50.0 - Hearts and Minds

Sil'Ferrous now will occaisionally see "ghosts" of things now that he's used the last charge of the water temple thing.   Holg is angery at Paritet people due to failed sanity save with Ånd.   Ixen can feel the presence of chaotic forces, as well as their absences. He knows the location of Ild, and the general direction of any other living dragon. He is immune to fire damage, but vulnerable to cold.   Kallista +2 sanity check for rifts. Can control the destination unless rolls <10=Amalgamation. Rolling a 1 tears open an uncontrolable rift that has stuff start pouring out of it. Korinth gives instruction to focus on pulling on the threads of time magic from the other world, this gives more control.   Atani took dream research flyer   Wind magic is out of wack because there's no energy magic to counter balance it, unless And releases some of it.

Plot points/Scenes

Recap

  The group has met Zlæ Kulden after a quick stabbing and now engage themselves in scholarly debate to figure out the course of the future, which may be influenced by the note written by Kilith.  

The Plan

  Current Day Water Cycle Day 21   They are given a small medallion of Script stone with "Sviðe ja, a'kem rø næ. (You did not fail him.)" to present to Zlae.   Arrive at Riner Is. Ixen collapses, shock of the power of Is negating the power given by Ild. Not unconcious, but definitely dazed and not really there.   Zlea description. His black hair hang hangs in a mess around his head, though he doesn keep it out of his face, but it might just be frozen that way. His rather well-kept leather armor is dark nautral color with yellow colored embellishments. His skin almost as dark as his leathers and he stands about 6'5" tall. His green eyes hold a different kind of intensity than someone else who looks almost exactly like this guy; Zaru.   Conversation with Zlae. He will also be stuck in that loop. He is aware that time has passed, but he only remembers yesterday as the day Pritet launched their attack on Zremak, and Is joined, Bevarelse wrote on the stones and charged him with protecting this peak and Is's remains, and Is clawing and staggering back up to the peak bleeding ice-blue blood and terribly scorched across her neck, and then she died; and he waited for Paritet's inevitable assualt upon the peak, but they haven't come yet.  
  • What info does Zlea know about the past? He knows everything up to Is's death; so he does not know Vira is dead, Omdanne was wounded, that Paritet has reigned for the past 136 years. Vira isn't a villain, just chose the wrong path. The same with his brother. But that does not stop him from fighting them. He wrote Elemental Equivalence right before Vira rallied the people to her to defeat the root cause of so many struggles.
  • About the tablets? Tablets? In the Amalgamation? Acting as "seals"? It was broken while the dragon was dead, but repaired upon their resurrection? Then it seems likely the "seal" is a representation of the barrier the dragons provide; each individual seal part of a greater barrier around our world. The beings released with each seal? Perhaps they are pulled or trapped close to our world, being of the Amalgamation that closely mimic the manifestion of elements.
  • About the Amalgamation? Is that what it has been named? It is some other world with strange creatures and constantly in turmoil. I know that rifts tear open when a dragon's power isn't used. I did not study them much; only as Vira's voice grew louder. And then there was no time left for research. But I think this links to the "seals"; I think this world is somehow tied to the In Between, or at least the magics that comprise it are. Mortal's magic is the prime example; it comes straight from the Amalgamation, just with far less resistance than calling upon elemental magic.
  • About the balance of elemental magic? That it is a chaotic process, but it always balances itself out. At least, while the dragons are around. Without the dragons, who's to say? If mortals
  They will need to wait another day for Bevarelse to arrive. Near the end of the next day is when they will see an ancient silver dragon fly in from the south. Bevarelse arrives, still weary, but enough juice in him to restore Is's heart.  
  Finish their conversation. Zlæ's theory about the dragons putting more magic into amalgamation than mortals can is based on his equations. He makes mention in his work that while the magic is ultimately balanced, it's not perfect; the ratios are nearly never 1:1. So his theory is that the dragon must push at least some of their magic into the Amalgamation, since there's no where else for the magic to go.   And you mention Korinth has said before that there was no elemental magic in the Amalgamation before the death of any dragons. To which Zlæ asks what is Korinth? How are you sure he's right about that?   What does Korinth know?   Come to a decision. Also, what to do about Paritet?   Rest.   Watches? Attack in the morning, as Zlæ no longer remembers yesterday as actual yesterday. They will need to present the crest.   Current Day Water Cycle Day 22   Bevarelse arrives, as an Ancient Silver Dragon. Lands on the peak, and transforms back into humanoid form. He speaks to Zlæ in Script, greeting him and confirming that it has in fact been 136 years. Zlæ asks about the results of the war. Bevarelse suggests that he release Zlæ to learn and find out for himself. You've done well beyond enough. You have kept her safe, but now it's time to let go.   Bevarelse places a hand on Zlæ's forehead and one hand arced away adn then a bolt of lightning is shot into the sky, releasing the pressure and power that kept Zlæ preserved in that state of the day Is died.   If they want to kill all the dragons, then Bevarelse suggests they start with Is and Vand. Zlæ has Is's heart on him. It can be crushed by one of Ild's "weapons", so Ixen will need to do it (he is lucid enough to do it, just takes some time). Atani can break Vand's using a Natur "weapon".   When one of the hearts is broken, the elemental power goes to explode out from the heart, and knocks everyone down.   They stand up and are in Bevarelse's mind. They open their eyes and find themselves in a void, lit only by frequent strikes of lightning, which illuminates in flashes that they are standing on top of a vast, dark ocean of water that only ever ripples as they move across it, no matter how fast. One area is permanently lit, from an unknown source, but it's right near them; Bevarelse. He's standing and muttering to himself, face in a grim panic and eyes fixated on his hands in front of him holding a small sphere of ice. But the ice is spreading, up his arms and across the water below him. He can't get it under control; he can't remember how.   They need to find his locked away memories on ice. They will notice that easch lightning strike leaves a pool of a memeory on the water's surface. And there's one area in particular that the lightning strikes before the water, and does not light up that area. That area is a dark spot of his memory, they will need to solve a puzzle to get in, and once inside there is a huge chunk of ice with a figure frozen inside.   Touching the ice deals 10d6 cold damage.   Roll a d6 to see if the lightning strikes anyone. on a 1 or 2, the lightning strikes someone (roll a d4). Once struck, it deals 2d10 lightning damage and 1 level of exhaustion is added as they are flooded with the emotions tied to the striking memory.   Memory examples: clashing with a gold dragon—Omdanne—at a port town; the town is decimated. perserving the mind of a a familiar triton, Kord Jepsen (Kord "Preservation" Varlsonn). Watching as you arrive to late to save Vand, and he is struck down by Vira, falling into the chasm of an un-script-stoned Klipafand. Shaking hands with the first monk "I am glad to have an ally in this cause". Sitting in the cavern with Vand's bones, reflecting on your past mistakes; "This is my fault, you wouldn't have to had died if I was stronger. Strong enough to have kept you with me."   Key memories: separation from Vand, a painful scream and blood soaking the claws and blood pooling from chest while water magic begins to take form; and desoute the pain there is a hateful satisfaction; "good riddance". trying to blow a breeze into existance to cool down the people farming, only to cause a gale that strips the land bare; furious failure and regret, anger at yoruself and your power. Is standing before you and your bloody claw, a look of hurt confusion that quickly fades in her expression; childish anger fading to relief and a newfound calm inside you.   puzzle: gathering snippets from memories to find the correct combination of words to break the ice. it will be a DC15 Dex check to try and glimpse a pool without being struck. The correct combination is "I am sorry". i, am, are, we, just, sorry, regret, hatred, forgive, you, cause, only, suffering   The ice shatters into pieces, and the figure stands; Bevarelse, but more androdynous and with white hair, pale blue eyes, immensely pale skin, younger, and naked. The figure says nothing, does not interact with the party, and walks at a decent pace to Bevarelse. The figure is not affected by touching the frozen ice, and clasps Bevarelse's hands. The ice stops spreading. Bevarelse looks to the figure, recognition, says "I'm sorry". The figure says "you are a youngling no longer; you've grown much", and then there's a burst of energy that sends everyone out of Bevarelse's mind.   It's taxing on him. The rise in temperature is noticeable after Is's heart is broken; it's still cold as hell, but it doesn't permeate through the area so much (you can feel the loss of magic in the area). Bevarelse quietly weeps.   When Bevarelse turns back into a silver dragon, he looks a bit different; a lot more blue in his silver colroing, and the fin membrane connecting between his spines along his back and tail are receding down. And he's longer than before.   Zlæ will follow whatever Bevarelse desires. And he would be more than happy to confront his brother, though he doesn't want to kill his brother.   What happens if they kill Omdanne before her aspects? Then it's just an easier fight. If Natur isn't resurrected, then there's nothing she can do, and then they can just destroy the heart after Omdanne is dead; the magic is released into the world and opens the seal to the Amalgamation.   If they want to revive the dragons, then Bevarelse can rekindle Is's heart, and Zlæ will become her champion. When he's done, his eyes are an icy blue-white and he's always cold to the touch. Blue veins of ice spead from his chest that make the symbol for Is, with the lines above and below.  
  How can we start to tie in Holg's heritage and Kallista's heritage with this world?

Relations

Allies

Valki: https://5e.tools/bestiary.html#assassin_mm plus fire resistance and can cast thaumaturgy cantrip, hellish rebuke at 2nd-level 1 per long rest, darkness 1 per long rest. Charisma is spellcasting ability.

Backdrops

Encounters

Zlae stat block: Alyxian the Absolved
What I need
  • Effects of Sil'Ferrous's flyers
  • Uh, probably the merging effects for Is, just in case someone from the party takes it.
DC 20 Sanity check success = Wherever she thought of going failure = coin flip Havon Riner Is
Valki, Kallista's sister. Conscripted into the Enforcers not too long ago while Kallista was gone. About 5-ish years younger than Kallista (kallista's probably around 45ish?) and she's a little spontaneous and fiesty. offspring of Graz'zt.


Cover image: by holyflpncows

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