Session Recaps

#### Session 3

After Thew was refused entrance into Kluknard, the rest of the group rested up in a local tavern. Nancy decided she needed to go off on her own to carry on her adventure, but the group found a new companion, a traveling musician called Danwell. A series of rumblings moved through the city with Thew glowing purple and going mad. Alytrana hears a voice no one else can while showing that she has legrodine seared into her back. Commotion is heard in the streets as a house collapsed onto a gnome. On him was a letter for a wizard called Dhukey, warning him about the council’s use of Legrodine. The group took the letter to the high court and are laughed at.

               Half of the group went into the general store and met Maly, a senile who gave many stories of adventure but had also killed Dhukey. Danwell stole the cut-up body in the floor, and everyone went into an alchemist shop where the owner is the mother of the gnome under the house. She is told of his death and kills herself, asking us to fetch something from a temple in the mountains and to kill Dhakey, the king. A fake guardsman appears and reveals that he knows everyone and that we are always being watched. Jinx is wanted for execution by King Dhakey and threatens that everyone will die unless they leave the city in the next fifteen minutes.

#### Session 4

After being threatened to leave the town, the groups move to escape but find that it’s the middle and town is eerily quiet. They move towards the hole Thew entered through and went into the proud violin tavern. They find that the half orc assistant, Grutnir, is much more self-esteemed and can now make an amazing stew. Afterwards they find that the hole in the wall is filled in and so half of the group moves to the main entrance. Those at the entrance felt incomprehensible pains when trying to open it and Gulgrin fell unconscious when trying to fly over the walls. Gulgrin is dragged back into the proud violin tavern to try to create the cure for his poison but instead the group is told that there are no more snakes around the town.

They move towards the high court area and are told they are not allowed to enter, but before they leave Alytrana sees an execution being set up within. The group move to investigate the general store and find it shut down and boarded up. Alytrana breaks in believing she saw someone inside but instead get found out by patrolling guards and are thrown in jail. The group discover that the jail can passed through to some extent with Gulgrin and Frank being able to get out of their cells. They are discovered by one of the knights and gain Gulgrin a quick execution.

#### Session 5

After an uneasy rest in the cells, the group wakes up finding themselves in a dusty basement with a singular hatch leading out. With some weight problems, the group was able to escape and discover that outside resembles much alike to when they entered the city. Situated in the palace distract, half of the group goes off to find out if they can exit the city while the other group investigated the district.

The first half were able to exit through the main gate and found the original hole in the wall while the second half met a retired miner called Philip. He explained that it hasn’t rained for years in the city and it is a terrible place to live but didn’t answer to who the king was. The two groups met back up near the gate and ran into Maly. She believed that she was being chased by some human like creatures on all fours. As this happened, multiple scarecrows in the field came to life with a ghoul in the centre. After some intense combat with multiple people going down, the ghoul and scarecrows were slain.

#### Session 6

The arduous battle against the ghoul and scarecrows caused a crowd to appear and guards to settle the situation. Whispers of an invasion are spread throughout but when confronted they avoided the matter. Maly explained that although it’s been a day for the group, she hasn’t seen us for two weeks but saw Thew recently. The group visits The Ashamed Rat Inn are met with a new stew from Grutnir. Eventually Philip appears but says that he couldn’t stay for long, he does explain that the king is in fact Dhakey and hands us a note with a riddle on it. The answer is believed to be a graveyard, but the group is confronted by Grutnir. After unsheathing a purple sword and freezing the other customers, he demands that we drink from a swirling purple and green vial, or they die. Danwell flung the mixture at Grutnir causing everyone to be knocked unconscious.

Everyone woke up shackled in an underground prison confronted by Grutnir and King Dhakey with Philip held with a blade to his neck and Maly restrained to a wall. Philip is revealed to be Peter, King Dhakey’s old assistant. Grutnir explained that the King was originally Dhukey but was killed as many people in the town were unhappy with his ruling. The resistance created with Dhakey as the spokesperson started to create weapons again like they were originally known for and hallucinogens as a side product. The group is left with the decision to either join the cause or be left in the prison.

#### Session 7

Previously, the group managed to escape their prison and find themselves in the valley from the beginning. They were confronted by a purple pulsated Maly who shook the ground with each step. As they exited the caves, Alytrana noticed two robed figures through the forest, petrifying her. After sprinting into the forest, she broke down trembling upon finding a pair of child’s robes and boots, repeating that she failed her. As she’s being comforted and helped up, the group hears her voice detached and giggling from behind her.

The group locates their equipment at the dishevelled camp site nearby covered in a peculiar dust. While resting, Jinx creates the antidote for Gulgrin and heals him. With some discussing, they decide to head towards Prago to regroup and rest up with Jinx revealing that he remembers hardly anything before waking up in the cave. On their travels they run into an old couple, who are heading to the mines for their final moments. Before leaving they give the group a letter for their son Dhukey Gonvin. Frank discovered that a journal he found in the caves was slowly revealing the contents of each page, detailing the events of Dhukey’s fall from his perspective.

They arrive at Prago to find a peaceful little town with an air of tension. It has very little in defense, but the barracks are filled with guards. Their first introduction to Prago is through a peculiar man filled with riddles and prophecies but seems to know a fair amount about them. He points the group towards the local inn at the opposite side of the town.

#### Session 8

Entering a beautifully traditional elvish town, the group aimed for the local inn to rest up and recuperate. Upon entering, they were greeted a very awkward and timid bartender called Oncith Jogella. Despite the graceful look of the Absent Woodpecker Inn, there was an air of foreboding tension. Alytrana and Jinx spoke to the one of the locals, Tagas, who explained that the village keeps very much to itself but constantly aims to improve itself. He himself was the previous owner of the brewery that was taken over by his co-owner, Hundrick Cointoe, due to a feud they had over it’s future.

After some time, Huber Bosworth, a travelling merchant approached the group, displaying his wares and offered a couple of games for some gold. Upon winning said games against Frank, he decided to head off for the night and so did the group. In the dead of night, Danwell left to look For Huber’s house, finding him fast asleep. He mutilated his body extensively and headed back to the inn, leaving several of Huber’s possessions in people’s room and giving Olcith the gemstone for Alytrana.

After being asked out by him, she discovered a crowd surrounding Huber’s home. She followed some guards back into the inn who had asked everyone to stay where they during their investigation, with some worried chatter between the group, the guards interrogated them and concluded that Danwell was the most likely suspect, due to his lack of an alibi. He was taken away and was given the offer of ten gold to not speak of what happened but in response he gave the offer of the actual killer, Olcith. During this, it is revealed that the Bosworth’s are a powerful family that were rumoured to be slave traders and rapists, With Reece Bosworth being into children. As the group were about to head off to go shopping, a dark figure appeared with a purple pulsating amulet telling Thew that tensions are high in the political climate and that he must find and follow his roots.

#### Session 9

The group left the Inn in search of some shops, The general store was eventually found after some confusion with the nearby buildings and Danwell being mugged for no one to mention his murder. The store owner was a pleasant but shady human who avoided Kleuknard. They obtained a map of the Rawell Isles, but Alytrana was confused to see the Towns of Chey and Yila. Upon exiting, they were approached by the riddle man asking for an answer, Danwell answered, and was asked for his name. He ranted that the Bosworth’s come bearing gifts and wreaking havoc of wars below. After answering another riddle, the man goes on about the prophecies being false and that there’s a traitor within, then told Dan that he cannot speak to him anymore.

With some assistance, the group head off where they believe the brewery is but, on the way, they are thrown around by a series of echoes and rumbles running through the ground. Only Gulgrin understands that they are a coded message. The trail they head on leads them to a seemingly abandoned windmill with a small pond. The pond contained trace amounts of legrodine and a whirlpool in the centre leading to darkness. Danwell drank from the water and was enticed in but was subdued by the other party members and dragged away. On there way back to Prago, they were confronted by the hooded figure. He reveals that the party could help his own group in a larger matter and that we must choose our next path carefully as there are lives at stake.

Upon their entrance back into Prago, the group finds that gallows have been set up in front of the Inn. They decided to hide in the library until Danwell recovers, whilst in there Thew finds books on the Fall of Yila, Legrodine and the echoes of the past, present, and future of Kleuknard. A book on the cataclysm had apparently already been taken out despite this being the first time he had been to Prago. Upon Danwell’s recovery, the group head out and find that Oncith is to be executed for the murder of Huber Bosworth. The man declaring the sentence is Dhukey, who had been helped by the village to take back what was rightfully his. As he pulled the lever to drop Oncith, Frank cast feather fall to stop his sudden death and Jinx, Thew and Gulgrin swooped in to catch him. With some struggling, they were able to cut the noose and save him with Danwell revealing that his is the true killer. Within Oncith’s shallow breaths, he states that man isn’t Dhukey.

#### Session 10

After the commotion of the execution settled, Olcith was taken away to the nearby temple with Danwell arrested. With some discussing, the group headed back to the Absent Woodpecker Inn to find a barkeep exceptionally resemblant of Danwell. Through the conversations with each member, he slowly interrogated them while revealing information he shouldn’t know of them. Despite the bartender’s dubious disguise, he was able to take items from the party and replace the diary with one about the wife of a forward scouting soldier named Olet, but the name of the wife had been scribbled out. Upon Alytrana being shown to her room, she was further interrogated by the bartender about why she was here despite her mission. The room itself, although spotless, contained loose floorboards leading to a small chest with some of the group’s possessions and a letter stating, “We Are Watching”, signed by P.S.

               Upon the groups attempt to exit the Inn, the Bartender stopped them, saying outside is too dangerous and so offered them rooms for the night, with some confusion over the lack of a keyhole, Alytrana went to look for the bartender, but instead finds a trap door behind the bar leading to floorboard with a note saying “it wasn’t very nice” signed by Olcith Jogella. Just after this, the piano started playing a suspicious collection of notes which when played back allowed for the group to escape. During this, Danwell is held a dingy cage with the bare minimum inside, but he is eventually visited by Dhukey to inform of his execution. After Danwell reveals both the numbers and his brothers’ names, he begins to rant about his lack of opportunities in life and his plan to kill his brothers, revealing that he is an imposter of Dhukey.

Planning to free Danwell, the group moved towards his location while hiding between the bushes and trees. At the entrance of the mage’s guild, the imposter and Dhukey appear, revealing their plan to take over Kleuknard, using the mage’s guild as a base of operations. The group approached the back of the palace to enter through the basement doors but failed to open it, so instead Alytrana is hoisted through the closest window, finding a private bedroom. While searching, Alytrana hears people approaching and so hides in the wardrobe. During this, Danwell is approached by Danwell, asking for his assistance with the resistance, saying that his information will be useful. He tells him that he has been released and will speak to him in the morning, but confessed that he was led here, believing it was the work of the gods. In Alytrana’s room, the imposter and Dhukey enter, speaking about the new headquarters and how the mages were run out of the town. Dhukey noticed the diary Alytrana accidently left out, stating that it felt familiar to him. Upon this, the imposter confronts him, revealing his name to be Cardon and that they grew up together, but will now take what is his.

#### Session 11

During the conflict between Dhukey and Cardon, Alytrana is scrambling to come up with a plan to keep Dhukey alive. After trying to move the desk with mage hand, she burst out of the wardrobe knocking him into Cardon, causing his throat to be slit. During the commotion, Cardon bolted, locking the door behind him, and wishing good luck. Alytrana found that Dhukey has a faint pulse and so heals him, hoping to stabilise him. Everyone climbed into the room and help Alytrana calm down while discussing what to do next. Frank kicked the legrodine infused blade away and heads out to bring Gulgrin back to the others.

After some time and no sign of Frank, Jinx headed out to look for him and instead finds Gulgrin, saying that he hasn’t seen him anyway. On their way back, they find him at the bottom of the window with one of his shoes hanging off. The rest of the group are notified and Alytrana heads down to help out. They discovered that Frank’s foot is blistered, bleeding and slowly falling apart. Gulgrin and Alytrana try their best to patch it up and are able to wake him up, despite the agonising pain. Back in the room, Dhukey’s lifeless body slowly sits up and stares towards the window, pointing.

#### Session 12

                Previously, Dhukey’s ghastly body rose up confronting the group, Alytrana tried to mediate with him but to no avail. In response he growled and snarled, sealing the window behind the group. Upon him approaching the group, they scattered trying to avoid him as he clawed and bit at them. After multiple casualties and a smashed window, the group was able to knock him out. They decided that the best course of action is to break Danwell out and find somewhere to hide, so they headed out to find a way into the basement. They discovered a barred window and threw rocks at Danwell to wake him up. After giving him cutlery and a glow stick, he broke and wrote himself out of the prison and squeezed through the barred window. Once the group was back together, they headed for somewhere to lay low and found a run-down house hidden in the trees. They rest for the night with Dan being left outside. In the morning they check on Dhukey and try healing him, waking him up, staring at Alytrana.

#### Session 13

On an early, foggy morning, the group set out a plan to scout out the town to see what the situation is like and if it’s safe. With some less than conspicuous disguises, Alytrana and Danwell scrap them instead for a hood and head out. The town itself is eerily quiet, with no sign of anyone around. They head over to the mage’s guild finding that the palace is also abandoned but hear some fly away nearby. Near that location is a hooded figure lurking in the bushes holding a bloodied rag. But as Danwell started approaching, another hooded figure appeared at the stairs of the palace, looking at surveying the mage’s guild. Alytrana drags Danwell away in time to avoid in time and they overhear a conversation from two others about looking for Dhukey and “C”. On their way back to the others, they see another of the hooded figures propping up bodies and faking their suicide, one of the bodies being the librarian and other having pearl green eyes.

Once they returned back to the others, The group discussed where to head next and decide to go to the brewery to lay low and earn some extra cash. After a while, they arrive at a beautifully designed brewery, but the interior looked very unkept. On the front door was a note explaining that the doors are cursed and there is no way to enter with the front door closing quickly. Alytrana, unable to sense any magic from the door, opens it and is greeted by a floating gauntlet that slams the door on her. On another door nearby is the numbers 1 through 9 and plates with two pluses and minuses. With some investigating, Alytrana finds a diary and a green glowing dagger inside the building, her mage hand was unable to pick up the dagger but could pick up the diary and found inside a riddle. After a long number of combinations and domestic abuse from the gauntlet, the group were able to open up the numbered door.

#### Session 14

In the last session we opened the door to the brewery and Alytrana immediately claimed an engraved knife inside whilst Jinx studied bookcases and everybody else explored. Eventually Alytrana hears a strange metal clanking and is drawn into a room with Jinx and Thew. After investigating a suit of armor a fight ensues after a ghost possesses it, proceeding to chokehold Alytrana and throw her across the room. Alytrana calls for help from Gulgran and Frank who were avidly talking about mead in the next room and the fight carries on. After many failed attacks from the group, she eventually gets a hit in with the engraved dagger and a weakness is found. As the fight ensues many hard hits are taken causing  many to be knocked unconscious including Jinx. Eventually Gulgran gets a killing blow after claiming the dagger when Alytrana is also knocked unconscious and the suit gauntlet mysteriously disappears.

After this Frank tries to reenter the front room area but gets pulled away into the basement. Everybody follows and is led into a puzzle wherein Frank was in a cage with blades and stepping stones leading to him. After Alytrana uses mage hand to show Frank a notebook that appeared empty to everybody else, a riddle is found. Using this riddle, the team guides Thew across successfully and Frank gains freedom.

Whilst looting Danwell stumbles across a  massive prize and unsuccessfully tries to hide it from Frank, Thew and Jinx. The awards are then split between the group and they leave the brewery, heading back to Prago and the inn depicted on the note.

#### Session 15

The group begin to head back to Prago and the Absent Woodpecker Inn. Upon reaching Prago Thew leaves the group to have a solo exploration of his sexuality but before he does Danwell takes the chance to rob him successfully, leaving him with a single ration. Meanwhile Gulgran is sent back to Honeymead to stay with Dhukey.

Aly and Jinx head to the inn and they are directed to the massively inebriated brewery owner who whilst seeming very confused, eventually gives over the keys and rights to his brewery. He also warns them about his business partner and how they are in for trouble. He also gives the group an icosphere which Alytrana holds onto.

After a slight confusion the group realizes that the owner they spoke to owned the Waterside Brewery so they head there and let themselves in. They enter into a dense mist and after checking around find nothing so decided to sleep for the night.

Danwell on the other hand had other ideas and having returned back to the place that previously sent him into lunacy, decides to drink the pond water again, waking Frank up in the process. After hearing a strange voice, Frank accidentally wakes Aly. They both then witness a naked zombified Danwell falling backwards into the pond and immediately jump into action.

Alytrana reaches him first and grabs him but loses her grip, getting pulled into the whirlpool. Frank grabs her feet but with the pull of the water she starts drastically drowning. Meanwhile Dan is at the bottom of the pond, feeling at peace and hearing a strange voice telling him to see his true self.

Frank and Jinx continue to try and pull Alytrana from the water unsuccessfully, she is panicking madly at this point. Danwell hears her and tries to barter with the voice to let Aly join them but there’s only room for one.

Eventually Aly is saved whilst Dan begins to fight the demon that has been influencing him. Frank, seeing this, ties a rope to himself and dives in, using his breath to help Danwell survive. Alytrana succeeds in pulling them both out, just for Dan to begin walking towards the water again. He is pushed back by an infuriated Alytrana, snapping him out of the trance that he had found himself in.

Exhaustion hits everybody with some being more hurt than others so they sleep until morning apart from Dan who claims ‘I don’t want to go home’ so is left to it by Frank.

Come morning Alytrana confronts Dan about his choices and incites an argument. Danwell tells her to drink the water to understand and in a fit of rage she does just that. Jinx tries to stop her unsuccessfully then gives up on the situation and moves elsewhere. She starts suffering from intense headaches and sickness but no voices, meanwhile they have returned to Danwell and they want him to sacrifice her.

He leads her to the pond under the guise of looking at her reflection, then proceeds to brutally slit her throat and push her into the water. He proclaims ‘Alytrana was supposed to die last’ then Frank leaps into action, throwing out a Chaos bolt whilst Danwell attempts to further drown Alytrana.

Jinx returns and upon seeing Alytrana dying, stabilizes her and gets her out of the water.

Danwell throws his bag at Jinx then in a drastic turn of events casts Healing word on Alytrana before throwing himself backwards into the whirlpool and being sucked away.

#### Session 16

After the madness that ensued and Danwell throwing himself into the pond, Frank throws himself in after him to help save him from the clutches that had him trapped at the bottom. After releasing an unconscious Danwell a lizard creature begins to rise from the bottom, following Frank as he is frantically pulled to the surface by Alytrana and Jinx.

It stands in the middle of the pond as Alytrana pulls Dan to safety, still unconscious and hearing the mysterious voice yet again say ‘Rise for me, Send your friends to eternal peace’. He wakes and under the monster’s control begins to fight against his own team.

He is told to ‘Kill the Wizard’ as Alytrana is brutally thrown into the lake by the lizard, leading to being saved by Jinx. Frank realizing the situation hits a strong attack at Dan, leaving him unconscious as Gulgran arrives on scene having gotten suspicious as to the time the team were taking. His immediate action is to help save Dan who finally wakes up in a good mindset, confused but okay.

Meanwhile Alytrana is finally stabilised by Jinx right as Frank casts a chaos bolt, making the lizard woman invisible, much to the panic of the group.

Gulgran gets away with Dan as Frank is hit by a revenge blow, ripping him in half and instantly killing him. Frank Guntha is no more.

Jinx seeing this drags a still unconscious Alytrana into hiding as Dan decides to turn his mental tail and attack Gulgran, much to the surprise of the birdman as he utters ‘Gulgran was meant to be the first to die’. The blow strikes him unconscious as Alytrana casts Faerie Fire and Jinx runs, initially failing to hit the lizard before trying again and revealing her. She runs away, never to be seen again as both Alytrana and Dan join ranks for an opportunity attack.

This was to be the last of any good nature though as Alytrana desperately tries and fails to stabilise Gulgran, only to be hit unconscious in a cruel blow by Danwell. Although Gulgran manages to stabilise himself Danwell ruthlessly continues his attack on the prone Gulgran, managing to miss multiple hit attempts from Jinx as he stabilises Alytrana. Danwell murders Gulgran in cold blood daring his dying body to ‘Try flying now’. Gulgran Otivarax is no more.

Jinx in a furious state knocks Danwell unconscious before proceeding to brutally slash and gut him. Danwell Bosworth is no more.

Whilst in this state of mania 3 newcomers stumble into the clearing. They demand that Jinx stops whilst he tries his best to explain that Danwell killed everybody before slipping into a sense of shame himself. Grennik Dankill is the first to try and approach Alytrana unconscious and bloodied body but Jinx tries to block them in distrust of their motives, instead attempting to drag her away. Eventually both Grennick and Wren Torwarin try to approach, leading them to a grapple for her and an explanation that they only want to help. Jinx allows them to heal her but upon waking she becomes a panicked mess, striking out and not allowing anyone to approach her. Eventually the situation dawns on her and with Jinx they gather mementos. Mourn the dead and gain anger towards any who may attempt to betray them again.

Broken and distrustful, they join Grennick and Wren on their journey to Prago to escort a mysterious human fighter to his destination.

#### Session 17

Arriving in Prago, a shell-shocked Alytrana (Currently aliasing as Alumalis) and a distrustful Jinx lead the newcomers towards ‘The Absent Woodpecker Inn’.

It is deathly quiet on arrival until the group hears a noise from one of the bedrooms. Wren, Christian and Grennick follow the sound only to find a muscled dwarf covered in suspicious blood stains. Christian immediately demands to see the room he just exited but Grennick speaks to him in Dwarvish and finds out that they originate from Creeker with a similar history.

Trust is brought between them and he reveals the reason for his hatred of Christian as all of Creeker possibly want to hunt him down and that ‘because of what they do, they don’t remember’. After this Grennick decides to let him leave as they are brethren, much to the outrage of Christian.

Christian proactively works towards entering the room, finding a faint blood trail and once he looks through the keyhole, a bloodied room with a humanoid shape on the bed. He raises the alarm and goes to check the other rooms to find a bed post covered with brain matter. The mystery dwarf returns and Chris demands again that he open his room as he’s certain there is a murder in there but he only agrees to let Grennick in whilst also stating his name as Ugnut.

Jinx persuades Christian to join him and Alytrana despite him stating adamantly that it wasn’t a good idea. At this point Alytrana tries to suggest helping should things go sour but with the state of mind she has fallen into, Jinx immediately shuts it down, instead offering to help in her place. Grennick walks into a mess of a room that Ugnut declares as ‘An Accident’. 3 beds covered in blood that he takes the sheets off of slowly. Under the first one, a decapitated deer, the second a mess of bodily waste and excrement before getting to the last one and finding the massacred corpse of a young girl.

Ugnut explains it as being in relation to an issue which will no longer be an issue once somebody comes back. Grennick argues that the child was wrongly killed but Ugnut stays stuck on his moral reasons. Ugnut then continues saying that they need to leave as there is a rumour of the town being a base to a cult of hooded figures who are desperately looking for something and highlighting the importance of not being caught in Kleuknard. He explains the tavern owner ‘Onkith’ as having a facade of lust and brutality and being directly involved with the cult, hence the call for the brutal death and mutilation of his daughter.

Grennick agrees to let him go as long as they could leave first. He then leaves the room and tells the group of Ugnuts fascination with dead deer and that there is nothing to worry about so they should leave now. The group then question the intentions of leaving so quickly which he shrugs off as Ugnut thinking that they are a threat to his deer and that he hates people.

Christian refuses to leave but Grennick insists that he leave Ugnut alone. Christian instead shows Wren the brain matter then talks him into allowing him to apologise for his actions towards Ugnut. The said dwarf accepts the apology through the door but he still refuses to open it so Christian returns to Grennick for the final time asking for clarification on what was in the room. This time Grennick admits to there being a body but sticks to insisting they leave for the sake of escaping the rumoured cult that had set up in town.

Now knowing the truth Christian discretely casts comprehend languages whilst rummaging around and returns to the room with Wren at his side. Wren converses with Ugnut in Dwarvish and asks for clarification on whether Chris could understand him before he claims to be naked and sticks with it. As they leave Ugnut tells Wren that there’s something in the well for him and Grennick.

Whilst preparing to leave Chris and Jinx finally exchange names and learn that Chris was found in a mountain by Wren and Grennick before they agreed to take him to Prago. Chris warns Jinx that ‘I’d be careful of those 2, Grennick keeps lying. It’s distrustful’.

They all leave and head towards the library and upon entering Alytrana reflects on their history with Onkith whilst Chris beelines towards the books on the Churches of Sosyn and lightning. After grabbing a book he leaves to join Grennick outside and Wren on the other hand starts looking for books on botany whilst Alytrana disappears into the stacks somewhere.

Outside Grennick speaks to a local who likens him to the late Hubor and gossips about recent town issues. She claims that the start of the troubles began when a lady within a group of adventurers that had come to town recently, betrayed and planted evidence on the innocent tavern owner. They were all wanted on execution rights and an arrest was made of Danwell for Hubor’s death. It is presumed that Alytrana and Danwell are lovers and now there is a high reward for any information. They are then given posters of the said adventurers as well as information on a 500 gold bounty and they now hold pictures of Frank Guntha, Gulgran Otivorax, Danwell Bosworth, Jinx Evervoide and Alytrana Runeshine. An extra footnote on Alytranas poster in particular reading ‘Proven liar, do not fall for her games’.

A guard turns up but Grennick and Chris make the joint choice of gathering intelligence before making decisions on this new information. The guard asks them about the bounties but becomes suspicious of their answers so instead Chris tries to settle with a half truth having seen one of the pictured near the windmill brewery nearby. Having mentioned friends already, the guard goes into the library in search of Wren.

He questions Wren on the bountied as well, describing Alytrana as a sadist, lady of the night who deprives sexual gratification through character degredation. He then directly links her to the murders and terrorists that currently occupy Kleuknard. He shows Wren the wanted posters and he highlights seeing Gulgrans body at the windmill. The guard can’t help but focus his attention on finding Alytrana and speaks of the gold and riches that could be his should he have information. Wren then goes on to say that he is in fear of the repercussions as they’d been sworn to silence at the windmill. The guard asks him ‘Are they in the library, is that why you’re scared’ but Wren denies.

The guard, still not fully convinced, travels further into the library but Alytrana sees him and hides around the side, pulling Jinx with her. Finally seeing nobody else, the guard invites the trio to the guard house and inn later that evening and leaves.

Chris enters to find Wren for a discussion on what they’d learnt as Alytrana persuades Jinx that they need to leave. They all collide, leading Alytrana and Jinx to confront the others on what they now know. Alytrana tries to leave again when Jinx begins to see the bodies of his dead team looking at him. He has an episode, desperately panics and closes down.

Alytrana helps grip him into reality then Christian tries to get them to move, using Alytranas real  name and sending her into a state of pleading innocence for anything that they may think that she’s done now that they know her true identity. Christianbelieves her and although she doesn’t trust him, she makes him swear on his word that he’ll help them.

She gets Jinx onto his feet then hears her name echoing in the room spoken by a child, followed by giggles and a door slam. She instinctively calls back Alumalis then after finding out it was heard by everyone her core is shaken and she’s left panicking. The others try to calm her but after hearing ‘Run’ whispered directly to her, she bolts out of the library. Christian and Jinx run after her but Grennick falls behind. Christian convinces him to let him help in his stead and that they’d meet at the library the next morning. Grennick agrees and returns to Wren, discussing the possibility of learning more about Alytrana and Jinx before they sell them for the bounty. They then also reflect on the guards' invite and how they’ll look suspicious turning up without Christian so start brainstorming before going shopping for supplies.

After catching her up Christian calms Alytrana with Jinx’s help and they decide to lay low for a while, heading to the hut on the outskirts that the two of them had stayed in previously.

#### Session 18

Upon reaching the hut, Alytrana is in a tearful state but as she goes to enter, there is a strange sound of iron hitting the floor. Inside, she finds a note and a blistering hot iron fragment. The note is addressed ‘For your immediate attention’ so she breaks the icosphere wax seal and finds a summon to a meeting behind the palace at 1am along with strict instructions to come alone. Meanwhile Jinx begins to envision cloaked figures in the woods, all wearing a mask adorned with a question mark before spinning away and the visions disappear. He slumps to the floor in panic and Chris immediately moves to help him. Alytrana takes this time to sneak away.

Meanwhile Grennick and Wren have arrived at a human blacksmith. She immediately starts picking on Grennick and insisting that he is a ‘Freak of Nature’. She details some of her wares as Grennick sits outside. Out of a nearby bush stumbles a half clothed man, Thew Whitlock has returned. He has no memories from the moment he left and is absolutely certain that he’s been drugged.

The blacksmith convinces Wren to buy an adapted baby carrier, much to the disdain of Grennick. Thew explains who he is and how he left the group purely for ‘fun’. Grennick shows him the bounty posters for clarification on his group and after a brief confusion on them being wanted for murder, he states that they are still in town. They then offer to take Thew for a drink at the local tavern.

Back to Jinx and he’s still in the midst of a hysterical breakdown. Chris sits in silent comfort with him before Jinx states ‘I’m scared’. He goes on to explain how he’s seen figures in the wood, people hanging from trees and Frank telling him ‘You know what you’ve done and need to look into your heart,’. He also makes Christian swear that he won’t tell Alytrana as he bleeds his guilt on the deaths of his friends and how he never intended to kill Danwell. Christian diverts his focus to his reasonings which was to protect and save Alytrana. After Jinx calms down, Chris goes to retrieve her only to find that she has gone. At this point he asks Jinx if he trusts Alytrana. After a pause he returns with ‘Not in her current state,’ They both head off into town to find her after Jinx disguises himself. Meanwhile Alytrana reaches the palace at midnight and sits to wait for one am.

At the tavern Wren, Thew and Grennick now enter into a lively scene. Grennick is still disgruntled and so decides to stand apart from the group whilst Wren takes this time to catch Thew up on what he knows about his group. He explains meeting the witch and blue haired girl at the windmill and that when they arrived some of the party members had passed away. He’d heard about a betrayal but had no specifics but he was sorry for having to break the news and right now they’d currently become unhinged emotionally and ran off with Christian somewhere. Thew is in shock so takes a minute to come to terms with the mess he’d missed during his sexual escapades.

Eventually Grennick rents a single room and speaks to Onkith about Prago and the bounties. He declares that the town is nice and safe but doesn’t seem too sure about the murder charge that the bounties are being held upon. Grennick bids him goodnight and heads to bed. Thew on the other hand has recognised Onkith and surprisingly he doesn’t remember who Thew is, although he is very quick to ask him to leave considering his half naked status.

Wren catches sight of the guards and after telling Thew to keep his head down, goes over to have a talk. He finds out that the guards followed his advice and found 3 of the 5 bountied’s graves. Wren goes on to originally deny knowing anymore but when the guards don’t believe him he starts to tell the truth. He declares Jinx and Alytrana as alive but not knowing the circumstances of the dead. He then carries on under an intense questioning from the guard for a piece by piece account of everything that has happened. Eventually the pressure under the intense questioning gets too much as he explains himself again and again and eventually just ends up agreeing to go to the police station for a rest and continuation.

Finally at 1am, Alytrana sees a portal to daylight appear, through it steps three masked figures and a fourth with a bag over their head. Alytrana steps out to face them and immediately one of them asks for ‘what you have taken from us,’. They are looking for a church artefact, an icosphere that they believe she is in possession of. They then go on to say that the bagged figure is somebody of importance to her so she strikes a deal that if they let her know who it is then she’ll tell them if she has it. They unbag the figure to find Dhukey so she starts searching her bag, ranting at Dhukey and asking questions of the masked figures. They say that she has to join the church in order to learn the ‘true power of Occam's Razor’ but they won’t tell her the name of the church. They also describe the group as having been tasked by the council to deal with the kings and that Occam's razor could have guided the group. They declare her weak minded as she continues to delay which raises her ire, forcing her to pull out the icosphere and hold it in her hands. She further demands that they tell her what it does but they just respond with that they’ve killed millions to save all and are now guided by Occam. They declare that she knows what happened to Shine and how to find her. She just needs to focus her power so she does inward on the sphere and begins to remember the events that led to them waking up in the cave.

They approach again as she retreats, demanding she gives them the icosphere but instead she focuses on picturing her kidnapper. She sees a vision of a dark room and Shine in the clutches of a figure but just before she sees a face, the icosphere is taken off of her and the masked figures leave. Leaving her with a comatose Dhukey . She picks him up and whilst heading back finds Christian and Jinx.

Alytrana opts to not say anything about what just happened, much to the ire of Jinx who storms off, causing her to run after him and immediately fold in her resolve. She tells him everything that happened, explaining that she’s not normally in the state of mind she is and though he doesn’t believe her, he believes her raw emotions. She tries to get him to agree to sleep before they both call out having both seen visions and heard voices and not being mentally well. Jinx concedes that they need rest and they head towards the hut, but not before Alytrana makes Christian promise that he’ll protect Jinx should anything happen to her.

#### Session 19

Whilst Alytrana, JInx and Christian enjoy a long rest, Thew breaks the news of Wren’s arrest to a very disgruntled Grennick who in turn eventually allows Thew to sleep in his room but only whilst he tinkered away all night. Come morning they are both sleepless but head out for breakfast regardless.

Meanwhile Jinx and Alytrana speak and clear the air after the argument the night before and collectively decide to tell Christian all that has transpired with Dhukey and Onkith. They plan to meet up with Wren and Grennick at the library before heading to the priests so Jinx and Christian head into town, leaving Alytrana at the hut.

Grennick takes a second to question Thew further and what happened with Wren but when he offers no further information, he goes to ask Onkith. He learns of the palace and the events which lead to Onkith being framed for murder before being pointed to a general store. Grennick acquires some rags for Thew to wear before they head to the library too.

They all meet up and Grennick explains Wrens predicament to Christian before Thew introduces himself. Chris clocks the name immediately as Jinx recognises him, striding straight up to him and pulling out a dagger. He quickly questions where he’s been, Thew strongly on the defence as he tries to explain how he has no recollection of what happened. He then apologises and Jinx declares Alytrana as still alive. Chris on the other hand asks the blacksmith about the location of the priests, is told the last house on the left when going towards Ostrurg then offered gold should he return with lumber. He agrees to the request then heads back to the group. They decide that it’d be best for Jinx and Thew to head back to Alytrana and lay low whilst Grennick and Christian head to the palace to try to help Wren.

It is at this moment that Wren wakes up in the prison and is escorted to a table for interrogation by a full armoured guard. He has been charged with the conspiracy to commit murder amongst other things and is told that he brutally beat the guard that he’d been speaking to in the tavern. He has no recollection so the guard begins questioning and mentions ‘the angels of the fallen hope, risen from Prago,’ which Wren is written down on record saying. They then go through an intense recollection of any and all events since the windmill before the guard leads him back to the cell.

Thew and Jinx reach Alytrana and the moment she sees Thew she sees red and immediately starts strangling him, dealing him damage in anger. She describes how it’s been since Thew disappeared and how he fucked everything by disappearing when he did. Eventually she brings herself under control, ordering him to stay low and do as told before having a private talk with Jinx and both deciding to question him and find out more. Once they question him on his intentions, his amulet, his ill feelings, his side of events so far and his reasons for living, they open up to him about the runnings in with the masked figure cult and Alytrana makes him promise to tell them anything he may find out as ‘Shine’s life might be on the line,’.

Meanwhile Grennick and Christian arrive at the guards bunker and a heavily inebriated guard answers the door. They bluff their way inside then after reaching the door to the prison area, Grennick tricks another drunk guard into sharing a drink with him outside. He then makes him horrendously throw up before returning to Chris, breaking in and deciding the next best thing would be to find a sober, on duty guard or to come back with help.

They find a guard outside and after explaining everything that had happened in the past hour they manage to get him to agree to allow them to see Wren under the guise of Grennick getting his gold back. When they get there Wren corroborates the fact that he has Grennicks property and the guard allows them 2 minutes to speak privately. Wren explains his charges and how he has no recollection of hurting the guard. He also mentions the suspected angel cult and how they now suspect that he’s tied in with it. Grennick plans an escape for him through the windowed bars behind him and then goes to collect his belongings. He sees Wren’s clothes as suspiciously bloody but doesn’t outwardly question anything, even after seeing a bloodied hammer and dagger, instead allowing the guard to rifle through and get his money for him.

There is a half bottle of liquid in an elven wine container that he tried to inspect but is denied information so allows Chris to lead him out. Once back in the main room Chris notices a statue in the middle which is missing something but the questions become too suspicious for the full plate guard who detains him, having made a named connection to Wren. Grennick goes to leave but has more questions for the guard who the elven wine supposedly belongs to. Questions including that of the one in the storage which is declared as seized and not wine at all.

The guard gets increasingly suspicious of Grennick but after he offers to buy a bottle of wine concedes and asks for a name. He replies with Mr Dankil which originally gets no recognition but eventually the guard makes the connection to Wren. He then explains how the hurt guard, known as Mr Kaystein has gone missing, coincidentally after meeting with Wren.

Grennick attempts to give an alibi as sleeping in the tavern, even name dropping Onkith as proof but after declaring Onkith as of ‘not much use’ he is taken down to the cells, ending with all 3 being detained.

#### Session 20

Whilst Alytrana, Jinx and Thew get increasingly concerned at the hut, at the prison Wren, Christian and Grennick begin to brainstorm an escape attempt.

With a single guard in the corridor and no other prisoners around them, Grennick takes the moment to brutally empty his bowels, much to the displeasure of the current party. Christian takes the chance to try and gain help by sending a firebolt east out of his window as a flare. Unfortunately unbeknownst to him only Alytrana sees it and she  perceives it as a shooting star.

Wren decides to use a handle off of a bucket to lockpick his door only to disastrously fail and get it fully jammed into his lock. Grennick uses a ray of frost on the lock and breaks it off, shearing the handle and leaving a chunk which Wren then obtains. Inspired by the events, Grennick attempts the same using his handle as a lockpick but this time he does the job too well, busts off the full lock and the door falls to the ground. The guard immediately hears and begins to approach, causing Christian and Wren to feign sleep and Grennick pulls up a stool in the middle of the corridor.

The guard questions what happened and Grennick believably explains how it just fell apart and how one of the guys opposite him had artfully thrown the handle into the lock. When he asks who, he denies knowing so the guard blames Wren, retrieves him from his cell unconscious and drags him away.

Grennick dismantles the stool in his new cell and uses the pin to unlock his door. Once he leaves he tries to see if anybody is around but his short stature stops him. He then frees Christian who immediately finds that there are 2 guards in the chamber in front of them. They collectively decide to not go that way and instead, work on getting the window bars to Grennicks cell free. Christian uses a ray of frost and pops the bars, before helping Grennick to crawl up into the hole created. At the end is a grate that he chips away and slides away before leaving and calling for Christian to follow.

When they exit they are behind the palace. Christian finds a diamond burn on the floor and recollects it to a pattern related to the use of teleportation which intrigues him. They then head towards the hut but not before being seen by two passing elves and in order to not rouse suspicion, furiously making out with each other. They mutually agree to never speak of it again.

On reaching the hut, Alytrana questions Wren's absence and Christian explains how Wren had sold them out but he’s also being set up for a crime he didn’t commit so they wanted to rescue him. Jinx and Alytrana are reluctant to agree until Christian also mentions the statue with the missing icosphere shape. Alytrana then decides to barter a plan. If Christian and Grennick help them get Dhukey to the priest then they in turn will help them break out Wren.

They all agree and head to the priest. Midway, in order to try and avoid the town Christian attempts to scale a cliff face and falls straight to the bottom, surviving to see the way is clear, prompting others to follow a safer route. Upon reaching the Priest’s house they see that it is a church of Duna. Alytrana, Christian and Grennick enter alone leaving Jinx, Thew and Dhukey outside.

The dark elf priest bids them welcome then Alytrana asks for her services in anonymity but she seems reluctantly confused at the request. Instead she asks if any of the party are followers of Duna which Alytrana replies respectfully as no. The priest then offers her services for a donation of 18 gold which Alytrana barters up to 20 to include anonymity. At this point they become aware of another presence upstairs. Christian gets her to heal him within the price that Alytrana is willing to pay and then asks her for advice on how to recover his lost memories and if she has any knowledge of the Elementarni name. She doesn’t so he thanks her and she asks Alytrana for the name of the person needing to be healed. Alytrana alludes to knowing there’s somebody upstairs multiple times but when the priest continues to deny she takes the plunge and whispers Dhukey Gonvin directly into her ear.

After a brief moment of shock the priest claims to not be able to do anything for this case and that she’s expecting somebody but that they should come back later that night in order to further discuss the possibility. Alytrana agrees, pays the gold then asks a name which is Narva. Narva heads upstairs as the trio pretend to leave, allowing them to listen in on the conversation upstairs.

Narva is speaking to a mystery guy who is questioning her avidly on who she just spoke to. She originally tries to hide their identities but when things get violent she concedes. He reveals his identity as Prince Searl and that he plans to come back later that night to spring a trap. He asks Narva to play decoy until they arrive to arrest the group with the promise that if she helps, New hope will come for her themselves.

At this Alytrana leads everybody out silently and hides around the back, watching as Prince Searl heads back up to the palace.

Meanwhile Wren wakes up, chained to a table and told by the fully plated guard that he made an escape attempt after attacking someone. Shortly after he is replaced by Prince Searl who describes how Wren could be up for a guaranteed death sentence unless he agrees to do them a favour. For the favour he would also receive 5000 gold, a thaneship within Prago and fame for his deeds which intrigues Wren, especially when he finds out the favour concerns both Prago and Kleuknard and the dissolving of the council. The favour being to help in the arrest of Thew Whitlock.

Prince Searl explains how he has had somebody trailing the group after they single handedly brought down Kleuknards security and been under suspicion since. When Thew left the group, they trailed him specifically and saw him having numerous meetings with seemingly random people. He headed to Ostrurg, exchanged in suspicious cult activity, then whilst heading back to Prago blind drunk encountered a travelling whore, enjoyed her company then brutally murdered her in cold blood, leaving her body in a shack. Reaching Prago he appears to be under mind control as he meets with a figure who gives him a question mark mask and a black cape which he dons as he meets up with Faryk Faxador the riddleman. They then collectively meet with Onkith who all head to the honeymead brewery and King Dhukey. After a brief exchange a portal is summoned, Dhukey is put into a submissive state and then disappears with Faryk. When Onkith and Thew get back to the inn they meet with Jorbis then at 8am Thew is seen stumbling out, massively confused and disoriented before bumping into the scout and never being seen again. He then ends with ‘You will help us bring Thew Whitlock in.’.

#### **Session 21**

Alytrana tries to reenter the temple after Prince Searl leaves only to find all the doors locked, a strange presence emanating from inside and Narva warning her to ‘Go before it hurts you’. Seeing no way of getting inside she returns back to the group to try to brainstorm a plan.

Originally she suggests being used as bait herself for that evening in order to help Narva but the group immediately vetoed that idea. Instead Christian suggests going to the palace whilst the guards are low on numbers to break out Wren then coming back to save Narva as a group. They agree to this plan and as the only unrecognisable person among them, send Thew to the general store to gather the supplies that they would need.

He is greeted by a human shop owner with an uncanny likeness to the late Danwell Bosworth and a familiar icospheric crest on his belt. He questions his requirements and then asks his name. Thew gives the name Hubert Baxter and the shop owner, Meryk Bosworth before he heads to fetch the fleece. Whilst he is gone, Thew uses Divine Sense and senses nothing until Meryk reenters the room. They continue to talk, his sense picking up on an undead figure but they continue to trade. The questions become increasingly personal, especially regarding where Thew is from and why he was in the Rawell Isles. When he finds out he’s researching, he wants to know everything he knows about the Bosworth name. Thew tries to dodge answering for as long as he can before his senses pick up an undead creature within 5 feet. At this point Meryk comes out from behind the counter and Thew attempts to escape only to turn and see Danwells reanimated body swiftly knocking him out.

In the palace, Wren makes his ultimate decision about hunting down Thew in the form of a deal in which Grennick is to be let free and released of all his crimes once the job is done. Prince Searl gives him his word and lets him go free. He heads to the hut first but picks up no signs, instead taking the time as a small reprieve. He investigates a nearby grove and finds an overgrown platform with a statue that is a replica of the one in the prison. There is an illegible plaque and Thew’s name scrawled onto it as if recently, Wren pops it out, deactivating the statue.

Meanwhile Thew wakes up in a basement to see a ready dug grave and both Danwell and the original shopkeeper's body in the corner. Meryk enters, immediately questioning him on what he knows of Hubert and the Bosworth name. He denies knowing much so Meryk claims fate to tell the truth, donning a cape and mask and bringing Thew over to a prepped wooden block before bearing his neck and summoning a portal. Haryk Faxador enters through it, states ‘Thew Whitlock, your time is coming.’ and leaves him alone.

After a time of waiting and no sign of Thew returning, the group collectively decide to throw caution to the wind and go to the general store after him. Upon arriving they see some blood by the hatch and Grennick sees a blinding light shining up from beneath the floorboards. They open the hatch door and immediately see Thew, bloodied and laying on a wooden block. Alytrana and Jinx quickly head down to help him stop bleeding. Christian witnesses Dhukey smiling at Thew before returning to his comatose state as Alytrana tries to rouse Thew from his daze with a slap.

Thew then mentions the appearance of Danwells body. Alytrana and Christian investigate it cautiously only to find that it is instead the body of Cardon with a slit throat and missing eye. Alytrana briefly explains who he is then is startled by Grennick staring at a standing Dhukey. She approaches him and blocks him from moving as Christian searches Cardon, finding a sealed letter addressed to Thew and signed from an R Bosworth.

When he retrieves a chainlet, Dhukey holds a hand out for it and tracks it as Christian inspects it, finding nothing magical about it. He then gives the letter to Jinx who unbinds Thew and questions him but he has no further ideas on the sender. As Alytrana gets closer to Dhukey he bends down and whispers ‘You’re truth is killing me’ before collapsing to the ground yet again.

At this point Grennick fully enters the basement, closing the hatch after him. Alytrana then reads Thews letter to the group and questions him but he believably denies knowing anything more. Grennick investigates the basement and finds a loose brick. Pulling it out he uncovers an elvish wine bottle filled with blood and tells the group. They then hear footsteps above them and track them as they stop by the hatch.

The familiar voice of Onkith calls out to Alytrana and Jinx quickly smothers her, telling her to shut up before she could speak. After a minute of silence they hear Prince Searl declaring that he doesn’t think she’s there before they leave. Jinx checks that the exit is clear before motioning that they leave the basement. They look around, collecting and scavenging whatever they can before they move on. Alytrana is the last to leave and as she closes the door a hand covers her mouth tightly, pressing a knife into her back as Onkith whispers ‘I knew you were there,’.

#### Session 22

As the group leave the shop, Christian is the first to realise that Alytrana has disappeared so he pulls the group aside. When nobody knows where she has gone they decide to retrace their steps.

They find Dhukey’s letter and Alytranas Lyre aside with no other sign of a scuffle. Jinx picks it up whilst Christian unsuccessfully attempts to reenter the store. He then decides to check around the building along with Grennick and finds drag marks leading away alongside a recent blood trail. The ornate dagger she possessed is stabbed in the ground feet away along with an unknown message. Reece has fat tits.

They continue to follow the trail towards the palace before losing the tracks completely.

Meanwhile, Alytrana wakes up tied to a chair, in a shack right next to the palace. She remembers fighting Onkith but ultimately he got the upper hand and knocked her clean out. Prince Searl and a city guard are the only other people in the room.

Wren takes the chance to leave the grove and head towards the abandoned shack. Whilst inspecting inside he hears a floorboard creak directly behind him but finds nothing until he goes outside wherein Haryk Faxador appears to be investigating. Wren calls out to him, causing him to don a question mark mask, pull out a curved dagger and start approaching menacingly.

In the meantime the group searching for Alytrana have been waiting and scoping the area. They see mask-donned guards replacing the regular city guard which gives them the idea of dressing Jinx in the same clothes so he can sneak in.

In the hut, Alytrana provokes the guard into telling her what he wants with her and gets confused when he offers a deal. They want her to kill Jinx in exchange for information they have on her sister Shine from the government of Starrville. The alternative option is to be executed for a meaningless crime. They explain that Jinx is disturbed and troubled by addiction so killing him would almost be seen as merciful but that they would deal with the disposal of the body themselves should the job be completed. Alytrana asks for proof of what they know and they disclose information previously unknown to anyone outside Starrville, and when she asks of Jinx’s past they believably tell her that he hasn’t been honest in what he knows. She agrees to the deal and they tell her it must be done by the end of the week.

She insists on knowing the guards name but all he replies with is ‘It’s hard to find a ghost’ before snapping his fingers and revealing his true identity as Cardon.

They let her go and as she runs Grennick sees her but Jinx runs after her. Prince Searl and Cardon exit and head towards where Grennick and Christian are hovering so they quickly hide, overhearing their conversation in the process in which Searl tells the guard that he ‘should stop pretending to be a dead man, dear brother.’.

When Jinx catches up to Alytrana she hurriedly tells him of her escape, unknowingly being heard by Wren and Haryk who offers him a mask with the utterance ‘Join Us’. He dons it.

Jinx catches the familiar scent of a mushroom and is sent into a flashback in which a captor by the name of Trent Monroe repeatedly beat him until he brewed more potions. Once firmly back in reality he picks it up and shrugs off Alytranas concern.

Meanwhile Haryk hands Wren a gutting knife, motioning towards their disturbance but as soon as he reaches for it, Haryk flips him with the knife to his throat. At this point he asks what he wants and Haryk replies with ‘The Truth’ before disappearing.

Grennick, Thew and Christian go to investigate the hut in which Alytrana was taken, up until Thew falls, drastically breaking his leg as he crumbles under the weight of Dhukey. Christian and Grennick make the joint choice to leave them both behind when an old passerby starts causing issues and Guards arrive on scene. As they escape Grennick tells Christian of his suspicions regarding Alytrana.

Jinx and Alytrana stumble upon Wren in his mask then question him on what he told the guards during his imprisonment. He mentions Jinx killing Dan which starts an intense discussion for Alytrana and the detailing of everything Jinx had been hiding. Afterwards she questions Wren on Haryk and the events in his imprisonment, eventually leading to her asking Jinx to keep watch as she deepens conversation.

Christian and Grennick finally reach the group just in time to catch Jinx up on everything that had happened. Alytrana and Wren then compare stories with Grennick in the room and as he goes to leave, is flung back to the wall with Wren as a familiar councilman stands in the doorway looking right at Alytrana as he spits ‘How did you fuck it all up?’

#### Session 23

Alytrana and the councilman have an intense conversation wherein he shares his frustrations on their lack of progress including how he now doubts them entirely as Kleuknard has fallen. He says the answer is right beneath their feet and berates her for even considering killing Jinx in the deal. He then states that he can fix Dhukey at a cost and how a member of their group has fallen to bandits. Alytrana needs to lead the resistance to reclaim homes and if any answers are needed then Haryk Faxador would be the best to go to. 6 hooded figures appear, and the councilman gives her a riddle to set her on her way before they all disappear.

Alytrana explains to Grennick and Wren what she knows and what the group have been doing officially to get to this point, before discussing Wren's interaction with Haryk to no avail on information as Grennick starts tearing up floorboards.

Meanwhile Jinx is given a strange leaflet by a child outside, advertising a village get together and inviting them to the main square. Telling them to bring friends.

Catching up with Thew finds him in a ditch wherein the same child turns up, curious as to his state but still giving him the leaflet. He recognises the icosphere as a sign of independence.

Alytrana and Wren continue to converse on what the council member said and Prago events before they tell her they left Wren and Dhukey behind. The conversation turns heated and Alytrana ends up sending Grennick to go find Christian before she discusses the deals that she and Wren made. He labels Thew as very untrustworthy and begins to explain why.

In the interim, Grennick finds Christian and they decide to go track down Thew and Dhukey. They find the same flyer plastered everywhere with some unintelligible text so in an effort to understand it Christian asks a passerby for salt. He complies before discussing recipes with Christian and revealing the town delicacy as dwarf meat. He then states how the mayor ordered the eating of a muscly dwarf that had come through town recently and how Onkith had killed him.

He asks Christian if he was aware of any dwarves nearby as they need one for tonight and he discloses Grennick. He calls out but Grennick doesn't respond so he tells the passerby to go find him before knocking him out with a firebolt and robbing him.

Suddenly Thew miraculously turns up with a fake limp, proclaiming how Dhukey ran away. After keeping watch briefly as they dispose of the body,  they ask about his leg and he tells them of the priest healing him. They decide to test the healing with some brutal kicks before they all head towards the shack.

Alytrana and Wren are discussing Thew in detail after having paid him for his time, and he tells her everything of what he knows of his missing time. Jinx briefly asks for an update but after telling him the bare minimum, Alytrana promises more later, instead opting to pull Thew aside for a chat as he arrives.

She attempts to question Thew on the proceedings between his last sighting to current events and when she tries to go back further, the conversation gets fully heated and he ends up pushing Alytrana to the ground as she gets into his space.

He openly blames her for the group deaths so she gets riled, rushes him and gets knocked out immediately. He then deeply insults the group and leaves to go sort Dhukey himself, as Jinx attempts to help Alytrana wake. Christian goes with him whilst Grennick and Wren stay behind to offer their services. Jinx finally tells Alytrana of the village party, suggesting it as a starting place for where Thew is heading.

#### Session 24

After Thew’s dramatic departure, Chris catches up to him to ask of his plan and then decides to join him as they head towards the town centre. They argue for a brief minute, Thew venting his frustrations at the group and drawing the attention of a nearby city guard who begins to question them. Thew states that he’s trying to find an old friend by the name of Onkith but the guard begins to get suspicious, passing his attention onto Christian who he definitely recognises but he successfully plays it off as a big misunderstanding. The guard leaves and they head towards the tavern.

Meanwhile the group, having lost Thew and Christian pretty much immediately decide to start following leads, heading simultaneously to the tavern as well after some brief attempts at disguises.

Once Thew and Christian arrive, they see the entire building being emptied out and led by none other than Ugnut the muscular dwarf. He questions them suspiciously on their intentions but they deny knowing him and eventually buy tickets for the village event. Christian claims that Ugnut seems different but he dodges answering. Thew then asks about Onkith who hasn’t been seen in 3 weeks whilst Ugnut switches to asking about Wren after dropping that he does know them after all. Lastly, after refusing to tell them who the special guest is, he takes his leave.

Thew and Christian take a moment to investigate the hatch and the well.

Whilst passing behind the magic guild Alytrana notices movement inside but being unable to get in, they move onto the tavern, meeting up with Thew and Christian. They talk about next options before being interrupted by an energetic young elf who sells the remaining group tickets as well before disappearing.

They take a moment to allow Christian to use ‘Comprehend Languages’ and decipher a note they found, written from an M Runeshine. They also find that Dhukeys note has been scribbled out with a simple message, ‘You have killed me’.

The group figures a plan to go to the prison for gear, the statue on the edge of town and then back in time for the party.

Once at the prison, Grennick and Christian head in via the grate and after a few unsuccessful attempts have to concede defeat on getting back their gear and head to the group. At this point Thew pipes up, telling them to go to the tavern and he’d get all their gear. Suspiciously they do so and eventually he comes back to them.

They head towards the statue next and upon getting there, Grennick reads the inscription as a memorial for the war of Yila. He then fills up the vial that Wren had previously removed from it and when inserted, it drains and sends an orange orb towards town where it disappears. Christian then casts detect magic on the statue, finding that it originates from the School of Vespa.

Concerned for what they’d done, they all head back towards town to find 3 chairs set up on the stage. They wait for a few hours, witnessing the magic guild that is now open and a string of events involving guards setting up masked individuals into the seats on the stage and eventually the appearance of Dhukey who begins a speech.

He directly speaks to Prince Searl, asking him to make himself known so they can deal with the issues honourably before revealing masked figure number one as Cardon and threatening to kill him if he doesn’t comply. Thew Whitlock walks out before being arrested and dragged away. The last figure is then revealed as the real Thew Whitlock, bound and tied. Dhukey proclaims that the time has come to fight and charge Occam’s Razor before dragging him away into the mages guild and onto a blood altar, the orb from earlier hanging below.

At 2:45 Dhukey proclaims ‘At 3, We will place Occam’s Razor onto its pedestal and take back my home’.

#### Session 25

The session begins with Thew trapped on stage between 2 guards, Dhukey and Searl. Jinx attempts to cast his cantrip message to try to communicate with him but instead it becomes a visual orange that cracks and shatters before it becomes close. Searl then crouches down beside Thew, helping the pain of his broken leg and whispering something before allowing him to leave.

Thew returns to the group, food and drink in hand which they avidly warn him not to consume after mildly questioning him on what was happening. He knew no more than them so they continue to talk until a heated argument between Dhukey and Searl breaks out. Searl quickly departs angrily as a guard runs in, whispering something that makes Dhukey sit quietly in solace. Alytrana and Christian take this moment to try to talk with Dhukey but they are denied on the approach so can only watch as Haryk places something beneath the altar then leaves, locking the door behind him which Alytrana diligently confirms.

Dhukey claims that the time is upon them and for Thew to accept his fate. As the ritual continues it is disturbed by a knock at the door and in walks an old frail elf who simply stands in the middle of the walkway. Dhukey continues, claiming that Thew has offered his body to the  cause and that Occam's razor is the cause of his friend's trauma. He asks Thew to list the names of his friends as Dhukey asks them to make themselves known within the crowd. He proclaims that out of everyone, Thew was the only one to keep him safe and so to name the weakest member of his group.

After a slight deliberation he names Christian who is then invited up onto the stage with them. Dhukey reveals that one of them will die and it is up to the group to choose who. Jinx prompts a brief discussion with Alytrana about being able to trust Thew which she neither agrees with or denies but regardless, Alytrana is the only one to step towards Thew.

Dhukey, disgusted, turns his attention to thanking Thew and Christian for their assistance, claiming the true nature of their so-called friends and asking for the answer to the biggest decision. Helping him or his brother Dhakey that he reveals to be the frail old man. Thew and Christian collectively agree to help him so he proclaims Alytrana as the weakest link and after some blood work into the altar, that she must be the sacrifice and they must kill her.

Christian immediately declines but Dhukey insists with Thew. Asking of his strength and determination in the face of her utter betrayal but his resolve stands and he refuses.

In a change of events Dhukey proclaims how the council was right to trust them and how they are to lead the resistance. How they all have a strength in a certain area and how the people of Kleuknard will inevitably thank them for the sacrifice they are likely to make.

He gives them all a task within the building of the resistance before allowing them to pick a name for their group. They decide on the League of Verity.

Lastly he asks for a personal favour which is to deliver an apology to Searl in the form of an amulet as well as to try and track down his associate Zala Neave who was last known to be around the mines.

They agree and Alytrana takes the moment to give him the letter they received from his parents. Festivities finished, everybody begins to leave as a large legrodine crystal falls through the ceiling. Before the group can make a move to leave, a cloaked figure touches it, morphing into a purple bolted giant who blocks their way.

He slams Jinx into the stage before taking a step towards Thew and Alytrana.

#### Session 26

An intense fight breaks out between the group and the monster. He goes straight for Alytrana, hitting her hard before she can retreat. During which Christian manages to claim Occam’s Razor and step away to try and channel his fire bolt through it. It doesn’t increase his power at all, only acting purely as a conduit to be channelled through. Realising he wasn’t close enough to use it physically he attempts to throw it to Wren before failing disastrously and stabbing his own foot, giving himself Occam’s curse. In retaliation he hits the monster with a firebolt, hitting his eye directly and causing it to explode all over the room.

The monster finally down the group takes a moment to breathe as Thew helps extricate Occam’s Razor from Christians foot. The monster guts splayed on the walls begin to glow, sluggishly moving towards the Legrodine shard. As they try to leave quickly they find the door has somehow become stuck in its frame. Wren desperately tries to get it open as a purple orange mist appears, creating 3 humanoid figures who begin to approach.

Wren succeeds and leaves, Thew helping Chris and Jinx forcefully pulling Alytrana out. Once outside Jinx finally gives Thew his amulet back just in time for the second fight to start.

They all start to attack before one of the figures releases a gaseous effect, making everyone feel drunk bar Alytrana. They  continue and eventually it stops, just in time for Thew to hit a devastating blow with the Razor, immediately killing one of them. He then turns his attention and kills the second one as it begins to move away with a hearty stab.

With 1 left they all continuously hit for damage until it turns, hitting Alytrana with a devastating dual dagger attack and knocking her out of the fight and consciousness. The group continues until Wren gets a lasting attack hitting it in the shoulder and following it through to its head. It dies going back to the boneless blob it has come from.

Now that the fight seems to have ended they turn their attention to the dying Alytrana. Wren tries to stabilise her, poking her wounds leading to an unsuccessful attempt which Grennick immediately follows with a bonk to Wren’s head.

Thew takes over successfully, leaving Alytrana as hurt but alive as he stabilises her correctly.

#### Session 27

In the aftermath of the fight, as the scattered blobs slowly dragged themselves back together into a semi humanoid shape, the group tried to brainstorm a plan. Alytrana suggests shattering the original shard with Occam’s Razor so with Thew in tow she tries. Nothing happens so she turns her attention to stabbing the blob. Again nothing happens.

At this point Christian casts Ray of Frost which sinks into it but freezes in place, inactive. Alytrana makes the gut decision to strike across the blob and the ray, consequently creating a mass power filled explosion which throws everybody back and levels everything in a 20ft radius.

As the dust clears, the group find Alytrana and Christian fully knocked out and Thew trapped under what is left of the magic guild. Wren runs to aid Thew whilst Grennick stays behind to try and stabilise Alytrana. Jinx stabilises Christian perfectly.

Once Wren unearths Thew he sees just how messed up he is with both his right arm and lower leg missing. He performs emergency care, during which he wakes up but shortly slumps again after a brief questioning of what happened. Grennick, having been unsuccessful with Alytrana, joins in Wren’s attempts and collectively they drag Thew from the site, straight towards the temple.

Christian stabilises Alytrana and as she wakes they are all hit with the sudden devastation of what occurred. They all follow through to the temple where they reside for hours and days aside from Grennick who disappears. Thew’s condition steadily weakens and strengthens as the days go on, a divine miracle occurs as he gets slowly better though slowly turning purple.

Eventually he opens his eyes, gaining more strength until he starts fully stabilising and remembering events before the blast of the night. Grennick returns to the group having fashioned Thew some prosthetics, slowly teaching him how to use them and essentially live without 2 of his limbs.

Though heavily scarred, he has survived and lives to see another day as they all eventually leave the temple, laying eyes on the waste that exists following the blast. It is an overwhelming experience as they immediately see both guilds fully demolished and the town eerily quiet. They discuss next steps.

#### **Session 28**

The group decide to head towards the palace as the only building closeby that is still semi standing. Jinx is the first to climb the decimated stairs, immediately slipping back down to the bottom. Wren on the other hand rapidly scales them, making it to the top though causing the top half to crumble away. Alytrana is the next to try and after a run and jump, Wren catches her, successfully pulling her up.

Grennick recognises his plight and so Wren fashions the basket into a temporary pulley for him. This is when Grennick recognises his absolute phobia of heights and ends up projectile vomiting directly onto Thew who happened to be helping JInx up onto his feet. He reaches the top and Alytrana immediately begins attending him.

Meanwhile Jinx attempts again, getting halfway up and falling an even further distance than before. Wren throws the rope down to Thew who attempts to tie it before being pulled up but he falls back down. Christian then tries to tie him but again, it falls through this time leaving his prosthetic dangling in the wind as it pops from his arm. Christian uses the moment to grab onto it and allow Wren to pull him up. Jinx uses his broom and Thew, third time lucky, ties the rope one handed and gets pulled up by the ever patient Wren.

Now that everybody is up Alytrana knocks on the doors, only to have no reply. Jinx picks the lock and they enter aside from Thew and Grennick who vote to wait outside until they are finished. The group headed up to the top of the stairs, finding a throne with nothing but a couple of keys sat upon it. Seeing 2 doors behind the throne Alytrana takes the keys and tries the right door, successfully opening it and finding what appears to be Searle’s chambers. She sees a display cabinet filled with rare, priceless weapons and a diary on the desk.

Picking up the diary she reads it and finds out about Searles upbringing including how he came into power and the most recent issues. She also finds out that they had been on his radar ever since coming into town or the nearby port. Having found everything that she could, she opts to bring Wren into the room for some assistance with examining the weapons whilst Christian aims to keep the ever light fingered Jinx from the room.

She opens the cabinet and he picks up a solid gold dagger which he resonates with as a powerful focus and force of power. A feeling that Alytrana doesn’t share when he hands it to her. He then inspects an arrow of unknown metal that is perfectly balanced beyond normal parameters. Christian offers to help with identifying through magic which they agree to. Jinx takes this moment to break in but his efforts are immediately thwarted by Wren. Christian finds out that it's a powerful focus with an unknown spell effect ingrained into it. It also originates from the same magic that the statue did.

They decide that Grennick would be perfect to find out more so they lock up the room as Alytrana heads to fetch him. Christian takes the time to sit on the throne, dislodging a leather ruffle and finding an inscription presumably left to Searle from the previous king.

Alytrana tells Thew and Grennick about finding the diary and Searle’s knowledge of their arrival into Rawell Isles before saying that they need help identifying some weapons. He agrees and they head back up.

#### **Session 29**

Alytrana briefly catches Grennick up on the contents of the diary and the weapons as he witnesses an orange lightning spectacle happening above them. They hear the sounds of a horse drawn carriage approaching and quickly get inside.

She gives him the keys to the room and he goes to inspect said weapons. He doesn’t find anything new though he does find that the throne is made from dwarven blackstone.

As they return to Alytrana, a guard walks in. She tries to blag a reason for their presence but the guard makes them stand against the wall instead. Grennick tells him of the extra people upstairs calling out to them. Wren is brought down and after a few minutes back and forth between him and Grennick and no sign of Jinx, the guard snaps, threatening to slit Alytranas throat if he doesn’t comply and come out. He does and collectively the group continue to spew nonsense in the hope of avoiding jail and any questions that the guards are asking of them.

Eventually he makes the decision to fully split the group up for further intense questioning but just before, Prince Searl makes an entrance and Alytrana gives him both the pendant and message from Dhukey. Nothing is said and they are separated with Thew being taken to the interrogation chamber first.

He’s questioned on being the leader of the League of Verity as well as how they gained possession of the pendant that had been missing for 4 months. He doesn't believe Thew’s explanations and so turns his attention to his paladin status and the fact he doesn’t have a deity which Thew can’t fight.

The interrogation very quickly turns into Occam’s Razor and who was primarily responsible for the blast. He claims amnesia, ultimately protecting the truth but ends with him on the torture rack.

Jinx is next to be brought in but proves to be mightily infuriating for the guard as he blags smartass answers and questions upon questions. He does mention Dhukey having a separate agenda but gives no more to the angered guard. He’s then accused of stealing the pendant and keys purely because he’s a rogue but he denies finding any value and after telling him to go ask Dhukey, is too put on the rack.

Wren is next. He takes a philosophical approach to his answers and suggests that he doesn’t even belong to the group before going on a rant about unfair employers and lack of pay. He name-drops Grennick which the guard focuses down on, suggesting that both him and Grennick lead a life of organised crime and infiltration. Wren denies it, instead getting pedantic on the term ‘breaking and entering’ which the guard keeps accusing him of. The guard then asks who took the pendant and instead of a straight denial, he answers with ‘One of us or in general?’.

The guard now assumes it was stolen after all and after a 20 second warning of which to answer him, the group are brought out for instant execution.

As they are kneeling before Occam the guard explains Wren’s hiccup and gives a final chance to the group to admit to the crime in which they’ve been accused. He immediately dismisses Alytrana for being a female and not capable and turns his attention to Grennick. He explains all the events leading up to now, further confusing the guard as Alytrana joins in to help explain the events of the night.

Instead of the execution, they are banished from Prago indefinitely, never to return. They are told about Dhukey leaving town and how he was apparently a fraud who never should have had power. They are also given a warning stating that the more you work with him, the more you fall into his web of lies. They are then kicked out.

The now depressed group decide the next best option is to follow in Dhukeys footsteps and head towards him for answers. Not before they head to the mines though to try track down Zala Neave which was the job that he sent them off on before the explosion. On the way they finally fully catch up on the explosion events and what exactly happened. Christian checks his foot to find it fully rotten.

They are distracted by a scream and sounds of an argument in front of them so they move towards it, finding a transport carriage surrounded by dead people and what looks to be a highway gang surrounding the last survivor who we find out later to be Zala Neave.

Wren and Jinx attempt to sneak into the situation as the rest of the group face it head on.

A long fight breaks out with Alytrana going down first to a fire bolt before Thew saves her. Christian, Jinx and eventually Thew also go down as it continues.

#### **Session 30**

As the fight with the bandits continues, the group struggle on with multiple hard hits taken on both sides and eventually an intense climax between Grennick, Jinx and the Bandit Captain. During which Jinx manages to give Thew a healing potion, subsequently turning the tide as Wren is then brought back in. Jinx subsequently gets the last hit as the bandits are defeated.

Once the dust has settled, the group begin to collect themselves, those that are unconscious beginning to rouse apart from Grennick who lies cold and still. Zala out of nowhere appears by his side, grabbing his hand and reciting an incantation, miraculously bringing him back to life as he slumps, cold and dead in his place. Zala Neaves sacrifice saves Grennick from certain death.

Some of the group are beyond emotional at what could have been as they take a short rest, Alytrana playing a song of rest and healing the group. After Alytrana talks about burying Zala she finds a journal on him with direct instructions on what they were doing. She finds out that they were on their way with a carriage full of weaponry to Kleuknards Mines in order to wipe out the guard and stop Dhakey from being able to harvest the copper.

She tells the group then divides the weaponry between the group in turn. They also find armour, rations and a shield which is given to Thew. Once finished, Grennick suggests completing the trip using the horse and carriage but they find that the horse had been seriously hurt.

Alytrana and Thew try to fix it but eventually it is Alytrana that makes the wound worse, essentially causing the horse to go lame. As a method of mercy she kills it. Wren reads a death right as Christian harvests it for meat. They settle in for a long rest overnight.

#### **Session 31**

The group starts the next day by cooking up horse steaks as they prepare to move on. Grennick makes a wheeled stretcher to help keep Zala with them and they head to the mines.

On arrival Jinx scouts the area whilst Alytrana catches the group up on the relevance of the area. Finding no sign of anything, the group checks the camp and as they do it starts to rain, creating a sludgy mess that the group are walking through.

Eventually they all move towards the original cave with a cautious warning about possible cave-ins from Grennick and leaving Zala at the opening. Upon entering they hear a distinct elven working song that Alytrana recognises so they send Jinx ahead to scout.

He ends up being a little too clumsy and upon breaching the corner gets suckerpunched to the ground by the miner. Gren and Wren begin to help whilst Chris works on understanding what is being furiously shouted. The miner picks up Jinx and threatens him with a dagger as Chris persuades him that they’re working with Dhakey. It isn’t until Thew presents his amulet though that the miner salutes, avidly focused, returning to his work once it is dropped as if nothing ever happened.

Jinx takes the moment to start investigating and taking some gems that have been stockpiled nearby whilst Grennick takes this moment to move by the miner and inspect the cell in which the group started all that time ago. Alytrana follows and they find a stick on the ground. She begins to pull the shaft but they feel a heavy thud resonate through them. More voices can be heard approaching and resonating around them from the supposed dead end.

They both hide in the cage room along with Chris and Thew as they see the rock wall lowering and 7 crimson robed elves passing them by. As they head towards Wren and Jinx they instinctively hide in a bedroll and mine cart respectively.

The newcomers drill the miner on his progress mining copper and after receiving mumble jumble in return, the sorcerer among them recites an incantation, clearing the miners judgement and lucidity.

They then turn their intention to the pile of gems that used to exist and upon finding them gone question the miner but all he can say is that it must’ve been the mine people. They get angry then leave, returning to the room where they came from.

The miner gets mad, attacking his surroundings before returning to his job with a new strength. Wren comes out of hiding and finds Jinx trapped in the minecart he’d hidden in so using the sound of the mining as cover, helps him get out. The miner then leaves in a furious rage.

As the group reconvene, Chris explains how the elves were angry at some missing gems and all eyes turn to Jinx. Grennick asks to see them but Jinx is heavily reluctant so Alytrana manhandles the bag from him and gives him the largest one.

He finds that it’s actually a rare material called Feroitannate which is highly valuable so he asks for the rest. Jinx refuses outright so Alytrana conducts a deal, allowing him to keep one as Grennick claims the rest.

As Chris moves to the cave entrance and creates a mental trip, the group return to the cell, this time Alytrana fully pulls the lever and reveals a room that houses a teleport and 4 pedestals.

They enter as Chris returns and casts identify, revealing more about the teleport right as it activates, an orange bead getting brighter as voices get louder.

#### **Session 32**

As the portal continues to form, the group all aim to hide in the cage room. They collectively witness people exit and upon seeing the rock door open, draw weapons. They pass them by, heading for the miner and dragging him into the portal room from outside. They then proceed to ruthlessly beat him and watch as multiple gems fall from him.

After a moment one of them orders for him to be put into the cage room. Everybody apart from Wren unsuccessfully hides, and is seen as soon as he steps foot inside.

Alytrana immediately attempts to blag a reason for them being there, stating  that they were exploring and stumbled upon the cave but she isn’t believed so Jinx takes over, claiming that they were heading to Prago but that they aren’t traitors to the cause.

He’s believed but after a second of questioning, the guard recognises Alytrana and Thew, leading to them explaining how they’d stayed a couple nights in the local tavern. He makes them all get into the same cage for their protection aside from Thew as they continue to talk about the unknown explosion. Thew finds himself being pushed back towards the wall by an unknown force and the guard then proceeds to recite an incantation, turning Thew completely purple and immobile.

Afterwards as the guard is leaving Alytrana accidentally drops into conversation ‘For the Glory of Kleuknard’ and in panic she feigns stupidity, placing Christian as the leader of the group. He states not knowing what she means so eventually turns the conversation towards the guard.

HIs name is Dhakey and as he continues to question Alytrana on family, she believably feigns complete ignorance. He leaves, sealing the rock back off.

Jinx approaches a very confused Thew as Christian suggests checking Dhukeys Diary. Alytrana opens it and upon seeing fully inked pages, passes it to Christian who writes in it. They receive a response and a riddle and a poem.

Reece our chump has quite a natural protection,

When he's struck, it gives quite the deflection,

With haste upon his chubby face,

There is nothing he won't taste,

A belly grumble here and there,

Reece is now hungry as he begins his stare.

A booty jiggle so very thick, Makes any observers finish quick,

He says he has a special trick, Yet everyone thinks, he's just a prick

Attemping to not corner camp, He runs around and behind a ramp,

Yet soon he feels very sick,

Reece now looks like quie a mick.

Love From Reece is so nice to feel,

He runs on over jiggling like a seal,

He simply scoures the land looking for his next meal,

Hoping this one for his heart, will be able to heal.

They are to solve this before the book spontaneously combusts. As a group they discuss before coming to the conclusion of having to blow up the cave. Grennick inspects the cave beforehand though and finds a dwarven doorway that recites a recipe for a potion of unknown ingredients that grants power to its taker.

Having an unknown ingredient they decide against making it for now and proceed to blow up the cave. Grennick takes the last few bits he can as the group investigates the portal. Finding nothing, they all leave with the miner, aside from Grennick who gives his cannon some parting words of encouragement.

As they get outside and move away, Thew proceeds to ask Alytrana of her backstory which she half gives in reply as they also ask Thew of his.

They then collectively decide to head to Yela via Kleuknard with Jinx acting as a scout.

#### Session 34

At the inn, everybody settles in for the night before planning to head off to Prago in the early morning. They collectively decide to send Wren to infiltrate the barracks but before they leave a boy with black eyes walks in, discussing his prediction of something big coming with Grutnir.

Wren approaches and whilst originally greeted with suspicion, the boy named Druick eventually opens up, telling him of his dad who is a guard for Prago under the name Geurus. After a brief explanation on his attack and a question as to the whereabouts of Haryk he leaves with a promise to get his dad to look out for Wren.

The group go to sleep aside from Thew who investigates a storage room that has caught his eye. After a time he finds a keyhole and gains the help of Jinx to open it. Once open, a hidden door pops open and they find a planning room filled with maps, plans and vulnerabilities of Prago. They take all of the resistance information and leave.

Christian, Thew and Jinx wake first in the morning, leaving for Prago and Wren to his mission. During the walk Thew shows Chris everything they’d found. They reach a clearing outside the gates and set in to wait. It isn’t long before a small collective shows up with Shadow, Alytrana and Grennick in tow.

Shadow speaks of his plan to split the League and his collective, with one heading to the sewers and one to a preset weaker section of the wall. Christian agrees on the group's behalf to take the sewers then wait for the wall distraction before entering the grounds. They head to the sewers.

Meanwhile Wren is arriving at the teaching class at the barracks. After checking in he finds out he’s been put with Geurus, a master in unarmed combat as well as a well respected monk. Once training begins he goes through various methods before demonstrating a winding blow. Wren takes in all the information he can.

Back in the sewers, they reach the final grate, hear the explosion then leave. After a brief surveyal, they plan on luring guards towards them one by one in order to dispatch them quickly. Grennick lures the first one but at the penultimate moment sneezes leading to Jinx getting the first sneak attack. He gets a retaliating blow but eventually Grennick hits him with Ray of Frost, instantly crystallising him, killing him in the process as 2 more round the corner.

Grennick brings out a higher firepower with his eldritch cannon as the group engage in a clash. It's tense but eventually Jinx kills the knight in a scene of gore as he rips out his stomach and Gren burns the other to a crisp.

Wren on the other hand sneaks into the castle grounds alongside 2 guards and after some confusion, rejoins the group. He immediately briefs the group on the guards positioning. They initially decide that the best course of action is to kill the 2 guards still guarding the castle but after a failed attempt at an AOE spell by Christian they retract that plan, instead skirting the walls towards the palace.

Alytrana suggests luring the furthest guard away but before anything can be done, he sees Thew. Christian casts Missile, and the group prepares for another battle. Thew goes down quickly but Alytrana brings him back as Jinx engages a guard and Grennick sends his cannon at another. Christian is the first to kill with a well aimed firebolt to his jugular.

Cardon takes this moment to join the battle, flying in from the mansion and casting fireball that hits friend and foe, downing both Alytrana and Thew in one hit before retreating. Wren goes to their aid, continually failing to stabilise Alytrana before giving up and rejoining the fight. Christian prepares to take on Cardon as Grennick takes his chance, healing Thew as Wren kills another guard. Thew heals Alytrana, retreating straight after.

More blows are hit, Cardon nowhere to be seen before he reappears attacking Grennick with a firebolt before hitting Alytrana once again who resists his spell but the damage puts her on the ground yet again. Meanwhile one of the guards gets a lucky hit on Grennicks cannon (who he has since named Clarence), destroying it. Wren uses Giants Might and takes out yet another guard with a swing through his skull.

Thew takes this moment to revive Alytrana to full health. With Cardon still in the vicinity, Jinx throws the mystery potion coating both him and Alytrana as Chris hits him with a well placed Magic Missile. He retaliates with a firebolt, downing Thew, Jinx and Alytrana (yet again) before disappearing.

Meanwhile Prince Searle and Dhukey have waded through their battle and stormed the palace. Searle is artfully attacking the knights out front whilst Dhukey and Dhakey clash on the roof.

Wren stabilises Alytrana successfully this time whilst Chris fails with Thew. Cardon furiously sends a purple wave through Chris and Thew, causing Chris to join those down on the ground now.

Wren, surrounded by his dying friends, uses his Second Wind to reach Searle and beg for help with Cardon as he enters the palace. Sprinting to the roof in time to see the intense battle reach its penultimate end.

Dhukey casts a complicated spell, sending Dhakey back and impaling himself as Cardon is knocked from the sky. Wren runs to Dhukeys aid but it is too late. His last words beg for Wren to ‘Tell my son I love him. Help him ascend and take my place. Searle had a better father than I could have ever been.’ as he takes his final breath. He checks Dhukeys sword, finding it purple ingrained before resheathing it.

Wren returns to the group who have all been healed by Searle. He states the news that his father had vanquished and after some confusion and explaining of who Dhukey really was, he begs Alytrana and Thew to heal him but they sympathetically refuse, knowing that it was simply too late.

Wren tells him of how his last wish was for him to ascend the throne and so suggests not to mourn him but instead do as the wish commands. Searle leaves to have a final private moment alone with what remains of Dhukey.

Shadow leaves the castle, looking over the group and offering thanks to the League of Verity on behalf of the council.

He states to Alytrana that Shine is alive and well and whilst he can’t impart more information than that, they will be reunited one day.

To Jinx he declares the connection with his friends to be stronger than any he’s ever had so as to keep them close.

To Thew he proclaims how much he has grown as a fighter since a fateful choice was made and that he’s made strong connections with a group who are more than trustworthy.

To Christian he simply wishes a hope that he finds his past and as such his name.

To Grennick he speaks on how his adventures haven’t been easy and whilst he doesn’t pay well Wren would never give up his protection. He pushes on that he should work on furthering his knowledge as a creator.

Finally to Wren he hopes that he can move past what is simply a backstory and protect Grennick forevermore.

He ends with a proclamation on the hard choices they’ve made and a sincere apology for those they have lost along the way. He leaves through a portal with a final thank you and farewell leaving pure silence in his wake.

The group allows the silence to consume them as they each sit in their respective thoughts.

They slowly reconvene with the presence as Wren states ‘We Fought with Honour’ and they all decide to head to the inn for a well earned rest.

***End of Act 1***