Chapter 2, Session 7: In memorium
General Summary
Thumb bones? I always prayed he would never indulge in the dark? It would kill his father to see him now.While The Spooks surrounded the party they asked why they were here & Peregrine explained they had come to bury a friend. The main spook seems suspicious, but a hobgoblin woman recognises Fionn’s name and goes to inspect the body. Peregrine explains how Fionn died, leading the lead Spook to call for a kid (Warder) to fetch paper for him to send letters to Evecrest - especially someone called Spook Killian, who will be crushed by the news. The lead Spook - Spook Nerovich agrees to bury Fionn properly, and agrees for us to take part in the ‘burial’. Sigholdt checks the blacksmith with Hermione of Vallea while Peregrine , Malus and Esmerae stay guarding Fionn’s body. A few apprentices stare at the group as they learned that Spooks are burned instead of buried. The party also learned the Spook in charge of Evecrest: Home of the Spooks is called Spook Nerovich, and that Fionn was apparently a legend to the Spooks. Esmerae tells the Spooks exactly who’s responsible for his death, stating the killer was Light Bearer Signill and that he lived in The Wheel. Meanwhile, Sigholdt became very wary/nervous due to his links with dreams and Hermione attempted to offer him some comfort but it was awkward to say the least. The Blacksmith, a hobgoblin called Todinah, agrees to make a key for the groups unbreakable chest. Later Sigholdt admits to Hermione that he doesn’t agree with the pits/treatment of the prisoners, before they head to the mess hall together. The party spoke to Spook Nerovich who claimed Fionn was like a second son, and had apparently told him of The Kaechaek Party. He then asked the group if they would like to take part in the burning, and warned that it might send the group mad, but can grant them an answer to a question posed to the world, Hermione helped to transport Fionn's body using a Tenser's Floating Disk. Fionn was a very good Spook, Nerovich explains, but not the kind of Spook people wanted him to be. The party learned Spooks powers are created from the 7th son of the 7th son - Fionn was 3rd generation of this pattern and expected to be super powerful. His father wanted a Spook strong enough to one day slay The Sleeping King, but Fionn fell in love (when asked, Nerovich says the woman he fell in love with died). As the party walked, Nerovich gathered lavender, Cindersoul wood, grey mottled mushrooms and a small bundle of dreambark. The party asked if they can burn things with Fionn, which in theory is ok, but Nerovich gets very angry when Peregrine mentions the bone necklace, as it’s a trinket used by The Unwaking Coven. Apparently, Fionn was prone to taking potential power enhancers from other morally grey/not good groups. Nerovich throws away the necklace but permits the holy symbol - barely. At the top of the path is a plaque with one of the The Kae's Honour written on it. Also Omamori Tokens - The party took one each, knowing taking more was seen as unnecessary! The party reached the top of the hill and Nerovich told them to place a bouquet of the gathered ingredients on the pyre as they took turns saying something they would miss about Fionn to take part. Peregrine goes first, saying she’d miss his kindness and desire to help, also placing the items they were permitted to burn with Fionn. Esmerae went next, saying she’d miss his loyalty and prowess in battle - Viktor would’ve liked him. Sigholdt goes third, saying Kaechaek as a land would miss his unorthodox techniques. Hermione followed, stating FIonn was like a dad to a lot of the group, a kindly ear and a voice of reason, he kept us on the right path. The party agreed, he will be sorely missed. Hermione and Esmerae take points of madness for seeing the land of Kaechaek for what it really is (failed Wisdom saves on vision quests). Esmerae sees a pair of scarlet eyes - Tarniq Seraf - tugging on a chain attached to a body curled up and exhausted - Viktor! They’re surrounded by bodies. Tarniq goads Victor, calls him weak and that the 'girl' has ruined him. In his last moments, Victor asks to be left on the cliffs to see a sunrise - Tarniq agrees, for the warrior he once was. He stabs Victor and drags the body, still alive, out of sight. Esmerae asks where Tarniq is - from Fionn’s spirit she learns he was banished to the dark for wandering too far into it (using unapproved methods of hunting/hunting things the Spooks didn’t agree with). He is currently in the Northern Mountains, holding a puzzle box. Esmerae hears him say “I knew you’d ask for me back, I only wish I didn’t keep him with the rest of them!' - he’s in Dawncrest speaking to Spook Killian. Peregrine sees a group of mages in the darkness, in a chamber filled with arcane/alchemical work. One mage says things “Wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t have this” revealing a stone of Arcanus. They bring out a vial of blood with a quill in - “She even gave us this… Cursed blood from a cursed daughter” The stone gift is from a daughter of a fiendish lord and the blood is used as ink, radiating/glowing red. Peregrine sees heavily inscribed runes/notes on a crimson stone tablet about head-size. The mages chant together “First we cast, then we break, we will do it for…” The vision recedes into darkness. Peregrine asks when/how The Long Night will occur and learns it will occur when the Crown of the Sleeping King is reforged - this will be the first, last and fourth Longest Night. The Crown was forged with the Sleeping King and They who Speak to the Rest/She Who Walks Between the Lines - a primordial quori/nocta mori who helped kickstart what Kaechaek is now. Hermione watches a city she recognises burst to life, though it was in ruin the last time she saw it. The city is found in The Hidden Isles, alive as she sees citizens and mages moving between organic houses as stones/doors shift, and the city warms and cools itself. It is alive and emotional. Towers absorb multicoloured energy and spreads across the city, before a single crack appears in the tower sat the top - a precursor to Slaughter. Maddie asks the DM her question privately. Sigholdt looks as a woman stand sin an ornate throne room - Sofia. She stares at an empty ornate stone chair, and says to a figure only she can see “I see you for what you are ruiner, they told me because they are afraid and are being drawn to it all… Just like you want, you -” Sofia is stabbed - she smiles, using her dream powers to survive. Sofia is Sigholdt’s mum. He asks who killed Artur Coric - no clear answer but learns the person is very arrogant as they’ve never been caught. They leave a letter of their name in the victim’s bodies - an N and a C in 2 victims’ eyes so far. They have enough power and influence to speak in the ear of Emperor Honour. When Sigholdt shares this with the group, Peregrine suggests it could be the guy we learned was scrying on her - Sennic Synapse. Esmerae recognises the name and mentions he is close to the Emperor, so it could be something worth looking into - though he is a mute. The party wake the next moment at sunset as it seems several hours had passed and Fionn's body was gone and turned to ash whilst Nerovich was gone. The party decided to descend the mountain, with the exception of Esmerae who did not speak to the party and sat atop the mountain in silence. Sigholdt goes to check out the Spook’s library, with Peregrine following to speak with Nerovich. Hermione chills in nature and picks up the key from the blacksmith as Esmerae stays to watch the sunrise and mull over her vision of Victor. Peregrine and Sigholdt climb the tower for qualified Spooks and Peregrine speaks with Nerovich as Sigholdt is granted permission to peruse the books. Peregrine asks what could have placed the handprint/nightmares on/in her - Nerovich suggests a god or an unwaking witch. Unwakign witches feed off dreams and gain power so it’s possible. Peregrine realises as she speaks with Nerovich that her vision may have been of the incident in the Inkbowl that led to the breaking of the moon. When she tells him what she saw, he mentions no one ever knew of the Arcanus link - Arcanus is a layer in Hell, the King being Mephistopheles. He recommends speaking to someone in a Thornden barony for more info as they know their devils. Sigholdt checks on the info they have on the Unwaking before the pair head back to the group. Hermione identifies the items in the chest, and Sigholdt takes a Gunblade to carry. The group go to sleep, and Sigholdt dreams. He feels a deep pit of guilt seeing a town on fire that he recognises. He sprints, knowing The Black-Blooded have attacked. Sigholdt knows he must protect one target. As he arrives he sees a house bathed in quori light, and sees blood spattered on the inside of the windows. He can’t stop what’s happening, freezing outside the door. Words on the stone floor in front of the door appear: “What do you treasure?” Peregrine prepares for another night of no dreams, but instead finds herself in a large, black, empty room. Suddenly she hears a laugh and searing heat slaps her face. A voice rings out: “And you thought they would be enough? We’re gonna tell you a secret: she was a liar. They were lying to you the whole time Peregrine. You were never free. You merely went from being a servant to a powerless servant. Never remove the mark again”. The mark is back, and Peregrine gains 2 points of madness, bringing her total to 3. Her fear of fire becomes potentially paralysing, though she gains the ability to cast an enhanced dancing lights cantrip, and has her powers back. Hermione has no dreams. Esmerae remembers sparring/training with Victor and watches the sun rise agaisnt the Fionn fire. On watching the sun she declares that she felt Viktor would have loved this place, it was quiet and peaceful and beautiful and he could have breathed here - a gentle memory and gentle moment between Esmerae and Blodhren. The words on her blade change as it gains the Swift Striker ability: “It will break my heart and it will break yours, but the truth is celestial in all” on one side. On the other: “Take me to Mezzatli and speak to the monster warriors. Learn the truth of Blodhren.” Mezatli is near Dawncrest. Esmerae says Victor would have liked it here before hugging the blade, admitting she misses him. As the group woke the next day, Sigholdt resummoned Hero and Crumble who were both acting weird, and some of his abilities have changed. Finally, the group level up! Current possible links/theories/locations to check out:
- Spook Nerovich becomes panicked and upset at seeing the thumb bone necklace worn by Fionn Tadhg.
- If Mephistopheles was the King of Arcanus, could the cursed daughter who gave the mages the ingredients to destroy the moon at Inkbowl have been Daphne?
- The Black Blooded have a link to both Sigholdt’s past and Malus’??
- Is Sennic the one responsible for Corich’s death? In the capital city which we’re heading to, so hopefully will find out soon
- Esmerae needs to head to Mezatli, but also to Evecrest - both up North and near each other.
- Peregrine needs to head to a Thornden barony - one not tooooo far away from the city Hermione needs to go to
- Proposed journey: Sanctuary - Diamond - Thornden Barony - Inkbowl (if we think we have no choice) then up north to Mezatli and Evecrest
Rewards Granted
Each party member received a vision and an answer to a question of import.
Sigholdt took possession of one of Coric's gunblades.
Report Date
10 Oct 2023
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