Session 35 2014-03-31

300XP each making 125500XP Total for each Party Member - Level 11 (next level 145,000)

Combat Retrospective

Tharin wants to review the battle, saying that the fight could have gone worse, but could have gone better.

Landra volunteers "I especially liked the bit where I was dropped amongst the enemy and then abandoned there."

Kael mentions that he tried to bring her back but she refused the offer.

Essentially it boils down to Tharin suggesting that they should be careful not to take unnecessary risks for strangers. Kael explains that he feels that they are more able to take a hit and that his upbringing in the temple of Thor by Tristopher taught him that protecting those less powerful than him is very important. He doesn't apologise for trying to save as many sailors as possible, but he does apologise for not explaining his plans more clearly.

Tharin and Landra both admit that they saved more than they thought they would, and Tharin apologises for taking time to get properly involved. He also asks Kael why he didn't summon Binky sooner. Kael explains that Binky is really more of an offensive role, not so defensive. Perhaps that could be changed, with sufficient time to prepare.

He was concerned with their haste to join combat, to which Landra responds that she was concerned by Tharin's haste to leave combat, both in general and this time in particular. Tharin explains that he was dominated mentally by the Aboleth, and Landra responds with skepticism, commenting that it is a convenient excuse. Tharin explains that he tries to help where he can but values his own life and will help from the rear where possible.

Tharin gives Landra some advise about keeping her newly-translucent skin (where the Aboleth lashed at her arm) moist, as he believes it will dry very quickly and could prove fatal if ignored. While they discuss healing options they realize that they are not in possession of a wand of healing for the first time in a while, however Munt interjects, providing a wand of Cure Moderate Wounds with an unknown number of charges left on it.

Stanley: Mushroom No More

Tharin recalled that he sent Stanley running to tell Munt to bring the The Magnitude closer to Darius' ship, at which point he realized that Stanley had no idea about the sub-orbital or Munt.

Tharin decides it is time to address this and goes in search of Stanley, finding him clinging to a wall below-decks close to the double-doors which mask the hatch into the sub-orbital; it appears that this is as far as he got when L-One and Munt finally heard his calls and responded with a drop in altitude. Tharin tells Stanley about the ship, opening the doors to reveal the hatch.

The combination of Tharin's threats to kill Stanley if the tells anyone (quickly retracted "I'm joking of course, but seriously don't tell anyone about this"), the revelation of the way they came upon the sub-orbital and the general strangeness of the conversation leave Stanley appearing rather shaken, but with a clear understanding that the ship is a secret, and also that the ship is the place to hide if things are going badly.

Albatross!

They arrive at Albatross and Tharin heads to market to look for buyers for his Dragon Punch Whisky, but doesn't find any.

Meanwhile Landra and Kael are directed to the local temple, and meet a cleric of Zon-Kuthon, who has a deep voice and an abrupt manner about him. On considering the somewhat cryptic comments about pain that this priest is making, Kael thinks he recalls that Zon-Kuthon is a god of pain and torture, that the god himself believes that pain and torture are the pinnacles of existence.

Landra decides not to get healing here, and is just leaving when Tharin arrives, who calls her a coward, despite the anguished wailing coming from the temple shortly after a local adherent enters.

Tharin checks the temple out for himself, going further into the temple and sees the torture of the adherent for himself, has a brief but increasingly terse conversation with the cleric, and makes his way back to The Magnitude. He tells Landra that he sees that it was a good call.

A Glimmering Prize

They travel onwards without incident, soon noting landmarks matching the instructions given by The Engineer, and follow the Gjurn River to the artificial lake that contains Glimmerhold.

On sighting Glimmerhold Landra says they should consider their demeanours. She has heard that there's a fair difference between haves and have nots in this city, and she isn't sure if they might have an easier time of it if they were to try to act in an unassuming fashion, or if they should flaunt their wealth and attract attention with the hopes that it will makes things easier on them.

Tharin suggests both, with him disguising himself as a poor man while the others go in with obvious wealth. Faux-slavery is suggested but shot down, Kael in particular objecting strongly. Tharin excuses himself for a moment and goes into the cockpit, emerging dressed in Munt's drab and somewhat filthy clothing. He prestidigitations away the dirt and puts a few coppers into his coin purse.

Always Split The Party

They eventually decide to find a place to land, with Kael & Landra heading into town immediately while Tharin makes use of a scroll of Secure Shelter for the evening and makes his way into town in the morning.

Tharin gets dropped off a few miles out of town and casts Secure Shelter immediately, while the others head in and find out where to put the ship. A gruff, squint-eyed dwarven guard on a war-pony tells them most airships just set up in the clear areas around the city, so they find a spot in the wide plain and disembark via rope ladder.

They instruct Munt & Stanley that they are not to let people come aboard, and that if they are boarded against their will to take off and try to get attention. Stanley confirms his understanding with a simple "Yes sir." while Munt repeats the instructions back "No more chickens, just us chickens."

Like the table at a grand banquet, the massive, ancient bridge is laden with carts and wagons creaking with supplies, exotic goods, and ore for the remote city of Glimmerhold. Merchants and travelers, horses and cargo are all part of a broad, chattering, and endless queue, dragging all too slowly into the shadowy shelter of the one partially open city gate. Landra and Kael are but forty feet from the gate when suddenly, the roar of thunder echoes through the mountains as the sky above Glimmerhold is torn asunder. As if heaven suffered a bleeding wound, torrents of rain crash down, instantly drenching everyone. From a spiraling vortex of red clouds, a horde of flying creatures dives towards the city.