To Deal with Dragons and Passage Across Xen'drik (Naomi)
From Toosigma
| Title | Conclusion to the Campaign |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip Mann - Naomi |
| Campaign | Convergent Threads |
| Session | To Deal with Dragons |
| Passage Across Xen'drik | |
| Posted | |
| Game Date |
After our trials and our return from Adar, moving the family somewhere outside of the now-dangerous city of Sharn was agreed upon with almost no discussion between Kayli and I. It also took almost no debate on the issue once we expressed our feelings to everyone to gain their support. With the help of Maerin and Syria, we were able to relocate them to Aerenal where they were received with open arms by Maerin's mother. Also we even picked up Arabel, Mathis, and Rook along the way at Hero's suggestion and, since he thought to do it, I began to think that maybe, just maybe, Hero could care about someone beyond himself. Maybe, if such a thing were true, he would one day repair the damage he did to my family...
We visited two important places while in the elven domain. The first, the City of the Dead, was where we had to go to visit and ask advice of Maerin's mentor. All were admitted save Hero, who was told that he would not be allowed to enter. He seemed to accept it, again to my surprise, as the rest of us were shown the way in. I found it not to be so creepy as Kayli thought it to be. Instead, I felt a place full of ancient power and wisdom. There was nothing there to disquiet my sense of what was right, though I suppose that could have everything to do with my own perspective on what should and should not be alive. I imagine some, like the demonstrators I saw once in The Cogs, might view me as no more alive than furniture should they look beyond what I was crafted to resemble. Those as well might view these undying elves to be abominations like the mindless undead they abhor.
Those of us who were present were allowed a peek into Maerin's life that he himself did not yet know. His father, while missing as we were told when we arrived, was a man of some repute and influence among the elves. He had gone to Riedra when last seen, but his legacy stretched back well before that. It seems, based on what we were told, that Maerin's father was a sort of ambassador between Aerenal and the dragon nation of Argonnessen. An amulet belonging to his father was given to my friend by his mentor, and he was told that it would be respected by the dragons should he present it. I was genuinely heartened to know that my friend had just become a de facto representative of the elves at such a lofty level. That news made me smile even if I was missing the whole picture.
The second place that I was able to visit, though I would rather have done so without one such as Hero with me, was the shrine where Earon Skye rested for so many centuries. I read the inscriptions and stories that made the legacy of the weapon, and saw the generations of pride that went to all who carried the blade now in my hands. When I found a person that I believed to be the staff, I offered to update him on the whereabouts of the weapon presently. He seemed amused until I showed him that I indeed had it in my possession, and then I found myself surrounded by a cadre of others who seemed as though they were going to separate the weapon from me. That was, until a senior-looking fellow, perhaps the resident historian or such, broke their circle and cast his gaze at me. He asked if I wished to leave it there, but was not surprised when I told him that there was still much to do. As if overriding the intentions of all around him, he simply said that I could keep it as he turned and left the circle the way he had come. The others, still surrounding me, appeared to have a begrudging acceptance of what the elder had said and disbursed slowly throughout the edifice.
With information that we had obtained from Hero, we decided then to set out toward Xen'drik. The Quori had at least one of the pieces of Shalel en Tanath, and our general familiarity with the area made that seem like a good point to intercept and capture what we could to disrupt their plans. When we got there, however, we found that our efforts to get ahead of the Inspired forces had actually put us behind because we overshot their location by quite a bit. Also, when we did finally find them, they appeared very ready for us and managed quite well to buy time for Lorisryn to get away where we could not follow. Fortunately, Syria sent word to us that she had discovered that at least one of the remaining shards was in the hands of the dragons on their island kingdom.
The trip was not the pleasant hop that some of our journeys across the Thunder Sea had been. In order to evade in any way we could, Syria directed her airship high into the air where the cold pierced even the toughest in our company. I was fortunate in that my growing abilities allowed me to exist without feeling the deep cold, but I tried as well to relieve members of the skeleton crew as often as I could so that they could stay warm. I could tell that many among them did not really expect to complete the journey, but they were a dedicated lot that were all willing to push through to the very end under their capable captain.
We were well over the continent when we finally came under attack. The crew held the ship stable even though a flight of dragons approached from all sides. Syria, who I was certain was about to tell us that we had to turn back, simply looked at me and said, “I believe in you.” Then she leapt over the side and transformed into a glorious silver dragon and engaged the ones who were attacking.
At that moment, I wanted simply to charge-in with her, to delay those who would destroy us so the others could get away, but Maerin and Hero reminded me that they could not hope to succeed if I met my end doing so. Using his powers, Hero transported us a great distance away as we looked back and watched the great ship get ripped apart by the dragons Syria could not intercept. I saw no bodies fall, so mayhap they had an escape of some kind. Whatever the outcome, watching the fierce and graceful combat so far away, I believe that Fate had indeed blessed us by showing how great a creature the dragon could be. This realization was edged however, as it made me feel doubly-guilty for the tragedy of my past contacts with them.
We eventually found our way using Maerin's amulet to a circle of stones that functioned as a gateway. Instead of simply transporting us to one place together, it separated us into individual rooms where we were challenged to look within ourselves. For my part, I was given a riddle that I had great difficulty with because it was so close to my way of thinking as to be done without plan or thought. The riddle asked me to reveal “What can only be kept once given.” I was perplexed as I tried to think in terms of material things at first, then of higher emotions to no effect as well. Only after considering what I do automatically, that I keep my promises even if I do not call attention to them, did I realize that it was my word of honor that I always kept. My word, however, never has to be expressly given as it might for my companions, so it took a while for me to realize the answer.
When we all met success, we found ourselves in an audience with Saranvok, an evidently powerful dragon in charge of keeping the shard we were after. He questioned our motives and plans, but finally determined that we were worthy to be given the shard. He also told us that we had the means to get to where we were going in our possession already, which reminded me of the scarab that I had recovered. I had experimented with it on the way back from Frostfell, but it only seemed to indicate that place on the map that we could not reach. I thought for hours on where it could be used, then I recalled the map on the floor in the sunken temple. Astilogoth would be our next destination after we were transported from Argonnessen.
We stayed but one night in Aerenal before departing to Xen'drik once more. I prayed for Cald, and for guidance on our trip, and for Kayli's happiness should I not return. I also thanked Fate for returning Syria still alive. She was wounded and would not soon be up and around, but she would recover so long as she had enough time and rest. I was again thankful for the hospitality shown by Maerin's mother in a land where outsiders are not generally welcome.
Once at our destination, I placed the scarab on the map and we watched it amble toward the south-center of Xen'drik. When it got there, instead of just stopping, it crackled with energy and a portal opened above it. We stepped through and were immediately set-upon by an Inspired patrol that seemed to be waiting for us. The force itself was dispatched quickly, but it made no sense that such a small contingent would be around by itself. I tried to fly into the air to gain a vantage, but I was quickly dropped back to the ground as a bold of lightning struck me. Hero then used his considerable stealth to scout the area, finding an encampment just beyond the dunes. Upon looking closer, he uncovered another surprise: Thea ir'Tain was a captive in one of the tents! I knew then that we could not avoid the camp because we could not leave here there, so Maerin and I began to consider how we would attack. He had a formidable reserve of power in his spells, so we decided to use a single Earthquake spell to its maximum effect. The spell itself turned out to be far more effective than we had planned, but it did provide a means for both recovering Thea and escaping without anyone being hurt.
When we made camp that night, Thea revealed to me some inscriptions that she had been working on. Oddly, they seemed to direct us on our present course, but she had no idea of their significance. I suppose that was to be expected since I had not seen her since long before everything started to go by at such a rapid pace. I also asked her if she wanted to return to somewhere safe or to follow this journey to its conclusion. I told her that I could not promise that it would be safe, only that it seemed we were becoming part of something that only happened once in an age. She told me that she wanted to see this through, to be a part of history. It felt very good to be with her again, but the experience so far told me that it could well be the last night as the dangers kept growing the closer we got to our goal.
In the morning, Thea told the group of the sources of the curses on the land. After much fighting in the group about me going off on my own, I finally departed toward the west to break the curse that caused their healing to fail. The rest of the group, along with Thea, headed to the south to try to break the curse that kept water from being available. Under the circumstances, the odds of my success were somewhat higher alone than theirs were combined, so I tried to hurry.
When I arrived at the circle of stones that Thea described, I read an inscription that seemed to tell me to destroy the table it was written on. I read it again to be sure and then, focusing my strike, I cleaved the table in-two and a trapped Marilith emerged poised to attack. She was amazing with her six arms and speed, and had she not been trying to destroy me the fight might have been fun. Instead, we traded attacks and parries as if there were three each of us, until ultimately she fell under Earon Skye. The curse on healing magic was gone, and a passage opened in the stones that expelled Lanharath onto the ground. Knowing that he was not fast enough to keep up, I offered to carry him to our destination. He seemed a little indignant, but he agreed and I explained the situation on the way.
Some hours later, we arrived at the temple that was the destination for the others. They were still inside trying to uncover the mystery of the temple, when Hero mysteriously vanished. It was quite some time later before we discovered where he must have gone, and many hours more before we were finally found our way out of the extra dimensional passages and into a battle that we would not soon forget. We battled animated frescoes, and a mummy that kept turning into a swarm of insects to avoid my blows while he cast detrimental effects at my companions. Ultimately, we emerged victorious and the curse of the land's water was broken as well. Now, with the necessities of the others restored, we could continue on our journey.
That night we were able to camp once again and, even though I never sleep, I was visited again by visions of my past. I saw a circle of chanting giants...and a mirror...and a dark spirit of shadow...and darkness upon darkness taking me over...and then the mirror shattered...and then it was morning and everyone was still asleep.
We continued to the south and found a glass cliff and plateau that looked suspiciously like what we saw in the Mournland. I saw there too that horrible magic had come to a horrible end. There was no question in my mind now that the same thing that happened two years previously in Cyre had happened near the dawn of my life right here in Xen'drik.
We also met a gigantic red dragon that seemed convinced that he had averted the entire Quori invasion by slaughtering the few who scaled the cliffs ahead of us. We were not about to be convinced to leave the shards with him, however, and we used every resource within our reach to evade and ultimately escape him. Once inside the fortress atop the plateau, however, our challenges were just beginning. Ancient defenses were still in place that we needed to bypass, and only our combined efforts could succeed. Golems, traps, and puzzles all tried to stop us from going any farther, but we eventually made it to a chamber that seemed to embody the elements of the world. We examined them and, keeping in mind that we four had been brought here by Fate and had been foretold in ancient texts, I realized that we each had just one place to be in just one circle.
For my part, I was destined to bear the silver dragon and to be the element of water. “Born in the blood of the father; bathed in the blood of countless enemies, only recently washed away with a life of purity and goodness.” I thought for several moments the poetic truth behind each of our lives as I had known them, and found all to be so very iconic as to be undeniable. Fate does indeed have a sense of humor.
When we had each taken our places, we opened a descending stairway into the chamber I had seen in my visions...my memories. I saw the dead giants lying all around the central area, and the table with restraints still fitted for my wrists and ankles. It seemed that my most recent and most powerful memories were of the time when all of these people died trying to do something to me that seemed so evil I doubted to be real. I sat on the edge of the table, still angled toward the mirror, as I watched Maerin put all of the shards back into place. When the last one settled and its cracks receded behind a perfect mirror-gateway, I felt a sharp pain pierce deep into my back and could feel nothing more...
Thea had driven a crystal into my back, and the power within that crystal expelled two of the three souls that inhabited by body. All that remained was Serafina, the original soul that the body was made for. She...I...saw the opportunity to leave the other two trapped within the mirror, so she...I...struck at Maerin in order to kill him and destroy the gateway. Fortunately for the world, Lanharath was a capable defender and he was able to occupy Serafina while Maerin tried to free himself from the mirror.
In the mean time I, Naomi, found myself far into the shadowy Plane of Dreams. It took but one exclamation from the Shadow Prince to know that I had to return through the mirror.
“At last,” his voice boomed across the plane, “I can finally destroy you!”
I fled and he followed close behind, and I imagine that I wrested control of my body from Serafina only moments before the Shadow Prince emerged from Dal Quor and slew Maerin. When he possessed Hero, I knew right away that I had to ignore every other opponent save him alone. Every ounce of my being was poured into each flurry of attacks, and I knew that I should have killed Hero many times over but the strength of the Shadow Prince was incredible. Finally, but for a moment of pause, the crystal sword that he carried was turned quickly on himself as a last effort of what remained of my companion.
The Shadow Prince died, taking Hero's body and all of the Quori with him into the mirror. Then, with a wash of darkness, the mirror vanished as well. Maerin was reborn through the magic of his ring, and I was able to restore Lanharath to life as well. I tried to call to Thea, to bring her back to the living again, but the Quori had left nothing of her mind to return. She would, it seemed, forever be someone else and not the Thea I had grown to enjoy and cherish...
