Session 5 Recap

The first night of rest in the Forest of Dolls was filled by harassment from Sister Piel. She made it even hotter than it was during the day, making rest incredibly uncomfortable. She also walked through Jove’s alarms with little care. The party knew she tripped the alarm that night but couldn’t see her….or stop her from attacking Jove. The harengon awoke to a necrotic burn in the shape of hands around his neck and left overall weaker (-8 max hp). Little dolls that resembled the party made of hair, twine, and branches sat in front of everyone’s tents along with a message scrolled in blood - “Welcome Home.”

The party cautiously wandered through the woods another day. Sister Piel through a ritual with her sisters seemed to continue to control the woods and its weather. The party found itself magically changing directions and walking in circles when following the road. The weather also dropped to incredibly cold and then back to dangerously hot all in the span of 30 minutes. Though the party was able to avoid some goliath longlegs waiting in ambush, they were nearly wiped out by the magical weather alone. Everyone went to bed exhausted, with Aspen feeling the brunt of it the most. She was at 4 levels of exhaustion that night. The next level of exhaustion would result in her being unable to move and the following level would result in her death.

The party went to bed knowing that another day in the Forest of Dolls could mean their last. They definitely didn’t want to end up like those screaming in the distance. They definitely wanted to avoid a direct confrontation with the hags like whoever in the “north” of the Forest was going through. Aspen was confronted directly by Sister Piel during her shift of night watch. The hag buzzed in and out of the ethereal plane as she greeted her new “sister” with a deal - let the hag see her sister’s hand of fate and she wouldn’t kill all her friends….at least for a day. Aspen agreed and walked into a cave with the painfully bent hag to play the game - The Three Empresses.

The Rules of Three Empresses

In the dark cave waited a table with three chairs. Two chairs had mirrors in them and were centered upon the third. The table was covered in a complex area of charcoal written sigils. On top of the table sat a lit candle and a deck of cards laid face down. A bucket of water laid in the corner of the room.

Sister Piel explained that it was very important for Aspen to ultimately figure out if she was the Queen, the Princess, or the Fool. She must, however, never look directly at the mirrors or whatever else walks into the room. The room had to be pitch black except for the light of a small candle. She must immediately flee the room if the door shuts or the candle goes out. Sister Piel would throw the bucket of water at Aspen if she fell into a dangerously deep trance. The hang would have to leave however if anything came through the door.

Aspen’s Hand of Fate

Aspen quickly fell into a light trance, causing both mirrors to splinter into hundreds of small squares. From the peripheral of her vision, she saw shadowed reflections of herself in these squares. These reflections didn’t follow her and were often smiling ear to ear, all whispering different and often taunting things to her. Then the door creaked open and something walked in. It was tall - maybe about 9’ tall with a 11-13’ ever expanding wingspan. Aspen could see in the reflection of the mirrors that the creature was very thin, athletic, and feminine in build. It wore a black, ornate set of studded leather armor and a bird like helm that covered her face. The creature had long, spindly, and unkept white hair. Her hands were hidden in long, clawed grieves.

This creature dug its claws around Aspen’s shoulder and along with the taunting reflections, pushed the rogue through the tarot cards on the table. It identified itself as a skein witch. Aspen was confronted by the following questions from the skein witch. Every question required quick action and a saving throw from Aspen:

Aspen’s Confrontation

1. Vizier (Reversed)
   
   The Vizier is a powerful card to see on your major arcana. Their power comes from being between two pillars. They can appreciate the power and momentum of religion, tradition, institutions, and the desire to conform. They can also understand that if one puts words to music, they can make the world dance to their own ambitious, dangerous beat. The Vizier watches your strand of fate closely and looks towards the future of your arcana. They definitely see something you don't.
   
   What do you think you're missing? INSIGHT CHECK
   Aspen isn’t confident what to focus in on. She’s seen many powerful, strange people recently - from the Governor, to the Dent and his Matriarch, to high ranking officers of the Company. She’s even seen a rare wizard who is of significant rank in the Plati Khulda. Everyone seems to really want her and especially what she has.

2. Rogue (Upright)
   
   The rogue is a card of treachery and deception. Sometimes the hardest part is finding the right suspect. Sometimes it's to know  whether its you. Doubt, deceit, and isolation are all blades that cut indiscriminately.

   Your rogue looks back at your arcana. A mistake from your past haunts you, whether you are aware of it or not.  It could be that someone wants to throw you into a viper pit or it could just be you. After all, it wasn't someone else who made you leave your family and start a career you have to constantly lie about, high blood elf.
   
   Who wants you harmed and do they want to hurt you more than you already hurt yourself? HISTORY CHECK
   Again Aspen isn’t sure who is out to get her…at least more. The Matriarch has sent her best assassin. The Governor tried to steal their soul in a contract. They’re wanted among the Red Coats on Immanuel’s Promenade. This Thieves Guild could be lying to her.

3. Moon (Upright)
   
   The moon is positioned between intuition, dreams, and the unconscious. It shines long, dim light compared to the sun, and only slightly illuminates the path. Illusion and darkness brings anxiety and fear. Facing this can go one of two ways. The Moon in your path means something will succeed or fail in spectacular fashion.
   
   What exactly do you see when you dream hardest? More importantly, is it a nightmare? PERFORMANCE CHECK
   Apsen dreams of not just fame, but being an extremely deadly assassin. She is obsessed with and solely driven to become the most deadly and silent thing on Grahmbraid Island. Aspects of Arevay - the Goddess of Darkness and Pain - definitely appeal to Aspen. She sees some admirable features in the relentless fury of the hags.
    

4. Death (Reverse)
   
   Most dominating, but the least surprising. Death's inevitability is its greatest strength but it also saps Death of true dominion over all. For those who don't fear death, it's not an ending but a transformation. They know the skeleton remains long after the worms are done. It's just a matter of what disappeared, what changed, and what was purged. Death looks back at you. 
   
   What are change do you resist?   WISDOM SAVING THROW

   Aspen never wants to live that boring, safe life she had with her family. She never wants to go back to her old life or a safe life.
   
   What is missed with you gone? CONSTITUTION SAVING THROW
   Aspen’s family might miss her, but she feels nothing is really missed with her gone. She hated that life and going back would be admitting she’s a failure.

5. Fool (Upright)
   
   The fool is numbered 0 - nothing to most but a number of unlimited potential. It has no specific place in this set. It's one of beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, and free spirit. It's also something that can hold you back and destroy with recklessness. The fool either belongs at the beginning or the end of your major arcana.

   When a fool looks back they see either doom, mistakes, or both. What do you see, Aspen? PERCEPTION CHECK

   Aspen confidently believes she hasn’t made any mistake and looks to excitedly plunge forward into her fate unknowingly. She is best when surprised and acting on the fly.

   Really? That's your answer? Are you sure?  CHARISMA CHECK
   Apsen’s confidence in herself is everything she has. She’ll do anything and give up anything to live up to her standards of herself. Any method and any sacrifice is a worthwhile one.
   

6. The Death Letter
   
   Aspen was asked to write how and when (what level) she would die. She wrote the results in the letter, sealed it, and gave it to the skein witch. Only Aspen and the skein witch knows what it says.

 The Black Church

Aspen returned to camp after Three Empress session. The blood magic tattoos on her arms have expanded and included a new sigil. They glowed green and red before subduing to a black ink.

Aspen shared her bargain with Sister Piel to the party. At that point, the party realized that Aspen seemed attuned to the Forest of Dolls, as if she belonged here. She walked off the path to test this theory. Sure enough, a new path started to form in front of them. After following it for half a day they came upon the Black Church. It was seemingly protected by two hallowed spells. One frightened off creatures and another filled the area with a magical darkness. The party seemed to be left unaffected by these divine enchantments if they stuck close enough to Aspen.

The Black Church itself is enormous. It seems to be a giant rock about 1,000’ tall and just about as wide. It seems natural except for the fact that it is the only non-forest like feature here. The ornate doors and front face of the Black Church are carved into the rock’s side. The doors are about 25’ wide and 100’ tall. A large, muscular monstrosity with 6 eyes and random large fangs is carved into the door along with more images of the angles. The monstrosities seem to be sitting in obedience to the angels.

The party noticed the same list of names that they had seen on the Forest Gate. When they showed Aspen her name, her eyes and sigil began to light up. She seemed to be under the effects of something similar to detect magic and she could see the magicks imbued everywhere. Using this new power, she found the arcane lock to the door and opened it.

The party then walked into the Black Church.

The inside was a dark, reflective, and strong carved stone that was similar to obsidian. Small continual flames lit the sides of the rooms. There seemed to be four rooms immediately off of the main entrance. These rooms had desks littered in strange specimens, potions, reagents, notes, and books. Aspen could see the sigils in the room, thereby avoiding traps. She also found some items with her sigil on it. She found a book locked with her sigil, opened it, and found her name in it while quickly scanning the book. Aspen kept this book.

The party then explored the rest of the main chambers. There were five cauldrons with incredibly hot and colorful flames in the center. 4 cauldrons were small and one was large. Around the cauldrons were 4 statues of robed aberrations. One looked very similar to the worm like creature they saw on the altar in the forest. The chambers were littered with pictographs and glyphs of the angels fighting aberrations like these. There were also five large sarcophaguses that glowed with magical runes. These runes were also on the study chambers and the cauldrons. One of them was Aspen’s.

The five sigils in the Black Church. Aspen’s sigil is first. The sigil on the blue cauldron is last.

Aspen found and opened the sarcophagus with her sigil on it. The magical runes deactivated and they safely pulled out what it was protecting. They found a decorated brass bottle, another excerpt from something called The King of Citragadda, and the mask that everyone seems to want. Hoppah attuned to the mask to discover what it was. It seemed to be the Veil of the Black Church. While granting him the Boon of Immortality, it seemed to whisper to him in many layered, taunting voices and ravens, causing him to have disadvantage on all wisdom ability checks.

The session ended with the party looking over its new loot.

Veil of the Black Church

While attuned to this mask, you are granted the effects of the Epic Boon, Boon of Immortality. 

You can  also speak telepathically to any creature you can see within 60 feet of you. Your telepathic utterances are in a language you know, and the creature understands you only if it knows that language. The utterances are also made as if spoken by a raven using its mimicry trait. Your communication doesn't give the creature the ability to respond to you telepathically.

Boon of Immortality

You stop aging. You are immune to any effect that would age you, and you can't die from old age.

Note: The mask gave Hoppah disadvantage on all wisdom ability saving throws when he attuned to it.

A mask worn by the coven of hags in the Forest of Dolls. Each mask bears a unique Great Rune that glows an ever shifting green and red. The runes are found in the eyes and a third that magically forms on the back of the head.  The specific Great Rune on this mask is astrology inspired. It bears a 5 point star in the center of an arrangement of 5 circles and a cross.

The hags believe the Great Runes are a piece of a divine alphabet, which spell out an order or logic of all things called the Golden Rules. The Sisters of the Black Church were forever changed when the first rune was stolen. They now have no mercy for those who trespass the Golden Rules.

Brass Botte

A beautiful brass bottle that is remarkably difficult to open. A 20 strength check failed to open it.

The Mask (The King of Citragadda)

Summary
The story is one of longing, and change, and destiny. Corym is an artist with a circle of friends that he treasures above all else.

One friend is Jhaan. Jhaan is a remarkably intelligent elf with almost no one to rival him in all the kingdom. He is also whimsical and impulsive, often disappearing to travel for months on ends. Though he may be gone, loyal Jhaan never fails to write frequently back to everyone in the group.

Another one of his friends. Karl, has an incredibly wealthy estate which he uses to fund novel experiments in the fields of art and chemistry. He even finds a new element that, in its yellow liquid form, can turn living things to beautiful rose marble statues almost instantly. Karl hopes that with some more time, he can create a philosopher's stone and freely transmute all material.

The final of Corym's dear friends, Princess Ceslida, is the love of his life. Though she loves Corym, she is also Karl's lover. For all of their sakes, Corym does his best to be supportive of them in their relationship, pretending that it doesn’t pain him.

He calls this effort his “mask”, and it reminds him of the “pallid mask” from a play he enjoys - The King of Citragadda. The play calls to him and has many coincidences in his life. Just like in the excerpt of the play below, he feels that the mask has stopped being a mask and become a part of him.

Over the course of the story, as it becomes clear that his friends have also read the play, fate seems to re-shuffle its hand for Corym once again. Karl claims to have successfully created a philosopher's stone. He shows it off by restoring horrific scars that Ceslida had from an accident in her childhood. 

Something goes wrong and all of Karl's work turns to obsidian - including Ceslida. Karl cannot live with the agony of losing the love of his life. He takes his own life and leaves his entire estate to Corym.

Years have gone by since this tragedy. Corym has been unable to remove the statue of Ceslida from the estate. He also struggles mightily with the loss of his friends and is visited by horrible nightmares. These nightmares inspire him to create his most beautiful work of art - a mask. He becomes obsessed with the mask and never takes off.

Jhaan has been gone for a journey that was unusually long journey when Corym received a letter. Jhaan seemed to be possessed with the idea that Corym was someone of great importance, that someone named Dr. Richington would see him soon, and that no matter what the doctor says, he should not let him see Ceslida. Jhaan, however, never returns and is never heard from again.

The story ends with Dr. Richington visiting the Corym's estate. The doctor is dressed in the bird-like plague gear and carries with him a great assortment of exotic alchemical reagents. He promises Corym that for a small cost he can cure Ceslida of "the pestilence." Corym resists Dr. Richington's offer at first but relents when he realizes Jhaan is never coming back. Ceslida returns to life, and with no obstacles between them, she and Corym at last find their love.

Memorable Excerpt 
Cauladra: You, sir, should unmask.

Stranger: Indeed?

Ceslida: Indeed it’s time. We all have laid aside disguise but you.

Stranger: I wear no mask.

Cauladra: (Terrified, aside to Ceslida.) No mask? No mask!