Chapter 5 - The Sanctuary of Prescience (Part 3) - Blackfriars

After the squad fought the Blackfriar Priest and the Poison Eaters, they made their way deeper into the basement of the Blackfriars Temple. They passed through the Voyeur Room "No kink shaming!". This long hall has doors at the east and west ends. The south wall contains three large windows of smoked glass, with a pulley mechanism to the left side of each. 

From there they entered and into the Torture Hall. Racks of spotlessly clean torture implements are neatly spaced around this chamber. Several cells against the western wall contain piles of straw, scraps of shredded cloth, and empty water dishes. Despite the scrubbed and antiseptic appearance of the torture chamber, the coppery tang of spilled blood hangs in the air along with a sweet smell like summer flowers.

The squad engages more Poison Eaters and another Blackfriars Priest. In one of the cells is a Celestial named Aphaliel, who has been bound and tortured. She has been bound to a rack, and loudly begs the squad for her release. Grimbold and Valcos engage the Poison Eater while the Simimel, Mr. Gone, Jorin, and Pumpelio deal with the Blackfriars Priest. Grimbold joins them after killing the Poison Eater, and Valcos moves to free the Celestial. 

Aphaliel The Tortured Celestial

Aphaliel uses her Guiding Angel ability to merge with Pumpelio, becoming a constant presence in communication with him.  

Several doors lead out of this long access hall. The north wall contains a shelf with several protective goggles and long rubber gloves. Posted notices warn about proper methods of chemical disposal and detail prayers to Blackfingers to prevent accidental exposure. The squad finds a false door trap, but are unharmed. 

The squad enters the Venom Lab. Tiny, colorful spiders crawl all over the surfaces of this

large laboratory. Two cages stand to the west, open and empty. A large table covered with web-shrouded equipment stands underneath a hatch, closed and about. a foot in diameter, in the south wall. The room contains a pair of Giant Joro Spiders, which rush to attack the squad. There is a strange spider-woman in a cage, who also moves to attack the squad.

Giant Joro Spider

Thinking quickly Pumpelio raises a Chromatic Wall across the entrances to the North Hall, The Green Chromatic Wall stops toxins, gases, and breath weapons from passing through. It causes poison damage to anyone passing through and makes them enfeebled lasting one minute. Simimel wastes no time once creatures are in range, and uses her strength and wrestling skill to throw them back through the wall. The spider-woman becomes Enfeebled.

Simimel invoked Smite, to damage those creatures already under spell effect, like the strange spider-woman. The Spider-woman was defeated, and one Joro spider killed. The other Joro spider fled.

Creepy Spider Woman

The squad then investigated the Infection Room: This long room features a large cage with floor-to-ceiling bars covered in metal mesh. Hundreds of rats crowd inside this confinement—they squeal and climb over each other to get away from the foul-smelling sludge dripping out of a large spigot that protrudes from the cage’s back wall. A few other rats occupy smaller cages on nearby tables, though most of them appear dead.

Chapter 4 - The Sanctuary of Prescience (Part 2) - Con Game

The squad exited the pursuing assassins in the Sanctuary of  Prescience, and reported their progress. 

Jonis Flakfatter 

The next step to arresting the notorious Jonis Flakfatter is to infiltrate the alchemists' convention, being held at the Blackfingers Temple. The squad disguises themselves; Simimel will attend the convention as an alchemist (since, y'know, she IS one...), with Jorin as her apprentice and the rest of them as bodyguards or servants. 

They enter the temple and head to the registration desk, which is staffed by Kailin Pouch, a middle-aged human with a badly scarred face and hands. She checks in Simimel as an attendee, and the rest of the squad as her retinue. Valcos, (over)acting the part of her servant, pays the registration fees. 

Kailin, feeling a touch overwhelmed because Jonis Flakfatter is usually here to help, gratefully accepts the assistance of Jorin as her helper at the desk. 

Kailin Pouch

A fellow  named Japu Thallenger suggests that the squad pass a series of alchemical challenges to establish their bona fides, and Kailin thinks that is a marvelous idea. The squad are directed to the challenge rooms, where they will be given certificates if they pass. 

The first challenge is held in the West Laboratory, run by Acolyte Kurvinko Flint. A rich, earthy smell permeates this room filled with alchemical apparatuses. Several large trays of tubers cover tables to the west. To the east stands an empty operating table with leather straps for the head, hands, and feet. 

Flint wants to know if  Simimel has any ideas on speeding up the effect of malyass root paste, which is a contact poison with an onset time of one minute. Simimel looks at the tubers he has collected and makes a suggestion as to an approach he might take. Flint writes an approval on a torn notebook page, and gives it to Simimel.

Liche

The second challenge is in the Central Laboratory, which houses some iron cauldrons and cages with frogs. The liche in the room asks “A test or question? I have just the thing, near and dear to the heart I’ve lacked for decades. We liches are well known for a touch that makes muscles rigid and non-responsive immediately.” Almost casually, the lich pokes a finger at one of the caged frogs before it freezes, motionless. “But so-called lich dust poison takes much longer to paralyze someone. How long?” Simi answers correctly, and the liche takes the paralyzed frog and writes "Approved" before giving it to Simimel.

The third challenge is in the East Laboratory. The east wall of this laboratory contains three long planters containing large shrubs. The shrubs have vivid purple bell-shaped flowers and dark berries. Mosquito netting protects each of the shrubs. Sconces jutting from the wall above the potted plants emit a harsh, yellow glow. A cold fireplace stands in the west wall.

The test here is to harvest the Belladonna plant. Valcos disarms the netting so Simi can harvest the plants, and a note of approval is given to Simi.

The squad goes back to the registration desk, finishes their registration, and goes to the bar.

The bar is run by a Bugbear bartender. The squad is only there for a moment before they are accused of poisoning a halfling attendee by a fellow named Vilkin and seconded by a woman named Kaipu. The halfling collapses and Valcos and Simimel step forward to try and help. Pumpelio casts a Restoration to save her life, but she needs clerical help. Jorin and Mr. Gone take the poisoned halfling to Simi's mother for Druid healing.

The squad looks around and discovers the Secret Lounge, occupied by a pair of rat-men; the same two rat-men the squad saved from a Gelatinous Cube in the Undercity.  They have switched careers, and are now apprentice alchemists. And world-class drunks. One of them relates how he remembered seeing Kailin whispering something to the altar in the Chapel of Secrets.

The squad continues to search for the Chapel of Secrets, and eventually finds it. The squad examine the altar; it is enchanted to muffle whatever secret is told it, and that will open the way. Simi whispers a secret (and NO, you don't get to know what it is - its a secret!) and the altar moves to reveal an entrance to the underground area.

The squad descends the tight, spiral staircase into the center of an odd-shaped room formed of tightly fitted stones. Doors lead out of alcoves to the west, south, and east. The north wall bears three large mirrors, each about five feet square. The squad goes to the east door and into a guardroom.

The Guardroom contains a large alcove at the north end of this room. There is a statue of a grinning woman with a long white smock force-feeding a smoking potion to a bound male dwarf. A wooden table and several chairs stand in the southwest corner of the room. Several cots and blankets are folded up against the east wall. A Priest of Blackfingers and four Poison Eater guards rush to attack the intruders.

Grimwald and Valcos engage the Priest. Simi attacks one of the Poison Eaters. Pumpelio casts Courageous Anthem and Fey Form: Unicorn. The Priest dies, and the Poison Eaters lay into Valcos before Simi and Pumpelio the Unicorn kill them. Simi heals Valcos with Lay on Hands, and Valcos plays Battlefield Medic for the rest of the squad. The squad confiscates 20 doses of Scorpion Venom,  +1 Maul,  a dagger, and three suits of chainmail.

(To be continued next session)

Chapter 4 - The Sanctuary of Prescience (Part 1)

The Sanctuary of Prescience (Part 1)

Wynsal Starborn

The squad's orders came from none other than Wynsal Starborn, the de facto leader of Absalom following the disappearance of Primarch Gyr of Gixx several years ago.  The squad , with Captain Asilia, met Starborn beneath overcast skies this morning on a balcony of Starwatch Keep that overlooks Absalom’s gray harbor. Two others accompanied Starborn, whom he introduced as his assistant and former adjutant, Harlo Doleen, and Grand Councilmember and City Planner Olansa Terimor.

Terimor, a tall woman of middle age with dark, sharp features, wished to personally thank you for your heroics at the Irorium. “As one of the chief organizers of the Radiant Festival,” she said, “I can most assuredly say that without your bravery, the festival —no, the entire city— would have been imperiled.” After shaking your hands and giving Starborn a low bow, the city planner departed.

Starborn then launched into your briefing. He demanded that the mysterious Infector behind the Irorium bombing be brought to justice. “We don’t know who this person is,” said Starborn, “but we know someone who does.” 

Doleen spoke next. “Thraskul Poisonbreath is a half-orc devotee of Norgorber, but he’s also an informant. He has helped the Starwatch from time to time in exchange for immunity for past crimes. Now he’s ready to turn over information on the Infector. Thraskul wants to rendezvous at a safe location—the Sanctuary of Prescience, an abandoned church in the Ascendant Court—and we want you to meet him there.”

The Ascendant Court features as many monuments to failed deities as to successful ones, but few ruins are as lofty as the Sanctuary of Prescience. Built in advance to honor a prospective goddess of foresight, the temple stands nearly completed except for part of the roof. It was abandoned over 20 years ago when Mbali the Planner failed to return from her Test of the Starstone. Today, the sanctuary’s central chapel contains only sagging wooden pews ruined by rainwater.

Thraskul stood alone in the debris-strewn chapel when you arrived to meet him. After you exchanged pass phrases, the informant quickly told you what he knew in a voice raspy and hoarse from years of exposure to toxic fumes. He explained that the Infector—the mastermind behind the Irorium bombing—is none other than Absalom’s most famous high priest of Blackfingers, Jonis Flakfatter.

Flakfatter operates the only temple wholly dedicated to Blackfingers—the poisonous aspect of the god Norgorber—in the Ascendant Court. Furthermore, the temple’s legitimate surface level serves as a mere front for a larger, secret temple beneath it. The temple’s many crimes—from torturing prisoners to brewing massive quantities of deadly poisons—all occur in this lower level.

“Flakfatter publicly announced that he was leaving Absalom days ago,” Thraskul said, “but that’s a lie—the man’s simply retreated to the secret temple to avoid arrest. He’s done so even amid the Noxious Retort, a two-week alchemy conference held at the temple as we speak. The event is one of Flakfatter’s favorites, with lectures, workshops, and demonstrations galore. With all the hubbub of the Radiant Festival, there are even more strangers attending the conference than usual.

I’m sure you could easily slip in with a disguise. Finally, you’ll need to know the secret method to access the lower temple—”

It was at this moment that a violent stream of blood erupted from Thraskul’s throat, the result of an expertly placed crossbow bolt. Before you could even gather your wits, the assassins mounted their ambush.

(Thanks for the notes, Ken!)

Leukodaemon

Four Norgorber Poisoner cultists charged the squad from the alcoves from the south end of the room to engage them, their daggers virtually dripping with venom. Pumpelio began to sing Inspire Courage, reinforcing the squad's will to succeed. Grimwald advanced to meet two of them, while the other two charged Simimel. Jorin unleashed Mr. Gone, and Valcos rushed to do teach them what the pointy end of the rapier is for!

Seconds later, two leukodaemons attacked from the shadows, joining the melee. While the squad dealt with the assassins, Pumpelio banished the leukodaemons back to the hell from which they had come. 

The squad captured one Norgorber Poisoner, but the other three burst into flames when they were rendered unconscious. The squad hears footsteps on the crossbeams above; enemies are no doubt trying to get into a position to fire down on the squad. 

Ankou

Discretion being the better part of valor, the squad headed through the door in the north-east corner, and swiftly pass through a room with strange statues armed with swords and abacus, and into a corridor with controls for the statues. 

The squad moves into the next room, where a shadowy fey creature manifests from the statue until which dominates the north wall, where it had remained bound for decades, waiting for intruders. It is an Ankou, and it immediately creates a pair of shadow copies of itself, obfuscating which is the actual Ankou.

Once more the squad heeds the clarion call to battle. The shadow copies fade when confronted with cold iron, and Simimel bears the brunt of their onslaught, using her healing powers an an Elixir of Life to remain battleworthy. Ultimately the squad gangs up on the real Ankou, and rejoice in it's fall.

(To be continued in the next session!)

"Are You Not Entertained" (Chapter 03 - Part 3)

Oggvurm

Having defeated Franca, the squad heads for the arena, with the Ebaraks with them, and confront Oggvurm and his team!

The crowd roars in anticipation as Oggvurm the Merciless and two iruxi companions step into the center of the arena. Oggvurm drags a massive battle axe behind him and has donned a crimson cloak over his thick rags. With a single swipe, he tears off his cloak and reveals a terrible contraption of tubes, gears, and a large glass cylinder filled with a churning purple liquid strapped to his back. The monstrous warrior addresses the shocked crowd, roaring, “People of Absalom! Your time of reckoning is at hand! Die in agony!” With that, a thick plume of celadon smoke pours from the device, enshrouding the ravenile and billowing toward the onlookers in the stands.

The Poison Cloud Device

The squad and their four Eberrak allies are at the north end of the arena. Oggvurm and his two iruxi companions are at the west entrance. A hill giant, named Brave Buckshuck, has been assigned to the arena combat as Oggvurm's opponent. 

Ogg heads into the crowd of spectators, surrounded by a concealing poison cloud. The squad take off across the sands, following Eberraks, who move quite swiftly. Mr Gone scoops up his master, and carries Jorin across the arena sands. The giant heads for Oggvurm.

Oggvurm makes it into the stands, and the poison cloud starts to affect and kill spectators who were not fast enough to escape it's baleful presence. Some of the Eberraks stand at the edge of the cloud and attack the iruxi comrades, Nishaku and  Sellock. Another Eberrak dashes into the poison cloud and dragges Ogg back out onto the arena sands. 

Pumpelio sings Inspire Courage.

Nishaku wrestles Oggvurm free from the Eberrak. Jorin casts Ray of Frost onto Oggvurm, and the cold makes the giant lizard sluggish and slow. Meanwhile Mr. Gone lands in the cloud to attack Oggvurm from behind.

Brave Buckshuck moves in to fight, but isi confused and attacks Mr. Gone.

Oggvurm tries to intimidate the Eberraks with s roar. but most of them stand firm. Oggvurm runs past Mr. Gone, who is tackled by Sellock. Simimel tackles Oggvurm. One of the Eberracks spits oil onto Oggvurm as another claws at Ogg through the cloud, and his claws ignite the oil.  Oggvurm screams in agony; he was a weakness for fire!

Valcos runs into the poisonous cloud and slices the device from Oggvurm's back while Mr. Gone pummels Oggvurm into the arena sand. 

Sellock tries to wrentle the device from Valcos, but Valcos maintains his hold on it. Sellock is stabbed my Simimel, whose demon mask fairs to incite fear!  Meanwhile, two of the Eberraks charge the giant, to stop him from interfering with rescue efforts.

Pumpelio sings a Green Chromatic Wall into existence, to hold back the already-deployed lethal fumes, saving many civilian lives.

Grimwald engages Brave Buckshuck, who finally gets a clue that there might be something going on that he doesn't understand. The idiot.

Nish tries to grab the device, fails.

Valcos heads outside the poison cloud, and drops the device in his Bag of Holding.

Mr. Gone flies Ogg's body out of the poison cloud.

Brave Buck finally gets a clue.

Nishaku pushes past Simimel to attempt to regain the device from Valcos. Valcos retains the device and retreats long enough to put the device inside the Bag of Holding they had cleared foro just this purpose. 

Grimwald fires arrows into Nishaku, who dies from the effects of the poison cloud. Selleck also dies, poisoned to death. 

Simimel heals their Eberracks with Lay on Hands while the squad helps stricken civilians to recover.

Lord Ganfen gives the squad a  silver sword pin, a badge of honor normally reserved for champions of the arena. 

Simimel petitions for and receives, freedom for the Eberracks, who chose to stay with the arena. Reginald Vancaskerkin publishes their story in the Eyes on Absalom.

"Are You Not Entertained" (Chapter 03 - Part 2)

Having won their arena battle, the squad chats with some of the backstage folks. Cressita the beast-master hired a new worker who met the description of Franca. She was working near the troll-hounds, but was not a good worker. There is a boarded up door with tracks indicating some had passed that way. Simi returned to the group and updated the squad.

Cressita the
Beast Master

The door shows signs of having been tampered with, and marked with the sigil of the Norberger cult.

The ancient tunnel here leads to a large columned chamber to the north and stretches off into darkness to the south. A set of rusted iron rings embedded in the lintel indicate that a curtain or something similar once hung in the passageway.

Most of the western portion of this broad hall has caved in; huge chunks of stone and mounds of dirt block that side of the room. Eastward, light-gray columns in remarkably good condition hold up the ceiling. Identical reinforced wooden doors, mostly rotted, mark the entrance to rooms to the north and south. Further east, a faint circular impression on top of a large rectangular dais made of fine stone shows where a statue must have once stood. All around, the walls are adorned with flaking frescoes of tranquil lakes and bubbling streams.

To the south the squad found what at one time been the frigidarium pool, now long since gone dry. They find a Ring of Swimming, which they give to Simi.

In the frigidarium we found a Ring of Swimming. In the chamber east of the Frigidarium, the squad discovered four Lizard Folk gladiators. The Lizard Folk run when the fight goes against them, and a running battle occurs, with the Lizard Folk eventually leading them to Franca.

While Grimbold. Mr. Gone, and Valcos defeat the Lizard Folk, Simi and Pumpelio double-team Franca; Simi casts Smite Evil, and Pumpelio sings Spell Wreck, resulting in Franca being repeatedly pummeled by force bubbles. Smi casts Sunblade. 

Franca Laurentz

Mr. Gone absorbs attack after attack from Franca and the Lizard Folk, while Jorin develops a drinking problem to mitigate Mr. Gone's wounds.

Almost exhausted, Franca says "Franca chuckles weakly. “Bomb? You fools. You are nothing more than stooges of the wealthy and powerful, protecting their precious status quo. It isn’t a bomb. It’s a shock to the system that will jolt all the mindless sheep in Absalom to realize that no one has their best interests in mind. They need to rise up and take what they’re owed.” She coughs, a bubble of blood coating her lips, then sighs. “Anyway, officers, the device isn’t here, as you can see. My accomplice Oggvurm has already taken it to the front rows of the stadium so the privileged can get a nice, close look.” She laughs once more

"You've made some extremely poor life choices", says Simi, rendering Franca unconscious.

The squad heads for the arena, Cressita and Ebaraks with them, and confront Oggvurm and his team!

"Are You Not Entertained?" (Chapter 03 - Part 1)

The squad reported to Captain Asilia after the heist at the Lucky Nimbus, reporting that the device had already been taken by Franca Laurentz. Asilia tells the squad that she will do dome digging, and to take the rest of the night off.

The squad attends the party at Simi's temple. Party at temple is a roaring success. Captain Grospeck and Lyrafel danced well together.

The next day the squad is given an address; Franca Laurentz had an apartment in the Puddles district. Valcos stakes out the apartment to see if anyone shows up; nobody does. The squad canvasses her neighbors. One of Franca's neighbors relays that Franca had financial troubles and seems to have great difficulty holding down a job for very long. These neighbors also note they haven’t seen Franca in several days; the last time they did see her, she was leaving in the company of a tall, gaunt man wearing a cloak

The squad finds that the door is trapped. A Warp Wood spell creates a large enough hole for Valcos to disarm the trap. The trap was to have released an acid cloud. 

The walls of this simple one-room apartment are plastered with broadsheets, flyers, and printed posters heralding events occurring across the city during the Radiant Festival, from plays and operas to sporting matches and exhibitions. Each clipping is accompanied by a detailed charcoal sketch on brittle parchment of a building or street corner map marked with handwritten scribbles. Bits of string tacked to the papers lead from one wall to the next in a colorful spiderweb of inscrutable connections. A wooden table sits in the middle of all this, its surface covered with a mess of glass containers and metal tools. The air smells strongly of stale sweat, with a hint of acrid chemicals.

The evidence points to the release of a clockwork poison bomb at the Irorium during a the upcoming Blood City Games.

The largest arena in the known world, the Irorium began as a simple practice ground atop a hill, where worshippers of Irori tested their martial skills against one another. The Irorans long ago gave up management of the Irorium itself, although true worshippers still operate a secret school far beneath the arena, away from the jeers and chants of the crowd above. Exhibitions and contests of skill and strength still take place in the arena, however, and grow larger and more elaborate with every passing year.

Statues of 33 former Irorium champions—each over 150 feet tall—ring the arena’s outer wall, facing out over the city. The 200-foot-tall outer wall towers over the nearby buildings of Absalom’s Foreign Quarter. It encloses a 10-acre central stage, making the Irorium one of the largest and most visually dominant structures in the city. The massive arena has five entrances—a main gate and four side gates—for the public and a sixth gate for workers, gladiators, and other performers.

Captain Asilia arranges for the squad go undercover as contestants to search for Franca and the bomb. Only Lord Ganfen, who runs the games, will know who we really are. Lord Ganfen of House Kethlin is described as a man of small stature, with thinning hair and large ears. As master of blades, he is in charge of arranging the Irorium's daily performances and most daily operations. Despite his position within the Irorium, he does not give the impression of being a warrior, a fact he gladly admits to, and rightfully believes himself better suited to brokering deals and commerce, more as an administrator. 

Their first fight in the arena is a fight against Ebarak. The terrifying apex predators known as eberarks torment their prey, spewing oil from their mouths that they can then set alight. Commonly called flint beasts, eberarks drag their overlarge claws (four on each paw) along the ground as they move, creating showers of sparks with every grating step.  

The squad engages, and Simi uses her strength and wrestling skill to throw the creatures at each other. Valcos uses a spellstrike charm arrow to put one out of the fight. Pumpelio sings a song of Impending Doom. Simi uses the demon mask artifact to incite fear. Mr Gone punches another into submission.

Ultimately the enemies are all dramatically defeated, and the squad goes into the area beneath the arena to continue the investigation.

Ebarak

The Lucky Nimbus Casino (Chapter 02)

Vault Creature

 Valcos, still invisible courtesy of Pumpellio, follows Gage downstairs into the vault. While Gage is distracted, Valcos steals the key from Gage, and finds the proper box. Using both keys, he opens the box, and the device the squad had sought vanishes into his Bag of Holding. 

Valcos turns to leave but is blocked by a Svartalfar cyborg. Multiple wicked-looking knives at the end of mechanical arms have been appended to her, and her legs replaced with hooves. She looks at the general area where Valcos is, and says "Who are you?".

Valcos moves from the spot, heading for the gap between vault areas. Before leaving, he tosses the vault key away. He dodges the entry guards, and rejoins the squad on the casino floor.

Three intruders Scathka and two Svartalfar assassins enter the casino, again targeting Gage. 

Svartalfar Assassin

Simi flips the table in front of Gage to give him cover. One of the Svartalfar assassins tries plunge the casino into darkness while Scathka casts Magic Missiles at Gage. Valcos crosses the casino floor and stabs a Svartalfar who shadowsteps close to Gage, using his borrowed Curved Elvin Sword. The other Svartalfar assassin shadowsteps to Gage. Grimwald and Mr. Gone engage Scathka. Simi casts Sun Blade, and attacks the Svartalfar assassin threatening Gage and his bodyguards. Pumpellio begins to sing Impending Doom at the same assassin. 

Scathka attempts to cast a spell, but Mr. Gone and Grimwald pummel some sense it him, and the spell fails. The second Svartalfar assassin ducks under Valcos' blade and attacks one of Gage's bodyguards. Valcos pursues and stabs him twice. The Svartalfar assassins try to get by the wounded bodyguards, but fail.

Grimwald hits Scathka again. Simi heals Gage and the burning bodyguard, and then strikes down the assassin in front of Valcos.

Scathka tried to move and was struck down by Mr. Gone and Grimwald.

Scathka

Simi puts out the guard on fire with an assassin's cloak, and gives the guard an Elixir of Life.

The last assassin is killed by a frost ray from Jorin.

Valcos retrieves his sword from the cart and leaves.

Upon examination of the device, we find it gone; Franca Laurentz has most likely stolen the doomsday device for which they were looking.

Wheelchair Security