Session 21 - "The Deconsecration, Ruins of Gauntlight - Part 8"
General Summary
Toliday, 4th of Desnus, 4721 AR
Otari
Wrin's Wonders
5.37p
Tristan wonders what connection Belcorra has with Nhimbaloth. While the body in the kitchen shrine was fresh, the Shrine of Nhimbaloth itself was not. Wrin mentions that the haunted lights of the Fogfen contribute to the townspeople not venturing out to the area at night. Also, of what she knows of Nhimbaloth, will-o’-wisps are said to be the eyes through which she sees. However, Wrin confesses that she is not aware of a connection between Belcorra and the Empty Death. Tristan offers since the Gauntlight is in Fogfen, it'd be natural to have a shrine in the swampland dedicated Nhimbaloth.
The party arrives back in Otari to find the townspeople still cleaning up after the festival, as well as the aftermath of the brutal attack by the undead. They go about the task grimly, many of whom still appear in shock.
Tristan plans on researching more on the Empty Death at the Dawnflower Library. Zor'ahn will be going to the Crook's Nook and the Osprey Club.
At the Library, Vandy is shocked to learn about the shrine to Nhimbaloth in Gauntlight Keep and plan on desecrating it. There is discussion if taking Zor'ahn back to the Keep would do more harm than good because of his Mark. Vandy says they need to go no matter the danger if only to destroy the shrine. She continues to emphasize how bad the Mark is, but it could allow Zor'ahn access to places others could not go. The dark ranger agrees.
Meanwhile Ehrn's mother has hired Amicia, Carman Rajani's daughter, to be a babysitter so she could run errands. The teen is being herald as the "Hero of Drake Street" after dispatching several undead and guarded the street. At the Crook's Nook, Yinyasmera is not there and only a few locals are around. Zor'ahn asks the bartender where she is, who says she's busy helping up with the cleanup. The ranger says to tell her he has new information on that task she asked him to look into. She meets with him the next day, looking over Zor'ahn like she knows something he doesn't. Zor'ahn details the state of the tortured and murdered man found in the kitchen. She shows a slight tightening in her eyes, but displays little else. She concludes their meeting with "Hope to see you again soon," before leaning in. The woman smells pleasantly of spices. She then whispers, "You've done well. Bring their bodies back, there were three of them, and I will pay you handsomely."
At Odd Stories, Dorianna, Mayor Menhemes' daughter welcomes and hugs Kaliff. She confides that she is still tortured by nightmares of a shrouded figure with goat feet, someone she calls the "Motley Man" because he wears clothes made from colorful scraps. Kaliff tells her the Keep might be the source of her dark dreams and vanquishing the evil there might end them. If not, he commits to investigating and researching with her the reasons for these visions. Afterwards, Kaliff purchases various items and sets to getting runes transferred to the party's weapons.
Wealday, 5th of Desnus, 4721 AR
Otari
7.00a
The party briefly meets with the mayor to catch him up on the events at Gauntlight Keep and what the current plan is. He and Zor'ahn exchange friendly jabs. The party then meets up with the clergy at the Dawnflower Library, consisting of Vandy and two young acolytes. She usually has a grandmotherly air to her, but this morning she wears armor and carries twin scimitars. The acolytes, Hanrik and Georg, are also armed and armored, but appear more uncomfortable.
Gauntlight Keep
Shrine of Nhimbaloth
7.15a
Once back in the Keep, the group hears some movement from the pit. Zor'ahn peeks in and sees the giant scorpion eating on the mitflit bodies. Back in the cold and musty shrine, the stain glass windows glowingly light up the area. The clergy examine the bones and the altar, determining them to pose no threat, but that the altar is troubling as it was basically right under their noses this entire time. They decide they must deconsecrate the area, the whole ordeal taking a day or two. She will also seek any possible answers to Zor'ahn's affliction while they do so.
The party decides to stay with them in order to ensure that they are not disturbed. The priest being pulling out various censors, holy water, books of prayer before beginning the ritual. The Exterminators move into the scorpion pen to camp down and wait, passing the time by picking up refuse.
11:35a
They hear skuttling as the scorpion moves around until the sound fades out of perception. For the remainder of the day, there are only the sounds of the swamp.
3.55p
Everyone breaks for a meal. Wrin looks through one of the arrow slits to check on the group, saying she wishes she could be in there with them. She confirms she hasn't seen the scorpion, but the bugs are pretty bad. Zor'ahn makes his way to the opening and begins passing the time talking to her.
Oathday, Desnus 6, 4721 AR
5.55p
Vandy wearily comes in and says the area will no longer be a conduit for Nhimbalothian prayers. Explains that this most likely was only a lesser shrine, meaning it was imbued with the sort of power that would attract will-o'-wisps and corpselights. She also suggested there is something more or even something else that is contributing to Zor'ahn's affliction.
When the party exits the keep to rejoin Wrin, a familiar creature greets them as well: the scalliwing, Olli. She greets everyone, and Zor'ahn plies her with snacks. The party decides to accompanying the priests back to town and then return soon after.
While walking back to Otari, Kalitos and Olli fall back and begin talking quietly with each other. Their conversation seems tentative at first, but the pace of their exchange and the cadence of their speech begins to flow and synch. And, by the time the party arrives in town, Olli has comfortably coiled herself around Kalitos' neck.
Report Date
13 Oct 2024
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Characters
