The Vale, Part II

*The Vale, Part II* is the title of the twelfth and final episode of the fifth season of S.H.A.D.O.W. and the sixtieth session of the entire game.

This session was played on September 15th, 2019

## The Vale, Part II

### Writer

Jonny Christie, Matt Christie, Richie Maynard, Eric Rios

## Plot

Can Aguero and the others save the world?

## Synopsis

Phylyco has been walking across this bridge for a few hours. It feels never-ending. It does however eventually come to a point where five massive gates sit. Each has a different symbol on it. He lifts Boggle up and tries to use it to find the door to Eris. It just growls at everything until a hooded figure exits one of the gates. They just stare at the man. Aguero has seen his friend Mathite for the first time. He smiles as the group is briefly introduced and reintroduced until Aguero asks about the pressing matter at hand, Sachayoj. She turns to point her staff in the direction the demon and he grabs her wrist. He knows of this staff. It belongs to Persephone. It can stop Sachayoj. He Releases her and she leads them to the center of the Vale, where all branches meet. It is already corrupted. If it spreads to the other branches, not only The Vale, but many other planes will be lost. As they continue, Aragi is launched to another area, Followed by Lara, Sirobe, and Darrow. Mathite asks Aguero if he’s ready and hands him the Staff of Persephone. He takes it as a new arm grows, his features soften and he gives off a slight glow. He has to bring his friends back and finish this once and for all.

The first person he helps is Aragi, who is bound to a tree. Aguero arrives and he frees him. Suddenly, Aguero begins to convulse and vomits out black. The mass begins to shape and grow into a gargantuan black wolf. They fight it and it takes some time but they eventually beat it. It shrinks to the size of a small puppy and Aragi attempts to shoot it but Aguero stops him and lets the puppy run off into the Vale. Aragi asks what that was and Aguero tells him it was what’s left of his mortality. It will always be apart of him. He places his hand on the Stormcaller’s shoulder and they reappear next to Mathite. Aguero goes to save the next person while Aragi rests.

Someone comes falling from the sky above and crashes on one of the branches. It is Phylyco arriving. Aguero finds Darrow next. Some sort of shaman is attempting to take his blood for ritualistic purposes. The creature is a Nagpa and it is fully corrupted. Darrow seems powerless against the magic of the creature but Aguero is there to help and they inevitably kill it. They shake hands and appear back with Mathite and Aragi. Aguero moves on, making good time. He finds Sirobe being chased by a pack of blink hounds. They severely outnumber the cat. He gets behind cover and meets up with the man. They take them out in the simplest way Aguero knows how, by creating an earthquake to trap the beasts and drown them with the lakes surrounding. They return to the others.

Aguero has two more people to save. The next is Lara, who is encapsulated by a sort of ooze. He quickly takes it out and frees her, returning her to the group. Darrow believes everyone is there but Aguero states that there is one more as he goes to get their final ally, Phylyco. However, he doesn’t even require Aguero’s help as he swiftly kills the black unicorn he was locked in combat with. The party reassembled; they prepare for the final confrontation. Sachayoj come to them first. He calls out Mathite, claiming she should stop hiding behind façades. The others turn to her in surprise, except Aguero who already had suspicions. She transforms into none other than Persephone and apologizes for the ruse. They needed someone familiar. However, Sachayoj cuts the conversation short by shooting a branch directly through the woman, killing her and retreating to the top of the world tree to await the fight. Aguero tells the others the do not need to risk their lives for his fight but he already risked his for all of them so they agree to go with him and they climb.

They get to the canopy and confront him, finally. His two physical forms were relatively easy, everyone was able to do damage. However, once his true form is revealed, things get more complicated. A large mass of ooze fuses with the deck of war to create the Jubilex. Lara, Sirobe, Darrow, and even Phylyco cannot cause the creature any harm, try as they might. It takes something drastic to evaporate the entity. Aguero asks for a bit of time as he soars into the clouds. The others hold on for as long as they can before a beam of light strikes the demon, shriveling it into nothing and eliminating the threat. The blackness around begins to fade. They head to the branch of Eris and prepare to leave. Aguero doesn’t however. He looks at the group then back at the Vale. He knows he has to stay. Someone has to protect this plane. He gives Aragi a special quiver and Phylyco the blindfold he gave him many years before. He turns to the portal and bows to the world he’s leaving behind. He nods farewell to the others and turns towards the vale, transforming into a black wolf. The others enter the portal and leave him to his peace.

## Cast

### Main

* Aragi Maxul
* Phylyco Brokenwhisper
* Lara Youngheart
* Aguero Cryhawk
* Sirobe
* Darrow Emberstorm

### Supporting

* The Demon Sachayoj
* Persephone
* Boggle

## Trivia

* Final appearance of Aguero Cryhawk.
* This session revealed that Sachayoj himself was in fact corrupted.
* Persephone chose Mathite as a disguise because it was the person most important to Aguero.