Session 26: Beneath the Haunted Halls

General Summary

We began todays session, as the party return from a dead end - marked for childrens to fight skeletons and win - to return to the trapped statue room whilst Shadow and Colmir returned to the Elyza's Wake (now the Harbinger of Hope), whereupon under the gaze of buttons, Lucky had a confession to make; In order to save Lizbets life at the battle of Destruction - he called upon anyone to help save her life. His call was answered, in soft sultry tones - despair lingered her fingers and offered redemption - his undivided loyalty - power offered - and his love saved.
  Since then, Lucky confessed that Despair made him do things, consciously and unconsciously that caused misery and despair. He looted a spell scroll on Despairs behest in Espar, and threw it to the plungepool - directly to heart of Despair's lair. Solas - pieced togther the events that followed - the impenetrable defences of the Stormhaven House, the academy for training young war wizards - brought down by a single powerful spell shortly after Lucky left - children and adults massacred by the Drow - at the behest of Despair. The most powerful force in western cormyr that could stand against the Queen, dismantled. Witnessed by Alyssa Wyvernspur - saved by Colmir and specifically Bob from the burning ruins of the house - injured so badly that she will never walk again.
  Lizbet's father - offered up to Aunty Mora to 'help out around the house until he sees sunset'
  This and many other discretions under the behest of Despair - Lucky confessed, but without remorse - he saved Lizbet - she is alive because of it - he didn't know what throwing a scroll down a waterfall would result in - its not HIS FAULT!
  Aelira comforted him - and defended his actions - romantic and misguided - selling a soul to a Harbinger for the greater good - she could understand lucky like no other.
  Eventually the party moved on - stymied and frustrated by Buttons watchful eye.. eyes..
  Whilst Buttons offered them a feast - the party instead took a sudden detour to the south - to find a giant room of pillars - with minecart tracks attached around - and a wooden platform with 3 cushion fitted minecarts. unable to say no - the party experienced Faerun's first ever rollercoaster - with 'animatronics' and illusions.
  Exhilarated the party followed on - ignoring a room of clicking dials and gears - and finally moved to the main throne room of the Haunted Halls. Riviors throne against one end, a giant drape covering the wall behind, a triangular stepped dias and below - in front of the guardians - a delectable feast!
  Bob quickly got to work on meat (raw and cooked) - although was attacked by a sandwich mimic - which did little damage and ran away on little feet to Buttons delight. A Heroes Feast - with an extra twist of "Might be a mimic" surprise - two of three peach melbas were mimics and finally the party - except the skeptical Solas - were tempted by the food.
  It was recognised finally as the magical Heroe's feast - with some curiousity - as this seemed an unusual magical talent for a beholder to cast - and for 5 silver pieces?
  Alas - Solas pushed on, antagonising Buttons further - he found a beautiful ruby ring with lightning inside (later identified as a ring of spell storing). Alone he confronted Buttons - who demanded he leave - Solas refused Buttons subjected Solas to a blast from his many eyes, Solas warded against it, but found himself terrified of the beholder and made a mad scrabbling run for the door. As the party came to investigate - Aelira Duskfall distracted Buttons by opening a staff only door to the north east of the throne room. The party dived down a narrow stairwell deep underground.
  Beneath a crypt they found, Lucky, and later Aelira rejoining the party - gleefully grasped for treasures inside. The coffin exploded and a wraith of significant power exploded through. Quick of thinking - Bob revealed his decanter of Spirits - and used it to banish the wraith forever.... however.. as he did so, he felt a darkness come over him... then pass - a curse had been left, but he could not figure out what had changed.
  Finally - in the undercrypt, in parts older than the Haunted Halls - the party found the Vault of Earl Bryton Taysith - a possibly old and powerful sorceror - along with suits of armour looming menancingly. The party tied them up - not trusting them to stay still. Oddly, there was no real lock to the vault - but upon opening it, and retrieving the metal box - the armour came to life - only two initially managed to escape the ropes though and combat ensued as Solas carefully placed this dangerous artifact into his backpack.
  Aelira immediately used a scroll and turned invisible - but to little advantage as she did very little damage as the party started taking these Helmed Horrors apart piece by piece professionally and without fuss.
  As the party defeated the last of the horrors - Aelira declared that it was time she returned to her father in Tyrluk and wished them all of the best and took her leave.
  Solas immediately - suspicious - searched his back pack. The artifact. Gone.
  "Give it back" he declared. With a grin - Aelira drew her blade - a glowing blue blade of light that momentarily shocked Solas - the very same bandit lord he saw in his visions - masked and with a blue blade - he had personally escorted to the vault and put within arms reach.
  However, despite her head start, and casting of the warlock spell Misty Step and running to get away - the party had other means in which to give chase - a failed sleep spell did not affect this powerful, but young lady - who was clearly more powerful than surmised. Bob however, recalling his broken nose the last time he got involved in a fight with Aelira at Duskfall Manor, set off at blistering pace - a blur he shot past the party and embeded a javelin in her back. She continued on at pace, misty step again, dashing - but still Bob ran her down - another javelin caught her as she exited the mighty throne room, Solas shouted reason, and Aelira responded; "More f**king adventurers' in it for themselves - trampling the poor folk of the land in search of riches and glory - you're no different" One fact gave the party pause as they argued against her as she ran; "That's not what Famine says.." Instantly pieces came together - Aelira too, sold her soul to a harbinger for powers to save others, this time Famine - and believed she must retrieve the deck of many things - famine whispered these secrets to her and more.
  Before she could say any more Lucky managed to get within range to attempt to sleep again - at this point, her wounds were too much - and sleep took over.
  Lucky ran to the box .. and felt greed take over - here he was - with one of the most powerful artifacts on the planet - a deck of a many things. He had heard the rumours, the whispers of such a thing, and owned, by a Netherese sorcerer - maybe just... a single pull of the card - "I'll draw .. just one" he whispered.
  Despair's laughter range gleefully as he drew out the Fool - felt his mind go dizzy, forgetting the things he had learned - the skills he honed, gone, and with that, the obligation to draw more; The Comet - Lucky must - the next time he encounters a hostile he realised - he must defeat them by himself - in order to reclaim the knowledge he lost - and immediately began plotting.
  Everyone but Lucky has levelled up
  Session 27 comes - The Haunted Halls of Many Things