session nineteen

Jaro 7-

Ex Umbra entered the inner chamber of the palace and faced Queen Herna. Herna told them that they didn’t know what they were doing and that they are lucky Ragnar wants them alive. She spoke calmly as though she was unphased by the war outside. She told them she would collar them and they would help her win, but they mocked her and Vethra fired off her magic. Herna was unphased as red energy enveloped her and the fight began. They struggled to damage her, only Zane could get close and even he was having a difficult time with her. The walls opened and the cultists came in and the iron bars raised. Zane ran around the bars for a 1v1. Vethra got on her broom thinking it would keep her safe but she got attacked by the walls forcing her to the center of the room where a large stone fell, knocking her off her broom and sending her tumbling to the ground unconscious. Katrina ran over to help her but then a massive hand emerged from the center of the room dragging them into a massive pit. The others focused on the cultists while Zane did his best to hold Herna’s attention. Kat flew vethra out of the pit and healed her. When Herna was in a difficult position it seemed like she was given a command by Ragnar which she responded to with “No, Please. I can still do this!”. She fell to her knees in agony and dropped the Crimson Cane. Caelen rushed over and kicked the cane toward his allies as Vethra awoke. Vethra was still dazed but she knew they needed to secure the cane so she ran and picked it up, freezing in place. Zane finished off Herna while Caelen finished off the cultist moving in on Zane. The last cultist remaining trained his bow on vethra while she was unaware of her surroundings. Katrina quickly fired a shot at the cultist, but two arrows hit him, as she and ex umbra turned to see where the second arrow came from, Arthur Cogwind leaned against the nearby pillar bloodied and bruised with an Onyx crossbow in his hand. He said “That’s my baby girl you son of a bitch” as the cultist collapsed and died. Vethra was having a short conversation with Ragnar but now she suddenly came to and stood up clutching the cane. In this conversation he had promised her the power to kill The Doctor and told her the threat of the other infernal gods. She looked around frantically betwee her friends as Caelen made his way toward her and asked what happened. She looked as though she was succumbing to rage and Caelen told her to put down the cane. She snapped at him, saying he wanted the power for himself and that she knows he wouldn’t even hesitate if he was given the task she has been given. She uttered under her breath “so much power” and Zane rushed toward her. She used the cane creating a wall between them and knocking Caelen back. This scared Artemis. Katrina used her magic to create an opening in the wall that she rushed through first trying to shove vethra back and failing. Zane began to duck through the opening as well, as Arthur approached vethra from behind and said “Daisy, what are you…” Vethra turned quickly and fired magic toward him, but luckily she missed. He continued, “Vethra… this isn’t you”. Vethra hesitated and began to writhe as Herna did. Zane emerged from the opening grabbing vethra as she yelled “You don’t understand! I have to kill one of you!” While she was grappled by Zane, Arthur grabbed the cane and said “No baby, you don’t. I won’t fail you again.” He ripped the cane from her, seeming to have a moment of understand with Ragnar as she once did before sprinting to the edge of the pit and jumping. When he and the cane hit the bottom, he died on impact and the cane shattered, revealing a dark red Gem that is now cracked and pulsing. Everyone froze for a moment and Zane jumped down into the pit, landing on his feet. He made his way to the Gem, looked for a moment, and smashed it with his maul, causing an eruption of molten stone. This burning magma cascaded over him, knocking him completely unconscious and covering his body in intense burns. Katrina flew down and grabbed him, bringing him back to the surface as the bottom of the pit slowly filled with lava. Shadoe healed him and they managed to wake him. Zane drank one of Kegar’s Bandage Brews and it seemed to be enough to get him back on his feet. They stepped outside to see the last of the cultists fall, but the death toll was high. Only 2,000 troops remained, and Kash flew down to brief them on the situation. Zane and Katrina quickly began to help the wounded and prepare everyone for travel so they could find a place to make camp. Caelen pulled vethra aside and they had an intense discussion about rage, regret, and what it’s like to have a voice in your head that pushes you to be a monster. She was disturbed by the depth of her own rage and what she was about to do, but Caelen didn’t think less of her at all. He understood. Shadoe made her way through the bodies and gathered anything that looked like it might hold significance to the dead. Among these things gathered was a letter from Koran’s body that he had written to Julie before knowing she was with the Alarian forces. Ex Umbra decided they would stay with the soldiers for their journeys home. It took almost a month to reach Alaria.

Jaro 8/29-

During this travel Zane contacted Almani and asked her if she knew about the game and she told him to stay out of it. Zane cursed the all the gods except for Sythe and Katrina understood. Zane wrote a letter requesting that Kegar’s bar be maintained as a memorial.

Jaro 29-

Ex umbra found Julie sitting outside flights and flights sober. Zane went in to get her a water and found Pathe. Pathe was first concerned with Shadoe’s safety and then proceeded to say she needed to talk to everyone. Zane brought her to Shadoe but started by focusing on Julie. Pathe talked to Shadoe and Shadoe gave Zane Koran’s letter and walked away, crying in secret. Zane talked to Julie about the harbinger and told her the deaths of her friends wasn’t her fault. He reminded her that Koran cared for her very much and set a meeting for the morning before Julie would leave for Whitespire. Zane didn’t tell Julie about his newfound distrust of the gods but he also didn’t suggest she give them any praise. Pathe told showed them the letter she found and told them when she found it. They decided they would press on and head to Tanalor in the morning.

Jaro 30-

The next day Shadoe accompanied Zane but stayed in the shadows, she felt responsible for the letter but had been through too much to face Julie. Zane gave Julie the letter as the Sun rose and they had a short talk about finding purpose and he told her she was always welcome with ex umbra. As she walked away Shadoe emerged and had a deep talk with Zane about lacking hope. The others joined as Pathe approached and she took them to the city of Havencroft in Tanalor.