Session One Hundred and Nine Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)
Session 109, October 5 2022
Introduction
We continue at 8:45PM on the 19th of Denrilden (00.000.09.12 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party discussing their next moves in Admiral Eliasa's quarters aboard her flagship, the Sea Queen. The group's choice has been complicated, though, by Eliasa and Kasa's claim that the Seer of Lysander plans to elevate an undead pirate to the Admirals' Council to replace those she deems disloyal. Those removed from power, including Druul's mother, would almost certainly be executed if that comes to pass. Eliasa also raises questions about whether the Seer is truly working honestly on behalf of Lysander and whether it might just be better to have Armada working with (and potentially sabotaging) the DVLs efforts to round of slave labor to build their colossal "soul-stealing" tower on the mainland. Will the party choose to capture Bavmorda now that they know where her safehouse is? Or will they leave the Seer to her fate in hopes that Lysander could be appeased afterward? Can the DVLs be snookered by the Armadan pirates, thereby delaying their plans for harvesting the world's lifeforce? Does the party have any good choices in their ongoing quest to reach Gharmarost and raid the Inquisitorial Library? Many of those questions are unanswerable -- except the last one. That one's answer is "no".
Larry's Summary
The party spends so long trying to decide what to do that when we finally decide to go save the Seer that when Eliasa tries to stop us by styaing to party, Druul charms her and she tells us that Bavmorda is on the say to kill her now. An old orc Khelratha saw is the father of the mother orc Khelratha gave bread and gems to and tells us he saw Bavmorda on Eliasa's ship. He was crew under her before he retired.
We rush forward then hear bells and Drayze shows up and stops us, our guide Domelch rushes to the temple.
Drayze tells us that Bavmorda has killed the Seer and Lysander will destroy Armada if Bavmorda isn't broght to justice by dawn. Also his faction want the new Seer to tell Lysander to go find Dagon as a last ditch effort to save the world. Dagon was bigger than Lysander the last time Drayze saw him.
Drayze is surprised to find "Thorfus Ironhand" but Khelratha insists he is dead.
Drayze leaves just as another DVL of the other faction appears and tells us the same.
We head to Kasa's ship and VElkin has Jardin make him invisible and he shadow steps to the ship and sees Bavmorda appear out of the shadows and go to the ship and below decks. Then the yellow hat appears and hides behind crates and sits down with a pipe.
Velkin climbs down and searches for Bavmorda through the porthols of the forward cabins and finds Bavmorda on a bed as we arrive.
Druul tries to go to the ship, and Khelratha mentions that she is wounded and we were sent for medicine and pushes forward.
the guards go aft and break down the door to Kasa's cabin.
the yellow hat points us forward and we go and meet up with Velkin who has captured Bavmorda with sleep poison and bound and gagged her and put out her eeyes.
Druul tried to charm her, but fails. Velkin gives her sleep poison, but Khelratha puts his dagger through her heart.
In the wardrobe is a naked orc that must be the acolyte whose robes Bavmorda is wearing.
We carry both their bodies like drunken sailors and Ranarth volunteers to lead the two guards to Kasa.
The yellow hat congratulates us and promises a contract by morning and shadow steps away.
We drop off the dead acolyte under the blanket like a sleeping drunk and make our way forward.
We make our way through the thick crowds and find a group of prisests and acolytes and Domelch leading chanting over the body of the Seer.
We present Bavmorda's body and Elkior identifies the body and praises us for our belated success in finding her. Krungma speaks up a bit, but Elkior quiets him by saying he will take charge of the investigation and expects the other admirals will help him.
Domelch steps in and we hear someone in the crowd ask if he is the new Seer?
Domelch oversees cutting up Bavmorda's body and putting it on a hook and chain to feed to the devilfish. The crows agrees to that.
The party discusses one of us, Druul becoming the seer, or Jardin, then mention Grisl, the tongue less former slave from the underdark. He must have made it to Armada since the admirals had the letter from the Wardens inviting them to the council.
Acolytes are ready to guide us to the sanctuary in the temple....
Velkin Scrolls 73 - Session 109
8:45pm, Denrilden 19
00.00000.09.12 Apocalypse Clock
On the Sea Queen, Eliasa’s Flagship with Kaasa. We’ve learned that the Seer is planning to replace some of the Admirals, themselves and Krung-ma most likely, since he’s pushing the DVL deal and they’re not keen on the Seer.
The Haberdashers put the hit on us after our conversation.
Beelzebub, a Lieutenant of Azmodeus, is tasked with building the tower on the mainland using slave labor.
We debate a number of things and guess at some others, none of which matter much. We decide to visit Lysander.
Druul charms Eliasa and Kaasa follows un-charmed. We get the details regarding the Armada-DVL contract. Basically the Armada is to keep pirating and bring slaves to the mainland from small settlements. Being paid double their usual rate for flesh. In return, they get safety and protection for the Armada. Eliasa was a member of the Haberdashers long before she was an admiral, they found out about the undead and gave Bavmorda a safehouse. Bavmorda is headed to kill the Seer right now. Falinko is in charge of the Haberdashers. Eliasa hates Kaasa, but they’re in the same mind about the direction of the Armada and Krung-ma may be getting special perks for pushing the DVL deal.
Dolmelch is on the dock speaking with an older male orc, Dolf. He tells us the orc has information he wants to share. Turns out he’s the father of the lady orc and the kid Khelratha helped. He tells us he saw Bavmorda on Kaasa’s ship. He felt like he owed telling us that for what we did for his daughter.
We head toward Kaasa’s flagship. Drayz, a Devilfish, contacts us and tells us the Seer is dead and thanks us for our ‘help’. You’ve managed to not save the Seer. He recognizes Thorfus Ironhand (Khelratha). He also thanks us for the Sonic Weapon his faction used previously. He’s of the Devilfish anti surface dweller faction.
One of the other Devilfish tells us that Lysander is planning to destroy the armada unless a replacement Seer is provided and Bavmorda dies. If a ‘correct’ new Seer is chosen and of the right frame of mind, that person could persuade Mother to go find Dagon and recruit him to help against the DVL incursion.
Gronzk (Devilfish) is one of Drayz’s buddies in his faction and asks one of us to take the Seer’s position. As Drayz leaves, we get another contact through the buzzing… Capture Bavmorda before dawn or Lysander will destroy Armada unless she’s brought to justice and a new Seer is appointed.
We continue on to Kaasa’s flagship, the Thorndrift, to look for Bavmorda. I head on over via shadow stepping to keep a lookout hiding in the rigging.
About 5min afterI get there, a figure steps out of the shadows in an Acolyte’s cloak, heads up onto the ship and belowdecks. A Yellowhat appears shortly thereafter, lights a pipe and settles down behind some crates, waiting, assumedly for the party. I scout through some portholes and find Bavmorda awake on a bed in bloody acolyte robes.
I step in the room and am able to put her to sleep. Blind her by poking her eyes out, loot her and find the dead acolyte. By this time the rest of the party has made it on the ship and after a short debate, and a charm attempt by Druul, Khelratha takes it on himself to rid Bavmorda of her life.
We take both bodies along with us back toward the Armada flagship disguised as passed out sailors. A Yellowhat congratulates us and promises a contract by morning. We drop the dead acolyte under a blanket like a drunken sailor sleeping it off and continue on.
There’s a procession and traditional chant to Lysander led by Dolmelch, Brother Lagi and other acolytes over the draped body of the Seer. Dolmelch looks completely heartbroken and betrayed. Druul speaks to the gathered crowd. We present Bavmorda’s body and Elchior confirms she’s dead. Says we’re owed thanks in bringing the tragedy to a close. Some of the crowd aren’t looking too friendly at us.
Dolmelch makes his way down to us and someone asks if he’s going to be the new Seer.
He oversees chopping her up and feeding her to the Devilfish.
We’ve got things to do… Choose a new seer, talk to Lysander, find Grissel and see if he’s willing to be the new Seer…
The Acolytes guide us to the sanctuary in Lysander’s temple.