gate to where?

Kadath and Ordeith finally get a chance to talk about their past. Ordeith also does not really remember the ritual, but does remember being awakened by the lych, his patron. They share about their separate lives and begin to compare their swords. The swords were forged from the broken sword of Valsharoon by the Raven Queen, and the runes etched upon the blades (death, dark, balance, light, and life) are opposites of one another.

Evangeline watches and listens to the conversation, recording all into her book. After some time, she pulls out the cards and notices the Ruin card is no longer in shadow and clearly sees Ordeith in the background with a shadow behind him. In the foreground lies Renio and Reprut. Then she pulls out her orb and focuses on Ordeith. She sees the ritual of demon parts in the center is Ordeith. As the blood sacrifice is made, a blinding light flashes, pushing her out of the vision. She asks Savarus about it and receives, “What has been, must be.”

Through some questioning, Xandra shares she once knew Shallow and asks the group to let her know her location. Through telepathy, she shares the name “Hylastra” with Evangeline in case she needed it. Xandra then orients the portal to the material plane and the group depart, joined by Ordeith.

They arrive in a circular room with a sphere suspended in its center. Along the walls are several panels of buttons and levers. Kadath looks into a small window of the sphere and sees a tentacle pass by. Fix investigates the buttons and levers realizing they are capable of altering physics, then connects to the creature inside the sphere.

Cortez shares he is the protector of Ciamum and controller of all things natural within it. After learning of the destruction of the city, buttons and levers begin to move. Fix is able to understand that Cortez, when presented with new information, will attempt to adjust whatever is necessary. When the group leaves the cavern and discovers reversed gravity, Cortez adjusts again to return it to normalcy.

Forsythe teleports the group back to the Trentson residence where Ordeith experiences a moment of sluggishness which he overcomes quickly. Fix informs Philethis of Ordeith’s extended stay and then goes to Arias to get caught up on any news. After a respit, the group disperses to various locations to report or gather information. Fix goes to visit Gidna, Kadath and Ordeith go to the temple, and Evangeline heads to the Amber Pope.

Episode 77