Session One Hundred and Twenty-Nine Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 129, March 15 2023

Introduction

We continue at 4:40PM on the 24th of Denrilden (00.000.09.07 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party sprinting across the narrow bridge that connects the Temple of Lloth to the Abby of the Silken Mistresses in Travilg. Unfortunately, a small group of Silence were watching this escape route and have attacked the group before they can reach the other side. Meanwhile, Kauri has escaped to Malgrim carrying the books recovered from the Inquisitorial Citadel, the body of Khelratha, and the three dragons polymorphed into rodent bodies. Will the party manage to evade or neutralize the Silence that have attacked? Is there a means of escape through the Abby that will save them from Geryon? Will everyone except Alex be rolling up new characters? Tune in to find out ...

Larry's Summary

One of the three Silence on the edge of the bridge sends a psychic attack at the Dealbators.

The Dealbator family is wiped out by 16 points of damage psychic attack.

Myrzanthum saves and take 8 points of damage.

The other two combine to psychically attack those on the bridge.

Everyone Failed!!!

Druul falls to -10 and the three hauling travois all fall.

Lambertus charges and hits.

Renthark charges and hits hard.

Felix charges and misses.

Velkin attempts to pick pocket the Silence's cloak and misses, then shadow steps away.

Peronelle grabs Druul's rifle and shoots at stalactite, and it hits the bridge.

The bridge shatters under the weight of the stalactite.

Enough of the bridge is destroyed that it hits the Silence.

Renthark, Lambertus, and Felix ran past the edge of the bridge and avoid falling.

Myrzanthum gestures to run up a staircase.

Velkin yells to Peronell, "The Scepter."

All but Peronell run to the stairs.

The Silence that fell float back up and looking at Peronelle.

Peronell uses the scepter to heal herself and two of them fail their save, and the other saves.

Up the stairs we are in a largish chamber, about 30 by 30 with double doors opposite with niches with statues of male driders. 4 niches around room. Door is circular with a web design.

Myrzanthum is at the double door and looks confused. Velkin asks what's up? "We've got to figure out how to open this door."

There are plaques under the statues in Drow.

One says to spill blood of an outsider so Renthark drinks a healing potion and Velkin draws blood from him.

There is a channel for blood to flow into, Renthark stands near and it appears to require a lot of blood. Give Renthark another cure serious wounds. The blood sluggishly goes down channels to mummified remains.

15 total HP, a cracking noise as one of the mummies shifts slightly.

Myzanthum says, I think someone is coming, we need to figure this out now.

Felix gives Cure Serious to Renthark and bleeds 10 HP from Felix and the panels retract as Myrzanthm runs right past us.

We all go through the doors.

Immediately in a 30 x 30 octogon scooped out in the shape of a bowl filled with dark water that takes up most of the room, with 5 other doors. As cross threshold into the room the panels close and there is a click. Myrzanthum didn't see what was coming.

The trials, we're in them now, once begun, this place is locked down.

The rim of the pool in the center is guilded and inscribed with more writing.

"Anoint Thyself with the Waters of Our Dark Mother, Infused with the Scent that will Calm Her Servants, Before Crossing into Your New Life"

We don't know what happened to Peronell.

Myrzanthum is taking a breather.

Velkin listens to the door and hears muffled sound of faint and far away banging on the door. Hard to tell if sound is far away but there is the faintest vibration in the door.

We decide to do a full rest to be as ready as possible to continue with a watch. Juggle it so each get a full rest.

--- Meanwhile, back in Malgrim....

Kauri appears inside the gate at the bottom of the stairs.

The rodents crawl out of Kauri's pockets and with cracking bones and stretching flesh, Kauri is now sharing the stairs with the 3 dragons in human form.

Prixithalma says, "Well done."

Kauri leaves TikTok on/near the stairs, seeking and finds a loose flagstone on the stairs to tuck the Apocalypse Clock into. TikTok looks up and asks "What's going on?" Kauri tells him that we are back at the place he got sucked into that we had to save him. You won't forget me, will you? You're unforgettable.

They climb up onto the terrace. The new pylons are on the corners of the terrace with the hide covering stretched over it. There is a red dragon blowing fire into the forge.

Kauri gets Philomenthraxus' attention, and he cocks his head and sees his companions and squints and transforms to human form, and sets aside his work and says, "Kauri?" Yes, we're back!

Did no one else make it? Hopefully, we need to find Jaxx and we've got a lot of stuff to go through quickly and see if we can't call everyone else here. What is Nixomanthus doing here?

Oh, yeah, right, long story short, the king is dead. We also have to bring this one back to life.

Jaxx is actually been a bit more focused than usual. We think he solved the problem of the portable pylons, a breastplate of a suit of armor for him to test.

One of the Mycelian's steps forward and Kauri gives the password: "Dedicated Virtual Lifeforms."

The master is inside, he is with his guests. Winter King sent some envoys, they are negotiating prisoners the Sizek Ygna has that survived all the chaos.

Philomanthraxus leads through inner doors to conference room. Seated at the table are some elves and Lungmold.

Lungmold looks over and seems pleased, "Kauri, you've returned, is it time for the raid on the citadel?" The library, we were to get the books, yes? Kauri - we already did the raid, where's Jaxx? He's around.

What do you mean you already did the raid?

Kauri - Circumstances were such that we had to act quickly.

I see, but you got books, may I see them. Long story short, the others are in trouble, and I need to see Jaxx know. He's in his room, he's been quite busy.

Oh, yes, and introduces envoys from the Winter King.

Kauri - I'll get out of your way, Oh, I can come with you.

No, it's OK, stay with your guests.

Alright, I'm not going to argue with you, it's your embassy.

Philomantrhaxus comes along.

In the kitchen hear sound of someone busy at work. Either side of the door are two warrior automaton apparently guarging.

Lungmold takes the lead and bangs on the door.

Two heads peak out? Yes, says Jaxx 1, what is it? says Jaxx 2?

I'm busy cogitating.

Kauri holds up the 9th volume of spells and says, I have presents.

Spellbooks? and Kauri barges in.

Spartan room with desk from elsewhere and a bed. Well, let's have a look, what have you found?

Kauri lays out the 9 volumes of the wizard from X in the Imperial Library.

Jaxx's eyes open wider. I don't know him. And why are you holding a dead dwarf?

Things have gone sideways, the rest are back in the temple back at Tralvig, we need to get them here. Jaxx, that's at least a few days journey. Kauri - and the silence is out there.

Kauri points out Wish and one sees it and grabs the other face and points at th ebook. What are you doing? Just look. At first annoyed, then turning to wonder.

How many are in??? as he flips though. I've searched our lives for these spells, how many of them are there.

Forget the armor, we can solve everything.

Kauri - First things first, we need to get everyone back here dead or alive, we can get back to serious work.

Jaxx 2 says while the other is reading, so you suggest to use this spell to save your companions? yes, I'm assuming you can cast this. I'll need to study to be sure, hopefully yes. We could have magic back, forget your friends. At least for now. We could always figure out something out later once we return ourselves to our magnificence.

Kauri - Yes, but even if it works, the genie is out of the bottle one thing at a time.

I suspect you mean to start small. Perhaps we can bind the DVLs to only our will.

Jaxx flips a couple spells to Time Stop, Well!

Now if you'll get the dead dwarf off my bed, I'll get to work.

Jaxx drags us to Khelratha's corpse then shoves us all out of the room. Kauri says to Lungmold, can you keep an eye on him? Do you not trust him? Kauri "I don't trust anyone."

Kauri bangs on the door, let us know what you are ready.

Lungmold, did you find anything other than spellbooks? Kauri - Give me some time, do you need any help? Prix can help me, I think that is a good idea. Kauri is there any place we can stay?

Lungmold says, Let's go see Cybil, Billi might be it he kitchen and is doing a bit better. There is a chair in here where Billi can sit with Cybil. Cybil is glad to see us. There are a number of cats curled up in here. Billi is happy to see us and has a bunch of questions.

Both Jaxx's can learn wish.

After catching everyone up, Lungmold goes to hang out with his guests and apologizes that he can't leave them without assistance.

Cybil gives them rooms, and if you need a place to work that isn't your rooms you can use the ambassador's office. Azra nods and goes to make up the rooms.

By the time that is done Jaxx comes out of his room looking please with himselves.

We'll need to sleep and study.

Kauri peruses the *Attempt to Destroy the Shadow Realm*.

Prix grabs History of the Elves.

Ithirialma gets *Medial Dimensions*.

• Attempt to Destroy the Shadow Realm* - Appears to be by Inquisitor Kassiel. At one point the dwarves were able to break one of the anchor points to the shadow Realm. Azrael did an assassination to save the Shadow Realm and preserve the ability to Shadow Step.

The actual method used by the Elves was a Crystal Lens, lost to the rebellion. Last known to be in the possession of the Council that led the Dwarves. The last Council disappeared and wherever they went they took the Crystal Lens with them.

How they did it was they fed transpatial energy and focused it on the point that they broke. It is well known that there are multiple anchor points and the Dwarves did not get to the others.

The shadow step ability was seen as the greatest resource of the dragons and their allies and would curtail their abilities to cause trouble.

• History of the Elves* - Azreal knew about the origin of the elves. Interrogation of their elders, he knew they had been left behind by the Summer King and Winter Lord. Policy based on fear of reprisals from Summer King and Winter Lord, and other elves were deserters, they refused to fight, and that's why those beings left. It could be their anchor to this world. The Summer King and Winter Lord were afraid. They seemed to be sick of endless war.

They've been fighting forever, sometimes one wins then the other, and if a draw, they destroy the world. As far as the elders know, this is the only time it ended in peace of a sort.

Kauri wonders, "What is so special about this place."

Prix, I recall that you came here accidentally, yes, and experiment gone wrong?

So why is everyone coming here? Are we a nexus point and the DVLs want to crack the egg?

Prix - possibly, it seems Asmodeus sees this as the last step to conquer reality.

Kauri gets the map and the Planes book. Kauri - I wish we had Marientaxus.

• Medial Dimensions* - This Jaeger fellow knew a lot, and shows the chapter title of "How to Open Portals" it is complex, but boils down to find a soft spot and has instructions on how to make a tool to find a soft spot. Then send energy at them, lower energy worlds need a bit.

How to close a portal. Rumored minerals in special locations, portal will flicker and disappear.

Theoretical ideas - maybe doable with medial dimensions, but perhaps impossible with major dimensions. Modified tool to find medial dimensions. How to destroy, specialized artifact

Moving medial dimension to alternate dimension.... Is that what Asmodeus is doing?

Here is a list of locations of soft spots Jaeger identified. For City of Brass has one anchor point in capitol of Imperial Capital, Gharizhel, and two others on Media and other in its vicinity.

Ithirialma says that the process of destroying a medial realm and sending it untethered is similar to the powerful artifact to impose the conscious will on it i.e. the shard.

Both the Shadow Realm and the City of Brass are Medial Dimensions. So could be a vehicle to somewhere else.