date
13 May 2024