Game Session Recaps

[frenzied67]

Episode 141 Gurthos 16th - 18th 1032 C.E.

*Addendum. The state religion follows Tvorek, said to be the source of the gods. This being stands outside of Erath’s normal pantheon and has no following outside of Onostia. Also, I have been misspelling Onostia.

Leaving her room, Leiya went down the stairs to the common room, then up the stairs to the northern balcony. After joining Enkili and Blaylocke in their room, they quickly decided on their sleeping assignments and their turns of watch. Taking first watch, Leiya augmented their protection by casting Guardian of Faith, after all they expected the wererats might pay them a visit. Her watch passed with no interruption. However, during Enkili’s stint at sentry duty there was a scrabbling at the shuttered windows of their second story room. Even as the fighter began to glide over to the aperture, the Guardian lashed out with it’s long reach, smashing out the shutters and window both.

Enkili arrived to see an unnaturally proportioned humanoid shape slink away into the nights shadows below. The concussive report of the spells half spectral weapon woke the entire inn. The people in the next room were the first to pound on the door, worried for the party, but soon people from the lower common room were demanding explanations. Enkili was trying to address the mob at their door when the innkeeper arrived. That man grew apoplectic upon seeing the valuable window naught but twisted shards.

The fighter tried mollifying the man with grandiose assertions that they had saved everyone in the inn from being robbed, but it took the remaining available coins from his Everfull Purse and a platinum piece before the man stopped his ranting. The morning found the party brainstorming, and it was agreed upon that their first tactic would be to petition the Nazir for the return of Miria, offering to buy the girl. Meanwhile, while the bureaucratic machine churned away at that request, they would study the kremlin in case a break and enter would be called for.

As the party meandered, pretending to be tourists, they inquired after guards chasing rats. Word was that this happened quite a bit in Deros Kaden, and the people had no reason why explained to them. Most of the people wanted to speak of the upcoming execution or of the upcoming marriage in another nearby city. A man had taken bread and would be hanged, but noble celebrities tying the knot was vastly more interesting it seemed. What also intrigued the party was the lack of rumor or word on the street on a certain gem.

Near the end of the day they actually learned that the Nazir was away from the city, and his chamberlain (Tyun) was in charge. So the party sent a second message, informing Tyun Niko that the great bard Blaylocke Anvilarm would like to perform for him. That night Leiya tried to use Sending to contact Miria, but worryingly, the girl did not respond. An invitation to meet the Tyun greeted the heroes early the next morning, they would discuss this possible performance.

Deciding to spruce up for this meeting, they chose good clothes and tamed their hair; Enkili even eschewed his armor. Leiya warned everyone that she would cast Tongues on everyone once they arrived. No matter their dress, things took a sour turn as they were crossing a courtyard on their way to the kremlin gates. Bodies rushed into houses, shutters were slammed to as well as doors, until the courtyard and surrounding streets were empty of people. From every point of the compass rose other people showed up, strange daggers in hand; most of these people were clustered in the south.

What was more notable than their large daggers was the lack of noses or mouths on these individuals, they just had fixated eyes of no discernible hue. Enkili dipped into his Bag of Holding and pulled forth The Sainted Sword, Blaylocke began to study the advancing creatures, Leiya began to pray, and the dawdling (late to the game) Jolrael unwrapped his headband; in reality his magic sling. The sorcerer laid a silver bullet in the slings pocket and then made the strap whirl then retort loudly as he sent a missile at the nearest adversary. The bullet passed through the being spraying what appeared to be a big puff of dust out of it's back; that foe reoriented and began to advance.

A figure from the east ran full out to close with Leiya, a dagger raised to do harm. Jolly’s target closed with the sorcerer, and a contest of wild slashes versus dexterous dodging ensued; Jolrael kept steel from his flesh with a little help from his spell that acted as armor (Mage Armor but with a unique name). Even Blaylocke who was still several yards from one of these creatures could smell the linen, myrhh, and cinnomon wafting from them; funerary scents. Sending a plea in the form of prayer, Leiya upcast a Spiritual Guardians spell and surrounded herself with rending angel/sprites.

One of the southern nigh faceless monsters sprinted to close with Enkili, but moving into Leiya’s spell made the whole thing burst into a cascade of dust; the little guardians gleefully sailing through the cloud and helping it spread. Another one closed from the north taking up position next to Jolrael; the Spiritual Guardians mauling the figure with merciless abandon without killing it this time. Another figure from the south stopped well shy of the priestess’ spell and hurled it’s dagger at Jolly, the errant blade did not hit the sorcerer, but the blade curved through the air and flew back to it’s owner’s palm.

Taking it’s cue from the last attacker, another southern creature moved a tad closer and hit Enkili with it’s hurled blade; the fighter growled at the mar this created on his new shirwani. That dagger also returned to it’s master. A third figure also stopped short and hurled a blade at Leiya; her shield deflected the dagger making it return unblooded. Almost seeming to dance, Enkili followed the heft of his heavy sword as he directed it. One blow killed the creature closest to him, then he flowed up and removed the two threatening Jolly, then killed the one trying to distract Leiya; dust clouds followed in the fighter’s wake.

This prompted another creature to try and close with the spellcasters, but it did not survive the field of protective angel/faeries. As the bard was just at the edge of the Spiritual Guardian’s radius, the next monster closed with him just outside of the magic, fortunately the stabbing dagger missed. As the bard started to put two and two together in his mind, another man shaped thing ran to the outer ring of the courtyard’s water fountain. Blaylocke suddenly shouted “Grimkins! Lifestealers!”, the bard then played a bit of song to inspire Enkili.

One of the Grimkin’s west of the fountain hurled a blade, and poor Jolrael cried out with pain. The blade ripped free of the wound and flew to an awaiting hand. As the only Grimkin’s grouped together, Enkili chose to take out the faceless pair west of the fountain; they were dust clouds before they realized their danger. Leiya placed a Sacred Flame on the Grimkin threatening Blaylocke, the fire could not consume all the dust.

Enkili gets hit with another thrown dagger, to his annoyance. Blaylocke tried to avenge the injured fighter, but his arrow only wounded the assailant. All the heroes eyes shift to that last Grimkin, but it was Blaylocke who was able to act first. His Eldritch Blast hit center mass, stringing a stream of dust as the energy passed well through the Grimkin (Crit!). Enkili wondered aloud if the chamberlain (tyun) would be surprised to see them make their appointment. The fighter was stopped short of picking up one of the Grimkin daggers by Blaylocke, the bard warned them of a danger for touching those daggers, he also told them how Grimkin’s were made….

*This is how the game ended that session. Our next meeting will be Sunday, May 3rd. Was this the last of these constructs made from the desiccated dead, or are more waves incoming? Who sent them, and who made them? Will our adventurers ever find out?