A Ziggurat in Zadash

Sessions 88 & 89

As we arrive in Zadash via treewalking from Rexxentrum, Isabelle shows curiosity at Lotus’s display of blood magic that he demos on Devon. It’s a triangular-shaped city in a valley that is easy to see from most places all around, and is surrounded by plains and farmland. By reputation, we know this region should be sunny and warm at this time of the year, but today the sky is gray and it’s cool and windy; cold and unwelcoming. Lotus telepathically bonds us and provides a stirring speech to give us temporary HP.

Isabelle points toward the direction of where the Claret Order would be located, far down the road. Devon tries to notice anything interesting about it using his goggles. She notes there are components and preparations she needs to take care of in the city by rejoining her uncle. She takes leave to prepare and recommends that we split for now.

Briya summons horses for those in the group who need them. Devon has a bumpy start. We leave the farmland region and head into the hilly, more forested location. The temperature drops continuously a few degrees at a time as we enter the woods. We find the fork that obviously continues via a main path, and one that splits off in the other direction, turning right further into the forest.

Æsheryn notices further down the trail that the trees seem to become more sickly and wilted. They seem to have not had sun in a while. There’s a pungent, acrid smell that feels unnatural and out of place. Even when we appeared in Zadash, it was already gray. Possible causes might be something made by specific creatures. Cass immediately makes a mental history connection: a dragon! Most likely green or black, from these environmental effects.

Briya uses her survival skills to see if anything nearby is noticeable that would indicate recent draconic activity. She then flies up above the treeline to try and get a better vantage point of the nearby castle. It’s only a few minutes away via a winding path. It’s a well-fortified castle that is low and well-defended. Functional and fortified, but faltering. It seems to have been left to rot for years, actually. Julous Dominion architecture, being Dwarven-influenced; a shame, actually.

We approach under stealth, with Gift of Alacrity, Fortune’s Favor, and Pass Without a Trace. There are dead figures in front of the entry to the castle, dressed similarly, and a dog tied up in the inner courtyard. Devon catches a quick glimpse of something invisible patrolling the inner grounds. It appears to be a hovering set of armor, with a longsword dragging the ground. There’s greenish smoke holding the set together.

Devon and Briya drag one of the bodies back toward us for closer inspection. Casting Speak with Dead, he draws a circle of runes around the body, and an intense purple light in the eyes matches the purple glow in the staff as he asks 5 questions:

• “What killed you?” - Big black dragon.
• “Why did it attack your order?” - We didn’t let it in.
• “Why did it want to come in?” - It wanted to get to the basement.
• “Are there defenses that we can avoid with code?” - No traps; hasn’t been long enough. Has people though.
• “Who are those people?” - It has a mage with it; tiny human. Ghosts.

We message Isabelle about this news, and she replies that she should arrive in 5 to 10 minutes. “Dragon? That’s new. Be careful. Any survivors?” We don’t reply right away. Æsheryn moves toward the dog because it’s barking at something at the suit of armor. There are two of the Claret Order chained up in the courtyard, appearing in a weak state.

Initiative (castle entry)

Round 1

Briya goes to one of the restrained figures. He’s a beaten-up older human with a long mustache and goatee. “I don’t know why it’s keeping us alive. Can you get us?” Briya tries to Shillelagh-attack the manacles but they’re magical and resist her. Devon, who can see the invisible ghost, attacks with 3 eldritch blasts. All of them hit, and it’s pushed against the wall of the castle. Cass casts Haste on Briya and flies up 20 feet. Virtue carries Lotus 20 feet up and into the courtyard. He dispels the invisibility on the spirit. Æsheryn moves in toward Briya and casts spirit guardians. The spirit moves toward Lotus and attacks with one hit. But Lotus resists an attack on his mind.

Round 2

Briya casts a fire shield (cold) and shifts into a giant albino bat. Flies up and attacks the spirit, but discovers it’s immune to cold damage. Devon casts more eldritch blasts toward the ghost and hits with all three. It’s blasted back onto the castle wall. Cass tries to investigate the courtyard for strange things, and is able to determine that all 3 are arcane-locked to their chains. Lotus dispels the lock on the dog and goes toward the other locked woman. The dog enters initiative. Æsheryn dispels the man’s manacles, who then shouts to the dog to grab their weapons. Spirit attacks Briya. Grandma brings the weapons to Gaetán, who has boomsticks and attacks the spirit and hits twice.

Round 3

Briya attacks. Many successful radiant attacks kill the ghost as the armor fades to the ground. Devon readies an eldritch blast just in case. (end)

Cass moves away from the courtyard. Lotus releases the other prisoner, who calls Grandma over to her. Æsheryn cures Gaetán’s wounds and asks how many Claret Order are remaining. He’s not sure; they keep being taken down one at a time, and don’t come back. “Two days ago, our leader Sheele was taken. It’s not long until they come for us.” Veska pulls out a giant mace from the bag of weapons, and a big metal symbol that she pulls around her neck.

A door to the inner courtyard opens. A tall Dragonborn is revealed. He’s wielding a long barbarian sword and looks up, “What’s going on over here?”

Devon’s held blasts are fired, and he hits for damage, and the Dragonborn is pushed back 30 feet. He shouts in Draconic, and we chase him inside, downstairs. We enter a room that opens into a wide area, where we see the large Dragonborn running toward a main chamber. There’s a giant oval on the ground, glowing red, pumping liquid into massive floating crystals, which are being pointed at by a little Kobold with a magical staff. Next to him is another small caster in a gray-beige cloak ending in a turtleneck that rises to cover half their face, with messy reddish-blond hair. He’s very scrawny and skinny.

Fryrvæli, the Flightless Maw, She Who Crawls. A massive black dragon. Cass identifies her right away:

30 years ago, a group of dragons rose against the continent of Tal’dorei led by Umbrasyl, the Hope Devourer. Fryrvæli is his mother, a dragon having lived long enough to have fought the silver dragon champion of Bahamut. She lost her wings in the process. She is ancient… psychotic.

Angry.

She has one paw in the pool itself. “Well, well. Look what we have here,” as she takes one step forward. “More soldiers for my army-y-y-y.” Green acid pours out of her mouth into the pool.

Initiative (underground chamber)

Round 1

Lotus gives everyone fire damage bonuses on their next physical attack, and flies 40 feet up. Cass moves forward and casts Globe of Invulnerability on herself and 10ft radius around her. Fryrvæli LA (1) to cast a cloud of insects toward Cass, who takes massive poison damage and has disadvantage on saves to maintain concentration. It’s enough to cancel the globe. Fortune’s Favor reverses this outcome. Æsheryn attacks the larger minion. Devon moves up and summons a super hot devil. 7 feet tall. Large black horns and a golden helmet. Purple and black wings. Golden pitchfork. “Yes, master… oh, I see.” It casts a ranged fiery strike and hits the skinny kobold.

Fryrvæli LA (2) pounces to move half her speed. The little Kobold touches her, spins its staff, and pure dunamantic power flows into Fryrvæli and gives her Haste, just in time for her own turn. (LA reset) She vomits an acidic bile in a 90 foot long, 10 foot wide line. It hits just about everyone, and like a truck. Grandma runs forward to Æsheryn and bites the big Kobold, then runs away. Veska looks up and casts Mass Cure Wounds then moves away from the front lines. Urubon knocks a very-bloodied Æsheryn unconscious. Briya moves up into the air, and casts Mass Cure Wounds. Sickening Radiance hurts the little Kobold.

“You’re all interesting. You’ll make fine soldiers.”

Fryrvæli LA (1) to hit Æsheryn with a rend attack. Cass Temporal Shunts her successfully, but she uses a LR (1) to escape the spell and hits Æsheryn anyway. The mage takes damage from Sickening Radiance. Devon can tell, as it takes that damage, that it’s not his true form: the face is sunken and gaunt from exhaustion. He recites some things quickly in Draconic; the Kobold replies, and then the mage pulls out a scroll that he reads from quickly, then he disappears. Gaetán scratches his own arm and casts Hex on Urubon, and shoots him with guns, and hits with one attack.

Isabelle crawls out of the pool of blood. A vibrating, pulsating ripple comes with her, over the surface of the blood pool. The air changes quickly; smells are different. Acrid changes to iron. “Fryrvæli, you are not welcome in my home. You will leave, now.”

This is no longer Fryrvæli’s lair.

Round 2

Lotus gives Æsheryn a Healing Word and controls blood to make the pool ripple, flies down on Virtue, and has him kick the little Kobold off the dock next to the crystal pillar. It causes the Haste to fall off of Fryrvæli from losing concentration. It also falls into the blood pool. Cass makes a Wall of Force to block off the small entry room. Æsheryn stands, healing words himself, and calls for Divine Intervention to Hallow the room for acid resistance, then climbs on Briya in her giant albino bat form. Isabelle avoids Sickening Radiance, moves up, and gives all but Grandma a warming blood feeling. She’s accelerating molecules and increasing coagulation via a Mass Healing Word. She raises her hands and begins draining blood from Fryrvæli using Blood Feast and causes 32 damage, even though Fryrvæli saved, was Silvery Barbs’d, and saved again. Devon casts Hex on Fryrvæli and Eldritch Blasts her and Urubon, who is shoved back. Fryrvæli is hit twice. He stays behind the wall with Cass.

Little Kobold avoids the Sickening Radiance, as he pulls out a crude dragon-claw shaped holy symbol to Tiamat. “Get out of my mistress’s home!” and slams his staff on the ground, summoning a Draconic Visage. He directs it onto Fryrvæli, where it manifests as a disjointed floating face in front of her own, in red. He vomits flames toward Lotus. Fryrvæli fails to get her breath weapon back, but avoids Sickening Radiance. Echo hides. Grandma dashes toward her master at the back of the room. Veska prepares a spell and winks at Æsheryn. Urubon takes Sickening Radiance damage and a second level of exhaustion. He hits Æsheryn, Briya, Cass, and Devon and green flames appear in the ground for a Dex save. They all fail except for Briya, protected from her vestments. We’re poisoned for 1 minute with some fire damage.

Briya attacks Urubon and hits, and avoids the frightening effect from the red visage, then flies away toward Veska whose spell activates and Æsheryn is healed, dropped off behind the Wall of Force. Briya then flies back up on the other side. LA (1) fires off a cloud of insects. Cass fails the saving throw, and takes poison damage, but succeeded on concentration on the Wall of Force. Gaetán shoots twice and crits on Urubon.

Round 3

Lotus, near Grandma’s owner Sheely, who is the most monster hunter-y monster hunter ever, casts Dispel Magic on the chains confining her, then has Virtue kick the little Kobold again, but it Shields to void the attack. Then flies up above the crystal and gives Bardic Inspiration to Sheely. LA (2) Fryrvæli pounces half her speed and attacks Briya. The visage stayed behind. Cass is able to ascertain that though they’re powerful, dragons are still just living creatures. They don’t often have immunities to conditions. But most are immune to the types of damage they deal. Cass Contingency-Blinks and casts Momentary Stasis on small Kobold, and hides behind the floating crystal. Æsheryn tries to Banish her, but she uses a LR (2). He saves for his poisoned condition and removes it. LA (3) on Briya and hits again, and her fire shield retaliates. Isabelle takes a bit of Sickening Radiance damage, and then successfully casts Hold Monster, but she uses another LR (3) to resist.

Devon casts a Fireball at 5th level under Fryrvæli that also targets Urubon. It turns out he’s immune to fire damage, and Fryrvæli saves, so only takes a bit of damage. But Desirat comes in with a boost to give Fryrvæli the effects of Faerie Fire. Fryrvæli takes some damage, and takes one level of exhaustion. She reaches inside herself to pull some energy and targets Cass, and actually casts a spell. It’s a strange, primal thing. Devon Counterspells, and wins, but she uses her last LR (4) to resist it. Cass uses a reaction to Temporal Shunt Fryrvæli and Urubon. She saves, but he doesn’t and is shunted one round into the future. Cass fails on the save for Harm, is reduced to 1 HP and has her max HP reduced by 50. Echo hides. Grandma dashes to Sheely. LA (1) to hit Cass with the insects again, who fails utterly and falls unconscious into the pool of blood.

Veska casts Mass Cure Wounds. Urubon reappears and saves for the Sickening Radiance. Sheely pulls out a giant crossbow that is nearly comical in size, and decorated with glowing glyphs, like Yahnist’s crossbow, and she goes for Fryrvæli and gets a hit. LA (2) attack on Briya that hits and bloodies her, but she retaliates with some cold damage. Briya hits Fryrvæli twice and then flies up to the ceiling. Gaetán goes for Urubon and hits twice. The bigger Kobold is not looking good.

Round 4

Lotus and Virtue search for, and find, Cass in the pool of blood. Virtue pulls her out and Lotus Healing Words her. Then, he boils Fryrvæli’s blood to give her disadvantage on her next attack. LA (3) to pounce on Devon with a big hit. Cass puts Momentary Stasis on Urubon. Æsheryn tries to Banish Fryrvæli again, and this time she fails the save. He moves into the main chamber. Isabelle moves up to the little Kobold, and places her hands on the giant crystal obelisk and empties her 7th level spell slot as it cracks it open. Devon tries to use his goggles to peer through this crystalline crack. In the center is something, but not sure what it is. She’s… reaching inside for something, grapefruit sized. Then he Eldritch Blasts Urubon with a ray big enough to kill him, then does the same thing to the little Kolbold. Fryrvæli regains her breath in the alternate dimension.

“Time skip round”

• Lotus animates some crystals.
• Cass healing kits us, and gives Haste to Briya, and a level 4 slot to Isabelle.
• Æsheryn heals Cass and repositions.
• Isabelle continues to work on the crystal. Those donating spells (need up to 20) feel the drain.
  • The blood shrine breaks open. A red marble orb with rings of metal is revealed.
  • It is pristine. Beautiful. She begins to attune to it.
  • It’s Artifact level, but not a vestige. Powerful in nature.
  • She readies a Blight spell.
• Devon moves far away and does a ritual to regain a spell slot and readies Eldritch Blast.
• Fryrvæli waits, angrily.
• Echo continues to hide.
• Veska, Sheely, Grandma, and Gaetán ready attacks.
• Briya gives Isabelle some spell slots, and re-shapeshifts into an Elephant.

Fryrvæli reappears and takes Sickening Radiance damage, and has 2 levels of exhaustion.

Lotus’s animated crystals attack with their held action and miss. Isabelle’s Blight causes half damage on Fryrvæli. Devon’s Eldritch Blasts hit three times and one crits for massive damage. Fryrvæli’s held action activates and she breath weapons Æsheryn. He saves, and has resistance, so he takes minimal damage. The Claret Order attacks and Sheely gets a crit. Briya misses with her held attack.

Round 5

Back in regular initiative. Lotus Psychic Lances but she saves and takes half damage. The animated crystals hit. Cass from far away repositions closer to the center of the room. LA (1) shoots her cloud of insects toward Cass who takes damage and loses concentration on Haste. Æsheryn drops her to 1 HP. LA (2) rend attacks on Æsheryn but she misses. Isabelle walks to the edge of the Sickening Radiance and blood feasts again on Fryrvæli.

She smiles in this moment. Blood drains from Fryrvæli’s mouth and the dragon’s body falls to the side. Isabelle’s eyes roll back in her head, and we feel her commune with something deep and primal.