The Cradle of Souls - Chapter 2: That Which was Lost

Talsem River Ruins, Ephyrne - 6th month of the year, Day 12 Summer - 985 LD

With the expedition reunited in full, Ulias ordered that scouts be sent out to determine the size of the ruins. The ships were also ordered to set off after a week to gather supplies from the Orcs in the far north. Reconnaissance of the area placed the ruins as a city sized approximately 12 square miles. A bridge was created over the river, an impressive magical creation spanning nearly half a mile suspended 120 feet above the flowing water. Lord Savant Arden Krueler completed it with the aid of Mistress Star's camp upkeep crew.

At the “center” of the city sits what looks to be a ritualistic altar tucked into a copse of trees. Several scarecrows hung around woodland and it was decided by the expedition leaders that this site was to be left alone. The scarecrows were shamanistic wards designed to keep the evil inside from leaking out onto the plains. Orders were given to stay away and do not disturb the grounds near there.

Within 2 weeks digs were beginning in the North Eastern sections of the city. An advance camp was constructed to allow diggers and camp cooks to remain near the dig sites. The dig crew extracted several tablets and some pottery but little in the way of curiosities. Days later one of the crews hit the jackpot. A knife was found that could self propel itself through the air. It almost pierced Degalli's side, and when it missed him it continued into a mature tree, causing it to topple as the blade embedded, blowing out the plants trunk opposite to where it him.

A second object, a locked metal box was also dug up. Once it was unlocked 3 small spheres of metal were found inside, giving off a strong aura of evocation magic.

Lord Savant Arden Krueler ordered that no one was to touch any other artifacts until himself or Altherton had a chance to study them before hand. Studies of the knives revealed that they did indeed self propel, but not at living tissue as first supposed. Instead, the device reacted when held in a specific position. Guardians Manir and Degalli suggested that they may have been used as a 'shock and awe' weapon.

“My girls are busy as ever servicing the men of the dig tonight. The girls have relayed that there was a great find somewhere out in these god forsaken ruins. Artifacts of some sort. Perhaps some of them will fall into our pockets before this night is over. The trinkets will surely be of great value once we get back home.”

- Mistress Wanda Jask, Matron of the Sighing Maiden

Camp life continued as usual and the research team set to work at daybreak despite a thick fog that blanketed the coast-land. Hamish Alexander arrived as a new addition to the forward encampment in order to furth progress into the research. The elder wizard had been previously stationed in the coastal caves of thee main camp.

The men opened the case of recovered spherical devices and began trying to unlock their mystery. Weary of the spheres potent energy, and recalling the blood runes required to propel the daggers, Lord Savant Arden Krueler ordered the orbs to be observed without physical contact. To that end the men utilized tongs to pick them up.

While assisting Krueler, Hamish discovered miniscule runes running across the shell of the device. In addition to the runes, small holes were present in its surface, adding to Krueler's cautions that the objects be handled with care. Little about the runes could be deciphered beyond 'Life' and 'Fire'. Altherton decided to seek out the aid of Ulias Brend, while Kaden was ordered to contact the wizards about the magical properties of the spheres.

Contacting the wizards proved to be more trouble than it was worth for poor Kaden. The young druid entered the wizard's shelter as the Lady Xania was in contact with the Towers. He managed only to hear the final bits of the conversation but it was more than enough to raise his suspicions. “...must make contact immediately.” The words echoed in his head only for a moment, registering a stearn demanding female voice from the other side of the Mirror Pool. His attention was soon flustered by contact with the wizards' evoker.

The meeting with Ulias proved to be much more fruitful. Ulias recognized many of the runes well enough to read the intent of the device. While there was a lack of instructions on how to use it, the runes clearly mentioned that “Life is drained to create exponential flame”. These early morning discoveries would one of the few good things to occur in the long hours to come.

It was brought to my attention today that two days ago Janus Keen went missing from the dig site. Ulias ordered a team of two diggers to search the immediate area but no trace of the man was found. When ordered to form my own team I discovered that the elf, Manir has vanished as well. I do not suspect that he abandoned post. Manir is an upstanding hand in my crew and more than willing to take unfavorable tasks rather than have them presented to others.

As such, I am calling the Guardians to order today to seek out and find trace of both of them. When last I saw Manir he was headed east to his tent. We will search in that direction, two teams. One moving northeast to the distant treeline, the other heading for the falls.

- Heath Werner, Guardian Commander

Ulias and his dig had managed to excavate a section of stairs leading down to a caved in passage. While digging the passage free, Janus Keen went to take a break. As greenhorn digger the young man was still learning the tricks of the trade, and though the work was grueling it held a level of excitement he had never known. He ventured into the woodlands to relieve himself but never returned. Digging was halted and Ulias ordered a search but came up empty handed.

This was the information given to the Guardians during which time Commander Werner discovered that one of his own men had gone missing. Working on a hunch, Werner assigned Corwin Degalli, Nocs, and the elf Amarad to search by way of the river and nearby waterfall. Meanwhile, he would take a team northward until they reached the hills.

Degalli set out, finding little evidence along the way that would suggest anything beyond a runaway. When they reached the falls, he made a decision to continue into the hills a bit, hoping to uncover something that may have been of use. It was in the wooded hillside that Amarad spotted something that would be the start of the days problems; a clump of feathers hanging on a tree branch.

As the elf neared the tree, she plucked the feathers down, dragging a beaded string with it. The feathers attached to the string creating a necklace. Knowing that previous warnings had been found around the dig camp, she placed them back in the tree. A sound deeper into the forest caught her attention, and she crept cautiously into the undergrowth, loosing line of sight with Degalli and Nocs. They never saw her disappear.

After minutes of waiting, Degalli and Nocs began to question where the elf might have gotten off to. They decided to take a look themselves, and after a short search discovered that a trap had been sprung. No track led away from the trap, but something had gotten snared, lifted into the trees, and cut down not too long ago. They decided to venture to the top of the hill and hoped to find something else to work with. In the mean time, Degalli's raven Edgar would relay what they had uncovered to Werner.

Little did they know, they were on the right path. Not moments before Amarad had been wandering through the woods. A crack of sticks sounded from behind her, and she stepped up her pace just enough to miss the line of rope on the ground. When she struck her foot on it, the rope quickly wrapped around her leg and shot up into the trees, taking her with it. Two ephryn warriors came out of hiding, their spears pointed at her.

Growling and leering, the large beastly looking creatures circled her. “You trespass on our grounds.” one of the scowled. Amarad recognized the words and spoke with them.

“I did not mean to. I am with a large group.”

“We will cut you down and you will come with us. No yelling to the others or we will be forced to take you down. We have trusted your kind before, and will take you to the matron to explain yourself.”

Amarad agreed, and we led away to the East by the warriors. It was by chance alone that Degalli and Nocs followed along the same route.

The humans unearth lands that have sat silent of ages. I have read the smoke as it drifts in my Piapt. Evil is on its way. Rygoghky the demon of old is stirring up the kobish nest. Only ill can come of this. 2 cycles of the sun I will give them. Then we will take matters into our own hands.

- Jyopl, Matron of the Suwiod, Swahhamo Tribe

The ephryn ventured across the hilly plains for what seemed to be at least an hour. The waist high golden grasses parted mysteriously before them, and settled behind as though nothing had passed. As they crested the top of a golden hill Amarad beheld an encampment before her. Six wide based huts with teepees jutting out of the middle of them sat atop the next hill. Small fires produced barely visible trails of smoke.

They had soon covered the ground necessary to reach the camp. The warriors led the young elven woman to the openings of one of the huts, and ushered her inside. The strong smell of incense, dry soil, and flowers caught her nostrils and began to make her feel light as a feather. Sitting in the center of the hut near a fire sat a grizzled old ephryn woman.

“Matron.” one of the warriors said. “This one wishes to speak.”

Amarad and the matron spoke, trying to work out the presence of the expedition. The matron ordered Amarad to join the others while she deliberated about what would be done. The humans had trespassed on warded grounds, and only bad things could come from it.

Dismissed, Amarad was led to a holding cell with Janus Keen and Manir. The Tyran elf lay unconscious on the floor, a purple bruise on his forehead that Janus said came from trying to escape. Amarad did not need to wait long, for she was soon brought before the matron once more. To her surprise, Degalli and Nocs were there as well. The two had stumbled upon the encampment and were ushered in under a large guard. It was decided during the meeting that Nocs would stay behind with the Ephryn to be released when the humans agreed to leave the lands. Amarad and Degalli would return to the expedition to secure the humans departure. The expedition had disturbed unhallowed ground the matron told them, and already a black cloud was growing.

Little did the expedition know, the cloud was very real. Hoping to extract information from the Tower wizards, the research team ventured to the wizard camp and entered their shelter. They found the place deserted, leading Hamish to call out loud if anyone was present. An unseen servant approached and touched the man to relay a message. Hamish jumped at the touch but not before the message was given. The wizards were gone.

“Where?” he asked. To the nexus was the servants response.

Hamish relayed what he had heard to Krueler, Kaden, and Altherton. Krueler turned pale. A nexus in wizard's lore was a place of great magical power. Usually dedicated to a single school, altars were often erected to tap into that energy. Hearing this, Kaden immediately told them what he had overheard when he had last stopped by. Drawing their blades, the researchers rushed out to try and stop whatever the wizards were planning. Kaden summoned a hippogryph to carry himself and Altherton, while Krueler called a horse to bear himself and Hamish.

From the sky they knew something dark was afoot. A great black cloud rose up into the late afternoon sky. Lightning lit up its interior like a huge lighthouse beacon. Both hippogryph and horse were spurred to get to it before the damage was done.

Something was wrong. I knew it in my bones the moment we entered the wizards abode. When Kaden mentioned what he had heard I realized that the wizards had ulterior motives. Once in the air, my fears were confirmed.

- Altherton Forman, Expedition Leader

As they neared the altar Altherton and Kaden could see bodies laying dead at the feet of the Lady Xania. 2 others stood beside her, daggers in hand looking at the deeds they had done. Xania was not phased. Her focus was the magic she was performing. By any means necessary she had been told. That will was being done.

The remaining wizards raised their daggers in unison, plunging them into their own hearts before toppling into the bone pit before the altar. Altherton leaped off the hippogryph, followed quickly by Kaden. It was then that one of the wizards tower magi stepped in front of them, demanding that they stop. She backed up her order with three massive abyssal spiders, similar to the ones that Krueler had summoned a month earlier. They could only watch while the spiders stood guard, protecting the conjurer and Xania.

One wizard for protect proved to be too little for Xania. Krueler and Hamish burst through the tree cover at her unprotected right flank. Krueler and Hamish did not hesitate, attacking immediately. Krueler sent an acid splash at the casting wizardress, the corrosive liquid striking her face. He followed it quickly by summoning a spider to attack her as well. Hamish focused his attention on slowing her progress, using a strong magical stun to put an end to what she was doing. Xania cried out in alarm ending her casting but it was already too late. Bones started to rise up from the pit, swirling like a whirlwind into the black flashing cloud.

Xania's cry turned the head of the conjurer who looked away from Altherton. The distraction was a fatal one. Altherton drove his rapier through her ribs and charged ahead, hoping to get to Xania sooner rather than later.

The woman was less than willing to just give up. Xania dug into her robes and withdrew a mirror, placing it on the ground. Lord Savant Arden Krueler knew what it was in an instant. Her method of escape. He was not going to have anything of the sort and ordered his spider to web down the mirror. The attack worked, covering the mirror which was quickly fractured by Hamish. The broken mirror became black, letting loose a spirit from beyond the realm. The spirit moved directly for Hamish taking a swipe at him before vanishing into the beyond.

Xania took full advantage of the situation, quickly casting a flight spell on herself and began to fly up into the trees. Kaden was ready for her to make the move, adeptly dropping a magical web down around the trees, trapping Xania just as she was making her escape. In moments Krueler's spider was into the trees, binding up the protesting woman. Kaden and Krueler were quick to take her to the wizard's shelter where they could contact the Towers to inform them of what was happening.

Altherton and Hamish stayed behind to try and find a way to destroy the beacon.

I have never come across a more delightful object. The power to make others love you might not be suited for all, but it certainly suits me.

- Corwin Degalli

Back at camp, away from all of the madness Ulias continued to push his diggers to uncover the passageway they had found earlier. Progress was surprisingly swift, and already they had uncovered more of the projectile daggers and a curious jeweled necklace. Moments before Degalli and Amarad had returned and began filling in Ulias with the details of their encounter with the Ephryn.

“Not a chance I'm going to give this camp over to those slack jawed savages.” the grumbling expedition leader bellowed, quickly leading the conversation away from the problems they faced with the Ephryn and over to the objects they had just uncovered, including a strange black void within the tunnel passage.

Degalli compulsively snatched up the pendant and placed it around his neck. Instantly the people around him began to differ to him, as though bewitched by his good looks and charm. Even the grumpy Ulias Brend spoke kindly to him, but continued to bark orders at everyone else. Degalli mandated that everyone present would find the research team and order them to check out the tunnel.

Krueler contacted the Lady Nezra through the wizard shelter's Mirror Pool. He relayed Xania's betrayal, and it was discovered that the evocationist had remained in the shelter while the others had left. The evocer used a teleport gate to transport himself and Xania back to the Towers where she would be tried for slaying multiple wizards. Without the original wizards remaining to keep the shelters magic flowing, it began to disappear, finally vanishing in a shower of confetti.

Not much later, the others now enthralled by Degalli found them and led them back to the dig site. Degalli quickly overtook them with the pendant as well, and ordered them to investigate the void. Krueler and Kaden entered it, and were quite surprised by what they found. An alternate reality, or other world stood beyond the void. It was lit purely in black and white, though the places they came in contact with shimmered in color while they stood there. Krueler stumbled into a classroom being taught by a man who spoke what sounded to be an ancient language. Not knowing how to speak it, Krueler tried other languages he knew, finally settling on Mithian, which the other man knew. By speaking to him, he discovered the name of the city they were in; Persyfn.

Kaden and Krueler suspected that they could be time traveling, explaining the ancient language. The professor mentioned that there was a ritual that was going to be performed and they should get ready for it. The 'time travelers' ventured out of the halls soon after and stepped back onto the surface. Their backs were to a huge dome building with a huge wall stretching before them running left and right. Guards stared out beyond them, flinching at the sound of possibly thousands of men roaring a chant in unison.

Suddenly a huge beast, like a large gargoyle or dragon landed before them. Its skin was smooth, but a bolt of magic from Krueler glanced off of it as though it were steel. The creature roared, sending waves of energy at the group. As the waves struck them, they popped back into the real world, shocked that they were not killed. A large section of the domed building followed them back too, landing behind them with a loud crash. Krueler began to put the pieces together concluding that they had not gone back in time but were instead on another plane. The ritual was probably used to pull the city into the Ethereal Plane, and now the spell that had kept it there was falling apart.

Meanwhile, Altherton and Hamish attempted to destroy the beacon. The cloud of darkness had dredged up all of the bones, leaving an empty basement where they had been. Three hallways had been uncovered when the bones were removed, and a small marble as well, emitting the black beacon. Down each of the hallways was a black void.

When Hamish tried to leave the pit, he found to his shock that there were bone scarecrows standing watch, looking in at the pit, surrounding it. Five in all, their tattered wings rippled on a dead wind. A stillness had settled over the land.

As they were beginning to panic about what they should do, the spirit of a boy appeared from one of the void hallways and waved for them to follow. Uncertain of what they should do, the waited while the spirit beckoned. Minutes later Degalli arrived, having been informed by an enthralled Krueler that they were still there trying to shut down the magic. He entered the basement area, causing both Hamish and Altherton to fall under the amulets sway as well. Pooling his magic, Degalli poured it into the marble. Overwhelmed, it exploded, causing irreparable damage to Degalli's hand. Disoriented by the blast, Degalli plunged into the void, followed quickly by Altherton and Hamish, fearful that Degalli was lost to them forever.

When the Master orders it to be done, we obey. Do not worry that you will not get your evenings fill of blood. There will still be plenty of the living ones to round up when we are through. If the Master orders you to seal the underworld, we do as we are told.

- Hlaz Bin Quere to the Vampires of Maust

Inside the void, they found themselves on a similar black and white plane. The enthralling pull of the amulet was not present in this realm. They followed the spirit who took them to a large chamber, stopping them before they were spotted by one of the massive black skinned gargoyle beasts. Hamish used magic to try to determine the spirits language and became able to make out some of what it was telling them. When asked what the creature was, the boy's spirit told them, “Gallowshrike”.

The large chamber was the scene of a massacre. Blood spattered the walls and the bodies of the dead littered the floor in the style of a ceremonial suicide. A glowing crystal hovered, pulsing at the center of the room, whose ceiling rose into an ornate dome. Degalli marched up to the crystal and touched it. He was instantly transported out of the Ethereal Plane back into the world.

While part of the group traipsed through the Ethereal Plane, Krueler and the others made their way to the ritual grounds hoping to reunite. When they got there they found that they were not the only ones. The dwarf Glorving had witnessed the events that took Degalli, Altherton, and Hamish through the void. On top of that, he had seen a thick mist roll in and from the mist came vampires.

Now the vampires stood in the basement area of the ritual pit. Bones hovered in the air where the beacon had picked them up. They chanted “Horam Vo Ki'tor Brashq!” and as they did the bones began reforming to create something. A skull floated about in the mess of bones calling out orders. As they watched and whispered about what they should do, a voice from behind made the decision for them.

“You will stand up and go down into the pit” said a female vampire who had enter their midst unnoticed. Left with little choice, they obeyed fearing for their lives. The skull called down to the vampires, “Send them through the Void. It is the Master's wishes.” Degalli was unfortunate enough to appear just in time to be thrown back it. With a god diverting the flow of the voids, they were all deposited at the base of the glowing crystal. The crystal then reformed, becoming a black orb.

From the orb emerged a greater wraith, its twisting form writhed out of the orbs dark interior. The group fled, following the insistent call of the spirit boy to go back down into the passages. Pulling doors open as they went, they managed to get into a storage room and lock the door. Degalli and Hamish began to argue about what to do next, but their debate was cut short when the wraith passed through the closed door, reaching out and feasting on Hamish. Despite already being fatigued and loosing blood from his wounds, Degalli fled with the others. A young woman Anya-Star, one of the camps upkeep personnel and a member of the Women's Militia drew a silver dagger and struck the wraith forcing it to loosen its touch on Hamish.

Again they fled, looking for a way out. Hamish pulled a door open with his good arm and found a black void. The spirit began shouting at him but he could not understand what it was saying. As he reached in he learned it was a warning, as a sudden pain burst through his hand. It felt like something was taring his hand to pieces, and in fact it was. The void touched a section of the material plane, and he lost the last three fingers of his hand to the in-between ground.

Finally they found a stairwell leading up, and from there they burst out into a burgeoning city, what remained of Persyfn after it got pulled into the Ethereal Plane. Spirits floated along the roads dead to the presence of life in their realm. In need of rest, the group pantomimed sleep to the spirit boy with them. He lead them to the safety of the Last Stop Inn. Corwin Degalli ventured away from the group, telling them he would be back in a little while.

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