Chapter 2: The Gods of the White Tower
It seems we get a lot accomplished in a single session, so sorry if these get wordy. The more detail I include, the less likely I am to forget that detail if I need to reference it later.
Back on Track
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After spending the night at the foot of the dead earth elemental, the master of the shrine, the party ventures through a mile long tunnel and emerges into a wooded glade. Seeing a path leading towards the white tower, and a campfire rising above the treeline, Vosen sneaks ahead. He finds a camp at the base of several small cliffs, with a stream running through the middle. On the opposite side are several humans in black armor lounging around the fire, while half a dozen voidlings silently patrol the camp.
Oblivious to the rogue's presence, the black-armored men greet another human emerging from down the path, hauling Beinlein's cart (a remarkable coincidence, I know, but I didn't want to be a jerk and take the cart away from Beinlein, especially since he sunk some gold in equipping it). The man with the cart reports to a fierce looking fellow, apparently the group's leader, with a wild black beard. One of the man's followers questions him,
"Why do we have to work with these creatures anyway? They give me the creeps."
"Harbinger's orders, that's why" the bearded man growls, "and her orders come straight from the Dark One, so we follow." The bearded man's lackey shrinks in submission at a glare from his superior. Seeing enough, Vosen silently retreats back a ways to report to the party.
Confrontation
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Back down the path, Vosen quickly gives a report to the party at what just transpired. The party debates what course of action to take, for noone in the party is especially capable of stealth, especially Garo and Gregor. Beinlein, understandably, also doesn't want to leave without his cart. After hearing the description of the men, Gregor gives his opinion,
"Sounds like the Dark Callers. They're a band of brigands that have been wreaking havoc to farms and estates around the city. My men and I have dealt with them several times, they're a nasty bunch, although I've never heard of them consorting with the shadow creatures before."
That seemed to settle it, but before they could take action, a shout is heard from the camp. (Hearing this, the party rushes back in time to witness the following exchange)
"DRAX!" bellows a woman from the top of the cliffs. Clad in pale green and white, her long hair is a white-blonde, but she appears heavily injured, leaning heavily to her right side as a stream of blood pours from a gash on her forehead. Despite her injuries, she issues a challenge to the bearded man seemingly named Drax, and his followers with her longbow trained on their leader.
"Final warning! Throw down your weapons and come quietly, or I'll pay you back for the farmers you slaughtered ten-fold!"
Retorting with a hearty laugh, Drax raises his arm as a blazing flame of black and red flares from his opened hand. "It's their own damn fault for living so far from the safety of the city, Voyager. They're in out territory and we'll butcher them however we wish-"
Drax's taunt is cut short as a gleaming light emits from the woman's bow, an arrow shooting forward and impaling Drax in the chest. Laughing again, Drax hurls the flame at the woman, as his men turn to face the party as they run into the clearing.
Lago, having his bonds released right before the battle, immediately runs frantically into the woods to the right, a glow from the crystals surrounding him and Nualia (Lago's character actually didn't realize that part of the battlemap represented woods, but it was hilarious and strangely still in character). Beinlein takes a shot with his crossbow and dispatches a voidling as Garo and the eidolon charge head on into the fray, Gregor limping behind with an axe borrowed from the dwarf. The Dark Callers engage the party, the man by Beinlein's cart hopping in to take cover as he shoots the party with a crossbow, the bolt narrowly missing Nualia.
Several rounds pass as the Dark Callers and their shadowy minions fall one by one, and despite considerable damage from the white-haired woman, Drax finally takes her down with a fiery blast. With Drax the only one remaining, Nualia intimidates him for information, and learn of the Dark God whom they follow. Lago dashes up the cliffs to revive the woman, who gratefully introduces herself as Arlessa Whitelock.
The Grand Cathedral
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Now able to stand, Arlessa reveals herself as a ranger/paladin, a Voyager of the White Tower. Thanking the party for their assistance, she requests their help to gather the bodies of the farmers slain by Drax in his men, a dwarven family called the Stoneholds. Arlessa explains that the lord of the tower is known as Sune and can apparently bring the Stoneholds back to life.
This naturally raises some questions, which Arlessa answers to the best of her ability for she knows little of Sune's true nature, and it would be ideal for the party to meet her directly (it is also discovered that Gregor and Arlessa have fought together in the past). In the mean time, the party reaches the destroyed farm to load the bodies of the farmers onto the cart, while Garo recovers a silver heirloom of the family to return upon their revival.
Heading towards the base of the tower, the city of Illium is a fantastic spectacle to behold. Surrounded by by three massive walled tiers, seven towers rise from above each gate into the city, each topped with an orb that glows a different color to mark each day of the week. The tower of the Grand Cathedral shoots into the sky beyond the clouds as far as can be seen, while the feathered wings of angels hover amid the highest spires.
The God of the White Tower
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Leading the party through the walls of the city, Arlessa takes the group up one of the main avenues up to the open doors of the cathedral. At this point, Gregor parts ways, saying he needs to return to his mercenary company, the Driftblades, and offers to come up with a job for the party if they come to him in two days or so.
Entering the cathedral, which is less church and more massive civic center, the party follows Arlessa up to a floor with dozens of identical wooden doors. Walking over to a seemingly random door, Arlessa states that Sune will meet the party inside. Entering the room, a comfortable lounge with a pleasant smell of incense, each member of the party sees themself in white robes standing in the middle of the room, and hearing their own voice,
"Greetings, I am Sune."
Sune thanks the party for their role in stopping the harbinger, and much time is spent asking Sune questions about his nature. Sune reveals that he always takes the form of whomever he is addressing, as they see themself to make them more at ease. The party learns that Sune has almost absolute power within the cathedral, can appear at multiple places at once (and is, in fact, having a private meeting with hundreds of others at this very second), and can even bring the dead back to life, but only once. Becoming the Chaste, these souls live full, unaltered lives but can never leave the cathedral, their lives being bound to Sune’s. Sune, however, only manifests in the cathedral once a week, with each other day hosting a different deity in the temple. Following him at the behest of Sune’s personal attendant, a young boy named Carn, the party moves to a different room and witnesses as the Stonehold family is returned to life.
Adventures in Illium
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Having been paid for their service and supplied with free lodging at a local inn (The Disgruntled Owlbear), the party splits up to investigate the city. Nualia travels to the university district and meets with Maester Tyrannus, the arcane tower’s expert on magic items, as the master takes a liking to her curiosity and extends an offer to supply her with some experimental magic items in the future to test in the field. Garo meets a half-orc smith named Bronce who agrees to forge him masterwork armor/weapons after meeting his fee. Noting that the city would be a great place for his family business, Garo also sends a message to his older sister in Blink Bay to the north. Vosen practices his sleight of hand by performing knife juggling to an enthusiastic crowd. Beinlein and Lago head to the garrison district to return Lago’s bounty (with a plan to spring him later and keep the money).
Meeting a tough-looking halfing woman with a patch over her left eye who heads the bounty office, she takes Lago into custody. However, the promised fee is not delivered upon, it seems that the mysterious entity who placed the bounty insisted on collecting Lago personally, then grant the reward, the strangeness of which is not lost upon the halfling.
Later that night, Lago hears several creatures enter the halfling’s office, and a muffled thump. Approaching his cell are three small creatures completely covered in black robes and now have the keys. Preparing himself, Lago knocks down the creature opening the cell, and revives the halfling as they take the fight to the streets. When defeated, the creatures poof out of existence in a bright flash, leaving only their robes behind. With his captor distracted, Lago escapes and dashes back to the inn, bursting through the doors to the party's room!
I'd say it was a very successful session! The latter half was completely improvised, as it mostly had to do with backstory stuff. I think an index of relevant info might be a good idea, so I'll probably add that in later.
Re: The Land of the Endless Sky [Campaign Journal]
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