What Lies in Dust - Session 20: Delvehaven, Part III

Dramatis Personae

Alizander Carmelizzia - Human (Varisian) sorcerer
Boecca – Half-orc inquisitor of Erastil

Carlos Santiago - Half-orc (Alkenstarian) wizard

Slavé/Jancen – Tiefling (in guise as a human) rogue

Tavo Dechirent - Human cleric of Pharasma
Vaeden Corleone - Human rogue

Toilday, 9 Abadius, 4709 A.R.

The Returners, now bolstered with the addition of Boecca, a half-orc inquisitor eager to mete out Erastil’s justice on a city of devil-worshippers, head back to Delvehaven and brave its dusty halls once again.

The group heads first to the Nautalica, where they faced the deadly shadow-infused triceratops skeleton. They find the massive aquarium has ruptured since their last visit, spilling its contents of mouldering fish skeletons across the floor. The party determines that several of the bones of the triceratops have been removed since their last visit. Upon further examination they discover several footprints throughout the now-sodden muck and dust on the floor. The footprints seem to appear and disappear without any obvious entrance or exit from the room.

The Returners gather what useful items they can from the detritus spilled from the broken aquarium before proceeding deeper into Delvehaven. They continue through the large double doors leading south and enter an open-air courtyard, where they fight a frantic battle with five unsettling children’s toys animated with malevolent soul foci. After defeating the soulbound dolls, the party examines an unusual blue-metal dais in the centre of the courtyard that renders anyone on top of it invisible. The presence of a number of weapon racks under the terrace along the courtyard’s outer wall suggests that the Delvehaven Pathfinders may have used the dais to practice their blind-fighting abilities.

The party leaves the courtyard through another set of double doors leading to the southern wing of the structure. Within the half-moon-shaped building is the former Delvehaven Council Chamber – a spacious room featuring a gigantic nightscape mural on the ceiling. The mural’s bands of stars stretch to form an outline of the Pathfinders’ famed Glyph of the Open Road. Wooden stairs lead up to a balcony circling the upper level of the Council Chamber, where another set of double doors leads back out to the courtyard and a rickety wooden bridge connecting the southern wing to the main northern wing of the lodge. As the party heads up the stairs towards the doors, they are set upon by a pulsating yellow orb. Several party members receive body-shaking jolts of electricity from the ill-tempered will-o’-wisp before the group manages to surround the alien creature and strike it down.

The party heads back to the northern wing of the lodge and explores the upstairs level, which consists almost entirely of guest rooms. One notable room contains a water elemental that appears to be bound to the pool in the room – perhaps the Mirrorskin creature referred to by the spirit of Venture-Captain Aiger Ghaelfin.

Treasure:

· From the Nautalica

o Ancient triangular coins (5) (250 gp – 50 gp each)

o Indigo jade bracelet (225 gp)

o Darkwood wolf’s-head scepter (20 gp)

o Continual flame gems (7) (840 gp – 120 gp each)

o Gray bag of tricks (waterlogged, but functional)

· From the Soulbound Dolls in the Rostrum of Vanishment

o Soul foci (3)

· From the Council Chamber

o Ornate lantern (450 gp)

Experience Awards

· Soulbound dolls (5) – 3000 xp

· Xyscerace (will-o’-wisp) – 2400 xp

· Total – 5400 xp

· Per PC (6) – 900 xp each

Current XP Total per PC

· Alizander, Carlos, Slavé, Vaeden – 22,655 xp each

· Tavo – 21,960 xp

· Boecca – 19,900

· Total Current Fame Points – 12