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Session 10: "Ritual Magics"
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The party moved down the hill to a safe location between two small hills so they could rest. As the party discussed their strategy for weaving a ritual-cleansing spell, a fey creature snared Ivaeleus’s attention, no more than knee high. The creature appeared like an elf, but with a small set of dragonfly wings. After giving the party a few moments to gather around and listen, the fey creature informed them that it was there on behalf of the dryads. The dryads could not see the party in person because an unknown creature was hunting them. One of their sacred oaks had been destroyed already. However, the fey one was still able to gift the party with a boon from the forest. To Ivaeleus, the fey granted a moonstone amulet of protection. Niclaus received a pair of magical spider silk gloves and Claz received a pair of birch-bark bracers. Kyte was given a set of special knot work bracers and Kaylen got a carved jade ring. Last, Shorty received a special dagger made of carved darkwood.
- With the fey creature departed, Niclaus and Ivaeleus pooled their efforts and wove a mighty spell to purge the pool of its evil taint. Unfortunately, the mighty magics that they brought to bear proved to be too difficult for the pair of clerics to control and the spell collapsed in a flash of thunder and lightning. The backlash from the spell devastated Niclaus, severely injuring him with spellburn.
- After the spell’s collapse, the party again rested at the base of the hill. While resting, Shorty cried out in alarm. The trees were moving again. The party tried to move out of the afflicted copse of woods, but the strange phenomenon continued to move with them. Ivaeleus and Kaylen stopped abruptly when they saw a large tree pick up and move directly into their path. When the party halted, a tiny javelin struck Kyte in the shank and signaled the beginning of an ambush. Fey laughter followed Kyte’s yowl of pain, seeming to come from the nearby trees. Multi-colored globes of light surrounded the party, seemingly coming out of nowhere. Quickly, Claz activated his bracers and began to shift in and out of the party’s vision. The eldritch magic in the bracers allowed him to see the party’s opponents, three wicked-looking fey. The fey appeared similar to the party’s earlier encounter, but they were clad in black leathers and had long greasy black hair and dozens of sharp pointy teeth. While Kyte tried to shake one out of a tree branch, Claz charged it and clove it in two with his broadsword. Niclaus then used a burst of magical energy to crush the life out of another while Ivaeleus pinned the last one to a tree with an arrow.
- When the party examined the dead sprites, they realized that the moving trees were merely an illusion brought on by their assailants. Feeling more secure, they finished resting and began their second attempt at purging the unholy site. Again, powerful magics were brought to bear on the pool, but before the pair of acolytes could complete the spell, Maya returned and fired an arrow into Shorty. After circling the party, Maya fired more arrows at the party, injuring Niclaus and temporarily disrupting the spell. When they tried to subdue her, Maya quickly struck Claz and Kyte down with blasts of mental energy. Noting that Maya was gaining the upper hand, Niclaus and Ivaleus decided to cease casting and join the fight. As Kyte grappled with the assassin, Ivaleus filled the air with arrows and Niclaus unleashed a bolt of dark energy, blinding Maya. Just as it seemed that the party was about to strike Maya down, she disappeared.
- With Maya gone, the two clerics warily settled into their third attempt at casting their spell. Again, eldritch energy filled the air, causing the air to darken and the ground to tremble. The spell proceeded well this time, growing with power as the hour drew on. As the spell grew to its climax, another tree uprooted itself and charged the party. More prepared for its assault this time, Claz again activated his bracers and charged the corrupted treant. The rest of the party followed, holding the tree at bay while the clerics continued their spell. Kaylen blasted the tree, Shorty burned it, and Kyte peppered it with arrows while Claz drew it its attention to him by hacking and slashing at its gnarled branches. Bark and splinters filled the air as black oozy sap began to cover the ground. The tree furiously tried to smother Claz into the earth, but couldn’t get a solid hit on him with his magical bracers and slowly shuddered to a halt and was destroyed.
- Shortly after the battle, the cleric’s spell ended in a blast of thunder and light. The air cleared and the pool stilled to a calm ripple. The spell was a success; the site was cleansed again!
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