Session0051

Episode 0051 - Face The Inevitable
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**Setting:**

Nimbia - June 6th, 211 AW
**Synopsis:**

* After regrouping, the party sneaks aboard Kamm's airship, frees the prisoners, and ambushes the Kameshimans.
* The party defeats the Kameshimans, including Kamm. When Kamm is knocked out, it is revealed that they have actually been a polymorphed magikobold all along, as they revert back into their original form.
* XVIII reads the transformed Kamm's thoughts, and learns about their history.
* With Kamm defeated and Nimbia freed from the Kameshimans, the party spends the rest of the day resting, regrouping, and taking advantage of an inn that offers magical dreams.

## June 6th

Having defeated the air elementals protecting the nexus, the party briefly regroups to strategize. The rescued druids heal the party, as Jack uses the Chaos Core to dampen the elemental magic of the nexus, thereby weakening all the remaining elementals nearby. He also notes signs that Material Chaos has been accumulating around the nexus, but has been harvested.

In the distance, the party spots Kamm's airship, which is seemingly turning to leave Nimbia. After some discussion, the party decides to pursue the airship. The druids cast a *wind walk* spell on the party, and some of them accompany the party to help the captured Nimbian prisoners escape.

Under cover of the *wind walk* spell, the party flies to the ship, and successfully sneaks into the belly of the ship through a porthole. Within, they find an arcane engine being powered by Material Chaos. They locate the ship's brig, finding it guarded by a pair of Kameshiman guards. After coming out of the *wind walk* effect, the party quickly and stealthily dispatches the guards, and releases the prisoners - King Cumulo, Queen Gusty, and Archdruid Garro - from the brig. They recognize that Archdruid Garro, like the druids at the nexus, is under the effect of a *geas* spell, which they successfully dispel.

As the party briefly speaks with the prisoners, Louche, Odell, and Malkoth take a look at the ship's engine. They glean that it takes about 500gp worth of Material Chaos to power the airship for 8 hours of travel, and that it is in danger of overheating if it travels for too long. They also find the stamp of The Architect on the engine.

The party discusses whether they should flee the ship undetected while they still can, or if they should try to face down Kamm and try to take the airship. After some discussion, they decide to ambush the Kameshimans and face Kamm. The druids from the nexus depart with King Cumulo and Queen Gusty using another *wind walk* spell, while Archdruid Garro remains behind to help the party.

The party sets up their ambush, and rushes the deck of the airship to attack. They battle Kamm and the Kameshimans. During the battle, two of the airship's propellers are badly damaged, and the ship begins to slowly lose altitude. Kamm attempts to convince a few member of the party to betray their allies, warning that the coming of Araumycos is inevitable.

Eventually, the party successfully defeats Kamm, who with their last words assures them that they will meet again. When they are defeated, Kamm transforms into a magikobold, seemingly reverting back to their original form. Observing the transformation, the party recognizes that this magikobold was somehow *true polymorphed* into Kamm, though they note that certain aspects of the spell's normal functionality don't quite add up for what happened here.

The party defeats the rest of the Kameshimans, other than a few magikobolds that escape the battle alive. They knock unconscious the magikobold that had been transformed into Kamm for later questioning. Searching its belongings, they find Kamm's scepter and broom, but not the Abyssal tuning fork from the Luxturrim Obelisk.

Recognizing that the airship is slowly losing altitude due to the damage to the propellers, the party turns the ship back toward Nimbia. Observing the city from the distance as they approach, they note that the remaining Kameshimans that had been left behind in the city are being defeated by the nimbids, who have risen up against them. Some of the remaining Kameshiman forces - about 20 or so - finally surrender, and are taken prisoner by the nimbids. The party also spots Mashumaro amongst the nimbids, having evidently survived his encounter in the palace.

As the airship is approaching Nimbia to land, XVIII casts a *detect thoughts* spell on the unconscious magikobold that was previously Kamm, and begins probing the kobolds memories. They see the kobold being named the next Kamm by Daimao in a ritual ceremony, wherein Daimao gave the kobold Kamm's scepter and broom, and cast a powerful spell upon them, and transforming them into Kamm. The next thing that the magikobold remembers after this ceremony is awakening on the deck of the airship on the battle after reverting back into its original form. Evidently, the kobold has no memories of its time as Kamm.

Probing deeper into the kobold's thoughts, XVIII searches for any information about Domino. They learn that the Domino is of the same order of magikobolds that all aspire to one day be made Kamm, but that the two did not know each other well. Next, XVIII probes for information about the Abyssal tuning fork, but the kobold has no knowledge of it, having lost its memories of its time as Kamm.

XVIII probes further into the events surrounding the kobold's transformation into Kamm. They learn that this kobold was made Kamm about thirty years ago, when the former Kamm orchestrated the attack on the Fable Bearers' Circle that led to the death of Frog's parents at the celebration of his birth. The Kameshimans attacked this celebration without much specific knowledge of its purpose, and the invasion was deemed a failure due to Kamm's failure to kill or apprehend Frog. As punishment for their failure, the former Kamm was brutally and ritualistically killed, and then this kobold was promoted to become the next Kamm. Regarding the process of creating new Kamms, XVIII learns that a new Kamm can be created without needing the old Kamm present - seemingly, "Kamm" exists as their own entity, and retains their awareness and memories over their many iterations. This Kamm is crafted after the "original" Kamm - a figure of Kameshiman legend that was lost in the Gods' War.

Probing into the nature of Daimao's rulership and the Kameshimans' overall plot, XVIII learns that Daimao rules Kameshima with an iron fist, and is worshipped as a god by his subjects, drawing power from their worship and increasing in strength, and promising his subjects that one day demons will inherit the world. Lesser-known by the Kameshimans is the fact that Daimao was once a subservient general of the demon god Araumycos; in fact, Araumycos is not a household name in Kameshima.

After probing through all of these thoughts, XVIII shares their findings with the party. The party binds and restrains the kobold for later questioning.

Arriving in Nimbia, the party is greeted with adoration by the nimbids for rescuing the city. They meet up with King Cumulo and Queen Gusty, who, with Mashumaro's aid, have restrained the Kameshiman prisoners that surrendered and brought them before the gallows. Frog explains to the King and Queen that he is the Star Emissary, that Jack is the conduit, and that they have come to fulfill the Fable of the Thousand Year Door. Regarding the prisoners, Frog suggests that a fair trial and interrogation be held for them rather than executing them on the spot, to which the King and Queen agree, and the prisoners are taken off to be imprisoned.

The party asks Archdruid Garro about the magic painting that was taken from Powderbowl, but Garro says that he doesn't have it, and doesn't know its location. Searching the Kameshiman's belongings and the airship, the party does not find it anywhere.

With Nimbia saved, the city starts to return to its usual business, and the party spends the rest of the day resting and recovering, shopping for magic items, and exploring the city. Meanwhile, Jack and Frog head to the air nexus with the druids to charge the Chaos Core.

Gragnok, mounted on Elnorath, flies down to the mountaintops of the Erdehalt Peaks, and using some divination magic, tracks down the wreckage of one of the constructs that the party battled earlier in the day, recovering a magic item from its remains.

Louche and Odell being studying the airship, and attempting to repair its damaged propellers.

Exploring the city, the party finds an inn called the Dream Inn, whose proprietor explains that he has magical beds that grant visions and other divinatory dreams.

XVIII sleeps in one of these beds, and has a dream of his family at home at Dr. Johann Conrad Dippel's former keep. The dream seems very real, and XVIII deduces that they are scrying on them in real time. While observing them, he sees a knight of the Raven Queen come to their door just as the dream ends.

Malkoth also sleeps in one of the beds, and has dreams about achieving immortality in a way that does not require unethical deeds or the sacrifice of innocent souls. He dreams that the Star Road might be part of the solution for this goal.

Louche sleeps in one of the beds as well, and has dreams about his times spent with Israphel and Mahadi. His dreams grant him the feeling that it may not be possible for the two of them to ever coexist together; despite his affections for both of them, closing the gap between they differences might not be possible, particularly as Mahadi despises Israphel and is disgusted by Louche's friendship with him. His dreams also reveal that Mahadi holds a great deal of secret begrudging and resentment against Louche.

Meanwhile, at the air elemental nexus, Jack stabilizes the nexus and charges the Chaos Core. During this time, Heartsong appears from within Frog to talk to Jack. Heartsong offers to help resurrect Djinni if Jack is able to recover her from Avourel Orion's captivity, by bringing a different Djinni from an alternate universe in to this universe, and merging the two. The two discuss the nature of the Star Road and the multiverse, and Heartsong explains some of the restrictions that apply to his abilities. When asked by Jack, he clarifies that no entity or individual gives the astral spirits orders, they simply follow their role as protectors of the Star Road.

Elsewhere, during the day, Louche receives a *sending* from Israphel, who says that the modifications to his divine titanheart to power the Titan of Sapphrius Bay are nearly complete.

Later in the day, the party reconvenes to discuss their upcoming plans. Louche tells the party about his message from Israphel, and the priority discusses making it a priority to get to Sigil and try to stop Israphel. Louche maintains that he ultimately intends to use the Star Road to leave this universe with Israphel, and Heartsong briefly appears to discuss the ramifications of this plan.

Eventually, the party decides to stay the course and head to Lo'ihi Island next, to charge the Chaos Core at the final elemental nexus, before assisting with the war effort in Kameshima.

While they're talking, Malkoth tells the party about the Dream Inn. He doesn't share the specifics of what he dreamed, but says that it was worth the money. XVIII privately tells Jack about their dream, and asks him what to do. Jack recommends that XVIII find a way to speak with the Raven Queen, perhaps seeking guidance from Gragnok.

After the party's conversation, taking Malkoth's suggestion, Gragnok goes to the Dream Inn and has a magical dream, wherein he dreams of all of the possible avenues ahead of him, and gains some assurance that he should follow his choices.

Shortly thereafter, XVIII finds Gragnok and asks him about contacting the Raven Queen, telling him that they're worried that their family might be in danger after their magical dream. Gragnok suggests that XVIII go somewhere private and pray to the Raven Queen for guidance.

Following Gragnok's advice, XVIII finds somewhere quiet outside the city walls, and prays to the Raven Queen for guidance, asking her what she wants from them and their family. The Raven Queen speaks to XVIII through a raven that alights nearby, and tells XVIII that their fate - and the fate of their family - is death, and that anything else that they attempt to do with their life is merely escapism, and will never bring them peace or satisfaction. The Raven Queen suggests that XVIII should embrace their destiny, insinuating that XVIII should take their own life. XVIII refuses, stating that they will continue to protect their family and themself from the Raven Queen for as long as possible, after which the Raven Queen departs from their presence.

XVIII returns to the party, and asks Malkoth about using his *voyager staff* to teleport to their family and check on them. Malkoth informs them that the staff is out of charges until at least the next Prime Zenith.

Next, XVIII goes to the druids of the Tremella Circle and asks if they can help them get to their family. They say they cannot, but Archdruid Garro does offer to send the party to the Fable Bearers' Sanctum in Mycorrhiza using a *transport via plants* spell.