Session 40
Intellect Fortress
Embedded Files
Chapter 1: Paying the Price
Chapter 1: Paying the Price
In a vast caldera of obsidian and red stone, they stood surrounded by scared, tired, and dirty people. Recognizing the familiar scene, they realized they were at the Dragon’s Altar, accompanied by slaves from Urik and its client villages.
Brought there by soldiers and yellow-cloaked templars, the captives were ignorant of their purpose.
It was in Wind’s Defiance, 165th King’s Age, and rumors circulated that Hamanu had visited.
Dressed as slaves, the group faced a commotion as a lion-headed man approached, offering to save them from Borys for a price.
All of them agreed and Hamanu, nodding, led them away. A dark shadow fell as the Dragon of Tyr descended, causing panic. The Dragon's defiling magic turned people to ash, and a chaotic scene unfolded as the Dragon fed on death. The horrifying spectacle, felt even from a distance, marked the beginning of a long, painful demise for those trapped within the caldera.
Chapter 2: Obadias Lost
Chapter 2: Obadias Lost
Ashes swirled around the room, scorching rubble littering the floor where two pillars once reached the ceiling. The remaining pillars groaned in protest of the ceiling’s weight. A ritual circle surrounded a plinth in the center of the room, holding a large white gem that they recognized as the artifact. Inside the circle stood a now-familiar mul templar, Obadias!
His skin flickered with fire and ash, and his face twisted into a snarl as he concentrated on the plinth before him. As they took in the scene, he looked up and shouted, “They promised you would be here! Now I give you death, so that we might rise up!”
Even as these words left his mouth, small elemental creatures climbed from the braziers in the corners and moved toward the center of the room. A deadly battle ensued; they knocked over the braziers as they battled small elementals and Obadias himself.
When they had dealt Obadias severe damage, the northern door opened, and a man dressed in fine clothing, including a cloak topped with a lion’s mane, entered the room. Unnoticing, Obadias howled in frustration, seemingly even more determined to defeat them. The doors sealed shut, the seams disappearing as if never present. Ignoring this newcomer, they continued to strike at Obadias until finally knocking him out. Obadias collapsed to the ground, and all the fire that shrouded his form dissipated, and even the ash settled from the air. Obadias again appeared to be a normal male mul unconscious on the floor.
The man who entered the room stepped toward them, approaching the body of Obadias. “Hail to you in your moment of triumph!” he said confidently. “Unfortunately, Obadias has left you with a predicament. His ritual has bound you all here with the artifact. You will remain trapped until its sacrifice is paid. …unless I assist you.”
As the Lion of Urik’s words sank in, the damaged pillars creaked ominously. Morhen agreed to Hamanu's pact. The projection of Hamanu entered Morhen's body, his features superimposed over Morhen's. Morhen/Hamanu moved toward the center of the room, drawing forth a gleaming blade of psychic power from the artifact, slashing through the ritual circle in a practiced whirlwind of psychic energy. When the slashing stopped and the energy trails faded, the ritual circle was gone, replaced with sigils drawn in black sand on the floor. The sigils disappeared in a blast of wind from the artifact, and the doors reappeared about the room. The group left, but Fazanna cast a spell on herself, narrowly avoiding the falling ceiling as she fled.
Chapter 3: War Past
Chapter 3: War Past
They found themselves in a chamber made entirely of wood, its extravagance only outdone by the view of a forest blended through a city the likes of which they had never seen. In the distance, they saw a wall of earth that seemed out of place; beyond that, an army gathered under Lion-head banners. Around them stood many fanciful figures, most of whom seemed to be humanoid trees or had heads of animals known only via legend. In the center of the gathering was a tall, lithe figure, beautiful beyond reason. She appeared to be part tree, part flower, all seamlessly accentuating her beauty.
They realized that she was addressing the gathered courtiers, speaking about the army outside. Before they could hear more, she had dismissed them. Each bowed and called her Queen Sielba. When the last courtier had withdrawn, she gestured for them to approach.
They learned there was a traitor in the court and were tasked to find out who. Through deception, observation, intrigue, and intimidation, they quickly learned the traitor's name, Uktu.
Chapter 4: War Future
Chapter 4: War Future
They were running up a rise, scrabbling in sand and loose earth. Glancing around, they saw the lines of the Urikite army extending to their right; behind them, the proud banners of the Crimson Legion of Tyr. They knew, without knowing how they knew, that they had been sent to take control of a strategic hilltop for the Crimson Legion. Ahead, near the crest, they saw that the Urikites had the same idea. Now was the time to seize the advantage! A quick but decisive battle was fought, and the heroes prevailed.
Chapter 5: Escape in Blood
Chapter 5: Escape in Blood
They entered a now-familiar room, the artifact chamber. This time, the central area was occupied by a creature at least 7 feet in height, with a golden-eyed lion’s head, the legs and tail of some reptilian creature, and the torso of a powerful human.
“Welcome,” they heard the familiar voice inside their minds. “The time has come for you to fulfill your destiny and ensure the security of the land.”
The most deadly conflict to date, with the echo of Hamanu, commenced. The heroes fell often, Shiv and Shank smashing Hamanu, Fazanna casting her spells only to fall again and again. Zyel darted back and forth with her hands and feet striking quickly and darting away only to fall to Hamanu's fists. Morhen struck mightily with his bow but then Hamanu put him down. The battle dragged on and on, defeat so close before Fazanna defiled and struck the mortal blow.
As their enemy collapsed to the ground, they felt the power of his ritual begin to unravel. They could feel the magic tear at everyone in the chamber, as the echo of Hamanu itself began to unravel. The ritual pulled at their souls, seeking to draw forth their life-force and feed it to the artifact. Light flashed from the huge silver-white gemstone as the ritual reached its crescendo, the voices assailing their minds once again. This time, one voice dominated the cacophony: Hamanu’s frustration and desperation evident in his screaming rage. A kaleidoscope of images ran through their minds as the light pouring from the artifact overwhelmed their eyes.
The visions exploded in white light, and their heads pounded until the coolness of the stone floor underneath them penetrated the pain.
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
As their senses returned, they found themselves once again in the artifact chamber, but this time the other occupants were the eladrin siblings, Urunjira and Tejasvin.
“I don’t know what you did, but the elementals assaulting the city… they’re gone! Some are fleeing, but most dissolved, blew away, or simply vanished. Samarthia is saved!”
Looking around the artifact room, they no longer saw the large silver-white gem that was the focus of both Obadias’ and Hamanu’s efforts, but they could still feel the presence of the artifact in their minds, just as they did when they first entered the chamber. Their shared mastery of the artifact had linked them ever closer to their companions, and they could instinctively sense the minds and bodies of their allies nearby, similarly attuned to the artifact.
Tejasvin allowed them a moment before continuing, “Whatever trespasses might have gone before, it is surely a great boon you have given the people of Samarthia. I am certain that your purpose propelled you with the wind, but surely you can take a moment and allow the people of Samarthia to celebrate your victory!”
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