Act II · Chapter 15

The First Gem

The party closes the underwater rift, frees a trapped ruler, and successfully earns the first gemstone for their competition adornments.

Where
The Sunken Church
Who
Fari, Fenwick, Vadis
Mode
Combat / RP

The party engages the Slowed Corrupted Drowned and the Chaos Quadripod tentacle. The Drowned Master breathes necrotic ink, heavily damaging the party and infecting Fenwick with Blue Rot, which he quickly cures with Lay on Hands. Vadis executes the Drowned Master with a radiant whip strike, causing the remaining undead to crumble. Using an exceptional Arcana check, Fenwick alters the ritual circle, imbuing the rift's energy into his homunculus to seal the portal. They free the city's ruler, Meredith, from a crystal prison; she rewards them by charging their adornments with the first competition gemstone (Water). Before being magically launched to the surface, Vadis discovers a hidden Soul Coin under a statue of the Knowing Mistress.

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Key Events

  • Defeated the Corrupted Drowned and the Quadripod tentacle.
  • Fenwick channeled the rift's chaotic energy into his homunculus.
  • Freed Meredith from her crystal prison.
  • Received the WATER GEM for the Glimmering Hope competition.
  • Discovered a Soul Coin hidden in the ruins.
  • Ejected to the ocean surface and rescued by the Lion's Pride.
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NPCs of Note

M
Meredith
Medusa-like ruler of the sunken city
Trapped in crystal by intruders. Freed by the party. Charged their adornments with the Water Gem.
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Loot Acquired

  • The First Gem (Water element).
  • Soul Coin (Vadis) — contains a trapped aristocratic male soul.
  • Fenwick's Pearl of Power (returned by Shart).
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Combat Highlights

The Drowned Master unleashed necrotic ink, severely damaging the party and infecting Fenwick with the Blue Rot disease. Vadis executed the Drowned Master with a massive radiant whip strike, dealing 22 damage.

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Mysteries & Threads

  • Meredith reveals the rift was opened by two hooded intruders who took her by surprise.
  • What is the trapped male soul inside the Soul Coin?
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Character Moments

  • Fenwick: Successfully channeled the rift's dangerous magical energy directly into Little Guy, granting it water-based abilities.
  • Vadis: Mentally communicated with the Soul Coin, sensing an upper-class male soul trapped within. (Note: this coin may be relevant to the current Reginald soul-cage problem.)
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Quotable

"I was not always trapped in a crystal. Two intruders came in and caught me by surprise..."— Meredith
"So what treasure did you find down there?"— Captain Summer
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Continuity Flags

  • The party owes Captain Summer a debt since they didn't bring back conventional gold.