Session 35: Beholder Lair and the Ascent of Lucius Report

The Pit Patrol enjoys some time in the Bayani-Sun Casino after traversing their long journey across the dimensions. They take the time to trade with Sly Spenser and D’Wat successfully negotiates the purchase of rare and powerful armor from their tiefling tenant.

Oyxuysi has been spending time in their newly erected arcane tower where he's been closed up in his laboratory with his experiments and crafting. Thirteen feels the whispers of the scythe that she took from the death giants. Fez also comes back after spending time at the hex crystal mines with his mother,

The Warning

Tito Apolaki, the Warlock of Rampol, saunters into the Bayani-Sun Casino with the kind of swagger that only someone who's been around the block a few times can pull off. His eyes, a gleaming gold that hints at his celestial lineage, twinkle with a mischievous spark. He doesn't waste time with formalities; he gets straight to the point.

"Hey there, Lucius," he begins, leaning casually against a nearby wall. "Got some news for ya, and it's not the kind you wanna hear. See, the bigwigs up there in the Church of Sun & Moon, led by our good ol' Patriarch, have decided it's time for a little, uh, 'sacrifice.'"

"They reckon tossin' you over to Tambanakua, that Lava Spider with a hankering for celestial snacks, will keep our precious sun from turnin' into a midnight snack. Now, I get it, they're in a bit of a pickle, what with the celestial gluttons causin' all sorts of ruckus lately. But you, my friend, you're more than just a snack."

Apolaki's tone takes on a more serious note.

"You're a symbol of hope, the guy who's gonna shine a light when things get dark. So, here's the deal: I've got somethin' special for you." He produces a small, glowing acorn, holding it up for Lucius to see. "This, my friend, is the 'Acorn of Change.' It's a ticket to somethin' bigger than us, a way to break free from this mess."

He winks, his golden eyes dancing with that mischievous spark once more.

"But here's the kicker. The Four Archons of Judgment, these celestial big shots, they're on their way to pass their verdict. They reckon you're the key to all this chaos. Me? I think they give too much credit to the bigwigs. So, Lucius, you've got a choice: go along with their plan or take a leap of faith with the Acorn of Change. The world's watchin', my friend, and it's time for you to decide how this story unfolds."

With that, Tito Apolaki leaves Lucius to ponder his fate, the weight of the world's expectations hanging heavy in the air.

The Acorn of Change

Using the divine link that he has made with Rampol, D'Wat asks the God of the Sun what the Acorn can do. Rampol replies that the acorn is a piece of his divine power and can grant a god-level wish to whoever eats it. It can reverse time if needed. But what he most ants is for his follwoers to use it to perform the Ritual of Lunar Apotheosis and create a new Avatar for him on Erathia.

Lucius ponders that information.

Tower of the Beholder

On the next Shatter, the Pit Patrol enters the Manifest to investigate a tower that appeared in their area of responsibility. As they entered, they could feel the familiar buzz of psionic mind magic and the smell of aberrations. A githyanki xenomancer stands in a deep pit on a column. He barters for information with the party, but his master announces, "This group is rich in magic and power. I want it, take them!

They get into a tough fight with githyanki knights, a gish, and the wizard. They serve the beholder and its gauth followers. They strafe the party with their eye beams and the Patrol is caught in another tough fight. The intelligent combatants focus fire. Thirteen gets caught in the close quarters and takes heavy damage from eye beams and githyanki silver swords.

The beholder blasts the Patrollers with an anti-magic cone stripping the of their protective spells. Without Lucius' protective wards, Thirteens wounds bring her to the brink of death. She expects her death wards to protect her but the death giant scythe spins around her. The souls of those she has slain formed a shroud around her. She exploded into a death giant bearing the Mark of Molak. She began to turn her dark magic on her friends.

They slowly manage to turn the tide on the battle, even with the Dark Thirteen also fighting against them. They manage to slay the githyanki and gauth and finally the beholder itself. The xenomancer grabs his master's corpse and teleports away.

They recover some loot from the beholder's tower and return home to where the Archons of Judgement wait for them.

The Trial of Lucius Solara

The Archons of the Sun, Moon Stars, and Eclipse meet the Pit Patrol and call out to them. "Lucius Solara, you and your friends are summoned to stand in the Light of the Sun!" Reality warps around them and they find theselves once again standing in front of Rampol and Zernon's Eclipse. The Archons stand arrayed next to him along with a nervous looking Carl Malmström, Patriarch of the Sun.

The Patriarch speaks, "Lucius Solara, you have been a good and faithful servant of Rampol and the Church of the Sun & Moon. But your existence endangers the sun, the world, and the lives of all of us. The Tambanakua stirs because of its hunger for you. I say that the life of one aasimar is not worth the lives of all the world."

The gods words reverbrate in their bones, "The Patriarch's words have merit. Lucius, you were not present for my rebirth. But I know that you were brave enough to enter the lair of the Tambanakua to confront your fear."

"You, the companions of my faithful priest. What do you have to say about your compatriot?"

One by one the Patrollers tell their stories about Lucius. T-R01d speaks about the sun clerics prowess in battle and value as a comrade. Thirteen speaks about the aasimar's faithfulness and skill with magic. D'Wat fibs a little bit about how much he values Lucius' friendship and admires his personality. Fez speaks about their deep friendship and says that Lucius should have the chance to prove himself.

Encouraged by his friends, Lucius pleads his own case. He says that he should have the chance to face the Tambanakua and see if he can end the threat himself. He promises that he will confront the threat of the Lava Spider or die in the attempt.

The Archons decide together that Lucius deserves the chance to determine his own destiny. The trial has gone Lucius' way.

The Avatar of the Sun

With the trial over, the Patrollers prepare to return home. They are surprised when Lucius makes a sudden decision. Overcome with emotion, Lucius stands before his god for the first time. He kneels and presents Midnight's Bane to Rampol. He takes out the Acorn of Change and swallows it.

There in the presence of his god and his angels, in the presence of the Patriarch, and bearing Relics of the Sun, Lucius has determined that he has everything he needs to perform the Ritual of Lunar Apotheosis. He is right and he takes the mantle of Avatar of the Sun for himself!