Session 21 & 22 Recap and Take
Session 21 & 22 Recap and Take
These sessions saw a lot faction play and jungle exploration, as the party found itself pressured to choose sides in the feud between the witch Zalvorex and the spirit Bazekop. The party was initially roused from their sleep by the overmerchant Nekalimon who said there was someone who had to speak to them. They entered his pagoda to be greeted by a tall, thin figure, with cracked grey skin and horns who introduced himself as Ivar, the herald of Prince Bazekop. He informed the party that they had something that belonged to his liege, the sapphire they had recovered from the warrens of the Hybubs. After some haggling, he offered to exchange a handful of diamonds worth 4000 GP for it. He also informed the party that Aisling was undergoing a fatal metamorphosis as a result of touching the gem. He offered to cure her, if the party would travel to the Valley of the Flowers and fetch a cube from an abandoned vessel there. When the party insisted that they needed to think it over, he told them they had a week to make up their minds. He detected as evil and was courteous but perhaps a touch menacing in his negotiations.
The party decided to drop everything, and head down to the Emerald Pools to meet the opposing factional player, the witch Zalvorex. Traveling through the jungle, the party was beset by a swarm of smoldering locusts. A chase ensued, with some derring-do by Salinger. The locusts were routed, but not before the linkboy Gerald was consumed in flames. The Emerald Pools proved to be a system of enormous pitcher plants, gathering water from the jungle above, and each spilling into the next, like waterfalls spilling down a cliff face to a series of rocky pools. Five pools of crystal clear water collected at the bottom in truly gigantic pitcher plants at the base of the system. Everywhere animals emerged from the jungle to drink and play in the cool clear water. As the gloaming came upon their emerald surfaces, the party saw a giant many-legged insect with amber scales, carrying on its back a small domed hut lumber towards the pools. Bells jingled as it approached, and smoke could be seen leaving through the one lone window high in the dome. As it sated its thirst in the great pool, the insect allowed the party to climb the stairs that lead to a red door set with a simple knocker.
It was answered by Vaz, the lumpen courier of constantly shifting appearance who had the party had freed from the wicker cages of the Empty Witch. The party was invited in, and found that the space within is much larger than the space without. After refreshments were served, Zalvorex greeted the party. He was of indeterminate gender, with pale skin, delicate features, and wild hair. Cycles of birth and death seemed to follow his movement.
In a long back and forth about how he came to the jungle, and what the origin his feud was with the spirit Bazekop, the following tale emerged. Zalvorex hails a place called Phantamoria, a world (deeper?) in the dreaming. He came in a vessel called the Parapraxis that sails the oneiric waves. While trying to navigate perilous vortices he lost control of the ship’s undermind and crashed into the jungle in wishery. The main sail of the ship, among other things, was damaged. Bazekop possessed the means necessary for this purpose and Zalvorex reluctantly entered into negotiations with him. Bazekop deceived him and Zalvorex retaliated. Through a powerful curse, Bazekop bound him to his jungle home, where he has been imprisoned ever since. He also revealed that the site of the wreck is the “Valley of the Flowers” that the party had skirted on previous forays into the jungle. Zalvorex created the valley in order to contain the nightmares that were spilling from the ship’s fractured imago drive. He identified the box that Ivar wanted the party to recover as the ship’s twilight condenser. Ivar’s offer led him to wonder if the imago drive was weakening and the valley becoming more accessible, or if perhaps this was some sort of trap cunningly laid for him.
Zalvorex also identified the sapphire as one of the Resplendent Sapphires of Bazikop. He explained that these artifacts are connected to the malignant boreal winds that cut through the Endless Azure Sea. The winds have their origin in a chaotic frozen essence that lies beyond time and space. The Resplendent Sapphires contain a share of this boreal chaos. They possess a metamorphoric power and potent temporal properties, for the winds flow through time as well as space. He admitted to knowing little about the details of the powers.
Zalvorex proposed to hold the Resplendent Sapphire for the party, and study its powers. When he could tell them more, he would make them an offer. He also made a standing offer to the party of 1000 GP to bring intelligence about the current condition of the Valley of Flowers, and a 3000 GP for the extraction of the twilight condenser, provided they not further damage the Parapraxis. Finally, he offered to attempt to cure Aisling as a thanks to the party for rescuing Vaz from the cages of the Empty Witch. Aisling remained behind with him, taking up residence in the moving manse, as the party moved on.
The party next set out for “the house of man idols” that a plumed reaver had located for them when they released him from the wicker cages. They travelled east across the jungle. Soon they came upon a shrine to Golumex, “He Who Watches from Outside”, maintained by the lurid toads. The party recognized the melting and dolorous statue as a representation of the same deity whose ancient statute stood on the cliff above the lair of the lurid toads that they destroyed. The party learned that the lurid toads hail from nearby Lake Yannu, and also that statues of Golumex are constructed with a “great fetish” within. The party laid eyes on the shores of Lake Yannu, a gigantic bubble filling a hex, along the slimy, rubbery surface of which algae bloomed, and seaweed grew. Within the massive wall of murky water, the party could occasionally large forms move. Skirting the massive “lake”, the party finally came to the House of Man Idols.
This derelict temple was built into a niche carved into one of the great trees of the forest. Its façade of marble sheets were cracked and stained; in places the strange material of the masons can be glimpsed glittering beneath where the marble sheets had fallen. The tree had grown, pushing the temple out until it hangs precariously over the lip, while from the side and tops, the tree flowed over it like so much melted wax. The fine dome at its top was cracked, with a large rent accessible with some climbing. At the front of the temple stood large double doors made of a black wood, decorated with triangular impressions.
The party mounted the dome to discover within a massive silver bird, like to a parrot, chained to the floor. It identified itself as Valkasa. It informed the party that the ruined temple was now the lair of Subati the Lamia. It warned them that she would enslave with her gaze those she favored, and crack the bones of the rest, and drink their marrow. Although Valkasa informed them that Subati was not home, and that only her slave Chismaru was within the ruined temple currently, the party decided that this was perhaps a bit much to take on. Instead, they returned to the hanging merchants above.
Anyone who participated in either (or both) of these sessions may take 100 XP.
Chris P. Eric Boyd cole long Aleksandr Revzin Joshua Blackketter Dave Sealy
These sessions saw a lot faction play and jungle exploration, as the party found itself pressured to choose sides in the feud between the witch Zalvorex and the spirit Bazekop. The party was initially roused from their sleep by the overmerchant Nekalimon who said there was someone who had to speak to them. They entered his pagoda to be greeted by a tall, thin figure, with cracked grey skin and horns who introduced himself as Ivar, the herald of Prince Bazekop. He informed the party that they had something that belonged to his liege, the sapphire they had recovered from the warrens of the Hybubs. After some haggling, he offered to exchange a handful of diamonds worth 4000 GP for it. He also informed the party that Aisling was undergoing a fatal metamorphosis as a result of touching the gem. He offered to cure her, if the party would travel to the Valley of the Flowers and fetch a cube from an abandoned vessel there. When the party insisted that they needed to think it over, he told them they had a week to make up their minds. He detected as evil and was courteous but perhaps a touch menacing in his negotiations.
The party decided to drop everything, and head down to the Emerald Pools to meet the opposing factional player, the witch Zalvorex. Traveling through the jungle, the party was beset by a swarm of smoldering locusts. A chase ensued, with some derring-do by Salinger. The locusts were routed, but not before the linkboy Gerald was consumed in flames. The Emerald Pools proved to be a system of enormous pitcher plants, gathering water from the jungle above, and each spilling into the next, like waterfalls spilling down a cliff face to a series of rocky pools. Five pools of crystal clear water collected at the bottom in truly gigantic pitcher plants at the base of the system. Everywhere animals emerged from the jungle to drink and play in the cool clear water. As the gloaming came upon their emerald surfaces, the party saw a giant many-legged insect with amber scales, carrying on its back a small domed hut lumber towards the pools. Bells jingled as it approached, and smoke could be seen leaving through the one lone window high in the dome. As it sated its thirst in the great pool, the insect allowed the party to climb the stairs that lead to a red door set with a simple knocker.
It was answered by Vaz, the lumpen courier of constantly shifting appearance who had the party had freed from the wicker cages of the Empty Witch. The party was invited in, and found that the space within is much larger than the space without. After refreshments were served, Zalvorex greeted the party. He was of indeterminate gender, with pale skin, delicate features, and wild hair. Cycles of birth and death seemed to follow his movement.
In a long back and forth about how he came to the jungle, and what the origin his feud was with the spirit Bazekop, the following tale emerged. Zalvorex hails a place called Phantamoria, a world (deeper?) in the dreaming. He came in a vessel called the Parapraxis that sails the oneiric waves. While trying to navigate perilous vortices he lost control of the ship’s undermind and crashed into the jungle in wishery. The main sail of the ship, among other things, was damaged. Bazekop possessed the means necessary for this purpose and Zalvorex reluctantly entered into negotiations with him. Bazekop deceived him and Zalvorex retaliated. Through a powerful curse, Bazekop bound him to his jungle home, where he has been imprisoned ever since. He also revealed that the site of the wreck is the “Valley of the Flowers” that the party had skirted on previous forays into the jungle. Zalvorex created the valley in order to contain the nightmares that were spilling from the ship’s fractured imago drive. He identified the box that Ivar wanted the party to recover as the ship’s twilight condenser. Ivar’s offer led him to wonder if the imago drive was weakening and the valley becoming more accessible, or if perhaps this was some sort of trap cunningly laid for him.
Zalvorex also identified the sapphire as one of the Resplendent Sapphires of Bazikop. He explained that these artifacts are connected to the malignant boreal winds that cut through the Endless Azure Sea. The winds have their origin in a chaotic frozen essence that lies beyond time and space. The Resplendent Sapphires contain a share of this boreal chaos. They possess a metamorphoric power and potent temporal properties, for the winds flow through time as well as space. He admitted to knowing little about the details of the powers.
Zalvorex proposed to hold the Resplendent Sapphire for the party, and study its powers. When he could tell them more, he would make them an offer. He also made a standing offer to the party of 1000 GP to bring intelligence about the current condition of the Valley of Flowers, and a 3000 GP for the extraction of the twilight condenser, provided they not further damage the Parapraxis. Finally, he offered to attempt to cure Aisling as a thanks to the party for rescuing Vaz from the cages of the Empty Witch. Aisling remained behind with him, taking up residence in the moving manse, as the party moved on.
The party next set out for “the house of man idols” that a plumed reaver had located for them when they released him from the wicker cages. They travelled east across the jungle. Soon they came upon a shrine to Golumex, “He Who Watches from Outside”, maintained by the lurid toads. The party recognized the melting and dolorous statue as a representation of the same deity whose ancient statute stood on the cliff above the lair of the lurid toads that they destroyed. The party learned that the lurid toads hail from nearby Lake Yannu, and also that statues of Golumex are constructed with a “great fetish” within. The party laid eyes on the shores of Lake Yannu, a gigantic bubble filling a hex, along the slimy, rubbery surface of which algae bloomed, and seaweed grew. Within the massive wall of murky water, the party could occasionally large forms move. Skirting the massive “lake”, the party finally came to the House of Man Idols.
This derelict temple was built into a niche carved into one of the great trees of the forest. Its façade of marble sheets were cracked and stained; in places the strange material of the masons can be glimpsed glittering beneath where the marble sheets had fallen. The tree had grown, pushing the temple out until it hangs precariously over the lip, while from the side and tops, the tree flowed over it like so much melted wax. The fine dome at its top was cracked, with a large rent accessible with some climbing. At the front of the temple stood large double doors made of a black wood, decorated with triangular impressions.
The party mounted the dome to discover within a massive silver bird, like to a parrot, chained to the floor. It identified itself as Valkasa. It informed the party that the ruined temple was now the lair of Subati the Lamia. It warned them that she would enslave with her gaze those she favored, and crack the bones of the rest, and drink their marrow. Although Valkasa informed them that Subati was not home, and that only her slave Chismaru was within the ruined temple currently, the party decided that this was perhaps a bit much to take on. Instead, they returned to the hanging merchants above.
Anyone who participated in either (or both) of these sessions may take 100 XP.
Chris P. Eric Boyd cole long Aleksandr Revzin Joshua Blackketter Dave Sealy
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