Quick Summary
After a run-in with “Rin”, the team rushes into their Astral expedition. The team survives an encounter with a pair of vampiric illithid, then locates what remains of Laetus and explores the lair of the Four-in-One.
Session Recap
Session opened with the team leaving Rastaban’s museum and splitting up to finish preparations for their expedition into the Astral. Solstice and Ellsee acquired the necessary components for the specialised steward incantation, Arye switched out her steamforge gauntlet for a newly acquired ring of protection, and Chicory packed. While Solstice was on her way back, she glimpsed Glitter subtly watching the shop in her elven illusory disguise.
On their way back from purchasing herbs from Thola down the street, Ellsee ran into “Rin”, who insisted on walking them back to the shop. He updated them on having spoken to Tatter and also having found the mysterious door she mentioned. Ellsee did their best to control their thoughts and hide their intentions, but as they parted, “Rin” suggested that perhaps they could get together when the team “gets back”.
Chicory successfully attuned the Planosure to the Astral Plane, and the team opted to move fast and not to tell Cozy exactly what they were doing. Together, they cast plane shift through the astral bracelets for the first time and found themselves within the four-in-one’s lair. On arrival, Ellsee sensed a telepathic static of thoughts and emotions that interfered with telepathic communication, but also that their empathic abilities were amplified.
With the help of Ellsee’s pass without trace, Solstice investigated the giant crystal in the centre of the space and determined that it was emitting some kind of energy of a psionic nature, but couldn’t see any way to interface with it, and a brief attempt to “think at it” proved ineffective. Ellsee perceived that the crystal periodically emitted a slight pulse of harmless energy that rippled the solution into which it was perceived.
Ellsee suggested they leave the crystal alone, so the team was preparing to move on when Chicory was ambushed by a vampiric illithid. Arye interposed to defend Chicory and had some of her spinal fluid drained; Chicory action surged with Kairos in her defence. Solstice and Ellsee went offensive with chromatic orb and guiding bolt respectively, and the whole team had to endure the creatures’ and visceral visions before they were downed.
Ellsee provided some healing, and then she and Solstice went to investigate the western terrace. They found that some kind of alchemical explosion had dealt considerable damage to the wall, and a large broken bottle full of silvery mould intrigued Solstice. While investigating, the spores settled on her and turned her invisible, and she saw a footprint in the mould and realised that Laetus might be invisible as well.
Meanwhile, Chicory cast locate person and sensed that Laetus was nearby. The team headed into a curved passage leading to an elevated platform and a complicated spell circle, which Chicory could tell was a series of complicated spells that performed multiple functions. On finding the unconscious Laetus, Solstice dispelled the invisibility coating him, and Ellsee cast cure wounds, but found that a necrotic effect prevented him from being healed. Chicory gently kicked him awake and he lashed out in animal fight instinct, then tried to flee.
Sun-and-Stars used an illusion of Jolie’s likeness and one of Jolie’s four leaf clovers to get his attention long enough for Solstice to cast greater restoration. The necrotic curse was removed, his aggression faded away, and some of his more monstrous features were dispelled, but he did not recognize anyone or understand language. Ellsee sensed that the “framework” of Laetus remained, but that he had been hollowed out of his knowledge, memories, and most of his personality. With some persuasion, he followed the team, investigating the environment as he went.
In search of a place to rest, the team checked out the eastern terrace, which served as a chaotic lab storage. Solstice and Ellsee searched the shelves while Chicory kept an eye out, and found an alien eye in a jar; a vial of pitch black resin; a strange, geometric stone jar; and a set of carapace-like armour. In the process, Solstice pricked her finger on something and started to feel feverish, but her sorcerous constitution burned the containment out of her system.
Session ended with the team deciding to settle in the main chamber. Solstice cast private sanctum, and Ellsee prepared to psionically explore the Laetus situation further.