Welcome to the Session Synopsis Page
You will find here a report of the goings on in Tekom! Have fun stay awhile. If you haven’t played, make a character and see if you can get your name in the Synopsis!
Session One: Trouble in Tekom
Unfortunately, about two weeks before the Caravan’s monthly arrival, the Innominatam and monsters of the wood engaged in an all-out attack on the barrier wall around the town and broke through the Ward. An event now known as the Breech. The Innominatam could still not approach the Namestone, but the monsters -could- and the Innominatam could feast on those outside the Namestones protection. It looked quite certain that all was lost. But then four of the mystics, Veda, Niamh, Amalya and Gavriel, sacrificed themselves. They stripped their Core for more power that they poured into a new protection Ward using Sanctuary and Enchant Item. Unfortunately, there was no time for the Ritual for Permanently Enchanted Item, and therefore, the fix is temporary. Since none of the Casters survived, it is unknown how much power was put into the Sanctuary, and how much was put into the Enchant Item, so no one knows exactly how long it will last or how strong it is.
In addition to this about half of the town, including Oliver Oakhearth, Hornuk and the Mystic Veda of the Circle of Seven were killed during the attack. Dr Elma, and Melkree were seriously injured as was Warden Masgroth and Dhriti is out on a trading mission, leaving only the Healer Canoa of the Circle of Seven remaining. Shortly after the attack the Seneschal Eric McCartney and his right hand, Naliatha left, claiming they were searching for something to protect Tekom.
Those arriving on the Caravan also had a rough ride. Besieged by bandits, monsters and Innominatam on four separate occasions, the Guardians were down by half, some supplies were lost, rations were low and they are completely out of medical supplies. That Night, the stars vanished from the sky.
In the morning the Caravan made a desperate final push to reach Tekom but was harried from all sides by a huge pack of Innominatam. The Guardians ordered the Caravan abandoned, which saved the remaining travelers. The Guardians made a last stand but were all killed.
The Caravan travelers were greeted by an anxious Captain Dewbend and all of those currently in town. They were let into the protective barrier with crystal pieces. They were brought to the Tavern for drinks all around and given the rundown of the problems of town. After a rest, Captain Dewbend recruited a team to retrieve the Caravan’s cargo, rescue any survivors and recover the dead. Led by Lenden O’Connor who is training to become a Guardian, Magnolia Larken, Mooraw, and Darin answered their Town’s call. Facing Innominatam in unusually high numbers who were strangely attracted to the Caravan’s cargo, they managed to recover the much-needed supplies and give proper rest to the dead.
Once back in town the team began going through and distributing the supplies. They found some suspicious contents, including a large egg. With a coded letter to be delivered to the Unda Mystic, Canoa, the Healer. There was no time to consult the Healer as they were busy with the large number of wounded from the previous attack and more problems on the horizon.
The Grave keeper, Raven Umboris approached each of the Team, discreetly to ask for their help with restless spirits in the graveyard before those that are wondering off cause a panic. Arriving at the Graveyard, the team found wondering restless spirits. They were anxious and in pain. Each lamenting that they wished they knew their name. Through the whispers of the ghosts, the team discovered which ghost belonged to which headstone and therefor, which name. Upon receiving back their name, each ghost thanked the team and gifted them a piece of stone with strange markings. But upon the last Ghost recovering their name, a dark power seized the area. A dark voice cried out of the power “How Dare you?” and took control of the ghosts who attacked the team. Physical attacks passed right through the ghosts until Magnolia began using a Duende technique. Once they were no longer invulnerable, the ghosts quickly were defeated, disappearing into nothing as if they had never been.
The team returned to the tavern to puzzle over their four pieces of stone given to them by the ghosts. They quickly deduced that they must be some sort of map, but could not solve where it began, or for sure what path it showed.
Caona, the healer staggered into the Tavern to take a break. Dark circles under their eyes marked the burden of the numerous wounded. They were presented with the egg and questioned about the goings on. They agreed that the stones must be some sort of map but didn’t recognize the path. They were also very wary of the egg, saying it could contain a curse. The group continued to puzzle over the stone map and the egg until the egg was accidental dropped, opening it just a slight amount. Curiosity quickly took over and the egg was opened to reveal the marking of the name stone “Tekom” on the inside of the shell and a bright yellow crystal pulsing with elemental magic. Taking it to the name stone, it is quickly discovered that the crystal fits perfectly into a slot of the Name stone’s base and glows gently from within. There are six more slots open.
Caona then asks the group for some help in recovering stolen herbs from their garden. With medical supplies so low, even a few herbs missing is quite some trouble, but someone has taken the whole garden. They warn the group that most of the garden is poisonous if improperly handled, so don’t go sampling them. Strangely, the thief also took the scarecrow. The group has little problem finding the garden, although it is in the part of town that is not protected by the new barrier and pass by the ruins of several houses. At the garden they find that every herb has stolen as well as the entire contents of a gardening shed. A little searching leads to a very clear freshly worn path. Following they find a crow’s nest of stolen things. Mostly broken and useless junk, but also contents from the abandoned houses. In the center they find a large monster. It was missing a bottom jaw. As it didn’t immediately attack, the group hesitates. While its face was a bone white skull, it didn’t seem quite the same as the Innominatam. It silently gestured to the group, trying to communicate. It was sick and weak. It had been using the herbs and been poisoned. It gave the group a bag of Vials with a warning and a clue as to the antidote inside. The group figured out the antidote and quickly gave it to the Monster. Thankful, the monster then gave the group presents of its junk, but also a stone slab with the same markings as the map pieces with slots for the map pieces, completing the map.
The group hurried back with the herbs and their new map piece to put them together and try to figure out where the map led.
Caona recognizes a mark on the map as a flower from a story about the disappearing stars creating a flower that can heal any wound. Perhaps it can heal those injured in the attack? Before they decide on a course of action, they are called away by a commotion outside to find a lone survivor of the caravan has made it back to town.
The group and their new member, Gareth, rests and gathers supplies to go on an expedition to retrieve the flower. Starting out from town and following what they believe to be the right path, they find an ancient stone marker set into the ground, marking the way. They quickly discover that the letter like markings are junctions of path and wit the map they know exactly which way to go. They travel deep through the dark wood until trees tower over them. When they find the clearing where the flower grows in the shaded light, they are stopped by a voice from all around them that questions them on their goals, motives and morals. The voice then tests them with a spell that compels them to fight against one another. They break the spell with reason and emotional pleas. The voice warns them that the flower only blooms in the “Darkest of times,” that more dangers loom around Tekom.
Shortly after presenting the flower to Caona there is a panic outside the tavern. A monster is in town. The team scrambles to grab their weapons and face it only to find the Monster of the wood. They calm the townspeople and shoo them away from the Monster. It shows the group one of the barrier crystals when asked how it go inside and then gives the group a small bag that is marked with the symbol of the Namestone. They thank it as it leaves. Caona tells the group that it isn’t a monster, but rather a Neuma. A creature of nature and magic, like Magnolia, the elf Meraki. Inside the bag, the team discovers an amulet with a clear red gem in the center that allows light to pass through it. They puzzle for a while on what it could mean, where the Neuma found it and what it does, but came up empty handed.
The next day, a quiet breakfast was being cleaned up when suddenly bandits attacked inside the barrier. The bandits raid the town. Outside the tavern the only remaining Company of Guardians, led by Captain Dewbend fight off one wave of the bandits. Inside the tavern, the team fights off the other as they steal the Air Elemental Stone. In the chaos of the battle, one of the bandits does make off with the Air stone for a short time, but it is quickly recovered by the team and Telma.
Captain Dewbend tells Magnolia that one of the bandits was looking for her, specifically. Searching the bodies of the dead bandits, the team and Guardians recover and return the stolen goods, but also find one of the Barrier crystals and a mysterious scroll. The scroll shows the Elemental Star along with a lot of strange markings that look similar to the kind of symbols that are on the Name Stone. They quickly discover that the Amulet given by the Neuma reveals new markings. These seem to be maps. The one by the Air point of the Star clearly shows the Caravan route and egg that the Air Stone was in. The next one, the Life Stone shows a route to the mines and the Mines themselves.
Before now Brassag Marblespine has ranted and raved about how dangerous the mine is and warned of how they collapsed the entrances to prevent more people from dying. But with the message on the Scroll, the team is determined to try. They find the mine entrance cleared and many suspicious goods stored inside. They send the majority of the goods back to town before venturing into the mines. The mines are dimly lit by small crystal lights strung together on cables and mounted to the walls with metal spikes.
The way is blocked by cords of a very strong silk that reminds them of spider webs. Carefully climbing through the obstacle course of webs they made their way through the mine, following the map given by the scroll. Along the way they found starving Innominatam in dense numbers, eager for any scrap of life they could find. Fighting through them until the end of the map they found a lone grave stone with a spirit holding a locked metal box. The gave the spirit a name, fearing that it may turn into an Innominatam without a name of its own and questioned it, trying to get the box diplomatically. They discovered that the symbols on the lock matched some drawn onto the edges of the scroll and unlocked the box to find the Life Elemental Stone. They thanked the spirit, who gave them an ominous warning and left. Upon leaving, the entrance to the mine sealed itself over as if the stone had never been cut.
Returning to the Tavern the team placed the Life Stone in the Name Stone’s pedestal, finding it to fit perfectly and glow gently from within.
Five more slots are open.
Session Two: Tricks and Trappings
The new arrivals to Tekom got to know and be spoiled be Dhriti the Trade Master on the caravan while traveling to Tekom. Along the way, they were attacked by Innominatam and picked up some brand-new shooting stars! Enok the funguy and secretly Adrian a druid Tiefling who snuck abord and hid amongst the travelers. This group faired far better than the previous group as there were no casualties!
After the caravan’s arrival, the Seneschal returned triumphant with a Fire Elemental Stone in a magically sealed box and a strange spy glass. As the adventurers puzzled out the new clues given, Eliza discovered that the spy glass revealed a way to read secret messages on the scroll. “Key of the Neuma”
lead to Neuma of the wood’s nest where Innominatam attacked the adventurers regularly, and the Specter returned to warn them of the Tangled threads in the nest. The magically unbreakable cord led to a key which unlocked the box.
Later, a scream broke the calm. The adventurers and Seneschal responded to find a bandit attempting to capture a damsel in fine clothes. The damsel was welcomed into the tavern while the adventures took on the bandit, only to find that the bandit had brough reinforcements. The Scarred Bandit led them, trying to get the adventurers to tell him of the location of Magnolia. One of the Bandits drank down a potion and transformed into a horrible mutant. It began attacking everyone in sight. Once the monster was subdued, the adventurers revived the downed bandits, questioned them, and released them to tell everyone that the people of Tekom were protected by the Seneschal. Amongst the things recovered from the bandits, they found a strange bronze piece with constellations on it. Taking it and the Spyglass to the scroll, they discovered that combined they revealed clues as to the next Elemental stone’s location. “Ruin in the Forest Glen” “Brass and Wood Eye Close.” Consulting Caona, they discovered that there was only one building in the Forest Glen, the ruined laboratory of Icu, a previous Epiphany who experimented with magic and paid the price. Caona told the group that it can’t be a coincidence, as Icu was one of those who helped develop the experimental, and ultimately failed potion- the Abyssal Elixir that the bandits had.
Traveling to the Ruin in the Forest Glenn, the adventures discovered two entrances to Icu’s lab. They split into two to take both paths. The first group explored what was mainly experimental space, finding and fighting many enraged, frightened lab creatures that had been augmented with mechanical parts, parts of other creatures and magic. They discovered a human sized and spliced raven that can speak and accidentally released it. Deep inside the collapsed portion they found a sand pit lined with bones and filled with some sort of teethed worm creature with a brass bowl on a pedestal at its center. They worked together to help one teammate across a secret path that was shown through a piece of glass art to receive a strange brass bowl in the center.
At the same time, on the other side of the building, the other group traveled through personal rooms, including a library, but mostly collapsed and filled in tunnels. Along the way the fought their way through burrowing, spliced worm-human creatures, working their way deeper until they too came across a sand pit littered with bones, this one with a wooden rod on a pedestal at its center. They didn’t try to find out what danger lay inside the sand. Inside the chamber they found a length of cord with an elastic ring in the center. Working together, they maneuvered the elastic over the rod from the sides of the pit while fighting off desiccated corpses that tried to paralyze them.
The two groups were reunited in the deep caverns below the ruin. Here, they found more signs of life, leading to a narrow stone bridge that had an obstacle course of booby traps across it. On the other side, they discovered a crudely built shack and a humanoid creature with one large eye where one arm should be and holding a Steel Elemental Stone in the other. When its giant eye gazed upon them, they found themselves paralyzed. Remembering the clue from the scroll, the group excitedly put together the rod and bowl to make a signing bowl. The soothing sound caused the creature to drift off to sleep and close its eye. They grabbed the stone and took off quickly. However, Adrian stayed behind and killed the creature, taking its eye. On the return trip, Enok tracked the raven creature they had released before, and coaxed it to town.
At dinner that evening, Dhriti organized a little revelry for the town, paying for food, desserts, drinks and Entertainment. Tekom Home Sweet Home was performed by Magnolia and Naliatha performed a light show.
A small group lured in the raven creature who ended up named Ka’na to feed her and try to heal her wounds. In the process they discovered some disturbing implications of Icu’s experiments. They consulted Canoa about some healing and set in motion an experiment on healing magics.
The morning after was not quiet; a death was discovered! During the clean up after the festivities, a body was discovered. The adventurers corralled the witnesses while the Guardians went after bandits that attacked the New Barracks. During the investigation, the adventurers discovered a lot of worrisome rumors floating about town. Pouch was found near body containing an Abysmal Elixir, Dhriti Jewelry’s, a torn love letter, the Seneschal’s Cup, a Bandit headband, a flask of cheap wine and coins. As they questioned the witnesses, the Famer underwent a painful transformation, back into the Abyssal Mutant that had killed the Gardner. After searching the monster’s corpse, they found the other half of the torn love letter. They concluded that one of the dead was a Bandit Mole and that the two were lovers. They had a scuffle with a dangerous potion involved and one ended up killed.
The town was still reeling from the death of two of its villagers and some of the rumors that came to light during the investigation when a lonely horn blew. The Neuma of the Woods was standing outside of town beckoning the adventurers to follow. The adventurers followed the Neuma right into an ambush. A Dark mage revealed themselves, the Neuma’s jaw around their neck and commanding Innominatam to attack. The Neuma will took up weapon against the adventures but seemed reluctant to attack. They prevented the adventurers from attacking the Dark Mage, but also prevented the Innominatam from attacking a downed adventurer and secreted several downed adventurers strong healing potions. The Dark Mage retreated once the entourage of Innominatam were defeated. The Neuma was last to retreat, gesturing to their missing jaw before vanishing into the woods.
Three stones remain.
Session Three: Arcane Stain
The Caravan was unusually late. So, a Company of Guardians was sent to retrieve it. Later a group of walking travelers, led by Guardians was met with suspicion at the Barrier in the middle of the night. But it was quickly reveled that they were in fact the Caravan Arrivals! It quickly came to light that the Caravan had ben stolen out from under them in the middle of the night.
A recovery team was assembled and sets out to find the Caravan’s wagon, animals and cargo. Before long they found and followed the Caravan’s wheel tracks to a camp where they found bandits guarding it and Guardian hostages. At first the team tried to sneak in but quickly pivoted to attack. Among the cargo recovered, the team found a blue amulet and the stolen red amulet in the bag with Tekom’s symbol on it. Also inside the bad was a torn page that pictured the Collector also known as the Neuma of the Wood and a description of the Earth Stone. From a Guardian who pretended to join the bandits, the town learned that the bandits call themselves the Scarlet Sash and that they believe themselves to be freedom fighters against the oppression of the Empress. The team also briefly met Fitz a small, strange creature with large furry ears and a tiny elemental stone on their chest before they were kidnapped by Adrian and whisked off into the forest.
By using the Blue filter amulet recovered from the bandits to read the next clue on the scroll they find “Where solid fire laid.” They found a false bottom in the box the fire elemental stone was in. Inside was a map with a yellow rose on it in the nearby area. A team followed the map to find an everblooming rose guarded by golem made of stone and clay. After defeating the golems, the team found another map with another rose. That one also led to a rose guarded by golems, but more of them and a much larger one. Once those were finally defeated, the team found what they were guarding was a Cog Key needed to get stone, but its map was missing.
The Neuma of the Wood/The Collector returned again. Cautious, timid, and weak, they offered the final map. They were pouring blood from their pores. They motioned to their missing jaw and collapsed. The people of Tekom sprang into action, stabilizing the Neuma and whisking them off to the hospital to be treated for the poison coursing through them.
The Neuma’s map led to a secret passage with the passphrase written on the page. Inside the group found a catacomb of Zmajin stasis pods, nearly all were broken and empty, a few contained remains. But at the final chamber they finally found three who were not dead. Unfortunately, they were not friendly and demanded the group leave without their prize. A box of gears that they were clearly defending. During the ensuing battle, Clris grabbed the box and fled. Without their treasure to guard, once the group was still, the three Zmajin returned to their stasis and did not awaken as the group was healed and the casualties quickly removed to be resurrected at the hospital. Several of the town vowed to return and see if the live Zmajin could be freed and the dead put to rest. Returning to the Tavern where Clris had retreated, they used the gear key to open the box, revealing the Water Stone.
Later, Dhriti came into the tavern looking to hire some muscle to exterminate some monsters in her storeroom. They had already killed and injured several of her workers. Something monstrous was living in her storeroom. She hired a group of adventurers to deal with it. They group found strange amalgamation of human and Spider creatures. The Mutants dipped and dived between the stakes of crates while hunted and hunting. The party nearly succumbed to their entangling webs, but in the end prevailed. The group found a lantern in the densest area of the spider mutants. It reminded the group of the torn page found with the Blue and Red amulets: “lift the problem to the light.” They found a twisted tree shape hidden in shadows in the paper of the scroll that matches a tree on the map of Tekom in the Twisted Wood.
A party made their way to the Twisted wood. There they found more experimented on animals like they had found in Icu’s lab and a ghost. They do not catch the ghost’s name, but they happily led the adventurers to the location of the stone inside and even more ruined building than Icu’s lab had been. The Experimented-on animals slowed the group down as they tried to solve the puzzle to find the combination to the box. They had to reach into goop to retrieve the catalyst and then add the catalyst to vials to reveal the colors of the samples and then sort them to reveal the final combination. Inside they found the Earth Stone. One Stone Remains.
The tavern was full of revelry as Dhriti paid for food and drink and entertainment in celebration of all of the accomplishments when the group found Fitz under a table. Fitz explained to the group that she had been kidnapped by Adrian, then fed to his carnivorous plant to try to make the plant intelligent. Some soothing and shiny things later the group was able to calm and befriend the small creature.
The new Warden announced his promotion to the tavern and then asked for volunteers for a mission but was quiet as to the job until the group was out of the tavern. He took the group of volunteers to the Graveyard inside town. There he explained that Raven was holding a barrier, but they needed to put the dead back in their graves as the Dark Mage has stolen Core from them, resurrecting them as Unfettered. The group set to the task of re-killing waives of the dead and re-burring them but discovered that one body was unaccounted for. They concluded that Adrian had stolen it to feed to his plant.
A small magic paper bird hitting the door of the tavern startled those inside. It was the Messenger Pigeon Spell sent by Ka’na crying for help from anyone she could name. Following the trail of the Messenger Pigeon out of town, the group immediately could see Innominatam gathered outside the barrier, pacing, hungry, waiting. The Dark Mage appeared among them and declared that Tekom has stolen his “Wuzzy” and have a fortnight to return him, or they will never see their “Weird Bird” again. When the Innominatam had been defeated and it looked as though the Dark Mage would be too, he retreated through a portal again. But to everyone’s dismay, including the Dark Mage, Anzan in lizard form latched onto the Dark Mage and disappeared into the portal with him.
Session Four: Dark Siege
The caravan actually arrived on time for once, carrying with it new supplies and a letter from the Empress about Tekom’s plight. In the letter was a spell that produced and illusion of the Empress who spoke to the citizens of Tekom. She sent supplies to help the people and money to bury the dead and support their families and a promise of Mystics to arrive on the next caravan to replace the protection barrier. She also assured them that Wesker was performing experiments with her permission as long as he remains within the law. Whispers started to spread that the Seneschal’s household had taken ill.
Mossberg gathered some people to the tavern as the Dark Mage’s hostage deadline fast approached. He suggested a plan to pretend to trade the Collector for Ka’na, to draw Moros out and kill him. With the help of a local farmer who could perform an Illusion spell, the adventurers charmed Enok to look like the Collector. During the trade, The Dark Mage almost immediately double crossed them. As soon as things started to look bad, the Dark Mage retreated into another of his portals, but Lenden, a few steps behind him flung an explosive into the barrier with the Dark Mage. The party could hear an explosion after the barrier closed. They recovered Ka’na who was happy to be free but didn’t manage to get the Collector’s jaw back.
The relative clam that followed was interrupted when the Bandit leader and a handful of his men called out to Tekom from outside the barrier. The Leader came barring no weapons, instead a flag of truce. He delivered a letter to Magnolia, that revealed he was her mother’s servant and secrets about her life that even she had not known. He told them that Veda Duskwright acted as their oracle and predicted that if Elemental stones of sufficient power came together it would tear a hole into the dark realm. Lieutenant and his men turned the talks violent. Katar, the leader and his men were reluctant to kill their own but were forced to. The party brought Katar and his remaining men into the Tavern to talk. The party was reluctant to believe that the elemental stones would be dangerous. In a moment of distraction Katar stole one of the stones and ran. While the party chased him down, killed him and retrieved the stone, one of the other Scarlet Sashes used the distraction to steal a second stone and slipped out without notice. While the party regrouped to figure out what to do, the Scarlet Sash Lieutenant returned as a zombie with the missing stone. After returning the stone the zombie turned on the townsfolk and had to be put down. Some investigating later found that the old man Reimbold had raised the zombie with instructions to retrieve the stone.
While investigating the clues at the memorial, Lenden found an envelope on the back of Veda’s Portrait with a torn page inside. It led the party to put ink across the scroll which revealed the final clue, To Dance with the Maiden of the Glenn. At the wellspring in the glen stood a young woman’s statute. By moving the statue's arms, they discovered a locking mechanism. After some fiddling with it, the statue opened a hidden chamber. Inside the group found a thin ghost with a cake and a riddle. Once solved, they were able to take the Death Elemental stone.
Once the stone was placed, the earth rumbled, all sound and motion stopped momentarily before everything returned to normal.
Mealtime at the tavern was interrupted by humanoid walking carnivorous plants. They came straight through the barrier, screaming for food. One with a bright colorful bulb like flower filled with teeth also called for “Daddy” especially once it was attacked. The party was able to drive them back from the tavern and placated them with food. They found that feeding them caused them to get sleepy, go dormant and take root. They fed them all enough to go dormant and replanted them outside the barrier.
Peace is just not for Tekom as it was broken again by a young boy who ran into town, yelling that there was someone hurt on the road. The party suited up and followed him quickly. Right into the jaws of a newly hatched dragon! The dragon was hungry and scared and attacked fiercely until injured, when it then tried to escape them, but was set upon at all sides. The group subdued it and gave it a sleeping potion before healing it. They tried to track its eggshell trail back to its nest, but the trail suddenly vanished in the middle of a field. After a little debate, the group decided to move the baby to a cave and fence it in with a protective barrier. The leaders of town and the townsfolk agree to caring for it, rather than putting it down, although there is a worry over if the mother shows back up.
When they returned to town, they were visited by the specter again. But this time, she dropped her veil down, revealing Veda. She told them that there is not much time left. That the Barrier had fallen. She told them how to perform a Grand Ritual to create a new barrier and promised to protect the town until morning. She answered any questions that she could. Most importantly that she had told the Scarlet Sash about the Dark Mage’s desire to use the stones to tear a hole into the Dark Realm, but that was not the only use for use power.
Enok orchestrated a ritual celebration at the Mystic Glenn to gather lots and lots of Ardor for the Grand Ritual and more specifically the Barrier. The party lasted long into the night with much drunken revelry and a lot of Ardor gathered.
In the morning, as the groups prepared to perform their parts of the ritual, seven parts in all, they were visited by some friends and new tentative allies. First the collector showed up, with lots of health potions and a huge axe, ready to help fight. Then Katar, the leader of the Scarlet Sash returned with a few of his men, ready to help protect the innocent of Tekom. Then it was time to get into position. Ikarus gave those chosen to cast the ritual a potion of Draught of Night to help protect them. Then the teams headed out to their locations. The casters had to solve a small puzzle and complete an incantation three times while the rest of their team kept the Innominatam off of them because it had to be cast outside the Namestone’s Barrier. Everyone worked well together to complete their portion and all together they were able to perform the Grand Ritual. Once completed, a new barrier rose, much stronger and larger that the last. The new barrier vaporized all the Innominatam in the area and peace finally settled for a moment.
All through out town, the injured were taken to healers, but a great relief washed over town. Veda appeared again. Thanking them and telling them that her job was done and now she could rest. But Tekom’s troubles were not over. The Dark Mage would try again. Then she vanished into thin air
Session 5: Wheels Turning (One Day)
The caravan arrived incredibly smoothly, attended by three powerful mystics sent by the Empress to Tekom and an additional company of Guardians. Among the cargo was additional supplies from the Empress as well. The mystics brought along the orders that they will be “filling in” the roles of the other three positions of the Circle of Seven until the positions are officially filled. Many citizens and new arrivals gathered in the Tavern to enjoy many of the fresh supplies! But a mysterious aliment soon started spreading through those in the tavern.
Meanwhile: the spirit of a Neuma child using the last of her dying magic began to sing. Only the children of Tekom could hear her sing. A few brave ones ventured beyond the barrier. They encountered a fire neuma. The fire sprite could also hear the song and guided the children to the forest edge. They met a red bear there. The children asked if the bear could sing, and he said no so they ran on by. Next a giant blocked their path and told them they could not pass. They all scurried to the right of the path and when the giant moved to the right half of them ran to the left. The giant who was slow tried to block the left ones and the right ones ran on the right. The giant was too slow for Tekom's children. Leonitus stayed behind and traded an animal skull for a tooth necklace. The children that ran by the giant ran ahead and encountered Adrian who was busy planting strange seeds. He asked for their help to plant. All the children helped except for Daren who kept his seed to bring back to town. Finally, they heard the song of the neuma ghost and came upon a cave. In a small, gilded cage lay a dead body of a sprite and the ghost of the sprite who sang the song that led the children to her. The ghost explains that the cage was magical and prevented her spirit from getting to the graveyard to be reborn. Enraged the children if Tekom smashed the gilded cage to pieces. As the ghost of the neuma was freed, a horrible grey creature appeared known as a boggle, part Innominatam part something else. It began to chase the ghost neuma with the children racing to guide the spirit back to the graveyard. While Leonitus, Danaly (Alyra), and Clris bravely fought the boggle to keep it distracted. The spirit of the sprite reached the graveyard finally and came back to life. The boggle hissed in frustration and ran back into the forest.
The children arrived back at the tavern and unbeknownst to those who fought the boggle they were affected by a strange magic that made them both levitate and sparkle with pixie dust. The boggles attacks did little damage but seemed to have random magical effects. The children relayed their story to all in the tavern that night.
Once Ikarus released that some illness was quickly spreading through the tavern, he called for a quarantine as he too began falling ill and sent a message to the hospital.
Shortly thereafter, Warden Mossberg entered the tavern and reported that a company of Guardians failed to save a lone traveler from the Innominatam. They have changed their behavior, they took the victim with them into the Dark Realm with them, rather than continue the attack in the open. The victim left behind a case, sealed with the Empress’s seal. With trepidation, the case was opened, revealing a anxiety inducing mechanism, specimen of some strange creatures and a medical report. Some investigating later, the group determined that the illness was caused by this parasitic creature and began unraveling the secrets of the box. Ximun, a mechanical mystic arrived, sent by Canoa to provide assistance because he had no threat of being infected. Through some investigation and lock picking the group was able to solve the combination lock and reveal the hidden contents of the chest, which was a complicated enchanted vessel using three elemental stones to produce a cure for the parasite infection. Jumping into action, Ikarus quickly made everyone in the tavern take a dose of the cure before Ximun took the enchanted vessel to the Hospital to administer it to everyone else in the entire town.
Just as everyone calmed down and began celebrating, the lights flickered, and a ghostly presence floated through the wall. Niamh returned! With the bittersweetness of her return, she brought news of Moros’s castle. The Cultists had fled, abandoning the castle. Moros was carried out. Also, interestingly, before they abandoned it, they had brought back a huge eggshell that they placed on their altar and took with them when they dismantled everything. The group begins to worry about what the cult’s involvement was in Ink’s hatching.
Session 6: Uninvited Guests (Online)
Winter is settling in on Tekom and its Citizens are falling into their colder routines. When the newest caravan brought news of a strange group of people wandering the wilds with no protection. They do not stay a mystery long as the “Children of the Divine” arrive. They are a religious order that follow a god they call the Discarded God. Their Leader, Seren Norwood promises to show anyone who wants to see the Discarded God tonight. They are granted permission and set up a camp in the Merrycap Meadow outside of town. The Children are warm and welcoming to the people of Tekom, who are skeptical and wary. That night, Seren performs a great ceremony, speaking on the origin of his god before pulling the sky apart to reveal the Discarded God, curled up among the field of stars. Naturally, the people of Tekom need some time to process this. A new mystery to unravel.