Session 293 - Bathhouse of Death
General Summary
15th to 18th of Nolus (Summer) 726TR
The Story So Far
The heroes return to the City of Tashal and undertake personal endeavors.
This is the continuation of Session 292- A Trap For A Fire Wizard.
Location - City of Tashal in the Kingdom of Kaldor.
Part 1 - The Soap Merchant
Rycon, suffering a spiritual crisis, considers his options to continue worshiping Larani and being a member of a Church organization he has begun to despise or join the rather enticing congregation of the Church of Halea.
Dryueh continues building his information network under his alias Set while building his reputation as one of the city's skilled and compassionate physician.
Fortunately, Loran has a problem, and if Valeria and her friends were to fix it, he would happily give it to her. He has recently invested a small fortune in a bathhouse. However, recently three clients mysteriously died of heart attacks shortly after the bathhouse opened. The characters agree to help and find and deal with the cause on the condition that they get lifelong access to the baths in addition to the pendant.
Part 2 - The Bathhouse
The bathhouse is located in a small series of underground chambers. Boilers supply warm river water, and cold and dirty waters are diverted into the city's sewers. Its walls and floor are paneled with fine Telen Marble from the Thardic Republic, and three bathing pools are decorated with an intricate pattern of mermaids.
On investigation, there appears to be no association or obvious commonality between the men of have died of heart attacks. The party attempts to learn more about the underground chambers but finds no records or maps. However, they are ancient, probably dating back many hundreds of years, possibly to the time of Lothrim the Foulspawner or before.
With no other clue, the characters investigate the bathing pools directly. Nothing seems amiss until Valeria casts a Light spell. The strong artificial glow highlights that the white marble tiles on one of the walls of one of the pools appear slightly off-colored, forming a pattern in the shape of an outline of a skull. Valeria fires Phase Bolts that pass through solid objects at the sinister shape. By luck, they strike something lurking in a hidden secret chamber beyond; although causing it no harm, it draws its malicious attention to the heroes.
A Wraith passes a spectral arm through the walls striking at Dryueh, who dodges. The undead spectral form fully emerges, revealing a semi-corporeal black-boned skeleton wrapped in a flowing white robe. This is an absolute terror, attacking and retreating into the walls, sapping the life forces of the characters. Dryueh collapses, nearly dead, and although Rycon delivers some strong strikes with his enchanted katana, he is weakened as well and falls to the ground, helpless and at the mercy of the undead horror. Valeria unleashes the last of her magical arsenal. A Cutting Insult briefly terrorizes the Wraith, and her Spiritual Weapon and Magical Missiles nearly destroy it. The Wraith, much to Valeria's relief, retreats, and she helps her debilitated, near-death friends to flee.
Part 3 - Round Two
Back in the city, while the characters spend several days recovering from the ordeal, they consult with the clergy and learn all they can about this type of undead terror and how to destroy it. They discover it is weakened by sunlight, so they devise a plan. On the next hot and sunny summer's day, Loran borrows a large mirror and positions it so that sunlight will be reflected along the bathhouse's central corridor, The mirror is covered, and the party will attempt to draw the Wraith out, and when in the corridor Loran will uncover the mirror.
The party investigates the pool again and finds a secret door near discolored tiles. With some effort, Dryueh flips it open, revealing a dark, dank chamber with a skeleton and a collection of canopic jars with Morgathic symbols. The Wraith is waiting and attacks. The party draws the undead into the corridor. Loran uncovers the mirror, and suddenly, the Wraith is enveloped in a beam of sunlight. It is severely diminished, and the heroes unleash their most devastating attacks, weakening the undead further. As the tattered spectral remains of Wraith tries to back off into a wall, Rycon's final blow destroys it, at least for the moment.
In the chamber, they find an unholy pact in one of the canopic jars, a contract with the evil god Morgath written and signed in blood.
I, Nistlass of Kelapyn-Anuz, give my soul to the Wreaker of Flesh in return for vengeance. May my traitorous sister live forever in pain.
Before the Wraith can reform, priests of the Church of Peoni perform an exorcism, permanently ridding the world of this evil. Meanwhile, Dryueh has plans for the hidden chamber, which will become his secret safehouse in due course.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
Loran of Virun - Soap Merchant, Perfumer, and bathhouse owner.
Challenges
1 x Wraith
Rewards
Nothing this week.
Created Content
Nothing this week.
Related Reports
Player Characters
All characters gained a level.
Valeria - Human Magical Experiment - L4 Shadow Sorcerer - Beastmaster.
Rycon - Human Rebel Knight - L4 Fighter - Liberator Champion.
Dryueh - 1/2 Elf Scout - L4 Thief Rogue - Vigilante/Medic.
Next Session
Rycon
Dryueh
Comments