session:5 [Thandoria Archives]

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====== Session 5: The Catacombs and Visions of the Anchor ======

===== The Trial of the Judges =====
  * The party continues through the catacombs beneath the church.
  * They encounter a //**shimmering door**// with a handprint; it only opens when //**Selene's**// hand is used.
  * //**The Courtroom**//: Inside, they meet three spectral judges. The party is questioned about their burdens and secrets:
    * //**Solara**// reveals her sacrifices for her patron.
    * //**The Betrayal**//: The judges ask who betrayed someone unknowingly. The party guesses incorrectly and takes psychic damage. 
    * //**The Truth**//: It was //**Solara**// killing the man **//Joyboy//** had spared in the sewers.
  * //**The Scepter**//: The party convinces the judges they are worthy. They receive the //**Scepter of Oaths**//, which identifies lies by making the liar glow (similar to a //**Zone of Truth**//).
  * //**Moss**// takes custody of the scepter, it does not vibe with anyone in the party.

===== Shared Visions =====
The court adjourns, and the party blacks out, experiencing a series of shared visions.

  * //**Vesper’s Vision**//:
    * A dim, flickering lantern and tents with drained color.
    * A masked performer (wearing //**Vesper’s**// mask, presumably past //**Vesper**//) drags a child into a main tent toward a circular well of pale fire.
    * The crowd points at //**Vesper**// (//**Vesper**// the viewer)
    * ‘You were part of this’
    * "The Anchor feeds on what you abandoned."
    * //**Reveal**//: The child is an //**anchor**//.
  * //**Solara’s Vision**//:
    * The night of her pact in a large cathedral.
    * A figure of pale white fire—not //**Glasya**//—claims the souls from her sacrifices.
    * Sees her nanny crying and her own beauty rotting on the //**Ember Throne**//.
    * "When the fourth anchor breaks, your true form will be revealed."
    * See //**Solara's**// true face smiling from the throne
    * //**Reveal**//: //**Solara’s Nanny**// is an //**anchor**//.
  * //**Moss’s Vision**//:
    * A rotting forest where a lantern flickers in the distance, revealed to belong to //**Bartholomew**//.
    * //**Moss**// follows footprints into the grove where cloth, rope, and gear hangs from branches.
    * //**Bartholomew**// is found coiled in roots in a silent grove.
    * "The forest does not forget who was abandoned."
    * //**Bartholomew**// is pulled under with a silent scream.
    * //**Reveal**//: //**Bartholomew**// is an //**anchor**//.
  * //**Gimbol’s Vision**//:
    * //**Durim’s**// workshop, where the anvil is cracked open like a ribcage by pale fire.
    * //**Parsons**//, wrapped in white flame, reveals he manipulated //**Gimbol’s**// absence.
    * //**Parsons**//: ‘He waited for you but you weren't here, you were somewhere else’
    * //**Gimbol**// is on errand on a street full of decay, a pale white figure blocking an alley, a merchant that wasn't really there calls out to //**Gimbol**//.
    * //*Parsons//*: ‘You think you chose to leave him alone but I needed you gone.’
    * //**Durim**// is pulled beneath the stone with pale fire.
    * //**Reveal**//: //**Durim**// is an //**anchor**//.

===== Aftermath and the Emissary =====
  * Moss appeals to the scepter, scepter says it will help him if he feels it is just.
  * The party returns to the tavern and finds //**Jin**// (//a man with notably large hands//) being harassed by guards. //**Solara**// invites him to drink.
  * //**Stormcall Emissary**//: An emissary from //**Lysander**// arrives with a note for //**Gimbol**// regarding missing hunters near the observatory.
  * //**Gimbol**// informs him that //**Joyboy**// is dead. He embellishes the story, causing the //**Scepter of Oaths**// to make him glow. The emissary arranges to recover the body.

===== The Patron's Fury =====
  * Back at the mansion, //**Glasya**// possesses one of //**Solara’s**// maids.
  * She demands //**Solara**// sacrifice her favorite maid; //**Solara**// complies, but //**Glasya**// is unable to claim the soul—the white flame figure already has it.
  * //**Glasya**// attempts to fix //**Solara’s**// scar but fails. She seems happy that //**Solara**// will be hideous because without her the beauty will fade,  but enraged that she no longer holds the pact, she leaves through a hell gate.
  * //**Solara’s**// lover returns with news: the //**Sea League**// is aware of the artifact.
  * The party decides to head into //**Sea League**// territory to investigate the //**Shadowsong**// family and the //**Nanny**//.
  * The party agrees //**Moss**// should take the bag of holding and the //**Scepter**//.
  * //**Solara**// and //**Moss**//* bang for thee minutes crazy style.

===== The Barracks Incident =====
  * At the guard barracks to retrieve //**Jin’s**// belongings, and to steal some armor, //**Jin**// is ambushed in the armory by three men.
  * //**Moss**// (in spider form) heals //**Jin**// during the struggle.
  * //**The Arrest**//: The Commander arrives. //**Jin**// attempts to lie about his presence, but the //**Scepter**// reveals the lie. //**Jin**// attempts to flee but is captured and dragged away.

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