Session 54 - Golden Hour

This is the 54th session of the game Ashes

## Summary

After besting the Hydra, the Patrons began to hear the sounds of combat echoing down a passage in the cave. Following it along they ran into a couple of traps and emerged on top of a large plateau. All around were crumbled old buildings and the sounds of combat fading into a nearby forest. They found the bodies of several Yuan-Ti and presumed that Vusa and the other members of the Severed were the source of the fighting they heard.

They entered the forest, finding the Severed and did battle with a legion of large Yuan-Ti barely coming out on top, with one member of the Severed dying in the conflict.

The party decided to rest for the evening, using the Tiny Hut and keeping watch near the entrance to the Acropolis. At some point Strauss asked to be given his spellbook and focus to help in the next battle and also requested to set up a teleportation circle to his private lab once the cult is stopped, that way he can leave as soon as possible, which the group agreed to.

The next day the party traversed through the acropolis, seeing various destroyed buildings, a tall domed structure in the distance, and closer a large green garden, with a massive tree at the center. The Patrons decided to investigate the garden first, finding Dalamus's legs and pelvis, missing old his head and one arm. They looked closer at the large tree which reminded them all of the Birthtree at the center of the Ruins of the Allmother in Kronstrad. The Patrons descended into the roots, and found a pool of water there. Elias decided to try and recreate the potions that the Gardeners use to help with the process of visions, to much failure, and all the party members aside from Themus and Astraea jumped into the water.

While nobody experienced any visions, Emeran and Acaelus clutched the roots and seemed to find a natural connection to them, activating the tree. They had questions as to what the Druidic writing could mean, and what they activated and released Fenny from the necklace to ask her. She explains that they had activated the protection field naturally built into the trees to ward away some kind of evil. She leads the party outside to show them the golden protective barrier that now stretches wide, creating a golden dome around Palakros.

The party continued ahead towards the domed structure where the cult presumably went. Getting closer they realize that most everything near the entranceway has been converted to stone. They see a broken magical seal and the door slightly ajar, they recognizes that they are too late, and that the cult must have released Vescea, but the interior is very quiet. They also see very close to the door a Dwarven woman in armor who looks very out of time, frozen in stone. They believe her to be Breha Datania, the famed Priestess of Nine who originally sealed away Vescea. Elias uses greater restoration to free her, and while they have a myriad of question they watch as Breha's mouth fades away, and she begins to panic. It seems like she had some kind of magical censor so she could not speak, but she was able to confirm via headnods that Cassandra was the villain here, not Vescea, that she had sealed Vescea in to protected her from Cassandra, and insisted on trying to go into the domed building past the broken seal.

The Patrons scouted with Shawn and found the remaining Yuan-Ti and Medusa Cult were turned to stone, and Vescea was weeping on the other side of the room surrounded by broken glass. They tentatively entered and began to speak with Vescea who they also realized was pregnant. She explained that she was the Queen of the Island, was married to Dalamus, that Cassandra was the God the Island worshiped, and that Cassandra became infatuated with Dalamus and made him choose between his piety or his people. When he refused Cassandra cursed the island as well as Dalamus and Vescea.

As these revelations are revealed, Elias who had been keeping up a Locate Object spell up for pieces of Dalamus suddenly felt a ping from behind him, where the Severed and Fenny were keeping an eye out on the outside of the building. There are brief sounds of struggle and Cassandra appears in the chamber, closing the door behind her. She understands they know the truth, and shifts her form into battle attire. She asks the Patrons if they are ready to battle a God.