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!