Session Date: 7/23/2023
Inky is looking at Lohiss as she demands that he take her to the special library. He is uncomfortable and tied to a chair. He is also muzzled.
Inky casts detect magic to understand what is affecting him and if there are any magical barriers stopping him from doing things. He is mounted to machinery with liquids bubbling behind him. He explains he can’t just do it anywhere and he needs to touch a bookshelf. She detaches something from Inky and wheels him over to the books. She doesn’t free his hand but angles him toward the books so he’s touching them.
Inky asks if she has her library card and she says no. Inky explains that if he can’t perform the opening ritual then he has to go through these other steps. He explains the ritual requires him to be able to actually cast. She frees one of his hands.
Rohan breaks through mentally to talk. He tries to explain and Inky asks Lohiss for chalk. He starts to draw out a fake ritual circle to buy time.
Inky can hear the ocean, but there are no people. The place smells musty as if it hasn’t been used for a while - likely abandoned or doesn’t belong to the Cordan family. He explains that Lohiss is also here.
Inky is gone from the rest of the party. We all start to move back toward the ship, except for Arythas, who is looking for Inky. Dia tugs on Arythas’ hand and tells him that we all agreed to head to the ship and meet up there. All of us know that something is wrong and that Inky didn’t teleport or cast invisibility, while Iskra knows that at some point Inky was replaced with a telepathic mind projection. Rohan tries to get a connection to Inky through the talking stones and there’s a static sound.
Rohan explains that Inky is okay but he’s in a dungeon. He relays that he hears the ocean and it’s a musty place likely unused.
Dia grabs the captain of the royal guard and asks if the Cordan family has any property. Dia explains we need to be notified once they find everything out and then we run off.
On the way out, Dia bumps into someone and her mask falls off. She makes direct eye contact with Prudence. Prudence is shocked and Arythas grabs Dia and pulls her along. Right before we exit, Dia stops and faces Prudence and says that she is no sister of Prudence’s, that she denounces the family. She says that the family will pay for what they’ve done, then says in celestial: fuck the family of light. We get onto armored bears that Iskra summoned and we get the fuck out of there. After we leave, Rafferty also renounces the family of light, not to be outdone.
We do get the information of where Inky is likely being held, though they can’t know for sure. We make it to the lighthouse.
Inky continues to waste time creating this fake ritual. She prods him mentally with her powers and he opens the portal for him. She pushes Inky in first, then climbs up after him. He goes through and she follows. He closes the door after them and Lohiss exclaims that she’s finally going to have the power she wants.
The library is very still, in an unnatural way. Lohiss is crazed and starts laughing, echoing louder and louder in a way that isn’t really possible. Inky hears steps and a cane, very slowly. The head librarian shows up and says Lohiss isn’t authorized, then asks Inky if she’s a friend of his and he says not a friend, and he is advised to fill out the proper paperwork next time.
Mattai appears in front of Lohiss and Lohiss starts to taunt Mattai. Mattai makes a gesture and Lohiss just pops. The blood stays in place and doesn’t fall to the ground, and Mattai laughs. It echoes in the library. Mattai asks if Inky is going to leave or if he would like to take a book with him. She gives him a way out and Inky apologizes for this happening. She asks that he not make it a habit, then offers him back to discuss the future. Inky admits if this becomes a habit he won’t live long and she agrees. Inky does grab a book on the way out and then leaves the library.
Inky stumbles out of the door as the rest of us barge into the lighthouse. Dia and Arythas rush up asking if he’s okay and Inky says he’s fine, he’s not hurt, at least physically. Dia casts cure wounds on him and then Iskra offers him some fey weed. Inky explains that the Cordans aren’t a problem and Arythas asks if Lohiss will be coming and Inky says definitely not. Dia explains we need to hurry as there may be an army on our heels. We make it to the Sea Bitch. Dia rambles and explains we need to leave.
She then casts her last sending to the Soldos and says:
I made a really bad mistake. They’re going to send someone after her. Please get the fake me out of there, my doppelgänger, please get her out of there.
He responds they will get her out and he will contact them as soon as possible, not to worry about her, we will get info at the next Bloodsoaked Banner outpost.
We start off and Dia watches the coast for anyone from the Army of Light. Everyone but Dia can see the small contingent from the family of light trying to get on a ship. Shevore and Rafferty appear and fight them off and Shevore burns the ship so it sinks.
Dia grabs Rohan to have a serious discussion. Taraaq and Rohan have a moment to figure out how they want to approach the conversation, then Rohan asks if Iskra and Inky could also join in on this conversation. Dia finds Inky and Iskra just outside the door smoking fey weed and she lets them in. Rohan recommends we all sit down and we do except for Dia. Rohan asks if Dia believes that people can change for the better and learn from their mistakes and Dia says yes. Rohan explains that Taraq is a demon but Rohan is trying to make him a better person and he just sort of word vomits. Arythas gets up and leaves immediately and Dia asks what Rohan means.
Rohan explains he has a suspicion that some tiefling are tiefling for generations, others are born because their parents made a deal. He doesn’t know who his parents are but once he was old enough he heard Taraq for the first time and he was terrified at first. He explains that everyone’s been wrong about himself and Taraaq. Taraaq is trying to be a better man and he doesn’t want to be a demon, as well as Denma and the others. They want to ascend. If an angel or ifrit can fall and become a demon, is it so crazy to think a demon can be good enough to ascend? Dia explains there is a lot to unpack and explains that falling takes damnable offenses, and to rise from that would… She doesn’t like to think anything is impossible, but BOI. She doesn’t know how any of it would work.
To Rohan, Taraaq says that we have to try.
Dia says that things, unfortunately, lie. She says she’s only met Taraaq once and she’s only heard Denma’s voice and she knows Rohan has a deeper relationship, then she says that demons can lie just as much as people can. She understands that Rohan enjoys being powerful but is he sure? Rohan says he has no choice. He didn’t ask for this. He spent years trying to run from this and despite all of the time he spent running, Taraaq stood up for him, and he needs to stand up for Taraaq.
Dia explains there is a difference in running away from his power, and being naive to the cost. She asks if Taraq’s intentions are truly good, and Rohan says that he’s sure that Taraq is trying.
Inky stands up and asks Dia if she trusts them. Dia says that it may be foolish, but yes. Inky points out that we could lie to her just the same (especially me, Iskra says). Iskra explains that he feels that he should be in the same place as Taraaq and that he has been given a second chance. Inky explains that we all have regrets and things we wanted to be better and that we all are “good” people, and we try. He doesn’t know why Taraaq and the others are subjected to more negative scrutiny. Inky and Iskra continue to stand up for Rohan.
Dia asks to talk to Taraaq. Taraaq materializes in mist. Taraaq explains that he didn’t choose Rohan and there was a cult and they fucked up and found out and that we need to not dog pile Rohan. Dia asks if he’s genuinely trying to better himself and Taraq says yes, he doesn’t wish to be a demon. Dia believes him and she says that as long as Taraq doesn’t intend harm to us, to Rohan, and to the innocents of the world, she will help. Inky steps forward and hugs Taraq’s leg and says we believe in him.
Dia explains she needs to go out and talk to Arythas, with Inky following. Dia asks if he’s okay and Arythas is clearly angry and struggling, and he asks if we’ve been with — well, if a demon’s been watching — all we’ve done. Inky says yes, and that we can obliterate him if needed. Arythas seems to relax a little at that, and then he looks back at Dia and asks if she trusts him. Dia explains that she doesn’t, but his actions have seemed to be in line with what he says. He ultimately interrupts her and asks what it wants, and Dia asks if he believes in second chances. He’s quiet and makes her say that Taraq wants redemption. Arythas scoffs and looks out at the ocean. Dia asks Arythas not to take it out on Rohan, and she reminds Arythas that sometimes tieflings and warlocks don’t have choices in it. Arythas softens and says he will try. Dia says that’s all she asks, and that if it’s too much to let her help. Arythas says fine. He admits he wants to help Rohan, but he doesn’t want to help that. She says that she’s learned so much lately and that her view has changed.
Dia explains that she’d recently met a tiefling paladin of Pelor and Bahamut, who is also a warlock with a pact with a devil - the guy with the weapon of Bahamut. She’s describing Valtar (Centurion of the Crimson Legion).