Session #59 - A Kingdom Reborn
In our last session, Daddy’s Little Diplomats begin their digging discourse with a room full of the Queen’s former political prisoners. King Julius confirms much of what you already know – that Doth Talbot came to Waterdeep just before the cataclysm and caught the king’s eye with his prototype for the Soul Engine. You also learned why he called himself Pradoth Vos’Talbot; an attempt to endear himself and his name to the aristocrats of the kingdom – something the King never found particularly necessary.
The King, along with two of his most trusted advisors – had been slaughtered (and stuffed into soul engines) after uncovering Cheandra’s unsavory dealings with Doth Talbot. Confident in her usurpation of the throne, The Queen spent the next two centuries rebuilding Waterdeep, defrauding its citizens, and sending unwilling faefolk down to unknown fates in the Undermountain.
Eager to set Waterdeep back on the right track, the King invites Suri and Aubin to lead with him in a renewed triarchy. Turning to the heroes who just saved the court – Mari’s dad asks you all to do the kingdom one, last favor and delve into the Undermountain to uncover the true nature of Doth Talbot’s schemes.
As you conclude your meeting, the previously imprisoned souls are set alight with shell sickness – their bodies turning into the very anima crystals that housed their souls for so long. Aubin, among others, quickly amputates his crystalized limb – but Yuka stops Veera from doing the same to the king’s legs with ole’ amputator. You recommend they seek out your allies in the Five Families to find remedies and less violent solutions for their present, crystalline state.
On your victorious ride back to Skullport, Veera receives a call from Vespa – who is not only informed of her mother’s possible survival, but also her fate as a soul engine rug that the Queen gleefully walked upon. As shocking as this is for the Grimguard commander, there are still pressing matters to discuss – namely the slow decay of Kaladin’s birth tree, which, conveniently, heralds the long-awaited hatching of our little, salad boy. Gale, on the other end of the line, does her best to convey her concern.
Po hops out of the cruiser and beholds as his owlbearson-son emerges, but not before a message is passed on from the ichored animals of Kaladin’s grove. Our druid emerges as a beautiful, dragon boy, and though he isn’t used to flying quite yet, I’m sure Po can give him a lesson or two. He makes several attempts at reverting to his human form but to no avail – that would take time.
Upon your return to Forccuna’s tower, you find that a small raid has taken place, leaving several of of Forccuna’s men dead, and just as many of the cloaked intruders. It would seem the Edge of the Void has reclaimed their lost leader fro Forccuna’s Drawer, and the Underking demands Kiwi to put the cult down once and for all.