Session Date: 06/09/2024
We are back to the original characters!!!!!!!!
Last time we were this group we were at a party that the warden from Cruelwind Prison was invited to. None of us actually know who the warden is.
Warden → General Chase
Inky is with Zinky having some sort of wizard duel.
Rohan is with Kestrel St. Clair, flirting.
Iskra was pretending to be blind and the creepy guy who was eating the person had picked Iskra up and put him on his feet. Major seems to like soft things.
Arythas and Dia were talking to the princess. Dia is in a tiefling disguise for the party, except for when she’s talking to the princess. The princess was going to get us transport to get out of the city and to Kestrel’s place.
The Warden is talking to some merchants and the burgomaster. He still wears the old uniform with the cap, salt and pepper beard, grey hair. He’s talking very calmly and professionally and he is stiff, as if he’s standing at attention. The elfin cleric of Erathis - god of law and civilization - approaches the Warden and is trying to pitch some sort of new business venture for him. When it doesn’t work, she leaves and tries to do this with another person at the party.
Rohan and Iskra notice there’s something shady with this cleric - she seems to be trying to sell someone a bridge. Arythas notices that she is technically wearing the symbols of Erathis, but the cleric isn’t wearing them correctly - Erathis is incredibly meticulous and is relatively strict when it comes to appearance, and the cleric is not honoring that (crooked symbols, a little slipshod in appearance). We all talk and she’s trying to get people to invest in an Erathis project, but she’s not an actual Erathis cleric.
Dia can tell that this woman can cast divine cantrips to dazzle them and be showy, so there is some sort of divine power here. Iskra can tell that she’s not a full elf based on her smell. She’s wearing clothes that are a little too baggy to hide her form, but Iskra can smell and hear the faint ruffling of feathers somewhere on part of her body. Iskra believes that how she looks now may not be how she looks normally. Iskra thinks she may be a ganzi who is scamming people.
The princess asks us what we are being introduced as, and we explain that we said that we are traveling performers and Dia explains that we can offer a performance at the prison to celebrate the death of the mad mage. We approach and wait politely for the conversation to break so we can slide in. Someone tries to cut into the conversation before Neminna can, and Dia cuts in as her tiefling persona. Dia, after Neminna’s introduction, throws out her pitch about performing for General Chase.
Iskra notices that General Chase cracks a small smile and he seems interested in the proposition, and he decides he likes this idea. He asks if we would like to join his caravan on the way back to the prison, and we accept.
Rohan feels that this went too easy, and he can tell that the Warden simply likes the idea of us being there to celebrate the death of the mad mage. The group performed pretty well and he likes the idea of elevating his party to that next level, and the idea of celebrating her death amuses him, so he’s very receptive to getting the ball rolling. He decides to be a dick and tells us to figure out where the caravan is ourselves.
We walk off with the princess Neminna in tow, and she compliments Dia’s performance. Dia admits it’s something she’s been working on. The Warden slips back into the crowd as people are vying for his attention, one person even trying to get his cousin put into Cruelwind.
The fake cleric of Erathis is moving through the crowd, trying to get someone to sign a contract of some kind. Kestrel explains that she’s just working the crowd like any normal scammer, and she’s pretty decent at this. Kestrel explains that it’s generally too much of a to do to impersonate a full cleric, and Dia feels that it is rather insulting, though Arythas gently puts a hand on her shoulder as a signal to let it go in this moment. Dia understands how these parties work, but she does not like this woman parading around like a fake cleric, though Kestrel doesn’t necessarily agree.
They eventually calm down and let it go.
Rohan pulls Inky and Iskra aside while Dia, Arythas, and Kestrel talk. Rohan mentions that we were given opportunity to join a caravan into the prison. Rohan asks if the two of them can smuggle explosives into the city, and Iskra offers the library, to which Inky says no. Iskra explains that he can produce flames easily, but not explosives, and Inky says he can perhaps make explosives. Rohan recommends asking the other two if they can do this, and Iskra asks if we have to? Inky mentions that sometimes forgiveness is easier than permission, and Taraaq speaks up saying that there is a democracy situation, you know, and they outnumber Dia and Arythas anyway.
The group all look around for anyone who could tell us where the caravan will be departing from. They all find a soldier - a sort of elfin gentleman that has the same tired stare as Soldos, a man who’s seen a lot of war - and can tell that he’s just processing information as he’s glancing around. The party managed to catch his glance but he moved on without any judgement.
Dia and Iskra approaches him, with Arythas not too far off. Dia says hello to him and says that we are likely traveling together back to the prison. Dia tries to flirt with him a bit. Dia asks what he’s doing here and says she’s curious about him.
Iskra can tell that there’s a spot on the man’s uniform that once had a mark of the Bloodsoaked Banner. Iskra can tell that there’s something wrong about him - the smell about him is off. Iskra notices that this gentleman is very pale, his breathing isn’t normal - he almost seems to forget to breathe, using breath just to talk rather than actually needing to breathe. Iskra extends a hand to introduce himself and the man introduces himself as Hercan Erdual, and Iskra does not feel a pulse.
Pure malice crosses his face and he says that it’s clever what Iskra did, and Dia tries to cut in and he tells her to shut up.
Hercan says that Iskra is very clever, he got him. Hercan asks what we are going to do about it, and to give him a reason to hurt the people here. Dia says that we don’t have to do anything here - we are just a part of the party, just a performing troupe. Hercan asks if we think he is stupid: he knows that we’ve been very annoying in foiling the cause. Hercan says he will leave and he will maybe kill some people on the way out, but he was ordered not to make a mess.
Dia says that we may have coincidentally run into each other but we really are just in it for the money. Dia reassures that we are done and we are only here for her brother, and he realizes that this is the brother in the prison. Dia says that it makes sense: one Hollis shows up, another is soon to follow, and Hercan is rather pleased to have gotten the name, which they didn’t have before. Dia tries to reassure that all she wants is her brother and he says he doesn’t care.
Iskra tries to burn the man and Dia watches this and realizes the man is a ghost. He starts to go for his sword and starts to wince in pain, unable to act through this, and Dia realizes that he has a master. Dia tells him to fucking leave and Hercan walks through Dia, and speaks to the entire party, saying: just remember before we next meet: death conquers all.
Iskra tries to heal Dia, and it does not work. Iskra apologizes for not being able to help and suggests that she talk to her God, and Dia says that it’s fine, she’s fine, and the two tell each other to try not to die. Iskra tells Dia not to worry about him as the flames will take him anyway, and Rohan finally chimes in saying he needs to teach both of them about subtlety. Rohan chews them out a little as Taraaq has a little bit of a freak out,.
Inky comes over and asks to try something. He uses his bloodline spell - dispel magic - and Inky ultimately realizes that whatever this effect is, it’s basically a curse of some kind. Inky realizes that this would have eventually passed on its own, but it could have been a matter of weeks. It’s also worth knowing that the party was charmed while we were specifically targeted by this.
Dia apologizes next to Rohan, saying she didn’t mean to lose her temper in the way she did. She admits that they now know his name because she acted impulsively. She says that this is ultimately fine, but he was going to attack them anyway. Iskra reassures her and says that she is still quite young and there’s a craft in manage to keep emotions in check. Dia explains that she is done with the party and turns and unceremoniously leaves, with Arythas not too far behind as he no longer is required to be here.
Neminna catches up to Dia and asks if they can hang out before they leave, and Dia says yes, but just not right this second. Neminna explains that she has to stay and be political, and that it helps that she can pretend to crush everyone’s heads between her hands.
Inky tells Rohan that he and Iskra are going to leave so Rohan and Kestrel can do their thing, and Iskra goes to help shove food into Iskra’s bag.
Kestrel teleports him and Rohan to an inn and they definitely do more than holding hands.
Arythas follows Dia as she heads off in a random direction, eventually heading toward the river. On the way she removes the hat of disguise so that she is herself, and she settles down in the snow, inviting Arythas to sit with her. They sit in silence for a little while, but she eventually speaks up and comments about how stupid she was to get so angry at the party. Arythas says that Hercan was trying to get a reaction and it’s understandable that she lost her composure, then comments on how intense her insult toward him was - clearly somewhat amused.
The two talk a bit about this, with Arythas doing his best to reassure her that the group is capable and will be able to get out of this. He reminds her, too, that the cult ultimately is already aware of them and their actions, so her outburst really didn’t change all that much in the scheme of things.
The two talk for a while more and Arythas is willing to be a little more care-free, joking a little more and the two banter back and forth in good spirits. Dia takes note of his difference in attitude and Arythas isn’t sure what to say, so the conversation moves on after a quick apology from Dia for putting him on the spot.
There is a moment where Dia admits that she never had her storybook moment of knowing what she wanted, and where she was going, how she would do it, etc, and it’s been on her mind. Arythas asks her what she thinks, and she admits that she isn’t quite sure. Arythas teases her a little asking if she ever expected to save the country, and she said she can barely save herself, much less ever considered the country. He gently tells her that she appears to be doing both, and she counters asking him what he thinks. He admits that he thought he knew what he wanted at one time - what he called vengeance, but he sees now was just revenge - and he wasn’t sure what he wanted now. She presses him a little, and it becomes clear that he genuinely doesn’t have an answer for her right now.
There is a point in the conversation as well where Arythas gently tells Dia that he feels that she underestimates herself, and that she is a lot stronger than she gives herself credit for. She asks who’s the pot and who’s the kettle, and Arythas admits they’re perhaps both a bit of both. He admits that he recognizes how hard it is to ask for help and allow others to help bear the burden when you’re so used to being on your own, and she turns it around asking what it is that he needs help carrying, and he gives a noncommittal answer.
She ultimately brings up mention of the prison, and Arythas admits that he isn’t quite sure how to deal with this upcoming challenge. The mood falls a bit as they both think about what is ahead, and Arythas admits that he is not keen on the idea of having to fight their way out of there, but the prisoners would likely help them if that were the case. Dia offers the novel idea of trying to remove the corruption that is in General Chase, and Arythas thinks that is a good idea. Dia asks what happens if we can’t do both, and Arythas admits that he’s not sure, and we may need to split the party up to get it done. The two of them don’t really come up with a solution, but Arythas suggests that they may need to confer with the rest of the party to come up with more of a plan than just “blow up wall” since we are getting inside and are able to perform within the walls of the prison.
They get up and start walking back to the inn, and Dia admits that she’s started building a connection with the Raven Queen, to which Arythas does not seem bothered by this. She then asks Dia asks if Arythas is afraid of death. He rather quickly admits that he’s not, and she’s quiet for a moment. She then begins to spew some rhetoric that she was told about how they are meant to fear death, that death is the end and it is unknown, and etc. It’s quickly clear to Arythas that she doesn’t necessarily believe all of this and she’s saying things she was taught, likely from her family.
When she wears herself out, Arythas talks about how death is natural, it comes to us all. She asks how one can’t be afraid of what happens after, as death is the final thing and nobody really knows what’s beyond. Arythas explains that nobody can see the future and we don’t know what is going to happen in the future beyond this very moment, and she counters with the fact that there are reasonable expectations you can make about life, and you can plan to a certain extent.
Arythas is quiet for a moment, then asks if she’s able to speak with Pelor. She says yes, of course, and he asks her if, with that connection, Pelor had ever given her any indication she would not make it beyond the Divine Gate. She says no, and Arythas comments that she clearly has a reasonable idea of what to expect after her death, then. He goes on to explain that he imagines that Pelor would likely let her know if she were to ever fall astray from her path, and then he turns to the matter of the Raven Queen.
He speaks to how the Raven Queen is a rather just deity, even if she is not necessarily kind. He admits that there are not many clerics to her - not that Dia wishes to become a cleric of the Raven Queen - but that their focus is primarily to ease passing, and help spirits that linger here to move on to where they need to be. Death does not have to be such a scary thing, and he tries to impress that there is a level of kindness that can be put into it, though that may not carry through his words.
While affirming that there certainly are jealous gods that do exist, Arythas explains that many of the gods do not seem to be jealous. He admits that Bahamut is not the type that would discourage Arythas of looking elsewhere, and then he asks if Pelor ever gave Dia the impression of being a jealous god. When she admits no, he doesn’t, he reaffirms that it is absolutely okay to cultivate a bond with the Raven Queen if that is what feels right, and to be acquainted with death is not a bad thing.
They continue in silence for a little while and Dia ultimately asks why he doesn’t fear death, and Arythas is quiet for a little bit as he tries to decide how to answer that. He ultimately explains that one day when he returned from a patrol he found his entire village dead, and it just shifted his perspective, he guesses. Dia takes his hand and apologizes that he’s had to bear the weight of this for so long, He can’t find words and just gives a small head shake to dismiss it - the usual dismissal that it’s not her fault, she wasn’t there.
They make it back to the inn and go into one of the rooms together and Dia makes a pot of tea and tells Arythas stories from her childhood that are happy memories - many about Rafferty, and some about Bertram - and Arythas eventually is animated enough to ask if Dia really didn’t know that Rafferty was an author. She gets animated and assures that no, she had no idea, and the conversation continues on nice and light. Iskra and Inky eventually join as well and the conversation continues on for a while into the night before they turn in to bed.