January 27, 2024

Hook

TSB;EoA: Katabasis Game 3 (Skylands, Kurago)

Plot Synopsis

The party remained in Setser for a brief moment, chatting a bit, discussing their next move, and determining if there was anything they could do to help put Setser back where it belongs. Nakai, using his sharp ears able to hear pulses beyond what's normally audible, determined whatever pulled Setser through to the Kurago must have come from some shift on Jaern. Meanwhile, Nyal was given the crystal ball, and determined it seemed capable of not only brief scrying, but casting one of four particular spells, though Nyal could only identify one of the spells. Scrying through to the elemental plane of fire, Nyal once again saw the icy ship used in the fight a month ago in Ruefang.

The party left Setser and took a brief rest. They then made their way to the cliff at the edge of the Plains of Niya leading to the Skylands. It was here that Liliana and Feare forged a bond, with Nakai providing an AkvoSeraie. Given the bond formed included a contract to finish some business on Liliana’s end, Feare became a Seeker.

After this new power was gained, the party began to explore the Skylands from the back of Nakai’s crab, though flight was slow. Fortunately for the party, they ran into a strange beast the size of a whale made of electricity. Nakai communicated with it through the use of Aquan, chasing the beast down because “it’s friend-shaped.” The paradoxically stupid yet philosophical creature called itself an electrolotl, one of many sailing the Skylands searching for bugs to eat and musing about the flow of time. The party named the electrolotl Bob and used his lightning-quick speed through the Skyland’s air to help arrive at Mordrick sooner.

On the way, there were two strange happenings. The first was the seeming projections of a few members of other parties almost…swimming through the air. Feare recognized Fianon, and Wyren recognized Rik. Any attempts to reach out to them were met with failure. The second, much darker happening, sprang from a breach in reality. One of the holes appeared in the Kurago, with a large black? pillar appearing and morphing as it created another hole above them in the sky. It was like a pencil stabbing through two pieces of paper. Staring at this, Wyren gained a new gray streak, and Nyal’s hair went pure white, his mind slightly shaken from the ordeal. Wyren utilized some eldritch powers to try communicating with whatever created this, though the answers were vague and never arrived in Wyren’s mind. Despite simply wanting to leave, Bobbie received the first answer. The creature was asked what it was doing, only to respond “Searching.” Being asked what for, it responded “The Inside.” The rest of the responses it gave were just as vague and kurt. Wyren tried to use eldritch truths to “remove the being of chaos and disorder” but these truths didn’t seem to affect it. The being was not of chaos or disorder. Eventually, Merrit showed up, knowing this was both a violation of something, and beyond their pay grade. After a long time passed, Bobbie finally convinced the rest of the party it would be best to move on for now, though this served as a premonition of something darker.

The party eventually made it to Mordrick, floating on Bob’s back. Nakai and Wyren tried to get their attention with some flares and fireworks.

Noteworthy Postgame Events