Thou'rt a Trueborn Heir

Written by Chrundle_the_Great

General Summary

Two new "heroes" band together to rescue a missing acolyte of the Falling Fire. Their simple mission quickly takes a strange turn, as things are wont to do in the ruins of Redgaard.

Session Notes

• The Falling Fire hires the group to rescue the priest, Balthazar
1. He never returned from his mission at the Black Ivory Inn
• Also, Blackjack Mel hires the group to find a map of old smugglers' tunnels
1. His cousin, Mike Conley, owned the inn before the meteor fell
• The group finds the tavern without running into any monsters
1. Their ally, the goliath Phillip, died and was raised as Freddy's thrall

• Strangely, the inn is bustling with people singing, dancing, and making merry
1. Lady Charlotte captivates all by playing old songs on the piano
• The group wanders the tavern, drinking and asking about Balthazar
1. Mike Conley says that Leonard von Kessel checked in that morning
2. "Kept calling himself Balthazar. The heir must've gotten good and drunk before leaving the Red Keep!"
• Ser Anika, knight of the Silver Order and Charlotte's bodyguard
• A waitress drops a large platter of food, and the entire tavern cheers
• Osiris Chronnoly, elderly Amethyst Academy mage sitting by himself
1. He nearly chokes on his steak, but Hutch saves him
• Mike requests a song, slides onto a nearby table, and sings beautifully

• The group sees a disheveled, tattooed man creeping out of the cellar
• During Mike's performance, they sneak away to investigate below the inn
• Caspian pirates huddle over a stolen painting in one of the backrooms
1. The earth shakes, and the startled smugglers flee into the tunnels
• Upstairs, the people pay no mind to the earthquake and sway and sing
• Freddy watches a meteor collide with the still-intact city of Redgaard

• The group awakes back on the front steps of the Black Ivory Inn
1. Behind them, the brilliant city of Redgaard still stands
2. Nebulous fog prevents them from straying too far from the inn
• The group observes the same events happening in the same order as before
• Aaron, confused soldier who distracts himself with Charlotte's songs
1. He wears a Hooded Lantern badge, though the meteor hasn't fallen yet
• Going upstairs, the group hears a man crying from behind a locked room
• Balthazar Adamos, golden-eyed priest who looks like Leonard von Kessel
1. He woke up in the Inner City without his memories after the meteor fell
2. He is unsure what to think about being the only surviving von Kessel
3. Also, he doesn't know how long he's been stuck in this "time loop"
• Balthazar attempts to negotiate with the smugglers, but fighting breaks out
1. With his crew defeated, the captain leads the group to what he stole
• The group and Balthazar see the painting... and a contaminated monstrosity
1. Before it can consume the magic-wielders, the time loop resets again
• While the group gathers allies, Balthazar points out the fake painting
• The bartender interjects, but Phillip steals his hat, which glows faintly... revealing the Caspian pirate captain
• Anika battles the smugglers, while the group leads the others to the creature
• Balthazar and Osiris are grappled, while Aaron is wracked with madness
• Freddy's thralls draw aggression, while Hutch imitates Charlotte's voice
1. Anika charges in, but the creature turns her bones into liquid
• Freddy frees Osiris with enlarge, and the wizard unleashes a disintegrate
• Hutch kills the monster with infernal seals and offers its soul to the Hells
1. The whispers cease, and the group are freed from the great illusion
• The von Kessel portrait remains, giving Balthazar "much to think about"
• The group finds tunnels leading directly to Slaughterstone Square
• Osiris teleports away, while the others follow Balthazar for healing/payment at St. Selina's Monastery

Character(s) interacted with

Ser Anika
Osiris Chronnoly
Aaron
Balthazar Adamos

Freddy, the geppettin necromancer, created and abandoned by Oscar Yoren

Hutch, the inexperienced illrigger

Report Date

13 Jul 2024

Primary Location

Black Ivory Inn

Related Characters

• Freddy
• Hutch

Not all is as it seems at the Black Ivory Inn