Session 185 - The Eye of Obsidapor
General Summary
28th to 30th of Peonu (Second Month of Spring) 724TR
The story so far
The heroes have learned that the mad priest of Ilvir, Xantosa, is hellbent on collecting relics (body parts) of the Crab-Titan Obsidapor. What are his sinister plans? Is he intending to resurrect this ancient monster?
The party has learned the location of one of these relics, Obsidapor's Eye, is believed hidden in a barrow of a legendary warrior near Derula Manor. The heroes have not found the barrow but instead a sinkhole leading to an underground stream and network of caves.
This is the continuation of Session 183 - Heretics.
Location - Derula Manor in the Kingdom of Kanday.
Part 1 - The Barrow
Still dazed by the psychic attacks from the Baethyr or Mind Lasher, the heroes continue forward through the caves. They find a passage abruptly sloping upward with broken skeletal remains of a warrior complete with rusty shields and armor at its base. It is still wearing a silver broach showing a silver or white raven, reminiscent of the Coat of Arms of the local lord (Clan Himaldy). Cautiously climbing up, the heroes spot a hole in the ceiling, leading into an ancient barrow mound.
The barrow has a large central chamber, three burial crypts, and an entrance passage. The main chamber is decorated with representations of the wilderness along the walls, moon and stars on the roof, and the sun surrounded by a snake on the floor. Abaddon notices a suspicious discoloration on the floor tiles. This may hide a secret compartment but finds no way to access it. In front of the crypts are ancient bronze braziers filled with charcoal and aromatic herbs. The characters ignite one, but Abaddon recognizes the presence of hallucinogenic smoke, so they quickly smother the flames.
Remy puts his keen intellect into solving the problem. He determines the design of the chamber may be intentional, and the artwork seems to emphasize the winter solstice. Examining the entrance tunnel, he is convinced that it is designed to make the passage of light from the sun and specific times of the year. However, the entrance is blocked by a study stone plug and at least 10 ft of soil. So he decides to create a sun. Emptying one of the braziers, he fills with dry wood from a broken casket and oil. He sets this alight as close as possible at the barrow entrance and observes what the light shows.
The light highlights a section of the back wall. Abaddon pushes on it and hears a click. The hidden compartment under the floor opens.
Part 2 - The Eye
Inside an ancient oil-skinned leather bag containing the Eye of Obdispor. The strange petrified eye's pupil dilates when touched, and suddenly the heroes find themselves in another location altogether.
They are standing on a beach at night surrounded by large rocks and oddly dressed people. This looks very similar to the coastline of the nearby Isos Manor, but sometime in the long past. Tied to the rocks are two figures, and the crowd is chanting "Obsidapor, Obsidapor." Out of the sea, a huge figure emerges, the Crab-Titan Obsidapor.
by Obsidapor, Art by Thomas WilliamsThree warriors lead the crowd, two are wearing broaches identical to the one the party found earlier, and the most prominent, likely the leader, wears an elaborate silver and gold torc. The warriors suddenly turn their heads towards the characters, noticing their presence for the first time. They are angry.
Then the vision abruptly ends, and the heroes return to their bodies discovering that they find that they are not alone; out of the skeletal remains of the warriors, shadowy forms emerge. These angry spirits attack and drain the strength of the heroes. These prove especially dangerous to Remy. After being struck, his strength is sapped to the point another hit will likely drain what is left of his life force. He retreats into the entry passageway, hopefully, protected by his artificial light. Nevertheless, these Shadows are eventually destroyed, after which all of the heroes collapse onto the ground, exhausted and considerably weaker.
The air quantity in the barrow starts deteriorating, so the characters quickly search the caskets of the remaining warriors and find another silver brooch and a very valuable silver and gold torc, the same the warrior in the vision wore. Abaddon expresses momentary concern that taking possession of such items might set in motion a curse but thinks this is unlikely. Nonetheless, they take them anyway and exit the way they came as fast as they can manage, retrieving the corpse of the dead Shepard they found previously on their way out. Talking with the local villages, they recommend sealing the sinkhole but do not tell anyone of the presence of the barrow and the treasures they plundered.
Location - Sarkum Castle in the Kingdom of Kanday.
Part 3 - The Traveling Weaponsmith
The party arrives at Sarkum and decides not to sell the jewelry they looted from the tomb. They will look at offloading in a larger settlement, likely at a better price, the next time they visit the City of Aleath.
Odin has shown interest in locating Cearbhall Ciernack a traveling weaponsmith who may be capable of crafting enchanted weapons. Asking around, he learns from Sarkum's weaponsmith, Bronin Chefeld, that he was here only a week ago. Cearbhall joined Earl Milaka's latest expedition to Anfla Island. Cearbhall mentioned that he was searching for a fallen star. He wants to find some meteorite metal.
Part 4 - Ogremong
When the heroes visited the Temple of Ilvir at Loza Hamlet they were told of the likely location of another relic of Obsidapor. The tongue of the monster. Ancient lore suggests it was buried on Tarkel Island, hidden somewhere in or around the old settlement of Azart, which is now a ruin.
Unlike many of the other ruins in this region, Azart was not raised during Ezar's War. It was abandoned 77 years ago after the settlement was allegedly attacked by a giant called Ogremong. As no one is alive from those days, the heroes cannot get meaningful details from local tales. They speculate that the monster is likely a Pradeyalkri, one of the gigantic creatures driven out from the Ivinian northlands by the god Sarajin millennia ago. Unfortunately, no one has been brave or foolish enough to travel to Tarkel Island for years. The heroes borrow a small fishing boat and visit.
To be continued.
NPC Interactions
Bronin Chefeld - Weaponcrafter.
Marak Torten - Constable of Sarkum.
Challenges Overcome
Found Obsidapor's Eye.
3 x Shadows somewhat enhanced.
Rewards
Three valuable jewelry pieces, 2 x Silver Brooches (sale price 600sp), Silver and Gold Torc sale price (1,500sp).
The Eye of Obsidapor.
Created Content
Nothing This week.
Related Reports
Nothing This week.
Player Character Status
Odin - Human - Level 4 Gloom Stalker - Gained Level.
Abaddon - Elf - Level 4 Open-hand Monk - Gained Level.
Remy - Half-Elf - Level 4 Bladesinger - Gained Level.
