Session 11: The Shadow of an Empress

Today, our session began to have a different feel to it, driving the story ever forward for our intrepid adventurers. Let’s have a look at what happened today.

* Our session began with Ramzi suddenly falling unconscious, his irises/sclera/pupils going black with bursts of stars visible
	+ The sounds of the uprising diminish, Sask lay dead upon the floor, Entari watching them all with intense fear in his eyes
	+ Morgan returns the gun, Thoughts, to Entari but he refuses, Tato holding onto it instead
	+ They investigate Sask’s body for loot before going to find Brynjulf in order to open a portal for them to return home
	+ Morgan asks for a moment with the Warden, wringing the Aasimar out for choosing to send Voldi away in order to look out for Morgan
	+ It’s a tough and emotional conversation, ending bittersweet with the potential for things to be further mended in the future
* Our heroes, just prior to leaving for Fargrave, find that they have mutated again, another white spot upon their body in a space close to their last one
	+ Brynjulf opens the portal for them all, sending them straight into the throne room of Empress Daelynn Feathersense. Cassius Callowbrand is also there, the two staring in confusion at the unexpected guests
	+ Brynjulf drops them off, explains about the prison break before leaving again
* There’s a touching family reunion between Marcus and his family, with Cassius getting an incredible roll to realise that Tato had feelings for his daughter
	+ Returning to their old guest rooms, they left Ramzi to rest in his bed before following the smell of smoke. Marcus takes a bit of damage standing between the twins who somehow seem to be tossing a firebolt to each other
	+ The twins spot Entari, getting excited over seeing the man who had blown up part of the castle. Suddenly recognising him, Cassius gets angry and attempts to choke Entari out. Our heroes end up defusing the situation
	+ Clara’s return home involves her secret affection for the Butter Sprite to be revealed, the two of them having a quiet and sweet conversation whilst making dinner together. Whilst foregoing labels at this time, they are taking things slow and at their own pace
	+ Marcus has a conversation with his brothers about listening, quietening down in order to learn and then demonstrates an eldritch blast that makes them go insane
* The next morning, Tato calls his best friend, Nighting Gale, in order to share news of their love life. It’s very wholesome and the DM could not, for the hope of them, remember what accent Crowboy had
* Morgan figures out his new mutation, Blood Hound, and uses it to track his mother to the Northern Palace
	+ Prior to that, Morgan gets his hat armoured as well as a shield and Tato grabs their own shield from Grod the armourer
* Leaving is bittersweet. Tato wishes her partner farewell while Marcus tells his sister that he wishes to speak with them once they all come home
	+ During the journey, Marcus explains to Tato that Clara has created all of these rules about how she should interact with him but, perhaps, he can start to work on that with her
* Arriving at the Northern Palace, our party meet the frantic Emerald, aid to the Empress Dowager, Faephine Feathersense. She welcomes them all, particularly Tato (who had used the name Tartaros as the Dowager had often called them that) and leads them all to meet Her Grace.
	+ The group attempts to garner info from her but she keeps deflecting, something strange about her movements and manner.
	+ She mentions that Tartaros would be more familiar with the war as he had taken part in it at the Dowager’s side
	+ When Marcus realises she’s seen and identified the tattoos, he asks if Faephine had any feelings regarding the Facility, the war efforts etc (the DM cannot remember fully what was said, it was an intense RP moment)
	+ Faephine’s response was a sharp smile and the response that she has no remorse over anything and she doesn’t care about those that were hurt
* Our party realise she is in on everything and they cut the niceties, demanding their friends back
	+ She doesn’t attempt to stop them, even offers a white serpent to guide them into the lower levels after teasing them some more.
	+ She seems to know an awful lot about the party.
	+ During their parting words, Marcus wishes Sol’s blessings upon her while, with a smirk, she wishes Lunari’s guidance upon him
* The group follow the serpent into the bowels of the palace, not seeing anymore staff as they descend
* At the bottom, a clinical, open hallway sits, glass walls revealing star charts and papers just beyond our heroes’ grasps. Eora stands at the bottom, shocked at seeing Marcus
	+ Failing a Wis save, Tato hears the voice of Faephine whisper to him that it’s time for them to revisit some of their past together. Similarly, Morgan hears the voice of the Dowager laugh and tell him that it's time he learns a bit more of who his enemy is.
	+ Both of them pass out, black eyes and sclera with the stars in their gazes
	+ Marcus activates his newfound mutation, hefting both of his companions into his arms before telling Eora to lead the way

And that is where our session ended! Our christmas session will be the 22nd of December, 2021!