The Curse of Artaith (a 3.5 Campaign Journal)

[curious-puzzle]

Random thought, while re-reading some of this =)

The spooky town with the melted keep and the Rakshasa in the Wastelands, what was the deal with that? Just a town that was overrun by demons when the wasteland was becoming the wasteland, and now is just repeating itself/slipping back and forth in time/reality/the Labrynth with a Rakshasa who got trapped inside it all?

With the world ending, it seems like the right time for Puck and Tavlosh to go back and get the optional Boss EXP & Loot.... =D

Pretty much, just an example of how rotted and messed up time and space were becoming, and how badly daemonic influence could stain a place. As for going back, no promises on whether things would be the same :P...

After a 6 month hiatus, I caught back up with this. Glad to see it still running and maybe even getting more entertaining! I may not get a lot of the references you drop in, but I loved the Court of Owls addition just as much as the PCs must have hated it

Thanks, glad you're still enjoying it!

[curious-puzzle]

Session numbah 58!

Spoiler: What was that?!

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Everyone is on their face from the entire world seemingly lurching to one side, and the air is filled with an all encompassing BOOM. As mentioned at the end of last session, once the shaking stops, one section of the horizon is notably darker than the rest. A combination of knowledge (nature) and survival gleans that was most likely a volcanic eruption...and the only thing the party knows of in that direction is the Goblin Holds.

Which is in the neighborhood of 1700 miles away, give or take. So a volcano felt and heard that far away is bad news. None of the buildings in the immediate area collapse at least, but they’re all sporting new and frightening cracks. Once everyone picks themselves up, there’s more than a bit of panic amongst the survivors in the square. It takes a few minutes of Bulwark bellowing and the more stern-jawed individuals to prevent mass fleeing and willy-nilly shenanigans. While this is happening, Spotter, Angelena, and Sona head over towards Alexandria the Flame Keeper, while Puck and Talvosh unceremoniously drop their Anathemic lances inside the church and scuttle off to the city’s central tower. They have Shopping to do, screw talking to people!

Spoiler: PUCK AND TALVOSH

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I ask a couple times if the pair is trying to be sneaky or quiet on their 30-min or so trek to the tower, and several guards ask if they’re sure about rushing off by themselves...you know, since it seems like every Hollow and gribbly beastie in Logos is on the prowl. They barely even stop to give a thumbs up, and scoff at the idea of stealth or discretion.

So they run around a corner to encounter a pack of 4 Ash wraiths (dread wraiths with fire damage) and 8 greater shadows. Getting the drop on them, they charge! The dread wraiths die in two hits, and the shadows in one, but that incorporeal miss chance is a thing.

So Talvosh’s strength when frenzying and raging is 47. However, he gets swarmed by shadows and over the course of a few rounds, I deal 46 points of strength damage!!! Puck just laughs everything off, since the wraith damage is pretty small. It takes those before-mentioned few rounds, but the axe-bros eventually chop through the incorporeal chance and reduce the angry spirits to nothingness. Talvosh ends his frenzy and drops dead on the spot. His shadow rises up as a vengeful monster, and Puck cuts it to ribbons, then somewhat sheepishly runs back to the Church of the Flame to meet back with Talvosh.

*Shrug* I can’t save the players from themselves.

Spoiler: Spotter, Angelena, and Sona

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The non-shopping trio meets Alexandria, who has certainly seen better days. She’s leaning heavily on a walking staff, and one side of her jaw has the same consistency and color of charred wood that’s on the edge of just crumbling to ash. Tendrils of smoke curl out from her robes and eye-wrappings. Alexandria is quite happy to see the party, but more than a little concerned about whatever that eruption is. She’s also intrigued as to what these giant metal spikes are…

One thing that had taken the party a little bit to notice, is that just being near the Anathemic Lances is an uncomfortable sensation. Looking at or touching them makes the fleshy party members’ skin prickle and flinch, that “eeewww” feeling you get staring at an infected wound, or seeing a hangnail pull through skin. Angelena feels this the most of all, making it not a bad thing that she wasn’t carrying any of them.

So when Alexandria touches one of the lances, and it burns her with a magnesium flash of light, Sona’s eyes narrow in contemplation. No-one else is particularly willing to touch the twisted lances, but Alexandria is certainly curious, even with a burned hand.

Relaying the party’s recent experiences kind of flabbergasts Alexandria, what with an imprisoned god, cursed ichor, frenzied beastmen, the summoning of another deity, the mercy-killing of said imprisoned god, and the death sentence of an entire city.

Alexandria is relieved that the party acquired 3 of the 4 Primal sparks, but she’s a little desperate sounding when she asks what the Pilgrims are planning to do next. Angelena and Sona don’t really go into a ton of detail (the exact plan is still missing some steps in between “get all sparks” and “Kill a goddess”), but they put on a confident front and reassure the Flamekeeper that they’re not going to give up now, and they’re going to get the final Spark.

Alexandria smiles to hear that, but asks whatever they’re planning, to do it soon. It’s been exceptionally trying the last month, even for her…

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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Some of the important NPCs are in fact at crisis points. How the PCs interact (or don’t) with them to deal with their fears/concerns/issues will have some immediate ramifications

A quick heal check by Angelena shows that Alexandria is in bad shape. They ask if there’s anything that they can do to help, and pushing past the “I couldn’t possibly ask more of you”, Alexandria admits that the Fire has been burning and consuming more Vitae at an increasing rate. Without as many survivors and refugees as before, Alexandria is the next source of fuel.

Out of game, the players nominate Puck to sacrifice some Vitae to keep the Flamekeeper less crispy.

The Flamekeeper also mentions that the Pilgrims should take some time to speak to their allies (i.e the main leaders and contacts they’ve had), as everyone is being tested to the point of breaking. Why the Pilgrims, you ask?

Cause they’re Big Damn Heroes.

Angelena and Sona head off to the buildings where the Twins were seen, first.

Spoiler: Spotter

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Spotter bumps into Anvil, one of the Forged smith-masters. Before he can say much, Anvil shoves a large bundle into his hands - a big pile of adamantine arrows (Spotter’s quiver can make 10 / day, but he had asked a while ago if there were more he could acquire). A query about payment is met with several obscenities and an order to “just keep putting them into things that deserve it.”

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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It’s a minor pet peeve of mine, more videogame than d&d specifically, that individuals who are depending on the hero’s success would still keep charging and haggling for money. So this stuff at least is free, along with some minor items for other characters

After talking more with Anvil, Spotter finds that the inhabitants of Logos are not doing well. More people keep hollowing, and it seems like every Hollow and monster in the ruins of the city are aggressively prowling about more and more. Anvil is also quite upset that the main forges and smithies have been completely overrun, by some particularly dangerous Hollows at that (the players perk up and start muttering about Optional Bosses). He mentions that if the party has time to liberate the forges, they’re welcome to anything they can lay their hands on (and the remaining guard would appreciate the influx of arms and armor). After thanking Anvil for the arrows again, Spotter ghosts off to find Commander Bulwark.

Bulwark is up on a rooftop watchpoint, a nasty-looking ballistae mounted and pointing towards the edge of the church square’s protections. Bulwark is staring outwards, but looks over his shoulder and nods at Spotter as he “vorps” onto the roof. After a bit of chatting about Eulethron and whatever that explosion was (Bulwark just shakes his head and chuckles as Spotter relays the fantastical events of the last few sessions), Bulwark’ demeanor changes.

“Tell me Spotter. What do you think of your companion Puck?”

Spotter has never approved of Puck’s attitude or methods, and says as much. He acknowledges how much Puck contributes to the group’s misson, though.

“Strange you should say that. What do you think Puck is capable of?” Bulwark’s body language is rigid, even for a creature made of stone and steel. Puck’s player (listening while checking through the item compendium) is getting a little nervous…

“Do you think Puck is willing to kill innocents to feed his desires?” Uh oh. Bulwark starts to swell and grow as he finally turns to face Spotter, voice taut with barely contained rage.

“I found several of my men slaughtered, hacked and smashed to pieces. I also found the remains of a father and his daughter, murdered and their Vitae ripped away. All over the scene were tracks of a particularly unique nature - the marks of the spider-chassis that only one Forged possess.” Double uh oh.

“So tell me, Spotter. Puck murdered innocents, my men, people under MY PROTECTION!! Why shouldn’t I have him executed like the beast he is!!??” Bulwark is about 13 feet tall by this point, eyes blazing red.

There’s a bit of tense thinking, but Spotter manages to carefully explain how necessary Puck is to the group’s success. It’s definitely a narrow line to keep to (seeing as how in-game no-one else knew about Puck’s little murder-spree, except for Sona who only suspected and willfully ignored it), as the deed disgusts Spotter as well. It’s callous, but the Pilgrims need Puck - and everyone needs the Pilgrims to triumph if there’s to be anyone left.

There’s also a little bit in that Puck originally managed to shift Spotter’s attitude back to saving people rather than hunting anyone who tried to cross the Wastelands (Wwwaaaaayyyyy back when Spotter was originally an NPC). Puck helped pull Spotter back;now it’s Spotter’s turn to do the same for him.

Bulwark cleaves a corner of the building off with a scream, but he calms down and shrinks back to normal-size. Bitterly he agrees that Spotter is right, and how much he hates that fact. There’s an ominous warning that Spotter had better keep an eye on Puck in the meantime, which Spotter is more than willing to do.

It’s been a couple hours since the party arrived by now, and black/grey clouds have swept across the sky (all coming from the north-east). As everything except the glowing edge of the moon is blotted out, ash begins to rain down on everything.

Spoiler: Ash

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Spoiler: PUCK AND TALVOSH RND 2

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There’s no random encounter this time, and our axe-bros hurriedly make their way to the Central Tower of Logos. Just like last time, they wander around a nearby corner to where there were stairs leading down to the shop before. Instead there is a giant iron gate bristling with spikes in front of the stairs, a small handbell, and the words “Still Open” hanging and glowing in mid-air. Bemused, they ring the bell and watch a spectral hand with too-long fingers unlock the gate and beckon them in.

Inside is an eye-bending mishmash of Grabislov’s Emporium and the Illuminated Mirror, and both of everyone’s favorite mysterious hooded merchants are in fact waiting within. Talvosh and Puck are greeted as favoured customers, and they proudly announce they have something unique for sales. The proprietors are in fact interested in the jar of Rhamiel-dust, and after a bit of conferring, offer 100 000 gold (which is the suggested treasure amount for a difficult encounter). They try to bargain for more, but to no avail. The axe-bros also sell/trade a bunch of the treasure the party had been accumulating, and pick up a shopping list of stuff for everyone.

The one item that is particularly relevant is that Puck puts down a hefty chunk of change and purchases the Phoenix Cloak, which had been in Grabislov’s inventory ever since the first time they met.

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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It’s relevant because the Regalia of the Phoenix was the Mage-King of the Solar Empire’s royal vestments in the distant past :D

Spoiler: DM NOTE THE 2ND

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I know I’m contradicting what I just said about silly merchants charging heroes at the end of the world. But Grabislov and the Totally-not-a-mindflayer proprietor explicitly don’t care what happens to Artaith. Talvosh and Puck tried to use this as a tactic in negotiating for better pricing, but the proprietor just did one of those dry rustling chuckles and replied that events outside of his place of business were not something he was concerned by

The ash is raining down heavily by the time Puck and Talvosh finish up and hustle back to the Church of the Flame.

Spoiler: Angelena and Sona pt 2

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Angelena and Sona make their way across the square to what used to be a restaurant of some sort, ascending to the roof. Partway up, Talvosh coalesces out of an ash cloud and hustles, mumbling how he doesn’t want to talk about it :P.

Once up on the roof, it’s easy to spot the Twins standing at the edge, staring at the approaching black on the horizon. Sona notices that they’re wearing travelling packs, and there’s a bit of a guilty start as they see Angelena and Sona.

Said Twins are happy to see the party, and hear that another Primal Spark is claimed, but they are freaking out about whatever that explosion was on the horizon. They’re also freaking out about the fact that they’ve never seen a series of events like this before; they’re completely blind, a situation they’ve never been in before. They’re a little, ah, “distracted,” however by Angelena describing what happened in Eulethron.

“So we found Rhamiel.”

“What.”

“The Court of Owls were torturing and draining away his blood and power, and turning themselves and the city into monsters.”

“What.”

“But we broke his bonds by summoning Uthra!”

“WHAT.”
“...And she turned him to dust, and told us to leave the city as nothing would be left alive by midnight.”

“...wut.”

It takes a combination of encouragement, confidence, reminders of what the party has already accomplished, and a bit of badgering, but Sona and Angelena manage to convince and inspire the Twins to hang around and stick it out to the end (whatever the end might be).

After agreeing that they need to stay and keep helping, the Twins offer whatever advice they can come up with. They obviously distrust Maria (and encourage the party to be very wary of her if they’re still in contact), but they do admit that she is quite possibly the most determined plotter they’ve ever encountered - so just be careful with her advice.

They nearly jump off the roof in shock and disgust when Sona shows off the shrunk Anathemic Lance, so Sona is pretty much certain that whatever the lances are, they’ll do bad things to divine creatures.

As for whatever happened to the northeast (they facepalm and groan when Angelena mentions that it’s probably the Goblin Holds), the party should make sure they’re prepared. They’ve got a Really Bad Feeling(™).

The ash floats down on the pair as they head back to the church…

Spoiler: Puck and Spotter

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Everyone confers back at the church, moods a little dampened by the heavy ash steadily coating everything. Spotter pulls Puck aside, and quietly but intensely warns Puck about the little “talk” he had with Bulwark. Spotter also firmly states that Puck needs to never do anything like that again, as it undoes and breaks everything the party was working for.

Puck coldly explains his logic as to why he did it...but then admits that it was a lapse in judgement. It seems that the berserk rage caused by too much Vitae shook Puck’s viewpoint a little, causing him to step back and rein himself back in. Only a bit of reining in though :P.

Once back inside, the party talks about what’s happening to Alexandria, and Puck stomps over to the Flamekeeper.

“How’s this work?” Alexandria smiles in gratitude and tells Puck to close his eyes.

Puck’s player is quite the miser, but he wants to lose that gigantic penalty to Will saves that he currently is sporting. So he sacrifices 1 Vitae, then asks if anything happens. Then another. And another. And asks plaintively if anything happens yet.

It takes 5 Vitae before the penalty to Will saves fades away, and by then Alexandria looks much healthier. Her jaw no longer looks like charred wood, her back straightens, and even the Fire itself seems not quite as harsh.

One individual that’s pretty conspicuous in his absence is the Mage-King. Turns out that he’s normally around the Central Tower, watching over the portal and destroying groups of Hollow monsters. Reading between the lines, the party suspects that the Mage-King is avoiding some of his people’s bickering nobles. It’s late at night by now, but the unsleeping Puck and Spotter decide to go speak to him quickly.

Sona has decided that she needs to take a risk in order to gain some important information - and cast Contact Other Plane. She asks Puck and Spotter to check with the Mage-King if he has any means of helping protect herself from backlash (i.e. boosts to ability checks or rerolls).

They truck off, and manage to avoid any notice from roving beasties. Puck’s battle visor picks up a plethora of alarm spells all over the tower entrances and within, so they’re not too worried about startling the Mage-King as they ascend to the top of the tower.

The Mage-King greets the pair cordially enough, if a little distant. He double takes a little bit at Puck wearing the Phoenix Cloak, but doesn’t comment much on it other than it looking quite familiar. He’s quite impressed with Spotter’s tale of Eulethron and the events within though, remarking upon the party’s heroism and skill. There’s a brief awkward moment when Spotter describes how Uthra came when Angelena called, and the Mage-King makes a slightly bitter comment about how refreshing it is to hear of a deity answering a call for aid.

The Mage-King (who tells the party to simply call him Rowen, since they aren’t his subjects) nods when the metallic duo relays Sona’s request, and suggests she come out here to cast the spell, rather than risk dangerous attention in the midst of all the survivors. He also “idly” asks if the party had any more information about the dragon Tephras, which Spotter hurriedly tries to shush Puck about. Rowen just nods, and Spotter changes the subject.

Spotter then starts to describe the party’s plans in order to see if Rowen has any advice, but catches himself and suggests they talk inside the tower, out of the light of the Moon.

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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Wise decision

Once inside the tower on a floating platform tucked away in a corner, Spotter takes a risk and describes the party’s plan to stop and/or slay Zophiel, trusting that Rowen is strong-willed enough to maybe push past the Geas with help (but still being careful enough to not say her name out loud).

As he describes the existence of a 7th deity, who uses fate and the Curse as a weapon against the world, Rowen clutches at his head in pain, but I roll a nat 19 for him which is enough to at least temporarily overcome the Geas (at the cost of a few burst blood vessels in one eye).

Rowen doesn’t have much to add, other than that he trusts the party will accomplish the seemingly impossible yet again, and that their focus should probably be on acquiring the final Primal Spark as soon as possible. He also agrees that more information is probably the first step to that, and tells the party to come to the tower as soon as they wish for Sona to attempt her divinations.

Spoiler: The whole gang

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The party rests, and wakes up to a landscape thoroughly coated in ash. It hasn’t stopped raining down, the sky is completely filled with black and grey clouds, and they can only see the outer glowing edges of the sun and moon through the ash. They’re not sure if it’s their imagination or not if it already feels colder…

They pull out all the stops and use Fly to get to the Tower lickety-split, and Sona greets Rowen (easier to type than Mage-King this and Mage-King that) hurridly. She also pointedly remarks that a lot of people at the church would benefit from his aid more than here at the tower.

Sona and Puck also notice the Wall of Force placed directly against the portal to Revelation, Stargate-style.

Rowen nods at Sona’s statement, but then changes the topic and taps Sona with some magic to make sure she doesn’t reduce herself to a drooling vegetable. With that, Sona settles down and throws her mind outwards, choosing to try and contact the most powerful deity they know is at least slightly friendly to them: Uthra.

She opens her eyes to find herself perched upon a rock in the middle of a vast River. It is in fact the river of Sheol, land of the dead. This version isn’t clogged with corpses at least, though. With that, Sona feels a Presence brush her mind, and the questions begin!

Can we break the Cycle?

Perhaps

Can Zophiel be slain with what we have or will soon have?

Perhaps

Should she be slain?
Unclear

Can she be changed, like you were?

No

Can she be reasoned with?

Unlikely

Can the Primal Sparks be used against her?

Yes

Can the Anathemic Lances be used as a weapon against her?

Yes

Can the divine mantle of Free Will be recovered?

Don’t know

Will Rhamiel be reborn, like you were?

No

Once her questions are complete, Sona relaxes and releases her spell. But when she opens her eyes, she’s still on the rock, in the river. And then the water starts to shimmer, and bubble. And begins to boil.

I AM SO VERY CLOSE TO YOU NOW

The Voice is a horrible screech/snarl/roar/everything unpleasant in a sound. It in fact sounds like multiple things talking (Sona’s listen check picks out seven voices).

I CAN ALMOST REACH OUT AND TOUCH YOU

Sona taunts the Voice, declaring that they’re going to defy Fate and the Curse. But she can’t wake up yet…

I AM RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR

With that, a screaming Sona snaps out of the spell, startling everyone with her shout - and the fact that she’s smoking like a red-hot ember in snow.

We end it there.

Spoiler: DEATH COUNT

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54

[danielxcutter]

Side question: what was Bulwark's build again?

[curious-puzzle]

Uh...

<_< ... >_>

...Smoke bomb! *flee*

I don't have a solid build on hand for him right now, other than he's Psi-forged, and has Expansion as one of his major schticks. So either psychic warrior or psion with something else, maybe with some TOB tossed in

[Picanet]

But what if it came to a fight??? Lol. Murder bot vs murder bot!

[danielxcutter]

But what if it came to a fight??? Lol. Murder bot vs murder bot!

Oh please, Puck probably has 50 hit points and 6 class levels on him at least.

Uh...

<_< ... >_>

...Smoke bomb! *flee*

I don't have a solid build on hand for him right now, other than he's Psi-forged, and has Expansion as one of his major schticks. So either psychic warrior or psion with something else, maybe with some TOB tossed in

Hmm... Question: do Illithid Slayers exist in this setting? Fighter 2/Psion 4/Slayer X with Expanded Knowledge / Hidden Talent(if Bulwark's Cha is 11 or higher): Expansion and Psiforged Body is entirely doable. Egoist and Nomad are the two usual choices, but it's certainly possible to choose others. Depends on what you want him to do, honestly.

[curious-puzzle]

Heh, I haven't played around with psionic characters a ton. Except for the fact I've emphasized his giant sword, might go with the King of Smack idea...just too bad that living constructs can't really qualify for rapidstrike/improved rapidstrike...hmm hmm hmm

*I might make him for fun, but not an immediate concern for the game right now. If that talk had gone differently...well that'd be a whole 'nother story :P*

[curious-puzzle]

We didn't end up playing on the weekend, so another week or two till the next update - but in the meantime, where do people think our motley band of "hero" types should be going/what they should do next? Partially to help them brainstorm up some plans, and partially because I'm curious what people viewing from the outside are thinking.

[Jonagel]

Oh man, so many threads to pick up!!

With the moon coming back down to Artaith, I assume she who must not be named is about ready to burst free/be a Debbie downer.

General question: Eulethron and Madchen Brunhilde...did she ever go back to her crazy home? Also, were the masked mime assassins (Mummers?) just mercenary/outcast versions of the Talons? Speaking of, I guess they had killed people from the PC's home world before given the coin the assassins had?

Ideas on what to do next:
1) To the Demon Holds! I'm sure they have enough time to get that primal spark? Just be prepared to use some vitae so as to avoid taking any 8 hour rests, since 8 hours could be the difference between doom and life!

2) Go find those totally not mind-flayers, and find out how to barter for transportation to another dimension. Don't go down with the sinking ship!

3) Stock up on Vitae by asking the remaining citizens to volunteer their life essence in an attempt to spare and save those still alive? I'm sure Puck would love this idea =D

4) Set up the most elaborate trap ever, for Miss Fate, and then run around screaming her name/casting divination spells. Like a mouse trap, except instead of a metal bar there are a bunch of giant god spikes that pierce her?

5) Go ask Papa Dragon what his plans are? Is he just going to die, or can they recruit him in helping? Maybe promise to help "set things right" after they imprison/kill a god? Make a little dragon kingdom, or at least 'dragon born' as a consolation prize?

6) Go back to Pathos and learn more about the spikes?

Fun times!

[Mongobear]

IMO, the party should go back and track down any known Optional Bosses they missed/skipped and farm some XP/Loot for a final push towards the final Spark thing.

One I wanted to see for sure was the Rakshasha dude trapped in a city somewhere on the other end of the Wastes a looooooooooong time ago. I'm sure there are other Bosses ive forgotten about, but that's one I wished they went after long ago.

[Jonagel]

IMO, the party should go back and track down any known Optional Bosses they missed/skipped and farm some XP/Loot for a final push towards the final Spark thing.

One I wanted to see for sure was the Rakshasha dude trapped in a city somewhere on the other end of the Wastes a looooooooooong time ago. I'm sure there are other Bosses ive forgotten about, but that's one I wished they went after long ago.

That would be great! It'd be super fun to see what the optional bosses have turned in to! You could give them class levels, or template stack them!
For that Ruin Chanter: Maybe has levels in sublime chord, or Dirgesiner flavored in a way that lets her control a Hallowed chorus line? Could get in some solid dance/music related shenanigans/puns.

[Tyrant_2d]

IMO, the party should go back and track down any known Optional Bosses they missed/skipped and farm some XP/Loot for a final push towards the final Spark thing.

One I wanted to see for sure was the Rakshasha dude trapped in a city somewhere on the other end of the Wastes a looooooooooong time ago. I'm sure there are other Bosses ive forgotten about, but that's one I wished they went after long ago.

That would be great, but it's been heavily implied - if not implicitly stated- that we have run out of time (or very nearly), so side quests are a luxury at this point

[PrismCat21]

That would be great, but it's been heavily implied - if not implicitly stated- that we have run out of time (or very nearly), so side quests are a luxury at this point

Not even to finish off for good everyone's favorite Scragg???

... or perhaps Janath could somehow show up one final time during the final boss fight, bringing Sona's huggable friend with him.
Before anyone knows it, there's a cold wet hand slowly creeping around Sona's neck. And since everyone is distracted and doesn't notice... she's left all alone to fend for herself. :P

[Picanet]

Not even to finish off for good everyone's favorite Scragg???

... or perhaps Janath could somehow show up one final time during the final boss fight, bringing Sona's huggable friend with him.
Before anyone knows it, there's a cold wet hand slowly creeping around Sona's neck. And since everyone is distracted and doesn't notice... she's left all alone to fend for herself. :P

I am no longer feeding your Vulpix berries you evil bratwurst >:(

[PrismCat21]

I am no longer feeding your Vulpix berries you evil bratwurst >:(

HEY! My Vulpix has nothing to do with this. She's still just an innocent little kit.
Besides, since I no longer have access to the internet except though my cheap phone, the only berries she gets are from kind hearted, friendly, beautiful creatures like you. :D
Without you, she'll starve...!

[Picanet]

Oh right. No update yet because God of War.

I’m not allowed to tease. I haven’t updated my SA journal in half a year lol. Teaser for the fans then!

Think ‘The Ring’ and and episode of ‘Three Stooges’...their abomination of a love child was kind of how the last session went. Maybe throw in ‘Darkness Falls’ in for an awkward three way.

Yeah... that should bout do it.

[curious-puzzle]

Yeah...God of War is absurdly fun so far. Break time to write though!

Session the 59th!

Seven

Spoiler: Which way from here?

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Sona is a little freaked out, but isn't missing any parts of her brain or soul, so win/win. The party has gained more knowledge, but they still have the immediate issue of what they should do right now. Puck and Talvosh hoot and holler for "Moar bosses"...but they don't remember where any of them exactly are, and questions about how much time is left are met with slightly quivering lips and pouts (I might be exaggerating...but only a little). The suggestion of taking the offensive immediately against the Moon brings to mind the image of Spotter firing arrows into the sky and shouting threats upwards, so that's discarded as well. They know that the final Primal Spark is out there, and that it's Important with that capital I you can hear...but the thing that says it's important is the narrative that ends in them simply perpetuating this cycle. The party isn't just trying to make a flipped coin land on its edge; the coin is razor sharp and they're fumbling around with eyes closed.

A "hey player, your character remembers this" pulls the crystal ball out, and I do a bit of rules-flexing / disturbing foreshadowing by allowing Bonfires to be scryed. Sona focuses and calls to mind the very brief stop made at the Lakeside Cavern Bonfire. The image shakes and sputters a bit, but does appear. However...things are a little different. The last time the party stopped by, the bonfire was in a large cavern with a broad opening out onto an underground lake. Now...it's a uncomfortably tight alcove, with the floor at a sharp angle, and a narrow passageway out leading to thick smoke. So yay that it's still intact, I suppose?

After describing how the fire looks, there's some more debate as to where to go next. Talvosh sidles over to Sona and asks her to look for, "the tiger dude." After some more translating, Sona tries to scry for Manukha dē Khāṇa, the imprisoned Rakshasha that the party encountered way back in the Wasteland. She doesn't infuse the spell with any Vitae, though, so the spell is easily resisted.

The debate continues, and the party finally decides that they're going to find the sunken library at Midpoint, the one that they talked about with the wyrm Tephras. They need more information, and this library seems like a very good candidate for having unedited info about Zophiel, the Curse, and any potential loopholes the party can exploit. The party rests to allow Angelena to prepare the necessary spells, and they warp to the Midpoint fire first thing in the "morning" (with the sky still full of ash it's hard to tell time).

Six

Spoiler: That way!

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The ash hasn't covered the sky this far west yet, but it is a noticeable line on the horizon. What's also noticeable is that the party has warped into the middle of a storm.
The waters around them are even more wild, crashing back and forth, it's raining, and thunder rumbles ominously in the distance. Angelena pulls out all the stops and uses Discern location (technically it wouldn't work that way, I know, but it's an 8th level divination, I give it a bit of leeway). 10 Miles south, about 410 feet down.

Now starts the plotting of how to get there. It starts reasonable, with Puck checking how much air a portable hole stores, with the thought of him reaching the library and everyone hiding in the hole till then. Then it goes to holding the hole partly open to let more air in, then keeping Angelena out so they'll need some water breathing, then flying above the water, then using a Floating disc as a boat...the party keeps making their own ideas more and more complicated. Finally, Sona slaps Celestial brilliance on Puck's axe (which is an absolutely ridiculous spell by the by) says, "Let's just teleport there!" and VORPS everybody on the spot.

Without giving anyone a chance to put up water breathing.



Everyone holds firm and doesn't take in a mouthful of seawater at the shock, and they also all save against the sudden pressure damage. And because the Celestial brilliance i.e. holy brighter than sunlight light, is blazing, the numerous spectral figures floating about all recoil in pain and shock. They quickly flee beneath the ground, except one wraith-like form in full plate. It manages to hold on a little longer, pulsing red eyes glaring over the edge of a greatshield, and then it retreats as well.

Avoiding deep underwater combat against incorporeal foes is probably a really good thing in the long run :P

Angelena uses her ring of silent spells to slap Water breathing on the party members who need it, and they take stock of their surroundings. They're right at the edge of an underwater cliff, and there's a building precariously perched on the edge of said cliff that seems to be their library. The main doors still hum with abjuration magic, but after some inspection, the party is pretty sure that if they just bust the doors open the ocean will instantly flood the building. With some more searching, they find a narrow opening alongside a chunk of rock jutting up through the building and enter moon-pool style. And when I say tight, there might have been a grease spell involved.

The party makes it in, and the trio of non-Forged immediately start gasping and coughing. The air in here flat out isn't safe - but the Rod of Escape means they're good for 20 minutes as long as they're side by side! Looking around, the architecture is very similar to Helios, all grand pillars and sweeping curves in marble and white stone. The whole building is at about a 45 degree angle, though, so maneuvering is a little tricky (except for Puck. Puck cares not for terrain.). They seem to be in a entrance hall of sorts, and in front/below them is an exquisitely carved gate. It has the appearance of an ivy-covered trellis, but is entirely made of stone, and is delicate enough that the light shining through casts eerie shadows. It's so finely carved that it would count as an art piece - at least until Puck cranks his strength roll to bust it open and send the entire gate careening off its hinges to go crashing below. The party walks in, looking back and forth cautiously. This library was once a large oval chamber, with two floors and the walls lined with books. Now, it seems to be lined with lumps of goo. The air is wet and clogged with particles, and most of the books the party can see are barely holding their shapes as books, let alone be readable.

"pitter-patter pitter-patter."

Puck is the first to here the wet mumble, coming from further within the library. As the party looks around, Puck calls out a hesitant greeting.

"pitte-Ah! Guests, after so long! Come closer!"

At the far end of the chamber is what seems to be a small wading pool-at least until a hand made of water emerges and beckons everyone closer. As they carefully slide/step closer, a humanoid figure emerges from the pool.



"Well well, pitter-patter, it has been such a long time since there have been guests. Welcome."

"What are you?"

"I am the Illurien, the keeper of knowledge for this library."

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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Wait, yet another oracle-like creature? I've realized that it is a horse-corpse that I keep beating, but this one is different I swear. This is actually a plunderer and would-be thief of all the knowledge in this library. It just had the bad luck of being here when the whole island sank, and has been stuck here since. Sona jjuuusstt missed a knowledge check to recognize Illurien for what she/it is, and no-one tried Sense motive, so it just rolled with it.

Plus it's really lonely and kind of crazy now.

The party gets a little bit of info out of Illurien, but it quickly clams up, demanding that the party make "donations" of knowledge in exchange for knowledge taken.

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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Add bored and hungry to the list - this way Illurien gets someone to chat with and possibly gets to snack on tasty INT without having to fight

Puck is flat out rejected, seeing as how his mind is untouchable, so he goes off to explore the rest of the library while everyone else speaks with Illurien.

Some clever offerings of current events get a couple more questions answered, but to actually get some real meaty chunks of info, Sona and Angelena step up. Angelena sacrifices her memories of the most terrifying battle she had ever been in (the Twin Guardians who weren't named Ornstein and Smough for copyright reasons), and Sona gives up the first time she felt Pride, both taking a couple points of Intelligence drain in the process.

I don't have the exact list of all the questions (miigghhtt have distracted myself with other things), but here are the super important things discovered!

The easiest way to reach Zophiel's prison is through the throne room of Adremmelach (the god of magic, fire, and sunlight).

Adremmelach's throne room is in Hyperborea (the plane of the gods), which is either tied to or is the same thing as the Hearth of the World.

Even if they aren't planning to link the fire, the Primal Sparks grant the right to stand before Adremmelach's throne (and the Hearth of the Worlds).

The Beast is the greatest daemon of the Labyrinth, a monster that heralds the end of worlds.

Killing the Beast would harm and hinder Zophiel (carefully referred to as the "Spiteful Sister" during all these questions).

The Labyrinth is a Plane, but one that tears apart and absorbs other planes.

At the center of the Labyrinth are the cores of consumed worlds.

The world is ending.

The Beast has nearly broken through the veils between the Labyrinth and the Prime.


Now, as these questions are being asked, Puck has been wandering about the library. Almost all the books have simply broken apart, or look like they'll crumble at the slightest touch. There are a couple shelves that look more intact up near the front, but as Puck is wandering that way, he notices something unusual. There's a thin, silver thread stretching across the air in front of him. It shimmers with magic, but he can't touch it. Pressing on it with his axe does nothing the first time, but then when he pushes again, it catches and breaks. Then he notices another. And another. And another. They seem to be forming a web across the front of the library...

Angelena/Spotter/Sona ask another question: When will the Beast be free?

"Six days."

That was a different voice than Illurien's, and it echoed inside everyone's mind. As the party spins around in place, Puck watches the silver threads suddenly go taut. With a flash and an echoing "SCHING", the webs shear through the front of the library and a wall of water roars towards the party!

Puck has just enough time to rush closer to the party and try and shield ONE person, and one only. Instinct says Angelena, but he instead decides Sona, since she has the means of getting everyone out of here. The water smashes into everyone, but everyone makes their saves to hold onto each other/Puck/jam weapons into the ground. The back wall of the library cracks and splits under the impact, and with a horrible grating noise, the whole library starts to scrape off the edge of the cliff!

To add to this, an ominous silhouette appears at the far end of the library, and nocks a bow. Four arrows blast into Puck's back at far greater speed and impact than should be possible underwater (and dealing around 100 pts of damage total). Even more unsettling, each arrow disappears after landing, leaving a silver thread trailing off into nothing instead. Light glints off a cruel-looking silver mask as the figure reaches for more arrows.

Spotter reaches out to touch as many people as he can reach, while Sona reaches him+the others, and Teleports back to the Fire - this seems like a bad time and place to fight.

Poor Illurien mutters obscenities as the broken library sinks even further below.

The party decides it's time to get the heck out of here, and concentrates on the Fire in order to warp back to Logos. The storm is nearly a full-on typhoon at this point, and the boom of thunder is near constant amid flashes of lighting. It takes a moment to warp between fires, and Spotter catches something out of the corner of his eye just as they're about to warp.

From the south, four figures rising out of the water. They range in size from human to twice the size of a large man, all are wearing gleaming silver masks. They turn to look at him in unison as the party fades away.

We end it there.

Spoiler: DEATH COUNT

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54

[danielxcutter]

Dun dun dun!

[PanosIs]

Finally, I've been waiting for this for a while.

Must have more!

[curious-puzzle]

60(!!!) sessions!

Whilst the average saline content of the test subjects has increased dramatically, none have reached lethal dosage levels.

The experiment continues.

Spoiler: Return to Logos

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The party materializes around the central fire of Logos to find the church...empty. That's kind of weird. Walking outside, they find everyone just standing out in the square, staring up at the sky (which is a little weirder).

Specifically at the glowing outline of the moon, the only thing visible through the ash filling the sky. I'm sure this is perfectly fine...Puck's test shake of a nearby person progresses into vigorous rattling, then to upside-down thrashing, before he's told to put the poor victim down. They find poor Noctis out in the courtyard, eyes fixed skywards and a bit of drool leaking out of the side his mouth. Sona looks up as well, unfocusing her eyes to try and catch a glimpse at Fate strands (she has a couple levels in Fatespinner, so fluff reasons ahoy). Her suspicion is correct, and she can see a gleaming thread stretching up from each person to the clouds above. There's not really any magic to dispel, so there's a brief lull until Sona pushes a point of her Spin against the thread connected to Noctis. It pulls apart, and a surprised Noctis jolts back to awareness. The party frantically stops him from looking up, and hustles him back into the church to try and figure out what's going on. Unfortunately he can't recall much at all, and just as a worried Alexandria shuffles up from further back in the church, I call for a Will save from Spotter. He fails, but then out of everyone Puck makes the Intelligence check to feel the party being watched. He points out the Scrying sensor to Sona, who dispels it swiftly. Unfortunately, Unfortunately he can't recall much at all, and just as a worried Alexandria shuffles up from further back in the church, I call for a Will save from Spotter. He fails, but then out of everyone Puck makes the Intelligence check to feel the party being watched. He points out the Scrying sensor to Sona, who dispels it swiftly. Unfortunately, that’s all the time the scryers needed, as a moment later there’s an explosion from outside the church!

“Come out, Pilgrims. Or do we have to snuff out more of these feeble little sparks?” An exceptionally cold and cruel voice taunts the party, and the smell of burning flesh wafts in.

Initiative!

In setting up the mat for this fight, I placed the party members inside the church, and then scattered most of the remainder of the map with dice to represent all the helpless folks under the sway of the moon. Then I scooped away a whole bunch of dice due to the explosion. The stakes are laid out pretty clearly thanks to that >:}

Spotter rushes out the doors first and looks up to see the 4 robed and masked figures that had been stalking them back at the ruins of Midpoint. All 4 silver maks gaze down, two humanoid figures (one about 12 ft tall though), one that is clearly a horned devil, and one that's more a writhing misshapen lump under the robes than anything. Spotter coming into view triggers the Norn's and the Olethros' readied actions, though. The Olethros pegs him with an arrow, which crits! But is negated by Spotter's Forged fortification, lucky dog. Then the Norn reaches out and grasps hold of a shining thread that seems to be attached to Spotter - and she severs it with a part of wicked shears. I roll perfectly average and deal 60 pts to poor Spotter He responds with a Hunter's mercy charged arrow, but the Norn's twisting of fate causes him to miss. The fight accelerates quickly after that, with Angelena bringing out the big buffs right away with Holy aura. The misshapen enemy hurtles downwards to the ground, barely flinching as the Forbiddance burns it. Puck zooms at the Norn, but the Horned Devil lashes out with his chain and uses Stand Still! I roll poorly for damage though and Puck continues on to slash the Norn heavily. Sona slaps Fly onto Talvosh, and he rockets out to slash the enemy with writhing robes! Said robes fall apart to reveal not one but two hideous abominations, some drug-addled cross between a spider, octopus, scorpion, and tree, with an extra helping of nightmare tossed in. The Thulgant Qlippoth shriek and hiss, and their horrific appearance burns 6 wisdom away from Spotter.

The Norn decides to make Puck a problem for later and hits him with Maze, and he disappears with a *pop*. Unfortunately for me, he makes his intelligence check on the first try, so he's back the following round. The Norn gets riddled with arrows from Spotter, the Olethros zooms to a flank, and the Thulgants attack Talvosh! One full attacks and rips into him, but deals minimum ability drain from him making all his saves (I tuned them up by making the drain only half instead of negated on a save). The second tries to Temporal Stasis the wrathful berserker, but he had activated his ring of Spell Turning earlier! Thankfully the Thulgant does not take itself out of the fight. The horned devil swoops down and cranks Talvosh in the head, stunning him for 4 rounds, but he delays it with Mad Foam Rager.

Sona and Angelena are still charging up, Sona with Project Image, and Angelena with Storm Rage and a divinely-quickened Mass Death Ward. I think said stormrage might be Angelena's 2nd favorite new spell, right after Slime wave.

The Olethros tries to shoot Angelena, but Stormrage says no to such shenanigans, so she instead fills Spotter with fateful arrows. Sona decides that using the enemy's tactics is never a bad thing, and Mazes the Horned Devil. Spoiler, I fail every single Intelligence check for the full 10 minutes.

Spoiler: SULKY DM NOTE

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He had levels in Warblade and everything!

The Norn decides to go for the squishes, and uses her Time Stop ability to appear between Sona and Angelena, with the intention of snipping their lives short with those shears. An observant Spotter spins and unloads on her point-blank, though, and she topples over dead.

Only for time to seemingly reverse itself, as Fortunate Fate triggers and she stands again healed.

"My lady's plans will not be stopped."

Talvosh cuts the one Thulgant down and then goes punch-drunk for the next few rounds, and the remaining Thulgant eyes Spotter's tasty spine hungrily. Spotter's attack on the Norn gave Angelena and Sona time to wheel about, though, and Angelena unloads all of the lightning channeled from Stormrage directly into the Norn's mask. She twitches and thrashes, but nowhere near as much as she should.

But then Sona hits with a heightened Disintegrate and I roll a nat 3, and the Norn crumbles to nothingness.

Puck is back in the fight and rockets headlong at the Olethros, slashing across her midsection deeply. In response, the Olethros hits him with Temporal stasis and he nat-1s the save. Puck is locked outside time FFFOOORRREEEEVVVEEEERRRR.

Or until Angelena Wishes him to not be.

The Thulgant shreds Spotter, stabbing and slashing and melting, and his attempts to shoot back are foiled by the beast's displacement. The returned Puck charges the Olethros once again, this time bouncing her off the outside of the church. She's hurt, but still standing. As the impassive silver mask stares at Puck though, she seemingly comes to a decison, and flies around Puck.

To the helpless survivors standing below in the courtyard. The Olethros flits gently to the ground, and then lets out a Wail of the Banshee, killing everyone within the spell's radius. I scoop dice off the table with an evil little smile.

Spotter had been forced to tumble back and out of the Thulgant's reach last turn, so it has a clear line to shuffle over and full attack Angelena instead. It stabs, slashes, rips, and melts, and Angelena takes a lot of ability drain. The Thulgant shrugs off a Plane shift as well, but more arrows plus Talvosh finally coming back to awareness and hurling his axe into its "face" is enough to drop the monster. Puck rockets after the Olethros to finally put her down, and everything is quiet. Nearly two-thirds of the people who were outside are gone, nothing left but ash. The party physically moves the remaining survivors back into the church, using their portable hole and a floating disk to speed the process.


The Horned Devil reappears after 10 minutes and beats a hasty retreat, flapping upwards before disappearing with a snarl.

Alexandria and Bulwark are terrified and confused; they can barely remember that the party was fighting something, let alone see what it was. Bulwark in particular seems somewhat dumbstruck by the deaths of so many, but he actually nods in thanks to Puck's somewhat stilted explanation of how they tried to save them. Alexandria uses a Greater Restoration on Angelena, but the magic takes an obvious toll on her as she sways unsteadily. The party burned all their big guns, so they sit down to rest until dawn, when they will go directly to the Goblin Holds/Demon Ruins.

They do ask if anyone has seen either Rowen (the Mage-King) or the Twins, though. Both answers are a no, which isn't a good sign...Spotter goes looking at the corner building where the twins normally lurked.

He does find them, frantically slapping protective talismans against walls, scribbling down formulae, and generally freaking out behind magic wards that crackle like demented bugzappers. He tries to calm them down by explaining that the servants of Fate are dead, but the most coherent thing he gets out of them at first is, "IT'S THE END."

He doesn't really reassure them by giving them a timetable for the apocalypse (6 days), but then they ask him what he's going to do.

"We're going to the Demon Ruins, and we're going to get the last Primal Spark." They nod hesitantly.

"Then we're going to go into the Labyrinth." Eyes widen at that one.

"And we're going to find the Beast and kill it." Eyes bulge a bit more.

"After that, we're going to Adremmelach's throne, and use it to get to the Prison within the Moon. And then we'll deal with Her." The twins start to mutter to each other more rapidly, expressions shifting at least from absolute terror to frightened determination. Spotter promises that they'll even deal with Adremmelach if he gets in their way, and the Twins suggest to stick to one attempted deicide. The Twins promise to spread their wardings to help protect the others, but they unfortunately don't know where Rowen went, other than Elsewhere. As Spotter turns around to leave, they put forth one last request.

"Please don't let the Moon crash and kill us all."

During the night, Spotter and Puck notice that the streets surrounding the square are absolutely packed with Ash Wraiths. Shoulder to shoulder, glowing eyes fixed straight ahead, the wraiths press right up to the edge of the protective wardings and don't go anywhere.

Puck decides that's a good opportunity to stab and poke at the wraiths within reach of his polearm from the other side of the wards. So after a little bit, there's the wards, a 5ft gap, and then legions of Ash wraiths. Ah Puck, always hold to your principles of "murderdeathkill." The night passes uneventfully.

FIVE

Spoiler: The Last spark

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The morning comes quickly, though only Angelena's innate sensation of dawn allows anyone to tell what time it is. The temperature continues to drop at an alarming rate, to the point that steam wafts out of the church door, the Fire keeping inside warm. After a bit of double-checking on buff spells, the party warps to the Demon Ruins.

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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One of the spells decided on to start persisting is Holy Aura. I am both proud and more than a little worried.

The party appears in the now-crazily tilted cavern, and the breathing party members immediately start coughing and choking on the poisonous burning air. A swift activation of the Rod of Escape gives them enough time to put up mass energy resistance against the heat, and a rummage through the bags digs up some potions of Neutralize Poison, which will serve against the toxic fumes.
Puck makes a snarky comment about Sona rushing things again, so she throws a small vial of weapon oil at him...which instantly ignites from the heat. Puck's unharmed due to the resistance, but not impressed.

The only way out of this chamber now seems to be a crawlspace-sized tunnel, so Spotter wriggles his way through first to scout things out. He emerges to a near-sheer drop of jagged rock below, more sharp rock above, thick smoke obscuring everything past 20 ft, and a tell-tale heat glow down in the depths of the smoke.
Spotter worms his way out to cling to the edge of the tunnel, and calls back in what he's seen. Puck decides to help scout (what with his mobility and durability), so he forces himself into the crawlspace. He gets stuck partway through though, so Sona helpfully casts Grease-

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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I totally set them up for this and I'm not even a bit sorry.

-which promptly combusts. Again. Puck manages to work his way out while the rest of the party is coughing through the increased smoke levels, and he floats down the volcano slope. He zips around for a bit, but retreats after seeing nothing (but hearing heavy wingbeats further within the smoke).

A combination of Discern Location and a Vitae check points the party towards the final Primal Spark. It's further down within the volcano, several thousand feet in fact. Everyone who needs it gets Fly, and the party rockets down the volcano slope.

They roll luckily for not encountering anything, and after a couple rapid twists around rock spurs, find themselves above a massive lake of fire and lava. In the center of said lake, though, is the partial fragments of a building that's still somehow mostly intact. Flickering within the building is a fiery glow somehow clearly distinct from the heat haze all around it. As the party starts to advance though, a gigantic boulder smashes into the lava in front of them!

"DEFILERS! DEFIERS! YOU WILL NEVER REACH THE SPARK!" Winged beasts swoop out of the smoke!

We end it there

Spoiler: DEATH COUNT

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54

[curious-puzzle]

I completely forgot your questions Jonagel, I'm sorry!

Oh man, so many threads to pick up!!

General question: Eulethron and Madchen Brunhilde...did she ever go back to her crazy home? Also, were the masked mime assassins (Mummers?) just mercenary/outcast versions of the Talons? Speaking of, I guess they had killed people from the PC's home world before given the coin the assassins had?

-Madchen Brunhilde had indeed gone home, but if the party met her again, they didn't recognize her.

-The Mummers were dropouts from the Talons, actually, who fled before they could undergo the whole procedure. But no-one leaves the Talons.

-The coins from the PCs world were from Janath and Jezelle, who had hired the Mummers to try and take out the PCs before they could interfere with the invasion of Logos.

Finally, I've been waiting for this for a while.

Must have more!

Glad you've been enjoying the ride! And more you shall have!

[curious-puzzle]

Session the 61st!

Spoiler: Beasts of Fire

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We jump immediately into initiative, with winged beasties bursting up from the lava and swooping down from the smoke above. In front of the party are two large humanoid figures, very much the traditional fiendish look (draconic wings, horns, claws, etc) and still glowing with volcanic heat. Descending behind the party is a more unusual creature: a huge monstrosity with the torso of a muscled giant, scaly wings, and the lower half of a four-legged, clawed beast. It also seems to be wearing armor of a sort, but made out of broken statues and idols.

The Nemesis devil is first to go, summoning a Horned Devil right in the midst of the party. It flails about with abandon, but misses a couple times with its chain and fails to stun anyone. Spotter's next, and he calmly spins out of the horned devil's reach, activates his bowstring against evil outsiders, and lets loose with a manyshot that crits the horned devil right in the face. Seeing as how Spotter is up to a x5 critical multiplier with bows thanks to his prestige class, the initial arrow that crits nearly kills the horned devil, and the 4 that come screaming in around it finish the job with authority. The first immolation devil reacts by coating everyone with an unholy Firestorm. Most of the party makes their save, but still take a piece of damage even through the fire resistance. The second Immolation devil calls forth 7 Blood reaver devils, and they make general chaos. They're not powerful enough to easily threaten the party, and they're at serious risk of blinding themselves striking the party (thanks to the persisted Holy aura, but they make a fine mess of everything. Our heroes begin to strike back, Puck pushing hard to take out the Immolation Devil who hasn't summoned any minions to the fight yet, and Sona trying to lock some of the enemies down with an Acid fog. While this is happening, Spotter notices a small creature lurking on the Nemesis Devil's shoulder. It looks like a goblin or something along those lines, with grotesquely oversized claws. Said little demented creature howls and shrieks, fighting its way through the clinging fog while Talvosh hacks down Reaver devils. Angelena is threatened by the Nemesis devil teleporting next to her, but not before she uses Heat Drain to put some pain onto the Immolation devils. Critically, she gains 4 temporary hp from this spell, which is important later.

A charge+some arrows+a Snake's Swiftness is enough for one Immolation devil to go down, but then the little goblin-thing breaks free of the fog with a cackle, and rockets towards Talvosh!
Everyone is a little alarmed when the little monster's claws deal 30+ damage (I flavor it as the claws gouging dangerously close to the eyes), but the party is confident that the diminuative daemon is about to axed into several pieces.

It dodges Talvosh's first swing with ease, then his second with a giggle. Finally Talvosh slashes the beast across the midsection, opening it nearly to the spine for 118 damage.

And everyone's midsection erupts with the same wound as the Paragon Jovoc howls with laughter.

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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Jovocs are little demons with a nasty ability called "Aura of Retribution." Any damage they take is also inflicted upon non-fiends around them.

Spotter is fluent in Abyssal, and can see the Jovoc, so he can see the blazing rune on its forehead.

UNDYING RETRIBUTION.

Spotter desperately shouts to stop striking the demon, and the Jovoc screams for more, preferably in the face! The fight's turned grim abruptly, Angelena barely conscious, and Spotter and Sona taking a big chunk of damage even having made their saves (hp is barely even a concept to Puck and Talvosh anymore). Puck and the remaining Immolation devil rip into each other with abandon, while the Reaver devils toss some lightning around to further damage the party. About the only thing going for the heroes at this point is the Nemesis devil had to waste its turn teleporting out of the Acid fog.

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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I was really hoping Talvosh was going to crit the Jovoc and make practically everyone explode Doom-rocket launcher style

The Jovoc rapidly grows a big chunk of its guts back, then makes an exaggerated, "sshhh secret" gesture to Talvosh. Then it points at Angelena and hits her with a Greater Dispel. I don't rip all of her buffs away, but critically Angelena's flight and heat resistance are torn asunder. The sudden heat damage of floating 30 feet above LAVA plus the lightning arcing around is enough to knock Angelena unconscious, and she starts to drop downwards.

HOWEVER, due to the 4 temporary hp she had gained from Heat Drain and Lesser vigor not being dispelled, she's still alive.

Begin Operation Save the Cleric!

The gang actually pulls off some impressive coordination with a Dimension step and careful flight. Spotter swoops underneath the falling Angelena, hits her with a quickened energy resistance (his caster level only gives resist 10, but that's better than nothing), and crams a potion of healing down her throat. Nearly rolling max means Angelena will be conscious on her turn, yaaayy! Unless he dies, which the Nemesis Devil really tries to accomplish by zapping him with a Spectral-handed Harm (I gave him an extra trick, sue me). Spotter doesn't drop Angelena, but he's getting to dangerously low health. Talvosh got shuffled away from the Jovoc and double teams the remaining Immolation devil instead with Puck. The Immolation devil goes down, and Talvosh rockets towards the Nemesis devil, while Puck starts smashing his way towards the Jovoc. Said Jovoc keeps shrieking and giggling and shoots past Puck to attack Sona, but he resists the bait and doesn't take the attack of opportunity. Poor Sona nearly gets an eye gouged out by the midget-sized incarnation of evil as she tries to backpedal.

Sona wakes up, and activates Stormrage before busting out some quickened healing for everyone.

Rapidly the remaining opposition falls...except for the Jovoc threatening Sona and Angelena. Noticing the blazing rune in the Jovoc's forehead, Sona snaps out a Greater Dispel...and suppresses the aura of retribution.

Spoiler: DM NOTE 3: THE NOTENING

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Technically that doesn't work but I liked the feel of it

The party goes berserk trying to take down the Jovoc, but it is absurdly hard to hit. It takes another greater dispel and more face-maulings before Puck manages to cleave the Jovoc in twain...and then each half grabs onto his axe-haft! He continues to beat on the regenerating demon, but Angelena finally is able to slap her hands onto the demon with a Dispel Evil. With a wail and a POP, the fiend vanishes.

Since they're still in the middle of an evil active volcano, the party rapidly flies over to the remaining section of keep floating on the lava, and Angelena floats down to collect the final Primal Spark.

It hurts more than any of the others before it, dropping the priestess to her knees as she ignites. Angelena's armor glows nearly white-hot, and the stones around her soften and bubble. Just when it seems she's about to collapse, the Fire recedes, seeping into the lantern. The lantern, however, shudders and quakes, and cracks spread across the glass panels. As Angelena collects herself and stands, the heavens tear asunder above her.

Well, not so much the heavens as a large portal above Angelena, but heavens sounds cooler. The party floats close and peer into the portal; it seems to open out onto some grand gleaming chamber. It seems a cross between forge, fireplace, observation chamber, and possibly throne room. From what they can see, one entire wall is a massive vista hanging above an entire world. A spellcraft check+knowledge checks means the party is pretty sure this is a portal to Hyperborea, the realm of the Gods. Aaannd that it's a one-way portal.

Sona is pretty sure that the portal will stay open for at least a day or two - worst case, they still have the scroll of Greater Plane Shift. Deciding not to ascend directly to the Hearth of the World, the party warps through the Fire back to Logos. Time for final preparations.

Tomorrow they confront the Beast.

Spoiler: It's getting cold

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The party shivers upon returning to Logos; the blistering heat they were just in only makes the dropping temperatures everywhere else even more obvious. Alexandria waves weakly to the party as they return; she's still not looking good.

Spoiler: DM NOTE

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She'd be dead if the party hadn't given her Vitae, so there's that at least

While Angelena settles down to meditate and rest until sunrise, Spotter and Puck find Bulwark marching around the edge of the courtyard, oblivious to their questions (or in Puck's case, borderline taunts). It takes Puck standing in front of him and trying to push him back plus Spotter nearly shouting before Bulwarks snaps to awareness. They ask if there has been any sign of Rowen (the Mage King), but Bulwark shakes his head and starts his patrol again. Puck ends up flying to the central tower (the sky is a much safer option as the wraiths are all still crowding the edges of the courtyard), but finds no sign of Rowen there. The only thing Puck finds is a permanent Wall of Force spread across the portal to Revelation...he flies back shortly after that.

Sona decides to do some snooping about while resting, so she busts out ye olde crystal ball and starts drunk-dialingscrying.

The Mage-King, Rowen, is unsuccessful, as is Jezelle. Then Sona decides to go all in, and pumps a Vitae into the crystal ball before attempting to look for Maria of Logos.

My dice, apparently loving drama, tumbles to a nat 1.

Sona is looking at Maria from behind. She's in some massive underground chamber, and she's working on some large metallic statue. Looking closer, it's not a statue; it's more like a cross between a Forged and the Awakened Iron golems that the party faced way back in the Wastes, and is about 12 ft tall. Maria cradles something bright and ethereal in one hand, then carefully tips it into the golem-like creature's chest. As the eyes pulse to life, and Sona notices the rows upon rows of similar constructs stretching out of sight in all directions. Then Maria ***** her head as if hearing something. Abruptly she spins around and snaps a hand out, and Sona's scrying sensor fizzes out. But she got a look at whatever Maria was up to!

Sona and Angelena manage to snap Bulwark back out of his fugue, and using a minor image-copy of what Sona saw, guesstimate that Maria might be down somewhere in the sewers and catacombs of Logos, deep below. Deciding that it's worth the risk, Angelena uses her prepared Sending to contact Maria.

"Think we may have found a way to break the Curse. Want to make sure we don't end the world, speak with us in Logos?"

There is a weighty pause before a harsh grating voice echoes in Angelena's mind.

"You'd better not be wasting my time."

A few moments later, the wall of wraiths parts as several of them just...wander off. Standing at the edge of the Forbiddance is Maria, the Iron Mage of Logos.

After a brief staredown, Maria waspishly asks if they're going to give her the password to enter the Forbiddance so they can talk. Angelena rushes off to ask Alexandria the password, which turns out to be "Daylight" (I get a slightly dry, "of course it is" for that). Once Angelena returns and relays this, Maria neatly steps across. Bulwark seems to snap out of his daze and steps forward with one hand on his sword hilt! But a swift word (not magic) from Maria and he locks in place - the party either doesn't fully catch this or ignores it in favor of parley.

The party and Maria verbally spar a bit, Sona poking and prodding about the giant Forged she saw Maria working on, and Puck bluntly accusing her of not doing anything useful. Maria is full of caustic bitterness and snark, and mocks the various discoveries and revelations the party shares with her about Zophiel, the Beast, and Eulethron. But despite her harsh words, she remains and keeps talking.
When Sona displays one of the Anaathemic Lances, that really gets her attention.

Sona asks what Maria's intention with the army of constructs is, and Maria spits back that there needs to be something to fight against the legions of fiends and daemons that will burst out of the Labyrinth very soon. In return, Maria asks exactly what the party is planning on doing. When they get to the part of the plan that involves traveling to the Labyrinth and slaying the Beast there, she laughs in their faces.

Maria warns the party that the Labyrinth irrevocably changes anyone who enters it, bringing their darkest and most twisted passions and urges forth. Grudgingly, she admits that the divinely-touched Curse marks that the party sports should help the party from being immediately twisted into daemons. It won't completely protect them, however.

At one point Maria says something particularly cutting towards Angelena, and Puck steps in between Maria and the sun priestess. Maria stops and stares silently at that, musing that her child has made a disappointingly sentimental choice. Puck denies her claim again, but she dismisses his body as "crude and half-finished." When Puck challenges her to give him a better one, Maria simply holds her hand out.

"Then give your heart to me."

I think Puck's player came reeallllyy close to accepting, but Angelena makes a wisdom check to realize that's a pretty Final offer, and a light touch on the shoulder sways Puck to staying with his companions.

"I thought you were truly becoming strong, my child."

"You would want me to kill for power again." Whoops, he said that out loud. Narrowed eyes from Angelena promises further discussion on this if everyone survives. Maria has no problem agreeing, though, and she bluntly requests the party kill as many daemons as they can, maybe their headlong assault will do something useful.

Then the party challenges that Maria should actually help them for once, as they are the best chance of the Cycle doing something other than perpetuating or failing for the first time in...well...ever. After a bit more roleplaying and persuading, Maria nods sharply.

"Fine then. I'll be back shortly." With that, she vanishes. A few moments later, she reappears. Maria bluntly states that the Portal in the Goblin Holds will remain open for several days now, and then with a wave of her hand, 5 gleaming black vials float towards the party members. When asked what it is, Maria compares it to the Uncanny Ichor that everyone applied to their weapon or armor to enhance it.

"It's an opportunity. Either it will strengthen you, or if you're too weak, it will kill you."

As everyone drinks, I tell them to choose Physical or Mental, and then to make a Fortitude or Will save respectively. Puck, Spotter, and Talvosh choose Physical, while Sona and Angelena choose mental unsurprisingly. Only Puck passes the save, so he stays standing while everyone else is immediately dropped to 0 hit points and dazed for 3 minutes (on a critical failure they would have died). However, after the agonizing burning freezing pain, their physical (Str Dex Con) or mental (Int Wis Cha) abilities are all increased by 2!

As most of the heroes writhe on the ground, Maria looks at Puck again and shakes her head.

"Disappointing." With that, she disappears again. Once the party picks themselves back up again, they hunker down to rest for the night.

We end it there

FOUR

Spoiler: DEATH COUNT

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54

[danielxcutter]

Paragon Jo... Oh Puzzle you SOB.

[curious-puzzle]

[Picanet]

Paragon Jo... Oh Puzzle you SOB.

RIGHT!?!? Lol. several of us got through that fight in single digit hit points.

[Picanet]

So I’m kind of hoping Puzzle posts just how nasty THE BEAST is....

Yeah. That one. We met it.

[Tyrant_2d]

Holy crap he was rough. Thank the gods of critical hits, or we would never have won lol

[danielxcutter]

Seriously, this table is kinda crazy on both sides. Sounds like the Beast's even worse than the Paragon Jovoc last session...

[curious-puzzle]

Not nasty enough, apparently! :P Onto the 62nd session!

Spoiler: Final preparations

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While the squishies are resting/contemplating the feeble spark of their pathetic existence/assuming the party escort submission position, Spotter and Puck decide to gather whatever last snippets of information they can on their upcoming destination (The Labyrinth) and destiny (the Beast). They quiz a nodding off Alexandria (and snap poor Noctis out of being hypnotized by the flame), but don't get much more than make sure to put as much holy and mental wardings and protective magic as possible before venturing into the Labyrinth. Next stop is back to the Library, and see how much of Pathos is still functioning!

Seeing as how it's just the robotic duo, Spotter hops into Puck's portable hole, and Puck rockets off above the notice of the ash wraiths.

Spoiler: DM NOTE; Ramble on Warforged

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I really like Warforged, but one thing I think I underestimated before running a long-term game with them is the lack of a need to rest for martials. You can accomplish a LOT when you never need to stop. One idea rattling around my list of game ideas (either Eberron or another setting) is a black ops/wetworks squad of all Warforged. No need to stop except for emergency repairs, wait in just absurd locations for the perfect ambush, outmarch basically everyone. Could be fun - either to play, or as a nasty rival/nemesis group

Back in the query chamber, Pathos seems....rough. His voice cuts in an out with little buzzes and sputters, a status report comes back "severe degradation to all systems," and a query about the Labyrinth just brings up the same info the party had found before. When Puck and Spotter ask if Pathos can repair himself, or if there's someone who can, they get a garbled blast of sound.

KKKGGGHHH**%%*#$#*idon'twanttodie*#$*%*#*EEFJFJF ERROR

Maybe feeling sympathy for their fellow machine, Spotter and Puck offer to try and help fix Pathos, even if they aren't authorized. Even with Puck's mighty -5 to diplomacy, the floating platform appears outside the query chamber after a couple ominous moments. The ride down is nowhere as smooth as last time - the lift shakes and shudders occasionally, there are barely any will o'wisp servitors floating around, and the previously lit-up panels are sputtering and sparking erratically. They finally reach Pathos' core, and it's not looking to healthy either. The green glow is barely there, and they're pretty sure a bunch of hairline cracks are starting to show up.

Unfortunately for Spotter and Puck, while their combined ranks in Craft (Forged) allows them to recognize that Pathos is losing the power needed to function, they have no ability to fix it or try to preserve his consciousness. After some debating and plotting, Puck floats over to the massive crystal heart of Pathos, presses a hand against it, and pumps a Vitae into the crystal. The reaction is immediate - a hum becomes audible, the crystal's light pulses brighter, and Pathos perks up asking just what that was. The burst of Vitae allows Pathos to explain more clearly what's happening - "a cascading failure from a damaged memory segment is overloading other sections-" at Puck and Spotter's blank stares, he sighs and relates to bleeding out sentience. Unfortunately the library doesn't have enough power to answer any more questions, or to repair himself any more than what's already happened. Puck is especially familiar with the edge of hunger creeping into Pathos' voice, and warily asks what more Pathos needs.

"Oh, at least 2 times what you already pumped in there. At least. Perhaps you're willing to offer more...?" Puck snatches his hand back. In-game, he's well too aware of the seductive allure of Vitae. Out-of-character, Puck's player is just super stingy with Vitae. After some more deliberations, it's Spotter who touches the crystal next (either being more trusting, more desperate to get info, or just wanting to get s**t done faster). The greedy intelligence does a spiritual Yank and Spotter quickly loses two Vitae before forcibly pulling his hand away.

"Ooooohhh, much better!" The core pulses with even more light, and Pathos' voice is almost back to 'normal'. "I suppose I can answer a couple questions now. But time for you to leave my core...unless you're going to give me some more?" Puck and Spotter hastily get back onto the lift, and the ride back up shows much less ominous flickering/damage.

Pathos still doesn't have any silver bullets of information for the pair, but he does have a repaired fragment from the crazy journal about the Labyrinth, one that pertains to the Beast.

And the Beast shall open one of its Seven mouths, and sing the song that ends the world

Pathos is downright insulting about the party's chances of succeeding in slaying the Beast, or even returning from the Labyrinth for that matter. His doubts fail to sway either of the Forged though, so Pathos asks them to leave so he can start his Apocalypse Preservation Protocol. A slightly panicked Spotter asks what that exactly is-but he's satisfied with Pathos' answer of it being a total sealing/lockdown of the Library. With as much information gathered as possible in such short time, Puck and Spotter fly back to their companions as the doors to the Library lock and fuse together.

The party wakes at dawn, and by the time their pre-adventure buffing is done, the party glows with power. If I remember correctly, the list looked like:

Holy aura
Mass Death Ward
Lesser Vigor
Fly
Feast of Heroes
(I might be forgetting a couple)

Everyone links hands, and with a single centering breath, Sona shifts the party to the Labyrinth.

Spoiler: The Labyrinth

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The party finds themselves adrift in darkness. They're standing on a broken chunk of island, but all around them is total blackness. Well, that, and countless other chunks of land and buildings, varying from small skiffs to titanic islands. Floating in the dark, some occasionally crash into one another with echoing cracks and crunches. The sound bouncing around is horribly disconcerting, along with the occasional roar/snarl/scream emerging from the spiral of oblivion.

Okay, time for the checklist of immediate Labyrinth effects!

Everyone is protected by Holy Aura? Check, no-one immediately goes murderously insane from the influence of the plane.

No-one is at 2 Vitae or below? Check, they aren't driven into a ravenous frenzy by the Vitae-infused environment.

Anyone at overflowing levels (above their starting total) of Vitae? Puck is! He fails his save and is overcome by his sin of Sloth. But the Touched by Death upgrade to his mark lessens the impact, so he isn't permanently cursed. Puck slumps into a sitting position and decides it just isn't worth going anywhere anymore. It takes Talvosh physically man/robot-handling him up onto his shoulders before the lethargy leaves Puck's limbs.

While this is happening, Sona and Spotter gaze all around at their new surroundings, trying to figure out just what the heck this place is. Some high spellcraft, knowledge planes, Spot, and Wisdom checks gleans some info.

-This plane is highly chaotic and evil-aligned, so pretty much the whole party is taking a penalty to mental skills
-Any magic involving creation will be seriously stifled and dampened, while destructive magic might be strengthened
-The giant floating fragments are all roughly travelling in a spiral downwards
-said spiral seems to be going towards a somehow Darker section (depth perception and lighting is weird in this place, they can see incredibly far)

Instead of flying through the broken pieces of consumed worlds and triggering all sorts of fun encounters / me messing with the party, Sona spots the biggest chunk that's quite close to the center of the Spiral, and teleports everyone onto it.

The party's luck at going unnoticed runs out, as there are Guardians of Oblivion on this same chunk of rock. The trio of Obcisidaemons
(who are super menacing looking - look up the pathfinder description) turn, and it's initiative!

Spotter shoots one of the obcisidaemons, but doesn't deal a ton of damage. He fails at his check to identify the beasties, either. One of the daemons goes next, and puts up a quickened Spell turning, then sprays the party with a Meteor Swarm. It deals decent damage to the party (and wow Meteor swarm takes a while with all the different saves for different AOES). The second daemon shuffles up and lays into Spotter, dealing more damage but missing several times due to the outcropping of rock Spotter was partially behind. Sona's up next and she makes her check to recognize these fiends as truly nasty customers.

Their more common title would be Genocide Daemons, as they are personifications of (and created by) exactly that. Deciding that it's not a good idea to take on the trio of soul-devouring mass-murdering deathmonsters (and taking advantage of the fact that everyone is tightly packed together still), Sona looks to her left. The central patch of darker-than darkness is right there, and a fragment of island fades out of sight into it. Throwing caution to the wind (and remembering that their research stated that the Beast is in the center of the Labyrinth, along with the Heart of Worlds), Sona teleports everyone into the center of the spiral.

GAME OVER

I kid, I kid. The Pilgrims are powerful enough that they are not in fact torn asunder. It is an incredibly painful feeling, though, as they are warped and stretched through time and space. They emerge into a bizarre landscape. Floating in mid-air, "below" them (they're not sure if they're upside down or if the world is inverted) are gigantic ruins stretching in all directions. Walls, gates, locks, chains, everything is smashed, broken, bent, twisted, or in some state of disrepair. But with remaining chunks jutting up to the same height as the party (60-70 feet or so), it was never a structure for human-sized creatures. "Above" them is a photo-negative white sky, and looming there is a swirling morass of glittering blackness. That is the biggest hunk of Vitae the party has ever seen, big enough to swallow a city. Before they can do much more than gaze about though, everything shakes to the sound of thunderous booms getting closer.

A mountain sized chorus of voices rumbles in Abyssal (think the serpent speaking, mild spoilers for new God of War).

SO FAR TO COME, ONLY TO DIE

NOW PERISH

And the End of Worlds smashes through the walls in front of the party.

Spoiler: BOSS FIGHT: THE BEAST

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The Beast tears through the cliffs of stone with gnashing teeth and talons. Standing nearly 100 feet tall, it lumbers out of the dust. Every inch is covered in thick scales and chitin that gleams in the eerie not-light. A tail that could encircle a castle lashes with an earsplitting crack, and cruel rending talons flex and scrape against one another. Seven maws stretch open, all the size of castle gates and full of massive fangs dripping with saliva. The central head sports twisting horns like a savage crown, and swaying tentacles tipped with cruel spikes thrash and curl about. The seven-headed reptilian monstrosity glares, and it's BOSS FIGHT TIME.

Alas, Puck and Talvosh both go before the Beast. Talvosh winds up with a Frenzy-raging Headlong-Rush Pouncing Charge, and only misses twice, dealing hundreds of points of damage. Puck charges in as well, dealing another chunk of damage. The Beast retaliates by unleashing its 15(!) natural attacks, dealing 100+ pts to Puck and focusing on Talvosh to instantly shred him to -200 or so and seizing him between its teeth. Then the Beast Roars and the world cracks.

Massive plumes of dust and rock are torn up as they are shook apart, and the trio of Spotter/Angelica/Sona are hurled backwards as they too are savaged by the sheer sound of the roar. Buut I roll the max 4 rounds to recharge for the next bellow. Spotter collects himself and Dim-doors everyone out of the cloud to a perpendicular rock wall. Angelena busts out an Enervation! Which bounces off the Beast's hide and shoots right back at her! Frantically she uses her shield to deflect back again Spell-tennis style, and it is absorbed harmlessly this time. Sona stretches a Dimension step out for just Talvosh and Puck, and Talvosh pops out of the Beast's jaws while Puck circles to flank.

This becomes a theme of the fight, the Beast quickly discovering that the annoying flying axe-wielders won't stop fighting no matter what. So he seizes them in claws or jaws and stomps towards the other three Pilgrims. Sona then uses Dimension step to pop them free, and they full attack for hideous damage. Angelena occasionally drops Cometfalls too.

Especially Talvosh, as Deathless Frenzy + Pain Mastery quickly shoots his strength to absolutely absurd levels. Me landing a crit on Talvosh allows his Reciprocal bracers to trigger as well for more hundreds of points of damage. The Beast's regeneration is almost instant, but the party is tearing swathes of flesh away like buzzsaws.

Then Spotter lands a crit using Hunter's Mercy, and follows it up with a nat-20 crit. Puncturing eyes, the Beast slumps forward with a teeth-rattling groan. But the moment of seeming triumph is snatched away as a shining black beam of energy lances out from the roiling mass above and smashes into the Beast. Instantly, its wounds begin to heal even faster! Said healing starts to outstrip the party's damage, so Puck takes a risk.

He drops frenzy, flies upwards, and forcibly interjects himself between the beam and the Beast while burning a Vitae to heal.

The healing slows, and the Beast shrieks with all seven mouths with insane rage. It surges up from the ground, and Talvosh's attack of opportunity fails to drop it back down. It lashes out with a massive claw at Puck!

And I miss because of his Blur D:

However, just being in the beam for seconds gives Puck several Vitae. He doesn't have much wiggle room in that department...

Another round of full attacks from Spotter and Talvosh drop the Beast again, but it keeps healing (and a disintegrate from Sona bounces off and zorches a mirror-Sona) and Puck barely manages to stay between the beam of Vitae and the Beast. He cant take much more than another round of this though, so he calls a challenge out towards Talvosh while readying an action. As the mangled and bloodspattered (should be a corpse) Orc rockets at him with a howl - Puck neatly steps back to let the beam smash into Talvosh instead. Sona then burns another of her "most expensive items" she manage to scrounge from ye olde extraplanar market - a scroll of Wish. Harnessing the magic, she uses the listed ability to fully heal all of the party. There's a brief pause in the game for baby stuff, and then some important knowledge checks are made.

Then Angelena is up, and she drops her shield and mace while dropping to her knees. Clasping her hands in prayer, she entreats the light of Pelor to slay this foul Beast.

With a crash, a gigantic Spear of blazing light breaks through the sky and pierces the Beast to the ground! It wails in agony with all seven maws, and thrashes as its flesh is seared away. It's going to take several rounds though, and that beam of Vitae is still pulsing and pushing against Talvosh. He regains his senses and is a much more empty vessel to fill with Vitae. Spotter also gets into the mix, the three of them bracing against one another to hold the magic back.

Finally the Beast is burned away to the bone, which keeps thrashing and screeching. A final pulse of light plus more Disintegrates blows the bones apart into a shimmering cloud, and finally the beam of Vitae fades as well. The Pilgrims are left hanging in this strange limbo. The swirling mass of Vitae in the sky above quickly draws their attention, though.

BEAST SLAIN

Puck and Talvosh are flush and full of Vitae (Puck being dangerously close to becoming a deamon), which Spotter is (understandably) concerned about. The trio of them argue for a bit about what to do. Spotter demands that the pair try and transfer Vitae to the rest of the party, Talvosh counters that they should just get away from the source of temptation above, and Puck just makes threatening noises. Talvosh stares a little too closely at the Heart of Worlds, though, and is overcome with the need for that much VITAE.

Sona stops him with a Wall of Force, but studies the Heart a little too closely herself. With that much Vitae, you could do anything. Tear gates between dimensions with ease, crack moons.

Slay gods with impunity.

All you have to do is control the wave. And who better than Sona to know how to channel such power? No other mage has experienced Vitae like her...Sona practically can hear Maria's voice in her mind.

"Power is all that matters. Seek power, at any cost."

Puck can see one of those creepy silver strings slowly tugging Sona upwards towards the Heart of Worlds, and acts decisively. While Spotter and Talvosh are arguing again, and Angelena is becoming very concerned with the look in Sona's eyes, he flies over and grabs her by the throat.

"Don't move." His other hand reaches above Sona's head to seize the thread. With a burst of IRON HEART SURGE (and fluffing), he Snaps the fate thread. As Sona's head clears, she recoils from the previously tempting thoughts.

Everyone is interrupted by an incensed woman's howl tearing through the air. It would easily be the loudest thing they all had experienced, if not for the Beast's Bellow. With dread, Angelena recognizes the voice thundering through their skulls as the same one from her nightmares. The voice of a goddess scrapes at their teeth.

YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE

Silver threads more akin to cables appear in the distance, all around the party. Inexorably, they begin to thicken and twine together, getting closer and closer. As the cage draws in, Sona's mind races. Absolutely crushing the knowledge checks, she realizes that this Heart is a demiplane of sorts, and cannot be easily entered or left - meaning that the Heart is relatively safe from daemons not as powerful as the Beast. Without the Beast to burst free, no-one should be able to touch it anytime soon. As the silver bars tighten, she quickly reaches out, and Greater Plane Shifts everyone back to Logos.

Spoiler: Aftermath

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The party collapses in the courtyard, breathing the almost-painfully cold air. Staring up at the sky with defiant hearts, they're a little unnerved that the Moon seems even closer, almost as if the ash is starting to be pushed inwards by the Moon now. The argument about Vitae starts up again, but Angelena speaks up to Puck, asking him to make sure that he doesn't do anything to hurt the group (and specifically her).

Slowly reaching out, Puck rumbles, "Only for you." The sensation of 4 vitae slamming into Angelena is surprising to say the least. Once she can see straight, everyone walks back into the church. The party is disheartened to see that many of the civilians have collapsed in place around the Fire, no longer breathing. Alexandria hobbles up to her feet and greets the party with poorly-disguised hope.

But then they realize that no-one has asked about or seen the Twins since Spotter and Sona's talk with them several nights ago. Rushing across the Courtyard, they find the door to the Twin's unofficial room blown to pieces. The room is in chaos, the protective wards and charms torn apart. There's also blood on the ground. Searching the room, Spotter finds a neatly wrapped scrolltucked in an unobtrusive but not impossible spot. Rolling it open, he hands it to Sona.

Spoiler: The Scroll

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If you're reading this, I imagine you have succeeded in your attempt and are wondering where your pet Twins have gone. You have no use or need of their slapdash prophecies and omens any more.

Don't let sentimentality and emotion dull your focus. You can accomplish more. Don't stop now.

M

When they angrily make it back to the church, Alexandria asks with a shaking voice what they found. When they explain their suspicions, the Flamekeeper sounds horrified as she realizes it was Maria the party gave the Forbiddance passcode to the previous night.

We end it there

Spoiler: DEATH COUNT

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Still 54, though I count some moral victories for the party having to burn multiple Vitae, a Wish, a [/I]Miracle[/I], and numerous high level buffs and a truckoad of crits to prevail

[curious-puzzle]

Spoiler: DM Thoughts on the Beast fight

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I was a little sad that I didn't manage to kill anyone, but a single big melee monster can only really end one way against two frenzied berserkers, especially with the other three going ham as well. I was kind of hoping to get the drop on a party member or two to do a Dire Charge, though. Without Deathless Frenzy though, I can't think of much that could hope to survive a full attack like that...

But everyone seemed to have fun, so mission success!

And the stats for the Beast, if anyone was interested.

The Beast