Session 13: Into the Deep Part 1

We played again tonight, our first substantive session in nearly two months and it showed. Some of the players were very rusty and the group were nearly out for the count.

The Setting

The situation is this. The group are hunting for a series of keys to access a magical prison so they can go and shiv/save/worship an insane Primordial of dreams and nightmares. The first of them is hidden in an underwater temple of Mael, Primordial of the Oceans, father of all Monsters. His temple is currently at war with a city sized ship of the Lokarnos, a seafaring people who worhsip Ul-oo-thee, God of Stasis, Stability and Stagnation.

The area both are in is trapped by a ring of rapidly rising volcanic islands. Both blame each other for this. If something isn't done about it then both Temple and City will be destroyed. It is actually being caused by the Cult of Vinga, Goddess of revenge and child of Mael and Vulcan (technically God of one of the PC's, Azhanti).

The Lokarnos have also summoned a Kraken to battle the Temple but then managed to lose control of it. It is now attacking everyone and everything after eating a chunk of a dead chaos God.

First Impressions

The group decide to enter the City openly in their flying ship. Oddly enough this causes a mix of panic and amazement. The group are rapidly contacted by red cloaked guards of Ul-oo-thee and escorted into the presence of Jin'do, Chief Priest of the Outer Fane. Attempts at diplomacy meet with little success but he does seem interested in them. He dismisses them for the day in order to consult with his superiors.

As they are heading out one of the Guards quietly asks to meet them. He is a new recruit, many of the guards having been killed in the fighting with the Kraken or the Temple of Mael. He wants out of the City and gets free passage out of there in exchange for bringing the group up to speed on whats happening in the area. He also introduces them to a hidden Priestess of Maran Gor, the Earth Mother.

She recognises Morn as he bears a weapon made by her God. She happily tells them where they can find the Cult of Vinga after Azhanti argues that he wants to seek vengeance on them, the priestess concludes that Vinga would approve of such motives.

The Volcano

The Cult has based itself in the crater of an active Volcano. Morn is recognised and they are ushered in. The place is crawling with dirty ash streaked cultists and stone warriors. They are led to the heart of the complex, a magma chamber above which hangs an ancient clay urn. On a colum in the centre reached by four slim stone bridges stands a woman encased in stone, rooted to the spot. She is the source of the ritual raising the ocean bed. She introduces herself as Lidia, Champion of Maran Gor, Priestess of Vinga and true owner of the Hammer of Maran Gor. She demands that Morn hand it over.

He isnt having any of it and rather than spend the next few months watching over his shoulder for her to attack he acts. This is nearly disastrous as Lidia calls allies out of the molten rocks and roots both Morn and Azhanti in place. Chiniko walks Morn through the dream realm to bring him into range of Lidia but Azhanti spends the entire fight trapped by living stone. Fortunately he can still call on much of his healing powers and they are sorely needed.

Only a few exchanges into the fight and things are looking bad. A pair of hulking brutish magma giants have emerged along with two flickering fire birds. They quickly move into position. Most of the group are on fire and things get much worse when Lidia makes most of them even more vulnerable to the flames.

Azhanti is nearly unconcious and all but Morn have taken serious damage from the fire birds flaming passage. Things look dire and Morn is on the verge of throwing dowm the Hammer and surrendering when Chiniko makes his move. Drawing on the powers of dreams he gives heart to Azhanti who fills the rest of the group with lightning power.

Lidia, rooted to the floor by her ritual, is now trapped in a blade barrier and in Morns Rain of Steel. One of the magma giants is trapped in a huge icy hand and the other is being partly controlled by Chiniko driving it to madness and forcing it to attack its own mistress. Artemis is bringing down the pain with his bow and Azhanti manages to keep everyone alive.

Slowly, painfully, desperately, the tide turns and Lidia falls. With her go her minions.