Session 130 Trials of Worth

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Session Details

Session Date:	14 March 2025
Game Date:	Evening, CY627

Session Summary

Synopsis

The PC's must prove their worth to Turgen

This Session

A little shocked at their recent turn of events the party takes stock of the situation and notices that the room itself is described with Mystic rooms and various accoutrements of both a magical and non-magical looking nature hang from the walls. As they move about the room.Aldran and Durmen notice a small glowing sphere has appeared in which they can see what looks to be a shifting and moving set of walls like a rats maze. They began concentrating on it, and before Long realize it they can control the direction of the maze and moments later find themselves standing within it. Durmen uses his arcane senses to find the magical lay lines that reverse the maze, and before long he and aldrin were able to sense, but seems to be a clear path through the maze.

Nails Moral Quandary

His nail moved about the room. He notices a painting of a a simple town with a crowd of people standing in front of a magistrate as he looks into it, he finds himself transported into the scene standing with the magistrate before a captured bandit leader, notorious for brutal raids. The villagers demanded immediate execution. The leader, however, pleaded for mercy, claiming he was forced into banditry to save his starving family and offered information about a larger, more dangerous threat. Nail faced a crucial test: to discern the truth of the bandit's claims, balance justice with mercy, and decide his fate. Should he execute, imprison, or offer redemption? Nail made his judgment and swiftly executed the bandit leader with a single stroke of his sword.

The scene faded, replaced by a corrupted temple, dedicated to Nails' deity. The once-peaceful sanctuary radiated malevolence, its guardians, acolytes, now filled with contempt. Two advanced, spears lowered. Nails, instead of confronting them with violence, lowered his sword and began a prayer for their salvation. The acolytes, their pace slowed, allowed him to pass. Once past he turned quickly and laid hands upon them, upon which they returned to their guard positions a simple peaceful look upon their faces.

Inside, the main altar was defiled. A large ceramic pitcher of wine overflowed, thickening into a dark, blood-like liquid as it seeped into the floor. Nails realized this was the temple's corruption source. He walked towards it, ready to begin a purification ritual.

Egon, his voice a gentle cadence, cast healing words upon the spectral figure, while Balmaris, invoking the radiant power of Beacon of Hope, probed for signs of poison or mental affliction. Protection from poison, however, proved ineffective, leaving them puzzled. Balmaris, channeling divine energy, implored his god for aid, and the spirit seemed to respond. Egon, sensing the true nature of the creature's suffering, realized it was the spirit, not the ethereal form, that required healing. They now faced a new challenge: finding a way to heal the incorporeal.

Rats in a Maze

Meanwhile, Aldran and Durmen, their arcane sight guiding them through the labyrinthine maze, navigated treacherous pit traps, blinding flash bangs, and shifting walls. Finally, they reached a stark, white hallway, at the end of which stood a pristine, six-panel door. They meticulously examined the door, attempting to open it through physical means, but it remained stubbornly sealed. Frustration mounting, they resorted to magical assaults, unleashing a barrage of spells. Some ricocheted, narrowly missing them and even glancing off Durmen, forcing him to move behind Balmaris. They escalated their magical onslaught, and the door began to scar and buckle. After a prolonged barrage, the door vanished, and they found themselves standing in the hallway behind Turgen’s alcove, where they had previously battled the demon.

Deja Vu Door

At the far end of the familiar hallway, an identical door stood, its pristine surface gleaming under the ethereal light, a mocking echo of their previous struggle. It was as if the very fabric of the place was taunting them, repeating the same maddening puzzle. They repeated their attempts, a frustrating dance of physical force and magical incantations, each push, pull, and spell met with the same unyielding resistance. Again, spells ricocheted, arcing dangerously close to Durmen, the air crackling with displaced energy. And again, after a sustained magical assault, a crescendo of arcane fury, the door simply dissolved into shimmering motes of light, leaving behind only empty space.

You are Healed!

Balmaris and Egon, having exhausted their conventional healing methods, continued to experiment with prayers and spells, seeking a way to soothe the spectral figure's torment. As their rituals intensified, the spirit, a serene expression spreading across its form, lay itself upon the floor. At the ritual’s climax, the spirit turned its head, offering a fleeting smile to each of them, before vanishing entirely. In its place, Balmaris and Egon found themselves standing beside Aldran and Durmen, the group now reunited.

No time to waste

The party, their search for Nails leading them to the hallway's end, found a curious sight: a door, slightly ajar, revealing a grassy savannah stretching towards a solitary, gnarled tree. The doorway pulsed with an unmistakable magical aura. A moment of hesitation, a silent exchange of glances, and the party began to debate their next course of action.

• Turgen Voxhall's obsession with the spellbook, its potential link to Lyhnn's machinations
• The identity of Lexana's imperial contact, the whispers of her activities in Belport
• The rumors surrounding the Obsidian Flask's auction and its possible role in arms trafficking, and the relationship between Keldec's book and Voxhall's desire—these were the threads they needed to untangle.

Thirty minutes ticked by, the urgency of the impending auction, only four hours away, weighing heavily on their minds. Aldran, his patience wearing thin, began to muse aloud, invoking the memory of his deceased uncle. A cryptic piece of advice echoed in his thoughts: "Follow the whispers, Aldran. Even the faintest ones." Inspired by this spectral guidance, he declared it was time to move. Trusting in Nails' uncanny ability to find them, even across vast distances, they decided to first investigate the strange savannah room before heading to the auction. They stepped toward the magical doorway, ready to follow the whispers, wherever they might lead.

Into the dimension door

The step through the door wearily and approach the tree, noticing that it is made of ironwood with wide bows, suitable for sitting under and relaxing, no matter where they look they see no other trees, in fact, they see no end to the savannah at all it simply disappears in a misty horizon. As they stand next to the tree, the weather begins to change and within a few minutes it is summer a few minutes later it is fall a few minutes after that winter and then spring again. He gone, notices some mystic looking carvings in the wood. He can speak with plants and learns from the tree that Turgen and his guest often come here to sit and read. As time passes quickly here the party realizes they can accelerate their learning of new spells and arcane knowledge. The tree also mentions that some of the guilds sages and wizards have come here to die, and their knowledge is absorbed by the tree, so that it can be passed on to future generations. (as a temporary effect anyone studying here for a complete change of all four seasons gains +1 wisdom bonus for 24 hours.) The tree tells Egon that he has not seen Turgen in some time, and the most recent visitor was a female who studied a strange book he had never seen before, but left in haste with the book. Party depart, and find themselves back in the hallway.

What's behind that door - this time...?

Seeing that Nail had yet to return, and with the auction's clock ticking, the party decided to experiment with the strange doorway. They closed it, then reopened it, and each time, the scene beyond transformed into an entirely different terrain: a scorching desert, a sun-drenched beach, a dense, humid jungle, icy wind-swept plains, treacherous volcanic pits, and finally, a rugged mountain range. Balmaris, ever observant, noticed a faint wisp of smoke rising from a valley nestled within the mountains. With a final, lingering glance behind them, they stepped through the door onto a rocky, windswept mountain peak. Deciding against leaving the unpredictable portal behind, they wedged the door open with a sturdy rock, ensuring a way back. Then, they began their descent, following a narrow, winding footpath that snaked its way down towards the smoke-filled valley below.

Session Results

Experience

The running tally of XP earned is found on the Party Experience page.

Treasure

Party Treasure

Tasks or Quests

List of tasks or quests undertaken.

Rumors or Intelligence Gained

Apparently nothing noteworthy this session...

NPC's of Note

• Aldrans dead Uncle Borin Frostbeard