Sx09 - Carban's Terrible No Good Very Bad Day

*Carban's Terrible No Good Very Bad Day* is the 9th session of the campaign*.* It is preceded by Sx08 — Are You Hurt..., and followed by Sx10 — Curses, Carapaces, and Cyclops'.

This session takes place over three days: from Theftera the 15th of Leontes to Tetarti the 17th of Leontes. Notable moments of this session are Carban dying and being revived, the child going missing from The Hero's Rest, the reappearance of Zenne, and the group finding the fighting arena.

## Our Last Night in Artemis Cove

Oto went and visited Petros' bookshop and while he was there, Petros reveals some information to Oto:

* Hephaestus is not responding to prayers, which is very unusual, as he is one of the most active gods.
* There have been many council restructures.
* The empire is a monarchy (King and Queen) but they tend to defer to the Council.
* There are 18 members, including the:
	+ Leader of the Athena Temple
	+ Leader of the Funerary Commission
	+ Leader of the Merchant guilds
	+ High priestess of the Artemis Temple

Before leaving Oto hid a bag with 10gp purchased and a note saying:

> Thank you for being so kind. If you're ever in need please send me an Iris Message.
>
> Oto

## A Missing Child in the Hero's Rest

Back at the Hero's Tavern Phena's - the barkeep at the tavern - son has gone missing in the night. The group, Odysseus and Argos all investigate the child's bedroom, - The kid's name is Ishin - The kid looks up to Ody and has pictures he has drawn of Ody on the walls. - There is also a portrait of the group - we all immediately became emotionally invested in this - The bed covers are no put away - there is no struggle - The window is locked - There is no way Ishin could have left of his own accord - Appears to have just vanished from his bed - teleported.

We leave Odie to the investigate.

## Gathering Information in Hades Squalor

In the trip to Hades Squalor, Leoven calls over Oto and makes a request of him: > \*"I have a lead and I need your roguish and dexterity expertise to pull it off. If we succeed then we can keep our lives and our freedom. > I have two leads, but TLDR I need an artefact. Either it's the one that the other adventuring party took from Khantos the \*\*(Mechanical Component)\*\*, or I need you to sleight of hand Khantos' hand axe from him. You cannot ask me why I've asked of you and you cannot tell anyone else. Do you promise that? And do you agree to help? > Zenne worships Apollo so he might have gone to the Temple of Apollo in the Zeus District. We can get in there if I have the artefact."\*

After some consideration Oto agrees to help Leoven.

Oto and Adrasteia see the guy who stole 10 g.p each from them, they intimidate him and he throws a pouch of money back to them. It is only 10 c.p, which I give to Adrasteia.

Carban spots Zenne alone and attacks. It is a illusion, he seemed to want to talk to the party

Oto, Carban, and Khantos enter Hades' Squalor and approach the bar. The bartender is an elven man with his "face removed" After spending 10 g.p on information we learn: - Zenne has left The Rival Party due to a "moral disagreement" - Akotel and 3 others went up to the Zeus District (someone else has left the party?) Carban then threatened a tabaxi man at the bar, who cast \*Banishment\* on him. He was sent to a water dimension where he was attacked by a Kraken (?), which leaves him fully dead. As he returns to our dimension he is revived by Henrik - he is the other person to leave The Rival Party

Then the group leaves and heads up Artemis Sentry, Zephyr still does not return.

## The Road to Artemis Sentry

As we approach the gates of Artemis Sentry, there is the sounds of screaming behind us and a body riddled with arrows on a horse runs up to the group and stops (the horse gives out) and the body falls off the horse, being chased by riders. The body is wearing The Mask of Varyas that looks like a goat/ram's face. On the inside is writing: > \*"Hid from eyes of mortals and God's/ Lies either in Orestes's rot" > "Khea"\*

The riders who chased the body attack the group. They yelled: > \*"Silence the heretic Varyas. His secrets must remain dead."\*

These riders are undead. The body (presumably named Varyas) was wearing holds some divine energy only Oto (who holds The Mask of Varyas) can feel, related to the name Dolos. The world turns grey. On the bodies found 40 g.p Varyas carries nothing but the mask. A member of the crowd whispers about The Pool of Lyth, which is rumoured to be a portal for the undead - something known by merchants. When you drink from the pool it grants a wish This merchant who is speaking is from The Golden Hand, a group of merchants

* They are not very famous
* They cause no issues.

At the gate we all give fake names:

* Oto: Dave
* Adrasteia: Karen
* Leoven: Raina
* Khantos: Marcus
* Carban: Carban
* and said we were meeting a friend named: Kane Fairbrand

## A Brief Stop on the Crow's Post

Artemis Sentry is made up of stone buildings, it is a military town with lots of guards walking around the town. The most notable landmark is the giant keep, we can see metal armoured soldiers on the keep.

At the Crows Post, there is the Hooded Man in the back again. We approach and Oto draws a card. He draws the Necromancer Card.

Then we go over and talk to Miteus who says he is planning to investigate, and will come to us when he has information, but does not seem to want to work with us. Khantos casts \*Identify\* on The Mask of Varyas and learn the divine energy is gone. Was maybe worn by Myth Enders, or by the Dead.

## Khantos and Carban's Sewer Adventures

Walk through the sewers and come to a door that asks for a password. The password was written in thieves cant (that Oto now knows) is written on the door: > \*"In the Shadow of Artemis"\*

In this place are the fighting pits, which Carban submits himself for with Khantos as his promoter. In the bar are groups of armoured people - you can submit as a group. You can bet money on the fighting. Earlier in the night are human fighters, but it becomes less and less human as the night goes on. Carban wins his first fight and the pair gain loads of money.

## Visiting Temple of Artemis

At the temple of Artemis there are lots of female paladins of Artemis, who all carry round bows and arrows. This temple seems to worship more of the hunting aspect of Artemis Adrasteia and Oto split away from Leoven and go to find the high priestess. She is currently reading entrails to get an idea of the future. She says: >\*"There is coming a turn in the events of the ocean, the solution has arrived"\*

Adrasteia is the one who speaks as she has the closer connection with the high priestess. We learn: - The paladins are worried about the water. - Adrasteia's vision could mean that Artemis has lost one of her companions

Meanwhile Leoven talks so some paladins and gets an invite to the Keep for the next day.

## Oto talks to Miteus in the Graveyard

On the way back to The Crow's Keep, we see Miteus in the graveyard. Alone, Oto approaches. They have a quiet talk about loss, and seems to encourage Miteus into working with us. He says that he has been unable to complete a task (his parents final wish?) and I offer to help. Oto leaves a flower on the grave Miteus is mourning at as a show of respect.

The grave has the names: Manos and Voula Kaible (Miteus' parents)

## Sewer Adventures: Continued

We head back to the Crows Post, and Adrasteia splits off to the sewers to find Khantos and Carban. She sends back an animal messenger (Cynthia, the spider) with instructions on how to get to the secret door, Oto quickly finds the thieves cant and sees the password. In the bar, Oto makes a bet of 25 g.p on Carban, that I would later loose. In his battle, Carban goes unconscious and Khantos casts \*Vortex Warp\* and helps him escape death (again). He is chastised for this and given a warning (second time would be death.) Carban stays the night in this bar, and the rest go to sleep in the Crows Post.

In the night Oto and Leoven investigate Khantos' stuff and decide they will do this once they have the Mechanical Component.

## The Keep of Artemis Sentry

As we enter the Courtyard it is crescent moon shaped, it is both decorative and practical (cannot bring ramming devices up here) The Foyer is lined with statues of heroes A hydra head is mounted

A servant greets us. We say we are Uni students from Invurnes Academy here to look at the public files on war history. On the way we learn from the servant: - Lady Cornelus - the paladin leader - Chione - Artemis Cove, high priestess, sitting on the council. - The organisation of Artemis cove's official name is The Sentries of Artemis - Slavery is illegal across the continent but not in Sparta

We then divided and all researched different things:

Oto - On Killing Gods: - A report talks about certain God Killing weapons, this mentions a whip associated with =="Hades"== that could kill a God. - The rumours seemingly contradict each other and the report has no solid conclusion to it. - The only other rumour is very old and has found no resolution, the cataclysm of the Ashen Wastes were a huge eruption caused devastation to an entire Country, covering it in ash, this has caused a huge ashy desert to form, that is slowly encroaching on the neighbouring Countries - This event has been thought to have been caused by such a weapon

Carban - On the Ghost Shop: - A report filed with the Artemis Sentry does mention a strange ghost who sells magic items in random stores across the Continent. - No correlation has been solved with it's appearances - The Ghost seems to be completely lost.

Leoven - Council Members, the Letter B - Council members with the first letter B: - Bane Sarreas- Funeral Commission - Braxion Malleas- Athena Group - Briphina Palteas- Merchant Guild - There is also Chione- the head priestess' of the Temple of Artemis - The Dynamic has been moving to show that the Artemis' groups failure to secure the waters around Artemis Cove - More seats have been filled by the Funeral Commission's and Athena Group, during this issue - As commerce groups put pressure on the Artemis seat to resolve the ocean issue the Athena group and Funeral Commission are gaining more power. - Poseidon group have only one seat - 18 Council seats not including the King and Queen.

Side Fact about Hades: - The God of Death is not named Hades, that is the name of the underworld. - The God of Death's name is forgotten - is a taboo thing to say - People ARE aware of Thanatos, but he only comes for people of note. - Funeral Commission worship an unnamed God.

Adrasteia - On Lady Cornelus: - Dryad woman, but has lost her connection to the trees - Now lives as an un-aging human(ish) woman - Has enough status to speak to the council but does not have a seat - Has been a member of The Sentries of Artemis for 400 years, the organisation has been around for 2,000 years

Adrasteia - On Chione - A human woman - Received visions from Artemis - Seen as her vestige on earth - Often underestimated - Has an automatic seat on the council as High Priestess.

Khantos - On the Evergreens and Orym Omara - Nothing on the Evergreens - They are investigating the disappearance of Orym Omara in Artemis Cove - Note a fight that happened in his house (our fight in 1 - The Artificer's House) - Noted that his house was broken into.

Oto - On Dolos - Appears throughout the history of Artemis Cove - Not a god, a spirit? - Definitely an immortal being - un-killable - Thought that if he was once a God he has been lost to time

Carban - On the Black Market - Investigation underway - But it has no lead and is an old case. - Causes little harm so not an issue.

Then the servant returns and says that we have an appointment with an "operation manager"