Session 29 - Seeking Winder : Shards of Eld III
General Summary
The Chaos Marked have found where they need to go to recover the Shards of Eld. What awaits them there? And what will they do with the shards once they return? Can they still treat with the Queen of Summer, or will they need to find another path?
Shards of Eld III
With now a whole Group of Fey accompanying them, the Chaos marked continued their Journey deeper into the Jungle, and arrived at an Yuan-Ti Outpost, simliar in design to others the veteran Members of the group have encountered. But no signs of this Temple. Until Star-Tusk and Cadok walked into the middle of a Circle and dissappeared. Through study of the two Druids, they gathered it is an Earth Portal to the Temple they sought. Thankfully Hubaqaal looked for the Key to get them back out, otherwise getting out would have been much more complicated.
Now with everyone inside, the Group finds themself in Darkness, only interrupted by Torchlight and a slightly glowing Cadok. But what they found was not a Temple of some Forgotten Snakegod, or a Design of Feywild construction, but something else.
Lanasia scouted ahead, finding in the dark a human who could see the invisible Sprite, which how became much more clear when the Group approached and the Figure was revealed: Lord Darvus Valadicar, Father of Cadok, former Clockwork sorcerer, and killed by Deekin.
Those of the group which knew him were immidietly on alert and those which hadn't quickly got what a disgusting person Lord Valadicar was through just his words. They didn'T kill him though, because this was just too easy, it had to be a trap, and more shocking, he seemingly spoke the truth when mentioning that they needed him to get the Shard of Eld. That didn't stop Cadok from stabbing him to test if he was alive, and with blood on Uriel's Gift, it was confirmed that they didn't look at a Lich or Illusion. Lanasia tried to argue with Darvus Valadicar, but only got insults for answer, so the group ignored him and pushed further into the Temple.
Until they got ambushed by an Arboreal reaper, a neutral Guardian of the Area. The fight started with Blasts from LIghtning from Osburne, which ricochet across the Temple, the flaming Strikes of the Fast Monk, Ferrus and Mistscale holding the backline as another Arboreal Reaper ambushes them from behind, and Hubaqaal continued to support the party with his Magic, while Cadok shifted Uriel's Gift into an Axe and went Woodcutting. Everything went well, until Osburne got dragged upstairs, which split the party, Lanasia rushing in to aid their abducted member, while Cadok helped finish of the Arboreal Ambusher. The Reaper abstairs bit of more then it could chew, greeted with LIghtning, and a Flaming Sphere of Punches raining down at it, destroying it quickly.
With the first Guardians overcome, the Chaos marked push deeper in.
The Inner Sanctum
Deeper in, Hubaqaal detects through the Earth more enemies further north, but they didn't have to go there to find what they were looking for: Inside a Shrine, was a Podium which would be perfect to hold the Artifact. But there was nothing.
Having investigated most of the Temple Cadok finally realized what this Temple was: Not to a God of the Yuan-Ti or an Archfey, but to the orcish God of Slaughter, War and Raiding: Rak'tar. And Rak'tar could only be pleaed with 1 offering: the Blood of the Enenemy, violently taken. With a scrapping of Darvus Valadicar's Blood on the Shrine's Floor, a slight glow was emited, confirming their suspicion. They needed a bloody offering.
Still not trusting Darvus Valadicar, they tried to offer parts of the Arboreal Reaper, afterall they were violently killed, but only charcoal remained because of their flaming attacks. And at this point Cadok was paranoid that this was an attempt to trick him into killing an innocent body puppeteered by his father, rather then him so he was hesitant to kill him. So they explored further.
Lanasia explored a sideroom, when a Trap struck her, a shooting Sawblade from the walls. Which left her vulnerable when out of the Darkness Demons jumped at her, bringing her down. Together with the Arboreal Reaper now charging them, the Chaos Marked were in a bind, but Hubaqaal saved them all, with a Strong Wall of Stone, seperating them form the enemies, allowing Osburne to heal Lanasia back up.
Though their improvised Safe Haven became a Deathtrap when a very familiar Laughter piereced their ears, as Spikes grew out of the Walls, summoned by Darvus Valadicar, who was not attacked by the Temples Guardian, and enjoyed torturing the trapped Heroes. But through a summoned Sod Hound and Star-Tusks teleportation abiliity, and Hubaqaal turning into a giant Tyrannus Saurus Rex, the Chaos Marked managed to corner Darvus and beat him down.
Cadok still hesitating about hurting a potentional innocent, looked for any sign of arcane manipulation or illusions, but the only thing he spotted, was signs of a Grown Clone. A Backup for powerful Mages to escape Death. With that clear all Hesitation was gone, he struck him down and ripped out his heart with the Lance.
But Darvus was not really sad, he even praised his Son for the brutal Kill and he was not the only one. Rak'tar himself blessed the Champion of the Ancients, changing him to grow a monsterous Mouth, not asking for permission.
With that, the Guardians withdrew, bowing to the Group as worthy of walking the Temple of their Murderous Master, the Group fullfilled the requirement: The Flesh of an Enemy, taken with Force. The Shrine opened with the magically floating heart of Darvus Valadicar's Clone, and the Shard of Eld revealed itself, which was quickly collected. Hubaqaal made sure the Clone body was destroyed and as a slight way of showing respect, ruined a perfect Cairn in the Temple further pleasing the God of Destruction. Cadok in the meantime, had to fight a breif Temptation of said God, but a quickl Prayer to the Ancients let him resist it, and the Group left the Temple quickly, before further Banes could befall them.
Escaping the Temple and reaching the Cart, the Sprites under the lead of Lanasia celebtrating, the Chaos Marked now have to make plans on what they have achieved. What will they do with the Shard of Eld?
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