Session 8: Chasing the Sensate

From Manath's Campaign Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Ember

Summary

The Fat Candle
Shadowfeather
The Great Gymnasium
The Civic Festhall
Kai
Galenthias
Sulphaxus
The Hall of Speakers
The Power of One
The Elemental Plane of Air
The Palace of the Wind

The party, battered from their previous encounter, sought refuge from Sigil's streets. They found their way to The Fat Candle, an inn known for its warmth and secrecy. Greeted by Shadowfeather, a Kenku innkeeper with a knack for mimicry, they chose modest accommodations and settled in for the night. Unit 137 took the opportunity to drill Uchu on the Common tongue, while Smokescale shared his cynical musings on the infernal plane of Baator.

The next morning, they departed the inn and encountered a gray Sedan Chair, carried by four gray ogres and led by a halfling. For a modest fee, they were transported to The Grand Festhall, where they mingled with representatives from various factions, each offering a glimpse into the philosophies that drive Sigil. Cedani and Glenn were particularly engaged with the Sensates, with Glenn bartering a painful memory in exchange for jink. They convinced the Factotum Niara to grant them a Grand Sensory Stone, which is vital to their quest against the Red Wizards of Thay, in exchange for bringing Ember back for a debriefing.

Their search led them to The Velvet Harness, an inn for four-legged folk, where they met Kai, a pegasus bartender who had met another simian from Uchu's homeland. Through their inquiries, including a Deva and Pit Fiend, they learned that Ember, the elusive Sensate they sought, had ventured to Qasr al-Suhail, The Palace of the Winds, weeks prior. With this new lead, they set off for The Hall of Speakers, seeking a vortex there.

Upon arrival, they hastened to a rotating platform aligned with a swirling vortex of air. Stepping through, they found themselves plummeting through the boundless skies of The Elemental Plane of Air. With the help of a vibrant tiefling girl (Ember herself), they learned to control their descent and (mostly) landed gracefully at The Palace of the Winds, a majestic djinn stronghold floating among lavender clouds. Surrounded by the opulence and beauty of their surroundings, they prepared to delve deeper into this mysterious stronghold, ending the session as they stood amidst the grandeur of the djinn's court, their path forward shrouded in uncertainty.

XP Award

  • 200 XP for avoiding a certain githyanki by taking a curtained Sedan chair
  • 100 XP for learning a bit of lore about the Bewildered Horse
  • 100 XP for creating a little anarchy during a knife juggling session
  • 100 XP for learning more about the Athar
  • 250 XP for Glenn's memories being shared with the sensates
  • 100 XP for engaging with a variety of sensory stones
  • 300 XP for convincing Niara to part with a Grand Sensory Stone
  • Planar Truth: 1000 XP for finding Ember, proving true the Unity of Rings (Her path has led her back to Galdren, where this story started)
  • Total: 2150 XP
  • Current XP: 4593 XP -> 6743 XP (Level 4 -> Level 5!)
  • (Required for next level: 14000 XP)

Things That Happened

Sheltering at The Fat Candle

  • Date: 6th of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), 1372 DR, antipeak
  • The party limped their way to The Fat Candle, a nearby inn.
  • On the way, they discussed the philosophy of stealing with Uchu.
  • They were greeted by Shadowfeather, a Kenku innkeeper who spoke in mimicry of other voices.
  • The inn was lit by a tree-trunk sized candle in its center.
  • Seeing their injuries, he ensured the party was no longer being followed, and offered them two rooms: a normal room or a discreet room.
  • The party chose the normal room for 10 jink, two adjoining rooms with four bunks. These were also lit by large candles.
  • Cedani, Glenn, and Smokescale took one room, with the rest of the party taking the other.
  • Octavius identified the Staff of Summer.
  • Uchu slept on the ceiling, hanging upside down.

Musings on Baator

  • Unit 137 experimented with his immunity to fire, and asked Smokescale about the nature of Baator.
  • Smokescale said that it's a shithole, but that it's his shithole, and it's so orderly that Unit 137 would probably love it.

Resistance is Inefficient

  • Unit 137 woke Uchu early into the night for Common language lessons -- after downloading Japanese from the Mimir.

The Gray Sedan Chair

  • Date: 7th of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), 1372 DR, peak
  • In the late morning, the party decided to seek out the Grand Senstory Stone for Galdren and departed the inn.
    • The lobby and main hall were empty.
  • They spotted a curtained Sedan Chair being carried by four gray ogres and led by a halfling Torsan Gray.
  • The party paid 5 jink for a ride to The Grand Festhall.
  • Unit 137 rode in the front with the halfling.
  • The party caught Uchu up with their quest. Lira'tha was discussed as meaning "Pike it" in Sylvan.

Sighting the Great Gymnasium

  • The party passed The Great Gymnasium on their way to the Grand Festhall.
    • A colossal marble edifice dominating the skyline, its white stone gleaming with streaks of gold in the light.
  • It's the headquarters of the Transcendent Order (Ciphers), who believe in action over thought and to be in harmony with the multiverse's flow.
  • It features large open exercise fields, gymnastic equipment, baths, saunas, and meditation rooms. Outside, an entire army of soldiers was practicing drills.

The Grand Festhall

  • The party reached The Grand Festhall, a gestures problematically thirty story building with an organic design, with a crystalline orb at its height.
    • It's a massive, multistructure complex, with thousands of people entering and exiting. Walkways were of a warm marble.
    • On a long walkway to the the main structure, the party encountered:
      • Eliomar Fex (The Sign of One): A tall, slender human male with piercing blue eyes and a neatly trimmed beard, dressed in flowing robes with intricate geometric patterns. He spoke about the multiverse being a reflection of the self and the importance of understanding one's own beliefs to shape reality.
      • Zyra Nightshade (The Sensates): A striking female tiefling with vibrant purple skin and long silver hair, wearing a shimmering, color-changing dress. She emphasized the importance of fully immersing oneself in diverse experiences to understand the multiverse.
        • The party asked her about Grand Sensory Stones. She didn't know anything about them, or Ember, and asked the party to ask folks at the main building.
      • Eraphina Lightborn (The Transcendent Order): A serene female aasimar with luminous golden skin and a shaved head, dressed in simple gray robes. She spoke tranquilly about achieving clarity and inner peace through meditation and living in the present moment.
      • Zath'kar the Unbound (The Athar): A middle-aged male githzerai with ash-gray skin, intricate head tattoos, and piercing silver eyes, wearing dark robes with a shattered holy symbol. He spoke intensely about exposing the truth behind false gods and freeing people from blind faith.
        • The party took particular interest in Githyanki Dawkins. He explained how the god Aoskar, a god of portals, tried to make Sigil his domain, only to be annihilated by The Lady of Pain. His shattered temple is the headquarters of The Athar. He invited the party to visit to learn more.
      • Garrick, a knife juggler.
        • Uchu distracted him and Octavius interfered with his act with a Mage Hand spell. Cedani donated several coppers. The man fled the scene.
  • Uchu tried to show off his ability to juggle soulknives, but was dragged off by Octavius.
  • At the end of the walkway, Luwa, a woman with a human torso and head and limbs made of water, advertised the sensoriums.
    • The party asked her about Grand Sensory Stones. She looked shocked, and listened into an elaborate ear ornament.
    • She asked them to speak with Factotum Niara in the third Sensorium.

The Third Sensorium

  • It was a domed building, sixty feet tall, round and constructed of white marble and domed with ornamental tiles.
  • Inside, four themed levels of sensory stone tables were arrayed. Themes ranged from natural to ethereal to rich.
  • Factotum Niara, an angry Bariaur woman, asked the party what Ember had told them about Grand Sensory Stones.
  • The party explained their need of an empty one -- to help topple a cruel organization, The Red Wizards of Thay.
  • Looking relieved that they just need an empty one, she said they could part with it for 100 gold pieces if they seek out Ember and have her return to them for her report on the Prime Material Plane.
  • Glenn re-experienced and sold his memory of failure and cowardice when his keep fell to a clone of Manshoon. He was teleported to a white recording room by three claps teleportation.
  • Glenn purchaed and experienced the life of Arcades, a young boy who failed the soldier he was squiring, then later escaped his inprisonment and became a soldier and led his people to victory over his father's enemies after allying with snakefolk, only to be killed later by a venom that caused snakes to pour out of his mouth.
  • Cedani experienced eating a pastry as a young halfling girl in pastoral Bytopia, with the Shy Peaks visible in the distance. She did not declare anything problematic about the experience.
  • Niara politely declined purchasing memories from the damned dirty ape.
  • Niara stated that Ember was last seen going to The Velvet Harness to speak to a friend.
  • Cedani asked about joining the Sensates. Niara asked her to broach that topic once she returns with Ember.
  • Cedani asked about the "special" sensory stones. Niara conferred with the Factol and he felt that the Sensates needed to establish a reputation that was less hedonistic in that manner.

The Velvet Harness

  • The party reached The Velvet Harness -- an inn catering to four legged folk. A large horse trough was being used outside by horses and bariaur.
  • Inside, the inn had sunken pits layed with straw and hay as sitting areas, along with a large sunken copper tub in the middle.
  • There was also a feeding trough with fresh golden grains. Halfling workers were distributing grains and drinks to patrons.
  • An ordinary looking horse (Barnaby) was hanging out with four bariaur in the copper tub, nodding at jokes he didn't quite understand, trying to fit in while trying the bath water.
  • The party was greeted by Kai, a pegasus who didn't quite fit behind the bar.
  • He spoke to them psychically, welcoming them and offering them barley and oats from Bytopia if the standard fare wasn't up to their taste.
  • He introduced himself formally to Uchu in Japanese, greeting him as a "Warrior of Tsunadehoshi". (The Star of Climbing Warriors.)
    • He then apologized, since he resembled a recent visitor, who wore living metal armor and wielded a vine-blade. He was looking for a hunting companion.
    • He said he would keep an eye out for any information on that simian.
  • The party asked about Ember.
  • He mentioned he had seen Ember three tendays ago, and that she had asked him how to get to Qasr al-Suhail -- "The Palace of the Winds".
  • She offered him a carrot. He told her to speak to Galenthias, the cucumber-skinned deva in the second level for two legs.
    • He asked if the party had a carrot or cucumber. They did not. He understood. The owlin showed him the projection of a carrot.
  • Octavius cast Detect Thoughts, and heard the thoughts of the horse. He was thinking wildly about this place being amazing, confusion, wondering when his master would return, and trying to stay unnoticed.

The Fiend and the Deva

  • Upstairs, the party beheld Galenthias, a green-skinned deva, and Sulphaxus, a Pit Lord from Baator. The latter was seated in the hearth, and both were playing Motes: The Convergence.
    • Galenthias ran a tribal Modron control deck, with Sulphaxus playing a Slaad sacrifice deck.
  • They both spoke about Baator, power dynamics, and the nature of subjugation, with Galenthias suggesting that Sulphaxus leave the hierarchy behind and join him in Celestia.
    • Sulphaxus laughed at the notion of trading one leash for another, but perceptive party members saw that he was not completely unmoved.
  • Galenthias, noticing the party, introduced himself as the Paragon of Discourse.
    • The party asked him about Ember.
    • He said she led her to a vortex to The Palace of the Winds in the Hall of Speakers -- and that a silver platform would rotate into alignment with it in the next hour.
    • He did not recall which plane it was in, thinking it was one of the Upper Planes.
    • He spoke about a chase rare in the game, the Hollyphant, which was worth 10,000 jink. His deck is worth 17,000 jink.
  • Detect Thoughts on these two revealed that Galenthias was hoping to talk Sulphaxus into joining him in Celestia, and Sulphaxus was certain that Galenthias had a Modron Cannon in hand. He did.
  • Galenthias revealed he and the Pit Lord have been meeting for the last 17 years.
  • He bid the party farewell, and proceed to cause Sulphaxus to scoop in defeat.
  • The party departed. The ordinary horse was eating grain while dripping water everywhere.

The Hall of Speakers

  • The party hustled to The Hall of Speakers, the headquarters of The Sign of One.
    • The main area was a massive circular ring outlining a vast garden, with many domed pavilions connected by winding paths and water features.
      • These included rotating platforms, like the hands of a clock.
    • Prominent amongst the décor were a series of wooden lecterns, each one an arena for the verbal jousts that characterize the philosophical debates here.
    • At the entrance stood the colossal iron effigy of The Power of One, a woman of might, burdened with the multiverse, embodying the ideals and history of the Sign of One.
  • The party ignored all NPCs and sped up a stone bridge, which connected to platform about to rotate out of alignment.
  • Next to a silver fountain, the party spotted the swirling vortex of air.
  • They each entered, disappearing into it.

The Boundless Blue

  • The party found themselves buffeted by warm air.
  • Beautiful clouds were overhead in a perfectly sapphire sky. No sun was visible, instead, everything was lit in a beautiful diffuse lighting.
  • This was also the case below them, with no ground in sight.
  • After a brief pause, most of the party plummeted like meteors, with Unit 137 noting that they were piked.

Falling With Style

  • They reached terminal velocity as Octavius, Unit 137, and Smokescale dove after them. Smokescale laughed. Unit 137 blared a red siren.
  • Uchu managed to grab on to Octavius right as Cedani fey-stepped into his arms. This caused Octavius to plummet as well until he shook them off.
    • While traversing the feywild on a silver bridge suspended in the sky between two portals, Cedani begged a hummingbird for help.
    • It flew away and wished her luck. She stayed as long as she could before exiting to the exit.
  • The party repeatedly flew through several clouds, the world turning gray until they burst through the other side.
  • Uchu spotted a winged humanoid figure approaching the party.

The Crimson Sensate

  • A tiefling girl approached, with vibrant purple hair flowing wildly around her face, her skin a striking shade of red. She wore a steampunk-inspired outfit, complete with a leather corset and brass goggles, and mechanical wings sprouted from her back.
  • She fell alongside them, as if casually lying on furniture, then shouted that they were falling the wrong way.
  • She indicated that down was a different direction, and began falling that way.
  • Understanding that they could control their perception of down, the party began a controlled fall following her, slowly settling into a V formation.
  • She introduced herself as Ember.
  • She explained that the Palace of the Winds drifts, and directed her fall toward it.
  • The party passed through a lavender cloud, and beyond it the Palace of the Winds became visible.

The Palace of the Winds

  • It's a breathtaking stronghold floating amidst lavender clouds. Its gleaming white towers and domes were intricately adorned, connected by wisps of air that shimmered like silk ribbons. This majestic structure seemed to defy gravity, hovering gracefully on a verdant rocky island and exuding an aura of ethereal beauty and power.
  • Ember instructed the party to keep their eyes on her as she moved behind them.
  • On the count of three, they should consider down to be toward her, not the island.
  • Everyone succeeded except for Uchu, who tumbled in confusion as Ember embraced him with her wings to slow his impact.
    • They both took modest fall damage.
  • The rest of the party landed softly on their feet, gravity reversing just as they would have hit the ground.
    • Cedani Misty Stepped on to the platform.
    • Octavius and other flyers just landed.
  • The party landed in a square courtyard, framed by alabaster columns, with a central lotus-shaped basin that smelled like jasmine.
    • A large, gilded blue rug was also placed in the center.
  • The palace entrance, a large open arch, was up a flight of white marble steps.
  • In the courtyard, tall muscular noble men and women, with blue skin and dark eyes, lounged about on low sofas.
    • The men wore vests that showed off their muscular physiques.
    • The women were more demure, wearing long silk dresses in shades of blue.
    • These are djinn, noble air spirits that enjoy poetry, music, good food, and storytelling. Stories tell of them granting wishes to the worthy, or being imprisoned by evil wizards.
  • Some of them flew about, their lower torsos turning into whirlwinds of air at will.
  • Tables with exotic foods (including carrots and cucumbers) and wine were being staffed by Jann, golden-skinned lower caste servants of the Djinn.
    • They're connected to all four elements instead of just air, and are mistaken for humans sometimes, but live up to 300 years.
  • A water elemental and air elemental servant were combining forces to create small rainclouds to water the gardens.
  • The party understood this is a djinn stronghold -- an entire djinn family lives here, along with their servants, living a life of leisure and luxury.
  • The session came to an end.

Maps

Map - Session 8 - Sigil
Map - Session 8 - The Planes

NPCs Encountered (or mentioned)

Memes

  • The Twitter Streaming Cam
  • "There are two planes inside me, and they are both [bleep]ing." --Cedani, Warlock of the Patron of Rime

DM Thoughts

  • The party will explore red light districts. Exercise extreme caution.
  • Planescape factions resonated very well with the players. I've moved forward with choosing a Faction power system.
Retrieved from "https://rpg.manath.com/index.php?title=Session_8:_Chasing_the_Sensate&oldid=687"