Session 35: One Foot in Kilgrave

General Summary

Session 35: One Foot in Kilgrave The Guardians divided up Wildstorm’s hoard and examined the huge crystal shape of the Guardian’s Tear. From the roof they saw cultists fleeing into the Helmlands, ruined land stretching in every direction. No sign of the grey slaad.
  They caught up on news: Bob shared Alyssa’s warnings that the Paladins marched on Espar to reclaim the Sentinel Rock, but a traitor alerted the Drow and the ambush nearly wiped them out. Only their leader escaped. Meanwhile Minroe has fallen under Tallisen Mordren and his new mage, Herem Leck, who imposed curfew, kicked out the Purple Dragons, and now rules under Seven Suns authority.
  Erdan revealed he is a Harper caught between two factions wanting the Tear. One, the unnamed elven group, wants favour with the Harbinger of Famine. The Harpers want to prevent that, with a plan in Waymoot to forge a fake Tear designed to destroy the elves if they try to use it. Solas was horrified at how ruthless that sounded. Collinwood was suggested as another option, though last time they did break into the artificer’s home. And finally, Arabel looms: Pestilence tightening its grip on the city, and the Tear now giving the Guardians immunity and a way to hunt him.
  Solas touched the Tear first and was blasted back by divine power. His vision showed a ruined city and their animal forms offering symbolic clues: the Songbird dropping coins into water, the Fox staring into an impossible upside-down chamber, the Bear punching a Tressym puppet-master, and a White Stag glowing with moon-light. “The menagerie stands ready. Guide them.”
  Erdan then touched the Tear and fell into a storm of visions: tumbling down the Celestial Staircase, seeing strange worlds, a shadow swallowing an adventuring party, worlds of desert, swamps, cities, glimpses of Kilgrave as New Acheron, and finally a drowned keep where a mage in purple robes tore silver essence from a chained, one-eyed figure marked with an hourglass. The being looked at Erdan and whispered, “Child of Nailo… bring me back.” He woke with the Tear in his hand.
  After that heavy moment, as the party headed down the stairs through Kilgrave, no longer bound by the Time Loops, their collective thoughts wished one thing truly despite their words; and Shadow was informed of another possibility; one that involved the Celestial Staircase, which during this time responded to the heart’s desire of those that approach it. Shadow leapt straight into it with the single pure goal in mind: Like OMG! Guys, we could like, just like, go SHOPPING, Daddy told me of a mall, it sounds delish! I am paraphrasing Shadows thought process, but that's what it appeared to convey as he SPRINTED back the way the Guardians came.
  They explored stall by stall:
  • Scroll Stall – A tiny pixie traded scrolls for voices. Lucky handed over his voice for Faerie Fire and Antagonize, then cured the curse using the Pinpoint of Peace. • Primal Fruit Stall – A goblin in a bubblegum pink apron sold strange fruits. Bob and Shadow sampled them and gained immunity to Sleep but disadvantage on Perception for two days. • The Secrets Exchange - Solas traded a secret, for a secret in return, a secret that turned his face pale. • Oddlewin’s Fortune Telling – The nilbog offered fortunes for a shadow. He revealed Shadows past holds a forgotten warrior-general. Lucky’s draw told him that to be free, he must go down into water… and die. The Book confirmed that secrets were held in the "Barren stone", a name.. familiar, but the Guardians couldn't put their finger on it. And when Lucky tried to sell his soul for a Deck draw, Oddlewin informed him he did not have one. Drawing from the deck, the Void confirmed it - the void is the card from The Deck of Many Things that speaks of losing ones soul far away, guarded by unknown beings. • Cyllian’s Potions – An aloof, ancient Eladrin sold high-grade potions in exchange for magic items. The party spent the rough equivalent of 25,000 gold in traded artefacts for potions of Speed and rare Healing. Cyllian insulted nearly everyone except Solas and Erdan. • Hugo’s Card Stall – The satyr Hugo sold rare decks, including a House of Cards and Card Sharper’s Deck. To earn one you had to beat him in a game; Lucky tried and failed. Hugo instead begged their help speaking to Merriweather. • Merriweather the Dryad – The dryad sold rare birds. The party convinced her to give Hugo a chance, and they hit it off… until Lucky cast Sleep on all her birds, instantly destroying the moment and her trust.
  And there we left it, Bob tried to chance himself in a game with Hugo, after retrieving their prize of the House of Cards magical item. The Seelie Market still has Mushrooms and Vegetables for sale, a bread maker stands grumpily with no patrons, and a Blink Dog sells second hand trinkets, but mostly the market was explored. The party levelled up; and a surprising number of secrets found; What is the Menagerie? Who is Labelas Enoreth, and what link to the Purple Mage does he have? What is the link between Erdan and his homelands alliance with the Harbinger of Famine What are the Harpers up to with a fake Tear? VeeVee in Waymoot may know more. The artifact to negate Pestilence retrieved, but how long will the Guardians let him spread. Will they ever make up with Earl Bryton Taysith? What is happening in Minroe, the Seven Suns are in total control, thanks to Tallisen, and his mage Herem Leck tightening the noose. What is a "Barren Stone" and why does it hold vital secrets. and yet more - the deeper the Guardians dig, the more the web widens - but the Harbingers march on, and the Queen rises.
  Where next Guardians? Find out next week, December 14th? or 28th depending if we want to break things up with another one shot. The next session: Session 36: A Knight to Remember