Fifty-Sixth Session - Boons of the Soul

Session resumes with the Keepers attempting to shepherd Ankha through a bizarre dreamscape. Max investigates giant coins made of jello, while Ishaq chats with a bizarre Sun with a Froot-by-the-Foot tongue that may want to eat him. Meanwhile Ankha meets a giant snake, who invites her to enter a box of secrets. She hops right in, and the party follows to make sure she’s safe.

The party finds themselves on floating chunks of rock in a kind of nebula, confronted by what appears to be Rokonis (Lord Roe)’s wife, who wants to know what the party is doing there. Ishaq explains that the Keepers are here on Roe’s behalf, protecting Ankha. Celia and Markoris recognize that this isn't Mrs. Roe so much as Roe's impressions/memory of her.

After confirming that the party are Roe’s Chosen, she tells them that his dream could change everything about the party. Five strange sprite-like creatures then approach, and the dragon explains that ‘each can change you as a boon.’ The party then splits up for encounters with these sprites.

Markoris approaches the Dark Moth alongside Ankha: she reaches out to both of them, and takes them to her world, which happens to be a giant sea turtle island swimming through the ocean. The Dark Moth asks:  *If one wishes to shape the world, should they not so shape their mind?*

Markoris is challenged to bring something into being using just his imagination. He concentrates and tries to bring forth the most beautiful fish he can come up with, leaping around the turtle.

Dark Moth approves, challenges him to keep going, he summons a spiky monster. Dark Moth observes that Markoris is kind and desires connection. She grants him the ability to speak with animals at will, and another secret power. Ankha gets in on the action and dreams a version of Markoris' soul with fire in his mane instead of grass - Dark Moth also grants her an unspecified boon.

Celia takes the hand of the Goat. She is taken to a tangle of roots atop the trunk of a massive tree. The Goat it asks her *if you replace everything in a ship, is it still the same vessel?* Celia says yes.

Goat asks Celia to name the things she doesn't like about herself, and the things she wishes she could change. Celia says ‘'I don't like that I don't make the best decisions when I'm overwhelmed' and 'I wish I could be longer-lasting'. Goat steps down toward Celia, examines her, and says 'no, you are good as you are, you do not need my gift. I will give you something else when you wake.'

The Light Moth extends her hands to Alana. She goes to a boat in an endless lake filled with lily pads. The Light Moth speaks: *Talent is another word for the combination of skill and self. But what if your talents lay elsewhere?*

Alana: 'I think some people get on a path and are too afraid to veer off'

Light Moth offers her a challenge: dive underwater and pull up a chest. Alana does so, struggling to pull the chest before she turns into a bear to boost her strength and succeeds. Light Moth says ‘You are stronger than you knew,’ leading to a Strength boost for Alana.

Ishaq goes to the Owl, who takes him to a strange red meadow surrounded by white trees. The Owl asks him: 'if there was another path for you, would you walk it?'

Ishaq shares that he's turned aside from paths before, but he is fully committed to his current path. The Owl says 'then I will not challenge you, you should go to one of the others' and it’s back to the main realm.

Both Celia and Ishaq join Max in going with the Peacock. They all go to a series of standing stones arranged around a massive tree stump. The Peacock asks what they want to be judged by, and speaks of 'beings judged by what they can do can learn, can achieve'

Ishaq wants to be judged by charisma and ambition. Celia wants to be judged by her confidence. Max opts out, too wary of being judged. He leaves, and the Peacock tells Celia and Ishaq  'the true judge is always yourself.'

ROLL INITIATIVE - MIRROR MATCH AGAINST EVIL VERSIONS OF THEIR NORMAL SELVES

ROUND ONE
 * 1) Ishaq - Charm Person on his mirror- succeeds
 * 2) Dark Ishaq - charmed
 * 3) Dark Celia - casts Bane - counterspelled by Ishaq - gets up in Celia's face
 * 4) Celia - fifth level Guiding Bolt - MISSES

ROUND TWO
 * 1) Ishaq - hugs Dark Ishaq, accidentally inflicts fire damage, breaks Charm Person, metamagics a fireball at him, 29 damage
 * 2) Dark Ishaq - Synaptic Static on both Celia and Ishaq, COUNTERSPELLED by Ishaq, uses Metamagic to attack again, 12 points of damage to Ishaq
 * 3) Dark Celia - lvl 5 Vampiric Touch, misses
 * 4) Celia - Guardian of Faith - spectral mushrooms - inflicts 20 radiant damage on Dark Celia, Celia tells Ishaq to smash his counterpart into the guardian's range

ROUND THREE
 * 1) Ishaq - Fireball again, 19 damage to Dark Ishaq, metamagics a Firebolt as a follow-up,  misses
 * 2) Dark Ishaq - Synaptic Static, COUNTERSPELLED, metamagics a Chill Touch follow-up, 11 damage, but takes 18 fire damage from it
 * 3) Dark Celia - lvl 5 Blight, 18 damage to Celia
 * 4) Celia - Blights right back, 42 necrotic damage

Both mirrors look really hurt

ROUND FOUR Peacock tells Ishaq Celia needs to finish her enemy off solo
 * 1) Ishaq - Greater Invisibility, COUNTERSPELLED, metamagics a Shocking Grasp, misses but fire damage 10 points
 * 2) Dark Ishaq - Magic Missile lvl 4, 22 damage, metamagics a chill touch, misses - Dark Ishaq crumbles from the fire damage taken from touching Ishaq
 * 3) Dark Celia - vampiric touch, 4d6 damage and regains some
 * 4) Celia - more Blight, last fifth level, 24 damage

ROUND FIVE 'You have both overcome yourselves. I will now grant you a boon.' - Peacock
 * 1) Dark Celia - Vampiric Touch, 8 damage
 * 2) Celia - one more Blight, 30 damage, Dark Celia is destroyed

Meanwhile, Max goes to see the Goat. After being asked what he doesn’t like about himself, Max lists a long series of failings starting with ‘I’m too trusting’ and receives a mystery prize for his efforts.

The party returns to the main nebula and compares notes and gifts. Ankha demonstrates that she now has Creation magic. Celia returns her attention to the dragon fight in the real world. Both creatures are *very* badly injured, and Celia perceives that Roe is near death and is pulling his blows out of reluctance to destroy the remains of his mate

Mrs. Roe (Aurelia) says she can send the party back, but will have to send Ankha with us. Celia points out that Max might go berzerk again while protecting the egg, which would be bad, and that Celia is low on spell slots. With that, Aurelia sends everyone back to Raith, and Max finds he now has a new, less cursed axe that gives him Insight expertise.

Raul is outside the vault with Rashid tied up, and the door is still open. The two dragons are still battling, and the party ROLLS INITIATIVE as they intervene.

ROUND ONE
 * 1) Zombie – Frightful Presence, WIS saves for everyone again, Ishaq and Alana and Markoris are frightened, multiattack on Roe for a bunch of damage
 * 2) Raul - hangs out with Rashid
 * 3) Markoris – speaks to Ankha, tells her to encourage her Dad, nails persuasion check, fails WIS save against fear
 * 4) Alana – asks what the plan is, Ishaq says we have to help Roe finish this, Celia says Roe needs healing, Max says they need to protect the kid, Alana casts Mass Cure Wounds on Roe for 92 HP of healing, fails WIS save
 * 5) Ishaq – moves back and casts magic missile on the zombie, 17 damage
 * 6) Max - guides Ankha out of the room and deposits her with Raul
 * 7) Roe – uses multiattack on zombie, does a shitload of damage (Zombie uses legendary tail attack, 22 damage)
 * 8) Ankha - calls to Roe to be safe, says that she's safe, PER check
 * 9) Celia - moves up and casts Bane on the zombie, -d4 for attack rolls and saves from here on

ROUND TWO OUT OF INITIATIVE
 * 1) Zombie – Baned Multiattack on Roe, two hits, Roe uses Legendary tail attack, 13 damage on her
 * 2) Raul - stands guard
 * 3) Markoris – bow attack, 7 damage, calls out to Ankha, fails WIS save Roe tail attacks again, 21 damage
 * 4) Alana – casts Call Lightning, 21 damage, WIS save fails, Roe tail attacks again, 18 damage
 * 5) Ishaq – Magic Missiles for 21 more damage, fails wis save
 * 6) Max - javelins for 5 damage
 * 7) Roe – finishes his wife's remains off

Ishaq moves in to console Roe, who seems inconsolable. Ankha runs in, and Roe shifts into humanoid form to encounter his daughter for the first time. While they hug, Ishaq speaks to Roe's grief and his pledge. Roe confirms that:

* ”The boy's life is yours, and so is the city, I don't want it”*

Ishaq messages Raul to get Rashid out of Roe's sight as Roe and Ankha starts leaving. Celia *immediately* starts looting the city treasury, Max and Ishaq join in, hurrying because the door to the vault is closing. Alana has morals and doesn’t loot public funds.

The party returns to the throne room as Roe and Ankha are about to head out. Ishaq approaches them and raises the sundial issue and succession to Azkaresh.

* 'I am going as far from this place as my wings will take me. You can do what you will with the corruption of humanity.'*

Roe will leave the sundial in his estate for pickup. The party discusses potential next steps for Azkaresh a while (White Lotus committee?) and then goes to find Raul and Rashid. Rashid warns that after Roe, next in line for succession is Professor Barron of the Starred Guard, next in line for succession and, according to Rashid, is just as corrupt as him (INSIGHT check shows Rashid believes it).

Session ends with Azkaresh’s future now effectively in the hands of the Keepers.