Beyond the Borderlands September 16, 2017
Cast
Mitchell as Varlainigen, level 1 dwarven cleric of Dexius, the “Mindstress of War.”
Nathan as Chromio, level 1 tiefling sorcerer.
Joshua as Eleror Therrathoth, tiefling sorcerer lvl 4, thief lvl 1.
Summary
All three heroes have taken a ship from the Middle Empire to Novus Mudium on the mysterious Eastern Continent. Novus Mundium It is a busy and crowded city of ten thousand residents. Once a colony of the Middle Empire, it is now an independent city-state since the Imperial Governor and Legion were withdrawn due to the civil conflicts and barbarian invasions besetting the Imperial heartland. The empire had previously prohibited colonists from leaving Novus Mundium, which was established merely as a trading outpost. Now that the Imperial forces have withdrawn, there is nothing to prevent the colonists from exploring the exotic Eastern Continent and the ruins of the Ancients.
Our heroes disembark to discover that Novus Mundium is in the midst of an election for the Senate. The former Imperial Governor was advised by a Senate of twenty patricians with hereditary positions. Now that the empire has abandoned Novus Mundium, the senate has bowed to popular pressure and agreed to add an additional member elected by vote of the citizens.
Varlainigen, Chromio, and Eleror encounter various posters, heralds, and other campaign activities of the candidates. They learn that there are six candidates. If no candidate achieves a majority vote, a runoff vote between the top two candidates will be held. The six candidates for senate are...
Betsy Cleaver, Mistress of the Butchers Guild.
Procax Fellator, a wealthy Half Orc Merchant
Morgoth the Magnificent, an Elven Wizard.
Shazdrogon the Sorcerer, a Tiefling.
Tormentor the Gladiator.
The Elder Wright, scion of a prominent shipbuilding family.
At the behest of Varlainigen, our heroes visit the Temple of Dexius. Varlainigen is greeted by Father Patton, the Temple’s priest. While Chromio and Eleror wait in the street outside, Varlainigen communes with the goddess Dexius. She appears on the large video screen and thanks Varlainigen for coming to Novus Mundium. She sends him on a quest: to retrieve the black disc of Dark Magus. The video screen displays a map of the ruins across the bay from Novus Mundium, with a bright light highlighting the site where she is sending Varlainigen. “This is Groove,” says Dexius. “Here you may find the black disc of Dark Magus.” Father Patton arranges for a Dexius Cultist to convey Varlainigen to the ruins by boat.
Over the course of the evening, the heroes learn that one of the candidates, The Elder Wright, has been murdered. The heroes witness, and participate in, a riot that breaks out in the forum after the candidates’ speeches.
In the early morning hours, the heroes make their way to the docks, where they are conveyed by a Dexius Cultist by boat to the ruins.
In the ruins, they are ambushed by scavengers but succeed in defending themselves. They evade a strange floating automaton sentry.
Finally, the heroes reach their destination. A damaged but intact building bearing a sign that says “Groove.” The interior is arrayed like a library, with aisles of bins, each filled with square cardboard packets. As they explore, the heroes suddenly hear cacophonous music.
Miles Davis - Dark Magus (1974) - full album
A group of ghouls are listening to music that is played by a device that is powered by a stationary bicycle one of the ghouls is riding. The heroes fight the ghouls initially, then decide to negotiate with the undead. The heroes ask for the Dark Magus. The ghouls respond that they are listening to the black disc of the Dark Magus. The heroes ask what the ghouls would require to trade for the Dark Magus. The ghouls state that they would trade the Dark Magus for “Bitches’ Brew” another Miles Davis album from his psychedelic period that they haven’t heard yet. Chromio uses his spell of minor illusion to create an illusion of an album labelled “Bitches Brew” which he sets on the counter. The ghouls eagerly give the heroes their black disc (record album) of Miles Davis’ Dark Magus. The ghouls do not realize that the Bitches’ Brew album is an illusion until the heroes have escaped with their prize.
The heroes take their record album of Miles Davis’ Dark Magus to the temple of Dexius, where they place it on the altar. A door opens and the altar retracts, depositing the record into the machine behind the wall. Dexius appears on the screen and thanks the heroes. Dexius’ file of this favorite album had been corrupted, and Dexius is thankful to obtain a new copy of Dark Magus.
The heroes earn 1000 xp each.
