Stand Down

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Session 7 of Story of the Century, the 3rd episode of the 2nd season of Story of a Lifetime (Overall session #44).

Took place on December 10th, 2025. PCs were level 12.

Synopsis

Session Summary

The party initiates an Inception ritual to enter Queen Danelle's subconscious and persuade her to deactivate the cursed throne preserving her in stasis. Despite psychic horrors and her deep remorse, Selina and Tyburn convince the Queen to issue the shutdown command. She passes peacefully, releasing trapped souls and restoring life to the barren lands of Seer. The warforged deactivate, and Selina repurposes the throne into a shrine, channeling divine energy to heal the ecosystem and grant peace to the dead. Post-resolution, discussions turn to cloning efforts and impending intrigue in Sharn.

Quests

• Resolve the Throne and Queen Danelle (Updated)

  • Successfully inceptioned into Queen's mind, persuaded her to shut down the throne's effect, ending the curse on Seer. Queen fulfilled her purpose and desired to end.

  Status: Completed

• Investigate Sharn Criminal Underworld (New)

  • Post-credits: Leverage visits Ariadne, tasks her with handling matters in Sharn's underworld, counterfeiting of Dragon's blood drug.

  Status: Discovered

Timeline / Key Moments

• Party links minds via astral dream ship to incept into Queen's consciousness amid throne's defensive surge.
• Fall through psychic scream of 1.3 million souls, surviving with saving throws and inspirations.
• Enter dim dreamscape of the Queen's winter palace on the eve of destruction, locating her in a withering garden.
• Persuade and perform checks to break through her denial, revealing current state and instilling hope.
• Queen awakens, commands throne shutdown, marches in armor, and dies, draining the machine's power.
• Selina, aided by the Siren goddess, reshapes throne into shrine and casts restorative spell, revitalizing Seer.
• Living spells dissipate, souls find peace, warforged stand down; Jeremy vows reactivation.
• Time skip: Farmhouse shows signs of renewal; pilgrims return to spread news; flight west reveals healing scar.
• Cloning updates: Caius body grows healthily; Selina and Tyburn clones fail; Ariadne clone progresses.

Key Decisions

• Initiate Inception ritual instead of direct confrontation with Gladius.
• Persuade Queen through hope and duty rather than force.
• Selina repurposes throne with life energy from Siren goddess, avoiding death magic.
• Defer full resurrection for Caius, opting for gradual clone growth.
• Plan return to Sharn for family matters and criminal underworld investigations.

Unresolved Threads

• Origin of nightmare in Gladius and its influence.
• Reactivation of Jeremy by Artemisia.
• Decision on Caius clone burial with spirit.
• Potential inheritance conflicts in House Caneth for Tyburn and Cassandra.
• Counterfeiting of Dragon's blood drug in Sharn underworld.

Next Steps

• Travel to Sharn for social obligations and home sanctuary.
• Investigate Sharn's criminal elements and counterfeit drug production.
• Resolve Ariadne's personal matters and Ivy's curiosity about Caius.
• Facilitate Cassandra meeting Tyburn's relatives.
• Address Wyvern's desperate hope for restoration.

Reminders for Next Session

• Prepare Sharn intrigue plot with Lever's involvement.
• Handle cloning timelines and ethical decisions.
• Incorporate post-credits teaser with vial analysis.
• Update warforged status and pilgrim integrations.
• Explore Seer's renewal impacts on broader campaign.