Session 34 - Thicket Strikes

Half-orc fighter Phryne helped hold the airship rudder, half-elf druid Percival changed into a swarm of insects and flew overboard, and elven Inquisitor Tristan shot a fireball into the jerryrigged engine, getting the gnomish inventor Kein Oppenmeier and Firbolg shaman Satorus to the coast of Malex. After flying down the wings on two large eagles he summoned, Percival flew upwards to take stock of the land. Satorus walked off, claiming he would find his people and then report back. The three companions and their gnome discussed their deal with the Pirate Queen, perhaps dubiously carried out on her part, but Kein admitted he'd work for her if he was given a good deal. After travelling for a day they arrived at the gates of Port-of-Utopia, much changed.

As the mountains of Port-of-Utopia came into view, what they first mistook for a heavy fog over the coast blew in their direction, and they realized a thick smoke was hanging over the city.

As they neared the gates they realized a huge swarm of carrion birds, crows and vultures, were swarming around the bodies of two figures hanging from the walls of Port-of-Utopia. As they got closer they can barely tell that what remains were elves, only their dented and torn armour in the gold of Directorate soldiers, showed who they were.

The gates were unmanned, although pennants and banners of the New Church flew over head. The steeple of the New Church cathedral on the waterfront towered over the town, clearly nearing completion. They seemed to only need to finish reinforcing and covering the gauntlet and sword that makes up the steeple-top. Sounds of battle and terror sounded from the city, so the companions rushed in to see what was happening.

Meanwhile, over the past few days, half-elf paladin Aryndrake made his way to the Mainland along with Teyryn Vondaris and Bryl, the wards of the Fallen Justiciar, and a dozen orphans from the continent of Elysium. As he travelled he began to learn more and more from a dark book in his possession.

He arrived in Port-of-Utopia a couple of days before his friends and brought them to Strandguard, the keep of Lord Protector Phryne. Over the days and evenings he began to enact a dark plan, piling up firewood inside and outside the keep, collecting materials, before setting the keep on fire with the children inside. A number escaped, although left three children burnt to death or asphyxiated.

The morning after the fire Aryndrake heard that the Champion of Excelsion had returned and would save the town from a marauding, humungous frog monster that had emerged from the river and was wreaking havoc on the Plaza of the Faithful. Aryndrake rushed to meet his companions and tell them the terrible (un)truth; that Haeven had set fire to the keep.

Percival cast a hastening spell on Phryne and she charged into battle, hacking away at it, while Tristan battered the beast with an orb of fire. Percival cast down thunderbolts onto the monstrosity, seeming to partially paralyze it, while Aryndrake charged in soon after their arrival on the scene, his weapon charged with unholy power. Phryne, caught up in its tongue, chopped off the end with Mildred, covering her in bile, while Percival and Tristan took chunks out of it with their spells before the thing toppled over onto Aryndrake, forcing him to blast his way from beneath it.

Assured that they were safe, adoring fans mobbed Phryne while Aryndrake consulted with the others about being left behind, and the tragedy at the keep. All believed him readily, of course Haeven was plaguing them further. They followed him, bringing Kein to the keep, and consulted with the children and Kein. Teyryn pulled Phryne aside, as if for an intimate moment, and told her, "Aryndrake set the fire," before leaving her to ponder that.

Tristan questioned the children about Haeven's appearance, while Aryndrake and Percival discussed their next move. Tristan sent for a contact in the city, a half-elf fence named Howard, who told them that Thicket was in a half-elf dock tavern called the Resolute Codger, drumming up anger against the New Church, apparently planning on destroying the nearly completed New Church Cathedral that towered over the city. The companions proceeded to the tavern, Phryne and Aryndrake invisible, Percival transformed into a mouse in the pocket of Tristan, who shrouded himself in illusory magic.

In the tavern they found a handsome, blond half-elf giving an inspirational address, claiming the half-elves needed to fight against New Church oppressors, although this half-elf was not Haeven. Tristan approached and offered to connect this Thicket to important people, and Thicket followed him out of the tavern into an alleyway. What started as innocent questions about Thicket's identity, as he claimed to be from Victor and had recently been to Elysium, like Haeven, quickly devolved into the rest of the party joining Tristan, disbelieving this man who could change his appearance at will. He attempted to magically teleport away and resisted a magical zone of truth and invocation to be dominated by Aryndrake before Percival stepped in with a hold person spell. Things seemed to be coming to blows!

ACTIVE QUESTS

-Find out who Thicket is and what he wants

-Reconnect with Satorus and investigate the connection to Phryne's amulet and the forces converging on his home

-Phryne is allowed to request a boon from the worshippers of Excelsion

-Tristan will lead an investigation into the goblin activity on the Mainland

-Investigate the encroaching dark forces from the East for the forest spirit (party thinks that the magical and destructive properties of tealstone, these goblin factories and Gazek from Gobelton have something to do with it)