The party faced the Masked Conductor in Selena's memory, navigating a musically controlled battle where Kilijan resurrected Kharn and Manasa orchestrated a victory. Following the confrontation, Selena tested Kharn with a mysterious cat, exposing Garresh as Kharn's father and a deep-seated oath to sabotage his companions as memories began to merge.
Ch. 1
Part 1
The party found themselves facing the Masked Conductor within the Thur opera memory of Selena. The opulent opera house served as the arena for their immediate confrontation.
The fight itself was manipulated directly by the tunes the orchestra played. The party had to adjust to the ever-changing rules of combat, which shifted with each musical movement. This dynamic caused their abilities to behave differently depending on the prevailing melody.
During the chaotic engagement, Kharn fell. The Masked Conductor's assault proved too much, and Kharn was killed.
Kilijan reacted swiftly to Kharn's demise. He produced a chronoberry and consumed it. The berry's magic allowed Kilijan to turn back time a few seconds.
Kharn was then revived, standing once more as if his prior defeat had never occurred.
Sagiato seized an opportune moment. He struck the Masked Conductor with a bolt of lightning, disrupting its focus.
Concurrently, Manasa moved to the orchestra pit. Manasa took over the conducting of the orchestra, intending to shift the songs to the party's favor.
With the orchestra playing a more advantageous tune, Kilijan delivered the final blow. Kilijan jumped from the stage towards the Masked Conductor. He finished the aberration, bringing the combat to an end.
Ch. 2
Part 2
After the fight concluded, the party watched the memory unfold before them. The opera house filled with light, revealing a bustling stage where actors and dancers bowed to a cheering audience. The Masked Conductor, now appearing as an actor in a costume, bowed as well, thanking the Thur audience for attending the grand opening of their newly established opera hall.
As the memory faded, the opulent opera house around them transformed back into its rundown state. A cat appeared, walking through the dilapidated hall. Manasa, Weneon, and Kilijan recognized the feline, remembering an earlier encounter years ago when they explored the rundown Thur opera house. They had spotted the cat then, but chose to flee the scene rather than investigate further.
Selena instructed the party to catch the cat.
Kharn approached the cat, his movements swift and deliberate. He recalled his mentor's lessons on anticipating every movement of a target, a skill he had diligently practiced. A moment of hesitation passed over Kharn as he considered his actions. His memory presented the oath he had given his father, long ago: "Gain their trust and sabotage them in ways that could seem like honest mistakes. Never forget what they did to us," his father's voice echoed in Kharn's mind. Despite the memory, Kharn decided to proceed with catching the cat.
Kharn quickly caught the cat and presented it to Selena. Selena merely looked at Kharn and stated that she did not actually need the cat; she had only wanted to observe his reaction. Kharn registered the underlying distrust in Selena's words. Selena then turned to the rest of the party, explaining that the cat was not a part of her own memories. She noted that the party's memories seemed to be merging with hers within this mental space.
As the memory scape of the opera house began to fade around them, Kharn experienced another vivid vision. His father, appeared before him, reiterating his earlier command: "Never forget what they did to us." Kharn responded quietly, affirming, "I won't." It became clear that Kharn's father was Garresh.
