Players

• Rafiq: Game Master
• Haikal: Zel'eon Talos, Human Enhanced Artificer 4
• Buzz: Senzorin Talos, Half-Elf Arcane Trickster Rogue 4
• Toph: Arche Kagekiyo, High Elf Twilight Cleric 4
• Dom: Saziver Copper-Fern, Gnome Empath Psion 4

Session Recap

Reconvening at the House

On Udis, the first day of the weekend, the sun hung low in the sky on the 27th of Mistfall, 1892, casting golden rays across the city of Ilrinia. Zel'eon and Senzorin returned to their home after their heist at the Platinum Tower. Senzorin, unable to contain his exhaustion any longer, collapsed onto the couch, the upholstery sinking beneath him.

Moments later, the front door swung open, and Arche stepped inside, her face revealing just how draining her evening had been. She had recently returned from a date with Jack, a student from Miskatonic University, and it was evident that the outing had not gone as she had hoped. Without a second thought, she sank down beside Senzorin on the couch, who shifted slightly but offered her no words of comfort.

From upstairs, the sounds of studying drifted down the hallway as Saziver remained deep into his exam preparations. Zel’eon called for him and moments later, Saziver appeared at the top of the staircase, his eyes wide from the countless energy drinks he had consumed today. He slowly walked down the stairs, joining the rest in the living room.

As Arche recounted her evening with Jack, a realization dawned on her friends. She kept calling him "just a friend," revealing that she hadn’t fully grasped that it was indeed a date. The atmosphere shifted as playful teasing erupted, heating Arche's cheeks with embarrassment in response to their reactions.

Zel'eon and Senzorin talked about what they had been up to, describing the events of their heist. As they spoke, Saziver’s expression grew anxious at the recklessness of their actions. The two young men also told the rest of the team about their most recent sparring session, where, surprisingly, they had discovered they had some latent magical abilities.

Curiosity piqued, Saziver demanded a demonstration. Senzorin obliged, pulling out his revolver and showing it was unloaded by popping out its bullet cylinder. As he concentrated, lines of runic energy began to swirl around the barrel, coalescing into a flickering bolt of elemental fire at the tip. It shot forth from the weapon, illuminating the room in flickering light, much to the astonishment of Arche and Saziver.

They were previously aware of his limited telekinesis and telepathy which seemed incongruent with his new ability. Saziver’s mind, still in study mode, suggested the revolver might be enchanted or some kind of magitech. Senzorin simply shrugged, stating, “I just shoot the damn thing.” Arche chimed in, noting that Senzorin would save a fortune on bullets, before asking about the origins of the weapon. He explained that it had been a gift from his mentor, Einrow, just before his death as a result of stealing the revolver.

At this point, Zel’eon proposed they set to work replacing the engine of their vintage Talos Sovereign with the one they had liberated from Victor Ralston’s vehicle. Saziver eagerly accepted, exclaiming that he was the perfect height to pass him tools.

Entering the garage, they surveyed their two vehicles: the dilapidated Talos Sovereign, a remnant of their hurried escape from Mosskach, and Senzorin's pride, his chopper previously owned by Einrow. Zel'eon set to work on the engine while Saziver assisted, and Arche invoked a spell of guidance to bolster their efforts. At last, the engine roared to life, probably for the first time in decades.

The four of them piled into the newly restored Talos, while Senzorin took to his motorcycle. Setting out for an early dinner, they emerged onto the suburban streets of Arbalest, where the neighbourhood's families milled about, enjoying the weekend.

As they sped down the road, Senzorin spotted Ellipses in his garden and couldn’t resist shouting, “Where's my plants?” before they rode off. Senzorin suggested dining at the Iron Horse Tavern, but Arche playfully threatened to cast Purify Food and Drink on his beers, rendering them non-alcoholic. Senzorin’s retort came swiftly: “I’ll beat your motherfucking ass under the table.” In the end, they settled on Tom’s Diner in Greenwich.

Tom's Diner

The group soon pulled into a quaint cul-de-sac where a classic diner stood out, its vibrant red and white decor gleaming with a simple sign that read: Tom’s Diner.

Settling into a booth, the aroma of fried chicken and waffles enveloped the group. They ordered their meals from the sleek touchscreens embedded within the table, but were interrupted as Senzorin’s gaze landed on a familiar sight across the diner. There sat Jonathan Ralston, a boy Senzorin was dating, and Jack—Arche’s unremarkable "date"—with two other Miskatonic University students.

Jonathan’s laughter filled the air, each chuckle laced with confidence, his long black hair cascading over his sharp, preppy features as he joked with his companions. In stark contrast, Jack sat uneasily, an average-looking figure overshadowed by Jonathan's charisma, seemingly lost in thoughts of their earlier encounter with Arche. With them were two half-elf women: a blonde with emerald green eyes who spoke animatedly with Jonathan, and a black-haired girl with East Asian features who observed quietly.

“Isn’t that your friend?” Senzorin teased, a sly grin breaking across his face as he looked at Arche. At the same moment, Saziver began to notice an odd expression on Arche’s face—one that suggested she was not entirely forthcoming about her date with Jack.

In a bid to reclaim some dignity amidst the teasing, she said, “Well, he did drop an ‘I love you’ during our outing.” As her words hung in the air, incredulity washed over her friends, their expressions morphing into a mixture of surprise and humor. “Who does that?” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

Just then, Senzorin saw the group glancing over in their direction. “Jonathan looks kind of good, though...” making Arche shoot daggers at him. Saziver, who had turned his attention to the other table, caught the blonde half-elf leaning in close to Jack. “Isn’t that the girl who kept calling you a friend?” she whispered. Amused, Saziver stifled a giggle as he continued to read their lips.

Jack, embarrassed, began recounting the outing to Jonathan and their friends. “I brought her to this fancy place,” he said, a hint of despair creeping into his voice, “but she just kept saying it was the best friend outing ever.”

Suddenly, Arche turned to catch sight of Jack and his friends staring at them. A rush of unfathomable embarrassment coursed through her, and in a desperate attempt to escape, she cast a spell to teleport out to the Talos, parked just outside the diner. The rest of her friends glanced out the window in confusion, quickly spotting Arche, now awkwardly crunched in the backseat, her cheeks flushed.

At this, Zel’eon and Senzorin got up to approach Jack and his companions. Saziver's eyes widened in alarm, but the pair paid no mind to him. Senzorin made a beeline for Jonathan calling out to him, “Hey, John,”. Jonathan’s face brightened, as the half-elf girls giggled at their interaction, clearly aware of the pair's recent history.

Jack was trying his best to sink into the cushions of the booth, but Zel’eon leaned around Jonathan and greeted him. He introduced himself to the group, getting the names of Jack's friends: Gemma, the blonde, and K'Lai, the dark-haired girl.

Before long, Zel’eon casually mentioned the date with Arche, prompting the color to drain from Jack's face. Jack grew more and more uncomfortable as Zel'eon and Senzorin began telling him he dodged a bullet with Arche, describing their friend as weird and schizophrenic.

Redirecting the conversation, Jonathan turned to Senzorin, inviting him out for drinks with his group later that evening. Not wanting to commit to any plans, Senzorin deflected the invitation, promising he would send a text later.

After the brief exchange, Zel’eon, Saziver, and Senzorin wandered back out to the car where Arche awaited. “You better stay away from boys from now on,” Senzorin teased her. “You’re not just a heartbreaker; you’re a soulbreaker!”

Amidst the ribbing, Zel’eon received a text from Dalen Blackwell regarding a meeting to discuss his newfound magical ability as an artificer. Though Dalen was a bit older—roughly in his mid-thirties—his messaging contained contemporary Gen Z slang that sent a wave of amusement through the group.

As they pulled away from the diner under the soft glow of the fading sun, they decided to head to Arbalest Academy for some sparring before returning home.

Zel'eon and Arche Spar

As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the field behind Arbalest Academy in hues of orange and purple, the group arrived for Zel'eon and Arche's spar. Senzorin and Saziver set up lawn chairs as Zel'eon and Arche prepared for combat.

Arche stood ready, her black mask and form-fitting mithril bodysuit glimmering eerily beneath the emerging moonlight. Zel'eon dressed simply in a white shirt and black pants, forgoing his usual jacket.

With a sudden burst of energy, Zel'eon extended his wings wide, the metal glinting in the moonlight just before he lunged forward, arm blade slashing across Arche’s chest, leaving a sheet of frost spreading out from the rent in her clothing. Arche sprang back, her left hand raised as a spear of pure moonlight coalesced within her grip, radiating a soft, ethereal glow.

Saziver leaned forward in his chair, eyes alight with excitement, while Senzorin's attention was focused on a lone janitor who had paused his cleaning duties to watch the fight.

Arche lunged forward, attacking Zel'eon twice—first with her sword and then with the conjured spear. The clang of metal against steel echoed as Zel'eon was pushed back, but he quickly regained his footing, extending his right wing to stabilize himself. He retaliated with a sweeping strike, his arm blade trailing wisps of ice through the air.

Arche wasn’t deterred. This time, she pierced forward with her spear, the tip aimed directly at Zel’eon’s chest. The weapon struck true, driving into him. He grunted in pain but did not retreat; instead, he gripped the spear’s haft, pulling himself closer while extending his free hand toward her.

With a crackle of blue electricity, Zel'eon touched Arche's armored plating, causing arcs of energy to leap from him to her. The jolting current forced her to recoil with a gasp. Dropping her sword, she clenched her fist, gathering white moonlight within it.

Stepping forward, she struck Zel'eon squarely in the face, the force of her punch lifting him clean off the ground. He flew backward, landing heavily.

Shock washed over Arche as she realized the impact of her blow. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, what the fuck?” she exclaimed, rushing to his side.

“That was sick as fuck!” Saziver cackled, filling the air with his exuberant cheer from the sidelines.

Quickly, Arche knelt beside Zel'eon, her hands hovering over him as she began to invoke her healing magic. The air glimmered as she channeled her energy, urging him back to consciousness.

As they brought Zel'eon to the infirmary, the group made use of one of the EchoTech MediPods—a magitech device with the ability to diagnose and heal injuries almost instantaneously. Arche’s apologies kept coming as Senzorin chuckled, “Don’t be sorry; he did this to me last week.”

While the machine pulsed with healing energy, Zel'eon gazed out the window, watching the janitor cleaning away the remnants of their spirited sparring match. Thoughts whirled in his mind as he analyzed the battle, questioning where he had faltered. He recognized that some foes, like Arche, would boast formidable physical defenses, and he would need to diversify his combat skills to counter such challenges in the future.

At that moment, Senzorin's phone chimed, breaking his concentration. He glanced at the screen and saw it was a call from Jonathan. He considered the invitation to join them briefly before deciding, “I’ll go ahead.”

As the others began to head home, Senzorin mounted his chopper, heading towards Greenwich to join Jonathan and his friends once more.

Senzorin joins the Miskatonic University Students for Drinks

Heading back to Greenwich, Senzorin soon found himself within the cozy confines of a dimly lit bar, accompanied by Jonathan and the others: Jack, Gemma, and K'lai.

Jonathan stayed glued to Senzorin's side the entire night as Senzorin learned more about their respective studies. Jonathan detailed his newfound love of arbormancy, the study of magical botany—a field he had initially embraced to follow in his father's footsteps as an executive at Sylvan Corporation. Jack talked about studying combat magic as he explained his aspirations to become a spellsword, while Gemma described her relatively obscure field of arithmancy, a field of study that explored the relationship between mathematics and magic. K’lai, who studied divine magic at the university, talked about the rise of rates of Aasimar in Ilrinia—a trend she speculated was linked to the city's position on a convergence of leylines.

"The Council of Arcaneum established itself here centuries ago for precisely that reason," K’lai stated, explaining how this intersection of leylines made Ilrinia a crucible for powerful magic.

An odd sensation flickered within Senzorin's mind as he listened, nudging some dormant memory toward the surface. He recalled, though drunkenly, tales from his childhood hinting at the Council's founding being shrouded in a more sinister mystery—some incident long forgotten. A piece of knowledge that, like the fragmented memories of his life before he ran away to Mosskach, remained out of reach.

The waning night saw the group gradually dispersing, and eventually, Senzorin found himself departing with Jonathan, as they staggered towards the Platinum Tower.

Arriving at the Ralston penthouse, Senzorin hesitated momentarily at the threshold. His heart quickened as he caught sight of Jonathan’s father, Victor Ralston, reclined comfortably on the couch.

Victor turned to greet them, his expression welcoming as he remarked on Senzorin’s cowboy hat, which had settled askew atop his head. There was something about Victor’s face that caught Senzorin’s eye, an odd flicker of something concealed beneath the surface, but it was quickly overshadowed when Senzorin turned to Jonathan and saw the boy giving him strong bedroom eyes. Senzorin felt a smile spread across his face, and he didn’t resist as Jonathan beckoned him up to his room.

Downtime

Over the next two weeks, the group went through a period of relative calm, taking the opportunity to work on their own pursuits.

As discussed, Zel'eon met Dalen Blackwell at his office, learning more about what Artificers are able to do. Dalen highlighted potential pathways for improvement, fuelling Zel'eon's determination for more ways to improve himself.

Senzorin seized the opportunity to develop his relationship with Jonathan Ralston; he spent most of the nights together with Jonathan, either at his penthouse or in Senzorin's own room.

Arche spent some time at the National Library going through the free archival course, accompanied by the courses other attendants, who Arche found happened to be from all walks of life and all ages - a testament to the Ilrinian drive for self-improvement.

Saziver continued studying hard for his upcoming examinations, focusing on his chosen subject combination of engineering mathematics, business and finance, basic elvish, technomancy, and psionics, the last of which he spent a day each week training under the Arbalest Academy principal, John de Bolbec.

Turning her gaze to the sky every night, Arche wondered how she could spread word of Ruatis among the populace. Briefly considering printing out flyers to put up around the city, she had a flash of inspiration - if she could reconnect with her estranged father, the governor of Ilrinia, she could lean on his political power to spread the word of her god. With this in mind, she enlisted Saziver to help research her father, finding out that he was up for re-election soon, and planned to hold a rally on the 12th of Lunaris.

Zel'eon also decided to work on enhancing the newly restored Talos Sovereign, kitting it out with reupholstered leather seating and a seat warming system. He borrowed Saziver and the pair worked on an autopiloting navigation system, managing to install a tablet into the central console that could extend a cable that plugged into a port Zel'eon implanted on his body, to give him the ability to control the car without having to drive it manually. Though the autopilot function did not get finished just yet, Zel'eon planned on submitting it as a final year project in his design and technology class.

Senzorin also spent some time building a relationship with Ilrinia's underworld elements, making his face known to the Thieves' Guild.

Zel'eon also decided to lean on Senzorin's criminal connections and his own research, finding a potential pit fighting club, patronised mainly by the rich and powerful, hidden within a small warehouse in Ham Row.

Senzorin, not wanting his combat capabilities to fall to the wayside during this period, trained hard at increasing his prowess, focusing on trying to use the magitech revolver more efficiently. He discovered his ability to use it to cast fire, ice, or lightning elemental bolts, and recognised these base elements as being building blocks to potentially cast even more damaging effects through the gun.

Saziver, in his studies with Principal de Bolbec, found that he seemed to not be a powerful psion (like Saziver had the potential to be) himself, but still knew how to train one. Saziver began practising how to read an enemy's mind and body language to predict what they were going to do next.

Throughout this period, Zel'eon, still reminded of his loss against Arche, began plans to install sub-dermal armor plating to enable him to fight more offensively. Recognising the best material to him at the moment, steel, would still be sub-par compared to orichalcum, he decided to wait until he was able to procure some.

Arche also joined the rest in training her combat skills, practising every night under the moon on using her spear in tandem with her sword and her magic. She began to think on how she could develop her worship of Ruatis even more with her combat, coming up with plans to manufacture a tip for her collapsible elven spear out of moon rock.

Zel'eon also set to work understanding the recipes he had taken from the Purists' offices, eventually finding out how to manufacture alchemists' fire in his lab. He created a few vials of this, loading it into his arm launcher to prepare for any fights ahead. Additionally, he began research on trying to create a sonic bomb that could fit into his arm launcher.

Arche's Birthday Celebration

The sun crept over the horizon on Ruatis, the 12th of Lunaris, 1892, spilling golden light into the cozy confines of Arche's small bedroom. Arche stirred beneath her covers, blinking groggily at the reality that struck her like a bolt of pure magic—today was her birthday! But as the realization washed over her, a shadow crept into her heart. Memories surged like waves at high tide, flooding her mind with visions of laughter, of decorated cakes, and of parents who had once cherished this day. For a fleeting moment, she felt the weight of a decade's worth of missed celebrations.

Slipping out from the cocoon of her blankets, Arche stretched, her blue moon pajamas striking a playful contrast against the muted hues of her room. Glancing around, she took in her surroundings: her double bladed sword leaning against the wall, her armored bodysuit draped across a chair, and the plastic gun, made for her by Zel'eon, sitting on her desk. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she padded down the staircase, as the morning sun streamed through the windows of the stairwell.

As she descended, a sudden choir of voices caught her off guard. Her friends had gathered to serenade her, singing her happy birthday loudly and off-key. In the center of it all stood Saziver proudly bearing a cake shaped like the moon.

The unmistakable sound of a door creaking open echoed from above, and a box floated down the staircase, suspended by Senzorin's telekinesis, coming to a stop in front of Arche.

She unwrapped the box, and saw Senzorin's present for her: a disco ball-sized steel full moon, forged by Senzorin in the forges of the Avjarn. Tears misted Arche's eyes as she reached out to pat Senzorin's head, her gratitude spilling into words. “Thank you.” Overcome by emotion, she dashed back upstairs, securing the moon above her bed.

Next up was a rectangular box from Zel'eon, carefully wrapped and waiting eagerly for her touch. Inside lay an ornamental rapier, also crafted in the Avjarn's forges, bearing the elvish symbol of the moon. Zel'eon cautioned her against using it for combat, but Arche thanked him nonetheless, stating that it was beautiful.

Saziver decided to finish the celebration with his own gift for Arche. “Do you have your tablet with you?” he asked, his fingers already dancing over the screen of his own device. Arche nodded, not knowing what to expect. A moment later, her own tablet vibrated, and she discovered Saziver had crafted an entire new lunar theme. She saw that Saziver had added widgets showcasing the moon's phases and little moon icons for each of her apps.

Once the cake was devoured, the atmosphere shifted. Arche cleared her throat, her smile fading slightly as she glanced at her friends. “I might need your help with something later,” she began, telling them about the rally for Anderson Ortlinde for his upcoming gubernatorial re-election. She planned to use this public appearance to reconnect with her estranged father.

Obviously, her friends agreed to help her, accompanying her to the rally, which was to be held after school. After a quick breakfast, the group headed to school, planning to meet straight afterwards at the rally.

Arriving at the Rally

• As the afternoon sun rises over the district of the Core, the team arrives at the Ortlinde Youth Home where Anderson Ortlinde, the governor of Ilrinia and Arche's father, is set to hold his rally for his gubernatorial re-election. The team has bought more formal clothing for themselves, to prevent them having to show up to the rally in their normal combat attire or their school attire.
• Zel'eon is wearing a white jacket, and has installed white plating over his prosthetics, and is wearing simple black trousers with combat boots. Senzorin has picked up a proper tailored suit, with a black tie, but still keeps his cowboy hat and trench coat over it. Arche is also wearing a nice tailored suit, but wears sunglasses and a mask out of worry that her dad will recognise her. Saziver is also in a three piece navy suit, and stands anxiously waiting to go in.
• The Ortlinde Youth Home was set up by Anderson Ortlinde a few years ago, during when Arche ran away from home. Outside are a bunch of street vendors already hawking their wares and street food due to the large turnout of Ilrinians attending the rally, showing Governor Ortlinde's popularity.
• On the front facade of the building are two large banners saying "Vote Ortlinde!" with a large stylised depiction of Governor Ortlinde above them, showing a pale elf with black hair and vaguely Caucasian features.
• The team heads into the rally, where they see a large multipurpose hall, already filled with throngs of people. At the far end of the hall, they see a stage set up with a speaking lectern, with the governor nowhere to be seen yet. Large glass windows are installed on each of the long walls on either side of the hall. At the front of the crowd are reporters and journalists ready to document the rally.
• Arche starts getting nervous, telling the rest of the group, "Guys, I'm kind of getting second thoughts." The group briefly discusses with her if perhaps they could transmit a message to Governor Ortlinde to get him to meet her privately, or have Arche stay in the car, but since they don't want to disrupt the rally, they decide to just stay there and wait it out.
• Saziver decides to try and hack into the building's security to see what he can find out. He uses his AR glasses that he has previously made as his screens, and begins typing in midair, engrossed in his own world. The rest of the group move to surround him, trying to not let anyone see the gnome furiously typing into nothing.
• Saziver hacks into the surveillance crystals that are monitoring the hall and its backstage. As he flips through the crystal camera feeds to get to the backstage, he notices something peculiar; there is an above average number of wood elves at this rally. Normally, there would be around 1% of wood elves in any given setting, matching the population percentage of the city, but nearly 10% of the rally's attendance are wood elves. He also notices that the wood elves seem to be wearing ill-fitting suits.
• For now, Saziver flips to the crystal camera feed of the backstage, seeing Governor Ortlinde with his wife, Aurora Ortlinde, Arche's mother. She is a sun elf woman with bright blonde hair and golden skin and golden eyes, but is sitting on a wheelchair, motionless and completely non-responsive to her husband patting her back.
• Anderson Ortlinde, on the other hand, while nominally a sun elf, does not look like a sun elf. He has jet black hair, with pale, silvery skin, and grey eyes, wearing a bright blue three piece suit, matching the colours of the Council of Aenyrathia.
• Saziver tries to use his psionic abilities to find out the emotional state of Aurora, but fails as she is too far away. However, through the crystal camera feed, he feels a slight connection. He attempts to reach through his device, and succeeds, casting his psionic ability through his network into Aurora's mind, and finds a deep dark mind full of pure depression; not sadness, but a complete apathy to everything and a lack of emotion, surrounding a ball of emotion deep in her mind that has been locked away.
• The rest watch as Saziver unwittingly begins to shed a tear before he pulls away from Aurora's mind. Communicating what he found to the rest of the group, Arche confirms that his mother has been in that non-responsive state since her little brother was kidnapped a decade prior. "She completely withdrew from everything, stopping talking to me or my dad, even not eating or drinking anything for a while.". The rest try to reassure Arche, telling her her mother would be happy to see her, but Arche doubts it.
• Saziver watches as a sun elf woman walks up to Governor Ortlinde backstage, and says something to him that Saziver can't see as her back is turned. However, the governor nods, standing up and straightening his tie before walking out from view of the crystal camera feed.
• The group watches as Governor Ortlinde steps out onto the stage. Cameras begin flashing and reporters start standing up and asking him questions, but he silences them with a raised hand, flashing a smile and stepping up to the podium as the room falls quiet.
• "Citizens of Ilrinia. It is a pleasure to see you once again and I welcome you to the start of this race for re-election that I am participating in once again. I am here as a proven governor for Ilrinia, and I hope you have enjoyed my first term. I have reduced homelessness, improved education, provided free lunches to every child in Ilrinia, and opened this beautiful place of family," gesturing around at the Youth Home, Governor Ortlinde begins his speech as the people in the room cheer and applaud.
• Saziver notices, still watching the crystal camera feed, that the only people not applauding are the wood elves he noticed before in the ill-fitting suits.
• The governor continues his speech, discussing his contributions to Ilrinian society, as Saziver notices one of the wood elves, who is standing very close to them directly in front, a lion maned wood elf, begin to reach into his pocket. The other wood elves around the hall also reach into their pockets, and all of them take out these small glass spherical globes fileld with a swirling mist.
• Panicking, Saziver quickly tells the group something big is about to go down and to get ready, and watches as the wood elves crush their orbs in their fists, releasing a green gas that begins to slowly spread around the hall.