SESSION 2026 07 05

Hilltop

Danalyth asks if Orin has Ellie's contract. He doesn't but can put in a request. Shard gathers the party and shares what she knows about Ivy.

Ivy used to be a summoner, but bond with Shard is broken; might mean her magic is removed though she might have another source now. Even without magic, she's a very skilled hypnotist. She's a goblin (and therefor pretty short), wears a top hat, and has a second mind of sorts? Not like Elta; the other person's name is Ivory, Ivy had asked her to remove the Master's control if she ever fell under. Considering Ivy seems to be under the Master's control, Ivory shouldn't be trusted.

To the Archives

Party heads to the portal room along with Lauve. One of the portals is lit up, with the iconography of a pendulum and a book. Shard recognizes them as Ivy's. Lauve is surprised the portal is lit at all. Elta wants to go through first without the party, Shard says "Elta, that's not a plan, that's a bit." Danalyth puts through her finger. It feels cold, like the sensation of nothingness, not unlike the weird portal before. The portal's appearance is slightly different from the other portals as well, similar to the time they went to the weird dimension. Shard sticks her head through, and sees stone ruins of an upside down clocktower, with two monsters eating a statue of Serris. Serris feels a prick in his left hand, and sees it become transparent. The party charges in to deal with the fuckery.

What the fuck is happening

The party see Ojo, Ash and Goldenshade fighting off monsters. Elta prepares to fire her mortar at the monsters, as do her allies prepare to take their shots. They all attack, and combat commences. The strange crystal-like creature fascinates most of the party, the melee members take down the big guy, Elta styles on the crystal, and Leah pushes it off the ledge, into nothingness... where the memories of it are promptly taken with it. Why even is Leah standing there? Elta did nothing that fight, huh? The party inspects Serris' statue, which is missing its right arm... and so is Serris. Shard and Leah graft on a functional metal stick-arm onto the statue, and Serris' avatar gains it as well. They go to Goldenshade, who asks how and why they are here again. The party explains, but Goldenshade urges them to leave, now, before 'he' comes back. Before the party can ask who it is Goldenshade is referring to, a tall, celestial-appearing creature appears, and banishes Goldenshade. They reach out, touch Elta, who promptly is shot back, dying. Party goes through portal, Shard throws up wall so the creature cannot follow.

Okay we made it to the Archives

Stabilize and heal Elta, Serris remanifests his avatar to regain his arm; it works but remanifesting at all is a struggle. They head forward to the Archives, answering riddles presented by sand golems, with the final one taking Leah's blood. Inside, they see someone passed through recently, spotting trails of boots, claws, and knives. Turn mechanism, go right, big scary creature, burns Kaisume's fingerprint and returns to stone, door unlocks. Similar mechanism, opens something on the other side, go back all the way, hydra defending other button, Danalyth presses it, Hydra turns into a statue, door clicks open. Biiiiig fucking doors to the north and south. Danalyth asks the door questions with the whistle. Bunch of questions get asked, but turns out the door is already open