Session 5

During the next 6 months, Maddrian returns home for a visit, discovering that his wife has a new set of tattoos, to enhance her magic. Signe gets to meet his daughters: Sura, Assara, and Seema. Sura tells him that Accalia seems more distant than usual lately.

Ruby spends some time considering what life is going to look like, after the war. Signe misses her son, and worries about whether or not he remembers her. She also no longer believes in Corellon. Aravad finds and speaks with Ray, and they catch up. He tells her about Signe's struggles with her faith.

Maddrian says his goodbyes to his family, asking his wife to take care of herself. He leaves a journey behind for his daughters to find, with a letter to each of them. Aravad makes a reflecting pool for Ruby, which she is praying at when Maddrian and Signe meet back up them. The four friends catch up.

They travel to see Lakal, whom Aravad describes as the god of healing and mercy. They find a portal to her realm, and go through it, arriving at the bottom of a waterfall. They are approached by a figure...

The figure turns out to be a human woman named Mereth who asks what their business is with Lakal. They introduce themselves and explain what they are there about. She warns them that Lakal doesn't fight. Aravad points out that Maddrian is one who always shows mercy, and she agrees to take them to Lakal.

Aravad asks Mereth about her story. She tells of her adventuring days and how she grew tired of being a destructive force. He asks permission to repeat her story, which she agrees to. As they continue on, they hear wingbeats, and look up to see Bahamut and Nihil, flying closer, locked in mortal combat.

As they try to figure out what to do, Mereth tells her there is a magical protective dome around the island. Aravad flies up to the barrier, pouring raw arcane energy into it to strengthen it. Mereth begins to open a gate to take them directly to Lakal, while Ruby controls some water, forming a secondary barrier, behind the arcane one.

Mereth and Maddrian rush through the gate to a spiraling tower, where Maddrian tries to convince Lakal to help them. Nihil and Bahamut crash into the shield, breaking through. Aravad animates a statue which flies off and attacks Nihil, though it gets sucked into it and disappears. Ruby conjures a spiritual guardian, but Bahamut and Nihil crash it as well, and into the tower, consuming Lakal.

As Lakal is being consumed, there's a brief moment where Maddrian senses that he might be able to save her, but he would have to sacrifice himself in the process. He lets the moment pass, apologizing to her in the process, as his promise to Accalia flashes through his brain.

They all flee, helping the various celestial creatures get out too. They look back in time to see Bahamut finally finish off Nihil. Mereth collapses, in tears, stunned at the loss of Lakal. The group gathers around her, trying to comfort her. Aravad reshapes one stone column of the gate into a statue of Lakal, with tears running down her face, in her final moments. The other, he shapes into a statue of Mereth, with the inscription "For those in wealth, be the gift for those who are poor".