(S23) A field of Wheat
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(S23) A field of Wheat

Session
The Story So Far
December 29, 2024

The last session began with the group having a brief chat with what appeared to be the avatar of Jergal.  Some of the group knew the name as a God of death, some were not as acquainted with the gods of this place.  Jergal; mostly a minor god, to most of the group's knowledge, but it seemed like the truth was that he was quite a major god, hiding behind minor gods that he had created, for reasons that, at least from what Ularan had said in the past, to culminate in the destruction of everything.  This was something a bit too destructive for the group to fully engage with, feeling more abstract a concept by the sheer scale.


But finally with the chance to speak with this creature, the group were able to get some answers, but were just as swiftly finding more questions.


First, the group felt a compulsion to speak with the creature, almost everyone embraced it, but even though it was quite a benign compulsion, Siax's experience with compulsions in the past had been negative and out of sheer principle he withstood that.  The creature was writing in a book that Idris attempted to read with his innate skills, and found it was not good for his sanity.  Thankfully Jergal closed the book before Idris could be driven into insanity once again.


The conversation with Jergal seemed to be less than straightforward.  The creature spoke in riddles and grand phrases that sounded like they made sense, but when thought about more they became more obscure.  It looked like the avatar of Jergal sought out the group specifically because they were of interest because their actions intertwined with this creature's grand plan.  He also, later in the conversation, told the group that all of them would be suitable replacements for what it seeks: another death god to take over the burden of actually being a death god until its inevitable death.


The main gist of the conversation was that Jergal implored the group not to waste their lives as Ularan had done.  Jergal saw Ularan as someone who fought against the inevitable, and thus achieved nothing.  What Ularan was doing, Jergal said, was merely delaying a plan that Jergal had laid down.


There was quite a bit of back and forth, but a breakthrough came when Idris, who was able to focus on what Jergal had mentioned, had found some relevant notes in his mental library, notes from the old empire.  These were mostly theories from the philosophers at the time about the rituals that had been performed in some of the fallen kingdoms.  Apparently when one of the kingdoms had fallen, a grand ritual was done, its signs visible to the surviving kingdoms.  There were many hypothesis for what the rituals were for, but it seemed to be a sacrifice; the taking of the energy of a death of a kingdom to do something.  


The group all had a discussion there, with Jergal's interjections from time to time, they realise that Ularan could ascend, he could become a death god, he could do so for others.  All that was actually needed was all of the god shards - the 27 he held, and the 1 that was bonded to Pine.  But Ularan had other plans.  Instead of ascending with the shards, he wanted to complete the ritual, and instead of becoming a minor death god, becoming something else with the end ambition of challenging Jergal himself to break the inevitable doom upon the world that the death god had been planning.


There was a lot of obfuscation, but there did seem to be a tie there between the past history of the elven empires and Ularan himself.


With the avatar gone, the group proceeded further into the Uthtower.  It was slower progress with the group trying not to make too much sound, and thankfully Pine was able to notice that bones lying down on the floor was a trap, and warn the group.  However combat was not wholly avoided, as a lone flameskull was banging its head upon the wall further in.  Slowly and carefully the group were able to make it quite close to the creature, and before it could act, Effie was able to wrap it in a blanket of silence.  Its screams were not heard, and its powerful (7th level!) spells were not castable.  There were other flame skulls in the room, but they did not notice the group, laying dormant, as the group were able to destroy the main flame skull.  The necromancer that travelled with them, told the group that it was of the same make as Kalador, one of Ularan's lieutenants who had attacked the Wayside Inn.


The group's way forward was blocked by a wall of bones, but while the silence field was still up, the group were able to dig through the passageway.  Unfortunately the other side held living bones, with a swarm and several skeletons rising to attack the group.  The group were able to slay them all, still within the field of silence.  Making it into the room, the group were able to block the passageway behind them, just in time as well as Siax was able to hear what you guessed was the Idalon; the guardian of this place, entering the rooms to the north.


The group weren't alone when they entered though.  In a corridor blocked by a shimmering arcane barrier, an individual stood before it; a black-clad knight, who had tossed to the side a wicked looking greatsword.  He seemed to be at times trying to break through the barrier, and others breaking down in confusion.  The group realised that this was the brother of Argon, a turncoat sent there to destroy Ularan.  But seeing the man now, he appeared to be caught fighting against the compulsion upon him to destroy the leader he had previously followed, one sent by the dark spirit Ularan himself battled mentally with.  Idris, seeing this battle of wills in the man, stepped forth and spoke to him and actually managed to get through to him.  The man gleefully resisted more, and told Idris to slay him where he stood, knowing the reprieve from that overwhelming battle of wills was only temporary.  Not willing to kill a man who he thought might be saved, instead denied him and tried to grab him instead, to restrain him, but the undead man had strength far superior, and this action was enough to break that will to resist, and, falling back into the grip of the dark soul's wishes, he grabbed his sword and attacked the group.  He did some grievous damage to the group, but eventually Arya, still in the form of a giant spider, landed upon his head and struck with ferocious precision, finishing him off.  Idris had been knocked unconscious during the battle, the necromancer badly wounded, and one of the priests had been slain.


The group now stood in front of the shimmering barrier where, beyond it, Ularan stood silent and still in front of what appeared to be a huge black dragon.