Session Date: 5/20/2023
Working for Dr. Etward Ritalson, we are his most promising intakes. We are riding in a coach with him right now.
The party consists of:
- Opalescent skinned tiefling with poofy hair and slightly firey. He has pointy ears and small horns. He is in bright colors and large heels, acts like he owns the place and cares far too much about his appearance.
- Across from Opal is the opposite — a man in rangers clothes and oiled leather. His hood is up and he clearly doesn’t want attention. He loves nature and wandering. On his lap is a little badger (named Buzz) who is asleep. Valen is staring out the window, always watching.
- Next to Valen is Ria, in her lion hybrid form. She’s white furred and haired lionness. She seems important, not really wanting to be here. She doesn’t seem heavily armored and seems like she shouldn’t be here. She’s in typical adventurer’s clothes, with no shoes. Not flashy.
- The doctor himself is a somewhat older man with some veins engorged and purple eyes burning with energy. He is very private. Super vague Charles Xavier vibes. He is going through his notes as we ride on.
We get to the borders of Sevenarches.
- Recall Knowledge
- Ria and Opal recall there is a ban on elves.
- I know elves previously lived in the forest and the name came from the arches the elves built. Tended by the Oakstewards druids, who keep elves out. They are kept out because there is a curse that kills elves (obnubilate curse) that is supposedly gone after the missing moment.
- Valen knows there are many magical creatures here but attacks from a certain type called gorgas are becoming more and more common.
We arrive and Ria shifts back to full human. The doctor speaks up and has a speech for us, saying that this is his most promising lead and we should try to find why the curse was lifted and look into the portal. The good doc is going to another city — he will not be joining us as he will be pursuing another lead.
The doc leaves us with his elfin friend, Fiamans. She reassures us that he must trust us to give us this. She needs some help from us because she can’t enter Sevenarches and she has no desire to test to see if the curse is actually gone.
Seven Arches is named for the portals in the city, but she thinks the ones in the city are fake decoys to draw attention from the real ones. She has an aura reader tuned for the aura of the portals. She would love if we could test all of them, but one would be enough. We should expect some resistance as the druids don’t want us to look too closely.
Because Opal is an elf, he dresses up to disguise himself. He tries to dress up more as a tiefling rather than an elf.
The arches are in the center of the city. We can follow the stream to get to the arches. It is notable that the center with the arches is an island, and we should expect some level of resistance. As we enter the city, the guards look the party over as we enter.
Locations of Interest:
- Quaking Stacks — Library
- Vinehall — Capitol Building
- Justice House — court, jail, government official offices
- Sweet Cherry Inn — gnomish inn
The Seven Sisters Gang runs around in town — they have a space outside of the western side of town.
We find a gnomish tavern expanded to accommodate medium characters. The youngest son has a set of boots with a spring to make himself taller. Son is Dozod. Father is Har Fruss. Opal learns that there are seven in this family, and we realize that that gnomes have to be entertained or they die. If they are bored they bleach of color and then die.
There are always two Oakstewards around the arches and an alarm rope that sounds like an angry squirrel - it doesn’t extend quite to the entrance where the Wardens enter and exit. Guards cycle every 24 hours. The Oakstewards are all over the place and we don’t know specifically how many there are. You can become an Oaksteward if you’re a druid and pass the trials.
Valen goes to watch the plaza rotations and patrols. He figures out how deep the Windwater stream is but he slips into the water as some Oakwardens pass by — they may remember him later.
The arches are 10’ tall and 20’ wide, oak trees around the arches themselves as a barriers. There is a podium there. One warden is in the break of the barricade, another circling around the area. The patrolling guard makes a pretty large circle.
The patrolling guard greets Ria and she explains she is a traveler here to view the arches. The guard explains that gorgas are why there is so much security. The guard, Cabro, explains nothing happens and they get bored. We learn the other guard is named Vamer.
I send my familiar in and the druids allow him to wander, but once the alarm goes off, they are quick to respond. They pet Vik and give him treats before carrying him out of the area.
Quick note: the mace has to stay halfway in and halfway out of the portal for 3 rounds (18 seconds).
Ria goes and flirts with a guard while Opal disguises himself as anew recruit and approaches the guard at the free spot of the ropes. Opal starts to butter him up and he is very receptive. They talk them up while Valen, Viktor, Buzz, and I handle getting the recorder’s readings. They do so with minimal issue. The readings show illusion map with no conjuration — the portals absolutely are fakes.
The real Sevenarches are to the south in the Wildwood. The guards for the true arches stepped through, with one — Bolan — returning. He was a dick before, and now he’s office. He stole as magic item and hides in the Wildwood with other malcontents. He recruits other disgruntled druids to his cause.
The territory is restricted and she recommends talking to the Oakstewards - she knows a midlevel Council Member, Lemma Fieldthorn. We are given a letter of introduction and we are advised not to start with the Wildwood, but to befriend the Oakstewards first. She explains the whole anti-elf thing is just to protect the elves from the curse.
The goal is to get into what he saw and learn what he knows about the portals.
After resting for the night, Valen wishes to speak with the Seven Sisters Gang while the reset of us go to speak with Lemma.
Valen goes to the Western edge of town and learns abou tthe gang.
- Very literal — a gang of 7 sisters
- Oprate for so long many have connections with the Oakstewards
- No ties to Bolan — he will overthrow the kingdom & mess up business
Valen wants to make it known he is looking for the Seven Sisters and interested in speaking with them to team up with them and stop Bolan from causing issues.
He does learn that the gorgas are the fey version of the fear of the dark and it is a family of creatures rather than one specific creature.