Jeff notices a note hidden among a pile of purple crystals and picks it up to read.Ember wrote:
I'm sorry, but this is too much for me. A war for the world, trying to stop things as strong as gods from taking out temples of gods? It's distracted me too far from my mission. And quite frankly, I'm tired of having knives stuck in me.
I wish you guys the best. Who knows? Maybe we'll meet again, when we're both a little stronger.
Jeff: ... Well, crap. There goes our best hitter and knowledge base.
Jeff hears the clinking of... gems bumping together?
Jeff watches as the crystals and shards merge together into a body, a somewhat thin built male of the stone.Jeff: That's new. Who are you?
????: Astram.
Jeff: I see. And... Shardmind?
Astram: Correct.
Jeff: Why do I get the feeling you won't be all that enthusiastic about helping me recap the session?
Astram: If I must, I must.
Jeff: Okay then.
Astram: The Shadar-Kai town was large, considerably a "city" among towns. Unlike the previous town having a stone temple, this one had a wall and temple made entirely of wood.
Jeff: Funny how the most valuable resource in the realm is used so freely.
Astram: ... The guards gave a swift public execution to our bound bandit leader upon turning him in. Indeed their customs were quite unforgiving to those who resort to lives of crime. We had then found the temple--in much better condition than the previous--willing to accomodate our needs.
Jeff: Only after convincing the monk that the problem at hand was the Narra Root daggers, instead of weeping for the dead.
Astram: Indeed. The solution was either to cut down a tree, or to chew an herb. Either would instill a "Manly spirit" required to aid in pulling out the knives in myself and Dod.
Jeff: Fun fact explaining this "Manly Spirit" business. Adrenaline. The stress behind cutting down a tree gets it pumping, same as chewing the herb would, or why Ember could pull hers out right after a fight. It also explains why the Shadar-Kai's ritual of manhood involves heroic acts. The euphoria of hard work makes it flow.
Astram: Excellent summary. With a tree chopped overnight and daggers removed, we were able to make it to the temple in good time, ready to return to the mortal realm. However, there was a small problem upon Dod's attempt to join us. The altar seemed to be breaking. It was only with combined efforts of steadying the altar's magic, perhaps the will of the divine, and great strain on Dod's part that we managed to escape together, and alive.
Jeff: Not to mention Cenward keeping you from having a boulder dropped on your head.
Astram: Agreed. Such a force might have shattered me. But instead, my trouble came when we tried to descend the temple. Without any stairs, we had to jump. I was not so lucky in my effort, and only by his effort managed to avoid staying unconscious among the rocks. Escape from the building was easy, but trouble far from over. A large rift formed in the earth before us as we saw a Monk trying to usher people to safety.
Jeff: Over the heavy wind and rain, I'm shocked anyone could hear him.
Astram: It was only by the gift of telepathy that he was able to hear me, and only a successful attempt to save him from a dark tentacle dragging him toward the open rift. It was like no creature I had ever seen before, but it abandoned its effort quickly enough. With the Monk safe, our efforts were put towards saving the people in panic. It was... tricky. But with only a couple hopeless cases left behind, we met success in clearing the room.
Jeff: There's no clearing that much marble off a girl. I kind of doubt she could live from the blood loss anyway.
Astram: I would think not. As the weather seemed to calm some, a lady could be made out floating over the center of the rift. It took a great effort to disrupt her concentration with a blow to her mind, but it was done. With her attention gained, an idea struck. Few beings so proficient in catastrophe are merely mortals speaking common, so I chose to attempt the other tongues at my arsenal. She responded to Draconic.
Jeff looks away as though trying to pretend innocence.
Jeff fails miserably to appear innocent.Astram: An image assaulted my mind and stunned me. A light, like that of the gods, but riddled with a hint of something false. As though a God had been twisted in some way, or impersonated.
Jeff: Given the circumstances, either seems likely. These catastrophes seem centered around powerful beings following the orders of a God, who seems threatened by the temples and relics of other dieties. Perhaps by destroying the temples, those who worship the god will be left without a link to their god.
Astram: The question remains, which gods are in control of this game?
