At @Lord_Mordeth 's request, I’m scribbling up a few notes about our conclusion to the Roost of the Condor Queen.
In the prior session (in the comments here), they had got lost deep beneath the World Tree, by the frozen form of Apu Yanko.
After camp, and very worried about Apu Yanko, they moved to exorcise the spirit… only to have the shell collapse.
Emboldened, they headed back through the tunnels and (this time) dealt swiftly with the Dusk Worms that had caused them so much torment last time (link here).
Gathering the Monkey Sage (a firm favourite of the players and the characters), they call to the condors (using the amulet), asking to be left alone.
Ulla then used her Lightness of Being spell to get them all up to the Condor Queen’s nest.
Taking a moment to prepare themselves, and set up a ritual circle around the Condor Queen, prepare their weapons.
The ensuing Banish conflict is… tough.
Whilst the party have ways to boost their Order of Might in physical conflicts, this is really not the case for a Banish conflict. None of their fancy weapons or armour will help them here!
The OoM difference is troublesome, and whilst they script well, there’s a number of rolls that go improbably poorly (including a 10-ish dice roll that nets them only 2 successes). One of them is pretty much floored in the exchanges.
However, they rally, and manage to (finally!), after 4 full rounds, banish Apu Yanko.
All of the party are now Exhausted and Sick.
The Condor Queen is herself once more!
They explain to her the collapse of relations with the Puku, but can also boast that the threat that Gangis the Astral Moth had been defeated, and that they had managed to poison the Dusk Worms.
The grateful Condor Queen not only grants them the boon of her insight (the name of the demon Ormina for their upcoming adventure - part 1 of which is here), but at their request to be able to (at some point) visit a different world, granted them one-time access to walk out along one of the branches to do so.
This took the form of a necklace tattoo that they can manifest (by willing it) into a “real” necklace, taking up their neck slot.
After that, Exhausted and Sick, they then returned in triumph to the Puku, riding aboard the Condor Queen herself!
Source:
- Roost of the Condor Queen - Mordor Press