Loose threads The abandoned Elemental Shrine and the 'Arcane signature' of a divided Ancient One drifting towards Avilion.
Participants Hecret, Saorie Tylmae, Zinlynndise Imare, Swampy, Bethany Claie
Locations Evenfall Temple of the Two Suns Avilion, the Golden Barony
Short summary:
After an urgent request for aid from the Gilded Knight on behalf of the Fae Barony, the select members of the Guild traveled to Evenfall to fight the Chained Jester Olc! A long and decisive battle culminated in Olc, one of the Timeless Eight being banished from this realm, and his sister taking the mantle with sweet promises of betterment to the world.
Full Report
The party received their instructions from appropriate Guild members, including this request directly from the Gilded Knight:
"To those presently operating out of First Landing, Evenfall is no longer stable. Requesting immediate aid. Movement has been observed above the terraces, through the markets, and within private residences. Masked incidents are increasing. Laughter is being reported prior to loss of control. This is not containment. It is collapse. This Olc character is on a level I haven't seen before, and my presence escalates the situation. If you are willing to act, do so immediately. -The Gilded Knight"
Shortly after the party discussed and decided to travel to the Elemental Portal Shrine. However it was derelict upon arrival. The keepers of the Shrine for one reason or another have left their charge, however was not the concern of the present party. Hecret divined the source of this sudden disappearance: hovering over the world to the west is the 'thread of magic' and 'arcane signature' of the Ancient Ones drifting towards Avilion. Fortunately an abandoned ship usable to the party was found by Saorie so that travel to Evenfall was possible in a timely manner. Unfortunately a pod of giant fae frogs decided that our party were an ideal set of prey. Needless to say many dead frogs later they left us be.
After a night of rest the party then encountered Quartet a traveling merchant of information untold in the dealings of the Fae realm here is the following account of Olc in full according to Quartet:
"Thank you thank you. The Tale of Olc. Coming right up then." The tent grows larger. A concert hall now. Quartet takes the stage. Violin and bow drawn. A single note starts. The tale now begun "Before clocks were counted. Before seas learned tides. Eight Shadows crossed eternity. Eight shaped unfinished endings." The melody swells unabated. A vast overture crescendos. A sudden pianissimo starts. Music now a whisper. "He danced through beginnings. He danced through end. His steps mock gravity. His twirls mock despair." A slow accelerando now. Pianissimo holds steady though "Others studied the light. Others feared its hunger. Others debated its mercy. Olc understood it all." The music begins flying. Now a fierce sprint. A sforzando quickly loud. "The Devouring Light Watches. The World Reaches Collapse. Stars Age and Flicker. Threads Tangle and Snap. Mortals beg for ending. Kings pray for relief. Sages chase for immortality. All feared Death's Grasp." Each line Staccato'd perfectly. Each note crisp, clear. "Olc saw something different. He saw unfinished art. He saw tangled cruelty. He suffered no fear. So Olc danced harder. His laughter shook heavens. Each step cut threads. Each twirl loosened fate. Cities faded like lanterns. Armies became quiet dust. Sorrow dissolved into starlight. When Olc did Arrive. For he was greatest. The strongest of Eight. Devouring Light's Dear Favorite. The Curse of Mortality. Their dreadful dreadful plight." A second melody starts. A different perspective taken "The others grew wary. Balance began to tremble. Threads snapped too early. Time buckled under it." A brief time change. Five four now for these. " 'Seventh Dances Dangerously' Whispered First. 'Seventh hastens endings' warned Second ' Seventh misunderstands purpose' concluded Third." Back to four four "Yet Olc Keeps Dancing" "The Devouring Light Answers. Not with Voice Spoken. Not with wrath descending. But with terrible approval." A slow arching overture. A Grand Finale Starts "A thread descended downward. It landed on Olc. The cosmos held breath. The dance suddenly stilled. Olc bowed deeply low. Stitches split slightly open. Light poured through laughter. Eternity shuddered, now awake. He rose transformed after. His steps now perfect. His chaos became design. His laughter became command. The Light had chosen. His Herald was Olc. Madness became its laughter. Dance became its prophecy. Now Olc wanders worlds. Masked joy guiding end. Precise steps feign chaos. Mercy Hidden with horror. When lanterns rise skyward. When laughter echoes strange. When threads tighten suddenly. Olc is already dancing." A suspenseful final chord. The tale at end The Strongest of Timeless. The happiest destroyer imaginable. Herald The Devouring Light. Olc Will Laugh Forever." |
After having encountered Olc and fought him, this once cryptic and unsolvable puzzle had it's pieces put into place. The Ancient One, The Devouring Light, has an inner circle of disciples called the Timeless Eight, all blessed with it's power. Olc being chief among them as the Seventh. Olc was mad with power and abused his mastery overtime and the shared powers between all eight as the party would quickly learn. Olc used his power to take the threads of time and fate to subvert his own and change or manifest others to his whims. If he was ever killed he would simply grab another version of himself and abandon the previous fate, thus making him immortal and effectively unkillable due to him also being a being that exists outside of Time. However, another fact that would come to light that was hinted at in this retelling by Quartet, is his nature as a Herald of the Devouring Light meant he had conditions for this power; namely the threads of arcane from the Devouring Light being the catalyst for this power on the Material Plane. Eventually the party moved on and arrived at the manor house of Lady Naenia whom was also hosting for Lady Vesper as well as Marsyas the now betrothed to none other than Bethany Claie. Much was discussed but scarce few details were relevant that was not provided as seen above regarding Olc's history.
Finally the confrontation with Olc went as was expected. Hecret and Olc talked and demonstrated their respective skills in jestering and in a surprising turn of events Hecret relented and admitted Olc was the superior jester. Then the fighting began with the future of Hecret being pulled into reality (or rather everyone present being pulled into a reality where Hecret's future had been realized.) The battle persisted for quite some time until it came to a turning point: Olc being dead Saorie's future was realized and the stage was set. It was during this time the party realized there was no traditional way of killing Olc as even disintegrating him in his entirety meant nothing. However it was only in Saorie's future did we recognize the arcane thread of the Ancient One did we learn of a way to defeat Olc. Hecret used a magical item to cast Banish on that thread that dwelled within Olc after he was defeated in the short period of time between his actual death an another one of his future's sprouting up (which is him effectively reviving.) Banishing this thread while he was dead proved effective as his current fate was dead and the thread no longer having access to this plane of existence meant he could no longer leap between futures to evade death.
As quickly as the battle began so too was it over. It was unceremonious and was followed but by the Eighth arriving to declare she would not be like Olc. Instead she would along with the six remaining Timeless would guide the futures of all in the New World to one that they would choose for themselves. (A ridiculous notion Swampy had made a point to emphasize in his recounting to a Guild Member during the transcription of this report.)