Session 17: Pinky promise!

24th - 26th of Snowmelt

General Summary

Despite having had a stressful day, some party members decide to still do some investigative work. Uthal manages to learn about a teleportation circle leading to the 'Grave of Knowledge', found in the back of one of his books. Meanwhile, Killian decides that he needs more reassurance that his little sister, Ada, is safe now that Rajiv has fired her. He starts looking in the widowed husks, as some members of the Bounty tend to stay there, but evenetually finds out that Ada is being kept at the Mosaic Commune. Killian attempts to get into the commune, but because he is still relatively spent from the fight with Bladd, is unable to use magic to help her get in. Instead, he passes on a note to Norfead, telling him to bring Ada to the tavern that the party is staying at. During all of this, Indra has a unique dream experience, where she receives a warning about the shadows that cling to her by a 'man' that the party assumes must be a form of Aphos.
The next day, Indra wakes up at first light in order to get some clarity about her dream. She heads over to the local Temple of Aphos, the Halls of Radiance, and prays. However, she gets the feeling that her words might not completely reach the Watcher of the Day, as something seems to be blocking it. She thus returns, slightly defeated, and has as short conversation with Leaf, who was watching the sunrise from a tree near the tavern. In the meantime, Killian meets up with Norfead at the tavern, who was unable to get Ada with him due to protection by the bounty. He does give Killian the information that the bounty intends to move her within the next few days. Distrustful of the bounty, Killian finaly decides to tell the party that the person they saw next to Rajiv in the Bounty is his sister, and that they have to rescue her. As a result, the party uses a quick Pass without Trace to sneak past the guards. Despite attempts from Ada to hide from the sudden knock on her door, Killian eventually tells her its him, and Ada sprints towards Killian to hug him, reuniting the two after six years. Not knowing what to do next, Killian makes Ada invisible and they take her back to their room in the Red Dragon Inn. The party eventually decides that Norfead will keep watch over Ada as the party seeks out Cerval, and that Killian will inform Rajiv with a note that he has personally taken over the care of Ada. However, as Ada is not about to lose her brother so shortly after finding him again, she has him make a pinky promise that he will be back within two days, otherwise Ada will come looking for him.
Thus, a little before noon, the party departs for the Serpents' Head mountains, having spent little under a week in the city. On the road, they encounter a peculiar situation, with a man and an enormous wolf surrounded by twelve bounty hunters from the Purging Light. In part due to a message from the old man (Sazud-Vo Zekrun) who tells the party they should probably leave, the party decides to not get involved and return to the road. Before long they hear a loud BANG, followed by screams and then silence. The party investigates, but only manages to find all twelve bounty hunters dead with heavy scorch marks on the ground. They do however find a talking sword, which speaks loudly that "Danger lies ahead". Leaving behind this strange battlefield, the group arrives at the mountains. As the sun has already set, the party makes camp near an outcropping on the edge of the mountains, and has a peaceful night of rest.
The next day the party heads into the mountains. The area is comprised of many jagged edges and sharp peaks, making travel through the mountains rather difficult. Luckily, the river has carved a road through the mountain, which the party follows into the mountains. Here, they start noticing dead animal corpses who have been hunted by something that can also use acid. Leaf quickly identifies these creatures to be Ankheg's, large insectoid creatures. Eventually, the party finds a waterfall that extends for about one-hundred meters above them. Uthal checks behind the waterfal, but upon finding a cave opening littered with corpses, the party instead decides to take a narrow side passage. Though it seemed like the better option, they notice a mountain goat that gets ambushed on the mountain slope by some large creatute, and start discussing whether to go forward or back. Just as the party decides to head back, one of the large creatues gets a hold of Indra, and drags her into their layer where a fight starts. Despite eventually facing off against the Matriarch, who has covered her body in crystal to harden her shell, the party eventually disposes of the nest of Ankhegs. Thus the party takes a moment of rest, before heading out again towards their goal: the wanna-be lich Cerval Orfalx.
Next session: Session 18: Cerval Orfalx

(Noteworthy) Characters Interacted With:
Norfaed Steelbeard,
Ada, younger sister of Killian
Sazud-Vo Zekrun

Report Date

01 Oct 2023

Primary Location

Brothers' Crossing

Sazud-Vo Zekrun