Part 2: The Beast Was Already Here

Session 8: Freedom and Parting

Night, 19th Summer Prime, 498 CE

  • A boy arrived at the Windscene, delivering a letter to Sanglant.
    • The letter was from Baron Vanden, who had opened an account with the Golden Bank for Sanglant.
  • Laef, Cidmuir, and Revana returned to the Windscene.
    • Cidmuir told the party that Lady Zara had agreed to free Laef, but would tell her father and the Church that Cidmuir had died in the raid on the Silent camp.
    • Cidmuir also presented the party with the reward for dealing with the Silent.
    • Everyone discussed what they knew regarding the Faerealm and the Church, and Cidmuir went over what happened to him again.
  • As they were talking, Revana and Laef both suddenly went into fits of extreme agony.
    • Unbeknownst to them, some unknown calamity was happening in the Faerealm that was harming their god.
    • Rev and Laef were eventually stabilized, and Sang popped into the Faerealm to see what had happened.
    • Sang saw hundreds of little creatures running away from the south east, where a huge chunk of the Faerealm appeared to be missing.
    • Rev and Laef excused themselves to go outside to pray and see if they could reach Terra.
    • After a few hours of meditation and prayer, they felt no connection with their god.
    • They could sense that she was still alive, but she was not communicating.
    • Laef gave Rev her Cloak of Thornwood, telling Rev that she needed to be careful.
  • Back at the Windscene, Sang appeared back in the material plane, much to Cidmuir’s amazement.
    • Sang explained his connection to the Faerealm and that the monks of Tol’Enay had a spiritual connection to the Faerealm.

Morning, 20th Summer Prime, 498 CE

  • The next morning, Cidmuir announced that he and Laef were going to travel to Tol’Enay where he would learn more about the Faerealm from the monks there.
    • Sanglant expressed concern over Cidmuir’s social skills and warned him to be respectful.
    • Cidmuir exclaimed that he was good at pretending to be respectful, missing Sanglant’s point entirely.
    • Cid gave Ekhart one of his Twinned Books, so that they could keep in contact.
    • Laef warned Rev that Ortelai wasn’t as accepting of outsiders as Voltana was, and that she should buy a scarf to cover up her ears.
    • Sang left to head to the Golden Bank, to open his account.
    • He found that he was also given a stipend to buy new clothing.
    • Sang and Rev went shopping for clothing that would help them blend in more.
  • Cidmuir and Laef left the city traveling north, as Revana, Ekhart, and Sanglant left east toward the city of Crossroads.

Afternoon, 20th Summer Prime, 498 CE

  • As the party was traveling toward Crossroads through the Amber Farmlands, they came upon a small crowd of people gathered around a ruined carriage.
    • The carriage was missing it’s occupants and the horses that drew it.
  • A Golden Road Guard, Trent, told everyone to disperse and that there was nothing to see.
    • He was an idiot, as there was clearly an interesting crime that had happened.
  • Ekhart investigated the inside of the carriage.
    • He found that none of the money or fineries were missing.
    • He also found a mysterious letter.
  • Rev looked around the path and found signs that someone or something was dragged off to the north.
  • Ekhart thought that the boy that was mentioned in the letter could be the Boy Emperor, Edwyn Falstani.
  • Thinking they could make allies with the Royal Family by saving him, the party headed up north off the path to see if they could rescue the boy and the Knight that was protecting him.

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Session 9: Death at Burnburrow

Afternoon, 20th Summer Prime, 498 CE

  • The party continued north, following the tracks of the missing Knight and his mysterious boy.
  • As the travelled, they talked about the history of the region.
  • Revana reached out to Terra for guidance, but still got no reply.
  • Sanglant decided to enter the Faerealm to see if there was anything suspicious around the area.
    • He saw that the Burrowrange, the mountain in front of him, had turned into a dormant volcano.
    • He met a nameless ash spirit that he befriended and named Dust Devil.
    • Dust Devil explained that the Fire Spirit was killed a thousand years ago and that there was no more fire in the Faerealm.
    • All the smaller fire spirits turned into ash.
    • Sang asked if Dust Devil had ever heard of Talena, the Goddess, and he hadn't.
  • Sang returned to the physical world, and the party began travelling again.
  • After a few more hours of travelling, they eventually arrived at Burnburrow.
    • Ekhart explained that this area was originally the home of Ogloth, the Demon King.
  • Sang investigated around the area, finding several cave entrances.
  • Rev turned into a weasel and entered the cave mouth that they were closest to.
    • She saw several gnolls, a race of bipedal hyena creatures.
    • She tried to get another, closer look, but was mistaken for food and attacked by one of the gnolls.
  • Ekhart and Sanglant ran to her aid, as Rev turned into a Dire Wolf.
  • As they fought, a mysterious priest was noticed by Ekhart who quickly restrained him.
  • Rev managed to save the young boy held captive by the gnolls, but it was too late to save the Knight.
  • After all the gnolls were killed, they began questioning the priest.
  • Rev noticed a magic crown around the gnoll leader's head, which she manager to tear off of his head.
    • The priest told them it was a crown of control.
    • Ekhart suggested putting the crown on the priest and commanding him to tell the truth.
  • The priest explained that there was a plot to kidnap the Boy Emperor and have his older brother Daedrin retake the throne so that the Church can take control of the Empire.
  • The party agreed that the priest was too dangerous to keep alive, so Rev took her hunting knife and slit his throat.
  • Sang thought that the Crown of Control was too dangerous to keep, so decided to take it to the Faerealm where he would dispose of it.
    • Ekhart asked if it was possible for Sang to take someone with him to the Faerealm.
    • Sang didn't know, so they tried to go together.
  • After a bit of a bumpy ride for Ekhart, the two of them eventually arrived in the Faerealm.
  • Inside Burnburrow appeared to be a temple for a dead fae.
    • Dust Devil was there, and he greeted Sang and explained that the fae was Syndra, the Fire Spirit.
  • In the physical world, Rev talked with the boy.
    • His named was Albert.
    • He said that he was an orphan, hired by the knight named Sir Osmond Lerenn to pose as the Emperor.

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Session 10: Crossroads

Evening, 20th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • Ekhart began investigating the Faerealm.
    • He learned that the majority of his research and his understanding of the Farealm had been accurate.
    • He saw the Void that was to the south east.
    • He also tested how magic works and whether he could create fire with the Fire elemental having been killed.
  • Sanglant talked with Dusty.
    • He offered up the Crown of Control, which Dusty destroyed and used to grow flowers on Syndra's sarcophagus.
  • Revana and Albert talked in the physical world.
  • The party eventually reunited and started travelling to Ambermoor.
    • As the sun went down, they made camp.
Morning, 21th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • The party continued on their way to Ambermoor. They eventually arrived and went to Ambermoor Keep to meet with Count Adir.
    • They showed the letter to the Count and gave their impression of what they think happened.
    • Count Adir thought it would be best to take the child and contact the Dowager Empress about what happened.
    • During this conversation Lady Gwendalyn jumped at Sanglant in an affectionate manner.
  • Eventually, the party left for Crossroads.
Evening, 21th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • The party made camp.
Morning, 22th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • The party broke camp and continued walking towards Crossroads.
Evening, 22th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • The party eventually arrived at Crossroads.
  • They happened to run into Remy Dane, the Cleric they met in Riverpond.
    • Remy and them had a brief conversation, until Remy offered to take them somewhere more private where they could talk.
  • They arrived at the house of Brother Isbeth.
    • Remy cast Zone of Truth on everyone, so that they could all trust everything everyone said.
    • She explained what she learned about the plot regarding the kidnapping of the boy emperor.
    • She also explained that she was waiting for "Brother Cidmuir" to explain that they two of them were to travel to the Crimson Temple.

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Session 11: The Crimson Temple

Evening, 22th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • The party plus Remy continued their conversation about what to do next.
  • Remy, Ekhart, and Revana talked about how they cast magic.
    • Remy showed her magic focus, which was a small iron statue of the Goddess, Talena.
    • Ekhart tried casting magic using the focus and it absorbed his spell when he channelled it through the statue.
    • Revana tried to use the focus, but was unable to.
    • Revana also explained that she gets her ability to wildshape from the moon, Lunos.
  • Remy, Revana, and Sanglant went out to enjoy the festival. Ekhart stayed in Brother Isbeth's house.
    • Remy found a carriage driver that was leaving
    • They all ate and drank and enjoyed people celebrating.
    • Eventually, at the finale of the festival, the effigy of the Demon King was burned in the statue of Talena's hands.
  • They returned to Brother Isbeth's house where Ekhart had built a book fort.
Morning, 23th Summer Prime, 498 CE
Morning, 24th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • After travelling through the Wayswen Bluffs for a day, the party left the caravan and continued southeast.
Afternoon, 24th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • The party arrived at the border of the Void.
    • Revana tried to commune with Terra and realized that she was unresponsive.
      • She also noticed that the world was dead around the void in the physical world.
    • Ekhart entered the void in the physical world and his glamour faded.
      • He quickly set it back up, but now has to maintain concentration on it.
    • Sanglant tried to send his spirit into the Faerealm, but something pulled his body along with it.
      • Inside, Sang came face to face with the Void which was a giant sphere of the faerealm which was missing.
      • A strong gale was blowing into the void, sucking everything into the void.
      • He poked his staff in, and it felt like it was grabbed and being pulled on by something.
      • After that, several hand prints began pressing and clawing at the void as if there was many somethings inside.
      • He then (FOR SOME REASON) decided to try and grab one of the hands, which turned out to be a bad idea.
      • A hand grabbed at him and began trying to pull him into the void.
      • Sanglant then returned to the physical world.
  • The party continued walking towards the Crimson Temple.
Evening, 24th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • The party arrived outside the Crimson Temple.
  • Revana turned into a squirrel and sneaked around the balcony of the temple.
    • She couldn't find a way into the temple, but she did find a skylight looking into the main church hall.
    • Inside, she could only see a single person, playing the organ.
  • The party then entered the Temple, which reeked of blood and iron and flowers.
  • They tried the door to the main hall, but it was locked, so they travelled to a side room.
  • Inside there was a several dead dogs, a deranged priest, and one of the dogs that had turned into a Hell Hound.
  • They began to fight.
    • As they fought, the priest kept muttering.
      • “Summoning him was merely a formality.”
      • “The beast was already here.”

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Session 12: Battle with Redrose

Evening, 24th Summer Prime, 498 CE
  • The party plus Remy continued their investigation of the Crimson Temple.
  • They entered another room with a series of depictions of the Seven Divine Rites, as well as several tokens that fit into each one.
  • Ekhart realized that the tokens each representing the seven colours of magic.
    • The Rite of Calm, depicting Talena smiling serenely, was blue for Transmutation.
    • The Rite of Patience, depicting Talena meditating, was brown for Enchantment.
    • The Rite of Freedom, depicting Talena flying, was yellow for Divination.
    • The Rite of Conflict, depicting Talena in battle, was purple for Conjuration.
    • The Rite of Truth, depicting Talena blindfolded, was white for Illusion.
    • The Rite of Protection, depicting Talena guarding a child, was green for Abjuration.
    • The Rite of Passion (Talena's Final Rite), depicting Talena being chained up, was red for Evocation.
  • After fitting each colour into their corresponding Divine Rite, they unlocked a secret compartment.
    • Inside, they found a letter, and a rose imbued with the Location Person spell, as well as a key.
  • They used the key to unlock a door to a stairwell that brought them to the balcony of the church hall.
    • They saw Cardinal Redrose playing the organ, moving unnaturally.
    • They also saw two other priests sitting in the pews, one was robed while the other wore armour.
  • The party strategized about how they would confront Cardinal Redrose.
    • Ekhart and Sanglant would hide in the balcony, ready to strike.
    • Remy and Revana would enter the front door to the hall and demand answers from the Cardinal.
  • Rev entered, asking the Cardinal to explain what he was up to.
    • Some unnamed being, Ekhart later surmised to be a Death elemental, had inhabited the Cardinals body.
    • The being was waiting for an army to arrive, as he said his current body was not longer useful.
    • He said that last time, he was too hasty, and this time he would take his time.
  • The party then fought the Cardinal and his lackies.
    • Sanglant jumped down from the balcony and delivered a rather impressive one-hit KO to the Cardinal.
    • Remy and Rev fought off the powerful clerics, while Ekhart assistant from the balcony.
  • After they were all destroyed, the party investigated the body of the Cardinal.
    • As Ekhart got close, the dead body of the Cardinal appeared to cast some kind of Hellish Rebuke, nearly killing Ekhart.
  • Revana heard a noise and ran up onto the balcony with Remy, only to find a large group of Cleric, led by a Confessor, was setting up camp outside the Temple.
  • Sanglant eventually realized that the Shadow tattoo on his body seemed to be calling to him.
    • As soon as he interacted with it, a tiny version of Uun popped out.
  • As soon as the Death Elemental saw Uun, he demanded Sanglant come closer.
    • Sanglant obviously refused.
  • Uun explained that he could make Sanglant his champion so that they could escape.
    • Sanglant agreed, and the Shadow tattoo on his arm became permenant and visible on his arm.
    • Uun then taught Sanglant the ability to Faestride, allowing him to teleport him and his companions to Uun's location in the Faerealm.

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