[Alliance] Chapter Five: Session Sixty-Four
Appearing Characters: Calia Prestor, Efrina Travard, Galford Travard, Gilveradin Windrunner, Inanis, Remnii, Robert Travard, Seria, Uther Menethil, Velameestra Windrunner, Victor Prestor, Xal'atath
November 10th
The group surveyed the site of the shattered vault door, but as Vel looked up she caught a glimpse of something darting in the water. However, she didn’t realize there was another shadowy figure behind her.
Uther sensed aberrations and he called out to his fellows over the telepathic bond to alert them of the presence. And then they heard a horrific sound as cephalopod-like creatures surged out from the darkness. Remnii raised her staff to try and fend off the creatures, and Vel and Victor both got them latched onto their faces. Vel tore her’s off with her claws while Victor snarled and super-heated the water around him to boil it alive. However, they felt pain on their foreheads and realized it had a beak and it had tried to burrow into their skulls.
The group was able to swiftly take care of the creatures and they landed at the opening to the tomb. Uther’s boots made heavy clunks on the stone as he carried Remnii in, and they all entered into the dark passageway.
Up ahead, Vel could see glistening essences of magic, like dark singularities hovering in the water like underwater mines. Vel could tell they were some sort of magical trap built to draw creatures in and hold them in place so individuals drowned. In fact, they saw a corpse of one of the Tyr’s Guard trapped in one of them.
Vel explained what they were, and he scowled as he realized the cultists had set them up to prevent followers. She eyed up the sea of traps and she used a few blasts of [Dispel Magic] to open up a wider passage. Remnii and Seria contributed their own magic to the process.
They then started to maneuver their way through, but Travard got swept up in one of the traps and a gout of air was expelled from his mouth as his water breathing spell was stripped from him. Vel’s eyes flashed as she used [Vortex Warp] and sent Travard hurling to the end of the passage where he could evade the traps and recover his breath.
Remnii, however, also got grabbed into one of the singularities. She was wrenched from Uther’s grip and he spun around, then vaulted up and grabbed her free of the trap. However, her water breathing had been stripped from her.
Uther started to jettison through the water with her to get to the end of the gauntlet. He broke the surface right as Remnii’s eyes were fading. Gil, meanwhile, got trapped in a bad spot and was forced to use [Dimension Door] to get through safely.
Seria, Victor, and Vel had managed to traverse it with minimal issue.
Remnii was coughing and sputtering on the ground, her hair completely drenched. Gil snapped his fingers to dry Remnii off, and there was a quiet whimper of relief from her.
Remnii continued coughing, and she shook her head “no”. Victor headed over to help her catch her breath, and Remnii started to cry in shock but she got herself back together. Vel said they could take a moment and she also checked if Travard was alright.
Up ahead, they saw a large gateway with sconces that had magical globes of energy with runes in them. The door, however, was blasted open, and Travard was looking wide-eyed at the scene, as a battle had unfolded there. There was a dead Tyr’s Guard there surrounded by cephalopod-like creatures that had been slain. He had a large, circular wound in his skull.
Travard approached and knelt next to him.
The group took a moment to place any pre-emptive spells on themselves and they hurried through the gateway. They saw a large effigy of Tyr himself, but it had seen better days as there was more evidence of struggle. There were more corpses of the Tyr’s Guard as well as more cultists and aberration creatures.
Travard headed to lead the way along with Uther and they passed through the eerily quiet chamber of the Tomb of Tyr. It was a wide chamber, and all around them there were statues of giants that had been defaced and destroyed. There were sconces with glowing orbs lining the causeway, and at its center was a raised area, upon which was a flat surface that appeared to be translucent. At the center of it was a large stone sarcophagus that appeared to be rather large for a person.
However, their attention was drawn to the manifestation before them. Stalking back and forth was a draconic form, but its scales were rippling violet and its claws dripped with ichorous shadow. Its eyes were deep violet pools of infinite darkness, and Vel and Remnii were immediately able to see it was a manifestation of magic: a guardian of faith.
Further inside, there were a number of curious creatures. There was another faceless monstrosity, its tentacle-like arms raised to channel some sort of foul spell. To its left and right were horrific, shadowy monsters whose bodies were covered in black metal chains and spiked armor. They were void revenants.
There was also an elf with pallid skin, her hands clasped in prayer. She had long dark hair flowing down her back and sunken eyes. She appeared to be a high-ranking member of the Twilight cult, as she was perpetuating some sort of ritual, and at the very center was a tall, feminine form. She had a hood over her head, and a mantle of shadowy magic, as her body was covered in a shadow essence. The shadowy figure turned toward the group as they entered, no face visible beneath the cowl, only rippling shadow beneath the fabric. In one hand, they saw a peculiar dagger, but one those who had gone to the void saw recreated in the hand of the statue of Mereldar. It was shrouded in magic.
The entity pointed a clawed gauntlet at the group and spoke in a deep, rippling voice they gave a wordless command. A construct made of blackened iron and shadow magic lurched forward.
The entire chamber was silent, as if something was drowning out the noise. Lining the dais were a dozen members of the Tyr’s guard, their faces contorted in horror, pain, and agony, eyes listless, veins black. Among them, they saw both Galford, Robert Travard’s younger brother, and his wife, Efrina.
Their eyes turned, and the battle began. The Twilight Mother flicked her wrist, and several chains appeared out of the gauntlet with a hiss. She cast [Black Tentacles], and jet-black, chain-like tendrils erupted from the ground beneath the group. Her cowled head then turned toward Uther and she used [Shadow Word Pain].
There was an eruption of shadow magic as bright lights flickered beneath her cowl, but Uther was able to resist. The elf, Inanis, tilted her head.
She furrowed her brow and black tendrils started to reach out toward Victor. Vel drew her blade and broke through the magic with a [Counterspell] that interrupted the domination magic. Inanis scowled and attempted to change the spell into a [Hold Person], but Victor was able to break through the inky chains.
The black tentacles tried to wrap around Travard, but he slammed his mace into the mass and a blast of silvery light rippled through the magic and dispelled it.
He rushed past the draconic manifestation, which breathed a gout of inky fire over him, but he leaped through the fire and attempted to slam his weapon into the Twilight Mother. However, she wove her gauntlet through the air and deflected the blow aside.
Gil lined up a shot and aimed at Inanis. The strike erupted into flames that caught onto Inanis’s clothing, and he then used [Hunter’s Mark] on her before he took his second shot. This one also landed, and a third arrow appeared which slammed a third strike into her and the elven woman crumpled to the ground.
She was thoroughly dead. Gil then backed out of the mix of the group to take cover. However, the Twilight Mother whispered something to the dagger. They all heard a woman’s laughter as the shadows around them grew darker. Gil harness his magic and used [Earth Shock]. However, with a flash of shadowy magic, the [Weird] was cast.
As Uther looked on, the corpses of the paladins disappeared and were replaced with his friends and family. Their eyes were rolled back into inky pools of darkness, and he felt a crippling fear.
Meanwhile, Vel heard the sound of a whistle and the sound of footsteps as Vishas was starting to approach, and Victor’s eyes widened as he looked at the Twilight Mother.
He drove his sword into the ground and twisted it. A line of fire rushed at the Twilight Mother as he used [Web of Fire]. The flames erupted on the Twilight Mother as he then hurled a [Fire Bolt] at her, but one of the void revenants rushed for him. The influence of the weird broke on Victor, but a rush of tendrils erupted from the void revenant and attempted to impale them. Fire erupted around Victor as he used [Hellish Rebuke] on the revenant. It tried to snap at Victor, but he blocked its malformed teeth with his blade.
But when Victor was distracted, he felt a bite in his back as the hidden assassin leaped at him. His attack complete, it then darted back into the shadows. The Twilight Golem caused an eruption of shadow to release at Remnii, Victor, and Remnii, but they were able to fend the assault off.
Meanwhile, another assassin jumped from the shadows and attack Gil. However, the poison on his blade was mostly ineffective.
The Demented Horror lumbered forward and Vel was assaulted with a massive blast of psychic energy.
Travard tried to erupt a blast of light around the Twilight Mother, but a shade of darkness consumed it.
Vel was also covered with a swathe of shadow from the guardian of faith, but her eyes shot to the assassin that had hid from Victor, the man’s obfuscation ineffective against her. She slammed into him with her blade, but her second attack went wide as she redirected to the image of a cackling skeleton. The illusion then shattered, but she was left momentarily panicked.
Seria lumbered forward and started to rip into the void revenant.
Uther closed his eyes and focused. When he opened them again, the effects of the weird were dispersed, and he rushed at the Twilight Mother, who was enshrouded with magic shadows. He hefted Bryntroll and slammed the axe into the Twilight Mother.
The second void revenant unleashed a barrage of shadows before it leaped at Uther, but he was able to deflect the creature aside. The Twilight Mother lashed out with Xal'atath, but Uther was able to deflect it with an arcane [Shield].
Remnii conjured a [Circle of Power] over the group.
A blast of magic energy beamed from Truthguard and eroded the flickering shadowflame the Twilight Mother was obscured by. Standing before Uther was a familiar face.
It was Calia Prestor, looking at Uther with bright, angry eyes that glowed with malevolent magic.
The Twilight Assassin continued to strike at Gil as Victor looked on at Calia, his eyes quavering in disbelief.
Calia looked at Uther and came at him again with another swing. Uther blocked it and shoved the weapon away. He saw her deadpan expression falter and she blinked.
She clutched at her head and stepped back.
Uther continued to step after her.
He drew Uther’s attention to the bodies of the Tyr’s Guard, who were standing on the dais. The translucent sheet of glass-like steel covered a giant. It was the body of Tyr himself, his silver gauntlet at his side.
Travard took a long moment and he looked at Uther, but Uther looked back with a look of determined pleading. He then looked at his slain brethren, and the Keeper whose tomb he was sworn to protect. He grit his teeth.
He looked over at Victor and Vel.
He used [Flame Strike] on the enemies around Victor and Vel, and despite them being disoriented, they were able to duck out of the way of the silver flames that washed over the void revenant and assassin. The void revenant exploded in silver flame. Meanwhile the other void revenant clawed at Bob.
The twilight assassin that Vel and Victor had cornered tried to use a [Circle of Death], but Vel countered the spell. He turned the spell into a [Thunder Step] and vanished with an explosion of energy where he rematerialized on the other side of the chamber. However he was still bleeding profusely.
Gil cast [Heal] on himself and he disappeared in the red flames. He reappeared closer to the group, away from the assassin. Seria, meanwhile, turned her focus to the Demented Horror. However, it forcibly swapped with the twilight golem, and Seria’s claws tore into the golem instead.
Remnii erupted the remaining void revenant with a [Smite], and it just barely held together. She then used a [Mass Flash of Light] over the group.
However, Remnii was lurched toward the twilight golem as there was an explosion of shadowy energy, but Bob beat back the void revenant with his own blast of silver flame. The entity dispersed.
Uther heard the voice of the Demented Horror in his mind as it commented his presence troubled the mistress. The creature tried to teleport him away from Calia, but it was ineffective. Gil started firing at the Demented Horror as he enacted an [Arcane Shot]. It pierced into the creature’s chest and blackish-violet blood burst from his chest and his robes went up in flames. The creature staggered back as a second shot impacted him, and flames splashed over onto the twilight assassin. The assassin went up in flames.
The remaining assassin disappeared into the shadows.
Seria also rushed at the Demented Horror and started to tear into him. She was able to thoroughly decimate him.
Vel looked over at Victor.
She then rushed up to the remaining golem and drove her sword into its chest near the core. Frigid energy coated the blade and made the area brittle, which she then ripped upward, shattering the core. The golem self-destructed in a blast of voidal energy.
Calia shook her heard.
She raised Xal'atath as shadows dripped from her eyes.
She started to use [Maddening Darkness], and darkness seeped into the chamber, but Vel slashed through the magic with a [Counterspell]. However, the spell contorted into black tentacles that swarmed around her. She then struck at Uther with a thrust directed at Uther’s neck. Uther caught her hand, but even with the smallest prick, he felt a blast of pain.
Victor threw his weapon aside and jumped into the black tentacles in an attempt to reach his mother. As the black tentacles tried to rip him away, he broke through and collapsed into Calia.
Calia flailed and attempted to slash at Victor, but then she froze.
She dropped to her knees, and Xal'atath hit the ground next to her as her clawed gauntlets covered her face. She released a heart-wrenching, mournful wail, and the black tentacles melted back into the ground. The claws of her gauntleted hands tore into her flesh as she screeched “NO!” over and over and over again.
Victor tried to pull her hands away from her face, but she continued to rake them down her face. He finally wrenched them away, and she sat there in sudden silence, her hands fully limp.
But then she spoke.
Calia lifted her head, revealing the bloodied mess of her face. Her eyes were completely gone. She smiled.
Victor grabbed her by the collar.
Calia smiled.
She looked over at Vel.
She reached over and claimed the dagger, then stood up.
She pointed at the massacre around her.
She smiled.
She gestured at the sarcophagus.
Travard’s face was dark, and Victor looked befuddled and distraught. Uther’s face was expressionless.
She chuckled.
Vel narrowed her eyes at Xal’atath, but she spoke over the telepathic link.
Victor shot a look at Gil but he responded telepathically.
Xal’atath shook her head.
Vel scoffed.
She looked at Xal’atath.
Xal'atath looked around to the rest of the group, assessing if there were any plans to betray her. Gil clearly seemed upset about the arrangement, but ultimately no one spoke up. She took the dagger up in her hand.
She held up her finger and swung the dagger around it. Time stopped. She informed Remnii that she should have ten minutes.
Travard looked at her with a dark expression.
Travard took a deep breath.
With a stoic expression, Bob moved further into the chamber. To the sarcophagus.
He withdrew a disc, and it started to resonate with the sarcophagus. Light filled the seams of the sarcophagus, and the stone and steel moved and opened. In the sarcophagus was not a man. It was a hammer.
It was easily 12 feet long. Bob looked at Uther with a determined expression, and nodded. It was a beautiful hammer with a silver fist inlaid with golden filigree.
Uther felt his pulse quicken.
He gestured down to the dormant giant beneath them. Uther offered a half-smirk.
He reached down and his hand clasped the hammer. There was a connection. Though the hammer was massive, he felt it in his hand, and it began to glow. He pulled it effortlessly from the tomb. It seemed impossible to comprehend the weight of the object. But as he took it up, he felt its weight not in his arm or his hand, but upon his shoulders. It was a challenge. A calling and a responsibility. To be an agent of deliverance, to banish the shadow wherever it may appear, no matter what face it took. To protect. To dispense justice. To live with compassion. To show respect for enemies and allies alike. Everything he had ever learned, he felt the hammer asking him if he was willing to walk the path before him.
He considered the weight of the inquiry, but then he heaved it up. The hammer flanged out, as if adapting to its wielder’s own will and spirit, and attuned to Uther’s spirit.
At the end of the rest, they felt time return to the chamber.
They followed her down further into the chamber, and they saw the yawning void that led deeper and deeper into the prison: the true purpose of the Tomb of Tyr. It was as much lair as it was prison.
