Session 35

Open:

The Fated Eight, stumbling upon the Terralpi refuge, realise that the entrance they used previously no longer works. They now begin searching for a new way in, hoping they might find something they may have missed. During their search, beneath some rubble, one of them finds a rough-looking, leather-bound journal, similar to the one they found in Cinder’s Den. It contains only one page.

558
1590, Rising Calcyr, II (glowing a vibrant amber-orange)

The laboratory has been quiet this morning; perfect for some focused reading. Magister Fa’Lun procured an interesting manuscript about The Primordial Titans. It details Orghvaan, The Emperor of Earth, single-handedly resisting the power of Selenephoe, Wroth, and an unnamed 3rd Archon.

It makes me wonder what happened to his power; and how one would go about replicating such a feat…

Piers

Their search is interrupted by a small rumbling beneath them as a Terralpi male pokes his head up from beneath the ground. It seems the noises they made attracted him. The party recognises Dridge, but he is frantic and panicking.

“Oh bloody hell am I glad to see you! We’ve got a small problem down here!!”
- Dridge

He jumps up from his hole and runs over to one of the ruined walls. After inspecting it for a moment, he kicks a specific spot, causing the floor in front of him to open and reveal a staircase leading down.

He beckons the party to follow.

As he leads them down, he reveals that a couple of days ago, some serpents found the Terralpi refuge and kidnapped several of them–specifically those of the distant tribe. After a couple of minutes travelling through the ruins and down the elevator, they arrive at the main cavern housing the Terralpi.

”It’s not gonna hold!”

At the far back of the cavern, the group notices a handful of Terralpi, enhanced by gemstones, struggling to keep hold of several rocks and boulders covering a cave entrance. They later discover that the entrance had been barricaded to prevent the children from getting lost too easily. One of the larger Gem-Enhanced Terralpi yells as he struggles to hold on. The Terralpi are overpowered as two serpents come bursting through sending rocks and debris flying everywhere. They slither through the scattered Terralpi crowd and appear to be darting towards Aurevald, who is backed up by the rest of the party.

Combat #1

Azriel reacts quickly, sending a Witch Bolt hurling toward one of the creatures. Pieces of bark flake from its body before energetic tendrils pull them back into place. Two more serpents emerge from the cave behind the party. Riding Kjott into battle, Aurevald brings his axe down on one of the serpents, channeling a Divine Smite through the blow for additional damage. His second strike further sapped its strength. Another serpent retaliates, marking Aurevald and restricting some of his abilities. The party notices that the creatures seem stronger when their allies are close to them. Kezark fires a shot at the serpent, disrupting its concentration and freeing Aurevald from its hold. SHAI summons a Chromatic Orb, severely damaging one serpent before it bounces into another. Lady follows up with a fire-fuelled Stunning Strike. Jin, after striking one of the serpents, notices the surrounding Terralpi and rushes to shield them from the creatures. Working together, the party systematically wears down the serpents. As the battle turns against them, the final serpent snatches a Terralpi child and slithers back into the cave.

As the dust settles and the party collects themselves, Jin, searching one of the corpses, finds a piece of paper that reads:

767
1590, Fading Indyth, I (glowing a dim sky-blue)

Attempts to probe the nexus have proven challenging; the closest yet occurred yesterday, when three serpent-like creatures thrust from it and nearly dragged me within it. I presume these are the “Gandyrs” I was warned about.

If there are answers about “Drasiyl” within this nexus, they are too well guarded for me to glean at this time.

I must return to Tahl’Lethys to begin work for the Masked Man…

Piers

Aurevald, while still holding the little Terralpi, inspects her for any injuries. She is wearing the clothes of the distant tribe. She nervously asks if he is the Eternal Mountain. Aurevald tells her that he isn’t and proceeds to ask where her parents are. She slowly points towards two mature Terralpi among the crowd. The crowd stands there, mouths agape, looking on in reverence. They have never seen these serpents wounded, let alone fleeing for their lives. The crowd turns its attention towards Aurevald as whispers can be heard, mainly from those wearing the distant tribe’s attire, asking the same question.

“Is that the Eternal Mountain?!?”
- The Crowd

As Aurevald places the child on the ground, he watches her run back to her parents. Eldos stepped forward to thank the party for their help.

“We are eternally grateful to you, The Fated Eight. You have saved us in our time of need”
- Eldos’ Gratitude

Aurevald admits that there is still work to be done and requests a list of those who are still missing. After receiving the list, Eldos orders his people to continue their mission and delivers a speech to the Terralpi, motivating them to remain fearless during this time and not to fearmonger, helping to reduce the number of casualties. Dridge tells Aurevald to stop by before they leave. The party is then led into Eldos’ chambers to discuss what to do next.

As the party settles in, Eldos begins by talking about the earthquakes affecting the cavern and how the barriers and protections that sealed off the lower caves were destroyed. He also tells them more about the missing people. A Terralpi woman named Poska had been exploring the caves in search of Gyi’Gantos ruins before being kidnapped. Flick and Quill were also taken, alongside three other Terralpi children. Eldos then reveals the name of the distant tribe: The Vad’Nya. He explains that they claim their ancestors once lived with the Gyi’Gantos before a great tragedy separated them. SHAI asks about the Azure Fang but is told to seek Dridge for his opinion. After a handful of unsuccessful questions, the party gets just about all the information they can from the chief and heads out to conduct the last of their preparations before descending into the caves. Azriel, seemingly annoyed by the party’s lack of urgency concerning the rescue of the missing people, heads over to Dridge. SHAI follows suit to inquire about the sword.

Preparations:

Aurevald heads over to assist with the disposal of the serpent corpses by dumping them into the fire. In the midst of cleaning, he loudly addresses the people of the refuge, removing his hood to show his face and ears.

“I am no hero. But I promise you this. I will save those that you have lost. And I will return them to you. This is my oath.”
- Aurevald’s Declaration to the Terralpi

Just before he walks away, the little girl he saved earlier waddles over to comfort and thank him, rewarding him with a small flower made of stone.

“Thank you. You are a hero to me”
- The little girl thanking Aurevald

Aurevald kneels down and accepts the gift with a somber smile, hiding his doubts and fears for the future. He ruffles her hair before sending her on her way. After the corpses have been dealt with, he makes his way over to Dridge. Upon arrival, Aurevald expresses his regret over the way the Terralpi seemed to have become collateral damage during the journey to help SHAI. Aurevald hands over the teleportation rose as a way to help them should The Fated Eight not return from the caves. As the touching moment comes to an end, Dridge informs him that the armour for Kjott he asked about earlier will be ready in a day or so. He also tells him that the material he needs for his axe is Springtime Ore, which can be found in the caves below. With that, Aurevald makes his way over to the cave entrance to wait for the rest of the party. He is joined shortly after by Morgyn and Jin. As they converse, Aurevald is distracted by noises coming from deep within the cave. The sounds of a battle can be heard as a loud masculine voice yells out.

“Skoll. Hati. To my side. My son needs help!”
- The Familiar Voice that Aurevald heard from within the cave.

The pair notice Aurevald’s runes begin to pulse. Aurevald recognises this voice as the same one from the vision shared with Jin. He begins to walk into the cave before Morgyn convinces him to wait for the party. SHAI and Azriel arrive to speak to Dridge. SHAI hands the Azure Fang over to Dridge. Although he is unable to gleam much, he determines that the blade is imbued with magical properties and is made of Springtime Metal. Azriel then asks if he can repair the rusted blade he took from the grave atop the hill, but unfortunately, it is beyond even Dridge’s abilities. Shortly after, Kezark arrives and asks about any ammunition Dridge may have for his revolver. Dridge hands over a pouch of ammunition and tells him about the group of people he stole it from. He mentions that among them was a young red-haired woman wearing a cloak and a man carrying a hammer covered in gears. Kezark warns him to steer clear if they are ever spotted again. After bidding farewell, they meet back up with the rest of the party near the cave entrance.

The Mineshaft:

The first half of the cave consists of traversing through darkness, trying not to slip and fall. After ten minutes, broken minecart rails can be seen, rendered up from the ground with gaps scattered everywhere. A minecart lies flipped on its side. Beside the minecart is a small clearing in the wall. In this clearing, the remnants of a four-way intersection can be found. There are marks along the ground that lead deeper into the cave, as well as a stream replacing one of the railway tracks. Symbols can be found written along the wall in both Giant and Sylvan.

Giant: “The Trickster cursed us, The Blind Lady saw to that…”
Sylvan: “The Trickster birthed us, The Deaf Lady heard our cries…”

They also notice, along the other wall, symbols that appear to be a blend of both. Aurevald, inspecting the stream of water, taps his axe along the rock wall and finds a wet piece of paper stuck between the rocks that reads

572
1590, Fading Calcyr, II (glowing a dim burnt-orange)

Additional research has led me to ponder something I cannot find mention of in the records; why did it take Mortals to overcome The Primordials? There’s many a mention of Archons overpowering their Illchorian brethren, but none that suggest the Archons—let alone a singular member—ever beat a Primordial. It puzzles me more given the Archons had no trouble suppressing The Primordials when they originally arrived.

I have to be careful who I discuss this with. The implication that Mortals have a special power that the Gods do not would be powerful ammunition for the Magisters. Further research will have to wait; the Druids of Colum’Tylas have asked for assistance with a territory dispute. As far as I understand, they wish a barrier placed around some tree root—to what end, I do not understand…

Piers

Azriel notices that the marks along the floor actually belong to the serpents. They are slither marks that lead deeper into the cave. Hearing this, the party follows the marks, determined to find the rest of the missing people.

As they traverse deeper into the cave, they come across more of the wooden support beams leading towards a lit room. Walking through the corridor, the party can hear the sound of creatures moving all around them. The sounds are very similar to those made by the serpent that fled earlier. Before entering the chamber, Morgyn sends her homunculus in to scout ahead. After confirming that the room is empty, the party enters stealthily. The chamber is sloped, with two paths split by a crevasse down the middle. On the other side of the room, there appears to be a caved-in section, with a faint glow emanating from between the cracks in the rubble. Aurevald notices one of the exits from the chamber is covered in a familiar, foul-smelling mist. The party notices the sounds of movement growing quieter. Confident that they are hidden, they move to the other side of the chamber to investigate the glow. The glow is coming from underneath the collapsed opening, where rubble is being held up by a glowing blue liquid similar to the serpent blood. Upon further inspection, they notice glowing sacks encasing the missing people. Aurevald frees two of the Terralpi and Flick, who begins panicking as he wakes up. Thinking quickly, Aurevald knocks Flick out before he can alert any creatures and instructs Kjott to take the three of them back to the refuge. Jin, lending a hand, manages to contort his body through the rubble to cut the sack containing Quill. Just after pulling Quill free, Jin dislodges a stone, causing the rubble to begin to crumble. Seconds later, six of the serpent-like creatures appear from the crevasse in the centre of the room and from the walls around them. Two attempt to stop Kjott’s escape, but he is swift enough to evade their attacks. The party were caught largely out of position as a majority of the Gandyrs; as they were presumed to be called, attacked their back-line fighters whilst their frontliners were kept busy keeping Quill safe. Two more Serpents; that had been lying in wait, lunged from the walls to intercede the front and back lines. Aurevald noticed the familiar foul smell; from whatever entity had once given him power, filled his senses as the Gandyrs attacked.

Combat #2:

Aurevald, sensing the serpents surrounding him, hurls his axe backwards, hitting one of them. Knowing of their resistances he burns a Channel Divinity charge to empower the attack, dealing force damage instead. Kezark manages to spot the ambush coming and dodges backwards, firing two shots from his revolver at the serpent. Lady opens with another Stunning Strike in her Ignis form, following with two quick punches that completely obliterate the creature. The serpent’s mangled remains sink into the ground before merging with a nearby serpent, causing it to grow larger and become even more powerful. In perfect harmony, two of the serpents attack Kezark. bringing him to death’s door. In response, Axton erected his turret to provide support for the party. Two more serpents join the battle, attempting to ambush Jin and Aurevald. SHAI sends a lightning-infused Chromatic Orb towards the serpent that nearly killed Kezark, wounding it before bouncing to two more targets. Morgyn sends her Homunculus forward to attack a nearby serpent. Spotting a weakness, Jin calls out “Cleave the Mountains!” to Aurevald as he brings his axe down on the serpent. He then charges another serpent, killing it cleanly. Kezark, through gritted teeth, manages to dodge out of harm’s way before firing two shots at one of the serpents that nearly killed him. SHAI, having dealt significant damage earlier, is then targeted by a poisonous attack from another serpent. As a reaction to another incoming attack, SHAI sends a Chromatic Orb at the attacking serpent, killing it before it bounces three more times, tearing through the three more serpents. The serpents retaliate, knocking SHAI unconscious and causing him to fall gracefully to the ground with a smile on his face. Morgyn rushes forward, placing a hand on the serpent’s face before casting Inflict Wounds, causing its face to melt away. She then turns her attention to SHAI, administering an experimental Elixir that stabilises him. Wanting to test out his new sword, Azriel attacks the serpent. As he swings the blade, a strange humming noise can be heard cutting through the air. Aurevald, managing to kill off one of the serpents, rips out its guts with his teeth, going feral from the Huskadusk.
With only one serpent remaining, Kezark fires a shot that ricochets off Aurevald’s axe before hitting the serpent killing it.

The Terralpi Are Rescued:

After the serpents are slain, The Fated Eight, barring Aurevald, work together to move the boulders and rescue the remaining Terralpi. Aurevald leaves them and walks off into the mist without stopping. Everyone else is too busy to notice. Jin manages to mine out some ore he finds on the wall and, with the help of SHAI, is able to determine that it is Springtime Ore. Jin pockets the two lumps of ore for Aurevald’s axe. Jin, now noticing that Aurevald is gone, uses his Haemosight to follow him into the mist. Kezark and Morgyn offer water to the Terralpi who have just awoken, while Axton and Azriel offer to lead them back to the refuge. The remaining members of the party group up and head into the mist, following Jin.

The Mist Is Very Confusing:

Aurevald, making his way through the mist, begins to have difficulty breathing. Each step becomes more and more suffocating, almost as though something is pulling him back. His pace slows as a foul smell enters his nostrils. Whatever entity gave him power is now approaching him. From the mist, a bear appears. The same bear he killed during the blizzard that separated him from his tribe. Aurevald stops in his tracks. Images of its dead body begin to flood his mind, regret plastered across his face for ending its life. His knees buckle as he drops his shield and axe, offering a hand to the creature. The bear, acknowledging Aurevald, slowly approaches him and lowers its head to his hand. It is in this moment of clarity that he recalls something he didn’t hear the night of his separation.

“If you want my Son; you can take me instead. Leave. Him. Alone. Do we have a deal, Husk?”
- Aurevald’s recollection of the night he was separated from his tribe.

The bear walks past Aurevald and into the mist, turning into a spirit and continuing the cycle of life.

The rest of The Fated Eight, after about a minute, cross a threshold in the fog and find themselves suddenly and slowly suffocating. Morgyn, knowing its limitations, offers to cast Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere around them to assist in their travels. After squishing together, Morgyn casts the spell, encasing the party in a cloudy green sphere. Following the footprints on the ground, they head further into the mist.

After his encounter with the bear, Aurevald continues walking forward. Anticipation fills his body, knowing that at any moment he could come face-to-face with the source of the voice. His nerves are calmed by a strange sense of peace before being interrupted by a voice calling out from behind him. His ears prick at the sound of the voice. In a moment of self-doubt, he lets out a pulse of Divine Sense, knowing deep down that it cannot be his friend. Sensing a Fey creature behind him, he unclips his cloak and hood and yells out into the wind. Confident that his mind is being tricked, he takes a deep breath before turning to confront whatever has been speaking to him. Nothing. Nothing is there. Even knowing that nothing would be there, his head drops. His gaze meets the cloak and armour lying on the floor before he picks them up. As he equips his gear, his hand pauses on the symbol of Scab. His runes pulse as a single tear falls from his face in honour of his lost friend. Not receiving what he had hoped for in the mist, he eventually walks back to regroup with his friends and collect his axe and shield. Sensing the path back through Kjott, it only takes about a minute before they reunite. Walking back proves to be much easier than going forward. Being able to sense it near him, Aurevald calls for Fimbil. The mist ahead of him is sliced in half by his axe, which returns perfectly to his hand. Shortly after, he comes across his shield and takes it with him.

Heading towards him is the rest of the party, still inside the sphere. As they come to a stop, Morgyn speaks up and questions the giant about his intentions in heading into the mist. Aurevald, reassuring the party that he is fine, is then questioned by Lady about his ability to breathe in the mist. As the party continues to converse, the green crown on SHAI’s head flickers off and flies into the mist, allowing the party to finally breathe outside the sphere. Confused and lacking motivation, Aurevald suggests heading back to grab the rest of the party before continuing into the mist. Heading back the way they came, the mist begins to dissipate, but they do not end up where they thought they would.

Eventually, You Find a Door:

Instead, they end up in a small bend off the central cavern. By the sound of conversation echoing through it, it seems to lead back to the main chamber of the Terralpi refuge. The party’s attention turns towards a large door made of similar material to the ruins above. In front of it is a large dish with runes along the outside, sitting atop a tall stone plinth. Attempting to put blood into it, Kezark cuts a small gash into his palm and squeezes out blood. Upon touching the bowl, it begins to sizzle and evaporate. Aurevald, seeing this, offers up his own blood. His blood begins to fill the bowl almost completely, lighting up half the runes. The party notices symbols above the door glowing as well.

“Step forward for Drasiyl’s Path…”
- The words above the sealed door.

The party gathers that the dish requires Goliath blood and some other type of blood, but confusion sets in when the dish is already full. Before they can ponder a solution, a sudden uproar echoes from the main chamber. Curious about what is happening, the party heads upstairs to investigate.

The Eternal Mountain Appears:

Upstairs, Azriel and Axton hear murmuring and whispering throughout the crowd. Eldos steps down from his chamber to investigate before the rest of The Fated Eight join them.

“What is going on here? What has got them all- Oh you’re back! I was worried when these two came back quickly and the rest of you had not. I must find out what is going on here.”
- Eldos’ inquiry

Gasps begin to fill the room as an 8’3”, chiselled and shirtless man walks from the elevator platform. Members of the Vad’Nya tribe bow to him in reverence, while the other Terralpi remain trepidatious. The man’s gaze lands on Aurevald, who towers over everyone. He steps forward and addresses the chamber.

Baldyr: “Now, who do I have to blame for my name being used to spread false hope…”

Aurevald: “Who are you? Creature that wears my face.” whilst pointing his weapon at the figure.

The man steps forward to respond, as he commands the hammer from his belt towards Aurevald.
Baldyr Oathkeeper: “I am Baldyr Oathkeeper, but I am more commonly known as The Eternal Mountain.”

The ornate hammer splits into three ethereal projections of itself: one of red energy, another of blue, and the last of yellow. Each projection flies off in a different direction before flying towards Aurevald in sequence. Aurevald uses Fimbul to withstand the blows but notices that the cutting edge of Fimbul has been worn down by the attacks—a feat that should not typically be possible. Baldyr’s eyes linger on Aurevald’s features for a little longer.

Baldyr: “I have seen many of your kind try to copy our ears before; but I have never seen one so bold as to copy our runes…”

Aurevald’s gaze hardens as he looks upon this man, awe and confusion mixing in his expression.
Aurevald: “You speak as if you know me. You say your kind.” He responds with curiosity and suspicion.

Baldyr’s expression remains unmoved as he responds quickly.
Baldyr: “Yes, my kind as in the Gyi’Gantos…”

Aurevald: “And my kind as in?”

Baldyr: “Goliaths. Pretenders. Watered-down wannabes”

The session ends with Aurevald approaching Baldyr, dragging Fimbul across the floor. His cloak falls completely from his shoulders. Flecks of fire begin to appear from his mouth…