Session0077

==March 23rd==
The party departs from Hartwell, setting out toward the caravan attack site in the northern Aerzenian wilderness. Discussing travel plans for their journey, the party decides to travel at a slow and safe pace, rather than pushing for speed to arrive at the attack site sooner, not believing time to be of critical importance.
The day's journey is mostly smooth and uneventful, as the party sticks to the road and avoids wilderness travel. Around sundown, they arrive at a small village called Schafftal, where they decide to spend the night. Fulmín prepares an exotic meal for the party upon their arrival into town, which ends up being shared with some townfolk, after the party's arrival attracts some attention from the locals.
Over dinner, Laq asks the party if they know anything about the legendary pirate ship the Flying Dutchman, and more specifically, about its captain Davy Jones and the wizards he employed on his crew. Of note, prior to asking these questions, Laq seemingly has to bypass some sort of security protocols in their own programming in order to discuss restricted information. Brigg share what he knows about the Flying Dutchman, describing it as an infamous pirate ship that sailed the seas centuries ago, and is believed to still exist as a ghost ship captained by an undead Davy Jones. He says that Davy Jones famously did not trust wizards, and never kept any single wizard around on his crew for long, so he's not sure which wizard Laq would be referring to.
Laq further explains that a wizard in the employment of Davy Jones created a device called the Clostra Key, and reveals that their main directive is to retrieve this item. They show Brigg a drawing of the item, which is a brass rod with a crystal sphere at its head, with metal shavings within. Brigg reveals that he found this device, but that he gave it to Pax Mundus. He asks what the device is, and Laq explains that it interferes with planar travel and portals in a wide area surrounding it. 
Brigg asks the group if anyone knows anything about the former King Daimao of Kameshima and his generals. Taro explains that Daimao and his generals were slain decades ago prior to the annexation of Kameshima. He also tells the party about a group called the Sons of Daimao - a fringe group of political radicals in Kameshima that wish to return Kameshima to independence, led by Wolfgang Amadeus Konoko. Brigg says that he needs some information from the Sons of Daimao, but doesn't go into specifics. 
After dinner, the party spends the night at an inn. 
==March 24th==
In the morning, as the party makes preparations to leave for the caravan attack site, Taro gives Fulmín a magical tarot card reading. Afterwards, the party departs and rides through the Aerzenian countryside, navigating safely through wilderness and eventually arriving at the attack site around nightfall. 
Arriving at the attack site, the party finds a single overturned wagon on a path through some woods. The notice that the woods are filled with a unnatural amount of spiders and spider webs, and they spot large dead creatures - evidently humanoids and horses - encased in webs throughout the woods. As the party approaches the wagon, Laq casts a detect magic spell.
Investigating the attack site, the party finds some basic provisions, such as food and the like, but none of the missing arcanotech. They find tracks indicating that two other wagons were previously here, but after the attack, the wagons were taken west by the attackers.
Inside the remaining wagon, the party finds what appears to be the body of a dead Aerzenian soldier. However, when they approach to investigate closer, the body is revealed to be a living human with extra eyes carved into his head, who springs to attack them. As combat begins, the individual chants an Abyssal incantation, invoking the name of "Mother," which summons the spiders all around the woods to attack the party as well. 
The party battles and defeats the individual and his spider minions. Afterwards, they search his body, finding a holy symbol which Taro recognizes as a symbol for the demon lord Arasta. They also find a crude hand-drawn map depicting a rendezvous point on the western coast of Aerzen. 
As the party does some magical healing and regroups from the encounter, a group of three gnolls approaches them, coming from the north. The gnolls approach somewhat apprehensively, but the party assures them they mean no harm. The gnolls explain that they came to investigate the stolen arcanotech shipment, in hopes of exonerating the Golden Wastes for the alleged theft of the shipment, for which they claim the Golden Wastes are not responsible. The party says that they are also here to investigate the scene for an employer, though they don't mention who they're working for. They show the gnolls what they've found so far, and tell them their suspicion that a cult of Arasta is involved. They also show the gnolls the map showing the rendezvous point on the western coast.
With the party's permission, one of the gnolls casts a speak with dead spell on the dead cultist. They ask if he was working for the Golden Wastes or on their behest, or attempting to deliberately frame them, but the answers to all of these questions are no. Finally, they ask why the cultists took the arcanotech, and he answers that they are preparing the way for "Mother," but without any specific details. 
Afterwards, the party formally introduces themselves to the gnolls. The gnolls likewise introduce themselves as Pot, Orion, and Robin. The gnolls seem to recognize the name of Logic when Laq gives their full title. Pot and Taro also recognize each other's names, and it is revealed that the two's fathers, Jack and Frog respectively, are friends, though Pot and Taro haven't met directly before. 
Licen asks the gnolls if they know about the Beast of Circumstance. Orion has heard of it, but doesn't know anything new that the party didn't already know. Licen invites the gnolls to accompany the party to the coast in pursuit of the arcanotech shipment, but they decline, saying that they have already recovered enough information to exonerate the Golden Wastes.
The gnolls depart back toward the Golden Wastes, after offering the party some magical healing.
The party makes a campsite outside the forest, where they rest for the night. Laq asks Taro about his status as royalty, being the son of the Mycorrhizan Prince Frog. Taro says that he is technically royalty, but downplays his status, saying that he doesn't live in the castle with the royals, and prefers to make his own way in life. 
==March 25th==
The party departs from their campsite toward the coast, following the map that leads to the rendezvous point. Arriving at the coast in the late afternoon, the party finds more cultists loading wagons onto a salt-powered boat, which appears to be nearly ready to depart. They try to sneak up to ambush the cultists, but they are spotted, and combat breaks out.
During the fray, Laq uses an explosive to disable the ship. Fulmín spots someone at the helm of the ship that appears to be civilian and not part of the cult. Licen and Taro make it into the ship, where they eliminate the cultists within, and protect the captain at the helm, who asks for their help. 
The party eventually defeats all of the cultists, keeping one alive for questioning.
After the fight, the party speaks to the ship's captain, who introduces himself as Yad. He explains that he lives and works in Ossidia, and that the cult threatened his family if he didn't agree to use his ship to help them. He says that he was instructed to take the shipment to Kameshima and deliver it to someone named Wolfgang, along with a letter. The party reads the letter, which reads as follows:
Brother Wolfgang,
More armaments for Mother’s task, as promised. I trust you are now in a position to make good use of them, given the previous foreman’s untimely demise.
Keep them hidden, for now. As ever, we move only in shadows. We lie in wait, and strike when our prey is least aware. This is Mother’s way. 
Mother thanks the Sons of Daimao for your loyalty to the Brood Legion. Expect another message in the coming weeks. 
We hasten Her coming, 
Eutria
Next, the party interrogates the cultist prisoner. They ask about Eutria, and he says that she gives the orders in the Brood Legion. They ask what the Brood Legion was doing here, and he says that he was simply tasked with protecting the shipment and getting it to Kameshima safely, but he doesn't know its ultimate purpose. They ask how he got involved with the Brood Legion, and he explains that he was recruited by someone in the cult, and promised a role in the world to come after Arasta (who he calls "Mother") takes over the world. After finishing their questioning, Brigg kills the cultist.
Their assignment effectively complete, the party uses their communications device to contact Pax Mundus and report their success, telling them about the letter and the cargo, and asking where it should be taken. A voice responds through the device saying that Pax Mundus will come collect the cargo. A few moments later, there is a flash of teleportation, and two figures appear: an elven woman and a gnoll man. They introduce themselves as Lyra Omadithas and Pepper, respectively. 
The party debriefs Lyra Omadithas and Pepper, recounting everything that took place on their assignment. The two also speak with Yad, offering him compensation and offering protection for him and his family.
After briefly discussing telepathically, Lyra Omadithas and Pepper say that they will keep the arcanotech shipment for the time being until they can find a use for them. They express a desire for the arcanotech not to be returned to Hartwell, and say that they will report back to Sergeant Marco Baar that the arcanotech was taken by actors not related to the Golden Wastes. They give the party their promised payment, and tell them that there will be future assignments to come for them, including perhaps even continuing to work together on this same thread.
Laq asks Lyra Omadithas and Pepper about the Clostra Key. Lyra confirms that Pax Mundus has the item, but says that they cannot relinquish it, as it is still needed by the guild. When Laq mentions Logic's need for the item, Lyra insinuates that their goals might be aligned.
After their conversation, Pepper teleports the party back to Mimrinoth. 
Category:Pax Mundus Session Log