Session 59

Dust to Dust III

Chapter 1: Rescue the Alliance

Their field of vision filled with the chaos of battle, silt skimmers clashed on every side—those of their allies and those of foes serving the primordial. The captain had made a decisive choice: a rescue mission. A ship manned by important Veiled Alliance cell leaders was under attack, besieged by a cluster of enemy vessels. The attackers were gith, a savage humanoid race known for their relentless ferocity.

As they approached, the allied skimmer came into view, nearly split in twain after being rammed by the gith's own large skimmer. The two interlocked ships lurched wildly, swaying dangerously in the turbulent silt sea. Around them, darting gith sand skiffs moved like predatory sharks, circling their prey.

There was no time to waste. The skimmer groaned under the strain, timbers splintering and creaking ominously. The Veiled Alliance leaders aboard were in desperate straits, their defenses crumbling as the gith pressed their assault.

The crew braced themselves, hearts pounding as the scene of carnage and chaos drew closer. Sails flapped violently in the fierce wind, and the shouts of battle filled the air. The gith, with their savage eyes and deadly weapons, swarmed the deck of the besieged ship, cutting down anyone who stood in their path.

Determination etched on their faces, they knew they had only moments to act. They had to get in there, rescue as many of the beleaguered agents as possible before the ship succumbed to its grievous wounds, or worse, before the gith slaughtered everyone on board and moved on to their next target.

The allied skimmer’s deck was a chaotic tableau of battle—sailors and Veiled Alliance leaders fighting desperately, their strength waning against the relentless gith. The ship teetered on the edge of disaster, its fate hanging by a thread. With a shared look of grim resolve, they surged forward, ready to throw themselves into the fray and turn the tide of this desperate battle.

Every second counted. The sinking ship and its embattled crew were counting on them. They launched themselves into the rescue with a fierce battle cry, determined to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and save their comrades from the encroaching darkness.

Chapter 2: Battle Begins

The battle began with Wario ordering the crew to ram one of the smaller vessels, impaling it with a brutal impact. Seizing the moment, Wario commanded the crew to teleport four of his allies aboard the stricken Alliance vessel. The gith retaliated swiftly, attacking Hamur, but he deftly deflected their blows. Despite his efforts, three Alliance crewmen fell to the relentless gith assault.

Minos, with a fierce determination, struck a gith spearman twice, slaying him. To their horror, the gith then exploded, killing five more Alliance crew in a deadly blast. The remaining Alliance crew fled towards the back of the ship, seeking refuge, but the druid blocked their escape, trapping them in a deadly predicament.

Gith hexers then targeted Dempsey, cursing him. Zyel managed to deflect their strikes, but Minos and Hamur were not so fortunate, and Hamur was knocked prone. T'Taka, with incredible speed, threw darts at the gith aboard the skiff, then surged forward and struck twice more. Dempsey moved to reposition, but a gith attempted to hit him, only for Hamur to deflect the attack. Meanwhile, other gith attacked Magnamus, who retaliated with a mindstorm, killing three of the attackers.

Fueled by rage, Zyel charged across the deck and stunned one of the gith. Hamur struggled to his feet and tried to shove the stunned gith overboard but failed, even with his action surge. The Alliance vessel then shifted ten feet to port, causing further chaos. Wario ordered a crew member to shove the impaled skiff off their ship, but they failed. Undeterred, Wario cast Aura of Vitality, bolstering his allies. The gith attempted more attacks with their spears, but none succeeded in landing a hit.

Minos struck again, killing another gith and causing it to explode. The Alliance crew members, huddled at the back of their ship, awaited rescue. T'Taka leapt into the air, tossing two darts as he did, and landed on an enemy skiff with deadly precision. Dempsey attempted to cross from the Alliance ship to the enemy vessel, but his curse caused him to overleap, and he fell into the Sea of Silt.

The gith closed ranks with their enemies, scoring a few hits. Magnamus attempted a psychic daze attack, but the gith shook it off. He then telekinetically shoved the stunned gith overboard. Zyel telekinetically shoved another gith while stunning a second. Hamur was dropped by a psychic attack. The shifting Alliance ship caused everyone to move five feet to starboard. Wario ordered the crew to teleport him and Magnamus to the Alliance ship, where Wario healed Hamur, bringing him back to life.

Minos killed two more gith and then action surged to have his echo rescue Dempsey, putting him back safely on deck. T'Taka again leapt to another skiff, tossing darts in midair and killing two more gith. Dempsey and Hamur each killed one gith. The gith then closed on the crew, killing two more. Magnamus used his phantom caravan psychic power to teleport six crewmen back to the safety of their ship. Zyel telekinetically shoved another gith overboard and fired two bow shots, scoring one hit. Hamur moved to the edge of the sinking Alliance ship and summoned his echo just as the vessel sank to the level of the Sea of Silt. Wario used his magic to grant Hamur some healing.

T'Taka piloted the skiff between their ship and the sinking Alliance ship before leaping to another skiff. Dempsey, the halfling, climbed aboard the echo of Minos the minotaur. Magnamus once again used his phantom caravan power to teleport the remainder of the Alliance crew aboard their own vessel before shoving another gith overboard. Zyel tied a rope around his waist and gave the other end to Hamur's echo before leaping as far as she could into the Sea of Silt. Hamur moved the echo to their ship and switched places, pulling Zyel up to safety. Finally, they rid their ship of the impaled skiff and headed back to safety as the other ships sank, victorious in their desperate rescue mission.

Chapter 3: The Gemstone

The battle had ended, and most missions had been successful. Gliby, with a sense of urgency and purpose, delivered the gem he was entrusted with to Mahlanda. Her skin still gleamed with an otherworldly sheen, but she appeared taller and more imposing than before. As Gliby recounted his tale, Mahlanda seemed distracted and worried, her gaze distant.

She prodded the stone, and it suddenly flared to life. The image of a face appeared within the gem – the same face as that of the woman on the deck. "Woman Mahlanda, I have learned of your attempt to travel the road to greatness. You are stuck. You are worried. You are afraid. You should be. I can help you. Though the dangers are great, temptation is strong and power comes with a price, for the sake of Athas, I will help you transcend. Take your trusted, and let my guide lead you to me."

The message left everyone puzzled and uneasy. There was no apparent guide in sight. They exchanged confused glances, whispering their doubts and questions aloud. The purple gem then darkened, turning an ominous black. From it, a tiny spectral creature rose. It looked like a young woman, with a delicate frame and butterfly wings, gazing at them solemnly.

Mahlanda, breaking the tense silence, muttered, "Well, I guess we found our guide." Her words hung in the air, a mixture of relief and apprehension. The spectral guide floated before them, a beacon in the uncertain path that lay ahead.

Chapter 4: Captains' Choices

The voyage north to the primordial became more manageable due to their recent successes, buoying their spirits and resolve. As they sailed on, four critical missions were laid before them, each fraught with its own challenges and perils.

Mission 1: Recruiting Giants

During the previous battle, the crew had encountered a boastful beasthead giant. This giant, a Saram, had declared that its kind had joined the primordial, driven by their ancestral enmity with the desert giants, known as the Joorsh. The Veiled Alliance historians recorded that Lake Island was home to many Joorsh. One or more ships needed to investigate these clan sites to see if the desert giants could lend their aid against the beasthead giants. Oak, understanding the crucial role the giants could play, chose this mission.

Mission 2: Mountains of the Sun

Maps and notes found aboard an enemy ship revealed a base of primordial forces in the island chain known as the Mountains of the Sun. Hidden docks held ships preparing to intercept the Alliance fleet, and elemental priests were conducting a ritual of unknown power. A fast ship was necessary to undertake this potentially suicidal mission: stealthily reaching the docks, sabotaging the ships, and learning the ritual's purpose. Wario, always up for a challenge, volunteered to lead this daring mission.

Mission 3: Shault

A vision received by Gliby and a tiny spectral guide promised to take Mahlanda to the island of Shault, where she could receive aid with her avangion transformation. Despite concerns that this might be a trap, historical fragments suggested a druid lived on this verdant island. Mahlanda would accompany one ship on this mission. Fazanna, eager to support Mahlanda in her crucial transformation, chose this mission.

Mission 4: Ancient Wreckage

Ara’am Halik, a druid from the Crescent Forest, shared a possible way to defeat the primordial. He told a tale of the days of Yaramuke, when druids first locked away the primordial. One captain, a historian, had never arrived. His shipwreck, located on the shallow Isle of Bones, might contain invaluable information. A ship was needed to search for and investigate this ancient wreckage. Rexar, ever the seeker of knowledge and ancient secrets, took on this mission.

As they divided their forces and set their courses, each leader felt the weight of their chosen path. Oak rallied his crew, ready to negotiate and possibly confront the desert giants. Rexar prepared for a journey through time, searching for the lost knowledge of the druids. Wario readied his ship for a stealthy and dangerous infiltration of enemy docks. Fazanna, with Mahlanda by her side, set sail towards the unknown, hopeful for a transformation that could turn the tide of their struggle.

Chapter 5: Azralokas and Silt Sharks

Their ship sailed on across the shifting dust, a sea of powder stretching as far as the eye could see, occasionally interrupted by jagged rocks or ripples of darker silt. The eerie landscape played tricks on their minds, and every so often, someone would swear they saw movement in the silt, only for a closer look to reveal nothing. The absence of an apparent threat did little to calm the frayed nerves of the crew, who had been sailing for hours under the relentless, unblinking sun.

Paranoia turned out to be warranted when the silt suddenly erupted around them. Massive, toothy creatures, azralokas, sprang from the dust and leapt above the ship, their jaws snapping and claws raking. The crew cried out in alarm as Wario and two other crew members were struck and pulled overboard, vanishing into the depths of the silt, never to be seen again.

Dempsey, quick to react, dropped prone and waited for one of the deadly azralokas to pass overhead. Minos and Hamur summoned their psychic echoes, standing ready to strike. T'Taka moved swiftly to an advantageous position, holding his attack for the right moment. Zyel and Magnamus tensed, prepared to unleash their furious blows.

When the azralokas reappeared, they destroyed Minos's echo, and the crew struck back with all their might as the beasts passed overhead. The battle was fierce, with the azralokas attacking in waves. Minos, realizing the peril they were in, ordered the ship to sail away. The azralokas surfaced again, and the crew managed to land many blows, but not before the creatures took two more crew members into the depths.

Zyel's stunning strikes and the damage inflicted by the others managed to buy them enough time to put distance between themselves and the azralokas. With the ship fleeing and the azralokas wounded, the immediate danger passed, but the cost was high. They had lost many, including their captain, Wario.

As the silt sea returned to its deceptive calm, the surviving crew took stock of their losses, the weight of grief and fatigue heavy on their shoulders. They sailed on, driven by the memory of their fallen comrades and the determination to see their mission through to the end.

Chapter 6: The Ringer

The smooth surface of the Sea of Silt was suddenly broken by a gust of wind, sending silt particles swirling into the air. This gust was soon followed by several more, and before long, the clear sky was obscured by a thick haze of choking silt. The fine particles found every hole in their clothing, infiltrating even past goggles and mouth filters to irritate the corners of their mouths, noses, and eyes. The pilot slowed the skimmer, trying to navigate the harsh conditions with caution.

Nonessential crew members hurried below deck, while the remaining crew adjusted their filter masks and rushed to the front of the skimmer, their eyes straining to watch for obstacles hidden by the hazy silt. They encouraged each other to remain vigilant, the skimmer's progress slow and halting through the storm.

For a while, everything seemed clear. Then, abruptly, the silt parted and from seemingly nowhere a stand of withered trees loomed directly in front of the skimmer. Shouts rang out to the pilot, who desperately tried to veer away from the trees. The warning came just in time to miss the densest part of the stand, but the skimmer still collided with entangling branches, jarring everyone aboard.

As they righted themselves from the impact, the storm began to die down. Though silt still floated in the air, it was no longer suffocating. Several crew members immediately set to work trying to untangle the ship from the trees. Just as a sense of relief began to settle, their eyes widened in horror. From the treetops, several bulbous creatures with quivering tentacles began to float down toward them.

The crew drew their weapons and prepared for another battle, the eerie silence of the aftermath broken only by the ominous hum of the descending creatures. The once-thick haze now served as a grim backdrop to the impending fight, each heartbeat pounding like a drum in the tense, silt-laden air.

Chapter 7: Entangled

The chaos of the battle with the floating mantles began with Morhen, who fired a well-aimed shot at one of the creatures before retreating below deck. Safi rushed to the prow, managing to loosen some of the entangling branches, but the behavior of the mantles left him confused. Shred, unable to dislodge the branches with brute force, resorted to hacking at them with his weapon. Sindarin, activating his flame-infused gauntlets, struck at the branches, causing a back blast that damaged many of them. Gid'Wei acrobatically worked to loosen more branches.

One of the floating mantles advanced on Shiv, raking him with its stinging tentacles. Shiv, despite the pain, snapped off some of the branches and identified the presence of esperweed in one of the nearby mudflats. Rexar emerged from below deck, braving the fray. Safi, meanwhile, investigated the mudflats and discovered their deceptive instability. Shred, desperate to escape, broke off more branches, while Sindarin repeated his fiery assault, devastating many more.

Gid'Wei continued his efforts, breaking branches and discerning that the mantles were filled with flammable gas, using vents for propulsion. Tiny mantle polyps raked at the crew, while the larger mantles flung stinging nettles in an attempt to drive them off. Shiv ignited his hammer with the power of his book but missed the tiny polyps with his swings. Rexar managed to kill a polyp, only to be stunned by its death scream. Safi untangled more branches and healed Sindarin.

Shred, frantic, slashed at the branches again. Sindarin, despite overheating his gauntlets, managed to land a hit. The distant mantles flung more nettles, but missed their targets. Gid'Wei loosed more branches and struck a mantle, releasing an explosive cloud of gas which Shiv ignited, burning many of the branches. Shiv then killed a polyp but was again stunned by its death scream.

Safi loosened more branches and healed Gid'Wei. Shred slashed at the branches twice more, and Sindarin, his gauntlets ablaze, landed another blow. Rexar, Safi, Shred, Gid'Wei, and Sindarin broke many of the remaining branches, nearly clearing the ship. Gid'Wei used his paladin ability to lay on hands and heal his comrades. Another surge of flung nettles struck them, and a floating mantle raked Shiv once more. Rexar struck at the branches with his sword, unleashing a burst of lightning.

As Gid'Wei dodged a floating mantle's rake, Safi loosened more branches, and Gid'Wei killed another floating mantle. With the last of the branches finally loosed, Rexar commanded the ship to sail away. In a final act of resourcefulness, Shred used his mage hand to grab one of the esperweeds as they fled, leaving the chaotic scene behind.

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