Strange Aeons / Dreams of the Yellow King pt. 15 / Galen the 1st, 3592 CE / 9-1-22

The party has used the Dreamlands Ritual to journey to the Gala of Viscount Pietro Brellin in the city of Celephais. They are there seeking one of the Viscount's signet rings a gift for the Mad Poet. The Viscount has agreed to gift them a ring in exchange for some diplomatic duties in the form of informing three of the guests that he is rescinding his offer to dance the coveted Sunset Waltz in favor of saving it for his "beloved." The party has already informed Lady Urendra Splinterbone, a vampire, and Esp is in the process of bartering with Trade Prince Telgritte to release the Viscount from his commitment. The Trade Prince agrees, but in exchange Esp must now provide him with a gift as well when the party goes to seek the skull of ghoul royalty. Meanwhile Hemlock and Trakir have had no luck locating the third dance partner, a commoner named Maudette. Zolkri approaches the Viscount once more to explain the problem but makes a faux pas when he points out the tarry residue of the Viscount's strange coughing affliction. Zokri further complicates the situation by assaulting one of the guests in order to scare them into giving up Maudette's location, which almost results in a confrontation with the Viscount's guards. After Mason tries to smooth things over, the frightened partygoer indicates to the margoyle that the secret may lie up above the party, where partygoers have been disappearing after being caught in long webs. Mason goes searching for a possible way up to the ceiling, and joined by Hemlock, they are able to spot a hidden ladder. Esp demurs, but the rest of the party begins the long climb 100 feet up to a series of catwalks that crisscross the ceiling of the ballroom. They discover that a canopy of webs runs between the catwalks, inhabited by enormous black widow spiders and nighmarish ettercaps. They also discover Maudette, being prepared for consumption by the monsters. After a fierce battle, the ettercaps are slain and all the spiders have been defeated or beaten back. Trakir and Hemlock, both afflicted by spider venom, choose to wake up. Maudette, grateful for her rescue, agrees to release the Viscount from his obligation. Mason searches the bound victims of the spiders for one suitable to present to Lady Splinterbone. Back at the bottom of the ladder, Zolkri rejoins Esp as he passes the burning corpses of two spiders who Trakir previously knocked from above with his flaming blade. Mason uses his catfall boots to leap the 100 feet to the ground level, presenting Lady Splinterbone with her gift of a possible victim. She accepts the poisoned party-goer dubiously, but the smitten Mason is oblivious to her look of slight disgust. After the party tells the Viscount that he is off the hook from his other three dance partners, he sends a page to fetch them his signet ring, and just in time: his "beloved" has arrived! The party watches in disgust as a bloated purple monstrosity descends from the ceiling on a long web. This is a Spider of Leng, a creature of the Dreamlands which resembles a spider out of the dreamer's worst nightmares. As the Viscount proceeds to dance the Sunset Waltz with the Leng Spider, to the applause of the assembled party-goers, the page returns with the ring. Esp and Zolkri quickly leave the Dreamlands, though not without some choice words for the Viscount on Zolkri's part. But Mason lingers a little longer, returning to Lady Splinterbone. He learns to his dismay that she is not a dreamer but a resident of the Dreamlands, and that her waking-self resided in the Kingdom of Radhama. Mason says his goodbyes, resolving to locate both the physical Lady Splinterbone if possible as well as one day returning to her dreaming aspect in the Dreamlands city of Celephais.