Session 12: Trial of the Moon Report
General Summary
After defeating the guardians of the Tomb of Thaya PPAC moved forward, beckoned into the tomb by moonlight. Thirteen, still contemplating the offer of the vampire Santiago became catatonic, wought with the fear that she made the wrong decision.
The other members of PPAC trudged on into the womb of the tomb. The first silver-y room then entered contained a large domed ceiling with illuminated script; a holy poem challenging those who enter to “FACE YOUR DARKNESS”. Those perceptive individuals in the party noticed in the dark recesses of the room shapes darting back and forth, but could never quite get a clear look at them.
As PPAC moved forward to the next room the doors sealed shut behind them. In the new cavernous room they came upon murals, murals of themselves with their hearts pierced with darkness. As each champion drew near their own mural they examined it. D’Wat’s read “GREED” with him clutching a precious platinum coin. Oyx and Zernon’s read “COWARDICE” and they clutched white chicken feathers. T-R01Ds read “RECKLESS” and he clutched the tusk of boar. While Fez’s read “WRATH” and depicted him with a vial of flame.
The room was patrolled by a silvery dragon that gave off the air of celestials and it conveyed its name as Falathin. As the crew stood eyes affixed to their personal portrait they noticed it shift. D’Wat’s showed a dragon’s hoard locked behind a keep with him clutching the key, but next to the keep door was a disheveled Lola Carly. The image shifted in his mind and he heard Lola Carly cry out, for the key for it could save her, but would keep D’Wat from the horde. D’Wat quickly copied the key with his thieves tools and handed over the key to Lola who graciously accepted. Falathin’s voice boomed “PASS” in D’Wat’s mind and Falathin handed over a kitsune figuring for inspiration.
Oyx’s scene turned into a pillaged village, his home, with his family in the clutches of dark dragon kin. His family pleaded for Oyx’s intercession. Oyx thought of happier memories of home locked in his stance in front of the mural, but finally moved to step forward and slay his families’ captors. Oyx heard Falathin’s voice bellow “In time you made the correct choice, pass”.
Zernon’s portrait shifted into one of Lucius, cast in deep darkness. The tendril’s of a dark force surrounded Lucy and his screams pierced through the painting. Zernon lept forward to combat the darkness and save Lucy. Falathin repeated “Pass” and handed over a lion figurine for inspiration.
T-R01D’s image shifted into a seemingly endless corridor with a figure at the end. T felt in his metal frame exactly who the figure was and reached out for the Lich King; running down the corridor never getting to the end and ultimately springs traps that bar his passage through. Falathin voice erupts from the silence “RECKLESS FAILURE”.
Fez’s likeness shifts to depict his mother’s captors. A group of dark dwarves again try to reclaim his mother moving through their mines. Fez begins to become enraged with the thought, but remembers that he cleared the mines and his mother was safe. He remained outside his portrait and heard “Control leads to a PASS”. All left the room feeling better about resisting their darkness, though T was still enthralled with being reunited with the Lich and was filled with reckless abandon.
The group then stepped into a misty corridor lit only by T’s hammer and the slivers of light that spilled from the mural room. Scouting ahead D’Wat led the way right though unseen and stealthy something felt his presence and attacked. His attacker was a sinewy snake creature without eyes and it managed to strike out with three almost imperceptible arms dealing a load of psychic damage to D’Wat. The others began to engage the snake and yet another appeared, but both retreated.
After the snakes left the group could swear they heard the screams of Lucius coming from the other direction. The group doubled back led by Zernon in the direction of Lucy’s whimpers. But were again met by the two ceiling dwelling serpents. This time Oyx knocked one off the ceiling allowing D’Wat to hit it on the way to the ground. Fez also hit the fallen snake with Zernon making the kill. Oyx and T continued the attack on the other snake and ultimately brought it down. Nothing was left when the snakes fell in battle.
The team moved forward through the maze of dungeon, but met no more resistance. As they exited the maze they came upon a giant ballroom with a high ceiling held up by six massive columns. Through the columns and on a raised dais the company could see an angelic woman. The woman spoke with the surety of a full moon and introduced herself as Jenevieve, the new goddess of the Silversong Moon. Though not at full strength her form spoke to the company. Raising her hands she instructed the crew to fight their inner darkness and silvery figures manifested at her feet.
As the crew peered through the columns they focused on the silvery faces of themselves. Blank moon eyed copies stood 60 feet from the company. The true PPAC moved forward to meet their doppelgängers with Oyx unloading artillery on T2. Zernon knew only he could go toe to toe with his moon copy advanced and unleashed his blade on his moon self.
D’Wat lurking in the shadows rained a psychic barrage on T2 knocking him to the ground, dead. F2 unleashed a lightning javelin on the group as the moon people attacked, knocking the life out of T who’s large frame lay lifeless on the arena floor. Z2 took to wailing on Z ultimately incapacitating him.
Fez advanced through the columns in a rage and took out O2 whiled D bloodied D2. Oyx used his thorn whip to pull Z2 in range of Fez allowing him to unleash his rage on Z2 killing him. Oxy brought life back into T who in turn helped Z back on his feet. T advanced on D2 and tried his best to snatch the fairy from the air, but could not get a grip of him. Oyx pulled D2 close enough for T to kill him. With only the moonlit barbarian left Genevie called the battle over. She applauded the company and reminded them to “Always face their darkness” She presented them with a prize of gold, a stone of good luck, and a Ring of the Gleaming Moon, which D’Wat adeptly pocketed.
