Saralas: Session 71

21 Elient, Ythryn, Afternoon =

The Meditation Dome

• We are in the meditation dome, and several of us are meditating and able to cast project self to send a tangible but not compatible image of ourselves for an hour. We should use these images to explore the towers and move quickly.
• We talk about exploring the next towers, and ask Min if she can stay and keep an eye on things. She seems eager to join us but if we got into combat she'd be the only one who could participate.
• After this, Bun starts coughing. He coughs up blood, wipes it off, and gives a thumbs up.
• After some more discussion we decide to explore widely, splitting up, as these projections are corporeal but not strong.
• Resda and Baerwin start searching towns for "a wand shop"
• I head north to the nearest tower

Misty Tower

• I (as a projection) approach an obsidian tower curled in mist. There are eyes carved in the stonework of the tower that appear to fix on me.
• The spire's highest window emits a purple light
• I approach the tower. As I approach, the mist intensifies and surrounds me, until I can see nothing but vaporous fog. From the fog emerges the largest Grell I've ever imagined.
• I wake back up in my body, frightened.

Korag's Tower

• The tower is shaped like an ax-blade. Red light shines from the highest window, high overhead.
• The tower door is broken and open. Inside is an octagonal chamber. An unlit brazier is at the center of the room, and eight alcoves line the walls. Each alcove is filled with what appears to be a 10-foot cube of ice.
• One of the cubes contains a humanoid skeleton.
• The ceiling is also covered in ice. There is an inscription in Draconic which Korag can't read, not only because it's in Draconic but also because it's covered in ice.

Wand Shops?

• Resda and Baerwin both search the cities for wand shops, but find nothing of the sort
• Resda makes her way through the rubble and comes to the spire entrance.
• An arching bridge of stone runs from this ruined city to the spire, a gate engraved with arcane sigils is set into the base of the bridge.
• Resda tested the gate but it wouldn't open.
• Baerwin also has mostly found rubble, but he did find a 60 foot tall obelisk of black stone, its surface covered in arcane ruins.
• The obelesk is cracked from its base to its middle on one side, a thin crack.
• Baerwin was not sure what to do with it

Reporting In

• I relate my frightening experience
• Baerwin found a cracked obelisk
• Resda found the entrance to the spire, the field protecting it is still up
• I suggest we may want to look at the grove of trees.
• Korag describes his tower

21 Elient, Ythryn, Evening

• We have been searching for a while, so we search out an old house to rest.
• It's dark but has thick walls and appears stout, so we'll try to rest here and get started again in the morning.

22 Elient, Morning

• The night is over, but I feel a sense of paranoia that the others want to steal my riches and the riches of this city
• Korag suggests we stick together. We decide to head towards the nearest tower
• As we approach the tower I notice shadowy forms flying over the city. I realize it is the red wizard and her two gargoyles. I point this out to the others.
• "Do you think the cult is near, then?" asks Baerwin.
• "Probably, maybe closer than we think," Korag replies.
• Baerwin enters the mist, which surges around him. He disappears, finding himself in the tower's uppermost chamber. There is an inscription in draconic. He copies the inscription into his journal and heads back downstairs.
• He reappears from the mist in front of us.
• He shows it to Skant, who says it reads "Six: Show thy face to the sky."
• In the distance, we hear faint laughter from the direction of the tower.

Tower to the East

• Ice has engulfed the lowest floors of this tower. Pink light shines from the highest window.
• Korag enters the tower
• The floor of the entrance is covered with pitch covered bucks and mops. There is writing in pitch all over the walls in draconic, as if the work of a mad person.
• Skant translates: "All work and no play make Evira a dull girl"
• There is a staircase leading up
• The walls are still covered in writing but the inscription changes, it is now written in blood or maybe dry red wine. They say "I am Evira, Evira is my name"
• At the top of the stairs, the phrase has changed to "The crown knows all"
• Entering into the topmost chamber, an elderly woman sits rigidly on a black throne, shrouded in ice. She wears a crown of entwined iron tentacles. Her forehead is bruised where the band fits tightly against her.
• The inscription reads "Four: Coax a secret from another."
• I kneel down to inspect the woman. I can't really.
• Korag says "she's alive, stunned but not undead"
• I think the crown is cursed, probably if someone takes it they just take her place. Like the chair that killed Min.
• Karthos climbs up the stairs. Where has he been all this time? Coordinating with Avarice?
• They're still debating taking the crown off the woman. I think we should just leave.
• Baerwin knocks the crown off her head with his glaive. After a moment, the woman regains consciousness
• She utters in Loroth "Destroy the crown, release my memories. Let me have peace." And then she ages rapidly and dies, and turns to dust.
• Everyone is still talking about should we go try to destroy it. I urge everyone to leave.

Axe-shaped Tower

• As we leave and head to the next tower I spot a gargoyle patrol. I warn everyone because I don't want to get drawn into the fight.
• This is the tower korag went to before, with the cubes.
• I inspect the skeleton. The bones are unusually clean. I think these are frozen gelatinous cubes.
• Min chips the ice away while we debate fire. Baerwin says he doesn't know that he can have anything to do with fire, as he holds a torch.
• The inscription says "Fifth: Quench the flame in thy palm with ice."

Obelisk

• The sixty foot tall obelisk of black stone has a thin crack on one side
• Skant says this is one of the lost obelisks. Several of them have been discovered over the years, scattered through the Planes. They are believed to be related to time travel.
• Karthos looks at Min and says we should go kill something to appease the daggers.

Theather

• We continue exploring, finding a domed building. It is a theater; the roof is wrecked, with a large stage and hundreds of seats. Icecicles hang from the balconies. Masks leer and grin from the walls.
• A desk sits backstage, wrapped in chains and padlocked.
• Min picks the lock, inside are five scripts for five plays
• Karthos wants to read the plays. I don't want, I leave the room.]

Domed Building

• An immense dome looms overhead, its crystal roof marred by cracks. Through gaps in the shell, we see a strange landscape of miniaturized natural features.
• The building appears to be a menagerie, and there appear to be displays representing different landscapes. All is now covered in ice.
• At the heart stands a machine. It has a 10-foot diameter iron wheel on its side, with 8 barrel sized egg-shaped open containers attached to the outer ends of its spokes.
• I inspect the machine. This appears to be a machine that takes 80 hit points of blood, distributed evenly between each container, to power the machine, then the machine will operate.
• Korag donates some blood for some reason, but none of the rest of us do. He says the daggers made a good case.

Building with Banners

• Silk drapes hang from the walls of the building, swirling with illusory images. Six demos magen stand outside. It appears to be a store.
• Karthos approaches, the constructs do not do anything. He heads inside.
• I follow Karthos inside. Inside are 5 more galven magen.
• Also, several phase spiders are inside.
• We see the tattered remains of silk merchandise, that must have once been of amazing quality.
• In the center, crystal mannequins draped in finery encircle an empty pedestal.
• I approach the pedestal. It looks quite inviting.
• "Elves have no need for clothing" I say. Karthos looks at me funny.