Session 34: The Boys Go "a"

In the morning, Vojta realises that they never checked which of the two Lokreth’s had the sending stone. They ask Tados about it, but the belongings of the two Lokreths were stored together when they were taken into custody. There is a sending stone there, but it’s unclear which one it came from.

The group proceeds with their plan by binding and gagging the more suspicious of the two Lokreths. They take him to an interrogation room, where Vojta uses the moonbeam spell on him, which immediately removes the disguise and reveals a doppelganger. Grombrin and Joe approach the doppelganger, who unleashes a necrotic blast at them, blinding them. When the dust settles, the doppelganger is gone. The group looks around for traces of where it may have gone, but it seems to have either destroyed itself or teleported.

They return to the other Lokreth and briefly cast moonbeam on him as well, to be sure it isn’t a double ruse. He doesn’t transform, so they free him. Lokreth is pissed and gets Vojta to cast Moonbeam on himself and the others as well, to make sure they aren’t impostors. When they explain what happened to the doppelganger, Lokreth gets so sick of all the people hunting and stalking him that he plane shifts away, leaving his sending stone in Arran’s possession.

While the group rests, Joe brings up the topic of his smear campaign. Vica suggests that telling the truth about Gyrraleth may be enough. Joe suggests that Vica, who can’t be scried upon, messages Saleekh with the sending stone, and asks him how Gyrraleth usurped the position of Ran, the previous blade. Saleekh answers that Gyrraleth won the position through a duel. Joe doesn’t think they can twist that into a smear, so he asks Arran to find more information about the Last Light Gang in the archives. Arran collects some books, but needs more time to examine them.

Meanwhile, Grombrin casts a legend lore spell to find out more about Gyrraleth. He draws a huge rune on the ground and lights a special incense, which swirls around him as he absorbs the information. He remains in a trance for half an hour, then awakens, feeling exhausted. Vojta retrieves a gallon keg of ale from the tavern, and Grombrin chugs a bunch of it. He then relates that he had visions of Gyrralith’s life over the past ten years.

In the visions, he witnessed a young Gyrraleth, Ruthstin, and Suvulaan fleeing from a war., possibly the Dragonian wars against the orcs or the Descotians. He then saw Gyrraleth in an underground ruin, as a member of something called the spy wing, where Ruthstin mentioned that he was joining the navy as part of Gyrraleth’s plan. Next, Gyrraleth was in a temple with a large amethyst dragon statue, where priests preached about how the orcish gods were false, and how someone attempted to summon the false gods at God’s Rest. Then Gyrraleth was talking to a dwarven druid, who told him that war was nature’s way to maintain balance, which Gyrraleth disagreed with. Grombrin noted that dwarven druids are common only at the Hollow Mountains. Next, Grombrin witnessed Gyrraleth finding a crystal deep beneath the ground, and experiencing an incomprehensible revelation upon touching it. Lastly, he witnessed Gyrraleth in a training room, alongside Ruthstin and Suvulaan, with glowing purple veins running through his arms. Grombrin finally claims that he may remember more details upon further meditation.

Joe drafts a document meant to be distributed to the citizens of Glyckheart, which will reveal Gyrraleth’s sinister motivations and encourage them to be suspicious of him. He goes to the Investor and hires him to mass produce the flyers and distribute them through Glyckheart. He also purchases an amulet of nondetection so that the document won’t be traced back to him.

The next morning, the group sets out to the Lifeless Valley. Vojta uses his magic to transform the group into clouds, and they fly northeast at high speed. They fly over barren rocky plains streaked with lava streams, staying low to avoid the poisonous smog. In the afternoon, they reach Um’akuh, which is inside a crater at the northern coast. Inside are tieflings going about their business. Joe and Arran converse with a random tiefling in Infernal to find out where the taverns are. The group goes to the fancier tavern, the Blazing Crystal, in the noble district. It is an underground building accessed through a winding staircase. They rent out a set of rooms in the inn for three days.

Joe encourages them to live richly for a change, so four of them go to eat at the restaurant, while Arran leaves to go to examine more of the city. The restaurant requires them to be properly dressed, so all except Joe have to buy some new clothes at a nearby shop. Vica obtains a flowy red dress that doesn’t confine her movement, while Vojta obtains a simple but well-made outfit in deep brown tones. Grombrin refuses to take off his armour, so he convinces the shopkeeper to find him a large grey suit that tenuously fits over it. Back in the restaurant, Joe orders a dragon turtle soup and a rare gin mixture. Vica gets a seafood platter and a tabaxi gin from Zatitu. Grombrin takes a salted pork dish and brazen stout ale from the Brazen Peaks. Vojta orders a dish of kraken meat and a spicy ale from the Isle of Unity.

Arran then returns to join them, wearing a golden dress, since genders are more like guidelines for elves anyways. He tells the others about a paladin group in the nearby church, who might know more about the shrine of Turagh. They discuss their plans for once the blessing of Turagh is obtained. The plan they settle on is going to the Isle of Unity to make an alliance, since it’s the capital of the Lifeless Valley, then on to Ironclad to do the same, then back to Moradhin to investigate the celestial forge, then Watershade to form an alliance with the orcs, then to Kadoma to obtain the final blessing.