Session0022

April 27th
Within the Golden Wastes, the party approaches a monolith surrounded by verdant plant life, in the ruins of what appears to be an ancient farming settlement. As they approach to investigate, they are attacked by sentient plant creatures. During the battle, Malkoth nearly loses control of his magic powers once again, but managers to keep them under control. In the heat of the battle, however, he is knocked unconscious. While unconscious, he has visions of a fiery landscape, and hears a voice reciting the prophecy regarding the Psalm of Assimilation and the trumpeter of the apocalypse, which Louche has shared with the party before.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party defeats the plant creatures. Afterwards, they stabilize and revive Malkoth.

Odell spends some time studying the monolith at the center of the settlement, while the party regroups and heals. He discerns that the monolith is inscribed with rune magic - specifically, with the rune of the goddess Melora - which imbues the area with magic that bolsters plant life and causes it to flourish. Despite being apparently ancient, the rune magic is still active, and is highly advanced, far beyond the capabilities of the Circle of Rune Carvers at the College of Mimrinoth.

Odell continues studying the monolith and taking notes, in hopes of reproducing the rune of Melora, while the rest of the party explores the area. While exploring, Malkoth and Rye discuss the vision that Malkoth had while unconscious, and the prophecy that he heard. Rye speculates that Asmodeus was speaking to Malkoth, and that Malkoth may somehow be involved in the prophecy.

While Odell finishes studying the monolith, the party takes a brief break to rest and eat before continuing their journey, harvesting some crops from the nearby plant life. While resting, they talk about the awakened cat, Yuengling, that has been traveling with them since they found it in the Emerald Highlands. Some party members express suspicions that keeping the awakened cat around is unwise, but Gragnok, who has taken a special liking to the cat, insists on keeping it around.

Odell successfully learns how to scribe the rune of Melora. He also sends a paper bird to Mordus Moonbeard at the College of Mimrinoth, informing him of his findings.

Before departing the farming settlement to continue onward toward the Calen Valley in search of the Luxturrim Obelisk, the party debates leaving some of their mounts behind at the farm, worrying that they won't survive the journey through the Wastes. Jack explains that the Calen Valley - colloquially known as The Scar - is a place of chaotic elemental magic and serious danger, and could prove treacherous for the mounts. They eventually agree to leave several mounts behind, including the horses taken from Duke Vincent Mason and his men, and Rye's highland yak, Baps.

Jack leads the party toward the Calen Valley, the site of Osh Thilivern and the Luxturrim Obelisk. Along the way, the party asks Gragnok what he knows about Avourel Orion, and how the two are related. Gragnok is evasive in his answers, and refuses to share any more information than what the party already knows, though it seems that he knows more than he's saying. The rest of the party - especially Malkoth - expresses some resentment toward Gragnok for refusing to share information that could help them when they face Avourel again. Nevertheless, Gragnok refuses to say anything more, and the party continues onward.

Eventually, the party arrives at the Calen Valley - a dry, rocky canyon scattered with the ancient ruins of elven civilization. With Jack leading the way, the party makes their way down into the bottom of the valley, and begins exploring in search of Osh Thilivern - the ancient elven fortress wherein the Luxturrim Obelisk is located. As they're traveling through the valley, there is a sudden quaking and eruption of earth, and a group of earth elementals attack them. They battle and defeat the elementals, and gather the Material Chaos that is left behind by their demise.

Eventually, recalling the information presented to them by the Lorekeeper Orb obtained by the Free Arcanists Lodge, the party finds their way to Osh Thilivern, discovering that the fortress has been mostly swallowed up by the earth, embedded into the side of the valley. Scouting ahead, they see ghostly elvish figures standing outside the entrance of the fortress, seemingly keeping watch. Gragnok leads the way as the party approaches, believing that he will be able to secure passage based on his Orion bloodline.

As the party approaches the fortress, the elvish ghosts standing watch order them to halt. Gragnok claims that he is of Orion blood, and demands entry to Osh Thilivern. The ghosts express some skepticism, stating that another Orion recently arrived. Gragnok says that this other Orion, presumably Avourel Orion, is corrupt, and that he intends to slay him. The ghosts give Gragnok permission to enter, but refuse entry to the rest of the party. Gragnok insists that the party is only their to aid him in his task, but the ghosts begin to question his intentions and allegiances, given that he is a half-elf allied with non-elves. Eventually, after a brief tense standstill, the ghosts attack. The party battles and defeats them.

After the fight, the party briefly regroups to heal and rest before heading inside Osh Thilivern. While they're resting, Odell questions Rye about what Israphel wants with the Luxturrim Obelisk, and why he wants Rye there. Rye says that he doesn't know, but speculates that there might be a divine titanheart inside, which Israphel wants for some reason. Odell raises concerns that Israphel might not be trustworthy, and that Rye is playing into the prophecy of the trumpeter of the apocalypse by meeting with him. Rye assures Odell that he has only good intentions, and wants to destroy the Psalm of Assimilation in order to prevent the prophecy from coming to fruition, but that he also needs to speak with Israphel to get information about his plan. Odell questions why Rye wouldn't just walk away from the entire situation to avoid fulfilling the prophecy, but Rye insists that he would eventually be found even if he attempted this.

Once rested, the party heads into Osh Thilivern and begins searching for the Luxturrim Obelisk. They find that the fortress, having been mostly buried in the mountainside, is now a strange combination of ruined elvish architecture and natural caverns. Studying the stonework, Odell deduces that the fortress was once a freestanding outdoor facility, but has been swallowed by the earth over the centuries since the Severance, due to the powerful elemental nature of the region. Jack finds footprints that lead into the ruins, and the party begins following them inside, navigating their way through the ruins.

As they're exploring, Malkoth and Frog, who are both under the influence of starberry oil, see glimpses of Osh Thilivern seemingly in its ancient state - an opulent and resplendent palace. Heartsong, speaking telepathically to Frog, explains to him the notion that there are infinitely many worlds, and infinitely many different iterations of each world, such that the starberry oil might be granting them glimpses into alternate realities.

Eventually, following the footprints, the party reaches a bridge that traverses across what appears to have once been a lakebed, now filled with quicksand. On the opposite side of the bridge, the party sees what appears to be a temple. Jack notes that all of the sets of footprints that he's been tracking - five in total - seem to meet at this place before disappearing without a trace - presumably having teleported.

Studying the chamber, the party notices movement within the quicksand, and spots sand sharks swimming through the elementally-charged sand. After some discussion of how to proceed without attracting the creatures' attentions, they use Odell's homunculus, Laita, to make a distraction, then sneak across the bridge using a pass without trace spell. XVIII climbs along the roof of the cavern instead, to scout for any other potential dangers from above.

The party is successful in sneaking across the bridge, going unnoticed by the sand sharks, which are distracted by Laita. From the ceiling, XVIII spots an enormous bug-like creature hidden atop the roof of the temple, which seemingly hasn't noticed the party either. Continuing to move stealthily, the party sneaks past the creature and into the temple.

Within the temple, the party finds several alcoves and chambers, but no obvious way to proceed, seemingly having reached a dead end. However, with a detect magic spell, Malkoth finds a secret door that leads into a stairwell, and downward into a hidden chamber. Within this chamber, the party finds a pedestal engraved with an inscription in elvish, listing the provinces of the various deities worshiped by the elves of Ayn Sitael. This pedestal is surrounded by other smaller pedestals, which are each adorned with the holy symbol of a god, and equipped with a hand that can be pulled. The party deduces that they must pull the handles in the correct order to proceed, and pooling their knowledge of the gods and their domains, manages to do so. When they do, the floor of the room begins to move, lowering them downward through what seems to be an elevator shaft.

The lift lowers the party several hundred feet, before eventually opening up into a massive underground cavern. Within this cavern, the party spots an ancient lighthouse-like structure built in the middle of a large subterranean lake - presumably the Luxturrim Obelisk. Rye sends a message to Israphel informing him of their arrival, and he confirms that the place Rye describes is indeed the Obelisk, and that he will be with them shortly. As the party makes their way toward the Obelisk, Rye asks the party for the opportunity to speak with Israphel privately when he arrives.

Arriving at the base of the Luxturrim Obelisk, the party finds that the entrance - a set of heavy stone doors - is open. Near the entrance, they find a statue of Alusfaen Orion, and within the statue's hands, they see Orion's Key - the magical battle axe taken from Orion's Crypt by Avourel Orion. Gragnok takes the axe out of the statue's hands, and the doors of the Obelisk close. He places the axe back into the statue's hands, and the doors open. As the party discusses how to proceed, they hear footsteps making their way down the stairs within the Obelisk, approaching the party. They quickly make preparations, draw weapons, and take a defensive stance.

The first figures to exit the Obelisk are Avourel Orion and a small group of Inquisitors, adorned with the holy symbol of the Morningstar. Upon seeing the party, Avourel draws his weapons, and threatens to kill Gragnok, but before the situation becomes violent, another voice from within the Obelisk instructs him to stop, stating that their business at the Obelisk is complete, and there is no need for bloodshed. Avourel complies, and exiting from the Obelisk comes another elf, female with white hair and radiant skin, the top half of her face covered by an ornate mask of some sort. One of the Inquisitors introduces her as the Morningstar, and demands the party show their reverence, but the she insists it's no necessary.

The Morningstar asks the party what they know of the Luxturrim Obelisk, and why they have come, warning them that it is a sacred and forbidden place. Jack retorts that the Inquisitors came to his home and killed his family, and threatens to do the same to them. The Morningstar recognizes him as "the conduit," and acknowledges that what was done to Jack and his family was evil, but claims that it was a necessary lesser evil to prevent further bloodshed and destruction due to the powers that he wields, insinuating that even if Jack had only good intentions, he could not have made the same promise for his descendants.

The Morningstar once again asks why the party has come to the Luxturrim Obelisk, warning that she cannot allow them to enter, as the obelisk houses dangerous artifacts that could cause tremendous destruction. Patches says that he was sent to the Obelisk by his god. When asked, he says that his god is called Patches, and describes them as "a new god." He offers to work together with the Morningstar, since they seem to both have similar interests as new gods. The Morningstar says she is unsurprised that a new god would have sent their follower to the Obelisk, but nevertheless, she cannot allow him to enter. She urges the party to leave, so that the situation does not have to become violent.

Odell interjects that he has come in search of information about rune magic, and believes their interests might be aligned on the subject. The Morningstar says that she's open to discussing the future of rune magic, but still can't let the party enter, insisting that the contents of the obelisk were sealed for good reason. Frog pushes back on this nothing, questioning what the Inquisitors took from the Obelisk, and the Morningstar says that they took only what was necessary, and left the rest.

Rye and Odell ask if the Raven Queen used the obelisk to ascend to godhood, and if the obelisk has something to do with bypassing the Divine Gate. The Morningstar evades this question, and seeing that the party is seemingly unwilling to heed her warning and leave the Obelisk, she instructs the Inquisitors to give them a swift and kind death.