WitW - Session 47

As the party ascended in the elevator, they remembered the letter they had stolen from Odegaard’s desk. It contained a warning for Odegaard to stay in his lane—extraplanar magic was for Ariazel’s eyes only. In a postscript, Ariazel had also hinted that he was aware of the existence of psionic gems capable of reversing memory effects.

Upon reaching the top, the party was witness to an uncomfortable family reunion. Thidia, still resentful of her father’s sins, refused to forgive him and passed on. With his curse now broken, Thudrick was no longer bound to this plane. Horace, seizing the opportunity, allowed Bhall to take the fallen king to Hell.

The crown’s magic then whisked the party up the minecart tracks, out of the belly of the mountain to the outskirts of Burakrin, a secluded halfling village whose specialty was its magical jewelry. The village remained hidden from the world, as its strict policy ensured that visitors—aside from druids who escorted enterprising halflings—could not leave with any memory of its existence. To avoid suspicion, the party claimed to be guests of the late Hammerholder family. However, the halflings were skeptical, as they had no knowledge of any "big folk" visiting, and the Hammerholders hadn't been seen in half a century.

Stopping by Tippy’s Tavern for ale and whiskey, the party eventually met with the village elder, Faelin Forgebrook. After much discussion, they decided to part with the crown. In exchange, Faelin agreed to share both the story of Burakrin’s origins and all he knew about Melchior’s memory magic.

Realizing that they would soon be forced to forget everything they had learned, the party debated how they might escape the village with their memories intact. During this time, they were approached by a young halfling boy who had earlier screamed in fear upon seeing them. They then spent an inordinate amount of time trying to convince Bepo to join their adventure—ensuring, of course, that he had his mother’s permission. And 200 gold, paid in 2 installments.

Exploring the village further, the party browsed Gavin’s shop, who turned out to be horrible. Almyre found a new friend in Franklin, an enchanter working in the jewelry workshop, and they engaged in some friendly banter with Greedo—who, as it turned out, was Bepo’s older brother.

Eventually, the party was locked in the barracks, where Faelin arrived to reveal the history they had sought.

Hundreds—not thousands (RETCON)—of years ago, Melchior rose to power after constructing a tower in the heart of the continent. Strangely, all the major city-states had agreed to his rule under surprisingly favorable terms. A dark power seemed to grant him unnatural influence over these leaders. The halflings quickly realized that this power was rooted in memory magic and were able to shield themselves against it, founding Burakrin in alliance with the dwarves.

The Lightwatch Tower, they learned, serves as a relay for this memory-altering magic, which originates from Lucivatus Tower—the shining jewel of the Empire’s capital.

If the party remained cooperative, Faelin promised to provide them with a small charm that could resist Modify Memory magic. However, his people lacked the ability to undo the enchantment entirely. The party chose to keep their knowledge of the psionic gems a secret.

Before leaving, Faelin issued a final warning:

"I hope you don’t think of trying anything."