Session 3 A Broken Heart
Bantonio escorts the young, awestricken deep gnome, Adniss, to Fundus Park to meet her friends. Taking his leave, the solemn human wanders the park and breathes deeply before settling on a quiet bench to admire the verdant gardens. Blythe, having tailed him from the station, approaches to begin her investigation. Sensing subterfuge from the human, Blythe whips out her new badge, hoping to elicit a coherent response. Instead, Bantonio flees! Blythe gives chase but the human is too fast and Bantonio slips into a seat at a local cafe, covering his face with a menu. While Blythe reassures a local guard who heard the commotion, Bantonio quietly exits the park. Fortunately, Blythe is able to spot him and continue her stealthy pursuit.
Blythe’s exhaustion level increases by 1.
Breaking only briefly to help a stalled taxi, Bantonio’s aching legs finally deliver him to the Wind District with Blythe close behind. The two are greeted by a wave of excitement as the Spirit Temple performance begins. The monks, clad in saffron robes, weave their martial arts together with dance as drums beat an invigorating rhythm. A narrator tells the story of a great warrior who became greedy and was defeated by a humble farmer who knew the land. The monks use their abilities to leap high into the air and produce plumes of red petals to punctuate their strikes. The crowd applauds as the villain is defeated and the monks take a bow.
Blythe notes Bantonio’s troubled expression when he sees the Diamond Guard recruiting squires at the Guilds Exhibition. Catching the scent of delicious cookies, Bantonio discovers the Church of Caelum’s stall and speaks with a newly invigorated Grevik. Caught off guard by Bantonio’s grief, Grevik confides that he found new confidence when he was blessed by Tyr, the god of law and justice. Though he does not worship Caelum, the Church allows him to study at the Oratory as an acolyte.
The Oratory
While Firien, Arti, Gomruss and Guy speak with Barty at the Commission’s stall, Bantonio and Blythe make their way to the Oratory. Several Caelumites pray at outdoor shrines and groundskeepers tend to the flower beds in the gardens surrounding the spire. The Oratory’s sharp architecture is clad with brilliant white marble. Bantonio has to crane his neck to see all the way to the top of the spire. Royal blue flags bearing the Church’s silver ring adorn the entrance.
Upon entering, Bantonio’s boots begin to echo against the marble floor tiles. The main hall is diamond-shaped, about thirty foot across and twice as high. Effigies of Caelum and the Saints adorn the walls; paintings, sculptures, tapestries and mosaics. A stained glass window depicts Caelum’s ascension to divinity. It produces sunbeams of wine red, gold and royal blue, captivating the devout human. Several people wait for an audience with the dean while Bantonio chooses to join those sat in silent prayer.
Blythe takes note of Bantonio’s whispered romantic woes before approaching Dean Alain. Perplexed by Blythe’s veiled accusation that people go missing in the Church’s care, the dean divulges that the Church allows followers of religions deemed lawful or good to train at the Oratory as acolytes. Some choose to leave of their own accord, but none have gone missing to his knowledge. According to the dean, heralds are the Church’s sacred groundskeepers. Their duties include tending to the Oratory’s graveyards, gardens and other sacred sites such as the statue of Caelum located in the Dawnroot Forest, where Caelum is said to have landed, wounded after his battle with Mundi Eversor.
“But how do you know it really happened?”
“The Ascensus chronicles Caelum’s journey from his time as an acolyte of Lathander to his ascension following his battle with Mundi Eversor. The original manuscript is kept secure in the vault beneath the Oratory, but you may have a copy.”
Blythe to Dean Alain
Firien, Arti, Gomruss and Guy arrive at the Oratory. Firien informs the dean of the situation while Gomruss praises the architecture in his usual booming fashion. Much to his chagrin, Gomruss is dragged outside by Arti before the dragonborn’s echoing voice can topple the building. Guy recognises Blythe from the station and the party detain her before she can exit. Blythe makes a vain attempt to hide the constable’s badge in her mouth. Sensing no ill will from the amateur detective, Firien suggests Blythe join them at Crowswood Place.
“Do you have a case for me?”
“You know what? Yeah. We’re trying to figure out what happened to our friend here. You come with us to the Commission and we can decide what to do with the badge later. Deal?”
Blythe to Firien.
Perhaps inspired by the young cleric’s integrity, Bantonio too decides to join the party on their quest. He strikes a friendship with Firien, discovering how the dragonborn received the divine blessing of Bahamut six months ago when their home was attacked by fiends from the Miasma. Bantonio’s curiosity is further sparked hearing about Firien’s experience at the Oratory, training as an acolyte.
“The Church likes to keep an eye on clerics of other faiths. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve been very kind… but everyone knows what’s really going on.”
“Firien, I have to say, you are blowing my mind right now.”
Firien to Bantonio.
Fundus
The road west to Crowswood Place divides a corn field to the south and rolling hills to the north. Halfway to the Commission’s headquarters, Arti freezes. Their mechanical eyes focus on six winged creatures approaching from the northern sky. Sensing danger, the party scrambles into the corn field, attempting to hide. Blythe and Firien recognise the creatures as they land on the road. Pteranodons. Their abnormal purple eyes and blistered flesh suggest they’ve come from the depths of the Miasma. The creatures spy Guy’s hat peeking out above the corn field and attack!
Firien and Arti charge towards the creatures and strike with their weapons. The pteranodons are heavily wounded, causing the fleshy pustules on their backs to burst, releasing plumes of Miasma. Fortunately, Firien and Arti are able to weather the poisonous fumes and warn their friends about the danger. Clenching his fist, Gomruss catapults a chunk of road towards one of the pteranodons. The creature narrowly avoids the attack and the boulder flattens a line of corn, revealing the others.
Guy suffers a devastating bite from one of the pteranodons. Fortunately, Bantonio is on hand to rally him! The human slices the creature’s neck with his longsword, but is unable to prevent himself inhaling the resulting poisonous plume. Psychedelic patterns begin to cloud his peripheral vision and he becomes dizzy. When Gomruss successfully crystallises a pteranodon’s wing with a ray of frost, it rises up to deliver a fatal blow in retaliation. Firien reacts decisively, caving in the pteranodon’s skull before it can skewer Gomruss!
Three Crows arrive just in time to watch Firien blast two pteranodons away with a thunderwave! Arti pins the penultimate pteranodon to the ground with their glaive. One of the Crows, a stout halfling in the garb of an artificer, pulls out a unique pistol. Crashing her hammer against the mechanism, a bullet bursts from the barrel in a plume of multicoloured smoke, ending the life of the remaining pteranodon. The halfing approaches the party, introducing herself as Hadley Pinchbrew of the Commission. While the other crows tend to the party’s wounds, Hadley examines the familiar warforged among them.
“Arti? Is that you?”
Hadley Pinchbrew recognises Arti.
Crowswood Place
The party arrive at Crowswood Place escorted by Hadley. The stately manor home is situated amidst the verdant rolling hills of western Fundus. The hardwood log construction and well maintained gardens create a cosy atmosphere. The manor is large enough to accommodate rookie and veteran Crows alike, some of whom can be seen using navigation equipment and practising swordplay. Inside, the reception area leads to a grand hall where the Crows are gathered around a table map of the Relief. The veteran members recognise Arti and rush to meet them.
“Am I safe here?”
“This is your home, Arti.”
Arti to Firien.
Adelaide Burkhart, the Commission’s chief, approaches and asks Arti where Glimback is. The name is familiar to Arti but they cannot place it in their current anxious state. Adelaide gestures to a portrait on the wall. It depicts Glimback Toestubber, the Commission’s founder, an elderly gnome standing atop a boulder giving a thumbs up. Adelaide explains that Arti was constructed by Glimback to be a guide when exploring the Miasma. The alcove in their chest once housed a magical lantern, Arti’s heart, that could disperse the Miasma and provide light and protection from the creatures within.
Unfortunately, Glimback, Arti and a team of Crows were lost in the Miasma when an expedition went wrong just over a year ago. Arti is surprised to discover this, as they only woke up for the first time a fortnight ago. When Hadley examines Arti closer, she discovers that repairs have been made to the alcove in Arti’s chest. New unfamiliar magical fibres are present, connecting and apparently powering Arti’s components. According to her, Glimback could not have repaired Arti in this manner. Adelaide suggests Arti stay at Crowswood Place until they can discover what happened to Arti.
“We’re going to get him back, right?”
Arti shows concern for their creator.