04/29/15 Tragidore Session 9: Denouement

Midnight

The session began after two weeks waiting out the first winter snow fall since the Time of Troubles. As many copied spells, crafted items, or meditate in personal reflection, Wendell was able to retune the candle of invocation to match his alignment all while feeling the pull of the Wellspring. Arne and Alaric became fast friends as Alaric expressed some interest in helping with what he knew about the scrollsof Nasadra. Alan spent time on the immersion list noting Naergoth Bladelord as a known individual. Cadthronn, in his downtime unlocked the secrets of the Eveningstar Ring.

As the heroes departed two centaurs came to call. Brother Zaganos and Lady Lorraine who are here to take the vile forlarren to the Druid’s Council, this was met with approval. Before beginning the return journey to Tragidore, a six hour affair through the snow shortened by Wendell’s use of mount spells, Alaric wishes to explore the mausoleums in the consecrated cemetery grounds where the heroes found the Nasadra scrolls, here the cleric of Torm and Mystra retold the story of how his soul ended up in Flinn’s possession as well as the reason behind the death of two corpses, one missing an arm. Clues here compared against the Tome of Amulets should offer great details on where the Scarab could be.

On Ashaba River trail the heroes got caught in the cross-hairs of mythic creatures of snow and winter: a wolf pack, two dire wolves, a two-headed wrog and a yeti hunting the last of Flinn’s horrible Caliban experiments.

 

The Wellspring Monolith

In Tragidore the first order of business was taking Flinn to the constable Carin Taber who took statements from everyone and promised to have innocent folk released now that Flinn’s story is in the open. Also in attendance is Vacek Kordova who has talk with his adventuring brothers Arne and Alan.

The topic was conspiracy in the face of overdue young adventuring torch-runners: the questors for the Everflame. Duncan Kordova, Alan and Arne's father, hopes that torch-runner's tardiness is due to the weather, but seeing how they left almost three weeks ago their prospects for a save return is grim. Furthermore, Vacek warns, Morgan Gundwynd has made it clear he wants to know who was involved in the Everflame roster change that saw Carson Raiserik replaced by Helmo Gundwynd and Celadae Vistani replaced by Mura Gundwynd. Several folk have stepped up to aid in their rescue by magical location or with boots on the ground. Alaric the Valiant states he will devote each of his morning prayers to the missing until they are found. Nevertheless Duncan wants Arne and Alan to report if either of their Raiserik companions take sides in this development.

Also at the Constable was Sir Delmar Truesword of Torm and Peitra Damaken, each for different reasons they each represented unresolved business for the heroes. Peitra thanks the heroes and rewards them with a thousand gold for the bounty on the warerat Zhent Dulvan Kinroth and the promise of future skill training; Delmar was grateful for dispatching the heretics that fled the church during the godsfall with the promise of team-work training and would graciously accepting Alaric the Valiant back into the fold.

On the way back to Trinity Church the heroes stop by Swift Prison so Zadrian could deliver the necessary spell components to his uncle Nar-del while Alan spots Naergoth Bladelord involved in soldier training exercises. Calling the fighter over the heroes discover a man glad to be holding a sword and no longer under Doctor Tiffan’s insane knife. As this conversation is occurring no evil could be discerned but what unsettled Wendell was the fact this man had no soul.

Rhoma Vistani

Finally arriving to Trinity Church to find a burned-out husk- what was left after a dragon attack two weeks ago. Searching through a snow-covered ruin that had obviously been investigated the heroes retreat to Flinn’s former townhouse where they find Anna Pimm, Gideon Raiserik, and Bethany Solerer. At the townhome a heart-broken Anna retold how Luersa- the Red Knight came down from the sky just before the snows to the Church. She did not come for Ariel but for the Key of Irithlium, but when she saw that the tome was gone she took Ariel and destroyed the church. Each surviving incarnate relays the same story, except Gideon who doesn’t speak. They were able to save a few treasures: Liber Praevalida, The Tome of Amulets, and a large magical flail.

With the sun going down Wendell could ignore the soul stones’ pull to the Wellspring. The sky clears, and life holds its breath as Wendell places the soul stones about the Wellspring monolith taking the stones within itself opening a door to the afterlife. Ina who killed herself by plunging herself from the cliff passes-on; Filus Berot the former Mayor of Hopes Hollow who was murdered by a riotous mob passes-on; however Tolger Mann who was killed by his son comes back as an incarnate. Milsa Meet who was murdered by Flinn setting up his end-game comes back as a radiant beauty immediately catching Wendell’s eye and possibly his heart; and finally the two prison guards killed by Shaysera when the daemon broke Dulfan out of prison passes-on, but surprisingly come back with a third before truly passing on. Coming back as an incarnate is Rhoma Vistani of the Golden Watch as well as Zadrian’s mother.