Session Ninety-Six Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)
Session 96, June 1 2022
Introduction
We continue at 10:10PM on the 14th of Denrilden (00.000.09.17 on the Apocalypse Clock) with Lambertus having just raised Velkin from the dead in the Malgrim embassy. Worried about rumors of unrest and Bogfunk's activities, the party now plans to attend the conscription lottery being held at the Higiki Citadel. Meanwhile, on the surface, Khelratha and Jardin continue their travels aboard an imperial warship. Their vessel, the Eclipse, and its companions are following Armada ships toward the floating city of pirates. Will something bad happen at the lottery? What awaits the party at Armada? Find out next time ... probably ...
Larry's Summary
Velkin catches up, Velkin suggests watching the lottery, but won't go. Druul plans to go.
Druul tells Jaxx, Ithirialma, etc. about the lottery for the Winter King and the suspiscious doings of the resistance.
Jaxx increased the guard. No one in or out. Druul asks that he and Lungmold be allowed to leave. Jaxx says to let them know so the machines don't kill them.
In addition to Rotbreath, Dampfoot, and the broken automaton, is a working automaton, and two smaller automatons with ornate swords that appear to be oversized dwarves with ornate swords, and there are 5 floating orbs that occasionally crackle with electricity.
Party alerts Rotbreath and Dampfoot to be ready for trouble, just in case.
Druul asked Lungmold to scan the gnome woman Anat working for Druul for the faces of the ones she had mentioned.
Anat recounts her memory and there is talk of placement of the eggs and that they'll do their part.
Let Jaxx know that Druul and Lungmold are leaving. They go to inform Firthold of planned ambush and also look into it.
Velkin has to rest and puts on the Platinum Circlet he has.
---
Khelratha continues asking, "are we there yet?"
Sun sets and rain lasts into evening. No more light to try to jump between, rain makes on deck unpleasant.
A bit before Midnight hear some commotion on deck and a voice calling out. Lookout's call carries and something about a ship off to starboard side.
Khelratha runs up to check it out, and is met by a downpour. People are running around and most have gathered at the starboard railing cupping their eyes and pointing. Khelratha goes to railing and looks.
One says, I can see the light, it's not one of ours. Khelratha can see a bobbing light, not a perpendicular course nor parallel. It is pointed in the same direction but at an angle.
Khelratha asks a seaman to get Jardin.
Jardin asks if Khelratha wants to go check it out, and he says, OK.
Let's go! Khelratha suggests that they both be invisible. Jardin makes them both invisible. Then Jardin transforms. Khelratha attaches a rope to help him hang on.
Soon circling the ship, a bit smaller than the Eclipse. No flag. Crew seems to be orcs. At first Khelratha pretty sure he didn't recognize. But on second swing by sees a familiar looking fella hanging out there.
One orc/half orc vaguely looks familiar (Grissel). Khelratha tells Jardin about the familiar orcs.
We go to nearest Armada ship to let them know about the new ship. Goes to *Carrion Crow* and Captin Krench. Jardin tilts and says, jump when things tilt.
Khelratha kicks a barrel and an orc says, "ghost!" Khelratha stomps over and slaps the orc, and says, "Snap out of it!" then the orc says, "Dwarf ghost!" Khelratha shouts for Krench.
Krench drops sails and drops back quickly and the other ship spots the *Carrion Crow.* Lantern signals bring them closer and they get close enough to shout.
The other ship is the *Wicked Wave* under Captain Zulekon. They are heading back to Armada too. General call all ships return, the Admirals want everyone back and are carrying a message for the admirals.
Khelratha stomps over to the rail and says "Who's that one orc?" He doesn't talk, he has a message for the admirals.
Have you heard about the prophet, the prophet's dead, the seer? We'll tell you tomorrow.
New ship falls in with other Armada ships ahead of the Imperial ships.
Jardin says he'll jump and Khelratha to jump after and aims for the rope. Khelratha doesn't see the rope and something smacks and is growing under him and feels scales below him.
Wait where's the rope, you're not between his wings.
Khelratha falls and hits the water. Khelratha draws his sword to give some light.
Something grabs Khelratha's collar and Jardin is now visible. Jardin lands and sets Khelratha down gently.
Jardin says he's going below deck.
Khelratha glares and thinks bad thoughts at Jardin.
---
Lunmold and Druul go to Citadel to talk to Sir Firthold escorted by Higeki guards. See Sizek Jadartha preaching. Lungmold picks up bad thoughts towards him from the gnomes nearby.
Cloth covering a table and several Winter Elves, and Sir Firthold, and Higeki guard has given a message and Firthold waves. Guard meets back and lets know that Sir Firthold wants to speak to them.
Spot a gnome with a fancy mustache, and may be the one from the vision.
Lungmold shares images and Firthold's secretary says, I know that guy, Sargent Faelan. Firthold suggests that they re-assign him to the Citadel, make sure the storerooms ok in Citadel, word something smuggled in that is dangerous.
Secretary tells Sargent Faelan to go with Lungmold and Druul to inspect the storerooms, Faelan swallows hard, says OK and looks even paler, but goes with them.
Faelan is incredibly nervous, doesn't want to go with them, but doesn't think he can get out of it, can we delay this?
Druul asks if someone smuggled something in, any idea where it would be. Lungmold is able to break through. He is nervous because he needs to get out of here as he is afraid he will die. It is 3 doors down in a crate, brought in by Bogfunk, his co-conspirator. Bogfunk was quite clear he should not be in here when the lottery starts.
Faelan notices what happened and draws his sword. Druul draws his crossbow. Lungmold broadcasts danger, explosives in the citadel.
Ceres misses, Lungmold reaches a Winter Elf to tell Firthold. Druul tells him to lower his sword. Faelan takes a swing at Lungmold and hits. Lungmold fails save vs. poison and Lungmold collapses. Faelan smiles unpleasantly at Druul.
Ceres breathes on him and Faelan drops.
A door opens and a Winter Elf looks around, and says, you called, Druul directs to the door.
A squad of Winter Elves help carry off Lungmold. Inside a shout, "What are we looking for?" A crate with eggs, as Lungmold raised up the stairs. Lots of shouting above.
Finally make it to the top of the stairs. One of the elves stops and says to Druul, "Whelbarrow?"
Down below, shouting in the storeroom, and the sound of breaking boxes stops.
Druul hops on Ceres and rides to find Firthold, the crowd is loud and wild and the secretary is trying to call out to the crowd, but not working.
Secretary comes over and asks if we found out anything from Faelan? Faelan is a traitor, a group of Winter Elves is trying to deal with the explosives. Firthold sent to his quarters. Wait how big are these explosives? Big enough to bring down the building.
Lungmold in a wheelbarrow being pushed by Winter Elves. Druul hooks up ropes on Ceres to the wheelbarrow and plays lute to charm gnomes to get out of the way.
Druul aims to get Lungmold back to the embassy.
There is an explosion in the crowd, screaming, another explosion goes off, then a dull roaring echoing in the tunnel of the citadel getting louder and louder.
Looking back it looks like a tide coming in, but white hot flames out the opening of the Higeki citadel and hits part of crowd he's already pushed through.
Dull sounds of explosions throughout the city. A couple of explosions in front. The goliath automaton starts to slip sideways. Makes it to closest corner.
Facade of Higeki Citadel collapses in on itself. Clouds of noxious green smoke form different areas/terraces.
Strange smell. A gnome comes at him from the direction of a cloud and is frothing at the mouth (Dog Froth).
From the embassy, the Goliath automaton (used as a temple) falls and breaks the bridge across the chasm and it falls until there is a splash below.
Guards below shout up asking if everything is OK up there.
Hear fighting down below the terrace. Guards at gate have been attacked by a very angy housewife, beating on them with her fists.
Druul, Ceres, & Lungmold come around the corner, Druul shoots and misses, and she bites Druul on the leg, and he saves.
[Oskar has potions of Neutralize Poison] Once Lungmold raised to terrace, Lambertus casts Neutralize Poison.
Lungmold activates the snowflake.
Looking across the other Citadel of the Higeki guards on the other side of the chasm has collapsed. The portal to the web nexus is in the Citadel.
Khelratha opens the portal below decks to check in on the other side is one of the Winter Elves in ancient elven. "Jardin!" to get him to translate. The lizard went to check there was screaming. Pointing to the main part of the web. It sounded like someone hurt on the other side of the web, come see.
Khelratha tells Jardin to keep an eye on the portal while Khelratha checks things out.
Khelratha follows the Winter Elf pass the area with Lungmold's zombies. Leading towards tunnel to Malgim. At the end of the tunnel, Oskar is leaning down over a body on the ground, the body is a Winter Elf, except horribly burnt missing a leg and very crispy as it the end of the tunnel.
What happened? Oskar says we were in camp and then this screaming. I found this elf here. several feet of web has just burnt away and Khelratha stomps off to check on the dragon emperor to see if Azrael was also affected.
Khelratha sees an open portal. Azrael says, "Ah is Prix coming?"
Velkin Scrolls 60 - Session 96
10:10pm, Denrilden 14
00.00000.09.17 Apocalypse Clock
Malgrim:
I awaken on a bed in the Embassy with Lambertus chanting something. A ragged breath or two and some water and I feel like what one of Lungmold’s zombies smells like. I do not recommend dying, it’s taxing on a fellow.
I have a thought after that experience and laying around for a few hours. What if we can enter the Astral realm using something other than the powdered worm poo Borthan had… Something to ponder…
Lambertus fills me in on what’s happened since my pulverization and its overall success. Minus the fact I didn’t make it. Plus the fact that his magic works here. Thankfully.
The Lottery in Malgrim is happening tonight. That ought to be interesting. I’m too weak to attend, but Druul and Lungmold go to watch.
Anat, Druul’s spy lady, is read by Lungmold and we learn the resistance will be staging some sort of activity that portends to be … treacherous or explosive. We don’t know for sure but get some details and some direction on potentially stopping it.
Jax locks down the Embassy with the Automatons. Expecting trouble of course.
I suggest searching the pylons to be sure nothing has been planted there… There was nothing…
Druul and Lungmold head to alert Ser Ferthold and send a runner with the information. On the way, there’s a number of minds that aren’t very happy with the Lottery and Lungmold. They reach the Citadel and Sgt Faelen, the image of which Lungmold lifted from Anat’s thoughts attacks, poisoning Lungmold but not before he learns of a crate brought by Bogfunk. About this time, explosions wrack the city. The inert automaton bridging the two halves of the city topples, a wave of white hot flames roll out of the Higeki citadel and other explosions across the city and clouds of noxious smoke billow down from above. A gnome, frothing at the mouth from the directions of one of the clouds and attacks with a bloody wooden dowel. Druul hooks Lungmold in a wheelbarrow to Ceres and flees towards the Embassy.
Reaching the embassy not without some close calls from the apparently rabid gnomes from the gas. We speculate the explosions were caused by Pheonix eggs. We identify the gas as Dogfroth, it causes people to go nuts in the manner we’ve seen.
Surface on the Eclipse:
It’s raining. A lot. Jardin and Khelratha are below. Jardin’s quiet, fairly somber. He’s flicking toothpicks into the wall of the cabin.
Just before Midnight a lookout calls out. A ship is off to the Starbord. Jardin and Khelratha investigate. Jardin impatient, Khelratha stubborn. An entertaining mix. Jardin drops.. maybe it could be considered a toss, Khelratha on the new Armadan ship causing a ruckus as Khelratha finally communicates Krensh is on a ship nearby. Grissel is here with the Warden’s message.
Khelratha attempts to jump on Jardin and fly back to the Eclips but slips and falls. Jardin only finds him after he draws the Winter King’s sword where he picks the soaked dwarf and drops him on the Eclipse’s deck, then transforms back to human with not much more conversation as Khelratha’s piqued, wet and grouchy. The Imperials are kneeling when Jardin flies back in Dragon form.
Down below Khelratha opens the portal and sees some excitement… a burnt winter elf at the Malgrim web portal and Oskar. He checks the Xhen Khel portal… Azreal is there and asks, almost forlornly, if Prix is coming.