Session 18: Convergence at Mossville, Illusion of Blackreef

Gimbol and Durim arrive at Mossville after confirming the location via message. Durim reveals that Parsons, the first anchor, was a flawed experiment; he was not tied to a particular deity, which limited his power. Rumors suggest that while Parsons still possesses the Mantle of the Silent Judge and Scepter of Oaths, he may have passed the Scepter of Oaths to JB.

Seeking Kaelen, Solara asks Durim to take her to Blackreef. Durim teleports Solara, Vesper, and Gimbol to the city.

Back at Mossville, Durim warns Moss and Jin that while they can now sense Parsons' location, Parsons can also sense the party's proximity. Durim hatches a plan to reclaim the 🗝️ Mantle of the Silent Judge from the high mage. He proposes using Moss as bait to lure Parsons into an encounter. While the two are engaged, Gimbol will use his expertise to sneak up and steal the cloak. Durim will then be ready to teleport the entire group away as soon as the artifact is secured.

Meanwhile, left to govern his new town, Moss immediately signs “No Pants Thursday” into law.

Upon arrival in Blackreef, the party finds the city unnervingly clean and organized. The citizens are dressed uniformly in grey and black. Kaelen Cross meets them, and the party notices that children in the streets seem to “shimmer” and move with unnatural speed.

Gimbol uses Detect Magic and discovers the entire city is saturated with powerful enchantment magic. The buildings, the people, and even the air glow. The citizens behave robotically, following fixed routines. A woman sweeping the steps addresses Solara as “Princess Solara,” claiming Kaelen commanded it. She demonstrates terrifying strength by lifting a massive stone chair with one hand, then catches a dragonfly out of the air and squishes it, disturbing Solara. Sol expresses her displeasure, and the woman somehow “revives” the insect, that then flies off at her command. Vesper find the changes to the city pleasing, while Gimbol and Sol feel otherwise.

At Kaelen's manor, servants attend to the party—a new addition since their last visit. Vesper and Gimbol watch the town from the porch, noting the mechanical nature of the population. During dinner, Kaelen talks to Solara, admitting he “improved” the town for her. Vesper compliments and approves of Kaelen's changes. Kaelen takes Solara aside to discuss the changes further, and Kaelen presents a beautiful red and black dress to Solara, afterwards returning to dinner. Vesper compliments Solara's new clothes, and Kaelen offers some to Vesper as well.

As night falls, Solara and Kaelen both transform into mist and vanish into the town, discussing how “less useful people” are now primarily used for their blood.

The next morning, Durim returns to collect Gimbol and take him back to Mossville. Before leaving, Moss asks Durim to help find the cat, revealing that the cat is actually a god and was a friend of Cantor.

The various factions begin to arrive at Mossville for the summit:

• Regency Council: Led by Chancellor Verena Lys.
• Stormcall Clans: Led by Lysander Stormborn, accompanied by a massive, unnamed female Goliath.
• Veiled Compact: Representatives arrive and take their places.
• The Red Oracle: Led by Valera.
• The Sea League: Led by Nyla Tideglass.

Lysander greets Gimbol with a sarcastic remark about his survival before the meeting begins. A representative of the Red Oracle informs Moss they are there for protection.

The party addresses the gathered leaders, informing them that Parsons is the true villain and that the Ashen Coven has returned under his leadership. Suddenly, Parsons appears at the meeting as an astral projection, accompanied by an orange cat with heterochromatic eyes. He denies the accusations and offers to let the leaders see the artifacts, though he hands over illusions instead.

The Red Oracle guarantees Parsons' safety to convince him to appear in person. Parsons eventually manifests physically and places the real artifacts on the table, pushing for the immediate selection of a new emperor. Gimbol counters, revealing that the Ashen Coven—not the Flame—was responsible for the emperor's death.

As the argument intensifies, The Flame itself appears. It is revealed that The Flame is actually Parsons' son. It is revealed Chancellor Verena Lys had placed the entire assembly under a Zone of Truth, confirming the party's claims.

An old woman with a cane, identified as Alora Voss, enters the tent. The faction leaders bow to her in silence. She reveals herself as the Bronze Sage, a gold dragon and the ancient protector of Lunaris. She explains the tragic history of the anchors: to become an anchor, one must make a sacrifice similar to the gods. Parsons' ritual went wrong when he sacrificed his own son; the ritual failed, and his son became the entity known as The Flame.

The Flame speaks to Solara, confirming its mortal past. It points to Gimbol, recalling how they used to play together while Durim and Parsons worked. The Flame reveals that it wants Parsons dead, although his death would also end the Flame's existence. It was the Flame that scattered the artifacts upon the emperor's death to prevent Parsons from claiming them.

Alora Voss suggests there may be a way to save the son even if Parsons is killed. The party begins planning a daring strike to retrieve the Mantle of the Silent Judge (the cloak) from Parsons: Moss will draw his attention, while Jin—transformed into a Giant Ape—will be dropped from the back of the gold dragon to crush the opposition.