Session #8: Grow, Grow, Grow Your Rose...

General Summary

We knew we had to hustle if we were going to find Imel’s Torilean Death Cheese and plant the rose before the Duke could escape. We investigated the tunnel off the Elemental room first and found a bunch of Bloomer Bois (not sure if that’s just what Doc calls them, or there actual title). Apparently, these Lizardfolk were members of the same cult Doc had joined a while back while he was searching for his wife. He explained there seemed to be a mix of ideologies represented in the group: both Xylemites and Phloemites. However, they were all in a deep trance, and Doc was worried about waking them, even if we knew they were in imminent danger, because they were taking part in ceremony sacred to their culture.
We all decided to leave them there for the time being and return before our group left the tunnels. Before we left, I found some really cool clovers, including a four-leaf one that Doc said could be used to make a portal key! In the final tunnel we had left to investigate, we found a pile of sand, and I realized it must be connected to the deserts in Toril. Søren and I were able to navigate it pretty well initially, before realizing a Catoblepas was inhabiting the small cave. I tried to cut the cheese out of its ear without the beast noticing, but I guess I need to practice more with my mage hand technique. :( Turns out the beast’s breath smelled even worse than its ears. The sand almost swallowed my friends whole at some points, but we were able to subdue the Catoblepas before collecting the rest of the cheese. Clarity and Søren also came up with the idea to magnetize his metal body using her lightning spell. We were able to find half a pound of Telstang and a quarter pound of Silver & Gold as well, which should do nicely to pay off Yalkulash for his assistance.
With the cheese in hand, we set our sites on planting the rose. We came to agreement that we all felt the least like ourselves (which we agreed was our definition of void-like) in the room where we had to fight one another. We returned to that room, and Søren planted the rose. The whole process was WILD, but from the ground, emerged a brain-like being that identified itself as Nexus. They said they were an amalgamation of minds and that all their memories “end in violence,” which is sort of unsettling...But other than that, they seem great! Søren warned us not to get too attached, so I’ve decided to associate with them as a companion until we reach the end of our journey with them, wherever that may be. We joined back up with the refugees and made our way to the exit, only to discover that the way out was being blocked by a group of Wyverns! Our party left the refugee group to consider our options while we went to retrieve the Bloomers we’d left behind meditating.
Søren beat his armor like a drum (I wonder if he’s done percussion in a band before?) and that woke the group up super quick. They seemed rather confused, but curious about their circumstances, and had no idea how they’d come across another rose like ours (though there’s was blue). As thanks for the wake up call, they let us have the rose, which meant we got to plant it in one more room! While we thought about planting it in the flower pot bodies, Søren seemed the most passionate about planting it in the Nyx room. It did offer a good spectrum for “void-like” worlds, so I’m glad we ended up going with that, as the results were certainly interesting. I planted the blue rose and felt some sort of magical knowledge infusing with my body. I decided to lean into the feeling and was granted with the idea for a new spell, involving a variety of different damage types. If I take the time to think about a good song for it over the next few weeks, I’m sure it will be a real banger!
That wasn’t the only thing that bloomed though - a shard of a some sort of staff or wand emerged from the soil. Clarity read the script carved into its metal and identified it as Ruat, an ancient artifact of great power for those who are allowed to wield it. Caelen tried to hold it first, but it seemed it’s lawful nature conflicted with his own, and we all thought it was better off he didn’t. I’m going to hold off messing it with myself...somehow, I don’t think it would like me very much either. With both our bloomed item and bloomed creature, we returned to the entrance and came up with a gameplan. The new song I’d been working on ended up doing wonders for causing the Wyverns to fall out of the sky, though next time we should probably come up with some sort of signal for our party members who are below the bodies we send crashing down…
However, we all ended up making it out okay, only to realize Sanbalet had disappeared. He rejoined us via a different entrance, implying he’d made a deal with the Pit Fiend. He disappeared again before we could interrogate him, but later that night, he returned to camp - I think he’d been following us, seeking some sort of safety on the dangerous roads. Most of our party was understandably pissed by what he revealed: he confessed he had indeed made a deal with the Duke, saying he “would take him to the nearest town in exchange for magical power.” Thankfully, that town ended up being Plague-Mort, so it’s unlikely the Pit Fiend was met with friendly fanfare, but now there is no way for us to confirm his demise, as Celestial forces wouldn’t risk causing a war with demons.
We debated what to do with him. Søren suggested cutting off his hands or having Nexus suck his brain out (which is an interesting feature they demonstrated with one of the Wyverns), but for the moment, we’ve agreed tying him up and marching him along with us is enough. His spellbook also remains covered. I wonder if the Duke can sense us through it...I hope not, but we’re not taking any chances. Though it would be nice if we could do the same - perhaps there is someone in Sigil who could help us look in on the Pit Fiend, just to ensure he’s been effectively dealt with?

Report Date

03 Feb 2022