11/23/2022 Virtuous Age Session 27: Downtime On the Plane of Air, Time Travel, and Entering The Ways

We begin this week’s session with the plan of five days of downtime. The first day is a chaotic day, hastened with many callers and gift givers with Eabrossi given air elemental sheet music.

Eabrossi discovers a collection in his research with Ustra. While restricted from the Annuls she does provide Eabrossi with magical copies she thinks is worthy of sharing. She does, however; share access to gift room: the collected gifts to Fallaciter over the eons.

The Collection (she shares) is a salvaged collection of research papers from many sources from our world of antiquity. Today it would be blasphemous because does not recognize Tiamat. If fact it names: Chronus as the titan ruler of the universe and refers to our world and a goddess of the earth Gaea. The author that cites this is Tirit Konol. The Collection also contains a family tree of numerous titan-gods descending from Chronus and Gaea.

Eabrossi discovers in the Gift Room they have entries of visitors that claim to have come from the Cloud Continent and mentioned specific flying citadels that named after titan-gods.

These visitors include Echtur, male cloud giant and Isase a black giant of unknown origin but elf-like in appearance. Buriru a human and Ryn’pol and elf. (None of these names previously appear anywhere on the blog)

An’agei Wor’atay

Aevum observes Fallaciter his leadership style to learn about him. Zaigan spends time renewing his bond to his mount. Kron spends time in meditative training for Iron Will.

On the subject of ways back home: there are ways to barter for transportation to our world- but a direct route to the cloud continent: our characters fail to achieve a way to properly communicate what the ‘cloud continent’ is to our host. 

Deep in the downtime Eabrossi find a notation- from An’agei Wor’atay who seemed to be a troublesome individual to Fallaciter. The entry ends with the successful negotiation to close a portal from here on the plane of air and a flying citadel that An’agei Wor’atay arrived from. The note does not indicate the cloud continent specifically. This was about ten years ago. It was noted An’agei Wor’atay is described as a medium sized humanoid covered by a silver sheen.

When this is shared, our characters realize there are portals to our world. There are a lot of air elementals who are pacted with beings from our world. We also believe that Fallaciter could send us back.

Ralikanthae

When looking for key words Embassy, ambassadors Tena comes up with Ambassador Chraumnys a storm giant and Ambassador Osrad, a human of Bouvldia and Ambassador Orvor an Elf of the Great City. (Newest to oldest entries) Aveum believes Chraumnys and Adele were here at the same time.

Eabrossi searches for wars or conflicts on the cloud continent or maps of such. He comes across a map in the gift room and has the cloud continent on it but the map is in old king’s tongue. The gift was left here ‘so that it wouldn’t be destroyed’. This would indicate the Cloud Continent is in battle with the Evening Isles.

Ustra reveals she has a lead on Tena's father. She found an entry by using Tena's mother’s name. They have a record of her and someone else vising Faliciter castle about 85 years ago. They are on the same line indicating a bond of some kind. His name was Ralikanthae.

Eabrossi learns of a gothic planar-ship that is capable of sailing the planes, in his research on avenues to our home world. Over the years there are numerous entries of visits from this vessel however there has not been an entry for the ship in some time.

Tinold Keleme

Pergoyt of Bouvet Keep, a visited Fallaciter castle looking for Tinold Keleme, and to warn them of Keleme- (possible human, tall thin and red hair); and to be on guard against corruptions (‘sins’ in our world and to our characters) and to beware. This entry was within a year.

At the end of the fifth day Tena reveals her belief Milath Ustra is held in Citadel Coeus. Aevum gains awareness in Fallaciter’s leadership and also discovers a previous unknown ability in his weapon during downtime. (initiative bonus)

On our final day Aevum inquires about a precious metal native to the elemental plane of air. He finds an oddly shaped pearl of power 2^nd level.

An idea is brought to the group about manipulating the time flow in the Ways so our characters recover the past five days of downtime: arriving at the moment we left our home plane. Then it was proposed we arrive on the moring of Talbots death thereby providing an alaby to us being indicated in his assassination. 

Arcanthorth Vigmatto concurs time flows erratically through the Ways and it is possible for Aevum to manipulate time when / if we travel.

Arcanthorth Vigmatto takes Tena aside and says he has prayed to Agamotto and has also made notes and wants to make a confession to cleanse his soul.

On our last day, our characters travel for about an hour from Fallaciter Castle. Arcanthorth takes us to a cloudy archyway. We are followed for the first few minutes. At mist cloaked archway we can feel at least one draconic presence however our characters do not see a dragon. The arch has elven markings along the edge. Arcanthorth takes time to ready and activate the symbols. Aevum, Tena, and Eabrossi pay careful attention to Arcanthorth as he does this.

When the portal opens the space in the archway changes color with sparkles over darkness until a stone pathway materializes.

Arcanthorth and Tena lead us through everyone tied to Campus.

The first area is dominated by darkness and stale air; our voices sound hastened. It was not much longer before our characters are attacked by chaos beasts.

11/17/2022 Virtuous Age Session 26: Fallaciter Castle, Arcanthorth Vigmatto, and The Shrine to Agamotto

We begin this weeks session September 14^th joined in a circle, our characters feel a upended pulling and the sensation of flying. Some of us are shaken, however those with a fly speed feel quite at home. Gwelldar did not make the journey.

Moments later the clouds part and we see a magical tower below. 

Magic envelopes our characters and transports us to a circular room with a red jinn statue holding a trident. 

Emulating the statue is a true jinn looking down upon what looks like a human man held in magical bonds.

“If you gods are real, prove yourself now.” The jinn told the man. 

The man our characters eventually learn is Arcanthorth Vigmatto puts voice to his pleas: "Vishanti Agamotto help me now"

These words are what brings our characters into the audience chamber because when we arrived we could see various figures and races. Some, Tena noticed include people of her own race that bear her house symbol.

Arrived, our characters are briefly disorientated but we soon realize we are on the elemental plane of Air buttressed actually to the plane of water.

The janni looks surprised at us and briefly lowers his trident before regaining his composure. "Arcanthorth Vigmatto has spoken true, release his bonds immediately."

At this command there is an audible swear-word from the crowd and a dark haired individual quickly exits.

Arcanthorth is released by the sylphs who looks coyly at Tena. “I swear I’ve always donated."

Our characters arrived in a containment cylinder but are soon addressed by the jinn. "I assume your intensions are true and do not wish any one harm." 

To that we all agree and eventually The Great Fallaciter welcomes us to Fallaciter Castle.

Eabrossi properly introduces Tena as priestess of Agamotto. This comes as a great surprise as Fallaciter is excited to welcome as Agamotto a new deity.

“Prepare the dining Hall and the Orchestra!"

Fallaciter flies about in preparation and bids us to one of the castle's adjacent flying towers. His sylph attendants offer air elementals to carry us to areas of the castle. 

Our characters marvel at the splendor of the populated castle and our new environment. In the distance we even see dragons at flight. 

Our characters follow Fallaciter who talks incessantly and not just to us but also to other citizens some near, some far and out of conventional ear-shot. 

We and about a dozen others fly into a chamber where our characters see more slylph servants and even briefly see his wife.

We feel honored as we are treated very well. Our characters are given time- two hours to clean and compose ourselves.

But before we could do anything Arcanthorth knocks and wishes to speak to Tena.

Our characters learn Arcanthorth originates from the Evening Isles and a member of group of scholars that do magical research and who works on the North East Continent.

He has been here for a couple of weeks.

He and and a man named Theophrastus came here looking for information. Arcanthorth, an arcanist, claims foul play and and when captured claimed his mission was one of faith. A faith that served his self interest, but a faith that would also appreciate his life-work. So when Arcanthorth’s claim of faith was questioned, and proof was ultimately demanded.

Arcanthorth claims to have done things in Agamotto’s name and in a sense has been his calling in magical research and collection. 

Information he was gathering was in regards to Rilenia. She was a wizard-expert in his area of expertise and he came to see if the line of elementals that Rilena was aligned with- was located here.

Arcanthorth was hoping to question individuals familiar with that time in history. Rilenia was one of the elves that worked on the Ways. Theophrastus was a competing individual.

During our two hours Tena preaches to Arcanthorth the ways of Vishanti Agamotto.

During this time Tena also concludes Fallaciter is a progenitor of Tena's Sylph tribe.

We learn Campus is from here and that Binki was born on the plane of air. 

Our characters learn there is no ruler of the plane of air, but there are city-states. And that elementals have deeper ways of communication and will change their names at will.

During this brief respite Aveum seeks to finish his weapon in his extradimensional repository. During so, Aveum receives a vision as he finishes the weapon of his mother laying in a pool of water, she is unmoving and seemingly giant sized. Aevum completes his +1 keen falchion.

Also during this time, Tena uses mythic power to awaken the ability for Binki to use a wand of healing on Kron. It works but in combat situations a confusion could interfere the process.

A sylph arrives and leads us out, it is here when Campus reunites with Zaigan and again our characters witness a lot of activity.

At the ground floor of Fallaciter Castle our characters are seated at a great table as guests of honor. Many others seated here with Fallaciter to witness the novelty of a new religion. Arcanthorth is also seated with us.

Fallaciter keeps banter light during dinner before the business at hand. We are also treated to an air elemental orchestra- which is splended, emotional, and breathtaking. Whirls and winds create beautiful music with wind instruments that threaten to overfill our characters with emotion.

Various scribes visit each of us and ask us questions to be recorded in The Great Book. Fallaciter likes to document all great deeds, visitors and occurrences. Our arrival is a great ‘mythic’ event.

Almost an hour goes by eating, drinking and socializing.

A sylph woman approaches Tena and introduces herself as Ustra. She is a member of Tena’s tribe. Ustra vows to add Tena’s name to the Annuls and offers to find Tena’s father in the Annuls. She comes to Tena for aid however. She says her daughter Milath Ustra is on our world and in a titan’s castle, a flying citadel. All she has is the name Coeus. 

We have heard that name and eventually we learn Adele also had come here and was more or less treated with the same honors as us.

Eventually Tena is given a moment to preach to the dinner party and have her words recorded by the scribes. She entertains all questions including Fallaciter who is an eager listener.

Eventually he orders a shrine erected to Agamotto and with a ceremony there will be a name day ceremony on the morrow. 

Fallaciter speaks with Kron and gives him a warning about Stormbreaker and not to use it to kill a unique individual. That which there is only one. 

Our characters meet many individuals including the entire elemental orchestra. Almost all of them name them as "of Fallaciter". Our characters also see Fallaciter’s wife organizing the gathering.

Fallaciter identifies Aevum and Zaigan’s bond and probes their relationship with some questions. He then makes the Campus connection. Now the quality of this event has multiplied. Fallaciter asks if Zaigan would honor him with Campus bearing Fallaciter’s royal symbol- the castle. Zaigan agrees. 

Ambrosia is served and by the end of the dinner our characters realize we have all de-aged one-year and permanently gain an ability point. 

After that we don’t remember anything and wake in our guest chambers. We are not hung over but it is the day after the most powerful drink known by the gods. We also gain our second mythic tier.

When our characters wake it is September 15^th – Naming day at The Great Temple.

We are summoned for the morning meal at the ground floor where there are vastly more individuals taking morning meal and curious about the miracle yesterday.

After breakfast Eabrossi digs out the Adele books and searches for a proper song for the naming ceremony for Agamotto’s shrine. Kron upgrades Stormbreaker to a +2 and Zaigan takes campus for exercise. Aevum begins the process of crafting a clockwork device and Tena spends the day supervising the construction of the shrine throughout the day. 

Later that night at the planar Temple we hear music signaling the beginning of the ceremony. Unique togas are brought to us before our characters are led up at the top ring of the tower. Scores of individual attendees are either standing or flying around the area.

Our charcters fly out where above and below an adjacent tower are blue disc shaped auras and lights. We enter a long magical hall lined with countless statues, fountains and shrines to the gods of the multiverse. Our characters are yet in another place.

Mephits carry in pieces of the shrine into the great hall where Fallaciter anoints each piece from the harmful effects of aging.

Playing in the background is an Adele song Eabrossi recognizes as one of her earlier masterpieces- one he now hears in its entirety.

Tena is pleased to see the shrine is given a place of prominence. Aevum vocalizes a prayer to Agamotto at success against the plague of sin on his world. Kron finds the shrine to Stronmaus and presents Stormbreaker activates mythic power and awakens the shrine.

The locals here refer to Kron as Troll King a honor he takes to heart and has a tattoo of a crown placed there by an artesian by the end of the night.

After the ceremony our characters decide to look for Arcanthorth. We eventually find him with all his equipment. He wanted to be sure he was square with everyone before he left for his home plane. Tena asks how Arcanthorth intends to return home. He mentions the Ways- the elven ‘laylines’ of traveling.

We end this week’s session agreeing to spend 5 days of downtime (End September 19th): researching with Ustra. Finding alternative routes to our world that does not involve the Ways and not creating extra travel days. We are also interested in finding direct transport to the cloud continent.

In the five days Tena retrains her dual path feat, Kron trains for Iron Will and completes another 1hp. Aevum retrains a feat. Eabrossi will spend the days in the library with Ustra. 

11/10/2022 Virtuous Age Session 25: Green Soup, You Are Under Arrest, and Polurn Falls

We pick up after our battle with the werewolf gnolls and the demonic minotaurs on the evening of September 13^th.

Our characters recover four +1 scorpion whips, two +1 short swords, one +1 scimitar and one +1 long sword. These blades bear markings akin to an organized guard or unit and were carried by the gnolls.

A dozen masterwork javelins and eight masterwork light steel shields. Four cloaks of resistance +1 (Butch) and two oils of invisibility (Butch). Four potions of barkskin +2 (Kron and Rob),

Even party Split: 20 potions of CLW, 10 potions of CMW, 5 potions of pass with out a trace, 5 potions of protection from good, 10 potions of remove fear, 10 potions of shield of faith +2, 15 alchemist fire, 5 tangleburn bags, 20 tanglefoot bags, 5 tanglefoot bundles. 20 thunderstones. +1 great axe (Polurn). Two rings of resistance +1 (Russ/Campus). Two 10 lbs bags of viridium, similar to obsidian but tainted and toxic.

Added to Party Fund:

Four +1 scorpion whips 2,305 gp ea; two +1 short swords 2,310 gp ea; +1 scimitar 2,315 gp; +1 long sword 2,315 gp; 3 cloaks of resistance +1 1,000 gp.

Everything else- the masterwork items we leave behind and destroy the viridium.    

It is close to the midnight hour as we pick up and begin the trail again. Pairing up again our characters begin to experience an increase in heat and humidity. Gwelldar rides on Zaigan's mount, Eabrossi partners with Tena and Polurn walks with Kron.

We travel for a time and begin to notice large gorilla prints were the path ends and the climb out of the rift begins. Our characters feel eyes upon us. Stepping out in front of us is a grillion who points up and steps back.

Zaigan and Tena fly up to investigate while the rest of us take cover. After a few minutes Zaigan and Tena see Rob’s uncle’s dragon terrorizing the area with flybys. These two fly back and report.

We decide to look around for a place to rest our characters eventually find an old single level building and a barn in the back. Two individuals ride out on horses, they don’t seem to see us. The two riders meander in our direction then head off toward the cavern wall. They had armor and substantial blades on their backs. They soon pass out of sight.

Zaigan suggests our characters keep looking for shelter. Not long after we come to a grain silo that seems ideal. We set up a rotation of watches. On Kron’s watch the dragon performs a flyby. This action incites the animals in the area. This also includes Kron who set a new long distance personal record in his frightened state

Our characters awaken and by 11 am September 14^th. It is hot and humid, there is a mist and eventually a green mossy substance begins to settle upon everything.

The next four hours are slow going but eventually we step out of the Rift, the difference in air quality is immense. On the Steppes it is clearer and much cooler. Our characters hear voices. This is a common passthrough area so the voices hailing us is not uncommon. There are wagons and a number of individuals.

Then one of us hear “I think that’s them.” Scattered about the area is a horrendous harry giant “Blisters” and two females. One wearing some sort of hide armor and an owl. A halfling- he was the one who challenged us “Identify yourselves.” He has a wand. 

There is maybe another human with daggers and no visible armor. This one does not look special at all. Two individuals in breastplate one male and one female armor with bows and swords. They have weapons that bear the same symbol that marked the weapons from last nights encounter. There is another human.

aberrant giant

Erabrosi introduces himself and states our travel intentions. The lady in the Breastplate states clearly. “Prince Aevum you are wanted in the conspiracy and murder of Talbot.” The halfling states wryly, “Looks like you are under arrest.”

Human woman Sharroa Diviri, a wererat conjurer, Hellknight Signifier, aberrant giant, a halfling Arcane Artillerist, a woman Alviana Shadowsworn, and the mysterious Exander Runethorn. 

They completely neutralize Kron in the first few seconds and keep most everyone grappled with black tentacles. Tena retreats back into the soupy climates of the cliffs as Aevum similarly takes defensive actions. A wall of fire further complicated things before ultimately Polurn falls and Kron succumbs to a dominate person. 

Tena cast a spell and we are magically transported away in cliff-hanger fashion. 

10/27/2022 Virtuous Age Session 24: Worgs, Werewolf gnolls and demonic minotaurs

We pick up at around 8 pm on September 13^th in the hill cave of Alrog after gaining our 7^th character level.

As we prepares to move on after our long rest, Alrog exits the cave for a morning routine. Outside it is still raining and when we leave Alrog acknowledges the Prince Aevum with respect and watches us depart- anxious to work off some aggression.

Our characters travel into the rainy evening and into the gloom. Returning to the common path out of the Rift our characters travel without any light. Those of our party without darkvision partner up with individuals capable of darkvision. Gwelldar rides on Zaigan's mount, Eabrossi partners with Tena and Polurn walks with Kron.

Some of us notice a change in the area and find tracks leading away from Laketown. After a time our characters find a location with many prints where mayhap an ambush could be made. We find giant boots, 8 gnoll prints, as well as trail markings higher up indicating flying minotaurs. Portents as to what was to come... 

A group of individuals were waiting here for a time and seem to have given up the wait.

Not much further the foot trail ends, here the area becomes wild and unkept. The wind also picks up in the misty night as we enter an area of old structures and a trio of aggressive worgs. These creatures bayed calling attention to our battle. 

Kron kills one as Aevum’s slow spell spooks the remaining two worgs and they flee. Moments after the slow effect expires the two worgs return but this time around a trio of humanoid flying shapes begin to materialize in the mist. Flying demon minotaurs!

These flying minotaurs come in burdened with invisible werewolf gnolls. They deposit them onto the battle field. Round by round these demonic minotaurs would bring more werewolf gnolls.

Our characters defeated the worgs, two demon- minotaurs and the werewolf gnolls.

We end this weeks session before our characters are able to search our attackers.