Session 11: The Passage to Dolendai Report

General Summary

Lysday the 29th of Harvestide evening in the year 3025 AF
The Fatebound reverently carried the body of Bjorn Shattershield back to the mausoleum they had found in the old cemetery. They thought it was only fitting that they should entomb the warrior in a place sacred to Dalana, a place that also served as the last resting place of one of her most honored heroes, Morgrim Brightblade.
Although normally not a man of many words, Leonardo was moved to say a few words as they laid Bjorn to rest. The paladin took a deep breath and spoke from his heart saying that they could all learn something from the dedication and devotion to duty that the deceased warrior had displayed. Bjorn had waited alone for many years in a ruined wasteland with no clear idea when his service would be at an end, persevering long enough to fulfill his duty and give the Fatebound information about their past. Leonardo vowed that Bjorn's sacrifice would not be in vain.
In the awkward silence that followed, Arveer moved forward and began to recite a poem entitled "Two Paths" telling his friends later that it had been written by his beloved sister. He believed for so long that his sister and Iados were the only family he had left, but now he was not so sure.
Shayne knelt down outside and began praying raising his arms to the sky as he did so. After he was done Gilligan asked him who he had been praying too as they had not seen Shayne praying before. He told them that he had started worshipping the goddess Aurus. The goddess reminded him of his lost love and helped purge his spirit of the anger he felt toward his friend Korwin who had killed his mother.
Iados had also drifted away from the group and was standing alone, one of his hands conspicuously in his pocket fiddling with something there. Tenzin and Arveer approached him and learned that their friend had a trinket in his pocket that represented his fiendish father. He told them he would often fiddle with the trinket when he needed to think. He also confided in them that he had looked up to his father at one time, but now he wanted nothing to do with him.
As they all settled down to rest, Shayne decided to leaf through the Journal of Bjorn Shattershield. What he found there was shocking and he immediately told his friends. Not only were there brief entries from Bjorn describing each of their parent's, but it was also filled with cryptic entries about the mission they had been sent on by the Shining Circle. Reading the journal steeled their resolve to find the portal that would lead them to the lost city of Dolendai.
Belsday the 30th of Harvestide in the year 3025 AF
They rose the next day after a restless night and headed off immediately in search of the portal to Dolendai. They had no clear idea where they were going, but they had a new sense of purpose and a look of determination was etched on their faces. Shayne and Gilligan led the way about twenty paces in front of the group on the lookout for trouble. They picked up a trail and decided to follow it and see where it led.
A few hours into the journey as the lightning continued to fall, they approached a rocky area with scattered pools of brackish water. Sensing danger, they stopped and motioned for their friends to approach. Together the Fatebound moved forward approaching two large mesas flanking a pair of standing stones along the path ahead. A bright flash of lightning revealed a figure standing between the stones. It was a muscular half-orc wearing no armor with his arms folded boldly across his chest. He wore lose pants held up by a green sash that fluttered in the breeze behind him.

Krugark of the Green Blades

Orc by Matthew McKeown

Before anyone else could react, Arveer drew his sword and screamed a war cry yelling, "Krugark! I Arveer son of Lorgar of House Bloodbane, here in sight of the gods and the Fatebound sentence you to die!!!" He then charged headlong toward the orc.
Things happened quickly after that. No sooner had Arveer sprung forward then archers who had been hiding on the mesas above fired upon the Fatebound catching them in a crossfire. They all wore green sashes similar to the one the orc was wearing. Beyond the standing stones more hidden warriors leapt to the attack and the battle was joined.
As Arveer grew closer to the orc he was slowed by nets that had been cleverly hidden along the path. Determined he continued forward, but upon reaching the orc he realized too late that the orc was only an illusion. Ropes had been cleverly hidden at the base of the stones and the legs of the dragonborn warrior were snared and he was pulled upside down between the stones. He struggled to free himself from the trap infuriated that he allowed his anger to get the best of him. Druss and Leonardo took position in the center moving toward the ambushers with determination. Tenzin moved into cover and prepared to jump in to help his friends as needed. Iados used his spells to harry the archers on the rocks. Shayne slowly crept forward working to get behind the attackers and turn the tables on them. Scanning the battlefield, Gilligan was not surprised to see his old friend Burrin moving to attack him.
As the battle progressed it was clear that the Green Blades had underestimated the Fate Bound. Druss and Leonardo methodically dispatched the fighters who had sprung out of hiding and Shayne and Iados focused on the archers on the mesas. Gilligan used hideous laughter on one of the archers causing him to fall to his death. Burrin then used earthen grasp to crush the life out of Gilligan who fell to the ground. Arveer freed himself just in time to chase after Burrin along with Shayne. The dwarf fled from the enraged dragonborn and they were unable to catch him. The battle was over and Tenzin was able to revive his friend Gilligan.
As they inspected the bodies, each with a green sash, Arveer wondered aloud why they had wanted to take him alive as even after he was free of the trap he was not attacked. Gilligan was upset that Burrin had got the best of him and longed to face him again. Leonardo slowly walked away from the group as he had an overwhelming feeling drawing him to a standing stone along the path they had been following.

The Mysterious Standing Stone

Trisquel. Past, present and future by Edu Herbosa

Carefully, they all approached the stone, inexplicably drawn toward it by some unseen force. Indecipherable elvish runes covered the surface of the ancient rock. The stone seemed to hum with energy from unseen force. Leonardo reached out and touched the stone. As he did so he stood stock still, his eyes starting into the distance. Unable to remove his hand from the stone or get his attention, his friends decided to touch the stone as well. They all felt that they had been guided here to this eerie place in the middle of a no-man's land to this stone to learn its secrets.
As soon as they had all reached out and touched the worn surface of the ancient rock, a blinding flash of lightning struck the ground and they felt weightless. As their vision returned, they found themselves hovering above a cloudy, storm-wracked sky. They were falling slowly and broke through the cloud cover to see a city below them. Beautiful architecture with curved lines and round towers spread out in every direction. It would have been a wonderous sight if not for the fires that were spreading throughout the city and the lightning strikes that crashed into the buildings reducing them to rubble.
They moved over the city heading toward a large tower near the city center. A battle was raging there between elves clad in golden armor and long-haired humans with swords that crackled with electricity. The Fate Bound passed over the fighting and through the walls of the tower. They were in a central chamber open to the sky above. A monolith covered in runes was in the center of the room. Yellow runes glowing on the green surface of the stone. Seven Elves in robes stood around the monolith chanting. They were each holding a green runestone in their left hands. A smashing sound resounded through the chamber, the attackers had broken through. At that moment, each of the robed elves took their runestone and placed it in the monolith. A blinding flash lit the entire room in greenish light and with that the heroes found themselves back in the real world looking at the standing stone now glowing with yellow runes. Leonardo looked down and noticed a green pouch at his feet that had not been there before. He picked it up and opened it to find it was filled with small blocks of green stones with a yellow rune on them.
Without saying a word they all knew. They must find the ruins of that tower. The monolith from their vision was the key to finding Dolendai.
They needed a rest after the battle and their otherworldly encounter with the monolith. Iados wandered away from the group wanting to be alone. As he did so he reached into his pocket as he had done so many times before to find the token representing his father. He was surprised to find that it was very warm to his touch. This time he welcomed the feeling for he knew that it meant his father would heed his call.
It did not take long. Iados felt his presence and turned to face his father who had appeared silently behind him. The fiend greeted him by saying, “Ah my son so you have finally come to your senses.”

Father of Iados

Krom Tiefling Warlock

“That’s not what this is about father. Do you know what they are planning? Do you know anything about these githyanki and the Green Blades?”
The fiend moved slowly around Iados looking him up and down as he did so. Then in a deep, but melodious voice he said, “Of course my son, I have some knowledge of their affairs.”
“Tell me.”
“No. I will not answer your questions and you know why. Try as I might, you will not embrace your destiny. Unleash your power my son and become what you were born to be. It pains me that you continue to deny your birthright. Why not embrace me and then you can wield all of the power that I can give you?”
“I will never embrace you.”
“You really are my spawn, to have such defiance and strength in the face of my power.”
“Are we done?”
“Yes, sadly we are, but know that from this day forth you are my enemy. My minions and my spawn who have accepted their gifts will hunt you and your friends down with no thought of mercy. From today onward you are no son of mine.”
“Bring it on dad, because we’ll kill them and then I will come for you!”
The fiend gave Iados one final look. It was hard to tell from his expression if it was a look of pride or disdain. Then, just as quickly as he had appeared he was gone with only a faint smell of brimstone to mark his presence.
Iados told his friends what had happened as he knew that his decision not to accept his father's offer would put them all in danger. As he had expected they all supported him. The Fatebound would face all of their enemies together as one.
After a short rest, the Fatebound continued along the trail which had now become an age-worn path of fitted stone. It must have once been a beautiful thoroughfare, but now many of the stones were missing or cracked and in many areas it was overgrown with weeds and moss. They traveled for a few hours with the destroyed elven buildings growing more and more dense as they did so. As twilight approached they could see the ruins of the tower they had seen in their vision. Within would be the monolith and the passage to Dolendai.
Here ends Session 11