Thirty-Fifth Session - Nightmare's End

Session picks up with the rescue party rolling initiative against the three remaining nightmare executioners in Rashkha's dream.

1. Alana
2. Markoris
3. Alice
4. Fishboy
5. The figures
6. The Lair

ROUND ONE

1. Alana - Alana casts another Dispel Magic on one of the nightmares, but fails
2. Markoris - attemps to yank Rashkha toward the portal, but his hands go right through her arms
3. Alice - casts Lesser Restoration on Rashkha, but no effect. She does manage to get Rashkha to notice the touch on her arm, at least
4. Fishboy - casts Command on Rashkha to Run, succeeds, but triggers Attacks of Opportunity while trying to run around the figures, one hits
5. The figures - Fireball on the rescue party, 19 damage to Alice and Alana, Fin and Markoris take 9. Other two swipe at Markoris and Alice, 7 damage to Markoris thanks to Uncanny Dodge, misses Alice
6. The Lair - Alice, Fin, and Raul take 5 damage

ROUND TWO

1. Alana - casts another Dispel Magic, but fails
2. Markoris - uses Cunning Action to disengage, then catches Rashkha and tries to redirect her toward the portal - gets her pointed the right direction at least
3. Alice - two sword attacks against the nearest figure, does 8 damage but the figure feels strangely insubstantial and slippery - hard to gauge damage. She then moves away, and the figures miss all their Attacks of Opportunity
4. Fishboy - bolts, and tries to shove one of the figures down as he passes, but it feels weird and slippery and doesn't go down
5. The figures - magic missile on Fin and Alice, 8 damage to Alice and 6 to Fin, Rashkha dashes toward the portal
6. Lair - 18 damage to Alice, she is looking very rough

ROUND THREE

1. Alana - Misty Steps and then runs toward the portal, she's almost there
2. Markoris - moves further to the portal
3. Alice - moves toward portal, heals self for 20 HP
4. Fishboy - keeps pace with Alice, heals her for 10 HP
5. The figures - more magic missiles - 6 damage to Alana, 6 damage to Alice, 5 to Fin, Rashkha reaches the portal and rolls INT check to figure out what she's supposed to do, freezes up
6. The Lair - 16 damage to Raul

ROUND FOUR

1. Alana - tells Rashkha to go through the portal, manages to get through to her
2. Markoris - readies a dagger to attack any figures who move forward
3. Alice - dashes through the Portal
4. Fishboy - dashes through the Portal
5. The figures - magic missiles on Alana, Markoris, and Rashkha - 6 damage to Alana, 6 to Rashkha, and 5 to Markoris, Rashkha goes through the portal
6. The Lair - literally everyone fails the INT check - 11 damage to everyone, and Rashkha **collapses** on the floor of the hallway

ROUND FIVE

1. Alana - hops through portal
2. Markoris - hops through portal

OUT OF INITIATIVE

Alice uses Lay on Hands to heal Rashkha for 10 HP, everyone gets out

MEANWHILE, IN THE REAL WORLD

Max and Ishaq have been talking about gods, and now Ishaq proclaims his intention to kill the gods and make the world better. Max expresses great reluctance to engage in godwar. AND THEN THE REST OF THE PARTY ARRIVES. The nightmare portal closes behind them.

Alice casts Cure Wounds on Alana for 10 HP. Ishaq tries to convince Celia to heal Rashkha, but she is unswayed. Fin heals the innocent civilian rescued from her worst nightmare for 9 HP. Donna runs out from the caravan. Rashkha embraces her.

Ishaq points out they're still stuck in a blocked-off canyon. While the rescue party takes a Short Rest, plans are made to start exploring the tunnels again. The caravan is much warmer toward the party now, due to the rescue of Rashkha, and show friendliness and offer snacks throughout the rest of the journey.

Max suggests Kiwi fly to scout an exit, and they do indeed find a tunnel entrance on the other side of the blockage. Meanwhile, Ishaq suggests Raul guard the caravan while the party resumes looking for an escape. During the short rest, Max and Ishaq have a conversation about Ishaq's nightmare. Celia eats dirt.

Leading the caravan into the tunnels, the party has difficulty getting the dewbacks and camels through the narrow confines, but there's otherwise no threat. The party investigates the second cavern, where they first met the Dream Devourers. They find no new threats, but the torch the creatures were in front of was a magic torch called an Evertorch, which is like a flashlight operated by a magic word that you can't burn stuff with. After some trolling by Ishaq, the Evertorch goes in Fin's Haversack.

They also find a symbol beneath where the torch was, resembling a bowl with wavy seaweed growing upward from it. Ishaq borrows paper and charcoal from Fin to take a rubbing, and recognizes it as a magical rune.

As the caravan advances, it becomes clear that the dewbacks will not fit in the tunnels. But Ishaq has the idea of using Dimension Door to BAMF them directly to the other side of the canyon. Finn and Alana talk to the dewbacks and secure their consent for this teleportation experience, and then Ishaq brings them through one after another. Everyone gets spit on pushing the camels through the tunnel the old-fashioned way. Ishaq uses Prestidigitation to get the spit off Raul.

At last, the caravan is past the blocked canyon and can advance toward Azkaresh. Marching order:

1. Fishboy
2. Alice
3. Max
4. Ishaq
5. Alana
6. Kiwi
7. Markoris
8. Celia
9. Raul

Ishaq uses his cantrips to cool off the people around him as they walk. The caravan exits the canyon, and beholds the plains of Azkaresh at last. The city is built into massive rock cliffs on the horizon. Donna hands Max a purse containing 20 pieces of platinum. Divided eight ways, it's 25 gold each.

As they approach, Ishaq suggests to Celia that she use Speak with Dead to chat with the dead body in Fin's haversack. After explaining the process to Fin, he agrees to give it a shot next halt. As the caravan camps under the hot sun, Ishaq arranges for the necessary privacy and they cast Speak with Dead in a tent with the aid of swampy incense. The spell establishes that the dead man is named Hakarim Onsai, that his kin are a nomadic tribe seldom present in Azkaresh, and that his remains should be burned.