Slate Terrapin Azimuth Session III

## Ensure:

- Everyone has models

- The mat is laid out

- NPC Models are taken out for this session.

## Recap

On preparing to leave the Stalforge Discipline, Lead Prospector and Logistics Master Jxao Ironschlep thanks you for your efforts and mentions that a lot has changed since General Hu came into power. With the shift of balance within the nation, many traditions have been tossed aside such as the blessing that occured over Discipline Steel once formed into ingots. He states that he feels, like many of the nation's wise and elect, this unbalancing of nation will lead it to ruin but they are powerless to stop it while Hu holds so much military might. He says that if you do wish for your steel to be blessed, you should visit the monks that are a short journey away. He hasn't been in contact with them for some time due to the release of their service to the forging process. He gives you some supplies to take down to them and sends you on your way.

On the way, the party encounters a series of goblins that were beating on a metal cage, identical to the one that scooped up your goblin 'ally' in the mines. They are all clad in iron scraps and have it shrouding their forms in as much escess as possible. In places it inbeds their skin but mostly it forms a makeshift chainmail as the winding scraps are tied to the others in knots and chains. They quickly look inthe direction of the group and seeing their metal equipment charge at them. Quickly dispatched, the party progressed to the temple described and met Kh'loi, the leader of the monks. He needed help clearing out a threat nearby. This threat turns out to be more scrap imps but seemingly their main camp. The party went and made quick work of them and returned victorious to the temple.

## Session:

Although it has been almost a day, it seems like you have simply blinked at the scene before you. The stationary monks make it seem like time stopped while you were gone. The orange glow of the temple from its countless candles and lanterns flicker steadily, their light bouncing off of the black stone of the cave-like walls. The ivory bells above you still chime as the hot moist wind escapes from within the sanctum of the temple. Kh'loi sparks at your return, his usual slow demenour broken for just a moment in his split second revelry.

"Your return tells me that there is great potential among you heroes. This occasion serves as a herald, it speaks to me that it may be you that will save us and restore our temple to its former glory. There is a darkness within her, it keeps us out from its most holy place and we are powerless to stop it. We revel in its teachings and persue enlightenment by slowing our lives however we cannot protect it from the corruption within in our diminished state. Would you please help us further?"

"We are physically weakened and slow from our religeous practice but you contain the strength required to relieve the corruption fromthis place. We require an artifact, the service of an ancient being to begin cleansing the corruption. Go and get an egg of Wingjei, the bird of dogged determination and perseverance in the face of seemingly impossible odds. For sixty two years now, this bird has the same pattern every day. It lays an egg and then leaves the egg to grab an object which it drops into the Neo-Sea many kilometers away. On doing this, it returns after making progress on refilling the sea so that it may repair the effects of Fragmenterra. The distance is very far for such a small bird and it perishes from exhaustion. The egg hatches on the next morning and the next reincarnation of Wingjei repeats the process."

The egg is not difficult to get but the party will eventually know that they have ended the cycle of a bird trying its best to fulfill a goal.

Bringing the Egg back, Kh'loi thanks you taking it. He leads you inside to the inner sanctum. On return, Kh'loi is amazed at your ability and thanks you for your service. He tells you that he is willing to bring you inside the temple now knowing your ability to withstand risk. He tells you what you may already suspect. The inside of the chamber is much damper, a thick smell of bacteria and pus mixed with rotting organic matter lingers in the air but does not seem to perturb Kh'loi. As the black stone softens into a pink fleshy mass over the ground, he treads on it with no concern. He cracks the egg between his palms the palms and rubs it into the walls of the temple where there is a great abscess. The mound undulates and pulses, wriggling violently. Khloi runs as fast as his frail body allows before it explodes and three hungry purple worms attack the party, charging Khloi first.

Looking at the corridor before you and peerind through it, he sees that the air is filled with spores and fears the worst. "The temple has been infected much worse than I first though. You need to know something before you proceed. In way monks seemingly know, he is cryptic and pulls out a board game made from black stone and polished gem pieces. He teaches you how to play before allowing you to proceed.

   The proceeding cavity leads to the brain where spores fill the air. Myconid sprouts sit around in abundance just existing doing myconid things such as eating flesh and spreading spores. There are ten in the immediate chamber. As they are killed they release spores that allow telekinetic communication, see Rapport Spores below.