Category: Graveyard of Empires: The Islands of Curabel: Session Summaries

SESSION 172 – October 11, 2017

We explore and find a message burnt inside the cube that reads “Moved to walking stone. K the E.” It is difficult to puzzle what this means. {Larry suggests the T-1000 automaton.}

We find the place mostly abandoned. Edan wants to check the quarters of the giant, in case there are any helpful things left behind.

Before Edan can do it, there is a tremendous earthquake. The solid constructionof Glavnon hold and we are not buried in rubble. The shaking lasts for what seems like an eternity, about ten minutes. Once it stops, there is a huge aftershock. The undying we found are battered to “death”.

We hear voices coming of some of the human guards from outside, one is sure that he has to go down and tell the Dark King what is going on. When they enter the cube room, Amodeus charms the leader and the rest go along with it. They take us to the teleport ring. A piece of missing “stone” must be put in place for it to become functional.

Before it is put in place, Edan Webs them. Helen and Rallion slay the two that were not held. The rest surrender. We get lots of intel, and that there is a huge cloud filled with fire an lightning off the coast to the south. We also learn of some fellow named Aubry is the “Righteous Halberd.” (Aubry as in Grodecop, Em’s boyfriend.) We also learn that the Dark King has been working for a very long time, and acts like any warlord. The Countil of 12 have to “consume” live people to survive so long. Some obey so that their families aren’t “food” for the ancients. Others are “true believers.”

We also learn that on the other side of the portal is a staging area with various automata, and the “T-1000” is there and isn’t acting right. This seems to tell Edan and the others that this “Liar” is in this “walking device.” It opens to the elevator at the base of the spire for in the tombs/necropolis. It is the War Machine & Nanocarbon storage.

Edan heads off to the office, and makes a vast find of schematics, especiall the new triangle batteries! We learn that a lot of things were ordered by Marchmain.

Prix and others stay to watch the webbed guards, and several of us go to look out and Edan tells us about some “sonic device” that must have set off an undersea volcano, as there is now a mountain to the south that wasn’t there. We fear for what has become of Vargen. Is it still there? What of Midmark?

While wondering what has happened, etc. There is a muffled “knock” at the gate. It is the undead bodies of the captain of the ship we hired to go check out the wereshark, Garmuth. Also the crew and the hirelings of Thorfus. Notably absent is the one we later learned was a spy with an inquisitor mask. (Was the hireling ever a “real” hireling or always a spy?)

Amodeus had decided to leave us, and since the undead only want the statue, and since it is in Midmark, which Edan told them, they seek revenge and the death of the Starchy Boyz, in the current case, Edan and Axel. Are there any others? Perhaps Sturloc, Belisent, and Lambertus…. Amodeus decides to wait until they break open the door.

We find a place to hide one of the mini portals, so we can use them as a quick escape from the other side of the big portal.

So we know that the mermen – both factions are wiped out and that Vargen and Midmark – and it’s navy are crippled or destroyed. Do we know anyone friendly to us in those towns who is still alive?

The Dark King’s forces were moving to invade Vargen. Was the timing such that they don’t need to invade or did we luck out and that force get destroyed/reduced? With Midmark evern more weakened, the Dragon Empire can more easily move in.

We also learned that the gnome illusionist betrayed us to the dark king and it was a trap that Ilska captured the skiff and two of our party, one of whom died? Chuq or Belisenete??

Ilska has made the gnome keep the gateway open and the Dark King hopes to use it as a bargaining chip for the invasion fleet to not destroy this world, since there is an untouched world awaiting conquest….

SESSION 171 – OCTOBER 4, 2017

While in Kehl resting, two groups of lizard looking creatures fight it out, and the “winners” take goods and meat from losers. They don’t see us, and we ignore them.

Prixithalma is frustrated with her progress in re-creating the virus. Edan does his best to help.

We find a neatly folded letter behind the berserker letting us know that Villems betrayed us and that some of the dark elves are on our side:

Blessings of Lloth on you Outsiders,

The grotesque Czizak-Ygna who hosted you recently has betrayed you to those among our people still loyal to the Deceivers from the Great Outside (known to many as the Hidden Ones). The Brood of Hyvaneq intends you harm, so be wary between the trading post and that warren of stunted liars known as Vilsnarg. However, be aware that you have allies among the Matriarchs of Shadow and within that crooked city’s elven embassy who can help you – remember, if you find yourself before a corrupt judge, requests for Ghirzak-Korman cannot be denied!

The Sisterhood of Arachne, Handmaidens to the Queen Who Spins Destiny’s Inescapable Threads

We speed up and Axel has the Berserker carry him so we can move faster.

We reach an opening that has graffitti in multiple langages that warn to be silent up ahead.

We sneak up and find a rotating track in a four way and to the north is a mine cart storage area. There are signs that we face a big fight so we avoid. Silence is cast on the berserker and the monkeys movewith it. Once all past, Nash fires an arrow and a bunch of huge tentacles feel around for throuble, only finding Nash’s arrow. (Rallion recognized this intersection as something he had seen before, but was quiet so had no trouble.)

Two more hours find a short side passage, and set up Khel to rest. A group of lizards types with nearly albino human prisoners heads back the way we came, but we avoid them.

Later a wounded mushroom man goes past. Nash convinces Axel to let him out. Nash heals him. We crudely communicate with him, Nash uses the skull cap with Serithaz, and we learn that the creature is loyal to death to Nash. Nash names him Wednesday. The creature is also poisonous so we should not touch or eat him.

The next day, Rallion shares that the side passage where he followed, is too small for the Berserker. We leave the berserker in a side cavern sitting and hidden, and have the monkeys remove the head, which Rallion carries.

We quickly reach a huge cavern with a well made dwarven bridge over it. We find an opening to the cavern with the elevator. Rallion had climbed down it, not knowing how to operate it.

We move in small groups and take the elevator. Rallion takes the lead and hears voices. He goes back and informs the group. Nash uses his ability to listen and hears two humans, and several shambling creatures. They walk off.

Edan and Bavmorda sneak around looking for a way out.

About 30 feet up is a big room with a giant cube.

Patrol with 10 undying and two humans, one with a silver control circlet.

Bavmorda sneaks up to backstab the one with the silver circlet. Killing instantly, then manages to surprise and kill the other human. Edan takes control of the 10 undying, and Bavmorda grabs the silver circlet.

The rest of us move up to join the others.

Session 170 September 27, 2017

2nd of Onrilden

AD Clock 00.00.03.14

A week after Amadeus, Bavmorda and Lambertus have trained in Villams’ outpust tunnels, Majilis approaches the party to discuss our plans. He reports Shadow Elves have been asking after members of the Keepers of the Council. The price to keep our ways secret is settled after a lengthy negotiation for all of our remaining gems and bejeweled jewelry in exchange for highly useful Gnomish tools. Tools such as a dozen each gas & acid deep gnome darts, adamantine spear and hand held cross bow bolts, and 2 summon earth guardian scrolls. They also agree to forgive the trainees sent to the gnomes.

Majilis mentions the Ancient Dwarven suite behind the incineration chamber. Since Axel decides to leave Thorfus interned in the administrator’s office, we don’t offer and advice or help to Majilis. Promising to keep our plans secret, Majilis and a few other deep gnomes escort the party to the form Umber Hulk/Goblin lair where the party ascends towards Glavnone via the central vertical shaft Ralion used to hook up with the party.

Before the party splits from Majilis, Kotar notices the night cap is missing. A brief panic ensues before Nash puts it on his head and obviously has a private conversation with the ancient devil fish. Nash reports Serithas agrees to cooperate with Nash to poison the minds of our foes. When Edan explains Chuq Nourris was tricked by the same promise, Nash decides to not wear the cap at this time.

During the trek, a monkey autonotom is attacked by a cave fisher that Axel kills with an arrow. The party also takes the time to examine Ancient Dwarven machinery along the route, finding uncut gems in a stone crusher. A horde of Bugbears travelling in the opposite direction are avoided when over two dozen are discovered. Eventually the party halts to rest, the journey to Glavnone will finish the next day…

Session 169 September 20, 2017

3:50 pm 24th of Masrilden

AD Clock 00.00.03.21

As we settle to rest, Prixilthalmis asks Bavmorda to retrieve an information reliquary. Prix plans to save a copy of her virus to be used against Xeno Tel if she is not present to render aid. When asked, Edan gives one over and watches Prix clear the memory of a reliquary and begin the process of programming the virus. Prix states the overall process will take several sleep sessions but once completed, will allow Edan, Kalgunn or Serithas to use the virus against Xeno Tel and possibly cause the orbital palace to crash upon her ex-husband! She explains how her original delivery was via the Crystal Tower which is no longer attached to the orbital palace. Now she wonders how to deliver the virus. She hopes it can be done from someplace within the orbital palace.

After the spell casters have rested, Nash decides to talk with the now dead Thorfus. Nash asks:

1.      What do you want us to do now that you are dead? “Save my mother, save the world… I failed… keep your shield up… make sure my mother is taken care of, give her all of my wealth…I fear for her safety

2.      Is there anything you want to tell us? – more of the same as before – “get back to the skiff… we need the cure, kill Jardin for me!… save Em!… Kill Marchmain & the Dark King… give the map maker my share of the estate…

Next the party collects themselves to return to the Gnome tunnels. At the vertical shaft they meet Ralion, a ranger sent by druids to investigate stories and reports of Canis a former associate of the Starchie Boyz. Ralion has disturbing news of the surface world. He asks to join our cause, in as much for the Druids of the Verdant Fellowship as for the sake of friendly company. Realizing our gnomish allies suffer from a lack of protein, it is decided Thorfus’ body would be left in behind the incineration room so that it might not be on the dinner menu tonight.

At the giga worm tunnel, Harasib gets in line with the party and escorts us back to Vilim’s. Eventually the party has an audience with Vilim after turning over the beetlemen eggs and egg remnants to Majilis who shares stories of the underdark with Edan after a jeweled tip is offered. Majilis hints that resurrection might be found in Negron which is corroborated by Vilim later. Seems there are ancient dwarven machines that might return the dead to the living.

Vilim’s tongue is more loose than Majilis’. In exchange for most of our jeweled treasure, the hefty gnome chief tells what she claims are all her secrets of the under dark. She admits to luring the hulks to cull the goblins tribes which we then tidied up for her at the exorbitant price of Thorfus Ironhand’s life. She tells ancient stories of her ancestors that slaved for the hidden ones in places that made them sick. Her brighter ancestors deduced a cure for stone sickness which they keep secret to this day. Ancient dwarves took the essence of what made someone a dwarf out her gnomish ancestors to make a race of servants. As a people, they have move past this ethnic slight.

Of the brain eating Silence, she states the gnomes trade with them none too often. Yet the Silence will readily trade for ancient dwarven technology, because they worship it as a living thing with spirits trapped within that must be liberated. Once freed, the spirits roam freely within their city. Their closest settlement is Zavphrom, where the Righteous Halberd is known to haunt The Righteous Halberd is an escaped slave from the Necropolis, a geurrilla subversive operating in the Silence’s territory. He is an upsider like us.

Vilsnarg, the largest settlement of the gnomes can be found east about 8.5 lanterns from here. It is bridged by an ancient dwarven aqueduct, ruled by clan Vilsnarg, their king and his court. Above Vlisnarg is an entrance to a mine, nearby is the dark water river and a chasm. All converge three converge at Vilsnarg, anyone can follow the darkwater directly into the gnome territory. Beyond Vilsnarg is Malgrom a truly mixed society comparted to Vilsnarg.

To the southeast is the hidden city of the dead attended by slaves brought below by raids on surface populations. It is a hive of industry just since the last few years. Rumors say that one of the lords might have been killed or exiled. The hidden ones are preparing for war against the Silence.

Majilis is tasked with providing a map of the Necropolis for us. There is a ring city around the Necropolis populated by elves and slaves. The dead part of the city is column of stone, a spire with bridges where the hidden ones that are not awake roam,   attended by pedestals that magically move around. There are guardians that take care of the dead, their lair lies above a stockpiles of nano carbon, where weapons of war are being made. There is a teleportation device. The top of the spire is where the lords sit on their thrones, they are undead that an ancient dwarven device keeps alive. 12 or 11 lords are all connected to a phylactory that keeps them alive forever.

Villam suggests how to get close to the Lords to do harm. She suggest travelling via the mines to the gigaworm or darkwater to negropolis past shadow elf outposts. An alternate: through silence territory past Zayphrom taking the dark water river to Vilsnarg or the gigaworm tunnel to its end near the necropolis. She thinks an alliance with the Righteous Halberd would be successful against the Silver Throne Lords.

Session 168: September 13, 2017

Some of our group chase after the blinded and wounded mother hulk with eggs on its back.

Momentarily aftwerwards, Thorfus comes out of his confusion and chases after them.

They find a third hulk and it attacks Nash. Thorfus rushes up at incredible speed and hammers the creature to great effect, but the creature wounds Thorfus. Thorfus wounds it again, and this time, the creature fells Thorfus, his lifeless body thrown across the tunnel.

Axel and Lambertus rush up, and evade Bavmorda, who was confused by the creature’s gaze. Axel, Nash, and Lambertus manage to fell the creature.

The monkeys cease working on the beserker and come to sing for Thorfus.

After looting thd body of Thorfus, Axel uses the Crystal Circlet and commands the monkeys to sing more quietly. Axel sends one to get Edan, and reaches out to Edan. Edan comes and sees Thorfus’s body. They go after the mother hulk and Edan hits it with the rest of his magic missiles, and finally fells it. It did charge, but did not hurt anyone else. It fell on its back and only two of the remaining eggs survived. Shell fragments and some egg liquid in cloaks and handles.

Amadeus found the body of a gnome who had a lenticular device and a crude map of the ancient dwarven area.

Nash opened up the stomachs of two of the hulks and found some gems.

They send the berserker in and the lenticular device does not work.

Nash drags Thorfus’ body in and puts his hand on the button and it opens.

They are not incinerated.

Next room has a room with light and gnomes and goblins building a tall tower (Crystal Tower) from materials gnomes & goblins were mining.

Find secret 5x 5 room with stuff. Chest of gold and bag of holding and potion.

We elect to rest and re-learn spells in the ancient dwarven area, and the monkeys work to repair the berserker.

RIP Lord Thorfus Ironhand, aged 52 years 362 days.

Session 167: September 6, 2017

We rest and get a bit more information for a few nice gems.

We are led to location of bettlemen. It is ancient dwarven mines, now inhabited by the remnants of a goblin tribe decimated a few times by the beetlemen.

The location has a doorway into a room of ancient dwarven design with a button that disintegrates all in the room. There is a vacuum cleaner bot that is only active when there are ashes to clean up.

The goblins advise us that the beetlemen have driven them from their home and made it their nest. We use the berserker to operate a winch to go down to the level with the crfeatures.

We find two damaged berserkers and Thorfus orders one monkey to take the head from one and the other to get the other ready for the head.

The first beetleman confuses Thorfus, Sturloc, and Kottar. Miraculously, it can’t hit thorfus.

Amodeus hits it with continual light, and it is a slow slog. The female joins the fight, and after prompting the monkey to fix the berserker, Edan cast lightning bolt and drops the first beetleman. The female is badly hurt and several of the eggs on her back burst.

Amodeus cast continual light into it’s eye, and Edan hit it with magic missile. It fled just before Amodeus cast web.

Thorfus was hit hard by the female, and has stood confused in spite of being hasted by Prixithalma.

Thankfully, no one in a confused state has managed to hurt another or themselves.

Betty was enlarged to giant size by Prixithalma and is ready to give chase to the female.

Nash was wounded and Lambertus healed him a bit.

Will we catch the female and get the eggs? Will we find eggs in the nest?

Where is the third beetleman the goblins mentioned?

We learned from the goblins that the silence are squid faced brain eaters who are former servants o the ancient dwarves who now make war on them.

Session 166: August 30, 2017

After resting and healing, the party continues west, and comes upon a group of drow questioning some deep gnomes and a half-orc Lilly/Brenda/Bavmorda.

We defeat the drow and the leader and one other escape. One of the gnomes is slain. One of the Monkeys is smashed. The other monkey and the berserker are injured. Amodeus agrees to use the wand of mending to fix the berserker and working monkey. Axel was severely injured and was healed up.

Edan becomes very ill, and the gnomes tell us that it is “stone sickness.” They take us to their lair and meet with their leader, Willems. We learn that they have a cure, but it requires the eggs of beetle men. They are large and tough.

We need at least 3 eggs. All of us that have psionics most likely have stone sickness. Thorfus and Nash then become ill. We plan to get enough eggs to take the cure back to those on the surface.

We also learn that the Dark King, or someone with a circlet greater than Thorfus’ slew a dragon and went into the ship before it exploded. We hope that means the dark king was slain. The drow were sent down to see if anyone got away from the ship. They did not think it was going to result in anything until we showed up.

We also learn that there is a faction called “The Silence” that has something to do with the ancient dwarves and things beyond the world.

Willems, the gnome leader is not one that we can trust. Prix doesn’t like the situation, but we have to trust the fix can truly save us. Prix said the ancient dwarves had their own cure for this.

This is a mess we rest up and hope to quickly defeat the creatures, and avoid more drow, and being betrayed by the gnomes to the “Hidden Ones” AKA ancient dwarves/Council of 12/ Lords of the Silver Throne.

Session 165 August 23, 2017

5:37am 23rd of Masrilden Temple of the Flesh God

As expected, three dragons assault the temple of the Flesh God just before dawn. Their approach was heralded by a violent storm front unnaturally rolling in from the east.

The rolling clouds from the east blanket the sun during the last minutes of Myrientaxis’ life. It takes three belches of dragon fire to end the ancient bronze. He returns in kind to the smaller of his opponents weakening it enough that Bellisente’s revenge attack wing electrocutes it dead. Miraculously, Bellisente’s pilot intercepts the unconscious Chuq Nourrous plummeting to his imminent death from the air. She snatches the monk’s limp form as the larger Red Dragon grasps her wing man from the sky, slagging the automaton monkey with a point blank belch of fire.

Thorfus watches Bellisonte and Chuq fly away through eyes of another monkey hidden in the canopy of the banyan. He, Axel and Edan have lurked in a cabin close to the entryway of the Temple of the Flesh God. While the three monitor the battle outside, Amadeus persuades Prixalthalmus and her escort of Sturloc and Kotar to flee into the tunnels below the Temple. His entreaties are for naught, so he proceeds on his own. Nash is ensconced in another cabin, praying to Merendur for the power to survive what comes. His thoughts and feelings are jumbled and conflicted since Sarachino his companion was recently consumed by a mysterious freezing growth that erupted from a footlocker in an adjacent cabin. To save himself, Nash had to leave Sarachino’s body behind. The regret is painted all over his face.

As one, the Dwarves and part Elf give the order to abandon the Temple after the last dragon, a blue, arrives and alights the banyan tree via a lightning strike. The topside monkey returns via one of the fighter bays. The Beserker Autonotom covers the party’s retreat. Hopefully the two dragons outside will be delayed long enough for Zayid’s plan to explode the ship via an engine overload happens.

Far below the temple, in the spiraling tunnels, Amadeus discovers a Bullette’s body. Amadeus decides to butcher the body to harvest valuable body parts but his efforts are interrupted by a deadly Cloaker. Leaping to the rescue, Thorfus inadvertently strikes Amadeus unconscious before abandoning sword play for wrestling the Cloaker off of Amadeus’ limp body. The fight for Amadeus’ life alerts Edan and the others. Working together they defeat the cloaker and hopefully can keep everyone else alive.

Session #164: The Sleeper Has Awakened!

(We handled our Psionics this session)

Journal Entry – Nearly sunrise. {didn’t take note of the day}

As we prepare for our battle against the dragon intent on destroying us I’ll relate what has happened over the last few hours.

The ritual was a success – Prixathalma is alive. I scarcely can believe it myself, but there she was in her full dragon glory.

Her reactions were confused, luckily we made sure the first person she’d see was Mariantaxsis and she recognized her kin and immediately began speaking with him in Dragonic. (I must learn this language if given the chance!)

Kotar roughly explain what was said – that she at asked him if he had rescued her, to which he explained no, we did, and went on to explain generally the current situation regarding the flight of 3 dragon on their way to eliminate her and all of us.

Finally noting our presence – she focused on Thorfus and began question him in Ancient Dwarven. He and I did our best to answer, including informing her about Xenotel visiting our dreams. She tells its troubling, but could be a way to access Xentel that way if need be.

Thorfus repeats the impending arrival of the Dragons and questions if she would know if they’d be carrying Imperial Dervishes. Not surprisingly she didn’t know who the Dervishes were (I figure that the imperial dervishes came into being much after he “death’’) but did know about the shadow stepping. She alluded that normally dragon wouldn’t stoop to carrying lesser creature, but admitted that during the Rebellion she and others did so.

She then wanted to hear the Prophecy that Mariantaxis mentions, Axel obliged, repeating the words he heard during his long road back to us. Thorfus and I then explain who the Liar, Mad King and Consort are (though she knew exactly who the last one was) and explain what we hope we can accomplish. She explains it’s possible that our plan may work, especially if we can undo what she did to the Orbital Defenses to prevent the Dwarves from repairing what she had done.

Thorfus also explained the plans (as we know them) of the other factions – Dark King, Silverthrone and Imperials. She did not seems too concerned with them (or did not show it) as we moved on to discuss our next course of action.

After some deliberation we decide to explore the crash-site in the hopes of finding items that may help us against the coming dragons or the other factions (she’s a big fan of using other people’s devices against them) as she’s still not fully recovered from her resurrection.

NOTE: We did not tell her everything yet, the fate of her son and Chuq’s misguided attempt to end the crisis by eliminating her and the death of her old allies.

Our explorations were fruitful:

Amodeus spoke with Zyaid and discovers a treasure trove of items including a repair wand, exo-suits, schematics for some micro repair droids, electro-stics

Zyaid also confirmed that the fighters are functional and the Beserker is aswell, though defective.

He also has a plan to self-destruct while we escape through a tunnel made by a Bulette

He also confirmed that the ship could not fly again, nor did it have a battery charging unit.

Amodeus was quick to use the Repair Wand on the Beserker – giving us one more weapon.

We also find a fully functional repair pair, allowing us to repair Thorfus’ monkeys – and later the Beserker, after it managed to defeat the Bullette blocking our escape.

Chuq informed me that Zyaid confirmed that the fluid in the tanks could not repair the damage caused by Jagger’s manipulations – though the scars could. Also – after Thorfus’ use of the tanks to heal – we discovered that they too seem to have been affected by the strange energy emitted by the engines earlier. (Must question Kalgunn about these engines)

With Zyades help we confirm that if Prix wears one of mind protecting rings she cannot easily be detected by the ships – and therefore – the other dragons.

With our search complete, and our escape route clear – we begin to plan exactly how we will defeat the oncoming storms: Red, Blue and likely Black.

We have the skiff loaded with what we found and have it moved far enough to avoid detection.

Chuq hopes to trap one in the Shadow-Realm – risking his own entrapment. Mariantaxis believes he could likely defeat or divert one – leaving one for us.

This may be my last entry – unless my ancestors say otherwise.

Session 163 August 9, 2017

Su-monster mash

As the teams square up against the last of the Su-Monsters, a ramping up rumbling is heard from the engines.

Edan and Caesar dash along the catwalk to read the dials and lights on a panel of the topmost engine. As the others fight for their lives, the two examine the engine and compare the controls against the schematic reliquary. Caesar confirms the noise is coming from within the engines as Edan determines the single lever before him will deactivate the damaged engines from cycling on. Before he yanks the lever, he checks for traps. At the same time, Nash is overwhelmed with fear then flees from fight by dropping down to the bottom deck. After the top engine is silenced, the two engines below cycle on and emit a burst of coruscating lights.

A wave flows through the hallways, leaving Amadeus, Edan, Sarrichino & Bellisente bent over wrenching up the contents of their stomachs. The last Su-Monster suffers the same allowing Chuq to sneak behind where his vorpal dagger eviscerates it dead.

On the mid deck, a Su-Monster confuses Laurent into inaction right before Axel paralyzes it with a punch from his venomed gauntlet. Thorfus quickly takes its head. Recovering quickly, Amadeus follows the fleeing Nash to the bottom deck into an empty closet with a closed hatch on its floor.

For Amadeus, Bellisente, Chuq, Edan, and Sarrichino something has opened up in their minds’ eyes. It is as if they have access to a new world beyond this world that they can use as a weapon. A weapon they will call psionics. Powers of the mind like those seen from this ships AI.

Spying a lonely Su-Monster lurking behind Edan’s web trap, the party collects on the top deck as the gravity switches and devises a plan. The plan goes off without any difficulty, the last Su-Monster is slain by a volley of arrows after the web was alit. The gravity switches back to normal shortly after. Chuq and Thorfus tackle the turn coat monkey autonatom. It is trussed into a sack for safe keeping.

Now that nothing is trying to kill them, the party examines the cloning room from without. They spy clones of Virgil, Finkelmur, Derich and the ancient human and Canis growing(?) in tanks flanking a central tank holding a monstrous mound of flesh dotted with many mouths and eyes. Its tendrils emerging out the top of its cylindrical tank, twining about into the other tanks and into the walls of the ship. Edan reminds us that the big tank should house the template for the other cloning tanks.

As Axel, Chuq and Thorfus enter the cloning chamber to examine closer, they are swarmed by clones of long standing members of the party and many of their former allies. Clones of Axel Rhomkul the dwarven swashbuckler, Xeno Tel adept Brice Hissell, hard drinking druid Cannis, Derich Khelbane the ancient human freedom fighter, former master of the Celestial Dragons Chuq Nourris, half-elvan academic turned field researcher Edan, undercover imperial inquisitor Ir’Alle, streetwise Ronan the “Smith” and denounced lord of dwarven clan Ironhand Thorfus, surround the three with murder in their eyes. Chuq correctly grabs the true Axel and Thorfus from the throng and shadow steps the three to the top rim of the large cylindrical tank. Noticing Edans’ furious gesticulations at the glowing gem fronting the gold band about the rim of the cylinder, Chuq pries it lose with his favorite vorpal dagger. As the gems clatters to the floor, the clones cease their attack.

Fortunately, Amadeus had cast a let’s be best friends spell at the Flesh God in the central tank. The two new friends mentally discussed how to save the three trapped by the clones. The Flesh God, calling himself Ziyad, wanted to help but the ship’s mind was in control of the clones via the gold circlet around the tank. Knowing the ships AI was likely a crystal like those find in the Xen Khel bridge autonatoms prompted Chuq to wrest the crystal from the tanks gold band. Once released from the AI’s influence, Ziyad could control the clones directly since they are his “children”.

We learn Ziyad was an ancient human rebel trapped in the ship cloning facility since the war. Grateful to be free from enthrallment, he laments the fate of this ‘children’. When it is explained we are champions for Prixalthalmus, he agrees to help, going so far as convincing two or his innocent children to sacrifice themselves so that Prixalthalmus can be resurrected.  The centuries in the tank’s life rejuvenating water has warped his body into the oddity that he is today. The machine that was his jailor (we strongly suspect Xeno Tel) looked into the party to make our murderous dopplegangers as well as the faceless ones we found in the engine rooms.

At about 1:37am, with Ziyad’s blessing we herd all of the now docile clones down a deck and out into the jungle. Chuq is left recovering in one of the small tanks to heal his wounds. After a bit of discussion, the gruesome ritual to resurrect Prixalthalmus is commenced. One by one, clones are brought before her still body. Their veins slit open and their blood poured over her. Finally, the vials of dragon blood are poured over her body. Almost immediately her flesh writhes and is crawling with life. The alabaster skin, subtly at first then with acceleration, contours into scale like shapes. Darkening to a red hue, the scales and all of her suddenly grow in all directions. In a blink of an eye, with wings unfurled to full width, a lustrous red dragon sweeps away the scurrying people about her with her awesome presence. She faces Myerientaxiz, now an ancient bronze dragon. No doubt she will have questions…