Session 87 - The Lost Emperor

GM Observations - Part 1
- This session concludes the story arc, and gives Grant (as Trell) new opportunities. I definitely ‘hit the mark’ with this session as David praised it, saying that he enjoyed having to make choices where to succeed on one front meant compromise/setback on another front. 

Part 1 - Planning to Land
- Trell looks over the imagery taken from the probe. His conclusion is that the military team crash-landed on the planet and that some, perhaps all of them survived the impact. He shares the information with Bastiano and Bastiano agrees that it is possible. Bastiano quickly loses interest in Trell’s planning activities and he decides to leave for a bit (via Icon). Bastiano is asked to find out more about the planet Gamoran from the other Lords. Grant (as Trell) knows that Fiorin is not there so he looks for clues as to what else might be on the planet.
- Number 5 begins preparing a landing ship. The vessel is heavily reinforced to survive a landing on Gamoran and be able to return safely. Trell wonders if it will be enough.
- Trell studies the composition of the second military team, and the Eidolon Master.

• The Eidolon Master from the first scientific team was named Lothin. He was a researcher and an explorer, no combat skills.
• Krabane was the leader of the military team. One of Krovaliss’ Sable Guard, he was highly decorated and competent. His service history is very long indeed.
• Yenda, served with Krabane for almost a decade. Highly skilled. Krabane’s lead scout.
• Acris, the team’s long range specialist.
• Nyssle, the team’s survival expert, very good with explosives. Notably he even has seen action against Mordecai’s Raven Guard.
• Volla, a very large and strong Dwimmerlaik. Heavy weapons specialist.
• Narion, a combat mage.

- Trell does not have to wait long before Bastiano contacts him again. Lady Vala is the eldest of the Gossamer Lords and she knows only a little about Gamoran. It was the homeworld of Zor, the Dwimmerlaik Emperor who predates the current Empress. Even though the Dwimmerlaik have only one ruler, there have been many Emperors and Empresses in the Empire’s history of more than eighty thousand years. Being the homeworld of an Emperor would have awarded Gamoran a special status. Bastiano says that Lady Vala doesn’t know why Zor was deposed but it was probably a violent end.
- Based on this new information, Trell asks Number 5 to provide more information about Gamoran. Unfortunately the mechanoids have very little information about Dwimmerlaik worlds, and hence Trell needs to ask for assistance. His request however draws the attention of Lord Aurum.

Part 2 - Lord Aurum
- Once the name “Gamoran” is mentioned, Lord Aurum arrives on the dreadnought and says that he will remain to observe and advise upon the mission.. Grant (as Trell) wonders if he mis-stepped as he is now being watched by a member of the High Council. Luckily Bastiano is not with him.
- Trell asks Lord Aurum for more information about Gamoran and Lord Aurum tells him that Gamoran was one of the worlds that was severed from the Stair at the end of the Great War. As this was one of the ‘Imperial Homeworlds’ (the birthplace of an Emperor or Empress), there would be knowledge archives and relics stored on the planet. Lord Aurum shares the list of relics and sure enough, Fiorin is on the list. (GM’s note - Grant learnt last session that Greywalker had been ‘meddling’) Trell looks through the list of relics, looking for anything else that may have survived an extended period in Shadow - he finds rings, gemstones, a number of items made of metal. It’s hard to know which of these items could be giving off a strong Eidolon signature. Trell asks Lord Aurum about Emperor Zor and finds out that he was a strong Eidolon user. This information makes Trell uncomfortable.

Part 3 - An Expendable Sorcerer
- As the reinforcement of the landing craft nears completion, Grant takes a calculated risk and asks Lord Aurum for a sorcerer to assist him. He worries about this course of action because it increases the chances of him being detected as Grant, but he can see no option without using powers that Trell does not have. Lord Aurum agrees and asks if Trell requires someone ‘expendable’ or not. Trell thinks on this and decides that a competent but expendable resource would be adequate.
- Lord Aurum makes arrangements, and a Dark Elf arrives via a portal. Grant has met Lady Arana before (GM’s note - waaaay back in Session 8! She does not appear happy to be there, Grant can tell she is intimidated by Lord Aurum, but she dutifully asks what they require of her.

* Image by Wavebender on DeviantArt
- Trell briefs her and explains that the shuttle will need sorcerous protection in the descent and return. Trell explains that she will be on the ship (to give her motivation to do it correctly). She asks for time to adequately prepare and Trell grants her the two days that she asks for. She then asks for some healthy slaves to accompany them on the journey. She explains that in Shadow there is an absence of energy sources hence it is necessary to bring her own. It’s clear she means to sacrifice the slaves in order to draw upon their life energy should her own reserves be depleted. Even though Grant finds the idea distasteful, he agrees as it would be in character as Trell to do so.

Part 3 - Landing
- At last they are ready. As Trell boards the landing vessel and dons his environment suit, he summons Bastiano via Icon and Bastiano slips into his suit. He is joined on board by two mechanoids, Lady Arana and five slaves. The slaves are appropriately ‘doped up’ so that they will not pose a problem. Trell gives the command to the ships in the fleet to open the rift, and the landing vessel heads for the aperture. Once through, they skirt the hulk, deploy relays to keep in contact with Number 5 and head directly for the dark planet beneath them.
- The descent goes well. The systems suffer minor degradation but the mechanoid pilot executes a controlled landing with little more than a heavy bump. They are less than a mile from the flat-topped pyramid, the only structure left on this planet.

Part 4 - Hostile Reception
- Knowing that time is of the essence and that the ship will degrade in this place, Trell and one of the mechanoids head out as soon as the landing ramp is lowered. Arana elects to stay on the ship for their return.
- The landscape is eerie. It is utterly desolate except for one structure. Suddenly there is a crack and a flash of light. Instinctively Grant goes for cover as the mechanoid’s head is blown clean off. With no nearby observers (and Grant knows that the orbiting probe is in a decaying orbit and no longer providing surveillance), Trell opens his suit and Bastiano hops out.
- They quickly assess that there are two figures heading for the shuttle. With Umbral sight, Grant can tell that they are both Dwimmerlaik but they have an Eidolon signature - one on his left shoulder, the other on his torso. Cursing, Grant realises that they’re going to reach the ship before he can get back there. Nevertheless he heads back to the shuttle as fast as he can while Bastiano heads the other way to the pyramid.
- The two Dwimmerlaik dash up the landing ramp. Another crack is heard before Trell can get inside. He finds that the other mechanoid has been executed and Arana has dived for cover, using one of the other slaves as a shield. One of the Dwimmerlaik is definitely Yenda, as his body is covered in ritual tattoos and he carries numerous blades and pistols. There is a blue crystalline spider wrapped around his right arm. Seeing Trell, Yenda drops his pistol (which has fired once) and quickly draws a blade. Trell dives low and comes up underneath Yenda’s guard, delivering a powerful uppercut and laying him out. Immediately the crystalline spider detaches and begins scuttling along the cabin wall in the direction of the nearest slave.
- Trell is blasted in the side by red-robed Narion with a sorcerous spell before he can act further. Wincing in pain, Trell is momentarily staggered (GM’s note - but he has Ranked Strength so he is not stopped for long). Spotting another crystalline spider embedded in his chest underneath his robes, Trell launches himself at Narion before the sorcerer can weave another spell. (GM’s note - Warfare beats Sorcery, Grant is quicker) Trell lays Narion out and shifts Gorgorin from ring-form into a short club. He smashes the crystalline spider. There is a whimper from the nearby slave as the other crystalline spider starts digging itself into the poor man’s flesh. Trell tears the spider off and kills it, but blood pours out of the slave’s open wounds. Before the slave’s life energy can run out, Arana casts a spell and the slave dies on the spot. Trell says nothing. He simply leaves.

Part 5 - Emperor Zor
- A short distance away, Trell finds the body of Volla. Bastiano has killed him. Hurrying on, Trell finds Bastiano doing battle with both Acris and Krabane. Acris is a slender figure who wears goggles with blue-tinted lenses. With a wand in each hand and a crystalline spider embedded in his shoulder, he is fighting Bastiano. Beyond is heavily armoured Krabane, a pale blue crystalline spider totally covering his face. 
- While Bastiano draws their attention, Trell takes down Acris from behind. Krabane then opens fire with a short lance which fires bolts of concussive force. His attention appears focussed on Bastiano, so Trell slips away to reach the pyramid. The sounds of battle do not last long and all is quiet once more.
- On one side of the low topped pyramid is an arched entrance. The structure has definitely been enhanced with Eidolon. As Trell approaches, he realises that a Dwimmerlaik is waiting for him. It looks roughly like Lothin, but there are many changes. His skin is chalky white and drawn so tight over his bones that he is almost skeletal. He has long black hair, carefully braided. His horns have no antlers - they are long, slightly curved with no deviations whatsoever. He wears armour which appears to be made of a pale blue crystalline material and there are many crystal spiders scuttling on the ground nearby him.
- The strange Dwimmerlaik says that he is Emperor Zor. He welcomes him to Gamoran and says that has foreseen his deliverance at the hands of the enemy, a statement that leaves Grant with no doubt in his mind that the Emperor can see through his guise as Trell, and knows that he is a Lord of Gossamer. 
- Grant lets loose with an Umbral blast and scatters the spiders. Zor himself withstands the blast but does not engage Trell in combat. Instead he becomes very chatty as they slowly head towards the ship together. Zor asks for information about the current state of the Empire, an Empire that he intends to rule, and Grant humours him by keeping him talking as he believes Bastiano will have defeated Krabane and be somewhere nearby. Some of the spiders get too close for Grant’s comfort and he swipes them away with a blast. Grant asks after the sixth member of the military team, and Zor tells him that only five survived the crash. Grant sizes up Zor using Umbral sight and he realises that Zor wears a ring that is an extremely powerful Eidolon weapon. (GM’s note - yes, it’s a power ring, think Green Lantern).
- As they are almost at the landing craft, Bastiano makes an appearance which surprises Zor - he clearly was not expecting to see Bastiano. To Grant’s surprise, Zor remembers Bastiano as a hated enemy that he faced long ago but Bastiano claims not to remember Zor. (GM’s note - remember that Bastiano has also lost a good section of his memory due to the Breath of Eden. He’s operating on backups) This incenses Zor and Grant shifts Gorgorin into a blade and slices off Zor’s forearm while he is distracted.
- Instantly the crystalline spiders crumble. Finding that Zor is still alive even after such a blow, Grant finishes him off and takes the forearm with the ring still attached. Bastiano returns to his black grasshopper form and hides away once more.

Part 6 - Return and Reward
- Trell returns to the landing ship alone (as Bastiano is hiding). Arana is waiting for him on the ship - she doesn’t ask what happened. Seeing his return, she drains the life-force of the slaves and they toss their bodies onto the surface to save weight. With two recovered from the second team (Yenda and Narion), Trell considers his mission completed. Trell takes the pilot’s seat and launches the ship. There are malfunctions with the onboard systems, and one of the tanks ruptures thirty seconds into the ascent, but using sorcery, the ship holds together.
- Returning to the dreadnought, Trell hands over the prize to Lord Aurum. The mirror-masked Dwimmerlaik Lord displays no emotion but he praises Trell for his service to the Empire. Trell explains that he believes that the ring is cursed (in an attempt to prevent the Dwimmerlaik from using it) and Lord Aurum listens to Trell’s version of events. Upon completion of Trell’s story, Lord Aurum praises Lady Arana, telling her that he is pleased that she is still a useful asset of the Empire.
- In the days that follow, learns more about the rewards that he has earned. To begin with, Lord Aurum tells him that the High Council wishes his bloodline to continue, so they will find him a suitable mate to have offspring (GM’s note - this earned a chuckle from David, but it makes sense from the point of view from Dwimmerlaik society which is tightly regulated) He has his choice of command, and ‘other benefits’. Trell is grateful and humble, saying that he only wishes to serve the Empire. He asks for Arana to be assigned to him as she has proven loyal and useful, and Lord Aurum agrees to this. (GM’s note - Grant asked for this because Arana has displayed a reluctant obedience to the Dwimmerlaik on multiple occasions. Grant believes that she might be turned.)

GM Observations - Part 2
- … and that’s where we left it. Grant has won the favour of the Empire which will move him closer to the missing memories; But he has also delivered a powerful Eidolon artefact into the hands of the Enemy, which of course gives me (as GM) the opportunity to put it on the finger of a Dwimmerlaik Lord and introduce a new and powerful villain, capable of defending himself against Gorgorin, Grant’s nasty nasty sword.


From here, Session 88 will be back to split between Grant and Ethan as we move the plot forward.