Welcome to Invenas – Recaps episodes 81-87

Meanwhile, back on Sloane in the Heartwood, the Collateral Damage party is making last-minute arrangements with Amina, the Arbiter. They are currently making plans and gathering supplies before heading back to Amina in the evening for passage to Invenas. For Galahad to receive a piece of the Heartwood’s root, Amina asks for something in return. Their mission: recover The Stone of Revival and put a stop to The Web of Fate. Easy enough… Right? But who is the Web and why do they need to be stopped? The Web of Fate is a fanatical cult that has taken hold of the ancient city of Invenas. They worship a forgotten spider god and sacrifice citizens of the city to keep their god’s enemy imprisoned in the Stone of Revival. To complicate things more, they are also the people that Salix has been running from for centuries and has seemingly been caught by. On their journey, they will be joined by a Grippli Druid that goes by the name of Quon. He is small and has the coloration of a poison dart frog. Quon had come separately to the Arbiter for guidance on a certain situation that is occurring in his home, the Glasmeda Isles. The situation holds an eerie similarity to the effects of the machines. The party accepts the Druid’s help in return for finding out what is happening in the southeastern island chain. That evening they are transported to the outskirts of Invenas. The city guards are on high alert and there are a lot of them. And as quickly as they had a plan for entering the city they saw that plan crumble. They were not welcomed into the city as they thought they would be. Instead, they are shot at and arrested. Their crime? Espionage. It dawns on them that they were expecting the party, they just didn’t think they’d walk up to the front door. While some members of the party are more inclined to comply, that idea doesn’t resonate with the entire group. Stripped of their equipment, they’re thrown in cells where they meet Arbane, the bounty hunter who captured Salix with the help of his displacer beasts. Pleasantries are exchanged, and immediately the party hates him. They find that he is one of the high-ranking members of the Web of Fate and that they’re to be sacrificed with their friend Salix later in the week, during the blood moon. Immediately after this encounter, plans begin to form for their escape. Galahad is told by Bahamut that “Patience will be rewarded.” He does as he did for 50 years and he meditates and accepts that things will work themselves out. While meditating, he is shown a vision of a 3 horned Unillum surrounded by bees. While Zechs has a dream in which he is being followed by a gray-green wolf, Solonor. The following day the two discuss these dreams, their situation, and plans to reach out to this Unillum Galahad saw. While imprisoned in Invenas, the party finds themselves in different head spaces. Galahad and Zechs share a vision from Melora about the days to come. Using Locate Object and with the help of their Unillum ally speaking to Quon in bug form, they are able to get an idea of where their gear is. Plans are made for escape and Quon makes their way up through the drainage system and begins to get everyone’s gear into the bag of holding, using the Silence spell to their advantage. Corellon pays a visit to Glad and the rest of the party. He proceeds to say that while he can not be directly involved in what they are about to do, he can offer some aid, and tells Glad to touch her robes when the time is right. He offers answers and information to the party as well which somewhat puts them at ease. The Protector vanishes and we find the party in the beginning stages of a prison break. As gear is being redistributed they settle on a plan of escape. In a combined effort they used a new move called “Silent Knight” in which silence envelops Galahad, and before the enemy gets a chance to see what’s coming, it’s already over. The group dispatches wave after wave of guards while also freeing the prisoners as well. Somewhere in Invenas, Salix is starting to realize that they’re in some sort of illusionary captivity. What they’ve felt and experienced over the last several days is magically conjured to keep them here, wherever “here” is. Eventually, they find themselves suspended in what they assume to be water. As they start to come to consciousness they are greeted with the visage of a Pallid Elf that has come to their aid. With the party’s escape from prison, they briefly part ways with the prisoners and reconvene at a safe house in the city. They find a small bit of the resistance in the underground tunnel system of Invenas. Meanwhile, Salix is also an escape. Eventually, they’re reunited and the group meets Salix’s rescuer Finnea, who they are told may have much information on what they are seeking. After a late and very-needed rest for everyone, Finnea manages to give the group the rundown as best as possible. They suddenly find people in a hurry leaving in the opposite direction of them. The group braces themselves for an inevitable fight as the city guard marches into the cavern. Galahad manages to use his “frightful presence” to intimidate the guards to stand down. He calls out those who lead this group for a good old-fashioned brawl. We find Arbane, a Tiefling woman, The Judge, and the alternates of Shanks and Zechs. Everyone takes a position as the first fight between Collateral Damage and The Web of Fate commences! The party puts out a great effort, waging a tough fight with their enemies, even taking down a couple of their foes. But despite their best efforts, they learned a very tough but valuable lesson. Always take out the healer, because a Mass Heal from The Judge picks up the opposing side. Immediately the tides shift and the team considers a tactical retreat. It’s not what they wanted, they were SO CLOSE, but alas you live to fight another day. In a series of choices made out of creativity and desperation, they begin to make their way toward the opposite exit of the cave. They pick up downed members, fire spells, and strike enemies as best as they can on the way out. Galahad summons his wings and grabs who he can and bolts to the cave entrance, ready to strike down a smite to cause a cave-in. It won’t buy them a lot of time, but they’ll take whatever time they can. Before moving forward, the group checks in and takes stock of what just happened. During this time Scyrah goes to explore the cave up ahead and is told to report back to Arguile anything she finds. The group rests here, licks their wounds, and comes up with a plan of action. They meet back up with the resistance and Finnea who informs them of other notable members of the resistance who might be able to provide aid to the party. The group decides to visit the tea shop known as Herbal Delights and the owner Alésia. While there she divulges more information on the Web of Fate, their habits, and hangouts, and the group decides that maybe they should take them out one by one.