D&D Campaign One: Scalebreakers - 016
The Forgotton
The session began with a moment of silence. Deep in the blackness into which they had been cast down after their victory in the Clash of Iron, the Scalebreakers reflected on their journey so far. From their first meeting to the triumphs here in Kraghammer, they realized how much they had grown together. Upon closer inspection of their dark surroundings, the group noticed something unusual thanks to their knowledge of rock and history: the shafts around them were not the same. Some appeared ancient, formed over eons, while others seemed artificial and at most a century old.
Eventually, a figure emerged from the shadows. An emaciated half-elf without armor, with a prominent scar across his left eye. He briefly introduced himself as Vane. To their surprise, he knew exactly who they were: the newest champions of the tournament. He led the group deeper into a hidden camp and introduced them to the "Forgotten": the broken but surviving champions of the past months.
While the group tried to comprehend the extent of their situation, Jebeddo sank into deep meditation. As Thavax, he sought a connection to the rock, and could physically feel how the drill in Sector 9 mercilessly cut into the flesh of the mountain.
Exhausted, the group took a long rest. The next day, they began to mingle with the Forgotten. Arrin discovered glowing mushrooms on the cave wall, but was warned at the last moment by a cleric of the Dawnfather named Elaine against consuming them carelessly. Her selfless care and unwavering faith deeply impressed young Arrin and left him crushing on the cleric.
Through conversations with other camp residents—the half-orc Kal'Ra and the dwarf Gorim—the puzzle pieces finally came together for the group. They learned that the giant guardians in front of Sector 9 are Primeval Wardens. These are primordial titans, once created by the Prime Deities to guard something hitherto unknown. Furthermore, they uncovered the secret of the purple liquid that Drakon's troops use: it is diluted, alchemically altered corruption from this very prison, which powers the obsidian armor but sends the titans into a raging frenzy due to its unnatural origin.
Vane revealed to the group three possible smuggling routes into Sector 9. The Scalebreakers conceived a brilliant, daring plan: they would communicate with the titans, safely hide the ignition mechanism in a Bag of Holding from their divine radar, and finally manipulate the protective runes of the drill. Without this magical shield, the titans themselves would tear the Kuori machine to pieces.
To secure divine assistance, Keithara cast Divination. Selune answered with a cryptic rhyme. The group was able to decipher that brute force against the guardians would be the wrong path, and that their stealthy plan promised success. Only the meaning of the last lines—the use of "steely mind" and "echo of the night"—remained a mystery for now. Determined, they prepared for their departure. But just at the moment they were about to leave the camp, a dwarven survivor with wide, feverish eyes approached Jebeddo. He stared piercingly at the Genasi and whispered with a trembling voice: "You hear it too, don't you?".