Session0041

Episode 0041 - All Things Must Die
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**Setting:**

The Tempest Gulf - Volus - May 29th, 211 AW
**Synopsis:**

* As the party makes preparations to proceed towards Volus, they are approached by a lone angulin who identifies himself as Laguna Scintilla, and offers to accompany the party to Volus in search of treasure. He warns them that the city is home to merrow - a hostile sea-dwelling people that attack outsiders on sight.
* The party travels to the ruins of Volus, encountering some light-absorbing fish along the way.
* Approaching Volus, the party is attacked by a merrow guard and his sea creature companions, whom they battle and defeat.
* Beginning their exploration of the city, the party discovers that the merrow have seemingly been attacked by humanoid outsiders, and many are in the process of fleeing.
* Speculating the Inquisitors to be involved, the party decides to take advantage of the disruption to hopefully proceed to the Purgatory unnoticed.
* Arriving at the Purgatory, the party defeats a merrow protecting the entrance, then uses the Phaelux Beacon to unseal the Purgatory and enter.
* Inside, the party discovers that the prisoners of the Purgatory are being kept in a state of permanent magically-induced sleep. As they begin studying one of the prisoners, celestial guardians appear and attack them.

**NOTE: The beginning of this session recording includes retroactive roleplay for the previous session, as summarized in the session log for Session0040.**

## May 29th

As the Zenith occurs and Louche plays the Psalm of Awakening, a lone angulin (eel-folk) approaches the party. He warns them of the danger of the location they chose for their campsite, explaining that it is the hunting grounds of the sea serpents that approached them earlier. When asked, the angulin identifies himself as Laguna Scintilla.

The party asks Laguna Scintilla about Volus. He knows of the city and its location, and warns them that it is occupied by a civilization of merrow - hostile sea-dwelling humanoids that are prone to attacking outsiders on sight, and subjugating other sea folk. Odell, familiar with the merrow's lore, explains that they were once merfolk, who took to the worship of Scourge Gods, which mutated and corrupted them over time. Laguna also explains that he is a treasure hunter, and that there is famously a great amount of treasure in Volus. In particular, Laguna expresses his interest in the shipwreck of the Flying Dutchman, a ship captained by the legendary pirate captain Davy Jones.

Laguna agrees to accompany the party, and together they head towards Volus, traveling along the sea floor. Along the way, they encounter some light-absorbing fish. Malkoth and Louche manage to subdue one long enough to harvest some of its scales for future experimentation.

A few hours later, the party approaches Volus in the distance. From a few miles away, Gragnok uses his *primeval awareness*, and detects a little over 100 humanoids present in the city. Laguna Scintilla notes that this number seems quite low, and there should be many more merrow present. Using a *pass without trace* spell, the party approaches closer to the city. As they draw nearer, they notice that there are some merrow scouting the perimeter, but there are also several groups of merrow leaving the city - seemingly fleeing.

Arriving at the edge of the city's limits, the party attempts to sneak in, but they are spotted by a merrow scout, who attacks them while commanding sea creatures to fight alongside him. The party battles and defeats the merrow and sea creatures.

After the fight, scanning the area, the party observes that no other merrow seem to be approaching, and no one seems to have heard the ruckus created by the battle. They continue to see some other scouts in seemingly-frantic movement, and they deduce that something else is currently occupying their attention. They decide to use this opportunity to proceed towards the Purgatory. Patches uses a *find the path* spell to lead the way, and the party proceeds toward the Purgatory, continuing to move stealthily under cover of a *pass without trace* spell.

Entering into the city, the party notes that much of the ancient elven architecture and decor has been replaced by holy symbology of Bane, one of the Scourge Gods. They also find ancient pedestals, seemingly of elven make, with magical orbs, and inscriptions identifying them as the "gift of Kord". An *identify* spell reveals that the orbs can grant flight to anyone who touches them, but only while the Lightspire - the mechanism that granted the city its flight during the Age of Arcana, is active.

Along the way to the Purgatory, the party passes by a few other sites of interest in the city, including a cathedral, the Tabernacle of the High Council, and the Palace Spires - wherein most of the populace of Volus dwelt during its former life. They also discover corpses of slain merrow. Studying the bodies, they deduce that they were slain by weapons and by radiant damage, and are only a number of hours old. Spotting tracks from the movement of other humanoid creatures, they speculate that the Inquisitors and/or the Morningstar might be involved. Lending credence to this theory, they also note that the holy symbology of Bane has been cleaned away from some of the other elven architecture. After some brief discussing, they decide to nonetheless proceed toward the Purgatory, in hopes of using the distraction as cover from the merrow.

Arriving at the Purgatory, Malkoth sets up a trap with a *dispelling stone* outside, to hopefully prevent them being caught unawares by someone following them in. Laguna Scintilla also spots the wreckage of the Flying Dutchman a few miles away, visible over a nearby ridge near the Palace Spires. Gragnok uses a *primeval awareness* and notes that the number of humanoids in the city is gradually dropping.

Entering into the entrance hall of the Purgatory, the party is attacked by a merrow and some sea creatures that are standing guard. XVIII attempts to charm the merrow, but is unsuccessful. The party battles and defeats the merrow and sea creatures.

Afterwards, the party explores the entrance hall of the Purgatory, and finds a magically-sealed door that leads into its interior. Investigating the door, they discover that it is protected by a field of protective force. Utilizing the Phaelux Beacon, they light a series of magical braziers, following clues provided in a holy text inscribed above the door. When complete, the field of force dissipates and the door opens. Within, they discover a passageway leading into the Purgatory's interior. They find the interior is enchanted with abjuration magic that somehow prevents water from entering, and the interior remains dry and temperate. They also observe that this abjuration also damages any who enter, unless they are within the light of the Phaelux Beacon. Remaining within the Beacon's light, they enter the Purgatory.

Inside, the party discovers a surprisingly comfortable and pleasant chamber, with a pool of cool water and vibrant plant life. Within this chamber, they find a series of stone slabs, upon which several humanoid individuals - presumably the Purgatory's prisoners - are lying in a deep sleep. Each of the prisoners is adorned in simple robes, and holds a bouquet of soporific herbs, but has no other possessions or clothing. A placard at each occupied stone slab identifies the prisoners' names, and a brief explanation of the crimes that led to their imprisonment. The placards read as follows:

> Tamrius Grimm: The heretic Tamrius Grimm, who pursued eternal unlife in the form of lichdom, devising profane rituals to bind his soul to another living being. In eternal slumber shall he rest, save that the gods see fit for his redemption.
>
>

> Vecna: The heretic Vecna, who authored dark secrets of unlife, and sought a place amongst the foulest gods. In eternal slumber shall he rest, save that the gods see fit for his redemption.
>
>

> Kamm: The heretic Kamm, who led armies of the demonic hoard against the Holy Kingdom of Ayn Sitael in the name of the Consuming Blight. In eternal slumber shall he rest, save that the gods see fit for his redemption.
>
>

> Karsus of Augsburg: The heretic Karsus of Augsburg, who deigned to call himself master over magic and sought a seat amongst the realm of the divine. In eternal slumber shall he rest, save that the gods see fit for his redemption.
>
>

> Basel Anselmo: The heretic Basel Anselmo, who devised arcane engines of war and delivered death to untold thousands in the name of the unholy. In eternal slumber shall he rest, save that the gods see fit for his redemption.
>
>

> Melf of Osh Talos: The heretic Melf of Osh Talos, who betrayed his kin the First Children to pursue impure magics in defiance of Holy Law. In eternal slumber shall he rest, save that the gods see fit for his redemption.
>
>

The party observes a few notable items at first glance. First, the prisoners identified as Kamm appears to be the same Kamm that they have encountered multiple times. Second, upon the stone slab identified as Basel Anselmo, rather than a sleeping prisoner, there are the remnants of a long-dead corpse. Finally, they note that all of the prisoners appear to be alive and in good health, but in a deep sleep.

The party approaches Vecna to investigate more closely. Odell casts an *identify* spell, and discovers that he is under the effects of an *imprisonment* spell, which forces him into an endless and unbreakable sleep until the spell's conditions are met. The conditions to end the spell specify that an atonement *ceremony* spell must be cast on him at 9th-level by a devout cleric of Sarenrae.

Upon casting the spell on Vecna, before the party can investigate any further, a group of celestial guardians appear, seemingly activated by either the casting of the spell or the touching of the prisoner. The guardians attack the party.