After the skirmish with the Ankheg at the vineyard, Vita, Naomi, Rose, and Thalga returned to Costa Del Rugido, reuniting just in time for the opening ceremony at Cursebreakers Academy. There, the four were given shared dormitory rooms and invitations to the exclusive Shamsha Leonidas restaurant. Excited to do some shopping, they explored the Southern Markets, acquiring outfits and accessories suitable for the occasion. They also encountered a mysterious red dragonfolk being chased by hooded men bearing snake emblems...
Session 3 Summary
The four ladies follow the dragonfolk and the strange hooded men into the ruins. The hooded men, revealed to be members of the Sand Snakes, corner the dragonfolk. Vita, Naomi, Rose, and Thalga jump in to defend him, initiating a tense standoff. Thalga and Vita try to reason with the cultists, who dismiss her inquiries, asserting that the dragonfolk possesses something that belongs to them. The four try to break the tension, but the cultists grow hostile, brandishing daggers laced with green venom.
Combat erupts, and the friends fight fiercely, showcasing the skills they honed over the past year. Naomi’s swift strikes and Thalga’s powerful blasts keep the cultists at bay, while Rose uses her divine sight to sense the danger radiating from the tablet that the cultists are after. A nearby fisherman overhears the commotion and immediately steps up to the ladies.
During the battle, Vita touches the tablet while trying to get it back from the cultists, but something within her stirs and she accidentally ignites it with her wild magic, and green flames engulf the stone!? The cultists become frantic, realizing the object they sought is slipping from their grasp.
Rose manages to levitate the tablet away with a quick Mage Hand spell, placing it out of the cultists’ reach. However she starts to hear a strange voice that taunts her. The fisherman is seen casting incantations on the tablet, but he becomes frustrated when 'it does not work'. The Sand Snakes make one last attempt to reclaim the tablet, but ultimately are forced retreat, but not before one of them is knocked unconscious.
The dragonfolk collapses and goes unconscious, Rose, Thalga and the mysterious Fisherman notice that their healing abilities do not seem to work as they should on this Dragonfolk. His arm seems slowly turn grey and it's spreading. With the tablet still radiating a strange dark sensation that makes the ladies unwell, they decide to carefully wrap it and help the injured dragonfolk back to Cursebreakers Academy.
As the ladies make their way to the academy, they once more meet with Ahmidon, the guard they've seen a few times by now. Ahmidon gets the unconscious cultist into custody. Ahmidon addresses the Fisherman as "steward", although Ahmidon has more questions, the ladies are forced to keep the conversation short to rush the dragonfolk to the Academy.
The group is forced to interrupt Professor Antheia's lesson, to get the dragonfolk the help he needs, while the mysterious fisherman that introduces himself as 'Beau'. He's a member of the Stewards of Solaris, an elite order that directly work for King Anwar Orpaz,
The tablet’s energy seems to react to Vita’s presence, and she feels a strange connection to it, something ancient and unsettling. Steward 'Beau' explains that such artifacts could be remnants of the old Throne War, carrying curses and powers that even the Academy has yet to fully understand.
Professor Antheia examines the dragonfolk, she realizes that his wounds are not only physical but there's some connection to this mysterious tablet. Antheia, skilled in both alchemical and restorative magic, used a blend of healing spells and herbal remedies in an attempt to stabilize him. However, her magic encountered resistance, as though some mysterious force is actively working against her.
To counter this, Antheia applies specially prepared herbs and powders directly to the dragonfolk arm which helped slow the curse’s spread temporarily. She's forced to place him in a magiacally induced cataleptic state, which she calls a coma. She suspected that his close proximity to the tablet was likely reinforcing his condition, complicating her attempts to heal him. While Vita and Naomi get Einar Giedensera, Rose and Thalga get berated by the Fisherman, just to make sure that his 'fishing trip' wouldn't be mentioned by them. Eventually the group is dismissed by Einar, but not before Vita noticed that Einar seemed to recognize the condition of this dragonfolk.
As the ladies make their way to their common room. They meet with Professor Hasulon once more, who brings them their personal belongings that were either replaced or cleaned after the flooding incident. Professor Hasulon mentions that he won't be teaching classes this year, because he's going on an expedition in the desert, which piques the interest of the ladies. He tells them that they'll need to speak to their mentor about it, and need permission of 'Marco Vulperian', ambassador of Sevenfold and personal friend to King Anwar Orpaz.
Eventually, the ladies decide to get ready for the party. Naomi making a short stop to the
Greenhouse to get some fitting flowers. After asking permission from Lorelai and receiving a little lesson on the flowers, she meets with Cedric again. She's a little confused why he's mixing poison ivy with healing potions, but eventually decides to mind her own business and return back to the common room.
Vita, still unnerved by the touch of the enchanted tablet and the wild magic that flared in her during the fight, tries to focus on the night ahead, putting on the dress given to her by Kaedlin. But before that, Vita receives a visit from Einar Giedensera. Vita, still shaken from the recent events began to ramble nervously. Einar tells her assertively to calm herself and he warns her that she needs to learn to embrace this and not to deny it.
But suddenly Einar mentions things that she hasn't told him yet. She asks him if he can read her mind. Einar, in his usual reserved and cryptic manner responds that she's just very loud. She asks him how she can be less loud. Einar instructs Vita to focus on her breathing and to calm her mind. But this has the opposite effect, and now Vita tries so hard that it's just making her mind even more chaotic.
Einar asks her if she wants to hear her own thoughts, he snaps his fingers and each thought in Vita's head is reflected back into her mind, causing a feedback loop and causing so much noise that it overwhelms her.
He informs her that this is what he experiences with everyone, at all times, and he cannot disable it. Vita once more follows his advice and she feels the fiery sensation in her hands starting to cool. Einar’s presence and his advice were kind of comforting and unnerving, he was quite vulnerable in that moment with her.
As Einar leaves the common room, Naomi spots him leave, before he goes around the corner, Naomi saw him hold a bit of fire in his hand before turning it into ice.
Naomi, with her usual confidence, chooses elegance, culturally significant jewelry, opting to go without shoes as a nod to the luminary traditions of her homeland. Meanwhile, Thalga takes on a stately, dark green gown accented with bronze, while Rose’s bright red dress sparkles with golden sun symbols. Despite her doubts, Vita puts on the dress that Kaedlin gave her, keeping Einar's gemstone with her as always. Together, the group strikes a stunning image.
Eventually there's a knock on the door. And Thalga opens the door to Ahmidon yet again!
The same Sentinel as earlier, he had not expected the ladies in such elegant clothes and the ladies clearly pick up that despite his stoic professionalism, is visibly taken aback by the ladies’ splendor.
The evening continues with a carriage ride through Costa Del Rugido’s Ember Promenade, known for its high-end establishments, the ride is lively as they tease each other, sharing banter about the city’s sights and the glimmering hotspots they pass by.
They near the Shamsha Leonidas, a towering building decorated with grand lion statues and intricate carvings, the friends take in the opulence around them. Before the ladies leave the carriage, they ask Ahmidon to tell them more about what happened to the cultist that was taken into custody.
Ahmidon seems hesitant, but the ladies, mostly Thalga charm him to spill the beans.
He shared troubling news about the cultist they had helped apprehend earlier. The man, who had been taken into custody, was left alone in a holding cell for only a few minutes. When the guards returned, they found him dead under mysterious circumstances. His body had undergone a bizarre process of acidification, leaving his skin shriveled and corroded, with only a strange bracelet remaining intact among the remnants.
Ahmidon spoke quietly, almost reluctantly, as he described the unsettling details. This eerie similarity suggested that the cultist’s death might be connected to the cursed tablet the Sand Snakes had pursued so desperately. His words left the ladies uneasy, a stark reminder that they were dealing with something deadly and complex. Ahmidon says goodbye to the lady, and tells them that they can typically find him near the Southern Markets.
When the ladies step into Shamsha Leonidas, they are greeted by an air of opulence and refinement, unlike anything they had experienced before. While waiting to be seated, the ladies meet Marco Vulperian and his attendant, Kyrion.
Marco just checks his own name at the desk, but before he walks in. He's interrupted by Vita and Rose, who recognized him from the "Spicy Boys" restaurant earlier that day. They ask him about the expedition, and he informs that that they'll have to talk to their mentor about it, but it could be very interesting, despite the dangers.
Eventually the ladies are escorted to a little bar where they'll wait for Einar's arrival.
They make some small talk with the bartender, and shortly meet with Cedric again who came to drop-off a delivery. And after some time, Einar Giedensera arrives in an elegant outfit. What will this night bring?
Confrontation and Battle in the Ruins
Naomi, Rose, Thalga, and Vita defend a dragonfolk from the Sand Snakes cultists in ancient ruins.
Vita’s wild magic ignites the tablet the cultists wanted, causing panic.
A mysterious fisherman aids the group, casting spells on the tablet unsuccessfully.
The cultists retreat after a failed attempt to reclaim the tablet, leaving one unconscious.
Aftermath and Investigation
The injured dragonfolk exhibits a strange affliction; healing spells are ineffective.
The group takes him to Cursebreakers Academy, where Professor Antheia stabilizes him with herbal remedies and puts him in a magical coma to halt the spread of the ailment.
The mysterious fisherman, revealed as Steward Beau of the Stewards of Solaris, warns of the tablet's potential connection to the old Throne War.
Interactions and Mysteries
Vita senses a connection to the tablet, and Einar Giedensera appears to recognize the dragonfolk's condition.
The group receives cleaned belongings from Professor Hasulon, who mentions an upcoming desert expedition that requires Marco Vulperian’s approval.
Preparations for the Party
Naomi visits the Greenhouse, encountering Cedric, before rejoining her friends.
Einar meets with Vita, guiding her through mental exercises, revealing his empathetic abilities, and hinting at shared vulnerabilities.
The group dresses for a night at Shamsha Leonidas, showcasing their unique styles and cultural nods.
Uneasy News and Arrival
Ahmidon, the city guard, shares unsettling news: the captured cultist died mysteriously, his body corroded by acid, leaving only a bracelet intact.
The group arrives at Shamsha Leonidas and encounters Marco Vulperian, who mentions the expedition's dangers.
The ladies await Einar's arrival, wondering what the evening holds.