Session 1: The Crash

### Prelude

* *Pryzonis is an old world. A dry world. A world past its prime. Thin strips of arable land follow rivers that snake through the vast sand dunes spreading over much of its surface. In these safe havens, dwindling kingdoms crowd into meager forests, spread over green valleys, or nestle between craggy mountain peaks. Beyond these oases of life, the all-consuming desert is dotted with many crumbling ruins of the ancient empire of Pryzonis, from which the world takes its name, its secrets long forgotten and its cities and temples reduced to thousands of cracked stone pillars and broken statues jutting out of the shifting sands. Legends say the ancient gods once walked amongst the peoples of Pryzonis, but they seem to have left centuries ago.*
* *Many have looked up to the stars over the ages, wondering if there is something up there, something to yearn for other than this slowly dying land. Clerics speak of planes beyond, but it's difficult to muster hope in such a world. Rumors are whispered here and there, though, of people flitting among the stars. Decades ago, several people in a village say they saw a creature from the sky land a sailing ship on a mountaintop, but when they went to investigate, it was gone. Fishing folk sometimes claim to have seen huge insect-like machines descend from the heavens before swooping away at terrific speed. A few even claim to have barely escaped the clutches of alien abductors. Most people scoff at these stories as tall tales or the inventions of attention-seeking fabulists.*
* *On a late summer day, several heroes have come to the small village of Talrid, a stopping-point for travelers in a high mountain pass slung between three gigantic peaks ringed with swirling cloud. As the shadows grow long, travelers who've come to rest for the night converge on the village's only tavern, the Tipsy Tarrasque...*

### Session

* Seven heroes are gathered in the Tipsy Tarrasque, a tavern in the small mountain village of Talrid, in a mountain pass through the Bristlequill Range. Outside, a goblin named Fizzgork Buzzbang is selling fireworks, demonstrating them and causing the tavern to intermittently shake. The owner, Maryl Sildis, is annoyed at Fizzgork. She offers them each a flagon of mead on the house if they introduce themselves. They each do, and they receive their flagon (or other drink, for those who prefer alternatives).
* Maryl confesses she has an ulterior motive: they look like adventurers, and she wants to know if they'd be willing to search out her friend Gilderval Callistran. He is a short creature of indeterminate race, with an elongated head and yellow skin, a wandering divination wizard who travels here and there seeking portents and signs. A week ago, he stopped by the tavern and said he was following a portent into the Spikemaze, a valley of craggy spikes south of Talrid known for being frequented by dangerous monsters and bandit gangs. Menny negotiates with her over the reward for finding Gilderval; she agrees to 20 gold per party member and mead on the house for life, a couple flagons a day.
* While Torman is demonstrating some magic, he appears to cause a colossal boom that echoes throughout the tavern as if an earthquake has struck, shattering some windows and knocking things off shelves. Observant party members notice a green flash from the sky and race outside to see what is happening. Beams of magical energy seem to be shooting from the thick Everfog above Talrid and impacting the mountain range, occasionally blowing the tops off mountains, causing repeated seismic quakes that are cracking the foundations of its buildings. The town descends into chaos, as people scream and scatter.
* Suddenly, a hole in the Everfog is blown open as what seems like some sort of wooden ship with no sails punches through from above. It is on fire and apparently crashing. A much larger object, deep black and difficult to make out, seems to be firing beams of green magical energy at it. As it streaks over the village, a beam impacts it, sending it careening deep into Spikemaze. As night has fallen, the fog has descended, so it's difficult to see how far in. The hole in the Everfog closes.
* The party hears, in their mind, a telepathic message broadcast:
	+ "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY. THIS IS LIEUTENANT DEG TORVATH, OF THE COALITION SHIP A.C.S. VALIANT. MY SHIP HAS FALLEN UNDER ATTACK AND CRASHED... NEED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE... IT IS CARRYING AN ARTIFACT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE - PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP. THE GALAXY IS IN MORTAL DANGER IF IT FALLS INTO THE HANDS OF T-"
* They decide to head into the Spikemaze. They consider taking a horse, but only one is left in a nearby stable, and it is spooked by the ruckus. They head in. As they wander further into the valley, the spikes cluster together, forcing them to choose between three paths. One of them hears a scream through the howling wind down the leftward path, and they choose to go down it.
* They come across the body of a fallen warrior with mysterious armor they don't recognize. The warrior has been slashed by a creature with enormous claws. They pick up some health potions scattered around and try to touch the warrior's helmet, when the warrior suddenly crumbles to ash. They try to climb one of the spikes and a pine tree along the path, but can't see very far, or see any way through the spikes -- the low fog is too thick. Farther down the path, one of them hears a shout. They decide to continue onward.
* They reach a larger clearing in the spikes. Two more of the mysterious warriors sprint out of the thick mist towards them, pursued by some sort of massive roaring creature, which they are firing back at with crossbows.
* Suddenly, the bow of what looks like a floating sailing ship hovering about 20 feet in the air emerges from the mist, and a massive creature leaps from the mist and slashes it, causing it to list over and crash. It is crewed by at least one more of the mysterious warriors, who is thrown from the ship.
* Locke rushes to heal the mysterious warrior. Meanwhile, a heavily armored warrior, bearing the same insignia as the mysterious warriors, emerges from the mist and begins to fight the creature, which appears to be a badly injured immature Yeti.
* One of the fleeing warriors shouts in a language the party doesn't understand and slashes at Locke. The party begins to target the warriors as well as the Yeti.
* They are assisted by a small creature who appears from behind one of the massive spikes, shooting bolts of fire at the warriors. The creature matches Maryl's description -- yellow skin and elongated head.
* They defeat the warriors and Yeti, and question the creature, who is indeed Gilderval. He says they must be looking for the crashed ship, which is just beyond through the mist, on the other side of the clearing. He says some perplexing stuff about coming from far away and having foreseen that they have a great destiny ahead of them.
* The party goes into the ship, which has 'A.C.S. Valiant' painted on it, through a rip in its hull. They emerge into what appears to be the ship's bridge. In the center, a seat hovers over a glowing blue ring on the floor. A man has been apparently thrown from the seat and impaled on a splintered piece of wood.
* The party pulls him off the wood and heals him. He tells them he is Deg Torvath and begs them to help him to escape the planet, for there is little time before they find him.
* The party agrees and Deg takes the helm. The ship rises up, breaches the fog, and begins to ascend through the atmosphere. A vast expanse of stars and colorful nebulas fills the sky. In the distance, the massive black object turns to pursue them, firing bolts of green magic as many smaller ships take off from it and streak toward them...