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Message: <blockquote data-quote="aartvb" data-source="post: 9532051" data-attributes="member: 7035557">Session 49 (13-11-2024): Shadows, Betrayal, and the Curse of OdiemFather Balthazar proposes signing a magical contract. With this, Ravarel and Aurelius promise not to speak about Father Balthazar's involvement in slave trading, and in return, Father Balthazar promises to grant them the 500,000 gp. However, Ravarel does not want to sign a magical contract; he prefers a simple agreement instead. He proposes that this debt be settled in the future rather than now. Ravarel explains to Aurelius that half a million gold pieces wouldn’t be as useful to him now as having an influential mage owe him a favor. Everyone heads to the hotel to sleep.  501 A.O.V., Winter, Day 15The group quickly heads to the train.  They are approached by Malia, who remarks that Olivert Boone is desperate to get his pistol back. Ravarel gives her his own pistol (not Olivert Boone’s demonic one). Malia, unaware of this, is satisfied and hands it over to the local authorities, as Boone is still detained for now.  Zuna wants to have the real pistol, but BenDER pretends not to know what she’s talking about, claiming it’s with Malia.  On the train, traveling to Sid Minos, Malia, Luc, Ottavia, Brianne, and Verzubak travel with them. During the journey, Ravarel shares something with the group:<code class="bbCodeInline">Note: This speech was so amazing, I just had to share the whole thing here!</code>The group is somewhat surprised, as they thought Ravarel was already part of the team, but he clarifies he was only along for this mission. Ravarel then shares more about his background and why he’s after John Merkanter. The group agrees to help him, with Morthos especially enthusiastic about some revenge.  After the conversation, the group disperses across the train. BenDER overhears Luc and Ottavia talking (Ottavia using sign language). Luc complains about Zuna throwing the lanterns off the train, saying he no longer knows how to stop “them”. Ottavia mentions a ritual at a lighthouse that could get “them” off the train, though it would leave her practically blind and deaf. Luc protests, but she insists on doing it.  BenDER goes to Verzubak, and together with Morgoth, they perform a ritual to bring luck to their side. Zuna chats with Bree about the events in Nalaam, the beautiful harbor of Vendrice, and the golden bells in Vendrice’s towers.  The group gathers briefly to make a plan, but the train arrives in Sid Minos before they can finalize anything.Luc and Ottavia walk toward several carriages. Ottavia hands a note to someone, who points her to a carriage. They get in, and the carriage departs. They head toward the harbor, but not directly—they take a significant detour. BenDER follows them.Aurelius and Morthos go to the hotel's restaurant together. Morthos eats there while Aurelius heads into the city to see if he can find criminals using a pouch.  After eating, Morthos explores the city to talk to its inhabitants. He asks them about the island of Odiem, as he knows there might be something interesting there related to Srassama, which intrigues him. He mainly hears that it is a cursed island and that he’d be better off avoiding it. There are various traps on the island that the Clergy has placed. He heads toward the harbor to find a tavern.Ravarel and Zuna are shadowing Bree, who is heading toward the harbor.  Bree, Luc, and Ottavia arrive at the harbor around the same time. Together, they walk into a tavern. BenDER watches through the window and sees Luc looking around. After this, the three of them leave through a back door and head to a small boat in the harbor.Morthos, Ravarel, Zuna, and BenDER find each other. Ravarel and Zuna follow BenDER’s bird, while BenDER and Morthos take a slight detour to their own ship. Onboard, they explain to the captain that they may need to head to the island of Odiem with the lighthouse.  Bree, Ottavia, and Luc hire a small sailboat and board it, accompanied only by a captain.  There are no other boats on the water. Ravarel and Zuna sprint to the party's larger boat, where BenDER and Morthos are already aboard. BenDER sends a letter to Aurelius, saying they might need his help. Onboard, Morthos mentions that the island has magical traps.  Aurelius tricks a pitiful man into giving him a boat and forces him to row as quickly as possible to the island.Upon arriving at the island, BenDER and Zuna see the sailboat returning to the harbor with only the captain aboard.  BenDER’s bird sees the trio heading toward the lighthouse. Ravarel suddenly hears a voice in his head but blocks it out. However, Zuna, BenDER, and Morthos hear the voice as well but cannot block it:  “In the name of Triegenes, it was quite an effort to get you to this island! My name is Ottavia, oracle of the Clergy. My duty is to protect the man you’ve shown interest in. His actions are meant to improve society, and he believes you pose a threat to that.”<code class="bbCodeInline">Note: Ravarel has a magic item which allow him to block any telepathic communication whenever he wishes.</code>After some back-and-forth questions, it becomes clear that she is referring to Luc. It is also revealed that he is planning to meet someone in Vendricce.  Meanwhile, the sky has turned cloudy, and the sun has set. Then, they notice zombies rising from the water and walking toward them.  BenDER moves to the base of the lighthouse, where Ottavia stands 90 feet above.  Ravarel approaches the lighthouse with his spider.  Morthos draws his weapon and prepares to fight the zombies emerging from the water.  Zuna activates her shield.  Then, they hear another female voice. This time Ravarel allows it. The voice is somewhat breathless:  “The priestess wants her enemies dead. Her rivals, visitors to this island, are welcome below, where it is safer.”<code class="bbCodeInline">Note: I feel like I railroaded the players a bit during this session, because they were about to split up: some of them went to the island, and some other players didn't go there. I knew the amount of content on the island, so I thought that splitting them up would make for a few boring sessions for the players left behind. I could make up some content for the players who were staying behind, but they are already complaining that they want a level up, so I want to finish this adventure as soon as possible, a split party at this point wouldn't contribute to that. However, instead of discussing this with them, I let Morthos meet them quite randomly, which was a bit railroady, and I felt bad about it after the session. Anyways, I mentioned it to the players afterwards, so I guess it's okay for now. Lesson learnt!</code></blockquote>

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