Session 38: Desecration by Defecation

Date: Jan 13th, 2026

Summary

While the party explored the ancient tomb beneath the cathedral, Syndle was carried aloft by Bradley the deva, who had intended to fly him to meet Lucretia. From his aerial vantage point, Syndle witnessed chaos erupting throughout the city. Garmir forces from the cathedral regrouped with other Garmir strike teams that had converged on the area. At the city gate, defenders scrambled to prepare for an approaching army of the Silver Order, while columns of Hooded Lanterns and the Queen's Men advanced toward the cathedral from different directions. Monsters emerged from various neighborhoods—haze hulks, delirium drags, and harpies—all drawn to the brilliant light that had burst from the cathedral. Recognizing the danger his companions faced, Bradley decided to return Syndle to the cathedral rather than continue their journey.

Below ground, the rest of the party completed the ritual to lay the mummies in the first tomb to rest. Oiroa channeled healing energy through the group, mending their wounds from the previous battle. With Sirin's guidance, they spent ten minutes performing the sacred rites: relighting candles, replacing sacred items on the bodies, placing gems and coins on the eyes of the dead, and offering prayers. The ritual succeeded, and the mummies remained peacefully at rest. The party retrieved the polished mirror shield from the tomb, recognizing it would be essential for solving the light puzzles that lay ahead.

Using the mirror shield, the party redirected a beam of light southward, opening a new door into a semi-circular chamber. The room was lined floor-to-ceiling with niches, each containing a skull with semi-precious stones or coins placed in its eye sockets. A central brazier bore an inscription speaking of "clear eyes" and "silver wings" that would open the way. Shelves along the walls held small animal statues—a brass toad, copper cat, silver bird, ivory ox, granite bear, gold horse, and iron eagle. Ornate silver portcullises blocked off alcoves where the sarcophagi of the first flamekeepers rested.

Ned attempted to use his personal steel mirror to redirect the magical light beam, but the mirror exploded in his hands, dealing minor injuries and destroying the mirror entirely. The party searched the skulls for those with clear gems in their eye sockets, eventually discovering that one skull had empty sockets entirely. When they placed the crystals from a crumbled skull into the empty sockets, a hidden button was revealed. Pressing it caused the two silver portcullises to recede into the floor, granting access to the sacred alcoves.

Xakarium took the silver bird statue and entered the first alcove. As he crossed the threshold, the inanimate statue softened and came to life in his palm, transforming into a living silver bird that fluttered around him. He retrieved a mirrored shield from the sarcophagus within. The party opened the second alcove and retrieved another shield. When Xakarium stepped away from the alcove, the silver bird landed on his shoulder and became still once more, returning to its statue form.

With three mobile mirrored shields in their possession, the party used them to redirect the light beam through a series of turns, opening a door to a grand circular chamber. Marble colonnades lined the room, and murals depicted the heroic deeds of a valiant paladin. Hundreds of lit candles illuminated a life-size statue of Saint Vitruvio standing upon a circular podium. The statue was clad in plate armor, with a shield on its back, sword at its belt, scepter at its side, and phylactery around its neck. Glass spheres rested in its eye sockets and in stigmata-like holes in its palms, and cavities in the statue held what appeared to be real bones. A golden shield hung on the south wall, concealing another aperture behind it.

The party discovered that the statue's base had a groove allowing it to rotate. When they turned it so that one palm aligned with the incoming light beam, the light disappeared into the statue and emerged from its eyes, shooting northward to strike an aperture on the opposite wall. A hidden bookshelf opened, revealing valuable treasures: scrolls of powerful divination and healing magic, including the ability to find any path, see through illusions, cure many wounds at once, and even raise the dead. The bookshelf also contained Saint Vitruvio's personal writings—letters about his faith and journal entries from his legendary life. Syndle examined the golden shield with magical sight, confirming it was enchanted with protective magic and made from the scales of different dragons, including Agronoth, the golden dragon who had fought alongside Saint Vitruvio.

Oiroa noticed a small shaft opening in the ceiling above the hallway. Yazzy levitated upward through the narrow passage and emerged in a new room containing a large statue of a noble warrior with a smaller dragon wrapped around him. The dragon's open maw held an aperture lens. The party redirected a light beam up the shaft, and Yazzy directed it into the dragon's mouth. The wall behind the statue rumbled open, and the statue retracted to reveal a narrow passage leading to an archive. This hidden chamber contained the royal history of the kingdom: lineage records, marriage agreements, dowries, adoption decrees, all bearing royal seals and preserved by magic. Most intriguing were glass vials containing blood samples of King Ulrich IV and his six predecessors. The party carefully collected everything and placed it in their bag of holding.

The party continued their exploration, redirecting the light beam westward to open another door. They entered a large scriptorium filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves overflowing with texts, scrolls, and documents organized by date. Four wooden tables in the center held inkwells and quills, one with spilled ink running through cracks in the floor. As they ventured deeper into the room, a ghoulish, witchy librarian wraith materialized, startled and hostile. Tark struck swiftly and brutally, his blades cutting through the spectral form and causing it to dissipate, though it seemed to teleport to another realm rather than truly die.

As Yazzy moved through the room, she felt a sudden cold sensation, and another librarian wraith appeared before her. She struck it with radiant magic, searing the undead creature. Oiroa raised her holy symbol and channeled divine power, commanding the undead to flee. All the wraiths in the room except those along the back wall failed to resist her power and were overcome with terror, forced to dash away at supernatural speed. Syndle activated his protective aura, surrounding himself with multicolored lights that strengthened his defenses and those of his nearby allies, then charged forward to engage the remaining threats.

One of the wraiths unleashed a psychic wave that washed over the party, incapacitating Syndle, Yazzy, and Xakarium with overwhelming mental anguish. The creature then reached out with a withering touch toward Yazzy, draining her life force. The turned wraiths fled at incredible speed, some moving over a hundred feet in seconds, while others phased into the ethereal plane and passed through walls to escape. Tark fired arrows at another wraith, forcing it to retreat to the ethereal plane. Yazzy focused her mind, and her eyes merged into a single central eye that emitted a powerful energy beam. The beam struck a mummy that had appeared, and in a critical moment, the creature's head exploded in a spectacular display, instantly destroying it and releasing those it had incapacitated.

The party pressed onward, entering a circular room with a domed roof painted with frescoes of knights carrying holy flames in their hands, spiraling toward a central glowing light. A large marble fountain stood in the center, featuring a tragic-looking angelic statue. Water flowed from the statue's eyes down its face into the pool below, depicting an angelic man looking up to the heavens with sorrowful anguish. His hands hovered an inch above the water with fingers curled upward as if begging. The party discovered iron handles at the base of the fountain that allowed the statue to rotate, and they realized a shield could be placed directly into the statue's curled hands. When they did so and redirected the light beam, another door opened.

They used the same technique in the northern hallway, opening a passage to a hall where all the candles had gone out, casting the room in cold darkness. A shining mirrored shield was clutched in the hands of a mummy, the remains of a great saint. Sirin reminded them to perform the full ritual in the proper order: light the candles, prepare the bodies and items, place gems in the eyes, then sing prayers. Oiroa and Sirin worked methodically through the room, performing the sacred rites on each mummy. When Oiroa attempted to retrieve the mirrored shield, the mummy clutched it tightly and sat up, its ancient eyes filled with anger.

Oiroa struck the mummy with her mace, channeling dark energy that drained its strength and bolstered her own vitality. Syndle sprinted toward the threat, his short legs carrying him at impressive speed, and used special boots to deliver a powerful kick that knocked the mummy prone. The creature rose and unleashed a dreadful glare, its gaze paralyzing Syndle and filling him with supernatural fear, though Tark and Yazzy resisted its power. The mummy attempted to strike Syndle with its rotting fist but missed. Tark fired arrows into the creature, and then Yazzy once again activated her unique ability - eyes merged into one, and the energy beam struck the mummy's head with perfect precision, causing it to explode in a burst of ancient dust and bone fragments.

With the immediate threats dealt with, the party turned their attention to the most complex puzzle yet. They positioned four mirrored shields at key intersections throughout the cathedral's lower levels. They activated the light beams from both the Archangel Gabrielle and Archangel Michael alcoves, directing them through the carefully placed mirrors. The beams converged on the Saint Vitruvio statue, entering both of its palms simultaneously. Light emerged from both of the statue's eyes as a single thick beam. When they rotated the statue to direct this combined beam toward the southern wall, the wall rumbled and opened, revealing a wide spiral staircase leading downward into darkness.

The party repeated a similar process in the library, redirecting beams from both directions into a central mirror shield. The library statue retracted backward, opening another stairwell that also descended into the depths. With multiple factions converging on the cathedral above—the Silver Order, the Queen's Men, the Green Lanterns, and various monsters—the party knew their time was limited. They decided to explore the southern staircase first, preparing themselves for whatever ancient secrets or dangers awaited them in the depths below the cathedral.

Scenes

Syndle's Aerial Reconnaissance

While the party explored the tomb, Syndle was flown over the city by Bradley the deva, witnessing chaos as multiple factions converged on the cathedral.

Bradley flies Syndle over the city to provide an aerial view of the unfolding chaos.
Syndle observes Garmir forces engaging with each other, some from the cathedral and others from nearby strike teams.
A massive army of the Silver Order approaches the city gate, with Garmir and giant creatures preparing defenses.
A column of Green Lantern forces moves toward the cathedral.
Several strike teams of the Queen's Men also converge on the cathedral.
Monsters including haze hulks, delirium drags, and harpies emerge from various neighborhoods, drawn to the light.
Bradley decides to return Syndle to the cathedral to help defend his friends rather than continue to Lucretia.

Restoring the First Tomb

The party completes the ritual to lay the mummies in the first tomb to rest, restoring their bodies with sacred items and prayers.

Oiroa casts Prayer of Healing, restoring hit points to the party after the previous battle.
The party spends 10 minutes performing the ritual: relighting candles, replacing sacred items, placing gems/coins on eyes, and saying prayers.
Sirin reminds the party that personal effects are more respectful than strictly necessary for consecration.
The ritual is completed successfully, and the mummies remain at rest.
The party retrieves the polished mirror shield from the tomb to use in solving light puzzles.

The Skull Chamber Puzzle

The party enters a semi-circular room filled with skull-lined niches and solves a puzzle involving clear-eyed skulls to open hidden alcoves.

The party uses the mirror shield to redirect a beam of light south, opening a new door.
They enter a semi-circular room with floor-to-ceiling niches containing skulls with gems or coins in their eye sockets.
A central brazier bears an inscription about 'clear eyes' and 'silver wings' opening the way.
Shelves hold small animal statues including brass toad, copper cat, silver bird, ivory ox, granite bear, gold horse, and iron eagle.
Ned attempts to use his steel mirror to redirect light, but it explodes in his hand, dealing 3 damage and destroying the mirror.
The party searches for skulls with clear gems, silver coins, or empty eye sockets.
Yazzy places a clear-gemmed skull in the light beam, causing it to crumble and explode gently.
The party discovers a fixed skull with empty eye sockets and places crystals from the crumbled skull into them.
A hidden button is revealed in one eye socket, which when pressed causes two silver portcullises to recede into the floor, opening alcoves.

Retrieving the Mirrored Shields

The party enters the opened alcoves to retrieve mirrored shields, discovering that the silver bird statue comes to life when carried across the threshold.

Xakarium takes the silver bird statue and enters the first alcove.
As he crosses the threshold, the silver bird softens and comes to life, fluttering around him.
Xakarium retrieves a mirrored shield from the sarcophagus in the alcove.
Oiroa recognizes the sarcophagus as belonging to one of the first flamekeepers, possibly Oiroa herself.
The party opens the second alcove and Xakarium retrieves another mirrored shield.
The silver bird follows Xakarium and lands on his shoulder, but becomes inanimate again when he steps away from the alcove.
The party now possesses three mobile mirrored shields.

The Chamber of Saint Vitruvio

The party uses their shields to open a grand chamber featuring a life-size statue of Saint Vitruvio and discovers a golden shield.

The party uses three mirrored shields to redirect the light beam south, opening a door.
They enter a circular chamber with marble colonnade, murals depicting a valiant paladin, and hundreds of lit candles.
A life-size statue of Saint Vitruvio stands in the center, clad in plate armor with a shield on his back, sword at his belt, scepter at his side, and phylactery around his neck.
The statue has glass spheres in its eye sockets and palms, with cavities containing real bones.
A golden shield is found fixed to the south wall, with another aperture behind it.
Oiroa confirms that moving the shield is acceptable, as it's part of a fresco depicting Saint Vitruvio and his golden dragon, Agronoth.
The party attempts to use the golden shield to redirect light, but it doesn't work as expected.

Rotating Saint Vitruvio's Statue

The party discovers the Saint Vitruvio statue can rotate, and by aligning its palm with the light beam, they open a hidden bookshelf.

The party realizes the statue has a grooved circular base and can be rotated.
They rotate the statue so one palm catches the light beam.
The light disappears into the statue and emerges from its eyes, shooting north.
The beam strikes an aperture on the north wall, opening a hidden bookshelf.
Syndle uses Detect Magic on the golden shield, confirming it's magical with an abjuration aura.
The shield is revealed to be made of three different types of dragon scales with draconic names etched on the back.
The bookshelf contains clerical scrolls and writings by Saint Vitruvio himself.

Looting Saint Vitruvio's Archives

The party discovers valuable clerical scrolls and Saint Vitruvio's personal writings in the hidden bookshelf.

The party finds a six-level divination spell scroll called Find the Path.
They discover a six-level scroll of True Seeing.
A fifth-level spell scroll of Mass Cure Wounds is found.
A fifth-level spell scroll of Raise Dead is retrieved.
The books are identified as Saint Vitruvio's personal writings, including letters on his faith and his journal.
All items are placed into the bag of holding for safekeeping.

The Dragon Statue Archive

Oiroa discovers a shaft in the ceiling, and Yazzy levitates up to find a room with a dragon statue that opens a royal archive.

Oiroa notices a small shaft opening in the ceiling above the hallway.
Yazzy levitates up through the shaft into a new room.
The room contains a large statue of a noble warrior with a smaller dragon wrapped around him.
The dragon's maw is open with an aperture lens inside it.
The party redirects a light beam up the shaft, and Yazzy directs it into the dragon's mouth.
The wall behind the statue opens, and the statue retracts backward.
A narrow passage is revealed leading to an archive room.
The archive contains royal history records, lineage documents, marriage agreements, dowries, and adoption decrees, all with magical preservation and royal seals.
Glass vials containing blood samples of King Ulrich IV and his six predecessors are discovered.
The party collects all documents and vials, placing them in the bag of holding.

The Scriptorium and Wraith Encounter

The party opens a door to a library scriptorium and is ambushed by ghoulish librarian wraiths.

The party redirects the light beam west instead of up, opening another door.
They enter a large square room filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves overflowing with texts, scrolls, and documents organized by date.
Four wooden tables with inkwells and quills are in the center, one with spilled ink.
A ghoulish, witchy librarian wraith appears, startled by the party's presence.
Tark attacks the wraith recklessly, dealing 27 damage with his first strike and 21 with his second, causing it to dissipate as if teleporting to another realm.
Ned readies a firebolt and searches for crystal shards.
Oiroa moves into the room but doesn't see any other beings initially.
Yazzy moves through the room and feels a cold sensation, causing another librarian wraith to appear.

Battle with the Librarian Wraiths

The party engages multiple wraiths in chaotic combat, using divine power and magical attacks to banish or destroy them.

Yazzy strikes a wraith with her magic, dealing 23 points of radiant damage.
Oiroa casts Turn Undead, causing all wraiths except those along the back wall to fail their saving throws and flee in terror.
The turned wraiths must use their dash action to move as far away from Oiroa as possible.
Syndle rages, activating protective lights that grant +1 AC to himself and allies within 10 feet.
Syndle attacks a wraith recklessly, dealing 15 damage and sending it to the ethereal plane.
A wraith uses a psychic wave, forcing intelligence saves; Syndle, Yazzy, and Xakarium are affected, taking 15 psychic damage and becoming incapacitated.
The same wraith uses a withering touch on Yazzy, dealing 15 necrotic damage.
The turned wraiths flee at dash speed, with one moving 120 feet and escaping, and others going ethereal through walls.
Tark attacks another wraith, dealing enough damage to force it to escape to the ethereal plane.
Ned uses his Cycloptic Vision ability, critically hitting a mummy and causing its head to explode, instantly destroying it.
The death of the mummy releases the incapacitated party members from its effect.

The Pool of the Morning Angel

The party enters a circular room with a domed roof and a fountain featuring a sorrowful angelic statue.

The party enters a circular room with a domed roof painted with frescoes of knights carrying holy flames, spiraling toward a central glowing light.
A large marble fountain rests in the center with a tragic-looking angelic statue.
Water flows from the statue's eyes down its face into the pool below.
The statue depicts an angelic man looking up to the heavens with sorrowful anguish, hands hovering an inch above the water with fingers curled up.
The party discovers iron handles at the base of the fountain that allow the statue to rotate.
They realize a shield can be placed directly into the statue's curled hands.
A mirrored shield is placed in the statue's hands, and the light beam is redirected, opening another door.

Opening the Northern Path

The party uses the same light redirection technique in the northern hallway to open another passage.

The party fires up the beam from the Archangel statue, bending it north instead of west.
The beam opens another door in the northern hallway.
The opened passage reveals a room very similar to the first mummy tomb.
The party notes that this room's candles have all gone out, unlike the first tomb where they were still lit.

The Hall of the Dead Ritual

The party performs a ritual to lay mummies to rest in a northern hall, but one mummy awakens when they attempt to take its shield.

The party enters a hall where all candles have gone out, casting the room in cold darkness.
A shining mirrored shield is found clutched in the hands of a mummy, identified as the remains of a great saint.
Sirin reminds the party to perform the full ritual: light candles, prepare bodies and items, place gems in eyes, then sing prayers.
Oiroa and Sirin perform the ritual on all the mummies in the room.
As Oiroa attempts to retrieve the mirrored shield, the mummy clutches it and sits up, appearing angry.
Oiroa strikes the mummy with her mace, dealing 2 bludgeoning and 9 necrotic damage, invoking her Life Drain ability.
Oiroa gains 9 temporary hit points and reduces the mummy's strength by 1.
Syndle sprints toward the mummy but can't quite reach it.
Xakarium uses special boots to kick the mummy, dealing 6 damage and knocking it prone.
Ned attempts to firebolt the prone mummy but misses.
The mummy uses Dreadful Glare, paralyzing and frightening Syndle, though Tark and Yazzy save against the effect.
The mummy attempts to attack Syndle with a Rotting Fist but misses.
Tark fires arrows at the mummy, dealing damage.
Ned uses his Cycloptic Vision, critically hitting the mummy and causing its head to explode, destroying it instantly.

The Double Beam Puzzle

The party solves the complex double beam puzzle, opening two spiral staircases leading deeper into the structure.

The party positions four mirrored shields at key intersections to redirect light beams.
They fire up beams from both the Archangel Gabrielle and Archangel Michael alcoves.
The beams are directed into both palms of the Saint Vitruvio statue simultaneously.
Light enters both palms and emerges from both eyes as a single thick beam.
The statue is rotated to direct the beam toward the southern wall.
The beam strikes the southern aperture, and the wall rumbles open, revealing a wide spiral staircase leading downward.
The party then repeats the process in the library, redirecting beams from both directions into a central mirror shield.
The library statue retracts backward, opening another stairwell leading downward.
The party decides to explore the southern staircase first in the next session.

NPCs

Bradley

A deva (celestial being) who flew Syndle over the city, providing an aerial view of the chaos. He initially intended to take Syndle to Lucretia but decided to return him to the cathedral to help defend his friends.

Sirin

Oiroa's chaplain companion who reminds the party of the proper ritual for laying bodies to rest, involving sacred items, relighting candles, placing gems/coins on eyes, and prayers. She assists with rituals throughout the session.

Librarian Wraith

Ghoulish, witchy, ghost-like undead entities encountered in the scriptorium. They appear startled by the party's presence and react negatively. They can use psychic waves to incapacitate and withering touch to deal necrotic damage. Multiple wraiths inhabit the library and can be turned by divine magic or banished to the ethereal plane.

Mummy

An ancient undead creature, the remains of a great saint, found clutching a mirrored shield in the Hall of the Dead. It awakens when the party attempts to take its shield and attacks with Dreadful Glare (paralyzing and frightening) and Rotting Fist. It is ultimately destroyed when Ned's Cycloptic Vision causes its head to explode.

Saint Vitruvio

A revered historical figure depicted as a life-size statue in the chamber. He was a heroic paladin who fought alongside the golden dragon Agronoth. His statue is central to the light puzzles, with glass spheres in its eyes and palms that redirect light when rotated. His personal writings and journals are discovered in a hidden bookshelf.

Agronoth

The golden dragon who fought alongside Saint Vitruvio, depicted in a fresco behind the statue. The golden shield found in the chamber is made from his scales and those of two other dragons.

Locations

Cathedral

A large religious structure in the city where the party is exploring. It is currently surrounded by chaos as multiple factions converge on it, including Garmir forces, the Silver Order, Green Lanterns, Queen's Men, and various monsters.

City Gate

A fortified entrance to the city where Garmir and giant creatures are preparing defenses against an approaching army of the Silver Order.

Skull Chamber

A semi-circular room lined floor-to-ceiling with niches containing skulls, each with semi-precious stones or coins in their eye sockets. A central brazier bears an inscription about 'clear eyes' and 'silver wings.' Shelves hold small animal statues. Ornate silver portcullises guard alcoves containing sarcophagi of the first flamekeepers.

Chamber of Saint Vitruvio

A circular chamber with marble colonnade, lighted torches, and murals depicting a valiant paladin. A life-size statue of Saint Vitruvio stands in the center, clad in plate armor with outstretched arms and glass spheres in its eyes and palms. Hundreds of lit candles illuminate the room. A golden shield is fixed to the south wall, concealing an aperture. A hidden bookshelf containing scrolls and writings is revealed when the statue is rotated.

Dragon Statue Archive

A room accessed via a shaft in the ceiling, containing a large statue of a noble warrior with a smaller dragon wrapped around him. The dragon's mouth holds an aperture lens. Behind the statue is a narrow passage leading to an archive filled with royal history records, lineage documents, and vials of blood from King Ulrich IV and his predecessors.

Scriptorium

A large square room lined with floor-to-ceiling wooden shelves overflowing with texts, scrolls, and documents, loosely organized by date. Four wooden tables with inkwells and quills are in the center, one with spilled ink. The room is haunted by ghoulish librarian wraiths.

Pool of the Morning Angel

A circular room with a domed roof painted with frescoes of knights carrying holy flames, spiraling toward a central glowing light. A large marble fountain in the center features a tragic-looking angelic statue from whose eyes water flows into the pool. The statue's hands hover above the water with fingers curled up. Iron handles at the base allow the statue to rotate, and a shield can be placed in its hands.

Hall of the Dead

A northern hall where all candles have gone out, casting the room in cold darkness. It contains ancient tombs, including one with a mummy clutching a shining mirrored shield. The party performs a ritual here to lay the mummies to rest.

Spiral Staircase (South)

A wide spiral staircase leading downward, revealed when the party solves the double beam puzzle in the Saint Vitruvio chamber.

Spiral Staircase (Library)

Another stairwell leading downward, revealed when the party solves a similar light beam puzzle in the scriptorium area.

Items

Polished Mirror Shield

Reflective shields used by the party to redirect beams of light to solve puzzles and open hidden doors. The party acquires multiple such shields throughout the session from various alcoves and tombs.

Steel Mirror

A personal mirror owned by Ned. When he attempts to use it to redirect a light beam, it explodes in his hand, dealing 3 hit points of damage and being destroyed.

Immovable Rod

A magical rod used by Tark to secure doors and prevent them from closing automatically, particularly useful in the cathedral's shifting architecture.

Silver Bird Statue

A small statue found on a shelf in the Skull Chamber. When carried across the threshold of an opened alcove, it softens and comes to life, becoming a living silver bird that flutters around and lands on the carrier's shoulder. It becomes inanimate again when moved away from the alcove.