Session 45 The Earth of Me—Part 1
Guy examines the clouds through his spyglass. Though familiar with storms of this size at sea, he suspects magic may be perpetuating the swirling vortex. Static tickles Arti’s metal components. He had no doubt the pillar was at the centre of the storm. Firien suggests they gain altitude then have the Verity descend into the eye of the storm, while Tuperk recommends they continue on his balloon. Guy strokes his chin and asks Eureka if it would be possible to create a lightning rod. The artificer is delighted by the captain’s ingenuity and sets to work immediately.
Using the metal they salvaged from the spelljammer, the crew construct a rudimentary lightning rod connecting the mast to the keel. Guy orders a descent to sea level, safely grounding the Verity as it enters the storm. Having weathered several lightning strikes, they soon arrive at the sunken peak of an inverted mountain. Preferring to keep the Verity grounded, the Six of Steel decide to ascend in Tuperk’s balloon. Glimback entrusts Spiro with Arti’s heart and joins the party. The Grand Paladin squeezes Firien’s shoulder in acknowledgement. Arti tethers himself to the balloon and begins climbing the mountain.
Seventh Pillar
Arti pulls the balloon in to land. He and Firien recognise the landscape from their visions, though the grass is now ashen grey. While the swirling storm above threatens to strike at any moment, its centre marks their waypoint. By the light of their lanterns, the pillar soon comes into view. However, Arti’s excitement is curtailed by the unwelcome figure standing behind it. Kalyptos emerges folding a pair of draconic wings behind him. When questioned, he reveals the Inquisition amulet around his neck.
“You! You bastard! You left my son to die!”
“My orders were to prevent you from reaching the pillar at any cost.”
“Then the Inquisition already knew about the pillar. Do you even know what it does?”
Glimback to Kalyptos. Firien interrogates Kalyptos.
Firien recounts the events of their vision, explaining how activating the pillar will disperse the Miasma. Kalyptos refutes Firien’s claim. Invoking Bahamut’s name seems to only anger him further. The Inquisitor then turns to Bantonio for help. Firien laughs cynically—their friend would never betray them. Bantonio stands resolute and attempts to deceive Kalyptos, claiming that Caelum and Bahamut are aligned. Though momentarily pensive, Kalyptos sees through the ruse. He holds up a twenty-sided die. Arti’s heart skips a beat. Eyes wide, Gomruss slyly takes the die from his pocket. Firien’s fingers sparkle with electricity.
“I don’t want to kill you, Kalyptos. You don’t deserve Bahamut’s mercy. But I will deliver his justice if I must.”
“You misunderstand, Firien. I believe in the Inquisition. If you are Bahamut’s justice then I am Caelum’s wrath. Let us see which prevails.”
Firien to Kalyptos in draconic.
Kalyptos casts his die, illuminating the battlefield. To Arti’s despair, the light morphs into the psychotic, five-headed chimera from his nightmares. Without hesitation, Firien calls upon the perpetual storm above to strike the chimera with a supercharged bolt of lightning! In retaliation, it charges forward. Arti grabs Glimback and the pair dive out of the way. Guy evades the attack, simultaneously equipping his rifle. The chimera rears up to crush its prone foes when the whip crack of Guy’s rifle rings out. The chimera’s dragon head deflates as gelatinous Miasma weeps from the hole in its skull.
Clambering to his feet, Gomruss casts his die, summoning the basilisk! Aghast, Kalyptos immediately averts his eyes. Blythe distracts the goat head, slashing with her scimitar while Arti climbs onto its back. The warforged slices the goat head’s throat with his bestial claws. Miasma oozes from the open wound, engulfing Bantonio and Blythe. Startled, Bantonio inhales deeply and begins to feel dizzy. Arti spins around just as the chimera’s twin-headed snake tail sinks its fangs into his chest. Glimback cries out in anguish as for the second time he watches his son fall from the chimera’s back, paralysed.
Heart pounding, Firien summons a second lightning bolt to defend their friend. Aided by Gomruss’ magnify gravity spell, the strike cripples the chimera’s lion head! Bantonio stumbles to safety and swigs a potion of cure psychosis, followed by a potion of invisibility. Momentarily disorientated, he makes a break for the pillar. Effectively blinded, Kalyptos fails to evade the basilisk’s attacks as Bantonio slips by. Bantonio’s vision blurs as his fingertips touch the pillar. His eyes turn purple as his mind is abruptly cast elsewhere.
Discidium
Bantonio finds himself overlooking an expansive, circular cavern. Examining the perimeter storeys, he cannot perceive the cavern’s denizens. They appear merely as distant passing shadows. Magically suspended at the cavern’s centre, a gigantic diamond provides a source of radiant light. An echoing voice jolts Bantonio from his stupor. He peers down to find two figures on an extended balcony. The first is a young earth genasi with a crown of green gemstones. The second is a tall, feline fiend dressed in lavish robes. Curiously, the fiend’s hands are backwards.
“Is this really the only way?”
“Yes. It’s the only hope we have of stopping Caelum.”
“Then I’ll do it. I’ll give my soul to Mundi Eversor.”
Ten to the fiend.
A stream of brilliant green light surges from the genasi’s chest and connects with the diamond. As the genasi’s feet leave the floor, the cavern begins to quake. The fiend and three others on opposing balconies raise their hands in ritualistic prayer. Several earthen monoliths erupt from the ground beneath the diamond and begin to encase it in a colossal, metallic ribcage. Bantonio watches in horror as the colour drains from one side of the genasi’s body.
“It’s working. Mundi Eversor awakens!”
The fiend.