Chimera Culling 101

*Hired by*: Clove

*Mission Request*: Sabotage specific teams competing in the Celadon Golden Lotus Trials

*Rewards/Loot*: (Pending)

*Discovered Places*: Pits of Immortality

*Caravan Allies*: Gromlo (antiquarian), Caliban (cook), "Bob" (alarm gnome)

*Monsters Encountered*: Chimera

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## Summary

The party was escorted to the Third Ward where they were welcome to stay at the The Victor's Chateau with the 17 other competing teams. They spent the afternoon buying items from the various magic shops in Celadon's markets. In the evening, members of The Starlit Sky group came up to the Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium to say hello. The tiefling introduced herself as Piri Piri and the manastorm half-orc as Caspar. Piri Piri asked if anyone else thought the cloaked figures in the chariot race were suspicious. She suspected it was foul play rather than them actually being part of the competition. Although they agreed, the party didn't have enough knowledge of how the trials work to know for sure. Afterwards, the nameless armadi from The Ebon Lantern came up to the group to try to reconcile. Aster had to hold Beebo back by his leash to prevent him from harming the armadi right then and there. The armadi still had his holier-than-thou attitude despite being a hypocrite about not accepting outside adventures. Realized he was unwelcome, the armadi left. Beebo and Aleria went to bed early while Aster, Arco, and C2 tried to do some more eavesdropping to learn about the next trial. Unfortunately, they had no such luck and went to bed. Aster did some light reading on *how to care for young while adventuring* since she no longer needed to sleep thanks to the Qhamuni Rhombus in her forehead. There was a scream in the middle of the night and Aster rushed toward the sound. Two bodies were being carried out of another bedroom; one was of a lifeless half-elf and the other an injured halfling that had noticeable black veins and a corgi following him. Piri Piri came out of one of the rooms distraught and angry. She explained to Aster that Gensu was dead and Timbers was injured by one of the deadliest snakes in the region. The black and red striped snake had slithered in through their window. Piri Piri suspects her party members were targeted because she had been asking around about the cloaked assassins. Aster explained everything to C2, who also doesn't need to sleep, so he could watch the rest of their party. She then offered to help the The Starlit Sky take up evening shifts to stay safe while they sleep.

The next morning over breakfast, the party heard chatter of one aquatic-based group feeling sick to their stomachs and another group had very strange dreams while they slept. Unable to do much with the information, the party made their way with everyone else to the Pits of Immortality. Saint Ataraxia once again stood on a balcony, this time accompanied by a man in military regalia with medals from a many cultures adorning his jacket. Merchant Praetor Binzin Quallam, Blessing to Generals addressed the competitors and announced that teams must be the first to kill their quarry in order to make it to the final trial. However they will be fighting their quarry while simultaneously being in the same coliseum as 2-3 other teams.

The Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium was paired off with Askia's Glory and an all druid team named the Emerald Guardians. The party's quarry was three chimeras while Askia's Glory was three grick alphas and the Emerald Guardians was three sandwurms. The party was able to make quick work of their three monsters while also sabotaging the other two teams. When the last chimera was standing, it was hit with a silver dart and transformed into a more bestial version of itself, not unlike Aster's own feral transformation.

After the party succeeded in slaying their quarry first, Beebo rushed off to find the armadi in hopes of murdering him. Unfortunately the armadi's team also had already finished. They also found The Blooming Palm Company there and learned Otis perished in the fight. Aster went searching for The Starlit Sky after seeing The Blooming Palm Company's quarry had also been tampered with. She found that The Starlit Sky was forced to concede when their quarry also went savage. They surveyed the rest of the coliseums and learned that only themselves, the Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium, and The Ebon Lantern would be moving on to the final trial.

In the evening, the party and The Starlit Sky met up at the Prancing Pangolin to discuss the strange transformation of the monsters. Aster shared some of her knowledge about blood magic and the name the Vermillion Order, a blood hunter group that embraces the beastly qualities of transformation in hopes the other party might be able to investigate while the last trial is happening. The Blooming Palm Company happened across the two groups at the tavern and was subsequently introduced. They asked the Dziyiri Nakkar Consortium for some aid in reviving Otis; together Aster and Arco gave them 5,000gp, while C2 lent them 5,000gp, requesting that they repay him with interest. Once Otis is revived, The Blooming Palm Company is planning to stick around to watch the last trial.