Session 8: The Key of Time Part 1

Having secured the aid of the Dwarves the group turn their attention to the Kireshi and Artemis’ mother. She is hidden in the Shrouded Oasis, a place of mystery and danger deep within the great salt flats of Gods Fall. Securing more riding lizards they head across the burning sands to a meeting loaded with conflict.

Reaching the edge of the flats they are stopped by a patrol of Kireshi nomads. They have orders to take them to their leader. More trekking across burning hot wasteland brings the group to a small encampment. They are brought before Three, one of the most senior male Kireshi. He has heard about the Bow of Ashura and quizzes them about where they got it and what else they took from the Tomb. Learning of the theft of the Heart he becomes despondent. The Heart was the price demanded by his people to help the Cult of the Eternal defeat the Cabal. Without it there will be a war his people cannot win. With it Ashura, the despotic Emperor of their prehistory will rise and subjugate the continent.

Seeing little hope with either option Three insists that the Bow at least remains. If it enters the Oasis then the Circle of Women will learn of what has happened and chaos will result.

Taking a spare bow for Artemis the group head out into the desert looking for the Oasis, mulling over what Three has told them. Desert crystals are manipulated which show a path to one of the old Temples of the Light. A ritual is enacted but something goes wrong, the Oasis is found but so is a giant worm. The group flee, panicked, into the jungle Oasis almost immediately losing their bearings. A hard trek leads them through the homes of carnivorous apes, through caverns of man eating plants and finally an escape across a hastily completed vine bridge.

They descend into the peaceful island retreat of the Cult of the Eternal battered, bruised and weakened. They are greeted by gentle white robed priestesses of the Eternal who soothe their hurts and feed them sweet fruits of the jungle. Artemis speaks to his mother who tries to convince him that it is her decision to return to Trak’Ar but he cannot accept it.

The group are invited to dine with the High Priestess. More chatter is had and more secrets are revealed. The Cult of the Eternal was betrayed to the Cabal by Althea; Sopias lies bound beneath the Spire and is kept there by sacrifice of the blood of the Centurion King who has been missing for 300 years; Trak’Ar seeks to place his daughter on the throne as Queen; The Cult holds the Key of Time, the only device which can control the great doors to the Spire and the Cult has finally decided to move. They will be coming with the group when they return to the City.