Session 9: The Man in the Cube

General Summary

The group, weapons ready, attacked the large gelatinous cube. With strikes, cuts and blasts they managed to open up a large enough hole in the cube for Geneviève to pull the man out. After which Ki’tor produced thunderous blast from inside the cube itself, which launched chunks of corrosive ooze upon all those in its direct vicinity. Jörg celebrated vibrantly. The others turned to the man they had rescued. He turned out to be a human cleric dedicated to the goddess Aurora, hailing from the Great Kus. The wartorn lands of Dagetov to be exact. 

Thus the questioning began as the group suspiciously bombarded the man with inquiries as they began to make their way back to Dur’Khazun. Along the way they stopped to collect what they could from the ruined caravan. As they walked they found out that the man’s name was Volodomyr Kaskovic. He was travelling south towards Cragyard from Helonia with the dwarven caravan as it was attacked. Thanks to his divine gifts of healing did he manage to stave of the cubes acid for long enough for them to find him. 

When they arrived in the dwarven hold, they were met by a unit of the Veinwatch who were preparing to go look for them. So slim was the faith that Captain Brynja Goldmark had placed in them. But she was proven wrong as they returned victorious. Together they returned to the Veinwatch Hall. Geneviève led the bargaining for higher pay due to the hazards they had faced along the way. Zalia, for added effect, changed her appearance to that of a corroded victim. Jane couldn’t stand for this and left early. In the end Brynja agreed to raise their reward, but made her distaste for greedy mercenaries clear as she did.

As they had bargained, Jane had made her way over the Glimmering Vault, and shop that dealt in gemstones and magical items, since the Age of Dragons. The proprietor Belga Shardeye was a kind woman who eagerly showed Jane around amongst their vast collection. When the rest of the group had finished, they managed to find her by telepathically messaging her until she answered. When they left Jane had purchased a pair of magical glasses that helped their user remember things. They then went to the Stone and Steel Smithy, where Geneviève ordered a new spear with magical inscriptions. She paid and they left.

The group then returned to the Emberflask. Got something to drink and then got themselves baths. When they had all climbed into a tub, placed in a neat circle to allow conversations, they once again turned their attention to Volodomyr. A lengthy discussion began concerning the political state of the Kus, and the involvement of frankonian mercenaries. Volodomyr told them about how he fought on the frontlines of Dagetov, only to return to find his family killed by centaurs from the steppes of Chagoryn. He explained how the frankonian mercenaries had been paid handsomely to protect the nobility, yet the people were left to fend for themselves. Geneviève grew defensive and doubled down on the fact that they did what they were ordered and paid to do.

In the end Jane and Zalia butted in to change the subject, asking what he did so far from home. He told them that he was here in search of powerful artefacts known as planestones. When the group asked why, he explained that he needed one to bring back his wife and kids. That they deserved better. Jane, who understandably had a pretty lax view on death, suggested that he could simply end his life and join them in the afterlife. Offended he explained that their was no life beyond the veil, only existence. He wanted to give his family the proper life they deserved, and that he had fought to give them. 

The group still didn’t understand how the planestones could help with that. Volodomyr then told them that the stones could be used to open gateways between the realms. And that all he needed to do was to find out what realm his family had been sent to and open a gateway to get them back. The only problem was that he still hadn’t found a stone. He had gotten close in Helonia, but didn’t manage to pass the last gate. But he had found notes detailing a grand laboratory underneath Cragyard. Thus that was his heading. The group explained how that had found the lab, and were now heading to Helonia, to the place where he had been. Volodomyr agreed to follow along and guide them back to the final gate. 

As they night went on and midnight passed, the bells began to toll. Something was happening. The party rose their baths and geared up, before running out onto the streets. They saw guards barreling towards the Wyrm Gate, and they followed suit. As they climbed the walls they saw what had roused the fortress town of Dur’Khazun to muster its defenses. A massive army of the undead had laid siege to the town.

Rewards Granted

• 169 gold
• Pendant of the Occult
• Glasses of Sociability

Missions/Quests Completed

• Killed the Gelatinous Cube
• Rescued Volodomyr Kaskovic
• Collected the reward from the Veinwatch