88a: Sodden Hold (PART V)

Talsil 18th - Raleth 28th
the grueling conclusion and three insightful months

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Epilogue
The prisoners in the laboratory cells were freed and provided safe passage to Etheria (via Kaylan's linked portal) and the distillery device was destroyed.

In the wreckage, the party discovered a greasy, black domino with strange patterns that looked to have been the heart of the device. Kaylan identified it as Anubian technology, belonging to those creepy, jackal-headed aliens that built the Tesseract and confronted a past roster of Saviors during the events in ancient Spelltower. Those who hadn't yet encountered the foreboding beings considered themselves lucky after the prophet's description.

Kaylan couldn't wait any longer, though, and opened a portal to Heaven. She reunited with Gens' soul and the two returned to Othyr. However having been in the presence of such perfect bliss and happiness, they forgot all their mortal troubles and guilt. They made a new life together along the banks of the Edema south of Edmark, oblivious and content until the rest of the party found them over two months later...

During that time, Anita recuperated from the traumatic experience of being the emperor's thrall. Though she made a full recovery, something was different. She could sense things she couldn't before, a touch of psionics left over from Endymion's invasion.

Narra spent weeks reassembling Huron's shattered orb, and the rest of the party poured over the diary and logbooks taken from the hold. Together they told a worrisome tale of Endymion's discovery of a crashed Anubian ship decades ago, and how its technology allowed him to brainwash and reprogram men and women into his fanatical supporters: The Sons and Daughters of Nor. Tyvis realized that this ship was in fact The Imperial Gulag. Along with the support of the enterprising Archfiend Belizeez and the red elder dragon Yathnoc, more Anubian ships and technology were discovered and harnessed for their mutual gains. Endymion developed into a fearsome psychic from all his handling of these devices and, in secret, began distilling the divine essences from siblings and parents of the New Gods enough to eventually ascend himself...

When the Saviors were at last reunited, Kaylan and Anita set off into the empire to form the Resistance, the prophet seeking to liberate her elven brethren, the Scarlet Blade intent on forming an alliance with Tasha and her Redbeards. Armed with the hold's puppet diary, they'd know exactly who to hit and where in order to weaken the emperor's grip on the Heartland.

Meanwhile, Tyvis, Narra and Gens embarked for the Wild. Using Huron's orb as a psionic locater, Narra has been able to plot the gulag's course through the fey realm. It happens to be passing through Gens' ancestral birthright of Silverwood ere long. The Archdruid traveled back to the wooded slopes of his homeland in order to commune with Yggdrassil the World Tree, gaining ritual passage, and together with his friends crossed into the Wild realm of Annwn near the end of Raleth (first month of summer).

Experience: 3000 xp each (65,130 total)
Distillery Battle, 9400
Rescuing the Prisoners, 1200
RP Bonus, 1200
Epilogue, 3200

Magic: Anubian Motherboard, Elven Essence, Vestments of the Grand Inquisitor

Anubian Motherboard
This glossy, black and slightly greasy domino was found in the heart of the distillery, the 'motherboard' essential in draining and which required a maze-worth of circuits to function. After intense study, Kaylan identified it as Anubian in origin, crafted by the jackal-headed, time shifting, technologically-advanced aliens encountered during the Time Storm and who built the Tesseract. But why did the Nors have possession of this?

Level: 15
Price: 25,000 gp
Implement (universal)
Enhancement: +3 attack rolls and damage rolls
Critical: +3d6 damage

Property: The motherboard could be used to create another distillery, but would require a technological knowledge beyond any of you.

Power (Daily): Immediate Reaction. Trigger: An ally within your line of sight hits with an attack. Effect: You roll a d20. If your roll is higher than the d20 roll of the triggering ally’s attack, that attack scores a critical hit. If your roll is lower than the d20 roll of the triggering ally’s attack, you take a -2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.

Elven Essence
Five Gloriandeline souls were drained out of existence, the concentration combined into this shimmering, golden liquid. Such a horrid way to create something so powerful and wondrous...
Level: 20
Price: -
Consumable

Property: Roll a 1d6 for one of the following permanent mutations:
1. Gain 'elven accuracy' as a daily power.
2. Gain a base speed of 7.
3. Gain Wild Step.
4. Gain +2 to either Dexterity, Intelligence or Wisdom.
5. Gain +2 to Nature and Perception, and proficiency with short and longbows.
6. Your race becomes Elf (Gloriandeline).

Vestments of the Grand Inquisitor
Charcoal, crimson and deep sepia vestments are tailored of gold-embroidered damask and full-grain leather with a slight patina. Complete with cassock, ratchet, sash and hooded coat, this exquisite garb befits a Norsman of the highest echelon.
Level: 18
Price: 85,000 gp
Armor: Leather
Enhancement: +4 AC

Property: You gain resist 10 psychic.
Property: You gain a +2 item bonus to saving throws against charm, fear, and psychic effects.

Coin: 35pp, 4300gp, 900sp, 1289cp [Nors mint]

Loot: puppet diary, distillery logbook, Huron's shattered orb, Gens' gear, wrackspawn surgical tools, rusted shears, surgical mallet, rusted bonesaw

PC Deaths
Gens, digested in the stomach of a gluttonous fiend...

New NPCs
Emperor Endymion Norson (The Overmind): The supreme ruler of the Holy Nors Emperor is without doubt the most powerful psychic on Othyr, able to manipulate multiple puppets across the continent and conjure forth terrible telekinetic force. He harnessed ancient Anubian technology and forged infernal and draconic partnerships to rise to his position, and continues to utilize artifacts in efforts to distill himself an ambrosia elixir.

New Hooks
Cutting the Strings (Anita, Kaylan): Armed with the puppet diary and Anita's new-found psionic senses, the Prophet of Kalinda and the Scarlet Blade form the Resistance, garnering support from various smaller factions and compromising the emperor's power structure one puppet at a time.

Next Session (Law of the Wild):
89a: Three months have passed since the events at the bottom of the hold. Anita and Kaylan have set off to form the Resistance. Tyvis, Gens and Narra have a different goal, finding and dismantling the Imperial Gulag- and Kalinda willing save Tyvis's father. Their road will take them into the Wild, through the Silverwood and Gens' ancestral birthright. What sort of welcome will the long lost prince receive is only one of many mysteries pulling at the group. Narra is poised to uncover even more about her origin with access to an actual facility, but does she really want to know the truth?