Session 16: A family's dark secret report
General Summary
Last we left off, the group found themselves face-to-face with Corin, the father of Amahri Rhea. He asked them to step inside out of the cold before they caught cold and had questions for both his son and Klaus. Unfortunately, Boots aka Ghost caught a cold and a fever and ended up falling out, burning up with a high fever. Corin called out Yur Rhea-Tarhdid and a war-forged looking orc female stepped out from the kitchen where she picked up ghost and took her to a room to rest and break the fever. The rest of the group decided to listen to Corin, although the thread of fate was leading them into his study where he'd asked that they stay out of. Sitting down, they also noticed a smaller warforged creature, around the same height as Rheese who was named "Lil Rheese." He had such a curiosity and had heard everything about his big brother's adventures. Corin continued, telling them that a couple years back, he'd met a man named Riament Grangerford who him and his wife had crashed their boat along the shores and had come here seeking refuge. He said that he was a very knowledgeable caster and had technology that he'd never heard of. Utilizing this technology of turning souls into sand and breaking down their essence into crystalized lives he was able to bring his wife back...mostly. It was her. Her mannerisms, but still different. There was also a hole in the plan as well. She felt like something was missing, so Corin created the construct of Lil Rheese to help her transition. Corin also told Rheese that he was the one that had sealed away the magic bloodline within Rheese to keep him out of the politics and essential bullshit that went along with being a member of the council. That he was the one that wanted Rheese to grow up normal and not be isolated and looked down upon because he fell in love with someone "unpure". He told him that his mother was the reason that Corin's mother and father essentially disowned him because of his choices and Corin felt that magic would only conflate the issues that Rheese would have growing up.
Corin also explained the choices behind the first party 5 years after the fall of the abericlase. He went off to try and reconcile a few things, gathering a group of misfits to travel across the lands of the Mystara Territory to unlock the mysteries of Hydall's tower that was radiating evil. Their travels took them through town festivals, a playwright for a pixie, a cold cabin in the snowy mountains, and eventually after having gathered the items and making multiple trips to acquire the next riddle they had finally made their way to the final door. It was at this time that Klaus proposed to Thessa, promising her a life after this once they turned the power back on, sealed off the corruption, and they would return to the city of Blale where they'd have a huge family. Fate unfortunately had other plans. Upon entering the room, they seemed to step outside into a large cemetery where a voice echoed throughout and two burning red eyes seemed to stare down into their very soul. A dracolich stood before them, barring them from their destination. Summoning undead creatures, everyone fought as hard as they could and Klaus was able to get to the door. Upon opening it, a vortex swirled about, pulling them all in...with one exception. The dracolich slammed its massive claw down on Thessa, piercing through her and with a hand extended outwards towards Klaus before her eyes glazed over in death, the group were pulled into darkness. Screams filled the air as Malzathrax and Hydall God of the Arcane spoke to them. Telling them "A truth" of the world. All signed the book, but only 3 moved forward. Klaus wanted his happiness. Klaus wanted Thessa. The last thing Corin states after the telling of his heartbreaking tale was, "Klaus just seemed to move like a man possessed and once we made it out, he just started heading south as if he were compelled to do so."
The group urged to be able to go into the study and eventually Corin nodded to let them in. Within here were stacks upon stacks of books and papers. The remnants of the old town manor, holding records of all the events of the town and then a large board on the back filled with Corin's writings and one single word written across a map filled with multiple continents. "Tyshala". The group also noticed that the thread of fate that went into this room unthreaded, showing countless strands just flowing gently against a wind that wasn't there. There was no pointer. There was nothing but uncertainty. Ray began investigating, informing Corin that they were looking for the heart of a giant where Corin did provide them information regarding the giants that had once lived in this plane. He said that he believed they were connected to the land, that they were the ones that kept it lush and peaceful and when the stone lost its power, the land itself just seemed to swallow them up, almost as if the giants and the stone were connected somehow. The group continued their search. Ray continued following the strand of fate back and forth before him and Aeren vetured outside where Ray came face-to-face with a creature that seemed to rise up from the very snow itself. The world went silent. Their eyes locked. A ray began hearing names in his head. Corin. Klaus. Rheese. Yur. Countless names. Ray slowly began to back away before eventually making it back to the inside of the manor before the creature simply seemed to fade away into the snowy distance. After some more deliberation, the group decided to go to bed. Rheese played cards with Lil Rheese as he sat outside of his father's room before eventually going back into the kitchen to hug his mother where he fell asleep in her arms. Ray unfortunately did not sleep that well either. His goddess spoke to him again. Pressing him on where the child was. Questioning his motives. Ray decided that it was enough and denounced his faith. Telling her that she lacked humanity and he was a fool for following her. Bhita...was displeased. How dare an insect preach to her of morality and what was right and wrong. This was her world and he is just a fragment of dust. She removed his divinity. She placed the curse from The Shame of the Cyst Family back on them. "May everything you touch turn to rust." And as Ray lay there on the ground in this divine chamber, looking hazily at a throne of clockwork gears and wires, he notices a dark figure standing next to Bhita that seemed to stare directly into his soul...and smile...and then he woke up in a cold sweat. The mental fatigue literally causing him physical harm.
As they awakened and ate breakfast, they heard a loud noise coming from the study. Everyone rushed in there to see the blade Arun holding Lil Rheese demanding that his brother come in. Once Aeren entered a fight broke out. Arun summoned dark spectral arms and a large shadow beast while dismantling the party one-by-one. When all hope seemed lost, Corin began casting a spell and told Yur that he would not stand for their son to be killed for no reason. This seemed to trigger her memories. Yur looking longingly towards Rheese and nodded, knowing what she had to do. At that moment, the sand that had given her life and personality seemed to glow and leave her body, floating over towards Corin. Lil Rheese exclaimed, "I'll help my big brother too." and sand began pouring out of him as well, circling around Corin. Arun swung the Solaris sheath, creating a large circle of flame where Aeren fell. With all hope seemingly lost, Corin took one final look at Rheese and told him to live on and be the father that he could never be and cast the spell "Absolution's Law." A bright light filled the room; the shadow creatures were expelled. Arun dropped Aeren. The group was healed. Books and papers scorched and as the dust settled, Rheese saw the silhouette of his father standing there on business. As Rheese reached out and touched him, he crumbled to ash, the only thing left in it was a petrified heart. The heart of a giant. Filled with anger, the blood of his family swirled and took over and the last remnants of the soul sand swirled around him, increasing his spells. And the blade. The blade Annghorhast had cast judgement on Arun. It was time. The words were spoken and dark lightning encapsulated Aeren's body. Every muscle in his body expanded. His heart rate increased. He had harnessed the power of the dark goddess, and the group turned their attention towards Arun and were able to smite him down. As he fell he looked up towards Aeren only to say, "Lorsan was right. It was always you." before dying and the blade Arun, snuggly sheathed back into the Solaris sheath lay on the ground.
With Aeren reaching down towards it, he noticed something grabbed his hand from the floor. More and more hands erupt from the floor around a spiraling vortex underneath him. As he looks up towards the group, he gives a solemn nod as if to say, "I'm being called; I shall return". Now. Standing in what remains of this study with unmoving constructs, dead bodies, and cindering papers...ghost awakens in a warm bed, saturated from sweating out her fever while the rest of the group stands in silence just trying to figure out...what do now?
