Episode 48: Dragon Tales

General Summary

Clocks

Recap

Greenbloom 7, 3033: Year of Darkness

Entering Gauntlgrym, the Flamebringers took a moment to question Iravek about the city. How did it get here? Did it survive the Fracture? How are the Ironborn here related to the Ironborn of the Hollow Mountain? To answer some of these questions, Iravek took them to see Jara'Syn, high priestess of the Church of the Dead Iron Gods. The church's cathedral was made from what Iravek called the Monolith; a ship that had crashed here, then been repaired with silver kintsugi filigree, Soulinium, then turned into a church, morgue, and hospital for the Ironborn.

Halls of the Soulborn

Pharos noticed the Lord Master skulking in the hallways off the nave as Iravek introduced them to Jara'Syn. The silent Ironborn flinched back, almost like a scared feral cat, but when Pharos and Tyra waved, it returned it with a solemn nod before retreating deeper into the Monolith.

Jara'Syn was well versed in the creation of the Ironborn, filling the group in, with some nudging from Iravek, that Emrys discovered the ship containing the Dead Iron Gods crashed here below the mountains. The original Ironborn were designed based on dead Old World warforged found in the crash. Some of them are immortalized in the churches antechambers, one such depiction holding aloft the Soul Collective these warforged belong to.

These Ironborn are made of a Soulinium musculature with outer plating picked by the soul when it is waiting to return. Artists might have porcelain plating, while a woodworker oak, or a smith steel. Some Ironborn may be a potter in one life, and the greatest mage Andali has ever seen in the next, and a skilled painter in the next. And when they are ready, if they wish, they may pass on to the afterlife.

Though it is a stance of the Church that Ironborn will likely outlive mortal life, and Andali will one day be a World of Metal, the Doctrine of the Dead Iron Gods otherwise seems to be incredibly untaxing of its followers, based in personal agency and consent. Pharos thought that perhaps the Ironborn, while seemingly benevolent now, may have a villain arc in their future.

As Jara'Syn walked the group through clusters of Ironborn hand-crafting new Ironborn vessels, a process guided by the wishes of the soul that takes 9-12 months, she inspected Tyra's Soulinium shard, offering more if they were interested. It would appear that their shard is slowly growing, trying to be more in sync with their biology. Tyra was worried that it would one day overtake their entire body, but Jara'Syn assured them it would take the shard over a thousand years to reach that point, and Tyra would surely be dead by then. Tyra, an elf, said that may happen as they will live until killed. Jara'Syn didn't seem too worried about it.

She also inspected Jules, confirming Tyra's earlier theory that these Ironborn and Jules are indeed improvements on the same original design; each evolving in a different but parallel direction, cousins, separating them into High Ironborn, Jules; Hollowborn, Ironborn from the Hollow Mountain; and Soulborn, Ironborn from Gauntlgrym with a larger Soulinium concentration than the others. Jules said he would be happy to work with her to compare any other differences in design between High Ironborn and Soulborn. She seemed interested.

She also said Jules seems to be only partially utilized as a vessel. Jules said he felt half-full, and the group remembered what the Bedlamite had said about saying hello to his marbles. Valan wondered what will happen when they kill the Bedlamite; will Jules absorb Their essence? Or will they have to kill Jules because he is the other half? Nearby, a cluster was finishing their Ironborn, placing a opalescent white crystal into its chest, where the heart would go, before sending it into the hall to wait for its soul to Awaken.

Pharos asked what the deal with the Lord Master was; why was it allowed to prowl the halls? Jara'Syn explained that the Lord Master, here called simply Lord, as the title "Lord Master" was a demeaning name given to it by Hesse, was the first Ironborn Hesse tested his Soul Compendium on, erasing who it was in its mortal life. Once it was subjugated, Hesse forced Lord to kill Emrys, resulting in Emrys' first death. Fortunately, Emrys had set up a personal Soul Collective out of distrust for Hesse, and was able to persist.

Karrundax, Wyrm of the Old World

Departing the Monolith, Iravek took them to the dreaded meeting. A colossal set of gates stood at the edge of the city, depicting the face of an ancient red greatwyrm. Guards stood in front of them, dressed in ceremonial armor, but parted for Iravek as he entered. Inside, there was a precipice overlooking what can only be described as a Scrooge McDuck sized pile of gold coins almost 150 feet below. Iravek knelt at the edge, and Jules, Pharos, and Tyra all knelt with their heads pressed against the floor as Jara'Syn had advised them. Charles and Valan didn't.

A voice echoed from the depths of darkness in front of them: "Lower."

When they had obliged, the great Karrundax revealed himself, a massive draconic form whose head was at eye level with the platform. Elemental fire glowed beneath his scales, illuminating the space. It shimmered like embers, and waxed and waned at his throat as he spoke.

"You reek of the Divine."

The group explained that they were here to ask him his leave to borrow his champion and defender. They needed him, more specifically his weapon. They assured the dragon that Iravek will return more powerful.

"How?"

Tyra said they would slay the rider, as they had the Wanderer, with Wrath, and empower the Raiment. Karrundax's laugh filled the space. Not only did he agree to lend them his champion for a time, he gave them the Draakhorn, a powerful Old World relic that would summon dragons from 2,000 miles around to them when blown, calling the gods "oath breakers" and "gods of empty promises and forgotten word."

Iravek was less pleased with this outcome, not interested in killing the other gods; he remarked that while there seemed to be no consequences this time, what happens when they kill Monarch, whose domain is the Sun? When they kill death?

Flight Plan

Returning to the Sunstrider to plan, the group laid out a plan:

• Knowing that there are 18 days until the banquet, they would send the Sunstrider up to Ignix with Vanderlith (a 17 day journey)
• They would travel by foot down the mountains (a 10 day journey)
• And have 8 days to search the jungle for the Circle of Lightning and defeat the Tribunal
• Pharos will use word of recall to bring the group back to the Sunstrider after the 18 days are up. This means they can only bring Pharos, Tyra, Charles, Valan, and Jules, as the spell can only target up to five creatures.
• After the banquet, they'll travel back to Charonvein to pick up Iravek
• Travel to the Circle of Leaves, defeat the Rider
• They'll return Iravek to Charonvein

They also purchased sending for Vanderlith so that he could alert them in case there is another attack, like the dragon before.

With the mention of sending, the group sent the following message to the Pathfinder, and received the subsequent response:

[aloud]From Pharos, to the Pathfinder:
Phillip, it's been a while. Killed Wanderer. Need to kill more. Would like to learn the ways of the Pathfinders. Where are you? The Flamebringers.

Response:
Flamebringers, it has been a while. So, if you've slain the Wanderer, you've found the Raiments' purpose. I'm at the Beacon, but I'll find you.

Greenbloom 14, 3031,

Spoke to a woman named Dahlia at the Embassy tonight. She said was from the Theocracy, a minor noble in the courts, just barely important enough to be invited to come along to the Accords. She's heard whispers that the High Matriarch and Emperor Aurelius are set to reveal some great plan for continued peace and unity of both empires. No more details than that though, she hasn't been able to stir up anything further yet.

While she and I were sitting at the fountain talking, I noticed the Vagabond and the Speaker of the Baerwood talking to each other. He seemed to be trying to convince her of something, but she wasn't having any of it. They quieted down when Reharis approached them.

I know I am here as a representative of the Vanguard and my conduct is reflected on our organization, but it's all I can do not to throttle the creature as he passes by. I remember who he was at the Omniscient Dawn, I know what he did to get the Scribes out in time before the Battle of Concord Dawn. He deserves to rot with the rest of the nothiks at the Sentinel. But something is different about him. When he moves, he leaves an impression in the Call, as if his presence holds Resonance around him. It's the same impression Leonidas and Nicodemus leave behind. Montauk, too, to some lesser extent. I'll have to keep an eye on that one.

I think Valan might be dabbling in some illusion magic; his cheekbones seem to get sharper whenever Aisha is around.

Missions/Quests Completed

Find the Pathfinder. He was in your house.

Notes