2025/08/08: Animus Hunt in Northern Alvidar Part 5

Buzz, Kelsey, Knight, Nimbus, Everett, Othar, Union   (Note: The notetaker missed the first two hours of this session, so initial part may be inaccurate or sparse.)   The ritual to send the atropal away proved more exciting than expected. The atropal didn't go quietly; the whole party was dragged along to the astral with it. It tried to eat everyone's souls, but when it tried to eat Knight, Knight exploded into Void, the flood of Void stunning the atropal and giving the rest of the party a chance to collect themselves and fight back. They successfully subdued the creature. Knight managed to start dragging themself together in the aftermath.   Kur apparently disappeared into the astral plane somewhere in the midst of this. How and where? Unknown.   The party transported themselves back to Blotch to gather allies and prep to finish the dungeon.   Othar and Buzz noticed that for some reason, Othar hadn't needed to pay the usual cost of the spell he cast in the astral plane. Buzz suspected that it meant Othar was more aligned with whatever the source of his curse was. Is his darkfire linked to something or someone on the astral plane? Was it just because darkfire does strange things when used near or against divine beings?   Malakai overheard the conversation and was given some explanation by Othar. (Othar was struck by an artifact more than 40 years ago, before his planet was eaten by Renedge, and it nearly killed him and infused him with darkfire.)   The party considered how they were heading back into the dungeon. Investigation determined that the Chambers of Change had a limit to the quantity of sentient beings that could enter, independent of the (now removed) dead magic zone, and Knight counted as far too many on their own. The lower parts of the dungeon were teleport-warded. The shaft between the Chambers and the lab had allowed access before, however, so the party aimed for that. They had no interest in going through the dungeon from the other, more fortified end.   The party led a mass invasion of the dungeon, supported by six high priests, four high-level paladins and fighters, a high-level monk, and some 20-30 soldiers. Some of this small army was visiting from Heaven.   The party chose their positions. Buzz was on battlefield control. Malakai was tanking and melee champion. Knight was frontline command and morale. Nimbus was playing opportunistic skirmisher. Everett was a holy water grenadier. Othar was frontline artillery. Union was a psychic networker and skirmisher.   The party charged into the dungeon and almost immediately ran into some vampires and an army of well-armored wights. After wave after wave of these wights, the party reached a strange mansion-like area, built to look like it was outside. Even the inner surface of the cave was painted to look like the sky. There was a giant burly albino bull inside, panicking.   The party's army began to flag during the fifth wave of wights. The party was almost out of healing, for everyone. Knight prepared to call for withdrawal. Nimbus went to investigate the bull first. It looked like it had been fed on repeatedly. In an attempt to claim a concrete win before retreating, Knight called for one final push to the bull to secure it before withdrawing. Buzz switched to intense fire support while Malakai started widening the doorways enough for the 8-foot-wide bull to pass through.   With the bull retrieved (having been ridden to the party by Nimbus), the party started teleporting out. Buzz, Knight, Othar, and Union held the line (with Knight entirely in the zone and fully enjoying it), and then Othar and Saveon removed them back to the town in a giant explosion that was made to look like it had killed the group. (Knight used their Play Dead effect to help.)   Back in the town, the party licked their wounds and investigated the bull. It was oddly calm. Knight, in the meantime, cheerfully walked around to get post-combat dialogue from the NPCs. They said the wights were well trained in mass combat, even if they weren't overly dangerous individual combatants. Also, Alvidar had an army of reinforcements on the way.   Buzz contacted Altruenth. Buzz wanted to either speed up Alvidar's army or get some other help on the way. Altruenth said to wait 20 minutes and then open a portal to Altruenth's position. He brought his own army: dragons, knights, rangers, personal troops, and more.   In the distance, back in the city, Buzz heard a door slam. Which was odd: Everyone should already have been in the temple. Knight's sky gem proved useless in checking. Othar led the way outside to investigate, followed by Knight, both moving at high flying speed. They found the door to the moneychanger's fully open. There was a strange, scorched murder scene in front of it. Empty clothes that looked like they'd had someone in them at some point. Also, a man in a black cloak walked out of an alley, walking toward the scene. He looked unconcerned, but Knight didn't detect a soul in his direction. He looked like he was about to investigate the scene.   He claimed he was "an ally, of sorts". Any number of names, none of them relevant here. The man presented a cup, inside which was a little ooze. Apparently this was what remained of Mr. Tellarch. The man who exploded was also him, or at least most of him. Apparently Tellarch was this man's informant.   "Tell the solar that his boss will be in touch with him shortly." They would need to meet soon. Preferably somewhere out-of-the-way.   Knight investigated the moneychanger's shop. Nothing seemed to have been stolen or moved. There was a wine supply near the window. With nothing standing out, Knight returned to Othar.   Othar talked to the little slime. The zorch mark on the floor was where "he" killed him. Apparently the real boss of the vampires was the moneychanger, who was enjoying watching the party search in circles. Tellarch learned his real identity, and the villain responded by killing him and teleporting out.   Othar called for Saveon to find him the location of the man he knew by the name of Grisbane Hollows. The moneychanger wouldn't escape if he could help it. The divination worked, pointing to a port city. Knight contacted the rest of the party, ignoring the ooze warning how instantly the villain vaporized him. The two flew back to the temple. (Knight carried Othar for extra speed. They seem far less concerned about touching him now, for some reason.)   Knight marched over to the rest of the party, ignoring the priests discussing siege options and assault plans, then nodded to Othar. Othar explained the situation and the warning.   He also explained what was up with Tellarch. Tellarch said he felt he was owed some good meals to try to put himself back together. Knight gave him a muffin. Othar said the white bull was off limits.   There was a side discussion about what to do with the sacred bull. (Nimbus gave Knight a high five for also living in the Underdark. It was enthusiastically returned.)   The idea was raised to give the bull to John. He has a farming thing going on behind his temple. Also, people didn't want to be involved with the bull because if the Greek gods found out it might have very bad results, even if they were very polite about it.