#session 22

Nymeria and If lead Fel out of the alleyway, unsure of how to break the news to Ignis. It goes as well as they expect: Ignis lifts Fel by the cuff and threatens him before a crowd, soon confronted directly by a silver Dragonborn man. If allays the stranger's concerns and manages to talk Ignis down to avoid more attention. The human monk angrily relents, expecting a good explanation for this circumstance. Locating Evelyn, Vera, and Mikael by WhisperRing, the party convenes inside a room at The Quest Stop Inn.

Fel, with Mikael at his side, shares his story since he left the party: he and Mikael traveled north together to Pinnacle, where he briefly met his half-brother Syldor at Margaret's Boar-Ding House. Despite seeing a subject of his rage, Fel did not reveal his identity or confront the boy about his birth. The pair traveled then to Corona, where Mikael hoped to find clues to his mother while Fel sought Jameson Van Osternburg. He and Jameson spoke at length about their mothers and father, leaving Fel confused to his purpose. When word of the Avarente murders reached Corona, Fel left immediately for Cerwind to confront Alicia Van Osternburg, though he doesn't truly know why he feels compelled to do so. The party argues whether they can trust Fel's intentions, despite Mikael's defense of the sorcerer's character.

A plan is formed in the aftermath of this talk: half of the party will attempt to lure Juno from the mansion by claiming to have captured Fel, while the other half will sneak inside the building to find Alicia. Venturing forth to find an abandoned building for their plan, If finds the perfect mark just across from the mansion... which is quickly discovered to be a Wristblades safehouse. Inside they are confronted by Dirge, an Aasimir Wristblade also seeking to enter the Van Osternburg estate to fulfill a contract on a special fur coat. He offers to join forces after learning of If's affiliation to his order, to which the group tentatively agrees. He also approaches Nymeria about her interest in joining, to which Vera sternly advises against.

After boarding up the safehouse, Vera, Evelyn, Nymeria, and Gwenael stay behind to distract the guards while Dirge, If, Ignis, Fel, and Mikael enter the mansion via zipline. Ignis leads a group stretching session to prepare for the zipline, and Nymeria hides herself in plain sight, wooden armor against wooden walls. Vera sends a divine message to Juno directly, causing ten guards to be pulled from the compound's defenses.

As the metal footfalls get closer, Vera and Evelyn prepare their story, lying about their available spell slots. The guards breach the abandoned building, and four of them are directed upstairs by Vera. Despite a show of their intense training, Nymeria surprises the remaining six guards on the first floor by entangling them with heavy vines; Evelyn easily knocking them unconscious afterwards. One of the upstairs guards finds the hidden passage to the safehouse, and Vera attempts to stop him with Hold Person. The spell fails, and the guard reveals himself to be another follower of Avandra, betrayed at the attempt. One failed grasping vine attempt and Evelyn's relent swiftly ends the impending conflict; the group is captured and led inside the mansion to await judgement as criminals.

Meanwhile, the reduction in security allows the five infiltrators to sneak into the third floor maidservant quarters with little issue. Dirge ducks into the main Display Room, and the party follows a few minutes later to confront the two guards within. Mikael successfully holds one in place with magic, and the other is dispatched with a blow to the head by Dirge. Exploring the room, the group finds rare and expensive furs laid out in glass cases. If takes a strip of dragon hide, Ignis investigates a strange tail mounted above the fireplace, and Dirge obtains the coat for his contract. The Aasimir departs with a kind farewell, and the party eventually discovers a secret passage in the gruesome preparation room, leading to the fortified master bedroom.

Upon the floor of the opulent master bedroom is a large arcane sigil, drawn in white paint or chalk with spell components scattered about. Ignis and Mikael defile the sigil while it lies inert, rendering it impossible to activate later on, and noting it as some kind of protection spell. In the far corner of the bedroom, staircase downward is locked behind a reinforced glass door. If is shocked that the pins of this door are made of glass, but with skill and determination they overcome the challenge and deftly open the passage. If unlocks the second glass door at the bottom of the staircase, but holds steady as they are informed of Vera, Evelyn, and Nymeria's capture via WhisperRing.

The guards forces Evelyn, Vera, and Nymeria to relinquish their weapons and holy symbols, along with Gwenael. Vera manages to smuggle a spare symbol and Nymeria swipes her staff, but Evelyn is left entirely unarmed. They are then led into the main office where Alicia Van Osternburg and Juno Cytheria sit unharmed. Juno greets the party coldly, not-so-surprised that their sympathies to Fel would lead to them aiding him. She explains her defensive contingencies in full, expecting attack from either the front office door or the side glass door, both paths leading directly to her. Nymeria openly addresses Juno's relation to Alica Van Osternburg, but the claim is dismissed without any physical proof to back it up. Considered accomplices of Fel for their betrayal, the three captives turn to be escorted out, just as Fel opens the side door and strides hesitatnly towards Juno and Alicia... 

@percival-de-rolo as Vera Stoutwillow, Halfling Cleric and Wayfinder of Avandra

@kremdelakreme as If Liakiir, Rougish Elven beauty and Palm of the Wristblades

@softbutchhiccup as Ignis Wildfire, Human Monk Disciple from the Bronzeheart Monestary of Draconia

@dantealicheery as Evelyn Martell, Human Paladin and Sister Enlightened of Ioun

@arointhestreets-aceinthesheets as Nymeria, Half-Elven Druid and former Spriggan of the Sky Elves

@inpaperclad as The Dungeon Master

Special Thanks as always:

@lionsquartz‘s Mikael Roemont, Human Warlock and Knightmage of the Battlemagus

Max’s Ichthyarbourus Fel, Half-Elven Wild Magic Sorcerer from Eispanta

@frillylittlecakes as an inspiration and awesome D&D friend