Session 50 – Fuck-arahna and Find Out
General Summary
Hunting a Hottie
Standing in the Trial Chamber with a snake in front of her, Aiaoue whips out the trusty net and holds the snake up in front of Yenush's face. Yenush, however, decides to attempt to rig a "snake detection compass" from the (a) snake and (b) Diamond's charm, but is unsuccessful. Teagan runs towards the stairs to the second story and stops when he is greeted by another snake. Although Pawston moves to defend Diamond, Arkyn decides to remain in the Trial Chamber, looking about for Hati to reappear. The snake in Aiaoue's net manages to bite and constrict her and Aiaoue immediately resolves to ensure it dies. There's the sound of two snakes falling through a door as they open it and Teagan is suddenly surrounded by 3 snakes, two of which manage to bite and constrict him. Teagan regrets not getting big mad.
Mehit joins the fray and eradicates the snake in Aiaoue's net before calling for a snake hunt. Milo distributes some bardic and resolves to also stay in the chamber, though he does briefly duck out to assist Teagan. Aiaoue begins to zoom with her trusty Woodland Beings (her Gup-arahnas) flopping about around her as she runs out of the Trial Chamber, past all the snakes, and up the stairs. Yenush dashs past the snakes and Teagan chooses to leave the snakes behind... only to be met by another snake on the floor above. Mehit lags behind and begins to help with snake removal as Aiaoue, Yenush, Teagan lead the charge.
Rounding a corner, Yenush spots Hati, though is struck with a bout of Misfortune as his bullet barely misses... and then he feels compelled to shoot his friends. Teagan keeps up being mad as Yenush fires a round at him. Hati backpedals, but eventually begins fighting in true when Aiaoue charges into a his space. Although she manages to resist whatever spell accompanies his gambler's cane, she is knocked out of bird from. As Teagan and Yenush also close in on Hati, his focus seems to shift to Yenush. Although Hati is able to compel both Aiaoue and Teagan to target Yenush, though both of them miss. Arkyn and Milo hear the sounds of Yenush narrowly dodging over Diamond's constant background music of terrible casino jazz in the group chat.
Arkyn decides to Vortex Warp Milo and himself up into the fray... and then Hati is gone, leaving a single snake behind who is not long for this world. Teagan crashes through a window and stands on the Wall of Force above the Trial Chamber as Yenush and Aryn move towards the higher levels. Aiaoue opens every door near her to find no Hati here. There are no eyes on Hati until he appears in the Trial Chamber, looming over Diamond. Aiaoue releases her Gup-arahnas in favor of going really freaking fast as she zooms and drifts down into the Trial Chamber, mom-arming Diamond. Yenush brings Arkyn back downstairs before the Wall of Force is dropped, allowing Teagan to fall right behind Hati. Seeing Diamond in a predicament, Arkyn brings Diamond to him. She's not sure she's supposed to be up here.
After nearly knocking Pawston out, Hati turns on the shaman currently biting and restraining him... but not before Dominating Teagan. Hati manages to knock Aiaoue out of bird again, but she persists, biting his arm. Teagan misses both attacks on Aiaoue as Mehit arrives to a distracted and bloodied Hati. With three strikes, she bleeds and decapitates Hati. A stillness falls over the Trial Chamber before Nandi's voice echoes out, callling for order.
Diamond's Fate
When everyone has returned to the Trial Chamber, Nandi moves to restart the Trial... until a sudden wind arises. A brilliant beam of light struck the center of the Chamber, revaling Pyrus Fairmane himself, his face contorted into a scowl. Motioning around his voices carries easily across the entire Pride Halls.
What is this? Beyond a waste of time. An unneeded trial. Geryon's Legacy is at stake, and the vile serpent vies for influence... And you hold this mockery?
With two strides, Pyrus grabbed Diamond by the throat and snapped her neck. Her body dangling from Pyrus hold, the wind seems to carry with it the faintest hint of wicked, mocking, and victorious laughter. With care, Pyrus set her body down before addresses the Pride Halls.
Menseya. Kin. Hunters. It is time we hunt the serpent. Rip the gold from his eyes and let the wind claim his ashes... Nothing else matters now.
As Pyrus departs, the miasma returned. In the ruins of the Trial Chamber, diamond's jewelry set remains, glinting in the light (as well as Hati's Cane). As the group settles to rest, a vague humanoid shape of teal light manifests, drifting from person to person. As Yenush attunes to Diamond's jewelry, the vague shape clarifies... Diamond. Her eyes are devoid of the panic they held in life and her features are softer as she seems content. When Yenush addresses her, she waves. And when she wins a coin flip, she claps and smiles.
Aiaoue approaches Yenush, thanking him for fighting for Diamond. Yenush is a bit taken aback that Aiaoue thinks so low of him that she needs to thank him. Aiaoue asks if he thought about everything, but Yenush notes he only thought about Diamond and her circumstances. Still, Yenush admits that he sees a bit of Yelkin in Diamond. He is beginning to wonder if his own judgment has been flawed... or if Nacheevi's had. He tells Aiaoue he plans to invoke Geryon's Law to Nacheevi; perhaps it might hold some weight to him. Regarding Pyrus, a part of him is now going into this confrontation for Diamond, though he feels he wasn't equipped for delivering this kind of judgment. People change, people step up, people become what they need to be.
Beneath the Pride Halls
Where the Judge's stand once stood, the ground has sunken in and has revealed a network of tunnels and crawlspaces vanishing into the darkness below. After taking a nice bath (courtesy of Jin), the group begins to descend... and then realizes they forgot to do all their ritual spells! Diamond's spirit lingers, pointing out various tunnels and passageways as Yenush navigates and guides the ritually focused group forward. Beyond the tunnels is a massive cavern with a mosaic stone walkways over darkness and hundreds – if not thousands – of statues rising from that darkness.
Yenush and Arkyn take a closer look at the statues. Almost all of them are Menseya and most placardscontained only one name, though a few Menseya do appear to have had families. Among the statues is Mehit, Tiaret, and another who looks almost identical to Tiaret. Approaching the doors, an image of Pyrus remains preserved with words etched upon the sword clutched in both of his hands.
Only the oathbound, the honorable, and the dead may enter.
Teagan contemplates how he's a little dead inside, does that count? Aiaoue is oathbound to her husband (and her vengeance), Milo is oathbound within marriage, Arkyn is oathbound to return his sister, and Yenush is oathbound by the law. Teagan settles on being of the honorable sort. With that, the doors begin to open. Yenush is able to see Diamond's ghost as she gives everyone a hug before stopping before Yenush. As her ghosts embraces him, she whispers: "Thank you for fighting for me." As she begins to fade through the opening door, she smiles. Yenush promises that he'll fight once more again for her; against what waits below. Diamond smiles.
As someone who lived her whole life for another... you do not need to do anything further for me.
Beyond the doors is a shrine-like chamber with 3 statues of Menseya and 3 doors with text neatly etched into the wall above them. Poking around, Yenush notes that the pool of water in the center of the room is not meant to be there... and that the platform beneath the water appears to be a trap door of sorts. Meanwhile, Milo reads each of the doors: Law of Nature, Law of Righteous Punishment, and Law of Atonment. The group decides to start with punishment.
In the chamber beyond the doorway, the group is presented with 2 sending posts, 5 unmarked scrolls, and a wall that reads:
Lawbreakers must receive fair and righteous punishment. Spoken and decreed, delivered in swift hand.
As Aiaoue picks up a scroll and tries to open it, the words fade away as Pyrus images appears. Before him is a young tabaxi accused of petty thievery. With little discussion, a scroll is placed in the "Community Service" sending post. The next figure to appear is a half-elf man accused of 5 Counts of Poaching. After some discussion, the group settles with imprisonment. The third is a Leonin man accussed of 3 Counts of murder. As the group selects "Death", the scroll detonates, sending forceful projectiles throughout the room. An opulent woman then appears, a familiar figure: Ira Alexandrai, the Jeweled goddess. Her crime is blasphemy. After some back and forth, the group selects "permit her tongue to wage" and Yenush alone suffers a bit of radiant damage. The final figure is Diamond and the only options are Death.
Reappearing back in the central chamber, the Menseya statue has turned to face the likeness of Pyrus on the entrance door. The group chooses Atonement next and, passing through the doors, they find a trio of scales. Illusory script appears in the air as they approach.
All are incapable of perfection. All are flawed beneath the light of the Law. The honorable see their shortcomings. The truly honorable seek to atone. A balanced gift, a solemn promise… To be better than the day before.
Aiaoue steps forward first, placing her sensory stone on one side. She wasn't always a good person, at least to Pyrus' presented standards, but she met someone who made her better. She reaffirms her desire to rectify what happened and to get vengeance for what was done. She's not quite right, but she's got the spirit. Yenush steps forward and notes that he has been hypocritical. He has willingly cast judgment on others and brough them to punishment, but he has not received punishment nor atoned for his own failings. He swears to rectify this moving forward. Teagan steps forward last, noting that he closed himself off after his son's death. Moving forward, he thinks he can try again; to open up and pursue a second chance if others will let him.
Back in the central chamber, the Menseya statue has turned her back to the likeness of Pyrus on the entrance door. Onto the final chamber, the group is greeted with the following written instructions:
Nature is bound by its own laws. Only one may hunt, bringing no weapons nor spells. For every step the hunter takes the prey takes one as well. The hunt only ends when the hunter meets their prey.
Yenush steps foot into the hunting ring and is easily able to catch the prey. There is some back and forth when barriers appear, but the teleportation pockets pose no issue. Reappearing back in the central chamber, the last Menseya statue has simply vanished and the eyes of the remaining statues begin to glow.
"Me and the guppies are gonna show him what's up" - Aiaoue on Woodland Beings
Report Date
03 Dec 2025
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Related Characters
Faust's Influence – Nature
The room begins to blur, the murals becoming fuzzy in your periphery. You blink and the murals seem to lift from the wall, coming to life in front of you. Fields of grass lazily drift in a gentle breeze beneath the afternoon sun. A hunter slays a large lizard-like creature, hefting its large form atop his back despite the strain. An antelope avoids the hunting jaws of a determined cheetah. A large rhino lays down in its final resting place. The sun rises and the sun sets; nature continues… balanced.
Until it isn’t. Corpses of rhinos line the grassland… their bodies littered with wounds. Their horns stripped and stolen; the rest left to rot. A messenger stops beneath the shade of a tree to rest, her belongings stolen by a man with a serpentine grin obscured beneath hooded cloak. A village stands peaceful in the night. There are no screams… for the poison constricts and chokes.
Thousands of Yuan-Ti faces flash before you; many bear the symbolism of Faust with pride. Many others, however, have the same glint of panic and fear in their eyes as Diamond. As each face flickers past, the illusory image of the serpentine god himself forms, smoke drifting lazily about. Until the individual beneath is drowned out… and only Faust remains.
Faust's Influence – Hasty Judgement
The room begins to blur, the murals becoming fuzzy in your periphery. You blink and the murals seem to lift from the wall, coming to life in front of you. A legion of Menseya stand at the ready, their Colossite armor shining beneath the sun’s golden glow. From the crowd, a single Menseya steps forward, her appearance similar… but not quite exact. A near carbon copy of Tiaret, but not quite. She steps forward with shoulders back, but head tilted down slightly in respect.
There’s a rush of air as a large figure lands, massive wings folding neatly behind him as he stands to his full, towering height. Pyrus holds out a scroll to his daughter, his face contorted into a slight scowl, brows furrowed in frustration and muscles taunt. As she reads, his eyes scan the horizon… lingering on the lands to the Southeast. You swear you hear laughter on the wind.
Tiala: So it is true then... the Jeweled Goddess has denounced the Law of Geryon. In a matter such as this, what is your judgement, Mansa?
For a moment, Pyrus’ stands there, scowl growing before his attention snaps back to his daughter. A flicker of hesitation passes over his features before he frowns.
Pyrus: Blasphemy cannot be tolerated when the wicked and the deceitful claw at our doors... even from a goddess.
She nods and bows slightly before turning to the Menseya. “To Ira Xand!”. As the Menseya ready, Pyrus’ attention is elsewhere… on the dust the wind has kicked up… and on the hundreds of golden serpentine eyes lurking in the grass.
Is There Anything So Undoing as a Daughter?
The room begins to blur, the murals becoming fuzzy in your periphery. You blink. Once more, you stand outside the Temple, atop the promenade winding through statues of Menseya… now adorned with color and spared the wrath of neglect and time. The lights are slightly brighter and voices echo across the chamber, consumed by the darkness below only to spat back moments later. The statues speak. Lands burned, villages ransacked, travelers attacked, and chaos abounds. A constant stream of reports that echo without end.On the promenade, Pyrus stands, wings drooping behind him and his face cast in shadow. He faces the statue of a Menseya who looks like Tiaret… but not quite. Amidst the cacophony of noise, her statue is silent and her light a dull flicker. Slowly, as if agonizing through the movements, one of his wings lifts and coils forward. With a clawed hand, he plucks a feather free from his wing and holds it in front of him.
A familiar voice cuts through the cacophony.
Tiaret: Father... Mansa. Please, hear me. This is not justice, or if it is, then it is cruel. Please... Geryon will listen to you. This woman is a victim. Do not let Geryon send her back to the serpent that torments her.
Silence. Pyrus places the feather at the base of the statue in front of him. The cacophony returns. Lands burned, villages ransacked, travelers attacked, chaos abounding… faint laughter echoes behind it all. Taunting. The lights flare, blinding in intensity until all you see is white.
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