Session 30 Snakes and Ladders
Arti rocks back and forth, anxious about Ten’s warning. Firien encourages Arti not to succumb to paranoia. Instead, the pair visit Crowswood’s library to conduct further research. Arti can find no mention of the pillar, but does discover an article in a newspaper clipping dated 972 PO. The paper quotes a witness to the Church’s first contact with Tamlo, an earthmote north-east of Discidium. The dark, bestial kingdom ignored the church’s warnings and launched an expedition into the Miasma in search of resonite. Though officially the church reported the expedition as missing, the witness claims to have seen one of its members several days later.
Firien tugs at their horns. What stake did Bahamut have in all this? Firien’s talons rasp along the shelves. They find references to other Bahamut-worshipping cultures in the Relief, the most prominent being those on Nox. The snow-capped earthmote is overseen by a silver dragon who historically denounced the church. Firien pinches their chin. Ten’s song was engraved on the pillar not only in Draconic, but in Celestial, Primordial and Sylvan too. Could other deities have intervened in the construction of these pillars?
Arti and Firien reconvene with the others. Given the age of the pillar, the warforged theorises Ten could have travelled in time to try and prevent the outbreak of Miasma. Gomruss declares chronurgy to be an exceedingly rare magic, not to mention outlawed by the Church. Guy briefly recalls a treasure hunter’s tale of an artefact that could turn back time, however the details were muddied by the night’s bad ale. Firien suggests that Ten could have been granted a vision instead. Reading Arti’s paper, Firien realises that Tamlo launched their expedition the same year the Inquisition was founded.
The stunned silence is broken by a knock at the door. Bantonio obliges and greets Gloop, the goblin plumber. Though initially confused by Guy’s request, Gloop gets to work installing the ship’s “head”. Doom approaches Firien excitedly. Crow scouts had discovered a basilisk on a nearby earthmote! Doom invites the Six of Steel to join them in capturing the monstrosity. If they were successful, they could pay for the remainder of their supplies and track where the venom was going.
Skies West of Fundus
Guy helms Tuperk’s balloon through the field of earthmotes. Arti spots their destination. A palsa mire appears to be thawing as it drifts east, creating sinkholes in the peat. A fracture in the permafrost has caused a smaller earthmote to separate from the mire. As the balloon approaches the smaller earthmote, Firien peers into the sinkhole. Inside, an abandoned village floats atop stagnant waters. With careful manoeuvring, Guy takes the balloon down into the sinkhole.
A large splash alarms Blythe. She spots the arc of a basilisk’s aquamarine body as it disappears underwater. She follows the faint glint of its scales through the murk; it was heading for the stilt house. Guy lands the balloon on a nearby raft and the Six of Steel cross the pontoon. A toothy maw rises from the water, sending a wave down the pontoon. Guy and Blythe launch ranged attacks, chipping away at the monstrosity’s scales. Before the basilisk can react, Firien casts blindness! Thick black smoke envelops the basilisk’s vision, depriving it of its petrifying gaze.
The trio take cover on the far side of the stilt house while Arti and Bantonio charge in. Careful to keep their footing as the basilisk thrashes in the water, the two slice at the monstrosity’s vulnerable underbelly. Gomruss seizes the opportunity to orate the words on his imprison creature scroll. An arc of lightning connects the basilisk to the twenty-sided die in his palm. With one hand free, Gomruss quick-draws the spellbook from his new holster and necrotises the monstrosity with a chill touch! Doom charges in, prepared to deal the finishing blow, but their battleaxe merely glances off the basilisk’s hardened scales!
Realising Doom is vulnerable, Bantonio shakes his chain mail to draw the basilisk’s attention. The basilisk sinks two enormous fangs into Bantonio’s shoulders. Enduring the pain, Bantonio stares right down the basilisk’s throat as he pierces it with his blade! A thick, red ichor pours from the basilisk’s wound as it begins to transform. Bantonio is released as the fangs in his shoulders become formless and ethereal. Gomruss’ robes billow in a magical whirlwind as the monstrosity is drawn into his die! As the whirlwind dies down, one of the faces on Gomruss’ die becomes a serpentine rune. Mission accomplished, Firien darts to Bantonio’s side to heal his wounds.