Session Report 46

General Summary

Witnessing the sacrifice of Itzal, the Muskrats attempted to flee from the raging battle between the Duergar and Salamanders. Without their guide Ember, the Muskrats would find travel to be especially difficult. The first challenge they encountered was how to determine what direction they were heading in. With the sky completely blocked out by a thick layer of black ash and in unfamiliar territory, the Muskrats had great difficulty determining which way east was. Eventually, they settled on a direction that was indeed east. 
Exiting from the narrow pass, the Muskrats found themselves in an expansive valley of gently rolling stone hills. Hoping to put as much distance as they could between themselves and the warring Underdark forces, the Muskrats started a frenzied scurry across the open wasteland. The consequences of progressing without a guide would catch up to them again as they entered what is known in Ashenfall as a gas pit. A gas pit is an area where odorless and invisible gas leaks from deep below the surface. Only a well trained eye is able to detect the thin slits in the ground where the gas escapes. Those exposed to the gas quickly fall unconscious and prolonged exposure leads to eventual suffocation. 
Unaware of this danger, the Muskrats trudged in a wholly overconfident manner. In a moment Tev and Cambio fell unconscious. Bewildered by their sudden collapse the other Muskrats believed they were under attack and formed a defensive perimeter under the direction of Zonraven. His miscalculation would cost the party dearly. The other remaining Muskrats succumbed to the gas pits within seconds and the party was left defenseless in the center of Ashenfall. 
Hours later the party would awaken by a campfire. They rapidly devolved into bickering over what had taken place and who was at fault. The arguing intensified as they realized that each party member had items stolen off of them. Shade lost all of his common healing potions, Cambio lost his Wand of the War Mage, Zonraven lost his Ring of Protection, and Tev and Sauvek lost gold. Distracted by their petty arguments the Muskrats did not notice the black armored figure seated across the campfire from them. A figure in full plate armor stained black by ash lightly obscured by a long once beige cloak now mottled with ash sat across from them. A heavy metal shield rested against him with the familiar mark of Helm, a single white and blue eye painted across the shield. The figure introduced himself as Glozel, the Shield of Ash, and a messenger from Helm to issue a warning to Zonraven. 
Immediately falling into confused anger and disrespect, Zonraven started to yell at Glozel. Glozel having little tolerance for the childish outbursts of mortals constricted Zonraven's throat, silencing him but allowing him the meager space in his airway needed to breath. Glozel then began to recount why Helm sent him to warn Zonraven. Helm had grown worried that Zonraven was beginning to tarnish the reputation of Helm and his followers by failing to adequately uphold his oath. Glozel was one of the first worshippers of Helm. At this time the Gods were finishing their war against the Primordials. Only the most powerful of the Primordials were still attempting to battle the Gods. Rorn the Everblazing Fury was one of those Primordials. Standing between five and six hundred feet tall, Rorn was a massive mass of molten lava and fire that destroyed everything he passed.
Knowing that Rorn was headed towards his village, Glozel joined the followers of Helm to defend his homeland. At the time Ashenfall was a collection of seven tropical islands that had not been joined together yet. Rorn was heading towards these islands, slowly wading and swimming across the ocean. The followers of Helm decided to battle Rorn between the islands where the cooling power of water would weaken Rorn. Before reaching the location of the trap laid by Helm's followers, Rorn would attack Glozel's village. Rather than staying to protect the villagers, Glozel fled as they were crushed and burned alive beneath the hulking Rorn. The shattering of his left Glozel with a harsh punishment. Never would Glozel travel to Heaven, nor would his existence on the Prime Material Plane ever end. Instead his mortality was stripped from him and he is forever bound to guard Ashenfall and keep watch over where Rorn sleeps. Deep beneath the land of Ashenfall where the followers of Helm defeated the Primordial Lord. 
Glozel's stark warning fell on the deaf ears of Zonraven who cared little for the warning. Finding no fault in any of his actions, Zonraven brushed the warning off as nothing more than a deranged story from a creature consumed by the madness of his long lived life. While Zonraven cared little for the warning, the rest of the party listened intently to the news that a group named the Everblazing Fury was attempting to awaken Rorn from his slumber deep below Ashenfall, and that a certain Elven wizard may be at the heart of it. After sharing that tidbit of information, Glozel departed north to investigate a location known as the Caldera in the north, where he believed the group may be. 
After the departure of Glozel, the Muskrats would continue their attempt at traversing Ashenfall. Leaving Sauvek in charge of navigation however, quickly left the party traveling two hours south when they meant to head east. Shade was the one who set the party back on track and showed slight annoyance that the wrong turn may prevent him from reaching the Wild Hunt in time for the hunt of a dragon. With the party back on proper course they continued their journey eastward across Ashenfall and in short time discovered Xendor and Fritari, close associates of Skewhur. 
Upon meeting these two the Muskrats learned that they were looking for Cambio because Skewhur's condition had worsened and he was no longer taking his medication. Promptly, the party rushed to find him in a small valley where ancient ruins laid crumbled all about. As Cambio went to speak with Skewhur, the rest of the party began to investigate. Zonraven and Shade attempted to heal Skewhur but found any attempt to be futile. Sauvek engaged in conversation with Xendor and learned that the experiments Tritemeus conducted on him have begun to limit his body's capacity to cast magic. Tev and Shade investigated the ruins and learned that they are a dragon burial chamber that were built before the defeat of Rorn and when the area was once a standalone island. Zonraven went to speak with Fritari, which caused concern among the Muskrats due to his stated hatred of Tieflings. To their surprise Zonraven hid his bigotry and even engaged in a peaceful conversation. He learned that Fritari was carrying a child but had not told Skewhur because she did not want him to die with more worry than was necessary. 
Cambio and Skewhur began to talk and Skewhur told Cambio that his days were nearing their end. He spoke to Cambio about his regrets of not killing Tritemeus and enacting the revenge that they all wanted. They spoke of the brotherhood that they had shared and the unbreakable bond they shared. Skewhur asked about Itzal, and after learning of his fate shared that he intended to kill the Tortle. He revealed that he had twenty-five sticks of dynamite strapped to his chest to kill him. Skewhur then told Cambio of his true blood brother, an orc named Sharlarks, who had also been held in captivity with Skewhur and Cambio. Both had believed that Sharlarks had been killed, but Skewhur has learned that he is still alive. With his last breaths Skewhur asked Cambio to find Sharlarks to be the father to his child that he knows Fritari is carrying, or if he truly is dead that Cambio raise his child for him. Finally, Skewhur asks Cambio to achieve the revenge on Tritemeus that he could not. After Cambio agreed to carry out Skewhur's final wishes, Skewhur began to seize violently and the black scales stretched across his body, and an explosion followed. Where Skewhur once laid, now a black dragon stood menacing. The black scales of his body covered in cancerous growths and large tumor like growths existed on the underside of his body. 
The Muskrats having never faced a dragon quickly discovered the horrors of facing a large flying beast who can breathe acid across the battlefield. Tev shouted at everyone to keep distance from each other, but Zonraven decided he knew better and followed after Tev. Skewhur the Malignant saw an opportunity and unleashed his acid upon the two warriors. Cambio and Shade attempted to flank around the dragon to get a better angle to attack, but their attacks drew Skewhur to Shade. Before Shade felt the full might of a dragon, he was able to unleash a bombardment of four arrows in rapid succession that dealt horrendous wounds to the dragon. Yearning for revenge Skewhur began to tear Shade apart with tooth, claw, and tail. Surviving the brutal assault, Shade was able to escape after the use of a Potion of Speed and found his way to safety. 
As the battle continued, the Muskrats discovered that the growths on the underside of Skewhur were actually creatures that were half orc and half dragon. Skewhur began to rapidly produce these creatures as the battle continued and Zonraven found himself locked in combat with the creatures. Quickly he would become overmatched as the creatures began to unleash sprays of acid, and Zonraven died for the second time in as many days. Tev seeing that the battle was on the brink of complete defeat, chugged a Potion of Giant Size and grew to become huge. He then faced Skewhur in a one on one duel to the end. The dragon was no match for the enlarged might of Tev who delivered crushing blow after crushing blow with massive maul that shattered the skull of Skewhur. With his death the Muskrats let out a collective sigh of relief except for Zonraven who was dead and could no longer breath. The sense of relief was short lived however. 
A booming voice was heard over the ruins and when the Muskrats looked up they saw a cloaked figure flying. He revealed his arm that was burned and crack. Through the cracks dark crimson blood leaked and ignited into flames. Pulling down his hood the party saw an Elven man with black hair and golden eyes, the charred flesh now stretching across his face. Tritemeus had finally appeared before the party. He stated he had no intention to harm the party, and even extended a notion of goodwill by reviving Zonraven. Tritemeus had come to the Muskrats because he wanted to work with them.

Report Date

15 Mar 2022