Session 70 - Epilogue

PCs (lvl 20): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Torak

The party faces the traitorous Urikites, easily dispatching them by throwing a few off the tower, and slaughtering the rest. Morg gets the honour of killing Thovadarak the high-templar himself.

Then they face the power of Pharistes and his psychic constructs. The Master of the Mind looks invincible thanks to the Psionatrix, and the PCs find themselves crushed under his mighty psionic powers.

When all seems lost, Dornal summons the blessing of the spirits of the water to keep the party fighting, then he uses the Water Hammer to destroy the  Psionatrix. The wave of psychic energy released by the artifact temporarily stuns Pharistes. 

Torak takes advantage of the situation, and unleashes his fury on the psionicist, bringing him on the edge of death. Halbarad strikes the last blow, ending Pharistes' life with his blade.

* * *

The PCs return to the Desverendi Valley, where Dornal performs the ritual of resurrection using as focus a bone dagger carved from Korgunard's thighbone. When the avangion returns to life, he thanks the party for their heroic actions, proclaiming them saviors of Athas.

With the Psionatrix destroyed, and Pharistes dead, the threat posed by the Order to the rest of Athas has been averted. The remaining members of the Order retire from the affairs of the world for many years to come.

Halbarad returns to his village, finds a good tree (the only tree?), and builds a  tree house on it. Not a day goes by without some kids asking him to tell them the story of his adventures.

Morg and Dornal return to the Free, having decided to help the tribe of former slaves bring hope to the people of the Tablelands.

Torak, with his purse full of riches, takes residence at Toruk's blacksmith shop, his mind set on honoring the memory of his dead brother.

Session 69

The Psionatrix

PCs (lvl 20): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Salina, Torak

The party teleports in view of the fortress of Dasaraches. They test the defenses of the walls, noticing some sort of psychic field deflecting their missile. 

They decide to charge toward the walls, in order to provide the necessary diversion, and allow the renegades of the Order to begin their own attack.

When the Order becomes aware of the presence of the PCs, battle starts in earnest. Loyalists and renegades unleash their psychic powers at each other, while the party uses blades, arrows, and magic to do their part. 

Then something happens. Suddenly, everyone is "cut off" from their psychic powers. The PCs can't access their wild talents, but most importantly, none of the masters of way can use their own abilities! The lords of the invisible way must resort to fight each other with blades and fists.

The PCs take advantage of this situation, and infiltrate the fortress. They battle a few undead and magical guardians, and interrogate powerless members of the Order. From them they learn that Pharistes must have activated the Psionatrix, and he's now leeching every drop of psionic energy existing in Athas. With such power at his disposal, surely he will be invincible!

The party does not despair, and continues to the top of the highest tower of Dasaraches. There they finally encounter Pharistes, Cerebral Master of the Order. The man is bathing in the psionic energies fed to him by the Psionatrix. Together with him, clearly under the effect of mental domination, are the Urikites templars and servants of Hamanu, well known to the party.

The final battle for the fate of Athas is about to begin!

Session 68

Renegades

PCs (lvl 20): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Salina, Torak

The party witnesses the carnage surrounding them, as the corpses of both hordes bleach in the sun. Dornal brings Chax-chik back to life, and the torh-kreen psionicists guides them further west, to the Dragon Crown Mountains.

While crossing the mountains, the PCs are ambushed once again by the Shadow Man, a psionicist of the Order that Chax-chik recognizes as Arvego, a master in manipulating his opponents' fears. Arvego is supported by a band of dominated braxat. The party defeats the hulking beasts, while the Shadow Man escapes.

The PCs arrive in the Silent Forest protecting the fortress of Dasaraches, stronghold of the Order. Thanks to the knowledge of nature imparted to them by Korgunard they manage to avoid the most dangerous sentient plants barring their path. 

In the forest they meet a group of Masters of the Invisible Way, former members of the Order, now renegades planning to assault Dasaraches and destroy Pharistes, the leader of the Order. The PCs forge an alliance with the renegades, and together they plan their attack on the fortress.

Session 67

Chax-chik vs Bokum

PCs (lvl 19): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Torak

The party continues to travel west, when they notice a mysterious construction rise up from the sand: a gigantic thri-kreen head. they inspect the monument, discovering a secret cache of magical items.

The day after they reach the thri-kreen horde led by Chax-chik, a tohr-kreen noble and a master psionicist. Together with Chax-chik are the Urikite envoys that betrayed the PCs back on the Road of Fire. 

The thri-kreen organize a feast for the two parties to reconcile, but the tension between the Pcs and the Urikites escalates in a duel between Morg and Thovadarak. The mul wins without much trouble, and the Urikites leave the feast promising revenge.

Chax-chik interrogates a spy, and finds out that an opposing horde of thri-kreen is on the march to stop them. The horde is led by Bokum, a dwarven psionicist of the Order masquerading as an avangion. The PCs and the horde prepare for battle.

The day after battle is joined, with the thri-kreen from both sides rapidly falling into a savage frenzy, and slaughtering both friends and foes. While the party fights the elite forces of the opposing horde, Chax-chik is locked in psionic combat with Bokum; the two masters destroy each other's brain, the tohr- kreen laying dead on the field, and the dwarf reduced to a drooling vegetable.

When the battle is concluded, both hordes are annihilated, and there's no trace of the Urikites.

Session 66

Cloud Ray

PCs (lvl 19): Halbarad, Morg, Torak, Salina

The party continues to travel west, when they spot a sandsotr coming their way. They decide to find cover inside a magical tiny hut summoned by Salina. 

Hiding in the strom is a gigantic cloud ray, and riding the beast is Shammu, an half-elf woman, and member of the Order.

Shammu oofers the PCs the chance to surrender to the Order, but the party elects to fight her. After a difficult and protracted battle, Shammu is disintegrated.

Session 65

Kludz

PCs (lvl 19): Halbarad, Morg, Torak, Salina

The party leaves Pakk's sanctum and travel west, out of the Forest Ridge. After a few days in the desert, they meet a scouting party of thri-kreen resting in the shadows of some ancient ruins built around a watering pool. 

The creatures seem erratic, clearly affected by the psionic malady. Only their leader is unaffected by the curse, thanks to a crystal she wears at her neck. The PCs' actions trigger a frenzy in the thri-kreen, and the party is forced into a battle. Having knocked them unconscious, the PCs gather some info from their leader.

The thri-kreen are part of a large horde led by the psionicist Chax-chix, and they're preparing themselves to travel to the Dragon Crown Mountains to end the psionic curse. The PCs learn of the location of the horde, but decide to travel separately from the thri-kreen, to avoid enraging them again. The thri-kreen depart, and the party explores the ruins, when they get ambushed by a savage kludz.

A few hours later the PCs resume their travels, and they chance upon an abandoned camp. There they find a lonely elven sheperd, and from him they learn this was a Urikite camp. The camp was attacked by frenzied thri-kreen and is now empty. The party also finds a scroll bearing the sigil of Hamanu, wherein he lays claim to the lands west of the Forest Ridge. It looks clear that old enemies will be waiting for the party in the west.

Session 64

Death of Korgunard

PCs (lvl 18): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Torak

The party spends the day exploring Pakk's lair and interacting with several students of the psionic arts.

When the time is right, they're summoned by Pakk to go and visit Korgunard in the Sanctuary. Pakk opens a psionic door, and the PCs step through.

On the other side of the door, they find themselves trapped inside a sphere of deadly thorns. Pakk communicates with them telepathically, informing them they will have to remain prisoners until he has decided what to do with them.

The PCs lose no time, and break through the walls of their prison; waiting for them are a pack of wild zhackals. The party takes care of the beasts, and rush to Pakk's sanctum in the center of the lair.

When confronted, Pakk reveals to be a member of the Order. He tells the PCs that Korgunard came to him seeking counsel, and when he understood Pakk was a member of the Order, he asked to speak with the leaders of the organization, to try and convince to give up on their mad plan. That's when the Order decided to eliminate Korgunard.

Enraged by the death of Korgunard, the PCs attack Pakk. The mental powers of the halfling elder are impressive, and they put the strength of the party to the test. After a difficult battle, Pakk is eventually defeated and killed.

Session 63

PCs (lvl 18): Dornal, Morg, Torak

The expedition through the jungle continues. Kass Pahr is killed, while most of the remaining halfling scouts leave. The PCs are left only with Dede, the former leader of the halfling.

After defeating a trio of deadly skittering horrors, the party is met by a warband from the halfing leader Basha. The warband brings the party to Basha, where they are interrogated and put to the test.

Having satisfied Basha's curiosity, the PCs are brought to the Valley of Pakk the elder, the master of the way Korgunard was looking for when he entered the Forest Ridge. When they meet the elder psionicist, Pakk informs them that Korgunard is in the Sancturay, not far away from them, but he's so focuses on his meditation that it won't be possible to meet him.

When the party insists on talking to him, Pakk joins their mind together and send a telepathic message to Korgunard. The avangion replies, visibly strained, asking the party to meet him the same night at the Temple of Ral, a building not far from where they are currently.

Session 62

PCs (lvl 18): Dornal, Morg, Torak

The party returns to the Desverendi Valley, thank to Dornal's word of recall. Korgunard is missing, and the Spirit of the Land tells the PCs to seek him beyond the mountains, and into the Forest Ridge.

The PCs cross the mountains, and arrive at Outpost Zero, a forsaken place where a few lost souls are seeking sanctuary, together with hundreds of halfling refugees, escaping the crazed thri-kreen coming from the west.

At the Outpost the party enlists the help of a local guide, a human going by the name of Kass Pahr. He speaks the language of the halfling, and knows several halfling scouts that can accompany them into the forest to seek Pakk, a powerful psionicist, and the reason Korgunard travelled to the Forest Ridge in the first place.

During their trip through the jungle, several of the halfling scout disappear or are found dead. After some investigation, the PCs find out that Kass Pahr himself is guilty of the murders. It seems he has a bone to pick with the halfling, and a special hate for Pakk himself. Since they need him to continue the expedition, the PCs decide to not kill the murderer, but keep a closer eye on him.

Session 61

PCs (lvl 17): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Torak

After saving the island of Avegdaar from destruction, the PCs travel to the island of Morgazh through a long patch of treacherous mudflats.

A pack of skeletal hounds attack them when they arrive to the island, and the voices of the dead haunt their every step.

Proceeding further east, they encounter the remains of two ancient armies, both sides destroyed by some cataclismic event centuries before. When they arrive at the ramparts surrounding the fortress of Akarakle, an undead legion tries to stop their advance. The party defeats the undead, and proceed to the fortress.

There they meet the spirit of Haakar, the leader of an ancient order of preservers. Haakar reveals to the PCs the location of the Water Hammer, an artefact capable to destroy the Psionatrix. The party enters the armory, and retrieves the artefact.

Session 60

Dwarven Banshees

PCs (lvl 17): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Torak

The PCs fight against the fire drake, and defeat it. As a reward, the wolf-headed giants bring them to the island of Avegdaar. On the shores of Avegdaar the party meets the wreck of a couple of silt skimmers, still haunted by the banshees of their dwarven crews. The party destroys the undead, and then they put their souls to rest by burning the wrecks.

The volcano of Avegdaar is becoming more and more active, something needs to be done. The PCs travel to the volcano, and on their way they meet a group of desert giants. The giants seem to recognize Trenbull as the "fire-eater", the one that keeps the spirit of the volcano at peace. In fact, they have mistaken him for Trenbull's father, Markus.

The giants bring  the PCs to Markus, and Trenbull reunites with his father. But there's no time to lose, the volcano is about to erupt! Markus uses his druidic power to protect the PCs from the searing lava, and guides them at the center of the volcano, where they face a fiery Spirit of the Land. Only by defeating it can they stop the volcano from exploding an obliterating the whole island.

Sesison 59

PCs (lvl 17): Dornal, Halbarad, Torak

The PCs return to Bitter Well by hitching a ride on the back of their newfound friends, the giants of Lake Island.

In Bitter Well they find passage on a silt skimmer bound to Charass, a merchant outpost where they hope to find  a way to get to the first of the islands of the Road of Fire.

In Charass they meet with Trenbull, a member of House Allraam'ke. Trenbull's father, Marcus, was a member of an expedition that explored the Road of Fire. He's been lost for many years, and Trenbull yearns to go and look for him. When the PCs share with him their own desire to travel the Road of Fire, Trenbull joins them and arranges passage with a couple of wolf-headed giants. 

On the way from Charvass to Dhuurghaz, the giants are attacked by a silt horror, that kills one of them, and sends the other running. The PCs defeat the creature, but are stranded in the silt. They do not lose hope, but manage to convince the running giant to come back. After Dornal uses his holy powers to resurrect the dead giant, the expedition proceeds to the island.

When they reach Dhuurghaz, they find the remaining wolf-headed giants in trouble. A rival clan has stolen their flock of erdlus, and they wolf-headed giants are not enough in numbers to retrieve them. The PCs offer to help, in exchange for passage to the next island.

The party follows the tracks of the erdlus, until they reach the lair of the enemy clan. But when they arrive they're wewlcomed by the charred carcasses of erdlus and giants alike, and then a fearsome roar originating from a nearby cave. It looks like the Fire Beast of the volcano has awoken from its sleep.

Session 58

PCs (lvl 16): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Torak

The PCs are guests of the giants, but they soon realize that the Shadow Man has preceded them, and taken control of the clan. The party is made prisoner, pending judgement from the giants.

The Shadow Man makes his appearance while the PCs are in their cell, proposing an alliance, which the party refuses.

Not long after, the Urikites, now free, inform the party they have made a deal with the giants. They will go free, while the PCs will be sacrificed to the water spirits the giant venerate.

The PCs ponder their fate during the night, when they receive a psionic message from Korgunard. The avangion seems to be in distress, and informs them to not return to the Desverendi Valley, but to continue their quest.

During the same night, Maluk the giant, the chieftain's son, visits the PCs to propose a deal: he will help them escape if they will help him stage a coup, and kill his father.

The PCs promptly agree. The night after, with the execution scheduled for the morning, Maluk frees the party,and together they kill the chieftain.

Now that Maluk is the new chieftain, the PCs plan the next step of their voyage.

Session 57

PCs (lvl 16): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Torak

Dornal spends the night with Salina, and half-elven wizard he met in Bitter Well. During the night Salina tries to assassinate Dornal. The water cleric escapes death, and discovers that Salina is under the mental influence of the Shadow Man, the same entity that has attacked the party in more than one occasion. The party persuade Salina to follow them in their travels, to escape her past.

The day after the PCs meet again with the Urikites, who have found passage to the Road of Fire. together with an old dwarven hermit they leave Bitter Well, and reach a rocky outcropping next to the Sea of Silt. There the dwarf "summons" a band of giants with the help of a huge bone horn.

When the giants arrive, they seem to have previously knowledge of the PCs and their expedition, and accept to accompany them. But first, they wish to bring them to Lake Island, their home, to meet with their chieftain.

The expedition is "loaded" on wicker baskets on the shoulders of the giants, and they begin their travel through the Sea of Silt. A few hours later they find the wreck of an ancient vessel, probably from the Blue Age.

The PCs decide to investigate. Inside the wreck, they find several metal pieces of equipment, but also danger: a gargantuan White Horror attacks them with his deadly tentacles! The party defat the creature, and loot the place. Then they resume their jouney.

A few hours more, and the expedition arrives at Lake Island, the home of the giants, a volcanic island wit ha lush vegetation and a ready supply of water.

Session 56

Bitter Well

PCs (lvl 16): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg, Torak

The PCs fight and defeat the ravenous ghasts of Black Waters. After a few more days of travel, they come into view of the outpost of Bitter Well. Outside town they're attacked by a band of beast-headed giants.

Having defeated the giants, they arrive at Bitter Well, where they find an inn to rest, and begin looking for transport to the Road of Fire.

During their first evening in town, they're approached by a charming half-elven woman which seems to have a special interest in Dornal.

Session 55

The Urikites

PCs (lvl 16): Dornal, Morg, Torak

The PCs are allowed to regain their strength after the match, and are escorted to elegant rooms to rest and refresh themselves. 

The day after, they're once again in the presence of Hamanu. The sorcerer-king performs a powerful ritual, and summons the image of Korgunard in a mirror of obsidian. Through the mirror, the Hamanu and the avangion are able to communicate.

It is obvious that neither Hamanu nor Korgunard are the cause of the psionic malady affecting the Tablelands. After some discussion, the two powerful arcanists agree that the Order, a legendary enclave of extremely powerful psionicists, must be responsible.

Korgunard mentions a halfling psionicist he has dealt with in the past who may be of help in the current crisis. He will seek him out in the Forest Ridge. The PCs should travel to the Road of Fire, a chain of islands in the Sea of Silt, to find an ancient preserver fortress. Some more information may be found in the place.

Having agreed on this course of action, Hamanu provides mounts and provisions for the travel, and he assigns seven of his servants to accompany the party. As from the first day of travel, it is obvious that the Urikites consider the PCs their lessers, and tensions run high.

After two days of travel, the party and the Urikites reach Black Waters, a poisoned site near to what was once the city of Yaramuke. They make camp for the night, but they find no rest. When the darkness is deepest, undead creatures rise from their sleep to attack!

Session 54

The Bloody Claw

PCs (lvl 15): Dornal, Halbarad, Torak

The party spies upon the council, and they soon realize that Hamanu and his servants are not responsible for the psionic event affecting the Tablelands. The sorcerer-king believes Korgunard himself is the cause of the psionic attack.

Having heard enough, the PCs decide it is time to leave, but Hamanu becomes aware of their presence. After a failed attempt at escaping, the party is captured. Hamanu is impressed by their courage, and decides they will fight the day after in his arena. They will have the honor of proving themselves in a game of Death Ball. If they will win, Hamanu will listen to what they have to say.

The day after the PCs enter the great arena, and face the Bloody Claw team in a game of Death Ball. The party performs admirably, winning the match and earning the accolades of the gathered crowds.

Session 53

PCs (lvl 15): Dornal, Halbarad, Morag, Torak

Following the indications received from the Veiled Alliance, the PCs leave the sewers, and reach a disused cellar. Strange psionic creatures called hej-kin inhabit the cellar. The PCs rapidly intimidate the creatures into submission, and proceed to the higher levels.

They eventually arrive at the ground floor of the palace. They eat their fruits of invisibility, and infiltrate the compound through the kitchens. Their wanderings bring them near to a heavily guarded door, most probably the entrance to the room where the council will take place.

Under the cover of magic, they explore the hallways next to the room, and they find Hamanu's study in this wing of the palace.

Inside the study they find a magical mirror. When they pronounce the name of the sorcerer-king, the mirror becomes a one-way window to the room where the council is kept. Through the mirror they can see and hear the gathered servants of Hamanu, awiting the arrival of the sorcerer-king.

Not long after, Hamanu himself arrives and takes place on his golden throne.

Session 52

Gates of Urik

PCs (lvl 15): Dornal, Halbarad, Torak

The PCs awake from their nightmare to face the horrific truth. Many herders are dead, and they all look at the party with anger, as they have brought this great tragedy on their village. 

The party leaves in a hurry, reaching the gates of Urik after another couple of days in the desert. After gaining entrance they gather informations and try to reach their contacts in the Veiled Alliance, hoping to find some help to accomplish the mission given to them by Korgunard.

They learn of a murderer stalking the streets of Urik at night, and of the many laws of the city. Rumors talk of a gathering of the most powerful advisors of the king, to take place soon in his palace. Looks like the perfect opportunity to better understand Hamanu's involvement in the psionic malady affecting the valley of Tyr.

Eventually they manage to contact the Alliance, and reunite with an old friend, the mage Elantha. She guides the party to a secret path to Hamanu's Palace, deep under the disused sewers. She also provides a few fruits of invisibility, to help them spy on Hamanu and his advisors. 

Inside the sewers the PCs face a savage demon, most probably the very same murderer stalking the streets of Urik.

Session 51

PCs (lvl 15): Dornal, Halbarad, Morg

The PCs leave the Desverendi Valley, bound north to Urik. During their travels they avoid poisonous plants, fight dangerous crystal spiders, and almost loses their lives falling prey of blood-sucking spider cacti.

But nature is not their only enemy. More than once during their travels they have the feeling of being watched. Until one night Morg has a terrible dream, of a humanoid shadow with flaming eyes telling him to give up his quest, lest he loses his life. The Shadow Man assaults Morg with powerful psionics, leaving him a trembling and weeping husk. When he awakes from the dream, the feeling of being watched becomes even more real.

Not far from Urik, the party finds refuge among a settlement of herders. The simple men and women are kind enough, and the PCs spend the night among their tents. But during the night the herders assault the party, taken by a murderous frenzy as if they're possessed by some evil spirit.

It doesn't take long for the PCs to spot the Shadow Man of Morg's dreams, apparently dominating the minds of all the herders. The PCs fend off the attacks of the herders while they try to attack the Shadow Man, but his mental powers are too much of them.

One by one the PCs fall, as the evil laughter of their mysterious enemy fills their ears with madness.