The doorway opened to some dark stairs, heading down, which in turn spilled out into cavern. Steam filled the space from large pools filling the floor except for a small island with rugs in centre.
A scream ripped through the air, high and desperate.
All of us rushed forward towards a tunnel leading out of the eastern end of the cavern. I shifted once more into wolf form as we ran.
As we rounded the tunnel, I saw my large form would not be the advantage it had been above. The tunnel was tight and restrictive. At its head, we saw Versi, the oracle, suspended within the form of some sort of water elemental and a flash of movement from a hideous, seaweed haired form.
Theo shot a blast of fire at the watery form and I leapt and closed my jaws on it, but neither seemed to be having much effect.
Fortunately, our companions had better luck. Calliope launched a blast of magic that left the sea witch hissing and retreating, leaving her easy prey for the spear of Braz and the brutish greatsword of Helikaon. As she fell, the swirling form of the elemental lost its form and splashed into liquid once more, leaving the cavern silent, except for the gasping of the Oracle as she shakily got back to her feet.
We helped her to rest and as we did so, uncovered a scrap of paper amongst the witches rags and a beautiful pearl. In neat copperplate writing on the scrap was a note.
‘Heleka, I bid you now make good upon the oath of service that once you swore me. You know the secret ways through the forgotten sea to the cave where my daughter dwells. Find her and bring her to Praxys unharmed, and I will release you from your oath. Sydon, lord of all.’
Interesting. So, the stormlord seeks to prevent us hearing the prophecy Kyrah gathered us for yet doesn’t trust his own order to have them work together to coordinate a defence? The sheer arrogance is overwhelming.
As the oracle rests, we discuss a few things. The pearl we found is valuable, but more than its cost in gold, we may be able to use it as a component in the spellcasting for a few of the party.
Alke seems guardedly surprised how accommodating we’ve been about her heritage. She discusses that she was born that way, but that it is a curse that affects her bloodline. I can relate to that, even if I have escaped my curse, I still seek a way to free the rest of my tribe. I can hardly blame anyone for the issues of their heritage though, can I? Only last night, as we celebrated the slaying of the boar, I discussed my tribes curse with Braz and Calliope and how only my connection to the land that allows me to shift form has saved me from the curse that dooms my forebears to transform into the giant scorpions that haunt our land if they don’t bond with the Aresians. Being sent from the tribe for challenging my father’s edicts is painful enough.
The oracle recovered quicker than I thought and brought us together to discuss the prophecy we have been waiting for all this time. She spared a distinct favourite glance for Calliope, it’s clear she dotes on her, bordering on possessiveness. Hmm. The siren’s lack of memory here worries me. Just what magics is the Oracle capable of?
The steam must be getting me. The atmosphere feels warm and muggy and my head is swimming.
“You warriors who stand here gathered will be tested. The Fates have revealed three great tasks that must be accomplished before you are ready to sail into the three seas and face the Titans.
You must shape the silver fires of the lost forge in order to craft the tools that you will need.
You must clean the mighty weapons wielded against the Titans by the first Dragonlord.
And you must drink deep from the bottomless dragon horn for it will reveal a vision that I cannot see.”
If I am to face the stormlord and break the curse on my family, I will be glad to have these others by my side. But she continues.
“But woe unto thee, for I have seen the end of all things. My father’s anger cannot be quelled, and his sister schemes even now. Your quest may yet fail and, if it should, the sky will rain black fire, and the doom of Thylea will come.”
She then begins to take us back to her chambers for some further, private insight. Calliope and Theo seem to come back full of new hope, almost bouncing into the cavern. Theo in particular looks ready to burst with his zeal.
Alke and Helikaon seem to be grimly determined, but quiet, though I must admit, I’m not sure from either of them if I expected anything else. There seems little of joy in our valiant elf friend, unusual for one of fey heritage. Perhaps at least what he seeks will grant him peace.
Braz seems genuinely troubled. I head in as the last.
What she tells me leaves me shaken.
The reason I am able to break free of my family’s curse is more than my druidic abilities. The loremaster I knew as my father is not my real father.
My real father is Sydon.
“Be wary” she warns. “The lord of storms is being of vast divine power and he is troubled.”
Him and me both. She gives me a locket, with the emblem of a branch and lightning bolt. It’s with a wry look that I realise that in a way, we are siblings and thank her for her wisdom. If anything it’s a reminder that heritage isn’t destiny- she seems to have defied her father well enough so far. It’s a point of hope I cling to desperately.
As I return to my friends in the cavern, we discuss our next moves. Some want to head to the Necropolis, some want to head to the Oldwoods and some to Estoria. As we are on Estoria’s doorstep, it seems to make sense we make that our first step.
The oracle offers us one last service. Bringing us together, we swear an Oath of Fellowship, binding the fate of one to the fate of all. We are warned of the fate of Justinius and the danger of hubris.
This Justinius seems wise. It is a lesson well learned.