Session 58 - Breaching Santuary

General Summary

05 Arodus (August), 4725   The Ruinlords had continued deep into the wastes of Torvus. Amidst the sand and jagged ridges, they discovered an oasis glimmering red beneath the desert’s crimson sky. There they found a nomadic elven tribe, bronze-skinned and towering, led by the scarred chieftain Sharp’oq Ict. Though wary, the elves offered their truths during dinner. To them, Torvus was the only world—an endless desert where the living endured and the dead wandered.   From the tribe, the heroes learned of the fall of the city of Sanctuary and of Karnessa, the rune-giantess who once held the dead at bay. Her absence had emboldened the restless hordes, and now all eyes turned to the doomed city. The elves also spoke of a man with monstrous allies—Lucius Blackthorn—who had walked the path to Sanctuary, a choice they deemed certain suicide.   Visions haunted the Ruinlords as they journeyed on: a corrupted Spiral of Pharasma whispering to Kyuss, and a spellweaver lich brooding over a black dragon mask set with a pulsing gem—the Void Wyrmstone.   At last, the heroes reached the shattered gates of Sanctuary, where voidlight bled into the desert sands. Fire ossumentals and wormthralls barred the way, their slaves poised to be sacrificed if necessary. The battle was brutal. The worms sought to strike down captives before the Ruinlords cut them down. When the dust settled, one survivor remained: a man named Cazil. He stepped forward, offering to guide the Ruinlords into the city. In his words lay a spark long absent from Torvus: the promise of hope.

Character(s) interacted with

• Sharp'oq: Elven leader of the nomadic tribe in Torvus. He provided details about Torvus over dinner and was gifted a waterskin, emblems of both the Ebon Triad and the Aspis Consortium, and the robe of an Ebon Triad cultist.
• Cazil: The unnamed slave outside Sanctuary who offered to help the heroes reach Mak'ar.

Notes

• Nomadic elves camped at an oasis in Torvus, led by Sharp’oq Ict (scarred, white mohawk).
• Elves describe Torvus as an endless desert—no escape.
• Sanctuary, once safe, now fallen to the dead.
• Karnessa (rune-giantess) held the dead at bay but is gone.
• The dead are bolder, worms now march toward Sanctuary.
• A man with monsters (Lucius Blackthorn) is seen heading there.
• Visions - Book of the Spiral Path: Pharasma’s spiral twisted, Kyuss whispers.
• Visions - Spellweaver lich with a black dragon mask set with a pulsing gem - Void Wyrmstone.
• Sanctuary - Shattered wards bleed voidlight into the desert.
• Defenders: Fire ossumentals + wormthralls with enslaved captives.
• Wormthralls attempted coup de grace, but only Tike Myson was successful.
• Ruinlords defeat them, saving most captives.
• One slave survivor offers to guide the party into Sanctuary. He believes people need to see hope against Mak’ar’s tyranny.