Session 69
The Groaning City and Kragmorta
The Groaning City and Kragmorta
The group spent time deliberating their options for descending into the hole. Fazanna experimented with different methods, using a fly spell and venturing into the hole, but none proved successful. As they discussed their choices, they noticed a shadowy corruption spreading from the ruins above and creeping across the ceiling. Observing that it did not extend beyond the ceiling, they refocused on their task. Shiv recalled that the dray who had descended earlier muttered something before floating down. After several attempts, Fazanna realized that invoking the name of Dregoth would allow them to reach the bottom safely. However, with seven members and only four amulets, they devised a plan: four would go first, and then Safi, the druid, would wildshape into a bird, fly the amulets back to the top, and retrieve the remaining members.
The group advanced down the straight tunnel, feeling the air grow cooler and heavier compared to the warmth they had previously encountered. At the tunnel's end, they faced a massive gate made of blackened iron, adorned with intricate carvings and ancient symbols. The gate was scarred and weathered, with rusted chains hanging loosely, their ends tangled at the base. As they approached, an eerie silence filled the space, broken only by the faint echoes of their footsteps and the distant drip of water. Shank picked up one of the large chains, and with his brother Shiv, pushed open the creaking gate. Inside, groaning voices filled the air, and the soft light from the ceiling revealed a cavern filled with the signs of battle—burnt and shattered buildings, ancient corpses, and structures that seemed to have been shaped or grown from solid rock. The damage to the place was extensive, obscuring further details.
The group decided to search the ruined buildings on their left and rounded a corner to find a giant bone creature attacking a small scavenging group of first-generation dray. The creature crushed the two remaining scavengers before turning its attention to the group. Shank charged in with his axe, slicing at the creature three times and obscuring it in his ashen cloud. The bone worm bit Shank and then slammed down on him. Anvar vaccinated Shiv against disease, and Shiv rushed in, hitting the bone worm with his hammer and shoving it partially out of the ash cloud before striking it again. Karnos attempted to psionically decelerate the monster, but it shrugged off his attack. Safi cast shillelagh on his staff and struck the bone worm, while Fazanna pulled out her shadowblade and darted in. Shank switched his axe for a greatsword, but his attacks bounced off the creature, leading him to resort to punches, which also had no effect. The bone worm bit Shank again and slammed everyone nearby. Shiv struck it twice before action surging and delivering the final blow. Anvar then provided first aid to Safi.
The fields, once thriving with carefully cultivated fungi and subterranean plants that showcased the settlement's self-sufficiency, had become a stark shadow of their former glory. What was once a bustling agricultural area was now overrun by wild, scraggly growths barely surviving in the parched soil. The vibrant crops had been replaced by hardy, desperate plants clinging to life in the desolation. The field, now a harsh, untamed expanse of dry, cracked earth and struggling vegetation, served as a forlorn reminder of the vibrancy it once held.
The Overlook Estates, once the most coveted homes nestled into the eastern wall of the hill, showcased ornate architecture and elegant ceramic ducts that once channeled water directly into these exclusive residences. Deciding this might be a promising place to search for treasure, the group split up to explore. As Shank stepped into a ruined home, he heard a sudden shuffling sound. From the shadows and debris, cursed undead emerged, their malevolent forms rising with unnatural energy, filling the air with a chilling sense of danger. An undead dwarf reached out and disintegrated Shank's hammer with a touch, forcing Shank to flee in fear.
Responding to Shank's call, Safi and Fazanna arrived. Fazanna cast a firebolt at the undead and quickly retreated, while Safi used magic stones before fleeing as well. The undead dwarf used its life-draining ability on the three of them, siphoning some of their life force to feed its own strength. Karnos appeared and Fazanna struck the undead with a lightning bolt, while Shank continued to distance himself from the creature. The dwarf drained life again, now from all four of them, growing even stronger. Karnos also fled the scene.
Safi summoned goraks and wildshaped into a hatori. Shiv arrived and struck the undead dwarf twice with his hammer. In response, the dwarf unleashed a radiating death field, killing the goraks and injuring Shiv. Shank dashed closer to help his brother, while Safi, in hatori form, swiped at the undead with his massive tail. Karnos moved closer and psionically enhanced Shank with accelerate. Fazanna missed with another firebolt. Now inhumanly fast, Shank dashed in, landed a critical hit with his cleaver, adding elemental flux, and delivered a second killing blow to the undead dwarf.
Deciding that the meager treasure they recovered wasn't enough to stay in the cavern, the group headed for the opposite end. Along the way, they passed by the eastern wall, where the imposing head of a lion once stood, commanding a natural waterfall. In ages past, water gushed from the lion's mouth, cascading down a stone aqueduct to a pool below. The water used to flow through small ceramic pipes to nearby structures, but now the pipes were shattered, and the lion's roar was a distant memory. The once vibrant waterfall had dried up, leaving the lion head silent and lifeless.
They came upon the Ruined Pool, once a bustling source of life where water flowed freely from the aqueduct into a stone basin. Now, the basin was a hollow depression filled with dry, lifeless silt. The remnants of the aqueduct stood as empty, cracked channels, devoid of the life-giving water they once carried. The area was eerily silent, a stark reminder of the life and activity that had once thrived there.
The group then explored a building that once served as the heart of the settlement, a meeting hall and assembly area for the refuge's leaders. The stout stonework showed the scars of a fierce assault, and its defenders were either slain or captured and hanged on the trees outside. Inside, nothing of value remained except for a large stone pedestal, which had once held something of great importance but was now empty, forcefully stripped of its contents.
The central street of the settlement was lined with titanic, wide-limbed trees, now reduced to grim sentinels of the past. Once majestic and vibrant, the trees had been ravaged by fire, their trunks blackened, and their branches reduced to skeletal remains. Hanging from the charred limbs were about fifty near-mummified dwarf corpses, dressed in tattered yellow robes adorned with the faded emblem of a striking lion. The sight was both chilling and poignant, a haunting reminder of the settlement’s fiery end and the tragic fate of its inhabitants.
As they drew within 50 feet of the hanging corpses, an unsettling change occurred. A collective, mournful moan rose from the charred remains, echoing through the desolate street. The eerie lament filled the air, amplifying the haunting atmosphere and heightening the sense of dread. As they drew closer, the scene took a nightmarish turn. The near-mummified dwarves, once lifeless and silent, animated with a ghastly purpose. The decayed limbs lurched forward with unsettling speed, their rotting hands reaching out to grasp and strangle any who came too close. The air was filled with the grotesque sound of creaking, ancient bones as the spectral figures attempted to ensnare and suffocate their prey, adding a new layer of terror to the already grim scene.
As the group carefully avoided the grasping, hanged figures in their tattered yellow robes, they approached the Shattered Gates. These colossal structures loomed ahead, their surfaces scarred and cracked from the fierce battle that had torn through the settlement. The gates, once a grand entrance crafted from intricately worked stone, now lay in ruins, with broken chunks scattered across the ground. The northern tunnel, which had once funneled the invading force, framed the gates in an ominous shadow. The scale of the destruction was staggering, offering a haunting glimpse into the chaos that had overwhelmed this place.
As they reached the intersection in the tunnel, Fazanna decided to cast fly on herself, leaping over the hole that separated their path. When she did so, the tunnel unexpectedly illuminated, and she was held aloft by some unseen force. A voice echoed in her mind, "Where can I take you?"
As she questioned the voice, it introduced itself as Kataal. Intrigued, Fazanna probed further, asking if she could learn more about the tunnel. She linked her mind with Shiv and Shank before agreeing to hear more.
Suddenly, a vision overwhelmed them all. Before their eyes, the ruined city of Giustenal was replaced by an endless expanse of shimmering water. Rising from this impossible sea was a city unlike any they had ever seen. Stone structures seemed to grow organically, as if shaped by the earth itself, and the streets teemed with halflings—civilized, sophisticated, and thriving in a metropolis that rivaled the grandeur of Nibenay and Raam.
"This is the Blue Age," Kataal’s voice whispered, "a time long before the Green Age, when halflings were the true masters of Athas, and nature itself obeyed their every whim."
Before they could fully grasp this revelation, the scene shifted. The waters receded, revealing a rugged coastline. The landscape, while more familiar, still appeared alien. The Sea of Silt was replaced by a vast ocean of sparkling water, and the barren deserts transformed into lush, verdant forests, stretching endlessly.
Their gaze fell upon the walls of Giustenal once more, now whole, strong, and teeming with life. But not a single halfling was among the inhabitants. Instead, they saw humans, elves, dwarves, and a multitude of creatures they could barely comprehend. Some were small with wings like stained glass, while others resembled slender dwarves with otherworldly features. The diversity was overwhelming, and the details were too many to absorb.
"This is the Green Age," Kataal explained, "after the Rebirth but before the Time of Magic. This is the age into which I was born, an age where the Way held supreme power."
Time seemed to accelerate. Giustenal grew and expanded, its reach extending to the islands dotting the ocean. Castles transformed into keeps, keeps into fortresses, and towering spires of stone rose ever higher into the sky. The Way, once the dominant force, now intertwined with the power of magic, shaping Giustenal into a paradise.
During this era, a new leader emerged—a giant of immense stature, with the head of a strange feline creature. The people adored him, building statues in his likeness and dedicating grand temples in his honor. Under his rule, Giustenal became a city of harmony, where all races lived together in peace and happiness—a utopia beyond their wildest dreams.
But then the Ravager came.
With an army of humans and a hunger for conquest, the Ravager assaulted Giustenal and its beloved giant-king. The battle was fierce, but in the end, the Ravager emerged victorious, slaying the giant-king and claiming Giustenal as his own. He declared himself Dregoth, the new sorcerer-king of Giustenal, and thus began the Cleansing Wars.
"This was the beginning of the Age of Sorcerer-Kings," Kataal intoned solemnly. "An age of bloodshed and devastation, where the sorcerer-kings raised their armies to wipe out the races born of the Rebirth. Giustenal's armies, led by Dregoth, scourged the land, and as sorcery was wielded more and more, the once-lush countryside withered and died. The strange races you saw were hunted down and exterminated as the years passed, until the land became a desolate wasteland. But the wars eventually ended."
As the vision faded, Kataal’s voice left them with one final truth. "The Age of Sorcerer-Kings still endures, but its end is near."
The sheer intensity of the vision overwhelmed Shank and Fazanna, leaving them teetering on the brink of madness, their minds struggling to process the ancient horrors and wonders they had witnessed.
They descended deeper into the tunnel, moving quickly away from the Groaning City. As the passage sloped downward, the tunnel suddenly illuminated, and they were lifted off the ground by an unseen force. A voice echoed in their minds—it was Primik the Mover, demanding to know who they were and why they had come. Despite their efforts, they failed to convince Primik of their intentions. He refused to assist them and warned that he would inform Dregoth of their presence. The weight of their failure hung heavy.
The group moved through the smooth-walled tunnel, noticing the absence of the spherical indentations they had seen before. In the distance, they saw a flickering light, and as they approached, the air grew hotter. They soon encountered a crack in the tunnel wall, from which lava flowed, forming a molten river that blocked their path. Shank, using his ability to walk over liquids, ferried each member across the fiery river one at a time. The intense heat from the magma inflicted mild damage on each journey.
The tunnel continued beyond the lava flow and opened into a vast cavern. At the entrance, they encountered the shattered remnants of a once-grand stone gate, with debris scattered across the ground. Beyond the rubble, a precarious rope bridge spanned a river of boiling magma, just ten feet below, casting an ominous glow. Despite the relentless heat and sporadic bursts of fiery rock, the bridge held firm as they crossed. On the other side, a deep rumbling voice called out from a roofless building. There, they met Bracorr, a fire giant who revealed that Dregoth had kidnapped and questioned him before he escaped. Trapped in this place, Bracorr sought a way back to his world, knowing Dregoth had a portal but unable to use it. A fire shaman by nature, Bracorr had lost his connection to his god. He allowed the group to rest briefly in his shelter.
The group decided to split into pairs to search the area. Shiv and Shank discovered two hell hounds, clearly not native to Athas, in their lair. Shiv charged in, striking one hell hound, shoving it prone, and grappling it before delivering a critical blow that killed it and frightened the other. The second hell hound bit Shiv and unleashed its fiery breath. Shank quickly followed, swinging his axe twice and killing the remaining hell hound.
Around the same time, Fazanna and Safi stumbled upon a nest of fire snakes. Fazanna hastened herself with a spell, but a fire snake charged at Safi, missing its bite but successfully spitting fiery venom, paralyzing her. Alerted to the danger, Shiv rushed in, pulled Safi to safety, and then returned to kill one of the fire snakes, skillfully dodging its bite and venom. Fazanna cast Toll the Dead, killing another snake. As the snakes drew closer, one managed to bite Shank, who then charged in recklessly, killing two snakes before switching places with Shiv. However, a snake bit Shank, paralyzing him with its venom. Shiv pulled Shank away and killed another snake with his hammer. Fazanna cast Toll the Dead again, wounding another snake. A snake retaliated by biting Shiv, but he disengaged and killed the wounded snake. Shiv was bitten again, but he retaliated with his gauntlets, killing the snake. Karnos then appeared and blasted one of the snakes with his psionic crystal. The last snake bit Safi but failed to hit Shiv with its venom. Fazanna cast Flame Blade and Toll the Dead as Shiv killed the final snake.
After an unsuccessful search of the area, Safi spotted a dark shadow slithering on one of the islands in the magma. Shank carried Shiv out to the island and then headed back for the others. While returning, a creature appeared and charmed Shiv. Before anything else could happen, Karnos noticed this and used his psionic ability, Nomadic Traveler, to bring the entire group to the island. Seeing that it was outnumbered, the creature quickly dove back into the magma and disappeared.
As they approached, the group noticed a cluster of ancient buildings with worn facades that showed signs of habitation. Despite the well-maintained structures, the tense atmosphere suggested constant vigilance and readiness for unexpected visitors. Suddenly, more than a dozen tall figures emerged from the shadows to surround them. These figures, nearly seven feet tall, wore ragged hides and patchwork leather armor, carrying crude bone weapons. With hunched backs, long necks, and reptilian heads atop snaking necks, their scaly crimson skin and black spikes resembled drakes or even the Dragon, yet their shape was humanoid. These dray were led by Mosak Eggstealer, who urged the group to accompany them to the settlement to share food and drink.
In the settlement, they were treated as children, having not yet passed the rites marking a Kragmorta dray’s progression into adulthood. During casual conversation, they learned that the first-generation dray constantly sought Dregoth’s forgiveness, with each dray offering prayers and expressions of regret, revealing their belief that their god was angry with them. Despite their prayers, they also cursed Dregoth’s name, hating him for banishing them to Kragmorta. The first-generation dray looked down on their second-generation cousins, referring to them as lesser dray, seeing them as inferior and spoiled.
Mosak asked them to take the tests of adulthood by defeating a fire drake. Karnos teleported the entire group to the island amid the sea of molten rock. The island, surrounded by a chaotic scatter of massive boulders chipped from the cavern walls, emerged dramatically from the fiery pool. The rugged boulders created a stark ring around the island, emphasizing its isolation. Shiv's hammer, imbued with waves of excitement and casting Heroism on him, inspired him. He dashed in, hammer raised, and critically struck the drake with a mighty blow, enhanced by the hammer's hatred for drakes. With a swift second swing, Shiv single-handedly felled the drake.
After their victory over the drake, the group was celebrated as heroes and warmly welcomed. Mosak then requested their help to defend the community from invaders. As they searched through a gently curved building ahead, they initially appeared to be gith, but closer inspection revealed their ornate and functional armor and helms. When one of the intruders spotted them, its face twisted into a sinister grin.
One enemy used psionics to compel Shank to grovel. Karnos attempted to use his psionic ability, Pandemonium, but it failed. He then provided Shiv with advantage. The enemies dropped their illusions, revealing their true forms. One enemy swooped in and attacked Fazanna, clawing her and then paralyzing and poisoning her with its tail. Shiv attacked with his hammer, hitting once and grappling the enemy. Another enemy flew in and clawed Safi, who responded by summoning goraks and wildshaping into his hatori form. A hatori then attacked its own kind, while the goraks engaged one of the enemies.
Shank, following the command, groveled on the ground but was still hit by the enemy’s tail, which paralyzed him despite his attempt to cast Shield and turn invisible. Passk pulled the paralyzed Fazanna away from harm. An enemy swooped in on Shank, who was paralyzed by the tail. Shiv switched to punching the enemies, used Second Wind, and dragged the grappled enemy away. Another enemy attacked Safi, causing him to lose his wild shape. Safi teleported away using Dimensional Step and cast Lesser Restoration on Fazanna, ending her paralysis.
An enemy clawed Anvar, while Karnos used a Psychic Blast to stun five enemies and kill one. The enemies teleported next to Karnos, who turned insubstantial to avoid their attacks. The goraks killed another enemy. Anvar disengaged and provided first aid. Fazanna then struck and killed another enemy. One enemy teleported but did not reappear. Another attacked the goraks, and yet another was incapacitated by their hypnotic frills. The group managed to kill the last remaining enemy.
Before the group could fully revel in their victory, a psionic apparition of a man appeared before them. He spoke, "Thank you for aiding Dregoth's banished children. It is my hope to bring them back into the fold before the banished ones are destroyed. Dray should not fight dray. You, however, are a problem. Please return to your own world before you cause the end of ours." As he extended his hand towards Safi, Safi clutched his chest in pain, and then both the apparition and Safi vanished.