Strange Aeons Session 21: RECAP

1. Approaching Iris Hill, but with Elib and Dustwar not present, the preliminary plans of throwing Bella over an unobserved portion of hedge (the plan got far less detailed once that was done) was not going to work.
2. The new plan, proposed by Jex, went as follows:
   • Jex would cast Disguise Self and pretend to be Count Lowls, further obscuring his appearance with makeshift bandages, in order to distract the gate guards and catch them unawares
   • He would further cast Enlarge to ensure that he appeared to be the appropriate size.
   • The rest of the party would hide nearby, in hopes that Jex would be able to trick the gate guards into leaving their posts to help their injured “Count.”
3. The plan worked well, and the three Mwangi guards – two fighters and one yellow-robed priest of some kind – emerged from the gatehouse to aid the “Count.”
   • Once the guards emerged, they were set upon by the party, including Andi (who had Enlarged as well, and Bel(mont), who had flown over the gatehouse to approach the guards from the rear.
   • The guards were quickly dispatched and the party entered the manor grounds, noticing that despite the relatively late hour, there were no manor staff moving about the grounds.
4. The party then approached the nearest building, a small house set relatively far from the manor itself. Inside, Jex could hear a woman’s voice, and Bella added there was definitely a male voice inside as well. Inside were two aristocratic humans, Asa (the man) and Daelene (the woman), who were immediately concerned by the appearance of the “count.” They rushed over to help, but Jex waived them off and rejected their help. While the rest of the party talked with Asa and Daelene (who continued to express concern for the Count), Jex went upstairs to investigate the second floor of the house. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he returned to the group. The party told the couple that there were multiple groups trying to kill the count, that they were going to ensure that the Count was secure and those groups eliminated, and that they were to stay in the guest house until they were told otherwise. They agreed, and the party left to head toward the manor house. They waved to the party from the front window as the group crossed the grounds.
5. Rather than go into the manor’s main doors, the party instead peered into what turned out to be a dining room of sorts. Inside were three people, of various and in some cases odd appearance, who seemed to have just finished breakfast and were talking amongst themselves. The party stove in the dining room door and attacked.
   • Andi killed one with her claws
   • Bella killed another by binding them with her rope, then stabbing them in the head
   • The 3rd made a break for the interior door, but first drank a potion that caused it (the creature had an android-like appearance) to vanish. The interior door opened immediately afterward.
6. Not being able to locate the last creature, Jex and Bel(mont) entered the main hall of the manor, a large and ornate room with many objet’s d’art, paintings and sculptures. Noticeable were several empty spots on the walls where paintings were missing.
7. Jex ranged ahead to examine the collection – which turned out to be a mistake. The air between him and Bel(mont) began to fold in on itself, and a dark and gutteral voice told Jex that he’d made a terrible mistake. From out of the folded space emerged a Hound of Tindalos, a banefully evil and incredibly dangerous creature from the worst parts of the Abyss. The Hound attacked Jex and reduced him to 0 hitpoints – not quite unconscious.
   • Bel(mont), with some knowledge of the planes, identified the creature and a chill crept up his spine – Hounds are vicious, can teleport at will, and love to kill. They have horrifying natural attacks, can cast spells and will seek out clerics, paladins and wizards, since they know they can kill fighters at their leisure.
     • They have only one weakness (not really): as highly dangerous summoned creatures, the are usually placed under very restrictive summon covenants, since one thing Hounds love to do is murder those Primes who have the temerity to summon them.
   • Bel(mont), understanding well the danger that Jex was in and not wanting to face Elib’s wrath if Jex were to be killed, warned the rest of the party about the Hound and rushed to attack it.
   • Jex, understanding well the danger he was in, ran into a nearby room, which proved to be a library. He hid near a staircase going up to the second floor.
   • The Hound folded space and disappeared. Bel(mont), knowing the thing was probably looking for another victim, warned those party members who were still nearby the short hallway that led from the dining room to the main hall. Soon, Bel(mont) saw space begin to fold near Andi, unbeknownst to her. He warned her and, knowing that Jex was alone and grievously wounded, ran into the library himself.
8. Warned of the danger of the Hound, the rest of the party retreated back to the comparative safety of the dining room, where they saw a table that Andi had propped against the door to the grounds was slowly moving away from the door – a clear indication that the Vanished android had not left the room but was simply waiting for an opportunity to escape.
   • As it turned out, the open door to the main hall was a ruse; after opening it, the android had done a 180 and hid itself under the large dining table. It had remained there, still, while Andi moved the table to block the door, but knew that it’s Vanish spell was running out and it need to make good on it’s escape plans.
   • In teh hallway, Grady was addressed by the Hound: “Come closer, priest. Let us dine together…” It was clear that the, at least on this end of the hall, the Hound was restricted from entering the hall. Grady was, at least temporarily, safe, although he knew that the Hound had his scent.
9. In the library, Jex and Bel(mont) seceded to use the stairs and go to the second floor. They found themselves in a long hallway; no people were in sight, but Bel(mont) detected some scrabbling sounds under the floorboard.
10. Temporarily safe in the dining room, Andi and Bella checked over the bodies, recovering several items of value:
    • a set of +1 chainmail (baldy)
    • A set of +1 Brigandine (studded leather armor equivalent) (the hat)
    • A masterwork rapier (baldy)
    • A masterwork cold iron dagger (baldy)
    • A masterwork poignard (the hat)
    • A (non magical) medallion with an odd symbol on it (baldy) (the hat also had a similar medallion, with the same symbol, but it was embedded in the flesh of his chest, and looked to be at least partially infected)
    • Four potions – two each of cure moderate and vanish.
    • Approximately 200-300 gp worth of non-magical rings and jewelry (currently scattered about the room)
    • Two spell component pouches with various substances.
    • There were also several pieces of expensive looking china and crystal cups (breakfast dishes) that could conceivably be worth something. They have the Lowls family crest on them, though.
11. Andi, Bella, and Grady, seeing the table having moved away from the door, took various steps to try and find the missing android, but none succeeded. At the very end of the session, the android creature materialized, crouched down in the opposite corner from Andi.

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