SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH - MASTER AND APPRENTICE CAMPAIGN 1 : SESSION 16 RECAP
Aldor’s Journal : Entry 16
The cost of proof is high…and cant be paid forever.
So… we pick back up with our plan to go to the Hall of Justice, have a priest or cleric cast a Zone of Truth, and tell them about the real heir—but before asking, they confirm their allegiance to the true heir.
I go into the “lobby” and ask to speak to someone about the future of this city, specifically regarding the real heir of the throne. We see three paintings—figures of importance here, labeled, and likely who we’d be speaking to: Judge Olef Uskar, Prior Hlam, a paladin, and Haluth, the High Judge.
We meet with Hlam, who takes us to his office. Before I give too much information, I ask him to cast Zone of Truth. He goes to gather Cleric Kelya to perform it.
Things seem to be going well—he claims justice and his oath are the most important things in the world to him. It seems this city and its people are what matter most to both of them, which gives us the confidence to fill them in.
We have the heir, and we need help against Neverember to put Cullen on the throne.
We plan to have Cullen teleport to the gate, and Hlam will escort him in.
Before leaving, I ask about the crown being in the vaults. This is news to him… which is even more interesting. The corruption may reach the very top.
After confirming that we’re all on the same “side,” we leave with plans to return. Cullen and Melania agree with the plan as well. Melania mentions she needs to see the location before teleporting, so she heads there later that night—and I follow.
Walking by the Hall, I spot an elderly woman in a gold cloak sitting on a bench across the cobblestone road. Gold is definitely her style… clever illusion.
I stride past and say,
“What a great night for a walk.”
She winks.
Well played, my friend.
I head back to the hideout, and we sleep in—possibly for one last time. The next day, we return to the Hall.
We notice the area has been cordoned off by paladins of Tyr. We arrive and are let in by Hlam’s guard. Cullen, Melania, and several Sons of Algondar wizards appear shortly after via the teleportation circle, giving the paladins quite a jolt (apparently Hlam forgot that part…).
We’re escorted inside.
In a meeting room with a stone table, Judge Olef is waiting. Before I speak, I ask Hlam to help me prove Olef is trustworthy.
This initially irritates him, but he relents. Hlam places a crystal skull on the table—judging by Olef’s reaction, it’s some sort of holy relic.
Olef is outraged at first, but after discussion—and after declaring his allegiance to Tyr, the city, and its people—his anger shifts into thoughtful concern about what may come if our plan succeeds.
I introduce Cullen Allendall, and he tells his full story.
From there, we begin piecing together who the mole might be. If these three are clean, then someone close to them isn’t.
Haluth’s second: Kallack — missing
Hlam’s second: Vashna — in Waterdeep
Vashna answers Hlam’s call and says she can return if needed.
Kallack, however, is mentally blocking Haluth.
That’s not suspicious at all.
I ask the Hall leaders to take us to the vaults so we can find the crown.
We descend deep underground until the air turns freezing. After passing through layers of doors, agents, scribes, and divine incantations, we enter a vast chamber.
Cullen pulls out the magic box.
Shows us its empty. Then he concentrates.
The box begins to glow and hum—differently this time. A soft thud, a subtle shift in weight. We open it.
Inside… a crown. Not a crown-THE crown.
Olef insists it must be tested. Someone other than Cullen must wear it. If the legends are true… it could kill them. Even with healers present, I can’t allow that. This has been our burden. I step forward.
I’ll do it.
Olef looks at me. I return the look—irritated at the hoops he’s making us jump through after everything we’ve survived.
I put it on.
I see my friends lunge toward me, but Cade holds them back.
Then—
Cold.
Then fire.
Then darkness.
I later learn I froze solid… then burned alive.
But that’s not what I saw.
I saw a kitchen, felt warmth, then smelled bread.
I opened my eyes to see Agnes, My family’s chef from when I was a child. Then the sound of my parents, and Jerome, our butler. I knew, somehow, I was in something beyond—a place between worlds. And I was… slipping. Then I saw her…Dark dress, hair pinned up. Naveene, my mother. I went to her. It was obvious in her eyes I wasn’t much older than when they died. I promised to avenge her.
She told me not to, they were at peace. That I should live my life. I told her I would-but the people who took hers… would not.
Then I turned toward the voices calling me back. My real life. My friends.
I woke to Cade and Ukalis were drained—nearly spent. They pulled me back, but with a high cost.
I looked at Olef and muttered:
“Next time, you wear the artifact.”
Melania was furious. Fair. But she knows me, I wasn’t letting anyone else take that risk.
We stay in the Hall and move to investigate Kallack’s quarters. At first glance—nothing, then I see it. A shimmer in the corner-Invisible… but not enough.
I throw a shoe at it, call it PTSD…not a stalker this time, but something…Olef casts Dispel Magic. We can’t be certain, but it was likely a scrying spell. Watching, Listening - but for who? Us? Kallack?
Now we know - Kallack is the mole.
Where We Stand
The crown is real
The Hall is aligned with us
The mole has been identified
Next steps:
The Hall hunts Kallack
We investigate the false heir
And then there’s the necromancer, Therhan…Hlam knows nothing about him. So where does he fit? Is he Another pawn, or a completely different problem that would haunt us…
Regardless - I am more driven now than ever. I’ve seen what waits beyond, and I’m not ready for it. Not yet.
The people who took my family…They will meet the same end Neverember soon will. I won’t settle until my family is avenged and they aren’t just phantoms to me.
For all I know, the king is involved with what happened to me too…wealthy merchants like my family, maybe they had the money but not the loyalty to him and his cabal. If he’s willing to kill his own friends and consort with demons from other planes, what’s a couple vampires amongst scum. To me, he’s already damned.
Let it be known: A Shreeves still walks this city, and soon, a king will stand beside him. And when that day comes, there will be nowhere left to hide.
Not even in…The Maze.
