Session #2
At the Quarters: The Possession of Gianni
The day began in the party’s quarters, where they found themselves speaking with Gianni, their coach. As the conversation unfolded, an eerie presence made itself known—the Red Eye of Mogis. In a chilling moment, the entity took hold of Gianni’s mind and then coming out of his body. It tore off part of its face like a mask to reveal its red eye.
The Eye revealed its purpose: to usher in the Crimson Requiem, a cataclysmic event tied to Mogis. More alarmingly, it hinted that XXXX and its giant Hunger would be its harbinger.
When the Eye finally released him, Gianni was left shaken, unable to fully process what had just transpired.
Daedalus inspected Gianni, finding arcane hieromantic marks on his neck.
HUNGER,HUNGER,HUNGER,HUNGER
Daedalus is alarmed by this revelation.
As per his duty, he directed the party to commune with Ioras as is tradition before the games.
Overwhelmed, he simply passed out, snoring as the party left him to rest.
A Meeting with Ioras
Seeking guidance, the party turned to Ioras. Ioras, ever composed, welcomed them and granted each a boon of athelomancy for their next match. As they spoke, he offered some insight into what might be going on: when the original god of war split into two — himself and Mogis — something may have been left behind, something loose. That missing piece, he suspected, could very well be the Red Eye of Mogis the party has been meeting.
Their discussion took a turn when Daedulus posed a curious question:
Did Mogis’ constellation always have both of his eyes?
Ioras confirmed that it did—normally.
Before they parted ways, Ioras made an unexpected inquiry, asking about Plinkö’s back pain, though he gave no further explanation.
The Market
Wandering through the bustling market, the party took a moment to resupply and indulge in local delicacies.
- Celina D. Coh purchased a pomegranate and treated herself to three servings of baklava.
- Plinkö acquired a rare cut of Forest Dragon meat.
- Daedulus secured eight meters of sturdy rope, always preparing for the unknown.
The Arena: A Clash with Selene
At the grand arena, the party encountered Selene, a figure shrouded in mystery. Ever the schemer (and apparent enemy of Selene), Celina D. Coh attempted to offer poisoned baklava to Selene, but the enigmatic woman nonchalantly dismissed it, stating she was “on a diet.” Irritated by the rejection, Celina seized the moment to probe Selene’s mind.
What she found was more than she had bargained for.
A palace loomed beyond a grand gate, and above it, a visage of Kruphix watched from the sky. Flying scrolls and papers swirled around them, dossiers fluttering in the air. Celina reached out, catching glimpses of their contents.
- Daedulus’ dossier: Marked simply as “coworker”—Selene and he had a shared history.
- Celina D. Coh’s dossier: Extensive. Selene knew Thassa was her mother, but the name of her father had been scratched out.
- Plinkö’s dossier: Unreadable. Marked with only ”???”, an enigma even here.
Before Celina could dig deeper, Selene forced her out of her mind with sheer will, her voice sharp with reprimand.
“That isn’t a place for young ladies,” she warned.
The Game: Hydra Ball
The arena roared to life as the party was thrown into a game of Hydra Ball a game where you stand on the heads of hydras and try to break a certain number of balls before the other team.
They were pitted against Selene.
It quickly became apparent that she had an unnatural advantage. She could summon phantom clones of herself, each a near-perfect illusion. However, the party noticed a crucial flaw: the real Selene bore the Red Eye, while her clone did not.
The team played the game of Hydra Ball against the Selenes. Celina use Command against Selene, which was strangely effective.
Celina commanded Selene to retreat, which caused a shadowy figure, the Red Eye, to emerge from her and push her off the hydra’s head onto the body of the hydra.
Given that Selene was incapacitated, Aqua Teen Hunger Force had won. They then focused on saving Selene from the hydra.
With their keen observation and teamwork, they managed to subdue the hydra and rescue Selene from its clutches.
Aftermath: A Remorseful Selene
The game won, Selene stood before them, a hazy look in her eyes, as if waking from a dream. She seemed genuinely remorseful, her past actions unclear even to herself. With sincerity, she apologized to both Plinkö and Celina D. Coh for what had transpired.
As she spoke, blood trickled from her eye—the same eye that had borne the Red Eye’s mark.
Daedulus, ever watchful, reached out and inspected the wound. To his relief, it was simply a wound—no trace of lingering corruption. Selene, caught off guard by the gesture, seemed to soften, as if seeing him in a new light.
Returning to Their Quarters
With the day’s trials behind them, the party retreated to their quarters, the weight of their encounters heavy on their minds. Tomorrow would bring more challenges, more revelations.
For now, they rested—knowing that the Crimson Requiem loomed ever closer.