Berrik casts Time Stop, as he's had enough of this shit. He subsequently casts Arcane Hand to slap the stone, then Meteor Swarms finish off both the walkers and the remaining necrostone. Sally screams as her last phylactery is obliterated. She responds with an Ethereal Chain lair action, which causes Berrik to lose consciousness. The next lair action pulls his body through the portal out of reach. While Flynn moves towards a downed Lotty, Null rushes through the portals after him, hoping to bring him up on her next turn. However, it isn't long before Calitrax ends Flynn. Just as Null is about to bring up Berrik, the portals pull them back again. All her friends are dead or down - it's just Null vs. Sally now. The rogue gives the lich bitch everything she's got, fate surge and all, but it's not enough to bring her down. Null won't survive another round and the clock is ticking to bring Lotty back before the 1 minute limit. Out of options, Null calls for a parley. Not really thinking critically here, she says she'll do anything as long as her friends get to live. Sally thinks this is a great deal for some reason - She tells Null to come with her to the city and to also take a creepy rock and press it into her hand, so that Null can be her newest phylactery. Null hesitates, thinking of how disappointed Lotty would be with her, but then ultimately agrees as the seconds wind down on Lotty's revivify window. The creepy rock gets absorbed into Null's hand and her heart sinks just before the panic sets in. Sally brings back Lotty and Flynn, who are very confused to see Null and Sally on speaking terms. Lotty quickly sets off a Mass Cure Wounds and brings up Berrik. As everyone wheels around to attack Sally, Null calls them off. She stammers out what she agreed to - They were all dead. Lotty angrily calls her daft and tells Sally that Null's not going anywhere. So what happens now?
 |
| No, not that unfortunately. |
Actually, Ezra & Vi suddenly teleport into the lair. Vi casts Disintegrate at Sally, who disappears. The Ashen Company is shocked to see this pair together. Null is dumbfounded, still reeling from possible fate she just swerved. She explains the green gem Calitrax had her stick in her hand, bonding their fates together. After inspecting it Ezra sucks the gem and absorbs it in to himself. Null is angry at Ezra's audacity to put himself in danger over her when he is so much more valuable to the fight. Ezra explains that if anything happens to him he has a contingency clone in place and his soul will just transfer to that body.
Ezra explains that they found an unexpected ally in the Lands of Desolation; He asks the group if they saw through his telescope to the sea of sleeping dragons. Ezra goes on to explain that is the Worm/Wyrm(?) Eternal, the untold number of dragons who are currently hibernating in the sea. Exhausted, confused and just returned from the dead the Ashen Company aren't ready for the lore drop Ezra delivers.
Every 10,000 years the dragons come to Ios and take the souls of magic users, they have done it 216 time before on a regular cycle. The souls of innocent denizens of Ios are the dragon's fuel and sustenance. The current cycle was up 20 years ago; the gods of our current time were able to buy more time with the creation of the Divine gate.
There is a single dragon who is appointed as a Vanguard to observe the cycle and awaken the horde at the right time. The current Vanguard is Eryathax(?) the Undying Shadow - Each harvest people who are deemed worthy are chosen to be the gods of the next cycle. Alistair Azher (AKA The Marionnetist) is part of the Cabal of Ascension that reports to Eryathax along with two other leaders.
Soon the Divine Gate will be opened allowing for the hidden/flying/missing(?) city of Myridia to return and awaken the horde with something called the Conduit. There is a device(?) that they will use to suck the souls from people so the device needs to be destroyed.
Null tells Vi that Trolley has already taken their mother to Myridia. Vi explains that before she went to help Ezra she found their mother in High Rock, managed to stash her at Ezra's tower and replace her with one of Trolley's lackies with the help of true polymorph and modify memory. Vi hasn't told mum who she is yet and just that she's been rescued by a friend. Null understands the secrecy, but it stings to know her sister lied to her. Again.
Null asks how Vi & Ezra met, they share an awkward glance and Ezra explains Vi sought him out a long time ago for magic tutoring; they had a difference of opinion on how to use magic and they went their separate ways until recently. Flynn looks out from the fetal position he's adopted to say "that's a weird way of saying you're dating" which earns him a smirk from Ezra and a scowl from Vi. Null, not in the least bit discreetly, looks at the back of Ezra's neck and see's the same scar she & Vi have.
After letting Ezra & Vi know the current state of High Rock Null asks about the dragon they were fighting. Ezra explains he was banished by the Wyrm Eternal and being held by the Cabal. He was the Vanguard in the cycle before Eryathax and disappointed the horde. After back and forth fighting for ages they came to an understanding and agreed to give Ezra the insight and knowledge he gained in exchange for being left alone. Ezra is in communication with some other leaders and sages about a plan to stop this current cycle.
Lotty has spent most of this time working out her rage on the remains of a necrostone and confronts Vi, asking why she uses a name associated with evil deeds and why didn't she stop Lotty from killing Raz'iel when she know it wasn't the "Vi" they were hunting. Vi explains it wasn't worth the risk and takes Lotty's rant on the chin, she chooses to be the bigger person in this moment. Lotty tells the sorceress she has a "black heart". Whether Lotty is right is of little matter now, as the group are called away to these new dire, darker matters.
Ezra teleports the group back to Highrock where they manage to find rest for a few days.
[Insert downtime activities here]
In the morning the group wake up to a shining sun in the sky and there's even children playing in the street until the sun is blotted out by a sudden eclipse. In the far distance a city is floating about Altisha, somewhere over the Crimson Fields most likely. Everyone in the land hears the same booming voice accompanied by a vision of a terrifying three headed dragon.
"Citizens of Ios, I am Eryathax the Undying Shadow, harvester of souls and doom incarnate, hear me and tremble." Beams of light shoot out of the city in all directions before the voice continues "Today the cities of Alya, Pacapa, Mordin Rundar, Blackbarrow and Ahktar were destroyed. For millennia we have harvested your kind and time comes again. I am not without mercy; if you bend the knee to the service of the Wyrm Eternal you will live on in servitude and you may even find a place in society. Resist and you will know true despair. You have twenty fours hours to decide, tick tock...."
Ezra appears "it's time" he says, "we must meet with the others and form a counter attack". Following Ezra through a portal the Ashen Company see lots of people, other adventurers and a big ol' pile of magic items.