Tombs of Scoria: Episode 77

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== Synopsis ==
The Brothers make their decision to sacrifice a child to Atropos. Satisfied, Atropos explains interplanar travel, but requires further sacrifices to give the Brothers what they need to save Anton. Imrik offers himself to Atropos and gains a spell to locate Anton. With the Ring of True Seeing, Tyrael is able to see that Imrik has been desecrated by Atropos, turned into a vile, foul smelling husk of his former self, but otherwise appears and smells normal to the naked eye. Atropos then asks for Tyrael's firstborn, but Tyrael initially rejects the offer. Upon returning to Arcadia, Tyrael's feelings towards Drekis sours as he reflects on his journey. Tyrael and Imrik explore all other options to save Anton, but find that nothing in the kingdom can bring Anton back in time. The Brothers return to Atropos to accept her offer, and gain a device that will allow them to traverse the planes. Tyrael and Imrik lie down to inhale the vapors within the cave, and begin to fall.
==Recap==
===21st October, 1513===
The Brothers and Shine are outside of Atropos's cave in the ruins of Nekkraut. Shine pleads with the Brothers to accept that Anton is gone, and to face Scoria as two brothers. Tyrael rebukes Shine, angered by the notion they are disposable in the mission to slay Scoria, and reiterates they cannot complete their quest without Anton. Shines says Scoria can be slain without Anton. Tyrael says he accepts and understands that one or more of them could be killed in the fight with Scoria, but cannot accept that one or more of them can simply be abandoned in the process, especially knowing that Anton yet lives. Imrik agrees. 
Shine says Anton could choose to die in the meantime; that Atropos could be lying; or that the cost of a deal with Atropos could be greater than anything they could imagine. Shine turns away when her words have no effect on the Brothers. Imrik says perhaps he could sacrifice a leg, but Tyrael shoots down Imrik's suggestion. The party guesses that any limb eaten by Atropos is unlikely to ever be restored, as Atropos, a creature unlike anything else, is likely consuming more than just the flesh in the process. They party also concludes that force is not an option, as Atropos, radiating unfathomable evil power, seemed completely unthreatened by two warriors as powerful as Tyrael and Imrik , and a gold dragon at her doorstep. 
Imrik asks Shine what happens to her if they go through with sacrificing a baby to Atropos. Shine reaffirms she will honor her oath of service, but avoids eye contact with the Brothers while speaking. 
After their conversation and exhausting all other options, the party decides to sacrifice the baby to the evil creature. Shine turns into a dragon, and they spend half a day searching for signs of human life. 
The party comes across a barred cave where wide-eyed watchmen see them. Tyrael tries to communicate, but the watchmen run off, shouting in a language the party cannot understand. Soon, 30 or so people come out, some armed, but seemingly not aggressive, rather amazed and in awe by the party. In the back of the group is an old woman. The old woman spreads her arms and everyone kneels to the newcomers. 
Imrik walks towards a woman who is holding a baby. She raises a baby towards him and he takes the child then walks away. Tyrael hands the woman 2 gems. The woman tries to follow them, but Imrik hands Shine the baby and 'blesses' the woman before turning her away. The party flies back to Atropos as a shrieks and wails of despair pierce the sounds of the jungle. 
As the party heads out of the canopy, Imrik inhales the bottle of vapors from the cave, trying to glean the future. Instead, Imrik sees the woman they took the baby from. Villagers are honoring and worshipping the woman, but she sits dejected, staring into nothing and lost. 
Tyrael offers the baby to Atropos, which is quickly consumed in a few sickening, crunching bites. Satisfied, Atropos begins talking about interplanar travel, and tells Imrik she can teach him a spell that attunes to Anton. Atropos requests a part of Imrik, be it a limb or a night with him. After a brief discussion, Imrik agrees to sleep with Atropos. Tyrael waits at the front of the cave, fully aware of what is happening to his little brother. 
===22nd October, 1513===
After a long, horrifying night, Imrik has learned the spell to locate Anton. Imrik readies to leave immediately, but Atropos interrupts them, offering them an item that will let the travel between the planes. However, in exchange, she wants the firstborn child of a newly minted king. Tyrael, angered, rejects the offer, feeling like such a device was implied to be included in the deal for how necessary it seems to travel between planes. As the party leaves, Tyrael decides to activate the Ring of True Seeing, and sees that Imrik is a vile, rotten husk of his former self, utterly foul in smell. To the naked eye, however, Imrik appears and smells completely normal. 
The Brothers ask if Hydroxis would trade items with them, but Shine says there is no way Hydroxis would give up anything, noting the mist dragon originally came to the Brothers to kill them. Imrik brings up his concern that time flows differently outside of the Material Planes. Shine notes that decades would not pass in the meantime, but they are risking large amounts of time passing in their absence. 
The party teleports back to the giant cave. Imrik asks to fly back on his own wanting some time to himself. Imrik hugs his older brother and Tyrael and Shine return to Wikkthronrarenta. Imrik curls up into a ball and cries for some time before falling asleep. 
===23rd October, 1513===
Imrik has a flash forward: He sits on nice leather seats with a Mistryan noble. While the woman is into Imrik, he looks into a mirror and sees that the reflection of the woman on his lap is replaced by Atropos. The woman comforts Imrik, reassuring him that the war is over and long behind him. After a few drinks and leaning in for a sensual kiss, the woman shoves Imrik away, screaming and horrified. The woman sees Imrik's true, dark, spent form, asking what manner of creature he is. The woman runs out of the home, leaving the door open behind her. Imrik looks into the mirror and sees the cave of Atropos and the demonic hag at the end of it. He pours another drink for himself, alone, convincing himself the sacrifice to save Anton and slay Scoria was worth it. 
Tyrael, back in Wikkthrorarenta, observes the bustling capital and throngs of hopeful citizens, who believe the Brothers McGary will slay Scoria and save Drekis. However, Tyrael, keenly aware of the fact that he alone is capable of saving them from a fiery demise, finds himself full of resentment toward the city and the people in it. Reflecting, Tyrael remembers his resentment toward the nobility of Drekis, how his mother gave up the throne, resigned to being an outcast noble family. As their journey progressed and the Brothers acquired power and a fortune rivaling that of the capital's, Tyrael finally felt the the McGary name had rose to prominence. However, Tyrael begins to realize he and his brothers have had to trade away nearly every part of their humanity in an attempt to serve the Kingdom and slay Scoria. 
Tyrael sees one brother is gone, lost to Velthara; sees the true form of Imrik, whose soul has been damaged and partly sacrificed to a creature of untold evil- only to return to a capital that had no willingness to invest in saving Anton. Tyrael is overcome by the feeling that there is an inescapable stench to the McGary name, rendering the McGary family no better than weapons to be disposed of, and no better off in social standing than when their journey first began. As Tyrael walks through the crowd, who heap praises upon him and throw flowers in his honor, he finds their gestures utterly meaningless, feeling they have no concept or appreciation of the magnitude of sacrifices the McGarys have had to make. Tyrael feels that the day Scoria is slain, the people will return to their old ways, completely uncaring for the McGarys and the role they served in saving the kingdom. Tyrael struggles with the notion that all their power comes from magical items stolen from the dead, and now they have sacrificed children to get to where they are currently. Tyrael, as the eldest brother, feels his body matters comparatively little, whereas his brothers are the body of the McGary family, and he failed to protect both his little brothers- his sacrifices for the family name all for nothing. 
Tyrael walks on, unable to shake his origins as a rogue, thinking to himself that for a time, he was almost able to fool himself into believing he was something greater. 
Tyrael pushes past the guards, completely unwilling to wait. It dawns on Tyrael that after everything he has experienced, he feels that the people of Drekis are beneath him. Even , who once appeared so wise and powerful, seems little more than a bookworm. Tyrael enters Arc Sombar's chambers, interrupting her in cast of to discuss traveling between planes. Arc Sombar does not know anyone that is capable of interplanar travel. They fetch , who is happy to see Tyrael after so long, and ecstatic that the Brothers were able to slay Xorathis, but Tyrael is angrily dismissive. Tyrael asks if Clertus knows anyone capable of interplanar travel, and Clertus says he knows of a tales of few powerful wizards, but would need to research the matter further. Tyrael is frustrated with his reception and leaves. 
Imrik teleports back to their family home. After considering for some time, Imrik requests wine from the servant and drinks. Tyrael, sitting alone, takes his Ring of True Seeing off before discusses options with Imrik. 
===24th October, 1513===
The Brothers go back to Arc Sombar and barge into her tower. Imrik tells her the plan to find Anton. She advises against using the Alcaister Spellbook. As Imrik, Shine and Sombar discuss the spells, Tyrael wonders if he should accept the deal with Atropos. Imrik casts the new spell learned from Atropos and senses Anton faintly.
Imrik opens a portal to the to the plane of air, Sombar casts . Imrik and Shine go in.
Upon entering, they are in a cloud. Imrik recasts Locate Planar Traveler and senses that Anton is closer, but still very far away. Shine and Imrik return back through the portal. Tyrael decides to take the deal with Atropos and the party journeys back to Bravo. Arc Sombar wonders the party would return to Bravo, but Tyrael brushes her off and Imrik tells her it would be best if that they do not tell Arc Sombar why. 
===25th October, 1513===
Shine carries the Brothers off to the ruins of Nekkraut. Tyrael and Imrik reenter the lair of the Witch of the Wilds, who remarks she knew Tyrael would be back soon. Tyrael announces that he will accept Atropos's offer. They shake hands.
Atropos gives Tyrael a planar manipulator and says she will send them in the right direction, promising a guide who will help them on their quest. The Planar Manipulator allows the Brothers to travel to any plane, but only once. Tyrael asks if Shine can come, but Atropos say no, restating her dislike for Shine. 
Tyrael has a flash-forward: Tyrael is his own castle, his wife has just given birth. A guard knocks and announces there are 4 people dressed in dark robes asking for him. Tyrael orders to let them in. He recalls telling his wife of the deal. He lets them in but takes some time. His wife nods in grim acceptance, and administers poison to their newborn child as they agreed on beforehand. Tyrael hands the cloaked figures the child, who then depart. 
Back in Atropos's cave, Shine leaves. The brothers follow Atropos's instructions and lie down, inhaling the vapors from the cave. Their vision blurs, and they find themselves falling.