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Dunmari Frontier - Session 114

Mementos of the Past: in which tokens of Apollyon’s victims are uncovered

Featuring: Seeker, Delwath, Kenzo, Wellby, Riswynn
In Taelgar: May 22, 1749 DR to May 23, 1749 DR
On Earth: Thursday Dec 05, 2024
Drankor

The Dunmar Fellowship secures crucial mementos of trapped souls in Drankor, encountering spirits and discovering important leads for their quest.

Session Info

Summary

  • The Dunmar Fellowship plans to free souls trapped in Apollyon’s phylactery by securing mementos tied to each soul’s identity.
  • They travel through Drankor, evading undead threats and finding Seraphina Appleblossom’s tavern, where they secure two mementos.
  • After battling spirits at the docks, they retrieve fireworks casing linked to Seraphina.
  • At the Custom House, they recover a shipping manifest related to Khemut of Targu and scrolls detailing Drankorian commerce.
  • Kenzo finds a scroll identifying Minarith as a faculty member of The Thalorian, leading to their next mission.

Timeline

  • May 22, 1749 DR, evening: The party rests in the Temple of the Eight Divines in Drankor.
  • May 23, 1749 DR, morning: Leaving Wellby to guard the phylactery, the party travels to the docks, and finds The Laughing Wave, recovering tokens of Seraphina Appleblossom. In the nearby Customs House, they find a shipping manifest connected to Khemut of Targu, and a clue about Minarith.
  • May 23, 1749 DR, midday: The party returns to the Temple of the Eight Divines.

Narrative

Our session begins as night falls over theTemple of the Eight Divines in Drankor. Within the temple’s hallowed walls, the party takes refuge from the encroaching darkness of the ruined city. The divine aura of the temple offers a rare moment of solace as the group contemplates the daunting task ahead: freeing the seven souls trapped within Apollyon’s phylactery and destroying the artifact.

Seeker’s research has confirmed that unraveling the phylactery’s magic requires traveling to the Land of the Dead, bringing physical mementos tied to each soul, to allow the souls to remember themselves, unraveling Apollyon’s Phylactery. Four such mementos have already been secured: three death masks recovered from the Chapel of the Father and a silver pen nib from Valanthe’s courtyard. The party identifies their remaining targets as Seraphina Appleblossom, a halfling tavern owner near the docks; Khemut of Targu a foreign sailor or traveler likely tied to the docks; and Minarith, an elf of the peronar lineage, about whom little is known.

As the group debates their approach to the Land of the Dead, various logistical and ethical concerns arise. Plane Shift will require the body of a recently deceased individual whose soul still lingers in the Land of the Dead, prompting discussions about where such a body might be obtained. The group resolves to prioritize recovering the remaining mementos before finalizing their plan, and as dawn breaks, they fortify themselves with Heroes’ Feast before setting out toward the docks. Wellby remains behind to guard the phylactery.

The journey to the docks takes the party through the overgrown streets of Drankor, where jungle vines and oppressive humidity combine to create a suffocating atmosphere. As they cross a massive plaza, Seeker clears vines from a 30-foot-high arch, revealing a relief of Apollyon surrounded by a worshipful crowd, radiant light streaming from his hands. They note the ominous imagery and press on.

Further south, faint cries for help echo from a ruined building. The voices, speaking in Common, Elvish, and Dwarvish, tempt the group, but they decide against investigating, marking the location for potential future exploration. Shortly after, a group of approximately 35 shadowy undead emerges from the jungle. Employing Invisibility, the party evades detection and continues cautiously.

Arriving at the docks, they find the area largely in ruins, with only a few structures still standing. They identify the likely location of Seraphina Appleblossom’s tavern, “The Laughing Wave,” marked by an archway adorned with carvings of curling waves. Inside, an eerie mist fills the space, and sunlight filtering through the ruined walls takes on a reddish hue.

As the party explores, a conglomeration of bound spirits materializes, its sorrowful presence suffusing the air. Despite their invisibility, the spirits converge on the group, initiating combat. Delwath’s Synaptic Static obliterates half the spirits, while Kenzo’s precision attacks and Riswynn’s divine radiance dispatch the rest. However, the battle intensifies as a larger, more solid entity of conjoined spirits rises, radiating psychic despair and evoking unsettling memories. Delwath’s Sickening Radiance reveals the entity, and a combination of Kenzo’s relentless strikes and Riswynn’s divine power destroys it.

In the aftermath, the party discovers a halfling-sized cooking pot, scorched but intact, radiating faint magic. Identified as a weak memento of Seraphina Appleblossom, the pot is secured before the group turns their attention to the cellar beneath the tavern.

Clearing debris with Mold Earth, they uncover a trapdoor leading to a well-preserved cellar. Inside, they find rotted casks and a locked wooden chest containing a cache of silver and gold coins, some bearing the markings of Targu, hinting at Khemut’s connection to the tavern. A stone shelf holds decayed firework casings, resonating strongly with Seraphina’s soul.

With six mementos secured, the group debates their next move. Divination magic points them to the Custom House as a promising lead for information on Minarith, and possibly also a place to find a stronger connection to Khemut of Targu. After a short rest to recuperate, they proceed to the Custom House, a partially intact structure overgrown with vegetation. Inside, they find remnants of opulence—metal, glass, and carvings hint at its former grandeur.

Deeper within, a large room shrouded in swirling red mist awaits. Shafts of light illuminate a pile of bones and a preserved wooden chest in the far corner. Sensing danger, the party considers their options. Delwath casts Banishment on the mist, temporarily dispersing it and allowing the group to act quickly.

The chest, revealed to be a magically preserved cabinet, contains hundreds of scrolls. Kenzo locates a shipping manifest tied to Khemut of Targu and hastily collects additional scrolls marked with sigils or other notable details. As the mist begins to re-form, the group retreats, taking roughly 100 scrolls with them.

Among the recovered scrolls are trade records and manifests detailing Drankor’s commerce, along with references to three major universities: the Imperial University, Valtrius University, and the University of the Blessed Waters (also known as The Thalorian). However, no mention of Minarith is found.

Kenzo’s soul sense detects a connection to Minarith still within the mist-filled room. Braving the danger, he re-enters and retrieves a scroll identifying Minarith as a faculty member of the Thalorian. With this crucial lead in hand, the group retreats to the temple to regroup, ready to pursue the next phase of their journey: locating The Thalorian and securing a memento of Minarith.

Detailed Summary

Contemplating the Path Ahead

  • The party begins in the temple of the Eight Divines in Drankor as night falls. The holy aura of the temple protects them from the encroaching darkness of the city.
  • The group reflects on their goal to destroy the phylactery by freeing the seven souls trapped within it.
  • Seeker’s research confirmed that a connection to the Land of the Dead is required to unravel the phylactery’s magic. Physical mementos tied to each soul are crucial for this process.
  • Four mementos have been secured: three death masks from the Chapel of the Father and a silver pen nib from Valanthe’s courtyard.
  • The remaining targets are:
    • Seraphina Appleblossom, a halfling tavern owner near the docks.
    • Khemut of Targu, a foreign sailor or traveler likely connected to the docks.
    • Minarith, an elf of the peronar lineage, with little information available.
  • The party debates the logistics of entering the Land of the Dead:
    • Plane Shift requires the body of a recently deceased person whose soul resides in the Land of the Dead.
    • They consider potential sources of such a body, including cities like Tollen or sacrifices within Drankor.
    • Concerns are raised about resource management and the risks of “dying” as part of the plan.
    • The group prioritizes recovering the remaining mementos before finalizing their approach to the Land of the Dead.
  • As dawn breaks, the party prepares for the day with another casting of Heroes’ Feast, granting temporary bonuses and protection against fear.
  • The party sets their sights on the docks of Drankor, focusing on finding mementos tied to Seraphina Appleblossom and Khemut of Targu
  • The phylactery (a dagger containing Apollyon’s soul) remains guarded by Wellby, who volunteers to stay behind.

A Haunted Path to the Docks

  • The party navigates through the overgrown streets of Drankor, moving eastward from the temple district. The surroundings include crumbled stone buildings, vine-covered ruins, and the oppressive humidity of the jungle.
  • The group arrives at a massive plaza dominated by a 30-foot-high arch covered in vines. Seeker briefly clears some vines, revealing a relief carving of Apollyon surrounded by a worshipful crowd, with rays of light emanating from his hands.
  • In the plaza, the party notices a partially intact building with an unusual appearance, as though it had been partially consumed or eroded. Movement and a grinding sound emanate from its surface.
  • Despite curiosity, the group uncharacteristically decides against investigating further, focusing on their primary objective.
  • As the group continues southward, faint cries and pleas for help echo from the ruins along the road. The voices speak in various languages, including Common, Elvish, and Dwarvish, seemingly emanating from a specific building.
  • They briefly debate investigating but ultimately decide to continue toward the docks, noting the voices for potential future exploration.
  • The party encounters a group of approximately 35 shadowy undead emerging from the jungle ahead. Acting quickly, they use Invisibility to evade detection.
  • The shades drift past without incident, allowing the group to continue their journey undisturbed.
  • Now invisible and cautious, the party presses on toward the docks, intent on locating the next set of mementos.

The Laughing Wave

  • The party reaches the docks area of Drankor, finding it overgrown and largely in ruins. Only the foundations of most buildings remain, with intact structures being rare.
  • They identify the likely location of Seraphina Appleblossom’s tavern, “The Laughing Wave,” marked by an archway with stone carvings of curling waves.
  • Entering the tavern, the party notices an eerie mist filling the interior. The sunlight outside dims to a reddish hue.
  • A twisted conglomeration of spirits, bound together and floating, dominates the space. The spirits’ presence emanates sorrow and unease.
  • Despite their invisibility, the party’s movement draws the attention of the spirits, which separate into 20 individual entities and converge on the noise, starting a combat. Delwath casting Synaptic Static, destroying half the spirits; Kenzo uses precise attacks and aura strikes, stunning and eliminating multiple enemies; Riswynn invokes divine power to sear the undead, banishing many with radiant energy, and Seeker uses of Erupting Earth to further thin the enemy ranks.
  • A larger, more solid entity, composed of conjoined spirits but invisible, rises from below. This entity emits psychic despair, causing damage and unsettling memories.
  • Delwath’s Sickening Radiance reveals the entity to all, dealing significant radiant damage.
  • Kenzo’s relentless attacks and Riswynn’s holy power ultimately destroy the greater spirit.
  • Searching the tavern reveals a small, halfling-sized cooking pot, heavily scorched but intact. It radiates faint magic and is identified as a weak memento of Seraphina Appleblossom.
  • The group secures the cooking pot and prepares to continue their search for the remaining mementos, wary of further dangers lurking in the city.

Secrets in the Cellar

  • The party searches through the rubble of “The Laughing Wave,” uncovering a trapdoor to the cellar beneath the debris.
  • Delwath also discovers fragments of a large painted punch bowl. Reassembling pieces reveals an artistic depiction of an ocean with colorful fireworks, indicating its use as a centerpiece in the tavern.
  • The bowl is identified as decorative, with faint enchantments possibly preserving its paint. It resonates faintly with Seraphina’s essence, but Kenzo’s soul sense points to the cellar as the source of a stronger connection.
  • Using Mold Earth, the party clears the trapdoor and descends into the cool, well-preserved cellar.
  • They find remnants of rotted casks and a locked wooden chest, containing 1,000 silver coins and 80 gold coins, with a mix of Drankorian and foreign origins.
  • Several coins bear the markings of Targu, tied to Khemut of Targu’s presence in the tavern.
  • The cellar’s stone shelf holds decayed firework casings, strongly resonating with Seraphina Appleblossom’s soul.

Searching the Custom House

  • With mementos for six of the seven souls secured, the party plans their next steps, considering whether to search further for stronger connections or proceed with the current items.
  • Divination magic is cast to determine the viability of searching the Custom House and surrounding area. The response hints at promising clues tied to the peronar.
  • A short rest is taken to recuperate, with minor healing and abilities restored.
  • The Custom House is a large, partially intact structure with a collapsed roof, overgrown with vegetation.
  • The entrance features a grand archway leading into a cavernous interior that once served as a trade hub and record office.
  • The group notes remnants of metal and glass, suggesting a once-opulent design.

The Red Mist and the Sealed Chest

  • The party ventures deeper into the Custom House, encountering a large room with intact walls and shafts of light streaming through holes in the roof.
  • The room is dominated by a swirling red mist, occasionally forming into ominous shapes, with a pile of bones and a strangely preserved wooden chest in the far corner.
  • Sensing danger, the group debates whether to engage the mist or attempt to bypass it.
  • Kenzo detects a faint connection to Khemut of Targu from the chest but no immediate link to Minarith, the peronar..
  • Delwath casts Banishment on the mist, successfully dispersing it temporarily.
  • With the mist banished for one minute, the party acts quickly to investigate the chest.
  • The chest is a large, magically preserved cabinet containing hundreds of scrolls.
  • Kenzo locates a specific scroll tied to Khemut of Targu, a shipping manifest for the ship Selem Shurga.
  • Additional scrolls are hastily collected, focusing on those marked with sigils or other noteworthy details.
  • As the mist begins to re-form, Kenzo and the others retreat from the room, taking approximately 100 scrolls with them.
  • The red mist does not pursue them beyond the room.
  • Among the scrolls are trade records and manifests providing insight into Drankor’s past commerce, including mentions of three major universities: the Imperial University, Valtrius University, and the University of the Blessed Waters (The Thalorian). But there is no mention of Minarith.
  • Kenzo senses a connection to Minarith still in the room with the red mist, and runs back to find it, dodging attacks from the creature, which has returned.
  • Kenzo grabs the scroll and flees. The scroll references Minarith, listed as a faculty member of the Thalorian, providing a crucial lead for the party.
  • With key information secured, the party decides to return to the temple to regroup and prepare for their next move: locating the Thalorian and finding a memento of Minarith.