04/27/2023 Virtuous Age Session 42: Ascending the Ziggurat, Kron is the Key, and Restoring the Altar of Agamotto

We begin this week’s session approaching the ziggurat rising out of the mists. Overhead the storm intensified. We cross through an emerald light- our characters discover it is a mythic dimensional lock (8^th level spell).  While we approach the top of the structure Aevum feels a sense of anxiety. He can sense there is a flux in the flow of time here. This place exists in a time flux. 

While here Kron enjoys his extreme Storm Giant form.

Aevum is reminded how his mother referred to Kron as the 'key'. Aevum is pretty sure the dragons had discovered 'the key’. Furthermore it stands to reason that Tiamat cannot perceive of this place, as it is also not on Earth nor does it enjoy the normal flow of time. The time storm also further complicates things. 

It was this convergence of three mythic factors that has broken the Ways.

Continuing up the ziggurat Tena and Eabrossi discover that the giants at one time venerated Agamotto. As we approach, it is highly windy and we begin to hear faint chanting. There is an odorous quality to the air. 

We get to an area where we discover several fallen figures. Everyone stays within 30’ of Kron. The humanoid bodies bear war paint and primitive weapons and appear to be wracked by disease or burned by fire.

Eabrossi scans the area for magic and finds a minor aura. At the summit the mists clear and smoky figures, seemingly bonded to the structure, escapes his bonds and floats into the time storm. As soon as this happens another smoky figure emerges from the cracks in the stone to replace the first. Aevum assumes this structure to be apart of the Old World.

The winds intensify, flying becomes difficult. Several of us attempt to get a reaction from the vaporous form. At the top our characters see a shrine in great disrepair. The mudbrick structure has been reduced. Strange light emanates from the area and strange sounds begins to echo about. These appear to be some kind of air elementals.

Tena boldly proclaims herself to these entities and announces she is here to unlock the secrets of the ziggurat. They attack us with various magical and supernatural abilities. New opponents appear each round. Tena continues up the stairs to find the storm has revealed a stair way passage down to a great door. 

When our characters get to the summit, we find a grimy chamber partially protected from the storm. When Tena enters the stairwell down, a huge guardian spider-form appears to complicate matters.

Kron eventually descends down the stairs and pushes open the door thereby vanquishing the guardian spider and elementals storm, plague and madness.

The stairs continue down to a dark room covered in a thick layer of dust that swirls when new air wafts as we enter.

At the end of a long chamber is a raised stair dais upon which is a giant altar to Agamotto. Here are names of binding elementals as well.

Eabrossi tarries a bit he believes the altar can be made hole again. There are pieces on the alter than can be used to make the whole the altar. Aevum spends ten minutes to cast a make whole spell.

To the left is an archway filled with chaotic colors. Some of us begin to hear strange conversation and at other times- music.

Kron unknowingly activates three golem temple guards and after a few tense moments Tena casts a bless and repeats the words on the door that brought us here. This deactivates the guards. 

Aevum is able to finish restoring the alter making it holy. 1- we can rope trick rest in this chamber 2- on the stone will be mended including all icons and suppress the glyph portal. He finds a pearl 120 gp and will be control the of portal.

We decide to rest in a rope trick and are able to level up to 9^th character level. WOOT!

An Exploration of Ziggurat

 

Ziggurat Player Handout A Pg 12 1.1

Page 12 Player Handout B 1-5

Page 13 Player Handout C 2-3

Page 15 Player Handout D 2-7

Dust Brother Hogan Pg 30

3-15 E

Hollow Spawn

Tablet Golem

Chamber of Tears

04/20/2023 Virtuous Age Session 41: Cippus, the Hollow, and The Seven Dragons of Sin

We begin this week’s session with Prince Aevum still feeling some after effects from Eabrossi’s poison touch the day before. Our characters begin to set up a space for a Rope Trick when binki arrives with a banana- foreshadowing the encounter to come. 

Tena and Eabrossi pray to Agamotto outside the rope trick while Kron who sings silently to Stronmaus and watches over the pair. Several will saves are involked. Then from the trees, from a specific direction- an intrepid feeling- Kron interposes himself between the source and Tena and Eabrossi. Tension is high, but an hour goes by and Tena completes her evening preparations. Our characters eventually retire to the rope trick.

During the rest Tena gives Eabrossi a pair of gloves to ease his poison touch inconvenience. 

Aevum is woken by a dream where he feels a powerful gaze upon him and something to do with the race Aevum has created. It was such a troubling event Aevem is cast somewhat dumbfounded. He is also sure this divine gaze also fell upon the other characters.

Kron also wakes with a cold sweat and something very aware of him. For Zaigan, his armor seems to awaken him. Confused at first Zaigan believes his armor reacted in a way it had before- like when his uncle wore the armor. 

Eabrossi awakens from his nightmare with the knowledge of every flaw in his musical talent. Eabrossi mentally reaches out to his sword in draconic and is struck with dragon fear- confirming the draconic origin of the dreams.

All in all, our characters rest for twelve hours and awaken on September 24^th- 10 AM. 

Kron and Aevum exit the rope tick to find an individual waiting for us who introduces himself as Cippus. He appears to be human and not of the continent, and seems to be an elementalist of some kind and offers to escort our characters to the borders of his territory.

We eventually come to a pagoda structure and an expanse of farmland to a tended grove and abandoned structures to one side and undeveloped land on the opposite side. Ahead in the distant skyline are large flying creatures, a lot compared to yesterday.

Conversation is cordial and leads to dangers ahead and Cippus mentions there is said to be dark elves in the area. Kron makes it clear that we are no friends of dragons  

We make a request of magic to aid our quest and Eabrossi asks for a pair of sturdy gloves. Cippus flies off and during the five minutes he is gone- our character realize the area ahead is uneasily quiet. Cippis eventually comes back with a bag of items to trade.

Kron buys potions of Remove blind def, curse, disease and resist acid 20, a potion of restoration lesser for 1,500 gp. Trinkets include a ring of spell storing minor, pearls of power, feather tokens but he would only trade for metamagic. He also offers a Wand of flying 30 charges and in exchange an agreement that we try to come to peaceful terms if our paths should cross hostile paths. Aevum is offered several magic and cleric scrolls.

While this transpires Tena observes Cippus is dressed well with no accents, but the bag he brought has several symbols and draconic images to Tiamat / The Great Mother. Interestingly devoid of sin symbology. Aevum purchases a secure shelter scroll.

Tena makes a trade for his bag of holding and his pearls of power.

We ask about nearby civilization. About an hour away is a great tree split in half. When you come to that tree about ten minutes further we will come to ‘the Hollow.’ It is the closest civilization.

With our business concluded we make our goodbyes and head out about ten minutes from Cippus border and Eabrossi casts heroism on all of us before we mount up on phantom steeds- Carlile and Zaigain are mounted on Campus.

After about an hour we come to the Hollow. A community that seems to be set into a dry lake bed akin to a bowl in the earth. When we get in sight we see a pair of guard towers who spot our approach. The populace appears to be human but upon closer observation they are in fact half elves.

We first hear sounds of dogs below the guard towers and archers have bows at the ready as our characters approach. In the common tongue, they ask our business.

Eabrossi says our characters seek refuge for a marooned youngling.

A few moments pass and we are approached by a man and a woman. They ask if we too flee the way everything else has reacted.

We don’t know about that but we do know that our path is too dangerous for a youngling. Suddenly we feel a palpable dragon fear wash over us and a few seconds later an immense dragon passes over us. We are unsure if it noticed us.

Now that they can see we are not the source of the fear in the area the two half elves invites into the Hollow. Our characters see short stone buildings, camouflaged by the lush canopy. The bowl is a town gathering place, business, craft areas, and most of the 200-300 live outside the bowl.

We are brought to the center of the village and a serviceable hunting lodge building they invite us into. They are Enton and Lory who seem welcoming. We talk about the unsettled activity in the area. Aevum asks about dreams? Everything seems fine but there was something that unsettled most of us last night. The dragon flyovers are definitely not a regular thing.

Tena and Aevum give the boy each 100 gold, Kron gives Enton a short bow to give the boy once he is properly trained.

We thank the half elves but must be on our way. The rest of our travel to the mythic planar veil to the ziggurat is uneventful and we hold up about an hour from Shadow Hill.

We take a short rest and while we do Tena casts some protective spells and Aevum communicates with his creation who just warns him of a coming… she is coming.

Our characters arrive at a lake and a gathering of slavers. We avoid confronting the slavers, this adds a couple of hours to our travel time.

About 3 or 4 in the morning September 25^th our characters sense creatures just outside our range of darkvision. We each feel several creatures flying above us. All we hear chittering sounds around us heightening the tension  

Our characters begin to debate plans and the possibilities of magical messages to King Saxo: 

“Flight of dragons heading to citadel. Will try to scry on you for more communication. May not work. Her eye upon us! With Love.” The message through the crystal ball did not work, but a sending spell works. Next Tena attemps to scry. As each tick of the hour we are assaulted by corruptions.

In the crystal ball Tena sees seven dragons of gargantuan size destroying the grand dome- the seven dragons of sin. They are accompanied by some kind of low devils. Tena recognizes several individuals, including the half dragon inquisitor, a risen hydra, and draconians are also involved in the attack. 

Tiamat’s eye was once upon her children at play but Tena’s scrying attracted her eye. Tiamat’s attention causes the crystal ball to explode.

It is our moment to act and cross over to the ziggurat realm. When we cross we are not immediately attacked and in fact it seems quiet. There is no rain or harsh wind but an occasional purple flash of lighting illuminates the landscape.

For the first time our characters see the ziggurat without all the slaves and worshipers of Tiamat. The restoration it seems was a return to function of what the ziggurat was originally built for. The Tiamat symbols on the structure were already there- this is something else’s domain. We intend to skirt around the ziggurat. Eabrossi, while we move, casts freedom of movement on each of us.

Our character reach the opposite side of the ziggurat and sees a huge purple dragon between us and the embassy. About 100 feet from us is the planar dragon Lyedenka.

Lyedenka flies in, it is the only thing standing between us and the embassy. It was over in 2 rounds, Kron was able to slay the dragon- his 4th. 

There is some debate but ultimately our characters decide to turn to the ziggurat and the promise of treasure within before venturing to the Embassy. 

We achieve our Ninth character Level!

04/06/2023 Virtuous Age Session 40:

Some information we received in Zyper. We are warned of orc encampment about 30 miles to the SE- raiders and slavers. For the past few years they struggle because the no longer have a beneficiary. 50 miles south is an area that have several tales that lend to its mysteriousness. There are also a great many birds that migrate on strange cycles, the locals know to pay attention to them. Some feed them as well.

We begin this week’s session computing our travel time to take a couple of days to the Ziggurat. Eight ours of phantom steed, eight hours of personal travel. The steeds do not make a sound. We eventually come across a bend and into a band of eight dwarves- some of us dismounted.

The dwarves were crouched low, they carry crossbows and armor of various types. Tena speaks to the dwarves to tell them we are passing through the area.

They mention something about seeking a dragon whos scales are semitransparent and gives us a detailed description of the beast. Kron mentions having killed an Opal dragon. At this we exchange battle stories.

They warn us of a wizard-elementalism who lairs near banana trees. They also caution us about the abundance of caves for the next 30-40 miles.

Our groups wish each other safe travels. We continue on.

After some more travel over rocky terrain intermixed with muddy flats. Again the value of traveling on phantom steeds proves itself. After a time some of us believe we see trees traveling slowly towards us and together.

Eventually a large root creature comes out of the ground and begins to speak, Terrain is a close proximity. It appears to challenge us and our passage through his domain. A second voice in Aquan comes from buzzing insects that has now appeared.

Their wish for us is to go around, but we all feel a mental tick. We ask how we are to know the boundaries of their domain? It is at this point when the bees lead the way out of their domain.

This takes about 20 minutes when we arrive at a deep creek. The bees stop where we can see several easy areas to cross over.

We cross the creek and soon encounter a trio of trolls and some manticores. ☹ we decide to avoid the encounter.

We travel on a used road containg wagon ruts and an area of ogres but do not engage us. Also, on our flank are birds keeping up with us. Not long after this Zaigan sees a mounted flyer about a half hour away.

In a crude giant is “Last Chance Casino” pained on a rock. Nearby are bulls teathered to low trees. We continue on another hour towards the SW and a lake. We try to find a way around.

As we discuss what to do next a wagon approaches, pulled by a donkey and a cow. Orcs are also traveling with the wagon. Holding the rains is a probably human kid- likely a slave. Behind the wagon a giant appears. The kid speaks in celestial, I’m not with them.

We parley for position on the ferry and give the giant and the wagon space. Tena says she can water walk us across. We see the ferry coming being pulled by a female giant.

We kill the giant and the two orcs and the boy is free. The boy says he is far north of here, he is Carlile Jr. His father used to be someone important- Carlile wants to get back to his father. He says dad is from ‘Stormtown’ be they lived on the coast. He speaks common, elvan and celestial. He is 12 years old.

We recover 4 potions of bark skin and 4 potions of CMW. 2 master work manicals worth 200gp and 2 falchions (Kron takes one). Giant has 2 large, strange rubies in a bag full of finger bones.

We take the boy Carlile upon Campus and with water walking on the phantom steed our characters cross the lake.

All the while our characters have an uneasy feeling from below the surface of the lake. We get to about half way we begin to see signs of a community at the bottom of the long hill the top of which looks to be cleared of trees. On the edge are giant sized steps and a lift for mining and foresting. There seems to be a factory and other structures. The structures at the top of the hill are built for giants.

We decide to avoid the area and head west and eventually a path off the lake between a couple of hills. There are lot of hills ahead for our 8 hours of overland travel.

We find a couple of places to make camp when Binki comes back to Tena with a banana.  

03/09/2023 Virtuous Age Session 39: Return to Fallaciter Castle, Birth of the Gearforged, and Return of The Trollking

We begin this week’s session back on the prime world since the destruction of not one, but two artifacts- SilverSnitch's Legendary Rod and Tiamat's Grand Areana. Purple clouds begin to form above where the characters appear reminding us of the storms from the ziggurat domain. As we escape into the relative comfort of a rope trick is when the storms opens up acid begins to fall like rain.

Aevum talks with Umseki about the cleric they have. The cleric is described as a corrupted high priest of a healer god. Aevum expresses his interest to the soul to offer the high priest a semblance of life for atonement of past grievances if he were to restore life to Kron Trollking. Umseki says the cost maybe more than Aevum expects. 

During their rest period Aevum is awakened with pain and realizes he has been poisoned by Eabrossi’s poisoned touch. (A by product of being in proximity of destroying artifacts) Furthermore Tena believes Aevum has also contracted a disease.

Outside Zaigan flies out to assess the damage from the acid rain. The village is not destroyed but the damage is considerable in a wide swath- although it seems safe to traverse the ground. Just stay out of the puddles. 

The next morning Tena removes the disease on Aevum with an amazing CL check. Tena tries to remove Eabrossi’s poisonous touch and is only successful so for a short duration.

Tena composes a sending: “Fallaciter, Tena of Agamotto, Kron has died we need help bringing him back. Can you assist? We bring another first for you viewing pleasure.”

Fallaciter replies. “Alas I am not currently home but you are welcome at my castle. I will make the necessary arrangements. As for help, there is help around.”

Tena casts her jaunt spell to transport our characters (including Kron's body) to the Elemental Plane of Air.

When we arrive there is a change of sound with the rushing of wind and peals of lighting. A tall blue humanoid stands on a small stage in front of a series of tables where various genie kind sit. We are in some kind of cloud auditorium. The blue skinned individual says in a put-out tone “this is my theater”

We appear with a dead troll that draws a lot reactions. The winds immediately pick up and some of our characters are pushed around. Many genie blame the ‘blue skinned merchant' for trickery. 

Eabrossi attempts to ease the situation as friends of Fallaciter.

A noble genie replies that we are not in Fallaciter’s domain and he is not my enemy today.

The Blue-skinned individual seizes an opportunity and announces our company as potential customers!

Eabrossi attempts to lay down the diplomacy on Karlocke… the blue-skinned merchant and introduces himself by name including his tribe. Karlocke will eventually write everyone’s name as they introduces themselves in a ledger of accounting. 

Masai Lox, the Noble genie, says we are welcome to work out any deals with Karlocke but if we wish to stay here we must call upon him to do so. Eabrossi intuits the noble genie knows details about Eabrossi including what he is and has assessed much of our group. Masai says if we do not come to an agreement with Karlocke we may potentially call upon him, he may have a task for us.

After we get our bearings we see red colored cloud structures in the distance and see what Masai calls The Blaze- a dark castle on a cloud of billowing fire.

Karlocke is an Arcane, a planar gypsy, who after seeing Kron says he has diamonds for sale. He lays them on display with some slight of hand. Eabrossi offers a Blazing Robe to the trader who eagerly agrees to the trade for our choice in diamons. Aevum inquires further about a soul gem and with a flash of trickery replaces the display of diamons with three black opals.

Aevum eventually trades three metamagic scrolls for the 'animated' soul gem and because of the amicable deal the Arcane also provides three secret chest scrolls.

Karlocke cautions us about dealing with Masai but kindly gives us a general direction to Fallaciter.

Expeditiously our characters arrive to Fallaciter’s castle and are met by his servants on the outskirts of his territory. Tena and the characters are taken directly to the Tena’s shrine of Agamotto.

Aevum first attempts transfer the high priests soul into a receptacle with two soul gems so that the priest retains as much as himself possible. Tena prays and offers oils towards creating a ‘new race’.

Meanwhile Kron’s soul is wrested from the awesome presence of his god Stranmas and begins to feel sensation again- the return to the physical world. 

Kron’s resurrection occurs simultaneously while the new gearforged race is created. One man, one machine as the first gearforged is born. Vaalnimore immediately wants to make another gear forged. Aveum is left drained of mythic power. 

When kron comes back he does not gain two negative levels, in fact comes back further blessed by Stranmas and can now appear as a Stone giant or Strom giant when he attains gargantuan size.

This one’s name is Valnimore and is hours NOT days from being independently operational. Priest of Anu back in the day and his domain is Air, knowledge, law and protection.

Kron sincerely thanks his friends one by one and fiercely prays knowing he has the blessing from Stranmas. After, Kron finally tells his friends about Shieldbreaker- a legendary god slayer that had fulfilled it's purpose ancient times was awakened and given renewed purpose when Kron picked it up.  Kron looks at his friends and tells them with seriousness, Shieldbreaker is the weapon that could kill Tiamat.

We are provided rooms and nourishment in Fallaciter Castle, we rest and wake on September 23. Feeling like time is essential we decide to immediately return to our prime world and blindly arrive in a fountain in the middle of a large town. There is a surprised reaction in common and other humanoid races. 

The streets are cobblestone and the structures appear stout. A green fielded gold crown with a red ruby is featured on banners and flags. The land is a rich farmland and the city has four major buildings. There is a lake nearby and a river.

Tena asks what city this is. Zyper is the reply. We are 300 miles north of the rift. We are monsters in a ‘normal’ city. We learn Zypher is the sister city to Five Tower Keep.

Eventually two individuals gather their courage and approach our group. These individuals proclaim to be representatives from Clan Gee. Eabrossi introduces himself including his tribe and an ambassador to King Saxo. They ask if we are from the Rift? Lands nearby. Are we to meet with the Lord Mayor? We agree.

The two begin to lead us towards the civic district of the Zypher. The Town hall proves to be a big and spacious as our characters are led inside. We are not seen by the Lord Mayor but the City Secretary instead who sees us immediately. 

Her name is Louise, a human woman. She was sent to make introductions for the Town leadership. Eabrossi introduces himself and explains our ignorance of Zypher and our accidental arrival.

She accepts our unfortunate circumstance and suggests an individual named Baphamael Grellspit would help us. She promptly gives us directions to Baphamael and we are quickly passed off.

We arrive to Grellspit’s a short time later and come to a two story building with come kind of bird coop on the top, built on a slight hill it seems to sit it higher than other buildings of its height.

A woman answers our knock, takes one look and yells back into the house. She introduces herself as Diala. Eabrossi introduces himself and relays our situation yet again.

Coming out of the door is a tall half elf man dressed in a long jacket with impeccable purple accents. He offers us chairs, drinks, and palaver outside on the porch.

Easbrossi offers marvelous music and sets a great mood. Tena senses Daila and Baphamael are suspicious of something.

Our characters explain our situation quickly and relay our need for an expeditious return to the Rift. He offers a map and some phantom steeds if we can recover his costs.

Seeing the map we are 260 miles north of the Rift. 320-340 miles away from the Ziggurat. Eabrossi offers to fill in incomplete areas of Baphamael’s map- he agrees and they spend time together doing this. Eabrossi also buys ten phantom steed scrolls.

Aevum decides to use the book found in session 6 to discern the closest Embassy to take us to the cloud continent. There are two, the ziggurat and one equidistant to the north.

Tena asks for a private room while Eabrossi works with Baphamael and takes out her crystal ball to find King Saxo. Her efforts is resisted, but that is a good sign. She turns her attention to each one of the dragon knights until she finally is able to focus on one. 

In the presence of this dragon knight Tena sees a half dragon and a very sizable draconic presence that even made the dragons are uneasy. The bulk of the dragon moves and Tena sees the air around the dragon changes and suddenly our girl is filled with trepidation. Tena ends her scrying.

Eabrossi looks on the map for the embassy to the north. It is either in a mountain range or beyond the mountain range. 

Nevertheless we end this week’s session deciding to go east and back to the ziggurat.

02/28/2023 Virtuous Age Session 38: I Have a Bad Feeling About This, Killing the Hydra, and Kron Falls In Glorious Combat

We begin this week’s session in a couple rounds away from the mythic hydra who seems to be charging across the air. On its back are four undead LakeHouse victims including the leprechaun. They are all wearing glowing armor and weapons. They appear to be viciously attacking the hydra creating more heads- it now had seven heads. In addition, Eabrossi notices there are also four incorporeal figures- agents of despair we refer to them as “fallen”.

Kron, growing to gargantuan size for the first time quickly kills the hydra. In our paranoia some of our characters continue to attack fallen the hydra in the following rounds. Aevum’s enervation effects seem to hasten what was already planned for the hydra as it appears to decay and change.

The other enemies, the incorporeal creatures with their ranged bow attacks, the electric bolts, as well as the animated undead leprechaun and friends were more than enough for us. Our characters fought hard and spared little mythic power- we were overwhelmed. 

But in the end of the deadly combat it was darkness spells that defeated any chance of success. Kron falls in the darkness to the empowered undead and our characters start planning an immediate retreat.

Aevum casts a spell and sends Kron’s body 3 miles to the west toward Shadow Hill while the rest of the party flies back out of the planar overlap in retreat and back to our prime material plane and Shadow Hill. 

Meanwhile, Kron’s consciousness appears before an open mountainous area with a vast walled stronghold within. Giant runes built into the walls identifying it and the afterlife realm. In the air a cloud partially obscures an eternal sun. 

Kron is the first of the souls waiting to see Stranmas; a unique soul among giant-kind. Voices praising Stranmas sing out then a bolt of lighting strikes Kron. Kron immediately finds himself before Stranmas and is judged Worthy by the god. A judgement Kron's young soul receives great with honor. 

Stranmas, eager to have a worthy avatar on Earth- as well as a legendary weapon, offers the title to Kron Trollking. Filled with resolve and a longing for his friends (who were likely in peril) Kron declined. "There would be no one to hear of Stranmas should I and my friends fail. We must Stand and be True."  

Back on the prime material plane the other characters retreated into a rope trick to gather their strength. The next day is September 22 where the characters have a couple of options for bringing back Kron. 

Tena: a trip to the elemental plane of air and Fallaciter Castle in hopes of finding something or someone who could help. 

or

Aevum: he happens to have a trapped cleric soul and a recepticle for it in the material world, if he could perform a service and bring back Kron. 

02/23/2023 Virtuous Age Session 37: That Got Their Attention, Still September 21st, and The Exhibition Before The Main Event.

We begin tonight’s session with the wave of magical energy that was released with the destruction of two artifacts. The legendary Rod of Cancellation and Tiamat's Grand Arena of Religious Awakening. The mythic wave of magic had a wide-ranging effect. Five of the cursed pillars released mythic power when destroyed. Weather one individual of a group of five or one zealot fanatic who gave up 5 mythic power points to this purpose, they immediately know something is awry- their mythic power restored. 

Obviously our antics does not go unnoticed.

When we regain our senses after the explosive release of mythic power we see the tower remains but removed from the plane associated with the ziggurat. After long ages past, the tower is now returned to the prime world; older than we remember it. Aevum has assessed an hour has passed, it remains September 21. 

Aevum realizes places like this were displaced during ages past and somehow over time became is mythic place. Aeveum now confirms this tower is from when our world was a demiplane.

We exit the tower and approach the veil to the ziggurat casting protective spells along the way.

When we pass through we are immediately in a storm. Streaks of black or purple color strike out at various points. We cannot see the Laketower house, but we can occasionally make out a large shape near the lake house during the brief flashes of stormlight. Our characters hear the wind and sometimes voices; in our heads is a prayer to Tiamat. Something is telepathically blasting the prayer. (-2 on concentration checks) 

On the SW sandy side there is obviously a sand storm foreshadowing a hazard for when our characters approach near the ziggurat. 

Suddenly the storm stops, seemingly held in time. We are the hit with negative energy. With our vision somewhat restored we see the multiheaded hydra at the LakeTower House including a number of undead- the ones we had fallen. 

However between our characters and the Hydra there are eleven individuals ahead - 4 half dragons and 4 knights of Tiamat, a fencer, a priest and finally ‘The Necromancer’.

Our characters defeat all save for the knights of Tiamat, 3/4 of them staggered for most of the fight and the 4th fucked up pretty bad. 

As we fight we see the undead have mounted the hydra and less than a minute away- two rounds away. 

02/16/2023 Virtuous Age Session 36: Shadow Hill, Tiamat’s Grand Arena and Mythic Tier 4

We begin tonight’s session after a full night’s rest after defeating the opal dragon, Commander and the SilverSnitch.

During the watch Kron and Zaigan witness Binki’s change in behavior and confidence. We wake with our 8^th character level and 3^rd mythic tier now fully realized.

Aevum will takes clues and realize the day is September 22^nd or the 23^rd and slowly we realize we are ravenously hungry. We find out later it is actually the 21st  

Our characters decide to visit the nearby village. Here there are humans, living beside fetchlings, giant blooded races, half orcs and halflings. It appears to be a farming trade village with several small farms are spread out about a half mile.

There aren't any visible weapons among the people, we attract a lot of attention. Two ogre-blooded individuals stumble out of a nearby building with wheel barrels come toward our characters.

Eabrossi waves to them, they approach cautiously. The two apologize (in draconic language) that they were unprepared for our visit. Eabrossi explain we are not who they were expecting. Eabrossi successfully communicates our intentions that we are not a threat.

We get to the beginnings of the village of about a dozen buildings and one longhouse. A couple comes hither.

In common and in the elven language: Welcome to the village of Shadow Hill. Eabrossi responds in kind in both the elven and giant tongue. The woman is named Majorie, and the man named Mak- he seems a bit uncomfortable in our presence. They have been here for about 30 years. 

We ask them some questions. The dragon creatures came about 10 years ago and in the past two years things have intensified.

The couple leads us along a path and a fork in the road; they point out the way to the Halfling village Shelltop. We travel on and explain how we have eliminated the leprechaun.

They explain. Tribue is once a month but the dragon kind return every two weeks- a couple dozen with wagons for transportation of supplies. For the tribute 6 ‘draconians’. Sometimes they take people but most of the time they just come down to exert their authority.

Just as we arrive at the residence/farm Kron gifts Mak with a shortbow and some arrows. A gift, in return for the hospitality of food.

Our characters realize these two are leading us and whatever potential danger we bring, away from the main village.

Our characters admire the property and we are quickly led to the house and invited in.

Eventually a human visitor calls and heads straight for Mak, it is Jack their son. In the back the two argue about the bow. Kron and Aevum follow. Aevum introduces himself and asks about the absence of weapons. Kron and Aevum make fast friends with Jack and Mak. Aevum gifts Jack with a magical bow.

Inside the abode food is being prepped- it’s fish. As the meal process proceeds the atmosphere relaxes and Eabrossi attempts to perform a song. We are asked a lot of disorganized questions about our accoutrements and panache.

Words are exchanged and eventually talk of the Opal dragon comes up. Kron assures them the threat of the Opal dragon has ended. Kron even shows off Shieldbreaker to the shock and awe of all.

We share good good food and drinks  

Eabrossi ask about the names of dragons they have heard of: Ashaq is a name they mention, a three headed one and some humanoid dragon-kind. They mention Tâmtu who came here two years ago and is the one responsible for banned weapons.

Majorie describe a wyrm that blot out the sky. It’s size is incomprehensible and seemingly impossible to run away from. It destroyed their neighbor village Danbury by befouling the very air making it toxic.

A Natural 20 indicates it September 21^st.

Shortly after our meal Kron suggests we head back toward the Zigguarat domain and address the problem of the Grand Arena of Tiamat and use the twice be damned rod of cancellation on Tiamat’s arena-artifact. 

When we leave the village we see 6 draconic humanoids flying towards us. With 3 rounds of prep we easily thwart them and- using the spells we have active, our characters make further haste to the Grand Arena.

We get to the border between planes and pierce the veil into the demilplane. Our characters are met again with severe storms in the Ziggurat domain affecting our senses and slowing our progress. 

We eventually make our way to the area at the back of the ancient tower.

In the Tiamats Grand Arena are the remains of walls that serve as pillars that seem to be the focus of Tiamat symbolism and magic. 

Tena touched the rod of cancellation (the leprechaun’s legacy item) to the pillar and both artifacts are destroyed. 

Our biggest victory yet against evil dragon-kind! Our characters attain our 4^th mythic tier! 

02/09/2023 Virtuous Age Session 35: Lake of Shadow and a Place of our Own

We begin tonight’s session in the giant-sized LakeTower house moments after Kron defeated the opal dragon void dragon spawn of the shadow dragon. After a minute of healing and spell casting our characters hear the organ begin to play up stairs. Our characters cautiously head to the top floor. For Eabrossi the music is fantastic but not performed as well as it could be.

The top floor is found covered in sixty foot radius of deeper darkness, Aevum's daylight spell created a thirty foot radius around him where existing light conditions prevailed. Flying from the darkness our characters encounter a swarm of horrific chatteringskulls, their wailing sounds carrying supernatuarl effects. While battling the skulls, we spy SilverSnitch climbing off the pipe organ high chair. Zaigan and Kron break free from the skulls and deliver their attacks on the Leprechaun. Desperate the SilverFuck uses his Rod of Cancellation to drain Kron’s Earthen Flail and called battle axe of all their magical properties.

SilverSnitch and “Commander” flee from us, down the ornate spiral stairs, and we pursue them. After a long chase Aevum's Chronal Lance slows the hasted pair enough to defeat them before they escape through the fourth floor's portal to the shadow plane. When SilverSnitch the Shadow King dies Aveum finds he is no longer restricted from Necromancy.

Kron and Aevum are now masters of the Lakehouse and islet domain having defeated the Opal Dragon and Leprechan cohort.

Recovered from SilverSnitch

+1 club (Russ), amulet of natural armor +3 (Josh), grey bag of tricks x2day (Binki), metamagic rod reach lesser (Josh), rod of cancellation (Russ), wand of mage armor 42 charges (Butch), wand of memory lapse 30 charges (Butch), wand of shield 42 charges (Josh)

Recovered from the Commander, dressed with markings and Tiamat insignia.

+2 rapier (James), crystal ball (Russ), gloves of climbing and swimming, ring of evasion (Butch), wand of lightning bolt 35 charges 6d6 (Butch), wand of sending 21 charges (Russ), wand of stone skin 21 charges (Josh), wand of whispering wind 13 charges (Josh)

The top floor is dominated by a pipe organ of enormous size where Eabrossi find a book of musical composition containing a new masterpiece. The pipe organ is a sinister looking artifact, its full powers never realized by SilverSnitch.  The Shadow King could only use it to summon creatures from the large skulls that decorated each side of the organ.

Aevum provides phantom steeds that allow us about an hour distance from the planar overlap and the shadows of the LakeTower. And about a quarter mile away is a community and it is very early in the morning. There are several areas to camp or the there’s the village, after some discussion we decide to make camp in a series of low hills and brush.  Our rest isn't interuptted and we will pick up after a long rest. 

01/26/2023 Virtuous Age Session 34: SilverSnitch, The LakeTower, and Death of the Opal Dragon

 

We begin tonight’s session in the giant-sized LakeTower house in hostile pursuit of SilverSnitch.  Our characters step into the fourth floor. Here a large rug, desk with a mysterious mirror on the wall. A strange coral-like wall (ancient dragon scales) obscured the far end of the level, hiding the sources of two blue lights. A strange shadow-well sat ominously in a corner. It was this well where this rooms shadow monsters retreated to. 

We decide to run to the fifth floor. This room reveals itself as a bedroom. At this time our characters hear an organ from an upper floor. The room is magical and contains three dragon skulls, there is a pervasive aura of fear here. 

Continuing up to the next level and the sound of the organ our characters eventually come to a magical are of guards and wards. With this in our path our characters decide to investigate the rooms we passed up below.

In the room with the giant bed, there is giant cutlery and carved initials in the table. The letters KN as if a giant carved them. There is a chest and the bed radiates magic. Eabrossi examines the chest and triggers a trap that unleashes three swarms. The bed also proved to be fun when Kron tested its comfort only to be attacked by a couple of bears.

Retreating back down to the room with the coral-like wall. Here we find a scrying table, the desk with the overturned mirror and the shadow well. The well is about 5’ in diameter and is filled with shadow stuff. There are three drawers in the desk, it does not appear to be trapped. 

Tena and Aevum decide it would be an idea to move the magic mirror over the shadow well. When we move the mirror it reveals papers and works on the desk. 

We find a list of strange words. First five words are scratched and the last is likely a password. One of the drawers contains a black cloth cover for the mirror. In the second drawer are five finely worked old dragon scales and capable of being enchanted. The third drawer has a lot of masterwork expert tools of small sized.

With what we hope is the password for the guards and wards we head back up the stairs to encounter a couple of bodaks. After dispatching the two undead we head up to the guards and wards and state the password. It seems to work and we proceed to the seventh floor.

One section of this room has newish potted plants. Between them is a shadow well. A urn that emanates light. A large semicircle of stone and the lapping of water- a fountain. Large lilly pads are in the fountain but still no organ in sight. 

We continue upstairs.

On the eighth floor we find SilverSnitch, an elf woman, and a sinister individual in the room holding palaver. Five shadows also here the woman is the figure from Ziagan’s fever dream- the Opal Dragon. SilverSnitch is the cohort of the Opal Dragon. 

The battle was fierce. Kron defeats the opal dragon, a void dragon spawn of the shadow dragon.