Session 53 - The Trial of the Maze

This is the 53rd session of the game Ashes

## Summary

At the beginning of the session the Patrons did battle with four large stone minotaurs that had cornered them in the maze of Palakros, winning the battle with some scrapes and bruises.

The party had a brief rest and continued through the maze before hearing some odd sounds and some singing ahead. Astraea used her ability to speak with plants to ask a few questions to one of the local trees, who told her that the sounds were coming from a Songpool; a place where one could rest, but also be lured to stay. The party examined the pool itself, finding many petrified statues around of people who had once lived on the island long ago, stuck in time with smiling expressions. The statues even sang songs, and Autumn sang a song for them! (Very sorry Kerri, these things creeped me out too). Acaelus did some old fashioned science and found out that every minute in the pool it would heal you, but also coax you to stay.

The party rested that night on the road of the maze, and during a conversation about dying between Autumn and Elias, Elias had revealed that he once had a wife before his prison time. The party also noticed that the vine and bramble had completely coated the outside of the magical dome, but with some reassuring words from Autumn they reseeded when the party's rest ended.

The next day of traversing the maze the party came upon a tall three-story golden structure. Where the building stood all vine and bramble had gone away, and the run shone through an eye in the perpetual swirling storm clouds surrounding Palakros. Stepping out from the palace was a tall human-looking woman named Cassandra, who turns out to be the supposed married woman in the rumors and stories about Palakros. That her husband had betrayed her and slept with another woman, and the gods cursed the island, causing the place to be in the state that it is in. Cassandra explained that she remained on the island with what little power she still remained, in the hopes that one day someone would come along to put an end to the great beast that still resides on the island. She also informed the party that whatever the Cult to Vescea had done had been successful and that the beast was released from its seal. Cassandra agreed to aid the party in defeating the beast, and invited them inside to enjoy a Heroes Feast.

The party continued through the maze and discovered a large cluster of brambles that seemed out of place. Astraea asked them what was up, and they told her they all huddled around this area because it was warm. After asking the plants to move away Astraea discovered a grey muscled arm, which the party deduced was the arm of Dalamus, the once King of Palakros, as the story went his body was sundered to pieces and spread around the isle. The arm could communicate as best an arm could, and Emeran decided to hang onto the arm, tying it to his back. Later the party discovered the torso and reattched the arm, which seemed to be as easy as placing them near each other.

The Patrons then came upon a cave entrance in the path of the maze and did battle with a large hydra and Yuan-Ti members of the Cult of Vescea, who seemed to now be worshiping the hydra. During the fight Flora died :( but ultimately the party bested the hydra.