DoA|Chapter 13|Part 4: Rite of the New Moon

General Summary

The End is Here

Norran had explained to the group that the Rite of the New Moon required a great deal of time and focus to ensure its success; he would need them to protect him while he concentrated on the ritual himself. The longer they could hold Urguzuth back, the more likely Norran's success would be. This proved more difficult than one would think, as Urguzuth's head and hands that had emerged were already hurling devastation their way. Selm, Salvor, and Bheldrak were ripped into the air, held there by a gravitational field while Norran was repeatedly pelted with eldritch energy. Urguzuth's eyes, when they could not find Norran, would settle elsewhere and unleash beams of psychic power on his perceived victim.

After escaping the gravitational field conjured by the being and getting a few solid hits in with their weapons, the party was surprised to see Urguzuth suddenly retreat from them, enveloping himself within a magical barrier that began knitting the small knicks and cuts they had made in his colossal form. As he focused on his healing, hands of pure radiant moonlight pulled themselves free from the wounds as various people familiar to the party suddenly emerged in forms of brilliant white light. They seemed amorphous at first, but as they came into focus, the exalted seven were stunned. For Selm, he saw monks from Rasariit who had educated him. To Caiomhe Nightreach her parents Argus and Fiona appeared. Sidra Snowdrift, after all this time, was at last reunited with her captain and first mate: Acva Muugheil and Kathia Silvermoon. Salvor recognized his brother Erdar immediately, though the boy's wrists were as good as they had been before being destroyed by Girda Wristrend, and Gertrude 'Gerty' Switchback Vanatore was a bit disappointed to see Craetarius again, as full of himself as he'd always been.

Perhaps the most surprised of all, however, was Bheldrak, who saw the amorphous humanoid shape before him meld into the armored, greatsword-wielding warrior of Valadreth Rotweaver, Plaguebringer of K'Valme. Valadreth commented on Bheldrak's draconic appearance before leaping away, landing on an island near Urguzuth's head and driving his blade, glowing with moonlight, into the monstrosity's face. Arrows from Caiomhe's parents flew at the Unknowable and, before Urguzuth could swing again, he was back to trying to keep his wounds closed. It was amidst the chaos of this fight that Norran saw who had come to stand by him. To his left stood the enchanter V'Raj Eladrin, and to his right he saw the man he'd loved, forgotten, and finally recalled: Damaris. The two moved in to aid Norran on his casting of the Rite of the New Moon, further bolstering his ability to maintain the exhuasting ritual.

New Moon

After being reassured by Damaris that he was ready, and that it was now or never, Norran concluded the ritual and began the attempt to seal Urguzuth away. Damaris interrupted him, however, and advised that it did not have to be Norran. Damaris, who had been told prior to his death that Judecata would require greater atonement still, moved in to aid Norran and sacrifice himself to become the new moon instead. The exalted around him pelted the ghastly monster with everything they had, the divine sparks they had claimed from Esiik'vlk sacrificed to empower the rite further, weapons growing heavy and burdensome in the hands of their wielders as the exaltations faded. Threads of moonlight shot forth from Damaris's body, wrapping around the subdued form of Urguzuth, the Eldest Evil. It was time.

Farewell, Friends

New forms began spilling out of Urguzuth's wounds—other moonlit bodies, representing the most resilient souls Urguzuth had claimed during his time conquering their reality. Those who had stayed true to themselves in spite of the endless inky void in which they'd been trapped emerged to see the party one last time, bidding a true farewell before the new moon was formed.

Acva

Captain Acva told Sidra he was impressed by her ability to command a vessel, and that she would make an excellent captain.

Balren

Balren Norvison asked Sidra to assure his father and Kegginston that he was doing something worthy of a ballad.

Craetarius Nakorai

Even in his final moment, Craetarius remained convinced that this story had, in some way, been about him. He recited a poem for everyone as he ascended into the heavens.

Erakhan Makathune

Erakhan, never having been one to mince words or deliver heartfelt farewells, simply mentioned that he'd lived more lives than he'd deserved and that he hoped this next one wouldn't be quite so bad.

Emedyr Lamalet

The sight of Emedyr von Lamalet among the dead was a shocking one to those present in this moment. Emedyr von Lamalet, the middle child of the adopted Lamalets, appealed to Bheldrak Vanatore to stop Mirshara as he had failed to do. The implication was clear.

Erdar Fleetfoot Suden

Erdar, younger brother of Salvor, told his brother that he was impressed by him, but that it was time for him to move on from his death; Salvor needed to live, not waste his life in mourning.

Filch

Filch Vanatore, an impressive sight, appeared before them there. He told Bheldrak he had accepted his offer, in the end, and had felt his ties to Revansa end in that moment. He was glad he was finally going to get a chance to fight for something worth the battle.

Fiona and Argus Nightreach

The parents of Caiomhe and Arwel told their daughter how proud they were of everything she'd achieved and how far she had come, but asked her to keep finding something to fight for—to not go quietly or give up.

Gibbler

Gibbler McKrunch looked around for a moment to find someone he recognized, his eyes settling on Bheldrak. He asked the dragonborn to relay his apologies and regrets to Kegginston, and told him that he really did try to resist the spirit within the rapier, that just wasn't the sort of battle he was made to fight.

Grafalcon

The brother of Valadreth Rotweaver, who had taken his own life after Urguzuth had taken his brother's, Grafalcon Rotweaver appeared before the party. He looked to his brother, a fellow lunar being, gave him a nod, and said nothing more. Nothing more needed to be said.

Iosif Olaru

The violinist from Evimahnah Casino, Iosif Olaru, appeared before them. He asked that the Frostflower Travelers not hate Cafley too much—in Iosif's final moments, he had seen remarkable conviction in the woman. She had deeply and truly believed that her cause was a righteous one.

Joggor

While the temptation to hate the old God of Stories was strong, the party recalled that they had learned of Joggor's change of heart in the end, which had gotten him killed by his own god. Joggor left them with a few passing words of wisdom, honoring himself for the most part, and reiterated that he had, in the end, been the hero they needed.

Kathia

The girl that Chaos Legion has previously known as Esta Ravenmane moved to her husband Acva's side and turned to Bheldrak, asking him to not hold Adalius von Lamalet in contempt for her death and Acva's—she didn't understand it then, but she now sees he was doing what was necessary to save the love of his life, and she would have done the same thing. She wishes they'd just given him the eye.

Dr. Triquiis Fenwyn

Triquiis Fenwyn was finally reunited with her best friend, Valadreth Rotweaver, and prepared to fight by his side for the next millennium as they battled to keep Urguzuth contained. Mostly, she lamented her lack of a prepared statement as she ascended into the heavens together.

Valadreth Rotweaver

Finally given voice after twenty years in silence, Valadreth bade farewell once more to those he knew, though only Bheldrak was there in the moment. In this next phase of his afterlife, though, he wouldn't be alone. Valadreth would fight alongside Triq, his brother Grafalcon, and many others he had encountered on his journey as they participated in an everlasting struggle against the Eldest Evil.

V'Raj Eladrin

The enchanter, shopkeeper, and powerful mage V'Raj Eladrin turned to Norran and advised him to keep up the good work on his study of Tasseomancy, while advising that precise and accurate temperature was one of the key elements of the school of magic he had been studying and evolving throughout his life. With that, he gave Bheldrak a nod in respect and farewell before his own ascension into the skies above.

Damaris, the Moon

And finally, as the lunar tendrils emanating from his body formed a sphere around Urguzuth and Damaris's body glowed with blinding moonlight, he kissed Norran and told him not to give up—he needed to keep on living, and Damaris would always be watching over him. With that, his body burst into moonlit energy as Damaris's body was spread out through the ribbons of moonlight that ensnared Urguzuth. He, together with all the remaining souls of those who had been lost or stolen, rocketed into the sky, bursting through what remained of the veil of darkness and causing those shreds of black to finally recede, melting away and finally bringing an end to the Age of Withering while the new moon hung suspended in the starlit sky over Aen.

The Crashing of Cor'Athvaarn

The eldritch city began to shudder. Chunks of it started to fall, careening toward the ground below. Its trajectory had been southward, toward the the Crescent Temple, and without Urguzuth's gravitational pull present, it was no longer held there in the air above. It began to rocket toward the south, leaving a trail of debris in its wake.

Escape of the Exalted

Those who had been exalted, but no longer were, rushed downward to get as close to the mountain peaks as they could before leaping from the floating islands on which they'd battled Urguzuth. Bheldrak's griffin glided down to carry as many of them as it could to safety, alighting before the entrance to the Crescent Temple as the city of Cor'Athvaarn passed over southern Aduna and vanished over the horizon.

Sunrise

Within the heart of the city, Wetzel had found as many of the others as he could and gathered them around him as he activated Triq's Rift Generator. The city continued to careen southward, and he could see the landmass of Elzveir by the time the generator was fully charged and ready to go. He whisked them to the safest place he could think of that had not yet been touched by Cor'Athvaarn: Verde, though not quite in the city proper. The coordinates he entered brought them to the southeastern coast of Aduna, where they collapsed onto frigid shores. The waves crashed against rocks nearby, and a gentle breeze—surprisingly not as bitingly cold as the winds had been for the past two decades—rustled the great leaves of a nearby palm tree, which Bolkos slowly ambled toward to rest against.

As they got their bearings, everyone's eyes were drawn eastward to a splay of orange, pink, and purple color. For some, they'd never seen such a phenomenon. For others, they'd forgotten its majesty entirely.

The sun was rising over Aen.

Session Meta

Missions/Quests Completed

Complete the Rite of the New Moon and Seal Urguzuth Away

Notes

Additional characters also emerged as part of Urguzuth's sealing, including Lillium Rugeli, the real Aguni Kane, Marius von Inalt, Girda Wristren, and multiple others. Even some from other realities entirely whose souls Urguzuth had claimed made an appearance, recognized or not.

Report Date

30 Dec 2024

Primary Location

City of Cor'Athvaarn

Secondary Location

Verde

Related Characters