==Roll Call==
Childe Raymonde, Githyanki Paladin (Doty)
Bell, Kenku Cleric (CJ)
Blynce, Human-hybrid Fighter (Eric)
Vaal, Eladrin Rogue (Tim)
Bumi, Goblin Sorcerer (Matt)
To the Sanctuary of Albahith, Jigow Township
Greetings to the Masters of the Pilgrims, and hail to The Luxon:
Mission Report from Childe Raymonde (Part 12)
I repeat some material from my last report: The thing that Bumi took from the glowing chamber … according you, my Masters, it appeared to be the Jewel of Three Prayers, one of the Vestiges of Divergence, a dormant relic of some sort, and of no small historical importance! In ancient times, Alixion wore this as a symbol of his consecration to three deities. You told me that it was up to me (and, by extension, my comrades) to determine how to "awaken" it.
This went along with a vision shared by our group and our rivals in the challenge of the Festival of Merit. We all saw a vision of a Human man in tattered armor and a shield. With a melancholic expression, he pleaded "I am imprisoned. Help me! I am Alixion, and I beg you to free me. … Thank the gods, bless the Moon Weaver. Go to the other shrines where I prayed, to the Change-Bringer in the heart of the Evil One's temple, Bazzoxan, to the Archheart in the ruins of the jungle city." We suddenly realized we had all lapsed into unconsciousness, Bumi included.
Bumi remembered the name Alixion -- a figure of legend from the Calamity and the Last Battle. Bazzoxan, about a fortnight's journey away, is a place watched by the Kryn Dynasty, because fiendish beings tend to come from there. Elsewhere, on the continent of Marquette, the desert now was once a jungle, and in the heart of that was a city. Maybe that was the city mentioned in the reference to an "Archheart."
You, O Masters, also told me that one of you had been to Bazzoxan and saw a strange network of tunnels or dungeons, a dangerous place. But some of the entrances have symbols, long studied by scholars. The symbol on the jewel was present at Bazzoxan.
Dermot from the other party mentioned that the Luxon sanctuary had some information about Alixion, basically the same that you, O Masters, had for me. We questioned as to how a centuries-old Human could still live, even in captivity.
The other party mentioned that they had a small job to do, but then intended to go to Bazzoxan. They kept questioning us as to our knowledge and our intentions, and we did the same. Both of us were reluctant to be completely forthcoming.
As they left, Ayo told us a rumor -- the word of what we did against the Dwendalian Empire has spread, and perhaps we should be watching our backs.
We decided to leave for Bazzoxan right away. It would take at least twelve days on foot.
Along the road, we saw a Tiefling on the back of a Moorbunder, surrounded by two other wild bristly Moorbunders. We dashed towards the unfortunately Tiefling to offer assistance. One of the wild ones ran away, but the other stayed and continued its menacing behavior. The thing grappled me! My comrades rescued me, and Justus the Tiefling, whose mount was named "Rice Pudding," thanked us profusely.
As we prepared for camp, we spotted something by the side of the road. It was composed of twisting shadows, not completely solid, but looked like a large winged creature. It was a dead Gloomstalker, riddled with arrows and partially burned. We found a ring with a sapphire in it. Puzzled, we set up camp a respectable distance away -- Bumi established that the ring was not magical.
Bumi told us of a dream he had in the night -- a strange woman telling us to "help him" and to "hurry up."
Upon the morrow, we continued down the road and came across what seemed to be several bodies. Circling above was a large carrion bird. An Udaak, an apelike demon, was the largest corpse. Approximately two dozen Humans and horses were also strewn about.
Three things popped out of the fur of the ape-demon! Quasits! And apparently the thing circling in the air was a Vrock-demon! The Quasits were easily dispatched, and we began shooting long-range at the diving Vrock. Bell's spells against the Vrock were amazing! We managed to destroy the thing before it finished its dive to attack us.
Upon investigating, we found one set of horse-tracks leading away from the carnage. We also found a nice dagger inscribed with the name "Kierchaly Waste-walker." Irvan Waste-walker was one of the other party. We created a funeral pyre and I performed a brief ceremony for the dead.