Session 097 - Evil Little Psychos

General Summary

1st of Agrazhar (Last Month of Summer) 722TR

The story so far

Athena has conquered the Barony of Ithiko. She now deals with the day to day issues of a domain ruler. Athena's Fighting Order, the Sisterhood of the Crimson Dancer, also has an army stationed at Castle Ithiko.

The continuation of Session 96 - The Wreak and the Turtle.

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Location - Castle of Ithiko in the Kingdom of Rethem.

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Part 1 - Friend from the Past.

Vibeke, art by Tatiana Vetrova

Vibiki, a Common Soldier of the Sisterhood of the Crimson Dancer, meets with Athena. She has been assigned to guard the Red Shadows of Hepra Knights Athena captured when Athena seized Castle Ithiko. Vibiki learns that one of the Knights, Sir Terrik Garneet, has been causing trouble wanting a meeting with Athena. He has become somewhat insistent, despite being told to shut up with some physical encouragement. Vibiki has become convinced of this sincerity.

Priestess Arina, art by Artbreeder

Athena agrees to meet with Sir Terrik but first visits the nearby Church of Agrik. The High Priestess of the Order of Kukshin assigns the Priestess Arina Delauer to act as an advisor. Arina performs a ceremony in the meeting chamber to compel anyone in the area to tell only the truth. However, those of a strong will could potentially resist.

Sir Terrik Garbeet, art by Artbreeder

Sir Terrik Garneet is brought in with a split lip and a blackened eye. The man is earnest, confident, and somewhat arrogant. He explained that due to his scholastic training, and near-photographic memory, he spent years assigned as a Temple Guard in the nearby Church of Agrik. During this period, he observed much of the Order of Hepra Mace's inner workings and ceremonies. He recalls the Priests discussing an ancient myth written in a book of Demon Summoning, The Seven Instigators of Macabre Mockery.

He asks for a scrap of paper and writes down several verses that he recalls. The book he saw also had the illustration of a white-skinned diminutive Gnome-like humanoid.

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Children of Stygian Mirror

On the night, the Sable Eye crosses in the house of the Crynto when Yael is sleeping.

They come short of size, white of skin, and bathed in the blood of the innocent.

A twisted squat reflection of the world that could have been.

Through the haze of blood and bone, they will be giants.

Pain, fear, and chaos are their craft.

Rejoice in the dance of insanity.

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Quazzy understands that the Sable Eye is a name for one of the Planet Mergus, and Crynto is a constellation of the Beetle. Sir Terrik says that these heavenly bodies are currently in alignment, and the Moon Yael is new. He is concerned that the conditions for this event, if real, maybe about to or have already just occurred. Possibly demonic creatures may have entered the world intent on causing chaos.

The Priests of the Order of Hepra the Mace were planning to investigate the nearby Basalt and Porphyry Mine (owned by the Miners Guild and Church of Morgath). The glossy black-purple Porphyry sourced from this Mine is commonly called Stygian Mirrors. The Priests intended to put a stop to such a demonic incursion. However, during Athena's invasion, the Priests fled the settlement, abandoning the temple hastily taking most of the holy text and artifacts with them.

Athena decides to investigate the Mine from where these so-called Stygian Mirrors originate. The Priestess Arina is asked to accompany the Heroes as they may need divine rituals performed.

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Location - Basalt Quarry in the Earldom of Ithiko in the Kingdom of Rethem.

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Part 2 - Outside of the Mine

As the Heroes approach the quarry, they note dead bodies. Insane Guards and Slaves are attacking each other or hacking into dead bodies with picks and shovels. The Party tries half-heartedly to establish order. When this fails, they put a stop to the violence with lethal force. All the guards were killed as they attack the Party. However, some of the slaves or workers that could be easily incapacitated, or do not annoy the Heroes, are spared. On the bodies, they notice small claw marks and observe during the brief fight that when some of the madmen when attack they seemed to oddly look above their opponent's heads.

Part 3 - The Halls of Madness

The Party makes its way into the Porphyry Mine, finding more bodies and Slaves fighting. Yureb quickly disables them with a Hypnotic Pattern. As the Heroes start to disable the charmed men, they are attacked by strange demonic creatures, Spree Demons. These short white-skinned horned humanoids have clawed hands and are covered in the blood of the dead. Two of them emerge initially followed shortly after with another with a wand, which looks as if it was made of dead insects. This Trio proves a real handful. They are difficult to injure, and when struck, sometimes fade from one location reappearing, next to vulnerable characters. Their poisoned claws nearly killed Quazzy and Yureb. The Demon with the wand conjured poisonous insects into the mouths of Heroes.

As hard fight as it was it abruptly shifted to favor the Heroes after Quazzy magically Curses and Blinds two of the creatures and Yureb wrestles the ugly bug wand from the third. This allows Athena to close and destroy the Demons with her Balefire enhanced Greatsword.

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The Heroes have a short moment of rest, Yureb Identifies the wand as a Wand of Vermin Breath.

To be continued....

NPC Interactions

Vibiki - A Woman of Arms in the Sisterhood of the Crimson Dancer. Very tall and strong, this Kath Barbarian warrior was a former Gladiator.

Arina Delauer - Priestess Of the female clerical Order of Kukshin.

Sir Terrik Garneet - Knight of the Order of the Red Shadows of Hepra.

Challenges Overcome

Defeated a chaotic mob of Berserk Guards and Slave Miners.

Defeated 3 Elite Spree Demons.

Rewards

Wand of Vermin Breath.

Created Content

Wand of Vermin Breath.

Related Reports

Sisterhood of the Crimson Dancer.

Order of Kukshin.

Players Character Status

Athena the Banshee - Level 16 Paladin of Vengeance - Gained Level.

Yureb - Level 16 Arcane Trickster - Gained Level.

Quazzy - Level 5 Necromancer and Level 11 Warlock Disciple of Desridaen - Gained Warlock Level.

Campaign

The Uncivil War - Campaign Complete

Protagonists

Quazzy

Athena

Yureb

Report Date

16 Aug 2020

NPC Companion

Lucia Kalomar, art by Artbreeder

Lucia Kalormar, Athena's Squire

Sisterhood of the Crimson Dancer

A female only Fighting Order.

by Columbia Games

Order of Kukshin

A female only Clerical Order devoted to the evil God of War, Agrik.

Order of Kukshin, art by Columbia Games

Wand of Vermin Breath

Wand

Legendary Requires Attunement

Your target sputters and coughs before a swarm of poisonous vermin spews from their mouth.

This wand has 7 charges. Target creatures within 60ft range. 1 charge per target. The target must succeed on a Constitution Saving Throw DC 14 or take 2d8 Poison Damage and may not speak until the start of your next turn.

This effect has no effect on a creature without a mouth.

The wand regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the wand's last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the wand turns into a small vermin swarm and is destroyed.

This ugly wand shaped like a series of insects and maggots.

by Wizards of the Coast