Ester, A Desert Dungeon and a Lost Leg - Session Recap

 2024-08-15 - Session 6 Notes

Cast

• Sebastian - DM

• Harold - Raven - Samurai FFXIV-Ninja FFXIV / Shadar Kai

• Alex - Terentus - Rogue / Garlean

• Wes - Kayden - Evolutionist / Feroxian

• Holden - Manson Black - Paladin / Human

• EJ. - Olin - Wizard (Illusionist) - Human 

What to do About Ester

The next morning we sat down to discuss what we are going to do with Ester/Thomas and her Intime Varhailen abilities. Now that we know who and what she is, no matter what happens she is tied back to us. We talk about what happens if someone else gets a hold of her and uses her like a battery. 

Pluck summarized her conversation with Ester for the rest of them. We had talked earlier and discussed some things.

"So, I talked to Ester, and I know we've only just met her, but she's in a really tough spot. She's on the run, scared of staying in one place too long because it seems that she’s running from the Clown. who is probably the same one that attacked Pierre, Collom and Terentus. She’s in pain too—physically, because of this ability of hers. If she doesn’t use it regularly, it causes her a lot of suffering. 

I told her I’d bring it up with all of you, but I think we might be able to help. I offered her a place on the ship for a while—better than some random inn where she’d be vulnerable. She could have a room, food, and a chance to recover. 

She’s hesitant, of course. She doesn’t have a plan for dealing with the pain from her ability, and I get the sense she’s used to having to fend for herself. But I thought we could offer her something safer—something better. Our ship moves around a lot; it might be the perfect place for her to lay low for a bit. 

Now, there’s more to it. She mentioned she might need to use that ability of hers, something she called ‘Intime Varhailen.’ It’s complicated. If she doesn’t use it, it could really hurt her. But she’s worried about how people will react to her using it, and she’s afraid of putting herself and us at risk. 

I told her we’re not heartless. We’re part of a thieves’ guild, sure, but we take care of our own. If we agree to let her stay, I’m going to set up some rules, especially if she ends up needing to use that ability. I’ll talk to Manson about it for him and myself, but if I haven't already I'll make it clear—anyone on this ship who tries to take advantage of or hurt her will regret it. I’ll shoot their balls off.”

It seems that her Intime Varhailen ability makes her into someone who gives out mana. It doesn't hurt her if she is not full, but when full, the mana begins to burn her. She has to give away some of the mana with physical contact with others, affection and intimacy do affect the quality and amount of the mana she gives. In return, it provides healing, restoration of spells slots and buffs that last longer than most potions or spells. So there is a pretty big benefit for the party if she stays.

Though there is a catch, the receiver can become addicted to her and her abilities. Which might create other issues within the party and to the person. A mixed blessing to be sure.

If she stays with us, she’ll help out with cleaning, repairs, and other ship chores. I’m going to need the help eventually anyway. But right now, I think she just needs a safe space and a chance to rest. What do you all think? Are we up for giving her that chance?"

Olin is very against letting her stay with us claiming that she will attract others to attack us, how does the addiction part of Intime abilities work and are they something we can minimize or avoid. There are too many questions about her and how Intime Varhailen work to allow her to stay.

Manson focuses on the side that helps us be a stronger party and what happens if our enemies get to her first. Can you imagine how someone like Guillermo would treat her and how powerful that would make him against us. Besides if what Pluck is saying about her abilities helping to make the children stronger, then he has to let her stay with us.

This was a very troubling decision for me, because even in her current state I know that when healed and healthy that she is a very beautiful and young elf. I've primarily lived amongst Humans, Nezumi and a few Tieflings, as a result I kept my relationships with others mostly platonic, since I was the outcast and "different" one. 

Yes, the possibility of being around another Elf like Ester intrigues me, but the danger she poses to both the ship and the addiction that comes with her abilities is concerning. However, if her abilities are what Pluck claims, she could be the difference between success and failure in our missions to bring vengeance to Manson and Pluck, and rid the world of Guillermo, Morgan and the others who need to be brought to justice. 

We talked back and forth for a bit more and I asked Manson what does his Oni tell him about this. It responds with "The sooner you get your job done, the sooner I let you go."

Pluck asked Olin if he could contact his father, Meerkan about this ability. Olin immediately and vehemently didn't want anything to do with contacting his father. It seems that while he likes the perks that go along with being a famous person's son, and that he is currently on the outs with him as well. I can understand his reasons based on what I went through with "my family."

Then I brought up a question that I've had about about Intime Varhailen and how it seemed that Oona and her family made up the majority of the "known" ones with this ability, it made me wonder if Ester might be a Majini and if she is how that would play into any decision we make. We certainly don't want to anger that family unnecessarily. We discussed that possibility for a while. Perhaps a solution might be to ask for her protection from one called Kenzo who is connected to the Majini family. He is said to be in Gardenia at this time.

However, it seemed that Pluck had already made her decision and as the Captain of the Zaleria, she has the final say of who comes aboard her vessel and stays here, not us.

It came down to only a few options:

1. See if she is a Majini

2. She voluntarily stays with us

3. Drop off as Thomas at the end of our journey to Gardenia, which I know is a terrible option

4. Keep her with us involuntarily, which I basically told the others if that was the case, I would find a way to free her and leave the party to its own devices. I had been in that situation and wouldn't be a part of forcing another to endure it.

5. Take her to Dalazon, and see if Oona and Finvarra want her, voluntarily or involuntarily. I see them as less of a risk than letting her wander on her own to be picked up by those we will consider to be our enemies.

Somehow or another, I was selected to go talk to Ester and bring her back, so the rest could speak with her.

Talking to Ester

I was very blunt when I talked with her and told her that we had been discussing various options to keep her safe. I told her that I wanted it to be a choice that she could live with as well. That I would not condone keeping her here against her will, but at the same time letting her fall into the hands of others who would abuse her for gain their plots or desires. We talked back and forth for a short while and she was upset, but understood quite well what I was talking about, because she had some of the same fears as well.

Then I asked her about her family and if she was in anyway related to the Majini family in Dalazon. No, she claimed that her parents lived in the lower district in Gardenia. Her father worked in a small carriage delivery business and both were dead. At about the age of 40, she started showing signs of the Intime Varhailen ability and some of his clients found out and raided their home. 

She told me she wasn’t there at the time but later worked for Miss Vespa, who offered her protection and clients. She was later taken by a client named Johnathan from Gardenia, who initially treated her well but eventually changed completely. Johnathan somehow turned into a Crydon and began keeping her locked away like a prisoner. A gilded birdcage. He became addicted to Ester's abilities, and as his addiction grew, he became more demanding and cruel. Ester believed it wasn’t just the addiction but also his transformation into a Crydon that turned him into a monster, though she acknowledged that her powers made him even stronger. She eventually escaped to Gosper, but the monster followed her there.

I quickly put the pieces together and figured out that the Clown that attacked our friends was probably Johnathan and that we needed to let Pierre know that background when we could.

Then she proposed that she give me a small demonstration of the power, I stepped back a step and she almost laughed and said you're a young elf aren't you? Yeah, I'm by human standards an adult at 22 and an adult, but by Elven standards still a child. Ester just chuckled, "don't worry I'm not going to do that with you, you're too young for me. Unless we come to an understanding, that will not happen between us."

However, she did want to demonstrate the power she has and what the addiction might feel like. Ester had me nick my finger and then she cut her finger as well. Then had me lick her cut. I was surprised, it tasted like cherries and the nick on my finger healed. Then I started thinking about her, how despite her present condition, she was a very attractive woman, who once she healed from her injuries, that she would be gorgeous. Then after a minute or so, I was able to think about what I needed to do next instead of only thinking about her.

When I regained myself, I told her that we needed to go discuss this more with the others and that I wasn't going to make this decision for us. We walked up to where the rest were waiting and sat down to talk.

While walking up there, I realized how much just that little touch of her power left me enthralled with her. During that time, there was nothing else I could really think about. It scared me too. I value my freedom and me being me, and for that short time, all I could think about was her. Now, I'm a fairly normal male and yes, I am damned attracted to her, but if her power has that capability and affected me so, what would pillow talk be like? Unless I learn more, I plan to stay away from her touch.

It seemed that there was more to her than simply giving mana, when I accepted it. There is also a darkness in there that I can't explain. Maybe I'm wrong, but it felt off to me even though her gift was freely given, was it or was it a minor demonstration of her power. Also, the idea of what happened with the one called Johnathan bothered me as well. How did that go so sideways that he became a monster, when most Crydons are not. 

Hurry Up and Wait

We talked for quite awhile about all the options and decided that the best thing for now was to simply see what happens and let Ester see us for what we are. She was extremely hesitant about going to Dalazon after what Finvarra had done to Tiberias and that she had to give up a year of her life to him. Yes, there was some yelling, sobbing and theatrics from Ester, but it didn't seem feigned in any way.

When we finished talking I told them that due to how I was raised in my human family that they had instilled the virtue of monogamy and waiting until marriage to be intimate with others. So, I would refrain from using Ester's abilities. Which seemed enough to keep the others off my back about using her to augment my abilities. 

As tempting as it might be to become intimate with her. Since I was always seen as something different and exotic from the others growing up. As one of the "bad boys", I've had my share of trysts with very willing and enthusiastic ladies both human and other races, in Neir and around the Palace in Kanea. However, that little example of her ability scared me and I want to see how it affects others before I allow myself that pleasure. I can be her friend, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my freedom to be more. At least until I see more about the effects of her ability.

The next morning Pluck saw Ester and I talking on deck and advised her that we were flying by Candlekeep and that Oona would be there as an instructor today. Did Ester want to stop and talk with her? Ester thought for a moment and declined, stating she wasn't ready to reveal herself to the Majini yet. Which in turn raised a few more suspicions in my head about her story and who she really might be. Am I being too suspicious of her motives and who she really is? Probably, but something just seemed off to me.

Copper Dungeon in Yemena

We decided that on the way to Gardenia that we would stop close to Yemena to check out the Copper Dungeon that appeared near there. I think we are also delaying a decision on what to do with Ester, while providing us an opportunity to see how her abilities could help us going forward.

I did find it amusing that the one most vehemently against having her stay with us and worried about the effects of possible addiction would be the first one to use her abilities. 

When he came out of course everyone had some crude comments for him, it seems that some things never change. However, as a result of accepting her ability he had a temporary 5th Level Spell slot and ability score increase. Which is a big deal.

As we get ready to leave the ship, Pluck tells Honamori take the ship back up in the air wait for us to return. Also she is not to touch or do anything with Ester. That she may not contact Kokora to tell him about her and if she does that Pluck will tell her father that Honamori "failed her" in tone that brooked no argument. Honamori looked at her for a moment and nodded her head simply said "Understood."

The Door

When we got up to the Dungeon, there was a large ornate door and a copper plaque with the word Copper inscribed upon it. Looking around there were a bunch of other footprints around and we believed that another group might already be inside. We discussed how we would deal with them if we encountered them if they were hostile to us.

As we entered, there was sand and ruins off to the right and left, with a large pyramid sunken somewhat into the sand. The hot desert winds were blowing strongly and we quickly decided to head straight for the entrance we could see in the middle of the pyramid.

When we looked behind us, the winds were erasing our footsteps almost as quickly as we made them. So there was no telling where the other party went or what creatures were around us here. The door to the pyramid opens easily and it is much cooler inside. We look around and find a giant stone nose on the ground, according to Manson it is something undead, but also thinks that it is a piece of the puzzle, it emanates abjuration and necromancy magic.

As we continue to move deeper into the pyramid, we come to a large circular room with a large statue that is missing parts: both arms, nose, leg, chest piece and lower jaw. We discuss that most likely part of the puzzle of this dungeon is getting the missing pieces and putting them back.

As we carefully moved down the hallway, looking for traps and such, we entered a room with a small totem and jade green scarab setting inside a carved depression. We carefully move to within 30 feet of it and then Olin uses his mage hand ability to pick it up. When he picks it up the totem sets back into the wall, we hear a click and someone crying from the left. He brings it to himself and maintains holding it in his mage hand.

We all look at one another and even though it is against everything that I have learned over the years, we split the party. Manson and I (after I used a Mudra slot to turn invisible) move to the next room while Olin and Puck wait for us in this room. 

When we get to the room we see a very large sarcophagus, and Manson tells me there are a lot of "little" undeads inside along with something else. As I look around the room, I see an indentation in the wall the size of the jade scarab from the previous room. Manson stayed at the door as I carefully entered and went around the sarcophagus, where I saw a spear on the floor that had blackish red blood on it. 

Then I see blood on the floor as though something had been dragged up into the sarcophagus. Not good I thought at the time. I motioned for Manson to come closer, then we heard a gunshot behind us. Pluck yells she shot at something was bandage wrapped really zooming down the hallway towards us and when she did it turned and sped off. 

We decide that whatever is inside of the sarcophagus can stay there and since Olin has the jade scarab that we believe would fit quite nicely into the indentation, no one else can open it up either. 

There was no further sign of the critter that Pluck shot at. So, we decided to split up again for Pluck and Olin to stay here to look for the other creature and that Manson and I would keep moving further up the passageway.

The Domed Room

After turning to the right and again to the left the passageway turns to sand and we can see movement in the sand. In the room we see a hooded figure looking around the room, searching for something. I am still invisible and then using the ability my slippers give me crawl up the side of the passageway. Along the way I quietly drop the spear that I picked up earlier into the sand, 4 scorpions appear and move around the spear. Not a fun thing to see, but now we know what's there.

Then I stealthily go into the room via the top of the doorway and look in. It is a circular room with a domed ceiling. I can see what is obviously a fighter type in half plate, holding her arm which is bandaged, she has a massive scar and got burned by something and the bandage. Her arm appears to be necrotic and she is in significant pain. On the floor is an arm to the statue. They are talking about their friend "Buddy" and wondering how they let him talk them into this mess.

Suddenly, the other person, probably a rogue of some sort, finds a latch to a secret door and it opens up a room that has gold and a hand in it. Then Manson, ever the patient one, hollers out to them. "Hey, we saw your friend Buddy." Which causes them to go into a defensive posture and focus on being over by the door. I take the opportunity to go ahead, while they are distracted to get the arm on the floor and put it in my bag of holding.

They ask "What happened to buddy?" Manson tells them that something pulled him into the sarcophagus and most likely he's now dead, but that we hadn't bothered to open it to make sure. While he continues to talk with them and negotiate how we could work together to get out of this dungeon. Knowing my invisibility will run out any time, I take the opportunity to stealthily go back through the door and along the wall to behind Manson. Just made it.

We talk with them about how it would be best if we worked together and finally get them to agree to show us how they crossed the sand without the scorpions attacking. The Rogue throws salt on top of the sand and then tells it is safe to walk across. Manson hustles across and we see that the woman's arm is rotting away. Then we hear another gunshot and hear Pluck and Ollin rushing up the passage. We tell them to run quickly across the sand and we settle in to see if whatever it was that they saw, was coming up. Nothing seemed to be coming up the passageway, so we turned to our new comrades.

We find out that they are freelance mercenaries and that their names were Caleb and Rayna. Manson stops the disease and lays hands to give her some life back. Then we look around the room and don't see anything else, but in the secret room we look closer at a good amount of gold, and a hand holding what looks like a large bone made into a staff.

Manson goes ahead and goes into the room and starts taking the gold. Yeah, he is really the patient one. There is a body underneath and when he picks up a coin, underneath it an eye suddenly opens. Manson jumps back. 

We all see a flash, then Olin reacts as if something was crawling under his skin and he takes a bit of psychic damage. Then we see the effects that it has on Caleb and see a purple coloring and it spreads throughout his body. He drops to the ground dead.

Then the battle begins in earnest. Manson is frustrated that he continues to have difficulty hitting anything and we eventually kill it. Pluck tells us that she has heard of these things and this one is an Eye Zombie.

Looking around we find

- Stone eye

- dagger of venom

- 280 gold from Caleb's corpse

- dune eyeballs

- cursed wrappings - Manson touched will find out what happens in two days

- 

In the Room

- 800 gp in room 

- Staff - Withering -- Manson

Manson gives her 180 gp because he feels she deserves a split and she seemed satisfied with that much, considering that she claimed that Caleb owed her 200 gp.

We used Caleb's table salt method to get scorpions to leave us alone as we went back down the passage. We kept looking for the creature that Pluck and Olin saw earlier.

Go up Young man

We head back to the center room again and go up and come to a gigantic room, with 4 pillars and a chest. We can hear something dancing in the sand and moving around in the sand. When Olin sends out dancing lights to the left side, I see the lower jaw close to the back pillar, and to the right a chest towards the center of the room.

Looking at the sand and just knowing that something was in there that we really didn't want to fight. I advised the party that I might be able to climb over the ceiling and down the pillars to get the jaw and then climb over to the chest and be able to grab that and run out if the party could figure out a way to distract whatever was in there.

I successfully got down the pillar and stopped about 25 feet above the sand, I used one of my abilities that I have tried to keep from general knowledge and used a mage hand cantrip to grab the jaw. Then put it in my bag of holding and scurried back up the pillar. Just as I moved up a very large land shark appeared where the jaw had been. I'm really glad we didn't have to attempt to fight that thing, it was huge.

Then I crawled down the pillar closest to the chest and motioned for the party to do their distraction. Olin cast mage hand and stirred the sand as far as he could into the far corner and Manson cast prestidigitation sparklers even further back, that the shark went after. I grabbed the chest and dashed to the safety of the passageway just as the landshark attempted to grab at me. 

We looked in the chest, but in the excitement of the moment, I forgot what was in it. But we had another piece to the statue. We moved to the last section of the dungeon that we hadn't explored yet.

The Wall

We go to the right and come to where we see an arm to the statue attached to something resembling a web. Olin casts his mage hand and pokes the webbing to see what happens. It immediately stops being a web and becomes a wall of flesh with a face looking out at us. I use a Mudra slot and throw a Fuma Shuriken straight into the face. I hear a scream and it disappears. Rayna yells Telemnar and her sword suddenly creates light and the sword is encased in fire.

Suddenly strands shoot out from the wall and Rayna has 3 strands hit her, while the rest of us were missed. She was turning purple and screaming in agony. There is nothing we can do, Pluck looks at us then at Rayna, raises her gun and shoots her to put her out of her misery. The sword goes out and Manson and I charge the wall.

I critically hit it twice and Manson hits it as well. Then suddenly what I learn later is a Bone Blade erupts from the wall and I jump up over it, but Manson critically mistimes his jump and it cuts off one of his legs.

At that point I grab Manson and dash back to the passageway dragging him away from the wall. It misses even though it had the opportunity to hit me, thank goodness, that bone blade is a nasty thing. Pluck shoots where the face had been and then I use one of my racial Blessings of the Raven Queen and attack where the face should be and kill the creature.

We patched up Manson as best we could and then searched the room and found:

- Bone Saw +1 Greatsword 2 spell slots - Manson - We learn that its name is Decapinator and is quite nasty.

- Flame Tongue - Raven

- 180 gp, 

- badly damaged leather armor

- 60 gp

- A book (Protective Verses) - Olin

- Wand of magic missiles - Olin

- Stone arm

- What was left of Manson's leg

I was worried about Manson and how badly he was injured, but in order to get out, we need to finish the dungeon. Going back the way we came in isn't an option. We decided to go up to the other end of this passage and came to another sand filled room with an altar and the last piece of the statue we needed on the altar. Everyone looked at me and I nodded.

I cast invisibility with my last Mudra slot and climbed the ceiling down to about 25 feet above the altar and then used the mage hand to grab that last piece. When I lifted the eye off the altar, the floor of sand started a whirlpool effect and the sand dumped into a very deep hole that would have been our doom had we been on it. Then I climbed back out of the room without incident. 

Repairing the Statue

We went back out to the statue and as we put it together, we also used our ropes to bind it, so that it would have difficulty attacking us. When I put the last piece on the statue, suddenly a Circle of Power came into being around us. As it begins to spin the floor underneath us, the floor takes us down to a lower level, where we see the small creature in mummy wrapping clapping his hands as we come to a stop. Then as we prepare to battle the creature, it smiles at us and waves as it dissolves into a pile of dust.

We look at one another and nod, and Pluck says "Shall we finish this!"

As we begin walking towards the Temple of sorts ahead of us, the Scarab beetles ahead of us part before us, creating a path to it.

I looked at Manson and asked him if he wanted to give me the Bone Saw and I gave him the Flame Tongue. In his current condition, he wouldn't be able to wield it in melee. I also had a feeling that it will be more effective against whatever it is we had to fight next. I planned to carry both until we get back to the ship and get Manson healed up. I adjust Decapintor's scabbard across my back, put the Flame tongue at my waist and put the weapons that I wouldn't be using into the bag of holding. Even though I feel better than before and have some new abilities, I decide to take one level of exhaustion to regain my Mudra slots. I had a feeling that they would come in handy.

Luckily, I heard the command word when Rayna ignited it just before she died - Telemnar (Elvish for Fire of Heaven).

We start forward.