Our Heroes entered the Tower of Conjuration to find the final remaining piece of the Arcane Octad. A smaller tower was inside, guarded by giant floating hands. Yrso tricked the hands allowing Lynaea the chance to open the tower’s tiny door, which opened a dimensional door next to her. The door led inside the tiny tower to a cluttered room inhabited by 3 old women. They were cooking in a massive cauldron and welcomed our heroes. Their names were Auntie Pinch, Auntie Pillage and Auntie Plunder.
They didn’t seem interested in the world outside, and vaguely described forays to another innaccessible dimension. When Yrso brought up poison they were happy to craft one. But as our heroes attempted to leave they demanded a price: a memory plucked from each of their minds. This was unnacceptable and our heroes attacked. The three old women did not retaliate, but disaappeared and threatened to extract their price another way, in our heroes dreams.
It became evident that time passed quickly in this tiny tower, giving Avarice a chance to gain a foothold in the city on the ruined skydock. Her cultists plundered the city with reckless abandon causing damage and starting fires.
Our heroes then performed the arcane octad ritual, disabling the force field blocking the tower of Iriolathas and the Mythalar.
Yrso consumed the Hags’ poison, which seemed to have no effect. Largo revealed a secret: that he had some involvement in the Dark Duchess before returning there with our heroes later.
Although Dzaan was desperate to attune to the Mythalar, he recognized it was far too dangerous with so many other threats in the city. He agreed with our heroes to instead explore Iriolarthas’ tower. A decision which pleased Vellyne.
Our heroes witnessed cultists dropped dead by the voice of the demilich Iriolarthas.
After ascending the spire of Iriolarthas’ elevator, our heroes came to a gate, where a magen urged them politely to turn back. He said “the ball is invite only”. The magen was tricked when Largo offered to play music for the ball, and our heroes were granted entry.
Inside the spire, a ballroom was lavishly decorated and full of guests. Adjoining bars were full of gossiping guests who seemed to enjoy the fish-out-of-water antics of our heroes. No guest would admit that outside the tower was a devastated wasteland.
A letter was found in a beuarocrat’s office describing an artifact recovered from Ostoria, the Empire of giants. The artifact came to be known as ‘The Spindle’ and due to its dangerous nature was placed in stasis in Iriolarthas’ study.
Our heroes were later guided to a ‘Liquefaction Chamber’, and asked if they were considering liquefaction themselves. This process, they realized later, involved liquefying the body and transplanting the brain and remains into a jar. Our heroes saw the results of this process when they met Venendara, a suit of armour with a brain housed in a glass jar resting where a head would be.
Venendara seemed to be the only sane guest at the party. Other guests were once lucid but had become lost in the illusion of the party. Magen simply continued operating as staff. She urged our heroes to visit Iriolarthas’ study and recover his staff of power. She would not join them, but could show them the way. She also kindly offered to perform the liquefaction process if anyone was interested.
Our heroes were beginning to lose patience, knowing that Auril was on her way, Avarice threatened to derail their plans, a coven of hags hung over their dreams, and a prowling demilich protected the Mythalar.
- Veneranda has asked our heroes to retrieve Iriolarthas’ staff of power from his study to use on the Obelisk. She says this will restore Ythrn.
- Avarice has arrived in the city, and established a base on the old skydock. Her minions pillage the city with no regard to safety or preservation
- Attunement to the Mythalr could allow someone to dispel Auril’s everlasting winter.
- Auril approaches the city to destroy intruders and return things to a state of tranquility.
- An artifact known as ‘The Spindle’ remains in a stasis chamber in Iriolarthas’ study. An ancient bureaucrat speculated that activating the spindle is what caused the city to crash.