Now ‘housed’ in New Vasselheim, the group split the party to cover a few topics.
Tunk
Going to the building of the Cobalt Soul, Tunk met Kusuo, the head of the monks in New Vasselheim, who explained what was going on. The Cobalt Soul doesn’t trust the Empress, and have been watching her closely. Kusuo believes the Empress wants to use them to explore the original Vasselheim and the ‘Godless Lands’ to the south of the Othanzian region of Isslyra. And the reason why they want to use Tunk and his friends is directly related to the magics that surrounded them when they were in Ravinia.
Both Dunamancy and some ancient, powerful, magics were used to transport them here, and that gained the Empress’s attention. She is, naturally, interested in Dunamancy since it’s not taught outside of the Krynn Dynasty territory. But also she is interested in that ancient, old, magic — not the hoity tower stuff, but pre-Calamity sorts of magic. Considering that Vasselheim was believed to be destroyed due to the volume of highly dangerous weapons and artifacts storied in the city, and has resulted in an instability of greater magics. And the magic that still ‘contaminates’ them will also insulate and protect them from the wild magic ravaging the continent.
Over the last five years, monks have traveled to the Godless Lands. None have returned. Boats that have been sent to explore the shorelines returned, unless they landed. Those were found empty, or filled with ghosts. Between that, and the general fear of the Empress’s true plans (Kusuo thinks she’s hiding something down south), Tunk is invited to join the Expositors (Expositors are the secret agents who gather information in the field), and accepts.
Kusuo’s sources have told him that the Empress will likely be asking the Tal’Dorei refugees to explore the more dangerous lands. For the benefit of the Cobalt Soul, Kusuo wants Tunk to say yes, if he’s asked to explore the south, as he might be able to find the monks there.
Rinn
After dropping off Stubby and Tāmarai (and Tunk, who has rejoined), Rinn went back to the Slayer’s Take. Waiting for him was a contract, from the Empress’s people, hiring Rinn for a week. The 250 Gold he was handed was to be used to stock the house with whatever the new arrivals needed. He would be allowed to keep the rest. There are a number of options on the contract, most of which are totally normal (don’t let them do anything illegal, no murder, etc) but one stood out, and Otel, the second of the Take and their legal resource, was concerned about. Rinn was being asked to spy on the Refugees and report anything suspicious to the Empress.
Otel then asked Rinn to come inside and discuss the contract. Unbeknownst to either of them, Stubby had successfully tailed Rinn and overhead all of that. She was unable to follow them inside, which meant she missed the whole part where Otel and Rinn don’t trust the Empress. Also she missed the part about how Otel suspects that the Empress is going to try and trick the Refugees into heading into New Vasselheim, as it’s safer for them. Oh and Rinn gets paid an additional 2 gold a week for every week after the first he wants to babysit.
Of course Rinn caught Stubby and her spying on his way out, and they had a rather ineffective confrontation in an alley on the way back.
The Fesitval
After baths and a quick rest (except for Bob who slept in his new room — with his imp in the second bed in the room), they went to the festival. There was a little trepidation for Stubby and Tunk, which makes sense considering the last festival ended with a dragon and being Yeeted to Draconia/Ravinia. Tunk, in fact, went home rather soon, leaving Rinn to baby-sit only Stubby and Tāmarai.
They played some games and then went shopping before going home and falling sound asleep.
Games
After skipping some physically intensive games like Slapping (two people slapped the hell out of each other until one collapsed), Pit Fight (two people fight in a weaponless but magic allowed no-holds-except-death-barred fight until the other falls 3 times), and Greased Gnome (a … greased gnome in a Speedo), they entered some games:
- Apple Toss – After biffing the first time (1 point), Stubby managed to play a perfect game and won a medallion and an ornate dagger
- Trivia – Stubby again had a perfect score on Arcana Trivia (Tāmarai got second, and a half-elf named Brendt got third, offering to show them around Ivy Hall where he teaches). Scoring a total goose-egg was Gabby, the authentic frontier gibberish speaking man.
- Pie Eating – Stubby won, Rinn came in second, and Gabby came in third.
New Information
- People who go to Old Vasselheim and stay there too long go insane.
- No one who has crossed the southern edge of the Sunderpeak Mountains has returned. Ever.
- No scrying or messages to those in the southern part of the continent has worked, all
- Higher level magical spells (5 and 6) are unreliable and often misfire. Level 7 and up are subject to Wild Magic.
- The instability of those spells is part of why much of the tunnels under New Vasselheim are unmapped. They moved after being dug.
Players
- Bob – Changling Warlock (Pact of the Old Ones)
- Rinn Shrike – Half-elf Sorcerer/Rogue (Storm Sorcery)
- Stubby – Half-elf Artificer/Artillerist
- Tāmarai Shikomi – Gnome Bard (College of Lore)
- Tunk – Bugbear Monk (Way of the Cobalt Soul/Expositor)
Note: Bob was unavailable this session and was puppeted by the DM.