Breaking Point 19-05-2024 [[Website/DND/Curse of the Crones/Sessions/Main/Session 14|<- Previous Session]] ### Recap Returning from the Feywild, the party stumbles onto a creature made of fire called Drildo. After learning she has bene ambushed by the Chalice and her companion stolen, the party teams up with Drildo to find and clash with the Chalice. Following the trail of the ambushers, the party makes their way through the rolling fields of the Widelands. While traveling, Flynn and the professor notice a small green fiend following them. Capturing the creature, the party moves further onwards and come across a strange statue. After examining the statue, the party figures out the hidden staircase contraption beneath it. Following the stairs into the Chalices hidden temple of Sanguis, the party quickly breaches their way through the cultists quarters. Bradley has some unexpected results in trying to translate some wall carvings, the professor studies a peculiar door, and Flynn and Nibiru have a close encounter with a mimic chest. Finally breaking through into the ritual room the party finds the Chalice using Blue, the baby dragon companion of Drildo, as a conduit for an infernal ritual. Fighting Thornak and his cultists the party eventually won from the Illriggers of the Chalice and freed Blue. In their celebrations, Bradley saw fit to desecrate the altar of Sanguis, leading to a confrontation between him and a high devil trying to pull him into hell. Barely escaping, the party met with Finley, a Gnome Artificer stolen from hell, who made a quick escape after hearing of Thornaks defeat. The party left the temple and continued on their journey... ### Summary As the morning dawns on the camp, the familiar shape of a naked old man walks into view. As Majibili rejoins the group, he explains that he had to save a special staff of the forest from falling into the hands of the cultists of Koth. They needed the staff to amplify a ritual using the staff of Nahele. Before packing up camp and moving on, the party takes their time to discuss a few of the current problems the Snigg Squad is facing. The professor decides to take Allen apart from the group for a second to discuss his stance on the church and their use of magic. In the meantime, Drildo and Flynn are discussing the map they found in the temple of the Chalice and how to deal with the knowledge of the return of the dragons and the possibility of more hidden nests. As Allen and the professor return to the group, the professor notices a hidden note from the Iron Wolves in the saddle of his horse. Allen approaches Nibiru to talk about the necrotic energy emanating from her. They discuss the possibilities as to what could cause it, as well as asking Bradley about anything he knows about parasitic undead creatures. While continuing their discussion on possible undead that could possess Nibiru in some way, the professor asks Bradley about how his magic works. In addition he questions Bradley about his experience with dying and what he saw when passing into the Eternal plane. Deciding to try an exorcism on Nibiru, Flynn helps Allen by filling down 250 silver pieces for a ceremony of cleansing. Allen, leading the rite, spends the following hour intensely exorcising the spirit of Nibiru. During the ceremony, a figure crouching on Nibiru's chest slowly fades into view. Finally taking full corporeal form, the necrotic leech on Nibirus chest screeches. Allen swiftly jumps into action and tries to remove the creature from Nibiru's chest, whose fingers had burrowed within her flesh. Using his shield to break the creatures hands, Allen tears the creature from Nibiru and throws it on the ground, the entire party ready to jump the creature in combat. However, as soon as the connection is broken the creature starts to wither and die off. The puncture marks on Nibiru's chest emanating a form of necrosis in the flesh. The party hopes the creature is dead and gone and debate on how to heal the wounds of their companion. After saving Nibiru from her undeathly illness, the professor summons Nyx to hand him the telepathic phonographic rune stone they got from Finley as to pass it on to Isembard. Nyx agrees to send the object, for a price. The professor gives him the vial they found on Thornak in exchange. Soon after the professor calls with Isembard. Finally contacting the group after his disappearance many days ago, Isembard talks to the professor. Though weary about what he shares over the open line of the telephone, Isembard shares some of his insights into the past and the destruction of the Material Plane. He tells about the previous time that the chaos lords arrived and decimated the plane. Finally, he tells about the creation of the Vivarium and the demi planes housing the remnants of the material plane in a try to preserve mortal life. After informing the rest of the Snigg Squad, he pleas for them to not make an enemy of the devils if possible (which sadly, was a plea that came too late). Suddenly remembering the fiend he felt during his sensing of Nibiru, Allen briskly walks over to Bashran the quasit and snaps his neck. A brief silence falls over the group as they realised that all the highly sensitive information that Isembard and the professor shared had been heard by the quasit familiar. Isembard, intrigued and on edge by the new people in the Squad, asks to talk to Allen and asks him questions about his intentions and heritage. After which Isembard asks to talk with Bradley alone, in a private conversation. Not fully trusting it, Majibili wildshapes into a mouse to eavesdrop into the conversation. In addition, Drildo sends Blue to eavesdrop also. Thinking to be alone, Isembard and Bradley start to talk about the rebellion, the baron, and specifically about the patron of Bradleys eldritch powers. Bradley tells Isembard that the stray realms fall outside of the protection of the godly powers, but still need a supply of cosmic energy. This usually takes the shape of large cosmic entities herding their own territory of stray realms. Sometimes one, sometimes multiple. These creatures are known as the old ones and are in similar calibre to the elementals and fey. Talking about Aegr deal with Bradley and what the elder beings of the stray realms truly desire, Isembard makes a deal with Bradley that he should offer his services to Isembard. In return Isembard could promise the creation of large amounts of black powder to blow up the baron in Oreton, as well as telling Bradley he would not mind if some of the other Vivaria were to fall in the hands of Aegr. Before leaving the call, Isembard calls upon Nyx to send the sword of law and a pouch of 200 platinum pieces to Bradley. Nyx complies but reminds Isembard that due to his soullessness his contractual obligations as Isembards patron are at an end. Before Bradley could return to the group, he notices Majibili had been eavesdropping and stops him in his track. The party, who was looking from a distance, notices the druid and warlocks standoff. Bradley demands to know what Majibili heard and tries to cast Mind Rend on the druid. However, Majibili saves against the arcane powers of Bradley. Quickly Allen jumps into action as a spell is cast and tries to cast Hold Person on Bradley but fails. The party devolves into a bickering confrontation, outside of a few members. One of which is Blue, who uses the distraction to slid over to Drildo and relay all that he has learned from eavesdropping in on Bradley. The party squabbling simmers down, but a tone is set among the group. Who is to be trusted? Having wasted a lot of time already the party chooses to move on, leaving much undiscussed. While traveling over the rolling hills of the Widelands, the party notices how the grass around them started to dry out and look almost devoid of colour. Heading this ominous sign the party ventures forward. After riding for a few hours, the professor suddenly notices a strange spot in the grass up ahead. Stopping the horses just in time before riding into the area, the party inspects the spot. Before they could determine its exact purpose the party is attacked from underneath the area by a giant ambush spider. The spider swipes at the party, while the rest of the party dismounts and takes on the ambush spider. Before the fight gets on its way, suddenly three members feel a blade in their backs. Fading in from invisibility, three assassins of the iron wolves had pushed their blades into Bradley, Majibili, and Drildo. The sudden reveal throws the combat into disarray. The party tries to fend of the assassins while Flynn and Majibili focus on the spider. The professor activates the chain of the unseelie eye to see if there are any other invisible people. Seeing an invisible squire tending invisible horses, the professor tries to ensure the assassins won't run away. Though the fighting is fierce and dangerous, the party manages to hold on. A well timed wall of fire of Drildo allows Allen to absorb the fire and make a brutal attack. Nibiru blasts the assassins from afar, while Majibili rides the giant spider. Suddenly, the grounds start shaking and from the dirt a gigantic Bulette appears. Landing right on top of Nibiru and Drildo, downing both of them, the Bulette starts to attack the people around him. Seeing this new change in the combat, Majibili tries to befriend the ambush spider and get him on their side. Though the spider is dubious at first, after seeing Arraconius Spindalia Webber the 3rd in the beard of Majibili, the spider accepts the call to the cause and aids the party. With their new ally the party turns the tide on the assassins. However, the Bulette seems to be a difficult opponent. Especially while the professor is out of commission and still keeping the squire at bay. Bradley saves Drildo by teleporting her away from the Bulette, but Nibiru doesn't get saved in time and gets eaten. The party quickly focussed to kill the Bulette and cut his stomach open. The professor subdues the squire and aids Nibiru after being cut out of the stomach of the Bulette. However, the damage was already done and she had lost her arm. However, asking for Arrania's help Nibiru regains her arm in the form of a giant spider leg. After the combat, the party starts to interrogate the squire. He reveals himself as Nathan and is wholly convinced that the party is full of heathens and all they try to say are temptations trying to remove him from his pious path. Allen tries to read his minds and sow doubt of his faith into him, even using his family and the fact that he hasn't seen his daughter Ashley in a while. Sadly, Nathan staunchly holds onto his dogma. Eventually the party is sick of trying to convince Nathan, though they do manage to get him to sign a note that is to be sent to the other two Iron Wolves that are heading back to Oreton. The party deliberates what to do with Nathan and if they should kill him or not. Eventually, Flynn kills the squire in the name of Dagon, so his soul will never reach the Golden City. Meanwhile, Majibili is busy granting the giant ambush spider sentience. Learning its name is Braxian, he thanks Majibili for the gift of knowledge and declares his alliance with the Snigg Squad after which he starts feeding on the dead assassin bodies. Though the battle is done, the conflict isn't. The party has questions why the professor didn't want to fight and seemed to know about the Iron Wolves ambush. The professor confesses the note he got and that he didn't quite wanted to agitate the church. However, the party isn't taking his half-measure excuses as an apology and demand he says sorry. The party starts to talk about all the secrets they keep for each other. While the pressure in the group rises and more and more tension between the party members appears, Nibiru finally snaps and shouts that they just need to fucking talk with each other. "We're a group trying to stop the world from ending, and it isn't working! Give a straight answer to his questions and you do the same!" she shouts. The group fall silent for a moment and determine that Nibiru is correct. Over the setup camp the party starts to finally open up to each other and starts to rebuild trust once more. Though the night has set, the party hasn't made much progress yet and the summer solstice is quickly approaching. Will they make it in time... ### NPCs * **Nathan.** Squire of the Iron Wolves. Killed in the name of Dagon. * **Ashley.** Daughter of Nathan. * **Braxian.** Giant Ambush Spider that has gained sentience through Majibili. Ally of the party and servant of the great king of the spiders. * **Arraconius Spindalia Webber the 3rd.** King of the spiders. Lives in Majibili's beard. * **Arrania.** Fey Lady of giant spiders. ### Loot * Note from the Iron Wolves (Professor) * Iron Wolves Poison * Venom from Braxian [[Session 16|Next Session ->]]