Forty-Eighth Session - Can I Get a Witness

Session resumes with Max and Ishaq at the Azkaresh Archive, finding out that a lot of the Old Gods’ names were lost and records destroyed by the Crown during the imposition of the Raithir Pantheon. They find out that there were/are Old Gods for different life stages (birth, death etc), natural phenomena and locations (Sarashim for deserts, Cecaeth of the Great Falls etc) and for societal phenomena (the Soldier, or Olain the god of hearth and yeast).

The party reunites and compares notes on their respective investigations, particularly regarding the tunnels running West and Northeast in the catacombs and Leona’s ‘job’ tonight. Markoris calls attention to Leona’s apparent rivalry with Deirdre as well. A plan is made which is NOT A STING OPERATION to stake out the palace gates and observe Leona’s meeting, recruiting Celus as an Official Witness to give them credibility if they have to kill a bunch of Starred Guard.

The palace gates face a city square surrounded by buildings. Ishaq finds the party a good roof to set up on, then Messages Celus to summon him for recruitment. Alana birds up to act as overwatch, Max crouches in an alley with Ishaq and Celus, and the rest of the party sets up on the roof.

After a three hour wait, Leona and her cronies meet. Ishaq turns Max invisible, and he stealths closer to the SGs to listen in on their conversation. He learns they are planning to ambush a merchant outside the South Gate of the city later in the night.

Max reports on this to the rooftop gang and Alana flies off to follow the SGs. Meanwhile, Ishaq asks Celus about Lord Roe. It seems Roe is an almost 800 year old elf of immense wealth, owning a private oasis on his estate to the southeast of Azkaresh. He was alive when Azkaresh was absorbed by Raith and resents the Crown’s dominance, and does not get along with the current Governor.

Celus is briefly dismissed, then re-summoned to keep helping the party with their new plan of thwarting Leona’s ambush. They follow their enemies to the South Gate and Celus gets them waved through. The road ahead is flat and without cover, meaning the Starred Guard will see the party following, so Alana summons some camels to give the party an appearance of being a caravan. Max stealths ahead to follow Leona’s group.

After a while, Celia realizes they haven’t looked behind them in some time, and glances behind to see another caravan leaving the gate. Realizing this is Leona’s likely target, Ishaq proposes offering them protection, and recalls Max to regroup.

The caravan consists of a merchant, two guards, one wagon, and four camels. Ishaq convinces the merchant (Melvin) to join forces with the party and play along for the sake of springing this trap. Up ahead, the three Starred Guard fail to conceal themselves among the rocks, and it is the ambushers who are set to be taken by surprise.

Celia casts Death Ward on Max and Guidance on Markoris. Max, Ishaq, and the two guards ‘scout’ ahead of the party to spring the trap and ensure they can later say that Leona attacked first. When the first enemy caster attacks Max with Magic Missile (10 force damage), it triggers a surprise round and numerous held actions. Ishaq spends a Luck Point to get a better score as everyone ROLLS INITIATIVE.

ROUND ONE

1. E - Magic Missile on Max (10 damage)
2. Ishaq - Fireball lvl 4 on E - 45 damage
3. Celia - Guiding Bolt nat 20 - 25 radiant damage on B -
4. Celus - runs
5. Raul - bowshot, misses
6. Max - runs into melee with C, yells an intimidation check for Leona to surrender
7. Alana - casts Call Lightning, E is dead
8. Guards - n/a
9. Markoris - bowshot, misses
10. B - casts Wall of Ice to surround caravan, cuts off most of party - Celia, Markoris, Raul, merchant surrounded - 20 damage to Raul, 10 to Markoris and Celia, merchant badly injured - B is Leona, runs out of Call Lightning range
11. C - acid splash on Max (misses), teleports 30 ft away

ROUND 2 - no longer surprised

1. Ishaq - Magic Missile on B, 23 force damage
2. Celia - 2nd level Guiding Bolt against the Ice Wall, 21 damage
3. Celus - runs back to caravan, attacks Ice Wall, creates 5 ft hole
4. Raul - escapes ice, dashes forward, bowshot on C, misses
5. Leona/B - casts Prismatic Spray - 37 cold damage to Ishaq, 38 fire damage to Guard 1, who dies - Leona keeps moving away from party, takes cover behind a new rock
6. Max - grapples and shoves C prone - pinned by Max’s shield
7. C - Misty Steps away from Max
8. Alana - Dashes and Misty Steps toward Leona, reaching M16
9. Guard - survivor falls back toward ice to aid employer
10. Markoris - dashes forward, bow attack on C, 7 damage

END OF SESSION with the remaining enemy on the defensive and the third round about to begin.