Found brooches - four of them - allow passage in secret/forbidden vaults in Tower 6 (Morgrave University). Shane recalls of a place: Swift Wing is a dive tavern that professors and students hang in. Also is a front for criminal orgs (Boramar clan fences stolen artifacts from Morgrave). There are secret smuggling tunnels to/from the university. Located Menthis plateau. Shane (posing as a professor for his novel) and Xi (disguised as his intern) enter the bar - the rest of the party hang back. Shane is noticed. Shane is met by super fans and doles out a few signatures, drawing eyes of the tavern crowd while party snuck into back door and down into basement - there, tunnels are found (entry door was magically trapped). Going through tunnels... found 4 sarcophagi with long dead kings of ancient civilization Galafar (saw same language in the cogs). Party opened up one of them and out came an armored mummy! Defeated him - ancient plate armor and longsword worth 750 and 150 gp. Bryan got hit and cursed! Xi (Jerry)06/07/2020 We find a lookout for another party contracted by Leto Skoll to find the book in Margrave University Shane Husk (Jay M)06/07/2020
Encountered a gentleman (Wormhowler) claiming he was researching for a professor - we detected he was lying and decided to 'hire' him as a guide (it turns out he is a jackalwere working for Valentine Flametouch, associate of Leeto Skalle!). We found a room full of discarded common clothes. The Jackalwere spoke of Daask and "the Splinters" - he is from an area known as Black Bones. Valentine and her jackals split up into two groups - one entrance guarded by by a "Guardian" (Valentine) and another longer route. (jackals). Assuming we have an amulet that controls the Guardian, we take that route. Following some cracks in the walls, we entered the hidden vaults of Tower 6! Indeed - found a stone golem guardian - our brooch/necklace was recognized and it did not attack (but there was evidence of dead jackalweres). Shane Found "the Wanderer's Scrolls" - description of ancient places/landscapes/geography of another world. (very cool!) |--> Encountered a spectral presence... spoke ancient Quori language - beings of Dalkor (the dream world, the region of dreams) - a remote plane (can only visit via dreaming). Also found a hidden closet with a black armor of ancient drow elves. Umbragen Drow - formerly loyal to the Giants - fled to the underworld and fight abominations. The armor also had a +1 black flail - Banner took it. |--> Continued to chase for jackalweres... defeated four more. Heading south, we encounter An Allip guarding an ancient orb. Meanwhile, nearby, Sabre found another boarded up area, behind it was an old bookshelf with the Tome of Kolseer!!! Xi (Jerry)06/14/2020 The bar that leads to the safehouse - The Chum Bucket Bad news . . . Leeto Skalle knows we have the Book and he is pissed
6/14/20: Shame picks up black orb... it shows the image of a Lamia (Valentine Flametouch) and "speaks that this would be useful info for me." We notice a group a jackalweres and Valentine heading our way - we run past (Xi thunderwaves them to slow them down) and proceed north. we proceed to sneak past the guardian golem with invisibility, stealth, and XI sacrificing his turret for cover. We proceed back into the tunnels. Taking an alternate path out through the tunnels, we get by an arrow trap and discover an altar to one of the Dark Six. We also discover the second pathway to The Tower 6 Vault but skip past it and continue to proceed into the tunnels. Found yet another altar to the Dark 6. Evaded some Breeland elite guards who were searching for thieves, and were able to exit the tunnels safely.
Back at our tavern (Cafe Obsura) we rest and gain level 6!!! We are visited by Triss. Shane's orb notices invisible bodyguards. Triss shares that Valentine is one of three sisters. Flametouch, Flamewind (a Sphinx), and a third (murdered by Valentine). She encourages us to guard the Tome and assures us that Cavellah has good intentions. She departs, and later on, Leto Skalle enters the Cafe! Skalle demands to speak with Shane - Shane reveals that he found an orb (this orb, Shane learns, can see through disguises and/or invisibility, and reveals to Shane the name, "Lhaak") - Skalle seems spooked and storms out! Triss returns, and reveals she learned that King's Dark Lanterns were who we saw in the tunnels. Apparently they were also looking for the Tome. She shares that Emerald Claw is planning for something 'big' in a couple days time. Shane reveals the orb to Triss and reveals her thoughts of the item - that it can be useful against Skalle. (it is a modified Crystal Ball magic item that more or less acts on its own - it attunes itself to Shane!) The orb is used with Xi's amulet and we get visions of a sentient lightning rail named Karshak.
Team agrees to meet Cavellah at the Chum Bucket safe house to offload the Tome, evading some jackalweres. At the Chum Bucket - we see Cavellah being carried in by ogres. She asks if we have the Tome and the orb.. Shane demands a smaller audience and that she dismisses her invisible guards. Then Shane reveals the orb. Cavellah demands I store it in our BoH - the orb them speaks to me and encourages strongly NOT to store it in the BoH. The orb reveals the three hags of Sora Kell are watching this exchange through Cavellah's amulet, and appears to telepathically connect to Cavellah!!! Cavellah agrees to remove the amulet, and Shane then agrees to place the orb in the BoH. Why is Cavellah nervous about the orb? She mentions "Dhal Korr" - this is a realm of existence (dreams and nightmares). Giants of old studied dream magic and had alliances with Quori (symbiotes/ parasites of Giants). Sabre recalls a great deal of history about the Quori and pathways between mortal plane and dream plane. Orb is an ancient artifact of Dhal Korr and is a powerful tool that may be used to open up a hole to the dreaming plane (?). Cavellah notes that there have been several disappearances recently (yesterday) - appears to have occurred after the orb reveal to Skalle (coincidentally). Skalle apparently has hired agents of Lyrandar as well - clearly he is accelerating his timeline. BUT he doesn't know where Clawrift is. (Xi knows it is accessible via Karshak - sentient lightning rail.) Options going forward - Confront Skalle (he's likely well-guarded at this point) or Track down Emerald Claw (they may have a beat on Clawrift). We agree to hand the Tome to Cavellah - she agrees to 'fake our deaths' to throw Skalle off our trail and offer us a reward. 3200gp, 11pp, 75gp, elixir of health, potion of fire giant strength. As part of the farce, we each hand over items of great value or significance (Shane: his Aurum rings, Z: family signet ring, XI - toy gun from hsi family, Shift - papers, etc.). Cavellah casts a day-long (24h) disguise spell upon each of us - we each take on alternate personas!
Proceeding to the City of the Dead while our disguises are active... we stumble upon a unusually large group of 'zombie landscapers' in a graveyard. We sneak past them... we approach a tomb with two hooded beings (cult fanatics)- they notice us, blow a whistle, then a wave of zombies attack us from behind! We were able to defeat them handily - and now stand outside the entrance of the Tomb of Sevin!
Heading toward the City , we see signs of cast fireballs, dead bodies (guards and civilians), signs of jackalwere activity. Pulling out the orb, Shane has a vision... |--> "Triss - deceased!!! She and her crew were annihilated and looted. Triss was discreetly carrying the Tome to a safe location and it appears she was jumped - the book is gone. Given jackalweres are among the dead, possibly Valentine was sent by Leto Skalle, but how did he know? Among the dead assailants there were 'swiriling tattoos' - Knight's Dark Lantern assassins, who have Aberrant Dragonmarks" (KDL assassins were supposedly disbanded after the Mourning but apparently they're still around and causing issues - no longer Breeland-affiliated but are very expensive, pro mercenaries.) |--> Perhaps our next move is to find Clawrift before Skalle. We recall some lore - no rail system goes completely all the way, but does possibly reach other cities that are part of the way - including one known to be the original home of House Cannith. Regardless, Clawrift is likely over 2000km away and maps of the area are well out of date since the Mourning. |--> Nothing we can do about it, but we wonder whether Skalle is after us next. We agree to continue to the City of the Dead and 'go underground.' After some uneventful travel, we reach the Tomb of Sivis - inside, a statue speaks to us and welcomes us... As we take stock of the place, suddenly a four-armed skeleton approaches from a nearby hallway and attacks! During the fight, we are attacked by two ghoul spies as well. We take a few wounds but prevail - the EC knew we were coming and were waiting for us! |--> We proceed stealthily through the tomb halls... not very well, though. We get noticed by armored undead and a floating skull! Not long after a hard fight with them, more waves of skeletons approach from all sides! We survive and heal up for a bit, then proceed through a nearby secret door. Inside is an altar with worshipping cultists - we burst in and engage them. After a tough encounter, we defeat them and now stand alone in front of a glowing altar...
The altar has a floating, necrotic orb with an embedded Khyber Crystal - it appears to have been used by the cultists for nefarious purposes (e.g., raising skeletons). XI and Shane work to disable the necrotic energy - now a simple, benign trinket - Shane takes it. Moments later, Banner senses group of undead in several directions, and a disembodied skeletal hands crawls through a nearby wall crack - Xi shoots his own foot inadvertently trying to shoot one of them, then blasts the wall they are crawling out of, revealing a swarm of them. Shane Thunderwaves them, but soon after, two large 4-armed skeletons approach and engage us. We struggle against them but succeed. We short rest then proceed Southwest. We discover a bubbling cauldron of green, necrotic ooze (remains of people - soylent green?). Zarantyr works to cleanse the area and render the cauldron inert. We find another statue in an alcove that speaks historical facts of the Sivis house. We then find a tapestry/curtain of Sivis - it was over-painted with the Emerald Claw logo. Across from it, a heavy stone door with a deceased ghoul spy in front. Behind the curtain is a large, central chamber with two platforms (N and S) and an altar with an effigy (robed corpse with wings and a jewel crown). Four armored knights and purple robed figure and fifth armored knight with a skull helm (he has a half metal, half skin). Lord Krash speaks, 'hello sister!' - he is Shift's brother!!!!! Krash briefly shares some history... House Cannith built two half-machine, half-"dead" beings - as part of some grand plan of world domination (?). One joined house Karnath and (stating he feels his humanity was stolen from him) joined the Emerald Claw (Krash), pleading allegiance to Lady Ilmarow; the other, Shift, went to her house and followed a good life. He admits he killed XI's dad, who apparently revealed a word or two to Krash as he died (?). Krash invites his sister to leave her party and join him to return "home to mother" and rule as a "family." Surprisingly, Shift declares she will not (nor would ever have) given herself to the Emerald Claw, calls him a traitor and attacks! An intense battle ensues! Krash informs Shift her power comes from the patron resembling the effigy in this room. After a tough battle we Defeat Krash and the remaining Armored wights whither away!
ON the body of Lord Krash - there is a crystal with an embedded consciousness (Krash himself). Proceeded to explore the temple of Sivis further - found a secret back area with several ancient crypts, altars, statues. Found an altar with magical sigil protections - Shane was able to temporarily dispel, allowing a nearby portcullis to be opened/lifted. We see the tomb of Edwin Sivis (patriarch) - he is holding two slate crystals (some magic). Also found four potions of greater healing, potion of climbing, 300pp, 500gp (gems), as well as A/V sending stones (Shift, Shane, Xi). (916 gp per person, 6 silver, 6 copper) --> We proceed to return to the safe house (Chum Bucket) in lower Dura and NOT return to our Cafe Obsura (thinking it's now burned/watched by Skalle's minions). They get alarmed by Shane's Orb - Cavellah demands it gets buried in a bag of holding immediately - Shane fights over the orb's attempt control his mind, and attempts to toss the orb to Sabre - Sabre fails to catch it; it rolls over to a nearby ogre. Cavellah reveals her true form and her Medusa bodyguard turns the orge into Stone! Unfortunately Shane witnesses this and also turns to stone! Thankfully, Zarantyr was given a spell scroll to restore Shane to normal. Cavellah informs us that Skalle is preparing for a departure on his new airship and encourages us to intercept. She hands us a sending stone to reach her if needed; then, she departs. --> Party long rests and gains Level 7!!! --> Shift has a long conversation with Krash's consciousness... we learn that there is a sentient lightning rail (Karshak)... Krash revealed that he was tasked to retrieve the Tomes and Crystal to ultimately enable the restoration of the Emerald Claw to prominence as a nation state. Lady Ilmarow was the mastermind of this plan. --> We proceed to renew our disguises and head back to the main city, and use some downtime to restock (several of us purchased floating disks and each were permitted to purchase a common magic item at the cost of 2d6 x 10 gp). We learn of the location of Skalle's airship (its a military-grade design) - it's preparing departure. Fortunately, Zarantyr has a family ship that we can use - we make haste! We reach the Sky docks... We're chatting with folks, and as soon as Shane drops his disguise, we are met by mercenaries/assassins with aberrant dragonmarks (likely House Tarkanan agents - do they have a 'Shane detector' or perhaps have a connection to Shane's orb?). Shift decides to summon a greater demon!!! We and the Tarkanan assassins exchange a flurry of powerful spells - we countered some, and the demon helped a bit. Unfortunately a couple of us were knocked out, including Shift - the demon gets loose and goes wild. After chaos, we are able to triumph and flee to Z's ship! Slight change. Cavellah isn't the medusa. She has a medusa bodyguard Cavellah appears as a floating blue-skinned fiend of some sort with long black dreadlocks. She's an Oni! The lightning rail is named Karshak
Heading to Zarantyr's ship, we find it was unlocked. This is a hot rod of a vehicle - a bit of a mid-life-crisis-mobile. Has chrome exhaust, two engines (well beyond spec), powered by two elementals that apparently are not friendly with one another. We enter the ship and encounter Dawson Riddleharp (butler/deckhand) - he states he thought Z was dead (no thanks to Shane) and then insists we talk to approaching guards (apparently investigating our recent fight on the air docks)... we dismiss him to tend bar (to his dismay). Shane signs his novel and strongly encourages him to understand our crew is on a research mission of great importance (Shane's next novel). Guards attempt to ask us to stick around to answer a few questions... fumbling some persuasion checks, we take off immediately! We struggle to control the ship for a moment then eventually succeed. We however cannot see Skalle's ship - long gone. Then the orb begins to speak to Shane - he knows where Skalle is (or at least an item he carries). The orb (named "Lack" - likely the Allip spirit we fought in Tower 6) - then sends out a locator beam out the front of our ship!!! Z then hits a blue crystal on the bridge to enable "turbo" mode... we then rapidly accelerate! Shane Husk (Jay M)07/19/2020 --> After several minutes, we then see Skalle's large, black ship heading North! They seem to spot us, and send two winged creatures towards us, both with three heads and a serpentine tail. Apparently they were mysteriously able to shake off a Polymorph spell (somehow becoming ethereal and reforming itself). We later learn these Chimera's are illusions (after Xi's arcana check) and see they are piloted by jackalweres - several of them board our ship and we fight them off. Shane dispels one of the Chimera illusions. The other is defeated and blinks out. Banner was grabbed by its tail and unfortunately was left to float in air after the Chimera vanished - Shane saved him with a clever Floating Disk spell as a makeshift kite to break his fall. Banner was then able to guide the kite to a window on Skalle's ship! Shortly thereafter, we drive Z's ship to ram into Skalle's vessel! Then we board his ship and engage a pack of jackalweres. Unfortunately, during the encounter Shane appears to have been charmed by Valentine herself, and is led away from the fight... (fight with jackalweres continues - Zarantyr is next in init order)
The fight continues aboard Skalle's stealth sky cruiser, The Night's Sky, with the party engaging jackalweres. Zarantyr & Xi free one of two elementals driving his dad's ship and it flies off. Shane, charmed by Valentine, heads into a side room - she tells Shane that Skalle has lost his mind and needs to be stopped... they killed his friends (obviously not true) and his minions are approaching. Shane in a bout of self-preservation, prepares a fireball... --> unfortunately, Z's efforts to save his ship (The Goldbryte) after ramming it prove to be a challenge - rather than abandoning it and joining the fight on the Night's Sky (and thus forever losing the Goldbryte) he drives the Goldbryte away for his own safety (with only one remaining elemental engine and lots of damage). However, the ship breaks up on the way down. The remaining air elemental swoops up Zarantyr and returns him the Night's Sky! Dawson floats down safely to the ground. The GoldBryte, sadly, falls to its destruction. --> the fight on board continues, and a fire elemental joins the fray! However, Shane is able to shake off Valentine's Charm (Part of a 5th level Geas spell) and is able to dispel the elemental! She retaliates with a mind spike (Geas) spell! Zarantyr jumps in to help defend Shane and take on Valentine! Soon after the rest of the party, after vanquishing jackalweres, jumped in to defeat Valentine (non-lethal)! Shane Husk (Jay M)07/26/2020 --> Our attempts to question and intimidate Valentine to betray Skalle fail - we resign to toss her off the vessel. In the room, we see a treasure trove of Xendrik artifacts, and good stuff: