Session 147 - A Beautiful Ending

General Summary

25^th Kelen (Third Month of Spring) 723TR

The story so far

The heroes have foiled the plans of the former Priestess of Halea, Danisa Chatil, who, in her efforts to appear younger and more attractive, has become an undead monster, an Amorvin. The heroes have learnt that she resides in a townhouse in the City of Golotha and plan to visit and put an end to her evil forever.

The continuation of Session 145 - Flies of Death and Decay.

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Location - City of Golotha in the Kingdom of Rethem.

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Part 1 - Dead Rats

The heroes locate a ladder and a securely locked trapdoor leading up into Heptarch Danisa's townhouse. Yureb fails to unlock the entrance and has to rely on Athena to wrench it open using his crowbar. Unfortunately, the trapdoor has a magical rune, and a cloud of noxious gas envelopes Athena. Coughing and sputtering, the heroes make their way up the ladder into the cellar of the townhouse. But first, they extinguish their torches and characters without low-light vision drink Potions of Darkvision.

Yureb sneaks in ahead of the other characters and hides behind some old barrels. He hears scraping sounds, soon giant Zombie Rats mob the other characters. He also hears the sound of someone walking down steps towards the heroes. A muscled warrior, gruesomely dressed in dirty rags with a metal mask, appears. He lights a torch and then badly wounds Athena with his primitive rusty blade. Worse, a nearby chest explodes open, and a flesh-colored Sarcophagus Ooze with a human skull in its core emerges.

From the shadows, Yureb summons his invisible Mage Hand, grabs the torch from the gruesome man's free hand then throws it down the trapdoor. The room goes dark, and the warrior is blinded. Yureb then strikes him with this magic sword finding a weak spot and causing critical damage. The battle is all but over. The gruesome man scores a couple of powerful lucky hits, but he, the ooze, and the rats are soon eliminated.

Yureb spots a magic symbol on the stairs leading up. Another magical trap. Examining the dead man, the heroes find on the inside of the mask a strange rune. After testing, the heroes learn that this magical trap does not trigger when this rune is nearby.

Part 2 - The Battle

Senior Prestess Danisa by Artbreeder

Yureb leads the heroes upstairs. He sees some servant, a young woman who flees upstairs, shouting, "Mistress, they are coming." He chases her upstairs, delivers a Shocking Grasp, and is horrified when her heart stops, and her hair begins to smoke. Poor woman.

On the top floor of the townhouse, Yureb spots a knight and Heptarch Danisa Chatil. The knight attacks and clashes swords with Lucinda, who had just arrived, while Quazzy looking through the eyes of her familiar, observes the combat, looking for an opportunity to strike. The knight proves to be a good match for Lucinda.

Athena enters the melee, and Quazzy attempts to deliver a Bestow Curse through her familiar. Danisa shrugs it off and once again ages Athena to an old woman. Dansia uses the protective warding in the townhouse to strike at Quazzy. She is Banished into a realm of complete darkness. Unable to play any further role in the battle does not help Quazzy's fragile mental state.

Yureb casts an enchantment on the knight and, despite his best efforts, cannot maneuver him into attacking the Priestess. Frustrated, he is struck by a curse that causes his blood to boil and blinds him, so he retreats down the stairs out of sight. Using his Spider climb, and hides on the ceiling, preparing an ambush. Despite being old and decrepit, Athena strikes Danisa and causes enough damage to break the Boiling Blood Curse on Yureb and forces her to back off. She materializes downstairs, and despite Yurebs best efforts, spots him trying to hide on the ceiling. He hits her with a well-timed strike, and she responds by conjuring a spectral whip and creating a dizzying display of seductive colors. With a heroic effort, Yureb barely resists the Hypnotic Pattern and responds with his magic sword's unique ability, Echo. The damage he dealt previously to Danisa is repeated, and shocked, she crumbles to dust.

The knight continues attacking Lucinda and Athena, showing that's he is not under a charm or compulsion. Outnumbered, he is soon executed. Athena quickly uses the holy healing flame of her god Agrik to restart the heart of the poor serving woman; however, she will bear the marks of her electrocution for the rest of her life.

Part 3 - A Beautiful Death

The party race back to the Priestess sanctum in the underground crypt. At midnight the Amorvin's body reforms in a bed of Holy Ash. Her flesh sizzles, and she is trapped in the cunning restraints Yureb prepared.

Athena drives her holy sword through Danisa's dead heart severing her link to this world. Her physical body is forever destroyed. Heptarch Danisa Chatil joins the long list of Halean city councilors who have disappeared without explanation.

Part 4 - Deeper Plots

The heroes ransack the townhouse. They find some valuable loot; however, Quazzy finds some interesting letters in Danisa's study. One letter has the white cockatrice seal of Athena's most hated enemy, Baron Rarval Hamlen. Baron Rarval organized the murder of Athena's family and stole her lands. She has responded by killing his sons and all those responsible for this injustice, save the Baron, who has been in hiding apparently in Golotha.

Questioning Jemma, the servant woman Athena revived, the heroes learn that Baron Rarval has been a frequent guest of Heptarch Danisa. Three days ago, she gave him a cubic box made of bone carved to resemble skulls and orbs. This evil box radiated cold, and the Baron's servant who held it quickly became weak and ill.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

Jemma, the servant.

Challenges Overcome

9 Giant Zombie Rats.

1 Sarcophagus Slime.

1 Legendary Swift Fighter.

1 Fighter - Champion.

Destroyed the Danisa Amorvin.

Discovered the letter from Baron Rarvel Hamlen.

Related Reports

City of Golotha.

The Compound.

Heptarchial Council - Updated.

Danisa Chatil - Updated.

Amorvin, free-willed undead.

Clan Hamlen.

Baron Rarval Hamlen.

Players Character Status

Athena the Banshee - Level 18 Paladin of Vengeance - Gained level.

Yureb - Level 18 Arcane Trickster - Gained level.

Quazzy - Level 5 Necromancer and Level 13 Warlock Disciple of Desridaen - Gained warlock Level.

Campaign

The Uncivil War - Campaign Complete

Protagonists

Quazzy

Athena

Yureb

Report Date

16 May 2021

Primary Location

City of Golotha

NPC Companion

Dame Lucia Kalormar, Athena's Aid

Lucia Kalomar, art by Artbreeder

Yureb's Sword - Echo

The ancient Jarinese Short Sword Macalla which translates to Echo. This was the ancestral weapon of the Kings of Gemala.

This weapon is a magical +3 sword with a special ability called Echo. The Wielder can cause the victim of the weapon to feel the pain of the last injury inflicted again. As an action, after inflicting an injury with this weapon, the wielder can inflict psychic damage equal to the damage done by physical injury. This must be actioned before the end of the Wielder's next turn. This can be used once per long rest.

Macalla, art by Pngfind

Clan Hamlen

Clan Hamlen, art by Attacus

Baron Rarval Hamlen

Ravel Hamlen, art by Artbreeder