Session 90

* The Orcish Alchemist's Shack
* Juliden's Keep

**Previously...**

## And Now...

### The Orc Hag's Workshop.

Before departing the Village of Renewal, the party gathers together to have a meal from the Plate of Communion. We then head off into the swamp towards Juliden's Keep, with Kakeru guiding us.

Before too long, we pass a low hillock poking out of the swamp. Perched atop it is a small, rickety shack with a chimney billowing a sulphurous yellow smoke. The base of the hillock is ringed by a circle of unpleasantly fleshy-looking mushrooms. If disturbed, they explode into a cloud of spores. As the group approaches, a voice within emerges telling is in no uncertain terms, to shove off. The voice would appear to belong to an elderly orcish alchemist.

She's more than a little unfriendly, but Leshrac is able to trade her some poisonous Zanagan Leaves in exchange for one of the ingredients in 'The Irresistible Meal' and a small supply of healing potions. In addition, he has a jar containing 24 rune-marked teeth which can be uses as tracking markers. In the meantime, Dandy has skirted around the exterior of the shack where she finds a suspiciously secure door (and some very active and violent plant-life which she is able to distract momentarily with pocket-bacon). After discerning that both the door and its lock are magically secured, she shrugs and returns to the front.

Leshrac and the Alchemist conclude their deal, and have a brief conversation. The hag informs us that, if we traveled to Juliden's tower, we would be well-greeted and met, but that she is motivated *solely* by life-force and acquiring more of it.

### Journey through the Swamp.

Leaving the Orc Alchemist's hut, we proceed on through the swamp and draw closer to Juliden's Tower. Along the way, we pass a small hamlet on the far side of a grey, oily-looking river. A cursory examination would indicate that there is something large and nasty living in there. After a short search, we manage to find a ramshackle, rickety bridge.

After making our way across the bridge, the top of the tower appears in the distance through the mist-shrouded landscape. We proceed.

### Warm Welcomes to Cold Halls.

Arriving at the tower, we are met by a butler named Gerard who invites us in. Within the tower, the temperature is easily 10-15 degrees cooler. After a brief wait of about ten minutes, we are led to a suite of rooms with extensive bookshelves. We are left to our own devices to 'make ourselves comfortable'.

Putting our minds together, we are able to discern that Juliden is an Oni, an exiled noblewoman from Shenzhou. She is capable of controlling minds and draining away a person's life force.

After giving us time to settle in, servants appear and ask us if we want anything. Gar asks for and receives a lukewarm bath. He is offered a wide array of soaps, oils, unguents, etc... Azrah senses something is amiss, like an aura of magic infusing everything in the castle around them. Leshrac feeds a small item to Gorbmaw, who devours the veneer or sorcery and glamour off the object, spitting out the aged, derelict item beneath. Opening his occult sight, Leshrac can see the veneer of illusion over *everything*.

Once Gar is finished bathing, Gerard returns and informs us that dinner will be shortly, but perhaps we would appreciate a brief tour while we wait. We are guided around and get to see most of the public spaces and, by the time we are done, we are escorted to dinner. We all eat, and Gerard informs us that the Lady will be able to meet with us in the morning.

Returning to our rooms, we shift all the beds into a central location and set watch. During his watch, Gar hears something and sees a note being slid under the door. He rushes over to grab it, but is too slow, and by the time he opens the door, the mysterious messenger has already left. The note reads, "Leave Now Before You Make A Deal."

### The Lady Of The House.

En route to breakfast, there is the sound of an emormous, winged thing. Azrah recognizes it immediately as a dragon and has a nasty turn, but none of the servants appear to be even the slightest bit alarmed. We are welcomed to breakfast by Gerard, who informs us that, once we have completed our meal, we will be escorted to meet our host, however, there is no call to rush.

Following the meal, we are escorted from the dining area to the Throne Room. It is a massive, high-ceilinged chamber and features an immense open window allowing the Lady's dragon full access to the room.

The Dragon itself is only mostly skeletal, with frequent but sparse patches of skin and flesh clinging to its bones. Its head, while heavily scarred with deep gouges and wounds, is almost entirely intact. Framed by her massive attendant and the sheer size of the room, the lady's small stature seems all the smaller, however, her indisputable power radiates out to even the furthest nook and cranny of the room.

The lady herself is pale-skinned, with short, ink-black hair and clad in a silky black robe. At the foot of her throne is a blood-red crystalline structure sealed in a kind of carrying tray. These crystals are apparently related to the reason for her exile and are magical agents designed to tap into some sort of godly artefact.

Noting the party's fear, she introduces us to her dragon, Thrax, who communicates in a thunderous, telepathic 'voice'.

Leshrac outlines our current situation and our plans to the Lady and she offers the price for her assistance: 250 years' worth of life force from all of us (except Kakeru, for reasons she did not elaborate on). She gave us our leave to give us sufficient time to think over her deal.