Session 8: The World Remade Report

The party is in the home of Vulred, which he had occupied since the days of the Great Conflict.

Deiter and Meliyeus speak about what had happened to Meliyeus while he was out. He explained that he was not physically moving, but still alive. Afterward, Deiter heads to bed along with most of the party.

Meliyeus and Vulred speak to one another. Vulred speaks about how he can sense the presence of Eshara among them, and asks which one of them is involved with the Eshan. Meliyeus does not directly answer, which Vulred allows to pass. They speak about how Deiter’s opinion of Vojûn and other powers has been spoiled by their recent adventures. Such horrid things as they have seen could be well beyond what the man has experienced.

Vulred explains how he is perhaps the final practitioner of a power of something called the “foretelling”, which he has little control over. It is a unique power, one that which not even the Eshan themselves can utilize. He tells Meliyeus that he has a duty, once that will surpass any stress lain upon him previously. Afterward, Meliyeus heads to sleep while Vulred continues to read his books.

In the morning, Deiter, Tristifer, Dio, and Cinder all gather on the lawn to pray to Corgastor. Inside the house, Meliyeus speaks with Barbozar to thank him for moving his body to safety. Meliyeus quips that this is technically his fourth time dying. Barbozar is in utter disbelief. They continue to speak, and Barbozar argues that the rest of the party have been cowards, and that Meliyeus is alive because of him. Corgastor is a force that weakens. Barbozar then asks about what Meliyeus had seen on the other side, and if it was Karthuul. Meliyeus replies that it wasn't- or so he thought. Meliyeus asks about the religion of Barbozar, which he explains is about the waste of the world and the destructive nature of mortal life.

On the lawn, the four Corgastorians for a time feel as if that Corgastor has once again ignored them. Suddenly, he burst out with tremendous force- looking frantic. He pointed toward the house, biding all of them move toward the house. In the house, Barbozar and Meliyeus see Vulred drop his book and look out a window. They see the luminescent form of Corgastor outside. In the house, the tips of Meliyeus’s fingers, where he was burned, beginning to once again burn.

Tristifer walked over to Vulred with an accusative tone and stance. He accuses Vulred of something odd, foul play in this. Vulred becomes angry and lifts Tristifer into the air. Tristifer reaches for the nail to the gateway of Ácolitus, preparing to make a move. Vulred notices, and smirks, saying that those things are often dangerous, then drops him.

Deiter accuses Meliyeus, and all four Corgastorians look over to them. They have a winding conversation about the nature of the Eshan and the lack of trust between the party members. Vulred comes over to Meliyeus and places a hand upon his shoulder, saying that he will support him. Tristifer grills Vulred about what he might know about this. Vulred admits to knowing very little. Meliyeus shows his three signs of his pacts with Ácolitus. First, the blazing hand with long fingers on the chest. Then he shows them the burned tips of his fingers. They come to the conclusion that Corgastor probably wants the four Corgastorians to help Meliyeus in this. They shortly after prepare to advance.

After around half a day of travel, the party arrived at an opening in the mountain trail that led toward the upper portions of the Anvil. They come upon an Etalian guard outside the opening, sword over his chest. Barbozar approaches, challenging the guard. The rest of the party holds back by order of Tristifer, just to see what happens. He attempts to walk around, but the guard keeps the sword pointed toward him to block advancement. When he comes too close, the guard swings in a large arc and cleaves into his torso, doing some heavy damage. Barbozar returns in kind, and slashes the Etalian guard. The fight goes on for a time before Meliyeus gets involved and blasts the man with Vojûn. The Etalian dodges aside, then plunges his sword into Barbozar’s chest- the damage was brutal.

The rest of the party became involved shortly afterward. Deiter uses the Eshara of Corgastor to support Barbozar. Dio charges in and attacks the Etalian guard, who steps aside the attacked deftly. Cinder fired an arrow, but it dashed against the armor. Meliyeus failed to do significant damage. The Etalian lunges in for the attack and slashes Dio across the collar. Finally, Deiter binds him. The Etalian is brought to the ledge and hurled off after having his leg broken.

Moving toward the mouth of the opening, Vulred places a hand upon the shoulder of Meliyeus- he tells him that the choice of what should be done might not be best left to Ácolitus. He also says, however, that the choice should only fall to Meliyeus. They continue inside, and through the darkness come up to a large room in a cavern. There is a staircase in the center. They continue up the staircase, and they see another Etalian guard standing atop the staircase. Suddenly, Garrick shows up on the scene with a hand on the shoulder of Meliyeus. Afterward, Lon the Swordmaster arrives on the scene as well.

They arrive at the top of the steps. Lon introduces the party to Thin’tak Hepta’tal with an exaggerate bow. They have a short dialogue. He then notices that Vulred is in the room- then goes into a furious rant against him, asking how he is alive and how he is alive. They then get into a massive argument over the return of Atûn and the nature of the Etalian return. In anger, the Etalian king rushes over to the orb. A battle ensues, with fire, arrows, and swords all being used to brutal effect. Lon leaps into the battle with dual swords, and batters back Dio. All the while, Vulred and Thin’tak were in a vicious fight of Vojûn.

Tristifer moves in with an attempt to stab Thin’tak with the nail of the gateway of Ácolitus. He fails originally, but gets in a square hit- killing him instantly. Garrick slits the throat of another Etalian guard, leaving only Lon left. Dio, however, was slightly hit by the nail, doing near mortal damage. Tristifer then moves over to interrogate Lon, for what that was worth. Barbozar then decapitated Lon for the glory and blood- in honor of Karthuul.

Meliyeus places his thumbs upon the orb. It then begins to change, lifting from his hands and showing the symbols of Ácolitus on its surface. It begins to emanate a great light from its surface, and a shallow crack is heard. The light begins to grow sickly after the crack, into many vibrant colors. A voice is heard to Meliyeus, saying that “I have not have such a great champion in an age”. The red eyed, dark form seen in their nightmares emerges, and is taller than any of the party. Its features are metallic, strange looking surfaces of many opaque colors. In a blink, it is a step from Meliyeus. It breathes on him, and there is a bitter cold that emerges. Another blink, and there are in a completely different place.

It is a castle- known by the Corgastorians to be the Trident. The beast is smashing its fist through the chest of the Voice of Corgastor. In another place, the beast has its fist through the chest through an Etalian lord. Next it is a battlefield. The creature grasps its throat, an Etalian lord is slain. They continue through a series of scenes. Everywhere, all around the world- death. He can hear the laughter of Ácolitus, then a small voice. First it is small, but grows greater with the blinks. It says, “Let there be light”. With each blink, it grows greater and greater! With its crescendo, there is light. There is a white light, and a figure in front of them. It is a man, toweringly tall- with a spear and white armor. He acknowledges the bows of the Corgastorians, and speaks to them. He tells them that the beast will be here momentarily- with the spawn of Ácolitus soon to follow.

He states that Aebaster, two of the Four Brothers, Karthuul, and others among the Eshan are dead. He says that Ácolitus has been plotting this for some time, and that the Divine Mandates meant there was little that could possibly be done. Meliyeus vows to assist, even if he had done wrong. Barbozar vows to avenge the death of Karthuul at the hands of Ácolitus. He then strips down to the nakedness of death. Zarthum is an attempt on the part of Ácolitus to replace the Eshan who had rebelled against him and humbled him. He is created from the power of the Void itself, unlike the Eshan who are created from his power and light.

Soon, a thunder clap without sound tears open the fabric of the Void and Qadal. Zarthum emerges from that tear. Corgastor assumes his great form as an Eshan, while the mortals of the party prepare to fight to sub-divine form of Zarthum.

Dio charges forth at the beast, and lands a powerful hit. Barbozar charges and hits as well. Meliyeus blasts it with the might of Vojûn. Tristifer attacks as well. A full melee ensues between the party members and this monstrous beast of Ácolitus. Meliyeus’s left arm is brutally crushed by one of the razor arms. Deiter is battered by the swinging arms. Tristifer blocks a smash. Barbozar digs deep into the metallic flesh with his blade, and a wave of cold washes over him. Cinder plunges his sword into the back of Zarthum. Tristifer hits the beast again, then is sent stumbling back with a counterattack. Zarthum freezes Detier at the legs, immobilizing him. Tristifer rushes over and grabs Deiter and begins to drag him. Detier takes the time to bless Tristifer’s mace with the Eshara of Corgastor- only a short distance away. Tristifer drags Deiter out of the way of an attack that was doing to crush him while paralyzed. Deiter then blasts it with Vojûn. Tristifer brings it down on two knees with a hit.

The beast, near death, lets out a great wave of frost that washes over the party. Tristifer absorbs the hit on the behalf of Deiter, coming close to death as the frost blows over him. Meliyeus goes down. Cinder goes down. Barbozar and Dio are injured. Corgastor takes the opportunity to plunge his spear into Zarthum, causing the beast to release a tremendous roar. It begins to frost over. Unfortunately, both Cinder, Meliyeus, and Garrick died during the fight from their wounds.