Since I lost count of the session number we are on, I’m just jumping ahead to 13.
We are in the final throws of the Dagon storyline, and perhaps ending this campaign. Everything after this is denouement.
The evening started very slowly. By 930pm, the group was still talking, debating, and tangenting their way around the eventuality of what was to come. In fact, Aaron and Jason went out on the balcony to talk in character for nearly a half-hour.
But eventually, the group made it to the Spire to meet Skye’s simulacrum; this time, Shephard, Pearce, Vasya, and Nadia accompanied them. There was a brief discussion about where and when to meet, the plan to get into the Palace, and so on. It was agreed that they would meet at the gate in 48 hours.
After, they made their way to Melbourne to talk with a few people — mostly Vromme, Darius Carmen, Father Konrad, and Duncan — to get help, update them on the status of things, and generally say goodbye one last time. Stauff’s new wife and mother-in-law let him have it for a few hours about how irresponsible he’s being, leaving town and all. Then he and his new wife had make-up sex. Crandel used this time to reconnect with his gypsy friends. News of Roth’s death finally made it to everyone and Crandel made it very clear he knew it was going to happen. In fact, it became quite clear that Crandel knows a little too much about the priest and inner workings of the Keep.
Ian and Verner sat down with Vromme and Brandy, told them what was going to happen, shared a meal, and then asked Vromme a very big favor. “Will you ignore the Regent’s edict to cancel Earendel Festival and instead blow off the folkmote?” They then went to the two taverns in town to stir up hostilities toward the Baronet regarding the folkmote and his canceling of the holiday festivites. It also became quite clear to the PCs that the Regent could call for the folkmote at anytime and he was clearly doing this to cement the new cult’s power in the area.
They also visited Darius Carmen and had a disturbing conversation about the fate of the mines. Darius was not happy that Engel’s people had not come through on the deal AND that Verner was trying to blockade the folkmote, which was there to repeal the boc-land in the first place. Should the Baronet see this as a move against him, Darius’ punishment will be even more severe.
Cold and fog setting in, the PCs bedded down for the night, but not before Stauff could create one more level of trouble for himself.
Stauff woke in the middle of the night for a late-night piss and found himself face to face with Konrad, the man he tried to drown a few weeks ago. The man he was supposed to avoid. The two had a staring contest for a few moments, before Stauff began to ape his foe’s behavior. Seeing that Stauff was being childish, Konrad turned and left, disappearing into the darkness. But Stauff gave chase and was attacked by the fed-up priest. A scuffle ensued that left Stauff once again, bleeding on the ground. Luckily the noise was overheard by Ian, who came to his aid and dragged him back to inn. Some rest, herbs, and a washcloth later and Stauff was expressing uninterrupted rage toward Konrad. He even tried to get up and go after him. While everyone held him back, Crandel went off and scolded Konrad, hinting that he knew the priest was part of Dagon and not Thunnor like he purported.
There was some minor bickering amongst the rest, but this eventually calmed down and we skipped ahead to the gate.
Long story short, they still have not met Skye face to face, only illusions and voices. A glowing scarab leads them to a dead end, which is clearly a secret door, which opens into a massive glowing chamber, with an nonsensical compound, surrounded by a 20 ft. wall. All along the parapets and inside the compound are fishmen… oddly mutated fishmen, performing menial, lackluster tasks. Massive pools and cisterns, with aqueducts between them, Growing tired of waiting, Stauff foolish ran out into the open, splayed himself against a wall, and snuck down to a gate. He crouched and waited. And waited. And waited.
Eventually a fishman partrol returned, pulling what could only be described as a 10 foot radius pale tongue/oyster inside a massive net. The massive oyster writhed as it passed Stauff from his hidden location, he felt it trying to talk to him, trying to make contact. But to no avail. The fishmen entered the compound, clubbed the oyster a few times, and then tossed it into the largest cistern.
The PCs reacted in horror, unsure of what they had just witnessed.
Stauff took his time walking back to the group, and by this point 4 hours had passed since they arrived. They grew restless and didn’t know how to proceed, Stauff and Crandel each took turns trying to be foolhardy and go back out there. They were shouted down.
Suddenly, a figure appeared coming from a massive structure inside the compound. Quickly, Ian concluded that it was Luther and he was headed their way, to the tunnels. The PCs took defensive positions inside the tunnels and waited. Sadly, confusion or over-zealousness led to Luther’s death during the ambush, instead of the bash on the head he should have received.
And that’s where the episode ended. With the man they were supposed to bring back to Divers, being killed by his rescuers.
post world games 