We played again tonight to bring to a conclusion Azhanti's story of the recovery of the Heart of Vulcan. The group was a member down with Assambers player away with work.
Scene 1: Flashback
The opportunity for a meeting between Azhanti and the Dragonborn Emperor was too good to miss so we flashbacked to their encounter.
Azhanti is trapped in the Heart of Vulcan. Awaiting his fate he explores the memories of the primoridal, witnessing the birth of creation itself and the rise of the original five dragons. As he is about to steal their true names he is wrenched into the light of day by the command of the Emperor.
Their exchange was at times heated and confrontational, Azhanti has a plan and people can either get on board or get out of the way. Rebuffed the Emperor sends him on his way, hoping he will deal with the spirit of Venemus.
Scene 2: The Caves of Chaos
Sheol the Veni assassin arranges to teleport the group into the sanctum of Bhaal, the dragon who has taken such an interest in Azhanti. On arrival they find things are not as they expected. Venemus has taken possession of the three Dragonborn aspirants, Azhanti, Xaltotun and Shak'ir and incapacitated Bhaal. He is in the midst of some sort of ritual and the cave is torn through with rifts to chaos. Uncontrolled energy spills and swirls in great chasms between isolated islands of rock.
Bhaal orders them to leave, predicatably the group refuses and battle is joined.
The fighting is fierce, Bhaal controls the three dragonbron and they bring Morn to his knees. Xaltotun manipulates the chaos of the rifts to assail them and Shak'ir revels in the rage of the barbarian. The group needs to incapacitate Azhanti so they can restore his soul to his body but they must contend with his powerful healing abilities. If he is able to heal himself then all is probably lost. At the last moment Chiniko steals away his memories preventing him from bringing himself back from the brink.
Restored to sense the spirit of Venemus passes out of Azhanti and enters the body of Bhaal. As Bhaal closes to the attack Xaltotun and Shak'ir try and fail to overcome his influence. They push to the group to their absolute limit. The combined strength of dragon, sorceror and barbarian seems too much. Several of the group are down but in a last desperate act Chiniko s Morn who smashes the focus of Venemus's ritual. Xaltotun and Shak'ir collapse and Venemus is stunned.
The group pile on the pressure and Venemus retreats. Even in retreat however he is still dangerous and the group are entirely out of healing. The battle grinds into a stalemate, Venemus lurking in the chaos rifts out of range of many of their attacks.
Scene 3: Dealing with the Devil
Recognising the risk Venemus turns to negotiation. Azhanti is adamant, he will have Venemus and his people as his allies. There are twists and turns and attempts to finagle but to no avail. To demonstrate his sincerity Azhanti decapitates his brother Xaltotun. Eventually Venemus agrees and binds his fate to that of the determined young priest.
Slipping away with Shak'ir Venemus avoids the agents of the Emperor, delaying his ascension to Dragonhood for a little while.
*cut scene*
In the bowels of the City of Pythia a dozen cultists gather at an ancient site, a lost shrine to Venemus far from the gaze of the High Priestess Tamus. A new statue now stands carved in the place of honour above the altar, an image of Azhanti, the Dragon Aspect Emperor whose coming they have forseen in the stars.
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