Session 52 - The Verdict

Wed 17th Nov 2021 20:00 - 23:00

In-game timeline: Nightal 17 - Nightal 19 DR1489

Our "Heroes" are considering the evidence for and against Celium and Lamellae in the murder of Legion. They decide to bring in the two suspects, and Milo and Philo, who were "guarding" the entrance at the time of the murder, into Legion's place and see how Pootle reacts to each one.

Dwarrow watches Pootle's reaction on each entrance, and reports that Pootle seems more settled when Lamellae comes in, is pretty unreactive to Milo and Philo's entrance, and seems to react slightly more nervously towards Celium. This seems to solidify Dwarrow's resolve against Celium and confirms his guilt in the dwarf's mind.

What followed was a number of hours' discussion between the "jury". They seem to uncover no new evidence, but use the information they already have to argue amongst themselves the cases for Lamellae and Celium, and even for a third party's involvement in the murder.

In true "12 angry men" style, the discussion moved back and forth, and Drogan and Dwarrow added into the mix the likely desire of the dwarves of Settlestone to not have an aggressive warmonger (as the party believe Celium to be) in charge of the myconids in the Sporerealm.

After much discussion, and some changing of minds, the party are still somewhat divided. Alwaith believes Lamellae and Celium are probably both innocent, and that a third party was completely responsible, Drogan believes that a third party was responsible, but that Celium was involved in some way, Devon believes the same as Drogan, but also has some suspicion of Lamellae, and Dwarrow thinks Celium was the main culprit and that if others were involved it was under the myconid's direction. Devon decides to defer to Dwarrow's decision, especially because it is Dwarrow's people who would be most affected by who the new sovereign would be.

So, although the decision was not really unanimous, the group decided that Celium is most implicated, and they agree to call the myconids into a mind-meld and accuse Celium of the murder.

The mind-meld is called, and Drogan and Dwarrow join the communion, with Alwaith and Devon deciding not to join. Dwarrow does the talking for the group and, when asked, accuses Celium of the murder.

The decision is made, and the mind-meld broken. Many of the myconid adults approach Celium, whose appearance seems to be physically shrinking somewhat, and his head is bowed. The adults approach him slowly and gently touch him before moving off and disappearing into the sporerealm. It is a touching scene, as the myconids say goodbye to Celium. Eventually only a few myconid adults, Gill, Celium, Lamellae and the party are left.

Lamellae and Celium embrace, and the party overhear some of their conversation. It seems that Lamellae and Celium were "married", but both seem to accept the decision of the party. After a moving and prolonged embrace, Lamellae steps back and Celium falls to his knees. Lamellae slowly reaches out and touches him and the party watch as Celium's body withers and fails, slowly turning to a black 'goo' that pools on the floor, and seems to be absorbed by the network of black 'laces' that criss-cross the floor of the Sporerealm. A tear is seen in Lamellae's eye, and she turns and heads to Legion's old home.

After a short period of respect, the party visit Lamellae and she promises to uphold the agreement between the dwarves of Settlestone and the myconids, and that they would not cause any issues with other races and will remain pacifists. She also gives them three potions of healing (+15hp each) made from Greengill toadstools. She directs Gill to take the party to the mushroom fields and they stock up on the bluecap mushrooms, taking a good 50 portions, and also being told how best to brew them to make the most potent potions to alleviate the faerzress (as the myconids referred to it) or The Madness (as the dwarves called it). They are also given a sackful of soil containing bluecap spores, which may be able to be cultivated underground to grow their own bluecap mushrooms in future, though they are notoriously difficult to grow.

Our "Heroes", having put one of the myconids to death in return for a basket of mushrooms, then return to the surface following a rest, and arrive back in Settlestone with no further incident.

After another night with most of them staying with the Hearthstrains, but Dwarrow spending the night with his fiancée, Silvermoon, the party awake and head out into Settlestone once more.

Alwaith visits Paxton at The Archive. He hasn't been able to find anything yet about the Necromical, but he has found a book by Tandred the Bard, named "Collected Poems", which seems to consist of a number of (very good) poems about a variety of subjects - all "adventuring-based", like the Ryme of the Frost Giant, the Grandeur of Dragons etc.

Devon visits the blacksmith, Brack, at the Flaming Anvil, and then heads on to the Merchant's Guild (unbeknownst to the others) to gather information of his own.

Drogan and Dwarrow go to the Town Hall to present the bluecap mushrooms to Silvermoon. She is not there, but the Mayor, Khaladum accepts the mushrooms on her behalf and is very appreciative of what the party have done.

And so we leave our "Heroes" planning their next steps, thinking about tackling the hyena threat on the Hecana Plains - at least that quest seems to have a reward attached - which is quite key, given how surprised and disappointed Alwaith and Drogan were at not receiving a reward for getting the mushrooms!