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Real, Under, Dark: Indrada

by Steel Claw

Recap of Previous Session (Steel was out)

The party heading from that outpost to the giants' city of Indrada. A yeti attacked on the way, and everyone had a bad time (Izol as a monkey popsicle, Theo trying to fathom Steel's artifice). The next day brought the party to Krithi's tomb, the storm-slayer and "breaker of the order". Izol used the skeleton key to open the tomb; once inside, door closed, no magic to teleport the party out. Exploration led us to the Underdark, to a city far underground -- with a bridge across a subterranean lake to a living city. Giants on giant spiders approached, and one of them (a shaman) told us about the "test of sight". We were taken into the "real" Indrada underground (the aboveground is a fake) for this proving.

Krithi the frost giant once defied the ordnung, breaking the system for all giants as he took his following to the under Indrada, as a haven.

Withstanding a shaman's gaze

Theo was the first to agree, standing before the cloud giant shaman. From what we could see, energy crashed into the wizard like a wave, overwhelming him as the shaman channeled his future sight. Yet within the maelstrom, Theo could barely make out a voice in the cacophany -- though with great ardur and focus, he was able to make out words. Words, then a foreign language that eventual melds into Common:

Show spoiler

"the reckoning of the divine is at hand /
the return of the lich-god should bear fruit /
of shapeless malice that will make /
ruin of golden stone and expunge all light /
the forsaken serpent at the center of creation /
shall seek the engine of destruction"

As Theo explained (vaguely) what he saw, the shaman seemed enthused. He called Theo a "seer", and questioned him about fate-magic and things the rest of our group did not understand. This revelation satisfied him though, and (apparently) Theo's "vision" (or prophecy, or whatever) spoke for the rest of the group. We all didn't need to go through the "withstanding".

Our wizard explained further the attacks from the giants on the Arcadian outposts -- after a relic was dug up from the ground. The shaman explained that the artifact was not from the giants but from the beholders. "True" Indrada has, for whatever reason, many relics and treasures that dare not see the light of day. What Arcadia dug up is one of these; the "living gate" is another. This Living Gate is the only passage in the realm to the "far plane", which houses "great old ones". Beings, things beyond this world that sever fate and time and all existence.

The shaman spoken of the opening of the living gate, when a connection is made between our realm and that of the Old Ones. This had happened before, taking nothing less than the unity of all divine beings, gods, and creatures; the Old One that passed through the gate then is now what we call the Abyss, the home plane of chaos and demons. That is what opening the Living Gate means. And the Living Gate is the relic Arcadia had dug up (accidentally or otherwise).

Without input, the cloud giant declared that we would have to seal off this "living gate" (or the shrine where it resides), not only ending the madness (afflicting the Arcadian on Indrada) as well as "protecting this timeline". It seems the cloud shaman does not see time the way we do.

With that, we were granted safe travel from the Shaman Thurian while in Indrada (above- or belowground).

Jotun Artifacts

The shrine where the living gate resides is beneath Chillmoon Tower, aboveground in Ibrithil. In order to gain entrance, we (the short version) need to collect relics to "prove" in a sense that we are allies of the giants. We can collect as many as we see fit, but as one would expect more would be better. Thurian named the following locales:

Varenmund, an old watchtower that lies before Karkasa's Pass. The pass itself is a living nightmare.

Nastali.

Borea Cave.

The observatory at Hatewind Peak.

Wander Hall, the only surface-side settlement of giants on Ibrithil. They are unfond of outsiders, but we could buy aid from them.

Further help

Here in Indrada, there is an explorer's guild we could look to for help. Thurian explained that not all in the city are jotun, but all (in general) are "exiles" in one way or another. As we left, Murg elaborated also that giants hate the gods (and therefore their servants).

Thurian named as well an artificer that worked out of the Lock and Key; "Sawscha" should be found there.

As a token of goodwill, the shaman organized to send relief and supplies to the Arcadian Fort Richter.

Locked and Keyed

We were greeted at the inn by Renée, who semi-warned us about Sawscha but otherwise used a stone of sending (painfully so?) to contact the artificer.

Through a secret door behind the bar, we walked down a narrow corridor to find Sawscha. Strange hammering noises echoed before us, Murg apprehensively turning the door handle before us.

Sawscha's workshop was two stories, semi-circular, lit by alchemist's torches. Sawscha themselves was a succubus, currently hammering a sword of pure gold. Theo was enamored, and Steel respectful. Murg asked for a belt of hill giant's strength (4500gp). She noted the Claw's craftsmanship, offering to take a look at it -- much to Steel's defensiveness.

Back in the inn, with drinks from Renée Steel asked about the explorer's guild; there are other newcomers that were making lots of coin exploring the Underdark of Ibrithil before they broke up. Their druid Yrna is still around.

Sawscha was the one who forged Krithi's sword. It was made from a fragment of Cronus' blade, and sits in the palace of Indrada (where Krithi is). Is Krithi alive? No one knows; the palace is unguarded (and the blade is there). Interesting fact: Sawscha doesn't make helms nor bracers; their partner did, before they lost their life.

(Cronus was a titan, the first who defied the gods' (and killed so many gods that he was imprisoned.)

Explorers Down Under

When we made our way to the explorer's guild to find Yrna, a giant inside pointed us towards a throng of people -- "she's popular". Yrna, as the second "important feminine person of the day", is gorgeous; the druid was, as we found her, leading a group in meditation (that wrapped up as we approached). She was almost messiac, curing ailments and offering guidance where she could. on our approach, Yrna recognized Theobald Hornraven: "your mother is a dear friend". The group spoke privately in her chamber. Steel explained the situation, and after mulling it over spilled the details of locations and the general gist of the quest.

Yrna knows of Hatewind Peak -- a white dragon currently resides there. This one, moreso than others of its chromatic species, is chaotic on a good day. It may be young, but she still fears it.

She's never been to Yarenmund, but knows there's quite a lot of treasure there.

Murg returned, and renegotiated correctly in our favor, including a non-disclosure agreement. Yrna, despite the paperwork, seems pleased.

Steel went to see Yrna -- when infusing Murg's gavel there was something wrong with the composition, and one artificer went to another for help. "If you looking to save time and money, coat the gavel in holy water for a quarter hour, then fire it in the crucible for an hour. Should do the trick." They shot the shit over the item, and Sawscha offered Steel to use part of their forge as he worked the infusion for Murg. At one point the conversation turned serious, with Sawscha supporting Steel: "you're gonna go far [kid]". Sawscha gave Steel a sending stone, and Steel Sawscha his gold bead.

A day off

Yrna met with the group bright and early, and slowly we roused everyone.

As we left the city through the underground, we first came upon a cavern with a high vertical column (of cave) full of flitting bats. Through Icarus, Theo saw that high above the bats were eating some kind of gemstones. Yrna knew them to be icthyian topaz, "a delicacy", "farmed" (or grown, unclear) by umber hulks.

We left the way we entered Indrada, which surprised us when we came upon a lit, carved tunnel leading deeper into the earth. Murg identified stylized carvings of gusts of wind and birds of prey flying over mountains and gems, stones cut to look like stained glass. Debating, we decided to investigate further down the hall, stopping at a gold-inlaid door the size of a halfling. When Theo went to knock, the door swung inwards on its own, to reveal a dining hall -- a golden table laid out with a spendid feast. Nearby, a fountain poured out clean water; across from the room stood a statue (of a robed figure) with its hands clasped. An inscription ran around its base: "To those who have need, this chamber will appear. May the Wayfarer's blessings be upon you." Yrna mused this could be a shrine of a 'Wayfarer' saint.

Whatever blessing was in the food, we all partook. We rested and talked jovially, before gathering once again to first thank the Wayfarer before moving on, heading towards the surface and onwards.