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The Myste-Hass Calender

18/01/2024

The battered adventurers stand upon a jutting outcrop of the tower, looking over the Northern Pass. They can see the Pyramid, the Tower of Dariss and they know the Temple of Resurrection is not far.

Paladins are moving around below.

Reinholt identifies the half orb - The Soul Crux - is used as a ritual device in death rituals to ensure a soul moves on to Garr, but it can also be used to hold those souls. The souls then grant great power to whoever controls it.

Reinholt can still feel the reminents of tens of thousands of souls that once occupied this. Reinholt feels that if Ravaran wants it, it should be held in a place of Dariss. It must be protected.

Maolmhuire detects magic on the statues, the throne, the two peaks on the floor, the archway and Ankhelos's spoils.

Maolmhuire takes the sack with the orb in it.

Corym retrieves the magical armour and bone staff on the death knight.

Rasvyn drops a note off the tower to tell the paladins to wait, then investigates the throne as well. There is still a symbol of an eye in the Garr markings on the throne.

Rasvyn has Ankhelos's scepter.

Ankhelos's body gets thrown into the pit. Gartok takes his head. Reinholt takes a finger. Dramos takes a tooth.

The party exits through the portal, appearing in the room on the lower floor.

The staff used by the death knight is a Staff of Bones, it requires attunement by a spellcaster who knows at least one necromancy spell. It summons two skeletons which can be commanded. They can resurrect other skeletons or humanoids. It's an item that recharges.

Rasvyn checks Ankhelos's Staff. It is the most potent magical item he has ever identified. Rasvyn feels the presence of Ankhelos. It summons undead creatures from anywhere. It is a spell casting focus that comes charged with spells - animate dead, blight, speak with death, circle of death, finger of death, power word kill - and can cast necrotic bolts. It must be wielded by a huge creature. This is a spine of another creature, potentially a demon.

Reinholt identifies the armour, which is made of over-layed plates much like a carapaces. It improves the wearers combat readiness. It's flexible. It gives a +5 bonus to initiative, does not impose disadvantage on stealth, dexterity and heat. It provides a +2 on armour class. It has scorpion-like patterns on it, with inscriptions in infernal on the surface.

The group determine that the amulet which the feline-creature, Varuun, wanted was not on Ankhelos. The amulet supposedly locks Ankhelos to this plain. It had a paw print on it.

In the shrine, there is a low level mist and quiet. Garr's voice is heard. Moalmhuire walks in and dissapears. The others follow, finding themselves into a circular chamber with columns. There are empty alcoves in the distant on all sides.

A tall figure stands before us. He is tall, thin and shadowed.

"You have done much, ahve you not? You have betrayed me on many occasions. And, you have done such great service that I am forced to forgive past transgressions on souls you have denied me, on the souls you have given me. You have reset the order. Now my seat is empty again, so i sit. You have faced Ankhelos, and released those he harboured - soon to be reclaimed - as is the natural order."

"You have done well. And, I am always watching," is heard from Dariss.

"We break the rules for you. We are talking as none have done before."

The adventurers have passed beyond the divine gate. Garr offers a gift.

Garr says, "What would you have Maolmhuire now that my desire to punish you is gone.

Corym asks for wisdom and health. Reinholt asks for the means to defeat Fate. Maolmhuire asks for unending loyalty to his god.

Some will know you as god killers. You may even threaten us. He will have made you this, guided you this way. He has edged you twoards this destiny. Why does Fate make us this powerful and assume we will not kill him. He has taken avatars and claimed them. The gods do not know how he does these things or return beyond the Divine Gate.

Fate is not a true god, he is made.

"Ravaran is a leach, sucking at the power of others - taking divine magic for his own. Now he has all six, the power to hold. He is harvesting the power of souls. He fears you. He is responsible for the change in magic.

"Ravaran only needs the crux. If he returns to the original Genai Stone. It is on this land's mass, far to the north in the mountains. Teleporting there would be dangerous, but the stones that protected are now drained. This is now a mortal affair.

"Fate's agenda is different. He enjoys this chaos. He talks of destiny, but he sows discord on purpose and lies. He tells you one thing to do another."

Dariss says that Fate interfered, because of his harsnessing of their own children. He wears with the mask of Revios. He looks with the eyes of Silma.

Garr says that this conversation is a gift. Arndath will be taken so far into the afterlife, he will never see a reaper again. The Silent Stalkers are roaming as well. They must be returned. If we see one, they must die.

Harbinger asks for Altibo to be returned to her. Alaie gives her a disk which can be placed on Altibo and then Dariss will return him to Harbinger. Dariss says he will fight her, and if he fails, then his soul will be lost forever.

Garr asks for Sartine. She returns to him, but not by choice. The power drains from the skull.

Maolmhuire offers the soul from the shield. Garr informs the group that Silvis, an acolyte of Bin, is notorious for trapping souls inside items.