Session 467 - Order of the Illuminated Spheres
General Summary
The story so far
A group of heroes adventures in the mysterious Kingdom of Emelrene, a realm where planar rifts are found in abundance.
Seth, the son of Acheron and trained by dwarven weaponsmiths.
Kitiara found a newly hatched dragon and formed a powerful bond with it.
Raven, a magical clone of Quazzy, the infamous Raven Woman, and a member of the Cult of the Twisted Elf.
Alphonse, a Chirurgeon and dropout from the Guild of Arcane Lore.
15th of Peonu (Spring) 731TR
This is the continuation of Session 466 - The Questing Knight.
Seth has been trained in metallurgy by one of the best Dwarven weapon crafters alive, Kirinza Hazadul of the Argentate Griffin, in the Kingdom of Azadmere. Five years ago, Master Kirinza sent his younger brother Strokholin to the region of Neoma in the distant Kingdom of Emelrene to procure rare metals from the nearby mysterious magical rift to the Elemental Planes associated with metal.
Location: Neoma Castle in the Kingdom of Emelrene
Part 1 – The Griffin Foundry
Seth and his friends visit the Griffin Foundry, Neoma's best armoury and metalsmith. Strokholin Hazadul warmly greets him and immediately stops work to catch up and share a few drinks. Seth recalls that Strokholin is a much more relaxed and easy-going person than his elder brother, Kirinza, who would never be so casual with his time.
While Seth and Strokholin become reacquainted, Raven uses psychometry to examine the items in the weapon crafters' workshop. Some of the metal objects bear faint magical residue, the psychic resonance of the metal salvaged from destroyed metal elementals.
However, what is more interesting is an old human-made warhammer. As Raven touches it, she sees flashes of death and pain; this weapon was used to commit murder. Strokholin mentions he bought it a while ago. Shortly after, the party moves to a local tavern for a friendly drinking contest. Strokholin wins, though Kitiara and Alphonse hold their own. Seth, unfortunately, ends up vomiting, much to Strokholin's amusement.
Part 2 – The Astrologers' Tower
The next day, after Alphonse brews an elixir to remove hangovers, Strokholin explains he has a job for the party, which should only take a couple of days, and will reward Seth with a strong reinforced shield and include the suspicious warhammer as well. Strokholin takes the heroes to the common, a small hill in the center of the settlement, near a tiny stand of trees and a thin 50-foot-tall tower. “This is the Astrologers' Tower used by the mystical Order of the Illuminated Spheres to study the stars,” Strokholin says.
Raven is fascinated; the tower’s lower sections feature intricate stonework with faint engravings of animals, trees, and natural scenes. This is ancient elven construction. The upper sections of the tower are well-crafted human stonework that support an internal wooden spiral staircase leading to a viewing platform. Nearby, an ancient stand of trees emits a very faint magical residue; she is certain this is a Taur-im-Aina or sacred grove. In the past, elves used these as portals to reach similar groves. The magic of this grove remains dormant.
The heroes are introduced to Master Felroth Tiler, an Astrologer from the Order of the Illuminated Spheres. He and Strokholin have a problem. Strokholin recently forged and sent metal parts and fittings for various viewing devices at the Royal Observatory in the mountains. It has been days, and Felroth or Strokholin have received no confirmation that the equipment has arrived or is working. Master Felroth explains that messages can be sent at night or during the day via mirrors, but nothing has been received. The heroes agree to investigate. The next day, the party head to the observatory.
Location: Jerinalian Mountains in the Kingdom of Emelrene
Part 3 – Hazards
The journey to the Royal Observatory is filled with dangers; a swarm of eye-eating Vlasta ambush the heroes, leaping over an embankment onto them, but they are easily broken with bludgeoning weaponry and spells, with only a few minor cuts to the heroes' faces.
Later, a trio of moss-covered, wooden four-legged wood elementals appears from the trees. These Moss Sloths escaped from the nearby Kiravollen Ethereal Zone attack, but prove slow-moving and clumsy, an easy target for Kitiara’s Grease spell. On the blue grease, they slip prone and, unable to right themselves, are easily hacked into splinters and burned with fire magic.
Part 4 – The Royal Observatory
The party makes their way up Mt Tisam, which opens onto a high ridge. The observatory is a sturdy three-story stone tower with a viewing platform and a wooden lodge for accommodation. Unfortunately, the lodge shows signs of recent burning, and circular scorch marks are scattered across the ground. The party cautiously approached, and they noted a sturdy closed door on the tower. Raven senses life inside and knocks on the door. “Help”, comes a feeble, whispered response.
Suddenly, from behind the tower, a ferocious creature stalks, a Fire Drake. Alphose quickly formulates an elixir that provides Seth some protection from fire. This is well timed; the vicious wingless dragon does not hesitate and expels a glob of oil, which explodes into a Fireball in contact with solid matter. This flame envelopes Kitiara’s dragon Storm and Seth. Storm dodges the worst of the damage, but Seth is hit hard; only his deflection of some of the damage with his shield and the protection provided by Alphonse’s elixir keep him standing.
Seth and the Storm engage the Drake, withstanding deadly bites and tail sweeps, scoring some hits, while Raven attacks at range with psionics and Kitiara with a blast of frost. Alphonse's alchemical Healing keeps Storm and Seth standing. Just as the Drake is preparing to expel another Fireball, Kitiara blasts it with Frost Bite. It's hide fissures, and the Fire Drake collapses to the ground and is slain. The battle was a close-run thing; Storm and Seth were left barely standing.
Part 5 - Order of the Illuminated Spheres
Royal Astrologers Master Clyve Etobach and Mistress Caela Fergeth, of the Order of the Illuminated Spheres Royal, emerged from the stone tower and are, of course, ecstatic. They have been holding out for days, terrified by the Fire Drake. Alphonse suddenly makes himself as inconspicuous as possible; he has met these Astrologers before. He hopes that they will not recognize him after that unfortunate incident at the Berema Scholarium, where he accidentally set fire to a wing of the magical academy while experimenting with Alchemist Fire.
Raven, ignoring the Astrologer’s celebrations, makes her way up onto the viewing platform and starts playing with the Observatory’s viewing lens (an expensive telescope from the far east). After half an hour, she spots a true Dragon flying over a ruin. This enormous Red Dragon is much larger than the mere Fire Drake the heroes only barely defeated. The dragon hovers above a ruin and then lands. An hour later, just before sundown, it flies away. The heroes plan to visit that ruin as soon as possible.
Master Clyve and Mistress Caela test the metal equipment manufactured by Strokholin and find that it performs as perfectly. That night, a message is sent back to Neoma that all is well and working, and the next day, the heroes return to the town with the Drake's head.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
Strokholin Hazadul - Dwarven Craftsman.
Master Felroth Tiler - Astrologer.
Master Clyve Etobach and Mistress Caela Fergeth - Royal Astrologers.
Related Content
Ethereal Zones - Updated.
Barasi Points - Holy Groves - Updated.
Created Content
Order of the Illuminated Spheres.
Player Characters - Level 2
Seth - Human - Guardian - Archetype Bastion
Background - Metallurgist.
Raven - Human - Telepath Psychic - Archetype Raven Swarm Summoner
Background - Magical Experiment.
Kitiara - Human - Dragon Summoner - Archetype Sorcerer (Dragon)
Background - Dragon Scholar.
NPC Companion
Alphonse - Human - Chirurgeon - Archetype Familiar Master
Background - Academy Dropout.
