Episode 44

General Summary

Upon their return to Watchers' Keep, Collective Action finds themselves once again in Sendai Argrim's quarters, courtesy of her teleportation spell. Wasting no time, Sendai leads the party down to a fortified holding chamber, where she instructs them to toss the worm-form of the Avatar of Adonia into a glowing arcane circle. The second the worm touches the runes, it snaps back to its true humanoid form—a shift that reveals the circle’s anti-magic properties, as the avatar’s aura of emotional influence dissipates entirely.
Moments later, Jarna Steelspire arrives with a cleric in tow. Adjustments are made to the arcane sigils, invoking a Zone of Truth. Under this spell, the avatar faces a round of probing questions; she appears convinced, deep within her heart, that she is indeed the Avatar of Adonia, The Goddess of emotion. Yet, Jarna and Sendai remain skeptical, sensing something otherworldly in a different sense. To them, her celestial features resemble those of an Angelkin.
Seeking further clarity, Sendai manipulates the runes once more, using the circle’s power to dive into the avatar’s mind. Strangely, her memories extend no further back than her arrival in Hiku City, and every other detail aligns with what little The Watchers have pieced together. Lacking any further revelations, they leave her within the prison cells.
Jarna, though frustrated by the ambiguity, speculates that if this avatar is indeed Angelkin, then perhaps the other avatars share similar origins. With few leads left, Jarna suggests that the group’s next move should likely be toward Angeltaun, where the Angelkin have made their home.
The adventurers accept an invitation to rest and stay the night. Over dinner, they receive an update: the mission to Okin is resolved, with the monster devouring animals (and people) revealed to be a Bulette under the effects of an invisibility potion. During the meal, however, Sendai issues a sobering warning regarding Meepo—though she can shield him from the aboleth’s influence with a Mind Blank spell while they’re here, he will become vulnerable to its enthrallment once they leave.
Just as the meal ends, a bell tolls ominously. A sudden crash jolts the keep, and shouts of alarm echo as Watchers dash toward the courtyard. Collective Action follows the flow of panic to discover a full-scale assault underway—Chuul swarming the grounds and a Copper Dragon wreaking havoc. The adventurers leap into action, joining the fray alongside Jarna and Sendai, sustaining brutal injuries as they fight. Though some of their comrades fall, they push through, finally felling the Copper Dragon. But the danger only grows, as more Chuul emerge from the ground.
In the midst of the chaos, Sendai’s voice rings out with a new horror: Chuul have infiltrated the keep itself, and she urges Collective Action to race to the prison cells where the Avatar of Adonia is being held. Groban seizes Roan and teleports them ahead, only to find winged Chuul already there, slaughtering the guards with ruthless efficiency.
With the rest of the party still battling through the courtyard, Groban and Roan brace for a brutal showdown, feeling the weight of the odds turn even grimmer. The fate of the avatar—and perhaps the answers they seek—now lies in the balance, as the fight for Watcher’s Keep reaches a boiling point.

Report Date

11 Oct 2024