Session 029 - A Krymetime Showdown!

Session Open

”You are currently in a large, granite brick and stone castle chamber - a central foyer/lobby to the other chambers within. There are four equally spaced stone pillars that support the half level balcony above you - the stairs for which are hidden in the walls to the Eastern and Western sides of the room."

"You have all just seen Rowland Cillian and Lavendra fall to the ground; writhing in pain as the man you had though was Darren Brigg dropped two loaded crossbows to his sides and pulls out an even more ornate Hand Cannon from his breast pocket; also exposing a similar yet more ornate shield device on his left hand side. His left hand is also adorned with ornate rings and another unfamiliar device around his wrist.”

Monologuing cut short

The Bussy Knights stand in the central foyer of Castle Neverwinter and find themselves face-to-face with Oskar Kryme where Darren Brigg had been standing moments before.

”Well ‘allo there. I’m Oskar Kryme - pleasure to be doing business with you all.” - Oskar Kryme to The Bussy Knights

The middle-aged man then looked at Illsaiim and with a hint of surprise on his face; recognised the Shadar-Kai male.

”Woh hoh hoh! Look-y who we’ve got here. Zhentarim’s little prince! HAHAHAHA! You didn’t think anybody knew about that, did you?” - Oskar Kryme to Illsaiim

Oskar was about to continue speaking; a pass-time he was known for enjoying, before Illsaiim struck him with a rapier. The ornate shield device on Oskar’s waist seemed to respond more rapidly to Illsaiim’s attacks than the models they’d encountered before.

Mysterious Aid

As the rest of The Bussy Knights began to follow Illsaiim’s lead into battle; Delilah and Leo’kan appeared in the hallway leading to the room they were in. The party’s hopes for reinforcement were quickly dashed as Oskar will clicked his fingers and an explosion caused a cave in of the main entrance to this chamber.

”There’s no escape now… Nobody’s coming to save you now!” - Oskar Kryme to The Bussy Knights

Many of the party did hear a repeated tink sound echo through the chamber, like a tiny metal ball bouncing against the granite floor of the chamber before a smoke cloud began to expand rapidly around their location - only Illsaiim not contained within it. Those inside the smoke quickly realised it was a helpful smoke and breathed it in - feeling their physical and magical vitality restored by it.Illsaiim and those outside the smoke saw a dive into the smoke like a dark blur before realising it was the cloaked, feminine figure who had been dashing around the battle outside the castle. Those inside the smoke heard the sound of mechanical whirring move towards the Northwest corner of the chamber.

Once the smoke cleared; the entire room saw that Rowland and Lavendra had been moved to somewhere else in the room - presumably the half-level balcony above them.

A Team Effort

The Bussy Knights work together, deftly targeting Oskar’s weak spots and surrounding him with their superior numbers. A few rusty swings by Oskar put him in a precarious position early in the fight.

Wu Tang lands the final blows - keeping them to a non-lethal yet still brutal severity in order to interrogate the Human crime lord.

A Grinchy Takeover

Fill Werrell; who had already heard The Grinch’s influence once in this encounter, and Wu Tang; who felt the mark on his arm light up with pain, both found themselves shocked as a large, green, hairy figure appeared in them and forced its way down the throat of Oskar Kryme - in what looked to be quite painful for the near corpse being possessed.

Limbs snapped back into place and wounds forced shut as green crackling energy surrounded the body of Oskar Kryme as something looked to wriggle between his flesh and muscles.

The Bussy Knights reacted in step and began an assault on the unnaturally revitalized but still failing Oskar Kryme; retroactively referred to as Oskar Grime. The fight seemed to be turning in their favour as Wu Tang and Graxious hatched a plot to harm The Grinch by having the Leonin Paladin slice through the curse-marked arm of the Human Monk. To the surprise of all watching; Wu’s arm was unharmed as Graxious’s blade passed right through; instead the Divine blessings of Elatia cut through the already weakened corruption present in the curse mark. Wu was harmed in the process but his arm remained in-tact and their sprits were lifted.

Their spirits were suddenly dashed however as Oskar Grime; surrounded by most of The Bussy Knights, cast Wicked Fireball in the area around him - knocking Graxious and Wu unconsciously. Salvador also feel to a follow up shot from the Hand Cannon he still held.

The mysterious figure from earlier revealed herself from the upper balcony; doffing her cloak and showing her face, Lamoira had joined the battle. She mimed the drawing of a longbow with her hands before an ethereal bow and arrow appeared around them - piercing Oskar Grime before four follow up projectiles did additional damage.

The Grinch; clearly even more backed into a corner, turned to strike Illsaiim - someone who had been a thorn in it’s side the entire fight - but was only able to deal a small amount of damage before another unexpected figure came out of the Eastern’ stairwell as a line of acidic smoke exuded from their mouth. Their hood and over cloak dropped to the ground as a more mature and well presented Leodel returned to Neverwinter; armed with a decorated Rapier that shared the imagery of the Alagondar Family.

A Forced Betrayal

The battle raged as The Grinch could no longer hold together the form of Oskar Kryme. It reached out with an arm and crushed a Snow globe shaped object - summoning Valda Faye from the Starling Family Sect to their location. Once again, The Grinch slid out of Oskar Kryme’s body; as it fell to the ground in a pile of dust, and merged with Valda Faye’s body; an act that was met with less resistance than the previously observed one.

As the possessed Valda was attacked by The Bussy Knights - it became astutely clear that she was not here willingly and was suffering immensely with each blow. The Bussy Knights worked together and managed to sever the hold that The Grinch. Illsaiim dealt what should have been the killing blow - drawing out The Grinch’s essence whilst Mike stabbed through the chest of Valda - granting her mercy and leaving The Grinch exposed. Wu Tang, Alberic aided the cause by taunting and striking exposed weak points on the now physical form of the Lesser Deity, whilst Graxious called on Elatia to imbue Mike’s blade with her divine powers. Salvador called out Drengen into a larger than expected apparition as the Devilish spectre used their unique physiology to grapple and subdue The Grinch and revealed a fatal weak point that Fill would capitalize upon, drawing the holy symbol of Santa Claus and piercing the heart of The Grinch.

They had done it… they had won.

Victory!

The Bussy Knights regrouped in the central chamber of Castle Neverwinter as the caved in Southern entrance was repaired by a Divine Miracle by Delilah Nabal before a familiar Half-Elf male charged past yelling “FIREBOLT!” - followed behind by a sheepish Erolith. Uganda Pickles revealed he and Erolith had been taking a “boys trip” in Hockton before getting a cart ride to Neverwinter by a man named Asahd.

Surrounded by friends and his family; Leodel is unofficially crowned King of Neverwinter as the combatants take their well earned rests and the city of Neverwinter; and The Sword Coast at large, turns over a new leaf.

Prologue

Weeks pass and The Bussy Knights and friends are helping Leodel rebuild Castle Neverwinter. Illsaiim helps Rowland Cillian correct the ledgers of the city from the 16 years under Dagult’s rule.

The official coronation of King Leodel Nabal is held in Neverwinter after the Castle is repaired and restored. It was a day for the ages as the traditional Alagondar Family symbol of the Royal Lion begins to share the crest with a Black Dragon

A statue of the 7 members of The Bussy Knights is under construction in Neverwinter whilst a statue of the inaugural members has magically appeared in Phandalin.

Sunset

Mike Hawk

Sticks with Illsaiim for a while in the process of trying to learn more about his real family and identity before returning to the Neverwinter Woods one day and finding Dixon Normus - alive - and sharing a moment of comfort as Father and Son are reunited at last.

Wu Tang

Helps out around town before leaving to explore Edon and opening a monastery to help train people in the ways of the Monk. Has an epiphany years later that The Grinch had been behind his tragedy all along

Graxious Longwood I

Serves as a Knight for Neverwinter before hearing word of his Mother’s murder in The Sword Coast. Fate would have them intersecting on the road between Phandalin and Neverwinter being driven by a familiar cart

Leodel Nabal

Becomes a mature and successful King. He restores the city to it’s former greatness and is so very pleased to receive a Never Ending Letter from the Triyana council.

He hears from Lavendra and Lamoira about how she came to The Sword Coast and Leodel writes a Request Of Pardon for her to the Triyana council.

Salvador

Becomes amenable with Drengen and the pair join Alberic for a trip Southwest to fight strong fighters. They are intrigued after a second letter from Zomon details an image of a large, blood-crimson armoured figure with a large infernal sword.

Illsaiim Aasthmir

Illsaiim and Mike travel together for a time; joined by Alberic as he collects their reward from the Zhentarim agent in Phandalin. He successfully negotiates his terms of freedom from the shadowy organization and learns that the source of his exile had been banished many years ago for corruption and treason. He truly was a free man.

During their return to Neverwinter, he spends a tender moment at a gravestone while Mike gives him some privacy. The Shadar-Kai male read out a poem and left an ornate signet ring on the tombstone before turning to Mike and saying ‘Let’s go… We have work to do.

Fill Werrell

Fill builds the first Church of Christmas in over a hundred years - aided by Wu (including some of the students of his new monastery) and Graxious. The defeat of The Grinch and his hard work in spreading the joy of Christmas has led to a massive turnout for a first sermon. Fill is ecstatic to see that Santa Claus has been freed from his imprisonment by the sudden rush of Christmas spirit.

Each of The Bussy Knights is in attendance for Fill’s first sermon and it is a resounding success - leading to numerous regular appearances at the church. One day Fill returns to his study after a sermon and finds a book he’d been reading left open on a page. The page contained a map of Iccirol - the continent to the North - with a clear mark on the map indicating something was to be found there.

Alberic

Alberic helps out around Neverwinter before claiming The Bussy Knights’ bounty with a few of the other party members from Zhentarim and finding out more about Zomon. A few weeks later he’s prepared to take a trip Southeast towards Ezzon with Salvador to find and challenge Zomon to a fight - a journey that would take years to complete.

Whilst initially outmatched, Alberic manages to overcome Zomon and the pair of Monks come to an understanding of their situations. Zomon reveals a truth about the world that leads Alberic to send letters back to The Sword Coast - to each member of The Bussy Knights - asking for them to return to overcome an even greater evil.