Vurguron's encounter with Bahamut has left the Party wearied. We take a short rest to heal up.
The Party asks Vurguron about the things Bahamut said, because it was all new to us. He says that his great-great-great grandfather carried a shield-sized platinum dragonscale into battle, and founded his town around it. This scale was allegedly one of Bahamut's own scales. Years later, in a war between tribal states, against worshippers of Tiamat, the shield-scale was stolen after a battle.
Salris had been yelling about Vurguron's newly-blessed sword's white glow being the next (white) star. Ryltar thinks the white metal of the scale is the next star, as a major magical item. But we still need to solve the green star, which we think might be Kerjes.
Climbing the World Spire
Rest completed, we continue through the gap of Bahamut. Through this narrow pass, the path opens back up to a bouldering climb. Four hours' climb later, after nine and a half hours of climbing this day, we come to a set of boulders, with deep pits of shadow among the bleached-white boulders.
A rush of shadow and necromantic energy hits Salris and Ryltar, pushing them back and apart from where they stood in line, next to Moon. Moon now stands alone, and black hands reach from the ground, high overhead, grabbing her body. A pool of shadow radiates out from the ground: red eyes, black horns, the creak of big black spider legs.
Lolth has arrived. She holds Moon with impossibly-long talons.
Lolth and Moon
"YOU HAVE STRAYED FROM THE PATH BEFORE YOU, CHILD," croons Lolth. "ONE WOULD SAY THAT YOU HAD DESERTED YOUR CHALLENGE."
Moon doesn't move, frozen in fear.
Ryltar, the Drow blasphemer of Lolth, thinks he should run forward to try to grab Moon, but the overwhelming presence of Lolth paralyzes him as well.
"NOW, WE HAD A DEAL," says Lolth to Moon. "AND YOU RAN. I CAN OFFER YOU MORE. YOU'VE HAD YOUR SHARE OF DEALINGS WITH THOSE WHO WOULD UNDERMINE OUR EFFORTS." One claw winds itself around and under the silver chain on Moon's neck. "I CAN REMOVE THIS. YOUR CHOICE."
Moon's expression changes, from fear to embarrassment. She's tempted.
Salris is Frightened by Lolth, as is Ryltar.
"WHAT HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE FOR YOU? I HAVE GIVEN YOU COMPANIONS, PURPOSE. AND YOU STRIVE AWAY FROM ME TO SOMEONE WHO GAVE YOU NOTHING."
"A second chance," says Ryltar.
"SILENCE," says Lolth, and waves at Ryltar, blasting everyone in his direction with a thunder wave.
Moon reaches up under her tunic, finding her holy symbol of Ioun and holding it.
"YOU THINK IOUN WILL SAVE YOU? YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU CAME UP HERE. WHAT WILL THEY DO NEXT?"
Life has not been good for Moon since she put on the necklace. She pops her claws out in anger, but does not scratch Lolth.
"YOU CAN'T. THE POWER IS WITHIN ME."
Moon looks over to Ryltar, with an expression that says she's sorry, begging for his help. He throws off his Fright and casts Slow on the vision of Lolth. The spell crashes against her, and has no effect. Moon's hand wavers, the bluish energy of Ioun wavers.
Bugfood casts Dispel Magic at the portal from which Lolth emerges, at fifth level. Nothing happens; his spell ripples off a circle around Lolth. Ryltar realizes that this is a spell like Gate, powered by a connection to something. Probably the goddess itself.
Jerry casts Lightning Arrow and throws a dart at Lolth, hitting for 9 piercing and 26 lightning, and though the lightning dissipates across the surface of the spell, some damage is done to Lolth.
Vurguron flanks Lolth and attacks with his now-radiant sword, cutting at the magic circle. Lolth is not fully present here, only showing the top half of her body, and is completely unbothered by his attacks.
Salris stabs twice, for 8 damage. Lolth is unbothered, her intent is on Moon.
Moon opens her mouth to call out, but no noise comes. She's yelling, defiantly screaming, but there is no sound.
"WHAT VOICE YOU HAD IN THIS WORLD WAS TAKEN. I CAN RETURN THAT. I CAN RETURN YOUR VOICE, YOUR MAGIC, EMPOWER YOU WITHIN MY RANKS. WHAT IS IT THAT BINDS YOU TO A GOD THAT DOES NOT ACCEPT YOU?"
Ryltar casts Cone of Cold on the apparition of Lolth, for 45 cold damage. Nothing much happens. It's a god, summoned by the belief of its follower.
Bugfood reaches to Moon, and casts Polymorph on her shoulder to turn her into a small turtle. She keeps her knowledge, but she has the mental stats of a turtle. Bugfood tries to toss the turtle to Jerry; Salris slams his body into the body of Lolth as a distraction. Bugfood pulls on the leg of the turtle, between the massive hands, but the turtle remains between the god's hands.
Ryltar says that we can get her voice back.
Jerry fails to cast Hunter's Mark on Lolth, and then attacks with her glaive twice, missing on the first attempt, dealing 11 slashing, but getting the feeling that the attack isn't hitting as hard as it could.
Vurguron casts Ice Knife and connects, for 3 cold damage. In Draconic, Lolth's ichor spells out, "This is hopeless."
Moon withdraws into her shell.
Lolth laughs. "THEY OFFERED YOU UP." She moves, holding turtle-Moon between two fingers, and tries to dispell Bugfood's Polymorph. Ryltar casts Counterspell, and Lolth is unable to break that.
Jerry uses the nonmagical longhammer to attack the limb, hitting once for 25 nonmagical bludgeoning with Orcish Fury — it does nothing to Lolth.
We realize that this is probably more about convincing Moon not to reup the pact than it is about attacking Lolth.
Salris casts Compelled Duel on the god, digging deep into his connection with his patron, shouting, "It's me you want!" Her attention is caught, she turns to him.
Bugfood takes the shape of a giant ape, pulls on the turtle, unable to shift it, and releases the Polymorph. Lolth keeps her grip on the Tabaxi as Moon regains her natural shape.
Moon still clutches the holy symbol of Ioun, a rudimentary symbol. She presses it into the face of Lolth. Lolth rears back, takes a step into the portal.
Jerry cries, "Press her back," and Moon takes another step.
"YOU WILL DIE WITH THAT ON. IS THAT WORTH LEAVING?"
Salris once more casts Compelled Duel: "It's me you want. Everyone else fears you, not me."
Ryltar casts his freeze-ray again, and slows Lolth some.
Vurguron casts Dragon's Breath and uses his breath weapon on Lolth.
Jerry moves up behind Moon, lays hands on her shoulders, and helps guide her push against Lolth.
Bugfood pokes Moon, saying, "Be smart like owl," casting Enhance Abilities, giving her extra wisdom.
Moon pushes Lolth back into the void.
As she goes, Lolth's head turns toward Salris, who bashes his shield, yelling, "Face me, coward!"
Lolth fades out, saying, "MAYBE ONE MORE…."
Moon yells triumphantly at the vanished Lolth, without sound or whisper.
Jerry asks if there's anything that we can do to help the muteness, if that's voluntary, if she wants help — Moon shakes her head, puts the holy symbol of Ioun back around her neck, this time on the outside of her armor.
Moon sits down to meditate for a bit, and Ryltar sits down next to her, congratulating her on her effort, because he wouldn't have as good a chance as her.
Jerry pats Moon on the shoulder.
We climb onwards some more, switchbacking. There are clouds all around, lit with an ever-present, unchanging glow, a perpetual daylight.
The Sleeping Stream
We come to a flatter, open area, with a waterfall, trickling down the rock face. Bugfood detects that the waterfall is magical, enchantment. He sits down next to it and sticks a finger in, casting Identify. His finger goes numb, and he discovers that it is the Water of Lethe, which if you drink and sleep for a minute, you magically gain the effects of a long rest.
Understanding how we climb, and how the time passes, it should be well into evening. But the sun is unchanged, of midday.
We decide to do some medicine checks on Salris after he takes a drink from the river. He's fine; he now has a waterskin and a potion of sleep potion. An improved version of the Potion of the spell Catnap: sleep for 1 minute, gaining benefits of long rest.
Salris casts Remove Curse on Ryltar after he wakes up from the water, just in case the water bears a curse. It doesn't take, and so we conclude that the water isn't cursed.
Bugfood casts Identify on Moon's chain, and discovers that each link is engraved, and many links are filled with a dull grey energy. When placed on a creature, it places a powerful binding on them. Depending on how far they are on a path of Evil, they move through various slots:
Disadvantage on checks to deceive, sneak, steal, sleight of hand, stealth, and so on. (Stealth, Deception, Sleight of Hand)
Can't tell a deliberate lie
If you were to think about committing an unlawful or unjust action, take psychic damage
From the fourth slot onwards, you cannot reduce punishment by doing good: you can't cast magic
Silenced: cannot speak.
Death, with the soul sucked into the necklace.
Bugfood wants to know if he can dispel this; it appears that it can only be removed by the person who put the collar on or in fulfillment of conditions set by the person who put it on. It was put on by the Dean of Sky Diamond.
She was talking when we first met her, back at the Temple of Ioun. She had the chain on then. So at some point, she did something evil.
Ryltar says the he thinks Salris is "interesting" to Lolth. Salris replies, "I gotta say, I have that effect on women."
Jerry takes a sip as well, and for bonus effect, soaks the Unlucky Pillow in it.
Zelrathi is peer-pressured into drinking; he doesn't get affected. This is as he expected.
As we pack up to leave, behind the waterfall, there's a cave that wasn't there before. This is the first time we've seen anything that delves into the mountain.
"Well, I believe that it's my time to shine," says Ryltar, jokingly. Jerry asks him if he does want to lead the party in. And so he does, and she takes up the rear.
The Cave of the Yuan-ti
Ryltar sees a scaly creature, collapsed, wounded, laying against the wall of the cave, opposite a small pool.
A jug is near to hand for the collapsed creature; he investigates. The liquid in the jug is recent blood. Not fresh, but recent.
Jerry smells a sulfurous, off tinge in the air, coming from the pool, which is full of a green-blue murk.
The Yuan-ti pulls herself up, pours this thick molasses-like blood from the pitcher into the pool. The water clears, showing not the rock beneath but jungle trees. The air turns humid, as if the whole Party stepped into a sauna. We smell the dirt, the trees, the scent of snake and scales, lingering in the air.
The image transitions into the face of Majorie, Jerry's daughter, chained in a line with similar people, stripped and beaten, lead by a host of Yuan-ti towards a tiered temple in the middle of a clearing.
"Why do you show me this?" asks Jerry.
"YOU CAN PREVENT THIS…." a whisper.
"You can show me so many things. The future is infinite. Why do you show me this future?"
"YOU CARE FOR HER."
The vision flicks to her youngest daughter Solis, her middle daughter Shautha, her wife Umara, other people that Jerry cares about.
The voice offers her a chance to save Majorie, replacing the visions of friends and family with the vision of Majorie chained once more.
"It is welcome for her to know that she has died, knowing that you trust her to live," and the Yuan-ti returns to that same position the Party found her in.
"There are no jungles near West Haven," says Ryltar.
"Nope," says Jerry.
"When were you last with Majorie?"
"West Haven."
Ryltar asks why Jerry travels. He met her on the boat, coming down the river towards
Jerry travels because she wanted to check on Majorie, because for all the assurances she had, she still had to check on her. But now Jerry has seen Majorie atop the walls of the West Haven, wielding a crossbow that no one gave her, knowing how to use it, and using it, she no longer worries about Majorie. She know that Majorie will survive.
"Why do you travel with us, then?" asks Ryltar.
"I travel with you because I am not sure that you all will survive."
"I do appreciate that," says Ryltar. "We find a way to survive."
"We do," says Jerry.
Jerry feels a warmth flow through her as she speaks, and the words take hold. She gains the benefits of the Bless spell: whenever she makes an attack roll, or a saving throw before the spell ends, she can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to her attack of saving throw.
There's some more conversation about stuff, about Jerry's history with the Yuan-ti.
Why were the Yuan-ti fighting against Jerry's army? Expansion, enslaving. Rumors of a religious reason.
Jerry notices that the Yuan-ti is bleeding on the floor again, and decides to use her healer's kit on the Yuan-ti. She notices that the wounds are deep slashes and gashes of the sort of a glaive will make. Jerry stabilizes the Yuan-ti. The water in the pool that was clear becomes murky once more.
When the party leaves the room, Jerry feeds the Yuan-ti a potion of healing, and leaves a couple of rations with her, and then follows the party out.
Dirius on the Cliff Face
We squeeze through twisting, tiny passages. There's a nice breeze, we're out of the sun, and it's cool. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and we come to it. Ryltar puts his sunglasses back on, and Bugfood de-owls.
We're back into the undying light and clouds of the World Spire. There's a small ledge, which we traverse sideways, before coming up to a sideways climbing face. Jerry and Ryltar fall for a moment, landing on their climbing harness safeties. Jerry notices a climber below of the Party, wearing a shawl wrapped tightly around their face, using climbing gear, a very tan motif, like someone from the desert, climbing up the mountain to intercept the party.
The person climbs up to the path, and is a feminine figure, all wrapped in tan cloth against the wind. Jerry yells to the party as soon as she sees the person, and the person unwraps their cloths to show dark skin, white hair: it's Dirius!
Ryltar casts Hold Person on Racer Dirius, who resists the spell. Salris follows up with Phantasmal Killer, to frighten, and also fails.
"Stop!" says Dirius. "I'm not here to attack."
"I don't believe you!" says Salris, who then checks his insight. "I still don't believe you!"
"Then why are you here?" asks Jerry.
"Do you want to beat us to the top of the mountain?" asks Salris.
"I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to gather information, and it seems that fate has once more smiled on me to put you once more between me and my goals. I'm here to climb on and up. But I'm curious, Ryltar. I almost see you as an equal. I have resources, and abilities, to gather those things lost to the ages. I have to thank you." Dirius turns, leaning out from the rock face. "Hello Moon. Oh, it seems a cat's got your tongue."
"Why are you here," repeats Ryltar.
"I'm here to commune with my god, of course," smirks Dirius. "And you've brought Moon! What a perfect example of what happens when your beliefs and morality get in the way of progress!"
"No one has gotten hurt because of your choices? Muted, turned to stone, lost their magic, all because of your choices?"
"Not because of my choices?"
"No? No one told Sky Diamond that they lost their prized pupil?"
"I did not do those actions," says Ryltar, who definitely told Sky Diamond Academy about Moon's actions.
"You chose them."
"I let them chose. It's their path forward, closer to Ioun, that will let them regain her tongue and magic. But look at you! You cling to your spindly fingers of Lolth and you do her bidding."
"Lolth?" Dirius pulls out her holy symbol of Lolth and chucks it off the mountain. "She has no sway on me."
"I don't believe you for a second," says Ryltar. But the coldness and lack of remorse that Dirius displays … maybe Dirius is telling the truth? "And you're showing me that you have no loyalty."
"And thereby I make my progress. I move forward. I make waves behind me. Those who don't keep up get thrown behind." Dirius makes more promises, taunts Ryltar for being a nice dude, for healing people. Teases him with her knowledge of the Arcadia Infinatum. "I'll leave a marker, that says, 'here lies the ruins of the endless halls.'"
"I promise, we'll be there first."
"A promise you may have to keep."
"I'll do my best."
"Now, this chat, great. Good to see someone wh has stabbed you in the back once more."
Jerry casts Lighting arrow and yeets a dart at Dirius, and connects, for 9 piercing and 24 lighting. Dirius takes it in the shoulder.
"How nice."
"I wanted to stab you in the back once more, for old time's sake," says Jerry.
"Like the traitors you are." Dirius taunts Salris once more with the location of the Arcadia Infinatum, and says that she got what she came up here to get. She begins to climb down.
Ryltar offers to help her down the mountain, reaching out with a hand to cut her climbing rope. He realizes that the wand in his hand is his old wand, not the Ice Heart of Winter. He lunges for Dirius. Jerry casts Hold Person and succeeds with a dart, holding Dirius within spiked vines that burst from the mountain.
Round 1
Bugfood Blesses everyone near him: Salris, Moon, Zelrathi and Vurguron.
Salris Summons Greater Demon: a Chasme, which has both flight and the spider-climb ability. And the "drone" feature.Chasme: The Chasme produces a horrid droning sound to which demons are immune. Any other creature that starts its turn with in 30 feet of the Chasme must succeed on a DC12 Constitution saving throw or fall unconscious for 10 minutes. A creature that cant
The Chasme drones, and all Party members succeed in their check against its noise. It attacks Dirius with the proboscis.
Dirius casts Freedom of Movement on herself and Ryltar immediately Counterspells,
Jerry pulls out her climbing spike, moves 20 feet closer to Dirius, and drives her spike back in.
Ryltar searches Dirius for his wand, but only succeeds in freeing a bunch of cloth.
Vurguron moves forward along the ledge to where he can see Dirius.
Moon climbs up the cliff face, away from the ledge.
Zelrathi casts Guiding Bolt on Dirius.
Round 2
Bugfood casts Guiding Bolt as well.
Salris casts Eldritch Blast for 27 damage.
The Chasme attacks for a lot of , and Dirius takes damage, but … it's not doing as much damage as we would like.
Dirius uses an ability to try to frighten people; Vurguron fails and is frightened. Then she casts a spell which would do 14d6, which Ryltar immediately succesfully Counterspells.
Jerry moves closer.
Ryltar continues searching Dirius, and prepares a level-4 spell slot with Counterspell.
Moon and Zelrathi are still Frightened.
Bugfood casts Guiding Bolt on Dirius, for 22 radiant.
Salris fires three Eldritch Blasts at Dirius, for 27 damage
Dirius hits Ryltar with a spell that deals 38 damage and reduces his HP max by 21. He's at 13/37 HP.
The Chasme is out of Salris' control now, but it attacked Dirius and downed Dirius.
Dirius takes Death Lance attacks against Ryltar, missing on the first attempt, Ryltar's Shield on the second, hit on the third. He takes 20 necrotic damage and his HP max is reduced by 20, and he isn't attached to the wall. He falls unconscious, will begin to fall.
Jerry lets Ensaring Strike lapse and casts it again, then darts Ryltar with Ensnaring Strike to prevent him from falling to his death. He takes 7 piercing damage, fails a death save, and is restrained. Dirius falls 15 feet to the end of her leash. Jerry jumps up onto the ledge and rushes to him.
Vurguron moves towards Ryltar.
Zelrathi is no longer frightened by the unconscious Dirius, and Healing Words him for 14. Then he Eldritch Blasts the Chasme for some damage.
Moon moves towards Ryltar, dashing to get between him and the Chasme.
Bugfood Balm of the Summer Courts Ryltar for 2 temporary HP. He asks Salris whether he's planning to save Ryltar. The he casts Conjure Animals, summoning 4 giant eagles, ordering one to fly off the ledge and catch anyone who falls. The other three attack the Chasme, each making a beak and a talon attack against it, for 13 nonmagical piercing, and some more damage.
Salris does some damage, killing the Chasme.
The combination of Salris, Moon, and the Eagle catch Ryltar when Jerry dispells Ensnaring Strike.
Ryltar anchors himself, then climbs down to gingerly cast Cone of Cold on Dirius, and he freezes her in a block of ice. Then it's time to investigate her.
She has nothing on her. No knife, wand, sword, or anything else. Her sword fell down the mountain.
But … he cast Cone of Cold. The Ice Heart of Winter was in his hand all along.
"This fucking mountain," says Ryltar, and sheaths the wand.
Bugfood's eagles feed on the corpsicle.
There's a whisper in Ryltar's mind, coming from the wand: "I could have helped. You're not going to find it." This message is relayed despite the lead sheath, which was designed to block its magical signature.
Ryltar thinks back to the wand: "Never trust a Drow."
Next session
Short-term:
We have an hour of eagles left
It's been 5-6 hours since the last long rest
Ryltar's max HP is 17
Long-term:
We know how to trap the Jester, with Magic Circle
What's going on with the stars? Are Ryltar's theories about colors and significant plot-relevant things' colors correct?
What's left to complete the Ice Heart of Winter?
How can the Mummy Lord be defeated?
Determine how to resolve the Eta'el-Kerjes plot
Remember to un-petrify Ockoh in the Ice Lord Wint's Lair — if Dirius didn't shatter him.