session 41

Reaver Madness¶

Our newly christened vessel, the Sole Survivor, had barely cleared the planetary debris when we found ourselves pursued by a massive galleon. Its hull, a patchwork of salvaged metal and timber scarred by countless impacts, loomed menacingly. A warning shot from its imposing bow-mounted ballista blazed across our path, leaving us with a stark choice: fight or flee.

With quick thinking and quicker reflexes, we chose to flee. Fortune smiled upon us as we took the initiative to dart into a nearby asteroid field. The pursuit was tense, our hearts pounding as we navigated through the treacherous maze of asteroids. Our piloting skills were put to the ultimate test, but we emerged victorious, leaving our would-be captors far behind.

Once we were safely out of danger, Stigs, our ingenious Artificer, set to work retrofitting our ship’s ballista. Under his skilled hands, the ancient weapon was transformed into a formidable energy weapon. We took the opportunity to hone our gunnery skills, using bits of debris as target practice.

Our mission to find the wizard Mal’ifex took precedence, and we set a course for the asteroid that housed his tower. After a couple of days of uneventful travel, we arrived at our destination. The sight that greeted us was surreal - a solitary wizard’s tower perched atop a small, barren asteroid, reminiscent of a tale from a children’s storybook.

We approached the tower with caution, our knocks on the imposing front door initially met with silence. It wasn’t until Xor, our brain-in-a-jar companion, made a ear-piercing screech with his crab-like appendages dragging down the side of the door that it creaked open.

The interior of Mal’ifex’s tower was a journey through the bizarre and unsettling. Each of the seven levels we ascended seemed to bend the very fabric of time and space. The foyer gave way to rooms filled with ever-changing paintings, shimmering stained glass, and old and dusty books. An observation room housed telescopes that peered into different points in time, while a contemplation room defied our understanding of spatial relationships.

Our ascent was not without peril. A devious trap on the stairwell to the seventh floor stretched space infinitely for those who failed to resist its magic. It was only through Stigs’ quick thinking and his Flash of Genius that we all made it through unscathed.

At last, we reached the tower’s pinnacle - an open observatory that jutted out into the void of space itself. Here, we encountered a shimmering curtain of light that bisected the star platform. Ryalith, driven by curiosity or perhaps fate, stepped through the ethereal veil.

She found herself plunged into a vivid memory, a moment from her past so real she could almost touch it. The temptation to remain in this comforting illusion was strong, but with great effort, Ryalith chose to press forward.

As she emerged on the other side, she was greeted by a sight both wondrous and terrifying. An androgynous figure of terrible beauty stood before her in an opulent workshop. Their eyes, cool and grey and piercing, fixed upon Ryalith as they spoke words that sent a chill down her spine: “It’s about time you got here.”

Is this Mal’ifex? What secrets do they hold? Do they have the artifact we seek? Will they give it willingly or must we fight for it?