Usurper Session 29

As the last memory fades, we find ourselves in a grand hall in the presence of the Raven Queen. She is great and terrible to behold. She speaks to us, thanking us for our help and declaring that we shall continue to be her champions against the forces of Orcus. We ask her about the remnants and she says that we must collect all four. The Scales sit on the Peak of Last Resolve, the Diadem is in the trove of the Copper Dragon, and the Cloak sits on the Shoulders of the (K)night of the S(o/u)n. We must retrieve all four and unite them with a starstone in a sacred pool below the light of the full moon. She tells us that we will learn more about the Remnants as our adventures continue, and hints that the key to fixing the mirror lies in the secrets of its creation.

She then promises us power and knowledge to help us on this quest, but for the price of a sacrifice. Ariel, Kava, Dayereth, and Quinn must drink from two chalices. The first is pale and radiant, and will cause us to lose a cherished memory. The second is inky and starred like the night sky and will cause one person to entirely forget the drinker. Ariel goes first and chooses to forget up her memories of the proud stories her family has told her about serving in the War of Thorns; Kava gives up her first memory of family, happiness, and playing with other children after Shamesh rescued her; Dayereth sacrifices the first time his mentor, Thethcule, taught him magic; Quinn forgoes the last happy memory of his friends all together at a spring festival in Canter.

Then, the Raven Queen turns to Ollie and bids him make a different choice. Two doors appear. She informs him that in the past year, all his family but Frarendrar (from the Pathfinder One-shot #2) have died and are now in Pelor’s realm. He must decide whether he wishes to join them for an eternal happy afterlife, or to return to the world of the living as her chosen champion and continue the adventure with the rest of the party. Emotions flash across Ollie’s face, but at the mention of gaining the Raven Queen’s favor, his resolve hardens. The sigil of Pelor tumbles from his hand and shatters on the floor. He will serve her.

The party joins hands and walks through the door of darkness. We tumble through space and time until a familiar scene appears… We are back in Clear Creek, and in the distance a crowd cheers as several figures jump off the side of the canyon. We’re back on the day of the Dusty Dive!

Ariel drags the party into an alley and we discuss what to do. Now that we know GRAM has no legitimate claim in Clear Creek, we decide we have to steal the papers from President Hillseeker’s office, and that today is the day to do it since most of the lawkeepers will be busy with the festival. There is the added complication that Ariel is now stuck in her genasi form and is afraid of what people’s reaction to her might be, but she throws on a cloak, ties a bandana across her face, and tries her best not to look suspicious. We enlist the help of Dallas (who is extremely dismayed with Ariel, LOL) and his crew and concoct a plan from Dayereth’s idea to draw Hillseeker away from his office by starting a whisper campaign that GRAM will forgive far more of the town’s debt this year after the Dusty Dive. When we see Hillseeker leave the compound to make a speech addressing these rumors, Ollie tries to lock pick our way in but is caught by a guard. When talking his way out of the situation doesn’t work, Ollie without hesitation stabs him in the back, killing him, and dumps his body into the canyon. A bit of an ominous start to our heist, but we’ll have to see how it goes next week...