Session One Hundred and Eighty-Seven Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)
Session 187, July 3 2024
Introduction
We continue at 1:10AM on the 29th of Anurilden (00.000.08.01 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party approaching Lolth in the Necropolis's central spire just as the Dark King and a troop of driders heads out to investigate the Silence and weird armored creature the group encountered. After a stressful retreat back up the stairs from the armory below, constantly unsure of whether invisible enemies were about to strike, the worn-out adventurers must report on what they have found and make decisions regarding their next move in the war to thwart Asmodeus and the DVLs. Are they safe in the presence of the spider goddess? Do they have time to rest and recover? Will the driders be able to hunt down their sneaky pursuers? Where next for the party? Find out next time; or not.
Larry's Summary
We tell the Dark King and driders with him about the Silence and they go off to hunt them.
We then go to Lolth, Jarlanna, Em, baby Aubry, and Caspar. We tell her about the amulet from the Silence and the watch from Mephistopheles.
Lolth is concerned that a message may have already been sent to Asmodeus and this place may not be safe.
Asmodeus and he greater DVLs can unweave DVL magic and she once could but since breaking free from Asmodeus' rule she and other Daemons can no longer unravel the weave of magic.
Buzz transforms the spiders into DVL magic.
Lolth knows a place above Hdrasta that was a next of chimeras, but they have been driven out. Their nest remains and overlooks the entrance.
The current inhabitants of Hdrasta are not interested.
Some of our people are there, so we dare go no closer.
Velkin gem the watch from Mephistopheles to give directly to Lolth and cut our Jarlana.
Thorfus, Druul, and Kauri go seeking the craftsmen of Clan Thuridan to see about getting Buzz repaired. Buzz's wings are gummed up with web and joints are making noises they weren't.
Velkin goes to find his house.
Chamberlain says that Clan Thuridan has the best craftsmen so no need to look elsewhere.
Chamberlain set aside space among the clan for the group to camp.
Druul uses the scepter to communicate with Buzz to explain what is going on and to follow the chamberlain to the craftsmen.
We ask Buzz, if he can to explain what's wrong and how to fix him. "Those things (Silence) - I think it's all mechanical. Not all of my limbs are working as efficiently as they could. There's someone to help."
Druul can show where the problem is, but no idea how to correct.
They spoke to me when they were attacking. They said I was wrong. I was a blasphemy that I existed and that they would hunt me and destroy me.
We look at the interface to see if we can see anything. There is the power mode bit. There is some sort of diagnostic mode.
It all matches what Druul is doing. Mostly mechanical. Perhaps parts need repaired or replaced.
He feels like he can still convert energy into batteries.
We have buzz join us to follow the Clan Thuridan Chamberlain.
We explain the saturation to the craftsmen.
Harkin Thuridan is the senior among them.
Druul will offer to translate. and had Harkin use the scepter and then talks direct with Buzz.
We leave a bunch of batteries for buzz to charge.
Velkin talks to Aquil Herig about what to do while Velkin is gone with the party. Aquil suggests that this is their city and that they should have the dwarves pay for lodging, etc.
Velkin then talks to Master Enrilden about how to keep Aquil in check.
We decided to rest and let Buzz charge up all the batteries we have.
Velkin goes off and finds Alesta to have her cast Continual Light on a3 coins - she can do up to 3 third level spells.
Kauri learns new spells from the 9 comprehensive spellbooks.
The dwarven craftsman fixes up Buzz as best he can. Wings were just gunked up. Legs buzzing sound not as loud as it was.
Velkin makes Aquil his "voice" and Enrilden will be Aquil's guide.
Druul plays and concentrates on a map of Hdrasta and general guidance to see if it is all in line and are we going in the right direction.
Soon fungal growths of various colors find the cracks in the floor that weaves together and forms a map. It is a topographic map with the oceans rising to the land. the fungus changes and grows, like it is zooming in.
There is a large chamber with a smaller chamber to the East. A red fungus comes forth in a second smaller room. It seems like going deeper with empty spots for possible tunnels and chambers. Plunging down below the mountain and chambers in the mountain. It comes to a stop with a roundish chamber like a pit. There is a tiny tendril of fungus coming out of the pit with a red cap. It then blossoms forth, loops in decays and dies.
Druul draws the map to the attention of Velkin and Kauri.
A dwarf comes up and says, "Hey, you can grow things?"
He and his buddies eat the remaining fungus.
Thorfus checks in with his Chamberlin to see if there is anything he needs to know about or deal with before he goes and renew the Chamberlain's appointment as his stand in.
They are waiting to hear back from the scouts on where to settle down where there is plentiful food and not just water, like here.
Thorfus has his chamberlain see if there is any soft stone like chalk, talc, or pumice to make a method of
2 pouches of 10 pieces of chalk. We have someone with a mortar and pestle grind it up and is enough to coat a decent sized area twice.
Thorfus checks on Em and she has a place to rest on dais close to Lolth, and Caspar also.
Thorfus mingles with Clan Thuridan to get to know them and enable them to know Thorfus.
Druul asks Jarlanna if any luck in finding Caspar's family. Jarlanna motions Druul to step away a bit. Our mistress is pretty certain she knows the location. There are powerful DVLs in the area where they were left. It is under consideration whether the risk is worth it, given that all the lives here could be endangered if we are found.
Is this from my husband or a concern of yours. Drull says it is his concern to improves his production and keep them out of danger.
Once the refugees are settled in more securely, we'll look into recovering them.
Druul asks if they were questioned by the DVLs. Jarlanna says it is our understanding that they are dead on the side of a mountain. Not very far from when your group plans to go.
Lolth says that the DVLs have not seemed to notice them, they are just dead on the side of a mountain.
The Dark King has returned and he and the Driders go to Lolth to report in.
Buzz is repaired and all batteries are fully charged, we are well rested, and all spells memorized.
At some point, Aeda will make it known that since we kind of completed part of her quest to recover the Chosen One's artifacts she doesn't think she will be of more use and will stay with the refugees amongst the humans.