Previous Session Recap
Main Quest
Reminder of the main quest here
Side Quest
Reminder of the side quest(s) here
Session Notes
E’s training kicked in, when she went into unconsciousness, she went into a memory from her mentor, “stay close if you want to protect”
G - what does it look like as you cast magic - uses pottery tools almost like a wand, sculpting the arcane energy to do what he wants, almost ritualistic, runes being sculpted into the air
A - trying to save my last parent, filled with energy coming from the East, I look up and see the moon balancing on the horizon. The light hits me and I feel an energy down to my bones, my moonstone pendant shines and glimmers, I’m calling for help, looking for a power to save him, I cast CURE WOUNDS and heal for 4 HP, transferring the energy from the moon into him, I feel coldness in my hands as he gasps awake. He awakens calling for Rhea.
Collection of bodies litter the ground, Mac and E run off to follow the guy that ran off, I stay with Colum. Moss is coming to terms with the voice she heard while casting magic and talking with the voice in her head
G - looking down at his book, trying to “not be called on in class”, first bout of combat after learning magic, has come across a few fights/scuffles in Teg Beneth and on the road here but this is like what’s happened at the sorcery school. Remembers Mac’s protection and has moment of quiet reflection
A - 22 Deception against G’s 9 perception, Colum panics and I bring him over to the fire and tell him “I only saved you by the grace of Sehanine”. I find medicinal supplies in the cart and find things to make a healing tea. I add a healing kit to my inventory
Mac & E - 19 & 12 perception with DISADVANTAGE pursuing the last assailant. Running making a lot of noise with their armour. Not full darkness as the moon lights the way, don’t see anyone that looks like who you were fighting. Sees fresh tracks in the mud. 12 & 11 survival follow general trajectory of footprints to the Crestin Canal, they lead into the water and stop there. He could’ve run or gone into a dark tent, trail is getting colder. E “we should alert everyone there is a ruffian about if we can’t find him” Not many fires around, 3 & 14 investigation sees how everyone is spread out, and the camps all contain armed and armoured knights and they will be fine against one bandit and he likely won’t press his luck. The trail is lost in the water
Mac asks if that was the first time E killed anyone as they head back. “Yes, expected to feel something but I only feel relieved that it wasn’t me, and then I feel guilty, you?” Mac - “killed bandits at 13 when the attacked my village, that’s how I became a squire. You never know how it will hit you, give yourself time to process”
Colum is impressed with us, especially Moss. I tell him he has to find a safer place to stay so I don’t worry about him.
Mac and E come back, they start organizing bodies and getting them together. We get up to help and try to find anything on them, We are dragging them to the road to ward off any other bandits
G - 24 investigate they look pretty shabby, Tomaias looks better than the rest, has a few pouches on him, collectively have 4GP 7SP 18CP, mostly rusted shortswords, I grab them to bring to Colum to melt down. G searches Tomaias and finds a secret pocket that has a small scroll, bound with twine “says Tom Cat on it” THis is chicken scratch
“Corkscrew deal is done, send word to send prospects here and ask for the pork pie” Can tell that it’s mostly code, can infer that the fact that they’re a group of 10 working together is a little unusual, they weren’t expecting to be defeated, especially with magic. G thinks that this is part of a larger operation and tells us
A and E - don’t get anything from the code
Mac - little more used to things of this nature. Ser Norman had quelled some bandits in Heath. It was a lot of investigative work, knows what signs to look for in common codes, one of Ser Norman’s favorite taverns was Pig Tail tavern in Oglet - fits in with corkscrew and pork pie
Moss - zeros in on corkscrew, maybe wine, pork pie - they have to order food so maybe a pub
Mac lets us know what he thinks, we decide to continue with the plan to have G go to that shift at the library to look for the books we need.
Establishing watches - G makes dandelion tea and gives a cup to Mac as a thank you. NOT GOOD, was supposed to use leaves but used the root so it was mostly dirt water
LONG REST
E has last watch and sees knights heading out on the quest, they made a plan instead of rushing out. Seeing these ones head out bring to mind the barony in Heath and the castle that comes with it, this has been unheard of in at least a century. The barony that has opened is a new Barony called Stonewash, was split and created from Baronies called Boggard and Tussex, was the disputed land between the two. Years of border disputes over who owned the road between WHite Branch and Tirest. The duke of Hearth didn’t make a big deal about it until around 5 years ago. Until Baron Reginald Faren of Boggard tried to extend south into Big Bend which is in Maperly. The king split Boggard in half to stop fighting and keep anyone in heath from getting too much power, creating Stonewash. Mostly rocky lowlands and low vegetation, lots of lakes, ponds and streams. The most topographically varied of the lowlands, currently has a Regent, waiting for a Baron to be appointed.
Mac and E - know this, Situated in Town and Castle of Beacon, Ser Brayon Hilger, third childhood friend of Sers Norman and Edmund. Retired due to severe arthritis and only having one hand. Most elder knight in Beacon and was trusted to watch over the Barony
E brings the subject of the barony about - Mac will take it
We head out to the library to look for the volumes as G works and looks int he restricted sections. More travelers and Merchants leaving as well as knights to go on the quest. City is half as busy as yesterday.
We head to the Arcanade towards the library. Enchanted sconces with steady blue fire in them. SIgn that greets us “The Lexicontorium” layfolk call it “The Shelf”
We walk up to the clerks desk - unmanned as it’s not open to the public yet. There’s and abjurative barrier that keeps people out while it’s closed.
Dex saving throw I’m looking off into the library and walk into a solid invisible wall
G dispels the wall and a tabby cat named Catalog comes up to him. A keeps distance, Mac pets her.
G looks in the logs to see if the volumes we’re looking for are notated in a specific area. 15 investigate quite a few books were checked out in the last day. The log lists all books that are there with an area for check marks when the book is checked out or not. Sees the Vol 3 is available. Leads us to the area the Log says it’s located. Takes a hand bell with him, magic bell, you speak the name of the book you’re looking for and it rings in the direction the book is and then takes off and goes to find it. (entire bell leaves your hand) G know this is enchanted with Unseen Servant Spell and Floating Disc Spell. It will bring the book to you
Mac goes to play with Catalog
Moss and A wander to look for books 5 & 6 investigate checks spend most of the time trying to figure out which section to go to
The Bell comes back with the History of Legends Vol 3: Wonders
Mac sees a tall dark skinned man come in, bald and half moon spectacles. Mac introduces himself while still playing with the cat
E notices this and recognizes him as the Wizard Polo, he yells that he’s short one CLERK!! NAT 20 PERFORMANCE CHECK G sees Polo and I help divert his attention
G asks to take a sick day, and Polo clocks that we’re an Adventuring Party. Asks if G is planning to leave Crestin. Is okay, but will need to shift employment status.
Polo seems to support our quest to find a cure for the prince - G is surprised. “Shortage of procurement clerks looking for additions to the Lexicontorium. Proposing a change of track from a check-out clerk to a procurement role to bring works to the Arcanade as well as the Lexicontorium.”
Insight Check E takes their experience into account and assumes he’s a weird conniving wizard, Mac can tell that he doesn’t want G to die. We can tell he sees an opportunity that has fallen into his lap. A - this opportunity is killing 2 birds w/ 1 stone. From what I can tell, there is a genuine need, no deception, I sense a web of problems that have intersected and solved themselves. One web is needing procurement of these books, the other is I can tell he has a disdain for G. The second bird is getting G out of the Lexicontorium.
A confronts to see if he’s outwardly insulting G. Doesn’t seem to be.
Can’t take his sick day today but can take the rest of the week. Has to stay until noon. G tells us to look for tale of the Lost Sehanite and the tale of Weeping Wood
A zeros in on tale of lost Sehanite, Moss looks for coffee shop in the library. Mac heads out to do “something” and will check in on Colum for me and make sure he finds the Blacksmith’s guild successfully.
Moss heads out to wander between taverns to look for any info that is helpful.
E isn’t on duty so is struck by the beauty of the space and is wandering around.
A - Tomb of lost Sehanite - this is a holy location that has is so old it’s been lost to myth and the stories have been mythologized. The stories are hard to pin down and Ginsinger mentions this in the forward. Summary: in days long past a Sehanite, paladin of Sehanine, ancient order that has since been changed/disolved/evolved. They traveled along a deer path through a place and came across a forest that had a beguiling laughter in it. As the shenite wnet to investigte they couldn’t find the source and traveled further in to the forest and became lost in the forest trying to find the source. Wandere it for many days and weeks forragign and hunting to survive and was stopped for a time searching throughout the forest. The laughter had left and he wa in a deep grove of the woods in which Sehanine’s light did not peirce. Beset on all sides by dark gloom of the forest, it’s seen as a testament to his faith in Sehanine and her guiding light even in the darkness of the fores. Eventually came to a rotting glade in the forest that had the works of Orcus. 19 religion Orcus is the Hushed and Deeply Warded against Prince of Undeath. Wandered into a glade corrupted by Orcus’ touch and was beset on all sides by ghouls seeing a fresh meal. Fought for a day and a night until he was overwhelmed by tht e ghouls, saved only by the light of the full moon that piecved throug a gap of the canopy that pierced the forest filing him with a cold light. Unknown if he ever left the area. SOme say he was covered and buried by the foliage of the years passing. Some say the forest was razed, some say say it connected with other great forests. Regardless the tomb is lost.
Moss - heads into Crestin and into Bailey’s Square into the Broken Stallion - infamous tavern in Crestin, knows the bartender, Preman. Recognizes Moss. Will give a gold if she plays something. 14 performance the crowd is a little interested and engages with her. 3GP 2SP 7CP NAT 20 PERCEPTION tunes out the music to listen to the chatter of the tavern. Dwarf and a Man having casual conversation “ it doens’t really make much sense, why would vardomina try to get something going? Could be one bad actor, or just that elf himself. Celethorn isn’t a bad guy, wouldn’t seem like he would do that. Why would they do something this high profile, poisoned tea instead of a lance right in front of everyone. Stinks to me. I bet it’s Them. I’ve seen old Wild Eye show up like a crazy beggar. It’s got the Circle all over it.”
Mac - wants to find a place to pay respects to Ser Norman and the rest of the dead. Can entreat the Raven Queen - normally done in a cemetery. Entreating to Erathis - seen as a knightly send off. Symbols seen in the noble district of Highrise. Nicer area of town, people dress nicer too. These nobles can tell he’s not noble, others before now have given him deference just because he’s a knight. Least ostentatious building in neighborhood, has scales of lawbearer Erathis over the doorframe. Small quiet chapel. Pair of iron scales on a dais at the end of the room. Has been to temples like this before, but has not seen the iron scales give faint blue glow for a few seconds before disappearing. Reminiscent of glow of the ring he’s wearing after he gave his oath. Approaches and takes out Ser Norman’s greatsword and takes time to pay respects. Lights some candles. Reminicises on his role in Mac’s life and the chance he took on him. His dying breath and honor that he was charged with. Suddenly the Greatsword is pristine, the black goblin blood that was there has disappeared. Candles have shifted to the right a bit and then are suddenly extinguished. Feels unsure but maybe a sense of closure for himself or Norman, unsure which. Maybe Both.
A - Entry of lost tomb of Sehanit “this is the most common interpretation of the tomb, however i purport it has been greatly departed from original truth. Would like to imagine most popular is the correct but I know how stories go. Found significant evidence that this has been divorced from a different story that it is closer in relation to.” Goes on to say found info about origins of story that came from around White Branch which is the authority on stories of Sehanine in Hollisen. The story he found most interest in is in Magnorum. There are retellings that are in older manuscripts in small towns - older oral stories. Ducal seat called Might, investigated dukes personal library. Found conflation which he thinks is the truth of the conflation of this story and Weeping Wood, might be close to same story, same players in it. I flip to story of weeping wood. Story of dryad of trees that fell in love with mortal man that was taken from her and eventually rejoined but he was mortal so she felt grief that couldn’t be calmed by soothing of the wild mother. Corrupted her copse of wood and left it a dangerous place. Ginsinger proposes that they are related stories. Both say there is more info in Ducal town of Might.
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NPCs This Session
Summary