Quick facts
Campaign: Campaign 2 · Session: 9 of 83 · Arc: The Festival Conspiracy · Where: Saline Coast
The day of the ball started with family drama for Nelda. Her father, Thalorian Valedriss, demanded she attend a speech by ex-mayor Cedric Lightharbor so he could arrange a marriage between her and Lightharbor’s son, Cedric Lightharbor Jr. When Nelda refused, her father threatened to cut her off, and he followed through the moment she walked out. Upset, she met up with the group, who offered her a place to stay at the Mercenary’s Rest. From then on she was part of the party.
Before the ball the group drank some of the miniature mystery potions they had picked up, with chaotic results. Wilbur gained the ability to fly. Nelda began to float too, but lost the ability to walk. At the party Nelda danced strangely, and the group overheard rumors that Mayor Windrider had been kidnapped or was even dead. A fortune teller gave cryptic readings to Nelda, Ellery, and Wilbur.
The fortunes
Nelda’s fortune
- The Tower: “sudden upheaval, a change that will shake the very foundation of your life.” A warning to prepare for a world turned upside down, though “with destruction comes the opportunity for rebirth.”
- The Moon: “hidden truths and unseen dangers.” Not everything is as it seems. Nelda should trust her intuition and be wary of illusions and deception from those who may not have her best interests at heart.
- The Star: a “guiding light that will lead you through the darkness,” promising healing and transformation. Despite the chaos, she is destined to find her way.
Ellery’s fortune
- The Chariot: “victory through determination and willpower.” Ellery is on a path of conquest, but must keep tight control lest she be “swept away by the very force that propels” her.
- The Devil: “temptation and the darker aspects of your nature.” Chains of desire, fear, or attachment bind her, and she must face these inner demons to achieve greatness.
- The Sun (Partial Eclipse): “joy, success, and vitality.” It looked strange, with something moving in front of it, but it signified a time when Ellery’s true potential would be realized and she would emerge victorious and radiant.
Wilbur’s fortune
- The Fool: the start of a journey “unknown but full of potential,” with a warning not to “rush forward blindly.”
- The Lightning Struck Tower: like Nelda’s card, “upheaval, of a sudden and unexpected change.” A coming crisis will test his strength, and everything around him may feel like it’s crumbling.
- The Crescent Moon: “deception and confusion, of hidden truths and shadows.” He may find himself lost and unsure whom to trust, as some try to lead him astray with false promises.
The invitation
A loud explosion shattered the tense mood, but it turned out to be the start of a grand fireworks display. During the celebration Wilbur received a note from “E.R.,” Eldon Reed, inviting him to a poker game at the Rusty Anchor after the ball. The group agreed to go with him. As they left, Wilbur found that his potion-granted flight was still working as they headed into a meeting with a key figure of the city’s underworld.
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