Session0043

Episode 0043 - Exit Strategy
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**Setting:**

Volus - May 30th, 211 AW
**Synopsis:**

* Within the vaults of the Palace Spires in the ruins of Volus, the party battles and defeats the merrow queen and dragon turtle.
* The party collects the merrow's hoard of treasure, within which Odell finds Avara Wasanthi's Tome of Rune Magic, and Laguna Scintilla finds the regalia of Davy Jones.
* As the party finishes gathering the treasure and discussing their next move, the earth begins to rumble, and the city begins to rise, seemingly being lifted out of the ocean.
* Odell reveals that the Morningstar contacted him and requested that the party meet her at the Lightspire to discuss terms of an agreement.
* Exiting the Palace Spires, the party discovers that the Lightspire is activated, and as expected, the city is rising up out of the ocean.
* Laguna Scintilla and Crotalus part ways with the party to retrieve the Flying Dutchman and escape the city, as the party heads toward the Lightspire to confront the Inquisitors and the Morningstar.
* At the Lightspire, the party finds a battalion of dozens of Inquisitor soldiers standing guard, who nonetheless allow the party to enter to speak with the Morningstar.
* Within the Lightspire, the party finds the Morningstar accompanied by Avourel Orion and another large group of Inquisitors - clearly too many opponents for them to attempt to battle. They also discover Valania Aloro is with them, unconscious and being held prisoner.
* The Morningstar reveals herself to be Thalien Omadithas, and urges the party to abandon the use of arcane magic and join her cause, making telepathic contact with each of them plead individual cases as to why they should join her.
* When the party makes it clear that they refuse to join the Inquisitors' cause, Avourel Orion stabs Valania Aloro and summons the spirit of Djinni, posturing toward violence and calling out Gragnok.
* Gragnok tells Avourel Orion that he knows the truth of his illegitimate bloodline, and intends to share it with the world.
* After a brief, tense standoff, XVIII teleports to retrieve Valania Aloro, and returns her to the party, as Malkoth prepares a *teleport* spell to escape from Volus to Mycorrhiza.
* In the moments leading up to the *teleport* spell, a handful of party members - mostly notably Jack and Odell - consider staying behind.
* Ultimately, the party complies with the spell and teleports to Mycorrhiza, with the exception of Frog, who remains behind to provide an escape for anyone else who might have chosen to stay behind.
* With the rest of the party gone, Frog uses a *dimension door* spell to escape the Lightspire, and flees into the open ocean as the city continues to rise.
* Arriving in Mycorrhiza, the party uses a *sending* spell to contact Grenfi Nackle and ask her for assistance in retrieving Frog. Grenfi agrees to help, and makes contact with Frog to arrange for his retrieval.

## May 30th

In the vaults of the Palace Spires within the ruins of Volus, the party battles and defeats the merrow queen and dragon turtle.

After the battle, the party begins searching through and gathering the merrow's treasure hoard, discovering a tremendous amount of coinage and other magical treasures. Malkoth activates his *demivault door*, and the party begins moving the treasure inside for storage. Counting up the currency, Crotalus takes his cut of the treasure per his contract with Malkoth.

Within the treasure hoard, Odell finds Avara Wasanthi's Tome of Rune Magic. Perusing the Tome, he discovers that it is enchanted such that it is readable to everyone, regardless of their language, and contains a wealth of undiscovered runes and methodology for the practice of rune magic.

Laguna Scintilla finds the regalia of Davy Jones. With an *identify* spell, he learns that while attuned to the regalia, he can summon a ghost ship and crew from the helm of the Flying Dutchman. The party agrees to let Laguna keep the regalia, in lieu of splitting the remaining treasure with him.

As the party is searching and gathering the treasure, Odell receives a *sending* spell from Thalien Omadithas, who states that she wishes to speak with the party at the Lightspire to discuss the terms of an agreement.

A few minutes later, as the party is finishing gathering the treasure, the earth begins to lurch all around the party, and they feel the city begin to rise upward. Speculating that the Morningstar and the Inquisitors are raising the city out of the sea, the party discusses how to proceed, debating either teleporting away or confronting the Inquisitors. Odell tells the party about the message he received, though he doesn't name Thalien Omadithas as the individual who sent it. The party agrees to meet with the Morningstar, though they want to proceed with caution, suspecting some sort of trap. Malkoth says that he can teleport the party to safety if the need arises.

Crotalus and Laguna Scintilla ask for an explanation of the situation, and the party briefly explains. Crotalus, insisting that he has completed the arrangement that he agreed to with Malkoth, says that he is not interested in confronting the Inquisitors, having already received a handsome bounty from the treasure hoard. After some discussion, it is eventually decides that Crotalus and Languna will proceed to the Flying Dutchman to summon the ghost ship and make their escape with the merfolk children from earlier, after which Laguna agrees to take Crotalus back to the coast. Laguna also tentatively offers Crotalus a position on his eventual ship crew, which Crotalus is indecisive about, committing only to helping Laguna rescue the merfolk children.

The party makes their way out of the Palace Spires. Along the way, they spend some time identifying some of the magic items from the merrow treasure hoard.

Outside the Palace Spires, the party discovers that, as expected, the Lightspire has been activated, bathing the city in light, and causing the city to slowly rise toward the surface. Laguna Scintilla and Crotalus part ways with the party, and proceed toward the Flying Dutchman as the party heads toward the Lightspire.

En route to the Lightspire, the party notes that the magical orbs throughout the city are now active as well, granting the temporary ability to fly when touched. They discuss what they stand to gain by speaking with the Morningstar. Odell emphasizes his desire to understand her motives and goals, how she plans to ascend to godhood, and which god she intends to replace in the process. Jack emphasizes that he is willing to entertain a conversation, but that he intends to kill the Morningstar and Avourel Orion if he is present.

Nearing the Lightspire, the party passes by the area where the merrow seemingly made their final stand against the Inquisitors, which is littered with dead merrow.

Arriving at the Lightspire and scouting from a safe distance, the party discovers a battalion of dozens of Inquisitor guards and soldiers positioned around the building, which has only a single entrance. Gragnok remains hidden nearby as the rest of the party proceeds toward the building. As they approach, they are noticed by the guards outside, but the guards do not stop them, allowing them to proceed inside, seemingly expecting them. From outside, Gragnok sees the soldiers outside begin to surround the exit after the party enters. He quickly sneaks in behind them, undetected by the soldiers.

Inside the Lightspire, the party finds the Morningstar and several more Inquisitor soldiers gathered around the magical mechanism that has seemingly been activated to raise the city. Amongst the Inquisitors are High Inquisitor Dalestinn Sarmaris, and Avourel Orion, who is standing over an unconscious and manacled Valania Aloro. Studying the situation, Odell takes note that the Morningstar has seemingly already activated the Lightspire, and it is too late to stop the city from ascending.

As the party approached, High Inquisitor Dalestinn Sarmaris warns them not to come any closer from a safe distance, and tells them that the Morningstar wishes to discuss the terms of an agreement with them. The party complies, halting their approach.

The Morningstar speaks to the party briefly about her desire to build a peaceful and prosperous new world free from arcane magic, returning the world to a state similar to that of the Age of Divinity, prior to mortalkind's discovery of arcane magic. Removing her mask, she reveals herself to be Thalien Omadithas. Citing the information that the party divulged at the council with the Paragons of the College of Mimrinoth - which she attended - she references some of the party's interests and common enemies that align with her own, including demonic forces of Kameshima and Israphel's plot to become the ruler of the Material Plane. She asks them to join her cause and renounce their violations of holy law, instead of fighting against her.

As she is speaking aloud to the party, Thalien Omadithas simultaneously communicates with each party member telepathically, entreating them individually with reasons that they should join her cause (with the exception of Gragnok, who remains hidden, and seemingly undetected by her).

Speaking to Malkoth, she offers to bring his murdered mother back to life if he agrees to join her cause. Malkoth does not respond to her offer.

Speaking to Odell, she says that Rune Magic would have a place in her new order, and that her ancestors were shortsighted for deeming it heretical instead of seeing it as a divine gift. Odell asks what place the College of Mimrinoth has in her vision. She replies that the College has its place as an institution of learning and understanding, but that its practice of arcane magic must end. Odell asks her how she intends to ascend to godhood. She explains that she intends to use the rites of the Raven Queen's ascension, but doesn't offer any more specific information unless the party agrees to join her cause. Odell ultimately refuses, saying that she is trying to take the world backward, rather than progressing.

Speaking to Frog, she offers the alliance of her order and of Shaeserin in Mycorrhiza's coming war against Kameshima. Frog does not respond to her offer.

Speaking to Jack, she acknowledges the evil of what was done to him in her name, but promises him and Pepper a life of peace and prosperity in her new world. Jack refuses, blaming her people, not arcanists, for the world's suffering and destruction.

Speaking to Patches, she promises him that his role as her disciple will be less demanding than his service to Patches (Deity), and says his patron has no place in the world. Patches does not respond to her offer, but begins casting a divination spell.

Speaking to Louche, she says that she does not trust him, as a devil, and cannot offer him amnesty permanently, warning him that she will ultimately have to return him to the Hells where he belongs. In the interim, however, she believes that they should set aside their differences to face their mutual enemies, referencing the demons of Kameshima, and Israphel. Out loud, Louche asks her if she intends to replace Pelor in her ascension, which she denies. He refuses her offer, stating that Israphel is his closest friend and ally, not his enemy.

Finally, speaking to XVIII, she insists that Dr. Johann Conrad Dippel does not care for them, and is only using them towards his own ends. She offers them a true home among her people, extending an invitation for their siblings to join her as well. XVIII asks why Valania Aloro is injured and bound, and what will happen to her. She refers to her situation as a necessary evil, and says that Valania's fate is not her decision. XVIII calls her a liar and refuses her offer.

The Inquisitors see Patches begin casting a spell, and hear Louche verbally denounce the Morningstar, and glean that the party has seemingly rejected her offer. They begin to draw weapons and take a more aggressive, though not yet openly hostile, stance. Avourel Orion calls out for Gragnok, who remains hidden, and after briefly berating him for Valania Aloro's abandonment of him as a baby, he stabs her neck with a shadow dagger. Next, he produces a glass orb, in which Jack sees hazy images of Djinni's death. After telling Jack that Djinni's death is among his favorites in his collection, he shatters the orb, and the spirit of Djinni appears, seemingly taking a hostile stance against the party as well. Examining Djinni's spirit and the nature of Avourel's magic from a distance, Malkoth notes that the spirit is actually Djinni's soul, not merely a shade or echo of her.

As Valania Aloro begins to bleed out, Gragnok emerges from hiding, and accuses Avourel Orion of being born of illegitimate blood. Avourel denies the accusation, calling it a false rumor created by Alusfaen Orion's political opponents. Gragnok, however, says that he can prove his claims, and that he intends to tell the world. He challenges Avourel to duel him in single combat. Avourel seemingly agrees, but Thalien Omadithas urges restraint, stating that his influence is too valuable to risk.

During the distraction, seeing that the situation has come to an impasse, Malkoth begins to cast a *teleport* spell to take the party to safety in Mycorrhiza. XVIII uses a pair of *dimension door* casting to retrieve the incapacitated and mortally wounded Valania Aloro and return her to the party. Seeing this, and ignoring Thalien Omadithas' instruction, Avourel Orion agrees to Gragnok's duel, but Gragnok now refuses, saying that even he wins the Inquisitors will kill him. Malkoth finishes casting the *teleport* spell.

In the moments leading up to the teleportation, several party members consider not accepting the spell for personal reasons; among them, Jack, who believes he could destroy the Lightspire and everyone within (including himself) using a combination of explosives and elemental magic, and Odell, who still wishes to continue speaking to Thalien Omadithas further. Ultimately, everyone complies with the *teleport* spell with the exception of Frog, who notices that others are considering staying behind, and wishes to provide anyone does with an escape using *dimension door*. As the *teleport* spell completes and the party disappears, Odell leaves behind the Wasanthi Treatise.

Seeing that the rest of the party is gone, Thalien Omadithas asks Frog if he intends to join her cause. He says that he does, and she seemingly believes him, ordering the Inquisitors to lower their weapons. Frog then casts a *dimension door* spell and escapes from the Lightspire, fleeing out into the open ocean away from the city, which continues to rise toward the surface.

Arriving in Mycorrhiza, the party notes that Frog stayed behind. Odell sends a message to Grenfi Nackle using his *sending stone*, and tells her about Frog's situation, asking her to get in contact with him and help him. Grenfi contacts Frog, and the two of them make plans for Grenfi, Auvorix, and Ursula Wolff to come to his rescue, and return him to Mycorrhiza, as they are coming to Mycorrhiza anyway for an upcoming war council.

Malkoth talks with Jack and Pepper about their hesitation to accept the *teleport* spell, and tells them about the nature of Djinni's soul in Avourel Orion's possession. Jack explains that he has enough explosives that he could have taken the Lightspire down, thereby killing everyone within, and preventing the city from rising. Malkoth vows to help him get back to Volus to do so.

As they begin to discuss their plans moving forward, XV tells the party that Dr. Johann Conrad Dippel's keep is located in Asaria, far to the north.