Session Thirteen: The Pirate King's Son II

General Summary

5th Eleasis
The fight continues, Sikander and Wibbles land substantial hits on one, and Stefan and Rayne obliterate theirs. The two narrowly jump away from the enemy as its glowing purple eyes dim and the body explodes into a swarm of fanged tadpole like creatures that bite at them as they flash by and disappear.
Rayne and the southern samurai miss each other as it sends a necrotic tadpole out toward Sikander, hitting him hard. As it does, a new spirit comes over the dwarf, seeming to make his beard light on fire as if from a forge, strengthening him again. He and Rayne continue dealing with the samurai, Anya lending her hand by heating the armor of one, while Stefan and Tal go after Sinew, eventually catching the traitor.
When the last samurai fall, damaging Rayne, Sikander, Anya, and Tal, Anya runs up and heals Sikander before he goes running for Sinew, admonishing him for going back into flanked position. Meanwhile, Rayne picks up one of the swords and is knocked to the ground as he sees a horrible vision of the necrotic tadpoles as something vast moves toward him - Salapsu - the devourer of the gods. Anya remains, helping him up as they briefly discuss what he saw, while they others capture Sinew  He is shot in the left buttocks by Sikander, guarded by Tal, while Stefan hold him aloft back toward Anya and Rayne, attempting to yield as they do.
  Rayne, not wishing to leave such a weapon laying about, attempts to use Eclipse to destroy the evil katana. Anya attempts to help and burns her eyebrows off in the process. The black energy enters Eclipse, leading Rayne and Selune to force the darkness into the fourth rune, saving the blade. As he returns Eclipse to his scabbard, the others arrive with Sinew, drawing Anya's immediate anger and attention.
Stefan drops him at her request and she pulls Thundergrace and places the blade to his throat, a foot on his chest. The others watch as she interrogates Sinew, learning he received his instructions from someone in Waterdeep behind a curtain and that the God Eaters from children's stories are coming back, warning they will devour dreams, hopes, belief - anything that gives life savor and color. maybe he was right they are coming back. There was also Librarian in Candlekeep killed just a while ago at the request of the same mysterious person. After further threats from Anya, he shares the location was in the Sea Ward of Waterdeep near the intersection of Street of the Singing Dolphin and Diamond Street on the city side of the intersection. Additionally, he is a worshipper of Selune, specifically Morgana and the darker side of the moon. Wanting to live, he continues giving information about the dust trade sharing:
 - Someone close to the Admiral who is a dust lord 
 - Immeral is a distributer (Sinew used to deal, but no more) 
 - Kethand is a messenger and flies it to others in the city 
 - Midshipmen Falfan on the Defiant helps pass information, but no one knows who refines it. 
As he finishes, Anya takes the axe and knocks him in the head, intending to knock him out, but kills him instead. In her disgust, she leaves him, but Rayne comes over and spares him, giving Anya a concerned comment about spiraling down a dark road. They return to Lady Shizash's, speaking to Altaktakat Alluk in the dark. Concerned and curious, Anya shifts into a cat to follow as the guys explain their need for rest. Sikander, Piper, and Stefan all head for their rooms while Rayne, frustrated that Anya has slipped off on her own, settles into a meditative state with Eclipse in his lap, confirming whatever that energy was corrupted the fourth rune and would need to be dispelled before the rune activated, or risk releasing the dark energy.
Anya, as small cat, sneaks after Altaktakat as she returns to the Pentacorn. Out front is the orc Mister Ud, who attempts to coax Anya over. Ignoring him, she searches for another way in and finds an open window. Upon climbing in, she finds herself in Libby the orangutan's room and is scooped up as he goes back to sleep. She learns through his sleep talking that there is a wife with three kids in another country waiting to join him here and that he is a Selunite. Before her hour is up, she shifts again into a mouse and scurries back out the window, irritated she did not learn what Altaktakat and Lady Shizash were discussing, and ready for real rest. On her return, she finds Rayne waiting and they briefly discuss her errand, the need to stay together, and the state of Eclipse before they retire to their rooms. 
Waking the next morning, Sikander is slow to wake to Stefan knocking on the door, who excitedly suggests meat and ale to start the day. Piper and Harlock Honagolin sit by themselves as Anya enters to the suggestion of day-drinking Skumbl. Rayne steps up and insists they all go back out to find the other swords as Sikander and Stefan don't seem to take the threat seriously. Arriving back out on the mesa they find the swords and Sikander divinely intuits the overly evil sense coming from them as Anya holds out her right arm, showing Sehenine's mark to be glowing a purple. Rayne tells him to touch the sword, and looking to Anya for confirmation, she agrees after enhancing his ability to withstand the effects Rayne experienced. 
Sikander touches it, and the armor glows briefly before throwing the dark energy off, knocking him to the ground.
  Sikander's Vision
Sikander falls and lands in endless black water. He stands and shouts "Hello" (dripping wet still), and hears his voice echo back from the infinite blackness. Drawing Wibbles, he starts walking for what feels like days until he comes to a forge with a dwarf building a sword. He introduces himself as Shalmar and directs Sikander's attention to the three dwarves converging on him, the same three whose hammers create the Treystrke, and take up positions around him facing outward. An awful, laughing, creaking noise begins to terrify Sikander as he brings Wibbles up, but Shalmar reassures him, telling him to watch. The eldritch tadpoles descend on him, but a single bright green flash from a podium with a large jewel extends beyond him, ending the laughter.
  As the darkness begins to lighten around him, Shalmar looks at Sikander, saying, "You will remember this I hope Sikander Steelstone. I have been watching you a long time young man."
  Almost no time passed during his vision, as Anya is still kneeling to check on him. Coming to and standing back up, he blames the Skumbl for the odd vision, but doesn't elaborate. Looking at the sword, they find it inert and lifeless as the energy was dispelled by Sikander's armor. The third still emitted the darkness, so they magically wrap it and seal it with Selune's amulet, then store it in the bag of holding. They all agree to start for Hobb's, hoping the pub is waiting for them. As they return to town, Libby and Mister Ud both note Anya's scent, but make no comment. Coming around the corner, they all see the familiar blue pub and eagerly enter, with Rayne visibly relaxing. 
  As they enter, Hobb greets them, grateful to see Harlock - advising it would be difficult but rewarding to help the lad find home and that Emeraldas knows how to find Harlock's father. Seeing the whole group seem exhausted, he starts getting them something to drink - prune juice especially for Stefan, Rayne, and Stefan. (Sikander is not a fan of prune juice). He begins to share his desire to continue working with the group, giving them the agreed upon reward (500gp per person) then shares more about his purpose:
 - He's a member of an order called the Sands of Obon. Their purpose is "to keep the Universe BEING the Universe. '
 - He suggests that what is at stake is not the physical universe but its heart and soul. He says the God Eaters eat belief and dreams. If they win, all that is left will basically be a big machine.
He gifts the party a moon puzzle artifact, with Anya getting a surge of magic and power from it as it twists going from a crescent to a full moon, along with the chance to join when he feels your ready. Hobb also recommends they seek a powerful religious figure, a Priest and Priestess "in one person" who can cure Rayne's sword and who may be able to help with the God Eaters.
  Hobb suggests they all take some time for themselves to recover from the stress of the last job. Rayne heads off to the Swordcoast, Piper returns to Waterdeep, and Stefan decides to remain in Cloudhook. Anya, Sikander, and Tal remain in the pub for a time catching up and checking in with each other before she and Tal return to Neverwinter Woods and Sikander to Cloudhook. 

Rewards Granted

Moon Puzzle Artifact (Anya's holding)
Cursed God Eater Blade (Bag of holding??)
500gp each

Missions/Quests Completed

Harlock has been recovered! Now to return him to his father.

Notes

We ended session with downtime as everyone takes off to their chosen locations. The max time away is a week. Anya will return early to Cloudhook, looking for Stefan and Sikander on her return.
Campaign
The God Eaters Campaign
Protagonists
Rayne Gellar
Anya Galanodel
Sikander Steelestone
Stefan Blackstrike
Chaotic Neutral Dhampir (Sailor)
Barbarian 12
173 / 173 HP
STR
14
DEX
16
CON
20
INT
8
WIS
8
CHA
10
Report Date
05 Jul 2023
Primary Location
Secondary Location

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