The Parting of Ways

Raqhim stays with the tribe to be the new leader, holding onto the Heart of Mafdet. The rest of the party continues on to find more Pharaonic artefacts and working to unite Osirion.

My dad sneaks off with the Heart and the tribe Shaman, Head Hunter, and Matriarch, to try and do a ceremony to make the heart work. We track them, and eventually the other tribe seniors decide I would be a better leader. He eventually and begrudgingly comes around.

The Heart doesn't glow for my dad. He insists on keeping it overnight and trying to make it glow. An Amurrun Norgorban spy followed us from the Ishtar tribe and is trying to steal the Heart. We stop them but don't capture them.

We meet Lapis, the leader of the tribe of Ishtar. She offhandedly accuses us of being Norgorbans (rarely spoken-of) to gauge our reaction, and seems to know a lot about them.

We run another test with the blood compass. It definitely seems to be pointing towards Ipeq or quite close to there.

We go to the talking tree and unlock the place of power using the Heart.

We go to the outpost in the mountains where there was that funky surveillance mirror. The mirror is gone, the place is being guarded by resistance. Maybe the mirror was an artefact, but it's unclear whether its abilities were unique enough.

We go back to the monastery. It turns out Nabethafet is now leader of his gang in Trinity and is searching for the Chakram

Heat of Mafdet

We get the Heat of Mafdet!

We head to Rarne and into the Underdark (aka the Great Below) to find the Court of Ether / Aether.

A contact of Acotar's suggests that the Heart of Mafdet (Heart of Osirion?) will glow for people who align with Mafdet's values, not necessarily "True Osiriani" and as such is vulnerable to manipulation.

We go to my dad's tribe

In trying to find my tribe, we learn: There are 4 groups vying for power in the void left by Ri'Sharbjarsi: Consolidate; Establish / Delegate; Strike; Unite.

The Keleshites have dammed a river and occupied oases, to try and starve out the nomads. A battle over this was how Ri'Shabjarsi died.

We see occasional military patrols in the nearby farmlands. Occasionally there are even Al'akrahim guards among them - normally the punishment for such betrayal would be death.

We get back to Osirion, sailing upriver past Sothis.

We come up with prophet names for ourselves: Hasdrubal - staying as Hasdrubal Keket - Isi'Nei Raqhim - staying as Raqhim Nafethaset - staying as Nafethaset Alryish - Ma'at-Ra Acotar - TBC

Alryish has the clever idea to put Keket's cursed blood onto the blood compass that we got. When we put Keket into a lead-lined room, the compass points back towards Osirion! We infer that there are two other people cursed like Keket. Three people, corresponding to the three statues in the Temple to the Pharaoh of Spirits.

Arazni curses Keket. We have 11 moons for her to become whole, or she will die and her ancestral curse will pass to someone else.

Only Arazni and the High Lords (kind of a loose term, basically just means a powerful landowner who commands other landowners and can *maybe* talk to Geb) have access to Geb.

We decide to go to Geb. On arrival Acaysu gets possessed by Geb who says something like "you came to the south like I asked" or something.

Rumours: Rioja is in famine. Maybe Geb stopped supplying them with food.

We're one two ships. Duke Gokuzel wants to speak to us. We have to do full prostrated bows before the imp servant will open the doors for Gokuzel to see us. It's all very formal and tedious. He will disguise any of us and our crew who can't vigilante, to get past the Keleshi coast guard/navy near the Capital. We decide to use this to go into the Capital and gather information. The spell only lasts two days so we have to be in and out.

We make it back to our demon army. The Arinyes gives us: A quill (tapping its wrist) and reams of parchment. There seems to be a suggestion that we could use it to make blood contracts. A compass. It indicates that by putting a creature's blood on the compass, its needle will point towards the creature. 20 arrows in an obsidian-black quiver. Putting blood in the arrows will make them target the creature whose blood it is. A red gem (to make Alryish's casting stronger?) Ruby-bladed sword & dagger. They seem very well-made and imbued with some sort of blood-related magic. 6 silver divine symbols of Asmodeus. Blackened hat of disguise. Black leather belt. Will cause angels pain? Or allow us to do celestial damage? 2 tokens of Asmodeus each - it seems A ruby-encrusted bow. We decide to head back to the city we just basically destroyed to try and get a ship. Our elemental friends come with, and also (whether we like it or not) a pit fiend and an Arinyes.

The genies tell the story of Suleimon: Creation of genies. Good god of Fire, Suleimon, devised City of Gold for his kin. A homeland for free spirits who had helped elemental gods. In plane of air. Not all gods were satisfied. Wind lords had little interest, but helped lords of fire to superheat metals. Water lords tempered gleaming metals. Lords of earth gave most, flame and materials. Given to the genie's for all time, crafted of gem and gold, floating between the four elements. A holy city to all genie races, to congregate, worship & trade. However accepting this gift from the gods made the genies (long-living) mortal. Some seethed with anger. Suleimon place Iblis on the throne, chief counsel. City stood peacefully for a thousand years, becoming rich in magic and material things. The Djinn became arrogant, and began making demands of the other genies. Iblis took many wives, angering the marid and djinn. Crown princess of the djinn got pregnant, and the djinn demanded Iblis make her the sultana but were denied. In the dark of night Iblis struck out, murdering many emirs. The djinn emir and his daughter escaped, fleeing to their ancestral homeland. Following the teachings of anumon. The ifrit swore allegiance to the ...? Became increasingly hot-tempered. Fire and water may never know friendship. The gods said to the genies "your work was not in vain". Iblis was not impressed with mortals. Didn't think they deserved an entire universe full of cities etc. The gods cursed Iblis for his insolence, and stole away his beauty, making him and his kin the demon-looking ifrit (typically dominon of flame, as opposed to the hot-looking ifrit like Javad). Made all the houses mistrust one another evermore. Enslaved them to humanity to grant wishes etc. Turned the City of Gold to the City of Brass, tarnished etc. Demise of Suleimon genie, rise of Suleimon the prophet. Suleimon strove to make right. Searched for answers in solitude. Went to Ithys, but found unsatisfying answers. Confronted Asmodeus, and was granted a vision of law/reason vs treachery/darkness. Gave him a ritual to draw out his dark side, separate it from himself. He battled his dark-self and defeated it, before returning to the City of Brass to right his wrongs. He sealed the ifrit in bottles, all in a chamber. Suleimon sent for Shirishae, the "dormant" sultana within the City of Brass. Wedded her to ...? Left the city, and created gates to the plane of molten skies. Went into the world of mortals to spread the gospel of Anumon. Of the City of Brass and the coming of the usurper. The marriage of the sultana to Asha Abarsi led to great prosperity for the city. But not all were happy. Hanawa, perfect blending of djinn & ifrit. Great evil [Yamiri] taking shape within eye of fire. Beautiful and terrible to behold. Veil of silk. Massive unbreakable form, bare except for a harness of gold. Scimitar to set heavens & hells ablaze. Growing stronger, gathering assistance from mortal plane. Struck out at plane of fire, offering "join or die". Next attacked salamander strongholds. When the usurper finally arrived at City of Brass, they killed the Sultan Abarsi. The Hanawa and Sultana stood firm but were struck down. Usurper freed the seals of Iblis. Bound demons to the gates, set the ifrit to work forging weapons and other great works. Now waging war against the djinn again. City of Brass allowed evil to walk freely for 26 cycles. Then Nethys arrived.

Alryish causes a cave-in of the submarine bay, trapping us under the rubble.

We come across a submarine and KO the alchemist who is in the control room overlooking the submarine's dry-dock. The Amurrun & snakefolk traitors from the local resistance chase us in there. We manage to lock them out. A powerful-seeming celestial comes up and wants to "redeem" us (send us to Pharasma).

Sara's notes from the session I missed: Dra Jo Soraya (Ri' Shabjarsi niece) year of the sultan and iscarius how to cut the supply lines assist with the resistance and break up the tribes of Amurrun. Don’t know the hawk folk - these are rare. Sultan of Osirion - Son The prince. Basir Evrn - Talked about trust Iscarius’s brother. Younger brother family business Yadira and other countries. Extremely Rich. Qadiran. Weather clothes tailor from trip from the far west. Woman - on an island further east. Qardian? Crystal fine glass? Furs northern country. Silk southern Keleshite town. Relative of Shams' Family. Husband and wife of the event tonight. Nepar - Media opus is capital city. Duke and Duchess of Napor invited by the sultan to the 2 nights. Inner sea - described as contentions are high initial uprising after the death swiftly put down. Raised a large army fortress cities and then crushed. Resistance and the fled through to the pass into the jungle. Nomads strike parties Palar Rogoth. Lizard folk king or willing to go to war with him. Az'kaias' relative - quite sure money and thuvia and katepsh funding. Lots dried up. Man in purple - With the death of Aroden trade with other countries. Thoroughly beating Rioja. Civil war within Cheliax. Qadiran Rahadom kyonin and dwarves? - river dragon southern side provoked to stop them dwarves blamed for the death of the dranglings and blamed kyonin. Viking - Far north west Ulfans pillaging can’t get into shackles. Alsacru - Can’t find the Senon Chaksu Krolot in the jungle. Brother's armies is decimated and can’t find him (Akak Senon).

We track the hat guy to a ghetto apartment building. He is lying in wait in a trapped apartment with some bound outsiders for defence. They ambush us and we have a rough combat. ALRYISH DIES.

"May no good deed go unrewarded" seems to be a thing you might say when paying someone for an (unsolicited?) service.

We pursue the shopkeeper who saw Alryish changing, eventually reaching a coastal city. Just inside the city walls, an owlfolk city guard member holds up a poster of someone wanted in connection with a murder outside the city. We also see a poster notifying that a "Mehdi Bina" is missing.

WHAT. IS. HAPPENING.

After much difficult charades with the demons, we agree to: Day1: We walk to nearest port, demons wait. 2: We keep walking, they wait. 3: We secure a ship and (start?) sailing to the high city, they wait. 4-7: We start infiltrating/assassinating/taking over the throne and other positions of power (clergy, military etc). Demons wait. 8: We sail back, they wait. 9: We walk back, they wait. 10: We share news with them (somehow, FML this language stuff). 11: They decide how to split their army and we all go pillage a bunch of cities. If we are running late, they will wait up until day12(?) max before charging in regardless indefinitely until we come back (but they will start getting worried we/Alryish is dead)

Yen'Shvasi is the closest port town.

We discover it's been 2 years since the fall of Aroden.

We determine we're about 10 days' walk from the eastern ocean, 20 days from the inland sea, and longer (at least a month, probably a lot more) from the southern ocean.

We go back and arrive somewhere several thousand miles east of Osirion (maybe in eastern Kelesh or even further) in the middle of a huge desert.

Our Arrhenius (devil) friends introduce us to Duke Gokuzel and another power Arrhenius. Hasdrubal stupidly gives a slightly disrespectful bow and gets a beatdown from the Arrhenius.

We have to get knocked senseless to return to the material plane.

The message (broad strokes):

We get to Deskari's realm, everything is kinda soft and grassy and it's all a big insect hive with locusts and things. We go up a canal, and Rifshar is waiting for us there!! He takes us into Deskari's palace and tell us he's decoded the message...!

Super hectic skill challenge, we escape the darkness and reach Taldus' realm where his navy comes out like they want to intercept us. We manage to evade the navy (including his flagship captained by a Balor [like a Balrog]) and head up a different river towards Deskari's realm.

The "sunset" seems to happen surprisingly fast (in reality the light source is crystals overhead so not technically sunset). But then we realise there is a huge veil of darkness creeping up behind us... very reminiscent of what we saw in Baphemet's realm before we got knocked out.

We sell the ship and look for Zafir Tarbish in the city but don't find him. We continue upriver into Taldus' realm.

We team up with some Bismaran pirates to bolster our crew and sail onwards in our very fast fancy ship. They want a 17.5% cut. They intend to sell their previous ship as well as the Quipleth ship that we teamed up with them to destroy.

Our stolen ship requires 120 to crew, but including the assassins and leftover crew we only have 80. We've gotten it out of the harbour with rocket fuel but can't sail it. We decide to split into 4 groups of 4 cruisers each (2 party members per group, with Dagririk leading one other group) to go in search of a new vessel(s) to commandeer.

The assassins convince us to try steal a *very* fancy ship from a death-demon.

Nocticula announced the beginning of a hunt to find us. The announcement caused enough damage to knock us all out. They are mobilising an armada to blockade the city. We quickly sell our old ship and hire the assassins to help us steal a new ship and run interference.

Shamira is a fire-angel looking lady who Nocticula has taken as her lover. Lots of statues of her around the city, and many Nocticula quotes have been replaced by Shamira quotes. Seems like she is subtly taking over maybe? She looks like Sarenrae - coincidence?

We arrive at Lirithia, capital / High City of Lirithen in the Midnight Isles https://www.worldanvil.com/w/the-history-and-future-of-golarion-cody-love/a/lirithia-settlement?preview=true

We realise that Theas is her True Name, and that we can command her using it. Hasdrubal KILLS HER - WOOOOOWWWWWWW!!! He inherits a bunch of powers.

The angel (Thanastasia) says she can't let our plan go ahead. The devil (Gokuzak) says it absolutely has to. There is a heavy implication that they are looking for an excuse to fight. We think the Herald of Cayden Callean is actually called Theas. We mention this, and she winces (forbidden knowledge??) and then Gokuzak looks gleeful and then combat starts.

The huge jet boat chases us, followed by some angels we ditch the necklace which has Divination magic on it, and one of the angels dives into the water to retrieve it. The captain of the jet ship introduces himself as Duke Gokuzak "here in the service of my lord [Dispater] and by extension his son [Set]. I am here to help you." Gokuzak introduces the angel as Thanastasia, Herald of Cayden Callean.

A very weird thing happens - the horizon on the shore of the sea is suddenly replaced by blackness dotted with stars, then it disappears with something that makes Acaysu fall unconscious (forbidden knowledge damage?) and a tsunami wave starts heading towards us. A ship with a huge engine leaves Baphemet's city on the shores.

We manage to salvage a Tribute from an overturned shipwreck. We note that the ship seemed to have been hit by angelfire. Hasdrubal dives under the ship and manages to find signs of an important person, perhaps a government functionary. She also finds a ruined document carrying a sign of Asmodeus, as a necklace carrying a symbol of Menotherian (Herald of Calistria), and a portrait of [someone; take damage] painted by Kalran.

A tentacle monster attacks the ship, knocking off some ammo, rope, and two of our ballistae.

We receive a note indicating that someone "knows our secret" and wants 100BP ransom. We lay a trap and discover Raglok in suspicious circumstances which seem to implicate him.

We discover that our ship is meant to have a "tribute" (sacrifice?) to Dagon fixed on the bottom. But ours got stolen by the past encounter so we decide to steal one from another ship, so we raid a nearby demon ship associate with Baphemet.

Planks start getting pried off our ship. Acaysu casts see invisibility but cannot see anything yet. Some of our crew go below deck to see if there is structural damage below the waterline. Cats and Dogs start climbing over the edge, and when they take an action they start turning into dark tentacled hybrids.

Each sailing day consists of: Prep Work Social Work Social Sleep (or wake up to do something and get fatigued)

Our pride demon (quiplith-influenced) gets hurt by the suggestion that we might not have a cabin for him. We tell him some lies to ghost him off the ship, with Acotar taking his place.

Javad buys us a ship, and we start recruiting a crew.

Acaysu could circumvent censorship by taking her soul out of her body (ability to do this is unique to her), and then her soul could learn about censorship without being subject to damage. This soul-knowledge would be retained when the soul rejoined her body.

Javad comes and busts us out, fucking up a bunch of the city and stealing a bunch of stuff. We commandeer a ship and start sailing for Areshkagal's realm.

We eventually come across an abyssal-looking sphinx, who tricks us into being cursed and then says she will take us to her city where she will teach us artificing and force us to build constructs and artefacts.

We leave Flauros's realm and enter Areshkagal's realm.

Acaysu reveals that her parents betrayed the resistance and are the heads of a Kelesh government department whose role (kind of similar to the Difae Sharun) is to sow discord among the resistance.

Bugrash offers us a deal: we have to make another temple to Flauros (additional to the one at the Great Mountain, see below) in a volcano somewhere in Osirion. In exchange he will give us weapons for our time in the Abyss (anything up to our level).

Zabti meets us, and introduces us to an Osiriani person who is a Norgorban (member of Poison). In exchange for the package (presumably edited by Zabti), they will help disguise our identities. In exchange for letting the Norgorban use the forge to mutate us and disguise our identities, the Flauros team want us to restore Duluth's tribe and their church of Flauros.

Duluth wants to know what happened to the Kafas tribe, of which he was chieftain. He gives us a bracelet to prove our contact with him, and asks us to restore his tribe to their homeland at the Great Mountain (volcano) of the Scorpion Range, and restore their church to Flauros. They will be loyal in return.

Acefrul (the 8-armed mentions she is of House Caldrana, a Drow noble house who forges armaments. She proposes to supply armaments to Osirion, in exchange for territory in the underdark and perhaps some day being allowed to come to the surface.

It was Flauros who triggered the volcanic eruptions near De'Jeng.

With Raqhsa, we sneak through a volcanic portal in the Sea of Fire beneath the City of Brass (past House Ekaaro guards), into the Blood Pyre Fields. After navigating through the guard-house, we emerge into a field where there are lots of smithies at work.

Within the Abyss, we'll arrive in the realm of Flauros (the Blood Pyre Fields) https://www.worldanvil.com/w/the-history-and-future-of-golarion-cody-love/a/flauros-person

Jett is Alryish's uncle

Muse Ekaaro is Raqsa's sister

Apparently Sulymon was last sighted in the City of Brass in Cycle [b]17[/b]. Osirion Gods first appeared in CoB in Cycle [b]53[/b] . Note that the sultana (veiled statue) served in office [b]18[/b]-44 and then [b]54[/b]-80 Yismina mentions that Sulymon (in a sense) created the CoB.

When Javad hears that Alryish nearly decided to give the package to the Norgorbans, he loses the plot.

Rifshar wants us to claim that we met the gods and they gave us the information from the package (locations of historic Osirian artefacts).

The earthquakes when we left the City of Brass were a result of Set opening a way for us to return to Osirion. He has created a new path to the Abyss, to a nation in the far north known as Scorosis. Set has made a deal with the demons to get us through. From there, we will have to figure out how to get back to Osirion (but it should be a lot easier than going direct from here).

Alryish (correctly pronounced more Alyish, not Alrish) is descended from Horus, and Rifshar implies that he would be a good choice of Pharaoh especially to come back and restore connections with the City of Brass. Zabti / Tarbish is Alryish's father. Part of him remained in Osirion after the connections closed. Raqsa Lahab is his mother. Javad is your cousin.

Javad claims the Norogrbans want restoration in the City of Brass, and a return for Osirion. But down their path is ruthlessness, darkness, self-lathing, jadedness, and a wrong path. Zabti disagrees, saying there is a time and place for everything (but not necessarily that the Norgorbans are great).

Cayru Razavian challenges the Karim rebel, initially Karim refuses but is goaded into accepting. He gets knocked unconscious, Najafi casts a force barrier to protect him (dishonourably). Razavian tries to break the barrier to kill Karim, but is killed by Iqbal first.

Abarsi is the sultan. Razavian and Zafir were really the only supporters left. The others were gradually siding with Karim and Iqbal.

The great houses played a part in undermining Osirian during the Kelesh invasion.

Iqbal and Karim plotted to kill Sarenrae...??

He tells us: The Story of Generation of Betrayal. Six cycles ago the government was overthrown. Many people know pieces, but few know the whole story. In your year 1366*, the week of the fall of Osirion. Iqbal and Karim had been plotting the downfall of Osirion, simultaneously leading to Flamestrike. They were bothered by Abarsi's weakening and open nature. Starfall Doctrine? They were promised first marriage to the next lord. Najafi were strong. Najafi archives may have more information about significant events that are happening in the current time. Darwish's support was important. Javad's grandfather was in love with Zabti's mother; now an open secret. All of the speculation about the fake defeats at the hands of the Illithids seems to have been true. The noble elemental lords robbed the Malik. Unclear [to us, the party - censored knowledge?] what they stole. * Date may not be accurate for new timeline.

Rifshar says he and Worthle will be able to open the package, and if necessary edit it for sharing with the Norgorbans. He says we need to flee back to Osirion, to make sure things go right. We can then come back when we're powerful enough to defy the Norgorbans. In theory they could edit the message and we could remain in the Plane of Fire, acting as double agents... but that would be too dangerous. Turns out Zabti Rifshar is.... Tarbish Zafir!!! https://www.worldanvil.com/w/the-history-and-future-of-golarion-cody-love/a/tarbish-zafir-person?preview=true

Javad takes us to meet Zabti Rifshar.

It's time for me to tell you a story.

Javad emerges! He mentions that he and Zabti work together.

The Dragon (Worthle) comes and finds us with Yismina and Hallaj in train. All seems kosher. The dragon tests that none of us are Norgorbans in disguise, then takes us back to the volcano.

We decide to send Hallaj to the dragon to see if Yismina is being held under protection, rather than as captive.

I get elected(? mutinied?) as party leader

I miss a session...

We reach a dust desert. We fight a brass dragon and it eventually flees by burrowing into the dust.

We discover a Norgorban hanging off the bottom of our carriage, Sideshow Bob-style. We manage to kill him and recover some loot.

Acaysu gets possessed by an ancestor who speaks to us grandly: I am the Pharaoh of spirits My passion lies in what comes beyond. Some other stuff that seems to hint at necromancy. Return to Osirion; travel south and seek me out.

Hikmat makes a big speech about how great we all are and some "promotions" are in order when we get back to the city.

Our carriage is ambushed by a black metallic serpent with red shining through in between its scales (the red wyrm??) but we fight it off (66dmg - seems low for scaring off a powerful kidnapping dragon...) and it retreats.