Session 97: Test Your Metal

General Summary

26th Unndilar 836PD   Orlando stands before the Crucible, the power source of the World Anvil, the platform hangs over a lake of lava which has been dammed by the closed Gates that would flow to the World Anvil.   He relays back to the Unbroken that there are several levers and controls, and as with previous challenges it will require a team to solve. He encourages those still stuck at the lava gap in the corridor to walk or jump and have faith they can cross safely. Raphael takes a run and leaps, safely landing on the invisible bridge. Raven confidently walks across as he’d seen Orlando do, Pluto was in his natural element surrounded by fire and crossed over. However, Simeon’s faith was lacking as he tried to feel ahead but his foot falls through as if the bridge wasn't there for him, but the tricksy Cleric misty steps across to the other side.   With the party now all together, they investigate the platform and controls, noticing a large gem is inlaid into the floor and glows when people step near it. There are 3 key holes with runes that correspond to the keys found in the chests of Strength, Passion and Belief. Simeon and Pluto put the keys into the panel, with Raven and Raphael pulling up the two levers at the same time as Orlando stands on the gem. The gem glows brighter and brighter, as it powers up to slowly move the barriers out of the lava flow, it’s working!   But as the World Anvil slowly begins to be brought back from the brink, Simeon and Raven notice something shifting underneath the magma. The molten lake bubbles, then roils till it loudly erupts with the release of a towering pillar of fire, its smouldering black pits for eyes looking down upon the Unbroken. They have shown passion, they have shown belief, now they must show they have the strength to defeat the World Anvil’s final challenge, the inferno of Imix!   The elemental guardian of the Crucible roars onto the platform in a great ball of fire, Raphael is quick to engage slashing the cool of Frostweaver across its fiery form. Orlando and Simeon feel the overwhelming burn of just being close to it as well. Simeon tolls the death of this creature and the necrosis snuffs some of its flame, enraging it further. Imix looks at the Cleric and commands him to burn, combusting Simeon with a crackling curse.   Imix creates a wave of searing heat of such intensity it exhausts Raven and Orlando, even evaporating the magical potions on Orlando’s belt as well. Raven’s arrows connect with the elemental and Simeon takes the initiative to strike with his spiritual crescent blade. Three small sparks of flame spit forth from Imix’s mouth in response, and each grow into faint humanoid shapes that threaded through cores of wild, moving flames. The flames have got higher with now 3 Fire Elementals and Imix to endure.   As the flames roar around Raphael, his cold rune of defence bursts to protect him and quell the fire where he stands. The freezing ice instantly mists into a condensation that Raphael shapes to douse the combusting cleric Simeon. But as one fire is put out another is started as one of the fire elementals burns Raven with their touch, setting the ranger aflame.   Pluto holds the other controls and fights fire with Wildfire, distracting the other elementals in a stalemate slugfest as the elementals try to swat Pluto’s burning bees with their flaming fingers. Just as the rest of the Unbroken prepare to retaliate, Imix coughs a thick cloud of black smoke with burning embers that blinds the party.   Orlando digs into his grit to aim in the dark cloud, but the surrounding heat strains the metal of his guns causing them to misfire. However, Raven finds enough gap in the cloud to strike his arrows into the guardian elemental, the magic of the bow wounds the Imix greatly and it finds a new quarry to test. The Inferno locks its smouldering pits for eyes with Raven, unleashing the same combustible curse as it did with Simeon, but the former operative manages to keep his cool, denying the guardian.   Enraged, the fire rises as Imix calls down a blazing storm onto the Unbroken, a burning ring of fire raging around them as they had done to the Elder Brain not just an hour or so ago back in the Underdark!   Simeon falls but is brought back by his ward of death, and with what could be his final act he heals Orlando. The black cloud has cleared, the Chosen of Moradin has his target, his mettle will not fail and he will stand his ground! With a holy fire rising up within him, Orlando channels the divine power of the runes on his gun to burn with radiance several holes right through the fiery form of Imix.   The bright light of the holy barrage outshines the illumination of the inferno, the elemental guardian’s form blackens and shrinks into soot and smog. Raven notches two arrows and releases into the carbon sockets of its eyes, the arrows’ trail finally snuff Imix out.   The other elementals puff out without their fire sire, the Unbroken have passed through fire as the final test and the barriers fully open to repower the World Anvil.   After putting out any remaining flames on themselves and taking some time to heal, the Unbroken head back up to the chamber of the World Anvil. The lava now flowing into its forge, the iron anvil with archaic runes, iconography fashioned with elemental iron and adamantine begins to radiate with power. The World Anvil as the Shackle of Moradin and the central chain of creation against the incarnate destruction of the Oblivion is not only saved, but is now strengthened.   Orlando approaches the Anvil, he takes some time to attune to it, crafting with it in his mind and as soon as he touches it, he has an instant instinct with it. He can feel the depth of its power, the very world was created upon this Anvil, let alone all the legendary crafts and items throughout the history that have been forged here. This grandson of a refugee, this 'heretic', this simple gnome could ascend to the power of a God! An Avatar of Creation that could seek revenge to bring down Kraghammer, or to restore his ancestral homeland of Wittebak.   Orlando faces the true final test of his spirit; does he have the steel to resist this power?   The gnome is tempted, but he knows that his work is not yet done in this world. There are enough flawed Gods and he does not want to add another one. Raven and the Unbroken welcome Orlando out of his trance, and he is soon put to work as they ask him to destroy Kardar’s vestige spear of Gruumsh, Ruin’s Wake. He places it on the destruction rune side of the Anvil and brings the hammer down, the ivory shaft splitters and a deep, dark guttural bellow of rage explodes from the weapon as whatever violent sentience it carried is unmade.   With one item destroyed, another is created as Orlando lays the Amulet of Moradin that helped him find the path here onto the Anvil, he feels his hands pull and craft the weave of magic around it. Focusing on the other Shackles that were created here, he imbues the Amulet with the ability to find the path to the remaining Shackles.   The party discuss their next options of which Shackle to find next and also how to move the gateway to the Anvil out of the Underdark. But as their resources are depleted, they agree to rest at the Anvil, despite some concerns of whether Tharizdun would attack again.   Before they rest, Orlando privately raises with Raphael that he can see through the Anvil all the moments of creation for each item made from the World Anvil, and that he could potentially find out about how Frostweaver was made. Raphael agrees and asks if Orlando could find out if Frostweaver has a sentience itself like the Ruin’s Wake.   Orlando focuses on the Winter Knight’s blade and through the Anvil is granted the vision of its creation. A deep sense of despair overwhelms him as he sees an obscured human female, the presence or soul of an elven male and the All-Hammer, Moradin. The man was killed in battle against Tharizdun, but his soul was saved from the oblivion by the deep love it shared with the mortal woman who would become the Goddess of Death, the Raven Queen. Pleas and bargaining are made with the All-Hammer, and whatever can be saved of the soul of her lover is now made into the cold elven longsword of Frostweaver. The cold detached woman leaves with the freezing burn of determination and the vision fades…