Chapter IV. Soul Shepherds
Session 34. Echoes of Creation
*September 14, 2024
Diallos gives life to the Ark of Prophecy and bestows it with the name of ‘Trinitas’. Trinitas remains on Astraloftum to protect the citizens in case of another invasion. On the way back to the Abbey, Diallos encounters Abbot Muho and Silas who are traveling to the battlefield to give last rites to the fallen soldiers of the Invasion. Silas offers the Souls of the Fallen Soldiers another chance to fight again through him as a vessel. They accept Silas as their vessel and Silas absorbs their Souls. Abbot Muho advises Silas to meditate to control the Souls and tells him that Diallos can train him.
Carter and Omniscient study at the Scriptorium together, with Omniscient creating anatomical designs of the demonic corpses in hopes of learning about them more. Whimsical and Charming train a number of civilians on how to fight and defend their city, with the young Charming demonstrating his combat prowess to the rookies. Bartholomew spars with Charming, showing how far the young swordsman has to go before matching the bard’s skills. Whimsical cooks dinner for everyone after a long day of training.
Bartholomew puts on a show with a halfling Jester named Boigny. It is very funny and entertaining. Diallos meets a young ‘Spirit-carver’ in a secluded cloister of the Abbey named Malon. She introduces Diallos to the art of spirit carving and hands him a journal cataloging rare woods that exist on the Titans, with the quest of creating Spirit-carving totems from each Titan’s rare wood. Diallos and Malon go see the play being put on by Boigny and Bartholomew. Diallos learns that Malon is actually a Spirit herself.
Session 35. Soul Shepherds Set Sail
*October 3, 2024
Finley spent the week at the Whispering Grove, mourning the losses of the Druids and aiding in the slow recovery of the sacred land. He worked tirelessly to rebuild what was lost, using his connection to Natu and the Church’s treasury to fund ‘Awakening’ rituals. With these rituals, more Treants were brought to life to stand as protectors of the Grove, ensuring its future safety. The soul of Archdruid Elowen now resides within Finley’s Staff of the Seasons, a heavy burden and a sacred duty. While the Grove looked to him to accept the role of Archdruid, Finley chose to bestow that mantle upon Bramble the Minotaur, trusting in his friend’s wisdom and strength. The apprentice druids, though sad to see their champion leave, understood his mission—to seek the promised land on behalf of Natu. The future of the Grove was in capable hands.
Virtus spent her days training at the Proving Grounds, sharpening her skills and finding solace in the physical discipline. Her brother, Animus, who had turned inward since the Fomorian invasion of Astraloftum, met with her. He had been consumed by prayer, seeking guidance from the Trinity to quell the rage festering in his heart. Through this reflection, Animus had found a new purpose. He decided to form a new adventuring party, gathering a crew of Inquisition Soldiers under the banner of the ‘Palms of a New Dawn.’ Their mission: to seek out the location of Paradise and undo the Temporal Stasis that held his fellow Scions captive. His next destination lay far to the east—Damocles College, where he would seek the wisdom of a renowned Chronurgy Wizard. He shared one final piece of news: their father had a close friend on Aphra, an elusive Aphrazonian who might hold the key to his whereabouts. However, the challenge lay in Aphra’s strict rule—only women could enter. Animus, promising his sister that the next time they met, he would be the brother she once looked up to, embraced Virtus warmly before rallying his crew to the WH Enterprise, setting sail towards his new path.
The Solar Scions, now dubbing themselves the ‘Soul Shepherds,’ made their final preparations at Tekkhead Labs. Vincent awaited them there, introducing the party to their skeleton crew of the prototype airship Project A.R.K. He made it clear that these crew members would assist with the airship’s daily operations but would also serve as informants to Vincent, keeping him apprised of the Scions’ actions. He reminded the Soul Shepherds to treat them with respect, before bidding the group farewell on their quest to find Paradise.
Virtus, along with her friend Pinot, who had been hired as part of the crew, went shopping for vital ship supplies, while Carter busied himself with the complex workings of the Rubix Cube engine. With the help of an automaton named P-Sowen, Carter delved deep into the cube’s mysteries. Meanwhile, Silas felt a sharp, stinging sensation from his Brand, a reminder of the Rubix engine’s enigmatic nature. As Carter explored the subconscious essence of the Rubix, he uncovered something deeply unsettling—the engine was powered by condensed soul gems. These souls, neither truly alive nor dead, were merely harvested energy sources now, their original essence long lost. This discovery lingered with the Soul Shepherds, a silent concern for what it might mean.
And so, with Astraloftum fading in the distance, the Soul Shepherds set their course north aboard Project A.R.K, venturing into the unknown, ready for whatever new trials awaited them.
Session 36. Exploring East Skysea
*October 9, 2024
The Scions travel through the Skysea and adapt to its shifting air currents, proving to be a worthwhile challenge in exploring East Sky. They sail through an archipelago of Cloudrocks, observing a flock of Seagulls about to obtain dinner. Silas works on the shards of glass from the flying magical glass chair, attempting to melt them in the ships’ oven and restore its magical properties. He is promptly scolded by Virtus & Finley, so Silas finds another way to work on the glass.
The crew move up to another air zone to have a better view of their surroundings, spotting a small floating island in the distance with a plume of smoke emerging from the center of its’ forest. The Scions decide to make landfall on the island, investigating the plume of smoke. They find that the island is being used as an Oil Factory operation and that the Oil drill is killing the island’s vegetation. After some concern from Whimsical and Finley, they intimidate the Dwarven Oil Shipper Arridon into abandoning the island’s oil operations. Arridon tells the Shepherds that he will inform House Tallow of this and leaves angered, but without fuss. Carter finds a vulnerability in the Oil Factory’s drill mechanisms and advises Whimsical to destroy it. Whimsical destroys the Factory, thus restoring the island’s health once again.
As the Scions fly towards their next destination, Virtus laments her responsibility as Captain. They then sail upwards towards the Tradewind air zone, where they ride the intense currents down the air stream towards their destination: a pirate mining island they had marked on their map a couple weeks ago.
They dock at the island at dusk, visibility low. After crossing a precarious swinging bridge, Carter magically becomes one with the shadows and scouts ahead as darkness itself, revealing to the crew the existence of a starving pirate crew, eager to leave the island. The Scions ponder their next actions carefully.
Session 37. To Natu or to not Natu
*October 23, 2024
The Scions approach the famished Cannoch Pirates - their first mate Fern attempts to intimidate the Scions but Virtus and Whimsical are unfazed. Virtus tells them to lay down their arms and Whimsical proceeds to grab food out of her magical bag of bounty to feed the pirates. The pirates joyfully cry over the food and thank the Scions for their kindness. Diallos reminds his friends that the pirates are wanted for theft and murder, so they consider the ramifications of helping them. Bartholomew asks the First Mate Fern why they became pirates and she provides a provocative but exaggerated backstory of their origins. Bartholomew realizes that Fern is pregnant. Fern tells the Scions that their pirate captain, Cannoch, is trapped in the mine due to a landslide and that they have been trying to dig them out this whole time, but have run out of food.
The Scions decide to help the pirates and Finley calls for Rock Roaches to dig up the landslide, opening up the mine. They enter the mine and find strange vines and fruit, it is revealed that this is no regular mine, but a Fae Fruit Mine that transforms consumers of its’ fruits into sickening half-fruit half-mortal hybrids. Finley advises the Scions to not pick up anything, eat or touch anything, and to not tell any creature their names.
The Scions delve deeper into the mine and encounter a half-pumpkin pirate who has undoubtedly consumed the fruit: he leads them to a deep chamber rife with the stench of rotting fruit, at its center - Captain Cannoch stands, hungry, with a gaping pumpkin maw, and long tendrils - he fights the Scions.
Bartholomew and Diallos quickly dispatch the Pumpkin-turned pirates, Whimsical tackles Captain Cannoch and grapples with his vines, and Carter casts a powerful Fireball spell that decimates the remaining forces and causes Captain Cannoch to retreat, taking Whimsical hostage. Bartholomew then uses Disguise magic to masquerade as First Mate Fern, Captain Cannoch’s lover. Bartholomew pleads that Captain Cannoch come peacefully, since they are here to rescue him, and falls for the ruse, dropping Whimsy down.
Bart, Finley, and Whimsy all agree to proselytize Captain Cannoch under the Ceremony of Natu, for the Goddess will cure his ailment to reunite him and his lover. After the three issue the ceremony, Captain Cannoch’s body returns to his initial form and the transformation ends - he thanks the Scions for restoring him and they all venture out of the mines together.
Outside, First Mate Fern & the rest of the pirates await the Scions return; when they do, Fern & Cannoch are reunited in a tearful, warm embrace. Cannoch informs the pirates that he is now a worshiper of the Goddess Natu and is met with skepticism by Fern, but she is simply thankful for his survival. The pirates inform their captain that they were fed by the Scions and are also thankful. Cannoch agrees to join the Scions on their travels, serving as a local cartographer of East Skysea and will aid them in finding some of the Titan’s paths through the clouds. The Scions decide to rest for a night on the Mining Island as the pirates strip their old ship for parts.
Session 38. Traveling to Saturn
*October 30, 2024
The Soul Shepherds spend the night on the mining island, well rested for their next adventure. Diallos places signs around the island warning of the dangers within the mines. The Cannoch Pirates create a mass grave for their fallen comrades while Finley speaks a small prayer alongside Captain Cannoch. Whimsical receives an egg from Carter, which he found above a tree.
The Soul Shepherds leave the Pirate Mining Island with the Cannoch Pirates but are met with a hail storm. Silas has been reading while aboard the ship of a dance that can change the weather and issues the Scions to dance so as to get rid of the hailstorm. They dance and the storm secedes.
Captain Cannoch shares the route of the Titan Saturn, an island atop a massive elephant that roams the Skysea, with the Scions. Virtus orders the pirates to work on the ship, she tells the pregnant First Mate Fern to go see Finley to get a check up. Carter obtains one of the pirates as an errand boy, their name Bruno - unfortunately he slips during some turbulence and hits his head on a corner wall while he is carrying equipment, falling unconscious - which Finley promptly addresses. Virtus calls for a meeting of the Scions to talk of their next plan and expectations, as well as formally inducts Bartholomew into their crew.
A few hours pass as they sail through the Skyway Zone, when Silas entices over an albatross; Finley speaks to it - he names it Silas as a jest. Diallos receives a vision of the titan Saturn being ravaged by giant tentacles of “light and shadow”; An Aarakocra with a distinctly human face, summoning a flock of birds as messengers, presumably requesting help. It seems the Titan Saturn is in danger. The albatross shares a mission given to it by a druid named Jer’Emee, presumably a shaman of Saturn. The Scions hover over Saturn’s route, in hopes of clues to its whereabouts.