Back to the Beginning

Before heading out, Kadath uses his crystal to see if the placement worked. He scrys into the throne room of Castle Aventur and watches for 10 minutes. Nothing of importance takes place as he watches a servant go about cleaning. Knowing they now have a means to possibly spy on Gaera, they head out to the Order of Balance in Qi where they will be teleported to Thriest.

Once in Thriest, they find Kadath's master, Erwin, to ask some questions. Kadath asks about the ritual found in a book from Qi's temple. Erwin explains that it is a blood ritual to call upon the power of the gods. He also warns that most do not survive such a ritual and that Kadath's mother and brother both died in her performing it. With that knowledge, Evangeline shows her drawing of what looks like a variation of Kadath. Erwin, in disbelief, admits that it has a very close resemblance to Kadath, yet is not him.

As the others head to their provided rooms, Kadath visits the blood pool beneath the temple. He enters to speak directly to the Raven Queen. He learns of the thread that is split, half of which is only woven into the back of life's tapestry. She shares with Kadath that his brother is Judgement.

The next morning they resupply and head out to the area northeast of Hidden Naresh, where Erwin had disclosed the location of the ritual Kadath's mother had attempted. Along the way, there is much discussion about Kadath's brother and whether or not he could be trusted. As they arrive at the gate, and as they enter the city, they notice the area is cleaner than when they previously visited. With less of the black ichor running through the town, more of the villagers are moving about. Many of them are mutated in some manner due to the exposure of the ichor. Although curious about the town, the group moves on following Kadath toward the ritual site.

As they travel up the mountain, they follow a trickle of the ichor toward what may be its source. Eventually they come upon a round clearing, ruins of a possible building of ages past. On a raised platform are markings of the ritual circle with the obsidian blade laying in its center. Evangeline and Forsythe check out the area she had seen in a vision as the burial site for Kadath's kin. They found only the bones of an adult female goliath, no young one.

Kadath investigates the platform and picks up the obsidian blade, triggering displaced creatures. Realizing these are the distransits, Evangeline collects some blood from one being levitated by Fix. The distransits manage to injure Kadath, causing him to bleed onto the ritual circle, activating it. A flash of light bursts out blinding the group and knocking them prone. When they open their eyes and adjust to the light, they realize they are no longer in the material plane.

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Episode 74