Session 39: Side Game Recap "Auril's Trial"

Game Setup Helios Chra goes back into the chamber (still blocking it), and chants some verses then instructs Ugh to stand in the outer chamber. “Since Auril’s worthwhile minions have been slain, I now bestow this blessing on to you. I do not ask for permission, because like winter, this isn’t a choice. It just is. It was always meant to be thus. And so shall your skin and bones of ice, your mind a fierce cutting wind, and your mind that of the divine chaos of the chilling winter. Accept your fate.” Urd kneels near the entrance to the catacomb chamber, looking one last time at Helios “Ugh has enjoyed being your friends. He apologizes for anything he does in this next life that doesn’t do his credit. Ugh thinks you should likely leave, but he is greatful if you decide to stay. Ugh is both in awe, and scared at the same time.” He takes the dagger Helios gave him and points it at his own throat saying while looking at them both, “Just in case.” Nikon, Thokoli, Alaise, and Bardman Thokoli invites Nikon for a drink on a ledge overlooking the lava river. Thokoli dangles his feet over the side and becomes both Nikon and Alaise to join him. “Damn. This shit is HEA-VY” he says. Nikon, “Yeah.” He looks at Nikon, “Sorry about your friend. From what people tell from the front you all are a tight bunch. Driven. Friends forever. Speaking of which. Why are you here and not there?” Nikon, “I thought the whole decision was kind of stupid.” Game Recap Alaise and Bardman arrived, talking with Nikon and Thokoli. Bardman and Alaise were insisting that they leave when they felt a winter wind rush from the stairwell up. A wind came rushing through the caverns, harsh and cold. The ground shook. Below them the magma grew darker and darker. A blast of wind sent Thokoli and Nikon flying backwards into the passage. From every place that wind can possibly come, it does maddeningly. Through crevaces, passageways, and then great gusts from the chasms around them. Everyone but Bardman who made the save heard a woman’s voice echo in their brains, “I am winter. I am pain. Only those who survive me deserve life.” Alaise realized the appropriate thing to do hear was bow, so did Helios several rooms away. Everyone dropped, taking minimal cold damage. Helios could see Chra and Ugh doing the same, the goblins who bowed died of cold exposure anyways completely frozen over. The party awakened in a large chamber filled with “Keepers”, men and women with hairs of snake who could petrify others with their glaze. In the room was the giant statue of a goddess, but none there knew exactly whom. With them were the entire party plus Thokoli and Chra (Ice Giant/Shapeshifting Asshole). Their forms were large and made of frost and snow, but looking like themselves. The Keepers were spooked and naked but now with their home filling with snow and frost (unnatural underground), they were scrambling to get their weapons and put on cloths. Chra went forward at a Keeper who was looking aggressive and almost killed her with a punch, while another tried to petrify Nikon with his gaze which was reflected back at him, the party’s new Frost Elemental forms reflecting back the gazes of the Keepers. Bardman told Chra to stop and interjected. Alaise realized that the creatures were not martially superior to them, and were somewhat “squishy.” The Queen Keeper, with a glorious head full of snakes came out from behind the statue and introduced herself, asking who they were. The party explained what they could in limited time, adding that Chra was “An asshole” and didn’t represent all of them. Chra did something aggressive, the queen attempted to petrify him and it was reflected but she resisted, then she ordered her soldiers to fire and they all fired twice (24 arrows total) on Char. The party siezed the oppurtunity to come up and beat him to death and his form vanished. Then Auril appeared, breaching her way through the upper ground causing rubble to fall on the statue as she smirked. The Queen Keeper began convulsing with frost and ice encasing her and Auril asked “Who will be my champion?” The other Keepers were stunned and in fear. Ugh approached and said “Ugh thinks we will be your champion.” Auril responded with, “And why would you do that?” Ugh said, “To exact Auril’s will upon the world.” The ice goddess, descending among them, looked about. “And would anyone else be my champion?” Alaise said something along the lines of that he would as long as vengeance was exacted upon Corrive. Auril responded with “Prove your worth by killing those creatures.” Pointing to some Keepers. Thokoli stepped in with “Your going to destroy Corrive? I’m in.” Alaise went to do it, and Bardman aimed to stop him. Nikon stepped in, trying to grapple and stop Bardman from interfering but failed when he realized he couldn’t grapple Bardman in his elemental form. Alaise and Thokoli began slaughtering Keepers, while Helios looked upon aghast at the form of this goddess. Auril turned around and looked at Bardman, “You are obviously not my champion.” And dismissed his elemental form. Bardman woke up in the freezing cold, with Thokoli and Alaise huddled up next to him, all breathing but being destroyed by the bitter cold. 15-20 feet away in the underground blizzard they could see Nikon unconscious as well. Ugh began attacking Auril, but she paid him no mind. Bardman tried screaming, yelling and smacking Alaise while standing over him in the bitter cold winds that were eating away the flesh from his face with ice and frost. He realized physical power was not going to get through, and so he used message to tell Alaise, “I’m standing over you. I’ll stop you if I have to.” Alaise messaged something back along the lines of “I know what I’m doing. At least this way I’m doing it the right way.” (Neither Alaise nor Nikon at this point trusted Tholoki). Tholoki, Alaise, and Nikon began killing the Keepers. With Helios eventually joining in. Bardman cast dispel magic and by some miracle managed to cut off Auril’s power [the DM needs to work on his knowledge of higher level magics]. Alaise came back to reality, with Bardman standing over him, hand on his weapon. Once Helios realized with was just the slaughter of innocents, he ceased his attack, and approached Auril telling her off and giving her a monologue. She said “Not my champion” in the middle of his “Well you are just a bitch and…” Helios woke up on the ground, covered in ice and snow seeing his own breath as the words, “You can go to hell” finished in his mouth. Helios fought his way south to check on Ugh, who was frozen all the way through. Alaise and Bardman fought and made up, while figuring out what to do with Thokoli and Nikon. As frost elementals, Auril looked at Nikon and asked him “Would you be my champion?” Nikon said, “Yes.” Auril asked, “And what would you want?” Nikon replied, “Harm to Corrive, my friends would pass free.” At this point the goddesses’ form grew larger to 30+ feet tall and loomed over him, “And who else would you want vengeance upon?” Nikon, shaking and fearful said, “My village?” Auril leaned back. All the while screaming came from distance halls and Thokoli emerged from them. In the world back by their bodies, Alaise was struck with the idea that “this wasn’t real” in his head being undone as he noticed his own hand were covered in real blood, as were those of Thokoli. Bardman fought his way to Nikon and saw that his hands were covered in blood as well. Thokoli entered the chamber and Auril said, “This one has offered me the blood of Corrive, as well as his home village. What do you offer me to be my champion?” Thokoli said, “Well, that’s just fucked up.” After a brief chat, Thokoli was dispelled. Back in the underrealm hall, Helios attempted to burn the bones of the white dragon whose bones kept the ritual together. Alaise and Bardman made up and just waited things out, Thokoli awoke saying “I wasn’t chosen.” Bardman was trying to check on Nikon and was burned by cold from the touch with some Ice Elementals rising from the ground. Alaise said, “Nikon. Is that you?” Nikon responded with, “Yes, it’s me.” with a woman’s voice echoing behind his in the response. Alaise said, “Are you going to fight Corrive?” and Nikon answered “Yes, I am.” with the same echoing response. Nikon traveled east to get on the back of an Ice Elemental who began clambering down the cliffs. Behind Nikon was a trail of solid ice across the ground. Alaise attempted to follow him but stopped when he realized it was too risky. Alaize, Bardman, and Tholoki huddled together for an hour until the winds subsided, then Tholoki traveled to go look for Helios. After half an hour, Tholoki returned with Helios in front. The four crowded into a small room for warmth, trying to figure out what to do.