Session0049

Episode 0049 - Viva La Résistance
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**Setting:**

Powderbowl - Nimbia - June 6th, 211 AW
**Synopsis:**

* In Powerdbowl, the party defeats the ambushing plant monsters, then climbs up to the magic beanstalk to reach Nimbia.
* The party finds Nimbia overrun and besieged by Kameshimans working together with air elementals, with Kamm's airship flying over the royal palace.
* After gathering some intel, the party meets with a nimbid resistance leader named Mashumaro, who explains that the Nimbian king and queen, as well as Archdruid Garro, are being held captive, and the Tremella Circle is being forced to cooperate with the Kameshimans.
* Discussing their plan, the party decides to head to the palace in search of the air elemental rift first, in hopes that removing the air elementals will make it easier to handle Kamm and the airship.
* Accompanied by Mashumaro, the party sneaks into the palace, where they ambush Kameshiman guards protecting the way toward the air elemental rift.

## June 6th

In the sacred grove in Powderbowl, the party battles the plant monsters that sprung up from the beanstalk when Blewit watered it with the sacred watering can.

After defeating the monsters, the party briefly rests and regroups. Studying the water in the watering can that was used to water the beanstalk, and comparing it to the magical water that Spearowitz was carrying, they deduce that the water in the watering can was somehow trapped or tainted, and that Spearowitz' water could still be used to summon the beanstalk as planned. After some discussion, they decide to leave their flying mounts behind in Powderbowl with Buttonsworth and use the beanstalk to reach Nimbia.

Blewit waters the beanstalk with the correct water, and the colossal magic beanstalk grows, piercing up into the stormclouds above. The party begins their climb up the beanstalk.

The climb up the beanstalk takes the party about two hours, as they find themselves climbing through a howling thunderstorm that begins about halfway up. Along the way, they spot some air elementals patrolling the beanstalk, but they are able to remain hidden from them.

Eventually, the party reaches the top of the beanstalk, which brings them into a main street in the middle of Nimbia - a city built into the tops of a semi-solid magical cloud layer. Quickly assessing the situation, they see that the city has been overrun and besieged by Kameshimans, who patrol the streets. There are propaganda posters out offering rewards for the party's apprehension, as well as notes instructing the Nimbians to obey a strict curfew, and even a number of dead nimbids hanging from gallows. The party also spots Kamm's airship floating above a royal palace on the opposite end of the city.

As the party is taking in their surroundings, a nearby pair of Kameshiman guards spots the beanstalk, and begins approaching to investigate. From a distance, the party overhears them speculating that Spearowitz must be coming up to the city to resupply.

Using a combination of magical invisibility and teleportation, the party quickly leaves the beanstalk and hides in a nearby alley before the Kameshiman troops arrive to investigate. When the troops arrive a short while later, they wait nearby, expecting Spearowitz to arrive.

Malkoth climbs through a window into a nearby storefront, where he sees a nimbid parents and child hiding, seemingly concerned about the Kameshimans outside. He explains that he is with the Myconid Kingdom and that he's here to help them. The nimbids don't seem to recognize the Myconid Kingdom, but they're nonetheless grateful for the offer of assistance. They explain that the Kameshimans have taken the King and Queen prisoner, along with the Archdruid Garro. They have subjugated the Nimbian people, and formed an alliance with the air elementals by forcing the Tremella Circle of druids to do their bidding. Malkoth asks if they have any military force to fight back against the Kameshimans. The nimbids say that they do not, but they reveal that someone named Mashumaro has begun some kind of resistance movement. They advise Malkoth to head to the hot springs on the other side of town, and search for Mashumaro there.

Meanwhile, near the beanstalk, the Kameshiman troops begin to grow restless and concerned, and begin talking about going to get reinforcements. Before they can leave, the party quickly executes them and hides their bodies. Afterwards, they begin sneaking through town, under cover of a *pass without trace* spell, toward the hot springs in search of Mashumaro.

Arriving at the hot springs, the party finds them heavily guarded by Kameshiman forces. As they're discussing how to proceed, they witness as a nimbid assassinates a Kameshiman soldier nearby, and uses some sort of necromancy magic to steal its shadow and take on its appearance. Presuming this to be Mashumaro, Frog sends the nimbid a *message* cantrip, telling him that he is the Prince of Mycorrhiza, and offering to help. As anticipated, the nimbid identifies himself as Mashumaro. Somewhat skeptical of the party's intentions, he says that they can prove their loyalty by helping him dispatch the guards outside the hot springs, to which the party agrees.

The party ambushes the hot springs, joined by Mashumaro, quickly battling and defeating the guards before any can escape or sound the alarm.

Afterwards, Mashumaro explains that the hot springs have magical restorative powers, but that the key is with Kamm, presumably aboard the airship. The party manages to break into the hot springs without the key, where they briefly take advantage of the restorative magic to rest and talk with Mashumaro. Mashumaro explains the situation in Nimbia, telling the party that the royals and the Archdruid are being held captive aboard the airship. When asked about the location of the Tremella Circle and the air elemental rift, he says that it is somewhere within the palace, but he does not know specifically where. Discussing strategy, at Mashumaro's advice, the party decides to head to the rift first and try to fix the air elemental imbalance there, in hopes of making it easier to attack the airship and rescue the royals.

After finishing their rest, the party sneaks through the city toward the palace, where they find a side door guarded by a lone djinni. Malkoth successfully banishes the djinni, and the party sneaks in through the side door, under cover of *invisibility*.

Exploring the palace invisibly, the party eventually find their way to a balcony overlooking the palace's throne room, which has an opening in the floor leading downward. Mashumaro speculates that this is likely the way to the air elemental rift, and the party agrees, noting that the chamber is heavily guarded.

As the party telepathically discusses how to proceed, a tortle enters the throne room through its main entrance, and warns the troops there of a security breach in the city, alerting them to be on guard. As the tortle exits, Malkoth recognizes that the main entrance to the throne room is protected by a *glyph of warding*, and makes note of the glyph's passphrase.

Spotting some unusual flickering of nearby torch sconces, the party realizes that the chamber is also being patrolled by invisible entities. Using their *secret specs*, XVIII sees an invisible djinni, as well as a pair of invisible kobold mages. After briefly staging an ambush, they party emerges from invisibility and attacks.