Session 0058 - Xulo

Roster

List of characters who's player was in attendance

Player characters who's player is attending the game start with 1 Hero Point, and can get more during the session.

Absent

List of characters who's player was absent

Player characters for missing players do not start the session with a hero point, and can not get any more during the session.

Session Log

The session beings with the party still in mid-combat. They are facing off with five remaining Emerald Claw soldiers in the hallway, two in melee and three farther down the hallway with light crossbows.
From here the combat turns decisively in favour of the party. The two soldiers in melee are quickly eliminated, now that Hrovard, Eriana, and Ferdinand have been stabilized by the healers Alicia and Harbek.
The enemy crossbowmen take shots at the two healers, but miss. When the two remaining soldiers in melee fall they drop their crossbows and grab their shields. Before they can unsheathe their swords both Ferdinand and Hrovard are on them.
Two of the crossbowmen are cut down before they can mount much of a defense. The last one standing manages to slash Eriana before being finished off.
With the combat over, the others are notified by Harbek that the metal platform on which the Titan chair sits remains lit up.
Muroni says "The moment I have been sent here for is almost upon us. Time is of the essence."
Sensing they need to hurry. The party quickly patch themselves up. Harbek uses one of his remaining Heal spells to cure everyone, but it has little effect. They spend the next 10 minutes making sure all the soldiers are dead and looting their bodies, particularly the warforged named Scimitar.
They find a total of 43 cp, 18 sp, and 7 gp off all the bodies. They take the scimitar, a nice light crossbow and a couple of vials off the warforged. Eriana tests the liquid in the vials and is convinced at least one of them is a good healing potion and the other is likely healing, but she is not certain how good it is.
In that 10 minutes a little more healing is done to try and get people in better shape, and they notice there is no longer a light emanating from the platform.
Everyone climbs onto it and searches it for any clues as to what happened to Maisy Beckett/Garrow but find no trace of them. Arkaban is asked to use the magic lens to look over the script on the base of the platform for any magic wording. He quickly scans over the next 10 minutes and finds nothing.
Thinking on what they know, it is suggested that they try reciting the names of the constellations they discovered while on the platform. Eriana speaks aloud "Monkey's Paw, Unicorn's Hoof, Io's Twinkle, The Scorpion's Tail, River's End, Garyx's Eye."
Upon finishing the name of the last constellation there is a bright flash.
They stand at the top of massive stone steps that descend 50 feet into a great vault filled with hulking, dimly glowing pillars of stone. Building-like in size, the strange stone shapes rise from the floor, protrude through the walls, and burrow into the ceiling. Cords extend from each pillar, which in their multitude create great draperies, all of which lead toward something hidden on the far side of the chamber. Some of the cords appear metallic, but many consist of a more organic material. At the bottom of the steps, a human-sized figure stares into the larger chamber beyond.
The figure of the rotund provost twists and bends as if in pain at the bottom step. Their features flow like water and they see a thin, disheveled half-elf. He holds the creation pattern in both hands and seems to be conversing with it between spasms. Another spasm overtakes him, and his features reset themselves. Now he appears as a tall, emaciated man with dead-white skin and a thick scar between his eye and ear. "Fine!" the figure screams, "Take it and be gone from my mind!" With that, he flings the creation pattern away from him, into the larger chamber beyond.
He then turns to look at the party in surprise, shrieking at everyone in anger and frustration, curses House Cannith and its pathetic minions and seems prepared to attack.
Ferdinand is very quick, leaping down the stairs he successfully distracts him and but misses with his attack. Arkaban urges people to attack him quickly and prevent him from casting spells if they can. The sorcerer casts a Phase Bolt cantrip at the figure, who they all assume must be Garrow. The spell hits critically, clearly causing significant damage.
Garrow responds by unleashing a terrible spell on most of the party at the top of the stairs. They all hear profane whispers in their heads that cause unbearable suffering and pain. Somehow Arkaban seems completely unaffected, and Muroni appears to be out of the area of effect.
Harbek tells them all to remain where they are and he has an idea that might help. Hearing this, instead of bounding down the stairs to attack Hrovard gets out his bow and shoots Garrow. Eriana decides to delay until the dwarf does what he has planned before acting. Rebar casts an Ignite cantrip at Garrow and hurts him.
Before the dwarf can act however, Muroni turns to the party and starts to chant in a strange language. A couple of party members hear the distinct name "Vuulaytherus", which was the name of the dragon who she claimed sent her on this mission.
Moments later, everyone notices the whispers have stopped and the pain subsides. The ranger looks quite drained, but satisfied.
Eriana then bounds down the stairs and attacks Garrow, but misses.
Still shouting curses and looking furious, Garrow is clearly preparing to unleash another spell. Before he can, Ferdinand tumbles behind him into a flanking position with Eriana and runs him through with his rapier!
(Here Ferdinand scores an impressive critical hit causing triple damage while using his Confident Finisher ability, delivering 47 hp of damage - a personal record).
Garrow gurgles in surprise, tumbled forward and dies at Eriana's feet.
Immediately after this several party members notice the creation pattern among the vines and cords of metal. They seem to be undulating and pushing the pattern towards the far end of the cavern, covered in shadow.
Ferdinand, Hrovard, and Eriana all leap down to chase after it. Before heading into the vines, Eriana tried to throw out a rope to the other two but they were already to far to reach. Instead, she drops the rope at the foot of the stairs and runs in after them.
Past the strange stone pillars that hum with arcane energy, the draperies of cord snake toward their nexus: A giant humanoid shape standing in darkness. The cords connect to the shape on every side, as if catching the great figure in a massive web. Standing nearly 30 feet tall, the shape is imposing, appearing to be made of stone and metal and other, unidentifiable components. It looks like a giant warforged creation. One pillar in that corner of the chamber has a slightly different appearance from the others in the room. An assortment of oddly shaped items covers one face of the pillar—items that look like the schemas.
The three adventurers trying to run among the metal and organic vines find it difficult to navigate. Ferdinand was first to run down and makes the best progress. He manages to reach the creation pattern, difficult to spot among the writhing mass. He grabs it and pulls it up and free of the undulating mass of vines.
As he does so there is a strong voice/compulsion in his mind. He gets a powerful Suggestion to bring the pattern and the embedded schemas closer to the giant warforged and strange pillar nearby. It is difficult, but he manages to resist (making an excellent Will saving throw against a powerful compulsion).
Both Hrovard and Eriana also hear voices in their head suggesting they should come closer and bring the pattern, but neither of them as forcibly as Ferdinand. Harbek grabs the rope Eriana left behind to help pull them back the rest of the way.
Once he has the pattern in hard, they all turn and rush back towards the steps. It is harder to move against the flow of the vines, so the way back is slower. Fortunately, all three are very fast on their feet and make it back with a strong insistent voice in their heads.
Once back on the steps they rush back up to the top of the stairs. Rebar and Harbek drag the corpse of Garrow up with them.
They recite the names of the constellations again while the voices persist in their heads, even more insistent. When they start to recite the names of the constellation they get a distinct anguished and frustrated "No!" in their heads.
Upon uttering the last name there is a flash of light and they find themselves back on the metal platform next to the massive chair.
Stunned, the stand there for a moment with images flooding through the minds of Ferdinand, Hrovard and Eriana. They all have a name echoing in their minds "Xulo...". They know for certain that it is the name of the creation they saw. Thinking on it, Hrovard felt certain they were deep underground, but exactly how deep and if it was right under this complex he can not say.
As they stand on the platform, Muroni suddenly turns to them and she says "The pattern of the Prophecy forever unfolds in profound ways. This day, we have witnessed the culmination of one verse of the Prophecy, and the beginning of another."
Note: During this session Hrovard earns enough experience to advance to 4th level. He will realize the benefits once he has change to rest and recover.