Session 8 - December 6th 2025¶
Walking into the Desert Temple's Courtyard¶
We walk through the door at the end of the Great Hall of the Desert Temple: The door reads: “Only Alderman’s Aria Can Quiet Neara’s Nocturne”, and it was opened by Bolete last time.
We arrive in the inner courtyard of the desert temple to the following scene: - Grimble has fallen half-asleep: “You go on lads and lassie. I know when a Greater Bard is around. No fret, I’ll sing for you all again” - Unknowing what he means by "Greater Bard," you proceed while Grimble sleeps under the protection of Geoff the Donkey.
Captain Yew hands Bolete a sheet from his travels, detailing different musical note combinations which may have resonance here. One is listed as "The Song of Silver and Gold".
Encounter: Elder Graxil and Lesser Graxil¶
The party encounters an Elder Graxil for the first time - a Graxil which has the power to absorb other Graxil. There is also a Lesser Graxil at its flank. Behind them are two pillars - one of whitish gold on the right, and another of violet-black on the left. In the middle is a moon-shard, similar to the one under Laighfuar thirty years ago. It is the same color as the left pillar.
Boss: Elyssa the Darkmoon Dirger¶
After wittling away the health of the two Graxil, Elyssa, the voice from Steve and the dead Half-orcs is revealed as a monstrous possessed woman. Captain Yew (Eywin Corrack), Boudicca, and Torin recognize the woman as Louissa Corrack, whom Lord Ylysir Chakri marked with the Blade of Neara some thirty odd years ago. Ewyin has spent his entire adult life trying to free his mother from the clutches of Elyssa, at the best of his father, Lord Corrack.
The party, notably Bolete, learns to sing the song of Silver and Gold, which grants them boons as they fight Elyssa, who is nearly their match.
They are able to non-lethally knock out Elyssa, which frees Louissa from the spell.
Elyssa escapes into the body of a reconstituted Graxil, before that body is destroyed and she is scattered to the winds.
- Who is Elyssa? Some ancient spectre serving the Deadmoon? The party may never know, but she seems neutralized for now.
Elyssa is Defeated, The Moonshard is Turned, and a Vision is Revealed¶
Before Elyssa disincorporates, she mentions Kyerith, a woman who is known as the "Seer's Shadow" and lives in the deep Wuldan North.
- Bolete turned the moonstone Silver (was black/purple) with the song of Silver and Gold and the power of her moonstone bracelet.
- She then has a vision of Kyerith, an Elven woman in the snow, and knows on her passive wisdom that this vision has eluded even the Gods for millenia.
- Kyerith stares back at Bolete through the vision, horrified.
- An impossibly deep feminine voice whispers into Bolete's heeart:
- "Find Kyerith. Find her witches in the ice. Seek Wulda, before Ashenstone does."
- This relinquishes South Mulhong, North Indip, and the Western Gold Desert from the Shadow Plague - Graxil will not be present in these areas!
- She then has a vision of Kyerith, an Elven woman in the snow, and knows on her passive wisdom that this vision has eluded even the Gods for millenia.
Decisions¶
- Ewyin offered a choice to go south and have the ear of Lord Admiral Jarodren Chakri. Given the bad blood between the party and Jarodren's father, the party declines, opting to go North instead.
- Before Eywin leaves with his unconscious mother and Geoff (yes, he stole your Donkey), he tells Bolete - "you know, I've never seen anyone who looks more like Lord Admiral Jarodren. Are you a relation?"
- While the party attempts to wrestle back Geoff, Lightsong appears in a flash, making off with Grimble Grumble.
- "Ah yes, the Greater Bard. We go North now, do we not?" Grimble mutters as Lightsong cackles madly.
- Lightsong opens a Planar Portal to a frozen landscape, and he and Grimble disappear before the party can react.
The plan¶
The party will go to Wulda, and two possible quests lay before them:
- find Kyerith, the Seers' Shadow, before Ashenstone can.
- rescue Grimble from Lightsong; can they also rescue Lightsong himself?