User blog:MMetzner/Session 18 - Path to Sacred Place (Part 2)

Recap

''We left the Guardians both figuratively and literally in hot water. After having journeyed over several days on their quest to find the cleric Gifted Hand - from Hogstone to Silverstreams, through Pirate’s Pass to Growing Shower, they finally find themselves on a hidden island, in a cave system known to the ancient tabaxi as Path to Sacred Place.''

While on Growing Shower, they had learned that Razza al Haq, Gifted Hands apprentice, had been badly beaten in an interrogation by the Kraken’s Oarsmen, who had been trying to find the location of Gifted Hand, before leaving abruptly after having received a letter.

''Maiya made a shocking and enlightening discovery that she may be something called ‘The Conduit’ - the subject of a prophecy of one being who could receive communication from the Sister Gods, Astraea and Morrigen. Knowledge that began to make sense of the differences in the visions she had been receiving.''

''Kyanna, After having read the first volume of the Voyages of Magelos, understood why the group were unable to open the cave at the site of the Treasures of the C’uevo D’oro. The fist-shape indentation apparently required a diamond, taken from a mine on the Burned Lands, and bathed in the waters atop Brightwater Peak, but having found the second volume of the book, perhaps more light could be shed.''

But hidden treasures and vocal gods were the last thing on the Guardians’ minds as they found themselves slowly boiling in an enclosed, unlit tunnel, which is where we return to them…

Deeper into the cave
With the water continuing to heat up, the Guardians were beginning to panic. It was becoming unbearable for Farrus who was struggling to wade through as his skin began to blister. Kyanna took initiative and transformed into a dolphin, swiftly darting around the tunnel and flopping through an opening identical to the one they entered through, into a small room. Turning back to her Elven form she looked around the room, noticing a lever next to the opening. On pulling the lever everyone heard a rumbling, mechanical sound, before a drain at the bottom of the tunnel opened, and to the mass relief of the party the boiling water flowed out.

Once the rest of the group had caught up with Kyanna, they looked around the room they now found themselves in. Dominating the room was a huge, heavy oaken door, conspicuous by it's absence of any kind of handle or knob. However what the door did have was a ring of six spherical stones embedded into the wood. Upon further investigation the group recognised one to be made of poorly cut diamond, and when Ronan looked closer she could identify one of opal, one of ruby and one of emerald, with a cheaper metallic silver alloy that she couldn't determine. Farrus discovered that the stone could be pressed inwards. The group began to try different combinations, hearing a mix of high pitched clicks, low pitched clicks, and occasionally a whirring sound. An hour passed, and with the group becoming increasingly frustrated Maiya and Kyannas both tried attacking the door with sword and savage claws respectively. Eventually Maiya hit on a theory, that the first letters of each of the stones could spell a phrase, when they eventually tried using this theory, they found that pressing the stones to spell O.P.E.N D.O.O.R was the combination they had been looking for. The door opened with a heavy creak and the group progressed

Clay Golem
Kyanna and Farrus tentatively investigated further ahead, and upon peering around a corner they were confronted with a hideous sight - 7ft of seeping wet clay in humanoid form stood from the corner it was dormant in, and lurched toward them. Quick as ever, Farrus had his bow drawn and fired two bolts into the creature, although the creature didn't seem to react to the blows in any way. Kyanna spotted a well at the far end of the room, and, becoming invisible, headed directly for it as the creature began attacking Farrus, lifting him high off the floor before slamming him down. Maiya entered the room brandishing her mighty greatsword, cutting deep into the creature. Although the initial cut didn't seem to effect the creature, the bright white energy of the sword did seem to have an effect. Kyanna reached the well. Realising that she could open a wooden flap and climb down a rope ladder, she decided that trying to get help might be the group's best chance of defeating the golem. Meanwhile Ronan put a hex on the creature before firing two blasts of dark energy from her weapon. This had an immediate effect, with the creature acknowledging pain and staring directly at the pirate. Farrus pierced the tip of his thumb to draw blood, and ran it along his bow to invoke the Rite of the Storm, but as he pulled back on his bowstring, it snapped. Farrus cursed, knowing it would take precious seconds for him to restring the bow.

The creature continued it's attack on Maiya, slamming her to the ground again as Ronan continued to fire shots at it. Farrus restrung his bow as Kyanna reached the bottom of the well, seeing a huge open area, beautiful in its tranquillity, with hanging moss, and waterfalls that flowed into a pool. Sitting by the pool with its back to Kyanna was a robed figure, Kyanna called out "We're here to help you, but first, help us". Maiya faced another slam from the relentless creature, this time the blow was so fierce that it knocked the Aasimar unconscious. Thinking quickly, Farrus ran to his downed ally, pulling a healing potion from her satchel and pouring it into her mouth. Maiya awoke immediately.

Kyanna quickly explained the situation to the robed figure by the pool "We're friends of Mannaphi, we need help, we're dying". The figure used his gnarled cane to help him stand, but then held his palm up as the cane magically dissipated. He started walking confidently towards the ladder. The clay golem, thinking it had defeated Maiya, grabbed Ronan and slammed her to the ground with even greater force than he had with Maiya, knocking Ronan unconscious before turning to see with confusion, that Maiya had been revived and had struggled away to the opposite side of the room. As the creature lurched toward Maiya, she skilfully dodged past him to get to Ronan, using her healing hands to revive the downed warlock.

The group all looked in unison as from the well, a figure appeared, grey fur hidden masked beneath a grey cowl. Standing atop the well, he lifted both hands to emit a brilliant beam of white energy so bright that the party had to shield their eyes. When they were able to look again, the creature was gone, and in its place was a large pile of seeping clay. "My name is Gifted Hand. Follow me so that we can commune", said the figure.

Sacred Place
Upon reaching the bottom of the ladder, Gifted Hand walked back to the spot where Kyanna had found him meditating. The group approached, and sat near to him. He asked them why they had come, and how they had found him. Maiya placed the amulet that Razza al Haq had given to her, as a way of proving that he had approved of their meeting. Farrus told the cleric about Mannaphi, having lost his legs to cannibals and that the Kraken's Oarsmen had been looking for him. Gifted Hand replied that he knew the Mutt Clan would be looking for him after hearing that Valon Mutt had taken Hogstone but lost a son during the assault. His unique gift, of restoring life energy, which he described as a blessing from Astraea, made him a target sought out in such times. Farrus told Gifted Hand that Gerion Mutt, the son killed during the Sack of Hogstone, had been resurrected through some other means, a fact that shocked and worried the Tabaxi.

Maiya asked to learn more about his unique gift of restoring life, to which Gifted Hand told them about the physical and mental toll the ritual took on him, that it had aged him drastically and that it took a week of rest before he had regained his energy. When the group told Gifted Hand about the undead creatures they had been facing, and if this was a similar kind of magic, Gifted Hand replied that this sounded like a far darker, necrotic magic, that gave not a return to life, but to an almost half-life, a waking death. The Tabaxi went on to speculate that perhaps when Valon Mutt was unable to track him down, he may have turned to a darker magic in order to bring his son back.

Ronan began telling Gifted Hand about Doya, the Tortle who's life force remained in the Ring of Mind-Shielding but whose bones and shell were currently aboard the Proud Pelt, and asked if it was possible to restore the life force to such a creature. On learning that the creature in question was a Tortle that had died 340 years ago, Gifted Hand was intrigued but hesitant. That bringing back a peaceful race from extinction was a noble pursuit, but would come with its own set of challenges and concerns, but was certainly possible. Maiya made a plea for Gifted Hand to come back with them to Hogstone so that he could be of help to the people of the Thousand Islands. Farrus and Kyanna also began to laud the improvements of Hogstone to try and win him around, and although hesitant, he decided that the intentions of the Guardians were good, and that he would join them.

Kyanna asked if there was a way Gifted Hand could help to heal the wounds that they had taken during their fight with the clay golem. Gifted Hand told them that he could perform a ritual, but that he only had the materials required to perform it on 2 individuals, and that he had 1 diamond that could be used if the group decided to go ahead with resurrecting Doya. After a long and incredibly challenging journey the group decided they needed to sleep, but decided that they would feel better resting knowing that Ronan and Maiya had been healed. Gifted Hand laid his little paws on Ronan, and in turn Maiya, transferring radiant energy to the two of them and healing the wounds that they had taken. Feeling far better, the group pulled out bedrolls and with the gentle flow of the waterfall into the pool, took a well-earned rest.