Echoes Sessions 13-16
General Summary
14th of Mid-Ardent
The party fought against the infamous Volcana, bringing down the fiery monstrosity. Though, tragedy would strike when Kordrus saw the death of the Zhari grandmother he loved dearly. Kivosk, the boy’s imaginary friend, then stepped in, pitying the situation. The party called him out, curious as to why he’s insistent on raising the adolescent.
Salazar Kiver then realized himself, hoping to emphasize that he can protect the boy alright. Reasonably concerned, the party then left to return to Regalia to get far away from the impure monster.
16th of Mid-Ardent, 1754
The party heads south to Helmington. In this Trinian town is where they would meet Malkan Nemrex within the Cracked Anvil tavern. They would also meetup with Captain Solomon Wilkers who was formerly part of the navy and captain of the Drunken Gem. Together, Wilkers would take their Doctrine expedition to Ravager’s Rock and drop them off there and back.
Though, within the tavern, was a sadarren captain with two necroment at his side. Even the dwarrin tavern owner backed off from him.
2nd of Late Ardent, 1754
Along the voyage, the party dreamt of being in a small two-door room with the Dreadlord Salazar Kiver. He offered all of the party members a deal:
- Both the party and Kiver would back off, leaving both parties alone, assuming that neither mettle in their affairs.
- The party member can challenge Salazar Kiver instead in a strange metaphorical sense of chess.
- The party member could join Kiver in his new sense of reforming the Arkonian Order and become strange allies.
13th of Late Ardent, 1754
A haze of mist is ahead. Voyaging through the thick of it, the bell rings from the crow’s nest shortly after. In the distance is a massive island with gray-hued rocks and mucky sand that dips into the green waters. The remains of ships jut out occasionally, one even being toppled over on the shore.
Mountains are scarred with occasional signs of craters from conflict. The sun glimmers on the gray shy mountains as they stand on cliff tops. Just around the island itself, broken crates and barrels scatter along the dock and further inland. Rotting bodies of Calvorans and skeletal figures suggest signs of struggle occurred.
The Drunken Gem gets closer to the dockyard but still a decent distance ahead. The sails are raised and the anchor lowered. Captain Wilkers looks to you all, “Here we are everyone. Ravager’s Rock. From here, we will send the expeditionaries on a dingy. There could be a risk of scraping something if she gets any closer.”
The party arrives on the torn island of Ravager’s Rock early in the evening. They then perused around the hollow and toppled buildings, eventually even finding an Arkenwraith that has lost great amounts of its power and often has to silence when the ghosts of the island becomes active.
During the night, the island became active as it lived out the cruel fighting of Argatons and the Arkonians. Thankfully, the party had salt to keep the spirits at bay from picking on them as they held out in a church.
By morning, they were ready to venture on into the mines where, during the Necromantic War, Kelemveg chased after the conquerer Artuk. The Abyssal corruption was strong deep within. Lights glowed meekly and innate darkvision barely could see through the dark. Through the tunnels, they found the long-dead hero Kelemveg still vying to slay Artuk to free his people. The party takes him on into the path and they stormed into the final chamber. Inside, there was an unfamiliar “pilgrim” fighting back an umbrelk of the Abyss.
After taking down thorns that empowered the corruption, the pilgrim then pushed back the abominations to where they came. Curious, the party discovers that the pilgrim is actually the infamous founder of necromancy, Nerivus. He too was tasked by Kordgelle for something. In order to center himself, he had to visit Paradise to channel life better and do the same with the Abyss. Turns out he also needed time to examine the current age to settle coming from his Necromantic War mindset, as undead typically are trapped within the past. Even he fears plunging Florenelle into another Necromantic War. Kelemveg, before the party would leave, honors Alastair with Thundrama’s Roar.
On stepping outside, the ghosts on Ravager’s Rock dispersed, along with the lone arkenwraith. The Drunken Gem’s bells in the distance warned that another ship was attacking, the Rotten Drudge! A terrible pirate ship captained by an undead crew!
Once nicely packed into the boat, a missed cannonball rocks everyone over. Hands and feet struggle to swim up and reach the one source back to the ship. The Trinian sailors are first, trying to help up who they can. “Don’t you worry sirs, we got this!” One tries pulling Alastair up but ends up flipping the boat again.
The deafening cannons from the Drunken Gem fire back at the Rotten Drudge finally. Though, this only provokes another volley from the dreadful ship!
A cluster of you struggle to flip the dingy over amidst cannonballs whistling by and splashing as they miss. The waters push and pull you as a taunting menace throughout all of this! Despite it all, the boat is flipped over finally and everyone is quick to pack in. With oars in hand, the sailor gets rowing as fast as he can.
Just as it seemed to be calming down, all it took was for one static-charged shot to splash the water nearby to toss you all overboard again though deeper into the drink.
It all seems lost and over with as you drift to the bottom. Though, a change of plans occurs when a hand catches your wrist.
The party winds up entirely elsewhere except Kordrus, Malkan, and the two other Trinians weren’t present. According to these oddly familiar friends, Selv and Thern, the party was in Seaside out on vacation. It quickly dawned that the party was entirely elsewhere. They were told that a wizard named Destir held the answers they sought. Unfortunately, the wizard got wound up in a conspiracy high and locked himself in his room. To get past this, the party underwent puzzles he laid behind as a deterrent to interrupt him but as a last resort to snag him in an emergency.
Inside is a small and cluttered study. Papers are scattered everywhere. Red lines are strewn about in chaotic paths of webs in incoherent patterns on the walls. They all connect between portraits of industrialists, newspapers, and the generals within the ongoing war.
Destir sits in the center, his hand trembles to place one final pin before backing up entirely. Following the trails of thread, they all inevitably lead into the heart of a region called Cyre. “Sovereigns preserve us…” Destir stares in horror, “The end is nigh!”
The party had found Destir in hysteria about a coming apocalypse because of combining Karrnathi necromancy and of warforged engineering that, when combined, would cause destruction on an unprecedented scale. However, thanks to the memory capsule brought on by Petton Dyrovius, he showcased specialized runes that can teleport others into Florenelle. Many didn’t believe him but Selv and Thern did. It would be the next night that the party sees something...
During the night, your mind drifts away into the darkness of sleep. No doubt aching to wonder how you ended up somewhere unfamiliar. It feels as if you float aimlessly as your anxiety builds you a ladder into somewhere beyond. Overtime, as you drift aimlessly, you catch a faint light and approach carefully. What you discover are Selv and Thern meeting silently with Destir underneath it. It’s easy to tell that they converse about teleportation and wherever they will go from there.
Destir stands up from drawing the necessary sigils for teleportation. “It is done. Are you certain about leaving behind this world?”
“That realm is not at risk of some kind of impending apocalypse. I do not want our child to live in the ashes of the aftermath.” Selv chokes out.
“Agreed,” Thern adds in, “If we want what’s best for the kid, this is the way to go.”
Destir painfully nods in agreement, “The others believe me to be a madman. I can at least rest easier knowing I tried to warn them.”
They all then gather around the circle, holding hands to form a triangle. In a flash, they then bamf away to a new world to be seen and thus leaving the old one to its ruin.
Where they appeared next was out in the middle of forested lands. After calling for help after some time, they are met with an old nivallen woman, the sage of her village. Through her help, the outsiders lived among them.
The tranquility would not last long, however. Kordgelle and his illithids stormed the village. The one in yellow, having sensed the planar disturbance, swiftly abducted the changelings. Though, he was unknowingly outwitted by the sage as she placed nondetection wards on their child. Despite her efforts, she was far from spared of the mind alteration and would forget all about the changelings and their son.
The poor little thing was then left alone and at the mercy of the woodlands…
16th of Late Ardent, 1754
The party awakens to the sound of Captain Wilkers shoddily docking the Drunken Gem as they hear a thoonk sound as the front of the ship taps the dock. Turns out they had arrived on the continent of Drakmir. Particularly a town called Charak, guarded by Venisul.
They wondered off into the town after being greeted by the Emerald Champion, Thrakian. Fernando, having this personal shock, uses the aid of Abram to personally call out Kordgelle for what he’s done and demanded answers. He then wonders off alone into the rainforest, awaiting the One in Yellow.
The party, being confused by Fernando’s disappearance, messages him. Turns out he’d be kidnapped by Kordgelle as well. Cue Bert found this out of character with his Primordial master and wanted an explanation as well. Thankfully, just as the party was heading out to look for the changeling, Fernando was then dropped out of the sky by an amber dragon.
As for Thundrama’s Roar, it is part of specially crafted armaments that the Guardians of Drakmir bestow to those who have obtained high honors. Such a blade is one among a vast array of armaments and Alastair hopes to meet Thundrama on the eastern coast of the island.
According to Malkan, the Archmagistrate of the Doctrine Society wanted to assemble the magistrates. Neurovek wants Malkan to watch over his base while he’s away. So should the party want to see Thracallia, they’d have to reach another magistrate’s home known as Kyou Nakamura. Malkan knows the mentor under her, a kobold named Tev. After throwing a sending at him that they met at a convention in Neurovek’s museum, apparently the kobold forgot about him.
The plan is to meet this kobold halfway to Nakamura’s home and be flown from there. However, along the way, wyverns attacked...
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