Session 17: Malor and the Shattered Vale Report

General Summary

The Battle with Malor's Minions

  The skirmish with Malor’s twisted minions was swift and savage. Our blades and spells cleaved through their undead forms with relative ease, though the brutality of it all left us breathless. I don’t know if it was the strength we’ve gained through our journey or some hidden weakness within his creations, but their defeat came almost too easily. Malor, watching from behind his barrier, appeared… impressed. With a sweep of his hand, he lowered the shimmering shield and beckoned us to engage him once more, though this time, with words instead of weapons.  

Words with Malor

  The exchange that followed was tense, to say the least. Malor, the Lich who had haunted our steps, seemed genuinely intrigued by our resolve. Dulb, ever the one to barter with forces beyond comprehension, attempted to negotiate his future servitude should he fall in battle. Malor, finding some amusement or worth in this proposition, allowed us to depart his dark keep unscathed. But, in return, he left us with fragments of the truth.   The Heart of Narthos, as we had feared, was indeed missing, and not even Melkorion knew its true location. Malor's knowledge confirmed what we had long suspected—three Shadowstones exist, each housing fragments of Narthos’ essence. Only when the stones and the Heart are reunited could the dead god return. But one question lingered like an unspoken curse: Why was Melkorion so desperate to resurrect Narthos? Malor, of course, had no answers to that riddle.   We left the Void Keep with the Twilight Lens in hand. Its darkly radiant energy, a fragment of Selenthe herself, would finally allow us entry into the inner sanctum of the Shattered Keep.  

Restoring the Spectral Caravan

  Upon returning to the spectral caravan, we used the Twilight Lens as instructed. The effect was immediate and profound. Some of the spectres, bound by ages of service, were returned to life, their spectral forms becoming flesh once more. Others, who had clung to this world for far too long, faded gracefully into the ether, their journey finally complete. It was a strange feeling to see these lost souls finally finding peace—or at least, the hand of fate reclaiming them.   Tori Tonkins, however, was not as fortunate. Bound to Malor's service, her freedom remained just out of reach, and I couldn't shake the sadness that settled within me as we said our farewells. She deserved peace, and yet her duty held her here. Talzilk’un, the ever-curious cloud dragon, bid us farewell as well, with promises of new adventures in his future. We, however, had our sights set on a darker path.  

The Town of Wraithwind

  The journey north took us to Wraithwind, the last outpost before the twisted lands of the Shattered Vale. Within its haunted borders, we gathered the supplies and knowledge necessary for what lay ahead. The townsfolk spoke of “Echoes”—places of power, remnants from the War of Shadows, left by the Dawnbreakers to fend off the darkness and stabilize time. These Echoes would be essential to combating the distortions and abominations that roamed the Vale.   Armed with this newfound knowledge and provisions, we steeled ourselves for the journey into the Shattered Vale.  

Traversing the Shattered Vale

  The Shattered Vale was everything I had feared and more—an endless, oppressive landscape that seemed to sap the very light from the sky. Each step brought new dangers, and every artifact we carried proved crucial to our survival. The fog hung thick around us, obscuring everything beyond a few feet, and only by activating the first Echo did we begin to see a path through the murk. The light it cast was faint, yet it provided us with a semblance of direction.  

The Return of Xi-Ven-Tal

  Our relief was short-lived. As we approached the next Echo, a terrifyingly familiar presence loomed in the sky—a Shadow Dragon, its scales as dark as the night. But not just any Shadow Dragon; it was Xi-Ven-Tal, the very beast we had watched fall to the Primarch’s blade back at Dawnhold. Somehow, through the twisted flow of time in this cursed place, we faced a version of Xi-Ven-Tal from an alternate reality—one in which he had slain the Primarch and retreated victorious.   The battle was fierce and grueling, with Xi-Ven-Tal’s claws and dark breath threatening to consume us in shadows. But we stood firm, wielding our courage and our blades with unrelenting resolve. This time, we were the ones victorious, and we made sure that this creature of darkness would rise no more.  

The Shattered Keep Within Reach

  With Xi-Ven-Tal defeated, the fog seemed to clear, revealing the faint outline of the Shattered Keep on the horizon. Our final destination was now within reach, though the darkness surrounding it felt even heavier than before. I don’t know what awaits us within those crumbling walls, but with the Twilight Lens in hand and our purpose set, we are as ready as we’ll ever be.   Sera