Session 6: A Midnight Snack Report
General Summary
Entering a high and very large mountain valley, they traveled deep into the night, meeting the main road again just before midnight, encountering a road sign indicating they approached Levron's Citadel in a day or two. Just after midnight, they passed a bend in the road, and noticed movement on the sides, as two small brain creatures stepped up on either side of the road. Realizing danger again stalked their path, the party prepared to fight.
The fight began suddenly, as the strange creatures ambushed the party. Kaalam was struck with some form of psychic assault, which left him incapacitated for the duration. Quirico , alert as always, managed through some strange temporal energy to strike the creature, surging with energy to crush it's hardy transparent carapace with a flurry of blows from both his own morningstar and additional strikes from his temporal echo. As the ambush was sprung a second brain creature tried to blast Quirico 's mind, but that stalwart managed to resist the effect. Two large clockwork horrors, metal spheres bristling with strange metal tentacles and weapons, revealed themselves, and both Roisin and Jeeves were lifted high into the air through some magical means. Finally able to react, Trysor was the fastest to respond and quickly transformed into an albino death weasel to attack the brain creature, but was unable to penetrate the transparent carapace with his massive needle teeth. Roisin managed to break free of the magical force restraining her, and fell hard to the ground 30 feet below. Roisin directed Quirico to strike the brain creature with his bow, but the carapace proved impervious to normal weaponry. The clockwork sphere exuded a magical aura of crippling fear, but most of the party resisted the effect, partly thanks to Roisin's words spurring Boris to greater courage. The other clockwork sphere attempted to tear into Jeeves with a cluster of blades spinning at the end of a tentacle, and completely shredded that stalwart. In horror Roy released powerful temporal magic and the scene shimmered, the even repeated, but this time the attack failed to connect, and Jeeves was spared.
The second brain blasted Trysor's mind, and the Albino Death Weasel froze in place, its mind shattered. The creature then took refuge under the large weasel. Roy attempted to control the clockwork sphere with powerful alchemy, but failed, and then struck with a magical orb of acid, eroding its armor slightly. A clockwork sphere attempted to strike Jeeves, but missed, and fired a bolt of fire which also failed to connect. Jeeves attempted to break free, but failed, remaining restrained just above a clockwork sphere hiding in a tree. Jeeves still managed to strike the sphere, nicking it's armor. Boris blessed a few of the companions, and Roy struck the crawling brain with a magical cantrip, showing it could be harmed with magic. The larger clockwork sphere strode forward and erupted in a flurry of rapid attacks with five tentacles topped with clusters of blades whirling about. Two strikes missed, and one connected with Trysor, the other two struck Boris and Kaalam, tearing into their flesh powerfully leaving both unconscious and bleeding.
Confused and paniced, the crawling brain struck at the weasel again, managing to cause harm but failing to act more destructively. Roy moved to the side for better angle, and conjured a shadowy blade of darkness. He cast the blade at the crawling brain and struck true, killing the beast. The Sphere in the tree fired a bolt of flame at Jeeves , but missed. It dropped Jeeves , then, and he fell 50 feet onto a sharp boulder, trying to avoid it, but ending up landing on his back, the impact leaving him unconscious and bleeding. Quirico struck the clockwork sphere again, denting its sphere. Jeeves continued to lay unconscious, Boris recovered, however, summoned a spiritual weapon, stood, and then fired a clockwork bolt as well. The surprised sphere was struck powerfully, causing significant damage. Roy also struck effectively with a crossbow, leaving the sphere shattered, and a horror, a creature of amorphous muscle crawled out. Roisin rallied both Boris and Jeeves , enabling them to recover some of their strength. Quirico unleashed a powerful strike with his morningstar, and Boris also struck with his warhammer, battering the amorphous creature. Roy tried to prevent the creature leaving, but the magic failed, but Roy then teleported in a mist of magic beside the creature. The creature tried to lift Roy with magic, but he stood firm. The creature ran away and Jeeves took the opportunity attack, but missed his strike; Quirico did likewise, and also missed. Jeeves attacked with a hand crossbow, but accidentally fired backwards, striking the immobile form of Trysor nearby. Boris fired a clockwork bolt, but missed, and Quirico turned toward the other sphere and manged to connect with his morningstar, battering it. The muscled horror magically lifted Roy into the air, then ran away, but Roy conjured a bonfire around it and burned the thing to ashes, then fell to the ground, saved from harm by magic. A scream of horror erupted from the dying creature, however, and terrified both Quirico and Roy . The clockwork sphere battered Quirico with its weapons, and moved into a better position. Jeeves struck the sphere with a crossbow bolt, and broke off a small plate. Boris moved back and struck the sphere with another clockwork bolt. The sphere responded by striking at Boris, but Roisin's distracting cry limited the attack to a single impact. Roy fired another orb of acid at the sphere, corroding it further, but the chaotic magic he used to speed the spell caused him to magically fall from the nearest tree. Jeeves struck with another crossbow strike, and Boris struck with his warhammer. Roisin again ordered Boris to attack and he struck again with his warhammer, breaching the sphere to reveal yet another muscular horror. Jeeves struck the horror with a rapier, injuring it.
The others still stunned, Boris summoned a blade of wroth, and struck the horror with fire and radiance. Roisin again ordered Boris to strike, dealing more fire and radiant harm. Jeeves struck with another crossbow bolt, and Boris struck with his siege crossbow, then fired another clockwork bolt at Roisin's direction, finishing the horror, and shredding its aberrant flesh.
The party took some time to recover and bind their wounds. Boris used powerful magical herbs to restore both Kaalam and Trysor, while Jeeves healed their wounds. Continuing their journey, they soon crested a low pass, and found themselves looking upon a hellscape, a long and deep narrow valley made entirely of black rock that crumbled to the touch and wreathed in smoke and fog, filled with sharp vertical walls and flat surfaces, probably artificial. Closer investigation showed the stone to be coal, and the valley some sort of open coal mine. Roy used magic to detect a hidden path, and a short time later the party had crossed the valley and came upon a hidden entrance, with massive stone and metal doors. A brief conversation, and the party claimed to be seeking trade, which gained them entrance to Levron's Citadel. They were met with a dwarven woman who questioned them closely, and Roy requested something called "The Inquiry" that he be permitted to keep his arcane focus and not be mage-shackled. A priest was summoned and a powerful blessing summoned to ensure all statements would be truthful. Most party members gave no resistance; Quirico tried to resist, but failed. Roy was given a sheet, listing the major laws of the Citadel, then each member of the party was questioned.
- Each individual was asked the same questions:
- Do you intend harm to anyone in this citadel, the citadel, or anyone associated with this citadel?
- Do you know of anyone in this cidated, or associated with this citadel, who intends you harm?
- Do you intend to follow all of the laws of this citadel.
Trysor, when questioned, also asked if he might transform to another form for the duration of the visit, and permission was granted. He transformed to a cat, and a collar was placed to ensure he remained in that form.
As the questions were asked, it was clear that Quirico was sweating bullets. When the woman asked Quirico her questions, initially he refused to answer, Roisin asked him to please answer, he said "no, I cannot, they'll find out".
The woman asked the question again...
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