The Downfall of a Dragon
Session 90
In the depths of Brightmoon Hallow, we stand near the corpse of Fryrvæli, the Flightless Maw. Isabelle has retrived the sanguine orb and has drained the blood of the ancient black dragon, whose body has shrunk and shrivelled from the exsanguination. The Claret Order is not happy to see her, but pause their animosity as magic is reverberating around Isabelle for a few moments. Devon and Æsheryn try to ascertain what might be going on, with the latter/ confident that blood mages can access memories and knowledge through their powers. She seems to be doing that with Fryrvæli’s memories!
Devon has Cass Message Orius to update him on our status and warn him that “it’s concerning, we should be prepared”. Briya heals most of Æsheryn’s wounds. Orius replies to Cass, which is shared to us telepathically, “Good job killing dragon; Dragon knew nothing we didn’t; Drained blood matters not if she remains a friend; Isabelle in power good; Keep dagger safe”. Devon also notices in his periphery a reddish figure above his head, the size of a tennis ball. We’re being scryed on, known only to him.
Isabelle seems to return to herself as the magic dies down, swaying from a bit of dizziness, holding herself to catch her breath. She shares dagger-stares with Sheely and Grandma (and companions).
The Claret Order bring us upstairs and show us some viable quarters in the castle. It’s run down and half in ruins. Gaetán and Veska go their own ways. There’s still tension between Isabelle and Sheely, who opens the conversation once we’ve all tended to our wounds, had a meal, and a bit of time to relax. Devon explains the situation of why we’re here and chastises the monster hunters for… not having killed a monster. But it seems Fryrvæli had them all fooled with a very convincing disguise. Devon inquires about the one that teleported away. They talked of “sacrifices and power and transformation”. Trying to find info about Carn and if it was him who disappeared. Isabelle shares she learned that’s what was promised: blood magic to Fryrvæli to provide an army for her. He came to her with the proposal, tempting her to take over the Empire. There’s something else: An ancient draconic ledgend. She calls it “The Dream” of something promised. A way to become the master of the dead using blood magic. Fryrvæli always intended to betray the blood wizard and become that master. We can’t actually confirm that it’s certainly Carn, though.
She wanted to bring back her spawn as Draco-litches. He asked her if she’d join him by attuning to a draco-litch philactery. Hadn’t done it yet, but that means he may have left it around here somewhere, or is storing it somewhere. Devon can’t seem to locate it.
We sleep (long rest), knowing that we helped vanquish a deranged and evil ancient black dragon.
The next morning, Isabelle is ready to go. For her, it seems to be important to finish her end of our bargain. Maltheo’s body is presented, with his somewhat-mangled arm, but otherwise at peace. The Librarians gather. Isabelle begins her work, draining a vial of his blood. The smell of it fills the air during her ceremony. The fires in the kitchen go out, and the room darkens. It’s a silent ritual, and she continues concentrating and then breaks the vial with her hand. Instead of flowing out, the blood circles around her hand and flows in and out of the orb. Guidance from Briya and Aura of Life from Æsheryn give the ceremony more power.
It works!
Isabelle collapses with 3 points of exhaustion. Briya notices, in part thanks to her vestage, that there is now a sort of “lack of” saturation in the dagger on Maltheo.
Isabelle says she wants to rest for months, dramatically, thanks to her exhaustion. She’s not sure what’s next for her, and it will depend on what the Claret Order decides, but she still intends to take back her castle. The Order and the Dominion have never gotten along, really.
Æsheryn spends time now, preparing his one-hour ritual to bring Maltheo’s now-released spirit back to his body. He arranges shards of a diamond in a meticulous ellipse around it, and while chanting and praying, the shards spark to life, glittering with bright, reflective light that spreads into a translucent dome around Maltheo. It feels like a work of art. There’s something poetic, after all, about a jeweler’s son being brought back by diamond-infused art.
Contributions are made to help guide Malteo’s spirit back:
Devon: “Not only are your friends ready and willing to bring you back, but so are other forces are interested in your future as well. They killed an ancient black dragon for you, so I hope you’ll reward their efforts. I’d like to meet you; you’ve piqued my interest.” (Persuasion 24)
Briya: “Of all the people I’ve met so far, you’re the one I’ve been closest to since this whole mess began. Part of me can’t imagine moving on without you. But I guess we’ll always find a way,” as she prays to the Wildmother to guide his soul since his work is not yet done. (Religion 23)
Æsheryn: “People seem to have forgotten even why they’re fighting these days. But you haven’t. You know what your goals are, and even Corellon seems to think that you aren’t finished here. This is the best I can do.” (Medicine 23)
But Maltheo’s spirit feels like it’s still slipping away. (Rolls a 2) To him it feels like he’s been trapped for years. What makes him him, and what makes him special, has been being drained for what feels like decades. A question for what to do surfaced once, (our Speak with Dead from Orius), but then more time for torture. Forms and spirits of those he killed in the past, and others he didn’t. They’re all there. Suddenly, someone turned off the lights. Liberation from the torture and the ability to run through the labrynth once again. (Isabelle’s blood curse)
His spirit is able to perceive a light that Æsheryn created, (Perception 21), and knows he is able to leave the dagger’s soul trap, Is Corellon helping him? A god seems interested in his coming back. He sees a door in the woods. And hears a call from the Hells in the other direction. The light of Corellon seems to nudge Maltheo toward his body. Æsheryn empowers his Raise Dead magic with Divine Intervention and a 7th-level Conjure Celestial.
Corellon’s guidance and this extra divine power seems to make the difference, and Maltheo awakens: he is stunned and shaken. He has been through literal hell. He knows he needs to go for his goal by some other means than an ancient, evil blade. He utters, “Thank you, thank you”, and continues to cry. Scarred mentally, but also physically, from the fight that killed him, there is now a mark on his chest near his heart. A scar that has taken a jagged shape, in a lighter shade of Maltheo’s gray skin, somewhat silvery and glimmering, of Corellon’s sigil. Briya casts Regenerate for his arm. And as a surprise, it also regrows his tail. The process takes just a few minutes, as it seems these limbs are trees themselves, in a somewhat-gross display of quick nature growing into sinew, muscle, and skin grow and replace what was missing.
Briya, Æsheryn, and Devon converse about the blade. Is Rexxentrum really safe for it? Can we trust the other archmages of the Cerberus Assembly? The only alternative place we can think of to hide it is Lotus’s house in Molaesmyr, but no; it has the blood pool that could be easily accessibly by who knows what! Briya studies the dagger for a while in order to be able to find it later, if need be. We entrust it to Devon.
Briya tries to detect if the philactery is in the castle. There’s a room, and it has things that belong to the wizard who had to leave in a hurry. We find a jar of 300gp of residuum from Whitestone. A substance so powerful, it can replace almost any spell component of equal gold value. Also, there’s an ornate jewely box. Inside, a dragon head shaped from carved crystal. It seems to be… quartz in appearance, and white and milky. It doesn’t seem to have been attuned in any way. Devon confirms what it is, and that if a dragon had attuned to it, it would have taken on the color of that dragon. Æsheryn places it in his bag for a possible future bargaining token.
Now, the Librarians have some decisions to make. Briya would like to visit the temple to the Wildmother in Zadash, very nearby, as it had been mentioned to her in the past as one of the best in Wildemount. Devon will most likely return to Rexxentrum immediately to turn over and protect the Blade of Broken Mirrors with Orius. Before he departs, he leaves a letter for the still-recovering Maltheo, and lets the rest of us know we always have a spot at Talanni’s Table. And gives a final warning to Lotus to try and take care of all the… deals he’s made. His spirit may be in jeopardy.
But after Zadash, which may be a great place to visit with Briya to discover and see the temple, and stock up for future adventures, we have multiple destinations we could try. Briya’s home, to perhaps investigate just how much the Empire has “so graciously” taken for themselves from the Velven Thicket. Or, back to Rexxentrum afterwards, to follow up on our secret missive from Niminion to meet with Archmage Taversky.
