Journal 24: Back To The Future

General Summary

Into the fire (35, cont.)

The book Emilio is reading is written by Diviath, and is about the founding of the city. From start to end, it starts out as a journal of sort, and slowly focusses more on research on temporal manipulation. It ends with the question of whether temportal manipulation is actually a valid means to their end. The book describes the people of the town growing restless, because once everything is set up, all that is left to do is farming and living their lives. The people don't understand that can't go back; they need hope. The book also contains a written speech with notes and remarks. The book also describes Diviath's plan to have each of the researchers live on their own 'timeline', and making time go slower for them, compared to the rest of the city. His plan also contains a contingency: in case anyone innocent dies because of their experiment, it must be because the experiment failed, and they will reset back to when they started, so they can try another way.

We also learn that the asian man in the time vision is named Xiaobo, and he is an alchemist. Theraval was Diviath's wife. She was upset he spent so much time on research, and not on the goings on of the city.

Into the fire (36)

We are once more attacked by tentacles from the barrier. Maze gets grabbed, but we manage to get away in the end. Maze goes to Morbelgion and convinces him to destroy one of the corpses that will turn into an ooze. The rest of the team goes to Anvindr and asks about a way to Identify items and where we can find Xiaobo. He tells us people don't like Xiaobo anymore.

We head over to Singe & Tide to identify the shadowy orb Maze looted from the succubus. It is a sort of power storage device, used as an underworld currency. When used, it gives permanent nature knowledge of sorts.

Into the fire (37)

No tentacles this time! We still run away, expecting them, and The Entity laughs at us when we do so. We stick to the same plan as before; Maze talks to Morbelgion, who disintegrates the body. The rest heads over to Xiaobo's. The front door is locked, so Emilio picks it and we enter. We find a trap door downstairs, which leads us to the basement, where Xiaobo is standing in his laboratory. He's rather agressive so we fight him a little; Nate gets killed by an alchemical breath potion. Meanwhile, the other two corpses that Morbelgion didn't destroy, oozify and drip down to the village square.

Into the fire (38)

This time, we all head over to Xiaobo's. Emilio sneak attacks him several times (it gets ugly) and drags Xiaobo outside. We tie him up and heal him, then talk. It turns out he is very depressed. Upstairs is a corpse sitting on a chair, his mother.

Into the fire (39)

Tendrils attack! Shynt fireballs himself because wild magic. We manage to survive without (any more) permanent major injuries! We discuss a plan, because we think we have all 5 of the riddle parts figured out. Then we decide to go to the circus. It is fun.

Into the fire (40)

We split up and follow our previously discussed plan: Nero & Nate convince Ulfgar to stop the ritual and come with us to fight the shadow dragon, Nocdrahir. Rael retrieves the lightning spear. Maze convinces Morbelgion to destroy all ooze-corpses, and manages to get Morbelgion to come with us to fight the dragon! The only condition is that Maze gets subjected to mind experiments; Maze agrees. Emilio goes to Xiaobo, goes all Rodney King on his ass, then drags him along as well. Rael goes to Shynt, who was heading to the Keepers and already got rid of one ice wall. They remove the lava rod, fix the lightining room, and get to the whirlwind pit.

After they manage to get the shield, we all meet up and head to the dragon cave. Nate stays behind because he is very injured by tendrils. We fight the dragon! The dragon fights back! A dragon in a dungeon, hurray! Unfortunately Shynt gets murdered, and... reset!

Into the fire (41)

Tendrils appear again! We manage to survive them again! We repeat our previous steps, and fight the dragon again. An epic fight indeed! This time, we win! Unfortunately Shynt gets crushed by the dragon's corpse. Lucky for him his wild magic triggered earlier, and made him Reincarnate.

We exit the cave, and are greeted by The Entity, who turns out to be Diviath! Wow! No one saw this coming.