# Session S29 ← `=this.prev` | **`=this.campaign`** | `=this.next` → > [!overview] > | **Session** | `=this.session` | > | --- | --- | > | **Session date** | `=this.date-session` | > | **Campaign date** | `=this.campaign-date` | > | **PCs** | `=this.pc` | > | **Active NPCs** | `=this.npc_active` | > | **Discussed NPCs** | `=this.npc_discussed` | > | **Active locations** | `=this.location-active` | > | **Discussed locations** | `=this.location-discussed` | > [!summary]- > To write. > %% > tldr:: To write. > %% %% ### Starting notes: - To do: - [x] Pick up new cuffs of ogre power - Identify hand axe from the second house - Identify magic ring from the second house %% ## Notes - They discuss the background of the Cult with Ryk and Gomash. - [[Odonth Darkwrath]], [[Hayla]] - Huxley investigates the body, death by imp stings. - Ryk searches under the bed, only finds the person's belongings (5 cp, common clothes, dagger) - Gomash decides to pry up a floor board to question the downstairs neighbour - Someone's door got kicked in yesterday. "I'll pay him back!" - We go and knock on a neighbour's door. An old woman smoking a tabacco pipe. - [[Brian Gor]] was talking about debt. - [[Brian Gor]] was a beggar. He had recently come into some money, and had been spending money. - Kassandra asks Huxley and Demu if they learned anything about the speaker ([[60 Games/62 Campaigns/2022-09 Hoard of the Dragon Queen/05 NPCs/Resolve]]) - [[Oberon]], her bodyguard, had ushered [[60 Games/62 Campaigns/2022-09 Hoard of the Dragon Queen/05 NPCs/Resolve]] away right before [[Vela]] interacted with the party. - We head back to the store where we had purchased items, and Kassandra picks up her cuffs she commissioned. - We then head back to the [[A Pair of Black Antlers]], and tell [[Ferias]] and [[Ontharr Frume]] what we had found. - Ontharr just thinks we met a mercenary, and not proof of the Cult - Ferias wishes to join us for the conversation with [[Vela]], even if not in view. Recommends sending a disposable messanger. - We take a short rest at [[A Pair of Black Antlers]]. - Kassandra will attune to her cuffs. - The handaxe is a [[Weapon of Warning]] » Astrid - The ring is a [[Ring of Fire Resistance]] » Huxey - The party decides what to do, regarding the [[Vela]] conversation. - [[Ferias]] to have the rest of the party ([[Astrid Dawngaze]], [[Ryk]], [[Faust Huxley]]) nearby in a cheaper carriage so they can hear. - [[Ferias]] to get [[Death Ward]] cast on whomever is going to talk. - [[Ferias]] to alter themselves to look like [[Astrid Dawngaze]]. Kassandra to go, to create a [[Major Image]] of the rest of the party. [[Fantoccio]] to accompany. [[Gomash]] to join since he can jump away from danger. - [[Ferias]] seems proficient in armor. - Guards will be 200 ft away in case. - They meet up at the gates to meet with [[Vela]]. - The wagon is there at the gate in advance, about 40 ft away. - [[Ferias]] and [[Lenore Sigyn|Kassandra]] have [[Death Ward]] cast on them. - [[Ferias]] leads as Astrid. He's very theatrical. Except he sounds a little more sullen. - We spot a suspicious person in a black cloak who turns and looks at us. Beckons. - She pulls down her hood, and it's [[Vela]]. She looks bemused. - Ferias wants to know what she wants. We hear the smashing of metal beneath her cloak. But she doesn't answer the question. - Vela looks towards Kassandra and notes it's an interesting day. "Dress up." She's heard stories about "Lenore"… Some stories she wouldn't share in polite company… "But I really wanted to see you, because the whole family seems interested. A new toy." - She's a mercenary. - She just wants self entertainment. …and filling in for a friend. - There's nothing behind her eyes when she smiles. - The crowd is thinning. - She was told she's filling in two favours. First, thank you for your time. "The one known as [[Vela]] will meet with you again. And secondly, [[Hayla]] sends her regards." And then she goes to cast a spell. - Huxley identifies it as a plane shift spell. Huxley counterspells it. - Gomash swings and misses with a 20. - Kassandra goes to cast [[Hold Person]], but doesn't sense a human as she casts it. (Vela isn't real… or a fiend?) Kass backs up, and the figure makes no attempt to attack her. - Astrid hits with a trip attack, and hits with a 24. - She says it was her only planeshift so needs to do this the old fashioned way, and tries to stabs herself. Astrid intercepts. The fiend turns it into an auto-crit, but Huxley had hexed her so the nat20 becomes a nat1. - "Vela" is wearing silver armor and isn't silent like the last time we saw [[Vela]]. - Kassandra asks Ferias if there's somewhere more private they could talk. - Kass asks what they should call this individual… "[[Vee]]" - We enter a private room, thanks to Ferias. - Astrid asks "Why were you sent?" "That's pretty complicated. How far back do you want to go?" - Has been here for a little bit under contract. Mostly freelance. Fiendish things happening lately, especially with what's in your pockets… - Was given this note… it's a sealed envelope. "She didn't tell me what to do with it, but said for me to have it." Vela gave her the envelope. It's a plain envelope with a seal on it, with black wax and a dragon's head. - I was told to distract people. - …the Cult is already gone. They've been gone for a little while. It's been mostly smoke and mirrors. - "Were you behind the attack in the gardens?" No. - "Do you know something about it?" "Yup." It's her brother who was behind that. "Grandmother" gave the orders to do things here. - "Grandmother" is [[60 Games/62 Campaigns/2022-09 Hoard of the Dragon Queen/05 NPCs/Zariel]]. - [[60 Games/62 Campaigns/2022-09 Hoard of the Dragon Queen/05 NPCs/Zariel]] is doing something here, to help the Cultists. Doesn't really know what. - Kassandra looks at the envelope, and isn't familiar with the symbol. No history, doesn't even seem to tie to the Cult specifically. - Kass asked about the family question. - Both [[Vee|Vee's]] family, and [[Hayla]] - Three of them interested. - [[Hayla]] - [[Snow]] - [[Aurora]] - She's pretty mercurial. - Very emotional, flips on a dime. - Short-haired. - Very smart. Very dangerous. - Pretty sneaky, not recommended to get too close. She's icy. - If [[60 Games/62 Campaigns/2022-09 Hoard of the Dragon Queen/05 NPCs/Zariel|Zariel]] could get Kassandra on her side, it would make the [[Blood War]] easier. - [[60 Games/62 Campaigns/2022-09 Hoard of the Dragon Queen/05 NPCs/Tiamat|Tiamat]] is on the same layer of hell that [[60 Games/62 Campaigns/2022-09 Hoard of the Dragon Queen/05 NPCs/Zariel]] is on. - Astrid asks what [[Vee]] knows about her. - Not a lot. Which is interesting, since usually easy to find out a lot about people. - Says she knows a fair bit about Huxley and "Lenore", says Ryk and Gomash are new. - [[Vee]] doesn't know [[Odonth Darkwrath]], but heard of him. He's up and coming. - Huxley asks if Vee knows where the Cult went. Towards [[Baldur's Gate]], but not sure after. - Astrid asks "Lenore" to make an image of the cube. Kassandra pulls the fake cube out of her pocket. - It's an infernal puzzle box. Usually to hurt the one trying to open it. Usually something inside. - Sometimes there isn't… and there are three, and 2 are dupes etc. - Kassandra watches Ferias' reactions during this. He's treating this methodically, but unemotionally. - Astrid asks if Vee knows how to open it… Vee says no. - Kassandra: "Does your grandmother still have business in [[Elturel]]? How would one get in touch with her. How did all of these people get in touch with her." - She's a new-ish arch-devil. Not well liked. - Basically summon a fiend, talk, and send them back. - [[60 Games/62 Campaigns/2022-09 Hoard of the Dragon Queen/05 NPCs/Zariel|Zariel]] is only really interested in champions and fighters; if you wanted to disappear, stop fighting. - But Kassandra is interesting because of being an oracle… - Astrid is interesting because she's a strong warrior, as is Gomash. - Vee likes being on the prime material plane because if they fought in the real [[Blood War]], they would die. - Vee doesn't know anything about Astrid's family, her order etc… - What Vee knows about… - Lenore - Something to do with the dragon cult, the Kassandra thing - 24 deception, says "I think your facts are wrong" and Ferias says he's worked with this person for years. - Huxley - Orphanage. Mom and the other kids thing… "But that's witches for you." - But I didn't have that long to find out information about you before you showed up. - Ryk asks if there are other fiends in the city. "You'd be hard pressed to not find fiends in any city." - Vee's brother is still around, probably. - Kassandra opens the envelope - Black ink. Sloppy handwriting. - Three parties: Vee, Odonth's group, and us. - "Greetings, I hope my attendant is treating you well. I recently came into meeting with some quite amusing descendants of Zariel. I think the three of our groups will make a quite amusing fight possibly in the future. I look forward to our future fights. Love Odonth" - Astrid asks what the cult is doing in Baldur's Gate. Recruiting. - Ferias will put up a magic circle to trap them. There will be further questions. - We go back to [[A Pair of Black Antlers]] to meet up with [[Langdedrosa Cyanwrath]]. - He tells us immediately that the letter is his brother is being a tool. - We level up to Level 7 - I realize I've been playing with 9 active spell slots, and I should have had 10. …but now I'll have 11. Learning!