Session 10 Prep

Above Table

Anything above table that needs to be discussed before session.

Backstory updates for Morgyn
Lore updates on wiki
Will do surveys this week - didn’t get time last week.
One shots - pre-genned or on-the-day
Another loose session - some things planned but first part of the session is very much freeplay for them.

Plot Points

List of Plot Points that might be involved or branched from…

CHRPLT - The Treeseeker
- Learn more about the Primordial Titans and potentially uncover their link to The Rootkeepers
SUBPLT - The Missing Bar Staff
- Potentially investigate The Ratways
CHRPLT - The Elixir Of Life
- Meet Lukhas Tophat and learn of “Riddle”
- Discovered by the Cloak Corps and charged with treason against the crown -

Review

Two or three paragraphs summarizing the events of the previous session. Be Succinct.

Last we left off… The Fated Eight were escorted to The Steel Fist Tavern where they met Garhys Steele - the owner of a the pub and an a man with information few others have access too. After some discussions - he offered to ask around The Ratways for information about Thomas Urgide. He told you it would take a few days so it would be worth picking up other work in the meantime.

Before heading to bed after this quite long day - you made your way to The Rowdy Roan again and spoke with Grez Klimmet about the missing staff. You learned; through Aurevald suspicion and Suggestion spell, that he had received a mysterious threat letter demanding that he ”Support the true monarch in the coming weeks” or his staff would suffer. He admitted to hiding it - at first thinking it was a prank. He did reveal that he had seen a Halfling man run away from the scene and towards the Maiden Ward. He suspected he was heading towards The Ratways but lost the trail.

You returned home for sleep, with Aurevald waking the rest of you up following a nightmare.

Met a man named Davison Theros and received an invite to VVU
Learned that the cleric coming to save Scabb and the woman is late cos of storm damage on the road between Zenytha and Roan.
Read up on some history and lore at the university - whilst coincidentally learning how The Sanguine Script could be found from it’s librarian.

Bridge

The initial event or situation to connect last session to this one.

And that’s where we’ll pick up from…

Re-Familiarize

Get them back into the world. Set the scene vividly and make it feel real.

13th of Vaelorn, 920PD
It is late-morning/midday, with sunny weather outside
You are in the magically altered library of the Veiled Visage University.

Where To Go Now?

The immediate action for the Party to deal with.

What tasks do they want to complete? any more research or exploration here?

Forwards

*Possible paths forward - plan for a handful of scenarios *

The Ratways

No map
Run down shacks, dishevelled houses
Couple inns that have mostly intact roofs and serve basic drinks
There’s a number of criminal gangs here - most people won’t be acknowledge you without throwing coin their way.
- Varg can be found walking around - was sent here by Carmen Flint as part of a top-secret mission.

Freestyle this bit - it’s fun

LORE:

The Ratways and The Creeks used to be one big community until about 50 years ago - the water from the lake started leaking through and washing down towards them.
- Originally seen as a blessing - they drank the water and horrific things happened to anyone who touched it or drank it.
Since then - The Ratways was seen as a haven for anyone wanting to get away from the dangers. The Creeks are were real sick criminals live.

Carnival Grounds

There are a few carnival games including:

A coin in a cup game (Roll D6 behind screen, ask them to pick cup 1, 2, or 3. They can make a perception check at a DC17 to eliminate 1 of the cups it isn’t.)
A sack toss requiring both STR and DEX checks that are both above 10 and not more than a fixed number in difference.
- There are three holes of varying sizes - easy (4), medium (3), hard (2)
There’s a woman doing fortune readings - this one uses a glass ball.
There’s a few food stalls selling Glorious Gozo packs with their meals.
- Glorious Gozo are gacha packs of famous politicians, mages, adventurers, and others people.
  - Senator Vellus Prunell from Kaelethys
  - Captain Stormwind from Terick
  - Thelnyron Dose from Terick
  - Elizabeth Strong from Vylderica

The Sanguine Script

Not located on map - must ask around to find location. Open 24 hours but can only be found at night when the street lights dim.

Avendra Blythe will introduce herself and can be seen drinking a peppermint tea - stating she had had a bad sleep the night before. Prompting her with the phrase will see her brow raise and grab her attention. She’ll offer to help them if they can help her with a riddle she’s been given that’s really stumping her.

“I’m quite happy to help you cutie but I’d like to ask something of you first. Can you help me with this riddle that’s been stumping me for the past day or so?

What is round like an apple,
and deep like a cup,
yet all the king’s horses
can’t pull it up?”
- Avendra Blythe’s request for help The answer is a Well or a Hole

Avendra Blythe will admit she didn’t need help solving the riddle and in fact was just testing Morgyn on behalf of the anonymous letter’s author. She advises Morgyn that there’s gentleman in the back of the shop waiting to speak with them.

The Man

The back of the shop is a bit musty and poorly lit but a match is struck and a young man will light a lantern nearby a table with a chess board on in it. He invites Morgyn for a match before speaking.

“So you’re a friend of Riddle are you? He told me you used to work in the same circles - only loosely. You were a big shot he told me - and then one day POOF you vanished like you’d never existed.

Let me guess - they pinned a crime on you that you didn’t commit, right? Brave of you to return to Terick so plainly.

Tell me - what business are you looking to achieve here gestures for name ”
- Lukhas Tophat’s introduction

The young man is exquisitely dressed and even had a nice blue Tophat on. He apologies for the ungentlemanly behaviour and introduces himself as Lukhas Tophat - an associate of “Riddle ”.

Improv the conversation from here - it can go in a million directions

Every few minutes ask various players to roll perception checks - just to see what’s going on in the room. Eventually (DC17) on the third check - they’ll notice that the light in the room getting much dimmer than expected but can’t see a clear source.

Treason!

At a prompt time in the conversation - the room will go completely back before returning dimly where 6 figures clad in all black leather armour will appear with weapons trained on Lukhas Tophat and The Fated Eight. A more decorated woman will step forwards and declare.

“Everyone in this room is under arrest for treasons against King Terick II. You will be tried under the full might of the law and suffer any appropriate punishments for harbouring and dealing with treasonous individuals such as Mr. Tophat here. Although I suspect he isn’t the only one here that fits that description Looks at Morgyn
- Leader of the Cloak Corps to the room

*Riff a bit to see how it goes - let them squirm a bit. See if Brad will bite”

Eventually if Morgyn doesn’t reveal the truth - the woman will shoot her in the hands whilst another person is waiting for Aurevald to react. As the shot takes off - time will slow and Aurevald’s hand will begin to burn a searing pain.

Everyone feels themselves; metaphysically, be pulled underwater as their lungs slowly and then rapidly begin to burn. The sensation is first met with the expectation of stopping but it is endless - there is no relief coming. Only Aurevald can move and breathe at this time.

The Deal Is Accepted

You feel that same tug from within from the other night. Do you follow it? You feel yourself begin to dry rapidly as the water fades away and you are left on bare dirt and rock - the space around you is the same endless void you have felt before. Your vision is caught by an entity - very similar to the one you saw earlier in this same space - as it turns it’s gaze towards you.

“Do you want to protect your friends - mountainborn?

Good… Make a deal with me instead and I will see it your friends do not suffer at all from this aberration of fate’s course.”
- Emperor of Earth’s Deal

Aurevald can have the choice to enact the deal with the King of Fire OR with the Emperor of Earth. Either way he’ll be asked what he would give.

“Tell me again - mountainborn - what would you give to spare your friends this pain?

IF he says “my life” or something like that: One life alone is not enough to save this many - but you can give more than just your life…” If he says “Everything” or something like that: A deal is a deal. It is done - your friends are safe - now come, there is work to do.
- ?

In the real world - Aurevald will either burn up into ashes or crumble into dust depending on which facet he made a deal with. Time will begin to reverse and The Fated Eight will be in the room again with just Lukhas Tophat - who will stumble in the middle of a sentence and suggest that they reconvene at a later date. He asks them to meet him at the Roan Chapel - visiting the room of Lybre. Before leaving - he’ll turn and point out how their group name is a bit odd - given that there’s only 4 of them there and then asking if there are 4 other group members not presently here?

When any of them go to give the answers about the others - they’ll only be able to recall 7 group members. They’ll remember that Lady is dead and so is Scabb - or missing they hope.

They won’t remember Aurevald

Session Close

The session will close after that revelation. Fade to black before cutting back in with the next scene.

”Post Credits”

That’s where this session ends for /your/ characters

I’d like to take you - for just a moment - to a different place in Vaelorys and show you what is happening there.

Amidst the cold, dark space you all see - you hear a gruff voice break the comforting noise of various level of mages completing research tasks. The voice was directed at the centre of the chamber, and at the employer of every person in this room.

“My liege, you have a guest. Shall I let her in?”

“Oh yes - I was expecting her. I shall greet her outside.” The man said before grabbing a black fur coat and throwing it over his shoulder.

Exiting the chamber, the man saw a foreboding feminine form approach from the outside world - with the light behind her casting long shadows along the black granite floor and rending the area devoid of all detail, depth, and shape. That true darkness followed as her floated over the narrow bridge between herself and him.

As her form came into focus - the man noticed her signature coat made of deep black feathers and pale porcelain mask. “Ah - Maiden - have you come into my domain to witness my exploitation of yours? Perhaps you’ve come to offer me some assistance. As much as I would appreciate the help - my ledgers can’t afford such a burden and besides - this is best left for Mortals to do no - and last I checked, you haven’t been one of us for some time.” The man called out to her with a chuckle in his voice. The man expected a response but heard nothing from the guest.

“Ahh maybe in fact you’ve come to renegotiate the terms of our deal - yes? Seeing as your so-called Fated Eight have already failed you.”

“Failure is a matter of perspective, Mortal. Sometimes Fate moves us back in order to move us forward at the right time” she retorted concisely.

“It is not matter of perspective that in a matter of weeks - one of your legendary warriors is stuck in limbo and another has been completely forgotten - it seems like you chose wrong my dear Maiden.” He snapped back as a slight sweat built on his brow.

“Fate will tell us which path was correct. Regardless of the outcome my dear Mortal - I do accept my Fate. The question is; garbled name, will you finally accept yours?”

and that’s where we’ll end tonight’s session