Session 9: Xorjoradu Report

General Summary

Awakening in the chamber of the now felled Andronaxes, exiled prince of his noble Draconic line, the party sets themselves to their grim and heroic business of slaying the beast, Xorjoradu, Morkoth, and the master of these isles. Syrik, the parties guide, asks Krookk to fly to the top of these chambers and investigate the quarters of the dragons keeper, Garrukk of the Birdfolk, now dead at Krookk's hand. Within Krookk discovers little, a but a few items of distinct interest. Chiefly amongst those items was a diary kept by Garrukk and written in the Auran hand, a script consisting of many-fold swirls and gusts of ink. The latest page of the diary revealed to Krookk that Kayrus-Ebus has indeed revealed his presence on the island to him, and Garrukk was preparing for a hasty retreat to safer waters. This page implied that the dominating magics of Xorjoradu were not complete in Garrukk, and the influence of his runestone of wind saved enough of his independance that he was able to slowly crawl back into his own autonomy. The surgical placement of the runestone in his eye socket was a clever trick that allowed him to maintain ownership of the device, as removing it would kil the bird, and Xorjoradu wished not to murder a member of his gallery. Also amongst his possessions were many volumes of books on Dragon-lore, anatomy, and the history of Andronaxes's line. Most interestingly, a small shrine carved into the ground, taking the shape of a ring of air upon a stone pedestal with a small notch perfectly seated to accept the wind rune. Upon a rope being dropped down, Syrik explained that such a device was a Daean Augur, one of a series of exceptional magic devices which are powered by the rune-stones. The wayshrine the party utilized earlier was another of these devices, powered by the earth-rune to permit instantaneous travel over long distances. The Augur can be used to communicate with other Augurs anywhere else in the world, and share information or images. How Garrukk learned of this device or its dimensions, for he had obviously carved it himself, Syrik was not able to explain.   Upon returning to the floor of the chamber, tensions which had been boiling under the thinnest of veils among the party reached a critical point, to the chagrin of them all. Rebuked and shamed by Syrik, anticipating a future duel to the death, Kayrus-Ebus decided that the party no longer needed their guide, and ensorceled the Sea Elf, putting a grave madness upon him. Standing nearby to help Syrik down from the rope, Ronn was the first to notice the black magic crown which materialized atop Syrik's head, and his eyes rolling back to reveal nothing but white, a moment later he struck out with his blade and only narrowly missed Ronn's head. A moment later, Ronn's wizarding mind put together the pieces of the puzzle, recognizing the spell that Kayrus-Ebus had used on the Murlocs, and sniffing out his treachery. However between him and Kayrus-Ebus stood the now enraged Syrik, and Krookk had descended in a moment of fury seeking to confront the Tiefling and punish him for nearly stopping Krookk's revenge.   A terrible fight broke out. Syrik was eventually able to break the Arcane shackles of his mind, but not before Kayrus-Ebus rushed forth and, seeking to pay retribution for many harmful spells cast on him, struck Ronn with a might blow from his pact sword. The series of attacks was enough to sever Ronn from this mortal coil in the space of a shallow breath, and draw him back as a spectre bound to the will of the summoning warlock. What Kayrus-Ebus did not consider, however, is that Ronn communes with dark forces better left alone. In this moment something that was decidedly not Ronn, but laying dormant in his psyche, chose to reveal itself. An entity inherently attuned to the world of death and the dying and the chaos beyond existence spoke through Ronn's spectre and put a doom upon Kayrus-Ebus, his powers paled in comparison to the forces behind Ronn's magic, and he should not wish to again be put before this horrifying force.   The fight came to a halt as Kayrus-Ebus was overpowered by Syrik, Krookk, and Sesos. His limbs were broken and he was shoved into a locked box so the party might recover, and decide their next actions. Very much respecting the will and strength of the party as he has come to view it, he imparted onto his new friends a gift. He explains how a strange magic, deeply attuned to the nature of Elven-Draconic relations and the bloodlines of both Andronaxes and himself, has expressed itself within him. The marks upon his body represent an affinity to both death and rebirth, and with it he has power over these things. He prayed and casted over the mangled body of Ronn for some time before, inexplicably, he came to life with a scream, and a quiet understanding within that his companionship with Syrik was no cooncidence, and that forces far beyond him worked their hands through the party.   Ronn created for the party a magic shelter in which they might lick their wounds before confronting the Morkoth. Over this time the pained and broken Kayrus-Ebus reached out once more, in between periods of blacking out from hurt, to his patron and ancestor. Dispater's horrible voice came to him in the closed and cramped darkness "Stuck once more are we? You begin to show a pattern. Let me guess, you require aid, and freedom, and healing once more? These things do not come free, this time you must give yourself to me, wholly and irrevocably, to act as my agent and sow discord in my name to this place which time has not brought you yet. All will become clear soon, but for now heed my words: the Necromancer, though he may not seem it, will be an ally to you, and my plans include you two working together. I shall burst your binds and heal your hurts, and when this is done sign your name in blood on the ground. After which your soul will be mine". And the binds were burst, and the hurts healed, and once more Kayrus-Ebus stood before a confused party who were ready to once more strike him down. But a truce was met, every one of them had better things to do than to kill one another over and over, to seemingly no affect, and the party tentatively agreed to clear the slate, though many distrustful glances were cast in Kayrus-Ebus's direction.   At this time, the party was summoned. A great dispatch of Murloc's located them within the stronghold an bid them present themselves to Xorjoradu. The great collector recognizes their might, knows what they wish and he himself wishes not to have them destroy more of his beloved possessions. Xorjoradu would meet the party in single combat so as to assuage their desire for freedom, be warned however, Xorjoradu had every intention of dismembering their limbs so they might cause no further trouble. The party requested two days to prepare and this time was granted. Syrik agreed to meet the party in the valley after sending them through the wayshrine, collecting the earth-rune, and making his way down the mountain by foot.   After these two days, all was prepared. The party made their way west via the river, atop the glorious Dwarven folding boat of Krookk, and came upon the lake. All around their approach were the signs of a lost rebellion, the parties allies on the island strung up in pieces and crucified in greater numbers as they approached the inner lake. A large group of Murlocs led the party directly to the entrance of the sunken temple, and bid them descend. Within they found that a great majority of the museum was concealed to them, the murk hanging in the water like a dark curtain. A clear path stretched out before them in one singular direction however, it led directly to the inner sanctum of Xorjoradu.   The Morkoth silently acknowledged their approach, and through magic closed the doors behind them, before rushing to the fight. The mighty spellcasting of the beast proved challenging for the party, indeed they found it near impossible to even approach the beast. Horrible sharks snapped and bit and anything that went over the edges of their linear assault path, so they grimly marched forward. After many rounds of horrible and rude magic, Kayrus-Ebus managed to get within striking range of the monster. Calling upon a might that lay deep within him, a might that originated in a far away time in the shadowfel when Kayrus the Shadar-Kai, cult-master and duelist, first gained mastery over the blade, and in one god-like swing Kayrus-Ebus split the beast asunder, and branded the mark of Dis on the bleeding halves of it's corpse.   Immediately the caverns began to rumble and eject rock. The trembling caused many of Xorjoradu's finest items to fall into the abyss below his sanctum, but they all managed to grab onto a few items of great worth before hastily retreating from the collapsing cave structure. Above ground they basked in the warm sun of the isle, enjoying a well-earned rest. Syrik bid the party fair travels, needing now to return to his people and explain what has happened. Ronn offered the crown of domination to Syrik who hesitated for a moment, before taking it. As a parting gift Syrik explained the history and purpose of the Rune-stones, as much as his culture and tradition allowed him to. These are great artifacts, powered by mighty beasts each of which having the might to turn the world into dust. Syrik chose at this time not to kill Kayrus-Ebus, seeing the power of his blade, and knowing that he might be tantamount in recapturing the Tarrasque he so blithely sent to the hells when he offered up the light-rune to Dispater. And then, after taking a magic symbol by which he might contact Ronn in the future, he left, and the session ended.