Session 014 - Lillith

Remembering that Lilith was mentioned in the letter to Ava they copied long ago, the party is hesitant to reveal their previous encounters with the cultists and prefer to gather what information they can for traveling between the dreamscapes and returning their friends back to the Material Plane.
Lilith explains that traveling between the dreamscapes of the Dreamland is difficult but mentions that the `People of Leng` do so regularly in their ships.
When questioned about why she is in the Dreamlands, Lilith averts her gaze and tells them it is a punishment and a reward for her to see her late husband.
-# .

As the conversation continues, Athe realizes that they appeared before Lilith immediately upon entering and surmises that she had brought the four here for a purpose.
Lilith admits that she knows the group has been involved with the cultists and wanted to speak with them.
She reveals that the cultists call themselves `Milani's Thorns` and were originally a very noble organization that sought to eliminate oppression in the name of Milani, but it has now devolved into something far from what it once was.
-# .

Upon further questioning, Lilith looks, seeming scared of who or what might be around to eavesdrop.
Lilith decides to take control of her dreamscape and shows the party a memory from her past.
They find themselves in a familiar looking swamp from twenty years ago.
Here a group spearheaded by Lilith's husband plans to assault the two remaining hags of a coven that has been terrorizing the kingdoms.
They fight through the boggards and ugothol that serve the coven before finally fighting and vanquishing the hags that melt after swearing to return.
With the battle over, the disciples return to camp with fewer members than had entered the swamp.
-# .

The scenery shifts as they find themselves within a camp with the other disciples and a young blue tiefling that was absent from the fight.
They recognize her as Opalneria when she was just a child.
As Lilith and Warrick are discussing future plans all of the disciples are swiftly attacked from behind and rendered unconscious.
When they wake again, they are 
-# .

As their senses return to them, they find themselves firmly bound within a forest and surrounded by the villagers that had previously rescued.
Lilith struggles in her binds to better see her husband who lies disturbingly still.
A new figure emerges from the trees, a man named `Casimir` that Lilith recognizes and shouts at for his betrayal.
His smug response includes forcing the disciples heads further into the dirt with his boot.
The scene fades and Lilith admits that her biggest failure was in not protecting her daughter.
-# .

Realizing that Lilith is Opal's adoptive mother, they tell her that Opal is alive and currently watching over their bodies so they could travel to this realm.
Before more conversation can be had, the party can hear Opal's voice in the distance telling them to wake up.
Despite Athe protesting that it was a bad time, they are woken up.
Before anyone else has a chance to say anything, Opal tells them to get ready and to meet everyone outside since they are about to be under attack.
The group quickly prepares and listens to Brassdagger's report.
-# .

## Erastus 18th, 4724

Brassdagger had found a sizeable group of armed men approaching from the south that were intent on attacking Chateau Calypso.
He proposes that they head further south to an old ruin that would help provide them with a defensive advantage without putting their base in danger.
His proposal is accepted and group rushes to the ruins to setup traps and further prepare themselves before the invaders arrive.
-# .

Eventually the invaders appear on the horizon and soon draw close enough to be heard.
Instead of an attack from Milani's Thorns, they were under attack by Milton, the adventurer the party had previously rescued from kholos and that Phoebe had asked them to *discipline*.
Milton announces that he was here on behest of the brother tavern keepers in Gralton that had hired the party to sabotage the others business.
Thinking that the party is beneath him, Milton orders the rest of his gang to attack.