Chapter 4, Session 3: The Search for Sponsorship

General Summary

The party entered the city of Diamond and searched for a more ‘Kae’ district. After speaking to a local, Sigholdt led the party to a local tavern - the Wished Well, learning that the owner was ok but not a fan of Peridot's behaviour or dreams. Locals were also not pleased by the location of the tavern as it is built around The Ruler’s Slake, a holy well/site where every Emperor of Kaechacek has drunk from before becoming Emperor, as it is part of the Kae’s Path. The Peridotans make Kae-folk pay… As the party make their way to the tavern, they see new copies of the Platinum Herald, as well as protest groups and teams racing on the sky-trains, chased by guards. A group of mages in dark robes are outside the tavern casting Prestidigitation to clean graffiti of slurs and threats. The party paused to read the paper, learning that the investigator Sellix (who the party helped leave Bloomwilt by boat) had revealed Esmerae’s vampire status in a written piece on the party, as well as other incriminating details. They also learned Emerald Quick-Wit was dead, and the Silver Spawning monster in Sanctuary was a Dream-Eater - a herald of the Long Night. Although, the new Council Member Zerilth Compass claimed the Long Night was not due…

The party negotiated free room and board in return for a Burlesque performance in the evening. Meanwhile, Peregrine and Esmerae contacted the Head of Necromancy in Peridot, agreeing to sell the Ruinor’s Tome to him for 1000g and bragging rights - he stated he would send a representative to the Wished Well. The party investigated the job board in the street, deciding to check on applying to Elementaball as well as the Lake Cleaning job. They learned the trials for Elementaball would be held at the Ruby Vanguard Centre for Excellence and Sporting Achievement. There, they met with Haileyrose Berry who helped them sign up for Tier 3. They each had to give an epithet for their name, and decided on a team name (The Incognitos), before heading to check out the Lake Cleaning job. However, Sigholdt spotted a kid on the rails with a skyhook and chased off after them. Hermione and Esmerae commiserated on the lack of money and having to do ‘work’, as the party slowly headed toward the Lake, expecting Sigholdt to meet up with them.

Suddenly, a figure dropped from the Skyrail, grabbed Esmerae, and used a skyhook to latch back onto the rail and race away. Esmerae recognised them as a tenanted vampire. The figure being chased by Sigholdt dropped to the ground, revealing themselves to also be a tenanted vampire. Sigholdt commanded them to drop but they resisted the spell, as Peregrine raced forward to successfully cast Suggestion (with help from a Silvery Barb) to make the vampire holding Esmerae drop her and run. Hermione cast an Aether Lance to push the vampire away from Sigholdt, who also tried to hit it with a Hexblade Curse, learning they were immune to psychic damage. Malus prepared to attack as he stood near Peregrine, just as Esmerae used her Blood Jump to go from the vampire holding her into another. While the blood jump was successful, it broke Peregrine’s Suggestion spell, and Esmerae also fell to the ground, unable to hold on to the vampire she teleported to. The vampire, who had been hit with Peregrine’s suggestion, dropped onto Peregrine, badly tearing into her. She only stayed up with Malus’ help defending her. Sigholdt found himself getting shot at, shooting them back and making the vampires think he was an Honourblade. In self-preservation, Peregrine Misty Stepped away from the vampire, critting a twinned Guiding Bolt and learning the tenanted vampires were vulnerable to radiant damage, just in time for Hermione to brutally murder another vampire.

Malus noticed that his tentacle tattoo was starting to shift, before quickly returning to normal, and when he looked up he spotted a real tentacle just around the corner. Frightened, he took out his fear on the nearest vampire, which started to try and flee along with its comrades. Esmerae blood jumped through Sigholdt into another vampire, as Sigholdt attempted to shoot again but found his gunblade misfiring. Peregrine chased after the last two vampires and, with another twinned Guiding Bolt, killed the last two with ease. Esmerae scooped up one of the skyhooks, giving it to Hermione before pausing, spotting the Lake Cleaners in the distance on the water, as well as a dead body through a window. After telling the group about the dead body, Sigholdt went to look through other windows, finding more dead and crushed bodies. Knowing the guards were on their way, the party agreed they would report what had happened.

The party gathered their breath as they split up to investigate a little. Esmerae snacked while Sigholdt and Hermione inspected the bodies and Peregrine and Malus went to inspect where Malus had seen his tentacles. Sigholdt and Hermione broke a window to get inside one of the rooms, seeing a body crushed, another torn and clawed apart. The room inside looked like a brawl had taken place, and the ground had half an inch of standing water. Sigholdt sensed the subtle remains of a Quori. Hermione looked closer at the ‘clawed’ body, noticing it looked more like beak damage, and spotting faint ring marks all over the skin.

Malus and Peregrine spotted a ‘snail trail’ of standing water, as well as ring-like patterns on the wall. The trail led to the lake, and Malus stated they needed to gather the others. Peregrine did so with quick Message casting. As the party regrouped, they stared at the water warily. Slowly, Esmerae went to dip her foot in the water as she noticed it was very still. Suddenly, the water started to rush as a great shape loomed up from it, and the lake cleaners began to paddle frantically away. Sigholdt, who had gone further into the water, started to be pulled further out by the current as he tried to swim back to shore. At the centre of the shape, the party could see a female humanoid figure.

At this moment, the DM asked Malus’ player, Steven a series of questions:

who is Malus afraid of: Hermione

who does Malus think is the most dangerous: Hermione

who does Malus think is trying to hardest to help him: Peregrine

who could Malus not live without: Peregrine

Suddenly, four tentacles shot out from the massive figure, two at Hermione, two at Peregrine. While Hermione managed to stay standing, Peregrine, still badly injured from the earlier battle with the vampires, was knocked unconscious and automatically lost two death saves. Sigholdt realised the monster was a Quori, as he was dragged closer to it by the current. He quickly Misty Stepped back to the shore, as Hermione rushed forward to use a healing potion to bring Peregrine back up (after the party frantically realised just how little healing they had without her). Esmerae started to drag Peregrine back further onto land, as Hermione used Jolly to try and distract the monster Quori while also backing up quickly. Sigholdt moved to stay within five feet of Peregrine to be ready to protect her, as Malus also followed the group closely. While backing up, Malus noticed his tattoo was still flickering. A single tentacle rose into the air, before pointing down, then descending back into the lake, and Sigholdt sensed its presence had vanished while the water went still. Malus’ tattoo had settled again, and the checking of Dream Tokens by the others implied they were not in a dream. Sigholdt and Esmerae tried to peer pressure Malus to the water to see if the creature would come back again as Peregrine tried to dissuade them, and the party questioned if Malus had been daydreaming or sleepwalking.

Reluctantly, Malus approached the water to see if his tattoos started to change, though refusing to touch the water. He began to back up as the party noticed they couldn’t hear the guards anymore, but as Malus turned to give a thumbs up, the tattoo suddenly changed, and a tentacle rose from the water, grappling and dragging Malus under. Peregrine started to stumble after, still gravely injured.

Report Date

19 Jul 2024