Sorne say hello and goodbye 1478.03

Party, bar Essen, run from the Fire Dreadnaughts. Dreadnaughts actively looking for party in dim light.   Out in the open. A humanoid figure in front of party. Four digits. Disjointed movement, as if it is assembling itself as it moves.They speak in DEEP voices. Sounds like Giant. The Sorne.   Gimblenock casts Comprehend Language "Welcome travellers. What are doing at home?" Responds by stating plan to rescue Rueben. Ophion aids with Bardic Inspiration. Total 26.   A crowd of Sorne surrounds party, approx. 13, at varying latitudes. They present symbols for the 13 Elder Gods in a rite. Other symbols are present. Of the 13, 6 are dim, 6 well lit, the last flickering (egg with line).

Essen notices some are in different states. Unable to comprehend in two diensions. Symbol of the Horned God is blazing. 18 other symbols floating around the 13, but are broken.

Essen casts Comprehend Languages.   Sorne start naming the symbols, bar two. Horned God, Yalunga, Azatoth, Hecate, the longer names.   Ophion and Essen aid Gimblenock in trying to determine if telling the Sorne the other names would be a good or bad thing. Fail. Gimblenock does so anyway.

Names Armani Teti and Star Dragon. Sorne repeat names in their language.

Whirpool of dark in the sky. Outline of a draconic figure. Hear music. The Star Dragon is asleep, and being kept so. Party can hear trumpeting inside the illusion. Occasional glimpse of the Alin.   Other Sorne moves in front of Essen and presents a stone with the symbol of Arcetuthis. Essen reaches for it. All inside an amber shell, a lacuna constructed by the Sorne. A set point in time.   Essen, Dwayne and Gimbelnock touch the symbol. Essen turns green. Rueben appears in front of Dwayne and Gimblenock, covered in circuitry. Dozens of Ruebens are working on machinery.   Dwayne reaches for a Rueben, whise eyes have been replaced by orbs of circuitry.

"Got to stop time. Ever darker, ever colder, ever emptier. Nothing wins." says Rueben. Rueben grabs Essen and says "You've got to escape before entropy erases everything,"

Ruebens are working in reality's engine room to pervent the Nothing from destroying all.   Dwyane asks if Rueben is there voluntarily.   The original Rueben whispers in Essens ear in Elvish :Facing the death of everything, there a few escape possibilities" before shifting back.   A claw of Arcetuthis appears in the sky.   A whisper in Dwaynes ear "Where is the Tiefling. We love the Tiefling. We also love Dwayne. I am not Valt, I am Slest(?)" Thank you, Dwayne."   The sky fills with an eye of Arcetuthis. Gimblenock now has it's attention.   Gimblenock asks it "How can we save our world?" - a momentary connection with Architeuthis   All are back with the Sorne, who light up from within. "You need to be back out there, not in here." Transported to an open plain. Trees, earthy smells, birds. Essen is still green.