Aerois - Episode 62: Trial of the Prime

Katie Morrison as Aila

 Kim Richards as Nova V'ger

Rhiannon Frost as Sentry

 Tom Hazell as Qillek Ad Khollar

**Trial of the Prime** is the 62nd episode of the Aerois Campaign. It was broadcast live on both the Yogscast Twitch channel and highrollersdnd Twitch channel on 1st March 2020 from 5PM to 8PM GMT.

*Deep under Volcanos, the party finally find the Prime and undergo an intense Trial...*

## **Summary**

### **Announcements**

* Mark welcomes viewers and introduces the players.
* The sponsor this week is D&D Beyond. They have a new Combat Tracker, which Trott demonstrates.
* Mr Sam & The Dednutz(see Trivia) tour is happening across the UK at the end of March 2020.
* Chris Perkins had a birthday on the 29th of Feb.
* Chaos Twins returns on Tuesday, they are playing Divinity.
* Viewers are encouraged to subscribe on the High Rollers Twitch channel for access to HR emotes.
* Mark encouraged artists to submit fan art to highrollersdnd@gmail.com.

### **Recap**

"*In the blistering heat of Volcanos, and the ruins of a Solwynn research facility, our party have been seeking to aid their companion Sentry, a guardian paladin, in finding the Prime: a powerful figure that seems to be connected to the secrets of guardians' energy and their lifespans.*
"*After restoring some power to the facility, the party endured the intense heat of the volcano to search for a pair of keystones, that would unlock the foundry and the path to the Prime. During their search, they fought against a pair of lava worms in the tunnel-like labs of the facility. Securing the keystones and making their way into the foundry, the party were attacked again, this time by a much larger and more powerful lava worm, and an intense battle followed. Thanks to some clever spell use and tactics, some DM mistakes, and an insane amount of critical hits, the party triumphed, though very nearly at the cost of Sentry herself - and a painting.*
"*With several of the party heavily exhausted by the heat, and others heavily injured, we resume our adventure in the foundry itself, as the giant metal doors that lead to the Prime remain closed...*"
### **Part 1**

*Deep under Volcanos the party finally find a long lost relic*

The blistering heat of the foundry is intense, and spending too long in here will exhaust the party. The giant lava worm is dead with its body under the lava - Sentry's armour is destroyed. The giant steel doors that lead to the Prime stand before them glowing red hot, but the crank wheels on either side of the doors have long since melted. Sentry is heavily wounded and is not sure she can make it to the next section; Herald is prepared to carry Sentry to the Prime, saying that she must continue because she needs to be there for the Prime. Lucius is concerned that they may have to fight something like the lava worm again, but Herald is prepared to sacrifice herself to buy them time to get through to the Prime if need be. After the painting of Queen Astoria and Petal was almost destroyed in the fight last time, Aila insists on removing it from the frame and putting it in one of the scroll cases, but Quill must either remove the Sequester scroll or his note on an old piece of paper to make room for it; Quill puts his note in one of Nova's mundane scroll cases. Everyone needs to make a save for exhaustion, Quill heals Sentry and Aila. Sentry gains a level of exhaustion; Nova and Quill are now at level 3 exhaustion and look almost dead. Aila realises that the doors are red hot, and touching them will hurt whomever does so; she uses the hammer to open the door and takes a small amount of fire damage from the heat. On the other side of the doors, it is a normal temperature; Sentry sends Echo ahead and they pile into the cooler corridor where they see perfectly smooth walls leading at a downward angle. The air is still warm and humid, but it is not oppressive and will no longer cause extra exhaustion. The exhausted party members (minus Quill) and Aila take a short rest, while Quill, Lucius and Herald keep watch; Echo continues to scout ahead while Sentry rests.

Echo travels deep below the earth along a corridor beset with spheres of light in the ceiling throwing a blue glow into the corridor; after 25 minutes, the corridor opens up into a huge cavern with metal staffs topped with small crystals that light the room and draw focus to the centre: a 20 foot figure made of metal, wood and stone is encased partially within the mountain itself. Only a head and its chest remains open to the cavern, the rest is crushed limbs that lie to the side or embedded int he rock itself - it lifts its head and sees the echo, nods and says, "At last". Sentry rouses immediately, telling the party of what echo has witnessed - the Prime, Quill hears the odd rumble in the background. They complete their short rest and head towards the Prime, they sense weight and age in this place, beyond even the oldest parts of Aerois they have been in before. As they enter the cavern, a strange sense of weight and destiny comes over them, and they notice the glittering crystal stalactites on the ceiling, and small colourful flowers along the grey rock of the wall.

They look to the central figure - an enormous torso and head with a beautiful matrix at its centre, with shifting colours of scintillating silver and gold that seem to swirl and coalesce - the same light fills its eyes. As Sentry arrives, they all hear a deep rumbling voice, "At last, I have waited nearly five centuries for you, Sentry. Thank you all, mortals, for helping her arrive here. I am Root Prime, welcome. At last, destiny can be fulfilled". He continues, "Only very few guardians were a potential to be a successor. To finally have one arrive here after everything that has happened is a great service to our kind". Noticing Herald, he says, "I am surprised to see that you have brought yourself back, Herald. I know what you have done. To bring yourself before me, that is bold". Herald falls to her knees, lowering her head. Root continues, "But that is not my decision, not any more. Your fate rest in Sentry's hands. Were it my decision, I would destroy you for what you have done, but perhaps you still have a part to play in all of this". Sentry introduces the party to Root; Quill realises that Root has fallen to his current position - he fell onto his back, and then shifts in the earth have pushed his body up, separated his legs and arm from his body, and then magma flows have stuck him in place.

Root looks ancient; the metal of his face and chest have been weathered and marked with age and time. Root looks different from any guardian they have ever seen, far more advanced, and the metal he is made from does not even look familiar having a bluish tint to it. Lucius feels the incredible power coming from the matrix and can almost hear voices, laughter, battle songs and music coming from it. Lucius falls to a knee out of instinct, as if in front of royalty, but Root says this is not necessary. Sentry asks Root if he knows about Solwynn and the Sundering, and he responds, "Yes, Solwynn was the land that discovered me. They found me here, buried deep within the earth: Queen Astoria herself met with me, and together we made a pact that she would help me recreate the guardian race - in exchange I would teach her of my knowledge and magic, and so this pact was formed. She was a good friend. I was devastated to learn through Herald and some of the other guardians what had befallen Aerois, but I was trapped here, and as the world around me shifted, even more of my body was damaged. more of my systems depleted, my energy drained. Unable to reach out, to speak to guardians, it is why I sent Herald into the world. If nothing else, at least through her actions, you have found your way here".

Sentry asks how Root got down to where he is, to which he responds, "That is a long story, are you all prepared to hear it? There are no more Primes, just one, but I was the first, but I will not be the last (he looks at Sentry). I was called Root once, when my creator, one of the first divines created me, I was but a simple golem: a creature not capable of its own thought, its own rationale, but my creator, Prometheus, he used one of the ancient devices - one of the Genesis Relics, the Prime Matrix - to not just give me my mind, but to give me a future, a hope. Together we created more like me, we called them guardians, protectors of life throughout the universe, and through the matrix, my sentience was gifted to them as well. They created their own personalities, and as their lives began to fade and fall, they would rejoin with the Prime Matrix to be reborn again. But then, war came. One of the original divines, a creature called Hadar, turned on the others. It committed the greatest sin it could - it consumed another divinity, destroying it forever. One was not enough - it consumed more and more until all of the divines were united against Hadar, and they sought mortal armies to assist them. As guardians, it was our destiny to protect life in the universe, so I and my people joined them valiantly.

"The War of the Crimson Star lasted centuries, but eventually, the few remaining divines sealed Hadar away into the Far Realm, but at a great cost. Many were killed: the original guardians, all but me, were wiped out. It was only through the power of the matrix that I was protected. Damaged, paralysed, I was sent hurtling through Astral Space, drifting for years, until I crash-landed onto a barren, empty world - a rock of no life. Over aeons, dust, galactic material collected, burying me, and there I remained until a young goddess, a brave young woman came and discovered that planet and turned it into the paradise you now call Aerois. Centuries later, Solwynn found me and hope was reborn... I know through Herald that you have encountered this being, Hadar: you know of its power".

Nova asks if Root assisted to make Aerois the living planet that it is today, but Root answers in the negative, saying "Siaska did not find me. She did not know I was here when she created the world that you now live in, but I know how she did it - I felt its power. She used another Genesis Relic, something called the World Engine, it had been used once long ago to create Alfheim, a planet, home of the storm elves".

Aila is immediately interested, and Root continues to her "Yes, your people. I'm afraid this is perhaps something I cannot answer fully, I know your kind, your genetic make-up that I can see is different to this one (looking at Lucius). You are not originally of Aerois, although your people may have lived here. I knew you as the storm elves of Alfheim, a world looked after by one of the ancient divines. The world engine was used there to create a planet that could sustain life, I do not know how Siaska found it, but she brought it here, and installed it into the world's core, and it turned an empty barren rock into a bountiful world of earth and air, fire and water. Around me, I felt its energy coursing through the planet creating life". He admits to Lucius that it is still at the heart of Aerois.

Nova says that the World Engine is what Starbane wants to use to stop Hadar: it is what makes Aerois unique in the universe, which is why Starbane is there. Quill asks how many Genesis Relics there are, but Root does not know, saying "They were coveted by the divines, the first gods. They were fought over, coveted, secured away - there are many, scattered throughout the universe". Nova asks what would happen if the World Engine is taken from the planet, and Root's devastating response is "It would likely crumble, return back to the barren lifeless wasteland it once was. If the World Engine is here, such a fate has likely already befallen Alfheim".

Nova asks Root "How can we stop Hadar without using the World Engine? We imprisoned him before, they released him again". Root responds "I must admit that the circumstances around his release I'm afraid I do not know. Siaska would likely know more - she was a young goddess at the end of the war, now perhaps she is the only one who has the power. Hadar was immensely powerful - when it consumed other divine beings, it gained portions of their strength. It consumed many, but the other divines could not bring themselves to destroy Hadar, for if they did, they would become Hadar: entropy is what he represents, destruction, consummation, consumption. If one divine destroys him, another must take his place, so instead they imprisoned him in the Far Realm, a realm of endless void, of nothing, hoping that would seal away his power - it was a costly battle. The Far Realm is a place where not even magic can function; only a divine can make it habitable".

Quill asks "Was Siaska one of the original divines?" "No," Root replies, "Siaska was young, a child. She was created by the other divines, but she is a true divinity, a true goddess, one of the few remaining. They gave her many gifts, that I believe she then created into her later children the Titans". He then reveals that he no longer speaks to Siaska with her form scattered and dispersed. He says that "a divine cannot be destroyed, but this Kalus you spoke of, through Herald I've heard that his war, he struck a blow. He knew he could not destroy her so he scattered her essence, creating this Cradle. She is there, but no longer has a voice or thoughts. Only a divine can destroy another divine, that is the rule of the universe".

Lucius asks if divines are born or created. Root responds "Divines are... made. A spark of divinity can exist in a being - belief in something can give someone incredible powers, but to be truly divine requires something else - something beyond my understanding". When questioned, Root says he does not know of Siaska's daughter, "but if she has created such a being, it would have a divine spark, but her true divinity would not be unlocked until she can meet whatever requirement is necessary. Likewise, this Kalus, my understanding is that he has a following - an Empire that believes in him - this will give him great power, but not a divine spark; he would need to acquire that through a means I do not know".

Nova uses the messenger rings to send a message to the group to suggest that if the Prime Matrix is a genesis relic, that Starbane may have followed them into the cavern with Root Prime.

Lucius begins to ask a question of Root about Starbane: "My knowledge of him is limited, I'm afraid" says Root. Lucius says "You said your race helped imprison Hadar the first time...", to which Root replies "We were foot soldiers. To clarify, Hadar still lives within the Far Realm, but he has the power to create vessels. Hadar represents death, destruction, entropy, but that can leave remnants, echoes, undead creatures. My people and I, we would protect the divines from these beings, give them time to work their rituals and their magic that was required to imprison Hadar, keep them safe". Lucius goes further, "So his powers can stretch beyond the Far Realm even though he's still there?" "This must have been something that was done after I fell here. The divines believed that once he was sealed in the Far Realm, he would not be able to influence the material plane, but something must have happened, and I'm afraid my knowledge on this is limited."

Sentry says they have encountered undead beings, to which Root responds "Undead in general can be created by more than just Hadar, but Hadar can create types of undead that function in his ideas. An undead that simply exists, and undead that simply refuses to die is not necessarily in Hadar's domain - it is almost an antithesis to him, but undead creatures that can consume life, that can destroy, those are Hadar-created."

Lucius admires the beauty of Root's matrix, "It is the Prime Matrix," says Root, "not the most powerful of the World Engines(Markism), it has a specific purpose, but it is a precious gift, and with it is the hope of the guardian species, and to that we must speak, Sentry guardian. I cannot carry the matrix into the world, and because of this, guardians are dying. The purpose of the matrix is that a guardian sentience can rejoin it, be replenished, and as a choice, they can return to a body if they wish, or they can remain in the matrix at peace and at ease, and over time these sentiences develop new properties, new sentiences; it is how we can continue as a race, by reproducing sentiences built from experience and memories, like having children I suppose. These can then be installed into new guardians' bodies. This was the concord I struck with Queen Astoria, but I can no longer go into the world and guardians cannot be brought to me. The Prime Matrix must return to the world, and it must be carried by one who is worthy: this is a duty that you must take".

Sentry asks why she is the right guardian to carry the Prime Matrix - she was built to be a protector, doing her duty to the very end, and it was her first thought when she was restored to life. She has made new allies that she has sought to protect and aid. She has been tempted by an offer to extend her life as Herald was, but refused it. She is caring, brave and loyal. All are the traits of a Prime, but she must become a leader to earn the Prime Matrix, and this will be Root's test for her. She will enter the Prime Matrix to complete the Trial of the Prime. Under the purview of Prometheus, other guardians would normally accompany the candidate, but Sentry will be accompanied by her mortal allies if it is possible - there may be danger for the mortals, whose souls will need to enter the matrix, but Root cannot guarantee that they will return as they are. The party all immediately volunteer to assist Sentry regardless of the danger. Herald sadly looks at Sentry saying, "I cannot accompany you. The Prime is correct - I do not deserve to enter the matrix, it is a place of peace, it is for those guardians who have fulfilled their duty. But if you succeed, I feel I know a way I can help you, but I cannot bring myself to be in there with our people knowing what I've done. If you are successful, I promise I will fulfil my vow to you in a way that I think will help". Herald acknowledges with a look to Lucius that she still has much to pay for.

Root tells them to take their time to prepare: the trial for Sentry will be a test of courage, leadership and sacrifice - being a leader is not always easy, and sometimes difficult decisions must be made. It will also be a test of strength, of Sentry's ability to protect, and testing the bonds of loyalty she has with her companions.

Nova casts Detect Magic, trying to look for Starbane agents around the cave, and is nearly blinded by the magic around Root. The light sticks are the only other magical things she sees.

Lucius has a discussion with Root about his magic, explaining that he is closely tied to acid and cold magic through colour: "Ah, a rare one," says Root, "you are what my people called an arcane chromat. It was a type of magic user that some guardians manifested and that I have seen in the people of Aerois before. It is rare. The Prime Matrix is from a realm called Genesis - it is the place where all life began, where our universe, the divines, magic came from. Many learn magic, they study sigils, runes, spells: some are given these gifts by powerful beings - gods or particularly powerful creatures, but you young elf, magic is deep within your soul. It is a part of you as it is a part of me and Sentry and other guardians, like dragons or unicorns or other magical beings, you are magical in nature. Your connection with colour - you see the very essence of what magic is in those colours, and it gives you power. Your kind were rare, but I always admired the beauty of it. But yes, Queen Astoria was something like you, she learned magic as well as felt it within her blood, both mage and sorcerer. She reached out to my matrix to understand the history of the world, but it was a little overwhelming. The Prime Matrix is not like other matrices. You are in control of [the power to see the matrix], you can shut it off as you wish - Astoria was wise enough to pull away when it became too much. I cannot stop you if that is your desire". He says that if Sentry passes the trial, she will take possession of the Prime Matrix, and that if they truly wish to oppose Hadar, the Prime Matrix will be an ally, and it will protect Sentry as it protected Root.

Lucius reaches out and walks towards the Prime Matrix, almost feeling the orange and blue swirling within it calling to him: he touches it gently and his eyes become prisms of colour. For Lucius, his perception of everything expands, he can feel the stone and smell the oxygen and hydrogen in the room, becoming aware of everything around him. He sees things in a different way - Aila appears as the sight and sound of storms, Nova becomes the rushing of wind mixed with a strange, ancient magic, then his mind reels...

*Lucius' mind cycles through time, aeons pass in a flash of an instant, trapped beneath the earth until he is there, in a war unlike anything he could ever imagine. The stars themselves seem to be fighting each other as light streaks across the galaxy. Ships like those he's never seen, dozens, hundreds, millions, of them: tiny little ones, huge ones, fight against these writhing masses of red muscle and dead flesh as crimson light just tears the world and space apart. Lucius sees 8 or 9 white lights, beings at their centre, men, women, androgynous figures wielding weapons, some with swords, some with lightning bolts in their hand, hammers, shields, beasts. They fight this red light and every time they strike or they move, it ripples the universe and stars and nebulae break apart. Lucius feels himself there in the moment and then his mind reels back further and further until he is a puppet on a bench in a workshop, and an old man with a hunched back, a long beard and long hair turns to him "What do we have here, my little Root" reaching up and touching the face. His mind races forward back in time through the war, through battles, he sees Prime's memories, companions, allies now gone, long gone, hurtling through space, flipping through as he crashes and look up into the stars, and then nothing...*

Lucius pulls free and falls to a knee, overwhelmed, seeing Root as he now is, an age-pitted chest and head that has been stuck for thousands of years. His hope, if Sentry can pass the trial, is that his sentience can rejoin the matrix. Root says that his time is running short, and that he hopes that Sentry will pass the trial. He says there is one last thing if they truly wish to fight against Hadar: "You will need a being with true divinity. Whether you fight Hadar or try to seal him, only a truly divine being can do so. If you fight in the Far Realm, your magic, your strength will mean nothing, but divinity can create space for you to fight. But if you draw Hadar here, if you fail, He will destroy everything". He says that "the Eterna are powerful, but they are creations like me, powerful beings capable of giving others, like yourself, magic, but they are not truly divine. Siaska was truly divine, her child could be truly divine, or anyone that can mete what must be done, but the Eterna are beings like myself - creations, powerful but servants". Nova wonders if she can give her magic to Tiangong to re-form it, which Root says is possible, especially since mortals are not creations, but the children of true divinity - their potential is unlimited, which is how Kalus has become as strong as he must be".

He encourages Sentry to reach out and touch the Prime Matrix when she is ready to start the Trial of the Prime. Quill takes the potion of vitality and they all gather together: when Sentry reaches out and touches the matrix, they feel a small spark of lightning crosses them all and they get sucked into the Prime Matrix. They all get a long rest and remove all levels of exhaustion.

### **Part 2**

*The test has been set and the trial is underway!*

They emerge into an unknown setting, and each of the party appears in a way that Sentry perceives them: Lucius looks very much as he does currently but more regal, Nova's dead arm is back to looking like it did before Aegis V and acting more like a little sister, Quill appears to be stronger and more confident with two normal eyes and both wings intact, and Aila appears taller and broader than normal, wearing pauldrons and constantly crackling with lightning.

As the fog begins to lift, and they hear hundreds of thousands of voices speaking in unison, "Guardian Sentry - you have been chosen to bear the Trial of the Prime. This test will measure your worth, your skills as a protector, and as a leader, and if you have the will to overcome those who seek our destruction. To bear the Prime Matrix is to carry the fate of ***all*** guardians". Everything goes black: they can all sense space and people nearby, but cannot see anything. Sentry's matrix begins to glow with a gold and silvery light, and they can see heraldic banners of Solwynn, suits of armour and display cabinets in a long corridor of worked stone. The voices continue, "This light shall guide you: as it diminishes, the darkness will return. If you do not reach the final trial before it does, you will be lost forever in the pathways of the matrix and all hope for our people will be lost".

The corridor shakes and the sounds of battle and screams make their way to them where they stand. Soldiers approach and snap a salute at Sentry and rush off down the corridor to report to their officers. This is familiar to Sentry: it looks just how it did when Starbane attacked Solwynn. Sentry decides that she must find the Princess, Petal, and she and the party begin running towards her room. They burst in on a room full of soldiers (about 20) arguing about what to do, their officers are dead, and no one is giving orders: some soldiers want to leave while others wish to stay and fight - Sentry gives orders for the soldiers to protect the citizens at all costs, and they go to do so. The party continues through to the throne room to check on the Queen and catch a view of the city and the battle through the windows: a once beautiful coastal city with scattered spires (once observatories, now used to house cannons that appear not to be working). Blanketing the sky are the black crystal ships of Kalus Starbane, his black armoured troopers are flying down on small skiffs or abseiling down on ropes, and they begin laying down fire with force rifles once they get to the ground. Unlike what Sentry remembers occurring before, the soldiers are now in the town and the palace and it is worse than she remembers: this is a losing battle, an alternative reality.

They continue to the throne room, noticing that the light in Sentry's matrix has dimmed significantly: they think they might have about an hour before it dims completely. There are guards and civilians packed into the palace trying to keep Kalus' forces at bay. In the throne room, Queen Astoria is sitting on the throne with Petal in her lap - there are no guards in the throne room. Queen Astoria calls to Sentry to go with her and Petal through the secret exit and flee the palace; Sentry wants to bring civilians with her, but the Queen fears that this will show Starbane where they are and put them all in danger. Queen Astoria reminds Sentry that she swore an oath to protect Petal, and that this is their only chance to escape: she says that the soldiers can buy them time and orders Sentry to take her and Petal to safety, but she has clearly been driven mad. Sentry insists on saving the people and soldiers of Solwynn, however, and lets the Queen and Princess leave through the secret exit before leaving to head to the docks. She orders the soldiers that she can see to collect as many citizens as possible, and to take them to the docks so they can escape on the ships in the harbour.

One of the soldiers advises that they will need one of the arc spires working to give them covering fire from the transport ships, but that they will need an engineer to fix the cannon. He quietly tells Sentry that it will be a suicide mission because once the arc tower is back up, it will be suffer concentrated fire from Starbane's ships - Sentry relays this to Nova who has volunteered to go, but Nova is still prepared to face the risk for her friends - she and the soldier head towards the nearest arc spire. As the rest head to the courtyard, they see a small number of medics having and argument: they have a large number of about 200 injured civilians and a smaller number of injured soldiers, the choice is to help the soldiers or the civilians. Both groups appeal to Sentry to make a decision as to which group should get access to the supplies: they order the clerics and medics to heal the civilians while Quill and Sentry heal the soldiers. The matrix is now half empty and an oppressive darkness is closing in on the city.

Aila stands by Sentry as she summons Elko, mounts him, and addresses the troops: "This is our chance to make a difference. If we get these people out of here now, they will be telling legends about what you've done today, fighting Starbane! Starbane himself came to Solwynn, but we survived and we made it out! Our own Queen has abandoned us, but we're stronger than her, we've faced Starbane head on. We're not going to let him defeat us today, we're going to escape and we're going to see a new tomorrow, and we will be safe!" There is still fear, but the soldiers now have something to believe in. They open the gates to Starbane's forces: black armour-clad soldiers, demons and giant golems supported by magical fire from above. The fighting is brutal and intense, and the soldiers will need assistance to hold the line: Aila steps up and volunteers to help the forces now being left behind as the rest head with the civilians to the docks. They hear screams from the soldiers and the last they see of Aila, she is surrounded by enemies, one of which grabs her by the head before they see her blood spray out and then her body is lost in the melee of enemy soldiers.

They pass through a market square, seeing hundreds of dead guardians with their matrices ripped out. Starbane forces are dragging some still-living guardians away towards transport ships: as they see the civilians, they call for reinforcements. The guardians being taken away reach towards and call to Sentry for help. There is a giant gnoll-like creature using a device to scoop the matrices out of guardians, which then spasm and die, the matrices are then thrown into a container. The arc spire that Nova had gone to suddenly powers up and shoots a concentrated white-blue beam out to carve one of Starbane's ships in half just as it had started shooting towards the docks. The arc spire starts to recharge, but before it can, another of Starbane's ships directs fire against it and destroys it, and presumably Nova with it.

A soldier comes to Sentry telling her that some of the roads leading to the docks have been blocked and they don't know which way they can go. Quill, now that he has wings, can fly and direct them from above. They notice that Sentry's matrix is now at a quarter of its original power, and that the darkness has completely enshrouded the rest of the city. Quill casts Arcane Eye and uses his own wings to fly above them so that he can direct them where to go. They avoid several patrols of Starbane forces along the way, and they know that there is a pursuit force following: as they are making the final turn on the outskirts of the city, they hear the loud retort of a force rifle, and Quill's messages go silent. The darkness is all around them, but they are at the docks. There are civilians loading onto transport ships and soldiers urging them on. As they are making their way down to the the docks with their civilian entourage, a series of giant red flamed meteors obliterates the three remaining ships in an enormous explosion. Approaching from the air are Starbane forces with Kalus at the head of them, gauntlet raised, still glowing red from the magic he had sent upon the ships below. He challenges Sentry, "There is no more escape, guardian, your people have failed. Give them to me and I will make them part of my empire". Sentry stands defiant, "I will not give them to you!" "Then they will die, guardian," he responds, "I am offering you a chance to save their life. You and the other guardians, you will be used - your matrices contain much power, yours especially so, but I will ensure that the humanoids live. They will carry on". Lucius advises Sentry not to listen, asking why he is killing innocents: Kalus responds, "I am killing only those who resist - surrender now". Lucius disagrees saying that they were trying to survive, not resist. "This planet has been resisting, elf," retorts Kalus. He offers to take the people into his Empire and resettle them on a new world: Sentry responds by using her flame lance against him, but it is dispersed by a barrier around him. "A fatal error," says Kalus as he points a finger at Lucius, launches a green beam that hits Lucius...and disintegrates him. The last of the light from the matrix in Sentry's chest begins to fade as Kalus makes his way towards her saying, "You have failed, guardian" as the darkness envelops all.

Sentry stands in the dark void of nothing for what seems an eternity until she hears Root Prime's voice, "The duty of a leader, of a protector, never ends. It is an eternal vigil that we, and we alone, can stand against. To become the Prime means to become a light, even in the darkest hour". The light erupts from Sentry's chest and fills the space: her companions stand at her side, they are standing on the broken and crumbling Solwynn city streets from the vision. Dead soldiers of Solwynn and Starbane with discarded and broken weapons lie all around them, the buildings and walls of any structures are seemingly missing, somewhere in the luminescent fog that surrounds them. The party all remember their deaths, and they do not know how, but Sentry's light has restored them: the matrix in Sentry's chest appears to be full of light again.

The hundreds of thousands of voices sing out again as one saying, "The final trial: prove that you can protect that with which you have been charged. That you have the strength and power to defeat those who would destroy it". The fog turns to black and crimson, and there is a pulsating beat: from the sky, slowly flying downwards, a warped and twisted figure, 17-20 feet tall, in the shape of Kalus but made of dark crimson light, with a single eye and carrying a blade in its hand. "Guardian," it says in a guttural tone,"long has your pathetic kind dogged at my heels, like ants crawling upon a great beast. My avatar, my old enemy made part of me will wipe you from the universe and resign you to annihilation!"

Quill immediately takes necrotic damage from the presence of Hadarbane; he creates a Spiritual Weapon and then casts Sacred Flame against it. It does not like the radiant damage, responding with "Argh! A cursed light of your pathetic Titans. You think that is enough to stop me? You worship a false idol - a child pretending to be more than what it is. I am a true divine!" Nova takes necrotic damage and creates a Wall of Light, Sentry takes necrotic damage and casts Moonbeam. "I will consume this light and turn it into darkness, I will destroy everything, I will consume you all!" Hadarbane attempts a legendary action against Sentry but fails. Aila shoots at Hadarbane with her bow and hits twice, but for half damage, "Like insects," it says, "you think you're so strong elf of Alfheim, but are you really?" It reaches out a hand and washes her in black light - Aila can barely stand (strength and constitution reduced to 6, age reduced, she cannot lift her hammer and can barely move) - there are ghostly black elven figures wearing black and red tartan surrounding her saying, "Weak, can never be one of us, pathetic. Pathetic!"

It now attacks Quill for moderate cold damage which brings back fears of Aegis V and the cold of the Astral Sea. Lucius takes necrotic damage and casts Chromatic Orb and does massive radiant damage. Quill takes necrotic damage, then attacks with his Spiritual Weapon and casts Guiding Bolt - both hit for significant damage, and Quill flies away. Hadarbane attacks Lucius who feels his eyes sear with pain - his eyes go black and start smoking, his vision turns monochromatic to black and white: he can no longer see or hear his allies, instead he sees four undead figures - his mother, his father, Edea and Norfear(sp?) - they play on his emotions, calling him to join them after letting them die.

Nova shoots a beam from the wall of light which does considerable damage again, this has irritated the enemy. Lucius is frozen, not moving: he sees his mother coming for him (this is actually Sentry who stands in front of Lucius to protect him). Aila shoots at Hadarbane with her bow and does minuscule damage, then begins hearing whispers of "Weak, useless, abandoned child. You have no place anywhere, these people are no family". Sentry can hear the spirits as they speak to Aila, seeing them shackled to her arms and legs - Aila is holding her hands to her ears.

Hadarbane looks at Quill and drains some of Quill's life to heal itself. Lucius sees Edea, broken on the ground (this is actually Aila), and his mother looming over him: he tries to scrabble away from them, apologising for letting them all down.

(End of episode for time reasons - battle will re-commence at the beginning of next episode.)

## **YouTube Timestamps**

0:03 - Opening fan music (Sentry of Solwynn by Xaphyr)
4:02 - Episode Start
4:51 - Sponsor
9:10 - Intro
13:23 - DUN DUNs
14:37 - Recap starts
16:06 - Part 1
36:40 - First sight of The Prime
43:32 - The most massive lore dump
1:10:16 - Lucius reaches out to the Prime Matrix and has a vision
1:23:05 - Break time/Donations
1:31:14 - Part 2
2:25:17 - Hadarbane approaches!
2:57:27 - Outro/Donations

## **Featured Characters**

#### **The Stormchasers (Player Characters)**

* Aila
* Nova V'ger
* Lucius Virion-Elluin Elenasto
* Qillek Ad Khollar
* Sentry

#### **Mentioned NPCs**

* Lucius' mother
* Lucius' father
* Edea
* Norfear(sp?)

## **Featured Locations**

* Hawk's Dawn Archipelago
	+ Volcanos
* Vision-scape

## **Trivia**

* Mr Sam & The Deadnutz is a band in which Rhiannon and Trott play.
* Lucius loves unicorns.
* Katie was very angry to find out within 10 minutes that Aila had a home planet, and also that the planet had been destroyed.
* Hadarbane references the titans and that Hadar is a true divine.