Session Notes: Stracili Adventures

### Session 15

Two days into their travel, after setting up camp and getting to rest, their fire inexplicably goes out the temperature drops dramatically and Uraelle is spirited away by an emissary to the Snow Queen. Because of her pact with the great Fey and the power she has used the Queen requests a specific individual within Stracili, Magnus Ferelli, be placed far outside the walls of the city alive. Upon acceptance of the task, Uraelle realizes how cold she had become. The camp fire, previously unable to be lit, takes light once more, and Uraelle returns to the camp.

Three days later, the party reaches Stracili in the morning, the gates open and accepting all travelers. First visiting a general goods merchant, Xael bargains for the sale of some previously stolen baskets. The party then separates; Xael and Fenegir a clothier; Andr'el and Tazlynn towards The Broach Coach to sell a few gems, then Mel and Collies Orphanage, an orphanage Andr'el is the patron of; Uraelle looking for an alchemist.

Xael sells off a few bags of clothing to a merchant who is wise enough to know the goods were stolen, then go to find a new merchant to sell too. Andr'el and Tazlynn reach Mel and Collies, donating some gold coin to purchase better school books and stationary, learning the orphanage director is doing a decent job at raising the children. Eventually, Xael, Andr'el, and Tazlynn run into each other. Uraelle doesn't find an alchemist, but stumbles upon the curiosity shop she's left her brother, Aymery, to run, but its name has changed to Local Exotic Goods. Heading inside, Uraelle quickly catches up with her brother, and proceeds to look over the sales history in the months she's been away.

While discussing the books with Aymery, two patrons enter, and Aymery goes to speak with them. Outside, the rest of the party arrives and sees two thugs standing guard outside. A fight occurs, the two inside joining combat. As the fight ends, two of the thugs die, including the leader, the remaining two get tied up. Aymery explains that the thieves guild is under new management, Victor, and a new operation, exploiting money from various shops. Aymery identifies the four members; Sisek, the leader of the small band, Arthur, Pharn, and Magnus. An entourage of guards show up as the bodies are hauled upstairs to investigate the fight in the streets. With the bodies sequestered away they greet the guards. Aymery, unable to give a proper lie, is covered by Xael, still bleeding from the fight, explaining away the thieves guild members attacking him and escaping. The guards leave and the party plans their next move, to return in the night, remove the thieves from the store, and search out the thieves guild.

Deciding to contact Proclin for help, the party heads to his home in the Royal District near the eastern gates, to find it warded to intruders. Andr'el bypasses them using the code words and discovers Proclin is absent. Greeted by a neighbor when wandering around the back yard, he sends the remainder of the party to a well known inn, the Purple Goat, while he finds out that Proclin, unable to contact Andr'el a few days after the heist, traveled to Rubicon to determine his whereabouts. Andr'el then sends a messenger to contact Proclin.

Finishing business before the day is over, Xael and Uraelle head to an alchemist, with Xael purchasing a new drug, astral, and Uraelle selling ash from a demon.

Upon meeting up at the Purple Goat Inn, Andr'el imparting the news that it will be two weeks before Proclin returns, the party prepares for the night, and returns to Local Exotic Goods.

### Session 16

While traveling to Local Exotic Goods, the party is ambushed by the thieves guild, a caster in a bright orange and yellow cloak assisting them. During the battle, Uraelle loses an eye, and after the initial salvo, the party gains their feet and pushes back, forcing the caster to escape. Reaching Local Exotic Goods, the party see's many guards entering and leaving the building. After most of the guards leave, the one watching the front door is put to sleep, and an exploration of the building shows the dead bodies and prisoners missing, along with Aymery.

Returning to the Purple Goat, the party rests for the night, Xael having dreams of being within a great womb. The next morning, the party decides on a plan to search out a healer for Uraelle, then to explore the slums for details on the thieves guild. Reaching the Temple to the Wardens of Twilight, the party is greeted by a priest of Pelor, whom informs the party that restoring the eye would cost 450 gold. Settling on a simple healing spell to remove the damaged eye, the party heads to an apothecary to order a custom prosthetic be made.

Their work in the Temple District complete, the party heads to the slums, tracking down a thief. Upon noticing the party, the thief heads off, the party following, leading them to another thieves guild member who delivers a message. Warned to leave the city within 3 days, Xael decides to leave a message of his own, stabbing him in the kidney. The party chases after the first thief, some getting lost along the way and returning to the inn, but in the ensuing panic all eventually lose the thief among the crowds.

First to return to the Purple Goat Inn, Andr'el informs Fenegir of their run in. Fenegir then suggests asking the guards if they have any information on the whereabouts of the thieves guild. While leaving, Andr'el runs into the rest of the party, and head to their next destination.

### Session 17

Heading to the Central Guardhouse within the Administration District, the party speaks with the front desk and are pointed to the Southern Guard Tower, to speak with Lieutenant Shella. Shella greets the party at the towers entrance, and invites them in, offering candy. Xael, under a guise of a private investigator, asks for information on the thieves guild. Shella shares documents listing known associates, the party recognizing a few names of those that were at Local Exotic Goods, with Andr'el recognizing the name of an old tiefling friend when he was living on the streets, Therai, and that he frequents Old Margaret's Soup House in the slums. Shella informs the party that the thieves guild has ties to a tavern (one of the 43 within the city), and mentions Jacobs and Phil being two guards who patrol a section of the Merchant District near Local Exotic Goods. Shella additionally shares that there have been no reports in the last month about the thieves guild extorting shops, even from the most boisterous of merchants, Shoomma, the dwarven blacksmith. Not seeing any descriptions matching the caster that assaulted them last night, Xael forges information into the documents.

The party heads to Old Margaret's Soup House Andr'el heading in alone, the others staking out the location. Andr'el asks around about Therai, but finds he hasn't been in recently, and no one is sure where he stays. Heading to Shoomma's, the party cuts the leather straps on Tazlynn's armor before realizing her armor is dragons hide, and not metal. Heading inside, the party asks Shoomma if she recognizes the scimitars from the ambush. She reveals that they are made by Morty, another weaponsmith in the merchant district. They speak with her about the thieves guild, but not gaining any new information before buying some new weapons.

Heading to Morty's, Xael disguises himself as a guard being accompanied by a group of private investigators. While speaking with Morty, he reveals they were purchased by a dwarven merchant, Glimmer Brack, who's caravan was assaulted by bandits, with the weapons being stolen about a month ago. Morty also tells he filed a report seven days ago of a recent shake-down by the thieves guild to Jacobs and Phil. Thinking to follow Jacobs and Phil, Xael asks Morty to fake a report of robbery, but Jacobs and Phil are not the two who appeared.

Heading to the closets Guard Tower to the merchant district, the party discovers that Jacobs and Phil haven't checked in for the last 6 days, and find out a common guard hangout, the Pint and Shackle, would be the best place to find them. After eating a meal at the Pint and Shackle, the party asks around and determines where Phil lives before returning to the Purple Goat Inn and resting for the night. During the night, Xael has a vision of a gibbering mouther, drawing what he remembers in the morning.

Heading to Phil's house, the party speak with his wife, Mabel, finding out that Phil hasn't been in at night for about a week, and has only shown up a few times during the day to eat meals before leaving; remaining not very talkative, she assumed it was attributed to stress of work at night. Mabel then informs them that Jacobs usually came by before heading to the merchant quarter, but she hasn't seen him in over a week and gives the party Jacobs address.

Arriving at Jacobs house, the party finds it's been abandoned for over a month; rotten meat on the counter and dust covering the surfaces. Within Jacobs bedroom the party finds some reports referencing Jacobs investigation into the location of the thieves guild. He believed it to be tied to a tavern called the Silver Flagon within the merchant district.

When on their way to the merchant district, the party sees smoke coming from a fire a few blocks away, and barricades blocking the roads into the merchant district, with the bodies of guards and a few presumed thieves guild members. Disguising himself as a guard, Xael attempts to cross the barriers and a crossbow bolt whizzes by him as a warning, quickly transitioning into a dwarf, he runs for cover as more bolts fly towards him.

### Session 18

Taking time to form a plan, Andr'el climbs the side of a nearby building, providing cover and attacking snipers as the remainder of the party runs through the roads beneath Xael's darkness. Reaching a burning building, the party makes quick work of thieves standing outside with crossbows drawn, aimed at the building. Appearing from within the building, a guard who gives his name as Conway, and some citizens appear. The party sends them down the road they took, heading through a coopers shop to reach another road.

Continuing to break doors using her massive hammer, Tazlynn leads the way into a bell-founders shop, they send a older halfling and his family to safety, while Xael takes the opportunity to loot the area and steals a sentient bell named Focuses Curse. When rung, the bell produces a distracting laughter.

Passing through a few roads, the party reaches the Silver Flagon tavern and are stopped by a guard. Using thieves cant, Xael identifies the party as members of the guild and gain entry, taking a seat in the back on a long table, far away from the orange and yellow cloaked caster that attacked them two nights before, currently distracted reading over a book. A dwarf appears from the back, serving drinks while Xael plays a game of dice with some thieves guild members. Xael bets focuses curse, ringing it in the process and alerts the caster. Disguised, Xael approaches calmly, speaks momentarily, and then attacks the caster. In response the caster shouts a warning to the tavern goers and uses a dimension door to teleport away.

The party makes swift work of the tavern members before searching the kitchen for secret doors. Finding none, they enter a door heading down a set of stairs to a maze of stone. After a few encounters with pits and poison darts, Tazlynn leads the way through the maze, though stepping aside to let others past, Fenegir falls though a pit, but is swiftly rescued. Soon, the party finds a door to the entrance to the guild proper.

### Session 19

Opening the door, the party finds the entrance area empty, a 10 foot wide stairway heading down sits in the middle of a room, with a wooden door to the left, a hallway further down to the left, a locked gated entrance at the opposite end leading to what looks like an armory, and a door to it's left, behind the stairs. After heading past the doorway on the left, an arrow is fired, and a short conversation is started with the shooter, Jon, before combat begins.

Near the end of the fight, Uraelle identifies Magnus at the end of a hallway and charms him, but unable to come up with a convincing lie, Fenegir knocks him out. The party recovers a set of keys and loot from the various dead guild members and rooms. Investigating the stairwell, the party sees rows of bunk beds, but no additional objects of value, and a set of stairs at the other end.

Heading up the stairs, the party enters the main guild hall. The ceiling depicting a mosaic of Waukeen in profile, and the floor what appears to be a newly carved image of the Fury. Near the stairs, a doorway sits closed, and upon opening, Xael is attacked by Victor, the leader of the thieves guild. Xael is poisoned and falls unconscious, with brief images of devils flashing in his mind. As combat continues, potions are distributed to heal those party members that are felled before Victor dies. Within the room, chests filled with gold and letters of conversation from a place called the Reality Wrinkle, with information regarding someone named The Blessed, Jelltik, and Those Who Hear, tying together a plan to seize the merchant district.

After taking a rest in the guild leaders office, Xael explores the locked gated area, uncovering an armory and prison area. Held within the cells, Xael finds Aymery (missing a few fingers, badly hurt, and his foot smashed), and Phil (emaciated from lack of food). In a third cell, the bloated corpse of Jacobs, the city guard is found. Through the remaining cells, Xael frees various merchants. Rejoining the other party members, the party leaves the thieves guild.

### Session 20

Hanging back while escorting the rescued prisoners, Uraelle brings up that there is a bounty on Magnus that she has been perusing separately from the parties main actions. Upon leaving the merchant quarter the party splits from the rescued prisoners, taking Aymery along with them, and return to the Purple Goat to rest. While in his trance, Xael has an image flash through is mind of a mind flayer with an open eye on his hand and forehead. Quickly waking, Xael sketches out his visions. In the afternoon, the party splits, with Andr'el and Fenegir heading off to heal Aymery, and Uraelle, Xael, and Tazlynn heading to collect the bounty on Magnus.

When Andr'el and company reach the Temple to the Wardens of Twilight, they realize they do not have funds to recover the injuries that Aymery has received, and travel to the Golden Dawn Campus. Placing the regeneration costs on Proclin's tab, Aymery is restored. The group then heads to the apothecary and recovers the prosthetic eye for Uraelle to use, then waits near the west gate.

As Uraelle leads the group out the west gate, miming Magnus as a drunkard, they reach a farm with a barn off the side of the main road with a horse inside. Entering the barn the group ties Magnus to a pole while waiting for the bounty collector to appear. As time passes, cold creeps in through the cracks, and the lights from fires go out. The emissary of the Snow Queen appears as the horse runs out scared. The Emissary thanks Uraelle for her work, cuts Magnus down, then quickly disappears. Outraged, Xael complains about the lack of bounty reward as they head back to the city and rejoin the party. Heading back to the inn, the party sleeps through the night.

In the morning, the party heads to the central guardhouse where they are asked of their intentions by the secretary. Proving to be the adventures that rescued Phil, the party receives an audience with Captain Marshal, accompanied by a recovering Phil, who gives the party a letter of reward to be turned into the Diamond Throne Bank (any branch). The party asks a number of questions, with Captain Marshal informing the party that Local Exotic Goods was one of the businesses that had burned down, that the thieves guild property will go up for auction within 2 to 3 months (Proclin will be contacted once the auction begins), that any messages to the party should be sent to Phil, and the party will be checking in with him, and that the best cheese shop in the city is owned by Arthur Razor.

Afterwards the party goes to the Golden Dawn Campus and being a member of the Golden Dawn, Uraelle has her eye regenerated at a discount. The party then follows up on the letters Victor had received and heads to the Reality Wrinkle with Xael disguised as Victor. Andr'el stays outside to watch the entrance as the remaining party enters.

Upon entering, the party becomes uneasy of the building. Acting, Victor speaks with Jelltik behind the counter. Heading to the back of the store, Jelltik says they can help Victor escapes if he brings the dwarves with him near the basement trap door. Pretending to agree, Xael tricks Jelltik in exposing his back, and swiftly kills him. Going to investigate the stairs, the party is attacked by a gibbering mouther, upon its defeat, a cloaked figure appears at the top of the stairs and attempts to flee back upstairs before stopped and killed. Underneath the cloak, it's revealed the former person has fish-like features, with leathery skin, an oddly opening jaw, and webbed hands and feet.

### Session 21

While instructing Fenegir to enter the trap door, Xael and Uraelle gather parts and pieces of the slain gibbering mouther. Within the room, Xael instructs Fenegir to block the door, before climbing out and placing a bookshelf on top of the trap door. Heading upstairs, Xael disguises himself as the fish-man, interrupting a discussion about tea. Speaking with them and attempting to deceive them, Xael quickly attacks the two at the table. A magical fight erupts, with Andr'el ending it with a fireball. Heading upstairs, the party is assaulted by a fireball and a hail storm cast by the Blessed. Finding that they are quickly loosing ground, Xael rushes up with a silence spell cast on his dagger, turning the fight into one of melee as Andr'el binds Tazlynn's wounds. Killing the cultist on the third floor and capturing The Blessed, Xael breaks her fingers and feeds her a tongue of madness. Taking an hour to rest and interrogates The Blessed, the party finds out Those Who Hear plan to free Tharizdun by following the orders of the Speaker in Dreams, and that a woman is trapped in the basement, who is required to open the way. They also find out that most of what The Blessed says is pure madness with no clear line of thought. After resting, Xael stays behind and slits the Blessed's throat as the party heads into the basement.

As the party climbs down the ladder to the basement, they are assaulted by a greater sense of unease, and upon moving the table and chairs, witness a grotesque affront to their sense of reality. This room defies the boundaries of space as they previously understood them. Distance seems meaningless, angles that should not exist clearly do, and the room itself seems to ebb and flow in time to an alien heartbeat that Xael recognizes. Two figures in dark, hooded robes stand in silence on a floating platform, and an incoherent jabbering erupts from a pile on the floor, a living heap of mouths and flesh and eyes -- a bedlam of howling, hooting, and atonal singing. Curled into a ball on the floor at one end of the room -- it is impossible to tell how far away as the floor keeps shifting within the void-- is a woman in a red gown, clutching her ears and covering her face with her arms. Rubble floats around in the expansive void, and out in the distance, shadowy tentacles can be seen. Navigating the platforms, the party rescues the woman in red, and upon exiting the building and letting some time pass, identifies herself as Clarissa Braewind, a cleric to the Wardens of Twilight. Returning her to the temple and receiving a reward, the party settles down for some much needed rest.

After a week of attending to their specific duties, they're informed of a celebration being hosted by the Merchants Guilds at the Stony Gaze Tavern in their honor.

#### Stracili Downtime Activities

Andr'el: Spends their time heading to taverns, temples, and stores, telling whoever will listen of the parties exploits.

Fenegir: Spends his time guarding Aymery and keeping him company, while acting as a porter for Xael when necessary.

Tazlynn: Repairs the leather straps of their armor before heading to the Golden Dawn Library and researching the various stone work throughout the city, discovering some protective wardings might need repair.

Uraelle: Spends time finding people to repair Local Exotic Goods.

Xael: Purchases a variety of goods, sells off a variety of weaponry, has a legendary night of gambling, learns a bit about the Earl of Stracili, and is inducted to the Painter's Guild of Stracili.

### Session 22

Meeting with Phil, the party finds out that Shoomma seems to be the one who sent the message. Visiting Shoomma, they find out drinks and food will be free and decide to attend. Heading to Stony Gaze Tavern the next afternoon, the party drinks and eats their fill of roasted pork, cheeses, stews, and other various hearty foods. Praise from all in attendance, including Lieutenant Shella, Shoomma, Arthur Razor, a few other prominent merchants, and the Earl's sister Eriana. Eriana personally thanks each of the party members, regrettably informing them that the Earl is busy this evening and would not be in attendance, but sends his gratitude. As a sign of thanks Eriana gives each party a fine silver brooch set with a rich purple amethyst. The bard Nankiy offers entertainment, playing his fine lute throughout the evening, capping off the night with a poetic retelling of the adventurers' exploits.

During the evening, Andr'el enters into a relationship with Zaira, an alchemist who drugged Andr'el with a love potion. Xael also enters into a relationship, while Tazlynn earns the ire and enmity Arthur Razor of Golden Age Cheese.

Dozens of toasts and loud rounds of applause later, the party heads out, along the road, a clear, loud voice calls out from an ally of to the side and the party is beset by assassins, one holding a massive glaive. Quickly taking out Andr'el, but falling in battle to a quick sleep spell by Uraelle, the glaive wielder is captured and unconsious, she transforms into an oni, a large blue-skinned beast with horns and innate magical ability. After sending Fenegir off to gather a city guard, the party realizes the oni is slowly healing from their wounds, thinking it best to down their captured foe, the party unleashes a barrage of magic, quickly blasting the creature to ash, it's glaive the only thing remaining.

Fenegir soon arrives with Shella and a small group of guards. The party explains the situation before retiring for the night. While resting, the party is beset by nightmares of an alien world, and upon waking, quickly discuss their visions over breakfast before interrupted by a town crier announcing the Earl will make an appearance at the keep.

Arriving at the keep, the party see's less than half of the cities populous in attendance, and as the Earl appears on a tower balcony, Xael see's a cloaked figure with solid white eyes within the shadows. During the address, the Earl decrees a new set of edicts, setting a curfew at night, closing the city gates from travel, making illegal the carrying of weapons, dismantling the Wardens of Twilight and setting out an arrest warrant for the High Priest and the Flame's Champion and the temples acolytes.

Near the end of these strong edicts, the Earl gives two more, calling all able-bodied citizens of the militia to report to the barracks, and that additional protection from outside forces are required. At the end of the speech, a barbed devil appears on the roof of the tower, and the Earl retreats within.

With the edicts complete, the crowd disperses, many heading to the barracks, with the party going along with them. At the barracks, the party hears rumors of a pillar of flame emerging from the Temple to the Wardens of Twilight, and how beasts have been seen lurking outside the city walls. Bearded devils can be seen standing at attention around the citizens as they head in to get their weapons, as town criers, accompanied by more bearded devils announce the Earls new edicts. Upon getting to the front of the line, Captain Marshal personally speaks with the party, grouping them together and placing them on night patrol within the Temple District.

Resting for the remainder of the day, the party then heads out to the Temple District at dusk, noticing patrols of militia accompanied by bearded devils, with very few town guards to be seen. As night falls, the party hears an unearthly howl from outside the city. Thinking to take advantage of the situation, the party stops by a few temples, either asking for help in the form of holy water, or pretending to be confiscating healing goods before heading the the Temple to the Wardens of Twilight. Upon arriving, the party see's a 20 ft. diameter column of crackling fire protruding from what was once a reflecting pool, a portal to hell.

### Session 23

Standing near the pillar of fire, the party spots a bone devil holding a slate. Discussing how best to proceed, the party decides on using an aura of silence to prevent the devil from calling for reinforcements. During combat, the silence field falls, and Xael puts up an aura of darkness, not realizing devils can see through magical darkness. The party defeats bone devil and investigates the east hall.

Encountering some cultists in the east hall, the party makes quick work of them before investigating the area further. Andr'el comes across a hellhound, attempts to make them a pet, but the hellhound refuses to move from their pile of coats. Investigating the upper level of the east hall, they discover any books describing the hell's are missing, with a trail of footprints through the ash leading to the north hall.

At the north hall, the party searches a few bedrooms, discovering that any alters held within are either damaged or missing. On the second floor, the party finds Therai in their normal tiefling form. After a discussion of where he stands in regards to the parties dealings with the thieves guild, an unusual reunion with Andr'el, and a quick primer on what the books are describing, Therai informs them of how to close the portal to hell.

Spreading a thin line of demon's ash in a circle around the portal and placing candles at each of the four corners, Therai follows a ritual while the party keeps watch for intruders. Once the ritual completes the portal closes and nearby devils are banished back to hell. The party heads back to the inn with Therai to discuss the next steps.

Informing the party that a mind flayer is likely the cause of the earl enlisting the devils, the portal destroying the Temple to the Wardens of Twilight, and the odd dreams and actions of cultists, the party decides to rest for a night before infiltrating the Earls Manor in search of the Mind Flayer. Afterwards, Andr'el offers Therai a position at the orphanage with Therai tentatively agreeing.

### Session 24

Resting at the Purple Goat, Xael awakens first and heads downstairs for something to drink. Stealing some alcohol from in front of the inn keeper and attempting to hide the act (Despite the inn keeper not caring), Xael then wakes the rest of the party by ringing Focuses Curse, disrupting Therai's preparations.

Once everyone gathers downstairs for breakfast, the party discusses how best to infiltrate the Earls Keep, running through a variety of scenarios before deciding to just walk up to the gate with information for the Earl. Upon reaching the outer walls, they are greeted by a maid who leads them to the earls quarters. Speaking with the Earl, the parties plans to uncover the mind flayer is figured out and battle ensues, with the mind flayer quickly attacking. The party knocks out the earl, defeating the mind flayer who retreats.

Upon waking, the Earl, describes Ghaerleth Axom, the mind flayers, plans to turn control of the city over to a lord of hell in exchange for forces being sent to the underdark to destroy the demon lords beneath. In the next following days, the Wardens of Twilight clear out the remaining devils within the city, the Earl orders reparation payments from the treasury, and Proclin returns, with news of the Baroness Redwater's forgiveness and possible tasks.

### Stracili Downtime Activities 2

Over the next 10 days, the party completes a variety of personal tasks before heading out to Rubicon.

Party: Creates a name for their group, Not A Government Agency: Freelance Tax Collectors, and a name for their future pub, Fireday Knights.

Uraelle: Raids the Reality Wrinkle for additional books and curios to be sold at Local Exotic Goods once it's rebuilt

Xael: Retrieves magical bandolier.

Andr'el: Assisted by Xael and Gosta, finishes raising the reputation of NAGA within Stracili.

Tazlynn: Assists the stone workers guild in identifying location of runes along outer walls and within the sewer system for re-carving.

Prior to being teleported to Rubicon, Andr'el receives a present of potions from Zaira. Xael receives a bone handled piece of silverware from Gosta. Upon reaching Rubicon, the party is greeted by Mervin who escorts the party to the manor house. Speaking with the Baronness, the party is tasked with traveling to Blackstone Castle in the north west to assist her children and their party of adventurers in seeking a cure for her youngest, Haemir. Given horses and goods for transportation, the party sets off along the road and reaches the cavern hosting Blackstone Castle.