Session Eighty Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 80, February 2 2022

Introduction

We continue at 7AM on the 3rd of Denrilden (00.000.09.28 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party leaving Xen'Khel and flying east on the back of a black dragon (Jardin, former High Inquisitor of the Dragon Empire). The group's plan is to check out the settlement on Serpent's Island and then rendezvous with Imperial ships anchored at Watcher's Island. The intention is to then sail these ships towards the mainland and then figure out some way to infiltrate the Inquisitorial Citadel's library near the port city of Gharmarost ...

Larry's Summary

Velkin and Jardin passed over a lizardfolk village, saw a burnt native islander village that Jardin said was destroyed by gnolls, another human village worshipping DVLs preparing to burn a woman at the stake. Finally they spot a lake fed by a waterfall that looks like a dragon. Behind the waterfall is an old Imperial outpost that Jardin planned to check out once Midmark was under control. There is also a hut. They try to land behind the waterfall and there are two large things, Jardin flies away and a giant flying snake with feathered wings seemed to sense them and flew but stopped the other side of the falls, then went back.

They landed near the cemetery and noticed a large ring of bones of various small animals that appeared that they may have dropped dead in place and rotted. Along the path various totems like dream catchers. Velkin hands off the scroll case with the portal, just in case.

Velkin sneaks ahead and sees the garden with a white picket fence warded with the dream catcher like totems. Sticks bound with small animal guts for string. He hears a female singing a song about cooking a stew.

Lungmold leaves three of his Winter Elves and Ajax the raven to watch our spot, just in case.

The others head to Malgrim. We get an honor guard. We drop off our gear at the embassy. The graffiti has been mostly cleaned up. We are greeted by a mycelian, Dampfoot, who is keeping out anyone who doesn't say password, who Lungmold doesn't give the OK to.

Dampfoot mentions a murder. He said to ask Bili. We find Bili getting a dozen deepgnomes and a couple mycelians ready to harvest nanocarbon.

We learn from Bili that the alchemist Griselle is dead. She was strung up and disemboweled with a sign lavelled "Traitor."

Khelratha wants to know who did it. Bili mentions he Sizek Jagartha. Khelratha wants to put down his loot, etc. and go get the Sizek Jagartha's head. Khelratha puts his stuff in the secret room to the right behind the ambassador's desk in the ambassador's office. It once held the automatons.

Khelratha walks through the conference room and doesn't stop, walking for the exit. Khelratha gives epithets and stomps back in saying, "Let's go." because he doesn't know the way.

Lungmold addresses the assembled in the embassy through Druul.

Druul presents the essence of what Lungmold said. And Lungmold re-iterates it to Bili. You get paid for the nanocarbon, go get it and stay safe. Lungmold asks if Bili is going. Bili says he thinks he should. Bili already paid an advance and per day. Has some acid that they will test out. Hoping some mycelians can help out. There are actual ore carts with ore in them. Bili plans to start with the rails. Caverns may be full of Winter King soldiers. Other than force occupying city proper, I don't think there are many Winter Elves here.

Bili says they are almost ready to head out. Trying to get all gear together.

We go with the Winter Elf honor guard down below.

Things are quiet but still a bit of commerce. The gnome bard is quiet and glaring at us. Khelratha asks the bard if he knows the Ballad of Xenilum Khel.

The Bard doesn't speak dwarven and Khelratha doesn't speak gnome.

Lungmold translates, and the bard doesn't know the ballad. Khelratha appears more dejected, if that's possible.

We talk to the other two alchemists and they are tapped out on healing potions due to the troubles, and don't want to take up Lungmold on his offer of a writ.

Down at the docks things seem normal.

We learn that the Winter Elves came and took Maggot, who was in charge down below. Davis is keeping things together in Maggot's absence, and really wants Maggot back to take charge.

The dam is still there so Lungmold's village is still flooded. The dam has lead to bountiful fish, avoiding starvation in the city.

Lungmold makes a deal to have fish supplied, since it is due to the dam flooding his village, that he will allow to stay in place. Lungmold suggests a lift to more easily transport fish topside.

Davis dashes off to a boat and brings back a basket of kittens sired by Lucifer, the mother ran off.

Druul carries the basket back to the embassy.

On the way we hear the gnome bard playing a seditious song.

Druul moves ahead to listen in.

Pretty good song. Talking about freedom, revolution, throwing off the yoke of the oppressor. There is a lot of stress on good old gnomish values, being true to clan, great crystal, Jagartha, and Malgrim itself which is suffering now.

Not too long before someone notices you, and whispers soon travel to those near the bard, who tug his sleeves, and he does an instrumental then sits down.

Druul gets out his lute, finds a table, jumps up, and starts to play. A song about a golden age of the future. Druul will allow the side effects to happen and concentrate on golden flowers, in Deep Gnome, and occasionally into Drow. Past history Drow and future in Deep Gnome. Flowers spring up around the table.

Gasps and wardings off of the evil eye at the flowers.

Within the song is the bigger picture of bigger wars, changing times, and there will be golden renaissance. Other bard pays attention, sips his drink. Picks up his lute looking for a chance to respond.

It is very close, and Druul wins. The crows appreciates that Druul's song is better. Druul gets a few coins.

Why not go back topside, you aren't wanted here. Druul plays a song to charm him. And says why don't you trek to the lower side and take a swim.

The gnome walks over to railing, hikes their leg over and disappears.

There are screams.

Druul asks the bard his name - Tristan.

Tristan says "Good Song, but it's a load of bunk."

Was that stuff true? We had one of those things hanging out down here, that Yellow Hatted guy? Usually very evil, and willing to sacrifice, not ones you want inside your home. He looks pointedly at the W.E.

Where do you reside, so I could find you to meet with you. Grabs a hanger on. If this guy comes asking for me, you come find me. Come back here, I'll hear about it. You kind of stand out.

Forcas goes and buys some fingers.

Druul picks out one gnome that really gravitated towards him. I need to ask a favor. See if you can watch that bard and report back to us at the embassy. Find a young gnome named Bili at the embassy. Her name is Anat. She will do it.

As approach the stairs, there is another gnome lady who is vaguely familiar, and almost gets in our way, and at the last second, steps out of the way. Keep an eye on your back boys, people want to put a knife in it. You think it's Primilla Nonchuk, Bili's other aunt. Lungmold checks his stuff and seems to all be there.

We arrive at embassy to drop off the kittens, and the graffiti has been renewed.

Whoever renewed the graffiti gouged out all the mushroom spoors. Anyway you can have guards posted here. There is a building nearby you can use. We'll have to clear it with our captain.

Lungmold talks to Lucifer, "I have some news for you. You are a daddy, and presents the basket of kittens." His head spins around and darts off into the embassy.

As about to walk-in, Dampfoot asks for password. As far as I know, no murderings while you were gone. I suggested to the one named Bili that it would be better to guard down below.

Go ask for Azra.

Velkin Scrolls 47 - Session 80

7am, Denrilden 3

00.00000.09.28 Apocalypse Clock

I climb onto Jardin’s back after watching him transform from his human form to his true form. That of a very large black dragon.

The former High Inquisitor of the Dragon Empire and I fly off into the sunrise headed toward Serpent’s Tooth with the portal safely tucked away in a scrollcase, folded to where there’s an opening for Lungmold’s telepathic senses to be able to reach us.

We pass over a number of sights and discuss many things throughout the day. Some highlights:

-Azreal doesn’t have much love for the Winter King, Nor likely the Summer Lord either.

-There is still a dragon, Dagon, under the ocean who doesn’t come around much at all anymore. An old guard. Myriantaxus and Prixathalma, they’re hoping one of them can be raised soon.

-Jardin was the Chief Agent of the Dragon Empire in Curabel for a long time. He was instrumental incurtailing a full scale invasion here by Azreal. He’s less of a hardass conqueror compared to Azreal. He also may stay if Azreal decides to return to their plane.

-Sardukour was an admiral of the Dragon Empire. Builder of airships. He’s most likely died when his airship was destroyed just before Xeno Tel fell during the recent destruction.

-We’re hoping that with the research we find, we may be able to control the Winter King and Summer Lord’s access to Meidia among other middle dimension.

-Jardin does not predate the founding of the Mainland Dragon Empire.

-Black dragons spit acid. Paralleling their ‘biting commentary’.

-Jardin is more laid back compared to Azreal on mission parameters. He’s not opposed to exploring things in addition to the current mission’s goals.

-Dragons took advantage of DVL bindings, borrowing the ancient dwarven technology. They don’t have much dealings with Daemons. Also don’t have much interest in Underdark dealings in general.

-Underdark locus is centered around Curmidden, possibly due to the dwarven Necropolis there bringing stability to that area. No known focus of civilizations are on the Mainland.

-Jardin and the Starchy Boys had a tumultuous relationship.

-The dervishes might not come back from their scouting mission through the portal at Jaeger’s tower. A lot of times, such portals are one way.

-Jardin enjoys more mundane technology, steam power. His parents died a few lifespans ago.

We pass the Vargwater and are over the jungles N of Balenwood headed through Michelwood.

-Lizardmen ‘Might?’ be native to Meidia, but unknown. There were some in the prison cells of Xhen Khel. We pass by a lizardman village. Jardin discusses how Vargwater marshes lizardmen have held back some of the creatures attacking from the Micklewood. They have a barbarous reputation, but they’re quite civilized. Great Brewers of beer and tea. They’re completely uninterested in bribery or coercion. Non entity for politics. They do seem to be decidedly not destroyed by DVL’s.

-There’s a burned out village, uninhabited for a long while, gnolls destroyed it before the DVL’s came.

We pass over a fortified village with fires, lax humans on watch. There’s a totem in the center with a woman tied up about to be burned. The villagers look to be refugees from a nearby city. The totem looks similar to One Horn, except with 2 horns. We fly on by.

Around dark, we pass over a tranquil lake with a split waterfall with a formation that looks like a snake/lizard/dragon with stalagmites/tites giving the impression of teeth. Jardin says it’s an old Imperial outpost. We attempt to go behind the waterfall and disturb a couple feathered serpents and beat wings out and down toward a tidy hut on the shore of the lake to the south. Landing on a path near a cemetery with wards along it’s length every 10’ or so leading back toward the hut.

Around the cemetery, there are bones of small mammals that are in various states of decay, look to be killed on trying to enter the cemetery. Some sort of ward around the place.

I make my way toward the hut down the path, well tended wards, new ones replacing old ones rotting away. They’re dreamcatcher looking made of sticks, gut and string. Not creepy. A pleasant garden with flowers and vegetables. The sound of a woman singing while making a stew. A white picket fence surrounds the hut, along with many of the wards.

Malgrim: The rest of the party heads to Malgrim to the Embassy to drop off our excess stuff from the Dragon Emperor’s hideout. Deposited in the left secret room where the chest was in the embassy.

They find there’s trouble in Malgrim, a vociferous and violent part of the population there is fomenting unrest and rebellion there!

Grissell, the gnome alchemist woman was brutally murdered after trying to go get the ingredients she needed using Lungmold’s writ.

Lungmold and crew head down to find Maggot and run into a Bard playing in the Undermarket plaza, singing anti-occupation songs. No one wants to sell Lungmold anything, or says they’re out of stock because of the recent troubles. They head down.

The docks and areas below the Undermarket are in better shape. Not as effected by the occupation of the Winter King’s forces. Since the Aboleth’s are gone, and the river’s pooled up, the fishing is great. Maggot was taken by the winter elves and Dave is running the place. He gives the party 6 kittens that are Lucifer’s according to him…

The party heads back up, Druul challenges Tristan, the Anti-Occupation bard to a Bard-off and wins. Then a heckler jumps over a rail… not making many friends. Druul chats up Tristan and makes a reluctant contact. He has Anat, a gnome woman follow and report where he lives to Bili at the Embassy. Eyes start to watch her.

On the way back up, a gnomish woman they recognize as Primilla after she passes whispers, “Keep an eye on your back boys, there’s a lot of folk looking to put a knife in it.”

In the upper city, fewer dirty looks are noticed.

There’s a ‘Traitor’ sign at the embassy that’s been repainted and lungmold’s spores he planted are dug out.

They enter the embassy and introduce the kittens to Lucifer…. Who’s having none of it….