Our latest session saw the players commence the secret Delve into one of the most sacred places in Ship City in search of the Lost Vault that the artefacts from Dig 13 had revealed thanks to the work by Levon Najjar and Gar Boutaleb's previous investigation. This meant that the session was heavily in procedural mode, somewhat like progressing through an Old-School dungeon. We quickly slipped back into it.
Perhaps the only thing that gave me a challenge was that parts of route in question was in regular use, so I decided to rule that the common access areas would not need the full procedure, but the back routes and the deeper parts would work as normal.
We were a player down as Paul couldn't make it, so his character - Meristo - was shared between the team.
No technical issues this week.
Our Crew
- Arda Qamar, a Guild Surveyor and Traveller who came from the Far Colonies from a Mining Combine operation. She’s the bird handler and Scout for the team. (Played by Hattie).
- Meristo Koulas, an Esoteric Coriolite Seer who grew up in the Fog of the Haze, and has ties to the Black Toad. (Played by Paul).
- Lieto Miesma, a Scholar specialised in Builder Archeology who came from deep inside the Factory City of the Turbine Halls, with a background in the Machinist's Guild. (Played by Graham)
- Fassour Faradi, a roughneck deep miner who also came from somewhere the eternal fog of the Haze, and - like Merits - has ties to the Black Toad. (Played by Simon)
- Rashid al-Masri, a scoundrel Hull Cutter who came from among the hulks and wrecks of Hull Town, and has connections to the Gardener's Guild. (Played by Andy).
- Corvus the Bird, a specter; cobalt blue, with a long beak, always observing. Usually handled by Arda.
The Session (Spoilers for The Flowers of Algorab).
Rashid Al-Masri, the group's vigilant guard, alongside Lieto Miesma, the keen archaeologist, Arda Qamar, the resourceful scout, and Fassour Faradi, the shrewd burrower, resolve to carry out the delve into the Well of Souls without informing Master Moska, opting for plausible deniability over permission following their decision to stow their equipment discreetly at a nearby mausoleum.
The crew disguises their entry under the guise of a funeral procession, humorously ensuring their more incendiary items like the flamethrower aren’t too conspicuous. Once in the City of the Dead, they access their stashed gear at the mausoleum without incident and stealthily make their way to the entrance to the Well, which Arda had previously identified, evading the need for any unnecessary confrontations thanks to their planning, foresight and stealth.
The journey soon leads them to a lock that needs picking, a task which proves troublesome at first. Fassour and Arda make several attempts at picking the lock, requiring the support from both Rashid, with his mechanical skills, and Arda’s improvised application of brute force to ultimately break through, albeit with clear signs of tampering. The group cleverly decides to spend resources to patch up the damage discreetly, ensuring any residual evidence of their passage is well-concealed.
Descending into the depths, they explore several pathways and consult their bird, Corvus, who scouts ahead, revealing multiple routes through this treacherous underground maze. Continuing deeper into the mysterious subterranean complex, the team navigates with caution, coordinated by Arda and supported by the keen insights from Fassour and Lieto. They judiciously manage their resources, ensuring they maintain enough supplies to safely proceed in their search for the lost vault, avoiding areas with possible hazards like fire from the crematorium or the possibility of blight. Of course, there should be no blight present, because it is forbidden on Ship City.
Their resolve remains strong, utilising the staircase discovered by Rashid who deduces it to be the path frequently traversed by the wardens. As they tread further into the depths, they remain alert to the signs of ancient rituals and the covert operations of past visitors, driving forward in their quest for knowledge and ancient secrets hidden within the Well of Souls.
Amidst their journey, Rashid's agility proves vital as they navigate a shaky staircase laden with equipment, aided by climbing kits provided by Fassour and additional support improving their chances of smooth passage. Despite obstacles, the keen perception of Rashid unveils not only hidden pathways but an ancient, glittering necklace nestled in ash – a relic from the Old Horizon, sparking debates about whether they've veered into the realm of grave robbers or mere retrievers of forgotten treasures.
Confronted with urns bearing names and hinted histories, the presence of the urn inscribed "D. Moska" stirs a mix of reverence and speculation among the group, especially concerning the intricate ties to the Explorer’s Guild with the sigil engraved on the pot and the name of remains inside. This discovery, juxtaposed with the rich artefacts and undisturbed dust, suggests a story untold, peering into the legacy and losses of past explorers.
As the crew ventured deeper into the sacred grounds, the presence of a mysterious singing voice added an unsettling tone to their exploration, which particularly haunted Meristo.
The team carefully managed their resources, with discussions on supply usage indicating their careful advance into the treacherous corridors below. As they made their way through the blighted pathways, Dom prompted the group to make various agility and perception checks, layering their journey with mechanical and environmental hazards, including a dangerous encounter with blight vines.
The resourceful Rashid, determined to make safe passage for his companions, led the way with his additional skill at navigating rocky paths and cumbersome obstacles. The group relied on their bird, Corvus, manipulated via bird handling skills to scout ahead and negate some of the blight threat, allowing them to proceed with reduced risk.
Amidst the darkness and danger, the group encountered a chamber in the depths of the Well of Souls with half a dozen silver-masked wardens of the well, seemingly in a state of hibernation or trance, absorbing blighted vapours emitting from a sealed vault. This unexpected sight brought a mix of awe and dread. The wardens, including the previously encountered and unusually vigorous Sir Aren mil-Bilal, raised questions about the true nature of their condition and activities beneath the city. Here, the crew - quietly - pondered the implications of blight on health, a topic previously unexplored and possibly revolutionary if it could cause extended lifespans rather than just corrupt and kill.
They chose not to disturb the wardens, figuring that their intrusion would be unwelcome. Rashid covered them as the rest of the crew started to investigate the large doorway ahead.
Far below the City of the Dead, our adventurers faced a crux, surrounded by mystic Builder glyphs and the threat of blight. Their journey in this shadowy labyrinth deepened as they stood before a door veiled in blight-infested ice which captured their attention and compelled a series of risky actions. The doorway was flanked by the Glyph of Life and the Glyph of Blight, but it appeared that there was a third Glyph on the door itself, obscured by the ice.
Arda, driven by combination of enthusiasm and instinct, sought to clear the ominous frost but was deterred by Fassour, who feared for the risk involved. Nonetheless, Arda's determination saw her touch the icy blight, which threatened her with its corrupting influence. Meanwhile, Fassour, preferring subtlety over the intense heat of Rashid's flamethrower, used a cutting torch to melt the frost in hopes of revealing the secrets it guarded.
As the ice melted and receded under the gentle warmth of Fassour's torch, another glyph was revealed, prompting a need for scholarly interpretation. Lieto, well-versed in the arcane symbols, stepped forth to decipher the glyphs which hinted at a vault, potentially laden with dangers or treasures unknown. It was the Glyph Gehpre, which translates alternatively as "Enter/Light/Open". The explored glyphs narrated a tale of a sealed vault, urging caution yet beckoning the curious minds of our explorers.
The moment of truth arrived as Fassour and Alda debated the method to engage the newly exposed glyph, opting for a delicate touch despite the evident risks. The pressing of the glyph activated a mechanism and opened the vault door with a hiss, releasing a swirl of mysterious, sparkling particles and shifting the air pressure – a classic harbinger of the unknown.
Braced for the consequences, the group faced a blight attack, challenging their resilience as they scrambled for protection. The opening of the vault seemed to stir from slumber the guarding wardens, previously immobilised, who awakened with cries of heresy, brandishing their shimmering mercurium swords – an escalation that shifted the evening’s narrative from exploration to confrontation.
The session drew to a close with the group braced for what lay beyond the vault, the awakened wardens at the ready, marking a perfect cliffhanger. Their journey through the enigmatic and perilous corridors of the Well of Souls thickens with intrigue, the promise of ancient secrets tantalisingly close yet guarded by dangers newly woken.
Source - initially Tabletoprecorder.com, edited for names, clarity and brevity with some parts injected to explain or catch elements missed in the summarising.
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