Session 8: Cancelling a Curse

19th & 20th of Snowmelt

General Summary

The party decides that they want to attempt to track the carriage escorted by the five Griffon Knights. However, due to their distance from the city, the only thing they notice is one of the Griffon Knights flying to Founders' Fortress. Upon their eventual arrival at the city, Indra quickly disguises herself to look more goth. They get informed that Founders' Fortress will not be accessible to the public for now, but that they can still visit the catacombs and cathedral.
After leaving their horses at a nearby stable, Killian takes charge and leads the party to the place to be: The Street of Delights. They get a room and meals at the Red Dragon Inn, along with some of their famous Red Dragon Ale, which is served on fire and smoking in a giant glass mug. After this, they check up on local rumors by asking King Anthonise 'what troubles have befallen the realm'. This informs the party that the water in the Embers has been poisoned and that the daughter of the King has ran away last week. Additionally, they also learn that multiple important characters have been traveling to Brothers' Crossing, including Grand Overseer Xydra Aavindir and a group of Orc warlords. Their last visit on the Street is a personal favorite of Killian, the Crispy Corner, where Uthal invents a new dish on the menu: 'drenched in dip'. After this, the group retires to their rooms to get a good nights rest, with Indra once again sneaking off at night to do something..?
The following morning the party heads off towards the Cathedral of Aphos. This is a beautiful marble hall, where illusionary magic has transformed the ceiling into a cloudless sky. Indra explains her curse to the Dawnfather, who directs them to a priest named Imor. After asking the players if they are joking about the curse, given the similarity of the name of the Feaster from Afar to a new play in town called the Far Flung Feaster, he eventually attempts to treat Indra. However, it seems to be out of his league, and the party is instructed to return after sundown. Indra asks for a quick stop at the catacombs to pay her respects to the founding brothers, when she is caught off guard by Rea, the second in command of the Griffon Knights, doing the exact same. She asks a cheeky question about Rea's potential love interest in the first in command of the Griffon Knights, and then quickly leaves.
The next step of the party is to go towards the Grand Library of the Tower Scholars to investigate some of the lingering questions they have. On their way over, they meet Bergus in the Continent's Corners Market, a slightly shifty gem merchant and an old acquaintance of Killian. They sell off the rest of the bloodstones and foil the attempt of a thief in the market to pickpocket Indra in a terrifyingly traumatizing way. Continuing on their tour throughout the city, they notice Brother Bladd, a religious fanatic according to Killian, and decide to steer clear of him. They arrive at the library, get their own floating light orb and a personal scribe, and start on a quest for knowledge.
They ask about the Feaster, but this once again results in mention of the new play in town, which is said to premier in 2 days. Unfortunately they are unable to find any additional info on this being. They also investigate Knuc, and while direct information eludes the party, their scribe mentions that a friend of him can possibly tell more about Knuc. A message will be dropped about when he is available at the Red Dragon Inn, along with when Lady Valxi is back, who should be returning anytime soon from an expedition. Though the party also investigates the Red Crow, Araxina and the strange writing from the Feaster, they only find limited information. A mythical fairytale about the Red Crow, the knowledge that Araxina used to be the Arch Scholar of Mysteries, and no information on the writing. Their visit concludes with talking to Illis, who gives Indra a gemstone to help her findthe items she is searching for.
The group makes a quick visit to the Crispy Corner for dinner (excluding Leaf who finds the food revolting), and drop by their room in the Red Dragon Inn. Here, Killian quickly hides a letter that was placed on a table in their room, before the rest of the party notices it. They relax for a few minutes until sundown and head back towards the Cathedral. Leaf attempts to use Locate Object to find the carriage from the pervious day, but to no avail. After winning a brief discussion with a guard on whether or not Indra needs to drink a potion of forgetfulness to not remember the face of the Dawnfather, she alone enters the cathedral at night. The Dawnfather scolds her for getting a curse while being a person of her stature. Unfortunately, the rest of the party has to wait in a separate room, but Indra is taken to a hidden sanctum in the Cathedral, where a floating light orb called a Solus Sphere discusses the situation with the Dawnfather. They ask if Indra also wishes to remove the "Third shadow looming about" in her mind, though she politely refuses this. Though the ritual is difficult, with some of the abjuration runes on the wall getting destroyed by a sudden crack on the wall, the willpower of Indra keeps any resistance from interrupting the removal of the curse. She is now free of the curse, but many questions still plague the minds of the LUKI Four.
Next session: Session 9: Squirrelly Business

(Noteworthy) Characters Interacted With:
Rea, Second in command of the Griffon Knights,
'King' Anthonise the Great, owner of the Tall King Talking,
Marou Brightfoot, owner of the Red Dragon Inn,
Illis of the Arcane Tower Scholars,
Brother Bladd,
Dawnfather Torsen

Report Date

02 Jul 2022

Primary Location

Brothers' Crossing

Rea of the Griffon Knights