Chapter 3, Session 10: A Calm End to Sanctuary

General Summary

The party regrouped and discussed (argued) the best way to get rid of the head of Emperor Honour. Malus decided the best way was for pigs to eat it, removing all traces of evidence, so left to try and find a pig. Peregrine thought burning the head and spreading the ashes was the best way to ensure the location couldn’t be scried upon and initially went to burn it in the fireplace with Burning Hands - luckily Hermione stopped her before she did so. Sigholdt went to throw the head into the fireplace, only to realise the fire had not been started. Hermione tried to demand the party show more respect, and eventually, everyone agreed to burn the head outside the city, scatter the ashes, and then rest 2 more days before leaving.
Meanwhile, Malus cast Speak with Animals to ask a Drift Fox for help in finding a pig. The Drift Fox, named Pink, eventually managed to track down a farm selling pigs (after leading Malus down a few wrong directions as Pink cannot read). For services rendered, Pink asked if Malus could give a positive review to the guards so Pink could get treats - Malus cut his finger to use blood for ink to write a positive review for Pink to deliver. In seeing this, Pink swore an oath/life debt to Malus before leaving. Malus went on to try and make a trade for a pig, offering four javelins. In return, he got the jankiest, most messed up on-the-cusp-of-death pig available. He managed to carry the pig back to the tavern just before the party left, and the rest of the party quickly realised the pig could not eat the head as it had no teeth left.
Deciding to go with the burning plan, the party left the pig in their room, with Peregrine putting it out of its misery as they left. The party exited the walls of the city and climbed into the mountains a short way, building a small ‘forge’. Once built, Peregrine cast Burning Hands before proceeding to go into her fear paralyses at the sight of the fire when Hermione also cast multiple firebolts. As the head was then placed in the ‘forge’ to burn, Sigholdt cast Calm Emotions on Peregrine, helping her relax enough to come out of her paralyses. Once the head had been burned, the party scattered its ashes before returning to the city to rest.
The next morning, the party awoke to see Hermione showing off her new spells and upgrades, including multiple arms! Sigholdt left to get his token and traded with the blacksmith before training. Peregrine and Malus went to the butcher to get some rations from the dead pig before also training, as Hermione and Esmerae went shopping for magical equipment and some healing potions. After trying a shop on the other side of a portal with many squirrels, and a shop on a floating boat, they eventually found some useful scrolls and 2 healing potions.
As the party bunked down for the night, Peregrine got Esmerae to open the lock on the Ruinors Tome. The party promptly realised it was written in Infernal, and Peregrine took it away to read, soon learning it was a trick designed to ‘punish avarice’. Peregrine lied and said the book would need time to be translated. As the party slept, Sigholdt cast Calm Emotions on Peregrine and, for the first minute of her sleep, she had no dreams. Meanwhile, in the night Malus (keeping watch) spotted a figure in the street trying to message Hermione. When she failed to reply, the figure began throwing stones, and Malus called out to him, also waking Hermione. After whispering a few secrets to Hermione via Joly to prove his identity as a man called Wraith - someone Hermione knew - Hermione agreed to go with him as long as Malus came too. Malus woke Sigholdt up to tell him about the ‘exposed man asking for Hermione’, and got him to agree to keep watch on Peregrine and Esmerae.
As Hermione and Malus went with Wraith they noticed he looked a bit torn up. He stated he was glad Hermione was safe as he hadn’t totally failed his duty. As they walked and talked, Wraith stated he got very lucky to leave, and that it was easy to track Hermione before going on to state: “It’s funny how fate survives” before whirling around and attacking with a gun. The Wraith disguise vanished revealing a red, hornless tiefling. Hermione was instantly dropped as he pulled out a knife with her name on it.
Sigholdt, seeing this take place, woke Peregrine and Esmerae as he raced to join the combat. The stranger tried to warn Sigholdt and Malus away but they refused to listen. The assassin cast Misty Step to escape to high ground and shoot at Hermione’s downed body, but Malus interposed, taking the shot before using his own cool abilities to reach the rooftops and attack the assassin. Malus soon learned the assassin was immune to non-magical attacks, as he then used a legendary action to teleport again and try to shoot Hermione once more. Sigholdt however was close enough to protect her with his cloak, as Malus tried and failed to summon Pink to his aid. Sigholdt used a healing potion to bring Hermione back up as he moved to body-block her.
Meanwhile, Peregrine spotted Malus, unable to see the others, and teleported to his side. Now seeing the situation she tried, and failed, to Slow the assassin. Hermione cast Aether Lance to push him off the roof however and was successful! Esmerae woke up and used her ability to walk on walls to walk down the outside of the tavern to reach the street and hurry to the group, being informed by Malus of the assassin. Dashing to get in close to the combat, she Hexblade Cursed the tiefling.
The assassin cut himself with his own blade and used a smite on Sigholt, trying to get him to leave. Malus enchanted his own fists and punched the guy in retaliation. Sigholt, taking a leaf out of Esmerae’s book, also Hexblade Cursed the assassin, flanking with Malus to try and hit, although his attack was deflected with a parry. Peregrine cast a twinned healing spell on Hermione and Sigholdt, but unfortunately, the assassin also saved against her Bane spell. Hermione managed to get a killing blow with her magical lances dragging him off the roof. She held one menacingly over him, offering mercy if he told her where ‘He’ was (Wraith?) but the assassin refused to answer and was stabbed to death. Hermione noted there was a number 5 on the back of his hand.
Suddenly the body crumpled and a red light shot up, landing behind Peregrine. Peregrine realised the assassin wasn’t dead as he now reappeared on the roof by her, and quickly alerted the others to this, unfortunately drawing his attention to her. Seeing Peregrine in danger, Esmerae leapt across the roof, attacking the assassin and noting he now had a number 4 on the back of his hand. Esmerae successfully crit, badly injuring him. However, he remained upright, and turned toward Esmerae, ready to unleash his attacks on her…

Report Date

21 May 2024