Session Ninety-Eight Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 98, July 6 2022

Introduction

We continue at 2:30AM on the 15th of Denrilden (00.000.09.16 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party still cut-off from the surface after the attack on the Winter Elves' conscription lottery. While it seems that the surviving Higiki guards and reinforcements from the major gnomish clans are beginning to reimpose order on Malgrim, unknown hostile forces seem to be gathering just outside the embassy. Who or what are these enemies? Will the party find a way back to the web nexus and the surface before the convoy of ships arrive in Armada? Could Azrael be more sad-sack about Prixathalma? Answers to these questions are likely when we resume the campaign in July ...

Larry's Summary

Jardin, Felix, Oscar, Ajax, and Khelratha on the ship, rest in the embassy cut off due to collapse of tunnel access to web. Felix, Oscar, and Ajax in the web.

Larry ran Lungmold.

Kauri, Druul, Velkin, Lungmold, Ranarth, Prix, etc.

Endeavor to make the pylons invisible. Rather than use blood magic seek to get Ithirialma, Prix, and Philomanthraxus. Philomanthraxis can’t cast, but Pris and Ithirialma can.

Velkin asks Philomanthraxus if he can see or hear anything. Velkin also listens and hears a squelching liquidy gloopy plopping noise. It could be a pudding. Also the clank of metal and a very faint humming noise coming from the darkness. Alleyways seem to funnel the noise, which is probably on the other side of the darkness.

Velkin takes a continual light coin and prepares to shadow step once Ithirialma and Prixithalma make the pylons invisible.

Prix comments that invisibility doesn’t affext their efficacy.

Lungmold picks up a single being approaching up alleyway. Undercurrent of hostility that is in check.

Lungmold asks, “Who are you and what’s with the darkness?” Senses the mind closing up.

First see some feet step our of the darkness it is a gnome, Billi. Lungmold, “What the Hell, Billi?” Billi stairs at Lungmold. (Prix finishes invisibility. Billi looks in each direction at the party on the wall. Then he says, his voice is weird, “The embassy will be surrendered.” You wish to surrender to me? The devices will be handed over. Yes, you will give me all the devices. You misunderstand, the containment devices will be handed over and you may leave.” You can trust the Billi.

Lungmold tries to penetrate into Billi’s mind. Lungmold punches through (rolled a 1) and sees inside the mind, it is a mess. Visions of tentacles, “Stranger Things upside down hellscape.” Clearly being puppeted by something close by. Everything locked down below the surface.

Sense of direction is nearby and somewhere behind Billi.

Lambertus stands ready to cast hold person.

Velkin prepares to shadowstep and take out the controlling entity.

Lungmold senses more beings coming forward, overtly hostile.

Velkin on a rooftop overlooking Billi darkness behind.

Velkin can see behind the darkness with some beings gathered. Ten cloaked figures gathered around with a cordon of 5 with constantly shifting forms almost made out of a sludgy liquid. Behind the darkness, not inside of it.

Velkin hears marching with figures marching through the darkness with clanking.

Velkin drops a coin to negate the darkness behind Billi. Down the alleyway, ten figures approaching. They look very much like the soldiers from the war galley, carrying some of the weaponry the party stashed in the Caverns of the Dead - . Kauri and Lambertus notes that they have rifles.

Kauri prepares to cast Lightning Bolt at those with rifles and they drop and kill him. Left leg blown off, cauterized by beam of the weapon.

Lungmold shoots one of the ones with a rifle, but doesn’t drop him.

Philomanthraxis steps back with fists at side and flesh starts to ripple and stretch and transforms into a good sized red dragon behind us.

Prixithalma runs up and throws a spear at one with a rifle, dropping the one Lungmold hit.

Ithirialma casts bolts of pure energy at one of those with a rifle. Not quite enough to drop, but seriously injured.

Velkin climbs down to the alley to gather as many shear rifles as he can.

Lambertus holds 3 more, for a total of 5.

Philomantrhaxus breathes fire, killing Billi and destroying those using rifles that were held, and reaching to the robed figures. This does not drop any, but Ithirialma drops one with magic missle.

Prixithalma doesn’t have a spell to use and out of spear range.

Velkin gathers up 4 rifles that survived the dragon’s breath. He walks back to the base of the courtyard.

Lambertus gets lowered down. Lungmold goes with him. Lambertus grabs a shear rifle. Lungmold can’t grab one. Lambertus shows Velkin how to use one.

Lungmold lifts Lambertus onto a building so he can run across to get to the other side to keep the robed figures in sight. Heading in direction of stairs to the undercity.

Lambertus shoots at the apparent leader and misses, damaging a building. Velkin has a near miss.

Tall figures and two ooze creatures keep leaving. One stands and sways and a globe of darkness appears between us. The other 3 ooze creatures come towards Lambertus and Velkin. They make it to base of building we’re on.

Lungmold investigated the armored figures. They are humanoid, but no idea what they are.

Lambertus will run back to the other side of the building and Lungmold helps him down.

Velkin pops across from them to shoot at them from behind.

Lambertus and Velkin’s rifles have 7 shots. 8 Shots in the other two not used.

Velkin misses but draws the 3 ooze creatures away.

Lambertus and Lundmold gather up Billi and head back to the embassy.

Billi is crispy, but is there.

Slide the shear rifles through the gate and leave on the stairs around the corner.

Velkin says to the dragons, I guess the cat’s out of the bag now. Prix asks if it’s safe to keep using this place?

Prix gestures at the remains of Billi. Perhaps he knows something, or perhaps the information our enemies had came from him.

Lungmold announces he is staying, and Dampfoot and Rotbreath also announce they are staying. Velkin suggests that Ranarth should also stay. Ranarth stands up and says that the Winter King is looking to expand, so I’ll stay with you.

Velkin carries Billi’s body inside. Lambertus carries in Kauri’s body and leg.

Lambertus goes to lay down.

Prixithalma says, I think, at least some of us will need to make an effort to leave once Kauri is brought back to life to get out of this city to find someplace safer.

Jaxx, I’m gonna stay as well. I understand if the rest of you need to go. Ithirialma I can’t stay when the ships reach the Inquisitorial Library. Our research, we can’t continue into the portable pylons. Jax, I think I understand the principles and what we need to do this. What about you, gesturing at Philomanthraxus. I suppose I can stay to help forge what needs to be forged. Jaxx 2 claps his hands, it’s settled, I’ll stay with these fellows, and this guy can help forge.

If those things come back, we’ll just stay inside.

How do we get out of here? Velkin suggests Bogfunk. Lungmold suggests Bogfunk may have been taken by the Silence. Velkin gathers the other shear rifles and stuff them through into the same pile with the others.

---

Khelratha gets out of his wet clothes and hangs them up and gets some rest.

Woken early by a bell on deck, for breakfast and watch change.

Khelratha eats breakfast then scans the horizon with his spyglass. Captain Hero comes over and asks if everything worked out. I don’t like swimming, especially in the middle of the ocean. We’re four days out from Armada. There’s a chance Druul won’t be back. His mother is an admiral.

Imperial ships, Eclipse, Lady of Fire, and Redcrest, and ahead are 5 Armada ships. Partly to show us the way, and to be first to Armada.

---

4 AM, Noon Lambertus is up and able to cast raise dead. Pockets of darkness are still there and city seems to be calming down, not rioting any more.

While Lambertus sleeps Velkin meditates on the state of Astral Projection, then get some rest.

Raise Dead on Kauri, sadly missing his entire left leg.

Forcas calls dibs on Kauri’s leg….

Lambertus goes to get more rest to be able to raise Billi.

8:00 PM Lambertus awakes. Armored Higeki and other clan militia going through the streets, partway through Lambertus’ rest, Rotbreath contacts Lungmold that they want to talk to someone in charge.

Lungmold goes out to the courtyard, there is a group of 15 deep gnomes, heavily armored, not Higeki. They appear to be Clan Regathi. The leader starts calling up are you in charge? This other doesn’t know anything. We’re clearing this neighborhood. Is there everything all right up there? It’s OK now, we drove off an attack by the Silence.

Lungmold points towards the burnt, armored bodies, and the darkness.

I forgot any Winter Elves, we’re taking them into custody. The Sizek Ygnas have ordered it. An assistant whispers about the Winter King.

Lungmold tells them there is no one here they need to worry about. This is my private residence and I will defend it and this area from the Silence and anyone else who attacks my home.

Healing on the wounded,

Velkin Scrolls 62 - Session 98

2:30am, Denrilden 15

00.00000.09.16 Apocalypse Clock

Our party is split part in Malgrim, part on the Eclipse

Malgrim:

The surviving Higeki guards are imposing order across the city while the globes of darkness here at the embassy are kept at bay with the continual light coins. I hear some squelchy goopy noises, a clanking noise, and a high pitched faint humming noise.

We turn the pylons under the tents invisible.

Bili walks out of the darkness, and acts odd. He blinks slowly and monotones: Turn over the imprisonment devices and leave. Lungmold punches through into his mind and he’s being puppeted, he sees tentacles and a hellscape in his mind. Something close by. Behind him.

I go scout, invisible and hiding. Shadowstepping behind the darkness there’s 10 cloaked figures and 5 figures with shifting liquidy forms.

A squad of beings like the ones on the war galley wielding shear rifles attack, one taking Kauri’s leg and killing him.

Phil goes dragon and breathes, killing all the soldiers and Bili’s possessed body. All the other creatures are still alive, variously wounded by the dragonfire. The 10 are squidfaces… Oh Shit.

Lambertus and I grab shear rifles and pass them to the party on the terrace then we take off after the fleeing enemies. We don’t do much damage and I draw them off before they get to Lambertus then return to the Embassy.

I carry Bili inside while Lambertus goes to rest, planning on bringing Bili and Kauri back to the land of the living.

We discussed strategy and such a little. Some will stay, some will continue on to the Library. Finding someplace safer than the embassy seems like a good idea.

I do some meditating on the Astral walking idea I’ve got… no progress and get some rest myself. Still wiped from the stint into dead.

Once Lambertus rests, he brings Kauri back. Much to Forcas’ delight, his leg doesn’t reattach.

Lambertus rests again and plans to raise Bili.

A Higeki force comes to the Embassy about 8pm. Clan Regathi. They are clearing the neighborhood. Lungmold speaks with them and tells them we are good. They also tell us that any winter elves are being rounded up on order of the Czik Ignas. Lungmold reiterates there’s no one here that needs to be of concern to them.

Surface, on the Eclipse:

4 days to Armada. Khelratha dries out. Uneventful day.