Session 9
Date in-game: 11th of Kythorn
What Happened
Opening — The Faben Tale
The session opens with a retelling of the legend of Faben the Worthy, drawn from a story a local farmer had shared. The tale revisits the ancient hero and his role alongside The Four in sealing away Orcus — a story that is becoming increasingly relevant to what the party has stumbled into.
Back in the Basement of Gorrmoth’s Tower
The Stumblers pick up exactly where they left off — in the basement of Gorrmoth’s Tower, still in the wake of Gek the Necromancer’s botched ritual from last session. The party recovers The Butchered Words of Kyoss from the ritual room.
The First Floor — The Mimic
Benny LeBeau goes up to scout the first floor. The staircase is broken, so the party improvises: Blastran Starweave conjures a floating pink disc, Strom gives Benny LeBeau a boost, and the Immovable Rod is wedged into place to help haul him up.
On the first floor, Benny spots what appears to be a desk covered in scrolls. The moment he reaches for one, he realises it isn’t a desk at all — it’s a mimic. His hand sticks fast and the thing attacks.
Bronn tosses a rope down to Benny LeBeau, who ties it around the mimic. Bronn pulls hard on the rope, dragging both Benny and the creature downward — but the rope catches on the Immovable Rod, yanking Bronn up into the air as well. The whole thing turns into a mid-air pinata of chaos before the party manages to get it under control.
Dealing with Kevin the White Dragon
The kobolds suggest feeding the dead ogre’s meat to Kevin the White Dragon, and the party obliges. While talking to them, the kobolds reveal that Gek the Necromancer had stolen a portion of Kevin the White Dragon’s hoard at some point during his time running things.
The Gold Hoard
The party heads to the top floor and finds the stolen gold. Rather than pocket it, they hand the hoard back to the kobolds along with a friendly message to pass on to Kevin the White Dragon — a peace offering, and hopefully a sign of good faith.
A Glimpse into the Cave
Out of curiosity, the party peers into the cave where Kevin the White Dragon is kept. The dragon is chained up, and it does not look friendly. The party wisely decides not to push their luck.
The Journey Back to Aldors Tower
Barnaby Opens the Book
On the road back, Barnaby can’t resist. He opens The Butchered Words of Kyoss.
The moment the pages fall open, he is swept into a vision — the overworld and the Abyss stretching out before him in a strange, shifting pattern. He sees illustrations of rubies being mined on a grand scale, accompanied by text that lays out the role of rubies in demonic rituals. Shaken, Barnaby snaps the book shut.
Blastran Starweave Identifies the Relic
Blastran Starweave examines the book and identifies it as one of only three known relics of immense power in the world — at least, the three he is aware of:
- Arrako the Pure’s Sword — the blade of the legendary hero
- Faben the Worthy’s Ring — a powerful eyeball ring, its current whereabouts unknown
- The Butchered Words of Kyoss — the very book they are carrying
The implications are not lost on the party.
Back at Aldors Tower
The Debate
The party arrives at Aldors Tower and immediately debates whether Aldor the Wizard can be trusted with knowledge of the book. If he knows they have one of the three relics, it could make them a target — but keeping it from the one person who might understand its significance carries its own risks.
They decide to tell him. Aldor the Wizard listens, confirms the book’s importance, and admits he doesn’t know what the right move is.
Benny LeBeau’s Revelation
Benny LeBeau then opens up to the party about his family. He tells them about The Ghostwalkers — the secret society his family belongs to. He explains the two branches: the Reapers, men who serve as warlocks carrying out espionage and assassinations, and the Sirens, women who operate as rogues, manipulating politics from within the high court.
More pointedly, Benny raises the possibility that The Ghostwalkers could be linked to the Order of the Old Gods (Cult of Orcus). It is a thread worth pulling.
The Mind Map
With everything on the table, the party sits down and maps out all the connections they have uncovered so far — the relics, the cult, The Ghostwalkers, the rubies, and the threads tying it all together. The bigger picture is beginning to take shape.
Securing The Butchered Words of Kyoss
The party puts together a plan to protect the book:
- Aldor the Wizard wipes his own memory of the party — so he cannot be questioned or coerced into revealing anything about them.
- The party acquires a lead-lined chest and places the book inside.
- Aldor the Wizard applies a magical lock to the chest.
- Blastran Starweave uses the key to seal it shut and keeps the key on his person.
- The chest is loaded into the Bag of Holding, which Barnaby takes charge of.
The Knock at the Door
The party settles in for their long rest at Aldors Tower. Just as things start to quiet down, there is a knock at the door…