Session 36 2014-04-07

7470XP each making 132970XP Total for each Party Member - Level 11 (next level 145,000)

Perfectly Prototypical Precipitate

Tharin notices sees the red rain and thinks it a little odd, but a quick test shows it to be water so he thinks nothing of it and goes back inside to continue preparing his tea.

Death Rides A Goat

The strange dwarven warrior-women astride their winged goats begin diving the panicked masses on the bridge, impaling them on their lances. Landra notices the lances some kind of eldritch effect taking place as they kill.

Kael find himself the focus of one of these attacks and though he is not killed outright like so many of their victims he is gravely injured immediately. He casts Greater Invisibility on himself and takes to the sky hoping to help without making himself a target. He quickly discovers that using Baleful Polymorph on the terrifying steeds can be very effective.

As several of the crowd decide they would rather risk drowning and throw themselves off the bridge, Kael and Landra battle the creatures as best they can. When a crying child standing atop a wagon comes to their attention Landra roars at the child telling him to hide under the wagon. She's so intimidating that the entire crowd begins to take note, scrabbling under what cover they can find. This makes her to focus of a few of the attackers, and she finds herself subject to the supernaturally panicking effect of their attacks. Luckily, Kael manages to get to her and obscure her with another casting of Greater Invisibility as she gathers herself to flee.

With the assistance of Binky and a Huge Air Elemental, Kael and Landra finally finish the remaining creatures and resolve to get Tharin before proceeding further

Best Laid Plans

They approach Tharin in his shelter, who refuses to answer the door for some time, though when they try to open the door the alarm gets him moving. He eventually opens the shutters and talks to Landra via Message. She asks him to come outside and he gets the unseen servant to open the door though he has them come in to speak with him.

Landra asks had Tharin not seen the sky. Tharin says he tested the water ("and it is water by the way"), but he didn't look into it further; he didn't want to go out in the wet.

Landra tells him they were attacked, and that the city may be under seige. Tharin questions her definition of "under siege" and asks what they were attacked by, as he thinks they seem to be okay (despite being terribly battered).

Kael says that whatever they were, they something evil.

Landra and Kael suggest that all of them should go in together. Tharin suggests maybe they should stay in the Secure Shelter for the night instead of heading in right away.

Landra confirms that Kael still has the healing wand and then says "I'm going to find out what's in that city while it's still standing, and if you want to come with me you're welcome to."

Tharin thinks about it and puts out the incense, cursing as he goes.

As they head back in the airship they heal up and discuss their entry to the city, during which Tharin suggests he act like a slave again. Landra objects, again.

Tharin gives up on the slave idea and puts his splendid robes back on again and they head towards the city gates.

Inside Glimmerhold

Once inside, Tharin sells his remaining incense for 4500gp. While he is trying to find a buyer for his Dragonpunch Whisky Kael and Landra are approached by a member of the city watch who advises that the King has requested their presence at a feast in their honour. Tharin insists that he has things to do but will be ready in around 10 minutes.

Tharin does suceed in finding a buyer who agrees to pay 4800gp per barrel, and the halfling advises he will return in a few hours to finalize the transaction. He heads back out into the street to find that Landra and Kael have both left without him. Luckily the guardsman Gunther (a nervous dwarf who has a habit of tugging his beard) sights him and leads him after them, they catch up as they reach an elevator leading to the higher levels of the city.

Hobknobbing

Landra warns that she feels that they might not have a positive reaction from the nobility of Glimmerhold before they enter. Then the massive doors swing open.

Glimmerhold’s enormous throne room shimmers merrily with the glow of more than a hundred candles held by wrought iron candelabras lining the walls. Meat from a dire boar roasts on a spit over the room’s central fireplace, and its spicy smell suffuses the air. About a dozen dwarves clad in rich clothing and armor languorously enjoy the feast while being attended by a countless number of servants. Above all is the throne of King Ezelgar; behind his silvered seat an enormous opaque crystal lens gives a breathtaking view of the rain-disturbed lake, barely reflecting the menacing sky outside.

The omnipresent chattering, loud boasting, and smacking of lips suddenly fall silent as a herald boisterously announces the new arrivals.

"Captain Tharin Longview, Master Trader."

"Kael, servant of Thor."

"Landra of Whiteleaf Forest."

The herald directs them to the throne so the king can greet and thank them. Ezelgar lifts his himself from the throne to honor the city’s new heroes in person, smiling broadly beneath his golden beard, his deep baritone soon silences every other sound.

“I welcome you to my hall, heroes of this dreadful day. Accept this feast as a token of my gratitude and as a gift from all the people you have inspired with your deeds. But before we wash the cries of battle from our throats, there is a proposal I must make.” The king pauses, seemingly waiting for his words to have an effect on the crowd. Most dwarves lower their heads in a gesture of respect as Ezelgar continues. “Long has it been since the people have seen such bravery as yours; therefore I have chosen to bestow the honor of fealty upon you. Kneel down now and swear your oath to me, to arise again as honorary knights of the city.”

Both Tharin and Kael quickly agree, but Landra hestitates. She says it's an honour but their actions are just a matter of right place at the right time. She asks if he's sure that he deems them worthy?

The King response "A modest hero, but a hero all the same. Kneel and be knighted lass.""

Landra acquiesces and they all kneel to be knighted.

As they socialize with the nobility, it is decided that Jorgas Mistbreather is an arsehole. He mockingly congratulates Landra for being both a woman and an elf but a warrior nonetheless, a backhanded compliment but backhanded to be sure. He also demeans Tharin for being a "mere trader" but Tharin gives as good as he gets.

King Ezelgar decides that it is time to tell the newcomers something of the glory of Glimmerhold, and how better to illustrate this than to tell of his battle with the dread dragon Angrammora nearly 100 years ago. He explains that it attacked the monastary Sigreir’s Pledge, that it killed the beautiful priestess Helrún. He tells of the pilgrims of the Mistbreather Clan arriving just in time and assisting him in finally taking the beast down, though it cursed the ground it died upon and they barely escaped its death throes with their lives.

Though the story is surely familiar to the gathered nobles, it is met with a great deal of approval, tankards banging on the tables and cheers all around. Jorgas Mistbreather haughtily suggests that the newly knighted arrivals don't have any stories quite as good as that.

Tharin says "No of course not." at first, though Kael steps forward to regale the assembled nobles with the tales of their achievements since he joined them, focusing quite a lot on the detail of the Aboleth attack at sea where they saved Darius The Merchant. Tharin warms up to the idea and helps out with interjections from time to time, before taking over and telling the story of the Terraken and how they helped to destroy it (though Kael of course apportions a fair amount of glory to Thor and Tristopher Caulken) despite the Chelaxian attack. This story really seems to get their attention, with some of them showing clear distaste for Cheliax when they are mentioned, and in the end the nobles and servants alike are cheering even louder than they did for their King!

The adulation is cut short however, as suddenly a feeling of doom grips the hall and laughter is replaced with the gurgling sounds of choking dwarves, many pale and some downright nauseated. It takes only moments until several voices shout. “Poison! The mead has turned to poison!” As panic rises, another wave of emotion washes over the crowd. With it, the gleam of gold vanishes from the hall’s decorations and the guests’ clothing. Every golden coin or trinket carried by the king, the nobles, and the servants takes on a grayish hue as it transforms into worthless lead.

Silence reigns in the hall. Fear fills the air, and even regal Ezelgar needs to lean on his throne for support. In this awed stillness, the emerging low-pitched growls and slight tremors shaking the city seem like a thundering earthquake. Waves crash mercilessly against the panoramic window, nearly drowning the few hushed whispers. “The beast!” one voice shouts at last. “It cannot be! Angrammora!”

King Ezelgar rallies, standing tall again as he calls on the party to help. “Knights of Glimmerhold! Our people are in need of your protection and your liege demands a service.”

Tharin accepts the charge and the others quickly join him in this.

The king explains that he wants them to investigate the ruins of the monastery of Sigreir’s Pledge, telling them that the source of the evil must be Angrammora’s dying curse. He tells them they must slay whatever they find there.