Session 06

Date range of Session 06

“May this fight sing forever in the memories”
— Amanita, to Mornon before his death

## **56th of Duoary**

### Shop 'Till you Drop ... the 4000gp Vial of "Holy Water"

We open in Greensgood, with Electra Shimbleshanks, Amanita of the Celial Sisterhood, Balthazar of the Morozovas, and Mornon of the Court of Fire free to explore the capital of the Shadowfen.

Their first port of call, as per Electra’s request, involved shopping. The party began by visiting *Nargois’ NickNacks*, a disordered store filled with piles of oddities and an even odder proprietor. A lizard eyed them from the corner of the store, casually flipping a coin. When the group entered, the lizard greeted Mornon and spoke to him in broken Eldrasi, introducing himself as the eponymous Nargois. After hearing the party’s requests, Nargois burrowed through his piles of (largely) useless junk and produced several potions for Mornon, among them *potions of healing* and *potions of aid*. He also offered Electra a trade: for some of her jewellery, he would trade her a polished obsidian ball. He was quick to give a demonstration. Donning a pair of goggles, he spoke the words “*Party Time,*” and the ball exploded with kaleidoscopic light. Electra eagerly accepted the trade.

After a brief miscommunication, in which Nargois mistook Balthazar’s request for items to deal with “*liches*” for “*itches*,” the lizard offered the mouseling a blue wooden box inlaid with gold and rubies. The party recognised the design as belonging to the Divine Church. Inside were several glass vials. According to Nargois, these vials were holy water, blessed by Shepherd Marabella, Pontiff of the West (one of four Pontiffs serving as the head of the Divine Church). Amanita seemed wary of the claim and cast an *identify* spell on the vials. She noticed that one of the vials was filled with salt water, and after raising her concerns with Nargois, she smashed the fake vial on the ground. Nargois was horrified and quickly ushered the party out of his store. Balthazar, annoyed, cast *Nathair’s mischief* inside the lizard’s shop, filling the space with thick brown molasses. Luckily for Electra, she managed to obtain a number of potions without paying.

Following this misadventure, Electra decided to sample the local fashion scene and secured herself an ornate green leather catsuit. As a sign of her growing connection to the Shadowfen, and Amanita, she requested a small golden mushroom be embroidered on the suit.

### The Obsidian Spire

Mornon, once again itching for a fight, made his way towards the Obsidian Spire, home to the Obsidian Butchers. Here he met with Briar Brigand, a gargantuan toad wearing an ornate violet-green waistcoat. Brigand demonstrated some knowledge of the Court of Fire, snidely remarking to Mornon, “*You needed someone to fund your escape from that fiery hellscape*”.

Then, he offered the tiefling a wager. If Mornon could best him in single combat, he would reward him with 10,000 gold. If he lost, he would give Brigand the *Heretic’s Companion**.* Mornon, never one to turn down a fight, accepted the wager. However, during this conversation, a blonde-haired human Butcher named Rex interposed himself between the pair. He offered to fight Mornon himself, so Brigand would not be putting his life in danger.

Before the fight began, Mornon returned to his companions. While Balthazar refused to support any kind of bloodsport, Electra was excited to watch the fight. Amanita agreed to accompany Mornon purely to perform the Sisterhood’s rites should one of the fighters die. Somehow, he managed to hide his wager of the *Heretic’s Companion* from the group.

Electra bought some Butcher-related merchandise at the Spire, including a shirt for Colossus and a scarf for herself. She also placed a 10g bet on Mornon’s victory. Meanwhile, Amanita wished Mornon luck, saying, “*May this fight sing forever in the memories*”.

As the group entered the arena under the Spire, they noticed the heat-haze-like cover of an antimagic field protecting the arena from outside magical influence. The crowd was filled with important figures and wealthy spectators, including the Lord Mayor Eurand Arcus and Chamberlain Xyanos the Lyre. Electra approached the pair and introduced herself as a diplomat from the Ethereal Basin. Xyanos welcomed her into their exclusive seating area, and they waited for the fight to begin.

As he prepared to enter the arena, Mornon was approached by an impressively large figure, an elven woman wielding two crystal-tipped staves and wearing a jewelled crown. She introduced herself as Archdruid Earyn and revealed that she would resurrect him in the event of his death. Informing him that the odds were 4-1 against him, she wished him luck.

## The Duel

The competitors entered the ring, and with the sound of the horn, the battle began.

Mornon opened by activating his arcane martial powers and unleashed a *fireball* at his opponent. Rex faced the fireball, unmoving and impassive, before dodging it at the last second. Unfurling a set of glowing, golden wings, he raced towards the tiefling with a speed almost matching Mornon’s own. Sword poised, Rex charged down the challenger from the Ashlands.

After the fight began, in the cordoned-off zone in the crowd, Electra spotted Xyanos approach the mayor and whisper something in his ear. The mayor exclaimed, “Good,” and then excused himself. Xyanos smiled wryly and said to Electra, “Let’s see what becomes of your friend”. Amanita scrutinised the Mayor’s demeanour as he left, noting a look of excitement on his face.

Casting *Ashadon’s Stride*, Mornon sped towards Rex, who attempted – and failed – to strike him. While his attacks failed to find their mark, Mornon left a blazing trail of fire in his wake, scorching the General. In retaliation, Rex struck Mornon with his glaive, piercing through the tiefling’s flame shield. Then, curiously, he leaned in as if to whisper something.

Mornon, his confidence shaken by this attack, cast an *invisibility* spell on himself and disappeared from view. Rex simply yelled, “Craven!” before healing himself.

Back in the box, Amanita connected her spores to Electra and asked the cleric to distract Xyanos. Electra used Colossus as a distraction, encouraging the dog to lick the Lyre’s face. In the commotion, Amanita subtly cast a *detect thoughts* spell and began probing into the raven’s mind. He seemed confused by the audience’s reaction to Mornon’s invisibility, and she gathered that he could still see Mornon perfectly. Probing deeper, she felt his mind focused on the evening’s council vote. When she attempted to unearth his emotional state, she was met with nothing: Xyanos seemed to have such a deep ambivalence to everything that his emotional state was empty.

While Electra tried to cosy-up to Briar Brigand and enjoyed canapes (the first canapes she had seen since leaving the Ethereal Basin) with the toad, the duel continued below. Mornon released another fireball at Rex, and he responded in turn by striking the hidden tiefling.

Rex did what he should have done earlier, and throwing a handful of dust, he revealed his opponent and struck out at Mornon. In a final showdown, Mornon cast a fiery torrent towards the fighter, and Rex sped towards the tiefling. Both were near death – only fate could decide who would survive. It was Rex whom fate favoured. With a final blow, he leaned into Mornon’s ear and whispered, “Xyanos sends his regards”. Then, bringing down his glaive, he split the tiefling in half. Mornon was dead.

## **A Verdant Reunion**

Meanwhile, Balthazar had been enjoying a visit to an old friend, the Ent Elmwood. Taking off his hat, Balthazar bowed and greeted the old Ent, and Elmwood asked Balthazar the reason for his visit. The mouseling then detailed what had happened to Morozova Manor. When Balthazar mentioned his suspicions that Alistair Blackthorn was involved, the Ent seemed doubtful. Their talk soon turned to the vote that would be taking place that afternoon, and Elmwood noted that two figures remained undecided: Omnic Bloodbane and Ubass the Hunter. Balthazar gathered some more political intel, learning that the High Priestess Klaxi was aligned with the Treasurer and Xyanos the Lyre.

One topic that deeply troubled the old Ent: Nekrosis the Devourer. Discussing the lich of Corruption, Elmwood revealed themselves to be a living embodiment of Wood, serving an aspect of Wood known as Protection. They also noted that the Celial Sisterhood served Memory. Nekrosis, on the other hand, they suggested, served Corruption alongside another figure: Xyanos the Lyre. According to Elmwood, Xyanos served Deceit, an aspect of Corruption. Reiterating Balthazar’s need to be careful, Elmwood told the mouseling that no one had seen a lich in generations. They suggested that many - even those on the council - might deny the existence of such a creature.

As an unknown figure began to approach, Elmwood asked Balthazar to return after midnight to speak with Knowledge, another of the six Ents and a keeper of lore. In parting, the old Ent said, “*May the wind keep your secrets*”.

The figure soon revealed themselves to be Lord Mayor Eurand Arcus. Approaching Balthazar, he informed him that Mornon was dying and would die depending on the mouseling’s next choices.

We end the session with Mornon dead and his future seemingly resting in the hands of a tiny mouse amidst a nest of political vipers.