ZEITGEIST Cultsbane's bizarre D&D adventure: Zeitgeist - 5Eish

[Cultsbane]

Campaign time: 3 hours, 19 mins, 53 seconds


Can confirm that the DM has bought the 5th module. Everyone is really enjoying the campaign as more and more of the world gets built! Although I completely understand when people say it's too dense (albeit I like that a lot)

We have an early discussion about how the BBEG wasn't brought up as originally intended in the college area of the tavern. Kinda adds more mystery to the organization!

Bre approaches Victoria informing her about the progress of the mission. The second to final mission is to visit a lighthouse for a meeting, a dangerous lighthouse. It's infamously located on an island half a mile offshore and is cursed. A perfect place for meeting!

Kelik is still disguised as Killer Mike. Hops is back to being a Bunny. Freya and Isabelle need new disguises, which Victoria and Mike end up doing their disguises in a makeover. Always gotta look pretty!

Kelik is thinking about showing up as the bodyguard of the Tiefling royalty, but doesn't know sign language so that is a limited possibility. The rest of us all sleep, since we're either out of spell slots or exhausted

Victoria goes to meet Bre. Seeing behind her the royal couple. Bre asks if Victoria is ready to go out to the island

Victoria also learns that Bre doesn't know sign language as well. They board the boat and head towards the island. They come across the shore of the island, it's red sand, as a though of iron

Bre tells Victoria that she'll be keeping guard. Half a mile away she sees the abandoned lighthouse. Victoria makes a 17 investigation check, seeing an exhibit, it says the isle of odium was once the resting grounds of a great demon shoeshoe who won't be forgotten

Mike at the same time is looking through the rooms of Bre and the royalty. Using thieves' tools to break into the room. Finding about how Bre was a 30 year veteran of war givin life again and again, she has gone through multiple limbs and deaths only because of the Doctor ricktenstein

Mike manages to find a few notes on an assassination mission for the obscuriti. He also learned that Bte has a love of practical jokes

He finds a magically locked chest in the room of the Tiefling royalty. Inside he finds journals but in a language that he isn't really able to understand (it's fey). Mike makes a copy of the journals. He also finds journals mentioning the party and Even more surprisingly that Molly is a person of interest

Mike checks the train. Finding a bunch of potions labeled with different planes of existence, he takes them without hesitation. He also senses undead, fey, and fiends. He also senses powerful fey energy coming from specifically Isabella's room

He sees the voyage with Bre and Victoria coming back. Mike lets Victoria know about the diary, who can actually read it. The journal is about the prince being scared that his father is becoming so involved in everything and creating a headband to allow the mute to speak (but they cannot help but tell the truth with it as it's the unfiltered mind) they're also referred to as the God hand (is this berserk?) A lot of this is his own fears and insecurities, perhaps they can use this against him?

Mike and Victoria argue about Bre. With Mike disliking her and Victoria admiring her tenacity. It's now 11:00 PM and the rest of the party are all waking up, preparing to go the Demonic island of shoeshoe

Mike is going to sleep though instead of going to the island. Freya is seen throwing away her PhD papers, her master thesis incomplete, and is happy to come along. Everyone else is as well

We went to steal some boats to the head island. We easily take them and head to the island, the sand of the island glowing red. Joe goes with Victoria, because it takes the least amount of work with her strength. Meanwhile Freya is struggling, throwing up into the river, as Isabelle does everything. They make fun that Freya really isn't built for anything outside the smog infested city

We see the outline of corpses across shore. Many crawling. Joe also knows this area vaguely from his father's works, knowing that it's a place of demonology and that the clergy fought them off here to save the world. That the war was long and only won because of The demon shoeshoe that betrayed the rest, this is the last island she was ever seen

As Freya is throwing up from sea sickness. She hears a voice in her ears telling her to come to the circle. To come to the center. Enter her domain. I'm s a hissing reptilian demonic voice. A very pleasant and curious voice. Freya is compelled to go towards it. Everyone else follows behind As Freya communicates to the undead about the lady of the depths and they call out to Freya as the chosen child of the stars

They move towards the lighthouse. The voice in Freya's head growing louder saying get closer. Joe now as Hops asks what is going on but Freya ignores heading towards the lighthouse. Victoria puts on her armour during this

They restrain Freya concerned that she is going towards the center without hesitation. The rest of the corpses start making their way towards them as she is stopped. Hops gives Freya carrot juice disguises as alcohol to calm her and as a joke. Freya and Victoria decide to head into the lighthouse

They arrive at a set of bronze doors. Before either one can open them they swing forward hitting the walls. Echoing all throughout. Warnings all through the Walls are etched in blood, but mostly erased, Victoria is concerned as Freya continues forward. Various demon possed beasts in the images

Freya is guided through the tunnels and chambers. Arriving finally at a massive chamber, the prison of the demon of the fork tongue. Keeper of the secrets. In the room is an old man doing rituals with no reflection in a mirror. His clothes of the clergy

Meanwhile up top the corpses surround the lighthouse. One of the corpses breaks both boats

Freya is surprised that it's an old man with a pretty sing-song voice boyo (I've been playing a lot of Red Dead Redemption), whose face melts off, and he challenges them to a fight as only the chosen can meet the Demon shoeshoe.

The faceless man pulls out a sword. On his arm and legs are shackles of many diamonds and rubies. On his hands are brass knuckles glowing with electric energy. Victoria says two can play at that game and pulls out her possed guns Instead and shoots him, he just smiles a toothless grin And at this point Victoria swings at him with her sword and he blocks it with his hands

Freya fey steps closer and takes the sword from him with her gravity magic by adjusting it's weight, but he doesn't care and goes punching at Victoria. He lands multiple punches and Victoria can feel lightning surging through her

Victoria takes another swing with her longsword, the nightstalker, and she adds a second level smite to it. He tries to evade but isn't able to. She lands 20 damage onto him. Her next swing comes in, landing it, and doing 13 damage.

Freya casts pulse wave. He manages to withstand the full force of gravity, though shattering a few bones as he screams out the great malice is returning. We have to make a dex save against an incoming mirror and Freya gets a 1. Victoria gets a 21 dodging away in time but Freya is memorized by her reflection and out comes a creature that looks exactly Freya. The new Freya casts magnify gravity on OG Freya, who is now restrained. The old man has teleported to another mirror

Victoria tries jumping into the mirror but is rejected. Instead she punches the mirror into a thousand different pieces. She uses her second attack to take her pistol and shoot another mirror as the man screams that's bad luck. We can get a black cat later says Freya as she throws her other half off her, though with a bit of flirtatious energy

Hops and Isabelle come to see that two Freya exists. Prepare for trouble and make it double! Hops shoots his crossbow at the old man, but the old man dodges out of the way.

Isabelle turns. Freya and the other Freya both say that they're the real one. Isabelle unable to choose uses an ice knife at the mirrors taking out two of them. The man screams is this my punishment as his hand glows and he punches at Victoria who blocks it as the force around her shatters walls. His other hand comes in punching Victoria for 10 damage

Victoria lands a hit, using her second level smite again, doing 23 damage. With his reaction he kicks the mirror at Anael who has to make a dex save. She dodged out the way but now another Victoria has formed and the OG Victoria attacks her for 12 damage it shattering like glass

Freya casts hold person twin meta magic on both but both of them succeed against it. Freya's clone responds by casting hold person but Freya also resists.

Hops casts mind silver on the old man who is perfectly fine. Hops asks how Victoria is on health, who is at half

Isabelle shoots at the old man with her crossbow but misses completely.

The old man's fist starts glowing bright as yet again Victoria deflects the powered up hit into a wall. The second attack also missed and the third attack finally lands but Victoria responds beating him down and he calls out that we passed and the Demon has visitors

Victoria drips blood onto the guns as a demon drops from the ceiling with a bunch of chains around her. The demon speaks calling to the goddess Malenia to save her and cursing the clergy

She offers us the ability to travel anywhere without detection and all she wants is to witness the people fight for her amusement and more so she demands that gives us tribute. Which Victoria hands her the guns and the demon says that everyone can be teleported sway

They decide to teleport to……

Have a great week everyone!

 

[Cultsbane]

Campaign time: 3 hours, 14 mins, and 11 seconds

Finally our disguises are mostly gone so we can start using our actual names again!

So Kelik aka Bergeron, Boone, & Killer Mike isn't capable of making it this session. Which actually fits narratively to how yesterday ended

Isabelle using her experience as a docker fixes up the boat with some patch work. It is around 2AM and the zombies are retreating back into the ocean.

We notice in the distance of the shore that someone is attacking our contact boat from Risur, lots of fire throughout the boat.

Anael suggests that we avoid getting involved in the boat as they'll think we're dead, Freya is in agreement, but Hops is on the side of intervening. As is Isabelle because of her docker background. Hops casts invisibility and run towards the cannons

Lots of police from Crisillyir standing behind cannons with Bre shouting behind them saying we must sink that Risur ship. One of the cannons explodes (getting a natural 1) killing several. So it turns out that Crisillyir is just as incompetent as Risur

The impossible manages to escape during this break. Bre says don't let any new passengers on the train, they're not on the boat.

We make our way back to the hotel, we hear someone from the ally saying "hey, listen!" (Ocarina of time sneaking in) and Molly is the one inviting us over.

She asks what we did to piss off Danor and Crisillyir royalty that much (considering they normally hate each other officially). Molly says that an order is that we're not allowed on the train, so who are we? We ask her who she is? She says it isn't needed but someone who doesn't like Danor wants to help and she owes us a favour but she still wants 20,000GP for the help

Molly reveals that she knows where Kelik is. That he is safe, but who knows how long that'll last. That no good deed can go uncompensated, she'll offer us a deal of 10,000GP now and 10,000GP later for her future information from the unknown

We managed to talk her down to 2,000GP now and 18,000GP later which Freya has to help considering the biggest coin purse. Molly starts helping us by talking about the private train that'll be coming that has only a select few passengers and we should check it out, might be interested. We find out Kelik is actually asleep in train car 4, Mr. Maples old spot

We go to talk to Isabella. Well Hops sneaks in using his invisibility and tells her to go on a night stroll so we can talk. He casts invisibility on her

Isabella takes the train ride offer. Kelik will stay on the train obviously as well. Freya, Anael, and Isabelle will take the Demon shoeshoes offer to set up things in advanced.

Isabella gasps and is shocked that we know about the Demon Shoeshoes, that we should be careful as nothing she offers is without a price. That Shoeshoe is the one that manifested the physical forum of Malenia through fearsome right which lead to the near extinction of Eldarians.

Anael and Freya would've been far more negative towards her with that information. Isabelle kinda excited because she worships the transfiguration that transpired that brought the rot goddess.

Freya is creeped out that the Demon shoeshoes spoke to her directly.

That said we're going to stick with the original plan. Us Eldarian women need to stick together! Though Freya is obviously a bit scared by this though

Molly comes back after half an hour asking if we made our decision. We let her know we're all going to take the Demon shoeshoes fast transportation, except Isabella, who we let know where she can meet us later at the Danor embassy in Risur

They're a bit weakened from the previous fight so they sleep at the isle lighthouse. Freya wakes up to whispering saying keep us waiting no longer, come to the alter now. At the center of the alter is the old man's dead body.

The Demon asks that we first get rid of the corpse, he'll join the legion of the drowned. Oh she mentions that we shouldn't get her curse lifted by Crisillyir priest since any traces of the Demonology must be purged by days, weeks, months, even years of isolation

Hops turning invisible hops into the teleporting portal to scope out the area, with his connections to planar energy he has no problems teleporting. The rest of us think about teleporting to a tavern nearby called The Angels Share. The 3 of us are completely washed out and sick, looking like day drinkers

Hops investigating the area notices someone holding a amulet like the ones that let us go into the bleak gate (which we still have our amulet from earlier and this will play a huge repercussion here soon).

Hops notices the population is as human as Risur about 80%, but with more religious clothing and iconography. So he transforms himself into the closest image, looking for us which isn't hard to find

We order some drinks and food at The Angels Share. Hops gives us an update about the events by sliding us a newspaper with writing and sitting away from us as to not draw attention

Isabelle goes looking for a corrupt church that'll cure us and tell no one. She finds the perfect one, it has a gift shop! The priest is called The Big Kahuna

Apparently they're willing to marry lesbian poly relationships together, Anael steps away, as Freya and Isabelle get married in the quickest Vegas wedding and with a camera photo. We start having a conversation about the first camera, which apparently have existed for a very long time.

We tell him we also need exorcised from the demon. He goes to get some real holy water, which Anael buys a couple as well. The priest draws a bunch of circle around the floor to not have the demon directly summoned

The priest lets us know that the family is the private secret force of the clergy that allows them to do less than legal acts that are frowned by the church directly. This explains a lot!

We have to make wisdom saves from the exorcism. Anael does well. Isabelle and Freya start screaming eyes flashing white light, Freya especially shouting out in demonic goes choking her new wife. Anael holds her back as Freya starts convulsing screaming that the Demon's return is coming and collapses as the demon is removed

Both of us get a level of exhaustion.

Anael and Isabelle are cured of the demon, but Freya is not cured, though it won't come back up for a while it's suppressed it's still there. Priest says that the church uses demon cursed people as troops, another example of clergy hypocrisy

Hops also gets cured.

We discuss a battle plan, especially if they split up. Kelik and Hops will go after the Danor Tiefling royalty Lux, Freya and Isabelle after the half witch Octavia, and of course Anael will go after Bre.

The special train car arrives into the private station. Coming out are Lux, Bre, and Octavia. Lux is carrying a large box. They all take out amulets, and Lux and Octavia disappear. We also use our amulets which I don't think the module prepared for

We feel a wave of energy goes around us, as though we're getting pulled into the bleak gate. Looking around everything is grey and nothing exists besides the warehouse, inside is a group of people. Including the Danor lady from module 1 who gave us the mission to capture the Yeezus islands

A latern at the center is pulsing out grey energy. A lot like the train plane lantern that we encountered earlier though that was purple

We find out they've found a way with these new amulets that they can permanently stay within the bleak gate.

Another one there is a human, smoking a cigar, congratulating them. He has a long beard and calls himself Dustin. He is welcoming them into the organization the obscuriti, the ones that study the star to keep the world balanced and energized. That the universe though tends to entropy, that the Obscuriti is the balancing force. Chaos is natural and only we can stop it

Dustin calls the Tiefling royalty son Lux is the key to everything, because he is the one chosen to write the fate of the stars, not any Eldarian pretenders and snow witches.

The entire Danor royal family is part of this organization. Dustin says that they've built the great giant that Lux designed. Lux heads down to follow them into the basement, a bit nervous as he does this

Suddenly the old man who named himself Dustin hits his cigar again asking to a guard "you said no spies right?" "No one is here" "hmmm you need more skill because I can smell it, a rat" Dustin closes his eyes and opens them now glowing white. He looks around

Hops to make a stealth check, getting a natural 20. Dustin isn't able to see him with his true sight, saying my apologies sometime even someone like me gets it wrong.

In the basement is a table with a large map of the world. He points to Risur saying this is where we have a giant robot, which the city of Flint was designed around. He points to the islands saying they're part of the sacred golden cell, and the final one is the royal cell of Danor.

That Lux has been chosen head of the lantern cell. The one that'll lead the stars. Lux says he'll try his best and is welcomed into the organization

Another train arrives into the depot. The members all go back upstairs, telling Lux to go with them to the scene of the ultimate plan. Hops gets on the train because he knows the hiding spots and is invisible, good rolls too!

The rest of us find ourselves back into the plane of the living. Bre is handed her payment and told to leave as her services are no longer needed, the 3 of us follow her, as she orders a fancy steak. Anael approaches Bre, she begins to choke "Victoria what are you doing here, how are you alive?" "Wouldn't you want to know, just want to talk" and Bre says sit down. Anael says now that you're out of work, you should help us. We find out the the old Bergeron had a theory of using the lanterns at lighthouse to manipulate the forces that govern the universe, taking one would be huge

Bre asks Victoria's real name, She says Anael. "my name is Bre and Anael I'm going to go enjoy my retirement" and leaves

We head towards the dockyard to get picked up, they notice Hops still isn't back, but Kelik is back. Isabella is going back to see the Elfarian homeland, Anael is considering stopping by on break

Meanwhile onboard the next train are about 8 different people besides the 3 of Dustin, Octavia, and Lux. I don't think the DM was prepared for someone to actually sneak onto the second train

We'll continue next week! Hope you all have a great week

The rest of us level up 7. We get 6,000 gold pieces and with that I get the +3 gravity grimoire

 

[Cultsbane]

Going to try convincing the DM to actually write summaries of the campaign as well. Since they're better structured, detailed, and the DM actually knows the names instead of my affectionate nicknames

Here is the summary of the latest episode

Summary: Under Bree's orders, the Sid Minos guards attack the party's contact ship, which narrowly escapes thanks to one of the cannoneers critically failing and blowing up their cannon. The party gets extorted by Malia, who threatens to have you captured if they don't bribe her. In exchange for bribe money (2000 gp + whatever she bills the RHC), Malia sneaks you and Isobel onto the train, while the rest of the party uses Ashima-Shimtu's magic to teleport to Vendricce. Isobel tells the party that Ashima-Shimtu's magic leaves a kinda curse on its users, that can cause them to become temporarily possessed, and they must get themselves exorcised asap after using it.

Malia also tells the party that, after arriving in Vendriesse, Luc Jierre + friends are taking the engine train to a private depot. The party thus stalks the depot and learn they are wearing the amulets that let them enter the Bleak Gate. The party goes to a shady "church" (tourist trap) to get exorcised, since normal churches would also put them into quarantine afterward, and everyone besides Freya successfully get exorcised. They also learn a bit about the Clergy's international ambitions, and that the Family are the criminal arm of the Clergy - aka the Crisilliyi government.

The party stalks the private train depot, and when Luc Jierre arrives, he and Octavia activate their lantern to temporarily summon the Bleak Gate, where the party sees Lya Jierre (Danoran minister of outsiders from Module 1) and friends are waiting. Lya, and one of the Obscurati leaders Dustin invite Luc into the Obscurati, and talk about a lot of their plans, including making Luc the leader of the "Lantern Cell". Luc is very nervous about it all but accepts.

Despite Dustin's truesight, Hops successfully sneaks into the depot undetected and follows them into the basement, where Dustin explains a bunch of Obscurati plans, with the grand plan a reconfiguration of the world's planes and energies to bring forth a better world of their own design. A train arrives in the Bleak Gate depot to take the Obscurati, and Hops successfully tails them onto the train. It is mentioned that, after the train leaves the depot, when Luc turns off the lantern, taking off the amulet no longer sends you back to the regular world (usually you had to travel through the metal rings to get to the Bleak Gate. With the lantern on, you can just enter via the amulet)

Hops takes off with the Obscurati, and is currently on the train in the Bleak Gate, while Anael confronts Bree, has a lovely chat and learns about some of Bergeron's plans w/ the elemental seals and temples and their connection to the lantern plan. Party then hops back onboard their ship back to Risur, without Hops, as the parallel train in the Bleak Gate starts to leave Vendriesse.

And thus, the session ends without a climactic fight

 

[Cultsbane]

Update: On the night of your mission in Vendriesse, y'all are waiting on your escape ship, seeing if your friend might pull off a miracle and come back in one piece. The crew is urging everyone not to stay too long, for fear that your enemies might recognize the ship as the one chased off the previous night in Sid Minos. However, at around midnight, six hours after Hops's disappearance, y'all find him staggering back to the ship, exhausted and reeking of witchoil, with a covered lantern in tow. The crew rejoices, then quickly takes off for Risur. You all have successfully made it out of the Avery Coast Express in one piece. However, the Obscurati is also now aware that y'all have been party to some of their secrets.

will go over the full info tomorrow because some could be useful for us/Risur.

basically sat invisible on a train listening in to the Luc's, Octavia and Dustin talk about things for about 2 hours until Luc finally set the lantern on a table and left his cabin door open so I snuck as close as I could, failed and when octavia was basically telling on me cast Darkness on the cloth/lanter and successfully jumped out the window of a moving train with minor damage. While sneaking the opposite direction the train was headed I learned some neat fun things about the lantern and went searching for some feul so I could light it and get back. Found the fuel, dipped back to our plane, made it to the ship for a much needed rest.

few things that were talked about and/or found out about while there:
Old elf god/lady who was thought dead centuries ago is alive and approved the obscurati coming into Elfavir however she may be mind wiped in some way, not at her full and usual self. (sorry ethan forgot the name)
found schematics and plans for child sized golems to be shipped to Risur
saw several more of those portal rusted ring things that y'all have dealt with before stored there.
basically everything that was discovered in that warehouse previously, engineering parts, mechanical stuff, there was more of that in the bleak gate train station.
plane hopping lantern
Meeting with the king at Risur to get him initiated/make him an offer so they can have easier access to their faction there.
pretty upset that they lost beregeron, boone, mcbanon, etc. - boone was their private assassian apparently

 

[Cultsbane]

Campaign time: 3 hours

Fun fact today is the 1 year anniversary of completion of our last module Curse of Strahd, which we managed to epically stop Strahd

I gotta wonder how much the campaign anticipates us actually doing things in our downtime and not just beginning after the two months break

Starting off on the ship ride back from the previous module

The vials that Kelik found are from the following planes; red liquid vial labeled Jiese, blue liquid labeled Mavisha, Silver liquid labeled Urine, and Translucent liquid labeled Apet

Freya from her studies knows them as the planes of fire, water, earth, and space. Freya is also aware of what the scholars know about the parallel planes of the bleak gate and dreaming, the other planes are not like that, many theories say they're far off connected stars which Freya is researching this

Hops is going to look for meteorites. Freya goes her brief two weeks exorcism at Risur to cure the demon shoeshoe which was much more effective than in Crisillyir

We find out from Hops about one of the greatest queens of the Eldarians named Kasvarina Varal, might still be alive. That she approved of the Obscuriti mission there, is extremely anti clergy, and possibly mind controlled. Anael is of course anti clergy because of this and wants to visit Elfarian in support with Freya and her new wife Isabelle

Hops pulls out the lantern saying if you're good you shouldn't touch this, I burned through multiple souls to get here in one piece.

Kelik is most curious about Hope's reports of the schematics of child sized gollum being sent to Risur. That the Obscuriti is smuggling them in, we theorize that possibly these are too automate the workforce and gain favour with the working class. Which Freya and Anael are supportive of this automation processs having seen the struggle of factory workers

Kelik wants to go investigate the bleak gate, especially because of the access provided by the bleak gate. Meteorites help attune the oil to different planes and can thus help you get back home

The debriefing begins with Delft in the office, which it's been about a month since we've been back to Risur.

We now know the underground train is working that we saw being constructed, wait does this mean that taxes are going up. Delft is also made chief inspector of the RHC head of Flint

He asks his list of questions. Who was Bergeron meeting with? We list all the people we encountered. Delft is concerned about the involvement of the Danor and Elfaria, but doesn't see anything directly harmful yet to cause a full scale intervention

We ask Delft about Kasvarina, he knows her as the matriarch of the Dreaming and the Elfarian. We actually in module 1 ended up beat up one of her husbands, which pissed her off so much that now Risur must sacrifice 2 people to them a year Instead of 1.

Delft is very concerned about the possibility of mind control used on Kasvarina

What is Obscuriti up to? - Delft asks. We say they wanna go back to the old times but that they'll be in control of the demon and the fey. Delft is ignorant of the role of the Demons, he mentions the fey of the dreaming will be arriving for talks

Apparently Flints working class population doesn't like us, besides maybe for Isabelle because of her docker connections, but the educated class are extremely supportive of our adventures. Which sadly it's about a 70/30 split in terms of education demographics. Freya's education background makes her especially despised by the working class

We find out the Delft is planning on controlling the family and using them as an insider source when possible, that they much rather deal with the family who are cooperative than the fedora mafia who is more aggressive. We choose not to tell Delft about the lantern and it's properties. The

Kelik asks the RHC engineers retrofits his rifle to have extra range and a chemical launcher that can hit creatured from other planes

We try to arrange a meeting with Gale, but she is off to the dreaming to discuss a military operation with the Fey. Talk is about a movement among the Fey to attack the evil of the world and fat evil is industrialization

Hops uses a persuasion check against the skyseers to determine the locations of several meteorite strikes, allowing him this permission because of his connections and support to Skyseer Nevard. They mention that a new prophecy says a new shadow arises overshadowing all of Flint with each step

The 4 meteorite locations are scattered across Risur. Hops and Kelik are going to head out that way, which they manage to find some remains in placed like a wind temple or underwater. They get another potion of Jiese, two from Avilona, and another from Mavisha

Freya, Anael, and Isabelle head to Elfaivar. Passing through Ber they learn about a peace summit being chosen to be held between Danor and Risur in Ber

The honeymoon starts with Isabelle getting Malaria. She has started turning a bit yellow and now has the poison trait. Freya is quickly reminded of why she left this rural area for the city and complains that she hasn't been here for a decade for a reason

Isabelle turns into a hermit crab to be carried around by Freya in the meantime. Traveling through the jungles we find a bunch of high elves, but not Eldarians. They're not hostile but they're not willing to give us much information and dismissing the idea of a city of Eldarians. Those that remain are completely isolated from everyone else

Freya also gets malaria. Which Anael cures our malaria. We're getting closer and closer to our destination, doing an investigation check Anael uncovers an hidden facility. A perfectly camo building, at least to everyone but us. Looking a lot like a train station, but without train tracks

Isabelle to turn into a saber tooth tiger as distraction. Freya gives support from a distance, as Anael goes to grab the information.

Isabelle to make her saber tooth check for intimidation, getting a 21. They briefly run off, but Anael manages to sneak in but weirdly headaches are starting to set in, arriving in she finds a room with every colour of the rainbow and a golden seal. This one is a portal to the plane of dreams and nightmares

Anael takes a peak inside, having to make a wisdom save, she fails and a burst of multi-colored light enters Anael's eyes and she sees the lives of loved ones and nightmares. Her head absolutely goes wild, she goes blind and mad, and everyone else sees the light coming from the center. Anael falls unconscious

Freya follows behind using pulse wave. Immediately 6 of them go splat on the walls, 2 others get bones broken, and Anael is awakened by this with Freya screaming at her as she sees 6 guards splat against the wall thinking it is from the nightmare, and the other two legs are broken and in no shape to follow us. We gag the guards, as Anael goes to seal the gateway and we take the seal away from them

We find some magical rusted diamond rings that Freya determines that these rings seem to be attuned to an activation wand but it isn't nearby. We put them all into the bag of holding to transport with us

We scratch into the stone near the gate that Rock Rocucs was responsible for everything. Freya can still chocolate everywhere from before

They head back to Risur, even after two months we haven't heard from Gale, and the RHC is now very concerned about everything.

While this was going on Hops and Kelik. Begin testing out the vials. They both head to the bleak gate making wisdom saves. Hops is fine, but Kelik again is overpowered by the bleak gate and gets short-term madnesses, experiencing vivid hallucinations of a red curtains about to reveal the truth, as he is about the learn everything Hops pulls him from the abyss as they prepare to go back again.

They come to a warehouse where they immediately use the witch oil to set it on fire but the effect causes hops to go blind and paralyzed but Kelik doesn't know because Hops is invisible, as Kelik begins fighting off guards in the middle of the fire and successfully manages to escape.

Delft at this point has returned from his representative with the unseen Court of the dreaming

Have a great week everyone

 

[Cultsbane]

The DM revealed that because of some planned fat trimming (this will supposedly be a very short module, maybe shorter than 1) And that because we've largely avoided any major confrontation since module 1, that at the end of the module we will only be leveling up once.

Apparently that was the original planned pacing of the module.

DM Also said that it'll balance out that we got OP magic items so affordably early. Along with that our Ascension to level 20 godhood should happen Right before the final module and considering the undertaking will be going in module 12. No idea what that means

 

[W'rkncacnter]

Along with that our Ascension to level 20 godhood should happen Right before the final module and considering the undertaking will be going in module 12. No idea what that means

hahahahaha...Ahahahaha...HAAAAA HA HA HA HAAAAAAA

 

[Cultsbane]

hahahahaha...Ahahahaha...HAAAAA HA HA HA HAAAAAAA

Me: will it actually be a challenge worthy of our high levels
The DM: Good luck, you'll need it, but you have some time. Enjoy killing a few low level grunts for the time being

 

[Cultsbane]

Campaign Time: 2 hours, 57 mins, and 22 seconds

Isabelle couldn't make it for this session as she is starting college irl

Stover Delft lets us know about A peace summit being held between Risur and Danor. The peace summit is going to be taking place in a tower named after the Latin word gold in a hotel in Flint. The tower will be split into two groups and we'll be defending the Risur side as well as a skybridge

We go across the Flint city in a carriage to the Flint hotel. We hear a bunch of gunshots going through the window of the carriage, in front of us is a second carriage blocking the road turned sideways with 3 people with fedoras on and rifles. 3 behind us

Kelik goes first as another carriage crashes into us. Our carriage takes off after the drive is killed by multiple crossbow bolts, as the other carriages give chase. Kelik fires his new chemical launcher on one and they take 9 damage as a voice shouts out saying men watch what you're doing. As the chemical burns the carriage we see other men inside it pointing at our carriage

Hops revives the carriage driver and goes to take the crossbow bolt out of the carriage. A giant purple cloud spots out behind us engulfing the carriage behind us

Anael, not having a lot of range, summons her dancing sword outside the carriage window though they're still too far away. Not being happy she pulls out her carbine and they exchange fire, but our horse gets hit and 3 of us get ejected from the carriage. Taking 6 damage each as another carriage comes towards us full speed but we manage to dark souls roll out the way as it stops and turns sideways to create a barricade around us as the doors open up everyone with fedoras coming out and they fire.

Rifle blasts and grenades hit into us and we take 18 damage, the second round comes out firing specifically at Anael she takes 6 piercing damage, the last round goes towards Freya and they both miss the last technologist fires his grenade launcher as we all misty step 30ft away towards our carriage

Anael fey steps to the giant brawler man as he takes 4 fire damage. He jumps in the air and pounds down onto the ground, hitting into Anael. Anael blocks it but it leaves a giant imprint on her shield

Freya uses a gravity sinkhole on all of them, launching them into the air as a literal gravity bomb goes off ripping off doors and blood is everywhere as they're all dead, 50 damage. Encounter is over as we still have a meeting to get to.

We all agree we're blaming the Fedora Mafia for the explosion that destroyed basically a city block. Stover says for us to get it cleaned up and ready because the king will be arriving soon

We go down a pretty primitive elevator as we go up to the 11th floor, being reminded to be on our best behaviour and make a good impression. A long table is ahead of us with the finest clothes and at the end of the table is the king of Risur, standing to his side is Harkover Lee and various other ambassadors

The king walks up to us shaking our hands. Saying he heard about our incident on the way over and that we have much to discuss

Freya courtesy to the king and takes her seat. Kelik disguised as a human gives Harkover Lee a wink and he winks back before congratulations are giving to the king about his wedding

He says he is giving us a key important mission. The woman he is marrying might be trying to destroy his kingdom, he motions for Harkover Lee to hand over the documents from our reports from the last several adventures

We don't know much about the obscuriti, but we've gathered enough to assume that they're inside a bleak gate area of the city of Flint. He personally gives congratulations to Hops getting the lantern back and finding out the connection with Danor. Why are they still planning on marrying the king even when they're plotting against us?

The king admits that he has the power to forbid people from entering and exiting Risur. He has absolutely no power in the bleak gate though and he wants us to go into the bleak gate and drag them into the light of day for the king to personally take care of this problem

Hops is asking what type of mission thus is and the king says undercover black ops. Lee says we know a few ways into the bleak gate as well and list them off

They talk about the possibility of full scale invasion. We hear a knock on the door and we all get ready for action, we see a bit of a familiar face, a high elfian warrior carrying a flaming sword and a lion shield. A different gray cloak on his back from the one of fire from before. He stares at Anael, behind him are multiple guards.

The king says to Asbraey, to what do we owe this honour. He pulls out a scroll and starts reading from it that they will help Risur if Risur deals with a rogue member of the Unseen Court as neither fey can harm each other. That he been a problem for 50 years. His name Ekossigan (nickname Echo)

The king agrees to this. We have 3 and half days to get 3 bounties. We invite Asbraey into the bleak gate to help out our mission, Anael laughs at the possibility of this, Asbraey says his main target is his own and will discuss the bleak gate later as he turns around to leave

Kelik usea hunters' mark on him in case we need to track him later. The meeting begins as Danor and Risur begin discussing about the trade of technology between nations and magic

We all step out because it gets too boring. Hops casts planar energy to detect a bunch of traces of dreaming energy, but it's completely gone after a few feet. He attuned to it as a tracking method. So now we still have 2 methods of tracking. The rest of us all attune to it as well

Hops goes to the anarchist to get some vendetta bullets made. The rest of us going on a bounty hunt, first tracking down to Asbraey about the unseen Court rogue. Looking for signs of him, we are able to see a trial that leads from nearby the hotel into cloud wood, the most rural sector of Flint. The mountain that Freya doesn't like climbing

Kelik listens in hearing that a lot of the local residents are talking about a lot of unexplained phenomena in the cloud district, one was of a dead child in the street looking like it was eaten on by cats. Everyone is worried about what'll happen to the children and we decide this was definitely done by the rogue fey

Kelik lets the people know that they're going to increase police presence in the region, which a lot of people are disgusted about more RHC in the area.

Kelik says to be stealthy as Anael gets a nat 1 stepping on a log cracking it open and she falls down causing a loud fud. Guess we're not doing that

Freya makes a con save to avoid exhaustion but fails, thanks to the dreaded clean air. She really needs to return to the smog filled city

We see the child's body, his skull crushed, fingers chewed off and dozen of stab wounds. Anael makes a nature check, a nat 20, seeing that only his fingers have been chewed off and the marks look like they were made from branches and leafs. In addition the throat was clearly crushed, perhaps looking like he was hung from a rope

Kelik makes a perception check seeing that Asbraey is nearby, making his way over to him to talk about us helping him out in exchange for him helping us later. Anael detects dreaming energy although out the area

Asbraey coughs and says that Echo is an ancient spirit that knows this area's mysticism and the rituals used, many required child's sacrifices. That he has gone insane in the last month or so, which explains the wildness of the seasons as he controls the seasons.

While his own powers aren't special, Echo can easily control the minds and feelings of other people. Especially those that are Fey or touched by them. Asbraey hands us all wooden ring with gears of teeth inside, these rings will try to cut into you when Echo tries mind controlling you. Which will be extremely useful for Freya

His skin is also made of pure magic tree bark which is extremely hard to damage, though fire can absolutely help that. He says that he'll meet us tomorrow morning at the base of the mountain for more information

Asbraey suspects that Echo is still inside cloud wood considering all the strange happenings. Asbraey asks if Anael is enjoying that cloak, he much prefers his upgraded version but says it looks good on him

Cutting back to hops he spots a canary, walking behind it. Taking him to an alley, a message from Gale in the wind. Her voice says I heard that your colleagues are searching in the cloudwood district and that he needs to stop us from engaging in this issue, it is good for us all. Hops also tells Gale that he is working on ways to travel through certain planes at will. After Hops goes towards cloud wood

Freya uses her spirit medium abilities on the boy to start asking him questions. Able to connect to the young boy, as she makes this connection a deep anger and cynicism goes over Freya but she knocks it away. She asks the boy what happened and he was tied to the tree by a bunch of people, a bunch of creatures of big noses and ears and tiny like he was. Freya knows that there are the description of gremlins

Freya also learned from the child that he was kidnapped from an orphanage. We agree to give the boy a funeral. Anael being a paladin is to give him the proper funeral for the child, splashing him first with holy water as a bit of symbolism. She has to make a wisdom save. She saves detecting cynicism and malice, she detects that this actually came from a curse lingering on him. Anael uses gentle reposted so he doesn't become undead or disintegrate

Freya hands over a bottle of wine to Anael. They all go investigate, Kelik and Anael roll high, as Freya basically stares at the sun with her natural 1. We find a bunch of tiny feet heading to trees that suddenly disappear. Anael deduces that Gremlins are only really active at night

We all hear whispers in the wind, it's Gale, 400 ft up in a tree branch she says that we were specifically warned about intervention in the Feywild matters

Kelik asks her what should we be doing. Hops mouths the word Isabella to Anael. As Gale says for your own sake I ask you to not pursue him. That Echo goal is to mass his own army and to strike

Anael asks Gale if she'll meet with Isabella. Gale says that she absolutely would, if she survives her mission against Echo which will require a full scale battle in the bleak gate

Hops says you know I don't know if I'm working for the right people. We all agree that we're not on either the right or wrong side. Hops suggests that perhaps the king is looking to take control of the obscuriti powers and what exactly does Asbraey get out of alliance with Risur. Perhaps Asbraey is the one defecting and Echo is actually the good guy

Maybe we should awaken the fey spirits? Maybe we shouldn't?

But before we ever do that agree instead to hunt down the fedora mafia fucks instead

Have a great week everyone

 

[Cultsbane]

We have decided to stop using healing surge in the campaign, Because we haven't used them and we use healing potions as bonus actions anyways so it's kind of pointless.