We played yesterday after a month long break due to scheduling conflicts. In the last session the players tried to stop Amaan, undead monster and former Emperor of the Giants, from getting hold of the Void Star, a weapon of mass destruction created by the Ancients. Now they must try and stop him before he can use the device which was created to destroy the Primordials.
Scene 1: The Return
First however there is the small matter of Artemis whose head was separated from his body at the end of the session. As Azhanti and Morn flee to the safety of the Library Artemis wakes in the ash covered plains of the Underworld. Plains of jagged obsidian shards surround him and the sky above swells the colour of old bruises. However, he is the God Slayer and Master of the Hunt, bound to the World Tree whose roots reach into every part of the Cosmos. Slowly he begins his journey back to the land of the living passing the frozen and tormented souls of the damned trapped forever in this dismal place.
Back in the land of the living Azhanti and Morn return to a message from Finnest, their dwarven ally, astrologer and warlock. He predicts that they will shortly move against Amaan. Finnest tells them that Amaan cannot be killed, the giants of the past were only able to imprison him. They then ordered the dwarven astrologers to conceal all knowledge of him from the world which they did by moving a small moon to block his star. The only records of how he was imprisoned are hidden in the archives which Finnest intends to search. He asks the group to move quickly lest he fall under the mental influence of the Emperor along with the rest of his race.
Scene 2: Who are you again?
With Artemis returned the group make their plans. They decide to adopt the direct approach. They have access to the gate keys for every linked portal in the world and employ them to penetrate Amaans citadel. Overpowering the guards with ease they find themselves at the base of his capital in the heart of the southern mountains.
They start off employing stealth, moving quietly through the lower levels which comprise slave quarters and prison cells. The area is heavily patrolled by beast-men, the twisted results of Amaan’s attempts to create life. There they also find Ryllandarus, the first shapechanger and one of Amaans hated foes. They decide to create some confusion and swiftly slay the shapeshifters guards and release many of the dwarven prisoners, those who refused to submit to the Emperors command. The Rebellion has begun!
Scene 3: The Lifebringer Speaks!
The next stop is the middle city, a sprawl of living quarters, food production and most importantly the forges and foundries. Here Amaan has his dwarven subjects forging terrible new weapons of death and war, all watched over by demonic overseers. Amaan controls the dwarves through his connection to the Imperial Throne but the Hammer of Maran Gor is also a symbol of rulership for them and Morn carries that.
The group decide to put the Hammer to use and try to throw off Amaans yoke and free more of the dwarves. Sneaking into place Artemis sets up the distraction, sending masses of chains and vats of molten metal crashing from the ceiling. Azhanti tries to bend the bound elementals of the forge to attack the overseers but instead enrages them and they break their bonds and begin to destroy everything in their path. Morn takes up his position at the heart of the forge where rivers of molten metal flow together.
He plunges the hammer deep into the very substance of the dwarves being (dwarves being cast out of one of three metals, Iron, Silver or Gold) and channels the hammers power. Molten metal flows over the channels and sweeps towards the dwarves in the forge, infusing their bodies with a fragment of his power. They cast off their chains and, eyes glowing blue, charge their captors. In the throne room above Amaan roars in fury and sends his undead forces against those who dare to defy him.
The combined demonic and undead forces begin to overwhelm the dwarves when Morn steps forward once more. “Arise” he commands and the metals of the forge flow around the fallen dwarves, are absorbed by them and they rise up again to throw back the enemy into disarray. Leaving the dwarves to battle the group quickly head further up the mountain.
Scene 4: The Children of Fate
In the upper levels they reach the Eerie, a tall wide shaft with many balconies leading from it. Here lair the Furies, angelic beings attracted to those with powerful destinies. They were the first of the children of the Primoridals but were cast aside as they could not bear children. Amaan rescued them and they in turn have served them. The group decide on the direct approach, to impress on them that their destiny is the stronger.
The Furies are utterly unconvinced, they have accomplished great things it is true but much of what they have done has simply fuelled Amaans likely victory. They do learn that Amaan serves the forces of Oblivion, the powers of the Void beyond the circles of Law and Chaos, and that all of the world might yet be sucked into the Void.
Scene 5: Captured! Or not...
Undeterred they make their way to the highest level of the citadel where Amaan keeps his throne room. Unfortunately for them a series of blunders and missteps leaves them captured by his forces, trapped in a necrotic web and brought before him in chains.
They trade insults for a while. Amaan taunts them with his, to him, inevitable victory, a victory only they have made possible. The group released him from imprisonment, they have slain Primordials, the very pillars of creation and they put out the sun allowing his undead army to expand massively. He has also now activated the Void Star and soon it will burrow into the earth and slay his mother Maran Gor and with her death throes the continent of Arkhosia will also be destroyed. With their help he has tipped the balance of the world in favour of Oblivion and now, with the opening of the Well of Udur, it will slide into nothingness ripping a tear in the fabric of the Universe itself.
The group are having none of it. With a snarl Azhanti shatters their bonds and Morn calls upon the spirits of the fallen champions of humanity. The sound of chains breaking rings in the room and a host of ghostly warriors flows into existence surrounding the throne and holding Amaans forces at bay. He has been cut off from most of his allies, there is only him, a pair of fire burned angels, a Pit Fiend general, a swarm of dread wraiths and a company of Abyssal Ghouls.
It should have been enough. It should but it was not. Morn moves swiftly to pin down the Pit Fiend while Amaan tries to pin down the group. He draws the fragmented spirits of his tormented victims from the onyx floor but they can find no purchase on the souls of our heroes. Azhanti bolsters the group and blocks one of the angels while Artemis unleashes hell on earth. The God Slayer lives up to his name and ghouls and wraiths fall before him like leaves before the storm (oh Hail of Arrows how I hate thee!). The angels prove similarly vulnerable to both Artemis and Azhanti and soon Amaan stands alone.
The nine members of the dwarven leadership caste stand watch around the throne, bound here by Amaans will when one throws off his mask. It is Finnest who calls to Morn that he must use the Hammer to bind Amaan in the throne. Amaan, seeing the possibility of eternal imprisonment seeks escape and his spirit tries to flee its body but the flaming arrows of Ashura’s bow drive him back while Azhanti incants and Morn hammers him into place. As Amaan is taken Morn invokes the Hammers power once more and the earth rises up to engulf his undead and demonic forces.
As silence descends Azhanti becomes aware of panicked voices calling his name. His people cry out in fear and alarm, the Void Star has begun to tear apart Arkhosia!
Scene 6: The Earthsaker Wakes
Drawing on the power of the Library the group quickly transport themselves to the plains of central Arkhosia where a vast pit has been dug into the ground. Azhanti summons local dragons to carry them down into the depths where they find a huge cavern. Within stands Maran Gor, the earth titan. She dominates the caves her body composed of living rock but she is surrounded by the Void Star, its crystalline form carving chunks from her and primordial blood flows freely into the ground.
She watches them come for her, the God Killers who have slain her brothers. What will they do? The group have committed themselves to removing the Primordials from their world but they have seen what happens when they die. The death of Ashura put out the sun. Maran Gor has turned away from the world leaving it to the younger races but she is saddened by their choices. She berates them for their actions which have brought the world to the brink of extinction. If they want to prevent the slide into oblivion then they must close the Well of Udur and restore the balance between the living and the undead.
Ultimately the group decide to stop the Void Star. The risk of further deterioration should another Primodial die is too great. As Maran Gor slips once more into her slumber the group are faced with a new task, to oppose the Lords of Entropy lest all of their destines come to a sudden end.
*cut scene*
In the Halls of the Grey King, deep within the Underworld, the spirit of the Wizard Paldemar bends over an ancient scrying device. Within the orb he watches Artemis Antarion trudge across the Plains of Remorse and begins to plan. If his most hated enemies ever return to the Underworld then he will be ready for them.
*cut scene*
In the City of Kings a dozen golden barges rise above the skyline. Reptos, Warlord of the World, moves his armies to confront his greatest foe. Soon he will face Ouroborous, the Ebon Dragon of Endings and decide once and for all which power will dominate at the end of time, Law or Chaos. His vision for a perfect unchanging world is clear in his mind, he will let nothing stand in his way now.
*cut scene*
In the deepest caves of the dwarven mountains, in the most unused and least travelled tunnels, a small group of dwarves meets in secret to carve a statue. It is their new God, one who has saved them from enslavement, torture and death. They know that their actions are utterly heretical and that if found they will be cast out, forced to endure the curse of flesh but their hearts are sure. In the light from their glowing blue eyes they carve the image of their new deity into living rock, Morn, the Bringer of Life.
