09 - Withering of a Jonquil
Previous session: 08 - The Bal's Night
Giving back Bron's eye...
After waking up and gathering our thoughts post Bal, we decide to head to the Forges, to give back Bron's eye we managed to recover.
Upon reaching his dark office and explaining we have his eye, he takes the gem, then puts it back into his eye socket. From that, light shoots out, making it hard to see due to brightness, to a point where the party has to cover their eyes. Bron roars during the process.
Once the process ends, we notice that the room is naturally brighter, but also everything got cleaner (even the alcohol is gone). We notice Bron's eye is back, revealing a pink iris.
He observes us for the first time, mentioning how small we are.
After discussing a bit, he starts measuring each party member with a fabric measure, as he would create us some gear.
[Ranger][Nature check - Pass✔] Cyclops are similar to dragons, in the sense that the older they are, the bigger they are. They're supposedly pretty dumb, but Bron is pretty smart and big.
Their power comes from their eye.
Upon that, Bron gets back to work after a few weeks in darkness.
Bron will need a couple of days to finish the skeleton key of the Collars' HQ.
Preparing the siege...
At this point, we think we enough intel and potential allies to help us to take down the Collars. So far, here is the potential allies able to help us:
Discussing about the siege...
Before going further, we're concerting on how to process with the siege (which none of us revealed having experience in).
- Should we coordinate with our allies or raising the mob against Collars then use it to attack?
- Should we use a poison of mass destruction? (Reylynn: We should ask Raina)
⚠ Let's not forget we have civils inside (aka Jil and Father Thatch + the healers/magical users) - Slings or Darts would make perfect ranged weapons for regular townsfolks.
Gathering our allies...
The Forges...
The brothel...
Our next move is to check the Jonquil's Delight, as perhaps we could have help from Jonni, as we're certain she will side with the party with the upper hand.
When arriving. we notice that the workers are outside the complex.
We also notice 10 blood covered bodies in silk.
Rush is crying. Persy goes to confort Rush. Upon seeing Persy, Rush seems to be better, calls out the other workers: "My robot friend is going to help us it's going to be ok!"
When we asked what happened, apparently one of the girls went crazy and went to stab people.
We're asking if she was controlled, which seems strange to Rush as she's usually quiet and calm.
When they managed to stop her and restrain her, another one got possessed and stabbed someone else. They're currently tied up in the corner of the building.
Finally, we ask if they saw something else out of ordinary, which was not case.
On this discussion:
When we arrived, we noticed a woman and a man tied up.
[Detect Magic + Divine sense] They're filled with otherworldly magic (Fey).
The group starts to theorize and wonder if it could be Or.
Both workers speak in unisson and react when Or is mentioned. Upon surprising the party and asking if they're possessing the workers, they answer that they're everywhere.
Their plan is to handle Jonni on their own.
When pressing their reasons, they reply with an angry "She's mine." along an angry look from the possessed.
"It's going to be fixed in 10 minutes, you can head upstairs to watch the show."
Persy tries to know a bit more what's going to happen, making the mad people stare at Persy.
"Here's a small taste", and they turn inside out. On this gross and disturbing event (which doesn't seem to affect much the group), they decide to regroup with the other two.
Once we're all caught up, we disperse the workers and ask them to go out of the way. Once they're safe, we're all heading inde.
Entering the empty brothel...
Upon entering, the brothel is empty and gives an haunting vibe. There's an heavy sense of dread, and it's eerily quiet for such a lively place.
We don't lose too much time and head upstairs.
We notice that the door leading to Jonni's office is made of cold iron. We knock and ask Jonni to open us. We warn her about Or coming in a few minutes, and we hear some glass breaking from the other side.
[Athletics check - Fail ❌] Willum tries to force slam the door, but fails.
[Lockpick - Unlocked 🔓] Nesvalyn unlocks the door slightly, leaving the way to Willum to kick the door open.
Upon entering the office, we notice that all the plants are dead, and it feels like it's raining, Jonni is sitting on the other side of the room behind her desk.
The party warns her about Or, mentioning that the brothel has its foundation made with Cold Iron, making it impossible to them to get her according to Jonni. We're trying to reason Jonni that we could be her last chance.
[Persuasion check - Pass ✔] Jonni starts to explain her story, starting way before we were even born, even before everything, as she was a beautiful young girl.
It was decided one day by her parents to be sold, who happens to be Or the buyer.
Willum, Persy then Nesvalyn reacts negatively about repeating the mistake and doing the same to her girls.
During the scold, Reylynn checks the mushroom she noticed the last time we came, and it became a ring of mushrooms since.
Or appears from that circle, using the mushrooms to walk around the room.
Jonni throws whatever she can to stop them, but it misses them every time.
Our vision starts to blur Or as they get closer Jonni.
"How can you be so stupid? You'll always be mine."
Jonni starts to scream from fear and shrinks to the size of a mouse, then Or grabs her by the hair and pulls her in the air, then eats her.
Upon this strange event, Or turns to the party and thanks us.
Nesvalyn replies with "We didn't do that much", to which they smile and end with "Exactly what I needed."
On these words, Or disappears, leaving the party reflecting on what just happened.
As they completed their business in town, they disappeared. We're unsure if they'll be around during the siege.
Reflecting on this, Persy shows signs of remorse thinking we may have been too harsh. Nesvalyn kinda agrees, but bounces back about the sex workers still needing to be took care. The party checks the office.
[Investigation checks]
- Reylynn finds a frog (from Raina's request)
- Graath finds a Narcissist (in a glass jar), the last alive flower within this withered garden.
- Persy finds Jonni's books:
- She was paying most of her income to the Collars in form of taxes.
- It doesn't seem to be that profitable to her.
- Persy also finds the coffres filled with gold.
- It seems to the operating cost of the Jonquil's Delight, containing 3200gp. (The party didn't took any money from it).
From this uncanny event, we're heading outside, to notice that there's a small crowd. The corpses are back to life and sitting, confused. We hear voices from the corner of the building and the mad people are alive and sane again. The fish is also gone. We're gathering the sex workers again, and explaining the situation, as they'll need a new Matron to led the business.
Rush proposes to be the next Matron and seems to insist, but Persy manages to remind that they're a group and it should be discussed between them. We leave them clean up the place and a few days to recover from Or's pressure.
Nesvalyn mentions that he might have someone that could fill that role. (Pria - not shared with party)
From this, we decide to concert about who to talk next. Raina is mentioned so we could get help with the poison (and also to bring back her frog). As Persy and Willum are not really confortable around Raina, they will check Foreman and the Builders' guild.
Before we split our way, Willum summons a steed, a kind of big centipede named Githrog. The other team members are unsure how to process and react with this creature, as Willum seems to speak to him and seems to be conversation that no one understands.
After this one way discussion, Willum proposes the group going to the Grove of Summer to ride Githrog to gain some time. The trio accepts (after some hesitation) and part their ways.
Builders' guild...
(Persy and Willum's side)
Upon arriving on a construction site, we notice Foreman handling some blueprints to his team, along giving instructions: they're patching the damages from the Bal evening.
The duo proposes to join the siege, and once mentioned they go to Foreman's office to discuss privately.
They'll be in the melee helping us.
However, they ask us to be the only contractor of the town, along a raise of 25% of the costs. Persy mentions that as they're their own bosses, they could choose and set the price, along picking up the contracts.
Raina...
(Graath, Nesvalyn and Reylynn's side - led by Githrog)
Upon arriving the Grove of Summer, it leaves the trio perplex as Willum didn't gave much information what to do with them once arrived.
As we dismount Githrog, which furls into a ball, waiting for us until we ride him back to the group.
When entering the Grove of Summer, we notice that Raina is there, cooking. We give back the frog. She seems happy that we bring the frog back, thanks us, then puts the frog into her stew.
Reylynn asks for help for the poison plan (to knock out/incapacitate, as we precise there are hostages).
She accepts to help us with the poison.
Graath presents the flower from Jonni's office. It is part of Jonni's conscience (as she is an Argousai). However it's cursed, as it makes the one gifted of the flower to fall madly in love with you.
Upon leaving, Nesvalyn apologizes about what he may have done before falling into the coma. She replies that she is sorry that he takes such a long time to figure out what's happening to him.
After a small moment, Nesvalyn apologizes for how the party behaved last time, then leaves.
Debrief at the safehouse...
The party gathers at the safehouse and share their intel. Upon sharing the Jonquil's effects, we're discussing what to do with that.
[Identify] It confirms Raina info. However it won't be active as long it's in the glass.
Upon arguing, it's suggested to give the flower to the entity of the hole.
Persy agrees and tries this idea, despite Nesvalyn's warnings. But Willum pushes the warnings off, along Graath.
Toss a flower to your Hole Entity...
[Progressing ✔The entity of the Hole subplot]
Persy gets in the hole calls out. There are only echoes, then silence. Then after a few minutes, he hears footsteps echoing from the darkness.
One of the corpses we threw appears as a zombie, and stares at Persy.
"Do you speak for the one who raised you, or as your own thing?"
Persy hears "We do not speak" in his head.
"Can we discuss about partnership?" - "You're a piece."
Persy tries to persuade to have a further discussion.
[Wisdom save - Fails❌] Persy feels emotional pain from all the voices, and his vision blurs, he cannot pick or focus on a precise voice.
He wipes his face and feels blood going from his nose.
"I hope it was an attempt to communication", and starts to leave.
The zombie keeps the same distance.
"Just tell your masters we're available to communicate and discuss." - "There are no masters."
"Or the most powerful being" - "We are no being."
"Was that an attempt of communication?" - "We do not communicate."
[Wisdom save - Fails❌] Persy is looking at himself, through the zombie. When he tries to move, he sees Persy moving, but still sees from the Zombie, experiencing his life from the second person point of view.
"We are the Contrarion." - then Persy collapses.
Graath gets down to get Persy.
Nesvalyn jumps into then pulls out Persy (using [Gem Flight], being the first use in front of the party) along Graath on the way back.
[Death Saving Throw - Pass✔] Persy is convoluting and sweating.
Willum heals Persy with [Lay of Hand].
When Persy wakes up, he sees his regular metallic hands, then his Tiefling hands for a while, then necrotic zombie hand, then his metallic hands.
Current status of the allies (post-session):
⬛ The Resistance (Chef Cook): To be contacted
✅ Builders' Guild (Foreman): Agreed to help us (fighters)
✅ The Forges (Bron): Agreed to help us (fighters, gear + skeleton key)
🟥 Jonni: Physical form eaten by Or.
⬛ The Brothel: To be contacted later once there's a new Matron.
✅ Raina: Will help us with the poison (asked to knock out/incapacitate, not kill)
⬛ Hosta: To be contacted
⬛ Grappi: To be contacted
⬛ The townsfolks: To be contacted
🟧 Or: They came for Jonni then left, they'll probably won't help us.
⬛ Wingnut: Could be contacted (for intel + plans for hookshot)
⬛ Bucci, Tagi & Razzo: Could be contacted?
Next session: 10 - Zayne's dead, baby