Chapter 1 Finale: Leaving the Wheel in style.
General Summary
That was stupid... I just couldn't stand to lose everything again...Session started with a catch-up for Auriel who was visited by Nistal Rennax. They met in his cabin, a small and poorly built space that did not have much life or character to it... something Auriel commented on in her usual blunt fashion.
- Fionn sits with his wife at the end of his time.
Rennax told Auriel he believed she was made of 'steel and gold' and, despite how cowardly and disappointing he must appear to her, he was truly proud to have her as potential family. He then explained that he knew where The Da'Shaw Clan were roving at the moment as they were in northern Kaechaek, beyond The Slumbering Incisors as they were waiting for the next Raiders Market to be established this year. He then further advised Auriel to avoid Da'Shaw/Da, the leader of the clan and the one who banished Rennax in the first place.
Auriel then expressed their desire to heal others and make them 'whole'... with Rennax replaying that none in the clan end full... they all end up a little broken... he then gifted Auriel a 300gp diamond and told her she would be able to use it to save a life one day when she was ready to do so, with that, Auriel left his cabin and tried to find the party.
With that, we returned to the main problem at hand as Hermione of Vallea sent Jolly to contact Esmerae and Auriel; succeeding in catching both with the message spell and telling them that the party were leaving the wheel NOW, Auriel and Esmerae immediately started making their way to the Sand Speeders on the outskirts of town... with Auriel getting hopelessly lost with a natural 1 on trying to navigate out of the Wheel.
Meanwhile, Fionn and Mallus ran to Earland Grey Rock Fastbin Still Halfpenny Whispered Hillwalker's home in the barony. As they entered, Fionn and Mallus were hidden in the back library of Earland's home but, mere minutes later, they heard Light Bearer Signill enter in pursuit.
In a moment of desperation and luck, Fionn and Mallus found one of the bookcases were hiding an exit, moving the bookcase they managed to run out but were seen by Signill during this who immediately ran in pursuit of them. Keeping up despite Fionn using side alleys to move at speed and utilising ball bearings in an attempt to slow his pursuer. Fionn managed to make it to the sand speeder.
During this, Esmerae was also contacted by Hermione and managed to make it to the sand speeder where they saw Fionn approach whilst being pursued, Hermione also made it to the sand speeder, but was slightly further away.
Delayed and without Auriel, the party did not start their sand speeder and, instead, Esmerae ran back into the town to find their companion and instructed the rest of the party to start the sand speeder and meet her on the other side of town. Peregrine then attempted to start the speeder but rolled a low check and only hit it's 10DC activation, making it a 10ft per round vehicle. In that moment, Signill dashed to get on top of the sand speeder to finally face the group.
With that, Mallus burst from Fionn's bag of holding and grappled Signill before proning him and allowing Fionn to place his Wardstone on top of Signill to use as an improved immovable rod and keep the warrior in place. However, both Fionn and Mallus sustained heavy injuries in that moment as Signill was clearly showing himself to be a cut above the party in terms of combat power with their ability to make three attacks their rapier and warhammer dealing impressive damage to the group.
Hermione, with mirror image up, managed to make her way to the sand speeder and activated it before the group inexplicably changed their mind and decided to move across and steal one of The Bright Concord sand speeders as an upgrade for their own. Thinking that Signill was held in place at least for a short time. This proved to be a disastrous move for the party as, halfway to the stone, they watched Signill teleport from underneath the stone and attack Hermione, tearing through all 3 of her mirror images in a moment of luck for Hermione. Fionn and Mallus then intervened with Fionn scoring a clean strike on Signill which enraged the man and led him to badly wound both martial characters.
While this was happening, Esmerae found Auriel and whilst being carried by the dragonborn, directed the pair of them to the other side of town where they agreed to meet the party.
The battle on the outskirts of town continued and Hermione activated the Bright Concord sand speeder and both Peregrine and Mallus climbed aboard. This left Fionn in a 1v1 with Signill where, seeing the situation becoming more desperate with Nemeis Barrow-Drawn and six Bright Concord soldiers arriving on the scene, he had two last tricks left. He missed a strike with his silver chain against Signill and, in a moment of sacrifice. He activated his Heroic Risk to use a 17th level ability. Fionn activated an aura effect around him that caused every creature touched by The Quori and The Nocta Mori in the area to become terrified. This included: Mallus who felt his transformation ability's vanish as the Nocta Mori inside him fled in terror, Peregrine who barely passed the save to avoid being left in abject terror in the presence of Fionn and Signill who was left a stuttering mess before Fionn's intensity as Fionn learned that Signill was afflicted with a nightmare that drove him mad.
Fionn instructed the party to leave as he was convinced he was going to die anyway but Hermione shifted the Sand Speeder and grabbed Fionn as they tried to flee. Nemeis, however, was not affected by the fear affect Fionn gave and he and the soldiers fired on the sand speeder, knocking Fionn unconscious and pinning Peregrine to the seat of the sand speeder and leaving her on 1hp. However, the party managed to escape this final assault and they swung to the other side of the wheel to pick up Esmerae and Auriel who immediately took stock.
Auriel used her channel divinity to heal Peregrine, Mallus and Fionn but their magic wasn't enough as the heroic risk Fionn took forced him to make four death saving throws... with him rolling a 6, 1, 2 and 8...
Fionn found himself resting in the old dream opposite his wife who, for the last time, finished their dream as the two of them left down the final tunnel... hand in hand... leaving the party with only the course of their once-leader.
Rewards Granted
- 1x 300gp diamond gifted to Auriel by Rennax
Missions/Quests Completed
The party successfully escaped the Wheel and Mallus escaped the clutches of Nemeis Barrow-Drawn.
Notes
This was a key session, representing the first character death of the campaign... a permanent death for Fionn who left with his wife after using his heroic risk to save the party from Light Bearer Signill.
Report Date
27 Jun 2023
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