Session 34

Family Values

Chapter 1: Sacrifice of Fire

In a small antechamber, signs of a past fiery event were evident – no desks or pillows remained, and scorch marks adorned the golden-red walls where a wooden door frame once stood. Moving through the burnt door, the group found themselves in a hexagonal room illuminated by three massive yellow braziers. Guarding each brazier were imposing golems of dark red obsidian, each representing different forms of fire – magma, intense golden light, and deep red flames.

At the heart of the room stood a hexagonal pedestal bearing an obsidian bowl containing a peculiar shadowy globe. Contrary to expectations, the globe didn't absorb light but rather reflected and intensified it. Three figures, Rel and Sulek, humans, and Satha, a dwarven priest of the sun, dressed for desert travel, studied the central pedestal. Crackling like flames, the guardians queried the group about their choice of fire form for sacrifice.

The Broken Builders, dedicated to elemental studies, unveiled crucial information: Rel and Sulek, along with Satha, served their cause, sent by Sidar Garn, a dwarven Urikite noble, to assist the heroes. Sidar Garn, employing psionic prescience, tracked the group and orchestrated their involvement. The central pillar was deemed the key to the golems' mentioned sacrifice, with carved names around it hinting at past elemental priests.

Within this enigmatic setting, Shank and Shiv, members of the group, opted to sacrifice to the fire altar, receiving a gem from the corresponding golem. Fazanna, however, tried sacrificing her spellbook with no apparent result.

Chapter 2: Test of the Essence

Descending into the chamber, the air clung with humidity, and the room remained empty except for four large stone doors encircling an ornate bone basin in the room's center. At the basin's bottom, a thin layer of water shimmered, and from its depths, a whispering voice emanated, questioning, "Who shall be the Speaker for the Essence?"

Hamra stepped forward, accepting the role of the Speaker of the Essence. As he did, water from the basin levitated, coalescing to form a crown around his head. The diamond symbols on the four doors transformed into the representations of River, Mud/Silt, Ice, and Salt. Empowered, Hamra manifested a watery duplicate of himself and sent it into each room, providing glimpses of the challenges that lay ahead.

In one room, a ghostly river rushed forth, presenting numerous challenges that only the skilled could navigate. In the second room, mud creatures hurled themselves into pits of salt, causing Hamra pain with each instance and compelling him to intervene. The third room featured an ice pattern, broken into a sliding puzzle. Finally, the fourth room resembled an arena, where a creature of salt awaited, ready for combat.

The watery duplicate returned, and Hamra intuitively understood that he must assign a unique elemental challenge to each of his allies. The chamber, filled with the essence of the elements, set the stage for individual trials that tested the capabilities and resolve of the group.

In the chamber resonating with elemental power, Hamra, designated as the Speaker for the Essence, carefully assigned specific challenges to each of his allies. Fazanna, known for her intellectual prowess, was chosen to unravel the intricate puzzle of ice in one room. Zyel, with his agility and adaptability, faced the daunting task of navigating the ghostly river's challenges.

The formidable task of confronting mud creatures flinging themselves into pits of salt was bestowed upon the brothers Shiv and Shank. Known for their strength and prowess in combat, they were deemed suitable for this physical trial. Meanwhile, Morhen, the skilled archer and combatant, was tasked with facing the formidable Salt Elemental in the arena.

Each challenge tailored to the strengths and abilities of the chosen individuals, the group embarked on their respective tasks, navigating the elemental trials that lay ahead.

Chapter 3: Test 1 - Ghostly Flowing River

In this chamber resonating with echoes of an ancient era, Zyel found herself facing a perilous challenge. A ghostly torrent of water, reminiscent of a time when massive rivers once flowed through the Tablelands, surged through the room. Over four rounds, different hazards and obstacles presented themselves.

In the first round, Zyel skillfully balanced on floating debris as it drifted through the room. The second round posed the dilemma of identifying a potential threat – a lurking water drake disguised among the floating logs. In the third round, Zyel demonstrated keen insight as she anticipated and skillfully avoided the buffeting waves. However, the fourth round introduced a new challenge – poisoned algae. Despite Zyel's attempt to counteract the poison, she struggled against its effects, swallowing loads and enduring damage in the process. The room, a testament to the elemental trials, pushed Zyel to her limits.

Chapter 4: Test 2 - Silt/Mud

In this arena filled with salt pits, Shiv and Shank faced a unique challenge. Their task was to prevent summoned mud creatures from escaping into the surrounding pits. At the commencement of each round, two vaguely humanoid mud creatures materialized in random brown-shaded squares within the arena. The creatures had a clear objective – to reach the nearest edge and plunge into the salt pit below.

The mud creatures followed a simple pattern, moving toward the closest edge and sacrificing themselves. They wouldn't attack unless hindered, given an opportunity to strike, or if a character obstructed their path. In the midst of the challenge, Shiv attempted to grapple one of the mud creatures but received a retaliatory mud fist in response. Just in the nick of time, Hamra made a timely appearance, swiftly dispatching the mud creature.

With Hamra's aid, Shiv and Shank successfully thwarted the mud creatures as they manifested, preventing them from flinging themselves into the salt pit and overcoming this peculiar elemental trial.

Chapter 5: Test 3 - Ice

In this mysterious chamber, Fazanna faced a unique trial that involved descrambling an arcane glyph before the room's enchantment froze her solid. The glyph, a complex symbol, was constructed from eight bone tiles meticulously arranged in a 3x3 grid, leaving one space vacant. Fazanna, skilled in the arcane arts, had the ability to slide the bone tiles within the grid.

The task was clear: to complete the glyph, Fazanna needed to strategically slide a single bone tile either vertically or horizontally into an empty space, adhering to the constraints of the 3x3 grid. Success in this endeavor required a keen understanding of the arcane patterns encoded within the glyph.

Facing this cerebral challenge, Fazanna encountered moments of difficulty. However, with the timely intervention of Hamra, who assisted twice by skillfully switching two tiles, Fazanna ultimately triumphed over the perplexing glyph. Her success not only spared her from the threat of being frozen solid but also contributed to the group's progress through this elemental trial.

Chapter 6: Test 4 - Salt

Within the stark confines of this featureless room, Morhen faced a formidable challenge — a battle against a relentless salt elemental. As the confrontation unfolded, Morhen, armed with his trusty arrows, initiated the clash, aiming to thwart the elemental's assault.

However, the limited space within the room proved to be a disadvantage for Morhen. In a swift and unrelenting counterattack, the salt elemental cleaved through Morhen's defenses. Subsequently, the elemental enveloped Morhen, rendering him incapable of freeing himself from its corrosive grasp.

Despite Morhen's valiant efforts, the envelopment proved insurmountable, and the salt elemental's relentless assault led to Morhen's swift demise. The room, witness to this perilous encounter, became a somber testament to the challenges that awaited the group in their elemental trials.

Chapter 7: Results of the Tests

Having successfully navigated the trials within the elemental chambers, the party found themselves standing before the enigmatic overseers. The atmosphere in the room remained tense as the overseers assessed the group's performance. In a decisive judgment, the party was deemed adequate to progress further on their quest.

The room, adorned with mysterious symbols and dimly lit, bore witness to the party's accomplishments. No elaborate reward was bestowed upon them, nor were they subjected to any punitive measures. The overseers, their features inscrutable, conveyed their decision with a stoic silence, leaving the party to interpret the verdict on their own. The air held a palpable anticipation as the group prepared to face the next challenges that lay ahead.

Hamra revived the lifeless body of Morhen dumped unceremoniously outside his gladiatorial room and they proceeded on.

Chapter 8: Family Values

In the room engulfed by a crackling elemental storm, the party confronted the elemental guardians that emerged from its chaotic depths. The altar, adorned with elemental symbols, stood as the focal point, flanked by four massive braziers exuding the essence of fire, magma, sun, and ash. Niches along the walls bore inscribed stone tablets, hinting at the trials faced by predecessors.

As the party entered, the stone door sealed behind them, trapping them in the elemental tempest. Four humanoid beings of elemental energy materialized, each representing a distinct force of nature. The first manifested as grains of sand and silt, swirling in perpetual dust clouds. The second embodied burning magma, with stone-like scabs shifting across its form. The third, a deep translucent blue entity, dripped water onto the ground. The fourth, radiant and bright, exuded an almost unbearable brilliance.

The being of rain, their spokesperson, addressed the party with a voice resembling the ebb and flow of rain waves. They recounted their failure and eternal binding to the temple. To overcome the guardians, the party had to reach the altar and declare the element they would champion. The Mother of Rain, Father of Sun, Brother of Silt, and Sister of Magma initiated the battle.

In the ensuing conflict, the Mother of Rain conjured storms, the Father of Sun wielded a fiery khopesh, the Brother of Silt retaliated against those who harmed his kin, and the Sister of Magma flung molten lava. Tragedy struck as Morhen fell in battle, while Fazanna danced through the chaos, Hamra called upon the element of fire for healing, Zyel invoked prayers at the altar, and Shiv and Shank unleashed their formidable strength upon the elemental foes. The chamber resonated with the clash of elements, marking a pivotal moment in the party's quest.

As the conflict unfolded, the elemental siblings met their demise one by one. The Sister of Magma succumbed to the relentless assaults, followed by the Brother of Silt and the Mother of Rain. The party, battered and bruised, faced the final elemental adversary, the Father of Sun, who swung his fiery khopesh with relentless determination.

With Morhen lying lifeless and the odds stacked against them, the party summoned every ounce of strength and resolve. The Broken Builder priestess, with her enigmatic motives, continued to lend her assistance, aiding the fallen and bolstering the group's efforts.

In a climactic surge of determination, the party finally overcame the Father of Sun. The elemental storm that had engulfed the room gradually subsided, and a profound silence settled over the chamber. The victory was bittersweet, marked by Morhen's sacrifice and the toll exacted by the challenging trial.

As the echoes of battle faded away, the Broken Builder priestess observed the party with a measured gaze. The room, once filled with elemental turmoil, underwent a subtle transformation, responding to the party's triumph. The significance of their decision, to champion smoke, unfolded in the altered atmosphere of the temple. The air itself seemed to carry the weight of their choices, leaving the party to contemplate the consequences of their victory and the path that lay ahead.

Chapter 9: Conclusion

Exiting the testing room, the group navigated a rugged stone passage that eventually led them to a final door. As they stepped through, they found themselves in a small, unassuming shrine meticulously carved into the natural rock. Remarkably, the door, when closed, seamlessly blended with its rocky surroundings.

The shrine offered a single exit, revealing a view of the outside world beneath the nighttime sky. The canyon floor, visible even in the darkness, was adorned with lush vegetation, and the air carried the distant sounds of wildlife—from the calls of birds to the buzzing of insects and the distant roar of an unknown creature.

The artifact's call echoed once again, pulsing in the group's awareness, as if urging them forward. However, the call subsided, and they realized it was time to rest. Tomorrow held the promise of a new venture to uncover the artifact's true home. The Broken Builders, their enigmatic presence lingering, were left behind in the shrine as the group prepared for a well-deserved respite.

In the hushed quiet of the temple nestled at the base of the Dragon's Bowl, the group found respite after their grueling encounter with the guardians of the elements. Lush greenery sprawled beyond the temple entrance, a stark contrast to the harshness of Athas. Wearied from battle and heavy with the mourning of their fallen companion, Morhen, the group sought solace within the sacred space.

As they settled in for rest, a sense of unease lingered, exacerbated by the enigmatic nature of the Broken Builders, who, for the moment, remained sealed behind the temple's stone door. The night wore on, and the group's exhaustion pulled them into the embrace of sleep. With the morning sun casting its golden glow upon the landscape, the group stirred from their slumber to a surreal sight.

There, in the doorway to the temple, stood Morhen, seemingly alive and well. His gaze fixed on the sunrise, a mysterious and unexpected resurrection that defied the natural order of things. The temple, once a refuge for mourning, now held a new mystery as the group grappled with the inexplicable return of their fallen friend.

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